Kelley Blue Book Hot Car Report Analysis – February 2, 2012:

This is an intriguing day and age in which consumers can influence the market with more than just their wallets. Case in point is the Scion iQ, which share increased 61.3 percent week-over-week, the most of any new vehicle on kbb.com. During the past week, the Internet has been inundated with videos, forum testimonials and images from owners of aftermarket body kits, featuring Scion’s latest subcompact… 

 

For the full report and commentary, visit http://mediaroom.kbb.com/hot-car-report/.
(Please note: Past Hot Car Reports are available by clicking the ‘Archives’ link)

 

- Arthur Henry, Market Intelligence Manager and Market Analyst, Analytic Insights Division, Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com

 

 

**January Sales News**

 

Chrysler, Hyundai set pace as SAAR hits 14.2M

http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120201/RETAIL01/120209995/chrysler-hyundai-set-pace-as-saar-hits-14-2m

 

GM sales fall, Ford’s rise and Chrysler’s sales zoom

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2012/02/detroit-3-chrysler-sales-zoom-gm-ford-rise-plod-drop/1

 

Volkswagen sales rocket, BMW rises, Rover zooms, Audi up

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2012/02/vw-european-sales-rocket-slow-edge-ease-down-up-/1

 

Auto sales at highest levels since recession

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-02/u-s-auto-sales-highest-since-recession-while-discounts-get-smaller-cars.html

 

January auto sales accelerate

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204740904577196673987452762.html?mod=WSJ_Autos_AutoIndustry3

 

Consumer demand, optimistic economic signals help Jan. auto sales

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120202/AUTO01/202020343/1148/AUTO01/Consumer-demand-optimistic-economic-signals-help-Jan-auto-sales

 

What fueled record January auto sales?

http://www.cnbc.com/id/46224991

 

January auto sales give ’12 early kick

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/166995/january-auto-sales-give-12-early-kick.html?edition=42922

 

Acura announces January sales increase; TL up 43 percent

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/acura-announces-january-sales-increase-tl-up-43-percent-138501639.html

 

Audi reports best U.S. January sales in its history; 13^th consecutive record-setting month

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/audi-reports-best-us-january-sales-in-its-history-13th-consecutive-record-setting-month-138495719.html

 

BMW Group U.S. January sales increase 5.8%

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bmw-group-us-january-sales-increase-58-138495019.html

 

Chrysler Group LLC reports January 2012 U.S. sales increased 44 percent; best January since 2008

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/chrysler-group-llc-reports-january-2012-us-sales-increased-44-percent-best-january-since-2008-138470784.html

 

Ford Motor Company U.S. sales increase 7 percent in January; Focus, Escape, Explorer drive growth

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ford-motor-company-us-sales-increase-7-percent-in-january-focus-escape-explorer-drive-growth-138477249.html

 

GM’s U.S. sales down 6 percent in January

http://media.gm.com/content/media/us/en/gm/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2012/Feb/gmsales

 

American Honda reports January sales increase; Civic up nearly 50 percent

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/american-honda-reports-january-sales-increase-civic-up-nearly-50-percent-138501509.html

 

Hyundai Motor America reports record January sales

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hyundai-motor-america-reports-record-january-sales-138496804.html

 

Infiniti reports January 2012 sales

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/infiniti-reports-january-2012-sales-138494309.html

 

Jaguar Land Rover reports U.S. sales for January 2012

http://www.interactivejaguar.com/jaguar/DisplayRelease.php?itemID=352

 

Kia Motors posts all-time best January sales with 27.8-percent increase

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kia-motors-posts-all-time-best-january-sales-with-278-percent-increase-138490019.html

 

Mazda opens 2012 with record sales

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mazda-opens-2012-with-record-sales-138499429.html

 

Mercedes-Benz reports highest January on record with sales of 21,726

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mercedes-benz-reports-highest-january-on-record-with-sales-of-21726-138495474.html

 

Mitsubishi Motors reports January sales

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mitsubishi-motors-reports-january-sales-138500594.html

 

Nissan North America sales up 10.4% in January

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nissan-north-america-sales-up-104-in-january-138490569.html

 

Porsche reports January sales

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/porsche-reports-january-sales-138491774.html

 

Subaru of America, Inc. reports record January sales

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/subaru-of-america-inc-reports-record-january-sales-138488319.html

 

American Suzuki January 2012 sales

http://media.suzuki.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/PressRelease%20(Jan%202012).pdf

 

Toyota Motor sales reports increase in January 2012 sales

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/toyota-motor-sales-reports-increase-in-january-2012-sales-138498034.html

 

Volkswagen reports 47.9 percent increase in January U.S. sales

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/volkswagen-reports-479-percent-increase-in-january-us-sales-138477834.html

 

 

**Top News**

 

Honda owner says she won small-claims court case over Civic’s gas mileage

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-02/honda-owner-says-she-won-small-claims-court-case-over-civic-s-gas-mileage.html

 

Honda loses Small Claims Court suit over Civic hybrid fuel economy

http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-autos-honda-lawsuit-20120202,0,845180.story

 

Volt sales cool fooling government probe

http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120201/RETAIL01/120209991/volt-sales-cool-following-government-probe

 

Volt January sales take a jolt, worst since August

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120202/AUTO01/202020354/1148/AUTO01/Volt-January-sales-take-jolt-worst-since-August

 

 

**OEM/Vehicle News**

 

Chrysler turns profit in 2011

http://www.autoremarketing.com/retail/chrysler-turns-profit-2011

 

Chrysler workers to get first profit-sharing checks since 2005

http://www.freep.com/article/20120202/BUSINESS0103/202020509/Chrysler-workers-get-first-profit-sharing-checks-since-2005?odyssey=tab

 

Chrysler rebounds fuels Fiat’s venture

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120202/OPINION03/202020344/1148/AUTO01/Chrysler-rebound-fuels-Fiat-s-venture

 

Mazda says it’s considering capital increase after losses mount

http://www.autonews.com/article/20120202/OEM01/120209958/1117

 

Mitsubishi Motors plans to start new China venture by September

http://www.autonews.com/article/20120202/GLOBAL03/302029779/mitsubishi-motors-plans-to-start-new-china-venture-by-september

 

BMW plants seeds of Silicon Valley in the West Village

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/01/bmw-plants-seeds-of-silicon-valley-in-the-west-village/

 

Honda, Kia fume as Obama saves auto show love for U.S. automakers

http://www.autonews.com/article/20120202/OEM/120209969/1277

 

Bob Lutz blats Rush Limbaugh, Bill O’Reilly over Volt

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2012/02/chevrolet-volt-fires-bob-lutz-gm-general-motors-rush-limbaugh-bill-oreilly/1

 

Domestics, transplants adding more auto jobs

http://www.thedetroitbureau.com/2012/02/domestics-transplants-adding-more-auto-jobs/

 

Chrysler reveals images of larger Fiat 500L

http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120202/OEM04/120209963/chrysler-reveals-images-of-larger-fiat-500l

 

Lamborghini SUV confirmed

http://www.autonews.com/article/20120201/OEM04/120209990/lamborghini-suv-confirmed

 

Compass finds its way in Jeep lineup

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120202/OPINION03/202020357/1148/AUTO01/Compass-finds-its-way-Jeep-lineup

 

Small and cheap, yet this Volkswagen won’t come to the U.S.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2012/02/small-and-cheap-yet-this-volkswagen-wont-come-to-us/1

 

Honda recalls Ridgelines for wrong space tire

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2012/02/honda-recalls-ridgelines-for-wrong-spare-tire-/1

 

 

**Ad/Media/Marketing News**

 

Kia unveils its kick-ass, rock ‘n’ roll Super Bowl fantasy

http://adage.com/article/special-report-super-bowl/kia-unveils-kick-ass-rock-n-roll-super-bowl-fantasy/232486/

 

Surprise: Honda’s ‘Ferris Bueller’ ad is most-watched on the Web

http://adage.com/article/the-viral-video-chart/surprise-honda-s-ferris-bueller-ad-watched-web/232489/

 

Suzuki’s 2012 Super Bowl ad is ‘Movin’ on up’ with new song from rapper 50 Cent

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/suzukis-2012-super-bowl-ad-is-movin-on-up-with-new-song-from-rapper-50-cent-138555274.html

 

GM opts out of Q2 upfront buys

http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/gm-opts-out-q2-upfront-buys-137931

 

Toyota promotes Camry Effect via interactive mobile campaign

http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/news/content/12021.html

 

Scion gets new website

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/166994/scion-gets-new-web-site.html?edition=42922

 

Facebook files $5 billion IPO

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/166993/facebook-files-5-billion-ipo.html?edition=42923

 

How apps drive Super Bowl engagement opportunities

http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/opinion/columns/12019.html

 

What your email subscribers really want

http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/30908.asp

 

Millennials look to digital word-of-mouth to drive purchase process

http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1008810&ecid=a6506033675d47f881651943c21c5ed4

 

 

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