Fuel Efficient American Vehicles Generates Interest |
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Anthony Fontanelle
June 8, 2007
The auto industry is changing as the demand for fuel efficient vehicles increases. The Big Three known for producing large vehicles are now in the process of developing and producing fuel efficient vehicles. General Motors, Ford and Chrysler have been facing their toughest battle yet with Asian car manufacturers who come to the United States auto market with fuel efficient vehicles. In order to stem the tide, the Big Three began developing smaller vehicles.
General Motors came up with the Saturn Aura while Ford sent out the Edge. Chrysler, on the other hand, entered with the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. These three models are currently catching the attention of car buyers. The popularity of these three auto modes may lead some to think that the vehicles are the best selling auto models of their respective manufacturers.
In reality, these vehicles are just becoming popular among car buyers and the larger vehicles produced by General Motors, Ford and Chrysler are still their best selling models. These fuel efficient vehicles show the way for the future of auto production for the Big Three. The American car manufacturers have been criticized for not coming up with such vehicles as the price of gasoline continue to increase. The arrival of the Aura, Edge, and Wrangler Unlimited though shows that even Detroit is jumping on the bandwagon of carmakers manufacturing fuel misers.
The popularity of these vehicles creates a “halo” effect. This means that the fuel efficient vehicles generate interest among car buyers. Interested individuals will then go to a dealership to inquire about the particular gas miser. Dealerships also display other auto models which car buyers would never consider if they have not seen it personally. This means that car manufacturers not only benefit from the sale of these fuel efficient vehicles but the sale also creates a way for them to introduce other auto models to car buyers.
“They are standard bearers for those brands and represent what those brands are about,” says Jack Nerad, the executive market analyst at Kelley Blue Brook as to the significance of these fuel efficient American cars. “They're game-changers for brands trying to redefine themselves,” he added.
The disparity between sales of these fuel efficient vehicles compared to large vehicles is still great though. According to data provided by General Motors, they have sold 4,323 units of the Saturn Aura in April this year, complete with its standard features and is made easily available with Saturn roof racks. While the number of Auras sold for a single month is respectable, it pales in comparison to the number of Chevrolet Silverados which is reported to be at 49,436 units just for the month of April.
For Dearborn, Michigan-based Ford Motor Company, the best selling auto model is the Ford F-Series. In April of this year, Ford sold 56,692 F-Series trucks. That eclipsed the total number of the Ford Edge sold for the same month which according to Ford is 9,134 units. The same can be said between the Wrangler and Chrysler Group’s best selling Dodge Ram. For the month of April, 10,776 units of the Jeep Wrangler were sold but the 31,503 units of Dodge Rams sold for the same month shadows that sales feat.
Source: Amazines.com