Bob and Gerri Sweeney with “The 100-Year Deal” at the Denver Press Club. (Jan Wells photo)
“What a deal,” said an exuberant Bob Sweeney when his name was drawn as recipient of a copy of the just-published Colorado Automobile Dealers Association’s 100th anniversary history book.
The 336-page, coffee-table-type book, “The 100-Year Deal,” was handed to Sweeney and his wife, Gerri, during the annual holiday party of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press at the Denver Press Club. Sweeneys are publishers of The Villager newspaper in Greenwood Village.
Included in the group of 40 persons at the party were writers, bloggers and photographers of automotive interest, along with several automobile manufacturer representatives.
Andre Smirnov, president of the automotive press association, directed the dinner party. Tim Jackson, who for 10 years has headed the state’s dealer association, drew Sweeney’s name from a collection of names of all those in attendance.
In addition to celebrating the 100 years of the Colorado car dealers association, the volume includes a reprint of The Colorado Car Book (1996) by Bud Wells.
For more information regarding the book, or to order it, visit cadaat100.org. The book is priced at $59.95.
Among those greeting Glenwood Springs car dealer Michael Payne in his “tiger-striped” jacket was Charlene Bowlin of Security Service Federal Credit Union. At right is Casey Tynan. (Jan Wells photo)
A “tiger-striped” jacket from a Pontiac promotion of years ago attracted “sideshow” attention at the annual meeting recently of the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association.
It was CADA’s 100th Anniversary Gala at the Renaissance Denver Downtown City Center Hotel in the beautiful, old Colorado National Bank building on 17th Street.
Thom Buckley of Colorado Springs was introduced by 9News Meteorologist Marty Coniglio, master of ceremonies, as new chairman for CADA, succeeding Bill Hellman of Delta.
Unveiling of the book, The 100-Year Deal, and auctioning of the first three copies highlighted the business meeting. The new 336-page, coffee-table-type book features car dealers of the state and includes a reprint of The Colorado Car Book by Bud Wells,
The No. 1 copy of the book drew a high bid of $1,500 from Dean and Tracy Dowson of Golden, No. 2 went to Jeff Carlson of Glenwood Springs for $1,200 and No. 3 to John Medved of Golden for $800.
Heading the book project was Tim Jackson, president of the CADA, assisted by Tim Coy, Caroline Schomp and Bud Wells.
Speakers discussing cars, dealers and consumers of the future were Glen Mercer of Cleveland, president of GM Automotive, an auto industry consulting firm; Paul Eisenstein, reporter, publisher and chief of The Detroit Bureau, and Charlie Vogelheim, host of Motor Trend Audio, Los Angeles.
The “tiger-striped” jacket was worn to the gathering by Michael Payne, owner of Mountain Chevrolet in Glenwood Springs. Jackets like that were worn by Pontiac salesmen in the mid-1960s as part of an aggressive tiger advertising theme, a promotion of John DeLorean, chief engineer at Pontiac. Payne’s father, Leo Payne, was a Pontiac dealer in the ‘60s, operating Clark-Payne Pontiac on West Colfax.
The jacket drew all sorts of responses at the party; Michael Payne said a couple of persons who didn’t know him thought “that I must be a member of the band.”
Ford Motor Co. is refining a pedestrian-detection safety system. (Ford)
We’ve moved fully into the new model year, with 2015 cars and trucks all over the showrooms.
Yet, delivered recently to me was a 2014 Ford Fusion SE, and I was glad to get it, for two reasons:
In order to view Ford’s popular new color, the Dark Side, and to test its smaller 1.5-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder EcoBoost engine.
The Ford Fusion is a good-handling, roomy midsize sedan. (Bud Wells photo)
At first glance, the Dark Side finish on the Fusion appeared to be black. As I walked closer, it seemed to be a dark blue, Ford says it is dark gray and several others who walked around it said they saw a dark green cast to it.
The new engine might be the bright side of the dark side, particularly if the driver keeps a foot deep into the acceleration process. The 1.5 is a little light on low-end torque, but the turbo boost overcomes much of the delay, with help of a switch on the shifter knob which engages the 6-speed automatic transmission’s manual mode for better-controlled shifts. The SE is of front-wheel-drive configuration.
Announced during the week I was driving the Fusion was an interesting safety development by Ford Motor Co. aimed at the surge in recent years of car/pedestrian accidents.
Ford, and other makers, respond to surge in car/pedestrian accidents. (Ford)
This is timely for our area. Of nearly 4,800 pedestrian fatalities in the U.S. in 2012, 76 were in Colorado, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It seems there has been no letup in numbers of car/pedestrian collisions in Denver and Colorado since.
Available new technology from Ford – pre-collision assist with pedestrian detection – is designed to reduce the severity of, and, in some cases, even eliminate frontal collisions involving pedestrians.
Debuting on the 2015 Ford Mondeo in Europe (which is the Fusion in the U.S.), the detection system provides a collision warning to the driver and, if the driver does not respond in time, can automatically apply the vehicle brakes.
The system uses radar and camera technology to scan the roadway ahead to determine collision risk. The assist also may help drivers avoid rear-end collisions with other vehicles at all speeds.
“This technology adds to the list of driver-assist technologies Ford customers already benefit from today,” said Raj Nair, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development. He mentioned lane-keeping aid, blind-spot information with cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control and active park assist.
The new system processes information collected from a windshield-mounted camera and radar near the bumper, then checks the information against a database of pedestrian shapes to help distinguish people from typical roadside scenery and objects.
If a collision seems imminent, the driver first receives an audible and visual warning. Should the driver not respond, the system improves brake responsiveness by reducing the gap between brake pads and discs. It there is still no response, the brakes are applied automatically and vehicle speed is reduced. Several other makers have similar pedestrian safety features. More information regarding the new system is available at ford.com.
The Fusion is among the top-five-selling midsize sedans in the country, with the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima and Hyundai Sonata.
The SE model I drove, a nimble performer, is a reasonably priced four-door, with a sticker price of $28,625.
It is quiet and comfortable out on the road. Seating position is low for the front passenger, and there is no adjustment, power or manual.
The Fusion is very roomy in the rear-seating area and offers trunk space of 16 cubic feet. Ford’s rear inflatable seat belts were added as a $190 option; among standard airbags are dual front, front-side impact, driver/passenger knee and side air curtain.
Equipped with the 1.5 turbo and 6-speed automatic, the Fusion SE carries an EPA estimate of 23/36 miles per gallon; my overall average was 27.8.
Ford’s new engine is 1.5-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder EcoBoost. (Bud Wells photo)
Ford Sync technology offers hands-free access to phone, navigation and audio. Other amenities include rearview camera, dual-zone air conditioning, sport wheels, rear spoiler, intermittent wipers, rear window defroster, Sirius satellite, power locks/mirrors/windows and trip computer.
On several occasions, the engine cranked over several times before starting; a pressure adjustment to the fuel pump corrected the crank time.
For 2015, the Fusion offers, in addition to the 1.5-liter turbo, a base engine of 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder with 178 horsepower and a turboed 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder EcoBoost with 240 hp.
Here are the specifications for the ’14 Ford Fusion SE four-door:
Capacity 5-passenger
Wheelbase 112.2 inches
Length 191.7 inches
Width 72.9 inches
Height 58.2 inches
Curb Weight 3,427 pounds
Track 62.7 inches front, 62.4 rear
Ground Clearance 5.5 inches
Turn Circle 37.6 feet
Drivetrain Front-wheel-drive
Engine 1.5-liter EcoBoost 4-cylinder
Horsepower/Torque 181/185
Transmission 6-speed automatic
Steering electric power-assisted
Fuel mileage estimate 23/36
Fuel mileage average 27.8
Fuel Tank 16.5 gallons, regular unleaded
Wheels 18-inch
Cargo Volume 16 cubic feet
Warranty 3 years/36,000 miles basic, 5/60,000 powertrain
Competitors Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Chevrolet Malibu, Hyundai Sonata
Assembly Plant Hermosillo, Mexico
Parts Content N.A.
Base Price of Lowest Model $21,970; Base Price of Review Model $23,935; Destination Charge $825; Sticker Price $28,625.
Book committee members, from left, are Caroline Schomp, Tim Jackson, Bud Wells and Tim Coy. (Photo by Anneke vanHall, CADA)
The sharp-looking little compact, a 2015 model, got me to Denver on time early last week for a final meeting of the book committee before the volume’s delivery to the printer. The car is the Mazda3 five-door hatchback; the book is “The 100-Year Deal,” commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association (CADA). The four-member book committee of Tim Jackson, Caroline Schomp, Tim Coy and me met at the CADA headquarters building, 290 E. Speer Blvd., for a final look at the page proofs. A last-minute alteration was squeezing into the book a photo of a couple who operate a dealership way out on the Eastern Plains, just this side of Kansas. Initial distribution of the 332-page book will be at the CADA’s annual dinner gathering in late November, then it will go on sale to the public. A large part of the publication is a reprint of The Colorado Car Book, published in 1996.
The 2015 Mazda3 hatchback at City Park, Denver. (Bud Wells photo)
The Mazda3 has evolved into a highly respectable competitor for such popular models as the Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Chevrolet Cruze, Volkswagen Golf and Nissan Sentra. I ought to know, for in the past four years, I’ve driven and reviewed more Mazda3s than any other model. Our recent sunny days brought out the best of shine in the 2015’s blue reflex mica exterior finish. Designers have toned down just a bit the “wide-smile” grille of the past for Mazda. Adding distinction to it sleek design is a well-sculpted rear hatch.
Prominent grille on ’15 Mazda3. (Bud Wells photo)
It is the S Grand Touring version, and is loaded with amenities. A 6-speed manual transmission has been made available to the bigger 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine for ‘15, and I thoroughly tested the matchup. The bigger engine, even with the manual tranny, falls short of the very high fuel mileage produced by Mazda’s smaller 2.0-liter 4-cylinder. The ’15 Mazda3 averaged 31.3 miles per gallon in a fairly even split of city/highway driving; its EPA estimate is 26/35. Previous models I’ve driven, with the smaller 2.0-liter, averaged from 32 to 36 mpg; they were rated as high as 41for highway miles. The 2.5 setup, with 30 more horsepower than the 2.0, is noticeably quicker in acceleration, and with a sporty suspension and the 6-speed manual transmission, is a step up in level of fun-drive. The manual wasn’t available with the 2.5 in 2014. The ’15 Mazda3 rides on Dunlop Sport 215/45R18 tires. Inside, it is dressed up with perforated leather seats (heated in front) and leather-covered steering wheel, shifter knob and park brake positioned between the driver and center console. A large upright display screen sits up in the center of the dash, appearing somewhat like an add-on feature. It is visible without lowering the driver’s sightline, though making selections from dials on the center console are a bit of distraction. It offers Bose sound, Bluetooth audio and phone connectivity, navigation and Sirius. Among other items pushing the Mazda’s sticker price to $26,635 are dual-zone climate control, push-button start, rearview camera, cruise control, trip computer, paddle shifters, sunroof and rain-sensing windshield wipers. The rear seating area is somewhat tight on legroom, though headroom is plentiful. A temporary spare tire is stored beneath the floor in the cargo area. Fold the rear seat down and the cargo space expands from 20 cubic feet to a roomy 47 feet. The Mazda3 compact showed up in 2003, while still a part of Ford Motor Co. Second-generation model was introduced for the ’10 model year. Today’s third-generation, built in Japan, is wholly independent. Here are the specifications for the ’15 Mazda3 5-door Grand Touring:
Wheelbase 106.3 inches
Length 175.6 inches
Width 70.2 inches
Height 57.3 inches
Curb Weight 2,978 pounds
Track 61.2 inches front, 61.4 rear
Ground Clearance 6.1 inches
Turn Circle 34.8 feet
Drivetrain Front-wheel-drive
Engine 2.5-liter 4-cylinder
Horsepower/Torque 184/185
Transmission 6-speed manual
Steering electric power-assisted
Fuel mileage estimate 26/35
Fuel mileage average 31.3
Fuel Tank 13.2 gallons, regular unleaded
Wheels 18-inch
Cargo Volume 20.2 cubic feet
Warranty 3 years/36,000 miles basic, 5/60,000 powertrain
Competitors Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Chevrolet Cruze, Nissan Sentra Assembly Plant Hofu, Japan Parts Content Japan 85% Base Price of Lowest Model $17,750; Base Price of Review Model $25,545; Destination Charge $795; Sticker Price $26,635.
Five Denver-area Ford stores and several YMCA locations are accepting new and gently used Halloween costumes for kids in need.
Costumes for Kids, the Halloween drive, provided more than 150 costumes in the initial launch of the program last October by the Ford stores and YMCA of Metropolitan Denver.
“It was extremely meaningful to see all of the smiling faces of the children who benefited from this program last year,” said Todd Rabourn, Denver regional manager for Ford Motor Co. “Every kid deserves to get dressed up and have fun on Halloween and Denver area Ford dealerships are excited to help make that happen.”
“We are very grateful for the partnership with Ford again on the costume drive,” said Jim Hiner, president and CEO, YMCA of Metropolitan Denver. “We look forward to the opportunity to help a number of children participate in Halloween this year with a new costume. The partnership is one more way we are able to strengthen our community.”
Halloween costumes can be dropped off through Saturday, Oct. 11, at five Ford dealerships, including
Freeway Ford, 4471 E. Evans Ave., Denver;
Groove Ford, 10039 E. Arapahoe Rd., Centennial;
Longmont Ford, 235 Alpine St., Longmont;
Medved Ford, 1404 S. Wilcox St., Castle Rock, and
Sill-TerHar Ford, 150 Alter St., Broomfield.
Also at
Patton Boggs International Law Firm, 1801 California St., Denver;
YMCA of Metropolitan Denver, 2526 S. Colorado Blvd., Denver;
Downtown YMCA, 25 E. 16th Ave., Denver;
Duncan Family YMCA, 6350 Eldridge St., Arvada;
Littleton Family YMCA, 11 W. Dry Creek Ct., Littleton;
Schlessman Family YMCA, 3901 Yale Ave., Denver, and
Southwest Family YMCA, 5181 W. Kenyon Ave., Denver.
Owen Faricy of Colorado Springs, an award-winning Nash dealer in Pueblo almost 70 years ago, died Saturday, Sept. 13. He would have been 93 next month.
Owen Faricy, born and reared at Florence, went to work for Jackson Chevrolet in Pueblo as an 18-year-old kid in 1940. He opened a used-car lot at Pueblo on Jan. 2, 1942, and obtained the Nash franchise there in 1945. Two years after opening, Faricy had earned the Nash 10 Point Award.
Faricy, whose brother Roland worked with him, later opened a Hudson dealership in another building. Owen Faricy was a member of National Dealer Councils for both Nash and Hudson, and in 1954 was one of 27 dealers to meet in California with George Romney and Roy Abernathy to plan the merger of Nash and Hudson into American Motors.
In 1955, he bought out a Packard dealership in Colorado Springs and turned the building into an American Motors store. Faricy had moved to Colorado Springs and sold the Pueblo business to his brother, Roland.
Owen Faricy stayed active in the Colorado Springs business, which became a Chrysler Jeep store, until retiring in 1990, when sons Mike and Joe assumed leadership. Second and third-generations of the Faricy family today operate the Chrysler/Jeep business at Colorado Springs and Ford/Lincoln at Canon City.
Nash’s top award presented to Owen Faricy Motor Co. in Pueblo in 1947.
While Dodge celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, I look over the list of hundreds of new cars and trucks I’ve reviewed since the ‘70s and find that 80 have been of the Dodge brand.
The first was the little Omni in 1978, the most recent a 2014 Dodge Durango on a frigid (-11) morning in February.
Some of the more memorable include:
1978 Dodge Omni – Back in July of 1978, many of my Denver neighbors walked over into my driveway to take a look at Dodge’s new Omni. It was interesting, for one thing, for the fact its engine and transmission sat sideways under the hood. For another, it was of front-wheel-drive configuration. These were the early days of the American auto industry’s front-drive revolution in response to the gasoline shortages and price spikes of the ‘70s decade. Another unusual design for the Chrysler Corp. product was its suspension system. The company long had been a proponent of torsion bars for the front end and leaf springs on the rear, but the Omni had coil springs at all four wheels. The little four-door, weighing 2,200 pounds on a wheelbase of only 99 inches, averaged 30.6 miles per gallon on the highway with its 2.2-liter, 4-cylinder engine and 3-speed automatic transmission. Its base price of $3,804 was boosted to $5,490 with lots of options, including air conditioning, velour seats, undercoating and white-sidewall tires.
1981 Dodge Aries K Car – Dodge’s family-size car of the future in the spring of 1981 was the Aries K Car, offering outstanding economy, roomy interior and, like the Omni, front-wheel drive. I parked it beside a 1956 Dodge Royal four-door sedan, which I owned at the time; the Aries was 3 feet shorter in overall length. With a 2.2-liter, 4-cylinder engine and 4-speed manual transmission, the Aries recorded fuel mileages as high as 38.6 miles per gallon. Power steering was among options on the Aries, which carried a sticker price of $7,963.
The 1981 Dodge Aries parked beside a 1956 Dodge Royal four-door. (Bud Wells photo)
1991 Dodge Grand Caravan – The Dodge Grand Caravan provided a Christmas holiday drive from Pueblo to Denver and back. With 2 ½ million of them down the road by ‘91, there was little fault to find with the front-wheel-drive minivans built by Chrysler Corp. Handling was better than expected with the extended-length van. Providing decent power was a 3.3-liter V-6 engine with 4-speed automatic transmission, which delivered an average of 23.8 miles per gallon of fuel. Sticker price was $20,836.
1998 Dodge Viper – There was nothing stronger in this country at that time, October of 1998. Under the hood of the Viper GTS coupe was a 488-cubic-inch, V-10 engine producing 450 horsepower and 490 pound-feet of torque. With a 6-speed manual transmission, it would run from 0 to 60 in about 4 seconds, according to Dodge officials, and would attain speeds in the 180s. I averaged 11.9 miles per gallon. With the addition of a $3,000 gas-guzzler tax, its sticker price reached $70,000.
2002 Dodge Viper plant – In late January 2002, a day after attending the North American International Auto Show in Detroit’s Cobo Hall, sons Dale and Brent and I toured the Conner Avenue Assembly Plant, where highly prized employees assembled by hand Dodge Vipers (production rate was eight Vipers per day). A highlight of the Conner visit was getting a peek at a restyled 2003 Viper atop a hoist in the factory. It showed up in the showrooms eight months later with a 505-cubic-inch, 500-horsepower V-10. Viper prices in 2002 began at $72,500. Red and yellow were the most popular colors.
From left, Dale, Bud and Brent Wells in the Dodge Viper factory in Detroit in 2002. (Conner Factory photo)
2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 – The Dodge Challenger returned, 35 years after it ended production of the original. The ’08 model was a two-door hardtop and looked much like the earlier one, with wide hood stripes and dual hood scoops, high-riding rear deck and chrome gas cap. The SRT8 was equipped with a big Hemi, the 425-horsepower, 6.1-liter V-8 (standard Hemi was 5.7-liter), which would run 0 to 60 in less than 5 seconds. With the low-end thrust and the sound of old out its dual tailpipes, it was awesome to drive. The original Challenger made its debut in the fall of 1969 as a ’70 model, and was built until April 1974. Almost 190,000 were sold, with engine choices of a 426-cubic-inch Hemi V-8, a 440 V-8, 383 V-8, 318 V-8 and Slant-6. The new Challenger, built on the platform of the Chrysler 300, was 6 inches longer than the ’70 Challenger, and weighed 450 pounds more.
The 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 at Mariana Buttes Golf Course near Loveland. (Bud Wells photo)
2013 Dodge Dart – The Dart returns to Dodge showrooms after an absence of 37 years. The Limited edition, with sticker price of $25,065, drops right into the middle of the compact class, battling popular names such as Focus, Cruze, Civic and Corolla. Jan and I drove the Dart to Vail in the fall of ’12. The climb to Vail and, once there, the twisty roads made it an excellent test ground for new cars. The Dart is a merger product with Italy’s Fiat, which rescued Chrysler Group from its financial collapse of four years ago.
2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel – The long-awaited turbodiesel engine in a half-ton pickup showed up in late March this year, just in time for the annual Denver Auto Show. The 2014 Ram 1500 Outdoorsman Crew Cab 4X4, equipped with a 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V-6 and 8-speed automatic transmission, carried an EPA estimate of 27 miles per gallon on the highway. In 425 miles, more than 300 on the highway, it averaged 23.9 mpg. It performs with strong torque from its Italian-built diesel engine and smooth shifts from the German-developed transmission. The half-ton crew cab offers 9,250 pounds of tow capacity. An optional electronically controlled air suspension with the push of a button will adjust height of the pickup. Aero mode will drop ground clearance an inch for improved fuel economy at highway speeds, offroad preparation raises it for better clearance in rugged going, and park mode lowers the truck 2 inches for easier access and exit. Ram several years ago was made its own division separate from Dodge; many automotive followers still associate the two.
The 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Crew Cab. (Bud Wells photo)
Dodge brothers Horace and John take ride in first 1914 Dodge automobile. (Dodge photos)
Dodge this summer is observing its 100th anniversary as an American car company.
Henry Ford provided the means for two Dodge brothers to eventually form their own automobile company, 100 years ago.
To lead off an historical look at the Dodge firm with a mention of Henry Ford is fitting, for Ford’s great success in the period from 1905 to 1914 was due in large part to Dodge brothers, Horace and John.
Horace, a skilled mechanic, and John, a brilliant financier, were considered the best machinists in Detroit. In fact, Ransom Eli Olds of Oldsmobile in 1902 contracted with the brothers to make transmissions for his curved-dash Oldsmobile.
Then Henry Ford, with a big idea but small funds, gave Horace and John a 10 percent stake in Ford Motor Company to join his venture. Dodge manufactured most every part of the early Fords except for the buckboard wooden seats and rubber tires.
Through the Ford share, the Dodges became wealthy, and in 1913 announced that they would stop building Model T’s and would design, build and sell their own car.
Dodge Brothers was formed in July of 1914 and on Nov. 14 of that year, the first Dodge rolled off the assembly line. It was the first with an all-steel body. “Better than the Model T in every way,” said Horace, “and only $100 more.”
A brief timeline for Dodge;
Dodge became part of Chrysler Corp. in 1928; Power Wagon trucks were introduced a decade later; the Red Ram Hemi was introduced in late 1952, the first V-8 for Dodge; push-button transmission showed up in ’56 and large tail fins in ’57; Richard Petty gave Dodge numerous wins in NASCAR racing; muscle cars in late ‘60s and early ‘70s were named Charger and Challenger; Omni in 1978 was first transverse-mounted front-wheel-drive vehicle in America; Dodge Caravan took control of the emerging minivan market in ’84; a preproduction Viper paced the Indy 500 in ’91. Lining up in the coming year is the Challenger SRT with a Hemi Hellcat engine of more than 600 horsepower.
Push-button drive appeared in 1956 Dodge.
One hundred years after the first ride by the Dodge brothers, the nameplate is represented by large dealerships all over the state, with recognizable names such as Cherry Creek Dodge and Christopher’s Dodge World. Some years back, a big store was Hugh Tighe Skyline Dodge and way back, beginning in the late 1930s and continuing for 40 years as a Dodge dealer was Markley Motors in Fort Collins, before becoming a General Motors operator.
Today, there are 26 Dodge dealerships in Colorado:
The winged WRX STI helped Subaru post big sales gain. (Bud Wells photo)
Led by Subaru and Jeep, sales of new cars and trucks in Colorado increased by 7.8 percent.
Almost 90,000 (89,833) new cars and trucks had been sold in the state by the end of June, compared with 83,352 at the same point of 2013, according to the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association (CADA).
Subaru and Jeep were the biggest gainers in numbers of sales among the individual makes. Subaru sales jumped 1,562, followed by Jeep with a gain of 1,432. Other makes with sizable increases in numbers sold are given in the following table:
Car / Truck
CO Sales Increase
Subaru
1,562
Jeep
1,432
Nissan
741
Ram
679
Toyota
540
Chevrolet
509
Lexus
398
GMC
342
“Consumer demand for new cars and trucks continues to look very strong, with back-to-back months of double-digit gains (sales increased 10.6 percent in June and 12.7 in May),” said Tim Jackson, president of the CADA, which released the sales report. “The sales surge has been boosted by aggressive manufacturer incentives to buy, easier and more affordable financing, and enthusiasm for purchasing new models and more fuel-efficient vehicles now available in showrooms throughout the state.”
Leading in overall sales for the six months is Toyota/Scion. The list below provides the top 10 of the total Colorado New Car / Truck sales for the period of Jan – Jun 2014.
Colorado 2014 6-Mo Sales
Toyota/Scion
11,457
Ford
10,705
Subaru
9,902
Honda
6,786
Chevrolet
6,756
Jeep
6,266
Nissan
6,066
Ram
3,507
Kia
2,985
Hyundai
2,819
The breakdown of six-month sales by categories is unusual.
For example, sales of light trucks, dominated by Ford, Chevy, Jeep and Ram, far outpaced sales of cars, 54,861 to 34,972. Yet, in overall sales including cars, Japanese brands outsold the Detroit Three (Ford, GM, Chrysler), 40,080 to 34,488. Since the Detroit Three dominate in trucks, those totals emphasize how few cars are sold by the Detroit Three in comparison to the Japanese brands.
Worth noting is the performance of luxury builder Jaguar, which sold 58 new cars in Colorado in the first six months of this year, compared with only 26 at the same time of 2013. One boost in these parts for the Jag is the addition of all-wheel-drive capability to two four-door sedans in the past year.
The Chevy Volt plugs in on driver side. (Bud Wells photo)
While tallying six-month sales totals for hybrids and electrics early this week, I took possession for a few days of the 2014 Chevy Volt. Its arrival was good timing, for the Volt is one of half a dozen strong competitors among plug-in hybrid electric and battery electric models.
The Volt outsold the Toyota Prius plug-in electric in June; surprisingly, though, both the Chevy and the Toyota were outsold for the month by the Ford Fusion Energi.
For the first half of this year, the Prius Plug-in leads sales of that category with 9,300, followed by the Volt with 8,615, the FusionEnergi with 6,235 and the Ford C-Max Energi with 3,928.
Among battery-powered electrics which have no gasoline engines, the Nissan Leaf has outsold the Tesla Model S, 12,736 to 8,200 for the first six months of the year.
Despite a sharp drop in sales of the Toyota Prius Liftback in the past year, it continues to dominate totals in the regular gas/electric hybrid market, as it has since it was introduced 14 years ago.
The Prius Liftback has sold 63,037 hybrids through the end of June, far ahead of the next three, the Toyota Camry and Prius C and the Ford Fusion, each of which has sold barely over 20,000. The Prius Liftback at this time last year had sold 76,809 hybrids.
Of 8,123,389 new cars and trucks sold thus far this year in the U.S., 287,761 are hybrids, plug-ins and electrics. That is 3.5 percent of the market. The 287,761 combined sales total for the three “hybrid” categories is slightly below the total of 298,517 for the same period of 2013.
Following are sales totals for leaders among the three categories of hybrids and electrics:
Hybrids
Toyota Prius Liftback 63,037; Toyota Camry 21,771; Ford Fusion 20,800; Toyota Prius C 20,283; Toyota Prius V 14,481; Hyundai Sonata 11,349; Ford C-Max 9,522; Lexus CT200h 8,337; Toyota Avalon 8,099; Lexus ES 6,947; Honda Accord 6,888; Kia Optima 6,417; Lincoln MKZ 6,018; Subaru XV Crosstrek 4,243; Lexus RX450h 4,206.
Plug-in Electrics
Toyota Prius 9,300; Chevrolet Volt 8,615; Ford Fusion Energi 6,235; Ford C-Max Energi 3,928; Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid 481; Cadillac ELR 390; Honda Accord 180.
Fully Electrics
Nissan Leaf 12,736; Tesla Model S 8,200; Smart for Two EV 1,092; Ford Focus EV 896; Fiat 500E 726; BMW i3 694; Chevrolet Spark 636; Toyota RAV4 EV 546; Honda Fit EV 221; Mitsubishi i 97.
