American Suzuki files for bankruptcy protection

The Associated Press , Staff

BREA, Calif. - American Suzuki Motor Corp. on Monday filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and said it will cease selling automobiles in the U.S. as part of a plan to restructure its business.

The company, based in Brea, Calif., is the sole distributor of Suzuki Motor Co. vehicles in the continental U.S.

In documents filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Central District of California, the company estimated that its debts and liabilities range from at least $100 million to as much as $500 million.

It also said it has between 1,000 and 5,000 creditors.

American Suzuki Motor said it has enough cash to operate during the restructuring and intends to honor all car warranties and buyback agreements. It will work with its car dealerships to help them transition into parts-and-service operations. In some cases, the dealerships will be shuttered, it said.

Once it exits bankruptcy protection, American Suzuki Motor said it will focus on selling Suzuki motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles and marine outboard engines.

It said that it is exiting the car business because of slow sales, unfavorable foreign exchange rates and high costs due to U.S. regulatory requirements.

It sold 2,023 vehicles in October, which was up 5 percent from the same month last year. Its Grand Vitara sport utility vehicle posted a 64 percent jump in sales last month, although American Suzuki did not say how many of them were sold. In May, the last month it provided a breakdown of its sales, it moved 474 Grand Vitaras, while its biggest seller was its SX4 small crossover, of which 1,101 were sold.

The bankruptcy and reorganization are unrelated to its parent Japan-based Suzuki Motor Corp., which intends to buy the American subsidiary's remaining businesses and automotive service operation.

The reorganized company will retain the American Suzuki Motor name, the company said.

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New VW 'Bug' for American love

American motorists are no matter - in Germany and the VW Beetle take the rest of Europe - on the latest generation?

More than seven decades after the start of the original "people's car," a completely new bug is finally in showrooms roles - or maybe should, read the beetle "Newer", such as VW new bug of the so-called new beetle the German automaker replaced to general indifference in large parts of the world ten years ago in life launched.

That was the case particularly in Germany, where driver retro-mobile saw as an unpleasant reminder on the scant days after the end of the second WELTKRIEGS. It was cheap transport for a devastated nation on the search after it was no longer chic more than bicycles, but by the turn of the new millennium. New Beetle developed now strong, but short lived cult in the United States. Demand for cars fell quickly as was ridiculed the round design as a "Chick car."

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With the introduction of third generation beetle Volkswagen designers have adopted, what they describe as "Heritage" styling, assumption of the extended muzzle of the original car with the type of the Coupe 2012 all comfort and security of buyers of the original beetle could have only dreamed.

Designed by the legendary Ferdinand Porsche-, that went on, his name and his talents at the Stuttgart sports car company first in showrooms in the days give - the beetle, immediately before the second world war are rolled. Only a small number made hardly a few survived to it on the market before the start of hostilities and after the war. One was even in the ruins the carmaker plans in Wolfsburg, Germany, by a British military section found, which was charged with support to revive the German economy.

Ultimately the design in production remained for 75 years paid a VW assembly line in Mexico the last beetle approximately 21 million in 2003.

The iconic design was then, outdated and not always more stringent global security and emissions meet standards. So that VW rolled out new beetle, designed by a team under the direction of J Mays, now the Chief stylist at Ford. Rounder and more compact than the original, the replacement Coupe caught quickly - but just as quickly burned out. Sales in the United States reached 83,434 in 1999, but by 2009 had demand dropped by only 14,085.

At best a new beetle sales in the United States barely a quarter of the 350,000 of the original beetle at its peak saw. And the car was even more badly abroad.

But when pressed, to simply walk away from the car and concede defeat, VW officials said, "No".

"It is an iconic part of our history for us", explains Rainer Michael, Volkswagen Vice President for product and marketing.

The challenge was a new design that appeal could be extended to the new beetle come - both by drawing more men to the car and the expansion of the global market.

Designer carefully examined the original beetle and it took the more sporty cues, originally from Porsche written three quarters of a century ago. The 2012 beetle muzzle is longer, and not a "living room-like cabin", the new version of the car "more like sitting in a sports car" is the well-known Andreas Valbuena, the Beetle Program Manager.

In fact, there is a surprising degree of similarity between the reborn error - which is lower, longer and wider than the car replaced - and early versions of the Porsche 911.

Designers have followed carefully, the revival of the car classic details, as that while fighting "Beetle stream" or the second glove box, to avoid, that retro also accused - in these days a feared name in the automotive industry.

Beyond its design is 2012 VW Beetle decided with modern, a number of airbags and other State-of-the-art security features. It is quick to point out that with optional 19-inch wheels, its sporting intentions. And there is unlimited comfort and convenience features, including a large LCD navigation display and even a music-blasting audio system developed of American rock, Fender in cooperation with this icon.

Valbuena is confident that the new model will be no more than a "girl's car" are dismissed, and the new design is certainly moved many stares and positive waves during a detour is driving by in Berlin recently.

The automotive world has changed dramatically since the original beetle ruled the streets. At one point the car itself does not have a name (it was marketed the "Volkswagen." as easy) today are filled with a growing cast of the products of the brand of showrooms. And the beetle will fall into a pool filled alternatives competent with competitor.

A key to the demand after the beetle after declines the first attraction of the new car will be retained, the new variants, introduction explains Manager Valbuena beetles. A Turbo and a convertible package are already in the works and other alternatives will follow, he indicated.

"Something to keep fresh and new each year will follow," promised Valbuena.

The latest beetle can the success of the original match? This means a 75-year lifetime and 21 million cars - or sales of 350,000 per year - in the United States

No chance, rooms fast VW officials. In fact recognized demand probably more mainstream models, such as the golf, Jetta and Passat, delay is Jonathan Browning, head of the Volkswagen Group of America.

But VW is betting that the small Coupe provides the kind of iconic face on the brand, have only a few other car manufacturers. And will that company officials are betting that beetles greatest contribution going forward.

© 2011 msnbc.com.  Reprints

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2010 was a great year for (stolen) American cars

U.S. automakers are again, beat their foreign competitors, even though she probably wish would not be in the way.

For the first time since 2002, car thieves American model of your preferred as foreign. That is the result of counting the national insurance Crime Bureau annual list of most stolen vehicles in 2010.

At the national level, the most stolen car model was 1994 Honda accord - the Champ from 2009 and 2008.

Broken by automaker Ford had three spots in the top 10, Dodge two and Chevrolet one. The remaining four spots were held by Toyota, Honda and Acura. The report mentions, however, that the first three items in the list are Japanese models continue. This trend has held since 2000.

The good news is car and truck robberies further decreased, the report said. If the preliminary FBI final tally match statistics from the study with the Bureau, the least vehicle thefts will 2010 have seen since 1967.

The NICB said that the decline in the total theft was largely due to the improvements in technology, pointing out that stolen to 52,000 agreement in 2010 more than 44,000 model years in the 1990s were near.

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Of course the national average was just that, on average. Was in Wyoming the vehicle most stolen Dodge Ram, and the agreement does not even make that country top 10. The RAM not in New York State top 10 place, but the Jeep Grand Cherokee cracked the list.

The list of most stolen vehicles at the national level for 2010:

1994 Honda Accord 1995 Honda Civic 1991 Toyota Camry 1999 Chevrolet pickup truck (full size) 1997 Ford F150 series/pickup 2004 Dodge Ram 2000 Dodge Caravan 1994 Acura Integra 2002 Ford Explorer 1999 Ford Taurus

A breakdown of the State-by-State study to read and to read the entire report, please visit the NICB hot wheels Web site.

© 2011 msnbc.com reprints

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Toyota: N. American plant closures likely in April

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky - Toyota Motor Corp said Monday, that it is inevitable, that the company is forced to temporarily all shut down its North American factories because of parts shortages due to the earthquake, the Japan made.

The temporary shutdown are expected to take place later in the month relate to 25,000 workers, but no layoffs are expected, said Mike Goss spokesman. Only the planned shutdown last or whether all 13 of the Toyota will be affected the same factories, is unknown and depends on if parts production in Japan can start, he said how long.

So far that presented used parts in your inventory or relying on those who have the North American plants have been delivered to the earthquake, Goss. But these were low run.

"We where up to a point this month get this gap in the pipeline begins to show." So we have to suspend production for a while, "he said."

A March 11 earthquake and tsunami damaged auto parts plants in the north-eastern Japan, cause bottlenecks that hit the most car production of the nation. Japan's car daily output of more than 500,000 vehicles since the disaster, has fallen, Scotiabank senior says economist Carlos Gomes. Some manufacturers market plants back on line, but only at low speeds due to missing parts.

Manufacturers outside the country are the lack of parts from Japan. Just last week, several North American plants for part of this month, Ford Motor Co., Nissan Motor Co. said closed out, and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said that his company can expect to see errors.

Toyota only gets about 15 percent of its parts from Japan for cars and trucks built in North America, "but still have them all, to build the vehicles", said Goss.

Poured Kentucky said Monday before a show in Louisville, from Toyota's head of North American operations. Toyota has about 500 company provides parts in North America might, but many of them get components from Japan, which is not available, he said. During the planned shutdown, workers focuses on training and review the operations for ways to improve. You can take off even holiday or time without pay.

The planned shutdown all Toyota and Lexus models produced in the United States will have, he said. Several large car dealership chain predictions lack models of Japanese automakers in the spring and summer.

Goss would not estimate how long the Assembly lines would be shut down. "It depends on how quickly we can help these suppliers up and running again to get into Japan," he said. "Things change every day and we try hard to minimize any interruption of our production in North America."

Toyota runs behind the several parts, mainly electronics and paint pigments, said Yoshimi Inaba, Chief Operating Officer for North American operations. The company is looking for alternative parts supplier. He also said it is too early to predict the impact on the Toyota sales and their efforts to from a string of safety recalls last year, which have hurt sales.

"We have some inventory." So if the interruption of the production is short enough, then it would have any major impact, "he told reporters to at an event of literacy in Louisville." "It is too early to predict how big is the influence."

Toyota warned last month that production cuts in some North American factories were possible, but said it knew when or how long.

Copyright 2011, the associated press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.

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Some North American production slow down Toyota

By John Crawley

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp <7203.t> slows down some North American production due to supply disruptions caused by the earthquake and the tsunami disaster in Japan.

The world's largest automaker told employees and dealers on Wednesday was its single largest market, it too early to determine the scope, duration and a slowdown, but institutions in the United States, and in Canada and Mexico all are checked.

Cindy Knight, a Toyota spokeswoman, said the company had ample supply of most products for the region, adding, "We will do everything possible to ensure", so that vehicles dealers available.

"We will continue to closely with suppliers in North America and Japan, to errors to Toyota's total North American operations, minimize" Knight said.

Most of the parts for Toyota North American built vehicles come from about 500 suppliers in the region. The company said it continues to receive parts from Japan that were already in the pipeline, limit which are direct consequences of the disorder.

Shares of Toyota fell to close to 1 per cent to $82.14 on the New York Stock Exchange.

Toyota has suspended production at all its 12 assembly plants in Japan at least through March 26. Chain disruptions enforces the company delay introduction of two new additions to the Prius hybrid.

Toyota ships more than half of the Japan output to overseas markets. It operates nine manufacturing facilities in the United States, two in Canada and one in Mexico.

Scores of Japanese manufacturers, including the other big Japanese car companies, are facing after the March 11 disaster chain disruptions.

Suzuki Motor Corp <7269.t> said that his three Assembly will remain factories in Japan closed on Thursday and Friday. Honda Motor Corp <7267.t> has suspended production in Japan to March 27

Michelle Krebs, senior analyst for buyer resource of Edmunds, now shut down said that occur outside of Japan are probably only the beginning.

"All car manufacturers are just now finding out, which provides every small part." The lack of one could shut down an assembly line. Toyota is not the only vulnerable; "Almost all major auto manufacturers have some risks", said cancer.

While Toyota could not identify where production in the United States would be affected, consider production of low-selling models other manufacturers with dwindling supplies slows down.

For example, General Motors co has shut temporarily pickup plant in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Pickup Toyota plant in San Antonio, Texas, the criteria could as well as fit according to a source familiar with the thinking of the company.

Full and medium-sized pickups lineup include the highly fuel efficient cars like the Prius and Camry and Corolla to the weakest arm of Toyota U.S., hybrid models and sport utilities functions.

Knight, said that the company had determined which plants are affected.

Anxious to recover business lost while security crisis and an improvement in marked economy one by massive recalls, marketing, more helped Toyota expectations with 42 percent to surpass U.S. sales in February to 141,846 vehicles.

(Reporting by John Crawley;) Additional reporting by Deepa Seetharaman; (Editing by Gary Hill and Richard Chang)

Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters.

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