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On Tuesday, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced that in the likely event that Congress approves a $25 billion dollar bailout for the auto industry, it will come with considerably more stipulations then were attached to the loans extended to Wall Street in October. Although the Bush Administration is still refusing to approve an executive orders that would disperse emergency funds to domestic automakers, Detroit need only bide its time for 2 short months before inside sources say a bailout bill is all but guaranteed them. Official legislation has yet to be drafted and public support for the apparently pending federal prop for Detroit is at an underwhelming 20%, Nancy Pelosi has reportedly already requested Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) to begin drafting an amendment to the $700 billion dollar Wall Street bailout that would guarantee $25 billion of those funds specifically for use by Chrysler, Ford, and GM. Treading significantly lighter on concerned taxpayers than last month, Pelosi made it clear that any government loans provided to the Big U.S. 3 would not be done so without stringent requirements for eligibility.

Among the terms of disbursement, limitations would be placed on how much of the federal funding could be used for executive pay and use of the loan money for “golden parachutes” would be explicitly prohibited. In addition, Pelosi also said that automakers would be required to maintain their promises of providing more fuel-efficient vehicles. Said Pelosi, “It is essential for the domestic automobile manufacturing industry to reemerge as a global, competitive leader in fuel efficiency and in new, path-breaking energy-efficient technologies that protect our environment.”

When reached for comment, GM said it “appreciates the speaker’s call for urgent action,” while Ford - whom already has taken a significant jump start in regaining its global authority - enthusiastically responded by saying that it would “work together with all of our nation’s leaders to continue our transformation to greater fuel efficiency and to help protect jobs.”

Source: Detroit Free Press

In the economic times we face today, fuel price fluctuation is a factor of daily life. Gas has become one of the most costly commodities we have.  Regardless of whether you drive a hybrid or a six person SUV, there are always ways to save money on gas. With that being said, we have compiled a list of what we think are the most innovative and creative ways to save some change on fuel.Yes, some of these may seem ‘common sense’ but you would be surprised as to how many people overlook the obvious.

1. Don’t start and stop engine needlessly. Idling your engine for one minute consumes the gas amount equivalent to when you start the engine. Always be sure to turn your engine off when not in use. (source)
2. Under-inflated tires are one of the most commonly ignored causes of bad MPG. Tires lose air due to time (about 1 psi per month) and temperature (1 psi for every 10 degree drop); under-inflated tires have more rolling resistance, which means you need to burn more gas to keep your car moving. Buy a reliable tire gauge and check your tires at least once a month. (source)
3. Take out unused seats (for SUV’s & Mini-Vans/Vans). Many newer vehicles - specifically mini vans, SUVs and regular vans - allow you the option of removing their extra unused seats. If you can get this extra weight out of your car - for every extra 100 pounds you carry around in your car, you decrease its fuel economy by up to 2%.
4. Slow down! Reducing speed has been proved to increase MPG significantly. Exceeding 40 mph forces your auto to overcome tremendous wind resistance.
5. Keep your windows closed to reduce wind resistance. This is most important when traveling at highway speeds. Open windows cause air drag, reducing your mileage by 10%.
6. The smoother the road, the better. Avoid rough roads whenever possible, because dirt or gravel rob you of up to 30% of your gas mileage.
7. Shop online. Interesting tip given to me by a friend. Instead of driving 20 minutes to your local store and 20 minutes back (and maybe even paying tolls), you can save that gas money by shopping online (choose the cheapest shipping option). After about a year you will notice the extra change piling up.
8. Your air conditioner doesn’t have to be on the entire ride. Keep the AC usage to a minimal, this is one of the biggest gas guzzlers a car can have. By keeping it to a minimal, you can save 10-20%. Shut it off five minutes before you get to your destination and make sure to lower your windows instead of using the AC whenever possible.
9. Remove snow tires during good weather seasons; traveling on deep tire tread really robs fuel!
10. Lighten up and don’t haul anything you don’t absolutely need, around with you. Check your trunk, glove box and front and back seats for belongings that you really don’t need on a permanent basis. Over a long period, these small savings can really add up.
11. Fill your tank at the coolest time of day. Fuel is denser when it’s cool in the early morning or late at night. Your engine consumes fuel by weight but gas pumps dispense fuel by volume. The colder the fuel is when you pump it, the more of it you get for the same money.
12. Should you use low octane fuel? Maybe. If your owner’s manual calls for premium, use premium. If you use regular instead, the cars computer will retard the ignition timing automatically to prevent detonation. This will have a devastating effect on gas mileage, which will more than offset lower fuel price. Detonation occurs only on full or almost full throttle, so you may be safe using lower grade gasoline in this case if you are conservative with your acceleration habits.
13. Don’t use your car! Want to save gas? Try taking a bicycle to work or even a scooter. The best way to save on gas is to not buy it!

Tip by Jamspot: If you live in a big city and have the option to use the bus/train system instead of your car, do it! Commuting can save you hundreds of dollars a year.

If you have anymore tips, please feel free to send me an e-mail [leon (at) elite motor cars (dot) com] or just leave a comment! I’d be more than happy to expand this list.

TOKYO — Toyota Motor Corp. is joining the cheap-car race with a $5,000 vehicle geared toward emerging markets such as India and Brazil, a Japanese newspaper reported.

Toyota will develop the car with its small-car subsidiary, Daihatsu, and build the car by 2015 in Bangalore, India, the Asahi newspaper reported.

The move puts Toyota into competition with Nissan-Renault and Tata Motors, which plan inexpensive cars for booming developing markets.

A Toyota spokesman declined to comment on the report.

The car might be exported to Brazil from India, Asahi said. It will be sold under a new fourth brand rolled out in addition to Toyota, Lexus and Scion, presumably to quarantine the car’s downmarket image.

Toyota has one plant in Bangalore and is building another with annual capacity for 100,000 vehicles. The second factory will open in 2010.

The new 2009 Dodge Ram offers quite a few “refinements” not found on most pickups. In addition to a more powerful - and more economical - HEMI, Dodge is also offering a rear coil suspension on the new Ram and the new “RamBox” feature on their new crew cab trucks. While it makes sense for truck manufacturers to innovate, at what point do these “refined” additions hurt a truck’s image?

Is the new Dodge Ram too “nice and refined” to be considered tough?

First of all, it’s important to understand today’s truck market. According to many industry analysts, the days of the “casual” truck user are nearly over. While it was once a common occurrence for consumers to evaluate a truck as a commuting vehicle, the vast majority of today’s truck buyers are more interested in a pickup as a work vehicle than as a status symbol. No longer are we going to see “soccer moms” and urbanites buying crew-cab pickups that are never used for their intended purpose.

If these industry analysts are to be trusted, then future truck sales will be fostered by utility and work features. Refinements like DVD headrests (discontinued on the new 2009 F150) will be taking a “back-seat” to hard working features like tow ratings, torque, and work accessories. Yet Dodge’s new Ram has nearly the same payload and tow ratings as the outgoing model, with some suggesting that Dodge opted to sacrifice hauling and towing capability for a better ride (hence the decision to go with a slightly weaker rear coil suspension).

The new HEMI is definitely more powerful, but the marketing emphasis will be on the increased fuel efficiency as much as it will be focused on power. The new Ram will also offer an exciting new “RamBox” bed-storage-feature, but it will only be available on family-friendly crew cab trucks (at least at first).

Dodge’s new interior is also likely to be a focus of the new ad campaign - stitched leather, ventilated seats, and heated steering wheels are sure to generate ‘oohs and aahs’, but will your typical work-truck buyer really be that impressed? Will a real truck buyer think these features exhibit sophistication, or will they think the new Ram is soft?

The biggest gamble the Dodge is making with the new Ram is the use of the coil rear-suspension. Truck designers have stuck with solid-axles and leaf springs for decades, with only Chevrolet flirting with a rear coil setup back in the 1960s. While some car reviewers (who we mercilessly mocked a few weeks ago) will likely find the new Ram’s improved ride and handling a huge selling point, there’s no telling if true-blue truck buyers will embrace this feature. If coil setup doesn’t work as advertised (or if it doesn’t haul or pull with confidence), Dodge could lose a significant share of the half-ton truck market.

What do you think - will the new Ram’s refined image help or hurt sales in today’s work-truck oriented market? Is the new Ram “soft?”

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — As a contracting economy and slowing sales bring the U.S. auto industry to its knees, hundreds of thousands of auto workers find themselves either out of a job, or at risk of losing one.

Year to date, the auto industry has announced 110,610 job cuts, the highest of any industry with the exception of finance, according to a report released Wednesday by global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

On Friday, both General Motors (GM, Fortune 500) and Ford Motor (F, Fortune 500) announced additional job cuts going forward.

The Center for Automotive Research, a Michigan think tank, issued a study Wednesday that showed that another 250,000 jobs could be lost in the next year if GM, Ford and Chrysler were forced by the downturn to shutdown half of their U.S. plants.

And the industry might not bounce back, warned Bob Brusca, an economist with FAO Economics. “[Automobile] companies are getting smaller, they are laying people off that will never be hired back,” Brusca said.

So what happens to all those assembly-line workers, technicians and machinists whose skills are specialized for making cars?

Seeking new opportunities

There might not be quite as many out-of-work auto workers as people anticipate, according to David Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research.

With the aging of the average auto worker, a majority of the people that are going to leave or be forced out of the auto industry will take their buyout packages and retire, Cole said.

The mass exodus of “boomers” in the months ahead, Cole explained, could equal or even exceed the industry’s contraction.

For others out of a job but in need of another, positions in automobile manufacturing in Michigan and other Midwest states will be scarce.

But, “there’s always a demand for the qualified, reliable employee,” said Rhonda Arledge, area director for staffing company Adecco. “And there are industries out there that are still hiring,” she said.

In the region, jobs for hourly workers may be available building nuclear power facilities in addition to other alternative energy plants including water, wind and solar, according to Lars Luedeman, the head of automotive analytics at Grant Thornton.

The aging infrastructure in the upper Midwest may provide job opportunities building roads and bridges, Luedeman said. Although, like alternative energy, that will require funding going forward from the local, state and Federal government.

According to Luedeman, coal and copper mining operations in Michigan and Minnesota may also hire if demand for critical natural resources provides support for the mining, metals and minerals industry.

Otherwise, “people will have to move elsewhere” to find opportunities in less-cyclical industries with broader appeal, Brusca said.

And the good news is, while auto manufacturing jobs may be waning in Detroit, engineers, machinists and skilled trade workers - also including carpenters, welders, plumbers, electricians, masons and cabinet makers - are still in high demand in other areas of the country, according to a survey by employment services firm Manpower Inc.

“The Detroit area has been hit hard, supply is high and demand is low in the area,” said Doug Karr, a regional director at Manpower. “In Houston, demand is high and supply is low.”

According to Karr, skilled CNC machinists, welders and other trade workers are in hot demand in Gulf Coast states like Texas and Louisiana where there are more manufacturing jobs in the oil and gas industry than there are people.

For example, those with experience assembling auto parts or welding could construct oil pipes or cranes, he said.

“As skilled workers [in the region] are retiring, it may take two people to do the job that the tenured person was doing,” Karr said. And with fewer skilled trade workers entering the workforce that means much more job availability.

“If a hundred qualified CNC machinists moved to Houston we could probably find all 100 of them a job in no time at all,” he said.

source: cnn.com

With the economy crumbling and sales way down, GM announced some drastic steps Friday. Among them were delays in the carmaker’s product development plans.

In the auto industry, that’s a scary move. Delaying new product means delaying the increased sales that come with them. Not all product programs were put off, however. Some are simply too far along to bother delaying. The investments have been made and it’s time to reap some of the benefits.

The Chevrolet Volt seems to have made it through unscathed. In fact, GM said it would increase spending on its next-generation auto.

The plug-in Volt is, basically, an electric car with a ride-along gasoline engine. With a fully charged battery, it will be able to drive about 40 miles on electricity alone. As the battery begins to run low, the gasoline engine will fire up and begin producing electricity for longer range.

One thing the Volt won’t generate is much profit for GM in its first generation. But it has already proven to have enormous public relations value. Its enormous fuel efficiency - the Volt could easily get triple digit miles-per-gallon numbers in government tests - will also give GM a lot of breathing room for meeting Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) requirements.

After President Obama takes the oath of office in January, he may have a shiny new black limousine to go along with his not-so-new White House. General Motors is believed to be putting the final touches on a new first car.

An analysis of unauthorized photographs taken while the car was being tested last summer on public roads suggests that the presidential ride will be a truck-based Cadillac. It will presumably replace the Cadillac that President Bush has used since 2005.

This new car will be a Caddy like no other. The photos by Chris Doane, a spy photographer who hunts big automotive game - future models that haven’t been publicly revealed - for magazines and Web sites, provide clues about how specialized presidential transportation has become since the first White House fleet was ordered for William Howard Taft in 1909. President Taft rode in a stock White steam car or a conventional Pierce-Arrow, but the next president will travel in a fortresslike vehicle that was mostly built from scratch.

The photographer noted that the limousine was being tested, possibly for comparison purposes, with a pair of GMC Topkick medium-duty trucks. The limousine seemed to be riding on the same 19 1/2-inch Goodyear Regional RHS tires as the trucks, indicating that it is far heavier than a civilian Cadillac - even the longest stretch limousines built with the GM division’s heavy-duty coachbuilder package. Indeed, it is believed that the limo is based on GM’s 2500 line of trucks, which includes an extra-heavy-duty version of the Suburban.

Although the raised roof and wide windshield pillars are inherited from the ultra-armored limousines that entered presidential service in 2001, only educated guesses can be made about the technical details. Because neither the Secret Service nor General Motors will discuss the car, or even confirm that a new one has been under development, it is impossible to provide basic specifications or dimensions. Calls to Cadillac’s media relations department were not returned, and the Secret Service declined to comment.

So people who are curious about such things look for clues and make deductions. I have spent almost 30 years paying close attention to presidential vehicles as part of my interest in what are called professional cars, which also include hearses and ambulances. (I am the author of “Professional Cars: Ambulances, Hearses and Flower Cars,” Krause Publications, 2004.)

Other sources I have consulted on cars used by past presidents include “Presidential Cars and Transportation” by William D. Siuru Jr. and Andrea Stewart (Krause Publications, 1995) and “Presidents on Wheels” by Herbert Ridgeway Collins (Bonanza Books, 1971). But my interest has me looking for clues wherever I can find them.

For example, television clips showing Bush entering and exiting the rear doors of his limos indicate that the windows are at least 5 inches thick, almost twice the depth of what was used on presidential limousines in the 1980s and ’90s.

While I do not know what type of weapons such thick windows are designed to guard against, a half-inch of transparent armor is enough to stop a .44 Magnum round at point-blank range; at a thickness of 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches, the same material can withstand higher-velocity bullets fired from military assault rifles.

Were an attack to occur, the ballistic forces of bullets fired into the windows would be absorbed within a succession of glass and plastic layers, after which a flexible inner coating known as an anti-spall shield would keep glass from entering the passenger compartment.

Though the materials protecting the car’s body are also classified, they are probably intended to break up incoming projectiles with a hard substance before their energy is dissipated by a soft substance. Material traditionally used for this purpose includes dual-hardness steel, aluminum, titanium and ceramics.

Large steel overlaps are also typically added to the body openings of armored autos to deter attackers who might try shooting through the door gaps.

Denied the convertible tops and sunroofs that were once found on presidents’ cars, and seated behind glass that is half as transparent and several times as sound-absorbent as that of a standard car, the president has limited interaction with the public while inside his limo. But he can make his presence known by turning on fluorescent interior lighting that makes him visible to bystanders, or by using the built-in public address system.

Aircraft tie-downs welded to the chassis allow the limousine to be transported aboard a military cargo jet, which also often carries the Secret Service’s Suburban escort vehicles and at least one limo used as a backup or decoy.

On television footage of a trip to Pakistan in March 2000, it appeared as though President Bill Clinton’s motorcade used five decoy cars.

Thus, it is likely that GM is building not just one new presidential limousine, but perhaps two or three that can be used as backups or decoys. There will be no way of knowing until the cars are seen together.

Presidential limos would have great appeal to collectors. But the Secret Service has shown no enthusiasm for letting recent White House cars fall into private hands. When the cars are retired, they often disappear, to be destroyed or used in Secret Service training.

The Department of State also uses specialized vehicles, and the agency’s disposal methods have been detailed in a document entitled “Bureau of Diplomatic Security’s February 2004 Armored Vehicle Program.” Methods include burial at sea, explosive demolition, burning, crushing or burial on land controlled by the federal government.

In the same spirit, the Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock, Ark., was not given the keys to the 42nd president’s 1993 Cadillac Fleetwood, which is displayed there.

“We can dust the outside of the car, but if we needed to get inside it, we would have to contact the regional Secret Service office,” Christine Mouw, the library curator, said in an interview. “We’ve had requests from people to exhibit it with the doors open, but we’re told we can’t do it for security reasons, which is logical.”

source: sfgate.com

Mercedes Benz Car Quotes, Benz are known for being a high class luxury cars but unlike any other brand, Benz cars doesn’t let you pay a high price just for its name, they give you the quality, comfort, power and safety features that is worth the price you pay for, it’s definitely a car that can make you smile.

Benz Price Car Quotes

Mercedes Benz B Class
B Class is only 4.27 meters long, despite the short measurement the B Class Actually offers spacious accommodation and much more, it has a powerful engine, advance handling systems, sure to have a great performance and because this is a Benz made car it is guaranteed to have a superb comfort and design. Here are the models and Car quotes.

B 150 CST ————————– Php 1,980,000
95 horsepower

B 170 CST Sport ——————– Php 2,250,000
115 horsepower

Mercedes Benz C Class
This model is actually the model that fits all, its not too big, not too small either it’s a medium size car, but with its design and performance this can definitely be counted as one of the top cars in other words you can’t underestimate this model. Benz C Class has the Standard fitted Aglity Control with selective dampling, plus optional Advance Agility with special sports mode and has a range of uprated engines to choose from. Here are the Car Quotes of this model.

C 180 K Classic ——————— Php 2,580,000
156 horsepower

C 200 K Elegance ——————- Php 2,880,000
184hp

C 200 K Avantgarde —————- Php 2,980,000
184hp

C 280 Avantgarde —————— Php 3,980,000
231hp

C 350 Avantgarde-AMG Sports —– Php 4,480,000
272hp

C 63 AMG ————————– Php 6,980,000
457hp

Mercedes Benz E Class
E as in Elegance this model is known for its comfort and have the highest degree of safety, it has powerful engines, high quality interiors that makes a long journey relaxing and safe,Benz E class safety feature includes Neck Pro crash responsive head restraints, the intelligent light system, adaptive brake lights and PRE-SAFE. Here are the Car Quotes for this model.

E 200 K Classic Saloon ————– Php 3,980,000
184hp

E 200 K Sports Saloon ————– Php 4,280,000
184hp

E 280 Elegance Saloon ————– Php 4,880,000
231hp

E 280 Avantgarde Saloon ———– Php 5,180,000
231hp

E 280 Avantgarde Sports Saloon —- Php 5,280,000
231hp

E 280 Avantgarde AMG ————- Php 5,580,000
231hp

Mercedes Benz S Class
Benz S Class is actually known as the highest luxury model for the Mercedes Benz Cars, so far it has never stop improving its driving safety, technology, performance and comfort, Now with PRO-SAFE, it adds new all embracing dimension with innovations such as a Night View Assist, Distronic Plus adaptive cruise control, and PRE-SAFE that can prevent accidents before the risk arises. Here are the Car Quotes for this model.

S 350 Long ————————– Php 7,800,000
272hp

S 500 Long Premiere —————- Php 10,500,000
388hp

SLK Class
SLK Class, is Mercedes Benz Roadster, whether you open up or close the top, the looks of this remarkable car is great, it is sporty yet it is also elegant, this car is not only for looks, but it also has a powerful engine and good performance suitable for sports driving, best for personal use. Here is the Car Quotes for this model.

SLK 200 —————————– Php 4,300,000
184hp

CLK Class
Mercedes Benz Coupe CLK is Elegant and stylish in every detail this model is a good example of what Benz wants “True Beauty is timeless” it has superb performance in every way, a powerful engine a sporty steering and a shifting courtesy of Direct Control Technology. Here is the Car Quotes for this model.

CLK 350 Coupe Avantgarde AMG —- Php 5,950,000
272hp

CLS Class
With four doors and more spacious design CLS gives a classic saloon with the perfect blend of sportiness in it, which is underpinned advance technology, Featuring a range of smooth and powerful engines and 7G-TRONIC automatic transmission. Here is the Car Quotes for this model.

CLS 350 Coupe ———————– Php 6,500,000
272hp

Mercedes Benz M Class
M Class is made for either driving in a beaten road or a smooth straight road, it lets you travel comfortably in any kind of terrain, as usual it has great interior design and has precision technology, with a standard 7G-TRONIC automatic transmission, experience pure pleasure even if there’s no road at all. Here is the Car Quotes for this model.

ML350 Sport ————————- Php 5,500,000
272hp

Mercedes Benz R Class
R Class is Mercedes Benz station wagon model it has seats that fold flat individually, a big and accommodating rear doors, and an 8 way power driver’s seat, it fits your busy lifestyle either at home or at work. Here is the Car Quotes for this model.

R 350 GST Long Sport —————- Php 5,950,000
272hp

Mercedes Benz Sprinter
Looking for a partner that satisfies the highest standards? The new Sprinter is the answer. It offers you a great many options and is equipped to handle the most demanding problems. Here is the Car Quotes for this Model.

Sprinter 311 CDI ———————- Php 3,250,000
129hp

There are two main problems with the car industry right now: they don’t want to bring the diesels over from Eurpoe and they’re losing their designing abilities. This post isn’t like my other posts in that I won’t be posting my own version of each car as there are far too many ugly cars. Check out my list of the top 10 most unattractive new cars, in no particular order.

10: Pontiac Vibe

GM’s never really been on top of things when it comes to the Pontiac designs (e.g. Aztec). In my opinion, it’s no different with the Vibe. What you see is the newest, 2009, model. The bulbous body reminds me of an the Corolla E120, which would be fine if this was still 2001. Oh, the grill is no looker either.

(Jump for more)

Don’t get me started on the interior:

Seriously…what in the world?

9: Kia Optima

The 2009 Kia Optima is meant to be an improvement over the past generations but frankly, the 09 puts me to sleep. The front end could easily pass as a Ford design and I’m just tired of the “biting down” look of the taillights.

8: Toyota Matrix

I must say, the old Matrix looked quite good. This new one…not so much. The headlights remind me of the Honda Insight and the overall body is just too bubbly. Not to mention that front bumper! It seems like it was plastered on at the very last minute.

7: Ford Flex

Car sites are going crazy over this one — probably because it’s one of the first non-conservative designs to come to America from Ford. I personally find it to be an abomination: the front grill, the rear silver plate, the headlights, the taillights, the interior, and so on. It looks as if a Mini and an older Land Rover mated and this is their offspring. Maybe I’m just not the type of person who’s into the retro styled cars.

6: Kia Borrego

What in the world is a Borrego? I don’t really know. What in the world was Kia thinking? I don’t really know the answer to that either. The headlights are vomit inducing as well as the wheels in that specific image. I also don’t like the plastic molding which seems extremely unfit for a vehicle that can go into the $35k range.

5: Saturn Vue 

Again with the vomit inducing headlights. Why do I feel like this is the poor man’s Arcadia? The Ford Focus styled side air vents are extremely lame. The rear view mirrors look out of place. What makes people buy such a car?

4: Subaru Forester

What’s up with Subaru’s design team? The overall car looks fine but the front is just strange. I don’t know how to describe it. Maybe it’s the grill. Or maybe the headlights. Maybe the bumper. From this angle, it seems like Subaru took the Toyota’s whole chapter on designing the taillights on the Highlander.

3: Chrysler Aspen

Why does the front of the 300C and the Aspen remind me of Sean Combs so much? Anyways, the front looks ghastly and the rear is riddled with the boring taillights. Add in the bubbly look to the overall body and you’ve got one ugly car.

2: Chevy HHR Panel

Yeah. The front seems to be melting. In fact, my eyes are melting.

1: Ford Fusion

The Fusion is said to be a pretty nice car. It just doesn’t look good though. The front grill — now the standard for Ford — is unsightly (take a gander at how much worse it could possibly get) and the headlights have a strange shape and design. It kind of reminds me of a bee hive. The overall shape is straight out of the 90s while the chrome induced taillights look extremely cheap.

Other Ugly Cars (but not all):

• Chevy Aveo
• 2009 Ford F Series
• Chevy Cobalt
• Chrysler PT Cruiser
• Hyundai Accent
• Kia Rio5
• Nissan Sentra
• Pontiac G5
• Subaru Impreza (Front Only)
• VW Beetle
• Chrysler Sebring
• Dodge Avenger
• Hyundai Elantra
• Pontiac Gran Prix
• Chrysler 300C
• Chrysler Pacifica
• Dodge Magnum (Front Only)
• Ford Escape

(all images via cars.com)

The local motorcycle market enjoyed 2.8% growth in the first six months of this year with new registrations reaching 872,644 units, according to A.P. Honda Co, the compiler of industry figures.

Motorcycle sales in June alone rose 7.14% year-on-year to 163,501 units, breaking a 21-month record.

Teerapat Chivapong, sales director of A.P. Honda, said the growth was driven by higher farm product prices that gave farmers, the core consumers, higher incomes and purchasing power.

Additionally, with runaway oil prices, some car users have switched to motorcycles to reduce fuel expenses.

According to Land Transport Department registrations, family-type motorcycles had the highest growth rate of 4%, to 442,106 units. Their market share increased to 51% from 50% last year.

For other categories, automatic transmission motorcycles had a 45% share and sales of 396,061 units in the first half this year, up 2% from last year. Family-sport models earned a 3% share and sales of 25,272 units, with a 2% decline in growth. Sport models had a 1% share, with growth of 3% and sales of 5,789 units, while other categories recorded sales of 3,416 units.

Mr Teerapat said oil prices and the economy would continue to be people’s main concerns in the next two quarters. As a result, this will encourage consumers to make more use of motorcycles.

Honda remained the local market leader in the first half with motorcycle sales of 599,062 units, up 0.2% from the same period last year and capturing a 70% share. Yamaha, the second largest player, enjoyed the highest growth of 15% among other players to 222,483 units, capturing a 23% share. Suzuki came third with 36,898 units, down 18.85% from 36,898 units from the same period last year.

Other players in the market included Tiger, the Thai motorcycle brand that sold 555 units, Kawasaki 4,778 units, the Malaysian brand JRD at 2,070 units, Platinum from China 1,441 units and others 5,358 units.