Cincinnati Ford Dealer » Dan Roth

Autoblog Podcast #267

Dan Roth — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:45:00 +0000

Filed under: Podcasts, Government/Legal, Plants/Manufacturing, Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, Mazda, Diesel

BMW M goes Diesel, Ford Focus fleet sales numbers, California 2025 green car mandate

Episode #267 of the Autoblog Podcast is here with Chris, Dan, Zach and Chris Paukert this week. Topics include the addition of diesel-powered BMW M models overseas, the surprisingly high fleet sales figure for the Ford Focus, and a new green car mandate coming out of California. Your questions and comments power the end of the 'cast, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. We've embedded our Q&A module after the jump for you to scroll through and follow along, too. Thanks for listening!

Autoblog Podcast #267:

In the Autoblog Garage
2012 Mazda3 Skyactiv
2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Crew Cab
2012 Audi A4
2012 Dodge Durango Citadel

Hosts: Dan Roth, Chris Shunk, Chris Paukert, Zach Bowman

Runtime: 01:15:33

Get the podcast
[UStream] Listen live on Mondays at 10PM Eastern at UStream
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes
[RSS] Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator
[MP3] Download the MP3 directly

Feedback
Email: Podcast at Autoblog dot com
Voicemail: 734-288-8POD (734-288-8763)

Review the show in iTunes and take our survey

Continue reading Autoblog Podcast #267

Autoblog Podcast #267 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #267 LIVE

Dan Roth — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:31:00 +0000

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, BMW, Ford, Diesel

We record Episode #267 of the Autoblog Podcast tonight, and you can drop us your questions via our Q&A module below. Check out our discussion topics or chime in to help determine what else the crew chats about this evening. Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven't already done so, and if you want to take it all in live, tune in to our UStream (audio only) channel at 10:00 PM Eastern tonight.

Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #267

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes
[RSS] Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator

Can't see the EventBox? Click Here.Voices Heard Media

Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #267 LIVE originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Fusion couldn’t outsell Toyota Camry even if Ford wanted it to, which it apparently doesn’t

Dan Roth — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:01:00 +0000

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Ford, Earnings/Financials

"I don't think we're very enamored with being Number One just to be Number One," Ford Global Marketing Vice President Jim Farley says of his expectations for the 2013 Ford Fusion. Interest in the Fusion spiked after the 2013 model's premium-look sheetmetal made a splash at this month's Detroit Auto Show, so it's natural to expect that Ford wants to grab the sales volume brass ring. After all, the Ford Taurus was the best-selling car in the U.S. for nearly half of the 1990s, but Farley points out that Ford is "much more enamored with getting the right price point and the right kind of people to buy the car."

Simply put, that means that while Ford is bringing additional Fusion production to the AutoAlliance International facility in Flat Rock, MI, success won't be measured just by total units sold. Besides, even with the added capacity, Ford's 400,000 per year full-tilt capability still trails the 500,000 Camry models Toyota can assemble in Kentucky and Indiana. Ford apparently thinks it's smarter to focus on the technology, style, and efficiency that customers will pay more for, rather than forcing dealers to take more cars than they want and dumping the rest into fleets just to get the sales crown.

Instead of crowing about a short-term metric that ultimately cheapens the brand image and drives down resale values, Ford's posture suggests they want to drive continued profitability by getting more money per sale than the competiton. Finding tech savvy buyers will mean spending heavy dollars on digital marketing campaigns, including social media, and for a change, that may mean strong Fusion sales in markets that don't traditionally embrace the Blue Oval as strongly as the stalwart support of the midwest.

We have to agree that profit-per-vehicle and a good reputation strikes us as a better strategy to long-term health than a strategy based on volume dominance, but we're guessing that Farley and company would still be pleased as punch if the Fusion managed to outsell the competition.

Fusion couldn't outsell Toyota Camry even if Ford wanted it to, which it apparently doesn't originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Autoblog Podcast #266

Dan Roth — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 22:30:00 +0000

Filed under: Podcasts, Auctions, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Ford, GM, Jeep, Nissan, Volkswagen

Barrett-Jackson 2012, Camaro ZL1 vs Shelby GT500, Volkswagen says it's really #1, C7 Chevrolet Corvette

Episode #266 of the Autoblog Podcast is here with Chris, Dan, Zach and Drew Phillips this week. Topics include the Barrett-Jackson auction, smack talk from the Camaro ZL1 chief, Volkswagen disputing GM's claim of #1 in the world, and a C7 Corvette sighting. Your questions and comments power the end of the 'cast, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. We've embedded our Q&A module after the jump for you to scroll through and follow along, too. Thanks for listening!

Autoblog Podcast #266:

In the Autoblog Garage
2012 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon
2012 Jeep Wrangler
2012 Nissan Rogue
2012 Volkswagen Tiguan SEL

Hosts: Dan Roth, Chris Shunk, Drew Phillips, Zach Bowman

Runtime: 01:07:43

Continue reading Autoblog Podcast #266

Autoblog Podcast #266 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #266 LIVE

Dan Roth — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 20:45:00 +0000

Filed under: Auctions, Etc., Chevrolet, Ford, GM, Earnings/Financials

We record Episode #266 of the Autoblog Podcast tonight, and you can drop us your questions via our Q&A module below. Check out our discussion topics or chime in to help determine what else the crew chats about this evening. Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven't already done so, and if you want to take it all in live, tune in to our UStream (audio only) channel at 10:00 PM Eastern tonight.

Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #266

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes
[RSS] Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator

Can't see the EventBox? Click Here.Voices Heard Media

Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #266 LIVE originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Ford tells the tale of the 2013 Fusion at fordfusionstory.com [w/video]

Dan Roth — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 15:03:00 +0000

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Sedan, Videos, Ford

With the launch of the 2013 Fusion, Ford seems to have gotten the message that people are communicating in ways that are as sophisticated as the cars it's building. Ford doesn't expect you to leaf through a glossy brochure any more, or even sit at home on your computer researching your next automotive purchase.

All the pertinent details on the sharpest-looking sedan we've seen roll out of Dearborn in a long time are at fordfusionstory.com, a website optimized for tablet and smartphone viewing. The site went live on January 9, 2012, and provides overviews and deeper-dive information that's delivered through infographics, text, and video. With an easily shareable collection of elements designed for the way people communicate right now, Ford is showing that it takes selling the 2013 Fusion as seriously as the engineering and building part of the job.

The 2013 Fusion is bound to turn heads out in the wild. If that translates to people whipping out smartphones and coming across fordfusionstory.com, then the effort will have been a success. One thing's for sure, Ford's doing its best to leave nothing to chance, and all the pieces are in place. Check out some of the videos posted after the jump.

Continue reading Ford tells the tale of the 2013 Fusion at fordfusionstory.com [w/video]

Ford tells the tale of the 2013 Fusion at fordfusionstory.com [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 14 Jan 2012 10:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Why has Nissan started to advertise the Frontier again? Ford killing the Ranger [w/video]

Dan Roth — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 19:01:00 +0000

Filed under: Truck, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Ford, Nissan

The Ford Ranger has finally been shown the door, and Nissan apparently wants to seize the opportunity to make its Frontier the the standout in what remains of the compact pickup truck segment. Though the sun has been setting on the Ranger for some time, it's still outselling the Frontier - even after Nissan kicked up its marketing efforts as a way to grab the real estate Ford is cedeing by creating the first advertising campaign for the Frontier in four years.

That's not to say the Frontier is doing poorly; Nissan moved more than 50,000 out the door in 2011. That's 20,000 fewer than the Ranger's 70,000 unit performance, and well behind the 500,000-plus F-Series pickup models Ford shifts, but the aging Frontier is the popular sister in the Nissan truck family. Just 22,000 Nissan Titan full-size pickups found a home last year, though the latter is another product that's been languishing on the market with little marketing effort behind it. The Frontier might do better without the Ranger around regardless, but a commercial about a snowboarding truck couldn't hurt. Check it out after the jump.

Continue reading Why has Nissan started to advertise the Frontier again? Ford killing the Ranger [w/video]

Why has Nissan started to advertise the Frontier again? Ford killing the Ranger [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Mass. Lt. Gov. Murray was unbelted, driving 100 mph while snoozing before crash?

Dan Roth — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:01:00 +0000

Filed under: Sedan, Etc., Government/Legal, Ford

Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray (Dem) didn't brake or try to steer away from the rock ledge his Ford Crown Victoria was headed for at speeds of nearly 100 miles per hour. That's according to reports stemming from the aftermath of an early morning accident on November 2, 2011 in which Murray's state-owned car left the roadway on Interstate 190 in Sterling, MA, and struck a rock ledge at 92 mph before rolling over. The Massachusetts State Police have released the black box data from the incident, which revealed not only the high rate of speed, but also contradicts prior statements from Lt. Governor Murray that he was wearing a seatbelt and driving around the speed limit.

This particular stretch of Interstate 190, which your author drives five days a week, isn't particularly treacherous, although the region did experience a freak snowstorm just two days prior on Halloween. The storm caused significant damage to trees and power outages were widespread, and Lt. Governor Murray had set out early that morning to assess the damage in the region that serves as his homebase. Massachusetts State Police have concluded after analyzing the black box data that the Lieutenant Governor fell asleep at the wheel, which accounts for the rapid acceleration from a sustained 75 mph to essentially flat-out, as well as the lack of avoidance maneuvers or braking attempts.

At the scene, Lt. Governor Murray asked for a Breathalyzer, which showed there was no alcohol in his system, and in statements since then, he's pledged to reimburse the state for the vehicle. In light of this latest evidence, State Police cited Lt. Governor Murray with a $555 fine, but he managed to avoid further charges including reckless driving. From where we sit, that's a stroke of good fortune, but no more lucky than Murray avoiding serious injuries in the first place.

Mass. Lt. Gov. Murray was unbelted, driving 100 mph while snoozing before crash? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Autoblog Podcast #263

Dan Roth — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 22:30:00 +0000

Filed under: Car Buying, Podcasts, Etc., Buick, Chevrolet, Ford, Toyota, Fiat

Chevrolet Volt and Fiat 500 sales flops, 14 million cars in 2012, most popular posts of 2011

Episode #263 of the Autoblog Podcast is here with Chris, Dan, Chris Paukert, and Zach this week. Topics include the perhaps early condemnation of the Chevrolet Volt and Fiat 500 as flops, predictions of a 14 million new car year in 2012, and a little discussion around Autoblog's most-read posts of 2011. Your questions and comments power the end of the 'cast, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. We've embedded our Q&A module after the jump for you to scroll through and follow along, too. Thanks for listening!

Autoblog Podcast #263:

In the Autoblog Garage
2011 Toyota 4Runner Trail
2012 Buick Regal GS
2012 Ford Focus
2012 Chevrolet Sonic

Hosts: Dan Roth, Chris Shunk, Chris Paukert, Zach Bowman

Runtime: 01:13:39

Continue reading Autoblog Podcast #263

Autoblog Podcast #263 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Autoblog Podcast #255

Dan Roth — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 21:15:00 +0000

Filed under: Concept Cars, Podcasts, SEMA Show, Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, Honda, Subaru, Volkswagen

SEMA wrapup, Subaru Advanced Tourer Concept, MyFord Touch overhaul, slow Honda Civic Sales, Evo Magazine COTY

Episode #255 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, with Chris, Dan and Zach this week. Topics include a wrap-up of what we saw at SEMA, changes to MyFord Touch, the role of natural disasters in slow sales of the 2012 Honda Civic, the Subaru Advanced Tourer Concept, and the Evo Magazine Car of the Year. Your questions and comments power the end of the 'cast, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. We've embedded our Q&A module after the jump for you to scroll through and follow along, too. Thanks for listening!

Autoblog Podcast #255:

In the Autoblog Garage
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan R/T
2012 Chevrolet Volt
2011 Volkswagen Golf TDI

Hosts: Dan Roth, Chris Shunk, Zach Bowman
Runtime: 01:10:47

Autoblog Podcast #255 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Nov 2011 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments