2014 Jeep Srt Harman Kardon Subwoofer Speaker on 2040-parts.com

Crunch watch Mar 09: the auto industry in crisis

By Ben Pulman and Tim Pollard Motor Industry 31 March 2009 13:48 Tuesday 31 March 2009• Porsche said that its earnings before tax rose to €7.3 billion in the six months to the end of January – including a €6.8bn windfall from its VW share options (Financial Times)• Fritz Henderson, GM's president and chief operating officer, will step up to replace Rick Wagoner, who was ousted on Sunday as CEO of General Motors (Financial Times)• President Obama is essentially CEO-in-chief of GM – despite not owning a single cent of stock, says Detroit News commentator (Detroit News)• German chancellor Angela Merkel gives assurances that any would-be investors in GM's European arm will be given state support. Opel is asking for €3.3 billion in aid – and up to 25,000 jobs in Germany depend on it, with up to 300,000 jobs across Europe including Saab and Vauxhall (BBC News)Monday 30 March 2009• General Motors' chief executive Rick Wagoner has been ordered to resign by US president Barack Obama with immediate effect. It's part of Obama's administration's critique of GM and Chrysler's turnaround plans – he's understood to be unhappy with the plans submitted (BBC News)• New GM non-executive chairman Kent Kresa has admitted that at the company's next general meeting it will have 'a majority of new directors' (General Motors)• Chrysler will receive US government aid for the next 30 days, but the Obama administration has said that if the company cannot secure a tie-up with the Fiat Group within that time period it will not receive any more money from the taxpayers and could go into liquidation.

Las Vegas Motorcycle Auctions show strong results, easy access

Results are in for Bonhams fourth annual Las Vegas motorcycle auction, and the ancient British firm sold a whopping $3.3 million worth of motorcycles at its Thursday night event at Bally's on The Strip, with some fairly high-dollar bikes setting records. One of the Ducatis from the Silverman Museum Racing Collection lead the field, as it no doubt had on the track back in its day -- with a record $175,500 hammer price after what Bonhams called “spirited bidding.” The 1978 Ducati 900 NCR was in great shape after its spirited competition life. Next-highest seller was a 1940 Harley-Davidson EL from the Pierce Family Museum Collection that sold for $159,000.

Infiniti prices 2014 QX60 and QX70

Infiniti said last Friday that the 2014 QX70 SUV -- formerly known as the FX -- will start at $45,945, including destination. The 2014 QX60, formerly the JX, will sticker for $42,545. The QX70 comes in both rear-wheel and all-wheel-drive setups, with either a 325-hp, 3.7-liter V6 or a 390-hp 5.0-liter V8.