Bucking the trend of lower car sales overall, large luxury cars sales actually increased in the full year of 2018 versus 2017.
The redesigned Lexus LS did very well, up 127% year-over-year, Porsche Panamera and the BMW 6-Series also saw sales increases. Genesis G90, Audi A8, and Jaguar XJ saw drops of 42-51% in 2018.
Tesla does not report sales, so I won’t report its sales either, but they produced almost 30,000 Model S electric cars in 2018, which would have put them at the top of this Read More
Automakers are typically judged on sales versus the same time period from the prior year. Now that a new year has begun, automakers are poring over numbers and some will be happy; others not so much. Full year sales results tell you the direction of a car company. If sales are increasing, they are taking business from another automaker.
Here are the top 10 automakers with sales increases for 2018 over 2017, and the 10 that went down by the biggest percentage. Remember, this has nothing to Read More
I always enjoy looking at auto sales history. So here is a look back at total sales going back to the year 2000. Notice the huge dip in 2008-2012 during the financial crisis. 2000-17,329,7002001-17,410,3202002-16,848,1802003-16,675,6482004-16,913,3612005-16,997,2032006-16,560,9892007-16,154,0642008-13,245,7182009-10,431,5102010-11,589,8442011-12,778,8852012-14,492,3982013-15,582,1362014-16,531,0702015-17,470,6592016-17,539,0522017-17,245,0002018-17,335,000 Photo Credit: Read More
Perhaps the most important sales crown in 2018 was for sales supremacy in the hottest segment in the auto industry: SUVs.
Every automaker strives for market share increases in this hot segment. I noted this past summer that Nissan Rogue was putting up a huge challenge to RAV4 from Toyota, but in the second half of the year, Nissan pulled back on Rogue incentives while Toyota poured them onto the 2018 RAV4.
So, what are people buying in the SUV/Crossover segment? Here is your top 25 for Read More
Dale Earnhardt Jr. will find himself in a very familiar place at the 2019 Daytona 500: at the front of the pack.
Earnhardt Jr., a two-time Daytona 500 winner, will drive the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado pace truck to lead the field to green for the 61st running of The Great American Race on February 17. It’s the first time a Daytona 500 will be paced by a pickup truck.
“I’ve had a lot of fun and a lot of success at Daytona over the years, and now I can’t wait to get out on that track in a Read More
One thing I love about the auto industry is it is full of surprises. The doomsday auto analysts predicted 2018 would be the year the wheels fell off auto sales. Even going into the fourth quarter, these folks said there was no way 2018 could top 2017. SURPRISE!
When all was said and done almost 17,335,000 new vehicles were sold in America in 2018. That tops 17,239,000 in 2017. As I said on the air, for MANY years, if 15,000,000 vehicles were sold in a year, the auto industry was Read More
If you’ve been on our Facebook page, you’ve likely seen our weekly Classic Car Contest.
Every Saturday, the day of our CarProUSA radio broadcast, we post a photo of a classic car on our Facebook page and invite our listeners and readers to guess the year, male and model. Those who guess correctly are entered to win a random drawing.
The luck winner of the random drawing will win a free AutoHeatShield® windshield cover. They are laser-cut, heavily insulated front windshield covers that Read More
Every year when we turn the calendar to the next year, I think back to the biggest automotive stories of the year. It was a year of transition and struggles for the auto industry as a whole. Let’s just say there was never a shortage of things to talk about on the air. I present to you my picks for the top automotive stories of 2018, in no particular order:
Carlos Ghosn In JailPerhaps the most shocking story of the year was Nissan’s CEO landing in jail in Japan. Ghosn was arrested Read More
I hope you will take a minute before Christmas to remember our troops AND their families, many of them are thousands of miles away. We are proud to bring to you a very moving rendition of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.
From the Car Pro Show staff, thank you ladies and gentlemen of our military for a job VERY WELL DONE. We are thinking of you and wish you were home.
Click here for the best three minutes of audio you’ve heard in a while, narrated by the melodious tones of Mr. Kevin Read More
t’s time for the Car Pro Holiday Gift Guide, full of ideas to give the favorite car lover in your life this year. From a dashcam and car vacuum to made to order floor mats and a handy vehicle diagnostic tool to a collectible Lego set and gumball machine, there is something for every car lover on your list.
Thinkware F800 Pro Dashcam: $299.99
Credit: Thinkware Buy From Amazon If the driver on your gift list is as tech lover, a dashcam is a good way to go. They are getting more Read More
Thursday we will gather around the dinner table with family and friends to share good food, warm laughter, and the happy memories of Thanksgivings past. For many families whose loved ones serve in the Armed Forces, this year’s Thanksgiving celebration will not be complete.
A familiar voice will not be heard and a chair at the table will remain empty because they have someone far from home serving our country.
Thursday, members of the Armed Forces will gather in mess halls or tents across Read More
When I take on special projects, or testify as an expert witness in an automotive case, I charge anywhere from $250 to $500 per hour depending on the complexity. However, I am going to offer up to Ford and General Motors, for free, a new mission statement for them to follow. I think it is perfectly OK for them to use the same one. Here goes: Our mission is to build cars, trucks, SUVs, and commercial vehicles that people desire to purchase, at an affordable price, never forgetting that Read More
Here are some of my favorite comments on our website from last week’s True Story, which was the last in the series. By the way, if you have missed any of the previous stories, they are all here on a new special page:
Here are some of my favorite comments on our website from last week’s True Story, which was a look back some things I wish I could change. By the way, if you have missed any of the previous stories, they are all here on a new special page:
We always put these recipes in the newsletter around Thanksgiving and Christmas, so with turkey day just a few weeks away, it might be time to plan ahead.
Just a little history, back from the days when Kevin had a Monday through Friday show, he had three recipes he gave out every holiday season and still to this day gets many requests for them.
There are the famous Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes, David Wade’s “turkey in a bag” and last, but not least, David Wade’s Rock Salt Prime Rib! Bon Read More
Here are some of my favorite comments on our website from last week’s True Story, which was about my feelings on our flag, our military, our first responders, and the days after 9/11. By the way, if you have missed any of the previous stories, they are all here on a new special page: Read More
Here are some of my favorite comments on our website from last week’s True Story, which was about my battle with the Texas Attorney General’s Office. By the way, if you have missed any of the previous stories, they are all here on a new special page:
Special Series: True Stories From a Former Car Dealer
Eve-
Jerry, thank you for doing what was right and for sharing this true story with us–talk about self-control and humility! I hope it will encourage us all to think very carefully Read More
Here are some of my favorite comments on our website from last week’s True Story, which was about the cars I owned when I was a teenager. By the way, if you have missed any of the previous stories, they are all at the bottom of my FAQ page: http://www.carprousa.com/faq
Curtis-
Oh Jerry, been there and done that and I wasn’t even working at a car dealership! My first car was a ’69 Chevelle with a 230 6-cyl and a three on the tree, and there have been many, many, many cars and pickups Read More
This week we celebrate 17 continuous years on the airwaves. We started in September 2001, two weeks after the tragedy of 9/11. We started on one of the worst radio stations in DFW; all the ads were offshore gambling sites and gentlemen’s clubs, but people called starting day one. After six months, we moved to the legendary WBAP from 4-6 Saturday afternoons, and then a year later, we took over the premier time slot, 9-11 AM and we’ve been there ever since.
I received the terrible news Monday of this week with the news that Lee Chapman had unexpectedly passed away. Lee was the President of the DFW New Car Dealers Association and a dear friend.
Many of you heard Lee on the Car Pro Show. He was in the studio with us at WBAP for many years before the Dallas Auto Show and the Fort Worth Auto Show. The national audience has also heard Lee, we always did a brief interview with him from both auto shows.
