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Chevrolet is now the top-selling certified used vehicle in America. This announcement is based on Autodata Corp.'s October 2004 data for single-line make certified used vehicle sales. With record monthly sales of 40,666 units in October of last year, Chevrolet overtook Toyota to become America's best selling certified used vehicle manufacturer. This is according to Jeff Heichel, the director of GM Used Vehicle Activities. According to the Autodata U.S. Certified Pre-Owned Vehicle Retail Sales - October 2004 summary report, GM Certified Used Vehicles - which includes Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick, GMC and Oldsmobile models - has sold 218,451 Chevrolet certified units through October 2004, exceeding by 26,240 the 192,211 certified units sold during the same period by Toyota, the previous category leader in single-line make certified used vehicle sales A certified used vehicle is becoming a popular alternative to higher priced brand new cars. For less money, a buyer can afford a car that feels "brand-new" even though the odometer is showing 20,000 to 30,000 miles. More importantly, by choosing a certified used vehicle the buyer is assured that the major drawbacks that people encounter in used cars, namely: uncertainty about the mechanical condition of the vehicle, is ruled out. This is because certified used vehicles have already been thoroughly inspected by a mechanic. Anything that was wrong, or about to go wrong, has been repaired. "Chevrolet's position as the top-selling single-line make certified used vehicle brand is a strong testament to the excellent value offered by Chevrolet cars and trucks and the active engagement of the GM Certified dealer network," said Heichel. "Certified GM sales across all brands have increased more than tenfold in the last four years, as our dealers provide customers a positive purchase and ownership experience and the peace of mind that comes from buying fully inspected and reconditioned vehicles from the GM brands they trust." Through October 2004, market share for all of GM's certified brands, including GM Certified Used Vehicles, Cadillac Certified Pre-Owned, Used Cars from Saturn and Saab Certified Pre-Owned, is 33.5 percent, up 1.7 points year-to-date from the same period in 2003, with GM Certified Used Vehicles posting a 28.1 percent share through October, up 1.5 points. Chevrolet comprises approximately 60 percent of all GM Certified Used Vehicles sold, with the Chevrolet Silverado ranking as the top-selling GM Certified Used Vehicles model. Chevrolet continues to position itself at the forefront of the industry by offering excellent certified used car services. For your Chevrolet parts needs, visit http://www.partstrain.com/ShopByVehicle/CHEVROLET. About The Author
Jenny McLane works as a Market Analyst for one of the country's leading auto parts distributors. She has been in the auto parts industry for over ten years now. jenny@partstrain.comNew Car Launches in India in 2005Babychen Mathew The Indian car industry has gathered steam only in the last decade. Just imagine - 15 years back, there were only two cars being manufactured in India, the vintage Hindustan Ambassador and the venerable Premier Padmini. The Ambassador was the Indian version of the Morris Oxford, while the Padmini was based on an ancient Fiat model. Compare that to today, when every major automobile manufacturer has its cars on the road in India. 2005 is the year when India is poised to see more automobile launches that before. Let's take a look at the vehicles that are expected. Toyota Innova Toyota has three vehicles in the Indian market - the Toyota Qualis, Camry and Corolla. The Qualis is the most outdated of the lot, with the looks of a breadbox. However, this model was extremely succesful in India due to its reliability and was used by many taxi operators in the country. Toyota has just withdrawn the vehicle from the market, and is about to introduce the Innova, a much more modern MPV in the minivan mould that can hold its own amongst the latest international vehicles. The pricing is expected to be around that of the now-extinct Qualis, making it approachable for the Indian middle-class. Skoda Fabia Skoda will be launching its small car Fabia in India by mid-2005. While the ocompany has yet not decided on whether the model in India should be a sedan, hatchback or estate, this car is bound to have a following. This is partly due to the tremendous reputation Skoda enjoys in India due to its highly succesful Octavia range. The power unit too is still undecided, but what we believe is that it will be priced at the same level as Honda's highly succesful small car, the Honda City. Chevrolet Aveo Maruti Suzuki Swift Maruti is India's most succesful automobile company, and Suzuki recently acquired a controlling stake in it. The Swift will be Maruti's first radical, contemporary vehicle. The company has always preferred to play it safe, and has introduced tried-and-tested vehicle models from the Suzuki stable. The Swift is based on Suzuki's famous Concept S design unveiled at teh 2002 Paris Auto Show, and will be launched in India with the reliable Maruti Esteem's (an older Suzuki Swift version) 1300 cc petrol engine in India. Toyota Fortuner The Fortuner will be launched in the later half 2005 in India. It is a small-SUV which should give a run to the Honda CR-V which rules th SUV market in India now. The Fortuner is based on the same platform as the Innova. Excellent styling, car-like interiors and slightly cheaper pricing that its competitors will see it doing well in the Indian market. This ladder-on-chassis, common rail diesel engine (CRDI) seems to the perfect recipe for the penny-pinching but power-loving Indian. Ford Fusion The Fusion has already been launched in India. It is a small car, but with SUV style. The car is positioned in India as vehicle for the active young driver who has a family. The car is powered by a 16 Valve, 1600 cc light-weight alloy engine that is good enough for around 100 bhp. The reviewers have loved it, and the market seems to be falling for it too, though it is too early to tell. There are some other cars too - such as the Chevrolet Aveo and the Hyundai Tucson - but details are still not forthcoming at this point.
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