Monthly Archives: April 2013

Toyota to Announce Additional Production in North America

Toyota Motor Corporation President Akio Toyoda will make an announcement tomorrow morning about increasing production in North American. The world’s largest automaker is heavily klonopin online cheap dependent on the North American market for profits and the strong Japanese Yen … Continue reading

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Milestones – One-Millionth Ford Mustang Built at Flat Rock

Fifty years after Mustang’s debut, the one-millionth Flat Rock assembled pony car was built today. The potential owner of the Ruby Red 2014 convertible was unknown, as the celebration took place nine years after Mustang final assembly was moved to Flat Rock, Michigan. Continue reading

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EU Car Sales Decline 10% in March as Crisis Continues

Sales of new light vehicles in the EU declined once again in March as the rate of contraction increased. During the month passenger cars sales dropped -10.2% compared to – 9.8% less in the first three months of 2012. It was the eighteenth consecutive month of sales declines. Q1 sales of 2,989,486 were weak and apparently getting weaker as the year continues. Continue reading

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Spark EV Electric Motor Manufacturing Starts in Baltimore

General Motors today celebrated becoming the first U.S.-based automaker to manufacture electric motors and drivetrains in the U.S. for electric vehicles for the upcoming Chevrolet Spark EV. GM moved the jobs from a plant in Mexico to its Baltimore Operations plant in White Marsh, Maryland. The Baltimore plant is also GM’s exclusive manufacturer of A1000 transmissions for heavy-duty pickup trucks. Continue reading

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Global Light Vehicle Sales Steady in March at 81.3 Million Rate

Global light vehicles sales stabilized in March with an annualized selling rate of 81.3 million units. China, the United States and Japan continued posting strong, growing results, moving the overall global auto market to near record levels. A slowing in some emerging markets, including India and Russia, is thought to be temporary according to LMC Automotive economists. Continue reading

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General Motors Global Q1 Sales Increase 3.6%

General Motors posted sales of more than 2.36 million during Q1 of 2013, an increase of 3.6%, in a global auto industry that was up 1.5%, compared with the same period in 2012. Continue reading

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Ford and GM to Develop 9- and 10-Speed Automatic Transmissions

Ford Motor Company and General Motors Corporation have signed an agreement whereby both companies will jointly develop an all-new generation of 9- and 10-speed automatic transmissions for cars, crossovers, SUVs and trucks. Continue reading

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North Carolina Man Charged in Odometer Fraud Scheme

The United States charged Francis Marimo, of Raleigh, NC with two counts of odometer tampering, according to the Department of Justice statement released today. The charges were filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina on 10 April 2013, alleging that from 2008 through 2012, Marimo fraudulently caused odometers in used motor vehicles to be altered to reflect false, low mileages. Continue reading

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Ford Motor to Pay Q2 Dividend of $0.10 Per Share

Ford Motor Company today declared Q2 dividend of $0.10 per share on the company’s outstanding preferred Class B and common stock. This is the same dividend paid in the first quarter of 2013, and twice the amount paid in Q2 last year. The second quarter dividend is payable on June 3, 2013 to shareholders of record on May 3, 2013. Continue reading

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New Steel Alloys can Outperform Aluminum and Carbon fiber

Part of the steel industry’s problem, aside from the overall lack of interest among technically illiterate consumers, is regulatory. While the Obama Administration is in the process of implementing the most stringent emissions and fuel economy standards in history, the Environmental Protection Agency only looks at a crude mile per gallon rating that does not take into effect the energy used and greenhouse gas emissions that result during the creation of the 10,000 or more components that comprise an automobile. Continue reading

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Takata Airbag Recall on 3.3 Million BMW, Honda, Mazda, Nissan and Toyota Cars

While an airbag is a safety device, its explosion if not properly controlled can be deadly. Japanese supplier Takata is recalling more than 3 million vehicles globally because its airbags when deployed can send metal fragments – shrapnel – into a car’s interior striking and potentially seriously injuring the passenger seat occupant or other occupants. Continue reading

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Toyota Recalls Corolla, Sequoia, Tundra, Lexus SC 430 Airbags

Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sequoia, and Tundra, and Lexus SC 430 models are being recalled for defective airbags. Continue reading

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Daimler AG Sets Dividend at €2.20 a Share

At the Annual Shareholders’ Meeting of Daimler AG in Berlin on Wednesday, shareholders approved a dividend for the year 2012 of €2.20 per share, the same as in 2011 for a total dividend payout of €2.35 bllion. Continue reading

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World Trade to Remain Weak in 2013 as Eurozone Drags on Economy

Projected trade growth of 3.3% in 2013 is well below the 20-year average of 5.3% and even further below the pre crisis trend of 6% during the 1990-2008 period. Continue reading

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General Motors Declares Dividend on Series B Stock

The dividend on the hybrid stock – a mixture of stock and debt – is cumulative. GM has not paid a dividend on its common stock since 2008 before it entered bankruptcy. The total amount of the dividend is $59.4 million. Continue reading

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