Tag Archives: Automotive Commentary

Four Banger for 2019 Chevrolet Silverado?

Standard on LT and RST trims, the 2.7L engine has 14% more torque and 13% better city fuel economy and it is a claimed more than a full second quicker 0-60 mph than the 4.3L V-6 it replaces. The Silverado city fuel economy also exceeds the standard 3.3L V6 engine in the Ford F-150 XLT (EPA-estimated 19 mpg city) but only matches that of the Ram 1500 3.6L V6 mild hybrid (EPA-estimated 20 mpg city). Continue reading

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Alliance Ventures Invests in Coord, a US Mobility Data Platform

Application programming interface – API – is a set of tools for MAKING software from defined methods of communication between various components. A strong API makes it easier to develop computer instructions by providing separated pieces, which are then put together by the programmer. Continue reading

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Ford Motor Company Q4 Dividend Remains $0.15

While the F-Series exceeded the 70,000-truck mark for the seventh straight month, selling 75,092 pickups in September, year-to-date the F-Series was down -8.8% in September and up 3% year-over year to date. Still, transaction pricing is running at record levels of $46,600 per truck, up $1,000 over a year ago. Super Duty transaction pricing totaled a record $59,100 per truck in September. How long can this last? Continue reading

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Three Peat! Corvette Takes Makers’ and Drivers’ Titles in IMSA GT Le Mans at Road Atlanta Season Final

The real stars of the 10-hour race was a clear in class win by the No. 911 Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR and co-drivers Nick Tandy, Patrick Pilet and Frederic Makowiecki. In the ‘luckless but fast category,’ Chip Ganassi racing put in a fast performance only to see the #3 Corvette sister car, the # 4 Corvette C7.R of Oliver Gavin, Tommy Milner and Fassler, hold off (it looked to be legal moves at AutoInformed and the stewards based on provisional results) the No. 67 Ford GT in the final hour to secure a second consecutive championship for the #3. Continue reading

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Freshened Mazda CX-5 Launched in Japan

Pre-orders have also begun for the CX-5 Exclusive Mode special edition. This range-topping special edition money maker (Mazda is financially challenged since the Ford Motor divorce that hurt both parties) has selected materials that create a look of “warmth and modernity.” Sales of the updated CX-5 and CX-5 Exclusive Mode special edition start on November 22. and the crossover will, maybe, eventually find its way to the U.S. Continue reading

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Q3 GM US Sales Dive -11% to 700,000 Vehicles

But it was more money on fewer vehicle sales. GM total sales plummeted -11% year over year. The third quarter light vehicle SAAR was 17.2 million units in 2017 and 16.9 million in 2018. Continue reading

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Saudi’s to Finance Lucid EV

The deal claims to represent a major milestone for Lucid. It will provide it with the necessary funding to commercially launch its first electric vehicle, the Lucid Air in 2020. Continue reading

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2019 Lexus UX – Another Compact Crossover

The 2019 UX is available in two versions: the front-wheel-drive UX 200 introduces a new high-efficiency 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine coupled with a new 10-speed Direct Shift Continuously Variable Transmission (DCVT). The all-wheel-drive UX 250h pairs an even higher-efficiency version of the 2.0-liter gas engine with a new fourth-generation hybrid drive system engineered specifically for this platform. It’s a soccer moms’ special. Continue reading

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Joys of Crossover Trucking? Largest Subaru Ever

Ascent, with a 113.8-in. wheelbase, is the largest Subaru ever built. With 153.5 cubic feet of passenger volume, plus cargo space, the Ascent provides room for every passenger and their gear. Continue reading

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Off-Road Cruise Control on 2019 F-150 Raptor and Ranger

While this is old news – see AutoInformed.com on Active Damping Controls Ride on 2019 Ford Raptor – the suddenly super competitive performance truck market (oxymoron?) has makers scrambling for publicity. Continue reading

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Fix! IMSA Takes Pro Wrestling Approach to Mollify Owners

Welcome to the politics of racing – not one where racing improves the breed, but rather racing improves the IMSA pocketbook. Continue reading

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Experienced Pro Corvette Drivers Garcia and Magnussen Maintain Lead in the IMSA GTLM Driver Championship

Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen, drivers of the No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C7.R, take a 3rd place finish in the GTLM class Sunday, 9 September during the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s America’s Tire 250 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California. They won together in Monterey in 2013 and 2014. Continue reading

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More Trucks – Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison

In consecutive years, Colorado introduced the segment’s first diesel engine (ignores other GM vehicles), an all-new V6 gas engine/eight-speed transmission combo, the ZR2 “segment of one” off-roader and now the Bison. The 2019 Colorado ZR2 Bison goes on sale in January 2019, modified for extreme off-road use and backed by a full factory limited warranty. Pricing? Not yet – just assume it will be more than the $42,000 ZR2 or similarly priced Tacoma TRD Pro. Continue reading

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Hack Attacks – Connected Vehicle Cyber Security Lags

Then the payoff comes, but not for the car owners who have lost the rights to their own data, Smart mobility unlocks myriad selling opportunities for both the OEMs as well as so-called value-added service creators. It also brings with it a range of cybersecurity risk that never existed before. Continue reading

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BMW i Ventures Takes Stake in Vera

Recently Vera has focused on scaling its data security platform to protect both email and enterprise content with dynamic encryption and granular control. The company recently introduced its Vera for Mail offering and browser-based editing capabilities, enhancing users’ ability to access and collaborate on secure files across devices and operating systems. The new capital – unspecified – will help broadly to fuel Vera’s next phase of growth and scale its workforce globally. Continue reading

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