AD #1859 – Automakers Cut Back Production, Takata May Not Survive Airbag Disaster, Ridgeline Bed Turns Into Speaker
May 9th, 2016 at 11:46am
Runtime: 6:40
To watch this episode on YouTube click here.
- North American Production Cuts
- Takata Teetering
- Honda Ridgeline Redefines Pickups
- Ford GT Crashes Heavily
- Don Panoz’s 24-Hour Dream Team
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On today’s show… Honda’s new Ridgeline uses speaker technology that no one else in the industry has, automakers are cutting back production in the North American market and Don Panoz picks his dream team drivers for the 24 hours of Le Mans. All that and more coming right up on Autoline Daily.
This is Autoline Daily for May 9th, 2016.
NORTH AMERICAN PRODUCTION CUTS
U.S. car sales were up in April but the numbers indicated the market is starting to slow down slightly. So automakers are starting to tap the brakes on their assembly lines. Planned production from April through June will be about 4.7 million units. That’s 1% higher than last year, but is about 60,000 units fewer than what they planned before. According to Wards, carmakers averaged a 70 days supply in April, but FCA had 84 days supply and Ford had 89.
TAKATA TEETERING
Last week Takata was ordered to expand its airbag recall in the U.S. by another 35 to 40 million units and now Bloomberg reports the total number could reach close to 120 million worldwide. As you would expect, this is having a huge impact on the company. Takata’s market value has plunged nearly 80% in the last year and the company said it will probably report a second consecutive annual loss of about $121 million. Here’s my Autoline Insight. It’s hard to see how Takata is going to survive this disaster. Automakers are running away from the company and it’s going to be spending all its efforts making replacement airbags for free instead of selling new ones.
Honda’s new Ridgeline could blow the mid-size pickup segment wide open. That’s coming up next.
HONDA RIDGELINE REDEFINES PICKUPS
Honda is getting back into the pickup segment and this time it’s doing it with a truck that could really do some damage in the marketplace. The all-new midsize Ridgeline is much quieter and rides far more smoothly than other pickups. That’s because it uses a unit body construction instead of body on frame, and it has an independent rear suspension instead of a solid rear axle. No it’s not as capable as the Toyota Tacoma or Chevrolet Colorado but it can haul a 1500 pound payload or tow a 5000 pound trailer. Inside it’s roomier again thanks to its unit body construction. There are a lot of clever features on this truck, but we want to highlight one that no one else in the industry is using. Honda has essentially turned the entire pickup bed of the new Ridgeline into one giant audio speaker. Honda attaches speaker magnets around the inside of the bed liner that are hooked up to the audio system. When those magnets vibrate they cause the bed liner to vibrate and act like a speaker. But there are no actual speakers in the bed, so you don’t have to worry about them getting damaged by weather or whatever you happen to be dumping into the bed of the truck. So if you’re working outdoors with your truck you can be listening to your favorite music, or the game, or whatever. The Honda Ridgeline is going to appeal to a lot of people who would otherwise never consider a pickup. That could really broaden the segment. And I think it will cause other automakers to seriously consider making midsize pickups using unit body construction. In fact, Hyundai is already looking into it for its Santa Cruz.
FORD GT CRASHES HEAVILY
This weekend’s 6-hour WEC race at Spa was the last competitive race for the Ford GT before the 24 hours of Le Mans and it did not end well for one of the cars. Two GTs were running in 3rd and 4th place, when the #66 car entered the famous Eau Rouge flat out and lost it, possibly to a blown tire. It crashed heavily. Luckily no one was hurt and the other car made it to the podium with a 2nd place finish. It’s really impressive what the Chip Ganassi team has been able to do in a limited number of races and they are looking ready for Le Mans.
Speaking of Le Mans, coming up next, Don Panoz names the drivers he would pick for his Dream Team for the 24 hours.
PANOZ’S 24-HOUR DREAM TEAM
Don Panoz loves the 24 hours of Le Mans. He has a long history of entering cars there, crowned by a GT2 class win in 2006. He will not enter a car this year but plans to go back again. And Autoline After Hours last week he named his Dream Team of drivers he would love to sign up.
(Clip from AAH #330 can only be viewed in the video version of today’s show.)
You can watch that entire discussion with Dan Panoz, right now on our website or you can find it on our YouTube channel.
But that wraps up today’s show, thanks for watching and please join us again tomorrow.
Thanks to our partner for embedding Autoline Daily on its website: WardsAuto.com
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Comments (20)
May 9th, 2016 at 12:13 pm
Ridgeline – still not feeling it. Besides some refinement over Gen1, few will buy a pickup or any car because of audio. And that speaker will work well until the bed gets a few dents. I suspect GM, Ford, Toyota and maybe FCA will continue to fair better in the mid size pick up truck market.
May 9th, 2016 at 12:13 pm
I really like what I see for the Honda Ridgeline.
May 9th, 2016 at 12:32 pm
You can purchase surface-mount audio transducers all day long at http://www.parts-express.com
New implementation, but not new technology.
May 9th, 2016 at 12:34 pm
I WANT a RAM 700 pickup! If they ship the Brazilian-built ones without powertrain and bolt that in with the front subframe either here or in Mexico, would that circumvent the “chicken tax”?
May 9th, 2016 at 12:46 pm
From the images, it looks like the body and the bed of the new Ridgeline are separate. But how can that be if the truck is unibody in construction?
Spa is an awesome race track but it’s just not safe enough for the speeds that today’s cars can achieve.
May 9th, 2016 at 12:51 pm
There’s a substantial market for a more refined right sized pickup for non traditional buyers.
The goofy look of the previous gen is gone. With independant rear and unit body construction, this is a winner.
May 9th, 2016 at 12:57 pm
@ Brett: The reg cab version isn’t to bad.The 1.6L could be changed out for the 2.4L,a selectable awd system,the electric lockers front and rear,with a 9spd ZF.That’s doable,imho.
May 9th, 2016 at 12:58 pm
I’m not feeling the Honda truck either. Looks decent but nothing special. Gives the Honda loyalists something to buy.
May 9th, 2016 at 1:00 pm
I’m traveling in Europe now and was a little surprised to see a Cadillac Escalade on the autobahn the other day. Seemed like it would only do 180km/hr but was able to get there pretty easily.
May 9th, 2016 at 1:00 pm
Your Autoline insight, John, I feel is always well thought and carefully analyzed, and this goes for your Takata insight as well. Nevertheless, I think it required nothing more than looking on the wall in which the handwriting had been inscribed!
May 9th, 2016 at 1:04 pm
I have always loved the Ridgeline and the idea of a unibody pick up! The thing that gave me pause about the last one, was a couple of the styling elements and the price. The new one looks a lot better then the last one (the wheel rim design could use some work though), but the price is still just a little out of my reach. If Hyundai, though, can bring their beautiful Santa Cruz to market (and maybe ‘borrow’ Honda’s magic trunk and tailgate) and offer a nicely equipped version for about 28K, count me among the first to be in line!
May 9th, 2016 at 1:15 pm
As a consumer for a truck, the depth of the bed puts me off on the Ridgeline. I don’t see the value of the lockable “trunk” in the bed not the need to unload it to change the spare tire. Also who wants to lift a mud covered flat up into the bed? Traditional pickups have a cable and crank arrangement to pull the tire to the tire into place under the truck. Did Honda violate any of Ford’s patents for the “3-Way Magic Doorgate?
May 9th, 2016 at 1:17 pm
I commented a few days ago that I was surprised we haven’t heard of any autonomous small RVs, since that would be an ideal platform for relaxing whiles letting the vehicle drive you anywhere. I did just see a video of one that was posted the beginning of last month: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gt3CU0nL3eY
May 9th, 2016 at 1:41 pm
All of the mid size trucks except the Ridgeline are really scaled down versions of the full size trucks and they try to make them do everything (tow, 4 wheel drive, diesel, etc) that full size can do. Problem is that small truck buyers have different needs and priorities than full size buyers. I think Honda is going in the right direction with Ridgeline and I think other companies with have to follow suit as the fuel economy requirements start ratcheting up quickly in the next few years.
May 9th, 2016 at 1:50 pm
@lisk- I agree, I own a truck because I need to haul things at times, dirt, lumber, motorcycle…. I really don’t like the idea of the spare being stored under the bed. I seem to have bad luck when it comes to flats so that would be a concern for me.
On the other side, why can’t manufacturers have some type of light weight cover for your spare, those of us in the rust belt would really appreciate it.
I’ll stick to the Avalanche.
May 9th, 2016 at 4:56 pm
From a styling and function perspective, the new Ridgeline seems to be a major improvement versus the old Ridgeline and nicely capable for people who don’t want the bulk of a full-size pickup. But the price is steep, and I need to experience the interior (the old Ridgeline was acres and acres of cheap plastic).
May 9th, 2016 at 7:03 pm
Most buyers of pickup trucks don’t haul anything, and don’t tow anything. They just want a truck for the “image.” The new Ridgeline will fill the bill for the functionality needs of these people, but it might not have the image they are looking for. A Ram Power Wagon it is not.
May 9th, 2016 at 8:48 pm
A friend of mine who has ties to the ford gt was explaining to me all the subtleties of lemans qualification. How cars are constantly ranked for fuel usage and speed and how weights get added and how drivers have to hold back while not looking like it. All in the name of sandbagging leading up to their qualifying lemans setup. Perhaps a good aah topic. I had no idea what goes on behind the scenes.
Cheers
May 9th, 2016 at 10:48 pm
I don’t think Takata will go under, at least until the recalls are complete. The car manufacturers are responsible for completing the recalls, and they need Takata’s production capability to pull it off. Put another way, if Takata runs out of money, the auto manufacturers who need their air bags will pay them whatever it takes to get the recall completed.
May 10th, 2016 at 2:39 pm
I bought a new ridgeline in 08, had it six months and had to trade it in for an fj cruiser. It seemed good on paper and I liked a lot of the features but living with it was terrible. Service was not good at the dealer. Prices quoted on Honda website did not match what the dealer sold items to me. It was underpowered, got bad mileage for a smaller vehicle, not very robust for off-road. Had wind leaks on the front and sunroof. Just a bad experience over all. Either buy an suv or a real pickup. Is the sortest time I have ever owned a vehicle and I could not wait to get out of it. Lots may say they like but living with is different story. Ed