Last week J.D. Power released their findings regarding a study based on the emotional appeal of recently launched new vehicles.  This goal of the study was to try and measure owners’ emotional attachment to their newly purchased vehicles.  To arrive at these results, J.D. Power asked survey participants to rate their vehicle based on 37 key emotional attributes that ranged from the feeling they got when they first saw the exterior of their vehicle to the level of emotion they experienced as they drove off the dealer’s lot in their newly purchased vehicle.  Finishing at the top of the ratings were Dodge and Ram Truck with scores of 882 and 881 respectively (the scores were on a 1,000 point scale).  It should be noted that Dodge and Ram Truck are grouped in the “mainstream” vehicle category.  However with its score of 882, Dodge actually tied the score achieved by Porsche in the “premium” [...]

The most theft-prone vehicle in America might be the Dodge Charger or it might be the Ford F-250 pickup truck. Those are the contrasting conclusions of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the insurance industry-funded Highway Loss Data Institute. Still, the government agency and private group agree that the theft of late-model vehicles is on a rapid decline in the United States. One reason: automakers’ increasing use of ignition immobilizers, which stop thieves from hot-wiring cars. Nearly 90 percent of 2012 models are equipped with them. In a report released on Monday, NHTSA said the car stolen most often during the 2011 calendar year was the Charger, with 4.8 thefts for every 1,000 cars produced in 2011. It was followed by the Mitsubishi Galant, Hyundai Accent, Chevrolet Impala and Chevrolet HHR among vehicles with more than 5,000 units produced [...]

Global sales of BMW Group’s core brand rose faster in June than at Audi and Mercedes-Benz as demand from China and the United States helped the premium carmaker to extend a lead over the two rivals in the first six months of the year. Sales at the brand were up 9 percent last month to 153,075, the group said today, compared with growth of 5 percent to 140,300 and 8 percent to 131,609 at Audi and Mercedes respectively. Six-month sales at BMW brand rose 8 percent to 804,000 cars, expanding the lead over runner-up Audi to 24,000 from 11,000 after five months. Half-year sales at Audi and Mercedes rose 6 percent each to 780,500 and 694,000 respectively. “BMW has stronger momentum than Audi and Mercedes, that won’t change in the second half,” said Hanover-based NordLB analyst Frank Schwope. “Design of their cars has improved and they’re ahead on fuel-saving technologies.”

Tesla Motors Inc., the world’s best-performing automotive stock this year, will join the Nasdaq-100 Index next week, filling the spot vacated by Oracle Corp., which is moving to the New York Stock Exchange. The electric-car maker will be added to the gauge, which tracks the biggest companies on the Nasdaq, before the start of trading on July 15, Nasdaq OMX Group Inc. said in a statement Monday. Oracle, which last month said it will join the NYSE, is the biggest company to jump between the competing exchanges. Shares of Tesla, the carmaker headed by billionaire Elon Musk, have more than tripled this year as the popularity of its new Model S sedan helped the company turn its first quarterly profit. Gaining entry to benchmarks tracked by investors is attractive to public companies because it provides a guaranteed shareholder [...]

The Toyota Camry and the Honda Civic, the top-selling mid-size and compact cars in the U.S., face risks of reduced production as inventories of the models rise, an RBC Capital Markets report said. The Toyota Camry exceeded its seasonal historical average inventory by more than 15 days supply in June and Honda carried about 25 days more Civics than usual, Joseph Spak, a New York-based analyst for RBC, said in today’s report. Camry and Civic were the only models identified as at risk for reduced output among 16 of the top-selling vehicles in the U.S. market. General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler Group LLC all added U.S. market share in the first six months of 2013, the first time that all three gained first-half share in 20 years. Models such as GM’s Chevrolet Cruze compact and Ford’s Fusion mid-size sedan [...]

Fiat today exercised an option to raise its stake in Chrysler by 3.3 percent. The move is part of CEO Sergio Marchionne‘s step-by-step purchases intended to lead to full control of Chrysler and the creation of a merged company that would be able to compete better with industry leaders Toyota, General Motors and Volkswagen. Fiat has been exercising options since mid-2012 to buy holdings of about 3.3 percent from the VEBA, a medical-benefits trust for the U.S. carmaker’s retirees. Including today’s purchase, Fiat has exercised three of its six-monthly options, increasing its stake to 68.49 percent. Fiat has said it wants full control of Chrysler, which would give it access to some of Chrysler’s cash flow for investments in new models. Chrysler has become Fiat’s most reliable profit generator as the Italian company struggles to end losses in Europe that totaled 704 million euros [...]

American auto makers have been thrown under the bus quite frequently over the last few months by members of the media and by members of Congress.  However, Runde Auto Group urges you to seek out factual information about the American auto makers before casting judgment.  Please take a few minutes to look over this brief quiz to see how much you’re actually aware of! QUESTIONS: 1. What country builds vehicles that occupy two of the top three spots for long-term reliability? Germany Japan Korea United States 2.  As of August ’07, which manufacturer had the most recalls in the U.S. that year? Chrysler Ford GM Nissan Toyota Volkswagen 3.  What brand in this group has the highest initial quality?                 Acura  Chevrolet  BMW Mazda 4.  Which of the following mid-size sedans has the highest initial quality? Accord (Honda) Altima (Nissan) Camry (Toyota) Malibu (Chevrolet) 5.  Which of the following pickups has the highest initial quality? [...]