| Just as the auto industry struggles to remain afloat, so | | | | Escalade Hybrid indicates that auto makers have |
| do the segments it's made up of. And luxury car sales | | | | different expectations. And it seems that they might |
| are no exception. Since, luxury automobiles are faced | | | | be right because the high-end products are directed |
| with a double whammy of being high priced and being | | | | towards a different target audience altogether. The |
| gas-guzzling, are we to see their sales go from bad to | | | | target segment for luxury vehicles shouldn't have |
| worse? | | | | problems with affordability per se, including paying for |
| Automobile and auto part sales have generally been | | | | high gas prices, while the need to acquire high-end |
| affected negatively, owing to high gas prices and | | | | products persists. |
| economic downturn, with auto stocks showing spikes | | | | The factor, aside from the gas-guzzling ability that |
| only sporadically, as crude prices lower a bit. Now, | | | | could affect the purchase of bigger automobiles is the |
| when it comes to the sales of Luxury cars and trucks | | | | perception that these vehicles are less environment |
| they've taken a hit of 11% year-to-date (YTD), while | | | | friendly. Now while demand might exist, whether the |
| the auto sales throughout the US have been down by | | | | big autos sell well or not seems to depend on a lot |
| 18%. | | | | more than their uniqueness. But auto makers seem to |
| Based on the figures above, it appears that luxury | | | | have an answer to even this conundrum by producing |
| sales are much better than the rest of the industry and | | | | hybrids, which have a better standing when it comes |
| since they only account for for just about 10% of the | | | | to eco-friendliness. The Cadillac Escalade hybrid |
| industry's sales, they won't have much of an impact. | | | | seems to be proof enough, and perhaps other car |
| The margins however, on all products within the | | | | makers like Toyota or Ford would follow suit if the |
| segment are large, and which is what makes it | | | | experiment goes off well. |
| valuable. | | | | On the whole some rough weather does loom large |
| At the same time, given the shift from gas-guzzling | | | | over the luxury car segment, but given the efforts |
| automobiles towards smaller ones, it appears that no | | | | auto industry is ready to put in, luxury sales could sail |
| one would go for them, but the recent announcement | | | | through the storm, quite well. |
| by the General Motors Corp of an SUV, Cadillac | | | | |