Categories: Reports

With sales numbers expected to be released on Friday for the month of March, automotive-industry analysts and experts are expecting numbers to tumble somewhat month over month.

There are three main reasons for that: Supply disruptions caused by the natural disasters in Japan, higher gas prices, and the expiration of some incentives.

After a Viking-worthy winter and large spending cuts in both Europe and the United States, potholes are likely to be unfortunately common this spring and summer. But Ford drivers can relax, knowing their tried and true vehicles are tested for these exact conditions at the Lommel Proving Ground in Belgium and the Michigan Proving Ground in the US. Both test tracks feature real-world simulations and data acquisition supported by the best gearheads in the business.

Ford’s press release from March 30^th indicated that several types of road conditions are simulated including moderately rough roads, such as those in Europe and North America, and severely rough roads, like those in emerging markets, taking into account that weather conditions can make these roads even worse. Further, both the Lommel and Michigan Proving Grounds include replicated roads from across the globe. Thus vehicles tested at these facilities might face something like the shambolic Lower Dunton Road in Essex, UK in preparation for real-world obstacles.

Lamborghini executives' faces are probably even redder than the Arancia Argos paint that covers the Aventador LP700-4 that we're most familiar with. Not from embarrassment, but from sheer excitement. The Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 debuted earlier this month to rave reviews and plenty of the right kind of attention, and the buyers are really responding. We already knew the Aventador LP700-4 was sold out, first-year supplies were announced gone just barely after the car had even made its official entrance in Geneva, but reports last week indicate that it's even 'sold outer' than we thought.

Hybrids and other fuel-efficient vehicles built in Japan have been among the vehicles most affected by the earthquake and tsunami events of earlier this month. Built in Japan and exported to markets like the United States, these models suffered from production stoppages. As a result, prices on these vehicles have started to rise, as supplies at dealerships decrease.

But production is slowly getting ramped back up. Nissan and Toyota have restarted production on models like the Leaf and Prius.

Though the problems in Japan stemming from the earthquake, tsunami, and damaged nuclear reactor events of earlier this month are expected to affect the Japanese and global auto industries for months to come, at least one automaker here in the U.S. is back up and running after a shortage on parts shut some of its operations down last week. GM announced on Monday that it was restarting production at its Shreveport, Louisiana plant, as well as bringing the Tonowanda plant in Buffalo back up to full-scale production.

Not long after Porsche confirmed that it was building the 918 Spyder, rumors about other super-911 plans started flowing. Word was that Porsche was going to build a second supercar to slot between the 918 and the 911. Well, according to Autocar, those plans are alive and well, and Porsche will be positioning the car against the likes of the Ferrari 458 Italia and the McLaren MP4-12C.

Porsche chief Matthias Mueller gave a peek behind the scenes: "We’re looking to extend the range; we’ve got an idea to do another mid-engine model. We’re thinking above the 911 but below the 918 Spyder."

The massive Japanese earthquake and tsunami earlier this month has been an ongoing story that will likely continue to unfold for weeks to come. In addition to the deaths, injury, and turmoil within Japan, the events have taken a huge toll on business and industry. The global auto industry will be deeply affected by parts shortages and production slowdowns for months to come. Japanese automakers have had to shut down operations, and automakers in other countries have been similarly affected. The U.S. market has already started to feel the effects of decreased auto supply and increased pricing. 

One interesting subplot to come out of the greater story is the shortage of certain auto colors. Several automakers have had to halt production on specific colored models due to a shortage of a pigment called Xirallic. The pigment is made by a Japanese plant that is located near the damaged nuclear reactor.

Well, here's some good news straight from the top of the Pagani food chain. Horacio Pagani confirmed that his supercar company plans to build a Huayra convertible within the next couple years. According to its founder, the company is also considering an entry level model. When your current car slots in at well over a million dollars, we're not sure how "entry level" we're talking, but it's just good to know that more Paganis are [potentially] on the horizon. 

When I first saw spy shots of the now infamous BMW pickup car last week, my first instinct was to check the calendar. "Good, only mid-March, so I wasn't in a Scotch-induced coma for three weeks. But, what is this thing all about?"

A car that weird and out of the blue just smacked of April Fool’s humor. While it wasn't actually April Fool's Day, the fact that the car was spotted just weeks before that holiday pointed to a joke.

Word that the planned sports coupe from the new De Tomaso would, indeed, be a Pantera revival came earlier this month out of Geneva. That was great news, but left us with all kinds of questions, like what would power the car, what it would look like, and how much it would cost. While two-thirds of those questions remain unanswered, we have an answer to one: the Pantera will cost a rather lofty 250,000 pounds ($410,000), according to company executives. That price point puts it above the new Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 ($379,700), so it looks like De Tomaso plans a serious, performance coupe.

Two of Japan's Big 3 have extended production shutdowns until this weekend, in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami events that ravaged Japan on March 11. Both companies are experiencing issues with parts supplies and have been forced into extending shutdowns.

Honda said yesterday that it will extend the shutdown of two auto plants and a motorcycle plant until March 27. Toyota extended its shutdown until March 26.