Domestic car sales continue to stall
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RX-8: Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....
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From: Toronto, Canada
Domestic car sales continue to stall
Domestic car sales continue to stall
Ford, DaimlerChrysler losing to rivals
Nissan surges ahead in first quarter
TONY VAN ALPHEN
BUSINESS REPORTER
The "Gold Medal Tour" couldn't have come any sooner for DaimlerChrysler Canada Inc.
The high-profile event taking place at dealerships across the country to promote "the biggest product offensive in the company's history" follows more dismal sales on the car side of the auto giant's business.
Futhermore, its car sales have fallen behind yet another hot Japanese-based rival this year. Nissan Canada, including its Infiniti luxury division, passed DaimlerChrysler for the first time in the first quarter this year. Nissan's car sales reached almost 10,300, trumping the 8,570 deliveries by the domestic auto maker. And Hyundai Auto Canada, which boosts the industry's best warranty package, is also close to overtaking DaimlerChrysler in car sales.
DaimlerChrysler still comfortably holds its long-standing third position in the vehicle industry because of strong truck sales, particularly minivans, but the auto maker and Ford Motor Co. of Canada Ltd. have slid dramatically in car sales during the past decade, while Toyota, Honda and Mazda passed them.
The declines have prompted Ford and DaimlerChrysler to turn their focus to their neglected car lineups. Ford is even calling 2004 "the year of the car."
The Japanese auto makers started building superior entry-level, sub-compact models in the 1980s and graduated to bigger cars and luxury vehicles.
At the same time, DaimlerChrysler and Ford paid less attention to small, less-profitable cars and focused on bigger money makers such as pickups, minivans and sport utility vehicles.
"I don't believe it's because the Big Three (GM, Ford and DaimlerChrysler) have done anything wrong," says veteran industry watcher Dennis DesRosiers. "It's more about what the import nameplates have done right."
DesRosiers said most Japanese-based auto makers have gradually beat the Big Three on quality, durability, price, dealer performance and resale value.
On an annual basis, DaimlerChrysler's car sales have plunged more than half during the past decade to about 54,000 in 2003. Ford's car sales have declined about 45 per cent in the same period to 70,491 last year.
In contrast, Toyota, Honda and Mazda sales have climbed steadily over the years. For example, Toyota sold 57,237 cars in 1994. Last year, Toyota's car sales, including the luxury Lexus division, reached almost 120,000.
A comparison of car sales in the first quarter to the same period a decade ago shows a huge change in the market.
General Motors of Canada Ltd., the country's top auto maker, still widened the margin over its rivals despite a slip in sales. But Ford, which was firmly in second place 10 years ago, now is fifth, and DaimlerChrysler, whose predecessor Chrysler was third a decade ago, now is in seventh position. As a result, Toyota, Honda, Mazda and Nissan hold second, third, fourth and sixth spots, respectively.
There are other startling statistics:
Toyota now sells double the number of Ford cars in Canada and almost triple the total of DaimlerChrysler models.
The Honda Civic and Mazda3 compact models individually outsell the entire DaimlerChrysler car lineup.
Sales of the Civic, the country's most popular car, are also close to surpassing Ford's entire car total.
Car sales from Japanese, European and Korean-based auto makers have jumped to 514,367 last year from 258,541 in 1994. Their market share has climbed from less than 35 per cent to 60 per cent in the same decade.
In response, DaimlerChrysler introduced the Chrysler 300 full-size car recently and expects it to be a winner.
"This will be a high-volume vehicle for us," said Ron Smith, the company's vice-president of marketing.
As part of a sales push, the company is inviting consumers to dealerships to test drive all models on specially designed courses.
The company is also developing an entry-level vehicle to replace the aging Chrysler SX within the next two years that will "knock your socks off," Smith said.
He acknowledged the company needs a strong entry-level vehicle to build lifelong relationships with customers.
Ford has refined its popular Focus and will introduce the Five Hundred mid-size model, Freestyle cross-cover vehicle and a new Mustang sports car this fall. "We'll do extremely well this year," said Ford Canada spokesperson Chris Banks.
GM, the perennial car leader, has also unleashed a new family of small models in the past year.
Meanwhile, Brad Bradshaw, president of Nissan Canada, said he doesn't expect to overtake Ford this year despite soaring Altima sales. It will be some time before Nissan introduces an entry-level car that can produce major sales increases to surpass Ford, he said.
source
Ford, DaimlerChrysler losing to rivals
Nissan surges ahead in first quarter
TONY VAN ALPHEN
BUSINESS REPORTER
The "Gold Medal Tour" couldn't have come any sooner for DaimlerChrysler Canada Inc.
The high-profile event taking place at dealerships across the country to promote "the biggest product offensive in the company's history" follows more dismal sales on the car side of the auto giant's business.
Futhermore, its car sales have fallen behind yet another hot Japanese-based rival this year. Nissan Canada, including its Infiniti luxury division, passed DaimlerChrysler for the first time in the first quarter this year. Nissan's car sales reached almost 10,300, trumping the 8,570 deliveries by the domestic auto maker. And Hyundai Auto Canada, which boosts the industry's best warranty package, is also close to overtaking DaimlerChrysler in car sales.
DaimlerChrysler still comfortably holds its long-standing third position in the vehicle industry because of strong truck sales, particularly minivans, but the auto maker and Ford Motor Co. of Canada Ltd. have slid dramatically in car sales during the past decade, while Toyota, Honda and Mazda passed them.
The declines have prompted Ford and DaimlerChrysler to turn their focus to their neglected car lineups. Ford is even calling 2004 "the year of the car."
The Japanese auto makers started building superior entry-level, sub-compact models in the 1980s and graduated to bigger cars and luxury vehicles.
At the same time, DaimlerChrysler and Ford paid less attention to small, less-profitable cars and focused on bigger money makers such as pickups, minivans and sport utility vehicles.
"I don't believe it's because the Big Three (GM, Ford and DaimlerChrysler) have done anything wrong," says veteran industry watcher Dennis DesRosiers. "It's more about what the import nameplates have done right."
DesRosiers said most Japanese-based auto makers have gradually beat the Big Three on quality, durability, price, dealer performance and resale value.
On an annual basis, DaimlerChrysler's car sales have plunged more than half during the past decade to about 54,000 in 2003. Ford's car sales have declined about 45 per cent in the same period to 70,491 last year.
In contrast, Toyota, Honda and Mazda sales have climbed steadily over the years. For example, Toyota sold 57,237 cars in 1994. Last year, Toyota's car sales, including the luxury Lexus division, reached almost 120,000.
A comparison of car sales in the first quarter to the same period a decade ago shows a huge change in the market.
General Motors of Canada Ltd., the country's top auto maker, still widened the margin over its rivals despite a slip in sales. But Ford, which was firmly in second place 10 years ago, now is fifth, and DaimlerChrysler, whose predecessor Chrysler was third a decade ago, now is in seventh position. As a result, Toyota, Honda, Mazda and Nissan hold second, third, fourth and sixth spots, respectively.
There are other startling statistics:
Toyota now sells double the number of Ford cars in Canada and almost triple the total of DaimlerChrysler models.
The Honda Civic and Mazda3 compact models individually outsell the entire DaimlerChrysler car lineup.
Sales of the Civic, the country's most popular car, are also close to surpassing Ford's entire car total.
Car sales from Japanese, European and Korean-based auto makers have jumped to 514,367 last year from 258,541 in 1994. Their market share has climbed from less than 35 per cent to 60 per cent in the same decade.
In response, DaimlerChrysler introduced the Chrysler 300 full-size car recently and expects it to be a winner.
"This will be a high-volume vehicle for us," said Ron Smith, the company's vice-president of marketing.
As part of a sales push, the company is inviting consumers to dealerships to test drive all models on specially designed courses.
The company is also developing an entry-level vehicle to replace the aging Chrysler SX within the next two years that will "knock your socks off," Smith said.
He acknowledged the company needs a strong entry-level vehicle to build lifelong relationships with customers.
Ford has refined its popular Focus and will introduce the Five Hundred mid-size model, Freestyle cross-cover vehicle and a new Mustang sports car this fall. "We'll do extremely well this year," said Ford Canada spokesperson Chris Banks.
GM, the perennial car leader, has also unleashed a new family of small models in the past year.
Meanwhile, Brad Bradshaw, president of Nissan Canada, said he doesn't expect to overtake Ford this year despite soaring Altima sales. It will be some time before Nissan introduces an entry-level car that can produce major sales increases to surpass Ford, he said.
source
Registered
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 61
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From: Vancouver, Canada
"In response, DaimlerChrysler introduced the Chrysler 300 full-size car recently and expects it to be a winner."
Ya, that's what we need, a cheap tank-like mercedes clone...
"This will be a high-volume vehicle for us," said Ron Smith, the company's vice-president of Don't have a clue what the consumer wants."
and MercedesDaimlerChrysler is seventh because....???
Ya, that's what we need, a cheap tank-like mercedes clone...
"This will be a high-volume vehicle for us," said Ron Smith, the company's vice-president of Don't have a clue what the consumer wants."
and MercedesDaimlerChrysler is seventh because....???
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
From: Toronto, ca
Sorry my friend.....these links have no relavance.....i am just posting it for my friend another class mate and a fellow RX8 driver.....
[Completely irrelevent, unrelated psychology links deleted]
[Completely irrelevent, unrelated psychology links deleted]
Last edited by Gord96BRG; Jun 24, 2004 at 04:43 PM.
Registered
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,845
Likes: 1
From: Calgary, AB
Originally posted by S-AIR
Sorry my friend.....these links have no relavance.....i am just posting it for my friend another class mate and a fellow RX8 driver.....
Sorry my friend.....these links have no relavance.....i am just posting it for my friend another class mate and a fellow RX8 driver.....
Regards,
Gordon
Last edited by Gord96BRG; Jun 24, 2004 at 04:44 PM.
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