Category Archives: shows and events

EV Market Stays as Customer Satisfaction Leader

Posted on 7 January 2025 by Ken Zino

The 2024 Car Buyer Journey (CBJ) Study by Cox Automotive* published today shows record highs in new-car buyer satisfaction, driven by advancements in digital tools helping seamlessly integrate online and in-dealership activities. This seamless integration – an omnichannel buying experience  in industry jargon – saves time, reduces repetition and ultimately improves satisfaction with the overall car-buying journey. The 2024 CBJ also highlights the growing satisfaction among electric vehicle (EV) buyers, who are once again leading the way in satisfaction during the car-buying process. Continue reading →

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BMW Panoramic iDrive and Operating System X Debuts

Posted on 7 January 2025 by Ken Zino

The BMW Group today is providing the first opportunity to experience the “close-to-production version of the new BMW iDrive, complete with its so-called centerpiece, BMW Panoramic Vision, at the Consumer Electronics Show in Los Vegas. The software behind it is the new BMW Operating System X, which acts as the intelligence hub behind the new display and operating concept. The system will be introduced in all new BMW models from the end of 2025.

“High tech meets highly intuitive operation, a quarter of a century of pioneering work and technological leadership in operating concepts has been channeled into the new BMW Panoramic iDrive,” said Frank Weber, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Development. “The foundations are provided by the new BMW Operating System X. With this advance, we are giving one of the world’s best and most comprehensive infotainment systems even greater capability and once again setting the industry benchmark in multi-modal interaction. Continue reading →

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Milestones 2025 – the Goodyear Blimp 100th Anniversary

Posted on 2 January 2025 by Ken Zino

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (NASDAQ: GT) will celebrate the 100th anniversary in 2025 of the Goodyear Blimp with flights over more cities to appearances at new events, and chances for fans to fly. There will also be “limited-edition … Continue reading →

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Census Bureau – U.S. Population at ~341,145,670

Posted on 2 January 2025 by Ken Zino

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that the U.S. population was  341,145,670 at midnight EST, on 1 January 2025. This is an increase of 2,640,171 (0.78%) from 1 Jan 2024, and 9,696,329 (2.93%) from Census Day on 1 April 2020. The Census Bureau’s Population Clock displays simulated real-time growth of the U.S. and world populations. Continue reading →

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BMW i Ventures Buys into Phoenix Tailings

Posted on 30 December 2024 by Ken Zino

BMW i Ventures announced today an investment in Phoenix Tailings, a inventive metals production company dedicated to creating a zero-waste, zero-emission future. The Series B financing, which was led by Envisioning Partners and included additional participation from Yamaha Motor Ventures and Escape Velocity, will enable Phoenix Tailings to scale its rare earth processing operations to produce ~200 tons of rare earth metals annually. The output can be used in electric motor magnet , batteries, semiconductors – among other applications.

Phoenix Tailings says it was “founded in Cambridge, Massachusetts  to transform how critical metals are produced – metals essential to the technologies that power modern society.” The nascent firm was heavily subsided by U.S. taxpayers via the United States Departments of Energy and Defense, as well as the State of Massachusetts. With the monies, Phoenix Tailings secured initial off-take agreements, validated its technology to process mining waste, and hired a team of workers to make the metals. Continue reading →

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Hyundai Claims EV Altitude Change Record

Posted on 26 December 2024 by Ken Zino

Hyundai Motor Company said today that an IONIQ 5 recorded a record-breaking total elevation change of 5802 meters over a +4900 km run across India. The publicity route began in Umling La in Ladakh, through steep Himalaya mountain passes, to the finish in the coastal region of Kuttanad, Kerala. (Read AutoInformed.com on: Hyundai Revises Ioniq EV for 2022 with New Platform) Continue reading →

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Greetings from the White House Diplomatic Reception Room

Posted on 25 December 2024 by Ken Zino

“The holidays have always held a special place in our hearts, and we’ve loved opening the doors of the People’s House wider and wider each year, continuing the spirit of goodwill and gratitude. America’s story is your story, and we hope you feel at home here,” said the President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. Continue reading →

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Nissan and Honda Sign Integration MOU!

Posted on 23 December 2024 by Ken Zino

Nissan Motor Co. (7201T. NSANY ADR) and Honda Motor Co. (NYS: HMC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to start discussions and considerations toward a business integration between the two companies through the establishment of a joint holding company. In effect this will be the merger of the two companies with Honda as the stronger member so to speak given Nissan’s perilous operating results. It also raises questions about the continuance of Honda’s business ventures with General Motors.* What it does potentially do is create the world’s third largest automaker with potential annual sales of ~8-9 million, behind Toyota and struggling Volkswagen.

AutoInformed opines that as with all such complex multi-national corporate mergers, the details at the outset and more importantly in the final agreements and their implementation are key to its success. Given the twists and turns of the road and diverse corporate cultures of the participants – where there are no balance sheet entries – this is an endurance race that makes the 24 hours of Le Mans look like a 30-second TV spot. It also likely makes the venture subject to US SEC regulations, including form 4F and forward looking statements. Continue reading →

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2025 Corvette ZR1 – 2.3 Seconds 0-60 MPH

Posted on 20 December 2024 by Ken Zino

The 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is the fastest car ever built by an American auto manufacturer. At a test track in Germany in October 2024, General Motors (NYSE: GM) President Mark Reuss drove a 2025 Corvette ZR1 233 mph, setting a top speed record for any current production car priced under $1 million.* The Corvette team set this two-way average speed on the northbound and southbound straightaways of the High-Speed Oval Track at ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg. Now building on the marketing campaign, Chevy said this week that a 2025 Corvette ZR1 with 1064 horsepower is the quickest Corvette ever, achieving 0-60 mph in 2.3 seconds with the optional ZTK Performance Package. The 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is the fastest car ever built by an American auto manufacturer. At a test track in Germany in October 2024, General Motors (NYSE: GM) President Mark Reuss drove a 2025 Corvette ZR1 233 mph, setting a top speed record for any current production car priced under $1 million. Now building on the marketing campaign, Chevy said this week that The 2025 Corvette ZR1 with 1064 horsepower is the quickest Corvette ever, achieving 0-60 mph in 2.3 seconds with the optional ZTK Performance Package. Clearly waiting is the next event – a Nürburgring run, AutoInformed opines.* Continue reading →

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EU Car Sales Weak Again in November

Posted on 20 December 2024 by Ken Zino

During November 2024, new EU car registrations fell by 1.9%. France led with a sharp 12.7% decline, followed by Italy (-10.8%), while the German market (0.5%). stagnated slightly [read AutoInformed on November Western European Car Sales Up]* Among the four most significant EU markets, only Spain recorded positive growth (6.4%), according to data from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, aka ACEA derived from its French name.**

“Eleven months into 2024, new car registrations remained stable (+0.4%), reaching 9.7 million units. While the market in Spain performed positively (+5.1%), declines were witnessed in France (-3.7%), Germany (-0.4%), and Italy (-0.2%),” ACEA said in its monthly sales release. Continue reading →

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Milestones – Sculptor Charles Sykes – Spirit of Ecstasy Creator

Posted on 18 December 2024 by Ken Zino

“Best known to posterity as the creator of the Spirit of Ecstasy, Charles Sykes was a multi-talented artist with deep connections to the principal players in the Rolls-Royce story. His professional and artistic relationship with Eleanor Thornton was pivotal in his work, for which she was perhaps his greatest muse; he also benefited from two powerful patrons in Lord Montagu of Beaulieu and Claude Johnson, on whose behalf he produced some of the finest and most enduring works of art. His paintings of Rolls-Royce motor cars uniquely capture their grace and beauty, and in his depictions of their almost exclusively aristocratic owners, he provides a fascinating window into a world that has now vanished,” said Andrew Ball, Head of Corporate Relations and Heritage, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. Continue reading →

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US Auto Sales Forecast Trump Bump or Bumpy 25?

Posted on 17 December 2024 by Ken Zino

The experts at Cox Automotive said today that the U.S. Automotive forecast for 2025 is likely positive with what they termed the Goldilocks economy – not too hot nor too cold but just right.

“Instead of a slowing economy, we have a stabilizing economy and most importantly, a stabilizing labor market,” said the estimable Jonathon Smoke Cox, Automotive chief economist. “We can stop fretting about a soft landing and acknowledge we’ve navigated restrictive rates, slowing job growth and increasing unemployment. But as we end 2024, momentum is back on our side. And the labor market is expected to remain at full employment,” said Smoke. Continue reading →

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Toyota Slashes 2025 Electric Vehicle Prices $6000

Posted on 17 December 2024 by Ken Zino

Toyota said today in Plano Texas that the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price* (MSRP) for the 2025 bZ4X is $6000 lower for the XLE grade and $5380 lower for the Limited grade.** The 2025 bZ4X also adds a new Nightshade edition, making it the first-ever Toyota Nightshade BEV. There is more standard driver assistance technology on the Limited grade, including Traffic Jam Assist, Lane Change Assist, and Front Cross Traffic Alert.

“For drivers thinking about going all electric, the Toyota bZ4X just made the choice even easier,” Toyota said. “With a smooth, quiet ride, and an EPA estimated range rating of up to 252 miles on FWD models, the bZ4X is a great value for drivers that want a BEV from a trusted brand. For 2025, that value starts at an MSRP of $37,070 on the XLE FWD grade, a reduction of nearly 14-percent. Continue reading →

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December U.S. Auto Sales Start Strong

Posted on 13 December 2024 by Ken Zino

The Q4 2024 Cox Automotive Dealer Sentiment Index (CADSI) released today shows growing optimism among U.S. auto dealers. Despite current weak market conditions, the post-election survey indicates increasing dealer confidence. The final Auto Market Report video of the year, noted that after a very strong November, December appears to be off to a strong start.

“We saw a surge in the outlook, technically the largest surge we have had quarterly in the history of the data,” said  Cox Automotive Chief Economist Jonathan Smoke. “It is the best fourth quarter since 2021, which was the most profitable quarter in dealer history.” Continue reading →

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Stellantis and CATL JV for LFP Battery Plant in Spain

Posted on 10 December 2024 by Ken Zino

Stellantis (NYSE: STLA )* and CATL (Shenzhen 300750) today announced they have reached an agreement to invest up to €4.1 billion to form a joint venture that will build a large-scale European lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery plant in Zaragoza, Spain. Designed to be carbon neutral, the battery plant will be implemented in several phases and investment plans. The transaction is expected to close during 2025 and is subject to customary regulatory conditions.

“Stellantis is committed to a decarbonized future, embracing all available advanced battery technologies to bring competitive electric vehicle products to our customers,” said Stellantis Chairman John Elkann. “This important joint venture with our partner CATL will bring innovative battery production to a manufacturing site that is already a leader in clean and renewable energy, helping drive a 360-degree sustainable approach. I want to thank all stakeholders involved in making today’s announcement a reality, including the Spanish authorities for their continued support.” Continue reading →

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