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May 31, 2022

Nutson’s Weekly Auto News Wrap-up May 22-28, 2022

Vehicle CENTRAL CHICAGO – Could 29, 2022 Every single Sunday Larry Nutson, The Chicago Vehicle Person and Automobile Channel Govt Producer, with equipped aid from senior editor Thom Cannell from The Car Channel Michigan Bureau, compile The Automobile Channel’s “acquire” on this earlier week’s automotive news, condensed into quick to digest news Nuggets.

Learn More: Full variations of present-day news nuggets along with 1000’s of internet pages of appropriate news and thoughts, facts saved in a million-web page library posted and indexed on The Auto Channel all through the past 25 several years. Entire facts can be found by copying a daring headline and then inserting into any Website Lookup Box.

Nutson’s Automotive News Wrap-up – 7 days Ending May perhaps 28, 2022 Down below are the earlier week’s crucial, appropriate, semi-magic formula, or snappy automotive news, thoughts and insider again stories introduced as
expertly crafted quick-to-comprehend automotive universe news nuggets.

* Reuters reports the ordinary sedan or compact auto on the road in the United States is now 13.1 many years previous, a new report, according to S&P Global. Light-weight trucks on the highway are younger, but still hoary at an regular age of 11.6 a long time. All round, the U.S. car or truck and gentle truck fleet is a document 12.2 a long time old, up from 10.9 years in 2011.

* With gasoline charges placing new data in March and car affordability worsening, lots of shoppers in Q1 seemed for more economical, much more inexpensive sedans. Of non-luxurious customers, 37{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} regarded as cars in the very first quarter, up from 31{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} in Q4 2021 and the greatest level in a very long time. This in accordance to information just produced by Kelly Blue E book. BMW and Toyota returned to their lengthy-held places as America’s most-shopped car or truck makes in their respective segments, right after staying upended late very last 12 months. In Q1, 1-in-four customers considered an electrified automobile Ford, Tesla and Toyota are the strongest brands amid electrified-vehicle buyers.

* Consumer curiosity in electrical vehicles has strike a worldwide tipping stage, with a lot more than 50 {cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of vehicle prospective buyers stating they want their up coming motor vehicle to be an EV, new investigation from Ernst & Younger shows. Sure, but: Us citizens even now aren’t as enthusiastic as buyers in Europe and Asia. 52{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of respondents to EY’s annual Mobility Consumer Index who are searching to obtain a vehicle want an EV, in accordance to the study of 13,000 people in 18 nations around the world. That is a leap of 22 share details in two yrs, and the initially time that EV desire exceeded 50{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}, the company reported. Consumers in Italy (73{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}), China (69{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}) and South Korea (63{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}) were being the most interested. Buyers in Australia (38{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}) and the U.S. (29{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}) confirmed significantly less desire.

* BMW and Toyota returned to their long-held places as America’s most-shopped automobile manufacturers in their respective segments, immediately after becoming upended late past calendar year, in accordance to the Q1 2022 Kelley Blue E book Brand name Watch™ reports. Toyota regained the major place as the most-shopped non-luxurious brand name, a situation it experienced held for 4 a long time right until Ford’s temporary profession as No. 1 in the remaining quarter of 2021. Similarly, BMW retook its place as the most-shopped luxurious manufacturer in the very first quarter of 2022, a placement it occupied for 3 a long time right until the conclude of 2021 when Lexus nosed earlier and into the best location. With gas costs setting new data in March and car affordability worsening, many purchasers in Q1 appeared for extra effective, more cost-effective sedans. Of non-luxury purchasers, 37{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} viewed as autos in the 1st quarter, up from 31{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} in Q4 2021 and the maximum level in a very long time.

* A lot of towns and towns limit speeds all-around colleges, hospitals and browsing locations. Looking at the indicators, even so, can rely on how obvious they are, irrespective of whether they are concealed by branches, or possibly surrounded by a cluster of other signs. Now, Ford is trialling related automobile technological innovation working with geofencing – a digital geographical boundary – that could 1 working day do away with the need for speed limit indications completely. As very well as perhaps making streets safer for other road buyers and pedestrians, Ford’s Geofencing Pace Limit Management method could assistance drivers stay away from inadvertently incurring speeding fines and increase roadside appearances. Geofencing can guarantee speeds are minimized wherever – and even when – important to assist enhance safety and produce a extra pleasurable surroundings. This story from the Electric Autos Report.

* Cities are worried with the ever rising reputation of big pickup truck clogging the streets and creating increased have on and tear because of to their bodyweight A proposal from the District of Columbia would involve house owners of automobiles weighing over 6,000 pounds to spend an annual $500 vehicle registration price, practically 7 moments the value to sign-up a modest sedan. No other US jurisdiction has produced these a forceful money disincentive in opposition to the most significant, heaviest motor vehicle models. While, Chicagofor example has a residential town sticker requirement that has amplified expenses for automobiles in excess of 4,500 lbs. control fat.

* Hyundai is recalling 239,000 Elantra and Accent styles owing to faulty seatbelt pretensioners that might explode as they deploy. Afflicted motor vehicles are the 2019–2022 Accents, 2021–2023 Elantras, and 2021–2022 Elantra hybrids. Explosions have resulted in shrapnel injuries to proprietors in the US and Singapore.

* Stellantis has agreed to plead guilty to felony conduct and spend $300 million to solve a U.S. Justice Section investigation of dishonest on diesel emissions tests involving Ram pickups and Jeep cars, Reuters experiences. The investigation concerned 2014-2016 automobiles manufactured by then-Fiat Chrysler Vehicles. FCA merged with Peugeot to develop Stellantis in 2021.

* A person of the most iconic cars and trucks of the primary hotrod scene, the 1932 Ford, turns 90 this year, and the Petersen Automotive Museum is pulling out all the stops to celebrate–starting with the generation of a new holiday break, National Warm Rod Day, on June 11. Which is just the starting of the festivities, as celebrations will increase during the entire weekend, setting up with the opening of a new show at the museum. Known as “Ford Fever: The Deuce Turns 90,” it will show some of the most renowned hotrods of all time. That evening, the museum will host a Deuce Gala showcasing a overall performance from Billy F. Gibbons, frontman for ZZ Major, as very well as hold an special dwell auction. On Sunday, June 12, the Petersen’s yearly Deuce Day Cruise-In is poised to grow to be the largest gathering of 1932 Fords in Southern California.

* It really is Memorial Day weekend and the formal begin of summer season. Remember to get a moment this Memorial Working day weekend to keep in mind and give thanks to all the courageous assistance users that have designed the final sacrifice. Be safe this weekend and push economically!

Stay secure. Be Nicely.

May 4, 2022

Nutson’s Weekly Auto News Wrap-up Week Ending April 30 2022

AUTO CENTRAL CHICAGO – May 1, 2022; Every Sunday Larry Nutson, The Chicago Car Guy and Auto Channel 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 library of today’s news nugget topics s 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 topic and then inserting into any Site Search Box.

Nutson’s Automotive News Wrap-up – Week Ending April 30, 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.

* Sales of cars and light trucks in the United States will fall to an annual pace of just 14.5 million vehicles, down more than 20{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} from a year ago. But average new vehicle prices will hit a record $45,232, up 18.7{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} from a year ago, according to J.D. Power and LMC Automotive.

* Joe White writing for Reuters tells us U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin has said aloud what even some in the auto industry are wondering: Does the United States government need to offer expanded subsidies to spur sales of electric vehicles at a time when demand for many EVs is outrunning supply? Sen. Manchin’s judgment appears to be, no, and that likely means lights out for the Biden Administration’s proposals to significantly expand the current $7,500 per vehicle tax credit for a manufacturer’s first 200,000 EVs.

* A new consumer survey commissioned by Engine’s CARAVAN and conducted by MINI USA reveals various shifts in American consumers’ sentiment toward electric vehicles over the last three years. The survey, which repeated the same set of questions used in a 2019 questionnaire carried out by MINI USA, indicates that more Americans – and particularly younger and female consumers – view electric vehicles as a primary car in the household more than any other use case. This represents a shift from 2019 where more respondents selected “commuting car” and “city car” as preferred uses. A point that has remained consistent from both surveys is daily travel distance, as 76{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of respondents say that 75 miles of battery range is sufficient for everyday driving. Only a 3{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} increase over the course of three years, consumers’ daily driving distances continue to remain well below the current range of all new electric vehicles on the market today. Expectations for faster charging times rose over the last three years. More than two-thirds (67{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}) of consumers now believe charging should take no more than an hour, an increase from 59{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} three years ago.

* More than a dozen automakers are introducing electrified pickup trucks – full EVs or hybrids – over the next couple of years. One of those is Ford, which celebrated the delivery of the electric F-150 Lightning to its first customers on Tuesday, April 26. With so many electrified pickup trucks hitting the market, the question is who will buy them. Will it be traditional pickup truck owners, or will electrification open a new segment of truck buyers? The latter seems most likely based on new research from Cox Automotive and orders Ford has received for the Lightning, the vast majority of which are from consumers who have not owned a Ford, much less a Ford truck. “Younger consumers – under age 35 – and current owners of SUVs and sedans are the most likely candidates to buy an electrified pickup truck,” said Vanessa Ton, senior manager of Cox Automotive’s Research and Market Intelligence team.

* The North American International Auto Show (aka Detroit Auto Show) announced a peek behind the curtain of its first-ever indoor-outdoor fall auto show, including plans for dynamic vehicle activations, free community activities downtown, Charity Preview’s return and a rebranded logo for the iconic Detroit show. Scheduled for Sept. 14 – 25, 2022, at Huntington Place in Detroit, the auto show returns after a multi-year absence precipitated by the pandemic.

* Automotive News reports Volkswagen has given is Amarok pickup (not sold in the U.S.) a more robust look, along with driver assistance systems and engines from its partner Ford Motor. The second-generation Amarok, based on the latest Ford Ranger, will offer an expanded array of driver assist features and a broader range of engines than its predecessor, VW Commercial Vehicles said. VW has no plans to offer a plug-in hybrid version but the automaker is looking at a full-electric version, VW Commercial Vehicle’s marketing boss, Lars Krause, told Autocar. And we ask: Will the Amorak find its way to the U.S., produced in North America, as a battery-powered pickup?

* Ford celebrated the first production battery-powered F-150 Lightning coming off the assembly line this week at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center. Ford’s new EV manufacturing facility at Ford’s historic Rouge complex has been expanded to boost production capacity to 150,000 units annually. Lightnings will begin shipping to customers in the next few days.

* Volta Inc., an electric vehicle charging network, revealed broader EV adoption is dependent upon highly visible EV chargers that are conveniently located at the places drivers already frequent. The findings come from a nationwide research study and go beyond price and range anxiety to understand top barriers to switching to electric. Nearly half (42{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}) of Americans have never seen an EV charging station, and over a quarter (27{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}) of EV intenders still have not. 75{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of EV intenders rank convenient access to EV charging as their top barrier to making the switch (5 percentage points higher than price)—63{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of the general population agreed. Americans ranked grocery shopping (73{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}), dining at a restaurant (70{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}), retail shopping (69{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}), working (68{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}), watching a movie at a theater (64{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}), and exercising (60{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}) as top activities they would like to accomplish while charging their EV— all higher than downtime activities like reading while charging (54{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}).

* The U.S. Postal Service has been hit with three separate lawsuits filed by 16 states. the District of Columbia and environmental groups. Filed in New York and California, the suits ask judges to order a more thorough environmental review before the USPS moves forward with the next-generation delivery vehicle program. The plaintiffs contend that purchases of fossil fuel-powered delivery vehicles will cause environmental harm for decades to come and want the Postal Service to buy more electric delivery vehicles.

* Chevrolet said that a hybrid version of the Corvette will be available “as early as next year,” with a fully-electric model to follow sometime in the future. Reports are that GM President Mark Reuss also confirmed the news to CNBC’s though declined to give any specific dates besides noting that “We will have an electrified Corvette next year, so it’s coming very quick.” Joe White from Reuters points out the a hybrid Corvette is not in accord with GMs all-electric strategy.

* First told to our friends at The Detroit Bureau and recently confirmed to Automotive News, Mazda is bringing back its rotary engine. A plug-in hybrid version of the MX-30 utility vehicle with be using the rotary. The arrival of the MX-30 Plug-In Hybrid should happen sometime after the end of Mazda’s current fiscal year, which ends on March 31, 2023, reports The Detroit Bureau.

* A self-driving Tesla (which actually does not have self-driving capability) crashed into $3.5 million private jet when the owner used the “Smart Summon” feature. The feature, which operates at a speed limited to 5mph, was introduced by Tesla in 2019 and is still a beta feature…meaning, not-ready-for-prime-time.

* Ford is recalling more than 250,00 Explorer utility vehicles in the U.S. because they can roll away unexpectedly while shifted into park. The recall covers certain 2020 through 2022 Explorers with 2.3-liter engines, as well as 3-liter and 3.3-liter hybrids and the 3-liter ST. Also included are 2020 and 2021 Explorer Police hybrids and those with 3.3-liter gas engines. A rear axle mounting bolt can fracture and cause the drive shaft to disconnect. If that happens, the Explorers can roll away even if they are placed in park gear, without the parking brake on.

* Tesla is recalling about 48,000 Model 3 Performance vehicles in the United States because they may not display the speedometer while in “Track Mode.” The recall covers vehicles from the 2018 through 2022 model years.

* The Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC) racecar, a Dallara AV-21 programmed by team PoliMOVE from Politecnico di Milano (Italy) and the University of Alabama (USA), set a new land speed world record for a self-driving car of 192.2 MPH / 309.3 KPH at the historic Kennedy Space Center. Operating the Dallara AV-21, PoliMOVE set out to push the limits of a boosted engine package during test runs at Space Florida’s Launch & Landing Facility at Kennedy Space Center. The upgraded engine package, capable of delivering 30{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} more horsepower than previous models, will be on all IAC race cars moving forward. Future competitions will be announced in the coming months. The primary goal of the IAC is to solve real world problems by advancing technology that will speed the commercialization of fully autonomous vehicles and deployments of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS).

* After months of anticipation and more than 173,500 applications, the Dodge brand’s search to fill the greatest automotive job in the world came to its supercharged conclusion. Proving he has the character and the drive in a series of high-stakes challenges, Preston Patterson of North Carolina has officially been named chief donut maker. The announcement came on 4/26, April 26 that is, which is Hemi Day. After a four-month search ten finalists had been selected to go through a final round of tests. The chief donut maker search is part of the brand’s Never Lift plan, which provides a 24-month road map to Dodge’s performance future.

* DSR Performance, Don Schumacher Racing’s (DSR) performance aftermarket division, has launched the DSR 1150. An earth shattering 1150-horsepower crate engine based on the current generation (GEN III) HEMI. This game changing crate engine has unparalleled performance levels and is designed to run on 93 octane unleaded fuel. The DSR 1150 has been engineered using technology and data developed from the championship-winning DSR Challenger Drag Pak program that has competed and won in the ultra-competitive NHRA Constant Aviation Factory Stock Showdown Series and NMCA Holley EFI Factory Super Cars Class. In paying homage to the infamous Chrysler HEMI engine that ruled the streets and strips in the 1960s and early 1970s, the modern DSR 1150 displaces 426 cubic-inches (7.0-liter) and is the highest horsepower pump gas OE production-based crate engine sold on the market today. The DSR 1150 retails for $37,950 and is sold direct through DSRperformance.com and exclusive dealers.

* A 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz Limited is being entered in the seventh annual Rebelle Rally, an all-women, off-road navigational challenge held in the deserts of California and Nevada. Automotive writers Jill Ciminillo and Kristin Shaw will share driving and navigation duties. The rally starts Oct. 6 at a to-be-determined location in Nevada. It will cover 1,500 miles in eight days before reaching the finish line, Oct. 15, in the Imperial Sand Dunes of Southern California. It will be Ciminillo and Shaw’s first attempt at the Rebelle Rally and Hyundai’s first time supporting the event.

* A team of Acura engineers will take the brand’s high performance Type S variant to a different form of competition this month as they tackle the iconic 2022 Tire Rack One Lap of America, a demanding eight-day, 3,200-mile road rally, April 30 – May 7. Driving a turbocharged 2022 Acura TLX Type S sports sedan they helped create, two engineers from Honda’s Ohio-based North American Auto Development Center, Nicolas Hammann and Clifton Ching, will compete in the grueling competition that includes timed events at nine racetracks across the U.S. The 37th running of the One Lap of America starts and ends at the Tire Rack headquarters in South Bend, Indiana, and sends competitors through 12 states.

Stay safe. Be Well.

March 30, 2022

Nutson’s Weekly Auto News Wrap-up March 20-26, 2022

Auto CENTRAL CHICAGO – March 27, 2022 Each and every Sunday Larry Nutson, The Chicago Automobile Man and Govt Producer, with equipped help from senior editor Thom Cannell from The Car Channel Michigan Bureau, compile The Car Channel’s “choose” on this previous week’s automotive information, condensed into quick to digest information Nuggets.

Master More: Full versions of present day information nuggets alongside with 1000’s of internet pages of related news and views, data stored in a million-web site library printed and indexed on The Automobile Channel throughout the earlier 25 several years. Complete info can be uncovered by copying a bold headline and then inserting into any Internet site Look for Box.

Nutson’s Automotive News Wrap-up – Week Ending March 26, 2022 Down below are the previous week’s important, pertinent, semi-solution, or snappy automotive news, opinions and insider back stories presented as
expertly crafted easy-to-recognize automotive universe information nuggets.

* Automotive consulting company AutoPacific’s most up-to-date spherical of Fuel Selling price Influence Study (FPIS) data will come amid alarmingly substantial gasoline rates and continued conflict in Ukraine. The survey, issued bi-monthly to AutoPacific’s proprietary panel of respondents, been given responses from over 650 automobile proprietors in the United States. The info expose that above 50 {cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of customers (52{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}) continue being unwilling to improve the form of vehicle they drive even with better gas selling prices. The 25{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} who say bigger fuel prices would induce them to transform the type of automobile they push say the selling price of gasoline must be about $1.00 for every gallon far more than what they are having to pay now, or a median price tag of $5.32 for every gallon in comparison to the existing median of $4.23 for each gallon. For those who now personal an SUV or crossover, almost 50 {cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} (47{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}) say they would contemplate a hybrid or plug-in hybrid SUV though 30{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} would consider an all-electrical SUV if gas selling prices are as substantial or larger than now when they are browsing for their next car or truck. Below individuals situation, only 18{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of SUV or crossover proprietors would think about downsizing to a smaller sized SUV or crossover, even though a scant 7{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} would contemplate receiving out of their SUV or crossover and into a sedan or other sort of passenger motor vehicle.

* DoE factoid of the week: A investigation research for the Bureau of Transportation Figures centered on the amount of day-to-day outings taken in the United States. In 2021, 52{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of all visits, which include all modes of transportation, were being less than a few miles, with 28{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of outings a lot less than just one mile. Just 2{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of all excursions were higher than 50 miles. A excursion was defined as a movement that involves a continue to be of more time than 10 minutes at a place absent from home. Numerous stays of for a longer period than 10 minutes just before returning residence were being counted as a number of outings. The visits included driving, rail, transit, and air.

* A U.S. Bureau of the Census American Housing Study suggests 63{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of all occupied housing units have a garage or carport. Garages and carports usually have accessibility to electricity for parked autos, so these information are essential for electric powered motor vehicle sector investigation. Seventy-{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of new construction units (five decades aged or less) have a garage or carport. The West and Midwest areas of the country have a higher percentage of housing with garages or carports, every with around 70{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}. For rental housing units, only 37{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} have a garage/carport, as compared to 78{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} for all those proudly owning housing models. The West is maximum at 76{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} and the Northeast the least expensive at 49{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} as to garage or carport accessibility. In 2021, there had been 129.93 million households in the United States.

* The Detroit Bureau reports profits of new vehicles are expected to drop once again in March and are down by double digits by the to start with a few months of 2022, according to new estimates by J.D. Electric power and LMC Automotive, even though estimates of the seasonally adjusted yearly level or SAAR has fallen to close to economic downturn concentrations. New car or truck revenue are envisioned to slide 27.8{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} as inventory levels remain at report lows. J.D. Electrical power and LMC Automotive predicted profits of new motor vehicles this thirty day period will decline 27.8{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} in comparison with March 2021 when adjusted for providing times. Comparing the exact same income volume with out modifying for the range of advertising days translates to a decrease of 25{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} from 2021.

* Reuters says Uber has agreed to set NYC’s yellow taxis on its journey hailing application. Two present NYC taxi hailing applications will now integrate their software program with Uber to give clients obtain to Uber and yellow cabs in just one glance. Buyers preferred this – Uber shares ended up up 5{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} pre-sector. It was pointed out: Uber has pivoted from promising to “disrupt” the standard cab marketplace, to collaborating with legacy taxi operators to broaden its driver pool.

* The U.S. Postal Support announced it ordered a lot more than 10,000 new electrical shipping and delivery trucks, up from the 5,000 the agency had originally planned to invest in. It really is element of the service’s first $2.98 billion get of 50,000 new shipping and delivery cars from Oshkosh Corp. as aspect of a deal to replace its 30-year-previous fleet. The improve comes after the Biden administration criticized the Postal Service’s technical examination of emissions impacts and argued it overestimated the long-expression price of EVs.

* Push a fully electrical, luxurious motor vehicle up to the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown and basically permit the car park by itself. This situation became a truth in a demonstration of automatic valet parking at the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown featuring the EQS sedan from Mercedes-EQ. Automatic valet parking technological innovation from Bosch and Mercedes-Benz is at the main of the demonstration in Los Angeles. It functions Smart PARK PILOT in the EQS from Mercedes-EQ and integration with the smartphone application as section of a holistic demonstration of the potential automobile knowledge for shoppers. The demonstration is operated in conjunction with the InterContinental Downtown Los Angeles Resort, an 889-area property positioned in the tallest creating west of Chicago. Apologies for the sarcasm, but yeah, one more occupation shed to technological know-how.

* In the meantime, the news is not all about electric powered vehicles and their batteries. Stellantis revealed its new, 3.-liter, twin-turbo, inline, 6-cylinder engine, named Hurricane, that delivers improved fuel economic system and fewer emissions than greater engines although at the very same time generates more horsepower and torque than a lot of competitors’ the natural way aspirated V-8 and boosted 6-cylinder electricity crops. Made with an inherently easy-jogging I-6 configuration and state-of-the-art technologies, the Hurricane twin-turbo’s robust base architecture permits Stellantis propulsion techniques engineers to create two distinct variants: Common Output (SO) that is optimized for gas overall economy, like the use of cooled exhaust fuel circulation (EGR), though delivering improved electricity and torque (extra than 400 hp/450 lb.-ft. of torque). Large Output (HO) that is optimized for wonderful general performance (additional than 500 hp/475 lb.-ft.) even though protecting important fuel economy throughout significant use, such as towing. The Hurricane twin-turbo achieves this V-8-rivaling performance while currently being up to 15{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} more successful than greater engines. The Hurricane twin-turbo I-6 is the main inner combustion energy plant of the potential in North America for autos working with the STLA Big and STLA Body platforms. We expect the new Hurricane engine to at some point seem in use in a hybrid setup.

* We traveled to California’s Central Coastline this past 7 days to generate the all-new 2023 Mazda CX-50. The CX-50 is an addition to the Mazda lineup and does not exchange any other design. That is, the CX-5 will go on. It truly is designed in Alabama at the joint-venture plant with Toyota. Two engines will be available. It can tow up to 3,500 lbs. and has an off-street mode. Verify back again this 7 days for a total tale.

* Ford is recalling approximately 215,000 pickup vans and large SUVs in the U.S. and Canada for the reason that brake fluid can leak, leading to for a longer time halting distances. The recall addresses the F-150 pickup from 2016 by way of 2018, as very well as Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs from 2016 and 2017. All have 3.5-liter turbocharged six-cylinder engines.

* In the Bahrain Grand Prix the very first Formulation 1 race of the new 2022 season Charles LeClerc sent Ferrari its very first race earn given that 2019 forward of teammate Carlos Sainz. Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton grabbed third spot more than the remaining couple laps of the Bahrain Grand Prix. This winter season, Formulation 1 introduced a new set of aerodynamic restrictions aimed at generating the cars easier to race. Those people, alongside with the present expense cap (created to shut the hole in between wealthy and very poor groups) and new management in the race director’s place of work, were a collective try to knock out many of the competitive issues that have dogged the sport for a decade or a lot more.

* We are all saddened to report the sudden passing of auto market buddy and colleague Pat Goss, who appeared on MotorWeek through forty-a person seasons, beginning with their incredibly very first episode. Goss’ Garage had been a pillar of the Motorweek system and a should-see phase for thousands and thousands of viewers who tuned in for the no-nonsense maintenance tips and incomparable vehicle know-how that Pat dispensed with easy familiarity and understated wit.

Stay protected. Be Nicely.

March 23, 2022

Nutson’s Weekly Auto News Wrap-up March 13-19, 2022

AUTO CENTRAL CHICAGO – March 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 March 19, 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.

* There are various conversations being had in the political arena around the country to temporarily suspend the tax on gasoline due to the current high per-gallon prices at the pump. Will this gas tax suspension issue lead to a new end game? That is, repeal the gas tax and in its place implement use-fees for motor vehicles. With the ever increasing electrification of private passenger cars now might be the time to make the change.

* The semiconductor chip supply shortage has led automakers to ship new vehicles to dealers with some equipment not functioning. Usually this is some customer convenience feature that can be retrofitted later. Ford is the latest to join this practice shipping Explorer vehicles without the rear seat climate control function. BMW, GM and Nissan have shipped vehicles without certain features operating.

* And, it’s not just microchip supply, so says Reuters. War in Ukraine, turmoil in London’s nickel market, the COVID surge in China and an earthquake in Japanese are the newest issues. S&P Global Mobility, formerly known as IHS Markit, slashed its forecast for global vehicle production in 2022 and 2023 by a total of more than 5 million vehicles – 2.6 million lost in each year – and warned the auto industry could lose a total of as many as 8 million vehicles this year and next if supply chain disruptions get worse.

* From Subaru: As the automotive marketplace continues to move towards electrification, Subaru is focused on how our future sports and performance cars should evolve to meet the needs of the changing marketplace and the regulations and requirements for greenhouse gasses (GHG), zero emissions vehicles (ZEV), and Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFÉ). As part of that effort, Subaru Corporation is exploring opportunities for the next generation Subaru WRX STI, including electrification. In the meantime, a next generation internal combustion engine WRX STI will not be produced based upon the new WRX platform. The Subaru WRX STI and the STI brand represent the zenith of Subaru’s performance vehicles exemplifying Subaru’s unique DNA and rally heritage. As we look to the future, we also look forward to incorporating the essence of STI into our next generation of vehicles.

* The World Car Finals Powered by Brembo continues with the announcement of the Top Three in the World finalists. The winners in all six categories will be declared live at the 2022 New York International Auto Show on Wednesday, April 13, 2022. A jury of 102 distinguished international automotive journalists from 33 countries selected the finalists by secret ballot based on their evaluation of each eligible vehicle as part of their professional work. The vote results have been tabulated by KPMG. See the finalists here: https://www.worldcarawards.com/files/2022_WCA_TOP_THREE_FINALISTS.pdf

* Volvo said it will develop a public EV charging network in partnership with Starbucks that initially will stretch from Denver to Seattle. When’s the last time you spent a bunch of time in a Starbucks? EV public chargers might be better situated at a movie theater parking lot or garage where you might want to remain parked for a few hours.

* Pirelli announced the introduction in North America of its first replacement tire developed specifically for electric vehicles: the P Zero All Season Plus with Elect marking. The new tire has low rolling resistance, designed to increase the driving range while reducing consumption. Another advantage of the Elect marking is noise reduction, for ultimate comfort and to emphasize the quiet inside the cabin. In electric cars, the engine is no longer the primary source of noise, so reducing sound frequencies produced by the tires is key to increase driving comfort. BEVS are quieter which results in the surrounding environment being more pleasant.

* Joe White for Reuters writes Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told an audience at the South by Southwest tech conference that there will be “meaningful” federal policy on autonomous vehicles developed during the 2020s. Buttigieg acknowledged the obvious: Regulators are running far behind development of AV technology. Under Buttigieg, the Transportation Department has taken some steps, such as eliminating the need for fully autonomous vehicles to have steering wheels and pedals.

* Continuing for Reuters, Joe White writes: Do you know what a Level 2 automated driving system is? How about “Level 2.5?” Does Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system really enable a vehicle to fully drive itself? Don’t know? Don’t feel bad. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, the U.S. auto industry’s main trade group, is “increasingly concerned about persistent confusion among consumers and policymakers over the critically important difference between partial automation (Level 2) and automated driving systems (Level 3-5), particularly as it relates to the responsibility of a human driver in the driver’s seat.” The Alliance has asked SAE International to do more to clarify its current taxonomy for automated driving systems. The Alliance’s concern coincides with a rush by automakers to deploy systems that more or less provide “Level 3” automation, defined as technology that enables vehicles to take over driving functions under limited circumstances. Tesla’s Autopilot is NOT a Level 3 system, yet. According to Tesla it is a Level 2 system. What FSD will be once it exits its Beta form is still TBD.

* Sure, you known you need to be careful when crossing a street. A new study by IIHS says at or near intersections, minivans, large vans, pickups, and SUVs (collectively known as light truck vehicles, or LTVs) were more likely than cars to be involved in crossing-roadway–vehicle-turning-left crashes versus crossing-roadway–vehicle-not-turning crashes. LTVs were also more likely involved in fatal crossing-roadway–vehicle-turning-right crashes at or near intersections versus crossing-roadway–vehicle-not-turning crashes when compared with cars. At non-intersections, LTVs were associated with increased odds of walking-along-roadway crashes relative to crossing-roadway–vehicle-not-turning crashes when compared with cars. The implication is the potentially problematic visibility of pedestrians near the front corners of these vehicles.

* Ford is recalling 157,306 F-150 pickups from 2021 model year due to a windshield wiper malfunction. At issue is a potential failing windshield wiper motor, which needs to be replaced.

* Dodge and Ram are recalling more than 370,000 vehicles because their electronic stability control (ESC) warning lights may not illuminate even if the ESC system is malfunctioning. Included in the recall are all 2021-2022 Dodge Durango SUVs, 2019-2022 Ram 2500 pickups, and 2019-2022 Ram 3500 cab chassis trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) below 10,000 lbs.

* Volkswagen is recalling its 2019-2023 Atlas and 2020-2023 Atlas Cross Sport utility vehicles due to an electrical issue that may trigger delayed airbag deployment or unintended low-speed braking. The recall affects 222,892 units of the midsize SUVs. VW does not yet have a fix for the problem.

* Racer magazine reports NASCAR is planning a return to Le Mans in 2023. In a collaborative effort between IMSA, NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet and Goodyear, a modified Next Gen Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will be entered in next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. It will be a Garage 56 entry, which is reserved for highlighting innovation and technology that exists outside of the WEC regulations. The entry will not take a spot from a car on the traditional starting grid. Bill France Sr. first took a stock car to the 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 12, 1976. Hershel McGriff owned and drove a Dodge Charger while Richard Brooks and Dick Hutcherson drove a Ford Torino owned by Junie Donlavey.

* For a NASCAR cup car to run in the 24 Hours of Le Mans it will need windshield wipers, headlights and taillights, air jacks, and rain diffuser flaps. Garage 56 was introduced in 2012 as a special single-entry class reserved for innovative cars. We’ll speculate here and suggest this NASCAR Chevrolet may even have a hybrid engine. We’ll see!

* Chip Ganassi Racing’s #02 car won the Sebring 12 Hours, the second round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, after an action-packed ending to the American sportscar classic. The 70th staging of the 12 Hours of Sebring represents the next endurance classic in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. A 53 car entry formed the grid for the 70th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Advance Auto Parts. That’s an increase of 16 cars from a year ago, in the second race for IMSA’s newly revamped class structure. There are few surprises with seven DPis, eight LMP2s, 10 LMP3s, 11 GTD Pro and 17 GTD cars.

* Vic Elford, Porsche 917 ace and one of the finest sports car racers, has died at the age of 86. Though outright Le Mans success eluded him, Elford twice won his class in the 24 Hours, with a Porsche 906 in 1967 and then again in a Ferrari 365 GTB/4 in 1973 before retiring to the United States. Elford was the first driver to have an average lap of the Circuit de la Sarthe (Le Mans) above 150 mph – he did so in a 1970 Porsche 917 LH (Long-Tail). Elford initially made his name in rallying, largely in Triumph and Ford machinery, and then joined Porsche. He won the 1967 European Rally Championship before an incredible run of success in early 1968. Elford won the Monte Carlo Rally with co-driver David Stone in a 911T then, just a week later, he took the Daytona 24 Hours, one of five drivers to share the victorious long-tailed 907.

Stay safe. Be Well.

March 1, 2022

Nutson’s Wekly Auto News Wrap-up February 20-26, 2022

AUTO CENTRAL CHICAGO – February 27, 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.

Nutson’s Automotive News Wrap-up – Week Ending February 26, 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.

* U.S. DoE factoid of the week: The Environmental Protection Agency maintains a listing of “off-cycle” vehicle technologies that reduce emissions but are not sufficiently accounted for in city and highway test cycles. These technologies include active aerodynamics, thermal control technologies, active warm up, engine idle stop-start, high efficiency lighting and alternators. Manufacturers can gain credit toward meeting their emissions requirements by adopting these technologies and several saw widespread adoption by vehicle manufacturers for the 2020 model year. The use of thermal glass or glazing to reduce transmission of heat from the sun reached a production share of 89{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}, followed by high efficiency lighting at 85{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} and passive cabin venting at 78{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}. The oft not-loved Engine Idle Stop-Start system had a production share of 50{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}.

* For the eighth consecutive week, the nation’s average gas price has climbed, rising 3.2 cents from a week ago and stands at $3.52 per gallon according to GasBuddy data compiled from more than 11 million individual price reports covering over 150,000 gas stations across the country. The national average is up 20.7 cents from a month ago and 88.9 cents per gallon higher than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has risen 5.7 cents in the last week and stands at $3.93 per gallon, the highest since May 20, 2014. Oil prices have seen a see-saw between two different situations. Oil is rising due to the Russian incursion, and falling on the potential Iran nuclear deal unleashing Iran’s crude oil.

* The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is recognizing 65 models with the 2022 TOP SAFETY PICK+ award, as improved headlight offerings boost more vehicles into the top tier. Another 36 models earn the lower-tier TOP SAFETY PICK award for a total of 101 winners overall. This time last year, there were 90 winners, including 49 earning TOP SAFETY PICK+. Hyundai Motor Group, which includes the Hyundai, Kia and Genesis brands, has the most 2022 awards overall and the most awards in each category — 11 TOP SAFETY PICK+ and 10 TOP SAFETY PICK awards for a total of 21. Volkswagen Group, which includes the Volkswagen and Audi brands, is not far behind with eight TOP SAFETY PICK+ and three TOP SAFETY PICK awards. Volvo earns 10 TOP SAFETY PICK+ awards. See the full report here.

* Automotive consulting firm AutoPacific just issued its forecast of fully electric light vehicle sales in the U.S. of around 700,000 units in 2022 with strong annual increases throughout the 6-year forecast period. The forecast comes as consumer demand for EVs is also at its highest yet, having spiked significantly in the past two years.

* DeLorean will return as an electric vehicle, according to various reports including a recent story in the San Antonio Business Journal, which says DeLorean Motor Co., now known as DeLorean Motors Reimagined, plans to hire 450 people for its new home in Port San Antonio. DeLorean teased its return to the automotive market with a 30-second advertisement that aired in selected markets as part of Super Bowl LVI pre-game coverage.

* Volkswagen has launched the countdown for the electric ID. Buzz! The World premiere of the zero-tailpipe-emission ID. Buzz is scheduled for March 9th. Two versions to be sold in Europe. The new electric Bus debuts this year as ID. Buzz and ID. Buzz Cargo. Production of the ID. Buzz starts in the first half of this year, and the European launch follows just a short time later in the Fall. The ID. Buzz is also set to be sold as a long-wheelbase model in the U.S. The Volkswagen ID. Buzz will make its first-ever U.S. public appearance at SXSW from March 11-20, 2022.

* Raptor everything! The 2023 Ford Ranger Raptor made its debut and it’s coming to the U.S. with a 392-horsepower twin-turbo 3.0-liter engine paired up with a 10-speed automatic. So get ready to fly across the Mojave Desert. It’ll arrive next year.

* The cargo ship carrying a load of VW Group vehicles continued to burn all week with less intensity. By week’s end fire crews were able to board the vessel to douse hot spots. The cause of the fire is not yet determined. Battery electric vehicles on board had made the fire difficult to extinguish. VW, Audi, Porsche, Bentley and Lamborghini dealers are scrambling to try and find replacement vehicles for their customers. The latest estimate of the total loss is $335 million.

* French authorities are installing “sound radars” in some cities to detect and photograph vehicles making excessive noise, which they say is a public health hazard. New sensors, or “sound radars,” were placed in seven cities last week as an experiment. The sensors can detect and take pictures of vehicles making excessive noise, a problem that officials say has gotten worse in recent years. The hope is to eventually set a noise-pollution limit and fine those motorists exceeding it.

* Ford is recalling more than 330,000 Mustangs in the U.S. to fix backup camera displays that go blank or become distorted. The recall covers cars from the 2015 to 2017 model years. The rear view camera wiring can become loose or damaged, causing the problem.

* Ford is also recalling nearly a quarter-million heavy duty pickup trucks in the U.S. because the drive shafts can fracture and cause a loss of power. The recall covers certain F-250 and F-350 Super Duty pickups from the 2017 through 2022 model years. The trucks have gasoline engines and aluminum drive shafts.

* Stellantis NV has issued a temporary stop sale on a limited number of Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles for a problem preventing the vehicles and their key fobs from communicating. Customers have reported being locked out of their vehicles and unable to start them. Both the two-row Grand Cherokee and the three-row Grand Cherokee L are affected. Parts to fix the problem are being expedited to dealers.

* From ClassicCars.com we read Denise McCluggage will be inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in early March as a member of a Class of 2022 that also includes Pete Brock, Helio Castroneves, Jack Roush and Banjo Matthews. While she won’t be there, she died in 2015 at the age of 88, the car in which she won her first race will be. The car, a Jaguar XK140, was a gift from Briggs Cunningham, the wealthy American sportsman she met in the early 1950s while covering a yacht race as a reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle.

* The Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn, Michigan, has announced its 2022 inductee class: The Green Book publishers Alma and Victo Green; Lamborghini founder Feruccio Lamborghini; motorsports pioneer Lyn St. James; Lu Guanqui, founder of Chinese automotive supplier Wanxiang; and Taicho Ohno, pioneer of the Toyota Production System.

* Luc Donckerwolke, Hyundai Motor Group’s Executive Vice President for Design and Chief Creative Officer has been named 2022 World Car Person of the Year by the The World Car Awards jury panel representing 102 journalists from 33 countries. The 2022 World Car Awards program will end at the New York Auto Show on April 13, 2022 with the announcement and presentation of the: World Car Design, World Luxury Car, World Performance Car, World Urban Car, World Electric Vehicle and World Car of the Year.

* On the 85th birthday of his car owner, Roger Penske, 23-year-old NASCAR Cup Series rookie Austin Cindric beat Bubba Wallace to the finish line by .036 seconds in overtime to win last Sunday’s 64th running of the Daytona 500. Cedric piloted the Discount Tire sponsored No. 2 Team Penske Ford to a packed house at Daytona. It was the first big race for NASCAR’s Next Gen race car. It was the first time a rookie won the Daytona 500 since 2011.

* Michael Andretti is targeting expanding his motorsport portfolio into Formula 1 in time for the 2024 season. Formula 1 has featured 10 teams since 2017, with the most recent addition being the US firm Haas, but the regulations allow for as many as 13 entrants. Andretti Autosport’s empire includes teams in the NTT IndyCar Series and Formula E, but it has recently targeted a further expansion into Formula 1. Andretti had submitted an entry to the FIA to field a new F1 team, starting in 2024, under the name of Andretti Global. The application requires approval from Formula 1’s governing body the FIA.

Stay safe. Be Well.

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.