Fuccillo Chevrolet of Nelliston

1/4/2011 - General Motor Co.?s Chevy Camaro snatched the sports-car crown Ford Motor Co.?s Mustang had held for 24 years.

The Camaro in 2010 outsold the Mustang 81,299 to 73,716. The two models have been battling for sports-car sales supremacy since the redesigned Camaro returned to the market in 2009 after a seven-year hiatus. Mustang had been the U.S. leader since 1986, according to Ward?s AutoInfoBank of Southfield, Michigan. The rivalry dates to the 1960s.

The muscle-car matchup broke out as President Barack Obama and automakers sought to shift U.S. vehicle buyers to more fuel- efficient models. GM just introduced the Volt plug-in hybrid, Nissan Motor Co. has begun selling the Leaf electric hatchback and Ford has new hybrid and electric models that are scheduled to be revealed at the Detroit auto show next week.

?This race represents the America that loves cars,? said Rebecca Lindland, an auto analyst with IHS Automotive in Lexington, Massachusetts. ?These vehicles demonstrate that Americans still love well-designed, well-proportioned and well- performing cars.?

Camaro sales rose 32 percent in 2010, while Mustang sales rose 11 percent. Sales of both fell in December: Camaro by 26 percent, Mustang by 16 percent.

?Some of our competitors have been out of the market for some period of time,? Ken Czubay, Ford?s U.S. sales chief, said today on a conference call with analysts and reporters. ?We?re very, very pleased with the fuel economy and technology gains? in the 2011-model Mustang.

* story courtesy of businessweek.com

1/4/2011 - Since filing for bankruptcy in 2009, GM has closed Hummer, Pontiac and Saturn and sold Saab to focus on Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC. Sales of GM?s four remaining brands rose 16 percent compared with December 2009, the company said.

?GM is on a bit of a roll,? said Jeremy Anwyl, chief executive officer of auto researcher Edmunds.com. ?Incentive spending was down, market share should be up. They?re doing it with nice products. The Cruze is doing pretty well.?

For the year, GM sales rose 6.3 percent from the 2009 performance for the company?s eight brands. Full-year sales of GM?s four remaining brands rose 21 percent, the company said.

GM gained 84 cents, or 2.3 percent, to $37.90 at 4:15 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The shares gained 15 percent from their $33 sale price in an initial public offering in November. Dearborn, Michigan-based Ford added 13 cents to $17.38. The shares gained 68 percent in 2010.

Rising consumer confidence and retail spending bode well for car sales and may help boost 2011 industrywide sales, including heavy-duty trucks, to 13 million to 13.5 million vehicles, Don Johnson, GM?s vice president of U.S. sales operations, said today on a conference call.

* story courtesy of businessweek.com