Though this October month still not over, and the U.S automakers’ official October sales result won’t be reported until next Tuesday, GM officials said Wednesday that they expect first monthly sales increase after 21 months drop.

Susan Docherty, GM’s new vice president of U.S. sales, touted the uptick but noted that a lot more work lies ahead for the company, whose U.S. sales are still down 36.3% through September. “We’re here to talk about progress,” she said.

GM Chief Executive Officer Fritz Henderson, visiting Washington, D.C., said that recently enacted pay changes for executives were fair, and he didn’t argue with ex-auto task force chief Steve Rattner’s criticisms of pre-bankruptcy GM’s management as “stunningly poor.”

“There was a lot of truth in it,” he told the Associated Press. “We’ve got to change.”
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Ford Motor announced today that Azure Dynamics Corporation has joined in a collaborative effort to deliver a pure battery electric Ford Transit Connect van for the United States and Canadian markets in 2010. Azure will integrate its Force Drive(TM) battery electric drive train in the Transit Connect van for commercial fleet and retail use.

The collaboration with Azure Dynamics for the Transit Connect BEV will build on the existing business relationship between Ford and Azure as well as their shared experience with battery supplier, Johnson Controls-Saft.
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While the Concept Kizashi series debuted globally over the past two years, (in Frankfurt, Tokyo and New York), U.S. anticipation for the production Kizashi was met by a number of custom builders – and members of Suzuki management – asking the proverbial “what if?”

What if you melded Kizashi’s production underpinnings and artfully-crafted sheet metal with modifications fully appropriate to a concept’s debut?
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Already a recipient of numerous accolades including a “Top Safety Pick” by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, being named to the “Coolest New Cars Under $18,000″ list by Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com and “Interior of the Year” list by Ward’s AutoWorld, the all-new 2010 Kia Soul has yet again been honored and given a “2010 Automotive Excellence Award” by Popular Mechanics.

Recognized for its appealing style, fuel efficiency, handling and overall value, Soul is one of only 10 vehicles to be acknowledged on the esteemed list.
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Hyundai Motor America and Street Concepts, one of the leading developers of auto show vehicles, bring custom vehicle design live to the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show with a paint demonstration on a Genesis sedan.

Detroit-based illustrator and graphic designer Courtney Mason will paint a one-of-a-kind graphic on a Pearl White Street Concepts Genesis sedan in Hyundai’s display at the Las Vegas Convention Center Nov. 3-6, 2009 (booth #24387). This marks the eighth consecutive year Hyundai has partnered with Street Concepts.
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The Ford Mustang, America’s favorite muscle car, is also the most customized car in the $31.8 billion aftermarket industry, and there will be no shortage of polished-up ponies at this year’s SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) show, which is being held Nov. 3-6 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

“The Mustang is an iconic car,” said Melvin Betancourt, Ford SEMA design manager. “People always want to reinvent it, and everybody has an idea about what the next Mustang should be.”

According to Allison Revier, Ford Mustang marketing manager, much of Mustang’s popularity in the aftermarket is steeped in tradition.
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The Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T R-Spec, the perfect blank canvas for tuners, priced at $23,750 is beginning to arrive at dealerships across the country. R-Spec takes the core performance equipment from the 2.0T Track model and eliminates non-essential convenience equipment to reduce both cost and weight.

The Genesis Coupe 2.0T R-Spec – the first production R-Spec model to arrive in the U.S. – will make its world debut at the Hyundai booth at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in the Las Vegas Convention Center from November 3 – 6 (Booth # 24387).
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Chrysler Group LLC today announced pricing for the all-new 2010 Ram 2500 and 3500 Heavy Duty pickups, offering more content at a lower price.

The all-new 2010 Ram Heavy Duty features three cab styles (regular cab, crew-size cab and Mega Cab) and two cargo-box sizes (6-foot, 4-inches and 8-foot), single- and dual-rear-wheel configurations, five trim levels, all-new exterior and interior styling and superior towing capability.

The all-new 2010 Ram is available with a starting U.S. Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $28,165 for regular cab models, $31,415 for crew cab models and $36,865 for Mega Cab models.

All prices include $950 for destination. The all-new 2010 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty arrives in dealerships in late 2009 calendar year.

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October new-vehicle retail sales are expected to decline only 6 percent compared with one year ago–the first single-digit decline since May 2008, according to J.D. Power and Associates, which gathers real-time transaction data from more than 8,900 franchisees across the United States.

This decline marks the most significant improvement in 17 months, excluding August 2009 when year-over-year sales were up 13 percent due to the CARS program.

October new-vehicle retail sales are expected to come in at 651,600 units, which represent a seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR) of 8.3 million units. With fleet volume down only 4 percent from one year ago, total sales for October are projected to come in at 816,600 units, down 6 percent from October 2008.
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Nissan today announced the latest addition to its Krom specialty vehicles lineup, the 2010 Nissan Rogue Krom edition, which is scheduled to go on sale at Nissan dealers nationwide in December 2009.

The new Rogue Krom edition is designed to offer a unique dimension to traditional compact sport utility vehicles with its aggressive sport styling, exclusive 17-inch wheels and a center-exit sport-tuned exhaust. Nissan also offers a Krom edition of the popular Nissan cube®.
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Mazda will showcase the world premiere of its next-generation engine lineup and automatic transmissions at the 41st Tokyo Motor Show, to be held from Saturday, October 24 through Wednesday, November 4, 2009.

Mazda will exhibit the ‘Mazda SKY-G’ direct injection gasoline engine, the ‘Mazda SKY-D’ clean diesel engine and the ‘Mazda SKY Drive’ high-efficiency automatic transmission.
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As the centerpiece of this year’s Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show, Rhys Millen Racing (RMR) fabricated a Genesis Coupe with the award-winning 4.6-liter Tau V8 powerplant to develop the RM460 Genesis Coupe.

The mid-engine configuration and enhancements create a 500-horsepower street car worthy of taking on any track or road course. Millen was drawn to the design similarities between the Genesis Coupe and the new Ferrari 599XX, which influenced the vehicle’s classic low profile and race-inspired look. This marks the second year of the partnership between RMR and Hyundai creating show-stopping Genesis Coupes with the ultimate in aftermarket appeal.
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What the minivehicle mean for you? Small room or economy, and more. But the new Suzuki all-new Alto Concept, unveiling at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, points to the future of the minivehicle by combining newly honed performance with minivehicle economy and user-friendliness.

Styling that appeals to people regardless of age and gender makes the Alto Concept an outstanding proposition for motorists who want minivehicle economy and convenience.

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Lotus Cars unveils its latest special edition – the Exige Scura, so called due to its dramatic matt black and carbon fibre theme, at the Tokyo International Motorshow on 21st of October 2009.

Translated as ‘dark’ from Italian, the name ‘Scura’ reflects the stealth character of this already fierce looking Lotus and its stunning soft-feel matt black paint finish. Limited to just 35 cars globally, this Exige evokes a desire to ‘indulge your dark side’. This is a serious looking car and enhancements to performance and a reduction in weight from the production level Exige S means that the Exige Scura demands to be driven by a serious driver.
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Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. today, at 2009 Tokyo Motor show, announced the release of the latest version of the Nissan GT-R, which goes on sale on December 7th at Nissan dealers nationwide in Japan.

The updated GT-R receives a number of enhancements, including a revised navigation system, recalibrated suspension settings and an improved-flow catalyst system. It is scheduled to go on sale in other global markets beginning next spring.
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