Well, it’s another turkey day and EasyAutoSales is in full swing! With recent updates of new feeds like VINAssist and AutoDealerTraffic, EasyAutoSales is still fleshing out our sites inventory with as many clients as possible. If you would like your feed or site to be listed on EasyAutoSales, please email us at service@easyautosales.com. Also, we’ve finally gotten our first financial partner with the addition of Web2Carz! If you’re looking to finance your next car, please check out http://www.easyautosales.com/finance and follow this to our credit application form. Web2Carz will then match you up with the best lenders!

With all this said, we have many things to be thankful for. We at EasyAutoSales are thankful that so many of you chose us every day to shop for your next car online. We are also thankful for all the great cars that are for sale today. No matter what you do or what your needs are, there’s car or for you! So, with that said, here’s my “What Cars I’m Thankful For” in honor of Thanksgiving 2008:

1. The Audi Coupe GT - This was the car I learned how to drive and my first real car I drove in high school. It was a super sweet ride that came over as a grey market car in 1986. I believe there were something like 500 of them brought over to the states. With an inline-5 engine and a slick 5-speed (and some awesome quality leather), this was a super rare and stylish ride at the time. Though the car was originally supposed to be giving to my brother when he graduated college, it got caught on some black ice while I was driving and ended up t-boning a Lincoln. RIP Audi.

2. The BMW E30 3-Series - This was my first car ever that I bought myself. I’ve had 3 of them thus far, including a 1991 318is that’s sitting in my garage. In my spare time, I’ve been taking it apart with plans to restore the car and get it out autocrossing. The car is super light, super cheap, efficient and a significant portion of the cars were build before the fall of the Berlin Wall, so they were built like a German tank. There will always be a special place in my heart for these cars.

3. The BMW 850CSi - This was my first “dream” car. While other kids had Lamborghinis and Ferraris on their wall, I remember watching a MotorWeek on TV back in the early 90s and recall the review of the ultra-exclusive BMW 850CSi. With a supurb 5.6L 12-cylinder engine (later derivatives of the V12 from this BMW were dropped into the McLaren F1), the 850CSi was the peak of german GT performance in the 90s.

4. The McLaren F1 - This was my first “dream” super-car. This was it. This was the car that embodied everything I wanted in a car. Speed. Handling. The look and a it had been the fastest production car for an incredibly long period of time. Even by today’s standards, there’s only a few cars that can match the F1’s performance. I’ll take mine in LeMans Orange. Now, all I need is the $4 million these cars are going for these days.

5. “New” Mini Cooper - It’s one of the most fun, efficient and safe cars I’ve ever had the chance to drive. In terms of pure performance, it’s not the fastest car in the world. However, it runs like it’s on rails, it’s got tons of low end torque and it just gives you the feeling of being in a much faster and more expensive car. They are just an all around great car! Though the new turbocharged Coopers are fantastic, there’s something really sweet looking about the previous generation’s GP edition. Just make sure and get yours without run-flat tires. Just no good…

6. Ford F-150 - Used to have a 1997 Ford F-150 and like the Mini Cooper, there’s something fun about driving it. You get a king-of-the-road type feeling, super hauling power and the great sound of a rumbling American V8. Due to some “lemon” issues with the car, I had to return it to the party I bought it from, but it’s on my list of cars that will tow my eventual race cars. The F-150 has/had been the best selling car for many years in a row and it’s no wonder. Though the older cars interior is pretty shady by modern standards, that’s not why you get a pickup truck.

7. Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder - In my opinion, one of the most beautiful cars made today. The overt and absurd styling of Lamborghinis crossed with the sex appeal of a drop-top (and reliability of an Audi) make this car exactly what I want to drive along the A1-A on a sunny day with my wife by my side. A car like this is also an investment, as quality Lamborghinis like the Gallardo are sure to keep their value in years to come. Though the Murcielago is the “big brother,” many have described it as a powerful, 4WD Elise due to its compact size. I love small cars and this one acts much larger with it’s 5.0L V10.

8. Lotus Elise - Proof you can have a car that has super-car performance and get well over 30MPG. Not much to say about this car, as it’s legend in its own right.

Recenrt murmers from rumour land have indicated that Ferrari’s next line of cars will be using a new line of engines developed to smaller and turbocharged, a move many other high performance manufactures have decided to pursue (Porsche, BMW and Audi being the most noteworthy). With a small displacement V8 using twin-turbochargers, Ferrari, like others, hope to take advantage of the inherent fuel savings and engine efficiency gained by reusing all that exhaust energy and powering the car with an otherwise small engine. The last time Ferrari used a turbocharged engine in any of its cars, the F40 was running amock with its 3.0L TT V8 Granted, at that time the F40 (as well as most forced induction cars) were known for turbo lag that no self respecting car would be caught with today. Whether Ferrari uses variable vane turbos, sequential units or just proper tuning, the new engine will have a lot to live up to.

In addition to the rumors of the new engine, there’s also talk of the new line of cars (the successor to the F430) being slightly smaller and lighter, to furhter take advantage of the small engine displacement. It will have similar features of the Enzo, with its extreme wedge shaped design and more agressive, supercar-like looks. Many have balked at the 360 and 430 designs, saying they strayed from the original wedge shape of the 355, 348 and 328. The Enzo and future derivatives should be a more welcome to those who long for the more stylish and refined supercar.

Source: TopSpeed, Rumors

The Porsche Panamera seems to be popping up more and more these days. Recent images and videos from San Francisco have shown a completely unmasked pre-production Porsche Panamera in its full glory. Whereas many have questioned Porsches forray into the world of sedans, they have already done more to sully their name with the Cayenne than a sports sedan will ever do. With that said, what’s the full story on Porsche’s soon to be super-saloon? Let’s start with Porsche’s take on the machine itself:

No imitation. No fluff. Not looking to be trendy. No compromises. Porsche has always positioned themselves as the true “Ultimate Driving Machine,” no matter what BMW may tell you. So with their new slogan for the Panamera, “Four, Uncompromised,” Porsche now will take their fight to the super saloons of the world. Porsches are about as perfect a drivers car you can get on the street without the compromise of street legal track cars like the Zonda or Enzo. The Porsche 911 is a crisp drive with all the feedback one would expect, the quality one could want and relaibility one would desire from a finely crafted German automobile. Now, the Panamera comes along and offers all the 911 does and lets you take two more people along with you and your luggage.

Looking at the Pamera, you should have no problem with its long cabin and full rear hatch. The Panamera reminds me of CItroen C6, a car that only Europeans know about. However, it is a car known for for its ultimate style and supurb ride quality. Though it’s a bit quirky compared to most American sedans, I belive the people who would buy a Porsche will have no problem with it’s unique styling. Here at EasyAutoSales, as long as the drive is as inspiring as we expect, the Porsche Panamera is for us!

Though nothing has been officially been released about engines, based specifications should come with a V6 (standard and with hybrid capability), Porsche’s 4.8L V8 out of the Cayenne and either the twin-turbo V8 in the Cayenne or a V10 sourced and modified from the Carerra GT. It’s hard to imagine how inspiring the V6 will be, but anyone who has driven an underpowered car while autocrossing or around a race track knows the joy of truely flogging an engine that won’t forgive you if you can’t carry your speed properly. Plans for diesel version have also been mentioned, though as with the rest of the engines, nothing is set in stone.

Where as Porsche should sell a lot of these car to over excited parents looking to take their kids to school, no one can plan if this will be the next BMW M5 or Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG. Worst case scenerio is that this car will turn into a VW Pheaton, one of the most well built cars ever to come stateside (based off the Bentley chassis noless), but a car that people just won’t understand. If that does happen, deep discounts should direct these cars into the hands of true enthusiasts. However, as the Cayenne has shown us, even a seemingly questionable production model from a company likst Porsche will be gold. Either way, I look forward to my first drive of the Porsche Panamera, even if it’s not with ‘4′ other people.

Eric Miltsch from WhyBuyUsedCars.com conducted an interview with our CEO Wei Yang.  Wei provides some great information about the vision of EasyAutoSales, as well as some fascinating insight into the future of the automotive industry.  Here’s a quick snippet from the interview:

WBUC: What are some of the trends you see happening within the automotive retail industry?

WY: As more people rely on the internet for research, I believe the rest of the retail auto industry (small & medium sized dealers) will catch up by establishing a web presence, so they too, can be in front of the customers when they’re ready to buy. I’m personally hoping that sites with crazy scripts and virtual assistants will go away in exchange for more useful, and user friendly sites. Flash is only cool the first time you see it, afterwards it’s just another barrier between you and the users.

Hopefully within a couple of years every dealership out there will at least have an internet connection on site and hopefully they will all pay attention to their online leads.
Check out the rest of the interview at WhyBuyUsedCars.com

In search of social media case studies from the automotive industry?  Well, so are we… If you’ve found any please let us know.  In the mean time if you are in San Jose or surrounding areas I highly recommend checking out this conference, “How Big Companies Use Social Media.”  Big hitters such as Home Depot, UPS, and CISCO will giving presentations.  Maybe you can learn something and create your own case study for the automotive industry…

Check out this live glimpse inside Ford’s Allen Park Test Labs for the F-150 Forum today at 1:30pm. Ford F-150 Chief Program Engineer Matt O’Leary and Truck Marketing Manager Doug Scott will discuss all things F-150, and make some news along the way.

After a number of spy shots, Chevrolet has released official photographs the upcoming 2010 Cruze . Though the Cruze will be released at the Paris Motor Show, apparently Chevy is trying to drum up some early excitement. The Cruze, which will replace the compact Cobalt, is expected to be sold world-wide. Obviously, by looking at the car you can tell Chevrolet is targeting this car directly at the current generation Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. In my humble opinion, it’s pretty shameful. The current generation Cobalt is a great looking car. It’s sporty and a bit of a throwback to the Ford Probe, which many people followed religiously. The new car looks slightly wider and probably has more interior room than the Cobalt. However, with a line-up as deep as GMs, I could see both cars being sold and let’s drop some SUV or superfluous GM truck in lieu of multiple small cars. See below for more pictures and the official release from GM.

From GM:

PRESS RELEASE

All-New Chevrolet Cruze Features Dramatic Design

Detroit - The first photographs of Chevrolet’s all-new Cruze sedan - making its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show in October - reveal a dynamic four-door coupe that proves exciting design and value are not mutually exclusive.

On sale beginning in Europe from March next year, Cruze features a dramatic re-interpretation of the traditional sedan featuring Chevrolet’s new global design language that is becoming a signature on all new products carrying the gold bowtie.

Cruze’s arching roof-line, extending from the steeply raked windshield to its sloping rear pillars and short rear deck, brings coupe-like proportions to a compact sedan.

Wider and longer than most of its competitors, Cruze has a purposeful stance with its wheels located at the outer edges of the tautly drawn bodywork. Noticeably tight body panel fits and a restrained use of exterior trim add to a high quality, ‘hewn from solid’ appearance.

Cruze’s dramatic profile is matched by bold front styling, with large headlamp housings that wrap around the front corners and sweep up, arrow-like, into the fenders and sculpted hood. Other distinct design themes include a concave shoulder line, the two-tier grille and a “wheels-out/body-in” stance. Inside, Cruze features a ‘twin cockpit’ design motif, first introduced in the iconic Corvette sports car.

“Our goal in designing Cruze was to be bold, not evolutionary,” says chief designer Taewan Kim. “We wanted to take a big step forward, making a strong design statement for Chevrolet products around the world.”

Visitors to the Paris show will see how Chevrolet’s progressive design is also reflected in the quality of Cruze’s interior. The use of grained surfaces, soft-touch materials and low gloss trim panels ensures a quality ambience that echoes the clean, harmonious design of the exterior.

At launch in Europe, Cruze will be available with 16-valve, 1.6-liter (112 hp/82 kW) and 1.8-liter (140 hp/103 kW) gasoline engines featuring variable valve timing (VVT) on both inlet and exhaust sides, giving more power as well as better fuel economy and lower emissions. A new 2.0-liter turbo diesel, developing 150 hp/ 110 kW and 320 Nm of torque adds power with even greater frugality. Five-speed manual gearboxes and an all-new automatic transmission, Chevrolet’s first six-speed application in the compact segment, complete the powertrain menu.

With sales in Europe up by 23 percent for the first six months of 2008, Chevrolet is GM Europe’s fastest-growing mainstream brand. The arrival of Cruze spearheads an exciting new product roll-out program that is expected to propel the brand to even greater success.

“We are proud that Europe is leading the introduction for this global product,” said Wayne Brannon, Executive Director, Chevrolet Europe. “Chevrolet has always stood for expressive value and Cruze delivers on that promise like never before. It further redefines Chevrolet with its design, quality, materials and great style inside and out. The fit and finish for gaps and interfaces sets a new standard for this segment in Europe and around the world.”

Cruze is the result of a development process harnessing GM’s global expertise and is the first of a new family of compact products that will deliver world class quality. It will be backed by expected highest scores in all major crash safety ratings.

The Chevrolet Cruze will be available in Europe from March 2009, followed by other global markets with regional-specific engine choices.

For some time in the US, cars that can’t achieve a certain level of have what’s called a gas guzzler tax. It’s a somewhat reasonable tax if you want people to think green. However, a small tax is a small price to pay when you’re dropping $100,000+ for a brand new Mercedes-Benz CL63 or a $250,000 Ferrari <insert fast car here>. For those countries who have yet to mobilize via cars like the USA (China for example), the government is able to impose slightly more draconian taxes without backlash from the general population. Though I can’t say I agree with the government dictating what people’s behavior should be, it’s a more than effective method to take the “green” road. Here’s an example of some of the “tax reform” levels Chinese car buyers will see:

Engines smaller or equal to 1.0l - 1%

Engines over 1.0l but less than 2.0l - 5%

Engines over 2.2l but less than 3.0l - 9%

Engines over 3.0l but less than 4.0l - 25%

Engines over 4.0l - 40% 

While I applaud the Chinese for good intentions, you know what they say about good intentions. What about cars like the Chevy Corvette that gets mileage as good as any V6 sedan out there? What about engines that are turbo or supercharged? There is no final formula for the perfect way to tax cars. So, B+ for creative thinking and “good intentions”. F for execution. I just hope that American creativity and entrepreneurial spirt will yield a more reasonable solution to incentivizing small, efficient cars.

Source: China Car Times

Maybe Toyota needs to be including some more Apple Bottom Jeans and boots with fur, because right now their sales are feeling the Pain. Toyota Motor Corporation announced operating results for the first quarter ended June 30, 2008 and it’s not good. Net revenues for Toyota’s first quarter totaled 6.22 trillion yen, a decrease of 4.7 percent compared to the same period last year. The really bad number has to do with operating income, which has decreased 38.9 percent to 412.5 billion yen. This translates into a  net income decreased by 28.1 percent. The long and short of things is that Toyota now knows how The Big Three feel, all the time. What’s really something is that despite Toyota’s perceived dominance in the small to medium sized, super reliable, fuel efficient car segment, they still have a lot of other cars they make which aren’t selling.

Source: Toyota

51-year-old Andrea Pininfarina died in Thursday morning in the northern city of Turin in a motorbike accident. Since 2001 Andea was the CEO of the coach-builder Pininfarina. The firm founded by Pininfarina’s grandfather is famous for designing cars for many automakers including Ferrari, Maserati, Cadillac, Alfa Romeo, Volvo and Lancia.  In 1981 he graduated from Polytechnic of Turin as amechanical engineer and subsequently went to work in the United States after graduation. After a short stint working for Freuehauf, Andea went to work at the family business, his first assignment being the project manager for the design of the Cadillac Allante. Pininfarina is know as the chief design firm for many cars such as the Volvo C70, Maserati Quattroporte, Ferrari P4/5 and the 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Rondine coupe, to name just a few of their cars. Andea will be missed, as his firm has made some of the most beautiful cars ever built. Let us hope the next generation of Pininfarina coach-builders will do Andea, and his grand-father, proud.

Source: International Herald Tribune