The Automotive News Digest Week Ending July 22, 2018 Edited By Larry Nutson

* Automotive News reports that PSA Group has narrowed to 15 states and four Canadian provinces its top picks as possible points of entry for sales as the French carmaker continues to ramp up plans to return to North America. Larry Dominique, CEO of PSA Group North America, told reporters that he is focusing on 15 states with customers who are willing to buy imports and represent 62 percent of vehicle sales. Dominique's presentation mentioned 14 states: California, Texas, Florida, New York, Illinois, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Arizona, Washington, Massachusetts, Virgina, North Carolina, Georgia and Maryland. The 15th state was undisclosed. In Canada, PSA also is looking at four provinces (British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec) that represent 87 percent of Canadian sales. The maker of brands such as Peugeot, Citroen and Opel hopes to sell cars again in North America by 2026. Peugeot left the U.S. in 1991. Its North American headquarters is in Atlanta.

* The Commerce Department held a full-day hearing on President Donald Trump's proposal to raise taxes on imported autos and auto parts. There was near-unanimous opposition to the tariffs as automakers, dealers, suppliers, repair shop owners and foreign allies each stepped up to warn against it, saying it will hurt production and cost jobs. Only the UAW supported the hearing's investigation but cautioned against ultimately applying broad tariffs or using them against key allies such as Canada, which she said could hurt production in the U.S. and cost jobs.

* A rally of hundreds of autoworkers on Capitol Hill this week was organized by Canadian, European Union and the foreign automakers to protest the Trump administration's threat of imposing tariffs of up to 25% on imported cars and parts, a move they say will hurt the entire auto industry and consumers. The protesters found a sympathetic reception as 150 lawmakers are also opposing the administration’s move.

* Dodge has gone from Hellcat to Demon to Hellcat Redeye and now to the Angry Bee. This week Dodge introduced the 2019 Challenger R/T Scat Pack 1320, a drag-oriented, street-legal muscle car designed with the grassroots drag racer in mind. Named for the quarter-mile distance (1,320 feet), the Challenger R/T Scat Pack 1320 is powered by the 392 HEMI V-8 that delivers 485 horsepower. Equipped with exclusive drag strip technology from the iconic SRT Demon, its quarter-mile (1,320 feet) elapsed time (E.T.) of 11.7 seconds at 115 mph makes the showroom-stock R/T Scat Pack 1320 the fastest naturally aspirated, street-legal muscle car available. The “Angry Bee” logo marks the front fenders.

* Tesla shares dropped again this week after analysts at Needham & Co. asserted that hand-raisers in line for Model 3 mainstream electric sedan are putting their hands down, perhaps up to a quarter of them. Tesla founder and CEO, the ever-quotable Elon Musk, called the report “BS.” Each reservation is secured with a $1,000 deposit. The roll-out of the Model 3 continues to be problematic on a number of levels.

* Actor/businessman, Mark Wahlberg is buying into a Chevrolet dealership in Columbus, Ohio. Wahlberg is already in the restaurant business and is now partnering with an established auto dealer, Jay Feldman, who owns eight Chevrolet dealerships mostly in southeast Michigan. Wahlberg describes himself as a car lover.

* The Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn, Michigan hosted its annual induction ceremony this past week with an unusual pair of inductees, Click & Clack, the Tappet Brothers, hosts of a popular, long-running, light-hearted, auto repair program on National Public Radio. Brothers, Ray and Tom Magliozzi, both MIT grads, hosted the show for decades. Other inductees were: Kitchiro Toyota, founder of the Toyota Motor Corporation; Frank Stronach, founder of Magna; and Mike Jackson who transformed AutoNation into the country’s largest automotive retailer.

* Suspended Audi CEO, Rupert Stadler, has been in jail for the past month for tampering with evidence in the never-ending diesel emission cheating scandal. He is now appealing his incarceration in a Bavarian prison after withdrawing his cooperation with prosecutors. A Munich prosecutor said his interrogation is complete and it is up to the court to decide on the appeal.

* In a response to the federal governments move to roll back automotive emissions standards Colorado governor, John Hickenlooper, signed an executive order this week leading the way for his state to adopt California’s rules to become a “low-emissions vehicle state.” The U.S. Environmental Protections Agency is preparing to reduce significantly the Obama-era demands for future emissions levels.

* Vietnamese automaker Vinfast will use the Paris auto show to raise its global profile by unveiling two production-ready models, designed by Italy's Pininfarina. VinFast will get up a new plant in Vietnam and bring an SUV and a sedan to the Vietnam market in Fall of 2019.

* The Pikes Peak record holding VW ID R claimed the electric car record at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this week. Romain Dumas — once again donning his lightweight race suit and climbing into the cockpit of the ID R — managed a blistering time of 43.05 seconds. The previous record for an EV was the 47.34 set in 2013 by Jonny Cocker who drove a Lola-Drayson B12 69/EV.

* Ford is issuing a safety recall in North America for approximately 550,000 2013-16 model year Ford Fusion and 2013-14 Ford Escape vehicles to replace shifter cable bushings. Also, Ford is issuing a safety recall in North America for approximately 162 2018 Ford stripped chassis incomplete vehicles with 22.5-inch wheels and 22,000-, 24,000- or 26,000-pound gross vehicle weight rating for front-wheel studs that were not heat treated properly.