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Category Archives: new vehicle
GM and SAIC to Develop New Electric Vehicle in China with U.S. Taxpayer Supported GM’s EV Knowledge and Technology
“The policy is not written, but the pressure is real,” said Mike Dunne in an interview with AutoInformed. “All the western automakers have the same story – GM, Volkswagen, Ford – all have now reluctantly agreed to do so as a condition of further market expansion.” Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, economy, electric vehicles, new vehicle, news analysis, transportation
Tagged auto informed, auto news, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, china, china auto market, chinese industrial policy, electric vehicles, ge, general motors china, gm china, gm saic, gm saic ev, gmio, immelt, Ken Zino, pan asia technical automotive center, patac, saic ev, u.s. unemployment, zino
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IAA Frankfurt Motor Show Emphasizes Concepts and Electric Vehicles as Euro Zone Economic Crisis Threatens Automakers
The auto markets in the EC have declined for three straight years now, and 2011 is thus far following the same downward trend. It’s against this backdrop of political crisis and economic uncertainty that automakers are revealing cars at the Frankfurt Motor Show that are being dictated – or heavily influenced – by expensive EU regulations – with an emphasis on electric vehicles that will be required to meet impending EU CO2 standards. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, concept, design and styling, economy, electric vehicles, environment, new vehicle, news analysis
Tagged auto informed, auto news, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, co2, concept cars, electric vehicles, eu, eu economy, eu emissions rules, EVs, iaa frankfurt, Ken Zino, zino
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Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Now Rated at 580 Horsepower
Earlier, less powerful 2011 production Camaro models faced about a 300 pound weight disadvantage against the Mustang because of a larger size and more sophisticated independent rear suspension. Nonetheless, Camaro has been easily outselling the Mustang since production reached normal line speeds. Continue reading
Book Review: Car Spy – an Inside Look at an Auto Culture Past
Car Spy is entertaining, funny, and sardonic. It captures the voice of Dunne – caveat here – whose adventures I sometimes participated in, whose photos I ran in various publications and still run in AutoInformed.com, and whose stories related in Car Spy I heard first hand. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, concept, design and styling, marketing, new vehicle, news analysis, people
Tagged auto informed, auto marketing, auto news, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, big three, car spy, cartechbooks, detroit three, jim dunne, Ken Zino, popular mechanics, popular science, zino
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2012 Cadillac SRX Dries Wet Brakes Automatically
Building on ESC technology, Cadillac has announced that 2012 SRX SUVs will use its electronic stability control (StabiliTrak) to automatically dry wet brakes. This is not as frivolous as it may seem on first glance: data that predates Hurricane Irene, the U.S. Department of Transportation says 620,000 crashes on the nation’s roadways in 2009 or 10% occurred in the rain. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, engineering, new vehicle, safety
Tagged 2012 crossovers, auto dry brakes, auto informed, auto news, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, crossovers, esc, Ken Zino, rain brake assist, srx cadillac stabilitrak, stability control, suv rollover deaths, wet brakes, zino
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Tiny Three-Cylinder VW Up! to Debut at IAA Frankfurt
Volkswagen has released pictures of the production version of the tiny VW Up, which last appeared as an electric car concept two years ago at the IAA or Frankfurt Motor Show. The two-door, four seat small car at 3.54 meters is seven inches smaller than the Mini, and will also compete with Alfa Romeo MiTo, Fiat 500 and in Europe the Toyota iQ. No word on whether the VW Up will come to North America. Continue reading
Toyota Increases Fuel Economy and Equipment While Cutting Prices on 2012 Camry – a Gambit to Reestablish Leadership
A beleaguered Toyota Motor Corporation is counting on a revised 2012 Camry sedan to brush aside safety and quality concerns that have haunted it for the past two years. These, along with the Japan earthquake will relegate it to the third largest automaker in the world for 2011 after it assumed the number one spot in 2008 and held it for three years. Continue reading
Revised Porsche 911 Debuts at 2011 IAA Frankfurt Motor Show
In a nod to the Japanese and the global video game culture, the instrument cluster has five round instruments – one of them a high resolution multifunction screen – shame on you Porsche. Continue reading
Lexus 2013 GS 350 Debuts at Pebble Beach
The 2013 Lexus GS changes from previous rounded Lexus designs by way of its more angular sculpted exterior. Lexus said it will lead the rest of the lineup in an “entirely new direction” that appears derivative of front and rear themes developed by Ford of Europe, Audi, BMW and Cadillac. Overall, the new GS sheet metal represents a “significant extension of the Lexus L-finesse philosophy that is the core of all Lexus product design,” according to Lexus. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, design and styling, marketing, new vehicle
Tagged auto informed, auto news, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, Gs, GS 350, Ken Zino, lexus, pebble beach, zino
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Infiniti JX Concept at Pebble Beach Teases 2013 Model
Previous attempts to use CVTs with V6 engines have failed – so this appears to be a daring move on Infiniti’s part prompted no doubt by impending fuel economy regulations. This potentially sets up a Lexus – clearly the luxury hybrid leader with more applications coming – versus Infiniti, which eschews hybrids in favor of parent company Nissan’s CVT technology. Continue reading
Mini Shows $52,000 Goodwood Version at Pebble Beach
The Mini “Inspired by Goodwood” – how about MIBG? – has luxury accouterments at a luxury price of $52,000 (but that includes $700 in handling and delivery fees), when advanced orders begin later this month. MIBG will be produced in a limited edition of 1,000 units – 140 of which will be available to U.S. punters – and is said to combine driving fun with the same craftsmanship, select materials, styling and all-round ‘typical British understatement’ that are hallmarks of Rolls-Royce.
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Posted in auto news, design and styling, marketing, new vehicle, performance
Tagged auto informed, auto news, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, bmw mini, Ken Zino, mibg, mini, mini coupe, pebble beach, rolls-royce mini, zino
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Chevrolet Orlando Debuts this October in Canada, but not U.S. Competitive MPV Rejected Because of Greater Equinox Profits
Unfortunately, U.S. buyers won’t get a shot at Orlando because some executives inside GM are basking in the profits (at the moment) of the more expensive and fuel thirsty Chevrolet Equinox. ‘mericans like trucks and all-wheel-drive, and those versions of the Equinox are giving GM some badly needed profits at the moment.
It’s one of those GM financial decisions that look good on paper at the time, but in my view represents the inability to take a longer term chance by attacking a segment GM’s not in. Ford, with its decision to shelve the C-Max seven passenger minivan, and offer only low volume, expensive plug-in hybrid versions has given GM an opening here. And that says nothing of successful entries such as the Mazda 5 or even the Scion Xb, and who knows what else. Continue reading
Toyota Yaris Now $14,875! Tundra and Sienna also Increase
The strong Japanese Yen is making itself felt on this side of the Pacific Ocean as Japanese automakers continue to raise prices. Japanese automakers are facing an unprecedented change in their competitiveness – they no longer have a price advantage over the Detroit Three or Korean automakers. In fact, companies that are heavily dependent on Japanese production of components and vehicles have a price disadvantage amounting to thousands of dollars per vehicle.
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Toyota and Tesla to Build RAV4 EV at Toyota’s Woodstock, Ontario Production Facility, Not California
It was a blow to former NUMMI members in Fremont, California whose UAW plant was shut down by Toyota last year. It was hoped that production of the RAV4 EV would go into the plant when Tesla bought it in 2010. Toyota owns a stake in Tesla, and Tesla previously said that a Model S electric sedan will go into production at NUMMI sometime during 2012. Tesla’s latest financial results showed a $59 million loss for Q2. Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, electric vehicles, environment, fuel economy or emissions, manufacturing, new vehicle, news
Tagged auto informed, auto news, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, canadian taxpayer subsidies for Toyota, EVs, fremont california, Ken Zino, nummi, pruis, rav4ev, taxpayer ev subsidies, taxpayer subsidies, tesla, toyota ev, Toyota rav4 ev, zino
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Cadillac to Introduce New Small and Large Cars in 2012
The announcement comes as Cadillac sales declined sharply in the U.S. during July, with disappointing total sales of 11,119, a 26% decrease compared to last July as its aging vehicle line was affected by increased incentives from German brands. Both of the new Cadillac models are aimed squarely at German luxury offerings. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, concept, new vehicle
Tagged 2013 model cadillac, auto informed, auto news, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, cadillac, cadillac ats, cadillac xts, compact Cadillac, GM, Ken Zino, new cars, zino
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