by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 6, 2015
Aiming to improve the showroom experience, Lexus and a dozen of its dealers will try out a new, “no haggle” pricing policy – a move they admit could please some shoppers but send other potential buyers scurrying away. The experiment, announced during an industry event...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 6, 2015
When the 2016 Toyota Tacoma rolls into U.S. showrooms next month it will mark the first major update of the midsize pickup in a decade, an eternity by today’s automotive standards. Considering the long somnambulant segment has suddenly roared back to life in recent...
by Joseph Szczesny | Aug 6, 2015
Despite new product launches and an a product mix that includes more sport utility and multi-purpose vehicles, General Motors sales in China dropped by 4% in July. It was the third consecutive monthly sales drop for GM and its joint ventures, which sold 229,175...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 5, 2015
Tesla had some mixed news for investors as it revealed its second-quarter results Wednesday afternoon. The maker’s loss was less than anticipated by industry analysts, but the maker fell short of expected vehicle deliveries and cut its forecast for the full year. The...
by Michael Strong | Aug 5, 2015
Scion is in the middle of a revamp of its line-up to reinvigorate its youthful buying base and as part of that, it’s debuting the new iM that slots right into a growing segment in the U.S.: hatchbacks. Actually, what’s really getting attention is the “hot hatch” group...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 5, 2015
Despite the rapid expansion of “transplant” assembly lines operated by a wide range of foreign-owned manufacturers, U.S. auto imports hit an all-time record during the first half of 2015, with no sign of slowing down. If anything, the rapid expansion of Mexico’s...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 5, 2015
Lexus is, quite literally, going Back to the Future, showing off a working version of the levitating skateboard actor Michael J. Fox’s character got to ride in the 1989 sci-fi adventure. But don’t race to your local sports shop to try to buy one. The Toyota luxury...
by Joseph Szczesny | Aug 5, 2015
Sales of new vehicles will continue to inch upwards through 2016, but could ultimately be limited by the diminished purchasing power of the younger “Millenial Generation,” according to economists from the National Association of Auto Dealers. Sales of new...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 5, 2015
Audi is upping the ante in the premium luxury sedan market, taking aim at competitors like the Mercedes-AMG S63 with its new S8 Plus. Claiming to deliver the highest power-to-weight in its segment, the new model punches out 596-horsepower from its overboosted V-8,...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 5, 2015
Infotainment systems supplier Harman International insists that a security issue that led to the recall of 1.4 million vehicles last month is limited to products sold by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. The problem was discovered by a pair of cybersecurity experts who used...
by Michael Strong | Aug 4, 2015
Let’s say you’re a stereotypical millennial and you need to buy something, where will you go? Your computer, tablet or smartphone, of course. Buy your music? Internet. Buy a Christmas sweater? Internet. Buy a new Scion iM? Internet. Toyota’s youth-oriented brand is...
by Michael Strong | Aug 4, 2015
New vehicle sales in July rose to heady levels – an annual rate of nearly 18 million units – led by expensive vehicles: luxury sport-utilities, crossover and … wait for it … trucks! The fact that trucks are big sellers isn’t big news. For the past 30-plus years...
