Nutson's Nuggets: Last Week's (July 30-August 5, 2012) Automotive News In Case You Were Dozing

Auto Central Louisville, KY August 5, 2012 Each week Larry Nutson, The Auto Channel's Chicago Bureau Chief, along with Steve Purdy and Thom Cannell from The Auto Channel Michigan Bureau give you easy to digest nuggets of the past week's automotive news you may have missed.

If you are a car nut like we all are, you can easily "catch up" on these stories as well as the past 16 years 1,347,234 automotive stories, articles, reviews, rants and raves by just searching for the subject you are interested in The Auto Channel's Automotive News Archive. Hey South Florida viewers, get out of the sun watch TACH-TV Over The Air on channel 44 Palm Beach (Cable 17 and 438) and 9 Miami and 32 Ft.Meyers-Naples, and let us know what you think! See you next week, LN

Automotive News July 30-August 5, 2012

* As another month came to a close auto industry sales slowed a bit. Overall sales were 1.15 million units, 8.9% above the same period a year ago. Honda and Toyota were very strong, up 45% and 26% respectively, while GM and Ford slowed due to a decline in rental car fleet sales. Hyundai and Kia showed modest increases but not what they've become used to. The Asian brand's numbers reflect the recovery from the tsunami that plagued them last year at this time. The industry is still on track to sell 14 million this year.

* More recalls this week include 770,000 MY 2006 to 2011 Toyota RAV4s and 2010 Lexus HS 250h (hybrid) because of rear suspensions that can fail. No details were given about whether any injuries or accidents have been caused by the defect.

* Chrysler sales were up a solid 13% for July, their best since 2007, before the crash. Chrysler sales bolstered overall profitability of the Fiat group. The European market is in a deep funk still.

* Last Sunday's Concours d'Elegance of America at St. John's was a big success. (See the story here on TAC) This is perhaps the third most prestigious event of its kind in the U.S. next only to Pebble Beach and Amelia Island. With over 300 vehicles on display and a multitude of classes and features the two big winners were: the 1933 Delage D8S Coupe Roadsterowned by the Patterson Collection of Louisville, KY, and the 1933 Chrysler Imperial Dual Cowl Phaetonowned by Joseph and Margie Cassini of West Orange, NJ. * A recent Chicago Tribune story points out that the federal government is investing heavily in electric car technology but natural gas vehicles will outnumber plug-ins nearly 2-to-1 by year end. Was the wrong technology chosen? The Federal Tax Credit for EVs is proposed to increase from $7500 to $10,000 and also to now be extended to other alternative fueled vehicles, including natural gas. Switching from a gasoline car and based on a certain assumptions, a CNG car offers more savings than a hybrid and an all-electric car is a loss.

* Recent findings by the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association show 9 out of 10 women are involved in their household's vehicle maintenance and repair decision-making process. Industry experts say that 65-70% of the customers taking cars in for service and repair are women. The landscape of the traditional male-oriented and male-dominated dealership is changing.

* Edmunds.com reports that stick-shift cars are making a comeback. This year they have accounted for 7% of sales, which could be the highest since 2006 if the trend continues. Sticks were 3.9% in 2011. The increased popularity of small cars is creating the spike. But, things may change in the long run. Today 64% of 2012 cars come only with automatic compared to 48% ten years ago. Automatics today are better and many offer better fuel economy than a manual. In 15 to 20 years stick-shifts may be totally gone.

* All the fuss over the GM CMO Joel Ewanick's abrupt departure and the talk over the vetting of his deal with Manchester United Ltd. British soccer team had some wondering about the upcoming U.S. IPO of this Glazer family privately owned team. The IPO is very unpopular in the UK and a group of 180,000 fans doesn't want U.S. banks to underwrite it. Reports have it that the Glazers are just using Manchester United as a cash cow. Just saying.

*And, in NASCAR Penske Racing released suspended driver A.J. Allmendinger after he tested positive for a banned amphetamine.