It seems that recent reports suggest that Dodge has increased the towing capacity of their 2010 Ram without actually making any hardware changes. The increase is from 9,100 pounds to 10,450 pounds and Dodge points to the coil-sprung sprung suspension for the added performance.

Autoblog says that Dodge merely underestimated the towing power of their latest Ram hence the out-of-nowhere increase. We now also know that the 2010 Ram will include 22-inch wheels, iPod integration, trailer-towing mirrors and an engine management upgrade giving the truck better gas mileage by cutting the fuel during deceleration.

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Chevrolet Matiz

While GM is struggling with possible bankruptcy, one of its brands, Chevrolet, has actually increased its sales in the UK. In April, sales increased by almost 18% despite the recession. The Aveo, the Matiz and the Captiva SUV have reported a hike in sales. With the British government’s policy of offering cash for scrap scheme, Chevrolet notices that people are trading in high end luxury brands for Chevrolet’s value.

The Matiz, for example, is available for only £4,295 to customers trading in a car more than 10 years old, making it one of the most inexpensive new cars in Britain. The company is also planning to introduce a new family sedan, the Cruze, in UK this summer.

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According the retail auto auction giant Manheim, auto repossessions reached an all-time high in 2008, and are expected to go even higher in 2009. A record 1.67 millions cars and trucks were repossessed in 2008, 12% more than in 2007. Looking toward the year ahead, Tom Webb, chief economist for Manheim predicted, “We won’t have a 12 percent increase, but I would expect something in terms of less than a 5 percent increase.” Webb also expects wholesale prices of used vehicles to begin to rise again late in 2009 as the credit freeze begins to show signs of thawing. Over the past two years, bloated new vehicle inventories have driven down the price of used vehicles.

The Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index in December stood at 98.0, down from 98.3 in November and 110.2 in December 2007, and is currently sitting at a historical low. New vehicle sales to rental companies are down, and new vehicles sold through lease fell below two millions for the first time in over ten years.

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