Category Archives: milestones

First Look – 2022 Ford GT Heritage Edition. The Last?

The latest Ford GT Heritage Edition is a marketing take on the original, combining Wimbledon White paint and a triple racing stripe with expensive touches including exposed carbon fiber behind blue-painted carbon fiber wheels and Lightspeed Blue Alcantara suede seats. Continue reading

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Kia America Dabbles with On-Demand, At-Home Car Shopping

Kia America has announced “Kia@Home” which delivers scheduled test drives of two of vehicles direct to consumers at a convenient location of their choosing in several major cities. It is the latest example of an automaker exploring the boundaries of the traditional franchised dealer network. Continue reading

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US Trade Deficit in Goods and Services Increases to $75.7B

The US international trade deficit in goods and services increased to $75.7 billion in June from $71.0 billion in May (revised) because imports increased more than exports. This was the highest on record. However, the June exports of goods ($145.9 billion) were also the highest on record. Continue reading

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President Biden Targets 50% Electric Vehicle Sales in 2030

The weak points in the plan is allowing for hybrids, and worse plug-in hybrids, which have laughable range running as an EV. However this is a politically needed SOP for most automakers that have been slow to embrace pure EVS. This is industrial policy on a grand scale that proponents argue is needed to survive in the global economy. Less than 4% new vehicles sold in the U.S. during June were electric or plug-in hybrids. This puts the Republicans in a tough spot. Helping Big Business – in effect tax cuts for the rich – is their highly selective policy. But creating middle class jobs while acknowledging Global Warming and setting policy that benefits all of “we the people” is counter to their failed attempts at governing for the selective few. Continue reading

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Super Car First Look – Honda NSX Type S

Honda Motor today released early information on a new limited production NSX Type S, which is scheduled to be officially introduced before the end of August 2021. The new NSX Type S will be the final model of the second-generation NSX. … Continue reading

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Bentley Cautiously Posts Record 2021 Half-Year

However, “these positive results are against a backdrop of continued uncertainty which could negatively impact the second half of the year. The increasing COVID-19 numbers in many parts of the world could threaten future production in the worst-case or see further retail restrictions posing both a sales and financial risk to forecasts,” Bentley said. Continue reading

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Commerce to Make $3B Economic Development Investment

“President Biden’s American Rescue Plan delivered direct relief to the American people and was the first step to energizing the American economy following the devastating impacts of the coronavirus pandemic,” said Secretary Raimondo. “Now, its medium-term investments will allow communities around the country not only rebuild but re-imagine their economy for the future.” First announced on April 14, the plan has faced Republican opposition obstructionism because it apparently helps the working class and is that their usual program of ultra-rich welfare. Continue reading

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Argo AI, Ford to Launch Self-Driving Vehicles on Lyft Network

Argo AI and Ford will deploy Ford self-driving cars, with safety drivers, on the Lyft network, as part of a network access agreement, with passenger rides beginning in Miami later this year and in Austin starting in 2022.  As vehicles are positioned, Lyft users within the defined service areas will be able to select a Ford self-driving vehicle to hail a ride. “This initial deployment phase will lay the groundwork for scaling operations, as the parties are now working to finalize agreements aiming to deploy at least 1,000 autonomous vehicles on the Lyft network, across multiple markets over the next five years,” the companies claimed. Continue reading

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EU Gets Tougher on Climate Change – Wants All EVs by 2035

Let the adverse lobbying begin by the plump, wealthy sacred cows of the polluting establishment – including countries such as Germany with a strong carbon-based economy and its global auto industry – who face butchering by increasing market incentives for consumers to force them to speed the move away from fossil fuels as not only the climate clearly heating up and changing – deadly floods in Germany and Belgium, as well as floods and fires in the Americas, scorching temperatures globally – but the political climate is heating up to do more now over what is clearly the growing negative effects of runaway climate change. Continue reading

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General Motors Launches New Fund to Advance Climate Equity

The company also announced the creation of a new $25 million Climate Equity Fund, “dedicated to helping close equity gaps in the transition to electric vehicles and other sustainable technology.” The philanthropic fund joins the company’s $35 billion global investment in EV and AV programs, research, technology, manufacturing and charging infrastructure.   Continue reading

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EU Parliament Confirms Deal on Climate Neutrality by 2050

This transforms the European Green Deal’s political commitment to EU climate neutrality by 2050 into a binding obligation. It gives European citizens and businesses the legal certainty and predictability they need to plan for this transition. After 2050, the EU will aim for negative emissions. Parliament has played a significant role in pushing for more ambitious EU climate legislation and declared a climate emergency on 28 November 2019. Continue reading

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Mazda “Sustainable Zoom-Zoom 2030.” We’re Not Kidding

Marketing babble alert> “Sustainable Zoom-Zoom 2030”  is built from Mazda’s revised Medium-Term Management Plan and its desire to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, both of which were announced in the past year. Continue reading

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Hyundai Motor Group Buys Boston Dynamics from SoftBank

“By acquiring Boston Dynamics and securing a leading presence in the field of robotics, the Group takes another major step toward its strategic transformation into a Smart Mobility Solution Provider. To propel this transformation, the Group has invested substantially in the development of future technologies, including autonomous driving, artificial intelligence (AI), Urban Air Mobility (UAM), smart factories and robots,” said Hyundai Motor Group. Continue reading

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Woodward Dream Cruise Returns with Ford Sponsorship

Ford Motor Company and Detroit’s main artery share a history. At his Ford Piquette Avenue Plant, Henry Ford developed and produced the first Model T’s a few hundred feet from Woodward Avenue, which made became the first paved road in America. Continue reading

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Toyota’s Woven Capital Invests in Ridecell for Mobility Services

“Ridecell is accelerating the digital transformation of a key part of the mobility industry―creating a comprehensive platform that connects fleets and automates workflow at scale,” claimed Michiko Kato, Principal, Woven Capital. Continue reading

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