Washington  - The last time the United States' three top automotive executives travelled from Detroit to Washington to plea for a federal bail-out, they flew each in their own corporate jets.

It was a public relations nightmare. One legislator noted the "delicious irony" of living the high life while asking for billions in emergency federal assistance.

Taking their case before Congress a second time on Thursday - seeking 34 billion dollars to help stave off bankruptcy - it appeared the group had learned its lesson.

"I'm proud to say that I drove a hybrid here from Detroit, and it performed - the technology performed extremely well," said Rob Nardelli, Chrysler chief executive.

MIAMI, Dec. 4  -- U. S. automobile sales are at a 15-year low, forcing many dealerships out of business, an industry trade association said.

Chairwoman of the National Automobile Dealers Association Annette Sykora said 19,700 dealerships could survive through the end of the year, a drop of about 900 since January and a dramatic shift from the 50,000 U. S. dealerships that were around in the 1940s, CNN reported Thursday.

"Many displaced dealership families might have to leave town in search of work in other places, compounding the loss. This same scene would play out in hundreds of communities in the U. S.," Sykora said.

Washington  - US carmakers General Motors Corp and Chrysler LLC Thursday said they would be willing to consider a merger as a condition for receiving a federal bail-out.

The idea was suggested by US lawmakers during a committee hearing on the three US carmakers' request for 34 billion dollars in federal aid to avoid bankruptcy in the midst of an economic recession.

Chrysler chief executive Rob Nardelli said he would accept the requirement if it meant saving his 80-year-old company.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4  -- Plans for energy-efficient cars, fewer showrooms and shared sacrifice were aired Thursday by the three U. S. automakers seeking emergency funding from Congress.

Chief executives told the U. S. Senate Banking Committee that they needed bridge financing to help them whether tough financial times brought on by the swooning U. S. economy, telling the panel that they would agree to be subject to a decision-making, proactive, government-appointed board that the Government Accounting Office recommended.

All three auto executives pledged to cut costs and share concessions across all constituencies, as well as explain that they needed a bridge loan now to avoid potential collapse.

Washington - The heads of the United States' three ailing carmakers headed to Congress Thursday for the second time in less than a month to ask for a 34-billion-dollar bail-out in light of an economic recession.

General Motors Corp, Ford Motor Co and Chrysler LLC this week submitted extensive recovery plans demanded by lawmakers as a condition for any loan. They agreed to revamp business models, cut wages and speed up the roll-out of more fuel-efficient cars.

Tata Motors is in for yet another debacle. The Gujarat High Court has directed the state government to produce documents of acquisition of land in Sanand, alloted to Tatas for the Nano car project. The farmers in Sanand, the site of the Nano project in Gujarat, have filed a case against the Gujarat government and Tata motors, seeking greater compensation for their land.