The Week's Hot Auto Industry Stories

08/16/96

Dealer net profits fell 17% in 1995. Dealers lost $22 more per new car for an average profit per car of $122.

-------------------------------------------------- Congress tosses out auto luxury tax. Tax goes on a declining scale and will be gone, gone, gone by 2003. -------------------------------------------------- Jaguar heads for Mexico and will team up with Ford (parent company) of Mexico to sell 300 cars in 1997. -------------------------------------------------- 1998 VW Beetle will carry a sticker price under 13 grand. 23,000 are pre-sold and it will go up against Dodge/Plymouth Neon. -------------------------------------------------- Nissan will build a new sport utility vehicle in 1998. 2 and 4 wheel drive aimed at Jeep Wrangler. -------------------------------------------------- Ferrari announces F550 to be successor to Testarossa. V-12, 200MPH, $215,000. -------------------------------------------------- Child airbag deaths under scrutiny by the Feds. New transportation spending bill asks 300 grand for research. -------------------------------------------------- Chrysler fined $25,000 in Arkansas seat belt suit. Missing documents are the question. -------------------------------------------------- Tennessee lady sues GM over window glass. Kimberly Leonard, Bristol, Tennessee, says side window glass should be safety glass. -------------------------------------------------- Redline Muldoon's "It's Getting TACH-y" returns to the Auto Channel next week. All the dirt that's fit to print ! --------------------------------------------------

Bill Maloney -- The Auto Channel