January 2014

Independent crash tests show India's cars are unsafe

(January 31, 2014) DELHI, India — The first-ever independent crash tests of some of India's popular and important small cars have shown a high-risk of life threatening injuries in road crashes. All the cars selected by Global NCAP for testing in a frontal impact at 64km/h (40 mph) received zero-star adult protection ratings.

TrueCar: 2014 new vehicle January sales expected to be up 0.9 percent

(January 30, 2014) SANTA MONICA, Calif. — TrueCar today released its January 2014 sales and incentives forecast that predicts seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 15.6 million vehicles.

NAIAS exceeds attendance of 800,000 for the first time since 2003

(January 29, 2014) Detroit, Mich. — The 2014 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) came to a close Sunday after an "astounding" two week celebration of vehicle unveilings, new technology, and the public show itself, which celebrated its 25th anniversary as an international event.

Fiat, Chrysler adopt new corporate logo

(January 29, 2014) TURIN, Italy — Following an initial phase with the two corporate logos appearing side-by-side — symbolizing the desire to respect the history, culture and industrial roots of the two groups — both Fiat and Chrysler now require a new corporate identity representative of an organization that is much more than the sum of its two component parts, based on strong core values that represents a unique corporate culture, a common vision and a Group with an international reach.

Majority of KBB.com visitors believe Denver will win Super Bowl

(January 29, 2014) IRVINE, Calif. — Based on KBB.com Big Game Insights, the majority (71 percent) of site visitors believe the Denver Broncos will win Super Bowl XLVIII, according to Kelley Blue Book. Research from Kelley Blue Book Market Intelligence, based on KBB.com survey data of U.S. adults, also reveals that only 29 percent of KBB.com visitors think the Seattle Seahawks will be crowned Big Game champions.

NADA says improving economy will boost auto sales in 2014

(January 28, 2014) NEW ORLEANS — Increasing home values, residential housing construction and rising employment are key factors that will drive the U.S. economy this year, says Steven Szakaly, chief economist of the National Automobile Dealers Association.

"These factors are also critical to maintaining the pace of auto sales growth, which has been an integral part of the economic recovery," said Szakaly at the 2014 NADA Convention & Expo, which concluded in New Orleans on Monday.

Lincoln bides its time with the 2015 Navigator

By Christopher A. Sawyer
The Virtual Driver

(January 28, 2014) Lincoln had three choices regarding the Navigator for 2015: 1) Kill it, 2) Replace it, 3) Refresh it. It chose the latter. The reason is simple. With the new Mustang and F-150 about to launch, Ford’s new product plate is full. Initiating a program to replace its full-size SUVs would have stretched its produ
ct development team to the breaking point, and drawn down its bank account.

NADA Used Car Guide: Used vehicle prices to slip in 2014

(January 27, 2014) NEW ORLEANS — A sharp rise in the supply of late-model used cars and light trucks  is expected to end a five-year run of price growth, according to the NADA Used Car Guide.

Late-model used vehicle supply will be more plentiful in large part due to an 18% surge in off-lease volume. The supply of units six to eight years in age, however, will continue to fall as a byproduct of the new vehicle sales decline from 2006 to 2009.

The Virtual Driver's take on the Detroit auto show

By Christopher A. Sawyer
The Virt
ual Driver

(January 26, 2014) If there was one thing for which to be thankful, it was that the “Polar Vortex” which swept sub-zero temperatures and snow through Michigan the week before had briefly left town. It was replaced by temp
eratures in the 30s and sunshine, a welcome change from the frigid overcast just days earlier.

Study: Despite the myth, young drivers enthusiastic about their purchase

(January 25, 2014) WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. — Despite popular sentiment that consumers 25 years old and younger are really not interested in buying a vehicle, this group of consumers has represented a steadily increasing proportion of total retail automotive sales since 2009, and those young drivers who purchase a new vehicle are enthusiastic about ownership, according to the recently released J.D. Power 2014 U.S. Automotive Media and Marketing Report.