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05/24/2008: "Buy a car and get a free gun offer"

A US car dealer has seen his sales soar after he launched a promotion offering customers a free handgun with every car.

Max Motors, a small car dealer in Butler, Missouri in the US Midwest, has seen sales quadruple since the introduction this week of a scheme offering customers either a $250 voucher for a gun or the alternative of a gas card.

Mark Muller, the owner of the dealership, said that he had sold more than 30 cars and trucks in the past three days but only two customers had opted for the gas card.

"We did it because of Barack Obama," Mr Muller said, referring to the Democratic presidential hopeful. "He said all those people in the Midwest, you've got to have compassion for them because they’re clinging to their guns and their Bibles. I found that quite offensive."

[ People shouldn't be encouraged to buy cars.]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article3991570.ece