William Maley

Oops.. Yeah its on sale in Canada now. Fixed

BMW Postpones X1 US Debut Until A Refesh William Maley - Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com August 28, 2011 BMW's X series of crossovers; the X5 and new X3 have been best sellers in the lineup. Last year, BMW introduced the new X1 which has become a big success in the European market. BMW said they were looking into bring the X1 into the US sometime in 2011. But at this years North American International Auto Show, BMW said it had postponed the U.S. introduction of the X1 until late 2011, at the earliest. Then in April, BMW said there was no decision to sell the X1 in the US. Now, BMW has an answer on the X1 in the US. A BMW executive tells Inside Line that the current plans of bringing the X1 have been put on hold. The company points towards to the strong demand of the X1 globally and a weak dollar-euro exchange rate as reasons why. "It can be a positive to wait until the midcycle change and bring in a freshened vehicle. Global demand for the X1 is still extremely strong in markets where our volume potential is high for this type of vehicle. Here in the U.S., the X3 is and likely will continue to be our volume (crossover)," a BMW executive said. BMW does say X1 is still being talked about being brought over sometime after a 2013 refresh. Or you can head up to Canada where the X1 is on sale now. Source: Inside Line

I was thinking more of this..

A Nissan Leaf Limo? Its Not A Joke William Maley - Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com August 27, 2011 Coming soon to an awards red carpet ceremony, a Nissan Leaf limo? Yes. Imperial Coach Builders, a subsidiary of Electric Car Company, inc., has announced they have received a order to build a Nissan Leaf limo. The company plans to stretch the all-electric vehicle by about 48 inches, increasing the overall length by roughly 27 percent. Imperial says with the extra length, they will double the seating in the rear passenger compartment. They don't say how they'll do it, but most likely it will have the seats to face each other. Imperial didn't say how much the added length would affect the Nissan Leaf's 3375-lb. curb weight, nor how it would effect the 100 mile range. Source: Motor Trend

Saab Seeking Court Protection From Creditors William Maley - Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com August 26, 2011 Related: SAAB Can't Pay Wages for August Swedish automaker Saab N.V. is in a world of hurt. The company is desperate for money to restart production so they can make money. Suppliers and workers are angered and threatening to take this matter to the court to declare the company bankrupt. Saab knows this well and according to a report by public radio, several different sources say the company would apply for court protection from creditors. Sources don't say when Saab would make the move. The protection would put Saab into a process of corporate restructuring. Saab declined to comment on the public radio report. Saab spokeswoman Gunilla Gustavs said the company continued to work on raising the necessary funds. Source: Reuters

Ram Ponders Dakota Replacement William Maley - Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com August 24, 2011 Related: Chrysler Ending Dakota Production Tomorrow The last Ram Dakota rolling off the assembly line yesterday, but Chrysler isn't resting on their laurels. The company is already talking about a replacement for the 24-year veteran. Inside Line asked Chrysler about if there was an upcoming replacement. "As the truck phases out of its planned lifecycle, we're exploring plans for an affordable replacement that meets the work-hard, play-hard needs of our customers," wrote Nick Cappa, a Chrysler spokesman in an e-mail "Although the Dakota is a great truck, there just isn't a big enough gap between it and the (full-size) Ram 1500. We believe there is still a substantial market for small pickups. We're studying the demographics and business case for a small Ram pickup, but there's nothing to announce at this time." The possible replacement could be a lifestyle truck based on Chrysler's minivan platform. Source: Inside Line

I got to drive the Grand Cherokee SRT8 which I was very happy about. I was sad I didn't get the chance to drive the 300 or Charger SRT8. Hopefully, I will get to drive them sometime.

dinner

The next M6 will probably have the same specs as the M5 in a year or two...but those cars are at a much higher price point than the CTS-v..as far as Mercs go, the E-class coupe isn't available in AMG spec in the US, is it? You can an appearance package with AMG wheels and thats about it. I think Mercedes-Benz has said there will not be an AMG version of the E-Class coupe

How many lives has Saab used up? 7? 8?

Subaru Spells Out The Name Of Their Version Of Toyota's FT-86 Coupe William Maley - Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com August 23, 2011 Subaru is behind Toyota with the number of concept vehicles previewing a RWD coupe the two companies are working on together. However, that will change very soon. Subaru has announced they will show a a "technology concept" for its version of the sports car at next month's Frankfurt auto show with name of BRZ. BRZ stands for Boxer Rear-drive Zenith. The technology concept will carry the name of BRZ Prologue. We're hoping to actually see more than a frame and engine that we saw at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year (like a body). Source: Autoblog.com

SRT Kicks Off The SRT High Performance Tour Two weeks ago, I had the chance to head down to Chrysler's HQ to see the kickoff of the SRT High Performance Tour. While down there, I had the chance to sit in a roundtable with CEO Ralph Gilles and drive some of the new products. SRT Kicks Off The SRT High Performance Tour A Moment with SRT CEO, Ralph Gilles First Drive & Ride: Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 & Dodge Challenger SRT8 392

First Drive & Ride: Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 & Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 William Maley - Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com August 22, 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 What happens when you drop a Jeep Grand Cherokee off at Chrysler's Street and Racing Technology workshop and tell the SRT engineers to have at it? You get the dark and monstrous Grand Cherokee SRT8. On the outside; the Grand Cherokee SRT8 has a lower stance, flared out fenders, a hood with scoops to help cool down the engine, 20 inch wheels wrapped in massive Pirelli PZero tires, and design bits give it an impression of don't mess with me. Inside the SRT8, its a combination of luxury and sport. Soft leather and swede cover the seats, with a pair of sport bucket seats for the driver and passenger. Real carbon fiber and metal trim compliment the soft touch dash. A new steering wheel with paddles and a new vehicle information system which provides instant data about acceleration, horsepower, torque, wheel angle and other bits finish off the interior. Powering the Grand Cherokee SRT8 is a monstrous 6.4L HEMI V8 producing 470 HP and 465 lb-ft. torque. Coupled with a 5-speed automatic and AWD system, the Grand Cherokee SRT8 can hit 60 MPH in 4.8 seconds and reach a top speed of 160 MPH. The Grand Cherokee SRT8 also comes with a modified version of the Selec-Track system. With the turn of a knob in car, the system can change the settings of many functions in the vehicle. Hoping into the Grand Cherokee SRT8 and taking it for a quick spin around Chrysler HQ, the first thing I noticed is how fast it is. Yes, the Grand Cherokee SRT8 weighs 5,150 pounds, but the big V8 and AWD system make the weight unnoticeable. And the Selec-Track system? It makes a notable difference with the behavior of the car. Turn the knob to Auto and car rides like a soft luxury car, ready to take on long distance trips. Turn it again to either Sport or Track and the car takes on a different character ready to attack the road and rulebook of physics. Stopping a 5,150 beast may seem like an impossible mission, but the set of Brembo brakes can handle the job. Even lightly touching the brake pedal, you can fell the brakes slowing down the vehicle. The best part of the Grand Cherokee SRT8 is the exhaust note. Every stoplight and stretch of straight road, you just want to hit the accelerator to just to hear the rumble of the V8. Getting out of the Grand Cherokee SRT8, I realized that SRT engineers had pull off a feat. They took a regular Grand Cherokee which was built to take on Moab and made it into road monster. It's not everyone's cup of tea. But for the select few, it's all you need. Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 The Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 is a pure muscle car. Compared to the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro; the Challenger might not handle as well or outrun the two, but can best the two on looks and pure fun. Powering this beast is a 6.4L HEMI V8 pumping out 470 HP and 470 lb-ft. torque. Mated to either a 6-speed manual or 5-speed automatic, the SRT8 392 can either become a smoke machine for dance parties or whip off a 0-60 in the 4 second range and reach a top speed of 175 (automatic) or 183 MPH (manual). Inside, not much has changed design wise except for a new steering wheel. Material wise, Chrysler switched many of the hard plastics the Challenger was known for soft touch materials and makes a big difference (if your an auto writer). I rode shotgun for a quick drive in the Challenger through Chrysler HQ. Acceleration is very strong through out the RPM band and will cause your head to flop back into the head when you hit the accelerator hard. The big surprise was the Challenger's adjustable suspension. Driving down the interstate, the Challenger was a comfortable cruiser, soaking up the bumps and ruts as we went along. Then there's "Sport" mode, which tightens up the chassis and lessens the amount of body roll. It doesn't make the Challenger a sports car, but it does help keep the Challenger flat and stable during a turn. The Challenger SRT8 392 isn't the fastest nor the quickest muscle car. But the Challenger does stay true to its muscle car roots with a big engine and beautiful noises. And with all of the changes with the interior and suspension done by Chrysler and SRT, the Challenger becomes a true contender in the muscle car battle royale. Related: A Moment with SRT CEO, Ralph Gilles SRT Kicks Off The SRT High Performance Tour