William Maley

Volvo Announces February Sales Posts Eighth Month of Double Digit Sales Growth ROCKLEIGH, N.J. (March 1, 2016) - Volvo Car USA, LLC, (VCUSA) reported U.S. sales of 5,260 vehicles, a 33.1 percent increase versus February 2015. The top seller for the month was the award winning XC90 luxury SUV with 2,472 vehicles sold, a four percent increase versus January 2016. Year-to-date sales are up 21.8 percent. “The XC90 continues to contribute to our sales momentum, and we have yet to reach its full potential,” said Lex Kerssemakers, President and CEO of Volvo Car USA. “Over the next few months it will be joined by the S90 luxury sedan and the top-of-the-line four seat XC90 Excellence, with the newly-unveiled V90 following later.” Volvo is implementing a sweeping $11 billion transformation plan that has involved the development of its own modular vehicle architecture, a new engine range, global manufacturing capability, a completely renewed product range and world leading developments in safety, autonomous driving and connectivity.

Jaguar Land Rover U.S. February sales increase 25 percent for best February sales month since 2002 Land Rover up 31 percent for February making it the best February sales month ever Range Rover SUV sets new February U.S. sales record with 13 percent increase Jaguar up 7 percent on strong sales of all new XF sedan (MAHWAH, NJ) - March 1, 2016 -- Jaguar Land Rover North America today reported February 2016 U.S. sales: Land Rover sales reached 6,417 units, a 31 percent increase from 4,917 units in February 2015; Jaguar sales were 1,512 units, a 7 percent increase from 1,410 units in February 2015. Jaguar Land Rover North America February U.S. sales for both brands hit 7,929 units, a 25 percent increase from 6,327 units in February 2015. For the full year 2015, Jaguar Land Rover U.S. sales were up 26 percent with 85,048 units sold compared to 67,238 units sold in 2014. Land Rover brand U.S. sales reached a new all-time high of 70,582 units, an increase of 37 percent and surpassing last year's sales of 51,465 units. Due to new model changeover, Jaguar U.S, sales were down 8 percent with 14,466 in 2015 versus 15,773 units in 2014. "2016 is seeing a continuation of Jaguar Land Rover sales momentum in the United States with both brands posting increases in the first two months of the year, including a 25 percent increase for February," said Joe Eberhardt, President and CEO, Jaguar Land Rover, North America, LLC. U.S. BRAND HIGHLIGHTS Land Rover For the month of February, Land Rover sales hit 6,417 units sold, a new record for the month in the U.S. The Range Rover model also set a new February sales record with 1,538 units, an increase of 13 percent vs. 1,358 units sold in February 2015. The LR 4 hit 1,047 units sold, up 70 percent from 615 units in 2015. Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque added 1,324 units and 823 units to the record sales month respectively. Range Rover and Range Rover Sport diesel sales hit 1,247 units, accounting for 20 percent of total Range Rover and Range Rover Sport sales for the year. Jaguar For the month of February, Jaguar sales were 1,512 units, a 7 percent increase from 1,410 units in February 2015 The all new Jaguar XF increased 12 percent to 790 units vs. 703 in February, 2015. The Jaguar XJ updated for 2016 MY, increased 47 percent to 356 units vs. 243 in February, 2015.

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., March 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Motor America today reported its best February in company history, selling 53,009 units for the month, up one percent versus the same period last year. "The strong demand for the all-new Tucson continued through the month with sales up 90 percent over last February," said Derrick Hatami, vice president of national sales for Hyundai Motor America. "Our refreshed Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport models have begun hitting showrooms. Combined with the success of Tucson, we expect our CUV lineup to lead the charge as we close out the first quarter." Genesis sedan saw sales gains of 13 percent while Equus climbed 38 percent. Other standouts include Sonata with sales up 25 percent and Veloster up 35 percent. CARLINE FEB/2016 FEB/2015 CY/2016 CY/2015 ACCENT 4,897 4,867 9,947 9,305 SONATA 17,470 13,987 32,679 26,350 ELANTRA 11,973 15,708 21,858 27,948 SANTA FE 5,532 8,762 10,671 16,511 AZERA 438 757 847 1,341 TUCSON 7,336 3,869 12,554 6,905 VELOSTER 2,101 1,555 4,124 2,857 GENESIS 2,976 2,793 4,883 5,366 EQUUS 286 207 457 427 TOTAL 53,009 52,505 98,020 97,010

ATLANTA, March 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), importer and distributor in the United States of Porsche 918 Spyder, 911, Boxster, and Cayman sports cars, Macan and Cayenne SUVs, and the Panamera four-door sports sedan line-up, today announced February 2016 sales of 3,561 vehicles, up 11.2 percent over February 2015 (3,202). This sets a new February sales record for PCNA. The Macan model line continued to receive strong demand in February with 1,012 deliveries, resulting in a sales increase of 62.2 percent compared to the previous February. The Cayenne model line recorded 1,328 deliveries in February, an increase of 27.0 percent compared to the same month last year. Year to date, PCNA total sales are up 10.9 percent. Porsche Approved Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) vehicle sales in the U.S. were 1,268 for February 2016, an increase of 33.5 percent compared to the same period last year. February represented the best CPO sales month for PCNA since the inception of the program. Model February Sales Year-to-Date 2016 2015 2016 2015 ALL BOXSTER/CAYMAN 430 443 861 945 ALL 911/918 498 647 1,221 1,733 ALL CAYENNE 1,328 1,046 2,723 2,162 ALL PANAMERA 293 442 629 879 ALL MACAN 1,012 624 2,481 1,420 GRAND TOTALS 3,561 3,202 7,915 7,139

Mitsubishi's strong CUV lineup lead the way in February Outlander Sport posts its best February sales ever Outlander sales up a strong 81 percent Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) today reported February 2016 sales of 7,870, an increase of 4.5 percent over February of 2015. Leading the way for the month was Mitsubishi's duo of CUVs, the Outlander Sport and Outlander, with combined sales of 4,712, up 32 percent. For the calendar year, Mitsubishi sales are 14,134. In a crowded field of competitors in the compact CUV segment, Outlander sales continue to impress with strong double-digit increases. Sales for the popular CUV were 2,121, which accounted for an impressive 81 percent increase over the same period in 2015. Outlander had its best February since 2007. Not to be outdone, Outlander Sport had its best February ever with sales of 2,591, an increase of eight percent over February 2015. "We've said it before and we are proving it to be true, the future of the Mitsubishi Motors brand lies in its CUVs," said Don Swearingen, executive vice president, MMNA. "Outlander Sport continues to be our sales leader and the new Outlander is proving to be quite popular with customers seeking high value and reliability in a very competitive segment." February YTD 2016 2015 2016 2015 i‐MiEV 5 2 7 5 Mirage 1156 1863 2119 3568 Lancer 1997 2099 3520 3614 Outlander Sport 2591 2394 4824 4661 Outlander 2121 1175 3664 2178 Total 7870 7533 14134 14026

BMW Group U.S. Reports February 2016 Sales BMW brand sales decrease 10.7 percent MINI brand sales decrease 23.7 percent Woodcliff Lake, NJ – March 1, 2016… Sales of BMW brand vehicles decreased 10.7 percent in February for a total of 22,498 compared to 25,201 vehicles sold in February, 2015. Year-to-date, BMW brand is down 8.2 percent from the same period last year with sales of 40,580 vehicles. Notable vehicle sales include the BMW X1 which increased 60.2 percent, the BMW X3 which increased by 19.5 percent, and the BMW 2 Series which increased by 107.5 percent. “February showed again the accelerating pace of BMW Sports Activity Vehicles is clearly more than a trend with our X models accounting for 45% of sales this past month,” said Ludwig Willisch, President and CEO, BMW of North America. “With Spring only three weeks away and the travel season on the horizon, the growing success of the 7 Series and the 2 Series also makes us confident there’s more to come.” BMW Group Sales In total, the BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported February sales of 25,337 vehicles, a decrease of 12.4 percent from the 28,921 vehicles sold in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date, BMW Group sales are down 8.7 percent from the same period last year with 46,657 vehicles sold. MINI Brand Sales For February, MINI USA reports 2,839 automobiles sold, a decrease of 23.7 percent from the 3,720 sold in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date, MINI USA sales are 6,077 vehicles, a 12.5 percent decrease from the same period last year.

ATLANTA, March 1,2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) today reported February sales of 22,941, with 2,269 units for Daimler Vans and 422 units for smart. Vans marked a best-ever February with an increase of 35.5% from the previous year. MBUSA reported a grand total of 25,632 vehicles. "Despite runout of two high-volume models, we are experiencing a strong first quarter," said Dietmar Exler, president and CEO of MBUSA. "As new core model lines like E-Class and GLS are introduced, we expect to set new records throughout the year." Mercedes-Benz volume leaders in February included the C-Class, GLE, and GLC model lines. The C-Class took the lead at 6,102, followed by the new GLE sales of 3,948. The new GLC rounded out the top three with an increase of 84.1% to 3,278 units sold. Mercedes-AMG high-performance models sold 2,004 units in February, up 164.4% from last year (758), while the brand's BlueTEC diesel lineup finished the month at 295. Separately, Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned (MBCPO) models sold 9,989 vehicles in February, an increase of 1.7% from the 9,820 units sold the same month last year. On a year-to-date basis, MBCPO has sold 19,923 vehicles, an increase of 3.4% over the same time last year (with sales of 19,276 vehicles). MERCEDES-BENZ USA Sales -- February 2016 Mercedes-Benz Passenger Vehicles Feb-16 Feb-15 Monthly % YTD 2016 YTD 2015 Yearly % B-CLASS 37 109 -66.1% 95 349 -72.8% CLA 1,474 2,606 -43.4% 4,642 5,097 -8.9% C-CLASS 6,102 7,072 -13.7% 11,181 13,308 -16.0% E-CLASS/CLS 2,700 2,752 -1.9% 5,490 7,494 -26.7% S-CLASS 1,558 1,421 9.6% 2,835 2,998 -5.4% SLK 270 228 18.4% 536 474 13.1% SL 369 331 11.5% 583 641 -9.0% AMG GT 95 - - 220 - - *SLS AMG 1 3 - 1 8 - GLA 1,597 1,873 -14.7% 4,638 3,751 23.6% GLC/GLK 3,278 1,781 84.1% 6,127 3,179 92.7% GLE/M-CLASS 3,948 3,316 19.1% 7,611 6,460 17.8% GL 1,226 1,849 -33.7% 3,022 3,970 -23.9% G-CLASS 286 275 4.0% 624 506 23.3% TOTAL 22,941 23,616 -2.9% 47,605 48,235 -1.3% Vans1 2,269 1,675 35.5% 4,168 3,180 31.1% smart 422 458 -7.9% 821 950 -13.6% MBUSA Combined Total Feb-16 Feb-15 Monthly % YTD 2016 YTD 2015 Yearly % GRAND TOTAL 25,632 25,749 -0.5% 52,594 52,365 0.4% 1Mercedes-Benz, Freightliner Sprinter and Metris Vans are sold and marketed in the U.S. by Mercedes-Benz USA and Daimler Vans USA, respectively. *out of production

Mazda Reports February Sales IRVINE, Calif., March 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today reported February U.S. sales of 21,544 vehicles, representing a decrease of 16.0 percent versus last year. Year-to-date sales through February are down 10.2 percent versus last year, with 41,247 vehicles sold. Key February sales notes: The 2016 MX-5 has continued its sales growth with 759 vehicles sold, an increase of 48.5 percent YOY and the best February for MX-5 since 2008. In its sixth full month of sales, Mazda CX-3 celebrated its best month ever with 1,793 vehicles sold. Mazda CX-5 had its second-best February ever with 7,579 vehicles sold and an increase of 1.8 percent YOY. Mazda's predictive i-ACTIV all-wheel drive (AWD) has made up approximately 62.0 percent of CX-3 and CX-5 sales thus far in 2016. This same system will be available on the all-new CX-9 when it goes on sale this spring. SKYACTIV® TECHNOLOGY proves to be the key between performance and fuel efficiency as customers demand a no-compromise solution. More than 96.0 percent of Mazdas sold in February were equipped with SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY. Mazda reported Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) February sales of 3,016 vehicles, down 6.0 percent YOY.

Maserati North America, Inc. - Up 51.4% (728 Vehicles Sold This Month, 1,253 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Volvo Cars of North America, LLC - Up 31.1% (5,260 Vehicles Sold This Month, 9,504 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Jaguar Land Rover North America - Up 25% (7,929 Vehicles Sold This Month, 14,936 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Ford Motor Company - Up 20.4% (217,192 Vehicles Sold This Month, 390,915 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Kia Motors America - Up 13% (49,737 Vehicles Sold This Month, 88,042 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) American Honda Motor Co. - Up 12.8% ​(118,985 Vehicles Sold This Month, 219,482 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) FCA US LLC - Up 12% (182,879 Vehicles Sold This Month, 337,916 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Porsche Cars North America, Inc. - Up 11.2% (3,561 Vehicles Sold This Month, 7,915 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Nissan North America - Up 10.5% (130,911 Vehicles Sold This Month, 236,645 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Toyota Motor Sales - Up 5.2% (189,852 Vehicles Sold This Month, 351,135 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Mitsubishi Motors North America - Up 4.5% (7,870 Vehicles Sold This Month, 14,134 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Audi of America - Up 2.3% (11,718 Vehicles Sold This Month, 23,568 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Subaru of America, Inc. - Up 1.6% (42,011 Vehicles Sold This Month, 83,112 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Hyundai Motor America - Up 1% (53,009 Vehicles Sold This Month, 98,020 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Mercedes-Benz USA - Down 0.5% (25,632 Vehicles Sold This Month, 52,594 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) General Motors Co. - Down 1.5% (227,825 Vehicles Sold This Month, 431,570 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) BMW Group U.S. - Down 12.4% (22,321 Vehicles Sold This Month, 42,400 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Volkswagen of America - Down 13.18% (22,321 Vehicles Sold This Month, 42,400 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Mazda North American Operations - Down 16% (21,554 Vehicles Sold This Month, 41,247 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Brands: Acura - Down 1.7% (12,773 Vehicles Sold This Month, 23,023 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Alfa Romeo - Up 4% (49 Vehicles Sold This Month, 116 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Audi - Up 2.3% (11,718 Vehicles Sold This Month, 23,568 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) BMW - Down 10.7% (22,498 Vehicles Sold This Month, 40,580 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Buick - Up 2.3% (17,811 Vehicles Sold This Month, 36,080 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Cadillac - Up 0.9% (11,840 Vehicles Sold This Month, 22,580 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Chevrolet - Down 0.7% (158,644 Vehicles Sold This Month, 296,447 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Chrysler - Down 26% (21,056 Vehicles Sold This Month, 39,270 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Dodge - Up 12% (47,251 Vehicles Sold This Month, 89,360 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Fiat - Down 9% (2,993 Vehicles Sold This Month, 5,587 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Ford - Up 20.1% (209,153 Vehicles Sold This Month, 375,669 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) GMC - Down 6.8% (39,530 Vehicles Sold This Month, 76,463 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Honda - Up 14.9% (106,212 Vehicles Sold This Month, 196,459 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Hyundai - Up 1% (53,009 Vehicles Sold This Month, 98,020 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Infiniti - Down 11% (10,371 Vehicles Sold This Month, 18,885 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Jaguar - Up 7% (1,512 Vehicles Sold This Month, 2,864 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Jeep - Up 23% (68,228 Vehicles Sold This Month, 127,260 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Kia - Up 13% (49,737 Vehicles Sold This Month, 88,042 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Land Rover - Up 31% (6,417 Vehicles Sold This Month, 12,072 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Lexus - Up 1% (23,234 Vehicles Sold This Month, 44,167 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Lincoln - Up 30.4% (8,039 Vehicles Sold This Month, 15,216 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Maserati - Up 51.4% (728 Vehicles Sold This Month, 1,253 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Mazda - Down 16% (21,554 Vehicles Sold This Month, 41,247 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Mercedes-Benz - Down 2.9% (22,941 Vehicles Sold This Month, 47,605 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) MINI - Down 23.7% (2,839 Vehicles Sold This Month, 6,077 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Mitsubishi - Up 4.5% (7,870 Vehicles Sold This Month, 14,134 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Nissan - Up 12.9% (120,540 Vehicles Sold This Month, 217,760 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Porsche - Up 11.2% (3,561 Vehicles Sold This Month, 7,915 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Ram - Up 27% (43,302 Vehicles Sold This Month, 76,323 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) smart - Down 7.9% (422 Vehicles Sold This Month, 841 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Sprinter - Up 35.5% (2,269 Vehicles Sold This Month, 4,168 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Subaru - Up 1.6% (42,011 Vehicles Sold This Month, 83,112 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Toyota - Up 5.8% (166,618 Vehicles Sold This Month, 306,968 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Volkswagen - Down 13.18% (22,321 Vehicles Sold This Month, 42,400 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Volvo - Up 31.1% (5,260 Vehicles Sold This Month, 9,504 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) View full article

FCA US LLC Reports February 2016 U.S. Sales Increased 12 Percent; Best February Sales Since 2006 71st consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains Jeep® brand sales up 23 percent; best February sales ever Jeep Cherokee, Jeep Wrangler, Jeep Patriot and Jeep Compass record their best February sales ever Dodge brand sales up 12 percent; Dodge Journey and Dodge Challenger log their best February sales ever Ram pickup truck posts best February sales ever March 1, 2016 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - FCA US LLC today reported U.S. sales of 182,879 units, a 12 percent increase compared with sales in February 2015 (163,586 units), and the group’s best February sales in 10 years. The Jeep®, Dodge and Ram Truck brands each posted year-over-year sales gains in February compared with the same month a year ago. The Ram Truck brand’s 27 percent increase was the largest sales gain of any FCA US brand during the month. The group extended its streak of year-over-year sales gains to 71 consecutive months. “Continued strong consumer demand for our Jeep vehicles drove the Jeep brand to its best February sales ever, while our Ram pickup truck and Ram vans recorded their best February sales ever,” said Reid Bigland, Senior Vice President - Sales, FCA - North America. “Overall, FCA US realized its best February sales in 10 years and our 71st consecutive month of year-over-year sales increases.” Nine FCA US vehicles set records in the month of February, including four Jeep brand vehicles. The Jeep Cherokee, Jeep Wrangler, Jeep Patriot and Jeep Compass each posted their best February sales ever. In addition, the Ram pickup truck, Ram ProMaster, Ram ProMaster City vans, Dodge Journey crossover and Dodge Challenger muscle car each posted their best February sales ever. FCA US finished the month of February with an 88-day supply of inventory (673,494 units). U.S. industry sales figures for February are internally projected at an estimated 17.9 million units Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate (SAAR). Ram Truck Brand Ram Truck brand sales, which include the Ram pickup, Ram ProMaster and Ram ProMaster City, were up 27 percent in February, the brand’s best February sales since 2002. Ram pickup truck sales were up 23 percent last month, its best February sales ever. U.S. News & World Report last month named the 2016 Ram 1500 the “Best Full-size Truck for the Money.” It was the third year in a row that Ram’s half-ton entry has won the award. Both the Ram ProMaster and Ram ProMaster City vans recorded their best February sales ever. The Ram Truck brand unveiled the 2017 Ram Power Wagon last month at the Chicago Auto Show. The new Power Wagon features a number of off-road-specific enhancements, including a unique suspension with more than two inches of lift, locking differentials and a 12,000-lb. winch, giving it a significant advantage over all production pickups. Jeep® Brand Jeep brand sales were up 23 percent in February, the brand’s best February sales ever and its 29th consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains. The Jeep brand has set a sales record in every month dating back to November 2013. The Jeep Cherokee, Jeep Wrangler, Jeep Patriot and Jeep Compass each recorded their best February sales ever. The Compass’ 54 percent increase was the largest year-over-year percentage gain of any Jeep brand vehicle in the month. The Jeep Grand Cherokee’s 12 percent increase marked its best February sales since 2005. Sales of the Jeep Renegade, the brand’s newest entry in its product lineup, were up 6 percent compared with the previous month of January. For a second-consecutive year, the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited earned Kelley Blue Book’s lowest “5-Year Cost to Own Award” in the mid-size SUV/crossover category. Dodge Brand Dodge brand sales were up 12 percent last month, the brand’s best February sales since 2014 and its third consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains. Sales of the Dodge Journey were up 3 percent, the crossover’s best February sales ever. The Dodge Challenger muscle car also turned in its best February sales ever. The Dodge Grand Caravan’s 95 percent increase was the largest percentage sales gain of any Dodge brand vehicle in the month and its best February sales since 2012. The 2016 Grand Caravan last month earned the Kelley Blue Book “5-Year Cost to Own Award” in the minivan/van category for the second time in three years. The Dodge Durango’s 22 percent increase was its best February sales performance in 10 years. The 2016 Durango is getting two new appearance packages in time for spring: Brass Monkey and Anodized Platinum. These new appearance packages will start arriving in dealerships in the second quarter of 2016. FIAT Brand Sales of the Fiat 500X – the latest addition to the FIAT lineup in North America – were up 52 percent in February, compared with the previous month of January. FIAT brand sales, which include the Fiat 500, Fiat 500L and 500X, were down 9 percent in February, compared with the same month a year ago. The Fiat 500 is the highest-ranking City Car in J.D. Power’s 2016 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study. The FIAT brand has a new addition to its product lineup on the way this summer – the all-new 2017 Fiat 124 Spider. Paying homage to the original 124 Spider nearly 50 years after its introduction, the 124 Spider delivers the ultimate Italian roadster experience with driving excitement, technology and safety, combined with iconic Italian design. Chrysler Brand Sales of the Chrysler Town & Country minivan were up 16 percent in February, the minivan’s best February sales in eight years. Chrysler 300 sales were up 10 percent, the full-size sedan’s best February sales in three years. Chrysler brand sales were down 26 percent in February, compared with the same month a year ago. Coming this spring is the all-new 2017 Chrysler Pacifica minivan, followed by the Pacifica Hybrid arriving in the fall of 2016. The Pacifica offers an all-new platform from the ground up, which will provide more than 100 standard and available safety features, making it the most comprehensive suite of safety features in the segment, including Surround View camera, which uses four cameras positioned around the vehicle to provide a bird’s-eye perspective of the vehicle and its surroundings.