J.D. Power and Associates said that 187,000 hybrids were sold in the first half of 2007, according to USA Today, which accounted for a minuscule 2.3% of all new vehicle sales. Despite the recent slowdown in auto sales, the auto information company expects total sales of 345,000 hybrids for the year, a 35% jump from 2006.

The best-selling hybrid model continues to be the Toyota (NYSE: TM) Prius, which accounted for just over half of all hybrids sold. J.D. Power told the newspaper that Prius sales received a boost from incentives of up to $2,000 per vehicle, which offset the drop in federal tax breaks for hybrids this year. Incentives were something Detroit and the "Big Three" were hoping to avoid this summer, and became one of the main reasons domestic market share fell below 50% for the first time in history.

In the next few years, the competition in the hybrid segment will intensify. J.D. Power estimates there will be as many as 65 hybrid models in the market by 2010, with more than half of them being trucks. It also projects sales of nearly 750,000 units, nearly double the expectations of 2007.

What's not shocking to read is that Toyota, a foreign car manufacturer, holds top billing in hybrid sales. American manufacturers again are late to the game. What is shocking is that despite soaring gas prices, hybrid sales totaled a meager 2.3% of all new vehicles. In three years projections push this out to 5%, which is still too low. If Americans want to complain about high gas prices and how they can't take the pain of paying $3.50 a gallon every week, maybe they should do something proactive and buy a hybrid.

The domestic automotive business has been beaten and torn by foreign competition for several years now, forcing many auto-parts producers, such as Tower Automotive Inc. and Delphi Corp. (OTC: DPHIQ) into bankruptcy proceedings.

A growing number of auto-part manufacturers are leaving the U.S. automobile industry altogether, divesting auto-related businesses and diversifying into other, more profitable industries. The Wall Street Journal highlighted the latest companies [subscription required] trying to make the switch to stay alive:

• SPX Corp (NYSE: SPW), a North Carolina auto manufacturer that once earned 90% of its revenue from auto-related businesses, now earns less than 3% from auto-related businesses after multiple divestitures and acquisitions. SPX Corp is now an infrastructure-related products and service manufacturer for the global power market.

• Pittsburgh-based glass and coatings manufacturer PPG Industries Inc (NYSE: PPG) has put its windshield business up for sale. The company instead will rely on its high-tech coatings business and optical & specialty material segments that offer long-term growth potential.