Showing posts with label US May 2010 Sales. Show all posts
Showing posts with label US May 2010 Sales. Show all posts
Monday, June 14, 2010

SALES OF NICHE CARS IN THE USA - MAY 2010

mini cooper
Available now in three bodystyles, the Mini Cooper is part of BMW's route around CAFE and EU CO2 emissions control while also bringing BMW a huge source of small car profitability. With a few engines, one platform, and one undying style ethos, the Mini range is a gold mine. Soon, the Mini Countryman will sell at a faster rate than any of us thought possible and Mini will be on its way to mainstream.

But you'd never guess based on Mini's 4,233 sales in April. BMW's own 3-Series sells at more than twice the pace. America's current best-selling car, the Honda Accord, crossed the 30,000-unit threshold in May. What's 4,233 sales in a month? Nothing.... right? Remember that automakers earn a lot of profit off options, and few vehicles leave the factory as optioned-up as a Mini Cooper.
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SPORTY & LUXURY SPORTY CAR SALES IN THE USA - MAY 2010

bmw z4
One would imagine that, in a sector beholden to style and image, the best-looking car would sell the most; the worst-looking car would sell the least. But you're forgetting that image, when tied to style, also revolves around that which is newer and brighter and bolder and brasher. Many'a styling guru would hold fast to the notion that the Mazda RX-8 is a tremendously gorgeous automobile. However, the Mazda RX-8 is now an aged wonder. Plus it suffers from consumption, of the oil and gas variety.

What happened to the Audi TT? The TT's lack of a retractable hardtop can't be helping, but the TT isn't the fresh face it was last decade, not even with a handsome remake a few years ago. Thus sales have taken a dip toward the abyss, down 7.1% in May; down 7.7% year-to-date.

Then you have a car like the BMW Z4. Recently redesigned to include a retractable hardtop, a redesign which also made the Z4 a looker rather than a look-away, is partly credited for improved Z4 sales. In May, the Z4 posted an increase of 29%. Through the first five months of 2010 sales are up 226.8%. Indeed, the Z4's May sales figures were almost as high as Z4 sales through the first five months of 2009. Beautiful, capable, and new... that's how you sell in this segment.
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Friday, June 11, 2010

U.S. SALES OF PREMIUM LUXURY SPORTY CARS - MAY 2010

mercedes sls amg
Reviews have been mixed. Onlookers either seem to hate the look of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG... or love it. With its blunt nose and retro gullwing doors, the Mercedes SLS is always going to attract attention because of the way it looks. As a successor to the McLaren-developed Mercedes SLR, the SLS is better gauged by its performance.

Yet the SLS AMG is significantly less expensive than its predecessor; $313,000 less to be exact. And with hundreds of thousands of dollars saved, you'll travel at a similar velocity and enjoy the experience even more. Put it this way: the fact that Mercedes-Benz managed to sell 168 of these supercars during its first month on sale isn't actually surprising at all.

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AMERICAN MUSCLE CAR SALES IN THE USA - MAY 2010

ford mustang
For the first time in what seems like forever and a day, the Ford Mustang beat the Chevrolet Camaro in monthly sales. More than half the Mustangs sold in America in May were of the 2011 variety; substantially more powerful than their 2010 brethren. Ford was making substantially more money off the 2011s, too, with lower incentives and higher interest rates.

Nevertheless, Camaro sales remained tremendously strong. One wouldn't have thought Chevrolet planted the Camaro in such fertile ground, but sales have reached 38,838 through the first five months of 2010. We've also reached a time when Camaro sales can be compared with the same period of the previous year. In that light, Chevrolet Camaro sales climbed 63.5% from May 2009.

And the others? Chevrolet Corvette sales fell 13.1% in May. Dodge Viper sales fell 41% while Challenger volume rose 42%.
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Thursday, June 10, 2010

LARGE LUXURY CAR SALES IN THE USA - MAY 2010

Jaguar XJ
However ugly you (or I) think the Porsche Panamera is, there's not a soul on the planet who'd be surprised to see the Panamera picking up steam and quickly becoming Porsche's best-selling model. That fact being obvious, it must also be pointed out that Porsche's big hatchbacky sedan still sits far back of similarly-priced competition from Mercedes-Benz and Lexus.

Imagine, if you will, the buyer who cross-shops the Panamera and the Lexus LS. Yeah, I can't actually figure out who that person is either. But S-Class and 7-Series comparisons seem probable, and the Panamera trailed its German competition in May, too. Well, the Panamera trailed all German competition except for the Audi A8, a car which always deserves your attention but never receives it.

Then there's the Jaguar XJ. At the end of May a few buyers were finally treated to the challenging design that is Jaguar's 2011 XJ. Expect to see a higher sales total for Jaguar in June's Sales Stats, but how high is hard to predict. Even with a vastly improved product portfolio, Jaguar is a niche player in niche markets.
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MIDSIZE LUXURY CAR SALES IN THE USA - MAY 2010

mercedes e63 amg
Sales of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class have shot through the roof in the United States. Up 131% over May 2009, the E-Class's gains helped make up for SL, R, CL, CLS, SLK, and the defunct CLK-Class Benzes to see Mercedes-Benz to a 25.8% gain last month. Of course, many of those lost CLK-Class sales can be seen in the E-Class's figures - the CLK is dead but the E-Class coupe and cabrio have taken its place.

Elsewhere in the midsise luxury car field, Infiniti's new-for-2011 M sedan posted an increase of 61.9%. Sales of the... *yawn*... Lexus ES rose 24% but the popular Acura TL suffered a decline of 13.3% compared with May 2009. It would be safe to assume BMW 5-Series sales would challenge the TL for third place in the segment before long. Keep in mind, Hyundai Genesis sales in the Graph below include those of the Genesis Coupe. This is also the fist time The Good Car Guy threw in the V70 and XC70 with Volvo's S80.
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ENTRY-LUXURY CAR SALES IN THE USA - MAY 2010

BMW 3-Series Wagon
Presently, BMW customers in America can select their new 3-Series from among five sedans, five coupes, three hardtop convertibles, two wagons, and the M3 as a sedan, coupe, or convertible. That's 18 unique configurations running the full gamut from six-cylinder to V8 engines, rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, surprising practicality or complete bald forehead sunburnability.

Meanwhile, 3-Series competitors like the Infiniti G37 offer one engine, three bodystyles, and all-wheel drive on sedan models only. Or take the Lexus IS. This time there are three engines, the availability of all-wheel drive with one of those engines, and sedan or convertible bodystyles. The big engine is only a possibility with the sedan, of course. What about the Acura TSX? There we have two engines; 1 bodystyle. You get the drift.

This isn't to take anything away from the uber-successful BMW 3-Series. No, the best-selling luxury car in America has every right to lay claim to every one of of its 9659 sales in May. No indeed, The Good Car Guy points this out as a challenge to BMW's rivals: you want to sell BMW-like volumes? Give buyers the option of a billion BMW-like configurations.
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COMPACT LUXURY CAR SALES IN THE USA - MAY 2010

bmw 1-series
Going against almost everything the automotive enthusiast believes in, buyers of small luxury cars are turning to the rather ugly, quite slow, not-at-all-fun Lexus HS250h when desirable cars are available. Want gorgeous? There's the Volvo C30; and it's not about to drink like a sailor, either. Sportiness is available in boatloads if you'll just buy a BMW 1-Series. Make it a 128i, a 135i.... anything, just make it a 1-Series and not a Lexus HS. How 'bout hatchback versatility in a relatively handsome and sporty package, with a dose of efficiency in TDI form? That'll be the Audi A3 TDI. But no. 

No, the compact luxury car segment is now controlled by the Lexus HS250h. Although it's probably safe to say there wasn't much cross-shopping going on. Anybody who drives the HS250h back-to-back with any of the other three; anybody who looks at the HS250h parked beside any of the other three; wouldn't actually end up choosing the Lexus, would they?

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U.S. SALES OF LARGE CARS - MAY 2010

chrysler 300
Of all Toyota-badged passenger cars on sale in America, the Avalon was the slowest-selling model in May. Is that a sign of the times or a sign that Avalons aren't the most desirable cars to hit the pavement? Consider this: although Ford Taurus sales jumped 98% in May, the Taurus was still the slowest-selling Ford in America barring the even larger Crown Victoria. Maybe large cars just aren't appreciated. 

Well, the Nissan Maxima out-sold the Cube, 370Z, and (not surprisingly) the GT-R in May. Chrysler's 300 sold in greater numbers than the midsize Chrysler Sebring. And the Charger was Dodge's best-selling car last month. Further proof could be provided that large cars can sell in struggling economic times, times in which fuel costs form a worrisome part of the public consciousness. As far as the Toyota Avalon, it ain't pretty. Besides, parked next to it in the showroom is America's perennial best-selling car.


The Graph below isn't so much a direct comparison of big cars as much as a manifestation of the challenge dealers must overcome to sell a handful of big cars. The Cadillac DTS doesn't compete with the Chevrolet Impala; to see the DTS coming up short in that light means nothing. Yet to see the vast majority of these cars come up short in comparison to their respective smaller brethren is certainly a change from the 1960s.

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Wednesday, June 9, 2010

U.S. SALES OF MIDSIZE CARS - MAY 2010

nissan altima 3.5
What do huge midsize sedan sales say about the cars on American roads in 2010? Despite the fact that the vast majority of midsize sedans leave the showroom fitted with 4-cylinder engines, or that some midsize sedans aren't even available with V6 engines, hundreds or thousands of sedate family cars are sold to Americans every month with wickedly powerful powerplants. Honda's Accord V6 has an output of 271 horsepower. The bland masterpiece that is the Toyota Camry is sometimes sold with a V6 producing 268 horsepower. 

Want more? The slow-selling Mazda 6 can be had with 272 horsepower. And though not generated by a V6 engine, the upcoming Hyundai Sonata 2.0T will have the headline-grabbing figure of 274 horsepower. It's true, most of the cars you see int he Graph below aren't very sporty, not even the ones with V6 engines. But the next time you look at the dude beside you in his brand new beige 4-door and assume he's not packing heat, ya better be careful. There very well may be Porsche-baiting bhp under that dowdy hood of his.
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COMPACT CAR SALES IN THE USA - MAY 2010

mitsubishi lancer
Generally, The Good Car Guy will publish a Graph like the one you see below and focus on the best and brightest, the most popular and much-loved. Perhaps, for a change, we should have a look at those who suck, the least popular, the little-loved.

May 2010 had 31 days, just like every other May. For every day in May, American Honda dealerships sold 918 Civics. In the whole of May, American Suzuki dealerships sold 885 SX4s. Okay, here's another interesting tidbit: every week in May, Toyota dealerships in the United States sold just about 6000 Corollas, a figure which includes sales of the Toyota Matrix. In all of May, Subaru's Impreza sales total reached just 4249. Finally, think about this: every time Mitsubishi sold a single Lancer, Ford dealers sold the Focus more than 7 times over. 

Still, it must be pointed out that the Suzuki SX4 is actually a pretty powerful little compact car with 150 horsepower from $13,359, more than the Honda Civic. The Subaru Impreza features all-wheel drive as standard equipment, the Corolla sedan doesn't have all-wheel drive as an option. And the Mitsubishi Lancer is far more of a looker than the dowdy Ford Focus. But it doesn't matter, because sales of America's most well-known compact cars far outnumber those of the bit players.
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U.S. SALES OF SUBCOMPACT CARS - MAY 2010

Think of three reasons people buy subcompact cars when there are larger, more powerful, better-equipped available. The first thing that probably came to mind was price. That led your mind towards value. Thinking of value brought further thoughts of cost. 

Yep. Price, value, and cost - come to think of it, the exact same thing. How much money do you have to spend, how little can you spend? Typical buyers would choose a Hyundai Elantra instead of a Hyundai Accent.... if the Elantra didn't require spending more money. In other words, people buy a subcompact car because that's what they can afford. As an added bonus, small cars require very little fuel and don't depreciate nearly as much as a very expensive large car. 

Thus, the fact that the most popular car on this list is also the second-cheapest, only $20 more than the cheapest, won't surprise you at all. You like the Honda Fit best? You'll be forced to pay the highest price. Outside of incentives, the domestic alternative from Chevrolet costs a couple grand more; even the Korean Kia Rio is priced above the Nissan Versa. The Hyundai Accent actually has the lowest U.S. base price ($9,970) so it won't shock you to discover it's one of Canada's most popular cars. The hype regarding the introduction of the 2011 Ford Fiesta is well-deserved: the Fiesta is a really nice car. But keep in mind, the Fiesta's base price is $13,320.
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Monday, June 7, 2010

U.S. SALES OF LARGE LUXURY SUVs - MAY 2010

mercedes gelandewagen
No place for a shrinking violet, the large luxury SUV sector is a money-making machine, an image projector, and a terrific competitor for large luxury sedans all wrapped in to one. Like it or loathe it, the Cadillac Escalade's introduction to the world helped shape Cadillac's modern image, that of the bold, brash, brazen antagonist to typical German druthers. Though not a particularly successful business, Land Rover has made its hay off big luxury sport-utility vehicles. And we're talkin' real Ess-You-Vees, y'all. 

The Lincoln Navigator was the rapper's vehicle of choice before Cadillac stole Lincoln's thunder. If all you knew of the three-pointed star was the Gelandewagen you'd equate Mercedes-Benz with toughness, jaws of steel, and... well, gangsta rap. Friends, that's how you sell veehickles. 

That Cadillac is dominant in this category and also at the smaller end of the scale is no mean feat. Give credit where credit is due - if you think SUV success fell into GM's lap, you're wrong. Product planners work hard to get this stuff right and, quite clearly, Cadillac knows how to style a luxury SUV in the appropriate manner, even if it doesn't fit your definition of appropriate.
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U.S. SALES OF MIDSIZE LUXURY SUVs - MAY 2010

lexus rx350
Battling for second place is what top tier international hockey teams (other than Canada) are used to at major tournaments. A fight for third and fourth place is what you'll see at most tennis tournaments where Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are present. Striving for a podium finish is the challenge set for luxury SUVs (other than the Lexus RX350), because first place just ain't in the cards.

When the Lexus RX300 first arrived in North American showrooms, its spaceshipesque exterior and unique configuration made sales easy to come by for Toyota Motor Corporation. Competition is now abundant; the RX350 isn't nearly as good-looking as the first RX300; and Lexus has joined its parent company in a class set apart from automakers with tarnished, but still excellent, reputations. Even so, May 2010's Sales Stats, as you'll see in the Graph below, show the Lexus RX350, along with its hybrid RX450h brother, to be the best-selling luxury utility vehicle in America. In fact, ranked with every SUV, crossover, CUV, SUT and whatchamicallit, the Lexus RX made its way into the Top 10 best-sellers list in May.

Conquering the midsize Lexus crossover appears to be an impossible task. For luxury SUVs and their ilk, gathering up half as many sales would be a noble goal.
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SMALL LUXURY SUV SALES IN AMERICA - MAY 2010

cadillac srx
In May 2010, the Cadillac SRX ranked #2 in luxury utility vehicle sales in the United States. Although the Lexus RX was way out in front with more than double the Cadillac's total, the RX was the only vehicle ahead of the Cadillac in terms of luxury SUV/crossover/CUV sales. That's saying something.

Priced from $33,830 in the USA, the Cadillac SRX compares favourably with GoodCarBadCar.net's favourite small SUV - the Audi Q5 - and its $37,350 pricetag. One look at May 2009's figures will tell you Cadillac SRX sales were up 654.3% last month. Yowzah. Another vehicle not in this Graph but classified one segment up with the midsize luxury SUVs and crossovers is perceived to be a fairly direct competitor for the SRX. But Lincoln MKX sales reached just 1,705 in May. Besides, the Lincoln is priced from $38,845. 

There's no doubt about it: the Cadillac SRX is selling on styling, but the value card ain't hurtin'. Sales of other small SUVs can be seen in the Graph below.
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Saturday, June 5, 2010

NICHE SUV & TRUCK SALES IN THE USA - MAY 2010

chevrolet avalanche midgate
A motion to consider: Whereas The Good Car Guy, he of GoodCarBadCar.net, feels strongly that the Chevrolet Avalanche is one of the most intelligently-designed trucks on the market today, and whereas The Good Car Guy has placed the Chevrolet Avalanche in The Good 12 Supersize two years running, and whereas the Chevrolet Avalanche has a base price in the United States of $35,725 and sales of just 1,909 in May, be it resolved that The Good Car Nation hereby encourages General Motors to introduce a more basic no-frills Avalanche for the value-driven budget-minded customer priced below $30,000. I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

Not a bad idea, eh? Inspired by members of the Nova Scotia legislature (and a million legislative assemblies before them), this motion would surely bring about a huge increase in Avalanche sales. I understand the difficulty, no arguments there. Partnered with the Avalanche on the upsized version of GM's truck platform is the.... ahem, $40,635 Chevrolet Suburban. If anything, the Avalanche's extra useability is worth something more, and here I am demanding a cut-price version. Something tells me this motion will be tabled without much debate in the halls of GM's decision-making HQ. 

Check out sales figures for other unique trucks, SUVs, and crossovers in the Graph below.
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Friday, June 4, 2010

MINIVAN SALES IN THE USA - MAY 2010

chrysler minivan
There was quite a bit of good news for Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep in May 2010's Sales Stats. In the United Stats, sales at the Dodge brand were up 72.7%. Chrysler and Jeep sales were also on the rise, compared with May 2009. The Jeep Wrangler was the 8th-best-selling SUV in America in May. And America's desire to purchase more of the expensive minivans from Chrysler (the Town & Country) instead of the less expensive minivans from Dodge (the Grand Caravan) continued. 

Of the 22,766 Chrysler/Dodge minivan sales you see in the Graph below, 13,395 came from the Chrysler Town & Country. I'm sure you can do the math, but this means 9,393 sales of the Dodge Grand Caravan in May. Grand Caravans have a starting price in the United States of $24,095; Town & Countrys start at $26,010. More people buying the more expensive van means more money in Chrysler's Fiat's coffers. (Hopefully, more money in Fiat's coffers mean more Italian cars for sale in North America.) Of greater importance is the Town & Country's 68% jump in sales over May 2009 and the Grand Caravan's 66% rise. 


Other minivans fare far better in the United States than in Canada, but the Chrysler/Dodge duo is still shockingly close to filling half the market.

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