Wake me up when September ends says Green Day.  And what does it have to do with this post? Nothing. Except that September is about to end and automakers will soon report how many cars they've sold for this month.  They are also gonna be publishing how much did their sales increase or decrease compared to the same period a year ago.  For those following the auto industry, the beginning of a new month is the time that analysts have their say why this or that automaker sold less or more vehicles this year.  And if you are also predicting which automaker will be a loser or a gainer, check your predictions with Edmunds'.

According to the autochannel.com Edmunds predicted that Chrysler will post a decrease of 6.7 percent if data is adjusted since this year's September has one less selling day than last year's.  If unadjusted, the decrease in percentage will be 10.3.  For Ford, Edmunds predicts a sales reduction by 14.4 percent if adjusted or 17.7 percent when unadjusted. General Motors is expected to post an increase of 0.8 percent if adjusted and a reduction of 3.1 percent if unadjusted.

Honda is expected to post the highest sales gain of the six major American and Asian automakers.  Edmunds predicted an increase of 16.3 percent in Honda's sale for this month if adjusted for the less selling day.  If unadjusted, the increase will be 11.8 percent. Nissan is the second highest gainer according to Edmunds with an increase of 2.3 percent if adjusted or a reduction of 1.7 percent if unadjusted.  Toyota is expected to post a reduction in sales by 0.7 percent if adjusted or a 4.2 percent less if figures are not adjusted.

"This month, the automakers with the most momentum are faring well even given the constraints of the marketplace," said Jesse Toprak, Executive Director of Industry Analysis at Edmunds.com.  "This month, the automakers with the most momentum are faring well even given the constraints of the marketplace," he added.

I know that you are wondering of the strike against General Motors has hurt the automaker.  Michelle Krebs, senior editor at Edmunds' AutoObserver.com said: "This week’s UAW strike doesn’t appear to have hurt GM's sales.  "The 1998 strike, which lasted for 54 days, was debilitating to GM. The automaker lost money and market share -- share it never regained. But this time around, the strike was over well before GM’s inventory got low enough to frustrate shoppers."  The UAW strike this year only lasted two days.  As for Toyota's declining sales, Krebs said:  "We expect to see a year-over-year decline in Toyota sales for the third month in a row.  They couldn’t possibly keep up the dramatic momentum they had been enjoying."

Just when General Motors is looking ready to get out of the big hole that it found itself in, a thing like this happens.  As of 11AM Eastern Time last Monday, the United Auto Workers (UAW) are walking picket lines in a strike against Detroit automaker General Motors.  According to Edmunds, negotiations between the union and the automaker still continue but the workers are picketing outside. What they are calling for is better job security especially for those employed at assembly facilities in Fairfax, Kansas; Spring Hill, Tennessee; and Lordstown, Ohio.

According to Edmunds' AutoObserver.com Senior Editor Michelle Krebs: "A strike is good for no one: not for GM, the UAW, the Detroit area and other GM towns, nor the global economy. But, the economy and car market are relatively soft, and GM has a reasonable stockpile of inventory - companywide, the average is 87 days' worth, above the industry norm of 60-65 days."

According to UAW President Ron Gettelfinger, the negotiation is not going well as the automaker is turning it into a one-way street.  According to him, General Motors is expecting the workers to comply with their terms but at the same time, expects that it does not have to give anything back.  Essentially, Gettelfinger is blaming the automaker because according to him, General Motors has pushed them into a strike. In fact, Gettelfinger pointed out that as of last Thursday, they were under the impression that the automaker didn't care if the union went on strike.

"We thought we would be able to accomplish this no later than this weekend, but our efforts have been to no avail," said Gettelfinger in an email to union local officials.  "While we have made progress in many areas, GM has failed to address major concerns."  This is the first time that UAW has struck General Motors since 1998.  That year, two assembly facilities in Flint, Michigan were closed.  The last national contract strike was in 1976 reported Edmunds' AutoObserver.com.

General Motors issued a statement which reads: "We are disappointed in the UAW's decision to call a national strike. The bargaining involves complex, difficult issues that affect the job security of our U.S. workforce and the long-term viability of the company. We are fully committed to working with the UAW to develop solutions together to address the competitive challenges facing General Motors. We will continue focusing our efforts on reaching an agreement as soon as possible."

The current trend in auto buying favors vehicles made by Asian automakers.  Small and fuel efficient vehicles are what auto buyers are looking for.  Environmentalists are calling on the big automakers to produce green cars.  In response, Ford has came up with the Escape Hybrid and General Motors with the Volt, the Tahoe and Yukon Hybrid, but what these two automakers are focusing on more is the development of ethanol-powered cars.  At least, according to Co-op America, a group of auto consumers.

The group is encouraging anyone concerned to send a letter to Alan Mulally, president and Chief Executive Officer of Ford and to Richard Wagoner, the chairman and CEO of General Motors.  The group is asking you to appeal to these automakers to focus on hybrid vehicles more than flex-fuel vehicles.

Co-op America Corporate Responsibility Programs Director Todd Larsen said: "As the planet heats up, America's largest car makers are giving us a lot of hot air about solutions, but taking few real steps to meaningfully reduce carbon emissions. Both Ford and GM have the capability to mass produce plug- in hybrid cars in the near future. Ford has announced a partnership with Southern California Edison to produce such cars in the next 5-10 years. Chevy unveiled the Chevy Volt concept car, a plug-in, at auto shows this year. We are asking thousands of concerned consumers nationwide to tell Ford and GM to stop promoting corn-based ethanol, and focus instead on increased fuel efficiency and plug-in hybrid vehicles as real solutions to the climate and energy crises."

A part of the letter reads:  "Instead of promoting ethanol, your companies need to improve the fuel efficiency of your vehicles to 40 mpg by 2012 and 55 mpg by 2020 to avert a climate crisis. Since the majority of your companies' greenhouse gas emissions are generated by your cars when they're driven this calls for increased fuel efficiency and increased production of hybrid, including plug- in hybrid cars... The next car I buy will be a plug-in hybrid or electric vehicle and I'll only consider buying from your company if you make them."

It has been found out that since there are very few refilling stations that offers ethanol, the flex-fuel vehicles manufactured by automakers just run on pure gasoline.

In the world of the auto industry, newer cars mean bigger cars. It has always been the trend with automakers.  Compact cars have become midsized and midsized cars have now become full size cars.  Although there are some nameplates like the Mazda2 which breaks away from this trend, it is still common to see cars getting bigger and bigger with every passing model year.  But it does not mean that a car must be big to have a big value.  One concrete example is the Honda Fit, I mean, the award-winning Honda Fit.

Dick Colliver, the senior vice president of American Honda Motor, describes the Fit, well, fittingly, saying:  "Small is big.  The Honda Fit has proven that small cars can have big popularity, a big interior and a big fun factor without the traditional small car compromises."

The Honda Fit is a five-door hatchback which is one of the hatches bringing back the back into the hatchback.  Meaning the Fit is one of those new cars making hatchbacks popular once again.  The 2008 Fit offers 90.1 cubic feet of interior space.  Although the Fit looks small from the outside, it proves quite deceptive once you get to sit in the cockpit.  It has multiple seating and cargo configurations which means you can get the best position for your passengers and for your cargo. Convenience personified.

The Fit is powered by a 1.5-liter, four-cylinder VTEC engine.  This powerplant produces as much as 109 horsepower at 5800 revs per minute and 105 lb-ft of torque at 4800 rpm. The engine is one of the most fuel efficient powerplants in its class.  The VTEC engine employs Honda's Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control.  Aside from reducing the amount of fuel that the engine burns, Honda's engine technologies also cut down the amount of greenhouse gas it produces.

Safety is a major concern for auto buyers.  And the Honda Fit is one car that provides safe in-car technologies. The Fit was given a five-star rating by the NHSTA for frontal crash performance.  It is, erm, fitted with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System. This is a new feature for the Fit which comes for the 2008 model year.  Other safety features that the Fit is equipped with are ABS with the Electronic Brake force Distribution, three-point seat belts, automatic tensioning belts and a wide array of airbags.

All in all, the Fit is well, fit for those looking for a small car but wants adequate space inside the car with fuel efficiency and safety to boot.

The Korean automaker is making quite a push to become one of the major automakers in the world.  In the past, the brand is associated with being cheap and that's about it. But recently, it has shown that it is also capable of coming up with vehicles that can rival those made by already established brands.  And at the forthcoming Frankfurt Motor Show, the Korean automaker will be unveiling three vehicles which will continue Hyundai's charge into a new era.

The first of the three Hyundai vehicles is the i-Blue.  The said vehicle is the automaker's answer to the call for green cars.  The i-Blue is a hydrogen-powered vehicle which produces no emission.  According to Dr. Hyun-Soon Lee, "The i-Blue is Hyundai's first-ever model designed from the ground up to incorporate fuel cell technology, marking a tremendous leap forward for our R&D program. Our engineering team has successfully designed a more compact fuel cell vehicle, while still realizing the safety, comfort, convenience and driving range of a traditional internal combustion engine vehicle."

Many automakers are developing hydrogen-running vehicles. Will Hyundai beat them all to produce a practical hydrogen car?

Another vehicle that Hyundai will be unveiling at the Frankfurt Motor Show is the one they call the Veloster.  This is one concept car that I'm sure you would like. You might be familiar with the Scion brand which is a marque of Toyota.  The said brand is aimed at the younger generation of auto buyers. The Veloster is also Hyundai's answer to the call for cool cars for young car buyers.   "With Veloster, we wanted to try something really different. We're keenly aware that we need radically new products for the Y-generation, the first-time buyer in their twenties," said Oh Suk-Geun, Hyundai's vice president of design. "This is really a bold new direction."

The third vehicle which Hyundai will unveil at the event is the i30 Estate. This is Hyundai's follow-up to the successful i30 five-door hatchback. The i30 Estate is more spacious than the former and I think that it will also be a success. 

The unveiling of these three vehicles will surely continue the automaker's move to become a major force to reckon with in the industry.

With Labor Day approaching, many drivers are expected to take advantage of the holiday for a roadtrip. With the influx of drivers on the road, it can be expected that the number of accidents will also increase.  Thus, many agencies and concerned companies are reaching out to drivers, urging them to be safe whenever they are on the road, Labor Day or not.

One of these companies is the Government Employees Insurance Company known widely as GEICO, an American auto insurer. In relation to the approaching holiday, the insurance company's message to drivers is to stay focused on the task at hand (which is driving) and naturally, to not be distracted while driving.  As Greg Kalinsky of GEICO's San Diego puts it, "We thought it was our job to help spread the message, particularly for Labor Day." And I hope that through this post, I am helping the cause to keep drivers safe not only on Labor Day but every day of the year.

Here are the reminders from GEICO which is also published by the autochannel.com:

• Use your cell phone for emergency situations only. Even in an emergency situation, drivers should safely pull off the roadway to make a call. 
• If you are drowsy, pull off the road to rest. Drowsiness leads to being distracted and is a major cause of accidents.
• Limit the activity going on inside the car while you are driving. 
• Avoid eating while driving. 
• Do your multi-tasking while outside the car
  

The company also gave us reasons why we should be keeping those tips in mind.  According to studies, (as given and published at the very same site), people are "limited in the amount of information they can process at any one time."  Furthermore, drivers "can't successfully shift their attention back and forth among multiple demands."  These are irrefutable scientific facts.  So even if you say that you have done this and that before even while driving but nothing ever happened to you, I would like to remind you that accidents can happen when you least expect it so don't be distracted while you're driving.  And don't drink and drive too.

The reasons stated above should be considered more if teenage drivers are concerned.  The reason is that young drivers have only little driving experience.  Thus, it would be easier for them to panic under some situations which can lead to accidents.  Thus, if you have limited driving experience, I strongly suggest that you should not carry on yourself anything that might distract you like a cell  phone or something.

If Jaguar is so successful, then I don't think Ford will be in the position that it is in today.  But the truth is that Jaguar is losing money and it is losing it fast.  So Ford decided to let it go. Last month, Ford announced that Jaguar and Land Rover are for sale.  But in parting with the British luxury brands, Ford will only be getting a fraction of what they have spent in the two luxury brands especially Jaguar.  But Automotive News recently reported that Jaguar can get back on its feet with the help of its newest nameplate - the new sedan that is the Jaguar XF.

According to reports, the XF will be challenging the established BMW 5 Series and the Mercedes-Benz E Class in the auto market. But these two nameplates have been in the market for as long as we can remember.  What could the XF offer that can either make or break Jaguar's future?  According to Jaguar's outgoing managing director Bibiana Boerio:  "This is the physical representation of everything we've been talking about for the past three years."  So with that three years to develop a car that an bring them back to the attention of auto buyers, I think that they should really come out with a hot looking car with a lot of convenience and safety features to boot.

Boerio also admitted that they have been down in the past years but said that they have found their way back.  "Craftsmanship and attention to detail are what we want to stand for. We lost it, and now we have it back," he speaks. The question though still remains if it can go head to head with BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Lexus, Infiniti, and other luxury brands in the luxury midsize sedan market.

The new sedan will be powered by a 4.2-liet V8 engine.  The engine is available as either a naturally-aspirated or as a supercharged unit.  The XF's engine range will also include a 2.7-liter twin-turbo diesel unit which is also being used by Peugeot.  A 3.0-liter V6 engine will also be thrown into the mix to provide consumers with choices.  According to the automaker, the supercharged engine can propel the XF sedan to 100 kilometers per hour from a standstill in just 5.1 seconds while the regular engine needs a second more than that to attain the speed.  With a lot riding on the XF sedan's success or failure I think that Jaguar should be hoping for the best for the XF sedan.

• 143 hp, 2.0-liter, L4, 16-valve, DOHC engine with 136 lbs-ft of torque
• 3-Mode intelligent all-wheel-drive (i-AWD)� system
• 5-speed manual transmission
• 4-wheel disc brakes
• 4-wheel antilock brake system (ABS) w/ EBD
• Dual-stage driver and front passenger airbags
• Front seat-mounted side-impact airbags
• 2-Row Side-curtain airbags
• 16-inch aluminum-alloy wheels
• 4-speaker AM/FM/CD/MP3/WMA, XM-Ready audio system
• 60/40 split-folding rear seatbacks
• Air conditioning
• Remote keyless entry with panic button
• Power windows, door locks and mirrors

• Steering-wheel-integrated audio controls
• Leather wrapped height-adjustable steering wheel
• Cruise control