With 2009 Almost Half Over, Which Companies Are Poised Best To Finish The Year The Strongest?

Lexus, LOL!

— 0to60 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/25/2009 2:45:53 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Hyundai/KIA, Subaru, Audi/VW, and Lincoln/Ford.

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 5/25/2009 4:59:03 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Hyundai/Kia, little doubt about it.

2009 1st Quarter results are excellent when compared to their competition. Hyundai marketshare increased from 4.0 to 4.7, they profits fell 43% only. The industry best profit decline is Audi's 30%, Volkswagen suffered 70% decrease.

Hyundai/Kia have a lot of what you need now. They:
- offer lots of low priced models
- are based and operate strongly in Asia which basically owns all the western indebted world and where the XXI century will actually happen
- have just got styling of most of their cars right
- push strongy with hybridization and solid standard technology (turbocharged engines, advanced automatics)

Just look at their affordable compact car:
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/front_website/gallery.php?id=290295

— MrBratwurst (View Profile)

Posted on 5/25/2009 9:14:39 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

Hyundai but if they keep trying to go upscale that may mess with their bottom line.Vw tried this to and with Goverment passing laws by the minute just keep it simple build good little cars and make a profit.

— vwrules (View Profile)

Posted on 5/25/2009 10:13:05 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

Ok I'll give in to this self-serving post. Of course, seeing how Hyundai is doing, it's definitely got most of its duck lined up. Ford is doing very well, better than most expected (except Ford) and don't count out Subaru and Suzuki.

— inspirion7 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/25/2009 12:48:14 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Your list is up to the mark Hyundai smoke but do not forget Suzuki low down and Jaguar making a nice comeback with the XF on the upper end of the market.

— Lamborghini_vs_Ferrari_Racer (View Profile)

Posted on 5/25/2009 1:06:48 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

infiniti

— pageman (View Profile)

Posted on 5/25/2009 2:21:24 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

Lets give the domestics a shout out, fresh out of cut of court with fresh capital (They personaly want to thank alll of you bimmer fans), Sweeet!!!
Kidding aside, they will be poised to hit it hard--so there you go.

— globaltrader (View Profile)

Posted on 5/25/2009 3:23:52 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Ok you guys got a point about Suzuki. Another company that uses Korean cars by the way. Those Blue Glow Gauges in the new Jaguar Products are something arent they. :D Jaguars formula is simple, up the interior, and provide modern European designs, and not their past stuff that caters to American Baby Boomers.

Think about it guys, Hyundai has found a nice little niche as a cheap upscale maker, like Volvo had in the 1950s, or Acura had in the late 1980s. Its at a good time as well, becuase with their "Defects to Zero" Program they are striving for better than Lexus/Toyota quality. They claim that this program will get them to be the undisputed quality leader by 2012. A lofty goal, but quite obtainable with their sense of fanaticism.

The Market Conditions favor Hyundai big time:

1. The Inevitability of higher gas prices.

2. The Inevitablity of stricter government regulations on Fuel economy and air emissions.

3. The Inevitablity of Credit Regulations that limits: credit to debt ratios, and how much you can borrow.

4. The Inevitablity Inflation creating higher prices on all Durable Goods; especially cars.


My point, Americans will be looking for Luxury on the cheap. I am quite sure Lincoln can provide some winners, but Hyundai will be more competitive in terms of price.

And Besides, its KIAs time to make the mass market, lower cost, middle of the road, sporty niche cars.

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 5/25/2009 4:12:45 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2   

If they do end up making an Equus or Genesis brand, that will be considered as lower cost ultra luxury. If that was to happen think about how this would be like VW/Audi/Bentley, but instead KIA/Hyundai/Equus or KIA/Hyundai/Genesis.

I think the Equus experiment will fail unless the eocnomy gets better, and credit regluations never change. Since we all konw credit will stay tight for now on, its not going to happen. Toyota, cant even barely support Scion here, then again Scions are actually how Toyotas should actually look like anyway. If they merged that creative energy from Toyota, Diahatsu, and Scion together, then Toyota can stay global #1 for another 10 years.
Case Study:

1. The Idea of Scion was to get young people to buy the things. Young people who had trouble in the job market before the economy went bust anyway. Now with a credit market thats tighter, Scion will not and cant not compete with KIA on price, its just that simple.

2. With KIAs, new designs, either Toyota will be forced to sell Scions cheaper, or they are done for, its just that simple. Plus, if you read the Specs on the New KIA Forte, they have the Scion TC, actually, they have everything in the cheap coupe class beat. More power than everyone else with 36 MPG. They also plan to drop the 2.0 Turbo from the Genesis coupe in there as well. Starting at $12,500 on dealer lots this October, maybe Toyota should cuts its losses with the Scion line.

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 5/25/2009 4:29:06 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

By the way, the Forte: like the SOUL, Like the Elantra, Like the Accent and Rio, will all share Hyundai/KIAs new small car Hybrid system within the next 2-3 years. This generation 2 small car Hyrbid system was Debuted in the C'eed Hybrid and SOUL Hybrid. The Accent and Elantra will get this system in September, in limited quantities.

Its the 1.6 Gamma Engine matted to an Automatic Tranmission without the Torque Converter. An Electric motor rated for 20 HP will take the place of the Torque Converter. It is connected brake regeneration motor similar to Hondas IMA system. The first models will have Nickel Hydride Batteries, as they are trying to get costs down for Lithium Polymer batteries in the small cars.

So Hyundai is still right about the Sonata being the first Hyundai Hybrid offered in the US with Lithium Polymer Batteries.

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 5/25/2009 4:39:08 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

Toyota and Subaru.

— Jordanski (View Profile)

Posted on 5/25/2009 8:18:32 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

Wrong, Toyota cant even give away a Yaris, much less a Camry.

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 5/25/2009 8:49:01 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

I wonder why in America some fanatics are so overhyping Hyundai only becouse they have progressed to a point when they're no longer doing a crap, something like this isn't happening in Europe.

— abcd (View Profile)

Posted on 5/26/2009 12:12:37 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

Yeah but why is the i10, i30, ceed, and i20 at the top of nearly every consumer benchmark in Europe? In Europe, there are more choices from brands.

Then again, youre not a good representative to judge cars since you come from Europe. A continent that sells Chinese and Indian crap boxes. and French: Renault, Citroen, and Peugeot poop. Where Italian sewage is sold as well. Most of these forementioned car brands are not even good enough to sell in America, a place where Crapslers are sold. LMAO!!!

I dont take advice from someone who comes from a continent where most of the Automakers who have tried come over here to America have been thrown out.

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 5/26/2009 10:16:09 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

By the way, the cars Hyundai sells in Europe are the first cars of the European Offensive. The cars Hyundai sells in America except for the Genesis are not even part of Hyundai second American offensive. The cars will be on the same platforms as Hyundais European cars, except that the styling in the US will be bolder and more elegant than in Europe.

Hyundai is becoming a middle of the road brand in Europe, and a Near Luxury make here in the US. At least for the near future.

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 5/26/2009 10:27:27 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Like SAAB and Volvo are considered as near Luxury here, but in Europe they are middle of the road cars.

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 5/26/2009 10:28:36 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Then dont diss Hyundai.

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 5/27/2009 11:19:04 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1