Each week TheDetroitBureau.com reports on the biggest news and events about new vehicles, mobility, technology, trends as well as offering our years of experience and insights in our car reviews. Then we put it all into our weekly the Headlight News podcast.
VW CEO Herbert Diess revealed plans to speed up the company’s conversion to electric vehicles, reports Editor-in-Chief Paul A. Eisenstein. More importantly, he told shareholders, they’re quickly moving to become just as profitable as they’re gas-powered counterparts. He noted all of the company’s brands will likely double their sales from last year and he expects to sell 1.3 million globally in 2023.
Some of the other stories you need to know about include:
- Gas prices hit a new record high, coming in at an average of $4.37 per gallon. The culprits, experts claim, remain unchanged: slow production from OPEC, inflation and increased demand in the U.S.;
- Hyundai is looking to set up another plant in the U.S. Likely to be in Georgia, the new facility will be focused on building electric vehicles for the North American market;
- Mercedes-Benz teased an AMG version of its Vision Concept, which is expected to find its way into production in the next few years; and,
- Toyota announced it expected profits for this year to come in lower than the previous year. The disappointing prediction is the result of ongoing material shortages, including semiconductors, as well as rising costs.
Volkswagen is pushing ahead with its big move into electric vehicles by reviving the long-defunct Scout brand to become a new line of battery electric SUVs and pickup trucks, reports Executive Editor Joe Szczesny. The new brand will be built in the U.S. for U.S customers, officials noted, adding they expect it to be up and running by 2026. VW inherited the Scout name when its truck subsidiary, Traton, closed a deal for Navistar, formerly known as International Harvester. The Scout name disappeared in 1980.
EIC Eisenstein returns to tell us that the new Ford F-150 Lighting lives up to its billing. With a price starting at $39,995 — although few will buy that model — the new truck gets high marks for performance, handling and looks as an everyday driver while still being more than capable enough to handle the demands of those looking to use it for work. Check out the rest of the review on the website.
Looking ahead to this week, Managing Editor Michael Strong notes It’s kind of the dog days for big news in the auto industry right now with no auto shows, earnings results, investor meetings or sales results to cover. However, that doesn’t mean nothing is happening. In fact, we’re kicking off the week with news many have been waiting nearly a decade for: what it’s like to drive the new Nissan Z sports coupe. It’s followed by the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class and the all-electric Genesis GV60 on Tuesday with more to come after that.
Examining this week in automotive history Executive Editor Larry Printz notes it’s a week of endings, starting in 1879 when George B. Selden gets a patent for his “self-propelled road engine.” However, he waits until 1895 to issue it, then claiming it covers all self-propelled engines produced since 1879. Unable to build a vehicle himself, he sells the patent to Massachusetts-based Electric Vehicle Co. in 1899, which then collects a royalty on every vehicle built. What happens? Check out the podcast to find out!Find out more the industry’s history and more by listening to TheDetroitBureau’s latest edition of the Headlight News podcast by clicking here. And look for a new episode every Monday!
