AUTO CENTRAL CHICAGO, September 24, 2017 Every Sunday Larry Nutson, Senior Editor and Chicago Car Guy along with fellow senior editors Steve Purdy and Thom Cannell from The Auto Channel Michigan Bureau, give you TACH's "take" on this past week's automotive news in easy to "catch up" news nuggets. For More search the past 25 year's millions of (Indexed By Google) pages of automotive news, automotive stories, articles, reviews, archived news residing in The Auto Channel Automotive News Library.

Hey TV viewers, you can now enjoy The Auto Channel TV Network "Free and Clear" on WHDT Channel 3 in Boston and on many local cable systems. All South Florida auto fans can continue to watch The Auto Channel TV Network on WHDT-TV Channel 9 in West Palm Beach as well as cable channel's 17 and 438, channel 9 Miami. WHDN launched its full schedule (including The Auto Channel)of broadcasting in the Naples-Fort Myers market on digital PSIP channel 9.1 channel, look for us On Roku, Hulu and on TUNAVISION.

Nutson's Weekly Automotive News Nuggets - Sept 18-24, 2017

* The city of London, England jerked Uber’s license to operate there. Uber is the largest ride-sharing company and has had a series of problems the past few months. With 40,000 drivers and 3.5 million customers in London, it is a major market. London’s Transport Authority called the company, “not fit and proper to hold a private vehicle hire license.” Uber’s brand new CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, immediately said they will challenge the license revocation in court.

* Jaguar hosted a coming-out party in suburban Detroit this week for the new compact CUV they call E-Pace. This will be Jag’s second CUV after the successful F-Pace mid-size CUV introduction about two years ago. Company officials also announced they will bring to market a third CUV - a compact, full-electric model - in late 2018 called I-Pace. Jaguar also showed off all their sports cars and sport sedans plus the 592-hp Project 8, a super car they will begin selling soon.

* Media reports have it that BMW is reviewing the necessity of car keys. The fact that customers now all carry a smartphone and the availability of a BMW App which allows customers to unlock their vehicle, has made old fashioned keys less relevant.

* SUVs are so popular that union workers may have leveraged that to try and get increased benefits. Workers at a GM assembly plant in Ingersoll, Ontario went on strike as union leaders reported an impass in talks to keep Canadian jobs from moving to Mexico. It's the first strike at a Canadian auto assembly plant in 21 years. The roughly 2,750 unionized employees at the factory may have been emboldened because it builds the Chevrolet Equinox, a small sport-utility vehicle that is a sales success for GM.

* Rider magazine named the Harley-Davidson Milwaukee-Eight Touring Family its 2017 Motorcycle(s) of the Year! Rider chose the Motorcycle of the Year from the list of all new or significantly changed motorcycles designated 2017 models. The world’s major motorcycle manufacturers added more than 115 new models to their U.S. lineups.

* Daimler’s Tuscaloosa, Alabama assembly plant is getting a $1 billion upgrade to produce electrified CUVs. The investment is expected to produced 600 new jobs. This will be the second $1 billion-plus investment in the plant in just over two years. Mercedes-Benz is planning to substantially increase electrified offerings including in the SUV and CUV categories branded as “EQ” models.

* The state of California wants to reopen discussions with automakers and the Federal government about greenhouse emission limits for light vehicles post-2025. The Trump administration has reopened the mid-cycle review of CAFE standards after the Obama administration had already said they were OK. The California Air Resources Board has led auto emissions legislation for decades. California officials said they will only come to the table if post-2020 issues are on it.

* Fiat Chrysler announced this week a recall of about 50,000 Pacifica vans because of seat belt issues. It seems the second row middle belt in 2017 and 2018 models could come unlatched under extreme handling conditions. Nice to know, the company identified the problem themselves and reported it to NHTSA, as they are supposed to do. Contact your dealer if you have one of these vehicles with 8-passenger seating configuration.

* In other recall news, nearly a half million Ram Diesel pickups are being brought in for problems related to a water pump bearing that is prone to overheating. It could cause a fire, they say. The recall affects 2003 to 2017, 2500 and 3500 trucks, and larger chassis cabs, with the Cummins 6.7-liter engines. Fiat Chrysler, maker of Ram trucks, is still under fire for not getting diesel emissions testing and engine electronics properly certified.

* Porsche Cars North America is issuing a voluntary recall for 2003 to 2006 model year Cayenne models in the United States. Porsche determined that after extended usage and time, fine hairline cracks could possibly appear on the flange of the fuel pump filter on affected vehicles. If this happens, a very small quantity of fuel might seep out causing a fuel odor.

* Mazda is recalling more than 60,000 midsize Mazda6 sedans from the 2015 and 2016 model years in the U.S. and Canada because a wiring problem can knock out power-assisted steering and the passenger air bag.

* Veteran NASCAR modified championship racer Ted Christopher was one of two people killed when a small plane crashed in the woods in Connecticut this past weekend. Despite not appearing in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour until he was 29 and winning his first race at 41, Christopher accumulated 42 victories and won the 2008 Tour championship with car owner Eddie Whelan. In addition to his 42 victories, Christopher earned 27 poles, 133 top fives and 203 top 10s. In nine races this season, he posted two top fives and four top 10s. He also won 10 races in what is now the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. Christopher was 59.