We’re all Lexus fans at heart. How could you not be? The brand offers all the luxury, power, performance and heart that any vehicle could give. And, of course, the brand is backed by an industry-leading manufacturer in Toyota, and we all know how Toyota has been shaking things up across the board in terms of innovation. My mom owns a Lexus SUV, so I’ve had a chance to really experience the brand for myself. The drive really lives up to its reputation, and even traveling as a passenger is a delightful experience when you’re surrounded by lush leather and fancy wood grained paneling.

When I went to visit my mother this past December, I hopped off the plane, grabbed my bags and was greeted by the beautiful vehicle herself. Such grace and agility, she looked like she was straight out of painting. When I opened the door, the smell of the leather hit me in a calming wave, and I sunk deep into the seat as we drove down I-90 towards her home in the suburbs. It was a pacifying experience as my mother and I exchanged greetings and news to cruise the highway in such a stealthy vehicle.  Read more...

Welcome to the next generation of driving. We’ve already seen a lot of changes across the board in the industry, with innovative automakers like Toyota and Nissan leading the way in change. Pressures from consumers, government officials and corporations for more focus on how we can reduce our impact on the economy, coupled with a general push away from foreign oil and towards more feasible fossil fuels, have been driving factors in the sudden shift in the auto industry. Thus far, we’ve seen a lot of progress made in the small and subcompact car segments because it’s simply easier to find a way to reduce the emissions on a smaller car.

A constant point of contention in the whole reform is the issue of power. How do you get the power you want in a car if you’re using as little fuel as possible? Manufacturers are beginning to make progress in this area. But the really exciting news here isn’t about the Prius – or any other vehicle making headlines for fuel efficiency. While it might seem surprising, the next big innovation in fuel economy is coming out of your Chicago Mercedes dealer. And it’s no small announcement; we’re talking about the next level of efficiency here.  Read more...

Changes Coming to the Canadian Automotive Market

The Canadian vehicle market has taken on an identity of its own over the last 15 years. Unlike their American counterparts, Canadians typically took the avenue of finding a new vehicle as appose to buying previously owned. This was by far most apparent in the automotive sector where 3 out of every 4 cars sold were considered “New.” However, today brings uncertain times with a declining and uncertain economy every industry has felt the effects.

            The Canadian Automotive sector is seeing quite the transformation in that the popular leases of the past are being phased out by franchised dealers in favour of financing. GMAC Club and Chrysler Financial have discontinued leases throughout North America. Ford Motor Credit hasn’t exactly taken the same approach; they have instead increased their lease rates to the point that no one could even afford them. We must ask ourselves why? For starters, dealerships have seen too many lease terminations due to missed payments and in turn have now become stuck with an abundance of unexpected off lease vehicles in their inventory. Even more pressing is the difficulty that dealerships are having in trying to sell any cars in these scarce economic times. Furthermore, from a funding standpoint, money isn’t as readily available due to the deteriorating credit of the finance arms and their parent automakers.  This has made for a very difficult situation in the automotive sector and has instantly transformed the Canadian automotive market. In the U.S.A. one out of every four cars sold is used, Canadians should begin to anticipate similar sales ratios.