Yahoo Autos Romain Grosjean Gets Back in a Race Car at IndyCar Test
Welcome to The Grid, R&T's quick roundup of the auto industry and motorsports news you should know this morning.
Romain Grosjean Gets Back in a Race Car at IndyCar Test
A little under three months since a harrowing Formula 1 crash that left him badly burned, Romain Grosjean got back into a race car yesterday at an IndyCar Test at the Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama. Grosjean will run a partial season with Dale Coyne Racing, skipping IndyCar's oval races. All in all, the test was a success, and Grosjean seems quite happy in his new car. "It felt like home," he told Racer. "The driving position is different, and the aeroscreen is blocking the air from hitting you, but that's not big differences. It's got less downforce, so when you brake, there's less deceleration, and in the high-speed corners, it's a bit more loose, but the mechanical grip is very good compared to what I used to run. It’s fun to push the tires and not worry about the temperatures all the time; overheating or underheating, or worrying about it starting to slide. It was fun."
President Biden to Sign Executive Order Addressing Microchip Shortage
A global shortage of semiconductors used to create microchips has impacted manufacturing across a number of industries, including the automotive industry. Many automakers have cut production as a result. Reuters (via Automotive News) reports that President Joe Biden will sign an executive order today addressing the shortage. Officials speaking to Reuters said the executive order would launch a 100-day review of supply chain issues for semiconductors, large batteries for electric cars, rare earth minerals, and pharmaceuticals. Ford and GM have been hit badly by the semiconductor shortage, so there's a great incentive for the U.S. federal government to take action here.
Ford Launches Explorer King Ranch
The King Ranch edition has been a staple of Ford's pickup offerings for a number of years, and now, the high-end trim is coming to the Explorer SUV. The Explorer King Ranch will come with a unique brown leather interior with details inspired by its namesake Texas ranch. As standard, it gets Ford's 3.0-liter EcoBoost V-6 and the Co-Pilot360 Assist+ driver-assistance system. Base price for a rear-drive King Ranch is $52,350, with all-wheel drive available for an additional $2000. The King Ranch slots in just under the top-of-the-line Platinum in the Explorer lineup, and will arrive at dealerships this spring.
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