FordAutomakers ramp up U.S. commercial truck offerings 12:01 am U.S. ET | June 8, 2013  When Daimler AG brought its Euro-styled Sprinter van with a 14-foot high roof and sloped brow to the United States, it stood out on the parkway like a pachyderm. Now several automakers, including Daimler, Ford and Chrysler, are bringing new, large, fuel-sipping work vans to the United States as they gear up for a boom in the highly profitable segment. The surge is fueled by new-home construction and an improving economy.... Read More »
Ford maintains lead in brand loyalty, Polk says 12:44 pm U.S. ET | June 7, 2013  Ford defended its top position in automotive brand loyalty for the first quarter of 2013, according to an analysis by Polk, a suburban Detroit research firm. Polk reports that, on average, 52 percent of new-vehicle owners were repeat brand customers in the first quarter, up 2 percentage points from the first quarter of 2012.... Read More »
Volvo puts creative business up for reviewJune 6, 2013 20:00 CET  Volvo Cars has put its global creative account into review. The Swedish automaker, controlled by China's Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, said it is seeking a global agency that can "focus and strengthen the brand communication worldwide."... Read More »
Volvo puts creative business up for review 2:00 pm U.S. ET | June 6, 2013  Volvo Cars has put its global creative account into review. The Swedish automaker, controlled by China's Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, said it is seeking a global agency that can "focus and strengthen the brand communication worldwide."... Read More »
JAMIE LaREAU Ford dealers’ time to shine is during a recall 2:49 pm U.S. ET | June 6, 2013  A vehicle recall can be good for dealers. If handled right, a recall often helps boost a dealership’s customer retention rate and increase service revenues, an industry observer says.... Read More »
Brazil auto production sets new record in May 11:42 am U.S. ET | June 6, 2013  Brazil produced a record number of automobiles in May as car makers took advantage of tax breaks on locally made vehicles. Production edged up 0.3 percent from April to 348,100 new cars, trucks and buses, the national automakers association Anfavea said today.... Read More »
Ford's 1.0-liter EcoBoost wins 2nd straight International Engine of the Year awardJune 6, 2013 06:01 CET  Ford's 1.0-liter EcoBoost gasoline engine has been named the International Engine of the Year for the second year in a row.... Read More »
Ford's 1.0-liter EcoBoost wins 2nd straight International Engine of the Year award 12:50 pm U.S. ET | June 5, 2013  Ford's 1.0-liter EcoBoost gasoline engine has been named the International Engine of the Year for the second year in a row.... Read More »
Ford China enjoys big SUV sales in May; GM's premium brands rise 9:49 am U.S. ET | June 5, 2013  Ford sales in China last month surged 45 percent year-on-year to 70,540 vehicles, supported by its expanding SUV lineup. Meanwhile, GM and its three joint ventures in China sold 252,942 vehicles in May, up 9 percent year-on-year, on strong demand for the Buick and Cadillac brands.... Read More »
NICK GIBBS Ford Ka faces uncertain future 12:01 am U.S. ET | June 5, 2013  The future of the Ford Ka appears uncertain after a senior marketing executive said that the minicar has been left out of a new, brandwide advertising campaign.... Read More »
Energy, real estate rebound driving pickup sales, Detroit 3 share gains 12:34 am U.S. ET | June 4, 2013  Record energy production coupled with a sustained housing recovery are pushing pickup sales to the highest level in as much as eight years and driving Detroit's comeback. Detroit's 3 automakers have gained 1.2 points of market share this year, the first time all three have gained share during the January- though-May period in at least 18 years, as sales continue on a pace for the best year since 2007.... Read More »
Dick Harris memorial is scheduled for Friday 1:50 pm U.S. ET | June 4, 2013 Dick Harris, former owner of Dick Harris Cadillac in Detroit, died in Las Vegas on Feb. 13. He was 73. A memorial is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. ET, Friday, June 7, at New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit.... Read More »
BEST PRACTICES Desert dealer goes solar to save 12:01 am U.S. ET | June 3, 2013  In balmy Palm Springs, Calif., the desert sun shines an average of 350 days a year. So converting an auto dealership to solar energy might seem to be a no-brainer.... Read More »
MAY U.S. AUTO SALES U.S. sales advance 8% as Nissan, Ford, Chrysler set pace 8:00 am U.S. ET | June 3, 2013  U.S. light vehicle sales rose 8 percent in May as the industry rebounded from a disappointing April amid a surge in pickup sales and a rise in retail demand. Nissan, Subaru, Ford and Chrysler Group posted solid double-digit increases to lead the gainers. Honda, GM and Toyota recorded smaller gains, while Mitsubishi was the only automaker to fall.... Read More »
Lincoln trims free maintenance 12:01 am U.S. ET | June 3, 2013  Beginning with 2014 models, Lincoln is cutting back its complimentary maintenance program to 2 years/24,000 miles from 4 years/50,000 miles. In a May 6 memo sent to dealers, Lincoln said the revised program "complements short-term 24-month leases." In a statement, Lincoln said the new program is "competitive with other luxury brands."... Read More »
Industry gets back on track in May, snuffs out slump concern 5:27 pm U.S. ET | June 3, 2013  The U.S. auto industry regained its early-2013 sales form in May, but the results were decidedly mixed among major automakers. The seasonally adjusted annual rate of sales rebounded to 15.3 million from April's 14.9 million, effectively halting worries of a downtrend after the previous five monthly SAARs had topped 15 million.... Read More »
Ford, propelled by F series and Escape, achieves best May since '06 1:26 pm U.S. ET | June 3, 2013  A 31 percent gain for the Ford F-series pickup and a monthly record for the Escape crossover helped Ford Motor Co. reach its best May U.S. sales total since 2006. Overall, Ford sales rose 14 percent from a year ago to 246,019, or just 6,875 units fewer than General Motors. It outsold Toyota Motor Sales by more than 38,000 units.... Read More »
Canadian auto sales climb in May, led by Ford 2:11 pm U.S. ET | June 3, 2013  Ford was Canada's top auto seller in May, the company said today, as brisk demand for new trucks more than offset a decline in car sales.... Read More »
Ford recalls more than 465,000 vehicles, including Fusion, Lincoln MKZ 1:39 pm U.S. ET | June 3, 2013  Ford said it is recalling more than 465,000 vehicles in several popular models -- including the 2013 Ford Fusion sedan -- after discovering problems with fuel delivery modules, engine block heaters and missing steering gear parts.... Read More »
UNPLUGGED Early adopters have their EVs, but the crucial second-tier buyers haven't stepped up. And the price war has begun. 12:01 am U.S. ET | June 3, 2013  Disappointing sales of electric vehicles have plunged the segment into an old-fashioned price war -- one that some EV proponents fear could erode acceptance of the technology in the long term.... Read More »
Daqi enough? In China, that's crucial The meaning's unclear, but everybody wants it 12:01 am U.S. ET | June 3, 2013  What's the secret sauce that will prove irresistible to millions of Chinese auto shoppers? With the Chinese market projected to hit 30 million units by the beginning of the next decade, more than the United States and Europe combined, it's a recipe all the world's carmakers are dying to find.... Read More »
KEITH CRAIN The more things change 12:01 am U.S. ET | June 3, 2013  It doesn't seem that long ago that a lot of us were driving station wagons. It looks to many like we have slowly migrated back into three-row vehicles.... Read More »
For China buyers, the back seat is a front-burner issue 12:01 am U.S. ET | June 3, 2013 To learn just how different the Chinese Ford Kuga compact crossover is from its North American sibling, the Ford Escape, step into the back seat. Most American car owners rarely ride there. But to many Chinese customers, the back seat might be the most important space in the vehicle.... Read More »
Ford's Saudi distributor drifts into global spotlight 12:01 am U.S. ET | June 3, 2013  Al Jazirah, Ford's distributor for Saudi Arabia, has created a sensation in the Middle Eastern auto racing world with a run of success in the sport of drifting.... Read More »
THE DEALER SPEAKS: O.C. WELCH, O.C. WELSH FORD-LINCOLN 'All this Bluetooth stuff' is a time-suck for dealerships 12:01 am U.S. ET | June 3, 2013  From the time he started his own car-cleaning and -detailing operation in Savannah, Ga., at age 20, O.C. Welch knew he was going to be a lifer in the car business.... Read More »
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Special Report
 Dealer O.C. Welch's big-truck turnaroundAfter Mercury's demise, South Carolina Ford-Lincoln dealer O.C. Welch had to find a way to replace lost revenue. He decided to load up on Super Duty pickups – and sell them online. Mon., June 17» Watch the Video |
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Don Davis Dealerships, Inc. -- Lake Jackson, Texas, United States - Service Manager
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