JANUARY USA SALES - TOYOTA/LEXUS - Growth in both brands with toyota the #1 retail manufacturer.

• TMS No. 1 retail manufacturer
• TMS light trucks set new January record
• Lexus posts third consecutive best-ever month 

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., today reported January 2015 sales of 169,194, an increase of 15.6 percent from January 2014 on a volume basis. With one additional selling day in January 2015, sales were up 11.2 percent on a daily selling rate (DSR) basis. 

Toyota division posted January 2015 sales of 146,063 units, up 13.5 percent.   

"The year is off to a strong start as the sales momentum we saw in 2014 continued into January," said Bill Fay, Toyota division group vice president and general manager. “Highlander, RAV4 and Corolla all set January records.

"Lexus reported January 2015 sales of 23,131 units, a 31.2 percent increase. 

“January was a great way for our dealers to start the year, with their third straight record month and an industry leading 31 percent sales increase,” said Jeff Bracken, Lexus group vice president and general manager. “We saw good growth throughout our lineup and received an added boost from the all-new NX luxury compact utility vehicles and RC coupes.”

January 2015 Highlights:

• Lexus sets best-ever, any month sales record
• Combined TMS light truck sales set January record
• RAV4 and Highlander set January records
• 4Runner up 75.5 percent
• Tacoma up nearly 16 percent; posts sales of 11,409 units
• Corolla posts best-ever January
• Camry sales of 26,763 units, up nearly 15 percent
• Sienna up 16 percent
• Lexus RX up more than 17 percent

JANUARY USA SALES - HONDA/ACURA - More record broken for Honda, as new models appear.

• American Honda and the Honda Division set new January records as Fit, CR-V and Pilot top prior monthly records with double digit percentage gains over January 2014
• Both the Honda and Acura Brands set new light truck sales records for January
• Acura posts best January since 2007 as MDX and RDX set new monthly records

American Honda Motor Co., Inc. today reported a new January record on Honda and Acura vehicle sales of 102,184 units, an increase of 11.5 percent versus January 2014. Overall AHM light trucks led sales gains for both brands and set a January record, increasing 25.2 percent on sales of 52,169 vehicles. The Honda brand set a January record, up 11.6 percent for the month while recording sales of 90,202 vehicles. The Acura brand posted sales of 11,982 units in January, increasing 10.7 percent over the same period last year.

Honda

2015 began on a strong note for the Honda Division with record monthly sales for the brand, its light trucks and three key models, CR-V, Fit and Pilot.

• CR-V continued to build on its leadership as 2014's undisputed best-selling SUV in America, as the Honda's top-selling model in January with record monthly sales of 23,211 units, up 27.3 percent.
• Fit continued to bring record numbers of new buyers to the Honda brand, setting a new January record, up an amazing 85.8 percent with 5,802 vehicles sold in January.
• Pilot nearly doubled January 2014 sales while setting a new monthly record with 12,315 sold, up 97.9 percent.
• Accord sales of 21,011 vehicles grew by 2.0 percent in January
• Led by record CR-V and Pilot sales, Honda Division light truck sales surged to a new record of 44,271 units, up 27.7 percent.

"The new year is off to a strong start with three core models selling at record pace, and this is only the beginning," said Jeff Conrad, Honda division senior vice president and general manager. "With an all-new HR-V crossover coming in a few months, an all-new Pilot debuting at the Chicago Auto Show next week and more big news on the horizon, this is going to be an epic year for Honda."

Acura

The Acura Division posted its best January sales result since 2007 on the strength of record sales of the MDX and RDX and another strong showing from the all-new TLX performance luxury sedan.

• MDX set its second consecutive January sales record on sales of 4,381 vehicles, up 3.3 percent. It was the brand's best-selling vehicle in January.
• RDX set its third consecutive January sales record, up 28.8 percent with sales of 3,517 vehicles for the month.
• The all-new TLX sold 2,892 vehicles in its first January, easily besting the combined sales of its two predecessors in January 2014 by 27.9 percent. (Acura TL and TSX combined to sell 2,261 vehicles in January 2014.)

"With a major mid-cycle refresh for the ILX gateway model on the way, it's great to begin the year with such strong sales," said Mike Accavitti, Acura division senior vice president and general manager. "MDX and RDX are packing a stronger 1-2 punch than ever to create new energy and momentum for the Acura brand that we look forward to carrying through 2015."

Another year of record sales defies industry trends for Buicks Enclave SUV.

Another year of record sales defies industry trends, fuels Buick’s global momentum

Buick Enclave’s 62,300 sales in the United States in 2014 represented the second consecutive year of record sales for Buick’s flagship crossover and built on momentum that has barely paused since its launch in mid-2007.

While most vehicles follow somewhat of a bell curve for sales during their lifecycle, the Enclave has continued on an upward trajectory after more than seven years. Minor dips in 2009 and 2012 reflected overall trends in the recovering auto industry, but record-setting 2014 sales represented a 39-percent increase over the Enclave’s first full year of production.

More than 450,000 Enclave models have been sold worldwide since its launch.

Enclave U.S. sales history

2007: 29,286 (mid-year introduction)

2008: 44,706

2009: 43,150

2010: 55,426

2011: 58,392

2012: 56,703

2013: 60,534

2014: 62,300

“Few vehicles in any segment of the industry enjoy such a legacy of increasing popularly,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president of Buick. “In fact, many customers are enjoying their second or third Enclave. The Enclave has also been a cornerstone of Buick’s product renaissance, which saw a second consecutive year of record global sales in 2014.”

Said Karl Brauer, senior analyst for Kelley Blue Book: “The Buick Enclave was really the perfect vehicle at the perfect time. It instantly expanded the brand’s reach by offering an attractive and functional SUV with luxury amenities. The three-row SUV segment was struggling in 2007, yet the Enclave drew a core group of buyers upon release and has continually expanded that group as SUV interest grew in recent years.

“This consistent growth curve is testament to how ‘right’ Buick got the Enclave at launch, along with how effectively the brand has supported its full-size SUV in the following years,” Brauer said.

Enclave received Kelley Blue Book’s 2014 5-Year Cost-to-Own award for the full-size luxury SUV/crossover category.

For 2015, the Enclave adds a heated, wood-trimmed steering wheel to its roster of luxury features. It is offered in three trim levels: Convenience (1SD), Leather (1SL) and Premium (1SN). All-wheel drive is available on Leather and Premium trims, and all models are powered by a direct-injected 3.6L V-6 that delivers an EPA-estimated 24 mpg on the highway (FWD models).

Experience Buick Protection on all 2015 Buick models includes two years/24,000 miles of scheduled maintenance, including oil changes, oil filter changes and tire rotations. It complements Buick’s four-year/50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper limited warranty and six-year/70,000-mile powertrain limited warranty.

“The Enclave continues to attract new and returning customers to its mix of its outstanding design, performance and safety features,” Aldred said.

Subaru posts sales over half a million for the first time in its history, 2015, should be better still !

Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI), the manufacturer of Subaru automobiles, today announced that Subaru's 2014 annual sales have post all-time records in its key markets including the US, Canada, and Australia.

Subaru's US sales in 2014 rose 21.0% to 513,693 units, marking another year of significant growth following the increases of 26.0% in 2012 and 26.2% in 2013. Subaru has reached a 500,000 sales milestone for the first time in its history, achieved six consecutive years of record sales, and become the only manufacturer in the US to post seven consecutive years of sales growth. 

All of the key models have contributed to the sales success; the Outback and Legacy, driven by the all-new 2015 models launched in July, sold 138,790 units (+17.6%) and 52,270 units (+23.6%), respectively. The WRX series achieved 25,492 units (+41.9%) with the all-new 2015 version debuted in March. The Forester and the Subaru XV Crosstrek also enjoyed strong growth, selling 159,953 units (+29.4%) and 70,956 units (32.0%), respectively.

In Canada, Subaru sales rose 14.3% to 42,035 units, achieving an all-time record for the 3rd consecutive year as well as a 40,000 sales milestone for the first time. All of the key models have contributed to the strong sales; the Outback, Legacy, and WRX series each posted sales growth of over 40%, driven by the introduction of the all-new 2015 models. 

The Outback and Legacy, with the 2015 models launched in July, sold 8,688 units (+42.0%) and 2,924 units (+44.6%), respectively. The WRX series, with the all-new version debuted in March, posted sales of 2,642 units (+42.1%).The Forester and the Subaru XV Crosstrek also contributed to the growth with sales of 12,302 units (+9.5%) and 6,922 units (+13.2%), respectively.

In Australia, Subaru sales were up 0.8% to 40,502 units, setting an all-time record for the 3rd consecutive year. The Forester and Subaru XV maintained the strong momentum with sales of 11,539 units (+7.2%) and 13,670 units (+0.2%), respectively. The Impreza and the WRX series also contributed to the strong sales. The Impreza sold 6,636 units (+32.3%) while the WRX series, propelled by the all-new version launched in April, achieved 3,554 units (+91.6%).

Subaru's US Annual Sales (January – December)

Calendar Year	Unit Sales	% Change from Previous Year
2008	187,699	+0.3%
2009	216,652	+15.4%
2010	263,820	+21.8%
2011	266,989	+1.2%
2012	336,441	+26.0%
2013	424,683	+26.2%
2014	513,693	+21.0%

UK SALES - INFINITI - Another brand breaks records, with new models due, 2015 will be another big year.

Infiniti sold more cars in the UK in 2014 than ever before, helping pave the way for the first UK-built Infiniti model due later in 2015.

New-car registration figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders show that Infiniti recorded the fourth largest percentage increase of any manufacturer in the UK market in 2014. With continuous growth recorded over the last six months Infiniti’s increase of 93.26 per cent compared to 2013 is almost 10 times more than the market has shown as a whole (9.35%).

The gains in the market reflect 2014 being the first full year of sale for the award-winning Infiniti Q50 range. The growth also mirrors record global sales increases of Infiniti models in markets around the world.

“The 746 cars sold in the UK are reflecting the awareness people are starting to have of the Infiniti brand,” said Infiniti Vice President Europe, François Goupil de Bouillé. “Being different in our design, technologies and craftsmanship has always been our offer to the premium market. It is gratifying to see more and more people buying into this at the start of what is going to be the most important year yet for Infiniti in the UK.”

Later in 2015 Infiniti’s first European production facility, in Tyne & Wear in the north east of England, begins production of an all-new premium car, based on the Q30 Concept unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2013.

In the autumn of 2014 Infiniti opened a dedicated Infiniti Design Centre in London to work with the Infiniti Engineering Centre in Cranfield, Beds – another step in establishing Infiniti in the European premium car firmament.

The UK connection has already played a key role in helping transform Infiniti’s brand awareness as a succession of stunning Infiniti concept cars continues to grab motoring headlines around the world.

The sales growth also crowns a year in which Infiniti Retail has taken over control of many of its UK sales centres, opened new Infiniti Centres (most recently with Vertu in Newcastle), broadened its retail approach with an innovative project with Westfield, announced its backing of an Infiniti team in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship for the Support Our Paras charity, and continued to evolve models with lower CO₂models with even more impressive, often award-winning features.

Five Infiniti saloon, coupe and crossover models are currently sold in the UK, with powertrain options comprising petrol, diesel and hybrid power, and prices starting at £27,950.

UK SALES - VAUXHALL - Record retail sales and #1 brand and model for December prove Vauxhall are far from dead.

• Best ever Vauxhall retail sales of 127,398 in 2014
• Best-selling manufacturer in December
• Number one manufacturer in Scotland
• Corsa is Scotland’s best-selling car

Vauxhall sold 127,398 cars to private buyers last year, making 2014 its best ever year for all-important retail sales according to figures released today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

Finishing the year with a flourish, Vauxhall was also the UK’s best-selling car manufacturer in December with sales of 23,162 and a market share of 14 per cent. The Corsa was the UK’s best-selling car in December with 8,074 sold.

Overall performance in 2014 was excellent with new model launches including Corsa, Vivaro and ADAM ROCKS AIR helping the company achieve total sales of 301,796 cars and vans.

Vauxhall was also the biggest-selling manufacturer in Scotland last year, for the seventh year running. The Corsa supermini was in seventh heaven as Scotland’s top-selling car for the seventh consecutive year and that wasn't even the new model that's in showrooms this month.

Innovative finance programmes helped drive retail sales with many models now available with great value PCPs.

Vauxhall’s strategic focus on true fleet sales (user-chooser company car drivers) continued to develop with registrations up by ten per cent with models including Insignia, Mokka and Zafira Tourer driving growth.

It was another huge year for Vauxhall Commercial Vehicles. The British-built Vivaro enjoyed its best year ever with over 19,000 sold in 2014.  The all-new model, which went on sale in September, was Vauxhall’s most successful van launch ever with over 12,000 early orders.

Griffin-badged Police cars are a common sight on British roads, so it’s no surprise that Vauxhall is the number one supplier to Police fleets with a substantial 80 per cent market share of competitive segments.

“It was another great year for Vauxhall with a number of exciting product launches and sales results that we can be truly proud of,” said Tim Tozer, Vauxhall’s Chairman and Managing Director.

“Now we focus on 2015 with New Corsa in showrooms, ADAM GRAND SLAM coming very soon and the all-new VIVA arriving in the Spring. OnStar will also give us a tremendous lead in the vehicle connectivity arena when it launches later this year.”

UK SALES - BMW GROUP - Like MINI, the parent brand has achieved new records in sales/

BMW and MINI celebrate highest ever UK sales

BMW Group in the UK achieved its best ever sales in 2014 with both BMW and MINI brands setting new UK records. In total, 202,539 BMW and MINI vehicles were registered, an increase of 8.01 per cent over 2013. The BMW brand accounted for 148,878 sales, an increase of 9.81 per cent compared to 2013 and over 13,000 vehicles more than its previous UK sales record in 2013. MINI sold 53,661 vehicles, its best annual sales performance since the vehicle’s UK launch in July 2001, representing a 3.33 per cent increase over 2013.

BMW Group achieved a market share of 8.18 per cent of the total UK car market in 2014 (BMW 6.01 per cent and MINI 2.17 per cent) bolstered by the introduction of 18 new BMW and MINI models including the newly-launched BMW 2 Series range and MINI Hatch 3 and 5-door vehicles.

“BMW Group had a tremendous year in 2014 breaking records with both its BMW and MINI brands in the UK with sales exceeding 200,000 vehicles for the first time in the company’s history. We have seen strong sales growth driven by particularly high demand for the new BMW 2 Series and 4 Series models, said Graeme Grieve, Chief Executive Officer of BMW Group UK. 

“The iconic MINI is also celebrating record sales thanks to strong performances from the new 3 and 5-door Hatch models as it continues to attract new customers in the UK. These results are testament to the strong partnership we have with our UK retailer network. BMW and MINI retailers also sold almost 84,000 Approved Used BMWs and over 30,000 Cherished MINIs last year as well as investing over £20 million in modern, customer-friendly retail facilities during 2014. Although the 2015 economic outlook remains challenging, we have a significant number of new model introductions and are looking forward to another strong year,” concluded Grieve.

BMW brand sales                                               

                                                           

In 2014, sales of BMW vehicles set a new record with the brand outperforming the market. Sales increased by 9.80 per cent to a total of 148, 878 vehicles representing 6.01 per cent of the total UK market. Demand for the BMW 2 and 4 Series ranges has been particularly strong and has accounted for over 22,000 customer deliveries. With more than 21,000 sales, the BMW 5 Series remains a key player in the corporate sector and sales of BMW i3 and i8 models have now exceeded 1,600 vehicles. BMW X Series models have made a significant contribution to the company’s sales growth. With the introduction of the X6 in 2008, X1 in 2009 and new X3, X4 and X5 models, sales of X models have risen to 24,535 in 2014 and now represent more than 16 per cent of BMW’s total UK sales.

MINI brand sales           

                                                                                         

MINI celebrated its highest ever UK sales since its launch in 2001 capturing 2.17 per cent of the market with 53,661 models sold, an increase of 3.33 per cent compared to 2013. The New MINI 3-Door Hatch, launched in March, continued to be the brand’s biggest seller. Alongside its all-new stablemate, the MINI 5-Door Hatch, more than 28,000 were sold last year (3-Door Hatch: 24,200 and 5-Door Hatch: 3,800). The introduction of the first-for-brand MINI 5-Door Hatch in October also saw a significant increase in the brand’s fleet sales which were up 17 per cent year-on-year.

BMW Group UK sales: January to December 2014:

	December 2014	December 2013	% change	Year to date 2014	Year to date 2013	% change
BMW	12,445	11,470	8.50%	148,878	135,583	9.81%
MINI	7,172	4,011	78.81%	53,661	51,933	3.33%
Total BMW Group	19,617	15,481	26.71%	202,539	187,516	8.01%