To help stop the spread of COVID-19, keeping your vehicle sanitized is as important as frequent handwashing.
Nissan offers tips on how to sanitize your vehicle without damaging its interior
Frequent hand washing as directed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a crucial part of staying healthy, but so is disinfecting surfaces, including those in your car, whether it’s new, newer or a classic.
“Most people are still using their vehicles, whether they are essential employees commuting to work or someone running to the grocery store while in quarantine,” said Ryan Fulkerson, director, New Model Engineering, Nissan North America. “We want to make sure they’re informed on how to best keep their vehicle disinfected.”
How to begin The CDC recommends wearing disposable gloves for cleaning and then disinfecting surfaces. If a surface appears dirty, it should be wiped down with soap and water prior to disinfection. For vehicle interiors, a soft cloth or microfiber towel dampened with soap and water can be used to wipe down hard surfaces.
Avoid these chemical cleaners While most common household disinfectants are effective, some are not ideal for use on a vehicle including bleach, hydrogen peroxide, benzene, thinners or other harsh and abrasive cleaners. Chemical products such as these can damage vehicle upholstery and interior surfaces. Instead, alcohol-based wipes or sprays containing at least 70 percent alcohol are effective against the coronavirus, according to the CDC, and can be safely used in your vehicle.
Screen cleaning The infotainment screen is tricky because it is a high-touch area that should not come in contact with aggressive cleaners. Use screen wipes or a soft cloth dampened with soap and water to clean the screen surface. Wipe dry with a clean, soft cloth. Ammonia-based cleaners should not be used on infotainment screens, as they can damage the anti-glare and anti-fingerprint coatings. If the vehicle is equipped, using voice commands can help avoid touching the center screen altogether.
Regularly disinfect these surfaces
Steering wheel
Key and remote fob
Exterior door handles, both sides
Trunk lid or lift gate grab areas
Interior door pulls, both sides and interior door panels
Ignition button, if equipped
Rearview mirror, back and edges
HVAC vents
Gear selector
Turn signal lever
Windshield wiper controls
Center stack knobs
Center console and arm rest
Seat belt and buckle. Avoid harsh cleaners on the belt itself, they can degrade the fibers and the belt’s strength
Parking brake handle, parking brake or release lever
Seat-adjustment controls
Call for help If a vehicle requires more attention, remember that automotive dealerships and their service departments are deemed essential services while many businesses around the country are closed in response to government mandates aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19. As a result, many Nissan service departments remain open and are available to assist with vehicle service and repairs. Many are offering no-contact drop off or at-home pick-up and delivery.
The RX is still a gold standard for luxury with all the VIP prestige and pleasures of Lexus ownership. (Lexus)
With some key improvements, the 2020 RX is a calm choice in the storm and fairly priced
The mouse is out and a touch pad is in among the changes for the 2020 Lexus RX, the founding member of the luxury SUV crossover league. When the RX debuted in 1998 it was the first of its kind with carlike comfort and SUV presence. It was a disruptor in what a car could be — and a benchmark that started the segment for luxury midsize car-based SUV crossovers.
Today, every maker has one and the segment is crowded with quality choices as the preferred body style over large sedans.
The Luxury package, $6,000, adds key features, including dynamic radar cruise control, power moonroof, heated and ventilated front seats, heated wood and leather steering wheel, Sapele laser cut wood with satin aluminum trim and semi-aniline leather upholstery. (Lexus)
The RX is now in its fourth generation, which debuted in 2015 as a 2016 model. With some key improvements, the 2020 RX is a calm choice in the storm and fairly priced.
2020 UPDATES There were a few hardware and software enhancements for 2020, not the least of which were two more charging USB ports, now at six, and a new infotainment touch pad that replaces an overly sensitive joystick.
The 12.3-inch navigation screen with 15-speaker Mark Levinson audio system, $3,365, is well worth the cost. (Lexus)
More notable is the addition of the Lexus Safety System+ 2.0 as standard equipment. The advanced tech package, including a pre-collision system that adds daytime bicyclist detection and low-light pedestrian detection along with Road Sign Assist and Lane Tracing Assist.
Road Sign Assist displays certain road sign information in the instrument panel. Lane Tracing Assist works with the dynamic radar cruise control to read lane markings to steer the vehicle in the center of the lane. And when road markings are obscured or not detected, LTA can, in certain conditions, follow the vehicle ahead.
Replacing a darty joystick control device, the new touch pad is a much-simplified tool to access the various functions and features of the new 12.3-inch display. (Lexus)
Active corner braking was added to help prevent understeering with more front tire grip and handling stability.
Ride quality was addressed with new hollow front and rear stabilizer bars that are lighter but also thicker with reinforced bushings to trim body roll and improve steering response. The shock absorbers, too, were retuned for the stiffer roll bars and a new friction-control device helps reduce high-frequency vibrations.
The stiffer suspension reduces the noise and vibration from the road, the engineers say. The body was made stiffer by additional spot welds and industrial adhesive to join panels and sections.
Most appreciable to RX owners coming back for a new lease will be the new touch pad to much more easily access the big screen of cabin and infotainment controls. It replaces what was a touchy joystick and also makes the shift console less crowded. It just takes a fingertip on the pad to move from category to category.
The front seats are full-bodied and 12-way adjustable but some will find the seat bottom hard after a while on the road. (Mark Maynard)
PRICING The RX is sold in gasoline and gasoline-electric powertrains in standard and long-wheelbase RXL body styles, in front- or all-wheel drive. Gas versions use a 290-horsepower port- and direct-injection 3.5-liter V-6 and eight-speed automatic transmission. The hybrid model is powered by a 3.5-liter V-6 with an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission working with two electric drive motor-generators, for a total 308 horsepower.
Standard models start at about $45,000 and long-wheelbase models at about $48,000. Hybrid pricing starts at about $48,000. F-Sport models, with an appearance package and performance suspension, start at $49,000 for gas or $51,000 for hybrid.
The 290-hp 3.5-liter V-6 is tuned for max mileage, until the foot goes down and the V-6 roars. Sport mode fills the gap between dutiful and screaming. (Lexus)
Today’s front-wheel-drive long-wheelbase RX 350L Luxury was $62,715 as tested, including the $6,000 Luxury package and the $1,025 freight charge from Fukuoka, Japan. Other options included the blind-spot monitor with intuitive parking assist, panoramic view monitor and rear-cross traffic braking for $1,865. The head-up display added $600 and triple-beam LED headlights with cornering lights, front turn signals and fog lights was $1,775. The 12.3-inch navigation system with Mark Levinson 15-speaker audio system, $3,365, is well worth the cost. And there was $90 for door-edge film (to guard against nicks), a cargo net and cargo mat, wheel locks and key glove for $315 and $380 for roof rack cross bars.
HYBRID The all-wheel-drive RX 450hL can be driven at low speeds for short distances on battery power from the 37-kWh nickel metal hydride hybrid battery. The on-demand all-wheel-drive system functions as front-drive until there is slippage, then the sensors direct power to the rear wheels. The battery system adds more than 450 pounds to the curb weight, but mileage ratings are strong at 29/28/29 mpg city/highway/combined.
Of Lexus’ five SUV models (ranging from the subcompact UX, compact NX, and truck-based GX and LX) the RX is the top seller, in the sweet spot of pricing, style and family function. (Lexus)
SAFE SELLING With concerns regarding the pandemic and lockdown, Lexus has various programs and procedures in place at the dealerships and in vehicle delivery. More information can be found at Lexus.com/PeopleFirst. And here is a brief story with some specific dealer examples, Support.
“We are continuing to share updates directly to guests as restrictions vary by state and city,” a Lexus representative wrote in an email. “Please check back to the Lexus consumer website linked above as it will continue to serve as a main hub for this type of information.”
DRIVABILITY I have driven several generations of RX over the years and the 2020 model is the quietest and feels the most solid and robust. But remove the roof-rack crossbars for an even quieter highway ride.
The suspension is softer now and more comfortable, rolling quietly as if on carpet. The laminated windshield adds to cabin calmness and the 20-inch, all-season Michelin Premier LTX tires (235/55) were quiet rolling, or it was the suspension and cabin soundproofing that shut out any road harshness.
The 6- or 7-seat RXL was stretched 4.3 inches to create space for a third row. (Lexus)
Braking is confident from four-wheel ventilated discs, 12.9 inches front, 13.3 inches rear. The turning circle of 38.7 feet is about a half-foot wider than the standard RX, but more manageable than some crossovers and sedans.
With a curb weight of 4,442 pounds, the 290-hp 3.5-liter V-6 engine is necessary, but it is down 5 hp from the standard RX due to a difference in exhaust routing. The performance is tuned for max mileage, until the foot goes down and the V-6 roars. Sport mode fills the gap between sluggish and screaming.
Fuel-economy ratings are 19 mpg city, 26 highway and 22 mpg combined. Premium fuel is recommended for peak performance, but 87 octane is acceptable. I was averaging 21.1 mpg in a week of driving, and the large, 19.2-gallon tank gives a wide cruising range.
The second row has a flat floor and seats with fore-aft slide and recline. (Mark Maynard)
CABIN The interior design is tastefully luxurious with Lexus-ized overlays of soft materials, satin metal trim and tender leather. The tester’s semi-aniline black leather, neatly stitched with perforated center sections, is as impressive as a hand-crafted attaché briefcase.
The front seat area is roomy, with good headroom of 38.7 inches, with the moonroof. Driver sightlines are not compromised at the windshield pillars.
The shifter console is a bank of controls, including a drive-mode dial, modules for seat heating and ventilation, an electric parking brake and a pair of cup holders, which have an ingenious two-step mode for taller bottles. There is a new slot to prop a phone, a pair of 2.1-amp charging USBS and a 12-volt plug. Wireless charging is a $75 option.
Inside the console is another 12-volt plug and a second set of charging USBs.
There is a large, locking glove box, sliding visors with lighted mirrors, and door storage with a bottle holder.
Cargo space has a wide opening of 45 inches but space behind the third row is limited at about 6 cubic feet, but it is ideal for corralling grocery bags. The roller cover can be stored in its own underfloor space when using the third row. (Mark Maynard)
BACK SEATS The second row has a flat floor and captain’s chairs with fore-aft slide and recline. The seats (or a 60/40 bench) will tip and slide for third-row entry or fold to extend cargo length. But moving back the seat can obliterate third-row legroom and moving it forward will cramp second-row comfort. The seats are short on adult thigh support but supportive — and the leather and stitching look fantastic, but there are no electronic controls for temperature or fan speed. The fold-down armrest houses two 2.1-amp charging USBs and two can holders.
The third row has a scant 23.5 inches of legroom, but the space has fan and vent controls. The power folding pair of seats is a slow-motion engineering masterpiece to watch as the seats (one at a time) fold, articulate and ease into a flat load floor.
Cargo space has a wide opening of 45 inches but space behind the third row is limited at about 6.2 cubic feet, which is ideal for corralling grocery bags, and there also is basement storage for the roller cover. Fold the third row and the hauling space is much more functional at 23 cu. ft. and about 42½ inches deep. Or fold both rows for about 6 ½ feet of board-hauling length.
While newer competitors have loaded their big guns to blast their place in the segment, Lexus has made incremental improvements consistently to the RX since its launch. But change happens slowly at Toyota Motor, the parent of the Lexus division. The company’s engineering philosophy is to “do it right the first time,” and let it ride for five to seven years.
From its first generation, the RX has stood out for its polarizing exterior design. Love it or hate it, the RX is still a gold standard for luxury with all the VIP prestige and pleasures of Lexus ownership.
The front-wheel-drive RX 350L tester was $62,715, including the $6,000 Luxury package and the $1,025 freight charge from Fukuoka, Japan. (Lexus)
2020 Lexus RX 350L FWD Body style: midsize, 6-7 seat SUV crossover in front- or all-wheel drive; aluminum hood and tailgate Engine: 290-hp, port and direct injection 3.5-liter V-6; 263 lb.-ft. torque at 4,700 rpm Transmission: 8-speed automatic 0-60 mph: 7.9 seconds Fuel economy: 19/26/22 mpg city/hwy/combined; premium fuel recommended for peak power
SPECIFICATIONS Fuel tank: 19.2 gal. Cargo space (floor to roof): 6.2 to 23 cu. ft. Front head/leg room: 38.7*/41.4 in. *39.8 without moonroof 2nd row head/leg room: 37.9*/30.9 in. *38.5 3rd row head/leg room: 34.8/23.5 in. Length/wheelbase: 196.9/109.8 in. Curb weight: 4,442 lbs. Turning circle: 38.8 ft.
FEATURES Luxury package equipment includes: keyless entry with push-button ignition, dynamic radar cruise control, power moonroof, heated-ventilated front seats, heated wood and leather steering wheel, Sapele laser cut wood with satin aluminum trim, semi-aniline leather upholstery and interior trim, LED lighted front door sills, manual rear-door sunshades, and power fold third-row seats, reclining-sliding second-row seats, 20-inch alloy wheels, automatic high-beam control Safety features include: 10 air bags, brake assist, Safety System 2.0 features of lane-tracing assist, road-sign assist, pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane-departure alert with steering assist
PRICING Base price: $54,325, including $1,025 freight charge; price as tested $62,715 Options on test vehicle: blind-spot monitor with intuitive parking assist, panoramic view monitor and rear-cross traffic braking $1,865; color head-up display $600; triple-beam LED headlights, cornering lights, front turn signals and fog lights $1,775; 12.3-inch navigation system with Mark Levinson 15-speaker audio system $3,365. door-edge film $90; cargo net, cargo mat, wheel locks and key glove $315; roof rack cross bars $380 Where assembled: Fukuoka, Japan Warranty: 4-years/60,000-miles bumper to bump with roadside assistance, free first and second scheduled maintenance services and a lodging for emergency breakdowns 100 miles from home; 5-years/70,000-miles powertrain
A dashboard from the new 1928 Dodge Victory Six. (Stellantis archives)
The 1928 Dodge Victory Six was offered in honor of the 10th anniversary of World War I, according to ConceptCarz.com. It was the brand’s first six-cylinder car (68 horsepower) and featured hydraulic brakes, unique for a low-priced car. It featured an all-steel body (built by Budd Manufacturing) at a time when most auto manufacturers still used composite metal and wood bodies.
The famed Schlumpf Collection of Bugatti models in France is a legendary automotive tale of obsession, wealth, and downfall for the brothers Schlumpf, Fritz, and Hans.
Breaking through a veil of secrecy in 1977, factory workers came across a secretly hoarded treasure of 427 vintage European luxury cars, most of them in showroom condition, with another 150 cars stashed away in the workshops.
Bugatti recently shared this story of an American stash of 30 cars that Fritz Schlumpf just had to have and how they were relocated in the 1960s from Illinois to France.
Fritz Schlumpf was a Bugatti enthusiast. He bought his first car, a Type 35B, at the age of 22 in 1928 and drove it on weekends and in car races. Schlumpf would stay in touch with the company, based in Alsace, France, over the coming years. But his passion for collecting didn’t really develop properly until 1961.
American collector John Shakespeare with his 30 Bugattis as they were loaded onto a train on March 30, 1964.
The Story Background
Schlumpf initially worked as a wool broker, and in 1929 his brother Hans — two years his senior — joined the textile company. In 1935, they founded Société Anonyme pour l’Industrie Lainière (SAIL), a limited company trading in wool. After the war, the brothers bought up several factories and spinning mills in Alsace until they almost fully dominated the textile industry in eastern France.
Assessing the collection.
In 1957, they acquired an idled wool factory in Mulhouse, Alsace, to build their own automobile museum. It would be in honor of their beloved mother and Bugatti founder Ettore Bugatti, but mainly it was for Fritz Schlumpf himself. After all, collecting Bugatti cars had long become his obsession.
From 1961 onward, he acquired numerous classic vehicles and eventually became the leading Bugatti collector in the world. And he wanted more.
To fuel his obsession, Schlumpf wrote to Bugatti owners worldwide in the early 1960s, sourcing addresses from a register kept by Hugh Conway of the British Bugatti Owners Club. Conway put him in touch with American collector John W. Shakespeare from Hoffman, Ill., in 1962.
Inside Shakespeare’s dirt-floor garage.
Dedicated to Bugatti
Shakespeare had dedicated himself to collecting Bugatti vehicles since the 1950s: his first car was a 1932 Bugatti Type 55, which was followed by a Type 41 Royale Park Ward, the third and last customer car. Also in his care were a dozen Type 57s, three Type 55s and Ettore Bugatti’s personal electric car, the Type 56 dating back to 1931.
All in all, Shakespeare owned the largest Bugatti collection in the world, comprising some 30 vehicles.
Schlumpf was on a mission to get these cars and made Shakespeare an offer of $70,000. But Shakespeare demanded at least $105,000, whereupon Schlumpf had the collection assessed by Bugatti connoisseur Bob Shaw from Illinois in 1963.
Ettore Bugatti’s personal electric car Type 56 dating back to 1931.
An Unflattering Conclusion
Shaw arrived at an unflattering conclusion: “Most of the cars are kept in a part of the building with a dirty floor, broken windows, leaking roof and nesting birds. Every car is in some state of disrepair and none of them have been running for at least 18 months.”
He advised against the purchase, but Schlumpf was fully committed by this time and offered Shakespeare $80,000 for the entire collection. After tough negotiations, mutual threats, and blackmail, Schlumpf and Shakespeare finally agreed on a purchase price of $85,000 the following year (equivalent to approximately $720,000 today) — including transport to France.
From today’s point of view, it was a real bargain. Today, genuine and restored Bugattis will sell at auction from around $200,000 to tens of millions of dollars.
A 1932 Type 55 is loaded onto the railcar.
30 Bugattis On A Train
On March 30, 1964, the 30 Bugattis left Illinois on a Southern Railway train headed for New Orleans where they would be loaded onto a Dutch cargo ship. A photo shows the open train with the large number of rare vehicles.
A few weeks later, the freighter reached the French port of Le Havre, where Schlumpf finally received his treasure. He was now one huge step closer to achieving his goal of being the biggest Bugatti collector in the world. It wasn’t until 1965 that the Schlumpf brothers publicized their collection in a short press release — and the idea of a museum was born. But Schlumpf never officially opened it.
A Type 41 Royale Park Ward on display at the ‟Cité de l’Automobile” national museum in Mulhouse, France.
The Schlumpf brothers had little opportunity to enjoy their unique car collection, and their pleasure in these cars was only to last a few years. Large-scale labor strikes occurred after they engaged in questionable business practices, and the decline of the French textile industry in the 1970s eventually meant they were forced to flee to Switzerland.
The story of the amazed workers who came across the secretly hoarded treasure in 1977 has gone down in automotive history.
What remains are the exclusive vehicles, showcased in an extraordinary and unique exhibition, the Schlumpf collection is now in the “Cité de l’Automobile” national museum in Mulhouse in the heart of Alsace — the largest automobile exhibition in the world.
Original unrestored Bugattis from the “Shakespeare Collection” on display at the Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, Calif.
The 80,000-square-foot museum comprises 400 of the world’s rarest, most magnificent, and most valuable cars — including around 100 Bugatti models, such as two of just six Type 41 Royales ever built. One of them is the former Shakespeare vehicle with the Park Ward bodywork.
The Mullin Automotive Museum
Other models from the group of 30 vehicles are to be found in their original unrestored condition at the Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, Calif. There and in Alsace, visitors can admire them after their almost 60-year odyssey.
Note: The Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, Calif., is open by appointment only. Learn more at www.mullinautomotivemuseum.com or email info@mullinautomotivemuseum.com
This image shows the interior of the Chrysler Group Truck Assembly Plant in the 1940s.
American women entered the workforce in unprecedented numbers during World War II, as widespread male enlistment left gaping holes in the industrial labor force. Between 1940 and 1945, the female percentage of the U.S. workforce increased from 27 percent to nearly 37 percent, and by 1945 nearly one out of every four married woman worked outside the home.
