Auto Industry News: KOH 2021 Recap, Powerful New Cadillacs, Automaker Manufacturing Woes, and Nissan Frontier Finally Gets That Redesign

Cadillac debuts its most powerful vehicle ever, Nissan finally gets around to redesigning the ancient Frontier pickup, and January sales look promising for an auto industry slowly regaining its footing. However, a global semiconductor shortage threatens to throw a wrench in the wheel of progress, tying up production chains and pushing back release dates.

But first, as football fans gently nurse their hangovers, Ultra4 fans continue to ride the high from their own Super Bowl this past weekend. KOH 2021 wrapped on Saturday, awarding several victors but crowning just one King.

KOH 2021 Recap

With noticeably less spectators and considerably more COVID precautions, the nine-day King of the Hammers race in Southern California’s Johnson Valley remained on the automotive calendar this year. And despite the logistical nightmare of safely hosting a world-renowned off-road race during a pandemic, KOH 2021 still managed to deliver thrills, chills, and heart-stopping action.

Motorcycles, UTVs, Buggies, Trophy Trucks, and more blasted through the unforgiving terrain in a variety of grudge matches and desert challenges.

Notable victories went to…

…Bryce Menzies, who captured his second annual Toyo Tires Desert Challenge with a time of 5:38:00. Rounding out the podium were Cameron Steele (5:44:05) and Kyle Jergensen (5:44:19).

…Chayse Caprara, a 19-year-old, second-generation racer who claimed victory in the 4WP Every Man Challenge with a time of 4:27:18. Caprara only started competing in KOH three years ago in the UTV class before moving up a class in a Bomber buggy. This was his first time competing in the EMC, and he took the overall spot and top spot in the Branik Motorsports 4800 Class. Second and third-place finishers were Brad Lovell (4:38:57) and Casey Gilbert (4:46:54), respectively.

…Kyle Chaney, who rocked the Can-Am UTV King of the Hammers, completing the course in 3:47:54. Sharing the podium were two other Can-Am drivers, Cody Miller (3:59:49) and Phil Blurton (4:07:24). Chaney’s victory likely feels twice as sweet. The determined racer shocked spectators last year by finishing in second place, despite having two broken feet!

For a full look at race results, click here.

Top honors, however, went to Randy Slawson, who finished the grueling 2021 King of the Hammers in 7:1:17. Now a three-time king, Slawson adds this victory to his wins in 2013 and 2015 – as well as his shared victory at the first-ever KOH in 2007 when he was co-driver for JR Reynolds.

“My year begins and ends in February,” said Slawson. “It’s not in January, like everybody else’s. This is the only thing that I live, eat, breathe, sleep, dream – King of the Hammers.”

Slawson shared the podium with brothers JP and Raul Gomez, who finished second (7:10:18) and third (7:35:34), respectively. Fourth place went to Bailey Cole (8:5:29), who has been wheeling in Johnson Valley since he was six years old. Fifth place, interestingly, belongs to self-taught Formula Drift champion driver Vaughn Gitten Jr. (8:16:53). Piloting a custom-built Bronco 4400, the man proved there is truly no limit to his versatility.

Calling all Blue Oval fans! The first 2021 Ford Bronco 2-door VIN 001 will be auctioned at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale, March 20-27. All proceeds will benefit the National Forest Foundation and Outward Bound, which are part of Ford’s new Bronco Wild Fund. Read more here.

Cadillac Debuts Its Most Powerful Vehicle Ever

When the average consumer thinks of Cadillac, they think of legacy, luxury, and American-made quality. The brand is many things to many people, but it’s not often associated with blow-your-hair-back horsepower – despite Cadillac’s 15-year dalliance with its V-Series performance sub-brand.

Now, GM’s luxury arm is set to release its CT5-V Blackwing performance sedan. Boasting a 668-hp supercharged 6.2-liter V-8, the CT5-V will be the most track-ready model in the V lineup.

As a successor to the CTS-V – previously, the fastest and most powerful Cadillac ever released – the CT5-V accelerates 0 to 60 mph in a mere 3.7 seconds. More fun, its supercharged small-block V-8 comes standard mated to a six-speed Tremec TR6060 gearbox from the Camaro. Those with a little less cash to burn may be drawn to the performance sedan’s new sibling: CT4-V Blackwing. Equipped with a twin-turbo 3.6L V-6, it produces 472 hp and 445 pound-feet of torque for an impressive 0-60 time of 3.8 seconds.

Unfortunately, such gas-powered excitement is to be short-lived. Both Blackwings are set to be the last ICE models in the V Series, as the brand shifts to electric vehicles.

Pricing for the CT5-V Blackwing starts at $84,990 and $59,990 for the CT4-V. Cadillac is taking reservations now, with deliveries starting this summer.

If 200+mph isn’t enough to scratch your itch, perhaps a rocket- and jet-powered record-breaker is more your speed? The 628-mph Bloodhound LSR is up for sale… again. No word on the total cost to take over the land-speed project, but we guess the price lands somewhere between “ouch” and “boing.” Read more here.

Semiconductor Shortage Worsens

As we’ve touched on in a previous edition of Auto News, the pandemic’s effect on global supply chains extends beyond traditional car parts. The ever-more-important semiconductors, i.e. tiny microchip processors, are essential to making sure modern vehicles can operate in today’s tech-driven world. From power steering and brake sensing to back-up cameras and dashboard touchscreens, semiconductors are a common denominator – and there are roughly 1,300 of them in just one gas-powered car. (Almost triple that in an EV.)

Industry officials assumed the shortage would impact short-term production but eventually blow over, as factories and nations around the world reopened and got back to business. However, demand continues to outpace supply, and the worsening shortage has led to significant stalls in manufacturing.

Reuters reports that in the U.S., Ford is cutting back F-150 production at two plants, warning the issue could result in the loss of 10% to 20% of planned first-quarter production and could lower Ford’s adjusted earnings by $1 billion to $2.5 billion. The company’s Chief Financial Officer John Lawler said moving forward, Ford will continue to prioritize and allocate chips to the highest-margin vehicles when it can.

Top competitor GM is cutting production this week at four assembly plants, in response to the shortage as well. According to Fox Business, the automaker has not disclosed how much volume it would lose or which supplier was affected by the chip shortage. Like Ford, GM plans to keep production running at plants building the highest-profit vehicles – full-size pickup trucks and SUVs as well as the Chevrolet Corvette sports car. GM said it intends to make up as much lost production as possible.

Europe is feeling the burn too, as Volkswagen encourages the local production of technology hardware, including processors and semiconductors, to help ease the dependency on foreign players.

At a time when the auto industry has expressed just how important electric and autonomous technologies are to future vehicle production, it’s worth paying attention to the size of this hiccup. One must ask: Will foreign microchip suppliers merely fill the void left by oil cartels when the world kicks internal combustion to the curb?

Speaking of next-gen tech, FCA (now Stellantis) recently announced that it will be the first automaker to implement Amazon’s Alexa Custom Assistant into its vehicles. This new, in-car Alexa will join forces with FCA’s existing intelligent assistant, meaning customers will now drive with two virtual helpers who can assist with car maintenance, directions, comfort settings, and – of course – Amazon orders. Learn more here.

Despite Troubles, January New Vehicle Sales Offer Positive Start for 2021

Challenges may be mounting for automakers but, for the time being, consumers don’t seem to notice. With low interest rates and higher consumer confidence on deck, new vehicle sales are off to a promising start.

Toyota, Hyundai, Kia, Subaru, and Mazda all showed improved retail results, largely thanks to shoppers’ continued interest in crossovers, SUVs, and pickup trucks. According to J.D. Power, “The combination of strong retail sales, higher transaction prices, and smaller discounts means that January 2021 likely will be one of the most profitable Januarys ever for both retailers and manufacturers.”

However, depressed fleet sales continue to hamper overall demand, particularly hurting brands like Ford whose overall sales fell 8.3% (though retail sales were up 5.5%). Additionally, the aforementioned semiconductor shortage, as well as other supply chain interruptions, threaten to disrupt the current retail sales pace.

Overall, “Our [global] forecast for 2021 is for a continued recovery, with volume projected to increase to 86.4 million units, an 11% increase from 2020,” said Jeff Schuster, president, Americas operations and global vehicle forecasts, LMC Automotive. “Our initial assessment suggests there could be weakness in the first quarter due to vehicle production losses related to the lack of chips, but we don’t expect a lasting negative effect on the year.”

Did you know…?

Daimler is set to split its truck and car businesses in an effort to better serve the different customer groups, technology paths, and capital needs. Under the revamped structure, Daimler’s truck and bus unit would be called Daimler Truck AG and car manufacturing would be Mercedes-Benz. Read more here.

New Nissan Frontier Finally Revealed

Virtually unchanged since the 2005 model year, the Nissan Frontier pickup truck finally gets a much-deserved redesign. Postponed nearly two years, thanks to Carlos Ghosn’s cartoon antics and the COVID-19 pandemic, the remodeled mid-sizer made its long-awaited debut last week — and it looks ready to rival the big boys.

Inspired by the OG Nissan Hardbody compact truck of yesteryear, the new Frontier wears a more chiseled exterior, defined by boxy right angles and punctuated by a standard skid plate. Maintaining the same width, it now stands two inches taller and 4.5 inches longer.

Inside, the contemporary upgrades shine: a standard 8.0-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (9.0-inch optional), a new 7.0-inch gauge display behind the wheel, and a noticeable lack of hard plastic and stale cloth in favor of softer surfaces and standard Zero Gravity seats. An available suite of active driving assistance jumps on board for the first time in Frontier history, including Nissan’s optional Safety Shield 360.

Under the hood, the 2022 Nissan Frontier does okay without being a top performer. Its 3.8-liter V-6 introduced for this year turns out 310 horsepower and 281 pound-feet of torque, pairing to a nine-speed automatic transmission and rear- or four-wheel drive. Towing capacity tops out at 6720 pounds, the same as previous generations.

This new Frontier does enough to set itself apart from the crowd without going overboard, especially when it comes to pricing. The 2022 version is set to start at $28,000, a reasonable price for a mid-size truck with a solid reputation that now wears fresh digs.

In Case You Missed It…

… Chinese company Baidu has received a permit from the state of California to test its self-driving vehicles without a driver behind the wheel. This marks the sixth company to receive such a permit. Read more at Reuters.

… As part of his campaign, President Joe Biden announced a plan to replace the federal government’s gas-powered fleet of vehicles with clean electric vehicles made in America. Car & Driver has more on this story.

… Pete Buttigieg has been confirmed as the next U.S. transportation secretary — the youngest in history. With infrastructure being a major point of interest for the new administration, Buttigieg has a tall order to fill. Check out Road Show‘s coverage for more insight.

The Engine Block is your one-stop source for any and all auto industry news. Keep an eye on our weekly round-up of enthusiast coverage, product reviews, vehicle spotlights, auto show/expo features, and more. Be sure to check back Wednesday when we deep-dive some exciting new products from renowned off-road brand Body Armor 4×4.