VenSeattle

Very beautiful Regal. Looks great in black.

Almost a year past and I'm just now seeing this very kind and thoughtful post. I humbly thank all of you for remembering my birthday last year. I'm sorry for my absence. It's been a rather tumultuous 12-18 months. I'm intact for the most part. I will say that GM has definitely seen a worse 12-18 months. Now, If I can just rebound as well as GM has (so far). Yes, I've been following GM and the industry even while I've been away from C&G. I don't think I'll ever quit. I was initially excited about the IPO, but that was silenced by the report on ineffective reporting practices. I'll need to read up to see what all of you have said about this issue. I'll see you guys in the forums and hope to visit more regularly going forward. Thank you again for the kind wishes. They are most appreciated. VenSeattle

I'm with Verizon and have the Blackberry Tour... Absolutely love it! I'm also signed up for their HP mini with built-in VPN/wifi/etc... great alternative to the smallish tour screen and perfectly sized when a full laptop isn't required. Service has been perfect in the PacNW over the past 4 years that we've been with Verizon. I'll report on coverage with the new BB on the East Coast and in Europe after the next few months testing it out. Seriously though... if you don't need to instantly manage a dozen email accounts, web identities, etc while having 24/7 uninterrupted access to company db's, crm's, etc then a BlackBerry really is overkill. It's perfect because I use it for work and personal, but many may find it tech-heavy. Honestly, I'd probably have an enV3 if it wasn't for work. My dom partner has the enV Touch. He loves it and hates my BB. My business partner is about ready to convert to the Tour. hehehe.... oh... I can't use touch screens... they have problems detecting my fingertips. No big loss IMO.

I'll be the first to say the 200C concept is very attractive. The first thing that popped into my mind was a 1995 Chrysler Cirrus brought into the 21st Century. That's not a bad thing. I loved the original 1995 Cirrus. It looks like a Chrysler that would have been designed by the former 1990's management. A step in the right direction.

Turbo, I just don't see it. I don't think anyone will ever confuse a LaCrosse as a Camry... ever. If this looks like a Camry then the ES350 is definitely a badge-job because they have more in common (style-wise) than the LaCrosse and Camry. 1st, the LaCrosse has a lot more chrome than every Camry generation combined. 2nd, the LaCrosse is larger than the Camry. 3rd, their profiles are not similar at all, even without the sweepspear: - Greenhouses are shaped differently - LaCrosse's fenders are flared - The rocker panel area on the LaCrosse is indented and more pronounced - C-pillars are shaped differently 4th, the rear - The Camry's trunk has hips similar to the last gen BMW 7-series. The LaCrosse's trunk sides don't. The sides of the LaCrosse's trunk flow smoothly into the flared fenders. LaCrosse has a body crease down the middle of the bumper. Camry taillights are mostly horizontal and overlap into the trunk deck lid where the LaCrosse taillights have an exaggerated slant and hug the trunk lid. 5th - there's no way to compare the front as you've already mentioned. Hands down, the LaCrosse is unique with far more character and much more upscale in appearance than a Camry could every wish for. The ONLY similarity is that they both have a high beltline but that's it. -------------------- Besides, the LaCrosse is far better equipped than the Accord, Camry, and Maxima. This is not just a "chromed up" Malibu. There's no confusion between the missions of the two vehicles. There's plenty of room for a mainstream Malibu underneath LaCrosse without any fear of overlap. The LaCrosse is clearly targeting a higher class of car carrying a dose of aspirational appeal mainstream sedans lack. It'll hold its own sitting next to an ES350 and the Acura TL. As for the MKZ/MKS debate... I think the LaCrosse slots in between them. It'll probably do the same in price too (when loaded.) I plan to cross shop the LaCrosse against the MKS and Volvo S80. Rumor is, Toyota is dropping the Avalon and is considering dropping the ES350 with the 2010 refresh being the last update. We'll see but the death of either (or both) can only help with the LaCrosse's success.

Haha! I'm very pleased with the 2010 LaCrosse. It has pretty much everything I've been asking for. So many people keep trying to pinpoint which vehicles individual characteristics were stolen from. If you have to list a half dozen vehicles (or more) to complete the LaCrosse picture then clearly there isn't an actual vehicle on the market that's similar.

Link to GM's press release for those who haven't seen it already. Buick LaCrosse = A+

Is Acura in trouble? The premium brand only sold 144,504 vehicles in 2008 with a fairly fresh 5-vehicle lineup: MDX & RDX new for MY2007 TSX new for MY2009 TL new for MY2009 RL refreshed for MY2009 ------------------------ Current & Future? RSX gone. NSX RIP. The future Acura RWD flagship, RWD platform, & V8 are gone. The RL (Honda Legend) may not be replaced. The TSX (Euro Accord) may be a goner too. That leaves Acura with the new (homely) TL, successful MDX... oh and the sales dud RDX (the more expensive MDX outsells the RDX 3 to 1.) Axing the NA-only Acura brand could be in the cards with no new platforms in the works and cost cutting all around.

Honda reportedly kills S2000 replacement, V8 program, RWD Acuras Jan 6th 2009 at 12:58PM Link to Autoblog Honda's attempt to right-size its development schedule and cope with the economic downturn apparently extends beyond the cancellation of the next NSX. According to Autocar, HoMoCo is right-sizing its plans for the next two years, and that includes rethinking the development of a range of rear-wheel-drive Acuras, a new V8, a convertible based on the CR-Z and the S2000's successor. Acura seems to be carrying the weight of the bad news, with its RWD 7-series rival, originally due out in 2015, cancelled indefinitely, along with development of a V8 engine that would allow the brand to compete with the best and brightest from Germany. The Euro-market Legend (Acura RL) could also be on the block and there's a chance that Honda will stop developing two separate Accord models (Acura TSX) for sale in the U.S. and abroad, instead opting for one mid-size sedan to be sold worldwide. Unfortunately, the development cease-fire also extends to Honda's smaller offerings. Honda planned to release a drop-top version of its CR-Z after the hybrid goes on sale next year, but that model has been nixed. Even more disturbingly, 2009 will be the last year of production for the S2000, with no heir apparent waiting in the wings. We're hoping to get more details on the cut-backs as the week progresses, but needless to say, there's more than enough disappointment to go around.

Yep... So much for the need of a "150,000 annual production cap" to keep the brand as a niche player.

Then why in the world would you quote CA property tax law when referring to voting trends between renters and homeowners? (which was what I originally referred to - You might change your mind once you become a home owner....) We do similar here in WA... thankfully.

I actually prefer Lincoln's website over most. I'm mixed on Lexus. Buick's could be improved a lot, but the basic layout is fine.

Well, politics are not that black in white. You don't sell your soul to the GOP for voting for or against tax increases. Besides, the amount of tax you pay isn't as important as what the taxes are funding. You become much more invested in the development, preservation, improvement, etc of your neighborhood, community, city, and county as a homeowner. Potential long-term and short-term projects begin to impact you a lot differently than as a renter. I could provide examples to explain myself better, but let's just agree to disagree for now.

GM Reports 221,983 Deliveries in December; 2,980,688 Vehicles Sold in 2008 Media.GM.com Link to Press Release and Sales Breakdown 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 Sport Wagon 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." 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: GM sales and production results are available on GM Media OnLine at http://media.gm.com/us/gm/en/ by clicking on News, then Sales/Production. 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.

Audi Increases Market Share for December and 2008 Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ Link to Press Release - Audi's market share increases in both December and total year sales - Audi A4 named "Car of the Year" by Detroit Free Press - Audi A5 and A6 finish year strong with increases over December 2007 - Audi R8 and TT total year sales surpass 2007 HERNDON, Va., Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Audi today announced sales for the month of December totaling 7,712 units. Despite a challenging marketplace, Audi appears to have outpaced most brands and will record market share increases for December and all of 2008. Audi's December sales were led by strong totals from both the Audi A5 and A6. The Audi A5 posted a 383.1% increase over last December with 657 units sold. The Audi A6 had a solid month with over 1,218 units sold, an increase of 1.2% over December 2007. "Our goal this past year was to grow our market share and grow awareness of the brand," said Audi of America President, Johan de Nysschen. "We accomplished this with an aggressive product offensive that continues into 2009 and beyond." De Nysschen noted that 2009 Audi launches will include two diesel offerings, several fuel-efficient powertrain combinations, performance vehicles, the all-new crossover Audi Q5, and the all-new A5 and S5 cabriolet models. Even in the difficult market created during 2008, both the Audi R8 and TT surpassed their previous total year sales. The Audi R8 sold 900 units in 2008 compared to 240 in 2007. The Audi TT sales increased by 3% in sales from 2007, with 4,486 units sold in 2008. Audi Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) sales set a new record during 2008. Audi recorded 32,108 CPO sales, an increase of 18.6% over the previous year. Also this week, the Detroit Free Press selected the Audi A4 as the Car of the Year, proclaiming that the A4 "stands head and shoulders above other new cars introduced this year and above any Audi sedan that preceded it." In honoring the Audi A4, the Detroit Free Press highlights the A4's "excellent fuel economy and performance" and notes that the "comfortable interior is designed with an architect's sensibility for appearance and touch." ABOUT AUDI Audi of America and its 270 dealers offer a full line of German-engineered luxury vehicles. The Audi line up is one of the freshest in the industry with 23 models, including 12 models launched during model years 2008 and 2009. Audi is among the most successful brands globally. Last year AUDI AG recorded its 12th consecutive record year for sales and profit growth. Visit www.audiusa.com or www.audiusanews.com for more information regarding Audi vehicles and business issues. AUDI US SNAPSHOT -----YEAR TO DATE-------- Dec-08 Dec-07 Yr/Yr% Dec-08 Dec-07 Yr/Yr% Model Line Actual Actual change YTD YTD change actual actual A3 361 486 -25.7 % 4759 6353 -25.1 % A4 3854 4198 -8.2 % 43343 45411 -4.6 % A5 657 136 383.1 % 6282 625 905.1 % A6 1218 1204 1.2 % 11956 12001 -0.04 % A8 120 351 -65.8 % 2825 3826 -26.2 % TT 180 484 -62.8 % 4486 4355 3.0 % R8 115 70 64.3 % 900 240 275.0 % Audi Q7 1207 1575 -23.4 % 13209 20695 -36.2 % Total Audi Sales 7712 8504 -9.3 % 87760 93506 -6.1 % NOTES: -- A4 includes Audi A4 sedan, Avant, and RS models. -- A5 includes Audi A5 coupe' and S5 coupe' models. -- A6 includes Audi A6 sedan, S6 sedan and A6 Avant models. -- A8 includes Audi A8 sedan, A8L sedan, and S8 sedan models. -- TT includes Audi TT coupe' and TT roadster models.

VOLKSWAGEN REPORTS DECEMBER 2008 SALES media.vw.Com Link to Press Release HERNDON, Va.— Volkswagen of America, Inc. today announced December 2008 sales of 17,577 units, a 14.4 percent decrease over December 2007. Full year sales of 223,128 total units for 2008, was a decrease of 3.2 percent verse 2007 sales. "The auto industry in 2008 was one of the toughest we've seen in a long time,." said Mark Barnes, Chief Operating Officer, Volkswagen of America, Inc. "Despite these economic conditions, 2008 was still a good year for Volkswagen. We relocated our North American headquarters to Herndon, VA. bringing us closer to our customers, we announced an all-new North American production facility will be built in Chattanooga, TN., and we launched an impressive five new vehicles that allowed Volkswagen to buck the economic downturn as our sales remained close to our 2007 totals. Volkswagen of America has a plan in place for a successful future here in the U.S." Volkswagen of America, Inc. 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 Eos, Rabbit, New Beetle, New Beetle convertible, GTI, Jetta, Jetta SportWagen, GLI, Passat, Passat wagon, CC, Tiguan, Touareg 2 and Routan through approximately 600 independent U.S. dealers. All 2009 Volkswagens come standard-equipped with Electronic Stabilization Program. This is important because the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has called ESC the most effective new vehicle safety technology since the safety belt. Visit Volkswagen of America online at vw.com or www.media.vw.com to learn more.