Inside the Industry

London real estate agency changes its sales fleet to Fiat 500s

(January 4, 2013) LONDON — A leading real estate agency has decided to switch its entire fleet of sales consultants’ vehicles to Fiat 500 city cars. Orchards of London, a specialist estate agency with offices in Ealing and Chiswick, West London, took delivery this week of 15 new Fiat 500s.

GM recalling nearly 55,000 pickups, SUVs over shifter issue

(January 4, 2012) General Motors is recalling nearly 55,000 pickup trucks, SUVs and vans because they can roll away unexpectedly. The recall affects certain 2013 models of the Chevrolet Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe, Avalanche and Express. Also included are the GMC Sierra, Savana and Yukon as well as the Cadillac Escalade.

Mercedes-Benz to introduce 2014 E-Series coupe, cabriolet in Detroit

(January 4, 2013) MONTVALE, N.J. — Mercedes-Benz has restyled the E-Class coupe and cabriolet for the 2014 model year and the new vehicles will make their debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on Jan. 14.

The new styling is combined with sophisticated new assistance systems which are part of Mercedes-Benz "intelligent drive." These new systems include technology that can help prevent accidents with crossing vehicles or pedestrians as well as an enhanced version of Active Lane Keeping Assist.

Subaru recalls vehicles over potential lighting problem

(January 4, 2013)  — Subaru is recalling vehicles in the United States for potential lighting problems that could lead to smoke or fire, according to U.S. safety regulators.

The recall potentially affects some Forester vehicles from model years 2009 through 2012, all Legacy and Outback vehicles from model years 2010 and 2011, and some Tribeca vehicles from model years 2006 through 2012, according to documents filed with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Audi continues its U.S. sales success

(January 4, 2013) Audi has announced that 2012 was the best year, and that December 2012 was the best month, in its history of selling new vehicles in the U.S. market. For the full year, Audi sold 139,310 new cars and SUVs to eclipse the previous sales record set a year earlier by 18.5%. Audi sales in the U.S. have increased 68.4% just since 2009.

Ford retains title as best-selling automaker in Canada

(January 4, 2013) OAKVILLE, Ont. — Ford finished the year as the best-selling automaker in Canada for the third consecutive year led by  the  F-Series, which sold more than 100,000 units. Ford sold 276,068 vehicles in 2012, neary the same number as 2011 when it sold 275,978 units.

The F-Series was Canada’s top selling truck for the 47th year in a row.

Automobile sales close out year with strong December

(January 4, 2013) Led by Volkswagen, BMW and Honda new vehicles sales in the U.S. jumped 9 percent in December over December 2011, pushing the seasonally adjusted sales rate above 15.3 million for the second consecutive month and helping the industry finish 2012 on a high note.

2014 Audi R8 and Audi RS 5 Cabriolet to have U.S. debut in Detroit

(January 4, 2012) Audi of America announces the U.S. debut of the much anticipated 2014 Audi R8 model line and new Audi RS 5 Cabriolet at the NAIAS. The iconic R8 represents the pinnacle of Audi performance while the RS 5 Cabriolet combines track-tested engineering with the freedom of open air driving.

Volkswagen has best December since 1970

(January 3, 2013) HERNDON, Va. — Volkswagen of America today reported 438,133 units delivered in 2012, a 35.1 percent increase over prior year sales. December deliveries totaled 44,005, up 35.4 percent over 2011, marking the best December since 1970.

“2012 marked another successful year of growth for Volkswagen of America,” said Jonathan Browning, president and CEO, Volkswagen Group of America.

Mazda announces prices, fuel economy for 2014 Mazda6

(January 3, 2013) IRVINE, Calif. —  Mazda today announced official pricing and fuel economy figures for the all-new 2014 Mazda6, which is now reaching showrooms. Starting at $20,880, the all-new mid-sized sedan is the second vehicle in the Mazda lineup to fully incorporate SKYACTIV Technology, the brand's breakthrough engineering approach toward increasing overall vehicle efficiency.