3 American-Made Cars Having an Explosive 2013

Ford Fusion

Sales up 13.4% this year through July

Ford Fusion. Photo Credit: Ford Motor Company

Fusion Sales Fuel Market Share Growth• The Fusion is on pace to break

300,000 sales for the year. Only one other Ford vehicle has accomplished that feat in nearly a decade – the F-Series.

• The Fusion has been key to growing Ford’s market share in one of the hottest market segments. The Fusion’s growth has forced sales of the Camry to decline compared with last year – one of only two of the top 20 vehicles to lose sales.

"My design brief to the team was to do an absolute drop-dead gorgeous head-turner. And it was to look $10,000-$15,000 more expensive than it is." – J Mays, Ford's head of global design and chief creative officer, regarding the Fusion, according to the Detroit Free Press

Graph by author. Information credit: Automotive News DataCenter

• Automakers generally want 50 to 60 days of inventory to maximize sales – soaring sales caused a shortage of supply in high-volume markets.

• In some markets, the Fusion remained at dealerships for only 10 days.

• Ford is adding a second shift to its Flat Rock plant to increase production of the Fusion.

Can’t Make Enough of ’Em!

“Once our additional manufacturing capacity on Fusion comes on line, the battle for sales leadership in the midsize segment will tighten considerably.” – Erich Merkle, Ford U.S. sales analyst, in a Ford press release

Graph by author. Information credit: Automotive News DataCenter

Tesla Model S

Tesla expects Model S sales to nearly double next yearPhoto Credit: Tesla Motors

• Tesla’s Model S gets more driving range than two competitors combined

• Halfway through the year, Tesla has captured 8.4% of the luxury segment

• Tesla says its top-spec Model S will go from 0 to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds

Luxury Car, Sports Car, or Both?

Graph by author. Information credit: Consumer Reports

• Tesla’s Model S was unanimously voted as Motor Trend’s “2013 Car of the Year”

• Consumer Reports referred to the car as “off the charts” and gave the flashy ride a 99 out of 100 in the magazine’s test

• Tesla’s Model S scored the highest overall vehicle safety score, earning a record 5.4 stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Major Accolades

• Tesla’s Model S has turned the automotive industry upside-down by revolutionizing the electric-vehicle market.

• In response to the success of the Model S and the company’s future plans, Tesla’s stock has been arguably the hottest investment on Wall Street.

Tesla Model S

Chevrolet Impala

Sales up 38% for JulyPhoto Credit: General Motors

• Consumer Reports magazine recently named the 2014 Chevrolet Impala its top-ranking sedan – the first time an American vehicle has held that spot in 20 years

• The Impala also received the highest possible five-star overall vehicle score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s new-car assessment program

American Renaissance

"The Impala's performance is one more indicator of an emerging domestic renaissance." – Jake Fisher, director of Consumer Reports automotive testing, according to the Detroit News

• Gone are the days of huge gas-guzzling SUVs. Cross-town rival Ford has proved it can design popular small cars, but GM hasn’t been able to – until now.

• To compete against Ford and Japanese rivals, the Impala needed to be upgraded.

Upgrades for the New Impala, from a General Motors press release:• Adding nearly two inches of driver legroom by

increasing the range of fore/aft adjustment for the front seats.

• A telescoping steering wheel that allows drivers of varying sizes to reach it comfortably.

• Redesigning the center console with a low instrument panel to increase knee spread, which adds comfort on long drives and enhances the sense of roominess while keeping controls within easy reach.

• Expanding rear-seat legroom more than 2 inches, enabled by the 1.2-inch increased wheelbase and thinner-profile front seats.

• Nearly 19 cubic feet of trunk space – ample room for four golf bags and more space than in many full-size sedans.

Much-Needed Improvement

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