Nutson's Weekly Auto News Wrapup June 8-14, 2025
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Here are Larry's top story picks from this past week's important to you, relevant, semi-secret, or snappy automotive news, opinions, and insider back stories presented as expertly crafted, easy-to-understand automotive news nuggets.
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* Prices hold but sales slow. According to new data released from Cox Automotive’s Kelley Blue Book, the average new-vehicle transaction price (ATP) in May was mostly unchanged from April, as the new vehicle sales pace slowed. Key takeaways from the May report include. New-vehicle ATP held steady in May at $48,799, virtually unchanged from the revised April ATP of $48,811. Compared to May 2024, new-vehicle transaction prices were higher by 1.0%. The new-vehicle sales pace slowed notably in May, falling to 15.6 million from a pace of 17.3 million in April. The Kelley Blue Book team’s initial estimate of new electric vehicle ATP in May is $57,734, down from a revised $59,123 in April. New EV prices in May were lower year over year by 1.1%.
* Another car shortage. Automotive News reports the volume of cars getting shipped to the U.S. via sea routes has plunged as a result of President Donald Trump’s tariffs on imported vehicles. The tariff impact has begun as vehicle shipping volume drops by more than 70%. Data indicates that automakers are holding off on shipping completed vehicles overseas to the U.S. New-vehicle inventory is already slim at 2.79 million.
* Top Safety Pick plus. Six models from four different brands earn 2025 TOP SAFETY PICK+ awards in the latest batch of vehicle ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The Hyundai Elantra, Kia K4 and Toyota Prius are all small cars. The Hyundai Sonata is a midsize car, the Toyota bZ4X is an electric small SUV, and the Nissan Murano is a midsize SUV. All are 2025 models. Details HERE
* Better decision making. Kelley Blue Book and Autotrader, Cox Automotive brands, announced they are expanding their strategic relationship with Experian, a global data and technology company, to co-brand its AutoCheck vehicle history reports on KBB.com and Autotrader.com vehicle listings. Experian’s AutoCheck vehicle history reports offered by Kelley Blue Book combine the power of the Kelley Blue Book brand with the detailed insights Experian is already delivering to car buyers and sellers for more efficient decision-making. Details HERE
* $57 million in Supercar Flipping Scam. On May 22, the Las Vegas Metro Police Department arrested Jong and Neelufar Rhee on 75 charges related to a scheme to defraud victims of more than $57 million. The Rhees allegedly solicited investors via two Vegas-based businesses, Twisted Twins Motorsports, LLC, and Lusso Auto Spa, suckering them into contributing money to buy supercars on behalf of overseas customers with more money than brains. Those overseas buyers? Entirely fictitious. The investment? Squandered on expensive toys and other lifestyle accessories. The promised $2 billion dollar return on the initial investment? Yeah, not happening. Read more HERE
* Collectors with no name. License plate collectors trek to all corners of the globe for rare finds, from diplomatic tags to the devilish 666 to the Vatican City holy grail. There are thousands of people who so covet tags that they are willing to travel to remote corners of the globe—sometimes at great expense and personal risk—to score a rare find. There's a 1921 Alaska tag, one of which is rumored to have changed hands for $60,000. Read about it HERE
* Driverless taxis to come in Boston. Waymo is actively collecting data on Boston's unique driving conditions and road layouts, including the city's winding streets, rotaries, and challenging traffic patterns. While Waymo is not offering fully autonomous rides in Boston, their vehicles are being driven by human specialists to collect data and map the area. Waymo's vehicles are being tested in a variety of settings, including urban areas, highways, and residential neighborhoods. Waymo has expressed interest in eventually offering autonomous ride-hailing services in Boston, but this will depend on their successful completion of testing and regulatory approvals. HERE
* Future of city driving. Are electric minicars the future of city driving? Although minicars are already a staple in Europe and Asia, most Americans have never heard of them. Safety concerns, inadequate infrastructure and depressingly few choices beyond glorified golf carts have steered people away. Nearly all 50 states now allow them. Change is coming. HERE
* EV optimism. A consumer survey commissioned by BMW Group in the U.S. reveals growing consumer optimism and expectations around electric vehicles. According to the survey, 92% of Americans believe continued innovation in EV technology is important, with 30% of those respondents calling it “very important.” Among future EV buyers, 40% cite cost as the main reason they haven’t purchased one yet. 75% say 75 miles of daily range is sufficient, with 50 miles being the most common preference (29%)—indicating that consumers are increasingly aligning expectations with practical daily driving needs rather than aiming for maximum range. More information HERE
* Trump halts Calif. gas-powered car phaseout. President Donald Trump signed a resolution on that blocks California’s first-in-the-nation rule banning the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035. The state quickly announced it was challenging the move in court, with California’s attorney general holding a news conference to discuss the lawsuit before Trump’s signing ceremony ended at the White House. The resolution was approved by Congress last month and aims to quash the country’s most aggressive attempt to phase out gas-powered cars. Trump also signed measures to overturn state policies curbing tailpipe emissions in certain vehicles and smog-forming nitrogen oxide pollution from trucks. Ten other states, all with Democratic attorneys general, joined the new lawsuit. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents major automakers, applauded Trump’s action saying the EV sales mandates were never achievable and wildly unrealistic.
* Motorcycle road trip. Best friends actor Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman gear up for their fourth Long Way series—this time going from Ewan’s home in Scotland to Charley’s in England. They’ll take the scenic route, of course, through 17 European countries on cranky old bikes. Watch it HERE
* St Louis Art Museum. Roaring: Art, Fashion, and the Automobile in France. 1918-1939 Review: An Exhibition in Forward Motion. A show at the Saint Louis Art Museum explores technological and artistic advancements of the interwar period. Saint Louis Art Museum, through July 27 HERE
* Car show honors teacher. Bill Robinson left a lasting legacy in the automotive design community when he died in 2022, at the age of 96. That's because he literally shaped the automotive design community as a professor of transportation design at Detroit's College for Creative Studies. Have a look at this show of vehicles in his honor. HERE
* NASCAR and Ram. Ram trucks are returning to NASCAR's Craftsman Truck Series for the 2026 season, ending a 13-year absence. This marks the first new OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) in NASCAR's national series ranks since Toyota brought its Tundra model in 2004. There's talk of Dodge eventually entering the NASCAR Cup Series.
* A Cadillac Motorsports first. Cadillac secured its first-ever pole for 24 Hours of Le Mans. Team Jota’s Alex Lynn drove his No. 12 Cadillac Hypercar to the automaker’s first-ever pole position for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. However, the British privateer team didn’t stop there, as the No. 38 sister car secured the second place on the starting grid, giving Cadillac a historic front-row lockout for next weekend’s endurance race. HERE
Stay safe. Be Well.
regards,
Larry Nutson, the Chicago Car Guy