Category Archives: milestones

Milestones – 1908 Billy Durant Founds GM

William “Billy” Crapo Durant founded General Motors this week on 16 September 1908 with Buick as the cornerstone. Durant soon brought Oldsmobile, Cadillac, Oakland (Pontiac predecessor) and two dozen other companies under a GM holding company. However, Durant lost control of the company to bankers in 1910 after his money supply was cut off. To get new financing, Durant, while remaining a GM vice president, relinquished control of the company to a new board comprised of bankers, but in those days GM was running without taxpayer subsidies or bailouts.

“The business philosophy was simple and as history shows enormously successful. One company – General Motors – would own and sell multiple brands making for greater growth and profits. It proved true,” said AutoCrat. Continue reading

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EV Breakthrough? Peugeot with Embedded Inverter, Charger

Stellantis N.V. (NYSE: STLA) said today that in partnership with Saft (a TotalEnergies subsidiary) it has started prototype testing of a Peugeot E-3008 EV that eliminates the need for separate charger and inverter components. This could be a substantial breakthrough for both mobile and stationary energy applications.

“This project reflects our belief that simplification is innovation. By rethinking and simplifying the electric powertrain architecture, we are making it lighter, more efficient, and more cost-effective. These are the kinds of innovations that help us deliver better, more affordable EVs to our customers,” said Ned Curic, Chief Engineering and Technology Officer at Stellantis. Continue reading

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American Honda Advances the Circular Economy

American Honda (NYSE: HMC) said today that operations of its new Resource Circularity Center have begun. Located near the Marysville and East Liberty Auto Plants in Ohio, the Honda Resource Circularity Center is consistent with Honda’s  global goal to reduce its environmental impact by creating a circular economy business model that maximizes material value and extends the lifecycle of indirect goods.

“Going beyond traditional manufacturing recycling programs that focus on direct materials such as scrap metal and plastics used to produce products, the Honda Resource Circularity Center focuses on recycling and repurposing indirect goods – tools, equipment and other items used in operations, including those that support vehicle production. These include everything from tools like torque wrenches and industrial robots to office chairs and vehicle service replacement parts such as aluminum wheels. Honda aims to recover value from such decommissioned items, helping divert waste from landfills and lower reliance on virgin raw materials,” Honda said. Continue reading

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Extreme H to Hold First Hydrogen Powered World Cup Race

The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the global governing body for motor sport has signed a multi-year agreement with Extreme H to deliver the world’s first hydrogen-powered World Cup event.

“The World Cup will test the boundaries of what can be achieved in motor sport and the wider automotive and energy industries, opening up opportunities for further investment into hydrogen infrastructure by showing what is possible, and driving progress towards a low-carbon future,” said Extreme H, which is an extension of Extreme E racing that uses electric vehicles. Continue reading

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Constitution Day 2025 Thoughts

The point here is that to govern without facts is madness. Leaving aside the historical revisions that show that King George III, the monarch who lost the colonies to what became the United States, was, well,  mad as a hatter in his later years. Donald J. Trump – the man who wishes to be our King now  – should not be our president based on his deteriorating mental condition. He doesn’t even know what is going on in his own administration.Is Trump going to fire the entire CBO? [See the following] It’s time for “We the People” to fire Trump and his Curia Regis, the advisors – cabinet members, agency heads and the like – who are against the facts or falsify them. Continue reading

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CARB Chair Liane Randolph to Retire

Late yesterday, California governor Gavin Newsom announced that California Air Resources Board (CARB) Chair Liane Randolph will be retiring from state service effective 30 September 2025. Newsome named Senior Advisor to the Governor for Climate Lauren Sanchez to serve as the next CARB Chair. Chair Sanchez starts 1 October 2025 and assumes Chair Randolph’s current term which ends in December 2026. The appointment is subject to state Senate confirmation. It is inarguably the most powerful position in the Clean Air movement now that the US EPA has abandoned its role on protecting the environment and dealing with planet threatening Global Warming. Continue reading

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Ford Motor to Demolish Glass House, Build New WHQ

In a letter sent to Ford employees this morning Bill Ford, executive chair, and Jim Farley, president and CEO, said Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) will demolish its World Headquarters, aka Glass House, and replace it on the newly named Henry Ford II World Center, formerly the Product Development Center or Campus. It is scheduled to open this November. It will be dedicated as Ford World Headquarters. Ford did not name the architect.

“This is more than just a new building; it’s a catalyst for innovation and a physical symbol of our Ford+ transformation. To win in this new era, we must work more closely together than ever before,” Bill Ford and Jim Farley said. “This is more than just a new building; it’s a catalyst for innovation and a physical symbol of our Ford+ transformation. To win in this new era, we must work more closely together than ever before.” Continue reading

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Mercedes-AMG Hybrid Wagon Priced – Bring Money

Mercedes-Benz USA said today that 2026 Mercedes-AMG E 53 Hybrid* arrives at U.S. dealerships in early fall 2025, starting from $93,3502. That excludes a $1150 destination and delivery charge as well as options. AutoInformed speculates that Trump Tariff chaos had something to do with the price. Green would be an appropriate color under the circumstances. No U.S. photos or the rear interior area of the wagon were provided. Continue reading

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New Porsche 911 Turbo S Most Powerful 911 Ever

Porsche (P911.DE) showed the new 911 Turbo S series at the IAA Mobility motor show in Munich. The twin-turbo powertrain with so-called T-Hybrid technology makes the new 911 Turbo S the most powerful production 911 thus far. The sports car, available as a coupé and cabriolet, claims more intelligent aerodynamics, an optimized chassis and more exclusive equipment. Prices, inevitably high, are thus far are unknown. They will be influenced negatively by the ongoing Trump Tariff economic chaos.

“The 911 Turbo S is the most complete and versatile form of driving a Porsche 911. Whether in daily use, on long autobahn journeys or on the racetrack – we have made the new 911 Turbo S even more comfortable, more individual and significantly faster than its predecessor,” said Frank Moser, Vice President of the 911 and 718 model line. Continue reading

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IIHS Safety Award to Use Risky Driver Behavior Tech

Vehicle technology that can detect certain types of risky driver behavior will soon be added to the requirements for a safety award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Institute’s president, David Harkey, announced today during a roundtable on impaired driving organized by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).

“As part of our 30×30 vision to cut U.S. road deaths 30% by 2030, we are committed to addressing the risky – and often illegal – behavior that underlies most fatalities today,” Harkey said. “One way we plan to do that is to leverage our ratings and award programs to encourage automakers to adopt this new class of safety technology, just as we got them to improve vehicle structures, airbags and collision avoidance systems.” Continue reading

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Togg Türkiye Debuts Two Models at IAA Mobility

Mobility brand Togg said today that it is celebrating its market entry in Germany at IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich, alongside the world premiere of its production-ready T10F fastback sedan. With the all-electric SUV T10X and the T10F, Togg is introducing two models to the German market, both of which achieved the top rating of five stars in the independent Euro NCAP safety assessment.

“With the T10X and T10F, we are entering the European market with confidence. Achieving five stars from Euro NCAP underlines that safety has been a top priority for us from the very beginning” said CEO Gürcan Karakaş. Starting September 29, 2025, both models will be available for online orders exclusively via Trumore, the in-house service and ordering platform of Togg. More than 70,000 users in Türkiye are already driving the flagship T10X. Continue reading

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New Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing Car Debuts

“The comprehensive further development of the Mercedes-AMG GT2, unveiled at the end of 2022, combines the fundamental characteristics of the base GT2 with technology and design inspired by the current Mercedes-AMG F1 W16 E PERFORMANCE. An outstanding power-to-weight ratio and numerous new aerodynamic components, such as active louvers above the front wheels, a Push2Pass function and the integrated Drag Reduction System (DRS), make the GT2 Edition W16 the most powerful Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing car of all time,” Mercedes said. Continue reading

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Ford Performance Rebranded as Ford Racing

“This is not a marketing exercise. This is a promise. It signals a new, more focused mission to tear down the wall between our race teams and the engineering of the vehicles you drive every day on and off road. Under one global Ford Racing banner, our engineers and designers will develop our performance road cars right alongside our race cars. The technology that survives the Baja 1000 will be in the DNA of the next F-150 Raptor. The aerodynamic lessons we learn at Daytona and Le Mans will be sculpted into the body of the next Mustang,” said Will Ford.

The move comes during a period of intense change at the upper levels of Motorsport in Formula 1, endurance racing or the World Endurance Championship, and various international and national forms of sports car racing where Ford Motor in the past has had considerable success. This could be a rite pf passage for Will moving him out of the protective family environment into bare-knuckled competitive realms. Continue reading

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Porsche to Debut Wireless Charging on 26 Cayenne!

Porsche said today that it will offer an 11-kW charging system with a one-box base plate for wireless charging on its upcoming battery-electric vehicles. This at the moment appears to be breakthrough. If things go as planned, Porsche will be the first automaker to offer a convenient recharging system already in widespread use in cellphone apps.

“Ease of use, suitability for everyday use and charging infrastructure are still the decisive factors when it comes to the acceptance of electric mobility,” said Porsche Board Member for Development Dr. Michael Steiner. “We are proud that inductive charging will soon be available in series production at Porsche. Charging an electric car at home has never been so easy and convenient.” Continue reading

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Toyota Joins Tokyo Hydrogen Fuel Venture

Toyota Motor Corporation (NYSE: TM and 7203.T) announced today that it has joined “TOKYO H2,” a new project launched by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government on 3 September aiming to make Tokyo a global leader in hydrogen. As part of this public-private initiative, the Crown has been introduced into the fuel cell taxi fleet to expand adoption.

“The Crown combines the exceptional quietness unique to a fuel cell vehicle (FCEV) with spacious rear seating and excellent ease of entry and exit, delivering comfortable and a premium travel experience unmatched by conventional taxis,” Toyota said. Continue reading

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