Category Archives: results

Jaguar Land Rover Begins 24 Hour Shifts at Halewood

Posted on 14 August 2012 by Ken Zino

Jaguar Land Rover at its Halewood plant is now running around the clock production, the first time the factory has run flat out in its 50-year history. The new night shift, which began at 21.30 last evening required the hiring of 1,000 production workers. Continue reading →

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Regulations Work as Airlines Set On Time Records, Cut Delays

Posted on 10 August 2012 by Ken Zino

The biggest airlines in the U.S. posted records for the first half of 2012 for on-time performance, fewest cancellations and tarmac delays, as well as the lowest mishandled baggage rates. According to the Air Travel Consumer Report from the U.S. Department of Transportation, the 15 largest U.S. airlines posted an 83.7% on-time arrival rate during the first six months of 2012, the highest mark for any January-June period in the 18 years the Department has collected comparable data. Continue reading →

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Ford China Sales up 32% in July to 43,000

Posted on 9 August 2012 by Ken Zino

Ford China sales in July totaled 42,560 up 32%. Most of the increase was due to the joint venture Changan Ford Mazda, which sold 26,306 Ford-brand cars, an increase of 44% from July of 2011. Sales of the old and new Focus dominated the results. Total Ford brand car sales including the imported Edge and Explorer were 27,498. Continue reading →

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JMC and Ford to Buy Taiyuan Changan Heavy Truck in China

Posted on 8 August 2012 by Ken Zino

Ford Motor Company is reentering the heavy truck market through its partner Jiangling Motors Corporation in China. JMC will buy Taiyuan Changan Heavy Truck Company, its first entry into the heavy truck business. JMC currently builds Ford Transits under license from Ford, and Ford owns 30% of the light commercial vehicle maker. Continue reading →

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U.S. and Mexico Sign Agreement on Decreasing Border Pollution

Posted on 8 August 2012 by Ken Zino

The U.S. and Mexico today signed an agreement to reduce pollution, exposure to chemicals accidents or terrorism, and improve environmental stewardship. It is the latest environmental cleanup program implemented under the 1983 U.S.-Mexico La Paz Agreement covering public health problems in the 2,000-mile border region. The border is home to more than 14 million people and one of the busiest trade regions in the world. Continue reading →

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GM Invests in NanoSteel, Claims New Class of Light Weight Materials

Posted on 8 August 2012 by Ken Zino

General Motors has invested an undisclosed amount in The NanoSteel Company because it claims the firm is a leader in light weight steel materials design. Through the development of patented alloys, NanoSteel has created a new class of steel that in theory allows automotive engineers and designers to reduce weight with thinner, higher strength gauges while maintaining the structural integrity needed for safety. Continue reading →

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BMW Group Records Record Sales in July

Posted on 7 August 2012 by Ken Zino

BMW group today in Munich posted its best sales result for any July. With 135,537 (2011 – 129,102) BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce brand vehicles delivered worldwide last month, the company increased its sales by 5.0% compared to the previous year.

It was also the first time in the company’s history that more one million vehicles had been delivered in the first seven months. From January to July deliveries rose 7.6% to 1,036,088 vehicles (962,493). Continue reading →

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Ford C-Max Hybrid EPA Rated at 47 MPG in all Categories

Posted on 7 August 2012 by Ken Zino

The all-new Ford C-Max Hybrid that goes on sale this fall is now EPA-certified at 47 mpg city, 47 mpg highway and 47 mpg combined. This makes it the first hybrid without a window sticker decline in highway fuel economy ratings. Whether this is real or the product of carefully calibrating the C-Max to the test cycle awaits independent verification. Continue reading →

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General Motors Sales in China Set All Time July and CYTD Record

Posted on 7 August 2012 by Ken Zino

General Motors and its joint ventures sold 199,503 vehicles in China, in July, a 15.1% increase from last year’s previous record high for the month. SAIC-GM-Wuling’s sales reached 98,694 units, an all-time high for July and an increase of 26.6% year on year. Continue reading →

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Treasury To Sell More AIG Stock. Taxpayers Still Owed $24 Billion and Hold 53% from Controversial Bailout of Reckless Company

Posted on 6 August 2012 by Ken Zino

Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced that it expects to receive an additional $750 million from its public offering of American International Group (AIG) common stock. The Wall Street underwriters have exercised their so-called over-allotment option to purchase another 24.6 million additional shares of AIG common stock at the public offering price of $30.50 per share. Continue reading →

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Japanese Makes Take Top Three Spots in China Customer Satisfaction

Posted on 6 August 2012 by Ken Zino

The Japanese, led by Guangqi Honda, took the top three ratings in the 2012 China Customer Service Index. Honda – and its government-mandated local partner – was followed by Dongfeng Honda Automobile and GAC Toyota. Dongfeng took five out of the first ten spots in the latest quality survey. Continue reading →

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Toyota Posts Strong Results in Q1 of the Japanese Fiscal Year

Posted on 3 August 2012 by Ken Zino

Toyota Motor Corporation today said that Q1 results for the Japanese fiscal year produced a profit of ¥90.3 billion yen ($3.71 billion). Toyota posted vehicle sales for the first quarter of 2.27 million cars and trucks, an increase of 1.04 million compared to the same period last fiscal year. The largest Japanese auto company also raised its full year sales forecast some 180,000 vehicles, to 9.76 million cars this year, a better than 20% increase from 7.95 million cars in 2011. If current trends hold, Toyota will become the world’s largest automaker with more than 10 million vehicles sold blowing by a slumping General Motors when the books are closed for the 2012 calendar year. Year to date Toyota is ahead of GM by more than 300,000 units. Continue reading →

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GM Q2 Profits Drop to $1.5 Billion From $2.5 Billion as Its European Losses Grow. Revenue and Cash on Hand also Decreased.

Posted on 2 August 2012 by Ken Zino

General Motors Company (NYSE: GM) today said Q2 income was $1.5 billion, or $0.90 per share of common on revenue $37.6 billion. The disappointing results compared to Q2 2011 where GM’s net income attributable to common stockholders was $2.5 billion, or $1.54 per fully diluted share. GM said the decrease was due almost entirely to the strengthening of the U.S. dollar versus other major currencies. Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) adjusted was $2.1 billion, compared with $3.0 billion in the second quarter of 2011.

“Despite the challenging environment, GM has now achieved 10 consecutive quarters of profitability, which is a milestone the company has not achieved in more than a decade,” said GM chairman and CEO Dan Akerson. The CEO also alluded to ongoing management changes and reorganizations, saying “we will not hesitate to act to make the business stronger” by replacing people who don’t deliver results, with no apparent awareness that U.S. taxpayers who still hold a large stake in the company could apply that dictum to him. Continue reading →

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Toyota Recalls 780,000 RAV4 and Lexus HS 250h Models

Posted on 2 August 2012 by Ken Zino

Toyota Motor Sales is recalling 2006 to early 2011 model year RAV4 and 2010 model year Lexus HS 250h vehicles sold in the U.S. because the rear suspension can fail, leading to loss of control. In a statement notable for its lack of detail about accidents, injuries and fatalities, TMS said that about 760,000 Toyota RAV4 and 18,000 Lexus HS 250h models are involved in this latest quality problem Continue reading →

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Ford Motor U.S. July Sales Decline 4% in a Market that Grew 9%

Posted on 1 August 2012 by Ken Zino

Ford Motor Company’s July sales in the U.S. declined 4% as the Number Two automaker failed to keep pace with a recovering U.S. auto market. Sales executives attributed the weak performance to lower fleet sales, which were off -16% but still made up 27% of Ford’s 173,482 vehicle sales for the month. This could be viewed as progress of sorts since the fleet share declined from 31% a year earlier. Continue reading →

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