About American Cars

On the sales of hybrid cars, that is. Ever since the start of the “environmental craze” amongst the different car makers, different hybrid cars have been produced by car giants to keep up with their sales. But for General Motors, probably hybrid cars are not their cup of tea as GM is losing with their hybrid car sales. Toyota was able to sell close to half a million of hybrid cars. Ford sold about 5,000. And for GM? Not even a thousand—843 cars to be exact.

But GM has a definite answer to that. Hybrids are marketed as the cost efficient and environmental friendly cars but GM said otherwise. In the long run, people would have to spend more on their cars for maintenance and the like.

Photo taken from http://http://www.saltlakespeaks.com

We all know the US economy is still as strong as ever despite the occasional issues on terrorism and the coming election. However, there were reports that the US automotive industry is experiencing recession. How true?

In an event in South Korea, Nissan Motor CEO Carlos Ghosn has expressed concern for the U.S. auto industry saying that it is in a recession. He told reporters that the high cost of materials such as iron ore, precious metals and aluminum used in producing cars represent risk for the industry. But then, he also said that the U.S. auto market “will not stay in a recession for a long time.”

I believe that. While automotive sales have gone low in the past years, as long as the American economy remains in shape, the US automotive industry can weather the storm. Let’s all think positively, people.

Most of you won’t be happy to know this, but please allow me to share it with you. Taurus X, which was once popularly known as Ford Freestyle, is set to bid goodbye to American car fans by 2010. This was confirmed by Ford CEO Allan Mullaly saying that “a redesign of the Taurus sedan will happen much sooner than originally planned.”

Jalopnik.com reports that one reason for this development is that Ford would like to make the road clear for its new baby called Ford Flex MPV, also a 7-seater. Well, does it mean Ford wants consumers to prefer Ford Flex MPV over Taurus X? Looks like Ford is making some streamlining here or maybe trying to cut down on costs and production facilities. I just hope it’s for the better.

Chevrolet Malibu

It is on a happy note that I would like to share with you this news. CNNMoney.com reports that General Motors (GM) got two of three nominations each for the Car and Truck of the Year awards at the 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit slated next month.

The nominees for Car of the Year are the Cadillac CTS, Chevrolet Malibu and Honda Accord while the nominees for the Truck of the Year are the Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid and Mazda CX-9.

47 auto journalists from the United States and Canada serve as the jury to select the winners. Announcement will be next month at the Detroit Auto Show.

By dominating the car awards nominee list, GM has proven once again that they are still on top of their game. If luck comes their way, it will be their second time after winning in the 2007 Auto Show in the same categories with the Saturn Aura and Chevrolet Silverado.

For the link to the article, click here.

The Pontiac G8 has yet to be sold in the US but it is already receiving positive response from American car lovers. Not only that, it was reported that �insider contacts� slipped information that GM has plans to expand its G8 line-up with a wagon and sport ute.

This family expansion plan is good, only if the US dollar gets back immediately to its high standing. But if it continues to lose ground with the other currencies, problems with exporting will rise. And worse, further expansion might be delayed or forever be just a plan.

Let�s just hope this supposed project of GM pushes through. After all, it�s us, American car fans, who would benefit the most.

Did you know that the New Cadillac CTS by General Motors (GM) was named car of the year by the Motor Trend Magazine? Yes, that�s true and this goes to show that GM is now back in producing cars after investing largely on sports utility vehicles and trucks.

For car buff like me, this is quite interesting. Now that GM�s back in the car business, expect to see more stylish, high-powered and innovative cars soon.

CNN reports that the CTS won from a field of 18 significant vehicles, beating German and Japanese competitors in �performance, fit and finish, quality of materials and performance.�

To know more about this new GM baby, visit the GM website

If we could give one car that was iconic of the way American cars are meant to be, it would have to be the Mustang, the ultimate muscle car.

The particular model that stands out is the Shelby GT Mustang series, which refer to a number of Mustangs modified by Carroll Shelby’s company. Shelby Mustangs were high performance variants that were present in mid 1960′s to 1970. The most common look for these cars is to sport two stripes that run at the top-middle of the car, from the hood to the back. These stripes are referred to as Le Mans stripes. The car is so popular and sought after that models today are sold for six figure sums. Ford has also attempted to cash in on the popularity of the iconic automobile, and released a 2007 version of the Shelby GT Mustang.

“Cannot Put GM and Chrysler back together again”, that’s the words that are coming out of the mouth’s of the Presidential Automotive task force. That may be a more realistic view of the whole picture for as we have been stressing over and over again, they’re not genies who just snap their fingers and the whole world gets better. They started out with optimism and they still have it in them, only this time round, they are a bit more realistic for they now know the full extent of the economic troubles that have led to the demise of the US auto industry.
The problem is that the whole deal is rotten, from housing, health and everything else in between are hit hard and no one authority, not even the Federal Reserve with all it’s gold and monetary resources can remedy the whole thing. The team is now leading efforts to restructure the auto giants and the figures don’t lie, one will have to go bust to give way to a better mix of the two auto giants that may make them better than the two individual units.

With dismal sales and problems left and right, America’s big 3 auto makers are really in big trouble. Waiting for the emergency bailout funds the government is going to supply, the future is truly uncertain for the previously giants of the American economy. Recession has hit and it hit hard, an most agree that it’s gonna be here for quite some time. President Obama promised to support the big three but industry analysts are saying the big three might not be three anymore in the coming years to come. Overtaken by the Japanese, the big three have given up on the ratings and re-focused their energy on their ultimate fate during this recession.
They have already closed international plants, reduced their personnel and trimmed down the hours people go to work but it still isn’t enough for them to continue operating. They are some of the biggest companies in the US but they have long been in trouble as the auto industry collapsed and got stiff competition from abroad. Their fate next year would be decided by the bailout they get and how they talk amongst themselves to revive their industry. Only time will tell, and we could only wait at what these industrial giants come to this coming year.

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コルベットZR-1は2008年の夏に登場しました。そしてa2009モデルとしてリモデルされた。それが現在の最終的なコルベットだ。あえて二つのコルベットを生産した主な目的は二つの個性を作り出す為である。 飼いならされるけれども路上では攻撃的に。 アメリカ車のモットー、二度と過去には戻らない、を忠実に守った。430馬力6.2リットルLS3　V8は過給し、出力を620hp、あるいは462kWに増加し、トルクを807 Nmあるいは595 lb.ft.に押し上げた。 これがいわゆるS9だ。 今日、ジェネラル・モーターズが提供するシボレーの中で最速であり、最強の車だ。コルベットは発売以来50年以上、すべての批判を甘んじて受けつつも、アメリカ人に愛され続け、モータースポーツの最高峰に君臨している。