Market Snapshot

In the wake of other successful B-segment icons, such as the Scion xB, Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris, Nissan has signaled its plans of transplanting another diminutive Japanese vehicle to the U.S. market—the Cube.
   

U.S. consumers still love big vehicles, and even though gasoline prices are averaging $3.20 a gallon across the nation, they will probably continue to buy big vehicles, according to a recent article in The Detroit News. However, the article states that the overall U.S. market could drop slightly as some consumers wait until gas prices drop before making a new-vehicle purchase.

The following is a short excerpt from the "2007 Trends and Forecasts Quarterly Update-Q1."

Outsourcing is the process of having certain services that could be, or have been, provided internally performed on a continuing basis by companies or individuals outside your organization. It's long been common in manufacturing for companies to depend on external suppliers to provide them with components made to their specifications. Most business decisions favoring outsourcing are made for economic reasons, according to a recent article from the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB).

Frank Homann, Siemens VDO vice president of cockpit modules, "declared the in-vehicle CD player a dead man walking, doomed by a rising tide of portable digital music players, high-tech cell phones and packaging issues" during the SAE International World Congress. According to Ward's Auto, Homann stated that Siemens is working on systems for 2012, which include CD players, but that by 2015 they won't be around.
   

SEMA staff hosted a Focus Panel at the Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey, in May to learn about consumer behavior. With the NHRA Springnationals and the D1GP both holding events during the same weekend, the venue attracted enthusiasts from the drag racing and drifting crowds and provided an opportunity for consumers and industry professionals to discuss important topics circulating through our industry. From opinions on product development to consumer-manufacturer communication, the event was a valuable learning tool for people on both sides of the isle.

With U.S. regulators looking to revise fuel-economy standards amid concerns for energy security and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the combined annual diesel and hybrid gasoline vehicle sales in the United States will be $2.7 million by 2012, according to a recent press release by Ricardo, a strategic consulting firm for the automotive industry.

BMW has recently announced that it will begin production of the long-awaited 3-Series CUV, according to a recent AutoWeek.com article.  It is expected to be labeled as the F3 when it hits dealerships sometime in 2010, BMW says, and will likely target Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 buyers. 

What does is take to be successful in business? According to Larry Mersereau-small business consultant, speaker and author in the field of marketing and promotion-a look at successful people tells you that the ability to spot opportunity in these rapidly changing times is one major key. And it's not enough to just see opportunity, he says. It's not even enough to see it and act on it. It's at least equally important to be able to assess whether the opportunity you're looking at is right for you...before you act on it.

Consumers turn to the Internet to research the cars and trucks they plan to buy. Roughly one in five (21%) new-car buyers say that the Internet influences their vehicle-buying decision, according to SEMA data. Cars.com, an automotive research website for new vehicle buyers, recently advised consumers of its top vehicle picks based on overall cost of the vehicle: fuel economy combined with sticker price.