Category Archives: results

Audi Recalls Seat Belts for Child Seat Retention Failures

Posted on 5 January 2026 by Ken Zino

Audi (Volkswagen Group of America) is recalling more than 27,700 model year 2025 SQ6 E-Tron, SQ6 Sportback E-Tron, Q6 Sportback E-Tron, A6, A5, A6 Sportback E-Tron, Q6 E-Tron, S5, and S6 Sportback E-Tron vehicles. The automatic locking retractor [from Joyson Safety Systems in Poland – AutoCrat] may fail to engage when a child seat is installed using the seat belt. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 208, “Occupant Crash Protection” and 209, “Seat Belt Assemblies.” Continue reading →

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Porsche Recalls More Than 173,000 Vehicles for Rear Visibility

Posted on 5 January 2026 by Ken Zino

“A rear-view camera image that does not display decreases the driver’s rearward visibility, increasing the potential risk of an incident,” Porsche said. “While the exact root cause is unknown, transient signal noise between the control unit and the Surround View cameras can, in certain rare instances, interrupt the signal from the rear-view camera. …If this occurs, the driver will notice the rear-view camera image is not displayed when the vehicle is placed in Reverse.” Porsche said. Continue reading →

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Ford Recalls Previous Expedition Roll-Away Recall Repair

Posted on 5 January 2026 by Ken Zino

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is recalling ~890 model year 2019 Expedition vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 20V263. The “Transmission Not In Park” warning message and associated chime duration are shorter than intended. During the first half of 2025 Ford Motor booked a $1.3 billion loss from repairs of vehicles under warranty, cancellation of plans to build an electric sport utility vehicle and other one-time costs. Ford is operating under a consent order from NHTSA because of its previous handing of recalls. This recall is the result of a complicated and meticulous effort by Ford Motor. Continue reading →

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Milestones – 50 Years of the VW Golf GTI

Posted on 2 January 2026 by Ken Zino

The Volkswagen Golf GTI (VWAGY) turns 50 this year. More than 2.5 million units have been produced to date, according to Volkswagen, In The anniversary s will be celebrated with a variety of national and international events,  and of course an exclusive anniversary model Golf GTI EDITION 50 [footnote 1 below. There will also be world premiere of the first all-electric GTI. But it will be smaller than compact- size versions of a sporty car – AutoCrat]. Continue reading →

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EPA Administrator and Trump Booster Zeldin Praises Himself

Posted on 31 December 2025 by Ken Zino

The EPA Office of the Administrator sent this “bulletin” out at 10:00 AM EST this morning.

“It has been a historic year at EPA, and we look forward to even more victories in the year ahead,” said Trump crony Lee Michael Zeldin, administration of the EPA since 29 January 2025 at the beginning of the Second Trump administration. Following are Zeldon’s assertions edited for space. [As with EPA fuel mileage ratings, and Zeldin’s dismissal of Global Warming and Climate Change your observed results and therefore opinions on these boasts may vary significantly- AutoCrat.] Continue reading →

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Happy Clean New Year California Air Resources Board!

Posted on 30 December 2025 by Ken Zino

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) said today that it continued its critical mission and remained focused on its duties to improve air quality and public health and to tackle climate change.

This is inarguable, despite the Trump Administration’s direct and ongoing assault on public health and active resistance to the compounding worsening effects of Global Warming on the economy and the continued existence of planet earth itself. (Read AutoInformed.com on Clean air, climate change and global warming -AutoCrat. See *below) Continue reading →

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Chicago Auto Show Shrinks

Posted on 30 December 2025 by Ken Zino

The Chicago Automobile Trade Association (CATA), producer of the Chicago Auto Show, said today that it is cutting media days in half. A media preview will now take place on Friday 6 February from 8 am to 2 pm. The 2 pm conclusion of media activities will allow for a “seamless transition as the show floor is dressed up that evening for the First Look for Charity black-tie gala.” As recently as the second week of November this year, two days were allocated for media day. However, in keeping with a general trend, auto shows are increasingly not viewed as cost effective ways to move vehicles from dealer showroom floors to customers’ driveways Continue reading →

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Porsche – Happy Birthday Hans-Joachim Stuck

Posted on 30 December 2025 by Ken Zino

“Hans-Joachim Stuck has done a great deal for Porsche. His performances over long distances, in particular his success at the wheel of the Porsche 962, still count as some of the seminal moments in Porsche motorsport history,” said Thomas Laudenbach, Head of Porsche Motorsport. “We thank him for his dedication and wish him all the best for his 75th birthday.” Continue reading →

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Ford Recalls Mavericks, Escapes, Mach Es, Transits, Broncos

Posted on 29 December 2025 by Ken Zino

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is recalling more then ~52,000 vehicles for a variety of quality problems according to mandatory safety defect recall filings  made public the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) this morning. Ford is operating under a consent order from NHTSA because of its previous handing of recalls.

The largest recall announced today involves 2025-2026 Mustang Mach E vehicles. The Chinese-made [Zhe Jiang Keboda Industry Corp – AutoCrat] Light Driver Control Module B (LDCMB) may fail, preventing the turn signals, daytime running lights, low beam, and high beam headlights from illuminating. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, “Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment.” Continue reading →

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December U.S. Vehicle Sales Forecast Down. Global Sales Up

Posted on 29 December 2025 by Ken Zino

U.S. new-vehicle sales for December 2025, including retail and non-retail transactions, are projected to reach 1,454,000, a 7.5% decrease year over year, according to a joint forecast from J.D. Power and GlobalData released today. December 2025 has 26 selling days, one more than December 2024. Comparing the same sales volume without adjusting for the number of selling days shows a decrease of 3.8% from 2024. The seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR) for total U.S. new-vehicle sales is forecast at 15.9 million units, down 1.1 million units from December 2024 as the Trump slump continues.

“December caps a year marked by volatility, as the industry continues to deal with the consequences of import tariffs and changes to electric vehicle legislation. To say it’s been a sales roller coaster of a year would be an understatement,” said Thomas King, president of OEM solutions at J.D. Power. “Fears of future tariff-related price hikes caused sales to jump by 173,000 vehicles between March and April, followed by a sales slowdown in subsequent months. Another sales jump occurred between August and September as 304,200 electric vehicle shoppers made purchases before the September 30th expiration of federal EV tax credits, followed by another sales slowdown whose effects are still being felt in December.”
Continue reading →

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Mazda Axes Advance, Production and Design Modeling Studios

Posted on 29 December 2025 by Ken Zino

Mazda Motor Corporation (MMC 7261.T) announced on 26 December organizational changes that eliminates its traditional Advance, Production and Design Modeling Studios, among other moves, that are effective 1 January 2026. This is part of the so-called Mazda 2030 Vision, an ongoing business recovery strategy. Results so far are slight. Consider the disastrous financial results for the first half of the Japanese fiscal year ending March 31, 2026 (April 1, 2025 through September 30, 2025). Global sales volume was 609,000 units, down 3% year-over-year. The operating loss was ¥53.9 billion. The net loss attributable to owners of the parent company was ¥45.3 billion.

“The timing of the Japan-US auto tariff reduction was later than initially expected, which had an impact of ¥10.3 billion. As a result, although we aimed for break-even in the second quarter, we posted an operating loss of ¥7.8 billion. We see the second quarter result establishing a foundation for turnaround in the second half of the year,” MMC said. Continue reading →

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Rising EV Sales Deepen Need for Charging Systems

Posted on 24 December 2025 by Ken Zino

The global EV charging infrastructure market is set to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 13.6% from 5.8 million units in 2025 to 11.0 million units in 2030, forecasts GlobalData, the respected consultancy. Countries such as the US and China have seen especially fast growth in EV uptake, supported by substantial public investment in charging infrastructure. [This despite the politicization of EVs by the King Trump Administration. Perchance it should be renamed the King Canute Administration. – AutoCrat]

“Global outlook for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) remains strong, supported by increasing consumer uptake, fast-paced technology advances, and supportive government policies. BEV sales are projected to rise significantly, growing the worldwide EV fleet over the coming years in line with existing policy directions and driving higher battery demand. While China continues to lead the market, demand is spreading more broadly, with meaningful growth in both emerging economies and mature markets such as the EU and the UK,” said Rehaan Shiledar, Senior Power Analyst at GlobalData. Continue reading →

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ACEA – EU November Car Sales Flat. Tesla Wilts

Posted on 23 December 2025 by Ken Zino

During November 2025 year-to-date (YTD), new EU car registrations increased by a mere1.4% compared to the same period last year, according to data published today by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association. [aka ACEA at AutoInformed after its original French name]. Tesla during November dropped -34.2% at 12,130 units continuing its flat spin downward. YTD at 129,024 Tesla is off -38.8%.

“Despite the recent positive momentum, overall volumes remain well below pre-pandemic levels,” ACEA said in a release. “The battery-electric car market share reached 16.9% YTD, in line with projections for the year, yet a level that still leaves room for growth to stay on track with the transition.”

“Hybrid-electric vehicles lead as the most popular power type choice among buyers, with plug-in hybrids continuing to gain momentum,” ACEA , the lobbying group of 16 major European automakers, maintained. Continue reading →

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Honda Aircraft Company Offers Performance Upgrade Package

Posted on 22 December 2025 by Ken Zino

Honda Aircraft Company has announced the HondaJet APMG S, a new performance upgrade package for owners and operators of HondaJet Classic and HondaJet APMG (Advanced Performance Modification Group) aircraft. This provides operators of  early production HondaJets, the prospect of  upgrading their aircraft with technical innovations introduced on more recent iterations of the platform, such as the HondaJet Elite S. The APMG S modifications package has been certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as of the time of publication for installation on aircraft registered in the United States of America, with foreign certification planned to follow. [Hardly surprising given Honda’s heritage of innovation and advancement– AutoCrat] Continue reading →

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November 2025 UK Vehicle Production Plunges

Posted on 19 December 2025 by Ken Zino

UK vehicle production* fell by -14.3% in November with 65,932 units leaving factory lines, according to data published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).** The decline was the result of a slight reduction in car output, down -1.7% to 63,126 units, and a much steeper -78.0% drop in commercial vehicle (CV) output, with just 2806 units produced – 9943 fewer than in the same month last year. [Recently, Ford Motor announced a series of changes to its business in Europe, including new leadership to drive the strategic direction, and a European product offensive that will bring a new generation of multi-energy vehicles to customers in Europe. Ford also announced a strategic partnership with Renault to collaborate in the development of electric vehicles in both the commercial and passenger segments. – Autocrat] Continue reading →

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