News Roundup: Trump orders GM to make ventilators and hooligans take to Toronto’s deserted streets

Welcome to our weekly round-up of the biggest breaking stories on Driving.ca from this past week. Get caught up and ready to get on with the weekend, because it’s hard keeping pace in a digital traffic jam.

Here’s what you missed while you were away.

Trump invokes Defense Production Act, orders GM to make ventilators

It’s all hands on deck in the fight against COVID-19, especially if those hands are employed by GM. President Trump invoked the Defense Production Act last week, forcing GM, whom Trump says was “wasting time” in the contracting process, to “accept, perform, and prioritize Federal contracts for ventilators.” This the day after he’d been on Fox News saying he wouldn’t invoke the Act.

Then, to make matters more Trumped-up, the POTUS went on one of his trademark Tweet blitzes, this time targeting CEO Mary Barra and demanding GM reopen a plant they no longer own in Ohio to make the ventilators. GM and partner Ventec have announced the ventilators will be built at a plant GM does own in Kokomo, Indiana.

Police bust street racers on empty Toronto highways

With the vast majority of people holed up in their homes doing their part to flatten that curve, the streets of the nation’s cities are as vacant as they’ve ever been. Apparently some “enthusiasts” in Toronto saw this as an opportunity to go all Dominic Toretto and get obnoxious on the DVP, but Ontario police just saw it as an opportunity to catch stupid drivers.

According to Narcity, Toronto police clipped the licenses and impounded the vehicles of 18 enthusiasts last weekend — another group was captured travelling at speeds over 171 km/h. Toronto has also installed an additional 50 speed cameras since the COVID-19 outbreak.

BMW sneaks the 2021 330e under the price limit for national EV rebate

The 2021 BMW 330e has been strategically priced at $44,950 for the rear-wheel-drive base model, thus qualifying it for Canada’s $2,500 federal “green” credit by $50, plus whatever applicable provincial credits.

The plug-in hybrid sedan combines a 2.0-litre turbo’d four-cylinder and an electric motor for a total output around 288 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque, which is pushed to all four wheels in the xDrive 330e (MSRP $54,000). The 2021 BMW 330e is scheduled to arrive at dealerships in May.

GM “borrows” money from employees amidst COVID-19

Reporting from Automotive News suggests General Motors is “borrowing” money from its U.S. employees through a 20 per cent salary cut, to be repaid in full in one installment by mid-March 2021. The news comes after a similar announcement that executives would be receiving straight pay cuts, not IOUs.

“Right now, it’s not about some grand strategic vision or anything like that. It’s about survival, and it’s about cash,” David Whiston, senior equity analyst for Morningstar, told Automotive News. “GM is telling people, ‘You’ll take some pain now, but we’ll make you whole as best we can by early 2021.’” Until then, hold on to your butts, everyone.

This Canadian ‘Boomer’ just gifted a rare Mercury muscle car to a Millennial

Decades ago, a young Mike Morrison purchased a 1967 Mercury Comet Cyclone GT for $50 from a teacher who thought he could use something productive in his life. Today, the self-described “Boomer” has gifted that rare muscle project car to a “Millennial.”

Why? Basically because Mike’s a nice guy and wants you to be one, too. Driving’s own Clayton Seams put his name into the free-car hat, but Mike ended up choosing a 25-year-old police officer named Cooper. Congrats on your new coupe, Coop!

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