Marketwire - Cars
Marketwire - Cars

• Winning Brands Goes NASCAR
  

  Double Page Spread in 2009 Official RacingOne Annual Sets Stage for Winning Colours Stain Remover With National Retailers

• Toyota Delays $1.3 Billion Mississippi Plant, Will Post First Operating Loss in 70 Years, an Industrial Info News Alert
  

  SUGAR LAND, TX--(Marketwire - December 24, 2008) - Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas) -- In recent months, the American automakers faced intense scrutiny as they begged Congress and the Bush administration for billions of taxpayer dollars to save themselves from, essentially, themselves. While they did eventually receive a temporary reprieve, saving at least one of the Detroit Three from bankruptcy for at least a few months, foreign automakers have also been facing troubling times within the North American automotive sector. In recent weeks, Toyota Motor Corporation (NYSE:TM) (Toyota City, Aichi) and its North American arm, Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America (Torrance, California), have been facing problems of their own.

• Avis Budget Group Completes Asset-Backed Conduit Financing Renewal and Amendment to Senior Credit Facilities
  

  PARSIPPANY, NJ--(Marketwire - December 23, 2008) - Avis Budget Group, Inc. (NYSE: CAR), a leading provider of vehicle rental services, today announced that it has completed the renewal of its principal asset-backed bank conduit facility and its seasonal conduit facility, which are used to finance cars for its rental fleet. The facilities provide for $1.35 billion and $1.1 billion of financing, respectively.

  The principal conduit facility has been extended through December 22, 2009, and the seasonal conduit facility will have a final maturity in November 2009 following 25% reductions in borrowing capacity in each of September and October. The initial borrowing spreads for these annually renewing facilities are unchanged from the levels established in connection with the extension of the principal conduit facility in October.

• Avis Budget Group Obtains Commitments to Renew Asset-Backed Conduit Financing and Launches Amendment to Senior Credit Facilities
  

  PARSIPPANY, NJ--(Marketwire - December 23, 2008) - Avis Budget Group, Inc. (NYSE: CAR), a leading provider of vehicle rental services, today announced that it has received commitments to renew its $1.45 billion principal asset-backed bank conduit facility and its $1 billion seasonal conduit facility, which are used to finance cars for its rental fleet. The commitments provide for a reallocation of $100 million from the principal conduit facility to the seasonal conduit facility.

• Solid Advances in 2008 Third Quarter and Nine Month Revenues and Net Income Reported by Fresh Ideas Media (Soon to Be Renamed China Auto Logistics Inc.)
  

  Compared With the Same Period Last Year Third Quarter Net Income Increased 366% on 25.8% Growth in Net Revenues While Nine Month Net Income Grew 91.9% as Net Revenues Advanced 29.1%

• CarbageSac Idea Launches New Nationwide "Green" Company Aimed at Combating Litter
  

  HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC--(Marketwire - December 22, 2008) - E-Wire -- The CarbageSacT, designed to provide a meaningful deterrent to the nationwide problem of highway litter, is now available from a start-up South Carolina "green" company, Do-GreenNow, LLC headquartered here.

  "The CarbageSacT has a unique design so that occupants of cars and trucks can hang it from the glove compartment or headrest posts and easily dispose of the kind of litter that so often winds up on the floor -- such as candy-wrappers, tissues and small cans," said Bretton Griffin, who serves as president of the new firm. Griffin also hopes the CarbageSacsT will also become a regular addition to boats and other watercraft.

• Co-op Services Credit Union Joins Invest in America Campaign
  

  Vehicle Discounts and Auto Financing Readily Available

• 78.8% Say Management and 63.8% Say Unions Responsible for Trouble in Detroit
  

  Holiday Spending: Almost a Third of Americans Under Budget, 13.8% Over

• Automotive Resources International (ARI(R)) Announces Promotion of Carl Ortell
  

  MT. LAUREL, NJ--(Marketwire - December 22, 2008) - Automotive Resources International (ARI), a leading global fleet solutions provider specializing in complex car and truck fleets, announces the promotion of Carl Ortell as executive vice president and chief operating officer.

  "Mr. Ortell will assume direct responsibility for Operations, Client Relations and Human Resources," noted Bill McKee, ARI president, "In addition, as executive vice president, a position in which he has served since 2006, he will continue to be directly responsible for Finance and Information Systems as well as leadership of ARI's North American Strategy and Global Partnerships."

• ARI(R) Appoints New Senior Vice President of Finance
  

  MT. LAUREL, NJ--(Marketwire - December 22, 2008) - Automotive Resources International (ARI), a leading global fleet solutions provider specializing in complex car and truck fleets, announces the promotion of Brian Bates to the position of senior vice president - finance. In his new role, Brian will oversee ARI's Treasury, Financial Services and Accounting departments.

  "In 2009, Brian will focus on expanding ARI's funding relationships and lead company-wide efficiency efforts," noted Bill McKee, ARI president.

• IBM Analysis Finds Consumer Expectations Remain High in 2008 Despite Dramatic Shifts in Marketplace
  

  Businesses Recognize Power of Consumers, Move to Leverage Trend for Differentiation in 2009

• Hydrogen Hybrid, Corp. Now Taking Orders for the Hydrogen 8x Mega Fuel Cell System for Class 8 Semi Trucks
  

  Tests on the 8x Mega Fuel Cell System Indicate a 50% Fuel Mileage Increase Following Installation on Class 8 Semi Trucks

• GM To Earn Canada's Trust
  OSHAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Dec. 20, 2008) - GM Canada has welcomed today's announcement of conditional repayable loan support by the Canadian and Ontario Governments and thanked the governments for their leadership and support. "This significant proportional support provides a welcome financial bridge at this critical time for our employees, suppliers, dealers and other partners across Canada," says Arturo Elias, President, General Motors of Canada. "We will work closely with the Governments and all our stakeholders to complete the major business transformation we initiated in 2005 to ensure a lean, green and sustainable business. GM Canada intends to earn the trust being placed in us. The support announced today sends a significant signal of stability in the face of the economic and credit challenges faced by Canada's auto sector."
• "Connect by Hertz" Launches Global Car Sharing Initiative -- Social Release
  

  Car Sharing Club Introduced to Neighborhoods in London, New York City and Paris

• Bush Bails Out the "Big Three"; Swapalease.ca Bails Out Consumers
  

  CINCINNATI, OH--(Marketwire - December 19, 2008) - U.S. President George Bush announced today that the "Big Three" automotive manufactures in the U.S. (Chrysler, General Motors, & Ford) will receive 17.4 Billion in bailout loans. Although the two of the "Big Three" just announced yesterday that they are closing their manufacturing facilities in excess of their typical holiday closures, this will bring the much need capital to help avoid total collapse of the U.S. auto industry and will hopefully save thousands of jobs throughout North America.

• Extended Plant Shutdowns the Name of the Game for Automakers as Cash Reserves Run Out, an Industrial Info News Alert
  

  SUGAR LAND, TX--(Marketwire - December 19, 2008) - Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas) -- The battle over bailing out the U.S. automakers continues to rage in Washington while the automakers themselves are quickly running out of cash to maintain operations. As a result, all three automakers, General Motors Corporation (NYSE:GM) (Detroit, Michigan), Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) (Dearborn, Michigan) and Chrysler LLC (Auburn Hills, Michigan), have