Category Archives: people

Ferdinand Piëch – German Autocrat, Industrialist – Dead at 82

Porsche’s attempt to take over Volkswagen Group, ironically, ultimately resulted in exactly the opposite with Volkswagen Group swallowing the performance vehicle maker whole when the leveraged funds of the pursuer ran into the brick wall of the Great Recession and margin calls in 2009. Continue reading

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Mitsubishi Motors North America to Move U.S. Headquarters Closer to Nissan in Franklin, Tennessee

The company that was close to bankruptcy before the Nissan-Renault Alliance gave it a reprieve claims the “move proves strength of Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance, as efficiencies between Mitsubishi Motors and Nissan grow in the U.S.” Continue reading

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Execs Changed at Changan Ford China JV. European Transformation Ongoing

Stuart Rowley was named president, Ford of Europe back on April 1, when Steve Armstrong was named Chairman of Ford Europe (and Ford had both there as it was undergoing its latest  transformation plan strategy work).   Stuart is now leader in Europe. The new role for Armstrong will be effective 1 October. He will report to Ford China President and CEO Anning Chen. Continue reading

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Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid Sets Meaningless Record

The hybrid SUV ran on used road tires and was driven by the German racing driver and TV Reader  Tim Schrick. Continue reading

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Stout Scarab Minivan Joins Concours of Elegance 2019

During the 1950s it was used by a circus owner, keeping monkeys in the car while they toured the continent. It was then sold on to a French industrial designer who had the vehicle placed in a museum in Reims. Continue reading

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My Friend Jim Dunne

It had it all – Detroit Royalty surprised, hot cars, and a globally saleable glamour shot. Yes, Jim Dunne had it – he was the sine qua non of an entire category of journalism – automotive spy photography. Continue reading

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Honda Database Leaks 134M Rows of Employee Data

The information available in the database appeared to be something like an inventory of all Honda internal machines. This included information such as machine host name, MAC address, internal IP, operating system version, which patches had been applied, and the status of Honda’s endpoint security software. Continue reading

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Carvana Launches First Vending Machine in California

Customers that choose to pick up their vehicle at the Car Vending Machine are greeted by a Customer Advocate and receive a commemorative, oversized Carvana coin to activate the fully automated vending process, taking only minutes to complete the transaction compared to hours spent at the dealership. Continue reading

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Aston Martin Automotive Galleries and Lairs

“Automotive Galleries and Lairs is an opportunity for clients to work with the Aston Martin Design Team but also with renowned architects, focusing on those with local knowledge and an excellent understanding of the specifics of the brief,” said Aston. Continue reading

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Michigan Drivers Dominate Drag Racing at Roadkill Nights

For the fifth consecutive year, Motor Trend Group’s Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge returned to Woodward Avenue in Pontiac, Michigan. Continue reading

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Dream Cruise Delights – Power to The People

Woodward Avenue – America’s first highway – is about to be invaded or upgraded as 40,000 classic cars appear for the 25th annual Dream Cruise next weekend. Heavily biased toward ‘Merican metal, with a crowd-pleasing emphasis on muscle cars and … Continue reading

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California, Automakers Defying Trump Agree on Emissions

On April 13, 2018, however, the Trump Administration took the first step toward dismantling the national program when it issued a revised final determination that alleged the federal greenhouse gas standards for model year 2022-2025 vehicles were no longer appropriate.kxhw@aol.com Continue reading

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GM Opens $65 Million Parts Processing Center Near Flint

GM now employs only 9,500 people in Genesee County, including the Grand Blanc headquarters of the company’s Customer Care and Aftersales business and the Flint manufacturing complex. All of the positions in Burton support GM’s CCA* business that is responsible for supporting the service and repair needs of millions of GM vehicle owners. Continue reading

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Facebook to Pay $100m for Misleading Investors on Risks from Misuse of User Data Helping Russian Attacks on US Democracy

According to the SEC’s complaint, in 2014 and 2015, the now-defunct advertising and data analytics company, Cambridge Analytica, paid an academic researcher, through a company he controlled, to collect and transfer data from Facebook to create personality scores for approximately 30 million Americans.  Continue reading

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Don Garlits, 87, Misses 200 MPH Quarter. Sets Record Anyway

His two daughters made him “Daddy.” His numerous record rail runs made him “Big Daddy.” Garlits was the first drag racer to officially surpass the 170, 180, 200, 240, 250, and 270 miles per hour marks in the quarter mile. Continue reading

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