Make meetings outlook: Grins and gripes
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This year's make meetings at the convention generally should be upbeat affairs. After all, U.S. industrywide sales last year increased 13 percent, and only one brand's sales fell by more than 5 percent. The general rule is that when sales are good, make meetings are chummy.
But when automakers and their dealers meet behind closed doors at the NADA convention, anything can happen. Dealers coming off a great sales year might learn their favorite vehicle is being canceled. Or dealers at a foundering franchise might hear that they're about to get a sweet lease deal that will turn their entire sales staff into overachievers.
So predicting the mood at make meetings is about as certain as predicting March's NCAA basketball Final Four a month in advance.
Still, here are our forecasts for which of this year's make meetings will be contented and which might be contentious.
| Contented | ||
| Brand | 2012 sales change | Topics |
| Acura | 27% | Passed Cadillac in 2012 market share. With new flagship RLX expected in March and redesigned MDX in midyear, dealers are rockin' and rollin'. |
| Volkswagen | 35% | The 2012 sales increase followed a 26% rise in 2011 as dealers rode the Chattanooga Choo-Choo of U.S. production volumes. VW's ambitious North American goals call for keeping the pedal to the metal. |
| Toyota | 26% | Scion's 49% sales gain topped Toyota's strong showing. With 9 redesigns this year, Toyota is steadily accelerating again. |
| Contentious | ||
| Brand | 2012 sales change | Topics |
| Mitsubishi | –27% | A hoped-for sales increase failed to materialize, leaving the brand's sales fall-off worse than departing Suzuki's. Expect grumbling if dealers don't hear concrete marketing-support plans for the Outlander and Outlander Sport. |
| Lincoln | –4% | The industry's rising tide failed to lift this boat; the brand was outsold by Acura, Cadillac, Infiniti — and the Ford Mustang. The MKZ supposedly is riding to the rescue. Oh, yeah? Where is it? |
| Cadillac | –2% | Not only did new-car sales slip, but Caddy had the industry's worst drop in 2012 certified-used sales. Awards for the ATS are fine, but what's the factory doing to boost sales? |
| Jaguar Land Rover | 11% | Product plans and sales are OK. But spots on the new dealer council are open only to those who sell both brands, i.e., no Jaguar-only dealer need apply. Not the recipe for a big happy family. |
