This is the Morning Shift, our one-stop daily roundup of all the auto news that's actually important — all in one place at 9:00 AM. Or, you could spend all day waiting for other sites to parcel it out to you one story at a time. Isn't your time more important?
1st Gear: Iron Man's New Car Is Not A New NSX
Although Acura's already told us there are no plans to build the amazing NSX-like concept car Tony Stark'll drive in the new Avengers movie, it's not stopping Auto Express from getting into a tizzy over it again. We don't blame 'em — the car looks cooler than anything currently in the Acura lineup, and who wouldn't be excited about the prospects of a new NSX? Still, we continue to be told that this is nothing more than a concept car for the movie. Pity.
2nd Gear: Ford Gives UAW A Sweeter Deal Than GM
With details on Ford and the UAW's tentative agreement yesterday finally seeping out, what we know now is it looks better on just about every level than the deal ratified by UAW members last week with General Motors. If ratified by the 41,000 Ford UAW members between now and Oct. 16th, hourly workers at Ford with a year of seniority will receive a $6,000 signing bonus ($1,000 more than GM workers get) and a profit-sharing check — starting with $3,700, on average — later this year, plus more every March. They'll also get $6,000 in "inflation protection," compared with GM's $3,000, and $1,000 in "competitive awards" over the life of the agreement. Looks like not taking government money might actually be good for unions too.
3rd Gear: 2013 Ford Escape Kills Hybrid, V6 Engine
As expected, Ford's redesigned 2013 Escape crossover, set to debut in dealer showrooms in early 2012, will lose both its V6 engine and hybrid-powertrain versions. Instead, the 2013 Escape will use a turbocharged, direct-injected 1.6-liter engine, Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president for global product development, said at the automaker's Dearborn tech center yesterday. Ford plans to unveil the new Escape, which borrows its looks from the Vertrek concept, at next month's LA Auto Show.
4th Gear: GM Readying New 2.0-Liter Turbo Engine For Cadillac ATS
Ford isn't the only U.S. automaker killing its V6 options, according to GM Inside News sources familiar with engine development, GM is readying an all-new Ecotec 2.0-liter turbo engine. The powerplant's expected to debut in 2012 in the upcoming Cadillac ATS. Sources also tell the fan forum that the engine will also be the V6 replacement for the all-new Chevrolet Malibu. Although exact power figures for the new 2.0-liter turbo aren't yet known, the same sources told GMI to expect it to generate between 270 and 280 horsepower. The engine is reportedly an all-new design and will be part of the new family of Ecotec four-cylinders at GM, joining the recently announced Ecotec 2.5-liter, also found in the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu.
5th Gear: Nissan Leaf Makes Cameo In Apple iPhone 4S Promo Video
Anyone else notice the Nissan Leaf making an appearance yesterday in the promo video for the new Apple iPhone 4S? Yeah, it was sort of a stealthy cameo. Some might say that it was there to provide a "quiet interior" to show off Siri, the phone's new voice recognition assistant. But I think, judging by my performance experiences with iPhones, the Leaf's actually acting as the phone's backup battery pack. Sadly, a fully-charged Leaf only adds another 30 minutes of talk time.
6th Gear: R32-Replacing Volkswagen Golf R Pricing Starts At $33,990
With 256 horsepower, the Volkswagen Golf R is the most powerful "production sports performance VW" ever sold in the U.S. — and the new R32-replacing performance model's now available in two-and four-doors. The two-door model starts at $33,990 and $36,090 for the four-door with sat-nav and sunroof. Six-speed manual transmission and all-wheel drive are standard. We'll see both two- and four-door versions on-sale early 2012 as a 2012 model.
Reverse:
⏎ The first official pictures of the Nissan Juke-R we officially told you about first. [AutoExpress]
⏎ Volvo Auto-Braking Means Deer in Headlights Miss Collision. [Bloomberg]
⏎ BMW dangles 19% discounts as China's luxury market cools. [Automotive News]
⏎ GM plans its own ZipCar rival. [LA Times]
⏎ Ramaciotti: Fiat, Chrysler must line up approval steps. [Automotive News]
⏎ Does GM Have A Chevy Volt Sales Problem? [Green Car Reports]
Today in Automotive History:
On October 5, 1919, a young Italian car mechanic and engineer named Enzo Ferrari takes part in his first car race, a hill climb in Parma, Italy. He finished fourth. Ferrari was a good driver, but not a great one: In all, he won just 13 of the 47 races he entered. Many people say that this is because he cared too much for the sports cars he drove: He could never bring himself to ruin an engine in order to win a race. [History]
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