Category Archives: shows and events

First Look – Acura NSX GT3 Racecar

Posted on 8 July 2016 by Ken Zino

The NSX GT3 is produced by the Performance Manufacturing Center in Ohio, the exclusive manufacturing home for the new Acura NSX. Continue reading →

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Milestones – Honda Accord 40 Years Later

Posted on 30 June 2016 by Ken Zino

Baby Boomers made the Honda Accord, and Honda’s pioneering decision to build a plant in Ohio ultimately put the company in the automotive big leagues to the astonishment of Toyota and Nissan executives, who were, eventually, forced to follow. Continue reading →

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Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Most Fuel-Efficient SUV CR Tested

Posted on 30 April 2016 by Ken Zino

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid at 31 mpg combined in Consumer Reports testing has the best overall fuel economy of any SUV that doesn’t plug in, CR said today. It returned 26 mpg city and 36 mpg highway – better than most mid-size sedans. Continue reading →

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Toyota Prius Sets Parade Record at Alameda Air Field

Posted on 27 April 2016 by Ken Zino

More significant than a publicity stunt / photo op is that Toyota and Lexus have double the number of hybrids on the roads than any other auto manufacturer. Continue reading →

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Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Debuts in US After 3 Year Lag

Posted on 25 March 2016 by Ken Zino

The Outlander PHEV move follows the introduction of the Outlander last year in the U.S. after it was on sale for almost three years elsewhere. Even though SUV sales account for 40% of the U.S. market, poor Mitsubishi U.S. sales and the Great Recession that started in 2008 roughing up all automakers precluded plugging it in here. Continue reading →

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The Un-luck of the Irish – St. Patrick’s Day Drunks

Posted on 16 February 2016 by Ken Zino

St. Patrick’s Day – when it’s said everyone is Celtic – is sometimes heartbreaking because of drunk drivers behind the wheel. NHTSA says that during St. Patrick’s Day from 2009 to 2013, there were a total of 276 lives needlessly lost in drunk-driving crashes. Continue reading →

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Sprinter Extreme Concept – Strong, Work Ready

Posted on 11 February 2016 by Ken Zino

Take the heavy-duty Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Cab Chassis, hire long-time Benz customer RENNtech, and present the Sprinter Extreme as the ultimate work machine concept. That’s what Mercedes-Benz did today in Chicago. Stretching more than 20 feet from bumper-to-bumper, it’s over 95″ tall. Hauling 6400 pounds of payload and a towing capacity of 7500 pounds, it’s an impressive heavy-duty truck that looks like it came from Jurassic Park.

“Unlike most concepts, the foundation for the Sprinter Extreme can be ordered at a Mercedes or Freightliner dealership today with the help of our MasterUpfitter program.” says Bernie Glaser, Vice President of Mercedes-Benz Vans USA. Continue reading →

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Larry Gustin Donates Durant Papers to Sloan Museum

Posted on 19 January 2016 by Ken Zino

The Sloan Museum is the beneficiary of donation from Lawrence R. Gustin, aka Larry in auto circles, a distinguished automotive and Flint historian that includes the personal papers of William C. Durant, the General Motors founder.

Gustin, a Flint native, was a writer and editor at the Flint Journal from 1960 to 1984 and later assistant public relations director of Buick before retiring in 2005. He was and is an active supporter of  press organizations, including the Automotive Press Association.  Continue reading →

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Annals of Marketing – Frigid Lexus NX Photo Op

Posted on 21 December 2015 by Ken Zino

The small SUV was deep-frozen, stored for five days at -30°C (it started the first time) before being driven off down a London road. Continue reading →

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Porsche Dominates Endurance Racing During 2015

Posted on 21 November 2015 by Ken Zino

Porsche had a strong season with the overall victory at the 24 Hours in Le Mans, the Manufacturers’ World Championship earned at the penultimate round in Shanghai, the drivers’ World Championship in Bahrain. Continue reading →

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Cadillac XT5 after Dubai Desert Debut at LAAS

Posted on 19 November 2015 by Ken Zino

It’s said to be built on a unique chassis and structure. XT5 is 278 pounds lighter than the current SRX, 100 pounds lighter than Audi Q5, 650 pounds lighter than Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class – despite being seven inches longer. Time for the European luxury makers to go on diet or is snob appeal also glob appeal? Continue reading →

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Chevrolet Cruze Pricing Undercuts Civic, Corolla, Elantra

Posted on 18 November 2015 by Ken Zino

The battle of best-selling global compact cars continued today with Chevrolet pricing its brand new Cruze model $1980 cheaper than the Honda Civic LX, an acknowledged leader in the class. The formidable Cruze – Chevy’s bestseller globally – is also less expensive than the Toyota Corolla L (-$570) and the Hyundai Elantra SE (-$580). Continue reading →

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BMW, Deezer Expand Audio Choices

Posted on 10 November 2015 by Ken Zino

There is no limit on either the number of tracks selected or the data volume required. Moreover, when traveling outside Germany – in France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain or the UK – drivers have online access to everything the music services offer without incurring additional international fees or roaming charges.

Deezer is one of the major music providers with more than 35 million tracks in its library. It is available in more than 180 countries worldwide.

No word on North American applications yet. Continue reading →

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Cadillac Links with Public School on 2017 XT5 Debut

Posted on 10 September 2015 by Ken Zino

The upcoming XT5 is part of a new series of Cadillac crossovers, all bearing the “XT” designation, with the number indicating relative size. XT5 succeeds the current SRX, Cadillac’s best-selling product line worldwide, although the brand is regional when compared to the global luxury powerhouses of Audi, BMW and Lexus. Continue reading →

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One-Millionth Corvette back in National Corvette Museum

Posted on 3 September 2015 by Ken Zino

The car was damaged on Feb. 12, 2014, when it and seven other rare Corvettes tumbled into a sinkhole that opened beneath the museum’s Skydome area. After recovery from the sinkhole, the one-millionth Corvette was moved from the museum to the Design Center on GM’s Technical Center. Continue reading →

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