AD #2952 – How Chevy Can Make The ‘Vette Look More Modern; VW Reveals New Golf R; October Sales Down
November 4th, 2020 at 11:58am
Listen to “AD #2952 – How Chevy Can Make The ‘Vette Look More Modern; VW Reveals New Golf R; October Sales Down” on Spreaker.
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Runtime: 8:45
0:07 SAAR Declines for First Time in Six Months
1:17 BMW Posts Q3 Net Profit
3:29 How Chevy Can Make The ‘Vette Look More Modern
4:18 Volkswagen Reveals New Golf R
5:30 Ford Adds New ADAS Features
6:36 You Said It!
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SAAR DECLINES FOR FIRST TIME IN SIX MONTHS
Car sales in the U.S. have been steadily improving since COVID lockdowns earlier in the year but for the first time in six months, the seasonally adjusted annual rate declined from the prior month. According to Wards Intelligence, the SAAR hit 16.21 million units in October, compared to 16.5 million in September. Automakers sold 1.35 million vehicles last month, which is actually slightly more than last October, but because there was one more selling day this year, sales were down 2.7% on a daily selling rate basis compared to a year ago. Part of the reason for the decline is automakers didn’t have to slap many incentives on vehicles due to low inventory. Average incentive spending was down 2.6% from a year ago according to ALG. The shift from passenger cars to pickups and SUVs continues. Passenger cars dropped 10% compared to a year ago, while light trucks posted a 4.6% increase. But October’s SAAR decline could indicate that demand has hit a ceiling and may last into next year.
BMW POST Q3 NET PROFIT
Despite falling revenues, many automakers have posted third quarter profits this year. And BMW is no exception. The German automaker sold over 675,000 vehicles in the third quarter, including Mini and Rolls-Royce, which is an 8.6% gain from a year ago. Surprisingly that is a quarterly record for the company. But despite the increase in sales, BMW’s revenue in the third quarter declined 1.4% and its EBIT dropped nearly 16%. However, its 1.8 billion euro net profit is up 17%. While it was an overall good quarter for BMW, it warns that a second COVID wave could impact its momentum.
Have we got a great Autoline After Hours coming up tomorrow. Peter Rawlinson the CEO and CTO of Lucid Motors will be joining us. And so will Derek Jenkins, the vice president of design. Do you have questions you’d like to ask them? We’re going to block out part of the show just for your questions. You can tweet them in–just look for @Autoline on Twitter–or send an email to viewermail@autoline.tv. This is going to be a great discussion. Is the EV market big enough to accommodate Lucid, or is it going to have to steal sales from Tesla? Join John & Gary for some of the best insights into what’s going on in the automotive industry.
BLACKED OUT OR BODY COLOR?
We love the new C8 Corvette. But we wondered why the designers blacked out most of the front fascia. It makes the ‘Vette look like it’s got one of those gargantuan grilles. But instead of being a huge air intake, it’s actually just a blacked-out panel. So Autoline’s Katie Gritzinger played around in Photoshop to see what the C8 would look like if that panel was painted body color. There are three versions. One with the entire front end body color. One with the outside intakes blacked out. And one with the inner and outer intakes blacked out. Each one is a subtle change, but they make the ‘Vette look more modern and definitely more aerodynamic. So maybe this is what Chevrolet will do when the Corvette eventually gets electrified. But what do you think? Blacked out, or body color?
VOLKSWAGEN REVEALS NEW GOLF R
Speaking of sporty cars, Volkswagen revealed more about the new Golf R. Power output from the car’s turbocharged 2.0L engine increased to 315 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. That gets routed through either a 6-speed manual or 7-speed dual clutch transmission. Torque vectoring all-wheel drive is standard. 0 to 60? That happens in 4.7 seconds, while top speed tops out at 155 MPH. Other performance enhancements include a retuned suspension and bigger front brakes. There’s also cosmetic enhancements too. The front bumper design is different from other Golf models with a splitter, specific air intake grilles and a blue crossbar that stretches through the headlamps. The 19-inch wheels, side skirts, mirror caps, spoiler and rear diffuser are unique to the R as well. Moving to the interior, you’re likely to notice the sport seats and a whole bunch of blue accents to signify that this is not your average Golf. No word on pricing for North America, but the new Golf R will be on sale before the year is out.
FORD ADDS NEW ADAS FEATURES
Ford is improving its advanced driver assistance system. It’s adding a feature called Blind Spot Assist to its Lane-Keeping System. It works by looking out for other vehicles approaching from behind and if the driver goes to change lanes where that other vehicle is, the system will gently nudge the steering wheel as a way of saying, hey! that might not be a good idea. It’s also launching Intersection Assist. That system uses the forward-facing camera combined with radar to detect other vehicles approaching. If the driver goes to turn and it determines the two vehicles are going to crash, the system will automatically apply the brakes. These features are making their debut on the all-new Kuga in Europe, but you can be sure it will be rolled out globally to a number of other Ford vehicles as well.
YOU SAID IT!
Lots of great feedback from yesterday’s show. A number of people wanted to add to Charlie Chesbrough’s reasoning for why average transaction prices keep climbing. Kit Gerhart says, “It seems to me, that the biggest reason transaction prices are increasing, is that people are buying big trucks, rather than mid-size and smaller cars. You can buy a decently equipped Accord or Camry for an MSRP in the mid 20s, but people are buying huge pickup trucks and various size SUVs instead.” While Ron Paris says the reason for the MSRP creep is, “… Auto manufacturers are forced to pour billions of dollars into developing electric and self-driving vehicles for which there is virtually no market. What they do have to sell is conventional ICE vehicles and in order to stay in business they are forced to keep inflating the prices of products that provide their only stream of revenue and offset their escalating costs.” I’ll also chime in. I think safety plays a role. Look at how much more complex vehicle structures are and the advanced materials required to make them, like high-strength steels. Along with what Charlie said, I think that paints a pretty good picture for why prices are increasing. And a lot of you wondered, if Citroen is going after Polestar for its logo, then why doesn’t Bugatti go after Electric Brands? That’s the EV startup from Germany that we showed yesterday and not only do they have the same initials – EB – but the logos are awfully similar too. As was pointed out, they’re more closely related than the Citroen and Polestar logos. If Citroen won its case, it would be reasonable to think Bugatti would too. Thanks and keep the feedback coming.
But that’s all for today’s show. We hope to see you again tomorrow.
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Comments (31)
November 4th, 2020 at 12:20 pm
Blacked out, no question. You can already get the radiator grilles painted body color, and its a no from me!
November 4th, 2020 at 12:21 pm
I think the Vette looks just fine without the added color (in fact it looks better sans the addition). What is already available from Corvette is the option for body moldings in the same vehicle color; they include the front and rear vent openings divisor in body color and the side door (dare I say chevron) in body color, of those I approve.
November 4th, 2020 at 1:00 pm
On the Corvette; the blacked out front looks the best to me. If ALD is gonna give me one, I’ll take any one of the three versions.
I can see many of the Ford ADAS features becoming mainstream. Rather than self driving these features make sense and have the potential to save thousands of fender benders.
November 4th, 2020 at 1:40 pm
Blacked out for me. Not because a monotone couldn’t look good, it just needs a different bumper design to pull it off. Right now the bumper is shaped purposefully for those blackouts so their absence looks odd.
November 4th, 2020 at 2:43 pm
Interesting the change to the corvette,with something so simple. I’m surprised variations aren’t an option from GM. The new Golf R is amazing. Very pricey I’m sure,but to me worth it.
November 4th, 2020 at 2:51 pm
Order your Vette in black and you won’t have to lay awake at night wondering about this issue.
November 4th, 2020 at 2:52 pm
Conveniently, I like the blacked out the best. I say conveniently, because that’s how the one I ordered will come.
5 I read somewhere, I think C and D, that the price of the new Golf R will be essentially the same as the old one, about $42K.
November 4th, 2020 at 2:53 pm
Blacked out is 100% better looking than the bland red expanses in the front end.
5 any 300 HP car should be RWD, as all real cars are. The GOlf is a great car in Europe, VWs made in NA have very poor interiors, as I noticed in a Passat I rented, which had all the options, but materials were flimsy and poor quality.
In Europe you can get excellent GOlfs with more than adequate 150 HPs for only 25,000 EUros (remember that includes a 24% VAT tax), and their interiors are far better wquality than those made in NA.
November 4th, 2020 at 2:53 pm
6 Yeah, I was thinking that. I ordered mine Elkhart Blue, but I’ll have plenty of time to change it, if I see the cars in other colors I like better.
November 4th, 2020 at 3:02 pm
#6.
November 4th, 2020 at 3:03 pm
8 The US market GTi has a decent interior, but there is no color choice for interior, nothing but black. It is cloth or leather, depending on the trim level.
November 4th, 2020 at 3:14 pm
11 The passat I rented did not have the 50 shades of gray or black problem, but still had a lousy interior, despite being the top-end model with all the options. Everywhere you touched it reeked of cheapness. You tried to open the sunroof (not the glass, just the cover) and it was made of an incredible flimsy, cheap plastic, instead of the regular cloth cover I had in all sunroofs to date. Also, in the Euro golf versions I see here twice a day (Parked on the street as I walk to the beach for my morning and afternoon swims) the various gauges nd vents are very nicely surrounded with bright chrome, which does not look like the god-awful silver colored plastics they use in VW and many other US makers models.
Re Corvettes, they also look great in yellow and the yellow-black combi works even better in the front end. A neighbor has such a C7.
November 4th, 2020 at 3:27 pm
https://www.ft.com/content/a2901ce8-5eb7-4633-b89c-cbdf5b386938
updated stats and graphs as of Nov 2, show the second wave of the CV is in full force in Europe, which now has THREE TIMES the deaths the US has (2,478, more than even the recent worst area, Latin Am, which now has 1,563) while the US only has a few hundred. Many Euro nations are in their second lockdown (after the original disaster in April, where Europe also had many more deaths than the US).
November 4th, 2020 at 3:30 pm
13 Just noticed that this huge 2,478 does not include the ‘rest of Europe’ band, if it did it would be over 3,000 deaths.
November 4th, 2020 at 4:21 pm
I just saw the Corvette on the highway and I said to my partner, Wow, that is hideous. After the sixties I have truly disliked (and I’m being careful here with my words) the Corvette.
November 4th, 2020 at 5:06 pm
Since this is a COVID discussion forum, Germany’s seven day rolling average is 68 viz 839 for the US, always according to the FT. Morbid observations – I live not five miles from one of Europe’s original hotspots in Alsace. These are not only statistics.
Germany seems to be getting a grip on the surge with targeted quarantines and sectoral lockdowns, while keeping schools and most workplaces open. The federal government has taken care to get all the Bundesländer on board.
The smartest thing they’re doing is to speculatively produce vaccines in advance while continuing with a rigorous approval process.
This too shall pass.
And everyone knows all Corvettes are red (I just can’t connect with the C8′s exterior design).
November 4th, 2020 at 6:57 pm
I think most of the “ safety systems” many cars are coming with are of little value but Fords system that stops you from turning left could save a lot of motorcyclists.
November 4th, 2020 at 8:23 pm
15,16 C8s definitely look different, more like some European exotics than like earlier Corvettes. Kate, I, too like the looks of the old Corvettes, but the new ones drive much better in every way.
November 5th, 2020 at 5:37 am
One explanation I read for the big market surge is that markets are pleased that one party does not control EVERYTHING in Wash DC. It would hardly be confidence in the Econ Genius of… Biden and Harris.
In my case, in an incomplete list of investments, the one-day gain was
+$219,964.59 total gain
“Consolation Coffee” in case the corrupt, serially lying, senile idiot gets elected?
Here are the best individual fund gains:
+55,350.26 Fidelity Select Biotech Fund.
+$40,858.79 Fid. Maggelan Fund
+$36,549.86 Fid. Maggelan in my 401k.
+$32,054.53 Fid. Focused stock fund.
I did not mention that if the senile idiot gets elected, it will be even better for my favorite Dominatrix in the BEV field, TESLA. Musk will also do well under a second Trump term, BTW, so do not worry, Tesla haters.
November 5th, 2020 at 7:26 am
Larry, you hit it out of the park with “my favorite Dominatrix in the BEV field, TESLA.”
A lot of hard work we mostly never see still lies ahead. And people strangely insist on making their own choices according to peculiar preferences.
But yes, noone outside the Chinese “communist” party is as fixated on tackling the Terawatt-hour challenge of cell supply that will see the demise of antiquated means of propulsion.
November 5th, 2020 at 8:13 am
15 I respect that you voice your opinion even when it varies from the majority. But I think the new C8 has polarized people with its design and generated some excitement within the Corvette brand that hasn’t happened in a long time. Its funny how the Mid-engine has been an almost 50/50 split with people. Ive heard just as many people being excited about the change as I have people that were disappointed. You are the first I’ve heard that didn’t care for the looks though.
Been to a couple car shows and the traditionalists hate to see the car get away from its roots of a front engine American sportscar and they feel GM kinda sold out to be like the other exotics. For so many years it was in a class all its own. Others like the change and feel it puts the Corvette on track to be the best sportscar per dollar available. Some people hate change simply cause its different even if it is better. Other embrace change and love the next new things sometimes even when its not better. Guess it comes down to how you embrace change at least on the mid-engine change. Design is purly in the eye of the beholder but based on sales and desire for the car I’d say the general public thinks GM has a great looking car.
November 5th, 2020 at 8:33 am
There has been talk of mid-engine Corvettes for decades, and now that it’s happened, most people like it. It will be interesting to see the demographics of buyers, after the initial pipeline is filled. The average age of C7 buyers has been 61. Will the C8′s being more of a bargain exotic lower that number? I’d expect it to, though I will be moving the number in the opposite direction.
November 5th, 2020 at 8:35 am
19 If Biden holds on and becomes president, the level of civility at the top of the US government will improve 100 fold. If only that could happen on this forum.
November 5th, 2020 at 9:30 am
#22 – Not just talk about rear mid-engine Corvette – There has been a lot of work done over the years. Back in 1969/1970 as a development engineer at Chevrolet we did a substantial amount of HVAC & Engine cooling testing on a rear mid engine Corvette. The test vehicle numbers were 18005 & 18006 where the 1 stood for 1971 model year. Obviously never happened. Hope you like your C8 when you finally receive it. For now our C7 will suffice as it only has about 7000 miles on it.
November 5th, 2020 at 9:40 am
22 Yea I was glad to see the Vette go mid-engine and it has had a long successful history with the traditional front engine configuration but I don’t think keeping it front engine just because that’s were it started isn’t reason enough. I believe some people think that it was a way for American car companies to stand apart from the other exotics while still providing a competitive car. Nostalgia and history are in direct competition with advancement and technology. Its like saying you cant build a sportscar with a 4cyl engine yet todays 4 bangers make more power than a 1980 Vette with its V8. Which will probably be the next big hurdle is GM offering the Vetter with a 4 or 6 cyl engine. The same grumblings went through Ford when the GT and the Raptor went V6 over the traditional V8. But when you can get the power and lower the weight it makes sense. You do start to lose other traits of the iconic sportscar like the sound but with the increase of EVs people are learning to deal with a silent speedster anyway. Evolution doesn’t take away from what the Vette was and the new can be amazing even when its drastically different. You’ll always have the people tat say its not a Vette unless its front engine and has a V8 but personally I think GM did a great job keeping the car very Corvette looking and as it continues to evolves it will remain a car on my bucket list. Or until it becomes an EV.
November 5th, 2020 at 9:47 am
https://europe.autonews.com/automakers/volvo-alters-safety-ad-after-new-york-times-claims-it-was-misrepresented?utm_source=daily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20201105&utm_content=article7-headline
Maybe Sean will talk about this today. I always felt that Volvo has the best PR BS department in the whole industry, which is why there are (always positive) stories about it, despite the fact its models are overpriced (WAY), unreliable (WAY) and thus its US sales are embarassingly, laughably small.
One great coup of VOlvo’s PR BS department was to portray their POS, very convincingly, as “very safe”, in fact to have a virtual monopoly on this topic, EVEN THO it was the MERCEDES S class and other prior models that introduced ALL BUT ONE modern safety breakthrus.
NOW the NY TImes have caught with the VOlvo snake oil salesmen and took them to task, and VOlvo has cried ‘uncle’ in a sense, and RETRACTED some of their wilder claims.
November 5th, 2020 at 10:19 am
I like the mid-engine corvette. To me it is the best iteration of the model to date. I like the styling of the front and mid sections. The rear is extremely square and I really don’t like it. The interior is generally a nice place to be. The long bank of buttons controlling just the climate controls is kind of an odd choice. I have a similar set-up in one of my cars and it was a constant criticism back in the day of that model. It just seems to me we all moved beyond the bank of numerous buttons designs of the 80s/90s.
I would still buy one though.
November 5th, 2020 at 10:41 am
I like rotary knobs for some things, especially radio tuning and volume, and temperature control.
November 5th, 2020 at 10:56 am
OCT. 2020 US LV SALES: September SAAR was 16.3 million not 16.5. 16.2 million rate is great! Given unemployment due to COVID-19 is at 7.9% over double pre-COVID rates of 3.5% this is great sales. Also automakers are still struggling with 9-year low inventory levels, especially in high demand pick-ups and CUV’s…. so that limits sales when consumers cannot find the trim level and color they want at dealers. Strange how Auto Line tends have negative outlook or negative spin so often. I wonder why?
November 5th, 2020 at 11:08 am
AVERAGE TRANSACTION PRICE: Increasing due to 2 main reasons…people are purchasing more CUV’s/SUV’s and pick-ups which have higher prices and the fiat US dollar keeps losing it’s value and is worth less each year as the Federal Reserve Central Banks keep printing currency out of thin air and paying themselves back interest! Ever notice fast food meals are more expensive each year? This is NOT because costs are rising, it is because fiat $ value is declining so it takes more of them to buy things. It is same reason why in the 1970′s a candy bar was 25 cents and now is $1.50. Or why in the late 80′s the starting salary for Engineers was $30k and was great pay but now McDonald’s Manager makes more than that and Engineers can start closer to $80 to $100k. They mask it as “inflation”. No worries…change is coming….do we have the gold back?…JFK was about to print new currency from the US Treasury as the constitution allows….but they took him out. Stay tuned—maybe some big changes are coming!
November 5th, 2020 at 12:40 pm
Going all body color on the Vette’s nose makes it look like a Corvair!