There's no way around it, 2009 and 2010 were rough years for the automotive industry. Although there are plenty of analysts and public relations folks running around saying "We're witnessing a turnaround," we've still got a LONG way to go.
The proof is in the pudding. For example, when manufacturer's can't move product to your average consumer two things happen:
1) Incentives, incentives, incentives
2) Automakers look to fleet sales to pick up the slack
As the saying goes, for every action there is a reaction. No kidding.
With that said, make sure to check out The Truth About Cars' story about the year-end results regarding Rental Fleet Penetration. The abridged version: domestic manufacturers are leading the way.
One of the questions that came up in yesterday’s post, The Truth About The Ten Best-Selling Sedans Of 2010, was how to interpret a high percentage of fleet sales. After all, “fleet sales” could describe a huge variety of sales to diverse buyers at widely varying price (and profit) points. Rental fleet sales are widely seen as being far worse than other types of sales, which is why the resale value trackers at Automotive Lease Guide keep such a close eye on what they call “Rental Fleet Penetration.” In its latest newsletter, ALG notes...
[Source: The Truth About Cars]
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