February 2023

Honda CR-V Hybrid Racer — An INDYCAR beast in sheep's clothing



(March 1, 2023) TORRANCE, Calif. — While hybrid power units officially debut in the NTT INDYCAR Series in 2024, race fans and car enthusiasts alike will be treated to a “sneak preview” of the incoming technology with the debut of the Honda CR-V Hybrid Racer at this month’s season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

OnStar and RapidDeploy work to enhance incident response



(February 28, 2023) DETROIT — GM's OnStar Emergency Advisors are now using RapidDeploy Radius Mapping technology to help improve incident response outcomes, which can benefit both OnStar members and emergency responders. When OnStar Emergency Advisors are notified of car crashes, stolen vehicles, button presses from inside the vehicle, or calls from OnStar members, they will now have a supplemental, map-based view of both publicly available and proprietary data, simplifying and helping to expedite the delivery of necessary services.

Time attack extended — GR Corolla Circuit Edition continues in 2024



(February 28, 2023) PLANO, Texas — Due to popular demand, Toyota Motor North America is announcing that the GR Corolla Circuit Edition will continue to be produced for model year 2024. There will be around 1,500 Circuit Edition units produced for the continental U.S. for model year 2023.

Ford Performance electric SuperVan 4 will compete in Pikes Peak Hill Climb



(February 28, 2023) DEARBORN, Mich. — For over 100 years, Ford vehicles have been competing in the legendary Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC) held just outside of Colorado Springs, Col. For 2023 and the 101st running of the event, Ford Performance is heading to America’s Mountain with the all-electric SuperVan 4. The annual event is set for Sunday, June 25.

Honda and Ascend Elements reach agreement on lithium-ion battery efforts



(February 28, 2023) TOKYO, Japan — Honda has announced that it has reached a basic agreement with Ascend Elements, Inc., a U.S.-based company with expertise in technologies for recycling of battery resources. The companies intend to collaborate toward stable procurement of resources from recycled lithium-ion batteries in North America necessary for Honda electrified vehicles, including EVs.

Ford extends stoppage of F-150 Lightning production



(February 27, 2023) Ford will halt  F-150 Lightning production until the end of this week following a battery problem that caused an EV truck to catch fire during a pre-delivery check, according to the company. The production stoppage occurred after a Feb. 4 fire at an outdoor lot near Dearborn, Mich., where vehicles are held for quality checks. One Lightning caught fire and spread to two nearby vehicles, causing the company to halt production the next day. No injuries were reported.

BMW Group brings hydrogen cars to the road



(February 27, 2023) MUNICH, Germany — The BMW Group, after four years of development work, is bringing hydrogen cars to the road in the form of the BMW iX5 Hydrogen vehicle as the development project enters its critical next phase. The fleet of under 100 vehicles will then be employed internationally for demonstration and trial purposes for various target groups. This active driving experience will therefore be the first chance for people not involved in the development process to gain a direct impression of what the BMW iX5 Hydrogen has to offer.

Mecum Auctions returns to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.


1953 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing

(February 27, 2023) WALWORTH, Wis.— Following $66.3 million in total sales on a 78% sell-through of 1,657 lots at Mecum Glendale 2022, Mecum Auctions will return to State Farm Stadium this March 28-April 1 for its fifth annual auction in Glendale with an estimated 2,000 vehicles and approximately 150 pieces of Road Art and memorabilia items to be offered.

Nissan among first to trial all-electric trucks for new vehicle deliveries



(February 25, 2023) LOS ANGELES — Nissan is now using two battery electric vehicle (BEV) heavy-duty, Class 8 trucks to deliver new vehicles from the Port of Los Angeles to dealerships in the Los Angeles region. Two major manufacturers of electric heavy-duty trucks, Nikola and Kenworth, will each provide trucks that will pull traditional car haulers.