November 30, 2011

Black Friday Expected to Boost Sales to Best Rate Since ‘Clunkers' Rally in 2009
Consumers who set records for retail purchases during Thanksgiving weekend helped boost U.S. auto sales in November, which may have run at the fastest pace in more than two years, reports Automotive News. Light-vehicle sales in November, to be released tomorrow, may have run at a 13.4 million seasonally adjusted annual rate, the average of 14 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. That would top the 12.3 million pace of a year earlier and October's 13.3 million rate, which was the best month since sales were helped by "cash for clunkers" in August 2009. Consumers spent a record $52.4 billion during the holiday weekend, excluding autos, according to the National Retail Federation. "The automakers are sending the consumer buying signals right now," Jessica Caldwell, an analyst for Edmunds.com, said Tuesday. "The year-end sales, Thanksgiving sales, Black Friday sales, holiday sales, whatever it is, there's some sort of sale out there. It makes sense for consumers that if now is the time to buy something, from jewelry, to a flat-screen TV, it must also be a good time to get a deal on a car, too." Click here for more from Automotive News on what analysts expect to be a profitable month for automakers.

Lawmaker Seeks Fuel Regulation Answers
The chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee wants the chief executives of 15 major automakers to answer detailed questions about the government's 2017-25 proposed fuel economy regulations. The Detroit News reports that Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) sent 11-page letters late Monday to top executives at General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co., Chrysler Group LLC, Toyota Motor Corp., Nissan Motor Co., Honda Motor Co., Hyundai Motor Co., and eight other automakers. It's the latest sign that the committee is ramping up its investigation into the government's proposal to hike fuel standards to 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025, a proposal the White House says will cost the auto industry $157 billion. Issa, who has been looking into the issue since July, now wants the dates and names of all company officials who participated in meetings between the White House and California that culminated in a framework deal in late July between most major automakers to hike the requirements. Issa wants automakers to answer detailed questions about how the proposal will affect auto sales, safety, and consumer choice, and whether the government is treating diesel vehicles fairly. Click here for more on his investigation.

Out of Control NLRB Strikes Again
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is out of control, and it's time to slam the brakes on, according to Peter Roff at U.S. News & World Report. The board is already under attack over the way it has tried to keep Boeing from expanding its operations in South Carolina – a right to work state. Now the NLRB, which is dominated by Obama appointees, is trying to alter the timetable for union organizing elections, in effect shortening the process and, say critics, making it harder for companies to mount a campaign to explain to its employees why it may be in their best interests to keep the union out. The board, which is supposed to operate on a bipartisan basis with the chairman designated by the president, currently has only three of its allotted five members. One of those, union lawyer Craig Becker, is a recess appointee. Allowing unelected bureaucrats to write and impose rules and regulations with deliberate disregard for the opinion of Congress eats away at the foundation of our democratic system. It is not what the founders intended and it is not something either Congress nor the courts should allow to continue. Click here for the rest of Roff’s column on the NLRB’s dangerous actions.

Toyota Pumping Passion Into Lexus
What do you do with an old car? If you’re Lexus, you don’t send it to the scrapyard. According to MSNBC, the luxury carmaker recently decided to ask a group of leading-edge designers what they could come up with using old parts from the automaker’s CT 200h – a compact hybrid. Fashion-forward Moss Lipow transformed a transmission starter and exhaust manifold into the “Environmental Crown of Virtue,” while Alejandro Ingelmo’s Luna Shoes were stitched together from the car’s armrest leather and plastic tubing. You likely won’t find these fashion spin-offs in your local mall, but Lexus does plan to feature the results of the fashion project in a new ad series set to appear in Vogue magazine. It’s all part of the automaker’s critical campaign to pump some passion into the normally staid Lexus brand. “Today, buyers in the midsize luxury segment want a more engaging driving experience,” Lexus Group’s Vice President Mark Templin said during an interview following a recent media drive of the second-generation, 2013 Lexus GS. The vehicle’s new design language, dubbed L-Finesse, is aimed at responding to criticism that dates back to the 1989 launch of Lexus and says the car’s styling is derivative. Read more about what Lexus is doing to rejuvenate its vehicles here.

Audi Boasts of Annual CPO & New Sales Records with One Month to Go
With one month remaining in 2011, Audi says sales on both the new-car and certified pre-owned fronts are already ahead of last year's annual records. On top of revealing its highest-ever U.S. annual sales rate for the first 10 months of this year, Audi is also enjoyed significant growth in its certified division, beating another yearly company record. Recording a 32 percent year-over-year climb, CPO sales totaled 33,102 vehicles through the end of Thanksgiving weekend. This trumps the previous annual record of 32,108 vehicles sold in 2008, according to Auto Remarketing. With just over a month remaining in the year, Audi of America achieved another new annual sales record, thanks in part to holiday shoppers heading out to the lots, it noted. With 102,055 sales of premium cars and SUVs already reported this year, the Audi brand topped the previous sales record of 101,629 set at the end of last year. This new record marks the second time the Audi brand has topped the 100,000 mark since it established its U.S. business more than 41 years ago. For full coverage of Audi’s sales success in the U.S. this year, click here.

Don’t Miss Your Chance – Register Today for AIADA’s 42nd Annual Meeting and Luncheon
Join AIADA, fellow dealers, and industry leaders at our 42nd Annual Meeting and Luncheon in Las Vegas. Together, we’ll consider the Legacy of Leadership that is inspiring today’s international dealer community and what it means for the future of our industry. This year's meeting will include keynote remarks from Mark Templin, Group Vice President and General Manager at Lexus. “Lexus has proven itself a leader in the U.S. auto market, and Mark Templin has played a central role in making it one of today’s most popular luxury brands,” said AIADA President Cody Lusk. “His remarks will provide invaluable perspective for dealers considering how our industry can continue to lead in the U.S.” Read more about Templin and AIADA’s 42nd Annual Meeting and Luncheon here. In addition to Templin’s remarks, the event will include the presentation of the David F. Mungenast Lifetime Achievement Award and the passing of AIADA’s chairman’s gavel from the current chairman, Jim Smail of Pennsylvania to Chairman-Elect Ray Mungenast of Missouri. Don’t miss your chance; register today by clicking here or call 1-800-GO-AIADA.

Around the Web  
Involuntary Layoffs, Even for Cars [NY Times]
Inside Denmark's $1.8 Million Supercar [Forbes]
Sneak Preview: Tokyo Motor Show [WSJ]
Mazda Takeri Concept Wows Tokyo Big Sight [Autoblog]