**GM preparing for bankruptcy**

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http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-n...0624-yzw7.html

GM looks to banks to finance subprimes
June 24, 2010

AP

General Motors Co is looking to boost auto sales by lining up banks and other financial institutions to make loans and lease deals for buyers with poor credit.

The talks lessen the likelihood of GM trying to buy the auto finance business from Ally Financial Inc, its main lender. They also make it less likely that GM would start its own auto financing unit.

GM considered both options earlier in the year because Ally was reluctant to fund loan and lease deals to buyers with subprime credit. About 16 per cent of loans for new cars and trucks went to subprime buyers in the fourth quarter of last year, but because of Ally's reluctance to lend to them, GM was unable to tap that market.

Subprime buyers are customers with credit scores below 620 on a 300-to-850-point scale.

"We are developing relationships with other financial sources on a selective basis for specialised financing needs, such as leasing and subprime financing." GM spokeswoman Renee Rashid-Merem said on Wednesday.

GM continues to work with Ally, which used to be GMAC Financial Services, and it already has relationships with many banks and credit unions, Rashid-Merem said.

The automaker's sales are up about 15 per cent through the first five months of the year, but they trail the increase for the overall US industry by more than 2 per cent. Crosstown rival Ford Motor Co has seen its sales rise 30 per cent compared with the first five months of last year.

Mark Reuss, GM's North American president, said in an interview last month that GM would like to tap into the subprime credit market to help lift sales. He said GM gets only 1 per cent of its sales from subprime buyers, while Honda Motor Co gets about 20 per cent because it has better access to lending.

© 2010 AP