The automotive business has been described by many as a fascinating industry. Perhaps one of the reasons why this is so is because the industry is one of the few where the product changes so readily.

For the 1969 model year, a great change has taken place regarding the car fleet industry. Perhaps a better word than change would be an awareness. For with the introduction of the 1969 models, a new awareness on the part of the manufacturers regarding the ear fleet industry is apparent more than at any other time in automotive history.

While it is true that manufacturers always have welcomed fleet sales, the extent of their efforts to grab a major share of the total fleet market was heretofore limited. The fleet business was there and the manufacturers made no effort to shy away from it. At the same time, however, few of the manufacturers put forth a 100 per cent sales effort to grab the major share of this growing market. Today, this situation has changed.

In the 1961 model year, total sales to the car fleet market were 394,935 units. In the 1967 model year, total sales to the car fleet market were 837,000 passenger cars. In 1968, total sales jumped to 875,000 units. And this figure was achieved despite the fact that Ford's share of the fleet market dropped 4.7 per cent because of a two-month strike. For the 1969 model year, manufacturers are predicting that car fleet sales will top the 925,000 figure. One out of every 12 cars assembled by the manufacturers goes into some type of fleet sale. This is big business and in 1969 ALL the manufacturers are going all out to grab a major share of the market. Perhaps Larry Domagall, general fleet leasing manager of the Ford Motor Co., summed it up the best:

"All divisions throughout the automotive industry are making more aggressive efforts in the fleet industry for 1969 than at any other time in the history of the industry."

It was particularly interesting to those staff members from Automotive Fleet who were covering the 1969 model introductions to hear leading officials of the Big Four point with pride to fleet sale figures for '68 and to mention to the nation's newsmen what a vital role fleet sales were to play in a particular company's plans for 1969.

It was particularly interesting because these same AF staff members could recall quite vividly when fleet sales and fleet business were topics that were rarely discussed at a national news conference. In the past, when an AF stall member posed a question to a company official on some segment of the fleet industry, the official, more often than not, would answer: "I don't know much about fleets," or "I'll have to check and get that answer for you" or "See me later and we'll talk about it."

Today, it's a different story. Company officials are well aware of the role of the fleet market, and, as Domagall said, the manufacturers are making the greatest effort in the history of the industry to woo this business.

Robert B. McCurry, general manager of the Dodge Car and Truck Division, is especially optimistic about Polara and Monaco sales to the fleet market in 1969. "Polara is very popular among leasing companies because it is a big car for just about the same price as the regular units," McCurry said at one of the national press conferences during Chrysler's 1969 introduction preview. "Polara has gained an acceptance in the daily rental field, too, and we expect to expand this substantially in 1969," McCurry said.

Frank E. Zimmerman. Jr. is general sales manager of the Lincoln-Mercury Division. At L-M's new ear introduction preview, Zimmerman told a press conference that "fleet operators have given our '69 models a real vote of confidence. To date, we've received over 11,000 fleet orders. Tin's compares with 4,500 orders in the 1967 model year." Zimmerman said he did not use the 1968 model year because "last: year obviously wasn't typical."

The special interest that manufacturers are placing in daily rentals is quite interesting. More and more the manufacturers are realizing that through the rental of their vehicles, potential customers are getting a first-hard look at cars they normally would not have the chance to test drive. "The rental field is one of our best avenues for sales," was the opinion of a General Motors official.

We at Automotive Fleet hope that our readers will pardon a slight pause on our part for a little self-satisfaction. We can remember the many instances when gaining journalistic recognition of something called the car fleet industry was a difficult thing to do. We can remember the many trials inherent with being the spokesman for an industry. We also recall the satisfaction that recognition can bring. And in 1969, this total recognition of the car fleet industry on the part of the manufacturers has to be one of the most rewarding moments in AF's history.