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Category Archives: milestones
MLK – Changes in African American People Since 1964
In noting Martin Luther King day, here are data* about African Americans relating to differences between 1964 and 2020 in the percentage of African Americans completing high school, the number of African American college students, and the percentage of citizen population voting in the United States. Continue reading
Used Car Marketplace Catch Up? GM introduces CarBravo
CarBravo uses the resources of GM, GM Financial and the GM dealer network to create a flexible, shopping and buying service that is already in full use at True Car, Edmunds, Autotrader, Cars Direct and AutoNation, among others. Major automakers have been slow to use the resources of the web, but Covid has forced changes in standard business practices across the vast automotive industry and the aftermarket. Continue reading
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Posts Highest Sales in 117 Years
The company said that growth came principally by Ghost sales, with demand increasing following the launch of Black Badge Ghost in October 2021. This, together with sales of the Cullinan and the marque’s pinnacle product, Phantom, means that at the moment order books are full well into the third quarter of 2022. The company’s Provenance (pre-owned or used) also posted an all-time record. Continue reading
Posted in milestones, sales
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, bmw group, Ken Zino, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
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Lotus Elise, Exige, Evora Production Ends
Combined, they represent almost half of the total production of Lotus in its 73-year history. In addition, 9,715 sports cars were built for Lotus’ third-party clients, including GM and Tesla. Continue reading
Posted in manufacturing, milestones
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, Hethel, Ken Zino, Lotus
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GM Stalks $20B Electric Conversion Market
It’s the latest step in GM’s breakthrough commitment to electric vehicles that have fossil-fueled equity analysts living in the past questioning a strategy they clearly don’t understand given their questions during GM earnings calls. They are in a different cloud, so to speak. Continue reading
Building Back – FAA First-Year Airport Funding $2.89B
Many of these enhancements are crucial for automakers, suppliers and millions of workers as just in time delivery practices have collided with the non-vaccinated covid resurgence and the semiconductor shortage. The money will come from the Airport Infrastructure Grant program, one of three new aviation programs created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The law provides $15 billion over five years. The FAA estimates the backlog of airport modernization and safety projects totals $43.6 billion. Continue reading
Hazel Chapman Co-Founder of Lotus Dead at 94
“Her contribution to motorsport and the motor industry in the latter half of the 20th century should not be under-estimated. She was a successful racing driver, a shrewd businesswoman and the rock upon which the Lotus foundations – since 1948, when the very first Lotus car was made – were built. Her involvement in the development of the Lotus business was almost without equal at the time, in a world where women so often played second fiddle to their husbands,” said Lotus. Continue reading
Posted in milestones, people
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, Graham Hill, Hazel Chapman of Lotus, jim clark, Ken Zino, Lotus Formula 1
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Death of the Diesel – CARB Approves Truck, Bus Smog Checks
These heavy-duty vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) greater than 14,000 pounds consist of only 3% of all vehicles on California roads. However, they are responsible for more than 50% of nitrogen oxides and fine particle diesel pollution from all mobile sources in the state. Continue reading
Ford to Update Thailand Manufacturing for Ranger, Everest
The investment brings Ford’s cumulative investments in the country to more than $3.4 billion (THB 100 billion) during the past 25 years. The modernization program supports Thailand’s role as a global production and export base for Ford, through its wholly-owned Ford Thailand Manufacturing (FTM) and joint-venture with Mazda at the AutoAlliance Thailand (AAT) truck plant. Continue reading
December 7th 1941, a Date that Will Live in Infamy
On December 8, President Franklin D. Roosevelt addressed a joint session of Congress, saying the attack on Pearl Harbor (along with attacks on Wake Island, Guam, Midway Atoll, and the Philippines) were “a date which will live in infamy.” One hour later, without Republican obstructionism or filibusters or attacks on voting rights and democracy, Congress passed a formal declaration of war against Japan (Public Law 77-328, 55 STAT 795) by a vote of 82-0 in the Senate and 388-1 in the House of Representatives. Jeannette Rankin [R-MT] cast the dissenting vote. The United States joined Great Britain, France, Russia against the Axis fascist and imperial powers that included Germany, Italy, and Japan. Continue reading
Hagerty Debuts as a Publicly Traded NYSE Company
The transaction values Hagerty* at a pro forma enterprise of, gulp, ~$3.1 billion. Net proceeds of ~$265 million it’s claimed will be used to advance Hagerty’s growth. Hagerty is self-described as an automotive lifestyle brand and a leading specialty insurance provider focused on the global automotive enthusiast market. The firm has been close to the automotive Concourse scene with financial support, particularly in the US. It also sponsors classic car ride-and-drives associated with classic auto shows or events. Continue reading
Daimler Truck Moves Past MB Commercial Vehicles to Wörth
With Daimler splitting into two independent companies* on 1 December 2021, Daimler Truck has transferred the first batch of historic Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicles and parts of its truck and bus archive to a location in Wörth. Daimler Truck’s collection contains around 130 vehicles. About 30 were previously located in Stuttgart and the surrounding area. Continue reading
CARB OK’s Record $1.5B for Clean Vehicles, Mobility Options
The CARB approval came the same week as the Biden Administration passed its forward looking, far reaching enlightened infrastructure bill will also move the U.S. toward a cleaner*, job creating society for all that not only builds back better, but posies the U.S. for successful leadership in dealing with extreme climate and life-killing global warming. Continue reading
First Aston Martin Valkyrie Hypercar Completed
Before each Valkyrie is delivered, it is track-tested at the Aston Martin high performance facility at Silverstone where much of the development of the hypercar has taken place. The hybrid V12 powertrain provides a maximum power of 1,155PS, it’s claimed. the electric boost from the hybrid is 160 horsepower and 207 lb. ft. of torque. Continue reading
EVs – at $7B GM Makes Largest Announcement in History
“Today we are taking the next step in our continuous work to establish GM’s EV leadership by making investments in our vertically integrated battery production in the U.S., and our North American EV production capacity,” said Mary Barra, GM Chair and CEO. Continue reading →