Academy Awards Delayed Again to April 2021

Posted on 15 June 2020 by Ken Zino

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the ABC Television Network today announced the 93rd Oscars ceremony will move to Sunday 25April 2021, because of the global pandemic caused by COVID-19. The show, which will air live on ABC, was originally scheduled for 28 February  2021.

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, initially scheduled to open to the public on 14 December 2020, will now open on 30 April 2021.
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COVID-19 Ups Auto Use, Mass Transit Drops

Posted on 15 June 2020 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on COVID-19 and Personal Vehicle Use v Mass Transit

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An unintended but not surprising effect of the COVID-19 plague see the use of mass transit plummeting as driving use remains resilient, consultancy LMC reports this morning,

“As US states and European countries come out of lockdown, a pronounced preference for driving is emerging,” LMC says. “Travelers are avoiding public transport because of capacity and reliability issues, and to avoid the risk of infection. This pattern is evident in nearly all countries — even those that have almost completely suppressed the virus — and across different data sources.” 
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NASCAR Finally Bans Confederate Traitors’ Flag at All Races, Venues and Properties

Posted on 11 June 2020 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on NASCAR versus systemic racism

It’s time to remember and act upon once again the principles we fought the Civil War over.

As the next step in a journey that started in July of 2015 when NASCAR stated the desire to make events the most fan-friendly, welcoming environments in all of sports,  NASCAR has now banned the Confederate Flag. (NASCAR Disavows Racist Confederate Flag) It did so at the urging of its only black driver Bubba Wallace Jr. who is about to field a car lettered with Black Lives Matter.

Yes, ongoing systemic racism and the ongoing murder in cold blood of black people by the police – including the gruesome George Floyd knee on the neck execution captured on camera by a brave young woman – has prompted NASCAR to ban the Traitor’s Flag entirely. The peaceful demonstrations, of course, continue to assert “Black Lives Matter.”
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Penske Automotive – May Business Improving

Posted on 9 June 2020 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Penske

“I expect further improvements to our operating results in June.”

Penske Automotive Group, Inc. (NYSE:PAG) today said there were “improvements in automotive retail business conditions” when compared to March and April.

All US automotive retail dealership sales and service operations are open.  As shelter in place orders impacted operations in April, new and used unit sales declined approximately 50% and service and parts gross profit declined by 52% when compared to April last year.  Continue reading →

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May US Budget Deficit, Gulp, $424 Billion

Posted on 8 June 2020 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino for AutoInformed.com on US Budget Deficit FY 2020 Oct-May

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The federal budget deficit in May was $424 billion, about double the amount in the same month last year, the Congressional Budget Office estimates. That increase stems from the economic disruption caused by the 2020 corona virus pandemic and from the federal government’s tardy response to it, followed by Congressional panic actions of  four pieces of legislation: the Corona virus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, the Families First Corona virus Response Act (FFCRA), the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act (PPPHCEA). (earlier Ten-Month US Budget Deficit Now at $867 billion. $Trillion Deficits Now Certain Under Current Economic Policies)

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Commerce, HHS, FDA to Fight Online Opioid Sales

Posted on 8 June 2020 by Ken Zino

The Department of Commerce and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today revealed a 120-day pilot program to curb illegal online sales of unapproved opioids.

Under the program, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will work with three domain name registries, Neustar (.us), Verisign (.com, .net) and Public Interest Registry (.org), to suspend the domain names of websites found to be illegally selling unapproved opioids.
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COVID-nomics – Plague Meets the Dreary Science

Posted on 8 June 2020 by Ken Zino

US Budgetary Effects of the 2020 Coronavirus Pandemic: Revenues collected since late March have been much weaker than those collected during the same period last year and much weaker than CBO projected earlier this year. The lower revenues result in part from the economic disruption caused by the pandemic, which has reduced wages and other taxable income, and in part from the government’s actions to address that disruption.

The federal government’s response included a variety of changes to tax rules. Some of them reduce the amount of taxes that businesses and individuals owe; others just allow taxpayers to defer paying taxes. CBO anticipates that most of the revenues affected by those deferrals will be collected in July, some will be collected in later years, and some will be permanently lost. CBO does not have an estimate of the amounts that fall in each of those categories.
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Milestones – VW Chattanooga One-Millionth Vehicle

Posted on 7 June 2020 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInfromed.com on VW Chattanooga

The Passat marked Volkswagen’s return to assembling vehicles in America, after the Westmoreland facility in Pennsylvania closed in 1987.

Volkswagen has achieved a production milestone at its Chattanooga, Tennessee assembly plant with the completion of its one-millionth vehicle, an Aurora Red Metallic 2020 Volkswagen Passat R-Line. The plant has been producing Passat vehicles since 2011. Ground was broken in 2009 for what was to become the world’s first LEED-Platinum certified manufacturing facility.

Since then, Volkswagen Chattanooga has grown to employ approximately 3,800 people, produced more than 700,000 Passat vehicles, 100,000 Atlas vehicles, and recently started production of the 2020 Atlas Cross Sport and the facelifted 2021 Atlas. In that time, Chattanooga-assembled vehicles have been exported to Canada, Mexico, Russia, South Korea, and the Middle East.
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Groupe PSA, Punch Powertrain Expand EV JV

Posted on 5 June 2020 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Groupe PSA, Punch Powertrain Expand EV JV

The new firm should be operational by Q3 2020.

Groupe PSA and Punch Powertrain signed an agreement to establish a second Joint Venture and expand their strategic electrification partnership, to contribute to fight against climate change. (Groupe PSA Q1 2020 Revenue -15% at €15.2 Billion, PSA Group – Lease New Plug-In Hybrid and EVs at Free2move, Mobility Roll of the Die – FCA and PSA Merger)

Punch Powertrain holds majority control (61/39) in the new Joint Venture, which will design, manufacture, and supply Punch Powertrain’s DT2 dual clutch transmission for the next generation of mild hybrid electric (MHEV) and plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) vehicles. Continue reading →

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It’s Come to This – Mazda Digital MotorSport

Posted on 5 June 2020 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on digital motorsports

A digital car like rendering, but a car-like experience?

Mazda says it is aiming to gain more fans by “conveying the joy of driving a car” to the wide range of people who love Digital Motor Sport. You can quibble about the use of ‘drive’, but various virtual driving events are growing in  popularity. (Porsche E-sports – First Global Virtual Racing Series?, NASCAR Finish Line Tweaked with E-Racing as COVID Thrives, eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series to Bootup)

Whether this is a temporary or lasting Covid influence people all over the world can connect online and enjoy the same digital conditions regardless of country, region, language or generation.
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US International Trade Deficit Soars in April to $50 Billion

Posted on 4 June 2020 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com anyzing the Trump and Covid economic slump

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The US  international trade deficit in goods and services increased to $49.4 billion in April from $42.3 billion in March, as exports and imports saw their largest monthly declines in history. It is the latest indicator that economy is struggling during the COVID-19 crisis according to Commerce Department data. The bad news increases if you consider the unemployment crisis.

  • The April petroleum surplus ($3.2 billion) was the highest on record. Based on the current definition of the petroleum series which was established in 1978. Click here for more information.
  • April exports of automotive vehicles, parts, and engines ($3.8 billion) were the lowest since March 1992 ($3.6 billion). Click here for more information.
  • April imports from Canada ($15.0 billion) were the lowest since July 1999 ($14.6 billion).

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Must See! Virtual Viral Tour of Mercedes Museum

Posted on 2 June 2020 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on the new drone video of the Mercedes-Benz Museum, May 2020.

Wow!

With the reopening in mid-May 2020, the Mercedes-Benz Museum debuted a new drone video. Alongside the “magical installations, the highly dynamic clip casts a spell of enchantment on the viewer with flight sequences that top anything seen to date,” in the hyperbolic view of the communications department.

Well, they were not alone. It was a success right from the start: the video has already been viewed a total of around six million times in the first few days. Do not miss this wild ride unless you are prone to motion sickness or abhor flying roller coasters.
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Milestones: Volkswagen Completes Promised Argo AI Funding

Posted on 2 June 2020 by Ken Zino

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Self Driving - Argo, Ford and Volkswagen CooperationVolkswagen AG and Ford Motor Company created news back in January of 2019 when they announced the first formal agreements in a broad alliance that had far reaching implications in Europe, South America and Africa – ultimately globally. (Volkswagen and Ford Alliance Under Study, Volkswagen and Ford Announce Alliance Without Cross Equity)

As an unseen – or at least unannounced – development then, Volkswagen’s investment in Argo AI was finalized yesterday on June 1. As an outgrowth of the intended cost sharing Ford and Volkswagen last July announced a collaboration with Argo AI to introduce autonomous vehicle technology in the U.S. and Europe. In theory, this spreads costs. However, one of the many major challenges presented is how the technology is integrated at the brand level? Stay tuned for the answers that have yet to appear in showrooms. (Ford Wants Fully Autonomous Ride-Sharing Car in 2021, Volkswagen Group Debuts Investment Plan for 2020-2024, Volkswagen Joins Ford by Investing in Argo AI) 
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Rolls-Royce on CS Rolls’ Record Run in a Wright Flyer

Posted on 1 June 2020 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on CS Rolls - founder's pioneering flight

In a flight lasting 95 minutes, Rolls achieved two milestones.

Rolls-Royce says that at 6.30 pm on 2 June 1910, Charles Stewart Rolls took off solo in a Wright brothers biplane from Swingate aerodrome, near Dover, to achieve the world’s first non-stop double crossing of the English Channel by airplane. His departure was repeatedly frustrated by high winds, fog, or mechanical problems. Finally, conditions were calm and clear. Among the spectators on the cliffs were Rolls’ parents, Lord and Lady Llangattock, and his sister and brother-in-law, Sir John and Lady Shelley. He was in a Wright Flier.

Louis Blériot had stunned the world with the first powered flight from France to England in July 1909. “It is the only time I have succeeded in taking ten gallons of fuel in and out of France without paying duty,” CS Rolls later quipped. Continue reading →

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Auto Assembly Plant Restarts  – Yes, Maybe and Unknown

Posted on 1 June 2020 by Ken Zino

FCA, GM, and Volkswagen announced planned to restart production at four plants during the week of 31 May 2020.

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Auto Assembly Plant Restarts

Click to Enlarge.Courtesy of the Center for Automotive Research.

FCA’s Belvidere Assembly Plant in Belvidere, Illinois is scheduled to begin production on 1 June at an estimated weekly production capacity of 6,430.

GM announced plans to restart production at its plants in Arlington, Texas and Fairfax, Kansas. They will begin production with one shift.

Volkswagen said its plants located in Puebla, Mexico, is scheduled to begin production during this week at a weekly production capacity of 15,309 units.

The following table depicts automakers who previously announced restart dates before the week of 20 May 2020 that have not publicly confirmed the restart of their operations.
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