Ah ok that does make sense. Hopefully sales will start picking up as inventory builds. If it doesn't Toyota may stop introducing other cool little cars to the US in the future.

 

Camry 33,506
Altima 25,976
Fusion 21,622
Accord 17,667
Sonata 17,340

Corolla 21,009
Civic 20,545
Cruze 16,675
Focus 14,281
Elantra 13,025

Versa 9,939
Soul 9,624
Sonic 5,743
Accent 5,316
Fit 5,138
Yaris 4,514

Escape 25,574
CR-V 21,586
Equinox 18,195
RAV4 14,107

No it has happened before but it is impressive considering the price continues to rise. INventory is back to normal for the RX.


Camry=killer
2013 GS starts arriving Feb
I.Q is not a volume car anyway and there is no inventory yet. Stay off the jump to conclusions mat please.
RX sold more vehicles than some luxury brands and matched nearly a few. Its a beast.

 

Wow Accord wasn't in the top 10!

 

iQ is currently only available for sale in six states. It won't be available nationwide until March.

 

who the heck is buying all these pickup trucks?

 

nothing new. been this hot for decades.

reasons: work functions and personal use hauling/pulling stuff you can't do with sedans and most suvs.

 

Nice Year end chart here: (can't figure out how to import it as a chart)

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/04/2...pward-edition/

Some interesting key rivalries:
2011 Best-Selling Minivan: Toyota Sienna (111,429), Dodge Caravan (110,862)
2011 Best-Selling Pony Car: Chevrolet Camaro (88,249), Ford Mustang (70,438)
2011 Best-Selling Small Car: Toyota Corolla (240,258) vs. Chevy Cruze (231,732)
2011 Best-Selling Mid-Size Sedan behind Camry (308,510) and Altima (268,981): Ford Fusion (248,067), Honda Accord (235,625)

 

i like how they had to put in the fusion, so they called it best selling sedan after camry and altima.... thats funny.

 

Mitsubishi Motors Sales Were up 49% in 2011

Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) today reported December 2011 sales of 5,032 units, up 3.2 percent from December 2010. Mitsubishi's 2011 sales finished 41.9 percent more than sales in calendar year 2010. This marks Mitsubishi's highest full-year sales total since 2008.

"The combination of fuel efficiency and performance presented by products like the Outlander Sport, Lancer, and Mitsubishi i are definitely resonating with customers," said MMNA President & CEO Yoichi Yokozawa. "We are pleased that more consumers are choosing Mitsubishi products as they are beginning to feel more confident in the economy."

The 1st retail sales of the all-new, all-electric Mitsubishi i began in December in California, Washington, Oregon and Hawaii. At the certified Mitsubishi i dealers in those four states, the Mitsubishi i is currently available for test drives.

In response to tremendous consumer interest, Mitsubishi has decided to bring forward the national rollout of the Mitsubishi i by 9 months. Therefore the Mitsubishi i will be available for customer test drives at i-certified Mitsubishi dealerships across the U.S. in March, and the Mitsubishi i will be available for customer purchase across the U.S. by summer 2012.

Customers can reduce their wait time by preordering the Mitsubishi i now at i-certified Mitsubishi dealerships or online at www.mitsubishicars.com.

Other December sales highlights:
* The Outlander Sport model had its best month since July with an increase of 57.8% compared to December 2010. Outlander Sport production at Mitsubishi's plant in Normal, Illinois, will begin later this year.
*Lancer sales were up 4.6 percent compared to December 2010.

December Sales

Mitsubishi Motors North America's said Wednesday that its U.S. sales jumped 41.9 percent in 2011 on strong demand for its Outback Sport model.

BY THE NUMBERS: Mitsubishi said that it sold 79,020 vehicles in 2011, which was the highest full-year sales total since 2008. In 2010, it sold 55,683 vehicles. The auto manufacturer sold 5,032 vehicles in December, an increase of 3.2 percent from the 4,874 vehicles sold in the same month last year.

TOP SELLERS: Mitsubishi sold 16,443 of its Outlander Sport model in 2011, a 57.8 percent increase over 1,690 it sold in 2010.

HOT MODELS: The company sold 80 of the Mitsubishi i electric cars which were introduced in four states in December. The automaker says it will roll out the model nationally in March due to positive customer response.

 

Mazda Reports 4.1% Increase in Dec; Up 9.1% for 2011

Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today reported December U.S. sales of 22,353 vehicles, an increase of 4.1 percent versus last year. On a Daily Selling Rate (DSR) basis, Mazda's December 2011 sales also were up 4.1 percent. December 2011 represented Mazda's best December since 2007, the strong sales showing attributable to the launch of the company's innovative SKYACTIV-G engine and SKYACTIV-Drive and -MT transmissions in the 2012 Mazda3 compact sedan and 5-door hatch.

Closing out an up-and-down 2011 that saw consumers starting to return to showrooms, although still shopping as much as they were actually buying, Mazda's U.S. sales were up 9.1 percent over 2010, with 250,426 vehicles sold.

Key December sales notes:

Mazda2 sales were up 60.9 percent, with 1,342 vehicles sold in December.

Mazda5 sales were up 52.5 percent, with 1,206 vehicles sold.

CX-9 crossover SUV sales were up 27.8 percent, with 4,206 vehicles sold. This represented the best-ever December for the award-winning three-row, seven-passenger CX-9.

Mazda3 sales of 9,264 vehicles accounted for a 2.7 percent increase over last year. The new 2012 Mazda3 features Mazda's innovative SKYACTIV-G engine and SKYACTIV-Drive automatic transmission that achieves 40 MPG on the highway, all without sacrificing driving performance.

Rounding out December sales for the North American market, Mazda Motor de Mexico (MMdM) reported its best-ever month with sales of 3,660 vehicles, accounting for a 10.0 percent increase versus last year. MMdM also celebrated its best-ever year in 2011 as sales surged 19.0 percent with 29,860 vehicles sold.

In a very challenging market, Mazda Canada, Inc. (MCI) sold 4,868 vehicles in December, down 7.0 percent. For the year, MCI sold 69,186 vehicles, down 12.0 percent versus last year.

Mazda North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, Calif. and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States, Canada and Mexico through nearly 900 dealers. Operations in Canada are managed by Mazda Canada, Inc., located in Ontario; and in Mexico by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City.

For more information on Mazda vehicles, visit the online Mazda media center at www.mazdausamedia.com . Product B-roll may be ordered online by visiting The News Market at www.thenewsmarket.com/mazda .

 

GM Up 5% in December 2011


Sales Chart

General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) today reported total U.S. sales of 234,351 vehicles in December, up 5 percent compared with December 2010. Sales for the calendar year were up 14 percent year over year to more than 2.5 million units and the company gained market share.

“GM’s balanced portfolio of fuel-efficient cars, trucks and crossovers helped us make the most of the U.S. economy’s slow but steady recovery in 2011,” said Don Johnson, vice president, U.S. Sales Operations. “Importantly, we were able to grow all four of our brands and reestablish Chevrolet as a force to be reckoned with in the passenger car business. This gives us a very solid foundation to compete in a market that we expect to keep growing.”

In December, retail deliveries were up 2 percent compared with a very strong December 2010, and accounted for 81 percent of GM sales. Deliveries to fleets were up 17 percent.

GM’s total passenger car sales for the month increased 12 percent. Crossover sales decreased 14 percent. Sales of trucks, which include full-size pickups, vans and SUVs increased 13 percent.

Highlights for the month include a 42 percent year-over-year increase in Chevrolet Sonic sales (compared with the Aveo), a 54 percent increase in Chevrolet Cruze sales, a 20 percent increase for the Chevrolet Camaro and a 13 percent increase for the Chevrolet Malibu. The Chevrolet Volt sold more than 1,500 units, making December its best month ever.

Other highlights include double-digit sales increases for the Cadillac SRX, Chevrolet Avalanche, Colorado, Silverado, Tahoe and Suburban, and the GMC Yukon XL. In addition, Chevrolet Equinox had its best sales month of the year in December.

GM ended December with about 580,000 units in dealer stock, including approximately 180,000 full-size pickup trucks, as planned.

GM expects full-year 2012 light vehicle sales to be in a range of 13.5 million to 14.0 million units. In previous years, GM’s forecasts were based on total vehicle sales, which included medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, or about 300,000 additional units.

“Over the course of the fourth quarter of 2011, clear signs emerged that U.S. consumers are more confident and that other underpinnings of our economy are either stable or slowly improving,” Johnson said. “When we add improving economic fundamentals to pent-up demand and an aging vehicle fleet, it’s now clear that auto sales should continue to grow in 2012, barring a shock to the system.”

General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM, TSX: GMM) and its partners produce vehicles in 30 countries, and the company has leadership positions in the world's largest and fastest-growing automotive markets. GM’s brands include Chevrolet and Cadillac, as well as Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Isuzu, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety, security and information services, can be found at http://www.gm.com.

 

Suzuki Up 11% in 2011

2011 2010 MTD VS. 2011 2010 YTD VS.
MTD PRIOR YR. YTD PRIOR YR.
GRAND VITARA: 471 417 13% 4,980 4,478 11%
EQUATOR: 164 131 25% 2,127 1,447 47%
SX4: 1,330 1,226 8% 12,519 11,606 8%
KIZASHI 597 869 -31% 6,942 6,138 13%
OTHER*: 4 5 -0% 50 315 -85%
TOTAL: 2,566 2,647 -3% 26,619 23,994 11%

 

Mercedes Overtakes BMW for US Luxury Car Crown

Mercedes-Benz overtook rival BMW to ****** the crown of best-selling luxury brand in the United States after an incentive-fueled race to the finish of 2011, industry data showed Wednesday.

With the champion of the past 11 years -- Toyota's Lexus -- hobbled by the fallout from Japan's devastating March 11 earthquake and tsunami, the two Teutonic giants went head-on to ****** the highly visible symbol of automotive supremacy.

Neither German automaker had reported their sales results as expected by end of business Wednesday, but Autodata released estimates using data gleaned from a "credible industry source."

Mercedes extended November's massive gains to post a 28% jump in December sales and end the year with sales up 16% at 261,846 vehicles, Autodata estimated.

BMW sales rose 16% in December, to end the year with sales up 13% at an estimated 248,073 vehicles.

Lexus finished a distant third as 2011 sales dropped 13% to 198,552.

"The 2011 luxury-sales race might as well be a battle of the deal-seekers versus the trend-setters," said Edmunds.com analyst Ivan Drury.

"In one corner, you have great deals available on BMW's remaining 2011 3-Series vehicles, and in the other corner is a fresher product with the 2012 C-Class."

But since luxury-car buyers notoriously crave the newest models and the new BMW 3 Series won't hit showrooms for at least two months, Mercedes-Benz had the advantage.

BMW raised its incentive spending more than $200 to $3,694 per vehicle sold from November to December, while Mercedes' average spend remained virtually flat at $3,174, Edmunds.com found.

The average discount percentage on a new BMW in December was 11.2% off the sticker price, compared to 9.5% for a new Mercedes, the automotive website determined.

The bragging rights the crown brings can help in future sales.

"The marketing guys love it. You can use it in advertising. So that makes it worth pursing," Joe Phillippi, an independent industry analyst, told AFP in a recent interview.

Lexus, like many Japanese automakers, was hurt when Japan's massive earthquake forced parts makers to shut down for weeks, disrupting the supply chain of the Japanese auto industry.

But Phillippi said the country's triple disaster wasn't the only reason for the Lexus decline.

Both Mercedes and BMW have invested heavily in new vehicles designed to fit into more market niches, he said. Lexus has not kept pace. And the rise of Audi also has cut into Lexus's market share, he said.

 

BMW & Mercedes Sales Figures Mysteriously Delayed

German automakers BMW and Mercedes-Benz, battling fiercely to be the best-selling luxury brand in the U.S. this year, are "experiencing end-of-year sales reporting complications," according to Autodata, the company that compiles sales from all makers and issues the definitive tallies.

Surely we're not returning to the days when an automaker would stall until its rival reported, so it could see what number it had to beat before disclosing its own sales.

Through the first 11 months, Mercedes was in the lead, 234,473 to 221,073. If BMW were allowed to include sales of its Mini brand cars, that would put it ahead of M-B -- even if Mercedes counted Maybach and Smart brands, both low-sellers.

Autodata estimates that M-B won, but says it will send a new report once the companies provide the actual sales figures.

Edmunds.com's research shows that BMW boosted incentives 6.1% in December from November, to an average $3,694 per vehicle sold. Mercedes was up 1.3%, to $3,174.

The incentive calculation includes rebates to consumers, unpublicized give-backs to dealers, cheap lease deals, cut-rate financing and others.

Lexus had been tops for a decade, but inventory shortages and lack of new models ruined its chances to repeat in 2011, spurring the battle between the German makers.

 

MB 27.9% Gain; 13.3% for 2011

Mercedes-Benz USA today reported 264,460 vehicles sold in 2011, representing the highest annual volume on record with a 17.5% increase over the 225,007 vehicles sold during the same period in 2010. On a month-to-date basis, 28,006 vehicles were sold in December, a 30.4% improvement over December 2010 (21,469).

The all-new sporty C-Class – the gateway to the Mercedes-Benz brand for younger and first-time Mercedes-Benz buyers – was the volume leader for the year with sales of 69,314, up 17.9% over its year-to-date volume in 2010. The 9th generation E-Class followed with sales of 62,736, and the all-new versatile M-Class rounded out the top three with sales of 35,835. Total diesel units sold in 2011 numbered 14,358, an 85.2% increase over the same period last year.

For December, sales at the high-end continued strong as the 2012 CLS-Class posted an increase of 155.2% for the month. The company also sold 86 of its supercar -- the SLS AMG -- up 79.2% from December 2010, bringing its year-to-date sales to 722.

Separately, sales of Sprinter Vans also increased by 15.7% in December with sales of 1,595 – bringing a year-to-date total of 16,577 (up 93.7 % for the year).

Sales of the smart fortwo totaled 710 vehicles in December, up 24.6% for the month (compared to the 570 vehicles sold in December 2010). For the year, smart brand sales were 5,208 (compared to 5,927 sold in 2010).

Additionally, through the Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned (MBCPO) program, MBUSA sold 6,112 vehicles in December 2011, a decrease of 3.5%. On a year-to-date basis, MBCPO sold 74,571 vehicles, a decrease of 7.6% over the comparable period last year.