We all know the effects the global market has on the worlds car manufacturers, with the automotive industry been hit the hardest.

To combat the global recession, all manufacturers have started looking at different cost-cutting measures, as this is necessary for the success of the company in such a deep downturn in sales. Marketing budgets have been slashed, even online spending is down.

In the midst of all this doom and gloom, there is still a need to discover innovative ways to reach customers. Once the dealerships are transformed to enhance the dealer experience, increase the impact of the brand they will then ultimately increase sales. Tomorrow's solution must be relevant, measurable and have a fast Return on Investment.

Canada is currently the 9th largest auto producer in the world, down from 7th a few years ago. Brazil and Spain recently surpassed Canadian production for the first time ever. Canada's highest ranking ever was 2nd largest producer in the world between 1918 and 1923. The Canadian auto industry traces its roots to the very beginning of the automobile. The first large-scale production of automobiles in Canada took place in Walkerville, near Windsor, Ontario in 1904. In the first year of operations, Gordon McGregor and Wallace Campbell, along with a handful of workmen produced 117 Model "C" Ford vehicles at the Walkerville Wagon Works factory. Through marquees such as Brooks Steam, Redpath, Tudhope, McKay, Galt Gas-Electric, Gray-Dort, Brockville Atlas, C.C.M., and McLaughlin, Canada had many domestic auto brands. In 1918 McLaughlin was bought by an American firm, General Motors, and was re-branded as General Motors of Canada.

 

The automobile was invented in Germany by Karl Benz. Furthermore, the four-stroke internal combustion engine used in most automobiles worldwide today was invented by Nikolaus Otto in Germany. In addition, the diesel engine was also invented by German Rudolf Diesel. Germany is famous for the high-performance and high-quality sports cars made by Porsche, and the cars of BMW are famous for their quality, safety and technological innovation. Daimler-Benz's predecessor Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft was the industry's oldest firm, Daimler-Benz company dates from 1926. In 1998 it bought the American automobile manufacturer Chrysler, then sold out in 2007 at a heavy loss as it never managed to bring the division to long term profitability. In the popular market, Opel and Volkswagen are most well known. Opel was a bicycle company that started making cars in 1898; General Motors bought it out in 1929, but the Nazi government took control and GM wrote off its entire investment.