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Category Archives: news analysis
With BMW EV Due, Study Says Range Anxiety Not an Issue
One of the observations about the 80 to 100 mile range – that it’s acceptable – challenges conventional wisdom. This will be tested further when the all-electric BMW Active E becomes available in some U.S. markets beginning in late 2011. A two-year lease will be $499 a month with a $2,250 down payment. A series production BMW I3 follows in 2013. Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, customer satisfaction, electric vehicles, marketing, news analysis
Tagged active e, auto informed, auto news, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, bevs, bmw ev, bmw ev study, electric vehicles, EVs, i3, Ken Zino, mini e, u.c. davis plug-in hybrid & electric vehicle research center
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Volkswagen – Stalking Toyota – Sets Record for Car Sales
Volkswagen wants to be the world’s largest automaker by 2018, which would require it to overtake Toyota and General Motors, the number one and number two global sales leaders respectively in 2010. VW brand deliveries in North America, 194,600 vehicles (162,600; +19.7%) in the first five months, were characterized as “very encouraging.”
Nonetheless VW remains a minor player in what remains a major global market. As part of the world dominance plan, Volkswagen Group said it will sell 800,000 VW models annually in the United States by 2018 – 1,000,000 with Bentley and Audi included. In the U.S., all VW Group brands delivered 360,300 units during 2010, corresponding to growth of 20.9% – a long way short of the goal. Continue reading
$10,000 Increase per Auto Under Fuel Economy Proposal?
Some of the proposed changes to increase fuel economy and decrease greenhouse gases starting in 2017 could cost new car buyers from $3,700 to more than $9,000 per vehicle if they are adopted, and that’s before another $1,500 or so is added for additional safety equipment.
The new fuel economy mandates under consideration by the government are based on reducing emissions ranging from 3% to 6% per year, the same as increasing fuel mileage equivalent amounts. The highest increase, 6% per year, will raise the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) from 35.5 mpg in 2016 to 62 mpg in 2025. Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, economy, electric vehicles, environment, news analysis
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, cafe, car, center for automotive research, co2, economy, fuel economy regulations, ghg, job losses, Ken Zino, regulations hurting jobs, sean mcalinden, unemployment
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Honda Motor Predicts $2.4 Billion Profit Drop from Earthquake
This represents a 63.5% decline for Japan’s third largest automaker compared to the previous year, the result of production disruptions caused by the Japan earthquake and tsunami, rebuilding costs, as well as a strong Yen at an unprecedented ¥80:$1. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, economy, financial results, news analysis, results, sales
Tagged auto informed, auto news, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, economy, financial results, japan, japan auto industry, japan earthquake, Ken Zino, news analysis, sales and tagged 2012 honda forecast, tmc profits, toyota forecast, yen value
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India to be Third Largest Auto Market behind China and U.S.
India will become the world’s third largest light vehicle market by the end of the decade behind China and the U.S., according to a new study. However, India won’t be as profitable as the other two. That prediction comes after India eclipsed France, the United Kingdom and Italy to become the sixth-largest global auto market in the world last year. Continue reading
Chevrolet Volt Price Cut? Fully Loaded 2012 Now $46,265
Chevrolet has announced that the base price for the 2012 Volt will be $1,000 lower when it goes on sale later this year. Suggested retail asking price is $39,995. The price includes an $850 freight charge but excludes tax, title and license fees. A loaded Volt, with leather appointments, backup camera, navigation system and premium paint and wheels is now priced at $46,265 including delivery. Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, electric vehicles, marketing, new vehicle, news analysis, prices
Tagged 2012 volt, auto informed, auto news, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, chevrolet volt, electric vehicles, green vehicles, hamtramck, hybrid vehicles, Ken Zino, opel ampera, taxpayer subsidies, volt, volt price cut
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Toyota Predicts 31% Profit Dip in Fiscal Year from Earthquake
The longer term issues facing Toyota are recovering lost market share and the unprecedented strength of the Japanese Yen caused by massive inflows of cash as export oriented Japanese companies attempt to recover from earthquake losses. Continue reading
SUVs Now Among the Safest as Electronics Stop Rollovers
The safety improvements are so large that SUVs drivers are now statistically less likely to die in a crash than drivers of equivalent size cars. This conclusion on driver death rates was published today by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which for decades pointed out that SUVs were among the most dangerous vehicles on the road. Continue reading
Akerson Praises GM at Annual Meeting as Stock Languishes
The weaknesses at GM remain in its sales of traditional trucks, with a 110 days supply of full size pickups; it’s heavy use of incentives, which remain higher than the industry average, (but are lower than the levels that drove it into bankruptcy); and gaps in updating the product line because of delayed programs at the end of the last decade when cash was short. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, economy, financial results, news analysis, people, performance
Tagged auto informed, auto news, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, dan akerson, GM, gm annual meeting, gm bankruptcy, gm ipo, Ken Zino, zino
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Volkswagen Holds Base Price of New Beetle to $19,765
Transaction prices of the Beetle will be much higher of course than the $19,765 starting point. The sportiest model the 2.0L TSI will start at more than $24,000 with a 2-liter in-line four-cylinder turbocharged engine that produces 200 horsepower and 207 lb-ft of torque. Continue reading
Ford Europe to Build Three-Cylinder. U.S. Sales Promised
The new Ford three-cylinder engine arises in part from the success of the award-winning Fiat Twinair two-cylinder engine already on sale Europe. A large factor is also impending European emission standards that are forcing automakers to produce radical engine designs with low CO2 emissions. The newest Ford Ecoboost three-cylinder is projected to have CO2 emissions under 100 g/km. Continue reading
Korean Automakers Post Huge U.S. Sales Gains as Disputed Free Trade Agreement Heads for Congressional Approval
Some of the biggest sales gains in May were posted by Korean automakers Hyundai (up 20.7% versus a year ago) and Kia (up 53.4%). Combined, the two Korean automakers sold more than 100,000 vehicles for the month. Korea is the fifth largest producer and fourth largest exporter of motor vehicles in the world.
However, Korea ranks at the very bottom — 30 out of 30 among the largest automotive markets — for auto market access. The average among major developed economies is 40% market penetration by imported automobiles, but in Korea, the total of import vehicles from all global manufacturers in all countries entering the Korean market is around 3.6%. This is about 40,000 vehicles in a market that buys roughly one million vehicles annually. Continue reading
Japanese U.S. May Sales Plunge as Inventories Evaporate. Toyota, Nissan and Honda Decline in Earthquake Aftershocks
Toyota, Nissan and Honda – the Japanese Big Three – all saw U.S. sales plummet in May as a combination of their limited inventories because of the production disruptions from the Japan earthquake and the decreased marketing activities that followed took a huge bite out of sales. Continue reading
Chrysler May U.S. Sales Up 10% as Retail Sales Soar 27%
Chrysler Group, the weakest of the Detroit Three, today reported U.S. sales of 115,363, a 10% increase compared with sales in May 2010 and the best May sales since 2008. The strong results came as larger Ford and General Motors posted flat sales year-on-year. Continue reading
Ford May Sales Flat in U.S. as Retail Sales Rise 5%
Ford Motor Company sales in May were 192,102, the same as one year ago as the economy stalled. Retail sales were up 5% and fleet sales were down 8%. Year-to-date, total Ford Motor sales were 878,600, up 12%. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, economy, news analysis, results, sales
Tagged auto informed, auto news, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, ford may results, ford results, Ken Zino, results, sales results, u.s. sales
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