Lehman Downgrades DaimlerChrysler

Wall Street brokerage firm Lehman Bros. downgraded DaimlerChrysler AG on Wednesday to "equal weight" from "overweight" and cut its price target on the automaker to 48 euros from 53 euros.

The firm said it was concerned about the earnings outlook for the Chrysler and Financial Services divisions because July and August U.S. sales came in below Chrysler's expectations, and because of the revenue and profit hit to the divisions as a result of Chrysler's deep fourth-quarter production cuts.

Lehman Bros. said that while Chrysler Group's 2006 breakeven target may not be at risk yet, consensus growth expectations for 2007 reflected more risk than potential.

Separately, Chrysler said it is recalling about 145,000 2006 Dodge Ram 1500 pickups to replace the passenger airbag pack and reprogram the airbag's computer system.

Shares of DCX fell more than 2 percent to $51.78 in morning trade on the New York Stock Exchange.

Ghosn Promises 21 New Nissans-Including Qashqai

With a 2006 model-year product drought behind it, Nissan is preparing for a slew of new vehicles that will include 21 new models worldwide in the next 18 months. That's the promise from CEO Carlos Ghosn, on hand for the introduction of the company's new Qashqai crossover yesterday. The vehicle, shown as a concept at the last Paris auto show, enters production soon and goes on sale in February across Europe. Though it will be sold in other markets, the Qashqai isn't planned for the U.S. market, mostly due to its smallish engines, the most powerful of which is a 147-hp, 2.0-liter four. Nissan is planning for an 8-percent profit margin this year and Ghosn said that talks with GM on a potential alliance are proceeding, but offered no more insight into the process.

Citroen C-Métisse Preps for Paris

French manufacturers are well known for the sales success of their small cars, and equally so for the lack of it with their larger ones. But that doesn't stop them trying to go head to head with the likes of BMW, Audi and Mercedes on luxury machines - and the latest to do so is Citroen.

At the Paris Motor Show later this month the firm will unveil the C-Métisse, a concept that proves high performance machines can also be eco-friendly. Top speed is 155 mph, 60 mph comes up in six seconds and there's impressive 45-mpg fuel economy. It boasts an economical 208-hp V-6 diesel engine mated to a pair of electric motors on the rear wheels, capable of developing a massive 400 Nm of additional torque. Around town the car can run in zero emissions mode. 

The design is classic Citroen, with a long bonnet and almost no rear overhang. It's 4.74 meters long, but only 1.24 meters high. The doors open up and out - not quite gullwing, but not far off - to reveal a four-seat cabin with individual white leather seats. Each passenger gets independent air conditioning controls, individual roof lighting and plenty of space.-Richard Yarrow

FROM THE SOURCE headlines from the latest press releases

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Autobytel, Inc.	ABTL	2.64	-0.10 (-3.65%)
Autoliv Inc.	ALV	56.61	-0.74 (-1.29%)
AutoNation Inc.	AN	19.30	-0.23 (-1.18%)
ArvinMeritor Inc.	ARM	14.66	-0.31 (-2.07%)
American Axle & Mfr. Holdings Inc.	AXL	16.17	-0.49 (-2.94%)
Ballard Power Systems Inc.	BLDP	6.01	-0.08 (-1.31%)
BorgWarner Inc.	BWA	56.06	-0.75 (-1.32%)
Cummins Inc.	CMI	114.60	-3.30 (-2.80%)
DaimlerChrysler AG (ADR)	DCX	51.93	-1.01 (-1.91%)
Dura Automotive Systems	DRRA	0.423	-0.012 (-2.76%)
Eaton Corporation	ETN	66.89	-1.35 (-1.98%)
Ford Motor Company	F	8.55	+0.16 (+1.91%)
General Motors Corporation	GM	31.17	+0.73 (+2.40%)
Gentex Corporation	GNTX	14.66	+0.28 (+1.95%)
Goodyear Tire & Rubber	GT	13.95	-0.10 (-0.71%)
Honda Motor Co. Ltd. (ADR)	HMC	33.92	-0.10 (-0.29%)
Johnson Controls Inc.	JCI	69.79	-1.55 (-2.17%)
Lear Corporation	LEA	20.30	0.00 (0.00%)
Magna International Inc.	MGA	71.27	-0.18 (-0.25%)
Motorola Inc.	MOT	22.71	-0.79 (-3.36%)
Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. (ADR)	NSANY	22.80	-0.25 (-1.08%)
Sonic Automotive Inc.	SAH	21.74	-0.61 (-2.73%)
Siemens AG	SI	84.61	-1.99 (-2.30%)
Sirius Satellite Radio	SIRI	4.08	-0.11 (-2.63%)
Toyota Motor Corporation (ADR)	TM	107.34	-1.80 (-1.65%)
TRW Automotive Holdings	TRW	23.97	-0.28 (-1.15%)
Tower Automotive Inc.	TWRAQ.PK	0.074	-0.005 (-6.33%)
United Auto Group Inc.	UAG	21.21	+0.02 (+0.09%)
Visteon Corporation	VC	9.03	-0.16 (-1.74%)
XM Satellite Radio Hold.	XMSR	12.32	-0.47 (-3.67%)