Nutson's Weekly Auto News Wrapup November 23-29, 2025
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LEARN MORE FROM THE WEB'S LONGEST RUNNING AUTOMOTIVE COLUMN
Here are Larry’s Top Auto Story Picks of the Week November 23-29, 2025: Larry picked these as important, relevant, interesting and sometimes semi-secret stories you need to know—served up as snappy, opinionated, and insider-sharp, these are expertly crafted, easy-to-understand news nuggets that cut through the noise and get right to what matters to you in the automotive world.
* Motor Trend SUVotY. The Cadillac Escalade IQ is the 2026 MotorTrend SUV of the Year. The Cadillac was chosen from eight finalists and a total of 34 contenders. To be considered an SUV has to be all-new or significantly revised. Every SUV is judged against MotorTrend’s six core criteria: value, safety, efficiency, performance of intended function, advancement in design, and engineering excellence. Details HERE
* VW Microbus survivor. Volkswagen of America restored a white-over-blue 1977 T2 microbus that became an unexpected symbol of resilience after surviving the January 2025 Palisades Fire in Southern California. Making its first public appearance since its story captured hearts around the world, the restored T2 was a star of the 2025 Los Angeles Auto Show for Volkswagen, marking a poignant moment for Volkswagen and its community. HERE
* Chevy holiday ad. Chevrolet features a 1987 Suburban in its holiday ad, continuing the brand’s tradition of putting vintage vehicles in seasonal spots. First airing this year during the Thanksgiving NFL broadcast, “Memory Lane” hallmarks the pit stops and pitfalls of family travel during the holidays. It marks Chevrolet’s fifth annual seasonal ad, painstakingly crafted to tug at the heartstrings without the burden of a heavy sales pitch. Have a look HERE
* The EU and gas-powered cars. Europe’s embattled automakers are hoping for a reprieve when Brussels unveils an auto sector package next month that could weaken an effective ban on new combustion engines initially slated for 2035, as a shift toward electrification stutters. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to ask EU to drop hard cutoff for combustion cars from 2035 BMW is said to be considering adding range extenders to some of its vehicles, including future electric versions of the X5 SUV. Read more HERE
* New car affordability. Not only in the US but also in Europe buyers are concerned with high vehicle prices. In the EU low priced cars are in demand and Stellantis' Citroën brand is responding. Stellantis NV is raising production of Citroëns thanks to higher-than-expected demand for the C3 city car. In France, the C3’s electric version has a starting price of €14,990 ($17,240) for customers qualifying for a government social leasing plan. More info HERE
* Auto show no no. In a now viral video, a couple want-to-be automotive influencers peeled plastic parts off of a model Jeep Recon at the Los Angeles auto show. The video garnered millions of views, with the creators criticizing the build quality and the price. Jeep, however, says it was a preproduction, hand-built model of the car and does not resemble the quality buyers should expect when the off-road EV goes on sale They did this during a public show day, and not during the media day. More on this story HERE
* FBI grab. The FBI seized a Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR valued at $13 Million. The car, which is just one of six CLK GTR roadsters ever made, was tied to former Olympic snowboarder and current FBI Top Ten fugitive Ryan Wedding. Get the scoop here from The Drive. HERE
* Self driving car talk. With all the talk of autonomous driving and robotaxis it is refreshing to hear a podcast discussing this in real terms. Tom Appel, Jill Ciminillo and guest Sam Abuelsamid from the Car Stuff Podcast discuss what is really happening with autonomy. Check it out. HERE
* In-car Subscriptions. As automakers look for more ways to get a few more bucks out of owners, New York is considering a law that would prevent in-car subscriptions like what BMW tried. The proposed law, New York Assembly Bill A1095, would ban automakers from offering subscriptions for hardware that once installed doesn’t need anything else to work, i.e. seat warmers. In short, if you buy the vehicle with the hardware installed, it should work for the price of the purchased vehicle. Read more from Headlight.news. HERE
* Retirement time. Mid America Motorworks Chief Mike Yager and his wife Laurie are retiring. After more than 50 years of being deeply involved in the automotive hobby, Laurie and Mike are stepping into a new chapter of life. As part of that transition aa portion of Mike's MYGarage Museum personal collection is being auctioned off at Mecum Kissimmee in January.HERE
Stay safe. Be Well.
Kind regards,
Larry Nutson, the Chicago Car Guy
The Auto Channel