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.

Hyundai Motor Group to Test Autonomous Car-Hailing

For the ride-hailing experiment, the Group has obtained a temporary autonomous driving operation permit from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) of Korea. It will collaborate with Jin Mobility, a Korean startup operating the artificial intelligence (AI)-powered car-hailing mobility platform ‘i.M.’. Jin Mobility will be in charge of operating the two IONIQ 5 RoboRide units on its i.M application. The Group also plans to expand the pilot service, while further developing autonomous driving technology “with consideration for various conditions, such as driving stability.” Continue reading

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Cadillac to Return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans After 22 Years

The prototype has a new Cadillac 5.5-liter DOHC engine package working in conjunction with the LMDh common hybrid system.T he engineering challenge remaining – of course – is to bring the old success of Cadillac’s DPi V.R, which won two titles and four consecutive Rolex 24s in its six years in the IMSA WeatherTech Championship, to the new car. Continue reading

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IIHS Says Toyota Tacoma 2022 MY Marginal in Crash Test

Still, this was an improvement. The marginal rating applies to vehicles built after October 2021, when Toyota modified the rear leaf springs. Vehicles built prior to that date are rated poor. In an earlier test of a vehicle built before the changes, one of the rear leaf springs punctured the fuel tank, resulting in a fire risk and an automatic downgrade. Continue reading

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Le Mans Qualifying Practice – Rain, Red Flag and Racing

The No.7 Toyota Gazoo Racing driver set his fastest lap in the dry first 30-minutes of the session before a red flag and then pouring rain nullified affected any improvements in Hypercar or any other class. Continue reading

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Aftermarket Services Beat Dealers Again in Latest Survey

The study, now in its third year following its debut in 2019, measures customer satisfaction with aftermarket service facilities, providing a numerical index ranking of the highest-performing facilities in the U.S. aftermarket doing full-service maintenance and repair; quick oil changes; and tire replacement. Continue reading

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Digital Media Decimating Print Publishing Revenues

The explosive growth of digital media and technology continues to have a ruinous impact on print publishing industry revenues, the US Census Bureau said today. Continue reading

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US May Auto Sales – Record Prices as Sales Plunge -29%

“Headwinds continue to stack against a sustained market recovery and stability in vehicle supply. We expect the economy and auto market to remain plagued by volatility for the foreseeable future. Given the elevated risk, it is plausible for 2022 to turn to negative from the 2021 level, with volume down to 14.7 million units. Continue reading

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IndyCar – Chevy Beats Honda in Final Belle Isle Race

Belle Isle was as much a contest of strategies: three stints, one with Red tires that are soft and sticky and faster, but quickly degrading tires; or using the Black more durable racing rubber for two or three pitstops. Continue reading

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Caution-Free IMSA Belle Isle – Cadillac Wins DPi, Lexus GT3

“It seems like it’s been feast or famine for the (No.) 01,” said team owner Chip Ganassi, whose organization prepares the Nos. 01 and 02 Cadillacs and collected the team’s 63rd IMSA win. “They either win or something stupid happens.” Ganassi started the week as a team owner by winning the Indy 500. (AutoInformed: Honda Beats Chevrolet at the Brickyard. Record Purse Claimed) Continue reading

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Stellantis Gets Lithium Supply for NA EVs

CTR’s Hell’s Kitchen Project in California’s Imperial County will recover lithium from geothermal brines using renewable energy and steam to produce battery grade lithium products in a closed-loop process, eliminating the need for evaporation brine ponds, open pit mines, and fossil-fueled processing, Stellantis claimed. Continue reading

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IIHS – 2022 Jeep Wrangler Tips Over in Crash Test

“Even partial rollovers are dangerous, as they increase the chances that an occupant may be completely or partially ejected from the vehicle. That’s especially relevant for the Wrangler, which has a roof and doors that can be removed and lacks side curtain airbags,” said IIHS. Continue reading

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US EV Purchase Consideration Up. Income Matters

However, “The addition of new EV models has moved the needle on consumer consideration,” said Stewart Stropp, senior director of automotive retail at J.D. Power. “In fact, several new models from perennial mass market brands are at the top of that consideration list. Even so, more remains to be done in terms of transitioning from early to mass adoption. Though the study findings show a shift in favor of EVs, about 76% of new-vehicle shoppers say they are not ‘very likely’ to consider buying one.” Continue reading

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Ford Motor US Sales Drop Again in May. Shakeout Coming?

Ford Motor no longer bothers to hold press conferences covering monthly sales. Yesterday Jim Farley, President and Chief Executive Officer when asked at the Alliance Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference about Tesla and five other EV companies with a market cap above $20 billion – meaning the market is saying there’re at least six credible new entrants – said, “We’re going to see very large consolidation and big changes. I would say new EV companies probably will get simpler and Chinese will become more important… Continue reading

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Nürburgring: 911 GT3 Manthey Performance Kit – $10,174/s

A 911 GT3 with the Manthey Performance Kit, powered by a 375 kW (510 PS) engine, posted a lap time of 6:55.737 on the Nürburgring’s North Loop, the Nordschleife. This makes it exactly 4.19 seconds faster than the 911 GT3 without the kit, Porsche said today. The modifications focused on aerodynamics and chassis components. The new Performance Kit was developed between the Porsche engineers in Weissach and the Nordschleife specialists from Manthey in Meuspath. Continue reading

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Toyota Adds Four New 2023 Hybrid Corolla Models

Toyota said today that the 2023 Corolla line expands with four new Hybrid grades, including a more powerful hybrid system and optional all-wheel drive. It’s a half-step to the EV future that planet earth needs to survive.
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