Tag Archives: auto informed

Light Vehicle Sales Slow in February to 79.7M SAAR

Posted on 11 March 2013 by Ken Zino

Global light vehicles sales slowed in February for a seasonally adjusted annualized rate or SAAR of 79.7 million units. Some of the decrease was due to the timing of the Chinese New Year during the month instead of January. The consultancy LMC Automotive claimed that the first two months taken together are running as 82.7 million units per year, and is likely a more stable measure of recent demand levels. Continue reading →

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

Volkswagen Brand Global Sales up 9% Year-to-Date

Posted on 11 March 2013 by Ken Zino

Volkswagen delivered 893,400 passenger vehicles during the first two months of 2013, a +9.1% improvement from 2012 at 818,800. The success of the volume brand from the VW Group is key to realizing its ambitions to be the world’s largest automaker by 2018, a position now held by Toyota Motor Corporation. This year, the VW group is closing in on General Motors Company for the Number Two spot. Continue reading →

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

Nissan to Return to Le Mans in 2014 as Garage 56 Entry

Posted on 11 March 2013 by Ken Zino

In 2012, a number 0 Nissan Delta Wing ran at the world’s most famous endurance race from the same unclassified Garage 56 spot. The real Japanese racers that were closely watched at Le Mans last year were a pair of Toyota hybrids, which ran in the fastest LMP1 class but lost to Audi. Continue reading →

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

Porsche Sales Rise 18% in February Led by 31% U.S. Gain

Posted on 11 March 2013 by Ken Zino

Porsche sold 10,454 sold new vehicles in February 2013, an increase of 18.2% in comparison to the same month last year. The Porsche model most in demand worldwide was the Cayenne SUV once again at 5,637. Almost 2,000 911 models were sold.The former sports car maker, now luxury vehicle manufacturer fully owned by the Volkswagen Group, saw particularly strong sales in the U.S. at 3,225, a 31% increase in its largest market. Year-to-date Porsche sales at 22,515 are up 22% globally. VW Group is closing in on GM as the world’s second largest automaker and wants to be Number One in global auto sales by 2018. Continue reading →

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

Subaru Key Fobs Running Wild and Starting Cars Randomly

Posted on 11 March 2013 by Ken Zino

Subaru is recalling various 2010 through 2013 models equipped with an Audiovox remote engine starter that was sold as an accessory. The key fob may run wild and randomly start the engine without the driver pressing the button. Continue reading →

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

Peugeot-Citroen Hybrid Air Most Significant Intro at Geneva?

Posted on 8 March 2013 by Ken Zino

Struggling PSA Peugeot Citroën showed a light duty version of so-called hybrid-air technology that will be in production by 2016 using the group’s new EMP2 platform that will make its debut on the new Citroen Picasso. It potentially a breakthrough that will help PSA sell more cars globally, reviving its sagging reputation in the process. Continue reading →

Posted in auto news, concept, energy, engineering, new vehicle, news analysis | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

GM to Hire 1,000 Information Technology People in Phoenix Suburb

Posted on 8 March 2013 by Ken Zino

General Motors is hiring 1,000 people for an Information Technology office in a Phoenix suburb, joining Austin, Texas, Roswell, Georgia and Warren, Michigan as part of GM’s strategy to bring IT work in house. GM said it would hire more than 4,000 new information technology workers over the next three to five years to staff the four centers. So far, more than 1,000 employees have been hired for the other three sites. Continue reading →

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

Toyota Promotes an American Executive to key Job in Nagoya Headquarters

Posted on 7 March 2013 by Ken Zino

A significant move is promoting Mark S. Templin, from group vice president and general manager – Lexus Division in the U.S. to managing officer and executive vice president of Lexus International, where he will lead Lexus global operations from Toyota City, Japan. Templin is the first non-Japanese executive to oversee a Toyota division within the company’s global headquarters in Japan. Continue reading →

Posted in auto news, news analysis, people | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Land Rover Shows a 9-Speed Automatic Trans at Geneva

Posted on 6 March 2013 by Ken Zino

Land Rover showed the world’s first 9-speed automatic transmission for a light duty vehicle at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. The ZF 9HP transmission is said to be specifically designed for transverse applications, and is claimed to be one of the most efficient and technically advanced transmissions ever used in a production vehicle. The first volume production will come later this year in the Range Rover with the 9HP manufactured at ZF’s Gray Court facility in South Carolina. Continue reading →

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

New Porsche 911 Models Recalled for Bad Exhaust System

Posted on 6 March 2013 by Ken Zino

Porsche is recalling more than 2,000 of its new 2012 and 2013 models of the 911 Carrera and Carrera 4 sports cars equipped with a standard exhaust system. The exhaust tail pipe may fracture and separate from the rear muffler. Continue reading →

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

LaFerrari, a 900 Horsepower V12 Hybrid Unveiled at Geneva

Posted on 6 March 2013 by Ken Zino

LaFerrari promises to be the most sophisticated GT car with the highest performance ever achieved by a Ferrari. The Fiat-owned company said the technical systems would be incorporated in the rest of the Ferrari range over time. For the moment, only 499 wealthy customers will be able to buy the €1 million car, Ferrari’s first hybrid.. Continue reading →

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

Spyker Plans for B6 Venator Concept Production in 2014

Posted on 5 March 2013 by Ken Zino

Dutch automaker Spyker N.V. showed its B6 Venator Concept, at the 83rd Geneva International Motor Show today. The ultra expensive gambit to revive the slumping company is a compact, 2-door mid-engine sports car. Currently Spyker sells the C8 Aileron, limited production 400 horsepower super coupe. Continue reading →

Posted in auto news, new vehicle, performance | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Chevrolet Debuts 2014 Corvette Stingray Convertible

Posted on 5 March 2013 by Ken Zino

Chevrolet revealed the 2014 Corvette Stingray convertible at the Geneva Motor Show. The 2014 model will have an all-new electronic top that can be lowered remotely using the car’s key fob. The top can also be opened or closed at speeds of up to 30 mph. A thick, three-ply fabric top, along with sound-absorbing padding and a glass rear window, should allow for a relatively quiet cabin. Continue reading →

Posted in auto news, design and styling, new vehicle | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Rising Truck Sales Cause Offshore Brands to Lose Share in February

Posted on 4 March 2013 by Ken Zino

Five of the Top Ten selling vehicles in February were offshore nameplates. These leading vehicles experienced an average sales improvement of 11.1%. The Ford F-Series and Chevrolet Silverado pickups maintained their first and second positions. In third and fourth place, respectively, the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord continue to be the most preferred cars in the U.S. The Nissan Altima moved into the sixth position, up from number eight last month. The Toyota Corolla/Matrix, in number seven, Ford Escape in eight, Ram pickup in ninth and Honda Civic, number ten, completed the Top Ten Seller list. Continue reading →

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

Honda and JMC Nickel-Metal Hydride Recycling Yields 99% Pure Rare Earth Metals in World’s First Mass Production Process

Posted on 3 March 2013 by Ken Zino

Honda Motor and the Japan Metals & Chemicals Company last spring began extracting an oxide containing rare earth metals from used nickel-metal hydride batteries from Honda hybrid vehicles. The operation, the first in the world, is now extracting
rare earth metals with a mass-production process at a JMC recycling plant. Continue reading →

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