2011 was one of the best years for automakers in awhile and despite tsunamis, earthquakes and a hard hit economy around the world; many automakers had all-time record sales.
Looking forward to 2012 the chief economist of the National Automobile Dealers Association projects even stronger sales then 2011.  He cites three factors for this increase: aging vehicles, affordable credit, and aggressive incentives.

Let’s take a look at how a few automakers fared in 2011:

Audi sets All-Time Record in U.S.

With record sales each month of 2011 Audi set an all-time record for annual sales; surpassing 2010’s record by over 15%. “Another record year of sales reinforces the Audi position in the U.S. market, as consumers increasingly choose Audi over their luxury competitors,” said Audi of America President Johan de Nysschen. In 2012 Audi will continue to capture a significant share of the luxury market with exceptionally engineered vehicles.

Mercedes-Benz has Best Sales Year in History

The previous sales record for Mercedes-Benz Cars was back in 2007 and in 2011 sales surpassed this record by 8%.  Mercedes-Benz Cars includes models of Mercedes-Benz, smart, and Maybach. “We’re very satisfied with our sales development. The full-year 2011 was also shaped by our strong development in important growth markets such as the BRIC countries and positive development in the U.S.,” says Dr. Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars.

Subaru sets Record for 4th Consecutive Year

The December 2011 sales total marked Subaru’s best-ever sales month, surpassing the previous best month of August 2009 – the “Cash for Clunkers” month; their annual sales increased over 1% from the previous year.  This increase in sales is even more impressive considering the company had to content with significant production delays caused by the tsunami and earthquake in Japan in March 2011. “We are pleased to welcome the 266,989 customers to the Subaru family,” said Bill Cyphers, senior vice president of sales, Subaru of America, Inc. “With production now catching up to demand, our December sales show the potential for the Subaru brand for 2012.

Toyota 2011 Sales Highlights

Though Toyota sales took a hit this past year, as inventory continued to recover from shortages due to the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, they still set some pretty impressive records for 2011. The Toyota Camry retained its title as the best-selling car in America for the tenth year in a row. The Corolla compact sedan earned its title as the best-selling compact beating out both the Chevrolet Cruze and Ford Focus. And for the first ever the Toyota Sienna was the best-selling van in America, finally beating out the Honda Odyssey. “We begin 2012 with high expectations fueled by a strengthening economy, increasing consumer confidence and the biggest surge of new and updated products in our history. We thank our customers, dealers, and business partners for their continued support and loyalty,” said Jim Lentz, president and chief operating officer, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

Technology has become one of the primary influencers in a person’s decision to purchase a new car. The competition to deliver the most advanced, user-friendly vehicles is certain to heat up around the auto industry and will most likely be prevalent at the L.A. Auto Show next month.

In the last year many auto makers have added technology that can everything from sync with your Smartphone to play your music, read your text messages, and check your email. A lot of new technology systems have also enhanced the safety of many of today’s vehicles. Lexus is currently designing Driver Monitoring Systems to reduce accidents caused by distracted or drowsy drivers.  Ford is currently testing its SYNC platform with how it might integrate with services such as WellDoc, a cloud-based patient monitoring service, to do things like monitor a driver’s current health condition.

As unbelievable as the advancements in these technologies are, the numbers associated with these technologies are just as eye-opening. Overall sales of in-vehicle technology will reach a projected $9.3 billion in 2011, which is 12 percent higher than 2009. Three million Ford vehicles now include the SYNC connectivity platform and by 2014 Ford hopes to have it in every North American model. Volkswagen is investing $20 million a year into its California-based Electronics Research Laboratory devoted to technologies such as automated driver assistance.

The L.A. Show this November 18-27 will be the ultimate showcase for these breakthrough innovations. Technology to look for includes advanced applications of Bluetooth, radar sensors, embedded telephony and cloud computing.