Irvine-based Kelley Blue Book Co. reports that the used car market is strong, especially for smaller cars.
The leading indicator of the strength of the small car market is a lack of supply at dealerships.
“The key determinant in the strength taking place so far is a lack of supply,” the company said in a recent report. “While demand has been sufficient to keep prices strong, we don’t believe that the strength will be maintained across all segments moving forward.”
The truck and sport utility vehicle markets are expected to slow, according to Kelley Blue Book.
Leading the subcompact car market are Hyundai and Kia brands made by Fountain Valley-based Hyundai Motor America and Irvine’s Kia Motors America Inc.
Hyundai and Kia have managed to gain market share at the peak of the downturn and sales are still on the upswing.
Tight credit is still keeping “near luxury” customers from leasing autos, said James Bell, an analyst with Kelley Blue Book.
A near luxury car would be at the level of a Mercedes-Benz C-Class or a BMW 3 Series.
Luxury dealers, such as Newport Beach-based Fletcher Jones Motorcars, Newport Lexus and Santa Ana-based Crevier BMW, count on leasing to boost new auto sales.
“Luxury brands like to keep cars in their stable to maximize service and warranty work,” Bell said.
Psychedelic Art
Jo Ellen Byrnes has sold her paintings to art collectors and businesses, including Newport Beach-based law firms Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth and Eagan O’Malley & Avenatti LLP.
Now she’s opened her own store, Laguna Beach Mandalas, in downtown Laguna.
Byrnes’ mandalas—which means circle in Sanskrit—are colorful works of art that hark back to art of the 1960s and 1970s.
“I loved the psychedelic movement,” she said.
Byrnes makes the mandalas using paints and other materials. She also collaborates with other artists on pieces. The mandalas come in a variety of sizes and formats including greeting cards, glass and canvas.
A large canvas goes for about $1,500.
For inspiration, Byrnes draws on Laguna Beach, where she lives. She walks on the beach and considers what makes Laguna a special place and tries to work that into her art.
“Each piece has a lot of thought behind it,” she said.
Walt Disney in Mission Viejo
The Shops at Mission Viejo is one of the few malls across the nation to be opening one of Walt Disney Co.’s newly designed stores.
The mall was chosen for its location and demographics—upscale families.
Disney opened a prototype at The Shops at Montebello last month and plans to open 20 of the new stores this year.
At the new Disney Store, technology and interactivity are integral parts of the store. That makes sense as Apple Inc.’s Chief Executive Steve Jobs helped design the store.
Jobs has served on Disney’s board since 2006.
Concours d’Elegance
Several Orange County car collectors won awards at the recent Dana Point Concours d’Elegance held at the St. Regis Monarch Beach.
Some of the local winners include the William Lyon family’s 1965 Alfa Romeo Villa d’Este Berlinetta and 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ 2 GT Coupe; Dave McLaughlin of San Juan Capistrano’s 1948 Plymouth custom car; Bill and Shirley Boezinger of Anaheim Hills’ 1963 Ferrari 250 Lusso Berlinetta; and Yorba Linda resident Marty Hovivian’s 1953 Austin Healey LeMans.
The best of show was a 1929 Auburn 8-120 Boattail, owned by Aaron and Valerie Weiss of San Marino.
The car competition is a fundraiser, with some of the money going to the Ocean Institute in Dana Point, the Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center at Hoag Hospital, and others.
The show was founded as the Newport Beach Concours d’Elegance in the 1980s. It moved to Dana Point in 2008.
