The big three American car manufacturers have come back from hinterland. Some reviews actually claim that many US products are either at or very close to the cutting edge in their respective class. The Ford Focus might become the best selling car in the world, The Cadillac ATS is challenging BMW 328 for becoming the sporty performance sedan, Chrysler is setting sales records with its Challenger and Ram and then there is the Vette, a best buy for the money of any sports car in the world.
Are you ready to buy American? Read the following recent sales report and write your comments under your own name.
Chrysler reported U.S. sales up 14% in August vs. a year ago -- driven by a 19% increase for its Ram pickups.
Ford sales rose 13%, also led by pickup sales, while GM rode good sales for Chevy cars to a 10% gain in the U.S. for August.
CHRYSLER: The Fiat-owned company sold 148,472 vehicles in the month, more than 25,000 of them pickups. It was the best August for Ram since 2007. Helping drive those sales likely were deals -- incentives on the Ram 1500 pickups averaged $4,289 in the month, according to Edmunds.com.
European makers: VW sales boom -- againThe company just refreshed its Ram 1500 flagship pickup with upgrades and a new V-6 and 8-speed transmission combination that raised fuel mileage by 25%.
Asian makers: Honda, Toyota boom; tight supply limits Hyundai
Other highlights:
- Dodge was the volume leader, with more than 47,000 vehicles sold, up 13% and the best August since 2005. The Avenger and Challenger had their best August and the Journey crossover had its best month ever. The Grand Caravan minivan was up 35%. Worrisome for the brand: The redone Durango 3-row SUV was down 45% to 2,884 sold.
- The new 2013 Dodge Dart compact, ramping up production now in its third month out, had sales of 3,045.
- The Fiat brand, still getting established with the 500, was up 34% from a year ago to 4,150 sold.
- Chrysler brand was up 25%, also the best August since 2007, and the big 300 sedan was up 65%, while the Town & Country minivan was up 30%.
- Jeep brand sales rose just 5%, but it was the best August for the brand since 2003 on strong Wrangler and Grand Cherokee results.
FORD MOTOR'S F-Series pickup trucks -- the best-selling U.S. vehicle this year -- drove a 13% rise in the company's U.S. sales to 197,249 vehicles. F-Series sales were up 19% and it was the volume leader at 58,201 trucks sold.
By Ford
Ford said it added a third shift at its Louisville Plant in August to build more Escapes, which was its fastest turning vehicle in the U.S. in August. And it said its more-profitable retail sales overall were up 19% vs. a year ago.
GENERAL MOTORS' August sales were up 10.1%, powered by Chevrolet cars, though all four GM brands were up.
GM credited heavy ads during the Olympics for boosting with Chevy car sales 25% in August vs. the year-ago month. Trucks underperformed cars, though, and Chevy's overall increase for the month was 11.3%.
By GM, Wieck
Chevy Equinox SUV posted its best August sales ever, GM reported.
All-in, GM sold 240,520 cars and trucks in August, up from 180,922 a year earlier.
Other brands:
- Buick was up 12.4%, aided by rising popularity of the Verano small sedan. Best August since 2006, Buick says and on track for best year since 2006.
- Cadillac was up 11.3%, helped by the new XTS big sedan.
- GMC, which sells only trucks and SUVs, rose just 3.7%, despite strong performance by the Terrain and Acadia SUVs.
19 comments:
In fact it is a great thing that the American car companies are starting to improve and advance. This giving them the potential to compete with foreign companies which is important for not only them but the American economy as well. The cut in workers' wages, however, is very controversial as, of course, workers will be very exasperated to receive less of a salary yet this may be a necessary evil. Also though production and profits are increasing, therefore supply and demand are also increasing, taxpayers have dealt with a huge price to pay, and in the end they probably never will be paid back which isn't fair to them,but hopefully it will all pay off for a better overall economy. I have a Ford Escape and it is a very reliable and economical car so not only do I like it but I would also recommend it. -Marco Muccitelli
It's good to see that American made cars are pretty high on the market because when more made-in-America items are sold, the American economy gets better. More sales obviously mean more jobs, money, and success for America. It is important for these American car companies to sell well in order to help the American economy to get out of the slump of being in debt for so long. I would definitely buy American in order to help the country.
I think it is great to see progress in the American automotive industry. Not only does this help our economy by recycling money within America but it also creates more jobs within the USA rather than outsourcing to Japan or Germany. I believe the two big factors when buying any car is safety and fuel efficiency. After reading the article they claim to have "upgraded" and improved safety in the cars while keeping them eco friendly, which definitely gives consumers piece of mind. With that said, I would consider buying an American car! I like how all the cars have a modernized look and the cars are priced affordably, this definitely makes US cars a threat to foreign competitiors. - AnnaLisa Aceto
I’m glad to see that the American car companies are finally picking up the slack from their huge financial deficits from back in 2008. Maybe the American car companies finally realized that they had to be innovative and keep with the changing times of the car market; where expensive gas guzzlers were no longer in demand. The increased profits and production are also attributed to the American car companies, cutting the extremely high wages that they were paying their workers. However, although production and profits are up, we forget that the taxpayers had to bail these automakers out with $4 billion to Ford, $60 billion to GM and $20 billion to Chrysler and that money is most likely never going to be repaid. But I still do like the American cars like the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Corvette.
I think buying American made cars is a good idea because it helps out the American economy. That money that is spent on a new car is invested into the American economy. If you buy a Japanese imported car then that money goes to the Japanese economy. So buying American brand cars is a good idea. They are reliable and only help out the economy. They would also provide more jobs for those who are unemployed.
~Natalia Alvarez
The success of the American automobile companies is definitely something to be proud of. After reading this article it is obvious that America has chosen to not only keep up with but surpass the safety and features of some foreign cars. While, most importantly, keeping them eco friendly. If the sales continue this way, it could potentially improve the economy. I was looking into buying a Honda because I have heard of how reliable and safe they are but I would consider buying american after reading this article. I am excited to see the new upgrades considering my father owns a Chrysler 300 and is completely in love with the make, model, and it's features.
-Kimberly Espinosa
American automobile companies make up a big part of the United States
economy and with it's success means many positive outlooks for aiding
in strengthing the economy. At a time where unemployment is nearing
all-time highs and people are very conservative with their spending it
is great that the investment of buying new cars will circulate in our
economy rather then sending American money overseas. Today it seems
that very few items are produced in the United States and it is great
that American cars are now being compared to their foreign
counterparts as equal or better products. For a time many argued that
in the car industry most manufactures fell behind German engineered
products. Today this doesn't seem to be the case with American Car
companies spending much emphasis on safety and fuel efficiency as well
as amping up the special features of the new makes and models. If I
was in the market to buy a car today this article definitely
influenced to spend much more time looking into these new American
made cars.
It is good to see that the U.S. Automobile industry is starting to come around again. However, the original post also mentioned that European manufacturers, such as Volkswagon, are also growing. While it is good to see the U.S. brands doing well, it isnt enough. During the 1990s and early 2000s, the U.S. was indisputably the world's foremost economic power in terms of GDP and sheer financial gains. In order for us to reclaim our title, it isn't enough for us to simply do well, we need to do so well that we surpass foreign competition. The economic gap between the U.S. and the rest of the world has shortened, it is due time that we stretch it once more.
I am very happy to see the American cars are making a great comeback and challenging foreign cars. I personally drive a Mustang and i love it. I wish i could get the latest ones that have come out because they are amazing. I also am a big fan of the newest Challengers on the road. They just look clean and sound very good on the road. Smart moves by the American car companies to make adjustments such as fixing their gas mileage. I hope to see that American cars make a full recovery and help this country. Phillip Cabrera
The blogpost asks the question: Are you ready to buy American? I am always ready to buy American and always have been: I’ve owned two Dodge vehicles, an International, a Chevy, and now a Ford, however, with Fiat now the majority stakeholder of Chrysler, we must look deeper into whether “buying American” actually means that we are fully circulating the profits of car sales within the United States domestic economy. After reading the other blog responses, it is clear that Americans are not aware that foreign corporations have a tremendous amount of control over American production – although the article clearly states that Chrysler is Fiat owned. While it appears admirable that car sales for Ford, GM and Fiat-owned Chrysler are topping estimates, it is imperative to note that for General Motors, for example, 2011 sales of 2,503,820 units paled in comparison to each of the sale years between 1998 and 2008. Even in the years before the financial crisis of 2008, GM’s sales were decreasing year after year. In 2000, GM sold 5 million units, while 2011 saw half that amount. Indeed, GM’s 2011 sales are 250,000 more than 2010, and 500,000 than 2008, signaling great improvement in the post 2008 period. An alternative analysis, focusing on market share among the top 20 vehicles sold in August 2012, shows that the greatest increases have been made by foreign vehicles. To conclude, it is, on the surface, noteworthy that sales are increasing as it signals greater buying power among American consumers, however, the greater picture is not as promising, and other factors such as pent-up demand, low interest rates, and future demand in a potentially inflationary environment must be weighed as well.
http://online.wsj.com/mdc/public/page/2_3022-autosales.html
"Ahead of today's sales reports, analysts have predicted a strong month, up 15% to 20% from last August, with an annual sales rate for the month north of 14 million." I am really glad to see American car sales increase within this time period. People always speak of the infamous Japanese motor vehicle companies such as Honda and Toyota and their great success and the great deal of European cars as well. The increase in sales helps the United States increase their GDP, which helps our economy as a whole. I hope the United States' vehicle department increases in sales. We want the United States to improve in its economy, especially when competing within the global economy. - Kimisei Miyake
It's great that there is progress in the American automotive industry because the more American-made products that are being produced, the better the American economy gets. The car companies claim to have upgraded and improved the safety in their cars while keeping them eco-friendly. In today's world there are many people who are more likely to buy eco-friendly products due to global warming so advertising the eco-friendly cars will attract more consumers. Also, American cars are priced for the middle class to be able to afford. They are not expensive luxury cars, but they provide quality vehicles at a fair price.
I am very pleased to see that American Automobile Industry has either reached, or is close to reaching the top of their respective class. My parent's have always urged myself as well as my siblings to purchase American made cars, and now I understand why. The more Americans that buy American made cars, the more revenue the industry as well as American economy will see. It is also refreshing to know, that someone is able to purchase a well made automobile, for affordable price. Also, repairs tend to be more expensive when the car is from another country.
The American Automotive Industry is back on track and is creating an improvement in the American economy since our troubles in 2008. I think that is great that people are starting to realize that they need to spend money on American products to help our own economy, an expense to the individual but a better investment for the American economy in the future. It is important for our economy to circulate our money. Like Natasha Borja added, "more sales obviously means more jobs, money, and success for America" creating a more productive economy from our recent deficits. I used to drive an American car, the Jeep Liberty, I will always recommend that car because I never had a problem with it and it was a true brute force when it came to hazardous weather. Feeling safe is key when I drive and the jeep provided me with just that.
- Nicholas Poulton
I think that the rise in sales of american made cars is an extremely positive sign for the economy. This means that we can compete with the companies outside of the united states and therefor save a lot of money by building them here. This also means that more people outside the country will be more interested in buying our american made cars which in return means more money for us. Ultimately this means that more jobs will be created to satisfy the consumers needs for the american made car and that the economy is headed in the right direction. - Matthew Gebhardt
It is good to know that the American Automotive industry is doing alot better after suffering from huge financial debts back in 2008. All of the big three american car companies: ford, general motors, and chrysler are experiencing a increase in sales this should lead to a increase in the amount of jobs which will improve the economy. Any improvement in the nation's poor unemployment rate should have a positive benefit on the US economy.
Post a Comment