Auto Industry News: Baja 1000 Results, V-8 Wrangler Rubicon, Polaris Shake-Up and Self-Driving Racecars
There is a lot to cover this week, as awards roll in for the 2020 Baja 1000, Hot Wheels Legend Tour, and MotorTrend Car of the Year. Plus, we cover some industry break-ups and shake-ups at Polaris and Tesla respectively, while taking a peek at future happenings in the auto world.
2020 Baja 1000 Results
The 2020 Baja 1000 wrapped yesterday, with overall victory going to the team of Luke McMillin and veteran Larry Roeseler in their No.83 4WP BFGoodrich Ford Trophy-Truck. Rob MacCachren and Josh Daniel (No.11 Makita Tools/BFGoodrich Ford) took second with Bryce Menzies and Andy McMillin, Luke’s cousin, (No. 7 Red Bull/Toyo Tire Ford) in third.
The annual desert race is a grueling off-road test of speed, skill, and grit. But this year’s loop was the longest in Baja 1000 history, with 898.40-miles of particularly challenging sand, rock, silt, and dry lake beds. Indeed, a brutal trek for a brutal year.
McMillin’s win in the premier SCORE Trophy Truck class adds to his top honors at this year’s Best-In-The-Desert Silver State 300, and BFGoodrich Mint 400. The victory also puts another notch in his racing family’s belt. Dan McMillin, Luke’s older brother, took first in the Baja 500 earlier this year. Their father, Mark, is a five-time overall winner who dominated the Baja 1000 in the 1980s.
The 53rd Baja 1000 marked a great day for Ford, who swept the Trophy Truck podium. While the Ford Bronco R managed to complete the event this year in the production-based Class 2 race, it was once again beaten by the Chevy-powered SCG Boot. In fact, the Boot crossed the finish line a full five hours and fifteen minutes before the Bronco, cementing its status as Class 2 king for the second year running. The $258,750 off-road beast took 42nd place overall, out of 99 total finishers across all classes.
Hot Wheels – Legends Tour Winner Announced
The winner of Mattel’s 2020 Hot Wheels Legends Tour is a custom 1970 Pontiac Trans Am, built by Riley Stair of Sacramento. As the third fan’s car to take the honor, the vehicle will be inducted into the Hot Wheels Garage of Legends and will join the Hot Wheels collection as a 1:64 scale die-cast, which will hit store shelves worldwide in 2021.
Stair’s build was chosen from thousands of cars entered in the Hot Wheels Legends Tour, which had 14 virtual stops throughout Europe, LATAM, Asia, and North America. The final stop—and end of the global search—was at the iconic Jay Leno’s Garage.
“With more vehicle entries this year than ever before, we know we found a special build that embodies the Hot Wheels challenger spirit with the 1970 Pontiac Trans Am,” said Ted Wu, Vice President, Global Head of Design for Vehicles, Mattel. “You see the vehicle and instantly know it is meant to be a Hot Wheels with the unique frame, engine, and purpose-driven build.”
Learn more about this race-ready Firebird’s build biology in the Hoonigan video below.
“Hot Wheels die-cast for car lovers of all ages to enjoy means the world to me,” said Legends Tour Winner Riley Stair. “To think that my car in a 1:64 scale could make a lasting impression for a young kid who loves cars, as Hot Wheels have for so many of us, is a dream come true. I can’t wait to see my nephew Noah pushing my car around the living room!”
New Vehicle Buzz
Honda Civic Prototype
One year removed from a particularly controversial redesign, Honda has unveiled the brand new 2022 Civic prototype. According to the automaker, the 11th gen Civic sports a more powerful and fuel-efficient powertrain and a slew of cutting-edge technology and safety features. Most importantly, said Honda, it’s more fun to drive.
“Civic has always exceeded expectations,” said Dave Gardner, executive vice president of National Operations, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “The all-new Civic will continue that legacy of setting the standard for compact cars with human-centered design, outstanding dynamics, style, safety performance and driver enjoyment.”
The production Civic is expected to look almost identical to the prototype model pictured here. Riding on a modified version of the current car’s platform, the new Civic looks lower and wider than it actually is, lending a sportier vibe. Honda says the design team looked to days-of-Civic-past for creative inspo. The noticeable use of cleaner lines—and lack of rounded fenders, extra creases, and fake bumper vents—tells us it was a smart decision.
Inside, the 2022 Civic shows off a refreshingly clutter-free instrument panel. Minimizing cut lines and breaks gives drivers a clean and clear view of the road ahead, Honda says.
The door top and dash line blend nicely, while a honeycomb mesh accent stretches the width of the dash to both provide some aesthetic bonus points while also hiding the visually busy air vents.
Techy upgrades include an all-digital driver’s meter cluster and a new 9-inch full-HD Display Audio touchscreen mounted atop the low-set instrument panel. On the safety side, the 2022 Civic sees an upgraded suite of Honda Sensing tech and brand-new airbag designs.
The launch of the Civic Sedan will be followed by the Civic Hatchback, performance-focused Civic Si and the high-performance Civic: Type R.
Jeep Reveals 2021 Wrangler Rubicon 392
The newly-revealed 2021 Wrangler Rubicon 392 proves wishes do come true.
For years, Jeep enthusiasts have been clamoring for a V-8-powered production Wrangler. But not since the 1981 CJ has one been available (and that 5.0-liter only delivered a measly 125 horsepower and 220 lb.-ft. of torque).
The Wrangler has seen several iterations of powertrain improvements over the years, from the Pentastar V-6 to the recent 3.0-liter turbodiesel. But now, the off-road beast gets the power it always deserved—a 6.4-liter V-8 engine delivering 450 horsepower and 450 lb.-ft. of torque for a 0-60 mph time of less than five seconds.
According to FCA, off-road capability is further amped by Dana 44 axles, a full-time two-speed transfer case, electric front and rear axle lockers, 33-inch mud-terrain tires and a Jeep Performance Parts two-inch lift kit from Mopar, combined with suspension enhancements, and a more robust eight-speed transmission. Got all that?
Car and Driver said: “You’ll be able to tell the Wrangler has V-8 power by its functional hood scoop, borrowed from the desert-rated Gladiator Mojave, with ‘392’ badging and a quad-tip exhaust system. A two-inch lift over the standard Wrangler (an inch taller than the standard Rubicon) provides 10.3 inches of ground clearance, and it can clear 32.5 inches of water. To account for the added power of the V-8, Jeep strengthened the chassis with additional steel, upgraded front upper control arms, and cast iron steering knuckles.”
Arriving in January, the “quickest, most powerful Wrangler ever,” per the company, comes only as a four-door Rubicon model. Expect to shell out about $60k for this beast.
Mercedes-Benz E-Class Named MotorTrend 2021 Car of the Year
The 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class has walked away the winner of MotorTrend’s Car of the Year Award. The E-class competed against such luxury stalwarts as the Porsche Taycan, BMW 8-Series Gran Coupe, and sister coupe, Mercedes-Benz CLA, as well as more economic challengers like the Hyundai Sonata and Nissan Sentra. Ultimately, the MotorTrend team felt the mid-cycle updated E-class was a “stunning accomplishment,” blending old-school luxury with “a plethora of high-tech and high-zoot features.”
You read that right—the E-class is no new model. This is a face-lifted refresh of the W213 generation launched in 2016. “Mercedes didn’t need the E-Class to be this magnificent, this dominant,” said MotorTrend senior features editor Jonny Lieberman. “They could have slapped on some new body panels, updated the engines, and called it a day. But the engineers went the extra mile. They pulled the all-nighter. Put in the hard work. The result? Car of the Year.”
Corporate Break-Ups and Industry Shake-Ups
Polaris CEO Scott Wine to Leave Company in December
Polaris announced some shocking news last week. Chairman and CEO Scott Wine will leave Polaris to assume the CEO role at CNH Industrial, a worldwide maker of farm equipment. If you’re thinking this is just a standard industry white collar swap, think again. Wine was instrumental in building the Polaris brand into the powerhouse it is today. His shoes will certainly be hard to fill.
Wine joined Polaris in 2008, when the company had $1.9 billion in sales. During his tenure, sales more than tripled, catapulting the brand into the Fortune 500—as well as a global leadership position in the powersports market. Other successes under Wine included Polaris re-entering the marine market, growing its motorcycle business, getting into the EV space, and launching the three-wheeled Slingshot. Wine also oversaw Polaris when the company introduced the first four-seater SxS to the market in 2010, setting an industry benchmark for off-road family fun.
“For the last 12 years, I have had the extraordinary honor of leading the best team in powersports, and it is incredibly rewarding to reflect on all that we have accomplished together,” Wine said in a statement. “I am most proud of the team and the culture that have made working here so gratifying, and having witnessed firsthand the ingenuity, passion and drive that permeates the Company, I leave with complete confidence that Polaris’ future is bright.”
Tesla Joins S&P 500 in December
After trying and failing in September, electric vehicle company Tesla will finally join the S&P 500 at the end of this year. According to Reuters, “With a stock market value over $400 billion, Tesla will be among the most valuable companies ever added to the widely followed stock market index, larger than 95% of the S&P 500’s existing components.”
The announcement led to an after-hours explosion of stock market activity for the EV giant, shooting their price per share up by over 12%. If the numbers currently hold, Tesla will boot Visa out of the top 10 as the ninth most valuable company on the list, making itself comfortable among the likes of titan brands like Johnson & Johnson and Proctor & Gamble.
This is a huge deal for not only Telsa, but EVs as a whole. If a company like Tesla were able to break into the mainstream ahead of other established automaker giants like Ford and GM, it would set them up in pole position to lead the way when it comes to a cleaner, greener future.
U.K. Moves Up Ban on Fuel-Burning Cars to 2030
Speaking of cleaner futures, our friends across the pond seem to be taking a page from California’s playbook. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced last week that the U.K. would be pushing up its ban on standard gas-burning combustion engine vehicles to 2030, shaving five years off the original deadline. In fact, this is the second time the prime minister has moved the cut-off date, previously shortening it from 2040 to 2035 in February.
According to Statista, the UK is among Europe’s largest markets for electric vehicle sales, with the country’s hybrid and plug-in EVs expected to account for over 10% of car registrations in 2020. The newly shortened timeline is but one part of a larger roll-out of environmental policies aimed at energizing the market for EVs and helping the UK achieve its climate targets, said The Guardian.
Full-hybrid models will be allowed under the new ruling until the 2035 date, granting a reprieve to automakers like Nissan, Toyota and Ford. While this move may not directly affect Americans, it’s a news story to watch — especially as automakers around the world pour billions into making sure they can compete for EV consumer dollars.
Future Moves
GM Brings 30 New EVs in Next Five Years
Remember last week when we told you about GM fast-tracking EV plans and hiring a whole bunch of people to work in new, retooled factories? Well, now we have a better idea why. This week, GM announced its intention to bring an astounding 30 new electric vehicles to market within the next five years, adding to a previous claim of 20 EVs by 2023.
CEO Mary Barra said 40% of the vehicles GM will offer in the United States will be battery electric vehicles by the end of 2025. Read more on this story over at The Detroit Free Press.
Bridgestone Partners with Indy Autonomous Challenge
Let’s end with some wacky news. Because we all could use more wacky news in 2020, right?
Bridgestone is partnering with the Indy Autonomous Challenge, a $1.5 million university prize competition to win the world’s first autonomous high-speed, head-to-head race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The goal? Program a modified Dallara IL-15 racecar to out-race and out-maneuver fellow innovators in a first-of-its-kind race in the hopes of pushing the limits of self-driving technology. Bridgestone will serve as the exclusive tire supplier for the event, which is scheduled for Oct. 23, 2021.
We’ll be honest—we’re not entirely sure what to expect here. But with sports potentially being impacted by the global health crisis for the unforeseeable future, why not let our future robot overlords entertain us?
