Nutson's Weekly Automotive News Recap July 1, 2018 - Change-June NAIAS?; Foreign Car Makers Predicting Big Sale Losses; Flying Cars; Harley Goes Offshore; Heck of a Hellcat; Lexus Recall; Vette Day; EV PP; Almost Equality In Saudi Arabia; Tesla Software Banned

AUTO CENTRAL, CHICAGO - July 1, 2018; Every Sunday Larry Nutson, Senior Editor and Chicago Car Guy along with fellow senior editors Steve Purdy and Thom Cannell from The Auto Channel Michigan Bureau, give you The Auto Channel's "take" on this past week's automotive news, in easy to "catch up" with news nuggets. For More search the past 25 year's millions of (Indexed By Google) pages of automotive news, automotive stories, articles, reviews, archived news residing in The Auto Channel Automotive News Library.

TV viewers, you can now enjoy The Auto Channel TV Network On Amazon TV, Google TV, HULU, ROKU and "Free and Clear" on WHDT in Boston and South Florida as well as local cable systems.

Nutson's Auto Channel News Highlight Digest June 23 - 30, 2018

* We’ve known for some time now that the North American International Auto Show in Detroit was planning major changes in order to adjust to the loss of manufacturer participation and other headwinds in the motor show business internationally. One of the big decisions we’ve been awaiting is a date change from its now January timeslot. Will they move to October, just ahead of the LA auto show to be the first major show in the U.S., or perhaps to June? They promise big news in a couple weeks - July 24th will be the announcement. According to a story by our friends at The Detroit Bureau, "while DADA officials remain tightlipped about their final decision, sources suggest June is more likely to be the new date. October would create a number of conflicts, falling just weeks after the major European car show that alternates each other year between Frankfurt and Paris, and landing almost atop the biannual Tokyo Motor Show." The 2019 show will remain in January. The new date will take effect for the 2020 show. Note that the IndyCar race in Detroit is the first weekend in June. Don't be surprised if there is a tie-in. Stay tuned.

* Harley-Davidson, the American motorcycle manufacturer, said that it was shifting some of the production of its bikes outside the United States to avoid European Union tariffs imposed as part of a widening trade dispute. Europe is second to only the United States as Harley-Davidson’s most important market, selling 40,000 motorcycles there last year. Harley-Davidson said that European Union tariffs on its motorcycles had increased to 31 percent, from 6 percent. It estimated that the higher tariffs would add about $2,200 on average to every motorcycle exported from the United States to the bloc.

* GM, FCA, Toyota and Mazda have warned that President Trump's tariffs could lead to less investment, fewer jobs and lower wages for its employees.The president’s threat to impose tariffs on imports of cars and car parts could drive vehicle prices up by thousands of dollars. The “hardest hit” cars, General Motors said in comments submitted to the Commerce Department, are likely to be the ones bought by consumers who can least afford an increase. Demand would suffer and production would slow, all of which “could lead to a smaller G.M. Toyota said, “A 25% tariff on automotive imports would increase the cost of every vehicle sold in the country,” and that the made-in-the-U.S. Camry price would increase $1,800. Toyota's statement came just days after a similar one by the Association of Global Automakers who represent manufacturers and suppliers based outside the U.S.

* Uber got its license back in London. After accusations of improperly vetting drivers Uber’s license was pulled. An immediate appeal has allowed them to continue business while under adjudication. The ride-hailing service insists it has now “made significant changes to its business and corporate culture,” according to reporting by our colleagues at the Detroit Bureau. Uber now has a 15-month probationary license.

* The NHTSA ordered the Autopilot Buddy's maker to pull it off the market in the U.S., according toGreen Car Reports. The device tricked Tesla's Autopilot system into eliminating safety warnings. Roadshow originally reported on the device, which is a small weight that attaches on one side of the steering wheel to mimic the weight of a driver's hands on the wheel. The NHTSA order was reported by the Detroit News. NHTSA ordered the Autopilot Buddy's manufacturer, Dolder, Falco and Reese Partners LLC, of California, to cease marketing, sales, and distribution of the device in the U.S. by June 29. Following the order, the company's website says the Autopilot Buddy "is designed for closed-track use, not for use on public streets. ... Warning: The Autopilot Buddy is not a safety device. Using this device irresponsibly may cause injury or death."

* Why haven’t we seen flying cars above us as promised by science fiction for more than half a century now? Well, many reasons. Audi, in partnership with Airbus and with the acquiescence of the German government, is about to begin testing the concept seriously and start mitigating those problems. The test fleet will be vehicles used as taxis that resemble drones. Likely rollout is 2020.

* Women in Saudi Arabia can drive legally for the first time beginning this week. The kingdom was the last government in the world not to allow women to drive because of its ultra-conservative interpretation of Islam. Skeptics doubt it will initially make a big difference because the men must still approve a women’s getting a license. Supporters say more women with more autonomy to drive means more shopping and a boost in the economy. Car companies see opportunity in this country of 20 million people, half of them female. Saudi Arabia is the largest automobile market in the Middle East, with at least 405,000 cars expected to be sold this year.

* At a media preview event this week on what's new for 2019 from FCA, we got to see the new Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye that features the same engine as the Demon and produces 797 horsepower in street trim. It'll top out at 203 mph and cover the quarter mile in 10.8 seconds. The American horsepower wars carry on!

* Gas prices have dropped to a National average of $2.85 per gallon, down 12 cents from last month. But, they are still 60 cents higher than one year ago.

* Toyota’s Lexus luxury brand is recalling about 121,000 cars worldwide because of fuel leaks in the engine that can cause fires. The recall covers certain 2006 through 2013 IS350 cars, as well as the 2010 through 2014 IS350C, and the 2007 through 2011 GS350 and GS450h. All have 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engines.

* The Volkswagen I.D. R Pikes Peak’s all-electric race car, custom-built for the race, broke the overall record at the official Pikes Peak hill climb. History was made at the 2018 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb when driver Romain Dumas broke the all-time record by 15 seconds. Dumas made it up to the top of Pikes Peak in 7 minutes and 57 seconds, beating current record holder Sebastian Loeb who made it to the top five years ago in 8 minutes and 13 seconds. The big, powerful Bentley Bentayga snatched the SUV record by nearly two minutes with famous rally driver Rhys Millen at the wheel. In a related story, from AutoWeek we read that NHRA is planning for all-electric drag race cars.

* We celebrated National Corvette Day this week. On June 30, 1953, the first Corvette came off the assembly line. In 2008, the United States House of Representatives passed a resolution that June 30th would annually be known as “National Corvette Day.” That’s right, a whole day devoted to America’s first sports car. We hope you celebrated.