August 2017 Auto Sales: SUV, Truck Sales Keep Automakers Afloat

It’s been a tough year for a lot of automakers. Sales have generally been down, and only a few brands have been able to post significant gains. But while July was especially rough, August actually looked pretty good for a few brands. Maybe the sky isn’t falling. For now.

Ford (209,897 units, -2.1 percent)

Winner: F-Series (77,007 units, +15.0 percent)

What can we say? Americans love trucks, and they definitely love the F-Series. Unless gas prices skyrocket sometime soon, it shouldn’t be much of a surprise to see Ford trucks continue to sell well.

Loser: Lincoln MKZ (2,160 units, -21.6 percent)

MKZ sales are only down a little more than 7 percent for the year, but in August, they dropped more than 20 percent. That’s slightly worse than it did last month when sales dropped 19.2 percent. It might still outsell the Continental, but in another year, who knows?

 

GM (275,552 units, +7.5 percent)

Winner: Chevrolet Equinox (28,245 units, +84.9 percent)

The 2018 Chevrolet Equinox impressed us when we first drove it, and it looks like CUV buyers have been similarly impressed because they’re buying the heck out of it. Chevrolet will have to sell a lot more Equinoxes if it wants to take down the Toyota RAV4 and the Honda CR-V, but those sales figures are still impressive.

Loser: Cadillac ATS (1,012 units, -59.1 percent)

The ATS is a good car. It really is. But apparently, most of the people who might actually buy an ATS have already bought one. Sales dropped drastically last month, continuing an overall sales slide for the year.

Fiat Chrysler (176,033 units, -11 percent)

Winner: Jeep Grand Cherokee (23,572 units, +28 percent)

Overall, the Jeep brand was down for the month, but the one truly bright spot on the sales sheet was the Grand Cherokee. Its sales jumped significantly, helping offset the losses from the now-canceled Patriot. Without the Grand Cherokee, Jeep’s August would have looked much worse.

Loser: Jeep Cherokee (11,874 units, -50 percent)

While the Grand Cherokee’s sales were up, the less-grand Cherokee’s sales were down. Way down. Not quite all the way down but not far off. Jeep literally sold half as many Cherokees in August 2017 as it did in August 2016. It still managed to outsell the Patriot, though, so that’s something to be proud of.

Toyota (227,625 units, +6.8 percent)

Winner: Toyota RAV4 (43,265 units, +30.4 percent)

Americans love their Ford trucks, but they also love their compact crossovers. And boy, do compact crossover buyers love the new RAV4. It outsold the Camry, for Pete’s sake. All hail the RAV4, the new king of crossover sales.

Loser: Lexus CT (204 units, -75.1 percent)

The Lexus CT200h might not be a particularly sporty hatch, but it’s definitely got some sporty styling. And even if you’re not a fan of the design, you have to admit it’s way better looking than the current Prius. But apparently, the market for hybrid luxury hatchbacks is drying up. CT sales were down more than 75 percent last month.

Honda (146,015 units, -2.4 percent)

Winner: Honda HR-V (9,603 units, +26.7 percent)

Sales of the Honda Fit were down last month, but the lifted Fit that Honda calls the HR-V did wonderfully. It won’t outsell the CR-V (30,960 units) or the Civic (36,482 units) anytime soon, but the subcompact CUV improved its sales by more than 25 percent in August.

Loser: Acura TLX (2,410, -33.0 percent)

The TLX offers a lot of value for your money, but it seems that luxury sedan buyers weren’t all that interested in it last month. Or maybe they weren’t interested in the TLX’s new nose. Sales dropped by a third despite a recent refresh.

Nissan (108,326 units, -13.1 percent)

Winner: Nissan Armada (4,454 units, +766.5 percent)

The old Nissan Armada was fine, but the new Armada is much better. Buyers have apparently reacted accordingly because Armada sales are way, way up. Even if you moved the decimal point, a 76.65-percent increase would be huge. 766.5 percent? That’s ridiculous.

Loser: Nissan Frontier (4,637 units, -51.4 percent)

When we last saw a redesigned Nissan Frontier, George Bush was president, and Ronald Reagan was still alive. So it shouldn’t be much of a surprise to hear that sales are down 18.9 percent for the year. But what is surprising is that August sales managed to fall more than 50 percent.

Volkswagen Brand (32,015 units, +9.0 percent)

Winner: Golf SportWagen (1,991 units, +88.4 percent)

With fewer than 2,000 units sold, the Golf SportWagen won’t be outselling the Toyota RAV4 anytime soon, but when we had our long-term SportWagen, it proved to be a fantastic alternative to compact crossovers. Seeing that its sales nearly doubled compared to last August is great news for wagon fans.

Loser: Beetle Coupe (667 units, -40.3 percent)

Funny enough, despite the fact that the Beetle Coupe’s sales were down significantly this month, Beetle Convertible sales were up nearly as much. It seems that anyone who still wants a Beetle would rather have the convertible than the hardtop. In a way, that actually makes sense.

Source: The Automakers

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Ford Ranger Black Edition to Debut in Frankfurt

Good news! A new Ford Ranger Black Edition pickup will debut at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show. The bad news is it’s for Europe only and our Ford Ranger isn’t due here in the U.S. until 2019.

Still, this is just another look at good things that will come to us—eventually. The Ranger is Europe’s best selling pickup according to Ford.

“Ranger customers appreciate the vehicle’s tough, go-anywhere capability, and its rugged good looks, and we expect this attractive new limited series to be snapped up within weeks,” said Hans Schep, Ford of Europe GM, in a statement.

This all-black special edition is based on the limited series trim and only 2,500 units will be offered. The de-chromed pickup is painted in Absolute Black with a black grille, alloy wheels, and sports bar.

Standard equipment includes satellite navigation, front parking sensors, rearview camera, Ford SYNC 3 multimedia system with 8-inch touchscreen, dual-zone electronic climate control, leather seat trim, and heated door mirrors.

If you live in Europe, they can be ordered from dealers now. On a brighter note, they don’t have a new Bronco yet either.

Source: Ford

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Hurricane Harvey May Have Totaled 500,000 Cars, Auto Sales to Rebound

The U.S. market was already facing a plateau in car sales, and Hurricane Harvey only brought us new problems. Dealers lost precious inventory in the Houston area, and insurance companies are expecting to receive as many as 500,000 claims for flood-damaged cars. But when the insurance money begins flowing, auto sales are expected to get a nice boost, says IHS Markit.

Automakers are expected to have lost between 10,000 and 25,000 sales between August 25-31, according to a report from IHS Markit. This sales disruption may also extend into September. But in around 60 to 90 days, sales should start to rebound. By the beginning of the fourth quarter, the industry should see a kick-up.

There have been around 184,000 new vehicle registrations in Houston this year, accounting for a 2.2-percent share in total light-vehicle registrations in the U.S. As the third largest pickup market in the country this year, Houston could also provide a boost to automakers that sell these high-margin vehicles. Full-size pickups make up 20 percent of sales in the Houston region. U.S. domestic automakers also make up a whopping 50 percent market share in the Houston area, compared with an average of 44 percent across the nation.

Nationwide, General Motors reported a 7.5 percent increase in sales for August. FCA declined 11 percent, while Ford dropped off 2.1 percent.

Harvey is a catastrophe of immense scale, and has so far caused billions of dollars in property damage and claimed more than 40 lives. Though nothing can replace a lost loved one, one silver lining is that Harvey had limited effects on vehicle production in the local Houston area, so replacement vehicles are close at hand. The two auto companies that manufacture there, General Motors and Toyota, did not lose production capability. Automakers may face pressure on inventory, but likely just in the short term. “In many cases, automakers can reallocate volume to the Houston area rather than have it pile up in other markets that are well stocked,” IHS Markit production analyst Joe Langley noted.

As of Thursday, insurance agencies had already received about 100,000 claims from those affected by Hurricane Harvey, reports The New York Times. Drivers who have comprehensive auto policies should be covered by flood damage. If a car is declared a total loss, payouts will include a car’s replacement value minus depreciation costs.

Unfortunately, experts predict that many of these flooded cars will make their way back on the market. CarFax said 271,000 flooded cars remained in operation last year, and this number is expected to increase thanks to Harvey. To avoid buying a flooded car, buyers should check the car’s VIN through CarFax, Experian’s Auto Check, or the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s VinCheck to get a thorough history on the model, as Forbes points out. It’s also important to check the interior and engine for water damage. Rust, water stains, dried mud, poor wiring, a musty smell, and recently shampooed carpet could all point to flood damage.

Source: IHS Markit, The New York Times, Forbes

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Spied! Mazda3 Mule Tests Skyactiv-X Compression-Ignition Tech

Mazda will debut its new Skyactiv-X engine technology in a few weeks, but it’s already testing the compression-ignition drivetrain on the road—and it wants you to know about it. Spy photographers have spotted Mazda3 prototypes wearing very conspicuous Skyactiv-X graphics.

The test mule seen in these photos appears to be a pre-refresh Mazda3, but what’s most interesting about it is the prominent “Skyactiv-X” script scrawled along the doors. There’s also a large “5” toward the rear fender, a likely sign there are more prototypes out there. There’s a good chance that under the current Mazda3 sheetmetal lies the bones of the next-gen model, as Skyactiv-X tech is said to debut with the new Mazda3.

As we previously reported, Skyactiv-X uses a combination of spark and compression ignition to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. A supercharger is also used to increase torque. Mazda didn’t give details like cylinder count, but we expect the next Mazda3 to again be powered by a four-cylinder. Eventually, though, Mazda plans to start electrifying its lineup in certain regions, so we could see a hybrid or all-electric version of the compact by 2019.

Mazda is set to debut its Skyactiv-X engine tech at the Frankfurt Motor Show this month, when we’ll hopefully learn a few new details about the next-gen Mazda3. In the meantime, check out the spy shots of this mule and imagine the diesel-like sound of its engine.

Photo source: CarPix

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Volvo XC40 Teaser Previews Interior, Safety Features

Every new model Volvo has rolled out recently has an arsenal of safety and driver assistance features, and the XC40 will be no exception. In a new teaser, Volvo shows off some of the technologies we’ll see on the small crossover.

The XC40 has a portrait-oriented touchscreen with slim air vents on either side. When parking, the screen shows a 360-degree image of the vehicle’s surroundings to help drivers maneuver into tight parking spaces. Other technologies coming to the XC40 include cross traffic alert with automatic braking and run-off road protection and mitigation.

The crossover also features semi-autonomous driving technology with Pilot Assist. Available on other Volvos, this feature helps steer the car in its lane and maintains a preset speed or distance relative to the vehicle ahead. Also coming to the XC40 is the latest generation of City Safety, which helps drivers avoid low-speed collisions.

Judging from the teaser, the XC40 will receive a digital instrument cluster. With few stray buttons in the cabin, the XC40 seems to have been designed with simplicity in mind.

The XC40 will be the first Volvo to sit on the automaker’s Compact Modular Architecture. The upcoming S40 sedan and V40 hatch will also use this architecture, as will a new crossover from Volvo’s Geely sibling, Lynk & Co.

Expect the XC40 to debut sometime this fall.

Source: Volvo

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Mercedes-AMG Teases Project ONE Hypercar Ahead of Frankfurt

It’s been nearly three years since Mercedes first hinted that it had a hybrid hypercar under development and just under a year since Mercedes confirmed those plans. From the beginning, Mercedes said it intended to make the Project One as close to a street-legal Formula 1 car as possible. Today, Mercedes announced that we’ll finally get to see the long-awaited hypercar at the Frankfurt Motor Show in a few weeks.

Details are still relatively scarce at this point, especially as far as the Project One’s styling goes. But what we do know is enough to confirm that the production car will be an absolute performance monster.

Mercedes revealed the Project One’s powertrain a few months ago, confirming that it will be an all-wheel-drive hybrid with at least 1,000 hp. Two 161-hp electric motors will drive the front wheels, while a 1.6-liter turbocharged V-6 will send at least 700 hp to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. And while the engine isn’t exactly the same as the one in Mercedes’ F1 car, it’s closely related. Oh, and it will hit 11,000 rpm before bouncing off the rev limiter.

The top speed is said to be north of 217 mph (350 km/h), but as an F1 car for the streets, we imagine acceleration and cornering will be where the Project One really shines.

Approximately 50 units will make their way to the U.S. costing “you don’t want to know what it costs” amounts of money. Look for more information when the Project One debuts September 12 or 13.

Source: Mercedes-Benz

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