by Ken Zino | Jul 2, 2009
Even though Chrysler Group emerged from bankruptcy early last month, its June sales results continued the trend that ultimately forced the liquidation of the Old Chrysler organization. The ongoing shift of buyers away from trucks and truck-derived vehicles has left it...
by Brenda Priddy | Jul 2, 2009
Sometimes hiding in plain sight is the best way to get spy photos, and that’s exactly how we managed to photograph this Devon GTX undergoing aerodynamics testing. Patience and persistence also play a big role: besides the obvious, we waited until the Devon GTX...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Jul 2, 2009
…and all the king’s horses, and all the king’s men, couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty back together again. Was Humpty Dumpty a cannon used in the siege of Colchester, in 1648, the hunchbacked King Richard III, or Prince Humperdink of Romania? Exactly...
by Marty Bernstein | Jul 2, 2009
The Fourth of July Specials: Hot dogs and the Wienermobile Over holiday weekend American’s will consume 150,000,000 hot dogs according to the Oscar Mayer division of Kraft Foods, sponsors of the iconic Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. It’s an American...
by Joseph Szczesny | Jul 2, 2009
Mega-supplier Lear Corp., best known for its seating business, is expected to become the latest in a long and growing line-up of automotive parts manufacturers to file for bankruptcy protection. A major supplier to General Motors Corp., itself undergoing a Chapter 11...
by Joseph Szczesny | Jul 2, 2009
Sales of new cars and trucks continued to show, slight, signs of improvement during June. But anticipation of the new federal “cash for clunkers” program that starts in July appears to have slowed sales at the end of the month. The sales rate dropped...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Jul 1, 2009
Smart USA, the maker of the pint-sized fortwo 2-seater, is betting the new Cash-for-Clunkers program can kick-start sales. Like the rest of the industry, Smart has been hit hard by the recession, a situation compounded by the decline from last year’s record fuel...
by Ken Zino | Jul 1, 2009
Dealers for General Motors in the United States delivered 176,571 total vehicles in the month of June, down 33.6% compared with a year ago. Truck sales were down 40%, with car sales only dropping 24%. Retail sales accounted for 82% of the total, as fleet sales...
by Ken Zino | Jul 1, 2009
Full automaker details for the month of June and the year-to-date are in the following charts. U.S. Vehicle Sales Jun 2009 Jun 2008 %Chng. 2009 CYTD 2008 CYTD %Chng. General Motors Corp. 174,785 262,329 -33.4% 947,518 1,589,235 -40.4% Total Cars...
by John Day | Jul 1, 2009
Despite the loss of more than 40,000 lives on U.S. roadways, each year, Tier One suppliers are finding it’s a hard sell to get their newest technology out onto the road. They hope the government can help, less with money than with legislation. A variety of...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Jul 1, 2009
General Motors officials are back in court this morning, and what they have to say could determine the future of the bankrupt automaker. Just a month after the 101-year-old company entered Chapter 11 protection, it is on track for a swift re-emergence as a...
by Ken Zino | Jul 1, 2009
As the results for U.S. new vehicle sales in June trickle in, it’s clear that the hoped for rebound in sales isn’t happening to any great degree. Manufacturers are responding with a variety of gimmicks in an attempt to clean out 2009 models and pave the...
