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BMW, Hyundai score big in JD Power's first Tech Experience Index

While automakers are quick to brag about winning a JD Power Initial Quality Study award, the reality, as we've pointed out before, is that these ratings are somewhat misleading, since IQS doesn't necessarily distinguish genuine quality issues. JD Power's new Tech Experience Index aims to solve that problem. The new metric takes the same 90-day approach as IQS but focuses exclusively on technology – collision protection, comfort and convenience, driving assistance, entertainment and connectivity, navigation, and smartphone mirroring. It splits the industry up into just seven segments, based loosely on size, which is why the Chevrolet Camaro is in the same division (mid-size) as Kia Sorento and the Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class is in the same segment as the Hyundai Genesis (mid-size premium). It makes for some screwy bedfellows, to be sure. Still, splitting tech experience away from initial quality should allow customers to make more informed and intelligent decisions when buying new vehicles. In the inaugural study, respondents listed BMW and Hyundai as the big winners, with two segment awards – the 2 Series for small premium and the 4 Series for compact premium, and the Genesis for mid-size premium and Tucson for small segment. The Chevrolet Camaro (midsize), Kia Forte (compact), and Nissan Maxima (large) scored individual wins. Ford also had a surprising hit with the Lincoln MKC, which ranked third in the compact premium segment behind the 4 Series and Lexus IS. This is a coup for the Blue Oval, whose woeful MyFord Touch systems made the brand a victim of the IQS' flaws in the early 2010s. But Ford and other automakers might not want to celebrate just yet. According to JD Power, there's still a lot of room for improvement – navigation systems were the lowest-rated piece of tech in the study. Instead, customers repeatedly saluted collision-avoidance and safety systems, giving the category the best marks of the study and listing blind-spot monitoring and backup cameras as two must-have features – 96 percent of respondents said they wanted those two systems in their next vehicle. But this isn't really a surprise. Implementation of safety systems from brand to brand is similar, and they don't require any input from users, unlike navigation and infotainment systems which are frustratingly deep.

Weekly Recap: Lamborghini to build SUV

Finally, Lamborghini will build a sport utility vehicle. The Italian supercar maker confirmed this week that it will launch a luxury SUV in 2018. It will be built at Lamborghini's soon-to-expand factory in Sant'Agata Bolognese in Italy, and will double the company's current sales volume. Lamborghini did not announce a name for the vehicle or other details, but noted a concept version, the Urus, was displayed at the Beijing motor show in 2012. It will be sold around the world, but it's expected to be a critical offering in the United States, China, and the Middle East. The automaker projects the SUV will sell about 3,000 units per year, and it will be the third product in Lamborghini's portfolio. It currently sells the Huracan and Aventador supercars. "The introduction of a third model line endorses the stable and sustainable growth of the company and signifies for us the beginning of a new era," Lamborghini chief executive Stephan Winkelmann said in a statement. The project is also a boon for Italy, which will get 500 new jobs in the Emilia Romagna region as Lamborghini's factory will nearly double in size. Ian Fletcher, principal analyst for IHS Automotive, said the SUV will position Lamborghini for future growth. "It could well also bring new customers to the brand [who] may find the dramatic styling of Lamborghini products appealing, but find its typical sports cars restrictive," he said. "If it is a success, the SUV could be a catalyst to Lamborghini broadening its portfolio further." OTHER NEWS & NOTES GM invests in Chevy Camaro factory General Motors is investing $175 million to upgrade its factory in Lansing, MI, to build the 2016 Chevy Camaro. The investment will pay for new tooling and equipment. The improvements include three new paint systems and two new robotic framers. GM will add a second shift at the factory to build the Camaro, resulting in 500 jobs. The automaker had dropped the plant to one shift last year amid slow sales for its products, the Cadillac ATS and CTS. GM is spending $5.4 billion over the next three years to upgrade its US facilities. Last week, GM announced plans to spend $439 million to build a new paint shop for the Chevy Corvette. While the Camaro and Corvette plant improvements are intriguing to enthusiasts, GM also confirmed this week that it is investing $1.2 billion in its Fort Wayne (IN) factory that builds trucks.

Performance cars overpower the Detroit Auto Show

At precisely the stroke of noon on Monday, the 2016 Acura NSX rolled on stage at the Detroit Auto Show amid plumes of smoke and dancing lights. The sounds of the powerful engine revving soared to the rafters. It was the second coming of Acura's iconic sports car, and the reveal had all of the expected trappings. Afterwards, champagne corks popped and the bubbly flowed. It was noon in Detroit, but for the green-car movement, it seemed like the clock had struck midnight. That's an exaggeration, but performance was the overwhelming theme of North America's most important show. Ford – which has helped lead the way in smaller displacement engines and early adoption of hybrid powertrains – had more than 1,500 horsepower on stage one point after it revealed the GT concept, the new F-150 Raptor and the Shelby Mustang GT350R. The NSX is technically a hybrid (it has three electric motors), but with 550-plus hp, there's no doubt this Acura was bred on the track. The theme continued throughout the show at nearly every stand. Alfa Romeo showed off the 4C Spider, which is the open-air version of a car that purports to be the spiritual successor of the high-performance 33 Stradale from 1967. On Tuesday, Cadillac is scheduled to reveal the 640-hp CTS-V with the V8 transplanted from the Corvette Z06, and the Lexus was expected to roll out its own V8-powered beast, the 467-hp GS F. For enthusiasts – especially enthusiasts with money – these are halcyon days. But make no mistake, all of this power has a purpose. Ford product chief Raj Nair said the Blue Oval uses high performance cars to develop technologies, like aerodynamics and materials, which are then shared across its lineup. "It's another proof point about how serious we are in developing innovation through performance," he said. Ford, which is rolling out at least 12 performance cars by 2020, said the sporty cars attract younger and more influential buyers to its fold, which can help burnish its image beyond adding sales volume. Toyota is taking a similar approach, senior vice president Bob Carter said, noting the Lexus RC coupe draws people into showrooms and gets them excited about the brand, even if they don't end up buying one. "They provide an aspiration and a halo that provides the attention that gets you noticed in a cluttered market," he said.