Porsche, Dodge Named Most "APEAL"-ing Brands in New J.D. Power Study

First Up 07/23/20

Beltway Talk Podcast: Introducing Autos Drive America

Jennifer Safavian is at the forefront of a new association dedicated to international automaker operations in the U.S. In this episode of Beltway Talk, Jennifer answers our questions about Autos Drive America – and explains what’s driving her to ensure that the international nameplate industry is fairly represented in Washington, D.C. Listen in and subscribe to the Beltway Talk podcast by clicking here.  

Porsche, Dodge Named Most "APEAL"-ing Brands in New J.D. Power Study

Porsche and Dodge topped the charts according to the latest J.D. Power APEAL study which looks at the features and “positive experiences” that their vehicles offer, reports The Detroit Bureau. The German marque ranked number one overall, as well as tops among luxury brands in the annual study. Dodge, meanwhile, was ranked number one among mainstream brands, while also coming in fourth overall. Significantly, domestic brands generally scored well in the 2020 APEAL study – and Tesla might have come in tops overall but for the fact that it restricts Power’s access to customers in 15 states. The APEAL study – short for “Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout” – is a so-called “things-gone-right” survey, looking at how individual brands and products deliver on customer expectations, said Dave Sargent, the research firm’s president of automotive quality. That’s in sharp contrast to more traditional “things-gone-wrong” surveys, such as the Power Initial Quality Study, released a month ago. Read more here.

Vehicle Market Faces Short-Term Challenges, Surveys Show

By June, as pandemic-induced business shutdowns began to lift across the U.S., fewer vehicle shoppers planned to delay their purchases than did a few months earlier at the height of the coronavirus outbreak, according to a new consumer study. But, reports Automotive News, even as some would-be buyers said they still plan to buy a vehicle this year, affordability remains a concern: Nearly half of consumers who vehicle listings company CarGurus surveyed in June said the pandemic has made them less confident they'll be able to afford a vehicle, and more of them said they're considering a used car instead of a new one. The results, out this week, indicate the ways in which the coronavirus has affected consumers' vehicle purchase decisions. While fewer of them said they're planning to wait — 69 percent said they had delayed a purchase as of June, compared with 79 percent in an earlier survey in April — that's still more than two-thirds of consumers CarGurus surveyed last month. And more shoppers said they intended to finance their purchase in June than before the pandemic. Read more here. 

Fiat Chrysler to be Renamed Stellantis After Merger with PSA

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV and PSA Group plan to call their combined company Stellantis upon completing a trans-Atlantic merger that would create one of the world’s largest auto companies, reports The Wall Street Journal. The new name has its roots in the Latin word “stello,” meaning “to brighten with stars,” the companies said Wednesday. It is cast in a font reminiscent of the futuristic style used by Tesla Inc. in its corporate logo. The change marks the first time that Fiat and Chrysler won’t appear in the parent company name, but they will live on as badges for individual brands. Likewise, brand names such as Jeep and Peugeot will continue. “The stakes are high here,” said Marcus Collins, a marketing professor at the University of Michigan. “A new name presents a clean slate, but you only have so many chances to reinvent yourself.” The two auto makers agreed to merge last year in a $50 billion deal intended to help them leverage their global scale and advance new technologies for meeting tougher environmental regulations. Read more here. 

Luxury Cars Are Embracing the "Drop" model Favored by Supreme, Nike

Rolls-Royce knows that for some clients, the $330,000 Wraith—in all its 12-cylinder, 3,800-pound art deco glory—is not enough. On the other hand, the Kryptos edition of the Wraith, which was released in July, comes with computer-generated ciphers stitched into the buttery leather door panels. This version will cost $450,000; only 50 will be made. Bloomberg reports that it’s the latest in a fresh spate of cars that high-end automakers are producing with unique colorways (and gimmicks) in limited quantities, and at price premiums tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars above standard. These special editions – Aston Martin’s DBS 59, Bugatti’s Chiron Noire, McLaren’s 600LT Spider Segestria Borealis, Lamborghini’s Huracán Avio, Land Rover’s Range Rover Fifty – are to car collectors what the Air Jordan 11 25th Anniversary is to sneakerheads. The special edition allows these brands to play to their strengths, by making fast sports cars with enviable looks. Read more here. 

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