Weed in the Workplace

AUTOGRAPHICS' April 2021 AutoGraph’s Automotive Report 1

VOL 33, NO 11 www.AutomotiveReport.net APRIL 2021 MonthlyMonthly News for News the Automotive for the Enthusiast Local working Automotive in the Automotive Industry Repair Industry. Weed in the WorkplaceAutoGraphic PublishingOEMs increasinglyCompany offer help for Part1121 1: Employers Airport struggle Center with growingDrive • Suite 101 • Nashville, TN 37214 marijuana use collision repairs in many ways By John Yoswick By Phillip M. Perry Drug Free America Foundation, St Peters- collision repairers. Shops can also sign up burg, Fla., (www.dfaf.org) . A west coast shop owner smiled as he to receive Toyota’s “Collision Pros” maga- Editor’s note: As more states legalize mar- For a growing number of individuals, watched a 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe being zine (https://www.toyotapartsandservice. ijuana for recreational and medical pur- cannabis has become the illicit drug of towed into the shop with not insignificant com/collision-pros-magazine), or Ford’s poses, employers must design workplace choice. front-end damage. “On Target” (https://fordcrashparts.com/ drug policies to conform to a liberalized “Marijuana is the second most widely “Just 10 minutes ago I was reading a on-target/). legal environment while protecting cus- abused substance nationwide, after alco- GM article on full-frame sectioning steps,” The magazines are just a part of a grow- tomers and employees from harm caused hol,” Ronshausen said. “According to a the shop owner said, pointing to his desk ing trend over the past decade of automak- by impaired workers. This first installment survey by drugabuse.com more than one where the winter issue of GM’s “Repair ers paying a lot more attention to collision in a two-part series discusses the changing in five respondents said they use marijuana Insights” (https://gmrepairinsights.com/ repair than they had previously. Body legal terrain. The second installment will recreationally at work during work hours. insights-magazine/) was on his computer shops have significantly more access to discuss the steps employers are taking to Nearly five percent admitted to daily use screen. “We’d be looking up the proce- OEM information and help, often not lim- mitigate their legal and financial risks. and more than 13 percent use it more than dures before we started the job anyway, but ited to just those that have earned an auto- once a month.” the article offered a good summary of the maker’s certification. Here are some ways Illicit drugs are increasing in the work- Why the sudden upsurge? It’s clearly process and some helpful graphics.” to tap into the training, tips and tools from place. And marijuana is leading the way. due to the growing acceptability of mari- General Motors isn’t the lone automaker the car companies. What should employers do? The answer juana by society in general. regularly publishing a periodical aimed at Continued on page 6 has become more complicated with the “The legalization of marijuana on the growing number of states legalizing can- state level has continued to grow since nabis for medical and recreational use. California first allowed the drug’s use Should drug tests even include marijuana for medical purposes in 1996,” said Joe Using wiring diagrams to find a anymore? If they do, and evidence of Reilly, president of his own drug-testing marijuana use pops up, should employees consulting firm in Melbourne, Fla., (www. be penalized? And further: Do employers joereilly.com). “Typically, states will first common cause of trouble codes have to accommodate for the medical use pass legislation legalizing medical mari- By David Bry codes. Due to neglect, and a lack of four of marijuana under the federal Americans juana. Later they allow its recreational quarts of oil, the engine had seized and was with Disabilities Act, or state human rights use.” Sometimes the automotive business beyond saving. A suitable donor engine laws? Thirty-three states now have medical rewards excellence by giving a great tech- was procured from the local home for the Impaired workers marijuana statutes. Eleven states plus the nician the tough jobs while the gravy goes smashed and crashed, and was installed in Such questions are moving to the front District of Columbia allow both recre- to the run-of-the-mill mechanic. Such was the Escape. When the replacement engine burner as employers face a greater risk than ational and medical use of marijuana. the case for “Eric” (not his real name). His would crank for a long time, start, but then ever from a growing culture of impairment Legalization makes marijuana more boss owned multiple auto repair locations, barely run, the installing techs made their that shows no signs of tapering off any socially acceptable. and Eric was asked to leave his home turf escape. time soon. “When a substance is legal and has mas- and bat clean-up at one of the locations that Enter Eric. “Every indicator points to a contin- sive amounts of marketing behind it, there needed his expertise. After confirming that the Ford could ued increase in the use of marijuana in are going to be more consumers,” Ron- The subject vehicle: A 2016 Ford Truck barely climb over discarded chewing gum, the workplace,” said Amy Ronshausen of Continued on page 24 Escape 4WD L4-2.0L Turbo with multiple Continued on page 28

Retro Release: Press release from 1996 Toyota Shop Profile: Rear View: Supra - 14 God’s Garage - 20 1954 Mercury Wagon - 38

What’s Inside: Chip shortage forces Ford to build trucks without computers - 4 Edmunds compares the 2021 Tesla Model S and Porsche Taycan - 26 Likely impact of the coming flood of EVs - 8 Racing Notes: Roger Penske bullish on large crowd for Indy 500 - 31 Recalls: Compiled from AP, OEMs, EPA and NHTSA - 12 ‘Meyers Manx’ dune buggy creator dead at 94 - 33 Autoworkers wary of future as electric cars rise - 17 New Army vehicle to carry infantry being tested - 34 2 AutoGraphic’s Automotive Report April 2021

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AUTOGRAPHICS' Chip shortage forces Ford to build trucks without computers Monthly News for the Local Automotive Industry Monthly News for the Automotive Enthusiast AutoGraphic Publishing Company By AP Wire Service the third quarter of the year. Ford has said working in the Automotive Repair Industry. the shortage could cut its pretax earnings 1121 Airport Center Drive • Suite 101 • Nashville, TN 37214 DETROIT — A global semiconductor by $1 billion to $2.5 billion, even if it VOL. 33, No. 11 • April 2021 shortage and a February winter storm have makes up for some of the lost production combined to force Ford to build F-150 in the second half of the year. pickup trucks without some computers. Also, Nissan announced it would tem- Editor The company says the pickups will be porarily cancel production at factories in Barry L. Forkum held at factories for “a number of weeks,” Smyrna, Tennessee; Canton, Mississippi; then shipped to dealers once computers and in Aguascalientes, Mexico, due to [email protected] are available and quality checks are done. the chip shortage. Some U.S. productions The move is the latest ripple from the lines, as well as the Aquascalientes Plant global semiconductor shortage, which 1, experienced extended weekend shut- Publisher / Advertising Director last month, forced Honda and Toyota to downs. announce production cuts at some North Affected models include the Murano, Garnett Forkum American factories. Rogue, Maxima, Leaf, Altima, NV Vans, General Motors also has been forced Kicks, Versa and March. to build pickups without some computers In addition, Volkswagen and Fiat Chrys- IT & Art Director and install them later. ler (now Stellantis) also say they have Ford’s move is likely to tighten inven- been affected by the shortage and forced Allen Forkum tory of F-Series pickups, the top-selling to delay production of some models in or- vehicles in America. Inventories already der to keep other factories running. are tight due to high demand and produc- Industry officials say semiconductor Copy Editor tion losses due to last year’s coronavirus- companies diverted production to con- related factory shutdowns. sumer electronics during the worst of the Tom Williams Ford also said it will build the Edge COVID-19 slowdown in auto sales last SUV without computers and ship them spring. later, and it will cancel some Thursday Global automakers were forced to Contributors and Friday shifts at an assembly plant in close plants to prevent the spread of the Louisville, Kentucky, where the Ford Es- virus. When automakers recovered, there John Yoswick, Steve McLinden cape SUV is made. weren’t enough chips as demand for per- Automakers have said they don’t expect sonal electronics boomed. (AP) • Jay Hirsch, David Bry the chip shortage to get any better before Robert Bravender, Richard Diegle Phillip M. Perry

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AutoGraphic’s Automotive Report is published every month by AutoGraphic Publishing Company, Inc. Copyright 2021. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any contents, graphic or editorial, without permission is prohibited. Member of Associated Press. AAR accepts no responsibility for opinions of writers or for claims made by advertisers. Views expressed by writers are not necessarily BRIAN HARRIS BMW those of the publication. Direct comments and suggestions to: Editor Barry For- 12336 Airline Hwy, Baton Rouge LA 70817 kum via mail 1121 Airport Center Drive, Suite 101, Nashville, TN 37214 or email www.brianharrisbmw.com [email protected]. Parts Department If you would like to be added to our email list, to be notified when our next issue (225) 754-1210 is posted on-line go to our web-site and sign up. www.automotivereport.net (888) 527-4269 For accounting questions, contact Garnett Forkum via email at Garnett@Auto- motiveReport.net or call. Fax (225) 754-1274

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usa.com). ota.com). Users can click a symbol (with a ... help for collision repairs Reach the OEMs through intermediaries green “+” sign) in the upper right corner of There are also some indirect links to each page of the site to submit feedback. automaker help available. Scott Kaboos, He cited an example of a question sub- Continued from page 1 Visit the I-CAR website to find out about chief collision repair instructor for Ameri- mitted by a shop relative to positioning a Central site for information its online training for the aluminum body can Honda, said a shop that is unable to bracket for a blind-spot monitor. For the most complete and current infor- and structural repair for the 2018 Ford locate needed OEM information can con- “On some of our quarter panels, you mation from the automakers, a good first Expedition, for example, or much of the tact “Ask I-CAR” (if they are a Gold Class order the panel and the bracket comes stop is www.OEM1stop.com. The site was training required to become Honda certi- shop) (https://rts.i-car.com/ask-i-car.html) attached to it,” Mendoza said. “On some of created by a coalition of automakers pri- fied. or VeriFacts Automotive (if they are a Ver- them, you order the panel and the bracket marily as a quick way for users to connect The automakers themselves continue to iFacts Medallion shop) (888-999-9320). does not come attached. You have to get to each car company’s information pages. open new training centers and hands-on Those organizations may be able to locate the bracket separately and weld it in place. But there’s also a lot of helpful items right classes, often open to independent shops as the needed information, and if not, have Originally when those two parts started to there at the site. well as dealerships. contacts at the automakers they can reach come out separately, we didn’t have a spec- Need Hyundai’s position statement on Nissan this year launched hands-on out to. ification in the repair manual to show the vehicle scanning or clear coat blending? calibration training at a 30,000-square- Tips on Honda resources location for the bracket. This is an example Fiat Chrysler’s position statement say- foot facility in Jacksonville, Fla. Over two Kaboos also has a tip for shops con- where user feedback turned into specifica- ing it does not have an “opt-OE” or “OE days, technicians work in pairs to diagnose cerned about whether Honda repair proce- tions within the repair manual.” surplus” parts program, and does not and resolve Nissan and Infiniti vehicles dures are “recommended” or “required,” A change last year to the Toyota Certi- recognize or approve of the sale or use that have been “bugged” with an ADAS sometimes a friction point in the industry. fied Collision Center program also may of any such part? A video showing how problem. After those five calibrations, each He said shops should rely on the actual give independent collision repairers one to navigate Nissan service manuals? Or technician must complete three more on procedures rather than automaker position way they can earn the certification now justification for using an OEM replace- their own to pass the class. statements. limited primarily to dealership shops. ment windshield on a Subaru that includes Nissan said the class teaches the same “The position statement is just to guide “We’ve lowered the legal entity owner- the automaker’s EyeSight system? All of calibration processes taught to dealership you to the repair information,” Kaboos ship requirement for the program,” Men- those are just the start of what’s available service technicians, but the training focuses said. “If you pull up our service informa- doza said. “Previously, a collision center at OEM1stop.com more on what collision techs encoun- tion, it doesn’t say ‘require’ or ‘recom- had to be at least 51 percent owned by the OEM-specific training ter when working on Nissan and Infiniti mend.’ It is just our repair procedures, sim- Toyota dealer legal entity. We officially For many years, I-CAR prided itself on vehicles after an accident. It includes what ply how we designed the car to be repaired lowered that to down to 15 percent. We offering training that was “agnostic,” to shops need to know about paint thickness if it is in a collision. If you’re using just want to broaden the net for dealers who are help ensure the industry understood repair over sensors, for example, and calibration the position statement, you may get into invested in collision businesses.” methodologies that were applicable on a issues related to the unibody alignment and that semantic argument with an insurance The change opens the door to a shop that wide variety of makes and models of vehi- specs. company. If you’re using the actual repair may be largely owned by someone else — cles. The course is currently open only to tech- procedures, that’s no longer part of the such as a relative of a dealer or even just an As vehicle technology, training deliv- nicians from Nissan and Infiniti certified conversation.” existing shop owner — as long as a dealer ery options and automaker interest in collision centers, but Nissan is working to Kaboos pointed to a number of other has at least a stake in the business. collision repair have evolved, however, make it more broadly available. Shops can resources Honda offers. One of the com- “The key there is that the dealer is I-CAR increasingly offers training that is get more information or get placed on a pany’s websites (https://www.hondatech- invested in the collision center business,” manufacturer-specific — sometimes even waitlist for the training by emailing Nissan tutor.com/) aimed at owners of its vehicles Mendoza said. “Whether that accident focused on a particular OEM model. (NNACollisionRepairNetwork@nissan- offers model-specific videos that can help results in a repair, or results in a total loss, drivers or technicians understand how a dealer with an investment in, and under- lane-keep assist and other such systems standing of, the collision business, can operate. make sure the collision center delivers Help us show the industry ... “This is a cool resource,” Kaboos said. a good repair experience on the brand’s “If a customer picks up a vehicle from behalf.” you and says, ‘Something’s not the same, Any such shop needs to be within the something’s working differently,’ you can “primary marketing area” of the dealer- go on here and see how that system is sup- ship, and though it wouldn’t have to go by posed to work, and work with the customer the dealership’s name, it would have to fol- to get that car back to the settings that they low Toyota’s branding standards, including had before, so it functions the same way.” those relative to Toyota exterior signage. At another Honda owners’ website Websites and more websites How many of 24 “not-included” procedures do you bill for when you (https://owners.honda.com/), shops can Hyundai, which has long been criticized have done them as part a repair? download vehicle owner’s manuals or within the industry for the dearth of col- check vehicle recall information. lision repair information it provides U.S. How regularly do the largest auto insurers pay your shop for those Toyota widens door to shop certification shops, last year began adding body repair Eric Mendoza, collision operations man- manuals for some of its 2019 and 2020 procedures? ager for Toyota Motor North America, said models to its information website (https:// his company welcomes input about miss- www.hyundaitechinfo.com/). Find out why 88% of those participating in the “Who Pays for What?” ing or unclear information in its technical In addition to Subaru’s technical infor- surveys say it’s helping them improve their business. information website (https://techinfo.toy- mation system (https://techinfo.subaru. *Take the latest survey! Cavender Chevrolet www.crashnetwork.com/whopays Parts Direct (210) 477-8300 • (800) 889-8220 • Fax (210) 477-2968 The quarterly “Who Pays” surveys are conducted by Collision Advice and…

The weekly source of collision repair news and information you won’t find anywhere else! Subscribe now! Go to: www.crashnetwork.com/report www.cavenderchevrolet.com Genuine GM Parts By The Truck Load *All individual shop responses remain confidential. One response per shop location. Shops that complete the 30700 Interstate 10 W. Boerne, TX 78006 survey and provide an email address will be sent the results, at no charge, once they are compiled. April 2021 AutoGraph’s Automotive Report 7

com), shops may find the Subaru owners’ Advice is an advocate for putting such website (https://www.subaru.com/owners/ OEM information aimed at consumers to index.html) useful for accessing vehicle use within your shop. Shops working to get Eddie Tourell’s owner’s manuals, as well as its “Service paid for the additional materials for three- Solutions” website (https://subaru.service- stage and four-stage refinishes, for exam- solutions.com) for accessing Subaru-spe- ple, might want to check online for sales ORTHPARK cific tools. literature from the vehicle manufacturer NISSAN PARTS CENTER Some Fiat Chrysler websites that colli- related to that vehicle. N sion shops might find helpful are Mopar “I’ve found Honda and Toyota bro- THOUSANDS IN INVENTORY Essential Tools (https://www.moparessen- chures, for example, that clearly show that SHIP SAME DAY ON MOST ORDERS tialtools.com/), where shops can order new-car buyers who choose vehicles with FCA-specific tools, such as those needed certain colors pay a premium for those fin- DAILY DELIVERIES TO SOUTHERN LA, MS & AL to support ADAS features; Mopar.com, ishes,” Anderson said, an indication that “it where vehicle owners’ manuals are avail- takes more to refinish those vehicles.” • Parts Direct: (985) 801-1624 able (just as they are through TechAuthor- ity); and Mopar Repair Connection (https:// John Yoswick, a freelance writer based Toll Free: (888) 350-0079 www.moparrepairconnect.com/), which in Portland, Ore., who has been writing Fax: (985) 801-1657 includes videos and documents highlight- about the automotive industry since 1988, ing (for shops or consumers) some of the is also the editor of the weekly CRASH Net- www.northparknissan.com potential distinctions between FCA parts work bulletin (www.CrashNetwork.com). and non-OEM versions, such as corrosion He can be contacted by email at john@ resistance and dimensional differences. CrashNetwork.com. Trainer Mike Anderson of Collision GREENVILLE CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM 5401 Interstate 30 Greenville, TX 75402 1 killed, 1 injured in explosion at truck repair shop Parts Direct: (903) 454-0283 Toll Free: (888) 661-9079 BUTTE, Mont. — An explosion that killed a man and injured another at a Butte truck Fax: (903) 455-1576 repair shop started when sparks from a welding tool ignited fumes from an oil storage www.greenvillechryslerdodgejeep.com tank, Butte-Silver Bow firefighters said recently. The men were trying to repair a pinhole leak in the tank at Silver Bow Truck and Auto Everything you’ll need. Delivered. Center when the explosion happened, Fire Marshal Zach Osborne told The Montana Standard. David Carpenter, 31, of Butte, died at the scene, said Coroner Lori Durkin. The other man suffered burns on his hands and face and was flown to a burn center in Salt Lake City, NBC Montana reported. The explosion destroyed the 1,500-gallon (5,678-liter) storage tank and peeled some metal siding off the building. CHECK OUT MOPARREPAIRCONNECTION.COM FOR RESOURCES, PROMOTIONS AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION. It was fortunate there were no other people in the building at the time, Osborne said. (AP) • ©2021 FCA US LLC. All Rights Reserved. Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Mopar and SRT are registered trademarks of FCA US LLC.

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shifts to EVs. Chris Evans of State Farm how severe,” are requiring a recalibration said among one particular brand of electric of some type. The likely impact of the vehicles his company insures — an auto- “When you have a fully electric vehicle maker he declined to identify — rear-end that has a lot of different technology, the impacts are the most common crash type, need for recalibration is going to be on coming flood of EVs a switch from traditional vehicles in which the rise,” Evans said. “Following specific front-end impacts dominate. technical repair procedures in the repair By John Yoswick vehicle, you’re going to need these 12, 17 “Some of the ADAS features might of these vehicles is going to be kind of a or 27 things,’ whatever the number is, or catch a vehicle owner that’s not familiar game-changer, I would say. We’re see- Worldwide efforts to curb greenhouse you’re just not going to be able to buy parts with that type of technology a little bit off- ing a lot of movement and trending in the gasses have automakers ramping up their for that vehicle,” Augustine said. “That guard, and the deceleration when it comes industry around the need to follow techni- electric vehicle (EV) programs. One U.S.- would be my guess.” to electric vehicles may cause some of cal repair procedures, but this just ups the based publication covering the auto indus- Augustine said he doesn’t think it’s too that,” Evans said. “I’m not speculating or game in that regard.” try last fall published a multi-page early for a shop to hire or develop an “EV pretending to be an expert on why.” One question posted during the online listing of the nearly 100 new elec- sessions on EVs caught the speak- tric vehicle models that automakers by surprise. Rodenroth and his ers there plan to roll out by 2024 CIC committee co-chair Frank Ter- (including more than 30 this year). lep paused for a moment after being General Motors alone expects to While many body shops have at least some limited expe- asked: As the volume of EVs that introduce 30 electric vehicle models shops need to charge during or fol- in the next four years, as part of its rience with electric or hybrid vehicles, the coming wave lowing repairs increases, will that commitment announced earlier this of EVs are bound to mean some changes for the industry. significantly raise shops’ electric year to go all-electric by 2035. bills, and if so will there be a way to While many body shops have at It’s a topic a variety of speakers have addressed at online track and bill for those costs? least some limited experience with “That’s a good question,” Terlep electric or hybrid vehicles, the com- industry events this year. said. ing wave of EVs is bound to mean “Yeah, it is,” Rodenroth said. some changes for the industry. It’s “Until we get a large sampling of a topic a variety of speakers have EVs in a shop, that’s definitely a addressed at online industry events debatable one.” • this year. Two different Collision Industry Con- tech.” While rear-end impacts make up a higher John Yoswick, a freelance writer based ference (CIC) committees offered presen- “If you’re going to have success in percentage of that brand’s repairable col- in Portland, Ore., who has been writing tations on the potential impact EVs could EVs, you’re going to have to have some- lision damage, he said, “It’s actually the about the automotive industry since 1988, have for collision repairers. body who understands how to use a digi- frontal impacts that are causing a lot of the is also the editor of the weekly CRASH Net- “Look at what COVID-19 did to the tal multimeter and a lab scope, and also total losses. A lot of the technology is on work bulletin (www.CrashNetwork.com). health care community, how it hit them understands AC motors,” Augustine said. the front end of the vehicle, so that’s not a He can be contacted by email at john@ like a freight train and how they were ill- “Unless you’ve been working on Priuses big surprise to most people.” CrashNetwork.com. prepared to face that many patients in such and some of the Toyota stuff for the last Evans acknowledged that “many or most a short amount of time,” asTech’s Jake 10 years, there’s not a lot of industry peo- repairs” of electric vehicles, “regardless of Rodenroth, co-chairman of CIC’s “Future ple who are experts on AC motors. It’s a Disruptions Committee,” said. “While we very different thing, and understanding the are working on EVs today, it doesn’t make nuances is going to take formal training. up a large part of the car [population]. So It’s not that it’s complicated; it’s just dif- what happens when every OEM has an EV ferent. As an industry, we don’t like differ- or a hybrid?” ent. We like to use the knowledge we had One thing shops will increasingly con- from last year’s model and just apply some tend with is the need to charge the vehicles tweaks and move forward. What I think Superior Service during or following repairs. While a 120v we’re going to see in the next 24 months is it will require a very deliberate training charging station is an option, Rodenroth Free Local Delivery in the Metro New Orleans area! Since 1973! foresees most shops getting a 240v or even program.” 480v charger to reduce charge time. For its part, General Motors agrees that Large Inventory of Genuine Honda Parts “We don’t want to have a car sitting there getting more technicians trained to work Locally Owned and Operated on EVs is critical. John Eck, collision man- on the charger for hours after we perform a Parts Direct repair,” he said. ager for the automaker, said that as the Mark Allen of Audi said shops may need number of EVs increase, “the 1 percent 504-368-5687 to invest in lifts wide enough to remove EV or 2 percent of [technicians] that might be 800-943-4227 batteries, and also in high-voltage shielded handling the EV population today is going Fax: 504-368-8425 • [email protected] hand tools. Shops will need to prep for lon- to need to grow.” 1845 Westbank Expressway, Harvey, LA 70058 ger booth times given that EVs need to be But Eck also said that although each www.superiorhonda.net dried at lower temperatures. OEM will have its own processes rela- Bob Augustine of Opus IVS said a lack tive to battery handling, EVs won’t pose Formerly of tailpipe emissions means EVs are not as much of a technical challenge for collision repairers as have some other vehicle Classic subject to some environmental regulations, VANGUARD BUICK GMC Buick GMC including use of a standardized OBD- changes. 2700 N I-35E Carrollton TX 75007 II data port. This could impact a shop’s “We’re looking at motors in the front and access to vehicle data. in the back, so the build of the vehicle will Call us for all your GM parts needs. “Tesla is a good example,” Augustine be different, but from a structural stand- Fast, Friendly, Local Service! said. “In order to access any information point, the impact to the collision industry on a Tesla, there is a proprietary connector. may not be as severe,” he said. “Working To me, the biggest potential problem when with our engineer team, we’re learning Call (972) 446-3830 you see a proliferation of electric vehicles that, structurally, these vehicles aren’t that ask for Rick or Mike for all your GM Parts needs! is whether the aftermarket is going to be dissimilar to what [shops] see now.” Fax: (972)446-3877 able to connect to the vehicle and run a It will be critical that technicians follow scan on it, or if it’s going to be a proprietary the automaker repair procedures and safety thing.” protocols, Eck said. Augustine suspects some automakers “But the impact won’t be as noticeable will handle EV repairs similarly to how as we’ve seen with the introduction of they handled aluminum repair. some of the new substrates over the years.” “The manufacturers will clearly say, ‘If Insurance companies, too, will see you’re going to be certified on my electric changes as more of the vehicle population April 2021 AutoGraph’s Automotive Report 9

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LONG-LEWIS FORD of Hoover ALL STAR FORD RAY VARNER FORD Hoover, AL Baton Rouge, LA Clinton, TN 877-234-5664 • 205-989-3000 225-298-8080 • 800-779-0794 800-579-4561 • 865-457-0704 [email protected] www.allstarautomotive.com [email protected] Florida CRESCENT FORD Texas Harahan, LA TALLAHASSEE FORD LINCOLN AUTONATION FORD GULF FREEWAY Tallahassee, FL PD: (504) 734-3590 Houston, TX 800-342-1128 • 850-877-6190 www.crescenttrucks.com 713-371-4111 • 800-388-4005 [email protected] HUB CITY FORD www.autonationgulffreeway.com Georgia Lafayette, LA 337-233-4500 • 800-960-0034 GRANDE TRUCK CENTER RIVERSIDE FORD LINCOLN www.hubcityford.com San Antonio, TX Macon, GA 210-666-7266 • 800-779-7672 800-637-4807 • 478-464-2961 Mississippi www.grandetruck.com [email protected] GRAY DANIELS FORD Brandon, MS HELFMAN FORD Kentucky 601-825-2801 Stafford, TX ALL-STATE FORD www.graydanielsford.com 281-240-7628 • 800-634-8008 Louisville, KY [email protected] 800-333-6155 • 502-459-0550 MAC HAIK FORD [email protected] Jackson, MS McREE FORD Dickinson, TX TOWN & COUNTRY FORD 601-956-7008 • 800-898-3673 281-337-1541 • 800-367-3958 www.machaikfordjackson.com Louisville, KY Fax: (281) 534-2009 www.mcreeford.com 800-234-8131 • 502-964-8369 [email protected]

* See dealer for warranty details. 10 AutoGraphic’s Automotive Report April 2021

edged his company was the target of what person is identified as Sasha Skaroboga- Russian man pleads guilty he termed a serious effort to collect com- tov. pany secrets. Tesla has a massive factory Some meetings were monitored and near Reno that makes batteries for electric recorded by the FBI, according to court of a plot to extort Tesla vehicles and energy storage units. Com- documents. It was not clear from court re- pany representatives did not immediately cords if money changed hands. By Ken Ritter, Frank Bajak & Scott Sonner Charles Carmakal, chief technical offi- respond to messages. In court documents, Kriuchkov was cer at cybersecurity firm FireEye, agreed. Court documents say Kriuchkov was in quoted saying the inside job would be RENO, Nev. — A Russian man has “You could have potentially done it from the United States for more than five weeks camouflaged with a distributed denial of pleaded guilty in the U.S. to offering a thousands of miles away without risking last July and August on a Russian passport service attack on plant computers from Tesla employee $1 million to cripple the any asset,” he said. and a tourist visa when he tried to recruit outside. Such attacks overwhelm servers electric car company’s massive electric The FBI said the unnamed prospective an employee of what was identified as with junk traffic. If Tesla didn’t pay, the battery plant in Nevada with ransomware recruit informed Tesla and cooperated “Company A” to install software enabling purloined data would be dumped on the and steal company secrets for extortion, with the FBI, and the plot was stopped be- a computer hack. open internet. prosecutors and court records said. fore any damage happened. The employee, who was not identified, The documents also said Kriuchkov In a case that cybersecurity experts Kriuchkov, 27, told a judge in Septem- was to receive payments in the digital claimed to the prospective recruit that he called exceptional for the risks he took, ber that he knew the Russian government cryptocurrency Bitcoin. had executed similar “special projects” on Egor Igorevich Kriuchkov pleaded guilty was aware of his case. But prosecutors and No other suspected co-conspirators other companies on multiple occasions, in U.S. District Court in Reno. His court- the FBI have not alleged ties to the Krem- were charged in the case. Some were with one victim supposedly surrendering appointed federal public defender, Chris lin. Kriuchkov is in federal custody at the identified in a criminal complaint by nick- a $4 million ransom payment. (AP) • Frey, declined to Washoe County jail names including Kisa and Pasha, and a comment. in Reno. Prosecutors al- “The fact that such a risk His guilty plea leged that Kriuch- was taken could, perhaps, to conspiracy to in- Huffines HYunDAi kov acted on behalf tentionally cause of co-conspirators suggest that this was an in- damage to a pro- McKinneY abroad and attempt- telligence operation aimed tected computer Ask for Brydan Reid,Brian ed to use face-to- at obtaining information could have got- Chadduck or Chris Ramos face bribery to re- ten him up to five [email protected] cruit an insider to rather than an extortion years in prison and [email protected] physically plant operation aimed at obtain- a $250,000 fine. [email protected] ransomware, which ing money,” said Brett Cal- But he’s expected scrambles data on low, a cybersecurity ana- to face no more than targeted networks 10 months under and can only be un- lyst at anti-virus software terms of his written locked with a soft- company Emsisoft. plea agreement. Roy Allen, Parts Mgr. ware key provided He already has 469-525-4361 [email protected] by the attackers. been in custody for Typically, ransomware gangs operating seven months, since his arrest in August Hyundai 469-525-4354 from safe havens hack into victim net- in Los Angeles. Federal authorities said he works over the internet and download data had been heading to an airport to fly out of Hours: Mon. - fri. 7 AM to 7 PM; sat 8 AM to 5 PM • 1301 N. Central Expy. at White Ave. • McKinney, TX before activating the ransomware. the country. “The fact that such a risk was taken “The swift response of the company and could, perhaps, suggest that this was an the FBI prevented a major exfiltration of Huffines Kia McKinneY intelligence operation aimed at obtaining the victim company’s data and stopped the Ask for Brydan Reid,Brian information rather than an extortion op- extortion scheme at its inception,” Act- Chadduck or Chris Ramos eration aimed at obtaining money,” said ing Assistant Attorney General Nicholas [email protected] Brett Callow, a cybersecurity analyst at McQuaid said in a statement. “This case [email protected] anti-virus software company Emsisoft. highlights the importance of companies [email protected] “It’s also possible that the criminals coming forward to law enforcement, and thought the gamble was worth it and de- the positive results when they do so.” cided to roll the dice,” Callow said. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has acknowl-

Genuine Kia Parts Roy Allen, Parts Mgr. 469-525-4361 [email protected] Wholesale Parts: 469-525-4354 Hours: Mon. - fri. 7 AM to 7 PM; sat 8 AM to 5 PM • 1201 N. Central Expy. at White Ave. • McKinney, TX

GENESIS OF MCKINNEY

Parts Department: For all your parts needs, when you need them! Make sure Brydan Reid - [email protected] your customers’ Fords are back on the road as soon as Brian Chadduck - [email protected] possible — call Helfman Ford for all your genuine Ford and Chris Ramos - [email protected] Power Stroke parts. We have decades of experience and a huge inventory. We’ll help you keep your business rolling. Wholesale Parts: Parts: (281) 240-7628 - Toll Free: (800) 634-8008 469-525-4354 [email protected] Roy Allen, Parts Mgr. 469-525-4361 [email protected]

Hours: Mon. - fri. 7 AM to 7 PM; sat 8 AM to 5 PM • 1301 N. Central Expy. at White Ave. • McKinney, TX April 2021 AutoGraph’s Automotive Report 11

Japan charges Americans with helping Ghosen flee, jump bail THERE’S ENOUGH TO GO AROUND. Mopar® Genuine O.E. Parts: Fully Stocked and Available. By Yuri Kageyama thorities. The box passed through airport security TOKYO — Japanese prosecutors have in Osaka, central Japan, and was loaded charged two Americans, Michael Taylor onto a private jet that flew Ghosn to Tur- and his son Peter, in connection with the key. escape of former Nissan Chairman Carlos Peter Taylor is accused of meeting with Ghosn to Lebanon. Ghosn and helping his father carry out the Tokyo District Prosecutors have been escape. Authorities say the Taylors were questioning the Taylors since they were paid at least $1.3 million. extradited from the United States earlier The Taylors’ lawyers in the U.S. fought last month. They have been detained at a the extradition, saying they may be treated Tokyo detention center since March 2. unfairly in Japan and subjected to “mental Prosecutors said the Taylors were for- and physical torture.” mally charged with helping a criminal They also argued that jumping bail is escape. The prosecutors had been seek- not a crime under Japanese law. That is ing their extradition for months after they technically accurate, but most people who were arrested and detained in the U.S. last escape are easily caught in Japan. May. Japanese prosecutors have repeatedly The Taylors were not immediately stressed that they have enough evidence If you need it, we’ve got it. Genuine Mopar® O.E. Parts are always stocked available for comment, as is standard in to convict the Taylors. and available, so you can get the job done well and on time. No need to Japan’s criminal system, where more than The dates for their trial are still unde- worry about waiting on inventory. Just call your local FCA US LLC dealer. 99% of those who go on trial are found cided. Only Mopar has got the parts you need whenever you need them. guilty. If convicted, the Taylors face up to three Ghosn, who led Nissan Motor Co. for years in prison and a fine of up to 300,000 nearly two decades, was arrested in No- yen ($2,900). NEW CENTURY DODGE WHOLESALE PARTS vember 2018 and later charged with Separately, Greg Kelly, a former Nis- 14920 W. 101st Terrace Order Hotline: under-reporting his compensation and san executive vice president, is on trial on Lenexa, KS 66215 (800) 383-5183 or (913) 642-4907 breach of trust. charges of under-reporting Ghosn’s com- Mon.–Fri. 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. He jumped bail and escaped to Lebanon pensation. Kelly says he is innocent as he www.ncdwsparts.com in December 2019. Ghosn says he is in- did not know about such actions. He had nocent. Japan has put Ghosn on Interpol’s been trying to find legal ways to compen- ©2021 FCA US LLC. All Rights Reserved. Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Mopar and SRT are registered trademarks of FCA US LLC. wanted list, but Lebanon has no extradi- sate Ghosn, so he would not quit and go to FIAT is a registered trademark of FCA Group Marketing S.p.A., used under license by FCA US LLC. tion treaty with Japan. a rival automaker, according to his legal See your local FCA US LLC dealer for complete warranty details. Michael Taylor, with the help of another team. man, George-Antoine Zayek, hid Ghosn Nissan, as a company, is also standing 45241_GEN12_Q_AAR.indd 1 3/23/21 9:49 AM in a large black box supposedly contain- trial. Nissan has acknowledged wrongdo- ing audio equipment, according to the au- ing. (AP) • LEXUS OF LEXINGTON Bridgestone offers employees $100 to vaccinate NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Bridgestone said last month it will offer its 33,000 U.S. employees $100 payments to get vaccinated against COVID-19, joining a group of large companies offering incentives for the shots. The tire company is also exploring the possibility of similar programs for employees in Canada and Latin America, according to a news release. Bridgestone has its Americas headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee, with employees spread around the country at its tire and retread manufacturing facilities, research and development centers, and 2,200 company-owned tire and automotive service centers. Bridgestone said it is providing the payments to make it easier for employees to get vaccinated but is not requiring they be vaccinated. “Bridgestone is providing the $100 support payment to remove barriers for employees who choose to get the vaccine, such as missing work, child care, transportation costs, or other potential obstacles,” the news release states. A number of other large companies have announced similar programs including Goodlettsville, Tennessee-based Dollar General, which said in January it would give its 157,000 employees the equivalent of four hours of pay if they get the vaccine. (AP) • Ford backs out of vow to add new model at Ohio plant DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. has backed out on a contract promise to invest $900 million at an assembly plant outside Cleveland for an unnamed product line that instead will be produced in Mexico, United Auto Workers officials said. GENUINE LEXUS PARTS “We 100% reject the company’s decision to put corporate greed and more potential Toll Free profits over American jobs and the future of our members,” UAW Vice President and 888-685-3987 LARGE INVENTORY Director Gerald Kariem said in a letter sent to union members late last week. DAILY DELIVERY Ford’s promised investment at the Ohio Assembly Plant in Avon Lake was made dur- Call Karl Haydon at ing 2019 contract negotiations. The plant currently has around 1,700 hourly workers 859-233-5903 HOURS 8AM - 6PM M-F producing Ford E-series vans and Super Duty pickup trucks. SAT. 9AM - 3PM Kariem said the UAW has asked Ford officials to explain the decision but have re- Call Jeff Cardenas at Fax: 859-233-5900 ceived limited information thus far. 859-233-5902 1264 E. New Circle Rd Plant manager Jason Moore sent a letter to workers saying conditions surrounding the Lexington, KY 40505 promised expansion have changed. Ford is investing in the Avon Lake plant and will be increasing production of Super Duty trucks there, Moore said. (AP) • 12 AutoGraphic’s Automotive Report April 2021

Recalls Park outside: Kia recalls nearly Compiled from AP, manufacturer, EPA and NHTSA news releases. 380K vehicles for fire risk

BMW of North America is recalling 13,858 vehicles that may have a rearview cam- By AP Wire Service The recall comes after the National era with a fully or partially obscured image. Dealers will inspect the vehicles and Highway Traffic Safety Administration update the rearview camera software as needed. DETROIT — Kia is telling owners of began investigating Kia and Hyundai nearly 380,000 vehicles in the U.S. to park engine fires in 2019. The agency opened FORD Motor Company is recalling 133, 340 2004 – 2006 Ford Ranger vehicles them outdoors due to the risk of an engine the probe after the nonprofit Center for possibly equipped with front airbags installed as a replacement part that could compartment fire. Auto Safety filed a petition seeking the explode if deployed. Dealers will inspect both airbags and replace any that are sus- The Korean automaker is recalling cer- investigation. When the inquiry began, pect. tain 2017 through 2021 Sportage SUVs the agency said it had owner complaints Ford Motor Company is recalling 1,067 2005 – 2014 Mustang, Ranger, Mercury and 2017 through 2019 Cadenza sedans of more than 3,100 fires, 103 injuries and Milan, Ford GT, Fusion, Edge, and Lincoln MKX and MKZ vehicles which could to fix the problem. The company says a one death. have had a potentially defective airbag installed as a service part. These airbags short circuit in the hydraulic electronic In November, NHTSA announced that could explode if deployed. Dealers will replace any that are suspect. brake control unit can cause excessive Kia and Hyundai must pay $137 million In mid-February, Ford Motor Company issued two recalls of the 2021 Ford current, increasing the risk of a fire. Own- in fines and for safety improvements be- Bronco. Recall #212V07400 involved 106 Broncos that could have been assem- ers should also park cause they moved bled with the incorrect front lower control arms. Recall #21V07500 involved 1,628 them away from too slowly to recall Broncos that may have been assembled with loose or missing rear suspension sub- structures until re- Owners could see tire more than 1 million frame bolts. Both recalls were scheduled for repair in early April. pairs are made. pressure, anti-lock brake vehicles with en- The company gines that can fail. NISSAN North America is recalling 2,407 2020 – 2021 Nissan Altima vehicles to says the recalled or other warning lights on The fines resolve a inspect the left and right side ball joint fasteners. Certain of these vehicles may have vehicles are not their dashboard before the government probe been assembled with improperly tightened ball joint fasteners. If the fasteners can- equipped with Kia’s into the companies’ not be properly tightened, new fasteners will be installed. Smart Cruise Con- problem happens. behavior involving Nissan North America is recalling 26,156 2006 – 2008 Infiniti FX35 and FX45 trol system. recalls of multiple vehicles that have previously received a replacement front passenger airbag under Owners could models dating to the recall number 20V-008. The airbag cushion was folded incorrectly, which could see tire pressure, anti-lock brake or other 2011 model year. tear the airbag during deployment. Dealers will replace the suspect airbags. warning lights on their dashboard before Kia was to pay $27 million and invest the problem happens. They also might $16 million in safety performance mea- MAZDA North America is recalling 13,857 2020 – 2021 CX-30 vehicles equipped smell a burning or melting odor. sures. Another $27 million payment will with a power lift gate. The lift gate could close without warning. Dealers will update Owners will be notified starting April be deferred as long as Kia meets safety the lift gate control module software. • 30. Dealers will replace fuses in the elec- conditions, NHTSA said. trical junction box to fix the problem. Kia denied the U.S. allegations but said Kia says in documents posted last it wanted to avoid a protracted legal fight. month by the U.S. National Highway Engine failure and fire problems with Traffic Safety Administration that it has Hyundais and Kias have affected more no reports of crashes, fires or injuries due than 6 million vehicles since 2015, accord- to the problem. ing to NHTSA documents. (AP) • Feds probing engine fires in 1.9M Toyota RAV4s DETROIT — The U.S. government is investigating complaints of engine compartment fires in nearly 1.9 million Toyota RAV4 small SUVs. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began investigating after getting 11 fire complaints involving the 2013 through 2018 model years. We have the stock, the staff and the delivery to get you The RAV4 is the top-selling vehicle in the U.S. that isn’t a pickup truck. In documents posted last month, the agency says fires start on the left side of the the parts you need as quickly as possible! engine compartment. A terminal on the 12-volt battery may short to the frame, causing loss of electrical power, engine stalling or a fire. ALL STAR NISSAN Most of the fires happened while the vehicles were being driven, but four owners complained that fire broke out with the engine off. Parts Direct: (225) 298-8080 A Toyota spokesman would not answer questions about whether the SUVs should be parked outdoors until the matter is resolved, but said the company is cooperating in the Toll Free: (800) 779-0794 probe. A spokeswoman for NHTSA said she is checking into whether the RAV4s should www.allstarautomotive.com stay outdoors due to the risk of catching fire with the engine off. NHTSA says improper battery installation or front-end collision repair was a factor in the complaints. The agency says the RAV4 has a higher number of fire complaints in the battery area than comparable vehicles. Investigators will try to understand better what is contributing to the fires. The vehicles aren’t being recalled but the investigation could lead to one. (AP) • Nissan recalling 854K Sentra cars to fix brake light DETROIT — Nissan is recalling more than 854,000 cars in the U.S. and Canada because the brake lights might not come on when the driver presses on the pedal. The recall covers certain Sentra compacts from the 2016 through 2019 model years, including more than 807,000 in the U.S. Nissan says silicon contamination from grease used in nearby components can cause oxidation that can make the stop lamp switch near the brake pedal malfunction. If that happens, the stop lamps may not light up and the engine may not start. Owners may see - Our highly knowledgeable staff is here Dickinson, TX a malfunction indicator light on the dashboard if the condition happens. to answer your parts inquiries. Parts: (281) 337-1541 Nissan says it’s not aware of any crashes or injuries caused by the problem. - Large inventory of genuine Ford parts. (800) 367-3958 Owners will get an interim repair letter in April that will tell them to schedule a ser- - Your source for Power Stroke parts Fax: (281) 534-2009 vice appointment if they experience the problem. When sufficient parts are available in and service. www.mcreeford.com the fall, a second letter will be sent telling all owners to make a service appointment. Dealers will replace the switch and add a protective grommet. (AP) • April 2021 AutoGraph’s Automotive Report 13

US sends team to Detroit to Edmunds compares new Escalade, investigate Tesla, semi crash Navigator and Mercedes GLS

By AP Wire Service Transportation, which includes NHTSA, By AP Wire Service able, but you never forget you’re in a mas- NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt urged sive vehicle. The GLS’ lineup ranges from DETROIT — The U.S. government’s the agency to enact regulations governing Among luxury SUVs, the Cadillac Es- a 362-horsepower six-cylinder engine to highway safety agency is sending a team driver assist systems as well as testing of calade has long made no apologies about a ferocious 603-horsepower turbocharged to Detroit to investigate a crash involving autonomous vehicles. NHTSA has relied being big and brash. Now Cadillac has V8 in high-performance AMG trim. In a Tesla that drove beneath a semitrailer. mainly on voluntary guidelines for the ve- redesigned the Escalade for 2021 with a Edmunds testing the GLS posted the best The National Highway Traffic Safety hicles, taking a hands-off approach so it new look and an infusion of new technol- acceleration, braking and handling figures Administration announced that a special won’t hinder development of new safety ogy features. Do these updates make it the of this group. On-road comfort is unparal- crash investigation team will go to the city technology. best large luxury SUV you can buy? leled too. to investigate the “violent crash.” Two He wrote that Tesla is using its owners Not if the competition has anything to Winner: Mercedes-Benz GLS people were critically injured in the crash to test “full self-driving” software on pub- say about it. The 2021 Escalade faces off UTILITY that happened last month on the city’s lic roads with limited oversight or report- against the 2021 Lincoln Navigator, Ed- Part of the Escalade’s appeal is its abil- southwest side. ing requirements. “Because NHTSA has munds’ preferred pick over the previous- ity to haul heavy toys with ease. And the The crash circumstances are similar put in place no requirements, manufactur- generation Escalade, and one of Europe’s new version impresses with a maximum to two others in Florida in which Teslas ers can operate and test vehicles virtually most luxurious SUVs, the 2021 Mercedes- towing capacity of up to 8,200 pounds — drove beneath tractor-trailers, causing anywhere, even if the location exceeds Benz GLS. Edmunds’ experts compare enough, in some cases, to pull a camper two deaths. In both crashes, in 2016 and the AV (autonomous vehicle) control sys- all three to find out which one takes the trailer up to 27 feet long. If you’re looking 2019, the cars were being driven while us- tem’s limitations,” Sumwalt wrote. crown. for maximum space, the longer Escalade ing Tesla’s Autopilot partially automated “Although Tesla includes a disclaimer DRIVING EXPERIENCE ESV has a lower tow rating but cavernous driving software. that ’currently enabled features require ac- Standard with every Escalade is a cargo capacity. Detroit Police Sgt. Nicole Kirkwood tive driver supervision and do not make the 420-horsepower 6.2-liter V8, the crown Lincoln takes a similar approach to the could not say if the Tesla driver was using vehicle autonomous,’ NHTSA’s hands-off jewel of General Motors’ truck and SUV Navigator: The standard version tows up the company’s Autopilot or “full self-driv- approach to oversight of AV testing poses engines. A diesel-powered six-cylinder to 8,700 pounds, and the longer Navigator ing” software. “It’s still under investiga- a potential risk to motorists and other road engine is also new for 2021, and when L maxes out cargo space, though it trails tion,” she said. users,” he wrote. paired with rear-wheel drive, it has the the Escalade ESV in total capacity. In this A message was left seeking comment Detroit police said in a statement that highest EPA-estimated fuel economy in case, the Mercedes places a distant third. from Tesla. The Palo Alto, California- a white Tesla sedan drove through an in- this group of 23 mpg. The Escalade is It has a max towing capacity of 7,700 based company has said previously that tersection around 3:20 a.m. one Thursday, relatively smooth and composed around pounds and less cargo space than the two Autopilot and “full self-driving” are driv- struck the trailer and became wedged be- turns, but its prodigious torque is the high- U.S. brands. er-assistance systems and that the driver neath it. light of the driving experience. Winner: Cadillac Escalade must be ready to intervene at all times. Both the male driver and female pas- Every Navigator comes with a turbo- COMFORT But the company has been criticized by senger were taken to a local hospital. The charged V6 engine making 450 horsepow- The 2021 Escalade makes a great first the National Transportation Safety Board woman was in critical condition, while the er; there’s no other engine available. Like impression, with supple leather, authentic for failing to adequately monitor drivers to driver’s condition was not immediately the Escalade, the Navigator is comfort- Continued on page 34 make sure they are paying attention. The known. Police said the information was NTSB, which investigates crashes and preliminary and subject to change upon makes recommendations, also criticized further investigation. (AP) • Tesla for allowing the system to work on roads that it can’t handle. In a Feb. 1 letter to the Department of

Shop workers last pay in pennies ATLANTA — A Georgia auto repair shop worker said his former employer owed him a pretty penny, $915 to be exact, after leaving his job in November. But Andreas Flaten said he was shocked to see his final payment: 90,000 oil or grease covered pennies, at the end of his driveway earlier this month, news outlets reported. Atop the pile was an envelope with Flaten’s final paystub and an explicit parting message. “This is a childish thing to do,” Flaten said. Flaten said he left his job at Peachtree City’s A OK Walker Autoworks in November. He said he was owed the final check and had difficulty getting it, even turning to the Georgia Department of Labor to receive help. In mid-March, Flaten said as he left his house with his girlfriend he noticed the pile at the end of his driveway. He said the pennies were covered with some sort of oily substance. Now his nightly routine consists of cleaning the pennies so he can cash them in. He said it took him about an hour and a half to clean off several hundred. “I think that’s going to be a lot of work for money I’ve already worked for,” he said. “It’s definitely not fair at all.” The owner of the shop, Miles Walker, spoke with WGCL-TV briefly, stating he Order Hotline: (800) 756-1611 didn’t know if he did or didn’t drop the pennies off at Flaten’s house. JIM COGDILL CHRYSLER Local: (865) 690-1611 “I don’t really remember,” Walker told the TV station. “It doesn’t matter he got DODGE JEEP RAM Fax: (865) 693-2964 paid, that’s all that matters.” 8544 Kingston Pike Mon.–Fri. 7:00 a.m.–6:30 p.m. Walker went on to call Flaten a “weenie.” Knoxville, TN 37919 Sat. 7:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Flaten’s girlfriend, Olivia Oxley, said she hopes her boyfriend’s story sheds light www.jimcogdilldodge.com on how people “are treated so poorly by their employers.” She said the pair have stopped being angry and are looking at the petty act in a positive light. “With that many pennies, we’re bound to find a few treasures. I’ve already found one from 1937,” Oxley said. “After the first shovel full, all we could do was ©2021 FCA US LLC. All Rights Reserved. Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Mopar and SRT are registered trademarks of FCA US LLC. laugh because this poor miserable man took so much time to be vindictive and FIAT is a registered trademark of FCA Group Marketing S.p.A., used under license by FCA US LLC. cruel. We absolutely refused to let him ruin a single moment of ours.” (AP) •

42576_LR26_Q_AR.indd 1 3/26/21 11:59 AM 14 AutoGraphic’s Automotive Report April 2021 Retro Release April 2021 AutoGraph’s Automotive Report 15

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Continue on page 16 16 AutoGraphic’s Automotive Report April 2021

Continue from page 15 April 2021 AutoGraph’s Automotive Report 17

Autoworkers wary of future FREDY KIA Biggest Inventory as electric cars rise of Genuine Kia Parts By Carson Gerber & Tyler Juranovich the next few decades, analysts don’t expect the internal combustion engine to go in South Texas! KOKOMO, Ind. — As the automotive away in the foreseeable future. Call or email us your order today! industry speeds ahead to produce more Bernard Swiecki, a senior automotive electric and hybrid vehicles, how will analyst at Detroit-based Center for Auto- [email protected] the change affect the nation’s more than motive Research, said they project more 900,000 automotive manufacturing work- than 90% of vehicles will still have an in- ers? ternal combustion engine by 2030. 800-883-1933 • Direct (713) 941-0273 That’s a question very much on the That’s because hybrids still need an in- minds of local employees working at the ternal combustion engine and a transmis- (713) 947-8053 Fax Stellantis plants in Kokomo and Tipton. sion, like the ones made in Kokomo and It’s a question that’s been looming for Tipton. Only all-electric vehicles don’t 11711 Gulf Freeway • Houston, TX 77034 years, but took on a sharp focus in January require a traditional engine and transmis- when General Motors boldly announced sion. its goal to make only battery-powered “The announcements do grab a lot of vehicles by 2035. That was followed by headlines, but, in the end, the transition is Ancira Nissan . . . We Do It All! Ford vowing to convert its entire passen- going to be gradual,” Swiecki said. NISSAN ger vehicle lineup in Europe to electric Alan Krabbenhroft, a professor of eco- PLATINUM power by 2030. nomics and dean of the School of Business WHOLESALER Matt Jarvis, president of United Auto at Indiana University Kokomo, agreed. He Workers 685, which represents the plants said he believes the effects of the transi- in Kokomo and Tipton, said it has the ap- tion to electric vehicles will not negatively proximately 7,100 local workers wonder- affect the local workforce anytime soon, ing: What does this mean for us? barring a major push to all-electric ve- “It’s a concern,” he said. “The employ- hicles from the federal government or a ees are concerned. With the way GM regulatory agency. and Ford are going “From a Ko- toward electric ve- komo perspective, I hicles, it’s a concern don’t see a huge im- about what’s going “It’s a concern,” he pact — at least for a Ancira Nissan San Antonio, TX - www.anciranissanparts.com to happen with the bit — on our facto- Parts Direct (210) 558-5025 - (800) 508-1117 - Fax (210) 558-5027 workforce.” said. “The employees are ries here,” he said. That’s because concerned. With the way But it’s clear Genuine Nissan Parts the more environ- GM and Ford are go- the change is com- mentally focused ing. plants of the future ing toward electric vehi- Stellantis CEO will need fewer cles, it’s a concern about Carlos Tavares said workers, mainly in January during a because electric ve- what’s going to happen media call that ev- hicles (EVs) contain with the workforce.” ery model the com- WE GOT YOU COVERED 30% to 40% fewer pany releases from moving parts than now until 2025 will WHEREVER YOU ARE. gas-run vehicles. In have an “electri- Mopar Limited Warranty Coverage: Stronger Than the Aftermarket. addition, many jobs could shift to lower fied” version. He didn’t clarify how many ® pay as automakers buy parts from supply would be all-electric, plug-in hybrids or companies or form separate ventures to traditional hybrids that don’t need to be build components. plugged in. Most vulnerable in the transition will The company recently announced that be the roughly 100,000 people in the the new Gen4 8-speed transmission, de- U.S. who, like the Stellantis employees in signed by the German-based company ZF, Kokomo and Tipton, work at plants that will go into the plug-in hybrid version of make transmissions and engines for gas the Jeep Wrangler. and diesel vehicles. Jarvis said because the transmission will The future is even more foggy for the be initially used in a low volume of the local workforce following the historic SUVs, Stellantis is buying them straight merger between Fiat Chrysler Automo- from ZF. But if production ramps up, he biles and PSA Peugeot to create Stellantis, hopes the company will bring production which is now the fourth-largest automaker of the new transmission to Kokomo and in the world. Tipton. While companies such as GM and Ford “Our stance is that if they do advance are making their electric vehicle plans to the Gen4 transmission, that should be Who better to protect your customer’s vehicle than the company who built their vehicle? Mopar Vehicle Protection offers plenty of warranty options that fit any customer’s needs, clear, Stellantis is still in flux as it figures built here in Kokomo, along with any oth- ® whenever they’re needed. And, since we are the original equipment, it’s our job to maintain out how it will move forward into the er technology they come out with,” Jarvis and service vehicles with the authentic parts that always function as good as new. world of EV technology. said. See your dealer for complete warranty details. “It’s hard to project how that’s going to One bright spot among the uncertainty affect the local workforce, because they is the Kokomo Engine Plant, which is set haven’t made announcements how they’re to open later this year and supply around C going to move forward on the EV side of 1,200 workers with jobs making Global M LARTY DANIEL CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM things,” Jarvis said. “It’s a wait-and-see Medium Engine Turbo 4. 2201 SE Moberly Lane (479) 250-3464 for us right now.” The engine is adaptable to a significant Bentonville, AR 72712 www.bentonvillecdjr.com And it will likely be a long wait. number of new EV and hybrid technolo- While automakers are making flash an- gies, and the Kokomo facility will be the nouncements about the transition to sell- source of all U.S. production of the en- ©2021 FCA US LLC. All Rights Reserved. Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Mopar and SRT are registered trademarks of FCA US LLC. FIAT is a registered trademark of FCA Group Marketing S.p.A., used under license by FCA US LLC. ing mostly, or all, electric vehicles within Continued on page 27 See your local FCA US LLC dealer for complete warranty details.

26750_GEN15_Q_AR.indd 1 2/17/21 11:26 AM 18 AutoGraphic’s Automotive Report April 2021

Chrysler pleads guilty in plot to PARTS DEPARTMENT Wholesale phone: 214-271-6767 enrich Detroit union officials Wholesale fax: 214-271-6920 800 number: 1-800-994-0238 By AP Wire Service Email: [email protected] trict Judge Paul Borman. Iacobelli was sentenced to 5 1/2 years Our Parts Team Has Over 36 years experience DETROIT — Automaker FCA US in prison in 2018, but the sentence was pleaded guilty to conspiracy, admitting recently reduced by 18 months due to his Doug Anderson 22 years experience [email protected] that it paid off leaders of the United Auto cooperation. Holiefield died in 2015; his Dana Prall 8 years experience [email protected] Workers to try to win concessions in ne- wife pleaded guilty to a tax crime three Cris Pineda 5 years experience [email protected] gotiations covering thousands of factory years later. Kevin Folino 1 year experience [email protected] workers. Holiefield’s successor, Norwood Jewell, FCA’s conviction follows a series of was sentenced to 15 months in prison. His Tech Support Hotline guilty pleas from UAW officials who were plea deal listed $60,000 in meals and golf showered with more than $3.5 million in paid with training center credit cards. 1-855-828-4016 cash and items of value from a jointly run FCA will pay a $30 million fine to the Se Habla Espanol training center over an eight-year period. government. An independent monitor FCA stands for Fiat Chrysler Automo- will be appointed to oversee the end of biles, which now is part of Stellantis, a the training center as well as handle other company created by the merger of Fiat tasks. Chrysler and PSA Peugeot. The government’s investigation became “FCA violated federal labor law and public in 2017, but agents soon were un- undermined the collective bargaining pro- covering other corruption at the UAW. cess and the faith of the UAW’s member- Union dues were used to pay for golf, ship in their leaders,” said acting U.S. At- booze and vacation villas in California, torney Saima Mohsin. and contractors were giving kickbacks for The head of FCA labor relations, Al union business. Iacobelli, executed the scheme with five Eleven officials have been convicted, Delivery within the Dallas metroplex UAW officials and a spouse, especially including former presidents Gary Jones General Holiefield, who was a union vice and Dennis Williams. They are awaiting We use: Collision Link, Repair Link, president. He eliminated a $262,000 home their sentences in Detroit federal court. Parts Trader and offer price matching on mortgage in 2014 with training center (AP) • select aftermarket parts money. Business hours 7AM-7PM Mon thru Friday, 8AM-5PM Sat Union officials used credit cards for spending sprees. Rusty Wallis Volkswagen 12635 LBJ Freeway Garland, Texas 75041- www.rustywallisvw.com “Your honor, we plead guilty,” FCA Good Old Fashioned Family Values general counsel Chris Pardi told U.S. Dis-

Honda 385 Honda of America plans to sell Daily Parts Delivery to West Tenn., Arkansas, & North Mississippi! 2 fully electric SUVs in 2024 Large Inventory of Genuine Honda Parts By AP Wire Service He conceded that Honda isn’t leading the race to electric vehicles and wouldn’t DETROIT — Honda has plans to sell say when it will go all-electric. Honda is two all-electric SUVs in the U.S. for the focused on being carbon-neutral by 2050 2024 model year, and it soon will offer hy- and is aware that President Joe Biden is brid gas-electric versions of its top-selling focused on zero emissions, not just reduc- models. ing them, he said. The announcements come as the auto- “We’ve got to now focus all of our ener- maker acknowledges it has work to do to gies in this direction in order to meet time- comply with emissions-reduction targets lines,” he said. that will be coming from the Biden ad- Honda has been a dominant passenger- ministration, and a California ban on sales car seller for decades but U.S. buyers are of new internal-combustion vehicles by shifting toward SUVs and trucks. And it’s 2035. also a large manufacturer of internal com- Honda of America sales chief Dave bustion engines, Gardner said. AutoNation Honda Gardner told reporters one of the elec- “We’re really good at a couple of things 4030 Hacks Cross tric SUVs will be from the Honda brand, that seem to be going out of vogue today, Memphis, TN 38125 while the other will be an Acura. Honda so there’s no doubt that we have work to Knowledgeable, Experienced Parts Professionals will offer more details later this year, he start moving quickly in the zero-emission said. direction,” he said. Underpinnings of the new vehicles will Honda is the latest automaker to an- Parts: (901)795-6326 come from a partnership with General nounce battery-powered vehicles that will Motors, while the tops would be made by be sold in the U.S. market. The consulting (800) 238-3094 Honda, he said. firm LMC Automotive says automakers As part of Honda’s efforts to meet will roll out 22 new electric vehicles this Fax: (901) 367-4979 stricter emissions standards, it will reduce year alone. emissions from its internal combustion ve- Last year Americans bought about hicles, Gardner said. Already the company 260,000 vehicles, only 2% of new vehicle has a hybrid called the Insight, as well as sales. But LMC expects the number to hit hybrid versions of its Accord midsize car, more than 680,000 in 2022, passing a mil- CR-V small SUV. Gardner said there will lion in 2023. (AP) • probably be one or two additions that he Driven to Be the Best! would not identify. April 2021 AutoGraph’s Automotive Report 19

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By Robert Bravender lady from my church and her little girl.” Taking them home, Williams learned Full disclosure: this shop doesn’t make that for three months this single mom had any money. Not one red cent. Not due to been begging or borrowing rides to get to any mismanagement — quite the opposite work and church, sometimes even hitch- — but because it’s a non-profit, faith-based hiking, since her truck was in the shop and endeavor called God’s Garage. she couldn’t afford to pay for it. Located in the Houston suburb of Con- “That night I went home to my wife and roe, Texas, it only “repairs vehicles for I cried,” said Williams. “I told her this can’t single mothers, widows, and wives of happen when I can do something about it. deployed military with no labor costs,” I’ve got friends who’ve got a couple extra explained Chris “PC” Williams, founder of dollars, friends who can work on cars; this philanthropy. we’ve got to do something, we can’t just “We also give vehicles away to qualified The emotional reaction to receiving the keys to a giveaway car. let this happen.” recipients. Through donated cars and parts, After helping this woman out of her pre- we are able to bridge troubled times in so dicament, Williams began calling people in many people’s lives.” earnest. Since no one actually owns the garage just a group of guys who got together once ever he could.” “I’m a networker, and I’ve been blessed there are no employees, instead there are every couple of months to help people While Williams eventually followed his to know a lot of people,” he declared. “I volunteers. out.” father into the ministry as a youth pastor just started spreading the word around to “Our group consists of lead technicians Automotive service and assisting those (PC = Pastor Chris), he didn’t pick up his my friends, and before you know it we had through those just learning the automo- in need have long been linked in Williams’ father’s aptitude for mechanics. a dozen guys showing up, and it grew from tive trade,” he outlined. “I actually started family, starting with his dad. “I can’t stand working on cars,” he con- there.” this thing about 11 years ago in my garage, “My father was a helper,” he said. “We fided. “I wasn’t the best student, but he For his part Williams built a small shop would be all taught me the basics of car care.” on his property, but since there’s no short- dressed up to go His father’s lessons dramatically came age of clientele, the work quickly eclipsed somewhere, and together one rainy night when Williams this 40-foot-by-40-foot facility. if he saw some- was driving home from church. “We really needed to go three to four one stuck on the side of the road, we would pull “[The volunteers] just come in, grab a work order, over and help them out. pick what they want to do and get after it,” Wil- “My dad was always into cars, liams continues. “It’s amazing to me; I’m in awe. m o t o r c y c l e s , boats, basically Just about every day I look around at the people anything that everywhere, and these guys don’t just give time, had a motor and could go fast,” they all give financially: $10, $20, $100 a month to noted Williams. “He even went go towards doing what we’re doing so we can buy to tech school more parts.” to become a mechanic. He ended up becoming a pas- “I could barely make out in my head- nights a week, and I couldn’t do that in my tor, but was still lights a couple people walking on the side neighborhood,” Williams related. “I found wrenching on of the road,” recalled Williams. “I pulled a 3,500-square-foot building with some cars and helping over, and I didn’t know if they’d get in the storage in the back, but it was a pretty large Chris “PC” Williams founder of God’s Garage people when- truck with me, but it turned out it was a Continued on page 22

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Automakers embrace electric ALL STAR DODGE CHRYSLER JEEP RAM vehicles. But what about buyers? 2590 Range Park Drive Denham Springs, LA 70726 Parts Direct: (225) 298-8080 By AP Wire Service far-reaching pollution regulations and Toll Free: (800) 779-0794 government incentives. Those tighter en- Fax: (504) 664-7871 www.allstarautomotive.com DETROIT — The world’s major auto- vironmental regulations are forcing the makers have made something abundantly industry to sell more electric vehicles. clear: They believe electric vehicles will In Europe, carmakers unveiled a slew In head-to-head testing, Mopar® dominate their industry in the years ahead. of new electric models ahead of lower EU Remanufactured Parts beat the aftermarket, hands down. Yet for that to happen, they’ll need to limits on average emissions of carbon dioxide, the primary greenhouse gas blamed Give us a call. We’ll show you the sell the idea to people like Steve Bock. results, and deliver the parts you When Bock recently replaced his fam- for climate change, that took full effect at need, fast. ily’s 2013 Honda Pilot SUV, he consid- the start of this year. Government-backed ered — and then dismissed — the idea incentives can cut the cost to near that of

2021 FCA US LLC. All Rights Reserved. Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Mopar and SRT are registered trademarks of FCA US LLC. © CHECK OUT MOPARREPAIRCONNECTION.COM FOR RESOURCES, of buying an electric vehicle. An EV with an internal combustion vehicle. FIAT is a registered trademark of FCA Group Marketing S.p.A., used under license by FCA US LLC. PROMOTIONS AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION. enough room to carry his two dogs would Continued on page 36 cost too much, he decided. And he’d worry about driving long distances with too 43940_HR24_8th_AR.indd 1 1/15/21 1:49 PM few charging stations. “I would consider it if the prices would come down,” Bock said, though leaving open the possibility of buying an electric vehicle next time. Instead, Bock, of suburban Raleigh, North Carolina, settled on a Subaru Out- back. Like nearly every other vehicle sold in the United States, it runs on gasoline. Opinion polls show that a substantial majority of Americans are aligned with Bock. An EV might be on their shopping list if it cost less, if more charging stations existed and if a wider variety of models were available. In other words, the time isn’t right. It adds up to a significant risk for the largest automakers. With governments across the globe intensifying efforts to reverse climate change, the automakers are staking their futures on the notion that consumers will soon be ready to buy vehicles that run not on the internal combustion engines that have powered cars and trucks for more than a century but on elec- tricity stored in a battery pack. General Motors, Ford and Volkswagen plan to spend a combined $77 billion de- veloping global electric vehicles over the next five years, with models from pickup trucks to small SUVs. GM has gone so far as to announce a goal of ending gasoline- and diesel-fueled passenger vehicles entirely by 2035 - and to become carbon- neutral by 2040. For the automakers, the risk is as haz- ardous as it is simple: What if American consumers reject electric vehicles for CERTIFIED PARTS SPECIALISTS many years to come? Roger Rowland 478-259-3845 [email protected] Companies would have no choice but to Ken Mills 478-259-3573 discount them and hope, in the meantime, [email protected] that their profits from gas vehicles would Wesley Burchfield 478-259-4159 still cover their costs — at least until large [email protected] proportions of buyers gravitated toward Darian Thompson 478-259-3926 EVs. PARTS MANAGER SE REGIONAL SALES CONSULTANTS [email protected] If they don’t, the financial blow could Russell Brown Andy Stokes 478-259-3831 478-259-3514 Tommy Scarborough 478-973-8954 [email protected] be heavy. For now, EVs make up less than [email protected] tscarbourough@riversidefordnet Ted Siepman 478-259-3710 2% of U.S. new-vehicle sales and about PARTS ACCOUNTING David Stapp 478-957-0579 [email protected] 3% worldwide. Gary Kinder 478-259-1845 [email protected] Cody Turner 478-269-1990 “It’s still a sector that doesn’t have a [email protected] Fred Walker 478-957-1124 [email protected] mass appeal to the entire population,” said Zach Avery [email protected] Josh Redick 478-259-6003 478-259-4734 [email protected] Jeff Schuster, president of global vehicle [email protected] Hank Millis 478-319-6071 forecasting for LMC Automotive, a con- John Burchfield 478-259-4199 TRAFFIC MANAGER [email protected] [email protected] sulting firm. “It could be a financial drain Jim Howard John Hill 478-918-3906 478-259-1875 if consumers do not buy at the same lev- [email protected] [email protected] el.“ WAREHOUSE MANAGER Dylan Mercer 478-508-7439 Yet in contrast to the United States, Adam Fletcher [email protected] 1-800-637-4807 478-259-3288 sales of EVs have taken off in Europe [email protected] FAX ORDERS TOLL FREE 1-877-750-0590 and China, largely because of much more 2089 Riverside Drive Macon, GA 31204 22 AutoGraphic’s Automotive Report April 2021

... God’s Garage Parts Southwest Continued from page 20 Department amazing to me; I’m in awe. Just about lease, so I told the guy I couldn’t do it.” every day I look around at the people Half Million Dollar Inventory of Genuine Kia Parts But it turned out the owner had heard of everywhere, and these guys don’t just give God’s Garage and planned to volunteer. time, they all give financially: $10, $20, Three Trucks – 2 Times Daily Dallas Fort Worth Metro Area He offered the building to Williams at the $100 a month to go towards doing what Rock Bottom Prices! cost of the mortgage note. we’re doing so we can buy more parts.” “It was over $1,000 less a month, so we Then there are the giveaway cars. jumped in.” “If we have a donated car with the poten- Parts Direct: (214) 694-2870 God’s Garage now had an official tial of being a giveaway, we want to make Toll Free: (866) 204-6680 address. sure that it’s safe and reliable,” reported “We’ve built the place out,” Williams Williams. “They usually have mileage of Fax: (214) 694-2890 proudly noted. “We’ve got three lifts right 180,000 to 200,000 and up, but they’re www.southwestkia.com now, looking forward to getting an align- going to be a good solid runner and our ment rack when we get enough pennies goal is to get them a year to two years

God’s Garage volunteers unloading a donated vehicle.

saved. We’ve got five or six guys during down the road so that the families who get the day every day, a dozen more two or them are in a better place.” three nights a week. We’ve got retirees, Applications for these cars can be filled HARPER shift workers, firemen, airline pilots; three out on their web-site. HARPER of my mechanics are full time master “I get 30 or more applications a day right techs, and they bring their scanners with now,” Williams explained, “and the wait- VOLKSWAGENVOLKSWAGEN them as well. ing list is getting longer. We have a vetting

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865-691-5569 • 865-691-0393 • 888-691-3769 God’s Garage volunteers working on a donated vehicle. Ken Bartlett, Parts Manager • [email protected] www.harpervw.com “[The volunteers] just come in, grab team that will call them, spend some time Hours: Mon. - Fri. 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM • Sat. 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM a work order, pick what they want to do with them. They check their references to and get after it,” Williams continues. “It’s try to make sure that the need is real. Some April 2021 AutoGraph’s Automotive Report 23

people think that this is a giant organiza- “PC” left, Thompson says the board briefly gravitate towards. It’s amazing the num- project would help pay for a new facility. tion, but we don’t have money; we’re pay- questioned whether to carry on. ber of individuals and corporations and Once the board breaks ground and con- ing to do this.” “Chris had always been the face of this churches that step up to support us.” struction begins, the new shop will be One requirement is that recipients take a place,” he noted. “We thought, what’s That support helped buy a 4,000 sq. ft. 9,800 sq. ft.: 4,000 for office space, the rest budgeting class. going to happen? But while it was Chris’s office building situated on 13 acres of land being six bays — adding to the three bays “Our teachers push hard to give them heart that started it, it’s always truly been east of Conroe. already on site. And while COVID-19 cut skills that they need not only to budget, but God’s Garage. So we knew that it was our “Our intention was to build a new shop,” back a bit on the number of cars they were to overcome obsta- able to repair and give cles,” Williams said. away last year, Thomp- “Listen, I don’t care son hopes to hit 225 what church you go cars this year, “with a to, I don’t care if stretch goal of 300.” you go to church or Meanwhile the don’t go to church; board is in the process we just want to hang of looking for an exec- out, have some fun, utive director; with and do some good Williams’ successor for other people. having recently retired, [Because] it’s not they need someone just giving a car to to oversee day to day somebody, it’s a operations — so they life-changing event, can focus on something and that’s so hum- else. bling, so amazing to “Our board be a part of.” is mostly made up of However even retired engineers, fire- after being in charge men, professionals,” of this amazing Thompson explained. project for eight “I own two businesses, years, Williams felt and one of those is in he had to move on. process optimization, As Brad Thompson, so we’re actually trying the current board to streamline what we Another recipient of a God’s Garage vehicle. chairman for God’s do, so we can replicate Garage explained: it — and potentially “Chris left the ministry about two years responsibility to keep it moving forward. Thompson reported, but as they say, God take it national. There hasn’t been any ago to better provide for his family.” It’s just way too impactful a ministry to provides. decision from the board yet, but that’s what Still involved in automotive tech, he just let it fall apart. And it’s grown tremen- A nearby highway expansion swallowed we’re all talking about under our breath — heard that Williams was now a service dously. The organization has had an enor- up the old office building through eminent how far do we go with this?” • writer for a repair shop chain. But after mous community impact that people just domain, but the reimbursement from that

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employers, and many of the laws are quite marijuana use and can test for marijuana,” vague.” Smith said. “But employers cannot take ... Weed in the Workplace Confusing laws any action against employees unless it Two things are certain: In every state it can be proven they used the marijuana on Continued from page 1 A costly habit is allowable to have a policy that prohibits company property while on duty, or were shausen said. “This is concerning because For employers, the downsides of mari- the use of marijuana on the job, and pro- impaired by marijuana use while on duty, we are talking about a substance that is juana abuse are clear. hibits an employee from being impaired or used marijuana while on a call to per- impairing people and has a significant “Workplace drug abuse is costly in terms while on the job, Caldwell said. But form customer services.” impact on health and public safety.” of lower productivity, higher tardiness and beyond that common framework, variety Legal confusion can often be mitigated CBD complicates issue absenteeism, greater use of medical ben- abounds. by case law — that vast body of rules aris- Marijuana in smokable or ingestible efits, and increased incidents of pilferage “Some state marijuana laws are more ing from actions in the courts of the land form has been getting the lion’s share of and shrinkage,” said Dee Mason, president favorable toward employers, and others for every nook and cranny of the legal attention from employers looking to for- of Working Partners, a consulting firm are more favorable toward employees,” universe. Unfortunately, there is little help mulate a good workplace drug policy. But based in Canal Winchester, Ohio (work- Reilly said. “For example, in some states from this channel when it comes to mari- there’s a related substance, also growing ingpartners.com). you cannot discriminate against work- juana use. in popularity, that can cause its own prob- And then there is the liability. As mari- ers in non-safety sensitive positions who “Because the laws are so new, there is lems. That’s cannabidiol, popularly known juana becomes more need marijuana for not a lot of fill-in detail that might come as CBD. This extract from the marijuana popular, employers “Some state marijuana medical reasons. from a history of court cases or other regu- plant is ingested for health reasons, and is face a greater risk of laws are more favorable In such cases, latory action,” Caldwell said. allowing offsite Employers at one time could fall back not considered a controlled substance if it lawsuits when dealing toward employers, and others contains less than 0.3 percent (three tenths inappropriately with smoking might be on a general appeal to the federal ban on of one percent, not three percent) of THC, individuals under the are more favorable toward a workable accom- marijuana, figuring it trumps state law. No the marijuana plant extract that causes influence. employees,” Reilly said. modation. In other longer. people to get high. “It’s critically states you may be “The fact that marijuana use is feder- While that sounds like a straightforward important for any business to protect allowed to terminate a worker for medical ally illegal, as a criminal matter, does not guideline, problems arise because the employees and the public,” Reilly said. “At use of marijuana, even if he or she is not in mean that states cannot legislate employ- CBD sold on today’s market is not regu- smaller companies especially, one accident a safety sensitive position.” ment status,” Caldwell said. “Employment lated. can be devastating.” Furthermore, some laws seem complex. is generally a state matter.” “The CBD that people are ingesting Unfortunately, designing workplace pol- “In Nevada, the law says that employ- Employers also need to be aware that may have higher levels of THC than 0.3 icies that call for appropriate responses to ers cannot refuse to hire someone who some municipalities have passed laws percent,” said Dr. Donna R. Smith, regula- marijuana use is easier said than done. is using marijuana legally in the state,” about marijuana. A new law in New York tory compliance officer in the Tampa Bay, “Employers are struggling to adapt to Smith said. “On the other hand, the same City allows marijuana testing only for Fla., office of Workforce QA, a nation- changes in state marijuana legislation,” law states that once the employee is hired safety sensitive positions. • wide third-party administrator of drug free said Faye Caldwell, managing partner the employer can test for drugs and termi- workplace programs (wfqa.com). “Addi- of Caldwell Everson PLLC, a Houston, nate for positive results if the employer To be continued in May issue… tionally, employees may be using a larger Texas-based employment law firm special- has announced that no marijuana use by quantity of CBD than normal. In either izing in workplace drug testing (caldwel- employees will be tolerated.” Phillip M. Perry is an award-winning free- case, the employee’s drug test may detect leverson.com). The biggest problem is that Another example: lance writer based in New York City. His THC above the cut-off level for a positive marijuana laws vary so widely by state. “In Illinois, the statute says that employ- byline has appeared over 3,000 times in the test.” “Each state has different requirements for ers can have zero-tolerance policies for nation’s business press. RED McCOMBS FORD www.redmccombsford.com We Specialize in Power Stroke Parts and Service! Parts Direct - OEM Perfect Fit Every Time 800-868-4118 423-652-9896 - Same or Next Day Delivery • Experienced Wholesale Parts Reps• Free Local Delivery• Fax 423-652-9544 Parts Mgr. 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employees there in a closed-door meeting cluded from a buyout offer to plant em- Union seeks vote of 87 that he believes “when I have a direct rela- ployees in general because of issues hiring tionship with you, the worker, and you’re people for the specialized jobs. working for me, that is when the environ- “A union contract will ensure fair wag- workers at Nissan plant ment works the best.“ es, benefits, working conditions and the During the 2014 Volkswagen election, ability to retire with dignity,” said lead By Jonathan Mattise The year after the 2014 vote failed, a then-U.S. Sen. Bob Corker waited until campaign organizer Tim Wright, machin- group of 160 Chattanooga maintenance voting had actually started when he all ists union Grand Lodge representative. NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A union wants workers won a vote to form a smaller but guaranteed that the company would Tennessee does have a big union pres- to hold a vote for representation of fewer union, but Volkswagen refused to bargain. announce within two weeks of a union re- ence at an American automaker. The Gen- than 100 workers out of thousands at the The German automaker had argued the jection that it would build a new midsized eral Motors plant in Spring Hill has about Nissan vehicle assembly plant in Tennes- bargaining unit needed to include produc- sport utility vehicle at its only U.S. facto- 3,000 production and skilled trades work- see, a move the company opposes because tion workers as well. The dust-up led to ry, instead of sending the work to Mexico. ers represented by UAW. the effort doesn’t stretch more broadly the 2019 factorywide vote. At the Nissan plant this time around, The machinists union represents about across the facility’s workforce. Unions also have run into opposition the machinists union says workers have 47,000 tool and die makers and 3,000 The International Association of Ma- from Republican politicians when they cited numerous workplace concerns, from automotive manufacturing workers at chinists and Aerospace Workers says an attempt to organize at foreign automakers forced overtime to increased health care companies that include Ford, Penske overwhelming majority of the 87 tool and in the South. Before the 2019 Volkswa- costs. Laura Ewan, an attorney represent- Truck, Hyundai and Chevrolet. (AP) • die maintenance technicians at Nissan’s gen vote, Republican Gov. Bill Lee told ing the union, said the workers were ex- plant in Smyrna, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) southeast of Nashville, have sig- naled their support for unionization. The effort marks the latest foray in the uphill fight for unions to gain traction at foreign- owned auto assembly plants in the traditionally anti-union South. Whether or not a vote can be held hing- es on ongoing arguments in front of the National Labor Relations Board. An attorney for Nissan argued that the employees are not sufficiently distinct from other plant workers during a virtual 888-273-4922888-273-4922 // 228-539-7500228-539-7500 hearing, reasoning that any unionization Direct:Direct: 228-539-5034228-539-5034

Nissan does work Largest Inventory of Genuine GM Parts on the Mississippi Gulf Coast! with organized la- Servicing the entire Gulf Coast and More! bor in the rest of the Our Service is second to none! world, but votes to unionize broadly at the U.S. two plants Of all the reasons to use Genuine have not been close. GM Parts, you can add unbeatable value to the list. Because Turan-Foley offers highly competitive pricing on all Genuine GM Parts that make up a very vote would need to extend to about 4,300 BUMP large portion of the total collision parts production and maintenance employees. An attorney for the union contended that the COMPETITION! business. So call today! the 87 employees have extremely special- Save Time, Save Money! ized skills for a job that others at the plant cannot do, making them eligible for their own standalone union representation. Nissan does work with organized labor in the rest of the world, but votes to unionize broadly at the U.S. two plants have not been close. Workers in Smyrna rejected a plantwide union under the United Auto Workers in 2001 and 1989. The Japan- based automaker’s other U.S. assembly plant in Canton, Mississippi, rejected facilitywide representation by the UAW during a 2017 vote. “Our history reflects that Nissan re- spects the right of employees to determine who should represent their interests in the workplace,“ Nissan Smyrna spokesperson Lloryn Love-Carter said. “Nissan employ- 11123 Highway 49 North, Gulfport, MS 39503 www.turanfoley.com ees have a very long history of self-representation and voting no to unions.” The margin was much closer in 2019 and 2014 votes at the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where workers twice rejected a factorywide union under the UAW. 26 AutoGraphic’s Automotive Report April 2021

Supercharger fast-charging stations is an- A base 2021 Tesla Model S Long Range Edmunds compares the 2021 Tesla other boon. starts at around $80,000; the new Plaid On paper, things aren’t so sunny for the variant, which has yet to come out, will Porsche Taycan. As of publication time, be around $120,000. The Model S comes Model S and Porsche Taycan the longest EPA-estimated range is 227 well equipped with standard features such miles for a midlevel Taycan 4S with the as an adaptive air suspension, heated front By AP Wire Service offers similar capabilities plus the aura of Performance Battery Plus. While that’s and second-row seats, and a 22-speaker Porsche’s sports car-building ethos. Is it below the Model S, a Taycan 4S over- audio system. Tesla also includes driver The Tesla Model S debuted nearly a good enough to unseat the Model S? Ed- achieved in Edmunds’ testing, driving 323 aids such as adaptive cruise control, blind- decade ago and instantly portended the munds’ experts tested both to find out. miles before running out of juice. The up- spot monitoring and forward collision future of electric vehicles. Here was a RANGE shot? In real-world driving you won’t no- mitigation as standard. sleek-looking EV with intriguing new The Model S Long Range — the least tice as much of a range difference between The Taycan is more expensive. A base technology features and unmatched per- expensive trim — offers an EPA-estimat- these two cars as the specs suggest. 2021 Taycan starts at around $81,000, but formance and range. Tesla’s continual up- ed 412 miles of range. While Edmunds Porsche doesn’t have its own charging features such as heated seats and adaptive dates along the way have kept the rest of has found in its own range testing that Tes- network, but it’s working with third-party cruise control are optional extras. The top- the automotive industry in catch-up mode. la’s EPA numbers are typically a little too companies to greatly increase the number level Turbo S starts at more than $185,000 Only recently has a model come out to ri- optimistic, this is still among the longest of charging stations nationwide. and still doesn’t match a base Tesla’s fea- val the Model S: the Porsche Taycan. distances you’ll get from an EV. Access to Winner: Model S tures. Build quality in the Taycan is of a The Taycan isn’t as revolutionary, but it Tesla’s proprietary network of nationwide PRICING AND VALUE higher standard, and you can do a lot more to customize a Taycan with special colors and interior materials. But it’s not enough to sway this category in Porsche’s favor. Winner: Model S INTERIOR AND UTILITY The Model S’ interior is clean and simple, with a nearly buttonless design that puts most major controls — including those for the climate control and audio LONG-LEWIS FORD system — in the massive center-mounted touchscreen. Further back there’s a hatch- of Hoover back liftgate that reveals a sizable cargo area. There’s a decent amount of room for Alabama’s Oldest Ford Dealer rear passengers too. Like the Model S, many of the Taycan’s features are controlled through a touchscreen. But Porsche fortifies them with Alabama’s most qualiﬁ ed Ford Power Stroke Parts traditional stalks, knobs and buttons for

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features such as the cruise control, windshield wipers and lighting. It’s a more familiar and easier-to-use experience. Rear passenger and cargo space are more limited compared to the Model S, but overall the Taycan is a nicer vehicle to spend time in. Winner: Taycan TECHNOLOGY Tesla’s driver aids are some of the best in the business. Activating some of these features isn’t very straightforward, but they work well in practice. There are other neat features such as the ability to play video games on the touchscreen, which is fun to do while you’re parked and charging the car. You can also sync your Spotify account directly to the car, though Tesla only offers Bluetooth smartphone connection. You won’t find any whimsical video games or fart-like noise generators in a Taycan — that would be so un-Porsche- like — but you do get a more sensible col- Hoover, Ala. • 877-234-5664 • 205-989-3000 • [email protected] lection of tech. The Taycan’s driver aids Monday thru Friday 7 am to 5:30 pm; Saturday 8 am to 2 pm function smoothly and easily. You also get Apple CarPlay, which is a smartphone April 2021 AutoGraph’s Automotive Report 27

connection that lets you control apps on wind and road noise on the highway, and your phone through Porsche’s touch- its ride is smoother. screen. It’s not available on the Model S. Winner: Taycan Winner: tie EDMUNDS SAYS: Volkswageng DRIVING EXPERIENCE These two luxury EVs are very closely Maximum acceleration is lightning matched. The Tesla Model S offers more quick with both of these luxury sedans. range and features for less money, while The Taycan, though, does a better job of the Porsche Taycan counters with more of Clarksville giving you a feel of the road when going refinement and driver engagement. From around turns. In general, it’s more nimble Edmunds’ standpoint, the Taycan squeaks and athletic. It also has slight advantages out a slight win here. (AP) • for cruising. It’s a little quieter, with less ... Autoworkers wary of future

Continued from page 17 just don’t see that level of investment hav- gine. ing taken place unless they have a longer Jarvis said the plant is a major step in term plan for where those engine, trans- ensuring work continues on in Kokomo, mission assemblies will be going.” and laying a good foundation for future Jarvis said transitioning to EV technol- EV technology to potentially come to the ogy was a big topic of discussion during city. contract negotiations in 2019 with FCA, “The engine plant is going to help us and it’s sure to be an even bigger issue DAILY DELIVERIES TO INDIANAPOLIS, CINCINNATI, EVANSVILLE & LEXINGTON a lot,” he said. “It diversifies our work- when negotiations start up with Stellantis. force, which has traditionally been known He said that although it’s unclear now to make transmissions.” how the eventual move to more EV and Parts Direct: IUK’s Krabbenhoft said with the com- hybrid vehicles will affect the local trans- pany investing $400 million to convert mission plants, his message to the com- (812) 218-5281 the former Indiana Transmission Plant II pany is straightforward. Fax: (812) 280-6391 into the new Kokomo Engine Plant, he “We’re open to making anything that’s doesn’t see Stellantis making a hard pivot related to electric vehicles or autonomous www.volkswagenofclarksville.com to all-electric cars in the foreseeable fu- vehicles,” he said. “We’ll make batteries, 406 E. Lewis & Clark Parkway Clarksville, IN 47129 ture. we’ll build motors, we’ll do any kind of “That engine plant is designed to de- work that we can. We’ve got a capable velop a seamless one-unit piece together workforce, and employees willing to with the transmissions that are coming make anything thrown at us to make a out of the transmission plant,” he said. “I quality product.” (AP) •

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... common cause of trouble codes

Continued from page 1 brown wire in circuit LH108. Eric hooked up his trusty scan tool. The With some prompting, Eric was led to following codes displayed on the well- unplug one of the affected sensors and worn scan tool screen: check for 5-volt VREF KOEO. The Air —P0237: Turbocharger/Supercharger Conditioning Pressure Transducer (Figure Boost Sensor A Circuit Low 3) is on the firewall and easy to access, —P018C: Fuel Pressure Sensor B Cir- so Eric unplugged it, turned the ignition cuit Low ON and grabbed his trusty voltmeter and —P0532: A/C Refrigerant Pressure Sen- checked for 5-volts at the gray/brown wire. sor A Circuit Low And there was…nothing. —P06A7: Sensor Reference Voltage B With further encouragement, Eric Circuit Range/Performance unplugged the remaining sensors on that Eric cleared the codes, and they came circuit. He located the Turbocharger Boost back while Key On – Engine OFF (KOEO). Pressure (TCBP) sensor and unplugged it. There were additional codes present that Still no VREF. Although his hope of diag- would disappear when cleared, and would nosing this Escape was crumbling, Eric not come back until the engine was run- pressed on to the Fuel Rail Pressure (FRP) ning for a while. Eric chose to ignore those sensor (Figure 4). flaky codes and focus on the four main As he unplugged the FRP sensor, the codes, all of which related to issues with sensor end crumbled, a likely victim of a Figure 3 circuit voltages being lower than the PCM misplaced engine hoist chain. With the expected. sensor unplugged, VREF returned to the

Figure 1

The P06A7 caught his eye, and he found a code description (Figure 1). affected sensors. A quick trip to the parts A defective sensor could short the 5-volt store for a new FRP, replacement using the reference (VREF) circuit to ground and OE-approved steps (don’t forget to relieve create this code but so could damaged wir- the fuel system pressure), and a clearing ing. He now had a sense of direction in his of the codes followed by a test drive soon diagnosis. verified that this troublesome rig was now Perhaps it was time to see which circuits trouble-free. • the affected sensors shared? The diagrams (Figure 2) show that the yellow wire with David Bry is a senior technical writer for a green stripe feeds the VREF to several ALLDATA. sensors via circuit LE424 and via the gray/ Figure 4

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BMW ramping up move into electric cars

By David McHugh chief of development Frank Weber said during the news conference that the mar- FRANKFURT, Germany — German ket would decide when the shift to new automaker BMW said last month it intends technology would happen. to speed the rollout of new electric cars, While government regulation is forcing vowing to bring battery-powered models automakers to sell more electrics in the to 50% of global sales by 2030. The com- European Union and in China, the adop- pany underlined the point by unveiling a tion has been slower in the United States. new all-electric model three months ahead BMW expects parts of the U.S. to con- of plan. tinue favoring larger internal combustion BMW declined however to follow vehicles for some time. THE LARGEST WHOLESALE PARTS General Motors and other automakers in The European Union is requiring auto- saying it would completely phase out in- makers to meet lower limits on average ternal combustion cars by a specific date. emissions of carbon dioxide, the chief DEALER IN MISSISSIPPI! Instead, the Munich-based carmaker said greenhouse gas blamed by scientists for it would adjust production among battery, global warming. The new lower limit of hybrid and efficient internal combustion 95 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer Overnight Service to Mississippi and engines as different parts of the world took effect at the start of the year. adopt cars that produce zero emissions at Since battery-only cars are rated at zero different speeds. emissions, automakers have turned to Central Louisiana when order in by 4:00pm. CEO Oliver Zipse said during the com- them to bring down their fleet averages. pany’s annual news conference that elec- That led to a surge in electric sales at the Power Stroke Diesel Engines & Components! trification was proceeding at a “higher end of 2020; in December, nearly one in speed.” He said BMW would sell its mil- four cars sold in Europe was either battery lionth electrified vehicle this year and sell only or a plug-in hybrid. Hybrids combine 60,000 Genuine Ford Parts in Stock! another million by 2025. internal combustion engines with battery Zipse said the company was working on propulsion. a new, all-electric framework for its range BMW also held out the possibility of of electric cars coming from 2025. building cars using hydrogen fuel cells in- BMW used the occasion to reveal the stead of batteries. production version of the i4, a battery- BMW also indicated it was not going to powered vehicle with four doors and slop- follow competitor Volkswagen in building ing roofline dubbed a “gran coupe” by the a network of battery factories but instead company. The car will join three existing intends to work closely with partners to electrics - the i3, Mini SE and iX3 sport supply the batteries it needs. utility - and a fifth, the iX, also is expected Battery production currently is domi- to come out this year. nated by a half-dozen large Asian produc- Zipse cautioned that the speed of adop- ers. European officials are trying to pro- tion would “depend on the availability of mote local production with subsidies and charging infrastructure,” and he called incentives. for faster progress in rolling out places to Volkswagen said it would build a net- charge in Europe. work of six large battery factories in GM has said it plans to phase out gaso- Europe, building on its existing two facili- line and diesel vehicles by 2035. BMW ties in Germany and Sweden. (AP) •

Ford Fusion A/C blowing hot air By David Bry

A 2014 Ford Fusion (FWD, L4-1.5L the compressor, the system would engage Turbo) with 78,950 miles was brought to and operate as designed. A call was then the shop because the A/C was blowing made to ALLDATA Tech-Assist. hot air from all vents. The consultant advised using the scan Parts Direct: (601) 956-7008 The system was evacuated and tool to review A/C-related temperature recharged just to confirm the refriger- and pressure sensors to verify that they ant level was at specification (20 oz.). all reported accurately and rationally to The technician attempted to command each other. He further suggested check- Toll Free: (800) 898-3673 the A/C compressor ON with a scan ing to see if the PCM was denying any tool, but it would not engage. When he A/C requests. scanned for diagnostic trouble codes The tech inspected the A/C temperature (DTCs), he found DTC P0073 – ambi- and pressure sensors as advised. He found Fax: (601) 952-2821 ent air temperature (AAT) sensor circuit that the A/C pressure transducer reported high. only 4 psi in all conditions. Using the He followed the Ford diagnostic Pin- wiring diagrams as a guide (Figure 5), point Test “FA” in ALLDATA and deter- he verified that the circuit integrity was mined that the AAT sensor was faulty good and the PCM was not at fault. (reporting -40°F). He replaced the AAT The tech replaced the A/C pressure sensor and cleared the DTC. transducer and cleared the DTC. After At that point, there were no codes, the repairs, the A/C operated as designed but the A/C compressor still would not and the DTC did not return. engage. If power was applied directly to www.machaikfordjackson.com 30 AutoGraphic’s Automotive Report April 2021 Racing Notes Todd win Gatornationals to Column: Love him or hate him, end streak, spoil Force’s return Gragson has NASCAR talking

By Mark Long ting our butts kicked by them last year, By Jenna Fryer the year, not just on 33 Saturdays,“ said but 2021 is a new year,” Todd said. “It’s a Mattes, who noted that kind of effort often GAINESVILLE, Fla. — J.R. Todd’s good way to start off the season with a win CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Oh, Noah overshadows the controversies Gragson victory at the season-opening Gatorna- in one of the biggest races of the year.” Gragson, what have you done now? can’t seem to avoid. tionals ended the NHRA’s longest win- Todd raised some eyebrows by saying, Nothing, according to NASCAR, which “They like the fire in the belly, they like ning streak by one juggernaut and spoiled “winning this year, there won’t be an as- went with a no-call by not penalizing the competitiveness,” said Mattes. “They the much-hyped return of another. terisk.” Gragson for backing into Daniel Hemric’s like him. And they like him because Todd beat Robert Hight in the Funny “I’m not knocking the competition, by car on pit road at Atlanta Motor Speedway there’s 365 days that he goes to work Car finale Sunday, March 14 at Gaines- any means, because DSR cleaned house last month. Nobody was fined, either, for and its the sum of the above. It’s not the ville Raceway, crossing the finish line first last year,” he said. “But we didn’t get the post-race scuffle after that led to Grag- guy who backed up on pit road, or who after both drivers had trouble getting trac- to run a full schedule and the Force cars son throwing punches at another driver for was right or who was wrong. Those are tion on a hot and slippery track. Hight was weren’t out there. the second time in eight months. incidents. When you build your business looking to give John Force Racing a dra- “Everybody out there in Funny Car is This latest dustup should be seen model around 33 Saturdays, you’ve got a matic return to the drag-racing series after tough, but in my opinion, Robert Hight through an impartial lens — impossible to losing business model.” the team sat out most of last year because is the best driver in the category and that do for those who already dislike Gragson Mattes acknowledged the No. 9 car is a of the coronavirus pandemic. team sets the benchmark for the rest of us. and believe the 22-year-old driver doesn’t “co-funded model” in which family mon- But it was Todd celebrating with a Wally When they’re out here competing and you deserve his job. ey is contributed, but said a large percent- Trophy in one hand and a bottle of cham- beat them in a final round, you feel like, Not even Gragson himself would deny age of seats in both the Xfinity and Truck pagne in the other. Todd cracked open a you’re like, ’Ah, that’s something.”’ he’s been disruptive. That Saturday show- Series are structured in which the driver can of beer in his pit stall as he reflected It was Todd’s 10th win in Funny Car, down with Hemric was his second head- brings funding. But is Gragson a straight on one of the big- becoming just the line-making mess in a season only five ride-buyer? gest wins of his ca- “Everybody out there in 18th driver to reach weeks old. “That perception is 100% incorrect,” double digits in “My job is to get people talking about Mattes said. reer at a track where Funny Car is tough, but in longtime friend the class. This one me. And it’s going good right now,” a re- JRM last year attempted an intervention Eric Medlen died in my opinion, Robert Hight is looked a lot like his calcitrant Gragson said earlier last month of sorts with Gragson, and team co-owner 2007. Todd already the best driver in the category first one in 2017, when NASCAR was choosing sides i n Dale Earnhardt Jr. told him he was too had notched wins at and that team sets the bench- when he won a spin- a war of words between the fully-funded aggressive and needed to reign it in a bit. three of the NHRA’s fest in Sonoma, Cal- driver and a team with almost no funding Gragson tried and ultimately found it was four majors: the mark for the rest of us. When ifornia. at all. a terrible fit: “I finally got into the playoffs U.S. Nationals, the they’re out here competing “I thought for It’s not wrong to accuse him of arro- and I’m like, ’Screw that, I’m going to go Winternationals and and you beat them in a final sure he was going gance when he so defiantly defends his out there and race as hard as I can and be the NHRA Finals. to be driving away position. Gragson did it again at Atlanta comfortable with myself.”’ “Being able to round, you feel like, you’re from me,” Todd when Hemric bum-rushed him during a A wave of driver retirements has win all the majors like, ’Ah, that’s something.”’ said. “I never seen post-race interview to settle the earlier pit stripped NASCAR of its star power and that are left on the him. Just kind of road collision. the sport absolutely needs all the conver- schedule, that’s pretty special,” Todd said. rolled back into the throttle and went all Instead of a diplomatic approach after sation starters it can get. Gragson checks By the time Todd and his Kalitta Mo- the way down with it and turned on the the two had been separated, Gragson in- that box nearly every time he races and torsports team made the Funny Car fi- win light. Pretty special to do here in stead doubled-down: “I’d be mad if I was throttling him — because you don’t like nale, Don Schumacher Racing already Gainesville.” in his shoes, too, just based off what he’s him, because you think he’s mouthy, be- had started packing up for the day. The Josh Hart, who lives in nearby Ocala, done in his career,” he said of Hemric, cause he comes from money — will only powerhouse team had won 14 consecutive was the surprise winner in Top Fuel. The who is winless in 181 races at NASCAR’s rob NASCAR of a colorful personality events in Funny Car, the longest streak in owner/driver beat Shawn Langdon to win national level. when it needs one. NHRA history. his first national series event. Greg Ander- Nobody seemed to mind when three- Chase Elliott, the reigning Cup Series Schumacher was forced to cut his four- son won the pro stock class on his 60th time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart champion and NASCAR’s three-time car team in half this season, parting ways birthday, and Matt Smith won the pro- bulldozed his way through the sport both most popular driver, recognizes the tight- with Tommy Johnson Jr. and 2012 cham- stock motorcycle division. on and off the track. Smoke was beloved rope Gragson is on. pion Jack Beckman because of sponsor- Hart had been scheduled to make his for his sharp tongue, for never backing “If we weren’t in a business that re- ship issues. Defending champion Matt Top Fuel debut last year with Bob Vander- down, for knocking down anyone who quired corporate sponsors, I would say Hagan and No. 1 qualifier Ron Capps griff Racing. But after the pandemic, Van- stood in his way of a victory. headlines are good no matter how you get were left to try to extend the streak. Bob dergriff and Hart decided it would be best Gragson hasn’t earned that same af- them,” Elliott said. “The flip side of that is Tasca knocked out both in the elimination for Hart to own his own team. fection or put up Stewart-like results. In we do need corporate sponsors and we do rounds, essentially clearing the way for “Obviously, it’s not always going to be two seasons in the Truck Series and two have to be buttoned-up for them. But, hey, Todd. this easy,” Hart said. (AP) • seasons driving for JR Motorsports in the maybe the right sponsor likes that.” “We were definitely getting tired of get- Xfinity Series, Gragson has four com- There’s not a NASCAR driver in the bined victories. field who fails to acknowledge his spon- But the lack of results doesn’t seem sors, and that’s one area Gragson gets to be the problem here. The bullseye on right every time. Anything he does at the Gragson seems to stem from his back- track earns him television time, and he Call us for all ground — he comes from a wealthy Las flawlessly directs viewers to the nearest 31 S. Alabama Ave. Monroeville Alabama 36460 your Genuine Vegas family that undeniably helped fund Bass Pro Shops every single time. his path to a top-level seat. “You have to deliver to the partners. GM parts! Only here’s where the narrative needs You can’t just drive anymore,” Mattes to be corrected. Now in his third season said. “Win on Sunday and sell on Mon- A professional staff with years of parts with JRM, Gragson is no longer cruising day? Compete at a very high level on Fri- on family money. JRM has sold all 33 rac- day or Saturday? Sure. But sell January experience plus daily local delivery. Call es on the 2021 schedule to three different One through December 31. These kids Lee Motor Co. today. companies: Bass Pro Shops, TrueTimber today got to be extremely competitive but and Black Rifle Coffee are funding Grag- they better be selling 365 days a year or (800) 239-2898 son’s season and the driver does every- they are not making it. They will not make thing his sponsors ask of him. it. Fax: (251)575-7916 . www.leemotorcompany.com Joe Mattes, vice president of licensing “And they have to have personality. and marketing at JRM, finds Gragson to They can’t be vanilla ice cream. He’s a be one of the most amenable drivers to handful, he’s absolutely a handful, but sponsor requests he’s ever worked with. he’s worth the energy and effort.” (AP) • Gragson puts the work in “365 days of April 2021 AutoGraph’s Automotive Report 31

Roger Penske bullish on Other racing notes addressed recently By AP Wire Service large crowd for Indy 500 CONTRACTS THE DAYTONA 500 DISASTER Brad Keselowski in NASCAR and Team Penske was in position to win By Jenna Fryer a day were allowed onto the sprawling Will Power and Simon Pagenaud from the Daytona 500 in February with Kes- grounds for a late-season IndyCar event. IndyCar are all in contract years, but elowski and Joey Logano running 1-2 on A fully vaccinated Roger Penske is hard Penske noted that the positivity rate Penske said early talks on extensions the final lap. Logano attempted to block at work at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for COVID-19 for Marion County, where have started. All three have won series Keselowski’s pass for the win and it trig- preparing for a full season of racing that Indianapolis Motor Speedway is located, championships for Penske, and Power gered a multicar crash that also collected will include spectators at his showcase was 3.1%. The NCAA Tournament was and Pagenaud are both Indy 500 win- Austin Cindric in a third Penske car. event. being played in Indianapolis and sur- ners. He said he’s had conversations with There will be fans at this year’s In- rounding areas, and Penske said he be- “We’re in discussion with all of all the Penske drivers and a plan will dianapolis 500, Penske said recently, but lieves the Kentucky Derby — about 120 them,” Penske said. “With COVID we be made before the series races at Talla- how many remains a moving target based miles away — will cap attendance at 50% haven’t been able to get together, but dega Superspeedway, which has similar on COVID-19 restrictions. More than capacity. we’ve had conversations with Brad conditions to Daytona. “I’m going to 170,000 tickets already have been sold for The speedway has hosted vaccination before. I think we’re moving in the sit down with them face-to-face, all of the May 30 race, he said. events that Penske, 84 and inoculated — right direction. There’s no reason we them, before Talladega so we’re all run- His first Indy 500 as owner of the his- “I hit the top age bracket, so that’s one wouldn’t renew, for sure.” ning on the same page,” he said. “I think toric property was held in front of empty time the age worked out,” he joked — be- ATTENDING RACES we just have to make an agreement on grandstands last year. lieves will bolster attendance options for NASCAR did not permit team own- just exactly how you want to play ball “We’re not making any predictions at all the Indy 500. ers to enter the garage because of the if you get into that same situation as we because anything I would say today could “We did 16,000 in three days and we’re pandemic, so if they attended, they had had with two of us running as well as we be completely wrong,” Penske said. “Our getting ready to do a mass vaccination in to watch from a suite on the other side had with a half-mile to go, and then end goal is to have 250,000. I mean, that’s April,” he said. “We haven’t worked out of the track. IndyCar did grant access up with three cars in the trash bucket.“ what we want to have. It’s outside. We’ve the details yet with the state, but we think last year, and NASCAR this season has TV CONTRACT got the biggest stadium in the world here there’s an opportunity to make a big im- opened one roster spot inside its bubble The IndyCar television contract with for each team. Penske said he attended NBC expires at the end of this season the Daytona 500 and the race at Las Ve- and the network is doing away with its There will be fans at this year’s Indianapo- gas but has yet to enter the garage. NBC Sports channel that hosts much of “In both cases I either had to make the series’s content. lis 500, Penske said recently, but how many the decision to be down in the garage on NBC said recently it was moving remains a moving target based on COV- the box, or be up in the suite, where we some of its NASCAR content to its Pea- had some of our sponsors, so I elected cock streaming service, but Penske ac- ID-19 restrictions. More than 170,000 tick- to do that,” he said. “Maybe I’ve been knowledged he’s “not really an expert” ets already have been sold for the May 30 in the wrong bubble, but that’s been my on streaming options. He wouldn’t dis- status so far for the first six races.” cuss where IndyCar could land in 2022. race, he said. (AP) • and it’s a matter of where we’re going to pact here, where we could give back to the be with the CDC and the governor and the community. mayor, so I don’t have any number that I’d “With the size of our facility and what want to hang my hat on.” we were able to accomplish just in three Indianapolis Motor Speedway boasts days, we think we can really help this about 250,000 permanent seats with addi- whole area here — the city of Indianapolis tional space in suites, hospitality areas and and the surrounding counties.” an infield that all combined can accom- Penske also believes IndyCar will have modate at least 400,000 spectators on race spectators at all 17 races on its calendar. GET REAL day. Penske spent $15 million on upgrades There have been slight schedule chang- to IMS after closing on his $300 million es already, with the Grand Prix of Long purchase of the property in January 2020, Beach moving from April to September two months before the pandemic upended because of restrictions in California, and his debut as owner. the season opens April 18 at Barber Mo- The 500 was pushed from its traditional torsports Park in Birmingham, Ala.. Bar- ® Memorial Day weekend date to August ber, St. Pete and Texas Motor Speedway, GET MOPAR and limited to competitors only. Penske the first three events on the schedule, all wasn’t able to open the gates to his show- have tickets for sale. (AP) • AUTHENTIC MOPAR PARTS place until October, when 10,000 fans

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NASCAR’s Stewart engaged to drag racer Pruett LAKE HAVASU CITY, Ariz. — NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Tony Stewart is en- JRG youngsters shine, validate gaged to Leah Pruett, the drag racer he began dating at the start of the pandemic. The pair announced their engagement in social media posts. Toyota’s development program “So excited to spend the rest of my life with a truly amazing woman,” wrote Stewart. “She’s motivated, hard working, funny as hell, and as dedicated to her sport as anyone By Jenna Fryer I’ve ever known. Love you babe.” ing Gibbs cars again. He’d won 16 Xfinity The pair was introduced by NHRA giant Don Prudhomme but did not begin dating Series races in JGR cars, but after strug- until last March when sports shutdown at the start of the pandemic. Pruett invited Stew- CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Two races into gling through his first Cup season, even art to stay in Lake Havasu in Arizona for four days with friends and Stewart ended up his return to Joe Gibbs Racing, Christo- crew chief Adam Stevens figured it would staying for four months. pher Bell already has both a Cup Series take time to get Bell to victory lane. The two then traveled together when their respective racing schedules resumed. victory and, more important, some of his “Me and Adam talked a lot this offsea- Stewart, who turns 50 in May, retired from NASCAR after the 2016 season. He still confidence back. son about not trying to get too much too competes in various lower-level series across the country. Bell plodded through a rocky rookie early and not trying too hard too early,“ Pruett, 32, also shared the news in a corresponding Instagram post. The pair was season last year while on loan to another Bell said. “I would ask Adam, ‘Why can’t photographed for the announcement at a car show in downtown Havasu. team. JGR didn’t have an open Cup car for we win at the second race of the season at “The undeniable level of love, happiness, and soulfulness we have together is monu- the longtime Toyota development driver, the Daytona road course? That race was a mental,” Pruett wrote. “He might run in circles, but is the straightest shooter and the salt so Bell was moved outside the organiza- great race for me last year. Why can’t we of this earth... looking forward to a lifetime of sunrises and sunsets that the Lord has tion to log seat time. win that?’ gifted us together. Love you babe!” His time with Leavine Family Racing “His reply was ‘There is no reason that Stewart has never been married; Pruett was divorced last year. (AP) • — a team that closed at the end of last sea- we can’t, we just don’t need to push our son — was one of the worst of his young issue too hard and make a mistake.”’ career. Bell had won at every level of his The sweep showed that JGR, already climb to Cup but had only two top-five among the best teams in NASCAR, is finishes with Leavine. well positioned for the future. The four- Team owner Joe Gibbs let Erik Jones car Cup team features series champions go and instead brought Bell back into the Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr., as well organization, where Bell knew “I’m either as three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny going to put up or shut up.” He delivered Hamlin. in February in his second Cup race with “The more competitive cars that we can the team with a victory on the road course have in the Toyota stable, the more infor- at Daytona International Speedway. mation that we can share,” Hamlin said. AT DOMINION “It’s been really fun to be relevant The sweep was also validation for the again,” Bell said. “I felt like I’d fallen off development program Toyota has nur- SPECIALIZING IN MECHANICAL REPAIR PARTS the face of the earth the last 12 months.” tured. Bell’s victory came a day after Ty Bell has been backed by the manufac- Gibbs, the 18-year-old grandson of the turer since his days running dirt races team owner, scored an Xfinity Series vic- a decade ago. He won the Truck Series tory in his first career NASCAR national championship in 2017 and raced in the series start. championship round for the Xfinity title in The weekend sweep by two of JGR’s 2018 and 2019. youngest drivers was somewhat of a The Cup win at Daytona made Bell the surprise. Although Ty Gibbs won eight “first development driver that came all ARCA Series races the last two years, it the way from dirt to winning at the high- wasn’t a true indicator of his talent. Any est level of North American motorsports,” driver in superior Gibbs equipment should said David Wilson, president of Toyota contend for wins. Racing Development. JGR moved Gibbs up two levels for a Both Jones and Daniel Suarez advanced crack at the Xfinity Series and Daytona’s through Toyota’s program to the Cup road course race was supposed to be a Series, Harrison Burton is an Xfinity Se- Use Genuine Subaru Parts because they meet good place to get a feel for a more pow- ries contender with Gibbs, and Christian erful car. He’d never before performed a Eckes and Chandler Smith compete in the tested safety requirements and match Subaru’s live pit stop and there was no practice or Truck Series. proven performance standards. The type of replace- qualifying before the race. Now Ty Gibbs appears to be fast-tracked Even so, Gibbs was fearless. He pow- to the big leagues and Wilson couldn’t be ment parts used to repair your customer’s vehicle ered his Toyota through the grass, around prouder of the effort Toyota has put be- the competition and past reigning Xfinity hind drivers. can make a difference in how it performs after your Series champion Austin Cindric to score “Christopher Bell’s win on Sunday, for repair. Unlike aftermarket alternatives, Genuine the win. me, justifies every dollar we’ve spent,” Two days after the victory, JGR an- Wilson said. “Every hour we’ve spent. All Subaru Parts are identical to the ones originally nounced an additional 14 Xfinity races for the blood, sweat, and tears. You find one installed on that vehicle from the factory. Gibbs this season. Hope Diamond, and all the hours of min- Bell was expected to be improved driving make it worthwhile.” (AP) • Email: [email protected] Bourdais wins in Twelve Hours of Sebring Website: www.npsubarudominion.com/parts/ SEBRING, Fla. — Sebastien Bourdais grabbed the lead on a restart with 19 minutes remaining in the Twelve Hours of Sebring then held off a furious challenge from the defending winner Saturday night, Mar. 20 to give JDC-Miller Motorsports the victory Parts (210) 816-9000 - (888) 708-9401 in the IMSA sports car endurance event. Bourdais was missing the rear wing on his Cadillac DPi when he crossed the finish line 1.435 seconds ahead of Harry Tincknell in the Multimatic Motorsports entry. We deliver the entire Hill Country Area! Tincknell was part of the winning Mazda team last year at Sebring, which was run in November instead of its traditional March date because of the pandemic. Kamui Kobayashi crossed the finish line third in the No. 48 Cadillac for Action Ex- press Racing but the team was dropped to the back of the DPi class because of a drive- time infraction. That moved Dane Cameron and Meyer Shank Racing onto the podium. Bourdais was part of an all-French driver lineup that included Tristan Vautier and Loic Duval that gave the team its first win since 2018. Bourdais and Duval are two-time winners at Sebring, while Vautier won for the first time. (AP) • April 2021 AutoGraph’s Automotive Report 33

Red. Soon afterward, the road race became ‘Meyers Manx’ dune buggy He and his friends had fallen in love with officially known as the Mexican 1,000 surfing the more rugged and less crowded — since renamed the Baja 1.000 — and beaches of Mexico’s Baja California and when a Meyers-built dune buggy won that creator dead at 94 they figured a Meyers Manx would be per- one too the orders poured in. fect for driving over and around the area’s In all, B.F. Meyers & Co., built more By John Rogers Growing up near such popular Southern sand dunes. than 6,000 Meyers Manx dune buggies. California surfing spots as Newport, Her- “All I wanted to do was go surfing in Although he trademarked the design, it LOS ANGELES — Bruce Meyers was mosa and Manhattan beaches, it was wave Baja when I built the dang thing,” he told was easy to borrow from it, and deep- hanging out at Pismo Beach on Califor- riding, not cars, that initially captivated broadcaster Huell Howser when he took pocketed competitors sold more than nia’s Central Coast one afternoon in 1963 Meyers, who liked to refer to himself as the host of Public Television’s California 250,000 copycats. when he saw something that both blew his an original beach bum. Gold program for a spin in Old Red in The Historic Vehicle Association says mind and changed his life: a handful of He dropped out of high school and 2001. the Meyers Manx is the most replicated old, stripped-down cars bouncing across enlisted in the Navy and was aboard the Those first dozen cars were built with- car in history. the sand. Bunker Hill when it was attacked near out chassis, which hold in place the axels, Fed up with losing control of his inven- It sure would be fun to get behind the Okinawa, Japan, on May 11, 1945. As fire suspension and other key parts of a vehi- tion, Meyers closed his company in 1971 wheel of one of those, Meyers thought, if raged aboard the ship, he jumped over- cle’s undercarriage. Not having one made and went on to other things. At one point, only they weren’t so ugly and didn’t ap- board, at one point handed his life pre- the car lighter but illegal to drive on public his wife said, he sailed to Tahiti with a pear so uncomfortable. He built his own server to someone who needed it more, roads. wealthy sponsor and built and ran a trad- solution: a “dune buggy“ ing post. fashioned out of lightweight He and his wife re- fiberglass mounted on four established the car business in oversized tires with two bug- 1999, by which time there were eyed looking headlights and dune buggy clubs all over the a blindingly bright paint job. world. They sold the business The result would become to a venture capital firm last both an overnight automo- year. tive sensation and one of the Asked over the years talismans of California surf what it was about the dune bug- culture, especially when he gy that so captivated the pub- created a space in the back lic, Meyers said several things to accommodate a surfboard. played into its success. He called the vehicle the One was the cars’ bright Meyers Manx and it turned colors and big tires, which gave the friendly, soft-spoken them almost a cartoonish look. Meyers into a revered fig- Another was the flat surface of ure among off-roaders, surf- the fenders, which were a per- ers and car enthusiasts of all fect place to put a beer. There types. was also the spot in the back Meyers died Feb. 19 at his designed for a surfboard. San Diego-area home, his That, he and others not- wife, Winnie Meyers, told ed, captivated people at a time when California surf culture The Associated Press that Photo courtesy of the B F Meyers collection. day. He was 94. was being glorified in movies Meyers built thousands of and song. dune buggies in his lifetime but he did far and helped rescue others. Meyers began adding chassis to his The car, with Elvis Presley at the wheel, more. He designed boats and surfboards, Later, his wife said, he returned to the models and created kits that people could is featured in the opening credits to the worked as a commercial artist and a life- ship and helped remove the bodies of the initially buy for $985 and build their own 1968 film “Live a Little, Love a Little.” guard, traveled the world surfing and sail- nearly 400 sailors killed. cars. To this day, children still play with Meyers ing, built a trading post in Tahiti and even After the war he served in the Merchant What really caused sales to take off, Manx Hot Wheels. survived a World War II Japanese kami- Marine and attended the Chouinard Art though, was when Meyers and friends As Road and Track Magazine stated in kaze attack on his Navy aircraft carrier the Institute, now part of the California Insti- took Old Red to Mexico in 1967 and won 1976: “The Manx has to rank as one of the USS Bunker Hill. tute of the Arts. a 1,000-mile (1,609-kilometer) off-road most significant and influential cars of all “He had a life that nobody else has ever He also designed and built boats, learn- race that took drivers through steep gul- time. It started more fads, attracted more lived,” his wife said with a chuckle. ing to shape lightweight but sturdy fiber- lies, across soft sand and past other ob- imitators . and was recognized as a genu- Bruce Franklin Meyers was born March glass. That experience gave him skills he stacles. Old Red won in record time, shat- ine sculpture, a piece of art.” 12, 1926, in Los Angeles, the son of a would put to use in building the first dune tering the previous mark by more than five In addition to his wife, Meyers is sur- businessman and mechanic who set up au- buggies. He built his first 12 mainly for hours. vived by a daughter, Julie Meyers of Colo- tomobile dealerships for his friend Henry himself and friends, and decades later was “Almost overnight we had 350 orders,” rado. Two children, Georgia and Tim, pre- Ford. still driving No. 1, which he named Old Meyers told The New York Times in 2007. ceded him in death. (AP) • Gallatin Your NEWEST Genuine HONDA Parts Source Collision / Mechanical Honda Parts Contact Our Dedicated Wholesale Staff at 615-461-2016 - Fax 615-461-2010 2109 Nashville Pike, Gallatin, TN 37066 Patrick Murphy, Parts Director [email protected] Hours Mon. to Fri. 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM - Sat. 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM Keep It All Honda All The Time. 34 AutoGraphic’s Automotive Report April 2021

... Escalade, Navigator and Mercedes New Army vehicle to carry GLS Continued from page 13 ventilated front seats, four-zone climate infantry being tested wood and aluminum trim. But compared control, eight USB ports, a stellar voice with the best of the best, the Escalade command system and numerous safety By AP Wire Service their missions, said Steven Herrick, the falls short. Its seats lack plushness, and aids. Army’s product lead for ground mobility the ride is more bumpy over differing Winner: Mercedes-Benz GLS YUMA, Ariz. — A new vehicle that the vehicles within the Program Executive road surfaces. There’s no question the Es- VALUE U.S. Army is acquiring to provide infantry Office Combat Support and Combat Ser- calade is comfortable, but the competition The main draws for the Escalade are soldiers with battlefield mobility is be- vice Support. is palatial and plush. its signature styling and forceful V8 en- ing tested in the Yuma Proving Ground’s “It has always been coined as a bet- Lincoln makes the Navigator impres- gine. There are also expansive dashboard harsh desert terrain in southwestern Ari- ter boot,” Herrick said. “It is a mode of sively easy to use: The doors open wide screens that lend the Escalade some cut- zona. transportation that effectively changes the and deployable running boards come ting-edge flair. However, the SUV is ham- Largely based on a midsize Chevrolet game on how soldiers deploy and get to standard. It is also well appointed, al- pered by costly options and some subpar pickup, the Infantry Squad Vehicle is in- their objectives.” though there are a number of blind spots. cabin materials. tended to carry an infantry squad’s nine The unarmored vehicle will be light The GLS has no such issues. It’s easier The Navigator lacks the modern interior soldiers and their equipment, the Yuma enough to be sling loaded under a UH-60 to see out of, and the materials inside look of the Escalade but otherwise more Sun reported. Blackhawk helicopter and small enough are second to none. The GLS has excep- fully delivers on value with more standard Testing began in early February with to fit inside a CH-47 Chinook helicopter. tional ride quality, and an optional road- features. More importantly, the Naviga- a goal of finishing by April, said Isaac A cargo plane could also deliver the ve- scanning adaptive suspension elevates the tor’s upscale materials feel more inher- Rodriguez, team leader for the proving hicle with a low-altitude airdrop. class to new heights. ently worthy of the price tag. As for the ground’s combat automotive division. A Pentagon assessment said the ve- Winner: Mercedes-Benz GLS Mercedes GLS, its base version is priced “Before the soldier ever touches the vehicle will provide infantry soldiers with FEATURES similarly to the Escalade and Navigator, hicle, we want to make sure that it is safe valuable off-road mobility and “to be The Escalade offers a veritable buffet but the V8-powered trim levels are down- of features. Heated front and second- right princely. The GLS delivers, but val- row seats are standard, and the highlight ue isn’t its calling card. is Super Cruise, an optional hands-free Winner: Lincoln Navigator The Army plans to furnish the vehicles to driving aid that works exceptionally well. EDMUNDS SAYS However, we’re somewhat disappointed We expect a lot from large luxury infantry brigade combat teams that now that most features are sold a la carte. For SUVs, and the new Cadillac Escalade don’t have vehicles for transporting their instance, adaptive cruise control isn’t meets our expectations. Unfortunately, it frontline foot soldiers. standard even on the Escalade’s midlevel doesn’t exceed them, making the Lincoln trims. Navigator a smarter choice for the money. The Navigator comes with more stan- But at the top of this comparison is the dard safety equipment, including blind- Mercedes-Benz GLS. It may not deliver for them to use,” Rodriguez told the Yuma less predictable in their movement“ but spot monitoring and lane keeping assist. on the value front, but it provides the most Sun. is cramped and lacks convenient storage Still, the Mercedes shines. Every GLS extravagant celebration of grandeur. (AP) Along with operating one of nine proto- space for a squad’s nine soldiers and their — even the base model — comes with • types over 5,000 miles (8,047 kilometers) equipment. The assessment by the De- of desert terrain at the proving ground, fense Department’s test and evaluation of- “we will also be doing some slope mobil- fice was first reported by the Task & Pur- ED PAYNE MOTORS ity and cooling system tests,“ he said. pose military news website. The vehicle will be built under a $214.3 The vehicle is based on the frame of the 2101 E. Expressway 83 Weslaco, TX 78596 million contract awarded to a subsidiary, 2020 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 midsize GM Defense LLC, in June. The company truck, and Herrick said 90% of its parts Parts Direct: (956) 447-6387 said in December it was renovating a fa- are commercial off-the-shelf components. Fax: (956) 968-1851 cility in Concord, North Carolina, to sup- The initial contract is for production of www.paynedodgechrysler.com port production of the vehicle. 649 vehicles by the end of the 2024 fiscal The facility is expected to begin deliv- year, but the Army plans a total of 2,065. Authentic Mopar® Parts. ering production vehicles in April. The 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team A foundation you can build on. The Army plans to furnish the vehicles of the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Count on us to deliver Authentic Mopar Parts to infantry brigade combat teams that now Bragg, North Carolina — which special- don’t have vehicles for transporting their izes in parachute assault operations — is frontline foot soldiers. slated to receive the first 59 vehicles later Having soldiers ride in a vehicle with this year. their equipment instead of carrying it Eventually, 11 infantry brigade combat across many miles of cross-country terrain teams will be outfitted with 59 vehicles CHECK OUT MOPARREPAIRCONNECTION.COM FOR to their destination means they’ll be much each under the first contract. (AP) • ©2021 FCA US LLC. All Rights Reserved. Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Mopar and SRT are registered trademarks of FCA US LLC. RESOURCES, PROMOTIONS AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION. less fatigued and better able to carry out

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GM is making experts available vir- a year ago to 18,969, according to Ed- ... what about buyers? tually this summer as it starts selling a munds.com. Helping boost sales, Schus- Chevrolet Bolt small electric SUV for just ter said, was the variety of models, plus under $34,000, its first electric entry into added incentives and the expectation of Continued from page 21 motion of electric vehicles as part of a the most popular segment of the U.S. mar- stricter pollution limits from the Biden The result: Nearly 730,000 battery broad plan to fight climate change. ket. But Tony Johnson, marketing director administration. Biden favors expanding a vehicles were sold in Europe in 2020 Still, it could prove an uphill battle. for Chevy electric vehicles, acknowledges tax credit for buying EVs and has pledged — more than 300,000 of them in the fi- Only 260,000 fully electric vehicles were that there’s no substitute for “putting seats to help build 500,000 more charging sta- nal three months of the year. The market sold last year in the United States. That’s in seats.” tions and increase fuel economy require- share of electric vehicles — battery-only out of a total new-vehicle market of 14.6 Johnson notes optimistically that sur- ments. and plug-in hybrids — jumped from 3% million. In fact, Americans are still spurn- veys done for GM show that the number Currently, a $7,500 federal tax credit to 10.5%. By December, their share had ing cars, in general, in favor of less-fuel- of people who would consider an EV is is phased out after an automaker hits reached nearly one in four. efficient trucks and SUVs. far higher than it was five years ago. GM 200,000 EV sales. GM and Tesla have Among the new owners is Kerstin Gri- Two polls late last year offered a is keeping the price of the revamped Bolt both exceeded that level, and Nissan is ese of Essen, Germany, who bought a glimpse of Americans’ appetite for elec- hatchback to under $32,000, he said, and close. A bill from Democrats would raise battery-powered Peugeot 208 after hav- tric vehicles. One, by Consumer Reports, is offering free home charging stations. the cap to 600,000. Such a move would ing driven electric cars in the motor pool showed that only 4% of adults with a Schuster foresees U.S. sales rising this clearly help Tesla, the world leader in EV at work. Griese found that they supplied driver’s license planned to acquire an EV year to 359,000, taking off in 2022 and sales, which is facing increased competi- the acceleration necessary to merge safely the next time they buy a vehicle. An addi- reaching over 1 million the next year. By tion as other automakers try to catch up. onto the highway for her 40 kilometer (25 tional 27% said they would consider one. 2030, LMC predicts U.S. sales of over 4 The market will tip toward EVs, Schus- mile) commute to the public works de- About 40% express some interest — but million EVs. Yet even that would repre- ter predicts, when all these forces line up. partment in the town of Solingen. not for their next purchase. About 29% sent only one-quarter of the overall mar- “There are more choices, competitive “I said to myself, when they cost around don’t want an EV at all. ket. pressure,“ he said. “A new generation of 30,000 euros ($36,263) and have more Likewise, when J.D. Power surveyed Still, encouraging signs emerged in technology will drive prices down. We’re than 300 kilometers of range, and when people who intend to buy or lease a new February, when EV sales rose 55% from getting there.” (AP) • the incentives are set high, then I’m there. vehicle in the next 18 months, only about And that happened last year.” 20% said they were likely to buy an EV. After a government subsidy of 6,000 eu- Roughly 21% were unlikely. The rest ros and the carmaker’s 3,000 euro share, were undecided. Another electric car maker her new car will cost around 24,000 euros “For every new-vehicle shopper seri- ($29,000). The car can use fast-charging ously considering (battery electric vehi- stations along highways, where she can cles), there’s another at the opposite end to build factory in US recharge in a half hour when she takes of the spectrum,” said Stewart Stropp, se- longer trips, such as shopping excursions nior director of automotive retail at J.D. By AP Wire Service The company hopes the vehicle will ap- to the neighboring Netherlands, about 65 Power. peal to people who commute and run er- kilometers (40 miles) away. For one thing, Stropp said, most buyers MESA, Ariz. — A Canadian electric car rands alone, along with various delivery “I found that very appealing,” she said. are unfamiliar with electric vehicles and company has announced plans to build services and utility companies that operate In China, which accounts for about 40% haven’t ridden in one. Those who have, a factory in Arizona that could bring as single-occupant vehicles, officials said. of global EV sales, purchases have accel- though, are roughly three times as likely many as 500 jobs, company officials said. CEO Paul Rivera said the company erated because of limits on the number of to consider them, he said. People want as ElectraMeccanica Vehicles Corp. an- chose Arizona based on the “best overall internal combustion cars that can be reg- many chargers as gas stations, Stropp said, nounced in March that it has selected comprehensive proposal — land, build- istered in six major cities, said Arndt El- but don’t seem to realize that most charg- Mesa after searching for a location for its ing, workforce and incentives,” coupled linghorst, an analyst at the research firm ing can be done at home. U.S. assembly facility and engineering with proximity to the company’s prime Sanford C. Bernstein. The task of breaking down the Ameri- technical center. target market in the West. The other final- Automakers, including startups Lucid, can public’s hesitance to invest in a fully The center is expected to feature an as- ist location was in Tennessee. Bollinger, Rivian and Workhorse, plan to electric vehicle could prove problematic. sembly plant with an engineering techni- ElectraMeccanica has not yet received introduce 22 new EV models in the U.S. And the automakers clearly recognize it. cal center, including multiple laboratories any incentives from the state but is eligible this year after having rolled out six last Last year, General Motors planned a ma- to research and test chassis, battery packs for three programs, according to the Ari- year, according to LMC. jor public campaign featuring test drives and other components. Once fully built, zona Commerce Authority. The company Tighter regulations — and, perhaps and engineers to answer customer ques- the company expects to employ between is eligible for a $1 million grant through with it, higher sales of EVs — might be tions at events around the country. The 200 and 500 workers and produce up to the Arizona Competes Fund, $4.8 million coming to the United States, too, if the viral pandemic, though, forced it to scrap 20,000 SOLOs yearly. in tax credits through the Qualified Facili- Biden administration succeeds in its pro- the plan. ElectraMeccanica plans to launch the ty Program and up to $2.3 million through SOLO in North America this year. The the quality jobs tax credit program, which SOLO is a single-occupant three-wheeled provides a tax credit worth up to $9,000 electric vehicle that will retail for $18,500. for each job meeting certain requirements. Harahan, LA It has a range of 100 miles (160 kilome- Rivera said the company plans to com- PD: (504) 734-3590 ters), can reach a top speed of 80 mph plete the facility next year and begin hir- Fax: (504) 818-0997 (128 kph), and can charge on conventional ing in the coming weeks. (AP) • www.crescenttrucks.com electrical outlets.

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26899_COL11_8th_AR.indd 1 1/15/21 1:06 PM April 2021 AutoGraph’s Automotive Report 37

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Rearview

1954 Mercury Wagon

By Jay Hirsch climate conditions. could be a “show” car. This woody has introduced. The first ones were only a one- Mercury officially called the wagon an seen many car shows and auto salvage stop affair. If a car or other object was close This would be the third and final year eight-seater, as the third seats would be a yards along with its owner, from Maine to to the side of your car, the door would spring of this body style for the Mercury, which little tight for three adults, but no problem Florida. all the way open, with possible damage to was first introduced in 1952. The differ- for three children. In an instant the folded tarp is taken out either vehicle, unless you held it tight. But ences between each year were minimal and The side windows opposite the third seat and laid down to line the rear of the cargo with the two-position door check, the door entailed slight body trim changes. of the wagon did not go up and down as area to haul what ever car parts the owner could be stopped half-way in addition to The 1954 Mercury could quickly be the windows in the doors did; they slid fore finds in flea markets or junk yards. The the fully-opened position. This may seem distinguished from a 1952 or 1953 by the and aft for rear passenger ventilation. The only concession to the modern world are trivial today, but in the early 1950s it was a large one-piece wrap-around taillight. The spare tire rested out of the way under the the radial tires on all four wheels, a dual major engineering feat. 1952 and 1953 had a chrome housing with floor in the rear. master brake cylinder, and conversion to a The Mercury has an OHV V-8 256 a small bullet-like taillight, and below it As many cars of the early 1950s adopted 12-volt electrical system. cid/4.2-liter engine, is 206.2 inches long was the back up light, if the car was so the Cadillac bullet-like bumper guards, so The upgrade to 12-volt electrical was with a 118 inch wheelbase and rides on equipped. did Mercury, which had the projectiles on necessitated by the addition of an AM/FM/ 225/75 x 15 radial tires. The original tires The Monterey wagon was the top-of- their front bumper. This design feature was CD sound system, air-conditioning, and were 7.60 x 15. The wagon weighs in at the-line Merc in 1954, not only in price but introduced on the 1953 model. The 1952 the reliability built into 12-volt batteries 3,735 pounds, is 62.2 inches high and 74.4 also in weight. At a base price of $2,800 it Mercury had a straight bumper up front. for starting. The chromed headlight bezels inches wide, with a 1954 price of $2,800. was about $150 more than either the con- Access to the third seat was through the were an option that not too many preferred. As for riding in this great ’50s icon, there vertible or plexi-glass roof Sun Valley. It rear doors. This was made easier at times This owner does. The bezels were usually is nothing to indicate the age of the car, also weighed in at about 100 pounds more with the second seat being a 60/40-split body color. except for the seats — they are extremely than either. seat. Not only did this make for easy entry In 1953 Mercury offered a total of 29 comfortable, in the school of armchair The body of the wagon was all steel, the to the third forward-facing rear seat, but it trim combinations for the interior, with 13 comfort. One could actually cross their 1951 Mercury being the last wooden bod- also facilitated the hauling of long pieces colors for the exterior available in 26 two- legs if there were only four people in the ied wagon or “woody.” The wood paneling of lumber, etc., while still retaining seating tone combinations. Among those 13 colors car, two front and two rear. Of course you on the side of the car was not faux — it for five people, depending on which side was a new paint that gave a certain spar- would not want the driver to do so. With was real wood, but placed there for looks of the second seat remained in the up posi- kle — metallic paint! The interior of this about 340 degrees of glass, visibility in any only. It seems people did not like the main- tion. wagon is done in red with black-and-white direction is superb, with no blind spots for tenance, upkeep, and poorly-fitting doors John, the current owner of the car, is a trim. the driver. of a wooden wagon, but they did not want Lincoln-Mercury guy. In addition to the One of the convenience and safety fea- With its relatively small V-8 and moder- to give up the look of one. Monterey wagon, he owns two other 1954 tures of the 1954 Mercury first appeared ate weight, the Monterey has no problem With wood panels, the owner of a woody Mercury wagons, a 1953 convertible, a on the 1953 model. It was the two-position achieving about 18 mpg while cruising the had the best of both worlds. There was that 1951 Lincoln convertible, and a 1948 Con- door-check mechanism. Up until the 1940s highway. all steel body, with doors that fit tight both tinental convertible. car doors did not have door checks. The Some children may have had a little red winter and summer with none of the char- The wagon seen here has undergone a door was prevented from opening as far as wagon when growing up, but not too many acteristics of the wooden body, given the complete restoration, not for show pur- it could by a rope or fabric. ever had a big-red-wagon, when “grown- expansion and contraction of wood due to poses, but for driving — even though it Slowly, door-check mechanisms were up.” • April 2021 AutoGraph’s Automotive Report 39

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