Auto Industry News: Lewis Hamilton Takes 100th Win, Motor Bella Earns High Praise, and Soon-to-Be Bronco Owners Get Sticker Shock

A rainy week produced some big industry rainbows. In the motorsport world, Lewis Hamilton celebrated his 100th grand prix victory in a Russian deluge. Halfway across the globe – amid more rain – Detroit set a new auto show benchmark with the outdoorsy Motor Bella. In other news, Hyundai plans to use some freaky tech for factory safety monitoring, while a few Bronco dealers play some dirty pool.

All that and more in this week’s Auto Industry News.

Hamilton Victory

Lewis Hamilton drove to a dramatic rainy victory at the Russian Grand Prix in Sochi this weekend, nabbing his 100th win to date. Hamilton is already the winningest driver in F1 history. Michael Schumacher, the previous record holder, is second with 91 wins, and Sebastian Vettel is third with 53 victories.

For much of the afternoon, viewers thought the victory would be record-setting in a different way. Fellow Brit, Lando Norris, who races for McLaren, came within two laps of winning. If he had opted to trade his slicks for fresh tires before the rain gods screamed down, he most likely would have taken the checkered flag — securing his first victory at the age of 21.

Instead, seven-time world champ Hamilton took triumph – and the points lead. He leads Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen by two points with seven rounds remaining. Verstappen was runner-up in the Russian race, with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz in third.

Drivers have one week to catch their breath. The Turkish Grand Prix follows on October 8-10.

Motor Bella Ushers in a New Type of Auto Show

The North American International Auto Show showed off its new face this past week. “Motor Bella” kicked off September 21 at M1 Concourse – an 87-acre automotive playground right on historic Woodward Avenue. The new-and-improved show kicked off with a press event, followed by four days of exhibits for the general public.

NAIAS paused its traditional show this year and launched the outdoor Motor Bella event in response to COVID’s continued upheaval of in-person gatherings. Having the event outside made it possible for show organizers to navigate some new hurdles posed by the Delta variant. Additionally, the move allowed the show to be more immersive.

“The shift in the auto show format is driven by the expectation of the public who want an experience and not just a ‘show,’ wrote Carla Bailo, President and CEO of the Center for Automotive Research in her weekly Hot Topics email. “Auto shows have been moving in this direction for some time. Motor Bella will be a good gauge to judge if this will work for future shows.”

Motor Bella definitely turned up the dial on “experience.”

Opening the event were 300 drones lighting up the night sky and spelling out the show’s letters. Excitement continued with dirt-flinging demo rides by professionals, and customer ride-alongs through off-road obstacle courses. As expected, press day attendees enjoyed several debuts, including the rugged 2022 Toyota Tundra double cab, boasting a huge front grille, bed extender, and new infotainment system, as well as the 2022 Ford Expedition Stealth and Expedition Timberline. Both new trim levels come loaded with bigger touchscreens, a beefed-up suspension, and hands-free driver-assist system.

GM showed off its new HUMMER EV SUV, but also devoted plenty of space to highlighting its advancements in the motorsports and performance arenas as well. The Corvette C8.R and NASCAR Next Gen Camaro ZL1 race cars were in attendance, as well as two 2022 IMSA GTLM Championship Edition Corvette Stingrays and a full array of COPO Camaros, including a fifth generation, a 2022 Big Block V-8, and the electrified eCOPO drag racing concept car.

The 2022 North American Car, Truck, and Utility Vehicle of the Year awards used Motor Bella as a springboard for announcing its semifinalists. With the combined three categories (Car, Truck, SUV), the nominees included 23 vehicles from big names like Ford, GMC, and Toyota, plus newcomers like Rivian. NACTOY will announce winners in November, with a crowning ceremony to follow in January 2022. Read more here.

Attendees braved the elements — and seemed happy to do so.

The event hit a snag on Wednesday when organizers pressed pause due to heavy rain and flooding to exhibit areas. Things got back on track for Thursday, however, and the show officially opened to the public with more than 350 vehicles on site from 35 brands.

While vehicle debuts are usually on the docket at auto shows, several manufacturers used Motor Bella do show off their next-gen tech innovations. From straightforward wireless charging mats to mind-bending Tesseract Aluminum Foam, automotive production is staring at a stranger-than-fiction future.

Show organizers designed the four-day Motor Bella event as a temporary substitute to NAIAS. The outdoor show is intended to maintain excitement until the big event’s planned return in 2022, which will take place at Detroit’s convention center. NAIAS does plan to move from its traditionally cold-and-dreary January to a warmer-weather slot on the schedule. The event will also include more outdoor activities, lending a street festival vibe.

Hyundai Goes to the (Robot) Dogs

Speaking of the future… Robotics and AI are big buzzwords in the world of consumer electronics, and they’re making their way into the auto world too. Hyundai Motor Group is apparently taking the next giant leap at its South Korean plant with robotic dogs. These dogs — which look more like the mechanized army from Terminator than an actual canine — were built by Boston Dynamics. (You might remember those guys for their creepy humanoid robots that apparently are pretty good at parkour.)

Dubbed the Factory Safety Service Robot, AKA Spot, features a thermal camera and 3D LiDAR. The robotic dog can also detect people around it, monitor high-temperature situations and potential fire hazards, and notice whether a door is open or closed. Hyundai says the dog can detect dangers and send alerts to plant managers through a secure website, allowing for remote monitoring of industrial sections of the factory. In addition to a safety monitor, the automaker says it’ll use the dog in a pilot program as a late-night security patrol and keep workers safe.

We’re guessing you won’t be able to distract this mutt with a raw steak, though.

Bronco Sticker Shock

If you’ve been in the market for a new car recently, you know it’s no picnic. Current headaches include dwindling supplies, manufacturer delays, and a glaring lack of promotions or wiggle room on pricing. Now, it sounds like there’s another hurdle to contend with: Crazy delivery markups.

According to a recent report by Road and Track, a handful of Ford Bronco customers have been stung with additional delivery charges at way beyond a reasonable price tag. Buyers have reportedly been getting stuck with extra charges from dealerships ranging from $5,000-10,000 above MSRP.

Markup isn’t an unusual trend in the auto world, especially on the newest and hottest vehicles. So, it’s no surprise to see Bronco price bumps. However, some market scans show dealerships offering the 2021 Ford Bronco for as much as $55,000, and then tacking on $25,000 on Autotrader — and that kind of practice is unusual. Worse, many customers claim they already shook hands on an MSRP over a year ago. Some say price jumps are happening mere days before delivery.

Ford is staying out of it.

“MSRP is MSRP,” said Ford spokesperson Mike Levine when poked by Road and Track reporters. “Dealers are independent franchises and ultimately the final price a customer will pay for any vehicle is agreed between themselves and a dealer that’s at, below, or above MSRP. If a customer isn’t happy with their dealer experience, our team can help them find a different dealer that’s a better match.”

Adding insult to injury, many prospective Bronco owners continue to face unending wait times.

In July, Ford told buyers to expect additional significant delays in a hardtop option because of supply chain hiccups. Currently, the only hardtop option is a Carbonized Grey molded-in-color hardtop, until factories start building the 2023 Bronco in the second half of 2022.

Despite the fracas, the questionable moves by some select dealerships don’t seem to be hurting Ford’s popularity. Earlier this month, the automaker said it was forking out another $250 million and adding 450 new jobs in Michigan to double its production of the upcoming F-150 Lightning EV pickup. Spread across three different facilities, the investment is expected to churn out 80,000 vehicles per year. The ramp-up comes after a resounding buyer response to the new truck. To date, Ford says it’s tallied more than 150,000 reservations for the vehicle, and the latest production goals are tied to meeting those reservations.

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 tune in Friday for a comprehensive rundown on the benefits of a cat back exhaust system. Learn how you can add a little more bark to your ride’s bite.