Tag Archives: autoinformed

January 2015 U.S. Sales Projected Best in Decade

January new-vehicle retail sales are expected to reach highest levels for the month in a decade, both overall and on a seasonally adjusted annualized rate. Continue reading

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Alfa Romeo 4C Spider – Best Buy in Supercars

The Alfa Romeo 4C Coupe was an impressive performer on the road and on the sales charts with 3000 units sold thus far globally and an 18-month waiting list. The new 4C Spider will prove an even more formidable entry into the supercar class in performance, but not price. It is without question the best buy in the hot two-seaters. Continue reading

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Toyota Testing SiC Power Semiconductors for Efficiency Gains

Power semiconductors are in power control units (PCUs), which are used to control motor drive power in hybrids and other vehicles with electric powertrains. PCUs have a significant role in the use of electricity, supplying battery power to the motors during operation and recharging the battery using energy recovered during deceleration. Continue reading

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Ram Rebel Latest in Factory Custom Pickups

Revealed at NAIAS, it’s part of a growing and bewildering array of Ram pickups that slices the booming market into almost individual buyer segments. Continue reading

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Michael Winkler New President, CEO of Bentley Motors

The Americas region is the largest Bentley market in the world, delivering 3,186 cars during 2014, up from the 2013 number of 3,140. This accounted for 29% of total global deliveries. There are 53 Bentley dealerships throughout the Americas, with the corporate headquarters based in Herndon, Virginia. Continue reading

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Ford Kicks off Racing Season with Win at Daytona

In only its second season, a heavily modified Ford EcoBoost engine has won the two most important endurance races in North America – the 2014 12 Hours of Sebring and the 2015 Rolex 24. The EcoBoost program has now racked up four Prototype victories overall with Chip Ganassi Racing, including the 2014 Long Beach and Circuit of the Americas events. Continue reading

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New Kia, Toyota and Nissan Safety Recalls

The expanding list of safety recalls now includes vehicles from Kia, Nissan and Toyota. The largest affecting 87,000 2014 Kia Forte models results from a melting cooling fan resistor can overheat and cause a fire. Continue reading

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More than 46 Million Open Safety Recalls

Counter-intuitively, people driving or buying family vehicles, minivans and SUVs, are most at risk. One in three minivans and one in five SUVs has an unfixed recall, according to Carfax the source of the data. Continue reading

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First Look – 2016 Nissan Titan Full Size Pickup

The only segment in the U.S. market that the Japanese have failed conquering is the full-size pickup truck. Toyota lost billions on its aggressive, overly optimistic plans that forced an the cancellation of additional manufacturing complex was as sales flopped after its initial Tundra intro. Troth told, things are only so-so la-la at Toyota since then with Tundra 2014 U.S. sales of 119,000 (the original projections were aimed at +500,000), a number that is badly bested annually by the traditional, bloodied, but-unbowed Detroit Three. Continue reading

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EPA, States Say Get the Copper out of Brake Pads

Funny thing about automakers, they are against regulation except when individual states start to wreak havoc with their production lineup, then automakers are all for strong central regulation. This tendency was in evidence with today’s announcement that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the automotive industry and the states signed an agreement to reduce the use of copper and other materials in brake pads. Continue reading

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GM Dividend Stays at 30 Cents

The General Motors Company (NYSE: GM) Board of Directors today declared a Q1 2015 dividend of 30 cents per share on its common stock. The dividend is payable Tuesday 24 March 24 to all common stockholders of record as of Wednesday, 11 March. On an annual basis, the dividend of $1.20 is paying 3.6%. Continue reading

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Liam Dwyer Quits US Marines for Mazda Racing Ride

Dwyer was competing in only his second professional race, and he was doing it with an artificial leg, having been injured while serving as a U.S. Marine Staff Sergeant in Afghanistan just three years previously. Continue reading

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Toyota Global Sales Results Makes it Number 1 Again

While the differences in total vehicle output are slight – one or two fiscal assembly plants at best– the bragging rights are considered valuable in what remains a business built on momentum. Continue reading

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GM Ignition Switch Deaths now at 49

General Motors ignition switch program has now ruled that 49 deaths, seven severe injuries and 65 other injuries are eligible for settlement offers. Continue reading

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Shell Fined for Selling Bogus Fuels

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, today announced a settlement with three companies affiliated with Shell Oil Company to resolve Clean Air Act violations. The illegal acts included selling gasoline and diesel fuel that did not conform to federal standards. Continue reading

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