Automotive News at a Glance

• Union: Neither management nor union are responsible for auto industry meltdown
  The Wall Street Journal, November 17, 2008
  The United Auto Workers is holding the line against wage and benefit cuts, but it may not be able to escape further concessions if it hopes to get the government to bail out Detroit.
• Reid: Auto aid will get two shots in Senate
  The Detroit Free Press, November 17, 2008
  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said today the Senate would get two chances to approve aid for U.S. automakers, but did not release any details about the scale or scope of his plan.
• 6 myths about the Detroit 3
  The Detroit Free Press, November 17, 2008
  The debate over aid to the Detroit-based automakers is awash with half-truths and misrepresentations that are endlessly repeated by everyone from members of Congress to journalists.
• Like 1979, next auto rescue won't be easy
  The Detroit Free Press, November 17, 2008
  In 1979, when Congress crafted the historic and controversial Chrysler Corp. Loan Guarantee Act -- which protected tens of thousands of jobs nationwide and gave the automaker another three decades of life -- political leaders carefully threaded the strings it attached to the $1.5 billion in federally backed loans.
• Detroit's Small Car Discount
  The Wall Street Journal, November 17, 2008
  The Detroit Three auto makers are in financial trouble for a wide array of reasons, but not because they don't make fuel efficient cars. They do. Consumers just don't want to pay that much for them.
• White House refines position on auto industry help
  BusinessWeek, November 17, 2008
  With Congress returning Monday to deal with an auto industry in dire financial straits, the Bush White House stressed that it supports help, but not at the expense of the $700 billion Wall Street rescue program.
• No blank check for automakers
  Denver Post, November 17, 2008
  Calls for an auto industry bailout have become ever more insistent in recent days, as have the dire predictions of what's to come if the government doesn't ante up.
• What’s Good for G.M. Is Good for the Army
  The New York Times, November 16, 2008
  ...we must act: aiding the American automobile industry is not only an economic imperative, but also a national security imperative.
• Top Republicans Oppose Auto Industry Bailout
  The Wall Street Journal, November 16, 2008
  Top Republican senators said Sunday they will oppose a Democratic plan to bail out Detroit automakers, calling the U.S. industry a "dinosaur" whose "day of reckoning" is coming.
• Obama Gets Plenty of Advice on Detroit Bailout
  The Wall Street Journal, November 16, 2008
  President-elect Barack Obama is being deluged with advice on how to respond to requests for aid from troubled U.S. auto makers, even before he takes over the White House.
• Showdown looming in Congress of automaker rescue
  The Detroit News, November 16, 2008
  Hardline opponents of an auto industry bailout branded the industry a "dinosaur" whose "day of reckoning" is near, while Democrats pledged Sunday to do their best to get Detroit a slice of the $700 billion Wall Street rescue in this week's lame-duck session of Congress.
• Saving Detroit From Itself
  The New York Times, November 15, 2008
  We have seen a lot of posturing, but we haven’t heard a lot of sense in the debate over whether the government should spend even more to bail out Detroit’s foundering automakers.
• Stimulate Car Buyers, Not Car Makers
  The Wall Street Journal, November 15, 2008
  Rebates would have less harm than a bailout.
• Just Say No to Detroit
  The Wall Street Journal,, November 15, 2008
  Given the abysmal performance by Detroit's Big Three, it would be better to send each employee a check than to waste it on a bailout, says David Yermack.
• Auto aid proposal hits GOP roadblock
  The Detroit News, November 14, 2008
  A plan to provide $25 billion in emergency loans to Detroit's Big Three automakers ran into stiffening resistance from Republicans on Thursday, putting the prospects of quick passage next week in doubt.
• Carmaker crisis hits suppliers
  The Detroit News, November 14, 2008
  The fallout from the financial crisis in the auto industry is reverberating down the parts supply chain of Detroit's Big Three, with more cost cutting, job losses, bankruptcies and liquidations expected.
• JACKSON: Hardly 'charity' to save Big 3 automakers
  Rocky Mountain News, November 13, 2008
  Contrary to the view espoused by the Rocky Mountain News in its editorial of Nov. 2 ("No to Detroit"), the failure of the Big Three would trigger an economic earthquake that would be felt far from Detroit. Coloradans would certainly feel the shock waves, no matter what brand of vehicle we favor or where we work.
• Harsh economic, political realities will test Obama's mettle and ideas
  Chicago Tribune, November 9, 2008
  Forget "hope" and "change" and "yes we can." The word that will matter most, when Barack Obama assumes the Oval Office, is "doable."
• Democrats say state isn't blue yet
  The Gazette, November 8, 2008
  Barack Obama carried Colorado on Tuesday with ease. So Colorado has changed from red to blue, right?
• Exxon Mobil posts biggest US quarterly profit ever
  9News.com, November 3, 2008
  Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM), the world's largest publicly traded oil company, reported income Thursday that shattered its own record for the biggest profit from operations by a U.S. corporation, earning $14.83 billion in the third quarter.
• Are automakers also too big to fail?
  The Christian Science Monitor, November 3, 2008
  In a financial scenario that probably sounds all too familiar to Uncle Sam, the auto industry is declaring itself too important – with hundreds of thousands of workers – for the government to allow it to fail.
• No to Detroit – Its time to turn off the federal bailout spigots
  Rocky Mountain News, November 2, 2008
  A modest sigh of relief is in order with the announcement Friday that the U.S. Treasury Department will not hand over billions of dollars in federal aid to facilitate a merger between General Motors and Chrysler.
• Consultant: GM-Chrysler deal possible by Tuesday
  Detroit Free Press, October 30, 2008
  There is a chance that there could be an agreement between General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC by Tuesday that would result in half of Chrysler’s assembly plants closing and 24,000 lost jobs, Kimberly Rodriguez, principal of Grant Thornton’s automotive practice, said today.
• Sen. Levin: Government help needed to preserve auto jobs
  The Detroit News, October 30, 2008
  The auto industry will lose more jobs unless the federal government provides much-needed loans, U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Detroit, said here today.
• Being Green vs. Quality Time With the Family
  The Wall Street Journal, October 28, 2008
  While sitting on the very delayed train last week I was chatting with a friend and juggler about commuting and the atrocities of N.J. Transit.
• Kerkorian sells 26.4 million Ford shares
  The Detroit News, October 28, 2008
  Billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian may still be Ford Motor Co.'s largest private shareholder, but he is no longer obligated to talk about it.
• More Car Dealers Shut Down
  The Wall Street Journal, October 28, 2008
  With credit drying up and new-vehicle sales slumping to a 25-year low, car dealerships from New Jersey to California are going out of business at an accelerating pace, threatening greater economic pain for communities around the country.
• Honda reports 41 percent drop in quarterly profit
  The Detroit News, October 28, 2008
  Honda Motor Co. opened a gloomy earnings season for automakers Tuesday, reporting a 41 percent plunge in profit for the July-September quarter and cutting its forecast for the year.
• Bankruptcy Fears Rise As Chrysler, GM Seek Federal Aid
  The Wall Street Journal, October 27, 2008
  As talks between General Motors Corp. and long-time rival Chrysler LLC continued over the weekend, a harsh reality has emerged: Without a merger and possibly an assist from the federal government, two of Detroit's Big Three auto makers could run out of cash within a year.
• Ford highlights auto-finance advantage
  The Detroit News, October 17, 2008
  Ford Motor Co. told dealers in a letter Wednesday that even though other lenders are cutting back in the face of the ongoing credit crunch, Ford still can provide financing for most customers through its Ford Credit lending arm.
• Toyota to Push No-Interest Loans
  The Wall Street Journal, October 17, 2008
  Toyota Motor Corp. is launching a $250 million marketing and sales campaign that uses its substantial financial muscle to bring customers back into its showrooms.
• GM and Chrysler Step Up Talks Over a Combination
  The Wall Street Journal, October 17, 2008
  General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC are accelerating merger discussions amid strong support from potential lenders that are eager to see a deal done.
• Kerkorian beefs up Ford credit line
  The Detroit News, October 16, 2008
  Billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian has pledged another 50 million shares in MGM Mirage to back a $600 million credit line used to purchase shares in Ford Motor Co., according to documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission today.
• Slow burn: The way the Jetta TDI sips fuel, you won't mind that it's diesel
  The Detroit News, October 15, 2008
  This diesel car burns up oily fuel a drop at a time, making the Jetta one of the best and most efficient vehicles available in America.
• Auto Makers Pump Up Deals on Smaller Cars
  The Wall Street Journal, October 15, 2008
  They're this year's hot vehicles. But as the effects of the financial crisis deepen, even small and midsize cars are seeing declining sales -- and that means better deals for prospective buyers.
• What GM Sees in Chrysler
  BusinessWeek, October 15, 2008
  General Motors sees a profitable, if risky, path in gaining Chrysler's revenues and slashing costs.
• Credit crisis stalls Oct. car sales
  The Detroit News, October 15, 2008
  Forecasters say monthly selling levels may hit 20-year low.
• GM, Ford finish the day on an upswing
  Detroit Free Press, October 15, 2008
  Shares of General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. finished the day up slightly, despite more news of credit tightening and modest drops across the nation's major stock indexes.
• Dealers' lots brim with new cars, fading hopes
  Caller-Times, October 12, 2008
  Hundreds of thousands of new cars and trucks that would have quickly made their way to people's driveways a year ago are stacking up on dealer lots across the country.
• Six Cars to Save the Big Three
  AOL News, October 12, 2008
  The big three may be on the ropes, but as these six cars show, they aren't down for the count.
• Ford considering Mazda sale
  The Detroit News, October 11, 2008
  Ford Motor Co. is weighing a possible sale of part of its stake in Mazda Motor Corp., but sources familiar with the situation stressed that no deal has been reached.
• GM, Chrysler talk merger
  The Detroit News, October 11, 2008
  General Motors Corp. is in talks with Cerberus Capital Management LP about a possible merger with Chrysler LLC, a person familiar with the matter said late Friday.
• Can GM and Ford Scrape By?
  BusinessWeek, October 7, 2008
  Stocks of the two big U.S. automakers sink again as they face new questions about cash and credit.
• Auto dealers see bailout freeing car loan cash
  9News, October 5, 2008
  Colorado auto dealerships anticipate the financial bailout bill will open up a tight credit market for car buyers.
• Business, labor ballot deal a lemon
  Steamboat Pilot & Today, October 5, 2008
  Shrewd in making deals in their own respective realms, the power brokers who agreed to pay labor union bosses $3 million in exchange for withdrawing four job-killing ballot initiatives have been played for suckers.
• Bailout OK'd, but markets remain sickly
  Rocky Mountain News, October 3, 2008
  Like a patient who has just swallowed some bitter medicine, markets will have to wait awhile longer before their ills go away.
• Executives pledge funds as unions drop colorado initiatives
  The Wall Street Journal, October 3, 2008
  In an alliance born in part of fear, corporate executives across Colorado pledged to contribute at least $3 million to help organized labor defeat ballot measures that many in the business community might normally support.
• Volkswagen's All-New Clean Diesel Jetta TDI Sets New Guinness World Record for Lowest Fuel Consumption at 58.82 MPG
  PRNewswire, September 30, 2008
  The world's most fuel efficient couple, John and Helen Taylor, have broken the current world record for lowest fuel consumption across the 48 contiguous United States averaging 58.82 miles to the gallon.
• The rise and fall of Bill Heard Enterprises
  Columbus Ledger Inquirer, September 30, 2008
  The year was 1996, and Bill Heard Jr. made a bold prediction after learning in a trade magazine that his company, with seven dealerships, was the fifth-ranked auto group in the nation.
• Gas prices fall 46 cents in week
  The Detroit News, September 29, 2008
  Motorists filling up their tanks are finding it less painful at the pump: Gas prices fell 46 cents in the last week -- one of the biggest weekly price drops in state history, according to AAA Michigan.
• Soft economy drags on car sale
  The Detroit News, September 29, 2008
  Auto sales are expected to continue a prolonged slide when September results are reported this week as the ongoing financial crisis heaps more bad news on an industry coping with weak consumer confidence, forecasters and analysts said.
• U.S. loans for the detroit auto makers include a mandate for big changes
  The Wall Street Journal, September 29, 2008
  The U.S. government is about to offer billions to an industry that spent much of the past decade indulging itself in short-term strategies to boost profits and avoid reckoning with harsh reality.
• Tighter terms for car loans promise to deepen troubles for sluggish sales
  The Wall Street Journal, September 29, 2008
  The increasing inability of car buyers to find financing for new automobiles is adding to concerns hanging over a U.S. auto industry that has been blistered by high gasoline prices and a weak economy in 2008.
• McCain, Obama vow to push Energy Department on auto loans
  The Detroit News, September 26, 2008
  Presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain vowed to speed up the timetable for allocation of up to $25 billion in low-cost government loans to automakers, after the Energy Department warned it might not release any money until mid-2010.
• Hydrogen cars lack fueling stations
  The Detroit News, September 26, 2008
  After investing money, time and effort to develop ultra-clean hydrogen prototypes, automakers are frustrated that they're not seeing more fueling stations for these vehicles.
• Big 3's fed loans only 1st step
  The Detroit News, September 26, 2008
  With demand for autos and trucks falling, carmakers must get it right this time to survive brutal economic marketplace.
• Auto industry loans may take up to 18 months
  The Detroit Free Press, September 26, 2008
  Loans for automakers and parts suppliers from a $25-billion pool expected to pass Congress this week might not reach the industry for six to 18 months, the U.S. Department of Energy said Thursday.
• Lawmakers fast-track auto loans
  The Detroit News, September 25, 2008
  House approves $25B with Senate expected to act today; Energy Dept. ready to write rules.
• Slumping U.S. market hurts Japanese automakers
  The Detroit News, September 25, 2008
  The slumping U.S. auto market reduced vehicle production in August at most major Japanese automakers, according to data released Thursday.
• Money tight as business pursues labor ballot deal
  The Denver Post, September 25, 2008
  Business leaders are scrambling to raise $6 million to finance a deal with organized labor that would remove four union-backed measures from the November statewide ballot, according to people familiar with the situation.
• Cerberus pursues all of Chrysler
  The Detroit News, September 25, 2008
  Automaker's owner in talks with Daimler to buy out its stake; more options for ventures cited.
• India's reliance industries joins the oil club
  Business Week, September 21, 2008
  Reliance has pulled light sweet crude from 8,000 feet beneath the Bay of Bengal with high-tech, high-cost deep-water drilling
• GM to Tap Rest of $4.5 Billion Credit Line
  The Wall Street Journal, September 20, 2008
  General Motors Corp. said it intends to draw down the remaining $3.5 billion of an existing $4.5 billion secured revolving credit facility to boost its liquidity amid uncertainty in the capital markets.
• Big bucks piling up in battle over energy tax
  Vail Daily, September 20, 2008
  Supporters and foes of ending a tax credit for the oil and gas industry have raised more than $12 million, making it the costliest issue campaign in Colorado history - and the election is still six weeks out.
• Ritter leads battle for gas and oil
  The Durango Herald, September 20, 2008
  Gov. Bill Ritter is the lead proponent of a plan to eliminate an industry tax deduction - a plan that would raise $321 million in its first year for college scholarships, wildlife, renewable energy, roads and water projects.
• Chrysler to tell dealers electric vehicle plans
  The Detroit News, September 20, 2008
  Chrysler LLC said Friday it is preparing to reveal some of its future plans to its dealers next week, and one dealer said they'll get a look at the next-generation electric vehicles the automaker is developing.
• Pending loans boost stocks
  The Detroit News, September 20, 2008
  As optimism grew on Wall Street that $25 billion in low-cost loans for the auto industry would be funded following the federal government's decision to bail out the banking industry, parts suppliers hit Capitol Hill hard pushing legislators in that direction.
• Key Ford exec quits company
  The Detroit News, September 19, 2008
  One of the key executives responsible for overseeing Ford Motor Co.'s global cost-cutting efforts has quit to become chief financial officer of an Ohio paper company.
• GM chief faces skepticism on auto loan
  The Detroit News, September 13, 2008
  General Motors Corp.'s top executive was on Capitol Hill Friday urging Congress to back $25 billion in low-cost government loans to help the auto industry build more fuel-efficient vehicles, but he faced skepticism from some legislators and the White House.
• New car purchasers are consistently satisfied with their dealerships
  Automotive Retailing Today, September 12, 2008
  The most recent data from Automotive Retailing Today (ART) shows that 91% of new car buyers are extremely/very/somewhat satisfied.
• Concern Grows As Car Sales Fall Globally
  The Wall Street Journal, September 11, 2008
  A worsening slump in auto sales in Europe and signs of a possible slowdown in China are fueling worries about a global auto industry already battered by trouble in the U.S.
• Used-Car donations take a hit
  The Wall Street Journal, September 10, 2008
  I can give you an early glimpse at how business interests will combat four labor-backed November ballot measures. In political ads, debates and talking-points memos, they will be portrayed as "poison pill amendments."
• House Speaker Pelosi backs auto loans; not sure on amounts
  The Detroit News, September 9, 2008
  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Tuesday that Democrats hoped to win approval of a package of government loans to aid the auto industry but hadn't decided on the amount of the loans.
• Big Three must sell U.S. on small cars
  The Detroit News, September 9, 2008
  Americans love their $5 lattes, giant flat screen televisions and suburban manses. But is a society enraptured by $199, gizmo-packed cell phones ready to embrace a pint-sized Chevrolet Cruze with a $25,000 price tag, or a $20,000 Ford Fiesta engineered in Europe with some Continental flair?
• Poll: Convention lifts McCain over Obama
  USA Today, September 8, 2008
  The Republican National Convention has given John McCain and his party a significant boost, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll taken over the weekend shows, as running mate Sarah Palin helps close an "enthusiasm gap" that has dogged the GOP all year.
• Battle at the Ballot Box
  Denver Business Journal, September 5, 2008
  Unless something changes by Oct. 2, Coloradans will face the largest number of statewide initiatives on the November ballot since 1912 — setting up an unprecedented battle of money and manpower on issues business groups say could make or break Colorado’s economy.
• REUTEMAN: Business to fight labor measures as poison pills
  Rocky Mountain News , September 5, 2008
  I can give you an early glimpse at how business interests will combat four labor-backed November ballot measures. In political ads, debates and talking-points memos, they will be portrayed as "poison pill amendments."
• Betten Turning Henry Street into Automotive Avenue
  The Muskegon Chronicle , August 31, 2008
  The growing Betten auto group is consolidating its General Motors brands under one roof as it begins what could be amount to a $10 million expansion of operations along Henry Street.
• A law that could give labor some brawn
  Business Week , August 28, 2008
  If the Democrats take over in Washington, a bill is likely to pass that would allow workers to unionize if a simple majority sign authorization cards
• GM Lutz: No hybrid race between Toyota, GM
  The Detroit News , August 28, 2008
  General Motors Corp.'s top product executive says the race between GM and Toyota to produce a rechargeable car is meaningless because the companies' vehicles are so different.
• Analyst: Big 3 may lose$5.6B
  The Detroit News , August 28, 2008
  High gasoline prices and the shift away from trucks and sport utility vehicles is hitting Detroit's automakers hard.
• Experts spur 2nd-quarter economic rebound
  Detroit Free Press , August 28, 2008
  The economy pulled out of a dangerous rough patch in the spring, thanks largely to strong exports, but the rebound isn't expected to last.
• Oil Rises on dollar's fall and a possible storm
  The New York Times, August 25, 2008
  Oil prices inched higher in volatile trading Monday as the dollar weakened and a tropical depression formed in the Caribbean.
• Biden is little known in industry, but is friend of automakers
  The Detroit News, August 23, 2008
  Biden's legislative record includes a lot of work on Michigan's signature industry: autos.
• GM deal aims to rev up finanaces
  The Detroit News, August 20, 2008
  General Motors Corp. is extending warranties offered on certified used vehicles, one in a series of short-term moves detailed Tuesday aimed at shoring up the automaker's sagging finances, boosting sales and clearing out inventory.
• Fewer buyers are satisfied with Big 3
  The Detroit News, August 19, 2008
  Detroit's automakers lost ground this year to their Japanese and German rivals in the latest customer satisfaction survey by the University of Michigan, marking a reversal for U.S. manufacturers.
• Eco-driving embraced by automakers
  The Detroit News, August 19, 2008
  Automakers reached out to a longtime adversary Monday in urging consumers to do more to save gasoline and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Auto makers work out fuel-efficiency game plans
  The Wall Street Journal, August 18, 2008
  Auto makers are angling to carve out their own niches in fuel-efficient design, from expansion of the gasoline-electric hybrid technology already available in the Toyota Prius to the new plug-in hybrid vehicle known as the Volt under development by General Motors Corp.
• JD Powers study shows marked improvement in vehicle quality
  AOL News, August 17, 2008
  The improvement of the U.S. automakers is one of two important themes in this year's Initial Quality study. The other is that the industry as a whole reported a significant improvement in initial quality, with substantial gains made by nearly 75 percent of the 36 nameplates ranked in the survey.
• In the political battleground state of Colorado; Business and labor fight is raging
  Los Angeles Times, August 17, 2008
  The most ferocious political fight in the state doesn't involve Democrats and Republicans. Instead, unions and business groups have loaded the November ballot with an array of competing initiatives.
• DealerTrack slashes earnings expectations
  FOX News, August 11, 2008
  Its shares tumbled 16 percent in after-hours trading, shedding $2.54 to $13.25 after closing the regular session down 21 cents at $15.79.
• Will sun ever rise on solar-powered cars?
  The Denver Channel, August 10, 2008
  Driving 20,000 miles in a world-wide tour, a Swiss man hopes his Solar Taxi will inspire a new way of looking at transportation.
• Hybrid owners loyal
  The Detroit News, August 10, 2008
  Hybrid car owners are some of the most loyal in the U.S. market, with nearly half purchasing a vehicle of the same make when they buy another car, according to a study released Monday by an automotive data company.
• Colorado zipping along in scooter sales
  9NEWS.com, August 5, 2008
  Colorado ranks 9th in the nation in scooter sales and you are sure to see more of them as you drive around town in your car. Nationally, scooter sales are up 15% in the first quarter of 2008.
• Obama: 1M hybrids on road by 2015
  The Detroit News, August 5, 2008
  Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said Monday the nation should set a goal of putting 1 million plug-in electric hybrid vehicles on the road by 2015, offering $4 billion in federal aid to meet the ambitious goal.
• Oil falls near $119 on demand concerns
  Associated Press, August 5, 2008
  Oil prices kept falling Tuesday, sinking as low as $118 a barrel on growing concerns that a U.S. economic slowdown and high energy costs are curbing consumer demand for gasoline and other petroleum products.
• Stocks Rally as Oil Prices Drop to a Three-Month Low
  The New York Times, August 5, 2008
  Oil prices dropped to a three-month low on Tuesday, and stock markets rallied to their biggest gains in four months, after investors cheered the drop in commodity prices and a statement from the Federal Reserve that suggested the bank would not raise rates soon.
• What Has Room for Six And Good Fuel Mileage?
  The Wall Street Journal, August 5, 2008
  A: The list consists mainly of crossovers, some with third-row seats that are too small or fuel economy that isn't so great.
• Auto Makers Pull Back From Fuel-Economy Drive
  The Wall Street Journal, August 5, 2008
  The auto industry said federal regulators are pushing too far, too fast in their effort to raise fuel-mileage rules. The complaints from the industry, which had previously voiced support for tougher standards, underscore how economic hardship is affecting a major policy debate.
• US sees auto sales drop by 13 percent
  The Detroit News, August 2, 2008
  U.S. auto sales in July fell to their lowest level since 1992, a steep slide that has left Detroit's automakers holding substantially less than half of the nation's shrinking vehicle market.
• A shocking number, but not a death knell
  Detroit Free Press, August 2, 2008
  How does one begin to analyze a number as big as 15.5 BILLION DOLLARS, the size of General Motors Corp.'s loss for the three months ended June 30?
• Nardelli: Chrysler alliances may net new cars next year
  Detroit Free Press, August 2, 2008
  Chrysler LLC could see the fruits of alliances with other automakers as quickly as next year, the company's CEO indicated Thursday.
• No quick, easy fix for General Motors
  Detroit News, August 2, 2008
  Losing a numbing $15.5 billion in one quarter, as General Motors Corp. confirmed Friday, is a sure-fire way to restart the wailing.
• US July auto sales spiral to 16-year low
  Reuters, August 1, 2008
  U.S. auto sales plunged to a 16-year-low in July, led by a 27 percent drop at General Motors Corp (GM - News), as high gas prices and tight credit sent the industry into a tailspin.
• Auto sales drop 13 percent
  USA Today, August 1, 2008
  Major automakers reported huge sales drops in July as car buyers have a tougher time qualifying for credit and dealers' lots become increasingly depleted of smaller cars.
• New car models may launch in 2009, says Chrysler CEO
  The Detroit News, August 1, 2008
  Chrysler LLC Chairman and CEO Robert Nardelli said the automaker is accelerating its product development cycle to meet the consumers' demands for more fuel efficient vehicles -- possibly including an unexpected model to debut next year.
• Ford, Toyota post double-digit July U.S. sales drop
  The Detroit News, August 1, August 1, 2008
  Ford Motor Co., Chrysler LLC and Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. each posted double-digit U.S. sales declines in July, as reports for the month began filtering in from major automakers.
• Nissan's profit drops 43 percent on rising yen
  Associated Press, August 1, 2008
  Nissan Motor Co.'s earnings tumbled 43 percent to $505 million in the quarter ended June 30 after the Japanese automaker set aside $400 million in risk provisions for vehicles leased in the weak North American market.
• BMW's 2Q profit slides, dumps profit forecast
  Associated Press, August 1, 2008
  German automaker BMW said its second-quarter profit slid nearly 33 percent and abandoned its yearly profit forecast Friday, blaming a drop in U.S. sales, rising costs for raw materials and the strong euro.
• Losses don't reveal GM's whole story
  Detroit Free Press, August 1, 2008
  Brace yourself, Detroit, for a new batch of hideous auto industry news today, as General Motors Corp. posts its second-quarter financial results and all major automakers report another month of sickly sales figures.
• Mazda profit up on solid vehicle sales growth
  Associated Press, July 31, 2008
  Fiscal first quarter profit at Mazda, the Japanese automaker affiliated with Ford, surged to 14.98 billion yen ($140 million) -- more than sixfold net earnings a year ago -- on an accounting change and robust vehicle sales in China and Europe.
• Six questions for Nancy Ariano, new chairwoman of CADA
  Rocky Mountain News, July 28, 2008
  The Colorado Automobile Dealers Association this month elected her its first chairwoman in the group's 75-year history, making her the official mouthpiece of the state's 300 car dealers.
• Gas price drops again
  USA Today, July 28, 2008
  The nationwide average price for a gallon of regular gasoline fell again overnight, to $3.958 a gallon, according to the American Automobile Association.
• 100 Years Later, GM and America Go Together
  Detroit Free Press, July 27, 2008
  Its long been said that what's good for GM is good for the country,
• Economic View: A Modest Proposal: Eco-Friendly Stimulus
  The New York Times, July 27, 2008
  ECONOMISTS and members of Congress are now on the prowl for new ways to stimulate spending in our dreary economy.
• Pain at the Pump, 1920’s style
  The Detroit News, July 26, 2008
  It seems pain at the pump is nothing new; it's just of matter of degree.
• Chrysler to quit leasing business
  The Detroit News, July 26, 2008
  Chrysler Financial will get out of the leasing business beginning Aug. 1,
• Demand raises Prius price
  Detroit Free Press, July 26, 2008
  Toyota Motor Corp. said Friday it is raising the U.S. suggested retail price of its Prius hybrid by $500 for the 2009 model.
• Ford takes large write-down
  The Wall Street Journal, July 25, 2008
  In a fresh sign of turmoil wrought upon the auto industry by high fuel prices and cratering demand for trucks,
• McCain backs state’s rules on emissions
  Detroit News, July 19, 2008
  Republican presidential candidate John McCain said Friday he supports state efforts to limit auto emissions, a stance strongly at odds with the domestic carmakers -- and one his campaign tried to refine later in the day.
• Idea of gas tax holiday runs into dead-in
  MSNBC Associated Press, July 19, 2008
  The political vision of a summer gas tax holiday died a quick death in Congress, losing to a view that federal excise taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel will have to go up if they go anywhere.
• Gas tax will go up, if anywhere
  The Denver Post, July 19, 2008
  The political vision of a summer gas tax holiday died a quick death in Congress, losing to a view that federal excise taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel will have to go up if they go anywhere
• Bush: Congress could take steps to lower gas prices
  USA Today, July 19, 2008
  Responding to Americans' anger over gas prices and the housing bust,
• Automotive ads veer off newspapers, head to web
  The Wall Street Journal, July 19, 2008
  Auto ads, a major source of newspaper-classified advertising, have been slipping steadily for nearly two years. But the slippage may be turning into a landslide.
• Senators oppose severance tax
  The Daily Sentinel, July 18, 2008
  Two state senators, one a Democrat and one a Republican, are asking Colorado business and civic leaders to reject a proposed severance-tax increase backed by Gov. Bill Ritter, a Democrat.
• Oil down more than $1 a barrel on stronger dollar
  The Detroit News, July 14, July 14, 2008
  Oil prices fell Monday as the dollar rose on expectations U.S. moves to shore up two ailing mortgage financiers will help avert a worsening of the credit crisis.
• Auto Dealers Add Own Sales Incentives, Deepening Their Losses on Trucks, SUVs
  The Wall Street Journal, July 14, July 14, 2008
  Some car dealers are reaching deep into their own pockets to extend auto makers' already hefty rebates and other incentives to sell pickup trucks and sports-utility vehicles.
• Worth the risk? Debate on offshore drilling heats up
  USA Today, July 13, July 13, 2008
  From his perch at the southern tip of Louisiana, port director Ted Falgout sees green: the color of money that comes from the nation's busiest haven of offshore drilling.
• Wagoner Says GM Won't File For Bankruptcy or Reduce Brands
  The Wall Street Journal, July 11, July 11, 2008
  General Motors Corp. Chief Executive Rick Wagoner dismissed the notion that the auto maker may soon file for bankruptcy, and he also said the company has no plans to sell or shutter more of its brands.
• Chrysler plans electric vehicles, Could be ready in 3-5 years
  The Free Press, July 11, July 11, 2008
  Chrysler LLC's answer to the much-anticipated Chevrolet Volt could be three to five years away, the Free Press has learned.
• GM, Ford should merge, says veteran auto dealer
  Buffalo Business First, July 11, July 11, 2008
  Over the decades, Culligan, 77, watched the U.S. auto industry evolve from a monopolistic force in the world to what it is today - threatened and intimidated by foreign rivals, and seemingly lost in its direction.
• Gas Prices Spur Drivers to Cut Use to Five-Year Low
  The Wall Street Journal, July 10, July 10, 2008
  As average gas prices hit a record high of $4.108 a gallon this week, the government released new data showing that drivers have cut back their use of the fuel to levels not seen in five years.
• Rating the hybrids: A look at the best and worst, and what's coming next
  The Detroit News, July 9, July 9, 2008
  There are two reasons to buy a hybrid: better gas mileage and environmental concerns.
• That '70s Show: Detroit
  The Wall Street Journal, July 8, July 8, 2008
  Nobody seems to be laughing at bankruptcy jokes in Detroit right now, especially after Merrill Lynch used the "B word" publicly last week to describe what might happen to General Motors. Nor was it particularly reassuring when a GM official replied that the company has enough cash to last at least through the end of the year. It was like a doctor trying to assuage a sick man's family by saying he's sure to last until the end of the week.
• If they can sell booze, why not cars
  Rocky Mountain News, July 6, July 6, 2008
  And then there was one. One blue law left on the books, that is. With today's formal end to the ban on Sunday sales of liquor in Colorado, coupled with soaring gas prices eating away at their business, it has to be increasingly uncomfortable for the state's car dealers to defend their no-sales-on-Sunday perk.
• Colorado Liquor Stores Now Open 7 Days a Week
  Fox31.com, July 4, July 4, 2008
  For the first time in decades, Colorado liquor stores will be open for business on Sundays beginning July 6, 2008. There's still some disagreement about whether this is a good idea for Colorado.
• Ritter disappointed with oil industry unhappiness
  The Pueblo Chieftain, July 4, July 4, 2008
  Gov. Bill Ritter said he's disappointed by the oil and gas industry's campaign assailing proposed new regulations as ''job-killing'' because the goal is to balance energy development with other important Colorado resources.
• A Daring Play on the Auto Makers
  The Wall Street Journal, July 3, July 3, 2008
  If you're willing to bet that the U.S. car industry can somehow survive its current crisis, Wall Street is willing to quote you generous odds. Ready to gamble? Take a look at Ford call options.
• Response to new oil, gas rules disappoints Ritter
  9News.com, July 2, July 2, 2008
  Gov. Bill Ritter said he's disappointed by the oil and gas industry's campaign assailing proposed new regulations as "job-killing" because the goal is to balance energy development with other important Colorado resources.
• Lobbyists Push for Sway Over Fuel-Economy Rules
  The Wall Street Journal, July 2, July 2, 2008
  Interest groups are bombarding federal regulators to tailor new vehicle fuel-economy rules to their liking, as the pressures posed by soaring oil prices and the ailing automobile industry complicate energy policy.
• BMW Redesigns 7-Series Sedan
  The Wall Street Journal, July 2, July 2, 2008
  David Patton and Mathew Passy discuss yet another gloomy monthly auto sales report and whether Detroit can turn things around before they run out of money. Plus, three vehicles that could help themturn things around.
• Hybrid cab deadline has fleets fuming
  New York Post, June 30, 2008
  The greening of yellow taxis has many fleet owners seeing red - for fear of not being able to meet City Hall's Oct. 1 deadline for registering only hybrid cars as cabs.
• Drivers paid to retire old cars
  The Detroit News, June 30, 2008
  In January, Texas unveiled a $45 million annual program, dubbed "Drive a Clean Machine" that offers up to $3,500 toward a new vehicle for consumers in Austin, Houston and the Dallas-Fort Worth area who make lower incomes and own a vehicle at least 10 years old.
• McCain: Set U.S. limit for car CO2
  The Detroit News, June 28, 2008
  Republican presidential candidate John McCain said Friday he favors nationwide limits on carbon emissions from cars, a position that addresses one major worry of Detroit's automakers but could create new problems for them.
• Detroit automakers credit ratings teeter on edge
  The Detroit News, June 21, 2008
  General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler LLC credit ratings may be lowered by Standard & Poor's as higher gas prices inflict "financial damage" on the auto industry.
• The real oil failure
  New York Post, June 21, 2008
  Denouncing the "failed policies of the past" has become the Democratic Party catechism. Yet Democrats didn't applaud this week when President Bush changed his long-held position on offshore drilling.
• Prices Curtail U.S. Gasoline Use
  The Wall Street Journal, June 20, 2008
  Lofty energy prices and a weak economy have combined in the past year to rein in U.S. gasoline consumption in what many experts believe will be an enduring shift in the way our nation burns fuel.
• Record-high pump prices appear to slow down
  Dallas Business Journal, June 20, 2008
  Gasoline prices appear to be slowing, after more than a week of daily runs to new record highs, according to AAA Texas.
• EPA May Limit Fuels' Greenhouse Emissions
  The Wall Street Journal, June 20, 2008
  The Environmental Protection Agency's staff, under pressure to deal with climate change, is considering whether to set limits on greenhouse-gas emissions associated with gasoline and other transportation fuels.
• The real oil failure
  New York Post, June 20, 2008
  Denouncing the "failed policies of the past" has become the Democratic Party catechism. Yet Democrats didn't applaud this week when President Bush changed his long-held position on offshore drilling.
• EPA's draft raises mpg
  The Detroit News, June 19, 2008
  The Environmental Protection Agency says in a draft regulation that automakers could improve fuel efficiency standards to as high as a fleet-wide average of 38.3 miles per gallon by 2020.
• EPA's draft raises mpg
  The Detroit News, June 19, 2008
  The Environmental Protection Agency says in a draft regulation that automakers could improve fuel efficiency standards to as high as a fleet-wide average of 38.3 miles per gallon by 2020.
• 2 lawmakers rally for renewable fuels
  9News.com, June 16, 2008
  Two Colorado Congressmen say the country needs more encouragement in switching over to renewable fuels.
• Energy department grants $30M to plug-in vehicle projects
  The Detroit News, June 13, 2008
  The U.S. Energy Department on Thursday announced $30 million in funding over three years for a trio of plug-in vehicle projects -- a fraction of the financial support automakers have sought, but a step they praised nonetheless.
• Europeans Go to U.S. Dealers to Buy Cars From Home
  The Wall Street Journal, June 12, 2008
  The weak dollar is drawing a new group of Europeans to shop in the U.S. -- for European cars. More Europeans are turning to the U.S. to buy luxury cars, from Porsche 911s to Volvo 4x4s, and then shipping them back home. The cheap dollar and competitive pricing in the slow U.S. market can yield savings of as much as 30% of the cost of similar models in Europe, even after costs of transporting the cars and complying with different emissions standards.
• High fuel prices may slow demand for European clean diesel technology
  The Detroit News, June 12, 2008
  The rising price of diesel in the U.S. looks set to derail the long-awaited onslaught by German manufacturers, hoping to sell fuel-efficient fuel-sippers to Americans desperate for economic vehicles, as long as they're not gutless, dangerous minicars.
• Hybrid Vehicles Fly Off Dealer Lots, Supply Challenges Mount
  The Wall Street Journal, June 11, 2008
  Toyota Motor Corp.'s popular Prius hybrid may not be known as a sports car, but it certainly has been speeding off dealership lots in the era of $4-a-gallon gasoline.
• Ford exec: Plug-in hybrids must be a 'national priority'
  The Detroit News, June 11, 2008
  The federal government must make plug-in hybrid vehicles "a national priority" and substantially invest in the technology, Ford Motor Co. President of the Americas Mark Fields said Wednesday.
• Top Car Dealer Says High Gas Prices Are Good for the U.S. Auto Industry
  The Wall Street Journal, June 9, 2008
  Detroit's big auto makers are slashing jobs, closing factories and undertaking costly revamps of their product strategies to cope with $4 a gallon gas. What's the worst thing that could happen now? Gas could get cheap again, says the man who runs America's biggest auto retailer.
• Confessions of a Pro-Trade Democrat
  The Wall Street Journal, June 9, 2008
  OPINION by Al From: Where are the pro-trade Democrats? America won't increase middle-class incomes and create jobs without them. From jobs and incomes to gas and food prices, Democrats are absolutely right that the Bush years have been a disaster for the forgotten middle class. Every homeowner in America knows that we're poorer than we were eight years ago. But if Democrats are serious about turning the economy around, we have to be willing to tell people that job and income growth depends on Washington's willingness to get its fiscal house in order, invest in people and technology, and, yes, expand trade.
• Ford exec: Plug-in hybrids must be a 'national priority'
  Barron's, June 9, 2008
  Next to cigarettes, few products are more vilified than ethanol. The corn-based alcohol used as a substitute for gasoline has been blamed for driving up food costs, leading to malnutrition and riots in the developing world. A top official of the United Nations has blasted ethanol as a "crime against a great part of humanity."
• Inside Politics:  New legislation will bring premiums back up
  The Greeley Tribune, June 8, 2008
  Colorado motorists who are unfortunate enough to be injured in a crash will have one less thing to worry about thanks to a bill signed by Gov. Bill Ritter late last week.
• Gasoline tops $4.00 for first time
  USA Today, June 8, 2008
  U.S. gasoline prices shot above $4 a gallon for the first time Sunday, and drivers will be shelling out even more for gas this week.
• Swap SUV For Hybrid?
  The Wall Street Journal, June 8, 2008
  With gasoline at $4 a gallon, and no sign of relief as crude oil jumped more than $11 a barrel last week, a lot of people are looking to trade in their gas-guzzling SUVs for fuel-efficient hybrid cars.
• It’s the greens, not the greenbacks
  The Washington Post, June 8, 2008
  U.S. auto executives are crunching numbers, trying to figure out which trucks to keep and which to junk. Their counterparts in Europe and Asia are reviewing product plans, looking at the possibility that North America might now be hospitable to micro-cars that have long been popular overseas.
• Chrysler closes efficiency gap with Toyota
  The Detroit News, June 6, 2008
  Chrysler LLC tied Toyota Motor Corp. as the most efficient automaker in North America, while General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. joined in virtually erasing the productivity gap between Detroit's Big Three automakers and their Asian rivals, according to the 2008 Harbour Report North America.
• Wonder why Detroit gets a bad rap?
  The Detroit News, June 6, 2008
  Can't imagine why Detroit gets a bad rap, whatever the arcana of its individual product cycle plans. Perception is reality to folks outside the automotive bubble -- you know, the people who actually buy the stuff -- and the perception is that Detroit is pushing the wrong new metal for the times and losing a lot of money doing it because, well, it is.
• Hiprocracy on gas -- Energy policy idiocy
  New York Post, June 5, 2008
  Rising in the Senate on May 13, Chuck Schumer, the New York Democrat, explained: "I rise to discuss rising energy prices." The president was heading to Saudi Arabia to seek an increase in its oil production, and Schumer's gorge was rising.
• Drivers choose cars over trucks as auto sales plunge
  USA Today, June 3, 2008
  Cars outsold the top-selling Ford F-series truck in May for the first time since 1992, a sign of the rapid shift in customers' preferences from trucks and SUVs to small cars that is forcing painful production cuts and plant closures at General Motors and Ford Motor.