Ferrari F430 & Porsche Key Remote Control Key (oem) on 2040-parts.com

Crunch watch Jan 09: the auto industry in crisis

By Tim Pollard, Ben Pulman and Gareth Evans Motor Industry 30 January 2009 12:39 Friday 30 January 2009• Honda is about to close the Swindon factory for four months when Friday's shifts are finished; the shutdown will affect 2500 of the 3700 staff, who will receive full pay for two months and then 60% pay for the next eight weeks (BBC News)• Porsche has announced a sharp drop in sales and likely profits. It forecasts a 27% drop in 911, Boxster, Cayman and Cayenne sales to around 34,000 units in the six months to the end of January 2009 (Financial Times, subscription required)• Ford wants Washington to do more to stimulate car sales, after posting a record loss of nearly $14.6 billion earlier this week (Detroit News)• Honda's quarterly profit has crashed by 90% – forcing the Japanese car maker to halve its annual profit target (Detroit Free Press)Thursday 29 January 2009• Ford of Europe is a bright spot in the Blue Oval's quarterly results today, making $1.06 billion pre-tax profit in 2008 (up from $997m in 2007). It's the first profit of more than $1bn since 1989 (Automotive News Europe, subscription required)• Volvo suffered a 'disastrous 2008' with a pre-tax loss of $1.46bn.

EBay exotic: 1974 Alfa Romeo Berlina 2000

I'm a sucker for a four-door Alfa, and this bright red Berlina 2000 posted by our friends at Bring a Trailer has yours truly all aflutter this morning. Formerly owned by an Alfa Romeo employee in the United States, this car shows just a tick less than 89,000 original miles and wears fresh paint as of a few years ago. The seller, himself an Alfisti, claims that the gauges and mechanicals are all in correct working order, and the original factory air conditioning apparently operates as well as it did when new--which likely isn't very well, but still, it makes an interesting conversation piece.

SEAT launches new Copa trim on Ibiza and Leon

  SEAT Ibiza SE Copa - more kit for no more money Yet again, we’re back to the oldest sales pitch in the book – something for nothing. But it’s the oldest trick in the book because it works. Which is why, at a quiet-ish time in the car sale cycle, SEAT are adding value to both the Ibiza and Leon by throwing extra kit in to the pot, for no extra money.