Category Archives: new vehicle

Ford Motor January U.S. sales up 13%

Posted on 1 February 2011 by Ken Zino

Ford Motor Company reported January sales were 127,317, up 13% from 2009, as the killing of the Mercury brand and a 27% decline in sales to daily rental companies hurt results. Continue reading →

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General Motors January Sales Rise 23%

Posted on 1 February 2011 by Ken Zino

General Motors dealers reported 178,896 total sales in the United States during January, a 23% increase from a year ago for the company’s four brands. Retail sales were 36% higher than January 2009. Continue reading →

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Chevrolet Volt Hybrid Available Nationwide By End of 2011

Posted on 27 January 2011 by Ken Zino

Chevrolet said today that it is moving up the national rollout of the Volt hybrid to the end of this year instead of 2011. The latest development for the increasingly popular four-seat car comes closely after General Motors decided to increase Volt production for at least the second time in four months. Continue reading →

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Construction of Nissan Leaf Electric Vehicle Battery Plant in Tennessee Well Underway

Posted on 26 January 2011 by Ken Zino

Construction is progressing on Nissan’s manufacturing facility in Smyrna, Tennessee, which will produce lithium-ion batteries for the Leaf electric vehicle. Continue reading →

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Car Buyers Avoiding Toyota, Edmunds Claims

Posted on 25 January 2011 by Ken Zino

Car buyers are avoiding shopping for Toyota brands, according to data provided by Edmunds.com, an online web site covering the automobile business that sells advertising to virtually all automakers. The privately-held Edmunds declined to provide any information to AutoInformed about … Continue reading →

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Chevrolet Camaro Convertible Goes to Super Bowl XLV MVP

Posted on 25 January 2011 by Ken Zino

Controversy surrounds this years Super Bowl, when it was revealed that women at the Ocean Sky “sweatshop” in El Salvador are paid just eight cents for each $25 NFL T-shirt they sew, according to the National Labor Committee.

Their wages amount to just 3/10ths of one percent of the NFL shirt’s retail price, according to the non-profit pressure group. One wag suggests that this gives a whole new meaning to one Super Bowl team – the Steelers. Continue reading →

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Ultracapacitors to Challenge Batteries in Stop/Start Vehicles?

Posted on 25 January 2011 by Ken Zino

Pike Research that claims worldwide sales of ultracapacitors will grow tenfold from $28 million in 2011 to $284 million by 2016, with cumulative revenue of $901 million during that period. Continue reading →

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EPA, DOT and California Want Higher Light Vehicle Fuel Economy Rules in Place by September. Jobs Are at Stake

Posted on 24 January 2011 by Ken Zino

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the state of California today announced a timeframe for proposing what will no doubt be increased fuel economy and lower greenhouse gas standards for model year 2017-2025 cars and light-duty trucks. Continue reading →

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GM to Add Back 750 Jobs at Flint Assembly for Pickup Trucks

Posted on 24 January 2011 by Ken Zino

General Motors today announced plans to start a third shift at Flint Assembly, adding back 750 jobs in the plant that makes Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra heavy-duty pickups.
Continue reading →

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Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible to Pace Indianapolis 500

Posted on 21 January 2011 by Ken Zino

A Chevrolet Camaro Convertible will serve as the pace car of the 2011 Indianapolis 500. Chevrolet and Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials made the announcement at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale classic auto auction yesterday, where a bidder will have the opportunity to purchase the first of 50 Indianapolis 500 Festival Committee cars this Saturday night.

The 2011 Camaro Convertible is the 22nd Chevrolet chosen to pace the race, and the seventh Camaro. Both the 100th anniversary of the first Indianapolis 500 and Chevrolet occur in 2011. Chevrolet. Arthur, Louis and Gaston Chevrolet all competed at the Brickyard. Continue reading →

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January New Vehicle Sales up 23% from 2010. Slow Recovery?

Posted on 21 January 2011 by Ken Zino

January new-vehicle retail sales are forecast to come in at 632,100 units, which means a seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR) of 10.0 million units, nearly 2 million units higher than January 2010. Continue reading →

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General Motors Appoints Mary Barra, a GM Human Resources Executive, to Head Global Product Development

Posted on 20 January 2011 by Ken Zino

General Motors today named Mary Barra, 49, senior vice president, Global Product Development, to lead the design, engineering, program management and quality of vehicles for GM’s 11 brands around the world.

Barra comes to the high visibility position once occupied by formidable car guys, including Tom Stephens and Bob Lutz from her position as vice president, Global Human Resources. Prior to this appointment, Barra had been vice president, Global Human Resources since 2009. Both Lutz and Stephens carried the title of vice chairman, so Barra’s job has been downgraded in the latest GM reorganization. Continue reading →

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Akerson Reorganizing GM Again! Product Development Split. Vice Chairman Stephens Moved to Chief Technology Officer

Posted on 19 January 2011 by Ken Zino

The new CTO position was said to be a “major element of Akerson’s goal to make the company more customer driven and technology focused.”

However, the previous GM technology position occupied by Larry Burns was in practicality more of academic exercise that produce reams of press releases extolling the virtues of fuel cells and other advanced technologies that had no immediate production prospects, and did not connect GM to customers or advance sales as the company sped toward bankruptcy. Continue reading →

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Ford will invest $400 million in its Kansas City Assembly Plant

Posted on 18 January 2011 by Ken Zino

Ford Motor Company announced today that it will build a new vehicle at its Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo, Missouri after Ford Escape production moves to Ford’s Louisville Assembly Plant. Continue reading →

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General Motors Recalls Pickups, SUVs for Rear Wheel Lockup

Posted on 17 January 2011 by Ken Zino

General Motors is recalling almost 27,000 pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles from the 2011 model year because the rear wheels can unexpectedly lock, possibly sending the trucks out of control and causing an accident. Continue reading →

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