Tag Archives: autoinformed

Chevy shows 2015 Tahoe, Suburban SUVs. GMC Debuts Yukon

Coming off the successful introduction of the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks, GM today showed the 2015 versions of its full-size sport utility vehicles built off the same architecture, Tahoe, Suburban and Yukon. Continue reading

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2014 Toyota Corolla Ups Ante in Compact Car Game

Toyota Motor coming off two straight months knocking Ford Motor out of its traditional Number Two sales position in the U.S. market is introducing an all-new Corolla model. Not only will this present formidable competition for the Ford Focus, but it will also challenge Honda Civic, Nissan Altima, Mazda3 as well as the rest of compact cars in this high volume segment. Continue reading

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Crown Victoria, Lincoln Town Car Recalls for Bad Steering

The recall was prompted by a NHTSA engineering investigation after receiving multiple complaints. Continue reading

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Gen Y Internet Auto Shoppers Open to Any Brand

New-vehicle buyers who use the Internet for auto shopping are open to any brand when they initially, and more than one-half of so-called Gen Y buyers are open to consider any brand that meets their needs, according to a new study. Among all auto shoppers, 79% use the Internet to research their new vehicle purchase. Continue reading

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Volkswagen Claims 14 Electric and Hybrid models by 2014

In the latest round of environmental press releases, the German Volkswagen Group said it will be “electrifying” all its vehicle classes,starting with 14 electric and hybrid models by 2014. Continue reading

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EPA ChemView Web Site Expands Info on Toxic Chemicals

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has launched a web-based tool, called ChemView, to improve access to chemical specific regulatory information developed by EPA and data submitted under the Toxic Substances Control Act. Continue reading

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Huge Toyota and Lexus Recall for Unsafe Suspensions

Toyota is recalling almost 800,000 2006-2011 RAV4 and 2010 Lexus HS250h vehicles because a rear tie rod can fail abruptly sending the wheel askew resulting in an unsafe car out of control. Continue reading

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Asian Auto Lending Discrimination in Los Angeles?

It is common practice for banks and other lenders to set a base interest rate or so-called “buy rate” and then for the auto dealership to “mark up” the interest rate to the final rate the customer pays on the loan for the car. The complaint alleges that Union Auto Sales charged higher interest rate markups to non-Asian customers from at least 2004 to 2006, which constitutes lending discrimination. Continue reading

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Toyota Hires Microsoft Exec as Technology Officer

In keeping with the expansion of electronics in automobiles, Toyota Motor Sales in the U.S. has hired Ned Curic to a newly created role of vice president and chief technology officer. Continue reading

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Ford Motor Company Credit Ratings Raised by S&P

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services today raised its credit ratings on Ford Motor Company and Ford Motor Credit to an investment grade of ‘BBB-‘ from ‘BB+’, and revised the outlook on both companies to stable from positive. Continue reading

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Toyota to Retail Hydrogen Fuel Cell Hybrids in U.S. by 2015

Carter told AutoInformed that he has seen and driven the Toyota fuel cell hybrid. The ultimate timing for U.S. retail sales is dependent on California’s hydrogen infrastructure program that aims to put in place 35 hydrogen-refueling centers in the Los Angeles area by 2015. Continue reading

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Toyota Expands Hybrid Recalls for Sudden Shut Downs

In the involved Toyota Highlander Hybrid and Lexus RX 400h vehicles, transistors within the hybrid system’s inverter assembly can experience heat damage “due to variations in characteristics of the transistors built in parallel circuits,” which in Toyota’s disingenuous view is different from the previous recall for the same problem. Continue reading

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Milestones – Mazda Hofu Plant Builds Ten Millionth Car

Mazda Motor Corporation says that cumulative vehicle production at the Hofu Plant in Japan’s Yamaguchi prefecture has reached ten million units. The milestone is achieved 30 years and eleven months after vehicle production commenced at Hofu Plant No. 1. Continue reading

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Asian Brands Dominate U.S. August Sales

While the pickup truck market dominated by the Detroit Three exploded during August, in the crucial and larger car market, Asian brands ruled. Continue reading

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Chrysler, Ford, GM Post Double Digit August Sales Gains

Chrysler, Ford and GM all recorded double digit gains in U.S. August sales as the market went back to the pre-Great Recession levels of 2007. Robust pickup truck sales, a relatively trouble free changeover to the production of 2014 models, cheap credit and strong retail demand, all were factors in an overall industry that is now running at more than 16 million units annually. Continue reading

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