Author: Detroit Free Press Online

Fearless racecar driver to take on treacherous, 156-turn mountain — in a street pickup

Just sit down a minute. Because this next bit of information may be hard to imagine. Race car driver Robert Prilika has traded in the Porsche GT3 Cup car, Corvette ZR1 and Shelby GT500 Signature Edition (driven last year) for a 2023 Shelby F-150 Super Snake Sport in next weekend’s 2023 Pikes Peak International Hill… Continue reading Fearless racecar driver to take on treacherous, 156-turn mountain — in a street pickup

2024 Acura Integra Type S: My 60-second takeaway on a 320-hp compact sport sedan

OJAI, California — Acura turns the dial up to 11 with the 2024 Integra Type S, the top version of its award-winning compact sport sedan. Example: Type S horsepower increases 60% to 320 hp, torque rises 61% to 310 pound-feet, but curb weight increases a measly 4.7% to 3,219 pounds. The Type S is unadulterated… Continue reading 2024 Acura Integra Type S: My 60-second takeaway on a 320-hp compact sport sedan

‘City of Hot Rods’ film is a trove of stories about Detroit, cars and all of us

Like a boxcar of parts arriving at the factory that builds sports cars, the documentary film “Detroit: City of Hot Rods and Muscle Cars” assembles a collection of seemingly disparate components into a vehicle of power and grace. Following a sold-out June 19 debut fundraiser for six Michigan charitable organizations, filmmaker Keith Famie’s documentary —… Continue reading ‘City of Hot Rods’ film is a trove of stories about Detroit, cars and all of us

UAW President Shawn Fain outlines changes to the union’s operations ahead of bargaining

UAW President Shawn Fain outlined several changes Friday in how the union will operate going forward from its communications strategy to organizing more members across various industries to changing how it does politics. “Our members are excited about a clean, member-driven fighting UAW,” Fain said. “That means we have to make some important changes as… Continue reading UAW President Shawn Fain outlines changes to the union’s operations ahead of bargaining

Automakers’ new crisis: Some 70,000 new cars are stuck at factories amid rail car shortage

Paul Zimmermann is feeling some deja vu these days. His new-car inventory at Matick Chevrolet in Redford last month was nearly as thin as it was during the semiconductor chip shortage two years ago. Only this time the automakers have the parts they need to build their cars. They just can’t get the finished vehicles… Continue reading Automakers’ new crisis: Some 70,000 new cars are stuck at factories amid rail car shortage

GM CFO: The company has ‘shock absorbers’ in place in case of a recession

General Motors is prepared for an economic downturn, but continues to cut costs to achieve a trimmed-down norm going forward as the automaker closes the gap in profit margins between electric vehicles and those of gasoline-powered cars, CFO Paul Jacobson said Thursday. Speaking at the Deutsche Bank Global Auto Conference in New York, Jacobson touched… Continue reading GM CFO: The company has ‘shock absorbers’ in place in case of a recession

Behind the scenes, families who have devoted their lives to Ford quietly honor a milestone

As Ford Motor Co. celebrates its 120th anniversary, the automaker honors the families that devoted much of their lives to helping the company succeed. Ford will illuminate its world headquarters in Dearborn on Thursday and Friday to mark the occasion. On June 16, 1903, Henry Ford and 12 associates invested $28,000 to create the automaker.… Continue reading Behind the scenes, families who have devoted their lives to Ford quietly honor a milestone

Ford’s newest Raptor to run legendary desert race vs. world’s toughest off-roaders

Ford’s Ranger Raptor midsize pickup will compete in the legendary Dakar endurance rally in 2024 and 2025, the automaker announced Wednesday. The 14-day 3,100-mile race is a brutal test of vehicles’ performance and durability through the Saudi Arabian desert. The current Ranger Raptor has won off-road races like the Baja 1,000 in Mexico and Australia’s… Continue reading Ford’s newest Raptor to run legendary desert race vs. world’s toughest off-roaders

GM to build 4th battery plant, create 1,700 jobs in Indiana near Michigan border

General Motors has selected a site in northern Indiana, near the Michigan border, to build a fourth battery cell plant to support its production of electric vehicles. The new plant is a joint venture forged in April between GM and South Korea-based Samsung SDI. Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb announced selection of the site Tuesday and… Continue reading GM to build 4th battery plant, create 1,700 jobs in Indiana near Michigan border