Monthly Archives: December 2009

Lexus generates interest with new strategy in LA

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Posted in Lexus - DO NOT USE

At the Los Angeles auto show, which began on December 4 and lasts nine days, visitors can test drive some of the cars on display, which might help sell used Lexus models in New Jersey.

This year, as in the past, manufacturers such as Lexus have racing simulators set up at their booths, according to the Los Angeles Times. The purpose of these video games is to recreate the excitement that driving a Lexus on racetrack can create and generate interest in the brand.

“When we first brought this video game out, there wasn’t anything like it at the auto shows,” Suzie Latham, a Lexus product specialist, told the news source. “But we made quite a stir and there were always long lines. Video games are taken a little more seriously now.”

Ford also had video racing at its booth, reports the publication. The show’s attendees were invited to do some virtual off-roading in an SVT Raptor F-150.

Because the concept is still relatively new, allowing consumers to virtually test drive cars at auto shows could help sell used Lexus models in New Jersey and elsewhere.

GM CEO resigns; Used Chevrolets in New Jersey Could Benefit

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Posted in Chevrolet

All used Chevrolets in New Jersey and elsewhere were produced by General Motors, whose CEO recently resigned.

On December 1, GM chief executive Fritz Henderson left his post, reports the New York Times. He has been temporarily replaced by the company’s chairman, Edward Whitacre, Jr.

“We all agreed that some changes needed to be made going forward,” said Whitacre, according to The Times.

Henderson’s departure meant he wouldn’t be able to deliver his speech at the Los Angeles auto show on December 2 as expected, says the news source. Robert Lutz, GM’s vice chairman, was asked to take his place.

“As you know, I’m kind of a last-minute substitute,” Lutz told the show’s attendees, one of whom was the newspaper’s auto blogger Jerry Garrett. “You may have read something about it. Like GM has been doing very little to fill the newspapers lately,” he continued sarcastically.

Henderson was GM’s CEO for less than a year, according to MSNBC. Ideally, restructuring the automaker’s management will have a beneficial effect on used Chevrolets in New Jersey and the company’s other subsidiaries.

Ford to spend $80 million on Americans

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Posted in Ford

Used Ford models in New York could benefit from the Ford Foundation’s efforts to support of the country’s economy.

The recession has cost many Americans their jobs and led them into deep levels of debt, prompting the Ford Foundation to launch a five-year, $80 million effort to stabilize the financial situations of families in the U.S. The project concentrates on improving employment opportunities for low-wage workers and modernizing the public programs that Americans need when they are having difficulty supporting their families.

“Millions of Americans are working hard to build economic security for their families, yet antiquated labor policies actually set them up to fail,” said Luis Ubinas, president of the Ford Foundation. “These grants are about building a smarter system that rewards responsibility and brings basic economic security within reach of more workers.”

Edsel Ford, the former president of the Ford Motor Company, chartered the Ford Foundation in 1936, according to FordFound.org. Since its inception, the foundation has distributed more than $15 billion worldwide. It’s possible that such philanthropy has contributed to the popularity of used Ford models in New York.

Hyundai to leave Japanese market

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Posted in Hyundai

Used Hyundais in New Jersey could soon receive negative attention when more buyers learn the South Korean manufacturer has decided to leave the Japanese market.

The Hyundai brand has been growing in many of its markets, but Japan isn’t one of them, according to Automobile Magazine. Sales have been so slow in the country that the company has already begun informing its Japanese dealers of its intention to withdraw.

Hyundai entered Japan eight years ago and has sold only 15,095 vehicles since that time, according to Motor Trend. In 2008, Volkswagen sold nearly 62,000 cars – VW being the country’s best-selling brand of automobile.

Although its 46 Japanese dealers will soon cease much of their activity, Hyundai’s commercial vehicle operation will continue doing business, says the news source.

Brand image often has a lot to do with a buyer’s choice of car. Fortunately for used Hyundais in New Jersey, the company has experienced growth in nearly all of its other major markets, reports the publication. In the U.S., the manufacturer saw sales improve by 4 percent in October.

GM CEO Believes Saab is finished

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Posted in Saab - DO NOT USE

Used Saab models in New York and elsewhere could become the only option for car buyers interested in one of these Swedish-made vehicles.

On November 24, the Swedish supercar manufacturer Koenigsegg backed out of its agreement with GM to acquire Saab, according to the Wall Street Journal. Now GM CEO Frederick Henderson doubts it will be possible to keep the Saab brand alive, although he and other executives have been talking to a number of organizations that are interested in the company.

“We regret that after six months of intense and determined work we have come to the painful and difficult conclusion that we are unable to complete the acquisition of Saab Automobile,” Christian von Koenigsegg told the publication the day the deal disintegrated. “Unfortunately, delays in closing this acquisition have resulted in risks and uncertainties that prevent us from successfully implementing the new Saab Automobile business plan.”

Beijing Auto and Merbanco, an American company, are two of the organizations that have expressed an interest in Saab, reports the news source. Yet, Henderson’s outlook for the brand might suggest that used Saab models in New York could be some of the only cars available to buyers looking for a vehicle built by this company.

Used Acura in New Jersey smashes into ‘wrecks’

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Posted in Acura - DO NOT USE

A used Acura in New Jersey was recently involved in an accident that damaged eight Rent-A-Wreck vehicles.

Robert Casiano of Sayreville went careening into the parking lot of a Rent-A-Wreck business in his 2003 Acura on November 30, according to The Star-Ledger. Rent-A-Wreck is the oldest and largest used car rental company in the world, according to the agency’s website.

Local detective Jeremy Berry said Casiano’s accident occurred at around 1:45 a.m., reports the publication. His car smashed into four Volvos and then knocked over a telephone pole that fell on four other cars. The force of the impact was such that the Acura’s motor was ejected from the car’s engine compartment and later found nearby on the ground.

Casiano was treated for non-life-threatening injuries at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, says the news source.

Law enforcement agencies take seatbelt safety especially seriously during the holiday period, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The Click It or Ticket enforcement campaign has helped create a seatbelt usage rate of 83 percent.

Casiano’s accident could change the reputation of used Acuras in New Jersey.

VW expresses interest in F1 racing

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Posted in Volkswagen - DO NOT USE

Used Volkswagens in New York could benefit from the attention that VW has attracted by announcing it might be interested in the world of Formula One (F1) racing.

Volkswagen says it isn’t interested in partnering up with any F1 teams, although it was involved with Red Bull Racing several years ago, according to AutoBlog. Instead, VW would like to begin supplying different teams with engines for their cars.

The German manufacturer has been involved with racing in the past, reports the publication. Audi, a VW subsidiary, has a number of Le Mans wins under its belt, and a Touareg won the Dakar Rally in 2009.

The 2006 Volkswagen Touareg SUV was available with a 310-horsepower V8, according to Automotive.com. The 4.2-liter motor got 18 miles per gallon on the highway and 14 in the city.

Although VW has not yet made any sort of official announcement that it will soon be entering the world of F1 racing, enthusiasts of used Volkswagens in New York could be getting excited about the rumors that are beginning to form.