Nutson's Weekly Automotive News Wrapup June 15-21, 2025
 |
 |
AUTO CENTRAL - Louisville, KY - June 15, 2025: Every Sunday, Larry Nutson, The Chicago Car Guy and TACH Executive Producer, compiles his take on this past week's automotive news, condensed into easy-to-digest news Nuggets.
LEARN MORE FROM THE WEB'S LONGEST RUNNING AUTOMOTIVE COLUMN
 |
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.
Larry' News Nuggets June 15-21, 2025* 2025 Cars.com American-Made Index. How much of your car was actually made in America? With recent tariffs enacted, shoppers are paying closer attention to where vehicles are built—and they’re acting on it: 51% say tariffs have influenced them to seek out American-made vehicles. Now celebrating its 20th year of publication, Cars.com’s American-Made Index has once again ranked all qualifying vehicles built and bought in the U.S. for model-year 2025. Cars.com's American-Made Index analyzes some 400 cars looking at parts, manufacturing and labor to help shoppers who are interested in knowing which vehicles most support the national economy. Also, you can see where in the world your car is made. HERE
* Help with EV charging. Consumers rank problems with public electric vehicle charging and the time it takes to fuel up as their top two reasons for rejecting electric vehicles, according to J.D. Power. However, automakers and charging companies are building new stations and updating their cars to allow drivers to more easily and quickly recharge their vehicles. “The industry is finally elevating as a whole,” said Brent Gruber, an executive director at J.D. Power. See the news HERE
* Higher auto tariffs? Reuters reports, just when you thought that U.S. President Donald Trump might be getting tired of imposing tariffs, he threatened late last week that he might raise auto tariffs to further prod automakers into making bigger investments in the United States, and faster. Trump pointed to a number of recent investment announcements to justify such a move, including General Motors’ plans to invest $4 billion in three U.S. plants and move some SUV production from Mexico, and Hyundai’s $21 billion investment announcement in March. But while making more cars in the United States might shield automakers from tariffs, it will still translate into higher prices for U.S. consumers.
* Interesting conclusions about EVs. Interest in battery electric vehicles has declined more in Europe than in the US, per the Shell Recharge Driver Survey. From last year to this, the percentage of European drivers with a vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine who'd consider buying a BEV dropped from 48% to 41%. In the US, the figure dropped from 34% to 31%. Read more here. HERE
* Color-changing cars. BMW has developed color-changing car technology, known as E Ink, demonstrated in concepts like the BMW iX Flow and the BMW i Vision Dee. This technology uses a special body wrap with millions of microcapsules containing pigments that change position with an electric field, allowing the car to change color. Now, Porsche has filed a patent that hints that the German automaker has actually found something useful to do with the tech. HERE
* Gas prices rise. GasBuddy reports 33 states saw average gas prices rise over the last week, while 17 saw decreases. By later this week, we'll likely see nearly all states with price increases as retail gas prices rise following Iran/Israel attacks. US national average price of gasoline quickly rose mid-week, at $3.17/gal, less than 10 cents from rising to the highest level since last September.
* Do you care what's under the hood? Ford believes the days when combustion engines defined a vehicle are largely behind us. Vice Chair John Lawler made this point during a Bernstein conference, arguing that customer interest in conventional engines is waning. 'I don’t think that consumers really think about powertrains the way they did 30 years ago. Where [combustion engines] defined what a vehicle was; the horsepower, the displacement, the torque, and everything about the vehicle; I think a lot of that is gone.' What do you think? Read more HERE
* GM sued over 6.2L-V8s. We read in The Detroit News, General Motors Co. is being sued for fraud after the Detroit automaker recalled nearly 600,000 trucks and SUVs for potential engine failure this year. Lawyers for seven plaintiffs asked the U.S. Eastern District Court of Pennsylvania to grant class-action status to the suit, which seeks financial compensation for consumers who bought the affected vehicles. Recalled vehicles were 2021-2024 model year Chevrolet Silverado 1500s, Tahoes and Suburbans; GMC Sierra 1500s, Yukons and, Yukon XLs, and Cadillac Escalades and Escalade ESVs that are equipped with GM’s 6.2-liter V-8 L87 engine.
* Best truck warranty. Ram brand now offers America’s best full-size truck limited powertrain warranty, covering 2026 model-year Ram trucks and vans (excluding full battery-electric vehicles) sold in the United States. The new 10-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty reflects Ram’s commitment to long-term vehicle quality as more buyers opt for extended loan terms. The limited powertrain warranty is applicable to the original owner of 2026 model-year Ram trucks and vans, including the Chassis Cab lineup. The warranty covers the engine, transmission, transfer case, driveshafts, differentials and axles for 10 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first. Warranty offer includes retail purchases and leases to individuals and businesses, excludes fleet purchases.
* Ford recall. Ford Motor Co. has ordered dealers to halt demonstrations and deliveries of roughly 300,000 Mustang Mach-E electric crossovers globally because a battery problem can prevent the doors from being unlocked. You could be locked out but also could be locked in.
* Honda recall. Honda Motor Co. is recalling 259,033 vehicles in the U.S. for incorrectly assembled brake pedals, NHTSA said. The recall affects 184,253 2023-24 Honda Pilots.
* Motorcycle HoF.The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame announced six inductees for its class of 2025. This year's class includes racing legends such as Colin Edwards, Joe Kopp, Chad Reed, and Ryan Young, Motion Pro founder Chris Carter, and motorcycle rights activist Dana Bell. After several weeks of voting, in which thousands of ballots were cast, the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame announces the six esteemed inductees to be honored at the 2025 AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Oct. 23 in Pickerington, Ohio. More info HERE
* Pacino, Maserati and the Pope. Al Pacino is in Italy working on the film “Maserati: The Brothers.” At 85 years old, Al Pacino is still having career firsts. The Academy Award winner became the first movie star to meet with Pope Leo XIV. In Italy for production of an upcoming film about the Maserati auto empire, Pacino had an official audience with the new American pontiff at the Vatican. In a statement, film producer Andrea Iervolino wrote, “We are honoured to announce that this morning His Holiness Pope Leo XIV received in a private audience at the Holy See a delegation from the film ‘Maserati: The Brothers,’ including Oscar winner actor Al Pacino and the film’s producer Andrea Iervolino. “The meeting was a moment of profound spiritual and cultural inspiration, (centered on) shared values that lie at the heart of both the Catholic church and the film: family unity, love, compassion and the importance of contributing to the common good,” he continued. On his Instagram Stories, the filmmaker also posted a photo with Pacino, who was raised Catholic, and the pope as they “donated a scale model of a Maserati” in honor of the movie.
* 2025 24 Hours of LeMans winner. Former Formula 1 driver Robert Kubica took victory at the Le Mans 24 Hours with a privately entered Ferrari. The number 83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P, also driven by China's Yifei Ye and Britain's Phil Hanson, took the chequered flag 14.084 seconds ahead of the second-placed No 6 Porsche of Kevin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor and Matt Campbell, with the Ferrari No 51 of Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi in third and the No 50 Ferrari of Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen fourth, all within 30 seconds of the lead after a full 24 hours. The Cadillacs of Hertz Team Jota, who achieved a front-row lockout in qualifying, finished fifth and eighth - the latter 38 car including 2009 Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button as one of the drivers.
* NASCAR in Mexico. For the first time since 1998, NASCAR raced outside the U.S. with a stop at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City. Also, it's the first time NASCAR raced internationally in a points-paying event since 1958. The circuit is one of the most prestigious in Mexico, and the country's home of racing for Formula 1 as well as Formula E. The second road course race of the year, it made for a tough challenge for the drivers due to the high elevation of Mexico City. At 7,349 feet above sea level, the air is thin enough to strain both the cars and drivers as they power through the 15-corner track layout. The Sunday Cup Series race was won by Shane van Gisbergen. Daniel Suarez won the Xfinity Series race on Saturday.
* Pikes Peak. This Sunday June 22 brings us the 103rd Running of The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, presented by Gran Turismo. Here is how you can watch the race live and catch all of the Pikes Peak Race Day action. HERE
* NASCAR Street Race West. News in NASCAR says officials in the San Diego area are working toward an agreement to return the Cup Series to Southern California, The Athletic reported. According to the report, the two sides are finalizing details on a street-course race to be held in the area. An announcement is tentatively expected in July. Both NASCAR and Sports San Diego, the area's sports tourism arm, declined to make a statement to The Athletic. What does this mean for the Chicago Street Race? Read the scuttlebut HERE
RIP. Lindsay Chappell, Automotive News’ longtime Nashville bureau chief and then senior editor who covered the transplant auto industry almost from its very beginning, died June 20 in Tennessee at age 67. His nearly 36 years at Automotive News included some of the most tumultuous events in the history of the industry, not just the arrival of foreign automakers and their plants in the American South, but the tremendous changes to suppliers, labor, technology and government policies.
Stay safe. Be Well.
Kind regards,
Larry Nutson
The Chicago Car Guy
The Auto Channel