Category Archives: milestones

Annals of Marketing – NISMO Coming to Australia

“NISMO represents one of the most authentic expressions of Nissan’s passion for performance, innovation and customer excitement,” said Ivan Espinosa, President and CEO, Nissan Motor Company. “As we advance our long-term vision of mobility intelligence for everyday life, we will continue to deliver new experiences to our customers. The expansion of the NISMO brand in markets such as Australia is an important step in bringing exciting experiences to customers who value performance and authenticity,” Espinosa claimed. Continue reading

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Annals of Marketing – BMW LEGO M3 E30

“The BMW M3 E30 is now available as a LEGO® Speed Champions set. The exclusive kit featuring a special-edition livery design is a unique heritage item for fans of all ages,” BMW said.

“The distinctive livery pays tribute to the car’s legendary heritage and draws inspiration from the BMW M Motorsport division. Besides the visually captivating forms and colors of the livery, it is unique in that it is applied not only to the scaled-down replica LEGO® Speed Champions BMW M3 E30 version, but also to the actual BMW M3 E30,” BMW said. Continue reading

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Stellantis FaSTLAne 2030 Financial Reform Revealed

“We have great people, the muscle of global scale, unmatched brands that connect and inspire, the deep local roots of our regions and dealer partners to meet our customers’ distinctive needs, and a relentless focus on innovation and excellence in execution. With these strengths, we are uniquely positioned to offer delight, functionality, and affordability. Adding to these the accelerating and amplifying benefits of our ‘win-win’ partnerships, we have everything we need to deliver our FaSTLAne 2030 ambitions,” claimed Filosa. [This is the corporate equivalent of betting on the come line in the Casino at Monte Carlo – AutoCrat.] Continue reading

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Chinese Dongfeng Voyah Vehicles Coming to EU Via Stellantis

Stellantis (NYSE: STLA) and the Dongfeng Group today announced their intention to form a European joint venture for shared sales, distribution, manufacturing, purchasing, and engineering activities. The joint venture would take responsibility for the sales and distribution of Dongfeng’s Voyah-branded vehicles in designated markets in Europe. This would circumvent EU tariff’s on Chinese-made vehicles. [Stellantis and Dongfeng Group recently announced the production of all-new Peugeot and Jeep models in China for the domestic market and export – AutoCrat]*

“The plans we are announcing today take our recently strengthened cooperation with Dongfeng to an all-new dimension of an international partnership to the benefit of customers around the world,” said Antonio Filosa, Stellantis CEO. “With this new chapter in our collaboration, we will give our customers an even greater choice of competitive products and pricing, leveraging the best of Stellantis’ global footprint alongside Dongfeng’s access to China’s advanced new energy vehicles ecosystem.” Continue reading

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Volvo Cars and Google Gemini Add AI Tech

“The EX60 provides an ideal platform to explore the future of contextually aware driving experiences,” said Alwin Bakkenes, Head of Global Software Engineering at Volvo Cars. “Working closely with Google as a lead device partner allows us to help bring the latest advances in AI into the automotive environment faster and more collaboratively than ever before.” Continue reading

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HondaJet APMG S Upgrade Expands to Mexico

Honda Aircraft Company said today that the so-called APMG S program (footnote 1) is now available to owners in both the U.S. and Mexico of HondaJet Classic and APMG aircraft. This improves performance and adds the capabilities of recent technical innovations.

“We are excited to provide our customers in Mexico the opportunity to upgrade their aircraft with the advanced technology and performance of more recent iterations of the award-winning HondaJet,” said Amod Kelkar, Senior Vice President, Chief Commercial Officer at Honda Aircraft Company. “We are pursuing additional international certifications and hope to expand availability of the APMG S upgrade package to more HondaJet customers around the world soon.” Continue reading

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BMW Annual General Meeting – Chair Oliver Zipse Retires

At the 106th Annual BMW (XETRA: BMWG.DE) General Meeting today, Chair Oliver Zipse retired after 35 years with the German maker of premium automobiles and motorcycles.* Effective tomorrow, Milan Nedeljković assumes the Chair position on the Board of Management of BMW AG. Raymond Wittmann will succeed Nedeljković as Board Member for Production.

“For more than 35 years, the BMW Group has been my professional home. I am leaving with a deep sense of gratitude: for the trust that was placed in me, for the professional challenges that have taken me to various areas in the company; and above all, for an exceptional team that is shaping the mobility of the future with passion and a pioneering spirit. It has been a great honor for me to lead the BMW Group as Chairman of the Board of Management for seven years,” said Zipse. Continue reading

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Michigan Science Center Workers Vote to Join UAW

“The victory at MI-SCI proves that when workers stand together, workers win,” said UAW Region 1 Director LaShawn English. “The employees at MI-SCI organized because they wanted their voices heard, their work respected, and a real seat at the table. Their courage and unity made this moment possible. Every worker deserves dignity, respect, and the opportunity to help shape their workplace. UAW Region 1 proudly stands with the workers at MI-SCI as they begin this new chapter. They believed in each other, stayed united, and they won.”

“The Michigan Science Center (Mi-Sci) has been informed that eligible hourly employees have voted in favor of union representation through the United Auto Workers (UAW). We respect the outcome of this process and our employees’ right to make this decision. As we move into the next phase, our focus remains on working together, as one team, in support of our mission to ‘put YOU at the center of science.’ We are committed to continuing to deliver immersive, engaging, and impactful STEM experiences for the communities we serve in Detroit and across Michigan,” MI-SCI told AutoInformed. Continue reading

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AAA – Record 45 Million Plan Memorial Day Weekend Trips

“Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer, and for most Americans, it’s a three-day weekend,” said Stacey Barber, Vice President of AAA Travel. “Travel demand remains strong, and despite higher fuel prices, many people are prioritizing leisure travel during holiday breaks.” Continue reading

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Stellantis and Leapmotor to Expand Leapmotor International

Stellantis (NYSE: STLA / Euronext Milan: STLAM) and Leapmotor (Zhejiang Leapmotor Technologies Ltd 9863.HK) today announced their intention to expand their strategic partnership [Leapmotor International – LMPI – is a 51% Stellantis / 49% Leapmotor joint venture with exclusive rights for the sale and manufacturing of Leapmotor products outside Greater China – AutoCrat.] with an emphasis on European products and assembly plants and engineering technologies.

“This plan to expand our successful partnership with Leapmotor – a trusted peer and one of the fastest-growing, most respected new energy vehicle producers globally – is a true win-win for both of us. It is expected to support production and advance localization in Europe of world-class manufacturing of electric vehicles at affordable prices to meet customers’ real-world needs. Today’s announcement reflects our intent to deepen our partnership and take one more step towards even greater collaborations in the future,” said Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa. Continue reading

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Lexus Shows 2027 TZ 3-Row Electric SUV

Toyota Motor (NYSE: TM, 7203 T) today in Japan revealed a prototype version of the Lexus TZ 3-Row Electric SUV. The all-wheel-drive, full-size SUV is aimed directly at the popular and profitable SUVs from the brands at General Motors and Ford Motor Company. TZ is capable of driving from Los Angeles to Las Vegas [or Tokyo to Kobe -AutoCrat] on one charge. Acceleration is rated by Lexus at 0-100 kms (62.1 miles) in 5.2 seconds. Grade and pricing information for the all-new Lexus TZ will be available later in 2026.* Continue reading

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Racing Return! McLaren MCL-HY 2027 WEC Hypercar Shown

“Years and months in the making and here we are, revealing the MCL-HY to the world. McLaren Racing now has three race cars ready to contest the biggest motorsport series in the world; Formula 1, IndyCar and WEC. This means McLaren, its partners and fans can challenge for the Triple Crown of Monaco GP, INDY500 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans together – a unique cross-series story that sets us apart,” said Zak Brown, Chief Executive Officer, McLaren Racing. Continue reading

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GM Canada to Build Next-Generation Truck V8 Engines

General Motors Canada (NYSE: GM) said today that it is investing C$691 million in its St. Catharines Propulsion Plant to support production of the sixth generation of General Motors’ V8 engine, which will power GM full-size trucks and SUVs. Yesterday, GM reported strong sales and earnings for Q1 2026 bolstered in part by sales of such vehicles. Complicating GM’s global strategy is the Trump mis-administration’s repudiation of the successful North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and its subsequent revision proposed, promoted and signed by President Trump known in the U.S. as USMCA (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement) Continue reading

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GM First U.S. Automaker at 100% Renewable Electricity

General Motors (NYSE: GM) said this week as part of Earth Day observances that in 2025 GM reached a major milestone. GM has secured enough renewable energy to match 100% of its electricity use across all its U.S. facilities — making GM the first U.S. automaker to reach this goal.

“Managing energy use isn’t just a checkbox for a corporate environmental report these days; it’s a business necessity,” said Cassandra Garber, chief sustainability officer at GM.
Continue reading

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Acura to Enter IndyCar. “Pause” IMSA GTP

Well, the paddock rumors were accurate – or should AutoInformed say Acura-it? Marcus Armstrong’s Honda-powered IndyCar will carry Acura branding in the 2026 Indianapolis 500, the Acura’s first appearance on the Indy 500 grid. Moreover, Acura will “pause” the IMSA GTP program following 2026 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season. This move to the NTT IndyCar Series keeps the Acura name in motorsports of course. It also, perhaps, adds a complication to the viability of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, if other brands do likewise. Continue reading

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