Nutson's Weekly Automotive News Blast: February 16-22, 2015

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

Auto Central Chicago IL, February 22, 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 20 year's 1,805,999 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 Automotive News Blast - Week Feb 16-22, 2015

* Nearly 44 percent of adults attending this year's Chicago Auto Show (CAS) are planning to buy a car or truck within the next year, while almost 70 percent say that they will buy within two years, according to a survey conducted by Edmunds.com. The survey, which polled nearly 1,000 CAS attendees over the weekend, demonstrates the strong potential influence that car shows can have over car buying decisions. * European car-sales increases picked up last month as price cuts and economic-growth prospects encouraged consumers to buy new models such as Renault SA’s Clio hatchback and a station wagon variant of Volkswagen Golf. Registrations rose 6.2 percent in January from a year earlier to 1.03 million vehicles, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, or ACEA.

* Speculation is coming from a variety of sources this week about the likelihood of Apple producing a car at some point in the near future. They have a “few hundred” people working on a “secretive project to develop and electric automobile,” according to Automotive News Europe. With more cash than they know what to do with (over $170 billion in market capitalization) and the need to think beyond consumer electronics it seems a likely goal. One source predicted an Apple car by 2020.

* The UAW lost a hard-fought battle to represent workers at the Volkswagon Chattanooga assembly plant something over a year ago. Part of that effort involved attempting a European-style workers council. This week VW recognized the American Council of Employees as a representative of the workers. Neither the UAW nor the ACE are exclusive representatives and both will be able to meet with management to represent their constituents.

* On a lighter note, the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile slid off an icy Pennsylvania road crashing into a pole and causing extensive damage to its fiberglass bodywork. Oscar Mayer has six of these odd vehicles around the country used for promotional purposes and this one was on the way to an event. The driver, known as a “Hotdogger,” was not hurt.

* A strange alliance has formed around Tesla’s attempts to sell its products directly to consumers without a dealer structure. Most states have laws requiring a franchised dealer system and battles have been waged in a half dozen states over the issue. The far-left Sierra Club and far-right Koch Brothers are now on the same team along with free-market advocates and consumer-protection groups supporting Tesla’s efforts.

* Rolls-Royce confirmed this week plans to build an ultra luxury SUV. The BMW-owned British automaker said the SUV will be built on an all-new aluminum platform at the Goodwood plant in England. RR officials promise “ an “absolutely authentic” product and intend the new vehicle to be as exclusive as the limousines, sedans and coupes they now build. We’re told to expect the yet unnamed SUV in 2018.

* Big news in the classic and collector car hobby/business this week has Sotheby’s acquiring 25% of RM Auctions. RM, founded and led by Rob Myers, is a leader in its industry and Sotheby’s, founded in 1744, is the best-known auction house in the world. They have partnered on projects in the past and now find themselves advantaged by each other’s customer bases and organizations.

* What's in a name? Last week we reported that Chevy will build the Bolt EV. There was lots of discussion on its name and potential confusion with the Chevy Volt. At the Chicago Auto Show Alan Batey acknowledged that the name is still in discussion and may indeed not be Bolt. #CAS15

* Jeff Gordon, in his final year as a full-time racer, won the pole for the 57th NASCAR Daytona 500 with a speed of 201.293mph. Gordon is the first pole winner since 1987 to eclipse 200mph. The 1987 pole qualifying speed was 210.364, the fastest eve set by Bill Elliott in a Ford. By the way, a story was floating this week that Gordon is interested to hit the sports car circuit driving for Corvette after he retires from NASCAR.