Category Archives: results

Renault-Nissan Cut 2012 Costs by €2.69 billion

Posted on 5 July 2013 by Ken Zino

Only new savings – not cumulative ones – are taken into account every year. As a result, the Alliance that was established in 1999 when Nissan was facing bankruptcy, arguably now has the longest-lasting cross-cultural partnership in the auto industry. Paris-based Renault and Yokohama, Japan-based Nissan, which together sell one in 10 cars worldwide sold 8.1 million cars in nearly 200 countries in 2012. Continue reading →

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Milestones – 500,000 Porsche Cayenne Made in Leipzig

Posted on 5 July 2013 by Ken Zino

German Chancellor German Chancellor Angela Merkel last week killed a draft European Union law aimed at reducing carbon dioxide. Merkel facing federal elections in September, said “This is also about employment,” a concept that has eluded EU politicians for more than five years as the economic crisis deepens, but not for the lavishly paid, fed and housed Eurocrats. Continue reading →

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European Car Sales Down Again in June. EU Slump Continues

Posted on 5 July 2013 by Ken Zino

The drop was in stark contrast to the recovering U.S. auto market, which is within a year or two to obtaining pre-Great Depression levels and the booming Chinese market,which at 23 million or more units this year will once again be the world’s largest. Once again the specter stalking European politicians whose austerity policies induced the ongoing human tragedy, is the their leadership role in the unchecked decline, which much like the decline of European power after a generation was slaughtered during WW1 is looking to be structural and permanent. Continue reading →

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June U.S. Auto Sales Soar to Best Month in Six Years

Posted on 3 July 2013 by Ken Zino

The resulting seasonally adjusted annual rate or SAAR of 15.96 million vehicles caught the auto industry by surprise and is troublesome for Michigan-based automakers who cut hundreds of thousands of jobs and shut plants during 2008 and 2009. They are are now scrambling to increase capacity using forced overtime and the cancellation of vacations, which demeans workers and assuredly will cause recall and quality problems down the road. Continue reading →

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Chrysler Group June 2013 U.S. Sales Increase 8%

Posted on 2 July 2013 by Ken Zino

With the best June sales since the onset of the Bush Administration induced depression, Chrysler Group today reported U.S. sales of 156,686 units, an 8% increase compared with sales in June 2012 (144,811 units), and the group’s best June sales since 2007. Continue reading →

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Western Europe Sales Slump Permanent?

Posted on 1 July 2013 by Ken Zino

“Flat is the new up in Western Europe,” claims John Hoffecker, co-president of AlixPartners. “Our models show Western European sales reaching a bottom of 12 million units in 2014, and largely remaining there for the foreseeable future – far from the historical peak of 2007, when 16.8 million units were sold. Continue reading →

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Light Duty Diesel Ram Ups Fuel Economy Ante in 2014

Posted on 1 July 2013 by Ken Zino

The comeback automaker, Chrysler Group, ups the ante in the ongoing pickup truck fuel economy wars by offering the first light duty diesel engine pared with an 8-speed automatic transmission, both exclusives in the segment. Just bring money – this is going to be a +$45,000 (or more) set of wheels, AutoInformed predicts. Continue reading →

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Honda Using ASIMO Robot to, well, Explain Itself

Posted on 27 June 2013 by Ken Zino

This emerging technology now allows ASIMO to make decisions required to behave in concert with the movements of surrounding people and to continue moving without being controlled by an operator. Continue reading →

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Guangqi Honda Selling Unique Crider in China. Exports Certain

Posted on 26 June 2013 by Ken Zino

Proving that automotive marketing babble is universal regardless of language, Honda said (in translation) that the Crider’s “dynamic exterior design inspired by an image of a dragon.” Such nonsense aside, Crider is certainly headed for export markets, making it a milestone car in the Chinese automobile industry, not unlike Honda’s decision as the first Japanese automaker to build cars in the U.S., although the Accord was a Japanese design. Continue reading →

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Milestones – Seven Million Ford Transit Vans

Posted on 25 June 2013 by Ken Zino

The milestone was celebrated at the official opening of a new Transit assembly plant in Nanchang, China, attended by Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally. The Jiangling Xiaolan facility is the result of a $300 million investment by Ford’s strategic partner Jiangling Motors Corporation, and produces JMC-branded vehicles and Ford-branded vehicles for the growing Chinese market. JMC is 31.5% owned by Ford. Continue reading →

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Supreme Court Dismisses Ethanol Waiver Case

Posted on 24 June 2013 by Ken Zino

The United States Supreme Court today dismissed a petition by the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers or AFPM challenging an EPA regulation that allows for 15% ethanol in gasoline. Continue reading →

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U.S. June Vehicle Sales Forecast Up. Prices Highest in History

Posted on 21 June 2013 by Ken Zino

Unfortunately, for buyers, the strong selling rate is matched by strong transaction prices. Thus far, in June, the average transaction price of new vehicles is $28,900, the highest ever for the month, according to J.D. Power, the source of the data. Continue reading →

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Porsche and General Motors Top Power IQS Quality Survey

Posted on 19 June 2013 by Ken Zino

Luxury brand Porsche and populist Chevrolet lead initial quality reports for 2013 models. As a manufacturer, General Motors leads other automakers by far. These claims come from the latest J.D. Power and Associates IQS – Initials Quality Survey – that polled more 83,000 owners after 90 days of experience with their new car or light truck. Continue reading →

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Milestones – 90 Years of the Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio Verde

Posted on 17 June 2013 by Ken Zino

In the Anglo Saxon world, a green four-leaf clover should call up images of Irish luck, but by a fourfold twist of European fate, this legendary symbol is identified with some of Alfa Romeo’s sportiest Italian models going back to 1923. Continue reading →

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GM Maintains Number One Spot in China over VW Group

Posted on 14 June 2013 by Ken Zino

In the closely watched sales race in China, the world’s largest car market by far, the reigning champion GM held off its strongest contender, VW Group, for the Number One position, according to sales numbers through May. Continue reading →

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