Cable-free AC for early Mustangs, GM workers offered buyout, McLaren’s first hybrid supercar turns 10

Vintage Air gives the 1964.5–66 Mustang cable-free climate control

Intake: Vintage Air released a new heating and air conditioning system for the first two years of the first generation Mustang (or 2.5 years, because the  Mustang’s first generation technically spans from 1964.5–1966) sporting their fifth generation of HVAC technology. They claim the quality is on par with the latest from the automakers, highlighting a  microprocessor-controlled system that eliminates vacuum lines and cable actuation. But just as before, all of Vintage Air’s upgrades are behind the scenes, even the factory in-dash three-lever control panel can be used with this retrofit.

Exhaust: Vintage Air has been at the forefront of HVAC upgrades for classic cars, to the point they were trusted to make the system installed in the 2005–06 Ford GT supercar. The factory-like fitting ensures owners associate the Vintage Air brand as they would a GM Performance crate motor, Wilwood brakes, or an Art Morrison frame. But it’s even nicer to see they aren’t resting on their laurels, instead, they are making cables and vacuum lines a thing of the past. — Sajeev Mehta

Rolex 24-winning Acura penalized for tire pressure infringement

Intake: This is what I wrote on January 30 about the Meyer-Shank Racing’s Acura after its victory in the 2023 Rolex 24 at Daytona: ”The major marvel of the race was the Meyer Shank Acura, which was able to better launch off the corners than the competition. All race long, the pole-sitting Acura seemed to be able to pass the competition at will.” Now we know how why: They were cheating. Before each race begins, Michelin and IMSA set a minimum tire pressure that is good for safety and longevity. Lower the tire pressure from that and the car may perform better. Apparently, Meyer Shank engineered a way to make the tire pressures look higher on the telemetry, while actually running lower pressures on the cars.

Exhaust:  The discovery was made by Honda Performance Development, and passed on to IMSA, which launched an investigation. Meyer-Shank was allowed to keep the win, the Rolex watches and the trophy, but was penalized 200 of its 350 WeatherTech Championship points, plus all points from the Michelin Endurance Cup, plus the loss of race prize money. They were also fined $50,000. Additionally, a team race engineer had to turn over his IMSA credential and was placed on indefinite suspension. Too light? Maybe. But it’s clear IMSA takes this sort of rule-circumventing seriously. — Steven Cole Smith

Nissan Ariyas recalled for loose steering wheel

Intake: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is calling for a recall of 1063 electric Nissan Ariyas over an issue involving a loose steering wheel that, in two cases, came off. This follows by a day a similar recall for some Tesla models for the same reason. In the case of the Nissans, both the affected vehicles had an “end-of-line repair” that required removing and re-installing the steering wheel, which apparently was done improperly.

Exhaust: According to NHTSA’s letter to owners, “A steering wheel with a loose or missing bolt can detach from the steering column, causing a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash. Remedy: Owners are advised to contact their dealer for transport and immediate repair if the steering wheel feels loose when gently rocking the wheel forward and back with their hands. Dealers will replace the steering wheel bolt, free of charge.” —SCS

GM offering buyouts to most U.S.-based salaried workers

Intake: Associated Press is reporting that General Motors “is offering buyouts to most of its U.S.-based salaried workforce and some global executives in an effort to trim costs as it makes the transition to electric vehicles.” GM has about 58,000 salaried workers, and the buyouts should help the company meet its goal of $2 billion in cost cuts by the end of 2024. The company says the offers also are designed to avoid any possible firings at a later date. CEO Mary Barra told analysts in January that GM wasn’t planning for any layoffs.

Exhaust: According to AP, offers will go to white-collar workers with at least five years of service, and global executives who have been with the company for at least two years. On the bright side, it could free up some good executives for careers with start-ups that need workers with a solid automotive background. — SCS

On this day in 2013, the McLaren P1 lit up Geneva

Intake: Ten years ago the mighty McLaren P1 was unveiled at the Geneva International Motor Show. Conceived by McLaren to be “the best driver’s car in the world on both road and track,” it would become one of the so-called Holy Trinity of hybrid hypercars, alongside the Porsche 918 Spyder and LaFerrari. In McLaren’s case, the car’s 747-hp 3.8-liter twin-turbo M838TQ V-8 engine was enhanced with an electric motor adding a further 179 hp for a grand total of 903 horsepower—and all of it was sent to the rear wheels. The $1.3M P1 would reach 62 mph from rest in 2.8 seconds, hit 124 mph in 6.8, and 186 mph in 16.5, which was a full five seconds faster than the McLaren F1. Designed around a carbon MonoCage structure fitted with carbon body panels, McLaren was on a mission to minimize mass, so there was no carpet inside, the glass was just a tenth of an inch thick in places, and the exhaust was made from Inconel. The P1 featured active aerodynamics, including a Formula 1-style DRS system, adjustable suspension, and was fitted with carbon ceramic disc brakes that could halt the car from 62 mph in less than 100 feet. McLaren says the P1 was driven more than 385,000 miles during its test program, but the 375 examples that were sold out immediately have probably not got anywhere close to that mileage, even if you added them all together.

Exhaust: The P1 hasn’t turned out to be quite the investor vehicle that its F1 predecessor became, as in a decade the P1’s value has increased by around half a million dollars, according to Hagerty’s valuation experts. What’s more, it’s taken only those ten years for the P1’s performance to be matched by the Artura for less than a quarter of the price. Still, on the 10th birthday of this landmark car, we tip our hats to the mad folks from Woking. — Nik Berg

Mitsubishi pumps more than $10 billion into EVs and hybrids

Intake: Remember Mitsubishi Motors? The company that once produced fan favorites such as the Lancer Evolution, the Montero, and the Eclipse (the car, not that crossover thing) has faded from popularity recently, but according to a new report from Automotive News, Mitsubishi is looking to rebound in a big way as the world turns an eye to an electric future. The Japanese automaker announced that it will pour more than $10 billion into electrified vehicles and battery production in the coming years. It’s aiming for key markets like North America and plans to lean on help from Nissan and Renault to make quick strides. The new corporate roadmap, unveiled by CEO Takao Kato this morning, includes several electrification targets aimed at the turn of the decade, but it also included more immediate milestones such as 1.1 million global sales by the end of the 2026 fiscal year. That’s a hefty increase from this year, in which the company expects global sales to reach just 866,000 units. The investment will precipitate nine new electrified models—a mix of pure EVs, hybrids, and plug-in hybrids—over the next five years. Among the electrified vehicles previewed during the announcement were a full-electric truck, a two-row electric SUV, and more.

Exhaust: That 1.1-million-unit goal still doesn’t build back to Mitsubishi Motor Corp.’s pre-pandemic worldwide volume of 1.127 million vehicles, but it’s a step in the right direction. We’d love to see a smaller electric truck here in the states. It could potentially use some of the underpinnings from Nissan for the project, should that automaker follow through with what dealers have been asking for, as we reported earlier this year. — Nathan Petroelje