I think it’s what people call irony: Just a week or so before Toyota became synonymous with unintended acceleration, it was focusing on the intended kind at the Tokyo Auto Salon. That’s where it gave five of its JDM models the “G Sports” treatment, introducing a new series of products that are “designed for customers who strongly desire to own a unique vehicle, offering them a personalized interior and exterior design along with sports-driving performance.”
Continue reading ‘Toyota, Volkswagen Prepping Performance Divisions’
The Volkswagen Passat has seen its fair share of ups and downs. But as new car demand waned, the demand for the Passat plummeted. Instead, buyers were either more interested in sportier looking CC, or in other foreign luxury brands. This has led VW to consider dropping the Passat when a new mid-sized sedan is expected to go on sale in 2011.
The all-new sedan, which is to be built in the U.S., has yet to be named according to a Hamilton car dealership. Although it will be larger than the current Passat, it will also be priced lower, which Saint Louis Used Volkswagen dealers say may help it become more competitive next to lower priced options from Japanese and domestic automakers.
Since it will be built in Tennessee, Volkswagen will be able to offer the new sedan with a lower price tag than the Passat. The 2010 Passat starts at just under $28K. This year VW will also be dropping the V6 model says one Wausau used Volkswagen dealer and will only offer the sedan with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder.
Although a name and specific details of the new sedan are not yet available, VW is expecting to sell about 100,000 units per year when it finally arrives – far more than the goals set for the Passat. Last year Passat sales totaled 30,034 units. Despite being based on the Passat, the CC sedan will remain in the lineup. Continue reading ‘Volkswagen to Drop the Passat’
General Motors lost its top spot as the as the highest selling automaker in the world when Toyota took the reigns as GM sales plummeted. Despite continued sales slumps and bankruptcy restructuring, GM narrowly missed overtaking Toyota in the first half of this year. Meanwhile, Volkswagen remains very close behind in the number three spot.
In the first six months of 2009, GM trailed Toyota sales by a mere 11,000 units, which has not surprised Dayton car dealers since the Detroit automaker has introduced several all-new models in recent months, including the popular all-new Chevy Camaro. Volkswagen has also done well, closing the gap with Toyota significantly to solidify its third place stance. Toyota was able to sell 463,805 more vehicles than Volkswagen.
Ford is the only other American automaker in the top ten lists, holding steady in the number five spot. Although Ford was able to avoid bankruptcy restructuring, Toyota Service Woodbridge observes that like Toyota, Ford still battles the effects of a sluggish economy, with new car demand stagnate worldwide.
In total, the top ten list for highest auto sales includes three manufacturers from Europe, five from Asian, and two from the U.S. With GM loosing the added sales of Saturn, Pontiac, Saab, and Hummer brands one dealer specializing in used cars in Philadelphia expects GM’s position on this list to change dramatically in the coming months. After holding on to the top spot for nearly 80 years, Toyota became the world’s largest automaker in 2008. Continue reading ‘GM Closes Gap With Toyota for Global Sales’
