(February 2010) Like a bad dream, the Toyota throttle situation continues to take uncomfortable turns. Since the very unfortunate fatal accident in San Diego back in the Fall of 2009, Toyota seems to always be one step behind this situation. And subsequently, the headlines have followed. That is where the damage in the short (and maybe long) term will arise.

(February 2010) Edmunds.com has noticed that Toyota purchase intent has risen dramatically since the company announced a fix for its recall. "Toyota purchase intent fell from 13.9 percent of Edmunds.com car shoppers to 9.7 percent during the height of the recall frenzy," according to Edmunds.com Senior Analyst David Tompkins. "Toyota purchase intent is back to 11.8 percent and seems to be climbing steadily."

(January 2010) As long as sales of recalled Toyota models are suspended, Toyota will suffer about a 75 percent hit in sales according to Edmunds.com. During this period, Scion may be down about 20 percent and Lexus may be down about 10 percent because of damage to the Toyota corporate brand, according to Edmunds.com Senior Analyst Ray Zhou.

(January 2010) Chevrolet Corvette sales in 2009 were the worst for the nameplate since 1961. The precedent-setting sales decline of the Chevy Corvette could be construed as a simple symptom of a tough economy, but Edmunds' AutoObserver.com wonders if it is a potential indicator of a broader decline in interest for sports cars.

(January 2010) 2009 was a a memorable year for the automotive industry — unfortunately for all the wrong reasons. The U.S. light vehicle market closed out 2009 at a disastrous 10.4 million sales, down from 16.1 million sales just two years prior and the lowest industry volume since AutoPacific began forecasting automotive sales in 1988.

Naturally, the national economic collapse had a profound impact on retail sales of light vehicles.

By Jim Meachen
MotorwayAmerica Editor

(January 2010) A headline in the current issue of Automobile magazine hit me the wrong way. It caught my eye and got me thinking. The line on the index page proclaimed, "The BMW X6 Goes Green." This, of course, was in reference to the new Active Hybrid X6. The hybrid X6 gets 17 mpg in city driving driving and 19 mpg on the highway, a savings of one mile to the gallon highway and four miles to the gallon in boulevard cruising.

(January 2010) As 2009 comes to a close, the automotive industry can reflect on a tough year that generated some ideas that were truly inspired, and some ideas better left behind when the calendar page. The last ten days of December were terrific for auto sales, but it is premature to say that the economy has turned around, according to Edmunds.com.

(December 2009) As 2009 comes to a close, the automotive industry can reflect on a tough year that generated some ideas that were truly inspired, and some ideas better left behind when the calendar page turns.

By Jim Meachen
MotorwayAmerica Editor

(December 2009) This is the time of year virtually everyone who has a newspaper or magazine column or access to the worldwide web will make some type of predictions for the coming year. Tiger won't win a major. George Clooney will win an Oscar. The Cubs will not win the World Series. The Yankees will not repeat. Fast food's $1 menu items will increase.

(December 2009) Nearly one in five new-vehicle buyers who avoid a particular vehicle model cite their concern over the future of the brand as a reason for avoidance, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Avoider Study released Dec. 15.