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In Case You Missed It – Nutson s Weekly Automotive News Digest, March 6-12, 2017; GM Sells Europe Brands; Geneva; McQueen Stang, World Car Finalists, MB Recall; More

In Case You Missed It – Nutson’s Weekly Automotive News Digest, March 6-12, 2017; GM Sells Europe Brands; Geneva; McQueen Stang, World Car Finalists, MB Recall; More

AUTO CENTRAL CHICAGO, March 12, 2017; Every Sunday Larry Nutson, Senior Editor and Chicago Car Boy along with fellow senior editors Steve Purdy and Thom Cannell from The Auto Channel Michigan Bureau, give you TACH’s “take” on this past week’s automotive news in effortless to digest mega-tweet sized nuggets.

If you are a car and driving fan like we all are here at The Auto Channel, you can lightly “catch up” or put these stories in context by searching the past twenty five year’s Two,007,897 pages of automotive news, automotive stories, articles, reviews, archived news, movie, audio, rants and raves accessible from The Auto Channel’s Automotive News Archive.

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Nutson’s Nuggets: March 12, 2017

* By far the thickest news of this week is the sale of GM`s European brands – Vauxhall in the UK and Opel in Germany – to French automaker PSA, maker of Citroen and Peugeot automobiles. GM cited the need to concentrate on Asian and U.S. markets that display much more promise of growth along with Europe`s burdensome regulatory climate and Brexit that would require ever more resources dedicated to fresh products to keep up with switches in those markets. PSA paid $Two.Trio billion and this will make them the 2nd largest automaker in Europe next to VW.

* In other merger/buyout news this week, Fiat Chrysler boss Sergio Marchionne was reported making overtures at the Geneva Motor Showcase last week suggesting a merger with Volkswagen. VW CEO Matthias Mueller, who has presided over the troubled automaker`s diesel cheating scandals over the past duo years is quoted as telling, «We are not ready for talks about anything.» He added, «We have other problems.”

* The automotive world turned its attention to Geneva, Switzerland this week, as the largest auto showcase of 2017, to date, kicked off. Unlike Detroit and Chicago, the Geneva International Motor Display, the 87th, features all global brands. The demonstrate with nine hundred vehicles on display features the latest in electrified vehicles, plug-in hybrids and sports cars, including 4-door the 805HP hybrid-powered Mercedes-Benz AMG GT concept.

* Europe has a thing for station wagons. More commonly referred to as “estate” or “touring” models, at the Geneva showcase Porsche, Mercedes-Benz and BMW all introduced vehicles with lots of room in the back and yet with powerful engines up front.

* Other significant intros include the the fresh 6.5-L Ferrari eight hundred twelve Superfast that can hit two hundred eleven mph, the Mercedes-Benz X-Class mid-size pickup (no decision on coming to the U.S.) and the Range Rover Velar luxury SUV.

* VW demonstrated its very first self-driving car, known as Sedric, at the Geneva Auto Display. Sedric is fully electrified, connected and autonomous, and picks up passengers at the touch of a button. The vehicle looks like a futuristic travel pod: No steering wheel, pedals or controls.

* The top three finalists in all categories of the two thousand seventeen World Car Awards were announced at the Geneva International Motor Display. The jury of seventy five international automotive journalists from twenty three countries selected the finalists based on their evaluation of each candidate as part of their professional work. See the list here: http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2017/03/08/355188-2017-world-car-awards-top-3-finalists-each-category-with.html

* Mercedes is recalling about one million cars and SUVs worldwide because a starter part can overheat and cause fires. The recall covers certain C-Class, E-Class and CLA cars and GLA and GLC SUVs, all from two thousand fifteen through 2017, including almost 308,000 in the U.S.

* The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute’s latest report from Michael Sivak and Brandon Schoettle says the average fuel economy (window-sticker value) of fresh vehicles sold in the U.S. in February was 25.1 mpg–unchanged from the value for January. The value for February is up Five.0 mpg since October two thousand seven (the very first month of their monitoring), but down 0.Four mpg from the peak of 25.Five mpg reached in August 2014.

* A survey by AAA said 78% percent of Americans are afraid to rail in a self-driving vehicle. The survey also said that 59% of drivers want autonomous technologies in their next vehicle, 54% of U.S. drivers feel less safe at the idea of sharing the road with a self-driving vehicle while 10% said they would feel safer.

* The high-end classic and collector car showcase season gets underway this weekend with the internationally acclaimed Amelia Island Concours d`Elegance near Jacksonville, FL, but the weather has become a major factor. Forecasts call for 100% chance of torrential rains on Sunday and a beautiful sunny day on Saturday. However other supporting events were scheduled for then the Concours has been moved to Saturday. Coincidentally, one of the very first Amelia Island Concours events was drowned in powerful rain.

* The Utah legislature just passed a bill to lower the threshold for DUI conviction from 0.08 to 0.05 and the governor is expected to sign it. This would make that state the very first with such a low threshold. Opponents worry about the effect on tourism. An average size man would be over the limit with two drinks and a woman with one. Opponents further cite the science that says alcohol related accidents are not statistically significant until well past the 0.Ten level.

* Rumors of finding the lost Bullitt Mustang in a Mexican junkyard were confirmed this week by Ford historian Kevin Marti, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times. The one thousand nine hundred sixty six fastback Mustang that starred in the Hollywood film was part of one of the most famous pursue scenes in movie history with Steve McQueen, an inexperienced racer, doing his own stunt driving. The car is under restoration now in a California shop. Next year will be the 50th anniversary of the film.

* Volkswagen AG plans to plead guilty this week to three felonies – conspiracy to commit fraud, obstruction of justice and entry of goods by false statement – related to the diesel emissions cheating charges. The prayer agreement includes audits and oversights by an outside monitor for three years and substantial reforms within the company. VW has already agreed to $Four.Trio billion in criminal and civil penalties. Including holder claims and other costs the diesel cheating is expected to cost VW close to $25 billion.

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