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Category Archives: design and styling
Chevrolet Bolt Returns as 2027 Model at ~$30,000
“The Chevrolet Bolt was the industry’s first affordable mass-market, long-range EV and it commanded one of GM’s most loyal customer bases thanks to its price, versatility and practicality,” said Scott Bell, vice president, Global Chevrolet. “After production ended, we heard our customer’s feedback and their love for this product. So the Bolt is coming back, by popular demand and better than ever, for a limited time. Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, connected vehicles, design and styling, electric vehicles, electronics, fuel economy or emissions, global warming, marketing, milestones, mobility company, new vehicle, news analysis, shows and events, software defined vehicles, software defined vehicles, transportation
Tagged 2027 Bolt, auto industry commentary, AutoInformed news, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Bolt and Equinox EV, DC public fast charging, Global Chevrolet, Google Maps, Google Play, Hey Google’ voice assistance, Ken Zino of AutoInformed, Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com writing as AutoCrat, nacs charging port, Scott Bell, Super Cruise, U.S. Department of Energy, vehicle-to-home power, X @KenAutoinformed, X76 electric drive unit
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Audi of America Debuts 2026 A6 Sedan
“Embodying the most quintessential parts of the Audi brand’s DNA, the 2026 A6 sedan arrives in America with an all-new modern and sophisticated design inside and out. Engine performance has been improved and, with its enhanced dynamic capabilities, the all-new A6 is both quicker and better handling than the previous generation. The latest driver-centric infotainment and lighting technologies have also been incorporated including the handsome Audi digital stage MMI and customizable light signatures. In totality, the 9th generation A6 marks a step change for the upper mid-size business segment and redefines Audi brand DNA for a new generation of luxury owners; simultaneously improving both driver engagement with the road and extending refinement for everyday driving,” Audi said. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, design and styling, marketing, new vehicle, shows and events
Tagged Audi 2026 A6 Sedan, Audi MMI panoramic display, auto industry commentary, AutoInformed news, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Ken Zino of AutoInformed, X @KenAutoinformed
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Caterham Competitor – New Zenos E10 RZ
Zenos Cars today revealed in engineering prototype form the new Zenos E10 RZ. Zenos Cars is a partnership between former Caterham Cars CEO Ansar Ali and COO Mark Edwards. They both also worked together at Lotus. Ali and Edwards have more than 30 years of experience in the niche sports car sector. The Zenos name is a combination of ‘Zen’ to represent purity, and ‘os,’ roughly Latin for ‘vertebra.’
“The start of a new generation of cars for Zenos, the marque will once again focus on innovation and ingenuity as it seeks to do more with less, in the tradition of the Great British sports cars manufacturers that inspired the company’s founding,” Zenos said. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, design and styling, engineering, marketing, milestones, new vehicle, people, performance, shows and events
Tagged Ansar Ali, auto industry commentary, AutoInformed news, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, British sports cars, Ken Zino of AutoInformed, Lotus, Mark Edwards, X @KenAutoinformed, Zenos Cars
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GM 1940 Design Sketches Found in Rochester NY
“Nobody knows how the binder journeyed from Detroit to upstate New York. When Josh Quick found it in a barn at an estate sale, he grabbed it without thinking. It was only days later, while flipping through the pages, that Quick realized he was holding a missing piece of General Motors history,” Bob Sorokanich, senior editor, GM News posted last week.
In 2024, Josh Quick went to a farm estate sale in the small town of Conesus, about 45 minutes south of Rochester, New York, on the hunt for antique tractor parts. He thought he’d hit the jackpot. “I asked the guy, what do you want for all this stuff? He said, ‘two cases of Busch Light beer,’” Quick told GM News.
Posted in auto news, blog, concept, design and styling, people, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, AutoInformed news, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Bob Sorokanich, Christo Datini, Clare MacKichan, Detroit Institute of Automobile Styling, Elwood Engel, Gene Bordinat, Joe Oros, Josh Quick, Ken Zino as AutoCrat, Ken Zino of AutoInformed, Ned Nickles, Quick Speed Shop, X @KenAutoinformed
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Taurus Door Trim Recall – More than 100K Fords
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is recalling ~101,944 model year 2016-2019 Taurus cars. The driver and front passenger B-Pillar door trim may detach while driving. Ford doesn’t say how it will fix the problem. The root cause of the recall remained a part of the assembly process until the end of Taurus production at the Chicago Assembly plant on 1 March 2019. During the first half of 2025, Ford Motor booked a $1.3 billion loss from repairs of vehicles under warranty, cancellation of plans to build an electric sport utility vehicle and other one-time costs. Ford is operating under a consent order from NHTSA because of its handing of recalls.
“Applique detachment may result from incomplete adhesion of the part to door sheet-metal during installation at the vehicle assembly plant on vehicles built after a process change that stopped the use of hand rollers that aided operators in ensuring complete adhesion of the part,” Ford said on the mandatory safety defect recall filing made public by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration this morning. [If the process isn’t broken, why change it? – AutoCrat] Continue reading
Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, design and styling, manufacturing, news analysis, quality, recalls, safety
Tagged auto industry commentary, AutoInformed news, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Ford Taurus Recall 25S91, Ford Taurus recalls, Ken Zino of AutoInformed, Ken Zino writing as AutoCrat, NHTSA Recall 25V611 or 2V-611, X @KenAutoinformed
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Door Recall – Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer
Chrysler (FCA US) is recalling ~163,735 model year 2022-2025 Jeep Wagoneer and Jeep Grand Wagoneer SUVs. The so-called DLO [door Day Light Opening. Supplied by Cooper-Standard – AutoCrat] trim on the driver and passenger doors may not have been installed properly, which can allow it to detach. A DLO trim which detaches from the vehicle may create a road hazard to operators and occupants of other vehicles and can cause such vehicles to crash without prior warning. Customers may notice that the DLO trim has started to separate from the vehicle.
“The DLO trim may not have been properly secured at the vehicle assembly plant and may detach from the vehicle,” FCA said in the mandatory safety defect recall filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration(NHTSA). Continue reading
Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, design and styling, manufacturing, quality, recalls
Tagged auto industry commentary, AutoInformed news, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Chrysler of FCA US recalls, FCA recall 77C, Jeep Wagoneer and Jeep Grand Wagoneer safety defect recalls, Ken Zino as AutoCrat, Ken Zino of AutoInformed, NHTSA Recall ID 25V593 or 25V-593, X @KenAutoinformed
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Mercedes-AMG Hybrid Wagon Priced – Bring Money
Mercedes-Benz USA said today that 2026 Mercedes-AMG E 53 Hybrid* arrives at U.S. dealerships in early fall 2025, starting from $93,3502. That excludes a $1150 destination and delivery charge as well as options. AutoInformed speculates that Trump Tariff chaos had something to do with the price. Green would be an appropriate color under the circumstances. No U.S. photos or the rear interior area of the wagon were provided. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, design and styling, electric vehicles, engineering, marketing, milestones, mobility company, new vehicle, performance, shows and events
Tagged 2026 Mercedes-AMG E 53 Hybrid, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Ken Zino, MBUX Superscreen Package, Mercedes-AMG E 53 Hybrid, Mercedes-Benz USA, X @KenAutoinformed
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Togg Türkiye Debuts Two Models at IAA Mobility
Mobility brand Togg said today that it is celebrating its market entry in Germany at IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich, alongside the world premiere of its production-ready T10F fastback sedan. With the all-electric SUV T10X and the T10F, Togg is introducing two models to the German market, both of which achieved the top rating of five stars in the independent Euro NCAP safety assessment.
“With the T10X and T10F, we are entering the European market with confidence. Achieving five stars from Euro NCAP underlines that safety has been a top priority for us from the very beginning” said CEO Gürcan Karakaş. Starting September 29, 2025, both models will be available for online orders exclusively via Trumore, the in-house service and ordering platform of Togg. More than 70,000 users in Türkiye are already driving the flagship T10X. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, connected vehicles, design and styling, electric vehicles, manufacturing, marketing, milestones, mobility company, new vehicle, news analysis, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Fuat Tosyali, Gürcan Karakaş, IAA Mobility 2025 Trumore, Ken Zino, Togg T10X and T10F, X @KenAutoinformed
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First Look – 2026 Toyota Highlander
“For over 25 years, the Toyota Highlander has earned a reputation for delivering passenger-car-like handling and control coupled with the power and versatility of a mid-size SUV. Gas models will be available in XLE, XSE, Limited, and Platinum grades and hybrid models will be available in XLE, Limited, and Platinum. Assembled in Princeton, Indiana, Toyota Highlander gas models have a manufacturer-estimated 24 MPG combined rating and hybrid models have a manufacturer-estimated 35 MPG combined rating,” Toyota said. Continue reading
Halcyon Highland Heather Corniche EV to Debut
“Unveiling the result of our design study in the beautiful setting of Hampton Court Palace gives our clients a first taste of how incredible their cars will be. The passion, effort, and attention to detail that our team has poured into the Highland Heather design study have created a vehicle unlike any other. Classic elegance and a modern spark make for everything the Corniche should be, unmistakably Rolls-Royce®,” said Matthew Pearson, CEO of Halcyon. Continue reading
Posted in aftermarket, auto news, customer satisfaction, design and styling, electric vehicles, engineering, marketing, new vehicle, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Evice Technologies, Halcyon Highland Heather Corniche, Hampton Court Palace Concours of Elegance, Ken Zino, Matthew Pearson, Rolls-Royce Corniche®, X @KenAutoinformed
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More C9 Corvette Concepts Seen in California
Chevrolet (NYSE: GM) today gave car enthusiasts and racing fans another, yet another glimpse of the high-performance future. Two Corvette concept cars, the Corvette CX and CX.R Vision Gran Turismo, debuted at The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering in California. If these promotional events proceed at the pace of previous events and press releases, they could outnumber the sales of the production C9 Corvette when it appears. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, concept, design and styling, electric vehicles, global warming, marketing, mobility company, new vehicle, news analysis, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Corvette CX and CX.R Vision Gran Turismo, Corvette CX.R VGT, Gran Turismo 7, Ken Zino, Phil Zak, Polyphony Digital, Sony Interactive Entertainment, The Quail Motorsports Gathering in California, X @KenAutoinformed
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Nissan Armada Starts at $58,840
“Following the all-new debut of the 2025 model year, Nissan continues to deliver an Armada for every adventure – offering supreme comfort, premium technology, a bold new design and uncompromising capability. With three rows of seating, a maximum towing capacity of up to 8,500 pounds [3], and the added confidence of standard Nissan Safety Shield® 3604, the Armada is ready for whatever the road – or trail – may bring,” Nissan said. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, design and styling, engineering, marketing, milestones, mobility company, news analysis, prices, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Ken Zino, The 2026 model year Nissan Armada, The 2026 model year Nissan NISMO, X @KenAutoinformed
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Genesis Opens California Design Studio
“At Genesis, design is brand and brand is design,” said Luc Donckerwolke, Chief Creative Officer of Genesis. “Genesis Design California is the embodiment of this. It embraces our distinct Korean identity creating a space that inspires creativity. I cannot wait to see that inspiration come to life in the team’s work.” Continue reading →