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.

Ford Motor Still Ensnared in Takata Airbag Shrapnel Recall

Ford said it has identified that certain Takata airbag modules that produce life threatening shrapnel “were not purged from service stock after the parts for the permanent service fix became available.” Continue reading

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Canadian GM Engineers Can Now Develop Advanced Vehicles on the CTC McLaughlin Advanced Technology Track

The 55-acre operation on the southern-end of the Oshawa Operations expands GM’s Canadian technology footprint to four sites. With campuses in Markham and Oshawa and the Kapuskasing Proving Grounds in northern Ontario, the CTC has grown to become the largest software engineering and development centre for GM outside the U.S. Continue reading

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Hyundai Tweaks 2022 Kona and Kona Electric SUVs

Otherwise, the Kona EV does not incorporate any advances in EV or battery technology. Instead it has a different front fascia design. New headlamps and Daytime Running Lamps  provide a different look. New lower fender sculpted vents are aerodynamically functional. In profile, a different alloy wheel design has been optimized for “efficient airflow.” Oh, there are new taillights as well. The real selling points are carryover. Continue reading

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Ford – EVs Present Environmental, Human Rights Issues

Ford said this is another step Towards its desire to responsibly source all raw materials used within vehicles globally. Continue reading

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Porsche SE Profit For Fiscal Year 2020 Forecast at €2.6 Billion

The group result after tax of Porsche SE is influenced significantly by its equity result from the capital stake in Volkswagen AG of currently about 31.4%, and thus by the group result after tax of Volkswagen AG. Continue reading

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Census – 35% of Households Say it is Difficult to Pay Expenses

Better late than never. But for the suffering it’s small compensation for enduring a seditious President for four years who – based on his actions in office was unemployed all the while being pampered, housed, fed and subsidized – aka welfare for the rich –  by taxpayers he disdains. Continue reading

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BMW Largest US Automotive Exporter for 7th Consecutive Year

Spartanburg experienced a production interruption due to the coronavirus pandemic. After a five-week non-production period, associates returned for one shift on May 4. With new health guidelines and procedures in place, production slowly ramped up as the supply chain stabilized and customers returned in the summer. During the last six months of the year, Plant Spartanburg produced nearly 218,000 BMWs, a record for any six-month period in the factory’s history.  The plant produced 361,365 vehicles for the entire year 2020. Continue reading

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Pandemic Negative Impact on Global Auto Industry Is Permanent. Debate is over How Bad and Who Gets Hurt

LMC says globally the Pandemic recovery is a K-shaped curve. There are winners and losers. Continue reading

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General Motors Posts 2020 Earnings of $6.4 Billion. Q4 at $2.8B

GM Financial reported record full-year EBT-adjusted of $2.7 billion. GM North America posted full-year EBIT-adjusted of $9.1 billion, and EBIT-adjusted margin of 9.4%. GM International lost money at a full-year EBIT-adjusted of $(0.5) billion with China Equity Income of $0.5 billion. Cruise struggled with a full-year EBIT-adjusted loss of $(0.9) billion. Continue reading

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Herd Immunity? Toyota Motor Reports $9.87 Billion Q3 FY 2021 Profit. Ups Forecast by +54%

Toyota Motor, the world’s largest automaker posted a $9.87 billion Q3 FY Profit compared to $9.45b during the same period one year ago, in what appears to be Toyota herd immunity from the Covid-19 virus and variants that are killing other automakers. As a result of the strong showing upholding Akio Toyota’s vow to remain profitable despite the ongoing Global Pandemic, Toyota increase its yearly forecast by 54%. Toyota now predicts a record operating profit $19.13 billion (¥2 trillion), surpassing an earlier projection of ¥1.3 trillion. Continue reading

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Nissan Losses ¥37.8 Billion in Q3. Alliance Still Shaky

As for the unstable Alliance post-Ghosn, “Nissan’s results during the Q3 of fiscal year 2020/2021 (October 1st to December 31st 2020), after IFRS restatements, will have a negative contribution to Renault’s Q4 2020 net income estimated at – €123 million,” Renault said in a separate release. Continue reading

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FAA Expands Weather Camera Program to Hawaii

“For private pilots in single-engine aircraft, helicopter pilots, and crews with major airlines, the benefit of weather camera programs is hard to miss. Before the program began, weather-related CFIT accidents in Alaska were, sadly, very common,” said Walter Combs, Manager of the FAA Weather Camera Program. Continue reading

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Tesla Recalls 135,000 S and X Models for Display Blackouts

NHTSA prompted the recall when it started an investigation of last June*. The Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE20-010 to investigate incidents of media control unit (MCU) failures resulting in loss of rearview camera in model year (MY) 2012-2015 Tesla Model S vehicles equipped with the NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor with an integrated 8GB eMMC NAND flash memory device. The eMMC NAND flash devices have a finite lifespan based upon the number of program/erase (P/E) cycles. Continue reading

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Second Chattanooga Motorcar Festival Now in October 2021

Born in Athens, Tenn., Coker worked for his father Harold, who opened the Coker Tire Company in Chattanooga in 1958, sweeping floors and cleaning wide whitewalls. Having grown up on the family farm, Coker originally planned to become a veterinarian but soon discovered that he actually enjoyed working at the tire store. “I suddenly realized that selling hot-rod and Model A tires to these guys made them very happy,” he said. “I really got my head into it and started developing some ideas and goals of my own.” Continue reading

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Ford Motor 2020 Loss $1.3 Billion. Microchip Shortage Looms

Chasing General Motors, Ford said it would increase its planned investments in electric and autonomous vehicles to more than $22 billion and $7 billion in turn through 2025. GM caught the industry by surprise when it said it would have 30 new EVs globally during roughly that period. It was the latest Ford attempt to appease the capital markets which remain skeptical about the lackluster performance of the Dearborn based automaker. Continue reading

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