Auto Lovers Land

Henry J. Kaiser Many think that Henry J. Kaiser failed as an automaker, given that his Kaiser- and Frazer-branded cars barely lasted eight years. But this week in 1953, a year before his eponymous cars ceased production, Henry J. Kaiser buys ailing automaker Willys-Overland for $63.4 million. It was the biggest auto merger to date, although some wondered why he bothered — and with good reason. But the purchase would prove to be a wise one, and would establish Kaiser as a successful automobile manufacturer — thanks to the Jeep. World War II to the rescue Willys-Overland hadn’t always been the basket case it became by the time of its acquisition by Kaiser. In fact, for a time in the 1920s, it ranked second only to Ford in sales. But management mistakes found it declaring bankruptcy in 1933, and exiting four years later. Although the company produced more than 60,000 cars and netted a profit of $473,000 in 1937, the journey into bankruptcy didn’t instill buyer confid...

General Motors CEO Mary Barra got a hefty bump in total compensation last year. The board awarded her $29.1 million in salary, bonuses and benefits — a 23% jump compared to 2020. GM CEO Mary Barra has plenty of reason to be smiling with a 23% jump in her compensation package for 2021. Barra earned a base salary of $2.1 million, which was a raise of 5.3%. She also received $14.6 million stock awards, up 11% from last year; $3.9 million in option awards, a 5% jump; and $7.6 million in nonequity incentive plan compensation, which was twice what she received last year. The information was released as part of the company’s annual proxy statement. Next year, the factors determining Barra’s compensation package change as metrics related to electric vehicles will account for 15% of her compensation.  Other components included the company’s adjusted pretax profit margin at 30%, relative total shareholder return for 30%, and stock options the remaining 25 percent. Better than the co...

Tesla recalled 48,000 Model 3 sedans due to a problem where the speedmeter may disappear in track mode. Looks like another recall for Tesla, as the company is recalling approximately 48,000 Model 3 Performance vehicles from the 2018 through 2022 model year in the United States and 14,684 cars in China. The action is because they may not display the speedometer while in “Track Mode,” according to documents released Friday. This does not meet federal motor vehicle safety standards, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Tesla says it is not aware of any crashes, injuries or fatalities related to this error. The problem stems from a December firmware update that inadvertently removed the speed from the Model 3’s user interface. Tesla will fix the issue through an over-the-air software update. Tesla also recalled one 2022 Model X on Friday, as the automaker said a second-row seat bracket was not installed correctly. Tesla says it is not aware of any cras...

The hill rises out of the flat Texas countryside like a five-acre blister. Common sense would dictate I simply detour around the giant mass. But that’s not why I’ve driven two hours west from Austin. In my Jeep Grand Cherokee. I’m determined to tackle this big rock head-on — and with the Jeep’s 2.0-liter turbo engine shut off. The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe offers a unique experience for serious off-roaders and road kings alike. If that has you a bit confused, a little explanation is in order. I’m driving the new Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe, and I’m determined to go up and over this rock mound relying solely on the electric drive side of this plug-in hybrid. Overview It’s been three decades since Jeep delivered the first Grand Cherokee, setting in motion one of the biggest shifts in the U.S. automotive market since the end of World War II. Today, SUVs rule the road and Jeep is determined to carve out a bigger share of that market by introducing a broader mix of variants. It not ...

There’s set to be plenty of news coming from Bentley during the next few years as the British ultra-luxury marque begins evolving into a fully electric brand. But the automaker took us by surprise on Friday, releasing a terse teaser promising to reveal “a fifth model” on Tuesday, May 10. Bentley offered a surprise, revealing plans to unveil a fifth model in early May. Exactly what’s in store is hard to discern. Bentley’s statement suggests this new product will sit at “the pinnacle of its range.” But the visuals accompanying the news release don’t offer much guidance as to what’s in store — showing only a stylishly lit door speaker panel with an array of rhomboid cut-outs. Could this be an all-electric model? There’s nothing to suggest that. But the statement does have us leaning towards a new flagship that might fill the gap where the grand Mulsanne sedan once topped the line-up. That said, in today’s automotive world, a conventional four-door would almost be an anachronism. Th...

Sales of new vehicles were off again during April with analysts estimating sales will drop 21.4% as the SAAR, the seasonally adjusted annual rate of sales dipping to 14.5 million units.  With car dealers having little inventory, prices are up. Sales are expected to be down again in April. The lack inventory continued to hamper sales and incentives from automakers are continuing to decline to a new low, according to J.D. Power.  “The April sales pace may look disappointing compared with April 2021,” said Thomas King, president of J.D. Power’s data and analytics. “But last April’s records sales pace was enabled by the combination of extremely strong consumer demand and enough inventory — nearly 1.7 million units — to turn that demand into actual sales,” King noted. King said demand this April remains very strong but with fewer than 900,000 units in inventory at dealerships, sales volumes will necessarily be well below year ago levels.  New vehicle prices conti...

Last month, Acura finally took the wraps off one of its best-known — and most beloved — vehicles, the Integra. Today, they told us how much it cost for aficionados to get back into one. The new Integra is powered by an inline 4-cylinder putting out 200 horsepower. The  all-new 2023 Acura Integra  starts at $30,800 before destination and handling fees or $31,895 with the fees. That’s for the entry-level model that draws power from a DOHC 1.5-liter turbo-4 engine making 200 horsepower and 192 pound-feet of torque. It also comes with a CVT — only a CVT. Moving into the A-Spec line, will cost another $2,000, getting you a few more niceties. If you want all the goodies, then move straight to the Integra A-Spec with the Technology Package. For an all-in price of $36,895, you get a slew of upgrades in the five-door hatchback, particularly the 6-speed manual transmission. It’s the only package the manual is on. More than a return to the past Adding peace of mind and lower cos...

The 2022 Hyundai Elantra N sports the aero kit you’d expect from a compact sports sedan. To a nation besotted by all-wheel-drive SUVs, the thought of a front-wheel-drive sedan has become non-starter. The same could be said of a performance sports sedan, except to a select few who know better. To the ranks of such fabled nameplates as the GTI, WRX and Si, we must now consider N, Hyundai’s performance line of what it calls “Everyday Sports Cars.” Like the Volkswagen, Subaru and Honda, N models get performance upgrades, and few seem so transformative as the Elantra N, which transforms an everyday economy sedan into a car that felt as if it were always meant to be a proper performance sedan.   “Hyundai Motor’s high-performance N brand constantly aims to provide customers with a range of exciting choices for increased driving pleasure,” said Till Wartenberg, vice president and head of N Brand Management & Motorsport at Hyundai. “Elantra N is the purest expression of...

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