NEWS BRIEFS FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 22, 2007

(Photo: Ford Powertrain) DEARBORN, MI (March 7, 2007) - Ford Customer Service Division (FCSD) has launched an expanded Ford Powertrain Sales Call Center that independent service centers can call to order Ford and Motorcraft new and remanufactured engines and transmissions.  "We're excited about the opportunity to provide a one-stop-shopping solution to our powertrain installers," says Jeff Lombardi, FCSD Powertrain product marketing manager. "We want to make it as easy as possible for our installer customers to do business with us."  Gas and diesel engines and transmissions can be ordered by calling the Ford Powertrain Sales Call Center, toll-free at (800) 392-7946; operation hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., ET, Monday through Friday.  The new Ford Powertrain Sales Call Center is part of the Total Value Package for Ford and Motorcraft remanufactured powertrain assemblies, which includes:  * A three-year/75,000-mile limited warranty on gas engines and transmissions. * A two-year unlimited mileage, limited warranty on diesel engines.  * Factory technical support. * "No-Risk Core Return," which provides a 100 percent refund, regardless of damage, says Ford.  * Same or next-day delivery.  * Vehicle-specific part number application. The team works with 44 distribution centers and 130 Ford and Lincoln Mercury powertrain stocking dealers coast-to-coast, says Ford, allowing for shipment the day an order is placed or the very next day. (Source: FCSD)Study Uncovers Top Reasons 
for Buying the Next Car  CAMBRIDGE, MA (March 2, 2007) - CarGurus.com, an online automotive community, has released the results of a survey of more than 250 online automotive consumers. Between Jan. 1 and Feb. 15, 2007, visitors to www.cargurus.com were asked to choose from a list of 10 reasons for buying their next car. According to this survey, the most popular reasons for buying their next car include:Consumers: Top reasons for buying 
the next carTop answers ranked by votes No. of votes  % of totalLooking for better gas mileage 84 14%Want a car with better performance (acceleration, handling) 84 14%Existing car needed too many repairs 70 11%Exterior styling (color, wheels, etc.) 68 11%Too many miles on existing car 63 10%Interior styling (leather seats, dashboard layout)6310%New safety features (ABS braking, traction control, etc.)569%Need a car with more seating/storage468%New technology (GPS, mapping, Bluetooth phone, etc.)456%Need additional car for family  44 6%Total votes  612 100%258 people voted, with 612 total answer choices submitted. 
(Consumers were allowed to choose multiple choices.)
(Table source: cargurus.com)"When it comes to buying their next car, it appears that online auto consumers are not willing to sacrifice," says Langley Steinert, founder and CEO of CarGurus.com. "They want the performance they have come to expect in their cars, but also improved gas mileage. Auto manufacturers have addressed some of this apparent conflict with new power technologies like hybrids. Time will tell if hybrids are enough to address [it]."(Source: Cargurus.com)DCX Partners with Chery AUBURN HILLS, MI (March 1, 2007) - DaimlerChrysler's (DCX's) supervisory board has approved the framework of a limited partnership to develop small vehicles between the Chrysler Group and Chery Motor Co. of China. The deal is still contingent upon approval by the Chinese government, but the final structure  is expected to be signed by the end of this month. Under the non-equity partnership, Chery-built vehicles will be distributed under Chrysler brands, primarily in North America and Western Europe.  Chrysler Group indicated that the partnership would allow the company to become a bigger player on the global automotive stage by giving it access to products in new segments more quickly, with less capital spending.  Smaller vehicles such as Chery's will allow Chrysler Group brands to compete in segments in which they do not currently compete, such as in price- and fuel economy-sensitive markets. Some 67 percent of all vehicles sold outside of North America are in these segments, says DCX. Chrysler Group's major competitors in the United States and Western Europe have similar arrangements with Asian manufacturers for vehicles in these segments.(Source: DCX)Diesel Enthusiasts Spend $1 Million per Month Online DIAMOND BAR, CA (Feb. 28, 2007) - As if more proof were needed that diesel is one of the hottest specialty equipment segments around, new data from Terapeak Marketplace Research shows that nearly $1.3 million worth of diesel parts moved in a single month at eBay online auctions, between Jan. 25 and Feb. 23, 2007.  According to a report from the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), this data from Terapeak shows that the whole category moved $326,675 worth of parts during that period, and engines and engine components comprised about a third of that amount. Air intake and fuel delivery parts followed, shifting $251,997 worth of goods.  Within the category, fuel injection components sold the most units, and fuel injectors were the most profitable ($70,006 worth sold). Electronic control unit (ECU) and chip "tweaks" were the third most-popular category, with enthusiasts spending $208,081 on performance chips good for both increased power and fuel efficiency. (Sources: SEMA, Terapeak)GM Extends Warranty on Performance Parts, Engines DETROIT (March 5, 2007) - GM Performance Parts (GMPP) announced that it will extend the warranty offered on its Performance Parts crate engines to 24-months/50,000 miles (whichever occurs first), and it is adding a 12-month/12,000-mile warranty to its Performance Parts components. These changes took effect March 1, 2007.