Tag Archives: auto informed

EPA Drops Gas Station Vapor Recovery Regulation

In an election year where all federal agencies are incorporating political talking points from the ruling party into their releases, EPA claimed this final rule is part of the Obama Administration’s initiative to ensure that regulations protect public health and the environment without being unnecessarily burdensome to American businesses. Significantly, no health or environmental effect data were provided in the EPA release. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, environment, fuel economy or emissions, news analysis | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Toyota Motor 2012 Results Down 31% to $3.6 Billion Profit

Toyota Motor posted results for Fiscal Year 2012 ending 31 March that saw its net profit decline to ¥283.56 billion or $3.6 billion. A strong recovery in sales and earnings in the second half of the fiscal year was not enough to offset a poor first half, which was hurt by natural disasters in Japan and Thailand, which disrupted production. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, financial results, results | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Daimler Q1 Net Profit of €1,416 Million is Up 20%

Daimler said the increase came from the ongoing growth of unit sales at Mercedes-Benz Cars and Daimler Trucks. In the first quarter of 2012, the Daimler Group sold a total of 502,100 cars and commercial vehicles worldwide, up 9% from Q1 2011. Daimler expects to sell more than 2.1 million vehicles globally during 2012. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, financial results, results | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bankrupt Hawker Beechcraft Pensions Only 56% Funded

Collectively, Hawker Beechcraft’s three pension plans are only 56% funded, with $769 million in assets to cover $1.4 billion in benefits. If Hawker Beechcraft ended the plans under the bankruptcy, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation of the U.S. Federal government would pay $533 million of the $611 million shortfall. PBGC is the company’s largest creditor. Continue reading

Posted in aviation, financial results, labor issues, news, news analysis, results, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Ford Cuts Summer Shutdown in North America as Lack of Capacity is Hurting Sales and Share in Recovering Market

Ford Motor’s U.S. sales decreased 5% in April to 179,660 vehicles in a market that was up 2.3%, in part because its plants were running flat out. Ford is now facing a strong challenge from Number Three Toyota Motor Sales, which reported April sales of 178,044, up 12% y-o-y. Year-to-date, Toyota Motor trails Ford Motor by 52,000 cars and light trucks, a gap that decreases each month. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, manufacturing | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Windsor, Canada to Buy Chinese BYD Electric Buses

The agreement also opens talks to bring manufacturing of BYD buses to the Ontario region in the near future. BYD has delivered over 300 all-electric buses worldwide and has orders for over 1300 more in 2012, making it apparently the largest electric bus manufacturer in the world. Continue reading

Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, electric vehicles, milestones | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

BMW Recalls New 3 Series. Chrysler Recalls 2012 Minivans

In the latest series of safety defect filings with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, BMW is recalling its best selling 3-Series compact that has been in production since last October and Chrysler is recalling 2012 model minivans. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, recalls, safety | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Toyota to Boost 4-Cylinder Engine Capacity in Kentucky

The additional capacity will result in only 80 new jobs since engine plants are highly automated, and require few skilled workers to monitor the computerized processes that do much of the work. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, fuel economy or emissions, manufacturing | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Chrysler Recalls 300, Dodge Charger Sedans for Bad Brakes

The cars can lose the ABS/ESC system due to an overheated power distribution center, which could lead to loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash. The problem original arose in a Michigan State Police training vehicle, and Chrysler conducted a limited recall in February of 2012 until subsequent field reports revealed the Yazaki supplied module was failing in other vehicles. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, recalls, safety | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ready For a 4-Point Seat Belt? Renault Thinks So

Geeks can debate whether this is a 4-point seat belt or 5-point solution. Simply put, there are two seat belt systems in play. This latest seat belt restraint design requires a first step – slipping an arm under a fixed 2-pointseat belt, then grabbing a seat belt the opposite side, the traditional “buckle up” action is needed from the driver or the tandem passenger of the two-seat car. Since Twizy is really an electric motorcycle on four wheels, whether this adds or detracts from the saleability of thus far market challenged EVs remains to be seen. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, electric vehicles, safety | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Milestones: Ten Years of Porsche Leipzig SUV and Sedan Plant

Porsche has marked the tenth anniversary of what was at the time a controversial expansion into the truck market. However, the Porsche factory opened in Leipzig during 2002 to build the Cayenne SUV has proved to be a successful investment that has since grown to produce another controversial – but just as profitable vehicle, the Panamera sedan. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, manufacturing, marketing, milestones | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

U.S. Treasury to Sell $5 Billion of AIG Stock. Taxpayers Still Owed $39 Billion from Controversial Bailout of Company

Today’s announcement is part of Treasury’s ongoing efforts to wind down the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). More than 81% ($338 billion) of the $415 billion funds disbursed for TARP have already been recovered to date through repayments and other income – before including any expected proceeds from today’s announcement.

Ideologues will never admit it, but TARP is looking like an effective government intervention in the failed capital markets. Little has been done to make sure that it does not happen again in the view of critics. Continue reading

Posted in economy, financial results, fools 'n frauds, news, news analysis, people, results | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

BMW Group Posts Record Sales, Revenues, Earnings in Q1

The BMW Group recorded record sales, revenues and earning during Q1 2012, as the number of vehicles sold by the Group rose by 11.2% to 425,528 units from 382,758 during Q1 of 2011. The BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce brands all recorded new sales records. This included BMW brand motorcycles at 24,373, +5.5%, which was also the best Q1 sales performance in the company’s history. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, financial results, marketing, results, sales | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

EPA Regulates Diesel Fuel Injected Underground for Fracking

The law is controversial because in pay-to-play Washington, Congress exempted most fracking fluids from the regulation of fluids injected into the ground required under the Safe Drinking Water Act. In environmental circles, this became known as the Halliburton loophole. Then U.S. vice-president Richard Cheney ran Halliburton – the biggest fracking services company in the country – before he was elected, of course. Continue reading

Posted in alternative fuels, energy, environment, news, safety | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

April Marks Third Straight Month of Declining U.S. Job Growth as Unemployment Remains at an Official and Understated 8%

The struggling U.S. economy added a measly 115,000 jobs last month, the third straight month of declines in job growth. More than 15 million Americans are unemployed or underemployed. This poor performance comes years after Washington declared the recession caused by the reckless and unpunished practices of Wall Street officially over. Continue reading

Posted in AutoInformed Editorial, economy, fools 'n frauds, news, news analysis, people, results | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment