The impact of the summertime wholesale market can still be seen midwinter, which is our first story of the week. Late-model auction volume also declined heading into the final month of 2018.
After that, we’ll have some fun with a Russian sedan sporting 38-inch off-road tires and a miniature Hoonitruck.
Then, we’ll drool over a gorgeous Lancia Aurelia.
Let’s get started!
Summertime Wholesale Price Impact Still Seen at Year’s End
According to the December installment of Guidelines, the forecast for wholesale prices showed strong performances and a projected 3-percent increase over the previous year. J.D. Power Valuation Services also expects wholesale prices to soften by 1.2 percent at the end of 2019.
After diving deeper into the data, the analysts discovered that passenger cars kept prices robust. The projection for compact-car prices was 9 percent, while the midsize cars were projected at 7 percent.
The analysts also said that “mainstream SUV prices are also expected to increase, however not nearly to the same level as their car counterparts.” The increase in the used supply of these segments, as well as the affordability, are the possible reasons behind this.
For the luxury-car market, however, the prices are expected to be down, and we’ll likely see some of the worst losses since 2012.
Learn more here:
https://www.autoremarketing.com/wholesale/summertime-wholesale-price-impact-still-seen-year-end
Late-Model Volume Growth Slows at Auction
Late-model auction volume showed decline leading into the final month of 2018, according to the latest Guidelines report from J.D. Power Valuation Services. Still, the year-to-date volume is up by 4.7 percent over last year.
Large utility vehicles showed a double-digit sequential decrease in volume, and there was a decline in auction volume of vehicles 5 years and younger. At this point, used-car prices are expected to be down 4.5 percent by 2021.
“We expect lease penetration to decline from record highs over the next three years,” RVI Analytics stated in the report synopsis. Record highs for off-lease vehicles will enter the market, driving down the used-vehicle prices.
Read more about this story here:
https://www.autoremarketing.com/wholesale/late-model-volume-growth-slows-auction
Man Puts 38-inch Off-Road Tires on a Russian Sedan and Rips Donuts
Thirty-eight-inch tires won’t fit into any wheel wells on a sedan, regardless of cut fenders. The only way to accomplish this modification is by pushing the wheels outward with wheel spacers, which would need to be gigantic to allow proper steering.
Vlad from the YouTube channel Garage 54 ENG did exactly that, putting giant mud tires on a small Russian VAZ 2106 with a 2101 front end. The results are interesting, to say the least.
Despite this crazy experiment, the car was still able to rip donuts and accelerate well, and Vlad looks like he’s enjoying his contraption.
Check out the video here:
https://jalopnik.com/man-puts-38-inch-off-road-tires-on-a-russian-sedan-usin-1831504235
Miniature Hoonitruck
Ken Block’s Hoonitruck is a wild creation that boasts almost four-digit horsepower and crazy tire shredding ability. Based on a Honda N600 hatchback with a 190-horsepower engine from a Suzuki GSX-R 1000, this may be the baddest truck around.
Weighing in at over 1,000 pounds, the Hoonitruck gets a 12-second quarter time and a 104-mph top speed. On top of that, it’s covered in equally insane stencils.
See for yourself here:
https://jalopnik.com/this-miniature-hoonitruck-is-full-scale-wild-1831528241
Lancia Aurelia
The Lancia Aurelia is an Italian coupe that’s been described as an “unlikely outlaw” by Carfection’s Henry Catchpole, but this version has been lowered and chopped to emulate that look even more.
Produced by the Thornley Kelham shop, this particular Lancia Aurelia is the ideal blend of race car cool and luxury elegance. The modification came from the restoration of Giovanni Bracco’s racer, which had a similar chop.
“We painted the car black, then we painted it red,” said Simon Thornley. “Then we painted it black again to emulate what had happened to the car in period.” That’s saying something for nostalgia.
Lovin’ it? That’ll set you back about a half a million dollars.
Take a look:
https://jalopnik.com/this-lancia-aurelia-is-so-beautiful-i-could-cry-1831502385
So, what are your thoughts on the summertime wholesale price impact? How about late-model volume at auction? Would you take the Hoonitruck or the off-road Russian sedan for a spin? How beautiful is the Lancia Aurelia?
Let’s hear it in the comments!
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