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January 2008

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Thursday, January 3, 2008

GM Certified Used Vehicles Offers Special Rate Incentive Financing on Select Vehicles

GM Certified Used Vehicles Offers Special Rate Incentive Financing on Select Vehicles

GMAC 2.9% APR or 3.9% APR Available for Well-Qualified Buyers on 2003-2008 Malibu, Impala, Trailblazer, Envoy Models DETROIT - GM Certified Used Vehicles, the industry's top-selling manufacturer-certified used vehicle brand*, today announced a new nationwide GMAC rate incentive program on select GM Certified Used Vehic ... Continue reading

GM Reports 323,453 December 2007 Deliveries; 3.87 Million Vehicles Sold in 2007

GM Reports 323,453 December 2007 Deliveries; 3.87 Million Vehicles Sold in 2007

GM Reports 323,453 December Deliveries; 3.87 Million Vehicles Sold in 2007 December Retail Sales up 1.5 Percent; Retail Car Deliveries Up 15 Percent Combined Retail Share For The Past Five Months Up Year-Over-Year Chevrolet Malibu Retail Sales Up 99 Percent; Cadillac CTS Up 51 Percent In December Enclave, OUTLOOK and A ... Continue reading

Ford SYNC Sales Reach 30,000 in 2007; One Million SYNC Vehicles to be on the Road in Early 2009

Ford SYNC Sales Reach 30,000 in 2007; One Million SYNC Vehicles to be on the Road in Early 2009

- Ford's award-winning SYNC system - developed with Microsoft - topped 30,000 sales in 2007, making it one of the fastest growing new products in the auto industry today. - 1 million SYNC-equipped vehicles will be on road in 2009. - Ford expands effort to deliver the connected car and will begin pioneering a new era of ... Continue reading

Total Chrysler LLC December 2007 Sales Up 1 Percent on the Strength of Retail; Demand for Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan Continues to Grow

Total Chrysler LLC December 2007 Sales Up 1 Percent on the Strength of Retail; Demand for Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan Continues to Grow

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Jan. 3 -- -- For 2008, Chrysler to offer six vehicles with 28 miles per gallon or better highway fuel economy -- 2007 Jeep(R) Wrangler sales surpass 100,000 units with an all-time sales record of 119,243 units -- Chrysler brand truck sales rise 7 percent in December over 2006 based on the success o ... Continue reading

Subaru Reports December 2007 and Year-End Sales

Subaru Reports December 2007 and Year-End Sales

Company posts highest-ever recorded Subaru Impreza month and year-end totals CHERRY HILL, N.J., Jan. 3 -- Subaru of America, Inc. today reported December sales of 18,739 units for the month and a total of 187,208 total units for the year. Sales of the Subaru Impreza led the charge, posting highest-ever month and year-e ... Continue reading

Acura Announces 2007 Year End Sales Results

Acura Announces 2007 Year End Sales Results

Light Trucks Post Record Year TORRANCE, Calif., Jan. 3 -- For a second consecutive year Acura light trucks posted record year-end sales, eclipsing 2006 by 29.1 percent. December sales of 5,906 MDX luxury SUVs and 2,263 RDX turbocharged crossover SUVs represent a significant rise over November and generate year-end sale ... Continue reading

Hyundai Motor America Records Ninth Consecutive Year-Over-Year Sales Increase

Hyundai Motor America Records Ninth Consecutive Year-Over-Year Sales Increase

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Jan. 3 -- Hyundai Motor America today announced its best-ever December with sales of 46,487 units and best ever annual sales of 467,009 for 2007. This marked the ninth year in a row of rising sales. "We feel good closing the year with increased sales and market share over year-ago figures," sai ... Continue reading

Kia Motors America Announces 2007 - 14th Consecutive Year of Record Sales

Kia Motors America Announces 2007 - 14th Consecutive Year of Record Sales

IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 3 -- Kia Motors America (KMA) today announced its 14th consecutive year of record sales with 305,473 units sold, a 3.8-percent year-over-year increase. Kia saw nine months of record sales in 2007. Leading the way for the brand in 2007 were Rio, Optima and Sportage, which ended the year with its bes ... Continue reading

Nissan North America Announces December 2007 Sales

Nissan North America Announces December 2007 Sales

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Jan. 3 -- Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA) today reported sales of 89,555 units in December, a 2.4 percent decrease from the prior year. Nissan Division sales declined by 2.2 percent over last year for the month, while Infiniti Division sales decreased by 3.5 percent versus the prior year. NNA finishe ... Continue reading

American Honda Posts 11th Consecutive Year of Record Sales in 2007

American Honda Posts 11th Consecutive Year of Record Sales in 2007

Increased CR-V, Civic, Fit and all-new Accord sales help propel Honda to its best sales year ever TORRANCE, Calif., Jan. 3 -- American Honda Motor Co., Inc., today announced record sales results for the 11th consecutive year. Sales from both Honda and Acura Divisions totaled 1,551,542 and pushed American Honda annual s ... Continue reading

2007 Was Mitsubishi's Best Sales Year Since 2004

2007 Was Mitsubishi's Best Sales Year Since 2004

CYPRESS, Calif., Jan. 3 -- Mitsubishi Motors announced today that calendar year 2007 (CY07) sales were 128,993, an 8.8% increase compared to 2006 and Mitsubishi's best sales year since 2004. In December, sales of the fuel-efficient Lancer sedan were 1,537, up 49.4 percent, marking the ninth monthly sales increase for L ... Continue reading

Volvo Cars Reports Sales Up 9.6 Percent for December

Volvo Cars Reports Sales Up 9.6 Percent for December

IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 3 -- Volvo Cars of North America, LLC. (VCNA) reports increased sales in the United States of 9.6 percent for December, compared to same period last year. For the year U.S. sales were down 8.4 percent, with a total of 106,354 units sold. * Volvo sales of the all-new XC70 and V70 made a strong showi ... Continue reading

Mercedes-Benz Rings in 2008 With Record Sales

Mercedes-Benz Rings in 2008 With Record Sales

MBUSA Sets All-Time Record with Sales of 253,433 for 2007 MONTVALE, N.J., Jan. 3 -- December sales of 27,301 boosted Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) to the highest annual volume in its history. The 253,433 vehicles sold by MBUSA in 2007 mark the 14th consecutive year of annual sales growth in the U.S. market. The C-Class -- ... Continue reading

BMW Group (BMW and Mini) Reports 7.1 Percent Increase in 2007 Sales

BMW Group (BMW and Mini) Reports 7.1 Percent Increase in 2007 Sales

2007 marks BMW Group's 16th year of continuous growth in the U.S. WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J., Jan. 3 -- The BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) today reported its best-ever annual sales for both its brands of 335,840 vehicles, an increase of 7.1 percent over the 313,603 vehicles sold in 2006. December sales for bot ... Continue reading

Mazda Reports December and 2007 Year-End Sales; Both Best Since 1994

Mazda Reports December and 2007 Year-End Sales; Both Best Since 1994

- December U.S. Sales up 25.2 Percent; CY '07 U.S. Sales up 10.2 Percent - IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 3 -- Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today announced its best December sales total in the U.S. since 1994, with 24,933 units sold, up 25.2 percent over December 2006. CY '07 also marks Mazda's best sales year in the U ... Continue reading

RACING BUSINESS (DAYTONA, FLA.) - XPEL Technologies Corp. (TSXV:DAP.U) announces official partnership with the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series

RACING BUSINESS (DAYTONA, FLA.) - XPEL Technologies Corp. (TSXV:DAP.U) announces official partnership with the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series

XPEL Technologies Corp. (TSXV:DAP.U) announced today an official partnership with the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series and designation as official category partner of Grand-Am. This three year contract commences in 2008 through the completion of the 2010 season. XPEL is also proud to be the sponsor of the XPEL Daytona ... Continue reading

GRAND AM (DAYTONA, FLA.) - Chassis Constructors Unveil New Grand-Am Daytona Prototype Bodywork In Time For January Test Days

GRAND AM (DAYTONA, FLA.) - Chassis Constructors Unveil New Grand-Am Daytona Prototype Bodywork In Time For January Test Days

The January Test Days for the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 officially gets underway Friday, but the new bodywork was unveiled a day early as Riley, Lola and Coyote rolled chassis off of transporters to prepare for the three-day test leading into the 46th running of the Rolex 24 ... Continue reading

SCCA (TOPEKA, KS.) - Club Racing National Season Begins This Weekend

SCCA (TOPEKA, KS.) - Club Racing National Season Begins This Weekend

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SCCA Club Racing National Season Begins This Weekend TOPEKA, Kan. (Jan. 3, 2008) - Shine up your helmet, mount those tires and hitch up the trailer, the 2008 Sports Car Club of America Club National racing season kicks off this weekend. The Central Florida Region hosts the first Club National race ... Continue reading

RACING VENUES (TALLADEGA, ALA.) - Talladega Keeps Its Crown As The King of Speed and Competition

RACING VENUES (TALLADEGA, ALA.) - Talladega Keeps Its Crown As The King of Speed and Competition

If history tends to repeat itself, then race fans looking to experience the thrill of NASCAR’s fastest racing should book their tickets now for Talladega Superspeedway’s 2008 race season. The results from 2007 are in and Talladega tops the charts in all three of NASCAR’s racing series; Sprint Cup, Nation ... Continue reading

SPECIAL EVENT (DUSSELDORF, GDR) - Henkel Expands Dakar Rally Sponsorship

SPECIAL EVENT (DUSSELDORF, GDR) - Henkel Expands Dakar Rally Sponsorship

DUESSELDORF, Germany and GULPH MILLS, Pa., Jan. 3 -- Sandy dunes, stony ground and rapid rivers -- more than 500 competitors from all over the world will step up on January 5, 2008 for the starting signal of the world's toughest off-road race, the Euromilhoes Dakar Rally. Extending its commitment for the fourth year wi ... Continue reading

SKIP BARBER (LAKEVILLE, CONN.) - Skip Barber National publishes 2008 schedule

SKIP BARBER (LAKEVILLE, CONN.) - Skip Barber National publishes 2008 schedule

The BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National Presented by Mazda has released its 2008 schedule, a 14-race championship that opens mid-March. All seven Skip Barber National race weekends . there are two 30-minute races per weekend, plus practice and qualifying . are in support of major spectator shows. The opener is at the Sebri ... Continue reading

2008 Toyota RAV4 Review

2008 Toyota RAV4 Review

An engine can make or break a car. ... Continue reading

2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Review

2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Review

Unlike smaller hybrid cars that offer readily apparent fuel economy benefits, the case for hybrid sport-utility vehicles is less clear-cut. ... Continue reading

Crossovers, Lincoln Highlight Ford's 2007 Sales Performance; Further Growth Expected in 2008

Crossovers, Lincoln Highlight Ford's 2007 Sales Performance; Further Growth Expected in 2008

- Ford, Mercury and Lincoln crossover utility vehicles paced the industry's fastest-growing segment with a gain of 62 percent in 2007; Ford Edge challenged entrenched foreign models for supremacy among mid- size crossovers. - Ford's Farley: "Ford Edge is a great example of our plan to build products people really want ... Continue reading

2008 Toyota Camry Solara Review

2008 Toyota Camry Solara Review

Usually, the two-door variants within a model line are flashier and sportier than their four-door counterparts. ... Continue reading

Debunking the Secret World of Rental Cars: Author Reveals Easy-to-Follow Tips to Save Time, Money and Frustration on Car Rentals

Debunking the Secret World of Rental Cars: Author Reveals Easy-to-Follow Tips to Save Time, Money and Frustration on Car Rentals

MILWAUKEE, Jan. 3 -- Renting a car can be an overwhelming experience. Knowing the right questions to ask can make the process run much smoother. From nine years experience working as an agency operator for one of the largest car rental companies in the world, Bob Minelli reveals money- saving techniques and strategies ... Continue reading

2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid Review

2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid Review

Other than better fuel economy, people buy hybrids for a number of reasons. ... Continue reading

Toyota Reports 2007 and December Sales

Toyota Reports 2007 and December Sales

TORRANCE, Calif., Jan. 3 -- With 12 consecutive years of record-breaking sales, Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., today reported best-ever year-end sales of 2,620,825 vehicles, up 2.7 percent over 2006. "Great products and value drive a volatile market and put the consumer in the driver's seat," said TMS Presiden ... Continue reading

GM Asks the World: 'What's Next?'

GM Asks the World: 'What's Next?'

DETROIT, Jan. 3 -- What should power the world's vehicles in 20 years? How can personal transportation become more sustainable in an age of increasing global competition for resources? What role will the automotive industry play in developing markets? Decisions on issues like these will largely shape transportation in ... Continue reading

Chevy General Manager Ed Peper to Speak About New Alternative Fuel Projects

Chevy General Manager Ed Peper to Speak About New Alternative Fuel Projects

Motor Press Guild's First Meeting of the Year January 8, 2008 LOS ANGELES, Jan. 3 -- The Motor Press Guild (MPG), America's largest professional automotive media association, announces Ed Peper, General Manager of General Motors' Chevrolet Division will be the featured speaker at the year's first luncheon. On Tuesday, ... Continue reading

GRAND AM (DAYTONA, FLA.) - Stars From The World Of Motorsports To Ring In the New Year with the Grand-Am Rolex Series

GRAND AM (DAYTONA, FLA.) - Stars From The World Of Motorsports To Ring In the New Year with the Grand-Am Rolex Series

Superstars from around the world of motorsports will ring in the new year with the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 this weekend, as 64 Daytona Prototype and GT machines are scheduled to visit the “World Center of Racing” January 4-6 for the January Test Days in preparatio ... Continue reading

TEAM REPORTS (MOORESVILLE, NC.) - CASSILL & EARNHARDT JR. TO DRIVE 21 RACES IN 'GUARD CAR'

TEAM REPORTS (MOORESVILLE, NC.) - CASSILL & EARNHARDT JR. TO DRIVE 21 RACES IN 'GUARD CAR'

The Army National Guard will continue its involvement in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2008 with a 21-race primary sponsorship of the No. 5 Chevrolets with drivers Landon Cassill and Dale Earnhardt Jr. The team will be fielded by JR Motorsports in partnership with Hendrick Motorsports. Cassill, 18, will pilot 19 even ... Continue reading

Audi Sets U.S. Sales Record

Audi Sets U.S. Sales Record

- Audi sales during 2007 top 93,500, up 3.8% - Audi dealers increased sales in key markets - Three all-new vehicles aided Audi's growth: Audi TT, S5 and R8 - Audi CPO sales highest ever - More all-new vehicles and technology coming in 2008 AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Jan. 3 -- Audi of America, Inc. set a sales record in the U ... Continue reading

INDYCAR (INDIANPOLIS, IN.) - SERIES NOTES

INDYCAR (INDIANPOLIS, IN.) - SERIES NOTES

1. IndyCar Series bids Clarke adieu: Robert Clarke, who has been the guiding force at Honda Performance Development since its inception in 1993, began a new chapter with the company Jan. 2 that will allow a smooth transition for his successor, Erik Berkman. Clarke, a 27-year Honda associate, will hold the executive adv ... Continue reading

SPECIAL EVENT: Chevrolet Unveils Two Unique '08 Corvette Indy 500 Pace Cars - VIDEO ENHANCED

SPECIAL EVENT: Chevrolet Unveils Two Unique '08 Corvette Indy 500 Pace Cars - VIDEO ENHANCED

Two-time Indy 500 Champion Emerson Fittipaldi to Drive Corvette Z06 E85 Concept Pace Car at 92nd Indianapolis 500 INDIANAPOLIS – January 3, 2008: Known for their charismatic designs and superior performance, the pack-leading pace cars share a special place in Indianapolis 500 lore. History will be made at the 2008 ... Continue reading

Audi Production Successfully Launched in India

Audi Production Successfully Launched in India

• Indian market vital to Audi’s growth strategy • First locally assembled Audi A6 cars received by Indian customers • Audi to invest around 30 million euros by 2015 • Assembly of the new Audi A4 to follow starting in late 2008 MUMBAI/INGOLSTADT - January 3, 2008: Audi continues to make its mark ... Continue reading

2008 NAIAS: BMW X5 xDrive35d and BMW 335d To Make US Debut

2008 NAIAS: BMW X5 xDrive35d and BMW 335d To Make US Debut

BMW Advanced Diesel with BluePerformance. Performance + Outstanding Efficiency WOODCLIFF LAKE, NJ - January 3, 2008: Entering a new era in the company’s mission to deliver ultimate driving machines that combine superior performance with exemplary fuel economy, the BMW Group will debut two vehicle models equipped w ... Continue reading

Environmentalists Sue to Challenge EPA Ruling on Clean Cars

Environmentalists Sue to Challenge EPA Ruling on Clean Cars

Groups Join States in Legal Effort to Reduce Global Warming Pollution from Autos SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Five nonprofit groups today filed a lawsuit challenging the December 19th decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to deny California its request to implement its landmark ... Continue reading

AAA Tips for Frigid Weather

AAA Tips for Frigid Weather

DEARBORN, Mich., Jan. 2 -- Preparing now for the frigid temperatures predicted over the next few days will help keep your vehicle on the road, advises AAA Michigan. As of 4 p.m. today (Jan. 2) AAA's Emergency Road Service has assisted more than 4,149 motorists since midnight and call volumes are expect to remain high d ... Continue reading

Shanghai GM's Dongyue Plant Produces 150,000th Car

Shanghai GM's Dongyue Plant Produces 150,000th Car

SHANGHAI - January 3, 2008: Shanghai GM's Dongyue production unit in Shandong province has recently rolled off its 150,000th car, a blue-colored Chevrolet Lova, local Chinese media reported. Established in February 2003, the Dongyue production unit was invested in a 50-25-25 ratio by Shanghai GM, the Shanghai Automotiv ... Continue reading

Ford Sold Over 6,000 Mondeo Zhisheng Vehicles in China Within A Month

Ford Sold Over 6,000 Mondeo Zhisheng Vehicles in China Within A Month

SHANGHAI - January 3, 2008: In less than one month after being launched in Chinese, Ford Mondeo Zhisheng has sold 6,000 vehicles in Chinese market, a pretty satisfactory sales record for a newly launched vehicle, according to Jeffrey Shen, president of Changan Ford Mazda. Mondeo Zhisheng produced by Changan Ford Mazda ... Continue reading

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