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AUTO CENTRAL – Louisville, KY: March 22. 2026; Every Sunday for over 30 years, Larry Nutson — The Chicago Car Guy and Executive Producer of The Auto Channel — has delivered his weekly take on the automotive world. Each report distills the week’s top stories into sharp, easy-to-digest News Nuggets.
The full version of today’s News Nuggets — along with hundreds of thousands of additional articles, reviews, and editorial insights — can be found in The Auto Channel’s Million-Page Automotive Library, built and indexed over three decades. To dive deeper, simply copy any headline and paste it into this or any Site Search box on The Auto Channel.
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Here are Larry’s Top Auto Story Picks of the Week of March 15-21, 2026: Larry picked these as important, relevant, interesting and sometimes semi-secret stories you need to know—served up as snappy, opinionated, and insider-sharp, these are expertly crafted, easy-to-understand news nuggets that cut through the noise and get right to what matters to you in the automotive world.
* High new car prices. U.S. tariffs have cost automakers at least $35.4 billion since 2025, an enormous sum that reflects how dramatically and quickly Trump’s trade policies have impacted the industry. Tariff costs vary wildly by automaker. They are dependent on how much of a company’s U.S. lineup is shipped from overseas and where they source key parts from for U.S. production.
* High gasoline prices. The national average price of gasoline now stands at $3.92/gal, according to GasBuddy, while diesel has risen to $5.14/gal. We’re headed toward ~$4.00 for gasoline and ~$5.25 for diesel based on where we are now, per GasBuddy. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed legislation suspending the state motor fuel tax for 60 days to combat high gas prices caused by conflict in Iran. This suspension removes approximately 33 cents per gallon on gasoline and 37 cents on diesel.
* And then this. Rising vehicle prices, auto loan interest rates, and insurance and maintenance costs are making it harder for people to buy or keep and cars. Are you in this mess?
HERE
* Aluminum prices are surging. Joe White writes: Trump’s tariffs had elevated aluminum and steel prices for automakers before bombs started falling on Iran. Now, the disruption of aluminum shipments from Persian Gulf smelters is sending aluminum costs toward record territory. That’s not good for automakers, especially Ford which builds it’s best-selling F-series trucks with aluminum it was struggling to secure before the war HERE
* Another try by the Feds. Since the 1960s, the federal government has allowed California to set its own, stricter auto standards because of the state’s unique and severe air quality problems. The Trump administration filed a new lawsuit this week aiming to block California’s ability to set stricter-than-federal emissions standards for cars. Since taking office, the Trump administration has moved to roll back federal mileage requirements and slashed federal rebates for electric cars.
HERE
* About EV charging. U.S. EV fast-charging sites grew by roughly 70% in 2025, but the U.S. lags behind China in charging speed. Chinese automakers offer EV charging that takes minutes, with BYD’s system reaching 1,500 kilowatts, while U.S. sessions take 20-40 minutes. Despite slower U.S. EV sales, charging companies like ChargePoint and EVgo reported revenue growth, expressing optimism for future EV adoption. More electric cars will hit the road in the coming years, even with demand slowing, the charging companies say. Even assuming flat EV sales in 2026, “that still means at least 1.2 million new EVs will be on the road,” said Keefer M. Lehner, EVgo’s chief financial officer, on a recent earnings call. More on this HERE
* Bad idea? A new study reveals widespread fear that robotaxis could cost jobs, exacerbate income inequality, and cause broader economic disruption. The study analyzed responses from 4,631 U.S. adults in the Pew Research Center’s American Trends Panel, a nationally recruited survey. About 85% of Americans believe widespread use of driverless cars would lead to job losses. More than 70% of respondents thought autonomous vehicles were a bad idea for society or said they were unsure about the technology.
HERE
* Meanwhile. Rivian and Uber have teamed up to deploy up to 50,000 R2 fully autonomous robotaxis across the US, Canada and Europe over the next five years. Uber will invest as much as $1.25 billion in Rivian, with an initial order of 10,000 R2s set to hit streets in San Francisco and Miami in 2028. “It will help accelerate our path to Level 4 autonomy to create one of the safest and most convenient autonomous platforms in the world,” Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe says. Read it HERE
* FTC warns car dealers. The Federal Trade Commission has warned 97 auto dealership groups their advertised prices must include “all required fees,” the vehicles advertised must be available and the price in the ad must be offered to all customers, the agency announced March 13. The letters the FTC sent to the auto dealers cite several examples of illegal pricing practices in the auto industry. Learn about this HERE
* Ford/Lincoln recall. Ford Motor Co. is recalling vehicles for an issue with its EcoBoost engines that can result in a loss of power. The recall affects 47,804 vehicles in the United States and its territories with 1.5-, 2.0- or 2.3-liter engines and includes the Explorer, Maverick, Bronco, Mustang, Escape, Ranger and Bronco Sport as well as the Lincoln Aviator and Corsair. A potential defect can result in a detached poppet head in the Exhaust Gas Recirculation valve that can result in loss of motive power, particularly at under 13 mph (20 kph). This can increase the risk of a crash, the manufacturer said in a statement.
* VW recall. Volkswagen is recalling nearly 48,165 of its 2025-2026 Jetta sedans due to a fire risk linked to a transmission wiring issue, according to an NHTSA report. The transmission ground wire may not have been connected during production. If the ground wire is not connected, there will be an open electrical circuit and a risk of fire.
* Jeep recall. Stellantis NV, also known as FCA US LLC, is recalling 11,767 of its 2024-2026 Jeep Wagoneer S vehicles citing a potential issue with the liftgate hinge cover that could increase the risk of a collision. “The liftgate hinge cover may not be properly clipped into position and may detach from the vehicle,” the agency noted.
* USPS Lowrider stamps. The US Postal Service issued “Lowriders Forever” stamps celebrating Chicano car culture with five unique, customized vehicles. These Forever stamps feature a sheet of 15, showcasing photographed, vibrant Chevrolets and Oldsmobiles, designed to honor the artistic and historical significance of lowriders. See them HERE
* Twelve Hours of Sebring. The 2026 Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring IMSA sports car endurance race is this weekend, March 18–21, 2026, at Sebring International Raceway in Florida. The 74th edition of the race features a 12-hour endurance contest starting at 10:10 a.m. ET on Saturday, March 21, 2026, featuring elite GTP and GT classes.
* RIP. IMSA Hall of Famer Robert Charles “Bob” Tullius, a success on the race track and an innovator away from it, died at age 95 in Port Orange, Fla. – only a few miles from Daytona International Speedway which fueled so many of his dreams and achievements over decades of dedication to auto racing. One of motorsport’s esteemed multi-Hall of Famers, Tullius co-founded the iconic Group 44 team where he earned 10 IMSA GTP class wins as a driver in his famed Jaguar XJR-5s and XJR-7s in the mid-1980s – a time when he also claimed a treasured GTP class victory in the 1985 24 Hours of Le Mans. His final win as a driver came a year later in the 1986 three-hour race at Daytona. Read Bob’s obit HERE
Stay safe. Be Well.
Kind regards, <!—->
Larry Nutson,
the Chicago Car Guy
The Auto Channel
