This is Autoline Daily reporting on the global automotive industry.
NHTSA WANTS PUBLIC INPUT ON GM’S AV PLANS
A little over a year ago, General Motors announced plans to launch a ride hailing service with an autonomous fleet of Chevy Bolts, that aren’t equipped with a steering wheel or pedals. The company submitted a petition to NHTSA to allow it drive the cars on public roads since they don’t comply with existing standards. And now that process is moving forward. The agency said it’s taking comments from the public for 60 days on whether it should allow GM to operate cars without a steering wheel and pedals. GM said it plans to deploy the vehicles this year, but if the company doesn’t get approval, CEO Mary Barra said it can launch the service with the current Bolts its testing now in San Francisco.
TRUMP ATTACKS GM OVER PLANT CLOSING
And in other GM news, President Trump is once again attacking the automaker for idling its plant in Lordstown, Ohio. Trump launched a tweet storm over the weekend pleading with Mary Barra to re-open the factory. The plant, which built the Chevy Cruze, produced its last car on March 6th. It’s the first of five plants the automaker is idling this year in North America.
FORD TO LAY OFF THOUSANDS OF WORKERS IN GERMANY
And speaking of job cuts, Ford said it’s laying off 5,000 workers in Germany and will also cut an unspecified number in the UK as well. The move is part of a restructuring plan the automaker announced earlier this year to help turn around its operations in Europe.
And we’ll be back with more right after this.
BMW TO SUPPLY INEOS WITH ENGINES
The INEOS Group is a manufacturer of chemical and oil products, but in 2015 the company’s chairman was saddened by the news that Land Rover would end production of the Defender. So, the next year it founded INEOS Automotive with the intention of building a spiritual successor to the Defender, which is due to come out next year. And now it’s been announced the vehicle will have BMW power under its hood. BMW will supply INEOS with “a high-range five-digit number” of turbocharged gasoline and diesel engines. BMW says it wants to provide drivetrains to other industrial customers as a way to open additional sales channels and grow the business.
CADILLAC REVEALS THE CT5
Cadillac revealed the all-new CT5 sedan, which will eventually replace the CTS. It’s built on the same platform, but styling seems to be a bit less bulky. The grille is thinner and the front and rear lighting have slimmed down as well. In profile, you’ll notice at the rear it has a fastback quality that results in a very short overhang. The CT5 will come standard with a 2.0L turbo 4-cylinder engine, but a twin-turbo 3.0L V6 will also be available. Both engines are mated to a 10-speed auto transmission. The new sedan will be made at GM’s Lansing Grand River facility, which recently received a $211 million investment.
WEEKEND RACE RESULTS
It was a weekend of domination in motor racing. Valtteri Bottas dominated the opening race in the Formula One championship, lapping the field up to 7th place in his Mercedes at the Australian Grand Prix. In NASCAR, Kyle Busch dominated the 400-mile race at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. And Cadillac’s swept the top three positions in the DPi class at IMSA’s 12 hours of Sebring. Porsche won the GLM class with a factory backed 911. And Lamborghini took the top two spots in GTD.
THE END OF THE ROAD FOR THE I.C.E.?
In order to meet future fuel economy and emission standards, automakers are investing heavily into electrified powertrains. So could the internal combustion engine be on its last legs? On last week’s Autoline After Hours we were joined by Michael Robinet, an analyst at IHS Markit. And he talked about why it’s very unlikely that we’ll see an automaker develop a completely new engine.
(The AAH preview is only available in the video version of today’s show.)
You can watch that entire episode right now on our website, Autoline.tv 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.
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Comments (43)
March 18th, 2019 at 11:56 am
The CTS looked far better and more substantial than this cute little thing. It will sell even less than the CTS. Bad news for Caddy.
Other than that, very little to write home about. I will wait to see the March and April sales to see what difference it made to have the base $35k Model 3 available in the US. Also for production numbers and the quarterly report to see how Tesla exports to China and Europe, now that the Model 3 is on sale in both continents, shape up.
March 18th, 2019 at 12:03 pm
GM’s AV plans. So this is where the very few Bolts sold go to die. And the Incompetent so-called “experts” at NTHSA will ask..the public to tell them if they should allow Bolts with no steering wheel or pedals to run around San Francisco? Really?
March 18th, 2019 at 12:04 pm
1, I disagree, I feel the CT5 should do as well or better than the CTS; it has similar styling to what Cadillac is currently producing and the design should have ‘legs’ (shouldn’t date itself too soon). IMO At least you have to give credit to GM that it is staying in the sedan market with a new entry. Granted, I’m a Cadillac owner (and fan) but depending how ‘she’ presents and drives, it could be a helpful hand to Cadillac (though I do think Cadillac needs to step-up in the dependability department).
I think perhaps the death of new ICE is still a little premature; it wasn’t a couple of years that it was said that fully new engines wouldn’t be produced but I think that may be already wrong with the Cadillac (GM) Blackwing. Sure, new engines won’t abound, but I think their demise (of new from the ground up) is still premature. Again, JMO
March 18th, 2019 at 12:12 pm
Do I see Korean car styling cues in the new CT5?
March 18th, 2019 at 12:21 pm
1, 3 I strongly liked the CTS better. It had clean, crisp and impressive styling, better than late model BMWs. This one is as I said a cute little thing that will sell even less than the few CTS units sold.
March 18th, 2019 at 12:30 pm
So the OEMs believe that the end of the ICE is in sight. With quixotic federal regulations, nothing is for sure. Perhaps now would be the time to make arrangements with others to share powerplants. Some, like the Toyota Supra already have, (Toyota fanboys disapprove, like BMW can’t make good engines?).
I like the look of the CT5
March 18th, 2019 at 12:31 pm
Nice to see something come out of GM that isn’t horribly overstyled and looks dated after a couple years. Still holding the “Art & Science” design language without looking like an origami exercise.
March 18th, 2019 at 12:46 pm
I know it will never happen, but I’m going to throw it out there anyway. – I wish (at least Cadillac and Lincoln) would bring back the long rear deck.
Not a fan of the fastback design cue on this new CT5. I also think that cute little ‘pinch’ of chrome trim where the DLO closes into the C-pillar drags this car down into Chevy Impala styling cue territory. NOT a good look for a luxury vehicle, imho.
March 18th, 2019 at 12:58 pm
More than “the end of the ICE is nigh,” maybe it’s more that the technology is mature, and there’s no need to design a new one every 5 years. At one time, an engine family went for decades. Flathead Ford V-8, 1932-1954. Chrysler slant 6, 1960-1990-something. The first generation Chevy small block V-8 started in 1955, and is still sold as a “crate motor.”
March 18th, 2019 at 12:58 pm
@7.
I hear you, Brett, but I, for one, am one of those people for whom Cadillac styling (almost) never goes out of style. I absolutely LOVE the fighter-jet styling that’s come out of their studios over the past decade.
God forbid they make the same mistake Jaguar has with the first gen XF and Maserati had with every generation of Quattroporte by over softening the stylistic expressiveness that has helped get them where they are.
March 18th, 2019 at 1:04 pm
The “Art and Science” theme was the most successful styling by any domestic (and many import) makers over the last two decades, and this is why it lasted more than two decades, with minor changes. They don’t look at all like paper origami but more like multi-faceted diamonds.
However exterior styling is not enough, hence Caddy’s dismal sales over those 20 years.
Lincoln, which I hold in much less esteem than Caddy, may have achieved the same or similar modest sales as Caddy by offering re-heated Ford clones, at a much smaller cost to develop them.
March 18th, 2019 at 1:10 pm
Trump should worry more about Boeing, than about GM closing Lordstown. Boeing is the US’ biggest exporter, and stands to have tens of billions in orders cancelled if they don’t quickly, and convincingly resolve the issue with the autonomous crash system.
March 18th, 2019 at 1:16 pm
Could Ford’s layoffs in Germany be related to the Brexit disaster? The UK is Ford Europe’s biggest market, and more difficult movement of cars and parts between Britain and the continent would not be good for Ford, (or other car companies.)
March 18th, 2019 at 1:50 pm
Automotive News article stated that the new CT5 will compete against the BMW 3-series and that Cadillac will also soon launch the CT4 as their second sedan. Since they already said their current sedans will be discontinued, this will leave them with two small sedans and a bunch of crossovers. Seems odd that they will not have a midsize sedan to compete against the 5-series and C-class.
It also seems strange that Cadillac is still involved in racing. Other than the V-series cars, they have no sporty offerings. While racing helps sell sports cars for Porsche, Audi and Ferrari, I don’t see the point for Cadillac, despite their impressive success rate. It reminds me of when Oldsmobile dominated drag racing but had no performance cars or even a V-8 powered car to sell. What is the point?
March 18th, 2019 at 1:55 pm
14 If the CT5 competes against the 3 series, it also competes against the C-Class. They compete with each other.
March 18th, 2019 at 1:57 pm
Thanks Kit, I meant E-class. It just seems like the midsize luxury market is too big (and profitable) to walk away from.
March 18th, 2019 at 1:59 pm
14, 15 the old CTS competed against the FIVE Series and the E class, it was a far bigger vehicle than the 3 series.
It is rather puzzling that they would have the CTS successor compete against the 3 series.
In addition, the phase when all automakers were introducing “3 series Killers” or “Rivals”, ALL of which failed miserably, is now replaced by a phase where every other day an automaker announces they will produce a “Tesla Model 3″ killer or rival, with identical failing results.
March 18th, 2019 at 2:00 pm
17 con’t it was the much smaller ATS that competed against the 3 Series, not the CTS.
And from the reporting, if the above is true, then the CT5 is a successor to the ATS, not the CTS. Bigger than the tiny old ATS and smaller than the much bigger old CTS.
March 18th, 2019 at 2:02 pm
Ineos, major investor in UK’s next America’s Cup challenger, and apparently the next title sponsor of the UK-based cycling team now known as Team Sky.
March 18th, 2019 at 2:10 pm
It puzzles me that Cadillac is even sneak peaking the CT5 when it has been alluded that the official announcement will be at the NY Auto show; what’s the point? All it leads to is speculation and prejudicial opinions that have been gleaned from previous Cadillac experience (me included). Just shooting out a pre-production picture seems ill-advised. And you remember me; I’m a Caddy fan. It may create some buzz but that buzz may be negative (or positive); why risk it when no info is available to support or detract from what’s coming. Just two more of my cents opinion.
March 18th, 2019 at 2:14 pm
This, and other sites say the CT5 will compete with the 5, E, and A6.
https://www.topspeed.com/cars/cadillac/2019-cadillac-ct5-ar181775.html
March 18th, 2019 at 2:41 pm
21 this makes more sense, the CT5 is too large to compete against the 3 or the C.
However, I still do not like the CT5 styling, it looks confused, while the CTS had EXCELLENT exterior styling. Don’t mess with success, now they wasted a ton of $ and came up with a worse design.
16 BMW and esp Merc were able to make $ from the E class and the 5 series, but not Caddy, whose sales of the CTS were always distant fifth and sixth (behind the E, the 5, the A6, and sure behind the Lexus ES 350, which is also in this segment. There is also a Lincoln in this size, a 100% ford clone, which had the most dismal sales of all.
But this has changed when the Model S and now the Model 3 became available. It ate the lunch of BMW and Merc Dealers. By the time Caddy has a worthy E class rival, the game will have changed and the E will have shrunk, eaten away by the Teslas.
March 18th, 2019 at 2:55 pm
9) I think that is the correct take. The tech is mature enough that developing entirely new engines is not warranted. They will revert to the old model of using refreshed engine variants for a few decades until the electric drive market sorts out.
As to Ford of Europe layoffs, they have had an overcapicty problem for many years. This would have happened regardless of Brexit. Brexit more than likely pulled the date forward of this action by Ford though.
March 18th, 2019 at 3:05 pm
22 It especially helps M-B, BMW, and Audi, in that they sell those cars in large numbers all over the world, and optioned in ways we can only dream of.
March 18th, 2019 at 3:26 pm
re: Internal Combustion Engines
The last few steam locomotives were technological showpieces. Forged aluminum drive rods. Roller bearings throughout. Sophisticated fueling systems. Dieselization swept them aside in a single decade.
I suspect we’re approaching that time for ICE as well.
March 18th, 2019 at 3:29 pm
22) I am not seeing this trend that you are seeing. The Mercedes E-Class sales have been flat since 2015 at around 45,000 units give or take on some years. BMW 5 Series has been flat also since 2015 at 40K with an increase starting in 2017 and 2018. Tesla Model S has been flat since 2015 at around 25K per year.
The only downward movement in this segment is the Audi A6 and Caddillac CTS which both have similar sales figures. Maybe the Tesla Model S is responsible for that, or maybe both of those are old designs that needed a refresh as sales for both were declining while Model S sales were flat.
And FYI…The Lincoln MKZ, you know the one you said has dismal sales and is an irrelevant competitor in this segment…It was flat and outsold the Tesla Model S from 2015 through 2017 at which point it was replaced by the Zephyr. The MKZ also outsold the CTS and A6 combined. it is not the irrelevant competitor that your opinion has told you. The Zephyr has around 20K sales in 2018 which is typical of a new model production launch. Maybe the Audi/Cadillac buyers found a home with the Lincoln MKZ? You never know.
I am interested in what Tesla has been doing as much as the next guy. I am not going to talk about Tesla sales in terms of stratospheric hyperbole when there is easily obtainable sales data that can speak to their actual performance as compared to other segment competitors.
March 18th, 2019 at 3:43 pm
26 Doesn’t the MKZ compete with C-Class and 3 series more than with the E and 5?
March 18th, 2019 at 5:35 pm
Larry D, You told us 3 TIMES today what you think of Cadillac’s styling. Can’t you do it just once and leave it at that? If I agree with you, will you stop talking?
March 18th, 2019 at 6:36 pm
The Cadillac borrowed more of the new Chevy front end than the arts and science language. I’d have to see it in person to judge, many times cara have a much better presence in 3D, but I’m not impressed. Either way if it competes with bmw, they are both more vanilla than a new Camry. The C class looks nicer than any of these.
On ICE engines – there’s a lot that can be done with a good block, think LS1 and how long that’s been around. I also think having a small generator could have been an avenue to electrify most of our current fleet, but it’s too late for that idea. If the future is to charge at 1,000 miles per hour (Tesla V3), then no question the future is pure electric. And oh BTW instead of investing in new ICE engines and ride hailing tech I would, as an OEM, put my dollars in a charging infrastructure just like Elon did, without that everyone looses their shorts to Tesla.
March 18th, 2019 at 6:41 pm
25 As a retired mechanical engineer, I have loved the precision and careful design in the modern ICE – although perhaps not so much the over-the-top complexity of the new Infiniti variable compression design.
It is with genuine sadness I agree that they may be coming to an end.
March 18th, 2019 at 6:59 pm
30 Yeah, based on some acceleration and fuel economy tests of the Infinity CUV using it, that Nissan engine is the ultimate case of complexity for complexity’s sake.
March 18th, 2019 at 7:25 pm
Lincolns may be thought of as expensive Fords but their interiors beat Caddy’s all to heck. I gave thought to buying one because I love the Caddy styling. Not so much for the hard plastic trim and too many mechanical glitches. I also like the Audi and Merc., but the Euro stuff cost of repairs is five fold of Lincolns.
And Teslas?…just toys for people who don’t mind buying something which will be soon obsolete in 5 years and no one wants to buy a used one!
March 18th, 2019 at 7:59 pm
This is Cadillac’s problem. They’ve lost their way. Cadillacs have traditionally been big roomy automobiles. Now they are cars with no rear legroom and their core buyers have left for Lexus. Their only good seller is the Escalade which is big & roomy! Young buyers are not interested in their cars and neither are seniors because they are neither reliable competitive in price.
March 18th, 2019 at 8:14 pm
32 Lincoln went for the trappings of luxury, and Cadillac went for sporty driving. It seems difficult for either to make much headway, sales-wise, in either category, because of their reputations from decades ago, and because other brands, whether European, Asian, or Tesla, are today’s “cool”
I, personally, have never bought, or seriously considered any car from a “premium” brand, with one exception. I have considered, and am still considering a near zero option Porsche Cayman as a replacement for two cars, a Mini and a Corvette. Of course, there is no VW version of a Cayman, or I’d more likely consider that, rather than the “premium” Porsche version.
March 18th, 2019 at 8:17 pm
33 To me, it is sad that the crude, trucky, badge engineered Escalade is Cadillac’s most successful product. Such is today’s America.
March 19th, 2019 at 7:30 am
22 The trend I described is in full swing especially in CA and to a lesser extent in other EV friendly states. Obviously here in MI, where the corrupt state forbids direct sales of cars to customers and Tesla is not allowed to sell their EVs here, you would not expect it to be strong here.
March 19th, 2019 at 8:17 am
36 I find it interesting that two states as different as MI and TX, politically and otherwise, are among those that don’t allow direct sales by Tesla. In some parts of TX, you would need to go hundreds of miles to get a Tesla. Still, a lot of Teslas are sold there, but only because there a lot of people there. The market share is not high.
March 19th, 2019 at 10:04 am
37 MI is the home of the onetime big 3. TX probably has import plants instead. I see a ton of Teslas in my area in MI, which is not very representative of either the Detroit area (in fact it is more liberal than even Detroit, I believe Hillary got 86% in my county but still lost the state in 16) or the rural conservative areas, but the local dealers do not suffer because the consumers drive to Cleveland to buy them.
March 19th, 2019 at 10:04 am
what about the achates engine? It seems to hold much promise!
March 19th, 2019 at 10:06 am
37 I guess the explanation is that dealer lobbying and bribing their State Government to forbid direct auto sales works both in MI and TX. Not that surprising.
March 19th, 2019 at 10:35 am
38 GM Arlington, TX builds big SUVs, and Toyota San Antonio builds pickup trucks.
March 19th, 2019 at 11:51 am
I own a CTS coupe and agree the styling was my main attraction to the car the interior in my opinion is not any better or worse than Lincoln but not world class either.
The CT5 looks just like the ATS and I also agree with previous comments that they should stick with the large sedans. If you can afford a luxury car you typically are not buying it for its fuel economy. That’s why no one asks how many miles per gallon you get in a Bugatti.
March 19th, 2019 at 3:35 pm
While in today’s rather gloomy market for automobiles is the most dim ever, I believe GM/Cadillac were committed to build the CT5, no matter what, due to the average 3-4 year lead time to bring a new design to market & tool up for manufacturing.
As for the CTS-V (and possibly the Escalade) being the only vehicles getting the new “Blackwing” V-8, I would bet money that the Corvette C8 will have it as standard equipment. The one really good thing the CTS-V did was give us a 4-dr Corvette, and I thank Cadillac for it! LUV IT!!!
The average Cadillac owner probably has no idea what is under the hood, and it is not important as long as it runs and the AC is working! the Allante (w/4.1L V-8 – except for ’93 w/new Northstar) and the XLR were terrible flops. I once looked at a used 93 Allante, and the owner bragged about burning the rear tires on take-off. I told that was very interesting, since the car was front wheel drive only w/transverse mounted NorthStar engine. He did not believe me until he looked under the car and saw that there was no driveshaft to the rear end – Go FIGURE!
I am sure that the GM “Brass” will straighten out head of Cadillac as to who will have access to the “Blackwing!” It is a sad day to think that a “truck” (SUV) is what people look for in Cadillac!
I think of the 1970 Fleetwood as the benchmark what a Cadillac was supposed to represent the upper-end of true luxury for the American automobile. The 70′s, 80′s and 90′s in terms of “fun cars” were lost years for the American automobile with rare exceptions (Corvette C-4 ZR-1, Buick Regal T-Type and the GNX Regal).