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Chevrolet's 3 concepts on view

Pix of the three Chevrolet concept cars that GM is unveiling at the NY Auto Show are available on Leftlanenews.com
The Beat, Groove and Trax are all small runabouts and all three look gonky in a way that has been common in Europe for years. Maybe Detroit is finally getting it - but then gas is still basically free over here compared to Europe - so it's hard to blame Detroit for riding the monsters as long as it has.

Posted by   at 12:09 PM to Companies , Design | Permalink | Comments 0

Check out slideshow 16 vehicles skedded for NY show

Check out a slideshow prepared by USA Today of some of the vehicles that automakers are going to be showing at the New York International Auto Show this weekend.

Posted by   at 11:57 AM to Shows | Permalink | Comments 0

Mulally: Ford turnaround on track

Ford Chief Executive Alan Mulally, said today that the automaker's sweeping turnaround remained on track, according to USA Today.
"This is a massive, massive restructuring of Ford and generally it's going, it's going pretty well," Mulally said in a speech at the New York International Auto Show.
Ford, which has announced plans to shutter 16 plants, lost $12.7 billion last year and mortgaged its factories, brand names and other items to secure a $23.4 billion line of credit to pay for its restructuring plan and cover losses expected until 2009, the paper said.

Posted by   at 11:51 AM to Companies | Permalink | Comments 0

March sales figures are out - trend continues

March sales were released today by automakers, and Detroit's automakers continued to see sales dip while Toyota and Honda watched their totals rise, according to thecarconnection.com
GM registered 349,867 vehicle sales and deliveries in March, down 7.7 percent from a year ago while Toyota reported its best month ever in the U.S., selling 242,675 vehicles, 7.7 percent more than in March 2006.
Ford sales totaled 264,975, down nine percent compared with the same period a year ago. Chrysler sales declined 4.4 percent to 537,249 units. Mercedes sales rose 0.9 percent, while the brand hit a record for the first quarter in the U.S.
Honda posted its fifth-best month ever as it sold 143,392 Hondas and Acuras. Sales rose 7.3 percent over 2006.
Nissan reported sales of 111,119 units in March, up 3.9 percent. Nissan Division rose by 2.8 percent, while Infiniti sales grew by 12.6 percent. Mazda sales zoomed 47.9 percent over March 2006 as the brand marked its best March since 1994.
Volkswagen of America, Inc. says it had March 2007 sales of 17,355 units, a decrease of 16.3 percent from March 2006 sales of 20,730 vehicles.

Posted by   at 11:44 AM to Companies | Permalink | Comments 0

Zetsche confirms talks about sale of Chrysler

Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of DaimlerChrysler, has confirmed for the first time that discussions have taken place with interested parties regarding future options for the Chrysler Group, according to PR Newswire.
"In this context, I can confirm that we are talking with some of the potential partners who have shown a clear interest," Zetsche is quoted as saying in the text of the speech he will deliver at the Annual Meeting 2007 in Berlin today. However, Zetsche continued, "But it is also true that we need to keep all options open, and that I cannot disclose any details, because we need to have the maximum scope for maneuver."

Posted by   at 11:35 AM to Companies | Permalink | Comments 0