VOLKSWAGEN

BMW AG has sealed its position as the most successful luxury brand in the U.S. in 2011 by outselling Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz last month.

As one analyst said, the U.S. market isn't the cash cow it once was, but it's still a mature and profitable market, as opposed to more volatile emerging markets, or stagnant ones in Europe, said Rebecca Lindland, an analyst with the consulting firm IHS Automotive, according to The New York Times.

The United States auto industry put a cap on its best year since crumbling to unforeseen depths in 2008, as the Big Three auto companies all reported strong December sales that met or exceeded analyst estimates.

An App of the Year doesn't deserve the title until POTUS joins the fray. President Barack Obama, arguably the first Technophile in Chief, joined picture sharing social network Instagram the night of the Iowa Caucuses. The move signals Obama's continued reliance on social media to connect with younger voters who were integral in his 2008 electoral victory.