Like a Rocket: Is This Two-Door Tahoe's Eye-Watering Price a Trend?
Once upon a time, from 1995-1999, there was a two-door Chevrolet Tahoe. It was square 'n boxy with its stacked headlights and 1990s Chevy truck demeanor, riding on a GMT400-based platform shared with GM trucks of the era. The Tahoe name came about for the 1995 model year, essentially a rename and relaunch of the simultaneously discontinued full-size Blazer. As in, the death of the big Blazer resulted in the Tahoe. (On the GMC side, the Yukon replaced the full-size Jimmy a little earlier, for 1992.) The Blazer name lived on, of course, but not as a full-size.
Interestingly, the debut of the Tahoe for 1995 brought with it the introduction of a four-door version (late availability, though, which is why the four-door Tahoe was eligible to win—which it did—Motor Trend's 1996 Truck of the Year award). That means the Tahoe technically debuted as a two-door 4x4 SUV, which, ironically, only lasted through the 1999 model year. (Yukon lost its two-door in 1997.) The four-door was 11 inches longer and had a wheelbase 6 inches longer than the two-door.
In addition to the standard 250 hp 5.7-liter "Vortec 5700" V-8 engine, there was a diesel 6.5-liter "L56" V-8 option. According to our Of The Year writeup, the "torquey 6.5-liter/180-horse turbodiesel V-8 [was] optional in two-door, four-wheel-drive models." Yes, the rare two-door had an ever-rarer diesel option.
Fast-forward nearly 30 years, and the Tahoe name persists in the form of a vibrant, technologically-advanced SUV that's as popular now as it ever was. It's pretty easy to spend $75,000 on a new one. That's crazy, but wanna know what's even crazier? It's possible to spend more than half that on one that dates back to the previous century. A pristine two-door 4x4 1999 Chevy Tahoe (with the 5.7-liter, not even the super-rare 6.5-liter) just sold for $42,900 at a Mecum auction in Harrisburg.
What could it have been worth new? According to our article: "The two-door, 4x2 Tahoe starts at $22,886, the 4x4 version at $25,136, moving up to the four-door models at $28,264 for the 4x2 and $30,460 for the 4x4. That prices even a heavily optioned Tahoe a few thousand dollars less than a comparable Suburban, and about on par with fully equipped (yet lighter-duty) smaller sport/utes like the Explorer and Grand Cherokee." Our Mecum example, with 86,770 miles on the odometer, sold for much more than new—even if pricing changed a tiny bit for a 1999 versus this 1996 data.
Was this $42,900 two-door 1999 Chevy Tahoe Mecum specimen an anomaly, or are two-door Tahoe prices becoming outrageous? Our quick research leads us to think that this is probably the most expensive two-door Tahoe ever sold at Mecum. The handful of four-door Tahoes that have sold for more were much, much newer variants that have special reasons for demanding mega-money. Interestingly, the next-most-expensive two-door Tahoe was a custom slammed red one featured in Truckin Magazine that sold for $38,000 way back in 2014. (Two-door Tahoes, like this Classy Hoe, have been ever-popular in the custom truck world. ) After that, a lifted blue two-door went for $35,000, followed by a pair for $29,700, then a pair at $28,600. We could go on and on, but do we need to? All of these examples outpace what they were new.
To be fair, not all two-door Tahoes are worth top dollar; don't go buy one as a sure-fire investment. A bulk of Mecum examples fall into the $10,000 range, with some two-doors even falling under $5,000. A rare diesel variant, which you'd think would demand top dollar no matter what, only went for $11,000.
So has the two-door Tahoe turned classic, or did this buyer just throw down a modern man's salary on it for some reason known only to them? Perhaps it's a sentimental vehicle. There's no clear-cut answer. With each year that clicks by, old square-body GM trucks and SUVs become less available and more sought after. Arguably classic, arguably rare (1995-1999), the two-door Tahoe market seems to be taking on a life of its own.
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The Russian incursion into Ukraine this week has thrown European and global markets into a frenzy, as automakers work to determine how big an impact the war, and any economic sanctions against aggressor Russia, will have on supply lines, production, and workforces who could now be in direct danger. Europe's home automakers will be hit the hardest, as supply lines from Ukraine and Russia freeze up while bombs get dropped. However, Hyundai and Kia's massive manufacturing presence in Russia now presents a huge headache for the Korean group, as well.Multiple global automakers have reportedly halted shipments of local dealer orders to Russian partners, effective February 24, the date of the Russian invasion, according to letters apparently sent from the automakers and viewed by the Russian-language business paper Vedomosti. Russian dealers for Audi and Chevrolet reportedly received notices, and Vedomosti claims VW and Skoda are prepping notices of their own. Porsche and Land Rover's Tata Group had also halted shipments starting the date of the Russian invasion. If this is all true, and it likely is, it's unclear exactly what conditions forced the shut down—but it probably isn't going to be easy getting your car through Russian customs right now.The report says Audi will inform its partners on its plans to resume shipments down the road. Any inventory from automakers that's already passed through Russian customs will still be delivered. The quick move to halt shipments to Russia on the part of most automakers is likely precautionary and temporary, and more to do with establishing new logistics options adapted to an environment now at war, and in the environment of new global sanctions against Russia. Companies obviously face public pressure to not appear too cozy with a current aggressor, so the shipment freeze is likely an indefinite delay until everybody calms down.If you're wondering if the U.S. government and its allies' sanctions against Russia will further exacerbate the ongoing semiconductor shortage, the answer is of course. While no semiconductors or raw materials used to make them will be flowing into Russia, much of the raw materials come from Ukraine, which probably won't be exporting them for a while.Hyundai + Kia In RussiaThe Korean automotive sector is hugely reliant on Ukrainian-provided rare gases like neon, krypton, xenon, and more, everything from EV battery cells to superconductors are now on an even tighter supply line, and prices will go up. And speaking of gas, the kind you use to fill up your car at the pump likely will get more expensive in the coming weeks as energy prices rise globally, especially if European nations abstain from Russian fuels in response to its attack on Ukraine.Hyundai Group, which Kia also operates through, first established itself with a factory in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 2010 and recently purchased a former General Motors facility to renovate for Hyundai Tucson, Palisade, and Kia Sportage production for export to North America and the rest of Europe this year. The automakers combined currently produce more than 230,000 cars annually in Russia.That's just what they build there—Hyundai Group sold 373,132 vehicles in the Russian market in 2021, holding the largest market share; Hyundai accounts for 10.3 percent and Kia 12.3 percent of Russia's total vehicle market share.The outbreak of war and the onslaught of economic and financial sanctions against Russia now put all of Hyundai and Kia global business in jeopardy and will severely damage the national Korean economy, as well. The Korea Times says "Korean conglomerates" sold $2.5 billion worth of cars to Russia in 2021, plus an additional $1.45 billion worth of car parts and components.Cars and their parts previously accounted for 44 percent of Korea's annual export volume to Russia, which will likely be severely hindered by American and European sanctions looking to cut trade and handicap Russia's economy.Kia takes home four prizes at the annual Russian Car of the Year awardsHyundai + Kia in UkraineHyundai also operates a local sales office in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Kia produces the Rio sedan and hatchback at the ZAZ factory in Zaporozhye, Ukraine. On January 28, 2022, the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced a state of emergency in the region and established plans to evacuate Korean nationals out of Ukraine, the Korea Times reports.Hankook Tires, another Korean company, evacuated its sales office in the country. An official from Hyundai offered that the company has "been closely monitoring the situation as the Russian-Ukraine crisis is expected to bring about an economic slump and weak ruble," in a statement to the Korea Herald.The war in Ukraine could also severely impact global EV battery cell production, as the nation is the world's third-largest producer of nickel and aluminum, two highly valuable resources necessary in battery and EV components. Additionally, Ukraine produces almost 70 percent of the world's neon gas needed for components like chips, which are already suffering a shortage that has driven the average new vehicle transaction price in the U.S. to unbelievable new heights. It will likely only grow higher this year.Ukraine is also a critical global supplier of rare gases used in all sorts of high-tech equipment and components, and the war will severely hinder those supplies and likely cause prices to rise. This, too, will have a specific impact on the Korean economy, as the nation imports 30.7 percent of its krypton, 23 percent of its neon, and 17.8 percent of its xenon rare gases for component production from Ukraine, according to the Korea Herald. South Korean-based automaker SsangYong also imports raw materials like aluminum from the region.The Korean Automotive Manufacturer's Association fears up to 29 percent of its group sales could drop this year, anticipating a similar impact to when it witnessed a 62 percent drop in auto exports after the Russian incursion in Crimea in 2014, which also brought about international sanctions against Russia.New Sanctions on RussiaIn response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. Treasury Department announced it would immediately target the core infrastructure of Russian financial and some economic institutions. Sanctions target banks such as the state-backed Sberbank, VTB Bank, Otkritie, Sovcombank and Novikombank. The move is meant to ban any trading with U.S. institutions and freeze any U.S. assets held by the companies and their executives.This first wave of sanctions from the U.S. and its allies, announced on February 24, did not specifically target Russia's auto sector or any enterprises directly involved. However, some major economic enterprises related to autos were targeted, including Russia's Sovcomflot shipping company and Russian Railways, as well as much of the Russian energy sector.Russia is currently the third-largest supplier of nickel in the world and provides 40 percent of global palladium resources used for manufacturing catalytic converters, according to NBC. In return, Russia also relies on foreign supply lines for as much as 25 percent of its home automotive production, which could be heavily sequestered by new sanctions. The Russian Gaz Group has already announced that it will have to halt production as sanctions are levied against Russia.Analyst Sam Abuelsamid from Guidehouse Insights told NBC the big question regarding sanctions comes down to China: "If we put heavy sanctions on Russia, they might respond and cut us off from many of the things we need," including circuit boards and other raw materials, such as the lithium needed for electric vehicles. However, following the first wave of sanctions, this may not be a serious risk.J.D. Power and LMC Automotive analysts have downgraded projected global light vehicle production this year to 85.8 million units for 2022, a cut of 400,000 vehicles this year, Reuters says. However, the overall global volume of light vehicle sales is still expected to rise by 5 percent.Renault + Stellantis + Toyota Have Russia Trouble, TooOther major global automakers, including Renault and its affiliate brands, Stellantis and its affiliates, and Toyota, also have a significant manufacturing presence in the region. Renault has already announced that production in its Moscow, Russia, facility would have to stop from February 28 to March 5, citing "tighter border controls in transit countries and the forced need to change a number of established logistics routes," but failing to mention the Russian invasion of Ukraine outright, according to Reuters.Renault Group makes 8 percent of its core earnings in Russia, the automaker's second-largest market after its home of France. Russia's top automaker, AvtoVAZ, is partially owned by Renault, as well.Stellantis operates a car factory in Kaluga, Russia, where it also manufactures Mitsubishi models. Production of Peugeot, Citroën, and Opel cars reportedly doubled in Kaluga in 2021, and overall sales for Stellantis in Russia grew by 65 percent. There were plans earlier this year to start exporting commercial vehicles from the factory, which have now been interrupted.Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares commented on the situation on a conference call earlier this week: "If we cannot supply the plant, if that is the reality, we have either to transfer that production to other plants, or just limit ourselves," via NBC. The factory only exported about 11,000 commercial vehicles last year, a fraction of more than 2 million total light commercial vehicles the company sold.A Stellantis spokesperson told MotorTrend that the company is "monitoring the situation carefully in real time, and if necessary we will take appropriate measures in the interest of our employees and their families. We currently see no significant impact on our business operations, including our manufacturing plant."Considering the light amount of commercial exports from the Kaluga factory, it's more likely Stellantis' local Russian operation takes the bigger hit, though broader supply chain issues will still negatively impact the global Stellantis portfolio.Toyota has been building the Camry in Russia for decades and has a
It's time to present the finalists for the inaugural MotorTrend Performance Vehicle of the Year. Yes, after running through our contenders—those rides that missed the cut for the final round of voting the PVOTY honors, we're introducing those that did make the finalist cut. One of these vehicles earned our Golden Calipers, having excelled in all six of our criteria (safety, value, advancement in design, engineering excellence, efficiency, and performance of intended function). The weighting of some of those criteria may differ slightly from our Car, Truck, and SUV of the Year competitions—after all, when outright performance is our focus, efficiency is perhaps graded on a curve—but every single one is considered when choosing our winner.Read on to meet the first four members of our finalist field—the rest will be unveiled tomorrow—to represent the cars that made it out of our initial round of voting following evaluations at Hyundai's Proving Ground outside of Los Angeles. The finalists then went on to road drives on Angeles Crest Highway and, later, grueling track tests at Willow Springs Raceway. Come back on Monday, February 14 to see which one emerged with the title!
Mecum is auctioning a rare 1942 Harley-Davidson XA military motorcycle from World War II that boasts many early engineering firsts in the company's long history. Developed after the U.S. and its allies came up against superior BMW motorcycles during the war, it aimed to beat the Nazis at their own game. Now one newly restored example can be yours.The XA was an attempt to overcome the Nazis' all-terrain superiority, particularly in North Africa, and to address issue that American bikes had involving chains in rough terrain. Harley landed on a shaft drive setup, solving that problem. And the most expedient way to engineer a shaft-drive bike was to reverse-engineer an existing one, like the excellent overhead-cam BMW R75M used by the enemy. Perhaps unable to get its hands on an R75M, the XA copied the civilian flathead R71, which wasn't quite as well-optimized for the task.Despite being a copycat, be reassured that the XA is still a true Harley-Davidson. Around 1,000 XAs were built in Milwaukee for the U.S. Army during the war, according to the Mecum, and it resulted in many production firsts for the company. It is claimed to be Harley-Davidson's first shaft-drive, four-speed, foot-shift and hand-clutch motorcycle, and also the first equipped with two carburetors. The motor's opposed cylinders were positioned "across the frame" for improved cooling in the wind compared to Harley's longitudinal V-twin designs of the time. It was also the first Harley to feature a rear-suspension plunger, and had a top speed of over 60 MPH back in 1942. The XA Type II (this example is a Type I) got Harley's first telescopic forks, which didn't reappear on Harley-Davidson designs again until years after the war.The XA, innovative as it was relative to Harley's native bikes, wasn't a success. Consider that Harley produced over 80,000 units of its V-twin motorcycles during the war, while the XA was only ordered for testing. Ultimately, the Army declined to order any more, and its role fell to the Jeep, far superior for general purpose tactical mobility. You may find it a little more adaptable to suit your interests, which are hopefully more peaceful.This isn't the first time this exact motorcycle has been auctioned in recent years. It appears to have previously been auctioned by Mecum in 2015, according to the matching plate numbers in both sets of images, where it failed to meet reserve at a high bid of $30,000. It was expected to go for as much as $50,000, but this time it's offered with no reserve.The restoration finished this XA with leather saddle-bags, a beautiful speedometer detail, and according to the listing, the auction lot includes a special mounted case for a period-appropriate "non-firing" Thompson sub-machine gun that is apparently included in the deal. The auction is in Vegas, in case that wasn't obvious.Whatever else this XA is, it's a newly restored WWII Harley-Davidson that's also particularly rare and interesting, and at least we know the bike should run very cool and catch plenty of attention. The lot is up for auction with no reserve until Jan. 29, according to the Mecum website.
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