Tag Archives: autoinformed

First Look – Volvo XC90 SUV

Volvo Cars has unveiled its new XC90, which was under development for three years at the Chinese-owned automaker. The 7-seat crossover SUV, says Volvo, is the result of s $11 billion product development program that is the company’s latest attempt to use a scalable architecture, a fancy way of saying a common platform that can be used for larger and smaller vehicles. Continue reading

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Voice Recognition Growing Problem in New Cars

Automakers continue to struggle with the growing demand for automotive electronics in the so-called connected car. It turns out the car is not always connected to the web or phone or is linked in an ineffective way that is turning customers off. As a result, there is a growing case of, well, Bluetooth blues among drivers. More than half (52%) of these owners use an iPhone and 41% use an Android phone. Continue reading

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Dark Money at $50 Million. Congress Bought by Unnamed Interest Groups

The OpenSecrets Blog and the Center for Responsive Politics reported today that political spending by non-disclosing or secret political non-profit lobbying funds, aka dark money groups, has reached $50 million, a record at this point in the election cycle. Continue reading

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Kia Motors to Build $1 Billion Plant in Mexico

Kia Motors said today that it has reached an investment agreement with the Mexico government to build a manufacturing plant in Monterrey in the northeastern state of Nuevo León. Construction planned to begin in late September. Continue reading

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Car Spy Jim Dunne on Mustang Mule

Note that those excessively covered exhaust pipes are four in number, duals to each side, which is a big change for Mustangs? Continue reading

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Forecast for August US Auto Sales Strong

It looks like the recovery in the automobile business is continuing as preliminary data indicate that US Auto sales – both retail and total – will surpass last May for the highest levels thus far in 2014. Retail light-vehicle sales … Continue reading

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Chrysler Recalls Jeep, Ram, 200 Models for Shocks Falling Off

Chrysler Group is recalling 2014 model Ram 1500 pickups, 2015 Jeep Cherokee SUVs and 2015 Chrysler 200 sedans because the shock absorbers can fall off the vehicles. Continue reading

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Chinese Junk – Two Dead from Ace Beanbag Chairs

Two American children are dead from suffocating in beanbag chairs from Ace Bayou Corp., of New Orleans, La. As a result, about 2.2 million beanbag chairs are now recalled in the U.S. It appears that the zippers on the Chinese-made beanbag chairs can be opened and children can then crawl inside, are trapped and suffocate or choke on the beanbag chair’s foam beads. Continue reading

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Right-Hand-Drive Mustang Testing Begins

A right-hand-drive prototype of the upcoming 2015 Mustang has been spotted as it underwent initial testing. Continue reading

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Court of Appeals Rules against Hedge Funds in Porsche Caper

Porsche Automobil Holding SE, Stuttgart has won another legal round in a fight with U.S. hedge funds over Porsche’s aborted attempt to take over Volkswagen, which resulted in exact opposite effect of VW Group swallowing Porsche whole. Continue reading

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FAA Warning on Syria as US remains Ensnared in Conflict

There is no question the ongoing armed conflict and volatile security environment in Syria poses a serious threat to civil aviation. Continue reading

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2015 Corvette Data Recorder Lets You Spy

Owners of 2015 Chevrolet Corvettes can buy an optional Performance Data Recorder that lets you to spy on people. Continue reading

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Volkswagen, Chrysler Recall Defective Ignition Switches, Airbags

Chrysler Group and Volkswagen are the latest automakers to be affected by defective ignition switches that make airbags inoperative. Only in this recall the supplier is not Delphi, which supplied GM, but a company called Methode Electronics of Golden, IL. … Continue reading

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Chinese Government Accusing Automakers of Price Gouging

Reports coming out of China from a state news agency say the government in Jiangsu Province found Mercedes-Benz guilty of antitrust price gouging. Continue reading

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Great Weather! Great Woodward Dream Cruise

The world’s largest single-day car enthusiast event, drawing more than 1.5 million enthusiasts – it’s claimed – annually to Woodward Avenue. Continue reading

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