Karma Automotive sues the new DeLorean car company over trade secrets, the Infiniti Q60 will soon die, transit authorities across America are getting grants for greener buses. All this and more in 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.
Karma Automotive Sues DeLorean Over Alleged Trade Secret Violations
Just when you thought the saga of the new EVs with DeLorean badges couldn’t get weirder, the project gets embroiled in new drama. Automotive News reports that Karma Automotive is suing “DeLorean Automotive Reimagined” over alleged intellectual property theft, a fairly serious allegation.
The lawsuit names heaps of people in DeLorean Motors’ C-suite as defendants. The full list of defendants goes as follows: DeLorean Motors CEO Joost de Vries, COO Alan Yuan, Vice President Neilo Harris, and Chief Marketing Officer Troy Beetz, along with Reimagined Automotive and DeLorean Motors Reimagined.
The suit alleges that the high-ranked executives started Reimagined Automotive while “some or all” of the defendants were still employed at Karma. According to the suit, Karma was in the process of negotiating a partnership with DeLorean Motor Co. to electrify the reinvented DeLorean vehicle when the defendants formed their new company and took confidential Karma materials. The suit alleges the defendants “actively concealed information from Karma to keep Karma from pursuing the project or from finding out what individual defendants were doing.”
The suit then claims that the defendants soon left Karma to form Reimagined Automotive, inked a deal with DMC Texas using Karma’s “trade secrets or other confidential information,” and breached fiduciary duties. If these allegations prove true, the defendants could be in violation of the Defend Trade Secrets Act and the Texas Uniform Trade Secrets Act. These are some serious allegations, and one defendant fired back with a statement that alleges some serious issues with Karma.
In a statement obtained by Automotive News, de Vries said: “The potential Karma/DMC project died due to Karma’s inability to fund or produce deliverables necessary to even move forward talks with DMC. DeLorean Motors Reimagined is a completely new entity with a completely new fully electric vehicle unrelated to the low volume replica project. We anticipate the Court seeing through this baseless litigation in short order.”
With parties trading barbs this early, I have a feeling that this saga could get messy. Karma Automotive has previously filed suit against Lordstown Motors alleging trade secret violations, so it’s not like the suit against DeLorean Motors Reimagined came out of nowhere. We’ve reached out to DeLorean for official comment and will update this post as soon as we hear back. Whether or not this suit has merit, we’ll have to wait and see. In the meantime, would anyone care for some popcorn?
The Infiniti Q60 Will Reportedly Die Next Year
It’s no secret that consumers prefer crossovers to coupes and it looks like Infiniti is taking this market shift seriously. Car And Driver reports that the Infiniti Q60 coupe will exit production in 2023 as the marque refocuses on vehicles with more mass appeal.
The company expects retailers will have units for sale well into 2023. The move is motivated by the increased shift toward purchasing larger crossovers and SUVs by so many American drivers. “We are focusing on the most popular luxury automotive segments such as crossovers and SUVs, as well as the upcoming EV we recently announced that will be built here in the U.S.” according to an Infiniti spokesperson.
With the new Nissan Z sharing an engine and platform with the Q60 and taking over the role of halo car for the Nissan and Infiniti family, I can’t say I’m surprised that the swoopy coupe’s days are numbered. It’s particularly hilarious to see that Infiniti expects supply to last well into 2023. Either they’re ramping up production to get units on lots, or Q60 coupes trickle out of showrooms slower than molasses flows down an iceberg. Pour one out for a great-looking car with an awesome engine, hampered by an outdated gearbox and an appalling optional steer-by-wire system.
U.S. Transit Authorities Get Big Grants For Greener Buses
Let’s give it up for buses, the humble workhorses of public transportation. While they aren’t as ideal as rail transit, buses can be run along existing infrastructure and enable some rather wonderful things. I’m not just talking about affordable transportation, I’m talking about backup for when your unreliable car breaks, cheap pub crawl transportation, and increased commuter density. In an effort to clean up America’s bus fleet, Reuters reports that the U.S. Transportation Department is offering $1.66 billion in grants so transit authorities can buy cleaner, greener buses.
The grants will fund 1,100 zero-emission buses, which will nearly double the existing 1,300 zero-emission transit buses, the White House said.
The funding for 150 bus fleets from the $1 trillion 2021 infrastructure law will help cities and states retire older polluting buses.
The funding will also buy 700 buses, which include hybrid-electric, natural gas and diesel models. “These grants are going to be used in every corner of this country,” White House infrastructure coordinator Mitch Landrieu told reporters.
I’m going to give this bit of news a big “hell yeah.” Newer buses are always nice, as old units can feel a bit janky after years of heavy use and unruly passengers. Plus, fewer urban emissions means cleaner air for everyone, definitely not a bad thing by any means. Electric buses are also massively quieter than diesel buses which is really nice for riders and pedestrians. Cheers to greener buses that help us run to the auto parts store on the oft chance that none of our cars are running. Hey, it’s cheaper than ordering an Uber.
Porsche Production Held Up By Headlights
Headlights are supposed to light the way, but a supply chain shortage is leaving Porsche in the dark. Automotive News Europe reports that Porsche production has been stalled by component availability troubles including high-end matrix headlights on the Macan and Panamera.
“Currently we have retrofit vehicles again,” Porsche production boss Albrecht Reimold told Automotive News Europe sister publication Automobilwoche.
Reimold said that in Leipzig, Germany, where the Panamera and Macan models are produced, several hundred vehicles on the factory floor cannot be completed because of the supply bottleneck with the headlights.
Reimold said the situation was still tense in the supply chain: “At the moment it is really very tense because we have to be constantly vigilant,” he said. “It is difficult to forecast when the situation will fundamentally improve.”
Matrix headlights are great, so it really sucks to see availability issues at Porsche. For some, this issue is easy to brush off as a concern of the rich, but there are real people from supply chain factory workers to retail-side employees who may be affected by these vehicle completion issues. Let’s hope that for the sake of everyone, the supply side of the industry picks up soon.
The Flush
Whelp, time to drop the lid on today’s edition of The Morning Dump. I’ve recently realized that today marks the longest I’ve ever owned a car, which begs a question: what’s the longest you’ve ever owned a car, and what was the car? Maybe you’re in it for the long haul, maybe you’re like me and get bored every few years. In any case, I’d love to hear what your long-haul ride is and why you’ve kept it around for so long.
Lead photo credit: DeLorean
I bought a used Mercedes Benz 300SDL with 250,000 miles on it. I kept that car for almost 10 years.
I had the Triumph GT6 for longer, but I’m not counting that because I never had it legal yet nor finished it. It’s an electric conversion restomod. It does run and drive on batteries though.
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The longest I’ve ever kept a car was about 8 years, an ’84 Honda Civic. It was a wonderful, extremely high mileage, very fun little thing, and I miss it dearly.
In general though, I’m at an average of 5 years. Current car is at 4, but I’m hoping I can keep that one until I can afford an EV.
I bought my first car when I was 17. I’ve had it ever since, roughly a quarter century.
As for why I haven’t gotten rid of it, as I turned into a car guy I always heard about “the one that got away” and vowed it would never happen with mine. Besides, who would get rid of a ’67 Mustang?
My 2 longest were a 2006 Chevy Avalanche – 6 years, followed by my 2012 Hyundai Genesis Coupe at 5 years.
I love both of them and probably never should’ve gotten rid of the Gen. But I also don’t regret the car that replaced it – 2013 Chevy Corvette Grand Sport.
Currently drive a 2016 Mazda 6, had to put to toys away for a bit cause Wife + 2 kids. Current plan is to get a 2+2 once they’re out of booster seats.
Also had a Genesis Coupe, 2010, since 2011, forced to get rid of it this year, less than 110k miles and appeared to be running perfectly, I never abused it, loved the car, check engine light, $5k estimate to repair failing timing issue. I like to keep my cars to at least 200k miles. Was sad to sell it to a dealer cheap. Trust me you did good getting rid of yours. Now I have indestructible 2000 Tacoma base manual and 2000 4runner sr5 each with less than 130k miles, happy with these plan on keeping them forever.
Nice! I’m thinking of heading the older direction myself.
Something with out too many nannies/future electrical issues and just throw an Android Auto Headunit in there.
I bought my 1993 GMC 1-ton turbodiesel back in 1993, and I still have it, that’s…er…29 years, holy fuck I’m old. It was the first new vehicle I ever bought, and I’ve kept it garaged and immaculate because I could never afford to replace it, especially these days. Plus, it’s two-tone.
7.5 years for my truck. Previously never kept anything over 5, but that’s because I kept trading up. The truck has pretty much all the features I want (and a few I don’t care about) so as long as it keeps running well I’m not in a huge hurry to replace it.
Interesting question on car I owned the longest. The easy answer is a 1966 Plymouth Sport Fury which I owned from 1995-2020. But I only drove it for about the first 4 years before taking it off the road to improve it which never happened and it stayed in my garage until I moved in 2020. Sold it then
I had a Mini Cooper S bought new in 2003 I sold in 2018, damn near 15 years to the day of ownership on that one. Daily driver for 13 of those years. Again, a casualty of life changes.
The longest I owned a car was 4 years, and it was a 1979 jeep CJ-7 I bought midway through my freshman year in college and sold during my first year of post-college work. I would love to have kept it, but I was already moving on to my second job, so it had to go since I was moving. Since then I’ve never kept anything over two years. Too many cars, not enough garage space.
I’ve had my B16 swapped 96 Civic hatch for nearly 16 years. Got it when I was a freshman in college and daily’d it for 10 years. I’ve replaced it as a daily first with an 07 Fit and for the last year and half I’ve had a 2016 HR-V.
My parent’s bought a 1998 Toyota Tacoma manual base model brand new in 1998. It’s still my dad’s daily. He loves that truck. My mom likes her 2014 Subaru Forester too and they have no plans of replacing it anytime soon.
Bought my 2016 GTI new and still have it and a few months after the GTI I bought the 2000 MK4 TDI that has been in my family since 2001, which I also still have.
hahaha anyone who has ever worked with Karma is keeled over in laughter at the idea of stealing from them.
I’ve had my 2001 BMW 330Ci (5mt) since new. Racked up 200k miles in the first 10 years, but less than 10k in the last 10 years as it’s transitioned to my “summer-weekend” car. I’m currently on my 3rd different DD since I took it out of rotation, although DD is currently a bit of an exaggeration since there are a lot of days I don’t drive at all (WFH). That car still puts a big smile on my face every time I get the chance to run it through the gears, although I’ve been thinking lately about how it really deserves a more attentive owner.
Three years ago we retired our B5.5 Passat wagon (manual!) after 15 years and 123k miles. Not a lot of miles, but half of it was city (as in urban Pittsburgh), and the thing never spent a night indoors in its life (except at the mechanic’s I guess). Front axle broke and that was that.
Part of the reason we kept it so long was that we wanted another (new) manual wagon and, well, not a lot of choices out there. Ended up driving to Muskegon to pick up the exact Alltrack we wanted, which just hist 22k miles after 3 years. Next car will be some form of EV I expect.
PS – I put 183k miles on the Saturn SL2 I had in my 20s—in just 7 years! That one I traded in when the transmission was shot.
Kept my 2007 K1500 for 11 1/2 years / 183k, until it racked up needed repairs that were 2X its value. That replaced a ’97 K1500 that I had for 11 years / 198k, so I tend to keep stuff.
Shortest ownership was the reason for my username: ’84 EXP, 21 days.
The longest I’ve owned a car was 4 years, that was my first car, a MkII Escort. Only sold it because I moved to the US. Longest time a car has been in the family is my ‘08 Mustang GT/CS that my mum actually bought new, it got passed down to me and I’m hoping to share it with my son when he’s old enough!
My current MINI Clubman is the latest in my string of owning 19 vehicles and also is the longest I’ve owned a vehicle: nearing on 6 years. It’s also the only specific vehicle model I’ve bought twice.
My eponymous ’92 Camry was with me for ~18 years.
My truck will hit 15 in a few months, so shouldn’t be long before a new champion is crowned.
I bought my 1968 Oldsmobile Cutlass (now 4-4-2 clone) in 1995. I still have it and I have no plans of ever letting it go.
Hey I also have a cloned 68! Well really the previous owner just put on badges and called it a day but normies don’t know the difference.
I’ve had my ’07 Cobalt since 2008 now – so 14 years, and it has had double the factory power for 13 of those years.
My current MINI Clubman S is now 13 years old, our last Audi Allroad we had 16 years so yeah, we tend to keep ours for a long time. Why not? I liked them when I bought them and I still like them now.
I have run thru a few classic Minis, tho my current one I’ve had 6 years already – not planning to get rid of it as the prices have gotten insane……
Most of the cars I’ve owned longest were because I was too poor to swap them out (previously) or my wife is sick of my automotive ADD (currently).
The vehicle I’ve owned the longest was a 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback LS for about 5 years. It took me through college, early adulthood and close to the beginning of marital life. Evidently, these were relatively rate. I think only 4,000 were offered Stateside. It was a good, albeit basic car. It helped me move my stuff more than once and never gave me any trouble. There was a free repair TSB for the lower blend door cable, which made it cold as hell in winter, but they fixed it at no cost, so no complaints. The 4G69 in it was adequate, although it was usually only good for 28 MPG on the highway, which isn’t that great for a smallish wagon.
Either way, I kept it until the missus and I fell in love with an SX4, which began a domino effect of buying all kinds of vehicles, new, shitboxes, or otherwise. In retrospect, I wish we kept it. It was a good, honest little car, pretty cool in its own right and it would’ve been paid off many times by now.
My RR Sport was my longest at 6+ years.
I miss it, but its nice being lower to the ground now. The RR could haul ass but cornering , while still great by SUV standards, was not always fun.
Karma is tantamount to a patent troll at this point. Still see the odd Fisker about!
My record is eight years, with a scruffy 1991 Mazda Miata. It was my daily driver every summer, but I supplemented it with various winter beaters over the years. Loved that car, did a ton of work to it, and only sold it because I bought my MG.
The MG is now #2 at six years, and I don’t see it going away soon, or ever, really.
How would you say the MG compares to the Miata? I had a Miata as my first car and sold it when the engine blew, and I’m thinking about either getting another one or an MGB, I’ve heard the MG has more character but the Miata was so sweet I find it hard to believe that a puhrod, live-axle car is even better. And yet, everyone who’s had an MG swears by it.
Longest – 1998 Z28 since new. Which is, my god I am old, 24 years.
Next up is the Caddy DTS at 8 years. Bought it off a 4 year lease.
I’ve owned my Viper 7 years this month.
My usual philosophy is to keep cars until I find something I’d rather have. Not exactly ground breaking, I realize. Sometimes that doesn’t take very long, and sometimes there’s no conceivable replacement that will ever exist. Since I rarely if ever buy used, and I don’t foresee a comeback for large NA engines and manual transmissions, I think the Viper will be with me for quite some time to come.