Latest news with #VinayShahani
Newsweek
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Cheap Is the New Black: Lower Cost Cars, SUVs, Trucks Grab Attention
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. The $20,000 price tag of new electric vehicle brand Slate's first model, after incentives, took social media by storm following its debut late last month. The unveiling didn't start a revolution, it amplified a conversation that has been quietly ongoing for years: New, budget-friendly cars, trucks and SUVs are desirable. A decade ago, low price points weren't always matched with reasonable quality product. The cheapest models on the market were usually from Hyundai and Kia, and heavy on basic functionality and low on nice appointments and technology. Today, the tables have turned. Entry-level models from those brands are nearly as well appointed as those in the middle of the product lineup. "Reaching a specific price point can be made easier by simply reducing content, but Kia's artistry is in providing a high and relevant level of features at very competitive price points. That is a core strength of the Kia brand," Steve Center, chief operating officer and executive vice president of Kia America, told Newsweek. "The new K4 sedan is a perfect example. As one of the few new vehicles in America with a starting price under $22,000, K4 sales have increased every month in a clear sign that value and substance matter the most." Price-conscious Americans are getting lower-cost options in the SUV market. In April, Nissan announced manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) decreases across its Rogue product line. The two-row SUV now starts at $28,590, a reduction of $640. The all-wheel drive version of the Rogue Rock Creek saw the biggest cut, with Nissan knocking $1,930 off the sticker, making its MSRP $33,490. The three-row Pathfinder SUV saw similar decreases, with its base MSRP now sitting at $36,400. It tops out at $50,640. Pricing changes for Rogue and Pathfinder ensure that the vehicles are cost-friendly options versus the competition from Toyota and Honda, among others. Vinay Shahani, senior vice president, U.S. marketing and sales, Nissan Americas, told Newsweek: "Nissan holds a unique position in the industry. Not only do we offer six vehicles at a starting price of under $30,000—spanning sedans, SUVs and EVs—but, in a market where vehicle prices have increased, we've recently further reduced the price of our best-selling model, Rogue. Whether a first-time buyer or someone simply seeking greater affordability, we can meet consumer needs without compromising on quality, safety, advanced technology or value." The six Nissan models that start under $30,000 include the Altima, Sentra and Versa sedans, Leaf electric car and Kicks and Rogue SUVs. The $30,000 price point is a sweet spot for American buyers. "The average price of a used vehicle sold at a franchised dealer in April 2025 was $29,307, up $241 (0.8 percent) year-over-year and up $6,781 (30 percent) compared to 2020, before the supply shortage. However, used prices in April have declined $1,961 (-6.3 percent) from the 2022 peak, when supply constraints were most severe," Tony Salerno, senior vice president at J.D. Power, told Newsweek. "For customers, lower price point new models offer peace of mind—particularly because of a warranty. While Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) vehicles are a viable substitute, many buyers still prefer a new vehicle with lease and financing options," he said. A considerable number of used vehicles do not come with the advanced safety technologies that new models are equipped with. Other vehicles under $30,000 include the Kia Sportage, Chevrolet Trax, Buick Envista, Toyota Corolla Cross, Hyundai Venue, Kia Soul, Chevrolet Trailblazer, Hyundai Tucson, Buick Encore GX, Kia Niro, Hyundai Kona, Toyota RAV4, Kia Seltos, Jeep Compass and Chevrolet Equinox SUVs. Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Fe trucks are similarly priced, as are Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Hyundai Elantra, Hyundai Sonata, Kia K5 and Toyota Prius cars.
Motor 1
07-05-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
Nissan's Bold New Strategy: Sell More Cars
Nissan's recent struggles are no secret. But over the last few months, the Japanese automaker has attempted to right the ship with a flurry of incentives and programs aimed at moving new product. This latest offering is no exception. According to Automotive News , Nissan will ditch the 20 performance-based metrics that the company currently uses to measure dealer success and focus exclusively on new-car sales. That means dealers have more incentive than ever to sell you a new Nissan, even at a potential loss. Photo by: Nissan 2025 Nissan Z "What matters most is achieving better sales—more Nissans in consumer driveways," US marketing and sales boss Vinay Shahani told Automotive News . The new program, dubbed Nissan One, will give dealers $350 for each new vehicle sold if they achieve 90 percent of their target sales. Dealerships that reach 100 percent of their target sales will get $600 per car, while overachievers (reaching 110 percent) will get $1,200 for each car. Every new Nissan will afford dealers the same amount—so an Ariya won't deliver more cash than a Kicks . And retailers will be allowed to spend that money however they wish. The downside is that Nissan will divert spending from programs focused on things like customer satisfaction to focus almost exclusively on Nissan One. Photo by: Nissan "We're significantly increasing the margin opportunity," Nissan's vice president of dealer network, Steve Milette, told Automotive News . "It will help [retailers] align 100 percent with where the OEM is going, because that's where the maximum opportunity will be." Nissan hopes it can achieve a 5.5-percent retail share in the US by the end of the calendar year with this new bonus program. Nissan One officially kicks off on June 3, 2025, which means next month might be a great time to get into that Z you've always been dreaming of. More From Nissan Nissan Is Losing More Money Than Ever Nissan: 'GT-R Will Be Back, Without a Doubt' Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Source: Automotive News Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
ArabGT
07-05-2025
- Automotive
- ArabGT
Nissan Stuns the Market with Radical New Sales Strategy
If you've somehow missed the headlines over the past year and a half, here's the gist: Nissan's sales have been plummeting. The automaker has faced a relentless wave of bad press—from leadership shakeups and declining numbers to rumors of mergers or takeovers. Just this week, Vinay Shahani, head of Nissan's U.S. sales division, didn't sugarcoat the situation. He described the company's April sales performance to dealers as a 'total catastrophe'—and made it clear that turning things around is now his top priority. But here's the thing about legacy automakers: they don't go down without a fight. Nissan has resources that upstarts can only dream of—an expansive dealer network, robust U.S.-based production and engineering operations, and a long history marked by iconic models like the Z and GT-R. Now, it appears Nissan's leadership is shifting gears, determined to reclaim lost ground in the all-important American market—the world's second largest for car sales. And they're putting their money where their mouth is. Beginning in June, Nissan is scrapping its convoluted dealer incentive system in favor of a straightforward approach: just sell cars. From now on, dealer bonuses will be tied directly to the number of new vehicles sold, according to Automotive News. The strategy aims to push inventory, reward performance, and hopefully, attract customers looking for a good deal. This new bonus model, while aggressive, is simple: meet 90% of your sales goal and earn an extra $350 per vehicle. Hit 100%, and that bumps up to $600. Surpass your target by 10%, and the bonus doubles. Shahani has promised dealers that these targets will be realistic and achievable. For car buyers, this could translate into serious savings. Dealers, desperate to hit their numbers, might be willing to take a loss on individual sales to lock in those bonuses. It's the kind of environment where that age-old advice about buying on the last day of the month might finally pay off. To be clear, Nissan isn't expecting miracles. Its current U.S. market share hovers around 5.4%, and that includes Mitsubishi. Compared to rivals like Toyota, Honda, Hyundai/Kia, and the Big Two from Detroit, Nissan is clearly trailing. Still, Shahani's short-term goal is modest but ambitious: a half-point gain in market share by year's end. That translates to around 80,000 additional vehicles sold—roughly 9% of the company's total U.S. volume in 2024. Unlike traditional incentive programs, the cash from this initiative comes with no restrictions. Dealers can use the money however they like—even if that means pocketing it entirely. One dealer told Automotive News that, if the program holds, it could boost some stores' income by over a million dollars annually. Make no mistake—this is a high-stakes move, and it carries the scent of urgency. Nissan's ongoing challenges are only made worse by global economic uncertainty. And while the company is cutting costs elsewhere, the hope is that this aggressive sales push will help keep the brand viable until conditions stabilize.
The Drive
06-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Drive
Nissan Dealers Will Have Extra Motivation to Sell You a New Car Next Month
You have to spend money to make money, right? Well, Nissan is about to test that theory. Starting in June, the manufacturer is throwing out the complex system it used to calculate dealer bonuses in favor of a simple edict: sell all of the (new) cars. When the new system goes into effect, the mother ship will start rewarding its dealers based entirely on how many new Nissans they manage to put in customer driveways, Automotive News reports. The idea is to incentivise dealers to focus on increasing the brand's sales numbers, which might pay off for consumers willing to buy something in stock. In case you've managed to find your way under a rock at some point over the past eighteen months or so, here's the short version: Nissan's sales have been in complete free-fall. Nissan's own U.S. sales boss Vinay Shahani told dealer representatives this week that April's sales reports were nothing short of an 'absolute catastrophe' for the brand—and one he intends to address. Urgently . It seems that some Nissan dealers have been selling more used cars than new ones, and that's a trend the company's corporate headquarters is looking to reverse. Nissan's new bonus strategy will reward dealers based on their performance relative to simple volume goals—achievable ones, Shahani promises. While he didn't share the company's actual targets, he did outline the new bonus structure. Dealers who hit 90% of their volume goal will receive an additional $350 per new vehicle sold. Hit goal and that becomes $600. Exceed goal by 10% and that bonus doubles. What does that mean for you? Well, if you've had your eye on a new Z, it's about to be time to lowball your dealer. Under a system like this one, dealers will often eat a loss on individual sales in order to hit their targets. It's a gamble, because anything less than 90% of goal might as well be zero. You know how that one uncle is always saying you should wait until the last day of the month to get the best deal on a car? For once, his advice might be worth something. On paper, Nissan isn't really asking its dealers for much. Its share of the U.S. retail car market sits at about 5.4%. While this pie chart includes Mitsubishi in Nissan's total, it still illustrates the relative volumes of the major automakers. Nissan holds an advantage over the likes of Volkswagen and Mazda, but it's lagging Honda, Stellantis, Hyundai/Kia (combined in that chart), Toyota, and the two American juggernauts badly. Shahani wants his dealers to stop the bleeding. He'd like an increase of about half a percent by the end of the year—that equates to a lot of volume, since Americans bought just shy of 16 million new cars last year. Half a percent of that is still 80,000 cars, or about 9 percent of the company's total 2024 sales volume. But unlike the rewards offered by typical incentive programs, this cash comes with no strings attached. Dealers can use it however they see fit, up to and including pocketing every penny. One dealer told AN that some of his stores could bring in an additional million dollars a year if this program remains in place. If this has the whiff of desperation about it, you're not far off the mark. Nissan's already-persistent issues are only going to be compounded by the current turmoil in the global economy. As the company tightens its belt, it continues to sacrifice the agility it may need to remain afloat until the market settles back down—and when that might happen is anybody's guess. Got a tip? Drop us a line at tips@ Byron is one of those weird car people who has never owned an automatic transmission. Born in the DMV but Midwestern at heart, he lives outside of Detroit with his wife, two cats, a Miata, a Wrangler, and a Blackwing.
