Bridging The Gap
Dealer Insight from Edmunds.com

Volume I Issue No. XII July 2010

Time is Money

Time Is Money – How Do You "Spend" Yours?

There have been monumental waves of technologies and techniques in the automotive digital marketing space particularly over the last 24 months. These waves have been as quick as they are unpredictable in direction. Most come across as dazzling ideas necessary for a successful Internet department. However, we should always try to gauge value in terms of cost. In today's market, efficiencies are key to your Return on Investment.

The easiest and most common old-school way of determining the ROI of an "Ad Tool" is to do your Bronx "Guzintas" (basic division), so to speak.

"Sold 10 cars and that guzinta $2,000 spent. $200 per car sold. Great!"

It's what we know and how we've measured these things for years. Folks selling programs tend to suggest this crude matrix to justify an incremental increase in budget for the perceived or real incremental increase in sales. It's just not that simple.

Hyundai America President and CEO John Krafcik recently dropped by Edmunds.com's Santa Monica, Calif., offices where Senior Analyst and Editor at Large Karl Brauer interviewed him on video. They discussed the classic book, The Machine that Changed the World that Krafcik worked on as a student at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. They discussed the growing midsize car segment and the Hyundai Sonata's contribution to the category's boom. They pondered young people and their apparent lack of desire to drive or own cars. And then there's the lightening round of questions and answers.

On June 1, 2009, General Motors, once the largest and among the mightiest corporations on the planet, filed for bankruptcy. It emerged on July 10, 2009 as a smaller and less debt burdened company but with majority U.S. taxpayer ownership. Edmunds' AutoObserver.com presents a special series that examines the first year of GM's second life post bankruptcy and looks at the road ahead.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. — June 11, 2010 — Parents magazine and Edmunds.com, the premier online resource for automotive information, recently teamed up to recommend the most "Wallet-Friendly Family Cars" for 2010. Read the full list here. The Edmunds.com and Parents picks for the most "Wallet-Friendly Family Cars" for 2010 are:

Top 10 Most Fuel-Efficent Hatchbacks and Wagons of 2010

Versatile and often quite affordably priced, the trusty hatchback is frequently the car of choice for shoppers on a budget. Typically, these compact haulers also offer great fuel economy, making them smart picks all around for those who place a premium on frugality. Edmunds also list the Top 10 Most Fuel-Efficient SUVs and Crossovers and the Top 10 Most Fuel-Efficient Trucks for 2010.

July Poll Question

Which of the following has had the biggest impact on your dealership in the past 12 months?

Highlights by

Canadian Grand Prix:
McLaren Goes 1-2

Video Highlights by

2009 Dodge Viper SRT-10
Dyno Video

Video Highlights by

Audi e-tron Concept
at The Detroit Show

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For more information about including your sales transaction data in our calculations, call (310) 309-4937.

Fastest Focus Ever
Article by Inside Line

The 2010 Ford Focus RS500 is the kind of car we used to doodle at school: OTT (over-the-top) styling, matte-black paint and a turbo engine so vociferous that it should come with a health warning.

Once you find 3rd gear, the RS500 has such crazed intensity that it's almost comical. Nail the throttle and feel the turbocharged, 345-horsepower, 2.5-liter inline-5 pull easily from 1,000 rpm and then hear the turbo start to wind up at 2,500 rpm.