Nutson's Blast - Auto News Week January 5-11, 2015

By Larry Nutson
Senior Editor and Bureau Chief
Chicago Bureau
The Auto Channel

Auto Central Chicago IL, Jamuary 11, 2015; Every Sunday, along with senior editors Steve Purdy and Thom Cannell from The Auto Channel Michigan Bureau I give you our "take" on this past week's automotive news in easy to digest nuggets.

If you are a car nut like we all are here at The Auto Channel, you can easily wish to "catch up" on these stories as well as the past 19 year's 1,799,409 automotive news, automotive stories, articles, reviews, archived news, video, audio, rants and raves just search The Auto Channel's Automotive News Archive.

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Nutson's Auto News Blast - Week Of January 5-11, 2015

* Your TACh team will be swarming the North American International (Detroit) Auto Show this week to bring you the latest and best news made at this, arguably the most important motor show in the world. We’re expecting close to 50 world-wide introductions of new vehicles, concept cars, design exercises and significantly updated products, from bread-and-butter models like Volvo’s new XC90 crossover to exotics like the Acura NSX that will be built in Ohio and grace dealer showrooms next summer.

* The official SAARS (Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate of Sales) number was released this week to oohs and ahhs from us all. Total 2014 sales in the U.S. reached 16.92 million, the highest number since 2006 and approaching an all-time record. That number is 10% over the 2013 number, beyond what anyone was predicting earlier in the year and that that number reflects a more healthy percent of fleet sales (about 3 million units) than any year since the recession. Trucks (read SUVs and Crossovers) outsold cars. Most pundits predict an even bigger number for 2015.

* For 2014, domestic brands held 45.2 percent of the overall U.S. auto market. Asian brands finished with 45.4 percent and European brands logged a 9.4 percent share of the market. Ford remained the top selling brand. Toyota Camry is the top selling car.

* U.S. oil prices continue to drop. This week we saw that price at $49.77/barrel, the lowest since 2009. Only six months ago oil prices were more than double that price. The average price of gasoline nationwide is approaching $2.00/gallon and has been selling below $2.00 in many markets. Analysts generally agree that prices will remain low through most of this year, barring any unforeseen political turmoil or unexpected growth in economic activity worldwide.

* And with lower gas prices driving the purchase of larger, less efficient vehicles it will come as no surprise that the average fuel economy of new vehicles purchased in December is down 0.2 mpg from November to 25.1 mpg. The peak in 2014 was in August, 0.7 mpg higher. For the year however, the fuel economy for 2014 averaged 25.4 mpg compared to 24.8 mpg in 2013.

* The all-new Ford F-150 has been named Truck Trend Magazine's inaugural 2015 Pickup Truck of the Year.

* Cadillac is one of few brands that experienced a slump in sales this year. One reason, say dealers, is the pricing of the newly redesigned CTS that gained size and content as well as price. In response, Cadillac announced this week they will cut prices on the midsize luxury sedan by $3,000. Cadillac will show the next CTS-V high-performance sedan at the upcoming Detroit motor show.

* After doubling the number of recalls in 2014 over the previous record - from 30 million to 60 million - automakers are expected to recall even more in 2015 according to comments from the new boss at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Mark Rosekind. NHTSA has been under fire for not responding quickly or thoroughly enough to previous problems in the industry and Rosekind vows the agency will be more on top of complaints

* NHTSA has fined Honda Motor a record $70 million for grossly underreporting fatal accidents and injuries. Honda did not report hundreds of death and injury claims to the agency for the last 11 years, nor did it report certain warranty and other claims in the same period.

* Toyota is moving most of its U.S. headquarters staff from California to Texas. Cadillac is moving advertising and marketing staff to Manhattan. And, now Mercedes-Benz is planning to move its U.S. headquarters from Montvale, NJ to the suburbs of Atlanta. The M-B move is reportedly to save big money in a major expansion of U.S. operations and to take advantage of substantial growth for the brand in the south.

* The BBC reported that the 590 foot Hoegh Osaka cargo ship loaded with 1400 new British-built vehicles was run aground in the English Channel off the Isle of Wight. Most of the vehicles on board are new Jaguar, Land Rover and MINI cars and SUVs bound for the Middle East. The ship was intentionally grounded when it began to list heavily as a preventive measure against a complete capsize and oil spillage.

* The biggest buzz coming out of the Consumer Electronics Show was Mercedes-Benz F 015 Luxury in Motion concept. The car represents Mercedes' vision of a fully autonomous rolling lounge that envelops four passengers in technology and comfort. Don't hold your breath. We'll have to wait until around 2030.

* Announced at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show, Toyota is opening the door to the hydrogen future, making available thousands of hydrogen fuel cell patents royalty free. This Toyota initiative will help spur development and introduction of innovative fuel cell technologies around the world. Toyota will invite royalty-free use of approximately 5,680 fuel cell related patents held globally, including critical technologies developed for the new Toyota Mirai.

* Jean-Pierre Beltoise, the French Formula 1 driver who took BRM's last grand prix win in Monaco in 1972, has died. He was 77. Beltoise originally started as a successful motorcycle racer, capturing 11 French national titles. His career was nearly ended after suffering serious injuries in a crash at the Reims 12 Hours sportscar race in 1964. After claiming titles in Formula 3 and Formula 2 with Matra, he moved up to F1. He stayed racing Matras until the end of 1971 before making a switch to BRM that would deliver his maiden F1 victory.

* The 37th Dakar Rally is running for the next two weeks over 5,500 miles in Argentina, Chile and Bolivia. This year’s race is the 37th edition of the world's most challenging off road race. The event began in Buenos Aires, Argentina with over 400 teams competing.

* J. Stuart Perkins, former President of Volkswagen of America has died at the age of 86. Perkins led VW to a U.S. sales record that has been unbroken to this day. The London native became president of VWoA in 1965 at the age of 37. Within five years, he would lead the company to 569,182 annual sales, the German automaker’s U.S. peak. He retired in 1978 as the company began manufacturing the Rabbit in the first U.S. plant operated by any foreign automaker.