The full-sized pickup's reign as General Motors' top-selling vehicle likely is in jeopardy. The same might be true of the F-series as Ford's top seller. To meet proposed higher fuel economy and lower emissions standards, automakers will eventually need to develop a leaner range of pickup trucks.
OPENLANE's Market Index Report shows the overall market gained Nov/Dec 2010 by 4 percentage points while gaining 2%annualized from Nov 2009. Dealer interest increased Nov/Dec 2010 but showed a decline from Nov 2009.
Used-car retailer CarMax has flirted with regional buys in past Super Bowl broadcasts. Come February, the Richmond, VA-based marketer will make its first national splash in the big game with two 30-second spots, one in the second quarter and one in the third. The buy was handled by CarMax's in-house media team, while the creative will come from its new agency, Amalgamated, New York.
While passage of the tax package with benefits to ethanol and biodiesel was upsetting for some, the federal government has been supportive of the biofuel industry. As another example, the Agriculture Dept. has granted a $75 million loan guarantee to two large firms that will jointly develop a plant in Florida to convert waste materials into ethanol.