A biweekly roundup of automotive news, good, bad and just plain weird:
Elon Musk plans to take Tesla private?
If the conversation was just about the cars being built by Tesla, life would be simpler. The Model S was and is an unqualified hit. The Model X could stand to be a little prettier, but it’s also a success. And the Model 3, while nowhere near the mass-market vehicle promised (at least, not yet), has received accolades from critics and owners alike.
However, any discussion of the world’s foremost premium EV manufacturer has to include their financial picture, which is fairly complex. Tesla consistently operates at a loss, which most of its proponents chalk up to constant investment in future product. However, even the most die-hard fans have to feel a little worried about the number of missed production goals, and a factory that’s having a few teething issues.
Elon Musk, Tesla’s mercurial CEO, is assuredly a visionary, but does seem to trip over his own feet while staring out at the horizon. His latest move? Tweeting that he had “funding secured” for a move to take Tesla private at $420 per share.
The problem is, no investor seems willing to part with the funds, and Tesla’s board wasn’t aware of any deal. Musk’s current position is that it’s the Saudis that are going to supply billions for the buyout, but that hasn’t happened yet – and much of the Saudi government’s funds are tied up.
Just to make this whole situation even more of a drama, rapper Azalia Banks – no stranger to social media controversy – suggested that Musk was in damage control mode after his ill-advised tweet, which he had made while under the influence. Banks had been a guest of Musk and his current girlfriend, Canadian-born electronic musician Claire Boucher, better known as Grimes.
Sweet mother of pearl. Remember when car companies were about cars? This is like some kind of wacky soap opera. Personally, here’s hoping Tesla can get its house in order, keep Elon locked up in his lab inventing the cool stuff, and get on with the business of building EVs and keeping its workers employed.
Ford builds 10 millionth Mustang
Jumping from futuristic drama to long-running success, Ford has built its 10 millionth Mustang. The car, a white, V8-powered convertible, pays homage to the original first Mustang, launched in 1964-and-a-half. Yes, that’s not a real year, but Mustang fans are very clear about the whole 1964.5 model year thing.
The first Mustang ever sold still belongs to its original owner, and there are millions of Mustang fans across the world. The 10 millionth car follows on the heels of the launch of the Bullitt special edition, which is a tribute to the Steve McQueen film generally considered to have the best car chase of all time (not by me, though, I prefer the one in Ronin).
Now globally available, the Mustang will continue to be a favourite, bringing new fans into the herd. And, as rumour has it, it won’t be too long before we get a hybridized version, and perhaps an electric one to follow. For now, owners can still choose a little V-8 rumble, just like the good ol’ days.
Fernando Alonso retires from F1
One of the most charismatic modern drivers is stepping away from Formula One. Spaniard Fernando Alonso has long been a fan favourite for his hard-charging style, but he’s apparently had enough of a long run of not quite getting a car that had the speed to follow through with a win.
Alonso leaves behind a legacy of two world championships as well as two wins at the Monaco Grand Prix, considered the crown jewel of F1’s racing season. Speaking of crowns, he also has a win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans under his belt, so there’s a high likelihood he’ll try for the Indy 500 title next year, aiming for motorsports triple crown (Le Mans, Monaco, Indy).
Alonso is a great driver, and a crowd pleaser, but also known to be difficult to work with behind the scenes. Here’s hoping his retirement from F1 means a shakeup and a boost to other racing series, as he tries his hand behind the wheel elsewhere.
U.S. gets 40 colours of Golf R
The program is called Spektrum, following that long Volkswagen history of trying to make everything sound interestingly Germanic to its fans. As of this coming model year, U.S. buyers will be able to select from one of 40 unique paint colour choices when ordering their Golf R, at a cost of US$2,500. There will also be four standard colours at a much lower cost.
We’ve had this program (without the fancy name) in Canada for the previous year, and VW reports about a 15 per cent take rate. That might not sound like much, but it’s very strong compared with the black/white/grey monochrome that seemingly every other car comes in. People are buying their Golf Rs in purple, orange, bright green, and shocking teal.
It’s absolutely wonderful, and I would encourage anyone thinking of picking up a Golf R to go for it. Yes, it’s not cheap (in Canada, the cost is $2,995), but having a rarity when it comes to sell might command a slightly higher resale. Not to mention, this is far less than Porsche charges for its custom paint work.
Here’s hoping VW’s foray into the U.S. market means that some other mainstream manufacturers might consider opening up their colour palettes a little. We might not need a Baskin-Robbins-sized flavour chart, but wouldn’t it be nice if Mazda gave you the option of a British Racing Green MX-5?
Watch this space for all the best and worst of automotive news, or submit your own auto oddities to mcaleer.nsnews@gmail.com.
