Automobile Retailers

With environmental issues and a massively increasing gas prices looming over the car market, it’s amazing that any car company can experience an increase in sales. And yet, Toyota’s sales have gone up 3.4% in the month of April (2008, of course) despite the rapid changes in the market and in the lives of consumers.

It seems that Toyota’s mid-sized, small, and hybrid cars have been flying off of the shelves, so to speak. With consumers more concerned about the environment (about time!) and doing battle with hefty fuel costs, Toyota has more than answered the bell with an impressive line of cars to help cope with the changing world.

Toyota Motor Sales President Jim Lentz noted that smaller cars were “going over big.” Good news!

Leading the pack is the popular Toyota Prius, enjoying a jump of 66% compared with the same month of last year. Sales of the Scion xB small wagon more than tripled, however, representing one of the biggest jumps in Toyota’s stockpile of efficiency.

Sales of pickups and SUVs have dropped in recent months and the car companies are changing their strategies to support that. Despite a few old-school “bigger is better” type purchasers looming around with heavy pockets full of gas money, the majority of people are shifting to smaller vehicles that leave less of a carbon footprint and more of an impression on onlookers.

Take the Scion xB small wagon, for instance. This impressive beauty is the perfect eye-catching model for any age group, but currently the 18-34 is lapping it up. The design is enthralling in its simplicity and its fuel economy is stellar. The Scion xB is affordable, too, and comes with gobs of special features that should please any car nut.

With great consumer reviews, the Scion xB may well be the ideal car for the greener generation.

The changes in the economy and fuel costs have impacted just about every industry on earth. Profits are down in many fields and many corporations are feeling the pinch as consumers simply don’t have the throwaway cash to make the big purchases. Cars are at the centerpiece of this perfect storm, as the oil prices and environmental concerns are certainly not making automobiles a very popular purchase.

Despite this reality, profits for Mercedes-Benz Canada have been up. Not only have sales been up at MB Canada, but sales have reached record heights.

Mercedes-Benz Canada reported two milestone records in the company’s history. First, April 2008 results accounted for the best month ever reported for sales. Second, sales of pre-owned Mercedes-Benz cars have reached record highs.

Mercedes-Benz is often associated with being a luxury car and it seems that many can’t afford a standard model. Regardless of this, the sales are moving in the right direction in Canada and stateside dealerships are hoping the change is international.

Along with Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai also boasted one of their best sales months to date. It just goes to show that companies with a responsible environmental record are making changes in the market that pay off in the long run. Other companies that fail to keep up to the global demands for smart cars and better products will experience a drop in sales.

Companies like Ford, for instance, have seen a decrease in sales. This could be due to a number of factors, such as a lack of comprehensive environmental business plan or a lack of effective marketing. Regardless, it’s safe to say that Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai have the right idea and some of the larger companies could stand to learn more about their potential consumers.

The leader of the pack for Mercedes-Benz in terms of car sales is the Smart Fortwo. This car is currently selling so well that there are waiting lists for it. More information about Mercedes’ Smart Fortwo will appear in upcoming editions of this blog, so stay tuned and bookmark this site.

Later this year, you give the 1957 Pontiac Safari and some other classic cars a lickin’ without worrying about damaging them. That’s because they’re going to be on one of the new set of feature stamps the United States Post Office is releasing.

In a campaign to celebrate the history of the tailfin, the postal service is releasing a set of stamps that feature five popular vehicles from the years 1957-1959. Actually, the 1959 Cadillac Eldorado is the only one from that year. The other four are 1957 models. Other than the Pontiac Safari, the others include:

• 1957 Lincoln Premiere
• 1957 Chrysler 300C
• 1957 Studebaker Golden Hawk

The official release date for the “50s Fins and Chrome” stamps is October 3, 2008. By that time, the stamps will cost 42 cents each instead of the current 41 cents. I suppose they can justify raising the price by a penny. Since gas prices are going up so much, everything else has to go up, too.

These new feature stamps were introduced at the Spring Carlisle Collector Car and Swap Meet in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Art M. Fitzpatrick designed the illustrations based on examples that are still on the road today.

If you’re a huge fan of classic and new cars, your local Pontiac dealer will likely have something that catches your interest. Visit one today and speak with an expert sales representative to get the car of your dreams!