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.

SEC Charges Westport Fuels Systems and ex-CEO with Bribing a Chinese Government Official via a Private Equity Fund

According to the SEC’s order, beginning no later than 2016, Westport, acting through Gougarty and others, engaged in a scheme to bribe a Chinese government official to obtain business and a cash dividend payment by transferring shares of stock in Westport’s Chinese joint venture to a Chinese private equity fund in which the government official held a financial interest. Continue reading

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Bentley Bentayga Hybrid Has 24-Mile Electric Range

A high voltage battery is capable of recharging in a leisurely “the servants have nothing else to do anyway” 2.5 hours. Continue reading

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Workers at Google Contractor HCL to Join United Steelworkers

The workers, who are staffed at the tech giant’s Bakery Square office alongside Google employees are seeking a voice on the job and the opportunity to bargain over wages and working conditions. Continue reading

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Autonomous Driving – Aptiv and Hyundai $4 Billion JV

Hyundai Motor Group affiliates — Hyundai Motor, Kia Motors and Hyundai Mobis — will collectively contribute $1.6 billion in cash at closing and $ 0.4 billion in vehicle engineering services, R&D resources, and access to intellectual property. Continue reading

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Death of the Diesel: Volkswagen Board Crisis as Three Chairman Indicted in Germany for Stock Market Manipulation

As a result, the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen AG hastily convened a meeting, claiming that it was unaware that the indictments were coming since it was allegedly cooperating in the investigation by the public prosecutor. It will also meet again tomorrow to discuss what is company threatening development. Continue reading

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Death of the Diesel: Daimler Guilty of Selling Dirty Diesels in Germany – Pays $957,000,000 Fine Rather than Litigate

The negligent violation of supervisory duties occurred on the department head level. It appears that the Daimler has refrained from taking a legal action challenging the fine notice because senior executives are not implicated. The public prosecutor’s administrative offense proceeding against Daimler AG is thereby fully concluded. This is not so at Volkswagen Group where senior executives were indicted today. Continue reading

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Penske’s Newgarden, Pagenaud One-Two in 2019 IndyCar

Newgarden gave team owner Roger Penske his 16th series championship, including the fourth in the last six years. Josef Newgarden didn’t have a race-winning car on Sunday afternoon, but his eighth-place finish was enough for him to earn his second Series Championship, and Team Penske’s 16th. Continue reading

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SEC Charges and Settles False Financial Disclosures Against Nissan, Former CEO Carlos Ghosn, Former Director Greg Kelly  

Critics no doubt will say the settlement is laughable given the amount of money involved. Continue reading

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Amazon Wants to Meet the Paris Agreement 10 Years Early

It’s part of the so-called Climate Pledge, a commitment to meet the Paris Agreement 10 years early. Amazon is the first signatory of this pledge, and it will hardly be the last. The Climate Pledge calls on signatories to be net zero carbon across their businesses by 2040—a decade ahead of the Paris Accord’s goal of 2050. Continue reading

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CARB Sets Tropical Forest Standard Rules

CARB said it developed the standard after evaluating other international deforestation reduction programs and working with the Governors’ Climate and Forests Task Force and indigenous leaders and forest communities. Continue reading

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First Ford Performance Off-Road Leveling Kits

Most Ranger and F-150 trucks are purchased with four-wheel drive, and it’s said the leveling kits will enable off-road drivers to risk more challenging terrain. Beyond adding additional ground clearance, off-road performance is improved with Ford truck-optimized FOX  shocks. Continue reading

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GM Strike Gets Nasty as it Cancels UAW Healthcare Plan

The UAW activated the strike fund as soon as it became aware of GM’s strategic (ham-fisted?) decision to cut healthcare. Continue reading

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UAW Strike Cost at GM Builds Substantially with Duration

Previously, the 1998 UAW strike on GM lasted 54 days and cost the automaker $2 billion, which would equate to $3.1 billion in today’s dollars – or over a third of their 2018 net profit. A strike lasting this long has the potential to cost GM 500,000 units in lost production, which would quickly deplete their available inventory. In this situation, GM intenders would ultimately either delay purchases or move to competitor brands, which could result in 100,000 lost US sales in the remainder of this year. Continue reading

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Sonic Financial Takes Over Speedway Motorsports

Sonic Financial intends “to promptly complete the acquisition of all shares of Speedway Motorsports through a merger of Speedway Motorsports and a subsidiary of Sonic Financial, without a vote of Speedway Motorsports stockholders, in accordance with Delaware law.” Continue reading

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Teamsters to Honor Picket Lines of 50,000 UAW GM Workers

 “We laud the UAW for its work to ensure that its GM employees are treated with respect and dignity on the job. At a time when more and more companies are downsizing and shipping jobs out of the U.S., it is imperative that unions fight for their members. Workers should be rewarded for good work with fair wages and benefits. That’s what the UAW is demanding.” Continue reading

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