Honda, GM close to eco-car tie-up

The Yomiuri Shimbun

Honda Motor Co. and General Motors Co. have entered final negotiations to form a comprehensive partnership for the development of ecologically friendly cars, The Yomiuri Shimbun has learned.

Currently, the two auto companies are jointly developing only fuel cell vehicles (FCVs), but they aim to expand their cooperation into the field of plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHVs), which are seen as the mainstream of next-generation eco-cars.

The companies also plan to make the sales prices of their eco-cars lower than those developed independently, by jointly procuring auto parts. The Honda-GM partnership would intensify competition in the development of eco-cars with other automakers, including Toyota Motor Corp.

A PHV is equipped with a fuel engine and an electric motor, and runs about 50 kilometers with the motor only. When the battery is about to run out, the vehicle switches its power source to the engine. The battery can be recharged with an electric source at home.

Hybrid vehicles (HVs) also use an engine and a motor, but the motor is used only at low speeds and is not designed to be used alone for traveling long distances.

PHVs have a longer travel distance than electric vehicles (EVs). They also emit less CO₂ than hybrid vehicles. Regulations to protect the environment will become stricter from 2017 in the United States, the industry’s major market, and automakers have focused their efforts on PHV development.

Honda and GM are mulling cooperation in the development of a driving system for PHVs, and in the procurement of batteries and other auto parts.The companies believe their tie-up can shorten the development period and enhance their advantage in price negotiations with auto parts makers by boosting the volume of their procurement. 

The two companies are considering the joint manufacture of PHVs and FCVs as well, in addition to their development.

Honda was originally planning to release PHVs on its own in the United States in 2018. With the partnership, the company aims to add GM’s know-how regarding PHV development to its own eco-cars, because GM is said to be more advanced in the field.

GM, on the other hand, apparently expects to gain a competitive advantage over Toyota and other automakers. Honda and GM also plan to form a partnership over the development of technology for automated driving.

Developing environment-friendly technology is very expensive, which has boosted the number of partnerships among automakers aimed at cutting costs — such as Toyota joining hands with Mazda Motor Corp. for eco-car development. Expansion of the Honda-GM partnership is likely to prompt similar moves in the future.

Emission-free EVs and FCVs are the leading vehicles in the current development of eco-cars. However, problems with traveling distances and sales prices have prevented the popularization of EVs and FCVs. That is why PHVs are seen as a bridge until the full development of EVs and FCVs.

In Japan, HVs are the most popular type of eco-cars. In a large U.S. state such as California, which has a population of nearly 40 million, the state government requires leading auto companies, which sell many vehicles, to sell eco-cars as a certain percentage of their sales.

From 2017, the regulations concerned will become stricter, as HVs will be excluded from the eco-car category. Each car company is therefore putting effort into PHV development.

Environmental regulations in the United States have taken the lead in the world. Similar regulations are highly likely to be applied in China and Europe.

The International Energy Agency estimates that PHVs’ percentage of new car sales worldwide will rise from 5 percent in 2020 to 35 percent in 2050, and PHVs will become the highest-selling models in the future.

Source;
http://www.the-japan-news.com/news/article/0002660821

GM, Honda cut cost of fuel cell stack

General Motors' Charlie Freese: Standard parts

Since General Motors and Honda teamed to develop hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles two years ago, the partners have slashed the size, weight and cost of the fuel cell stack, the chemical processor that combines hydrogen and oxygen to make electricity that powers the vehicle.

Charlie Freese, GM's head of global fuel cell engineering, spoke with Staff Reporter Richard Truett.


Q: Does the fuel cell stack continue to shrink?
A: Absolutely. It shrinks in active area [the part of the cell that produces electricity]. And it shrinks in the height of the stack, the number of cells and how much current we can put through it. All the stuff that makes it work also shrinks: the compressors, injectors and all the manifolding. There is a lot of opportunity there.

How's the progress on the fuel cell stack?
It's coming down very, very quickly in terms of precious metal loading. The workhorse fuel cell stacks have 29 grams of platinum. The next-gen stack is down in the 10 gram range. The next generation is running in our laboratory now. Weight is down by almost one half. Size is also down by almost one half. And cost has come down in orders of magnitude.

Why did GM and Honda partner?
A fuel cell has got some parts that you just have to standardize and get the volume up. Doing that alone in a low-volume environment will always be a tough scenario.

Will the product share components?
The idea is we have a single part number between both companies. So we can get the scale and reduce the cost of development.

Source;
http://www.autonews.com/article/20150810/OEM01/308109956?template=printart

Report: GM Immune To Old Ignition Switch Lawsuits

by Jake Holmes of www.automobilemag.com

Owners of cars involved in General Motors' wide-ranging ignition-switch recall may be out of luck if they want to sue the automaker. The Wall Street Journal reports that bankruptcy proceedings mean GM is safe from liability lawsuits over any accidents that occurred before 2009.

When the "old GM" was dissolved in bankruptcy in 2009, its responsibility for any product-liability lawsuits vanished as the company's creditors broke up its remnants. The "new GM" established post-bankruptcy is still responsible for vehicles produced before 2009, but it cannot be held liable for accidents or injuries that occurred before then.

"It is true that new GM did not assume liability for claims arising from incidents or accidents occurring prior to July 2009," a spokesman confirmed today in an emailed statement. "GM is focused on ensuring the safety and peace of mind of our customers involved in the recall… Our principle throughout this process has been to the put the customer first, and that will continue to guide us."

The Journal reports that anyone pursuing litigation against "old GM" -- that is, suing over something that happened before 2009 -- must work with mediation lawyers and typically won't receive much compensation. However, the automaker that most people recognize today as General Motors will only be subject to lawsuits if somebody was injured or killed in one of the affected vehicles after July 2009.

The GM ignition switch recall was first announced in February, covering 619,122 vehicles in the U.S. The problem stems from a faulty ignition-switch design, which can allow the switch to inadvertently move from "Run" to "Off." That can stall the car while driving, possibly precipitating an accident. Worse yet, GM found that the ignition often toggled "Off" in an accident, disabling the airbags and thus increasing the severity of the accident.

Later in February, GM expanded the recall to cover a total of 1.37 million cars in the U.S. The automaker said that had reports of 31 crashes in which the airbags didn't deploy because the ignition switch toggled off, and reports of 13 deaths due to the problem. The recall covers the 2003-2007 Saturn Ion, 2006-2007 Chevrolet HHR, 2006-2007 Pontiac Solstice, 2006-2007 Saturn Sky, 2005-2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, and 2007 Pontiac G5.

Source;
http://www.automobilemag.com/features/news/1403-gm-immune-to-old-ignition-switch-lawsuits/

GM put off ignition switch recall for years; 13 deaths linked to issue

Every manufacturer has recalls, but when something like this happens, regardless of the brand, it gives the whole auto industry a black eye....

by David Shepardson and Melissa Burden of www.detroitnews.com

General Motors Co. — which Tuesday doubled the size of its recall for older cars with faulty ignition switches that can cause air bags not to deploy in crashes — spent nearly a decade studying the issue and repeatedly opted not to recall the vehicles or pay for potentially expensive fixes.

The Detroit automaker said it will recall more than 1.6 million cars worldwide after reports of 13 deaths and 31 crashes linked to the issue. The decision that came less than two weeks after the automaker insisted it needed to recall only about 780,000 cars.

A chronology of its actions turned over to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Monday showed GM downplayed the ignition switch issue in prior years, including canceling in 2005 an approved redesign of the ignition key head. By the end of 2007, GM said it knew of 10 frontal crashes in which air bags didn’t deploy — linked to the ignition problem — but the automaker opted not to recall the cars.

GM North America President Alan Batey said the company was “deeply sorry” for the issue, a rare apology for the automaker over a safety issue.

All better....

“The chronology shows that the process employed to examine this phenomenon was not as robust as it should have been,” Batey said in a statement. “Today’s GM is committed to doing business differently and better. We will take an unflinching look at what happened and apply lessons learned here to improve going forward.”

GM said some vehicles’ ignition switches weren’t tightened properly. The company said if a heavy key ring is added or the car runs off the road or experiences some other “jarring” event such as a crash, the ignition switch may inadvertently move out of the “run” position. That, in turn, disables the air bags.

GM had initially defended the decision not to recall similar vehicles, suggesting most deaths were at high speeds and that some involved alcohol.

GM issued a dealer bulletin in December 2005 that warned dealers about problems with switches and heavy key rings. It said owners should be advised of the issue and “take steps to prevent it,” such as removing unnecessary items from key chains.

GM didn’t think the vehicles needed to be recalled for years because of the low incidence of problems. It thought the notice to dealers was enough because if the vehicle was accidentally shut off because the ignition key moved, the driver would be able to steer and brake the car.

In a sign of how serious the issue is, both GM and NHTSA urged owners to only use the key for the vehicle when driving, after removing it from the key ring and fob. Dealers will replace the ignition switch. Until repairs are made, GM is urging drivers to use only the ignition key. GM said the first parts will be available the week of April 7.

NHTSA says it is in talks with GM on several issues “including the timeliness of GM’s identification of the vehicle safety defect.”

Clarence Ditlow, head of the Center for Auto Safety, said GM’s apology was unusual. “General Motors made a terrible mistake when it failed to recall these vehicles in 2006 when it knew exactly what the problem was and how to fix it. At least 13 people have died as a result of air bags failing to deploy in the cars covered by the expanded recall. By apologizing, the company is hoping to avoid criminal penalties under the Safety Act and only being fined $35 million, which is the maximum civil penalty,” he said.

Sean Kane, a safety advocate who often works with lawyers who sue automakers over safety issues, said GM had no choice but to expand the recall. “The writing was on the wall. This problem only gets worse for General Motors as time goes on,” he said.

The issue is the latest safety problem to dog the automaker in recent weeks — and it’s the first major issue to face the automaker’s new CEO, Mary Barra.

The recall now covers 1.37 million cars in the U.S. and a total of 1.62 million, including vehicles in Canada and Mexico. Earlier this month, GM said it would recall about 619,000 cars in the U.S.

The issue ranks among the more serious recalls in terms of total alleged deaths in recent years, though is by no means the largest. Over a decade, there were reports of 93 deaths linked to sudden acceleration problems in millions of vehicles, but NHTSA confirmed a link in just five deaths. Last year, NHTSA urged Chrysler Group LLC to recall 2.7 million older Jeep SUVs for fire risks after reports of 51 deaths in rear collisions. More than 200 deaths were linked to faulty tires on Ford Explorers in rollover crashes in the 1990s.

GM said it knows of 31 reported incidents involving frontal crashes that may have been linked to the recall problem, including most where the ignition switch in the “accessory” or “off” position — a factor that may have caused the front air bags not to deploy — including 13 front-seat fatalities.

In the initial recall, GM said it knew of six deaths in five crashes. GM spokesman Alan Adler said after the Feb. 13 recall notice, GM learned of a sixth fatal crash in which two people died. The new recall also includes crashes in Saturn Ions in which five other people died, Adler said.

“We won’t be able to fix all the cars at one time,” Adler said in an interview. “We’ll work with customers on an individual basis.”

GM began investigating the issue in 2004 after receiving a report of an ignition key moving out of place in a 2005 Cobalt and the vehicle losing power. GM replicated the problem in testing, but opted not to fix it “after consideration of the lead time required, cost and effectiveness of each of the solutions,” according to documents GM submitted to NHTSA.

After more reports in 2005 of problems, GM approved a redesign of the ignition key head, but later canceled it.

In late 2005, GM told reporters that the service bulletin to alert dealers to the problem and providing key inserts was enough. GM provided key inserts under warranty for nearly 500 owners.

In 2007, GM employees met with NHTSA to talk about safety systems. NHTSA told GM of a July 2005 fatal crash involving a Cobalt in which the air bags didn’t deploy and the diagnostic module showed the key was in the accessory mode.

GM began investigating the issue and had learned of 10 frontal crashes by the end of 2007; data showed the key was in the accessory position for four of the crashes.

By 2011, GM said its investigators had more examples but didn’t recall the cars because many of the crashes involved high speeds and violent impacts.

Last year, GM began investigating the problem again. GM retained an engineering firm to help investigate and found that the older switches weren’t as strong as ones built after 2010. In October, GM’s supplier turned over records that showed changes had been made in 2006.

Adler said if GM had had all the information back then, “we would have acted differently.”

Jeff Schuster, senior vice president of forecasting for LMC Automotive, said GM could suffer some image backlash with this recall: “There is an indication that they knew that there was an issue and decided not to have a recall.”

GM will notify all affected customers and perform repairs at no charge.

Vehicles affected

■2003-07 Saturn Ion
■2005-07 Chevrolet Cobalt
■2005-07 Pontiac G5
■2006-07 Chevrolet HHR
■2006-07 Pontiac Solstice
■2006-07 Saturn Sky

Source;

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140225/AUTO0103/302250094/0/AUTO01/GM-put-off-ignition-switch-recall-years-13-deaths-linked-issue

Fuel Cell Cars Back In The Limelight As GM, Honda Team Up On Mission To Attack Costs

by Joann Muller of www.forbes.com

Less than a decade ago, global automakers touted hydrogen fuel cell vehicles as the best way to reduce oil dependency and clean up the environment. But talk of fuel cells seemed to subside in recent years as other technologies like hybrids, battery-electric vehicles and even ethanol-powered cars grabbed the attention of consumers and government leaders handing out subsidies.

The two biggest hindrances to fuel cells were the costs associated with storing hydrogen on board the vehicle and the lack of hydrogen refueling stations. Plug-in cars, by comparison, are cheaper (although still too expensive for the mass market) and the charging infrastructure is building.

General Motors and Honda Motor say they never stopped working on fuel cell development, however, and now the two carmakers, with 1,200 patents between them, are teaming up to tackle these challenges and try to speed the adoption of fuel cell vehicles by 2020.

“This collaboration builds upon Honda and GM’s strengths as leaders in hydrogen fuel cell technology,” said Dan Akerson, GM chairman and CEO. “We are convinced this is the best way to develop this important technology, which has the potential to help reduce the dependence on petroleum and establish sustainable mobility.”

Takanobu Ito, president and chief executive of Honda Motor said: “Among all zero CO2 emission technologies, fuel cell electric vehicles have a definitive advantage with range and refueling time that is as good as conventional gasoline cars. Honda and GM are eager to accelerate the market penetration of this ultimate clean mobility technology, and I am excited to form this collaboration to fuse our leading fuel cell technologies and create an advanced system that will be both more capable and more affordable.”

The long-term agreement was announced today at a press conference in New York by GM Vice Chairman Stephen J. Girsky and Tetsuo Iwamura, president of American Honda Motor.

By collaborating on development, GM and Honda, already the leaders in fuel cell research, believe they can reduce costs more quickly by sharing expertise, economies of scale and suppliers. “We’re talking about a complete sharing of all our respective intellectual properties on the subject,” said Girsky.

A fuel cell vehicle creates electricity from a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen in the car’s fuel-cell stack. The only tailpipe emission is water vapor.  But development costs are high because of the extensive use of platinum as a  catalyst and the complexity of onboard storage of hydrogen, which requires expensive, carbon fiber storage tanks.

“Two companies can do more together than the simple sum of our individual efforts,” said Iwamura. “GM’s knowledge of chemical reaction and advanced material is class leading,” he said. “At  Honda, we’re confident in our expertise in the structural design and advanced production process technologies of the fuel cell. With GM and Honda sharing our technical expertise… we believe we can achieve the world’s strongest partnership in the area of fuel cell technology.”

The  two companies will also work together with governments and other stakeholders to try to jump-start a new hydrogen refueling infrastructure, which he said is critical for the long-term viability and consumer acceptance of fuel cell vehicles.

The deal is the latest in a string of alliances created to share the cost of developing fuel cell vehicles.  Toyota Motor and BMW  are working together, as are Daimler AG, Ford Motor and Nissan Motor.

GM and Honda are considered pioneers, ranking first and second in the number of fuel cell patents. Both have been testing fuel cell vehicles on the roads for years. GM’s Project Driveway program, launched in 2007, has accumulated nearly 3 million miles of real-world driving in a fleet of 119 hydrogen-powered vehicles, more than any other automaker.

Honda began leasing of the Honda FCX in 2002 and has deployed 85 units in the U.S. and Japan, including its successor, the FCX Clarity, which was named the 2009 World Green Car. Honda has delivered these vehicles to the hands of customers in the U.S. and collected valuable data concerning real-world use of fuel cell electric vehicles.

As already announced, Honda plans to launch the successor of FCX Clarity in Japan and the United States in 2015, and then in Europe. GM will announce its fuel cell production plans at a later date.

Industry experts say fuel cell technology addresses many of the major challenges facing automobiles today – petroleum dependency, emissions, efficiency, range and refueling times. They can operate on renewable hydrogen made from sources like wind and biomass. The only emission from fuel cell vehicles is water vapor.
The carmakers said fuel cell vehicles can have up to 400 miles driving range, can be refueled in as little as three minutes, and the propulsion technology can be used on small, medium, and large vehicles.

Source;
http://www.forbes.com/sites/joannmuller/2013/07/02/fuel-cell-cars-back-in-the-limelight-as-gm-honda-team-up-on-mission-to-attack-costs/

First Front Center Airbag: New Chevrolet Traverse Ad [Video]

Now that the engineers have done their job and created GM’s industry-first front center airbag, it’s time for the automotive producer’s marketing department to enter the scene and bring this yo our attention.

Chevrolet has recently launched a commercial that showcases the airbag on the Traverse. Speaking of this, we have to explain that the Transverse comes standard with six airbags. There are dual-stage front airbags, the driver and front passenger get seat-mounted side units, while occupants of all three rows benefit from curtain head airbags.

As for the central airbag, this is only offered as an option. We are talking about the entry-level grades, where it is advertised as a no-cost option, but selecting it forces you to also choose the $550 8-way power adjustable driver’s seat.


Source;
http://www.autoevolution.com/news/first-front-center-airbag-new-chevrolet-traverse-ad-video-59395.html

2014 GMC Sierra Denali leaks out early - photos

GMC's take on the Silverado High Country

The first purported picture of the 2014 GMC Sierra Denali has reportedly been posted on the company's consumer website. While the image was quickly removed, GM Authority managed to get their hands on a screenshot of the upcoming model.

Set to be sold alongside the Chevrolet Silverado High Country, the redesigned Sierra Denali has evolutionary styling which makes it instantly recognizable. As a result, the model continues to be distinguished by a mesh grille, chrome accents and massive alloy wheels. We can also expect an upgraded interior with leather seats, wood trim and a MyLink infotainment system.

Little else is known about the model, but it will likely come equipped with a 6.2-liter EcoTec3 V8 engine. Rear-wheel drive should be standard, but all-wheel drive should be optional.

Source;
http://www.worldcarfans.com/113050657335/2014-gmc-sierra-denali-leaks-out-early

Chevy Silverado "2012" | Super Bowl XLVI Ads | Chevrolet Commercial

Ha! Hilarious! I see that Ford is up in arms over the claims in this ad, take it easy, it's meant to be funny. Wow.

Ford sent a letter to NBC requesting the ad not run in the game. It also sent a letter to Chevy asking the automaker to pull the ad from the game, its websites and its Youtube channel. "Ford demands that Chevrolet immediately cease and desist from making any unsubstantiated and disparaging claims regarding Ford's pickup trucks." The letter warned Ford could take further actions. "If Chevrolet does not comply with the above terms prior to the start of the Super Bowl, then Ford will take all appropriate steps to enforce and protect its reputation."

Book: Hoffa is buried beneath the GM Building

Detroit— Some say Jimmy Hoffa is buried somewhere under the west endzone at Giants Stadium in New Jersey. Others say he was cremated in a Hamtramck garbage incinerator or dumped in the Florida Everglades.

But a new book penned by a man who was Hoffa's driver and a Canadian journalist says the legendary Teamster boss is still in Detroit, buried beneath General Motors' headquarters at the Renaissance Center in Downtown Detroit.

The book — "The Weasel: A Double Life in the Mob" (Wiley; November 2011) — is the latest tome to expose what really happened to Hoffa. The book's authors are Marvin Elkind, a self-described "chauffeur and goon for mob bosses" who turned police informant, and Adrian Humphries, who has written two other books about the mafia.

Elkind claims he learned Hoffa was buried under the RenCen during a Teamsters conference in Detroit in 1985. Reputed mob boss Anthony Giacalone told him and a group of delegates, Elkind told the New York Post.

As the group left the hotel across the street from where the Renaissance Center was under construction, Giacalone nodded toward the new building's foundation and said, "Say good morning to Jimmy Hoffa, boys."

Source;
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20111227/METRO/112270331/-1/archive/Book-Hoffa-buried-beneath-RenCen

GM Gets Pranked at Chevy Event

By SHARON TERLEP

DETROIT—General Motors Co. officials were red-faced on Wednesday after software on a network at its headquarters was programmed to insert a derogatory remark on computer browsers after any mention of Chrysler Group LLC and several other competitors.

The prank came to light at GM's unveiling of a battery-powered version of its Chevrolet Spark small car at a five-day event marking the 100th anniversary of GM's Chevrolet brand. The event drew more than 200 journalists from around the world.

Selim Bingol, a GM spokesman, said the auto maker had nothing to do with the prank. GM has since corrected the problem.

GM officials said computer technicians found an unauthorized software program had been installed on a wireless router, and the program was altering the way Web pages were displayed to insert the word "sucks" after any mention of certain rivals on computers linked to the network.

Later in the day, GM said it had identified the culprit—a subcontractor who had helped set up the wireless network. GM didn't identify the company but said the subcontractor had admitted its role and intended the prank to be humorous.

"These guys are learning the definition of sucks," Mr. Bingol said.

Computers accessing the Internet via other networks at the company's headquarters were unaffected.

The word "sucks" appeared after mentions of Chrysler, Ford Motor Co., Toyota Motor Corp., and Honda Motor Co. on any searches or references to those companies conducted on computers using the GM network. Web references were not permanently altered because the word was inserted only onto the displays of computers using that one network.

The word did not appear after mentions of Nissan Motor Co., Hyundai Motor Co., or Volkswagen AG.

Source;
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204002304576626982322048592.html

GM to produce all-electric Chevy Spark

(Reuters) - General Motors Co confirmed it will make its first all-electric vehicle, a version of the Chevrolet Spark minicar that will debut in 2013 and take aim at Nissan Motor Co Ltd's Leaf.

"Chevrolet will produce an all-electric version of the Spark minicar for selected U.S. and global markets, including California," Jim Federico, Chevy's global vehicle chief engineer for electric vehicles, said at the company's Detroit headquarters on Wednesday.

Electric cars have been slow to catch on. In the U.S. market, demand has been held back by the lack of models to choose from, skimpy infrastructure for charging the vehicles, high sticker prices, and low gasoline prices compared with other industrialized nations.

News of the electric Spark continues GM's push to seize the mantle of "greenest automaker in the world" from Toyota Motor Corp, which makes the popular Prius hybrid car.

GM, like other major automakers, also needs more fuel-efficient cars as the industry pushes toward more stringent U.S. requirements that will be in place by 2025.

Further details about the electric Spark, including driving range and price, will be released closer to introduction.

The Volt has a 400-pound lithium-ion battery that provides an electric-only range of up to 50 miles. After the battery is depleted, a 1.4-liter gas engine provides power.

Nissan launched the five-passenger Leaf in Japan and the United States in December 2010. The vehicle has an EPA-certified driving range of 73 miles.

Marketing an all-electric vehicle will mark a break for GM. It has emphasized the Volt's ability to continue driving under gas power even after its electric charge has been used as a way to prey on consumer anxiety about being stranded while driving an all-electric car.

Leaf's U.S. sales through September were about 27,500, seven times higher than the larger Volt. The Leaf's U.S. price starts at $32,780 before a $7,500 federal tax credit.

"We welcome competitors into the market," Mark Perry, director of product planning for Nissan Americas, told Reuters. "We're glad that GM has decided to go pure electric. This brings further validity to the segment."

Ford Motor Co will introduce an electric Focus by the end of this year, and ramp up production in early 2012. The small car's driving range has not yet been certified by the EPA, but the company expects it can travel up to 100 miles on a full charge, depending on conditions.

Toyota will offer a plug-in version of the Prius that can drive up to 15 miles on a charge starting next year. Other automakers also are rolling out plug-in hybrid vehicles.

Federico said the electric Spark's global rollout will be similar to that of the plug-in electric hybrid Chevy Volt, which started in the U.S. market and has expanded from there.

The gasoline-powered Spark is now sold only in China, India and South Korea. A new version of the gas-powered Spark will debut next year and be introduced in the United States and other markets.

Federico declined to say where the electric Spark will be built, but the gas version is currently assembled in South Korea.

GM Chief Executive Daniel Akerson has driven the company more aggressively toward electric vehicles since taking the top job about a year ago.

The U.S. automaker's push under Akerson has centered on rolling out plug-in hybrid technology in a broader range of vehicles to recoup its investment in the money-losing Volt. By using its electric-vehicle technology in more cars, GM could reap more profits and drive down the technology's cost.

In August, GM said it would build a Cadillac ELR luxury coupe based on Volt's plug-in hybrid technology.

A123 Systems Inc will provide the lithium-ion battery for the electric Spark, Federico said.
In August, GM said it had awarded A123 a contract to build battery packs for future electric vehicles, but it did not say which vehicles would use the batteries.

Sources told Reuters that GM executives were studying plans for an all-electric small car for the Chevy brand that included an A123 battery.

Source;

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/12/us-gm-spark-idUSTRE79B4I220111012

OnStar Discloses that it Will Track Customers Without a Plan

Wow, you've got to be kidding me, GM = Big Brother now?!?

by Mark Hackman

OnStar has begun notifying customers that it may continue to collect and use information about the vehicle even if the customer terminates his or her subscription.

In a privacy notice that will take effect this December, OnStar said that it would collect data as long as a data connection was active, including such details as the location and speed of the vehicle, as well as such fine-grained details as the odometer readings and tire pressure.

The privacy statement lists it as being effective as of Dec. 2011, although the statement also notes that the changes were made to the January 2011 privacy statement.

In the privacy notification, OnStar said that it will share the information it collects with credit card processors and data management companies, as well as roadside assistance providers, emergency services providers, law enforcement, and wireless and satellite service providers.

The data collection can be halted, however; OnStar must deactivate the data connection. "Unless the Data Connection to your Vehicle is deactivated, data about your Vehicle will continue to be collected even if you do not have a Plan," the privacy policy states. "It is important that you convey this to other drivers, occupants, or subsequent owners of your Vehicle. You may deactivate the Data Connection to your Vehicle at any time by contacting an OnStar Advisor."

What data does OnStar collect? The company provides a detailed list:
OnStar collects basic contact information, billing information with credit-card information, and details of the car, such as the make, model, and vehicle identification number (VIN);
vehicle information, including diagnostic trouble codes, oil life, tire pressure, and fuel economy, as well as when your fuel was last refilled;

crash information, including the direction of the crash, whether air bags were deployed, and whether the driver and passenger were wearing their seat belts;

anonymized location information, such as the location and speed of the car, via the installed GPS.
In the latter case, OnStar begins by saying that it only collects the GPS location of the vehicle in case of a crash, or lost vehicle. But it also adds that it may collect the information "when needed by us or our Service Providers for our quality, research or troubleshooting purposes" or simply "for any purpose, at any time, provided that following collection of such location and speed information identifiable to your Vehicle, it is shared only on an anonymized basis."

OnStar also collects information on the details of calls made by the associated Hands-Free Calling service.

In July, OnStar launched the OnStar FMV, an aftermarket rear-view mirror with the OnStar service built in. In July, OnStar also added the capability to track their own cars with a beta service. Ford, which competes against OnStar with its Sync service, also recently announced the capability to allow users to call its customer service centers from within the vehicle to inquire about business addresses and phone numbers.

Whether or not OnStar really anonymizes the data is irrelevant, according to Jonathan Zdziarski, a senior forensic scientist at Via Forensics who wrote about the change in the policy.

"This is too shady, especially for a company that you're supposed to trust your family to," he wrote. "My vehicle's location is my life, it's where I go on a daily basis. It's private. It's mine. I shouldn't have to have a company like OnStar steal my personal and private life just to purchase an emergency response service. Taking my private life and selling it to third party advertisers, law enforcement, and God knows who else is morally inept. Shame on you, OnStar. You disgust me."

OnStar also noted that customers with concerns can email its privacy manager at privacymanager@onstar.com, or call the company at (877) 299-1372.

OnStar representatives could not be reached for comment after hours.

Source;
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2393378,00.asp#fbid=8G2XIIvcyWG

Opel Meriva Concept

I understand that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but whoa, this is officially the ugliest prototype i've ever seen....
Source;
http://visions-autos.sport24.com/596288/Design-retour-de-la-Porte-Suicide-et-de-la-porte-Coulissante/

GM pays back government loans in full

Here's a bit of good news....
Kansas City, Kansas – General Motors has made its final payment of US$5.8 billion to the U.S. Treasury and Export Development Canada, paying back its government loans in full and ahead of schedule. The payment includes $4.7 billion to the U.S. Treasury, and $1.1 billion to Export Development Canada.

The announcement was made by GM chairman and CEO Ed Whitacre at a ceremony in Fairfax, Kansas to announce an investment of $257 million in Fairfax and Detroit Hamtramck assembly centres. The investment will prepare Fairfax to build the next-generation Chevrolet Malibu and make Detroit Hamtramck a second source for the model. Fairfax currently builds the current Malibu and the Buick LaCrosse.

As part of the launch of the new GM, the U.S., Canadian and Ontario governments provided loans of $8.4 billion and took equity stakes in the new company. The latest payment completes the payback of the loans.

“GM’s ability to pay back the loans ahead of schedule is a sign that our plan is working, and that we are on the right track,” Whitacre said. “It is also an important first step toward allowing our stockholders to reduce their equity investments in GM. We still have much hard work ahead of us, but we are making progress toward our vision of designing, building and selling the world’s best vehicles. We appreciate the support the taxpayers have given GM, and our new great products are tangible results of that support.”

Source;
http://www.canadiandriver.com/2010/04/21/gm-pays-back-government-loans-in-full.htm

How Long can Honda 'Go it Alone'?

Here are a couple of good articles....
Daimler-Renault-Nissan deal puts spotlight on scale

(Reuters) - The link-up between Renault-Nissan and Daimler (DAIGn.DE) shows the urgent need for scale in an industry still reeling from a collapse in demand and gearing up for massive investment in green-car technology.

Under intense pressure to shave costs, automakers just outside the top global sales ranks are certain to face calls to develop or expand alliances or to explain to their shareholders why they are betting off going it alone.

That will mean renewed scrutiny of growth strategies by the likes of Japan's Mitsubishi Motors (7211.T), France's PSA Peugeot Citroen (PEUP.PA), Germany's BMW (BMWG.DE) and even Italy's Fiat (FIA.MI), analysts say.

"We are going to see some significant mergers, acquisitions, restructurings and spinoffs," said David Cole, director of the Center of Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Just three years ago, Daimler moved to unwind one of the least successful deals in the history of the auto industry, dumping its Chrysler unit for a $30 billion loss.

Now, the Mercedes-maker has decided a more limited deal with the Renault-Nissan (RENA.PA) (7201.T) alliance headed by Carlos Ghosn will give it the small-car technology and scope it needs in the face of tighter emissions and fuel economy standards.

In return, Renault-Nissan will get access to Daimler's engines for Nissan's luxury Infiniti brand and the opportunity to share vehicle platforms and bring down costs at a time when its own alliance has been seen as sputtering.

Cole said the deal could be a blueprint for future collaboration in a high-cost area: developing the engine, transmission and now battery-drive systems that power vehicles.

"The historic view is that the powertrain defines the personality of the vehicle in the eyes of consumers. That's probably not true anymore," he said.

FIAT TO FOLLOW?
For smaller players such as Japan's Suzuki Motor Corp (7269.T), developing technologies such as a complex hybrid system on its own was not an option, which is why it aligned itself with Volkswagen AG (VOWG_p.DE) late last year.

Similarly, last month, Mazda Motor (7261.T) struck a deal to buy hybrid technology from market-leader Toyota Motor (7203.T).

Elsewhere, Italy's Fiat last year teamed up with bankrupt Chrysler, and analysts said it could look for further partners in Asia after having formed joint ventures with Tata Motors Ltd (TAMO.BO) in India and others in China and Russia.

"I could easily see Fiat shopping for another alliance in Asia," said Logan Robinson, a professor at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and former auto executive.

China is likely to be a key. Its emergence as the world's largest car market has been a boon to sales for U.S., European and Japanese car makers, but it has also created competitors such as Geely (0175.HK) -- fresh off its acquisition of Sweden's Volvo -- with deep pockets and global ambitions.

Still, after the numerous false starts over the past two decades -- most notably with the spectacular break-up of DaimlerChrysler after nine years -- some analysts remain skeptical that alliances can deliver as promised.

"I'm hoping that others don't go down this path" taken by Renault-Nissan and Daimler, said Erich Merkle, analyst at Autoconomy.com. "If you look at the history of alliances...they have a very checkered past. Most of them haven't worked.

While financial markets tend to price progress in quarters, it can take four years or longer to capture the full cost savings from collaboration in developing a new vehicle even if everything goes as planned, analysts say.

TOUGH EXECUTION
Even Nissan and Renault, lauded as a rare example of an alliance that has worked, has had a mediocre start.

After a decade together, the partners admitted last year to needing deeper integration, putting in place a more formal structure to squeeze out synergies that engineers had resisted. The partnership saved near-bankrupt Nissan from demise, but Renault has fallen into a slump Ghosn has struggled to reverse.

That could be a lesson for Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne, who faces the daunting task of integrating Chrysler after taking a 20 percent stake in the weakest U.S. carmaker out of a U.S.-government funded bankruptcy.

Marchionne has said that automakers need global sales of at least 6 million cars and trucks to be competitive on cost. The Daimler-Renault-Nissan alliance would just clear that hurdle with global sales of just over 6 million units.

Fiat-Chrysler remains short of the mark, closer to 4.5 million units. But size alone is no guarantee of success.

General Motors Co GM.UL is a case in point. After its own 2009 bankruptcy, GM, like crosstown rival Ford Motor Co (F.N), is struggling bring the focus back to its core brands, led by Chevy.
Even Toyota, the world's top automaker, has proven that the bigger the ship, the tougher it is to steer. Rather than seek tie-ups, Toyota has said it would slim down its vehicle line-up to become more nimble and efficient.

FLYING SOLO
Having failed to agree terms on a capital alliance with Frances PSA, Japan's Mitsubishi Motors is seen by analysts in need of a partner to offset the cost of developing advanced technologies in areas like battery-powered cars.

But Mitsubishi President Osamu Masuko told Reuters last month that equity-based tie-ups were no guarantee of success.

"We have to remember that a capital alliance is no panacea," Masuko said. "If it were, then why didn't it work for us with Chrysler? Or with Daimler? What happened with all the capital ties that General Motors had?"

Honda Motor Co (7267.T) also believes it can find new efficiencies in-house will as Japan's second-biggest automaker continues to shun alliances, much like BMW.

"The key now is figuring out how to efficiently develop and produce cars," Honda executive Fumihiko Ike said last month. "And if the company becomes too big, efficiencies will also fail."

Honda, which prides itself in being the world's top engine maker and one of the few carmakers to produce its own transmissions, says it is open to tying up with battery and other components makers to develop next-generation vehicles.

BMW, meanwhile, has project-based ties, including with PSA in small engines, and expects its cooperation on sourcing with Daimler will continue, notwithstanding the latter's deal with Renault and Nissan.

"We don't want to give up our independence," BMW Chief Financial Officer Friedrich Eichiner said. "I don't see a big problem if a manufacturer like Daimler is now cooperating with Nissan. They must have reasons to do that."

(Additional reporting by Soyoung Kim in DETROIT; Irene Preisinger in MUNICH; Jo Winterbottom in MILAN; John Bowker in MOSCOW; Helen Massy-Beresford in PARIS; William Rigby in SEATTLE; Editing by Lincoln Feast)

Source;

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6361K520100407

Car industry braces for further shakeup

Pressure to cut development costs intense Kana Inagaki

By KANA INAGAKI
Kyodo News

YOKOHAMA — With Nissan Motor Co. and its French partner Renault SA looking to expand their clout through a new cross-sharing deal with Germany's Daimler AG, the big question is: who is next in the realignment of the global auto industry?

In Japan, experts say eyes are on Honda Motor Co., the nation's second-largest automaker, although it has so far shown no indication of ditching its trademark go-it-alone policy.

Pressure has been heavy on carmakers to pursue expansion of scale to save on development costs of highly expensive green technology and to secure their foothold in fast-growing emerging markets by offering affordable compacts.

In the latest agreement, the Nissan-Renault alliance and Daimler will mutually swap 3.1 percent in shares to cooperate in the development of next-generation compact cars and to share fuel-efficient engine technology.

Just a few months earlier, Suzuki Motor Corp. inked a capital tieup with Volkswagen AG, as the German automaker seeks to expand its presence in India, where Suzuki has established a solid presence, while the Japanese automaker turns to Volkswagen's expertise in developing environmentally friendly vehicles.

"It costs a lot to develop wide-ranging technologies, and there is no clear favorite among the scattered environmental technologies, including electric vehicles and hybrids," said Takashi Akiyama, vice president of SC-ABeam Automotive Consulting.

"Also, with the rapid expansion of emerging markets, it's hard for an automaker to make it on its own," he said. "Expansion of scale is necessary for survival, and further realignment in the industry is anticipated."

With dwindling choices for cross-border alliances, attention has naturally fallen on Honda, one of the strongest players in the industry. The automaker has continued to eke out profits, even as most auto giants sank into the red after the financial crisis hit in 2008.

"You need great energy to reach an understanding with an alliance partner and time is quickly lost during that process," Fumihiko Ike, Honda's head of Asia and Oceania operations, recently told reporters. "It's faster to do it alone."

But analysts said even Honda, which sells the Fit compact and the Insight hybrid, may eventually need to shift course and look outside as rivals pose a rising threat by becoming bigger and more cost-efficient.

"There is no need to immediately join forces since its products, centering on compact cars, are selling well," said Shigeru Matsumura, an auto analyst at SMBC Friend Research Center. "But Honda will probably not be able to stay the way it is as others form alliances and boost their cost competitiveness."

Tatsuya Mizuno, a former auto analyst at Fitch Ratings in Tokyo and current representative of consulting firm Mizuno Credit Advisory, also suggested Honda may ally with South Korea's Hyundai Motor Co. in a shakeup that he predicted will consolidate the industry into five major automotive groups.

The dramatic shift in the global auto sector also comes as an unprecedented safety crisis pounds the carefully cultivated reputation of Toyota Motor Corp., the world's largest carmaker.

With global sales of nearly 8 million vehicles, Toyota remains ahead in terms of both scale and product lineup with minicar maker Daihatsu Motor Co. and truck maker Hino Motors Ltd. under its wing.

A pioneer in gas-electric hybrid technology, it also has close ties with Mazda Motor Corp. and Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., which makes the Subaru brand and is owned 16.5 percent by Toyota.
Yet, the current story of Toyota includes a series of safety lapses, which its president, Akio Toyoda, has blamed on an aggressive drive for volume at the expense of product quality.

"The advantages of scale are huge and will need to be pursued as they become increasingly important," Mizuno said. "But as the scale becomes bigger, the question is whether you can maintain strong management."

Despite the hype over the emergence of new alliances, deals have frequently collapsed in the past, including the breakup of Daimler and Chrysler Group LLC.

"When we came together with Chrysler, we were in agreement about the merger, but we hadn't had much thought about content of collaboration," Daimler Chairman Dieter Zetsche said at a news conference in Brussels, emphasizing that the relationship with Renault and Nissan will be "totally different."

Nissan President Carlos Ghosn, who concurrently serves as chief executive officer of Renault, said the "strategic cooperation" with Daimler — not to be mistaken with an alliance — will be long-term, while the pursuit of scale will continue as Nissan and Renault vie to become the No. 1 automotive group.

Source;

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/print/nb20100409a2.html

Toyota Pulls a 'General Motors'...Again

This is something that I am not happy seeing, Toyota is going down a slippery road taking this route....
As the February 2010 have rolled out, a number of sources noted that Toyota is responding to its plummet in the figures with incentives and 0% financing. While this seems like a sure-fire way to boost their sales in the short term, it also makes Toyota sound more and more like the General Motors of the 1970s and 80s.

Consider this: Over the past decade Toyota has gone against longstanding traditional mores governing parent company/parts supplier relationships by putting the screws to their suppliers even in the best of times in order to milk the most profit out of each part. In addition to abusing their suppliers, Toyota has put international growth above all else (even by their own admission). After the first indications that this growth strategy could be taking its toll on vehicle reliability (sludging problems and other issues in the early 2000s) they respond not by becoming more proactive about beefing up reliability, but by spending tens of millions on lobbying to either kill or postpone new safety regulations and limit the scope of their mandatory recalls. When their efforts to skirt around costly recalls finally begin to catch up to them, they issue a massive recall that still manages to not cover all of the cars the NHTSA has recieved complaints about (i.e., the pre-2007 Camry). This recall is quickly "resolved" with a fix that not everyone is entirely certain will even solve the main problem in the first place. In response to the sales numbers lagging from the recall, Toyota creates incentives the likes of which they have never before imagined, which will certainly lead to a further devaluation of the other Toyotas on the road and the erosion of one of their biggest selling-points (resale value).

It doesn't take a historian to see the General Motors-esque pattern developing here. ("Profit Above All Else -> Short Term Thinking -> Negative Results from Short Term Thinking (unreliability) -> More Short Term Thinking (lobbying to avoid repair costs rather than simply recalling the product and fixing future models) -> More Negative Results (increasing numbers of complaints and/or deaths) -> More Short Term Thinking (hastily executed recall that may not have even solved the problem entirely) -> Product Devaluation -> More Short Thinking (incentives) -> Further Product Devaluation) Heck, GM got it down to a science in the 1970s and 80s, right before they were forced to pay the price. One has to wonder how long Toyota will play the old school General Motors game, and what kind of impact this will have on them in the long term. As anyone familiar with the history of the domestic auto manufacturers knows, you can only mortgage against public goodwill and favorable opinions about your company for so long before your company's reputation is upside down and your credit is damaged irrevocably.

Source;
http://www.toyotamonitor.com/blog/1043077_toyota-pulls-a-general-motors-again

GM will wind down Hummer as the sale could not be completed

I guess the good news is that gas prices should go down with Hummer out of the game, it's that whole supply and demand thing.... alright, it's not that funny....
As expected, GM announced today that the deal to sell Hummer to Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machines Co., Ltd. (Tengzhong) was unable to be completed and as a result the American branf will be wound down.

After Pontiac and Saturn, another one bites the dust! But don’t worry… GM will still continue to honor Hummer warranties and provide service support and spare parts to Hummer owners.

“One year ago, General Motors announced that we were going to divest HUMMER, as part of focusing our efforts on Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac going forward. We have since considered a number of possibilities for HUMMER along the way, and we are disappointed that the deal with Tengzhong could not be completed,” said John Smith GM vice president of corporate planning and alliances. “GM will now work closely with HUMMER employees, dealers and suppliers to wind down the business in an orderly and responsible manner.”

Source;
http://www.4wheelsnews.com/gm-will-wind-down-hummer-as-the-sale-could-not-be-completed/

Toyota learns the dangers of being No. 1

At the end of the day you can say one thing about this whole Toyota debacle, they are doing the right thing.

Quality problems follow period of rapid expansion

When Toyota Motor Corp. (TM-N79.77----%) was on the brink of overtaking General Motors as the world's biggest auto maker in 2008, executives were busy sending out warning signals about the dangers of being No. 1.

Toyota is now witnessing the realization of those fears, caught in a mushrooming recall debacle affecting as many as eight million cars – a development many say underscores the difficulty of maintaining top-notch quality in a hasty expansion.

It may also be the manifestation of the “big-company disease” that Toyota President Akio Toyoda has vowed to quash since taking the helm last June, aiming to restore the company's solid foundation that he said was lost during a decade of rapid global growth.

Mr. Toyoda has not commented publicly on the faulty accelerators and floor mats since expressing regret for the deaths of four people in a crash linked to the problems in August last year.

“Toyota is the new GM in terms of experiencing quality glitches, overexpansion and the proliferation of new product models,” said Dennis Virag, president of Automotive Consulting Group.

“Toyota has been too aggressive and perhaps complacent in terms of focus on quality. They can't concentrate on the details with so many models.”

Toyota, Japan's largest company with a market capitalization of around $141-billion, produces dozens of models around the world and has more than 500 subsidiary companies.

Toyoda, who warned last year that his company faced the prospect of “capitulation to irrelevance or death“, citing a five-phase road to demise outlined by business scholar Jim Collins, has his work cut out for him.

The reason? Toyota's recent quality woes are not new.

As vehicle recalls mounted to more than a million a year, then-president Katsuaki Watanabe in 2006 assigned two executive vice-presidents to oversee quality improvements. One was tasked specifically to work closely with suppliers to catch design defects early.

The current recalls in North America and Europe involve accelerator pedals produced by CTS Corp.

Two years later, in 2008, Mr. Watanabe had said those efforts had borne fruit, and that recall cases had fallen dramatically. Indeed, the “back-to-basics” goal was one that Mr. Watanabe had promptly pledged when he took office as far back as 2003.

The latest recall, of unprecedented scale, throws the efforts back to square one.

Mr. Toyoda, the grandson of Toyota's founder, has outlined broad steps aimed at returning the company to profit and speed up decision making, but has yet to announce new plans to improve quality checks.

TOYOTA-BASHING

The level of attention on Toyota's woes – from consumer groups, media and the government – is also the manifestation of another major fear that Toyota has harboured: that public opinion could be unkind to those at the top.

In addition to the recall, Toyota has shut down sales of its best-selling vehicles in North America under pressure from the Obama administration to address the product safety issue, in an almost unheard-of intervention.

Unlike GM, Toyota has feared the backlash and shunned the spotlight as the world's biggest auto maker. As the Detroit giant – once the symbol of U.S. industrial might – faced bankruptcy last year, those worries had escalated.

Many industry watchers say matter-of-factly that Toyota's massive loss forecasts for this year were a deliberate attempt to prevent a potential bashing – a charge that Toyota denies.

Last May, Toyota projected an operating loss of a staggering ¥850-billion ($9.4-billion) for the financial year to March 31. It has since revised that to a ¥350-billion loss, but analysts expect it to end up at close to break-even.

“If I were the president, I would do the same thing,” said Toshiro Yoshinaga, an analyst at Aizawa Securities.

“As long as GM is sick, it wouldn't look good if Toyota turned a profit this year,” he said.
Many also see Toyota's handling of the current recall as an attempt to win over consumers' hearts.

Toyota said on Wednesday it would offer to replace floor mats or accelerator pedals on another 1.1 million vehicles across five models in the United States because many consumers had called asking for a remedy. A Toyota spokesman said there was in fact no known glitch in those models, and that the voluntary action was solely meant to appease worried drivers.

“Toyota is trying very hard to do the right thing and being bold and having large recalls to portray the fact that they are willing to stop at nothing and spare no expense so nobody gets hurt in their vehicles,” said Jake Fisher, automotive engineer at Consumer Reports.

Meanwhile, “challenger” GM has capitalized on Toyota's woes, saying it would offer incentives to U.S. consumers switching from Toyota cars.

But Mitsuru Kurokawa, an analyst at IHS Global Insight, said would-be Toyota buyers would not necessarily flock to U.S. brands, but rather to rivals such as Hyundai Motor.

“And if that happens, there's a chance that the criticism will then turn to Hyundai,” he said.

Source;
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/toyota-learns-the-dangers-of-being-no-1/article1447164/

New car sales were strong in December; see last month's and last year's 20 top sellers

December's new car sales were the highest of any month in 2009, with many key models picking up significant volume and most automakers posting a sales gain over December 2008, but it wasn't enough to rescue the entire year.

The Ford F-Series full-size pickup and Toyota Camry midsize sedan were yet again the nation's favorite vehicle and car, respectively, both December and throughout 2009.
Ford also saw strong success from its redesigned Fusion midsize sedan, which jumped from 17th place in 2008 to a slot on the top-10 best-selling list of 2009, and its Focus compact and Escape midsize weren't far behind. The Escape was also the best-selling SUV in December, unseating the Honda CR-V that itself had stolen the crown from Ford's Explorer several years ago.

General Motors, meanwhile, had an excellent month for its Chevrolet Malibu midsize, which beat out the Fusion and Nissan's Altima in December to be the country's third-best-selling midsize sedan, behind the Camry and Honda Accord. The Chevrolet Equinox compact/midsize SUV also did well at over 12,000 units -- a record for the model -- and the compact Chevrolet Cobalt's sales improved from abysmal to just mediocre. GM did, however, see its best-seller -- the Chevrolet Silverado pickup -- slide below both the Toyota Camry and Corolla last month even as its own sales jumped significantly month-to-month. (see sales charts below the article)

In other Ford/GM news, the automakers' ongoing rivalry between the Mustang and Camaro retro muscle cars saw the Ford inch closer to the sales of its rival, narrowing a once-mighty gap to just over 1,000. This Mustang sales increase comes even as Camaro sales stay strong at 7,500 last month and in the same month that Ford announced it would give massive upgrades to next year's Mustang.

The top-ten list seems mostly familiar for the total of 2009, but some major changes in December suggest 2010 might be an interesting year for auto sales. See the two sales charts below:
Source (via autoblog);
http://www.examiner.com/x-1017-DC-Car-Examiner~y2010m1d5-New-car-sales-were-strong-in-December-see-last-months-and-last-years-20-top-sellers

First-Gen Honda Civic Stalks GM's DC Office, Taunts Staff By Running For 30-Plus Years

Quick announcement: Will the owner of the rust-on-white first-gen Honda Civic parked outside GM's Washington DC office please stop stalking the office staff and remove your vehicle from out front. You're sort of freaking them out.

Thanks ever so kindly to the GM Washington, DC staff for sending in these two pictures of the rusted Civic they called the "Mother of all clunkers" parked out front of their office yesterday.


Source;
http://jalopnik.com/5424215/first+gen-honda-civic-stalks-gms-dc-office-taunts-staff-by-running-for-30+plus-years