Tag Archives: autoinformed.com

Ford GT Mk IV Runs Nordschleife at 6m15.977s

The Ford GT Mk IV (NYSE: F) has set the record as the fastest American OEM around the Nürburgring Nordschleife, Ford Racing said today. It is at the moment the third fastest overall car to ever lap the Nordschleife. The 6:15.977 ET also means that the GT Mk IV, as a track-only vehicle classified in the prototype category, is the fastest car currently available for purchase to lap the Nürburgring Nordschleife. Just bring money –  stacks of it – starting price of ~$1.7 million. Continue reading

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AAA – National Gasoline Prices Hit Four Year High!

Today’s average of $4.08 is ten cents higher than last week and $1.08 higher than a month ago. Crude oil prices have been surging, surpassing $100/barrel, as the conflict in the Middle East continues and the Strait of Hormuz remains closed. In 2022, gas prices remained elevated from March through August, peaking in June when the national average reached a record of $5/gallon for one week,” AAA said. Continue reading

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Ground Effects Workers – Yet Another UAW Supply Chain Win

Auto supply chain workers have voted to unionize at Ground Effects, the UAW said late yesterday in a  second UAW union organizing victory in two days. Workers at Ground Effects have been organizing since last year. “They began their campaign to form a union due to low pay, overwork, forced overtime, management abuse, and favoritism.,” the UAW said in a release. Workers at Ground Effects won a majority in a National Labor Relations Board election to form a union with the UAW. Ground Effects produces spray-on truck bedliners, in addition to other aftermarket parts. Continue reading

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AAA Promoting April as National Car Care Month

AAA said today that it is collaborating with industry organizations, including NAPA, the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), and the Auto Care Association to celebrate National Car Care Month this April. It wants to highlight the importance of preventive vehicle maintenance as drivers gear up for spring travel. Continue reading

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Webasto Detroit – Another UAW Supply Chain Win

The unionization at Webasto Detroit is “part of a growing movement of auto supply workers who want the benefits and protections of forming a union at their plants. Workers in the supply chain are a vital part of the auto industry but are paid well below their counterparts at assembly plants. They often face dangerous working conditions, including exposure to hazardous chemicals without proper precautions,” the UAW said. Continue reading

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Subaru Shows 2027 Forester Wilderness Hybrid SUV

As with the Subaru Forester Hybrid, the Forester Wilderness Hybrid uses an Atkinson/Miller-cycle [Delayed intake valve closing, compensated for with supercharging or other methods such as electric motors for recovering lost power – AutoCrat.] 2.5-liter Subaru Boxer® engine optimized for efficiency, paired with a high-capacity lithium-ion battery and electric motors to produce 194 horsepower. The next-generation Subaru Hybrid system uses a series-parallel configuration to integrate with the existing Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system. Continue reading

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Annals of Marketing – Manual Trans Return to Nissan Z

“We try to do something every year for the sports cars to keep them relevant and top-of-mind. We love working on these cars for our customers, and it’s a joy for us to continuously improve these things. We’ve been listening to our customers and talking to them. I think we’ve made a substantial improvement. The big thing everyone kept talking about is the desire for a manual transmission option for Z NISMO. It’s now here. Initially we didn’t launch with it because it’s a track-focused car,” said Paul Hawson, director of Advanced Product Planning & Strategy at Nissan North America. Continue reading

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Volvo Cars to Combine Polestar 3 Production in U.S.

“The move to consolidate global Polestar 3 production in Charleston help generate efficiencies for both companies, whilst also underscoring our confidence in the plant and the role it plays in our manufacturing footprint,’ said Håkan Samuelsson, chief executive of Volvo Cars. ‘The US is a very important market for Volvo Cars, both to support our growth ambitions as well as a strategic production site to meet regional and export demands.”** Continue reading

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NYAS – Honda To Show Fastport eQuad EV Delivery Van

Honda Motor Company (7267.T and NYSE: HMC) said today that it will show the all-electric Fastport eQuad EV Hybrid at a press event on 1 April 1 at the  Test Track where the New York Auto Show is held  [Level 1 Javits’s Center -AutoCrat.]* Fastport Chief of Operations Jamie Davies will share updates and lead a walk-around and demonstration of the vehicle.

“Fastport uses the Honda Mobile Power Pack (MPP) swappable batteries and is a software-defined vehicle (SDV) project. The Fastport eQuad in theory will help address urban congestion and rising consumer demand for faster, more frequent deliveries,” AutoInformed previously noted. Continue reading

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Chinese Owned Volvo Cars to Import Lynk & Co Cars in Europe

“With this new arrangement, we will leverage our commercial system to support Lynk & Co’s growth ambitions in Europe,” said Erik Severinson, chief commercial officer at Volvo Cars. “At the same time, it enables Volvo Cars and our retail partners to address a wider customer base. With the support of our retailers and our commercial organization, Lynk & Co can achieve its true potential in Europe.” Continue reading

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Ford Recalls for Diesel Pumps, Seat Belts, Rearview Cameras

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is conducting recalls for more than 252,000 vehicles for a variety of safety defects including electrical system programming management and manufacturing assembly errors. The largest involves the loss of the rearview camera image and advanced driver assistance (ADAS) systems, including pre-collision assist, lane-keeping assist, and blind-spot monitoring on model year 2022-2025 Lincoln Navigator, 2024-2025 Lincoln Nautilus, 2025 Lincoln Aviator and Explorer vehicles. Continue reading

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Milestones – Acura Celebrates 40th Birthday

My own personal experience and respect for Acura came in 1990. Covering the auto business Acura debuted of the groundbreaking NSX. This mid-engine sports car that would establish new levels of performance, refinement and drive-ability at a relatively inexpensive price compared to, oh, Ferrari and Porsche. I remembered a conversation with the esteemed and estimable John Dinkel of Road&Track who I had known years before I joined the magazine as its Detroit editor. Having gone to Japan to drive the car prior to its introduction, John – when I asked about it – just shook his head and said “they are going to own the world.” This opinion was not contested among the entire R&T staff as I recall. Ferrari performance, Japanese quality and an undervalued price. Continue reading

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Roman Well Unearthed at Goodwood Rolls-Royce Site

“Experts from Oxford Archaeology, one of Europe’s largest and longest-established independent archaeology and heritage practices, discovered the remains of a Roman well during the closing stages of a six-month investigation, following earlier geophysical surveying and exploratory trenching. The well would have stood seven tiers high and was constructed from 28 timbers. The team identified evidence that eight timbers had previously been used as they displayed mortices, tenons and chamfered edges. These woodworking features suggest they were formerly used in buildings, most likely as sill beams and posts, before being reshaped to build the lining of the well. Comparable examples of recycled timbers have been recorded at other major Roman settlements, including York, Carlisle and London,” Rolls-Royce said. Continue reading

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Corvette Grand Sport to Share LS6 6.7L V8 with Sting Ray

“Grand Sport has always been the Corvette for drivers who want the spirit of a race car in a package they can enjoy every day,” said Scott Bell, vice president of Global Chevrolet. “With the new Grand Sport and Grand Sport X, we’ve taken that formula into the mid-engine era, pairing a heritage-rich design with the most advanced Corvette technologies we’ve ever offered. The Grand Sport model has historically acted as a high-volume player in the Corvette lineup. We expect the Stingray and Grand Sport lineup combined to account for the vast majority of Corvette sales.” Continue reading

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AAA – Regular Gasoline Prices Up $1 in a Month

The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is up 10 cents from last week and one dollar since last month, according to the latest data released today by AAA.

“Crude oil prices remain high as the Iran conflict nears the 4-week mark. The national average could reach $4/gallon in the coming days for the first time since August 2022. Gasoline demand is also on the rise as spring break season continues, another factor in rising pump prices,” AA said. Continue reading

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