The United States trucks and cars sales rose by 17% in November, raising high hopes that the automotive market will end on a very high note, creating a solid momentum for 2011. Last month, the number of light vehicle sales went up to 873,407 cars, which is the 11th market advance in the past 12 months. The car sales until November, reached 10.45 million units, topping the 2009 sales figures that totaled 10.43 million.
The United States sales, for the second consecutive month achieved an annual selling rate of 12.26 million units, according to the information revealed by AutoData Corporation. In 2009, the light vehicles delivered reached an annual rate of only 10.86 million vehicles. According to Edmunds.com, larger vehicles, crossovers and pickup trucks are more popular among buyers. The redesigned or new models coming from Hyundai, Nissan, VW as well as other car manufacturers, helped raise the sales figures.
Ford sold 20% more trucks and cars in comparison to 2009. GM’s sales also went up by 12% and its four remaining brands grew by 21%. According to the Chrysler Group, the November request for new cars rose by 17%.
Today, the General Motors officials predicted that a gradual economic recovery will most likely continue to strengthen the request for new vehicles. Jim Bunnell, who is the general manager of U.S. sales for General Motors, stated that “the economy is continuing to gain traction. We believe we will see meaningful job creation in the coming months.”
Moving on, the Hyundai Group (and Kia), sold this November 41% more cars. The demand for Honda cars in the United States grew by 21%. Porsche also is doing well, benefiting from 49% more sales. Jaguar Land Rover sales climbed by 22%. Nissan is also benefiting from an increased number of sales, the deliveries for their vehicles rose by 27%.
On the contrary, Toyota sales, including Scion and Lexus, went down by 3% in November, totaling 129,137 cars, although the company spent more on incentives in comparison to 2009. The situation clearly illustrates the problems the Japanese automaker is having in winning back the trust of the United States customers, after more than a year since the automaker started recalling millions of cars that shattered Toyota’s good image for manufacturing high quality cars that are very safe on the road. Toyota and Mazda were the only two manufacturers that did not post double-digit sales gains in November; Mazda’s sales went up by only 7%.
Almost all of the General Motors cars shipped were 2011 models, which allowed the company to increase the average transaction prices, according to Don Johnson, who is GM’s vice president of United States sales operations. Through last month, the average price of a GM car went up by $1,300 in comparison to the similar period of 2009. Johnson added that the incentives averaged 10.4% of GM’s transaction prices, which is just about the same as the rest of the industry.
Volkswagen AG sold 24.2% more cars last month, the Jetta Sedan being the most successful model as sales grew by a healthy 49%. Analysts affirm that the sales made in the final weekend of the month went up due to the Thanksgiving holiday deals that were sponsored by individual manufacturers and dealers, including Nissan and Toyota.
| Automaker | Nov. 2010 | Nov. 2009 | Pct. chng. | 11 month 2010 |
11 month 2009 |
Pct. chng. |
| BMW Group* | 22,909 | 18,030 | 27% | 238,443 | 218,138 | 9% |
| Chrysler Group LLC | 74,152 | 63,560 | 17% | 984,509 | 844,879 | 17% |
| Daimler AG** | 19,259 | 17,462 | 10% | 208,946 | 184,294 | 13% |
| Ford Motor Co.*** | 146,956 | 122,846 | 20% | 1,773,868 | 1,493,533 | 19% |
| General Motors**** | 168,670 | 150,676 | 12% | 1,987,552 | 1,864,211 | 7% |
| Honda (American)† | 89,617 | 74,003 | 21% | 1,100,864 | 1,043,641 | 6% |
| Hyundai Group†† | 67,324 | 46,002 | 46% | 819,250 | 680,282 | 20% |
| Isuzu | – | – | -% | – | 165 | -100% |
| Jaguar Land Rover | 4,039 | 3,319 | 22% | 40,329 | 33,420 | 21% |
| Maserati | 166 | 100 | 66% | 1,717 | 1,158 | 48% |
| Mazda | 15,304 | 14,255 | 7% | 208,087 | 189,512 | 10% |
| Mitsubishi | 4,306 | 2,925 | 47% | 50,809 | 49,631 | 2% |
| Nissan††† | 71,366 | 56,288 | 27% | 814,840 | 696,699 | 17% |
| Porsche | 2,416 | 1,626 | 49% | 22,753 | 17,578 | 29% |
| Saab Cars North America‡ | 397 | – | -% | 3,763 | – | -% |
| Subaru | 20,792 | 16,988 | 22% | 237,126 | 193,578 | 23% |
| Suzuki | 2,332 | 1,540 | 51% | 21,347 | 36,811 | -42% |
| Toyota‡‡ | 129,317 | 133,700 | -3% | 1,586,107 | 1,582,287 | 0% |
| Volkswagen‡‡‡ | 29,713 | 23,191 | 28% | 325,279 | 267,955 | 21% |
| Volvo Cars North America‡‡‡‡ | 4,078 | – | -% | 16,667 | – | -% |
| Other (estimate) | 294 | 308 | -5% | 3,234 | 3,372 | -4% |
| TOTAL | 873,407 | 746,819 | 17% | 10,445,490 | 9,401,144 | 11% |
Numbers in this table are calculated by Automotive News based on actual monthly sales reported by the manufacturers and may differ from numbers reported elsewhere.
Source: Automotive News Data Center
Note: Other includes estimates for Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Lotus
*Includes Mini and Rolls-Royce **Includes Maybach, Mercedes-Benz and Smart ***Includes Volvo through July 2010 ****Includes Saab through February 2010 †Includes Acura ††Includes Kia †††Includes Infiniti ‡The sale of Saab was final on February 23, 2010 ‡‡Includes Lexus and Scion ‡‡‡Includes Audi and Bentley
‡‡‡‡The sale of Volvo to Zhejiang Geely Holding Group was final on Aug. 2, 2010
Source: AutoNews.com
Post tags: Tags: Audi, Bentley, General Motors, Lexus, vw
According to TMZ, Guns N’ Roses lead vocalist Axl Rose is being sued by Bentley over a leased 2006 Bentley Continental Flying Spur. It looks like Rose leased a car some time ago and, beside returning the car several months after its scheduled date and with 42,000 miles over the lease limit, the car also was seriously damaged, having a cracked windshield, a broken taillight, damaged tires, dents on the doors, a damaged bumper and a missing key. TMZ also reports that the amount of money Bentley is suing for is $74,000.
Post tags: Tags: axl rose, Bentley
The 2011 Bentley Continental GT was finally revealed yesterday, and even though the high res photos were extremely pleasant, the British luxury carmaker decided to showcase a video with its brand new performance coupe.
The footage shows just how the new model took shape, from sketching to the actual manufacturing by hand at its Crewe headquarters. Check out the video of the 2011 Continental GT after the jump.
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Post tags: Tags: 2011 bentley continental gt, Bentley, bentley-continental-gt, Video
After a bit of teasing and a lot of waiting, the 2011 Bentley Continental GT has finally been revealed by the British luxury carmaker.
Even though its looks may not seem all that changed, as opposed to the outgoing model, the new Continental GT is a very different beast. It boasts special tweaks to the exterior, a revised interior with new options and features, as well as the option of a V8 engine, for those that don’t want the big W12 unit up front.
First off, the exterior has been slightly retouched. The front gets a new grille finish, while the headlights have built-in LED daytime running tech. The lower intake has also been reshaped, while the rear borrows heavily from the new Mulsanne.
On the inside, Bentley has fitted new systems to the Continental GT. You can now have an 8-inch touchscreen, a new navigation system with Google Maps capability, new seats and increased space in the back.
Without a doubt the biggest changes for the 2011 Bentley Continental GT is the upgraded 6.0-liter W12 engine. It now outputs 567 HP and 516 lb-ft of torque, enough to send the luxury model from 0 to 62 mph in 4.4 seconds and up to 198 mph. A new six-speed Quickshift transmission is present, sending power through the all-wheel drive system in a 40/60 rear bias.
Those that want to save the planet can opt for a more efficient 4.0-liter V8 engine, though its performance or efficiency figures have yet to be revealed. This option will be available starting with the end of 2011.
Expect the 2011 Bentley Continental GT to be revealed to the public at the upcoming Paris Motor Show. Until then, have a gander at the photo gallery below.
Photo Gallery: 2011 Bentley Continental GT
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Post tags: Tags: 2011 bentley continental gt, Bentley, bentley-continental-gt, next generation, paris motor show, photo-gallery
Russia is quickly becoming one of the largest markets for luxury carmakers, largely due to the big number of rich people who want to flaunt their worth by buying and showing off their rides.
What’s even more profitable for automakers is that most Russian drivers really like to get ‘competitive’ so some showing off leads to crashes and work for auto mechanics.
The latest example is a new video with a Bentley Continental GT owner, who decided to show off his ride around a grassy hill, filled with campers.
As you can imagine, those 550 HP from the Continental was too much to handle, and resulted in the luxury coupe to damage its rear against a parked van. While most car fans would cringe at this image, its owner was quite pleased, displaying his foolish act for everyone to see.
Hit the jump to check out the video and once again confirm that good taste can’t be bought, no matter the sum of money you have.
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Post tags: Tags: Bentley, bentley-continental-gt, Car Crashes, russia, Video
Luxury carmakers are all about niches and filling them if the demand is high enough. The newest fad has been started by the Porsche Panamera, and is already followed by the likes of Aston Martin, with the Rapide.
But Bentley isn’t too far behind either, as a source has confirmed to Autocar that other body styles, besides the sedan, coupe and convertible, are being planned for the next generation Continental model.
According to the source, a five-door fastback, in the vein of the Panamera, has the biggest chances to achieve production status, seeing as how more and more people want an extra dose of practicality with their luxury.
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Post tags: Tags: Bentley, bentley-continental, porsche panamera, shooting brake, shooting break
The Bentley Continental is one might impressive luxury sportscar. But seeing as how its top of the range version, the Supersports, ‘only’ extracted 620 HP from that massive W12 6.0-liter engine, the tuners at Wheelsandmore decided that a few upgrades might be in order.
So, after a bit of tinkering and adding things like an optimized ECU, a new exhaust system, a set of 21-inch, 3-piece modular wheels plus an electronically-adjustable suspension, the Bentley Continental Ultrasports 702 was born.
The new British luxury sportscar now develops a whopping 702 HP with 650 lb-ft of torque. Together with the other bespoke features, we’re pretty sure this package from Wheelsandmore will attract quite a few performance fans, not happy with the stock Supersports.
Post tags: Tags: Bentley, bentley continental supersports, bentley continental ultrasports 702, bentley-continental, Tuning, wheelsandmore
As any self-respecting luxury carmaker, Bentley knows most of its money is currently coming from China and just revealed two special editions based on its Continental lineup for the Asian country at the Beijing Motor Show.
First off, four-door lovers will be able to enjoy the Continental Flying Spur Speed China, which, alongside a more elegant trim line and accessory lineup, saw its exhaust system toned down and received a softer suspension. Still, this doesn’t stop Bentley from hyping up the model as the “world’s fastest luxury four-door saloon.”
Chinese coupe fans weren’t neglected, with the British carmaker revealing Continental GT Design Series China model. The car has a bespoke interior (pictured above) with three-tone leather and new accents that can be ordered in a variety of colors.
Either way, if you happen to be passing by the Chinese capital, you can visit the Beijing Motor Show and check out these special Bentleys.
Post tags: Tags: beijing motor show, Bentley, bentley continental flying spur speed, bentley-continental, bentley-continental-gt, china, special-edition
Bentley is slowly but surely trying to renew its product lineup, and the new Mulsanne is just the tip of the spear. The British carmaker wants to get rid of its old models, like the Azure, Brooklands or Arnage, and is already planning replacements for the aging vehicles.
A new report now hints that the replacement for the Azure convertible model might sport a rather unusual body style: a four-door cabriolet, making it a very interesting option in the luxury car market today. For those of you who don’t know, only the Maybach Landaulet might even boast such thing, although it isn’t even a proper convertible.
Either way, if the Bentley engineers will pull off such an impressive feat for the next convertible (called the Azure or anything else), it will definitely one-up its traditional rival, the Rolls Royce Ghost Drophead Coupe.
Post tags: Tags: 2011 bentley mulsanne, Bentley, bentley azure, bentley azure t, bentley mulsanne, convertible
Bentley was extremely proud that its Continental Supersports was named one of the greenest cars in Germany, due to it being 85% recyclable, and has just announced that it will be adding the flex-fuel W12 engine from the Supersports coupe and convertible across the entire range of Continental models.
In case you didn’t know, the special 6.0-liter W12 engine in the Supersports can run on regular gasoline, as well as E85 bioethanol, or any mix between the two. Starting this July though, the British company announced that all Continental models, almost half of its vehicle lineup, will sport this capability.
This really helps the company’s plan of reducing CO2 fleet emissions by 15 percent until 2012. The only remaining models to run on petrol alone are the Brooklands coupe, Azure sedan and the new Mulsanne. But it will soon change, as the Brooklands is approaching the end of its life cycle and, according to the company, the Mulsanne will also receive a bioethanol version in the future.
Overall, if you want to flaunt your wealth and be green (not the Lambo variety), the new Bentley Continental models will certainly be a good idea.
Post tags: Tags: Bentley, bentley continental supersports, bentley-continental, bioethanol, Green
Bentley presented its brand new flagship limousine, the Mulsanne, at the Frankfurt Motor Show last year. But it waited until the Geneva Motor Show last week to formally unveil all of the details behind the new model.
Starting with the most important aspect, the Mulsanne is powered by a 6.75-liter V8 engine, capable of 505 HP and 752 lb-ft. It will be coupled with an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox, which will enable the British limousine to go from 0 to 62 mph in 5.1 seconds, and up to 184 mph.
While these figures don’t seem much, bear in mind the Mulsanne weighs around 5,700 pounds. The huge weight, coupled with its size (dwarfing the BMW 7 Series for example), means a fuel average of 16.7 mpg on the EU combyned cycle.
The car will be sitting on 20-inch alloy wheels, covering powerful brakes, branded with the Bentley logo. For the inside, you’ll be able to choose from 24 standard colors, in any combination, and also 23 various shades for the seat belt (!). You’ll also find more electronic systems, technologies and devices than you can shake a stick at, making the Mulsanne quite modern under its classic appearance.
Official release details and the price of the 2011 Bentley Mulsanne will be revealed at a later date.
Post tags: Tags: 2011 bentley mulsanne, Bentley, bentley mulsanne
Bentley has just announced the 2011 Continental Supersports Convertible model, which will be formally presented at next month’s Geneva Motor Show. The car is the company’s fastest four-seat convertible and the most powerful open top model it has ever made.
Power comes from the 6.0-liter W12 twin-turbo engine, which generates 621 HP and 590 lb-ft of torque, when running on either gasoline of E85 bio-fuel. You and three of your friends will be able to sprint from 0 to 62 mpg in 3.9 seconds, and reach 202 mph while feeling the wind in your hair in this new car.
Another feature from the regular Continental Supersports included in the convertible is the ZF six-speed automatic transmission, which feeds all four wheels on a 60:40 bias to the rear ones. Said wheels are use 20-inch, 10-spoke rims, shod in performance Pirelli tires.
Expect all of the usual luxuries on the inside, including leather or Alcantara, as well as carbon fiber bucket seats. Prices haven’t been announced, but until autumn when it will be launched on the market, you can enjoy it in Geneva.
Post tags: Tags: 2011 bentley continental supersports convertible, Bentley, bentley continental supersports, bentley continental supersports cabrio, bentley continental supersports convertible, bentley-continental, geneva-motor-show
The Bentley Continental GT is a pretty powerful luxury sportscar, but considering it houses a massive W12 engine under its hood but develops “just” 533 HP, the tuning company Onyx had a go at taking its output to proper supercar levels.
As such, it has revealed the Continental Platinum GTO, which includes not only the visual makeover you can see above and below, but also a wide array of performance modifications, that take the power ratings from the aforementioned 533 to around 640 HP.
No concrete details about the changes were given, but you can still enjoy that power with mods like a lowered ride height, 22-inch wheels coated with a matte black paint job, as well as a body kit with a new, LED daytime lights-enabled front bumper, side skirts, wider wheel arches, carbon fiber splitter, trunk lid spoiler and, par for the course, a rear diffuser.
For those who can’t wait to customize their Continental GT (honestly, who doesn’t?) the tuning package will be available starting next month.
Post tags: Tags: Bentley, bentley continental platinum gto, bentley-continental, bentley-continental-gt, onyx, Tuning
Let’s say you’re a rich Russian man. After years of being forced to blend in and drive some awkward cars, capitalism has brought forth a wide selection of luxury vehicles, like the Bentley Continental or the Maybach 62.
But when it snows, leave those cars in the garage and just use the spare change for an SUV or something, and prevent incidents like this recent one, where a Continental and a Maybach have traded paint due to slippery road conditions in Russia’s capital, Moscow.
No major damage was caused, but you can clearly easily say that the repairs on both vehicles will cost as much as a new reasonable car. Hit the jump to see a video of the Russian news filming the aftermath.
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Post tags: Tags: Bentley, bentley-continental, Car Crashes, Maybach, maybach-62, russia, Video
Who says you can’t have a whopping W12 engine under the hood and not save the planet at the same time? Certainly not the engineers at Bentley, which after modifying the huge engine of the fastest model from the UK carmaker, the Continental Supersports, to run on E85 biofuel, has been rated by the German Motor Transport Authority as 85% recyclable.
The rating is a tough one to get, and very few luxury or performance models have managed to attain it. As it was expected, Bentley hasn’t missed the occasion, and already released a statement highlighting the positive rating.
“Producing the fastest Bentley was a challenge in itself,” revealed Dr. Arno Homburg, Head of Whole vehicle Development at Bentley Motors. “However, we were equally determined not to sacrifice any environmental aspect in pursuit of this goal. The result is the paradox that the most extreme Bentley ever, is also the greenest.”
The Continental Supersports, as I’ve said, is powered by a massive W12 6.0-liter engine, which develops 630 HP and 800 Nm of torque, while running on petrol, E85 biofuel or any combination of the two liquids, which effectively reduces the CO2 emissions by a whopping 75%.
Post tags: Tags: Bentley, bentley continental supersports, bentley-continental, biofuel, Green
