Z-06

Yes I have. I am planning to move in September into a newer apartment, which is smaller. I got rid of my excessive clothes, books, utensils, games, knick knacks, old magazines that I do not need. It is difficult, but I am loving it, feels like renewed energy. I want to be a hermit ready to move without packing too much or stuff. I came to this country with two suitcases and two carry ons, strangely I cannot fit my stuff into one U-Haul, so things have to go. I just close my heart and ruthlessly throw stuff away even though it may be emotional. If already feels like a fresh start. My next phase is getting rid of crap on my computers - songs, pictures, notes, etc. that have outlived my needs.

Tell her that my foster mom succumbed to injuries from an accident when her "safe" 2005 Corolla was T-boned by a school bus.

I think that the Venturi 3.0L V6 and Baby Duramax with 6 speed manual and automatic would be ideal powertrains for zetas.

I think this is half true. It is also that the manufacturers do not want to spend dough to get the cars approved for our emissions standards. By blaming on the consumers they preempt salvos on themselves.

BMW's although consistently excellent are living on much of a hype. For what BMW charges and what performance, engineering, and equipment owners get it has a negative quotient when it comes to value. Compared to an Acura or Infiniti or CTS, Beemers have far less value for the price. Why I say that? Because I own one. And the more I drive it, the more I am beginning to get amazed that how cannot people see that these vehicles have absolute zero value for the money. Try fitting in your golf clubs in the trunk of the 3er - no can't do so good luck fitting two sets of them. No automatic air conditioning, no dual zone climate control, no overhead console for a $42K brand new car is just plain ridiculous. It drives good, handles like a gem and materials are good, but that is about it. My 2002 Z06 with 170 more horse powers and an engine roughly 90% of more displacement than the BMW with an "inferior pushrod" technology eeked out 2 mpg consistently above the 330i despite of having almost same weight (3,250 vs 3,285 lbs). For a hardcore enthusiasts the E90 clearly let the tech nannies handle the gimmickry, it is on botox just like its middle aged wifey owners. The E46 is the last standing ultimate driving machine that actually lets the drivers rather than the technology push its limits. The dealership tries to milk you for everything, they do not give loaners if you have not bought the car from them - amazing is it not? Chevy dealer loaned me a 2008 Malibu while my 1998 Chevy Lumina was being serviced and no it was not even bought in the same state. The Acura service people in Michigan give me a car to drive even for an oil change, while the car has been bought in Florida. The BMW dealers are rude and do not treat you well, even if you have the car in the service and are browsing around in the showroom. I have got the best service from Acura, which my girl drives, hands down. If I have to give points of 10 for service, it would be Acura -9.5, Chevy -8.0, BMW - 4.0. So yes, Olds is partially right that people really are on KoolAid when they lick BMW asses because with recent products and the product value for money, the company frankly does not deserve the credit that has been given for its cars.

I test drove a Patriot 5 speed at a local dealer last year. Overall I would say it is a nice solid vehicle. It drives well, the stick shift although notchy is assured and does not miss the gates. It rides decent, the road noise was a little high around 65 mph. The vehicle has softer tuning and therefore feels like a tall dinghy. It gets like 27 MPG highway, not bad for a SUV. The storage place while decent is not well thought out. Quality of materials while not questionable is certainly cheap. Folding seats are very cavernous and are useful. I can totally see me driving one for my bicycling trip. It is the only FWD Jeep that is trail rated. I think you should look into it.

[source: Detroit News] Big Three take 47 percent of 'Cash for Clunkers' sales; Ford Focus top-seller David Shepardson / Detroit News Washington Bureau Washington -- Detroit's automakers accounted for 47 percent of the first 80,000 "Cash for Clunkers" sales, the Obama administration said today, and the Ford Focus is the top-selling vehicle in the program. Through Saturday afternoon, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has processed 80,500 transactions, the White House said. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said buyers should be able to take advantage of the program until Friday, but he warned it would likely have to shut down before next weekend if the Senate doesn't agree to add $2 billion to the original $1 billion pot. On Friday, the House approved the $2 billion increase. The Senate is expected to vote Wednesday or Thursday; the White House is pressing it to act. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told MSNBC that the program has been a "lifeline to the economy." NHTSA said about 250,000 vehicles will be able to take part in the $1 billion program. General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler Group LLC sales account for 47 percent in the program, which is above their overall share in the auto market of about 45 percent of the three Detroit companies. The Ford Focus is the top-selling vehicle in the program. Four of the top 10-selling vehicles are manufactured by Detroit's Big Three. Of non-Big Three purchases, the Transportation Department's preliminary analysis suggests that more than half of these new vehicles were manufactured in the United States. Gibbs said the program has been a "big benefit to domestic automakers." The transactions are generating a 61 percent increase in vehicle fuel economy, Gibbs said. The average fuel economy of new vehicles purchased under the CARS program is 25.4 miles per gallon, and the average fuel economy of trade-ins is 15.8 mpg, for an average increase in fuel economy of 9.6 mpg. This is well above the law's minimum requirements of a 2 mpg improvement for trucks and a 4 mpg improvement for cars. Gibbs said it will save an average consumer $700 to $1,000 in gas. Gibbs said the $2 billion should allow the program to continue through September. Supporters and the White House will use the numbers and the job-creating impact of the "Cash for Clunkers" program to ease environmental concerns of many Senate Democrats who thought the program's efficiency requirements should be tightened. The improvement in fuel efficiency will save a typical consumer between $700 and $1,000 per year in reduced gas costs, Gibbs said. In addition to the money saved from fewer gas purchases, consumers participating in the program will have safer cars, fewer repair costs and dramatic reductions in air pollution, officials said. Thus far, 83 percent of trade-ins under the program are trucks, and 60 percent of new vehicle purchases are cars.

Yeah, that is because the dash sits lower, not because of lack of leg room making it difficult to push yourself in the footwell. The passenger leg room is not bad.

Now you can officially change your name to Dodgefan2 . Congrats about the Mopar and I hope you sell the Coby. It was insane when Dr. Z got rid of the sedan body in small cars for Dodge. Neon's are good vehicles.

Good Luck trying to put to decent sized people in the rear seat of a 3er. The middle seat is a joke with no leg room at all as the tunnel takes most of the space. Front is a little bit roomy than a Cobalt, but that is not saying much.

[source: Wall Street Journal] TOYOTA POSTS $816 MILLION LOSS Sees Outlook Improving By YOSHIO TAKAHASHI TOKYO -- In the latest demonstration of the economic crisis continuing to whack even the mighty, Toyota Motor Corp. Tuesday reported a net loss for the fiscal first quarter ended June due to prolonged slack demand in key markets, and the yen's strength offsetting cost-reduction efforts and recovering sales in China. However, the world's largest car maker by sales volume now sees narrower losses than initially expected for the fiscal first half ending Sept. 30 as well as for the full year through March 31, as it speeds up cost-cutting measures. Booming sales of its redesigned Prius hybrid is also helping revive its plant operating efficiency after the company reduced production to lower inventory levels in the January-March quarter. Japan's automobile giant posted a net loss of ¥77.82 billion ($816 million) in the three months ended June, reversing a net profit of ¥353.66 billion in the same period a year earlier. The result was much better than a mean estimate of a ¥210.4 billion net loss compiled by Thomson Reuters from 16 analyst forecasts. It also marks a significant improvement from the massive net loss of ¥765.8 billion of the previous quarter ended March. Steered by newly appointed president and founding-family member Akio Toyoda, Toyota now expects a net loss of ¥250 billion for the half ending September and a net loss of ¥450 billion for the full fiscal year through March. The company previously projected a net loss of ¥450 billion for the first half and a net loss of ¥550 billion for the full year. Still, this will be the second straight year of net loss and worse than the net loss of ¥436.94 billion in the last fiscal year, which was the firm's first annual net loss in 59 years. Even so, its upbeat projection follows the lifted forecasts reported by Honda Motor Co. and Toyota subsidiary Daihatsu Motor Co., which together suggest the worst effects of the economic downturn on the auto industry may be over. In tandem with such encouraging developments, auto sales in the U.S. -- Toyota's largest market last year -- climbed at their highest pace in 11 months in July, as customers rushed to showrooms sparked by the government's "Cash for Clunkers' incentive program -- and the future thereof. Toyota's U.S. sales slipped 11% to 174,872 vehicles, but the drop was slimmer than June's 31.9% decline thanks to clunker deals which the company estimates boosted sales by 30,000 to 32,000 vehicles. In the first six months of this year, the firm managed to retain the top spot in global auto sales though General Motors Corp. did better than its Japanese rival in the second quarter. Benefiting from tax breaks and subsidies provided governments in the U.S. and Japan as well as reviving sales in China, Toyota lifted its global sales target for this fiscal year to 6.60 million vehicles from 6.50 million. Toyota bases its earnings on U.S. accounting standards.

Excuse me, are you talking about European Ford? Because as far as I know GMNA makes same or more 4-cylinder vehicles than Ford NA does. Let us see: Small Vehicles: Ford: Focus GM: Chevy Aveo/Cobalt Advantage GM: Midsize: Ford: Fusion GM: Malibu Tie SUV: Ford: Explorer GM: Equinox Truck: Ford: Ranger GM: Colorado I am counting all the badge jobs of same size as one, before you get too excited and start showing me Mercury and Lincoln, I will show you Saturns and Pontiacs.

Great website. Found one oddity on the website it self.

Most of the mid sized cars with a V-6 are under 20 mpg city. Zeta is a full sized vehicle. Let us not go into the FWD>RWD mpg Hogwash, as I do not want bring my post where I compared this BS fallacy.

I am going to send a suggestion of name to National Hurricane Center - Walmart. Hurricane Walmart destroys every small business and family run places to bring mediocre quality of life, while people are employed to a "stable" job rather than vagrancy of self-owned businesses, they end up being "bitches" - call it socialism or dictatorship or kingdom or slavery in this country that boasts freedom and right to oneself. A person may be more street savvy and smarted had she/he owned her/his own business because she/he will be dealing with suppliers, customers, accountants, tax personnels, etc. This leads to striving to make the business better and finding the right answers - and learning to act on her/his feet. A person working for Wal-Mart is nothing but an automaton who just calls the supervisor or manager and pushes the responsibility, making the society dumber.

[source: Mercedes Benz USA] Mercedes-Benz Reports July Sales of 16,228 MONTVALE, N.J., Aug. 3 NJ-MBUSA-July-Sales Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) today reported July sales of 16,228 vehicles. While July volume was off by 21.7 percent versus July 2008, the July sales were MBUSA's strongest so far this year and marked the third month of increasing sales momentum. The volume leaders for the month were the E, C, and GLK-Class with sales of 5,556, 4,450, and 1,809 respectively. The all-new 9(th) generation 2010 E-Class made a strong debut in its first full month on the market, topping July 2008 by 12.5%. On a year-to-date basis, the company sold 101,316 new vehicles, a decrease of 27.6 percent over the comparable period last year. Separately, through the Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned (MBCPO) program, MBUSA sold 6,145 vehicles in July; an 18.7 percent increase compared to July 2008 sales of 5,175 vehicles. Year-to-date sales for the MBCPO program are 45,095, a 23.4 percent increase over 2008 year-to-date sales (36,533 vehicles) during the same timeframe. Mercedes-Benz USA, headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey, is responsible for the sales, marketing and service of all Mercedes-Benz and Maybach products in the United States. MBUSA offers drivers the most diverse line-up in the luxury segment with 12 model lines ranging from the sporty C-Class to the flagship S-Class sedans and CL coupes. More information on MBUSA and its products can be found at www.mbusa.com and www.maybachusa.com. MERCEDES-BENZ USA / Sales -- July 2009 Model July '09 July '08 Monthly % YTD 2009 YTD 2008 Yearly % C-CLASS4,4506,241 -28.7% 30,179 43,603-30.8% E-CLASS5,5564,938 12.5% 18,257 25,101-27.3% S-CLASS 6381,577 -59.5%5,674 11,216-49.4% CL-CLASS 85 220 -61.4% 8071,723-53.2% SL-CLASS 319 501 -36.3%2,4933,902-36.1% CLK-CLASS364 872 -58.3%5,5677,165-22.3% SLK-CLASS234 439 -46.7%1,8853,508-46.3% CLS-CLASS164 451 -63.6%1,8074,180-56.8% R-CLASS 36 750 -95.2%2,0285,534-63.4% M-CLASS1,6742,691 -37.8% 12,278 20,087-38.9% G-CLASS 55 64 -14.1% 352 554-36.5% GL-CLASS 8441,989 -57.6%7,197 13,439-46.4% GLK-CLASS 1,809- -12,792-- GRAND TOTAL 16,228 20,733 -21.7% 101,316 140,012-27.6%

[source: BMW North America] BMW Group U.S. Division Reports July 2009 Sales - Down 27.4% Overall sales (BMW and MINI) down 26.7 percent in July MINI sales almost on par with July 2008 Woodcliff Lake, NJ – The BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported July sales of 21,253 vehicles, a decrease of 26.7 percent from the 28,977 vehicles sold in the same month of 2008. The BMW Group also reported a year-to-date sales volume of 135,701 vehicles, down 27.4 percent, compared to 186,890 vehicles sold in the first seven month of last year. BMW Brand Sales Sales of BMW brand vehicles decreased 31.5 percent in July for a total of 16,381 vehicles compared to 23,914 vehicles reported in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date, BMW brand sales were down 29.3 percent to 109,944 vehicles compared to 155,427 vehicles sold in the same period of 2008. "While the mass market may have benefited from the 'Cash for Clunkers' initiative, BMW did not," said Jim O'Donnell, President of BMW of North America, LLC. "Even though BMW has a highly efficient fleet and has reduced its fuel consumption more than any other manufacturer in the U.S. over the last 15 years, the price ceiling of the CARS program is a limiting factor." BMW Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) Sales of BMW's Certified Pre-Owned vehicles were up 14.5 percent, to 9,159 CPO vehicles versus 7,998 vehicles reported in July a year ago. Year-to-date, CPO sales were up 11.9 percent, to 67,140 over the 59,984 reported in the same period of 2008. MINI Brand Sales MINI USA reported sales of 4,872 automobiles, with minus 3.8 percent almost on par with the 5,063 cars sold in the same month of 2008. Year-to-date, MINI USA also reported sales of 25,757 automobiles, a decrease of 18.1 percent, compared to the 31,463 cars reported in the first seven months of 2008. "While not out of the woods yet, we are witnessing a gradual recovery in the marketplace," said Jim McDowell, Vice President of MINI USA. "We saw a significant up-tick in showroom traffic throughout the country, especially in the last week of July, with some help from the 'Cash for Clunkers' initiative and the Western and Central Regions exceeding July 2008 results."

[source: Mitsubishi Motors] Mitsubishi Motors Reports July Sales Increase August 3, 2009 --Cypress, Calif. -- Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) today announced July 2009 sales of 4,487, an increase of 11.1 percent over June sales, and year-to-date sales of 31,314. MMNA posted its third consecutive month of increased sales. July's volume leader was the fuel-efficient Lancer, with 1,712 sold, up 24.4 percent over last month. Sales of the Outlander CUV gained 39 percent over last month with 984 sold. Showroom traffic rose sharply in July as consumers began their comparison shopping with the start of the U.S. government's cash-for-clunkers rebate program. As expected, sales quickened after the program started. Mitsubishi has 15 models that qualify under the program's fuel efficiency guidelines. "We're cautiously optimistic that consumer confidence is returning, and that will precipitate incremental long-term growth," said John Koenig, executive vice president of operations for MMNA. Adding to the optimism is next month's arrival of the all-new five-door 2010 Lancer Sportback Ralliart and GTS. The Lancer Sportback gives buyers another intelligent choice for a crisp handling, economical and versatile Mitsubishi.

[source: American Suzuki] AMERICAN SUZUKI JULY 2009 SALES Automaker's sales increase 39 percent over previous month. 2009 Suzuki Auto Product Line Suzuki Auto's versatile line of vehicles includes the spirited four-door SX4 Sport, bold and functional five-door SX4 Crossover, exciting XL7 midsize crossover SUV, rugged Grand Vitara compact SUV and award-winning Equator pickup truck. Every vehicle in the line provides Suzuki's standout virtues of toughness, leading-edge style and high-end features at very competitive prices. All 2009 Suzuki automobiles are backed by America's #1 Warranty: a 100,000-mile/seven-year, fully transferable, zero-deductible powertrain limited warranty. JULY CYTD 2009 2008 MTD VS. 2009 2008 YTD VS. MTD PRIOR YR. YTD PRIOR YR. GRAND VITARA: 731 1,256 -42% 4,877 8,477 -42% XL7: 261 1,812 -86% 3,408 18,885 -82% EQUATOR: 438 0 0% 1,400 0 0% SX4: 1,985 2,595 -24% 12,612 20,605 -39% FORENZA/RENO: 92 2,439 -96% 3,607 16,303 -78% TOTAL: 3,507 8,103 -57% 25,915 64,350 -60%

[source: Nissan Motors] 08.03.2009 , Franklin, Tenn. NISSAN NORTH AMERICA ANNOUNCES JULY 2009 SALES Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA) today reported sales for July of 71,847 units versus 95,319 units a year ago, a decrease of 24.6 percent. Sales of Nissan Division vehicles decreased 24.8 percent, while sales of Infiniti vehicles decreased by 23.3 percent. NNA INFORMATION Combined sales for Nissan and Infiniti of 71,847 units, compared with last July's sales of 95,319 units, marked a decrease of 24.8 percent. To ensure consistency in our global sales reporting, Nissan North America calculates monthly variances on a straight-percentage basis, unadjusted for the number of selling days in the month. This July had 26 selling days, as did July 2008. NISSAN HIGHLIGHTS Nissan vehicles saw sales of 64,751 units in July compared with 86,070 units sold in July 2008, a 24.8 percent decrease. The all-new, uniquely styled 2009 cube® continued its strong launch with sales of 3,293 units in July. Sales of the Rogue compact crossover increased by 3.8 percent from a year ago with 6,770 units. The 370Z premium sports car experienced an 11.9 percent sales increase, with 890 units sold in July. INFINITI HIGHLIGHTS Infiniti sales for July were 7,096 units, down from 9,249 units a year ago, a decline of 23.3 percent. Sales of the G Coupe, which includes the all-new G Convertible, rose 0.9 percent in July versus one year ago. The Infiniti QX56 full-size SUV remains resilient, with sales up 0.4 percent with 553 units sold. In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program 2010, whose key priorities are reducing CO2 emissions, cutting other emissions and increasing recycling. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.nissanusa.com and www.infinitiusa.com.

[source: Toyota] TOYOTA REPORTS JULY SALES Click here for July 2009 sales chart TORRANCE, Calif. (August 3, 2009) – Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., today reported that July vehicle sales hit a new monthly high for the year and jumped 27.7 percent compared to June 2009. Sales of 174,872 vehicles trailed year ago levels and were down 11.4 percent from last July, on a daily selling rate basis. The CARS program generated significant incremental sales for TMS this month. "Beyond the tangible economic stimulus, the positive environmental benefits of the CARS program is clear to see," said TMS President Jim Lentz. "The program is achieving its goal of increasing fuel efficiency. CARS-related Toyota sales, over the seven days alone, will save customers an estimated 8 million gallons of gas and 20 million dollars in gas spending over the next year." The Toyota Division posted July sales of 156,355 units, a decrease of 10.8 percent from the same period last year. The Lexus Division reported July sales of 18,517 units, a decrease of 16.5 percent from the year-ago month. Toyota Division Toyota Division passenger cars recorded July sales of 102,665 units, down 10.6 percent from the same period last year. Camry and Camry Hybrid remained Toyota's volume leader in July, posting combined monthly sales of 33,974 units. The all-new redesigned Prius mid-size gas-electric hybrid posted best-ever July sales of 19,173 units, up 29.7 percent from the year-ago month. Corolla recorded sales of 29,593 units. Yaris reported sales of 5,483 units for the month. Toyota Division light trucks posted July sales of 53,690 units, down 11.1 percent from the year-ago month. Light truck sales were led by the RAV4 compact SUV with best-ever July sales of 15,912 units, up 32.5 percent over the same period last year. Highlander and Highlander Hybrid posted combined sales of 9,407 units, up 39.1 percent over July 2008. The Tacoma mid-size pickup reported sales of 12,552 units for the month, up 7.6 percent over July 2008. The Tundra full-size pickup recorded July sales of 6,313 units. Scion posted July sales of 6,754 units. The xB urban utility vehicle led the way with sales of 2,838 units. The tC sports coupe recorded sales of 1,939 units. The xD reported sales of 1,976 units for the month. Lexus Division Lexus passenger cars reported July sales of 9,904 units, a decrease of 25.1 percent from July 2008. Passenger car sales were led by the ES entry luxury sedan with July sales of 4,393 units. The IS entry luxury sport sedan posted combined sales of 4,029 units. The LS flagship luxury sedan recorded combined sales of 874 units. The GS luxury sport sedan reported combined July sales of 551 units. Lexus Division light trucks recorded July sales of 8,613 units, down 3.9 percent from the year-ago month. Lexus sales were led by the RX and RX Hybrid luxury utility vehicle, which posted combined July sales of 7,811 units, up 10.0 percent over last July. TMS Hybrids TMS posted July sales of 24,295 hybrid vehicles, up 19.3 percent from the same period last year. Toyota Division recorded sales of 22,853 hybrids for the month. Lexus Division reported July sales of 1,442 hybrids. There were 26 selling days this month and last July.

[source: American Honda] American Honda July Sales Top 114,000 Civic and CR-V post gains as company posts highest monthly sales result to date for 2009 American Honda Motor Co., Inc., posted total July vehicle sales of 114,690, a decline of 17.3 percent compared to July 2008 results, the company reported today. American Honda year-to-date sales of 645,468 represented a 30.7 percent decline based on the daily selling rate*. Sales of the fuel-efficient Honda Civic increased 3.1 percent to 30,037. Honda CR-V, a best-seller in the crossover utility vehicle segment, increased sales by 9.9 percent to 19,151. The Honda Division posted July sales of 106,028, a decline of 15.8 percent compared to last year's aggressive pace. "Strong interest from the CARS program increased dealership traffic late in the month and contributed to Civic and CR-V sales gains," said John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "July was our highest-volume month so far this year." The Acura Division posted July 2009 sales of 8,662, a decrease of 32.5 percent compared to last year's July sales. *The daily selling rate is calculated with 26 days for July 2009 and July 2008. The year-to-date daily selling rate is calculated with 178 days for 2009 and 179 days for 2008. All percentages represent the daily selling rate.

Source: GM FOR RELEASE: 2009-08-03 GM July Sales of 189,443 Marks Month-over-Month Sales Increase July month-over-month retail sales increase led by core brands: Chevrolet, GMC, Buick and Cadillac which were up 12 percent collectively compared with June Chevrolet led by the Camaro and the all-new Equinox had a year-over-year retail sales improvement All-new model pushes Chevrolet Equinox sales up 78 percent compared with July 2008 CARS (Cash for Clunkers) program driving showroom traffic to GM's strong portfolio of fuel-efficient new vehicles; Chevrolet Aveo total sales up 124 percent, crossovers Equinox and HHR up 164 and 36 percent respectively, Cobalt up 38 percent. GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado mid-pickup sales climb 38 percent compared with June DETROIT - General Motors dealers in the United States delivered 189,443 total vehicles in July, results in a month-over-month retail sales increase. The July total, when compared with a strong July last year and lower fleet sales this year, was down 19 percent compared with a year ago. Retail sales were down 9 percent while fleet sales declined 47 percent. However, when comparing GM's strong July retail sales with June, volume was up nearly 12,000 vehicles. Large pickup retail sales began to recover in July with a 16 percent increase compared with June, driving total GM truck retail sales improvements of 12 percent when compared with the prior month. "Our performance is being driven by the outstanding products in our core Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac and Buick brands. While still challenging, the market is firming and GM sales are still tracking ahead of what we projected in our reinvention plan," said Mark LaNeve, vice president, U.S. sales. "In July we are projecting our retail market share to exceed our year-ago performance. From great new products, like our Cadillac SRX and CTS Sport Wagon, Chevrolet Camaro and Equinox, to attractive financing and new leasing opportunities and to the Cash-for-Clunkers program that helps reduce the cost to buy a new vehicle - customers have unprecedented opportunities to get into a new GM car or truck. We anticipate an additional sales lift in August if Congress approves more funding for the wildly-popular Cash-For-Clunkers economic recovery program." Compared with last July, GM overall sales declined 45,741 vehicles driven largely by a planned reduction in fleet sales of 30,423 vehicles (down 47 percent). This drop in fleet sales was a direct result of a strategic decision to tightly control production and inventories that better enable GM dealers to reduce their stock of vehicles to align with market demand. Retail sales of 155,569 vehicles were down 9 percent. GM total truck sales in July were down 18 percent, and car sales of 83,736 were off 21 percent compared with a year ago. However, when compared with a year ago, GM total crossover sales of 39,937 were up 6 percent, driven by the strong performance of Chevrolet Traverse which contributed more than 6,600 sales. When compared with June's retail performance, there were several product highlights in GM's core brands to note: Chevrolet Aveo, Cobalt, Impala and Malibu contributed to a Chevrolet car retail increase of 8 percent. Chevrolet truck sales increased 27 percent, led by increases by Silverado, Suburban, Avalanche, Colorado, HHR and Equinox. GMC sales increased 8 percent, led by Sierra, Canyon and Yukon XL. Cadillac Escalade ESV sales increased 32 percent while Escalade sales increased 3 percent. "Assuming the Cash-For-Clunkers program stays in place, we look to continue this positive momentum in August," LaNeve said. "We offer twice as many vehicles that qualify for the Cash-For-Clunkers program than any other manufacturer - vehicles such as Chevrolet Aveo, Cobalt, Malibu, HHR, Silverado and GMC Sierra. Additionally, we have the best selection of crossovers in the industry with Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, Buick Enclave, and the all-new GMC Terrain, Chevrolet Equinox and Cadillac SRX. Clearly, GM dealers have the cars and trucks that customers demand." A total of 1,487 GM hybrid vehicles were delivered in the month. So far, in 2009, GM has delivered 9,836 hybrid vehicles. Non-core brand sales declined when compared with June as Pontiac dipped 7 percent; Saturn was down 21 percent, and HUMMER and Saab declined 26 percent. GM inventories dropped compared with a year ago, and dipped below the half-million mark as planned, to historically low levels. In July, GM dealers had an average 76 day supply of vehicles. At the end of July, about 466,000 vehicles were in stock, down about 281,000 vehicles (or 38 percent) compared with last year, and down approximately 20 percent compared with June. There were about 202,000 cars and 264,000 trucks (including crossovers) in inventory at the end of July. GM Certified Sales GM Certified Used Vehicles, Saturn Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles, Cadillac Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles, Saab Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles, and HUMMER Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles, combined sold 29,211 vehicles. GM Certified Used Vehicles posted July sales of 25,441 vehicles, down 29 percent from July 2008. Saturn Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles sold 829 vehicles, down 29 percent. Cadillac Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles sold 2,383 vehicles, down 35 percent. Saab Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles sold 371 vehicles, down 52 percent. HUMMER Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles posted an increase with 187 vehicles sold, up 16 percent. "We are confident in the new GM and are committed more than ever to sell our comprehensive line-up of cars, trucks, SUVs and crossovers, whether new or used. Our Certified Used Vehicles offer a worry-free purchasing experience - a tremendous value to our customers," LaNeve said. "GM's national network of dealers will continue to honor warranties on current and future General Motors Certified Used/Pre-Owned vehicles, which demonstrates the durability and reliability of our products. GM Certified offers wide-ranging and long-term warranties such as the 12-month/12,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and the industry-leading 100,000 mile/five-year (whichever comes first) limited powertrain warranty on the largest selection of Certified Used vehicles in the industry." GM North America Reports July 2009 Production; Initial Q3 2009 Production Forecast at 535,000 Vehicles, a significant improvement from Q1 and Q2 2009 levels. In July, GM North America produced 102,000 vehicles (39,000 cars and 63,000 trucks). This is down 136,000 vehicles or 57 percent compared with July 2008 when the region produced 238,000 vehicles (116,000 cars and 122,000 trucks). (Production totals include joint venture production of 11,000 vehicles in July 2009 and 14,000 vehicles in July 2008.) The region's 2009 third-quarter production forecast is initially set at 535,000 vehicles (210,000 cars and 325,000 trucks), which is down about 42 percent compared with a year ago. GM North America built 915,000 vehicles (436,000 cars and 479,000 trucks) in the third-quarter of 2008. However, Q3 2009 production volumes have substantially increased versus Q1 and Q2 2009 production volumes of 371,000 (up 44 percent) and 395,000 (up 35 percent), respectively.

Satty Congrats.