For the automotive industry, 2017 was an improvement over 2016 as far as car news stories go. There were fewer massive debacles than last year, no new fuel cheats were found (that we know of), and famous people found a way to not die in a car. While there’s turmoil around the world in other senses, let’s call 2017 a success in the car biz.
So, let’s get on with it. Let’s take a look at the top 10 car news stories of 2017.
Last year, we heard the Tesla Model 3 was coming as a mainstream electric car mid-2017. It became a reality in the third quarter. But, instead of flooding the car market with electric cars after taking hundreds of thousands of deposits, Tesla stumbled out of the starting gate.
Production was much, much slower than expected and thousands of anxiously awaiting people who left a Model 3 deposit found their delivery times pushed back by months. Toward the end of 2017, production started ramping up.
Tesla continues to bleed money profusely, but Elon Musk doesn’t seem too concerned. Instead, he turned the focus to new models coming down the pipe like the Roadster, Tesla semi, and a Tesla pickup truck.
The orange-skinned president is no stranger to the automotive industry, making headlines and stirring up doodoo. After backing down on cross-border tariffs early in the year, Trump followed it up by boldly saying he wants all cars sold in North America to contain 85 percent NAFTA-sourced parts, and at least 50 percent from the US.
Related Search Topics (Ads)
Doing so would either raise car prices by thousands of dollars in tariffs on cars that don’t meet the criteria, or it would raise car prices because production costs in the US are higher. NAFTA is still in negotiations, and 2018 will see the result of the talks.
Resurrected as a unibody pickup truck with more traditional styling, the Honda Ridgeline took the title of 2017 North American Truck of the Year. That’s newsworthy as it’s the first time since 2006 that a non-premium import vehicle has taken the title. Coincidentally, in 2006, it was the Ridgeline that won.
The 2017 Honda Ridgeline returned with a new exterior design, dropping the polarizing side stanchions, but retained popular features like the in-bed trunk, dual-action tailgate, and FWD-based all-wheel drive. The Chevrolet Bolt EV took the title of North American Car of the Year and the Chrysler Pacifica won North American Utility of the Year.
A cloud of tire smoke arrived halfway through 2017 with the release of the new Dodge Demon. Officially called the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, it’s a car with bad intentions that demands attention. The Demon has 808 horsepower from its supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI V8 along with 717 lb-ft of torque. It screams to 60mph in 2.6 seconds, leaving your boxer briefs at the starting line with your stomach.
The Demon is so fast that the NHRA has banned it from racing at its facilities. It tears up the quarter-mile in 9.65 seconds at 140 miles per hour, exceeding the limit for a car without a roll cage. You’ll have to pay $1 extra for an optional interior that contains more than just a driver’s seat.
In 2017, electrification became a major focus. Companies like the beleaguered Volkswagen announced electric versions of each of their cars would be coming in the next few years. Volvo has committed that every model from 2019 on will have an electric motor in it, either as an EV or hybrid. Many other car makers made similar promises.
Technology took a huge step forward too. The Chevy Bolt was released with a 238-mile range, the new Nissan LEAF promises near 200 miles or range, and Tesla says they have a 500-mile range battery coming soon. Fisker plans to release an EV soon with 500 miles of all-electric range too.
The world’s first super-SUV was announced late in 2017. The Lamborghini Urus press release was full of pomp and circumstance until the presentation glitched out. From there, the release was raw and unfiltered, showcasing the Urus itself.
The Lamborghini Urus is a low-slung SUV with four-wheel drive that looks, sounds and drives fast, very fast. It’s rated to accelerate 0 to 62mph in 3.6 seconds and 0 to 124mph in 12.8 seconds. Lamborghini claims the Urus’ top speed is 305km/h, or 190mph. You’ll get the kids to school fast in the Urus.
In 2017, most people knew that autonomous cars were – and are – being tested for use on the streets. Yet, no one thinks they are here yet, but they are. In Phoenix, Waymo has been approved to test Level 4 autonomous vehicles. That means that right now, vehicles without a safety driver could be weaving through downtown traffic in Mesa or Gilbert, Arizona.
The Waymo announcement in November went unnoticed for the most part. Americans continue to believe that driverless cars are a possibility for the future, but they’re already here.
The Takata airbag recall reached critical mass in 2017, and Takata was sold in bankruptcy to Key Safety Systems. While Takata dominated headlines for more than two years, other manufacturers had their own recall woes.
FCA announced a recall late in 2017 for 1.8 million Ram Trucks with a potential shifter problem. BMW recalled 1.4 million vehicles for a fire-causing PCV valve heater. Nearly 800,000 Honda Odyssey vehicles were recalled for a seat safety issue. Nearly half a million Hyundai vehicles were recalled for seat belt problems. There were many others, which looks like it’s going to be the new norm.
Hurricane Harvey hit the Houston area in late August, inflicting nearly $200 billion dollars in damage. Included in that total are an estimated 300,000 to 500,000 vehicles that were destroyed by flood damage.
Many local Houston dealerships had to shut down for weeks during the cleanup process and to restock on inventory. Subsequent months saw a huge sales boom in south Texas to replace those washed-out cars.
It might not seem significant one at a time, but the executive changes in the automotive industry were announced one after the other in 2017. Carols Ghosn set things off in February stepping down as Nissan’s CEO.
Cadillac’s marketing chief Uwe Ellinghaus resigned. CEO Mark Field had to resign due to pressure from declining stock prices. Former VW executive Oliver Schmidt got 7 years in prison and fined $400,000 for the Dieselgate scandal.
There were many more, like an executive-style game of musical chairs, as most of these professionals took posts at other cushy desks.
Related Search Topics (Ads)
