| All along General Motors (maker of GMC | | | | Riverhead said, "General Motors has |
| air filter) has been preparing its | | | | woken up to who its competition is." |
| redesigned Chevrolet Malibu to compete | | | | Aside from Honda and General Motors |
| with Toyota's Camry, believing that it's | | | | other automakers are also improving |
| the toughest competitor to beat in the | | | | their entries in the family sedan market |
| family sedan market. But another | | | | such as Ford Motor Co. that boost the |
| competitor has emerged and has made its | | | | horsepower and changed the names of its |
| debut just last Tuesday---the Honda | | | | entries Five Hundred and Montego to |
| Accord. | | | | Taurus and Sable. Ford believes that the |
| A redesigned Honda Accord was unveiled | | | | change in names would boost sales. |
| in Novi Michigan, marking the start of a | | | | Chrysler and Nissan have also redesigned |
| really intense battle royale in the | | | | their Sebring and Altima sedans in |
| family sedan market. The eighth | | | | dealerships since November as 2007 |
| generation Accord is scheduled to hit | | | | models. General Motors' Saturn division |
| dealerships next month. The prices are | | | | since last August of last year has |
| not yet announced but expected to fall | | | | started selling a new midsize sedan, the |
| between $20,000 and $30,000. | | | | Aura which replaces the L-Series. |
| On the other hand, GM will release its | | | | The family sedan market is very |
| redesigned Malibu in early November. The | | | | important to automakers and accounted |
| company however, has not yet made any | | | | for about one in five of 16.5 million |
| statement regarding the price. | | | | new vehicles sold annually. Industry |
| The 2008 Accord is available in coupe | | | | analyst David Healy of Burnham |
| and sedan form with four or six cylinder | | | | Securities is however, seeing a stagnant |
| engines and with manual or automatic | | | | sedan market for the coming 2008, and |
| transmissions. According to Honda, the | | | | sees growth only somewhere else. He |
| 2008 Accord sedan has gained 3 inches | | | | said, "I think the growth area is going |
| and given an additional 3.3 cubic feet | | | | to be crossover SUVs and maybe even full |
| of space which qualifies it more as a | | | | size pickups, and SUVs might make a |
| large rather than a midsize sedan under | | | | small recovery." |
| the federal guidelines. | | | | General Manager Richard Lang at Nardy |
| Meanwhile the new Malibu is still part | | | | Honda in St. James says that the Accord |
| of GM's effort to gain back the market | | | | is his bestselling model and ever since |
| share lost to Japanese competitors. The | | | | that price of gasoline have increased |
| new 2008 Malibu was also increased in | | | | more and more buyers have chosen to |
| length by 3 inches and will be offered | | | | purchase four-cylinder variants. |
| with four or six cylinder engines, | | | | Honda has been able to sell more than |
| delivering 164hp and 252hp. Fuel | | | | 354,000 Accord sedans and coupes last |
| consumption is 31miles per gallon and 26 | | | | year making it the second best selling |
| mpg respectively. | | | | car after Toyota Camry with 448,000 |
| Local dealers are also expecting the new | | | | units sold. GM on the other hand was |
| Malibu to outperform its predecessor. | | | | able to sell 163,800 Malibus and 289,000 |
| Mark Calisi, owner of Eagle Chevrolet in | | | | Impalas last year. |