Category: Auto XPRT Speaks…

Consumer surveys you participate in a vehiclevoice.com make a difference, and are being shared with manufacturers all the time. This feedback on when you might be in the market for a new car is just one example.

Consumers want more and more technology in their cars, and manufacturers are responding.

AutoPacific Research Indicates Balance of Year May Continue to be Difficult for Car Companies
TUSTIN, Calif. (April 3, 2009) — A national Internet survey conducted between March 31 and April 1 reveals that the American public is extremely aware of the current challenges facing the American automobile industry and the Obama administration’s actions to confront them. Only three percent in the survey said they were not aware of the billions of dollars in government loan guarantees made to General Motors and Chrysler, 94 percent knew that both companies had been required to submit viability plans in hopes of receiving additional government aid, and 89 percent were aware that the White House had declared neither plan represented “a credible path to viability.” The survey findings were the result of over 700 responses.

President Barack Obama delivered an address to the nation this morning at 11AM where he summarized the results of review of General Motors and Chrysler by The Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry. The conclusion of the report was that neither of the plans presented to the Task Force by GM and Chrysler are viable.

President Barack Obama delivered an address to the nation this morning at 11AM where he summarized the results of review of General Motors and Chrysler by The Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry. The conclusion of the report was that neither of the plans presented to the Task Force by GM and Chrysler are viable.

CARB changes their position on dark colored cars in California. Black is OK, for now.

The March 23 Los Angeles Times editorial 'You can depend on Detroit" hits the mark; today's auto industry is a tremendously competitive place. Consumers can now choose cars and trucks from domestic (Detroit) automakers that match the quality and reliability of vehicles from Japanese or European makers. So why won't Americans buy American cars?

Over the past decade, AutoPacific has been monitoring and evaluating the impact and rationale behind the automotive industry's rampant atomization. Since 2004, we have cautioned that atomization was shifting the battleground from product development to product marketing.

With two new and important full-size pickup trucks this fall, at a time of extreme economic uncertainty, what do we see happening to the market in general? And how does the F-150 stack up against the Ram? Since our correspondent Jim Hossack attended both Ford and Ram driving previews, we asked him for some comments. Here we go!

 

2009 Ford F-150 XLT
What’s happening in the Full-Size Light Duty Pickup market?
Contrary to mass media reports, the full-size light duty pickup market is not dead. In fact, after a few tough months, it is coming back – in terms of share of industry if not actual number of units sold.
The auto industry is down by around 4 million units compared with 2007CY. Full-size pickup share of industry fell from 15.2 percent in August 2007 to as low as 8.6 percent on May 2008, [...]

The AutoPacific forecast for light vehicle sales peaks at about 18-million units in 2013. That's after three years when overall sales are higher than the previous 2000 record of 17.3-million units.