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Automotive News & Views GM News, New Models and Market Share
8511 messages, Last post on Nov 29, 2009 at 11:30 PM
You are in the Automotive News & Views Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & claires
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Sure wish they would post the charts on line that they put in the paper but: The year the automotive industry would like to forget is memorable for slumping sales, spikes in gas prices and a shift in consumer tastes to cars and smaller vehicles with growing interest in hybrids and electric vehicles. Toyota was the year's best-selling brand for the first time, ending the traditional race between Ford and Chevrolet. And 2008 saw wild fluctuations between car and truck sales. The year began and ended with trucks cornering around 52 percent of the U.S. market; in between, that share dipped as low as 43.1 percent, but cars prevailed overall. It took trucks almost a century to outsell cars, with pickups, minivans and SUVs finally achieving that feat in 2000, said George Pipas, U.S. sales analysis manager for Ford Motor Co. "Now seven years later, passenger cars have outsold light trucks." Pipas doesn't think it's a trend that will reverse itself again anytime soon. Some things stayed the same. The Ford F-Series remains the best-selling truck for the 32nd year and the best-selling vehicle for the 27th consecutive year, with 515,513 units sold. Chart shows trucks slightly outselling cars slightly Jan/Feb and then cars really outselling trucks April May June and then even March, Aug, Sep, Oct and then cars slightly outselling trucks Nov, Dec. Looks like we will not be getting $1 gas this year:( |
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Replying to: torque_r (Jan 05, 2009 8:53 pm) True, it's something that's missing in the current SRX: value. It seemed like a decent value at first, then you realize that to get what most competitors offer as standard you's have to settle for thousands of $$$ worth of options. Add them up, and the price soars to the point it reaches the German's territory. And of course, the outgoing SRX doesn't have what it takes to challenge the Germans (true luxury) and the Japanese (value). May the next gen fare better... |
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Replying to: circlew (Jan 06, 2009 4:00 am) So true. Power is one thing, but image and luxury appointments are to be seriously considered as well. There's no point making a luxury SUV that has more power than competitors but fail at everything else. Fuel economy? Yes some will consider, but not that many. Remember that the buyers in this class will most likely be the ones surviving the economic turmoil. In the end SRX needs the right balance of all the above to actually sell. The current SRX tanks so deeply IMO because it has performance and decent mileage, but loses out in comfort, luxury, image, value, and brand's customer service. |
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Replying to: 62vetteefp (Jan 05, 2009 11:41 am) I think the EX35 3.5L/297hp at $35k would be a closer competitor rather than the FX35 at $43k. Like I said, don't push the "value" card too much. Buyers in this class wants more than that. Also please remember that the SRX was created with the FX, X5 and other midsizers as the target. Also, again, like I said, it's not fair to compare upcoming models with outgoing models that have been around for years now. Still, I'm beginning to see some potential blunders here: 1) I'm a bit confused as in how a midsize SRX is possible being built on a compact crossover platform. Unless that's what the term "Theta Premium" is mainly about, extending. 2) The choice to go the FWD route is an extreme gamble. Most buyers expect RWD from what I see, even the class' bottom-feeder GrandCherokee knows this. 3) Based on the platform I expect the upcoming SRX to be smaller than the outgoing model. Whether downsizing is a good idea or not I dont know, but this will definitely pose a challenge for adding a 3rd row, which in current gen's car has barely enough room. 4)GM has yet to release any pics on the interior, I guess it'll have to wait until the car shows up at auto expos. 5) GM hasn't done much in the customer service department, another crucial part in the luxury class. People can check the rankings all they want, but when in reality GM neglect to manage customer service in all it's dealerships, I consider that as failure (and yes that includes BMW's crap for service). BMW ranks good in service, but in reality most the customers know they suck at it. No rankings can beat reality. Current SRX's huge mistake is overpricing, the $35k base price sounds nice, but match up the equipment and options with competitors and price soars. I hope the upcoming model gets more reasonable. I seriously hope GM will do something about the crappy interior. I'm sick of hearing GM's excuse, remember " We have addressed complaints about materials that are actually of premium quality but don't look and feel like one..." from GM's press release on the '08 CTS? Wow sure, we're all so dumb we can't tell the difference between Tupperware plastic and Nappa leather. GM actually expected us to believe that the previous gen CTS had premium materials all over, LMAO  Whatever happened to the BRX program? That sounds more appropriate for a Theta platform.
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Check GMI or C&G.  link title |
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Replying to: torque_r (Jan 06, 2009 2:50 am)  The D3 can not go on like this for much longer....oh, wait a minute...yes, we gave them the cash for this purpose. Never mind! Regards, OW
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Replying to: m4d_cow (Jan 05, 2009 11:47 am) So 22 percent market share looks good if you have no knowledge of the recent history of GM but in reality demonstrates how far GM has fallen in the US car industry. BTW, recent Motor Trend mentioned (alluded) that Rick Wagoner is on his way out. He was not included on their most influential list after being number one two years ago. Any one hear anything on his pending departure??? |
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Replying to: circlew (Jan 06, 2009 9:20 am) It also feeds the perception that the foreign makes are better. We (Americans) have been trained to believe that if something is cheaper, it's probably not as good as the more expensive product (I know this is debatable but allow me some latitude here to make my point). So people are now willing to pay more for a comparable Accord, Civic, Camry, etc. over a Fusion, Malibu, Impala, etc. It took years for this to develop and it will take years for the perception to change. Unfortunately GM and Chrylser only have months not years to survive. The sad part is all indication of this dynamic was in place back in the mid-90s. The year the Accord surpassed the Taurus as the most popular car marked the beginning of the end. Unfortunately Wagoner and his gang were too blinded by the profits they wer making on pickups and SUVs to notice. The 2008 Malibu and CTS are very nice vehicles but it's about a decade too late.
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Replying to: dtownfb (Jan 06, 2009 10:00 am) The foreign brands can reap that benefit you mentioned because they earned it. We are experienceing the effects of what the D3 have earned. The market share of GM needs to be no more than 15% and the incentives cut by 25% as the pricing model changes on all GM nameplates. It's the only way. It'll be interesting to see the final plan. Regards, OW
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Replying to: m4d_cow (Jan 06, 2009 6:37 am) GM is number 4 just under Lexus virtually tied with MB and a couple ahead of BMW and way ahead of Acura. http://www.jdpower.com/corporate/news/releases/pressrelease.aspx?ID=2008250
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