AUTOMOTIVE NEWS—AND OCCASIONAL HIJINKS

I USTA PERUSE MY WEEKLY AUTOMOTIVE NEWS for industry trends and scuttlebutt, but one of the benefits of retirement is being able to focus on automotive tidbits, nuggets, and hijinks. Here’s what I mean, with some serious news snuck in now and then.

Just Couldn’t Put It Down. “Henry Ford Biographies Returned to Library More Than 60 Years Overdue,” reports Jack Walsworth, Automotive News, May 6, 2026: “Richland Public Library, in southeast Washington, recently received The Legend of Henry Ford by Keith Sward a record 64 years and nine days overdue, according to Northwest Public Broadcasting. Ford: The Times, The Man, The Company by Allan Nevins was returned 63 years and 11 months late.”

Walsworth recounts, “Someone recently inherited an old book collection, discovered checkout cards inside the two Ford biographies and brought them to the library, the public radio station reported.”

He continued, “A form on how to write essays also was found in the books. ‘So we can assume that whoever checked these out originally was writing some sort of essay about Henry Ford for school, Chris Nulph, Richland Public Library manager, told Northwest Public Broadcasting.”

Fortunately, Walsworth noted, “The library no longer charges late fees, but if it did the books theoretically could have accumulated some $3,000 in fines, Nulph said. While the books are safe and sound, Henry Ford’s turn-of-the-century punch bowl, a trophy he won from a race, remains missing.” 

Gee, maybe the trophy will turn up one of these days.

A Serious Automotive News Editorial. “Reported 50% U.S. Content Rule Would Hit Car Buyers Hardest,” June 4, 2026: “The Trump administration’s reported desire to boost U.S. content on vehicles as part of changes to the United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement would be a lose-lose proposition for an industry in desperate need of tariff relief.”

“According to Reuters,” the Editorial reads, “the administration wants to increase the level of regional content in North American-built vehicles to 82 percent to qualify for preferential treatment under the deal, with 50 percent of that value produced in the United States. The proposal apparently has no provision for counting any parts content from Canada in the totals, as the U.S. and Mexico are reportedly negotiating without Canadian input.”

Examples are offered: “Ford’s Maverick compact pickup, built in Mexico, sources just 25 percent of its parts from the U.S. and Canada, according to data from NHTSA. The Chevrolet Equinox, also built there, sources just 11 percent from the U.S. and Canada. Under the new rules, both Ford and General Motors would need to seriously consider major changes or risk hefty penalties.”

The Editorial concludes, “Customers likely wouldn’t care if their crossovers or pickups had a few less brackets or wiring harnesses built outside the country. But they would care about a few thousand dollars added to the sticker price, which would likely be the case if an automaker wanted to maintain compliance with the trade deal and still turn a profit.”

More to Blame Trump For? What with Trump’s wavering aggressions, maybe he’s responsible for “Synthetic Oil Shortage: Industry’s Next Threat?,” by Dan Shine, Automotive News, May 25, 2026.

“The ongoing U.S. war with Iran,” Shine wrote at the time, “has cut off reserves from the Middle East, which accounts for nearly half of U.S.’s imported Group III base oils—the main ingredient used to make synthetic oil and other lubricants such as transmission fluid. Three Persian Gulf producers—Pearl GTL in Qatar, ADNOC in the United Arab Emirates and Bapco in Bahrain—supply about 44 percent of U.S. Group III base oils, according to the association. The ongoing blockage of the Strait of Hormuz has effectively closed exports to the U.S. Additionally, the Pearl GTL facility was damaged during Iranian aerial strikes in March and will be at half capacity for a year, the association said.”

Shine described, “Typically when there’s a shortage from the Middle East, producers in South Korea—which supply about 30 percent of the Group III base oils sent to the U.S.—can pick up some of the slack. However, South Korea refiners are also having trouble getting crude oil from the Middle East. Also, margins on jet and diesel fuels are at 40-year highs, so it is more lucrative for producers to make oil for those purposes rather than base oils, experts say.”

“Arg!” He Said. “Tesla Cybertruck Owner Jailed After ‘Wade Mode’ Demo Flops in Texas Lake,” reports Nick Bunkley in Automotive News, May 21, 2026. 

Bunkley notes, “Tesla’s website says ‘Wade Mode’ allows the Cybertruck ‘to enter and drive through bodies of water, such as rivers or creeks,’ up to 32 inches deep. Activating it increases the vehicle’s ride height and pressurizes the battery to protect it from water and debris at depths.”

Apparently this portion of Lake Grapevine was deeper than 32 in. Its driver was “charged with operating a vehicle in a closed section of a park, not having a valid boat registration and not having life jackets or a fire extinguisher on board.” Arg! ds

© Dennis Simanaitis, SimanaitisSays.com, 2026