* Having just shown the new Mirai fuel-cell sedan at the LA Auto Show Toyota’s top fuel cell engineer, Yasuhiro Nonobe, predicted the next generation of that powertrain will cost 1/3 to 1/4 of the current one. The current Mirai is expected to sell for about $57,500 and in California will be eligible for around $13,000 in credits and subsidies from the state and the feds. Dramatically lower costs will come from completely reengineered fuel stacks and other components.

* In other fuel cell news coming out of the LA show we learned that Toyota will help fund hydrogen infrastructure around Greater New York and Boston, VW will begin building fuel cell cars as soon as California infrastructure exists at a practical level and Honda has ponied up $13.8 million for that California build out. Both Audi and VW showed fuel cell cars at LA.

* The Hispanic Motor Press named the 2015 Chrysler 200C the “Best Sedan” and the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat “Best Sportscar.” Kia also won two categories with Sedona taking “Best Mini Van” and Soul EV capturing “Best Electric Vehicle.” Hyundai Genesis won “Best Luxury Car” and Honda Fit was named “Best Sub-Compact.” Ford F-150 got the nod as “Best Pick-up” and Lincoln MKC captured “Best Crossover. Mazda 3 was named ‘Best Compact.”

* We saw pictures this week of the “Landwind X7” SUV scheduled to go on sale in a few months in China for the equivalent of about 17,700 Euro ($22,000) and it is a dead ringer for the pricey Land Rover Evoque. The Landwind X7 is a brand owned by Jiangling Motor Co. Ford has a 31% stake in the company which also makes Transit vans in China. Land Rover makes the Evoque in a Changshu, China plant with joint venture partner Chery Automobile, and they plan to protest.

* Honda acknowledged failing to notify the government about more than 1,700 death and injury claims involving a variety of possible safety defects, eight related to Takata airbags they say, since 2003. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is responsible for monitoring these problems and is investigating. Fines are likely and could be as much as $35 million according to a story in Automotive News.

* The NHTSA has demanded that Takata expand the recall of defective air bags nationwide from its present regional recall. Takata continues to resist and the NHTSA is threatening fines and penalties.

* Mazda is recalling almost 100,000 Mazda 6 sedans from the 2014-15 model years because the federally mandated low-tire pressure warning system may not work.

* Jaguar Land Rover is recalling 28,000 vehicles because the tire pressure monitoring system may not function correctly. Models affected are the 2014 Range Rover and Range Rover Sport and the 2013-14 Land Rover LR4.

* The Formula 1 racing season came to a close with Lewis Hamilton driving for Mercedes clinching his second drivers' World Championship with a comfortable victory in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. His Mercedes team-mate and title rival Nico Rosberg suffered car trouble and finished 14th, ending his season in second place.

* The average price of regular gasoline in the U.S. is now down to $2.8146, the lowest price since November 5, 2010 according to the Lundberg Survey. That's 41.01 cents lower than a year ago.

* With gasoline now selling for below $3 per gallon, 41 million folk took to the roads over Thanksgiving. Another 5 million took to the skies. Hope you had a safe and happy Thanksgiving holiday.