Welcome to this week's edition of The Auto Wire newsletter—your pit stop for the most exhilarating, intriguing, and downright thrilling automotive news on the planet!

As a fellow car enthusiast, you understand that the automotive world is more than just metal, rubber, and oil—it's a lifestyle. Whether you're into the roar of a V8 engine, the sleek lines of a luxury EV, or the unbelievable stories that can only happen on four wheels, we've got something for you.

In this issue, we're firing on all cylinders:

​San Francisco Weighs Banning All Right Turns At Red Lights​

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Published on September 29, 2023

It’s to keep you safe, of course. Keeping the public safe seems to be one of the favorite reasons cited for all kinds of government mission creep, especially in places like California. Limiting your movements or how you move as a private citizen is an area of particular concentration as of late, with one recent example being San Francisco officials proposing the banning of right turns at all red lights. That’s right, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors is looking at a proposal to ban any motorist turning right while sitting at a red light anywhere in the city limits. Introduced by Supervisor Dean Preston, it’s a controversial measure, even though dozens of intersections in the municipality currently have such a restriction posted.

Lest anyone say this is a crazy conspiracy theory invented by us, the issue has been covered by none other than CBS News. While it’s framed as a measure to reduce pedestrian deaths, not everyone is a fan of the proposal. Reportedly, such a widespread ban of right turns on red has already been implemented in Tenderloin, with Preston hailing the move as a success. "We have the tools, and we should be using these tools in a coordinated way, with urgency, to ensure we are doing everything possible to prevent serious traffic injuries and fatalities," Preston told CBS News. Like other cities, San Francisco has committed itself to a bold goal of eliminating all traffic deaths. That “Vision Zero” deadline is 2024, a date that probably sounded achievable back when it was set. And while we appreciate the effort to guard against senseless deaths, the problem comes in what measures are used to protect the citizenry against itself. Death is a part of life.

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​Fear Factor: The Dread Behind Pickup Trucks And 'The Passengers' By John Marrs Book Review​

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Published on September 28, 2023

Warning: Full Spoilers Ahead! Today, we're delving deep into a topic that has piqued the curiosity and fear of many—why do some people feel a sense of dread when encountering pickup trucks and large SUVs? To unravel this mystery, we're not only exploring real-life instances and perceptions but also reviewing a thrilling book, "The Passengers" by John Marrs, which offers a spine-tingling depiction of vehicles that might just justify our growing fears of such scenarios.

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​Robotaxis Cause Traffic Jam In Houston​

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Published on September 28, 2023

This just keeps happening. Robotaxis have been causing traffic jams and snarls for some time in San Francisco, but now the problem is spreading to other cities as services like Cruise expand. While we covered the situation in Austin, Texas where about 20 of the self-driving taxis just stopped, bringing traffic to a halt, something similar happened on September 25 in Houston. Plenty of residents who were in the Montrose neighborhood documented with photos and videos three Cruise robotaxis stopped at an intersection, refusing to move. A thunderstorm knocked out the traffic lights in the area so they only showed red.

Rather than treating the intersection as a four-way stop, as human drivers did, the autonomous cars just stopped moving, apparently waiting for the knocked-out lights to turn green. Thankfully, it only took 15 minutes to clear up the traffic jam, reports Fox 26. But it delayed drivers, including causing some city buses to run late on their schedules. While not as large and vexing a problem, the Houston situation is still concerning. After all, there’s talk of expanding these autonomous vehicle services to even more cities. But the technology seems pretty rough at times. If an autonomous robotaxi can’t figure out how to navigate a situation like this, are they really a safe thing to have on city streets? That’s what many in Houston are now wondering, similar to what’s been going on in San Francisco. In San Francisco, robotaxis have run over and killed a dog, driven into an active firefighter scene and refused to move, stopped randomly and blocked traffic, one even drove into wet cement in a blocked-off construction zone. Instead of just ignoring these problems, perhaps they need to be fully addressed before subjecting even more cities to the insanity and inconvenience of a technology we’re constantly told will replace human drivers in a few short years. Image via X JUST IN: New pictures of self-driving cars blocking a Houston intersection Monday. A viewer says 3 of the 4 directions of travel were blocked. This happened after a thunderstorm knocked out power… all the traffic lights were stuck on red. #SelfDriving #texas pic.twitter.com/AlbEV19XYW— Matthew Seedorff (@MattSeedorff) September 26, 2023

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​California Karate Teachers Beat Up Carjackers​

Published on September 28, 2023

They went full Karate Kid on the crooks. Carjackings have become almost commonplace in cities like Oakland, California with far too many people just watching victims in distress. However, two karate teachers recently rushed to the aid of a man who had his car keys taken at gunpoint, with the whole thing caught on camera.

Surveillance footage from a business on Piedmont Avenue captured in August, according to a KTVU, shows a fairly busy street with both foot and vehicle traffic. A man is getting into his Jaguar parked on the side of the road when two other men with hoodies pulled over their heads pull up next to the victim and jump out of their car. Immediately, they start grabbing the victim and you can see one has a gun, although the guy isn’t really pointing it at the victim and it might not be real/loaded. Still, that’s concerning.

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​Mother Wants Her Car Thief Son Locked Up​

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Published on September 28, 2023

She’s had it with his bad behavior. People are fed up with all the car thefts happening in cities across North America and other parts of the world. But for one mother the issue hits close to home because her teenage son is a repeat offender. Instead of asking for mercy for her child, she wants him locked up, facing the consequences of his poor actions.

The mother in Columbus, Ohio spoke with a reporter from local news station WBNS about her 17-year-old son who’s become a prolific car thief. She’s mad that police keep releasing her son from custody. And that’s one big problem: people need to realize it’s prosecutors who are often the ones letting thieves and other criminals walk free without consequences. Tiffany Hammons says she’s been “begging and pleading – please arrested him, lock him up, do something that’s going to make him pay for the things that he’s out here doing.” You can hear the frustration in her voice and see it written on her face. She believes her son getting caught stealing cars or crashing stolen cars, only to be released right away is teaching him the wrong life lesson.

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​Chrysler 300 SRT8 Challenges Georgia State Patrol​

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Published on September 27, 2023

Who do you think wins this showdown? While some people will debate whether or not the Chrysler 300 SRT8 is a true muscle car, we know they have enough power and the performance chops to be tricky to catch in a chase. So when a Georgia trooper catches one doing a smoky donut in an intersection of Atlanta, apparently putting on a one-car street takeover, the trooper definitely has his hands full.

We’re not too keen on the yellow racing stripes applied to this black SRT8, but that has zero effect on the Chrysler’s ability to pull away from the trooper’s Charger with relative ease. Same goes for the Hellcat badges. But other factors are at play, like traffic, twists and turns in the roads, and the fact the trooper has far better high-speed driving skills than this suspect. Many guys who own a legitimately fast car think that automatically makes them a fantastic driver. To feel that kind of power at your disposal definitely can be addictive and empowering, giving you a false sense of skill. When you watch the suspect go through sharp turns, his lack of skill really starts to shine.

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​Florida Dealership Employee Killed Test Driving C6 Corvette​

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Published on September 27, 2023

The aftermath of the crash looks awful. A 20-year-old man who reportedly was an employee at a Volkswagen dealership in Orange County, Florida was killed while out test driving a 2013 Chevy Corvette. Florida Highway Patrol shut down the road where the collision with a Honda Accord took place, conducting an investigation into exactly what happened. C7 Z06 Corvette driver goads cop, gets killed. Per local news station WFTV, FHP concluded the Corvette was going above the posted speed limit when it collided with a 2023 Accord that was trying to turn left. The driver of the other car wasn’t injured. A 22-year-old passenger in the sports car, who apparently was also an employee, only suffered minor injuries.

The big question we’re asking is why two dealership employees were out test driving a Corvette? The 20-year-old likely didn’t have enough experience to properly handle the American sports car and that sadly cost him his life. We can’t imagine the pain his family is feeling. If we had to guess, we’d say the C6 Corvette was either a recent trade-in or was purchased at auction. Such a high-performance vehicle would be tempting to any gearhead, especially when normally dealing with the likes of Passats and Jettas. But it’s easy to get yourself into trouble in a hurry behind the wheel of such a machine, especially if you’re unfamiliar with it.

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​New Edge Mustang Gets Wrecked By A Cop​

Published on September 27, 2023

Shocker: they found crystal meth inside. Crystal meth and a New Edge Mustang: those are two things we see go together a little too often for our comfort. While fans of this much-maligned generation of Ford’s pony car might be sensitive to such connections, screaming something like “whaddabout Charger drivers?” we sadly have yet another example to back up stereotypes, this one out of Arkansas of all places. This is what happens to meth traffickers in Georgia, apparently. That’s right, in the land of brutal state police PITs a guy in a New Edge Mustang, perhaps high on meth but apparently with some baggies of it onboard, decided to run from a routine traffic stop.

What got the trooper’s attention was an expired registration, but upon running the plate it also came back that not only had the little pony’s registration lapsed by a year and a half, it wasn’t insured. Definitely the best thing to do when you’re in such a predicament and a cop comes rolling up behind you with lights and sirens going is to pull over and be as nice as possible while taking your citations. Instead, this guy decided to show what his car could do, which sadly isn’t much.

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​Crypto Influencer Arrested While Attempting To Retrieve His Lamborghini​

Published on September 27, 2023

Spoiler alert: he didn’t get it back, but the results were entertaining. Influencers can be quite interesting personalities, including those of the crypto currency persuasion. That’s about all we can muster to explain why Ben Armstrong, founder of Bitboy Crypto, was arrested at the residence of his former business partner all in an attempt to get his old Lamborghini that was seized by authorities back.

The incident, which went down in Cobb County, Georgia on the night of September 25, with Armstrong livestreaming the whole thing up to his surrendering to officers. If that just isn’t peak influencer behavior in 2023, we just don’t know what is. Unfortunately, the livestream has been deleted so you can’t go and watch the sideshow unfold for yourself. But we can gather from multiple reports and Armstrong’s X (the website formerly known as Twitter) account that he feels the Lamborghini was “extorted” from him after his former business partner bamboozled him. At one point during the livestream Armstrong said that the guy whose house he was standing in front of was going to come out and try to kill him “then it’s just going to have to be what it’s gonna be.” This guy should’ve been a contemporary of Socrates; the back and forth would’ve been just epic.

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​Family Rushing Dying Dog To Vet Gets Pulled Over By A Cop​

Published on September 27, 2023

Who was in the wrong here? Recently Inside Edition featured a video report about a family in New Mexico that was speeding to a veterinarian’s office in an attempt to save their dog that had been hit by a car. A police officer pulled them over, holding the father and teenage son at gunpoint, handcuffing them, before ultimately letting them go upon learning the situation. People have been shocked and angered by the traffic stop.

As dog owners, we understand the desire to rush to save your furry one’s life after an accident. We would do the same, but we also get that if you’re speeding a police officer is completely within his legal right and is fulfilling his duty for pulling you over. And during a traffic stop, like it or not, the officer is in control of how things happen. We’ve seen videos of people rushing a human family member to the hospital, believing they don’t have to stop for police in that situation.

The best thing to do is get to the hospital quickly without causing an accident, and if a police officer tries pulling you over then you immediately explain the gravity of the situation. But you do so without acting angrily toward the officer. The thing everyone has to understand is traffic stops are one of the more stressful and dangerous things cops do. They hear every excuse in the book and get a lot of anger hurled at them. They’re also on edge because they don’t know who they pulled over, what kinds of weapons you might have in the car, etc. So many cops have been shot as they’re walking up to a vehicle and the driver says something weird to throw them off, so do keep that in mind if you find yourself in this kind of situation.

Sadly, even though this family was able to get on their way the dog died. We don’t know if the traffic stop made a difference or not, but we do know staying calm, as hard as it might be, when a cop pulls you over in an emergency situation is key to helping him understand what’s going on faster. But did the cop act unreasonably during the stop? Watch the video and let us know what you think.

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​Arkansas Trooper PITs Nissan Xterra Into Church​

Published on September 27, 2023

And the driver acts like he’s in need of a good exorcism. We’ve seen police PIT fleeing suspects into ditches, embankments, poles, even other vehicles, but this is the first time we’ve seen a suspect get flung into a church. Perhaps this Arkansas trooper miscalculated the weight of the Xterra and checked it a little too hard, because it really went flying off the road and made an unannounced visit to the holy house. According to the trooper, what initially caught his attention was a cracked windshield and expired tags. Most people who know they have such violations might cuss up a storm when a cop pulls them over, realizing they’re about to fork out a good sum of cash, but this guy instead makes a run for it. Nissan Xterras just aren’t good getaway vehicles for a number of reasons.

We know some are sorta fast but this one isn’t. They’re also not super stable on pavement, so you can’t whip through turns in them, or at least you shouldn’t. Also, the high center of gravity doesn’t work out so well if a cop does a PIT on one, as you’re about to see. The chase was over before it really even started and the PIT didn’t even look all that hard. But the Xterra went tumbling hard, crashing through an electrical pole and into the corner of the church beyond. Do these Nissans have a glass jaw? Also, the guy left the SUV in gear so you see it roll away after he lays on the ground and screams, probably about his hurt ego. The suspect borderline sounds like he’s in need of an exorcism; it’s actually quite hilarious. Ultimately, police discovered the suspect had a felony warrant – shocker.

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​Widow Claims Google Maps Led Husband To His Death On Collapsed Bridge​

Published on September 26, 2023

And the app allegedly was still telling people to use that route long afterward. Like everyone else these days, when we’re in an unfamiliar place we use a navigation app for help. And like most everyone else, we’ve run into problems using the technology. But for a father of two who had just moved to the area and was trying to get home during a storm, Google Maps didn’t just goof up, it led him to his death by directing him to use a collapsed bridge, alleges his widow in a lawsuit recently filed in court.

This case is so tragic and from the claims made in the lawsuit, it sounds like it was completely avoidable. As reported by Fox News, 47-year-old Navy veteran Philip Paxson left a friend’s house after helping clean up the celebration of his daughter’s birthday. His wife and two daughters had already headed back to their new house. With the weather posing a challenge and his admitted unfamiliarity with his new hometown of Hickory, North Carolina, Paxson got directions home using Google Maps.

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​Walmart Employee’s Stolen Mercedes S-Class Rolls Into Work​

Published on September 26, 2023

Which is more shocking: a Walmart employee driving an S-Class or the thieves being dumb enough to drive it around town? A Walmart employee in Fayetteville, North Carolina woke up one morning to find his 1999 Mercedes-Benz S 320 missing. In a bizarre twist, the man found out from his boss that his car was parked at his place of employment just a few hours later, the thieves apparently going on a shopping spree in it.

This strange tale unfolded on the morning of September 17, with the victim finding his S-Class was boosted at about 4 am, says the Fayetteville Police Department. Probably freaking out and calling police to report his beloved Mercedes was stolen, the guy didn’t go to work or call in sick. When his boss called at around 8:45 am to ask where he was, she didn’t believe his excuse because the man’s car was sitting in the parking lot. What are the chances the car thieves would take the guy’s ride to his place of employment?

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​Half-Naked Golf Cart Thief Leads California Police On Slow Chase​

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Published on September 26, 2023

Never change, California. At this point we don’t know why any zoos in California get visitors since the cities themselves seem to be far more bizarre. Case in point: a man wearing no shirt and no shoes stole a golf cart at knifepoint all while holding his little dog, then led Los Angeles police on a low-speed chase. It’s like a scene out of a bad comedy movie, only this is reality.

This chase unfolded on the night of September 24 after someone called police to report the robbery just after 9 pm, reports ABC 7. Why the suspect decided to steal the golf cart is a mystery, but we’re going to go out on a limb and say this has something to do with mental illness, drug use, or perhaps both. Footage captured by multiple local news agencies show the slow police chase. As the suspect passed camera crews he yelled at them, obviously agitated about something, maybe being filmed but maybe being chased by police. The chase reportedly hit speeds upwards of 19 mph.

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​California Muscle Car Killing Sheds Light On Car Theft Effects​

Published on September 25, 2023

It’s not just about losing your ride. Far too often, stories of stolen cars are dismissed out of hand. “It’s just a car,” is a popular retort to those of us who are concerned about the disturbing trend. However, the fatal shooting of a woman in Bakersfield, California has helped shine a light on why car theft is about far more than just having your ride stolen.

As reported by KGET, police launched an aggressive investigation when they found Victoria Anna Marie Hampton laying in a street early on the morning of March 19, a gunshot wound to her head. Hampton died in the hospital on April 1. Police were able to ascertain she was trying to get her stolen Dodge back after it had been stolen by using the AirTag hidden inside. Immediately, police suspected the thieves who had taken Hampton’s muscle car were the one responsible for her death. Hunting down the four individuals believed to have been responsible for Hampton’s demise involved looking at stolen car cases all over Southern California.

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​Couple Hid Several Ultra-Luxury Vehicles At South Florida Home​

Published on September 25, 2023

We’re sure the neighbors thought having two Rolls-Royces in the garage was perfectly normal. Authorities descended on a house in northwest Miami-Dade, Florida recently, uncovering several stolen ultra-luxury cars stashed there. Among them were two Rolls-Royce Cullinans, a Bentley Bentayga, a Mercedes GLE, and a Tesla. We can’t imagine why the neighbors in the fairly modest-looking neighborhood would’ve suspected anything.

During the bust, which was a multi-agency effort, 37-year-old Patrice Cherrine Hinds and 31-year-old Joseph Roger Museau were arrested at the residence. Footage of all five allegedly stolen cars was captured by NBC Miami where all but maybe the Tesla and Mercedes look completely out of place in front of the house. According to the report, Broward County Sheriff’s Office and Miami Gardens Police asked for assistance from Florida Highway Patrol after law enforcement followed a Rolls-Royce Cullinan which had been stolen from Hallandale Beach into the area. It’s amazing the top wasn’t blown off this theft stash by suspicious neighbors. While this case might seem bold because of the sky-high values of the vehicles these two are accused of swiping, we’re not horribly surprised by it.

Thieves have become far bolder lately, both those who are part of international crime organizations and those who are “freelance,” some of them believing they’ll face few if any consequences when caught with stolen cars. It’s curious these two were stashing all the cars at a residence and seemed to have been driving them around as their personal rides. When police arrested Museau was found behind the wheel of the one Cullinan with the keys for the other and the Bentley in her purse. Were they just relishing in driving cars most people could never even dream of using? It’s a far cry from stealing a loaf of bread to feed one’s family. Both suspects face charges for grand theft and dealing in stolen property. Images via NBC Miami

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​Fleeing Los Angeles Car Theft Suspect Gets Pantsed​

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Published on September 25, 2023

Well that’s embarrassing. Cities like Los Angeles have seen such an upswing in crime in recent years, police pursuits of stolen cars are just commonplace. And just when we think we’ve seen it all, some guy led police on a chase in a stolen Mercedes, flies an unidentified flag through the sunroof, then gets his pants stuck, finally doing a front flip to surrender to police.

The chase lasted a long time, beginning just before 3 pm on September 21 and ending at 4:20, says KTLA. Some people have an opinion on how law enforcement allows these long, drawn-out chases to unfold. Then there are people who think the Arkansas way of just pitting suspects into the stratosphere isn’t good.

Eventually, the suspect pulled off the highway and while on surface streets got boxed in by a civilian in a pickup truck. Some residents are probably getting sick of all the crime, so when they can they’re stepping up to do what the police can’t or won’t. For whatever reason, as the suspect was surrendering, he climbed out of the open driver’s window instead of opening the door. In the process, the guy’s pants got stuck on something, leading to a rather embarrassing situation.

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​Report: California Looking To Restrict Travel For Classic Cars​

Published on September 25, 2023

The state is looking at instituting “zero-emission zones” soon. The state of California is looking seriously at instituting or allowing local governments to institute zero-emission zones in the near future. In preparation for such a move, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) reportedly is gathering information about classic cars and how their owners use them. We knew something like this was coming to the US and California would likely be first, but this is still concerning.

According to a Daily Caller report, on August 2 CARB sent a survey to owners of classic cars from model year 1978 or earlier. The questions were aimed at ascertaining how those classics are used and store, as well as where they’re driven. It even asks about how many miles show on owners’ odometers. Knowing how increasingly authoritarian many government agencies seems to be trending, this is concerning to many car enthusiasts who still live in the Golden State. Back in the day, California was arguably the epicenter of cool car culture with many legendary brands, builders, and other hobbyists emerging from the state. That all emerged at a time when individual expression, not institutionalized expression, reigned supreme. Unfortunately, that looks to be going the way of the dodo before long.

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​Trooper Helps Innocent Bystander Who Drove Over His Spike Strips​

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Published on September 23, 2023

Accidents do happen. Cops put up with a lot of criticism, especially in this day and age where everyone is an instant expert on everything they do. And while we know there are bad cops out there, most are trying to do the best they can, sometimes in a crappy situation where just about anything they do is going to involve some mess. That was the case when an Arkansas trooper set up spike strips to help bring a pursuit to a close.

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​Houston Crash Leaves Chevy Camaro ZL1 in Shambles​

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Published on September 22, 2023

The damage is insane. The incident, occurring around the junction of Freeway 45 and West Road, was captured in a now-viral video circulating on social media platforms. The video showcases the aftermath of what appears to be a devastating collision, with the actual impact not included in the footage. Viewers of the viral video witnessed the once-powerful Chevy Camaro ZL1, capable of producing 650 horsepower and achieving a top speed just under 200 mph, reduced to wreckage. The vehicle was seen with its panels demolished, hood detached, and the trunk crumpled, rendering a glimpse into the sheer force of the crash.

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​Cadillac Dealership Falls Victim To Sinkhole​

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Published on September 22, 2023

The owner says insurance won’t cover the vehicles. A Cadillac dealership in Leominster, Massachusetts was recently the scene of a fairly large sinkhole that opened up on its patio, swallowing three new Cadillacs. This happened after the city has been hit with flooding thanks to a recent storm. But what really hurts is the owner of the dealership saying he doesn’t believe insurance will cover the vehicles.

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​Australian Police Seize “Kill Cars”​

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Published on September 22, 2023

There are some pretty nice rides in the mix. If you think the surge of crime has just affected North America, you haven’t been paying attention to what’s happening in Australia. One of the hot spots for violent crime Down Under is Sydney as a gangland war rages in the city. Police just seized a bunch of so-called “kill cars” as part of a crackdown on organized crime and we’re seeing some pretty nice rides in the mix. This is why you don’t run from the cops in a Ford Fusion. About 23 vehicles in total were seized over a seven week period, a victory we’re sure police want to repeat and even exceed. A report from 7News Australia, which we’ve included for your viewing pleasure, shows some of these Kill Cars.

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​C8 Corvette Dominated By Chevy Silverado​

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Published on September 22, 2023

You could say it was just like a rock. Crashes between sports cars and full-size trucks/SUVs are never pretty. That certainly was the case when a Chevy Silverado rolled right on top of a C8 Corvette in Thornton, Colorado back on the evening September 18. Pictures shared to Twitter by the local fire department shows the Silverado mounted the ‘Vette almost to the engine compartment.

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​Teen Driver Fleeing From Police Almost Decapitates Himself​

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Published on September 22, 2023

Cops and Good Samaritans helped save his life. While we have a low opinion of the decision people make to run from police, that doesn’t mean we think those people should die. With that in mind, we’re glad this 19-year-old driver who fled from police, rolled his vehicle at well over 100 mph, and his head ejected out through the sunroof of the overturned vehicle, almost amputating his head, has lived to tell the tale. Hopefully this young man turns his life around as a result. This is what a Tesla Cybertruck looks like after a rollover. The situation unfolded when a Lawrenceville police sergeant clocked the car speeding on Highway 316 in Metro Atlanta on the night of September 13.

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​Man Shoots Teen Driving Wife’s Stolen Car​

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Published on September 22, 2023

This isn’t how to handle car theft. We understand how frustrated many people feel about their car being stolen, a problem a growing number of Americans and people in other countries are suffering through. However, we don’t think shooting someone driving your stolen car is the solution, either. But that’s exactly what a 37-year-old Rochester, New York man has been accused of doing and he’s facing criminal charges as a result. As detailed out by Democrat & Chronicle, Byron Bell has been charged with two felonies, second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a stolen weapon, for gunning down Ja’hod Snow back on June 27.

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