President Bush: Automakers to get $17.4B

[Parks]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 9:30am

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081219/ap_on_go_pr_wh/meltdown_autos

[Yawper]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 10:17am

aka Punt to Obama

but at least it removes the sense of panic and dread and gives some breathing room to work

I wish I got to see the daily sales rates like industry analysts do - one on the news this morning predicted a sales rate for next year that really tells how poorly the economy is doing. Some are predicting only 8-9 million units to be sold for next year compared to 16 million in 2007 and almost 18 million in 1999.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 5:20pm

If the Big 3 go back to the table & get some concessions to make their cars a little more afforable great. You than still have the problems of people being laid off & banks not lending Kind of hard to buy a car in that climate.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 5:23pm

Why don't they just write every citizen a "stimulus" check for us all to go out and buy an new US car? It would be cheaper.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 5:25pm

[Yawper]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 5:48pm

No, Sueleen, it wouldn't be cheaper, because Americans are too stupid to understand the importance of keeping money in the US instead of sending most of it to Asia or the Middle East.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 5:53pm

On the other hand, the 2009 Honda Insight Hybrid will be getting 60 miles to the gallon and that's awfully appealing. If only Detroit hadn't convinced Americans that their SUVs compensate for the shortcomings of their penises, they might have something comparable by now.

[Yawper]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 6:27pm

"On a test drive of a Fusion Hybrid last week in West L.A. traffic, I managed, without much trouble, to get 52 mpg in mixed city-highway driving."

http://www.latimes.com/classified/automotive/highway1/la-fi-neil19-2008dec19%2C0%2C2503132.story

If anyone bothers to pay the extra hybrid cost in an era of cheap fuel (it's not going up anytime soon). And preliminary tests show the 2010 Volt (100+ mpg) beating the the 2010 Prius.

Of course, if Bush hadn't won in 2000 the bulk of the US fleet would be E85 compatible by now and oil demand for fuel cut by over 70%.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 12/20/08 at 8:29am

At least they're not getting this with no strings attached.