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Category Archives: milestones
BMW 507 Driven by Elvis at Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
The BMW 507 driven by Elvis Presley while he was doing military service in Germany is restored and will debut at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. The 507 disappeared for nearly 50 years, and was believed to have been lost. After almost two years of restoration work, BMW Group Classic is presenting the roadster for the first time on 21 August 2016.
Elvis Presley used the BMW 507 to drive between his home in Bad Nauheim and the U.S. Army Base in Friedberg, Southern Germany. He was often mobbed by female fans. The paintwork of the roadster was frequently daubed with messages of love painted in lipstick. Continue reading
Milestones – 40 Years of Ford Fiesta
The Ford Fiesta first appeared 40 years ago in 1976, launching at the same time as a new technology company dubbed Apple. Continue reading
Milestones: Honda Accord 40 Years Later
Baby Boomers made the Honda Accord, and Honda’s pioneering decision to build a plant in Ohio ultimately put the company in the automotive big leagues to the astonishment of Toyota and Nissan executives, who were, eventually, forced to follow. Continue reading
Eightieth Anniversary of the Fiat 500 ‘Topolino’
How appropriate, the little mouse in the automobile business is celebrating the eightieth anniversary of the Fiat 500 “Topolino.” Events at FCA in Turin from June 16-19 will commemorate it. The tiny car was part of the motorization in Italy … Continue reading
Milestones: Toyota Indiana 20 Years, 4.45 Million Vehicles Later
In an ironic twist that saw the Detroit Three automakers demanding that offshore makers build here, Toyota Indiana – staffed by non UAW union members – now with 5,000 workers – has built 4.45 million vehicles that are selling, and selling well, in the Detroit Three’s most profitable segments. Continue reading
Mobility Company or Automaker? Toyota Signs MOA with Uber
This is a complicated deal, given Uber’s current legal and regulatory challenges in the U.S., as well as global business conditions and regulations, and – at the end of the road – consumer desires. Continue reading
Posted in milestones, news analysis
Tagged autoinformed.com, Ken Zino, lyft, mobility providers, uber
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Toyota Automobile Museum to Hold a Giant Classic Car Party
In addition to a diverse selection of exhibitions and other events to enjoy, a parade of privately-owned Japanese, U.S., and European classic cars dating from 1986 or earlier will be held on the public roads. Continue reading
Posted in design and styling, milestones
Tagged autoinformed.com, Ken Zino, Toyota Automobile Museum
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National Inventors Hall of Fame Museum adds Mustang Exhibit
Ironically, when Mustang launched, no specific styling patents were granted. Only after the original pony car proved such a success – more than 1 million sold in the first 18 months – were styling patents even considered and applied for over time. Continue reading
Posted in design and styling, milestones
Tagged autoinformed.com, intellectual property, Ken Zino
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Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Most Fuel-Efficient SUV CR Tested
Toyota RAV4 Hybrid at 31 mpg combined in Consumer Reports testing has the best overall fuel economy of any SUV that doesn’t plug in, CR said today. It returned 26 mpg city and 36 mpg highway – better than most mid-size sedans. Continue reading
Milestones: Lexus Hybrid Sales Top 1 Million
With 10 models incorporating Lexus Hybrid Drive, Lexus is the luxury segment hybrid leader, much to the chagrin of Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz executives. Continue reading
2016 Argetsinger Racing Award Goes to Roger Penske
My favorite Penske moment came when I was covering the Indy 500 back in the CART days – the best open wheel racing around until the Tony George’s IRL disaster that reorganized the series and destroyed it. Team Penske finished second Al Unser in a March chassis with a Cosworth engine as I recall. Continue reading
Posted in awards, milestones, news, people, racing
Tagged autoinformed, autoinformed.com, Ken Zino, Penske
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Detroit Tigers Home Opener Against the Hated Yankees
The Tigers’ home opener is Friday, April 8 against the hated New York Yankees. Continue reading
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Debuts in US After 3 Year Lag
The Outlander PHEV move follows the introduction of the Outlander last year in the U.S. after it was on sale for almost three years elsewhere. Even though SUV sales account for 40% of the U.S. market, poor Mitsubishi U.S. sales and the Great Recession that started in 2008 roughing up all automakers precluded plugging it in here. Continue reading
Ford Joins Electronics Industry Citizenship Coalition
The electronics industry has had myriad problems with manufacturing conditions, exploitation of workers and suicides in offshore plants. Whether any significant changes occur in worker rights in an industry driven almost entirely by cost cutting remains to be seen. Continue reading
Toyota Pulls Plug on Scion Brand
“The Scion brand never quite caught on in the way that Toyota hoped it would. By offering Scion products under the Toyota badge, the company can save marketing costs and eliminate what had effectively become a distraction from its core business focus.” Continue reading
