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Germany's Scheme to Scrap Cars Sparks Sales Explosion

Sales mostly go to small cars

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Feb 26, 2009 1:00 PM CST

(Newser) – Automakers are running out of gas all over the world—except in Germany. Volkswagen expects to have its best February ever, selling 120,000 cars, while GM subsidiary Opel has sold 40,000, its best month in 5 years, Der Spiegel reports. It’s all thanks to the scrapping bonus,” a government program that gives consumers $4,500 to junk their old rides. One thing: They must immediately buy a new car.

“The scrapping bonus in Germany has led to an extreme boost,” said one exec at Renault, which owns Dacia in Germany. “Orders have jumped six-fold.” Of course, not everyone’s feeling the scrapping love. While small, cheap cars roll out of dealerships at a record rate, big car sales have tanked. Mercedes, Porsche, BMW, and Audi are all struggling.

In this Jan. 21, 2009, a crane gets up junk cars on a scrap yard in Bremen, Germany.
In this Jan. 21, 2009, a crane gets up junk cars on a scrap yard in Bremen, Germany.   (AP Photo/Joerg Sarbach, file)
Nov. 14 2008 file picture shows the logo of German car maker Volkswagen is seen on a car's grill, pictured in a production line of the Golf VI at the Volkswagen headquarter in Wolfsburg, Germany.
Nov. 14 2008 file picture shows the logo of German car maker Volkswagen is seen on a car's grill, pictured in a production line of the "Golf VI" at the Volkswagen headquarter in Wolfsburg, Germany.   (AP Photo/Fabian Bimmer, File)
In this Jan. 16, 2009 file photo, junk cars are pictured on a scrapyard in Norderstedt near Hamburg, Germany.
In this Jan. 16, 2009 file photo, junk cars are pictured on a scrapyard in Norderstedt near Hamburg, Germany.   (AP Photo/Fabian Bimmer, file)
This Nov. 14 2008 file picture shows workers of German car maker Volkswagen  at a production line of the Golf VI at the Volkswagen production site in Wolfsburg, Germany.
This Nov. 14 2008 file picture shows workers of German car maker Volkswagen at a production line of the Golf VI at the Volkswagen production site in Wolfsburg, Germany.   (AP Photo/Fabian Bimmer)
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COMMENTS
Showing 2 of 2 comments
Guest
Mar 2, 2009 6:36 AM CST
On the matter of what's needed now to unclog inventories of existing new vehicles on-ground at Ford dealerships (other than the new F-150 for now) and at factory lots in the US set to put people back to work at US company owned factories here and elsewher ASAP, I propose: A PROPOSITION TO SAVE OUR AUTO INDUSTRY: 1. Offer direct federal access to funds to franchised new vehicle dealers for the purpose of accelerating loans for qualified consumers and fleet operators. Franchised new vehicle dealerships sales actualization requirements must also be taken into account in this matter as they are an integral part of the new vehicle sales "food chain." If traditional funding sources don't want to, or find they simply can't sufficiently underwrite this business, let's seek out and provide motivated lenders who would then be provided access to special funds set aside by the Fed under special circumstances or rules established for this purpose. 2. Accelerate Special Offers for Fleet Operators to cycle their vehicles This would include all private as well as public fleets not as yet contemplated by the present plan (i.e., non- Federal Fleet vehicles), to ensure fleets replace their vehicles as they would normally cycle them. These offers should seek to balance alleviating inventories of existing new vehicles on-ground at dealerships and factory lots in the US, while phasing in offers for more fuel efficient vehicles as the existing inventories of new vehicles are more rationalized. The offers could include everything from accelerated depreciation, cash incentives to guaranteed residual values. 3. Auto Manufacturer and Parts Supplier Shareholders' Guaranteed Value Plan This proposal would reward long term stockholders of companies who pass similar, so-called stress tests now planned for the banking sector. For this purpose, "long term stockholders" could be defined as those who retain the stock for an agreed-to period of time. The plan would contemplate developing a formula which would guarantee a certain "floor price" for qualified stock. The benefits of such a plan would include taking a great deal of uncertainty out of the value of companies who remain in this space by virtue of a larger group of shareholders who, in effect, have been encouraged through this guarantee to hold onto their stock. These companies, in turn, would benefit from access to funds from the stock purchases as well as other financial benefits associated with increased stability. 4. National US Auto Industry "Super Sale" Designate a short, specific time period where consumers would benefit from the acquisition of a new vehicle through any number of offerings (i.e., large cash incentives, pre-paid maintenance, extended warranties, accelerated tax incentives beyond those passed in the stimulus bill, etc.) all set to, again, unclog existing inventories and get people back to work. Regards, Andrew Gross Chairman & CEO Automotive...
Doctor-Zaius
Feb 26, 2009 10:23 PM CST
We had a plan like this in the stimulus bill until the GOP demanded it be taken out. The tax credit was for $10,000

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