Tag Archives: apa

Surprising Shifts in the 2024 American-Made Index

Posted on 18 June 2024 by Ken Zino

A Cars.com survey found more than half of in market car shoppers are willing to pay more for people, if it creates more U.S. jobs. The question is how much more are they willing to pay? And I’m happy to tell you that the answer is a lot more. Car shoppers cars.com surveyed said 56% are willing to pay more for a vehicle if it creates more U.S. jobs. Of those, 58% say they’re willing to pay an additional 10% considering the overall expense of vehicles. Consumers desire to support jobs in the US is something that automakers and dealers should be more aware of,” said Cars.com Editor-in-Chief Jenni Newman at an Automotive Press Association Briefing that AutoInformed was part of. Continue reading →

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Autonomous Drive Cars – Makers Targeting Wrong Groups?

Posted on 28 April 2016 by Ken Zino

Young consumers are much more trusting in automotive technology, paving the way for autonomous drive vehicles, according to the J.D. Power 2016 U.S. Tech Choice Study released today at the Automotive Press Association in Detroit. Continue reading →

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24 Hours of Le Mans in 2030 – Intriguingly Unpredictable

Posted on 20 April 2016 by Ken Zino

“Maybe the significant changes will be in the level of autonomous or remote control of the cars?” said Ben Bowlby, the owner of Bowlby Racing, who was part of the panel. We need to work out what the objective of racing in 2030 is and what the rules will be. Only then we can determine what the race car will look like.” Continue reading →

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Financial Protection Bureau Auto Loan Regulation Anti-Consumer Says NADA

Posted on 16 October 2013 by Ken Zino

A proposed regulation stipulating flat fees in auto lending will actually end up hurting consumers because franchised car dealers will not be able to cut rates, according to the National Automobile Dealers Association. Continue reading →

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Toyota to Retail Hydrogen Fuel Cell Hybrids in U.S. by 2015

Posted on 5 September 2013 by Ken Zino

Carter told AutoInformed that he has seen and driven the Toyota fuel cell hybrid. The ultimate timing for U.S. retail sales is dependent on California’s hydrogen infrastructure program that aims to put in place 35 hydrogen-refueling centers in the Los Angeles area by 2015. Continue reading →

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Millennial Car Buyers Dream Big, Purchase Smaller

Posted on 23 August 2013 by Ken Zino

Herein lies the problem with much consumer research, including automotive. What people say in a clinic is belied by their actual behavior. This has opened a completely new academic industry – behavioral economics – that shows people make emotional and non-rational decisions often with information “framed” by stereotypes and anecdotes, not anything approaching real data. This behavior – on view all the time on Fox “News” – results in marketplace inefficiencies that makes a mockery of traditional economics or in the case of Fox, rational discussions of public policy. Continue reading →

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NADA Chairman Says Automakers Use Unfair Business Practices

Posted on 23 October 2012 by Ken Zino

The new chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association, Bill Underriner, said today that automakers need to stop intruding into dealerships. After noting the Tigers are back in the World Series at the Automotive Press Association in Detroit, he said there’s “good energy here. The auto industry is doing its part to lead the economic recovery. But we still have a long way to go – not just here but all around the country. Auto sales are up, but financial pressures are too…especially on dealerships.” Continue reading →

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Owners Report Quality Improvements at Most Automakers

Posted on 21 June 2012 by Ken Zino

A growing problem area is lumped under the “audio, entertainment, and navigation” category where reported problems have increased by 8% from 2011. This continues a negative trend, with problems in this category increasing by 45% since 2006, while other categories have improved by 24% on average. Buyers aged 35 and under, who grew up with myriad consumer electronic devices are particularly vocal about the design failures of automotive electronics. This is a growing problem for the product development departments of automakers that are largely managed by older, white males. Continue reading →

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Finalists in for 2012 North American Car and Truck of the Year

Posted on 15 December 2011 by Ken Zino

Cars selected were the 2012 Ford Focus, 2012 Hyundai Elantra and the 2012 Volkswagen Passat. Last year the Chevrolet Volt was the car winner. In the misleadingly named ‘truck’ category, the 2012 BMW X3, 2012 Honda CR-V and the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque made the final cut. Continue reading →

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GM Plans Four World Debuts at NAIAS. Where is Bob Lutz?

Posted on 2 December 2011 by Ken Zino

“ATS enters the biggest market segment in the global luxury car industry, both in terms of volume and importance,” said Barra.

No kidding. ATS better be good when it appears next fall.

But when I asked what GM consultant Bob Lutz was doing these days, Barra said she was trading e-mails with him about getting Lutz to drive a new Chevy Sonic, which has been on sale globally for a couple of years. While Barra called Lutz an “automotive rock star,” there was no hint in her brief response that she was spending any time with Lutz. Continue reading →

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Chrysler Up, GM Sideways, Ford Down in Consumer Reports Annual Reliability Survey Revealed Today at APA in Detroit

Posted on 25 October 2011 by Ken Zino

Chrysler staged a quality comeback of sorts. General Motors did not sustain last year’s trend of improvement. Ford slipped badly in the 2011 Consumer Reports Reliability Survey revealed today at APA. Japanese brands continue to dominate Consumer Reports survey’s best rankings. Japanese brands took the top nine spots. They were led by Scion, Lexus, Acura, Mazda, Honda, and Toyota. Continue reading →

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NADA Chairman Announces New Economic Study about Automakers Forcing New Car Dealership Improvements

Posted on 20 October 2011 by Ken Zino

“Each year dealers collectively invest billions of dollars in facility upgrades, much of it mandated by the auto manufacturers,” said Stephen W. Wade, chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association while speaking to the Automotive Press Association in Detroit. In normal times this would be a classic dealer versus automaker squabble. However, with consumers strapped, long term unemployment at record Great Depression highs and the economic recovery tenuous at best – if it is occurring at all – the affordability of new vehicles is at stake.

Continue reading →

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