Car Blog

August 2010 sales of 9,182 vehicles rose 14% above August 2009, topping previous August record set in 2003

Consumers continue to demand TDI clean diesel vehicles, as both the Audi Q7 TDI and A3 TDI posted significant sales mix gains in the most recent month

Q5 crossover sales increased 78.8% from August 2009 sales to set an all time record

Audi maintained its 2010 momentum with record August U.S. sales, which surpassed the prior August record set in 2003 by more than 900 vehicles. August 2010 sales of Audi cars and SUVs climbed 14% compared to August 2009, and marked the best monthly sales performance since May of this year.

The August results keep the German luxury automaker on track to set a vehicle sales record in the U.S. by year-end. The existing annual sales record for Audi in the U.S. is 93,506 vehicles sold in 2007.

Overall, Audi sold 9,182 luxury cars and SUVs in August 2010, topping the previous August record of 8,057 vehicles sold in August 2009. Additionally, the automaker posted steady quarter-to-quarter sales increases of more than 5% and nearly 15% over June 2010 and July 2010, respectively.

The August 2010 results were buoyed by the continued extraordinary consumer response by year-over-year sales increases for the Audi Q5 crossover and Audi Q7. For the month, Audi sold 2,675 Q5 vehicles, a 78.8% increase over the 1,496 vehicles sold in August 2009. The Q5 line also enjoyed more than a 25% August 2010 sales jump over July 2010. For August 2010, Audi reported Q7 sales of 560, a 42.1% increase above the 394 vehicles sold a year earlier. Read the rest of this entry »

New campaign to feature full line of Nissan vehicles, innovations that drive them -

Nissan North America announced a significant new marketing initiative to showcase the strength of Nissan’s innovative product portfolio and build on 10 straight months of sales growth for the Nissan brand in the U.S. market. The campaign, to be headlined under the theme “Innovation for All,” will launch on Aug. 28 and permeate a variety of medium and targets over the next several months.

“Innovation for All” will begin with a series of five television spots that capture Nissan’s history, track record and process of innovation. The campaign features the full line of Nissan products – from the 100-percent electric Nissan LEAF and Altima mid-size sedan to the Z sports car, Titan full-size pickup truck and cube ® activity vehicle. The versatile campaign also will appear in print and online with a consistent look and feel.

“Innovation has been the heart and soul of the Nissan brand for nearly 100 years,” said Jon Brancheau, vice president, Marketing, NNA. “‘Innovation for All’ isn’t simply a new marketing idea. It’s the very foundation of Nissan worldwide. This campaign captures Nissan’s spirit and continued drive towards innovation – not just for the elite, but for everyone.” Read the rest of this entry »

Sales of Ford Edge, which arrived on the market in late 2006, hit 400,000 this weekend – more than any midsize crossover vehicle during the same period.

Also this past weekend, the new 2011 Ford Edge began shipping from Oakville Assembly Complex in Ontario to dealerships across the United States and Canada.

“Edge competes in one of the fastest-growing and most fiercely competitive segments in the industry,” said Amy Marentic, Ford’s Crossover Group Marketing Manager. “Still, Edge is growing sales at an incredible rate.”

As of July, Edge sales for the year were up 33 percent over last year – more than double the overall industry sales.

In 2006 when Edge was introduced, the midsize crossover segment accounted for 4.3 percent of the retail industry. Last year, that number grew to 9.5 percent. And this year, it’s expected to top 11 percent, making the segment the same size as full-size pickups and more than sports cars.

Now comes the new 2011 Ford Edge with three new powertrains, bold new styling, improved driving dynamics and industry-leading MyFord Touch technology.

“Edge defined the crossover segment when it was launched in 2006. Ford has taken a great vehicle and made it even better,” Marentic said. “The new Edge promises to take the segment to an all-new level.”

The 2011 Ford Edge SEL and Limited, which account for about 80 percent of all Edge sales, have EPA-estimated fuel economy of 19 mpg city and 27 mpg highway (front-wheel drive), which is unsurpassed in each category among V6 competitors. Read the rest of this entry »

Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) today announced July sales of 5,648. That’s an increase of 16.5 percent compared to July 2009 and Mitsubishi’s highest monthly sales total since August 2009.

Outlander sales led the way, up 33 percent and increasing more than 30 percent for the second month in a row.

Other July sales highlights included:
– The monthly total of 5,648 was Mitsubishi’s best month in the last twelve months, and the second best month in the last 22 months.
– Lancer Sportback sales were 697 units, more than double its previous highest monthly total (267 in October 2009).
– Outlander sales are up more than 29 percent year-to-date. Outlander sales have increased seven of the past eight months.
– Sales of the fuel-efficient Lancer were up almost five percent compared to last July.
– Galant sales are up more than 43 percent year-to-date, and were up 1.3 percent in July.
– Endeavor SUV sales are up more than 14 percent year-to-date.

“We are pleased that while Lancer, Outlander, and Galant sales remain strong, our newest model, the Lancer Sportback, is also being embraced by customers,” said MMNA President & CEO Shin Kurihara. “This bodes very well for our dealers, who will soon have another exciting new model, our Outlander Sport CUV.”

The first open-top Audi supercar will begin at $161,000 MSRP – The V10 Audi R8 Spyder achieves 525-hp and a top speed of 195 mph – Planned arrival for the RS5 Coupe in the U.S. market is 2012

Audi  announced that pricing for the new 2011 R8 Spyder 5.2 quattro® supercar will begin at $161,000 with the first of the hand-assembled models reaching U.S. showrooms as soon as next month.

Audi also confirmed today that it intends to sell the Audi RS5 in the U.S. market starting in 2012. The high-revving 4.2-liter V8 engine in the Audi RS5 Coupe generates 450 horsepower. Like all Audi RS models sold in Europe and other markets, the RS5 Coupe applies its power to the road with quattro permanent all-wheel drive. Details on equipment levels, pricing and fuel economy standards will be released at a later date.

Anticipation has been building for the arrival of the first Audi open-top supercar since it appeared as the car of choice for main character Tony Stark in the blockbuster action film Iron Man 2. The newest Audi R8 maintains the perfect balance of form and function that has distinguished coupe models in the R8 sports car family. But the R8 Spyder adds innovative touches that integrate the soft top without altering the dynamic styling lines, optimal weight distribution or high-performance characteristics of the coupe models.

The 2011 model-year MSRP for the R8 Spyder 5.2 quattro is as follows: Read the rest of this entry »

Ford Motor Company has delivered its best ever first-half new vehicle sales of 301,524 units in China during the first six months of 2010. The record-setting performance delivered robust growth of 53 percent compared to sales figures from January to June 2009.

– Ford China rang up record first-half sales of 301,524 units, anincrease of 53 percent from a year ago
– Ford’s passenger car joint venture in China, Changan Ford Mazda Automobile, delivered record sales of 205,563 units in the first half, an increase of 46 percent year-on-year
– Ford Motor China’s commercial vehicle investment, Jiangling Motors Corporation, registered record sales of 88,363 units, with sales of Ford Transit rising dramatically, up 78 percent from a year ago to 25,227 units
– The 2011 Ford Focus was introduced in June, with 2 new models available and substantial enhancements in safety, environmental
friendliness, comfort and value
– Ford will introduce the Ford Mondeo with 2.0-litre Ford EcoBoost engine and PowerShift transmission, and the new Ford Edge featuring MyFord Touch(TM) driver connect technology to the China market later this year

“The continued strong sales numbers are very rewarding for the entire Ford team, who are working hard to build great cars,” said Robert Graziano, chairman and CEO, Ford Motor China. “We are very pleased that more and more Chinese consumers are choosing the stylish, fuel-efficient, high quality vehicles Ford and our joint ventures offer in China.”

Changan Ford Mazda Automobile (CFMA), Ford Motor’s passenger car joint venture in China, reported record sales of 205,563 units in the first six months of 2010, an increase of 46 percent versus the same period last year. Ford passenger car sales surged 46 percent to 151,779 units.

The popularity of the Ford Fiesta among China’s young generation helped the nameplate continue to gain market share. In the first six months of 2010, the trendy compact car racked up strong sales of 38,669 units, an increase of 113 percent year-on-year. A total of 86,053 Fiestas have been sold in China since the model was introduced last year.

Sales of the Ford Focus are continuing at a brisk pace, with more than 10,000 units a month, on average. Consistently strong sales helped the Focus secure a top-10 position in the highly competitive mid-size car market. This growth is expected to continue following the launch of the 2011 Ford Focus in June, with two new models on offer and substantial enhancements in safety, environmental friendliness and comfort. Competitively priced between RMB104,800 and RMB148,800, the Focus now offers even greater value for money, and brings the promise of car ownership within reach of more consumers.

The Ford Mondeo and Ford S-MAX nameplates also showed steady growth in the first half of 2010. Sales increased by 26 and 24 percent, respectively, compared to the same period last year.

In the commercial vehicle sector, the Ford Transit is still the leader in the high-end light commercial van segment. Its first-half sales rose a dramatic 78 percent on an annual basis to 25,227 units, helping Ford Motor’s commercial vehicle investment in China, Jiangling Motors Corporation (JMC), achieve a 66 percent year-on-year sales increase to 88,363 units in the first six months, far outpacing the industry.

“Vehicle sales in China are expected to remain strong in the second half of 2010, with upgraded new products arriving this year, like the Ford Mondeo with 2.0-litre Ford EcoBoost engine and PowerShift transmission, and the new Ford Edge featuring MyFord Touch(TM) driver connect technology,” Graziano added. ”Our customers are very discerning and appreciate the great value our vehicles offer in terms of price and fuel economy. Chinese motorists also enjoy the fact that our products are fashionable and fun to drive. When Chinese customers experience our vehicles and services, they can feel the difference.”