The Fiesta is dead, Kia’s recalling older Sportages, Mercedes quits Russia, and Sauber teams up with Audi (Saubi?). All this and more on today’s issue of The Morning Dump.
Welcome to The Morning Dump, bite-sized stories corralled into a single article for your morning perusal. If your morning coffee’s working a little too well, pull up a throne and have a gander at the best of the rest of yesterday.
RIP Fiesta
For nearly half a century, Ford has had a Fiesta in its European lineup (and sometimes in its American one, too). They’ve sold 22 million of the little subcompacts, from the very first Ghia-designed model to the bigger and more modern car. And now it’s dead.
Given how global Ford has become with its products, it makes a sort of sense after Ford ditched the Fiesta from its lineup and announced the end of sedans. As a Ford spokesperson noted on Twitter:
Puma and Kuga remain very much part of the family for years to come. We also have our Tourneo range of affordable people carriers.
— Jay Ward (@Jward35) October 26, 2022
It also seems like the Focus, in some form, will be around a little longer (it has a crossover variant).
There’s clearly a tease at the end of the video for something small that plugs into the wall. Assuming that Ford still owns the Festiva branding it could easily be the Ford FestEVa right? Or maybe the Ford E-esta? It could also just be an all-EV Kuga. Open to any guesses.
This is a right bummer. The Fiesta, as our own Adrian Clarke pointed out, is every British kid’s first car. They’re great, small, affordable transportation. Or, they were.
Kias Are So Hot Right Now
If you have a 2008-2009 Kia Sportage you should park it outside and away from buildings according to this Reuters report, for no other reason than the Sportage might burst into flames.
Kia said the recall fix is currently under development that will address the risk of a fire originating from around the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) that could occur while parked or driving. Kia has identified eight vehicle fires and 15 localized melting/damage incidents since 2017 in the Sportage sport utility vehicles that had previously had the 2016 recall repairs completed.
They key phrase there is “had the 2016 recall repairs completed.”
It’s a re-recall. For the same problem. Ace work, team!
Mercedes Is Loud-Quitting Russia
I have never been to Russia, but if every movie about post-Soviet Russia is to be believed then rich Russians love themselves some Mercedes-Benz products. Specifically, S-Classes and G-Wagens are often driven by people Jason Bourne needs to kill or arrest.
So it’s a bummer for Russians that Mercedes is joining Renault (and just about everyone else) in deciding to GTFO of Russia. Automotive News reports in its article “Mercedes quitting Russian market, selling shares to local investor” that it’s not entirely clear if the sale to a local dealer network will include a six-year buyback clause like most of the other deals have:
What would cause Mercedes and other automakers to jump? If you’ve not been paying attention, Russia invaded Ukraine for no real reason, likely committed war crimes, and illegally annexed a bunch of that country.
In addition to not being able to get parts to build cars because of sanctions, Russia has mobilized possibly half a million men, so it’s not even clear who is around to run the factories.
Sauber Becomes Audi Sauber
While we wait to see what happens with Porsche and F1 and, of course, giddily await all the ways that Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff will get tortured by Ginger Spice’s husband on the next season of “Drive to Survive” on Netflix, we can at least fill in some details on what Audi is going to do.
Entering as an engine-supplier, Audi announced today that it’ll replace Ferrari/Alfa Romeo as the powerplant for the Swiss team Sauber’s cars. Here’s what Audi said:
Development of the power unit, which consists of an electric motor, battery, control systems and a combustion engine, is already in full swing at the facility of the specially founded Audi Formula Racing GmbH in Neuburg an der Donau.
More than 120 employees are already working on the project. “Sauber is a first-class partner for the use of the Audi Power Unit,” says Adam Baker, managing director of the company. “We are looking forward to working with an experienced team that has helped shape many eras of Formula 1 history. Together, we want to write the next chapter starting in 2026.”
Cool.
The Flush
I’m curious about our audience here, so a little bit of a survey:
- Do you watch Formula 1?
- Did you watch Formula 1 more after “Drive to Survive”?
- Do you know who Toto Wolff is?
Image credits: Ford, Kia, The Bourne Supremacy, Audi
I follow F1, tried DTS and found it lame and overplayed. Toto is brilliant, but mostly a millionaire ass IMO just like his counterpart at RBR Horner.
Wow, I guess I should have figured how few F1 fans would be here.
I haven’t seen a minute of DTS, despite having watched every race of the last four seasons. All the drama I need is on the track, and it’s genuine.
A solid nah to all of those. I would love more motorsport coverage here though!
I inadvertently caught some of the USGP this past Sunday because someone turned it on at the fitness center but I haven’t really made an effort to watch F1 since I canceled my cable about 18 years ago.
I am aware of Drive to Survive but haven’t watched it.
Yes, I know who Toto Wolff is.
I do follow F1 news a bit so I have some idea what is going on in general but I couldn’t tell you who is leading the championship.
Noo, not Fiesta 🙁 Only car my mom has ever bought new and also the car I spend most of my childhoods trips was a basic model 1,0 liter second gen fiesta. All Fiestas I’ve driven has been surprisingly nice to drive even if very slow. It’s sad if only thing we will have are some cuv-blobs or two ton ev:s.
As for flush, I’ve been watching F1 since nineties, DTS hasn’t had any impact on that and I know who that table and headphone slamming guy is.
1. Yes
2. Yes – I found it actually helped feel more engaged with the sport as I knew a bit more about the teams/drivers without having to be a nerd about it.
3. Yes
And the survey says:
1.) Do you watch Formula 1?
No.
2.) Did you watch Formula 1 more after “Drive to Survive”?
No, but if I did, it’s possible it might encourage me to.
3.) Do you know who Toto Wolff is?
No idea at all.
Survey: No, No, No. Racing is not my thing, and the racing coverage is the only thing I typically scroll past, especially F1.
I don’t know what happened to Hyundai (and KIA), but it makes me sad. They used to be my #1 recommendation for cars for people who just need “a car”. But all the recalls, especially engine replacement(!), and the whole “easy-to-steal” thing, I just told my sister to buy her kid a Sentra.
A Sentra with that CVT isn’t going to be more reliable than a slightly on fire Sportage.
Despite all the naysayers regarding the Nissan CVT, I simply have to believe that earlier failures have led to improvements that reduce failure.
I’ll believe it when pigs fly, or when Subaru four-bangers stop blowing head gaskets. Nissan’s been fine with this Jatco junk for a couple decades now, why expect them to change?
Also, no x 3.
My first brand new car bought with my own money was a Fiesta. Had a lot of fun in that thing.
Holy shit those wheels on the KIA look EXACTLY like GX470 wheels.
Survey answers:
1) No. Why would I?
2) No idea what that is, so before and after Whatever is the same. No.
3) WTF is that? No.
Survey:
No.
No. After what? Never heard of it.
No.
I don’t, but I’ve kinda sorta been meaning to. Thing is, I don’t have cable, and don’t really feel like signing up for yet another streaming service. I pay attention casually on the blogs and sites I follow though. Everyone has been telling me to watch that movie, but I haven’t gotten around to it yet
To answer your three questions: no, no, and no. I am, however, very excited that the little frowny face telling me that I should fill in my already filled in profile has disappeared.
survey
Yes
No
Yes
I watch when times are convenient on the races and tune in when I can, but it isn’t appointment viewing for me.
I can’t say I watch more since “Drive to Survive” but I do like the show. Beyond the program itself I like what it’s done for the sport, increasing visibility and giving many people a casual knowledge of F1.
Yes, I know Toto Wolff ( and did before the show). I think the New Yorker did a feature on him last weekend that I’ve been meaning to check out. I’m curious how their editorial voice frames a personality like his.
Isn’t he known for being a Tom Brady or Michael Jordan type? Basically a complete and total narcissistic ass of a human being who’s so transcendently brilliant at what he does that people are willing to put up with him for the amazing results?
Despite being a Brit, whose first car was the Fiesta’s rival the Vauxhall Nova, I’m sad that the name plate is being killed off. It’s a bit like the Queen until recently has always been there throughout my lifetime. Also, worth noting it was the traditional best seller in the UK and according to Autocar is now not even in the top 10 best-selling cars in the UK.
As for the flush
Yes I watch Formula 1
Do I watch it more after Drive to Survive, yes but not directly because of DtS. I was an avid fan since the days of Gilles Villeneuve and Alan Jones but the Hamilton domination and it’s move to an expensive pay channel in the UK caused my interest to wane. The pandemic lockdowns afforded more time to watch it and also moving to the US has better availability on ESPN which I had as part of our TV package has increased my watching. I would add that most of the races being in the morning in the US also means they don’t take up all of my Sunday!!
Yes I know who Susie Wolff’s husband is 🙂
I don’t watch any form of racing, it really doesn’t interest me the way most series are set up.
Yeah, same. I might watch a rally clip once in a while, but I never bother tuning in to watch a race of any sort. And while I have Netflix, I don’t watch reality shows like D2S or Hard Knocks or that sort of thing.
Also, I assume Toto Wolff runs/owns/manages a team, but no, I couldn’t care less about some (probably) European (probably) billionaire. I just assume he’s probably grifting right along with everybody else involved in sports in Europe, like the IOC and FIFA jokers.
I watched the Lucas Oil short course racing but they don’t race anymore :/
My favorite bar has motorcycle or bicycle racing on most of the time. I cringe a little at the motorcycle races because I know what crashes feel like, but if I had a TV I’d leave bicycle races on all the time just for the glimpses of scenery and happy people.
Do you watch Formula 1?
Yes. Actually for the first time I signed up for F1TV and it works whenever it wants to on Chromecast. It works great on my PC but I watch everything through my Chromecast so that’s kind of annoying. It is cool being able to see all driver cameras on demand but outside of a few incidents I haven’t really used that. Having older races available is a nice extra but still not sure it justifies paying for another streaming service.
Did you watch Formula 1 more after “Drive to Survive”?
No, barely watched Drive to Survive
Do you know who Toto Wolff is?
Yes
1). Rest In Peace to a legend. It’s a damn shame that small, cheerful cars are a dying breed.
2). Kia/Hyundai need to hire someone who’s been around Honda or Toyota for a while as a quality control consultant. If they could woo Biermann away from BMW surely they can entice someone from one of those companies. They’re making amazing cars right now but they continually shoot themselves in the dick when it comes to the fine details.
Pretty much the only knocks that are left on them are their suspect build quality and their nighmarish dealer network. Even in 2022 the “but it’s a Hyundai” trope is still prominent, and until they get the recall and reliability gremlin off their back their reputation won’t improve.
3). Good.
4). I’m just excited to see the technology slowly trickle down into their sporty offerings. I, for one, welcome our new hybrid performance car overlords.
The Flush: I keep up with F1 because I’m an avid follower of car blogs…but it doesn’t interest me all that much. It’s just such a grandiose display of opulence and excess that it feels out of touch to me.
Had been a Formula 1 fan for many years. Tried watching “Drive to Survive”. Didn’t find it interesting.
Actually began losing interest when DRS came to be. Can’t stand the phony DRS passes. Haven’t watched any races this year. Deleted the timer from our DVR. Watched the “highlights” from F1 on YouTube of the USGP. Was surprised at how boring it has become.
Yes, I know who Toto Wolff is.
No, no, and no… but I am a big fan of the other Toto.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPecS5Y8PfY
No, wait, he blessed the rains down in Africa while blowing down pig homes.
I pay a little attention to Formula 1, but not enough to really know what is going on.
I did not watch “Drive to Survive,” and knowing it exists has not changed my attention to races.
He’s the big bad character who went to Oz and ate Granny, right?