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Buyers resent low inventories, prices over MSRP, study says

Vehicle inventory low, vehicle transaction prices high, customers fretting … welcome, J.D. Power, to the era of supply and demand. In a recently published survey from one of the auto industryÂ’s top analytical firms, findings show that customers' satisfaction with vehicle purchases in the United States this year has dipped for the first time in 10 years. The 2022 U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study found that overall sales satisfaction has dropped to 786 (on a 1,000-point scale) from 789 in 2021. In that year, higher than expected trade-in values softened the effect of new vehicle price increases. But in 2022, on top of trade-in prices shrinking, many dealers elected to charge more than the ManufacturerÂ’s Suggested Retail Price, a factor that did not sit well with buyers. “When dealers charge more than MSRP, particularly with long-term loyal customers, they risk a potential long-term negative effect on customer advocacy and service business," said Chris Sutton, vice president of automotive retail at J.D. Power. Satisfaction among buyers who paid more than sticker price is 757, while satisfaction among those who paid the sticker price or less is 850, the Power report said. The lack of dealership inventory was also a customer irritant, J.D. Power found, a point that automakers and their dealers may want to consider. Many have maintained, or considered maintaining, a smaller inventory in the wake of the pandemic, keeping costs down and driving more customers toward factory orders. Regarding those consumers shopping for electric vehicles, the survey said that more than a third of them “failed to get instruction on EV charging before they left the dealership, which notably affects satisfaction.” Said Sutton, “Salespeople donÂ’t need to show gas-powered vehicle buyers how to fill their tank, but they do need to show EV buyers how to charge their vehicle.” There are positives to the Power conclusions, however, especially for Alfa Romeo dealers. The Italian brand ranked highest in customer satisfaction among premium brands with a score of 833, with Porsche a very close second (831) and Lexus (819) third. Alfa is on something of a roll these days, with its compact Tonale crossover due for release in the spring, and a new sports car in the works. Meanwhile, in PowerÂ’s “mainstream brand”” segment, Buick ranked first with a score of 825, followed by Dodge (816) and Subaru (804), all performing higher than the industry average.

Porsche 718 Cayman gets new turbocharged engines

When Porsche revealed the new 718 Boxster, it appeared a matter of time before the Cayman would receive the same treatment. That time has come. The Cayman is like the 718 Boxster, but with a fixed roof, and both models are now aligned under the same number plate. The biggest change over the outgoing Cayman is the arrival of turbocharged power. In place of the 2.7- and 3.4-liter atmospheric boxer sixes in the previous model, the new 718 Cayman offers a choice of turbo fours: a 2.0-liter unit in the base model good for 300 horsepower, and a 2.5 in the S version with 350 hp on tap – just like in the latest Boxster. Smaller, both the new turbo engines bring increases of 25 hp over the naturally aspirated engines they replace. Torque goes up along with it – by 67 pound-feet in the base model to 280, and by 37 lb-ft in the Cayman S to 309. The extra muscle translates to a 0-to-60 time as low as 4.5 seconds for the 718 Cayman, or 4.0 flat for the 718 Cayman S, with top speeds clocked at 170 and 177 miles per hour, respectively. Of course, there's more to the new 718 coupe than what can be found under the engine bay. Porsche has retuned the suspension, tightened the steering rack, widened the rear wheels, and enlarged the brakes. It's all wrapped in new bodywork and operated from a refreshed interior. US deliveries are set to commence in November, with prices starting at $54,950 (including the destination fee) for the base model and $67,350 for the S model. Those are just starting points, with key options like the Sport Chrono pack, torque vectoring, and active suspension promising to inflate those figures as rapidly as the new Cayman will cover ground. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Poised for precision: The new 2017 Porsche 718 Cayman Mid-engine sports coupe with new turbocharged flat-four cylinder engines and enhanced suspension Atlanta, Georgia. Today Porsche announces the new 718 Cayman models. Following the debut of the new 718 Boxster, the new 718 Cayman complements the roadster in the mid-engine model line-up. This third generation of the mid-engine sports coupe has a more striking and athletic appearance, and for the first time, the coupe is priced below the roadster. The new turbocharged flat-four cylinder engines from the 718 Boxster power the 718 Cayman, making the power output identical for both models.

Winterkorn will leave remaining VW posts by end of the month

After stepping down as chief executive of the Volkswagen Group last month, Martin Winterkorn still retains a few key positions within and related to the German automaker. According to the latest reports, he's set to resign from those positions as well in the coming days. Aside from his former position as chairman of VW's executive board, Winterkorn has also served (and continues to serve at present) as chairman of the supervisory boards of Audi, truck manufacturer Scania (which is owned by VW), and the group's Truck & Bus division (of which Scania is part alongside Man). He's also the chief executive of Volkswagen's largest stakeholder Porsche SE, having taken up the position after the Porsche/Piech family enterprise acquired its majority stake in the group that also subsumed the sports car manufacturer. In what could prove a strong indicator of things to come, and according to the report from Reuters, Winterkorn was not present at a recent meeting of Audi's board. In his place, the meeting was presided over by deputy chairman Berthold Huber. The former labor leader also served as interim chairman of the VW board after Ferdinand Piech's departure but before CFO Hans Dieter Potsch was named to the post. The companies in question have yet to make any announcements regarding Winterkorn's remaining positions, or confirm the reports regarding his future. However parties close to the automaker and its owners reportedly expect the resignations from those positions to come as well before the end of the month, if not before the week is out. Related Video: News Source: ReutersImage Credit: JOERG KOCH/AFP/Getty Green Hirings/Firings/Layoffs Porsche Volkswagen Diesel Vehicles vw diesel scandal martin winterkorn Scania truck and bus gmbh