Tag Archives: thedetroitbureau.com

Hundreds of New Cars Swamped by Flood as Storms Disrupt Detroit-Area Production

Massive storms sweeping through the Detroit area in recent days not only disrupted production at area assembly plants but also flooded a marshalling yard holding hundreds of finished vehicles produced for various Stellantis brands.

Flooded Detroit roads two
Massive rains cause flooding that overwhelmed many Detroit-area roads.

While manufacturers told TheDetroitBureau.com they hope to make up for at least some of the losses in the days and weeks ahead, new storms forecast for the entire coming week could complicate matters. Worse, any losses will exacerbate vehicle shortages the industry is already experiencing due to a lack of critical microchips.

“As a result of severe storms that came through Detroit on June 25, many expressways, surface streets and neighborhoods in the area experienced significant flooding, including the Jefferson North Assembly Plant and an adjacent shipping yard,” Stellantis said in a prepared statement.

Damages could run well into the millions

Stellantis’ Jefferson North plant and an adjacent shipping yard were flooded in the last two days.

The marshalling yard is used to prepare vehicles from the Jeep, Dodge, Ram and Chrysler brands for shipping by both truck and rail, spokesperson Jodi Tinson said by phone. Videos and still pictures of the facility showed what appeared to be hundreds of products under water to varying degrees. In its statement, the company said it is “assessing the conditions of vehicles” stored there to see which, if any, can be salvaged.

Flood waters can result in mold, destroy carpeting and other materials, lead to premature rust and short-circuit electronic components. Depending upon how deep the water was, many of the vehicles at the shipping depot could be headed for the junkyard. With the typical new vehicle now selling for more than $40,000, according to Kelley Blue Book, the situation could readily push losses into the millions, and even tens of millions, of dollars.

The company also said that it was able to dry out and resume operations at the Jefferson North plant by Saturday at 4:30 p.m. The factory currently produces the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango SUVs. Both are in extremely short supply at U.S. dealerships because of production disruptions blamed on the semiconductor shortage.

Detroit road floods

Flooded roads like this make travel difficult around Detroit last weekend, causing work stoppages at auto plants.

Overall, U.S. dealers have an average of around 30 days’ worth of vehicles, about half of what is considered normal, according to J.D. Power and other industry sources. The chip shortages have complicated efforts to rebuild supplies after a two-month shutdown of the North American automotive manufacturing network due to the COVID pandemic.

Complicating an already severe shortage of vehicles

Adverse weather has only worsened the situation. A number of plants in Texas, for example, were forced to temporarily halt production due to a freak spring ice storm.

The heavy rains played havoc in Detroit beyond just flooding out vehicle storage lots, but also some plants making it difficult for workers to report in. The storms proved particularly fierce in the City of Detroit, as well as in Dearborn, the latter suburb the home of Ford Motor Co. Interstate 94 was completely under water in some locations when drainage pumps failed. Surface streets also became swimming pools, videos and tweets showing many vehicles all or partially submerged.

The Dearborn Truck plant was temporarily closed as floods made impossible to get enough employees in to operate the facility.

The “Dearborn Truck Plant was down (Saturday) because people couldn’t get in,” spokesperson Kelli Felker said by phone. As a result, “We didn’t have enough workers to run” the facility, which produces F-150 pickups.

While Felker didn’t have a number on production losses she said the factory typically produces a new pickup every 53 seconds. On Saturday, it runs a single, eight-hour shift.

Workers need to find new ways to work

Ford also had to halt production at its nearby Michigan Assembly Plant on Friday, said Felker, “due to a roof leak.” That was a particularly troubling development as the Wayne, Michigan factory assembles the new and highly popular Ford Bronco. The Bronco finally went into production two weeks ago after a six-month delay. Ford is struggling to catch up with an order bank of around 100,000 of the SUVs.

The automaker hopes to take steps to boost production to make up for lost volume in the coming days, the spokesperson said.

General Motors said it has not experienced production problems at any of its plants, though a spokesperson there indicated workers have been struggling to deal with flooding at their homes, as well as the challenge of getting to work where roads have been flooded along their normal routes.

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Hagerty Buys the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance

Classic car insurance company Hagerty announced Wednesday it acquired the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, held each March on tiny Amelia Island, off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida.

Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. The shows founder, Bill Warner, 78, will remain as Chairman Emeritus. Warner founded the show in 1996, and it’s evolved into a must-attend event for car enthusiasts.

2021 Best in Show Concours dElegance 1926 Hispano-Suiza H6B Cabriolet
The 2021 Best in Show Concours dElegance was the 1926 Hispano-Suiza H6B Cabriolet.

“Our objective is to knit the enthusiast community together in a way that supports and protects the future of car culture,” said McKeel Hagerty, CEO of Hagerty, in a statement. “We are incredibly proud to have the opportunity to build upon and scale Bill’s vision.”

A growing portfolio

Hagerty’s move adds to their growing portfolio of top-notch automotive events. The company now owns some of the premiere automotive concours in the country, including Concours d’Elegance of America, the California Mille, and the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance.

It also hosts Hagerty’s Festival of the Unexceptional in the United Kingdom, with the next show slated to occur July 31. In addition, the company takes part in more than 2,500 automotive events annually.  

Warner had been looking to bring in someone to take over the show for several years, but to little avail. Rumors have been circulating for weeks that a sale was imminent, but word did not leak out until Wednesday, with the issuing of a press release and a letter to the judging staff. 

2021 Best in Show Concours de Sport

The 2021 Best in Show Concours de Sport was the 1974 Shadow DN4.

A legacy in the collector car community

Warner founded the vent looking to infuse the staid world of the concours with the passion of motorsports. That dual passion could be seen in Warner’s insistence that a Best in Show award be given to one production car and one race car, as Warner felt that race cars always got slighted at concours. The innovation has been copied by other American automotive events.

The most recent show, held May 23, Best in Show, Concours d’Elegance awarded to a 926 Hispano-Suiza H6B Cabriolet, while Best in Show, Concours de Sport went to a 1974 Shadow DN4.

Held on the grounds of the Ritz Carlton Amelia Island for the past 26 years, the event has raised more than $3.75 million for charity.

Marketed as “The Aristocrats of Motordom,” Bakers were widely admired. Thomas Edison owned one. President Taft bought one for the first White House automotive fleet.

But the show reflects its location, held on an island that’s home to the show’s venue, the Ritz-Carlton, as well as funky, thanks to Fernandina Beach, a low-key Southern town with an eclectic main street and home to Florida’s oldest continuously operating bar. 

The show is very much a reflection of Warner, and his passion for anything automotive. Warner, a Jacksonville native, spent years photographing races at Sebring and Daytona for Road & Track and Sports Car Graphic.

While the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, founded in 1950 and America’s first, considers itself the most important collector car show, many collectors prefer Amelia, which has quickly risen to challenge its hidebound rival. It’s hard to imagine the stuffy California show fielding Chevrolet Corvairs or yellow Italian sports cars or beach cars. To Warner, it’s all about pushing the envelope on what’s expected at a concours. 

“Those two fairways are my canvas, and the cars are my oils,” Warner told the Tribune News Service of his show field at the Ritz Carlton in 2015. “Everyone has the same canvas; everyone has the same oils. You just have to have the creativity to come up with something special.”

Considered the oldest surviving electric car, the Electrobat IV was developed by chemist Pedro Salom and engineer Henry Morris, who received the first U.S. patent for the electric car in 1894.

That, and a healthy dose of Warner’s Southern charm, has endeared the show to many, including automakers such as General Motors, McLaren, Porsche and Mercedes-Benz, as well as some the top race car drivers, car designers and industry executives. 

In the same Tribune News Service story, Warner also knew his time with the show might coming to a close. “I think the hardest thing for me to pass on is my demented automotive mind. You have to understand the feng shui of the show. It’s not just about lining cars up.” 

An old tradition

A modern-day concours d’elegance is little more than a 21st century update of a 19th century tradition, where wealthy carriage owners would meet and compete to see who had the best carriage. Owners were asked to compete by invitation only, you couldn’t pay to compete, a tradition that continues today. The name concours d’elegance is a French term meaning “a competition of elegance,” and only the finest, rarest cars are asked to compete.

The concours season starts in Florida in March with the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, hits a crescendo with California’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, and wraps up with the South Carolina’s Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance in November. 

A Week With: 2021 Lexus RX 350 AWD F Sport

The Lexus RX 350 is one of, if not the most popular luxury vehicles sold in the United States today thanks to the vehicle’s deft packaging and the Lexus brand’s image of success. The LX line-up is popular, in part, due to its simple design and the brand’s reputation for quality.

The Lexus RX 350 features a stylish exterior.

Overview

The RX 350 AWD F Sport was pleasant, easy to drive, packed with technology and comfort and convenience features and spacious enough to carry family and/or friends in relative comfort. The RX 350 also is versatile is versatile enough to carry a fair amount of cargo or luggage when needed. The blend of practicality, versatility and image makes the RX 350 a vehicle well-adapted to life in upscale American suburbs. 

It’s popular even as some symbols of status have not really changed much despite the political upheavals created around shifting demographics and altered attitudes towards consumption driven by growing concern about the physical environment. The RX 350, however, manages to keep rolling, navigating the changes and retaining its popularity, which is no small accomplishment.

The 2021 RX 350 is powered by a 3.5-liter V-6 mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission.

Exterior

The RX 350 comes with the distinctive Lexus grille, which is easy to recognize. The grille, trapezoidal head lamps and clever openings for the vents and fog lamps tends to draw attention away from the rest of vehicle’s exterior, which is too bad.  

The front fascia is nicely integrated into the well-balanced design that includes a raked wind shield, sloped roof line and the nicely shaped window openings downs the side. Toyota is not the strongest company when it comes to handling exterior design, but its sheet metal is always well executed. 

The rear lift gate design is simple and clean, featuring lights neatly tucked into the corners. The overall impression is the exterior design goes just far enough, thanks to the strong front fascia, to separate from the other vehicles in a rather crowded segment with only a small amount of genuine visual differentiation. The F Sport also comes with 20-inch wheels, badging and special texture on the grille.

The new RX 350 offers plenty of room and plush textures in its airy cabin.

Interior

The cabin of the RX 350 is its strong point. The interior is well laid out with access to controls and comfortable seats for the driver and passenger. The interior is bright, and the relatively high ceiling also gives it an airy feeling, making a long period in the vehicle seem less oppressive. 

The interior is also nicely furnished with chrome accents and soft material in key spots such as the inner side of the doors. There also metal-capped pedals in keeping with the F Sport badges. The furnishings give the cabin the luxury ambience — part of experience required in a luxury vehicle with a price tag or more than $57,000. 

There is also a leather-wrapped, heated steering wheel. The cabin is well lit during nighttime driving and the visibility of the road from the driver’s seat is excellent. From the very start more than 30 years ago, Lexus also has made a point of developing interiors that deliver a quiet ride, making a long trips less stressful for any driver and any passenger. 

The RX 350 is loaded with a slew of technology, including a large touchscreen that is easy to reach.

Powertrain

Lexus also always featured strong, smooth-running powertrains and the RX 350 follows the brand’s traditional formula.  The RX 350 is powered by a V6 engine that produces 295 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque The V-6 is matched with an 8-speed transmission and all-wheel drive but in keeping with the F Sport badging the RX also is equipped with paddle shifters for manual shift selection. 

The RX also comes with drive-mode settings. The all-wheel-drive system seems to exact a penalty since the RX 350 only qualifies for a 22 mile per gallon combined rating from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It gets 26 mpg on the highway and 19 mpg in the city. 

Safety and Technology

The RX 350 features seats that can be heated and cooled.

The RX 350 comes with a long list of safety and tech features, including 10 airbags for protection in frontal- and side-impact and rollover crashes as well as driver assistance feature such as lane-departure and blind-spot alerts as well as pedestrian warning. 

It also has six USB ports, Bluetooth, wireless charging, satellite radio, an entertainment system, in-vehicle navigation as well as Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The vehicle also comes with intelligent high beams that focus quickly, intermittent wipers and an optional head up display. There are also heated and cooled seats. 

Driving Impressions

The Lexus RX 350 AWD F Sport delivers better driving dynamics than most midsized crossovers. Lexus always delivers solid chassis and brakes as well as crisp steering. The RX 350 AWD F Sport also has a suspension that been augmented with an adaptive feature that is very good at smooth over varied road surfaces. 

With nearly 300 horsepower under the hood, it also has more than enough power to deliver a nice steady performance out on the highway or when tooling around on other kinds of roads. In fact, it’s something of a wolf in sheep’s clothing since there are a lot of motorists who want to treat it like a fancy Toyota. It’s not. It comes with its very own package of spirit as well as a well-crafted suspension that lifts it out of the humdrum.

2021 Lexus RX 350 Specifications:

Dimension L: 192.5 inches/W: 74.6 inches/H: 67.7 inches/Wheelbase: 109.8 inches
Weight 4,387 pounds
Powertrain 3.5-liter DOHC V-6; 8-speed automatic transmission
Fuel Economy 19 mpg city/26 mpg highway/223 mpg combined
Performance Specs 295 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque
Price Base price: $48,650; As tested: $57,975 including $1,075 destination and delivery charge
On-Sale Date Available now

Wrap Up  

The RX 350 clearly started life as a vehicle for someone who wanted the prestige of luxury SUV but none of the fuss and bother that can accompany owning an expensive model. Lexus, since it was created by Toyota, comes with an excellent reputation for quality and durability as a given. 

But it can also do a lot of different things and the F Sport features available on the model also make a vehicle that was not really designed for fun, rather engaging out on the road. If you are someone rather indifferent to new cars, but like the idea of showing off that you can afford one, the RX just might be the car for you. 

2021 Lexus RX 350 — Frequently Asked Questions

Does Lexus make a hybrid version of the RX?

The Lexus RX line includes the RX 450h and the three-row 450hL. It features a combined output of 308 horsepower and gets 30 mpg combined. There is also an F Sport version of the 450h.

Is the Lexus RX 350 worth the money?

A vehicle’s “worth” is often determined by several factors that are less than concrete. However, if you want a stylish midsize sport-utility vehicle that offers performance, technology and quality, the RX 350 is a good place to start.

Is there a new Lexus RX coming out?

New? Not soon. The company’s 2021 line-up of the RX 350, 450h and 450hL, all with the F Sport package as an option, are considered the newest available models. However, Lexus isn’t known for making dramatic changes from year to year so the 2022 model may be almost indistinguishable from the 2021 vehicle.

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Canoo Reveals Plans to Build Vehicles in Oklahoma, Netherlands

Nascent EV maker Canoo is using a multipronged approached to producing its new vehicles, building some in the U.S., and others in Europe.

Canoo revealed that its’ building a new plant on a 400-acre site in Oklahoma to build some of its vehicles.

Chairman and CEO Tony Aquila unveiled the plan during the company’s first-ever investor day Thursday. The company, best known for its unique-looking vehicles, will build its multi-purpose delivery vehicle, or MPDV, at a new facility at a new plant in Oklahoma. 

Much like a replay of where Tesla would locate its new U.S. plant, it apparently it came down to Texas or Oklahoma. Tesla went to Texas, but the Red River rivalry lives on as Canoo selected Oklahoma. Aquila, told investors today the deal was “head and shoulders” above other places. The new plant will be located on 400 acres of property centrally located between Tulsa, Oklahoma, Dallas, Texas and Bentonville, Arkansas, the home of Walmart.

“It’s a business-friendly state and we’re going to bring a lot of jobs,” he said — about 2,000, according to the company. The new location is slated to begin producing vehicles after its completion in 2023. 

Headed to Europe

While the new site here will be a new build, Canoo is borrowing a page from the playbook of a few others, notably Fisker Inc., and partnering with a Netherlands-based VDL Nedcar to build its “Lifestyle” vehicle. 

VDL Nedcar will manufacture vehicle, which many may recognize as the “original” Canoo, for the U.S. and European Union markets while Canoo builds its “mega microfactory” in Oklahoma. By using the “parallel pathing” method between the contract and owned manufacturing, Canoo will meet its commitment to start production and deliver vehicles in Q4 2022, the company noted.

The MPDV will be built at the Oklahoma plant, with the first models coming in early 2023.

The Nedcar facility is slated to build up to 1000 units for both the US and European markets in 2022 with a target of 15,000 units in 2023. The Lifestyle vehicle price starts at $34,750 and rises to $49,950 depending upon which of the three trim levels — Delivery, Base and Premium — a buyer selects.

Pickup truck details

Things were less clear about the pickup, aside from it appears it will be built at the Oklahoma plant. They did tout all of its unique features, such as the extendable bed that is a no-charge item and the sides of the truck bed that fold to be used as tables or as a way to keep tools off the ground — apparently a major source of workplace injuries on job sites.

Aquila repeatedly noted these vehicles were designed after a lot of time and research was conducted. Although something, like the aforementioned folding bed walls, may appear to be quirky or interesting, if it’s on the vehicle, it’s likely there in response to the input the company received.

Another area they did touch on, but not with any real specifics, was how buyers can move from their $100 deposits to picking up the keys on vehicles when they begin to arrive in 2022 and 2023. 

“You’ll see the model we have for going to market uses the infrastructure that’s in place but with a different model,” Aquila said, adding he wouldn’t reveal the distribution or “dealer network” plans today.

“We will shortly (talk) about how we will engage with our partners to deliver the vehicles, upfit the vehicles and … how that relationship will work. So we’re not trying to do it all alone, but we want it to be an 80% technology journey. That’s what people want.”

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Months Late, Ford Bronco Finally Starts Rolling Off the Assembly Line

Nearly six months later than planned, Ford has finally launched production of the all-new Bronco sport-utility vehicle, to the relief of company planners, as well as the 100,000 customers who have placed orders and, in many cases, have been waiting since last year to take delivery.

Production of the delayed Ford Bronco is finally underway to the delight of dealers and buyers.

A variety of problems led to the delay, including pandemic plant shutdowns and glitches impacting production of the SUV’s removable roof. The question is whether Ford will be able to meet its latest targets at a time when it has repeatedly halted production of the big F-150 pickup and other models due to ongoing semiconductor shortages.

Mark Grueber, a marketing manager who actively pressed Ford to bring back the Bronco badge after a 25-year absence, described himself as “ecstatic,” as he stood alongside the assembly line at the Michigan Avenue Plant in Wayne, Michigan on Monday morning. In a variety of colors and body styles, Broncos shared space on the line with Ford’s midsize Ranger pickup.

Back to nature

Ford resolved an issue with one of its suppliers to get production underway.

The rugged Bronco was one of the first truly mass-marketed SUVs, giving everyday motorists the ability to go pretty much anywhere, on-road or off. But the last one rolled down the very same line on June 12, 1996, Bronco replaced by the Explorer, a more street-friendly model.

Since that time, Ford has substantially expanded its line-up of SUVs, from the entry-level EcoSport to the big Expedition. But so have competitors hoping to take advantage of a massive shift from passenger cars to light trucks.

Ford planners, like Grueber, saw an opportunity to get back to basics with a new Bronco offering more serious off-road capabilities than most of the car-based crossovers now on the road. Make that Broncos, plural. The smaller Bronco Sport launched late last year. Now comes the larger Bronco, both in 2- and 4-door configurations.

Whether by smart planning or just dumb luck, the timing couldn’t be better. By the millions, Americans “want to get back to nature,” said Grueber, and they want vehicles “that can take them out on an adventure.” The trend has been growing for several years, he added, but “the pandemic accelerated it.”

Workers put a new Bronco through a series of tests and checks.

Bronco nearly broke the Ford website

Ford isn’t the only automaker hoping to cash in on the trend. Automakers including Jeep, Land Rover, Toyota, Nissan and Honda have all introduced new off-road models or added special versions of existing products, such as the 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness.

Initial numbers suggest both the all versions of the Bronco are delivering what Ford expected. Sales of the Sport model have been solid, and demand for the bigger 2- and 4-door models have been just as strong. The day Ford began taking online reservations “It nearly broke our website,” recalled Grueber. Of the 190,000 motorists who placed a $100 deposit, 100,000 of them have now completed orders and are waiting for delivery.

Until last week, however, it wasn’t clear when that might happen.

Production includes the 2-door version as well as the 4-door model.

Supplier problems solved — for now

Ford revealed last December it was struggling to get a steady, reliable supply of those removable roofs. The automaker won’t identify which vendor was causing the trouble but insiders point to Webasto. Ford finally sent teams of its own engineers and manufacturing specialists to help the supplier resolve its problems.

Last Friday, convinced it would be able to keep production going, Ford management gave thumbs up and, on Monday morning, the first Broncos earmarked for customers began rolling down the Michigan Avenue Plant line.

That could be critical for Ford’s bottom line. The base 2-door Bronco starts just under $30,000. But most of the orders in hand are high-level trim, loaded up with features and options that can push will into the $40,000 range — and beyond.

Ford is beginning to ramp up production of the full-size Bronco.

While the roof problem may be resolved, industry experts will be watching to make sure Ford can handle production of the rest of the big SUV. The Detroit-area automaker has faced a variety of problems during the last several years, with major quality glitches impacting the launch of products such as the latest generation Ford Explorer and the new Lincoln Aviator models.

While Grueber wouldn’t go into specific details, he suggested that Ford is “making sure we learn all the lessons from past launches.”

Sidestepping semiconductor shortages

But some things are out of the automaker’s control. Like its competitors, Ford has been struggling to get all the semiconductors needed for its increasingly high-tech vehicles. It has been forced to idle production of a number of products — including the high-profit F-Series pickup — in recent months. CEO Jim Farley has warned that could cause a big hit to earnings for the rest of this year.

To avoid further delivery delays, however, Grueber indicated that Ford is diverting chips from other product lines to keep the line rolling with Broncos.

The first of the new SUVs should be reaching dealers — and anxious customers — within a matter of days.

Honda Teases Next-Gen 2022 Civic Hatchback

The recently revealed Honda Civic sedan is set to get some company, the automaker set to unveil the next-generation Civic hatchback later this month.

The new Civic will make its global debut on June 23 at 9 p.m. EDT during the Civic Tour “Remix” virtual concert that will be livestreamed on YouTube.

If you squint and apply a little imagination, you can merge this spy shot with the teaser photo. (Photo credits: CarScoops)

But we’re getting a sense of what’s in store thanks to the teaser the Japanese automaker released today. And, beyond the obvious differences in a five-door layout, the 2022 Civic Hatchback appears to pick up on the same, basic mantra of the sedan with a design language Honda has described as “simple,” “clean” and “modern.”

 “The Civic Hatchback builds on the sporty and youthful design of the 11th generation Civic Sedan while showcasing European-inspired exterior styling, enhanced five-door versatility, and an available, fun-to-drive 6-speed manual transmission,” Honda said in a statement released today.

Lots in common

One safely can bet the new Civic hatchback will share plenty of new technologies, both for infotainment and safety, with the latest Honda sedan.

The interior of the Civic hatchback is likely to mirror that of the Civic sedan, which debuted earlier.

Based on the teaser — and recent spy shots — we can expect the Civic Hatchback to pick up on key sedan design cues. That includes a “thin and light” body design that adopts a low hood and front fenders. The nose also features a small grille above the front bumper, a larger one below, giving the new Civic sedan a more planted feel — something one can expect to carry over. Subtle flaring around the wheels yield a more aggressive and premium feel, or so Honda designers contend. The windshield pillars, meanwhile, have been moved rearward two inches, the glass flowing into a coupe-like roofline that tapers into a short rear deck.

Even with the windshield pushed back, the new cabin offers reasonable space for both front and back passengers, especially considering competitors in the compact segment. The low instrument panel is accented by a honeycomb mesh and the cabin adopts more premium materials than the outgoing sedan.

We also expect to see the two models to largely align on technology. The sedan’s base trim now gets a 7-inch color touchscreen for an infotainment system that comes with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There’s an upgrade to a high-definition, 9-inch touchscreen that is paired with wireless versions of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The 2022 Civic sedan became the first to offer a 12-speaker Bose premium sound system, and Touring models come with Qi wireless smartphone charging.

Si and Type-R also in the works

Expect to see the 11th-generation Civic hatchback appear in a variety of different configurations, including Si and Type-R performance packages.

The new Civic sedan’s about to get a stablemate with the debut of the hatchback later this month.

In the base trim, Honda will offer at least one of the two 4-cylinder powertrains now available in the Civic sedan:

  • A naturally aspirated 2.0-liter package making 158 horsepower and 138 pound-feet of torque and paired with an updated CVT;
  • The other option is an updated 1.5-liter turbo-4 now making 180 hp and 177 lb-ft, up 6 and 15, respectively.

The Type-R not only will get a boost in power but Honda has confirmed a manual gearbox will remain on the option checklist.

U.S. production planned

The 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback will be produced at the automaker’s plant in Greenburg, Indiana, marking the first time it’s been assembled in the U.S. While the ongoing semiconductor shortage is impacting industry production plans, the 5-door currently is scheduled to reach American showrooms later this year.

We’ll have more to report on the 2022 Civic Hatchback later this month.

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CEO Musk Cancels New Model S Plaid+, Says “No Need”

Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed the long-awaited Model S Plaid+ has been cancelled.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the Model S Plaid+ was cancelled because the “regular” version was so good.

Normally, the sudden elimination of an entire trim level would be cause for alarm, but Musk — who as usual announced the move via Twitter — said the long-range Plaid was given the Ziggy because there was “No need, as Plaid is just so good.”

The new vehicle makes its public debut courtesy of a live stream delivery event at the company’s Fremont, California plant where it’s built June 10 at 10 p.m. EDT. Ever the promoter, Musk offered a little hype for the new model tweeting, “0 to 60mph in under 2 secs. Quickest production car ever made of any kind. Has to be felt to be believed.”

Musk introduced the Plaid not long after Lucid Motors began hyping the performance of its soon-to-arrive Air sedan. He wasn’t content to sit on the sidelines after the recent of introduction of the Lucid Air essentially put “Baby in the corner” with a 500-mile-plus range and stunning track times.

Performance beast

In addition to the sub-2-second sprint to 60, the Plaid runs the quarter mile in just 9 seconds — both besting Lucid’s public times for the Air — and with a range of at least 520 miles. Yup. It’s pricey, starting at $134,000, and it can be ordered now with delivery, according to the website in “late 2021.”

Musk also talked about the Plaid’s performance at Laguna Seca, which it scorched in a time of 1:30.3 and it could be about “3 seconds lower,” he noted during the company’s Battery Day last September.

It was rumored last week that Musk was contemplating adding rockets to the Plaid to get the 0 to 60 time down to 1.1 seconds. The tale claims Musk could source a pair of small rockets from SpaceX; however, it was quickly scuttled by experts noting that rocket power is notoriously uneven, which would cause the vehicle to be dangerously difficult to control.

Musk nor Tesla officials never commented on the possibility — for the Model S Plaid. However, the company confirmed in January they remain a possibility for the Roadster. It’s likely the rumor was a conflation of the details of the Roadster, which is also set to race from 0 to 60 in less than 2 seconds.

Competition from Lucid

Prior to the announcement of the Plaid edition, Lucid appeared to have stolen some thunder from Tesla, if only briefly. The sedan races to 60 mph in just 2.5 mph and handles the quarter mile in 9.9 seconds, although CEO Peter Rawlinson said he’s personally bested that time.

The sedan achieved what would be an industry-record 517 miles per charge in an EPA simulation run by the independent EV consulting firm FEV North America. That’s over 100 miles more than the newest and longest-range version of the Tesla Model S — prior to the Plaid — with only a slightly larger, 110 kilowatt-hour battery pack.

Rawlinson has made a big thing about the efficiency of the overall package known as the Lucid Air. Based on what we’ve learned so far, the sedan can muster an impressive 4.58 miles per kWh compared with 4.02 for the most efficient Tesla Model S.How much that efficiency will drop when you’ve got your foot to the floor is uncertain but you’ll certainly feel some neck-snapping performance, the Air claimed to hit 60 in 2.5 seconds, or about 0.2 seconds slower than the highest-rated version of the Tesla sedan.

Car Sales Searing Despite Growing Inventory Concerns

Sales of new vehicles boomed again in May with brands such as Kia and Hyundai posting record months and Honda and Toyota reporting big increases thanks to brisk sales in the long-dormant passenger car segments. 

2022 Honda Civic Sedan Touring - front 3-4
The 2022 Honda Civic sedan is the 11th generation of the company’s compact sedan in the U.S.

Passenger car sales showed new signs of life in April, but in May Hyundai’s passenger car sales increased by 105%, while SUV sales increased 34%, noted Hyundai’s Randy Parker in a telephone interview with TheDetroitBureau.com.

“We never got out of passenger cars, and we have two very strong entries in the Elantra and Sonata,” added Parker, Hyundai senior vice president, national sales. 

Hyundai’s strong passenger car line-up played a big role in boosting sales, but Parker also acknowledged thin inventories of utility vehicles were contributing factor. Inventories were so low that many dealerships were literally selling vehicles as soon as they were delivered by the carhaulers, he said.

Alternative energy vehicle sales get a boost

Sales of alternative energy vehicles such as plug-in hybrids, accounted for more than 10% of Hyundai sales in May, he added. 

Overall, Hyundai sales were up 56% compared with a year ago as the South Korean brand sold more than 90,000 vehicles. 

Toyota is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its game-changing Prius with a special edition model.

Honda, which saw its sales increased 52% in May, cited strong sales of Honda Civic and Accord — even the Acura ILX posted its best sales numbers in five years. 

Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) reported U.S. May 2021 sales of 242,171 vehicles, up 47% on a volume and daily selling-rate basis. Toyota division sales for the month totaled 212,447 vehicles, up 47 percent. Lexus division sales for the month totaled 29,724 vehicles, up 49 percent. 

TMNA Alternative-Powered Vehicle sales in May, which included passenger cars such as the Prius, Camry and Corolla as well as popular SUVs like the RAV4 hybrid, totaled 58,944, a best-ever May, up 196 percent. For the month, total APV sales accounted for more than 24% of total TMNA sales compared 12.1% in May 2020. 

Toyota’s Bob Carter said he believes car sales would continue to track what was seen in March, an 18.5 million annualized sales rate, if not for the chip shortage and production problems. He told TheDetroitBureau.com he’s never seen the market this hot. Toyota is struggling with a 13-day supply of vehicles, down from their normal, already low 30- to 45-day target.

2022 Kia Carnival

Kia’s replacement for the Sedona, the 2022 Carnival enjoyed impressive results in May.

“Cars come in on the truck and go right back out again,” he said.

Kia America reported its third-successive best-ever monthly sales result, totaling 80,298 units, surpassing the previous mark set in April 2021. Four Kia nameplates — Forte, K5, Sportage and Carnival MPV — enjoyed their strongest months ever. Through May, Kia sales are up 43.9% over 2020.  

“Kia’s continued run of success has hit an important milestone — our very own ‘Triple Crown’ performance,” said Sean Yoon, president and CEO of Kia North America and Kia America. 

“Kia continues to grow market share due to increased dealer engagement, strong marketing campaigns and award-winning products — the latest example of which is the all-new Carnival MPV — which has doubled its market share over the outgoing Sedona.”

Mazda North American Operations reported total May sales of 42,187 vehicles, an increase of 69.2% compared to May 2020. Year-to-date sales totaled 156,562 vehicles; an increase of 58.4% compared to the same time last year.  

The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek Sport offers rugged capability at an affordable price.

Inventories growing thin

Subaru also reported an 8% increase in sales as dealers scrambled to fill orders. 

“In May, based on their total inventory available for sale, our retailers were tremendously efficient in their sales activities in order to achieve these impressive results,” said Thomas J. Doll, president and CEO of Subaru of America Inc. 

“In addition, our retailers did a sensational job of showcasing ‘why’ Subaru products are the preferred selection for those customers looking for the complete package … an adventure-ready and fun vehicle, combined with award-winning safety technology.”

General Motors Co. does not report monthly sales totals, but Duncan Aldred, head of Buick-GMC, said during a briefing for reporters Buick sales were at record levels during May and Buick-GMC dealers were left with, on average, a 30-day supply of vehicles, which is far less than the 90-day supply they normally have in stock and some dealers have run out of stock completely.

Kia retailers observed significantly accelerating showroom traffic over the Memorial Day weekend due in part to the increasing opening up of the country, Kia officials noted. 

The thinning inventories appear to have slowed sales in May, according to IHS Markit, which projects a SAAR of 16.6 million to 17 million units for the month, compared to an 18 million-unit reading in March and a 18.5 million-unit mark in April. “As sales data comes in, we are seeing consumer demand remain higher than supply. With the supply chain remaining fragile, this tension is expected to continue and to contribute to volatility amongst automaker performances,” added Stephanie Brinley, principal automotive analyst for IHS Markit. 

VW Proclaims Lamborghini Not For Sale

After publicly musing about the possibility of selling Porsche earlier this year, Volkswagen AG got an offer — for Lamborghini.

Lamborghini is not for sale, Volkswagen Group AG says, not even fro $9.2 billion.

British car magazine Autocar reported that a Swiss-based group of investors, Quantum Group AG, forged a partnership with London-based firm Centricus Asset Management to make a $9.2 billion offer for the Italian super car maker.

Volkswagen officials said “No, Lamborghini is not for sale.”

The offer isn’t entirely a shot in the dark. As previously mentioned, VW officials said in February it pondered selling off its Porsche sports car brand to help fund it $86 billion commitment to electric vehicles.

The listing, which reportedly could net as much $30 billion, would only be for part of the sports car maker and wouldn’t occur until next year, the publication reported. Some analysts believe if Porsche AG were to be spun off entirely it could be worth more than $120 billion.

Parent company in a state of flux

Volkswagen has been examining its portfolio of holdings in recent months as it tries to decide what to keep and what to sell off. It is reportedly close to selling Bugatti to Croatian EV hypercar company Rimac.

Porsche AG CEO Oliver Blume said in February that Bugatti and the Croatian electric car company, are well suited, technologically speaking, for each other. Rimac has been considered the lead candidate to buy Bugatti if VW puts it on the market.

Lamborghini’s first-ever hybrid, the Sian FKP 37, is named after Ferdinand Piech.

“At the moment there are intense deliberations on how Bugatti can be developed in the best possible way. Rimac could play a role here because the brands are a good technological fit,” Blume told the publication.

“There are various scenarios with different structures. I believe that the issue will be decided by the group in the first half of the year,” said Blume, who holds a seat on the management board of parent Volkswagen AG. He was also quick to say that a deal was not imminent.

The art of the non-deal

Autocar, citing the offer documents, said deal included job assurances for existing Lamborghini employees for up to five years as well as 850 new jobs. There are ties to Volkswagen as Quantum Group founding partner Rea Stark is also co-founder of Piech Automobile with Toni Piech, the son of former Volkswagen Chairman Ferdinand Piech, Reuters noted.

Lamborghini has been mentioned as a potential divestiture target as the VW considered what brands it may keep and what it may get rid of. In addition to the Porsche and Bugatti, Audi and the company’s motorcycle maker, Ducati could also be on the block.Another way to raise cash to help with the EV funding is to spin off Lamborghini the same way Fiat Chrysler Automobiles did Ferrari a few years back.

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First Look: Mercedes-Maybach S 680

For those who think a Mercedes-Benz S-Class is a bit too plebian, the German automaker is today taking the wraps off what it’s billing as its ultimate flagship, the Mercedes-Maybach S 680 4Matic sedan.

2022 Mercedes-Maybach S 680 front
The newest Mercedes-Maybach S 680 continues to set the standard for opulence and performance for Mercedes-Benz.

Calling it “the manifestation of sophisticated luxury in its most advanced form,” the S 680 is designed to go up against ultra-premium alternatives like the Bentley Flying Spur and even the Rolls-Royce Ghost.

Opulence is the name of the game here, starting with a 6.0-liter twin-turbo V-12 that can launch the big sedan from 0 to 60 in just 4.4 seconds. But, in keeping with its target market, Mercedes says it has taken steps to strike a balance between ride comfort and driving dynamics with its new “Dynamic Select” mode. Among other things, the Maybach model is fitted with a new active noise compensation system designed to neutralize both wind and road noises.

Maybach details

2022 Mercedes-Maybach S 680 rear

The Maybach S 680 can be ordered with a distinctive two-tone exterior.

For those unfamiliar with the name, Wilhelm Maybach was one of the automaker’s earliest engineers. He went on to create his own, short-lived luxury brand. The name was resurrected by Mercedes’ parent Daimler as a standalone brand in 2002, an attempt to compete with Bentley and Rolls-Royce. The project failed to generate much demand and the marque was scuttled a decade later. Then, in 2015, Maybach returned, this time as a special, super-premium badge for special-edition S-Class products.

The S 680 starts off as the latest-generation S-Class, adopting many of the big sedan’s most striking features, like the Hyperscreen that covers virtually the entire instrument panel.

Measuring 215.3 inches nose-to-tail, the Maybach adds a unique front end, including exclusive headlights. The illuminated door handles are another Maybach-exclusive feature. And the sedan can be ordered in a two-tone paint scheme. There are unique bumpers and the exhaust system also has been modified for Maybach.

2022 Mercedes-Maybach S 680 interior

The interior of the new Maybach is awash in Nappa leather and leading-edge technology.

Inside, the S 680 adds Nappa leather throughout, even on the sun visors and backrest pockets. Seats are done up in diamond quilting with contrasting piping and the Mercedes-Maybach emblem. The rear doors are electronically operated and can be opened or closed by the driver with the touch of a button.

High-tech ride

High-tech features include twin rear 11.6-inch videoscreens and adaptive interior lighting. The MBUX voice assistant found in the standard S-Class, meanwhile, adds new duties. A voice command can raise or lower the rear headrests, and a hand gesture can be used to operate the rear sun blinds and panoramic roof.

The Burmeister “4D” audio system serves a dual purpose, delivering rich, audiophile sound while also acting as the heart of the new noise cancellation system.

2022 Mercedes-Maybach S 680 V-12

It’s powered by a hand-built V-12 engine putting out 621 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque.

Power comes from a 6.0-liter biturbo V-12 that delivers 621 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque through a 9-speed automatic. Like Mercedes-AMG engines, the V-12 is hand-built by a single technician.

Plenty of performance

Under normal conditions, the Maybach’s 4Matic all-wheel-drive system delivers 31% of its torque to the front wheels, 69% to the rear. But power can be redirected as needed in less optimum conditions. This marks the first time 4Matic is available in a Maybach sedan.

While the S 680 can deliver aggressive acceleration, the sedan is designed to deliver sublime comfort, as well. The Dynamic Select mode, Mercedes claims, smooths out acceleration, even on quick launches. At 4.4 seconds, the new S 680 hits 60 about 0.2 seconds faster than the outgoing model.

The sedan also features a two-step rear-axle steering system, with a choice of up to 4.5 or 10 degrees of turning. The system improves maneuverability at low speeds, but also enhances handling on highways.

The next-generation Mercedes-Maybach S 680 4Matic will reach U.S. showrooms during the first half of 2022. The automaker hasn’t revealed pricing yet, but the outgoing model starts at $203,545. Of course, buyers can drive that up substantially with all the options and features offered on Maybach models.

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