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United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America president Shawn Fain is the UAW’s most outspoken leader since Walter Reuther took the top job in 1946. An electrician by trade—and the proud owner today of a 2010 Dodge Charger (“It’s got a Hemi,” he says) and a 1984 Chevrolet El Camino, handed down from his grandfather—Fain originally took a job at Chrysler’s Kokomo, Indiana, factory in 1994. Becoming a union committee person, he ran against the grain of the union’s national leadership, notably opposing givebacks agreed to during the 2007–2009 recession. He might have been just a bothersome but easily ignored union dissident were it not for the 2022 felony convictions of 14 UAW officials and three FCA executives for fraud and corruption, including embezzlement. After the corruption of its management was exposed, union membership voted to elect their leader directly for the first time, giving outsider Fain a fighting chance. He won an upset victory over the Caucus’s preferred candidate and assumed the presidency in March 2023.As the big American carmakers’ UAW agreements drew close to their September 2023 expiration date, Fain articulated, in unusually blunt language, workers’ outrage over wages that failed to keep pace with inflation and benefits dramatically inferior to those paid in previous decades, shortfalls compounded by the introduction of a “two tier” wage system that saw new hires paid less than existing employees. Givebacks remained through years of record industry profits and skyrocketing executive compensation. When the companies failed to come close to meeting the UAW’s demands, a strike was declared, with the union choosing to strike all three Detroit automakers at once rather than pick a single “target” as in years past.Stand Up StrikeThanks to a new, young staff utilizing social media with a sophistication unseen in previous campaigns, the UAW was able to rally its membership as well as capture the sympathy of the media and the public. Further catching carmakers off guard, the union’s “Stand Up Strike” strategy shut down production at individual factories, saving the union money in benefits owed versus company-wide actions. By late October, the carmakers cried uncle, signing record contracts with average wage increases of at least 25 percent over four and a half years, including a 160 percent hike for newer employees long classified as temporary. Cost-of-living adjustments to offset inflation—eliminated in previous contracts—were restored, and Stellantis agreed to reopen a factory in Belvidere, Illinois. In the wake of the settlement, several companies, including Hyundai, Kia, Volkswagen, Toyota, Honda, and Tesla, gave their workers unsolicited raises, looking to circumvent unionization.Recently, Jamie Kitman sat down with Fain at the UAW’s Detroit headquarters, Solidarity House. Their discussion has been edited for length and clarity.Andi Hedrick|Car and DriverFain at his desk, speaking with C/DCar and Driver: One notable thing about this negotiation was how quickly and successfully the union defined the issues. It seemed to catch carmakers flat-footed. It also seemed like management couldn’t believe the tenor of the union’s public statements and the public’s generally supportive response. How did that happen?Shawn Fain: Like a lot of our members, I was extremely frustrated with our leadership in the past. The corruption was one thing. But even prior to that. What they call “working together,” I call “company unionism.” All we witnessed out of that philosophy is losing plants, losing jobs. We watched, over 20 years, 65 factories [owned by] the Big Three disappear. “Working together,” as I view it, would be when it’s a win-win for everybody. It’s not one-sided. I’ve been in national bargaining in the past—I was a negotiator during the recession and the Chrysler bankruptcy. I saw then how the company went after everything and took advantage of a bad situation. Workers bore the brunt of all that sacrifice. Moving forward, we’ve sat here for over a decade, watching the Big Three make massive profits. And so it really felt like, right from the beginning, we had to set the tone and do things differently. We ran the contract campaign to define the narrative and define the issues. In the last decade, the [Big Three] companies made a quarter-trillion dollars in profits. CEO pay went up 40 percent in the last four years. And our pay went backwards. So that was really setting the table. Was that intended as an internal campaign or public as well?When I ran for this position, I had to run a campaign. I didn’t have the advantages that the former administration caucus people had because they were in power. They could fly all over the country on the union’s dime and visit plants under the guise of union business. People like me who were running had to take vacation [time] and go stand out at plant gates and hope to catch workers coming and going. So I relied on social media to get who I was out there and to interact with members all over the country, because that was really the only way I could do it effectively. I started using Facebook Live throughout my campaign. We really were doing this as a way to communicate with our members. But it turned into a lot more because social media brought in anyone that wanted to come in. The general public was paying attention, the news media paid attention. And I think it was really effective, because when it got time to go on strike, 75 percent of Americans supported us.In the past, our leaders would stand up and beat the podium and say, ‘We’re gonna fight, we’re gonna fight, fight, fight!’ And then when they got into negotiations, they’d roll over.That was unexpected. And so was the lack of media hostility. I guess it made me think that the management of the car companies really never had to work very hard before to get their message out.Companies were used to having their way, saying what they wanted and getting it. I don’t think they really knew how to handle leadership that wasn’t operating in that mode. In the past, our leaders would stand up and beat the podium and say, “We’re gonna fight, we’re gonna fight, fight, fight!” And then when they got into negotiations, they’d roll over. [In the past,] the companies were . . . putting their opinions out and leading public opinion about these greedy union workers and how they’re going to destroy everything. And when that’s all the public’s hearing, it’s going to create a narrative. I think it’s imperative that we communicate with the media and talk about our issues. And I would use our contract campaign and our strike as a case study of how effective it can be. MATTHEW HATCHER|Getty ImagesFain with strikers, September 22, 2023.The companies are already blaming your new contract for price hikes. Over the last four years the price of vehicles went up 35 percent on average. But our wages didn’t go up. Our benefits didn’t get better. Nothing changed for us. The price hikes are because of two things: corporate greed and consumer price gouging. Coming out of the pandemic, they found a way to take advantage of consumers. They jacked prices way up and sold fewer vehicles but made more profits. So that’s the first part of this equation—they’ve got to quit lying to the public and putting fear out there that if workers are paid what they’re worth, it’s going to kill the business. It’s not.GM did manage to afford a $10 billion share buyback and dividend hike almost exactly at the same time as they settled the contract negotiation.They’re crying and crying about our contract. Two weeks later, they gave more in buybacks and dividends than they spent on this entire contract. Labor costs historically are only 5 to 7 percent of the total cost of an automobile. [Carmakers] could give us everything they gave us in that contract and not raise the price of cars a penny and still make massive profits. Why are they not complaining about what those dividends and buybacks cost them? They affect the bottom line more.I really enjoyed watching [GM chair and chief executive officer] Mary Barra in an interview when the interviewer actually asked her, “You got a 40 percent pay increase over the past four years, you made $29 million last year, and your workers are asking for an increase, and why do you think it’s okay for you to make what you make?” You could see her just be, like, “Um, I’m paid by the board for the value of the work I do.” But it was great to see someone be asked that question, because that answer is bullshit.It seems like the success of your drive has renewed interest in unionization among workers at non-union factories. Workers have realized they’ve been getting screwed for decades, and they’re fed up. This isn’t because I’m a magician, or I have all this power. These workers decided they’ve had enough. If Volkswagen workers had Ford’s [new] agreement, they would have got $23,000 profit sharing checks this year. Instead, they got zero. The Japanese and Korean Six? We made a big deal in the Big Three contract fight that these companies made a quarter-trillion dollars in profits in the last decade. But the Japanese and Korean Six made $480 billion. The German Three made $460 billion in profits worldwide. Toyota alone made $256 billion profit in the last decade. Their profit margins are obscenely more gross than they were at the Big Three, and yet their workers get less. I truly believe we’re going to see a huge shift this year. I think we’re gonna win in the South.It seems like it’s actually in the Big Three’s interest for their competitors to become unionized. Yet they don’t do things that are squarely in their interest. The same way they haven’t vocally supported universal health care, which gives all these foreign makers with a national health care program a leg up right out of the gate.We’ve told the companies this in bargaining sessions, because they always cry about health-care costs. As I told them, “We’ve been beating down the door for national health care. Where have you been? Why aren’t you knocking on the doors in D.C. with us to push for it? You want to control your costs? Stand with us, and we’ll do that. But don’t cry about it on one end, and then on the other, fight everything that has to do with it.”Could it be that it’s embarrassing for them to show up at the country club advocating some of these positions?It could be embarrassing, yes. If you have misguided principles. But the thing is, if someone asked me, “What the hell, you believe in paying people a decent wage? You believe someone should have health care? You believe that they should have a secure retirement and dignity when they get too old to work?” I hate to say it and use this word, but my response to that would be “Yes, I do. Fuck off. Why don’t you believe that? What’s wrong with you?”Well, I guess that’s why you’re not in the country club with them. You bet.Alex Wong|Getty ImagesFain at the State of the Union address, March 7, 2024.It seems there could be a real marketing upside, following the settlement, for the U.S. automakers to say, “We’re proud American companies, we pay our workers a fair wage. And here they are. They’re really happy.” You know, the way they used to make those Saturn ads, it made it seem like those workers had the greatest job in the world. That would also put pressure on their non-union competitors. They could take the fight right to the vociferously anti-union Tesla, à la “Why doesn’t the richest—or second-richest—man in the world pay his workers a decent wage? Don’t buy his cars. Buy ours.”Musk is the epitome of everything that’s wrong in this world right now. As far as the Big Three go, the irony to me is they tell us, “We support that, we want you to organize [our competitors’ U.S. plants].” So, well, we tell them, “We want to organize them, but you know, it’s not just our job. Get in the fight with us.” They don’t do anything.EVs seem to have put the UAW—historically supportive of the environmental movement—into an awkward position, with many workers turning against electric cars, wondering if, as EV adoption spreads, they’ll still have a job. The industry seems to be telling workers, “The government is forcing us to have electric cars, so we’ve got to ditch unions and pay less. And can you please join us fighting against electric-car mandates?” One likes to think the goals of well-paid employment and higher-mileage ICE and zero-emissions vehicles can harmonize.We believe in having clean water and clean air. To sustain life, we have to have them. We can’t stick our head in a hole and say, “It’s okay for me. I’m gonna live my life, but future generations, you’re screwed.” That’s not acceptable. Over 50 years ago, [Reuther’s successor] Leonard Woodcock talked about the internal-combustion engine and how it was poisoning the environment, and that we needed to change and find new technologies. Walter Reuther had this famous saying, ‘We have to master technology, not let it master us.’ As we have advancements in technology, it should be making life easier and better for people.We still have the internal-combustion-engine work. We didn’t give any of that away. But study after study has shown global warming is not a hoax. It’s a reality. More severe storms and hurricanes, 70-degree temperatures in the middle of January. We have to act. But you really have to thread the needle because, obviously, it’s a massive shift. But it can be a transition that works for everyone. Walter Reuther had this famous saying, “We have to master technology, not let it master us.” As we have advancements in technology, it should be making life easier and better for people.Can we talk about Trump, who actively champions business interests yet has strong appeal to large segments of the working class? The union has endorsed Biden, while criticizing some of his policies, and more harshly criticized Trump. Yet clearly some large portion of the membership feels differently.As I tell our members, “Look, this isn’t a Democrat/Republican issue. This isn’t a party issue. This wasn’t my opinion. Let’s look at their own words and their own actions.” And when we sat down and started doing that, just writing down their track records, it’s a very stark contrast. One has a history of serving others and standing up for labor. For the first time in American history, a sitting U.S. president [Biden] joined workers on the picket line. Trump had that opportunity in 2019, when GM was on strike for 40 days. He never said a word about the strike. He never did a damn thing to support it.You go back to the [2008–2009] recession. President Biden was the vice president then, they worked on a path forward for [the U.S. car business] to survive, they battled for the American worker. Trump, at the same time, was blaming the workers for everything that was wrong with these companies. Joe Biden has a lifelong history of serving others and standing with working-class people, President Trump has a lifetime history of serving himself and the billionaire class. Sure, some of our members are still going to vote for Trump. But at the end of the day, we have to put the facts out there, we have to talk to our members about that. And hope like hell we don’t have another disaster for four years. Let me shift gears for a moment. How did you come to have your beliefs?My upbringing. I was blessed to have all four of my grandparents alive as I was growing up, and they all went through the Great Depression. I heard a lot of stories. One of my grandmothers and her siblings were left in an orphanage in Tennessee during the Depression. And that was the norm for a lot of people back then; their parents couldn’t afford to take care of them. My grandparents were very poor. They left the South and moved north and were able to get jobs with the Big Three. It changed their lives. They lived the American dream because of having a union and those benefits.Also, as I became an adult, I started reading the Bible and getting a strong faith. I pray every day when I wake up. I do a daily reading. And everything I read about it, no matter what religion someone is, whether you’re Muslim or Christian or Jewish, whatever your belief is, all religion speaks to one thing, it’s love of your fellow human being.So those are things that we really have to start thinking about as humans. What do we want and where we want to be as a human race? We have to put aside all the differences and all the division tactics that the billionaire class has used over the years to keep us all fighting—over guns, race, gender, who your partner is, or border security, because some poor person’s just trying to find a better life. They want to villainize people and get us fighting among one another. This way we’re not focused on everything in our lives being stripped away from us, and they’ve done a masterful job of it in the last 40 years. It’s time we realized that for what it is, and we focus on what matters in life, and everything we do as a human race should take humanity into account as we move forward. That’s got to be our model. Jamie Kitman is a lawyer, long-time rock band manager, ret’d (They Might Be Giants, Violent Femmes, Meat Puppets, OK Go, The La’s, Pere Ubu, among his clients), and veteran automotive journalist whose work has appeared in publications including Automobile Magazine, Road & Track, Autoweek, Jalopnik, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Politico, The Nation, Harper’s, and Vanity Fair as well as England’s Car, Top Gear, Guardian, Private Eye, and The Road Rat. Winner of a National Magazine Award for his column in Automobile Magazine and the IRE Medal for Investigative Magazine Journalism for his reporting on the history of leaded gasoline, in his copious spare time he runs a picture-car company, Octane Film Cars, which has supplied cars to TV shows including The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Americans, Halston, and The Deuce and movies including Respect, The Post, and The Irishman. A judge on the concours circuit, he has his own collection with a “friend of the friendless” theme that includes less-than-concours examples of the Mk 1 Lotus-Ford Cortina, Hillman Imp, and Lancia Fulvia, as well as more Peugeots than he is willing to publicly disclose. More

Mercedes-Benz’s first all-wheel drive wagon, the 300TE is the great-grandfather of today’s E-class All-Terrain.With seven seats, a hydraulic self-leveling rear suspension, and computer-controlled all-wheel drive, the 300TE 4Matic was the ultimate early-’90s luxury longroof. This wagon’s mileage and condition make it one of the nicest examples extant, so it’s likely to fetch a high price.In a sense, it’s fitting that this Mercedes-Benz 300TE 4Matic hails from Vail, Colorado. When it was new, these luxury longroofs could be found hauling well-heeled families to ski slopes from Killington to Whistler, and certainly to Vail. With electronically-controlled all-wheel drive, a hydraulic self-leveling rear suspension, heated seats, and accommodations for seven, it was as capable as it was posh, though its towering price made it a niche item. The concept was well-liked enough, however, to still be with us today as the E-class All Terrain.This particular 300TE 4Matic, up for auction on Bring a Trailer (which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos) has escaped the salt-induced decay of ski duty. Instead, like Ötzi the iceman, it seems to have been artificially preserved by spare use and Colorado’s cold, dry mountain air. Bring a TrailerWith just 28,000 miles on the odometer and few signs of wear, might be the nicest such wagon that isn’t in a museum, and these 4Matics aren’t common to begin with. Although there always seem to be some for sale among Mercedes aficionados, only 12,094 300TE 4Matics were made from 1987 to 1995, of which less than a third were U.S. models. The company’s first modern all-wheel-drive cars, the 300TE 4Matic and its 300E sedan sibling first came stateside in November of 1989, but the 4Matic story really starts at the 1985 Frankfurt IAA show. Responding to the success of the Audi Quattro, the show was a German battle of the all-wheel-drive bands, including the debuts of the BMW 325i “Allrad” (aka 325iX) and Porsche 959. Though not production-ready, Mercedes-Benz brought the 4Matic all-wheel drive concept on a W124-series sedan. Like Porsche’s PSK system on the 959, 4Matic was computer-controlled. It worked in tandem with Mercedes’ then-new anti-lock brake, acceleration skid control, and automatic differential lock tech to maximize traction. Such systems are common today, but they were bleeding-edge production-car stuff back then.Bring a TrailerNot yet called the E-class, the W124 was only a few months old at the time but already known as a high-tech aerodynamic rolling bank vault built for millions of autobahn miles. It was a great car, but adapting the rear-drive design for all-wheel drive required some unusual solutions. Instead of designing a costly, entirely new front suspension, Stuttgart’s engineers created weird, spindly springs with a section that bent around the front axle shafts. More than half a dozen sensors and lots of hydraulic lines connected the electronic brain and three differentials, including locking center and rear units. The system defaulted to rear-wheel drive, but power could be split 35/65 or 50/50 depending on the mode selected. As if this weren’t enough, wagons also had a standard hydropneumatic load-leveling rear suspension.The result was an unobtrusive system in that the 4Matics drove much like the regular six-cylinder W124 and the S124 wagon only with better traction. It didn’t have much extra ground clearance, but it could go through anything you threw at it, snow, mud, or mush, and cruise happily all day in quiet comfort with all the Benz luxuries. Headlight washers? Heated powered seats? It feels much like a modern car.Bring a TrailerRelated StoriesIn the U.S., 4Matic was only available on the 177-hp, straight-six-powered 300E and 300TE, but the system’s complexity meant the wagon started at a whopping $57,900 in 1991 ($133,490 today), which meant slow sales. When the “300” became the E-class in 1994, 4Matic vanished from the U.S. until a redesigned system appeared in 1998.These wagons are long-lived with proper maintenance but, as original owners discovered, notorious for needing expensive repairs if neglected or used hard. Parts are pricey too, which sometimes wards off even experienced collectors. Remember those weird springs? Nobody reproduces them.Bring a TrailerThis particular wagon, however, is exceptionally nice. There are a couple of scratches here and there, but it looks almost showroom-fresh from its 15-inch Gullideckel wheels up to its roof rack. It’s been a Colorado car all of its life and seems totally original, even the seat leather looks almost unused. With such low mileage, you might even feel guilty actually driving it.It’s offered with no reserve, but undoubtedly this time capsule car will fetch big bucks. After all, you’re unlikely to find another nicer example, and it might still cost less than trying to restore a worn-out one. The auction ends March 27. More

Ever dreamed of owning a collection of historic Ferrari racing machines? Well now you can. Granted, these Ferraris aren’t full-sized. But this is a complete and well curated collection.And it’s easier to house than the real cars would be. In fact, it comes with a gorgeous display case.Are you a tifosi, one of the dedicated supporters of Ferrari’s F1 racing team, one of those for whom Maranello is the ultimate holy ground? Yes? Then this comprehensive collection of gorgeous racing Ferraris, which extend all the way back until the 1950s, is sure to peak your interest. But as those VW Beetle ads used to say, you have to think small.Bring a TrailerUp for auction today at Bring A Trailer (which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos) is a collection of 47 Ferrari F1 racecars in 1:43 scale, complete with a custom designed display case to show them off. It’s like a personal-sized museum of Ferrari excellence—and indeed, the case is designed to resemble the Museo Enzo Ferrari in Modena.Bring a TrailerThe display case is nearly six feet long, 31 inches wide, and 33 inches tall, and is made from aluminum. It features built-in LED lighting, the Scuderia Ferrari shields at either end, and a collage of Ferrari’s most iconic racing drivers covering the back wall. Note that Gilles Villeneuve is front and center, so you know that this is something made by a true Ferrari aficionado. And by the way, that chrome-cast cavallino rampante actually rotates.Bring a Trailer The models on display are all by IXO, a specialist in 1:43 scale. The five F1 cars driven by Michael Schumacher in his dominant 2000–2004 championship wins are front and center, but you can pick out many favorites from the three rows on either side. Bring a TrailerFor instance, one standout is the #7 Ferrari 158 in blue-and-white livery. It’s the only one not to wear the Rosso Corsa red of the rest of the field, and marks one of those fun footnotes of Ferrari’s long racing history. Outraged that FIA racing officials refused to homologate his 250LM, Enzo handed back his competition license and had his cars run by the North American Racing Team (NART), who raced in blue-and-white. John Surtees won the driver’s championship in this car, becoming the only driver to win in a Ferrari that wasn’t red.Related StoriesPretty much every scale-sized model here has a great story like that to tell. This well-displayed collection is not likely to cost you as much as even a Ferrari Mondial these days, but you get a gorgeous conversation piece that’s nearly as good as having your own full-size Ferrari collection. And if you did own 47 Ferrari racing cars, how much would you drive them anyway? This format is much more convenient.The auction ends on March 26, and there’s no reserve. The high bidder will take home the ultimate collection of pint-sized Ferraris. You don’t need to bring a trailer, just clear a shelf. Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels. More

Most White House limousines end up in museums, but this is a rare exception.This 1965 Lincoln Continental is one of 500 limousines converted by Lehmann-Peterson in Chicago between 1964 and 1970.The Federal government bought 15, and this one saw duty during the Johnson Administration.For the last half-century, ex-Presidential limos have been locked up, destroyed, or donated to a museum. But this 1965 Continental, all 21 feet of it, is up for auction right now on Bring a Trailer.Bring a TrailerUnlike the standard-grade Continental that LBJ drove at his Texas ranch, and which also sold on BaT not too long ago, this is one of 500 Executive Limousines that were stretched and strengthened by Lehmann-Peterson in Chicago between 1964 and 1970. The federal government bought 15, and of those, the Lincoln here is likely the only one that’s in private hands. The seller, John “Bugsy” Lawlor, has stewarded this timepiece for 22 years and, with a Massachusetts “LBJ” plate, comfortably driven it several thousand miles. There’s but 37,000 and change on the clock.”The car goes down the road like it’s carved out of a block of stone,” Lawlor says. “It’s pretty peppy, too.”Bring a TrailerA “red carpet car” that whisked foreign dignitaries and special guests around Washington, this Lincoln is unarmored, so its 7.0-liter V-8 doesn’t shoulder thousands of extra pounds. It is, however, equipped with a booze cabinet with original crystal decanters and a White House phone with button presets above the rotary dial. A few modern conveniences, such as a Sony CD player and Panasonic speakers, added by a previous owner date from the Clinton administration and are tucked out of sight. Bring a TrailerWhen Lawlor bought the Lincoln in 2002, he thought he had purchased a normal Lehmann-Peterson limo. But the delivery driver showed up with a special box, including a gold keychain and pen from Johnson’s 1965 inauguration. “He asked me, ‘Where did you get Lyndon Johnson’s limousine?’ and I said, ‘I didn’t know I had Lyndon Johnson’s limousine.'”Bring a TrailerLawlor, who operates a media fleet for most major automakers, was the “Technical, Spiritual, and Menu Advisor” to Car Talk. Let’s hope the next caretaker preserves this piece of history and keeps it in the public eye. Remember: All the way with LBJ!The auction ends on March 24.Clifford Atiyeh is a reporter and photographer for Car and Driver, specializing in business, government, and litigation news. He is president of the New England Motor Press Association and committed to saving both manuals and old Volvos. More

Car insurance topped the list of items tracked by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Services as having the highest annual cost increase. Americans spent 20 percent more on car insurance in 2023 than they did in the previous year. The blame, in part, goes to higher-priced new vehicles and rising repair costs.In just three years, car insurance has risen to the point where it costs Americans 43 percent more than it did during the depths of the pandemic in December 2020. That’s according to the latest December 2023 consumer price index data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. agency everyone now watches since inflation hit a 40-year record. But while inflation is finally cooling—December’s recorded 3.4 percent is down almost two-thirds from June 2022’s 9.1 percent—car insurance is still seeing double-digit surges.Just in the past year, Americans spent an estimated 20 percent more on car insurance than they did in 2022—the largest such increase since 1976. Among the roughly 200 categories the BLS tracks, car insurance had the highest yearly increase of any expenditure. Only frozen noncarbonated juices and drinks, at 19 percent, came near. College tuition and rent increases were nowhere close to that of car insurance.Bureau of Labor StatisticsWhile actual premiums are notoriously difficult to track due to differing regulations in all 50 states (and a government-protected insurance industry that keeps its most useful data shrouded), there are a few direct causations. In the first half of 2020, when COVID-19 shutdowns stopped people from going anywhere, insurance companies racked up so much cash from a lack of claims that some sent rebate checks or discounts to their customers. In that year, car insurance expenditures were down 5 percent, the lowest annual decrease ever since 1955, according to the BLS. When the roads and the economy reopened—and the number of speeding-related accidents during the pandemic caused the most yearly fatalities in a decade—insurance rates began bouncing back.Purchase and Repair Costs Are Way Up TooNew-car prices are very much to blame. After reaching a 13-percent year-over-year increase in April 2022, spending increases on new cars were nearly flat in December at 1 percent. But fixing them isn’t getting cheaper. According to the BLS, vehicle maintenance and repair costs jumped 7 percent last year (and 27 percent since December 2020). Labor rates, due to a longtime shortage of skilled auto technicians, are a major factor. Newer cars with more expensive sensors and LED lighting in the bumpers mean even a minor bender can cost thousands. And while EVs are not necessarily more expensive to insure than ICE cars, if their battery packs receive damage, the repair bills are almost always higher.Our advice: shop around for the best rate—the one with the funniest ads may have a more expensive bottom line than a local mid-size insurance company with a less famous name. And before you buy your next vehicle, research what you can expect to pay to insure it; that should be part of the decision-making process. Clifford Atiyeh is a reporter and photographer for Car and Driver, specializing in business, government, and litigation news. He is president of the New England Motor Press Association and committed to saving both manuals and old Volvos. More

Toyota has given the hydrogen-powered Mirai a few updates for 2024, most notably the new Beyond Zero badge first seen on the Prius.The Mirai had its best sales year in 2023, but Toyota still only moved 2737 examples of its fuel-cell sedan.While the Mirai handily outsells its only challenger, the Hyundai Nexo, it will soon be joined by a hydrogen version of Honda’s popular CR-V.Amidst Toyota’s broad lineup of mainstream cars and crossovers and enthusiast-focused sports cars and off-road SUVs, there’s one model that is often overlooked: the hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered Mirai. For 2024, Toyota is reminding us that it still builds this unconventional sedan, giving the Mirai a few upgrades before it prepares to face new competition in the minuscule hydrogen segment in the near future. ToyotaThe most noticeable change for 2024 is the addition of new Beyond Zero badging. First seen on the 2023 Prius, Toyota has been applying the small circular blue logo to its latest hybrid and electric vehicles, such as the Grand Highlander Hybrid Max. On the Mirai, it’s accompanied by “FCEV” lettering, for fuel-cell electric vehicle. Along with the new emblem, the Mirai is also now offered in a new color called Elemental Silver. The 2024 Mirai gains the full Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 suite, which includes driver-assistance features such as adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, and pre-collision emergency braking with pedestrian detection.Mechanically, the Mirai is unchanged. The hydrogen fuel cell powers an electric motor that sends 182 horsepower to the rear wheels. While the trip to 60 mph takes a sluggish 9.1 seconds, the base XLE model is able to travel 402 miles on a tank of hydrogen. Upgrading to the fancier Limited trim sees the range fall to 357 miles. Toyota also provides $15,000 worth of hydrogen for those who take the fuel-cell plunge with the Mirai. The base price rises slightly to $51,215, with the Limited coming in at $68,180.ToyotaAll told, the changes are minor. But the Mirai, which entered its second generation for 2021, doesn’t have to do much to capture the few buyers interested in experimenting with hydrogen. It is one of just two fuel-cell vehicles currently on sale in the United States. Like its only challenger, the Hyundai Nexo, the Mirai is exclusively offered in California. Last year, Toyota sold 2737 Mirais, and while that number may be small, it was the sedan’s best sales year ever and represented a 31 percent increase over 2022. The Nexo, meanwhile, found just 241 homes, a 41 percent drop versus 2022.Soon the Mirai will face new competition, with Honda set to launch a hydrogen-powered version of its popular CR-V crossover this year. The vehicle will be built at the Performance Manufacturing Center in Ohio that formerly built the Acura NSX. Honda said last year that the new fuel-cell system is more durable and costs two-thirds less to build than the setup in its previous effort, the Clarity Fuel Cell. With the recent announcement that General Motors and Honda’s joint venture to build fuel-cell systems in Michigan is underway, the next hydrogen competitor to the Mirai is just around the corner. More on Hydrogen CarsCaleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan. More

The world-renowned Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, California, has announced it will close its doors for good on February 10.The museum opened in 2010 and housed the greatest collection of French cars of the 1930s ever assembled, rivaled only by the Schlumpf Collection in Molsheim, France. Peter Mullin passed away last year at age 82. While four cars will go to the Petersen Automotive Museum, there is no word yet on what will happen to the rest of the automobiles and to all of the art. It was great while it lasted.The Mullin Automotive Museum, a bastion of great French cars of the 1930s, as well as art, furniture, and even fashion of the Art Deco movement, will close its doors for good on February 10.The museum is located in Oxnard, California. It was founded by Peter Mullin and his wife, Merle, as a place to gather their unsurpassed collection of Bugattis, Delages, Delahayes, Voisins, and other sculptured French cars, as well as furniture and objets d’art from a time that many consider the epitome of car design and artistic expression.”Peter and Merle Mullin founded the Oxnard-based museum in 2010 to educate guests about 20th-century French automotive styling and design by showcasing the finest vehicles, sculptures, and artifacts from the most esteemed French master coachbuilders,” read a statement from the museum released today.Click for articlePebble Beach ConcoursPeter and Merle Mullin after their Voisin C-25 Aérodyne won Best of Show at the Pebble Beach Concours.Peter Mullin passed away on September 20, 2023, after a long illness. Merle continued to show cars from the collection at gatherings such as Pebble Beach, Villa d’Este, and Amelia Island, often winning Best of Show honors. The Mullins won Best of Show at Pebble Beach in 2011 for their uniquely inspiring 1934 Voisin C-25 Aérodyne and took top honors at Amelia as well as awards at Chantilly and Villa d’Este, among many other shows. Mullin rose from humble beginnings in Southern California to found a financial empire that allowed him to pursue his artistic enthusiasms, particularly with French cars. Mullin started out in college at UC Santa Barbara as an art major but came to a realization early on that made him change his major to economics.”A friend and I were working for an artist, a man of considerable talent, but there came a point where he couldn’t afford to pay us,” Mullin once told Autoweek. “I realized that something was wrong—here was this guy who had all this artistic talent, but who couldn’t make a living at it. So I went into business instead.”He founded Mullin Consulting in Los Angeles when he was just 28 and co-founded M Financial Group 10 years later. His businesses were successful enough to allow him to pursue his first passion, French cars of the 1930s.The Mullins supported many charities throughout the years, among them the Music Center of Los Angeles, St. John’s Hospital and Health Center in Santa Monica, Occidental College in Eagle Rock, and the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. Most recently, the Mullins made a $15 million donation to fund the Art Center’s South Campus.The Mullin Museum has nearly 47,000 square feet of exhibit space, with a main floor filled with cars surrounded by galleries above that showcase the furniture and other Art Deco items. The museum includes a rooftop garden, theater, gift shop, and archival storage.Four of the Mullin Museum’s most iconic vehicles have been donated to the Petersen Automotive Museum, of which Peter Mullin had served as chairman: the 1937 Talbot-Lago T150 CS “Teardrop,” the 1938 Hispano-Suiza H6B Dubonnet Xenia, the 1939 Delahaye 165, and the 1938 Delahaye 145 will all become part of the Petersen Automotive Museum, an institution that Peter Mullin also helped transform into a world-class museum.There is no word yet on what will happen to the rest of the collection.”Sharing these ‘rolling sculptures’ and beautiful art with others was Peter’s truest passion, and the museum helped bring that vision to life,” said Merle Mullin. “We are deeply indebted to our staff, docents, volunteers, visitors and supporters who have dedicated their time and passion over the past 13 years. I hope past and first-time visitors will have a chance to say goodbye before we close.”Mark Vaughn grew up in a Ford family and spent many hours holding a trouble light over a straight-six miraculously fed by a single-barrel carburetor while his father cursed Ford, all its products and everyone who ever worked there. This was his introduction to objective automotive criticism. He started writing for City News Service in Los Angeles, then moved to Europe and became editor of a car magazine called, creatively, Auto. He decided Auto should cover Formula 1, sports prototypes and touring cars—no one stopped him! From there he interviewed with Autoweek at the 1989 Frankfurt motor show and has been with us ever since. More

Jeep has confirmed the arrival of its first EV for the United States, with the 2025 Wagoneer S set to hit the road in the fall of 2024.A teaser image shows an identical front end to the original Wagoneer S concept shown in 2022.Jeep also touted the same 600-hp output and claimed 3.5-second 60-mph time as it first did in 2022.Jeep has finally confirmed the arrival of its first electric vehicle, the Wagoneer S, which will go on sale in the fall of this year. Jeep first showed images of a concept version of the Wagoneer S in 2022, along with a boxy EV SUV called the Recon. At the time, Jeep had referred to the “Wagoneer S” moniker as a codename, but it now appears that Jeep is committed to that title for its first EV.JeepThe original Wagoneer S concept from 2022.Although its name is shared with the gargantuan gas-powered Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer, the Wagoneer S is smaller, with Jeep referring to it as a mid-size model. The latest image Jeep shared of the front end shrouded in darkness appears to show all of the same design cues as the original concept images, including the illuminated grille.Jeep also reiterated the same specifications originally announced, with the Wagoneer S targeting a 60-mph time of 3.5 seconds thanks to a 600-horsepower powertrain. Interestingly, the 400-mile range that Jeep originally claimed in 2022 was absent from the most recent announcement.More Jeep NewsSales will start in the U.S. in the fall of 2024, and official information should come soon. Jeep is referring to the Wagoneer S as its first global EV, suggesting that the Recon, which was also due in 2024, may be delayed. Jeep already sells the tiny Avenger with an electric powertrain in Europe. Stellantis, Jeep’s parent company, has been slow in transitioning to electric vehicles, and none of the automaker’s brands currently sells an EV in the United States. That is set to change in 2024 with the arrival of the Ram 1500 REV and ProMaster EV. Fiat will also add an electric 500 hatchback to its U.S. fleet, while Dodge recently teased the upcoming electric Charger. Caleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan. More