Tag Archives: autoinformed

Consumer Electronics Association Denies Distracted Driving

Posted on 17 July 2013 by Ken Zino

In a cynical, profit-motivated move, the head of the Consumer Electronics Association today said he would support a campaign to end texting and driving. “I have made a personal commitment not to text and drive, and to use my devices ‘responsibly’ while operating my car,” claimed Gary Shapiro the head of the pressure group for the $209 billion U.S. consumer electronics industry. Continue reading →

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RAM 1500 Beats F-150 and Tundra in CR Pickup Test

Posted on 17 July 2013 by Ken Zino

Later this fall, Ram will up the ante in the ongoing pickup truck fuel economy game by offering the first light-duty diesel engine pared with an 8-speed automatic transmission, both exclusives in the segment. GM and Ford have been caught napping here. Ram claims the diesel will deliver best-in-class fuel efficiency along with the greatest torque. Just bring money – this is going to be a +$40,000 (or more) set of wheels, AutoInformed predicts. Continue reading →

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Class Action Suit Filed Against MyFord Touch System

Posted on 16 July 2013 by Ken Zino

A well-know, or infamous, national law firm has filed a class-action lawsuit alleging that Ford Motor Company’s MyFord Touch, MyLincoln Touch and MyMercury Touch touchscreen systems are defective. The firm of Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro claims that the system often freezes, fails to respond to voice and touch commands and will not connect to mobile phones. Continue reading →

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GM Sales Up 4% in First Half of 2013. Chevrolet Sets Record

Posted on 16 July 2013 by Ken Zino

General Motors sold more than 4.85 million vehicles in the first half of 2013, an increase of under 4% compared to the same period in 2012. The question now is will GM remain Number Two in Global Auto sales when current leader Toyota Motor reports sales results for the period. GM in a rising global market increased its share only 0.1% year-over-year, while Toyota has been rebounding at a much higher rate. Continue reading →

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Oil Recycling Company and Owner Guilty of Toxic Crimes

Posted on 15 July 2013 by Ken Zino

A North Carolina used oil recycling business and its owner plead guilty to unlawful handling of PCB-contaminated used oil and other crimes today. Benjamin Franklin Pass, 60, and P&W Waste Oil Services Inc. of Wilmington, N.C., pleaded guilty in federal court in the Eastern District of North Carolina for violations of the Toxic Substances Control Act, as well as for making false statements and failing to pay several years of taxes. Continue reading →

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Honda Returns to Formula One Racing in 2015

Posted on 15 July 2013 by Ken Zino

Honda Motor will establish a European satellite racing operation in Milton Keynes, United Kingdom in preparation for its return to the Formula One World Championship after a seven-year hiatus in 2015. Continue reading →

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Ford to Pay 10-Cent Dividend to Shareholders

Posted on 11 July 2013 by Ken Zino

Ford Motor Company declared a Q3 dividend of $0.10 per share on the company’s outstanding family-controlled Class B and common stock. Continue reading →

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Auto Thefts Rise in the Summer Months

Posted on 10 July 2013 by Ken Zino

Every 44 seconds a motor vehicle is stolen in the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA data also show that only 52% of stolen vehicles are recovered. Continue reading →

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Shell Settles Clean Air Act Violations for $115 Million

Posted on 10 July 2013 by Ken Zino

Shell will spend $1 million on a state-of-the-art system to monitor benzene levels of the refinery and chemical plant near a residential neighborhood and school and to make the data available to the public through a website. Shell’s agreement to recover and recycle waste gases at its chemical plant is a first of its kind. Continue reading →

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Ferrari Cuts E-Mails. Wants Employees to Talk to Each Other

Posted on 9 July 2013 by Ken Zino

In a statement that could apply to all automakers, Ferrari said that “the injudicious sending of emails with dozens of recipients often on subjects with no relevance to most of the latter is one of the main causes of time wastage and inefficiency in the average working day in business.” Continue reading →

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GM and Honda Target 2020 for Viable Fuel Cell EVs

Posted on 9 July 2013 by Ken Zino

The light duty fuel cell vehicle (FCV) has shown promise for decades, but the problem remains that it is space age technology at NASA levels of cost. Not surprisingly, automakers have varying levels of interest fuel cells that always appear to be just a decade or so from commercialization, but interest is rising. Continue reading →

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GM, Ford Set China Sales Records in June and First Half

Posted on 8 July 2013 by Ken Zino

Nonetheless, stockholders at Ford Motor are so far not benefiting from the success in China. Rapid expansion and payments to partners are keeping money in China and not returning it to the U.S. as Ford lost $72 million in Asia-Pacific during 2012. General Motors shareholders in theory are doing better. GM’s International Operations full-year EBIT-adjusted was $2.2 billion in 2012 compared with $1.9 billion in 2011. However, GM pays no dividend on common stock. Continue reading →

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July 4th Fiasco as Chrysler Group Issues Four Recalls

Posted on 6 July 2013 by Ken Zino

Late in the day before the U.S. July 4th holiday, the Fiat-controlled Chrysler Group issued statements on four separate safety recalls. This obvious ploy to minimize damaging publicity about the its latest quality gaffs came as the Center for Auto Safety renewed efforts to have NHTSA crash test a proposed fix covering Jeep Liberty and Grand Cherokee SUVs for fuel-system fires. Continue reading →

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Toyota Leads in U.S. Patents During 2012

Posted on 5 July 2013 by Ken Zino

The 1,491 patents issued to Toyota companies demonstrates the intellectual property rights that the U.S routinely grants offshore companies, rights saw critics that often do not exist in the countries trading with the U.S. Continue reading →

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Hertz and Penske Debut Special Edition Mustang GT

Posted on 5 July 2013 by Ken Zino

The Hertz Penske GT joins a list of custom performance Hertz vehicles that started with Carroll Shelby in 1966 with the Shelby GT350H in the Hertz Rent-A-Racer program. From there, Hertz developed a 40th anniversary Shelby GT-H in 2006 and a custom Chevrolet Corvette ZHZ in 2009. The Mustang GT now is available with other cars such as the Ford Mustang GT Premium, Chevrolet Camaro SS hardtop and convertible, Corvette Convertible and Dodge Challenger R/T. Continue reading →

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