Tag Archives: zino

Standard & Poor’s Raises Ford Motor to Highest Junk Level, Credit Watch Removed after No Cost Increase UAW Contract

Posted on 23 October 2011 by Ken Zino

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has raised its corporate credit rating on Ford Motor and Ford Motor Credit to ‘BB+’ from ‘BB-‘. This is just one notch below investment grade. Ford bonds have been appropriately rated as “junk” since 2005, … Continue reading →

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Japan Auto Industry to decline 14% in 2011 JAMA Predicts

Posted on 21 October 2011 by Ken Zino

Total demand for passenger cars and commercial vehicles in Japan for calendar year 2011 will be 4.25 million units, down 14.2% from the previous year, according to the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association – JAMA, which has now its first official forecast since December of 2010. Continue reading →

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Ford Common Stock Dividend Coming Next Year?

Posted on 20 October 2011 by Ken Zino

Ford previously maintained it would not restore the divided until it achieved an investment-grade rating, CFO Lewis Booth said, omitting that a dividend payment was forbidden under covenants for previously issued bonds that kept it out of bankruptcy during the Great Recession. Those bonds presumably have been or will be paid off. Ford still has $14 billion in debt according to its latest SEC filing. Continue reading →

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NADA Chairman Announces New Economic Study about Automakers Forcing New Car Dealership Improvements

Posted on 20 October 2011 by Ken Zino

“Each year dealers collectively invest billions of dollars in facility upgrades, much of it mandated by the auto manufacturers,” said Stephen W. Wade, chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association while speaking to the Automotive Press Association in Detroit. In normal times this would be a classic dealer versus automaker squabble. However, with consumers strapped, long term unemployment at record Great Depression highs and the economic recovery tenuous at best – if it is occurring at all – the affordability of new vehicles is at stake.

Continue reading →

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Thailand Floods – Worst in 50 Years – latest Tragedy to Hurt Auto Industry as Honda, Toyota and Ford Production Disrupted

Posted on 20 October 2011 by Ken Zino

Thailand has been inundated by floods, the worst it’s estimated in at least 50 years. Aside from the real human tragedy, once again the auto industry is negatively affected since Thailand has an annual vehicle production capacity of almost 2 million units, extensive exports, as well as numerous component parts manufacturing operations. The disruptions will also have some unknown effects on production in other countries, which will become clearer during the next few weeks. Continue reading →

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Ford UAW Workers Ratify 4-Year No Cost Increase Contract

Posted on 19 October 2011 by Ken Zino

The Ford UAW agreement is based of Ford’s promise to add another 5,750 new jobs and invest what’s said to be $16 billion to produce new models and revised vehicles and components by 2015. About $6.3 billion will be invested directly into retooling U.S. plants.

Ten years ago the there were more than 102,000 UAW jobs at Ford. Today there are 40,000. As is the current management practice in the ailing U.S. economy, the jobs claim includes so called “retained jobs,” as well as some new ones. Continue reading →

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Holden Hurricane Concept Restored to its 1969 Self

Posted on 19 October 2011 by Ken Zino

Nothing even remotely like it ever saw production in Australia, although – ironically – former GM executive John Z. DeLorean marketed something sort of like it under his own name decades later. Nonetheless, Hurricane has been restored as a labor of love by a dedicated group of Holden designers and engineers. The restored Hurricane will be on display at the Motorclassica car show at the Melbourne Royal Exhibition Building from October 21-23 Continue reading →

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General Motors China Sales Top 2 Million. Again!

Posted on 18 October 2011 by Ken Zino

For the second time in its history, General Motors has sold more than 2 million vehicles in China in a calendar year, reaching the milestone this week. China has been GM’s largest market for the past two years where it is the Number One automaker. GM is on track to sell 5 million vehicles in China by 2015. And it might just be a question of time before Chinese companies mount a takeover of GM via its publically traded stock, and move GM headquarters to Shanghai, where GM China already has substantial space in a huge office tower. Continue reading →

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EU Car Sales Still trending Down for Fourth Straight Year

Posted on 18 October 2011 by Ken Zino

During the first nine months of 2011, 10,121,423 new cars were registered in the region, or 1.1% less than in the same period a year ago. Fiat, the owner of Chrysler, Ford and General Motors are all struggling to keep their European operations viable as all are losing market share. Continue reading →

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GM Claims Self Driving Vehicles Ready by 2020

Posted on 18 October 2011 by Ken Zino

Cars or trucks that can partially drive themselves will be available by the middle of the decade, with more sophisticated self driving vehicles coming by 2020, according to General Motors Vice President of Global Research and Development Alan Taub. Advances … Continue reading →

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2012 Honda Insight Hybrid Ups Fuel Economy at Under $20,000

Posted on 18 October 2011 by Ken Zino

Honda’s latest attempt to catch Toyota Prius, the undisputed hybrid sales leader, results in an updated 2012 Insight hybrid with revised exterior and interior styling, as well as an improved EPA fuel economy rating of 1 mpg. The new Insight’s city/highway/combined EPA fuel economy rating of 41/44/42 mpg, is up from 40/43/41 on the outgoing Insight hybrid model.

More significant is the price as Insights are just now arriving in dealerships. Honda continues to offer the highest EPA fuel economy rating of any new vehicle currently available with a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) starting under $20,000, which is really $19,120 for the base Insight delivered, plus state and local taxes. Continue reading →

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New EPA Grants Go to Universities for Black Carbon Research

Posted on 18 October 2011 by Ken Zino

Black carbon – including diesel powered vehicle emissions – can affect the climate in the near term, and as with other types of fine particles, can cause serious health effects such as cardiovascular and respiratory ailments. Fine particles have also been strongly linked to lung cancer. Continue reading →

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Chevrolet and Nissan Succeed with Plug-in Hybrids and EVs as the Business of Plugging In Shows First Product Results

Posted on 17 October 2011 by Ken Zino

Success is the verdict about one year after the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid and Nissan Leaf EV (electric vehicle) both went on sale, it was revealed last week at the third annual Business of Plugging In Conference in Michigan. And with Cadillac, Ford, Toyota about to introduce the their own plug-in hybrids, and a pure EV version of the tiny Chevrolet Spark coming in 2013, the small niche of electric cars has the chance to grow some more. Continue reading →

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Milestones: 45 Years of the Department of Transportation

Posted on 17 October 2011 by Ken Zino

Over the weekend the U.S. Department of Transportation celebrated its 45 anniversary since President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the law that created it by combining 31 agencies and their bureaus into DOT. “In a large measure, America’s history is a … Continue reading →

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U.S. Budget Deficit Officially at $1.299 Trillion in FY 2011

Posted on 17 October 2011 by Ken Zino

The so-called Super Committee is already gridlocked over how to decrease the budget deficit, and that very likely means nothing will be done about the deficit until after the 2012 elections as both parties in a dysfunctional Washington maneuver for election advantages. Continue reading →

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