DaimlerChrysler in talks on EADS share sale

Reuters / FRANKFURT -- DaimlerChrysler AG, a large shareholder in aerospace company EADS, is in talks with the German government about selling 7.5 percent of its stake to a newly formed holding company, German financial daily Handelsblatt reported.

In a preview of its Thursday, Oct. 19, edition, the newspaper, citing participants familiar with the talks, wrote that five financial institutions would take stakes in the new company.

The German government has already received commitments from Deutsche Bank AG, Commerzbank AG and Goldman Sachs Group Inc., the paper said.

According to the plan, DaimlerChrysler would retain the voting rights, and in return it push EADS management to propose high dividends for investors.

DaimlerChrysler, Goldman, Deutsche and Commerzbank all declined comment, while the German government could not be reached for a statement.

German execs help Chrysler group look for cost cuts

DETROIT -- The Chrysler group is scouring the company to cut costs -- on the order of $1,000 for every vehicle it builds.

Several executives from DaimlerChrysler in Germany -- including Mercedes-Benz COO Rainer Schmueckle -- are making regular trips to the automaker's headquarters in suburban Detroit to help. But Chrysler group CEO Tom LaSorda is still in charge, a Chrysler spokesman says.

Every part of the company is being looked at for cost savings, Chrysler group spokesman Jason Vines said today. That includes vehicle development, manufacturing, purchasing and marketing.

The cost-cutting teams are expected to deliver their findings by early next year at the latest, Vines said.

"In a global enterprise, you are always looking for the best and brightest ideas to make you more competitive," Vines said.

The cost-cutting effort, named Project Refocus, began in late summer as the Chrysler group grappled with swollen inventories of vehicles and lackluster response to employee-pricing incentives.

The effort was stepped up after it became clear that the Chrysler group would post a large loss for the third quarter. German executives were dispatched to Michigan last month.

Vines said today that LaSorda asked DaimlerChrysler CEO Dieter Zetsche for help from Germany.

DaimlerChrysler warned last month that the Chrysler group would post a loss of about $1.5 billion for the third quarter, breaking a string of 12 profitable quarters. The automaker plans to report its third-quarter financial results next week.

Much of that loss is attributed to the Chrysler group's decision over the past year to keep vehicle production up even as sales slowed. The extra units, known as the "sales bank," have been stored in lots near assembly plants and rented lots in the Detroit area.

The automaker's sales staff has encouraged dealers to order units from the sales bank by offering extra incentives.

Chrysler group executives have said the sales bank will be eliminated by the end of this year. As of Oct. 1, the Chrysler group had 533,200 vehicles in inventory, an 82-day supply at current selling rates.

Schmueckle's history includes several cost-cutting efforts. As head of the Freightliner truck unit from 2001 through 2005, he led a major reorganization.

Working under Zetsche -- who last year took on the job of running the Mercedes Car Group in addition to DaimlerChrysler -- Schmueckle has presided over more than 8,000 jobs cut at Mercedes-Benz.

NASCAR’s Car of Tomorrow not liked by drivers

TOPSPEED | on 10.19.2006 10:00 By Andy Reiss - - Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth declared themselves not happy with the Car of Tomorrow NASCAR intends to use starting 2007.“I’ll admit, I’m not a big fan of the Car of Tomorrow,” said Jeff Gordon. “I think there’s some technology in there that’s good. Certainly safety-wise, I think there’s some things that I like.”

Kenseth, the 2003 champion, tested the COT at Michigan. “I wasn’t very impressed by any of it, really,” he said. “I think they’re going to be a lot different to set up. It looks like a normal car, but setting it up I think there’s going to be a lot more engineering and more expense involved to figure out what these cars need to run fast.”

“It’s funny,” Kenseth continued. “You’re out here (and) the normal car looks like a racecar, and you catch (a COT) and it kind of looks like a school bus or something. It looks really, really strange, so it is going to take some getting used to.”

“The biggest issue I have with the car is it doesn’t look like a racecar,” Gordon said. “To me, when I think of a Car of Tomorrow, I think of the ingenuity, technology. … But I think we could have done it by also making it look like the Car of Tomorrow. Have some futuristic things in it that look cool. It doesn’t have that.”

The ’Car of Tomorrow’ will make its limited debut in 2007.

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DaimlerChrysler, Michigan State University and NextEnergy Turn Former Dump Site Into Research Lab for Bio-fuels

DaimlerChrysler, Michigan State University and NextEnergy Turn Former Dump Site Into Research Lab for Bio-fuels

* Oakland County brownfield fuels green vehicles of the future
* MSU Researcher harvests soybeans, sunflowers, corn and canola from Rose
                             Township site
* Testing of the crop from the site may lead to "greening" of additional
                            brownfield sites

  AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Oct. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- A Detroit-area
brownfield site was anything but brown this year due to a unique experiment
by a Michigan State University researcher. Sunflowers, corn, soybeans and
other crops lent their colors to a section of the former dump site under
the watchful eye of Professor Kurt Thelen, Ph.D.
  Thelen has partnered with DaimlerChrysler, the State of Michigan, the
United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and NextEnergy of
Detroit in a project to reuse the former dump site to research and develop
better renewable fuels. He is leading the investigation into the
possibility that crops can be grown on former industrial sites for use in
ethanol or biodiesel fuel production. His first crops of soybeans, corn,
sunflower, canola and switchgrass -- harvested this fall -- will be tested
for their potential to be refined into renewable fuels.
  The Rose Township Project will serve as a model for potential reuse of
hundreds of Superfund and brownfield sites nationwide. The EPA has endorsed
the research under the agency's Return to Use initiative, designed to
encourage the reuse of Superfund sites. Approximately two acres of the 110-
acre site are being used for research.
  "This site may seem like a drop in the bucket, but we're looking at the
possibility of taking land that isn't productive and using it to both learn
and produce," said Professor Thelen. "The research we're conducting in Rose
Township could have major implications for both rural and urban brownfield
sites nationwide. If I had a brownfield in my neighborhood, I know I'd
prefer it be 'greened' and put to a constructive use."
  "Bio-fuels represent a huge opportunity to reduce our nation's
consumption of petroleum," said Deb Morrissett, Vice President - Regulatory
Affairs for the Chrysler Group. "The Rose Township Project could give us a
homegrown solution to our energy, environmental and economic challenges,
and a chance to return these contaminated lands to use."
  Fuels produced in Thelen's research will be tested at the National
Biofuels Energy Laboratory located at NextEnergy Center, the headquarters
of Michigan's non-profit alternative energy business accelerator program.
"This research, and related work here at NextEnergy, will further position
Michigan as a leader in the national effort to reduce our dependence on oil
and reduce the impact of transportation on our environment," said
NextEnergy CEO Jim Croce.
  DaimlerChrysler is a global leader among automakers in using and
promoting renewable fuel sources. More than 15,000 Jeep(R) Liberty CRD
diesels have already been delivered to customers running on B5, a fuel
comprising 5 percent biodiesel and 95 percent conventional diesel made from
petroleum. In early 2007, DaimlerChrysler will launch the Jeep Grand
Cherokee CRD with 3.0-liter, common rail, turbo-diesel engine, and the
Dodge Ram diesel, both of which also will be fueled with B5 at the factory.
These vehicles are also approved for regular use with B5 biodiesel fuel.
The company has emerged as the leader in supporting the development of a
national B20 -- 20 percent biodiesel fuel -- standard, and has approved the
use of B20 in the 2007 Dodge Ram for commercial, government and military
fleets.
  In 2007, DaimlerChrysler will produce more than 250,000 Flexible Fuel
Vehicles (Fives) capable of running on E85 fuel, conventional gasoline or
any combination of the two fuels. The company's FFV fleet will increase to
nearly 500,000 in 2008. The 2007 FFV lineup includes:
  *  The Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Commander, Dodge Durango and Chrysler
     Aspen SUVs (4.7-liter engine)
  *  Dodge Ram and Dodge Dakota pickups (4.7-liter engine)
  *  Chrysler Sebring sedan (2.7-liter engine)
  *  Dodge Caravan, Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans
     (3.3-liter engine)
  The Rose Township site was used by waste haulers for the unauthorized
disposal of oils, paint sledges and solvents in the late 1960s. More than
5,000 drums of waste were removed from the site between 1979 - 1986. While
DaimlerChrysler wasn't responsible for all the pollution at the Rose
Township site, an agreement was reached between all responsible parties and
the company took over the cleanup project in 1988.

Sales of Large Pickups and SUV Models Revive as Gas Prices Drop

FLEET-CENTRAL | October 19, 2006



The recent decline in gas prices has brought an increase in owner loyalty rates for pickup trucks and SUVS, which had been adversely impacted by higher fuel prices earlier in the year, according to real-time retail transaction data from the Power Information Network (PIN), a division of J.D. Power and Associates. To better reflect consumer demand for new vehicles, PIN data includes retail transactions only and does not include fleet sales.

Owner retention rates for the large pickup, large utility and midsize utility segments have all risen in the seven-week period from mid-August to early October—the time period during which gas prices steadily dropped and averaged $2.66 per gallon—when compared to the prior seven weeks, when gas prices averaged $3.04 per gallon. Owner retention is measured by the percent of owners in any given category who trade for another vehicle in the same category.

PIN data shows that at the model level, four of six high-volume large pickup models, four of five large utilities and seven midsize utilities all have experienced increases in owner retention during the same time period (mid-August to early October).

The large pickup, large utility and midsize utility segments account for almost one-quarter of new-vehicle sales—a combined 23.5 percent year to date through September. They also include some of the most profitable models in the industry, such as the Chevrolet Suburban, Ford Expedition, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Toyota 4Runner.

Consumer Guide Chooses Chryslers as 'BEST BUYS 2007'

FLEET_CENTRAL | AUBURN HILLS | October 19, 2006 - - The Chrysler Group won both "Best Buy 2007" and "Recommended 2007" awards from Consumer Guide Automotive.

This year, the "Best Buy 2007" was awarded to the Chrysler 300 and the Dodge Charger and Magnum in the large car category, and the "Recommended 2007" went to the Chrysler Town & Country and the Dodge Caravan in the minivan segment.

The Dodge Dakota received "Recommended 2007" in the compact pickup truck segment.

Every year, Consumer Guide Automotive editors select the best overall values in 17 category segments, ranging from inexpensive compact cars to premium luxury SUVs. A vehicle's price, features, accommodations and its performance during test drives are all taken into consideration.

Saudi oil minister backs 1M barrel production cut

OPEC minister voices support for move at cartel meeting, and hints that another cut may be necessary in December.

October 19 2006: 10:14 AM EDT | DOHA (Reuters) -- Saudi Arabian Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi said he supported an OPEC cut of a million barrels per day from actual production at the group's meeting Thursday.

The minister was asked if a cut of more than a million may be necessary. "We will look at that in Abuja ...there is a big possibility there will be another reduction in Abuja," Naimi replied.

OPEC ministers meet on Thursday to finalize the organization's first output cut since 2004, aimed at halting a precipitous fall in prices and sending a message of intent to a skeptical world market.

OPEC is scheduled to meet Dec.14 in the Nigerian capital.

"Let me make the issue of price clear," Naimi told reporters. "You know the price is determined by the market. What we try to do is make the market in balance.

"Today there is dis-equilibrium between supply and demand - we are trying to bring back the market to normal equilibrium and the price will take care of itself," he added.

U.S. light crude jumped 72 cents to $58.37 a barrel, after plunging more than 2 percent the previous session.

Earlier Thursday OPEC President Edmund Daukoru said a 1 million bpd cut would be the "minimum outcome" of Thursday's meeting.

OPEC's big gamble - "We will be selling ourselves short unless we reach an agreement and issue a clear and credible statement at the end," Daukoru told Reuters. "Market conditions dictated we had to meet."

Naimi said OPEC will detail exactly the distribution of the cut among members to be decided Thursday. Saudi Arabia had already started cutting back its supplies to the market, Naimi said.

"We will publish the numbers exactly," Naimi said.

He said he expected Thursday's cut to be effective from Nov. 1.

There is agreement in OPEC it must reduce production by at least one million barrels daily, or 3.6 percent, to counter slowing demand for its oil next year and high fuel stocks, especially in top consumer the United States.

But it remained unclear where the group, which pumps more than a third of the world's oil, would apply the knife - to actual output, averaged over 3, 12 or 14 months, or quotas that have little relation to barrels pumped.

Iran and Venezuela, struggling to meet their quotas, are wary of a cut based on actual supply that would see them ceding market share to other producers, most notably Algeria, that are pumping way in excess of their official limits.

But most in OPEC say a reduction must come from real output to be credible, effectively scrubbing out existing quotas. Iranian Oil Minister Kazem Vaziri-Hamaneh told reporters on Thursday he would go along with the majority view.

Balancing act

To try to sidestep the issue of quotas OPEC may present the cuts as voluntary or temporary - releasing only a list of individual cutbacks, Qatar's Attiyah said.

A decision to remove more crude oil from oversupplied markets could fall at OPEC's next meeting in Nigeria on Dec. 14, the head of Libya's delegation Shokri Ghanem said.

"OPEC's task in Doha looks difficult. The group must provide the market with a credible scheme or prices may fall further," ABN AMRO analyst Geoff Pyne said.

Analyst John Hall of John Hall Associates said OPEC had missed a window of opportunity to rebalance the 85 million bpd world oil market and shore up prices at its September meeting.

"The difficulty they have is that it's too late to do anything. It's too late and not decisive enough," he said.

Another analyst said some OPEC policymakers wanted to make deeper cuts in output but felt hamstrung by mid-term elections in the United States, where fuel prices are a political issue.

"If it weren't for the U.S. election and the high prices we've had there would be a better than 50 percent chance that OPEC would cut more than a million barrels," he said.

OPEC's official ceiling has been at 28 million bpd since July 2005. During that time output has shifted around 500,000 bpd either side of the official limit.

Local Pride: Detroit Tigers Cruiser Born From DCX for World Series

Date posted: 10-19-2006 | EDMUNDS | AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Somebody at Chrysler headquarters must have had a premonition that the Detroit Tigers were bound for the World Series.

Instead of coming up with a New York Yankees PT Cruiser or a Cleveland Indians PT Cruiser, the automaker rolled out a Tigers-themed Cruiser convertible back in August during the Woodward Dream Cruise.

The one-off vehicle, created in conjunction with local Detroit TV station WDIV, has been rolled out again to hype fans up for the upcoming World Series. The Power of 4 Tigers Cruiser is largely an appearance package, done up to look like a baseball with red "top stitching" on the fenders and the signature old-English D that is taken from the ballplayers' uniforms.

The PT Cruiser is powered by a base 2.4-liter inline-4 that makes 150 horsepower and 165 pound-feet of torque. The engine is mated to a five-speed manual transmission.

The 2006 Tigers were American League champions for the first time in 22 years.

What this means to you: It's party time in Motown. The national media has already picked up on the World Series being a major boost for a struggling city, state and region.

Slow-selling minivans ripe for discounts

Updated 10/19/2006 12:06 AM ET

Enlarge Dealers have boosted the average incentive for the Honda Odyssey 91% from last year, to $707. Enlarge Average incentives for the Dodge Caravan are $4,485, up 79% from last year.

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By Sharon Silke Carty, USA TODAY | DETROIT — Minivan shoppers are being offered more rebates and other incentives this fall as automakers attempt to stanch the flow of customers looking for alternatives to the family haulers.

Minivan sales are down 12.4% for the first nine months of the year compared with the same time last year, and one industry watcher predicts sales could fail to top 1 million for the year for the first time since 1992.

"Basically, minivans aren't as popular anymore," says Alex Rosten, an analyst for car-shopping website Edmunds.com. Former minivan buyers are increasingly moving to crossovers — vehicles that have the same utility as SUVs but are built on car platforms for smoother rides and better fuel efficiency. "Those who need seven-passenger capacity are moving to crossovers. They are the new SUVs."

In September, the average incentive on minivans was $3,584, an all-time high, Rosten says.

The shift away from minivans could spell trouble for DaimlerChrysler's (DCX) Chrysler Group, which sells the No. 1 and No. 2 best-selling versions: Dodge Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country. Caravan sales are down 5% year to date, and Town & Country sales are off 10%.

DaimlerChrysler CEO Dieter Zetsche said last month that a shift to more fuel-efficient powertrains on minivans caught the company off guard. "We have a very good reputation for our minivans, but we are not perceived as being the most fuel-efficient," he said.

Still, the massive jump in September rebates seemed to help. Sales of the Caravan were up 49% for the month compared with a year earlier. Town & Country was up 74%.

But incentives may not be enough to help sales recover for the year. Last year, the minivan segment hit 1.1 million sales, about flat with prior years. George Pipas, sales analysis manager for Ford Motor (F), predicts minivan sales won't even reach 1 million this year. To hit 1 million, minivan sales will need to be 1% higher for the last quarter of the year compared with a year ago.

Lagging sales are part of the reason Ford is backing out of the minivan market. It will end production of Ford Freestar next year, and it ended production of Mercury Monterey earlier this year.

"When a segment shrinks, there's too little room for too many players, and that reduces the profitability in the segment," Pipas says. "Our feeling was, there's no point in being a Honda (HMC) Odyssey wannabe."

Tom Libby, senior director of industry analysis at Power Information Network, says Ford's decision to back out of the segment and General Motors' (GM) lackluster minivan offerings account for much of the decline in volume.

"GM and Ford have really retreated and seem to be accepting a secondary position in the segment," Libby says. The percentage of those owning Chevrolet Ventures or Ford Windstars, predecessor to Freestar, moving to another minivan is going down, he says. "They're not staying with the same companies, and they're leaving the segment."

According to Power data, 41% of people who traded in a minivan in the third quarter bought a new one, a rate that's about flat with the third quarter of last year. But that loyalty number isn't nearly as strong as some other segments. The loyalty rate for pickups, for instance, hovers around 70%.

Minivan owners who are getting out of the segment are increasingly switching to crossovers, midsize SUVs and even compact cars, according to Power.

"There's nothing wrong with the minivan product per se," Pipas says. "It's just that there are so many other vehicle choices now. When minivans were introduced in the '80s, consumers basically had to choose between station wagons and minivans — and that was an easy one."

Still, minivans aren't likely to disappear anytime soon.

"I don't think they're going to go into oblivion, because there will always be a need for them," says Rosten. "And they're a lot cheaper than crossovers."

This Day in Auto History: 19 OCTOBER

10.19.1897 - John Melancthon Hickerson, the biographer of Ernest R. Breech, is born in Hatfield, MO 10.19.1927 - Frank Raymond Faraone of General Motors is born in San Francisco, CA 10.19.1945 - Packard introduces its first post-World War II cars, the Clipper Eight Standard and Clipper Eight Deluxe 10.19.1958 - Mike Hawthorn driving a Ferrari Dino 246 is his final race finishes second in the Moroccan Grand Prix at the Ain-Diab circuit in Casablanca behind the Vanwall driven by Stirling Moss, but clinches the World Champion Driver title to become the first Briton to win this honor 10.19.1971 - Tire manufacturer Alberto Pirelli dies in Casciano, Italy at age 89

Source: Automobile History Day By Day, by Douglas A. Wick

COuld this be the GLK-60?

Another Pic of the next 'C' Coupe from AutoBild

Is This The Next Mercedes CL65 AMG? Raising the Bar

EMERCEDESBENZ | STUTTGART - - While browsing our good friend Vincent's website Autoblog.nl this morning we stumbled upon spy photos of what may be the next Mercedes CL65 AMG. Although there's no visible badging on the vehicle, it's the only CL variant that hasn't been officially announced by Mercedes, so in all likelihood it probably is the V12-powered model. Of course, the photos could also be older spy shots of the CL63 AMG, which looks identical; either way, I'm expecting to hear Mercedes' official CL65 announcement sometime in the very near future...

Highland Park Development Group Honors Bill Snethkamp Chrysler Jeep Dodge With 2006 Business Legacy Award

Eighty Year, Four Generation Family Business to Get 2006 Business Legacy Award From HP Devco October 26, 2006

DETROIT, Oct. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- One of the nation's oldest car dealerships, Bill Snethkamp Chrysler Jeep Dodge in Highland Park, will be honored Oct. 26, 2006 with the HP Devco 2006 Business Legacy Award for "decades of quality service, dealership expansion and continued support to community organizations in Highland Park."The award will be presented to third generation Snethkamp Automotive Family president Mark Snethkamp at the HP Devco annual awards dinner at Focus HOPE in Detroit, Oct. 26, 2006.

"We have a long standing basic belief that started with my grandfather in the value of reinvesting in your community and in your people," Mark Snethkamp said. "It's been good for us, for our community, for our employees and for our customers for four generations."

HP Devco is an independent not-for-profit development agency dedicated to creating and implementing community and economic growth within the City of Highland Park, which is inside the City of Detroit.

Mark Snethkamp has led the growth and development of the Snethkamp Automotive Family of Dealerships in the last decade to one of the most prominent and successful automotive groups in the nation, including the flagship Bill Snethkamp Chrysler Jeep Dodge in Highland Park; Snethkamp Chrysler Jeep in Redford, Bill Snethkamp's Dodge in Lansing, Al Deeby Dodge in Clarkston, a pre-owned vehicle superstore, Car City, in Highland Park; one of the nation's largest dealer fleet leasing operations, Corporate Fleet Service with vehicles leased in all 48 states, Canada and Mexico; and two advanced technologies body shops, one in Detroit and one in Redford.

Tickets and information for the event are available from HP Devco Inc., 313-252-0353, www.hpdevco.org.

Bill Snethkamp Chrysler Jeep Dodge is located at 16400 Woodward Avenue, Highland Park, MI 48203. 313-868-3300, www.snethkamp.com.

DaimlerChrysler denies it plans Kazakh joint venture

< Reuters / October 18, 2006 - 9:00 am | FRANKFURT -- DaimlerChrysler denied today that it sought to establish a joint venture in the central Asian state of Kazakhstan.

"There are no plans to set up a joint venture or joint production or anything like that," a company spokesman said.

The Kazakhstan government said in a statement earlier today that Prime Minister Danial Akhmetov had discussed the possibility of a joint venture with DaimlerChrysler officials in the capital Astana.

"The prime minister has ordered the Ministry of Industry and Trade to set up a special working group to analyse the market for potential consumers, as well as opportunities for selling the joint venture's products in neighboring countries," the statement said.

DaimlerChrysler to keep managers Grube, Renschler, source says

Reuters / October 18, 2006 - 9:00 am FRANKFURT -- DaimlerChrysler's supervisory board is set to extend the contracts of corporate development chief Ruediger Grube and truck division head Andreas Renschler, a source close to the matter said today.

Under German law, companies can extend senior managers' contracts in the year before they expire, and those for Grube and Renschler run out in September 2007. The supervisory board is set to approve the extensions next week, the source said.

The world's fifth-biggest carmaker decided in August to give top executives three-year contract extensions rather than the five-year deals it had previously awarded.

DaimlerChrysler said it does not comment on personnel issues.

DaimlerChrysler unit Fuso recalls 75,400 vehicles in Japan

Reuters / October 17, 2006 - 11:00 am TOKYO -- Mitsubishi Fuso Truck & Bus Corp., the Japanese unit of DaimlerChrysler AG, will recall 75,400 trucks and buses in Japan to repair a faulty brake device, according to a filing with Japan's transport ministry today.

Mitsubishi Fuso, held 85 percent by DaimlerChrysler, will recall Fuso Canter small trucks and Fuso Rosa microbuses made between June 1995 and March 2004, the filing said.

Because of an insufficient waterproofing structure, water containing a snow melting agent can enter the braking system and cause it to overheat and catch fire.

There have been two reported cases of fires because of the device, which is used to keep the vehicle from sliding backward when starting on a hill, according to the filing.

No one at Mitsubishi Fuso was immediately available for comment.

Smart ForTwo coupé - Who said good things don’t come in small packages?

AUTOEXPRESS.COM | Juergen Zoelter | UK - - When the wraps were peeled off Smart’s all-new ForTwo for Auto Express as part of an exclusive first ride, we couldn’t believe our eyes. The newcomer, codenamed A451, is a little gem.

	While the current Smart is a surprisingly capable cruiser, the newcomer is more stable, and engi­neers report it’s easier to drive, too

There is no doubt that the famous city car has grown up – but it’s done so without piling on the pounds. Engin­eers at the DaimlerChrysler-owned firm have kept the original model’s basic shape and cabin layout, but improved the quality and enhanced the design of virtually every component.

Both cabrios and coupés are under development, and both were with us for our journey. But as the only surviving Smarts from a line-up that once inclu­ded a roadster and a four-door super­mini, a lot rests on their shoulders.

There is particularly high expectation of the coupé, which will be revealed on 9 November – six months ahead of the convertible. So nothing is being left to chance. As you can see if you look carefully at our test car, there are new front lights, redesigned front and rear bumpers and an extra wide track, too.

The additions provide greater road presence, but the comfort­able seats, improved safety kit and new petrol and diesel engines all take up more space. As a result, the model is 20cm longer and 9cm wider than its predecessor. That still makes it one of the smallest city cars money can buy, but somehow it doesn’t look as compact as before.

It was dwarfed by the big trucks and huge off-roaders on our American test route – although it didn’t feel out of its depth. That’s partly down to the varied engine range, which includes new 1.0-litre petrol and 800cc diesel units, both of which have three cylinders.

Jointly designed with Mitsubishi, the new petrol is available in three guises. There’s an entry-level 61bhp car and a more powerful 71bhp edition, while the flagship turbo has as much as 84bhp.

But the Mercedes-built oil-burner is the real star. The 84bhp common-rail direct-injection motor has a diesel particulate filter, and while its refinement could be better, the 60mpg we regularly saw returned was very encouraging.

The more miles we did, the clearer the benefits of the new seats and longer wheelbase became. While the current Smart is a surprisingly capable cruiser, the newcomer is more stable, and engi­neers report it’s easier to drive, too. The upmarket cabin is airy and spacious, and while the switchgear and instruments are covered in black tape and test gear, they look and feel far more robust.

So the Smart really has grown up; it’s now more downtown than toytown. But will this be enough to save a brand which has needed to fight harder than bosses ever thought it would for each and every sale? The answer won’t be known until the newcomer is officially launched in a few weeks.

However, our early ride has given us a glimpse of the future. And although fans of the outgoing model are sure to bemoan the increased dimensions, they will revel in the step up in quality. So it looks as though Smart is here to stay.

VIDEO: Richard Dreyfuss pitches the '70 AMC Javelin

AUTOBLOG.COM | Alex Nunez - -We like Richard Dreyfuss. Whether it's the old-school Richard (Close Encounters, Jaws), the 80s Richard (Down and Out in Beverly Hills, Stakeout, Let it Ride), or the modern Richard (What About Bob?, Poseidon), Dreyfuss has demonstrated his formidable chops as a thespian many times over, often making us laugh along the way.

The laughs came again when we watched this TV spot for the '70 AMC Javelin, though we don't think they were exactly intentional. Dreyfuss is the "star" of the spot, in which he leads a very unintimidating band of hoods as they check out the coupe. Affecting a neo-Bugs Bunny accent with the cheese factor turned up to the max, he and his cohorts extoll the virtues of the Javelin while looking as if they could break into song -- West Side Story-style -- at any given moment.

Thankfully, they don't. Good thing. If we laughed any harder, someone would've had to call an ambulance. The overacting reaches Shatnerian levels, and the entertainment value is incalculable.

[Source: YouTube]

Dodge Nitro Panel Wagon previewed ahead of SEMA show

AUTOBLOG.COM | John Neff

Who knows why automakers seem attracted to the utilitarian nature and claustrophobic accomodations of panel vehicles lately, but we're not complaining. Dodge is the latest to join the fray by offering up renderings of the Nitro Panel Wagon concept that will be displayed at this year's SEMA show near the end of the month. As per the requirements for being labeled a panel van, the Nitro Panel Wagon features windowless side panels and a flat load floor. Mike Ellis of DCX tells us that designers are also going to pimp the Panel Wagon with some cool ground effects. Whether that means neon tubes lighting up the frame or just new front and rear bumpers plus side skirts remains to be seen, although we can clearly see some exterior mods on the rendered vehicle that leads us to believe the latter (please don't put neons on your concept, Chrysler).

Unlike the Chevy HHR Panel that was recently announced for production, Chrysler is not saying if there's a production line in this panel van's future. We're all about panel vans, so we say do it. Chevy cannot be allowed to be the only domestic automaker with a production panel van. A panel wagon war between the domestics is exactly what we need right now to take our minds off of quarterly earnings and monthly sales figures. You don't think it'd be an irresponsible use of precious resources, do you? Whatev, build 'em.

[Source: DCX]

In love with lemons

By JUDY STEININGER	October 18, 2006
Vince Megna battles the big dogs and is considered one of the leading Lemon Law attorneys in the nation. Toyota could put attorney Vince Megna out of business, but General Motors keeps sending him disgruntled clients. The Washington Post has called him the "King of Lemon Laws" because in 650 cases against General Motors he has never lost. In all his years in practice, he’s sued Toyota a piddling 10 times. "Why doesn’t General Motors just make better cars?" he asks rhetorically. Megna is slightly taller than Danny DeVito and possesses the same wicked sense of humor. When he first started taking on the automotive giants and all their resources, it was the equivalent of DeVito going for a lay up against Shaquille O’Neal. By now, he’s proof that with the law and a good attorney on your side, even the little guy can win. Lemon Law cases comprise his entire practice, which he handles from his office in the firm Jastroch and LaBarge located in Waukesha. He drives there from his Brookfield home in a lemon yellow 2006 Corvette Coupe, license plates: LEMNLAW. Yes, that is a General Motors car. He’s driving a 2006 because his 2004 blue Corvette was a lemon! GM was forced to replace it because it had as many problems as a lemon has seeds. Megna is proud of Wisconsin’s Lemon Law. He considers it one of the best in the country. He explains the standard for a lemon is high; an annoying car with 10 different problems that are all fixed in one year won’t qualify. To qualify, the problem must relate to use, value or safety. The dealer gets four chances to fix it in a year. If the dealer cannot or the car is out of service for 30 days, the Lemon Law kicks in and the manufacturer has 30 days to make the problem right. If the manufacturer is not forthcoming, Megna comes calling with the statute behind him, and the manufacturer might as well ask the car owner what color he or she wants. If the corporation decides, as they often do, to fight him in court and lose, Megna’s client will get double damages as well as attorney’s fees and court costs. In March of 2006, Megna won what is the largest such settlement ever. DaimlerChrysler paid him and his client a total of $385,000. Megna quizzes, "It was an $80,000 Dodge Viper. Why didn’t they just give him a new one?" Like a lot of attorneys, Megna is a great raconteur. He has turned his story telling skills into two books. Bring on Goliath is a very readable retrospective of the Lemon Law field throughout the United States. The rear of his Corvette is featured on the cover. His most recent book (summer of 2006) should be kept on a high bookshelf if there are small children around. The title is "Lap Dancers Don’t Take Checks." A blond with more curves than a Porsche Boxster is lounging on a desk with Megna in a pinstriped suit and a grin full of irony standing behind her. "This book is directed right at attorneys. I’m sick of all the garbage. Lawyers simply cannot lie and cheat." Megna has had absolutely no personal relationships with lap dancers; he’s happily married to Connie and they have a 23-year-old son. Never a high school scholar, Megna left Waukesha for L.A. with his guitar. The kid was good! He spent 10 years on the coast playing with talent like Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart who wrote songs for the Monkees. With longer hair, he played with Teddy Randazo who wrote such memorable pieces as "Going Out of My Head" and "Hurt So Bad." "I also studied with jazz guitarist Herb Ellis. He’s the reason I went to L.A," says Megna. Few of his teachers would have predicted Megna would graduate from Marquette’s law school and his hard won national stature. "I graduated in the lower 10 percent of my class. I couldn’t get into any college. Finally someone at Milwaukee Institute of Technology (now MATC) listened to me; I begged, saying MIT was my only hope. "The counselor looked at me and said ‘O.K., you can come here, but you’ll never make it.’ People just start learning at different times." That experience with underdog status may be one of the reasons he enjoys defending the less powerful.

Oil sinks ahead of U.S. energy report

Crude prices fall towards $58 as traders brace for jump in U.S. crude inventories and formal production cut by OPEC.

October 18 2006: 6:33 AM EDT | LONDON (Reuters) -- Oil slipped towards $58 a barrel on Wednesday as dealers weighed an expected rise in robust U.S. crude stocks against an OPEC meeting likely to seal a deal to cut output.

U.S. light crude for November fell 37 cents to $58.56 a barrel, after declining $1.01 the previous session. London Brent crude fell 35 cents to $60.59.

"The market has its eye on the U.S. oil stocks data... but more importantly, it is also waiting to see if there is going to be something definitive on the production cuts," said U.S.-based analyst Phil Flynn with Alaron Trading.

Ministers from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries are scheduled to meet in Qatar on Thursday to clear a deal to remove 1 million barrels from daily output in an attempt to stem oil's drop from a high of $78.40 in July.

OPEC's big gamble

But the group has been divided on whether it should cut the output from actual production of roughly 27.5 million barrels per day (bpd) or from its nominal 28 million-bpd ceiling, a disagreement analysts say has hurt OPEC's credibility.

"Everyone is taking a wait-and-see attitude with OPEC," said Olivier Jakob of Petromatrix. "They could have a one million barrel cut on paper, but in reality it could be smaller than that."

Analysts said brimming U.S. crude stock levels, which last week stood almost 7 percent higher than a year ago, were limiting any potential recovery in prices ahead of the winter. Oil hit a 2006-low of $57.22 a barrel last week.

U.S. crude stocks are likely to have risen by 1.3 million barrel last week, while distillate stocks -- including heating oil -- were seen falling by 650,000 barrels, according to a Reuters survey ahead of data due later on Wednesday.

Gasoline stocks were seen falling by 270,000 barrels.

"The stats are going to be a mixed bag with crude stocks higher, but lower for products. It's colder in the states so we will have to see how that affects heating oil demand," Jakob said.

The U.S. winter is likely to be 5 percent colder than last year's mild season, meaning demand for winter fuels could rise, private weather forecaster EarthStat Energy WeatherWinter said on Tuesday.

Shares of oil majors Exxon Mobil (Charts), Chevron (Charts) and ConocoPhillips (Charts) all edged lower in Tuesday trade on the New York Stock Exchange.

Mercedes Group nine-month auto sales in China, Hong Kong rise 47%

BEIJING (MarketWatch) -- DaimlerChrysler AG (DCX.XE) said Wednesday its Mercedes Car Group sold 16,400 passenger vehicles in mainland China and Hong Kong in the first nine months this year, a 47% increase from the same period last year.

In mainland China alone, vehicle sales of the Mercedes group rose 58% in the January-to-September period, while sales of Chrysler Group climbed 31% from the year-earlier period, the U.S.-German auto group said in a statement Wednesday. It didn't provide specific figures.

In northeast Asia, DaimlerChrysler's retail sales of passenger cars rose 37% in the first three quarters of this year to 28,452 cars from 20,728 in the same period last year, the statement said.

"Local production of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class in Beijing, and the Chrysler Town & Country in Taiwan helped increase sales," the statement cited Till Becker, chairman and chief executive officer of DaimlerChrysler Northeast Asia, as saying.

Beijing Benz-DaimlerChrysler Automotive Co., or BBDC, a joint venture of the U.S.-German auto group, launched a new 210,000-square-meter manufacturing facility in September.

BBDC said at that time it will begin producing Chrysler 300C sedans, previously only imported to China, in the fourth quarter. It started producing Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Mitsubishi Outlander sedans in Beijing in late December.

In Taiwan, Mercedes Car Group sales increased 12% in the first nine months from the year-earlier period, the statement said.

Chrysler Group sales in Taiwan surged 46% in the January-to-September period, boosted by demand for Chrysler Town & Country, which is produced through a licensing agreement with Taiwan's China Motor Corp., the statement sa

Manitowoc car dealer sells across the globe

Web site creates overseas sales for First Chrysler

Charlie Mathews | Herald Times Reporter | MANITOWOC — Mark Wilson wasn't able to kick the tires on the 2005 Dodge Ram SRT-10 pickup truck he bought from First Chrysler earlier this month.

Wilson lives in New Zealand. His truck will arrive in several weeks, with a $12,000 shipping fee on top of the $28,500 purchase price from the car dealer on Manitowoc's west side.

He is one of more than 200 customers who have, in the past five years, bought cars from Dick Kornely via the Internet.

"Many customers are more comfortable negotiating online, rather than talking to a salesman face to face," said Kornely, who's been in the car business for more than 25 years.

Cars on his Expo Drive lot are sold to customers around the globe via the World Wide Web.

"Cars.com has helped take First Chrysler global," Kornely said, noting his dealership also shipped a Chrysler Town & Country Limited All Wheel Drive mini-van to the Magnus Thor Arnarson family in Iceland.

"We flew out to Wisconsin and drove our Chrysler van back," said Sharon Fisher, of Albuquerque, N.M., in a phone interview. "The Manitowoc dealer's van had the options we wanted."

Customers who choose to have their cars and trucks shipped are responsible for the delivery charges. First Chrysler will arrange for truck delivery to exporters on the West and East coasts when the vehicle is headed overseas.

Wanted DVD system

An Icelandic family will end up paying some $20,000 on top of their $22,193 purchase price for their preferred minivan, with rear seat DVD entertainment system and wireless headphones for their four children.

Mike Rosinsky is First Chrysler's Internet representative, responsible for entering information on various Web sites on about 400 new and used vehicles.

He likes the cars.com Web site because it offers greater flexibility in the descriptive text Rosinsky can link to a particular vehicle, hoping to entice buyers from the Lakeshore area and beyond.

About 85 percent of the dealership's sales have been used vehicles. Potential buyer anxiety about the condition of the vehicle is usually alleviated with Chrysler's 8-year, 80,000-mile power train warranty and 3,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty on certified used cars.

It's more difficult to measure, but Kornely and Rosinsky also are convinced many new car buyers use the Internet to comparison shop, after "building" via the Web their preferred make, model and options.

"Selling off the Internet, we still try to make a fair profit margin," Kornely said. "A difficulty is establishing a fair trade-in value to both parties. We can't see, hear, touch, feel their car over the Internet."

The Web sales are sought after, especially during difficult times like the first nine months of this year, when First Chrysler sold 214 cars, compared to 309 in the same time frame last year, a 31 percent decrease.

Other cars.com participants in the area include Pietroske GM, Pekarske Automotive, Krajnik Chevrolet and Van Horn Chrysler.

One local dealer had its cars appear in more than 1 million cars.com Web site search results, with 36,000 seeking additional details.

2006-10-18 10:45 (Mw 6.2) VANUATU -15.1 167.2

== PRELIMINARY EARTHQUAKE REPORT ==

Region: VANUATU
Geographic coordinates: 15.081S, 167.243E
Magnitude: 6.2 Mw
Depth: 138 km
Universal Time (UTC): 18 Oct 2006 10:45:35
Time near the Epicenter: 18 Oct 2006 21:45:35
Local time in your area: 18 Oct 2006 10:45:35

Location with respect to nearby cities:
52 km (32 miles) NNE (13 degrees) of Santo (Luganville), Vanuatu
317 km (197 miles) NNW (339 degrees) of PORT-VILA, Vanuatu
2018 km (1254 miles) NE (50 degrees) of Brisbane, Australia

ADDITIONAL EARTHQUAKE PARAMETERS
________________________________
event ID : US tzap

This event has been reviewed by a seismologist at NEIC For subsequent updates, maps, and technical information, see:
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Quakes/ustzap.php

UPDATE 1- DaimlerChrysler Jan-Sept NE Asia car sales surge

SHANGHAI, Oct 18 (Reuters) - DaimlerChrysler A.G. (DCXGn.DE: Quote, Profile, Research) sold 37 percent more cars in northeast Asia in the first nine months of 2006 than a year earlier, it said on Wednesday.

The auto giant sold 28,452 cars in the nine-month period compared with 20,728 a year earlier. Its northeast Asian region comprises mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and South Korea.

"We continue to see strong sales momentum in the region," Till Becker, DaimlerChrysler's northeast Asia chief executive, said in a statement, adding that the figures reinforced the firm's plan to continue localising its production.

In China, the company's Mercedes division saw sales jump 47 percent in the first three quarters, while sales at its Chrysler arm went up 31 percent.

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In South Korea, Mercedes group sales rose 39 percent and Chrysler sales were up 21 percent.

DaimlerChrysler continued to outperform the growth of the ovrall car market in China, where total car sales climbed 31.39 percent to 3.68 million cars in the January to September period, according to figures from the national auto association.

The company's archrival, BMW (BMWG.DE: Quote, Profile, Research), saw its China sales surge 56 percent to 26,438 units. Toyota Motor Corp. (7203.T: Quote, NEWS, Research), which analysts say may overtake General Motors Corp. (GM.N: Quote, Profile, Research) as the top foreign auto seller in China as early as 2008, sold 203,000 vehicles in China over the period, a jump of 164 percent.

But Honda Motor's (7267.T: Quote, NEWS, Research) China vehicle sales rose a moderate 18.5 percent, which analysts blamed on a limited product range.

Market View

DCXGn (Daimlerchrysler )
Last:	€41.46
Change:	+0.95 (+2.35%)
Revenue (ttm):	€149,776.0M
EPS:	2.80
Market Cap:	€41,439.63M
Time:	9:40am ET

Mercedes-Benz Mid-East Q3 sales up 28.9 per cent

Johannes Fritz - On track for another sales record.

Mercedes Car Group Middle East is heading for another annual sales record thanks to 2006 Q3 results that saw sales of cars delivered to customers across the Middle East and Levant leap nearly 29 per cent year on year.

United Arab Emirates - - Despite political and social upheavals in the region, retail sales for Mercedes Car Group rose by 28.9% to 3,174 in the period of July to September 2006, with the S-Class, the region's favourite premium sedan, the ML-Class SUV and the new generation E-Class boosting growth.

Saudi Arabia continues to be the fastest growing market with Q3 sales up by 160% compared to same period in 2005. Qatar up 83%, Kuwait rising 81% and Oman with an increase of 38% continued to perform well while the UAE leads in total sales for the period up from 1,223 in 2005 to 1,326.

'Despite the conflict in Lebanon our sales continued to grow significantly across the region helped by the introduction of the luxurious seven-seater GL-Class SUV and the groundbreaking CL-Class sports coupe,' said Johannes Fritz, Director, Sales and Marketing, Mercedes Car Group, Middle East and Levant.

'We are well on target for another record retail sales year thanks to the introduction of standard GCC specifications, pricing available on the internet at www.mideast.mercedes-benz.com, and the great efforts of our dedicated distributors across the region.'

Tommy Archer [Dodge Viper] wins GT Manufacture Cup

The Preferred Line - Road racing news and commentary

SPEED World Challenge Wednesday (October 18, 2006) By Jim Bourn

"There is only one strategy, win! I can still win the championship, but I can't get it by just driving around. I've got to go for the victory, just like I did at Road Atlanta." - Team Cadillac's defending champion Andy Pilgrim


Take the points at Laguna Seca

I am always keen on keeping things simple, in fact I subscribe to KISS Quarterly, and so towards that end here are the simple possibilities for the final round at Laguna Seca.

Tommy Archer simply has to drive his c3controls/Autohaus Dodge Viper to a 1st or 2nd place finish in the GT race and Dodge wins the Manufacturer's Championship!

If Pierre Kleinubing can simply finish his Acura Certified Pre-Owned Acura TSX ahead of Randy Pobst's MazdaSpeed Tri-Point Mazda 6, or even position behind, Pierre wins the Touring Car driver's title!

It will be simple for Lawson Aschenbach to win the GT driver's title if he finishes his AXA Financial Porsche 997 ahead of Andy Pilgrim and Lou Gigliotti and some place within the top ten.

Simple really! Let's all crack a beer, toast the winners, console the runners-up and head to the banquet!

"What was the middle thing? About the police?" - Kevin Kline from A Fish Called Wanda

Simple plans have a way of becoming simple disasters and last weekend proved to me that there is no such thing as a sure thing!

Case in point a friend seemed to think that the points Chicago was giving to Phoenix to be extremely low as surely the juggernaut Bears would crush the 1 and 4 Cardinals. Me, I was all over the home standing Redskins waltzing over the winless Titans.

So since it is fall and all what are the points spreads this weekend?

The mortal lock of the weekend goes to Touring Car rookie leader Jeff Courtney who is getting 27 from Robb Holland. Bet this one for sure as Connecticut has a better chance of beating West Virginia on Friday night!

Pierre Kleinubing looks to be a solid bet, even though RealTime is on the road at Mazda Raceway, as the Brazilian is getting 11 from Pobst for the TC driver's title and looks to be a strong bet to cover.

Kleinubing will be the top qualifying and probably finishing Acura as RealTime will probably be playing team ball at Laguna to win one for PK. There might not be an "I" in team but there are a few in Pierre Kleinubing and the squadron from Wisconsin has nothing to race for at Laguna except to win the Driver's championship for Pierre!

Then again Pobst was strong enough to cover 11 and more at Road Atlanta.

Ram-Rod: Viper-powered Dodge pickup has 500-hp bragging rights but needs more technical finesse

PARAMUS POST NEWS | Mark Maynard DODGE RAM SRT10 QUAD CAB When it comes to the grandstand play of stuffing a Dodge Viper V-10 in a Ram pickup, any enthusiast can step back and say, "More power to ya, Dodge." SRT engineers say its Viper-powered Ram is the "fastest pickup in the world." They say it'll do zero-to-60 mph in the mid-5-second range, zero-100-zero mph in the mid-22-second range and, with body-slamming brake force, 60-zero in about 135 feet. I did my part in fact-checking those statistics, but could never take the split-second needed to glance at the stopwatch. Whether driving a Viper or this Ram SRT10, it takes diligence to stay within the speed limit. It just wants to cruise at 85 - on the street or the highway. The quad-cab test truck, which has a starting price of $52,710, was $57,110 as tested. The SRT treatment is notable and adds 22-inch Pirelli Scorpion high-performance tires on polished aluminum wheels, bolstered leather-trimmed seats with suede inserts (for seat-of-the-pants grip), white-face gauges and an auxiliary oil temperature gauge on the driver-side windshield pillar. There's also a red starter button, but it's just a gimmick to impress passengers. The driver still has to insert the ignition key, then press the button, but it's not used to switch off the motor. For a $57,000 truck, I'd expect keyless starting. Get in, buckle up, hit the button and go. Funny thing about this 505-cubic-inch engine. It chatters like a UPS truck at idle and the driving attitude around town is quite civil. Brisk but civil. It's not until the driver jumps into the throttle that the Viper attacks, and, mercy, that engine sounds sweet at 4,500 rpm and up. Think thunderboat under hard acceleration. To help owners keep the shiny side up, Dodge provides as standard equipment the SRT Track Experience - a day at a Skip Barber Racing School, held at various tracks around the country. There's no better way to learn the thresholds of this shaggy beast, because the difference between finding the limit and going a hair over the line could be a lot of body work - human and vehicular. This kind of horsepower doesn't appeal to every enthusiast, but the quad cab makes it more family-friendly, than, say, a Corvette. For those Ram fans not in a family way, there is also a regular-cab SRT10. The standard transmission is a Hurst T-56 five-speed manual that sends power back to the heavy-duty anti-spin rear differential. The optional four-speed automatic is a column shift that doesn't do the truck justice. It deserves a floor shift AutoStick with steering wheel shift buttons. There's a huge console with multiple layers of deep storage between the front bucket seats, so a shifter would not displace a seat. But what do you do with this much power? Every now and then, the discreet driver will let that horsepower run free, but the risk of speeding tickets is just too great to make that a hobby. Use it to tow a vintage race car? Definitely. But the nearly 19-foot-long truck is unwieldy in tight situations. The turning circle has to be 52 feet or more, a complication from the 22-inch tires with a foot-wide footprint. And any truck this big needs a rearview camera for parking assistance. GM adds a rearview camera to its optional navigation system, but there is none for the Dodge navi system, which the test truck had. And the front end is so high and mighty that parking sensors that alert to nearby objects would have to preserve the low spoiler and smooth bumper fascia. It's not likely an owner would back this Ram down the boat ramp, particularly into saltwater that will gnaw on those shiny red brake calipers. And what civil engineer or construction foreman would risk those gorgeous Pirelli Scorpion tires and polished wheels at a muddy work site? The long wheelbase handles the highway without bucking or harshness, but it is firmly sprung. However, at 9 miles to the gallon of premium fuel around town - if you stay off the gas - it won't be a long-distance commuter. But watch out on cruise night. This rad Ram gets plenty of looks - though there's the temptation to lower it a few inches to add to its menacing stance, but that would cause fatal impacts to the front spoiler on any curb in town. And when it is time to turn loose the Viper power, this Ram is a smoky burnout king for impressing friends and leaving your mark on the highway. SPECS BOX 2006 Dodge Ram SRT10 Quad Cab 4x2 Body style: 4-door, 5-passenger pickup with 6.3-foot bed Engine: Aluminum, OHV 8.3 liter V-10 Horsepower: 500 at 5,600 rpm Torque: 525 foot-pounds at 4,200 rpm Transmission: 4-speed automatic Acceleration: 0-60 mph, mid-5 seconds Fuel economy: 9 mpg city, 12 highway; 91 octane recommended Fuel tank: 26 gallons DIMENSIONS Wheelbase/length: 140.5/227.7 inches Curb weight: 5,450 pounds Tow rating: 8,150 pounds Front head/leg/shoulder room: 40.8/41/67 inches FEATURES Standard equipment: remote locking, dual-zone air conditioning, power 6-way driver's seat, leather-trimmed seats with suede inserts, 8-speaker Infinity audio system with 6-disc CD/MP3 player, cruise control, power windows-locks, power heated and folding mirrors, fog lights, visors with vanity mirrors, rear underseat storage compartment, 60/40 split folding rear seat and fold-flat load floor, cargo light, rear body-color spoiler and hard tonneau cover, 22-inch aluminum-machined wheels and 305/40R 22-inch Pirelli Scorpion tires, performance-tuned shock absorbers, performance steering Safety: multistage front air bags, power adjustable pedals, anti-spin differential rear axle, performance four-wheel disc brakes with red calipers and ABS PRICING Base price: $52,710, including $900 destination charge; price as tested, $57,110 Options on test vehicle: Inferno Red crystal pearl coat paint, $225; Package 2XS, $520, includes Sirius satellite radio and auto-dimming rearview mirror; side air bags, $490; power sliding rear window, $120; power sunroof, $850; navigation system with 6-disc CD/MP3 player, $1,595; 22-inch polished aluminum wheels, $600 Warranty: 3-years/36,000 miles with towing Where assembled: Saltillo, Mexico PLUSES: The pride of cruise night or the racetrack when you arrive pulling your Hemi 'Cuda. MINUSES: High-tech should be part of the SRT package, such as keyless starting instead of the gimmicky starting button, rearview camera and front-end object detection, and a floor shifter AutoStick with steering wheel shift buttons; 50-foot-plus turning circle. SIDEBAR: What is SRT? By Mark Maynard Copley News Service What began with the Dodge Viper has evolved into the Street and Racing Technology division: the powerlink of Chrysler Group motor sports, the Viper development team and Mopar Performance Parts. Chrysler defines an SRT vehicle as having a performance appearance, a race-inspired interior and enhanced power, braking and handling. 2007 SRT vehicles: - Dodge Viper SRT10 (coupe and roadster) - Chrysler 300C SRT8 - Dodge Magnum SRT8 - Dodge Charger SRT8 - Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 - Dodge Ram SRT10