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Category Archives: news analysis
The Secret of Future Success for Ex Auto Plants is Location
The study is the latest example of how devastating the collapse of the automobile industry is to the economies of local communities, many of them now with grim futures. Simply put, the best outcome for a community is to keep auto plants operating. The lack of a U.S. industrial policy – alone among all other industrialized nations and clearly a problem in the view of critics of multinational corporations – is not addressed in the study. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, economy, manufacturing, news, news analysis, results
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, center for automotive research, closed auto plants, department of labor, Ken Zino, redeveloping closed auto plants, unemployment, war on the middle class
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Ford Family and Other Shareholders to Receive Dividends
Ford still remains heavily in debt – at $12.7 billion. However, Ford decreased automotive debt by $1.3 billion in the third quarter of this year, including payment of the remaining $1.8 billion balance of secured Term Loan debt, which was offset partially by an increase in controversial taxpayer-subsidized low-cost loans from the Department of Energy to support advanced technology under the guise of retooling existing plants. Continue reading
U.S. Auto Fatalities Drop to Lowest level in More than 60 Years
The Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration – NHTSA – today released 2010 fatality and injury data showing highway deaths fell to 32,885 for the year, the lowest level for auto fatalities since 1949. What was termed a record-breaking decline in traffic deaths occurred as American drivers traveled nearly 46 billion more miles during the year, an increase of 1.6% compared to 2009. Continue reading
Tidbits – Leaf, Marchionne, Volt, Politics, Rust, Electronics
Nissan has re-opened “reservations” for the 2012 Nissan Leaf electric vehicle in Delaware, Indiana, Louisiana, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. Deliveries will begin next spring. Nissan LEAF is now available for order in 30 states, including Washington, D.C. National … Continue reading
Dodge Dart Reborn based on Alfa Romeo Platform
The new Dodge Dart will appear in modified form with a lengthened and widened platform, which Dodge claims will have segment-leading interior roominess. Dodge exited the compact car segment (or so-called c-car segment) when then owner Daimler killed the Neon back in 2005 – as gasoline was relatively cheap at just over $2 a gallon and truck and SUV sales were booming. The Neon nameplate goes back to the 1995 when Bob Lutz then at Chrysler boasted it would beat the Japanese in the economy car segment. It didn’t come close. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, marketing, new vehicle, news, news analysis
Tagged alfa romeo giulietta, auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, car spy, Dodge, dodge dart, economy cars, Fiat, jim dunne, Ken Zino
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Toyota to Export U.S. Built Camry to South Korea
The Camry mid-size sedans will be made at Toyota’s manufacturing plant in Georgetown, Kentucky, which is Toyota’s largest manufacturing facility outside of Japan. The strong Japanese Yen is causing Toyota to increase production out of its home country. Whether a U.S. made Camry is any more suited for the Korean market given Japan’s troubled relations with Korea is debatable. Continue reading
Honda Recall for Goldwing Motorcycle Fires Active
This safety defect follows the admission by Honda last week that Honda is once again expanding a recall covering the driver’s side airbag installed on its most popular cars, crossovers and minivans built in 2001 and 2002. This ongoing global safety defect has resulted in recalls in North America, Japan, Australia and other regions. Continue reading
Posted in news, news analysis, recalls, safety
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, goldwing fires, honda goldwing recall, Ken Zino, nhtsa, recalls, safety recall
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Honda Airbag Recall Grows. More than 300,000 Vehicles Added
Initially, Honda only recalled 4200 vehicles three years ago and ignored the rest of the world. However, this Honda problem was ongoing as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was fining Toyota for safety defect cover-ups – ones that ultimately resulted in millions of dollars in fines and a shredded Toyota corporate and vehicle quality reputation. During the past year or so, Honda has issued more than 22 public statements about various safety defects and recalls in the U.S. Continue reading
New Vehicle Sales Satisfaction Improves from 2010
Satisfaction with the new-vehicle sales process has improved from 2010, according to a new study released today. All sales satisfaction measures improved “notably” from 2010, with the greatest increase in the delivery process, despite the fact that the average length of time to complete the delivery portion of a new-vehicle sale has increased by four minutes to an average of 32 minutes in 2011. Continue reading
Toyota Motor November Sales Up 7% as Inventories Build
Toyota Motor has now returned near the sales levels it had in Q1 before the tragic Japan earthquake disrupted production for months. With the auto industry monthly sales running at the highest rates since August of 2009 when taxpayer subsidies boosted sales under the Cash for Clunkers program, Toyota seems ideally positioned top be back to full strength by early next year. As it is now Toyota has about a 14% market share in the U.S. even though year-to-date total sales are off a whopping 20%, at 1,384,558 vehicles. Continue reading
Ford Motor November U.S. Sales Up 13%
Overall, ytd Ford Motor has sold 1,938,666 vehicles, more than 500,000 vehicles ahead of Toyota Motor Sales. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, marketing, news, news analysis, results, sales
Tagged auto informed, auto news, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, ford results, Ken Zino, November results, november sales, results, zino
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GM U.S. Sales Up 7% in November – SAAR Booming
Increased sales of pickup trucks and full size vans dominated GM’s results. GM deliveries y-o-y showed a 34% increase in Chevrolet Silverado pickuo truck sales (34,251) and a 22% increase in GMC Sierra pickup sales at 11,971 Continue reading
Posted in auto news, news, news analysis, results, sales
Tagged auto informed, auto news, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, gm results, Ken Zino, november sales, results, sales, silverado, volt, zino
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BMW and Toyota to Jointly Research Lithium Ion Batteries
BMW Group and Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) announced today a memorandum of understanding (MOU) where the companies will research together the next-generation lithium-ion battery technologies. It is the latest example of automakers trying to decrease the astronomical cost of developing more efficient vehicles mandated by increasing stringent fuel economy or CO2 regulations. Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, electric vehicles, environment, news, news analysis, transportation
Tagged auto informed, auto news, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, batteries, BMW, bmw toyota collaboration, bmw toyota research, electric vehicles, EVs, Ken Zino, lithium ion battery, toyota, zino
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Volkswagen Cross Coupe Plug-in Hybrid Unveiled at Tokyo
Cross Coupe is the latest regulation driven foray into plug-in technology, with the 9.8 kWh lithium ion battery onboard costing at least $5,000. Whether buyers will exist for the growing number of plug-in hybrids is a matter of debate by auto industry insiders. By the end of 2016, it’s predicted that 159 hybrid and electric vehicle models available for purchase in the U.S. market. This is a significant increase from only 31 hybrid and electric models in 2009. Continue reading
