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Detroit Report Part 1: Which Automakers Won and Lost in 2003

What Happened in 2003 and What Can We Expect for the Coming Year

DETROIT--Being the first major auto event of the year, the North American International Auto Show held at the Cobo Convention Center in the Motor Citys downtown has become important for not only introducing cars and concepts, but also for the automakers to make statements about their sales in the past year and their expectations for the year following.

It is also a time for auto analysts, like Dr. David Cole, president of the Center for Automotive Research, to take stock in the trends seen at the Detroit auto show.

Cole had been a long-time analyst for the University

Not only an opportunity to unveil new cars, the NAIAS is a chance for automakers to make announcements about their sales numbers. (Photo: General Motors)

of Michigans Office for the Study of Automotive Transportation, before leaving to join a think tank organization that became known as Altarum. During the summer, however, Cole took his Center for Automotive Research (CAR) out of Altarum to become an independent organization.

Cole and other analysts had a great deal to ponder due to General Motors, Ford and Chrysler Group

Despite heavy incentives, the traditional Big Three automakers continue to lose market share. (Photo: Ford Motor Company)

eroding market share over the past year, despite heavy manufacturer incentives. The traditional domestics losses were to the gain to Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Audi, BMW and Hyundai.

Toyota, for example, announced that it set a new sales record--the automakers eighth in a row--buy selling more than 1.85 million vehicles. "In fact," said Don Esmond, Toyota senior vice president and general manager, "for the first time ever, Toyota division finished ahead of both Ford and Chevy as the No. 1 selling car brand in America."

Meanwhile,

"For the first time ever, Toyota division finished ahead of both Ford and Chevy as the No. 1 selling car brand in America." (Photo: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A.)

Toyotas luxury brand, Lexus, also recorded all-time records with sales of 259,755 units in 2003, an 11 percent increase from 2002, continuing to hold onto the No. 1 luxury brand spot that had been the bragging rights of Cadillac for decades up until four years ago.

Dr. Helmut Panke, chairman of the board, BMW AG, noted that the companys sales declined during the first six months of 2003 as it had a model change over to the new 5 Series and then sales of the fifth generation car shot up 37 percent for the last half of the year. All in all, the company delivered about 928,000 units during the year, up by 15,000 units or 1.6 percent from 2002. Its MINI brand sold 175,000

Holding onto the No. 1 luxury brand spot, Lexus also recorded all-time records. (Photo: Lexus)

units, up 31,000 cars from 2002, and its new Rolls-Royce Phantom sold 300 units--almost half to customers in the U.S.

Panke predicted further growth for BMW in 2004, with the American market remaining a key focus. "In 2003, for the first time, the U.S. became the single market with the highest sales volume for the BMW Group," he explained, but said that the company is also seeing important growth in China as well.

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