Auto Central June 11, 2023. Every Sunday, Chicago Car Guy and Auto Channel Executive Producer Larry Nutson, with the competent assistance of Auto Channel Michigan bureau senior editor Tom Cannell, Auto Channel for last week’s auto news. ‘s “view” is condensed into easy-to-understand news. nugget.

learn more: The full News Nugget of the Day and thousands of pages of relevant news and opinion, information stored in the library of 1 million pages published and indexed by Auto Channel over the past 25 years. Copy the headline and insert it into the site search box to find the full information.

Here, Larry’s selection of the most important, relevant, semi-secret, and hot automotive news, opinions, and inside stories from the past week in a well-crafted, easy-to-understand automotive industry news nugget. I will introduce it as

Nutson’s Weekly Automotive News Roundup Week, June 4-10, 2023.

* From Reuters: Preliminary May sales figures show US passenger car and light truck sales hit an annualized pace of 15.05 million, according to Wards Intelligence. This is well below the level hovering around the 17 million pre-pandemic level, but it is not a recession. The full release of second-quarter US sales data for all automakers is due in early July. But based on the first five months of the year, the Detroit automaker is sticking to its relatively strong earnings forecast for 2023. Leaders of the National Auto Workers Union last week used the criteria to rally members to fight for a big pay rise in contract negotiations this fall.

* And an article from Cox Automotive: U.S. car sales expected to be better than a year ago, but concerns over the U.S. economy are rising, and interest rates and rising interest rates will cause people to delay or hold back new car purchases Concern about the increase in sales is expected to decrease compared to April. Car prices go up. Cox Automotive expects May’s annual new vehicle sales pace to hit nearly 14.9 million units, an increase of 2.3 million units from May’s pace of 12.6 million units last year, but down from April’s 15.9 million level. Decrease. According to Cox Automotive, sales in May are expected to reach 1.35 million units, up about 20% from a year earlier, but down about 1.1% from April, when the number of sales days increased by one day. But some analysts said car buyers expected more incentives for dealerships, which could lead to lower prices in the second half of the year. Incentives have all but dried up in recent months.

* Gasoline prices in the US will rise. Saudi Arabia has taken unilateral steps to support falling oil prices, boosting the global economy after two past supply cuts by major producers in the OPEC+ alliance failed to boost oil prices of crude oil supply. Saudi production cuts of 1 million barrels per day began in July after other OPEC+ producers agreed to extend early production cuts into next year at a meeting in Vienna.

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*On June 2nd, Volkswagen of America hosted the inaugural International Volkswagen Bus Day in Huntington Beach, CA for media and brand fans. Created in partnership with the National Day Calendar, the inauguration set the stage for the world premiere of the all-electric, three-row ID.Buzz. His 200+ private VW buses of all ages and genres attended the event, in addition to his EV offerings new and current, as well as historic Volkswagen vehicles.

* Andrew Fox, CEO of charging infrastructure startup Charge Enterprises, has joined Autofile, Reuters reported following reports of Ford and Tesla’s partnership with the Tesla Charging Network. In response, he said he was happy to see Ford and Tesla pushing for standardization. “We need to beat the drum to make charging a global standard,” he said. The bigger challenge for the charging industry is matching gas station reliability, Fox said. He said EV chargers have to work 99.9% of the time. “That’s all there is to think about,” he said.

* And this: General Motors has announced a partnership with Tesla to integrate Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) connector design into its EVs from 2025. Additionally, the partnership will expand access to charging for GM EV drivers on 12,000 Tesla Superchargers. It grows all over North America. The deal complements GM’s continued investment in charging and strengthens the company’s focus on expanding charging access across homes, workplaces and public spaces, and strengthens the company’s Ultium Charge 360 ​​initiative and mobile It builds on the more than 134,000 chargers currently available to GM EV drivers through the app. The Tesla Supercharger network will be open to his GM EV drivers from 2024 and will initially require the use of an adapter. Starting in 2025, the first GM EVs will be built with a NACS inlet that allows direct access to the Tesla Supercharger without an adapter. In the future, GM plans to offer an adapter that allows drivers of his NACS-enabled vehicles to charge at his CCS-enabled fast charging stations.

* With Ford and GM partnering with Tesla, other automakers may also enter the market. One thing is certain, there should be only one type of connector plug for all EVs in the US. EV owners should be able to charge their vehicles at any charging station just like they buy gasoline. It should be noted that the NEVI program may need to be readjusted. NEVI requires a CCS charging plug, but other types such as Tesla plugs can also be used.

*Auto Channel reported that Mercedes-Benz has become the first automaker to be licensed to sell or lease Level 3 self-driving vehicles in California. The “Eyes Off” system is available as an option on state S-Class and EQS vehicles. Consultant Philip Cooperman said: The driving safety requirements for level 3 features such as “DRIVE PILOT” are the same as for level 4 robo-taxis. Drivers are not responsible for paying attention to the road while driving. If an accident occurs while automated driving is operating normally, Mercedes-Benz should be held entirely responsible. The difference with robo-taxis is that the driver is responsible for taking over driving in a reasonable amount of time if and only if requested by the vehicle.

— A freight train carrying a new model car was involved in a massive derailment in northern Arizona, officials said. The Coconino County Emergency Department said 23 BNSF rail cars were severely damaged in the incident east of Williams, Arizona around midnight Wednesday. A variety of new cars, trucks and vans were loaded onto the off-rail vehicles, and photographs of the scene showed wrecked wagons and cars. No one was injured in this incident. A rail car he can transport 10-20 cars, so damage can affect well over 200 new cars.

* Ford has recalled more than 125,000 crossovers and trucks due to fire hazards. Affected by the recall are various versions of vehicles with 2.5-liter hybrid or plug-in hybrid engines. Certain engine manufacturing issues can cause the engine to fail prematurely. The recall is an extension of a similar recall last year, which covers select Escape and Lincoln Corsair crossovers and Maverick light pickup trucks built between 2020 and 2023. .

* Cranes Detroit Business reports that the Detroit Auto Show expects more auto brands to exhibit in 2023. The North American International Auto Show said this year’s show will be attended by more auto brands than last year, when it expanded outside the downtown walls to make its first show in September. Detroit Convention Center.

* The Montres-Breguet London Competition showcases the most spectacular selections from the golden age of automotive design. Late 50’s to early 60’s. These ‘Golden Age Coups’ will take place from June 6th to 8th in the immaculate grounds of the Honorary Artillery Company in what is to be London’s ultimate motor garden, with about 100 of the world’s most attractive private cars. Join the stand display. Party.

* Lawrence Oriana’s 1937 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 B was named Best of Show this year at the 27th Greenwich Concours d’Elegance. The winner of Saturday’s inaugural Concours des Sport was a 1965 Ford GT40 Mk I displayed by Benjamin Levy from Andover, Massachusetts. This year’s Concours d’Elegance classes include pre- and post-war Alfa Romeos, steam cars, post-war American cars, Italian cars, German cars, British cars, supercars and the car of this year’s Grand Marshal, Wayne Carini. It was

* Autoweek reports that the EV Nürburgring lap record battle is underway as Tesla beat Porsche’s previous Taycan Turbo S lap record by eight seconds. Equipped with Tesla’s new Trackpack, the Model S Plaid managed to complete a 7:25 lap with former F3 driver and touring car driver Tom Schwister at the wheel. That’s nearly nine seconds faster than Porsche’s previous record, which is shared by models such as the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S. And almost all attempts to circumnavigate the Nürburgring by mass-produced cars used roll cages and bucket seats.

Take care. Get well.