+++ A Velvet Red model is the last-ever CHRYSLER 300C to leave the building; that building being the Brampton Assembly Plant in Ontario, Canada, that’s produced the 300 range since the nameplate’s return in 1999. Chrysler closed the books on the entire lineup of the all-American sedan at the end of July this year. The production milestone represents the end of the beefiest trim, the 300C. Chrysler announced the specific trim’s. return this year as a limited edition with 2.000 units going to the U.S. and another 200 for Canada. SRT’s take on the 300C was effectively Chrysler’s version of Dodge’s Scat Pack; a 6.4-liter Hemi V8 making 485 horsepower and 635 Nm of torque plus upgrades including an active suspension, a limited-slip differential with 3.09:1 gears, Brembo brakes, and an active exhaust. The lines will keep pumping out less potent trims of the 300 until December 31 at the latest. The first-ever Chrysler 300C was introduced in 1957 with a 6.4-liter Hemi V8 making 375 horsepower. In fact, the first Chrysler 300, which hit the market in 1955, made 300 horses and 460 Nm from a 5.4-liter Hemi V8. Brand CEO Chris Feuell said, “As we celebrate the last Hemi-powered 300C off the line with our Brampton team members, we’re also excited to work together as Chrysler brand moves forward to a sustainable all-electric future as part of the Stellantis Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan”. What we think we know of the next steps in that plan involve Chrysler’s next model being a 2-row battery-electric crossover sitting on the STLA Large architecture, due in 2025. That platform could offer 400 and 800 volt electrical architectures and pack batteries good for up to 640 km of range. The crossover could contain elements seen on the Airflow concept that’s done the show circuit for a few years, or might not; Fuell told about internal Chrysler conversations: “There is a group of people who love the Airflow name and just as many who beg us not to use it”. Stellantis design boss Ralph Gilles said the real production deal may have “zero to do with anything” on the concept. Everyday interactions and touch points will be like nothing before, either. Feuell is plotting a remake of the entire the Chrysler experience, from shopping its products online and at dealers to after-sales care. She’s said before she wants Chrysler to become Stellantis’ “startup brand”, offering “clean mobility, seamless technology” and “affordable pricing”. Tesla buyers have been mentioned as one of Feuell’s targets. +++
+++ GENERAL MOTORS announced its intention to remove Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality from its upcoming EVs. The reason? According to a spokesman: “There have been stability issues that manifest themselves as bad connections, poor rendering, slow responses and dropped connections. And when CarPlay and Android Auto have issues, drivers pick up their phones again, taking their eyes off the road and totally defeating the purpose of these phone-mirroring programs. Solving those issues can sometimes be beyond the control of the automaker”. General Motors suggest that a world without Apple CarPlay or Android Auto will be a safer one, as folks won’t be looking to control their infotainment systems via their phones. Instead of using a navigation or music-playing app powered through your phone, upcoming EVs from General Motors will use a Google-based infotainment system called Ultifi that runs a ton of integrated Google apps. Google Maps will be the native navigation app in the system; you’ll be able to log in to Spotify or other apps to load your music up, and so on. The idea here is that you’ll have all the same apps that were on your phone available but integrated within the infotainment system instead, and you’ll be able to use voice controls to control every last bit of it with no need to reach for a phone. That sounds amenable in theory, but how consumers react to the removal of a feature that they know and love now is a risky gamble. Could consumers reject the GM infotainment software entirely and look at their phones even more while driving? Maybe! Or maybe not, but GM is betting that it’s the latter. Another reason for axing smartphone mirroring is the user experience. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto phone compatibility issues are a common complaint in J.D. Power surveys, possibly dragging down GM’s perceived quality scores. Customers blame the automaker instead of the phone manufacturer for these issues, which hurts GM. Of course, there’s a another reason GM is doing all of the above that’s been suggested since the announcement was made: data. Or in other words, who owns the data from your car? If GM can kick Apple out of the car, that data surely won’t belong to Apple, which is a big plus for GM. Beyond the ability to harvest data and then use it for marketing or financial gain, there’s also the question of subscriptions. All future GM EVs will have free access to all of the lovely Google apps that come with the car for 8 years. After that’s up, you’ll need to pay a subscription for further usage of the systems. Automakers everywhere are trying to find ways to tap into the subscription revenue generation system, and if you remove the ability to use similar services for free via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, then future owners of these GM EVs will have no choice but to pay up if they want features like navigation or online music playback. +++
+++ HONDA confirmed that the retro-chic, battery-electric E hatchback is dead in Europe. Anyone who wants one will have to get it out of inventory, as the automaker has stopped taking orders in the few countries that still have the e on sale. Concurrent with that, a note on the e page at Honda’s retail site in Japan says: “Production of the E will end in January 2024. The E will be discontinued once the production run is sold out”. That ends the short life of an electric darling applauded for its design and shunned for its price and compromises. The E debuted at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show, going on sale overseas the following year in 2 trims. If an enthusiast had wished for a Civic made for the electric era, this was it. Cute and stylish outside, inviting materials inside if a little heavy on the screens, plenty of tech and a small turning circle. Those were the winning bits that encouraged 22.000 people to register their interest in the E when Honda was still showing prototypes. The powertrain and range details, combined with the price, didn’t win many actual buyers. Both trims used the same powertrain, a 37.5 kWh battery rated to get an estimated 220 WLTP kilometers on a charge; the difference being the Advance got a little more standard power and a quicker 0-100 kph time of 8 seconds. The E turned out to be a tough sell when other electric cars with the same price offer more room, more power and more than double the range. Honda wanted to sell 10.000 units in Europe annually, but the E might not have found 10.000 buyers on the continent during its entire run. A Honda statement on the car’s demise said it lured “many new customers to the brand with its distinctive design, advanced technology and trademark Honda driving dynamics and spearheaded the brand’s strategy to electrify 100 percent of Honda’s mainstream European line up”. +++
+++ New cars are more complicated than ever, but in the main they’re also more reliable and built from better quality materials than the vehicles they replaced. As we also all know, however, new cars are not created equal when it comes to reliability and Consumer Reports has named the 10 vehicles sold in the United States in its 2024 reliability hall of shame. The organization pulled together reports from its subscribers about the reliability of their cars, using data for more the 330.000 vehicles to work out which is the most- and LEAST RELIABLE . Consumer Reports checked 20 potential trouble areas, including minor grievances like squeaky brakes to major bummer such as engine meltdowns and EV charging problems. The results don’t make comfortable viewing for Stellantis, whose products occupy 4 of the 10 available spots. Wait, it gets worse. 3 of those entries are from the same brand: Jeep. The car with the worst reliability score (1 to 100, lowest = worst) which is also sold in Europa, was the Volvo XC60 however (reliability score: 21). Next came the Jeep Grand Cherokee (26) and the Jeep Wrangler. There’s one place left and it’s more bad news for Stellantis, because Consumer Report’s readers reports say the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid is the least reliable car in America. +++
+++ MAZDA has reaffirmed its position as an “intentional follower” of battery-electric vehicles and is not yet ready to commit to a complete EV switch, noting that current demand for its combustion-powered models remains strong. In the United States, the only BEV sold by Mazda is the MX-30 but it will be discontinued after the 2023 model year, leaving the CX-90 plug-in hybrid as its only electrified offering. Despite this, Mazda’s local sales have climbed 21% this year and could top the 400.000 mark during the 2024 calendar year. Mazda chief executive Masahiro Moro said the carmaker plans to have 7 or 8 EVs in its range by 2030 and believes they will account for 25-40% of its global sales. These plans are less aggressive than some rivals and come due to the uncertainty in demand for EVs. “One of the big issues for us is demand is uncertain”, Moro said. “In the current market, the reality for electrification, in particular for battery EVs, is the pace is not that high. So we may start a little slower in terms of the ramp-up. Not necessarily in terms of timing, but the ramp-up. That is why I call us an intentional follower on EVs. Between now and 2030 is the dawn period of electrification; we have to go over this bumpy ride. We just have to deal with the consumer’s needs and wants. Right now, the customer is looking for alternative solutions, other than battery EVs”. Mazda’s future EVs will be developed and sold through the new e-Mazda division and built on a scalable platform. The first of these new models should launch between 2025 and 2027. The line-up will initially focus on crossovers with single-motor and dual-motor powertrains to be offered. Moro refused to disclose battery pack details but the company has already secured supply contracts with Panasonic and Envision AESC Japan. It also operates a joint battery venture with Toyota and Panasonic dubbed Prime Planet Energy & Solutions. Mazda will lean on Toyota to slash the investments required for its EVs. Indeed, electronics and automotive software systems developed alongside Toyota will be used in the brand’s EVs from around 2026 and Moro says will allow it to save 70-80% of the total investment costs of going it alone. “There are many things an individual company can’t do alone”, Moro told. “In the past, we might have said this is a competitive area. But now, it is a collaborative area”. +++
+++ In a world where cars are both a necessity and a financial commitment, knowing which ones will stand the test of time can save you headaches and money. Consumer Reports has published their annual reliability rankings for 2023, shedding light on the cars that owners consider the MOST RELIABLE and the ones that are regulars at the repair shop. While it’s no shock that Lexus and Toyota claimed the top spots, Mini’s third-place ranking may raise eyebrows, as it outperformed several Japanese automakers, including Honda and Subaru. “Buying a reliable car is a good way to avoid the inconvenience of repairs while the car is under warranty and a smart way to save money on the cost of vehicle ownership over time”, said Jake Fisher, senior director of auto testing at Consumer Reports. “That’s why consumers consistently tell us that reliability is one of the most important factors when buying a car”. This year, CR collected data on over 330.000 vehicles through surveys distributed to its members. Most of these vehicles ranged from the 2000 to 2023 model years, with a handful of early 2024 MY examples. Notably, the study has expanded to cover 20 trouble areas, with the inclusion of the electric motor, battery pack, and charging aspects for electrified vehicles (EV, PHEV, HEV). The brand with the best reliability score (out of 100) was Lexus with 79 point. Next came: Toyota (76), Mini (71), Honda (70), Subaru (69), Mazda (67), Porsche (66), BMW (64), Kia (61), Hyundai (56), Tesla (48), Nissan (45), Ford (40), Volvo (28), Jeep (26), Volkswagen (26) and Mercedes (23). Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Jaguar, Land Rover, Maserati, Mitsubishi and Polestar are excluded from the list due to insufficient data, as are brands not sold in Europe. Each model was assessed, resulting in a reliability score, ultimately leading to a predicted rating for each brand. Lexus claimed the top position in this year’s rankings, dethroning last year’s leader, Toyota. Meanwhile, Mini secured the third spot, surpassing its parent brand, BMW. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Mercedes-Benz found itself at the bottom of the list, representing the least reliable models. Below, you’ll find the complete ranking of models that are the most reliable. First came the Toyota Camry Hybrid with a reliability score of 87. High on the list were also the Toyota RAV4 Plug-in (84), the BMW X5 (82), the Subaru Forester (82), the Toyota RAV4 (80), the Toyota Corolla (77) and the Toyota Highlander Hybrid (75). You will have noticed that the top 10 model rankings are dominated by Toyota, with 7 out of 10 spots occupied by the Japanese automaker. A critical reliability factor appears to be the powertrain type. Owners of fully electric vehicles reported 79% more problems compared to petrol-powered cars, indicating that automakers still have work to do in fully mastering the new technology. Plug-in hybrids performed even worse, with 146% more reported problems than regular ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) vehicles. However, non-plug-in hybrids had 26% fewer problems than ICE-powered cars, with some examples proving to be more reliable than their non-electrified counterparts. +++
+++ TESLA ’s infamous assisted-driving software is sometimes being enabled on roads for which it isn’t designed. NHTSA data and information from lawsuits since 2016 show there have been 40 fatal or serious accidents involving Autopilot software. At least 8 happened on roads where Autopilot was not designed to be used, the report said. In 1 such crash in 2019, a Tesla driving on Autopilot drove through a T intersection section, killing one pedestrian and badly injuring another after ignoring multiple warning signs. It added reported that police bodycam footage showed the Tesla driver telling police that he had been “driving on cruise”. The crash occurred on a road where Autopilot should not have been enabled in the first place. Other similar incidents included a 2016 crash in Florida where a Tesla drove under a semi-truck, killing the driver, and a crash in March of this year that saw a Tesla hit a teenager as they got off a school bus. Tesla said on its website that Autopilot is capable of cruise control, steering within clearly marked lanes, and automatic lane changes. It added that the feature is designed to be used on “controlled-access” highways with central dividers and clear lane markings. The company has previously told the National Transportation Safety Board that “the driver determines the acceptable operating environment”. The new details add to growing pressure on Tesla over Autopilot, with Elon Musk’s automaker facing numerous legal threats and regulatory investigations over the technology. Last month, a judge overseeing one of those cases ruled that there was “reasonable evidence” that Musk and other Tesla executives knew that Autopilot was defective but allowed it to be sold anyway. +++
+++ The TESLA MODEL 3 was ranked Last in the German TÜV Reliability Report. Problems with the suspension and brakes resulting from large gaps between services caused almost 15 percent of used Model 3s to fail the inspection. Tesla chooses not to take part in JD Power surveys in the U.S. so it’s not easy to compare the reliability of its cars to those of its rivals. But new data from Germany’s TÜV organization gives an alarming insight into what might be in store for anyone looking to buy a used Model 3 or buy one to keep for a long time. A TÜV test, as it’s colloquially known, is a roadworthiness assessment that gets its name from one of the companies that carry them out; the real name for the technical inspection is the Hauptuntersuchung. It must be carried out every 24 months on all cars over three years old and tests safety- and emissions-related components including the chassis, brakes, steering, lights, mirrors, seatbelts and more. Fail the test and your car can’t legally be driven on the road. In the year to June 2023, more than 10 million cars were subjected to the test, around 20 percent of which failed to get the coveted circular pass sticker. Tesla and Dacia, the 2 brands regularly seen duking it out for overall victory in Europe’s monthly sales league tables, also topped the list of failure-prone cars. The defect rate of an 2-3 year old Tesla Model 3 was 14.7%. Next came the Dacia Logan (11.4%) and the Seat Alhambra 10.3 (%). With 4-5 year old cars, the BMW X5/X6 had the highest defect rate (17.9%). Next came the Volkswagen Sharan (17.7%) and the BMW 2-Series Tourer (17.6). With 6-7 year old cars, the Dacia Dokker scored worst with 25.9%, followed by the BMW 5/6-Series (24.8%) and the Dacia Duster (24.6%). In the 8-9 year old cars category, the worst cars were the Dacia Dokker (32.2%), the Fiat Punto (29.7%) and the Dacia Logan (29.1%). With 10-11 year old cars, the Renault Twingo (36.2%) topped the list, followed by the Dacia Logan (35.5) and the Renault Clio (34.6). When it comes to the oldest cars investigated (12-13 year), the hall of sham consisted of the Dacia Logan (40.9), the Renault Twingo (39.9) and the Nissan Qashai (38.8). The report categorizes the cars according to age, and the Model 3 was worst overall in the 2-3-year-old segment. Problems frequently noted include braking deficiencies, which the testers say is partly down to how EVs rely heavily on energy recuperation to slow them down, meaning the conventional brakes aren’t getting the use they need to keep them working effectively. Other faults commonly seen were suspension issues resulting from the strain of carrying heavy batteries. Dacia took second spot behind Tesla in that 2-3-year-old segment, but more than made up for it by being ranked worst overall in the 6-7, 8-9, and 10-11-year-old segments. In some cases it also occupied another spot in the worst-3 for the same period, placing either runner-up or third-worst in other years. BMW also fared badly. At the more positive end of the spectrum, there was good news for the Audi TT, which scored a bunch of top-three places across the full age spectrum, as did Volkswagen’s Golf Sportsvan. +++
+++ Despite new electric vehicle market share and sales hitting a record in the UNITED STATES this year, EV growth is starting to slow and fall short of the auto industry’s lofty ambitions to transition away from combustion engines. The U.S. has reached a crucial milestone in its efforts to electrify: More than 1 million new EVs have been sold here this year. EVs accounted for 7.5% of total U.S. sales through November. Experts say that number must rise swiftly to address climate change because a large share of greenhouse gases comes from transport. Ford recently touted a 43% increase in electric vehicle sales year over year (which includes its Mustang Mach E as well as the F-150 Lightning pickup) in a November sales release. Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 and the Kia EV6 each hit around 100% growth year over year last month. Despite these positives, this doesn’t come close to the 90% year-over-year growth the EV industry enjoyed last summer. EVs had huge sales growth at the time, even with models averaging more than $65.000. Demand was high, inventories were low, and automakers were bullish on sales prospects. This is largely because EVs were more appealing to buyers as gasoline prices flirted with $5 per gallon. Now, gasoline has dropped to around $3 per gallon nationwide, and the average transaction price for an EV, without any incentives applied, has fallen to just under $52.000. Many tech-savvy early adopters have already bought EVs, and the market has moved to more price-sensitive mainstream buyers, many of whom don’t want to pay more for an EV than they would for a gasoline or hybrid vehicle. A number of other factors are souring today’s positive momentum. Until recently, there were few EV models available to choose from. Location, cost, and convenience of charging these cars also remains a concern, as does vehicle range. Although there is interest in EVs, many customers tell that they’re just not ready yet to make the transition to battery power given the pricing. Customers also fear the electric range isn’t long enough to travel where they want to go. This is true especially for those with harsh winters, where range can deplete more quickly. He also said they’re concerned about too few charging stations. As such, the sales pace slowed to 50% year over year by June 2023, and last month, it dropped to 35% year over year. Some carmakers are reevaluating their costly EV strategies as the year comes to a close. Ford has sold just under 36.000 Mach E units through November, only a 3.5% increase over the same period last year. The company’s inventory of Mach Es has been growing much of the year. It had more than 24.000 at or en route to dealers at the end of last month, even though it has been cutting production for the past 2 months. Yet, Lightning pickup sales of 20.365 are up almost 54%. “We have to manage supply with demand”, said Erich Merkle, Ford’s head of U.S. sales analysis. “We would do that with any product in our portfolio”. Ford recently announced plans to delay one new EV battery plant, shrink the size of another, and postpone $12 billion worth of future electric vehicle spending. GM also delayed retooling an EV plant, and Volkswagen has delayed plans in Europe. “Every automaker was so aggressive with their plans”, Jessica Caldwell, Edmunds’ head of insights, said. “We’re seeing those being dialed back to better match where consumers are right now”. General Motors CEO Mary Barra remains committed to the company’s targets, so long as consumer interest is there. “We still have a plan in place that allows us to be all light-duty vehicles EV by 2035”, Barra said on December 4. “We’ll adjust based on where the customer is and where demand is. It’s not going to be, if we build it they will come. We’re going to be led by the customer”. Many of these companies’ auto dealers are now raising alarm about what they see as slowing EV interest. Last week, several thousand dealers from across the country wrote in a public letter to president Joe Biden their concerns over the shift to EVs, calling electrification mandates “unrealistic based on current and forecasted customer demand. Already, electric vehicles are stacking up on our lots”. The Biden Administration targeted half of all new vehicle sales in the nation to be electric by 2030 in August 2021 as part of its efforts to slash greenhouse gas emissions, much of which come from transportation sector carbon dioxide emissions, a result of burning fossil fuels such as petroleum. Transportation is a major contributor of GHG emissions, particularly personal transport. “The short answer is yes, people are resisting” the switch to electric vehicles, Bazzy said. The environmental group Sierra Club and others have said that many dealers don’t make an effort to sell them. Key metrics related to how long it takes for a vehicle to sell once it is at a dealership, known as days-to-turn, as well as how much inventory of certain types of vehicles is available at dealerships, are being used to assess current EV demand. While internal combustion engine cars and hybrid electric vehicles saw 40 and 17 days-to-turn, respectively, in October, the figure for electric vehicles was 57. A year ago, EVs took 39 days to turn, while hybrid EVs took 12 and combustion engine vehicles, 26. This indicates EVs are starting to take longer to sell, on average. Auto manufacturers have been boosting their incentives on EVs, in an effort to bring the cost of these vehicles down. As of October, EVs were still nearly $4.000 more, on average, than gasoline cars. +++
