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The article reports on the termination of the collaboration between Chrysler LLC and Chery Automobile Co. as of December 2008. It reports that the deal between the two automobile manufacturers started in July 2007. It states that the collaboration would make Chrysler's business more international while allowing the China based company access to the North American market.

The article focuses on the rankings of several automobile manufacturers in terms of productivity according to the Harbour Report, a closely watched scorecard on automobile manufacturing. Based on the report, Chrysler LLC and Toyota Motor Corp. were tied for the top spot in plant productivity in North America in 2007. The report also found that Ford Motor Co. lost an average of $1,467 on each vehicle it built in North America, General Motors (GM) Corp. lost $729 and Chrysler $412.

The article reports on the plan of Toyota Motor Corp. to postpone the launch of its sport-utility vehicle (SUV) plant in Mississippi by about six months and increase production more slowly than it had planned amid declining demand for automobiles in the U.S. in 2008. The facility will start producing the Highland car-SUV crossover in May 2010 than late 2009, according to spokesman Mike Goss. Automobile manufacturers are predicted to build only about 14 million cars in North America in 2008.

Discusses the retrenchment of the Ford Motor Company. Plan to lay off thousands of workers; Examples of factors which contributed to the company's rapid decline; Problems with product recalls and litigation; How Ford had overstocked on precious metals used in catalytic converters; Other factors.

Reports the decision of Ford Motor Co. not to close down its plants despite projection of over capacity in automobile production in North America.

Reports on the plan of Ford Motor Co. to merge its North American car and truck-engineering groups and continue a review of its assembly plants for possible closings.

Focuses on the need for Honda Motors Co. to expand its North American vehicle-making capacity to meet the demands for 2003 to 2004.

Reveals that Honda Motor Co. may boost North American manufacturing capacity beyond announced increases. Comments from Honda Executive Vice President Koichi Amemiya; Use of the manufacturing capacity; Obstacle to Honda's acting immediately to build a factory or assembly line.