Bye, Bye Volvo, Suzuki, Jaguar????

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/09/16/3-car-brands-that-may-disappear-before-2020.aspx

prognosticators or panderers.... ???

I have no idea in this case, but I subscribed to Fool's emails a long time ago, and later on (but still a long time ago) dropped it as it seemed to have become a constant stream of sensationalism and get-rich-quick "investment" ideas, details after just one more click, we swear...

That title was deceiving. It's 3 automakers that could disappear from the US, not forever.

I doubt jag or volvo will leave the US forever......Suzuki and Mitsubishi, I am amazed they are still here.

Suzuki has been gone for a while now..... They shot themselves in the foot by not giving us the Swift for 3 generations. They offered Europe and Japan a FANTASTIC little car. They gave us.... Daewookis. They redid the Swift GT and they gave us.....a rebadged Nissan truck.

The Kizashi was a nice car, but no one knew anything about it. If they had put half the effort they do on their powersports lineup on the car lineup they would have been the next Subaru. Instead, they did squat and it shows.

Yeah, the Kizashi was Suzukis geatest squandered opportunity in the US market.

Im not convinced the swift would have consistently done well but they definitely should have sent us the last one.. it was a damn good car by most accounts.

I think the Swift and Kizashi of a few years ago were FAR more compelling vehicles than the Lancer and Galant.. I'm in agreement that Mitsubishi is in greater existential danger than Suzuki is.

Also, for that matter, Mazda is in greater existential danger than Volvo, and Jaguar is in nearly no existential danger at all. So.. i don't rate this article very highly.

The article stated that Jags US sales were @16,000 units. If that true they must have sold 50% of them in the Mid Atlantic region, because I see late model Jags all over the place around the Philly area.

OTOH, I hardly ever see a Kizashi, or last gen Vitara. Come to think of it, I see more 2011 SAAB 9-5s than Kizashii

They offered Europe and Japan a FANTASTIC little car. They gave us.... Daewookis. They redid the Swift GT and they gave us.

I remember Suzuki making an awd turbo Kizashi for some car show, SEMA i think, and waiting for them to sell it then bought a WRX instead. I liked the Kizashi quite a bit thought it was an interesting car.

The Kizashi is still sold in Canada, and only as an AWD (with CVT only ). But yeah, this is a company that really lacks direction and vision. I remember when they released the Kizashi, they released a nice sporty version with a 6-speed manual. I went to the dealer for a test drive because I was curious about it. No manual version on their lot. In fact, no manual version anywhere in the province. They had to be special ordered.

Volvo is also headed for the drain, ever since they tried to make them sexy and hip. Volvo used to be for people that wanted the quality of a Mercedes (back when Mercedes made good cars), but for a cheaper price. When they switched to the FWD platform, the reliability went south, and the customers went elsewhere. Why would I want to buy a Volvo? They are no longer reliable, other cars are just as safe, cheaper, better looking and better driving.

Jaguar's position isn't that bad. If they only start to make pretty cars again, they will sell. It's not that the new cars are that ugly, but when the new XJ came out, I mistook it for a Lexus the first time I saw it on the road. And for the premium buying public, image is VERY important. Why would they want to buy an unreliable Lexus?

Except Jag sales have been on the rise since Tata has bought Jag.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-08-07/tata-motors-net-misses-estimates-after-jaguar-sales-growth-slows.html

Also JD Power said Jag jumped up to tied with Porsche.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2012/06/power-quality-study-lexus-1st-jag-leaps-gm-best-us/1#.UjmZhmfDKSY

Basically the guy doesn't know what the berkeley he is talking about.

93EXCivic wrote: Except Jag sales have been on the rise since Tata has bought Jag. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-08-07/tata-motors-net-misses-estimates-after-jaguar-sales-growth-slows.html Also JD Power said Jag jumped up to tied with Porsche. http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2012/06/power-quality-study-lexus-1st-jag-leaps-gm-best-us/1#.UjmZhmfDKSY Basically the guy doesn't know what the berkeley he is talking about.

Sales of Jaguar have increased on the global market, but have been in steady decline in North America. Europe and Asia seem to like the new look.

Never drove a Kizashi, but I heard they were good cars. The SX4 wasn't a standout compact, but it was a great bargain. I shopped them heavily at one point. If they had put as much effort into selling cars here as they did in going after Consumer Reports all those years ago, maybe things would be different.

Vigo has a good point about Mazda. I don't think they're folding tomorrow, but without Fords' backing it's a much tougher road for them now...at least financially.

As for Jaguar, with the backing of a company that will sell you this, how could you go wrong??? Perhaps they'll be some part sharing soon...

fanfoy wrote:

93EXCivic wrote: Except Jag sales have been on the rise since Tata has bought Jag. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-08-07/tata-motors-net-misses-estimates-after-jaguar-sales-growth-slows.html Also JD Power said Jag jumped up to tied with Porsche. http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2012/06/power-quality-study-lexus-1st-jag-leaps-gm-best-us/1#.UjmZhmfDKSY Basically the guy doesn't know what the berkeley he is talking about.

Sales of Jaguar have increased on the global market, but have been in steady decline in North America. Europe and Asia seem to like the new look.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2013/06/03/volkswagen-bmw-mercedes-audi-jaguar/2383519/

Jag jumped 33% in May

http://www.bloomberg.com/article/2013-07-02/aLeelKtjrmgQ.html

And 59% in June.

Where is Mitsubishi globally I wonder? Here is how they stack up in the US in 2012:

2012 Sales
F-Series 645,316
Camry: 404,886
Accord: 331,872
Civic: 317,909
Altima: 302,934
Galant: 13,261
Eclipse 1173
iMev 588
Endeavor 501

pinchvalve wrote: Where is Mitsubishi globally I wonder? Here is how they stack up in the US in 2012: 2012 Sales iMev 588 Endeavor 501

I don't have even the remotest ghost of a shred of a glimmer of a clue what an iMev is, and it outsold the Endeavor by 17%. Ouch.

Duke wrote:

pinchvalve wrote: Where is Mitsubishi globally I wonder? Here is how they stack up in the US in 2012: 2012 Sales iMev 588 Endeavor 501

I don't have even the remotest ghost of a shred of a glimmer of a clue what an iMev is, and it outsold the Endeavor by 17%. Ouch.

Mitsubishi's EV.

pinchvalve wrote: Where is Mitsubishi globally I wonder? Here is how they stack up in the US in 2012: 2012 Sales F-Series 645,316 Camry: 404,886 Accord: 331,872 Civic: 317,909 Altima: 302,934 Galant: 13,261 Eclipse 1173 iMev 588 Endeavor 501

ROFL, how are they still here? Time to write books about how Galants are the most unreliable and unsafe vehicles on the road.......Nader is still alive isn't he?

Klayfish wrote: Never drove a Kizashi, but I heard they were good cars. The SX4 wasn't a standout compact, but it was a great bargain. I shopped them heavily at one point. If they had put as much effort into selling cars here as they did in going after Consumer Reports all those years ago, maybe things would be different. Vigo has a good point about Mazda. I don't think they're folding tomorrow, but without Fords' backing it's a much tougher road for them now...at least financially. As for Jaguar, with the backing of a company that will sell you this, how could you go wrong??? Perhaps they'll be some part sharing soon...

Anyone else thinking about a supercharged Jag V8 in that?

If Jag is doing poorly in the US, then Atlanta must be their strongest market. I swear I see more here than Camrys/Corollas.

I drive a 22 year old Galant but I'm a Mitsubishi Master tech so my mileage DOES vary

I drive a 22 year old Galant but I'm a Mitsubishi Master tech so my mileage DOES vary

Now, i avoid dealers like the plague but i did have to go to a mitsu dealer last week to get a part for my dad's 02 Diamante VR-X (which is still a great car at 245k with few repairs), and i noticed a couple of things:

1. They keep a huge and varied amount of vehicles from other makes on the lot to draw people in.
2. They arent making any effort to make their new Mitsus have any visual pop. The new car section was poorly arranged and full of low-optioned cars that looked exceedingly boring. They did have one EVO on the SIDE of the showroom, outside. Mitsu DOES have some visually appealing vehicles, but they werent showcasing them properly or at all.
3. The only car i wanted to look at was an i-miev, but the only one parked outside was not owned by the dealer, so i wasnt comfortable poking around it much. I went into the showroom, into the mouth of the beast, and there wasnt even one in there! I turned around and walked out before anyone could talk to me.

So to me it seems like that particular dealer has pretty much given up.

Except Jag sales have been on the rise since Tata has bought Jag. Also JD Power said Jag jumped up to tied with Porsche. Basically the guy doesn't know what the berkeley he is talking about.

Exactly!

in the last ten years Shelton. Girard, and County Line have gone out, I think they have all given up. THEY were 600 cars a month. the two that replaced them, scap, Hartford dont do 50.