Category Archives: results

Milestones – Skoda Builds 15-millionth Car

Posted on 13 February 2013 by Ken Zino

Škoda has produced its 15-millionth car, a silver, third-generation Octavia – rolled off the assembly line at Šcoda’s main plant in Mladá Boleslav during the first week of February. The Octavia will be used as a VIP sedan at the Škoda Technology Center in Česana. The new Skoda Octavia is now being launched in the Czech Republic and Germany, while other markets will follow in coming weeks. In total, Skoda will launch eight new or face lifted models in 2013. Continue reading →

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Ally Leads in U.S. Consumer and Dealer Auto Financing

Posted on 12 February 2013 by Ken Zino

Ally Financial leads all auto lending firms because the taxpayer owned company extended credit on 1.5 million new and used vehicles through franchised and independent dealers last year. Continue reading →

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Milestones – 50 Years of the Porsche 911

Posted on 11 February 2013 by Ken Zino

More than 820,000 Porsche 911 models have been built, making it, arguably, the most successful sports car in the world since it was first shown in 1963. For each of its seven generations the engineers in Zuffenhausen and Weissach have revised it, while retaining its identifiable and now classic lines and proportions, as well as its famous but often quirky performance. Continue reading →

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BMW Group Posts Record January Sales

Posted on 11 February 2013 by Ken Zino

The BMW Group sold 123,276 BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce brand vehicles in January up from 112,164 in 2011 and a record for the month of January. Continue reading →

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Rotary Engine Le Mans Winner Mazda 787B Selected as ‘Legend’

Posted on 9 February 2013 by Ken Zino

For the 1990s, the voting- using French sponsorship and nationalist math – was a “dead-heat” between the Mazda 787B and the Peugeot 905 – so 11 cars were given ‘legend’ status. Continue reading →

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Chevrolet Debuts 2014 Cruze Diesel at Chicago Auto Show

Posted on 7 February 2013 by Ken Zino

In the latest example of how complicated the global auto business is, Chevrolet will sell a Cruze diesel this fall in North America that has an Italian engine design, a German-built 2-liter turbo diesel, which will be installed in the Cruze at the final assembly plant in Lordstown, Ohio. The 2014 model will start out at $25,695 with destination and a two-year maintenance plan included. Continue reading →

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General Motors Sells 300,000 Vehicles in China – All Time Record

Posted on 6 February 2013 by Ken Zino

GM has led sales in China for eight consecutive years, but during 2012 it just barely stayed as Number One at 2.84 million vehicles because the VW Group, China’s Number Two automaker, sold 2.81 million vehicles, a +24.5% increase compared to 2011. GM sold 194,699 vehicles in the United States in January, up 16% compared with a year ago, which was slightly ahead of an overall auto market that grew 14%. Continue reading →

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Renault Nissan Sets Sales Record in 2012 Despite EU, Asian Drops

Posted on 5 February 2013 by Ken Zino

In 2012, global sales of all zero-emission vehicles across the Alliance were 43,829 units, up 83.8% from 2011 as Nissan LEAF sales increased worldwide and Renault launched two more EVs. The Alliance’s worldwide zero-emission market share stood at 64%, excluding Twizy, Renault’s two-seater urban commuter. Since sales began in December 2010 to the end of 2012, the Alliance sold 67,723 zero-emission vehicles globally. Billions of dollars are at stake for shareholders in this EV investment that is thus far behind its original sales goals. Continue reading →

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Taxpayer Owned Ally Financial Earns $1.2 Billion in 2012

Posted on 5 February 2013 by Ken Zino

“Our focus remains on delivering strong results from our leading franchises, completing our strategic transformation, gaining additional efficiencies in the business and repaying the U.S. Treasury investment,” said Ally Chief Executive Officer Michael A. Carpenter. Continue reading →

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Toyota Led all Makers in U.S. Sales Gains During January of 2013

Posted on 4 February 2013 by Ken Zino

Offshore brands started 2013 with 54.4% of the U.S. auto market, down from the 55.3% they took in December, and the 55.8% share they occupied last January. The Detroit Three had a strong month in full size pickup sales as the housing market slowly recovers, accounting for more than 115,000 trucks, good for more than 11% of the market. Combined with other truck sales, this accounted for the offshore brand share decline, which offset in part by Toyota strong gains, including sales of 7,000 full-size Tundra pickups and 11,600 smaller Tacoma pickups a space now vacated by the extinct Ford Ranger. Continue reading →

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Ford Motor January Sales up 22%, Best since 2006

Posted on 1 February 2013 by Ken Zino

After the F-Series pickup, the second best seller in the Ford line was the new Fusion sedan at 22,000, followed closely by the Escape at 20,000, the best January ever. Escape also had its best January ever, – sales increasing 16%, topping last year’s January record. The Fusion and Escape are apparently coated with Teflon, since reputation damaging multiple recalls after their launch, including engine fires affecting both, were ignored by buyers of the European-based vehicles that were redesigned for 2013 without the help of former subsidiary Mazda.
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GM U.S. Sales Up 16% in January, a Bit More than Market Gain

Posted on 1 February 2013 by Ken Zino

The strength of the market itself was surprising. January 2013 was 14% higher than last year 27% higher than January 2011 and roughly 50% higher than January 2010 – an amazing recovery trend that should allow leveraged automakers to print money, including GM as 2012 results are released in February. Continue reading →

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Chrysler Group January Sales Up 16% in U.S.

Posted on 1 February 2013 by Ken Zino

Chrysler Group today reported U.S. sales of 117,731 units, a 16% increase compared with January 2012 of 101,149 units. Once again, Chrysler outpaced overall U.S. auto market growth of 14% during a month that was running – surprisingly – at the same sales rates as November and December of last year. Continue reading →

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Toyota Ousts GM from Global Auto Sales Leadership. VW Third

Posted on 31 January 2013 by Ken Zino

Toyota Motor regained global sales leadership in 2012 ousting GM by selling 9.75 million vehicles. GM’s sales were 9.29 million vehicles with Volkswagen Group closing on GM in third place at 9.07 million vehicles for the year. Toyota had led global sales from 2008 until 2010 when natural disaster induced production disruptions, the result of a tragic earthquake in Japan and flooding in Thailand, halted its growth. Continue reading →

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GM Cuts Powertrain Locations in Efficiency Move

Posted on 31 January 2013 by Ken Zino

General Motors will close three leased facilities in Wixom, Michigan; Castleton, Indiana, and Torrance, California and consolidate their powertrain engineering activities into a Global Powertrain Engineering center in Pontiac, Michigan. GM R&D’s Propulsion Systems Research lab in Warren, Michigan will also relocate to the Pontiac campus, including its electric motor engineering . Continue reading →

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