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Tag Archives: Ken Zino
Toyota to Upgrade Long Beach Manufacturing
Ford Motor Company successfully lobbied the Johnson Administration to expand the tax to Japanese automakers. The simple workaround at what was then Atlas Fabricators in 1972 was to produce Toyota truck beds for pickup trucks imported into the U.S. from Japan, a strategy also used by other importers. Two years later, Toyota bought the operation and renamed it TABC, which become its first manufacturing investment in the U.S. It’s ironic that Ford, one of the Detroit Three companies that lobbied for protection against imported light trucks, later did minor stateside work on the Turkish-built Transit Connect to escape paying the chicken tax. Continue reading
Posted in aftermarket, manufacturing
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, chicken tax, Ken Zino, tacoma, Toyota Long Beach
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Maserati – First Italian Luxury Brand to Produce EVs?
Now, Maserati is about to become the first luxury brand to launch a 100% electric sports car under the Maserati Folgore name (translation Lightning or Flash Of Lighting). The new GranTurismo will be the first car in Maserati history to adopt 100% electric “solutions.” Made at the Mirafiori production site, it will debut in the market in 2023. The new GranTurismo, it’s claimed, will offer “cutting-edge technical solutions derived from Formula E – superb performance, comfort and elegance.” Continue reading
Porsche 2030 – More Than 80% All-Electric New Vehicles
“We continue to hope for a cessation of hostilities and a return to diplomacy. The safety and integrity of the people are paramount. To help people in need in Ukraine, Porsche AG has donated a total of €1 million. Experts are continuously determining the degree of impact on Porsche’s business activities in a task force. The supply chains for Porsche plants have been affected, which means that on-schedule production is no longer possible in some cases.” Continue reading
History of Japanese Car Making at Toyota Automobile Museum
The exhibition traces the first seven decades of the Japanese auto industry, from its beginnings in the early 20th century to the 1970s, when it established itself as the nation’s key industry. Continue reading
Hendrick Motorsports to Run Camaro ZL1 at Le Mans!
Hendrick Motorsports is the all-time leader in NASCAR Cup Series championships, points-paying victories and laps led. The team is coming off its second consecutive title and has won two of the four races in 2022. Seven-time champion crew chief Chad Knaus will serve as its Garage 56 program manager. Further details, including technical elements of the car and the team’s driver lineup, will be announced at a later date. Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports did confirm one thing though, “It’s going to be expensive.” Continue reading
Posted in racing
Tagged aco, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, Hendrick Motorsports, imsa, Ken Zino, l'Automobile Club de l'Ouest, le mans, wec
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Putin’s War Clouds BMW Group Media Day
Unaddressed in formal statements were two key concerns for the German auto industry – Germany’s over-dependence on Russian natural gas, and it’s dealings with totalitarian communist states including China where BMW and other German makers, suppliers and brands have extensive holdings – Audi, Daimler, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, among others. Continue reading
US Airline Passengers Up in Jan 2022. Still Down from 2020
This of course was long before Putin’s war against democracy in Ukraine and economic sanctions were imposed, with more likely. Following are BTS data points. Continue reading
Global Light Vehicle Sales Rate Drops in February
Even with the disruption to the world’s largest auto market due to the Chinese New Year, sales for the rest of the globe were weaker compared with the month before. Year-on-year (YoY) sales were 1% down on a poor base performance last February. Continue reading
Hyundai, Kia Recall 2022 Seat Belts for Shrapnel Explosions
Hyundai Motor America and Kia Motors America are recalling seat belts because during a crash the front passenger-side seat-belt pretensioner may explode upon deployment sending metal fragments into the interior. The actual incident that remains under investigation occurred in February … Continue reading
Posted in customer satisfaction, recalls
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, hyundai recalls, Ken Zino, kia recalls, nhtsa
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EPA – More Funding for DERA Tribal and Insular Area Grants
The DERA program is prioritizing projects that help achieve the goals of President Biden’s Justice40 initiative, which aims to ensure that federal agencies deliver at least 40% of benefits from certain investments to underserved communities. Older diesel engines emit much more air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and particulate matter than newer diesel engines. EPA correctly notes that these pollutants are linked to a range of serious health problems including asthma, lung and heart disease, other respiratory ailments, and premature death. Continue reading
FI Braking Points – New Regs, New Limits. More Passing?
The latest FIA regulations and limits see wheel diameters increase from 13 inches to 18 inches. This of course requires larger, heavier brake discs. For 2022, the diameter of Brembo front axle carbon discs increases from 278 mm up to as much as 328 mm, while the maximum thickness remains unchanged at 32 mm. Those on the rear axle increase from 266 mm to 280 mm, with the thickness increasing from 28 mm to 32 mm. Continue reading
Volkswagen, Ford Expand Cooperation on MEB EV Platform
The first Ford model to use the MEB will be an all-electric crossover. It is expected to roll off the assembly line at the Ford Electrification Center in Cologne from 2023. Ford – lagging in EVs – had originally planned just one model based on MEB with a total volume of around 600,000 units. The company has not yet released any details about the second planned model. Continue reading
Ford to Sell 600k EVs Annually in Europe by 2026?
“It’s also about the pressing need for greater care of our planet, making a positive contribution to society and reducing emissions in line with the Paris Climate Agreement,” said Stuart Rowley, chair, Ford of Europe. Ford – like virtually all automakers with similar pledges – wants to achieve zero emissions for all its vehicle sales and carbon neutrality across its European footprint of facilities, logistics and suppliers by 2035, it said today. Continue reading
Autonomous – GM Ups Stake in Cruise and Buys out Softbank
Cruise has made self-driving cars a reality and is arguably the leader on the pathway to commercial autonomous ridesharing and delivery, creating significant value for both GM shareholders and Cruise’s minority shareholders. Since Cruise was founded in 2013, it has run more than 2 million autonomous miles in California. It has 300+ all-electric AVs on roads in San Francisco and Phoenix. Funding is more than $9 billion with ~1900 employees, with a market valuation of, gulp, +$30 billion. Continue reading →