New car and truck prices start with the MSRP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) which federal law mandates to be published and affixed to all new automobiles delivered by the factory to its dealers, and which must remain on the vehicles until sold to the first consumer.

Just two weeks ago, Ford said it was putting down the Mercury brand by year’s end and consolidating its luxury lines under the Lincoln nameplate. We thought, “Another one bites the dust.” And what a surprise, since the

After our last post on the dying nameplates in the auto industry, alert reader AJ Murphy of Just Saab of Cincinnati (www.justsaab.com) pointed out that the Spyker Cars NV acquisition of Saab was consummated on February 23. Quite so, and this week’s Automotive News (www.autonews.com/) carries additional details. Mike Colleran of Saab Cars North America agrees [...]

The recently announced demise of the Hummer  (which may not be a “done deal”, as the Wall Street Journal has reported this morning that General Motors is revisiting two other offers) is only one more in what is rapidly becoming a rather long list of disappearing “name-plates”. Of course, the shock wave began several years ago, [...]

Despite all the carping by media and polticians of both stripes, our clients affirm that Cash For Clunkers was a qualified success, in that it provided a needed shot in the arm for the entire industry. Although there was an anticipated drop off after the conclusion of the program, it did allow for needed cash [...]

Despite a program by the Small Business Administration to pump funds into credit facilities for car dealers, CNN reported yesterday that few banks are taking the hint… just one, in fact. Following on the heels of the cash tied up in the C. A. R. S. (Cash for Clunkers) program, this means serious troubles for new car [...]

The successful Cash For Clunkers (Car Allowance Rebate System) is over– except for voucher payments, slowly trickling down to new motor vehicle dealers. The program was a success because it gave a shot in the arm to a troubled industry, reduced inventories of many models of new cars and trucks which, in turn, led to the firing up [...]

The Virginia Automobile Dealers Association (VADA) reported yesterday that it heard on a call with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) that in the “Cash for Clunkers” program 80% of transactions are being rejected.

Yesterday, the Senate agreed with the House of Representatives that the successful “Cash for Clunkers” would get $2 billion extra (which was in the original request by the House, but cut by the Senate before the program was originally implemented), enough — most say — to keep the program going through August. This is great [...]

I noticed back to back stories in the Wall Street Journal Thursday and Friday on the “Cash for Clunkers” program that Congress approved as part of the set of legislative initiatives that have come to be known as the economic stimulus package. John McEleney, chair of the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) kicked up concern [...]