William Maley

Ford's CEO Jim Hackett has unveiled his plans for the company and there are a lot of cuts coming, along with shifts in various investments. “I get up every day feeling like time can be wasted here if we don’t get moving. I feel a real sense of urgency,” Hackett told investors yesterday in New York. The cuts include a $10 billion cut in material outlays and a $4 billion cut in engineering costs over the next five years. Ford will also cut costs on internal combustion engines and redirect the funds to the development of EVs. One move that consumers will see is the reduction of possible vehicle configurations. For example, the current Escape has 2,302 configurations available. Ford will cut that down to 228 for the next-generation. The Fusion will see a dramatic reduction from 35,000 to just 96. "We really offered too many options," Hackett said. Speaking of cars, Ford will be moving $7 billion from the development of cars to trucks. This shift would mean fewer car nameplates, but the company wouldn't go into detail which ones would be cut. As we have reported in the rumorpile, the possible candidates for cuts include the C-Max, Fiesta, and Taurus. Other parts of Hackett's vision for Ford include, Playing catchup by offering internet connectivity in all of their vehicles by 2019. 90 percent of Ford's global lineup will feature some sort of connectivity by 2020. Building out more partnerships such as working with Lyft on deploying autonomous vehicles Cutting down it takes to develop and produce a new vehicle “The mandate here is that Ford must compete. Companies never choose to die and yet many by not evolving are enabling that kind of fate. It’s clear that as a company we must then raise our gaze just high enough to ensure we’re not disrupted as the world changes,” said Hackett. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), Bloomberg, Ford, Reuters Press Release is on Page 2 FORD’S FUTURE: EVOLVING TO BECOME MOST TRUSTED MOBILITY COMPANY, DESIGNING SMART VEHICLES FOR A SMART WORLD Ford initiates aggressive “fitness” push, re-basing revenue growth assumptions and attacking costs, while redesigning company operations for long-term success Capital will be allocated to regions, products and services with highest potential for growth and return; product shift calls for more trucks and SUVs, fewer passenger cars Ford is accelerating work on smart, connected vehicles, including AVs and EVs and digital services to thrive in emerging transportation operating system NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2017 – Ford Motor Company today is providing a strategic update to investors, detailing plans to leverage its unique product strengths, trusted brand and global scale to refocus and thrive in an evolving and disruptive period for the auto industry. The investor presentation follows a four-month deep dive into Ford’s strategy and business operations led by President and CEO Jim Hackett and Ford’s senior leadership team. Hackett said Ford will improve its operational fitness, refocus capital allocation and accelerate the introduction of smart vehicles and services. “Ford was built on the belief that freedom of movement drives human progress,” said Hackett, who became Ford president and CEO on May 22. “It’s a belief that has always fueled our passion to create great cars and trucks. And today, it drives our commitment to become the world’s most trusted mobility company, designing smart vehicles for a smart world that help people move more safely, confidently and freely.” The full slide deck of the presentation can be found here. Ford is reaffirming its 2017 full-year financial guidance and said its 2018 outlook will be provided in January. Reiterating its long-term goal of an 8 percent automotive operating margin, Ford says it will embrace the profound technological changes and new competition buffeting the industry. To deliver, the company is expanding its scope to include vehicles and services – all designed around human-centered experiences. The company will tap its strengths integrating hardware and software in complex devices, its proven ability to deliver scale and the trust tied to the Ford brand. Specifically, Ford is: Accelerating the introduction of connected, smart vehicles and services customers want and value. By 2019, 100 percent of Ford’s new U.S. vehicles will be built with connectivity. The company has similarly aggressive plans for China and other markets, as 90 percent of Ford’s new global vehicles will feature connectivity by 2020. Rapidly improving fitness to lower costs, release capital and finance growth. Ford is attacking costs, reducing automotive cost growth by 50 percent through 2022. As part of this, the company is targeting $10 billion in incremental material cost reductions. The team also is reducing engineering costs by $4 billion from planned levels over the next five years by increasing use of common parts across its full line of vehicles, reducing order complexity and building fewer prototypes. Allocating capital where Ford can win the future. This starts with the company reallocating $7 billion of capital from cars to SUVs and trucks, including the Ranger and EcoSport in North America and the all-new Bronco globally. Ford also has plans to build the next-generation Focus for North America in China, saving capital investment and ongoing costs. Further, Ford is reducing internal combustion engine capital expenditures by one-third and redeploying that capital into electrification – on top of the previously announced $4.5 billion investment. Embracing partnerships. Ford will continue to leverage partnerships, remain active in M&A and collaborate to accelerate R&D. The company recently announced it was exploring a strategic alliance with Mahindra Group as it transforms its business in India, and Zoyte with the intention of developing a new line of low-cost all-electric passenger vehicles in China. When it comes to autonomous vehicle development, the company recently announced a relationship with Lyft to work toward commercialization and a collaboration with Domino’s Pizza to research the customer experience of delivery services. Expanding electric vehicle revenue opportunities. The company recently announced a dedicated electrification team within Ford, focused exclusively on creating an ecosystem of products and services for electric vehicles and the unique opportunities they provide. This builds on Ford’s earlier commitment to deliver 13 new electric vehicles in the next five years, including F-150 Hybrid, Mustang Hybrid, Transit Custom plug-in hybrid, an autonomous vehicle hybrid, Ford Police Responder Hybrid Sedan, and a fully electric small SUV. “When you’re a long-lived company that has had success over multiple decades the decision to change is not easy – culturally or operationally,” Hackett said. “Ultimately, though, we must accept the virtues that brought us success over the past century are really no guarantee of future success.” Revamping product development, modernizing factories At the same time, Ford is redesigning its operations to better compete in this disruptive era. Hackett cites as a template the example of how the company reimagined the all-new 2015 F-150. Since then, the F-Series has gained market share and the average transaction price has increased 16 percent. It has improved fuel economy and increased capability for customers, thanks in part to a 700-pound weight reduction that helped make the F-150 the company’s most positive contributor to CAFE standards for model year 2018. Additionally, 90 percent of the manufacturing equipment can be reused for the next-generation F-150, reducing future capital requirements. Finally, the innovation on aluminum and light weighting will pay off across a range of Ford trucks and SUVs. Other priorities include: Reducing orderable combinations of many nameplates, focusing on what customers value most. Already the team has identified a ten-fold reduction of orderable combinations in the next-generation Escape and is moving from approximately 35,000 combinations in the current generation of Fusion to 96 in the next generation. Rethinking product development processes and incorporating new technology. In the next five years, Ford is aiming to reduce new vehicle development time by 20 percent, with new tools and fewer orderable combinations. Through the use of virtual assembly lines, the company has been able to reduce new model changeover time by 25 percent. Redesigning the company’s factories of the future. Accelerating and scaling 3D printing, robotics, virtual reality tools and big data will improve logistics and enable a more efficient manufacturing footprint. “We believe Ford will achieve its competitive advantage by focusing deeply on our customers – whether they’re drivers, riders or cities – and that’s where we are playing to win,” Hackett said. View full article

Hyundai Motor America Reports September Sales Best All-Time Tucson and CUV September Sales Three-Millionth Elantra Sold During the Month And Donated to a First Responder Hero in Baytown, Texas Genesis Sales Up 43 Percent FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Motor America today reported September sales of Hyundai and Genesis branded vehicles of 57,007 units, a 14 percent decline compared with the company's best all-time September in 2016. CUV sales continue to grow with both Tucson and Santa Fe up compared with a year ago and Tucson achieving a record September, up 38 percent year-over-year. The overall monthly sales decline continues to be attributed to a reduction in fleet sales that were down 37 percent from a year ago. SALES BY BRAND Sept-17 Sept-16 2017 YTD 2016 YTD Hyundai 55,271 65,399 496,638 584,980 Genesis 1,736 1,211 15,102 2,708 TOTAL 57,007 66,610 511,740 587,688 HYUNDAI BRAND HIGHLIGHTS "The Hyundai Tucson continues to be a standout with another month over 10,000 units, leading to our best CUV September of all time," said John Angevine, director, National Sales, Hyundai Motor America. "While our car-to-SUV mix is improving, it's still in an inverse position to the industry. Despite that, we've retained our retail market share for the year." September was a busy month for Hyundai with several significant product and technology launches, and corporate initiatives. On the product and technology front, the all-new 2018 Accent made its U.S. debut at the Orange County Auto Show, a new Rear Occupant Alert system was unveiled, Elantra was named highest in overall owner experience for vehicle technology by J.D. Power and the first SEMA display car was released, the i30N that successfully competed in the 24-hours of Nurburgring. Hyundai Motor America also welcomed its new president and CEO, Kenny Lee, opened more than 100 EV charging stations at its headquarters, gave its three-millionth Elantra sold to a first responder hero in Texas and is preparing a major announcement for its renowned Assurance program on Oct. 10. Hyundai Hope On Wheels, Hyundai's non-profit organization committed to the fight against pediatric cancer, launched its annual campaign in honor of National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September as well. Throughout the month, Hope On Wheels awarded 40 research grants to children's hospitals across the country, adding $8.5 million in critical funds to the field of pediatric cancer research. HYUNDAI MODELS Vehicle Sept-17 Sept-16 2017 YTD 2016 YTD Accent 7,379 7,495 44,641 62,200 Azera 237 419 2,611 3,775 Elantra 14,401 19,382 143,067 157,050 Equus 1 60 20 1,297 Genesis 4 845 1,132 21,663 Santa Fe 11,420 11,350 95,655 98,298 Sonata 9,889 15,347 107,718 155,279 Tucson 10,118 7,333 82,839 65,333 Veloster 685 3,168 10,526 20,085 Ioniq 1,137 0 8,429 0 GENESIS BRAND HIGHLIGHTS September Genesis sales totaled 1,736, a 43 percent increase over last year. "Our G80 and G90 sedan lineup saw strong demand as the summer sales season wound to a close," said Erwin Raphael, general manager of Genesis in the U.S. market. "Additionally, we couldn't be more proud of the accolades our brand collected during that time. Our brand or products gathered awards from distinguished third parties like J.D. Power, AutoPacific and Strategic Vision while our product's safety capabilities were recognized by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety as well as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration." GENESIS MODELS Vehicle Sept-17 Sept-16 2017 YTD 2016 YTD G80 1,367 1,201 11,856 2,698 G90 369 10 3,246 10

Mercedes-Benz USA Reports September Sales Of 29,008 Oct 3, 2017, ATLANTA – Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) today reported September sales of 29,008 units, compared to 29,500 vehicles sold during the same period last year. Mercedes-Benz Vans reported best-ever September sales with 3,088 units (up 4.0%) and smart reported 241 units, bringing the MBUSA grand total to 32,337 vehicles for the month. On a year-to-date basis, Mercedes-Benz retails totaled 242,250 units. "The hurricanes in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico certainly caused some disruption in September, but our dealers did a fantastic job to maintain business. We are also seeing continued positive developments for our SUVs," said Dietmar Exler, president and CEO of MBUSA. "We expect to regain momentum in the final quarter of the year with the launch of the new S-Class Sedan, AMG models and continued demand for our SUV lineup." Mercedes-Benz volume leaders in September included the C-Class, GLC and GLE model lines. The C-Class took the lead at 6,194, followed by GLC sales of 4,662. The GLE rounded out the top three with 4,583 units sold. Mercedes-AMG high-performance models sold 2,445 units in September, with a total 23,566 sold year-to-date (up 50.7%). Separately, Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned (MBCPO) models recorded sales of 8,725 vehicles in September, a decrease of 9.1% when compared to the same month last year (9,598). On a year-to-date basis, MBCPO sold 87,677 vehicles, a decrease of 4.9% over 2016 (92,234).

MITSUBISHI REPORTS BEST SEPTEMBER SALES IN TEN YEARS Total September sales of 8,430 are up 17.2 percent over last September Outlander posts its best September sales month ever with 2,895 units sold Total Mitsubishi CUV sales up 34.3 percent over last September CYPRESS, Calif. – Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) reported September 2017 sales of 8,430, up 17.2 percent over September 2016 making it Mitsubishi's best September sales in ten years. Leading the way was the Outlander which posted its best September sales ever with 2,895 units sold, up 50.4 percent over last year. The volume leader for the brand was Outlander Sport, which posted sales of 3,140, up 22.2 percent over September 2016. Combined CUV sales for Mitsubishi climbed 34.3 percent over last year with total CUV sales of 6,035. Total 2017 calendar-year sales are up 6.5 percent compared to last year at this time with 79,195 units sold. "Month by month we continue to build on the brand's sales momentum led by Mitsubishi's CUV offerings of Outlander Sport and Outlander. Our dealers are committed to the Mitsubishi business and consumers are recognizing the great value offered in our product lineup," said Don Swearingen, executive vice president and COO, MMNA. September YTD 2017 2016 2017 2016 i‐MiEV 0 17 6 82 Mirage 1583 1756 18387 17750 Lancer 812 923 10633 11539 Outlander Sport 3140 2570 24014 25518 Outlander 2895 1925 26155 19462 Total 8430 7191 79195 74351

Subaru Of America, Inc. Reports Record September Sales Record September - monthly sales increase 0.4 percent over September 2016 70 consecutive months of yearly month-over-month growth Best September ever for Crosstrek and Impreza Best month ever for Crosstrek 43 consecutive months of more than 10,000 Outbacks sold 50 consecutive months of more than 10,000 Foresters sold CHERRY HILL, N.J., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Subaru of America, Inc. today reported 55,120 vehicle sales for September 2017, a 0.4 percent increase over September 2016. The automaker also reported year-to-date sales of 478,848 vehicles, a 7.2 percent gain over the same period in 2016. September marked the 43rd consecutive month of 40,000+ vehicle sales for the company. Crosstrek and Impreza sales were notably strong as each model achieved its best September ever. BRZ also enjoyed gains over September 2016. Crosstrek sales for September 2017 increased 51.2 percent over the same month in 2016 and marked the second time that Crosstrek has topped 12,000 units in a month. “Subaru sales continue to expand despite the overall decline in the market,” said Thomas J. Doll, president and chief operating officer, Subaru of America, Inc. “The Subaru franchise is on-track to achieve its ninth consecutive year of record sales in 2017.” “September marks 70 consecutive months of yearly month-over-month growth for our organization and our retailers,” said Jeff Walters, senior vice president of sales, Subaru of America, Inc. “Traffic to our retailers remains strong and it is encouraging to see sales of the all-new Crosstrek continue to grow,” added Walters. Carline Sep-17 Sep-16 % Chg Sep-17 Sep-16 % Chg MTD MTD MTD YTD YTD YTD Forester 13,262 15,883 -16.5% 132,030 130,652 1.1% Impreza 6,324 4,786 32.1% 64,589 45,070 43.3% WRX/STI 2,510 2,683 -6.5% 24,156 25,171 -4.0% Legacy 3,902 6,027 -35.3% 37,461 47,396 -21.0% Outback 16,330 16,978 -3.8% 140,491 126,426 11.1% BRZ 301 300 0.3% 3,307 3,362 -1.6% Crosstrek 12,491 8,261 51.2% 76,814 68,810 11.6% TOTAL 55,120 54,918 0.4% 478,848 446,887 7.2%

Kia Motors America Announces Record September Sales Best-Ever September Sales for the Forte Family of Compact Cars IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Kia Motors America (KMA) today announced best-ever September sales of 52,468 vehicles, up 6.6 percent over the same period last year. The brand's first monthly sales record of the year included: The highest September sales total in company history for the Forte nameplate, up 28.8 percent year-over-year Double digit increases for the Optima and Cadenza sedans over the same period last year In addition to record September sales, Kia was once again ranked among the highest valued brands in the world according to Interbrand's 2017 Best Global Brands report, marking the second consecutive year the automaker was named among the top 70 consumer brands globally. "Despite industry-wide challenges, Kia's world-class offerings, from subcompact to luxury, drew shoppers at an increasing rate with sales picking up throughout the month and leading to the best September sales performance in company history," said Bill Peffer, vice president, sales, KMA. "After seeing a six percent increase in brand value over the last 12 months, according to Interbrand, Kia is poised to close the year strong with the arrival of the all-new Stinger and Rio models, which demonstrate all that our global R&D and production teams are capable of." MONTH OF SEPTEMBER YEAR-TO-DATE Model 2017 2016 2017 2016 Rio 2,037 2,141 11,952 24,165 Forte 10,631 8,256 92,092 79,608 Optima 9,982 9,010 84,704 89,327 Cadenza 774 390 4,443 3,753 K900 31 68 352 621 Niro 2,554 N/A 20,670 N/A Sportage 6,002 6,282 55,757 63,510 Sorento 8,389 8,137 77,313 85,602 Sedona 1,569 3,051 19,920 37,355 Soul 10,499 11,885 90,727 107,823 Total 52,468 49,220 457,930 491,764

BMW Group U.S. Reports September 2017 Sales BMW brand sales increase 0.7 percent MINI brand sales decrease 7.2 percent Woodcliff Lake, NJ – October 3, 2017… Sales of BMW brand vehicles increased 0.7 percent in September for a total of 25,571 compared to 25,389 vehicles sold in September 2016. Year-to-date, the BMW brand is down 4.3 percent in the U.S. on sales of 220,175 vehicles compared to 230,133 sold in the first nine months of 2016. Notable vehicle sales in September include the BMW 4 Series and BMW 5 Series, which both showed strong gains for the third straight month, and the BMW X5. The BMW 4 Series increased 58.9 percent to 3,637 vehicles, while the BMW 5 Series increased 144.4 percent to 3,718 vehicles. The BMW X5 increased 6.0 percent to 3,975 vehicles. “The hot summer has given way to autumn and an uptick in sales, fueled in part by continued strong demand for the new 5 Series, as well as demand in Texas and Florida where customers are now replacing their flood and hurricane damaged vehicles,” said Bernhard Kuhnt, President and CEO, BMW of North America. “We are also anticipating growth in our Sports Activity Vehicles as expansion at our X model plant in South Carolina means we’ll have more X5’s this month followed by the eagerly awaited introduction of the all-new X3 in November.” MINI Brand Sales For September, MINI USA reported 3,736 vehicles sold, a decrease of 7.2 percent from the 4,024 sold in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date, MINI USA reported a total of 34,787 vehicles sold, a decrease of 10.6 percent from 38,911 vehicles sold in the first nine months of 2016. BMW Group Sales In total, the BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported September sales of 29,307 vehicles, a decrease of 0.4 percent from the 29,413 vehicles sold in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date, BMW Group sales are down 5.2 percent on sales of 254,962 vehicles in the first nine months of 2017 compared to 269,044 in the same period in 2016. BMW Group Electrified Vehicle Sales Sales of BMW Group electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles increased 14.9 percent to 13,533 through September 2017 (YTD), accounting for 5.3 percent of total BMW Group sales in the U.S. Currently, BMW offers six electrified vehicle models in the U.S., including the BMW i3 and BMW i8, as well as the BMW i Performance models: BMW 330e, BMW 530e, BMW 740e and the BMW X5 xDrive 40e. MINI offers the MINI Countryman plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, which launched in June 2017.

Mazda Reports September Sales Mazda CX-5 Crossover SUV Posts Best-Ever Sales Month IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today reported total September U.S. sales of 25,738 vehicles, representing an increase of 3.4 percent versus September of last year. With 26 selling days in September 2017, versus 25 the year prior, the company posted a decrease of 0.6 percent on a Daily Selling Rate (DSR) basis. Key September sales notes: The Mazda CX-5 posted its best-ever month since going on sale in February of 2012, with 12,440 vehicles sold in the month of September. This number represents an increase of 32.6 percent versus September of last year, and marks its seventh best-ever month in CY2017. Momentum around the Mazda MX-5 Miata continues, with the world's best-selling two-seat roadster posting a year-over-year (YOY) increase of 12.5 percent in the month of September. Total sales, which includes both the MX-5 soft top and MX-5 RF, reached 846 vehicles sold in the month of September. Sales of the seven-passenger Mazda CX-9 rose 0.9 percent YOY with 1,850 vehicles sold in the month of September. Total sales of Mazda's CX crossover SUV line, including the CX-3, CX-5 and CX-9, were up 23.6 percent YOY with 15,743 vehicles sold in the month of September. Among CX buyers, Mazda customers continue to choose the AWD option, with 62.2 percent of CX-line vehicles sold in September being equipped with i-ACTIV All-Wheel Drive. Mazda reported Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) sales of 3,580 vehicles, marking a YOY increase of 29.0 percent. Month-To-Date Year-To-Date September September % % MTD September September % % YTD 2017 2016 Change DSR 2017 2016 Change DSR Mazda3 6,112 7,350 (16.8)% (20.0)% 60,107 74,131 (18.9)% (20.0)% Mazda5 1 3 (66.7)% (67.9)% 10 365 (97.3)% (97.3)% Mazda6 3,036 4,052 (25.1)% (28.0)% 27,850 35,862 (22.3)% (23.4)% MX-5 Miata 846 752 12.5% 8.2% 9,717 7,840 23.9% 22.3% CX-3 1,453 1,513 (4.0)% (7.7)% 11,981 14,007 (14.5)% (15.6)% CX-5 12,440 9,385 32.6% 27.5% 92,550 82,439 12.3% 10.8% CX-9 1,850 1,834 0.9% (3.0)% 18,082 9,621 87.9% 85.5% Total Vehicles CARS 9,995 12,157 (17.8)% (20.9)% 97,684 118,201 (17.4)% (18.4)% TRUCKS 15,743 12,732 23.6% 18.9% 122,613 106,067 15.6% 14.1% TOTAL 25,738 24,889 3.4% (0.6)% 220,297 224,267 (1.8)% (3.1)% Selling Days 26 25 230 227

Both Cars and Trucks Drive Record September Sales for American Honda American Honda sets new September records for total vehicle sales (up 6.8%) and total truck sales (up 0.5%) Honda Division also nets September records for total vehicles (up 7.4%), cars (up 14.5%) and trucks (up 0.2%); Acura trucks also set new September record (up 2.4%) Honda Civic smashes previous best September, jumping 25.8% over 2016 Honda HR-V sets ninth straight monthly record, gaining 17.1% for best September Honda core products Accord, Civic and CR-V combine for nearly 100,000 sales Acura MDX has record September as sales jump 8.9% TORRANCE, Calif., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- American Honda Motor Co., Inc. today reported best-ever September total sales of 142,722 Honda and Acura vehicles, an increase of 6.8 percent vs. September 2016. Honda Division also set a new September record, gaining 7.4 percent on sales of 129,776 units. Honda cars and truck both set September records, with cars gaining 14.5 percent on sales of 69,407, and trucks up 0.2 percent on sales of 60,369 units, even as supplies of key truck models remain tight. Acura Division sales rose 1.0 percent on sales of 12,946 vehicles for the month, with trucks setting a new September record—gaining 2.4 percent on sales of 9,061 units. Honda Strong sales of both cars and trucks fired Honda brand sales gains in September, pushing the brand to new records for both. Civic stole the show, posting a 25.8 percent jump for a new September mark, while Accord gained nearly 10 percent for the month despite being at the end of its lifecycle. On the truck side, HR-V extended its streak of record sales months to nine, while Pilot enjoyed a double-digit gain helped by a recent increase in production volume. However, tight supplies of key models checked sales growth with the remainder of the Honda truck lineup. Civic sales jumped 25.8 percent on sales of 35,452 to smash its previous September best. Accord posted a notable total 29,789 sales for the month, gaining 9.5 percent as it continues to buck industry sales trends even in its final days on the market. HR-V also set a new September mark, extending its 2017 record streak to nine months with a gain of 17.1 percent on sales of 8,024 units. Sales of Honda's Pilot rose sharply in September, up 11.8 percent on sales of 10,295 while CR-V posted another strong month of 30,956 despite inventory issues. "Honda is enjoying a sales situation that, while still favoring truck growth, has been punctuated by new strength on the car side of the equation," said Jeff Conrad, senior vice president of the Automobile Division of American Honda. "After a strong media launch of the 2018 Accord last week, we're excited to see how this great new car contributes in the coming months." Acura Acura sales rose slightly in September, continuing a steady pace driven by the on-going strength of the Acura MDX and RDX and supplemented by continued recent gains by Acura's gateway sedan, the ILX, which has performed well above the industry in the segment. Acura trucks set a new September best, driven by the MDX which also set a September record. ILX sales gained for the fourth straight month, rising 33.4 percent on September sales of 1,222. With production of the MDX now transferred completely to Ohio, production increases are already reaping benefits as MDX gained 8.9 percent on sales of 5,368 for a new September record. "Despite softened sales in several key segments where we compete, Acura was able to continue sales gains in September," said Jon Ikeda, vice president & general manager of the Acura division. "With production changes helping our MDX inventory, we will continue efforts to gain sales momentum." American Honda Vehicle Sales for September 2017 Month-to-Date Year-to-Date September 2017 September 2016 DSR** % Change MoM % Change September 2017 September 2016 DSR** % Change YoY % Change American Honda Total 142,722 133,655 2.7% 6.8% 1,231,603 1,228,380 -0.2% 0.3% Total Car Sales 73,292 64,586 9.1% 13.5% 613,181 629,011 -2.9% -2.5% Total Truck Sales 69,430 69,069 -3.3% 0.5% 618,422 599,369 2.7% 3.2% Honda Total Car Sales 69,407 60,622 10.1% 14.5% 576,417 587,584 -2.3% -1.9% Honda Total Truck Sales 60,369 60,220 -3.6% 0.2% 541,060 521,069 3.4% 3.8% Acura Total Car Sales 3,885 3,964 -5.8% -2.0% 36,764 41,427 -11.6% -11.3% Acura Total Truck Sales 9,061 8,849 -1.5% 2.4% 77,362 78,300 -1.6% -1.2% Total Domestic Car Sales 65,647 58,310 8.3% 12.6% 514,294 583,049 -12.2% -11.8% Honda Division 61,856 54,448 9.2% 13.6% 478,353 542,679 -12.2% -11.9% Acura Division 3,791 3,862 -5.6% -1.8% 35,941 40,370 -11.4% -11.0% Total Domestic Truck Sales 69,430 69,069 -3.3% 0.5% 618,422 599,369 2.7% 3.2% Honda Division 60,369 60,220 -3.6% 0.2% 541,060 521,069 3.4% 3.8% Acura Division 9,061 8,849 -1.5% 2.4% 77,362 78,300 -1.6% -1.2% Total Import Car Sales 7,645 6,276 17.1% 21.8% 98,887 45,962 114.2% 115.1% Honda Division 7,551 6,174 17.6% 22.3% 98,064 44,905 117.4% 118.4% Acura Division 94 102 -11.4% -7.8% 823 1,057 -22.5% -22.1% Total Import Truck Sales 0 0 0.0% 0.0% 0 0 0.0% 0.0% Honda Division 0 0 0.0% 0.0% 0 0 0.0% 0.0% Acura Division 0 0 0.0% 0.0% 0 0 0.0% 0.0% MODEL BREAKOUT BY DIVISION Honda Division Total 129,776 120,842 3.3% 7.4% 1,117,477 1,108,653 0.4% 0.8% * ACCORD 29,789 27,204 5.3% 9.5% 250,802 258,619 -3.4% -3.0% * CIVIC 35,452 28,184 20.9% 25.8% 284,380 283,783 -0.2% 0.2% CLARITY 66 0 0.0% 0.0% 532 0 0.0% 0.0% CR-Z 27 165 -84.3% -83.6% 651 1,864 -65.2% -65.1% * FIT 4,073 5,068 -22.7% -19.6% 40,049 43,255 -7.8% -7.4% INSIGHT 0 1 -100.0% -100.0% 3 63 -95.3% -95.2% CROSSTOUR 0 5 -100.0% -100.0% 5 725 -99.3% -99.3% * CR-V 30,956 31,884 -6.6% -2.9% 280,933 263,493 6.2% 6.6% HR-V 8,024 6,853 12.6% 17.1% 74,034 58,270 26.5% 27.1% ODYSSEY 8,310 8,954 -10.8% -7.2% 75,309 94,835 -20.9% -20.6% PILOT 10,295 9,206 7.5% 11.8% 84,203 90,999 -7.9% -7.5% RIDGELINE 2,784 3,318 -19.3% -16.1% 26,576 12,747 107.6% 108.5% *** Memo: Accord FHEV 2,278 1,160 88.8% 96.4% 17,430 2,880 502.6% 505.2% Memo: Civic Hybrid 2 38 -94.9% -94.7% 60 855 -93.0% -93.0% Acura Division Total 12,946 12,813 -2.8% 1.0% 114,126 119,727 -5.1% -4.7% ILX 1,222 916 28.3% 33.4% 9,073 11,747 -23.1% -22.8% NSX 26 38 -34.2% -31.6% 355 83 325.9% 327.7% RLX / RL 94 102 -11.4% -7.8% 823 1,053 -22.2% -21.8% TLX 2,543 2,908 -15.9% -12.6% 26,513 28,540 -7.5% -7.1% TSX 0 0 0.0% 0.0% 0 4 -100.0% -100.0% MDX 5,368 4,930 4.7% 8.9% 38,182 39,578 -3.9% -3.5% RDX 3,693 3,919 -9.4% -5.8% 39,180 38,722 0.7% 1.2% *** Memo: ILX Hybrid 0 0 0.0% 0.0% 0 1 -100.0% -100.0% Memo: RLX Hybrid 18 24 -27.9% -25.0% 161 158 1.5% 1.9% Memo: MDX Hybrid 239 0 0.0% 0.0% 1,075 0 0.0% 0.0% Selling Days 26 25 230 229 **** Hybrid 2,590 1,426 74.6% 81.6% 19,735 5,904 232.8% 234.3% * Honda and Acura vehicles are made of domestic & global sourced parts ** Daily Selling Rate *** Memo line items are included in the respective model total **** Hybrid includes FHEV, PHEV, CR-Z, Civic Hybrid, Insight, ILX Hybrid, RLX Hybrid, RLX Sport Hybrid, MDX Sport Hybrid and NSX

VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA REPORTS SEPTEMBER 2017 SALES RESULTS Sales totaled 32,112 units, an increase of 33.2 percent over September 2016 Year-to-date sales totaled 252,456 an increase of 9.2 percent Sales of the all-new 2018 Atlas totaled 4,095 units Sales of the all-new 2018 Tiguan totaled 3,075 units Best September on record for GTI, 2,217 units delivered Herndon, VA — (October 3, 2017) Volkswagen of America, Inc. (VWoA) today reported sales of 32,112 units delivered in September 2017, a 33.2 percent increase over September 2016. With 252,456 units delivered year-to-date in 2017, the company is reporting an increase of 9.2 percent in year-over-year sales. Volkswagen is shifting its lineup to offer more family-friendly SUVs. The positive results are seen in September’s sales as SUVs accounted for more than 26 percent of total volume for the Volkswagen brand. The Chattanooga-built Atlas delivered 4,095 units, while the 2018 Tiguan delivered 3,075 units, both showing a steady increase in sales for the vehicles. Additionally, the Golf family was boosted by sales of the Golf SportWagen—which includes Alltrack—and the GTI. In total, Golf delivered 5,685 units, an increase of 24 percent for the award-winning family of vehicles. September 2017 Sales September 17 September 16 Yr/Yr% change September 17 YTD September 16 YTD Yr/Yr% change Golf 1,264 1,082 16.8% 11,137 9,549 16.6% GTI 2,217 1,837 20.7% 16,814 17,187 -2.2% Golf R 71 204 -65.2% 2,655 3,103 -14.4% e-Golf 187 529 -64.7% 2,699 2,782 -3.0% Golf SportWagen 1,946 933 108.6% 22,171 8,477 161.5% Total Golf Family 5,685 4,585 24.0% 55,476 41,098 35.0% Jetta Sedan 12,038 8,299 45.1% 90,996 89,743 1.4% Jetta SportWagen (now Golf SportWagen) N/A N/A N/A N/A 5 -120.0% Total Jetta 12,038 8,299 45.1% 90,995 89,748 1.4% Beetle Coupe 600 988 -39.3% 6,872 6,839 0.5% Beetle Convertible 465 353 31.7% 5,597 4,322 29.5% Total Beetle 1,065 1,341 -20.6% 12,469 11,161 11.7% Eos* N/A N/A N/A 1 387 -99.7% Passat 4,636 6,335 -26.8% 50,630 53,086 -4.6% CC 71 234 -69.7% 1,182 2,355 -49.8% Tiguan 1,226 2,988 -59.0% 20,680 30,225 -31.6% 2018 Tiguan 3,075 N/A N/A 6,184 N/A N/A Touareg 221 330 -33.0% 2,608 3,208 -18.7% Atlas 4,095 N/A N/A 12,231 N/A N/A TOTAL 32,112 24,112 33.2% 252,456 231,268 9.16% *Eos production ended in July 2015

Audi of America reports September sales increase as Q7 and all-new Q5 lead consumer demand Q7 sales rose 43 percent; all-new Q5 sales up 16 percent Sales of the new-to-U.S. A5 Sportback totaled 1,203 SUV sales increased 19 percent; sedan sales rose 1 percent HERNDON, Virginia, October 3, 2017 – Audi of America reported a September sales increase of 9.6 percent to 19,308 deliveries, as the all-new Q5, the Q7, and the all-new A5 Sportback helped drive consumer demand. September marked the 81st straight record sales month for Audi of America. The previous September record was set last year with 17,617 deliveries. Through September, Audi has now sold 160,914 vehicles in the U.S. this year, more than any year before 2013. Through September sales have increased 5.7 percent. Consumer demand for Audi SUVs increased deliveries of the new Q5 to 4,596 and the Q7 to 3,538, with the Q7 rising 43 percent over last year and 22 percent year-to-date. September was the best sales month ever for the Q7. Audi SUV sales overall grew more than 19 percent in September and made up 52 percent of the sales mix. Audi SUV sales have increased 13 percent this year. The A5 Cabriolet, Coupe and the new Sportback sales more than tripled to 2,360. The A5 Sportback sales totaled 1,203 in September. Audi sedan deliveries totaled 9,356 for the month, up 1 percent from last year. “We’re encouraged by the consumer demand for our all-new Q5 and A5 models and we’re looking forward to a strong fourth-quarter finish as we head into 2018,” said Cian O’Brien, chief operating officer, Audi of America. AUDI US SNAPSHOT --MTD-- --YTD-- Model Line Sep '17 Actual Sep '16 Actual Yr/Yr % change Sep '17 YTD Actual Sep '16 YTD Actual Yr/Yr % change A3 1,844 1,897 -2.8% 16,247 21,914 -25.9% A3 e-tron 85 312 -72.8% 2,552 2,949 -13.5% A4 2,585 3,175 -18.6% 25,252 23,671 6.7% A5 2,360 746 216% 13,957 6,672 109.2% A6 1,210 1,599 -24.3% 11,777 13,709 -14.1% A7 504 541 -6.8% 3,439 4,588 -25.0% A8 276 335 -17.6% 2,386 2,951 -19.1% allroad 294 282 4.3% 2,299 1,406 63.5% Q3 1,818 1,919 -5.3% 14,653 14,444 1.4% Q5 4,596 3,957 16.1% 39,226 35,195 11.5% Q7 3,538 2,475 42.9% 26,778 21,885 22.4% R8 41 84 -51.2% 642 530 21.1% TT 157 295 -46.8% 1,706 2,265 -24.7% Total Audi Sales 19,308 17,617 9.6% 160,914 152,179 5.7% Total CPO Sales 4,225 3,531 19.7% 35,808 34,529 3.7% NOTES: - A3 includes A3 Sedan, S3 Sedan and A3 Cabriolet, but does not include A3 Sportback e-tron. - A4 includes A4 Sedan and S4 Sedan, but does not include A4 allroad. - A5 includes A5 Coupe, S5 Coupe, RS 5 Coupe, A5 Cabriolet, S5 Cabriolet and RS 5 Cabriolet. - A6 includes A6 Sedan and S6 Sedan. - A7 includes A7 Sedan, S7 Sedan and RS 7 Sedan. - A8 includes A8 Sedan, A8 L Sedan and S8 Sedan. - Q5 includes Q5 and SQ5. - R8 includes R8 Coupe and R8 Spyder. - TT includes TT Coupe, TTS Coupe and TT Roadster.

Toyota Motor North America Reports U.S. Sales for September, First Nine Months of 2017 TMNA, Toyota and Lexus divisions set new September record for total volume TMNA, Toyota and Lexus divisions set September light truck sales record Toyota RAV4, Highlander post ninth consecutive monthly sales records Lexus NX, GX, and RX post best-ever September PLANO, Texas (October 3, 2017) – Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) Inc., today reported September 2017 sales of 226,632 units. With one more selling day in September 2017 compared to September 2016, sales were up 14.9 percent on a volume basis, and up 10.5 percent on a daily selling rate (DSR) basis. For the first nine months of the year, TMNA reported sales of 1,831,479 units. With one more selling day in 2017 compared to 2016, total sales were up 0.1 percent on a DSR basis, and sales were up 0.5 percent on an unadjusted raw-volume basis. Toyota division posted September 2017 sales of 200,436 units, up 16.9 percent on a volume basis, and up 12.4 percent on a DSR basis. “The auto industry showed renewed strength in September, bringing optimism for a third consecutive year with sales topping 17 million new vehicles,” said Jack Hollis, group vice president and general manager, Toyota division. “This month marked our first full-month of sales of the all-new 2018 Camry, outselling last year’s total with a double-digit gain in volume – a testament to the positive reception we are receiving on its bold new styling and TNGA-based performance. Toyota division light trucks continue to lead sales, with September marking a string of eight consecutive monthly sales records, and nine consecutive monthly best-ever sales records for Highlander and RAV4. In fact, RAV4, with more than 42,000 sales this month, marks three consecutive months of more than 40,000 units – an amazing feat!” Lexus posted June sales of 26,196 units, up 1.5 percent on a volume basis, and down 2.4 percent on a DSR basis. “Lexus sales traditionally shift into high gear as we head toward the end of the year, and we are buoyed by three consecutive months of sales momentum as well as our best-ever September,” said Lexus Group Vice President and General Manager Jeff Bracken. “Going forward we have a strong supply of luxury utility vehicles to satisfy customers’ needs through the remainder of 2017.” September 2017 and First Nine Months Highlights: Camry sales of 34,732 units, up 13.1 percent in first full month of sales of all-new 2018 model year Total Toyota division SUV sales up 43.2 percent in September; pickup trucks up 15.8 percent RAV4 gains 44 percent with 42,395 units sold; nine straight monthly sales records Highlander posts sales of 20,359 units; first month to top 20,000 in 2017, and nine straight monthly sales records 4Runner sales of 11,333 units, up 25.1 percent Tacoma and Tundra September sales rise by 14.9 and 17.4 percent respectively Lexus sees fifth consecutive monthly best-ever for LUVs NX up 6.6 percent with September sales of 5,041, seventh consecutive best-ever monthly total GX rises 53 percent; records back-to-back best-ever monthly totals LX up 38.6 percent in September RX sees six percent gain, sets new best-ever monthly total for September *Note: Unless otherwise stated, all figures reflect unadjusted raw sales volume

Nissan Group reports September 2017 U.S. sales NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Nissan Group announced total U.S. sales for September 2017 of 139,932 units, an increase of 9.5 percent over the previous year. This marks a September record. Nissan highlights: Nissan Division sales also set a September record at 127,187, an increase of 9 percent. Nissan Rogue sales set a September record with 38,969 sales, up 47 percent. Armada SUV sales also set a September record with 4,447 sales, an increase of 160 percent. TITAN pickup sales increased 52 percent to 3,773. Sentra sales increased 40 percent to 19,128. NISSAN DIVISION SEPT SEPT Monthly CYTD CYTD CYTD 2017 2016 % chg 2017 2016 % chg Nissan Division Total 127,187 116,384 9.3 1,082,527 1,086,249 -0.3 Versa 11,601 11,553 0.4 82,817 106,455 -22.2 Sentra 19,128 13,670 39.9 165,711 169,476 -2.2 Cube 0 0 0.0 0 15 -100.0 Altima 16,569 25,031 -33.8 199,861 242,321 -17.5 Maxima 8,404 6,569 27.9 49,677 49,376 0.6 LEAF 1,055 1,316 -19.8 10,740 9,238 16.3 Juke 545 947 -42.4 9,100 16,214 -43.9 370Z 315 513 -38.6 3,580 4,805 -25.5 GT-R 32 82 -61.0 482 537 -10.2 Total Car 57,649 59,681 -3.4 521,968 598,437 -12.8 Frontier 5,111 7,596 -32.7 55,208 69,388 -20.4 TITAN 3,773 2,484 51.9 35,549 10,974 223.9 Xterra 0 0 0.0 1 38 -97.4 Pathfinder 7,460 8,028 -7.1 61,719 59,111 4.4 Armada 4,447 1,712 159.8 25,533 8,083 215.9 Rogue 38,969 26,459 47.3 296,927 241,619 22.9 Murano 7,002 7,536 -7.1 52,907 60,782 -13.0 Quest 6 209 -97.1 4,941 10,055 -50.9 NV 1,432 1,395 2.7 13,594 13,383 1.6 NV200 1,338 1,284 4.2 14,180 14,379 -1.4 Total Truck 69,538 56,703 22.6 560,559 487,812 14.9 INFINITI SEPT SEPT Monthly CYTD CYTD CYTD 2017 2016 % chg 2017 2016 % chg Infiniti Total 12,745 11,413 11.7 113,714 96,775 17.5 Infiniti Q40 0 0 0.0 0 59 -100.0 Infiniti Q50 3,336 4,359 -23.5 28,076 31,163 -9.9 Infiniti Q60 763 497 53.5 8,156 1,413 477.2 Infiniti Q70 550 402 36.8 4,608 4,495 2.5 Infiniti QX30 1,053 249 322.9 11,981 323 3609.3 Infiniti QX50 1,628 1,215 34.0 12,143 12,399 -2.1 Infiniti QX60 3,879 3,126 24.1 29,360 31,067 -5.5 Infiniti QX70 321 363 -11.6 6,167 4,062 51.8 Infiniti QX80 1,215 1,202 1.1 13,223 11,794 12.1 Total Car 4,649 5,258 -11.6 40,840 37,130 10.0 Total Truck 8,096 6,155 31.5 72,874 59,645 22.2 NISSAN GROUP SEPT SEPT Monthly CYTD CYTD CYTD 2017 2016 % chg 2017 2016 % chg TOTAL VEHICLE 139,932 127,797 9.5 1,196,241 1,183,024 1.1 Total Car 62,298 64,939 -4.1 562,808 635,567 -11.4 Total Truck 77,634 62,858 23.5 633,433 547,457 15.7 Selling days 26 25 230 229

Volkswagen of America - Up 33.2% (32,112 Vehicles Sold This Month, 252,456 Vehicles Sold This Year) Mitsubishi Motors North America - Up 17.2% (8,430 Vehicles Sold This Month, 79,195 Vehicles Sold This Year) Jaguar Land Rover North America - Up 17% (9,703 Vehicles Sold This Month, 84,709 Vehicles Sold This Year) Toyota Motor North America - Up 14.9% (226,632 Vehicles Sold This Month, 1,831,479 Vehicles Sold This Year) General Motors Co. - Up 11.9% (279,397 Vehicles Sold This Month, 2,195,502 Vehicles Sold This Year) Audi of America - Up 9.6% (19,308 Vehicles Sold This Month, 160,914 Vehicles Sold This Year) Nissan North America - Up 9.5% (139,932 Vehicles Sold This Month, 1,196,241 Vehicles Sold This Year) Ford Motor Company - Up 8.7% (222,248 Vehicles Sold This Month, 1,933,459 Vehicles Sold This Year) American Honda Motor Co. - Up 6.8% (142,722 Vehicles Sold This Month, 1,231,603 Vehicles Sold This Year) Kia Motors America - Up 6.6% (52,468 Vehicles Sold This Month, 457,930 Vehicles Sold This Year) Mazda North American Operations - Up 3.4% (25,738 Vehicles Sold This Month, 220,297 Vehicles Sold This Year) Subaru of America, Inc. - Up 0.4% (55,120 Vehicles Sold This Month, 478,848 Vehicles Sold This Year) BMW Group U.S. - Down 0.4% (29,307 Vehicles Sold This Month, 254,962 Vehicles Sold This Year) Mercedes-Benz USA - Down 2.2% (32,337 Vehicles Sold This Month, 270,112 Vehicles Sold This Year) FCA US LLC - Down 10% (174,266 Vehicles Sold This Month, 1,579,138 Vehicles Sold This Year) Hyundai Motor America - Down 14% (57,007 Vehicles Sold This Month, 511,740 Vehicles Sold This Year) Maserati North America, Inc. - Porsche Cars North America, Inc. - Volvo Cars of North America, LLC - Brands: Acura - Down 2.8% (12,946 Vehicles Sold This Month, 114,126 Vehicles Sold This Year) Alfa Romeo - Up 2,993% (1,268 Vehicles Sold This Month, 7,352 Vehicles Sold This Year) Audi - Up 9.6% (19,308 Vehicles Sold This Month, 160,914 Vehicles Sold This Year) BMW - Up 0.7% (25,571 Vehicles Sold This Month, 220,175 Vehicles Sold This Year) Buick - Down 20% (16,137 Vehicles Sold This Month, 159,830 Vehicles Sold This Year) Cadillac - Up 1.1% (15,530 Vehicles Sold This Month, 113,846 Vehicles Sold This Year) Chevrolet - Up 17.4% (199,801 Vehicles Sold This Month, 1,516,192 Vehicles Sold This Year) Chrysler - Down 16% (15,759 Vehicles Sold This Month, 143,809 Vehicles Sold This Year) Dodge - Down 30% (29,938 Vehicles Sold This Month, 365,790 Vehicles Sold This Year) Fiat - Down 24% (2,206 Vehicles Sold This Month, 21,252 Vehicles Sold This Year) Ford - Up 9.1% (213,446 Vehicles Sold This Month, 1,850,737 Vehicles Sold This Year) Genesis - Up 43.5% (1,736 Vehicles Sold This Month, 15,102 Vehicles Sold This Year) GMC - Up 9.4% (47,329 Vehicles Sold This Month, 405,634 Vehicles Sold This Year) Honda - Up 7.4% (129,776 Vehicles Sold This Month, 1,117,477 Vehicles Sold This Year) Hyundai - Down 15.49% (55,271 Vehicles Sold This Month, 496,638 Vehicles Sold This Year) Infiniti - Up 11.7% (12,745 Vehicles Sold This Month, 113,714 Vehicles Sold This Year) Jaguar - Up 24% (3,296 Vehicles Sold This Month, 30,228 Vehicles Sold This Year) Jeep - Down 4% (73,409 Vehicles Sold This Month, 622,242 Vehicles Sold This Year) Kia - Up 6.6% (52,468 Vehicles Sold This Month, 457,930 Vehicles Sold This Year) Land Rover - Up 14% (6,407 Vehicles Sold This Month, 54,481 Vehicles Sold This Year) Lexus - Up 1.5% (26,196 Vehicles Sold This Month, 219,659 Vehicles Sold This Year) Lincoln - Up 0.1% (8,802 Vehicles Sold This Month, 82,722 Vehicles Sold This Year) Maserati - Mazda - Up 3.4% (25,738 Vehicles Sold This Month, 220,297 Vehicles Sold This Year) Mercedes-Benz - Down 1.7% (29,008 Vehicles Sold This Month, 242,250 Vehicles Sold This Year) MINI - Down 7.2% (3.736 Vehicles Sold This Month, 34,787 Vehicles Sold This Year) Mitsubishi - Up 17.2% (8,430 Vehicles Sold This Month, 79,195 Vehicles Sold This Year) Nissan - Up 9.3% (127,187 Vehicles Sold This Month, 1,082,527 Vehicles Sold This Year) Porsche - Ram Trucks - 0% (51,686 Vehicles Sold This Month, 418,693 Vehicles Sold This Year) Smart - Down 60.2% (241 Vehicles Sold This Month, 2,635 Vehicles Sold This Year) Subaru - Up 0.4% (55,120 Vehicles Sold This Month, 478,848 Vehicles Sold This Year) Toyota - Up 16.9% (200,436 Vehicles Sold This Month, 1,611,820 Vehicles Sold This Year) Volkswagen - Up 33.2% (32,112 Vehicles Sold This Month, 252,456 Vehicles Sold This Year) Volvo - *Mercedes-Benz's sales numbers include Mercedes-Benz vans. View full article

GM Leads Industry on Strength of Chevrolet and GMC Total, Retail, Commercial and Government sales rise on strong truck and crossover demand Best September U.S. retail performance since 2007 DETROIT — General Motors (NYSE: GM) today reported a 12 percent year-over-year increase in total sales in September to 279,397 units, driven by a 17 percent increase at Chevrolet and an 9 percent increase at GMC. Crossover deliveries were up 43 percent, trucks were up 10 percent and passenger cars were down 11 percent. Retail deliveries, which accounted for about 80 percent of sales, were up 8 percent for GM’s best September retail performance since 2007. GM’s U.S. retail share is estimated to be up 0.6 percentage points. Commercial and Government deliveries were up 25 percent and 38 percent, respectively. GM has gained U.S. Commercial market share for 14 consecutive months. “Our new crossovers from Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac have been very well-received and Chevrolet had an outstanding month with the Silverado and Colorado,” said Kurt McNeil, U.S. vice president of Sales Operations. “We are entering the fourth quarter with strong momentum, great products and a healthy economy.” GM Chief Economist Mustafa Mohatarem said all the key U.S. economic indicators point toward continued economic growth and stability. In addition, regions devastated by the recent hurricanes will continue to recover, helping spur new and used vehicle sales. “The overall strength of the U.S. economy is the main force driving the market,” he said. “With the U.S. economy strengthening, retail sales should remain strong for the foreseeable future.” September Retail Highlights (vs. September 2016 unless noted) Chevrolet Best September since 2004. Silverado was up 14 percent. Equinox and Traverse, Chevrolet’s newest crossovers, were up 69 percent and 104 percent, respectively, the best September ever for Equinox and the best month ever for Traverse. Bolt EV had its best month ever with 2,505 retail deliveries and 2,632 total deliveries. Best month ever for Chevrolet electrified vehicles (Bolt EV and Volt), with 3,929 retail deliveries. Trax was up 8 percent for its best September ever. Impala was up 7 percent. Buick Enclave, Encore and Envision were up 41 percent, 12 percent and 44 percent, respectively. Encore had its best month ever. Highest ever SUV/crossover mix at 87 percent. LaCrosse ATP up 10 percent year to date. Buick maintained its retail focus with more than a 50 percent reduction in fleet deliveries year to date. GMC Terrain was up 66 percent for its best September ever. Overall Denali penetration was 33 percent, the highest monthly rate ever. Denali penetration on Sierra reached 38 percent in September. Year-to-date ATP is highest in GMC history at $43,210. Sierra had the highest ATP in its segment for 12th straight month. Cadillac XT5 was up 36 percent. Combined XT5 and SRX deliveries were up 12 percent year to date. Year-to-date ATP was up $260 to $53,748, higher than many German luxury brands Supplemental Data U.S. inventory levels are down about 160,000 vehicles in the third quarter. The company’s inventory target is unchanged, which is to end the year with stocks at or below last year’s level of about 850,000 vehicles, with fewer cars and more trucks, crossovers and utilities in the mix. According to JD Power PIN estimates, GM’s September incentive spending as a percent of ATP was 14.6 percent, which reflects special programs that support disaster relief. Year to date, GM’s incentive spend is below its domestic and many Asian competitors. Year to date, GM has the lowest daily rental mix of any full-line automaker at 8.7 percent of total sales. GM remains committed to decrease daily rental sales by 50,000 units in 2017.

FCA US Reports September 2017 Sales FCA US retail sales up year over year in September, compared with same month a year ago Jeep brand and Ram Truck brand retail sales up year over year Jeep® Compass sales up 75 percent; best sales month ever Jeep Renegade, Chrysler Pacifica, Ram ProMaster and Ram ProMaster City each post best September sales ever Dodge Durango sales increase 45 percent; best September sales since 2005 A 41 percent year-over-year decline in fleet sales is in line with the FCA US strategy to reduce sales to the daily rental segment October 3, 2017 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - FCA US LLC today reported sales of 174,266 units, a 10 percent decrease compared with sales in September 2016 (192,883 units). In September, retail sales of 146,904 units were up 0.3 percent compared with the same month in 2016 and represented 84 percent of total sales. In line with FCA’s strategy to reduce sales to the daily rental segment, fleet sales of 27,362 units were down, as expected, 41 percent year over year. The largest planned volume reduction in September fleet sales came from the Jeep® brand, which reduced its fleet sales number by 67 percent year over year. Fleet sales represented 16 percent of total FCA US September sales. Five FCA US vehicles posted record sales in September, including the Jeep Compass. Compass sales were up 75 percent in September, the compact SUV’s best sales month ever. In addition, the Jeep Renegade, Chrysler Pacifica, Ram ProMaster and Ram ProMaster City each recorded their best September sales ever. The Jeep Wrangler, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Durango and Fiat 500L each posted at least double-digit percentage increases in September, compared with the same month a year ago. Jeep® Brand The Jeep Compass posted its best sales month ever, while the Jeep Renegade recorded its best September sales ever. In addition, sales of the Jeep Grand Cherokee – the most-awarded SUV ever – were up 20 percent for its best September sales since the year 2000. Jeep Wrangler sales were up 10 percent in September. While Jeep brand total sales were down, due to its planned reduction in fleet sales to daily rental car companies, the brand’s retail sales at Jeep dealerships were up 9 percent in September, compared with the same month a year ago. Ram Truck Brand The Ram ProMaster full-size van and the Ram ProMaster City van each posted their best September sales ever. The Ram pickup truck recorded its best sales month so far this year. Ram Truck brand sales are up 5 percent calendar year to date, compared with the same nine-month period in 2016. The Ram Truck brand’s retail sales were up 3 percent in September, compared with the same month a year ago. The Ram Truck brand unveiled new-for-2018 updates to two of its most popular models at the State Fair of Texas in September. Laramie Longhorn Southfork and Heavy Duty Lone Star Silver models will offer truck buyers an even wider selection of exterior appointments and content. Chrysler Brand Sales of the all-new Chrysler Pacifica – the most-awarded minivan of 2016 and 2017 – were up 18 percent last month for its best September sales since launch last year. Parents magazine and Edmunds have named the all-new 2017 Chrysler Pacifica the “Best Minivan” on their list of the “10 Best Family Cars of 2017.” FIAT Brand Sales of the Fiat 500L were up 103 percent last month for its best September sales since 2015 and its best sales month this year. Also in September, the FIAT brand announced the addition of the 2017 Fiat 500X Urbana Edition to its Italian-designed, fun-to-drive Fiat 500X lineup, offering customers yet another way to showcase their personality with their FIAT vehicle. The new 500X Urbana Edition takes the brand’s top-selling Trekking trim, best known for its rugged exterior and interior appearance, and adds unique content with black and copper accents to create a fresh new personality option for FIAT brand customers. Dodge Brand Dodge Durango sales were up 45 percent in September, compared with the same month a year ago, for its best September sales since 2005. Last month the editors at WardsAuto named the new 2018 Dodge Durango SRT to the Wards 10 Best User Experience List for 2017 in recognition of its advanced technology and ease of use. Offering an array of advanced technology features, the Durango SRT comes equipped with a new Uconnect fourth-generation system that includes performance improvements with quicker startup time and enhanced processing power. Alfa Romeo Brand Alfa Romeo brand sales of 1,268 units were up significantly compared with the same month a year ago as the all-new Alfa Romeo Stelvio SUV begins to arrive in greater numbers at U.S. dealerships.

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The State Fair of Texas began last week and truck manufacturers were out in force with new models to tempt consumers in the largest truck market in the U.S. Both Ford and Ram Trucks rolled out new luxury trims of their pickups - Ford with the Limited and Ram with the Longhorn Southfork. Both trims can easily reach $100,000 which to some is pushing it. But marketers at the truck manufacturers tell Automotive News they don't know where the ceiling is on how much consumers are willing to spend. "It's hard to guess how big the market is. I don't think trucks have found a ceiling yet. You get customers who want every bell and whistle," said Todd Eckert, Ford's truck group marketing manager. "For us, it is not about the dollar amount. It's about meeting the needs of the customers. We see an opportunity in the marketplace to bring the Limited trim to Super Duty. We know customers will demand it." Luxury models are in demand and truck manufacturers are having a difficult time keeping them in stock. For example, more than half of Ford's F-Series Super Duty trucks sold are the high-end models - Lariat, King Ranch, and Limited. As there is no ceiling yet, manufacturers are considering going even further. Sandor Piszar, Chevrolet truck marketing director said they have found a group of customers that are willing to pay "for a bigger, more luxurious and more capable truck." Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) View full article

General Motors is the latest automaker that is preparing for an emissions-free future. Today at GM's technical center in Warren, MI, the company announced plans to introduce 20 electric and hydrogen vehicles by 2023. The first two models of this plan will launch in the next 18 months and will be "based off learnings" from the Chevrolet Bolt. “General Motors believes in an all-electric future. Although that future won't happen overnight, GM is committed to driving increased usage and acceptance of electric vehicles through no-compromise solutions that meet our customers' needs,” said Mark Reuss, General Motors executive vice president of Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain in a statement. Those who were at the technical center got a preview of three clay models featuring the next-generation electric powertrain - a Buick crossover (Encore replacement?), Cadillac wagon, and a pod-looking vehicle. GM is also working on building out vehicles using hydrogen powertrains. "General Motors believes in an all-electric future... Our electric solution cannot be 'one size fits all.' We believe you need two different flavors of electrification — battery electric and fuel cell electric." GM showed off SURUS (Silent Utility Rover Universal Superstructure) which takes the idea of the skateboard hydrogen chassis from the Hy-Wire concept and makes it quite larger - about the size of a commercial truck chassis. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), Green Car Reports , Roadshow, GM Press Release is on Page 2 GM Outlines All-Electric Path to Zero Emissions DETROIT — General Motors announced today how it is executing on a major element of its vision of a world with zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion, recently announced by GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra. “General Motors believes in an all-electric future,” said Mark Reuss, General Motors executive vice president of Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain. “Although that future won't happen overnight, GM is committed to driving increased usage and acceptance of electric vehicles through no-compromise solutions that meet our customers' needs.” In the next 18 months, GM will introduce two new all-electric vehicles based off learnings from the Chevrolet Bolt EV. They will be the first of at least 20 new all-electric vehicles that will launch by 2023. Given customers' various needs, getting to a zero emissions future will require more than just battery electric technology. It will require a two-pronged approach to electrification — battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell electric depending on the unique requirements. GM also introduced SURUS — the Silent Utility Rover Universal Superstructure — a fuel cell powered, four-wheel steer concept vehicle on a heavy-duty truck frame that’s driven by two electric motors. With its capability and flexible architecture, SURUS could be used as a delivery vehicle, truck or even an ambulance — all emissions free. View full article