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.

FAA – Largest Fines Ever for Two Unruly Passengers

“If you are on an airplane, don’t be a jerk and don’t endanger the flight crews and fellow passengers. If you do, you will be fined by the FAA,” U.S. Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg said when he announced the fines. Continue reading

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NLRB – Ban Mandatory Anti-Union Employee Meetings

The Abruzzo memo says that years ago the Board incorrectly concluded that an employer does not violate the Act by compelling its employees to attend meetings in which it makes speeches urging them to reject union representation. As a result, employers commonly use explicit or implied threats to force employees into meetings about unionization or other statutorily protected activity. Continue reading

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‘Entry Level’ Mercedes-AMG SL 43 4-Cylinder?

The SL 43  is a 2+2-seater with fabric soft top and, ahem, a 2-liter inline four-cylinder gasoline engine rated at a combined fuel consumption 9.4-8.9 l/100 km with combined CO2 emissions of 214-201 g/km. In the new SL 43, materials used include aluminum, magnesium, fiber composites and steel, from which the windscreen frame is made, for example. This serves as roll-over protection in conjunction with the roll bar system behind the rear seats, which pops up when needed. Continue reading

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March European Sales Plummet – Supply, Pandemic, War

“Our forecast has been trimmed since last month as registration statistics continue to languish in the face of supply bottlenecks, these exacerbated due to the war. We still anticipate selling rates to improve over the course of 2022 but now at a slower rate than forecast last month. The war will chip away at underlying demand as well, through higher-for-longer inflation and lower real incomes, though our view is that the initial impact on registrations will be felt through a worsening of supply constraints, as, at least for now, demand is still outstripping supply,” LMC said. Continue reading

Posted in results, sales | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

BTS – Aviation Fuel Cost at 7-Year High

At $2.60, the cost per gallon of fuel in February was the highest since October 2014’s $2.68. Also noteworthy in February 2022 was the 55.8% year-over-year increase in fuel consumption on domestic flights, reflecting an increase in domestic air travel from last February. Combined with the 60.9% year-over-year cost per gallon increase, the increase in fuel consumption resulted in a year-over-year domestic fuel cost increase of 150% ($1.27 billion). Continue reading

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Porsche Buys into eFuels via HIF Global

The sports car and SUV manufacturer initially plans to use the eFuel from Chile in motorsport projects. In the future, it is also conceivable that they will be used to fuel the company’s own vehicles with combustion engines during initial fueling at the factory, and at Porsche Experience Centers.
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EPA: Bans Asbestos – First Under Chemical Safety Act

The proposed rule would ban chrysotile asbestos, the only known form of asbestos that’s currently imported into the U.S., which is found in products such as asbestos diaphragms, sheet gaskets, brake blocks, aftermarket automotive brakes/linings, other vehicle friction products, and other gaskets also imported into the U.S. Most consumer products that historically contained chrysotile asbestos have been discontinued. Continue reading

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GM, Honda to Develop New EVs for Sale in 2027

The business justification for the expansion of GM Honda collaboration has increased in urgency since yesterday’s release of the latest UN report on Greenhouse Gases. It said that greenhouse gas emissions must peak by 2025 at the latest, and then drop by more than 40% by the end of the decade to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels. Continue reading

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EPA Fines Iowa, Missouri Sellers of Auto ‘Defeat Devices’

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said today it will collect civil penalties from two companies that allegedly sold illegal “defeat devices”  that are designed to make automobile emission controls inoperative, in violation of the federal Clean Air Act. Baillie Diesel … Continue reading

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Ford Motor Q1 and March Sales off -17% and -26%. Cars Dying

“While the global semiconductor chip shortage continues to create challenges, we saw improvement in March sales, as in-transit inventory improved 74% over February,” said Andrew Frick, vice president, Sales, Distribution & Trucks. “Our newest products continue to turn at a record pace, as Bronco (truck), Bronco Sport (truck), Mustang Mach-E (EV) and Maverick (truck) had their best combined sales performance yet, with 33,398 vehicles sold.” Doing the math, this doesn’t come close to the ~89,000 deficit in sales. No wonder here that Ford no longer does sales calls for media. Continue reading

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Jeep Slowly Killing Diesel and Petrol Engines in France

“The electrification of our ranges is no longer an option, it is obvious dictated jointly by supply and demand,” said Guillaume de Boudemange, director of Jeep in France. Continue reading

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Hertz, Polestar Announce Global EV Partnership

Hertz (NASDAQ: HTZ) and Polestar, a Swedish electric performance car maker, today announced a new global partnership that includes purchasing up to 65,000 electric vehicles (EVs) over five years. Availability is expected to begin in Spring 2022 in Europe and … Continue reading

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Stellantis Consolidates Financial Services for All Brands

All these are supporting Stellantis’ desire to develop a full-service captive finance arm. To provide customers, dealers and partners with a complete range of financing options in the near-to-medium term, including retail loans, leases, and floorplan financing. Continue reading

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NA Q1 Light Vehicle Sales Rate at 14.1M, -2.7M YoY

According to GM Chief Economist Elaine Buckberg, industry light vehicle volumes will grow this year and top 2021 levels, thanks to a strong labor market, higher vehicle production and pent-up demand. Continue reading

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Uwe Pichler-Necek Next MD of Porsche Engineering China

The move in the totalitarian state comes as German automakers are scrambling to adopt to the disruptions caused by Russian totalitarian Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine rages on slaughtering civilians. German automakers are bearing the direct brunt of this war and scrambling to adjust to production and supply disruptions. Continue reading

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