AUTOCITY OF PINECREST NEWS

GMC CROSSES OVER WITH 2007 ACADIA!

2006-07-26T14:23:00.000-05:00

GMC yesterday announced the all-new 2007 Acadia, its first crossover. The Acadia brings a smooth, responsive driving experience, athletic design, a spacious interior and a comprehensive safety package to the fastest-growing vehicle segment in the U.S. “Acadia is a natural extension of the GMC brand,” said John Larson, Pontiac-GMC general manager. “Its combination of smooth, responsive driving traits and SUV versatility embody GMC’s professional grade philosophy. Acadia is a great looking vehicle that will attract customers who’ve never visited a GMC showroom.”

The smooth ride and agile handling come from a four-wheel independent suspension system mounted to a rigid body-frame integral structure. The structure enables a lower center of gravity, while the independent front and rear suspensions, combined with a precise rack-and-pinion steering system, provide sharp and immediate response to driver input.

Acadia’s agility is complemented by responsive performance from a 3.6L V-6 VVT – a high-feature engine with variable valve timing that is designed for good fuel economy, low emissions and exceptional smoothness. It is rated at 267 horsepower (199 kW) and 247 lb.-ft. of torque (335 Nm). The engine is backed by a new, fuel-saving Hydra-Matic 6T75 six-speed automatic transmission.

To see the Acadia, visit http://www.gmc.com/.

GM REPORTS $1.2 BILLION OPERATING PROFIT FOR 2ND QTR.!

2006-07-26T12:52:00.000-05:00

Automotive News / July 26, 2006

DETROIT -- General Motors delighted investors and analysts Wednesday by posting $1.2 billion in operating profit for the second quarter -- a $1.4 billion improvement over the same quarter last year."Our turnaround has not just gained traction, it's accelerating into high gear," said GM CEO Rick Wagoner.Wagoner has been under pressure to show improvement as GM studies a possible three-way alliance with Nissan Motor Co. and Renault SA. He said the results vindicated the company's turnaround strategy."While significant work still remains, our ability to identify and initiate $9 billion in cost cuts over the past year is unprecedented in this industry," Wagoner said.GM's loss in North American operations -- the focus of its restructuring -- narrowed to $85 million in the quarter, excluding charges. That's an improvement of $1.1 billion from the year-earlier period on lower pension and other costs.

0% FOR 72 MONTHS! ONLY UNTIL JULY 5TH!

2006-06-26T20:58:00.000-05:00

This is a once-a-year event. Get your favorite new 2006 Buick, Pontiac or GMC with 0% financing for 72 months. Or a new 2007 Yukon at 0% for 36 months. But hurry this sale will definitely end wednesday, July 5th!

SOLSTICE IS A HIT!

2006-06-19T10:02:00.000-05:00

Automotive News - June 19, 2006

The MX-5 Miata and GM's two new roadsters are selling fast as the segment for two-passenger sports cars priced under $30,000 has expanded. Only four cars are in that category: the MX-5, Nissan 350Z, and the Solstice and Sky.

Pontiac sold 9,700 Solstices from January through May, but it wooed relatively few MX-5 owners. The Mazda accounted for only 3.0 percent of all Solstice trade-ins, according to the Power Information Network.

The Jeep Wrangler was the vehicle most often traded in for the Solstice, accounting for 3.3 percent.

Of all buyers who traded in a Miata for a new vehicle from January through May, 29.4 percent bought another Miata. The No. 2 choice of those trading in the Mazda roadster was the Mazda3 (4.3 percent) followed by the Ford Mustang (4.2 percent) and the Solstice (2.1 percent.)

The days supply of cars as of June 1 showed that both roadsters remain popular: Solstice, 21 days; MX-5 Miata, 43.But if the past is any guide, the market for most two-passenger sports cars likely will cool off, and only the strong will survive.

AUTOCITY OF PINECREST IS NOW THE CONVERTIBLE CAPITAL OF MIAMI!

2006-06-15T10:59:00.000-05:00

Autocity of Pinecrest is the Convertible Capital of Miami. We have the best selection in town of Pontiac Solstices and G6 hardtop convertibles. They are available for immediate delivery, or you can order the color and equipment that you want. Come by and ask for a demo ride!

YOU CAN WIN A PONTIAC SOLSTICE FROM BELLSOUTH!

2006-06-10T10:07:00.000-05:00

BellSouth customers click here to register today for free, or call 877-820-FAST(3278)

It's fast and easy to use 411 from BellSouth. And it's fast and easy to enter to win a new Pontiac® Solstice® or other prizes. After you register, every time you use BellSouth 411 service from your registered home phone, you automatically receive another entry. The more you use 411, the more chances you have to win.

GM CONTRIBUTES $3.5 MILLION TO VFW HOME!

2006-06-07T06:20:00.000-05:00

EATON RAPIDS - We can now assign a figure to the pennies that fell from heaven upon the VFW National Home for Children: $3.5 million.

The home's director, Patrice Green, called it an "extraordinary blessing" Monday.

In the last 10 days of May, Buick, Pontiac and GMC dealers throughout the U.S. sold 35,000 vehicles. True to its word, General Motors Corp. will give the VFW Home $100 for every one of them.

And the jackpot, Green said, goes beyond the cash.

"Even if we hadn't received any money, the positive press was a windfall in itself," Green said.

"We got calls from all over the country from alumni who saw the TV commercials."

Visits to the home's Web site have increased 800 percent since the promotion began.

Of course Green will take the $3.5 million, too. .

"It will allow us to continue providing services during these economic hard times," she said.

VFW National Home to Receive Millions from Buick, Pontiac and GMC!

2006-05-22T08:52:00.000-05:00

EATON RAPIDS, Mich. – As a nation honors its veterans for Memorial Day, Buick, Pontiac and GMC are asking people to remember the families of soldiers, especially those who have experienced loss.

Buick, Pontiac and GMC are rallying behind the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) National Home, a place where families who have experienced loss as a result of military service can heal and learn to move on with their lives. The home, set on over 600 acres in central Michigan, is a collection of housing, education and recreational facilities designed to help the families of veterans who have experienced tragedy in their lives.

In honor of Memorial Day, Buick, Pontiac and GMC are honoring America's heroes by supporting the families at the VFW National Home. Buick, Pontiac and GMC will donate $100 for every car sold to the VFW National Home between May 22 and May 31. The divisions expect to donate several millions dollars.

“In service since 1925, we give children, spouses and other displaced family members of veterans and active military personnel the help they need to get back on their feet,” said Patrice Green, Executive Director of the VFW National Home. “Some need a place to stay after losing parents or spouses overseas. Spouses need continuing education for careers to help them raise their kids as single parents. Many of these children need counseling or help with the life skills like finding a job or applying for college when they find themselves with no one left to help them.”

“On Memorial Day, it is especially appropriate to help the families who have sacrificed the most. We hope to make more people aware of these displaced families and the resources available to them through the National Home,” said John Larson, general manager for Buick, Pontiac and GMC.

To find out more about the VFW National Home and its’ mission to serve the families of America’s veterans, visit their website at www.vfwnationalhome.org.

CITGO-SAMAX RACING GOES TO PHOENIX!

2006-05-10T09:55:00.000-05:00

May 9, 2006, Los Angeles, CA – Fresh from a 7th place finish at Laguna Seca
in Monterey, CA last weekend, Milka Duno and the CITGO Racing team travel to
Phoenix with high hopes for another strong finish at the Gainsco Grand Prix
at Phoenix International Raceway this week - May 11-13, 2006.

Duno and the CITGO Racing crew scored their 2nd top-ten finish of the season
on Laguna Seca’s 2.238-mile road course and will now work hard to set up
their new #11 CITGO Pontiac Riley for the 1.51-mile course at PIR – which
uses part of the track’s one-mile oval.

Corvette Racing driver and four-time 24 Hours of Le Mans class winner
Olivier Beretta will join Milka and CITGO Racing at PIR for the first of
their races together. It will be Beretta’s first race in the Daytona
Prototype.

"We bring with us to Phoenix a lot of positive momentum from our result at
Laguna Seca and I’m really looking forward to my first race with Olivier,"
said Milka. "We’ve all done a lot of work since debuting the new chassis at
Virginia and we’re hoping to continue to improve with each outing. Olivier
will bring with him a lot of experience to the CITGO Racing effort and we’re
all anxious to work with him and welcome him to the team."

A strong believer in the value of education, Milka, a qualified Naval
Engineer with four master’s degrees, feels a responsibility to help promote
the importance of a strong educational background and will get that chance
this week in Phoenix. Milka, together with GAINSCO/Blackhawk Racing driver
Jon Fogarty, will visit the Metro Tech High School in Phoenix on Wednesday,
May 10 to speak to and interact with the students as part of the APS Power
Players Program.

CITGO RACING BY SAMAX ANNOUNCES NEW EQUIPMENT & DRIVERS!

2006-05-03T12:07:00.000-05:00

May 2, 2006, Los Angeles, CA…The Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series has become ultra competitive in 2006. Top equipment is a necessity to compete at the front and CITGO Racing by SAMAX is proud to announce that the #11 CITGO Pontiac Riley has undergone a complete transformation. The car is now the newest race car on the Rolex Series grid. The #11 boasts a brand new Riley chassis, new Bosch electronics, a Pontiac engine from Hasselgren Engineering and an all new paint scheme.

In addition, the team welcomes Corvette Racing driver Olivier Beretta to race with CITGO Racing regular Milka Duno in up to 6 of the remaining 9 races and Riley Technologies Factory driver Marc Goossens to compete in 3 races - beginning with the race at Laguna Seca. CITGO Racing is also pleased to announce that Champ Car veteran engineer Steve Challis will join the program starting with the upcoming race at Laguna Seca. Olivier Beretta, a Corvette Racing driver, is one of the most successful drivers in international endurance racing. He is a three time American Le Mans Series (ALMS) champion and a four time class winner of the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans. Since 2000, Beretta has also worked as a Formula One test driver with Michelin developing tires and since 2002 with the Williams F1 Team. “I’m very happy to have this new challenge in front of me and to drive for CITGO Racing and SAMAX. I’ve been watching the Daytona Prototypes because of the Pontiac involvement and to see my friends in action. The competition is extremely fierce and I am extremely anxious to help my new team beginning at Phoenix!”

Marc Goossens, a Riley Technologies factory driver, has raced top level prototype sports cars for over 10 years. Highlights include 3rd place finishes in the 2004 Rolex 24 at Daytona and the 2002 12 Hours of Sebring. “It’s encouraging to see the team moving forward on an aggressive path”, said Bill Riley, President of Riley Motorsport. “Having Marc in the car we should be able to work more closely with them on engineering and set up issues and help advance the development of the car.

With the upcoming testing and our support we expect to see the car at the front.” Steve Challis has been a Champ Car engineer for the past 10 years and has helped some of the top names in open wheel racing reach the podium and victory lane, including Paul Tracy, Jimmy Vasser, Dario Franchitti and Greg Moore. Duno said "We have been working really hard to make our team and car as strong as possible and I would like to thank Marino Franchitti for his valuable contribution this season.

The addition of factory drivers and a top engineer proves that we are on the right track. The series has become so competitive that it is critical to get as much help as possible to get to the front, which we will be making every effort to do." Milka Duno, Marc Goossens and the CITGO Racing by SAMAX team will now head west for the 6th round of the 2006 Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series Championship – the U.S. Sportscar Invitational at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, CA May 5-7, 2006. The Sunday race will be televised live on the SPEED Channel beginning at 3:00pm EDT.

PONTIAC INTRODUCES 2007 SOLSTICE GXP!

2006-05-01T10:33:00.000-05:00

By Ward’s StaffWardsAuto.com
April2006

General Motors Corp.’s Pontiac division has takenthe wraps off its new G6 GXP coupe show car at the New York International Auto Show.

Based on the coupe version of the brand’s volume-leading G6 sedan, the new GXP show car illustrates the model’s performance potential, while also serving as a test bed for public reaction that could spur it into production.

“Although the GXP performance series has been very successful in the past, we’ve never attempted to introduce a GXP on our largest-volume vehicle and we want to be sure we do it right,” says Pontiac Product Director Dennis Maraone.
Power for the G6 GXP comes from a 270-hp version of GM’s 3.9L V-6 engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission.

A functional ram air hood with twin inlets adorns the front of the car and complements a redesigned front fascia sporting a more aggressive air dam. Other exterior highlights include special chrome accents, a new rear bumper with dual, chrome exhaust tips, rocker panel extensions and a unique “hammerhead” spoiler, GM says.

A lowered suspension, vented, cross-drilled brake rotors and special 19-in. wheels round out the GXP’s performance upgrades.

Inside, the standard G6 interior is accented by red leather seat and door panel inserts and red chrome trim on the instrument panel, center stack and door controls.

Pontiac’s GXP performance line was introduced in 2003 with the Bonneville GXP sports sedan. A Grand Prix GXP debuted last year, while the latest edition, the 260-hp Solstice GXP, launches this fall, the auto maker says.

NEW BUICK ENCLAVE CROSSOVER!

2006-04-26T13:02:00.000-05:00

This is the all-new 2007 Buick Enclave....it will be available at the end of this year. It looks like a winner!

MORE PHOTOS FROM REVISTA MUJER'S MILKA COVER PARTY!

2006-04-22T21:29:00.000-05:00

MUJER MAGAZINE THROWS MILKA DUNO COVER LAUNCH PARTY!

2006-04-18T14:16:00.000-05:00

It happened saturday night at Post Restaurant and Lounge on Coral Way near Brickell Avenue. Over 200 guests enjoyed drinks and music. The media was present and so were many actresses and actors from popular TV programs. Milka was the honoree and reaggetton artist DMoney performed a song specially for her.

2006-04-18T13:45:00.000-05:00

HYBRIDS ARE NOT SO GREEN!

2006-04-13T14:33:00.000-05:00

From Dealers Edge

CNW Marketing Research Inc. collected data on the energy necessary to plan, build, sell, drive, and dispose of a vehicle from initial concept to scrappage. The results included a "dollars per lifetime mile" figure, also deemed the "energy cost per mile driven."

According to the report, the most "energy expensive" vehicle sold in the United States in calendar-year 2005 was the Maybach at $11.58 per mile. The least expensive vehicle was the Scion xB at $0.48 cents.

However, the report found that driving a hybrid vehicle costs more in terms of overall energy consumed than did comparable non-hybrid vehicles. One example compared Honda models: The Honda Accord Hybrid had an energy cost per mile of $3.29, while the conventional Honda Accord was $2.18.

According to the report, while the industry average of all vehicles sold in the United States in 2005 was $2.28 cents per mile, the Hummer H3 was only $1.949 cents per mile. That figure is also lower than all currently offered hybrids and the Honda Civic at $2.42 per mile. For the complete list of all vehicles sold in the U.S. in calendar year 2005 and their energy cost, visit www.cnwmr.com and click on "Dust to Dust Energy List."

AN OPEN LETTER FROM GM DEALERS!

2006-04-07T13:06:00.000-05:00

General Motors is getting better every day. Our products are the best ever. If you doubt,
then drive a Pontiac Solstice or G6, Chevrolet Impala or Tahoe, Buick Lucerne, HUMMER H3,
Saab 9-3 convertible, Saturn Sky, GMC Sierra, Envoy or Yukon Denali, a Cadillac STS or any of
the new GM products. Check the J.D. Power and Associates APEAL rankings.
Mistakes have been made and lessons have been learned. Today our CEO Rick Wagoner
is leading the best management team at GM since Alfred Sloan. It is a diffi cult job that
requires balancing the needs of customers, employees, retirees, shareholders and dealership
employees. Given the hand that exists, it appears that Rick Wagoner and GM are taking very
bold steps and they are making a difference. We believe that Rick is a man of excellent
integrity. His values are that of the best of America. He is an excellent leader, father, husband
and human being. He needs and deserves support for the enormous job he is doing.
America loves a good comeback story, and GM is going to be one of the best. There will
always be the naysayers who will revel in the diffi culties of General Motors. But let’s be clear:
GM is important to America. Ford is important to America. For the good of everyone, they
must succeed and they need our help. We pledge ours. We hope you will do the same.
Mike Maroone
AutoNation
Roger Penske, Sr.
UnitedAuto Group
Jeff Rachor
Sonic Automotive

NEW PONTIAC G6 CONVERTIBLE COMMERCIAL(Click here to see)

2006-04-03T14:47:00.000-05:00

NEW SOLSTICE TV COMMERCIAL!(Click here to see)

2006-04-01T14:56:00.000-05:00

NEW TRANS AM/GTO ON THE HORIZON?

2006-03-31T21:37:00.000-05:00

HIGH PERFORMANCEPONTIAC.COM
By Thomas A. DeMauro
Photography: Kevin Morgan

Deja vu 1974--gas prices are high and the GTO is once again cancelled for the following year. Buick-Pontiac-GMC General Manager John Larson broke the news to dealers in a video clip on Tuesday, February 21, 2006. He says the cancellation of the GTO is due to '07 airbag standards that cannot be met with the current car. We're sure it didn't hurt that the GTO sold only 15,728 units in 2004 and just 11,069 in 2005, while it was scheduled for production of 18,000 for those two years. The possible peripheral reasons are many--some cite a snubbing by the GTO faithful, others say it was too expensive, and still more lament the body styling. While we all can be Monday morning quarterbacks, the fact remains that Pontiac once again will be without a rear-drive V-8 performance car by 2007. But for how long? Just over a week after the cancellation notice, we seemingly got an answer.

General Motors Vice President for Global Product Development Bob Lutz stated during the Geneva motor show that a new GTO would arrive based on the new Camaro's and Holden Commodore's Zeta platform in late 2008, as reported by AutoWeek.

HPP contacted Jim Hopson, Pontiac GMC Manager of Communications for confirmation. On March 6, 2006, Jim stated, "Nothing has been confirmed yet. There is nothing on the production schedule, but Bob Lutz's comments are very intriguing, and we have been working toward this. However, we have nothing to announce at this point."

Possibly, all will be confirmed by the time you read this magazine. Our questions, which remain unanswered at this time, are as follows:
Will the GTO be released at the same time as the Camaro?
Hopson shared that one of the problems GM was facing bringing the Camaro and GTO to market was the cost of its proposed platform Zeta. "It was too expensive in its original configuration to keep the retail price point where it needed to be, so the program was put on hold." We heard rumors of a possible Zeta-Lite based on design changes to Zeta that would provide cost reductions. Will the new GTO, Camaro, and Commodore be built on this Zeta-Lite platform?

Will the GTO be built in the United States, or Australia alongside the Commodore sedan?
Which engine(s) will power the GTO, and how will its power rating compare with the Camaro?
And what of a rumored Firebird rebirth?

Check the various enthusiast and auto-related news Web sites, and it's claimed the Camaro is on its way, and a Firebird won't be far behind. At Geneva, however, Lutz reportedly said no to reviving the Firebird. Are the Web sites getting accurate Deep Throat inside information, or is it simply wishful thinking directed toward the hope of a self-fulfilling prophecy? Time will tell.
Whatever the case, the current GTO is a great-performing car even if it hasn't sold well. When production ends, the performance division of GM will be lacking a model with a V-8 torturing the rear tires for two years. Currently, Ford can't build Mustangs fast enough, Dodge has the Charger and the Magnum on the road, and its Challenger concept is driving everyone crazy, much like the Camaro. As you can see, from a performance standpoint, Pontiac can ill afford not to field a competitive model should all these retro-performers continue to grow in popularity.
Despite Lutz's current comments on the likelihood of a new Firebird, aficionados of the model who have held out hope for a resurrection since the F-body's demise in 2002 see the Camaro as a great opportunity do reintroduce the legendary ponycar.

HPP reader Kevin Morgan has provided us with his take on a modern-day Trans Am should GM decide to change its corporate mind, and Kevin's illustration has been popular fodder for hobbyists. "I honestly never dreamed that these drawings would create such a stir." Kevin told us, regarding the Internet buzz over his series of drawings on www.transamcountry.com. "I drew them because of my love for the Trans Am and love of drawing. I just wish we could get our Firebirds and Trans Ams back!" Perhaps if we yell loud enough, GM will oblige, or will the Pontiac-buying masses be satisfied instead with an all-new GTO? What are your thoughts?

GM hopes to be known for best value in strategy!

2006-03-28T21:38:00.000-05:00

March 28, 2006

BY SARAH A. WEBSTER--FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER

General Motors Corp. might someday be known as the beloved Wal-Mart of the auto industry, if its latest marketing strategy goes according to plan.

The world's largest automaker, which slashed prices by an average of $1,300 on more than 80% of its cars and trucks in January, said on Monday that it hopes to reinvent itself as the value leader.

"We don't want to be known as the incentive leader. We want to be known as the value leader, across all of our brands," Mark LaNeve, vice president of vehicle sales, service and marketing at GM's North America operations, told journalists during an upbeat briefing at the top of GM's Renaissance Center.

"We're trying to get at offering -- every single day, not just when we decide to run incentives, but every single day -- the best price in the marketplace, the best value for customers."

MORE MARY KAY SATISFIED CUSTOMERS!

2006-03-21T15:50:00.000-05:00

Damaris Daugherty of Palmetto Bay joined the legions of hard-working Mary Kay ladies who earned the right to receive a free car from their beloved company!

A letter from Mary Beth Minorini, Donlen Trust Co., who handles the delivery of Mary Kay cars nationwide:

Terri:
Oh gosh......thank you for the pictures. We enjoy them so much! You are so awesome. You make these girls feel so proud and happy and we thank you for that!!

I still want to see what you look like only because you're soooooo sweet!! Let me see if I can find a picture of Ruth Sylvia and me ( the Mary Kay Team).

Mary

ANOTHER SATISFIED MARY KAY CUSTOMER!

2006-03-21T08:58:00.000-05:00

Autocity of Pinecrest has become the official dealer for Mary Kay sales representatives. We have delivered dozens of cars to happy Mary Kay reps who through their hard work have earned their dream car. Last week we delivered a brand new 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix to Neyda Tejeiro. Our Terry Crapello has been leading our efforts to ensure complete satisfaction on the part of the Mary Kay ladies. Above you will find photos taken during the delivery.

AUTOCITY'S FIRST CLASSIC CAR SHOW WAS A HIT!

2006-03-13T12:12:00.000-05:00

Jorge Garciga and his beautiful red '68 GTO took Best of the Show, as voted by the people who came by to see the first Annual BOP Show that took place at Autocity of Pinecrest this past Sunday. We had a great turn-out. More than 150 persons took in the sun and enjoyed a great classic car show.

Roger Wydler and his 1970 Pontiac Ram Air IV GTO came in second place.

BOB LUTZ ON CONSUMERS' PERCEPTION OF GM PRODUCTS!

2006-03-08T15:27:00.000-05:00

By Bob Lutz
GM Vice Chairman

At the risk of repeating what I’ve already posted, I must share what’s top of mind today, and that is GM’s consumer consideration levels.

This issue, this question of how do we increase awareness, improve our image, and enhance public opinion of our cars and trucks, is weighing on everyone’s mind in this company, from the plant floors to the boardroom. We are all weary of hearing that “GM doesn’t have any vehicles that people want” or that GM “doesn’t excite anyone” or doesn’t have any products that are “relevant.”

Our cars and trucks have clearly improved, and continue to do so. And so has our quality and reliability. We have documented countless surveys and awards that bear this out, often right here on this blog but elsewhere as well, from Strategic Vision to J.D. Power to the Harbour Report to awards from various publications and organizations.

This month alone, we had two vehicles win MotorWeek Driver's Choice Awards (Solstice and Corvette Z06), two win Intellichoice Best Overall Value Awards (Corvette and Chevy Express 1500) and one of our brands, Hummer, take home the Autobytel Consumer Choice Award as the marque that saw the biggest increase in requests at its website and affiliations.

Our launch vehicles are continuing to do well in the marketplace, and we have high hopes for the upcoming launches too, like the Saturn Sky and Aura, for example. And yet, the coverage of our financial state continues to point out our alleged lack of cars and trucks that people want. All the while more than a quarter of the vehicles sold in America are ours.

Yes, we’d like it to be more than that, no question, and we’re working hard to increase the total. But the deeper issue is this question of our image, and this perception that nobody’s interested in our products. We can and will do a better job of advertising and communications in the traditional sense, but we need to step up our non-traditional communications and word of mouth, and get our message directly to the people on a grass roots level. This blog is one example — but we need more avenues, and bigger ideas. What do you think?

PETE RODRIGUEZ, A "SHINING STAR", EXCEEDS OUR CUSTOMERS' EXPECTATIONS!

2006-02-25T12:48:00.000-05:00

February 14, 2006
Dear Mr. Perez,
It is with great pleasure that I write this letter to you about your Service Manager-Mr. Pete Rodriguez. We bought a 2005 GMC Envoy SLT before relocating from North Broward to Miami-Dade. Since being down here-we have taken in our Envoy twice to your dealership for service and Mr. Rodriguez was a true professional; he was kind, courteous, and very nice to speak with. He took the time to listen to my concerns and made every effort to resolve them.

Lately, we have been experiencing a concern with the driver’s seat - it has become somehow uncomfortable to sit in and also appears to have a “give”-it slides and pops when you brake; altogether this is an unacceptable condition. We contacted Pete about this and he expressed this condition is not normal and urged me to bring it in. He took the time to further listen to my concerns and also test drive the Envoy with me to better understand/recognize what is going on. He had a wonderful attitude about this and assured me he would make sure it is resolved.

I am very thankful for people and professionals like Pete. His approach clearly exhibits a regard for the well being of a customer while managing to instill confidence that the dealership will do right by t;he product and by me, the customer. We commend you and Pete for the wonderful service experiences provided thus far and appreciate the opportunities given to have our concerns dealt with seriously and appropriately.

Pete is a shining star at your Company, that should be acknowledged.
Kind Regards,
Hugo Rosales

RICHARD BENITEZ IS THE LUCKY WINNER OF THE PONTIAC SOLSTICE!

2006-02-25T11:20:00.000-05:00

Richard Benitez was the lucky winner of the brand new 2006 Pontiac Solstice that we gave away in conjunction with Channel 41. The contest lasted 14 weeks, we drew 14 finalists and we chose the winner on Valentine's Day, February 14th. During that time we received an extraordinary amount of advertising exposure throughout all the programs of Channel 41. The promotion was so successful that we plan to do it again

Is It Unpatriotic to Not Buy American Cars?

2006-02-24T13:28:00.000-05:00

As I sat in an Orlando studio on January 24th waiting to be interviewed on Fox News’ Hannity and Colmes for the first time, that seemed to be the question I was going to be asked to answer if the introductory comments were any indication. In the studio in New York was Malcolm Bricklin, founder and CEO of Visionary Vehicles, who plans on importing cars from China by 2007. Ford had just announced plans to lay off 30,000 workers, and since even Mr. Bricklin (to his credit) says he doesn’t want to see so many Americans join the ranks of the unemployed, it was a good question to ask.

But the show started with asking Mr. Bricklin a different question and by the time the cameras pointed to me, I was given a different question as well, so I never really got to answer it.

But as I continue to think about it since that interview, the answer I would have given to Sean Hannity is the same as my answer today: If it’s unpatriotic to destroy the American middle class, then it’s unpatriotic to not buy American cars. As a country, we’re drowning in a sea of red ink, and as consumers (those who really should know better, anyway) we’re drowning is a sea of "what’s in it for me."

Since President Bush has all but ruled out any government help for either Ford or GM saying they have to make a product that is "relevant" (did you know Mr. Bush himself owns a Ford pickup truck?) it’s up to the American consumer to realize that a bankruptcy for Ford or GM or both is definitely not in the national interest. Not only would hundreds of thousands of workers lose their jobs, but about 450,000 retirees would be de-funded.
These retirees on fixed incomes would see smaller pensions and reduced medical benefits. The workers that remained would see massive cuts in benefits as well.

Big deal, you say? At least American companies still offer their workers pensions. According to a recent article in The Tennessean, Nissan North America new hires won’t be able to count on a company pension when they retire. And if you work for Nissan and didn’t happen to reach the age of 65
by the end of last year, you won’t be participating in the
company-sponsored medical plan either.

If American companies can’t remain successful and shoulder the burden of health care for their workers, the rest of us will likely pick up the tab in the form of higher taxes through expanded entitlement programs, which are already growing at a rate of 8% a year.

84% of all federal spending of our tax dollars already goes towards the "big three" untouchables: interest on the national debt, national defense (including homeland security) and entitlements such as Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. So much for conservatives who wish for smaller government. Generally speaking, few of us want to invite more government intrusion into our lives. But a significantly smaller government these days would result in benefit cuts that would ultimately affect all of us. The days of those who want tax cuts because it means more money in their pockets and means benefit cuts only for someone else are over.

So what’s your reason for not buying American cars and trucks? I’ve heard (and disproved) them all but I’ll list a few of the more popular ones here.

1. Quality. According to the latest J.D. Power & Associates Long-term Dependability Survey, Lincoln, Buick and Cadillac all made the top five for 2005. Lexus was number one and number two was mysteriously not reported by the CNN story highlighting the survey. What’s even better (if you are a fan of American automakers) is that the average dependability of all GM and Ford models combined was greater than the average dependability for all the Japanese models combined.

2. Too much emphasis on "gas guzzlers." The hypocrisy in this statement is rampant since most people who make it are ardent supporters of the "free market." The trouble for these hypocrites is that a major free market principle is the law of supply and demand. According to Seattle Times columnist Shaunti Feldhahn, consumer demand for big, bad SUVs has doubled in the last 15 years. So much for the argument that American car companies aren’t building what consumers want to buy. Just like American companies have been scrambling to satisfy the one percent of car buyers who want hybrids, Japanese car makers have been scrambling to catch up to Ford and GM by offering bigger and badder behemoths (at even worse gas mileage ratings than American SUVs). GM has more models with over 30 mpg. highway
(2006 EPA estimates) than any other auto maker. Last month I revealed that my 1996 Lincoln Town Car now has over 160,000 miles with no signs of letting up. What I didn’t mention is that my car has averaged 24 mpg since September 2001, which is a result of combined mostly highway driving during the week and mostly city driving on weekends. Not bad for a big luxury car.

3. Foreign car companies will pick up the slack. This argument implies that the hiring of American workers by foreign companies would never take place if there weren’t layoffs by American companies first. Even if you view foreign investment as a good thing – which it isn’t - foreign companies will still invest in America even if we support American companies so they can actually retain our own workers. This argument is almost as bad as the one that implies we need to destroy American manufacturing jobs in general so we can move American workers into high-tech jobs. Why not let the college graduates strapped with tens of thousands of dollars in student loans and other debts take these jobs, and protect American workers in the jobs they choose to have now?

4. American companies can do better. Better at what? What will it take for more American people to root for the home team again? Do you only root for your hometown sports team when they are winning, or do you root for them even when they are down – no matter what? Let’s see. American companies GM and Ford have won numerous quality awards, they have more domestic plants, employ more American workers, support more retirees along with their dependants and families, pay better wages than the non-union foreign-owned plants, have a higher percentage of domestic parts in their automobiles, pay more taxes to the U.S. Treasury, give more to charities for the benefit of this country, and donate more in the wake of disasters like 9-11. Need I go on?

5. GM and Ford need to make cars Americans want to buy. I saved this one for last since it the most ridiculous statement of all. General Motors has the highest market share of any automobile company. To say the company that currently sells more cars and trucks to more people than any other company in the industry – even if that market share is falling – is truly ridiculous. Yes, I know Toyota is gaining on GM and may overtake them this year (in worldwide market share - not U.S. market share - where GM has roughly twice the market share of Toyota) and GM used to command around 50% of the domestic market. But let’s be reasonable, shall we? What company in any industry in today’s super-competitive economy can command 50% of their market? Not even Coke or Pepsi can do that. Which reminds me – Pepsi recently passed Coke to take the top spot in the beverage wars. Is Coke number two now because they aren’t making beverages Americans want to drink? I haven’t heard that one yet. Only in America and only in the automobile industry could number two be declared a loser brand. And only if it’s GM, not Toyota.

The struggle for GM and Ford to regain much needed and much deserved traction has increasingly become a media war. And it’s not just a media war as I reported in my September 2005 article titled Media Bias Against American Automakers. The bias towards foreign automakers has extended from journalists and other newsmakers to everyday Americans with vendettas against their home-team companies in the form of letters to the editor and blogs on the Internet. The Wall Street Journal recently ran a story titled "Are Rumours Hurting Sales" reporting on a Los Angeles resident who started a Web log called "GM Can Do Better." It’s not that this individual has not heard the reports of numerous quality awards bestowed upon American automakers. It’s that he’s skeptical the reports are true.

So there you have it. Foreign car lovers will believe it if Toyota wins an award. But if General Motors’ Chevy Impala is documented to have fewer customer complaints than the Toyota Camry, foreign car lovers will grasp at different false reasons to justify their foreign purchases. But the facts are in and their arguments no longer hold water. I’d almost be willing to bet these American car bashers haven’t test-driven an American car in years. Right now it doesn’t matter that GM has 82 major plants in America and Ford has 35. What matters is that Toyota, Honda and Nissan have eight plants each. It doesn’t matter that Toyota and Honda average 65% to 75% domestic parts in their U.S. built cars while GM and Ford average 80% to 85%. If these percentages ever reverse, then it will matter to foreign car lovers. Facts simply don’t matter to them when they don’t happen to be in their favor. To them, as Business Week reported December 12, 2005, "the economy is unstoppable as the…Indianapolis Colts" and foreign purchases have no national negative effect. If you watched the Super Bowl last Sunday you probably noticed that the Indianapolis Colts weren’t playing.

I’m sure that this article will not sit well with those who automatically receive it as part of their free "Buy American Mention of the Week"
subscription and advocate the demise of GM and Ford. And I’m also sure I’ll receive many "unsubscribe" requests as a result. But I don’t really care. I don’t like writing for people I don’t like any more than I like giving speeches to groups I don’t like. These articles are not designed to make anyone feel less of an American for their past foreign purchases, but rather they aim at

Those who do agree with the facts and the opinions I have presented, I urge you to forward or distribute my auto industry articles to fellow Americans that need to see them. Simply visit www.overthehillcarpeople.com to see the auto industry articles I’ve written since May 2005. I’m not sure how much time GM and Ford have left to turn things around given the obstacles they must overcome that have been put there for bogus and unpatriotic reasons.
And remember, the next time someone accuses you of questioning their patriotism because of their foreign car, tell them that if it’s not unpatriotic to destroy the American middle class, then it’s not unpatriotic to buy foreign cars!

Roger Simmermaker, Author

How Americans Can Buy American

www.howtobuyamerican.com

Podcast: OnStar Turn-by-Turn Navigation(Click here to listen)

2006-02-22T15:07:00.000-05:00

FastLane Radio host Bill Betts, the GM Communications web services manager, interviews Chet Huber, president of OnStar, about OnStar's new Turn-by-Turn Navigation service. It works like this: when a subscriber asks an OnStar advisor for directions, the advisor sends directions to the vehicle. The automated service verbally directs the motorist to the destination turn by turn. Huber also discusses how OnStar creates new services for each generation of hardware. OnStar's Turn-by-Turn Navigation will debut on the 2006 Buick Lucerne and Cadillac DTS in March and the Cadillac STS in the second quarter.

MILKA EN "LA REVISTA"!

2006-02-17T22:46:00.000-05:00

La mujer más rápida del mundo
La corredora de autos Milka Duno se ha impuesto en un deporte tradicionalmente masculino. Es la primera representante de su sexo que se ha destacado más en el mundo de los bólidos sobre ruedas.

Milka es la primera mujer que ha ganado la Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series Grand Prix of Miami en dos competencias automovilísticas de carácter internacional; una en marzo de 2004 y otra en septiembre del mismo año, ambas en Homestead.

En la temporada del 2004, quedó en quinto lugar en toda la competencia donde participaron 130 conductores, todos hombres excepto ella (los competidores van acumulando puntos en el evento que se realiza durante todo el año). Luego en la temporada del 2005, quedó en octavo lugar. Recientemente, en el mes de enero, obtuvo también un octavo lugar en la justa final de 24 horas en el 2006 Rolex 24 At Daytona.

Sus compañeros de equipo, los pilotos Kevin McGarrity y los hermanos Marino y Darío Franchitti, le cedieron el honor de conducir a la meta final. Roturas en el motor le impidieron ganar la fatigosa vuelta. De todas maneras ese octavo lugar la coloca en el puesto más alto alcanzado por una mujer en esta competencia.

La número uno siempre
A Milka siempre le ha gustado sentar pautas, ser la primera en todo. Así fue la única mujer que estudiaba ingeniería naval en la Universidad de Caracas. Y antes, por su rendimiento escolar, había ocupado el primer puesto en su escuela en la primaria, la secundaria y el instituto.
"Lo que hago lo tomo muy en serio". Luego obtuvo cuatro maestrías: desarrollo organizacional, arquitectura naval, biología marina y negocios marítimos, estas tres últimas en España.
Su formación en las universidades, hoy en día le facilita su profesión de corredora, pues puede discutir con los ingenieros y percatarse rápidamente de cualquier falla del auto que conduce.

Pasión por las carreras
Fueron unos amigos los que la invitaron a un evento informal en una pista de Maracay. La carrera tenía lugar con carros de calle, no con profesionales. Y ella se entusiasmó y participó; había aprendido a conducir a los doce años. Y se dio cuenta que sabía cuando en una travesura de niña, le robó el auto a su madre. "Soy muy observadora. Nunca nadie me enseñó. Pero yo no me di cuenta hasta ahora que sentía tanta atracción hacia los carros", dice. Además jamás se le hubiera ocurrido hablar de semejante asunto. Conocía a su padre; cuando le sugería algo tan normal como jugar tenis o practicar karate, la miraba fijo a los ojos y le respondía: "Eso es de hombres".

Pero la vida da tantas vueltas como las pistas de carrera. "¡Y fíjate -agrega-termino corriendo carros!". Ahora Julio, su padre, no dice nada. Sólo se asombra. Su hija es una mujer extremadamente femenina que, sin embargo, corre autos de carrera.

Resuelta, decidida, persistente, enrumbó su vida a una velocidad inaudita. "Lo que yo quiero es lo que hago. Cuando estaba pequeña naturalmente no podía".

Comenzó precisamente compitiendo con carros de aficionados y como resultaba siempre ganadora, decidió hacerlo con autos profesionales. "Hice dos carreras con Porches, en Venezuela, y me dije quiero ir a una escuela para convertirme en corredora". Y así vino a los Estados Unidos. "Mi idea era regresar, pero a las dos semanas de haber terminado la escuela, me llamaron para formarme como piloto".

Eso fue en junio de 1998 y ya en 1999, corría como profesional.
"Ellos, los de la escuela, de alguna manera me ayudaron a descubrir que yo podía potenciar una habilidad que ya tenía".

Los corredores deben analizar a los competidores, apreciar las pistas y estudiar los circuitos. Un piloto no conduce todo el tiempo. El equipo de tres o cuatro integrantes se turna al volante, y los pilotos duermen alternativamente por espacio de una hora y media a dos horas. Con igual frecuencia, toman alimentos, incluyendo carbohidratos y vegetales, pero en pocas cantidades.
En su primer campeonato, realizado en Atlanta, quedó en tercer lugar. Luego resultó tercera en Australia... "Y así vinieron equipos que me fueron dando oportunidad, pero no es hasta el 2001 que comienzo a competir alternativamente en Europa".

Corrió en circuitos de Francia, Alemania, Austria, Portugal, Italia, España... En todas, en la categoría de Fórmula Nissan, monoplazas y carros de ruedas al aire. E hizo carreras con los prototipos 900 y el 675. La velocidad máxima la alcanzó en Francia en la carrera de 24 horas: 200 millas sostenidas.

En Estados Unidos, en el 2000, se convirtió en la primera mujer en ganar la carrera Ferrari Challenge; en 2001, repitió la hazaña en la prestigiosa competencia Petit Le Mans; en 2002, se convierte también en la primera mujer en tripular un auto de carrera en la justa American Le Mans Series.

En las carreras de autos son muy importantes los patrocinadores y como Milka los consiguió en los Estados Unidos, decidió regresar acá. Ella representa varias marcas entre otras a Citgo. (Todavía no se ha hecho oficial, pero muy pronto Milka se convertirá en la imagen de Sony para América Latina).

Las carreras de autos son un deporte muy complejo. Compiten tipos de vehículos, marcas, motores, los mecánicos y equipos de personas, y requiere mucho entrenamiento para alcanzar condiciones físicas y mentales óptimas. Se considera que un corredor baja dos kilos de peso como promedio por evento, debido a las altas temperaturas dentro del auto: mayores de 100 grados FA.

Milka: la imagen del Pontiac
Sus movimientos de modelo, la delicadeza en sus maneras, su físico estilizado y rostro hermoso, en contradicción aparente con su dura tarea, encendieron las luces en la mente de Lomberto Pérez. Fue al "presidente de los precios bajos" a quien se le ocurrió la idea de que la estelar corredora de autos Milka Duno representara como imagen a la marca de autos Pontiac, que él viene vendiendo desde hace décadas con gran éxito. De eso hace ya dos años.

"Mi oportunidad vino a través de Lomberto. El fue el ángel en mi camino", dice Milka.
Hace apenas unos días, en su agencia Autocity en Pinecrest (13401 South Dixie Hwy), el propio Lomberto le entregó las llaves a Milka del deportivo, confortable y flamante modelo 2006 Pontiac Solstice, un descapotable negro, de dos asientos, transmisión manual, cuatro cilindros, suspensión independiente en las cuatro ruedas, con 177 hp, y que alcanza hasta las 240 millas de velocidad.

"Aparte de ser una gran corredora, Milka posee una personalidad carismática, es bonita, inteligente y culta", dice Lomberto.

Quizás sea por eso que durante el tiempo que lleva representado la marca, las ventas de Pontiac han aumentado sensiblemente en el mercado hispano. Y se espera que de ahora en adelante "corran" los consumidores a comprar el Pontiac Solstice 2006.

COMERCIAL EN ESPAÑOL(HAGA CLIC AQUI PARA VERLO)

2006-02-15T22:37:00.000-05:00

ONE LOCATION SALES EVENT TV COMMERCIAL(CLICK HERE TO WATCH)

2006-02-15T19:28:00.000-05:00

MARY KAY LADIES GET THEIR VIBES AT AUTOCITY OF PINECREST!

2006-02-13T15:48:00.000-05:00

Autocity of Pinecrest is an official Mary Kay delivering dealership. Thus, last Friday, February 10th, we had the honor of delivering four shiny red Vibes to some very succesful entrepenurs who reached their selling goals and became "Star Recruiters".

Once they reach this level of the "ladder", they can move on to become "Team Leaders". This will entitle them to receive a G6! We are looking forward to delivering their G6s as well!

The recipients of their brand new Pontiacs were:
Ms. Tamara Mair of Miami
Ms. Jazmin Blel of Miami
Mrs. Olga Reyes of Hialeah
Ms. Evelyn Sanchez of Miami

PONTIAC WILL GET ENTRY LEVEL CAR!

2006-02-13T07:45:00.000-05:00

Automotive News / February 13, 2006 - 6:00 am

DETROIT -- General Motors will give Pontiac an entry-level coupe as a stopgap measure until the division gets more brand-focused products, sources close to Pontiac say. In the process, Pontiac dealers will lose the Montana SV6 minivan.The coupe will be a high-performance relative of the Chevrolet Cobalt coupe with some Pontiac influences. The vehicle will give the Buick-Pontiac-GMC channel a shot at the small-car market, a source close to GM says. GM is still considering names for it. One option might be the G5, sources say.Pontiac intends to launch the coupe as a 2007 model and likely will start production this fall in Lordstown, Ohio. The car will be priced similarly to the Chevrolet Cobalt SS supercharged coupe, which starts at $20,490, including shipping.Pontiac eventually will lose the Montana SV6 minivan, which has seen sluggish sales and does not fit Pontiac's performance-brand image, sources say. U.S. sales of the SV6 for January fell to 1,450 units, an 11.5 percent drop from 1,638 in the year-ago period.Pontiac has lacked an entry-level car since the Sunfire died last year. In Canada, GM sells a Cobalt sibling called the Pontiac Pursuit.

MILKA'S TEAM MAKES INCREDIBLE COMEBACK AT 24 HRS OF DAYTONA!(AND SHE WEARS OUR LOGO!)

2006-02-01T01:47:00.000-05:00

When Milka Duno took the chequered flag yesterday afternoon at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona in Florida it marked an incredible comeback for Marino Franchitti and the CITGO/SAMAX team following a broken driveshaft which happened on Saturday evening just over eight hours into the 24 hour marathon.
Dario Franchitti had put the No. 7 CITGO Riley Pontiac in 16th place on the 66 car grid after turning a qualifying lap of 1:45.673 on Friday - a very good effort considering the car had encountered a few problems during the very short 15 minute session. Whilst the No. 7 car was quick on the infield section of the Daytona Speedway course, it was considerably down on power for the long straights. .
Dario began the race on Saturday at noon, and for the first 7 hours it was a trouble-free run with the drivers each taking their turn at the wheel, Milka Duno followed Dario into the seat, then Marino took the wheel and finally Kevin McGarrity made up the fourth stint.
The car was running very strongly, each driver putting in steady, fast laps. At 7.25pm local time the CITGO car overtook the No. 58 Porsche and moved up into 2nd place overall.
As Milka began her second stint just one lap later the driveshaft problem occurred. The CITGO Riley Pontiac was taken behind the wall for repairs, but by the time Marino got back behind the wheel following the repairs the team were already over 30 laps down on the lead car.
The drivers dug in deep for the long haul, "It's very disappointing we had the driveshaft failure", said Marino at the half-way stage. "It's the only non-routine piece of maintenance we've carried out; everything else has been running like clockwork; the engine hasn't missed a beat".
From then on the No. 7 CITGO Riley Pontiac kept up it's reliability and lap after lap the four drivers gradually made up place after place. When the chequered flag finally fell at 12.10pm with Milka Duno at the wheel, the No. 7 car was in 8th place overall having covered 695 laps of the 3.6mile track.
The race was won by the Target Chip Ganassi Lexus Riley.
"I'm really happy to finish" said a tired but very cheeful Marino. "Without the half-shaft problem we would have been in the top three so that's disappointing. But this is my third Daytona 24 Hours and my first finish, and to be in the top ten given the problems we had is testament not only to the CITGO/SAMAX team, but to my teammates Dario, Milka and Kevin".

MILKA'S CITGO TEAM PLACES 8TH IN 24 HRS OF DAYTONA(CLICK HERE TO SEE MILKA'S INTERVIEW WITH PLANETATV.COM)

2006-01-31T13:36:00.000-05:00

Daytona Beach, FL (January 29, 2006) The No. 7 CITGO/SAMAX Pontiac-powered Riley Mk XI finished eighth in the 2006 Rolex 24 At Daytona – the first 24-hour race for the new team. During the final six hours of the race, Milka Duno, Dario Franchitti, Marino Franchitti and Kevin McGarrity paced a strong recovery from an earlier drive-shaft failure and a broken right-rear suspension. Only half of the 30 entered Daytona Prototypes finished the race, putting the CITGO Riley in elite company.
Milka Duno: "It was such a great race for me! I had great co-drivers and it was truly an equally shared effort. All four drivers had the same amount of time behind the wheel - six hours each - which was very important to me. I wanted to prove that I could hold my end – and I did.
We had reached as high as second overall when a driveshaft broke Saturday evening. The team worked very hard to make the repairs as quickly as possible but even though everyone fought as hard as they could - we just couldn’t get all the way back up there again.
I was in the car at the end which gave me the honor of taking the checkered flag – which was truly fantastic!
All things considered I’m very happy with the result and I know that we earned every bit of our top-ten finish. Had we not had the trouble I’m very confident that we would have enjoyed at least a top-five and most likely a podium. Many thanks to CITGO, Dario, Marino, Kevin and the entire team for their great effort!"
Marino Franchitti: "Without the half-shaft problem, which cost us 30 laps, we would have been in the top three. That's disappointing. This is my third Daytona 24 Hours and my first finish here. To finish in the top 10, with the problem we had, is testament to not only the CITGO/SAMAX team, but to my teammates Dario, Milka and Kevin."
Dario Franchitti: "I'm happy to finish. The guys had a couple of things to overcome with a driveshaft problem – which a lot of teams had – and a wishbone problem. Without those, we'd have been looking pretty good. I don't think we had the ultimate pace, but we just kept pushing. I'm very happy to have finished. We'll come back next year and try to win it."
Peter Baron, SAMAX Motorsport owner: "In roughly one month's time [since starting the CITGO/SAMAX program], to finish eighth in this international all-star field at one of the greatest Rolex 24 events is truly an amazing accomplishment. We're very proud of the drivers and crew, and happy to be part of the CITGO Racing program. It's a great group of people; I'm very thankful for the opportunity they gave the team."

USA TODAY ARTICLE ON THE BUICK LUCERNE!

2006-01-31T13:16:00.000-05:00

What a fine surprise. Buick has replaced two cars, Park Avenue and LeSabre, with a single big
sedan called Lucerne, and it's a honey.

Sure, Buick has had some stinkers over the years, but the 2006 Buick Lucerne is not one of them, inside or out.

Based on the chassis used for Cadillac DTS, Lucerne winds up nicer than the Caddy — more pleasant to drive, more appealing inside, slicker-looking outside.

In fact, Lucerne is among the best big, front-drive sedans on the market. Yes, better in significant ways than Toyota Avalon (Test Drive, Feb. 11, 2005), the standard-setter for the mainstream, big-sedan category.

We won't make this totally a one-vs.-the-other discussion, but some comparisons should be made.

Lucerne's interior is more tasteful and roomier than Avalon's. The trunk is bigger. The Buick offers an optional V-8 engine, which the Toyota doesn't. Driving Lucerne is a smoother, more pleasing experience. The Buick's automatic transmission is a four-speed instead of the Toyota's modern five-speed, but Lucerne's gearbox is smoother-shifting than Avalon's.

Where Avalon rules is efficiency. It weighs about 400 pounds less, and its 3.5-liter Toyota V-6 puts out 71 horsepower and 21 pounds-feet of torque more than Lucerne's base 3.8-liter V-6. Lucerne needs the optional General Motors Northstar V-8 to outdo the Avalon's V-6 power ratings.

Avalon's fuel-economy rating is better. In government tests, it gets 25 mpg in combined city-highway driving. Lucerne's V-6 is 22, and the V-8 is 20. The Buick V-8 needs premium fuel to get the advertised horsepower. The Toyota and Buick V-6 engines use regular.

To properly regard Lucerne, we need to address three prejudices.

• Detroit models have inferior quality.

Get over that one, folks, especially in this case. Buick outscores Toyota, Honda and some other highly regarded brands in J.D. Power and Associates' surveys.

Power's 2005 tally of things gone wrong the first 90 days of ownership showed the Buick brand was fourth, behind Lexus, Jaguar and BMW and ahead of Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota.

Buick also places fourth in Power's 2005 study of problems with 3-year-old vehicles behind Lexus, Porsche and Lincoln.

• Toyota can do no wrong.

Get over that one, too. The 2005 Avalon was recalled last year, its first on the market, because somebody forgot to weld the steering mechanism together on some cars, meaning the driver might not be able to steer, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The auto industry, in its frenzy of cost-cutting that's become corner-cutting, has sunk back into the first-year bugs of the old days, so Lucerne could have some teething problems, too. So far, though, NHTSA files show no complaints, investigations or recalls involving Lucerne, on sale since October.

• Buicks are fogey cars.

Man, are you out of touch. No, Buick's not a young, hip brand like Scion. But it has a high-performance heritage that is decades old and is being renewed in Lucerne. There's even a sports Lucerne model, CXS, that has bigger wheels, tires and brakes than the others and a firmer suspension for more agile handling.

One trade-off of the big wheels is a 44-foot turning circle diameter, as big as a full-size pickup. That makes it clumsy in some parking lots.

Yes, Buick has had stinkers. But the 1953 Skylark convertible and the 1971 boat-tail Riviera are collectible classics. The 1960s Wildcats offered enough power to spin the tires almost at will. Grand National and GNX turbocharged models of the '80s were blisteringly quick. More recently, supercharged 3.8-liter V-6s have been punchy enough to substitute for V-8s.

And since when are a comfortable ride and pleasant amenities bad things? Been in a Mercedes-Benz lately? Or a big BMW or Lexus? Buicks by another name.

Let's just enjoy the marvelous package Lucerne is.

The V-8 model, powered by a 275-horsepower version of the 4.6-liter Northstar engine used in Cadillacs, is more fun than the model with the 3.8-liter V-6. But the 197-horsepower V-6 is no dog. It's just that the mildly tuned Northstar seems right in the Lucerne, giving it the kind of oomph that once made large Detroit sedans such marvels of quick comfort.

The V-8 gurgles and growls softly, reinforcing your impression that the car will do about what you ask it to with your right foot. The V-6 sounds and feels a bit coarser, but is more than adequately powerful.

Inside, back-seat leg and knee space are adult-size. And the car is wide enough that three child seats can be strapped across the back seat, not just two. Or, if you hook your kid seat in the middle of the back, there's room on either side for grownups (as long as they don't make a living playing in the NFL).

Interior trim, fabric, controls, the way parts fit together are all premium. Front seats are comfortable without requiring the tinkering that some chairs need to fit you right. Proper driving position is easy to find.

Lucerne wraps the goodies in a smoothly drawn body. You have to accept the Buick tradition of portholes, though. The V-8 model has four on each side of the hood; the V-6, three. They are faux vents, meant to suggest exhaust outlets. Some folks will think they're stupid. But they've
always been a Buick signature.

Lucerne might not be for you, but if you decide that ahead of time, powered by prejudice, you're cheating yourself.

2006 Buick Lucerne

•What is it? Full-size, front-wheel-drive, four-door sedan replacing the Park Avenue and LeSabre. Lucerne is based on the chassis used for the Cadillac DTS, is available with V-6 or V-8 engine and is manufactured at General Motors' Detroit Hamtramck Assembly plant. Buick sees it as a direct rival to Toyota Avalon.

•How soon? On sale since October.

•How much? CX V-6 base model starts at $25,990 including $725 destination charge. CXL V-6 starts at $27,990. CXL V-8 starts at $29,990. CXS V-8 sports model starts at $34,990.

Expect to pay close to full window-sticker price, online car-shopping sites say.

•What's with the name? Lucerne is a Swiss state and the name of Safeway grocery products. It is presumed Buick was keying on the former.

•What's the powertrain? 3.8-liter V-6 rated 197 horsepower at 5,200 rpm, 227 pounds-feet of torque at 3,800 rpm. Optional: 4.6-liter Northstar V-8 rated 275 hp at 5,600 rpm, 290 lbs.-ft. at 4,400 rpm. Both engines come with four-speed automatic transmission and traction control.

•What's the safety gear? Front, front-occupant side-impact, and front and rear head-curtain air bags; anti-lock brakes.

•What's the rest? Standard features include: air conditioning; power steering, brakes, locks, windows, mirrors, driver's seat; AM/FM/CD stereo; cruise control; rear-window defroster; remote-control locks; tilt-adjustable steering column; auto on/off headlights; OnStar
telecommunications system with one-year free service. Other features vary by model. More information is available at www.Buick.com.

•How big? Full size; 6 inches longer, 1 inch wider than Toyota Avalon, weighs roughly 400 pounds more, has more room inside and a bigger trunk.

Lucerne is 203.2 inches long, 73.8 inches wide, 58 inches tall on a 115.6-inch wheelbase. Passenger space is listed as 108 cubic feet, trunk as 17 cubic feet. Weight ranges from 3,764 to 4,013 pounds, depending on model. Rated to tow 1,000 pounds.

•How thirsty? V-6 is rated 19 mpg in town, 28 on the highway. V-8 is 17/26. Regular grade gasoline is specified for the V-6; premium is required to get advertised power ratings in the V-8, but it will safely burn regular, GM says.

V-6 test car's trip computer showed 17.6 mpg around town. V-8 showed 15.6 around town.

•Overall: Watch your back, Toyota.

MISS REPUBLICA DEPORTIVA PICKS UP TORRENT AT AUTOCITY OF PINECREST(Click here to see video)

2006-01-26T13:08:00.000-05:00

Univision's popular TV program, REPUBLICA DEPORTIVA, recently held a contest to choose its 2005 MISS REPUBLICA DEPORTIVA. The winner was Giselle Sauda, a Colombian beauty who works at Hooter's Doral location. Autocity of Pinecrest was chosen to deliver a 2006 Pontiac Torrent that she received as the grand prize. Here are some photos taken at the moment of delivery.

MILKA DUNO TAKES DELIVERY OF A PONTIAC SOLSTICE!(Click here to see video)

2006-01-25T13:30:00.000-05:00

Milka Duno, the Venezuelan race-car driver and only woman to have won a professional sports car race in North America, visited Autocity of Pinecrest this past Monday to take delivery of her brand-new Pontiac Solstice. Milka was excited to finally get her Solstice, which she had been anxiously waiting for since she is the spokesperson for Pontiac in the U.S. Hispanic market. From now on she will not have to answer any more questions as to why she was not driving a Pontiac.

While at Autocity of Pinecrest Milka was interviewed and photographed by Diario Las Americas for an article that will be published in the next few days.

Milka will be racing in the 24 Hours of Daytona this week-end with her new Team, SAMAX Motorsport, and her new car, a Pontiac-powered, Riley-chassis, Daytona prototype. She is very confident that she and her teammates, Dario and Marino Franchitti, and Kevin McGarrity, will be very competitive in this unique event. She will be driving her Sosltice to Daytona with the top-down, putting the Solstice aside for her 600-hp Daytona prototype for 24 hours, and heading back to Miami in her Solstice, hopefully thinking about her victory in Daytona.

2006-01-25T13:28:00.001-05:00

Milka did not waste anytime to get behind the wheel.

2006-01-25T13:28:00.000-05:00

Jose Camus explains how the top folds into the trunk while Milka watches attentively.

2006-01-25T13:26:00.001-05:00

Lomberto gives Milka the keys to her black beauty.

2006-01-25T13:26:00.000-05:00

Lomberto presented Milka with a second(miniature) Solstice.

2006-01-25T13:24:00.000-05:00

The entire Autocity of Pinecrest sales force helped Milka with the delivery of her Solstice.

NEW BUICK ENCLAVE!

2006-01-24T13:19:00.000-05:00

Automotive News / January 23, 2006 - 6:00 am

DETROIT -- The interior of the 2008 Buick Enclave crossover purposely was designed with less interior space than typical SUVs with three rows of seats.The reason? General Motors' priority was to create an exterior design that is not common on SUVs or crossovers, said Anna Kretz, vehicle line executive for GM's upcoming mid-sized Lambda vehicle architecture. The Enclave features tall, sculptured fender lines that are tied to a gently sloping roofline.The Enclave, 2007 Saturn Outlook and 2008 GMC Acadia will be the first crossovers developed on GM's Lambda architecture. Kretz said many SUV owners are tired of boxy-looking exteriors. Those vehicles have that shape "because the box gives you the most interior volume, and for some that is important," she said. Owners may require a larger, taller cargo area behind the second or third seat for camping or boating needs, for example."But there are a whole group of people who really want to move beyond that," said Kretz, who was interviewed at the Detroit auto show. "They have had several SUVs and really want something that is a little more unique. It takes the functionality from the interior, but it gives you an exterior that is a little bit unexpected."The Enclave is expected to offer carlike ride and handling when it goes on sale in fall 2007. While the concept represents the exterior styling for the Enclave, the interior will be toned down a bit, said Kretz.The production version of the Enclave will offer a seating position that gives the driver nearly the same commanding view of the road as an SUV. The height of the Enclave concept is 3.4 inches lower than the 2006 Buick Rainer SUV. The concept and the production Enclave will feature seating for six -- three rows of seats with two seats in each row. The Lambda architecture is engineered for front- and all-wheel-drive applications. Both V-6 and V-8 engine applications are expected, teamed with GM's new six-speed automatic transmission.The Outlook goes on sale this fall, Kretz said. The Acadia will go on sale in 2007.Crossovers developed on the Lambda architecture will be engineered to pull a 20-foot boat or a trailer with snowmobiles. Buyers needing a vehicle to pull a trailer with two or three horses will need look elsewhere, she said. Additionally, vehicles developed on the Lambda platform are not engineered for serious off-roading.Kretz said the architecture also is engineered for seven- and eight-passenger vehicles.Asked whether the architecture will be used for GM's next-generation minivans, Kretz said "we are capable of doing those kinds of things." But she said there are no plans for global use of the Lambda vehicle architecture.

PONTIAC ANNOUNCES PRICING ON G6 CONVERTIBLE!

2006-01-22T18:51:00.000-05:00

Jan. 20, 2006

In keeping with GM's recently announced pricing strategies, the new G6 Convertible will
be offered at a price point far below vehicles with comparable features.

The convertible will carry an MSRP of $28,490 (including destination
charges), making it the first retractable hardtop available in North
America for under $29,000.

"The G6 has been a great cornerstone of the entire Pontiac renaissance, blending modern styling and crisp performance
with a great value proposition," said Mark-Hans Richer, Pontiac marketing
director.

"The G6 convertible takes that winning formula and adds the
all-season versatility and security of a retractable hardtop, a feature
never before available in this price range."

DID YOU KNOW? . . . Following are some "fun facts" about the G6:

The addition of a coupe and two new engine options allowed the G6 to
move from the 25th to the 11th best-selling car in North America in
2005.

Fourth-quarter G6 sales were up 137 percent compared to 2004.

Strategic Vision recently gave G6 the highest "Customer Delight" score
in the mid-size car segment, besting many top-selling imports.

J.D. Power and Associates named the G6 their Most Appealing Entry
Mid-Size Car.
_________________________________

GM LEADS IN MOST 2005 DELIGHTFUL VEHICLES!

2006-01-17T12:31:00.000-05:00

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 16, 2006--In 2005 the results from Strategic Vision's surveying the market may be startling: General Motors leads all the rest. Strategic Vision measures the experience of approximately 90,000 new vehicle owners annually. The survey has been done since 1996. Because of the nature of the factors measured, the results give the industry actionable information about multiple issues, including (a) building better vehicles, (b) communicating more effectively, (c) increasing sales opportunity, (d) creating strong brand image, (e) creating loyalty, and (f) assessing success and failure of strategy. GM product, not problems, and multiple levels of success are foremost.

Amid speculation that GM -- "locked in organizational turmoil and strangled by old product" -- is lost, General Motors has been creating stronger products in the eyes of its customers year after year over the last five years. General Motors has delivered: Chevrolet Malibu Maxx, GMC Sierra 2500/3500, Buick Rainier, Pontiac G6 and Cadillac DeVille all lead in delivering delight in the segments in which they compete. While industry pundits scratch their heads, the customers speak clearly. G6 can, indeed, outperform Camry on rational-emotional dimensions that reflect customers' response to their experiences, for example. An implication: General Motors may be able to accomplish what it states it will. Being able to delight portends being able to build products that attract attention and sell. Of course, the proof is in the execution, but the opportunity is present.

"How can GM beat Toyota?" muse analysts (even within GM). The key is in understanding what is being measured: Delight captures emotional commitment as well as attribute-based excellence. Strategic Vision, a worldwide, research-based consultancy proposes that the clear hints about the future can be delivered.

Dr. Darrel Edwards, CEO, Founder and Creative Director of Strategic Vision, affirms, "The measurement of Customer Delight provides a look at tomorrow. Satisfaction speaks to the past -- contracts fulfilled. Appeal might capture a glimpse of tomorrow, but it is never truly measured. Being `Outstanding' does compare one aspect of a vehicle with another, but comparisons change rapidly as the market changes. While some surveys tell you how to increase the `Overall scores' in their survey, Delight addresses increasing initial quality, overall satisfaction, retention, advocacy, emotional commitment and loyalty today and tomorrow

GM TO CUT PRICES!

2006-01-11T23:20:00.000-05:00

January 11, 2006

BY JUSTIN HYDE
FREE PRESS WASHINGTON STAFF

General Motors Corp. will cut the window sticker prices on three-fourths of its models by an average of $1,300 today in an attempt to break the feast-or-famine cycle of huge incentives it has fostered during the past few years.
The new prices will apply to 57 of GM's 76 North American models, which account for about 80% of its volume. All prices for Chevrolet, Buick and GMC models will be lowered, as will some Pontiac and Cadillac vehicles. Saab, Saturn and Hummer prices will not be affected.
GM said Tuesday the move was not an end to rebates or the occasional big promotion, and the changes would have little to no effect on the final price customers actually pay for most GM vehicles. Instead, the program will make what had been increasingly irrelevant sticker prices on GM vehicles -- a key figure for Internet shoppers -- closer to reality.
The moves also will affect all-new models such as the large SUVs rolling out this year that are essential to ending billions of dollars in losses from GM's automotive business.

2007 GMC YUKON XL

2006-01-10T20:07:00.000-05:00

From edmunds.com

2007 GMC Yukon XL

What Is It?
2007 Chevrolet Suburban/GMC Yukon XL

What's Special About Them?
They're nearly 19 feet long, weigh 5,600 pounds and can seat up to nine people, but according to General Motors, the Chevrolet Suburban, and its twin, the GMC Yukon XL, will get well over 20 miles per gallon on the highway when they go on sale in April. It won't be enough to get them off of the Greenpeace Most Wanted list, but it should make them a little less costly to the families that need them. Both trucks are 20 inches longer than their standard-size counterparts. The extra length allows for nearly 10 inches of additional third-row legroom and 29 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third-row seats. If you need maximum cargo and passenger space, these trucks are unequalled by anything else on the market. Unlike their Ford competitors, the third-row seats in the Suburban/Yukon XL twins don't fold flat. We asked John Larson, general manager of Buick/Pontiac/GMC, why they didn't incorporate that feature into these trucks. "We asked our customers what was more important to them when it came to the functionality of the third-row seats. They told us that access to the seats was more important than being able to fold them away." GM's solution is an optional power-fold feature for the second-row seats. It works well, but if you want maximum cargo space you still have to drag the backseats out manually. Like the standard-size Tahoe and Yukon models, the Suburban and Yukon XL come standard with a 320-hp, 5.3-liter V8 and a four-speed automatic. Three-quarter-ton versions get a 355-hp all-aluminum 6.0-liter V8 coupled to a six-speed automatic. If that's not enough for you, the Yukon XL Denali offers a 6.2-liter V8 with 380 hp. Tow ratings for both trucks max out at 8,100 pounds.

What's Edmunds' Take?
If you're one of those people who actually needs room for nine, along with decent cargo space and the ability to tow an 8,000-pound boat, these trucks are your only option. And now that they have decent interiors and reasonable mileage it won't be such a tradeoff to own them. — Ed Hellwig

2007 BUICK ENCLAVE

2006-01-09T22:02:00.000-05:00

The Enclave is one of three crossovers that GM is building off the same so-called Lambda platform--this, the GMC Acadia, and the Saturn Outlook. The Buick is the most interesting of the three, with elegant lines and a gorgeous interior, whereas the Saturn and GMC are a little dull to look at, we're told. The Enclave even has portholes in the hood, but they look good here, as opposed to the dorky ones on the current Buick sedans.
The Buick is front- or all-wheel-drive, and power comes from a 270-hp 3.6-liter DOHC V-6, although there will be V-8 option. The GM triplets are larger than most crossovers so they can accommodate a real third-row seat.

NEW CAMARO INTRODUCED AT DETROIT AUTO SHOW!

2006-01-09T21:52:00.000-05:00

The New Camaro concept hints at the fact that if it becomes a reality the New Pontiac Trans Am cannot be far behind.

LANEVE: IT'S TIME TO TALK PRODUCT AT GM!

2006-01-09T15:25:00.000-05:00

From Automotive News

LOS ANGELES -- General Motors' top sales executive says gloomy financial news has overshadowed the GM product story, but new ads this month will begin to change that."These ads will say we have the best product, here's why -- and that we also have the best price," he told Automotive News during an interview at the Los Angeles auto show. "And if we have to compare them to competitors, we will."He also said GM won't lose any more U.S. market share in 2006. GM ended 2005 with 26.2 percent of the U.S. market, down from 27.5 percent in 2004."We plan to stay flat," in terms of market share, LaNeve said. "We're not naive enough to think we'll get to 30 again, but we're not willing to concede any share either."Asserting that GM is getting its financial house in order, he said:
The company started this year with 1 million units of inventory, compared with 1.25 million units in January 2005.
Low-profit sales to daily rental fleets are down substantially.
Dealer profits, while down from years past, held steady in 2005 compared with 2004.LaNeve says the company has growth potential in rural areas, where GM has less competition from other brands than in major metropolitan markets."The rural dealers are an asset," he said. "We should have much more market share in those areas."He said the company does not plan to add rural points, but said, "We are looking at ways to leverage them more."

SOLSTICE GXP PACKS 260 HP!

2006-01-09T15:18:00.000-05:00

The Pontiac Solstice GXP is GM's first vehicle for North America with gasoline direct injection. The pistons and fuel injectors have a unique design. From Automotive News

Pontiac's plan to re-establish itself as General Motors' performance division will pick up speed in August when the 260-hp Solstice GXP arrives at dealerships.The Pontiac Solstice GXP packs a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine with variable valve timing and direct injection. It will be introduced this week at the Los Angeles Auto Show.With 260 hp coming from just 2.0 liters, the GXP's engine has a higher output per liter than any engine GM has ever made, says spokesman Tom Read. It's also the first GM engine for North America with gasoline direct injection.The GXP's fuel system moves the injectors off the intake manifold and onto the cylinder head. With gasoline direct injection, fuel is precisely aimed and controlled in the combustion chambers, resulting in a fuel and air mixture that creates more power."What we are trying to achieve with this engine is not only the high power but also good low-end torque and response," said Ed Groff, assistant chief engineer for the 2.0-liter Ecotec engine.Pontiac says the Solstice GXP will reach 60 mph in just 5.5 seconds, 0.2 seconds faster than its main rival, the Honda S2000, and a full 2 seconds quicker than the new Mazda MX-5 Miata.The GXP package includes dual exhaust and stability control. It will carry a price premium of $4,000 to $5,000. The base Solstice, which has a 177-hp 2.4-liter engine, starts at $19,995, including shipping.The rival S2000 starts at $34,600, including shipping. There is no comparable high-performance Mazda Miata model.

NEW GM HYBRID!

2006-01-08T15:45:00.000-05:00

GM unveiled a concept hybrid Sunday named Sequel, which combines fuel cell propulsion with by-wire technology, replacing mechanical controls for steering, braking and other vehicle with electrical signals

AT THE DETROIT AUTO SHOW!

2006-01-08T08:29:00.000-05:00

From edmunds.com

What Is It?
2007 Pontiac Solstice GXP

What's Special About It?
"Turbo boost" is a phrase that's been missing from the Pontiac vocabulary for at least a decade. Thankfully, that's about to change with the 2007 Pontiac Solstice GXP, which will receive a huge jump in power courtesy of a turbocharged version of GM's 2.0-liter Ecotec engine. Power numbers aren't yet finalized but the estimates look promising. According to Pontiac, the GXP will make as much as 260 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque — a considerable increase from the 177 hp and 166 lb-ft the 2.4-liter Ecotec makes in the current roadster. The new engine bristles with technology not yet seen in combination in a North American GM product. It uses direct injection, dual-cam phasing and a twin-scroll turbocharger to make up to 130 hp per liter.Solstice GXP will be available with both a five-speed manual and five-speed automatic transmission. GM claims the GXP is capable of sub-5.5-second 0-to-60-mph sprints with either transmission. Visually, the GXP is only marginally different than the standard Solstice. Darkened foglight surrounds, an extra air inlet below the twin grilles, a small rear spoiler and dual exhaust distinguish the boosted car. Eighteen-inch wheels are fitted with 245/45 Goodyear Eagle F1 tires.Turbocharged Solstices are expected to sticker for $4,000 to $5,000 above the standard car's $20,490 base price and should be on sale this summer.

What's Edmunds' Take?
More power is exactly the infusion of personality the current Solstice needs to keep it interesting. The current car lacks the sharpness, build quality and driving experience of its primary competition, the Mazda MX-5. Another 83 horsepower will go a long way toward making everyone forget all that. — Josh Jacquot

PONTIAC G6 PERFORMANCE COUPE!

2006-01-08T08:11:00.000-05:00

From edmunds.com

What Is It?
Pontiac G6 Performance Coupe

What's Special About It?
Pontiac claims that the G6 coupe is so good in stock form there's not much you can do to "raise the excitement level." We've driven it, and it's pretty good, but there isn't a car on the road that couldn't benefit from a few tweaks here and there. The Pontiac G6 Performance Coupe is an example of how extreme this car could look with nothing more than a few new body panels. Pontiac's designers replaced both the front and rear fascias and the side rocker panels. The front end exaggerates the twin port Pontiac grille without making it look like a mouth hanging open while the extended rocker panels square up the sides with the deeper front end. Pontiac's designers also added a tough-looking ram air hood and a whale tail spoiler out back. The hood blends perfectly with the new front end, but the big spoiler is a little much for a car with only 270 horsepower. That's the output of this coupe's 3.9-liter V6. It's the same engine that's in the G6 GTP with a few minor variations. It has higher-flow heads with Corvette Z06 valve springs, a hotter cam and a cat-back exhaust. Running through a six-speed manual transmission, it would make for a pretty quick car. The Wilwood brakes aren't stock and neither are the 19-inch Forgeline wheels, but we could see an owner going that route with this slick-looking coupe.

What's Edmunds' Take?
This Pontiac looks pretty tough and the fact that it's not too far from stock makes it that much cooler. We wouldn't mind seeing these parts offered as an upgrade to the standard GTP coupe. — Ed Hellwig

GM TO ANNOUNCE NEW PRICING STRATEGY AT DETROIT AUTO SHOW!

2006-01-07T00:37:00.000-05:00

Brett Clanton and Bryce Hoffman / The Detroit News

DETROIT -- General Motors Corp. will use the Detroit auto show to launch a sweeping vehicle pricing strategy that will be its broadest effort yet to lower sticker prices on cars and trucks and wean customers off huge rebates.
The plan, which will be outlined Tuesday at the North American International Auto Show, is aimed at jump-starting GM's faltering U.S. sales at the beginning of a critical year.
While GM is closely guarding specifics, the automaker will launch new vehicles this year with comparatively low sticker prices and plans to reduce prices on some of its best-selling cars and trucks now on the market.
"We're going to be much more direct this year," Mark LaNeve, GM vice president of North American vehicle sales, service and marketing, told reporters Thursday at the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show.
"We'll say, 'Best product, here's why. Best price on an MSRP basis.' We think our product story has gotten lost in all the reporting of our financial results."

The new initiative signals the automaker is making a more serious push to implement a long-promised competitive pricing strategy -- known as Total Value Promise.
The first big test will be the upcoming launch of GM's redesigned Chevy Tahoe, which reaches showrooms Thursday, and other full-size SUVs, which are expected to carry lower price tags and lower incentives.
"With every new product we bring to market, we'd like to price it very aggressively," LaNeve said. "If we need to make some changes to the pricing levels on some of our existing models, we'll do that. Because we think that ultimately, customers want to see more compelling MSRP and a more simple proposition in the marketplace."
At the same time, LaNeve promised to "fight like hell" to protect GM's current share of the U.S. auto market.
GM spokesman Jeff Kuhlman confirmed that LaNeve will make a "significant" announcement Tuesday at the auto show and that dealers will be informed in a separate satellite broadcast.

NEW SOSLTICE GXP DEBUTS IN DETROIT WITH TURBO POWER!

2006-01-07T00:33:00.000-05:00

Knight Ridder - Friday, January 06, 2006

Chicago Tribune

By Jim Mateja

The Pontiac Solstice roadster is cute and cuddly and boasts a design that proves General Motors stylists are finally awake.
But where's the beef?
Pontiac promised it would offer a high-performance GXP version of Solstice to silence complaints it could use more muscle.
Pontiac is keeping that promise at the Los Angeles Auto Show this week. It's offering details on the 2007 Solstice GXP coming this fall.
GXP will be powered by a 2-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder boasting 260 horsepower, or a whopping 47 percent more than the 4-cylinder in the base version.
No word on price, but GXP gets more stuff: Standard equipment includes stability control, which is not offered on the regular Solstice; and anti-lock brakes, power windows/locks/mirrors and sports-tuned suspension, which are optional on the regular Solstice.
So expect to pay $3,000 to $5,000 more than the $20,490 that can put you in the base model.
Pontiac said it will hold Solstice production at 20,000 units annually, including the GXP. The mix will depend on the number of each ordered.

CITGO Racing joins SAMAX Motorsport!

2006-01-05T12:36:00.000-05:00

January 3, 2006.Venezuela, Scotland and Northern Ireland will team with
American power for the 2006 Rolex 24 At Daytona. Milka Duno of Caracas,
Venezuela, will be reunited with two of her co-drivers in last year's Rolex
24, Scots Dario and Marino Franchitti. They will drive the No. 7 CITGO
Pontiac-powered Riley Mk XI with Kevin McGarrity of Belfast, Northern
Ireland. The race is scheduled for Jan. 28 and 29 on the 3.56-mile Daytona
International Speedway infield road course in Daytona Beach, Fla.

Duno, a triple Rolex Sports Car Series winner, is the first woman to win a
major North American sports-car race and the first woman to score points in
the highest Rolex Series class - the Daytona Prototype. Dario Franchitti,
now residing in Nashville, Tenn., has won 14 races in the IRL Indy Car
Series and CART Championship Series. His brother Marino, of Bathgate,
Scotland, has excelled in endurance racing, with results that include the
fastest Rolex 24 GT test speed in 2002 and a record P2 pole in the 2004 12
Hours of Sebring. McGarrity has raced at the top in both open-wheel and
sports cars. He set the fastest straight-line speed in the 24 Heures du Mans
in 2004.

"Daytona is magical - the environment, the people, the fun - and the Daytona
24-hour is an amazing race," Duno said. "I'm very happy to race again with
Dario and Marino because we raced last year and I learned so much from them.
We'll return with Kevin for a podium this year!"

Marino Franchitti believes the quartet could be even stronger this year.
"It's good to be back with the CITGO team," he said. "We were so competitive
last year; we were fast enough to win the race. It's something to build on
again for this year. I think it's going to be even more competitive - the
level just keeps going up - but we've certainly got the car and the drivers
to do it, so we'll try our best."

The Franchitti brothers partnered with Duno and Dan Wheldon of St.
Petersburg, Fla., in the 2005 Rolex 24 and were running fourth when contact
with a wayward Porsche ended the strong run after 18 hours.

"I'm really excited to be racing for CITGO again with Milka and my brother
Marino," Dario Franchitti commented. "It is an added bonus to have my good
friend Kevin McGarrity on the team this year. I think we will have a lot of
fun, but ultimately we are here to try and win some watches!"

Rolex Oyster Perpetual Daytona Cosmograph watches are presented to the Rolex
24 class winners.

McGarrity is no stranger to 24-hour races, but this will be his first
attempt at the Rolex 24. "I'm really happy to be on board," he said. "I
happen to be racing with two good friends, in Dario and Marino. I can't wait
to partner them and Milka. Dario and Marino said they got on well with her
last year, so I'm looking forward to it. I can't wait to get going!"

The CITGO Riley will be prepared by Florida-based SAMAX Motorsport, under
the watchful eye of team owner Peter Baron. "I'm really happy to welcome
CITGO to SAMAX Motorsport and to have the opportunity to combine the talents
of the team with such an exciting driver lineup," he said. "I am confident
we have all the ingredients to build a successful program."

The team will be on track for the Rolex 24 At Daytona test, Jan. 5 to 7.

GM's and Ford's Future Looks Bright -- You Can Bet on It

2006-01-05T12:25:00.000-05:00

By Warren BrownSunday, January 1, 2006; G02

I am naturally optimistic, and that has been my salvation. You've got to have faith in something better when growing up black in New Orleans.
But this column isn't about race; nor is it about the city of my birth, whose actual tragedy has nothing to do with last summer's destruction by Hurricane Katrina. That's another story. I will write it later.
This is about the human spirit, its ability to triumph over seemingly insurmountable odds. It's why I believe General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co., despite the enormous difficulties that confronted them in 2005 and the many challenges facing them in the future, will regain strength and prosper.
In that regard, I am different from many of my peers, some of whom, intentionally or not, give the impression that they are eager to write the obituaries of the nation's largest automobile manufacturers. They look for every negative number, every perceived hostile market shift, every executive reshuffling to make their case for the imminent demise of Ford and GM.
And to that drama they've added the proverbial horse race, the business of whether Toyota Motor Corp. will overtake GM as the world's largest producer of cars and trucks. There is a frenzied anticipation of capitulation. You can feel it.
Of course, anything can happen, which is the point I want to make here. GM and Ford can come back. I believe they will. Here's why:
Both companies are still very much alive. They still have many talented people. Those people want to win. They are working to win.
That sounds like paltry stuff against the drumbeat of praise for supposed Japanese manufacturing superiority, and the incessant outpouring of criticism from the media and Wall Street about all things Detroit. But I liken that criticism to the stuff I've heard all of my 58 years of life about what certain people can't do, how certain people are naturally inferior to others, how certain people are destined to fail.
If I and all of those other certain people had listened to that rubbish, if we had injected it into our psyches and souls, we all would have ceased to exist long ago. We chose, instead, to embrace the possibilities of the human spirit. We rose above our critics; and we continue to rise, despite difficulties, and America and the world are better for it.
It may seem the un-businesslike, un-journalist-like thing to do, but I always look for that spirit -- that willingness to keep fighting when everyone is counting you out as a sure loser -- whenever I look at a corporation.
I saw it in Hyundai Motor Co. in 1986, when everyone considered that South Korean car company the laughingstock of the global automotive industry. Hyundai is now a formidable world competitor in the car and truck business.
I saw it in a young black Washingtonian, Kimatni Rawlins, when he had the audacity, the temerity to launch a business several years ago on the premise that the hip-hop culture would have a major styling and marketing influence on the car business. Other journalists, black and white, laughed at him. But Rawlins was right. Car companies all over the world now pay close attention to his "Automotive Rhythms" online magazine.
I saw it in Shanghai in the enthusiasm of young university students who found a way to make a car run on hydrogen peroxide. Laugh if you will. But those same students believe that their country's future in the automobile industry will be found in the exploitation of alternative fuels and propulsion technologies; and they are working night and day to bring that future about.
And I see that same spirit in the people of GM and Ford. They know that their companies have made serious mistakes. They know that they are paying now, and will continue to pay for those errors for some time to come. But not many of them are rolling over and playing dead. Instead, they are coming out with new and better products, such as Ford's mid-size Fusion sedan, which is competitive with anything in its category.
Both Ford and GM will continue to make pickup trucks and SUVs. They'd be stupid to do otherwise, considering that all of their major competitors are doing the same thing. The passenger truck market will be smaller in the wake of rapidly fluctuating fuel prices. But it isn't going away as long as there is a need to pull and carry people and things over long distances. There's still money to be made in that segment. And both GM and Ford are set to make it with better-designed, more-fuel-efficient pickups and SUVs, such as the completely revised Chevrolet Tahoe.
Last year saw a marked increased in passenger car sales in the United States, and a concomitant whine from the media about how "truck-heavy" Ford and GM have been placed at a competitive disadvantage -- as if Toyota and Nissan weren't "truck-heavy."
It's baloney.
The completely revised Chevrolet Aveo is a small-car winner. Ditto the Ford Focus. And in overseas markets where small cars make sense to people paying substantially more for motor fuel than we pay in the United States, both GM and Ford, directly and through their various foreign subsidiaries, have bountiful, competitive small-car offerings.
Thus, taken altogether, that means I'm betting on GM and Ford to ultimately start having many happy and prosperous new years. That's not a Wall Street wager. Wall Street gambles with other people's money; but it doesn't give a hoot about people, which is why I don't give a hoot about Wall Street.
I believe in people, their talent and their spirit. GM and Ford have the people to make a difference.
© 2005 The Washington Post Company

THE DETROIT AUTO SHOW

2006-01-02T16:16:00.000-05:00

The Buick Centienne gives hints of the upcoming Enclave.

From edmonds.com

It's almost January, so that means it's almost auto show time in Detroit. Beginning January 14, for nine days, the entire city basks in the limelight of everything that makes the automotive industry so great: technology, design, showmanship and glamour.

Dozens of new models and concepts will debut at the 2006 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). As always, our goal is to let you know what's coming, and give you insight as to what it all means.

Formal press conferences commence January 8. Save the date because that's when we'll go live from the show floor. Until then, here's a head start on what to expect in Motown:

General Motors There's no holiday break for the folks at GM — they have much too much going on with the Los Angeles and Detroit auto shows around the corner. Their all-new sport-utes based on the GMT-900 platform will show up at the Los Angeles show in the form of a Chevrolet Suburban and a GMC Yukon XL. Joining the Suburban in L.A. will be the high-performance Pontiac Solstice GXP. While these models are important, GM saved the really big bling for their homies.

• Buick EnclaveThe all-new Buick Enclave is the first of several full-size crossovers to be based on GM's new Lambda platform. The eight-passenger will utilize 3.9-liter V6 and 5.3-liter V8 engines (with the V8 featuring Displacement on Demand) and a six-speed automatic transmission. Front-drive and all-wheel-drive versions will be offered. A dual-mode hybrid is expected in 2009.

Expect the Enclave to be larger than the current Chevrolet TrailBlazer/GMC Envoy/Buick Rainier. Styling cues were foreshadowed by the 2003 Buick Centieme concept (pictured). Curiously, our non-GM industry sources assert that the first Lambda-based vehicle to go on sale will be the Saturn Outlook. The GMC Acadia will be next, and the Buick will hit showrooms last, replacing both the Rendezvous and the Rainier.

UPDATE ON THE AVAILABILITY OF THE PONTIAC SOLSTICE!

2005-12-31T15:27:00.000-05:00

It is no secret that the Pontiac Solstice has been a tremendous success. At Autocity of Pinecrest we have delivered three so far.

We have a waiting list of 11 more customers who have placed deposits. Based on our limited allocation, we estimate the waiting time will be 6 to 8 months.

The latest information that we have from Pontiac regarding the automatic transmission is that it will be available in the spring(March) of 2006.

They also plan to enhance the engine with a turbo, which hopefully will be available in late 2006.

Below you will find photos of a rare event. Three Solstices at one time in our showroom. This most likely will never happen again. Two of them were sold orders; the other one will be given away on February 8th to one lucky Channel 41 viewer.

If you would like to see and/or drive one, please visit us at 13401 South Dixie Highway(next to Home Dept).

SOLSTICE PHOTOS

2005-12-31T15:18:00.000-05:00

AUTOCITY XMAS PARTY!

2005-12-28T03:13:00.000-05:00

Last week we held our annual Christmas party in our Autocity of Pinecrest showroom. Most of our employees were there and they had a ball. They ate and played a "Yankee Christmas", under the supervision of Mrs. Cary Perez. Here are the photos taken by Fernando Gaitan, F&I Manager.

2005-12-28T03:05:00.002-05:00

XMAS PARTY

2005-12-28T03:05:00.001-05:00

XMAS PARTY

2005-12-28T03:05:00.000-05:00

XMAS PARTY

2005-12-28T03:04:00.001-05:00

XMAS PARTY

2005-12-28T03:04:00.000-05:00

XMAS PARTY

2005-12-28T03:03:00.001-05:00

XMAS PARTY

2005-12-28T03:03:00.000-05:00

XMAS PARTY

2005-12-28T03:02:00.000-05:00

XMAS PARTY

2005-12-28T02:54:00.000-05:00

XMAS PARTY

2005-12-28T02:47:00.000-05:00

XMAS PARTY

Milka Duno Eyes Grand-Am, Champ Car Rides in '06

2005-12-23T09:49:00.000-05:00

Speedtv.com

Venezuelan driver Milka Duno expects to announce her 2006 plans soon, ideally in a conjoined program including Grand American Rolex Series and Champ Car outings.Duno, 33, will not be back behind the wheel of one of Howard-Boss Motorsports’ Pontiac Crawfords in ‘06.

She is currently evaluating other proposals from Grand Am teams for a full-time ride next season.“We will carry on racing Daytona Prototypes in Grand Am - testing at Daytona begins on the first week of January, so we intend to announce the name of the team we’ll be racing with in the coming days.

“After two seasons at Howard-Boss, we felt it was time for a change: we clinched great results and [three] victories together [in partnership with Andy Wallace] but the performance in the second half of this season wasn’t what we expected so it was time to go our separate ways.”

Duno, who carries a strong personal sponsorship from Citgo, tested an HVM Champ Car last September and intends to make her racing debut in the 750-hp open-wheel machines later in ‘06.“We also intend to have a significant amount of Champ Car testing in view of making out race debut before the end of next season.”

Duno's previous competitive open-wheel experience includes three seasons of Formula Nissan in Europe in 2001, 2002 and 2003 - where she became the first woman in history to both score points and pilot the fastest car in this prestigious series. Duno also competed in the Barber Dodge Pro Series in 2000 and the Barber Dodge 2000 Series in 1999.

AUTOCITY MANAGERS' XMAS DINNER!

2005-12-20T22:03:00.000-05:00

This past Monday night we celebrated the Autocity Managers' Christmas dinner at Bottega Grill Restaurant. The food and drinks were excellent. We had fun playing Yankee Christmas. Everyone left with a gift and happy memories.

PHOTOS FROM MGRS.' XMAS DINNER

2005-12-20T21:42:00.000-05:00

PODCAST ON THE 2007 YUKON AND YUKON DENALI(Click here)

2005-12-16T18:56:00.000-05:00

In this podcast, FastLane radio host Deb Ochs interviews John Larson, GMC general manager, about the unveiling of the 2007 GMC Yukon and Yukon Denali. Larson talks about the new features, fuel economy, gas prices and SUV sales.

MARK LANEVE, GM VP, ON RED TAG EVENT!

2005-12-16T18:13:00.000-05:00

By Mark LaNeve
Vice President, GM North America Vehicle Sales, Service and Marketing

OK, Fastlane bloggers, you’ve gotten my attention. I've seen your blog entries and wanted to respond. Some of you objected to including my Red Tag comments in this forum and urged me to stick to discussing only product. Others quarreled with the Red Tag program itself. Clearly, Fastlane is intended to focus on product. And for the most part, we do. Once in a while, however, I think it's important to give you some insight as to why we're doing a certain marketing program -- particularly when our competition is out there providing color commentary on our actions.

The reality of the business is that we want to move the metal at the end of the year. We know the Employee Discount for Everyone program brought in lots of customers who otherwise might have waited. But people haven’t stopped buying cars and trucks -- so we’ll do what it takes to bring new prospects our way, and our competitors will try to do the same. That doesn’t mean Total Value Promise is history -- far from it. Do I have to say “read my lips?” We're committed to this strategy because we're confident that over time it will bring new buyers into GM dealerships to experience first-hand our great cars and trucks -- particularly the new ones that are coming to market in the next few months. And after all, isn't that our goal? Red Tag is in synch with this strategy because it supports our efforts to close the gap between MSRPs and what you actually pay for a car or truck. Programs like this will always be part of our business. That's just the way it is. They make our business more exciting, and when we do them well they set GM apart from the competition.

When all is said and done, our latest promotion is about getting people in GM showrooms to see, touch and test drive really great products. With our 2005 and 2006 lineup, the hard work we’ve done in recent years to produce category-leading vehicles is really paying off. From Cobalt and HHR to the G6 sedan and coupe to LaCrosse and Lucerne – not to mention Solstice and the outstanding Cadillac lineup – it’s clear that GM is back in the car business, with products that really grab the market and hold on tight. Our all-new 2007 large SUVs take this segment to another level of excellence -- especially when it comes to interiors. Equinox and Torrent are big winners in the small SUV category, and HUMMER H3 is keeping that brand at the top for truck lovers. But there I go selling again.

RICK WAGONER'S LETTER TO THE WALL STREET JOURNAL!

2005-12-07T15:28:00.000-05:00

A Portrait of My Industry — By Rick Wagoner
The Wall Street Journal--December 6, 2005

DETROIT -- Since mid-October, General Motors has announced plans to ceaseproduction at 12 North American manufacturing facilities and eliminate30,000jobs by 2008; trim $1 billion in net material costs in 2006; and, incooperationwith the United Automobile Workers, reduce GM's retiree health-careliabilitiesby $15 billion, or about 25%, for an annualized expense reduction of $3billion.The reason for these dramatic actions is no secret: GM has lost a lot ofmoneyin 2005, due to rapidly increasing health-care and raw-material costs,lowersales volumes and a weaker sales mix -- essentially, we've sold fewerhigh-profit SUVs and more lower-profit cars. What is less clear is whythingsturned sour so fast for GM, as well as for other American auto makers andsuppliers. To put it another way, why are so many foreign auto makers andsuppliers doing well in the United States, while so many U.S.-based autocompanies are not?Despite public perception, the answer is not that foreign auto makers aremoreproductive or offer better-quality or more fuel-efficient vehicles. In thisyear's Harbour Report, which measures manufacturing productivity, GM plantstookthree of the top five spots in North America, including first and secondplace.In the latest J.D. Power Initial Quality Study, GM's Buick and Cadillacrankedamong the top five vehicle brands sold in America, ahead of nameplates likeToyota, Honda, Acura, Nissan, Infiniti and Mercedes-Benz. And GM offersmoremodels that get over 30 miles per gallon (highway) than any other automaker.In fact, this kind of operating performance makes GM's recent financialperformance all the more frustrating. The fact is, we're building the bestcarsand trucks we've ever built at GM, our products are receiving excellentreviews,and we're running the business in a globally competitive manner. Outside ofNorth America, we're setting sales records. In fact, for the first time inourhistory, we will sell more cars and trucks this year outside the UnitedStatesthan inside, aided in no small part by our market-leading performance inChina.So why, fundamentally, are GM and the U.S. auto industry struggling rightnow?Intense competition, for one. The global auto business grows tougher everyyear, and we accept that. Our ability to compete has made us the world'sNo. 1auto maker for 74 consecutive years, and we're fighting hard to stay ontop.Beyond that, our performance in the marketplace has not been what we'vewantedit to be. While we've been strong in truck sales, we've been weaker incars,and, yes, the recent surge in gas prices hurt sales. While we've led intechnologies like OnStar, we've lagged in others like hybrid vehicles. Restassured, we're working hard to address the areas where we lag. Simply put,weare committed to doing a better job of designing, building and sellinghigh-quality, high-value cars and trucks that consumers can't wait to buy.Noexcuses. We will step up our performance in this regard.But competition and marketplace performance are not the whole story. Tofullyunderstand why GM and the U.S. auto industry are struggling right now, wehaveto understand some of the fundamental challenges facing Americanmanufacturingin general -- challenges well beyond the control of any single company.There are those who ask if manufacturing is still relevant for America. Myview: You bet it is! Manufacturing generates two-thirds of America's R&Dinvestment, accounts for three-fourths of our exports, and creates about 15million American jobs. And the auto industry is a big part of that,accountingfor 11% of American manufacturing, and nearly 4% of U.S. GDP. Together, GM,Fordand DaimlerChrysler invest more than $16 billion in research anddevelopmentevery year -- more than any other U.S. industry. And GM, alone, supportsmorethan one million American jobs.So what are the fundamental challenges facing American manufacturing? Oneisthe spiraling cost of health care in the United States. Last year, GM spent$5.2billion on health care for its U.S. employees, retirees and dependents -- astaggering $1,525 for every car and truck we produced. And the figure isgoingup again this year. Foreign auto makers have just a fraction of thesecosts,because they have few, if any, U.S. retirees, and in their home countriestheirgovernments fund a much greater portion of employee and retiree health-carecosts.Some argue that we have no one but ourselves to blame for ourdisproportionately high health-care "legacy costs." That kind ofobservationreminds me of the saying that no good deed going unpunished. That argument,while appealing to some, ignores the fact that American auto makers andothertraditional manufacturing companies created a social contract withgovernmentand labor that raised America's standard of living and provided much of theeconomic growth of the 20th century. American manufacturers were once heldup asgood corporate citizens for providing these benefits. Today, we aremaligned forour poor judgment in "giving away" such benefits 40 years ago.Another factor beyond our control is lawsuit abuse. Litigation now coststheU.S. economy more than $245 billion a year, or more than $845 per person.That'smore than 2% of our GDP. No other country has costs anywhere near thislevel.And the perverse thing is that, in many cases, the majority of courtroomsettlements go to the lawyers and other litigation costs, not to theinjuredparties.Another major concern is unfair trading practices, especially Japan'slong-term initiatives to artificially weaken the yen. A leading Japaneseautomaker reports that for each movement of one yen against the dollar, itgains 20billion yen in additional profitability -- or nearly $170 million attoday'sexchange rate. No wonder Japanese auto makers have noted their recentrecordprofits were aided by exchange rates. And no wonder the U.S. trade-balancedeficit continues to grow by leaps and bounds.There are other issues, of course, but my point is this: We at GM have anumber of tough challenges that we must and will address on our own -- butwealso carry some huge costs that our foreign competitors do not share.Some say we're looking for a bailout. Baloney -- we at GM do not want abailout. What we want -- after we take the actions we are taking, inproduct,technology, cost and every area we're working in our business today -- isthechance to compete on a level playing field. It's critical that governmentleaders, supported by business, unions and all our citizens, forge policysolutions to the issues undercutting American manufacturingcompetitiveness. Wecan do this. And we need to do it now.

GREAT ARTICLE ON THE STUPIDITY OF HYBRIDS!

2005-12-06T03:29:00.000-05:00

The Wall Street Journal

By Holman W. Jenkins Jr.--Nov. 30, 3005

We at the Toyota Motor Corporation are writing to address certain misconceptions that have arisen about your Toyota Prius model, which we are proud to note is driven by many celebrities, including Prince Charles and HBO's Larry David.
Our pioneering gasoline-electric hybrid, introduced in 1999, has become an object of adoration to the world's enlightened car buyers. Our competitors, including America's Big Three, are rushing out hybrid vehicles of their own. Unconfirmed media reports say that we at Toyota intend to double our hybrid output to 500,000 vehicles next year. Along with other members of the auto industry, we will be lobbying for tax breaks and HOV privileges for hybrid vehicles.
However, any romance entering its seventh year tends to go stale. Some purchasers have begun to question the practical value of our Hybrid Synergy Drive technology. You may be aware that a survey by Consumer Reports found that our vehicles achieve considerably less mileage (some 26 percent less) than the sticker rating implies. This has led to some unflattering media stories.
Let us assure you that the Prius remains one of the most fuel-efficient cars on the road. Toyota applauds your willingness to spend $9,500 over the price of any comparable vehicle for the privilege of saving, at current gasoline prices, approximately $580 a year.
And should the price of gasoline rise to $5, after 10 years and/or 130,000 miles of driving, you might even come close to breaking even on your investment in hybrid technology.
We recognize that our customers have an "emotional" relationship with their vehicles. This transcends even the regrettable truth that driving a fuel-efficient car does not yield any substantial benefits for society if it doesn't save the owner money.
Contrary to any loose statements made by our marketing partners in the environmental community and media, petroleum not consumed by Prius owners is not "saved." It does not remain in the ground. It is consumed by someone else. Greenhouse pollutants are released. Also, please note that the warranty and owner's manual say nothing about reducing America's dependence on foreign oil. This is not an oversight. The Prius is an "oil-dependent" vehicle. It runs on gasoline, supplied by the same world market that fuels other vehicles.
The Toyota Corporation regrets any misunderstanding our marketing may inadvertently have caused (or may cause in the future).
We share your belief that the days of the internal combustion engine are numbered. Further research by our economists suggests this will happen when the price of gasoline rises high enough to make alternative technologies cheaper than gasoline-powered cars.
We at Toyota want you to know we recognize this effect and have taken steps to compensate with the rest of our vehicle lineup.
Our 2006 Tundra pickup will be equipped with Toyota's new eight-cylinder engine, making it every bit as much of a gas guzzler as any American pickup. We are also redirecting our efforts to use our Hybrid Synergy Drive to increase power output rather than reduce gasoline consumption.
Take our new hybrid SUV, which produces 38 more horsepower but gets the same mileage as our conventional version. A New York Times reviewer wrote, "One question lingers after driving the 2006 Lexus RX400h: How did it come to this, that Toyota is now selling a hybrid gas-electric vehicle with no tangible fuel economy benefits?"
We hope this corrects any misimpression caused by our latest slogan ("Commute with Nature"). Hybrid technology is not "green" technology. Like heated seats or flashy exterior trim, it's merely an expensive option that generates large markups for the Toyota Corporation and its dealers.
You will share our pride in the latest figures from J.D. Power & Associates, which show that the Prius continues to move off a dealer's lot in just eight days, compared to 36 days for a Honda Civic hybrid. Clearly, our customers are willing to pay handsomely for the privilege of showing themselves behind the wheel of so conspicuously virtuous a vehicle.
But we are also a far-seeing corporation. We recognize that the Prius's distinctiveness may be a wasting asset for reasons outlined in this letter. Other motorists may see the Prius operator and think "sucker." Our lawyers advise us this may affect your car's resale value. Toyota regrets any inconvenience.
We want you to know that Toyota remains committed to advancing hybrid technology just as long as our customers are willing to make it worth our while. Our esteemed competitor, Nissan's Carlos Ghosn, was recently quoted saying, "There's such a buzz today that no CEO of a car manufacturer dares to say his real opinion of hybrid because he's accused of being retarded."
Another esteemed competitor, GM, has suggested that hybrid technology is best deployed in city buses, where large fuel consumption and stop-and-go driving might actually make it economically sensible.
These are just two examples of the short-sighted, stick-in-the-mud marketing instincts of our fellow automakers that are helping to make Toyota the largest car company in the world.
Yours Truly, the Toyota Corporation.

GREAT BUICK SUCCESSES!

2005-11-30T16:01:00.000-05:00

2006 Lucerne: Kiplinger's Personal Finance "Best New Car" in the $30-45K category.
Automotive Lease Guide showed Lucerne residual value significantly better than previous Buick product being replaced.
Lucerne production is ahead of schedule and off to a good start.
Built in the #3 Plant for Initial Quality in North and South America according to JD Power.
Quieter than BMW 3 Series, Lexus ES 330, Acura TL and Infinity G35.
LaCrosse: 5-star frontal crash test rating!
LaCrosse is built in the #1 plant for Initial Quality in North and South America according to JD Power.
BUICK IS #3, BEHIND JAG & LEXUS IN THE '05 JD POWER SSI SURVEY! WE
MOVED UP FROM 7TH IN 2004. Moveed up 18 points in the delivery process category as well - GREAT JOB!

LUCERNE: MORE THAN JUST A BUICK!

2005-11-30T05:26:00.000-05:00

From AUTOWEEK, By Kevin A. Wilson

Published Date: 11/7/05
On sale: Now. Base Price: $27,715. Powertrain: 3.8-liter, 197-hp, 227-lb-ft V6; fwd, four-speed automatic. Curb Weight: 3764 lbs. 0 to 60 mph: 8.4 seconds (est.). Fuel Mileage (EPA combined): 22 mpg

Ever since the Toyota Avalon arrived in 1994, car writers have called the big sedan “the best Buick money can buy,” playing around with variations on the old ad campaign that proclaimed “When better Buicks are built, Buick will build them.”
Funny stuff. If you’re toiling for Buick, though, you have to admit the ads invited satire. That has to sting.
Finally, after years of little more than wan grimaces in response, General Motors looks to be fighting back. Buick offered both a 2005 Avalon and its front-drive platform mate, the Lexus ES 330, for direct back-to-back comparison with the new 2006 Lucerne. This model replaces both the LeSabre and Park Avenue in struggling Buick’s rationalized car range, just as the LaCrosse (Allure in Canada) replaces both the Century and Regal.
The new big Buick is named for a city in Switzerland, and our passenger on this first drive of the Lucerne was a big Swiss-born fellow named Bob Lutz, vice chairman of General Motors, who began by telling us his personal, chauffeur-driven ride is a DTS, but that he is swapping the Caddy for a Lucerne.
The Cadillac and Buick are built on the same platform, the G-body that has underpinned some of GM’s best front-drive sedans for years. The Lucerne is offered with either a 3.8-liter 197-hp V6 or the 275-hp 290-lb-ft Northstar V8 (the first V8 offered in a Buick car in 10 years).
Lucerne’s body sports lines borrowed from the Velite concept car. Once you get past the Buick waterfall grille, it has a Lexus-like look to it, and the comparison goes deeper. Fit-and-finish is excellent, the standard safety equipment is world-class, and the Buick is quieter than the Toyota-built cars offered for comparison.
The cabin is up to snuff. The Lucerne uses high-quality materials and is screwed together properly, with an aesthetic appeal that, while hardly cutting-edge, is not so old-school as the LeSabre or the Park Avenue.
Then there is the driving. On GM’s challenging ride and handling test loop at Milford and then over some of the better test roads in southern Michigan, the Lucerne proved imperturbable. Like an Avalon or ES 330, it’s no sport sedan, but if you’re in a hurry you can lean on a Lucerne and it won’t let you down.
At the proving ground we sampled cars with Magnetic Ride Control, using the fast-acting, electronically controlled variable shock absorbers that damp out road-induced motions. Okay, we thought, but that old Buick float will be trouble in the twisties if you don’tget the Magnetic Ride Control. Then we hit the open road, and threw a Northstar-equipped Lucerne with the standard suspension into a couple of corners. It was unflustered. No wallow, no foul. Its back-road demeanor reminded us of the last Oldsmobile Aurora, a car that didn’t deserve to die with its marque.
Sure, we would rather be in a sports car or even a sportier sedan on that kind of road, but an Avalon isn’t any better suited to the task than is the new Buick, and the Magnetic Ride Control option would tilt the comparison toward GM’s car.
So, is Toyota still building the best Buick sold in America? We will have to offer that as an idea for our DoubleTake test folks (who tend not to leap at the chance to compare yawnmobiles), but Lucerne is a strong enough contender that the Avalon is no longer a shoo-in, and that is a big change in itself.
Lucerne is built at GM’s Hamtramck, Michigan plant. Remember, the object of comparison isn’t some Toyota at the end of its product cycle and destined to be replaced soon, but the third-generation Avalon recently introduced. Lucerne is priced aggressively, with a nicely equipped V8 model coming in at a sweet spot of around $32,000.
“The Buick loyalists, whether they trade a LeSabre or a Park, will be ecstatic,” predicted Lutz. Harder to forecast is whether the car can win back customers lost to Toyota.
Expecting to do so assumes such customers are unhappy enough to leave Toyota, and there is not much evidence on that score. Any reconquest would also depend on the buyer’s favorable impressions of the local Buick dealer’s service. Those are some big assumptions—there is more to this game than making good cars.
But making good cars is where it has to start, and the Lucerne looks and drives like a lot more than just a better Buick.

GM'S FOUR-POINT TURNAROUND PLAN!

2005-11-21T18:51:00.000-05:00

PR Newswire

DETROIT -- Following is a brief update and summary of the other key elements of the GMNA turnaround plan beyond structural cost reductions.

On Oct. 17, GM announced a far-reaching agreement with the UAW that will introduce a series of changes to the hourly retiree health-care plan. As part of the agreement, pending court approval, active hourly employees will contribute financially to this health-care plan. As a result, GM will continue to provide competitive health-care benefits to its hourly employees and retirees, but at a significantly lower cost. The agreement is projected to reduce GM's retiree health-care liabilities by approximately 25% of the hourly liability, or about $15 billion, and cut the company's health-care expense by about $3 billion on an annualized, pre-tax basis. Annualized cash savings will be approximately $1 billion a year.

GM North America will continue with its aggressive product assault on all vehicle segments. To target key growth segments with the right products, GM earlier this year increased capital expenditures, with the vast majority of that increase going toward future car and truck programs. This increased investment will allow GM to average 15 all-new entries a year in the North American market for the foreseeable future.

We remain committed to a diversified portfolio of hybrid cars and trucks, including hybrid versions of the Saturn VUE, Chevrolet Malibu, and the next generation of GM full-size pickups and SUVs. We also will continue to lead in the implementation of other fuel savings technologies, such as Displacement on Demand and six-speed transmissions. GMNA also will expand its offerings of ethanol-capable vehicles (E85 fuel).

To help drive additional sales in the future, the product plan includes a heavy emphasis on high-growth segments, such as "crossovers," compact and luxury SUVs, large pickups and entry luxury cars.

Starting in January, GM will begin rolling out more than a dozen all-new versions of its full-size SUVs for Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac, to be followed in late 2007 with the availability of GM's advanced two-mode hybrid powertrain. In the same year, GM will begin rolling out an entire new lineup of full-size pickups, another segment in which GM is the industry leader.

GM's strategy also builds on its recent move to create a single, global product development organization, which will permit the company to better leverage its considerable design and engineering resources around the globe. By taking full advantage of its unique global footprint and that of its global partners, GM will more effectively be able to address emerging trends and markets, and take advantage of its creative talent base around the world.

GM also laid out a focused strategy designed to improve significantly the company's performance in the retail marketplace.

This strategy includes strengthening GM's automotive brands, marketing that emphasizes the inherent value of GM cars and trucks, completing GM's distribution channel strategy, and aggressively targeting markets where GM has underperformed against the competition.

GM's newest products continue to attract new customers. Chevrolet introduced two new cars this year that rank among the top 10 best-selling cars in the industry: the Impala and Cobalt. The Buick LaCrosse is conquesting sales at impressive rates with 24% of its customers citing Toyota, Honda and Nissan as second choice and 50% claiming a non-GM brand as a second choice. The Pontiac G6 retail sales in October were up 100% versus October 2004. And the HUMMER brand has posted the largest% increase (up 86% in 2005) of any GM division, with the H3's successful launch.

GM brands have focused more on consumer benefits in advertisements this year, moving away from the deal-only ads that focused largely on monthly payments. For instance, Chevrolet ads spend more time addressing segment- leading fuel economy, safety and product quality.

The dealer-channel strategy is progressing well. There are over 200 Chevrolet dealers implementing the brand's image program. At HUMMER, over 70% of the dealerships will be consistent with that brand's image vision by the end of 2005. Cadillac has nearly 200 dealerships completed or in progress, representing 60% of the brand's sales, and nearly all Saab dealerships are consistent with that brand's image vision. By the end of 2005, 60% of Pontiac, Buick and GMC sales will be from combined dealerships.

As part of the move toward emphasizing the value of GM cars and trucks, GMNA will continue to adjust suggested retail prices to more closely match actual transaction prices, manage inventories and resale values more closely, and focus strongly on improving retail sales.

In addition, GM will specifically address certain regional markets in the United States in which GM's potential has not been fully realized. This more targeted approach to incentives, advertising, and promotion is expected to result in significant volume and share gains in these markets.

Source: General Motors Corp.

CHRYSLER ANNOUNCES NEW PROMOTION TO COMPETE WITH GM!

2005-11-17T16:59:00.000-05:00

LAS VEGAS -- Opting not to increase cash incentives, the Chrysler group instead is launching a year-end promotion that offers two years' worth of free gasoline and scheduled maintenance, as well as an extended mechanical warranty.

"Customers are somewhat overwhelmed by traditional rebates," said George Murphy, senior vice president for global brand marketing. "We tested a traditional year-end campaign, a traditional year-end blowout, and it didn't cut through the clutter."
Chrysler's "Miles of Freedom" program runs from Monday, Nov. 21, through Jan. 3. It was revealed to dealers at meetings here on Thursday.

The program offers:
A debit card for $2,400 -- the amount of money Chrysler calculates is needed to buy 12,000 miles worth of gasoline for two years at the Chrysler group's corporate average fuel economy rate of 21.8 mpg. The plan is based on a $2.15 per gallon price of gasoline.
Free scheduled maintenance for as many as 24,000 miles.
A five-year, 60,000-mile full mechanical warranty, compared with the standard three-year, 36,000-mile warranty.

Excluded from the program are the 2005 and 2006 Chrysler 300; Dodge Viper, Magnum, Charger and Sprinter; and all SRT8 vehicles.

Customers can choose existing Chrysler rebates instead of the program, Murphy said. Those rebates range from $1,000 to $7,000 cash back on 2005 and 2006 models, Senior Vice President of Sales Gary Dilts said. The existing rebates are scheduled to end on Nov. 30.
The move counters new programs launched this week by rivals General Motors and Ford Motor Co. GM's "Red Tag" offers consumers vehicles at prices slightly higher than the supplier discounted price. Ford's "Keep It Simple" plan rolls discounts and rebates into a new bottom-line price on vehicle stickers.

Julie Roehm, Chrysler director of marketing communications, said TV commercials for the program start Sunday, Nov. 20, followed by newspaper ads beginning with a page in USA Today on Monday, Nov. 21.

Roehm said the plan tested well in its ability to bring new shoppers into Chrysler showrooms: "The point of this is to really drive traffic -- hopefully, driving traffic that we don't typically see."

CHANNEL 41 AND AUTOCITY OF PINECREST TO GIVE AWAY A SOLSTICE!

2005-11-13T21:48:00.000-05:00

Autocity of Pinecrest and Channel 41 have joined forces in a special promotion in which we will give away a Solstice to one lucky viewer. The promotion will last for 12 weeks and every Wednesday a finalist will be chosen in the program ARRIBA DE LA BOLA which airs at 9 pm. Here are a few photos that we took while the producers for the show filmed a promotional spot.

GASOLINE PRICES DROP!

2005-11-12T10:42:00.000-05:00

By Greg MiglioreAutomotive News / November 11, 2005

The average price of regular unleaded gasoline stood at $2.34 a gallon on Friday. The good news for motorists: That's 51 cents less than the month-ago average of $2.85 a gallon. The bad news: It's still 36 cents above what the average price was a year ago, $1.98 a gallon. Friday's average price was down 4 cents from the price on Tuesday, Nov. 8, according to AAA, of Hawthorne, Fla. Diesel fuel cost an average of $2.83 a gallon on Friday, 5 cents cheaper than Tuesday's price.

The average was $3.19 a gallon one month ago and $2.20 a gallon one year ago. AAA surveys up to 85,000 self-serve filling stations every day and reports its findings on
www.fuelgaugereport.com. Crude oil was trading at about $57.50 a barrel on Friday, its lowest level in four months. Santa Maria, Calif., had the highest recorded price in the United States at $3.14 a gallon for regular unleaded gasoline. Mission, Texas, had the lowest at $1.80 a gallon, according to GasPriceWatch.com. GasPriceWatch.com uses volunteer spotters and has recorded more than 243,000 prices this week.

GM ANNOUNCES RED TAG SALE!

2005-11-12T10:23:00.000-05:00

DETROIT -- General Motors is starting a national incentive program to run through Jan. 3 despite claims that it would hold to its value pricing strategy.

The program, called GM Red Tag Event, starts Monday, Nov. 14, auto dealers say.
A GM spokeswoman declined to comment on Friday, Nov. 11.

Under the program customers can get any 2005 or 2006 Buick, Pontiac, GMC or Chevrolet car or light truck at the supplier price plus $100, several dealers say. The exceptions to the sale are the Pontiac Solstice, Chevrolet Corvette and new Buick Lucerne, they say. The supplier price is the price offered to employees of GM suppliers.

For example, a 2006 Buick LaCrosse has a sticker price of $23,595, says a Buick dealer who asked not to be named. The supplier price is $21,996, he says. Customers also can use any applicable incentives. GM offers a $1,500 rebate on the LaCrosse. Therefore, the vehicle would cost $20,596, the dealer said.GM's last big national incentive program, Employee Discount for Everyone, ended Sept. 30.

Mark LaNeve, GM's vice president of vehicle sales, service and marketing, had insisted that GM would stick to a value pricing strategy for 90 days and offer no big national incentive programs. But the automaker reported a 23 percent sales drop in October from the year-ago month, and dealers have been pleading for more incentives.

Dealers asked GM executives about value pricing during a closed-circuit broadcast on Friday, Nov. 11. Executives told them that there are two big selling seasons -- summer and year end. Dealers say GM executives told them GM would be "crazy not to have a promotion" during the year end because "all the competition will."

GM's value pricing strategy consists of lowering sticker prices on the base models of certain vehicles. The program is designed to move the stickers closer to the transaction prices.

GM told dealers that it will start a national advertising campaign on Sunday, Nov.13, using the slogan, "See some red. Save some green."

GM will send red tags to dealers to hang in the vehicles' windows with the revived advertising phrase, "The price you see is the price you pay, not a penny more."

"It's not nearly as good as GM's employee pricing sale," says Ken Fichtner, owner of Fichtner Chevrolet in Laurel, Mont. "It's 2 percent higher for the customer than GM employee pricing was."

Fichtner says GM will give dealers $400 gross profit per vehicle under the promotion. He says the $400 will be less than the profit per vehicle he received with employee pricing, which was 5 percent of the sticker minus the destination charge.

But Buick dealer John Rogin says his sales staff broke into applause and cheers when GM said the salespeople's bonuses would be $150 for each vehicle sold in November and $100 for December.

GM ran a Red Tag sale at this time last year. Under it, dealers set a vehicle's price by combining previously announced incentives with a cash bonus between $500 and $2,000 when buyers financed through General Motors Acceptance Corp.

Many dealers were lukewarm about that program, and GM's December sales in 2004 fell 3.2 percent despite the program.

GM will end any other existing incentives on many of the 2005 vehicles with the new Red Tag Event.

MORE CROSSOVERS ON THE WAY FROM GM!

2005-11-08T12:18:00.000-05:00

AUTOWEEK

Published Date: 11/7/05

A month aftershowing its all-new full-size sport/utility vehicles, General Motors announced it will launch several new car-based crossover vehicles over the next four years.
Bob Lutz, vice chairman of product development, said crossovers are becoming more popular and that the company estimates the segment will account for more than 2.5 million sales in the United States this year, and could grow to 3.5 million units by 2010.
“We see great opportunity in strengthening and expanding our family of crossover vehicles,” Lutz said.

GM offers seven (what it considers) crossover vehicles in the States now: Chevrolet Equinox and HHR, Pontiac Torrent and Vibe, Buick Rendezvous, Cadillac SRX and Saturn Vue.
GM was light on specifics regarding its crossover strategy, but Pontiac, GMC and Saturn will be the first to get new crossovers, within the next 18 months. Saturn’s will be called the Outlook, GMC’s the Acadia and Buick’s the Enclave. Other divisions will get their own by 2009, bringing GM’s total in the segment to 14 vehicles.

Meanwhile crosstown rivals at Ford announced the 2007 Lincoln Aviator (above) will premiere at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January. The new crossover goes on sale late next year.

SOLSTICE MAKES SPLASH AT ACCESSORIES SHOW IN VEGAS!

2005-11-05T13:17:00.000-05:00

The photos below are courtesy of our customer, Julio Gabay, who attended the SEMA(Accessories Show) in Las Vegas recently. Mr. Gabay was our "Apprentice" Solstice customer, and practically the first with a Solstice in Miami. Needless to say he is crazy about his Sostice! Sometimes he even sleeps in it!

We have good news for Solstice lovers. See story below about an increase in production.

2005-11-05T13:16:00.000-05:00

Front view of Solstice at SEMA

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Interior of Solstice at SEMA

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Solstice at SEMA

2005-11-05T13:14:00.000-05:00

Solstice at SEMA

2005-11-05T13:13:00.000-05:00

Solstice at SEMA

2005-11-05T13:12:00.001-05:00

Solstice at SEMA

2005-11-05T13:12:00.000-05:00

Frontview of Solstice at SEMA

2005-11-05T13:11:00.001-05:00

Solstice at SEMA

2005-11-05T13:11:00.000-05:00

Rearview of Solstice at SEMA

2005-11-05T13:10:00.000-05:00

Solstice at SEMA