By Edd Snyder

THE financial storm that has swept across the globe since late summer has touched virtually every segment of the economy. It has hit millions of homeowners and affected thousands of small businesses as well as major corporations and even sovereign governments.

It has had a devastating effect on the auto industry, which has encountered a sales slump unlike any other in more than two decades and 2.5 million jobs in the U.S. are at risk.

The financial crisis is affecting the auto industry because the car business runs on credit, and the credit markets are not functioning as normal.

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By Esther Misa Chavez
INQUIRER.net

ON its 100th year anniversary, the world’s largest automaker, General Motors Corp. launched its much anticipated “green” car, the Chevy Volt. Sharp, sleek, and sporty, it is vaunted to leapfrog all competitors in the race to bring the greenest, coolest environmentally correct car in the market.

Proud of its game changing design and performance, GM promptly introduced its lead exterior designer to the press, particularly the Filipino-American media, since, it turns out, Gary Ruiz, 33 is a Filipino-American, born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. This second generation Filipino-American understands Tagalog but can’t speak it well. No matter. His designs speak an international language well understood by all.

Ruiz initially studied pharmacology and was on his final year at Ohio State University when he grew enamored with industrial design. Quite a big shift from chemistry to engineering but Ruiz dove into it and, soon, was in the center of the world of automobile design.

Shortly thereafter, he was assigned to a leadership position in one of GM’s high-priority projects, the E-Flex Design Studio, where he and his team were charged with the aesthetics of the exterior design of GM cars, particularly the Chevy Volt. He was also involved in the initial designs of the GM’s latest muscle retro-car, the 2008 Camaro.

Ruiz is proudest of the fact that GM put in a concerted effort to produce a vehicle like no other — an electric car that’s “beautiful, and that’s going to decrease dependence on oil, reduce emissions, appeal to environmentally conscious drivers as well as to gear heads.”

Here is an electric vehicle that will run for 40 miles on single battery charge before it switches to gasoline use. In an all-electric mode, when the generator kicks in, it will rack up 100 miles to the gallon.

The Chevy Volt has just catapulted GM to world prominence and, in Ruiz’s own words, “long term prosperity.” At 100 years old, GM has left big footprints in automotive history and is leaving fresh new ones at the forefront of the race to save the planet.

(Photo courtesy of General Motors Corp.)

By Charles E. Buban
Philippine Daily Inquirer

AS General Motors and Japanese rival Toyota battle it out for domination of the world auto market, GM announced it will intensify its presence in the Southeast Asian region, which the Detroit-based car giant described as one of the fastest-growing car markets in the world.

“Like China, Russia, India and Brazil, GM sees a huge opportunity for expansion in Southeast Asia. Expect more developments in the coming months, which would include introduction of new vehicle models that car buyers within this market will want at a price they can afford,” announced Steve Carlisle, president of GM Southeast Asia Operations Limited and Chevrolet Sales Thailand.

Speaking before the official opening of the 29th Bangkok International Motor Show in Thailand, Carlisle hinted at coming up with a new vehicle model that would fall under the Asian utility vehicle category, a type of vehicle that is already popular in the region, including the Philippines.

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By Tessa R. Salazar
Philippine Daily Inquirer

THE AUTOMOTIVE buzz last week was that US automaker General Motors Corp.’s “solid sales growth” gave it a slim lead over Japanese carmaker Toyota Motor Corp. in 2007 global vehicle sales, allowing it to keep its top spot for the 77th year.

GM sold 9,369,524 vehicles last year — a measly lead of 3,000 over Toyota’s 9.366 million vehicles sold last year. Automotive business analysts are expecting a more intense rivalry this year as the two compete for emerging markets like China and India.

But the No. 2 placer, it seems, isn’t complaining.

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By Associated Press

TOKYO, Japan–Toyota said Monday it sold 2.34 million vehicles globally in the July-September quarter, fewer than General Motors’ tally, as the US rival regained its lead in the race for the world’s top automaker.

Toyota Motor Corp.’s worldwide vehicle sales for the first nine months of this year — at 7.05 million vehicles — also fell short of sales of Detroit-based General Motors Corp. at 7.06 million vehicles for the same period.

The numbers Toyota released Monday show the Japanese automaker running neck-and-neck against Detroit-based General Motors with 2.38 million vehicles for the third quarter.

Toyota, which beat GM in global vehicle sales for the first half of the year, has been riding on its reputation for high quality small cars reputed for good mileage, such as the Camry, Corolla and gas-electric hybrid Prius.

Some analysts say it’s a matter of time before the Japanese automaker — which built its business in the decades after World War II by imitating American automakers — will close in on GM.