Save the Dates for AIADA's 2020 Events
In 2020, AIADA will celebrate its 50th year of defending America's international nameplate dealers. Over the years, we have relied on engaged dealers like you to carry our message forward in defending our industry against damaging legislation and policies. Make plans now to join AIADA for one of our 2020 events to celebrate all our association has achieved and look forward to what's ahead for our industry. Click here to learn more.
White House Moving Forward to Strip California of Vehicle Authority
The Trump administration is moving forward with a plan to revoke California’s authority to set its own vehicle greenhouse gas standards and declare that states are pre-empted from setting their own vehicle rules, three people briefed on the matter said on Thursday. According to Reuters, President Donald Trump met with senior officials on Thursday at the White House to discuss the administration’s plan to divide its August 2018 proposal to rollback Obama era standards through 2025 and revoke California’s waiver under the Clean Air Act to set state requirements for vehicles, the people said. The meeting included Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, National Economic Council director Larry Kudlow, Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen, and acting Office and Management and Budget director Russell Vought, the sources said. Read more here.
UAW Leaders Implicated in Probe
United Auto Workers President Gary Jones is an unnamed union official accused in a federal criminal case Thursday of helping orchestrate a years-long conspiracy that involved embezzling member dues and spending the money on personal luxuries, three sources told The Detroit News. In the criminal case, federal authorities identified four current and former senior officials as complicit in the embezzlement scheme. The government did not use their names but used labels to identify the union leaders, including “UAW Official A” and “UAW Official B,” and detailed numerous instances of misspending on golf, golf equipment, cigars, months-long rentals at private villas and falsified expense reports. Multiple sources told The News that "UAW Official A" is Jones and "UAW Official B" is former President Dennis Williams. The sources spoke only on the condition that they were not publicly identified because they are not authorized to speak about the investigation. Read more here.
Nissan Rogue Under Investigation After Reports of Brakes Mistakenly Activating
The U.S. government's road safety agency is investigating complaints that the Nissan Rogue's automatic emergency braking can turn on when no obstacle is in the way, reports The Detroit Free Press. The probe covers about 554,000 Rogue small SUVs from the 2017 and 2018 model years. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says 843 owners have complained to the agency and to Nissan about the problem. Owners reported 14 crashes and five injuries. The agency says Nissan has issued a technical service bulletin and two customer service actions related to the problem. It will try to find a cause and determine how often the false braking happens, and could seek a recall. The investigation was opened in response to a March 21, 2019, petition from the Center for Auto Safety, a nonprofit group that represents consumers. Read more here.
Top Eastern Port Beginning to Accept Ships Despite Capsized Auto Carrier
The busy port that is a key destination for car being imported into the United States just accepted its first ship after a freighter designed specifically to transport cars and trucks capsized in the main channel leading to the Port of Brunswick, south of Savannah, Georgia, reports The Detroit Bureau. The U.S. Coast Guard and salvage experts succeeded earlier in rescuing the last four crewmen trapped aboard The Golden Ray, which rolled over in the main shipping channel Sept. 8. All 23 crewmen aboard the Golden Ray, which is operated by Hyundai Glovis, are now accounted for after the dramatic and technically challenging rescue. “This is a complex case,” Witt told reporters. “We have salvage to deal with on a large vessel. We have pollution mitigation efforts ongoing and some waterways and port operations issues, as well.” Read more here.
Growing McLaren North America Moves HQ to Dallas
McLaren North America is moving its headquarters from midtown Manhattan to near Dallas, having outgrown its original office, the company announced Thursday. The British exotic automaker has been on a product push the past couple of years, which has led to ballooning sales and more needs from its office space, reports Automotive News. "As we've grown and expanded, it became crystal clear that being in the city just is not very practical and doesn't make a lot of sense," Tony Joseph, the automaker's president, told Automotive News. "Unfortunately, I've got some on my team who have not seen a McLaren because we're on the 24th floor of a high-rise." McLaren will go from a 4,500-square-foot office suite in Manhattan to a 30,000-square-foot center in Coppell, Texas, a Dallas suburb, which will cost significantly less than the automaker is paying for the New York space, Joseph said. Read more here (subscription required).
Around the Web
Electric Hyundai Veloster Race Car Has Us Wanting a Road-Going Electric Hot Hatch [Autoblog]
Porsche 911 Claims Most Profitable Car Crown [CNET]
Scenes From the Frankfurt Auto Show [WSJ]
Mercedes S-Class to Be 'At the Vanguard of the Automotive Industry' [Motor1.com]
