Chevrolet’s October sales surged 15 percent in October, but that rise was no thanks to the Volt plug-in, which saw its sales tank by 32 percent during the month.

Chevy sold 2,022 Volts during the month, down from 2,961 in October 2012. Through the first 10 months of the year Volt sales have dipped 2.7 percent to 18,782.

Don Johnson, U.S. vice president of Chevrolet sales and service, said that General Motors is “very pleased” with Volt sales despite the dramatic drop off. Johnson also noted that October 2012 was the Volt’s second best-ever month on record, making the comparison a difficult one.

Some analysts are blaming the Volt’s sagging sales on lower gas prices at the emergence of the 40mpg gas-powered car.

“We are seeing sluggish sales of some plug-in hybrids such as the Ford C-Max — down 21 percent — and Chevy Volt — down 32 percent,” Edmunds.com senior analyst Michelle Krebs told The Detroit News. “The most likely culprit responsible for the decline is gas prices and enticing traditional gas-powered vehicles that achieve 40 mpg plus. With fuel prices expected to fall further, the auto industry will be watching carefully to see if the pattern continues.”

However, not all plug-in vehicles are suffering as the result of those factors. Sales of Nissan’s Leaf electric shot up 27 percent to 2,002 deliveries in October. For the year, Leaf sales are up 167 percent to 18,078 units.

Toyota’s Prius Plug-In is also seeing improved sales. 2,095 Prius Plug-Ins found new homes last month, up 7 percent over the same period last year. Prius Plug-In sales have now inched up 4.6 percent to 10,069 units this year.

 

Chevrolet’s October sales surged 15 percent in October, but that rise was no thanks to the Volt plug-in, which saw its sales tank by 32 percent during the month.

Chevy sold 2,022 Volts during the month, down from 2,961 in October 2012. Through the first 10 months of the year Volt sales have dipped 2.7 percent to 18,782.

Don Johnson, U.S. vice president of Chevrolet sales and service, said that General Motors is “very pleased” with Volt sales despite the dramatic drop off. Johnson also noted that October 2012 was the Volt’s second best-ever month on record, making the comparison a difficult one.

Some analysts are blaming the Volt’s sagging sales on lower gas prices at the emergence of the 40mpg gas-powered car.

“We are seeing sluggish sales of some plug-in hybrids such as the Ford C-Max — down 21 percent — and Chevy Volt — down 32 percent,” Edmunds.com senior analyst Michelle Krebs told The Detroit News. “The most likely culprit responsible for the decline is gas prices and enticing traditional gas-powered vehicles that achieve 40 mpg plus. With fuel prices expected to fall further, the auto industry will be watching carefully to see if the pattern continues.”

However, not all plug-in vehicles are suffering as the result of those factors. Sales of Nissan’s Leaf electric shot up 27 percent to 2,002 deliveries in October. For the year, Leaf sales are up 167 percent to 18,078 units.

Toyota’s Prius Plug-In is also seeing improved sales. 2,095 Prius Plug-Ins found new homes last month, up 7 percent over the same period last year. Prius Plug-In sales have now inched up 4.6 percent to 10,069 units this year.

 

Ford has announced the recall of 3,100 F-Series-based ambulances due to a faulty exhaust sensor that could cause the vehicles’ engines to shut off unexpectedly.

Ford announced on Friday that it is recalling F-350, F-450 and F-550 “Super Duty” ambulances from the 2011 and 2012 model years to fix the defect. The recall only covers trucks equipped with Ford’s 6.7L diesel engine.

According to the Detroit Free Press, a sensor in the F-Series’ tailpipe that monitors the exhaust temperature can malfunction, causing the engine to shut off. When the glitch occurs, the vehicle can’t be restarted for an hour.

Ford has not received any reports of the defect affecting patient care.

Most of the recalled trucks are in the United States, with some in Canada and other countries.

Ford dealers will remedy the problem by installing new sensors.

Interestingly, Ford says that non-ambulance versions of the F-Series could also experience the fault, but the Dearborn-based automaker has not issued a recall for those vehicles.

 

Ford has announced the recall of 3,100 F-Series-based ambulances due to a faulty exhaust sensor that could cause the vehicles’ engines to shut off unexpectedly.

Ford announced on Friday that it is recalling F-350, F-450 and F-550 “Super Duty” ambulances from the 2011 and 2012 model years to fix the defect. The recall only covers trucks equipped with Ford’s 6.7L diesel engine.

According to the Detroit Free Press, a sensor in the F-Series’ tailpipe that monitors the exhaust temperature can malfunction, causing the engine to shut off. When the glitch occurs, the vehicle can’t be restarted for an hour.

Ford has not received any reports of the defect affecting patient care.

Most of the recalled trucks are in the United States, with some in Canada and other countries.

Ford dealers will remedy the problem by installing new sensors.

Interestingly, Ford says that non-ambulance versions of the F-Series could also experience the fault, but the Dearborn-based automaker has not issued a recall for those vehicles.

 

General Motors is hoping to move forward the new car shopping process by encouraging customers to buy vehicles online.

Although automakers have be dabbling in online sales for years, GM is looking to finally move the practice into the mainstream with its Shop-Click-Drive program, which allows customers to buy new cars without ever stepping foot in a dealership.

“We want people to start buying cars over the Internet,” CEO Dan Akerson told the Detroit Free Press.

Akerson quickly added that he doesn’t want to completely cut dealers from the equation, but sees online shopping as the wave of the future.

So far about 1,000 customers have purchased new vehicles through GM’s Shop-Click-Drive program – which is being used by 100 dealers in eight states – but less than 10 have signed the dotted line without visiting the dealer in person first.

David Westcott, chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association, notes that most buyers “want to shop on the Internet and then come into the dealership to take a test-drive and finalize the overall transaction.”

Although some buyers are opting to skip the dealership experience altogether, the lead generation created by Shop-Click-Drive is proving lucrative for most dealers.

“The dealers like it because they’re getting very high-quality leads and they’re closing these leads at a much higher rate than other third-party leads that they get from other sources,” GM spokeswoman Ryndee Carney said.

Akerson made it clear that GM isn’t trying to replicate Tesla’s sales model, which does not include a dealer network.

Akerson also views the online initiative as a way to lure so-called Millennial shoppers that already spend a lot of their time on the Net.

GM is hoping to rollout Shop-Click-Drive nationwide by the end of the year.

 

General Motors is hoping to move forward the new car shopping process by encouraging customers to buy vehicles online.

Although automakers have be dabbling in online sales for years, GM is looking to finally move the practice into the mainstream with its Shop-Click-Drive program, which allows customers to buy new cars without ever stepping foot in a dealership.

“We want people to start buying cars over the Internet,” CEO Dan Akerson told the Detroit Free Press.

Akerson quickly added that he doesn’t want to completely cut dealers from the equation, but sees online shopping as the wave of the future.

So far about 1,000 customers have purchased new vehicles through GM’s Shop-Click-Drive program – which is being used by 100 dealers in eight states – but less than 10 have signed the dotted line without visiting the dealer in person first.

David Westcott, chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association, notes that most buyers “want to shop on the Internet and then come into the dealership to take a test-drive and finalize the overall transaction.”

Although some buyers are opting to skip the dealership experience altogether, the lead generation created by Shop-Click-Drive is proving lucrative for most dealers.

“The dealers like it because they’re getting very high-quality leads and they’re closing these leads at a much higher rate than other third-party leads that they get from other sources,” GM spokeswoman Ryndee Carney said.

Akerson made it clear that GM isn’t trying to replicate Tesla’s sales model, which does not include a dealer network.

Akerson also views the online initiative as a way to lure so-called Millennial shoppers that already spend a lot of their time on the Net.

GM is hoping to rollout Shop-Click-Drive nationwide by the end of the year.

 

Buick and performance have only been synonymous a handful of times over the brand’s 110-year history, but General Motors’ entry-luxury brand is at it again.

Reshuffling its Regal lineup for 2014, Buick has created a Regal GS that actually loses some power but is, GM says, just as fast. Moreover, it’s also more fuel efficient than before. That’s an odd recipe for success, but Buick counters that with newly-available all-wheel-drive that should negate some of our complaints about the torque steer-happy outgoing Buick.

Oddly, the Regal GS remains available with a stick shift in addition to its optional six-speed automatic gearbox, but the three-pedal, row-it-yourself unit isn’t available with AWD.�

Join our Ron Doron as he takes you on an in-depth ride and drive inside Buick’s new midsize performance sedan. And then don’t forget to check out our full First Drive of the new Regal lineup. 

Buick and performance have only been synonymous a handful of times over the brand’s 110-year history, but General Motors’ entry-luxury brand is at it again.

Reshuffling its Regal lineup for 2014, Buick has created a Regal GS that actually loses some power but is, GM says, just as fast. Moreover, it’s also more fuel efficient than before. That’s an odd recipe for success, but Buick counters that with newly-available all-wheel-drive that should negate some of our complaints about the torque steer-happy outgoing Buick.

Oddly, the Regal GS remains available with a stick shift in addition to its optional six-speed automatic gearbox, but the three-pedal, row-it-yourself unit isn’t available with AWD.�

Join our Ron Doron as he takes you on an in-depth ride and drive inside Buick’s new midsize performance sedan. And then don’t forget to check out our full First Drive of the new Regal lineup.