A comprehensive bailout for General Motors, the Ford Motor Company and Chrysler could cost as much as $125 billion, and even the companies themselves are hard pressed to dispute that figure, the New York Times reported today. Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody’s Economy.com, testified before Congress last week that the Big Three’s request for $34 billion in loans “will not be sufficient for them to avoid bankruptcy at some point in the next two years.” He said nearly $75 billion to $125 billion would be needed to pay for a full-scale reorganization of the automakers. Lawmakers have indicated they may give GM and Chrysler about $15 billion in emergency aid to keep them in business until the spring, when the Obama administration and the new Congress can craft a longer-term rescue plan. Despite an infusion of $700 billion into financial institutions, there are few signs that car loans are becoming more available to consumers - a critical component in any rebound in vehicle sales, which have fallen to their lowest level in 25 years in the United States.

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