Honda captures four model segment awards-more than any other vehicle nameplate this year-according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) StudySM released today.
The study, now in its 12th year, measures owner delight with the design, content, layout and performance of their new vehicles. APEAL is designed to complement the J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality StudySM (IQS), which focuses on problems experienced by owners during the first 90 days of ownership. APEAL measures how gratifying a new vehicle is to own and drive.
Honda's four segment-leading models are the Fit (in a tie), CR-V, Ridgeline and Odyssey. BMW and Mercedes-Benz receive three segment awards, while Ford, Nissan and Volkswagen each garner two awards. BMW models receiving awards include the 3 Series, 6 Series and X5, while Mercedes-Benz earns awards for the E-Class, S-Class and GL-Class. Ford models earning awards are the Mustang and Edge. Volkswagen receives awards for the Jetta and GTI, while Nissan earns awards for the Altima Sedan and Armada.
The study also finds that, for models with higher APEAL scores, vehicle manufacturers and dealers can offer lower incentives to new-vehicle buyers. On average, owners of vehicles with APEAL scores lower than 800, based on a 1,000-point scale, report receiving dealer incentives of approximately $2,000. For purchasers of models with average APEAL scores higher than 800, the incentive amount can decline by up to 10 percent.
"Vehicle models with strong customer appeal tend to be in higher demand, which diminishes the need for dealers to incentivize to boost sales," said Neal Oddes, director of product research and analysis at J.D. Power and Associates. "Offering larger incentives decreases the profitability of vehicles, so it's important for manufacturers to incorporate those 'must-have' features and design elements that will entice buyers, which also reduces the need for large customer cash rebates."
A number of all-new and redesigned models lead the model rankings for 2007. Ten of the top-ranking models in the APEAL study-the BMW X5, Cadillac Escalade EXT (in a tie), Ford Edge, GMC Sierra LD, Honda Fit, Honda CR-V, Mercedes-Benz GL-Class (in a tie), Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Nissan Altima Sedan and Toyota Yaris (in a tie)-were all-new or redesigned this year. Also receiving awards are the Hyundai Azera and Porsche Cayman.
"Whether due to fresh designs or innovative features, APEAL scores tend to be highest for models when they are first introduced," said Oddes. "It's essential for manufacturers to get new-vehicle launches right, since vehicles with high appeal scores generally command a higher gross profit and sell more quickly. Two of the redesigned models-the Mercedes-Benz S-Class (in a tie) and Honda CR-V-also earned awards in the 2007 Initial Quality Study, and are examples of how manufacturers can learn from preceding models to improve in both initial quality and appeal."
The Nissan Armada ranks highest in its segment for a fourth consecutive year. Several models, including the Ford Mustang, Honda Ridgeline and Honda Odyssey rank highest in their respective segments for a third consecutive year, while the Hyundai Azera and Porsche Cayman earn awards for a second consecutive year. The Mustang and Mercedes-Benz E-Class also rank highest in their segments in both the APEAL study and IQS.
Porsche is the highest-ranking nameplate in APEAL for a third consecutive year. The most improved nameplate in the 2007 study is Scion.
The 2007 APEAL Study is based on responses gathered between February and May 2007 from more than 91,000 purchasers and lessees of new 2007 model-year cars and trucks who were surveyed after the first 90 days of ownership.
Find more detailed findings on new-vehicle APEAL performance as well as model photos and specs by watching a video, reading an article and reviewing appeal ratings at JDPower.com.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
What Happened? Lexus and Toyota Both Fall From Grace in Latest JD Power Study
Honda,Toyota Bumped Up Their June Incentives
Hondaand Toyotaboth bumped up their June incentives in a major way, according to a new article in Automotive News. Year-over-year, Honda's incentives jumped by 73.2 percent to an all-time high, and Toyota's increased by 53.6 percent. That stands in contrast to the industry average, which actually dipped by some 7.3 percent versus a year ago.
Critically, however, even with that new jump, Honda's incentives totaled an average of $1221 per vehicle, and Toyota's moved to $1567. Despite big jumps, both companies remain well shy of the industry average of $2422.
For its part,Honda is seeking to move older models, many in tough segments (think: 2007 Accord and Pilot, as well as Odyssey and Ridgeline). The automaker still doggedly refuses to put cash back offers on the hoods of their vehicles, a move designed to protect resale values. Instead, it subsidized leases and lower financing rates.
Toyota overtook GM in sales last year
Latest findings show thatToyotaactually surpassed General Motorsin the global sales race last year with a lead of roughly 128,000 vehicles. There had been rumors that Toyotahad in fact understated its figures so as to avoid a backlash from American consumers but this latest report goes some way towards disproving the theory.
Data compiled by Automotive News reveal that for its sales tally, GM counted vehicles produced by subsidiaries that it only had a minority stake in. These included the seven-seat microvan and other vehicles manufactured by China's Shanghai Auto and Liuzhou Wuling Auto.
When allocating these production numbers to 51% owner SAIC, GM's sales tally for 2006 stands at 8,679,860 units versus Toyota's 8,808,000. Other brands that are counted in Toyota's figures include Daihatsu and Hino, while GM's tally compromises more than a dozen brands including Opel and Saab as well as America's Chevrolet and Buick.
Toyota is once again on the path to being number one for this year as well. Its current sales projection stands at 9.34 million units versus 9.2 million vehicles for GM.
Toyota Next Prius Delay Launch At Least Six Months
For some time now the third generation Toyota Priuswas expected to debut in the fall of 2008 carrying a lithium ion battery pack and and very possibly plug-in capability.
In the past week it has been reported that neither the lithium energy storage or the plug-in capability would be there and now it looks the timeline has slipped as well.
Of course, since Toyotanever officially announced a launch date they are refusing to call the slip to a spring 2009 debut a program slip or even acknowledge the new or old date.
By the time the new Prius hits the market there will be several new competitors available including the Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan hybridsand the plug-in version of the two-mode Saturn Vue is due that same year.
It looks like Toyota'sdecision to stick with their local supplier might have come back to haunt them. Panasonic currently supplies the NiMH hydride batteriesthat Toyotauses and they have been focusing on LiNiCoAlO2 cathodes which are considered to be the least thermally stable of the currently available lithium chemistries.
Other companies like A123 use materials such as doped iron phosphate and other materialsthat have better thermal stability. At this stage of the program Toyota might actually better off going to a new source for lithium batteries rather than reverting to NiMH.
Today's Automaker News-June 07,2007
ToyotaChina sales jump in May, mulls new factory
TOKYO (Reuters) -- Toyota Motor Corp. said sales in China jumped 87 percent in May, driven by the popular Camry sedan, and it was discussing a second car factory with Guangzhou Automobile in anticipation of continued strong growth in demand. ( Detail...)
VWrejects report it is near deal with Proton
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) -- Tie-up talks between troubled Malaysian carmaker Proton and Volkswagen are nearing conclusion, with the German firm likely to take management and equity control of key Proton operations, a Malaysian newspaper. ( Detail...)
Report: Skoda plans to boost 2007 output
PRAGUE (Reuters) --- Skoda Auto, the Czech unit of Volkswagen AG and the country's biggest company, will boost this year's output to 616,000 cars from an earlier planned 580,000 to meet demand, Skoda board member Martin Jahn said. ( Detail...)
Taurus tag line: 'Safest car in America'
Ford Motor Co.will launch the new Taurus this summer with the tag line: "Rated Safest Car in America." Last month, the Taurus and its sibling, the Mercury Sable, earned the highest scores possible in crash tests conducted by the National Highway ( Detail...)
Navistar files another lawsuit against Ford
Navistar International Corp. today said it has filed a lawsuit against Ford Motor Co., seeking damages for breach of a diesel engine contract for the Ford F-150 pickup trucks. ( Detail...)
Honda'spartner in China sees boost in car sales through May
HONG KONG (Reuters) -- Denway Motors, Honda Motor Co. Ltd.'s partner in China, increased car sales by 6.3 percent in the first five months of 2007 to 107,400 vehicles, senior executives said today.( Detail...)
Chrysler groupsales outside North America rise 24% in May
FRANKFURT (Reuters) -- Chrysler group's vehicle sales outside its core North American market rose 24 percent last month to 20,553 units, its best-ever May for foreign sales, the automaker said today. ( Detail...)
Toyota Global Executive Describes Tundra's Mounting Issues As Shameful
It had said that Toyota's secret plans for the FSC since June this year, the stylish crossover sedan/wagon concept that appeared back at the 2005 Tokyo motor show.
Out of the FSC comes this Toyota Mark X ZiO SUV. Something new and intriguingly left-field, the Toyota Mark X ZiO hits the road in Tokyofor the equivalent of $22,252-$28,945. On one level, the ZiO's a replacement for an obscure, Japanese market rear-drive wagon known as the Mark II BLIT.
At the same time, the name suggests it's a new sister model to the Mark X, the stylish, rear-drive 5-series type sedan that Toyota sells in Japan.
But look again, for the upscale, 2.4-3.5-liter, three-row, seven-seat ZiO sits on a completely new front drive/four-wheel drive platform, which is a mile away from the Mark X.
Toyota's clearly trying something different with the ZiO which is some five inches shorter than a Camry and whose beguiling mix of sedan and wagon, with a hint of SUV thrown in for good measure, sees it officially labeled as a "new category vehicle." No kidding.
There are two versions, starting with the 240G, with Camry-style 2.4-liter I-4 (161 horsepower) and continuously various transmission. Then, there's the peppier 350G with 276 horsepower from the 3.5-liter V-6 (also Camry derived), matched to a six-speed sequential automatic transmission.
Aimed at aspiring 30 and 40 year olds, the Toyota Mark X ZiOwith plush, high-spec interior won't be crossing the Pacific. Or should Toyotaswitch course and bring it in?
The Peninsula Tokyo chooses the Rolls-Royce Phantom Extended Wheelbase
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars will hand over two Phantom Extended Wheelbase cars to The Peninsula Tokyo on 31 August, just before the official opening of the hotel in Marunouchi, Tokyo on 1 September 2007.
The cars will be used to chauffeur The Peninsula's VIP guests around Tokyo. These two Phantoms bring the total number in The Peninsula Hotels' fleet to 16. In December 2006 the largest ever single order of 14 Rolls-Royce Phantom Extended Wheelbase cars was delivered to The Peninsula Hong Kong.
Bespoke
The two new Phantom Extended Wheelbase cars are finished in The Peninsula Hotels' corporate colour, Peninsula Green, matching the paintwork of the 14 cars at The Peninsula Hong Kong. On both sides of the body, The Peninsula Tokyo logo and single gold coachline are hand applied by skilled craftsmen. The interior features walnut veneers and tan leather, with a spacious lounge seat arrangement in the rear compartment.
The two cars have a number of special features built under Rolls-Royce's "Bespoke" programme to ensure they meet the exacting needs of the hotel. The Bespoke options include a cool box for chilled hand towels, used towel storage, bespoke tread plates with the inscription "THE PENINSULA TOKYO" and a new, larger luggage compartment. The cars' detailed design also features a boulevard lighting system to provide maximum illumination for passengers when entering or exiting the cars.
Various modifications were made to create the interior space to provide guests with the utmost comfort while in the car, as a natural extension of the hotel's services.
Craftsmanship
Some 18 leather hides for each Phantom were used to trim the seats, doors and roof-lining, and in a process unique to Rolls-Royce, each hide is tumble-dyed, resulting in a natural finish that is sumptuously soft and requires no protective top coat. Each Phantom is finished with veneer taken from a single tree to ensure that the colour and grain match perfectly across the interior.
The Peninsula Tokyo's guests enjoy in-car entertainment supplied via a Lexicon sound system employing 15 speakers and nine channel amplification delivering 420 watts. Studio-grade components, unique to the Phantom, ensure a sound quality unrivalled in the marketplace.
DVDs can be viewed on twin 12-inch screens housed in the rear fold-down picnic tables.
The Phantom is the most successful super-luxury car in the world, built using cutting edge technology and lightweight materials. It features an aluminium space frame chassis and body which weighs much less than steel, but is enormously strong to give both added safety and outstanding driving refinement, free of vibration. The engine is of the most modern design and features direct fuel injection and variable valve control, delivering excellent fuel economy for a car of its size and power, marking a significant improvement in terms of emissions compared to the previous fleet of Silver Spurs. The Phantom offers significantly more space for passengers.
The Peninsula Hotels and Rolls-Royce
The Peninsula and Rolls-Royce, which share a long-term partnership that stretches for almost 40 years, are synonymous with excellence and attention to detail. The relationship began with the hotel's first order for seven Silver Shadows in 1970. Over the years, The Peninsula has set new records with each successive order for Rolls-Royces.
On the introduction of the car, The Honourable Sir Michael Kadoorie, Chairman of The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited said, "For almost 40 years The Peninsula Hotels have used Rolls-Royce cars, and the new fleet of Phantoms is the most impressive of their cars built to date. Rarely are my expectations exceeded, but on this occasion they have been - the cars, like the hotels, must exemplify quality and the service requirements have also mirrored these high standards."
Dr Matthew Bennett, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars' General Manager for Japan and Korea, said, "Rolls-Royce and The Peninsula have enjoyed an outstanding and fruitful relationship over the years. We are pleased that we could deliver the two new special Phantom Extended Wheelbase cars in time for the opening of The Peninsula Tokyo. We have spared no effort to ensure they have been prepared to the highest standard possible - from the design of the car to chauffeur training."