Author Archives: Ken Zino

About Ken Zino

Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.

Hyper Marketing as Mercedes-AMG ONE Sets Nordschleife Record

Mercedes-AMG is the first car manufacturer to have run the Nürburgring Nordschleife with such a hypercar and set official records there just by finishing. It does allow for hyper marketing though, so to speak. The Mercedes-AMG ONE is therefore not only the absolute fastest road-legal vehicle on the Nordschleife, but also first – for the moment in AutoInformed’s understanding until, say, McLaren, Aston Martin and Ferrari show up – in the Nürburgring “super sports car” category. Continue reading

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Honda Posts a Profit of ¥453.4B for First Half FY Results

“This was due primarily to increased pricing, a reduction of incentives, an increase in motorcycle sales and favorable currency effects,” Honda said. Continue reading

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Milestones: 75 millionth Opel – Grandland GSe

Opel recently announced that it would revive GSe as a new sub-brand for electrified models with GSe now standing for Grand Sport electric. The Opel Grandland GSe follows the Astra GSe and the Astra Sports Tourer GSe. Opel claims it is a high-performance, plug-in hybrid with electric all-wheel-drive in the SUV compact class, arguably the fastest growing segment in Europe and Asia. Continue reading

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CARB – Discounted ZEV Landscape Equipment Offered

Qualified small business landscape professionals starting today can purchase discounted zero-emission lawn mowers, blowers and other landscape equipment through a new category of funding offered through the California Air Resources Board’s Clean Off-Road Equipment Voucher Incentive Project (CORE).* Administered by … Continue reading

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COP27 – Carbon Footprint Reduction Strategies Scrutinized

Fasten your seat belt this is going to be a bumpy ride to save planet earth and the invasive species known as mankind. It will require collective action from all the participants and special interests. Moreover, the debate over how developed nations should support or subsidize less developed ones will likely be rancorous behind the scenes. Continue reading

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Honda Shows eN2 Concept EV at Shanghai

Starting with e:NS1 and e:NP1*, Honda will introduce 10 e:N Series models by 2027 and accelerate electrification in China including sales and production operations. N2 clearly looks to AutoInformed meant to take on the German automakers who have thrived in the world’s largest vehicle market, no matter the motive source.  In the upscale Chinese market, rear seat room is welcomed by the chauffeured owners. Continue reading

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Recharged Heritage to offer MINI EV Conversion

MINI Recharged offers a WLTP range of 103 miles. Continue reading

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Mixed Economic Signals in October US Vehicle Sales

Nonetheless, automaker discounts persist at record lows. Average incentive spending per unit per Power is forecast to total $882, which is down 44.7% from October 2021. This is the sixth straight month below $1000. The question is when do vehicles become un-affordable as the Federal Reserve is deliberately sending the economy into a recession to fight inflation, which the Fed caused by years of of cheap monetary policy that mostly benefited the rich. In a mass market for automobiles, the rich can’t buy all the vehicles as production resumes to pre-pandemic rates that were running at 17 million vehicles annually.  Continue reading

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US Sales Bolster Subaru First Half Results adding 56B Yen

Production in Japan rose 29.9% to 283,000 units, while production in the U.S. grew 15.0% to 143,000 units. As a result of increased production, global vehicle sales increased 6.2% to 399,000 units, led especially by Subaru’s key US market. Due to the effects of foreign exchange rates, the growth in vehicle sales, and other factors, consolidated revenue rose 30.5% to 1,750.9 billion yen. Continue reading

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US October Light Vehicle Sales Grow 11.4% to 1.2 Million

The market viewed by automaker shows that Mercedes-Benz enjoyed the strongest YoY growth in October, with a 53.0% YoY gain. Among higher-volume manufacturers, General Motors showed the strongest growth, up by 51.2% YoY. GM also led the market, with a 17.2% share, 0.9 percentage points (pp) ahead of Toyota Group. Honda Group’s struggles continue with sales down by 16.0% YoY. Stellantis and Ford Motor also saw YoY declines, of 14.0% and 10.2%, respectively. Continue reading

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Ford Motor US Sales Drop 10% during October 2022

A look at the sales by model reveals that Ford is now essentially a truck and SUV maker with dwindling car sales of ~41,000 year-to-date. Lincoln sold no cars at all ytd. Mercedes Benz posted a huge increase in sales of  more than 50%. The difficulty in analyzing what the data mean comes from what sales were from previously placed orders, and when the US will return to a normal sales environment, which might be undefinable at this time. Ford no longer holds sales calls for media and analysts. Continue reading

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GAC-FCA JV to File for Bankruptcy

Stellantis, the mega-merger between FCA and PSA, said last July that the “lack of progress in the previously announced plan for Stellantis to take a majority share in their joint venture” has resulted in the GAC Group and Stellantis to start figure out how to terminate the joint-venture that produces and distributes Jeep products in China. Continue reading

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Autonomous Forklift Startup Backed By BMW i Ventures

While it is abundantly clear that autonomous vehicles are not yet ready for mass deployment on public streets, the same technology is being commercially used in closed warehouse environments today. Continue reading

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Stellantis Hordain to Build Hydrogen-powered, Electric and Combustion Engine Commercial Vehicles

Starting in 2024, the site Hordain will have a mini-mass production capacity of 5,000 vehicles per year of hydrogen-powered utility vehicles. This Stellantis said in a release reaffirms its goal to be the first mass-produced manufacturer of hydrogen-powered utility van vehicles. There is also a labor relations aspect to the move. Stellantis has 12 industrial sites in France, and unlike Ford Motor Company it has a stated “ethical desire not to separate its electric and internal combustion engine businesses, to engage all its employees in the energy transition.” Continue reading

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Once Unthinkable. New Supercars from Nissan, Toyota

The GR Supra GT4 EVO will make its competitive debut in January 2023 at the 24 Hours of Daytona, the first round of the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season. A ready-to-race GR Supra GT4 EVO will be priced at €186,000 (~$184,771) excluding taxes, customs and logistics fees. Toyota Gazoo Racing engineers have and will continue to provide track support to customer teams and drivers against entries from Aston Martin, BMW, Mercedes AMG, Porsche and Ferrari, among others. Continue reading

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