April US Auto Sales About to be Highest Ever. Blip or Trend?

Posted on 29 April 2021 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on April US New Vehicle Sales Forecast

Truck/SUVs are on pace to account for 76.1% of new-vehicle retail sales in April.

New-vehicle retail sales for April 2021 are expected to be the highest ever recorded for the month of April, according to a joint forecast from J.D. Power and LMC Automotive just issued. Retail sales for new vehicles are projected to reach 1,325,500 units, a 110.6% increase compared with April 2020, and an 20.8% increase compared with April 2019, when adjusted for selling days.*

Total new-vehicle sales for April 2021, including retail and non-retail transactions, are forecast to reach 1,479,800 units, a 107.1% increase from April 2020 and a 7.8% increase from April 2019 when adjusted for selling days. Reporting the same numbers without controlling for the number of selling days translates to a 107.1% increase from April 2020 and a 12.1% increase from April 2019. The seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR) for total new-vehicle sales is expected to be 18.1 million units, up 9.4 million units from 2020 and up 1.7 million units from 2019. Continue reading →

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Boss-Napping at Renault’s Fonderie de Bretagne Ends

Posted on 28 April 2021 by Ken Zino

A group of employees of the Fonderie de Bretagne who were holding seven members of the company at the Caudan site in western France that makes parts for several Renault vehicles ended early this morning after 12 hours. At issue was the future of the plant and roughly 350 jobs. A CGT union spokesperson said the managers still refused to talk or bargain in good faith.

AutoInformed first became aware of the union action late yesterday when Renault issued an unusual statement on its website: “Renault Group strongly condemns these actions and calls for the lifting of the blockade and an immediate return to calm. Renault Group recalls that the search for a buyer is currently underway in order to maintain the site’s activities and ensure the continuity of jobs. This process must continue with dialogue and calm.” Continue reading →

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Penske Automotive Posts All Time Record Q1 Results

Posted on 28 April 2021 by Ken Zino

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Penske Automotive Posts All Time Record Q1 ResultsPenske Automotive Group, Inc. (NYSE:PAG) today reported the highest Q1 revenue, income from continuing operations, and earnings per share in company history. For the three months ended March 31, 2021, the company reported a 253.7% increase in income from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders to $182.5 million and a 253.1% increase in related earnings per share to $2.26. This compares to income from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders of $51.6 million, or $0.64 per share in the prior year, which was affected by the Covid pandemic. Foreign exchange positively impacted earnings per share by $0.05 in the first quarter of 2021. Total revenue increased 15.3% to $5.8 billion from $5.0 billion in 2020.

Penske – as a diversified international transportation services company – is a good leading indicator of the overall health of the transportation sectors with the caveat that it is heavily biased toward luxury brands. Continue reading →

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Ford Ion Park – New Global Battery R&D Site in Michigan

Posted on 27 April 2021 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on New Global Ford Battery R&D Site in Michigan

Dane Hardware, Ford Motor design and release engineer, and Mary Fredrick, Ford battery validation engineer, measure the voltage of a battery using a digital multi-meter at Ford’s Battery Benchmarking and Test Laboratory in Allen Park MI.

Ford Motor today announced a new global battery “center of excellence “ called Ford Ion Park in southeast MI. It is supposed to accelerate research and development of battery and battery cell technology, including future battery manufacturing – areas where Ford is lagging behind other automakers, notably General Motors in the US and global makers such as BMW, Nissan, Toyota and Honda. Continue reading →

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Suzuki, Subaru, Daihatsu, Toyota and Mazda form JV on Technical Specs for Next-Gen Vehicle Communications Devices

Posted on 27 April 2021 by Ken Zino

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Suzuki, Subaru, Daihatsu, Toyota and Mazda Reach Agreement on Joint Development of Technical Specifications for Next-generation Vehicle Communications DevicesSuzuki Motor, Subaru, Daihatsu, Toyota Motor and Mazda Motor announced this morning an agreement to jointly develop technical specifications for next-generation vehicle communications devices. The Japanese companies – led and dominated by Toyota – said they want “to promote the common use of communications systems, by using connected services to link automobiles and society with the aim of creating new appeal, value and services, to be standardized for early provision of safer and more convenient connected services.”

Within the field of CASE (connected, autonomous/automated, shared, and electric), which is bringing about major alterations in the auto industry, advances are being made in the connected domain. These include the communications and data aspects of technology and business such as cloud services, IoT, big data, and AI. These are the basic functions of the connected car. Regulators thus far appear to be oblivious to the anti-trust and monopoly or cartel implications of such consolidations and their possible negative effects on customer pricing. The industry views connected cars as a major new source of revenue. Therefore, more is better. Continue reading →

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2021 Mustang Mach-E GT and GT Performance Edition On Sale

Posted on 26 April 2021 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on 2021 Mustang Mach-E GT and GT Performance Edition

Unbridled Extend in marketing babble is a track- and closed-course-only take on Unbridled mode that balances power output for lap time consistency.

Deliveries of the Mustang Mach-E GT and Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition will begin in early fall and will continue through the end of 2021. Both will be  available for ordering this Wednesday. Estimated starting MSRP of the 2021 Mustang Mach-E GT is $59,900 and the Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition is $64,900 in the U.S. Both are eligible for the available federal tax incentive**. You can order your Mustang Mach-E GT here or via a Ford EV-certified dealer. (All-Electric Ford Mustang Mach-E ‘SUV’ Debuts in 2020, Ford Motor Recalls All 2021 Mustang Mach-E Crossovers)

Mustang Mach-E GT has electric all-wheel-drive and permanent magnetic dual motors, including an upgraded secondary electric motor that powers the front wheels for a combined power output of 480 peak horsepower and 600 lb.-ft. of torque. It aims for a 0-60 mph time of 3.8 seconds while targeting an EPA-estimated 250 miles of range.
 Continue reading →

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Gaming Technology for Autonomous Vehicles at Porsche?

Posted on 26 April 2021 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Gaming Technology for Autonomous Vehicles at Porsche

Virtual highway – A8 autobahn near Stuttgart Airport in a Game Engine simulation.

Porsche Engineering is using software from the gaming industry to develop so-called “intelligent vehicles” of the future. Game Engines generate photo-realistic images of various quality and help the physically correct behavior of objects in computer and video games. Among other functions, Porsche Engineering is now using these software packages for the virtual development and testing of highly automated driving functions. It’s a common practice at other automakers, too.

In theory, it shortens development times, saves costs and makes mobility safer, according to Porsche. Furthermore, in the nascent Porsche Car Configurator, Game Engines are intended to help the customer in the configuration of her vehicle in retail. In the future, customers in Porsche Centers will see an “almost photo-realistic, three-dimensional simulation of their configured vehicle” via a gaming PC with connected VR glasses. Continue reading →

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Salty Diversions – Maserati Multi 70 and Giovanni Soldini Break Channel UK-to-France Sail Boat Racing Record

Posted on 24 April 2021 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Maserati Multi 70 and Giovanni Soldini beat Channel Record

Cowes to Dinard is the second of three records sought in Maserati’s English Channel racing program.

Maserati Multi 70 and Giovanni Soldini won in a seagoing duel against Peter Cunningham’s MOD 70 PowerPlay and beat the Channel Record last week. They set sail off Cowes (UK) on 22 April at 9:13:40 GMT and they crossed the finish line off Dinard (FR) at 13:44:29 GMT, sailing 138 miles in 4 hours, 30 minutes and 49 seconds. With an average speed of 30.59 knots this was just under 4 minutes less than the competitor PowerPlay that finished the race with an elapsed time of 4 hours, 34 minutes and 6 seconds.

The Italian Team’s time is 18 minutes better than the 2015 record set by Lloyd Thornburg and Brian Thompson aboard Phaedo. The elapsed times have been collected by the two competing teams; they will have to be ratified by the World Sailing Speed Racing Council. Aboard the trimaran, Soldini sailed with a six-man crew: Ambrogio Beccaria, Vittorio Bissaro, Guido Broggi, François Robert, Carlos Hernandez Robayna and Matteo Soldini. Continue reading →

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Daimler Raises Financial Targets After Strong Q1 Results

Posted on 24 April 2021 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Daimler AG posts strong results for Q1 2021

More of a dream than the recent Daimler operational nightmares – if it continues?

Daimler AG (ticker: DAI) reported strong results for Q1 ending 31 March 2021 and raised its outlook for the full year. The Group’s total unit sales increased by 13% to 728,600 cars and commercial vehicles (Q1 2020: 644,300) due to the recovery of the global economy combined with what Daimler opines is “an attractive vehicle portfolio.” Revenue rose to €41.0 billion (Q1 2020: €37.2 billion) from favorable product mix and pricing. (Cash Crunch? BMW and Daimler to Sell PARK NOW Joint Venture to EasyPark Group, Daimler Earns €4.0 billion in 2020, Daimler to Spin-Off Daimler Truck into Separate Company)

The good operating performance in the first-quarter translated into an EBIT surge to €5,748 million (Q1 2020: €617 million). Adjusted EBIT, reflecting the underlying business, also multiplied to €4,970 million (Q1 2020: €719 million). China, the world’s largest vehicle market, was a key component in the comeback after it successfully fought off the Covid pandemic that Europe and the Americas are still struggling with. Continue reading →

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Reigning Champ Toyota Gazoo Racing Hypercar Set for 2021

Posted on 23 April 2021 by Ken Zino

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Toyota Gazoo Racing WEC GR010 Hybrid HypercarToyota Gazoo Racing will begin a new era with its GR010 Hybrid Hypercar when the road to the Le Mans 24 Hours opens at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium. This opening round of the 2021 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) on 1 May is a successor to the Group C period of the 1980s and 1990s, and the subsequent the LMP1 era that has now reached its conclusion. The new top category of endurance racing is the Le Mans Hypercar generation.

Reigning World Champion and three-time Le Mans winner Toyota Gazoo Racing today became the first manufacturer on the Hypercar grid in 2021, alongside Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus, with Audi, Ferrari, Peugeot and Porsche among those joining the battle in the coming years. Continue reading →

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Honda to Abandon IC Engines – Global Electrification by 2040

Posted on 23 April 2021 by Ken Zino

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Honda to Abandon IC Engines for Global Electrification by 2040In his first speech Honda Motor Co. President and Representative Director Toshihiro Mibe said the automotive giant will be all-electric globally by 2040.

As part of sweeping initiatives that will also drastically alter Honda’s motorcycle and small engine businesses that make Honda the world’s largest power unit manufacturer, Honda will also try to achieve carbon neutrality for all products and corporate activities Honda is involved in by 2050. Continue reading →

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NHTSA Taking Steps to Allow States to Set Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards and Zero-Emissions Vehicle Mandates

Posted on 22 April 2021 by Ken Zino

The U.S. Department of Transportation today endorsed President Biden’s January 20 executive order on Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis. NHTSA proposed to withdraw its portions of the so-called SAFE I Rule, which sought to preempt States, including California, from issuing their own greenhouse gas emissions standards and zero-emissions vehicle mandates.

The proposed action would establish a clean slate, enabling the Department to further the Administration’s fuel economy, equity, and climate change priorities — which include reversing unnecessary and potentially unlawful efforts to prevent state action. It is a repudiation of the anti-environmental polices of the disgraced previous Administration that was voted out last November.  Continue reading →

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Groupe Renault Posts Flat Results for Q1 2021

Posted on 22 April 2021 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Groupe Renault Results Q1 2021

Click to Enlarge.

Groupe Renault sold 665,038 vehicles during Q1 2021, up 1.1% compared to the first quarter of 2020. In a pre-emptive assertion over the lackluster performance, management claimed “in a context still disturbed by the pandemic’… this start of the year “confirmed the positive impact of the Group’s profitability-oriented commercial policy, with a price effect of over 6 points.”

Well, during Q1 2021, Group revenues were  €10,015 million (-1.1%). At constant exchange rates1, Group revenues would have increased by 4.4%. Automotive excluding AVTOVAZ revenues amounted to €8,566 million, down -0.3%. In addition to the change in inventories, which explains most of the negative impact of the volume (-6.5 points), revenues were adversely affected by a negative currency effect of -4.3 points. Continue reading →

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Volkswagen de México Exporting Taos SUVs to US

Posted on 21 April 2021 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com Volkswagen de México begins exports of Taos to US 16 April 2021

The right product for the booming US SUV market, now with a stable Administration, which is thus far disinclined to start trade wars.

Volkswagen de México is now exporting to the US the new Taos, which is produced at the Puebla plant. Production of the compact Taos began in October 2020 for the Mexican market. In early February of this year, Volkswagen de México announced the start of manufacturing of the SUV for export markets – with the first shipment of production units now underway. (US, Mexican Volkswagen Plants to Link with Industrial Cloud)

Since its foundation, Volkswagen de Mexico has produced more than 13 million of vehicles. Currently, the Puebla Plant produces the Jetta, Tiguan LWB and Taos models; the Silao Plant produces the engines EA888 and EA211, which are integrated in the production of vehicles for the Volkswagen Brand and Audi, in North America. Continue reading →

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Shown ‘n Go – Ford Performance Carbon Fiber Parts

Posted on 21 April 2021 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Ford Performance Lightweight Carbon Fiber Parts

Like racing this is not in-expensive at $1820.

Ford Performance Parts has four new aftermarket carbon fiber components for the exterior of the Mustang Shelby GT500*. The expensive parts are the first aftermarket carbon fiber accessories offered for the pony car since the latest-generation GT500 debuted last year. Each carbon fiber component delivers high strength and rigidity with low-specific weight and can withstand the high-energy forces generated by competition at the track or drag strip, according to Ford.

The weight of the carbon fiber hood vent and rain tray kit is trimmed to four pounds – half the weight of the stock parts. The front splitter with belly pan drops from seven pounds to four, the front bumper insert weighs just one pound, and the deck-lid trim panel weighs two pounds. Combined, the pieces weigh nine pounds less than the stock components. Continue reading →

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