NHTSA Verifies Additional Chrysler Takata Fatality

Posted on 19 December 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on NHTSA Verifies Additional Chrysler Takata Fatality

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) this morning verified another Takata airbag inflator rupture fatality, bringing the total number of Takata fatalities confirmed this year to five on vehicles that were recalled.

One person died in a recent crash in a 2010 Chrysler 300 where the Takata driver’s side air bag inflator ruptured –  sending shrapnel into the interior. This brings the total of Takata fatalities to 24, and the third confirmed this year in a Fiat Chrysler sedan. Continue reading →

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Encore Performance – 2023 Toyota Prius

Posted on 16 December 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Encore Performance – 2023 Toyota Prius

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Toyota (NYSE:TM) Prius enters the 2023 model year when it is now scheduled to appear in US showrooms next month as a hedge against the ongoing auto industry rush to convert to EVs. With nine hybrid models, soon to be ten with the addition of the all-new Toyota Crown, two plug-in hybrid models, the new bZ4X battery electric vehicle and the zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell Mirai, Toyota will offer 14 electrified vehicles next year it said today in a release.

Development goals appear to be based on styling and marketing and not breakthrough jumps in technology at conservative Toyota. This approach has generally served Toyota and its customers well when it comes to quality and durability. It is however getting pushed by other makers in the technology race. Worse, perhaps, the capital markets are questioning Toyota’s strategy at a time when capital is needed. (Autoinformed.com: First Look: Toyota Crown Returns to the US; Toyota to Cut AA Shares for Sustainable Development) Continue reading →

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Safety First – NASCAR and RealResponse to Provide Participants with Anonymous Squawk Tool

Posted on 16 December 2022 by Ken Zino

NASCAR and RealResponse yesterday announced a partnership that provides NASCAR and national series industry members with what’s said to be “a safe and anonymous tool to secure feedback, report concerns and seek assistance from professionals in multiple areas of expertise.” The collaboration will provide any NASCAR national series team member with the ability to confidentially reach out to express concerns or report issues via a customized communication tool. NASCAR personnel receive the encrypted and anonymous messages directly and designate a subject matter expert to respond immediately to the concern.

This appears to be a response to the critics of the Next Gen car introduced for the 2022 season, which injured some during rear impacts – either being hit from behind or spinning off backwards into a wall. It clearly poses image problems for NASCAR, if drivers or fans or media think safety is not being, well, emphasized. The next Gen Car did in our view result in some positives. There were 19 different race winners, 20 adding the All-Star Race Ryan Blaney won, five first-time winners,  and a strong championship fight. Continue reading →

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Honda Alabama Begins Making Largest Pilot SUV Ever

Posted on 15 December 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Honda Alabama Begins Making Largest Pilot SUV Ever

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Associates at Honda Alabama Auto Plant (AAP) today started production* of an all-new 2023 Pilot and Pilot TrailSport. Honda has produced more than 2 million Pilots in the US since 2006. The new Pilot was designed at the Honda Design Studio in California; developed by engineers at the North American Automotive Development Center in Raymond, Ohio.

The largest Honda SUV ever, the Pilot is longer and wider than previously. It’s available in five trim levels: Sport, EX-L, Touring, Elite and TrailSport**. The mid-size, three-row SUV has a  stronger and more capable platform that also provides more passenger and cargo space. With an optional opening panoramic sunroof, Pilot is the only vehicle in its class to combine 8-passenger seating and this roof type. Continue reading →

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More Horsepower for All 2024 Mustang Engines Next Summer

Posted on 15 December 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on More Horsepower for All 2024 Mustang Engines Next Summer

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In a release today, Ford Motor said that all seventh-generation 2024 Mustang engines will have more horsepower, starting with the Dark Horse rated at 500. It has a fourth-generation Coyote V8 engine with 500 horsepower and 418 ft.-lb. of torque* to set a new high for Mustang street and track performance, and the most powerful non-Shelby edition ever.

The Coyote engine was upgraded  to include a balanced crankshaft and forged piston connecting rods – the latter first introduced in the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 – to handle higher cylinder pressures and piston speeds. Mustang Dark Horse also has strengthened camshafts for track-durability needs, including extended operation closer to its 7500-rpm redline. Continue reading →

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US Wholesalers at $9671 Billion Post 20% Increase in 2021

Posted on 14 December 2022 by Ken Zino

US merchant wholesalers had sales of $9,671.3 billion in 2021, a 20.4% increase from $8,034.8 billion in 2020, according to estimates from the Annual Wholesale Trade Survey (AWTS) released today by the U.S. Census Bureau. The AWTS includes statistics about merchant wholesalers of durable and non-durable goods; manufacturers’ sales branches and offices; and wholesale electronic markets, agents and brokers. It produces estimates of sales, e-commerce sales, inventories, purchases and operating expenses.

The latest data along with plummeting fuel prices and decreasing inflation are evidence that the Biden Administration economic program is producing promised results in spite of ongoing Republican opposition. In fact, some maintain that the Democrats are now the party of business after the disastrous Trump years. Continue reading →

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Mercedes-Benz Outlines EV Drive Systems Production Sites

Posted on 14 December 2022 by Ken Zino

In Stuttgart this morning Mercedes-Benz said it continues to realign its global production network* towards electric vehicles as it prepares to go fully electric by the end of the decade. That is caveat “wherever market conditions allow.” Mercedes-Benz is changing its production setup for electric drive systems – batteries**, electric drive units and axles – starting in 2024, following the realigned production setup for electric vehicles based on future vehicle architectures announced earlier this year. (AutoInformed.com: Mercedes-Benz Digital ESG Touts Cutting CO2 Emissions; Mercedes-Benz – New Platforms Electric Only From 2025)

“Plug-in hybrids and fully electric vehicles are expected to account for around half of unit sales by as soon as 2025. Conventional drive units will remain part of the Mercedes-Benz drive portfolio in the medium term. With increasing electrification, demand will shift towards e-mobility components, batteries and electric drive systems.,” Mercedes said. Continue reading →

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Ram Recalls 1.3 Million Pickups for Sudden Tailgate Openings

Posted on 14 December 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Ram Recalls 1.3 Million Pickups for Sudden Tailgate Openings

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Chrysler (FCA US, part of the Stellantis mega-merger) is recalling more than 1.3 million 2019-2022 model-year Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks. The tailgate may not latch properly due to misaligned tailgate strikers. Misaligned tailgate strikers may not properly latch the tailgate, which may cause an unintended tailgate opening while driving or stationary.

Customers, however, will not be notified until January 2023. Stellantis advises owners to secure cargo in the beds. Vehicles equipped with Ram’s multi-function tailgate and Ram 1500 Classic pickups are unaffected. Also excluded are vehicles equipped with sensors that alert drivers to insecure tailgates. Continue reading →

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EPA Automotive Trends – 2021 Fuel Economy at Record High. Emissions at Record Low.

Posted on 13 December 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on EPA Automotive Trends - 2021 Fuel Economy Record High. Emissions Record Low.

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The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released its annual Automotive Trends Report, which shows that for model year (MY) 2021, vehicle fuel economy remained at an all-time high of 25.4 miles per gallon (mpg), and new vehicle real-world carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions decreased to a record low of 347 grams per mile (g/mi). The report also shows all 14 large automotive manufacturers achieved compliance with the Light-duty Greenhouse Gas (GHG) standards through at least MY2020.

The latest welcome gains in fuel economy and cleaner air started back during the Obama Administration. Despite fierce opposition against the Obama Administration, and during the Republican interregnum, better fuel economy and cleaner air continued to progress during the Biden Administration, which also faced opposition from the pollution of the false claims of Republican climate change disputers. CO2 levels have reached 420 parts per million. This is the highest for three million years or more. Worse, CO2 is increasing ~100 times faster than it did at the close of the last ice age. There is no dispute in the validity of the science. Neither is there a dispute about the fossil fuel industries’ financing of Republicans. Continue reading →

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November Global Light Vehicle Selling Rate Lessens

Posted on 13 December 2022 by Ken Zino

November’s Global Light Vehicle (LV) selling rate eased back to 84 million units/year from October’s revised 85 million units/year, according to data and analysis just released by the LMC Automotive consultancy.* 

In gross registration terms, November rose 3.2% YoY (year-on-year) to 7 million units. The year-to-date (YTD) figure now stands at under 1% below the corresponding period in 2021, though this is a weak base for comparison., LMC noted. China’s market decelerated sharply in November. In YoY terms, sales fell by 7% in November, ending five straight months of strong rebound. North America and Europe are still struggling YTD as supply-side factors continue to hamper sales. Continue reading →

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US Airlines Add Jobs for 18th Consecutive Month of Growth

Posted on 12 December 2022 by Ken Zino

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Scheduled US airlines with passengers added 3398 full-time equivalents *(FTEs) in October for  the 18th consecutive month of job growth, the USDOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics said today as the Biden Administration economic recovery continued.

The 25 US scheduled passenger airlines reporting data for October 2022 employed 470,428 FTEs, 3398 FTEs (0.73%) more than in September 2022. October’s total number of scheduled passenger airline FTEs is 18,076, 4% above pre-pandemic October 2019. United led scheduled passenger carriers, adding 1472 employees; Southwest Airlines added 1107; and Delta added 488. Continue reading →

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Biden Admin Making American Manufacturing Great Again

Posted on 12 December 2022 by Ken Zino
AutoInformed.com on GM's electric vehicle technologies. Photo courtesy of and copyright GM.

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Today, the DOE Loan Programs Office (LPO) announced approval of a loan up to $2.5 billion to Ultium Cells to finance the construction of three manufacturing plants to make electric vehicle lithium-ion battery cells in Lansing, MI; Lordstown, OH; and Spring Hill, TN. The funding was secured by the Biden-Harris Administration’s Infrastructure Law with $7.5 billion for EV charging and more than $7 billion for the critical minerals supply chains necessary for batteries, components, materials and recycling.  (AutoInformed.com on EVs – at $7B GM Makes Largest Announcement in History)

It is the latest fulfillment of the Biden Administration’s pledge to protecting American jobs, as well as the Constitution, in stark contrast to the last mis-administration. In Michigan, the Department of Energy also launched next steps in the Battery Workforce Initiative (BWI), a program geared toward supporting workforce training for good clean energy manufacturing jobs and the development of strategies to bring supply chains back home from overseas. Continue reading →

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Subaru 2023 WRX – $31,000 – $45,000

Posted on 9 December 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Subaru 2023 WRX - $31,000-45,000, Copyright Subaru

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Subaru of America today announced pricing on the 2023 Subaru WRX performance car. Generation Five of the WRX has so-called Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and a 2.4-liter turbocharged Subaru BOXER® engine. The tablet-style, 11.6-inch STARLINK Multimedia Plus infotainment system and EyeSight Driver Assist Technology are optional. The top-of-the-line WRX GT comes standard with restricted items such as  electronically-controlled dampers and Recaro® front seats.

The 2023 WRX arrives in retailers this Spring and is offered in four trim levels: Base, Premium, Limited and GT. At the heart of the matter, the WRX lineup has a 2.4-liter turbocharged Subaru Boxer® engine, rated at 271 horsepower at 5600 rpm and 258 lb.-ft. of torque from 2000-5200 rpm. Active Torque Vectoring is also standard across the line. Continue reading →

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US Bound – New Bio S.F. Edge – Maker Of Motoring History

Posted on 9 December 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on US Bound a New Bio S.F. Edge - Maker Of Motoring History

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A biography covering the life of Selwyn Francis Edge, commonly known as “SF,” a significant pioneer of motoring in Great Britain, was released in London this morning for sale in the American market.

In 1902, Selwyn Francis Edge drove a Napier to victory in the Gordon Bennett Cup, a race on public roads between Paris in France and Innsbruck in Austria. This it’s said was the start of serious British participation in motor racing.

SF was deeply involved in launch of the Brooklands race track in Surrey, England, setting a 24-hour solo driving record there when the circuit opened in 1907. SF was most closely associated with Napier and AC Cars, as he played a key role in the growth of car manufacture in Great Britain.
 Continue reading →

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Chief Marketing Officer Suzy Deering Abruptly Flees Ford Blue

Posted on 7 December 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Global Chief Marketing Officer Suzy Deering Abruptly Flees Ford Blue

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Ford Motor announced today that Suzy Deering is departing the company effective 9 Dec. It was an abrupt exit for Deering who has served as Ford’s global chief marketing officer for not quite two years, overseeing brand communication, e-commerce and digital strategy, as well as the go-to-market strategy for Ford Blue while supporting the future vision of Model e. Deering made the announcement on Wednesday on Linked In, likely prompting the Ford response. (AutoInformed.com: Ford Motor Structure Threatens Viability. Vast Reorg Coming)

Let the media speculation begin. However, as we have noted Ford Blue – the old internal combustion engine business that is being phased out is not the future of Ford Motor. Neither now is it the future of Ms. Deering. Continue reading →

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