Financing also comes from Silicon Valley venture capitalists Ray Lane and John Doerr of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, said The News-Star newspaper in Monroe. Louisiana businessman James Davison, who owns the former plant, told the newspaper he is also an investor.

The plant most recently was operated by Guide Corp. The company was formed in 1906 as an automotive lamp-repair company. It later became GM's Delphi Lighting unit and was spun off in 1998, a year before GM and Delphi Corp. separated.

The program puts Audi engineers together with students to imagine the future of the brand as a sporty, premium brand with unique technology and eye-catching designs. The result is a selection of design concepts for Audi to draw from, but more importantly an engaged student base interested in working for Audi in the future. That's all well and good, but we want to get our hands on that S1 Quattro inspired race-car concept. Is it getting hot in here?

The news comes just two weeks after we reported GM's unable to find a buyer for its quirky Swedish brand. Both companies are said to be excited about the deal, GM because it wants rid of the brand as it moves towards a more slimmed-down, government-sanctioned product portfolio and Saab because it’ll finally be able to develop its own new products free of GM’s badge engineering.

Those new products are still a ways off, however. The first step towards independence would see Saab moving production of the forthcoming 2010 Saab 9-5 from the Opel factory in Russelsheim, Germany to its headquarters in Trollhattan. While excessively expensive — requiring $100 million, some of which would come from the Swedish Government — the move is seen as key to reestablishing Saab as a Swedish brand made in Sweden. The Trollhattan facility is also currently operating at only around half its 170,000 cars-per-year capacity, so the move would be an economic stimulus for the Swedish economy.

9-3 Convertible production would also return to Sweden from Magna Steyr in Austria, but the upcoming Saab 9-4X SUV will still be produced in Mexico. A sensible move given its US-biased sales.

So what? You’re probably asking yourself. GM-based Saab’s are hardly the stuff of a reborn from jets brand. We agree with you, but a return to domestic ownership and the ability to conduct its own R&D and design future products like the long overdue 9-3 replacement are exactly what the brand needs. Whether or not it can spin an injection of capitol from the government together with a partially refreshed product portfolio to survive long enough to actually develop all-new products remains to be seen.
[via Autocar and Trollhattan Saab]

Here's the press release:

GM Reports 221,983 Deliveries in December; 2,980,688 Vehicles Sold in 2008

* December deliveries up 30 percent compared with October and up 43 percent compared with November
* Market share in December expected around 24 percent, up about 4 ppts compared with November, reflecting renewed APR rate support through GMAC
* Second half 2008 share up nearly 2 ppts compared with first half
* 2008 market share position anticipated to hold steady at just above 22 percent

DETROIT – General Motors dealers in the United States delivered 221,983 vehicles in December, down 31 percent compared with a year ago. However, total deliveries were 67,000 vehicles more than November’s result, up more than 43 percent month over month. GM December car sales of 87,506 were off 25 percent and truck sales of 134,477 were down 35 percent compared with a year ago.

For the year, GM delivered 2,980,688 vehicles while maintaining an expected market share just above 22 percent. Annual deliveries were down 23 percent compared with 2007, largely due to building weakness in the marketplace throughout the year spurred by economic headwinds such as the dramatic reduction in credit availability experienced in the fourth quarter, coupled with historically low levels of consumer confidence. Additionally, the American Axle strike and several supply disruptions impacted GM’s performance in the first half of the year.

“Given the ongoing challenges and the difficult market environment, we were very encouraged to see a volume rebound for GM in December compared with both October and November,” said Mark LaNeve, vice president, GM North America Vehicle Sales, Service and Marketing. “We are building more vehicles than ever that provide great value and Americans enjoy owning. That is why, for the year, we are seeing our market share holding steady at just above 22 percent. That’s 5 percentage points more and 760,000 vehicles more than our nearest competitor.

“Our outstanding cars, trucks and crossovers are enabling us to hold the leadership position in a very difficult market. Our Red Tag Event was well-received, and the ability to offer some 0% financing through our partner GMAC in the last week of the month also helped,” LaNeve added.

Despite the weak market in December, Chevrolet Malibu continued its solid performance with total sales up 43 percent compared with last December. For 2008, Malibu sales of more than 178,000 vehicles were up 39 percent, making it the highest percentage gainer in the top 20 vehicles sold in America with a volume increase compared with 2007. With its six-speed transmission and four-cylinder engine combination, the Malibu delivers an EPA-estimated 33 mpg highway – tops in the industry’s mid-car segment. The Malibu Hybrid also offers the lowest-priced hybrid in the segment. Additionally, with 4,500 retail vehicles delivered, the Chevrolet Traverse crossover nearly doubled its retail volume compared with November.

“We’re really pleased about the strength of our Chevrolet brand, with the Malibu continuing to perform very well, and the Traverse crossover off to a strong start,” LaNeve added. “Also, with a harsh winter and lower gas prices, our trucks and SUVs are continuing to perform well in their segments. With GMAC now able to provide more financing capacity, and with all the exciting new car and crossover launches including the Cadillac CTS Sportwagon and SRX, Chevy Camaro and Equinox, and Buick LaCrosse in 2009, we are optimistic that with an overall market recovery we can begin to capitalize on the well-recognized product renaissance of all our brands.”

A total of 2,555 GM hybrid vehicles were delivered in the month. Hybrid sales included: 981 Chevrolet Tahoe, 442 GMC Yukon and 306 Cadillac Escalade 2-mode hybrid SUVs delivered. There were 454 Chevrolet Malibu, 34 Saturn Aura and 338 Vue hybrids sold in December. In 2008, GM sold a total of 14,439 hybrid vehicles.

GM inventories dropped compared with a year ago. In December, only about 872,000 vehicles were in stock, down about 36,000 vehicles (or 4 percent) compared with last year. There were about 397,000 cars and 475,000 trucks (including crossovers) in inventory at the end of December.

Certified Used Vehicles

December 2008 sales for all certified GM brands, including GM Certified Used Vehicles, Cadillac Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles, Saturn Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles, Saab Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles, and HUMMER Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles, were 43,070 vehicles, up 21 percent from December 2007.

GM Certified Used Vehicles, the industry’s top-selling certified brand, posted December sales of 37,632 vehicles, up 24 percent from December 2007. Saturn Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles sold 888 vehicles, down 24 percent. Cadillac Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles sold 3,740 vehicles, up 11 percent. Saab Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles sold 548 vehicles, up 14 percent, and HUMMER Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles sold 262 vehicles, up 85 percent.

Total 2008 sales for all certified GM brands were 485,279 vehicles, down 5 percent from 2007. Annual sales for GM Certified Used Vehicles were 422,114 vehicles, down 6 percent. Saturn Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles sold 11,573 vehicles in 2008, down 9 percent. Cadillac Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles finished 2008 with sales of 41,598 vehicles, up 7 percent from 2007, while Saab Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles posted sales of 7,705 vehicles, up 6 percent, and HUMMER Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles sold 2,289 vehicles, up 71 percent.

“December sales for certified GM programs were strong, with GM Certified Used Vehicles up 24 percent over last December, as shoppers continue to seek value and peace of mind in a challenging economy,” said LaNeve. “GM Certified finished 2008 as the sales leader among all manufacturer-certified pre-owned brands for the seventh consecutive year, and our Cadillac, Saab and HUMMER luxury certified brands each posted strong year-to-year sales increases.”

GM North America Reports December, 2008 Production; Q1 2009 Production Forecast at 420,000 Vehicles

In December, GM North America produced 249,000 vehicles (105,000 cars and 144,000 trucks). This is down 3,000 vehicles or 1 percent compared with December 2007 when the region produced 252,000 vehicles (71,000 cars and 181,000 trucks). (Production totals include joint venture production of 10,000 vehicles in December 2008 and 15,000 vehicles in December 2007.)

GM North America built 823,000 vehicles (371,000 cars and 452,000 trucks) in the fourth-quarter of 2008. This is down 219,000 vehicles or 21 percent compared to fourth-quarter of 2007 when the region produced 1.042 million vehicles (358,000 cars and 684,000 trucks). Additionally, the region’s 2009 first-quarter production forecast is now 420,000 vehicles (143,000 cars and 277,000 trucks),which is down about 53 percent compared with a year ago, and about 180,000 fewer than the previous forecast. GM North America built 885,000 vehicles (360,000 cars and 525,000 trucks) in the first-quarter of 2008. First quarter 2008 production was reduced nearly 100,000 vehicles due to the strike at American Axle.

General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world’s largest automaker, has been the annual global industry sales leader for 77 years. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 252,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in Detroit, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 34 countries. In 2007, nearly 9.37 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, Vauxhall and Wuling. GM’s OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services. More information on GM can be found at www.gm.com.

Note: In this press release and related comments by General Motors management, we use words like "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "forecast," "objective," "plan," "goal" and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements, representing our current judgment about possible future events. We believe these judgments are reasonable, but actual results may differ materially due to a variety of important factors. Among other items, such factors might include: market acceptance of our products; shortages of and price increases for fuel; significant changes in the competitive environment and the effect of competition on our markets, including on our pricing policies; our ability to maintain adequate liquidity and financing sources and an appropriate level of debt; and changes in general economic conditions. GM’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly report on Form 10-Q provide information about these factors, which may be revised or supplemented in future reports to the SEC on Form 10-Q or 8-K.

# # #

Ford spokesman Wes Sherwood told the Detroit News that Ford's research showed parents would be more likely to let teens use their vehicles with My Key. If it gets them the car more often, the number of teens objecting drops by nearly half. Of course, since a My Key crack will be available on the web about three minutes after the first one hits the showroom floor, we're pretty sure most teens aren't sweating the idea too much. In the meantime, the new feature seems like a smart way for Ford to score sales consideration points with the parents actually doing the car buying. Press release follows.

DEARBORN, Mich., Oct. 6, 2008 – Ford Motor Company is introducing an innovative new technology – called MyKey – designed to help parents encourage their teen-agers to drive safer and more fuel efficiently, and increase safety-belt usage.

Ford's MyKey feature – which debuts next year as standard equipment on the 2010 Focus coupe and will quickly become standard on many other Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models – allows owners to program a key that can limit the vehicle's top speed and audio volume. MyKey also encourages safety-belt usage, provides earlier low-fuel warnings and can be programmed to sound chimes at 45, 55 and 65 miles per hour.

"Ford not only offers industry-leading crash protection and crash avoidance systems, we also are committed to developing new technologies such as MyKey that encourage safer driving behavior," said Susan Cischke, Ford group vice president of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering. "MyKey can help promote safer driving, particularly among teens, by encouraging seat belt use, limiting speed and reducing distractions."

MyKey is appealing to parents of teen drivers, including 75 percent who like the speed-limiting feature, 72 percent who like the more insistent safety-belt reminder, and 63 percent who like the audio limit feature, according to a recent Harris Interactive Survey conducted for Ford.

About 50 percent of those who would consider purchasing MyKey also said they would allow their children to use the family vehicle more often if it were equipped with the new technology. The added seat time can help teens build their driving skills in a more controlled setting, complementing graduated licensing laws that give young drivers more driving freedom as they get older.

More than half of parents surveyed worry that their teen-age children are driving at unsafe speeds, talking on hand-held cell phones or texting while driving, or otherwise driving distracted. More than a third of parents also are concerned that their teens do not always buckle their safety belts when driving.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), teens are more likely to take risks such as speeding – a contributing factor in 30 percent of all fatal crashes. Teens also are less likely to wear safety belts than older drivers.

Teens surveyed by Harris said they are largely open to MyKey if it means they will have more freedom to drive. Initially, 67 percent of teens polled said they wouldn't want MyKey features. However, if using MyKey would lead to greater driving privileges, only 36 percent would object to the technology.

"We've upgraded an existing, proven technology – the SecuriLock passive anti-theft system – with some simple software upgrades to develop a new unique feature that we believe will resonate with customers," said Jim Buczkowski, director, Electrical and Electronic Systems Engineering – the same team that developed SYNC in partnership with Microsoft. "We also developed MyKey's functions in such a way to quickly spread it across multiple vehicle lines, giving us the ability to go mass market in the spirit of other Ford innovations such as safety belts, stability control and SYNC."

Holding the key

The MyKey system allows the parent to program any key through the vehicle message center, which updates the SecuriLock™ passive anti-theft system. When the MyKey is inserted into the ignition, the system reads the transponder chip in the key and immediately identifies the MyKey code, which enables certain default driving modes, including:

* Persistent Ford Beltminder™ with audio mute. Ford's Beltminder system typically provides a six-second reminder chime every minute for five minutes. With MyKey, the Beltminder chime continues at the regular interval and the audio system is muted until the safety belt is buckled. A message center display "Buckle Up to Unmute Radio" also appears on the instrument cluster.

* Earlier low-fuel warning. Rather than a warning at 50 miles to empty, MyKey provides a warning at 75 miles to empty.

* If MyKey is in the ignition, features such as Park Aid and BLISTM (Blind Spot Information System) with Cross Traffic Alert cannot be deactivated.

Additional MyKey features that can be programmed through the vehicle's message center setup menu:

* Limited top speed of 80 mph
* Traction control system, that limits tire spin, cannot be deactivated
* Limited audio volume to 44 percent of total volume
* A speed alert chime at 45, 55 or 65 mph

Using MyKey to teach teens to avoid speeding can provide an added benefit – improved fuel economy. Ford research shows that driving 55 mph instead of 65 mph consumes 15 percent less fuel, and mastering other eco-driving habits such as avoiding jackrabbit starts and excessive idling can help improve fuel economy by more than 50 percent.

Safety is the key

MyKey is just one way that Ford is helping teens drive more safely. Ford Motor Company Fund's Driving Skills for Life (DSFL) program helps young motorists master four critical driving skills – hazard recognition, vehicle handling, space management, and speed management – that help address the majority of dangerous driving conditions. More than 3,000 teens have participated in DSFL ride-and-drive events. And more than 500,000 people have used the training course since 2003 on www.drivingskillsforlife.com.

[Ford via Detroit News]

DEARBORN, Mich., Nov. 1 - Ford Motor Company's (NYSE:F) all-new crossovers continued outpacing the competition in October, achieving their highest monthly sales to date.

Combined sales of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury crossover vehicles in October were 36,852, up 145 percent compared with a year ago. Year-to-date through October, crossover vehicles were up 59 percent, the largest increase of any major manufacturer.

Ford Edge sales were 14,133 and Lincoln MKX sales were 3,787. Over the last six months, the Ford Edge has been the top-selling mid-size crossover vehicle in the U.S. The redesigned Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner crossovers posted higher sales than a year ago. Escape sales were 12,174, up 27 percent. Mariner sales were 2,554, up 19 percent.

"Our new and redesigned crossovers continue to surprise and delight customers, demonstrating that Ford is building more products people really want," said Mark Fields, president, The Americas. "We're building quality into the Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX and are equipping them with features rivaling the best in the business, including SYNC, our industry-first in-car connectivity technology that fully integrates Bluetooth-enabled cell phones and MP3 players into customers' daily drives."

In October, Lincoln continued winning. October marked the 13th straight month of higher sales for the premium brand. The month's sales totaled 10,229, up 17 percent compared with a year ago, with retail sales up even more - 38 percent. Lincoln's next new product will debut at the Los Angeles International Auto Show later this month.

The company's mid-size sedans also contributed to the strong retail showing. Total sales for the Ford Fusion were up 13 percent, Mercury Milan 45 percent, and Lincoln MKZ 29 percent.

Land Rover dealers reported record October sales of 4,237, up 6 percent.

In October, Ford reduced sales to daily rental companies by 12,000 units, a 38 percent decline compared with last October. Year-to-date, Ford sales to daily rental companies were 142,000 units lower than the same period a year ago, reflecting planned reductions.

North American Production

In the second half of 2007, the company plans to produce 1,282,000 vehicles in North America, an increase of 2,000 vehicles from the plan announced on Sept. 4. Third-quarter actual vehicle production was 637,000 units, a reduction of 3,000 vehicles from the previously announced plan. Fourth-quarter estimated production is 645,000 units, an increase of 5,000 vehicles from the previously announced plan. [Ford Media].

According to BMW honcho Norbert Reithofer, the trick to succeeding in the global marketplace as a German-based company can be summed up in a deceptively simple sentence: "It's all about mastering complexity." Such, then, is the cost of delivering Bruce to the people and existing as a serious component of a newly resurgent economic engine in Deutschland, a nation that saw 2.8% economic growth last year, despite notoriously stringent labor laws and a strong euro. Time dives headlong into the highly-precise morass of German industry. – Davey G. Johnson

BMW Drives Germany [Time]

Related:
BMW to Volvo? Ford Says It's a No-Go [Internal]

Igor was kind enough to send over a bit from Ward's detailing FoMoCo's possible plan for a revitalized SVT, including Fusion and Edge models. Makes sense to us, considering there's already a Mazdaspeed 6 they could cannibalize for parts. Apparently, their will be some kind of SVT truck of type unknown to sell alongside the SVT-badged GT500 Mustang.

Ford Mulls Fusion, Edge SVT Models [Ward's Autos]

Related:
Oh My God! They Killed SVT! You Bastards! [Internal]

Edmunds Inside Line is reporting a technology alliance beween Toyota and GM is set to end next week, and that the two will indeed part as rivals for the position of #1 automaker. The deal, which was struck in 1999, has produced... wait for it... nothing. Toyota reportedly couldn't deal with GM's constant whining, while GM felt Toyota was a self-centered workaholic and would it hurt if it brought home flowers just once? It's not like every gas station in town doesn't sell them now.

Breakup Time for General Motors and Toyota on Tech Alliance [Edmunds]

Related:
GM and Toyota Agree to Stronger Partnership on Eco-Friendly Technologies [internal]

VW's Chairman Pi ch bargained with his own corporate life late last week, when he gave up his post at VW in return for supervisory board spots for Porsche's CEO Wendelin Wiedeking and CFO Holger H rter. Considering Porsche is now Volkswagen's largest single shareholder — having purchased 18.5 percent of VW's shares in late 2005 — the move eliminates charges of conflict of interest between the Pi ch and the Porsche sides since the purchase (Pi ch's uncle Ferdinand founded Porsche, and Pi ch still sits on the board there) and thwarts attempts by directors to limit little Porsche's influence over the much-larger VW. Pi ch will step down in 2007 when his current contract expires, but remain on the board at Porsche. Now, industry watchers are asking whether Porsche's "dream team" will be distracted by concerns with a turnaround at ailing VW and screw the pooch, as they say in Stuttgart.

VW dispute ends in deal: Porsche heir to step down [International Herald Tribune]

Related:
Porschewagen Denies Plans to Further Increasing Share of VW [internal]

Big surprise that fat-cappy press, Forbes isn't in favor of imposing Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards to dictate automakers' fleet-wide gas mileage. This past Tuesday, Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta outlined the government's plan to alter mileage standards for all light trucks sold in the US.

The plan would split the market, requiring the smallest and lightest such vehicles to increase average mileage to 28.4 mpg by 2011, while the largest and heaviest would be pegged at 21.3 mpg. (Those over 8,500 lbs. would be exempt.) Forbes advocates for the ol' supply and demand trick: with gas prices rising, market forces will provide all the incentive automakers need to produce fuel-efficient vehicles, defying critics who say the government's plan doesn't go far enough to conserve fuel. We have to agree with this one, and not because we're free-market fat cats, either. It's just that political solutions always first consider the needs of those who have the most influence on policymakers, and guess who that's not. Yeah, us.

We Don't Need No Stinking CAFE [Forbes]

Related:
Fuel Economy Dot Gov: Bush Administration Proposes Slightly Higher Standards [internal]

With retail margins on gasoline so thin it takes stores full of cheap hot dogs, slushies and lottery tickets to give gas stations any income at all, it's no secret the loss-leading business is open to getting severely messed with. While warehouse stores have been in the gas business for years, the latest corporate retail giant to get involved is Home Depot. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, Home Depot is entering the retail gas business, adding pumps to four stores in Nashville, Tenn. later this year. The pumps will likely be a convenience service for customers, particularly contractors, who get to skip a stop after loading up on sheetrock and scads of those yellow plastic power tools. Plus, the chain will likely be able to incorporate "free gas" into its promotions, a particularly potent come-on these days, especially for customers who haul tons of of crap in their V8-powered light trucks. [Thanks to Zerin for the tip.]

Related:
Green Corn? Ethanol's British Thermal Unit Woes [internal]

We've always thought the Nissan Quest's interior was well done, conceptually, but then again, we don't have kids to lug from playdate to playdate like Lynyrd Skynyrd on a revival tour of Six Flags'. We also don't have to jam our narra' asses into its uncomfortable seats for hours on end (heh heh), nor do we have to remove the seats to fill the thing with Sunday mulch. Despite strong sales overall, The Quest is a sore patch for Nissan, selling only half of the number projected (22,673 from its 2004 launch through June 2005). AutoWeek talked to Nissan designer Shiro Nakamura, who said it's the Quest's more-radical- than-practical interior that's kept sales from meeting expectations. Will a pending redesign be a return to traditional family values?

Nissan blames slow Quest sales on radical interior [AutoWeek]

Related:
New Infiniti Crossover in the Offing for 2008 [internal]