Fact: Americans love their cars. We have stories about them, songs about them, and Detroit is even called the “Motor City”! So imagine cruising down the highway behind the wheel of a custom ride with the music blasting and not a care in the world; now this is an image that would make almost any American smile.

Throughout the years, we have had seen some classic American cars. These vehicles are advertised just as an American car should be; for their freedom and their strength. While Chevrolet’s are “Like a Rock” and Ford’s are “Built Ford Tough”, many of us have become emotionally connected with one or more of these vehicles throughout our lifetime.

One of the most coveted American sports cars has been the Ford Mustang. This car has had a ton of appeal since it was first unveiled and Ford is quickly becoming the most popular American car company. Now seems to be perfect time for the introduction of the newly enhanced Mustang!

The North American International Auto Show, in Detroit, was the venue of choice when Ford announced that they are introducing the new Ford Mustang GT 5-liter to market. The 5.0-liter V-8 engine delivers 412 horsepower with an estimated 25 miles per gallon. Ford teamed up with famous rapper Nelly to combine the young and hip element with the classic image of America’s favorite sports car. Look for the new Mustang to hit dealerships in 2011.

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Stories about the automotive industry have been in the newspapers and on the television newscasts for months now, which has been bleak stories to say the least.  Lately, there has been some positive stories from the auto industry, most notably stories about improving auto sales across the country.  In 2009, the  automotive industry struggled the most out of any other industry in the country.  There were thousands of jobs lost and hundreds of manufacturing plants closed due to the recession and Americans not buying new cars.

Both General Motors and Chrysler suffered various bankruptcy reorganizations during 2009 because of the recession.  There is hope though.  The month of December could have been the most profitable and successful month in 2009 for the automotive industry, while pending final statistics.  Various experts within the automotive industry feel that it might have posted double-digit figures in sales.  J.D. Power and Associates is one of the most well known statistic companies around.  They estimated December 2009 would be better than December 2008 for the auto industry.

It is estimated that total auto sales for the month of December should surpass 1,029,000, which is up seven percent from December 2008.  On the other side of things, Edmunds.com has predicted, based on sale results of 2009, over 11 million vehicles will be sold in 2010.  In 2009, there were only 10 million sold.  Recently, the sale of hybrid vehicles has helped the automotive industry.  Ford sold 31,000 units through the month of November.

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Read more in depth about upcoming auto sales on our blog.

Fresh with a new lineup of brands and new models quickly heading to showrooms, the New General Motors is looking to further alter its image at dealerships. GM is encouraging dealers to remodel showrooms in order to bolster the brand’s image. Luckily, GM is offering to foot some of the bill for updates.

Should dealers require support from GM for the remolding, they must first ensure that GM brands are not sold alongside non-GM brands, which could pose issues for larger auto dealerships. Other requirements are that dealerships must have the remodeling completed within three years. Interestingly, repayment is also contingent of sales figures, not the costs associated with the remodeling. Repayment for remodeling will be made within five to 10 years.

GM‘s Essential Brand Elements program also addresses changes beyond the showroom floor. The program specifies a common website design, staff training, and coordinated marketing mailings to ensure branding and messaging is consistent in dealership marketing and in the in-person sales experience.

All of GM’s new marketing efforts are designed with a younger buyer in mind. Not only will corporate advertising be targeting a younger demographic, but dealers are expected to match the image as well.

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The economy may be beginning to bounce back, but the past year has changed the perspective of even the wealthiest of consumers. As they make their way back to car dealerships, these consumers are not going for their typical BMWs and Mercedes vehicles. Instead, they’re trading in their high-end models for Buicks and Hyundais.

These brands may be less expensive than their German counterparts, but what many buyers are discovering is that these cars aren’t necessarily “cheaper” when it comes to the comfort and amenities that they provide.

As the economy gets back on solid footing, more affluent car buyers are feeling not-so-affluent as homes values are still down and portfolios have condensed. As a result, companies such as Buick and Hyundai are reaping the benefits. Luxury car buyers demand the amenities, but are weary of the luxury car price tags. Sedans such as the 2010 Buick LaCrosse provide the much needed comforts for a price that’s as much as $20,000 less than comparable German sedans. Aside from the Buick LaCrosse, the Hyundai Genesis is also an appealing luxury sedan that offers available V8 power and a range of electronic and safety features that help make it an incredibly good value.

In addition to moving away from the higher priced brands, consumers are saving money by simply downsizing. For example, even Acura customers are trading in their midsize TLs in favor of the compact TSX model.

While car buyers may be beginning to return to showrooms, the vehicles striking their interest are far different than in pervious years. Even in the premium segment, buyers certainly don’t want to give up the amenities, but they’re choosing to be more frugal nonetheless. Luckily for those buyers that don’t want to sacrifice anything, including their bottom line, there are ample options available.

For Hyundai, the Genesis sedan was only the beginning as Hyundai Winston Salem has already encountered high demand for the luxurious Tucson crossover and Sonata sedan. With market share climbing, it seems Hyundai is unstopped as they give consumers much more for their money.

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It’s no surprise that nearly every automaker has been hit by declining sales this year compared with 2008. However, despite the bad economy and bad press for the automotive industry, Reuters’ recent tally of the top-selling vehicles of this year through October shows some relatively shocking results.

Despite the “smaller is better” trend, and the desire for high-mileage vehicles, the top selling vehicle overall appears to be the Ford F-Series pickup truck. Sure it faced a sales decrease of about 23 percent, but this full-size truck still retains plenty of popularity even amid the craze for fuel economy, crossovers, and hybrids. Although both the Chevrolet Silverado pickup and the Dodge Ram pickup lost ground in the rankings, both trucks still remain in the top ten.

Aside from trucks, Ford seemed to well with two models in the top ten. Ford was the only Detroit automaker to avoid bankruptcy restructuring, but still faced serious financial constrains. But despite challenges, Ford’s recently updated lineup has helped maintain demand. The 2010 Ford Fusion in particular has been a success as it provides affordability and fuel-efficiency. Jumping 10 spots from last year, Ford Fusion Memphis dealers can certainly attest to the Fusion’s gains and ongoing popularity among midsize sedan buyers.

Other vehicles on the list may not be so surprising. Vehicles such as the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, and Nissan Altima, are sales leaders and continue to maintain their position within the list.

See below for the full top 10 highest selling vehicles of 2009 through October

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After a slew of bad press concerning floor mats interfering with accelerator pedals, Toyota has just announced that they will replace the gas pedal on millions of Toyota and Lexus vehicles. This move will move blame from the floor mats to the pedals.

Toyota will be replacing the existing gas pedals in numerous models to ensure that the shape of the pedal itself will reduce the risk of floor mat entrapment. The recall will affect a minimum of four million vehicles.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has said that the recall will fix the sudden acceleration safety issues. Both Toyota and Lexus models have been implicated in this safety issue. Meanwhile, Interstate Toyota says drivers are also urged to remove their vehicle’s floor mats until they are able to receive the updated accelerator pedals.

Toyota’s floor mat fiasco began in October when they issued warnings concerning 3.8 million vehicles. According to Fort Worth Used Cars the updated pedals will apply to the 2007 to 2010 Camry, 2005 to 2010 Avalon, 2004 to 2009 Prius, 2005 to 2010 Tacoma, 2007 to 2010 Tundra, 2007 to 2010 Lexus ES 350, 2006 to 2010 Lexus IS 250, and the 2006 to 2010 Lexus IS 350.

To make matters slightly worse for Toyota, the automaker is also recalling 100,000 Toyota Tundra vehicles due to potentially excessive corrosion that could develop along the truck’s frame.

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Crossovers remain in demand, but some automakers are looking to take “car-like” to a whole new level. No longer are crossovers only providing a car-like ride , but more crossovers are also car-like in terms of styling.

Honda’s all-new 2010 Crosstour, based on the Accord sedan, is the epitome of this new trend. Perhaps a bit more like a five door Accord wagon than true crossover vehicle, the Honda Crosstour is looking to compete against other hard-to-define CUVs like the Toyota Venza or Ford Flex.

The base Crosstour begins at $29,670 with fully-loaded four-wheel drive versions going well into the mid-$30,000 range. The higher-end models include attractive features such as Honda’s easy to use voice-activated navigation and a rear view camera.

Interested buyers have only one engine to choose from, the Accord’s 3.5-liter V6 that produces 271 horsepower. Mated to a smooth shifting five-speed automatic, customers at Honda Parts Warwick are particularly intrigued by the Crosstour’s Variable Cylinder Management system which deactivates cylinders to improve fuel economy. Two-wheel drive models offer a commendable 18 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway.

Despite the Crosstour’s increased size and weight, Manchester CT Honda Service notes it handles very closely to the Accord sedan, which is very good. Handling is crisp and compliant, just like the Accord sedan, but steering is moderately slower due to a different steering ratio setup. The crosstour is proof that the term “crossover” is used rather loosely these days, especially considering this vehicle only offers a modest six inches of ground clearance. That said, the Crosstour’s available four wheel drive system should provide outstanding traction for inclement weather say Honda dealers Denver, but this is by no means a rugged off-roader.

For those interested in a vehicle between the Honda CR-V and the Honda Pilot in terms of size, ruggedness, and price, the Honda Crosstour may be a good fit. If you’re also considering a vehicle similar to the Toyota Venza, Subaru Outback, or Ford Flex, you should certainly look at the Crosstour as well.

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Honda news and more auto reviews can be read here.

With the Cash for Clunkers program officially deceased, results indicate that the biggest winners in the program’s aftermath were Japanese and Korean automakers. As the Detroit Big Three suffered from bankruptcy and negative consumer perceptions, it seems that a potential $4,500 rebate wasn’t enough to make help GM or Chrysler gain any market share.

Automakers that found the Cash for Clunkers program particularly beneficial were Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and Hyundai as they were able to draw customers away from gas guzzling SUVs and trucks and towards their fuel efficient offerings.

Import manufactures dominated U.S. sales through the duration of the Cash for Clunkers program, which helped drive customers in to showrooms across the country including Nissan O’Fallon. Additionally, cars naturally outsold trucks by a margin of 2 to 1. Out of the Big Three, Ford was the only manufacturer to hold market share during this period, thanks to demand for the Ford Escape compact crossover and the Ford Focus compact.

General Motors and Chrysler both lost ground to import automakers. Initially, the program spurred demand for new domestic models among 2009 Dodge Challenger Dallas dealers. During these initial weeks of the program, compact vehicles and sedans saw strong sales among Cleveland Chevy Cobalt dealers, but poor inventory availability at numerous dealerships hampered sales momentum.

Total auto sales under the Cash for Clunkers program came just shy of 700,000 units. Total rebates came in at $2.87 billion. The rest of the program’s $3 billion will be used for administrated costs. Toyota was the big winner during the Cash for Clunkers program with a reported 19.4 percent market share, with Honda coming in at 13 percent. Chrysler experienced a substantial hit due to dwindling inventories stemming from halted manufacturing operations as well as a lineup saturated by trucks and SUVs. Thanks to robust warranties and unique incentives, Manchester Hyundai saw a healthy spike in first-time Hyundai buyers as well. Despite the program’s ability to spark interest in new cars, Used Cars MA still witnessed healthy demand for affordable late model pre-owned vehicles and expects that demand to only increase in the aftermath of Cash for Clunkers.

Certainly the Cash for Clunkers program created new customers for Japanese and Korean brands. It will be interesting to see whether they will be able to retain these new customers as the Big Three attempt to regain lost ground.

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With new 2010 cars arriving in showrooms, perhaps dealers will be able to hold onto momentum.

Following the intense influx of new car sales that were spurred by the seemingly doomed Cash for Clunkers program, the program has officially ended Monday, leaving many showrooms around the country void of new car buyers once again.

Some in the car business are expecting a bit of a “hangover” effect from the close of the Cash for Clunkers program, where sales will begin to dwindle once again as they were prior to the program’s launch. As of Monday, a dealer specializing in San Luis Obispo used cars says about 625,000 Cash for Clunkers applications were submitted by dealers, accounting for about $2.58 billion.

Although the program has officially ended, the Department of Transportation has given dealers a little more time in getting rebate applications submitted for processing. Meanwhile, many dealers such as Toyota dealers Boston have been inundated with new car sales, particularly since the announcement that the program was to end early.

While some dealers wrap up last minute rebate submissions, others are not looking forward to the program’s aftermath. In a time when car sales have reached dismal lows, some such as World Hyundai Matteson fears that sales could drop off dramatically. Even automotive website Edmunds.com has projected a 40 percent drop in sales immediately following the close of the program.

Inventory is a huge problem for many dealers. There are simply not many cars left in showrooms, leaving prices high for consumers. This will leave many consumers disappointed in the near term, but there is still hope suggests a used Honda Pittsburgh dealer. Automakers are beginning to awake, and are adding shifts at plants to produce more cars and fill depleted inventories among dealers. Additionally, with a new model year approaching, all-new models and fresh products will soon be available to showrooms, to entice buyers that have been disappointed recently by the poor selection on dealer lots. Although a renewed interest in new cars may be coming soon, one used car dealer Washington DC is expecting used car demand to rise again in the near-term.

With new cars and new inventories arriving soon, incentives and car buyers may be plentiful once again.

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Giving money away is certainly one of the best ways to stimulate a frenzy. Case in point is the Cash for Clunkers program, which had quickly burned through its $1 billion budget before Congress approved the allocation of another $2 billion last week to keep the program afloat.

Interestingly, there are apparently more clunkers on the road than many on Capitol Hill initially realized, suggests Saint Paul Ford dealers. As a result, the program was temporarily suspending after only a week of running to allow lawmakers to determine the fate of the program. Ultimately, it was decided that spending more was the appropriate solution.

Cash for Clunkers, officially called Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), provides $3500 to $4500 to those that purchase a new car and trade-in an older clunker. The system is designed to get older, gas-guzzling vehicles off the road and to encourage the sale of fuel efficient vehicles.

Unlike a normal trade-in, old clunkers are required to be destroyed by the dealer. As Honda Service San Luis Obispo explains, car dealers therefore will not be able to take advantage of any remaining value the vehicle might have. While the program has certainly sent plenty of consumers to dealerships, some visitors to Philadelphia Used Cars have suggested that simply throwing away vehicles that may still have value is a bit wasteful – particularly when taxpayers are paying for the vehicle’s destruction.

While some that are not in the market for a new car, and do not own a clunker, may argue that the program has inherent flaws, Cash for Clunkers has nonetheless stimulated new car sales ( at least temporarily). This is important considering new car sales have continued to plummet in recent months. While this program may not help most drivers, it certainly is already helping new car dealers as plenty of consumers are interested in getting $3500 to $4500 off the price of a new car.

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