Fleet purchases unexpectedly drove total new-vehicle sales higher in 2018, thanks to last year’s tax reform package that made it beneficial to businesses to replace or add vehicles to their fleets. Total fleet sales finished 2018 at more than 3.1 million units, up 4.1% from 2017, a year in which fleet sales fell from the year earlier for the first time since … Continued
Welcome to reporting day for January sales, where General Motor and Ford, roughly 30 percent of the U.S. car market, are not publicly sharing. Companies that have reported are mostly below forecast, with FCA and Nissan coming in well below. Considering current reports and analysis, our team believes General Motors finished January near forecast of … Continued
Tesla is scheduled to release its Q4 and full-year financial results today. The popular “phone call with Elon” kicks off in a few hours and, if history is a guide, it will be light on details and heavy on speculation. The analysts and experts from Cox Automotive have been looking carefully at the Tesla brand … Continued
Tesla released fourth-quarter and full-year 2018 financial results today that illustrate the electric-vehicle maker faces formidable challenges, compounded by the fact that numerous new EV competitors are gunning for Tesla with new models. But where Tesla excels is in strength of its brand and shopping consideration in the electric vehicle segment, according to Cox Automotive … Continued
Ford Motor Co. reports fourth-quarter and full-year 2018 earnings Wednesday after the stock market closes. Late last year, Ford lowered its earnings guidance for 2018, in part, due to aluminum and steel tariffs adding $1 billion in cost. Ford has also had its own struggles with sales and market share declines. In addition to examining … Continued
Michelle Krebs, executive analyst for Cox Automotive, wrote an opinion piece in The Hill. She describes the “eerily low-key” Detroit auto show and what that might mean for the industry’s future. Despite celebrating its 30th anniversary as an international show, German automakers Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi, which typically have used Detroit as a stage for major … Continued
Earlier today, in an email to employees, Elon Musk confirmed plans to shed approximately 7 percent of the Tesla workforce. Noting the layoffs are a rightsizing after a 30 percent increase in staffing in 2018, Musk also confirmed his view that “the road ahead is very difficult.” Below you will find commentary from a few … Continued
Automakers have been digging into their archives to bring back vehicle names from the past for fresh versions of the models. Two such blast-from-the-past names, the Chevrolet Blazer and Ford Ranger, just became available for shopping as new 2019 models on Kelley Blue Book and Autotrader. Based on a Kelley Blue Book poll of consumers … Continued
Cox Automotive kicked off the 2019 North American International Auto Show with the 6th annual Cox Automotive Industry Insights Breakfast, an event for business and trade media. Company leaders gave a sneak peek into some NADA ’19 launches, shared thoughts and analysis of the health of the industry and took a look at which companies … Continued
This week, Cox Automotive debuted the third phase of its Evolution of Mobility Study series. The first two phases explored consumer and dealer attitudes toward emerging transportation options, and painted a complete picture of the mobility landscape as it exists today. The third phase highlights the impact that broad access to new forms of mobility … Continued
