Nutson's Weekly Automotive News Recap
August 24-30, 2015 -
2016 BMW 7 Series, New Popemobile, TVR, Tesla Astounds CR And More
 |
By Larry Nutson
Senior Editor and Bureau Chief
Chicago Bureau
The Auto Channel
AUTO CENTRAL - CHICAGO - August 23, 2015; Every Sunday, along with fellow senior editors Steve Purdy and Thom Cannell from The Auto Channel Michigan Bureau, I give you our "take" on this past week's automotive news in easy to digest nuggets.
If you are a car nut like we all are here at The Auto Channel, you can easily wish to "catch up" on these stories as well as the past 20 year's 1,928,564 automotive news, automotive stories, articles, reviews, archived news, video, audio, rants and raves just search The Auto Channel's Automotive News Archive.
Hey Boston TV viewers, you can now enjoy The Auto Channel TV Network "Free and Clear" on WHDT Channel 3 in Boston and on your local cable systems. Just added Naples Florida, along with all South Florida auto fans who can continue to watch The Auto Channel TV Network on WHDT-TV Channel 9 in West Palm Beach as well as cable channel's 17 and 438, channel 9 Miami. WHDN launched its full schedule (including The Auto Channel)of digital broadcasting in the Naples-Fort Myers market on PSIP channel 9.1 channel. Enjoy and thanks for the positive feedback and ratings...see you next week, LN
Nutson's Weekly Automotive News Review - August 24-30, 2015
* The Auto Channel editors had an in-person look at the all-new 2016 BMW 7-series earlier this summer in presentations both in Europe and the U.S. The first on-the-road drive reports on the 2016 BMW 7-series is available for you to read right here on TACh. The "seven" goes on sale October 24 priced starting at $81,300. An open point is when will BMW offer a diesel engine in this luxury sedan for the U.S. It may be sooner than you might think.
* The Vatican confirmed that Pope Francis will be ferried about in a Jeep Wrangler similar to the one used in Ecuador in July. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, maker of Jeep, is not disclosing the configuration of the popemobile, and the Vatican said it is already in the hands of the Secret Service and won't be on view before the pope's Sept. 22 to 27 U.S. visit. Fiat Chrysler has strong ties to Italy, where Fiat and some of its luxury brands are made. The white Wrangler used by the pope in Ecuador had a glass-front roof with open sides, allowing the popular pontiff greater proximity to his flock than popemobiles of the past, which were typically closed, bullet-proof affairs.
* AMB Sports & Entertainment (AMBSE) announced Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) will be the naming partner of the new Atlanta stadium, now officially named Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The agreement, which continues through 2042, includes official naming rights and other partnership benefits. The Mercedes-Benz brand will be prominent inside and outside the building, including on the roof; in plaza areas; on directional, on-field and tunnel signage; in club areas; in VIP parking and entrance areas; on the first-of-its-kind video halo board; and in additional areas. Upon its completion in 2017, the world-class sports and entertainment facility will be home to the National Football League's Atlanta Falcons and Major League Soccer's Atlanta United. The multi-purpose stadium will also host other major sports and entertainment events, including the NCAA Men's Final Four in 2020.
* A storied British sports car brand is being brought back and the announcement this week brought such excitement and support that the order books for the first year production (2017) are already full. The new TVR will be front-engined, rear-wheel drive with a Cosworth V8 and will eschew paddle shifters and other current technologies; and that is about all that is known about the new sports car. Well-known racing engineer Gordon Murray was involved in the engine design. The 2017 production will likely be around 250 cars.
* We saw for the first time this week the replacement for the military’s venerable Humvee. A Department of Defense contract for 17,000 of these new trucks went to the Wisconsin-based truck maker Oshkosh Corporation. The new truck is orders of magnitude beyond the original WWII Jeep and is designed from the beginning to be armored. Deliveries will begin by mid-summer of next year and each will cost just about $400,000.
* The GM faulty ignition switch review of compensation claims has been completed by Attorney Kenneth Feinberg’s office. The switches, which prompted the recall of more than 2.6 million vehicles last year, now have been linked to 124 deaths (GM originally said 13 deaths) and 275 injuries, 17 of which were serious. Of the 4,343 total claims received, 3,944, approximately 90 percent, were found ineligible.
* A J.D. Power survey confirmed this week what we’ve heard from other analysts recently - that many new car owners don’t use, or want, some of the advanced connectivity features in their new vehicles. In their 2015 Driver Interactive Vehicle Experience (DrIVE) Report, the J.D. Power researchers say that 20% of new vehicle owners have never used 16 of the 33 tech features covered by the surveys including mobile routers, concierge services, automatic parking systems, head-up display and built in apps. Many younger car owners prefer to just use similar functions on their smart phones. We might note here that if 20% don't use some features, well, 80% are.
* The Tesla company may not be profitable yet but its Model S overwhelmed the Consumer Reports testing regimen. After one niggle - a failed electric door handle - the car went on to score 103 on a scale meant to top out at 100. The CR folks decided to recalibrate their scale as a result. “It blew away everything else we’ve tested,” said testing director Jake Fisher who went on to say it scored a 0 to 60 time of 3.5 seconds while the electric powertrain delivered the equivalent of 87 mpg. So, if you've got $127,000 and really can use race-car-fast acceleration consider a Tesla.
* The Michigan State Fair went away some years ago and the old fair grounds in Detroit are for sale. But the essence of the fair has been resurrected at a regional convention center and Ram Truck is taking full advantage. In addition to sponsoring the Equine Pavilion Ram is building a 40,000 square-foot “Track Experience” to demonstrate the trucks’ capabilities. The new State Fair with the Ram exhibit happens at the Suburban Showcase in Novi, MI September 4th to 7th.
* IndyCar driver Justin Wilson, age 37, died from a head injury suffered when he was struck by a piece of debris that broke off another car in a collision not involving him at Pocono Raceway. This accident has reopened the discussion about requiring closed cockpits on race cars. Many of the reports of his death noted that as an organ donor he saved a number of other lives. The family requests that in lieu of flowers donations can be made to Wilson’s Children’s Fund at 4551 West 16ht Street, Indianapolis, IN 46222.
* Former Formula One driver and team owner Guy Ligier has passed away at the age of 85. The Frenchman's team competed in F1 racing between 1976 and 1996, winning nine races, though Ligier himself exited the sport in 1992.
