Category Archives: results

Top Ten Auto Stories of 2012

Posted on 31 December 2012 by Ken Zino

While it’s the job of historians to accurately weigh and assess events years after the fact when more documents, memoirs, special pleadings and perspective are available, journalists staring down a deadline have no such option. Here is AutoInformed on the significant automotive related stories of the 2012 year, with our wry awareness, as always, that columnists conduct their education in public. Continue reading →

Posted in auto news, milestones, news, news analysis, people | Leave a comment

Bosch follows Automakers into Russia as Market Booms

Posted on 26 December 2012 by Ken Zino

The irony here is that Bosch opened it first sales office in Russia during 1904 under the Kaiser and the Czar. Certain political disputes resulted in devastating wars and revolutions during the next decade that changed the ruling orders in both Germany and Russia, among other places with future dire consequences. That is history. We are now talking about the wealth creation of that the automobile industry makes possible. Continue reading →

Posted in auto news, manufacturing, milestones, news analysis | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Honda Environmental Report Shows CO2 Cuts, Fuel Economy Gains

Posted on 22 December 2012 by Ken Zino

The eighth annual Honda environmental report just released for the North American regions show that the Japanese automaker reduced on average its output of CO2 with corresponding increases in fuel economy. During the 2012 fiscal year that ended last March the CO2-adjusted fleet-average fuel economy of Honda and Acura vehicles sold in the U.S. in model year 2011 rose 0.8 mpg, or 3.2%, to 25.7 mpg, compared to the previous model year. Continue reading →

Posted in auto news, energy, environment, fuel economy or emissions | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

December U.S. Auto Sales Forecast to Close the Best Year Since 2007

Posted on 20 December 2012 by Ken Zino

While still well below the annual rates of 16 to 17 million during the last decade, December’s SAAR is 500,000 units higher than predicted for the 2012 full-year pace. Buyers are apparently ignoring the dire predictions and political posturing from that tawdry cast of cliff dwelling and big-money-bought politicians inhabiting the banks of the Potomac river while living in their taxpayer-funded socialist paradise. Continue reading →

Posted in auto news, sales | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Ally Financial Pays Off Last $4.5 Billion of Debt Issued Under TLGP

Posted on 19 December 2012 by Ken Zino

The U.S. Treasury, via taxpayers, currently holds about 74% of Ally common equity, and $5.9 billion in mandatory convertible preferred securities, which have a dividend rate of 9%, after a more than $17 billion bailout. Ally at the end of Q3 2012 had about $182 billion in assets, so it increasingly looks like taxpayers have a good chance at getting their money paid back, perhaps turning a profit. Continue reading →

Posted in auto news, economy, milestones, news, news analysis | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

U.S. Treasury to Sell GM Stock at a Loss During the Next 15 Months

Posted on 19 December 2012 by Ken Zino

It appears that Treasury is making a very bad decision here based on ideology, not good old American pragmatism. It was ideologues who opposed the successful TARP bailouts, and now Treasury – the government agency that is supposed to understand money and stock markets – is also taking an impractical position based also on ideology. Since the end of September taxpayers earned more than $1.5 billion from the increase in value of GM stock. Why dump and run now? No surprise here at AutoInformed that most Americans are disgusted with the way government handles their money. Continue reading →

Posted in auto news, economy, financial results, news analysis | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

EPA Releases Annual Enforcement Results

Posted on 17 December 2012 by Ken Zino

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or EPA today issued its annual enforcement results, which the Agency said showed significant environmental and public health protections achieved during 2012. EPA said that there was a reduction of 2.2 billion pounds of air, water and land pollution, and 4.4 billion pounds of hazardous waste, as well as $252 million in civil and criminal penalties levied. Continue reading →

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

EPA to Review Consumer Reports Data Claiming Ford C-Max and Fusion MPG Claims are Bogus in Real World Driving

Posted on 12 December 2012 by Ken Zino

The U.S. Environmental Protection agency will review Consumer Reports data claiming that Ford’s 47 mpg hybrid mileage claims were not realistic during real world – as opposed to computerized dynamometer – driving conditions. Continue reading →

Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, fuel economy or emissions | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Honda Claims Ecological Paint Breakthrough

Posted on 12 December 2012 by Ken Zino

Honda Motor Company said today that it would put into production a new paint process that uses less energy. Starting next July a new painting technology at its Yorii Plant at Saitama Factory in Japan will eliminate a middle coating process from a commonly used 4-coat/3-bake auto painting process. Continue reading →

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

U.S. Treasury Sells Final Shares of AIG Common Stock. Taxpayers Earn $22.7 Billion! More Profits to Come from the Bailout

Posted on 11 December 2012 by Ken Zino

Along with today’s stock sale, the return to date on the Federal Reserve and Treasury’s combined $182 billion commitment to bailout AIG during the financial crisis is now $22.7 billion. Treasury has now earned a positive return of $5 billion and the Federal Reserve has posted a profit of $17.7 billion. Continue reading →

Posted in economy, financial results, fools 'n frauds, milestones, news | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fiat to Expand Jeep Sales to India by Late 2013

Posted on 11 December 2012 by Ken Zino

Fiat will sell Jeep brand vehicles in India by late 2013 as part of a larger business plan to launch nine new or refreshed models under the Fiat and Jeep in the next few years. The first step will be the importation of the existing Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Grand Cherokee models, which will be arrive toward the end of 2013. Continue reading →

Posted in auto news, milestones, news analysis | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Consumer Reports Claims 47 MPG Ford Hybrid Claims are Bogus in Real World Driving. Another EPA Mileage Scam Exposed?

Posted on 7 December 2012 by Ken Zino

Consumer Reports say that it can’t duplicate Ford Motor’s 47 city/47 highway/47 comb­­­ined mpg claim for the new Fusion and C-Max hybrids. In CR tests, the Fusion Hybrid provided 39 mpg overall, 35 city and 41 during highway conditions. For the C-Max Hybrid, CR got 37 mpg overall, with 35 and 38 for city and highway. “These two vehicles have the largest discrepancy between our overall-mpg results and the estimates published by the EPA that we’ve seen among any current models,” said CR. Continue reading →

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

EPA Releases 2013 Vehicle Model Fuel Economy Guide

Posted on 6 December 2012 by Ken Zino

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has just released the 2013 Fuel Economy Guide, which covers efficient and low-emission vehicles in a variety of sizes. Continue reading →

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

Milestones: Honda Builds 1 Millionth U.S. Made Auto for Export

Posted on 6 December 2012 by Ken Zino

Honda has built a silver 2013 Honda Accord EX-L Sedan that will be shipped to South Korea – the 1 millionth Honda automobile to be exported from the U.S. Continue reading →

Posted in manufacturing, milestones | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

GM Sets Annual Sales Record in China with a Record November

Posted on 6 December 2012 by Ken Zino

With record domestic Chinese deliveries of 260,018 vehicles in November, GM’s sales in 2012 reached 2,593,642 units in the first 11 months, the most ever. Last month’s sales were the highest ever for November and the second highest for any month in GM’s largest market, increasing 9.7% from November 2011. Continue reading →

Posted in auto news, milestones, results, sales | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment