Category Archives: results

Q3 Ford Motor US Sales Continue Slump

Ford, as always,  tried  a positive spin claiming it was a transition year of its phasing out of cars – Focus, C-Max, Taurus – with a changeovers ongoing in the all new Explorer and Escape, which are undergoing complex launches that in our view are showing mixed results. The freshened Escape went on sale last week. The new platform Explorer launch is going slowly with hopes that sales will expand in Q4. How Ford ran out of inventory of Explorers is puzzling, However given the history we bet quality issues loomed large. But pay no attention to that man behind the curtain… Continue reading

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Amazon Selling Level 2 Electric Vehicle Home Chargers

The Electrify America Electric Vehicle Home Charger is compatible with all electric vehicles available in the North American market today. It has a charging power of up to 7.6kW – about 6 times faster than the typical Level 1 charger provided to some new EV owners, depending on vehicle make and model. Continue reading

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Weak Chinese Retail Sales in August Delay Recovery

Chinese passenger production improved in August, with a drop of  -0.7% to 1.66 mn units, recovering from the double-digit declines seen in recent months. LCV output fell by – 0.9% to 0.24 mn units. LV output was down by 0.8% YoY, on total build of 1.90 mn units. Now that vehicle stocks have been unwound, OEMs no longer are carrying bloated inventories and are preparing to resume normal production rhythms, says LMC. However, LMC decided to make a further cut to the passenger vehicle growth forecast for 2019, from -5.5% to -7.4%. This is bad news for the global economy in general and the Detroit Three. Continue reading

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Ford Restructuring – Mahindra Joint Venture Announced

The joint venture will be responsible for expanding the Ford brand in India and exporting its products to Ford entities globally. Ford will continue to own the Ford brand, and its branded vehicles will be distributed through the current Ford India dealer network. Mahindra will continue to own the Mahindra brand and operate its own independent dealer network in India. Continue reading

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Mercedes One, Two at Russian Grand Prix. Ferrari Third

Formula One continued its struggle to put on a race on the track at the Russian Grand Prix yesterday, as safety cars once again turned the racing into a battle of pit crews with the drivers providing entertainment via their car radio communications complaining or questioning the team strategies. Continue reading

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Workers at Google Contractor HCL to Join United Steelworkers

The workers, who are staffed at the tech giant’s Bakery Square office alongside Google employees are seeking a voice on the job and the opportunity to bargain over wages and working conditions. Continue reading

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CARB and United Nations Start Satellites for Climate Action

California, of course, has one of the leading greenhouse gas reduction programs to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045. It also has a long, distinguished history of using innovative ways to reduce emissions while supporting a thriving economy. Continue reading

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Death of the Diesel: Volkswagen Board Crisis as Three Chairman Indicted in Germany for Stock Market Manipulation

As a result, the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen AG hastily convened a meeting, claiming that it was unaware that the indictments were coming since it was allegedly cooperating in the investigation by the public prosecutor. It will also meet again tomorrow to discuss what is company threatening development. Continue reading

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Death of the Diesel: Daimler Guilty of Selling Dirty Diesels in Germany – Pays $957,000,000 Fine Rather than Litigate

The negligent violation of supervisory duties occurred on the department head level. It appears that the Daimler has refrained from taking a legal action challenging the fine notice because senior executives are not implicated. The public prosecutor’s administrative offense proceeding against Daimler AG is thereby fully concluded. This is not so at Volkswagen Group where senior executives were indicted today. Continue reading

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Penske’s Newgarden, Pagenaud One-Two in 2019 IndyCar

Newgarden gave team owner Roger Penske his 16th series championship, including the fourth in the last six years. Josef Newgarden didn’t have a race-winning car on Sunday afternoon, but his eighth-place finish was enough for him to earn his second Series Championship, and Team Penske’s 16th. Continue reading

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Amazon Wants to Meet the Paris Agreement 10 Years Early

It’s part of the so-called Climate Pledge, a commitment to meet the Paris Agreement 10 years early. Amazon is the first signatory of this pledge, and it will hardly be the last. The Climate Pledge calls on signatories to be net zero carbon across their businesses by 2040—a decade ahead of the Paris Accord’s goal of 2050. Continue reading

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CARB Sets Tropical Forest Standard Rules

CARB said it developed the standard after evaluating other international deforestation reduction programs and working with the Governors’ Climate and Forests Task Force and indigenous leaders and forest communities. Continue reading

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UAW Strike Cost at GM Builds Substantially with Duration

Previously, the 1998 UAW strike on GM lasted 54 days and cost the automaker $2 billion, which would equate to $3.1 billion in today’s dollars – or over a third of their 2018 net profit. A strike lasting this long has the potential to cost GM 500,000 units in lost production, which would quickly deplete their available inventory. In this situation, GM intenders would ultimately either delay purchases or move to competitor brands, which could result in 100,000 lost US sales in the remainder of this year. Continue reading

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Sonic Financial Takes Over Speedway Motorsports

Sonic Financial intends “to promptly complete the acquisition of all shares of Speedway Motorsports through a merger of Speedway Motorsports and a subsidiary of Sonic Financial, without a vote of Speedway Motorsports stockholders, in accordance with Delaware law.” Continue reading

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Ford Recalls 311,907 Explorer SUVs for Dangerous Seat Frames

It took 31 reports of hand injuries before Ford acted on replacing the dangerous part. This is the seventh safety defect recall – thus far – on the 2017 model Explorer. Continue reading

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