Tag Archives: auto informed

First Look – New 2013 Chrysler 300 Glacier AWD

Posted on 21 January 2013 by Ken Zino

Chrysler has introduced a $37,840 300 Glacier model that is roughly based on an all-wheel drive version of the SRT8. With an eight-speed automatic transmission, steering-wheel mounted paddle shifters, and a more powerful300 horsepower 3.6-liter V6 engine, the sedan is said to deliver best-in-class fuel economy of 18 mpg city and 27 mpg highway. Continue reading →

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Cadillac ELR Hybrid Faces Same Tough Market as Chevy Volt

Posted on 21 January 2013 by Ken Zino

The 2014 Cadillac ELR makes its world public début at the North American International Auto Show this week. Based on the Chevrolet Volt, the hybrid faces the same challenges that have made the $40,000 Volt a mere footnote in U.S. Sales charts since only 24,000 were sold in 2012 or, for one example, only ~10 % of the sales total of the larger, gasoline powered $22,000 Chevrolet Cruze. Continue reading →

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More Than 17.8 Million Safety Recalls During 2012 in U.S.

Posted on 20 January 2013 by Ken Zino

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that manufacturers conducted 650 safety recalls, affecting more than 17.8 million vehicles, child seats and equipment during calendar year 2012. Toyota at 5.3 million vehicles recalled, Honda at 3.4 million, General Motors at 1.5 million, Ford at 1.4 million and Chrysler at 1.3 million have the dubious distinction of leading the recall list. The record year for recalls remains 2004 when almost 31 million safety actions were taken. Continue reading →

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Treasury Now Selling More General Motors Stock at a Loss

Posted on 18 January 2013 by Ken Zino

The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced today that it is starting to sell its 300.1 million remaining shares of General Motors common stock with the initiation of a pre-arranged written trading plan. Under the unpublished plan, Treasury will proceed with its December 2012 announcement that it will sell its GM shares “in an orderly fashion” and fully exit its remaining GM investment within the next 12-15 months, subject to market conditions. Continue reading →

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Used Motor Vehicle Dealers Indicted for Odometer Tampering

Posted on 18 January 2013 by Ken Zino

A federal grand jury in Philadelphia charged Kyle Novitsky, 45, and Judith Aloe, 52, both of North Miami Beach, Florida with making false odometer statements, securities fraud and conspiracy, the Justice Department announced today. Continue reading →

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Mazda and Fiat Sign Agreement for New Alfa Romeo Roadster

Posted on 18 January 2013 by Ken Zino

Mazda Motor Corporation and Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A. announced today the formal signing an agreement that will have Mazda produce a convertible two-seater sports car for Fiat’s Alfa Romeo brand at its Hiroshima, Japan plant starting in 2015. Continue reading →

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EPA Report Shows Air Pollution Continues to Decline in the U.S.

Posted on 18 January 2013 by Ken Zino

Toxic air pollution in the U.S. dropped 8% in 2011 from a year earlier because of decreases in hazardous air pollutant emissions, according to the Environmental Protection Agency,. However EPA said that total releases of toxic chemicals increased for the second year in a row. The Agency, which is under constant attacks from Republican party members some of whom want to abolish it, publishes an annual Toxics Release Inventory or TRI report. Continue reading →

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FAA Finally Grounds Boeing 787. Reluctant Regulator Acts after Two Fires. De Havilland Comet like Tragedy Avoided – for the Moment

Posted on 17 January 2013 by Ken Zino

The FAA has finally grounded the Boeing 787 Dreamliner after yet another life threatening incident, the apparent failure and fire of a lithium ion battery-pack during the flight of a Nippon Air 787. The reluctant safety regulator finally acted only days after the DOT head, Republican Ray La Hood, claimed that the so called Dreamliner was safe to fly in the face of a growing number of troubling incidents that included the fire on the ground of a 787 at Logan Airport in Boston. Continue reading →

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Smart Jumps on the Tiny SUV Bandwagon, Maybe…

Posted on 16 January 2013 by Ken Zino

With tongue firmly in cheek, Smart showed a tiny SUV-like electric vehicle at the Detroit Auto Show dubbed ForStars, a reference to its all glass roof. With a 60-kilowatt electric motor, the two-door concept car has 100 lb.-ft. of torque and a top speed of, well, 80 mph. With its lithium-ion battery, the ForStars has a capacity of 17.6 kilowatt-hours of electric power. Continue reading →

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Nissan Cuts Leaf EV Price by $6400 on U.S.-Assembled Model

Posted on 15 January 2013 by Ken Zino

Nissan announced that pricing for the 2013 Leaf electric vehicle starts at $28,800 for the newly-added S grade – think SALE – making it the lowest priced five-passenger electric vehicle sold in the United States. The least expensive 2012 Leaf had a starting price of $35,200 without taxpayer subsidies. Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn’s 20,000-unit sales target for the Leaf in 2012 was missed by 50%, and fewer than 10,000 were also sold in 2011. He previously said electric vehicles would account for 10% or more of global auto sales by 2020, a prediction that is viewed as fantasy by other automaker CEOs. Continue reading →

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General Motors Declares Dividend on Preferred Stock

Posted on 15 January 2013 by Ken Zino

General Motors (NYSE: GM) today announced that its Board of Directors has approved a quarterly dividend of $0.59375 per share on its Series B mandatory convertible junior preferred stock. The dividend (4.75% annually) is payable 1 March 2013 to Series B holders of record as of 15 February 2013. The dividend on the hybrid stock – a mixture of stock and debt – is cumulative. GM has not paid a dividend on its common stock since 2008 before it entered bankruptcy. Continue reading →

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Chinese GAC Group to Build Jeep Models in China

Posted on 15 January 2013 by Ken Zino

Chinese automaker Guangzhou Automobile Group Company will build Jeep models in China, according to a revised joint venture signed in Michigan today with Fiat S.p.A. GAC already manufactures the Fiat Viaggio – aka Dodge Dart – and distributes the imported Fiat 500, Freemont and Bravo in China. Continue reading →

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Ford Shows F150 Atlas Pickup Concept

Posted on 15 January 2013 by Ken Zino

Notably missing was any mention of the extensive weight saving materials that are under exploration at the Dearborn engineering center. Industry insider know that Ford has locked in the purchase of large quantities of aluminum, and are assuming that the next F150 when it appears in 2015 will use the weight-saving, but expensive material to increase efficiencies. How that goes over with conservative truck buyers, remains to be seen, but the time they are a changin’. Continue reading →

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Production Version of Sub-Compact Buick Encore SUV at NAIAS

Posted on 14 January 2013 by Ken Zino

Buick is exploring unknown territory with the production version of what it is calling the Encore SUV on display at NAIAS. Last year the tiny Encore concept – 168.5 inches long – also debuted in Detroit. The Encore SUV is about 10 inches shorter than the production Honda CRV. Continue reading →

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Tiny Honda Urban SUV Concept Makes World Debut at NAIAS

Posted on 14 January 2013 by Ken Zino

An all-new Honda “Urban SUV Concept” vehicle made its world debut today NAIAS. The concept points to styling direction of an all-new small SUV slated to launch in Japan by the end of 2013, followed by the U.S. market in 2014. Continue reading →

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