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.

Volkswagen, Argo AI to Start Autonomous Driving Tests

Current conventional automaker wisdom (wishdom?) has is that light commercial vehicles are the first, logical place for using autonomous transportation of people and goods. “Our aim with the self-driving version of the ID. BUZZ is to ease commercial deployment of transport and delivery services starting in 2025,” said divisional director Christian Senger during a digital press conference. VW Mobility service provider MOIA will first launch autonomous service in Hamburg, Germany. Continue reading

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Ford DIY COVID-19 Air Filtration Kit?

The study found that box fan air cleaners like this can serve as an effective low-cost alternative for mitigating airborne transmission risks in poorly ventilated spaces. In addition to the peer-reviewed article, research conducted by Well Living Lab, founded as a collaboration between Delos and Mayo Clinic, found similar air purifiers were effective at improving air quality in poorly ventilated areas. Continue reading

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AARP, Toyota to Provide Rides for Vaccine Appointments

AARP also actively promulgated Republican denials about the seriousness of the Covid pandemic, going to the absurd point of giving Deborah Birx, the White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator under President Donald Trump from 2020 to 2021, a forum. Dr. Birx sat idly by at a White House briefing as Trump promoted the use of bleach taken by humans to fight Covid. Continue reading

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April Global Sales – North America Up, Elsewhere Unsettled

Helped by President Biden’s economic stimulus in the face of Republican obstructionism, and states re-opening, the record setting rate of  US Light Vehicle sales continued in April. Sales of 1.54 million units were the highest-ever volume for that month. Continue reading

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Toyota FY2021- Net Profit Surges 10% on $20.6B in Revenue

In particular, sales of electrified vehicles of 2,155,000 units or 112.3% of the previous fiscal year presents a serious challenge to would be competitors who are late to a game that increasingly is the only game in town or will be given the trend of current regulations. Continue reading

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Toyota JV Will See SUV EV Branded Subaru Solterra in 2022

Toyota plans to produce the Toyota bZ4X in Japan and China, with worldwide sales of the model by the middle of 2022. U.S. product details eventually will emerge, but the product lines were under development during the previously failed administration, currently ensconced in exile at Mira-lardo, that was hostile to globalization and started a losing trade war with China, the world’s largest auto market. Continue reading

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Mid-Engine Chevrolet Corvette to Pace 2021 Indy 500

The Arctic White Stingray will be the first convertible since 2008 to pace the race. Continue reading

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Nissan ‘Contributes’ -€73 million to Q1 2021 Renault Earnings

Nissan’s results, published in Japanese accounting standards, for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2020/2021 (January 1st to March 31st, 2021), after IFRS restatements, will have a negative contribution to Renault’s first quarter 2021 net income estimated at – €73 million based on an average exchange rate of 127.7 yen/euro for the period under review. Continue reading

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Ultium Cells and Li-Cycle to Expand Recycling in North America

GM’s so-called zero-waste initiative aims to divert more than 90% of its manufacturing waste from landfills and incineration globally by 2025. Mining, of course is an environmentally ruinous process with severe negative social effects. The dirty secret is that EVs really aren’t clean when manufacturing and energy generation are taken into account. Continue reading

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Nissan Reports Weak Q4, Full Year 2020 Financial Results

Free cash flow for the automotive business was a negative 391.0 billion yen. Nissan claims it has sufficient liquidity to steer through a challenging business environment. At year-end, cash and cash equivalents for the automotive business totaled 1.9 trillion yen. Automotive net cash was 636.0 billion yen. In addition, the company continues to have access to approximately 2.2 trillion yen in unused committed credit facilities. (Nissan Establishes Carbon Neutral Goal for 2050) Continue reading

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Off the Roof Rails – Ford Recalls 616,967 Explorer SUVs

This by AutoInformed’s count is the 22nd Ford Motor recall this year in the U.S. Ford said it is not aware of any reports of accident or injury related to this safety defect, perhaps the reason Ford took it’s time, according to the Chronology below. Continue reading

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Renault Sport Cars Becomes Alpine Cars

The challenges of that lofty goal were on full display yesterday during the Formula One race in Spain. The Alpine F1 Team’s Esteban Ocon scored two points at the  Spanish Grand Prix after finishing in ninth place at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya with home favorite Fernando Alonso outside the points in seventeenth or in his case Formula None. Mercedes-Benz and Honda dominated the race. The team remains fifth in the Constructors’ Championship. Continue reading

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Census Bureau – 26% of Adults Struggle on Expenses

Of  pressing concern –  adults living in households not current on rent or mortgage, 30.6% report eviction or foreclosure in the next two months is somewhat or very likely. Continue reading

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BMW Group Q1 – Record Deliveries of 637,000, up 33%

Improved revenues and earnings of €4.26 per share were driven by a combination of higher sales volume figures across all regions of the world, particularly in China, and higher selling prices. Helpful effects also came from the sharp rise in prices of used vehicles, causing revenues from the sale of previously leased vehicles to rise, above all in the USA where the Biden Administration economy is soaring. Group revenues grew by 15.2% to €26,778 million (2020: €23,252 million; +18.9% adjusted for currency factors). Continue reading

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Stellantis First Ever Q1 Shows Revenue, Sales Increases

The combined companies shipped 1,477,000 units. The market launch of all-new Opel Mokka began in March 2021 to European consumers, representing a return to the market after being discontinued in 2019. All-new Grand Wagoneer/Wagoneer and next generation Jeep Grand Cherokee production launches remain on track for late Q2 2021 and Q3 2021, respectively. All-new Grand Cherokee L (3-row) production commenced, with commercial launch in late Q2 2021. Continue reading

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