VenSeattle

Didn't Mitsubishi back out of NAIAS? I don't think they'll be there for you to check out... Notice they went from 'approximately' 480 dealers in their Nov'08 release to now saying 'more than' 440 dealers in their Dec'08 release. Apparently Mitsubishi dealers are starting to drop like flies.

Hyundai Motor America Reports December and Full-Year 2008 Sales Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ Link to Press Release FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Motor America today announced sales of 401,742 for 2008, a decline of 14 percent over 2007. "While 2008 was a tough year, we are encouraged that Hyundai was once again able to outperform the general market and increase our market share in the midst of unprecedented market conditions," said Dave Zuchowski, Hyundai Motor America's vice president of national sales. "We are looking forward to 2009," added Zuchowski. "In fact, to help us build on the tenth anniversary of Hyundai's industry-leading 10-year/100,000-mile warranty, the 'Hyundai Assurance Program' has just been announced. The Hyundai Assurance Program provides new car buyers and lessees who lose their income protection against negative equity and credit rating concerns. With these two great tools in place and the strongest product lineup in our history, we are cautiously optimistic going into the New Year." For details about the Hyundai Assurance Program please visit www.hyundaiusa.com. Sales for December were 24,037, up 25 percent over November. 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 powertrain 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 by more than 790 dealerships nationwide. CARLINE DEC/2007 DEC/2008 CY/2007 CY/2008 ------- -------- -------- ------- ------- ACCENT 1,945 1,833 36,055 50,431 SONATA 24,872 6,593 145,568 117,357 ELANTRA 3,757 2,635 85,724 94,720 TIBURON 601 412 14,073 9,111 SANTA FE 9,102 6,289 92,421 70,994 AZERA 1,597 347 21,948 14,461 TUCSON 2,962 874 41,476 19,027 ENTOURAGE 429 3,065 17,155 8,470 VERACRUZ 1,222 949 12,589 11,004 GENESIS 0 1,040 0 6,167 TOTAL 46,487 24,037 467,009 401,742

Mazda Reports Full 2008 Sales Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ Link to Press Release - MAZDA5 Sales Lead For 2008 - IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today reported 2008 sales of 263,949 down 10.7 percent for the year. December 2008 sales were down 26.8 percent versus December 2007, with 17,965 vehicles sold, but represented the company's best sales month since August 2008. On a sales-result basis, the company's strongest-performing vehicle was the MAZDA5 multi-activity vehicle. December was the vehicle's best-ever sales month since its launch, with sales of 2,884 units, up 77.4 percent from December 2007. On a 2008 year-to-date basis, the MAZDA5 is up 60.5 percent, selling a total of 22,021 vehicles compared to a total of 13,717 vehicles sold in 2007. "2008 has been a roller-coaster ride unlike anything we've seen before," said Jim O'Sullivan, president and CEO, MNAO. "We started out the year with record fuel prices that subsequently returned to more 'normal' levels; the credit crunch made many believe that financing was unavailable, which kept them out of showrooms, but the money's out there now; we've battled depreciation in the housing market and there's no sign of it returning to headier days yet. Through it all, though, consumer confidence has continued to undermine efforts to drive customers to dealerships. Closing the year down a little more than ten percent may be nothing to crow about, but our market share is strong and we're ready for when the economy turns and the marketplace strengthens." The all-new 2009 MAZDA6, which arrived at dealerships across the country in September 2008, continues its strong start. The new MAZDA6 features a larger body than the outgoing car, as well as more powerful - and more fuel efficient - engine choices. The selldown of the outgoing MAZDA3 continues well, with the best sales month since August 2008, selling 7,864 vehicles. The all-new 2010 MAZDA3, which was revealed at the Los Angeles Auto Show, offers two fuel efficient engines and a host of standard and optional features not available at any price on competitors' vehicles. The 2010 MAZDA3 arrives in dealerships across the country in the first quarter of this year. Mazda Motor de Mexico (MMdM) celebrated its best-ever December with sales of 2,704 vehicles, up 31 percent versus last year. For 2008, MMdM reported 21,997 total sales, accounting for a 33 percent increase versus 2007. The all-new MAZDA6 had a record month with 612 vehicles sold and the MAZDA3 also had a record month with 1,016 vehicles sold. Mazda Canada Inc. (MCI) reported December sales of 4,510 units, down slightly compared to December 2007. Overall sales for 2008 were down 1.9 percent compared to overall 2007 sales, but in a shrinking market, MCI expects its market share to soar to record levels of over five percent. Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., Mazda North American Operations oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico through nearly 900 dealers. Operations in Canada are managed by Mazda Canada, Inc., located in Ontario; in Mexico by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City; and in Puerto Rico by Mazda de Puerto Rico in San Juan. Month-To-Date ------------- December December % % MTD 2008 2007 Change DSR ---- ---- ------ --- Mazda3 7,864 9,281 (15.3)% (15.3)% Mazda5 2,884 1,626 77.4% 77.4% Mazda6 3,088 4,485 (31.1)% (31.1)% MX-5 Miata 299 769 (61.1)% (61.1)% RX-8 153 315 (51.4)% (51.4)% CX-7 1,169 3,481 (66.4)% (66.4)% CX-9 2,103 3,061 (31.3)% (31.3)% Tribute 352 1,377 (74.4)% (74.4)% B-Series Truck 53 161 (67.1)% (67.1)% MPV - - N/A N/A Total Vehicles -------------- CARS 14,288 16,476 (13.3)% (13.3)% TRUCKS 3,677 8,080 (54.5)% (54.5)% ----- ----- ----- TOTAL 17,965 24,556 (26.8)% (26.8)% ====== ====== ===== ===== ----- MEMO: ----- IMPORT CAR 11,200 11,991 (6.6)% IMPORT TRUCK 3,272 6,542 4,400 (50.0)% ----- ----- ----- ----- IMPORT TOTAL 14,472 18,533 (21.9)% DOMESTIC CAR 3,088 4,485 (31.1)% DOMESTIC TRUCK 405 1,538 (73.7)% --- ----- ----- DOMESTIC TOTALS 3,493 6,023 (42.0)% -------- ----- ----- ----- Selling Days 26 26 ------- Year-To-Date ------------ December December % % YTD 2008 2007 Change DSR ---- ---- ------ --- Mazda3 109,957 120,235 (8.5)% (8.8)% Mazda5 22,021 13,717 60.5% 60.0% Mazda6 52,590 57,267 (8.2)% (8.5)% MX-5 Miata 10,977 15,075 (27.2)% (27.4)% RX-8 3,368 5,767 (41.6)% (41.8)% CX-7 26,811 41,653 (35.6)% (35.8)% CX-9 26,100 25,562 2.1% 1.8% Tribute 10,806 13,679 (21.0)% (21.3)% B-Series Truck 1,319 2,657 (50.4)% (50.5)% MPV - 125 (100.0)% N/A Total Vehicles -------------- CARS 198,913 212,061 (6.2)% (6.5)% TRUCKS 65,036 83,676 (22.3)% (22.5)% ------ ------ ----- TOTAL 263,949 295,737 (10.7)% (11.0)% ======= ======= ===== ===== ----- MEMO: ----- IMPORT CAR 146,323 154,794 (5.5)% IMPORT TRUCK 52,911 67,340 (21.4)% ------ ------ ----- IMPORT TOTAL 199,234 222,134 (10.3)% DOMESTIC CAR 52,590 57,267 (8.2)% DOMESTIC TRUCK 12,125 16,336 (25.8)% ------ ------ ----- DOMESTIC TOTALS 64,715 73,603 (12.1)% -------- ------ ------ ----- Selling Days 311 310 ------- Note: MPV is a discontinued vehicle.

Mercedes-Benz Posts Sales of 225,128 for 2008 Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ Link to Press Release Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned Sets Record Sales MONTVALE, N.J., Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) reported December sales of 18,507 vehicles, bringing the company's total 2008 volume to 225,128, an 11.2 percent decrease over the annual sales record set last year. The C-Class was the volume leader for the year with sales of 72,471 vehicles, a 13.8 percent increase over last year. The company's M-Class SUV continued to be a popular choice with buyers in 2008, with a 1.3 percent increase in sales (34,320 vs. 33,879 units). Separately, through the Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned (MBCPO) program, MBUSA sold 6,589 vehicles in December 2008. This boosted the MBCPO year-end total to 64,654 units, a 26.9 percent increase over last year's MBCPO sales. Mercedes-Benz USA, headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey, is responsible for the sales, marketing and service of all Mercedes-Benz and Maybach products in the United States. For more than forty years, MBUSA has taken pride in its commitment to the customer by providing superior quality luxury vehicles coupled with outstanding customer support. More information on MBUSA and its products can be found at www.mbusa.com and www.maybachusa.com. MERCEDES-BENZ USA Sales - December 2008 Model Dec '08 Dec '07 Monthly % YTD 2008 YTD 2007 Yearly % ----- ------- ------- --------- -------- -------- -------- ------- ----- ----- ----- ------ ------ ---- C-CLASS 6,090 6,899 -11.7% 72,471 63,701 13.8% ------- ----- ----- ----- ------ ------ ---- ------- ----- ----- ----- ------ ------ ----- E-CLASS 3,464 6,126 -43.5% 38,576 48,950 -21.2% ------- ----- ----- ----- ------ ------ ----- ------- ----- ----- ----- ------ ------ ----- S-CLASS 1,075 2,374 -54.7% 17,787 26,081 -31.8% ------- ----- ----- ----- ------ ------ ----- -------- --- --- ----- ----- ----- ----- CL-CLASS 147 353 -58.4% 2,733 3,672 -25.6% -------- --- --- ----- ----- ----- ----- -------- --- --- ----- ----- ----- ----- SL-CLASS 263 532 -50.6% 5,464 6,126 -10.8% -------- --- --- ----- ----- ----- ----- --------- ----- ----- ----- ------ ------ ----- CLK-CLASS 1,047 1,232 -15.0% 10,844 15,009 -27.8% --------- ----- ----- ----- ------ ------ ----- --------- --- --- ----- ----- ----- ----- SLK-CLASS 285 528 -46.0% 4,941 7,270 -32.0% --------- --- --- ----- ----- ----- ----- --------- --- --- ----- ----- ----- ----- CLS-CLASS 569 759 -25.0% 5,775 7,906 -27.0% --------- --- --- ----- ----- ----- ----- ------- --- ----- ----- ----- ------ ----- R-CLASS 539 1,340 -59.8% 7,733 13,031 -40.7% ------- --- ----- ----- ----- ------ ----- ------- ----- ----- ----- ------ ------ --- M-CLASS 2,761 3,962 -30.3% 34,320 33,879 1.3% ------- ----- ----- ----- ------ ------ --- -------- --- --- ---- --- ----- ----- G-CLASS 128 138 -7.2% 931 1,152 -19.2% -------- --- --- ---- --- ----- ----- -------- ----- ----- ----- ------ ------ ----- GL-CLASS 2,139 3,026 -29.3% 23,328 26,396 -11.6% -------- ----- ----- ----- ------ ------ ----- --- --- --- --- SLR 106 104 1.9% --- --- --- --- ------- --- --- ----- Maybach 119 156 -23.7% ------- --- --- ----- ----------- ------ ------ ----- ------- ------- ----- GRAND TOTAL 18,507 27,269 -32.1% 225,128 253,433 -11.2% ----------- ------ ------ ----- ------- ------- -----

American Honda Reports 2008 Annual and December Monthly Sales Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ Link to Press Release Civic and Fit post gains for the year TORRANCE, Calif., Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- American Honda Motor Co., Inc., today reported 2008 annual vehicle sales of 1,428,765, a decrease of 8.2 percent compared to 2007 results on a daily selling-rate* basis. American Honda's December sales totaled 86,085, a decrease of 34.7 percent. Honda Division's 2008 annual sales of 1,284,261 decreased 6.7 percent compared to 2007. Honda Division's December monthly sales of 75,405 represent a decrease of 34.0 percent compared to 2007. Annual total car sales of 794,421 for the Honda Division increased 1.0 percent and set a record for the fourth consecutive year. The division's truck sales decreased by 16.9 percent to 489,840. Accord, the top-selling Honda model for 2008, achieved annual sales of 372,789, down 5.3 percent. December Accord sales decreased 28.5 percent, to 22,348. Civic sales totaled 339,289 for the year, up 2.1 percent. December Civic sales decreased to 17,302, down 36.4 percent. Annual Fit sales of 79,794, up 40.9 percent, set a record for the third consecutive year. December Fit sales decreased 1.5 percent, to 5,039. "American Honda's sales mirror the industry's current condition," said Dick Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "We believe Honda will be in a strong position when the market stabilizes." The Acura Division's total year-end sales of 144,504 vehicles represented a decline of 20.0 percent. December Acura sales totaled 10,680, down 39.3 percent. The Acura TL led the division with annual sales of 46,766, followed closely by the Acura MDX with sales of 45,377 - the previous best-selling Acura in 2007. *The annual Daily Selling Rate (DSR) is calculated with 308 days for 2008, versus 307 for 2007. Both December 2007 and 2008 included 26 selling days. All percentages in this release represent DSR. For more information or downloadable high-resolution images of Honda and Acura vehicles, please visit www.hondanews.com for Honda and www.Acuranews.com for Acura. Consumer information is available at www.honda.com for Honda, www.Acura.com for Acura. American Honda Vehicle Sales For December 2008 Month-to-Date December December DSR** 2008 2007 % Chg. ------- ------ ------ American Honda Total 86,085 131,792 -34.7% ---------------------- Total Car Sales 50,918 73,186 -30.4% Total Truck Sales 35,167 58,606 -40.0% Honda Total Car Sales 44,762 63,773 -29.8% Honda Total Truck Sales 30,643 50,437 -39.2% Acura Total Car Sales 6,156 9,413 -34.6% Acura Total Truck Sales 4,524 8,169 -44.6% Domestic Car Sales * 40,642 54,174 -25.0% ---------------------- Honda Division 37,035 48,186 -23.1% Acura Division 3,607 5,988 -39.8% Domestic Truck Sales * 30,629 43,373 -29.4% ---------------------- Honda Division 26,105 35,204 -25.8% Acura Division 4,524 8,169 -44.6% Import Car Sales 10,276 19,012 -45.9% ---------------------- Honda Division 7,727 15,587 -50.4% Acura Division 2,549 3,425 -25.6% Import Truck Sales 4,538 15,233 -70.2% ---------------------- Honda Division 4,538 15,233 -70.2% ---------------------- ------- ------- ------ MODEL BREAKOUTS BY DIVISION Honda Division Total 75,405 114,210 -34.0% ---------------------- ------- ------- ------ Fit 5,039 5,118 -1.5% Accord * 22,348 31,255 -28.5% Memo: Accord Hybrid 1 150 -99.3% Civic * 17,302 27,190 -36.4% Memo: Civic Hybrid 1,036 3,223 -67.9% S2000 72 210 -65.7% Insight 0 0 FCX 0 0 FCX Clarity 1 ---------------------- ------- ------- ------ Odyssey * 6,950 14,907 -53.4% Pilot * 6,735 10,403 -35.3% CR-V * 13,933 18,659 -25.3% Element * 1,336 2,875 -53.5% Ridgeline 1,689 3,593 -53.0% ---------------------- ------- ------- ------ Acura Division Total 10,680 17,582 -39.3% ---------------------- ------- ------- ------ RSX 0 1 TL * 3,607 5,988 -39.8% TSX 2,304 2,838 -18.8% RL 245 586 -58.2% MDX * 3,383 5,906 -42.7% RDX * 1,141 2,263 -49.6% ---------------------- ------- ------- ------ Selling Days 26 26 Year-to-Date December December DSR** 2008 2007 % Chg. ---- ---- ------ American Honda Total 1,428,765 1,551,542 -8.2% ---------------------- Total Car Sales 877,703 882,215 -0.8% Total Truck Sales 551,062 669,327 -17.9% Honda Total Car Sales 794,421 784,073 1.0% Honda Total Truck Sales 489,840 587,365 -16.9% Acura Total Car Sales 83,282 98,142 -15.4% Acura Total Truck Sales 61,222 81,962 -25.5% Domestic Car Sales * 661,736 706,504 -6.6% ---------------------- Honda Division 614,970 647,959 -5.4% Acura Division 46,766 58,545 -20.4% Domestic Truck Sales * 444,263 476,297 -7.0% ---------------------- Honda Division 383,041 394,335 -3.2% Acura Division 61,222 81,962 -25.5% Import Car Sales 215,967 175,711 22.5% ---------------------- Honda Division 179,451 136,114 31.4% Acura Division 36,516 39,597 -8.1% Import Truck Sales 106,799 193,030 -44.9% ---------------------- Honda Division 106,799 193,030 -44.9% -------------------- ------- ------- ------ MODEL BREAKOUTS BY DIVISION Honda Division Total 1,284,261 1,371,438 -6.7% ---------------------- --------- --------- ---- Fit 79,794 56,432 40.9% Accord * 372,789 392,231 -5.3% Memo: Accord Hybrid 198 3,405 -94.2% Civic * 339,289 331,095 2.1% Memo: Civic Hybrid 31,297 32,575 -4.2% S2000 2,538 4,302 -41.2% Insight 0 3 FCX 6 10 -40.2% FCX Clarity 5 ---------------------- ------- ------- ------ Odyssey * 135,493 173,046 -22.0% Pilot * 96,746 117,146 -17.7% CR-V * 197,279 219,160 -10.3% Element * 26,447 35,218 -25.1% Ridgeline 33,875 42,795 -21.1% ---------------------- ------- ------- ------ Acura Division Total 144,504 180,104 -20.0% ---------------------- ------- ------- ------ RSX 1 296 -99.7% TL * 46,766 58,545 -20.4% TSX 31,998 33,037 -3.5% RL 4,517 6,262 -28.1% MDX * 45,377 58,606 -22.8% RDX * 15,845 23,356 -32.4% ---------------------- ------- ------- ------ Selling Days 308 307 * Honda and Acura vehicles are made of domestic and global sourced parts. ** Daily Selling Rate Month-to-Date Year-to-Date December December DSR** December December DSR** 2008 2007 % Chg. 2008 2007 % Chg. ---- ---- ------ ---- ---- ------ Hybrid 1,037 3,373 -69.3% 31,495 35,983 -12.8%

Toyota Reports 2008 and December Sales Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ Link to Press Release TORRANCE, Calif., Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., today reported year-end sales of 2,217,662 vehicles, a decrease of 15.7 percent from the same period in 2007, on a daily selling rate basis. Toyota Division recorded year-end sales of 1,957,575 vehicles, down 14.9 percent from the prior year. Lexus reported sales of 260,087 units in 2008, down 21.2 percent from 2007. Scion Division reported sales of 113,904 units for the year. TMS reported December sales results of 141,949, a decrease of 36.7 percent from the same period last year. "Our New Year's resolution is to shift the focus back to where it belongs, to the consumer," said TMS President Jim Lentz. "The sooner stimulus efforts find their way to where they'll do the most good - into the hands of consumers - the sooner we'll see a turnaround in confidence levels and a return of buyers to the marketplace." Toyota Division Toyota Division reported December sales of 118,587 units, down 37.5 percent from December 2007. Toyota Division passenger cars recorded December sales of 67,717 units, with year-end sales of 1,207,006 units, down 8.4 percent from last year. For the year, passenger car sales were led by Camry, which posted annual sales of 436,617. Corolla posted year-end sales of 351,007. The Yaris subcompact reported best-ever year-end sales totaling 102,328, up 20.3 percent over 2007. Prius recorded sales of 158,884 units for the year. Toyota Division light trucks reported December sales of 50,870 units, with year-end sales of 750,569, down 23.5 percent from 2007. Light truck sales were led by the Tacoma mid-size pickup, with year-end sales of 144,655 units. Tundra reported sales of 137,249 units in 2008. RAV4 compact sport utility vehicle reported year-end sales of 137,020 units for the year. Highlander and Highlander Hybrid posted combined sales of 104,661 units for the year. The Highlander Hybrid gas-electric mid-size SUV reported sales of 19,391 units in 2008. Sequoia reported year-end sales of 30,693 units, up 31.5 percent over the prior year. Scion reported December sales of 4,127 units. The Scion xB urban utility vehicle recorded December sales of 1,794 units, with year-end sales totaling 45,220. The tC sports coupe reported December sales of 1,348 units, with year-end sales reaching 40,980 units. The xD posted sales of 985 units in December and year-end sales of 27,665 units. Lexus Division Lexus reported December sales of 23,362 units, down 32.4 percent from the year-ago month. Lexus passenger cars reported December sales of 11,542 units, with year-end sales of 151,567 units in 2008. Lexus passenger car sales were led by the ES entry luxury sedan with December sales of 5,236 units and year-end sales of 64,135. The IS entry luxury sport sedan recorded combined December sales of 3,539 units and combined year-end sales of 49,432 units. The LS flagship sedan reported combined December sales of 1,451 units and year-end sales of 20,255 units. The GS luxury sport sedan posted combined December sales of 1,200 units, with year-end sales totaling 15,759 units. Lexus Division light trucks reported December sales of 11,820 units and year-end sales of 108,520 units. The RX luxury utility posted combined December sales of 9,932 units and year-end sales of 84,181 units. The RX 400h luxury hybrid SUV reported sales of 15,200 units for the year. The LX posted yearly sales of 7,915 units, up 219.7 percent over 2007. TMS Hybrids TMS calendar-year-to-date hybrid sales totaled 241,405 units. In December, TMS posted sales of 12,201 hybrid vehicles. Toyota Division posted December sales of 10,637 hybrids and year-end sales of 224,547 units. Lexus Division posted sales of 1,564 hybrids for the month and 16,858 units for the year. There were 308 selling days in 2008, compared to 307 selling days in 2007. There were 26 selling days this sales month and last December. TOYOTA RETAIL SALES (INCLUDES FLEET & HAWAII) December, 2008 -- CURRENT MONTH -- -- CALENDAR YEAR TO DATE -- DSR % DSR % 2008 2007 CHG 2008 2007 CHG ---- ---- --- ---- ---- --- YARIS 4,417 5,477 -19.4 102,328 84,799 20.3 COROLLA 22,129 28,582 -22.6 351,007 371,390 -5.8 CAMRY 25,275 38,831 -34.9 436,617 473,108 -8.0 VENZA 1,474 0 N/A 1,474 0 N/A AVALON 2,436 5,694 -57.2 42,790 72,945 -41.5 PRIUS 7,859 14,212 -44.7 158,884 181,221 -12.6 SCION xA 0 14 -100.0 39 9,547 -99.6 SCION xB 1,794 3,785 -52.6 45,220 45,834 -1.7 SCION tC 1,348 3,507 -61.6 40,980 63,852 -36.0 SCION xD 985 1,638 -39.9 27,665 10,948 151.9 TOTAL TOYOTA DIV. PASS. CAR 67,717 101,741 -33.4 1,207,006 1,313,651 -8.4 ----------------- ------ ------- ----- --------- --------- ---- ES 5,236 8,005 -34.6 64,135 82,867 -22.9 LS 1,451 3,257 -55.4 20,255 35,226 -42.7 SC 116 348 -66.7 1,986 3,927 -49.6 GS 1,200 2,579 -53.5 15,759 23,381 -32.8 IS 3,539 5,651 -37.4 49,432 54,933 -10.3 TOTAL LEXUS PASS. CAR 11,542 19,840 -41.8 151,567 200,334 -24.6 ----------------- ------ ------ ----- ------- ------- ----- TOTAL TOYOTA PASS. CAR 79,259 121,581 -34.8 1,358,573 1,513,985 -10.6 ------------ ------ ------- ----- --------- --------- ----- SIENNA 6,901 12,350 -44.1 115,944 138,162 -16.4 RAV4 8,795 13,816 -36.3 137,020 172,752 -20.9 FJ CRUISER 3,168 4,079 -22.3 28,668 55,170 -48.2 4RUNNER 3,707 7,421 -50.0 47,878 87,718 -45.6 HIGHLANDER 7,791 14,714 -47.1 104,661 127,878 -18.4 LAND CRUISER 227 648 -65.0 3,801 3,251 16.5 SEQUOIA 2,399 2,567 -6.5 30,693 23,273 31.5 TOTAL SUV 26,087 43,245 -39.7 352,721 470,042 -25.2 --------- ------ ------ ----- ------- ------- ----- 4X2 TACOMA 4,287 7,858 -45.4 79,773 102,696 -22.6 4X4 TACOMA 4,404 5,431 -18.9 64,882 70,542 -8.3 TOTAL TACOMA 8,691 13,289 -34.6 144,655 173,238 -16.8 TUNDRA 9,191 19,219 -52.2 137,249 196,555 -30.4 TOTAL PICKUP 17,882 32,508 -45.0 281,904 369,793 -24.0 TOTAL TOYOTA DIV. LT TRUCK 50,870 88,103 -42.3 750,569 977,997 -23.5 LX 508 132 284.8 7,915 2,468 219.7 GX 1,380 2,748 -49.8 16,424 23,035 -28.9 RX 9,932 11,835 -16.1 84,181 103,340 -18.8 TOTAL LEXUS LIGHT TRUCK 11,820 14,715 -19.7 108,520 128,843 -16.0 ------------ ------ ------ ----- ------- ------- ----- TOTAL TOYOTA LIGHT TRUCK 62,690 102,818 -39.0 859,089 1,106,840 -22.6 ------------ ------ ------- ----- ------- --------- ----- TOTAL TOYOTA DIV. 118,587 189,844 -37.5 1,957,575 2,291,648 -14.9 TOTAL LEXUS 23,362 34,555 -32.4 260,087 329,177 -21.2 ----------- ------ ------ ----- ------- ------- ----- TOTAL TOYOTA 141,949 224,399 -36.7 2,217,662 2,620,825 -15.7 MEMO: DOM. COROLLA 17,192 28,571 -39.8 252,877 348,016 -27.6 DOM. CAMRY 24,790 37,757 -34.3 428,841 418,757 2.1 DOM. RAV4 210 0 N/A 247 0 N/A DOM. PICKUP 17,882 32,508 -45.0 281,902 369,793 -24.0 DOM. RX 8,221 8,414 -2.3 63,610 74,351 -14.7 SELLING DAYS 26 26 308 307 ------------ -- -- --- --- TOYOTA DIV. IMPORT CAR 21,825 29,719 -26.6 481,024 473,933 1.2 LEXUS IMPORT CAR 11,542 19,840 -41.8 151,567 200,334 -24.6 TOYOTA DIV NA BUILT CARS 45,892 72,022 -36.3 725,982 839,718 -13.8 TOTAL TOYOTA CARS 79,259 121,581 -34.8 1,358,573 1,513,985 -10.6 TOYOTA DIV. IMPORT LT TRUCK 23,478 40,678 -42.3 321,781 446,769 -28.2 LEXUS IMPORT LT TRUCK 3,599 6,301 -42.9 44,910 54,492 -17.9 TOYOTA DIV NA BUILT LT TRUCK 27,392 47,425 -42.2 428,788 531,228 -19.5 LEXUS NA BUILT LT TRUCK 8,221 8,414 -2.3 63,610 74,351 -14.7 TOTAL TOYOTA LT TRUCK 62,690 102,818 -39.0 859,089 1,106,840 -22.6 --------------- ------ ------- ----- ------- --------- ----- SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES 34,739 53,881 -35.5 432,573 543,715 -20.7 Memo: Lexus Sport Utility 11,820 14,715 -19.7 108,520 128,843 -16.0 SMALL VANS 6,901 12,350 -44.1 115,944 138,162 -16.4 PICKUPS 17,882 32,508 -45.0 281,904 369,793 -24.0 ---------------- * NORTH AMERICAN BUILT VEHICLES COROLLA 17,192 28,571 -39.8 252,877 348,016 -27.6 CAMRY 24,790 37,757 -34.3 428,841 418,757 2.1 VENZA 1,474 0 N/A 1,474 0 N/A AVALON 2,436 5,694 -57.2 42,790 72,945 -41.5 SIENNA 6,901 12,350 -44.1 115,944 138,162 -16.4 RAV4 210 0 N/A 247 0 N/A PICKUP 17,882 32,508 -45.0 281,902 369,793 -24.0 SEQUOIA 2,399 2,567 -6.5 30,693 23,273 31.5 RX 8,221 8,414 -2.3 63,610 74,351 -14.7 TOTAL 81,505 127,861 -36.3 1,218,378 1,445,297 -16.0 N.A. VEHICLES % OF TOTAL 57.4% 57.0% 54.9% 55.1% SELLING DAYS 26 26 308 307 DSR = DAILY SELLING RATE

Nissan North America Announces December Sales Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ Link to Press Release FRANKLIN, Tenn., Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA) today reported sales for December of 62,102 units versus 89,555 units a year ago, a decrease of 30.7 percent. Sales of Nissan Division vehicles decreased 30.0 percent, while sales of Infiniti vehicles decreased by 34.6 percent. NISSAN HIGHLIGHTS -- Nissan vehicles saw sales of 53,829 units in December compared with 76,900 units sold in December 2007, a 30.0 percent decrease. -- Nissan's crossovers experienced a strong December, with sales of the Rogue up 10.0 percent from the prior year with 6,916 units, and sales of Murano up 53.9 percent, at 6,461 units. -- For the 2008 calendar year, Nissan sales totaled 838,361 units, a decrease of 10.9 percent from 941,200 in 2007. INFINITI HIGHLIGHTS -- Infiniti sales for December were 8,273 units, down from 12,655 a year ago, a decline of 34.6 percent. -- For the 2008 calendar year, Infiniti sales totaled 112,989 units, a decrease of 11.1 percent from 127,038 in 2007. NNA INFORMATION -- Combined sales for Nissan and Infiniti of 62,102 units, compared with last December's sales of 89,555 units, marked a decrease of 30.7 percent. -- For the 2008 calendar year, combined sales of Nissan and Infiniti totaled 951,350 units, a 10.9 percent decrease from 2007. -- To ensure consistency in our global sales reporting, Nissan North America calculates monthly variances on a straight-percentage basis, unadjusted for the number of selling days in the month. This December had 26 selling days, as did December 2007. In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program 2010, whose key priorities are reducing CO2 emissions, cutting other emissions and increasing recycling. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.NissanUSA.com and www.infiniti.com. NISSAN DIVISION December December Monthly CYTD CYTD CYTD 2008 2007 % chg 2008 2007 % chg Nissan Division Total 53,829 76,900 -30.0 838,361 941,200 -10.9 Versa 5,138 6,214 -17.3 85,182 79,443 7.2 Sentra 5,766 6,879 -16.2 99,797 106,522 -6.3 Altima 17,311 25,151 -31.2 269,668 284,762 -5.3 Maxima 3,399 4,047 -16.0 47,072 52,574 -10.5 350Z 567 1,306 -56.6 10,337 18,957 -45.5 GT-R 149 0 NA 1,730 0 NA Total Car 32,330 43,597 -25.8 513,786 542,258 -5.3 Frontier 1,402 4,708 -70.2 44,997 64,397 -30.1 Titan 2,124 4,785 -55.6 34,053 65,746 -48.2 Xterra 1,622 3,911 -58.5 33,579 51,355 -34.6 Pathfinder 1,551 4,813 -67.8 33,555 63,056 -46.8 Armada 932 2,656 -64.9 15,685 31,632 -50.4 Rogue 6,916 6,288 10.0 73,053 17,808 310.2 Murano 6,461 4,199 53.9 71,401 76,358 -6.5 Quest 491 1,943 -74.7 18,252 28,590 -36.2 Total Truck 21,499 33,303 -35.4 324,575 398,942 -18.6 North American produced 39,736 65,107 -39.0 681,840 828,077 -17.7 Car 31,614 42,291 -25.2 501,719 523,301 -4.1 Truck 8,122 22,816 -64.4 180,121 304,776 -40.9 Import 14,093 11,793 19.5 156,521 113,123 38.4 Car 716 1,306 -45.2 12,067 18,957 -36.3 Truck 13,377 10,487 27.6 144,454 94,166 53.4 INFINITI DIVISION December December Monthly CYTD CYTD CYTD 2008 2007 % chg 2008 2007 % chg Infiniti Division Total 8,273 12,655 -34.6 112,989 127,038 -11.1 G Sedan 3,929 4,483 -12.4 44,969 54,015 -16.7 G Coupe 1,053 2,075 -49.3 19,212 17,794 8.0 M 1,194 2,462 -51.5 15,618 21,884 -28.6 Q45 0 1 -100.0 0 23 -100.0 QX56 372 1,316 -71.7 7,657 12,288 -37.7 EX 877 305 187.5 12,873 305 4120.7 FX 847 2,013 -57.9 12,660 20,724 -38.9 Total Car 6,177 9,021 -31.5 79,799 93,718 -14.9 Total Truck 2,096 3,634 -42.3 33,190 33,320 -0.4 NISSAN & INFINITI Month Month Monthly CYTD CYTD CYTD 2008 2007 % chg 2008 2007 % chg TOTAL VEHICLE 62,102 89,555 -30.7 951,350 1,068,238 -10.9 Total Car 38,507 52,618 -26.8 593,585 635,976 -6.7 Total Truck 23,595 36,937 -36.1 357,765 432,262 -17.2 Selling days 26 26 308 307 * All numbers include Hawaii; one Infiniti I35 was sold in December 2008.

BMW Group U.S. Division Reports December Sales Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ Link to Press Release In December, BMW Group sales in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) down by 35.9 percent. Company continued to gain market share in 2008. WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J., Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- The BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported December sales of 21,626 vehicles, a decrease of 35.9 percent over the 33,761 vehicles sold in December 2007. The BMW Group also reported a 2008 sales volume of 303,190 vehicles, down 9.7 percent, compared to 335,840 vehicles in 2007. Commenting on the 2008 result, Jim O'Donnell, President of BMW of North America, LLC said: "Low consumer confidence and tight credit was a double whammy in '08 making it a year we'd all like to forget. One bright spot for us was a December of reasonable sales and gaining share in the premium market for the full year. This is a foundation for our 2009 plan of keeping high value leasing and retail financing and introducing 10 new or significantly refined vehicles in the next 24 months that showcase our classic dynamic values and impressive technology that contributes to our class leading efficiency. This will help manage our way through the immediate turmoil but we'll have an equal focus on doing more of the right things that set us up for the market's return." BMW Brand Sales Sales of BMW brand vehicles decreased 40.2 percent in December for a total of 18,060 compared to 30,199 reported in the same month a year ago. In 2008, BMW brand sales were down 15.2 percent, to 249,113 vehicles compared to 293,795 vehicles sold in 2007. BMW Automobile Sales BMW's automobile sales are down 40.2 percent in December to 13,796 versus 23,064 in the same month a year ago. In 2008, sales decreased by 15.4 percent, to 195,085 automobiles compared to 230,535 in 2007. BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Sales Sales of BMW Sports Activity Vehicles decreased by 40.2 percent in December to 4,264 vehicles over the 7,135 sold last December. In 2008, sales of BMW Sports Activity Vehicles were down 14.6 percent, to 54,028 vehicles compared to the 63,260 sold in 2007. MINI Brand Sales MINI USA reported December sales of 3,566 automobiles, up 0.1 percent from the 3,562 cars sold in December 2007. In 2008, the division reported sales of 54,077 automobiles, an increase of 28.6 percent, compared to the 42,045 cars reported in 2007. "Fuel efficiency and small cars had a big year in 2008 even with low fuel prices slowing down the positive sales development in the past few months," said Jim McDowell, Vice-President of MINI USA. "A balance of rational and emotional reasons are going to be the way of the future to continue small car growth in the U.S. MINI's success in 2008 may be a good indication of this balance." BMW Certified Pre-Owned Sales of BMW's Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) vehicles are up 23.4 percent, to 11,719 CPO vehicles versus 9,496 vehicles reported last December. In 2008, CPO sales are up 16.4 percent, to 104,500 over the 89,795 reported in 2007. BMW Group in America BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and the Rolls-Royce brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, an industrial design firm in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group's global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all X5 Sports Activity Vehicles and X6 Sports Activity Coupes. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 338 BMW passenger car centers, 335 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 142 BMW motorcycle retailers, 83 MINI passenger car dealers, and 30 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group's sales headquarters for North, Central and South America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey. Sales BMW of North America, LLC, December 2008 Dec. 08 Dec. 07 % YTD Dec. 08 YTD Dec. 07 % 1 Series 921 0 N/A 12,018 0 N/A 3 Series 8,490 12,941 -34.4% 112,464 142,490 -21.1% Z4 Roadster and Coupe 81 1,029 -92.1% 5,879 10,097 -41.8% 5 Series 3,699 6,687 -44.7% 45,915 54,142 -15.2% 6 Series 568 901 -37.0% 6,533 9,033 -27.7% 7 Series 37 1,506 -97.5% 12,276 14,773 -16.9% BMW passenger cars 13,796 23,064 -40.2% 195,085 230,535 -15.4% -------------- ------ ------ ----- ------- ------- ----- X3 960 2,194 -56.2% 17,622 28,058 -37.2% X5 2,872 4,941 -41.9% 31,858 35,202 -9.5% X6 432 0 N/A 4,548 0 N/A BMW light trucks (SAVs) 4,264 7,135 -40.2% 54,028 63,260 -14.6% -------------- ----- ----- ----- ------ ------ ----- BMW brand 18,060 30,199 -40.2% 249,113 293,795 -15.2% --------- ------ ------ ----- ------- ------- ----- Cooper / S Hardtop 2,518 3,035 -17.0% 36,916 34,247 7.8% Cooper / S Convertible 78 527 -85.2% 4,880 7,798 -37.4% Cooper / S Clubman 970 0 N/A 12,281 0 N/A MINI brand 3,566 3,562 0.1% 54,077 42,045 28.6% --------- ------ ------ ----- ------- ------- ----- TOTAL BMW of North America, LLC 21,626 33,761 -35.9% 303,190 335,840 -9.7% --------- ------ ------ ----- ------- ------- -----

Kia Motors America Announces December Sales Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ Link to Press Release Rio, Optima, and Rondo Sales Each Up More Than 9 Percent for 2008 IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Kia Motors America (KMA) today announced December sales of 14,644 units with 2008 sales of 273,397 units. Passenger cars have led the way in 2008, with Rio, Optima and Rondo all posting more than 9-percent increases for the year. December sales were led by Sorento posting an 88.7-percent increase over the same period last year. 2009 Product Line Kia Motors America offers a dynamic and diverse product line of 11 vehicles to meet the needs of all lifestyles. The 2009 vehicle line features the functional Rondo CUV and award-winning Sedona minivan along with a wide variety of popular passenger cars, including the refined Amanti full size sedan, purposeful Optima mid size sedan, versatile and compact Spectra and Spectra5, and sporty yet fuel-efficient Rio and Rio5 subcompacts. The vehicle line also features the all-new and affordably luxurious Borrego, rugged Sorento and value-packed Sportage SUVs. The Soul will further complement the lineup when it arrives in dealerships this spring. About Kia Motors America 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. 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 - www.kia.com. For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com. MONTH OF DECEMBER YEAR-TO-DATE Model 2008 2007 2008 2007 Rio 1,785 2,910 36,532 33,370 Spectra 2,720 6,688 68,465 73,474 Optima 1,410 3,235 44,904 40,901 Amanti 194 125 3,614 5,522 Sportage 2,182 5,109 32,754 49,393 Sorento 3,087 1,636 29,699 36,300 Sedona 1,971 2,493 26,915 40,493 Rondo 1,056 1,872 28,645 26,020 Borrego 239 n/a 1,869 n/a Total 14,644 24,068 273,397 305,473

Subaru of America Announces Year-On-Year Sales Increase for 2008 Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ Link to Press Release - Record Sales for Impreza, Legacy and Forester lines - CHERRY HILL, N.J., Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Subaru of America today announced a 0.3% sales increase for full-year 2008 sales over 2007. Driven by record results for its Impreza, Legacy and Forester model lines, Subaru was the only full-line brand with positive sales through November 2008. (Full-year results for other makers are not known at time of posting). The year-over-year sales increase adds to the good news the company enjoyed in 2008: the Subaru Forester was named 2009 Motor Trend Sport/Utility of the Year and the company was awarded the title Automotive Marketer of the Year by Mediapost.com and the brand has performed well in Kelley Blue Book and ALG ratings. Subaru has also announced it will show a Concept Legacy Sedan at the upcoming North American International Auto Show (Jan. 11, 2009) to showcase a potential direction for the model that celebrates 20 years of U.S. sales and production in 2009. Tim Colbeck, vice president of sales for Subaru of America said, "To post increased sales for the year the Industry has just experienced reflects the strength of our products, our dealers and the Subaru brand. In a difficult market we were able to establish new sales records for Forester, Impreza and Legacy sedan and also record our highest market share ever." Tom Doll, executive vice president for Subaru of America said, "Our 2008 sales results are tribute not only to our product offerings, but also to the commitment, perseverance and dedication of our retail sales network. Our strategy was to concentrate on building our brand image and also to leverage the value, performance and utility of our products rather than focus on "selling the deal", and that strategy has allowed us to significantly outperform the market." December December YTD 2008 2007 %chg 2008 2007 %chg Legacy 1824 2066 -11.7% 22596 21094 7.1% Outback* 4067 5831 -30.3% 44280 57334 -22.8% Impreza 4192 5376 -22.0% 49098 46333 6.0% Forester 6499 3992 62.8% 60748 44530 36.4% Tribeca 705 1471 -52.1% 10975 16790 -34.6% Baja 0 3 -100.0% 2 1127 -99.8% Total 17,287 18,739 -7.7% 187,699 187,208 0.3% * Includes Legacy Wagon About Subaru of America, Inc. Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of nearly 600 dealers across the United States. Subaru makes the best-selling All-Wheel Drive car sold in America based on R.L. Polk & Co. new vehicle retail registration statistics calendar year-end 2007. In addition, Subaru boasts the most fuel efficient line-up of all-wheel drive products sold in the market today based on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) fuel economy standards. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill production plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. is the only U.S. automobile production plant to be designated a backyard wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. For additional information visit www.subaru.com. Contact: Michael McHale Subaru of America, Inc. 856-488-3326 [email protected] Heather Ward Subaru of America, Inc. 856-488-5093 [email protected]

Chrysler LLC Reports December 2008 U.S. Sales Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ Link to Press Release - All Jeep® brand vehicles achieved sales growth over November 2008 - Chrysler Town and Country sales increased nine percent and Dodge Grand Caravan sales grew 14 percent compared to November 2008 - Dodge Ram light duty pickup sales rose ten percent versus November 2008 AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Chrysler LLC today reported total December 2008 U.S. sales of 89,813 units, up five percent versus November 2008 (85,260 units), and down 53 percent from the same month in 2007. For the year, Chrysler, Jeep® and Dodge U.S. sales decreased 30 percent (1,453,122 units) compared to total 2007 sales (2,076,650 units). Total sales were significantly affected by the industry's largest reductions in fleet sales, 63 percent for December and 31 percent for the year. "Last year Chrysler and all of our stakeholders persevered through extraordinarily difficult economic conditions, made the necessary adjustments and always kept our focus on serving our customers," said Jim Press, President and Vice Chairman, Chrysler LLC. "As a result, our Company and our dealer network start this year stronger and better positioned to succeed in today's marketplace." "From a customer perspective, we see consumers selecting vehicles based on their long-term transportation needs and committing to keeping vehicles for longer periods. As a result, characteristics such as utility, flexibility, efficiency and quality will grow in importance. In terms of product focus, Chrysler will continue to invest in quality and fuel efficiency improvements on its current lineup, while developing all-new vehicles for the next generation. From an organizational viewpoint, we will work with all of our stakeholders to continue the restructuring our Company. We have a special bond with the American people now and pledge to continue our efforts to provide the best quality and best value in the marketplace. We are committed to help drive America forward." December Sales Highlights -- All Jeep brand vehicles achieved sales growth over November 2008 sales. Jeep Wrangler, the brand's top-selling model, marked sales growth of 15 percent (7,048 units) over November. -- Sales of the Jeep Patriot were up six percent in December (2,597 units) compared to November 2008. Year-to-date, Patriot sales grew 38 percent to reach 55,654 units. -- Minivan sales gained momentum over November. Chrysler Town and Country sales in December grew nine percent (8,152 units) and Dodge Grand Caravan sales increased 14 percent (6,927 units). -- Dodge Ram light duty pickup sales were up 10 percent (10,601 units) compared to November 2008, fueled by the availability of the all-new 2009 Dodge Ram. -- The Company finished the month with 397,569 units of inventory, or a 115-day supply. Inventory is down nine percent compared with December 2007, when it totaled 438,390 units. January Incentives Chrysler continues to offer customers highly competitive discount and financing programs to kick off 2009. In addition to offering discounts of up to $6,000 on 2008 MY vehicles and up to $3,000 on 2009 MY vehicles to all customers, the Company is also working with Chrysler Financial and additional financing companies around the country to create packages that offer customers a wide range of options for lease and purchase financing. On select 2008 models, 0% financing is available for 72 months, and rates as low as 1.9% APR are available on select 2009 models. For the new year, Chrysler has entered into a partnership with Credit Unions across the nation to offer an additional $500 to $1,000 discount when any of the 90 million members of Credit Unions purchase or lease a new Chrysler, Jeep or Dodge vehicle. This program was successfully piloted in December in 12 states. Chrysler LLC U.S. Sales Summary Thru December 2008 Month Sales Vol % Model Curr Yr Pr Yr Change Sebring 3,572 9,274 -61% 300 3,707 9,950 -63% Crossfire 110 180 -39% PT Cruiser 1,823 9,738 -81% Aspen 1,515 3,022 -50% Pacifica 574 2,009 -71% Town & Country 8,152 14,211 -43% CHRYSLER BRAND 19,453 48,384 -60% Compass 1,225 3,295 -63% Patriot 2,597 4,987 -48% Wrangler 7,048 9,007 -22% Liberty 4,529 9,941 -54% Grand Cherokee 5,504 11,753 -53% Commander 2,188 5,821 -62% JEEP BRAND 23,091 44,804 -48% Caliber 2,896 8,851 -67% Avenger 2,050 8,146 -75% Charger 5,414 11,115 -51% Challenger 2,602 0 0% Viper 152 46 230% Magnum 31 2,278 -99% Dakota 1,701 2,873 -41% Ram P/U 16,618 32,118 -48% Journey 4,275 109 3822% Caravan 6,927 21,217 -67% Durango 1,435 2,480 -42% Nitro 2,036 7,350 -72% Sprinter 1,132 1,652 -31% DODGE BRAND 47,269 98,235 -52% TOTAL CHRYSLER LLC 89,813 191,423 -53% TOTAL CAR 20,535 50,273 -59% TOTAL TRUCK 69,278 141,150 -51% Selling Days 26 26 Sales CYTD Vol % Model Curr Yr Pr Yr Change Sebring 71,663 93,130 -23% 300 62,352 120,636 -48% Crossfire 2,021 8,774 -77% PT Cruiser 50,910 99,585 -49% Aspen 22,254 28,788 -23% Pacifica 7,345 53,947 -86% Town & Country 118,563 138,151 -14% CHRYSLER BRAND 335,108 543,011 -38% Compass 25,349 39,491 -36% Patriot 55,654 40,434 38% Wrangler 84,615 119,243 -29% Liberty 66,911 92,105 -27% Grand Cherokee 73,678 120,937 -39% Commander 27,694 63,027 -56% JEEP BRAND 333,901 475,237 -30% Caliber 84,158 101,079 -17% Avenger 61,963 83,804 -26% Charger 97,367 119,289 -18% Challenger 17,423 0 0% Viper 1,172 435 169% Magnum 6,912 30,256 -77% Dakota 26,044 50,702 -49% Ram P/U 245,840 358,295 -31% Journey 47,097 109 43108% Caravan 123,749 176,041 -30% Durango 21,420 45,503 -53% Nitro 36,368 74,825 -51% Sprinter 14,600 16,586 -12% DODGE BRAND 784,113 1,058,402 -26% TOTAL CHRYSLER LLC 1,453,122 2,076,650 -30% TOTAL CAR 406,125 569,859 -29% TOTAL TRUCK 1,046,997 1,506,791 -31% Selling Days 308 307

Mitsubishi Motors Reports December Sales Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ Link to Press Release CYPRESS, Calif., Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Mitsubishi Motors today announced December 2008 sales of 4,570. Highlights include: Galant was the volume leader in December, at 1,214, up 20 percent for the month compared to December 2007. Galant sales finished the year up 1.7 percent compared to calendar year 2007. Eclipse Spyder convertible sales were up 31 percent in December, compared to the same month a year ago. Lancer Evolution sales finished 2008 with a 50.9% increase for the year. Overall Mitsubishi December sales were down 22.6 percent compared to December 2007. Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc., (MMNA) is responsible for all manufacturing, finance, sales, marketing, research and development operations for Mitsubishi Motors in the United States. MMNA sells coupes, convertibles, sedans, sport utility vehicles, and light trucks through a network of more than 440 dealers. For more information, contact the Mitsubishi Motors News Bureau at (888) 560-6672 or visit media.mitsubishicars.com. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mitsubishi (MMNA) 2008 Sales total: 97,257

You might change your mind once you become a home owner. I did. :AH-HA_wink:

Well, he did clarify his comment by reducing it to Seattle, instead of all of Washington. The overall point he was getting at was that Olympia is very liberal, which is why Eastern Washington feels ignored. To illustrate how influential Seattle's political standing is in the state of Washington, this was a sign used during the 2008 governor election: A friend of mine saw a similar sign to the one above in Spokane, but they were scattered throughout Eastern Washington. The incumbent, Governor Gregoire still won (thankfully.) Rossi actually lives on the Eastside. You'd think I would have voted for him, but I prefer a Democratic state & federal government and a conservative/Republican local government. Go figure.

If it means anything, the mayor of Seattle has finally caved in due to the pressure. Salt will be used if Seattle accumulates more than 4" of snow.

Bobo is more reliable than a Buick! Cheers to you for keeping up a tradition that all of us look forward to! Happy New Year everyone! I hope 2009 treats all of us better than 2008. This has been an extremely difficult year the world over. At this moment, change is as desirable as a complimentary Diaka martini adorned with gold flakes. I look forward to all of us gathering here next year relishing the accomplishments 2009 brought us!

I automatically lean toward the MKS-type of cars. My partner falls much more in line with the CTS. The interesting part is that we both equally like the MKS and CTS. Test drives would make the decision between them easier, but it was amazing (to me) for us both to walk away from Seattle's auto show back in November with that impression.

I thought GMAC's problems were with mortgages, not auto loans? Lowering credit score requirements for approving auto loans shouldn't lead GMAC down the same path of darkness.

I think this makes sense. Opel is a solid brand between Chevrolet & Cadillac. Buick is too (much more so than Saturn is or ever will be.)

Are you suggesting a new trim level for Saturn? Red Line, Green Line, Flat Line?

Thanks for the review! Good write-up. I'm very interested in test driving the MKS myself.

Croc, BuddyP is correct. Most of the state's population (WA State approx 6.5 million) is west of the Cascades. Half of the state's population is just in the tri-county area alone (Pierce/King/Snohomish = 3.3 million.) In fact, I believe King County alone has a larger population than all of Eastern Washington. Another point, the rest of the state lacks the financial resources to match the tri-county area as well. Speaking politically, the state is technically divided in two (West & East.) There have been several attempts over the years to propose splitting Eastern and Western Washington into two separate states, but none of them ever seem to gain much traction.

Ever heard of the phrase "Hell is paved with good intentions"? We'll, Seattle was paving Hell and then it froze over. It’s my understanding, Bellevue and several over nearby cities (including WADOT as mentioned in the article) used salt and other chemicals to de-ice the streets (thankfully.) Seattle became a frozen island for a few days. Sad thing is, international environmentalists blasted Seattle for the move because salt will dissolve, but sand just turns into sediment... an environmentally dangerous situation in Seattle for creeks & streams. As Siegen said, this doesn't happen often. We're sea-level and the snowline rarely falls this low. Salting the roads once wouldn’t have dramatically impacted the area. I was told Seattle did finally test the concoction mentioned on the roads and it worked pretty well. We’ll see how Seattle does the next time. Oh well. We ended up with approximately 15” at my house. I worked remotely for a few days. When I did venture out, my Buick performed fantastically. I almost became stuck in a parking lot once, but disengaging Traction Control took care of that issue. We made it into town to see ‘The Color Purple’ at the Paramount Theatre, but missed ‘Seven Brides for Seven Brothers’ at 5th Ave Theatre due to the snow & ice. Grrghh… Christmas was white. All things considered... not too bad.

Chrysler to shut down plants for a full month by Chris Shunk on Dec 17th 2008 at 6:28PM Link to Autoblog It's no secret that Chrysler is in the fight of its life, and the Auburn Hills automaker is pulling out all the stops to keep the lights on -- even if it means closing the doors. Chrysler is shuttering all of its plants for one month, beginning December 19. In a short release to the media, Chrysler blamed the continued credit crunch as the main reason for the shutdown, and is trying to better-align its vehicle stock with customer demand. Dealers have notified the Pentastar that they've got plenty of perspective buyers, but an astonishing 20-25% of customers are unable to obtain financing. Ouch. On the bright side, Chrysler plant workers will have a really, really long Christmas break at 95% pay, which can't be too horrible. Chrysler's move is far from unprecedented, though, as GM announced on Monday that it would be cutting production by 250,000 units in Q1 2009. GM has also delayed production of its Flint engine plant. Toyota has also delayed plans to open its unfinished Mississippi plant, and Mitsubishi is closing its Illinois plant for seven weeks. This is one depressed automotive market, and Chrysler may be getting hit worst of all. Hit the jump to see Chrysler's mini-release for yourself. PRESS RELEASE Due to the continued lack of consumer credit for the American car buyer and the resulting dramatic impact it has had on overall industry sales in the United States, Chrysler LLC announced that it will make significant adjustments to the production schedules of its manufacturing operations. In doing so, the Company will keep production and dealer inventory aligned with U.S. market demand. In response, the Company confirmed that all Chrysler manufacturing operations will be idled at the end of the shift Friday, Dec. 19, and impacted employees will not return to work any sooner than Monday, Jan. 19, 2009. Chrysler dealers confirmed to the Company at a recent meeting at its headquarters, that they have many willing buyers for Chrysler, Jeep® and Dodge vehicles but are unable to close the deals, due to lack of financing. The dealers have stated that they have lost an estimated 20 to 25 percent of their volume because of this credit situation. The Company will continue to monitor the production schedules of its manufacturing operations moving forward.

Banzai burned? Honda confirms NSX is DOA by Noah Joseph on Dec 17th 2008 at 9:25AM Link to Autoblog Amidst a troubled global economy, Honda is actively scaling back its operations, and its performance programs are sadly bearing the brunt. After canceling its participation in Formula One and the AMA motorbike road racing series, the Japanese automaker has reportedly announced that it is nixing development of the next-generation NSX supercar. The unfortunate news will undoubtedly come as a stunning disappointment for the loyal legions of Honda/Acura sportscar fans. The new NSX, which looked to be nearing the end of its development on the road to production, was slated to be the most powerful car ever made by Honda, driven by an anticipated 560-horsepower V10. According to Autocar, the goal-line audible came from none other than Takeo Fukui, Honda's CEO, who dropped the bombshell as part of a end-of-year speech to the troops. The news also means that Honda is suspending plans to finally bring the Acura nameplate to Japan, and it also calls into doubt the fate of the V10 engine itself, as well as any long-rumored V8 powertrains. Honda hasn't ruled out the possibility of picking up where it left off once business is back in order, but in the meantime the original NSX, which ceased production in 2005 after fifteen years on the market, will have to remain without an heir. Update: Acura spokesman Mike Spencer has confirmed to Autoblog that the NSX has indeed been canceled. We'll now never know how good it might have been.