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Recent Posts
- Milestones – 15 Million Honda Accords Sold in U.S.
- UAW to “Practice Pickett” Tomorrow at Woodward MPC
- June 2026 U.S. Auto Sales Forecast Up 3.6%
- BMW Expands Factory Use of Humanoid Robots
- “Disasters” – UAW on NAFTA, U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreements
- Connectivity Snags Haunt Improvements in New-Vehicle Quality
- Trumped! – 2026 Vehicles Sales Forecasts All Down
- Annals of Marketing – Chevrolet Heartbeat of America Revived
- Milestones – Nissan Canton Builds 1 Millionth Frontier Truck
- Porsche AG Board Drastically Cuts 2025 Annual Dividend ~50%
- Ford Recalls Expand – Six More Covering ~172,000 Vehicles
- AAA – Independence Weekend Travel Forecast Flat
- IndyCar – Lundgaard Last-to-First Win at Road America!
- Carry Over Pricing Planned on the 2027 Subara Solterra
- First Look – 2027 Porsche Taycan EV. Values Crisis?
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- Council on Foreign Relations on Iran and Strait of Hormuz on AAA – Pump Gasoline Prices Still Soaring
- Autocrat on Stellantis Subordinated Perpetual Hybrid Bonds on Stellantis Posts Full Year 2025 Loss of €22.3B
- Michigan Governor Whitmer on Pew – Confidence in Trump Dips, Fewer Support His Policies
- Porsche Motorsport Daytona Victory on Daytona 24 Hours – Old and New Stars Getting Ready to Run
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Author Archives: Ken Zino
UAW to “Practice Pickett” Tomorrow at Woodward MPC
More than 800 members of UAW Local 5101, representing workers at Woodward MPC, have voted by 71% to authorize a strike after months of company stall tactics and unfair labor practices during contract negotiations the UAW claims. Woodward workers voted … Continue reading
Posted in labor issues, manufacturing, news, opinions, people, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, boeing, Chip Blankenship, Jose Tapia, Ken Zino, Ken Zino commenting as AutoCrat, Shawn fain, UAW Local 5101, unfair labor practices, Woodward MPC, X @KenAutoinformed
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June 2026 U.S. Auto Sales Forecast Up 3.6%
“The average interest rate on new-vehicle loans is expected to fall 0.35 percentage points to 6.66%, the lowest June reading since 2022. However, the average transaction price of a new vehicle has increased to $46,387, an increase of 0.8% from a year ago, while average monthly finance payments have climbed 3.4% to $813, the highest ever for the month of June. A key driver of the higher monthly payment, despite longer loan terms, is lower trade-in equity. Many of the buyers returning to showrooms today purchased when prices were at their peak several years ago when inventory was scarce. This is manifesting itself as more buyers carrying negative equity on their trade-in. A total of 29.5% of trade-ins had negative equity in June, up 1.4 percentage points from a year ago.
“Manufacturers are leaning harder on discounts to keep buyers in the market. Average incentive spending per vehicle is trending towards $3,217, a 12.7% increase from a year ago. Part of that jump reflects tariff dynamics last year, since several OEMs made nonseasonal pullbacks in incentive spending last June as they cut discounts precautionary to offset tariff costs,” said King. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, economy, manufacturing, marketing, news analysis, opinions, sales
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, cost of financing a new vehicle, David Oakley, Global data, Incentive spending, j.d power, jd power, JD Power and GlobalData, Ken Zino, Ken Zino commenting as AutoCrat, Thomas King, X @KenAutoinformed
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BMW Expands Factory Use of Humanoid Robots
“Plant Spartanburg is the birthplace of humanoid robotics in BMW Manufacturing’s operational day-to-day activities,” said Ulrich Wieland, Vice President of Production Control and Logistics, BMW Manufacturing. “Having already successfully completed a pilot with Figure 02 in our body shop, we are now looking forward to deploying Figure 03 for a sequencing use case in logistics.” Continue reading
Posted in auto news, labor issues, manufacturing, milestones, news analysis, opinions
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Brett Adcock, Figure AI, humanoid robots, Ken Zino, Ken Zino commenting as AutoCrat, Physical AI, R2-D2, Ulrich Wieland, X @KenAutoinformed
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“Disasters” – UAW on NAFTA, U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreements
“There is no way back to the American Dream without undoing the damage of NAFTA and its successor, the USMCA,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. “There is no future for the U.S. working class that doesn’t address the free trade disaster. Progressives and working-class allies need to understand that trade is at the heart of the rise of global authoritarianism, wealth inequality, and the political weakness of the working class.”
“The moral vision of a society where working-class people reclaim their dignity relies on reining in the rising billionaire dictatorship,” Fain said. “NAFTA and similar trade agreements are the social contract as written by multinational corporations. It’s time we rip it up and start over and take back the American Dream.” Continue reading
Posted in auto news, economy, labor issues, manufacturing, news analysis, opinions, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, china, Democratic President Bill Clinton, Ken Zino, Ken Zino commenting as AutoCrat, Labor Rights, nafta, North American Free Trade Agreement, Republican George H.W. Bush, Shawn fain, the USMCA, United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement renegotiations, World Trade Organization, X @KenAutoinformed
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Connectivity Snags Haunt Improvements in New-Vehicle Quality
“As more technology is introduced into vehicles, keeping the experience simple matters more than ever,” said Frank Hanley, senior director of auto benchmarking at JD Power. “The biggest gains in quality come from features that are easy to use—simple controls, less-intrusive driver assistance and software that works the way customers expect. When technology becomes too complicated, the likelihood of customers experiencing a problem rises considerably.” Continue reading
Posted in auto news, awards, connected vehicles, customer satisfaction, distracted driving, electronics, news analysis, quality, safety, shows and events, software defined vehicles
Tagged Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, body panel fit and finish, driving assistance alerts, electric vehicle range, Frank Hanley, J.D. Power 2026 IQS, JD Power 2026 IQS, Ken Zino, Ken Zino commenting as AutoCrat, road noise, X @KenAutoinformed
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Trumped! – 2026 Vehicles Sales Forecasts All Down
“The top theme over the last year or so has really been affordability, and this isn’t only related to the auto industry but really about everything facing consumers. And the issue is ALL about purchasing power or more clearly – the erosion of purchasing power for many Americans over the last several years. We’ve all seen new highs in the stock market that have happened many times this year, and those equity gains and asset appreciation really help high income households. Those consumers are driving a lot of consumption across the economy, but the wealth effect gains are concentrated at the very top of the pyramid. The vast majority of the US population sees little gain from the wealth effect and their number one source of income are the paychecks they take home every week. That’s why inflation matters,” said Jeremy Robb, Chief Economist Cox Automotive. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, economy, manufacturing, marketing, news analysis, opinions, people, sales, transportation, Trump Truth Tests
Tagged auto industry commentary, AutoInformed news, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Charlie Chesbrough, Cox Automotive, ford motor, Jeep Grand Wagoneer, Jeremy Robb, Ken Zino commenting as AutoCrat, Ken Zino of AutoInformed, Ram Truck, tesla, Toyota 4Runner and hybrid Camrys, X @KenAutoinformed
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Annals of Marketing – Chevrolet Heartbeat of America Revived
Scenes for the commercial were filmed in Texas and in Maine, and include the Chevrolet Bolt, Trax, Equinox, Equinox EV, Traverse, Colorado, Silverado and Silverado HD.
The “Heartbeat of America” revival is part of the brand’s America 250 initiative – a year-long campaign that “honors the people, places and values that continue to shape the nation. With more than 115 years in the U.S., and nearly 3000 dealers across the country, Chevrolet is woven into the fabric of America.” Continue reading
Posted in auto news, marketing, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, AutoInformed news, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, colorado, corvette, Dinah Shore, Heartbeat of America, Ken Zino commenting as AutoCrat, Ken Zino of AutoInformed, Silverado ev, Silverado HD, Silverado LD, Steve Majoros, The Red Clay Strays, X @KenAutoinformed
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Milestones – Nissan Canton Builds 1 Millionth Frontier Truck
“This milestone reflects the skill of our Canton team and the strength of the community behind them,” said Victor Taylor, division vice president, U.S. Manufacturing, Supply Chain Management and Production Engineering. “Canton’s precision, pride and consistency are in every truck that rolls off the line.” Continue reading
Posted in auto news, manufacturing, milestones, mobility company, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, AutoInformed news, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Canton Vehicle Assembly Plant, christian meunier, Frontier pickup, Ken Zino commenting as AutoCrat, Ken Zino of AutoInformed, Victor Taylor, X @KenAutoinformed
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Ford Recalls Expand – Six More Covering ~172,000 Vehicles
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is conducting six more recalls according to data released today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration taken from the mandatory safety defect recall filings with the division of the U.S. Department of Transportation (NHTSA recalls 26V373 or 26V-373 sequentially through to 26V378.) Ford is operating under a NHTSA consent decree. [The Ford NHTSA consent order is a binding agreement issued on 14 November 2024, resolving allegations that the automaker failed to comply with federal recall requirements regarding defective rearview cameras. It includes a $165 million civil penalty, marking the second-largest in the agency’s 54-year history – AutoCrat.]*
The latest safety defects are headlamps, power windows, gear selector indication, transmission failures, and the lane center assist system transmission downshifting unexpectedly into first gear. Approximately 172,000 vehicles are affected. Several of the recalls are the result of improperly repaired previous Ford Motor safety defect recalls. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, engineering, manufacturing, news analysis, public health, quality, recalls, safety, software recalls
Tagged 26C29, 26S42, 26S43, 26S44, 26S45, 26V374, 26V375, 26V376, 26V377, 26V378, auto industry commentary, AutoInformed news, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Ford Motor recall 26C28, Ken Zino commenting as AutoCrat, Ken Zino of AutoInformed, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA recall26V373, NHTSA recalls, X @KenAutoinformed
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IndyCar – Lundgaard Last-to-First Win at Road America!
“I knew we had a chance,” Lundgaard said after the early contact sent him to the back of the field. “I knew how this race panned out last year, and I knew it was all about just sticking in the race. I did that last year. I made a bunch of mistakes last year that spun ourselves around last year, and I just wanted to make up for that. We’ve been on the struggle bus all weekend, so to turn this around, I have to thank the team for that.” Continue reading
Posted in auto news, news analysis, racing, results
Tagged auto industry commentary, AutoInformed news, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, Christian Lundgaard, David Malukas, Ken Zino commenting as AutoCrat, Ken Zino of AutoInformed, X @KenAutoinformed, XPEL Grand Prix at Road America Presented by AMR Alex Palou
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First Look – 2027 Porsche Taycan EV. Values Crisis?
Porsche (P911.DE) said yesterday that it is enhancing the driving experience of all Taycan models. Some of the changes arise from what AutoInformed thinks is an identity crisis caused by long-held Porsche technology and marketing values facing new-age electronics and … Continue reading
Posted in auto news, electric vehicles, electronics, engineering, new vehicle, news analysis, opinions, shows and events, software defined vehicles, software defined vehicles
Tagged 2027 Porsche Taycan EV, AI-supported Voice Pilot, auto industry commentary, AutoInformed news, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Ken Zino commenting as AutoCrat, Ken Zino of AutoInformed, Kevin Giek, Lars Kern, Manthey Kits, Porsche Digital Interaction, Porsche Electric Sport Sound, the Nürburgring Nordschleife, Weissach package, X @KenAutoinformed
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Milestones – 15 Million Honda Accords Sold in U.S.
The 15 millionth Accord, a 2026 Accord Sport-L Hybrid, was purchased from Norm Reeves Honda in Cerritos, Calif. by Andrea, a 26-year-old insurance agent from Southern California. Her new Accord replaces a 2017 Accord Sport that was passed down by her father, whose first vehicle purchase in 1997 was also a Honda Accord. Andrea’s younger sister, Alondra, also purchased a new Honda Accord from the same dealership that day. The 24-year-old chose a 2026 Accord Sport-L Hybrid and is now the owner of the 15,000,001st Honda Accord sold in America. Continue reading →