Tag Archives: autoinformed

Brembo Celebrates a New Brake Plant in Escobedo, Mexico

A tour of Escobeda by AutoInformed showed a highly automated, clean, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, in a sector that essentially one was a blacksmithing business not all that long ago. Brembo is the 7th largest auto parts maker, and the fourth largest exporter globally. It holds ~15% global market share in rotors for the 80 million vehicles produced. Continue reading

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Toyota Poland to Produce Hybrid Transaxles, New Engines

TMIP is currently manufacturing only diesel engines. However, the European market is moving towards an increased share of gasoline, hybrid and electric vehicles. Continue reading

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Ford Rouge Complex Hosting 80,000 Honeybees

Honeybees have been on the decline in the United States for more than three decades from colony collapse disorder, parasites, pests, pathogens, poor nutrition and pesticides, but two beehives installed at Ford Rouge Plant are helping a honeybee population of 80,000 survive. Continue reading

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September Used Vehicle Market Sees Prices Falling

The September U.S. used vehicle market saw depreciation climb and prices drop -3.6%, making the month’s performance the largest decline recorded in 2016. Continue reading

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Toyota Moves on Connected Cars, R&D JVs, Takeovers

The latest developments come as Toyota is once again battling what is now a beleaguered, wounded Volkswagen Group for the world’s biggest car company title. The moves reflect a growing problem at all automobile companies. How do you pay for the cost of moving forward in a world with increasingly stringent safety and emissions regulations, web enabled cars, as well as the entire future of automobility and autonomous vehicles? Continue reading

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Unifor FCA Autoworkers Ratify Four-Year Deal

Diverse workers at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles attended local ratification meetings on Sunday and voted to ratify a four-year contract that secures both investment and wage improvements for 9,750 *Unifor members Continue reading

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Toyota Finally Wins a WEC Race at 6 Hours of Fuji

The fight for victory ultimately came down to a last hour battle between all three LMP1 manufacturers. Continue reading

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Porsche’s Mark Webber Says Racing Career Over

On the surface or rather the track surface, Webber has no reason to quit as his lap times often and consistently are in the top ten on timing sheets. However, going out on top, and not on top of a stretcher, is a strategy that AutoInformed endorses, though we will miss watching him slice and dice through and around competitive cars. MLB’s Big Papi comes to mind where he competes in an endurance contest of another sort, one that is no less demanding on reflexes, conditioning and smarts. Continue reading

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Unions Discuss Transatlantic Organizing

In what could have broad implications for U.S. automakers – particularly those with non-union transplants – German and U.S. union members met in Berlin today to make plans to build power on both sides of the Atlantic through coordinated organizing. It won’t be easy given the prevalence of union-busting in the U.S. even at German companies. Continue reading

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Ford Motor Declares Q4 15-Cent Dividend

Ford set record earnings during 2015 but its stock – trading in a 52-week range of $11.02 – $15.84 – continues to languish as investors remain wary of the company. Its recent performance and attacks from non-taxpaying Donald Trump, aka serial sexual assaulter of females, hasn’t hel Continue reading

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FIA Endurance Cup Racing at Mount Fuji in Japan this Weekend

In endurance racing Porsche is holding a commanding LMP1 lead – the fastest, arguably most competitive class – in both the driver’s and manufacturer’s championships. Audi is second, and Toyota is third in the first of the three races that wrap up the 2016 Season. Continue reading

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Ford Brake, Lincoln Headlight Recalls Underway

Ford Motor Company is issuing two safety defect recalls in North America on 2017 Lincoln Continental models for defective headlamp assemblies and 2015-16 Ford Edge crossovers to update antilock braking system (ABS) modules because of bad software. Continue reading

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Unifor Faces Down FCA – Job and Investment Pattern Upheld

In round two of contract talks with the Detroit Three in Canada, Unifor upheld the pattern at FCA that was established when it took on a belligerent General Motors. Continue reading

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GM China Sets September Record at 343,773

This was up 16% year-over-year. Cadillac set an all-time record for monthly deliveries at 12,539, +63%. (Audi sold 49,154 in August) Continue reading

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More Taxpayer Subsidies for Slow Selling EVs Coming

Taxpayer subsidies for slow-selling, virtually non-existent EVs 0r electric vehicles that are hardly electrifying to would be buyers – keep coming. The latest involve handouts in Tennessee – home of the Nissan ‘fallen’ Leaf (9,238 sales year-to-date or -32.2%), and yet another Federal handout. Continue reading

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