Auto Industry in the News

Would You Hire Josh Gordon at Your Dealership?

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September 9, 2014

Josh Gordon is a superstar wide receiver for the National Football League’s Cleveland Browns. In 2013, he led the league with 1,646 receiving yards despite playing in only 14 games, and added nine touchdown receptions. He even became the first receiver in league history to record back-to-back 200-yard games.

But there’s another side to Josh Gordon. His off-the-field exploits have been well-documented, and they now have him sidelined for the entire 2014 season. His August suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy means he cannot play in the team’s games; he is not allowed to practice with the team; and he cannot attend team meetings.

Distracted Drivers May Soon be Caught in the Act

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September 8, 2014

If you’re one of the many distracted drivers on the road, read on. General Motors is working on new technology that will expose you! It is an eye-tracking mechanism that will reveal when your eyes are not looking at the road, the rearview mirror or anyplace else upon which you should be focusing.

General Motors plans to place these devices in about a half-million new vehicles over the next three to five years. By doing so, they will be the first auto manufacturer to install eye-tracking technology in its vehicles.

Today, Women Buyers Call the Shots More Often than Men

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September 3, 2014

The role of women buyers has changed over the years. To some degree, there is still a stereotype that women buyers sit back and let their husbands negotiate the final price – as was typically the case years ago. Today, however, much has changed, and there are statistics to back it up!

The folks at Swapalease.com have recently released some eye-opening data. Their study found that in today’s automobile shopping environment, women buyers are more likely to engage in price negotiation – and even enjoy it. They say that more than 33 percent of women say haggling over price “makes it a fun process” compared to just 25.1 percent of men.

Forecasters: Automotive Sales Future Looks Good

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August 19, 2014

According to a panel of economists, the automotive sales future will be particularly rosy – for at least the next four years. Spokespersons who were featured at the Center for Automotive Research’s annual Management Briefing Seminar told attendants they predict strong sales through at least 2018.

Auto sales have been rebounding since 2010, when only 10.6 million cars were sold that year. Last year’s total was up to 15.9 million … and this year’s total is expected to eclipse 16 million, especially after a particularly strong July. One economist from NADA, Steven Szekaly, predicts as many as 16.2 sales this year.

SUV Sales Now Outnumber Sedan Sales

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August 15, 2014

SUV sales are now topping sedan sales for the first time ever – at least that’s the case for the first five months of 2014. A decade ago, no one would have ever believed this would happen, as the SUV landscape was completely different from today’s lineups. These figures are based on data from IHS Automotive Industry Solutions.

Ten years ago, the typical SUV was thought of as a premium vehicle that had most of the available bells and whistles … while also using up much more than its fair share of fuel. But my, how things have changed!