Auto Dealer Monthly Magazine is the daily operations publication serving the retail automotive industry. This automotive publication serves dealer principals, officers and general managers with the latest best practices.
Issue link: http://autodealermonthly.epubxp.com/i/84037
OCTOBER Asian automakers, especially Honda and Toyota, are dealt an- other production setback by Mother Nature with massive flooding in Thailand. KAR Auction Services (formerly KAR Holdings Inc.) acquires on- line automotive remarketing company OPENLANE. NOVEMBER Chevrolet turns 100 years old. The brand was born Nov. 3, 1911, in Detroit. 2012 JANUARY GM reclaims the title of world's largest automaker from Toyota, selling about 9.03 million vehicles in 2011. Volkswagen posts a record 8.16 million sales worldwide for 2011, enabling the automaker to edge out Toyota for second place globally. GM, Chrysler and Ford all report profits for first time since 2004. For the first time since 1988, all of the Detroit Three automakers gain market share in the U.S. FEBRUARY GM announces its largest profits ever, $7.6 billion. Automotive consultant firm Urban Science reports the num- ber of dealerships in the U.S. rose in 2011 for the first time in 11 years, up 0.6 percent to 17,767. Dominion Dealer Solutions launches a dealer-branded mobile app for consumers. MAY In the days before Facebook is scheduled to make its initial public of- fering on the stock market, GM announces it plans to stop advertising on the social networking site. pre-recession levels. JUNE As of the end of the month, Toyota surpasses the 200-million mark on vehicles manufactured globally after 77 years in business. Equifax Inc. announces that its "May National Consumer Credit Trends Report" reflects new auto finance company loans originated between January and March 2012 totaled $52.5 billion, 49 percent higher than the recession low in March 2009 ($26.9 billion). The company also announced new auto bank loan amounts originated in that same time frame totaled $47.5 billion, a seven-year high. The report also notes that auto delinquency rates in May 2012 were at a five-year low, reaching JULY Volkswagen agrees to buy the 50.1 percent stake in Porsche it does not already own, ending a seven-year takeover tug-of-war be- tween the companies. Toyota, having recovered from production issues prompted by last year's natural disasters in Japan and Thailand, sees global sales for the first half of the year rise 34 percent to 4.97 million, moving ahead of GM's 4.67 mil- lion and Volkswagen's 4.45 million. Honda appears to have recovered from last year's natural disasters as well, with production catching up with demand and market levels in the U.S. returning to pre-quake levels. F&I; performance company United Development Systems Inc. (UDS) celebrates its 30th anniversary. AUGUST Mazda builds its last vehicle in the U.S., ending 25 years of Mazda production at the Au- toAlliance International assem- bly line in Flat Rock, Mich. The plant was a joint venture with long-time partner Ford, which will retain control of the facility. Ally Financial's SmartAuction sells its four-millionth vehicle, meaning SmartAuction has sold approximately 1,200 vehicles every selling day for the last 12 years. SEPTEMBER Auto Dealer Monthly launches the first CRM Convention in the auto industry. 27