Category Archives: results

NADA Opposes Credit Reform on Auto Lending Practices

the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) is lobbying members of the U.S. House Financial Services Committee to pass H.R. 1737, a bill that would repeal the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) 2013 guidance on fair auto lending practices Continue reading

Posted in customer satisfaction, news analysis | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

During Q2 Ford Posts Best Profits, $2.9B, Since 2000

It was Ford’s best automotive quarterly profit since 2000. Continue reading

Posted in financial results | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

CFPB Scoffs at NADA FOIA Request on Auto Lending

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, aka CFPB, has rejected a Freedom of Information Act – FOIA – request by the National Automobile Dealers Association to release a memorandum that NADA alleges shows that the agency is seeking to exercise jurisdiction over auto dealers financing, which is prohibited under the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, also called Dodd-Frank. Continue reading

Posted in customer satisfaction, litigation | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Automakers Protest European Laws Targeting Diesel Use

The automakers reason, not without some basis in fact – that the most effective way to improve air quality is getting older cars and trucks off the road. New vehicles less than one year old are roughly 5% of the road population in the EU. As more of the older diesels are replaced, it looks like fewer of them will be diesels, no matter how clean the newest ones are. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, environment, fuel economy or emissions, global warming, news analysis, public health | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

June Light Vehicle Sales Soar in US

U.S. light vehicle sales in June posted their highest rate since 2005 at 1.5 million, which translates to a SAAR – Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate – of 17.16 million. Continue reading

Posted in sales | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

432k Focus, C-MAX, Escape Recalls for Bad Ignition Switch

In these defective vehicles, among the best sellers at Ford, it is possible for the engine to continue running after turning the ignition key to the “off” position and removing the key. Continue reading

Posted in quality, recalls | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

China Light Vehicle Sales Drop Again in May

China Light Vehicle sales continued to decline in May, with year‐on‐year (YoY) growth in sales of locally‐made models dropping to 1.4%, marking the lowest level since September 2012 when the Sino‐Japan islands disputes disrupted the market. This is big trouble for The Volkswagen Group and General Motors both of whom rely on China for healthy profits. Continue reading

Posted in sales | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Dainese and Ducati Motorcycle Airbag Jacket Wins Award

Ducati’s Multistrada D-Air model has an intelligent system of sensors wirelessly connected to Ducati Apparel airbag jackets by Dainese. Continue reading

Posted in awards, motorcycles, safety | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

June 2015 U.S. Light Vehicle Sales Projected Flat

The real party is being held by new-vehicle retail sales in June along with a corresponding retail seasonally adjusted annualized selling rate, aka SAAR, expected to reach their highest levels for June since 2005. Continue reading

Posted in sales | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

NADA, American Truck Dealers Oppose Cleaner Trucks

The groups say that the rule will add $14,000 to the cost of a new truck through mandates based on potentially untested technologies. Similar accusations, of course, by the industry go back to the beginnings of the Clean Air Act and fuel economy regulations where cleaner was thought, dubiously, as too costly. Continue reading

Posted in fuel economy or emissions | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

GM and GM Financial Now Investment Grade at Fitch

GM earnings have been pommeled during the last several years because of billions in charges taken for safety recalls. Moreover GM still potentially faces billions in charges for the legal liability and government fines in the ignition switch cover-up, including possible criminal charges from the Department of Justice. Continue reading

Posted in financial results, recalls | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

More Taxpayer Subsidies for Rich Automakers Proposed

It is another raid on the U.S. Treasury sponsored by U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Gary Peters (D-MI), along with Lamar Alexander (R-TN), all from auto making states. Continue reading

Posted in AutoInformed Editorial, fuel economy or emissions, news analysis | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

May Sales Keep on Trucking with 0% Interest Helping

U.S. May sales came in at an exceptionally high SAAR (seasonally adjusted annualized rate) of 17.79 million light vehicles with light trucks and 0% interest rate Memorial Day promotions help to beat analysts’ projections of 17.3 million. Continue reading

Posted in sales | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Chevrolet Expands Android and Apple Smartphone Connectivity to Broadest Lineup in Industry

With more than 2.3 billion smartphones in use globally, GM appears to be well ahead of other automakers in mining the connectivity gold rush underway. In 2014, the 14 models included in this expansion accounted for more than 2.4 million vehicle sales, or 51% of Chevrolet’s total global sales. Continue reading

Posted in customer satisfaction, marketing | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

GM Investing $1 Billion in Warren Technical Center

General Motors said today that it would invest $1 billion in its Warren Technical Center. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, design and styling, milestones | Tagged , , | Leave a comment