VenSeattle

It's okay... however, I did read the responses... and yes, it does kind of look like a Honda Camry.

The Japanese and Germans are building and selling cars in the US market that are competitive globally. GM is finally doing the same.

Toyota hasn't kept every name in the book alive... Corona & Cressida come to mind immediately. Toyota wouldn't sell a car called "Crown" in the US market either.

As for GM, Saturn still got the "Aura" instead of "Vectra". The "Aura" name will probably be kept instead of calling it "Insignia". We'll have to wait and see.

There really isn't any lasting warmth or appeal to the name "Cobalt." If GM can find a name that will spark some emotional association with non-car interests or at least with other cars in the Chevrolet line-up, I say go for it.

The name fits in with the theme expected from the potential micro triplets.

If Honda can sell a FIT, Chevrolet can sell a CRUZE. The name should be fine.

#4 -

Oh, Chrysler Debt payments starts in 2010 .

That could be their saving grace... but GM and Ford have been predicted to return to profitability by 2010. I haven't read anywhere that Chrysler can or will.

With them burning $4+ Billion a year, Chrysler will still be bankrupt by 2010 without additional investment, spin-off, sell, etc.

Of course. There are still sources within NA operations for GM to squeeze cash from. I was only indicating the international source which Chrysler doesn't have available. GM is bigger than the NA market... Chrysler LLC isn't.

It is an interesting point about Cerberus, GMAC, and GM.

The car looks larger in these pics. Definitely the LWB EPII.

It doesn't look like the sloping rear roofline will cut into headroom as originally thought.

Here Ven, did ya read this? I think after your sensationalistic thread title it pretty well sums up the situation.

:AH-HA_wink:

You gotta do what you gotta do I guess......

LOL

.

I didn't contribute any of the sensationalism... that was the title of the article in Business Week. It's kind of funny that a day after my post in the other topic this article comes out and states where GM could come up with most of the $15 billion you were commenting on. Where can they find the money? Yep, overseas operations... duh...

.

It’s also funny that Autoblog mentioned today the same point I made last week…

.

Most automakers are struggling with horrible US market conditions right now, but unlike competitors such as Toyota and Ford, Chrysler doesn't have sales in other areas of the world to fall back on… With sales down in the states by 28% in June, Chrysler appears to be in the most trouble of the Detroit automakers in the near term.

.

Chrysler is in trouble and you can’t pretend that’s not the case. I agree with the articles coming out that Chrysler is in a worse position than GM or Ford. Chrysler's new RAM truck will not help matters… When are the LX replacements due - 2010/2011? Chery vehicles are 2-3 years off. What is Chrysler LLC to do while they cut models, trim levels, and idle plants? Well, Automotive News indicated yesterday that:

.

Chrysler is trimming its new product budget, with only one major launch scheduled in each of the next four years. Such a schedule means Chrysler will trail its competitors.

.

Some things to consider:

.

Nardelli's comment near the end of 2007 -

.

“Someone asked me, ‘Are we bankrupt?’” Nardelli told The Wall Street Journal. “Technically, no. Operationally, yes. The only thing that keeps us from going into bankruptcy is the $10 billion investors entrusted us with.”

.

How much cash they had on hand at the beginning of 2008:

.

Chrysler closed last year with $9 billion in cash, Nardelli told CNBC in an interview after the conference on Tuesday, adding that the company was "still in very good shape."

.

The above does not include the $2 billion just tapped. What if Chrysler does burn through $4 billion this year... does anyone know how much it would cost Chrysler to recover from bankruptcy protection?

.

I can’t see a total of $11 Billion floating Chrysler LLC between 2008-2011 until the new Chrysler-developed products, Chery compacts, & Nissan-Renault deal start paying returns.

Faced with soaring gas prices, a sputtering economy and a rapid U.S. market shift away from trucks, the U.S. auto industry's weakest player, Chrysler, may have to file for bankruptcy or sell its storied Jeep and Dodge Ram brands as early as next year, JPMorgan said Thursday.

But rivals GM and Ford are likely to get through the rough patch and turn a profit in 2010.

JPMorgan auto analyst Himanshu Patel dismissed the possibility of an imminent bankruptcy at GM, saying in a conference call with investors and media that such fears "are completely overblown." The day before, GM shares slid to a 54-year low after Merrill Lynch auto analyst John Murphy wrote in a note to investors that a GM bankruptcy "is not impossible if the market continues to deteriorate and significant incremental capital is not raised."

GM shares rose 14 cents, or 1.4 percent, to close at $10.12 in abbreviated trading Thursday due to the Independence Day holiday.

Patel said the situation at Chrysler LLC is far more perilous because it has limited assets to raise cash and is more heavily reliant on trucks and on the North American market. Chrysler sales fell 22 percent in the first six months of this year.

Chrysler has had to release little financial information since the private-equity company Cerberus Capital Management LP bought it last year, but Patel estimated the automaker will burn through $4 billion this year and could be forced to file for bankruptcy protection or sell off parts of its business in the second half of 2009 if industry conditions don't improve.

Patel said it's difficult to predict the most likely outcome for Chrysler, but he said South Korean or Chinese automakers covet Chrysler's U.S. distribution network. A bankruptcy filing could be a hit to Cerberus, which invested $6.1 billion in Chrysler as part of its acquisition and also backed a $500 million line of credit that Chrysler tapped last month.

"These are untested waters," Patel said.

Chrysler spokesman David Elshoff declined to comment, but earlier this week, Chrysler President and Vice Chairman Tom LaSorda denied that Cerberus planned to sell Chrysler in pieces.

"Hogwash, absolutely not being considered at all," he said. "Absolutely no relevance. I don't even want to entertain those questions."

Patel predicted GM will burn through $18 billion in 2008 and 2009 as it struggles with depressed U.S. sales -- which Patel predicts will be at their lowest levels since 1993 -- and a rapid change away from trucks and sport utility vehicles. GM has $24 billion in cash and $4.6 billion in credit on hand, he said, so it doesn't need to raise more money immediately. But he predicted the automaker will try to raise another $10 billion in the third quarter of this year by mortgaging trademarks, international operations and other assets.

Murphy estimated GM needs to raise $15 billion and warned that cash is becoming increasingly scarce in the stressed capital markets. But Patel said GM shouldn't have difficulty raising the money.

"I don't think (lenders) are agnostic to the ripple effects of a GM bankruptcy," Patel said. "The argument that GM is too big to fail definitely works in its favor here."

Patel estimated GM will lose $6.9 billion this year and $4.3 billion in 2009 before swinging to a profit of $2.3 billion in 2010.

GM spokeswoman Renee Rashid-Merem said GM is confident it has enough cash to get through 2008 and has already announced several cost-cutting actions, such as idling four full-size truck plants and putting off the redesign of new trucks to focus on cars. She said the company is considering further measures, including obtaining more financing.

Ford, which mortgaged its blue oval logo and other assets in 2006 to borrow up to $23.4 billion for its restructuring, is in the best position cash-wise and can easily weather two years of a down market and swing to a profit in 2010, Patel said.

"Ford simply is not anywhere near as stressed on the balance sheet as GM is," he said.

Ford shares rose 6 cents to $4.42.

Aaron Bragman, an auto analyst with the consulting company Global Insight, said Wall Street's views on the Detroit Three vary widely because of the uncertainty in the marketplace. The companies' turnaround plans were based on the false assumptions that the economy would come back and gas prices would fall in the second half of this year.

"Everyone is tweaking their business plans," he said. "They simply need cash and they need time, and unfortunately there's a lot less of either of those things now than anyone had thought there would be."

Still, Bragman said bankruptcy is not a likely option for any U.S. automaker.

"The disruption to everything would be absolutely undesirable," he said.

The power grid is powered by whatever powers it--it's not locked into one fuel, like ICEs are. That's the advantage--it's much more diversified, no more monopolies. In the long run the power grid will be much cleaner.

Exactly. It is GM's responsibility to deliver a vehicle that doesn't depend on oil. It is the State and Federal Government's responsibility to provide a cleaner power grid.

IMO the new 7-series exterior looks like a Lexus with a BMW grille. It's that conservative.

Overall, the interior is nice. Nothing really extraordinary. It's more inviting than the last generation. I see they moved the shifter back to the center console... another BMW blunder corrected.

The only glaring interior issue is that the steering wheel looks terribly cheap for a car in this class. The wood placement looks awkward and like an afterthought. It has no bright work what so ever. Infiniti, Lexus, Cadillac, and Audi all have far more detailed and refined steering wheels with multiple materials and textures.

Depends, Subaru completely reskinned the Tribecca.

That's different. All Subaru did was use the tooling and parts from the aborted SAAB version for the reskinned Tribecca.

...Basically, everyone wants Buick to offer its customers the choice of a LaCrosse or Lucerne model with a V8 engine option, but without having to pay for the optional equipment that comes standard with the Super models. I agree that Buick should build such models for their loyal customers.

The Lucerne CXL Special Edition has the NorthStar V8 available.

Most of you cannot read sarcasm... Yes, Chrysler's overseas operations are negligible at best... pretty much non-existent depending how you view it. What you see in North America is what you get with Chrysler LLC.

My point was North America doesn't show the full picture at Ford or GM. GM & Ford have far more resources available globally.

As for CMG's comment about GM's need of $15 billion for the US Market... See my point above... GM doesn't have to find the $15 billion within NA.

If Chrysler was in the same situation (or is Chrysler in the same situation?) where would Chrysler run for another $15 Billion? Chrysler only has Cerberus left now that they've borrowed the $1.5 billion from Daimler. Do you think Cerberus would be willing to invest $15 billion?

Here's some information on the issue provided by BusinessWeek last week:

Morgan said Chrysler had to exercise the credit line before Aug. 3 under terms of Cerberus' purchase in August 2007 of an 80 percent stake in Chrysler from Daimler.

The borrowing of $1.5 billion from Daimler and $500 million from Cerberus is not an indication that the company is having cash flow problems, Morgan said.

Chrysler has insisted that it ended last year with $9 billion in cash and is exceeding its financial targets.

But sales through the first five months of this year are down 19 percent from the same period last year, and sales of its flagship Ram pickup truck are down 27 percent through May. U.S. light vehicle sales are down more than 8 percent.

Pete Hastings, senior analyst with Memphis, Tenn.-based Morgan Keegan & Co., said he thought the rumors were fueled by a Fitch Ratings report Wednesday downgrading Chrysler and General Motors Corp. to "B-" from "B."

The ratings agency said the outlook for both companies was negative and said that if sales next year remain flat with depressed 2008 numbers, "negative cash flows could result in Chrysler's liquidity position reaching minimal required levels in late 2009."

Hastings said he does not think the bankruptcy rumors have any merit in the short term.

"U.S. automakers have liquidity through 2008," he said. "Beyond that is a question mark."

Chrysler is vulnerable. For a Chrysler fan to sit here and argue "GM is worse" is pointless. The fate of these two companies are not tied to each other. Their situations are different. Restating my point again, GM & Ford just have far more resources available than Chrysler.

1) 2

2) Yes

Chrysler LLC's domestic sales are in freefall...

Can't Chrysler LLC lean on foreign markets like Ford and GM until the US market recovers?

2008 Suzuki Auto Product Line

Suzuki Auto’s versatile line of vehicles includes the spirited four-door SX4 Sport, bold and functional five-door SX4 Crossover, exciting XL7 midsize crossover SUV, rugged Grand Vitara compact SUV, popular Forenza sedan and Forenza Wagon, and the European-styled Reno. Every vehicle in the line provides Suzuki’s standout virtues of toughness, leading-edge style and high-end features at very competitive prices. All 2008 Suzuki automobiles are backed by America’s #1 Warranty: a 100,000-mile/seven-year, fully transferable, zero-deductible powertrain limited warranty.

About Suzuki Auto

The Brea, Calif.-based Automotive Operations of American Suzuki Motor Corporation was founded in 1985 by parent company Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) and currently markets its vehicles in the United States through a network of approximately 500 automotive dealerships in 49 states. Based in Hamamatsu, Japan, SMC is a diversified worldwide automobile, motorcycle and outboard motor manufacturer with sales of more than two million new automobiles annually. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, SMC has operations in 192 countries and regions. For more information, visit www.media.suzukiauto.com.

.................................June                   CYTD
                          2008   2007  % Change  2008   2007  % Change
                          ----- ------ -------- ------ ------ --------
GRAND VITARA:               893  2,245     -60%  7,221 10,990     -34%
XL7:                      1,822  2,013      -9% 17,073 13,077      31%
SX4/AERIO:                3,663  1,368     168% 18,084  8,144     122%
FORENZA/RENO:             3,406  4,550     -25% 13,864 24,524     -43%
OTHER:                        1    149       0%      6    753     -99%
TOTAL:                    9,785 10,325      -5% 56,248 57,488      -2%

IRVINE, Calif., July 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Kia Motors America (KMA) today
announced its best June ever with record sales of 28,292 units, an increase
of 7.6 percent over the same period last year, and year-to-date sales of
157,619 units, an increase of 2.1 percent over the same period last year.
For the just completed quarter, the company reported sales of 89,405 units.

Kia's June record sales were led by Spectra and Optima, with 7,131 and
6,865 units sold respectively. Small car Rio and family vacation favorite
Sedona also had strong sales with 3,337 units and 3,719 units respectively,
both increases over the same period last year.

"As the economy continues to fluctuate, consumers are turning to
vehicles that are known for value and quality," said Byung Mo Ahn, group
president and CEO of KMA and Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia (KMMG).
"Thanks to a strong marketing plan and the hard work of the Kia dealer
network, Kia continues to have success during this difficult economic
time."

Kia Motors America (KMA) is the sales, marketing and distribution arm
of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea. KMA offers a
complete line of vehicles through more than 640 dealers throughout the
United States. For 2007, KMA recorded its 14th consecutive year of record
U.S. sales. Kia Motors subscribes to a philosophy of building high value,
high quality, safe and dynamic vehicles. Kia Motors prides itself on
producing vehicles that are exciting and enabling and evoke the Kia tagline
"The Power to Surprise."

Kia Motors America is the "Official Automotive Partner of the NBA."
Information about Kia Motors America and its full vehicle line-up is
available at its Web site -- http://www.kia.com. For media information,
including photography, visit http://www.kiamedia.com.

MONTH OF JUNE                YEAR-TO-DATE
    Model        2008      2007             2008          2007
    Rio          3,337     3,173           20,961        16,240
    Spectra      7,131     6,946           42,957        37,154
    Optima       6,865     3,106           28,808        20,781
    Amanti       1,117       326            2,090         4,340
    Sportage     2,001     4,069           19,252        24,157
    Sorento      1,950     2,466           11,257        18,539
    Sedona       3,719     2,063           16,320        23,185
    Rondo        2,172     4,139           15,974         9,996

    Total       28,292    26,288          157,619       154,392

Best Overall Sales Month Since August 2006

HERNDON, Va., July 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Volkswagen of America, Inc. today

announced June 2008 sales of 23,208 units, a 0.3 percent increase over the

June 2007 sales of 23,137 vehicles. On a year-to-date basis, 2008

Volkswagen sales remain 0.6 percent ahead of 2007 sales through June.

June reflects Volkswagen's best sales month since August 2006. The

Passat wagon had its best sales month since January 2007 with sales up 25.9

percent over June 2007. Volkswagen's innovative coupe-convertible-sunroof

Eos continues to be a summertime top-seller with sales of 1,632 unites, up

14 percent over last June.

About Volkswagen of America, Inc.

Volkswagen of America, Inc. recently announced Electronic Stabilization

Program (ESP) as standard equipment on all its 2009 model year vehicles. As

a result, Volkswagen is one of the only original equipment manufacturers to

offer an electronic stabilization control system on its entire product line

-- ahead of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA)

deadline requiring stabilization systems in the 2012 model year vehicles.

Volkswagen's ESP technology works in conjunction with anti-lock brakes and

helps reduce loss of control, rollovers and other types of crashes. NHTSA

predicts nearly 10,000 lives could be saved each year if all vehicles had

stabilization systems as standard equipment.

Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc. is headquartered in

Herndon, Virginia. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, headquartered in

Wolfsburg, Germany. Volkswagen is one of the world's largest producers of

passenger cars and Europe's largest automaker. Volkswagen sells the Rabbit,

New Beetle, New Beetle convertible, GTI, Jetta, GLI, Passat, Passat wagon,

Eos, and Touareg through approximately 600 independent U.S. dealers. Visit

Volkswagen of America online at vw.com.

---------- YEAR-TO-DATE ------
    VW-US Snapshot
                            June-   June-           June-    June-
                             08      07   Yr/Yr %   08 YTD   07 YTD   Yr/Yr %
                           Actual  Actual  change   Actual   Actual   change

    New Beetle - Coupe      1,855   1,637   13.3 %   8,233    8,049     2.3 %
               -
    Convertible             1,536   1,489    3.2 %   6,848    7,129    -3.9 %

         Total New Beetle   3,391   3,126    8.5 %  15,081   15,178    -0.6 %

    Jetta Sdn               8,698   9,804  -11.3 %  46,113   49,973    -7.7 %

       SportWagen             275       -    0.0 %     275        -

              Total Jetta   8,973   9,804   -8.5 %  46,388   49,973    -7.2 %

    Eos                     1,632   1,431   14.0 %   8,266    6,625    24.8 %

    Golf                        -       -    N/A         -       21  -100.0 %

    Rabbit                  2,542   3,134  -18.9 %  11,795   12,158    -3.0 %

    GTI                     1,270   1,562  -18.7 %   6,372    7,770   -18.0 %

    R32                       285       -    N/A     2,203        -     N/A

       Total Golf/Rabbit/
        GTI/R32             4,097   4,696           20,370   19,949     2.1 %

    Passat Sdn              2,821   3,015   -6.4 %  16,179   15,346     5.4 %

                  Wgn         690     548   25.9 %   3,613    3,762    -4.0 %

             Total Passat   3,511   3,563   -1.5 %  19,792   19,108     3.6 %

    Phaeton                     -       1 -100.0 %       -       17  -100.0 %

    Touareg                   560     516    8.5 %   3,904    4,030    -3.1 %

    Tiguan                  1,044       -    N/A     1,723        -     N/A

                   TOTAL   23,208  23,137    0.3 % 115,524  114,880     0.6 %

The Company Reports Another Month of Increased Sales

CHERRY HILL, N.J., July 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Subaru of America, Inc. today

reported June sales of 18,007 total units resulting in the company having

another month of increased sales.

The 2009 Subaru Forester continues its strong sales start, up 41

percent over the same period last year, while the Subaru Legacy maintains

its increase in sales, up 19 percent over the same period last year.

Model                   2008 June        % v 2007

    Total Legacy              2,339            +19%

    Total Outback             4,704            -14%
     (incl. Legacy Wagon)

    Total Impreza             4,053            - 2%

    Total Forester            5,830            +41%

    Total Tribeca             1,081            -19%

    Total                    18,007            + 5%

Test drove a 2009 Nissan Maxima SV w/ Cold package and Technology package today... Amazing. CVT performs very well. The interior is well put together. The materials are definitely Infiniti hand-me-downs. The new Maxima is also much more attractive in person.

It has a lot of character, features, and style for the price. The one I drove was around $36k. The one I'd purchase would be $38.5k.

Let's see how the Invicta stands up in pricing, performance, style, and features. Jeff knows that's what I'm holding out to determine.

Saw a new Hyundai Genesis on the road today... not bad looking, if a little anonymous.

Test drove a loaded Hyundai Azera Limited with the Ultimate Navi package last week. Not a bad car in itself, but has no emotional appeal at all.

Tops 50,000 sales for the first time ever
Best sales month in its history
Genesis begins arriving in dealerships

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., July 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Motor America
today announced sales of 50,033 for the month of June, a 1.3 percent
increase over the same record-setting period last year and best sales month
ever.

"As consumers continue to shift to smaller cars, our most
fuel-efficient vehicles -- Accent, Elantra and Sonata -- continue their
upward trend with increases of 70 percent, 51 percent and 12 percent
respectively over last year," said Dave Zuchowski, Hyundai Motor America's
vice president of national sales. "We are very pleased with our
record-setting results for June, breaking the 50,000 mark, and look forward
to building on this trend."

All Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by The Hyundai
Advantage, America's Best Warranty. Hyundai buyers are protected by a
10-year/100,000-mile power train warranty, a 5-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-
bumper warranty, a 7-year/unlimited-mile anti-perforation warranty and 5
year/unlimited-mile roadside assistance protection.

Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a
subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed
throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and
serviced through almost 800 dealerships nationwide.

CARLINE            JUNE/2008      JUNE/2007        CY2008         CY2007

    ACCENT                6,914          4,067         28,184         18,926
    SONATA               16,875         15,080         65,927         67,658
    ELANTRA              14,482          9,617         61,978         49,932
    TIBURON                 979          1,670          4,967          7,395
    SANTA FE              5,863          8,460         37,410         44,372
    AZERA                 1,745          1,807         11,443         12,539
    TUCSON                1,964          3,639         11,747         20,350
    ENTOURAGE               499          3,479          3,032         11.946
    VERACRUZ                682          1,549          6,348          3,477
    GENESIS                  30            n/a             30            n/a
    TOTAL                50,033         49,368        231,066        236,595

For those who may want to 'cut & paste' the figures for personal use...

American Honda Vehicle Sales For June 2008

                                 Month-to-Date             Year-to-Date
                             June     June    DSR**    June     June    DSR**
                             2008     2007   % Chg.    2008     2007   % Chg.
    American Honda Total   142,539  140,935   13.8%  798,358  766,929    4.8%
      Total Car Sales       97,639   81,827   34.2%  496,359  434,560   15.0%
      Total Truck Sales     44,900   59,108  -14.5%  301,999  332,369   -8.5%
        Honda Total Car
         Sales              89,947   71,564   41.4%  452,335  382,330   19.1%
        Honda Total
         Truck Sales        40,136   52,605  -14.2%  268,109  293,059   -7.9%
        Acura Total Car
         Sales               7,692   10,263  -15.7%   44,024   52,230  -15.2%
        Acura Total
         Truck Sales         4,764    6,503  -17.6%   33,890   39,310  -13.2%
    Domestic Car Sales *    71,463   67,179   19.7%  369,256  350,295    6.1%
      Honda Division        68,009   60,958   25.5%  345,575  319,260    8.9%
      Acura Division         3,454    6,221  -37.5%   23,681   31,035  -23.2%
    Domestic Truck Sales *  36,849   42,127   -1.6%  233,870  234,619    0.3%
      Honda Division        32,085   35,624    1.3%  199,980  195,309    3.1%
      Acura Division         4,764    6,503  -17.6%   33,890   39,310  -13.2%
    Import Car Sales        26,176   14,648  101.0%  127,103   84,265   51.8%
      Honda Division        21,938   10,606  132.7%  106,760   63,070   70.4%
      Acura Division         4,238    4,042   18.0%   20,343   21,195   -3.4%
    Import Truck Sales       8,051   16,981  -46.7%   68,129   97,750  -29.8%
      Honda Division         8,051   16,981  -46.7%   68,129   97,750  -29.8%
    MODEL BREAKOUTS BY
     DIVISION
    Honda Division Total   130,083  124,169   17.9%  720,444  675,389    7.4%
      Fit                   10,003    5,613  100.5%   39,787   23,769   68.5%
      Accord *              39,704   28,915   54.5%  205,862  182,346   13.6%
        Memo:  Accord
         Hybrid                  7      342  -97.7%      191    2,044  -90.6%
      Civic *               39,967   36,512   23.1%  204,961  173,800   18.7%
        Memo:  Civic
         Hybrid              2,710    3,246   -6.1%   19,032   17,141   11.8%
      S2000                    273      514  -40.2%    1,719    2,402  -28.0%
      Insight                    0        0                0        3
      FCX                        0       10                6       10
      Odyssey  *            12,602   15,516   -8.6%   72,589   80,338   -9.1%
      Pilot *                7,282   10,371  -21.0%   55,476   66,632  -16.2%
      CR-V *                15,794   19,715   -9.9%  104,811  104,179    1.3%
      Element *              2,211    3,163  -21.4%   15,834   19,891  -19.9%
      Ridgeline              2,247    3,840  -34.2%   19,399   22,019  -11.3%
    Acura Division Total    12,456   16,766  -16.4%   77,914   91,540  -14.3%
      RSX                        0        4                1      291  -99.7%
      TL *                   3,454    6,221  -37.5%   23,681   31,035  -23.2%
      TSX                    3,869    3,414   27.5%   17,683   17,421    2.2%
      RL                       369      624  -33.5%    2,659    3,482  -23.1%
      MDX *                  3,425    4,639  -16.9%   24,562   27,027   -8.5%
      RDX  *                 1,339    1,864  -19.2%    9,328   12,283  -23.6%
    Selling Days                24       27              153      154
    * Honda and Acura vehicles are made of domestic and global sourced
parts.

    ** Daily Selling Rate

- Total of 22,121 Units of Mercedes-Benz Cars Division Sold in U.S.
- Mercedes-Benz USA Records June Sales of 19,576
- smart USA Records 2,545 Sales in June

NEW YORK, July 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Daimler AG (stock exchange
abbreviation DAI) today reported sales for the Mercedes-Benz Cars division
(Mercedes-Benz and smart combined) of 22,121 units in the U.S. for June
2008. All sales figures in this release are on an unadjusted basis unless
otherwise noted.

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) today reported sales of 19,576 new vehicles
for June 2008, bringing the year-to-date total to 119,279 units, marking
the best first-half sales in the company's history.

Sales for the smart fortwo remain strong with deliveries totaling 2,545
for the month of June. This brings the year-to-date total to an incredible
11,399 units in less than six months of being offered in the US market. The
vehicle is attracting an overwhelming number of buyers who want a solution
to high gas prices, a reduced environmental footprint and increased urban
mobility on congested city streets -- all in a package that's fun to drive.
The fortwo offers a powerful combination of outstanding fuel efficiency,
innovative safety, environmental friendliness and low cost of ownership.
There are currently 69 smart centers open in 31 states.

Detailed vehicle sales information for MBUSA will be announced later
today in a separate press release issued by Mercedes-Benz USA.

Mercedes-Benz Cars Division in the U.S. Sales Summary Through June 2008

                           Month Sales       %         Sales CYTD        %
                        Curr Yr   Pr Yr   Change   Curr Yr    Pr Yr   Change
    Mercedes-Benz USA    19,576   19,589   -0.1     119,279   118,240   0.9
    smart USA             2,545    n/a*     n/a*     11,399     n/a*    n/a*

    Mercedes-Benz USA /
    smart USA combined   22,121   19,589*  12.9*    130,678   118,240*  10.5*

    * smart sales in the U.S. started in mid January 2008

Mercedes-Benz Reports 19,576 New Vehicle Sales for June

MBUSA Records Best First Half-Year Sales on Record

MONTVALE, N.J., July 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) today
reported sales of 19,576 new vehicles for June 2008, bringing the
year-to-date total to 119,279 units, marking the best sales for the first
half of any year company's history.

Highlights for the month include a 25.1 percent increase (5,977 vs.
4,776 units) in sales for the company's volume-leading C-Class. The E-Class
also recorded gains with an 18.3 percent increase over last June's sales
(4,360 vs. 3,686 units). Sales of the legendary and newly redesigned
SL-Class roadster also jumped by 12.3 percent from 594 units in June 2007
to 667 units in June 2008. In the SUV category, the popularity of the
ML-Class was evidenced by an increase by 2 percent (2,601 vs. 2,551 units)
for the month.

Year-to-date sales of 119,279 units broke last year's record of
118,240, a 0.9 percent increase. Compared to the same period last year,
highlights include a 36.7 percent increase in C-Class sales and a 1 percent
increase in SL-Class sales. Contrary to current market conditions, the
ML-Class SUV marked a 16.5 percent increase in sales for the first half of
the year (17,396 vs. 14,935).

Separately, through the Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned program,
MBUSA marked a 2.3 percent increase for June sales (4,809 vs. 4,703
certified pre-owned vehicles sold), bringing year-to-date sales to a total
of 31,358 units, an increase of 20.3 percent over the same period in 2007.

Mercedes-Benz USA, headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey, is
responsible for the sales, marketing and service of all Mercedes-Benz
products in the United States. In 2007, MBUSA achieved an all-time sales
record of 253,433 new vehicles, setting the highest sales volume ever in
its history and achieving 14 consecutive years of sales growth.

MERCEDES-BENZ USA
                              Sales -- June 2008

    Model           June '08 June '07  Monthly %  YTD 2008 YTD 2007 Yearly %

    C-CLASS           5,977   4,776     25.1%      37,362   27,328   36.7%

    E-CLASS           4,360   3,686     18.3%      20,163   22,246   -9.4%

    S-CLASS           1,384   1,701    -18.6%       9,639   12,549  -23.2%

    CL-CLASS            180     266    -32.3%       1,503    1,699  -11.5%

    SL-CLASS            667     594     12.3%       3,401    3,367    1.0%

    CLK-CLASS           726   1,170    -37.9%       6,293    8,208  -23.3%

    SLK-CLASS           576     968    -40.5%       3,069    4,614  -33.5%

    CLS-CLASS           552     582     -5.2%       3,729    4,075   -8.5%

    R-CLASS             576   1,305    -55.9%       4,784    6,835  -30.0%

    ML-CLASS          2,601   2,551      2.0%      17,396   14,935   16.5%

    GL-CLASS          1,913   1,920     -0.4%      11,450   11,789   -2.9%

    G-CLASS              64      70     -8.6%         490      595  -17.6%

    GRAND TOTAL      19,576  19,589     -0.1%     119,279  118,240    0.9%