After funds for consumer subsidies ran out in late October, the industry asked to continue the assistance through year-end, saying sales would collapse – until the newest version of the program takes effect in 2015....More
A Russian analyst says Lada's first sales increase in 19 months likely resulted from a plan providing cash incentives for new cars to car owners who sell their old ones for scrap....More
The seventh extension of the government-subsidy plan comes as Spanish automakers report new-car sales rose for a 14th consecutive month in October....More
Ford’s chief marketer says he expects the new aluminum-intensive F-150 to increase its market share while retaining high average-transaction prices....More
August new-car registrations in the European Union and European Free Trade Area rose 1.8%, driven in part by a 13.7% jump in Spain, where sales are propped up by government subsidies....More
Industry-watchers worried by escalating incentives, but a better barometer of the auto sector’s health may be transaction prices, which continue to hold ground....More
The government on Sept. 1 will stop levying sales tax on 17 electric vehicles built by 11 automakers, including one each from Chinese joint ventures of Daimler, General Motors and Nissan....More
BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz have relied on heavy discounting in their fight for sales supremacy, but industry-watchers say the automakers are sacrificing exclusivity and brand equity....More
The government is seeking to recover the TB100,000 ($3,137) tax refunds paid to buyers on condition they keep their vehicles for at least five years....More
The Sun accuses the government of offering incentives to diesel buyers since 2001, only to threaten them now with harsh penalties for excessive carbon-dioxide emissions....More
Global Cadillac sales jumped 30% and improved 22.1% in the U.S. in 2013, according to WardsAuto data. But for the first half of this year, Cadillac’s U.S. sales slipped 1.0% against an industry that was ahead 4.0% and a luxury market up 7.0%....More
When the world’s largest producer of gas-electric hybrids decides to take the road less traveled, you can bet on a seismic shift in the industry’s market focus to fuel cells....More
Indonesian vehicle sales through June rose to a record 641,511 units, up 6.2% from the first six months of 2013, with the industry calling for full-year deliveries of 1.25 million. In Thailand, first-half 2014 sales plunged 40.5% compared with year-ago....More
Some Ford models weighed down the automaker’s results, including the Edge and Flex CUVs, which recorded sales declines of 21.8% and 32.2%, respectively....More
It is estimated that the latest PIVE plan could extend into October, funding the purchases of about 175,000 new vehicles priced less than €25,000 before value-added tax....More
The government is extending its tax discount on car purchases for an indefinite period beyond the scheduled expiration on July 1 to shore up the flagging automotive sector....More
Half the budget is reserved for fleet customers and business use. Another 35% is to support individual sales of cars with carbon-dioxide emissions of 95 g/km or less. The final 15% is pegged for vehicles with CO2 ratings of 50 g/km or less....More
Each PIVE program offered subsidies to new-car buyers who had to show they were scrapping a model 10 to 12 years old. But because none set a minimum ownership period, some old vehicles changed hands without leaving the junkyard....More
“If there was a slam-dunk engine in this year’s competition, it was this one.” WardsAuto editor David Zoia enthuses about the 350-hp 2.3L turbo-4 in the Ford Focus RS....More
When I climb inside a new vehicle I want to be soothed not perturbed, but too often when I look up I’m staring at some craggy fastener that never should be seen....More
