Category Archives: news analysis

Detroit Auto Show Racing Day Returns in 2026

Posted on 12 November 2025 by Ken Zino

The Detroit Auto Show today said that Racing Day will take place on Tuesday, 20 January 2026. Claimed [but not named – AutoCrat] participants are “some of the top stars of motorsports world-class race cars, and interactive experiences throughout the course of the day.” For more details, visit detroitautoshow.com.

“Racing Day presented by the Detroit Grand Prix will rev up the Detroit Auto Show at Huntington Place in Downtown Detroit on January 20, with motorsports taking center stage as part of the growing collaboration between two of Detroit’s most iconic events,” the Auto Show claimed. Continue reading →

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Annals of Marketing – Porsche Credit Card

Posted on 11 November 2025 by Ken Zino

In Stuttgart today Porsche said that the new Porsche Card offers more than just the simple payment function, it is the key to the Porsche world.*

“‘Feel Porsche in every moment’ – With this motto, the new Porsche Card promises the Porsche spirit in credit card format. The comprehensive service package is specially tailored to Porsche customers and focuses on experiences, comfort and convenience. At the heart of the card are services from the areas of Porsche Family, Exclusive Lifestyle, Mobility and Peace of Mind. Popular benefits such as free Avis Priority airport parking or the comprehensive insurance package have been retained and expanded to include many other services,” Porsche said. Continue reading →

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Tariff Chaos – Honda All-Terrain Factory to Build More Parts

Posted on 11 November 2025 by Ken Zino

Today Honda announced a $9.658 million investment to modernize its North Carolina Manufacturing (NCM) plant to let build more parts. The new investment is likely to exceed $9.6 million and create 18 new non-union jobs.*

“By equipping Honda North Carolina Manufacturing with important new capabilities to build key parts for our products right here at the facility, we can continue growing our ATV business in North Carolina,” said Lynne Hedrick, site lead at NCM. “We are grateful for the continued support from Alamance County and look forward to the benefits this investment will provide to our associates and the region.”** Continue reading →

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Takata Recall Haunts BMW X5 SUVs

Posted on 10 November 2025 by Ken Zino

BMW of North America (BMW) is recalling more than 5000 model year 2000-2001 X5 SUVs that may be equipped with a sport steering wheel containing a Takata PSDI-4 air bag inflator (TK Global LLC). The inflator may explode during deployment due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

“Certain vehicles may contain a sport steering wheel equipped with a Takata driver’s front air bag module that contains a PSDI-4 inflator that could have been installed as a replacement / spare part. The originally equipped did not contain an inflator with ammonium nitrate,” BMW said in the mandatory safety defect recall filing made public by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration this morning (NHTSA). Continue reading →

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Rear Camera INOP – Toyota Recalls More than 1M Vehicles

Posted on 10 November 2025 by Ken Zino

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling ~ 1,024,407  model year 2022-2026 Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru Solterra vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. A software error may cause the rearview camera to freeze or display a blank screen when the vehicle is in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, Rear Visibility.

“This issue only affects the vehicles listed above which are equipped with the Parking Assist ECU containing specific software logic from a specific supplier,” Toyota said in the mandatory safety defect recall filing made public today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. [Denso Corporation is the Tier One supplier of the ECU – AutoCrat.] Continue reading →

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Battery Fire Recalls – ~320,065 Jeep Wrangler and Grand Cherokee 4Xe Models

Posted on 10 November 2025 by Ken Zino

Chrysler (FCA US) is recalling more than 320,000 2020-2025 model year Jeep Wrangler 4Xe and model year 2022-2026 Grand Cherokee 4Xe plug-in hybrid vehicles. The high voltage battery may fail internally and lead to a vehicle fire while parked or driving. Samsung SDI America supplied the defective batteries.

In the mandatory safety defect recall filing made public today by the National Highway Traffics Safety Administration (NHTSA), Chrysler said “In rare circumstances, a battery pack may contain cells with separator damage. Separator damage, combined with other complex interactions within the cells, may lead to a vehicle fire.” Continue reading →

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CARB – Greenhouse Gas Emissions Down Again!

Posted on 7 November 2025 by Ken Zino

The latest publication of California’s greenhouse gas emissions inventory released today shows a 3% drop in statewide emissions. This is the third largest annual percentage decrease since the pandemic under the Trump Administration. The decrease is equivalent to removing more than 2.6 million gasoline-powered cars from California’s roads for one year.

“Today’s milestone once again confirms that bold climate action can deliver real results,” said California Air Resources Board Chair Lauren Sanchez. “California’s climate pollution is falling even as our economy grows – a powerful testament to the strength of our programs, innovation in clean technology, and the commitment of communities across the state. We’re not just investing in a healthier future; we’re actively building it.” Continue reading →

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Nissan Posts ¥27.7 Billion Loss for First Half FY 2025

Posted on 7 November 2025 by Ken Zino

Nissan Motor (7201T and NSANY ADR) posted First Half results for the Japanese FY 2025 ending 31 March 2026 this week. I also estimated (guesstimated given global financial chaos? – AutoCrat) a stronger second-half in fiscal 2025. Nissan’s global sales were 1.48 million units and consolidated net revenue totaled ¥5.6 trillion with an operating loss of ¥27.7 billion. The company recorded a net loss of ¥221.9 billion, largely due to lower income from equity-method companies’ impairments and restructuring costs.*

“Our first-half results reflect the challenges we face, yet they confirm that Nissan is firmly on the path to recovery. The second half will bring its own hurdles, but with focus, discipline, and the actions underway, I am confident we will deliver stronger results,” said Ivan Espinosa, Nissan’s president and chief executive. Continue reading →

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Annals of Marketing – Ford Signature 2.0 Debuts

Posted on 6 November 2025 by Ken Zino

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) said today that its New Retail Experience – dubbed Ford Signature 2.0 – is designed to deliver an enhanced customer journey.*

“Today, we’re introducing a new, unified global retail experience, developed with Ford dealers around the world, to meet these needs,” said Elena Ford, chief customer experience officer at Ford Motor Company. “This approach offers seamless options, whether you prefer browsing online or a hands-on dealership visit, ensuring each step of your journey with Ford is effortless – from considering a vehicle to every service appointment thereafter. Like always, we’re putting our customers at the heart of everything with this experience. We’ve created the new design standard, Ford Signature 2.0, with our global dealers, building on years of learnings and pairing behavioral science with human-centered design to foster lasting relationships.” Continue reading →

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Little Changed – J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index

Posted on 6 November 2025 by Ken Zino

The J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) StudySM released today notes that despite the market shifts, overall customer satisfaction with the vehicle purchase experience increased by 1 point this year to 802 (on a 1000-point scale).

“Satisfaction among buyers has been gradually improving over the years, including a modest increase in 2025 despite the added uncertainties that tariffs bring.” said Stewart Stropp, vice president of automotive retail at J.D. Power. “However, even in a challenging market, the fundamentals of satisfaction haven’t changed. Dealers who stay transparent during the deal, take time to educate buyers on their vehicle’s features, and maintain that connection after delivery are the ones poised to boost buyer satisfaction, ultimately leading to better customer retention and business growth.” Continue reading →

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BMW Group Posts Q3 €8B in Pre-Tax Earnings

Posted on 5 November 2025 by Ken Zino

“In the third quarter, we once again proved that our business model is robust and resilient”, said Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG. “We have all the right factors for continued success: a technology-neutral approach, exciting products, a strong global presence and outstanding innovation capabilities throughout the entire value chain. Thanks to our broad model and drive train portfolio, we were able to increase our global sales – with BMW M and our electrified vehicles as the main growth drivers. At the same time, we remain fully on track to meet Europe’s ambitious CO2 targets for 2025 – without relying on flexibility mechanisms or pooling. This demonstrates that our technology-neutral approach is working and delivering strong results.” Continue reading →

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Michigan – Tariffs Cause Higher Grocery Prices, More Expensive Housing, Put Jobs at Risk

Posted on 5 November 2025 by Ken Zino

In response to Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s executive directive to gauge the impact of federal tariffs on Michigan’s economy, several State of Michigan departments submitted reports pointing to higher prices and costly delays that would ultimately impact Michiganders. Today, the U.S. … Continue reading →

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Toyota Motor Q2 FY 2026 Net Income Drops 7%

Posted on 5 November 2025 by Ken Zino

Today, Toyota Motor Corporation (NYSE: TM, 7203T) posted FY 2026 Q2 [1 April 2025 through 30 September 2025- AutoCrat] results that showed total consolidated vehicle unit sales increased globally by 227,000,+ 5.0% to 4,783,000. However, net income attributable to Toyota Motor Corporation was 1,773.4 billion yen, a decrease of 133.6 billion yen or -7.0% compared with FY2025 first half. Nonetheless, Toyota increased its fiscal-year profit forecast. Toyota maintains that its products and sales outside the United States would counter the negative effects of  of U.S. President Donald Trump’s import tariffs. The world’s largest automaker forecasts an operating profit of 3.4 trillion yen (~$22.6 billion) for the financial year ending March 26, a jump of +6% from the 3.2 trillion yen it formerly forecast. Continue reading →

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Stellantis Factory Booster Day Held in Detroit

Posted on 4 November 2025 by Ken Zino

Stellantis (NYSE: STLA. STLAM.MI)* held today the 10th annual edition of its Factory Booster Day at the Conner Center – aka Conner Avenue Assembly – in Detroit. This year’s event saw 80 invited participants showing more than 100 “solutions” aimed at transforming the future of industrial operations.

“Factory Booster Day is not just an event, it’s a reflection of our manufacturing culture and global collaboration,” said Tim Fallon, Senior Vice President, Global Head of Stellantis Production Way. “By empowering our teams and partnering with startups and suppliers, we co-create smart solutions that drive quality, agility and sustainability across Stellantis.

“Together, we are building the future of manufacturing. Through an Open Challenge process, plant leaders invited suppliers and startups to pitch ideas for improving manufacturing processes, making Factory Booster Day a global showcase for practical, forward-thinking solutions delivered through both physical and virtual demonstrations,” said Fallon. Continue reading →

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Goodyear Tire Posts Q3 2025 Loss of $2.2 Billion

Posted on 3 November 2025 by Ken Zino

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (NASDAQ:GT)* posted Q3 2025 results today that showed a net loss of $2.2 billion ($7.62 per share) compared to a Goodyear net loss of $37 million (13 cents per share) a year ago. Third quarter 2025 adjusted net income was $82 million compared to adjusted net income of $102 million in Q3 of last year. Adjusted earnings per share was $0.28, compared to $0.36 (diluted) in Q3 2024.

“We delivered a meaningful increase in segment operating income relative to the second quarter in an industry environment that continued to be marked by global trade disruption,” said Mark Stewart, chief executive officer and president. “This growth underscores our strong product portfolio and the consistency of our execution under the Goodyear Forward plan, both of which we expect to support further acceleration in our earnings during the fourth quarter.” Continue reading →

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