Auto News For Friday, December 18, 2015 - GM Isn’t Delivering Diesel Colorados And Canyons

Here are the six must-read, must-watch auto news stories and videos for Friday, December 18, 2015.

DIESEL
Why haven’t purchasers of diesel-powered Chevrolet Colorados and GMC Canyons received their pickup trucks yet?

INSIDE THE AUTO INDUSTRY
It’s been a strong December, and there’s reason to believe, maybe this year will definitely be better than the last. U.S. auto sales are surging once again in December, forecasters say, and the record set in 2000 of 17.4 million sales seems almost certain to be broken by around 100,000 vehicles. 

AUTOFOCUS
Canadian minivan sales are falling. But there are some vans that are selling a whole lot better this year than last.

TTAC
Over the course of the year, GCBC’s founder and editor has tested $2.2 million worth of new vehicles. In this post at The Truth About Cars, you’ll see the biggest surprises, the biggest disappointments, the best of the best, the worst of the worst, the most efficient, and the least efficient. And yes, a diesel-powered Volkswagen consumed less fuel than any other car we tested. The fact that, months later, a scandal erupted, doesn’t change the fact that the Jetta was in fact tested by GCBC and did in fact consume less fuel than any other car tested.

RECALL
Nissan is recalling 18 copies of the 2015 and 2016 Puerto Rico market GT-R because, "The affected vehicles have a Certification Label that is missing the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) information. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of 49 CFR Part 567, "Certification.”” In other words, the GT-Rs aren’t in any danger of, you know, blowing up. 

WATCH 
Motor Trend’s title asks if the 2017 Acura NSX is the slowest supercar in the world. And because you want to know if that’s true, or what they mean, you watch the video.

Auto News For Monday, November 9, 2015 - Volkswagen’s October U.S. Sales Volume Increased

Here are the five must-read, must-watch auto news stories, recalls and videos for Monday, November 9, 2015.

INSIDE THE AUTO INDUSTRY
Although Tata-owned Jaguar Land Rover is on a roll, a China slowdown has forced the automaker to dramatically cut costs to the tune of USD $6.8 billion. Jaguar and Land Rover need to build more vehicles, but the vehicles need to be built at a lower cost. 

AMERICAN MUSCLE
At this time last year, the sixth-generation Ford Mustang was beginning to wend its way into the hearts and minds of muscle car buyers. One year later – just this past weekend – General Motors began delivering its first copies of the sixth-generation, 2016 Chevrolet Camaro. 

CADILLAC
As car sales fade, is a full-size, value-priced luxury sedan, Cadillac’s new CT6, the answer for a struggling Cadillac brand? That seems highly unlikely, particularly since interest in Cadillac’s cars are fading especially rapidly and as SUVs carry the brand forward. 

TTAC
Earlier last week, prior to the Cadillac article, GCBC’s role at TTAC was to examine Volkswagen’s U.S. sales outcome for the month of October, the first full month of sales since the diesel emissions scandal broke in late September. And yes, Volkswagen sold more new vehicles in October 2015 than they did in October 2014. 

WATCH 
It’s not the first video review of the current Ford Escape you’ve seen. But nobody goes into more detail than our friend Alex Dykes, of Alex On Autos, and the Escape remains relevant. It’s Canada’s top-selling SUV/crossover; the Escape ranks second in America.

Auto News For Wednesday, June 17, 2015 - Chris Evans Takes Over On Top Gear

Here are the seven must-read, must-watch auto news stories, review and videos for Wednesday, June 17, 2015.

INSIDE THE AUTO MEDIA BUSINESS
We don’t yet know what Top Gear will do in terms of replacements for Richard Hammond and James May, but Jeremy Clarkson is going to be replaced by Chris Evans. He’s a known entity in Britain. The global audience will have plenty of opportunity to get to know Evans, an avowed car enthusiast and loyal Ferrari owner.

NOT THE FUTURE
If you thought BMW needed a more affordable roadster beneath the Z4 - call it the Z2, for example - you may have forgotten that BMW’s own Ian Robertson thinks the sports car market can’t recover. And he believes that because BMW hardly sells any Z4s.

TTAC
May 2015 was GM’s highest-volume month in the U.S. since 2008, and pickup trucks were just as important last month as they were seven years ago.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
Donald Trump, yet another candidate for President in the Republican Party, appears to have little chance of receiving enough votes to even come close to receiving the Republican nomination. Perhaps it’s policies like this one from yesterday’s announcement speech, in addition to his hair, that limit his chances.

"I would call up the head of Ford, who I know. If I was president, I’d say, 'Congratulations. I understand that you’re building a nice $2.5 billion car factory in Mexico and that you’re going to take your cars and sell them to the United States zero tax, just flow them across the border.' 

And you say to yourself, 'How does that help us,' right? 'How does that help us? Where is that good?' It’s not.

So I would say, 'Congratulations. That’s the good news. Let me give you the bad news. Every car and every truck and every part manufactured in this plant that comes across the border, we’re going to charge you a 35-percent tax, and that tax is going to be paid simultaneously with the transaction, and that’s it.'"

REVIEW
The Wall Street Journal’s Dan Neil says of the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata: "They could have called it the Déjà Vu."

RECALL
Chrysler is recalling 72 2015 Dodge Challengers due to loose or missing airbag mounting bolts.

WATCH
How much do you love the new Volvo XC90? Enough to watch a commercial that lasts for nearly two minutes? The message is basic: it gets you through the whole year. Or perhaps they’re trying to say something a little bit deeper.

Auto News For June 12, 2015 - GM Rejects Possibility Of FCA Merger

Here are the six must-read, must-watch auto news stories, reviews, and videos for Friday, June 12, 2015.

INSIDE THE AUTO INDUSTRY
The response of GM boss Mary Barra to FCA’s Sergio Marchionne: “A firm no.” GM wants no part in a merger with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Sergio is off to talk to the other kids at the playground. 

TTAC
U.S. sales of the Cadillac CTS are down 41% so far this year and have fallen below 2000 units in each of the last five months. 

AUTOFOCUS
The Mazda CX-3 arrived to acclaim and instantaneous success in Canada. In its first month, the CX-3 outsold most of its rivals. 

REVIEW
GCBC’s review of a heavily optioned, crew cab, V6-powered, long box GMC Canyon will likely be published later next week. And the subject matter is in keeping with many of the GM midsize truck reviews you’ve read. But Automobile Magazine just spent time with a basic Chevrolet Colorado: extended cab, WT trim, ghastly wheels, four-cylinder engine, manual transmission. 

RECALL
No new recalls since those detailed in Wednesday's news. 

WATCH
The new Honda Civic Type R is still not for sale in North America - though a version will eventually arrive. But as you’ll see in CarBuyer’s video review, it's ridiculously quick and ridiculously crazy to look at, too. And it costs £29,995.

Auto News For Wednesday, May 27, 2015 - GM Invests $1.2 Billion In Fort Wayne

Here are the six must-read, must-watch auto news stories, reviews, and videos for Wednesday, May 27, 2015.

INSIDE THE PICKUP TRUCK BUSINESS
Whenever pickup trucks are selling really well, there's an underlying sense of doubt. "Surely this can't last forever," or, "Something's got to give." General Motors has little doubt, however, as the automaker just announced that they'll spend $1.2 billion – that's b-b-b-billion with a b - to double the size of their Fort Wayne, Indiana, plant.

INSIDE THE AUTO RUMOUR MILL
Motor Trend reports that Cadillac has much more up its sleeve than the ATS-V. Imagine an ATS-V+ with a 505-horsepower 7.0L V8 from the previous-generation Corvette Z06.

INSIDE THE AUTO RENDERING BUSINESS
Is this what the upcoming 3-Series challenger from Alfa Romeo will look like? Alfa surely needs something that will sell, but style alone hasn't proven sufficient in the past.

TTAC
Yes, Virginia, U.S. sales of the Chevrolet SS are on the upswing. Barely. Slightly. SS volume increased by 16 units, year-over-year, but that's a big change for the big Aussie Chevy.

REVIEW
When I say Maybach, you say tasteless. When I say Mercedes-Maybach S600, you say... surprisingly tasteful?

WATCH
Fifth Gear's Tiff, Jonny, and Vicki got together to drive the new Fiat 500X, a car which goes on sale shortly in North America, as well. As usual, Tiff and Jonny and Vicki look cold. 

Auto News For Monday, May 25, 2015 - GM Increases Wentzville Truck Production

Here are the seven must-read, must-watch auto news stories, reviews, and videos for Monday, May 25, 2015.

INSIDE THE AUTO RACING BUSINESS
Juan Pablo Montoya – former Formula 1 Driver, former NASCAR driver, former Indianapolis 500 winner – won the Indy 500 on Sunday, May 24. Also on Sunday, Formula 1's Monac0 Grand Prix was won by Mercedes' Nico Rosberg. Juan Pablo Montoya last won the Monaco Grand Prix in a BMW in 2003. He finished second in a McLaren-Mercedes in 2006.

INSIDE THE TRUCK BUSINESS
Forget lunch. Forget "six-minute production lulls." Get to work, people of Wentzville, Missouri. GM needs more trucks.

AUTOFOCUS
Canada's best-selling premium brand car through the first four months of 2015 is the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Here are the 24 next-best-selling luxury vehicles in Canada.

TTAC
Chevrolet Volt sales have been plunging for a while. Now Nissan Leaf volume is taking a dive, too.

KINJA
If the wagons that are on sale are hardly purchased, don't expect more wagons. Volkswagen USA sold fewer than 1500 in April 2015.

REVIEW
The first Mazda CX-3s are trickling into Mazda stores. And yes, they really are eye-catching vehicles. The first customers to test drive them will likely be interested because they're affordable crossovers with flexible packaging but a compact, city-friendly size. But they'll be pleasantly surprised by the handling, according to every review.

WATCH
How hard do you have to go to grab pole position at the Monaco Grand Prix? Here's Lewis Hamilton's best qualifying lap.

Chevrolet SS Sales Are Finally Rising, Albeit Barely

General Motors sold more Chevrolet SS sedans in April 2015 than they did in April 2014.

Albeit only 16 more, to be precise. 5.7% more.

Yet not in any of the previous five months in which the SS could produce a year-over-year increase did it manage to do so. (October 2014 sales jumped 11,400% from one reported sale in October 2013 to 115.)

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U.S. Vehicle Sales Rankings By Model - April 2015 YTD
U.S. Car Sales Rankings By Model - April 2015 YTD

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Moreover, the SS’s April 2015 sales total was the second-highest level ever for the Aussie-built sedan.

Are we finally seeing an SS recovery, or is this just a blip on the Dodge Charger SRT’s radar?

After SS volume tumbled to just 313 units in the fourth-quarter of 2014, a 25% year-over-year drop and a 64% decline compared with the SS’s strongest quarter from early 2014, sales have now increased in four consecutive periods on a month-to-month basis.

From just 93 sales in December 2014, monthly SS volume has climbed to 115, 215, 264, and 299 units in the following four months. Year-over-year, first-quarter sales in 2015 slid 31%. But the signs of momentum, however slight and inconsequential, are still present.

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Historical Monthly & Yearly Chevrolet SS Sales Figures
U.S. Large Car Sales Figures - April 2015 YTD

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If General Motors was able to sustain this level of volume, Chevrolet would be selling 3600 SSs in America each year. But after the SS was selling at its best level so far – during the first-half of 2014 – GM proved unable to sustain interest. Inventory ballooned, and with little marketing support and outrageous Hellcats from Dodge stealing thunder, SS sales in the second-half of 2014 were less than half what they were in the first-half.

Keep in mind, based on first-half figures, Chevrolet was on pace to sell more than 3000 SSs in America last year, not a lot, but a lot more than the 2479 they ended up selling.

If a lack of manual availability was blamed for part of the decline last year, did the arrival of a manual transmission provide this April 2015 boost? It seems doubtful. Even if we account for the notion that the manual-trans SS sedans may move faster or are simply being handed directly into owners’ hands, the fact that Cars.com shows only 1% of current inventory being made up by DIY shifters is downright telling.

As for the SS’s position in the sales rundown, in April it was still outsold by uncommon vehicles like the Smart Fortwo, BMW i3, Audi A8, Volvo V60 Cross Country, Porsche Boxster, and the Mini Cooper Convertible. Inside Chevrolet showrooms, the SS accounts for 0.35% of the new cars sold so far this year, 0.13% of the new vehicles sold by Chevrolet, and 0.09% of the new GM vehicles sold.

Rarity isn’t a death knell. You don’t expect to see Mercedes-AMG GT coupes scattered about your local Wal-Mart parking lot or Jaguar F-Types lined up outside elementary schools in the suburbs. But oddly, GM hasn’t really used the SS as a marketing tool to elevate the image of the Chevrolet brand. And why would they? They have the Chevrolet Corvette to fill that role.

They sold nearly 3500 of those in April alone.

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.

Canada Auto Brand Market Share Charts - December 2011 And 2011 Year End

The Ford Motor Company finished 2011 having accounted for 17.4% of all new vehicle sales in Canada. This was more than two percentage points ahead of General Motors. GM was a little less than one percentage point ahead of Chrysler Canada. Toyota, which owned 12% of the market in December 2011, owned 10.2% over the course of 2011. Honda Canada's market share stood at 7.8% on New Year's Eve.

While those brands stand out as the conventional favourites, the two Korean brands combined to run their market share tally up to 12.3%. That's up from 11.1% in 2010 when Hyundai/Kia finished just ahead of Toyota Canada. Honda Canada was responsible for 91 out of every 1000 new vehicle sales in 2010 but just 78 out of every 1000 in 2011. 

The first chart you'll see below examines the December 2011 results, details of which you should delve into here. Final results for the whole calendar year are offered up in a more detailed table, as well. Compare these charts with previous editions by checking out the links at the bottom of this post.

CLICK EITHER CHART FOR A LARGER VIEW

Related From GoodCarBadCar.net
Canada Auto Brand Market Share - January 2012
Canada Auto Brand Market Share Chart - November 2011
Canada Auto Brand Market Share Chart - 2010 Year End
Canada Auto Sales By Brand - December 2011
Canada Auto Sales By Brand - 2011 Year End
Luxury Auto Brand Market Share In Canada - December & 2011 Year End