AD #1748 – Ford/UAW Agreement in Jeopardy, Volvo Makes Engineer Sweat Design, Fiat + Miata = 124 Spider
November 19th, 2015 at 11:49am
Runtime: 7:35
- Ford/UAW Agreement in Jeopardy
- Volvo Tests Emergency Braking System
- Buick Debuts All-New LaCrosse
- Subaru Hints at Its Design Future
- Scion Getting Wild-Looking Crossover
- Mazda Develops New CX-9 for North America
- Fiat + Miata = New 124 Spider
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On today’s show… Ford’s UAW agreement is in Jeopardy, Volvo makes one of its engineers sweat out his design and all the latest reveals from the LA auto show. All that and more coming right up on Autoline Daily.
This is Autoline Daily for November 19th, 2015.
FORD/UAW AGREEMENT IN JEOPARDY
The new UAW labor contract is running into trouble again. Last month, FCA workers rejected their contract, until union leaders went back to the bargaining table and were able to sweeten the deal. Then the GM contract hit a snag when skill-trades workers rejected the deal even though production workers approved it. The union decided to put the ratification process on hold, which still remains up in the air. And now Ford’s agreement with the UAW is in jeopardy. At least three-quarters of the votes are in and so far 52% have rejected it. Workers haven’t had a pay raise in nearly 10 years and while an increase is part of the new deal, union members don’t feel its enough for the sacrifice they had to pay. Voting ends tomorrow and the results will be announced the following day but it doesn’t look good at the moment.
PLEASE LORD, LET IT WORK!
When Volvo redesigned its best selling heavy truck, the FH, it wanted to demonstrate its new forward collision warning system with emergency braking. So it fully loaded an FH at its proving grounds and used an inflatable car to demonstrate how the truck will automatically slam on its brakes if it’s about to get into an accident. Nice, but not very dramatic. So the company decided it would be a lot more interesting to use a real car. And then, to make it more interesting still, they put the engineer who designed that emergency system in the car. As you can see from the video the system works impressively well. But we’ve got to believe that the guy in the car was still sweating bullets as that semi was bearing down on him.
Still to come… we’ll look at some of the big reveals from the LA Auto Show.
BUICK DEBUTS ALL-NEW LACROSSE
Buick pulled the wraps off the all-new LaCrosse. As you can see it’s styling is significantly different, most notably its grille which is smaller than before, also has winged elements on each side of the logo. The car is longer, lower and wider than the current model but is also 300-pounds lighter. It’s built on an updated Epsilon platform that’s shared with the Chevy Malibu and Impala. Under the hood is a new 3.6L V6 that’s mated to an eight-speed automatic that also comes with start/stop technology. The interior has a sleeker look and it’s available with a host of new amenity and safety features. The all-new LaCrosse goes on sale early next summer.
SUBARU HINTS AT DESIGN FUTURE
As we pointed out the other day, Subaru has been one of the hottest selling brands in the U.S. market this year and now the automaker is giving us a look at its design future with the Impreza Sedan Concept. Subaru calls its design language “Dynamic x Solid,” which keeps its recognizable hexagonal grille but adds hawk-eye headlights and wing-like rear taillights. When the all-new Impreza launches, no time on when that’ll be just yet, it will be the first example to use the automaker’s new modular platform.
SCION GETTING WILD-LOOKING CROSSOVER
Toyota has twice shown off a wild-looking crossover concept that’s a little bit smaller than the RAV4, called the C-HR. Last year in Paris, Toyota said the vehicle was its vision of a future C-segment crossover. Then in September at the Frankfurt motor show, it said it had the intention of launching the C-HR as a mass-market version in the not-so-distant future. Now at LA we’re learning it won’t carry a Toyota badge on its nose, but rather a Scion badge. And it sure makes sense for Scion to get the vehicle. Its sales are down and what better way to pick them up, than to enter the red-hot crossover segment, an area where Scion didn’t have a single entrant. The automaker says a production version of the C-HR will be shown in 2016.
Coming up next, Mazda introduces the all-new CX-9 and also helps Fiat develop a new sports car.
MAZDA DEVELOPS NEW CX-9 FOR NORTH AMERICA
As you know, sales of crossovers are booming in the American market and that’s why Mazda developed the all-new CX-9 for North America. The CUV features its KODO design language and most notably has a larger grille. It’s the first vehicle in Mazda’s line-up to offer the company’s new SKYACTIV 2.5L direct-injected turbocharged gasoline engine. Along with its six-speed automatic, the powertrain cranks out 250 horsepower with 93 octane gasoline, it drops to 227 with 87 octane and 310 lb.-ft. of torque. The new CX-9 goes on sale next Spring in the U.S.
MEET THE FIATA
And speaking of Mazda, a few years back the Japanese automaker partnered with Fiat to jointly develop a new sports car based on the next-gen Miata MX-5. As you know, the new Miata was already introduced and is now on sale but we haven’t seen Fiat’s version, until now that is. The company is reviving the 124 Spider nameplate for the rear-wheel drive car. It’s got a nice look that’s a bit more stylish than the Mazda and as you can see, except for the Fiat badging, the interior is pretty much the same as the Miata. Under the hood is a 1.4L four cylinder that can be matched to a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. That setup helps crank out 160 horsepower and 184 lb.-ft. of torque. The Fiat 124 Spider goes on sale next summer in North America.
And if you want to learn more about the LA reveals, make sure you tune into Autoline After Hours later today. John & Gary are out at the show and they’ll be interviewing executives from Lincoln, Ford, Fiat and Buick/GMC about their latest reveals. So tune in at 3PM Eastern time on Autoline.tv for some of the best gearhead talk in the business.
But that wraps up today’s show, thanks for watching and making Autoline a part of your day.
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Comments (37)
November 19th, 2015 at 12:02 pm
The scion crossover,is ugly to a point where the Juke looks beautiful.WTH are they thing?
I like the new mx5,and the fiat 124 spider,nicely done.
November 19th, 2015 at 12:03 pm
I meant,”wth are they thinking”…
November 19th, 2015 at 12:07 pm
Even though I’m not in the market for a small sports car, in my mind and between the two Fiat/Mazda, I would give the nod to the Miata (MX5).
November 19th, 2015 at 12:18 pm
I bet the guy in the car for the Volvo truck test was “ready to go,” if need be.
November 19th, 2015 at 12:19 pm
Was the FH tested at 80K lbs. with a loaded trailer? It’s a good system to have on truck, but can it adjust for slick roads and shifting loads (no pun intended), especially when it comes with a few inches in a controlled environment? All the more reason why such collision mitigation systems are helpful but not foolproof.
November 19th, 2015 at 12:19 pm
3 I’d rather have the Mazda engine.
November 19th, 2015 at 12:19 pm
@ Kit: yeah….to change his shorts…
November 19th, 2015 at 12:24 pm
The fiat 124 should have had the 1.7 liter 237 hp fiat motor. Maybe the abarth version?
The new SCION CUV IS AWESOME…,
I’d buy one for sure. This will be the next cuv niche to explode…..
Hopefully Toyota will give it the 2.4 liter four and those huge tall tires for production.
If they dumb it down…with a little motor and tiny wheels (small diameter it’ll be a dud) what say you?
Will Toyota offer this as a scion with a 2.4 liter motor and large diameter wheels or most probably dumb it down to a bland transportation device?
Is there hope that Toyohashi on a tear to really revamp it’s lineup to include cool looking and sports car like CUVs for scion?
November 19th, 2015 at 12:25 pm
Toyota / Scion C-HR will be a disaster for both.
The New Buick LaCrosse looks like an Acura.
The New Subaru design language looks very Honda-ish. The Mazda CX-9 should be getting 250 hp of 87 Octane as the only grade of fuel needed.
Is Mazda looking to partner with Fiat or FCA?
Ford/UAW Union Negotiations Comment: Have Senior Leadership and Managers been receiving salary increases over the last ten years at Ford? I would believe the answer is YES. So Ford Management should give more consideration to their employees who actual build their vehicles. Are Ford Line Workers able to purchase Ford Vehicles at COST? I do not think so based upon the pricing I have seen from their latest sales campaign.
November 19th, 2015 at 12:29 pm
Scion C-HR styling: Chances are if you hate it, you’re not the target market.
Fiat 124: Nicely done? Hummm, that cheap black plastic grill insert, and OMG that massive FIAT badge horribly stuck on the trunk lid, ruins the car! Maybe it is only stuck on and can be removed with judicious application of a heat gun.
November 19th, 2015 at 12:44 pm
6, 8 But a couple articles I’ve run across say it will probably driver better with the Fiat engine, with more power and torque, at lower rpm. I’d trust the simpler Mazda engine further for reliability, though.
November 19th, 2015 at 12:47 pm
Lex, I see a lot of Acura in the body side sculpturing of the Subaru concept.
Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. I do not behold the front end of the Fiat 124.
November 19th, 2015 at 12:52 pm
While I like the designs of the new Miata/124, I feel both have missed the mark in terms of adding performance. I watched the video of the first gen Miata vs the current, and while the new one was quicker around the course, it wasn’t miles ahead. Think if a 1990 Corvette (or BMW M3) squared off against a 2015 one, there would be no contest. The Miata/124 both need at least another 50hp to keep up with the times…
November 19th, 2015 at 12:54 pm
CHR- I like it, bring it on.
Buick laCrosse – looks very nice but where are the crossovers that Buick, Cadillac and Chev really need.
November 19th, 2015 at 12:57 pm
I’ve already read that their might be an Abarth version of the 124, with the 1.75 turbo putting out 230-some hp. I wouldn’t think Mazda would want that on the market, unless they plan a higher power version of the Miata.
November 19th, 2015 at 1:07 pm
Am I the only one that noticed the winglets on the new Buick grill looked just like the ones on the new Subaru Impreza grill which both look like they were taken from the Chrysler 200?
November 19th, 2015 at 1:10 pm
#5 I was wondering the same thing. Do these braking systems adjust at all for road conditions?
November 19th, 2015 at 1:19 pm
Nice look to the overlay of vehicle stats, with the picture as back drop.
November 19th, 2015 at 1:21 pm
To clarify the statement, “Workers haven’t had a pay raise in nearly 10 years and while an increase is part of the new deal, union members don’t feel its enough for the sacrifice they had to pay.”… It should be noted that the lower tier workers have gotten hourly rate raises and profit sharing over the past ten years. It is only the legacy workers who have not gotten a rate change, but they too have gotten profit sharing. It is also a little misleading in that ten years ago, the legacy workers agreed to a pay freeze “until they retire” in exchange for not having to take a pay cut. This was the basis of the two tier system where new hires started at much lower and their rates would eventually raise over time, and the legacy workers would not get raises unless the lower tier eventually increased to the legacy worker rates. Now the legacy workers are demanding more than the “frozen” rates they agreed to several contracts ago. Short memories for the legacy UAW workers. Perhaps times are different and the companies are more profitable for the time beings (providing big profit sharing checks), but increasing the legacy rates will eventually bankrupt their employers (again), or drive production to cheaper labor markets at an even faster rate.
November 19th, 2015 at 1:23 pm
17 i’d think it would need ABS on all 18 wheels to work well
November 19th, 2015 at 3:10 pm
New LaCross designed by Opel?
November 19th, 2015 at 3:19 pm
20 The problem with ABS is you still need at least one wheel to be spinning to let the system know your still moving. On ice you can lock up all the wheels even with ABS so maybe they can intergrate the vision system to identify that the vehicle is still moving.
November 19th, 2015 at 3:21 pm
@5: “All the more reason why such collision mitigation systems are helpful but not foolproof.” Foolproof like human drivers?
…32,000 casualties in traffic per year caused by humans …
November 19th, 2015 at 3:32 pm
Volvo brakes
One scenario I see on the highway is private drivers moving dangerously in front of trucks and buses. It’s like they think the truck is magic and it’s fine to cut it off. I’ll tell you, looking down from a box truck, your sedan is made of the aluminum foil that covers chocolate car candies. I wonder how the Volvo software decides what to do with lane changers.
November 19th, 2015 at 3:34 pm
Much to comment on today:
- Buick Lacrosse grille wings: NO! The grille looks too convoluted with those extra pen strokes. New interior: YES!
- Subaru Imprezza is now quite Un-Imprezza with this mainstream styling (began at least one refresh ago), and the hexagonal grille just screams Ford Taurus to me.
- Scion CHR: Though quite radical, I personally don’t think it will take the title from the reigning champ of ‘puke’, the Nissan Juke.
- Fiat 124 Spider: Too much happening on that front facia. Loose the double-chin -errr- double-grille.
November 19th, 2015 at 3:38 pm
MIATA !– messing with FixItAgainTony will besmirch your spotless reputation !
November 19th, 2015 at 3:40 pm
22 With ABS, the wheels are turning, but with short pulses of slippage.
November 19th, 2015 at 3:46 pm
#5 #23
Hat’s off to the engineers on that tech. Going to save lot’s of lives (and rear bumpers).
Unfortunately, it won’t save the front bumpers (or lives, for that matter) of the poor souls driving right behind said semi trucks.
All the more reason not to tailgate a semi.
November 19th, 2015 at 3:46 pm
I think the LaCrosse looks pretty good, but as others have said, the wing thing doesn’t fit. It looks like it should be a Chrysler, not a Buick. Keep the vertical things used in recent Buick grilles. They look decent, and help you know it’s a Buick.
November 19th, 2015 at 3:50 pm
124
I haven’t seen any vehicle weight number for this Fiat. If there’s more power, the chassis may have been made stronger and heavier too, which isn’t very miatan.
As for looks, I’ll take the original 124.
November 19th, 2015 at 3:52 pm
I’ll have that LaCrosse interior all day. Wow, do I like Buick interiors.
November 19th, 2015 at 3:58 pm
27 Yes Kit when ABS is working they spin but in heavy vehicles that use air braking systems its easy especially on ice to jam the brakes all wheels stop and ABS does not kick in because the vehicle thinks its stopped. Hense the need for one wheel to still spin.
November 19th, 2015 at 5:26 pm
As a UAW member, I believe the UAW should over-ride the skilled trades differences, though I am one. Wages and bonuses are more than enough and any petty grievances can and should be resolved at each local.
November 19th, 2015 at 5:30 pm
the Spider weighs a couple hundred pounds more than the Miata, I believe. For as much as I like the styling, I’m not fond of the Taurus-ish tail lights and have strong doubts about any reliability. I’d go for the Miata, but may be swayed by an S2000 if one came out. But I’ll have the MGC back come Spring. That has my heart over all others.
November 19th, 2015 at 6:00 pm
33 Even 40 years ago, skilled trades seemed more likely to vote against contracts than general clearing. As I remember, though, the overall vote was what counted for ratifying the contract.
November 19th, 2015 at 6:45 pm
Kit, I believe you are right but all I know is that labor and trades agreements are handled differently. I’ll get out my book tomorrow to see how these differences work.
What gets me and is the basis for my beef with the OEM tradesmen, is the lack of realization of any over abundant profiting and gains they profit from forces those companies to squeeze suppliers to the point their trades can no longer make a decent wage. For instance; when I was GM, then Delphi a good wage was had. But now that KBI purchased the place skilled wages were cut over $17/hr and the UAW seemingly has tossed us out with the bath water and offers no real representation. I surmise, the UAW is so focused on winning VW unionization by these OEM labor contracts, the UAW has totally abandoned all efforts to represent suppliers. I’m at the point where Most wonder why we need the UAW. I’m not kidding!
November 20th, 2015 at 9:07 am
36 cwolf, your absolutely right. Back when the union was strong and the domestic automotive market was strong even the suppliers to the OEMs were union and everyone was making money.
As corporate greed continued and the push for huge profits to shareholders and wages for the upper crust cuts were made, supplier divisions like Delphi and Visteon were split off so those wages could be negotiated separately.
As you mentioned suppliers are beat down to the point of having to compete with Mexico, India, and China, which is the global market we compete in now. Once the UAW negotiates salaries that makes moving their jobs out of the country or to a supplier they’ll wish they accepted this contract. Profit sharing is the way to go.