Monthly Archives: March 2020

COVID-19: 2020 New York International Auto Show Delayed

As AutoInformed said then, “The show’s fate of course will be determined by public health departments at the city, state and federal levels. At the moment there is no known vaccine for preventive or ameliorative use against COVID-19.” This still applies despite of the denials and obfuscation of the  central government.  Continue reading

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Online Car Buying Trends

“We’ve amassed a wealth of data from the 177,549 cars we sold online in 2019, providing valuable insights for our industry-first report of online car buying,” said Ernie Garcia, Carvana founder and CEO. Continue reading

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Sulfur Fumes Cause Mercedes ABS and ESP Safety Recall?

The electrical contact of a resistor might be impaired due to sulfur fumes originating from the axle oil. Due to a development “deviation” at the supplier Tollo Linear  of Sweden, a batch of electrical resistors don’t meet the requirements for chemical resistance. Continue reading

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Trump Deficit Growing: $625 Billion FYTD – $80B Higher YoY

Net interest on the public debt rose by $5 billion (or 17%), mostly because of a different rate of inflation. Continue reading

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Kathrin Kerls New Chair of Board of Management BMW Bank

The current Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW Bank GmbH, Hans-Jürgen Cohrs, will step down on 1 April, but will support his successor during the initial phase until he retires on 30 June 2020. Continue reading

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Tire Wear Emissions 1000 Times More Than Exhaust Emissions

Non-exhaust emissions (NEE) are particles released into the air from brake wear, tire wear, road surface wear and re-suspension of road dust during  vehicle operation. No legislation is in place to limit or reduce NEE, but they affect air quality. Continue reading

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US Trade Deficit Continues at $45 Billion a Month

The drop in imports portends shortages, which could harm both consumer and business spending. The coronavirus epidemic has upset businesses and production in China, with an extension of  the Lunar Year holidays cutting output in an effort by the Chinese government to constrain its spread. This likely will be repeated in the US economy as the epidemic spreads here. It’s too soon to see the potential negative effects on the auto industry, but disruptions are likely given China, South Korea and Mexican trade in automotive goods. Continue reading

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More Management Changes at Profit Challenged Daimler

The reorganization at Daimler continued today at Daimler in Investor Relations and Greater China. Olaf Schick is to take over Finance & Controlling at Daimler Greater China replacing Steffen Hoffman. Hoffmann will take over as Head of Investor Relations on 1 April 2020  with the current head, Björn Scheib, leaving the company by “mutual agreement,” after 11 years in the position. Continue reading

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GM Shows New Batteries and a Flexible Global EV Platform

Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC and Buick will be launching new EVs starting this year. The next new Chevrolet EV will be a new version of the Bolt EV, launching in late 2020, followed by the 2022 Bolt EUV, launching Summer 2021. The Bolt EUV will be the first vehicle outside of the Cadillac brand to feature Super Cruise, the industry’s first true hands-free driving technology for the highway, which GM will expand to 22 vehicles by 2023, including 10 by next year. Continue reading

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Ford to Offer All-Electric US Transit in 2022

Built in the U.S. with imported parts from lower wage areas, the all-electric Transit will be “connected,” providing fleet owners with in-vehicle high-speed data architecture and cloud-based services to offer unspecified new ways to optimize fleet performance. Continue reading

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New York Auto Show Claims It Will Happen

The show’s fate of course will be determined by public health departments at the city, state and federal levels. At the moment there is no known vaccine for preventive or ameliorative use against COVID-19. Continue reading

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First Look – Hyundai Prophecy EV Concept

In the styling babble “Prophecy follows suit with an iconic silhouette of perfect proportions that have been inspired by an aerodynamic design. Leveraging the extended wheelbase and shorter overhang, Hyundai’s designers have achieved the Ultimate Automotive Form, thanks to a new EV architecture defined by pristine surfaces and pure volume in combination with aesthetic harmony and functionality.” Continue reading

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Limited Edition of 500 Giulia GTA Sedans Appear in June

Perhaps more significant is the Giulia GTAm, a100% “street legal” version of the GTA, with two racing seats, roll bar and 6-point safety belts. On GTAm, the aerodynamic front piece has been optimized to an “extreme level, by adding a larger front splitter and a real carbon rear wing, which ensure a perfectly balanced load at high speeds.” Continue reading

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