Category Archives: shows and events

Pre-Owned Vehicle Marketing – Stellantis, Cox Automotive Europe

Posted on 12 December 2025 by Ken Zino

Stellantis (NYSE: STLA. STLAM.MI) and Cox Automotive Europe today announced the signing of a long-term collaboration agreement that is intended at creating a remarketing ecosystem dedicated exclusively to Stellantis-owned Pre-Owned Vehicles, to be accessible to all professional operators in the … Continue reading →

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ICE Vehicle Mobile Apps – Wide Satisfaction Differences

Posted on 12 December 2025 by Ken Zino

The J.D. Power 2025 U.S. OEM ICE App ReportSM released this week shows that owner satisfaction with mobile apps for internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles is more and more shaped by reliable connectivity, intuitive design, and the availability of essential features. Nearly 80% of ICE vehicle owners indicate using the OEM-provided app, “yet engagement and satisfaction remain inconsistent year-over-year. High-performing brands are pulling ahead, widening the gap with competitors,” J.D. Power said.

“Connectivity and speed continue to be the most significant challenges for ICE vehicle apps,” said Violet Allmandinger, mobile apps lead at J.D. Power. “Owners want apps that work seamlessly every time, with core features that are easy to access and perform reliably. The top performers notably stand out, and this year’s scores reflect that.” Continue reading →

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Sports Betting Tax Revenues Soaring

Posted on 11 December 2025 by Ken Zino

The U.S. Census Bureau said today that its Quarterly Summary of State and Local Tax Revenue confirms a nationwide surge in sports betting revenue. The national total of state sales tax revenue from sports betting increased 382%, from $190 million … Continue reading →

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IndyCar Cheating – New Independent Officiating for 2026 Series

Posted on 11 December 2025 by Ken Zino

IndyCar said today it will have an independent officiating system presiding over the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT by Firestone. The not-for-profit organization, IndyCar Officiating Inc., will be governed by a three-person Independent Officiating Board (IOB). This board … Continue reading →

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Ford Expands Mustang Cup USA Series in 2026

Posted on 11 December 2025 by Ken Zino

Ford Motor (NYSE: F) announced today that a new class joins the Mustang Cup USA series in 2026 — Mustang Cup Classic. These Mustang models are eligible to compete in Mustang Cup Classic: the 2005-2010 FR500C, the 2008 FR500S, the … Continue reading →

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GM Canada Leadership Change – Jack Uppal new President

Posted on 11 December 2025 by Ken Zino

General Motors(NYSE: GM) today announced the appointment of Jack Uppal to president and managing director, GM Canada, effective 1 February 2026. Uppal is currently president and managing director, GM Africa & Middle East. Uppal has more than a decade of international experience in China, India, Singapore and the Middle East. He will report to senior vice president and president, GM North America, Duncan Aldred. The latest Canadian shuffle comes on month after the appointment of Kristian Aquilina, formerly president and managing director, GM Canada, to vice president of global Cadillac, effective 1 January 2026. Aquilina reports to Duncan Aldred. Aquilina had continued to oversee GM Canada operations. 

“Jack’s proven global leadership experience and deep knowledge of Canada will be instrumental for building a strong future for GM in Canada,” said Aldred. Continue reading →

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Toyota Enhances Arizona Proving Ground

Posted on 10 December 2025 by Ken Zino

Toyota Motor North America (NYSE: TM, 7203T) today celebrated the completion of new construction and updated offerings at its Arizona Proving Ground. Joined by local government officials during an event, Toyota leaders discussed the improvements for vehicle and automotive technology testing and development.

“We are proud to strengthen the offerings at our world-class facility in Arizona, not only for Toyota, but for any company that has use for these amenities,” said Monte Kaehr, group vice president of Vehicle Development Engineering at Toyota Motor North America’s Research and Development. Continue reading →

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Happy Nightmare! Holiday Travel to Set New Record

Posted on 10 December 2025 by Ken Zino

AAA* said today that it estimates that 122.4 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home over the 13-day year-end holiday period beginning 20 December  and ending 1 January 2926. This year’s forecast if accurate is a 2.2% increase over 2024, surpassing last year’s record of 119.7 million travelers.

“Year-end travel is a mix of family road trips, friend getaways, and tropical vacations” said Stacey Barber, Vice President of AAA Travel. “Holiday celebrations look different for everyone, but a common thread is the desire to travel, whether it’s returning to your hometown or exploring new destinations.” Continue reading →

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First Look – $34,995 Subaru Uncharted EV

Posted on 9 December 2025 by Ken Zino

Subaru of America (Subaru Corp. NASDAQ: FUJHF) today announced pricing of the new 2026 Uncharted EV due to arrive at dealers early next year. The all-new, all-electric compact crossover has standard Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive on most models, and an … Continue reading →

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Stellantis and Bolt Partner on Driverless Mobility

Posted on 9 December 2025 by Ken Zino

Stellantis (NYSE: STLA) and Bolt, a European mobility platform, today announced they have entered a partnership to jointly explore the development and use of Level 4 (driverless) autonomous vehicles for commercial operations across Europe. [The move is a defensive one as the Chinese undoubtedly are preparing to attack this lucrative segment – AutoCrat]*

“Our AV-Ready Platforms™ are designed for maximum flexibility, so we can deliver the best possible experience for European customers. Autonomous fleets can also contribute to a lower carbon footprint by enabling a shared and optimized mobility, reducing congestion and emissions. Partnering with Bolt is intended to bring this vision closer to reality, combining our engineering expertise with their operational reach in the hopes of making driverless mobility a trusted part of everyday life in Europe,” said Antonio Filosa, Stellantis CEO. Continue reading →

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Detroit Auto Show – Official U.S. Route 66 Centennial Project

Posted on 9 December 2025 by Ken Zino

The Detroit Auto Show today announced it has been designated an Official Route 66 Centennial Project by the U.S. Route 66 Centennial Commission. The exhibition is part of “The Drive Home VII: Route 66 – A Century of Adventure,” a … Continue reading →

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Stellantis Shows Two Autonomous Driving Vehicles

Posted on 5 December 2025 by Ken Zino

Stellantis (NYSE: STLA. STLAM.MI) today showed its latest automated driving technologies. This occurred at the so-called Hi-Drive Final Event in Brussels. [Hi-Drive is a European technology demonstration project dedicated to advancing vehicle automation. “The program focuses on expanding automated vehicles’ … Continue reading →

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Lotus Esprit Refresh offered by Encor

Posted on 5 December 2025 by Ken Zino

“Production of the Encor Series 1 is limited to 50 individually commissioned cars worldwide. Prices begin at £430,000, excluding taxes, options and the required donor Esprit V8. Commissioning takes place either at Encor’s Chelmsford, UK HQ or via private consultation for international clients. Deliveries will begin in Q2 2026 and continue through 2027,” Encor claimed. Continue reading →

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Japanese Top Consumer Reports 2026 Automotive Report

Posted on 4 December 2025 by Ken Zino

“We’re releasing new overall score rankings,” said Jake Fisher, CR’s Senior Director of Automotive Testing. “That’s really who makes the best cars along with new car reliability, used car reliability, which is really looking 5 to 10 year old models that are on out in the road, owner satisfaction, our road test scores, repair costs. … We have all the information for each one of the models on our website. That’s all live right now…. We are very excited that this year. We actually have the most amount of vehicles that we’ve had for a very long time. We’ve made some changes to make the survey easier to complete. … We’ve actually gone from 300,000 vehicles in the survey to 380,000 vehicles in the survey. That’s total.” Continue reading →

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F1 Driver’s Championship Goes Down to Last Race

Posted on 1 December 2025 by Ken Zino

Max Verstappen won the Qatar Grand Prix, yesterday beating Oscar Piastri to take second place in the Drivers’ standings. Verstappen is now 12 points behind championship leader Lando Norris. A bad pit stop call – staying on track during a safety car deployment – likely hurt both McLaren drivers, with Piastri finishing second. Verstappen’s driving prowess inarguable was one again in play. Also AutoInformed opines was a heartwarming side of Max that rarely comes into view. The disqualification of both McLaren cars after the Las Vegas race made Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen tied in points, and only 24 points behind leader Lando Norris. The last race weekend of the season occurs on December 5-7 – the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Continue reading →

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