JUNE 15, 2022

Editor-in-Chief's Note: When it rains, it pours, apparently. Ford is now recalling 2.9 million of its U.S. vehicles for a gear-shifting defect that has been linked to four reports alleging an injury. The recall covers certain 2013-19 Escape, 2013-18 C-Max, 2013-16 Fusion, 2013-21 Transit Connect and 2015-18 Edge vehicles. Those vehicles in question could have a damaged or missing bushing that prevents them from shifting into the intended gear and might cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction, according to a recall report submitted to NHTSA last week. All together now: Not. Very. Good. -PMD

Editor-in-Chief's Note, from The Washington Post: "Tesla vehicles running its Autopilot software have been involved in 273 reported crashes over roughly the past year, according to regulators, far more than previously known and providing concrete evidence regarding the real-world performance of its futuristic features. The numbers, which were published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for the first time Wednesday, show that Tesla vehicles made up nearly 70 percent of the 392 crashes involving advanced driver-assistance systems reported since last July, and a majority of the fatalities and serious injuries — some of which date back further than a year. Previously, NHTSA said it had probed 42 crashes potentially involving driver assistance, 35 of which included Tesla vehicles, in a more limited data set that stretched back to 2016. Of the six fatalities listed in the data set published Wednesday, five were tied to Tesla vehicles — including a July 2021 crash involving a pedestrian in Flushing, N.Y., and a fatal crash in March in Castro Valley, Calif. Some dated as far back as 2019." Surprised? Not one bit. I've been saying for years now that what Musk and his minions have perpetrated on the American public is out-and-out fraud. Promoting its "Full Self-Driving" Feature - and charging $10,000.00 for it - when it has been proven to be seriously flawed and flat-out dangerous is criminal. And to make matters worse, unleashing the feature to Tesla buyers so that they can perform beta testing on it while traveling on the streets and byways of America is simply unconscionable. The noose has been placed on Musk's neck by NHTSA for this abhorrent behavior - far too late for the people who have been killed or injured - and his company is going to be liable for billions. Not millions, but Billions. And it couldn't happen to a more deserving charlatan scumbag. -PMD

Editor-in-Chief's Note: The fallout continues. David Shepardson, reporting for Reuters, says that the Volkswagen Group and its Porsche division have agreed to a class-action settlement worth at least $80 million to resolve claims it skewed emissions and fuel economy data on 500,000 Porsche vehicles in the U.S., court documents show. The settlement, filed in U.S. District Court in San Francisco, must be approved by a federal judge and covers 2005 through 2020 model year Porsche vehicles. Owners of the vehicles accused the automaker of physically altering test vehicles that impacted emissions and fuel economy results. Impacted owners of eligible vehicles will receive payments of $250 to $1,109 per vehicle. Needless to say, this is another giant bowl of Not Good for the Volkswagen Group and Porsche. -PMD

(Chevrolet)
GM is teasing the all-new 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV SS, which will be fully revealed on July 18. Developed from the ground up, it "offers a groundbreaking mix of style, performance and technology," according to Chevy PR minions.

(Porsche images)
From the "Bring Boatloads Of Ca$h" File: Porsche will offer a special, market-specific sports car with the “America” moniker. The new 2023 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet America will reach showrooms in late 2022 as part of the 2023 model year. A very limited number will be created, making this one of the rarest Type 992 models. Its arrival marks "the continuance of a tradition that began in 1952: offering an open top, enthusiast-focused sports car made specifically for the North American market," according to Porsche PR minions. The new model – revealed during the 2022 Porsche Parade in Poconos, Pa. – is based on the 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet, and features the same high performance chassis and powertrain as that model. It is exclusively available with a seven-speed manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive. “Passion for driving a Porsche runs deep in the United States. In particular, there is something special about hitting the road in an open top 911 with a manual transmission that fits perfectly here,” said Kjell Gruner, President and CEO of Porsche Cars North America Inc. “This is also the perfect time to add another ‘America’ model to our story as we look back on 70 years since the 356 America Roadster and 30 years since the 964 America Roadster.”
The new 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet America uses a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter boxer six-cylinder engine to generate 473HP and 420 lb.-ft. of torque. Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) Sport is standard equipment, which lowers the ride height by 10 mm while adding helper springs to the rear axle. Sport Exhaust and the Sport Chrono Package are also both standard equipment. Rear axle steering and Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB) are available as added cost options. The standard cast iron brake rotors measure 408 mm (16 inch) in front with six-piston aluminum fixed calipers and 380 mm (14.9 inch) rotors in the rear with four-piston fixed aluminum calipers finished in black.
Aesthetic changes applied by Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur include the distinctive exterior color, Azure Blue 356. It was inspired by the 1953 356 America Roadster. Through Paint-to-Sample Plus, the color is revived and reserved for this special vehicle in the 2023 model year. The windshield frame is finished in Satin Black. RS Spyder Design Wheels are specially-finished with the interior portion of the spokes in white, the outermost flat surfaces in silver and a Guards Red pinstripe along the edge of the rim. Along the doors, decals in white with Guards Red accents read “America” while the model designation on the rear features “911 Carrera” in white and “GTS” in Guards Red.
Cross stitching in Guards Red with surrounding stitching in Pebble Grey continues the color combination through the cabin, including along the upper dashboard and door panels. Two-tone stitching in Guards Red and Pebble Grey continues the contrast on the center console armrest where “America” is embossed in the leather. Unique illuminated door sill plates commemorating the 70th anniversary of the 356 America Roadster are also included as standard equipment, along with a leather interior in black, seat belts in Guards Red, the tachometer and instrument cluster in white and a heated GT Sport steering wheel.
An optional extended interior package continues this theme with a 12 o’clock marking in Guards Red to the steering wheel and Guards Red cross stitching on the inside edge of the wheel. This package also adds two-tone stitching to the shift boot and a gear pattern on the manual lever in Guards Red. Sport Seats Plus with double stitching in Guards Red and Pebble Grey with “911” stitching on the headrests in Guards Red and the leather backrest release loops in the same color. The floor mats also gain the same two-tone stitching in Guards Red and Pebble Grey. Finally, the vehicle key is painted in Azure Blue 356 to match the car, and a leather key pouch with two-tone stitching and “America” embossment completes the package.
Max Hoffman, the first importer of Porsche cars to the U.S., found early success among American customers with the 356 when he began selling them in 1950. Hoffman knew that a more affordable model would help him reach more customers, and he convinced Porsche to develop a special lightweight version specifically for the U.S. market: the 1953 356 America Roadster. With all but the bare essentials removed, the car used a 1,480 cc boxer four-cylinder engine generating 70 hp. That figure represented a significant jump from earlier models with a smaller engine making 40 hp. That bare-bones sports car quickly inspired the 356 Speedster, which used the steel body of the 356 Cabriolet, but with minimal equipment taking after, but not quite to the level of its earlier sibling. Only 16 examples of the 356 America Roadster were built, placing it among the rarest 356 models. The 2023 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet America is expected to arrive at U.S. dealers in late 2022 and will carry a starting MSRP of (gulp) $184,920 excluding $1,450 for delivery, processing and handling. Including the extended interior package, the MSRP goes to $192,430 also excluding $1,450 for delivery, processing and handling.

(Cadillac images)
Cadillac is starting to tease glimpses of its CELESTIQ show car, which "represents the purest expression of Cadillac design, technology and performance," according to Cadillac PR minions. The CELESTIQ show car will be "challenging the ultra-luxury space with the spirit of futurism and the avant-garde," according to Cadillac. “From its unique proportions and a new effortless, sophisticated form language, to the precision and attention to detail, CELESTIQ is unlike anything on the road today,” said Magalie Debellis, manager, Cadillac Branded Advanced Design. “From its inception, the CELESTIQ show car was crafted to reincarnate the ‘Standard of the World.’” Follow General Motors Design on Instagram for more early looks at the CELESTIQ show car throughout the summer. GM announced on 8/15 that it would be investing more than $81 million to hand-build the CELESTIQ at the GM Global Technical Center in Warren, Michigan. It will be the first production vehicle ever built at GM's iconic Technical Center, and its availability will be extremely limited. GM also said that the CELESTIQ will have the highest volume of 3D-printed parts - at over 100 - of any GM production vehicle.

The AE Song of the Week:

I've never known a girl like you before
Now just like in a song from days of yore
Here you come a-knockin', knockin' on my door
And I've never met a girl like you before

You give me just a taste, so I want more
Now my hands are bleeding and my knees are raw
'Cause now you've got me crawlin', crawlin' on the floor
And I've never known a girl like you before

You've made me acknowledge the devil in me
I hope to God I'm talkin' metaphorically
Hope that I'm talkin' allegorically
Know that I'm talkin' about the way I feel

And I've never known a girl like you before
Never, never, never, never
Never known a girl like you before

This old town's changed so much
Don't feel that I belong
Too many protest singers, not enough protest songs
And now you've come along, yes, you've come along
And I never met a girl like you before

It's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right

"A Girl Like You" by Edwyn Collins, from the album "Gorgeous George" (1994)*. Written by Edwyn Stephen Collins. Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group. Lyrics Licensed and provided by LyricFind. Watch the Official Music Video here. 

*Edwyn Collins is a Scottish musician who grew to fame as frontman of the post-punk band "Orange Juice." "A Girl Like You," which is an Iggy Pop tribute, was his biggest solo hit. Paul Cook, drummer of the Sex Pistols, played the vibraphone on this track. The drum track is sampled from Len Barry's 1965 hit "1-2-3." (Knowledge courtesy of Songfacts.com)

Editor's Note: You can access previous issues of AE by clicking on "Next 1 Entries" below. - WG