Ferrari U.S. Sales In 2016: Better Than Hyundai Equus, Audi A4 Allroad, Volvo V60 CC, Acura RLX

How does one measure the sales success of a five-year-old luxury sedan from a mainstream automaker, a car which will soon be released in second-generation form under an all-new luxury banner?

Compare it with Ferrari, of course.

Through the first five months of 2016, Hyundai USA sold 904 copies of their Equus sedan, a 9% year-over-year decrease for the cut-price Mercedes-Benz S-Class alternative.

Just how rare does that make the Equus? According to The Wall Street Journal, Ferrari sold 960 cars in America during the same period.

We shouldn't pick on the Equus, sales of which are on track to fall to a six-year low in calendar year 2016. It was an experiement for Hyundai USA, one which ended with a new luxury brand: Genesis. 

Note, however, that Hyundai's new luxury brand didn't take the name of Hyundai's most highfalutin luxury sedan, the Equus. Rather, the new Genesis brand represents a continuation of Hyundai's lower-rung and far more common Genesis sedan. 

But the Equus is far from the only nameplate roundly outsold by a small fleet of Italian supercars with prices stretching from $200,000 northward. 

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GM's attempt at a two-seat Chevrolet Volt-based Cadillac, the cancelled ELR, and GM's attempt at an Aussie-based Ford Taurus Police Interceptor rival, the Chevrolet Caprice PPV, combined for 702 units in the first five months of 2016. 

There are others. The transitioning Audi A4 Allroad. The largely ignored Volvo V60 Cross Country. The always ignored Acura RLX. The Hyundai Equus's Kia K900 platform-mate. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' own Alfa Romeo 4C, which finds one buyer for every 3.5 Ferrari sales. The Nissan GT-R, which sells at a rate similar to the 4C.

GCBC has a list, of course. Click the second-from-left column header – May 2016 YTD – to sort vehicles, auto brands, and automakers by year-to-date U.S. sales in this complete sales list. After sorting Ferrari is ten sales back of the discontinued Honda CR-Z. Unfortunately, Ferrari does not break down sales by model. 

But we'll take the FF, thanks.

Timothy Cain is the founder of GoodCarBadCar.net, which obsesses over the free and frequent publication of U.S. and Canadian auto sales figures. Follow on Twitter @goodcarbadcar and on Facebook.

Auto News For Friday, November 20, 2015 - Subaru XV Crosstrek Is Now The Subaru Crosstrek

Here are the six must-read, must-watch auto news stories, recalls and videos for Friday, November 20, 2015.

SUBARU
Once upon a time, Subaru decided to really shake things up by referring to the flop that was the B9 Tribeca as simply the Tribeca, sans B9. Fast forward to model year 2016, and the success that is the XV Crosstrek is losing its XV preface.

VW
Outside of the costs already incurred by Volkswagen and the damage done to the brand’s reputation, at least one of the recalls the brand will soon begin won’t be nearly as costly as you likely expected. “The technical fixes for the 1.6-liter diesel engines require installing a 10-euro ($10.74) sensor inside the air filter and a software update,” Reuters says.

SUPERCAR LIVING
You’ve often dreamed of one day owning a proper supercar. But would you really want to live with one on a daily basis? CAR Magazine is going to spend six months with a McLaren 650S Spider. “No-one would dream of running a 458 Speciale as an everyday car, but with its greater refinement, flawless ergonomics and versatile Proactive suspension, the 650S promises to be a supercar you can use like a supermini.” 

RECALL
Hyundai is recalling 304,900 copies of the 2011 and 2012 Sonata because, "the brake pedal stopper pad can deteriorate allowing the stop lamp switch plunger to remain extended when the brake pedal is released.”

Toyota is recalling 30,812 copies of the 2013-2015 Avalon and the 2013-2015 Lexus ES350 and Lexus ES300h because, "the Pre-Collision System may unexpectedly activate and apply the brakes when the radar detects a steel joint or plate in the roadway as an object.” 

WATCH
We’ve been waiting, and it’s finally here. 52 minutes of Chris Harris, Tiff Needell, and Marino Franchitti hustling the Ferrari LaFerrari, Porsche 918 Spyder, and McLaren P1 around the circuit at Portimao is how you’re going to spend the next 52 minutes of your day.


WATCH MORE 
It’s been more than two years since we spent two weeks with the third-generation Acura MDX. Now it’s time for an Alex On Autos video review of the 2016 MDX.

Auto News For Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - Chevrolet Cruze Hatchback On Its Way

Here are the seven must-read, must-watch auto news stories, review and videos for Tuesday, June 23, 2015.

INSIDE THE AUTO INDUSTRY
Although GM's latest compact car, the Chevrolet Cruze, was a massive leap over the Cobalt, which was itself a massive leap over the Cavalier, it's somewhat small lineup has limited its appeal. While Toyota can make the Corolla succeed with a sedan only, many rival small cars need more than one body style. For the next generation of the Chevrolet Cruze, GM will begin selling the hatchback version seen in so much of the world in North America, as well.

INSIDE THE PICKUP TRUCK INDUSTRY
Perhaps V8s are overrated. The turbocharged diesel in Ram's heavy duty pickup trucks uses only six cylinders. But the Cummins inline-six – it's not a V – now makes 900 lb-ft of stump-pulling torque. In Canada, the overall Ram lineup set a sales record in 2014. U.S. sales rose to the highest level since 2003.

INSIDE AUTO CEO SALARIES
Nissan paid its CEO, Carlos Ghosn, $8.4 million in 2014. Still working the counter at Burger King? You're in the wrong line of work. Ghost is also the company's largest shareholder. Yet he could possibly expect a bigger raise. His pay went up 4% as Nissan's profits jumped 18%. Nissan/Infiniti now own 8.7% of the U.S. market.

REVIEW
The Tiguan lives, so why not drive it? Car & Driver recently spent time in the 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line, a front-wheel-drive model. While U.S. interest in the aged Tiguan has waned over time, Canadian price cuts have made the fun-to-drive Tiguan more appealing, and it's selling better than ever north of the border.

RECALL
It's a LaFerrari recall! Ferrari is recalling 85 LaFerrari supercars because, "The affected vehicles have L32 seats as standard equipment for the passenger seat and as optional equipment for the driver seat. In a crash, the headrests of L32 seats may not absorb the required amount of energy." A separate LaFerrari recall covers tire pressure monitoring troubles.

INSIDE THE AUTO PRESS ROOM
Because Chevrolet is excited to be finishing eighth grade at a private girls school, they've issued a press release purely in emojis. Jalopnik's Jason Torchinsky attempts to translate.

WATCH
Asks Chris Harris: "Do you need anything more than a BMW 320d?" He drives it to the Nürburgring to find out. And to race an Aston Martin.

Auto News For Wednesday, June 10, 2015 - Acura Recalls 19,502 Vehicles

Here are the five must-read auto news stories, reviews and videos for Wednesday, June 10, 2015.

INSIDE THE AUTO INDUSTRY
Did you know Costco was selling new cars? In fact, Costco was responsible for nearly 400,000 U.S. auto sales in 2014, more than Volkswagen and two dozen other automakers.

REVIEW
Think of the Vauxhall Corsa VXR this way. Imagine if Vauxhall/Opel’s sibling brand in America, Chevrolet, sold the Sonic subcompact hatchback with a 202-horsepower, turbocharged four-cylinder in order to make a true Fiesta ST rival. Here’s the evo review of the new £17,995 Vauxhall hot hatch.

RECALL
Volkswagen is recalling 2957 Tiguans (model year 2015) because the vehicles may be, “missing the required tire pressure information and they may state incorrect weight and loading information.”

American Honda is recalling 19,502 Acura MDX crossovers (model years 2014-2015) and RLX sedans (model year 2014) because, “the collision mitigation braking system incorrectly interpret certain roadside objects such as metal fences or metal guardrails as obstacles and unexpectedly apply the brakes.”

INSIDE THE ELECTRIC AUTO INDUSTRY
Saying that, “The Model X will be a better SUV than the Model S is a sedan,” Tesla founder Elon Musk plans for deliveries of the new model to begin before November. The Model X was originally intended to go on sale some six months ago.

WATCH
Well, it’s James May. But it’s not Top Gear. Here’s Mr. Slowly in the Ferrari 488 GTB.

WATCH TOP GEAR REVIEW OF FERRARI 458 ITALIA

"Absolutely, unbelievably, mesmerizingly.... brilliant," Jeremy Clarkson says of the Ferrari 458 Italia. At GoodCarBadCar.net, everything Jeremy Clarkson or Top Gear says about a car isn't automatically accepted. But The Good Car Guy pretty much decided the Ferrari 458 Italia was an all-time great as soon as pictures were released. Anything looking that good with that kind of power from that factory wearing that badge is enshrined as Better Than Almost Anything Else.

Still, I had no idea the 458 Italia looked this good. Top Gear has a knack for cinematography, casting a glow or a shadow in just the right place with engine sounds to match the soundtrack and oversteer angles which put the vehicle's best cheek forward. So with Jeremy Clarkson's Top Gear review of the Ferrari 458 Italia in the video below, GoodCarBadCar.net has gone even more head-over-heels for the Four-Five-Eight. 

12 minutes and 19 seconds of a beautiful car with plenty of humour and lots of statistics can be found in the video below.



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Ferrari 458 Italia Photo Gallery
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FERRARI, ROLLS-ROYCE & ASTON MARTIN ARE ALL MANUFACTURERS OF SMALL CARS?

In a fight to be seen as both eco-conscious and economically aware, automakers which traditionally sell cars priced in the stratosphere are bringing their badges down to our level.

Aston Martin will be applying its grimacing grille to the front end of the Toyota iQ. They'll call it the Aston Martin Cygnet; they'll lux it up a fair bit; and they'll double the price.

Ferrari, meanwhile, will stick its badges on the 695 Tributo Ferrari, a hopped-up version of the Fiat 500. At least the Fiat 500 695 Tributo Ferrari will be significantly quicker than the regular 500, something that can't be said of the Cygnet.

Finally we have Rolls-Royce. The manufacturer of Phantoms and Drophead Coupes will soon be known as a custom outfitter of Mini Coopers. Mini Rolls will supposedly look just like regular Minis but inside - oh yes, inside - Rolls will have its way with high-end materials. Perhaps an umbrellla in the door, too?

Obviously the connection between Fiat and Ferrari is obvious. Fiat owns 85% of the autonomously-run supercar producer. Mini and Rolls-Royce are both owned by Germany-based BMW. But the Aston Martin/Toyota relationship is a curious one. Regardless, all three of the high-dollar brands will be endlessly criticized for degrading their brand values.

If part of what makes the Ferrari 458 Italia so special is its exclusivity, doesn't a commonplace Fiat 500 Tributo lessen that joy?

Consider the outrageous prices Rolls-Royce clients justify as a result of uncommon leather-lined seating and permanently upright wheelhub badges. Do you really want to pay so much more for the privilege when Mini customers receive some of the same treatments?

Meanwhile Aston Martin isn't simply badging Toyota iQs with logos from Gaydon. No, Aston is changing the whole look of the car. So the same company which builds the V8 Vantage, DB9, Rapide, and DBS will sell city cars?

However, there will be an unseemly amount of short term gain. Why else would Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, and Aston Martin participate in such a scheme? Businesses are on this planet to generate profits. Peering through the long-term tunnel to see the negative impacts come 2016 is not an easy procedure. In terms of these increasingly common small car ventures, it's a procedure to which certain supercar manufacturers are unwilling to submit.

EXPANDED FERRARI 458 ITALIA GALLERY

Ferrari has slightly expanded its portfolio of 458 Italia pictures. This is one of the best-looking modern Ferraris and is thus essential viewing for all citizens of the planet. The Good Car Guy has already shown a comparo of photos between the 458 and its predecessors, the F430 and 360 Modena. You should also take a look at the previous Gallery of 458 Italia pics here for context... or something, while also listening to the sound of its V8 in this video.

PHOTO COMPARO OF THE NEW FERRARI 458 ITALIA & FERRARI F430 AND FERRARI 360 MODENA

Quite telling, this anecdote surely is. One Christmas in the years prior to the marriage of The Good Car Guy and The Good Car Girl, the gift directed my way revolved around the Ferrari 360 Modena. Creativity won the day, yes. But the car was cast in such beautiful light.

Though I wouldn't suggest the advent of the Ferrari F430 was the beginning of a downward trend; something was off with the 360 Modena's successor. Its penchant for high speeds was greater; even when comparing garden variety examples with the extreme 360 Challenge Stradale. The F430 remained a visual shocker. And the competition (Lamborghini Gallardo, anyone?), while still alluring and successful, held court on the periphery.

Hard to put a finger on it, eh? The F430 lost some of the classy magic. When the F355 gave way to the 360 Modena, some Ferrari lovers were pained by its massive air intakes. For me, the 360 Modena stepped aside and in came the F430, a harder car by every definition. Lovely? For sure. The Good Car Guy's second-favourite supercar? Oh yeah. Still, the F430 was regression; at least in terms of desirability.

Now we have pictures of the F430's replacement, the Ferrari 458 Italia. Power is up, yes, but so is efficiency. There'll be plenty of techno talk in the upcoming days, as well. However strong on technology and modernity Ferrari may be, the firm is still firmly entrenched as passion-based. Personally, the inherent desire that washed over GoodCarBadCar Towers when pictures of the new 458 appeared carry the Italia to a place where floors are washed with F430s.

Stay tuned for a complete specification comparo of the last three mid-engined Ferrari V8s. Prepare to be impressed. For now, take a look at the comparative Gallery below.

GALLERY - FERRARI 458 ITALIA - 4 PICTURES

4.5 litres of thumping Italian metal built to send power to the rear wheels of a red supercar: a wonderful thing, indeed. Named after its displacement (4.5L) and the number of cylinders (8), the 458 Italia by Ferrari is an attempt to take Ferrari into the next era of automobile production. The 2011 model year marks Ferrari's start of a green era..... well, sort of.

The 458 Italia uses high-end materials that cost a bijillion to actually put together. Moreover, this Ferrari will still use a lot of gasoline. However, thanks to direct-injection for the engine; a very compact and aerodynamic shape; a shockingly light chassis; and a 7-speed transmission; the Italia should return improved economy compared with the F430 while also being quicker. Quicker, they say, than the Ferrari Enzo.

With the purpose of showing the 458 Italia's true colours, The Good Car Guy edited hue right out of two preliminary Italia photos. In order to truly see its profile and its lines, a lack of colour is necessary. To compensate, red was punched up a notch in the other two. Enjoy the viewing. Ferrari hasn't made a car this good-looking since the 456M. There's a little dose of Dino in here, as well. That can't hurt.

FERRARI BRINGS SCUDERIA SPIRIT TO 430 SPIDER

Back when Ferrari strode back to the firm, indisputable top of the pack, the F355 was a 380-horsepower supercar. 380 horsepower? You mean five more horsepower than Hyundai's V8 luxury sedan? Quaint.

One received the impression since the F355's time that Ferrari didn't want to play in horsepower wars - Lamborghini and Mercedes-Benz AMG both outpunched Maranello in that department - but managed the acceleration of horsepower increases quite capably. For instance, take the car you see here: Ferrari's new Scuderia Spider 16M. In the Ferrari of the past, a convertible would never be treated to the most outrageous of Ferrari's performance equipment. Now, the 430 Scuderia has joined with the 430 Spider in fitting the Scuderia Spider 16M with a 510 horsepower 4.3L V8. In the F355's era, even the hyper-expensive 456M GT, a V12 supercoupe, only had 442 horses.

Better yet, the Scuderia Spider has shed 176 pounds. Worse yet, the Scuderia Spider will likely feature a base price of close to or over $300,000 USD.

Yes, Ferrari's manufacturing of a new hardtop convertible, the California, spoke volumes about the Italians' willingness to work with open-top cars. Now cometh the Scuderia Spider 16M. Only 499 will be assembled. (2700 F355's were built by Ferrari, by the way.) 

Not only was the 430 Spider's predecessor never built with the most powerful Ferrari V8 of its time; the 360 Spider was never available with the Scuderia Spider 16M's sound option either. A special 16GB Ferrari iPod Touch will rest prominently in a central dock in front of the dashboard. 

DETROIT DEBUTS - Part II

Ferrari's Millechili sounded the alarm. Even the exoticar makers must go green. Detroit is the venue for a more realistic near-future possibility, the F430 Spider BioFuel.

Think crazy-fast, corn-powered, Italian convertible beauty. You get the picture. If not, view it in AutoBlog's gallery.

Ferrari BioFuel debut factoid: the badges suck.