Tag Archives: autoinformed

Dueling Sales Forecasts for March. Up or Down?

The conflicting numbers are because of a technicality. Two additional selling days will help this month’s volume as the SAAR will stay relatively consistent with recent months. Kelly relies on a monthly total. J.D. Power adjusts for selling days. Nonetheless, March at 1.6 million light vehicle sales. The seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR) for retail sales in March 2016 is expected to reach 13.4 million units, down slightly from 13.5 million units in March 2015. Continue reading

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Honda Motor Sets Monthly Records for Global Production. North America, US, Asia and China Surge

In the U.S. 117,678 vehicles were built, a +40% increase. North America totaled 175,435 for a +43.1% gain. Asia at 125,247 vehicles or +30% was stronger. Chinese assembly at 65,130 posted a +66.1% improvement. Production in Japan for the month of February 2016 experienced a year-on-year increase for the second consecutive month since January 2016. Continue reading

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Volkswagen Recalls e-Golf for Shutting Off

Volkswagen Group of America is recalling 5,561 model year 2015-2016 e-Golf electric vehicles because diagnostics for the high-voltage battery management system may falsely detect an electrical surge shutting the electric drive motor suddenly. Continue reading

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US March Sales Continue Torrid Pace

This means that the data so far in 2016 contradicts pessimists who thought last year’s record light vehicle sales – the strongest in 15 years – was the top of the market. During 2015, offshore brands continued to dominate, once you get past the one-two-three punch from the Detroit Three pickup trucks – F-Series, Silverado and Ram. Continue reading

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World Debut of 2017 Nissan GT-R in New York

The new 2017 Nissan GT-R will be updated when it appears in dealer showrooms this summer – arguably the most extensive changes since the launch of the supercar in 2007. Continue reading

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Mazda MX-5 RF Debuts at New York Auto Show

With strong contrast between light and shadow and a high-density finish, Machine Grey allegedly gives the impression that the vehicle’s body has been sculpted from a solid steel ingot. Continue reading

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Buick Encore ‘Encore’ is Actually a Mild Redo

Introduced in 2013, the Encore surprisingly was a winner by offering premium features typically associated with larger luxury cars and trucks – a well-known strategy at German carmakers. Encore rose to the head of the fast-growing small SUV market – an ongoing global trend – topping it in 2014 and 2015. Continue reading

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Bentley Bentayga SUV Deliveries Start

Guests at the event in Crewe were given access to Bentley’s factory to see the Bentayga’s assembly process. Continue reading

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Corvette Takes Sebring – Jon Lowell Is Laughing

Jon didn’t show up in a newsroom, a broadcast or radio studio, let alone a race track with the intention of finishing second. And he most certainly would not have bragged about a “close but no champagne” finish. Jon won on his beat and in life. Continue reading

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Alfa Romeo Giulia Line Debuts at the New York Auto Show

The Germans – notably Audi, BMW and Mercedes Benz – dominate the market. To a smaller degree Japanese brands – Acura, Infiniti and Lexus – also are active. Alfa and Jeep are the key elements in FCA’s planned global expansion. The Jeep line appears to be a relatively easy global play; Alfa is a much more difficult proposition. Continue reading

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Toyota Expands Autonomous Vehicle Program with Jaybridge Robotics Software People for Crash-Free Driving

First announced in November 2015, TRI is a research and development enterprise designed eliminate the chasm between fundamental research and product development, particularly to address the 1.25 million traffic fatalities each year, worldwide. Continue reading

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Harvick in a Chevy Decaled Racer takes Phoenix  

Harvick won in a spec racer by a hundredth of a second, the closest finish in NASCAR Sprint Cup History. This was Harvick’s 500th consecutive series start, as one of only by 14 others throughout the history of NASCAR. The difference is now they basically driving the same cars with decals determining brand in what has become the pro-wrestling of motorosports. Continue reading

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Juan Pablo Montoya Wins St. Petersburg for Penske

It is the second year in a row Montoya has won this race. Continue reading

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VW America CEO Michael Horn Out in Dirty Diesel Scandal

Thus the history of sudden death departures at VW in North America continues. When sales previously slumped, Horn became CEO after the abrupt resignation of Jonathan Browning when VW brand sales fell in 2013. The decade before VW said it would triple sales here in 10 years. The lack of trucks and SUVs doomed the plan from the start. Continue reading

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Driving the 2016 Nissan Sentra – Substantial Upgrades in Equipment, Electronics & Safety Systems  

In the golden days for automakers the so-called mid-cycle freshening of a platform such as the Nissan Sentra was fast and dirty – headlights, taillights, new colors and the like – cheap and cheerful between major revisions every eight years or so. Continue reading

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