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Is your new-car warranty good at the race track?

We've all heard the horror stories. Your buddy knows a girl that was dating a guy whose best friend's brother once broke his brand-new, recently purchased performance car while making runs at a drag strip or laps at a track day, and the manufacturer wouldn't cover the repair under warranty. True story? Urban legend? Complete crap? Yes, no, maybe. One thing's for sure: Automotive warranties have always come with caveats. In 1908, an ad in the Trenton Evening Times clearly stated: "All Ford Cars Guaranteed for One Year." Although it changed over time, by 1925 the Ford New Car Guarantee only covered 90 days on material and 30 days on labor, and it clearly stated that that there was "No guarantee whatever on Fan Belts, Glass, Bulbs, Wiring, Transmission, Bands, Hose Connections, Commutator Shells, Rollers, Spark Plugs or Gaskets." Whether or not Ol' Henry would pay to fix your Model T if you broke it shaving a tenth off your lap time at the local board track seems to be lost to history. We're guessing no. But what about today? Do new-car warranties in 2017 cover cars when they are driven on race tracks? We researched the warranties of 14 auto brands to find out, and the answer is yes, no, maybe, depending on the brand, in some cases the model, and whether or not your car is modified from stock. Acura has been out of the high-performance car game for a number of years, but jumps back into the party in 2017 with its hybrid-powered $173,000 NSX supercar. And Acura's warranty, as well as Honda's, clearly states that it does not cover "the use of the vehicle in competition or racing events." View 33 Photos So we asked Sage Marie, Senior Manager of Public Relations for Honda and Acura. "If the car is stock, the warranty covers it on a track just as it does on the street. No question," he told us. "However, if the car is modified, say with slick tires or other components that would put higher stresses on the vehicle's parts and systems, then we would have to investigate the circumstances further." Marie went on to say the same would be true for any Acura model or Honda vehicle, including the new 2017 Honda Civic Si. This became a common theme. Chevrolet actually started this practice with the fifth-generation Camaro on the high-performance ZL1 and Z/28 models.

Ford GT to be revived, Le Mans battle upcoming

Ford dominated the 24 Hours of Le Mans from 1966 to 1969, scoring four consecutive wins. Wouldn't it be great if the Blue Oval could go back to France for the 50th anniversary of that performance and show it can still compete in international endurance racing? Actually, the latest rumors indicate that could be exactly the case, and the car taking that checkered flag could be another revival of the Ford GT.
As the rumblings go, Ford wants to use a new supercar to take another crack at Le Mans, after considering some other possible alternatives. Substantiating these musings are reports that a Blue Oval rep was reportedly on hand for a recent meeting about 2016 GTE-Class rules, according to Road and Track. That would put the new GT in the same racing class as the Corvette, Ferrari 458 Italia, Porsche 911 and others.
It's not all about racing, though. If you win on Sunday, you want something to be able to sell on Monday. The revived GT is reportedly still a mid-engine supercar, but the exact engine is unclear. It's possible that it could even be shown or announced at the Detroit auto show in January, according to Motor Trend.

U.S.-Mexico border congestion is complicating automakers' lives

No matter where you fall on the political spectrum, there’s no denying that the U.S. has some significant challenges at its southern border. The droves of people attempting to cross the border from Mexico into the U.S. have complicated trade between the two countries as border authoritiesÂ’ limited resources and increasing political scrutiny have made it difficult to move goods. While that will have an impact on the prices of several consumer goods, it will also slow vehicle and parts shipments needed to keep the U.S. auto industry running. Automotive News reported that the Texas border has been particularly slow, as the state has implemented new screening measures for illegal crossings and drugs. That extra effort has had a severe impact on border logistics, to the point that Bloomberg estimated 19,000 trucks and $1.9 billion in cargo were stranded in Mexico waiting to cross. Officials said the delays have created wait times of up to 24 hours and a line of trucks 14 miles long. The delays will likely have a noticeable impact on the U.S. auto industry. Mexico manufactures millions of cars each year, the majority of which end up here. Nissan, General Motors, Stellantis and others have noted slight delays, but thereÂ’s little wiggle room for the Big 3 while the UAW strike rages on. Should the strike end, slowness at the border would make it difficult to ramp up production and make up for lost time. There have been some promising signs in recent times, such as the Bridge of the Americas between El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, reopening after a three-week closure. Still, the challenges created by border congestion have led some to take drastic measures. A few manufacturers have begun flying parts over the border, while General Motors noted that it was shipping components “on a limited basis” by sea. Related Video: