IIHS Names Top Safety Performers for 2009

http://www.theautochannel.com/F/news/2008/11/24/259864.html
Autochannel (press release) - USA
It could have picked up 5 awards if the head restraints were better in the Dodge Avenger and Chrysler Sebring, the Sebring convertible, and the Dodge Grand ...

How Bad is U.S. Auto Market? Toyota’s Losing Money, Too

By Jim Henry

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In the midst of the doom and gloom surrounding Ford, GM and Chrysler, it’s fair to point out that even mighty Toyota Motor Corp. lost money in North America in the last six months.

Toyota had an operating loss of 34.6 billion yen in the first half of its 2009 fiscal year, the period ending Sept. 30, versus an operating profit of 263 billion yen. Depending on the exchange rate, that’s an operating loss for the half of about $358 million.

That’s a lot better than the billions lost by the Detroit automakers, but it’s sufficiently dire by Toyota standards to warrant the creation of an “Emergency Profit Improvement Committee,” charged with a mandate to salvage a profit for the 2009 and 2010 fiscal years.

Specifically, the committee will review production capabilities, as well as the scale and timing of new projects, the company said in a Nov. 6 presentation.

Reading between the lines, Toyota until now has been so successful for so long, especially in the United States, it may have lost focus on its penny-pinching tradition.
Meanwhile, Toyota’s U.S. sales fell 32.3 percent in September from the year-ago month.

The drop prompted the company to offer unprecedented zero-percent financing deals. Despite the offers and a big advertising blitz, U.S. sales fell almost as much in October, down 23 percent from the year-ago month, according to AutoData Corp.

Toyota’s announcement seems to acknowledge the company may be trying to do too many things at once, like succeed in the fullsize pickup truck segment with the Toyota Tundra; the minicar segment with the Scion brand; the luxury car segment with the Lexus brand; and potentially create yet another entire lineup based around the popular Prius hybrid model.

Toyota certainly has enough product to go any way the market goes. On the cover sheet of its financial results, the company featured a picture of the tiny Toyota iQ model, which allegedly seats four, although based on its outside appearance, it’s hard to see how. The iQ goes on sale initially in Japan this month and in Europe in early 2009. No official word yet on the potential for North American sales.

UPDATE 1-JP Morgan widens '09 loss view for GM

Nov 25 (Reuters) - J.P. Morgan Securities widened its 2009 loss estimates for General Motors Corp (GM.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) on lower international earnings and likely higher interest costs from government debt.

J.P. Morgan forecasts a loss of $25.25 a share for the automaker for 2009, compared with its prior loss view of $22 per share.

The U.S. Congress has approved $25 billion in loans to help the auto industry change its U.S. factories to produce more fuel-efficient cars.

"We are deeply skeptical of the commercial prospects for government-dictated product plans," analyst Himanshu Patel said in a note, adding that the U.S. government's "focus on forcing GM to make greener cars is misguided."

The U.S. lawmakers are also pondering whether to provide a $25 billion aid package to help American automaker survive the current economic crisis.

J.P. Morgan expects the current Congress will authorize a short-term bridge loan that carries the Big Three -- GM, Ford Motor Co (F.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and Chrysler, owned by private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management LP [CBS.UL] -- to the Obama administration.

The brokerage expects the new administration will be "tasked with crafting a second bailout that may (should) be contingent on more comprehensive restructuring involving labor/creditors and perhaps brands/dealers."

The brokerage estimates U.S. light vehicle SAAR (seasonally adjusted annual rate) of 10.9 million units, or down 32 percent from the year-ago period, for November. SAAR is a closely tracked indicator of auto industry demand.

GM sales are expected to be down 30 percent, Ford down 34 percent, and Chrysler down 42 percent for November, the brokerage added. (Reporting by Jennifer Robin Raj in Bangalore; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier)

Chinese Carmakers Plan To Buy GM

By Management
Chinese carmakers SAIC and Dongfeng have plans to buy GM and Chrysler, China’s 21st Century Business Herald reported on November 18th. — this is one of China’s leading business newspapers, with a daily readership over 3 million. ...
Conservatively Speaking -

Dodge Tomahawk Motorcycle Concept Car in Review

Dodge Tomahawk Motorcycle Concept Car in Review

Viper V10 engine

The Tomahawk is a Viper V-10 based motorcycle, a 500 horsepower engine with four wheels beneath it. The engine breathes through twin throttle bodies mounted right up front. (That's what the two round things above the front tires are).

* 500 bhp (372 kW) @ 5600 rpm (60.4 bhp/liter); 525 lb.-ft. (712 Nm) @ 4200 rpm
* 10-cylinder 90-degree V-type, liquid-cooled, 505 cubic inches (8277 cc)
* 356-T6 aluminum alloy block with cast-iron liners, aluminum alloy cylinder heads
* Bore x Stroke: 4.03 inches x 3.96 inches (102.4 x 100.6)
* Two pushrod-actuated overhead valves per cylinder
* Roller-type hydraulic lifters
* Sequential fuel injection with individual runners
* Compression Ratio: 9.6:1
* Max Engine Speed: 6000 rpm
* Fuel: Unleaded gasoline, 93 octane (R+M/2)
* Dry sump oil system takes 8 quarts of oil
* Cooling: Twin aluminum radiators mounted atop engine intake manifolds, force-fed from front-mounted, belt-driven turbine fan. Takes 11 quarts of antifreeze.
* Exhaust: Equal-length tubular stainless steel headers with dual collectors and central rear outlets

Dimensions:

Length: 102”
Width: 27.7”
Height: 36.9”
Wheelbase: 76”
Seat Height: 29”
Weight: 1,500 lb
Track:
- Front: 8.75”
- Rear: 10”

Weight Dist: 49F/51R

Fuel: 3.25 gal

Safe and Sane: 2009 Dodge Challenger Gets Five-Star Front and Side Impact Rating Posted Today 10:12 AM by Scott_Evans

While classic muscle cars are lauded for their good looks and incredible power, they're fairly unsafe by today's standards. Dodge was well aware of both of these facts when they designed the new Challenger and the proof is in the pudding. The 2009 Dodge Challenger not only looks great but has now received five-star front- and side-impact ratings for front- and rear-seat passengers, as well as a four-star rollover rating. "Safety is a top priority in all Chrysler vehicles, and the all-new 2009 Dodge Challenger features the latest in safety and security features providing our customers with the peace of mind they want and expect," said Larry Lyons, Vice President of the Car and Minivan Product Team for Chrysler. "Dodge Challenger offers an unmistakable heritage design and delivers numerous advanced safety and security features." Thanks to front airbags for both the driver and front seat passenger and side-curtain airbags for all the occupants, the Challenger gets five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in both front and side impacts. The Challenger also fell just one percentage point shy of receiving a five-star rollover rating. Dodge credits a host of safety features including Traction Control, Electronic Stability Protection, a Tire Pressure Monitoring System, an Enhanced Accident Response System and more for the top safety ratings. Source: Dodge, NHTSA

Buy One, Get One Free Dodge Rams in Florida

Posted: Nov. 24, 2008 10:11 a.m.

As the automotive industry struggles with the worst sales figures seen in almost two decades, ridiculous deals have begun appearing. They're typically short-lived, apply only to a handful of cars on one particular dealer's lot, and cover only models that aren't selling well. But they're still jaw-dropping.

Take, for instance, the buy-one-get-one-free Dodge Ram pickup truck at Rob Lambdin's University Dodge in Davie, Florida.

Consumerist spotted it first. They note, "The deal is you buy one Dodge Ram Quad Cab 1500 and you get a Dodge Ram Single Cab for free."

The fine print of the ad says that the offer is only valid on the day of publication, and may change without notice. But it's probably not a trick. Car dealers make payments on the cars on their lots - and when the vehicles sit unsold long enough, it can become cost-effective for the dealer to sell them at a loss just to free space on their lot for a car that's more likely to sell quickly.

The buy-one-get-one-free Ram comes on the heels of the buy-a-Chrysler-Pacifica-get-a-Chrysler-PT-Cruiser-for-$1 deal we saw last week. Have you seen a ridiculous car deal offered in your local newspaper? Let us know.

Research the best car deals for November with U.S. News' Car Reviews.