I just read a great article this week about Alan Mulally, Ford CEO and Automobile magazine's Man of the Year. What caught my eye was the title, "The man at the helm of America's last remaining independent car company". What a statement, and a true one as well. Think about it, both GM and Chrysler accepted TARP money, but Ford did not.
The article talked about how Mullaly made himself famous with the media when he responded "I think I'm OK where I am when congress asked the big three CEOs if they were willing to work for a dollar a year. What many people don't realize is that Mulally did take a 30% pay cut, and said he would work for $1 per year if Ford did take money from the government.
Just tells you a little about Ford's mentality, and how they're moving forward and will be a force to be reckoned with. Removing the Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin brands was smart. Now Ford is focusing on Ford where is should be and it's exciting to be working for Ford right now.
You can read the article yourself. CLICK HERE
Friday, December 4, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
2010 Fusion...Going Strong
I just read an article that was talking about the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid, and how it's about time that Detroit produced a vehicle that can rival the import manufacturers. It talks about how well the Ford Fusion Hybrid is built, and that fact that Ford is on the right track for the future. Getting 41 MPG in the city is absolutely awesome. We have one sitting in our showroom, and will probably be gone soon. It's been really hard for us to keep the Hybrids in stock, but we try to get as many as possible to keep up with demand.
CLICK HERE to read the article.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
HOW HYUNDAI GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND
Just saw this video on Youtube. It will shock you at first, and then will definitely surprise you.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Friday, October 9, 2009
Hyundai is making strides. Even the competitors know. Read below.
Japanese automakers see Hyundai as global threat
By YURI KAGEYAMA
The Associated Press October 2, 2009, 6:39AM ET
TOKYO
Hyundai Motor Co. -- not the up-and-coming Chinese, nor the leaner meaner Americans -- is the automaker that has the Japanese seriously worried.
Talk to any Japanese auto executive, and the official is likely to say the South Korean automaker is rapidly emerging as the most feared competitor to Japan's world-leading car companies.
"Hyundai is awesome," said Honda Motor Co. Chief Executive Takanobu Ito in an interview with The Associated Press this week. "They are undoubtedly a threat because their products are cheap, and the quality is improving."
Nissan Motor Co. Senior Vice President Shiro Nakamura agreed. He compared the rise of Hyundai to Samsung Electronics Co. of South Korea, which has grown to rival Japan's Sony Corp., and said its cars were riding on their reputation for quality and affordability.
It may take another decade for China's automakers to start seriously competing with Nissan, but Hyundai was there already, he said.
"Hyundai is the biggest threat for the Japanese automakers," Nakamura told The AP. "They have the technology, but they seem to have cheaper labor."
To compete, Japanese manufacturers need to start relying more on their creative "sensibilities" to add value to a product almost like an European designer bag, Nakamura said.
Buyers must want to pay more in the same way Japanese gourmet delicacies called "kaiseki" can command higher prices than some Korean dishes, he said.
"We have to offer the equivalents of sushi, tempura and kaiseki to compete against Korean barbecue," Nakamura said.
Hyundai, which boasts Kia Motors Corp. as an affiliate, recently grabbed 5 percent global market share for the first time, despite a declining global market.
These days, Hyundai and Kia form the world's fifth-largest automative group and have seen sales surge in the U.S. and Europe, with only Toyota Motor Corp., the world's biggest automaker, outselling it among the Japanese.
In the U.S., Hyundai was the only one among the major automakers, including the Japanese, to record better sales last month, up 27 percent from September 2008.
The Japanese automakers have been battered by last year's financial crisis, although they are counting on expansion in emerging markets to offset declining sales in established markets such as the U.S., Europe and Japan.
Nissan, Japan's No. 3 automaker, based in Yokohama, lost 16.5 billion yen ($185 million) for the quarter ended June 30. Hyundai, by contrast, earned 811.85 billion won ($691 million) in the April-June period -- a quarterly record for the company.
Christopher Richter, auto analyst at Calyon Capital Markets Asia in Tokyo, said that Hyundai was growing not only in the U.S. market, where it was taking advantage of a weakened GM to grab sales, but has been strong for years in emerging nations, such as China and India.
Although both the Korean won and Japanese yen have been strengthening, eroding the value of overseas earnings for both exporting nations, the yen's jump has been bigger, further putting the Japanese at a disadvantage, Richter said.
He said the smaller Japanese makers, like Nissan and Mazda Motor Corp., were especially at risk because their products didn't rank as high in quality surveys as Toyota and Honda, and compete more directly with Hyundai offerings.
"They are not an act you want to dismiss lightly," he said. "They are increasingly going to create a bigger challenge to the Japanese."
Hyundai spokesman Oles Gadacz said the company had no comment.
Tokyo-based Honda, with its longtime strength in smaller models reputed for mileage such as the Fit subcompact, has emerged from the global recession in better shape than other Japanese automakers.
But the nation's No. 2 automaker barely eked out a 7.5 billion yen ($84 million) profit in April-June.
Honda's Ito acknowledged as possible threats the U.S. automakers, including General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co., which have been reshaping their businesses and preparing smaller fuel-efficient models that are likely to better compete against Honda models.
But he appeared to be merely being polite in talking about the Americans and turned adamant when the topic became Hyundai.
"Its growth is fantastic," said Ito.
Japanese automakers see Hyundai as global threat
By YURI KAGEYAMA
The Associated Press October 2, 2009, 6:39AM ET
TOKYO
Hyundai Motor Co. -- not the up-and-coming Chinese, nor the leaner meaner Americans -- is the automaker that has the Japanese seriously worried.
Talk to any Japanese auto executive, and the official is likely to say the South Korean automaker is rapidly emerging as the most feared competitor to Japan's world-leading car companies.
"Hyundai is awesome," said Honda Motor Co. Chief Executive Takanobu Ito in an interview with The Associated Press this week. "They are undoubtedly a threat because their products are cheap, and the quality is improving."
Nissan Motor Co. Senior Vice President Shiro Nakamura agreed. He compared the rise of Hyundai to Samsung Electronics Co. of South Korea, which has grown to rival Japan's Sony Corp., and said its cars were riding on their reputation for quality and affordability.
It may take another decade for China's automakers to start seriously competing with Nissan, but Hyundai was there already, he said.
"Hyundai is the biggest threat for the Japanese automakers," Nakamura told The AP. "They have the technology, but they seem to have cheaper labor."
To compete, Japanese manufacturers need to start relying more on their creative "sensibilities" to add value to a product almost like an European designer bag, Nakamura said.
Buyers must want to pay more in the same way Japanese gourmet delicacies called "kaiseki" can command higher prices than some Korean dishes, he said.
"We have to offer the equivalents of sushi, tempura and kaiseki to compete against Korean barbecue," Nakamura said.
Hyundai, which boasts Kia Motors Corp. as an affiliate, recently grabbed 5 percent global market share for the first time, despite a declining global market.
These days, Hyundai and Kia form the world's fifth-largest automative group and have seen sales surge in the U.S. and Europe, with only Toyota Motor Corp., the world's biggest automaker, outselling it among the Japanese.
In the U.S., Hyundai was the only one among the major automakers, including the Japanese, to record better sales last month, up 27 percent from September 2008.
The Japanese automakers have been battered by last year's financial crisis, although they are counting on expansion in emerging markets to offset declining sales in established markets such as the U.S., Europe and Japan.
Nissan, Japan's No. 3 automaker, based in Yokohama, lost 16.5 billion yen ($185 million) for the quarter ended June 30. Hyundai, by contrast, earned 811.85 billion won ($691 million) in the April-June period -- a quarterly record for the company.
Christopher Richter, auto analyst at Calyon Capital Markets Asia in Tokyo, said that Hyundai was growing not only in the U.S. market, where it was taking advantage of a weakened GM to grab sales, but has been strong for years in emerging nations, such as China and India.
Although both the Korean won and Japanese yen have been strengthening, eroding the value of overseas earnings for both exporting nations, the yen's jump has been bigger, further putting the Japanese at a disadvantage, Richter said.
He said the smaller Japanese makers, like Nissan and Mazda Motor Corp., were especially at risk because their products didn't rank as high in quality surveys as Toyota and Honda, and compete more directly with Hyundai offerings.
"They are not an act you want to dismiss lightly," he said. "They are increasingly going to create a bigger challenge to the Japanese."
Hyundai spokesman Oles Gadacz said the company had no comment.
Tokyo-based Honda, with its longtime strength in smaller models reputed for mileage such as the Fit subcompact, has emerged from the global recession in better shape than other Japanese automakers.
But the nation's No. 2 automaker barely eked out a 7.5 billion yen ($84 million) profit in April-June.
Honda's Ito acknowledged as possible threats the U.S. automakers, including General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co., which have been reshaping their businesses and preparing smaller fuel-efficient models that are likely to better compete against Honda models.
But he appeared to be merely being polite in talking about the Americans and turned adamant when the topic became Hyundai.
"Its growth is fantastic," said Ito.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Boy oh Boy, it's been some time since our last post. Well, don't worry, we're still here and going strong. The Cash for Clunkers program was a great little boost in the automotive industry which helped a lot of buyers get into the new vehicle they were looking for.
Cash for Clunkers in now over, and we initially saw a drop in our showroom traffic, which was expected. However, what has happened recently was a slight gain from early this month. What does this tell us here at Courtesy Ford and Hyudnai is that there are a lot of people still looking for vehicles. This is a great sign for our economy. Maybe the recession is over. Only time will tell us for sure, but in any cast, we're excited here at Courtesy Ford and Hyundai.
Courtesy Ford and Hyundai like to pride ourselves at having the lowest prices, and helping customer get into the right vehicle for them. Our Courtesy Advantage Program has helped people get some phenomenal savings. There is plenty to be excited about here, and one promiss we be sure to keep, is to keep you up to date on what's going on here.
Please don't forget to visit us at www.drivecourtesy.com to take a look at our internet specials, or any other great offers we have.
Cash for Clunkers in now over, and we initially saw a drop in our showroom traffic, which was expected. However, what has happened recently was a slight gain from early this month. What does this tell us here at Courtesy Ford and Hyudnai is that there are a lot of people still looking for vehicles. This is a great sign for our economy. Maybe the recession is over. Only time will tell us for sure, but in any cast, we're excited here at Courtesy Ford and Hyundai.
Courtesy Ford and Hyundai like to pride ourselves at having the lowest prices, and helping customer get into the right vehicle for them. Our Courtesy Advantage Program has helped people get some phenomenal savings. There is plenty to be excited about here, and one promiss we be sure to keep, is to keep you up to date on what's going on here.
Please don't forget to visit us at www.drivecourtesy.com to take a look at our internet specials, or any other great offers we have.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Cash for Clunkers
Congress has passed legislation that would give car buyers a $3,500 or $4,500 voucher for trading in an old, inefficient vehicle for a new, more-efficient one between July 1 and November 1, 2009!
Current StatusFriday, June 19, 2009, 1:30 p.m.
The "Cash for Clunkers" legislation has passed the House and Senate and is waiting to be signed into law by the President.
Does My Clunker Qualify?
To qualify, your trade-in vehicle must:
Be in driveable condition
Have been continuously insured consistent with State laws and registered to you for at least one year immediately prior to trade-in
Be manufactured less than 25 years before the date of the trade-in
Have a combined MPG of 18 or less (this does not apply to category 3 trucks---defined below)
MPG requirements for 1985 model year vehicles and newer are based on the Combined "New EPA MPG"
How Much Cash Can I Get?
The incentive amount depends upon the kind of vehicle you want to purchase, its MPG relative to your trade-in vehicle, and in some cases, the kind of vehicle you are trading in.
In addition to the above requirements, the purchased vehicle must:
Be new (i.e., legal title has not been transferred to anyone)
Have a manufacturer's suggested retail price is $45,000 or less
Information from www.fueleconomy.gov
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