Archive for the ‘Buick’ Category
Volkswagen posts a sales increased in March.
by Joseph Szczesny on Apr.17, 2018
Strong Malibu sales in March helped GM to a small sales gain of 2%.
Ford Motor Co. saw its sales in China, the world’s largest automotive market, drop by 11% during March, while General Motors eked out a 2% gain as its sales continue to grow.
GM, which will now report its China sales quarterly rather than monthly in the future, said its joint ventures in China delivered a March record of 352,346 vehicles. Buick and Cadillac enjoyed record deliveries in March, while Chevrolet grew 35% from a year earlier, GM said.
Industry News!
Sales in the first three months of 2018 increased 8% on an annual basis to 986,052 units. (more…)
Tags: Ford GM sales results China, TheDetroitBureau.com., auto news, china auto sales, ford china, gm china, joseph szczesny, new vehicle sales China, thedetroitbureau, vw china
Posted in Automakers, Automobiles, Buick, Business, Cadillac, Chevrolet, China, Ford, GM, Lincoln, Markets, Monthly Results, Sales, Sales, Trends | No Comments »
Move could help defuse threat of trade war, but unclear how much will change.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Apr.10, 2018
Tesla CEO Musk is one of those celebrating China's plans to sharply reduce import auto tariffs.
Foreign automakers have long complained about the hefty tariffs levied on vehicles exported to China, but Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday said his government plans to “significantly lower” duties this year.
The move comes at a time when tensions between the U.S. and China have built to the point where many observers have been fearing the start of a potentially devastating trade war. Just Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump complained in a tweet about “STUPID TRADE” policies that allowed the Chinese to levy a 25% tariff on imported vehicles, compared to the 2.5% duties imposed by the U.S. on most foreign-made vehicles.
More Than Just Headlines!
The Chinese president’s comments leave a lot of questions to be answered before it can be clear what impact the proposed move will have on foreign automakers, but at least one U.S.-based manufacturer is pleased, Tesla CEO Elon Musk quickly tweeting, “This is a very important action by China. Avoiding a trade war will benefit all countries.”
(more…)
Tags: China car market, Tesla China, auto news, car news, china auto import tariff, china import tariffs, china to lower auto tariff, china us trade war.china us trade, ford news, gm news, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, tesla news, thedetroitbureau, volvo news, xi jinping
Posted in Automobiles, Buick, Business, Cadillac, China, Earnings, Ford, GM, Markets, Personalities, Politicians, Sales, Tesla, Trade, Trends, U.S./North America, Volkswagen | No Comments »
Company straddling tough line due to tariff-based volatility.
by Joseph Szczesny on Apr.09, 2018
GM is ready to unveil its first-ever fully electric SUV, the Enspire, in China later this month.
The United States and China might appear headed for a full-blown trade war that could rattle the global economy, but General Motors, one of the American companies that could get hurt in the crossfire is moving ahead with its aggressive plans for the Chinese market.
Last week, Buick, GM’s leading brand in China, announced that the Enspire, its new all-electric concept SUV, will make its global debut at Buick Brand Night April 17, in Wuzhen, Zhejiang.
Global News!
It will also be on display to the public at Auto China 2018 in Beijing, which begins later this month. (more…)
Tags: China US tariffs, GM China plans, GM China volatility, General Motors China EVs, TheDetroitBureau.com., auto news, electric vehicles China GM, gm news, joseph szczesny, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Automakers, Automobiles, Buick, China, EVs, GM, Markets, Product Reveals, SUVs, Sales, Trends, U.S./North America | Comments Off
Industry overall posts major gains in service arena.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Mar.16, 2018
The new QX80 helped Infiniti to the top of the latest J.D. Power Customer Satisfaction Index.
In an unexpected and potentially critical move, Infiniti unseated Lexus as the top-ranked brand in J.D. Power’s annual Customer Satisfaction Index, while Buick ranked tops among mass-market brands.
But the auto industry on the whole managed to post big improvements, reflecting an increased focus on keeping customers happy when it comes to receiving service at franchised dealers, according to the annual Power study.
Pushing the Envelope!
Keeping customers happy is critical, said Chris Sutton, Power’s vice president of U.S. automotive retail practices. “Satisfied customers tend to stay with a brand and bring others with them,” said Sutton, adding that, “Anything less opens the door for customers to shop elsewhere.” (more…)
Tags: Infiniti captures top customer satisfaction index, Infiniti passes Lexus for top spot, Infiniti tops Lexus, Infiniti tops Power's CSI, J.D. Power news, TheDetroitBureau.com., auto news, infiniti news, paul a. eisenstein, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Automakers, Automobiles, Buick, Business, Infiniti, Lexus, Luxury Vehicles | Comments Off
Premium brand eliminating "Buick" name badge across vehicle line-up.
by Michael Strong on Mar.12, 2018
A closer look at the rear cargo door of the 2019 Envision reveals that the "Buick" name badge is missing.
Buick is making a small, but significant change to is line-up for 2019: it’s taking its name off the back of its vehicles.
First noticed by website GM Authority on the 2019 Buick Envision, the plan calls for the name disappear from all Buick vehicles, although it’s unclear if that will occur for 2019 or over a period of time.
News You Can Trust!
However, “representatives recently told GM Authority that Buick will stop using the brand badge on the rear of its vehicles, starting with the 2019 model year.” The only brand-centric badges that will remain are the three-color Tri Shield logo and the model nameplate, such as “Envision” or “Regal.” (more…)
Tags: 2019 Envision deletes Buick name badge, Buick badge on cars, Buick cutting name badge starting 2019, TheDetroitBureau.com., auto news, buick news, michael strong, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Automakers, Automobiles, Buick, China, Luxury Vehicles, Markets, Sales, U.S./North America | Comments Off
New product key to strong sales.
by Joseph Szczesny on Mar.12, 2018
Jim Hackett, Ford president and CEO, discusses the plans to expand sales in China.
Ford Motor Co. suffered another sharp reversal of fortune in China during February where it reported vehicle sales dropped 30% from a year earlier while General Motors continues to roll up sales.
The sales drop by Ford appeared to reflect a dearth of new products as the company continued to struggle in the world’s largest auto market.
Global News!
Ford’s sales dropped 18% in January and in February totaled just 47,483 vehicles, accounting for the 30% drop mentioned earlier. (more…)
Tags: Ford sales slump China, GM sales road China, TheDetroitBureau.com., auto news, auto sales China February, ford china sales, ford news, gm china sales, gm news, joseph szczesny, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Automakers, Automobiles, Buick, Cadillac, China, Ford, GM, Lincoln, Markets, Monthly Results, SUVs, Sales, Trends | 1 Comment »
But latest J.D. Power study finds reliability is up overall.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Feb.14, 2018
The Lexus ES led in the Premium Compact Car segment, while Lexus was ranked the most dependable brand overall.
While many studies look at the quality of vehicles soon after they roll off the showroom floor, the real question is how they hold up after a few years on the road. And the answer, according to annual J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study, is better than ever.
Almost across the board, reliability showed a large jump – the first improvement since 2013 – though some manufacturers did notably better than others. For the seventh consecutive year, the Japanese luxury brand Lexus led the VDS overall while Buick was tops among mass market brands. Chrysler lagged at the back of the pack, with nearly twice as many problems as those two rivals, but it also showed some improvement.
Insight!
“For the most part, automotive manufacturers continue to meet consumers’ vehicle dependability expectations,” said Dave Sargent, the head of automotive practices as J.D. Power and Associates. “A 9% improvement is extremely impressive, and vehicle dependability is, without question, at its best level ever. For people looking for a new or used model, now is a good time to find that special vehicle.”
(more…)
Tags: auto news, buick news, car news, chrysler news, j.d.power, jd power vehicle dependability, lexus news, most dependable car, most dependable suv, most dependable truck, most reliable car, most reliable suv, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, power vds, thedetroitbureau, vehicle dependability study, vehicle dependable, vehicle reliability
Posted in Automakers, Automobiles, Buick, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Infiniti, Lexus, Porsche, Quality and Reliability | Comments Off
Cadillac leading the way for GM.
by Joseph Szczesny on Feb.12, 2018
Cadillac set a sales record in January in China, now the luxury division's largest market.
General Motors and its joint ventures in China delivered 367,712 vehicles in January, posting a year-over-year increase of 14.5%, but Ford Motor Co. suffered a reversal as sales dropped by 1% to 75,990 vehicles.
Nissan sales rose 13.1%. while Toyota Motor Co. sales rose 12.4%. Toyota Motor Corp aims to sell 1.4 million vehicles in China in 2018, nearly 9% more than it sold last year. Ford’s top executive in China abruptly resigned last month, citing personal reasons.
Sales News!
GM, which is preparing to introduce 15 new or refreshed models in China this year, saw Cadillac set a new monthly sales record in what is now the brand’s largest market. (more…)
Tags: Ford China sales slide in January, Ford sales China fall, GM China sales January, January auto sales China, TheDetroitBureau.com., auto news, ford news, gm china sales, gm news, joseph szczesny, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Automakers, Automobiles, Buick, Business, Cadillac, China, EVs, Ford, GM, Lincoln, Markets, SUVs, Sales, Sales | Comments Off
Company expects stable results in North America and China.
by Joseph Szczesny on Jan.16, 2018
GM CEO Mary Barra said she believes that all of the fundamentals that brought profits to GM in 2017 are in place to repeat in 2018.
General Motors Co. expects strong earnings in 2018, as it builds on an expected record 2017 diluted-adjusted EPS as well as previous record earnings in 2016 and 2015.
GM’s bullish forecast comes on the heels of a bullish prediction for 2018 from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. Chief Sergio Marchionne, who told reporters at the Detroit Auto Show that he expected upward of $9 billion in operating profits from FCA for the full-year even as it falls short of the sales targets laid out in four-year plan set out 2014 when it predicted sales of 7 million units.
News You Can Trust!
The company’s “product cadence” will help FCA offset any potential weakening in the economic outlook, added Marchionne, who noted the company was bringing out a new version of the Jeep Cherokee and brand-new Jeep Wrangler as well as the new Ram 1500 pickup truck. (more…)
Tags: GM financial expectations, GM financial news, GM financial results for 2017, GM predicts 2018 profits, General Motors financial 2018 forecast, TheDetroitBureau.com., auto news, gm news, joseph szczesny, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Auto Shows, Automakers, Automobiles, Buick, Business, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Detroit, Earnings, Financials, GM, GMC, Markets, Sales | Comments Off
Sport-ute led the way to small 1.4% increase last year.
by Joseph Szczesny on Jan.12, 2018
Auto sales in China increased marginally for 2017, but they were led by sport-utilites.
China’s auto sales stalled in December and ended 2017 up a meager 1.4% compared with a year ago results as the popularity of SUVs helped to offset falling demand for sedans, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers said.
With global car makers such as General Motors, BMW, Volkswagen AG, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota and Nissan all reporting solid, but not spectacular, gains during 2017, smaller local brands common to almost every province and international brands such Ford and Hyundai, appeared to suffer the most for the slowdown, which was due in part to the end of special tax credits.
Global Auto News!
The growth rate was barely one-tenth the previous year’s 15% rate, which was boosted by a temporary tax cut. (more…)
Tags: 2017 auto sales in China, China auto sales 2017, China auto sales up slightly, TheDetroitBureau.com., auto news, joseph szczesny, new vehicle sales China, sport-ute lead China sales increase, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Audi, Automakers, Automobiles, BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, China, EVs, Ford, GM, Geely, Hybrids, Hyundai, Luxury Vehicles, Markets, Mercedes, Monthly Results, Nissan, SUVs, Sales, Sports Cars, Toyota, Trends, Volkswagen, Volvo | Comments Off
