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- Toyota to Export U.S. Made Vehicles to Japan
- Nissan Claims to Kill Wireless Phone Charging Bugs
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- Q3 2025 Airline Profits in Trump Slump
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- Ford Motor Eliminates Model E in Profit Seeking About Face
- Wadda You Say? Personalized Sound at Nissan, Infiniti
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- Pre-Owned Vehicle Marketing – Stellantis, Cox Automotive
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- ICE Vehicle Mobile Apps – Wide Satisfaction Differences
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- Gen 3 2026 Nissan Leaf Less than $30,000? | AutoInformed on Milestones – Nissan Begins Assembly of 2013 LEAF EV in Tennessee
- ACSI – Customer Satisfaction with Autos Dropping | AutoInformed on New DOGE Scorecard Announced to Track Trump
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Tag Archives: autoinformed.com
New 2024 Mercedes-Benz CLA will be a Hybrid
Mercedes-Benz said today in Stuttgart that the new 2024 CLA Coupe has a revised front fascia, a radiator grille with star pattern and new rear diffuser. LED high performance headlamps will now be standard with the LED taillights. There are new paint colors Hyper Blue (exclusive to the CLA models) and Starling Blue, as well as three additional wheel designs in sizes up to 19 inches. The new 2024 CLA Coupe will arrive at U.S. dealerships later in 2023. FYI: Mercedes refers to the CLA as a coupe even though it has four-doors. Continue reading
Red Card – Premier League Scandal Rocks Stellantis Board
Exor – (EXOR.AS), the Agnelli family holding company that controls the English Premier League Juventus football club, will designate a successor director at the AGM in accordance with Article 19.3 of the Stellantis’s Articles of Association.
The billionaire Juventus Chairman Andrea Agnelli could be tried over the football club’s accounting procedures and alleged illegal commissions or payments, as well as false transactions. He also resigned today as president from Juventus and his position at Exor. Curiously the BBC – normally rife with Premier League football coverage – is not featuring this news item as far as I can tell. Continue reading
Current Flows – J.D. Power Now Tracking EV Parity
Today, the EV Index score is 47 (based on the most recent available data from November 2022), with some categories improving and others declining during the 12-month pilot period. The EV Index score and accompanying analysis will be available monthly. The index is of use to people who are considering purchasing, one of the reasons AutoInformed uses it. Continue reading
Electrifying – Fastest Corvette in History is a Hybrid
Not surprisingly, the E-Ray is the quickest production Corvette in history at 2.5-second 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) time with a quarter-mile in 10.5 seconds, according to General Motors. The 2024 Corvette E-Ray goes on sale in late 2023 as a 2024 model, priced ranging from ~$103,000 to $114,000 or more.* Production will be at GM’s Bowling Green Assembly facility in Kentucky. Continue reading
Becoming One of Us – Mercedes-Benz Recruiting Globally
Mercedes said “that people are more motivated, more efficient and happier when they are constantly developing and can contribute their personality and identity as is. The company creates and promotes equal opportunity and a culture of appreciation and respect. For example, Mercedes-Benz has set the goal of filling 30% of senior management positions with qualified women by 2030. The Management Board is already 37.5% female. Continue reading
December Global Light Vehicle Sales at 82M Down Again
China’s market was a major culprit with its sluggish end to 2022 . In China December raw sales were down almost 12% year-over-year (YoY), which LMC attributed to increased disruption and uncertainty with the abrupt ending to the zero-Covid policy. North America and Europe showed positive YoY growth for December, although both remained below their 2021 sales, -7% and -11% respectively. Continue reading
Posted in economy, news analysis, sales
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, December global sales, Ken Zino, lmc, oxford economics
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Marketing Annals – Chevy Trax Dream Chaser Contest Opens
Hyping the debut of the 2024 Trax this spring, Chevy is announcing a contest for a chance to become a “Lead Dream Chaser.” This is a three-month program will allow a person to pursue a lifelong dream or passion project. The Dream Chaser will share their journey on social media, get $100,000 and three months with the 2024 Trax. Continue reading
Posted in marketing, new vehicle
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, Chevy Trax, Everette Taylor, Ken Zino, Kickstarter
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American Honda Recalls more Talon Off-Highway Vehicles
Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled recreational off-highway vehicles and contact an authorized Honda Powersports dealer to schedule an appointment for a free inspection and repair, which includes proper tightening and thread deformation of the intake funnel screw. American Honda is contacting all known purchasers directly. Honda has received a total of 18 reports of incidents, including one report of a loss of control, resulting in a crash with minor injuries to the occupants. About 34,000 of the recalled Talons were sold. Continue reading
Posted in recalls, safety
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, cpsc, Honda Talon 1000 ROVs, Ken Zino
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Global Warming – GP ICE RACE 2023 Cancelled in Melting Alps
The GP ICE RACE 2023, planned for 27-29 January 2023, is cancelled due to the ongoing melting in the Austrian Alps. The organizers said today that they “reached this conclusion after consultations with partners and sponsors. Tickets already purchased will be fully refunded – there will be no replacement date.” Continue reading
Posted in global warming, racing
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, Ferdi Porsche, GP ICE RACE, Grossglockner, Ken Zino
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Racing Colors Revealed – Three Cadillac V-LMDh Daytona Cars
Cadillac today revealed the racing colors for the three new electrified V-LMDh race cars that will make their competition debut at the Rolex 24 at Daytona this month. The three designs represent the teams running the Cadillacs, each with a different color from the Cadillac V-Series emblem. Cadillac says each car uses one of the “primary colors” of the V-Series logo – No. 01 in gold, No. 2 in blue, red on the No. 31. (pace Newton, we know Gold isn’t a primary color in the classic sense, but light through a marketing prism it is.) Continue reading
Posted in marketing, racing
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, Daytona, FIA WEC, imsa, Ken Zino, lemans, Rory Harvey. Daytona, sebring
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Total Sales Flat in 2022 at 1.6M as Audi Delivers 100,000 EVs
“In a challenging and dynamic environment, our global team once again proved its resilience in 2022,” said Hildegard Wortmann, Member of the Board of Management for Sales and Marketing at AUDI AG. “Thanks to extraordinary team spirit, operational excellence and effective sales control, we were able to close out the business year successfully.”
Audi in a classic public relations move then switched the subject. “Overall, Audi delivered 118,196 electric models to customers last year, which is 44.3% more than in 2021ignoring that such a percentage was possible because of the small base number from which it derived. The business challenge comes from Audi’s previously stated strategy that deems starting in 2026, Audi will only introduce all-electric cars to the global market. Continue reading
Posted in electric vehicles, sales
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, Hildegard Wortmann, Ken Zino
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Automakers Rapidly Increasing EV Prices
AutoInformed thinks two factors are in play here: First demand for EVs is strong, particularly among affluent buyers. Second, EVs are more costly to develop and batteries are still expensive and the covid pandemic supply chain interruptions are making them scarce. One click bait headline had it that “EVs are Bringing Out the Worst in Us” because, among other things, a Hummer EV battery pack weighs as much as a Honda Civic. It consumes minerals that could otherwise be used to build several electric-sedan batteries or hundreds upon hundreds of e-bike batteries. Perhaps such thinkers are unaware of the ongoing mood amongst that tawdry cast of Capital characters along the banks of the Potomac who will not legislate SUVs and Pickup trucks out of existence. Yes, there is a Santos clause and his party wants to legislate the government out of business. Continue reading
Bugged – BMW EV Software Recall on 14,000 Vehicles
The software misdiagnosis glitch can sporadically occur irregularly within the battery management electronics, which could cause the electronic control unit to reset. If a reset occurs, this could cause an interruption of electrical power. If an interruption of electrical power occurs while driving, it may result in a brief loss of power, or stalling, which could increase the risk of a crash. However, a restart of the vehicle is possible, and would allow for continued driving. The driver would also be alerted by a warning message. Continue reading
Virtual Power Plant Partnership – Ford, GM, SunPower, Others
VP3 follows the institutional spinoffs in the electric sector previously developed by RMI, including the Clean Energy Buyers Association and the Energy Web Foundation. Initial funding was made possible by General Motors and Google Nest. Today, VP3 includes Ford, General Motors, Google Nest, OhmConnect, Olivine, SPAN, SunPower, Sunrun, SwitchDin, and Virtual Peaker. Continue reading
Milestones – Honda Makes 30 Millionth US Vehicle
This was a significant move at the time since Honda was the first Japanese automaker to produce cars in the US. It arguably forced Toyota and Nissan and other offshore makers to follow. Since then, Honda has invested $16 billion in Honda US manufacturing facilities for auto and associated components for autos. During 2022, more than two-thirds of all Honda and Acura vehicles sold in America were made in the US. Continue reading →