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Category Archives: results
Focus Electric Approved for $10,000 in Taxpayer Handouts
The California Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Resources Board (CARB) has dictated that owners of the new 2012 Ford Focus Electric can drive in high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. Owners also will be able to receive up to $10,000 in tax credits between the state’s new $2,500 rebate and a $7,500 federal tax incentive – both funded by taxpayers at a time of soaring deficits. Critics call this socialism for the rich. These subsidies appear to be crucial for sales success of the Focus Electric. Without them, the car lists starting at $39,995. This means a typical payment to buy the compact car – with $4,000 down – is almost $800 per month for 48 months at Ford’s 7% interest rate. The gasoline-fueled Focus starts at just over $17,000. Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, electric vehicles, environment, fuel economy or emissions, new vehicle, news analysis, transportation
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, carb, focus electric, hov lanes, insight, Ken Zino, leaf, mpge, prius, taxpayer subsidies, volt
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NHTSA Investigating Ford Taurus Runaway Throttle Complaints
Complaints allege engine speeds as high as 4,000 RPM after shifting into Park or Neutral. Some complaints report that it was difficult to slow the vehicle with the brakes during the incident and one report indicated that when the car was finally stopped, it was partially in an intersection after going through a red light. Continue reading
Airlines Profitable as Passenger Fees Continue to Rise
As part of their third-quarter revenue, the airlines collected almost a billion dollars – $898 million – in baggage fees and $603 million from reservation change fees from July to September 2011. Baggage fees and reservation change fees are the only ancillary fees paid by passengers that are reported to BTS as separate items. Other fees, such as revenue from seating assignments and on-board sales of food, beverages, pillows, blankets, and entertainment are reported in a different category with other items and cannot be identified separately. Continue reading
Unemployment Unchanged in February as Politicians Blather
Alan B. Krueger – Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers and an employee of President Obama – said, “Today’s employment report provides further evidence that the economy is continuing to heal from the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. It is critical that we continue the economic policies that are helping us dig our way out of the deep hole that was caused by the recession that began at the end of 2007, including measures to help the sectors that were most severely harmed by the bubble economy that misdirected investment and created too few durable jobs.”
Critics said only the fact that Krueger issued the statement electronically prevented his nose from growing longer while delivering it. Continue reading
Posted in economy, fools 'n frauds, news, news analysis, people, results
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, great recession, Ken Zino, unemployment
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Volkswagen Group February Sales Up 15%, Europe Weak at 1%
Still, executives are cautious. “We are very satisfied with the Group’s noticeably positive performance. However, we will remain vigilant over the coming months in spite of this clear upward trend and are keeping a very close eye on the markets – especially in Western Europe,” said Christian Klingler, Group Board Member for Sales, in Wolfsburg on Friday. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, marketing, results, sales
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, china, eurozone, february sales, Ken Zino, results, volkswagen group
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BMW Group Posts Best Year in History – Ups Dividend
Strong sales of sport utility vehicles and luxury cars, the booming China market and cost cutting were all factors in the blowout year. The BMW Group continues to contradict the conventional wisdom that scale is required to succeed in the global auto industry, since it operates largely in premium segments or gets a premium for its products in other segments. Continue reading
EPA Says Fuel Economy at Record High, CO2 at Record Low
One giant caveat here: The EPA window sticker rating is not the same as the EPA CAFE rating used by automakers. As a general rule window sticker ratings are 25% lower than the numbers used for CAFE compliance. Moreover, the sticker ratings have been adjusted downward in recent years after drivers complained they were too optimistic. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, fuel economy or emissions, news analysis
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, cafe, dot, epa, fuel economy, Ken Zino
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Ford China Sales Up 28% in February, But Down 15% YTD
The new Focus, built at Changon 2 is the first of 15 new or revised models due from Ford China by 2015. If the downward sales trend continues, Ford Motor will be in financial trouble because three additional new manufacturing facilities are scheduled to open by the end of 2013. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, marketing, news analysis, results, sales
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, changon ford, chinese auto industry, ford china, gm china, Ken Zino, results
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Corrosion Recall Covers More than 265,000 Jeep Liberty SUVs
The suspension failure investigation was upgraded by NHTSA to a more serious engineering analysis covering 2004 and 2005 models last September. It appears from publicly available documents that Chrysler resisted the recall, doing so only after a meeting with safety regulators in February. The recall to replace all the suspension arms is expected to begin in April. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, engineering, quality, recalls, safety
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, jeep recalls, Ken Zino, liberty recalls, nhtsa, recalls
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Toyota Recalls Almost 700,000 Vehicles in U.S. for Camry, Venza and Tacoma Electronic Faults
The latest quality gaffs can cause vehicle no-starts, failed stoplights, stuck transmission gear levers as well as warning lights going off, and airbags not going off in three separate high-volume vehicle lines. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, quality, recalls, safety
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, camry recalls, Ken Zino, nhtsa, tacoma recalls, toyota recalls, venza recalls
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Kansas Refinery to pay $1 Million Fine for Pollution Violations
Coffeyville Resources Refining & Marketing (CRRM) will pay a civil penalty of more than $970,000 and invest more than $4.25 million on new pollution controls and $6.5 million in operating costs to end violations of air, superfund and community right-to-know laws at its Coffeyville, Kansas refinery. CRRM’s refinery has the capacity to refine more than 115,000 barrels of crude oil per day, producing gasoline, diesel fuels and propane. Continue reading
Ford, Lincoln Change Touch Screens after Quality Ratings Dive
While Ford keeps claiming its customers want electronic features such as MyFord Touch, saying 56% of them rate the technology as an “important” part of the buying decision, its quality and customer satisfaction ratings by users as measured from independent sources have plummeted during the three years since introduction. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, design and styling, distracted driving, news analysis, quality, safety
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, consumer reports, Ford, infotainment, Ken Zino, myford touch, mylincoln touch, quality, telematics, touch screen
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Ampera and Volt Voted European ‘Car of the Year 2012’
The Volt and the Ampera have won many international awards including the “World Green Car of the Year 2011” and the “North American Car of the Year 2011” award. Volt and Ampera also received the maximum 5-star Euro NCAP award. While awards are good for promotional purposes, journalists are notoriously out of touch with real car buying trends. The award comes as GM is preparing to close its Detroit Hmatrmack assembly plant for five weeks where the Volt and its Ampera identical twin are assembled because of slow sales – 1,626 Volts so far this in 2011. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, awards, electric vehicles, marketing
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, chevrolet volt, geneva motor show, GM, Ken Zino, opel ampera
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GM Posts February Sales Record in China, Up 30%
The makes February the third highest for any month in GM’s history in China where it has led sales among foreign automakers for seven straight years. In January, GM sales dropped 8% year-over-year, and Ford’s plummeted 42%, leading to speculation that the Chinese economy is slowing down. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, marketing, results, sales
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, february sales, GM, gm china, Ken Zino, results
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Volt Production Halted. Workers Laid Off for Five Weeks
The announcement of the setback to employees came Thursday after GM released February sales results that showed 1,023 Volts were sold in the U.S. GM has sold 1,626 Volts so far this year. Earlier in the day, a Chevrolet sales executive claimed that Volt sales would pick up now that it is approved for California HOV lanes and tax credits as a plug-in hybrid. Continue reading
