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February 23, 2022

Nutson’s Weekly Auto News Wrap-up: February 20, 2022

AUTO CENTRAL CHICAGO – February 20, 2022; Every Sunday Larry Nutson, The Chicago Car Guy and Executive Producer, with able assistance from senior editor Thom Cannell from The Auto Channel Michigan Bureau, compile The Auto Channel’s “take” on this past week’s automotive news, condensed into easy to digest news Nuggets.

LEARN MORE: Full versions of today’s news nuggets along with thousands of pages of relevant news and opinions, information stored in a million page library published and indexed on The Auto Channel during the past 25 years. Complete information can be found by copying a bold headline and then inserting into any Site Search Box.

Nutson’s Automotive News Wrap-up – Week Ending February 20, 2022 Below are the past week’s important, relevant, semi-secret, or snappy automotive news, opinions and insider back stories presented as
expertly crafted easy-to-understand automotive universe news nuggets.

* Was the Super Bowl game better than the commercials? There were no fewer than five electric vehicle commercials broadcast during the game. The average Super Bowl spot this year cost a record $6.5 million for 30 seconds, so it’s telling that General Motors, BMW, Kia, and Polestar have gone all in on ads featuring electric cars and SUVs. Nissan, one of the few car companies that chose not to solely advertise an EV, gave its electric SUV Ariya a brief cameo.

* U.S.DoE factoid of the week: The United States imports many of the minerals used in EV batteries, such as cobalt, graphite, lithium, manganese, and nickel, with lithium being the predominant mineral. Although use of these minerals is not restricted to battery production for EVs, they are nonetheless important for meeting the increasing demand for EV production. From 2016-2019, over 90{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of the lithium imported to the United States came from Argentina (55{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}) and Chile (36{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}). During this same time period, Gabon produced 69{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of the manganese imported to the United States, while imports of cobalt, graphite and nickel were not as heavily dependent on a single country. In terms of U.S. net import reliance, 100{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of graphite and manganese was imported, 76{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of cobalt was imported, and about 50{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of lithium and nickel was imported in 2020.

* Quote of the week: “We urge investors to dial-back expectations of autonomous car/robotaxi commercialization at scale over the next 5 years at least.” Morgan Stanley’s Adam Jonas on the hype surrounding self-driving vehicles. Hat tip to Phil LeBeau of NBC News.

* Reuters reports that Ontario and Windsor Canada authorities cleared out truckers blockading the Ambassador Bridge between Windsor and Detroit, reopening a critical link in the North American auto manufacturing supply chain. Auto plants that shut down because parts could not move across the bridge should be able to reopen, though Toyota and Honda said production will be curtailed this week.

* The world’s power grids were not designed to replace the energy for transportation that is currently supplied by petroleum. In Europe, utilities and charging startups are behind in a race to deploy smart charging technology that can automatically program EVs to pull current from the grid at off-peak hours, and return electrons to the grid if demand from homes and workplaces spikes. A study by Ernst and Young warns Europe’s grid faces an “enormous challenge” if Europeans actually hit an EU goal to deploy 130 million EVs by 2035. This news from Reuters.

* MotorTrend announced that the Porsche 911 GT3 has been named MotorTrend’s 2022 Performance Vehicle of the Year. MotorTrend says the competition was fierce for this inaugural award, with the GT3 besting twenty-one other contenders including the Lamborghini Huracán STO and the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series.

* The latest Kelley Blue Book Brand Watch Report for Q4 2021 is out. The year closed out with a new leader in non-luxury brand consideration, with Ford – fueled by hot new products and more plentiful inventory – dethroning longtime leader Toyota, which previously held the top spot for nearly four years straight. Among luxury shoppers, Lexus eked past BMW as the most-considered brand, while Tesla remained hot on their heels.

* GM plans to resume production of the Chevrolet Bolt EV and larger Bolt EUV on April 4 after many months of production stoppage. It is the longest-known production stoppage for a safety defect in GM’s history. Production was stopped in August as GM gave priority to provide new batteries to recalled customer-owned Bolts. GM recalled more than 140,000 Bolts to replace battery modules after a series of fires.

* State Farm and Ford announced the launch of Drive Safe & Save Connected Car usage-based insurance (UBI) for customers with eligible connected Ford or Lincoln vehicles. State Farm customers with eligible connected vehicles can opt into the State Farm UBI program, Drive Safe & Save, which adjusts premiums to an individual vehicle’s mileage and customer driving behavior. State Farm will debut Drive Safe & Save Connected Car in Alaska, Idaho, Montana and Oregon, for policies effective on or after Feb. 27, 2022, followed by a rollout across more states (excluding Calif., Mass. and R.I.). You will need to let big brother watch over you for this program.

* Michigan U.S. Rep. Brenda Lawrence sent a letter signed by 65 other House members urging the Department of Transportation to update safety standards to require the use of accurate female crash test dummies. There is no crash test dummy that represents the average female body used in car safety testing, despite women making up more than half of all licensed U.S. drivers. Experts say that may contribute to a disparity in crash outcomes: Women get in fewer car accidents than men. But when they do, they’re up to 73{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} more likely to be injured and 28{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} more likely to die, according to data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

* Joe White at Reuters shared that in a Reddit chat covered by Automotive News VW Chairman Herbert Diess suggests VW is considering a new electric station wagon derived from the Space Vizzion concept (attention shooting-brake obsessed auto writers,) and the CEO responded to a question about an electric VW pickup truck for the United States with an enthusiastic “Good idea!” VW has been shut out of the U.S. pickup market in part because of the ancient 25{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} “chicken tariff” the U.S. imposes on imported trucks, a legacy of a 1960s U.S.-Europe trade war. The success of Ford’s compact Maverick compact (Euro-sized) pickup and the huge interest in Tesla’s Cybertruck and the electric F-150 must be getting attention in Wolfsburg. And we add, VW owns Navistar which owns the international Harvester name.

* Diess also said the Beetle might return in an all-electric version using VW’s scalable MEB platform. Ironically, when the new Beetle appeared as the Concept 1 back in 1994 the original design idea by J Mays and Freeman Thomas was for it to be an all-electric car. But, that never happened.

* PPG, the paint company, said 67{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of the vehicles sold in 2021 were white, black or grey. The share of red cars decreased by 1 percentage point to just 7{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}. PPG tried to put a happy face on this, saying two-tone paint jobs are rising in popularity. A lot of color choice has to do with what dealers order for inventory that they know they can sell easily. Will we see more color variety on the road when more new vehicle buyers place orders with an automaker?

* A cargo ship carrying about 3,965 Volkswagen Group vehicles—VW, Audi, Porsche, Bentley and Lamborghini, destined for North America was abandoned in the Atlantic about 1,000 miles off the coast of Portugal after a fire broke out in the hold. The 650-foot-long Felicity Ace has a crew of 22 that have all been rescued safely.

* Subaru climbed two spots to first place in Consumer Reports’ annual ranking of the most well-performing, safe and reliable automotive brands. The rest of the top ten are: Mazda, BMW, Honda, Lexus, Audi, Porsche, Mini, Toyota and Infiniti. The Ford Mustang Mach-E was selected by the group as one of its Top Picks, climbing ahead of Tesla. See more details here: https://www.consumerreports.org/cars-best-cars-top-picks-2022/

* Blinded by the light no more. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a final rule allowing “adaptive driving beam headlights” on new vehicles. It will go into effect when published in the Federal Register in the next few days. The headlights, commonly used in Europe, have LED lamps that can focus beams on darkness such as the driver’s lane and areas along the roadside. They also lower the intensity of the light beams if there’s oncoming traffic. Camera sensors and computers help determine where the light should go.

* Dodge is putting its money where its parts are when it comes to Direct Connection, the brand’s exclusive new source of factory-backed performance parts. The Direct Connection Contingency Program will offer Dodge Challenger Mopar Drag Pak racers $10,000 to win at National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Factory Stock Showdown and National Muscle Car Association (NMCA) Factory Super Cars events, giving Drag Pak competitors multiple shots at taking home a five-figure winner’s purse during the 2022 season. The $10,000 purse, the largest available contingency award from a manufacturer in both NHRA Factory Stock Showdown and NMCA Super Cars classes, will be up for grabs for Drag Pak drivers at 14 total events. The NHRA Factory Stock Showdown schedule includes eight stops during the 2022 season, while NMCA Factory Super Cars will feature a slate of six races.

* NASCAR will begin a new season — and a new era — today, Sunday February 20, at the 2022 Daytona 500. The race will be the first full event for the new Next Gen cars. The race is sold out. The stands are full There are no covid restrictions and limits. Forty cars will roll onto the starting grid for the 64th edition of the Great American Race. Reigning Cup Series champion Kyle Larson earned the pole position in single-car qualifying. The Hendrick Motorsports driver turned a 49.680-second lap (181.159 mph average speed) on Daytona’s 2.5-mile superspeedway oval.

* Autoweek paid tribute to Bill Robinson, whose career spanned a time of remarkable change, and whose influence extended beyond his own work. His story shows how people still make a difference in an industry that is heavily focused on hardware. Robinson began his career as an automotive designer in 1948, went on to work on the classic Packards of the 1950s. Later, he became a teacher at the College for Creative Studies, the automotive design school in Detroit. At CCS, Robinson was a mentor to a generation of aspiring designers who have since become leaders in the industry, including Ralph Gilles of Stellantis and Richard Vaughan of Rivian. Robinson died this week at 96.

* Autoweek also sadly reports Kevin Olson, a two-time USAC National Midget Champion, was killed in a car crash on February 11 in Janesville, Wisconsin. The head-on crash also critically injured wife Nancy, according to multiple reports. Olson, 70, had retired from racing in 2020, according to the Gazette, in Janesville. Olson, who resided in Evansville, Wisconsin, is a member of both the United States Auto Club (USAC) Hall of Fame and the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame. He began his career on the national stage in a USAC National Midget race in 1972 at Springfield (Ill.) Speedway. His final national USAC National Midget race was 2014 at Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.

Stay safe. Be Well.

February 22, 2022

Ford Broncos pile up as new delays test buyers’ patience

Jason Wallace, who lives in a suburb of Birmingham, Ala., purchased a Bronco Badlands for his wife final June. It was designed Feb. 1.

Just after acquiring a Could supply date, Wallace claimed he identified as a Bronco hotline to get solutions. The operator pointed out the chip scarcity but didn’t supply extra facts. His dealer wasn’t capable to present more facts, either.

“It truly is been a rather discouraging system, especially without any transparency on Ford’s end,” he stated.

Wallace, who formerly lived in Michigan, said he was “extremely concerned” about the car perhaps sitting in the snow for months or months.

“I know how brutal the winter season is up there,” he mentioned. “I am of the way of thinking that if my car or truck is likely to get trashed by the components, I’d like to be the just one doing it.”

Finally his considerations had been small-lived. Past 7 days, Wallace reported he acquired a notification “out of the blue” that his Bronco was en route to his dealership and would be delivered in the coming days.

“At the stop of the working day, the complete system has been to some degree of a shit show, but we are really enthusiastic to be finding our Bronco,” Wallace said. “I know there are a great deal of individuals out there who aren’t as blessed.”

Schanzmeyer, a self-described faithful Ford proprietor and Bronco lover who placed a reservation the day the SUV was unveiled, explained he’s not only frustrated with the evident chip-connected delay, but with Ford’s dealing with of Bronco reservations in common.

Bloomberg previous week described on proprietor angst above how Ford has dealt with dealerships’ Bronco allocations, which haven’t followed the initial-occur, to start with-served route that quite a few anticipated.

“I was affected person with COVID, offer shortages, and so on., but I am incredibly upset that the marketed reservation approach has not been followed and I continue to do not have my Bronco that I purchased in July of 2020,” Schanzmeyer stated.

Meanwhile, it appears as while Craig Appleby, who lives in Sullivan, Unwell., will get the Bronco he ordered 4 months ago with out much of a wait around at all.

Appleby’s car or truck, a foundation product, came off the assembly line in late January. It is really been sitting down at Dirt Mountain considering the fact that then but is supposed to be sent this week.

“I come to feel rather blessed to be acquiring it as quickly as we are,” he stated.

Appleby stated he has not acquired substantially conversation from Ford but that it can be understandable offered the amazing situation the sector is heading as a result of.

“I feel Ford is accomplishing the best they can supplied all of the constructing and raw-content limitations that they are dealing with,” he reported. “I do imagine they could be communicating much better, but as a business facing anything that they have had to confront the past two years, it’s hard for me to experience way too upset about it.”

February 21, 2022February 26, 2022

OEM or aftermarket motorcycle parts

When you own a motorcycle, you can expect that occasionally something will break down and you will need to replace some things. You then have the choice between OEM parts or aftermarket parts. But what are OEM parts and what are aftermarket parts? And what is the difference between the two? You can read all about that in this blog.

OEM motorcycle parts

First of all we will discuss the OEM parts. OEM stands for Orginal Equipment Manufacturer. This means that these parts are made by the original manufacturer of your motorcycle. This can be companies like Honda, Yamaha, Harley Davidson and many others. These motorcycle parts are new and original. The advantage of these parts is that you are assured of good quality because they are made by recognized manufacturers. In addition, it also adds to your trust when you buy parts from the original manufacturer because these parts always fit your motorcycle and work properly. Also, there is often a warranty attached to these OEM parts. If you are looking for security then it is best to choose OEM motorcycle parts.

Aftermarket motorcycle parts

You can also choose for aftermarket motorcycle parts. Aftermarket brands are brands that are generally easier to obtain. This means that there is a better availability for them and you are therefore assured that the part you are looking for can be found. You can buy these parts in independent motorcycle stores and these parts are also easy to find online. One of the biggest advantages of this high availability of the parts is that in many cases they are less expensive. Of course, the prices of the parts can vary by market but in general they are cheaper than OEM parts. However, this does not mean that the quality is better than the OEM parts, so that is the risk you take. However, there is a very wide variety of aftermarket parts. This means that these aftermarket brands even produce parts that the original manufacturer does not offer. So you can use aftermarket parts as a motorcycle owner to make adjustments to your motorcycle. So you can for example change the color of different parts and customize your motorcycle. However, it is useful to understand motorcycles very well before you start working with these parts, because you do not want to change everything on your motorcycle and then find out that your motorcycle is no longer working!

February 21, 2022

Toyota already hard at it designing a spectrum of future EVs

EV drivetrain technological know-how will also impact Toyota styles.

Automobiles in the bZ collection, for occasion, get a larger and far more upright stance. That is since they will experience on present day lithium ion batteries, which need a lot of room and elevate the floorboards.

But Toyota is now assured it will crack sound-condition batteries. For the reason that those are lighter and extra compact, they will open new choices — in particular for Lexus, where by driving dynamics will be paramount.

Tomorrow’s Lexus models will feature an ultralow heart of gravity and other efficiency-boosting tweaks, this sort of as sheet steel tips that raise downforce or improve aerodynamics.

The poster kid for that new Lexus seem is the BEV Sport, a very low-slung piece of eye sweet that is impressed by the LFA, the $375,000 Lexus super athletics car or truck discontinued in 2012 right after a output operate of just 500. Lexus envisions the EV reincarnation as delivering a 700-kilometer (435-mile) array and belly-churning -to-60 mph time in the reduced two-next range. But its proportions and overall performance will probable be enabled by the compact packaging of reliable-condition batteries.

On stage in December, the BEV Sport was joined by a few other Lexus versions, including the approaching RZ, a much larger SUV and a sedan. But in different teaser photographs, Lexus also depicted what appears to be like a convertible coupe and two wagon-design and style choices evoking the Porsche Panamera.

Lexus style will be educated by Toyoda’s directive to reshape the brand name all around motorsports.

“It’s not about lip services to the racing circuit,” Humphries stated. “It’s about approaching the way the car or truck architecture is created from a motorsports viewpoint.

“The useful elements of that adhere to as a result of into design and style. Aerodynamics, downforce, all individuals problems with substantial-efficiency automobiles are not concealed they’re embraced,” he explained.

The multipronged solution Toyota envisions for EVs mirrors its overall powertrain technique. Even as it prepares to provide 3.5 million comprehensive electric powered automobiles, it still ideas to promote tens of millions more hybrids and hydrogen automobiles on the highway to carbon neutrality as the automaker attempts to fulfill its considerably-flung international client base.

“It is a diversified sector that we are dealing with,” Toyoda mentioned at the December function. “Consequently, as we are in an uncharted period with loads of uncertainty about the long run, we want to acquire a diversified solution. That is why we have labored really hard to maintain our whole lineup.”

February 20, 2022

The final word on the Super Bowl EV ad blitz

Kevin Krim, CEo of EDO, stated Polestar’s spot was so successful mainly because it satisfied three procedures for a smashing Super Bowl ad. Very first, it was really new (Polestar is not Chevrolet, nor Tesla). Next, its innovative features have been incredibly properly-executed. As Krim stated, it had “striking visuals, and was both quiet and had pulse-pounding new music.” Third, it “deliberately poked the eye of the celebrity sophisticated.”

Of study course, a business wants to do additional than just poke eyes. It desires to supply on its intriguing guarantee with a merchandise. And just as importantly, it requires to sell it, and advertising autos is about extra than automaker intentions. As Krim notes, automotive commercials appear in three tiers. Tier just one is the automakers them selves, and Super Bowl spots Tier 2 is controlled by regional or multi-state supplier associations Tier 3 is local firm Tv set buys.

Just due to the fact the Detroit 3 want to promote EVs, doesn’t indicate that every single community seller has ready purchasers for them.

That explained, I see purpose to stick to the automakers’ commitment to EVs down through sellers and to customers. Just one cause is what is referred to as “conquest marketing”—the capability to win over new individuals to your manufacturer. Ford pointed out late very last yr that much more than 70 p.c of customers reserving its electric powered Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning models were being “new to Ford.” That’s a potent signal to other brand names to check out for the exact.

A 2021 survey by Alix Companions found that 19 percent of U.S. buyers have been very probable to invest in a battery-electrical auto as their future motor vehicle, up from 5 {cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} in 2019. Which is loads of space for conquest, so to discuss. Alix Associates also noted that in the U.S., 36 {cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of those people fascinated in EVs say that “friends and household is their greatest obtain-influencer”—the exact pals and family collected to look at the Tremendous Bowl, and discuss about it later on.

Two last ideas. The first is that today’s EV consumers are accurately the demographic that automakers and dealers want to concentrate on. 50 {cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of all U.S. EV potential buyers in the 1st 3 quarters of 2021 are in management, specialist, or complex occupations, and 60 percent of U.S. EV potential buyers are below the age of 50. That age cohort explains the stars of Tremendous Bowl ads—be they 90s action heroes, comedic qualified prospects, or flawed-nonetheless-persuasive North Jersey people (admittedly, Schwarzenegger is a bit of an exception).

The next is that a comprehensive electrification of highway transport—or what most auto prospective buyers will contact “getting an EV”—is about a lot more than your upcoming car or truck. It’s also about your up coming up coming auto. It is about a total host of points past just the vehicle itself, from people’s brand impressions to their loved ones needs to the infrastructure required to support tens and then hundreds of hundreds of thousands of EVs on the street.

Chevrolet produced a at the rear of-the-scenes video clip along with its Silverado spot, which could stand by yourself as an advertisement in its own proper. In it, star Jamie-Lynn Sigler claims “for me, personally, we’re creating the changeover into electric powered automobiles.” Sigler indicates that it is a system, not just a obtain, and I consider she is suitable.

February 19, 2022

Gaudin Motor Co. celebrates 100-year anniversary

Gaudin Motor Co. celebrates a momentous 100 several years of operation this yr, boasting over a century of innovation and influence inside of the automotive industry — ultimately encouraging form it into what it is currently. Given that originally opening in Escalon, California, in the early 1920s, Gaudin Motor Co. has turn into a genuine staple in the Las Vegas community about the past 67 several years, setting up itself as the oldest family-owned vehicle vendor in Nevada.

Managing customers like spouse and children has normally been ingrained in the Gaudin mission and is what jumpstarted the company’s immense achievements.

George Gaudin normally had a enthusiasm for motor automobiles, continuously tinkering the tractors and Design T vehicles for the farmers in his local community. In 1922, he understood that he could make these cars more productive for these workers via some adjustments. His modern and ahead-pondering attempts rapidly caught the interest of Ford Motor Co., and in exchange for his discovery, he was specified his have Ford dealership.

Though the company took just short of a century and additional than a few generations to build, Gaudin Motor Co. is now built up of a few Las Vegas dealership locations, which includes Gaudin Ford, Ford Place and Gaudin Porsche of Las Vegas. Gaudin boasts 400 group users, with 40 workers who have been with the business for much more than 20 several years.

Proprietor Gary Ackerman is deeply fully commited to leveraging the Gaudin Motor Co.’s affect to improve the Las Vegas neighborhood and beyond.

“My grandfather, George Gaudin, usually reported, ‘Serving our purchasers and our communities is additional than what we do, it is who we are,’ and we make it our mission to uphold his normal each individual solitary day,” Ackerman stated. “As we rejoice this outstanding milestone of 100 years, it is vital that we give back again to the shoppers and team members who have played a key job in our results. We couldn’t thank the Las Vegas community sufficient for their aid, and we will go on to do our portion to make our town a superior spot to stay and work.”

A legitimate testament to his commitment to the nearby neighborhood, A

ckerman and Gaudin Motor Co. have supported in excess of 65 community organizations throughout the valley such as Three Sq., Serving Our Young children Foundation, Nathan Adelson Hospice, Glow a Light, St. Jude’s Ranch for Kids and Communities in Universities of Nevada.

Ackerman’s enthusiasm for bettering the regional local community definitely shines by way of his perform with the Grant a Present Autism Foundation Ackerman Middle, a groundbreaking organization that aims to assist families master residing with autism by delivering a multidisciplinary crew of medical professionals, psychologists and conduct professionals who support develop a analysis, therapy strategy and support solutions for young children with autism.

It became a cause near to his coronary heart just after his son was identified with autism at the age of 10. With 1 in 44 kids in the United States on the autistic spectrum and 10,000 men and women in Nevada at the moment diagnosed with autism, Ackerman took detect of the significant lack of obtainable care for people of youngsters impacted by this diagnosis in the condition of Nevada, and he established out to do everything in his electricity to adjust that.

Around the earlier five decades, the Ackerman Centre has served additional than 5,000 family members, delivering them with medical study, diagnostics, clinical treatment, speech occupational conduct remedy, family help and education.