Porsche Bosxter Drive Good And The Tran Is Tiptronic Pretty Black Convertible on 2040-cars

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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.

Robb Report chooses Porsche 911 as its Car of the Year

Robb Report has picked the seventh-generation Porsche 911 Carrera S as its 2013 Car of the Year, saying the two-door captivated its judges with "agility, driving dynamics and balance." The German coupe bested 12 others who were also in the running - the impressive list of nominees included the BMW M5, Audi S8, Ferrari FF, Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG and the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse.
Judging involved more than just throwing darts at pictures on the wall, as the publication enlisted a panel of automotive experts to test drive each vehicle for close evaluation. The panelists included 100 members of the Robb Report Club (comprised of top corporate executives and influential readers), Editor-in-Chief Brett Anderson and automotive consultant Robert Ross. Full results of the competition will be revealed in the luxury magazine's March issue, hitting newsstands in about a week. For more information, visit Robb Report online or check out the full press release from Porsche below.

Jay Leno welcomes Emory's outlaw Porsche 356s

Classic cars can have a lot of character, but purposely passing up on some of the enormous advancements made to the automobile over the decades since those classics were made can be a difficult proposition. That's where restomodders like Emory Motorsports come in. Emory specializes in customizing Porsche 356s, modifying them to their clients' specifications and giving them an added dose of performance and refinement, all without losing that timeless appeal. The LA-based company is headed up today by third-generation Southern Californian gearhead Rod Emory. After seeing some examples of his work out on the road, Jay Leno invited Rod by the garage along with a pair of his company's custom creations. Both are based on 356 coupes from the late 1950s, but take pretty different approaches in their comprehensive restoration and extensive modification. Since classic Zuffenhausen enthusiasts are notorious for their rigid adherence to originality, Emory's modified 356s are deemed to be "outlaws" by many on the vintage Porsche scene. But they've also gained quite a following, similar to what Singer has done with 911s. Whether you're more inclined to cling to authenticity along with the purists or embrace the novelty espoused by the restomodders, after scoping out these irresistible specimens, you'll have to admit that Emory does some pretty compelling work. Watch the 25-minute video clip above to see what we mean, and check out Petrolicious' profile of the same company's work from last year for another look.