US May Auto Sales – Record Prices as Sales Plunge -29%

Posted on 7 June 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on US May Auto Sales - Record Prices as Sales Plunge -29%

Soft sales and getting softer…

Memorial Day weekend was a bust for US light vehicle auto sales. As a result the whole auto market sped in reverse back to levels seen during the pandemic un-merry month of May 2020. May 2022 volume totaled 1.11 million units, down by -29% YoY. The annualized rate dropped by nearly 2 million units to 12.7 million units from 14.5 million in April of 2022. (AutoInformed.com on: US April Sales Up 6.5%. SAAR Down -21.9% YoY)

May had two fewer selling days in 2022, and even adjusting for the difference, sales still fell by -14% YoY. The  number of vehicles sold by selling day fell to 51,900 units from 60,400 units a year ago. With prices remaining at record high levels and monthly payments increasing as interest rates go up, retail sales are looking soft. Retail sales fell to ~945,000 units, down by -32% YoY. Fleet sales were also down in the yearly comparison, but they represented for 14.9% of total sales, up from 11.6% a year ago. Continue reading →

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IndyCar – Chevy Beats Honda in Final Belle Isle Race

Posted on 6 June 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on IndyCar - Chevy Beats Honda in Final Belle Isle Race

Belle Isle was a contest of strategies and speed. Tires and track position were key to an all green flag non-stop race.

Will Power driving a Chevy-powered Dallara for Team Penske won the final Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix on Belle Isle on Sunday before the street festival moves downtown in 2023.

It was the first victory for Power in 2022, the 2018 Indianapolis 500 winner. Leading a non-stop, green-flag race for 55 laps, Power took the checkered flag just 1.0027 seconds ahead of second place Alexander Rossi in a Honda-powered Dallara who was charging hard on better rubber using a three-stop strategy, versus Power’s two-stop gamble. Taking the Third podium spot was Scott Dixon in a Honda Dallara, also on a two-stop strategy. Continue reading →

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Caution-Free IMSA Belle Isle – Cadillac Wins DPi, Lexus GT3

Posted on 5 June 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Caution-Free IMSA Belle Isle - Cadillac Wins DPi, Lexus GT3

“It seems like it’s been feast or famine for the 01,” said team owner Chip Ganassi, whose team runs the number 01 and 02 cars. It was the team’s 63rd IMSA win.

Sebastien Bourdais and Renger van der Zande in the No. 01 Cadillac DPi-V.R won the final* IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar race on Belle Isle yesterday, with only two of the five classes racing on the tight, walled and unforgiving street circuit.

It was the second consecutive victory for the No. 01 Cadillac on the 2.3-mile, 14-turn street circuit, and the fourth in five races in DPi competition for Cadillac. Continue reading →

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Stellantis Gets Lithium Supply for NA EVs

Posted on 5 June 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Stellantis Gets Lithium Supply for NA EVs

Republicans oppose the Biden Administration’s Build Back Better plan, which would hasten the EV transition and help stop life-threatening weather.

Stellantis N.V. (NYSE / MTA / Euronext Paris: STLA) and Controlled Thermal Resources Ltd. (CTR) have signed a binding offtake agreement for CTR to supply battery-grade lithium hydroxide for use in Stellantis’ North American electrified vehicle production.

The agreement increases Stellantis’ decarbonized supply of  an essential raw material for electrified vehicles. (AutoInformed.com: Stellantis, Samsung SDI JV for NA Battery Manufacturing; Stellantis, LG Energy JV for North American Battery Production) Continue reading →

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IIHS – 2022 Jeep Wrangler Tips Over in Crash Test

Posted on 3 June 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on IIHS - 2022 Jeep Wrangler Tips Over in Crash Test

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A 2022 Jeep Wrangler 4-door* tipped over in the driver-side small overlap crash test in a repeat of a problem shown by an earlier model, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Structural modifications made by Stellantis did not eliminate the problematic safety issue.

“Even partial rollovers are dangerous, as they increase the chances that an occupant may be completely or partially ejected from the vehicle. That’s especially relevant for the Wrangler, which has a roof and doors that can be removed and lacks side curtain airbags,” said IIHS. Jeep has not responded to AutoInformed. Continue reading →

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US EV Purchase Consideration Up. Income Matters

Posted on 3 June 2022 by Ken Zino

Shoppers in America are more likely than ever before to consider buying a fully electric vehicle (EV). New EV entries are responsible for much of the added consideration. These new EVs, many from long-established vehicle manufacturers, are turning EV skeptics into likely EV considerers, according to the J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Electric Vehicle Consideration (EVC) StudySM. The percentage of shoppers who say they are “very likely” to consider an EV for their next purchase or lease rose to 24%, four percentage points higher than a year ago.

However, “The addition of new EV models has moved the needle on consumer consideration,” said Stewart Stropp, senior director of automotive retail at J.D. Power. “In fact, several new models from perennial mass market brands are at the top of that consideration list. Even so, more remains to be done in terms of transitioning from early to mass adoption. Though the study findings show a shift in favor of EVs, about 76% of new-vehicle shoppers say they are not ‘very likely’ to consider buying one.” Continue reading →

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Ford Motor US Sales Drop Again in May. Shakeout Coming?

Posted on 2 June 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Ford Motor US Sales Drop Again in May. Shakeout Coming?

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Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) today reported May 2022 U.S. sales results of 154,461 units, a decrease of -4.5% year-over-year. Car sales have declined -45% in the same period. During 2022 sales are off more than -13%.

The disappointing results came as the United Auto Workers and Ford leaders announced plans to add more than 6200 new U.S. manufacturing jobs in the Midwest, convert nearly 3000 temporary UAW-Ford workers to permanent full-time status and provide all hourly employees healthcare benefits on the first day of employment.

Ford Motor no longer bothers to hold press conferences covering monthly sales. Yesterday Jim Farley, President and Chief Executive Officer when asked at the Alliance Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference about Tesla and five other EV companies with a market cap above $20 billion – meaning the market is saying there are  at least six credible new entrants – said, “We’re going to see very large consolidation and big changes. I would say new EV companies probably will get simpler and Chinese will become more important… Continue reading →

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Nürburgring: 911 GT3 Manthey Performance Kit – $10,174/s

Posted on 2 June 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Nürburgring - 911 GT3 with Manthey Performance Kit - $10,174/S

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A 911 GT3 with the Manthey Performance Kit, powered by a 375 kW (~503hp) engine, posted a lap time of 6:55.737 on the Nürburgring  Nordschleife or North Loop.

This makes it exactly 4.19 seconds faster than the 911 GT3 without the kit, Porsche said today. The modifications focused on aerodynamics and chassis components. The new Performance Kit was developed between the Porsche engineers in Weissach and the Nordschleife specialists from Manthey in Meuspath. Continue reading →

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Toyota Adds Four New 2023 Hybrid Corolla Models

Posted on 1 June 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Toyota Adds Four New 2023 Hybrid Corolla Models

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Toyota said today that the 2023 Corolla line expands with four new Hybrid grades, including a more powerful hybrid system and optional all-wheel drive. It’s a half-step to the EV future that planet earth needs to survive.

On the retrograde gasoline side of the Corolla family, LE, the most popular version, now has the 169-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine used in all other Corolla fossil fuel burners. Replacing a 139-hp 1.8-liter engine, it is quicker by two seconds to 60 mph. It is also more slightly efficient, improving on the previous engine fuel economy ratings by more than 1 mpg per gallon with a manufacturer-estimated 31 city/40 hwy 34 combined MPG. Continue reading →

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Embracing the Inevitable? – Buick all EVs by 2030

Posted on 1 June 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Embracing the Inevitable? – Buick all EVs by 2030

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There’s an old saying in the auto media biz that brand management means logos get bigger. Buick today changed its logo while teasing a 2024 Electra EV that is coming to North America. Buick’s future EV products will use the Electra name as it transitions to an all-electric line by 2030.

The latest badge, the first tweak since 1990, will be body-mounted on the front fascia of Buick products starting next year. No longer circular, the badge incorporates a horizontal layout that builds upon Buick’s tri-shield, which has roots in David Dunbar Buick’s ancestral heraldry. Continue reading →

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Breathing? Toyota Connected Cabin Awareness Uses 4D Radar

Posted on 31 May 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Breathing? Toyota Connected Cabin Awareness Uses 4D Radar

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Toyota Connected North America* today introduced its Cabin Awareness concept technology that uses millimeter-wave, high-resolution 4D imaging radar to help detect occupants (including some pets) in cars and has the potential to detect them if they are left behind. The 4D imaging radar sensor, mounted out of sight above a vehicle’s headliner that can detect presence of a life form in the vehicle, even after a driver exits.

It has the capability to sense micro movements, defined as a heartbeat, motion and respiration of occupants across three full seating rows, the cargo area and footwells. It also classifies all occupants according to size, posture and position – supporting advanced safety applications. Continue reading →

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Honda Beats Chevrolet at the Brickyard. Record Purse Claimed

Posted on 31 May 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Honda Beats Chevrolet at the Brickyard. Record Purse Claimed

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The Indianapolis 500 purse record was set after a chaotic and red-flagged 106th race with winner Marcus Ericsson taking home $3.1 million from a total purse of $16,000,200.

The Chip Ganassi Racing Swedish driver’s prize in the No. 8 Huski (sic) Chocolate Chip Ganassi Racing Honda is also the largest winner’s payout ever for the claimed largest single-day sporting event. Ericsson has competed in 3 500s with a best finish of 11th in 2021. Before 2022, he had $709,934 in career 500 earnings. (AutoInformed: The Brickyard – Honda vs Chevy at Indy 500 Sunday) Continue reading →

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Mercedes-Benz and Daimler Van Software Recall on 164 Models

Posted on 31 May 2022 by Ken Zino

Mercedes-Benz USA is recalling 2017-2022 CLA-Class, GLA-Class, GLE-Class, GLS-Class, SLC-Class, A-Class, AMG GT-Class, C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, SL-Class, GLC-Class, CLS-Class, GLB-Class, and G-Class vehicles. In a directly related recall, Daimler Vans USA is recalling 2019-2021 Freightliner Sprinter, Mercedes-Benz Metris, and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vehicles. In all cases, an error in the communication module’s SIM card software can cause a mobile network connection failure, disabling the emergency call (eCall) system. Continue reading →

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Hyundai Expands Seat Belt Shrapnel Recall

Posted on 31 May 2022 by Ken Zino

Hyundai Motor America  is recalling 239,000 2019-2022 Accent, 2021-2023 Elantra, and 2021-2022 Elantra HEV vehicles – in effect recalling a failed recall. The front driver-side and/or passenger-side seat belt pretensioners may explode upon deployment sending metal fragments into the vehicle, striking vehicle occupants.

This safety defect recall expands and replaces NHTSA recall numbers 21V-796, 22V-069, 22V-218, and 22V-123 for Accent, Elantra, and Elantra HEV vehicles. All Accent, Elantra, and Elantra HEV vehicles already repaired under the previous recalls will need to have the new repair remedy completed. (AutoInformed: Hyundai, Kia Recall 2022 Seat Belts for Shrapnel Explosions) Continue reading →

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Stellantis, Toyota Expand with New Large Commercial Van

Posted on 31 May 2022 by Ken Zino

Stellantis N.V. and Toyota Motor Europe N.V. (TME) yesterday  announced the expansion of their existing partnership with an agreement for a new large-size commercial van, including a battery electric version. The new vehicle marks the third body type under the agreement, completing a full LCV line-up, with compact-, mid- and now a large-size LCV. (AutoInformed>Stellantis and Samsung SDI JV to Build EV Batteries in Kokomo; Stellantis to Repay Early €6.3B Fiat Credit Facility)

Stellantis and TME’s collaboration started in 2012 with the Toyota’s mid-size LCV produced at Stellantis’ Hordain plant in France, followed in 2019 by a compact-size LCV segment, produced at Stellantis’ plant in Vigo, Spain. The large-size LCV announcement allows Toyota to complete a full LCV line-up in Europe. It also – as many such emerging agreements do – offsets the ruinous development and production costs of the ongoing electrification of offerings demanded by governments and customers. Continue reading →

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