AD #3015 – Citroen Unveils New C3 Aircross; BMW Delays iX Production; Infiniti Shares New QX60 Details

This is Autoline Daily, the show dedicated to enthusiasts of the global automotive industry.

BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TACKLES CHIP SHORTAGE
The chip shortage that’s crippling global automotive production is getting serious. GM’s CEO Mary Barra warns the shortage will wipe out $2 billion in profits this year. Reuters reports the Biden Administration is in talks with car companies, chip makers, congressional leaders and allied countries to figure out ways to ramp up production. And President Biden will sign an executive order that will review the supply chains for critical supplies.

EUROPE CONSIDERS SEMICONDUCTOR FOUNDRY
Meanwhile, Europe is thinking about building its own semiconductor foundry. It’s thinking about making advanced 2 nanometer chips that will go into cars, 5G networks and supercomputers. The EU has a goal of producing one-fifth of the world’s microprocessors. But the money to do it could be a stumbling block. The EU is putting a 30-billion-euro war chest together, but TSMC, or the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, which is the leading chip producer, is going to spend 28 billion dollars this year alone.   

While this problem will get solved, it will not happen fast. Did you know it takes 6 months to make a microprocessor, from the very first step to the final product?

BMW DELAYS iX PRODUCTION
BMW is delaying production of its iX electric SUV. The company planned to start building the EV at its Dingolfing plant in Germany later this year but now iX Forums reports that production won’t kick off until March of 2022. It’s not known if the delay is due to the chip shortage or the pandemic but either way this isn’t good for BMW.

EVgo ADDS TESLA CONNECTORS TO CHARGING NETWORK
Tesla owners in the U.S. now have more options for charging locations. EVgo, the largest public fast-charging network in the country, announced its adding 600 integrated Tesla connectors at stations this year across the U.S. The locations will also be incorporated into Tesla’s navigation system. EVgo’s Tesla connectors are capable of providing 100 miles of range in 30 minutes. EVgo is now the only network that has all three fast charging standards, CHAdeMO, CCS and Tesla, without the need for an adaptor.

CITROEN UNVEILS NEW C3 AIRCROSS
Citroen appears to be trying to move the look of its C3 Aircross more upscale. At least, that’s how we’d describe the updated look of the crossover. Designers brought the lighting closer together, added an opening below the grille and increased the size of the lower air vent. But it’s really the combination of the new grille pattern and paint color that gives it a modern, upscale look. The interior sees a few changes as well. It features a new 9-inch center screen and center console as well as more storage spaces. The new C3 Aircross arrives at dealerships this June.

FARLEY CALLS ON LG & SK TO REACH SETTLEMENT
Ford CEO Jim Farley is calling on LG Chem and SK Innovation to reach a settlement over LG’s claims that SK stole EV battery trade secrets. On Wednesday, the U.S. International Trade Commission ruled in favor of LG and banned SK from importing certain lithium-ion battery components to the U.S. for 10 years with some exceptions. It permitted SK to import parts to its battery factory in Georgia to make packs for the electric F-150 and the Volkswagen ID.4. However, it can only supply Ford for four years and VW for two. After the ruling Farley tweeted “A voluntary settlement between these two suppliers is ultimately in the best interest of US manufacturers and workers.” LG and SK both declined to comment on Farley’s statement. The ITC says its ruling gives Ford and VW time to find another supplier but clearly Farley is concerned about the decision. 

INFINITI SHARES NEW QX60 POWERTRAIN DETAILS
It should come as little surprise that one of the biggest changes made to the Nissan Pathfinder is also making its way over to its cousin the Infiniti QX60. The automaker announced the SUV will no longer come with a CVT and will instead mate its 295 horsepower 3.5L V6 engine with a 9-speed automatic transmission. Trying to read between the lines of Infiniti’s press release, we think customers must have complained about performance of the CVT from a standing start and while trying to merge or overtake traffic. We wonder as well if efficiency of the 9-speed rivals the CVT enough that it no longer warranted its use? We’ll know soon enough. The new QX60 arrives before the year is out.

RENAULT ADDS RS LINE TO CAPTUR 
For the first time Renault is applying its sporty R.S. Line to the Captur. The model features a unique front bumper, grille pattern, rear diffuser, more heavily tinted windows, chrome accents, 18-inch wheels and special badging. The added sportiness on the interior comes in the form of red accents throughout, aluminum door sills and a carbon fiber look on the doors and dash. The Captur is available now and comes in gas, LPG and plug-in hybrid powertrain setups.

LEXUS GX IMPRESSIONS
We had the Lexus GX 460 come through the Autoline Garage and it felt like something of a throwback. While the base price starts around $53,000, the Luxury trim line that we drove was priced over $67,000. This is an old school, body-on-frame, V8 powered SUV. While it’s been updated and facelifted, the basic structure of the GX has been around for over a decade, and it shows it’s age. Instead of a big touch screen in the center of the dashboard, there are all kinds of buttons and switches on the console, on the center stack, on both sides of the steering wheel and on the steering wheel itself. The engine is extremely loud at startup and under light throttle. And the vehicle feels heavy and ponderous. But the GX also gets a lot of things right. It’s very comfortable and roomy. It comes extremely well equipped. The optional 17-speaker Mark Levinson sound system is exquisite. And it comes with a serious array of off-roading equipment. That’s a key reason why it’s the third best-selling vehicle in the Lexus lineup after the RX and NX. 

VIEWER FEEDBACK ON CHRYSLER’S FUTURE 
Yesterday Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares voiced his support for Chrysler, so we asked you what you’d do with the brand going forward? Viewers like rml695 and Matthew Douglas are kind of in the same boat as our thinking, that they hope/think Chrysler will get rebadged Peugeots. But there were several other common theories that people brought up. A lot of you think Chrysler can play in the premium/luxury space. Like MERKUR DRIVER who says, “I think Chrysler could rebadge the DS line and compete with Lincoln/Cadillac…” Then there’s viewers like Hashim Shaz and Lavante A who think the brand should stick to people movers. And a number of people voiced their support for the move to electrification. We really like what you all are bringing to the table and think Chrysler will be a mashup of a lot of these ideas: rebadged people movers that are more premium/luxurious with an eye towards moving to electrification.

But with that we wrap up this weeks’ worth of shows. Thanks for watching and I hope you have a great weekend.