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Hyundai Closes First Half of '06 on Record Pace With an All-Time Record Sales Month FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., July 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Motor America announced sales of 44,508 vehicles for the month, which was Hyundai's all-time record sales month. Hyundai sales are up 4.3% year over year, and 3.4% over last June on the strength of an almost entirely new model line up. The new-for-'06 Hyundai Azera and Sonata sedans have set a fast pace for sales in the first half of the year. In June, Sonata sales improved by 37%, and the Azera beat its predecessor in the large sedan segment, the XG 350, by 68%. The Accent was up 43% with the addition of the all-new '07 3-door Accent arriving in the show rooms earlier this month. The Hyundai model line up will be infused with new vehicles in the second half of the year with the all-new '07 Santa Fe crossover and '07 Elantra compact sedan hitting show rooms in the next few months. "The first half of 2006 was the most successful start to a year in Hyundai history," said Mark Barnes, vice president, National Sales, Hyundai Motor America. "New models will continue to arrive in our dealerships during the second half of the year so we are well positioned to set a new all-time record for the brand." 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 June 2006: CARLINE JUNE/2006 JUNE/2005 CY2006 CY2005 ACCENT 5,848 4,086 17,446 21,910 SONATA 11,739 8,560 87,361 55,534 ELANTRA 8,868 11,910 52,661 60,539 TIBURON 2,135 2,277 9,154 10,306 SANTA FE 6,156 8,592 24,189 39,087 XG350/AZERA 2,778 1,651 13,918 8,102 TUCSON 5,474 5,975 26,602 28,959 ENTOURAGE 1,510 N/A 2,704 N/A TOTAL 44,508 43,051 234,035 224,437 Link: http://prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?A...04391056&EDATE=

Mercedes-Benz USA Reports Best June Sales Ever With 14 Percent Increase MBUSA First Half-Year Sales Volume Up 16.5 Percent MONTVALE, N.J., July 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) today reported its highest June on record with sales of 20,802 new vehicles, an increase of 14 percent over last June. This brings MBUSA's year-to-date total to 114,935 new vehicles sold for the best half- year sales in the company's history. Highlights for the month include an 81 percent increase for the flagship S-Class model line (2,407 v. 1,330 units). Roadsters also proved to be popular this month with a 23.4 percent increase over June 2005 for the SL-Class and SLK-Class combined (1,934 v. 1,567). The Mercedes-Benz portfolio of luxury light trucks -- M-Class, R-Class, GL-Class and G-Class -- continue to demonstrate impressive gains with a significant 74.6 percent increase over June 2005 and a 97.9 percent increase over year-to-date 2005 (29,540 v. 14,926). Separately, through the Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned program, MBUSA sold 4,237 vehicles in June, bringing annual sales for the year to a total of 22,893 units, an increase of 11.7 percent over June 2005. In 2005, MBUSA achieved its twelfth consecutive year of sales growth by setting the highest sales volume in its history with 224,421 new vehicle sales. Headquartered in Montvale, N.J., MBUSA is responsible for the sales, marketing and service of all Mercedes-Benz products in the United States. More information on MBUSA and its products can be found on the Internet at http://www.mbusa.com. Model June '06 June '05 Monthly % YTD 2006 YTD 2005 Yearly % C-CLASS 4,250 4,605 -7.7% 22,596 25,929 -12.9% E-CLASS 4,213 4,205 0.2% 20,720 20,434 1.4% S-CLASS 2,407 1,330 81.0% 15,584 7,632 104.2% CL-CLASS 63 84 -25.0% 329 673 -51.1% SL-CLASS 866 671 29.1% 4,875 4,884 -0.2% CLK-CLASS 937 1,654 -43.3% 9,854 9,912 -0.6% SLK-CLASS 1,068 896 19.2% 5,939 5,795 2.5% CLS-CLASS 715 1,199 -40.4% 5,498 8,449 -34.9% R-CLASS 1,445 n/a n/a 9,672 n/a n/a M-CLASS 2,601 3,516 -26.0% 14,326 14,290 0.3% GL-CLASS 2,201 n/a n/a 5,245 n/a n/a G-CLASS 36 82 -56.1% 297 636 -53.3% GRAND TOTAL 20,802 18,242 14.0% 114,935 98,634 16.5% Link: http://prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?A...04391080&EDATE=

BMW Group Reports Strong First-Half Sales Year-to-Date BMW Group Sales up 8.6 Percent; June sales increase 2.7 Percent WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J., July 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI brands combined) reported strong first-half sales of 157,246 vehicles, an increase of 8.6 percent, compared to 144,843 vehicles in the same period of 2005. The BMW Group also reported an increase of 2.7 percent in June sales for 27,735 vehicles over the 26,999 vehicles reported in June 2005. BMW Brand Sales Increase in June Sales of BMW brand vehicles rose 3.4 percent in June for a total of 24,179 compared to 23,392 reported in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date BMW brand sales were up 11.7 percent, to 137,220 vehicles compared to 122,864 vehicles sold in first six months of 2005. BMW Automobile Sales BMW's automobile sales were up 12.8 percent in June to 19,695 versus 17,456 in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date sales also were up 18.8 percent, to 107,651 automobiles compared to 90,597 in the same period of 2005. BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Sales Sales of BMW Sports Activity Vehicles were down 24.5 percent in June to 4,484 vehicles over the 5,936 sold last May. Year-to-date, sales of BMW Sports Activity Vehicles were down 8.4 percent, to 29,569 vehicles compared to the 32,267 sold in the first six months of 2005. Certified Pre-Owned Sales of BMW's Certified Pre-Owned vehicles were up 16.5 percent, to 7,550 vehicles versus 6,483 vehicles reported last June, making it the best June ever. Year-to-date, CPO sales were up 22 percent, to 44,439 over the 36,412 reported in the same period in 2005. MINI Brand - MINI Automobiles MINI USA reported June sales of 3,556 automobiles, off 1.4 percent from the 3,607 cars sold in June 2005. Year-to-date, the division reported sales of 20,026 automobiles, a drop of 8.9 percent, compared to the 21,979 cars reported in the first six months of 2005. 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, 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 Roadster and X5 Sports Activity Vehicles. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 339 BMW passenger car centers, 334 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 143 BMW motorcycle retailers, 80 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.bmwmotorradusa.com http://www.miniusa.com http://www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com BMW Car Sales Report for June 2006 2006 2005 June 19,695 17,456 Year-to-Date 107,651 90,597 Model June Year-to-Date June Year-to-Date 2006 2006 2005 2005 325i (E90 & E46) 4,342 25,632 4,884 21,363 325Ci 253 1,700 363 2,202 325Ci convertible 455 2,519 607 3,378 325i sports wagon 0 4 33 365 325xi (E90 & E46) 1,320 8,325 14 2,927 325xi sports wagon (E90 & E46) 239 1,276 40 428 330i (E90 & E46) 1,800 9,432 2,240 8,231 330Ci 106 946 275 1,587 330Ci convertible 477 2,627 559 2,884 330xi (E90 & E46) 1,090 5,636 4 2,460 M3 334 1,467 351 2,051 M3 convertible 145 792 212 1,077 3 Series 10,561 60,356 9,582 48,953 Z4 2.5i Roadster (US) 35 297 688 3,351 Z4 3.0i Roadster (US) 920 2,731 402 1,984 Z4 Roadster 3.0si (US) 486 1,420 0 0 Z4 M Roadster (US) 100 525 0 0 Z4 Coupe 3.0si 42 43 0 0 Z4 M Coupe 50 56 0 0 Z4 1,633 5,072 1,090 5,335 525i (E60) 1,353 6,670 1,381 8,969 525xi (E60) 411 2,797 145 163 530i (E60) 1,466 6,655 1,409 8,956 530xi (E60) 723 4,576 280 305 530xi sports wagon (E60) 259 1,437 159 236 545i (E60) 0 6 808 4,751 550i (E60) 792 3,803 0 0 M5 (E60 & E39) 195 1,891 1 4 5 Series 5,199 27,835 4,183 23,384 645Ci 0 21 318 1,829 650i coupe 178 1,395 0 0 645Ci convertible 0 16 508 3,192 650i convertible 499 2,985 0 0 M6 186 444 0 0 6 Series 863 4,861 826 5,021 745i 0 0 49 1,645 745Li 0 0 38 2,764 750i 359 2,240 459 1,035 750Li 1,048 7,069 1,133 2,177 760i 3 26 20 82 760Li 27 188 72 190 7 Series 1,437 9,523 1,771 7,893 Z8 1 3 1 5 Z8 Alpina 1 1 3 6 Z8 2 4 4 11 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle (light trucks) Sales - Report for June 2006 2006 2005 June 4,484 5,936 Year-to-Date 29,569 32,267 Model June Year-to-Date June Year-to-Date 2006 2006 2005 2005 X3 2.5i 5 174 686 3,344 X3 3.0i 2,402 15,753 2,592 13,007 X3 2,407 15,927 3,278 16,351 X5 3.0i (US) 1,507 10,084 1,859 11,262 X5 4.4i (US) 495 3,048 686 4,013 X5 4.8is (US) 75 510 113 641 X5 2,077 13,642 2,658 15,916 MINI Sales Report for June 2006 2006 2005 June 3,556 3,607 Year-to-Date 20,026 21,979 Model June Year-to-Date June Year-to-Date 2006 2006 2005 2005 MINI Cooper 1,223 5,969 1,280 7,127 MINI Cooper S 1,268 8,299 1,378 8,229 MINI Cooper Convertible 339 1,813 268 3,305 MINI Cooper S Convertible 726 3,945 681 3,318 Link: http://prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?A...04391093&EDATE=

Kia Motors America Announces June Sales IRVINE, Calif., July 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Kia Motors America (KMA) today announced June sales of 27,443 units, a 1.3-percent increase over the same period last year and a 3.6-percent increase over the previous month. Year-to-date sales for Kia totaled 146,578 units, a 2.4-percent improvement over the record-setting sales pace in 2005. "It's nice to see we're on track to set yet another record sales year," said Len Hunt, executive vice president and COO of KMA. "We expect much of the same as we enter the typically high-selling summer months." Kia June sales were led by the Spectra, Sorento and Amanti, at 7,532, 5,147 and 2,533 units respectively. Kia Motors America is the sales, marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corp. in Seoul, South Korea. For more information, including photography, visit http://www.kiamedia.com. Kia Motors America 2006 June Sales MONTH OF JUNE YEAR-TO-DATE Model 2006 2005 2006 2005 Rio 1,676 3,538 13,099 17,095 Spectra 7,532 5,672 36,073 27,560 Sportage 2,679 2,540 17,727 12,679 Optima 3,996 4,548 19,268 23,366 Sedona 3,880 5,713 30,095 30,428 Sorento 5,147 4,355 24,978 21,263 Amanti 2,533 729 5,338 10,695 Total 27,443 27,095 146,578 143,086 Link: http://prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?A...04391098&EDATE=

Mazda Sales Jump Eight Percent in June - Calendar Year-to-Date Sales Up Four Percent - IRVINE, Calif., July 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today reported sales of 23,727 vehicles for June 2006, accounting for an eight-percent increase versus the same period last year. Mazda also reported a four-percent year-to-date sales increase, with 140,704 units sold through June. Mazda's all-new CX-7 crossover sport-utility vehicle (SUV) reported solid sales of 1,349 units for its first full month of sales, even though availability was low in some areas of the country. With a starting MSRP of $23,750, CX-7 features a 244-hp turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder direct-injection gasoline engine, yet still delivers an estimated 23 mpg in combined city and highway driving. MAZDA3 celebrated its best-ever June with sales of 9,452 units, up 19-percent, despite a continuing lack of inventory resulting in only a 39-day supply (approximately 60 days is considered optimal). The MX-5 Miata posted its best June since 2002 with sales of 1,584 units and was also constrained by a lack of inventory. The innovative MAZDA5 multi-activity vehicle continues to create a new market segment, with sales for the month of 1,705 and for the year of 9,511. 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 and Mexico through nearly 900 dealers. Operations in Canada are managed by Mazda Canada, Inc., located in Ontario, Canada, and in Mexico by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City. Mazda North American Operations - June 2006 Month-To-Date Year-To-Date June June % June June % 2006 2005 Change 2006 2005 Change Mazda3 9,452 7,966 19% 51,905 51,774 0% Mazda5 1,705 105 1524% 9,511 105 8958% Mazda6 5,323 6,393 (17)% 37,266 37,771 (1)% MX-5 Miata 1,584 553 186% 9,542 3,504 172% RX-8 788 1,217 (35)% 5,086 8,209 (38)% Protege -- -- N/A 1 1 0% 626 -- -- N/A -- 2 N/A MPV 1,006 1,406 (28)% 6,945 7,989 (13)% CX-7 1,349 -- N/A 1,614 -- N/A B-Series Truck 367 568 (35)% 2,362 3,263 (28)% Tribute 2,153 3,855 (44)% 16,472 22,370 (26)% Total Vehicles CARS 18,852 16,234 16% 113,311 101,366 12% TRUCKS 4,875 5,829 (16)% 27,393 33,622 (19)% TOTAL 23,727 22,063 8% 140,704 134,988 4% MEMO: IMPORT CAR 13,529 9,841 37% 76,045 63,593 20% IMPORT TRUCK 2,355 1,406 67% 8,559 7,989 7% IMPORT TOTAL 15,884 11,247 41% 84,604 71,582 18% DOMESTIC CAR 5,323 6,393 (17)% 37,266 37,773 (1)% DOMESTIC TRUCK 2,520 4,423 (43)% 18,834 25,633 (27)% DOMESTIC TOTALS 7,843 10,816 (27)% 56,100 63,406 (12)% Link: http://prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?A...04391099&EDATE=

Honda Division Record Sales Are Sparked by All-New Fit TORRANCE, Calif., July 3 /PRNewswire/ -- American Honda Motor Co., Inc., posted June sales of 126,449 Honda and Acura vehicles, surpassing the previous record set last June, the company announced today. American Honda year-to-date sales rose 7.1 percent to 741,227 units, for the company's strongest first-half sales on record. Honda Division posted its sixth consecutive record month with June sales, up 3.4 percent to 111,342 cars and light trucks. Record June Ridgeline sales of 3,918 units, up 9.3 percent, also propelled the truck to its sixth consecutive monthly record. Continuing its success since redesign, the Civic posted a gain of 3.9 percent with sales of 26,312, including record June Civic Hybrid sales of 2,601 units, an increase of 40.4 percent over same period last year. Strong demand for the new Fit continues to outpace supply, limiting the sub-compact's sales to 3,747 vehicles. "Honda small cars are hot again," said Dick Colliver, executive Vice-President of American Honda. "We are selling every Fit and Civic our assembly lines can roll out." Honda Division total sales for the calendar year of 644,926 reflected an increase of 9.8 percent compared to last year's results. Year-to-date Honda light truck sales are up 7.1 percent, with 284,866 sales of minivans, SUVs and pickup trucks compared to the previous year's record setting pace. Acura Division posted record TSX Sport Sedan sales and steady TL performance luxury sedan sales during June, while several new 2007 models portend strong second half sales. American Honda Vehicle Sales For June 2006 Month-to-Date Year-to-Date June June DSR** June June DSR** 2006 2005 % Chg. 2006 2005 % Chg. American Honda Total 126,449 126,416 0.0% 741,227 692,364 7.1% Total Car Sales 75,008 72,243 3.8% 432,081 397,026 8.8% Total Truck Sales 51,441 54,173 -5.0% 309,146 295,338 4.7% Honda Total Car Sales 63,440 59,296 7.0% 360,060 321,379 12.0% Honda Total Truck Sales 47,902 48,376 -1.0% 284,866 266,040 7.1% Acura Total Car Sales 11,568 12,947 -10.7% 72,021 75,647 -4.8% Acura Total Truck Sales 3,539 5,797 -39.0% 24,280 29,298 -17.1% Domestic Car Sales* 58,631 60,493 -3.1% 345,865 324,128 6.7% Honda Division 53,090 54,247 -2.1% 309,568 285,739 8.3% Acura Division 5,541 6,246 -11.3% 36,297 38,389 -5.4% Domestic Truck Sales* 39,047 41,505 -5.9% 237,092 221,903 6.8% Honda Division 35,508 35,708 -0.6% 212,812 192,605 10.5% Acura Division 3,539 5,797 -39.0% 24,280 29,298 -17.1 Import Car Sales 16,377 11,750 39.4% 86,216 72,898 18.3% Honda Division 10,350 5,049 105.0% 50,492 35,640 41.7% Acura Division 6,027 6,701 -10.1% 35,724 37,258 -4.1% Import Truck Sales 12,394 12,668 -2.2% 72,054 73,435 -1.9% Honda Division 12,394 12,668 -2.2% 72,054 73,435 -1.9% MODEL BREAKOUTS BY DIVISION Honda Division Total 111,342 107,672 3.4% 644,926 587,419 9.8% Fit 3,747 12,787 Accord* 32,587 32,928 -1.0% 178,116 176,232 1.1% Memo: Accord Hybrid 396 1,080 -63.3% 3,245 7,939 -59.1% Civic* 26,312 25,326 3.9% 165,056 140,903 17.1% Memo: Civic Hybrid 2,601 1,852 40.4% 15,755 12,631 24.7% S2000 717 972 -26.2% 3,612 3,945 -8.4% Insight 77 69 11.6% 489 296 65.2% FCX 0 1 0 3 Odyssey* 15,552 15,997 -2.8% 88,493 87,875 0.7% Pilot* 11,458 11,531 -0.6% 70,746 63,758 11.0% CR-V 12,394 12,668 -2.2% 72,054 73,435 -1.9% Element* 4,580 4,595 -0.3% 26,705 26,717 0.0% Ridgeline 3,918 3,585 9.3% 26,868 14,255 88.5% Acura Division Total 15,107 18,744 -19.4% 96,301 104,945 -8.2% RSX 1,882 2,034 -7.5% 10,193 10,933 -6.8% CL* 0 0 0 1 TL* 5,541 6,246 -11.3% 36,297 38,388 -5.4% TSX 3,162 3,085 2.5% 19,826 17,772 11.6% RL 980 1,565 -37.4% 5,660 8,432 -32.9% NSX 3 17 -82.4% 45 121 -62.8% MDX* 3,539 5,797 -39.0% 24,280 29,298 -17.1% Selling Days 26 26 152 152 Link: http://prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?A...04391123&EDATE=

Mitsubishi Motors Reports Fourth Straight Month of Over 10,000 Sales CYPRESS, Calif., July 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc., (MMNA) today reported June sales of 10,004 units, the fourth consecutive month that U.S. sales topped the 10,000 mark. MMNA last sold 10,000-plus vehicles for four months in a row during May-August 2005. "We are pleased that we have established consistent sales of over 10,000 vehicles per month," said President & CEO Hiroshi Harunari. "This will serve as a platform for what we expect to be an exciting summer in our dealerships, followed by the launch of our all-new Outlander in the Fall." * Eclipse coupe sales were 2,186, up 2.1% from last year's June volume. CYTD, Eclipse coupe sales are up 60% over last year CYTD. * Eclipse Spyder convertible sales were 826, more than triple the number of sales in June 2005. Spyder sales are up 35% CYTD. * Lancer Evolution closed at 417, with a volume increase of 40% over June 2005. * The Raider pickup truck, which was launched last Fall, showed it's fifth consecutive month-over-month increase. Note: Total Mitsubishi sales in June 2005 were 10,621. Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc., (MMNA) is responsible for all manufacturing, finance, sales, marketing, research and development operations of the Mitsubishi Motors Corporation in the United States. Mitsubishi Motors sells coupes, convertibles, sedans, sport utility vehicles, and light trucks through a network of approximately 540 dealers. For more information, contact the Mitsubishi Motors News Bureau at (888) 560-6672 or visit media.mitsubishicars.com. Link: http://prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?A...04391122&EDATE=

Holy Hell... Avalon dropped like a rock! Not trying to be funny, but what happened? Is the Camry cannibalizing Avalon or are people just buying the ES instead? Both? Toyota Avalon 2005: 9,134 2006: 6,608 Buick Lucerne 2006: 10,690 Ford Five Hundred 2005: 8,646 2006: 9,089 Chrysler 300 2005: 11,504 2006: 9,140

Chrysler Group Reports U.S. Monthly and Quarterly Sales * Chrysler Group brings Employee Pricing Plus program to all customers * 'Ask Dr. Z' Marketing Campaign communicates the benefits of American and German engineering and design in DaimlerChrysler products * Dodge Caliber continues strong selling pace * Jeep® Compass begins shipping to Dealers nationwide AUBURN HILLS, Mich., July 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Chrysler Group reported U.S. sales for June 2006 of 185,946 units, a decrease of 15 percent compared to June 2005 sales of 220,032 units. Sales for the second quarter declined 12 percent to 567,302 units. Second quarter 2005 sales totaled 641,153 units. Year-to-date sales totaled 1,129,546 units, a decline of 5 percent versus 2005 year-to-date sales of 1,187,885 units. All sales are reported on a day-rate adjusted basis unless otherwise indicated. "Consumers are wrestling with the effects of higher gas prices and other economic uncertainties that are impacting the entire automotive industry, including the Chrysler Group," said Steven Landry, Chrysler Group, Vice President - Sales and Field Operations. "Products like the Dodge Caliber and the upcoming Jeep® Compass along with the Employee Pricing Plus program with the 'Ask Dr. Z' advertising campaign are the tools the company will use to build sales momentum." Sales of the Dodge Caliber totaled 12,098 units in June, marking the third consecutive month of sales in excess of 11,000 units. Sales of the Dodge Ram pickup performed comparably during June, with sales only declining 1 percent year over year to 32,375 units. June 2005 sales totaled 32,825 units. The Dodge Charger posted sales of 9,710 units, an increase of 123 percent over previous year sales of 4,354 units. Monthly sales of Dodge brand vehicles totaled 96,485 units, a decrease of 11 percent over June 2005 sales of 107,997 units. For the quarter, the Dodge brand posted sales of 302,692 units, down 7 percent over second quarter 2005 sales of 325,274 units. The Jeep Commander posted sales of 8,958 units for June 2006, 40 percent higher than May 2006 sales of 6,138 units. For the month, Jeep brand sales declined 19 percent, posting sales of 37,475 units. June 2005 sales totaled 46,441 units. Quarterly sales for the Jeep brand totaled 104,965 units, a decline of 18 percent from previous year sales of 127,257 units. Launching on the heels of the Dodge Caliber and coming from the same manufacturing facility, the all-new 2007 Jeep Compass expands the Jeep product lineup as the newest entry delivering utility, fuel efficiency and value. The Jeep Compass is just beginning to arrive at dealerships to a positive reception. Chrysler PT Cruiser posted sales of 14,693 units, an increase of 25 percent over previous year sales of 11,727 units. Monthly Chrysler brand sales totaled 51,986 units, a decrease of 21 percent over previous year sales of 65,594 units. Quarterly Chrysler brand sales totaled 159,645 units, down 15 percent from second quarter 2005 sales of 188,622 units. "The launch of the company's Employee Pricing Plus program, driven by the 'Ask Dr. Z' advertising campaign, provides a unique opportunity for the Chrysler Group to leverage its global resources and U.S. dealer network to produce and distribute unique, customer driven products like the Dodge Caliber and Jeep Compass," said Michael Manley, Chrysler Group, Vice President - Sales Strategy and Dealer Operations. "We remain focused on launching great products and improving sales through year-end." Chrysler Group finished the month with 647,695 units of inventory, or a 91-day supply. DaimlerChrysler Corporation U.S. Sales Summary Thru June 2006 Month Sales DR % Vol % Model Curr Yr Pr Yr Change Change Sebring 1,329 8,544 -84% -84% Concorde 0 0 0% 0% 300 9,140 11,504 -21% -21% Crossfire 364 1,526 -76% -76% PT Cruiser 14,693 11,727 25% 25% Pacifica 6,516 10,005 -35% -35% Town & Country 19,944 22,288 -11% -11% CHRYSLER BRAND 51,986 65,594 -21% -21% Wrangler 5,674 8,337 -32% -32% Liberty 12,155 14,160 -14% -14% Grand Cherokee 10,688 23,944 -55% -55% Commander 8,958 0 0% 0% JEEP BRAND 37,475 46,441 -19% -19% Neon 848 13,813 -94% -94% Caliber 12,098 0 0% 0% Stratus 778 10,711 -93% -93% Intrepid 0 NA NA Charger 9,710 4,354 123% 123% Viper 106 163 -35% -35% Magnum 2,281 4,464 -49% -49% Dakota 7,120 8,044 -11% -11% Ram P/U 32,375 32,825 -1% -1% Caravan 21,937 22,459 -2% -2% Durango 7,366 9,678 -24% -24% Ram Van/Wagon 0 2 -100% -100% Sprinter Van 1,866 1,484 26% 26% DODGE BRAND 96,485 107,997 -11% -11% TOTAL CHRYSLER GROUP 185,946 220,032 -15% -15% TOTAL CG CAR 35,739 53,136 -33% -33% TOTAL CG TRUCK 150,207 166,896 -10% -10% Selling Days 26 26 Sales CYTD DR % Vol % Model Curr Yr Pr Yr Change Change Sebring 42,669 52,005 -18% -18% Concorde 0 210 -100% -100% 300 73,135 73,571 -1% -1% Crossfire 5,221 7,650 -32% -32% PT Cruiser 70,153 65,548 7% 7% Pacifica 42,468 44,762 -5% -5% Town & Country 88,887 100,638 -12% -12% CHRYSLER BRAND 322,533 344,384 -6% -6% Wrangler 35,265 40,451 -13% -13% Liberty 70,106 82,984 -16% -16% Grand Cherokee 72,871 107,534 -32% -32% Commander 39,674 0 0% 0% JEEP BRAND 217,916 230,969 -6% -6% Neon 16,381 65,947 -75% -75% Caliber 43,694 0 0% 0% Stratus 48,564 60,190 -19% -19% Intrepid 0 298 -100% -100% Charger 59,005 6,195 852% 852% Viper 743 793 -6% -6% Magnum 22,013 31,007 -29% -29% Dakota 40,497 55,549 -27% -27% Ram P/U 183,174 195,919 -7% -7% Caravan 125,813 126,270 0% 0% Durango 38,871 62,147 -37% -37% Ram Van/Wagon 0 326 -100% -100% Sprinter Van 10,342 7,891 31% 31% DODGE BRAND 589,097 612,532 -4% -4% TOTAL CHRYSLER GROUP 1,129,546 1,187,885 -5% -5% TOTAL CG CAR 296,527 278,525 6% 6% TOTAL CG TRUCK 833,019 909,360 -8% -8% Selling Days 152 152 Link: http://prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?A...04391120&EDATE=

Posted in another topic but I'll do it here also: June 2004 vehicle total: 380,267 June 2005 Vehicle total: 558,092 (Fire sale - Employee Pricing) June 2006 vehicle total: 413,473

June 2006 vehicle total: 413,473 Haven't looked at the release but that's higher than their 2004 total.

Live in your next Toyota The giant car maker uses its traditional assembly-line production to construct prefab housing. The homes feature smart keys, noise reduction -- even scratch-resistant walls. By The Associated Press Cubicles that are bits of homes, tucked with stairways, built-in closets and pink bathtubs, roll off the assembly line at a bustling Toyota plant in central Japan -- not the usual rows of shiny cars. Kasugai Housing Works, a plant for prefabricated housing run by Toyota Motor Corp., prides itself on the same production methods that gave the Japanese auto maker a reputation for quality and efficiency around the world. The plant was shown to reporters on a rare tour recently. A house in 6 hours Housing makes up less than 1% of Toyota's $183 billion annual sales. But company officials say technology acquired from years of making cars is central to homebuilding Toyota style. A "smart key" similar to the car key you don't need to take out of your pocket to unlock your Toyota opens and closes the front door. A mechanism for reducing engine noise and tremors is installed under the floor to quiet upstairs shakes. Car paint-job skills deliver even scratch-resistant coating on walls. Toyota homes are mass produced like Toyota cars. About 85% of the work on the metal-frame cubicles is finished at the plant. The prefabricated cubicles, made to order for the customer, are stacked like toy blocks with a huge crane and topped with a roof in just six hours. The cubicles, called units, vary in size, with the bigger ones measuring 20 feet long. An average Japanese home requires 12 units. A buyer chooses from several designs, ranging from sleek modern to standard fare with tiled roofing and balcony windows. Individual homeowners visit "housing parks" in Japan, where Toyota and rival homebuilders have set up model homes. Customers place orders by mixing and matching layout, interiors and material to meet their needs. Cars, not homes, still rule Toyota Toyota, the world's second-biggest auto maker behind General Motors, entered the housing business in 1975 and is still a minor player in housing. One challenge is that apartments make up more than half of housing construction in Japan because of high land prices. Even the nation's so-called "Big Five" builders in prefabricated homes control only about 14% of the housing market because Japanese tend to buy existing homes or hire neighborhood carpenters. But a recent scandal involving an architect suspected of designing buildings with faked earthquake-resistance data is boosting the attraction of brand names in housing. Toyota made just 4,600 homes last year, and is planning 5,000 homes this year. But it's on a roll, recording 50 straight months of on-year sales growth. It's targeting 7,000 homes per year by 2010. Toyota Housing President Teiji Tachibana acknowledged Japanese homes suffer a bad image as tiny, shabby "rabbit hutches" compared to more spacious European and American homes. But Toyota homes, which cost about $227,000 each -- average for a middle-class Japanese home -- are built to endure earthquakes common in Japan and boast intelligent use of cramped space, a must for this island nation, according to Toyota. "We may not be able to compete in space," Tachibana said. "But Toyota homes deliver top global quality." Akio Fukuda, researcher at Real Estate Economic Institute in Tokyo, believes Toyota Housing holds potential, although it faces tough competition from the Big Five. "Toyota should be able to put up bigger numbers if it gets really serious about the housing business," he said in a telephone interview. "It has the powerful backbone of the Toyota name." The Toyota plant -- where hammering on wood blends with the buzz of drills and robotic arms -- relies on the company's prized "just-in-time" method that manufactures to order and keeps track of stock through Toyota's paper memos called "kanban," which means "signs" in Japanese. Workers on the assembly line can at any time pull on a dangling cord to stop the assembly line -- another trademark of Toyota production. "We pursue the Toyota Way not only in Japan, but globally, and we will pursue the same in housing," said Senta Morioka, Toyota managing officer. Link: http://realestate.msn.com/buying/Articlene...596034&GT1=8384

Oh... I found the pic of the window sticker on that Impala SS... and it also calls the interior color "Neutral" under the Options and Pricing:

Is this how it looked? I took these pics at the Texas State Fair autoshow... the combo sounded familiar... Between what you said and my pics, I think it's normal. I personally like it the best. It looks balanced with the black center-stack controls and black window controls.

No... we're changing your screen name from "Satty" to "Daddy" Pick one: 'Daddy Bear' or 'Leather Daddy' (A missing 5% to include onto O.C.'s list)

Bingo! I think Yellow Dart's idea is spot on. That's exactly why I would consider one too. Some people need a large car, truck, or SUV for certain occasions (large family, long road trips, employment trade, boat, horses, etc...) but don't need one all the time. I actually thought about the Aveo as a 3rd vehicle for that exact reason (for about 2 seconds) because of the 0/72 event, but realized it didn't apply to the new '07 model. Oh well. I currently drive well below 10k a year anyways... so I'm not really concerned about my gas budget breaking me.

I checked Mercury's website on the Milan... it's the place for the Traction Control off switch.

I wouldn't want Ford & GM to merge... alliances (like with the 6-sp transmission) would work in both of their favor though. They could cut their R&D costs and share plants to ensure 100% capacity for manufacturing power trains.

Very true...

A few Options: -Join a Gay Bowling League or some other sport (they aren't one big orgy like you'd expect) -If you can sing, join a local Gay Men Chorus -Volunteer at one of the Community GLBT centers -Go ahead and volunteer early to assist with next year's Gay Pride events They're just some healthy alternatives for making friends if you're not into the club/bar scene.

Honestly... I have to agree. But Nissan & Renault might ba a great asset to helping GM with supplier relationships if Delphi continued to lumber about.

I think Nissan would too.

The BMW is better looking, but not enough to justify twice the price.

Or Jaguar... I don't mind the Super and Reserve names.

Not really... Coupe/Spyder competes with the BMW 6-sereis. Quatrroporte competes against the BMW 7 series. Closest competitors that MB has for the Coupe/Spyder are the SL & CL MB CLS & S-Class compete against the Quattroporte too. I voted Nissan-Infiniti but Maserati is awesome. My second pick would have been a toss up between Jaguar & Lincoln. I'm very interested in the MKS