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Report: Maserati orders triple on strength of Quattroporte demand in China

Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, China, Maserati, Luxury

2014 Maserati Quattroporte S Q4

Considering Maserati sold all of 6,300 cars globally in 2012, its goal of selling 50,000 by 2015 seemed like a bit of a stretch to say the least, but it turns the Fiat-owned automaker was on to something. Reuters is reporting that Maserati has already received about 17,000 orders for cars this year, with help from the new 2014 Quattroporte and strong demand in China.

The US continues to be the top market for Maserati sales, but the report quotes Harald Wester, brand chief executive, as saying that China is now the top market for Quattroporte. As big of an improvement as this is it bears mentioning that the Ghibli isn’t even on sale yet and the Levante SUV, a redesigned GranTurismo and a new 911-fighting coupe are still waiting in the pipeline.

Maserati orders triple on strength of Quattroporte demand in China originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Aug 2013 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Buick struggling to keep up with Encore demand

Filed under: Car Buying, Plants/Manufacturing, Crossover, Buick, Luxury

2013 Buick Encore

Buick is having a hard time keeping up with demand for its all-new Encore mini-CUV, according to a report from Automotive News. The stylish, lifted five-door went on sale in January, but dealers have reported that supplies have dwindled after the initial high demand, taking the proverbial “wind out of the sails.”

General Motors admits that it underestimated demand for the diminutive Buick, which is built in Korea and sold as the Opel Mokka in Europe, where it’s also seen success. Buick spokesperson Nick Richards told AN, “We increased production, so there have been a lot more landing within the last month.”

Buick has done a booming business, though, even with its limited supply of Encores. With over 12,000 units sold in the first half of 2013, the small CUV is on pace to annihilate industry analysts’ estimates, which predicted no more than 18,500 units in 2013. We’re not entirely surprised. When Autoblog first drove the Encore late last year, we professed that we had no idea how sales would turn out, as the Encore wasn’t really entering into an established segment. Even so, wefound a surprising amount to like in the Encore, enough that we “wouldn’t bet against it” being a major success.

As Automotive News points out, though, Buick won’t be alone in this oddball, subcompact, premium CUV segment for long – Audi, Lexus, Lincoln and even corporate sibling Cadillac are expected to bring competitors to market in the next few years.

Buick struggling to keep up with Encore demand originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Aug 2013 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Ford Fusion demand outstripping supply

Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Ford

2013 Ford Fusion

The attractive new 2013 Ford Fusion has done wonders for the brand in the highly competitive midsize sedan segment – the vehicle is up nearly 22 percent compared to last year. But that sales momentum may soon hold steady due to low inventory levels of the new Fusion across the United States.

According to a report in The Detroit News, citing automotive data and Ward’s Auto, Ford currently has a 39-day supply of the Fusion. That might sound fine, but a normally healthy average is about a 60-day supply. If Ford were to stop production on the Fusion today, there would only be enough vehicles available to get through another five weeks of sales, according to the News.

Currently, Ford produces the Fusion at its three-shift assembly plant in Hermosillo, Mexico, and will add production at its facility in Flat Rock, MI later this year. A Ford spokesperson told The Detroit News that when Flat Rock production comes online, the automaker will need to rush new stock out to the regions with the most demand for the Fusion. Ford has doubled its coastal retail market share, with huge amounts of growth in areas like Los Angeles, San Francisco and Miami, the News reports.

The Hermosillo plant is capable of producing roughly 300,000 Fusions annually, and Flat Rock should be able to make another 100,000 or so each year. This added production in Michigan – more than 8,000 units each month – would easily allow Ford to catch up to segment-leaders like the Honda Accord, Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry.

Ford Fusion demand outstripping supply originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 15 Jun 2013 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Renault answers demand with Laguna Monaco GP edition

Filed under: Coupe, Europe, Renault

Renault Laguna Coupe Monaco GP

Renault Laguna Coupe Monaco GP – Click above for image gallery

A few months back, Renault launched a special edition of its Laguna coupe called the Monaco GP edition. Only 400 examples were earmarked for production, available exclusively in the automaker’s domestic market. They proved an instant hit, selling out in short order. To satisfy customers’ demand for more, Renault has announced a second run of the cars.

The Laguna Monaco GP starts off as Black Edition coupe and upgrades from there. The Pearlescent White body is offset by the black roof and black Interlagos 18-inch alloys, while the high-contrast treatment is continued inside the cabin. As shown above, customers can also opt for black paint for a more sinister look.

French buyers can also choose between two diesels at 150 or 175 horsepower, with an options list ranging from four-wheel steering to a Bose sound system. It’s a sleek-looking coupe, particularly in this treatment, even if the powertrains don’t exactly live up to the Monaco GP racing designation. Follow the jump for more details and check out the images in the gallery below.

Gallery: Renault Laguna Coupe Monaco GP

[Source: Renault]

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Renault answers demand with Laguna Monaco GP edition originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 23 Apr 2011 11:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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San Francisco adopting demand-based parking system with pricing up to $18/hr?

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal

curb appall

Have you ever found yourself cursing at a parking meter because it wants $2.00 of your hard earned change? Residents of San Francisco do not feel your pain. A new demand-based system is getting ready to be tested, which, during certain special events, could drive the hourly parking rate up to $18.

That (insane) $18 charge will only occur when demand for parking is at a fevered pitch, such as it is during Fleet Week when the Navy’s in town. Normal charges, however, will range from a low of $0.25 per hour up to $6.

Sensors in the parking meters will monitor parking space availability, and hourly pricing will then be dictated according to the perceived demand. The project is called SF Park, and it’s currently funded to run for two years. Perhaps the name SF Gouge is more appropriate.

[Source: KTVU.com | Image: OrinRobertJohn/Flickr, CC 2.0]

San Francisco adopting demand-based parking system with pricing up to $18/hr? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As Audi plants struggle to meet demand, buyers wait months for cars

Filed under: Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz

2012 Audi A6

2012 Audi A6 – Click above for a high-res image gallery

The Volkswagen Group wants to be number one in global sales, luxury sales and, hopefully, profits. In order to reach the auto sales zenith, however, Volkswagen may need to make room for more Audi production.

Bloomberg reports that Audi is struggling to meet demand for the A3 and A6, with buyers waiting three to four months to take delivery of those models. Audi sales boss Peter Schwarzenbauer tells Bloomberg that its factories are running at full throttle and that if sales continue to grow it will be “difficult to say how long it could take to reduce waiting times.”

So why aren’t car buyers leaving Audi for the likes of BMW and Mercedes-Benz? The line for Germany’s other luxury makes can be just as long. All three automakers reported record sales in January, and that’s with buyers waiting up to six months for hot new vehicles like the new BMW X3. While all three German luxury struggle to keep pace with demand, experts say Audi is in the toughest spot, with wait times up to two months longer than its competitors.

Will the Volkswagen Group address the problem in a timely manner? Since Audi reportedly contributed 47 percent of VW’s overall profits for the past nine months, execs should be eager to take care of their cash cow.

Gallery: 2012 Audi A6: Detroit 2011

2012 Audi A6

[Source: Bloomberg]

As Audi plants struggle to meet demand, buyers wait months for cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 13 Feb 2011 17:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Kia lining up third shift in GA to meet Sorento demand

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Crossover, Kia

2011 Kia Sorento SX

2011 Kia Sorento SX – Click above for high-res image gallery

Kia is fresh off a fantastic 2010 in which the Korean automaker increased sales by 19 percent versus 2009, boosting its market share from 2.9 to 3.1 percent. A major reason Kia fared so well in 2010 was the success of the Sorento, which managed 109,000 sales for the year.

Automotive News reports that Kia will look to increase that total in 2011 by adding a third shift to the company’s West Point, Georgia plant. Kia feels that stronger Sorento sales are inevitable given the fact that the U.S. auto market is picking up speed. Add the fact that dealers have reportedly been asking for more Sorentos for months now, and increasing production becomes more of a no-brainer.

Kia hasn’t yet announced a start date for the plant’s third shift, though dealers tell AN that additional Sorento CUVs will begin hitting retail stores “in the next couple months.” In the meantime Kia will be looking for additional workers in Georgia, and we’re thinking the Korean automaker will receive more than enough applications.

Gallery: 2011 Kia Sorento SX

[Source: Automotive News – sub. req.]

Report: Kia lining up third shift in GA to meet Sorento demand originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 18:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Hyundai may import Elantra from Korea to meet surging demand

Filed under: Car Buying, Budget, Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Hyundai

2011 Hyundai Elantra

2011 Hyundai Elantra – Click above for high-res image gallery

The rakish 2011 Hyundai Elantra hit North American dealerships late last year, priced from $14,830 (*excluding $720 for destination). In December 2010, Elantra sales totaled 13,096 units, up from 5,763 in 2009, and this high demand for the new Elantra may be higher than the Korean automaker had originally anticipated.

This increased demand has prompted Hyundai to consider importing some Elantras from Korea. Currently, Hyundai produces U.S.-market Elantras at its Montgomery, AL plant. This facility’s annual production capacity, which stands at 330,000 total units, may not be enough to satisfy America’s thirst for the stylish compact. Recently, Hyundai spokesman Frank Ahrens told Automotive News that:

If Elantra does what we think, hope it will do, it will mean we’ll have to export them from Korea. We’re pretty bullish on it, given the reviews it’s received so far and the price.

The 2011 Elantra is $1,445 cheaper than a base Chevrolet Cruze and $1,440 less than a base 2012 Ford Focus, which makes Hyundai’s model a pocketbook-friendly alternative to its main competitors in the compact class.

Gallery: 2011 Hyundai Elantra: First Drive

2011 Hyundai Elantra

[Source: Automotive News – sub. req.]

Report: Hyundai may import Elantra from Korea to meet surging demand originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Feb 2011 14:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: BMW X1 U.S. debut delayed due to high demand in Europe

Filed under: Europe, Crossover, BMW, Luxury

2011 BMW X1

2011 BMW X1 – Click above for high-res image gallery

American buyers may have to wait a little bit longer before sinking their teeth into the upcoming BMW X1. According to Automotive News, the CUV has been more popular in Europe than the German automaker originally anticipated, and as such, BMW is experiencing a bit of a supply crunch. As a result, North American buyers won’t be seeing the X1 at the end of this year as originally expected. Instead, it’s beginning to look like the vehicle won’t show up here until early 2012 at the soonest. Automotive News reports that the X1 went on sale in Europe in November of 2009.

Since then, the high-riding hatch has sold out in every market it’s touched. BMW says that it fully expects the X1 to be a low-volume model here in the land of the free, with sales lodged somewhere in the same realm as what the current 1 Series Coupe and Convertible. Even so, the company says that it’s shooting for around 8,000 units per year. With the larger, more popular X3 just now hitting dealerships, the X1 will likely serve to fill a slot for buyers looking for a compact luxury crossover.

Gallery: 2011 BMW X1

[Source: Automotive News – sub. req.]

Report: BMW X1 U.S. debut delayed due to high demand in Europe originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyundai reportedly considering second U.S. plant to meet rising demand

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Hyundai

The millionth vehicle built at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama

The millionth vehicle built at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama rolls off the line in 2009

Every automaker wishes it had this problem: not enough supply to meet demand. The solution? Expand production, of course. That’s the situation Hyundai is reportedly facing, and the automaker says that if it’s going to build another plant, it should be right here in the United States.

Hyundai currently builds the Sonata and Elantra at its solitary American plant in Montgomery, Alabama. (The Santa Fe, meanwhile, is built at the Kia subsidiary facility in West Point, Georgia.) And with demand for its compelling lineup rapidly increasing in the United States – up nearly 25 percent in 2010 versus 2009 – the Korean automaker is seriously considering expanding its production capacity with another plant to meet growing demand.

Executives will reportedly evaluate the possibility next year after they observe whether the upward trend in demand will continue enough to warrant such an expansion.

[Source: Automotive News – sub. req.]

Hyundai reportedly considering second U.S. plant to meet rising demand originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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