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Category Archives: people
Daimler Takes Lead in F1 Driver and Maker’s Championship
Presumptive World Champion Lewis Hamilton came home in P3, racing to the 15th podium for Mercedes-Benz Power. It would be Hamilton’s fifth World Championship title – he needed to win to clinch before the next race in Mexico, with two more races remaining after that. If he hangs on in Mexico and Ferrari’s Sebastián Vettle has another fateful outing as he did yesterday, then he can join Juan Manuel Fangio with five titles. Continue reading
Posted in marketing, news analysis, people, racing, results
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive Commentary, ferrari, Ken Zino, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport, new car reviews, Sebastian Vettel, Valtteri Bottas
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Thirteenth Guilty Plea Ends Parts Bid-Rigging Investigations
A Competition Bureau investigation determined that INOAC entered into illegal agreements with a competing Japanese parts manufacturer. The companies conspired to determine who would win certain calls for bids issued by Toyota in 2004 for the supply of plastic interior car parts. The parts were used in Toyota Corollas manufactured and sold in Canada between 2008 and 2014. Continue reading
More People Want Gun Ownership Controls Than Gun Rights!
“Overwhelming majorities of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents and Democrats and Democratic leaners (89% each) say mentally ill people should be barred from buying guns. Nearly as many in both parties (86% of Democrats, 83% of Republicans) favor barring gun purchases by people on federal watch lists. And sizable majorities also favor making private gun sales and sales at gun shows subject to background checks (91% of Democrats, 79% of Republicans),” according to Pew. Continue reading
Dieselgate – Audi Fines of ~$1 Billion hit Porsche Guidance. Porsche is Economical with the Truth on Ongoing Risks.
Porsche rules out however a spin off ala Ferrari that could value and independent company at more than $80 billion. The remaining outstanding fraud case from the noxious diesel emissions scandal is remains ongoing in Stuttgart, where state prosecutors are investigating the role Volkswagen’s sports car brand Porsche played in the sordid diesel affair. Continue reading
Posted in environment, financial results, fools 'n frauds, fuel economy or emissions, litigation, news analysis
Tagged Audi diesel fraud, auto industry commentary, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive Commentary, dieselgate, epa, Ken Zino, new car reviews, Porsche SE, Volkswagen Diesel Fraud, Volkswagen Group legal fines
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Elena Ford Named Chief Customer Experience Officer. John Savona to Head Ford North America Manufacturing
In this role, Elena Ford, 52, will report to Joe Hinrichs, Ford president, Global Operations. The realignment of customer experience under Global Operations will allow Elena Ford, 52, to work with Ford Customer Service Division and the Quality organization “to connect the design and implementation of a world-class customer experience system that connects the interactions between Ford and its customers around the world. In her role, she will continue to be closely integrated with the Sales and Marketing organization and global dealer network.” Continue reading
Beware of Self Interest in Mobility Promotion says NADA
“I get it. You can’t go to an automotive or a tech conference these days without hearing about the end of personal vehicle ownership,” he said. “But I’m asking you: Question the hype, ask for proof, and find out what they’re not telling you. The future will work itself out regardless. I just want us to be informed in the meantime.” Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, autonomous vehicles, customer satisfaction, electric vehicles, engineering, fools 'n frauds, fuel economy or emissions, marketing, news analysis, transportation
Tagged #MeToo, AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, auto industry commentary, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, automotive commentary automotive blog, autonomous vehicles, Ken Zino, nada, nhtsa, Wes Lutz
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McLaren 570S Spider to £725,000 bid at Elton John Argento Ball
A McLaren 570S Spider auctioned earlier this year at the Elton John Argento Ball has been presented to the successful bidder by Amanda McLaren, daughter of the company’s founder Bruce McLaren, at a Pure McLaren driving event in North America. Special ‘Blade Silver’ 570S Spider raised £725,000 – four times retail – at an auction to benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
The convertible was hand-finished in metallic ‘Blade Silver’ to honor the 25th anniversary of the charity foundation. Funds raised at the Argento Ball, which took place at Elton John’s Berkshire home in the UK in June 2018, are helping to provide many young people with information about HIV, the means to test themselves and access to medical care, if required. Continue reading
NAFTA Lite – US-Mexico-Canada Agreement Hurts US Workers
Roughly 30% of the 2.33 million vehicles imported to the U.S. from Mexico in 2017 don’t meet the current 62.5% content requirement. Continue reading
Bye J Walter Thompson as Ford Sacks Global Marketing, Adds New Creative Agency and More In-House Workers
Ford also is creating more than 100 new in-house marketing positions tied to brand design, media tools and partnerships, and digital labs. Ford claims this new global marketing approach – is expected to yield $150 million in efficiencies annually. This only part of a series of actions that Ford’s in taking to become more profitable. More white-collar job cuts will assuredly follow. Continue reading
Surprise! Bodo Uebber to Leave Daimler Board as Purge Continues
Like all automakers, Daimler is facing the unknown future of mobility, autonomous vehicles and the internet of things. Its problems are complicated by currency valuations and a vulnerable international supply and manufacturing footprint fraught with political issues starting in Germany, and competitors, of course. Continue reading
Gimme Shelter: U.S. Home Affordability Lowest In 10 Years
Nationwide, the Q3 2018 home affordability index of 92 was down from an index of 95 in the previous quarter and an index of 102 in Q3 2017 to the lowest level since Q3 2008, when the index was 87. This could portend trouble for the Detroit Three automakers which rely on the sales of trucks, some of which are used to build and haul things instead of the fashion accessories they have become for many purchasers. Continue reading
Ford Motor Creates Stand-Alone China Business to Stop Loses in Its Latest Asia Pacific Shakeup
The timing seems odd as Ford is entering a busy period of product renewal in China, including the current high-volume launches of the Ford Territory, Ford Focus and Ford Escort. It’s part of Ford China’s commitment to launch 50 new vehicles by 2025. Continue reading →