U.S. Light-Vehicle Sales Forecast Cut for 2022; Inventory Outlook Weakens
Even if there is consumer pushback from rising prices in second-half 2022, and barring a broadbased recession – one with major cutbacks in spending accompanied by job losses – expect production to continue favoring higher-priced cars, CUVs and SUVs, as well as fullsize trucks, and for the combined mix of total inventory for those vehicles to remain above historical norms.
U.S. Vehicle Inventory Stuck at 1.1 Million Vehicles
June marked the sixth consecutive month when auto industry levels were between 1 million and 1.1 million vehicles, according to Cox Automotive.
VW Loses Top Marketing Executive
Kimberley Gardiner, one of Volkswagen of America’s top U.S. marketing executives, is leaving the company.
The Latest Numbers on the Microchip Shortage: Forecast Worsens
Auto plants in Europe and North America auto plants just cut another 104,000 vehicles out of their production plans because of chip shortages.Auto plants in Europe and North America auto plants just cut another 104,000 vehicles out of their production plans because of chip shortages.
GM Takes Back Sales Crown in 2ND Quarter
GM outsold Toyota by more than 47,000 vehicles in the second quarter. The fluid, unpredictable nature of the global microchip shortage and other supply chain disruptions continue to put all automakers on edge.
Market Slide Continues in June; Ford Gain Signals Rebound Underway
June marked 12th consecutive month of year over year declines for an auto industry scrambling to secure microchips to rebuild inventories amid strong pent-up demand and a backlog of orders.
Hyundai Cuts Three From Its Lineup
Hyundai is trimming its car lineup to focus on crossovers and its budding battery-electric Ioniq subbrand.
June U.S. Light-Vehicle Sales To Improve on May; Stay Softer Than January-April
If the June forecast holds firm, volume will rise in Q2 from Q1, but the quarter will end at a 13.5-million-unit annualized rate, a drop from January-March’s 14.1 million, meaning second-half deliveries will have to run near a 16 million-unit SAAR for the entire year to match 2021’s sales of 14.9 million.
Auto Quality Takes a Dive
Pandemic related disruptions have driven initial vehicle quality to the lowest point J.D. Power has recorded in 36 years.
A Downturn in Media Spend? It Depends, Automotive Advertising Is Slowing, While CPG Accelerates
No one is truly immune to a downturn. But ultimately, some companies can operate outside the eye of an economic storm. Automotive as an advertising category isn’t in that group.
FTC Proposal Would Crack Down on Car Dealers’ Websites, F&I Offices
The agency is also considering new rules on dealerships’ advertising related to the cost of the vehicle itself.
Cox Lowers Full-year Forecast to 14.4 Million Vehicles
It’s the second time this year Cox has lowered its sales forecast as the industry continues to struggle with a global microchip shortage that has upended supply chains and sapped dealer inventory.
Carmax Sales Fall, but It Holds Onto Per-vehicle Profit
CarMax Inc., like other major players in the automotive retail world, finds itself trying to maneuver through a year hampered by sunken buyer confidence.
Higher Interest Rates Could Trickle Down to Auto Demand
Vehicle buyers are likely to feel the Federal Reserve’s 0.75-point interest rate increase, analysts from Cox, Moody’s and Edmunds agreed.
North America Production Tracking toward Gains in Q2 and Q3
Supply-chain disruptions remain a major roadblock, and are hurting some automakers more than others, but growth in production is resuming, meaning new-vehicle inventory should start showing signs of improvement in North America.
New Vehicle Prices Surge, but There’s No Shortage of Buyers
The average new vehicle now costs nearly what a typical American — or even an entire household — makes in a year, but nobody seems all that concerned.
Nexstar Learns To Live Without Auto
Nexstar executives told the Credit Suisse virtual conference that it has yet to see even modest recovery from the auto sector, though it’s still finding other categories to plug the hole.
Wholesale Auction Companies Seeking To Reinvent Amid Change
The wholesale used-vehicle auction landscape is transforming as the business grapples with a major digital shift, new competitors, defecting dealer customers, shrinking vehicle inventories and big moves by leading players.
U.S. Vehicle Inventory Stays Flat at 1.13M
New-vehicle inventory in the U.S. stayed nearly flat in May from the previous month as supply disruptions and continued strong demand made it difficult to refill depleted stocks, according to data compiled by the Automotive News Research & Data Center and Cox Automotive.
Car Dealers Positive, but Less Optimistic About Next 3 Months
Despite similar profits and market conditions, franchised dealerships polled by Cox this spring were a little less optimistic about the future than they were in the first quarter.