Topic: U.S. auto sales slip; Ford reduces debt; Another safety issue hits ToyotaTuesday

[Enkei]

slip
U.S. auto sales slipped in June from the previous month. U.S. auto sales slipped to 11.08 million vehicles in June, down from 11.6 million in May. Chrysler reported a 35 percent sales increase; Ford sales were up 13 percent; GM posted an 11 percent sales increase, the same gain recorded by Nissan. Toyota up 7 percent; Honda up 6 percent and Hyundai bucked the trend with a 35 percent sales gain.
Source: ABC News

Ford reduces debt
Ford has reduced its debt by more than $4 billion - primarily by retiring debt owed to the UAW Retiree Medical Benefits Trust ahead of schedule.
Source: Dealer magazine

Another safety issue hits Toyota
Sales of the 2010 Lexus HS250h hybrid sedan are halted due to concern over possible fuel spill found during crash tests.
Source: Businessweek

2011 Ford Explorer to feature new Curve Control system
The redesigned 2011 Ford Explorer will have another layer of safety equipment when it goes on sale this year.
Source: Detroit Autos Examiner

PT Cruiser cruises into history
The last Chrysler PT Cruiser will roll off the assembly line this month signaling the end of the line for a historic and beloved little car.
Source: Detroit Free Press

Last PT Cruiser will roll off assembly line July 9
BY MARK PHELAN
FREE PRESS COLUMNIST
The last Chrysler PT Cruiser will roll off the assembly line in less than two weeks, signaling the end of the line for a historic and beloved little car.


   
 



The PT Cruiser's history is the story of what Chrysler does brilliantly -- create unique, desirable new vehicles -- and of the failure to build on success that has repeatedly brought the company to its knees.
The PT Cruiser went on sale in 2000, during the SUV craze. Despite that, the compact sedan's quirky styling and useful interior made it a sensation. It helped establish Chrysler as a design leader, sold far beyond the automaker's expectations and became one of the rare American small cars that's an undisputed hit.
"For a while, it was the best-selling Chrysler-brand vehicle," said Jim Hall, managing director of 2953 Analytics, a Birmingham consultancy.
When production ends July 9, Chrysler will have sold more than 1.3 million PT Cruisers. The PT was one of the first modern retro vehicles, coming after the VW Beetle and Plymouth Prowler, but before the Mini Cooper, Chevrolet HHR, Ford Thunderbird and Fiat 500. Beyond the original sedan, the lineup grew to include a turbocharged performance model, a convertible, and more than a dozen special editions.
It's a tribute to the car's appeal that it remained popular through the years although Chrysler never refreshed its looks and features.
"It's plugged along and still has a loyal fan base," Hall said.
If Chrysler executives had followed up on the PT's initial success, they could have turned the car into an icon for the company. Instead, they left it alone as a singular sensation that bore no relationship to any other Chrysler vehicle.
Chrysler didn't capitalize on the PT. The automaker would repeat that mistake four years later, when the Chrysler 300C took the market by storm. Once again, Chrysler found itself unprepared for success. There was no follow-up to build on the momentum of a hit car.
The PT had brushes with extinction when Daimler and Cerberus ran Chrysler. It won reprieve after reprieve because people kept buying it.
With sales at just 5,452 this year, the PT Cruiser has finally run its race.

Sold! RM Auctions buys Indiana complex from Kruse
RM Auctions has bought the Kruse International Auction Park in Auburn, Ind., from financially troubled auctioneer Dean Kruse.
Source: Automotive News

Women opt for Beetles, small SUVs
Women prefer to purchase small cars and crossovers, typically from international automakers. That's the finding of a study of 13 million U.S. vehicle registrations over the past two years by TrueCar.com. Source: Detroit Free Press

Industry news
Direct Communications, Inc. (DCi) forms strategic alliance: DCi joins with WebLink Solutions Corporation providing retailers, jobbers and warehouse distributors on the Activant? Automotive System with turnkey online stores giving them a one-stop solution to sell over 5 million performance parts, accessories or replacement part numbers on the Internet. Demo available at www.WebLinkCatalogRack.com

$95 makes big difference in helping kids
Each year Victory Junction builds Pinewood Derby cars to race at the annual SEMA Pinewood Drags. Sponsoring a car (or cars) is quick and easy!

Trucking Times E-News green & growing
Tesla IPO
What it means for the green car biz Tesla's performance on the stock market will deliver a signal about the degree of public confidence in electric vehicles and the role that IPO's will play in financing next-gen cars.
Source: Reuters

Have green news to share? pr@terrykohl.com

[MyBigToy]

Go Ford!

Sorry guys, but I've got several shares of Ford stock that I'd like to see bring me some money. I'm just about at break-even right now. I might hold onto it if they start paying dividends again since the main reason I bought it in the first place is because they were paying a great dividend.

[DaveP]

I GOT BANNED FOR SPAMMING 

[bluedevil]