Much like BMW, Audi is taking the forced induction route for upping horsepower of its V6 engines– rather than just increasing displacement, a la Mercedes or Nissan. Audi officially announced the specs on its anticipated 3.0-liter V6 TFSI engine (the T must be silent, or refers to totally supercharged, not turbo). The new powerplant will pump-out 290 horsepower and 310 lb ft of torque. On paper, it's nearasdammit the same as BMW's 300 hp/300 lb ft turbocharged 3.0-liter I6 engine. The bottom line: Audi anticipates stronger fuel economy than they'd get with a bored-out larger displacement naturally aspirated V6. Not to mention the packaging and weight benefits. Oh wait. Anyway, a tuned version will probably power the next generation Audi S4, rather than the current 4.2-liter V8. This is great news for Audi fans, since the 3.2 -liter V6 they've been using so far in the A4 and A6 is down on power compared to German, Japanese, and even American rivals. And we can't have that, can we?

$11,800. That’s the price for a 2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser down at my local Chrysler dealer. Throw in the “Refuel America” $2.99 per gallon guarantee into the equation and you end-up with a pre-tax, tag, title price right around $10,200. Not bad. Not bad at all. Then again, is it? There are a lot of factors to consider when approaching any of the bargain basement cars currently on offer during this, Detroit’s [most recent] dark days. Join me as we journey down the PT-shaped rabbit hole…

If you're not an enthusiast, and simply want a 'keeper' car, the $10k Cruiser may be a great deal. What’s that you say? It’s going away? Well exactly. There are a lot of pluses for soon-to-be-defunct, less popular cars like the PT Cruiser that go far beyond the initial purchase price.

A long model run usually translates into a lot of easily obtainable spare parts, from multiple sources. The nearby parts store or junkyard will likely have replacements available for the eight year-old PT in duplicate or even triplicate. The PT Cruiser will also outdo recent entrants like the Toyota Yaris, Nissan Versa and Honda Fit when it comes to parts cost. For transplanted customers who have been beholden to the dealer for a $500 repair, that would cost maybe $150 in a mainstream Detroit iron, this is a weighty consideration.

All things being equal, a long model run also has the advantage of offering far fewer defects 'on average' than the latest and greatest models. A car that's been built a million times over has effectively given the supplier and the manufacturer plenty of opportunity to improve the car's design and reduce defects.

[Note: this isn't always the case. Google 'engine sludge' or 'transmission issues' and you'll see a long list of both domestic and transplant products that failed to make the grade, either initially or over time. However a quick visit to an enthusiast's site for your car (Google the model and add 'enthusiast' to the search) or owner's review sites like TrueDelta can tell you all you really need to know about a vehicle's true quality.]

Then there’s the double whammy of depreciation and gas cost.

For a car like the PT Cruiser, depreciation can be an absolute killer. As of writing, a PT Cruiser will lose an estimated 63 percent ($9,644) of it's retail value over five years. That’s far more of a hit than new models like the Yaris ($3,960), or Versa ($5,059), or the Fit ($5,152). For those who keep their rides for five years, the Intellichoice site is a good place to figure out your true costs of ownership, including depreciation. 

If you're one of the wiser souls who decides depreciation should be minimized at all [non] costs, you’ll find that a 10-year ownership period will reduce this difference by at least two-thirds. As common sense suggests, when it comes to depreciation, it's the keeper who usually comes out ahead.

There’s a lot anyone can do to minimize their vehicle’s depreciation. Keep it, clean it, use high quality parts, drive conservatively and know your car by joining an enthusiast's group. But gas cost is a far, far stickier wicket.

The PT Cruiser may be seen as frugal wee beasties, but a 19 city and 24 highway mpg rating puts it far behind on the other three competitors. If you keep a PT for 100k miles and drive evenly between the city and highway, you’ll spend $18,605 on gas (assuming $4/gallon). That is $6,105, $4,320 and $5,490 more than the Yaris, Versa and Fit. Double the duration and your gas costs may outweigh any other single cost. Even depreciation. With gas supply on a perpetual plateau and demand only going up, this is a real deal breaker for those who’ve changed their fuellish ways.

Finally, there’s insurance. An older and more conservative car with a strong safety rating will usually do far better here than a fashionable car that appeals to a riskier audience. In this sense, the PT is good news. A car like the PT Cruiser A) generally appeals to conservative and mature drivers B) offers pretty good safety ratings, and C) and requires cheap replacement parts (as mentioned). Most folks will simply call their insurance company and get a quote. That's fine. But being on the right side of these three rankings can make a big difference on the bottom line. 

So, for a retiree who drives sparingly, a brand new PT Cruiser is an excellent value. For an enthusiast, the Fit and Versa are the more fun vehicles to drive. If you look at cars as an overall economic proposition over a relatively short time period, the Yaris is probably a better bet. Personally I’d pick a VW Rabbit. But that’s an article for another day.

July's Car and Driver pits a new Ford Mustang against a new Dodge Challenger and joyfully proclaims "it's 1970 again!" Wrong. It's 1973 again, the year of the Arab Oil Embargo. This time there's plenty of gas at the pumps, but its price has thrown the U.S. car market into the same chaos/doldrums that afflicted it the year FedEx was born. Back then, the Mustang's pony car competition rolled over and died. Today, the Mustang faces new challengers with a convertible that gets 17/26 mpg. How great is that?

(The following email was sent to Chrysler employees today. It was released to the media with a note which read "'This information should help you cover Chrysler. We also sent it to our employees to help them as ambassadors of the company – Nancy." We leave it to you, our Best and Brightest, to make what you will of it.) 

Keeping Track of the Facts on Chrysler LLC
By Nancy Rae
Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Corporate Communications

As the industry goes through a period of great change and a slowing economy, we all face difficult questions about the status of the industry and our company.  Following are a number of the leading subjects that come up in the media and in our daily conversations, as well as information you need to know and share:

The State of the U.S. Auto Industry in 2008 .

Our full year plan for the market in 2008 has been aggressively conservative, allowing us to be better positioned for the current slowdown.  We are clearly in a challenging environment, but continue to be focused on building a profitable enterprise for the long term. We are committed to good business practices despite the market slowdown such as reducing fleet sales (volume down more than 20% YTD) and dealer inventory (volume is down 67,000 units from a year ago).

The State of Chrysler
. As a private company, we are like a $60 billion startup with a real owner-operator mentality. 
. Despite the challenges, we are meeting or exceeding our financial targets.
. According to Bob Nardelli (in The Wall Street Journal), "Cerberus nor its backers are second-guessing the deal. They are not looking back." 
. According to Tim Price, Cerberus spokesman, "We are comfortable.  We are long-term investors.  Chrysler is ahead of its cash flow forecast by $1 billion."
. We currently have our top 300 leaders going through a comprehensive leadership development program consisting of five segments focusing on strategic thinking, operating excellence and leadership.
. We are developing project-specific alliances to help bring the world's best technology to our customers, as soon as possible. Examples range from working with Nissan on a new small car for global markets to partnering with GM, Daimler and BMW on hybrid technology.
. We enacted a 5 percent cost reduction on certain non-production materials and services as a part of ongoing efforts to reduce our cost footprint in a highly competitive marketplace.

Chrysler's Sales in 2008
. Worldwide sales are down 14% YTD, which includes YTD increases in Canada, Mexico and International Markets. Fleet sales in the U.S. were down 40% in May and 23% for the year.
. Sales are rising for new products, such as Dodge Journey (2nd best selling mid-size crossover in May), Dodge Avenger (+15% YTD), Dodge Caliber (+9% YTD), Chrysler Sebring Sedan/Convertible (+11% YTD), and Jeep Patriot/Compass (+65% YTD).
. Our long-wheelbase minivans' U.S. retail sales are up 30% YTD, and retail share is up.
. In Canada, Chrysler is the #2 best selling manufacturer in the country, and up 5.5% YTD.
. In Mexico, Chrysler's sales are up 5.1% YTD.
. Outside North America, Chrysler's international sales are up 8% YTD, with markets like China and Russia becoming a larger part of our business.
. Dealers have embraced Project Genesis, and we are making progress in transforming the U.S. dealer network. Through May, 58% of our dealers are tri-branded, compared to 50% a year ago.  In the U.S., we now have 3,488 dealers, down from a year ago 3,684.

Chrysler's Alignment with Marketplace
. Chrysler is better aligned than previously for the shift towards smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles.  We also believe there is a strong and viable pickup truck market going forward.
. Through May, our U.S. sales were 41% pickup trucks and traditional SUVs, and 59% cars, car-based crossovers, compact vehicles and minivans.  (Industry is at 33%/67% ratio)
. Chrysler has six vehicles that achieve 28 MPG on the highway: Dodge Caliber, Dodge Avenger, Chrysler Sebring, Chrysler Sebring Convertible, Jeep Patriot and Jeep Compass.

Chrysler's Launch Lineup for 2008
These new vehicles have competitive advantages and are well-suited for today's marketplace:
. Dodge Journey – A crossover with class-leading (25 mpg) with a 4-cylinder engine.
. Chrysler Aspen/Dodge Durango Hybrids – Full-size SUVs offering up to 40% improved fuel economy in the city at a price thousands of dollars less than the competition.
. 2009 Dodge Ram – There is no better way to fight truck buyer malaise than with our best truck lineup ever boasting breakthrough new features. The new Dodge Ram lineup will also soon add optional light duty diesel and hybrid powertrain options.
. Dodge Challenger – This modern muscle car will come with a fuel-efficient V6 option at an aggressive entry-level price of $21,995.

Harbour Report for Manufacturing Productivity
. This year, Chrysler tied Toyota for #1 in manufacturing productivity (avg assembly hours).
. Chrysler has the #1 assembly plant (innovative Toledo Supplier Park) and #1 engine plant (GEMA joint venture with Hyundai and Mitsubishi).
. The combination of lower hours-per-vehicle production and a more competitive wage rate helps us compete with the transplants.

Quality
. In the latest J.D. Power IQS, the company improved six points, and Chrysler and Dodge brands showed improvement.  Unfortunately, the Jeep brand was last in the survey due to concerns about the Wrangler Unlimited.  We can do better and we know it.
. Dodge Durango and Dodge Dakota were tops in segments for least problems per hundred. Chrysler PT Cruiser took second place in the "Compact Multi-Activity Vehicle Segment".
. We have a corporate wide focus on the customer.  As part of this, we have put in place the industry's first Chief Customer Office, Doug Betts, and the Customer Advisory Board. 
. Chrysler LLC has approved more than 400 improvements in areas such as better materials, fit and finish and quieter operation.

Commodity Prices
. In the wake of mounting pressure from ever-increasing steel and other commodity prices, Chrysler is managing its costs and revenues to partially offset spiraling commodity costs.  
. Chrysler will continue its overall commitment to deliver the best values in the business through increasing standard equipment with our New Day packages to creative incentives, such as the $2.99 Gas Guarantee and our industry-leading lifetime powertrain warranty.
. At the beginning of the model year, Chrysler added, on average, $1,200 of new content to the vehicles in its lineup.

Investing in our Future with Advanced Technology
. Chrysler is in the midst of a $3 billion investment in advanced powertrains to develop new fuel efficient engines, axles and transmissions.
. ENVI is Chrysler's in-house organization charged with establishing Chrysler leadership in electric-drive vehicles and related advanced-propulsion technologies.
. Chrysler's UConnect® is a Bluetooth® enabled voice-activated, in-vehicle, hands-free communications system that recognizes more than 100,000 words and is capable of learning new words. Voice commands can input addresses to the navigation system, select satellite radio stations and access voice mail. New for 2009, the hands-free system automatically downloads up to 1,000 phone book entries per phone.

. Examples of new advanced technologies available on 2009 models include:
. In-vehicle wireless Internet connectivity: coming from Mopar® by year end 2008.
. Rear Cross Path: Chrysler-exclusive system warns drivers of approaching traffic in the parking lot aisle during back-up maneuvers.
. Blind Spot Monitoring: exclusive to Chrysler and Dodge in minivan segment.

We are committed to continuing to share information with you.  As an ambassador for this company, we hope you will communicate this information in your conversations about Chrysler.

Nancy

Warning: Today's question is not about your first car. Though we suppose there could be overlap. But what I'm interested in is the car that was used to teach you to drive. When I was eleven-years-old I got into a weird fight with my dad. He said that no Japanese car could be worth $20,000. This was in 1986 and the Legend (so to speak) had just been born. I explained to him that the buff books were all saying very good things about Honda's new luxury brand. My dad loved Datsun Zs and sporty Hondas, but just couldn't wrap his head around that level of sticker shock. So the two of us went down to the brand new Acura Dealer to investigate. A few hours later we drove off with a brand new champagne-colored Integra. It had leather seats (the first car my father ever had so equipped) and a $13,995 sticker price. I mention this because when it came time to get my learner's permit and then take the big test, that Integra served me well. But was it the first car I learned on? My memory banks are a bit foggy. I remember when I was seven or so sitting in the passenger seat of a Nissan Sentra wagon and yelling, "Clutch!" Dad was teaching me how to shift. Then when I was ten I remember he let me drive our enormous Buick wagon up and down a dirt road. His logic being that he learned to drive at twelve, and had never had an accident, ten-years-old would be even safer. But in truth, I gotta go with that brown on brown Integra. You?

For Edmunds, the upshot of writing what RF calls "Pimpatorials" is that they get to break inside information (although who knows how long they've been sitting on the news). The Inside Line folks report today that Infiniti is planning a small rear wheel-drive (RWD) coupe. The brand extension will be an entry-level two-seater slotting under the Infiniti G37 coupe. The new car would likely pack a smaller engine (2.5-liter V6?). That said, yours truly thinks that'll go out the window once the G37 upgrades to an even more powerful version of the VQ block. But Edmunds says the two-seater hardtop will focus on luxury, not performance. Odds are pretty darn good that this baby coupe will be a close relative of the new Nissan RWD sport coupe (perhaps wearing the legendary Silvia name) about which many have speculated. Sounds like the Nissan model, with naturally aspirated and turbocharged 4-cylinder engines, will be far more interesting. But Infiniti's conquest of the luxury world must march forward, even if that means going toe-to-toe with other badly conceived luxury models (cough – 1-Series – cough).

I recently bought a dishwasher. Investor Kirk Kerkorian (a.k.a. “The Lion of Las Vegas”) bought 20m shares of Ford Motor Company. As a percentage of net worth, we each spent comparative amounts. But I’m pretty sure I got the better deal. I’m positive I’m going to have guacamole-free dinnerware for the next five years. Capt. Kirk can’t make anywhere near as bold a statement about the longer-term value of his Ford shares. Or can he?

In May, billionaire Kirk Kerkorian’s Tracinda Corp. tendered an offer to purchase Ford stock at $8.50 per share, back when the American automaker’s stock price hovering around $6.12. Investors offered 1.02 billion of the outstanding 2.24 billion shares. Tracinda increased its stake in FoMoCo from 4.7 to 5.5 percent. This week, Kirk's mob upped their share of FoMoCo to 148m shares, or 6.49 percent of Ford's public stock.

The deal is glass-like, as in half empty or half full. The fact that the nation’s seventh richest man is willing to overpay for Ford paper by 34 percent is a glowing vote of confidence in the company. Tracinda believes Ford will transcend its troubles.

Conversely, owners holding almost half the company’s value wanted to dump and scatter like the cops just showed up. These people didn’t think Ford stock would reach even $8.60 any time soon. And why would they? Ten years ago, the stock traded in the 60s. Exactly whose view is more valid is a matter of perspective. Do you put more credence in the opinion of a couple thousand people or one 91-year-old guy?

It helps to know more about Kirk. An accomplished pilot, Kerkorian made his early money delivering Canadian planes to England using the fastest, most profitable and life-risking route. After WWII, he turned surplus bombers into an enormously successful charter airline. Its core service was Los Angles to Los Vegas. Sin City is where Kerkorian made his banked billions, buying and selling casinos and hotels.

Kerkorian’s interest in America’s automotive world is a familiar story. In 1995, he ambled over to a house of straw. Chrysler fended off the hostile takeover. In 2006, it was the RenCen’s house of wood. Kirk blew into the boardroom with 9.9 percent of GM’s stock, but accomplished nothing. He unloaded it all and huffed away. Departing from the traditional tale, Kerkorian went back to Chrysler in 2007, as Daimler sought to shed the company. He was outbid by Cerberus Capital Management. A year later and he’s standing outside Ford’s house of glass.

So what, precisely, does Tracinda want out of its Ford position? Seven percent of a company is certainly a good chunk, but it’s far from controlling interest. The Ford family retains 40 percent control, no matter who else owns what. Sure, you get influence, but you are not in charge. Even if, according to regulatory filings, Kirk's willing to offer an an "infusion of additional capital."

Perhaps Ford is a good buy. There are angles from which to view Ford stock whereby it’s doesn’t look so limp. Cash and equivalents divide out to more than $11 per share. Property is worth about $16 per share. Eight dollars and fifty cents ain’t bad if you’re going to carve this pig up. Not that slicing and serving are in Ford’s future. The family has become quite attached. Besides, if GM or Chrysler go down, they’ll be other meat on the table.

If Tracinda were simply taking a position in an undervalued stock, why go whole hog for this one? As of June Standard & Poors put FoMoCo in the bottom 40 of their 500 index. Ford’s off 28.9 percent for the year. Soaring gas prices are shifting U.S. consumers' tastes faster than any company can re-tool. Ford is running far bellow capacity at eight of its 15 North American plants. 

On the positive side, Ford is probably better positioned than Chrysler or GM to survive the near future. At the very least, they have some fuel-efficient cars to market, with another on the way. The other two American automakers have sucking chest wounds where their trucks and SUVs used to be. Still, that is an odd way to buy stock: wait to see if two major competitors kick it.

Kerkorian is euphemistically referred to as an “activist stockholder.” During his 18 months as a major GM player, he tried to force a deal with Renault/Nissan. When the board wouldn’t play his game, he sold his ball and left. Again, despite the back room meetings with Big Al and attendant ass-kissing, Kirk can’t realistically expect more power at Ford until the company is so far gone it's probably not worth it. 

All Kirk can really do is depreciate CEO Alan Mulally’s authority, either by suggesting what Mulally was going to do anyway, thus sapping credit, or causing dissention. Put short, he can make a small mess just when it appears Mulally has set the Blue Oval for “pots and pans” and hit start. Half full, half empty, whatever. For Ford’s sake, I’d like to see Kerkorian come clean.

We've seen video of Acura's forthcoming NSX testing on the Nurburgring. It looked like little more than a chopped-up, hopped-up Honda S2000.  Possibly because the test mule was clad in ill-fitting S2000 panels. In any case, KGP photography has caught a camouflaged NSX testing on the road. The NSX's proportions have come to resemble Acura's Advanced Sports Car Concept; there's no question that it's far more GT coupe than the previous mid-engined model. Rumors that the new Acura will offer 2+2 seating now look unlikely. Not that manufacturers are above calling even the tiniest areas "+2 seating." With over 500hp coming from the front-midships V10, we know the thing has some go. If you ignore the too-tight S2000 clothes in the Nurburgring video, you'll see (and hear) the NSX tearing some serious ass. If Top Gear doesn't do a three-way test of this NSX, the Lexus LF-A and the Nissan GTR on Nurburgring, we're seriously going to stop watching… for free, on the internet. Seriously.

Mergers have not always treated the car industry well (hello DCX), but in the cutthroat EV/HEV/PHEV game, joint-venture hookups now appear to be the order of the day. Toyota's got Panasonic for a partner, Daimler's got JCI-Saft, and Nissan has NEC, while GM juggles Cobasys, A123 and LG Chem. Now, two new joint ventures are joining the electric drivetrain development fray. PSA (makers of Peugeot and Citroen cars) has joined Mitsubishi to develop an EV drivetrain for city cars. Auto Motor und Sport reports that Mitsubishi will bring knowledge gleaned from its own partnership with battery maker Yuasa to the joint venture. Elsewhere, Bosch and Samsung have set up a joint lithium-ion battery venture in Korea, according to Green Car Congress. The new venture, SB LiMotive Co. Ltd, will open its doors this September with production beginning in 2010. Samsung's lithium-ion expertise from its consumer electronics battery business will meet Bosch's vehicle-based electronics experience in hopes of creating new industry-leading electric powertrains. Samsung has already developed a manganese-oxide-based lithium-ion cell for EV use; it's looking into vanadium-oxide as a next-gen anode for EV applications. For the eager EV suitors of Silicone Valley (hello Tesla), these hyperconglomerate hookups could mean even more competition for OEM affections, says CNET. Gotta pass those genes proprietary technology development costs along…

Rumors that Nissan will build Dodge's Hornet compact car are spreading like an STD on spring break. Not only are many of the car blogs– Autoblog, Motor Authority— covering the story, the subscription-only Automotive News is bringing the noise as well. We already knew Nissan would be building compact cars for Dodge in Mexico and possibly other overseas markets, and that Dodge would build the next generation full-size pickup for Nissan. AND we knew Dodge was looking to outsource production of its Hornet compact car to anyone, even the Chinese. So this isn't exactly groundbreaking. But there's other reason to yawn: the people that really care if Dodge has a compact car are Dodge dealers. Nissan moves about 10k Versas per month (handily outselling the much-ballyhooed Honda Fit for example). But it's not what anyone would call a class leader as a vehicle. That means Dodge will be selling a fairly high MPG car, with an extraordinarily ugly shape (if the Hornet concept is the basis) without Nissan's reputation for top-tier and reliable econoboxes. It wouldn't even have the novelty of being the first fully Chinese-made car to sell in the US. The upshot: with a Dodge standard rebate, the Hornet might just be dirty cheap. And I mean dirty.

Sharon found TTAC via a Google search, read our Tribeca and Compass reviews and freaked. "We are pretty clueless on car shopping and have spent way too many hours already. I would like someone's opinion that gives it to me straight." Here's the deal… She's buying the vehicle for two college-bound children. They'll be driving it in Fort Collins, CO, commuting back to Mom and Dad some six hours away in Santa Fe, NM. "One of them will keep the car as long as they can hold onto it and ensure proper maintenance." She's leaning towards the Tribeca, from a safety POV: "good test ratings, side bags, overhead curtain." Current vehicles: 2003 Tahoe (love it); 1996 Pathfinder (good condition); 1999 Honda Accord ("the transmission blew out and that's why were are in the market") and 2002 Nissan Frontier. Sharon's looking to spend $18k – $22k for this, their first used purchase. "We got a good offer (or we think it is good) on the Tribeca that happens to be fully loaded. The gas cap says 'premium preferred', but they tell us that it is not required. A Jeep salesperson just told me that Jeep is not going to make Compass in 2009 and just stick to the Patriots. His dealership in Santa Fe does not have a Compass to test drive new or used." OK guys, she asked for it: give her the inside dope. (Lateral thinking allowed.)

First and foremost, in terms of Nissan, four times more EV range equals 250 miles. This according to Mitsuhiko Yamashita, Nissan's executive VP of R&D. That's slightly more distance than the all-new Toyota Land Cruiser can cover with a single tank of gas. Nissan's first-generation lithium ion packs are good for just 75 miles. The second-gen batteries will arrive in that most magical of years (2010) to propel an unspecified vehicle a bit over 100 miles. Third-gen lithiums will show-up right when the Mayan calendar ends (2012), and propel a car 185 miles on a charge. As AutoblogGreen's Dom Yoney points out, it's best not to compare these (hypothetical) numbers to the Tesla Roadster's (hypothetical) numbers. Apparently there's a metric called "watt hours per kilogram" involved, but my brain is too small and lizard-like to comprehend. Nissan lithium ion battery production will begin in earnest next year at 13k units before ramping-up to a 65k units. Eventually. 

Two new hybrids to be precise, in addition to a redesigned Prius. Automotive News [sub] reports that all three vehicles will debut at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show. One of the new mystery hybrids will be a Toyota and the other will be a Lexus. We'll go ahead and speculate that the Toyota will in fact be a production version of the FT-HS sports car hybrid we saw at last year's Detroit spectacle. As for the Lexus, we're stumped. Maybe an IS variant? The massively anticipated third-gen Prius will soldier on with the same old nickel-metal hydride batteries for now. But come the hyper-magical automotive year 2010, the Prius will switch to lithium ion batteries. Panasonic — they build ToMoCo's batteries — will start whipping-up the lithium ion electro-juice containers in 2009. Cars powered by the same tech in your cell phone should hit dealers you know when (2010). Not to be outdone, Honda has promised four all-new hybrids by 2015 (guess they didn't get the 2010 memo). Nissan's gone on record promising to begin making lithium ions next year. Discounting GM and Chrysler's two-mode hybrid behemoths and The General's belt-assisted has-beens, and the Ford Escape Hybrid, it's up to the Hail Mary Chevrolet Volt to meet the hybrid onslaught. What are the chances?

May was a disaster for American new car sales. Practically every player in the U.S. market ended-up the month trailing last May's totals, many by a significant margin. Perhaps the most damning indicator of the industry's general direction: the F-150's sudden and precipitous drop from the top sales spot. Ford's full-size pickup wasn't just edged out; it was defenestrated by four different cars. The Civic, Camry, Accord and Corolla all mounted the Mother of All Palace Coups. With gas prices singing "the only way is up," clearly, May is only the start of a long, hot, bloody summer.

Trucks

Overall light truck sales fell 24.5 percent from last May. The Chevrolet Silverado* led the drop in pickup truck sales, down 42 percent in May, down 25.9 percent year-to-date (YTD).  The Dodge Ram slid by 37 percent for the month, 26.8 percent drop on the year. Ford's F-Series' tumble from the top of the U.S. sales chart was appropriately dramatic: down 30.6 percent in May and 18.7 percent from the first five months of last year. The Toyota Tundra turned-in its first negative month last month. May saw no respite (obviously); ToMoCo's full-sizer finished the month down 31.5 percent. Strong sales earlier in the year have kept it above the red line year to date; sales are still 8.5 percent ahead of last year.

Truck-Based SUVs

Traditional SUVs are dying, with one notable exception. Chevy's Tahoe* continues its fall from grace, dropping 39.7 percent in May, 29.9 percent YTD. The Dodge Durango has just about disappeared from view, "boasting" a 68.8 percent drop in May, down 44.2 percent for the year. The once all-conquering Ford Explorer is barely selling. Sales are down 41.2 percent in May, negative 28.7 percent for the year. Interestingly, the Toyota Sequoia is up 81.7 percent compared to last May, up 29.4 percent TYD. It's already outselling the Durango. If these trends continue, by the end of summer, Sequoia sales could easily eclipse the Explorer and Tahoe.

Crossovers

Here's news: buyers abandoning pickups and SUVs seem to be skipping CUVs and going directly to cars. The GMC Acadia lost the big Mo; sales fell for the second straight month vs. last year. Sales cratered 27.6 percent in May; excellent sales for the first three months have kept it  20.5 percent ahead for the year, though. For the first time, The Ford Edge dropped below the previous year's sales, down 2.6 percent in May. Like the Acadia, robust sales earlier this year have kept the annual sales up; the Edge finished May 26.8 percent ahead of the first five months last year. The Toyota Highlander* and Honda Pilot both finished May below May '07, down 9.6 percent and 16.5 percent respectively. The Highlander is still 1.9 percent up on last year, but so far, the Pilot is 14.4 percent below 2007.

Family Cars

The year of the car is finally here. Almost every mainstream passenger car showed increases in May. Chevy's Malibu* fell slightly from last month, but still ended up 39.1 percent ahead of May '07, up 25.7 percent YTD. The Chrysler 300 was the exception that proved the rule, finishing May down 52.9 percent, 30.7 percent YTD. (Chrysler attributed the drop to decreased fleet and rental sales.)  Ford Fusion sales were up 26.7 percent in May, up 10.5 percent YTD. May was the Toyota Camry's best month in 2007. May 2008 saw a 2.3 percent increase on that high water mark; annual sales rose 2.3 percent. The Honda Accord continued its trajectory, rising 37 percent in May, 8.3 percent YTD.

Compacts

Chrysler's bright spot: the Dodge Caliber. Sales were up 6.7 percent in May, 9.2 percent YTD. The redesigned Focus was Ford's biggest grower, jumping  53.2 percent in May, running 35.7 percent ahead of last year. Chevy's Cobalt continued its sales climb, rising 19.2 percent in May, 17.8 percent YTD. The best selling vehicle in May was… the Honda Civic*.  Civic sales were up 33.3 percent in May, 20.2 percent YTD. The Nissan Sentra finishes its third straight month of sales increases with a 9.6 percent jump May, 6.9 percent YTD.  Toyota's Corolla also had a good showing in May: up 16.8 percent. A slow start on the year means the Corolla's still trailing last year by 8.1 percent YTD.

Subcompacts

Chevy's Aveo sales dipped drastically in February and March but they've increased steadily ever since. It's up 44.3 percent from last May, up 2.3 percent YTD.  The Honda Fit made a huge jump, up 53 percent for May and 64 percent YTD. Nissan's Versa rose 14.8 percent from May 07, up 21.5 percent YTD. Toyota Yaris' sales rose 31.5 percent in May and 50.4 percent for the year to date.

Prius

The Toyota Prius turned in a shocking performance in May. In spite of soaring gas prices and consumers' increasingly "green" mindset, sales dropped 37.5 percent in May. Toyota [credibly] blames a shortage of cars on the ground. Regardless, sales are still up 3.8 percent YTD.

By Manufacturer

GM finished May 27.5 percent below last May, down 15.9 percent YTD. Chrysler was down 25.4 percent on the month, 19.3 percent on the year. Ford fared better, with "only" a 15.9 percent drop for the month, 11.2 percent drop for the year. For the fourth month this year, Toyota turned in a sales performance below the same month last year . This time, ToMoCo was off 4.3 percent for the month. They remain 3.5 percent below 2007 YTD. Honda was the only one of the "top five" automakers to finish both the month and year in the black. HoMoCo was up 15.6 percent on the month and, up 4.8 percent on the year.

Total Sales

GM, Ford, Chrysler and Toyota are closing truck plants and scrambling to convert truck lines to build cars– now that they've finally realized that truck sales aren't going to improve any time soon. As the model year starts winding down, you can count on even bigger incentives on trucks and SUVS as manufacturers try to clear out their inventories and make room for the cars everyone wants. Will they all make it to the end of the summer? Good question.

*Sales numbers include hybrid models

As goes ToMoCo, so Ghosn Nissan. Once truck-happy, Nissan is shifting its production away from not-so-good-on-gas trucks and SUVs and is instead building more cars. Nearly alone in the industry, Nissan's sales rose 8.4 percent in May. However, sales of the full-size Titan and Armada were off a 50 percent each. Nissan stayed afloat on the back on the Altima; the CamCord competitor saw its sales climb to 34,428 units (up 43 percent). By shifting around production at its North American plants, Nissan feels it can up production of the hot selling Altima, while decreasing production of the not big boys– without laying off any workers. The shift should yield an additional 2k Altimas a month. It doesn't mean Nissan is getting out of the truck business, though. The Titan will be replaced by a Mexican-built badge-engineered Dodge Ram while Nissan rebadges Frontiers as "Equators" for Suzuki. The plant currently building Titans will start building commercial vehicles.