Tag Archives: autoinformed

Honda Kills Insight Hybrid Production this Summer

During 2013 Only 4800 Insights were sold, a 20% decline year-over-year. By comparison, Toyota sold 234,000 of its multi-bodied Prius line. Total Honda and Acura hybrid sales of all types were less than 15,000 in 2013. Continue reading

Posted in electric vehicles, sales | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

NHTSA Opens Investigation into GM Ignition Switch Recall Delay. 13 Deaths Attributed to Defective Design So Far

At least 13 deaths and 31 wrecks are alleged from the safety defect that GM has known about since 2004, even as it refused to recall the vehicles, according to a timeline GM released early this week. GM knew of 10 accidents where Cobalts were in front-end crashes but the air bags did not inflate in 2007. GM even went so far as to approve a redesign of the switch in 2005, but never put a revised version into production for reasons that remain uncertain. Continue reading

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

Ford to Build New Edge in Canada with No jobs Added

The announcement comes after the Canadian Auto Workers Union accepted its first two-tier wage contract during the 2012 labor negotiations. For the first time at Ford Canada under a “New Hire Grow-In program” fledgling union workers who replace retiring CAW members will start at C$20.40, equal to 60% of the previous highest member $34 base rate, and then they only get full compensation after ten years. Continue reading

Posted in economy, manufacturing | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Volkswagen Group Sets Third Straight Record Profit in 2013

A combination of new products, technology, acquisitions – Porsche, Ducati, and MAN – and plant expansions, especially in China, continues to give credence to VW’s announced intention to be the world’s largest automaker by 2018. It is now in third place behind Toyota and General Motors, so the Big Three in the business are from three different continents. Continue reading

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

Diddy Combs Hyping Fiat 500L Cars in North America

With two more doors, accommodations for five, smallish people and 42% more interior space than the regular 500, it’s hope that the larger car will boost sales from the 36,000 500 models sold during 2013, which represented a -18% decline year-over-year. So far in January 2014, the newly introduced 500L has sold 729 compared to its intro year of 2013 when 7400 were delivered. Continue reading

Posted in marketing, new vehicle | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

SAE World Congress to Review 48-Volt Mild Hybrid Progress

Both systems are based on switched reluctance (SR) motor-generator technology developed for a new breed of 48-volt hybrid vehicles. CPT claims multiple O.E. applications are being explored, particularly in Europe for sub-compact and compact vehicles as a relatively inexpensive way to make big gains in fuel economy. Continue reading

Posted in environment, fuel economy or emissions | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Denso Exec Guilty for Obstructing Parts Price Fixing Probe

Kazuaki Fujitani, once a director of Denso in Japan will serve one year and one day in a U.S. prison instead of the maximum price fixing penalty of 20 years in prison and a criminal fine of $250,000 for individuals. Continue reading

Posted in fools 'n frauds, litigation | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Weather Whacks U.S. February Sales. Recovery Predicted

Conventional wisdom has it that the rate of sales will increase toward month end, with an increase from President’s Day holiday weekend promotions and a normal increase in sales at month’s end as dealers try to move metal. Continue reading

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

Tesla Loses Money Again During 2013. Stock Market Bullish

The darling of automotive stock speculators electric vehicle maker Tesla posted a yearly loss of -$74 million on revenue of more than $2 billion during 2013, compared with a -$396.2 million loss on $413.3 million in sales in 2012. The stock is trading at record levels of above $200 per share given the revenue increase, and with the company promising to increase it yet again during 2014. Continue reading

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

Taxpayer-funded Bankrupt Fisker Sold to Chinese Wanxiang

This completely sorry story started in 2010 when DOE awarded Fisker $529 million in loans as part of an effort to help development of so-called advanced-technology vehicles. Part of the loan was for redeveloping a closed General Motors plant in Wilmington, Delaware to build a small electric car, code named Nina, that has yet to appear. Continue reading

Posted in electric vehicles | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Presidents Day Car Deals

Presidents Day weekend is historically known as one of the best times to purchase a vehicle This year industry experts say shoppers will find the best deals of 2014 to date. Continue reading

Posted in marketing | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Chevrolet to Oversee Restoration of Sinkhole Corvettes

The National Corvette Museum cars damaged in a sinkhole collapse will be shipped to Warren Michigan where Chevrolet will oversee their restoration. Ed Welburn, vice president of GM Global Design will lead the project. Continue reading

Posted in milestones | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Chrysler Group Borrows $5 Billion to Pay off UAW VEBA Debt

Before the bankruptcy, the UAW had previously – and reluctantly – accepted the notes to cover the health care costs of its retired members. This was a classic, many would say infamous, example of financial engineering under the Wall-Street-owned Bush Administration that removed union health care costs from the balance sheets of Chrysler, Ford and General Motors with a slight of hand trick. Continue reading

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

Bridgestone Latest Japanese Scofflaw as Auto Supplier Price Fixing Scandal Expands Yet Again

Including Bridgestone, 26 companies have pleaded guilty or agreed to plead guilty in the department’s ongoing investigation into price fixing and bid rigging in the automotive parts industry. Continue reading

Posted in fools 'n frauds, litigation | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

OSHA Sues AT&T over Injury Suspensions

The complaint alleges that in 13 separate incidents, employees of AT&T were disciplined and given one- to three-day unpaid suspensions for reporting injuries that occurred on the job. Continue reading

Posted in safety | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment