Automakers Report for January Auto Sales 2009

More bad news for the auto industry, as sales have been reported for the month of January. As expected, consumers were still skittish about venturing to car dealerships. Sales of cars and trucks in the U.S. plummeted 37% overall, creating a grim picture of the yeah ahead.

The economy is facing a long road ahead, and car dealers and the automakers are struggling to maintain momentum. Consumers don't have the spare cash on hand to afford new cars. Meanwhile, Pontiac Pittsburgh know all too well that financial institutions are simply not eager to lend money, hampering car dealers' ability to sell more cars.

General Motors sales fell 49% in the month of January, creating a terrible start for the embattled automaker as it's busy reorganizing. Additionally, Chrysler, who also is undergoing organizational changes, saw sales fall to about half the amount from what they were last January.

Japanese automakers were a little more fortunate than domestic automakers, but certainly not immune to the dearth in consumer confidence, acknowledges one Pittsburgh Honda dealer. Toyota and Nissan sales dropped by about 30% in January.

To put these sale declines into perspective, in January 2008 the automotive industry sold a total of just over a million cars. January 2009 saw that number drop to 656,976. That's a huge drop in new car sales, and as each month passes, those numbers seem to be on a slow yet steady decline. The total sales in January are the worst since June of 1982.

Although consumer spending is down, Westminster Toyota dealer says there are other areas that weighed heavily on the automotive industry. Specifically, fleet sales and rental car sales have plummeted, as businesses are cutting back, and consumers are traveling less. While fleet sales are typically low-profit, they make up a substantial chunk of overall sales. Declines in fleet purchases also means that more inventories may be sitting idle warns Orlando Chevrolet dealers. In fact General Motors saw a decline of about 80% in January - the lowest fleet sales level since the mid 1970s!

With numbers for January of 2009 already looking grim, many dealers and industry analysts are expecting it to be a bad omen, and a sign of a long and tough year ahead. Sales need to be improved to facilitate the success or reorganization plans underway at the Big Three automakers, but Newark Ford dealers and others wonder if that is possible in the near-term.

Despite the grim picture, there are plenty of dealers like Hartford Nissan dealers that remain optimistic. Regardless of low sales, January is normally a low sales month. Additionally, it is hoped by Louisville Chevy that the stimulus provided to the automakers by the federal government, and loosened credit, will give the Big Three in particular the ability to do business more effectively in the long run.

Among the ways the automakers and dealers are dealing with the sluggish sales is by offering incentives to car buyers. Specifially, car buyers can expect employee pricing at Hartford Chrysler dealers and other Chrysler stores, while dealers may be offering zero percent financing such as at Kingston Toyota dealers. Many buyers can also get their hands on cash back incentives. These are all efforts to entice consumers into showrooms, and thus far it has had a marginal effective overall.

Despite declines, there have been some automakers that have seen gains in January. Among these few instances is Hyundai, which posted a 14% sales increase. Hyundai is currently offering a unique incentive, providing new car buyers with the Hyundai Assurance Program, enabling consumers to return their vehicles should they lose their job or otherwise cannot make the payments. It is hoped that this program may help spur sales among frugal new car buyers at Hyundai Boston and elsewhere as the economy weighs heavily on consumers' minds.

Another automaker that saw gains in January was Subaru. Driven largely by its recently redesigned 2009 Subaru Forester, which saw sales gains of about 115%, Subaru has seen its second straight month of sales gains.

Other sales numbers include a 32% dip for Toyota, a 30% decline for Nissan, and a 28% drop for Honda.

About the Author

Joe Kent is a writer for TK Carsites, an automotive website design and marketing firm in Orange, CA, that specializes in working with car dealers nationwide.

Toyota First Global Sales Decline in Decade Experience

Toyota is predicted to release its first decline in annual global sales in a decade. With slowing demand for new cars worldwide, plus a deepening credit crunch in the US and global economic slowdown, Toyota has proven they aren't invincible to economic woes.

Toyota is Japan's largest automaker, and has been on path to take over General Motors as the world's auto sales leader.

Auto sales have been down across the board in the US and abroad. Despite high demand in competitive markets such as among Orange Toyota dealers, the global financial crisis has kept consumers away from new car dealerships, including Toyota's dealerships even despite fresh new models.

For quite some time, Toyota has been in a race with GM to become the largest automaker by global car sales. So far, Toyota has been on the right path, with a difference of 9.366 million vehicles sold to GM's 9.37 million vehicles. The latest reports predict this year's sales will be around 9.3 million vehicles.

Despite the grim prediction, a Olympia Toyota dealer notes that the automaker has fared better in the US than its domestic counterparts. Due to a robust lineup and fuel efficient compacts and hybrids, Toyota has had better luck in the US than GM's brands.

About the Author

Joe Kent is a writer for TK Carsites, an automotive website design and marketing firm in Orange, CA, that specializes in working with car dealers nationwide.

The New Porsche Boxster 2009

You may or may not have heard about this new creation out of Pforzheim, Germany. This little town in Germany is world-renowned for its jewelry and watch making industry, but is now famous for something a little bit more extravagant.

Enter the new gold-plated Porsche Boxster. Visualis, a company situated in Pforzheim, hired an artist to create the gilded car. It is unknown how much the vehicle costs, but one thing is a certainty, it is going to be going at a pretty penny. In addition to the original creation, a further nine gold plated models will undergo this unique gilding process. The vehicle was originally created to attract visitors to a jewelry museum opening, and it was a huge success. Porsche saw a gap in the market and a potential demand for this extravagantly luxurious vehicle.

Although you may be dazzled at first by the bright exterior, which is plated in 22 carat gold, that is not where the gilding stops. All the major interior components are also gold plated, including the steering wheel and door knobs. To complete this luxurious vehicle, the alloy rims are also plated in 22 carat gold.

There have been mixed reactions regarding this extraordinary vehicle. There are many who appreciate and covet this golden Porsche. The wealthier end of society may take it as the ultimate status symbol. As if owning a Porsche Boxster is not flashy enough, they can now drive around in gold! It is definitely not the car for someone who wishes to blend into the crowd, because this car will most certainly turn heads. On a particularly bright and sunny day, it may even turn heads in the opposite direction! Now naturally, there are the cynics. Perhaps composing of those who love it but can't afford it? Not necessarily. Some Porsche enthusiasts feel that this car lacks class, and removes from the original ranking of the Porsche brand. Some people even feel that despite its luxuriousness, the car is ugly!

Let's weigh up the pros and cons of this gilded Porsche. It cannot be denied that plating a Porsche Boxster in gold is a tedious and meticulous task. Some people love gold, and opulence, and Porsches too! In this case, this is definitely the car for those people, if they can afford it. There is no doubt that a gold plated Porsche Boxster is a very valuable investment car. Even if the value of the car depreciates, at least they will be able to get a return on the value of the gold!

Some of the cons, well first of all, you have to think about how much it is going to cost to repair the car should you scratch it! Or have an accident in it for that matter. Perhaps we should be more realistic, as the risk of having an accident in this car is quite low. It will be quite a difficult car to miss on the road. This being said, it does pose the risk of causing accidents on a sunny day should fellow road users be blinded by its reflection in the sun.

For more pictures and reviews on Porsche Cars visit http://www.porsche-car.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Thackeray

Best Used Car this 2009

Most people are trying to save money when they buy a used car. Used cars are cheaper to buy, insure, register and pay tax on. A key reason for many people is the first year depreciation of a new car. A new car can depreciate as much as 30% in the first year.

Used cars are popular choices for parents buying a car for their kid. They want something safe and reliable but aren't as particular about how it looks so that dings and dents aren't that important. They mainly want to avoid buying a used car that will need major repairs.

A good place to start is to come up with a list of cars you are most interested in. Cars like the Toyota Camry which are considered very reliable and have a long history of lasting for years can be a good choice. This list will naturally depend on what type of car you need. If you live in a snow belt you may want to get a 4 wheel drive vehicle or at least a front wheel drive vehicle which handles well in the snow. You may need a pickup to haul things around. Once you know what type of vehicle you need make a list of the models you want to look for.

The internet has lots of resources you can use to build your list and to check on the fair market value and technical specifications of the cars you are interested in. Review the lists of the most reliable cars over time. Car and Driver has an annual list of the top five cars in each category. See which cars they have recommended in past years and review them. Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com) and Edmunds.com provide information on the fair market value, technical specifications and reviews of used cars, trucks and SUV's.

Once you start looking at used cars make sure you find out if the car has ever been in an accident and it's great if the seller has repair records and the maintenance history. If you are buying from a used car dealer ask if there is a warranty.

Do a good inspection of the car, the exterior, interior and the engine. Is the engine clean? Are the fluid levels good? Do you see signs of any leaks underneath the vehicle? Make sure you test drive the car, the longer the better. Leave the radio off so you can hear any strange noises. Notice how the car takes bumps, how many rattles you hear and engine noises. Check underneath particularly the exhaust system.

When you find the used car you want and have agreed on a price with a used car dealer make sure you read the fine print of anything you sign. Once you sign it is a done deal. A lot of people dread dealing with used car dealers but if you do your homework, inspect and test drive the car you will avoid most of the pitfalls. Also, dealing with a reputable used car dealer you can trust can make the process enjoyable.

Greg Chapman of Greg Chapman Motors is a knowledgeable and leading provider of used cars, trucks, and SUV's. Since 1959, Chapman motors has supplied reliable used cars in Austin and the surrounding area and is known as one of the bad credit car dealers in Austin. For more information please visit http://www.gregchapmanmotors.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=G._Chapman

The New Mitsubishi Colt Turbo?

The Mitsubishi Colt is yet another hatchback that has found itself lumped in with a myriad of others in the saturated supermini market. This market is very much sink or swim recently and to stay afloat your car has got to have something a little different or special to attract interest. So will the Mitsubishi Colt be riding along on the crest of a wave or sinking irretrievably amidst the gloomy waters of supermini failure?

The first impression is suitably impressive as the exterior ticks boxes you wouldn't expect it to, as it manages to look solid and chunky yet you can be sure that you will be able to fit it into all but the very tightest of parking spaces. It has a tall roof that means that there will be enough room to comfortably seat at least 4 6-foot+ adults; reassuring news if you were ferrying guests to a medical giant's convention.

The interior is relatively basic, but looks smart enough and appears to be of a high manufacturing standard and all the plastics are rigid and will stand up to ham-fisted testing. The seating is perhaps a little too firm, which makes long journeys a little undesirable, but as these cars are primarily designed for short city driving, this isn't too much of a pressing concern.

The Colt is available in 3 door, 5 door and cabriolet editions and the engines range from 1.1 Litre to 1.5 Litre Petrol, which is proof if any were required that Mitsubishi have no delusions of grandeur about the Colt being adapted into some kind of racing car. No, it is a fairly slow car and you'll get bored of counting the seconds it takes to get from 0-60. That really isn't the point of the Mitsubishi Colt though. This car has been designed with practicality in mind, so the evaluation criteria should be more a question of handling, boot space, economy and ecology.

In these terms the Colt does pretty well. The handling isn't exactly pin-point accurate, but is more than fit for purpose on a car of this ilk. The boot is actually smaller than you would expect, but put the passenger seats down and you have an impressive capacity that will manage to accommodate most shopping trips. Economically speaking the Colt is a triumph on two counts; firstly, with the basic Colt model starting from £7,799, it is very competitively priced for a new car. Secondly, with economical engine, you should find yourself achieving very high and wallet-friendly miles per gallon ratios. Tying in with this, the ecological implications of owning this car are almost negligible; the Colt produces one of the lowest CO2 emissions for its class and will not cause too much damage to the environment.

So far, so good for the little Japanese Mitsubishi, but there is one small flaw in its conception; the Mitsubishi Colt lacks a gimmick. Whereas the Ford Fiesta, Vauxhall Corsa and Fiat 500 have got stylish good looks in there corner, the Mitsubishi just has fairly bog-standard practicality stamped all over it. The Colt can't compete in performance terms with the Volkswagen cars so its difficult to see where it can fit in the over-crowded marketplace.

However, if you are looking for a basic, no-frills, reliable and cheap city car, the the Mitsubishi Colt is definitely worth your consideration.

About the Author

Pete J Ridgard is a writer and a car enthusiast. He currently writes for the automotive industry. Here he discusses how the Mitsubishi Colt is going to fit in a crowded marketplace.

Porsche Was Driven Out of Formula One?

Whenever Porsche entered races, people where blown away by its performance. The Porsche car usually took first place, and if not first, it was always in the top three. Some races were deemed to be mind-blowing by critics, and Porsche enthusiasts were in their element! It was only a natural progression that the Porsche moved on to Formula One.

Porsche's first entry into Formula One took place in the season of 1961 to 1962. Porsche fans were a little perturbed to say the least. Porsche only managed to achieve one championship win thanks to Dan Gurney at the end of the French Grand Prix in 1962. Porsche did win another race, but it was a non-championship cup. At the end of its first season competing, Porsche retired from Formula 1. They cited that the reason for this was the high cost of their participation in the races. Naturally, this was because they were not winning anything in order to get their money back for the amounts they had invested in their venture.

In 1983 Porsche reentered the world of Formula One. This time, they supplied engines manufactured under the name TAG for the McLaren Team. Luckily for Porsche, TAG was a huge success. The Porsche powered cars won two titles for construction, and in addition to this, three drivers were crowned in championships in the years 1984, 1985 and 1986.

In 1991, Porsche returned as an engine supplier to Formula One. Unfortunately, the results were not as satisfactory as they had been before. Porsche entered their cars under the name Footwork, but failed to score any points. In over half the races they participated in, Porsche even failed to qualify at all! Since this disastrous year, Porsche has not returned to Formula One. There has been much speculation as to why they did not return again. It could very well be because Porsche was a very successful brand with a good reputation. If they continued to participate in Formula One, and experienced these embarrassing failures for the world to see, the Porsche brand would begin to lose its status.

Despite Porsche's failed attempt at a successful entry into Formula One, they still continue to dazzle on the race track. Nowadays, Porsche participates in smaller, more localized races. There are special Porsche races for enthusiasts that are hugely successful. In other larger races, the Porsche is normally modified, but still does well. Unfortunately for Porsche, the only real professional category that they participate in these days is the Porsche Michelin Super Cup. This cup is raced as a support category at the European Formula One.

In retrospect, there can be many thoughts on why Porsche did so badly in Formula One. Logically, it was the wisest decision for them to retire. Porsche is well renowned for its class, sleek lines and powerful engines. The Formula One is one of the biggest marketing campaigns for car manufacturers in the world, and naturally Porsche did not want to be advertised as being failures with less than championship level engines.

For more pictures and reviews on Porsche Cars visit http://www.porsche-car.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Thackeray

The Little Red Corvette

Deemed as the bona fide backseat make out song of Prince's 1983 album titled 1999, Little Red Corvette combines Prince's sultry lyrics filled with innuendos with synth-saturated click track rhythms to make one flirty little number.

Although prior to this song, Prince was known for his blatantly sexual lyrics mixed with a raw and funkier sound, which resulted in most of his earlier recording not getting any radio play. This song was just obscure enough to not have offended anybody thus resulting in radio play.

In the song, Prince narrates a one-night stand with a beautiful but promiscuous woman, metaphorically named "Little Red Corvette," throughout the song he claims to enjoy the experience but urges her to slow down, find a love that is going to last before she destroys herself. The exact nature of the song is left to the imagination being that Prince is never quite clear as to whether he is talking about a car or some red hot minx. In addition to "Little Red Corvette," Prince uses several other automobile metaphors, including comparing their interlude to riding in a limousine.

It is rumored Prince got the idea for the song while he fell asleep in Lisa Coleman's Edsel or Mercury Montclair, depending on who you talk to, after an exhausting all-night recording session. Lisa Colman was Prince's keyboardist for both his 1999 album and Controversy albums and did backing vocals for Little Red Corvette. According to the rumor, the lyrics came to Prince in bits and pieces during that particular catnap and others that followed and eventually he was able to finish it without sleeping.

Little Red Corvette became one of Prince's best known songs and helped put his name on the music charts. This song was his biggest hit at the time, and the first to reach top ten status in the United States peaking at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, which is the US music industry standard singles popularity chart issued by Billboard magazine. Little Red Corvette was one of his first singles to perform better on the pop chart then the R&B chart, due to the pop/rock format of the song.

The same Little Red Corvette inspired another musician, Stevie Nicks who got the idea for "Stand Back" after hearing Little Red Corvette. She heard Prince's song in her car, wrote "Stand Back" that night, later called Prince who came into the studio when they recorded the song to play keyboards.

Little Red Corvette is one of those songs that will forever stand the test of time. In 2001, Chevrolet put up billboards with a picture of a red 1963 Corvette Sting Ray that stated, "They don't write songs about Volvos." In 2003, Chevrolet used that statement in a commercial that aired for the first time during the Grammys. The ad showed old footage of The Beach Boys performing "My 409" followed by Don McLean singing "American Pie" ("drove my Chevy to the levee"), and then Prince performing "Little Red Corvette."

Atlanta Braves Baseball Baseball Game Atlanta Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brenda_Williams

Honda Hit also by Global Economic Crisis?

That pesky recession! Who does it think it is, coming over here, taking our jobs, hitting everyone in the pocket, grabbing all the headlines, making the lives of us Brits a misery? The best way for Britain to cope with the dire straits that is the recession, is to put on a brave face. Britain may not be the best in the world at many things these days, but one thing we are good at is having a laugh in the face of adversity.

The latest news that one of the world's largest car manufacturers, Honda, are to stop production at their British factory in Swindon for the next four months, affecting 75 per cent of Honda's 4,000 strong British factory workforce.

Honda's global third quarter net profit has dropped by a staggering 89 per cent, and even though Business Secretary Lord Mandelson announced a government support package for the UK car industry which could be up to 2.3 billion pounds, the Japanese car giant has had to go ahead with the longest factory shutdown in recent history.

Many car manufacturers have had to make cut-backs in production simply because demand for brand new cars during these difficult financial times is way below levels of supply - Honda dealers have not experienced such a slowdown in turnover that something just had to give and it makes perfect business sense to cut production, sit back and reflect on how the next quarter pans out.

Despite Honda stating that they jobs are safe, it is common knowledge that over a quarter of factory staff have taken up voluntary redundancy, perhaps as they see no end to the gloom and doom in the near future.

Fears that the halt in production in Swindon may continue past the next four months have been dispelled, or at least there lies some hope, as Honda are going ahead with part orders - a measure that they surely would not take if they felt that production would continue to stop for an even longer time period.

Honda usually produce 240,000 cars from their Swindon factory, but that figure will halve over the course of the next year and elsewhere, global production will be slashed by 56,000 units. Honda is yet to announce whether employees from their other business sectors and departments in the U, such as Honda dealers and administration staff will be affected during the next year, which finance experts are saying will continue in recession, possibly through to 2010.

Honda dealers have obviously experienced a slowdown in business, both in the sale of brand new vehicles - the bread and butter, where the highest margins are made - and also used cars from Honda dealers.

Figures are set to continue to decrease for the duration of 2009 as Honda economists have forecast a net profit for the year to March 2009 to be less than half of its earlier forecast of 185 billion yen. The company's net profit for the quarter ending December 2008 was 180 billion yen below the mark reached during the same quarter the previous year - a staggering example of just how badly affected the car industry has been since the global economy took a nosedive.

The Swindon factory workforce will obviously be concerned, but will no doubt be putting on a brave face, in true British fashion. Let's hope, like the global economy, their fortunes can change over the next year.

Shaun Parker is a car expert with many years of experience in the used cars industry. Find out more about quality used cars at http://www.hondainchcape.co.uk

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shaun_Parker

Lincoln Navicross luxury car

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Top 5 Coupes this 2009

This are the top 5 Coupes Cars this 2009. This includes BMW Series 1, Saturn Astra, Ford Fucos, Ferrari 430 and Toyota Yaris.

1. BMW Series 1 - 2-4 passenger luxury sports or luxury convertible and equipped with standrd 3.0 liter, 230 horsepower engine. The Convertible is standard 3.0 liter 300 horsepower turbo engine.

2. Saturn Astra - 2-4 door 5 passenger family coupe or family sedan. Both trims are equipped with 1.8 liter, 138 horsepower engine.

3. Ford Fucos - 2-4 door 5 passenger family coupe or family sedan. 140 horsepower engine with 5 speed manual transmission w overdrive and 4 speed automatic is optional.

4. Ferrari 430 - 2 door 2 passenger luxury sports car with 503 horsepower engine, 6 speed manual transmission with overdrive is atandard.

5. Toyota Yaris - 2-4 door 5 passenger family coupe or sedan with 106 horsepower engine, 5 speed manual transmission with overdrive standard.

Top 5 Sedans this 2009

Here's the top 5 Sedans this year 2009, all new all hot and all luxury sedans. This is the best Sedans for this year 2009.

1. Toyota Venza - 4 door, 5 passenger family sedan ranging from 4x4 V6.
2. Saturn Astra - 2 or 4 door, 5 passenger family coupe or family sedan.
3. Toyota Prius - 4 door, 5 passenger family sedan.
4. Mercedez-Benz E-Class - 4 door, 7 passenger luxury seddan, luxury sports sedan or luxury wagon.
5. Ford Fucos - 2 or 4 door, 5 passenger family coupe or family sedan.