VenSeattle

Uhm... Edmunds doesn't even agree with you on the Camry evaluation (read their 2008 Malibu review), and I don't either. There's nothing soft in the new Camry's interior mid-way down and the materials DO NOT feel superb by any definition.... especially the center stack (beware of what you pull on there too). As for complaining about the Malibu's door panels, how are the Camry's door panels exciting by comparison?

Judging by the Lexus IS250/350, Toyota can do better than the Camry.

Here are some real-life pics of a higher trim 2008 Malibu. http://www.familycar.com/RoadTests/Chevrol.../Photos2008.htm Dash: PK FC Center Stack: PK FC In pics alone (regardless of the ones by PK or at familycar) you can tell GM worked hard at producing a more attractive vehicle... and the interior materials are greatly improved over the current 2007 Malibu. They may not equal the best of Honda, but if Aura is the living example, they're on par or better than what's at Ford, Chrysler, Dodge, Mitsubishi, Toyota, Suzuki, Hyundai, Kia and possibly Nissan (current Maxima yes... New Altima, maybe not.) The powertrains available to consumers are also competitive and not just an after thought like the current Malibu. You don't have to be the best in class to have a successful product. You have to only offer something consumers will want. Considering standard and available features along with the extra style, I can see people wanting the new Malibu.

It's funny... I actually like it. I think the styling will look fine sitting next to the G8 on the showroom floor.

Guilty or not, why would the police need to use this OnStar feature unless they were in pursuit and the owner wasn't pulling over?

Forget the grill... see if you can find a convenient SAAB dealer... even then you better like austere interiors. Not everyone associates the clean Scandinavian look to being premium or luxury (I happen to like it, but not always in my car...) There is demand for a premium compact that's warm, comfortable, and inviting without pretending to be a BMW alternative. Ford, GM, & Chrysler don't offer one.

Several mid-lux brands have 4-cyl compacts. If there's a GM brand that can demand a premium price to help offset hybrid technology on a FWD compact, Buick is it. If executed correctly, Buick could have a very enviable vehicle to arrive at the perfect time. An upscale premium compact is a product Buick needs. I think the LaCrosse replacement will be moving further upscale and in price than some realize. The LaCrosse replacement should be viewed as the replacement for both the current LaCrosse and current Lucerne. As a gauge, look at the price for the new Pontiac G8... 2008 Pontiac G8 base price: $27,595 2008 Lucerne CX: $25,745 The Lucerne replacement will be more expensive than the G8.

If the platform is Delta II, the interior/exterior design is by Buick China, and it's manufactured in China... how can that be considered a Daewoo rebadge?

Fantastic quote! Good for GM to have a website like Edmunds make this observation and put it in the review.

The replacement for the Chinese Excelle will debut next year. There's a chance the US may get it if it's well received. I have my fingers crossed.

Mercedes-Benz USA Records Best September Sales Original Press Release Mercedes-Benz Sales Up 13 Percent for the Month MONTVALE, N.J., Oct. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) today reported its best September on record with sales of 22,459 new vehicles, an increase of 13 percent over last September. This brings MBUSA's year-to-date sales to 180,265, a 1.8 percent increase over the same period in 2006. During its first full month on the market, sales of the all-new 2008 C- Class boosted the volume-leading model line by 42.8 percent (6,052 vs. 4,238 units). Highlights for the month include a 14 percent jump in car sales (15,867 vs. 13,913) which was achieved in part by significant increases by not only the C-Class, but also the highly acclaimed E-Class (up 21.4 percent), the fun-to-drive CLK coupes and convertibles (up 29.5 percent), and the top-of- the-line CL-Class coupe (up 575.6 percent). Sales for Mercedes-Benz vehicles in the luxury light truck segment -- M- Class, R-Class, GL-Class and G-Class -- continue to demonstrate impressive gains with a combined 10.6 percent increase over last September and a 12.3 percent increase over the first nine months of last year (53,178 v. 47,354 units). Separately, through the Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned program, MBUSA sold 4,390 vehicles in September, an increase of 2 percent over September 2006, bringing the year-to-date total to 39,253 units, a 9.7 percent increase over year-to-date 2006. 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 2006, MBUSA achieved an all-time sales record of 248,080 new vehicles, setting the highest sales volume ever in its history and achieving 13 consecutive years of sales growth. More information on MBUSA and its products can be found on the Internet at http://www.mbusa.com. Model Sept '07 Sept '06 Monthly % YTD 2007 YTD 2006 Yearly % C-CLASS 6,052 4,238 42.8% 42,236 36,771 14.9% E-CLASS 4,993 4,112 21.4% 34,184 33,266 2.8% S-CLASS 1,964 2,357 -16.7% 19,501 22,601 -13.7% CL-CLASS 277 41 575.6% 2,672 476 461.3% SL-CLASS 384 557 -31.1% 4,787 6,913 -30.8% CLK-CLASS 1,247 963 29.5% 11,628 12,841 -9.4% SLK-CLASS 396 702 -43.6% 6,067 8,623 -29.6% CLS-CLASS 554 943 -41.3% 6,012 8,156 -26.3% R-CLASS 1,018 1,276 -20.2% 9,917 14,131 -29.8% M-CLASS 2,948 2,706 8.9% 23,960 21,790 10.0% GL-CLASS 2,541 1,937 31.2% 18,498 10,939 69.1% G-CLASS 85 41 107.3% 803 494 62.6% GRAND TOTAL 22,459 19,873 13.0% 180,265 177,001 1.8%

BMW Group Reports September Sales Original Press Release Sales Up 8 Percent For First Three Quarters WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J., Oct. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI brands combined) reports year-to-date sales of 248,273 vehicles, an increase of 8 percent verses the 229,833 vehicles sold in the first three quarters of 2006. September sales are up 7 percent, with the Group reporting 24,932 vehicles verses the 23,303 reported in 2006. BMW Brand Sales Increase 8.1 Percent Year-to-date BMW brand sales are up 8.1 percent year-to-date, to 216,337 vehicles compared to 200,063 vehicles sold in first nine months of 2006. In September, BMW brand sales are up 2.8 percent for a total of 20,901 vehicles compared to 20,339 reported in the same month a year ago. BMW Automobile Sales Sales of BMW brand automobiles are up 9.2 percent in the first three quarters of 2007, to 169,761 automobiles over 155,525 in the same period of 2006. In September, automobile sales also increased by 7.7 percent to 16,457 cars versus 15,275 in the same month a year ago. BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Sales Year-to-date, sales of BMW Sports Activity Vehicles improved by 4.6 percent, to 46,576 vehicles compared to the 44,538 sold in the same period in 2006. In September, sales of BMW Sports Activity Vehicles are down 12.2 percent, to 4,444 vehicles over the 5,064 sold in the same month in 2006. Certified Pre-Owned Sales of BMW's Certified Pre-Owned vehicles are up 25.5 percent in September, and the company reports its best September ever, with sales of 7,421 CPO vehicles versus 5,913 vehicles reported last year. Year-to-date, CPO sales were up 0.6 percent, to 64,445 over the 64,042 reported in the same period in 2006. MINI Brand Increases 36 Percent In September MINI Automobiles MINI USA reports September sales of 4,031 automobiles, up 36 percent from the 2,964 cars sold last September. Year-to-date, the division reports sales of 31,936 automobiles, an increase of 7.3 percent, compared to the 29,770 cars reported in the first three quarters of 2006. 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 Z4 models and X5 Sports Activity Vehicles. 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, 82 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. Information about BMW Group products is available to consumers via the Internet at: http://www.bmwgroupna.com http://www.bmwusa.com http://www.bmwmotorcycles.com http://www.miniusa.com http://www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com BMW Car Sales Report for September 2007 2007 2006 September 16,457 15,275 Year-to-Date 169,761 155,525 Model Year-to- Year-to- September Date September Date 2007 2007 2006 2006 325i (E90 & E46) 122 2,026 3,300 36,343 325Ci (E46) 2 50 139 2,347 325Ci Convertible (E46) 1 49 467 3,950 325i Sports Wagon (E91) 0 0 0 4 325xi (E90 & E46) 10 136 632 11,018 325xi Sports Wagon (E90 & E46) 10 81 66 1,624 328i (E90) 4,388 38,769 72 72 328i Coupe (E92) 215 6,350 710 1,116 328i Convertible (E93) 177 6,127 0 0 328i Sports Wagon (E91) 96 1,107 0 0 328xi (E90) 1,289 16,607 181 181 328xi Coupe (E92) 152 3,723 7 7 328xi Sports Wagon (E91) 115 1,317 2 2 330i (E90 & E46) 14 370 1,254 13,363 330Ci (E46) 0 11 40 1,114 330Ci Convertible (E46) 3 33 634 4,236 330xi (E90 & E46) 2 37 410 7,382 335i (E90) 926 12,215 65 65 335i Coupe (E92) 729 7,815 1,408 1,597 335i Convertible (E93) 741 6,496 0 0 335xi (E90) 500 3,181 0 0 335xi Coupe (E92) 27 27 0 0 M3 (E46) 0 13 44 1,752 M3 Convertible (E46) 0 18 185 1,226 3 Series 9,519 106,558 9,616 87,399 Z4 2.5i Roadster (E85) - US 4 86 26 393 Z4 3.0i Roadster (E85) - US 477 3,769 585 4,898 Z4 Roadster 3.0si (E85) - US 259 1,988 325 2,605 Z4 M Roadster (E85) - US 66 409 48 981 Z4 Coupe 3.0si (E86) - US 107 719 35 178 Z4 M Coupe (E86) - US 77 566 26 166 Z4 990 7,537 1,045 9,221 525i (E60) 41 3,317 1,056 10,018 525xi (E60) 16 1,724 296 3,803 528i (E60) 1,288 7,177 0 0 528xi (E60) 541 3,302 0 0 530i (E60) 32 3,524 899 9,698 530xi (E60) 38 2,882 424 6,239 530xi Sports Wagon (E60) 15 447 78 1,728 535i (E60) 941 5,396 0 0 535xi (E60) 534 3,869 0 0 535xi Sports Wagon (E60) 118 646 0 0 545i (E60) 0 0 0 6 550i (E60) 368 4,176 338 5,039 M5 (E60) 123 1,434 99 2,413 5 Series 4,055 37,894 3,190 38,944 645Ci (E63) 0 0 0 21 650i Coupe (E63) 161 1,469 91 1,776 645Ci Convertible (E64) 0 0 0 16 650i Convertible (E64) 289 3,264 252 4,032 M6 (E63) 303 968 66 870 M6 Convertible (E64) 55 1,058 0 0 6 Series 808 6,759 409 6,715 ALPINA B7 64 358 0 0 745Li (E65) 0 0 0 0 750i (E65) 224 2,420 212 3,123 750Li (E66) 784 8,121 786 9,841 760i (E66) 0 0 2 33 760Li (E65) 13 114 15 244 7 Series 1,085 11,013 1,015 13,241 Z8 0 0 0 4 Z8 Alpina 0 0 0 1 Z8 0 0 0 5 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle (light trucks) Sales Report for September 2007 2007 2006 September 4,444 5,064 Year-to-Date 46,576 44,538 Model Year-to- Year-to- September Date September Date 2007 2007 2006 2006 X3 2.5i (E83) 0 4 0 182 X3 3.0i (E83) 83 569 2,650 22,940 X3 3.0si (E83) 2,068 21,685 173 173 X3 2,151 22,258 2,823 23,295 X5 3.0i (E53) - US 16 254 1,626 15,616 X5 3.0si (E70) - US 1,370 14,947 0 0 X5 4.4i (E53) - US 28 252 551 4,914 X5 4.8i (E70) - US 876 8,851 0 0 X5 4.8is (E53) - US 3 14 64 713 X5 2,293 24,318 2,241 21,243 MINI Sales Report for September 2007 2007 2006 September 4,031 2,964 Year-to-Date 31,936 29,770 Model Year-to- Year-to- September Date September Date 2007 2007 2006 2006 MINI Cooper (R50) 19 1,842 1,192 9,615 MINI Cooper (R56) 1,635 10,648 0 0 MINI Cooper S (R53) 4 1,596 1,048 11,773 MINI Cooper S (R56) 1,749 11,539 0 0 MINI Cooper Convertible 212 2,530 319 2,653 MINI Cooper S Convertible 412 3,750 402 5,688 MINI Cooper S JCW GP 0 31 3 41 Total MINI 4,031 31,936 2,964 29,770

Mitsubishi September Sales Up 17.6 Percent; Best September Since 2003 Original Press Release CYPRESS, Calif., Oct. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc., (MMNA) today reported September sales of 12,102 units, up 17.6 % from last year's September volume of 10,287. Calendar year-to-date sales are 105,826 up 17.4% compared to last year's first-nine-months total. Sales of the fuel efficient 2008 Lancer sedan and the Outlander crossover sport utility continue to lead the way: -- Lancer sales were 2,372 units, up 9.4% from last September's volume; and up 77% from last year's CYTD volume. -- Outlander closed at 1,624 units, up 148% from last year's volume; and up 172% from last year's CYTD volume. -- Galant sales were 2,683 units, up 34.4% from last year's volume, and up 2.8 percent CYTD. -- This was Mitsubishi's best September sales month, since 2003. -- Mitsubishi's third quarter (July through September) was also the highest third quarter of sales since 2003. 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 approximately 500 dealers. For more information, contact the Mitsubishi Motors News Bureau at (888) 560-6672 or visit media.mitsubishicars.com.

Subaru September Sales Reach 20-Year High Original Press Release - Subaru Impreza sales lead the way with best September ever - CHERRY HILL, N.J., Oct. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Subaru of America, Inc. today reported its best September sales in 20 years with a total of 16,457 units, up two percent from the same period last year. Sales of the all-new 2008 Subaru Impreza lead the way by posting the line's best September sales total in the company's history. "September was our first full month of sales for the new 2008 Subaru Impreza," said Tim Colbeck, vice president of sales, Subaru of America, Inc. "The market has responded with enthusiasm to the new product and we see this trend continuing through the end of the year." Subaru Tribeca sales were up 19 percent with 1,730 units in September. Also up for the month were sales of the Subaru Legacy that recorded sales of 6,777 units, a 5 percent increase over last year. The Subaru Outback accounted for 4,796 sales units of the Legacy line total. Subaru Forester recorded a September total of 3,746 units, while the Subaru Impreza was up 11 percent with a September record of 4,195 units for the month. The discontinued Subaru Baja also recorded 9 units in September. For a complete sales chart and additional information about Subaru of America, Inc. and Subaru vehicles, visit our media website at http://www.media.subaru.com. 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 more than 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. For additional information visit http://www.subaru.com.

Kia Motors America Announces Best September Sales Ever Original Press Release IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Kia Motors America (KMA) finished out the summer with its third month in a row of record sales with September sales of 24,087 units, a 0.9-percent over the same period last year. Leading the way for the brand were Rio, Spectra and Sportage, three popular models in the Kia lineup. KMA remains on pace for another annual sales record with year-to-date sales of 232,043 units, a 4.5-percent increase over the same period last year. "The summer months proved to be extremely competitive, and we are seeing customers increasingly turn to Kia for our value proposition, our reliability and our proven safety records as measured by NHTSA and others," said Len Hunt, executive vice president and COO of Kia Motors America. Rio, which earned the highest ranking in J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Initial Quality Study, sold 2,638 units, a 49-percent increase over the same period last year. The pillars of the Kia brand, Sportage and Spectra sold 4,083 and 5,785 units respectively, both increases over the same period last year. September became the seventh month to produce record sales for Kia this year. Kia Motors America -- the sales, marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation in Seoul, South Korea -- offers a complete line of vehicles through more than 630 dealers throughout the United States. For more information, including photography, visit http://www.kiamedia.com. MONTH OF SEPTEMBER YEAR-TO-DATE Model 2007 2006 2007 2006 Rio 2,638 1,770 24,930 20,768 Spectra 5,785 4,966 55,546 55,910 Optima 3,004 3,296 31,021 28,354 Amanti 220 405 5,057 7,973 Sportage 4,083 3,178 36,150 26,371 Sorento 3,249 5,582 29,687 41,141 Sedona 2,544 4,680 31,825 41,481 Rondo 2,564 N/A 17,827 N/A Total 24,087 23,877 232,043 221,998

Hyundai Motor America Reports September Sales Original Press Release FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Oct. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Motor America today reported 33,214 sales for the month of September. The fuel-efficient Accent and the all-new Santa Fe led the month with sales of 3,120 and 7,496, respectively, up 64 percent and 21 percent over September 2006. The new Veracruz continued to post strong sales with 1,653 units sold for the month. "While we are encouraged with the strong sales of Accent and Santa Fe, our overall sales were flat versus 2006, reflecting the challenging economic climate and industry conditions," said Dave Zuchowski, Hyundai Motor America's vice president, National Sales. "We just concluded a very successful dealer meeting, and as our 2008 models begin to arrive on our dealer's lots, we are quite optimistic about having a successful fourth quarter." 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. Following is the sales breakdown for September 2007: CARLINE SEPT/2007 SEPT/2006 CY2007 CY2006 ACCENT 3,120 1,908 29,212 28,089 SONATA 6,550 8,971 99,358 123,555 ELANTRA 7,164 7,569 73,890 80,634 TIBURON 1,236 1,357 11,850 14,452 SANTA FE 7,496 6,216 70,005 45,270 AZERA 1,423 1,985 17,361 20,562 TUCSON 3,693 4,223 32,449 40,288 ENTOURAGE 879 1,155 15,664 6,409 VERACRUZ 1,653 n/a 8,618 n/a TOTAL 33,214 33,384 358,407 359,259

After seeing several on the road, I don't think it looks as bad as when it initially debuted. It looks generic, but well built none-the-less.

Ha-ha... now you're talking my language. I used to work at EDS's HQ in Plano and spent most of my time in EDSNET and NACOS. I can already guess what the second character in your EDSNET ID is :AH-HA_wink:

I've seen it on the road and up close. It does look better.

LaCrosse never had the Black Tie and never will

Toyota Reports September Sales Original Article TORRANCE, Calif., Oct. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., today reported September sales of 213,043 vehicles, a decrease of 0.6 percent from a best-ever September 2006. Calendar-year-to-date (CYTD) sales total 2,001,646 units, up 3.8 percent over the same period last year. "Given September's economic headwind, the industry saw a fair month," said Jim Lentz, TMS executive vice president. "The fall selling season is likely to benefit from increased stabilization and modest gains." The Toyota Division posted September sales of 187,929, down 0.9 percent from last September. The Lexus Division reported September sales of 25,114 units, an increase of 1.6 percent. Toyota Division Toyota Division passenger cars recorded September sales of 107,743, a decrease of one percent from last September. Passenger car sales were led by Camry, which posted best-ever September sales of 40,438, up 9.9 percent over the same period last year. Camry Hybrid reported sales of 4,196 units in September, up eight percent over September 2006. The Prius hybrid gas- electric mid-size sedan posted best-ever September sales of 12,494, an increase of 23.8 percent over September 2006. Corolla reported September sales of 29,550 units. Toyota Division light truck sales were down 0.9 percent, with sales of 80,186 units this month. Light truck sales were led by the all-new Tundra full-size pickup with best-ever September sales of 19,571, an increase 61.4 percent over the year-ago month. The RAV4 compact sport utility vehicle reported best-ever September sales of 14,412, up 29.8 percent over the same period last year. Highlander and Highlander Hybrid posted combined September sales of 8,173 units. Scion posted September sales of 13,239 units. The tC sports coupe led the way with September sales of 5,694 units. The xB urban utility vehicle posted sales of 4,842 units for the month. Lexus Division Lexus passenger cars reported best-ever September sales of 15,131 units, an increase of 10.6 percent over September 2006. Passenger car sales were led by the ES 350 luxury sedan with best-ever September sales of 6,491 units, an increase of 15.4 percent over the year-ago month. The all-new LS 460 and LS 600h L luxury sedans reported combined sales of 2,918, an increase of 237.9 percent over last September. The LS 600h L hybrid luxury sedan posted sales of 196 units for the month. Lexus Division light trucks reported September sales totaling 9,983 units. The RX 350 and RX 400h posted combined September sales of 7,841 units. The RX 400h hybrid luxury utility vehicle reported sales of 979 units for the month. TMS Hybrids TMS calendar-year-to-date hybrid sales totaled 208,187 units, an increase of 44 percent over the same period last year. In September, TMS posted sales of 18,130 hybrid vehicles, up one percent over last September. Toyota Division posted sales of 16,883 hybrids, up four percent over September 2006. Lexus Division posted sales of 1,247 hybrids. There were 25 selling days this month, as compared to 26 selling days last September. TOYOTA RETAIL SALES (INCLUDES FLEET & HAWAII) September, 2007 --- CURRENT MONTH --- --- CALENDAR YEAR TO DATE --- DSR % DSR % 2007 2006 CHG 2007 2006 CHG YARIS 5,956 7,534 -17.8 68,465 51,748 32.3 COROLLA 29,550 32,279 -4.8 291,981 306,353 -4.7 CAMRY 40,438 38,269 9.9 365,140 340,905 7.1 AVALON 6,066 8,365 -24.6 54,560 66,905 -18.5 PRIUS 12,494 10,492 23.8 137,114 80,939 69.4 SCION xA 80 2,901 -97.1 9,474 25,806 -63.3 SCION xB 4,842 5,535 -9.0 33,832 50,532 -33.0 SCION tC 5,694 7,759 -23.7 52,063 63,257 -17.7 SCION xD 2,623 0 - 5,287 0 - TOTAL TOYOTA DIV. PASS. CAR 107,743 113,136 -1.0 1,017,920 986,477 3.2 ES 350 6,491 5,851 15.4 62,444 54,216 15.2 LS 460/600h L 2,918 898 237.9 26,350 9,971 164.3 SC 430 297 457 -32.4 2,995 4,497 -33.4 GS 350 1,587 2,485 -33.6 15,645 18,219 -14.1 GS 430/450h 81 221 -61.9 1,445 3,026 -52.2 IS 250/350 3,757 4,319 -9.5 41,706 41,666 0.1 TOTAL LEXUS PASS. CAR 15,131 14,231 10.6 150,585 131,595 14.4 TOTAL TOYOTA PASS. CAR 122,874 127,367 0.3 1,168,505 1,118,072 4.5 SIENNA 9,865 14,348 -28.5 105,912 121,774 -13.0 RAV4 14,412 11,551 29.8 131,946 115,684 14.1 FJ CRUISER 4,544 5,546 -14.8 43,228 39,583 9.2 4RUNNER 7,802 8,020 1.2 66,984 80,534 -16.8 HIGHLANDER 8,173 11,697 -27.3 91,294 96,698 -5.6 LAND CRUISER 163 313 -45.8 1,752 2,462 -28.8 SEQUOIA 1,660 3,343 -48.4 17,959 25,373 -29.2 TOTAL SUV 36,754 40,470 -5.5 353,163 360,334 -2.0 4X2 TACOMA 8,380 9,638 -9.6 80,499 80,031 0.6 4X4 TACOMA 5,616 7,049 -17.1 55,016 53,881 2.1 TOTAL TACOMA 13,996 16,687 -12.8 135,515 133,912 1.2 TUNDRA 19,571 12,609 61.4 144,480 91,525 57.9 TOTAL PICKUP 33,567 29,296 19.2 279,995 225,437 24.2 TOTAL TOYOTA DIV. LT TRUCK 80,186 84,114 -0.9 739,070 707,545 4.5 LX 470 178 490 -62.2 2,150 4,135 -48.0 GX 470 1,964 2,291 -10.8 16,394 18,477 -11.3 RX 350/400h 7,841 8,688 -6.1 75,527 80,267 -5.9 TOTAL LEXUS LIGHT TRUCK 9,983 11,469 -9.5 94,071 102,879 -8.6 TOTAL TOYOTA LIGHT TRUCK 90,169 95,583 -1.9 833,141 810,424 2.8 TOTAL TOYOTA DIV. 187,929 197,250 -0.9 1,756,990 1,694,022 3.7 TOTAL LEXUS 25,114 25,700 1.6 244,656 234,474 4.3 TOTAL TOYOTA 213,043 222,950 -0.6 2,001,646 1,928,496 3.8 MEMO: DOM. COROLLA 29,472 28,124 9.0 268,658 261,816 2.6 DOM. CAMRY 38,603 30,585 31.3 313,850 280,773 11.8 DOM. PICKUP 33,567 29,296 19.2 279,995 225,437 24.2 DOM. RX 350 5,774 6,733 -10.8 54,879 55,782 -1.6 SELLING DAYS 25 26 230 230 TOYOTA DIV. IMPORT CAR 33,602 46,062 -24.1 380,852 376,983 1.0 LEXUS IMPORT CAR 15,131 14,231 10.6 150,585 131,595 14.4 TOYOTA DIV NA BUILT CARS 74,141 67,074 15.0 637,068 609,494 4.5 TOTAL TOYOTA CARS 122,874 127,367 0.3 1,168,505 1,118,072 4.5 TOYOTA DIV. IMPORT LT TRUCK 35,094 37,127 -1.7 335,204 334,961 0.1 LEXUS IMPORT LT TRUCK 4,209 4,736 -7.6 39,192 47,097 -16.8 TOYOTA DIV NA BUILT LT TRUCK 45,092 46,987 -0.2 403,866 372,584 8.4 LEXUS NA BUILT LT TRUCK 5,774 6,733 -10.8 54,879 55,782 -1.6 TOTAL TOYOTA LT TRUCK 90,169 95,583 -1.9 833,141 810,424 2.8 SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES 42,193 46,393 -5.4 404,006 423,630 -4.6 Memo: Lexus Sport Utility 9,983 11,469 -9.5 94,071 102,879 -8.6 SMALL VANS 9,865 14,348 -28.5 105,912 121,774 -13.0 PICKUPS 33,567 29,296 19.2 279,995 225,437 24.2 * NORTH AMERICAN BUILT VEHICLES COROLLA 29,472 28,124 9.0 268,658 261,816 2.6 CAMRY 38,603 30,585 31.3 313,850 280,773 11.8 AVALON 6,066 8,365 -24.6 54,560 66,905 -18.5 SIENNA 9,865 14,348 -28.5 105,912 121,774 -13.0 PICKUP 33,567 29,296 19.2 279,995 225,437 24.2 SEQUOIA 1,660 3,343 -48.4 17,959 25,373 -29.2 RX 350 5,774 6,733 -10.8 54,879 55,782 -1.6 TOTAL 125,007 120,794 7.6 1,095,813 1,037,860 5.6 N.A. VEHICLES % OF TOTAL 58.7% 54.2% 54.7% 53.8% SELLING DAYS 25 26 230 230 DSR = DAILY SELLING RATE

Chrysler LLC Announces Overall September 2007 U.S. Sales Down 5 Percent, With Retail Up and Fleet Down as Planned Original Article - Chrysler brand car sales rise 10 percent over September 2006 led by Sebring Sedan and Convertible - Jeep® brand sales down 11 percent year-over-year with retail up and fleet down, driven by planned fleet reductions - Jeep Wrangler sales increased 71 percent versus last year - Dodge brand sales up 5 percent from the same period last year, driven by Ram Pickup and Nitro - Dealer inventory down 15 percent or 82,000 units versus September 2006 AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Oct. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Chrysler LLC reported U.S. sales for September 2007 of 159,799 units; down 5 percent compared to September 2006 with 168,888 units sold. All sales figures are reported as unadjusted. "With the overall industry down versus September 2006, Chrysler retail sales remain strong," said Darryl Jackson, Vice President - U.S. Sales. "Our fleet sales continue to trend down more than 20 percent driving the overall sales decrease for the month. This is directly in line with our plan to reduce daily rental fleet during the second half of the year." Chrysler brand car sales were led by Sebring Sedan which posted sales of 4,418 units and Sebring Convertible which finished the month with sales of 1,639 units. Chrysler Aspen sales rose 8 percent versus August 2007 with 3,875 units. Jeep® brand sales were down 11 percent year-over-year with retail sales up and fleet down driven by planned fleet reductions, while Wrangler posted gains. Jeep Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited posted sales of 8,605 units, up 71 percent versus September 2006. Dodge brand sales increased 5 percent over last year led by Dodge Ram which posted a gain of 20 percent. The all-new Dodge Nitro was up 2 percent over August 2007. "Our sell down on 2007 models is going very well and in October we will continue to offer aggressive lease and retail payments for our customers," said Michael Keegan, Vice President - Volume Planning and Sales Operations. "We will extend the 0% APR offering for 60 months on more 2007 models through the end of the month." Chrysler finished the month with 450,733 units of inventory, or a 71-day supply. Inventory is down by 15 percent compared to September 2006 when it was at 533,220 units. Chrysler LLC U.S. Sales Summary Thru September 2007 Month Sales DR % Vol % Model Curr Yr Pr Yr Change Change Sebring 6,057 1,664 279% 264% 300 9,231 10,632 -10% -13% Crossfire 501 1,431 -64% -65% PT Cruiser 6,140 10,675 -40% -42% Aspen 3,875 734 449% 428% Pacifica 4,183 7,446 -42% -44% Town & Country 8,681 14,629 -38% -41% CHRYSLER BRAND 38,668 47,211 -15% -18% Compass 2,852 3,680 -19% -23% Patriot 4,245 0 0% 0% Wrangler 8,605 5,032 78% 71% Liberty 6,830 12,367 -43% -45% Grand Cherokee 10,419 11,034 -2% -6% Commander 4,509 9,780 -52% -54% JEEP BRAND 37,460 41,893 -7% -11% Caliber 6,348 8,243 -20% -23% Avenger 8,318 0 0% 0% Charger 9,265 10,228 -6% -9% Viper 24 110 -77% -78% Magnum 3,628 3,668 3% -1% Dakota 4,188 4,617 -6% -9% Ram P/U 30,100 25,081 25% 20% Caravan 10,417 18,493 -41% -44% Durango 2,850 5,652 -48% -50% Nitro 7,044 966 658% 629% Sprinter 1,489 2,288 -32% -35% DODGE BRAND 83,671 79,784 9% 5% TOTAL CHRYSLER LLC 159,799 168,888 -2% -5% TOTAL CAR 40,053 33,716 24% 19% TOTAL TRUCK 119,746 135,172 -8% -11% Selling Days 25 26 Sales CYTD DR % Vol % Model Curr Yr Pr Yr Change Change Sebring 68,277 46,726 46% 46% 300 90,251 106,107 -15% -15% Crossfire 8,290 7,381 12% 12% PT Cruiser 77,383 106,114 -27% -27% Aspen 22,468 734 2961% 2961% Pacifica 42,874 60,885 -30% -30% Town & Country 99,134 127,053 -22% -22% CHRYSLER BRAND 408,677 455,000 -10% -10% Compass 31,273 6,448 385% 385% Patriot 27,612 0 0% 0% Wrangler 92,549 54,234 71% 71% Liberty 68,865 103,214 -33% -33% Grand Cherokee 93,246 109,158 -15% -15% Commander 50,124 64,829 -23% -23% JEEP BRAND 363,669 337,883 8% 8% Caliber 80,352 68,001 18% 18% Avenger 59,148 0 0% 0% Charger 89,490 87,768 2% 2% Viper 348 1,113 -69% -69% Magnum 22,342 32,646 -32% -32% Dakota 41,376 61,473 -33% -33% Ram P/U 276,978 275,225 1% 1% Caravan 130,472 170,351 -23% -23% Durango 37,511 53,417 -30% -30% Nitro 55,789 966 5675% 5675% Sprinter 11,193 16,777 -33% -33% DODGE BRAND 806,477 835,065 -3% -3% TOTAL CHRYSLER LLC 1,578,823 1,627,948 -3% -3% TOTAL CAR 407,534 394,407 3% 3% TOTAL TRUCK 1,171,289 1,233,541 -5% -5% Selling Days 230 230

Nissan North America Announces September Sales Original Article NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA) today reported sales of 94,269 units in September, up 11.0 percent from the prior year. Nissan Division sales increased by 12.1 percent over last year. Infiniti Division sales increased by 2.7 percent versus the prior year. NISSAN HIGHLIGHTS - Nissan-brand vehicles saw sales of 84,019 units, a 12.1 percent increase on a daily sales rate basis compared with last year's 77,962 units sold. - The Altima sedan and Altima Hybrid combined for sales totaling 24,587 units, while the sales of the new Altima Coupe totaled 3,284, outpacing expectations. Combined, Altima sales posted a record month, with sales of 27,871, up 46.7 percent over the prior year. - The all-new Rogue crossover vehicle got off to a strong start, with sales of 832 units in its first several days on the market. - Pathfinder sales totaled 7,084 units, a 21.0 percent increase over the prior year. INFINITI HIGHLIGHTS - Infiniti sales increased by 2.7 percent on a daily sales rate basis, with 10,250 units sold, as compared with last September's 10,378 units. - The G Sedan experienced a record September, with sales totaling 3,841 units, a 24.1 percent increase. G Coupe sales reached 2,491 units, a 33.5 percent gain versus the prior year. - The QX56 luxury SUV continued its momentum with sales of 1,150 units, a 32.9 percent increase over the prior year. NNA INFORMATION - Combined sales for Nissan and Infiniti of 94,269 units, up 11 percent compared with last September's sales of 88,340 units, marked the best September in history. In North America, NNA's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. More information on NNA and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at http://www.nissannews.com. NISSAN DIVISION SALES September September Monthly CYTD CYTD CYTD DSR 2007 2006 DSR 2007 2006 % Change % Change Nissan Division Total 84,019 77,962 12.1 719,229 688,118 4.5 Versa 7,098 4,729 56.1 60,963 11,517 429.3 Sentra 8,108 9,847 -14.4 83,724 94,230 -11.1 Altima 27,871 19,752 46.7 218,022 174,661 24.8 Maxima 6,179 6,781 -5.2 40,937 55,390 -26.1 350Z 1,199 1,675 -25.6 15,115 20,973 -27.9 Total Car 50,455 42,784 22.6 418,761 356,771 17.4 Frontier 5,480 6,589 -13.5 50,737 61,900 -18.0 Titan 5,193 6,073 -11.1 50,959 56,251 -9.4 Xterra 4,040 4,865 -13.6 38,636 46,461 -16.8 Pathfinder 7,084 6,091 21.0 48,895 55,540 -12.0 Armada 2,758 2,848 0.7 24,015 23,802 0.9 Rogue 832 0 N/A 832 0 N/A Murano 5,777 6,093 -1.4 63,225 62,490 1.2 Quest 2,400 2,619 -4.7 23,169 24,903 -7.0 Total Truck 33,564 35,178 -0.8 300,468 331,347 -9.3 North American Produced 76,211 70,194 12.9 640,057 604,652 5.9 Car 49,256 41,109 24.6 403,646 335,798 20.2 Truck 26,955 29,085 -3.6 236,411 268,854 -12.1 Import 7,808 7,768 4.5 79,172 83,466 -5.1 Car 1,199 1,675 -25.6 15,115 20,973 -27.9 Truck 6,609 6,093 12.8 64,057 62,493 2.5 INFINITI DIVISION SALES September September Monthly CYTD CYTD CYTD DSR 2007 2006 DSR 2007 2006 % Change % Change Infiniti Division Total 10,250 10,378 2.7 93,824 88,246 6.3 G Sedan 3,841 3,220 24.1 41,481 26,802 54.8 G Coupe 2,491 1,940 33.5 11,983 16,740 -28.4 M 1,380 1,933 -25.8 16,413 19,474 -15.7 Q45 1 20 -94.8 22 362 -93.9 QX56 1,150 900 32.9 8,783 8,545 2.8 FX 1,386 2,364 -39.0 15,138 16,317 -7.2 Total Car 7,713 7,114 12.8 69,900 63,381 10.3 Total Truck 2,537 3,264 -19.2 23,924 24,865 -3.8 COMBINED NISSAN AND INFINITI SALES September September Monthly CYTD CYTD CYTD DSR 2007 2006 DSR 2007 2006 % Change % Change TOTAL VEHICLE 94,269 88,340 11.0 813,053 776,364 4.7 Total Car 58,168 49,898 21.2 488,661 420,152 16.3 Total Truck 36,101 38,442 -2.3 324,392 356,212 -8.9 Selling Days 25 26 230 230 * All numbers include Hawaii. * One I35 was sold in CY2006. * 2006 sales for QX4 resulted in 3 units for calendar year to date. One QX4 was sold in September 2007 and 3 CYTD.

Several analysts must be beside themselves because this isn't what they wanted to hear. GM was supposed to be flat... or down! or at least bolstered by fleet sales!

I can understand how that would be cost effective now... but not 2 or 4 years ago back when the US dollar was so much stronger than the Canadian. I can see manufacturing moving from Canada to the US in the future... but GM and other companies manufacturer several components in Canada and then ship them stateside for assembly.