While we didn’t expect miracles for October sales, many of us were at least hoping for a break in the bad news at least in spirit. But as the numbers crossed my desk and eventually on to the site, it was becoming increasingly apparent that only a few would have any good news at all to post for the spookiest month.
Now with only two months to go for 2008 almost every manufacturer has pitched the 2008 forecast out the window and started scrambling to salvage what they can. If you review the figures below you can see just how bad it has become for most every auto maker selling cars in the US.
For the month of October the only positive gains from manufacturers actually selling vehicles in the U.S. last year came from Mini, Audi, Rolls Royce and Ferrari. Collectively those four sold only 1980 more units than last year, not even a drop in the bucket. If you throw in upstart Smart into the mix that total only rises to 4216 units, a pitiful total increase by almost any account.
While the biggest losers of the month by corporations were the domestics we can see the bottom five spots only had two representing the red, white, and blue. While Cadillac, HUMMER, and the remnants of Isuzu may not be a surprise to anyone, Lamborghini and Bentley may have raised more than a few eyebrows. It seems even some the rich are affected as the economic downturn continues, not just the rank and file in the economy.
Since this is Election Day and no matter which way it goes, our new leader will have an open ear to our problems. The auto industry is key to the successful economic turn around.
So with that in mind I want you to act as our newest leader’s personal advisor, a bug in his ear so to speak, and map out a road to recovery for the automotive industry. Just how would you advise our leader to get us back on track?
| | Oct 2008 | Oct 2007 | % | 2008 YTD | 2007 YTD | % |
1 | Rolls Royce | 51 | 29 | 75.86% | 339 | 256 | 32.42% |
2 | Mini | 5,272 | 3,370 | 56.44% | 45,966 | 35,306 | 30.19% |
3 | Ferrari | 108 | 75 | 44.00% | 1,342 | 1,378 | -2.61% |
4 | Audi | 7,443 | 7,420 | 0.31% | 73,260 | 75,898 | -3.48% |
5 | Volkswagen | 15,889 | 17,260 | -7.94% | 191,255 | 192,339 | -0.56% |
6 | SAAB | 1,975 | 2,275 | -13.19% | 19,337 | 27,960 | -30.84% |
7 | Subaru | 12,917 | 14,979 | -13.77% | 156,706 | 153,515 | 2.08% |
8 | BMW | 20,203 | 23,451 | -13.85% | 215,836 | 239,788 | -9.99% |
9 | Jaguar | 867 | 1,030 | -15.83% | 12,951 | 13,047 | -0.74% |
10 | Mitsubishi | 7,486 | 9,280 | -19.33% | 87,591 | 115,106 | -23.90% |
11 | Toyota | 135,818 | 172,473 | -21.25% | 1,724,902 | 1,929,463 | -10.60% |
12 | Acura | 10,108 | 12,886 | -21.56% | 125,936 | 149,612 | -15.82% |
13 | Maybach | 7 | 9 | -22.22% | 104 | 140 | -25.71% |
14 | Honda | 75,756 | 101,913 | -25.67% | 1,140,511 | 1,158,707 | -1.57% |
15 | Mazda | 16,442 | 22,201 | -25.94% | 231,850 | 250,597 | -7.48% |
16 | Dodge | 53,267 | 73,020 | -27.05% | 691,903 | 879,497 | -21.33% |
17 | Lincoln | 7,399 | 10,229 | -27.67% | 90,223 | 112,678 | -19.93% |
18 | Ford | 114,969 | 159,361 | -27.86% | 1,468,488 | 1,780,286 | -17.51% |
19 | Infiniti | 7,112 | 9,954 | -28.55% | 97,085 | 103,779 | -6.45% |
20 | Maserati | 157 | 220 | -28.64% | 2,087 | 1,899 | 9.90% |
21 | Hyundai | 20,820 | 30,232 | -31.13% | 358,484 | 388,639 | -7.76% |
22 | Jeep | 21,360 | 31,856 | -32.95% | 290,508 | 395,525 | -26.55% |
23 | Nissan | 49,833 | 74,992 | -33.55% | 744,558 | 794,221 | -6.25% |
24 | Mercedes | 15,005 | 22,821 | -34.25% | 192,393 | 203,208 | -5.32% |
25 | Lexus | 16,283 | 25,119 | -35.18% | 220,502 | 269,774 | -18.26% |
26 | Kia | 15,483 | 25,185 | -38.52% | 243,571 | 257,228 | -5.31% |
27 | Chevrolet | 107,313 | 179,825 | -40.32% | 1,567,684 | 1,928,373 | -18.70% |
28 | Buick | 7,642 | 14,231 | -46.30% | 120,772 | 158,146 | -23.63% |
29 | Suzuki | 3,482 | 6,536 | -46.73% | 77,995 | 88,536 | -11.91% |
30 | Mercury | 6,753 | 12,844 | -47.42% | 103,631 | 142,587 | -27.32% |
31 | Pontiac | 13,054 | 25,182 | -48.16% | 238,762 | 301,771 | -20.88% |
32 | Porsche | 1,427 | 2,862 | -50.14% | 22,503 | 29,140 | -22.78% |
33 | Chrysler | 19,903 | 40,440 | -50.78% | 295,638 | 449,117 | -34.17% |
34 | Land Rover | 2,027 | 4,237 | -52.16% | 25,204 | 40,311 | -37.48% |
35 | Volvo | 3,717 | 7,771 | -52.17% | 63,745 | 88,762 | -28.18% |
36 | GMC | 21,109 | 44,456 | -52.52% | 326,999 | 425,694 | -23.18% |
37 | Saturn | 8,583 | 18,908 | -54.61% | 167,304 | 209,790 | -20.25% |
38 | Cadillac | 9,541 | 21,267 | -55.14% | 139,109 | 176,249 | -21.07% |
39 | Isuzu | 251 | 576 | -56.42% | 4,439 | 6,110 | -27.35% |
40 | Bentley | 146 | 379 | -61.48% | 2,333 | 3,338 | -30.11% |
41 | HUMMER | 1,368 | 3,864 | -64.60% | 23,861 | 46,624 | -48.82% |
42 | Lamborghini | 30 | 86 | -65.12% | 657 | 771 | -14.79% |
43 | Smart | 2,236 | 0 | NA | 20,392 | 0 | NA |
2008 SEMA Auto Show Photo Gallery
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