Automobile Retailers

With China holding the United States’ future and currency in the palm of its hand, it shouldn’t be too surprising that a shift in what they do over there would cause major tremors over here in North America. So when China announced that they were raising gas prices, the tremors felt over here were instant, bold, and compelling.

For starters, the oil prices sank like a stone. This major shift came as China announced Thursday that it was going to lift subsidies that have been blamed by experts for driving oil prices higher. The move will likely curb demand from China’s rapidly growing economy.

Crude oil for July delivery fell $4.75 to settle at $131.93 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange as a result. China’s National Development and Reform Commission said that prices of gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel will increase by 8% beginning Friday. The reaction of United States markets to this shift will likely be sudden and sweeping.

The news came as a shock to many analysts, who had expected China to simply follow the lead of other oil consuming countries that have lifted subsidies in recent weeks. The idea that the shift comes in the weeks before the Olympics seems to have added insult to injury in the minds of many brokers. Nevertheless, the markets will be interesting to watch on Friday.

Strong demand from China’s economy regarding crude oil and gas has been a driving force in the markets. While much of the United States’ attention has been on the Middle East, it has been China that has been driving a lot of the prices. American investors would do well to have a broader global perspective in dealing with the markets.

As for the local consumers, changes are always in order when something like this happens. This news not only reinforces the idea that America’s fuel markets are being played by other puppets, but it also reinforces the idea that Americans need to take their own power back. That means driving smarter and using more fuel-efficient vehicles.

Start by dropping by a Scion dealer and looking at a more fuel efficient car. You’ll be glad you did and, you never know, you’ll probably even feel more American…

Remember the days of the muscle car? Those great days may soon go away, but not if Pontiac has anything to say about it.

Despite gas prices, Pontiac recently released the G8 GT . This is a muscle car that doesn’t get the best gas mileage, but you still get quite a bang for your buck. It has plenty of power that you simply can’t find in new cars nowadays with more than 360 horsepower and a six-speed V8. Remember when they used to measure a car’s significance by how fast it can go from zero to 60 mph? The G8 does it in just under six seconds.

Here’s something else you might like about the G8: If you’re uncomfortable with they power and muscle, you can get a "less muscular edition," or a G8 lite. It has a smaller engine (V6 instead of a V8) which gives you slightly better gas mileage. But reviewers say the increased gas mileage isn’t enough to warrant getting the cheaper version. You might as well stick with the full-on muscular version.

Car and Driver said the Pontiac G8 is quite spacious and agile. It has a muscular appearance that any car enthusiast would appreciate. Reviewers at C&D even said it’s the best thing to happen to Pontiac since KITT was a Pontiac Trans Am in the 1980s TV show Knight Rider.

Sound interesting? Your local Pontiac dealer undoubtedly has some of these sitting on their lot right now. And with people shying away from muscle cars in recent months, you can probably get a great deal on one. Test drive one today and see what I mean.