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Category Archives: economy
The Latest Safety Problem – Deferred Auto Maintenance?
The latest pernicious problem of the flagging U.S. economy comes in the guise of drivers who deferred auto maintenance at the potential cost of their safety. According to a new survey, 40% of respondents who are involved in repair decisions said they are postponing car maintenance or repairs on their primary vehicle. Continue reading
Posted in aftermarket, auto news, economy, news, news analysis, safety
Tagged auto informed, auto repair, autoinformed.com, automotive news, consumer reports, Ken Zino
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GM China Advanced Technical Center Nears Completion
GM intends to use Chinese battery suppliers in future electric vehicles – the latest setback for beleaguered U.S. workers who are facing grim employment prospects in the moribund U.S. economy. This is no longer a blue-collar or solely a UAW problem. College level white collar engineering jobs are at stake in advanced technologies touted by politicians as the key to returning the U.S. to global competitiveness. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, economy, electric vehicles, environment, labor issues, new vehicle, news, news analysis
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, china, China Advanced Technical Center, electric vehicles, EVs, GM, great recession, industrial policy, Ken Zino, unemployment
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Saab Files for Bankruptcy. It’s All Over Except for Mourning
The end of Saab was practically assured last Saturday when General Motors reiterated a long-standing position against Saab transferring GM intellectual property to the Chinese and having Chinese companies build a rebadged Cadillac SRX as a Saab in China. GM is the largest automaker in China, albeit with communist government dictated partners. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, economy, financial results, news, news analysis, results
Tagged auto informed, auto tariffs, autoinformed.com, automotive news, chinese auto industry, GM, Ken Zino, pang da, saab, saab bankruptcy, spyker, swan, trade, wto, youngman
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European Auto Sales Drop Continues Unchecked in November
Counter intuitively the Eurozone crisis is producing calls for austerity, instead stimulus plans that would increase tax revenues and employment from all industries, including auto manufacturing and sales. The automobile industry in Europe provides employment for more than 2.3 million workers and supports another 10 million jobs in related industries. Annually, automakers invest more than €30 billion in R&D, which makes it the largest private investor in R&D in Europe. Europe’s increasing instability poses risks for European, as well as the global economy. It could even affect the outcome of the U.S. presidential election next year. Continue reading
New Compact Acura ILX to be Built in Indiana by Honda
This means Acura ILX will be Acura’s first-ever hybrid model, as well as the first Acura model to be produced in Greensburg, Indiana, which also builds the new 2012 Civic model. The plant recently added nearly 1,000 associates to support the move to two-shift production, which started on Oct. 24, 2011, doubling the plant’s capacity to 200,000 vehicles per year. In what is a major public relations error, Honda did not even release a teaser photo of the ILX. Continue reading
Toyota Cuts 2012 Forecast as Yen and Thailand Floods Hurt
Toyota Motor Corporation today drastically cut its fiscal year 2012 forecast based on the ongoing negative effects of the strong Yen and the production disruptions caused by the Thailand floods. As a result, Toyota has revised down its 2012 full year profit forecast by -¥250 billion to ¥200 billion. Continue reading
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
Gulf after BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Needs Help
The plan calls for stopping wetland development, reducing the flow of nutrients from farming, and working with individual states to develop or implement coastal improvement plans. Continue reading
Posted in economy, environment, news
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, bp oil spill, deepwater horizon, epa, gulf coast restoration, Ken Zino, usda
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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
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
Honda Claims it will lead in Fuel Economy in All Classes within Three Years. New EVs and Hybrids Coming
The program is called “Earth Dreams Technology,” in a rough translation. It is actually a series of efficiency measures for engines, and transmissions, as well as electric-powered motors using existing or emerging technologies. Variable valve timing, direct injection, the Atkinson cycle, hybrid vehicles, turbocharging and friction reduction enhancements are part of the plan. Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, economy, electric vehicles, energy, environment, fuel economy or emissions, news, news analysis
Tagged auto informed, auto news, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, co2, fuel efficiency, hond, hybrid cars, Ken Zino, tokyo motor show, zino
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American Airlines Files for Bankruptcy – Pensions Threatened?
American Airlines has four traditional pension plans that cover almost 130,000 participants. As of today, the plans collectively had only about $8.3 billion in assets to cover about $18.5 billion in benefits, according to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. If American Airlines were to end their plans, the agency would be responsible for paying about $17 billion in benefits; about $1 billion in benefits would be lost. Continue reading
Toyota Moves East out of Euro Zone to Build Next Corolla
Neither country uses the Euro, which is crumbling in value as Eurozone crisis continues to increase, while EU leaders bicker over what steps to take about unsustainable, Greek, Italian and Spanish debt. So far the Greek and Italian governments have fallen, and serious questions are being raised about the political stability of the Spanish and French Governments. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, economy, news, news analysis
Tagged auto informed, auto news, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, ec, euro, eurozone, Fiat, Ford, GM, Ken Zino, toyota, zino
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Chevrolet Volt Earns 5 Stars in Euro NCAP with No Battery Fires. GM Announces Volt Export Plans to China Next Year
At the same time the National Highway Traffic safety Administration was preparing to announce that a formal investigation had begun over Chevrolet Volt battery fires, the European New Car Assessment Program (Euro NCAP) released its latest results, which gave the Opel Ampera a top 5-star rating. The Ampera is a virtual clone of the Chevrolet Volt.
Posted in auto news, economy, electric vehicles, engineering, environment, news, news analysis, safety
Tagged auto informed, auto news, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, chevrolet volt, euro ncap, gm china, iihs, Ken Zino, nhtsa, volt, volt exports, volt fires, zino
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