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Seventies super-salesman challenges new car-sales record

Some of the fondest memories from my youth were the Sunday afternoons spent walking between rows of new and used cars. This preceded the advent of widely available internet, so the cars didn't sell themselves online: A tentative buyer had to come see the cars in the metal, with old-school salesmen taking well-earned smoke breaks after putting someone behind the wheel of a new Saab 900. All-inclusive subscription services were unheard of. If you open a Guinness records book and look up car salesmen, you'll find Joe Girard. The definitely old-school Detroit salesman regularly sold over 1,000 new cars per year, with a particular high point of 1,425 cars in 1973 guaranteeing him a mention in the Guinness book. To reach that kind of sales figure, you had to be a pretty special salesman, and Girard was. He didn't take breaks unless absolutely necessary, and even his lunch hours were dedicated to selling more cars instead of shooting the breeze with other sales persons. By 1977 he was worn through, having sold over 13,000 cars in his career, and his physique couldn't take it anymore. He's been a motivational speaker since. Now, 44 years later, a Dearborn, Mich., Cadillac and Chevrolet salesman named Ali Reda has reportedly broken Girard's record. The books at Les Stanford Chevrolet Cadillac say Reda sold 1,530 new cars and 52 used cars in 2017, averaging 130 vehicles per month. But after Girard, 89, heard of the sales record, he called his attorney, not letting his record be broken without a fight — or at least an audit. The Dearborn dealer isn't too concerned about Girard's doubts, at least according to Gary Stanford, whose father founded the dealership. "It's very official, trust me," said Stanford to the Detroit Free Press. "Ali is the hardest worker I've ever seen. And if someone doesn't believe the data, well, they're more than welcome to consult with GM. It's all there in black and white." What Girard doesn't get is that Reda was honoring him with the accomplishment. "I read his book, 'How to Sell Anything to Anybody,' and it said it would teach you how to become the best," said Reda, who at age 44 was a newborn when Girard hit his peak. "He's an absolute legend in the industry. Your whole career, you're chasing his name.

GM wants to have 10 plug-in models in China in five years

Last we checked, General Motors was selling all of three plug-in vehicle models in its home country of the US, and is prepared to make the Chevrolet Bolt EV available on these shores later this year. So it's notable that the automaker is hatching plans to have at least 10 plug-in variants for sale in China within the next five years, according to Hybrid Cars. Which plug-ins are coming remains a mystery. GM started selling a hybrid version of the Buick LaCrosse in China this month. The strategy makes sense, as China is now the world's largest car market, and accounts for about a third of GM's annual revenue. The automaker, which operates in China under the SAIC-GM and SAIC-GM-Wuling joint ventures, sells cars there under the Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac, and Boujun badges, and has been doing so for the better part of two decades. Most recently, GM started selling a hybrid version of the Buick LaCrosse in China this month. What we do know is that GM is building its Cadillac CT6 Plug-in Hybrid in China, with distribution to be split between China and the US. That model, which is scheduled to start sales by the end of the year, is being built overseas because of a combination of Chinese government support for new-energy vehicle technology through incentives and the fact that battery-pack maker LG Chem makes most of its cells in nearby South Korea. The plug-ins are part of a broader plan by General Motors to either introduce or substantially tweak about 60 models by the end of the decade. With such new models, GM looks to boost unit sales by as much as five percent a year for the next few years. As for the other nine plug-in models slated for China by 2021, the company is mum. GM spokesman Dan Flores declined to comment to AutoblogGreen. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2016 Cadillac CT6: First Drive View 32 Photos News Source: Hybrid Cars Green Cadillac Chevrolet GM Electric Hybrid PHEV

Autoblog Podcast #399

Episode #398 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth, Brandon Turkus, and Rob Sass of Hagerty Classic Cars Magazine talk about Cadillac's move to Manhattan and new naming convention, preview the Paris Motor Show, and finish up with the 3 Guys, 3 Grand Classic Car challenge. Also included is an interview with Tom Tjaarda, prolific designer of vehicles including the DeTomaso Pantera. We start with what's in the garage and finish up with some of your questions, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. Check out the rundown below with times for topics, and you can follow along down below with our Q&A. Thanks for listening! Autoblog Podcast #399: The video meant to be presented here is no longer available. Sorry for the inconvenience. Topics: Cadillac relocates to NYC and changes its model names Paris Motor Show preview Tom Tjaarda interview $3,000 classic cars In The Autoblog Garage: 2015 BMW 428i Gran Coupe 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Hybrid Jensen Interceptor Hosts: Dan Roth, Michael Harley, Brandon Turkus Runtime: 01:47:56 Rundown: Intro and Garage - 00:00 Cadillac Move - 24:02 Paris Motor Show - 39:22 Tom Tjaarda - 52:12 Hagerty $3000 Classics - 01:15:43 Q&A - 01:27:45 Get the podcast: [UStream] Listen live on Mondays at 10 PM Eastern at UStream [iTunes] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes [RSS] Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator [MP3] Download the MP3 directly Feedback: Email: Podcast at Autoblog dot com Review the show in iTunes Podcasts Paris Motor Show BMW Cadillac Subaru Classics cadillac ct6 rob sass cadillac lts