William Maley

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is considering whether or not to do a large SUV. This model would take on the likes of the Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon and Ford Expedition. Large SUVs are also big money makers. According to analysts, GM makes $10,000 or more on their large SUVs. "While crossovers are all anyone wants to talk about, the money is still in pickups and SUVs. FCA needs to enter this segment. FCA is chasing profit-driving vehicles and they are missing out on a major one, just as Ford is getting ready to launch an all-aluminum Expedition," said Dave Sullivan, an automotive analyst for Auto Pacific to the Detroit Free Press. Mike Manley, head of Jeep and Ram brands told the paper last month they are putting some thought into doing a large SUV. This possible new model might use the platform for the next-generation Ram truck - due out in 2018. "You have the opportunity with a new frame for the next-generation Ram. You have the opportunity to take a large SUV off of it because we already have a very, very capable frame today that is going to be upgraded," said Manley. One item Manley made very clear was this new SUV wouldn't be wearing a Ram badge. If FCA was to go forward with this, it would be part of the Chrysler, Dodge, or Jeep. Source: Detroit Free Press View full article

The Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is a hot car. Both in terms of performance and problems. Motor1 reports that Chevrolet will be introducing improvements for the Z06's cooling in 2017. Tadge Juechter, Corvette executive chief engineer said a small number of Z06 owners were experiencing heatsoak or overheating issues when running their models hard on the track. Juechter said this group was small, but very vocal with this issue. Chevrolet says full details about the changes will be announced later this year, but did say one of the changes will be a new hood with improved cooling vents. Source: Motor1.com View full article

Volkswagen finds itself in legal trouble once again as three U.S. states - Massachusetts, Maryland, and New York - have filed separate lawsuits over the diesel emission scandal. The lawsuits allege that the automaker undertook a massive cover-up of the illegal software and was orchestrated by high-level executives - including the former CEO. “The idea that this level of fraud could take place and involve so many people at such high levels of a major international corporation is appalling,” said New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman at a press conference this week. The New York Times, Road & Track, and Car and Driver got their hands on the New York lawsuit and it is quite damning. The suit cites internal documents, staff emails, interviews, and investigation as to how Volkswagen got to this point. The defeat device was originally developed back in 2004 by Audi. Internally known as "Acoustic Function," the system would reduce emissions by turning off a system called "Pilot Injection" Pilot Injection would inject additional fuel during engine start to help reduce diesel clatter This system would be used on the European market 3.0L TDI V6 from 2004 to 2006 [*]In 2006, Volkswagen was trying to figure out how to make the 2.0L TDI four-cylinder meet U.S. emission standards Engineers apparently looked at selective catalytic reduction (SCR) that uses urea injection to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. This was thrown out due to needing a separate tank for the urea and paying Mercedes-Benz for a license to use it. Instead, the decision was made to use a lean-trap system. This system works by trapping particulates in a soot filter. The particulates would be burned off by running the engine in a fuel-rich mode. This system had a major problem as the filter would prematurely fail due to excess build up. Thus the fateful decision of employing the "Acoustic Function" was used. [*]The complaint also notes that communications between executives within each brand, along with lateral moves of employees and executives between the brands meant that everyone knew about the use/possible use of this device in various vehicles. We highly recommend checking out the pieces from the sources below as we only scratched the surface on this. Source: Car and Driver, The New York Times, Road & Track View full article

The next-generation Jeep Wrangler is bringing forth something that a lot of people have been clamoring for a long time; a pickup. We already know that the Wrangler Pickup will be coming out sometime late next year. Now we have the first spy shots of it. According to Car and Driver, this mule is based on the Unlimited model. We can't tell you much about the design, aside from it appearing to have the iconic Wrangler shape. What we can tell you is that the pickup will use a new body-on-frame architecture that will use a steel frame, and a combination of aluminum and plastic for the body panels. Engines might be a new 2.0L turbo-four (possibly codenamed Hurricane) and Chrysler's 3.6L V6. A new eight-speed automatic will help with fuel economy. Source: Car and Driver View full article

There are days where we find ourselves wondering what goes through the head of executives of German automakers on some of the things they say. For example, BMW Australia’s Managing Director, Marc Werner told Motoring there could be a BMW pickup. “Never say never,” said Werner when asked about Mercedes-Benz's upcoming truck. “We’re watching the space closely.” “It’s easier for Mercedes [to bring a ute to market] because they have commercial vehicles and trucks and vans. We do not.” If BMW was to go forward, Motoring speculates that the tie-up with Toyota could grant them access to the HiLux truck. These comments are the complete opposite from those made by BMW Group’s senior vice-president of Asia, Pacific and South Africa, Hendrik von Kuenheim. “Definitely not, because this does not fit to our genes and our culture.” “There is huge potential in pick-ups. In North America you look at the Ford F-150 pick-up it is the best-selling car. You can do it but then you cannot be BMW. You have to be a different company, but this company is not ready to change from the ultimate driving machine and the ultimate successful company in luxury to a mass manufacturer who goes after the volume of pick-up trucks. Despite that the Ford F-150 is one hell of a vehicle. If you have that in a twin-cab version it is a great car. But that is Ford,” said von Kuenheim. Source: Motoring View full article

Tesla's CEO Elon Musk teased last week of a new master plan that would be appearing early this week. But like the launch of one of their new vehicles, there was a bit of delay. Last night, the plan was unveiled. If you were hoping for some exciting announcements, then you'll be disappointed with this plan. One of the big parts of 'Master Plan, Part Deux' is to "the major forms of terrestrial transport." What this means is the company is working on developing a compact SUV and a and a "new kind of pickup truck." Musk also says early development work has begun on a Telsa-Semi (Musk's name, not ours) and methods of urban transportation. Musk goes on to talk about developing Tesla's semi-autonomous systems further. A lot of this will rely on utilizing fleet learning (i.e. Autopilot) to help speed up development to a fully autonomous system. The post says the world could be ready to accept autonomous vehicles after they've driven 6 billion collective miles. Using three million miles per day as an estimate, it could take up about 2,000 days (about 5.5 years). Musk stands behind the Autopilot, saying “deploying partial autonomy now, rather than waiting until some point in the future” because “when used correctly, it is already significantly safer than a person driving by themselves (sic) and it would therefore be morally reprehensible to delay release simply for fear of bad press or some mercantile calculation of legal liability.” Other bits of this master plan include, Setting up a car sharing service allowing owners to make some cash Creating solar-panel roofs with "seamlessly integrated battery storage." (Would involve the merger of Tesla and solar panel installer SolarCity) Source: Tesla View full article

The diesel emission scandal has left Volkswagen at a bit crossroad in a number of areas. One of them deals with their brand identity in the U.S. For a better part of a decade, Volkswagen was known as the brand that sold 'clean diesels'. But the company is working to rebuild and change their identity. Part of that plan is taking diesel and putting it on the backburner. Volkswagen Group of America CEO Hinrich Woebcken tells Automotive News that diesel will not be a core element of their identity going forward. That isn't to say diesel will be banished from the brand. Woebcken said the fuel are still in their plans from 2017 to 2019 if they can get regulatory approval. But he did say they are re-evaluating diesel in their future lineup for the U.S. “We are not stopping diesel. Wherever diesel makes sense as a package to the car, we’ll continue. But in reality, we have to accept that the high percentage of diesels that we had before will not come back again,” said Woebcken. “The regulations from 2019-2020 are going to be so hard that we would have had to find an alternative to a certain extent anyhow. The diesel crisis is forcing us simply to think about this earlier.” Volkswagen's image rebuilding process in U.S. will see them at the beginning putting more emphasis on crossovers and all-wheel drive offerings. The first part of this process kicks off with the Golf Alltrack launching later this year. This will be followed by the long-awaited three-row crossover next March or April, and the long-wheelbase version of the Tiguan sometime in the summer. In 2020, Volkswagen will launch the first of many electric vehicles using their MEB modular platform in the U.S. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) View full article

It seemed for a time that the midsize truck was a dead vehicle driving. If you wanted one a few years back, you only had the choice of the Nissan Frontier and Toyota Tacoma. All of the other midsize trucks had disappeared due to pricing and fuel economy figures being very close to full-size trucks, causing many buyers to go with the larger option. But the midsize truck has been enjoying a resurgence thanks to General Motors introducing the latest versions of the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon into the U.S. This, in turn, has caused automakers to reconsider this class with Toyota introducing a ‘redesigned’ Tacoma last year and news coming out that Ford readying a new Ranger towards the end of this decade. GM hasn’t been resting on their laurels either. Last year saw them introduce a diesel engine that gives the Colorado and Canyon best-in-class towing numbers. A check-up in the midsize truck class was needed. Over the past few months, we spent some time in the 2016 Toyota Tacoma and GMC Canyon with the diesel option. Here is what we found out. Exterior: First up is the Toyota Tacoma which doesn’t look that much different from the previous model we drove back in 2013. The design brief for the 2016 model must have something to the effect of ‘if it ain’t broke, why fix it’ in terms of the overall shape. But that isn’t to say Toyota hasn’t made some changes to the design. The front end gets a larger grille, new headlights, and a more aggressive front bumper. Around the back, the tailgate has the ‘Tacoma’ name embossed. The GMC Canyon takes some ideas from the full-size Sierra in design. The front features a large chrome grille and rectangular headlights with LED daytime running lights. Our truck came fitted with a set of 18-inch wheels finished in what GM calls ‘ultra-bright chrome’. The rest of the truck is similar to Colorado in terms of the cab and bed design. I have to admit I prefer the Colorado over the Canyon in terms of design. The Colorado just stands out slightly more due to its more distinctive front end. In terms of beds, both trucks came with their short bed option - measuring about 5 feet. Those needing a bigger bed can option a 6-foot on both trucks. But it should be noted that the Tacoma Limited only comes with the 5-foot bed option. If you want the longer bed, you’ll need to drop down to one of the lower trims. As for bed features, both trucks feature a dampened tailgate and adjustable tie-downs on the bed rails. But the Tacoma begins to pull ahead as it features tie-downs integrated into the floor, storage compartments, and the option of a 120V/400W outlet. Interior: Like their full-size brethren, midsize trucks have been seeing a noticeable increase in terms of interior design and materials. Sitting in either truck, you’ll be impressed with the amount of soft-touch materials and the small design touches throughout the interior. Between the two trucks, we would say the Tacoma is the sharper looking with dash inserts that match the color of the seats and silver trim running around various parts. As for the dash layout, both trucks feature a simple layout with controls within easy reach. In terms of seating, the Canyon and Tacoma offer seating up to five. But the Canyon is the most comfortable of the two trucks. The front seats provide the right balance of comfort and support. For 2016, GM has added a height adjustment for the power seats. This little addition makes finding a comfortable position that much easier. As for the back, there is a decent amount of headroom. Legroom varies on how tall the passenger sitting up front is. It ranges from decent to nonexistent. The Tacoma, on the other hand, is a comedy of errors. First off, the front seats are mounted quite low and cause you to think that you’re sitting in a bunker. This wouldn’t be an issue if you could adjust the height, but the Tacoma doesn’t offer that. Making matters worse is the tilt and telescoping steering doesn’t offer enough range in terms of its adjustments. As I wrote my notes about the Tacoma, “instead of the truck fitting around you, you have to fit around it.” The back seat is best reserved for either small kids or cargo. An average size adult like your’s truly will find barely any head and legroom. Infotainment: The base Canyon SL and Canyon get a 4.2-inch color screen radio, while SLE and SLT trims get an 8-inch IntelliLink system. Our Canyon SLT tester featured the optional 8-inch IntelliLink system with navigation. General Motors has been improving IntelliLink/MyLink over the past few years in terms of overall stability. The system still stumbles in terms of performance and recognizing various devices plugged into the USB inputs. For 2016, GM has added Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability. We tried out CarPlay in the Canyon and found it to be slightly better than IntelliLink in terms of the iPhone-like interface and snappy performance. But like in previous GM models with CarPlay, we found various applications would crash and the system wouldn’t always see my iPhone. Since driving the Canyon, we have tried out CarPlay in vehicles other manufacturers and didn’t have any issues. All Tacomas feature Toyota’s Entune infotainment system. Depending on the trim, the screen will measure either 6.1 or 7-inches. Our Tacoma Limited tester came with the 7-inch screen. Entune might not be newest-looking infotainment systems on the block, but its simple interface and fast response times make it one of the better systems on sale. We also like how you can customize the home screen to provide various information such as audio and navigation. At the moment, Toyota hasn’t added Apple CarPlay or Android Auto to Entune. Powertrain: The GMC Canyon is the most well-rounded when it comes to powertrains. There is a 2.5L inline-four, a 3.6L V6, and the engine found in our tester, a 2.8L Duramax Turbodiesel four-cylinder. The diesel produces 181 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. This is paired with a six-speed automatic and either two-wheel or four-wheel drive. When leaving a stop, you’ll find yourself wondering where that turbodiesel thrust is. Turbo lag is very apparent with this engine. Once the turbo does spool up, the engine delivers power at a smooth and immediate rate. The six-speed automatic provides quick gear changes. In terms of towing, GMC says the Canyon diesel with four-wheel drive can tow up to 7,600 pounds. For the Toyota Tacoma, you can choose from a 2.7L four-cylinder or a 3.5L V6. We had the V6 in our tester which boasted 278 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque. The V6 can be paired with a six-speed manual or automatic, and either two or four-wheel drive. Our truck came with the automatic and four-wheel drive. On paper, the Tacoma trails the Canyon’s V6 (305 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque). Out in the world, the Tacoma surpasses GM’s V6 partly due to it feeling more grunty at low rpms. You don’t feel that you need to give the Tacoma’s V6 more gas to get moving at a decent clip. The six-speed automatic delivers smooth gear changes, but we wished it would go through the gears quicker. Towing is rated at 6,400 lbs, about 600 pounds less than the Canyon with the V6. Fuel Economy: The EPA rates the 2016 GMC Canyon four-wheel drive with the diesel at 20 City/29 Highway/23 Combined and the 2016 Toyota Tacoma V6 with four-wheel drive at 18 City/23 Highway/20 Combined. Our average for the week in both trucks were 25 MPG for the Canyon and 19.2 MPG for the Tacoma. Ride & Handling: No other midsize truck can come close to the GMC Canyon in terms of ride. Like the Chevrolet Colorado I drove last year, the Canyon’s suspension smooths over bumps and other road imperfections. You think that you’re riding in a sedan and not a truck. GM has done a lot of work in terms of sound-deadening for models equipped with the Duramax diesel. Thicker windows and more soundproofing means you’ll the clatter of the diesel engine when accelerating. The extra soundproofing also means the Canyon doesn’t have much wind and road noise coming inside. Contrast this with the Tacoma which feels more like a bucking bronco. You’ll able to tell how smooth or rough various roads are as the suspension will transmit a good amount of the surface into the seats due to the Tacoma retaining a solid-rear axle. Put a heavy load into the bed and the ride does smooth out. This is ok if you’re coming from an old pickup truck. Not so much if you’re coming from a sedan or crossover. Road and wind noise are very apparent at speeds above 45 mph. But the Tacoma does redeem itself when it comes to off-roading. Thanks to 9.4 inches of ground clearance, flexible suspension, and loads of off-road tech (hill start and descent control to name a couple), the Tacoma can tackle a trail with no issue. Thanks to winter storm during our week in the Tacoma, we were able to put the four-wheel drive system to the test. Fitted with a set of Michelin off-road tires, the Tacoma went through deep snow with no issues. It should be noted that if you’re serious about taking a Tacoma off-road, then you should look at the TRD Off-Road which adds new shocks, meatier off-road tires, the Multi-Terrain Select system that varies the traction control system for different conditions, and crawl control that modulates the brakes and engine when dealing with some treacherous obstacles such as a steep hill. The Canyon isn’t as capable off-road. For one, it is about an inch shorter in terms of overall ground clearance. Second, the front air dam which is used to improve overall aerodynamics hampers off-road performance. A key example of this comes in approach angle. The Canyon only has an 18-degree approach angle while the Tacoma has either a 29 or 32-degree approach angle. Value: Both of these test trucks make a strong case for going with one of the lower trims. The 2016 Toyota Tacoma Limited Double Cab starts at $37,820 for the four-wheel drive model. With options, the as-tested price came to $41,024. Yes, you do get a lot of standard equipment such as blind-spot monitoring, dual-zone climate control, navigation, heated seats, push-button start, and a JBL audio system. But you can get a fair amount of those features as options on the SR5 and the two TRD models. One other thing to consider. The Toyota Tacoma is one of the best vehicles to retain its resale value. Kelly Blue Book says the Tacoma will retain 73 percent of its resale value after three years. The Canyon SLT has a slightly lower base price of $37,450. But it is the more expensive of the two with an as-tested price of $44,365. A fair chunk of the price comes from Duramax diesel which will set you back $3,730. For the as-tested price, you can get into a decently equipped full-size truck. Again, the lower trim SLE gets most of the equipment from the SLT as options for a slightly lower price. Final Thoughts: If you’re expecting me to say the GMC Canyon is better than the Toyota Tacoma or vice-versa, then you’ll be surprised at what I’m going to say. Both of these trucks are good choices in the midsize truck class. The choice comes down to what are your desires and needs. For example, if you’re coming from passenger sedan into your first truck or planning to do some towing, the GMC Canyon and sister Chevrolet Colorado are what you should go for. On the opposite end, the Tacoma is perfect for those who want something to tackle the trail or need a V6 with a bit of punch. 2016 GMC Canyon SLT Crew Cab Cheers: Fuel economy of the diesel, barely any wind and road noise, smooth ride Jeers: Price, GMC Intellilink still has some bugs, fair amount of turbo lag 2016 Toyota Tacoma Limited Double Cab Cheers: Very capable off-road, V6 feels quite punchy, clever features in the bed Jeers: Rides like an old school truck, difficult to find a comfortable seating position, fair amount of road and wind noise Disclaimer: GMC and Toyota Provided the trucks, Insurance, and One Tank of Gas Year: 2016 Make: GMC Model: Canyon Trim: SLT 4WD Crew Cab Short Box Engine: 2.8L Turbodiesel Four-Cylinder Driveline: Six-Speed Automatic, Four-Wheel drive Horsepower @ RPM: 181 @ 3,400 Torque @ RPM: 369 @ 2,000 Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 20/29/23 Curb Weight: 4,698 lbs Location of Manufacture: Wentzville, MO Base Price: $37,450 As Tested Price: $44,365 (Includes $925.00 Destination Charge) Options: 2.8L Duramax Turbodiesel Four - $3,730 Bose Audio System - $500.00 8" Color Touchscreen with GMC Intellilink and Navigation - $495.00 Spray-On Bed Liner - $475.00 Copper Red Metallic Pain - $395.00 Driver Alert Package - $395.00 Year: 2016 Make: Toyota Model: Tacoma Trim: Limited 4X4 Double Cab Engine: 3.5L Atkinson Cycle V6 with Dual VVT-i Driveline: Six-Speed Automatic, Four-Wheel Drive Horsepower @ RPM: 278 @ 6,000 Torque @ RPM: 265 @ 4,600 Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 18/23/20 Curb Weight: 4,480 lbs Location of Manufacture: San Antonio, TX Base Price: $37,820 As Tested Price: $41,024 (Includes $900.00 Destination Charge) Options: Tonneau Cover - $650.00 V6 Tow Package - $650.00 5" Chrome Oval Tube Step - $535.00 Carpet Floor Mats w/Door Sill - $209.00 Mudgaurds - $140.00 Bed Mat - $120.00 View full article

The EPA, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and California Air Resources Board have released their draft Technical Assessment Report on the 'Midterm Evaluation of Light-duty Vehicle GHG Emissions Standards for Model Years 2022-2025'. Despite the long name, this report is important as the results will help determine if the 54.5 mpg corporate average fuel economy target for 2025 needs to be adjusted or not. Let's begin with the good news. The report says the industry is “adopting fuel economy technologies at unprecedented rates.” Automakers and suppliers have been hard at work on developing new technologies to improve overall fuel economy and emissions. The report goes on to say with the improvements being made on gas engines, automakers will not need to rely as heavily on electric or hybrid vehicles. Now for the bad news. According to Automotive News, government officals have taken the 54.5 mpg goal off the table. Low gas prices and the high demand for trucks, SUVs, and crossovers have caused officals to rethink the goal. The government now belives the fleet average for mpgs will land between 50 and 52.6 by 2025. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), EPA View full article

Volkswagen and U.S. regulators have finally agreed to a plan on the diesel emission scandal and possible dates have been set up for fixing the various the vehicles involved. Despite this, some of the diesel vehicles will not be fully compliant with clean air laws. According to Bloomberg, the oldest 2.0L TDI engines found in the last-generation Jetta and Golf, and 2009 Beetle will emit more emissions even with a possible fix. According to the California Air Resources Board, the possible fix will cut the emissions down by 80 to 90 percent. But even with the cut, the vehicles could emit as much as 40 times the permitted amount of NOx. This has some environmental advocates angry at the U.S. Government. “For reasons they didn’t state, they’re allowing fixed vehicles to not be fixed, but to allow vehicles to emit twice as much pollution as they otherwise would allow,” said Daniel Becker, director of the Safe Climate Campaign. Part of the reason Volkswagen might not be able to fully fix some of the diesel vehicles comes down to cost. There was talk about adding a urea-tank system on older models, but it was deemed to be too expensive. Instead, Volkswagen and regulators came up with alternate ways of cleaning up the air such as buy backs. We got our first indication of this back in March when a CARB official said that some of the affected TDI vehicles will only get a partial fix. At the current moment, a fix for any of the 2.0L TDI vehicles hasn't been approved by the government. Bloomberg says Volkswagen will send a proposal for the so-called third-generation 2.0L TDI vehicles as soon as July 29th and could be approved by October. Here is the remainder of Volkswagen's schedule, First-Generation 2.0L TDI: Proposal by November 11th, could be approved in January 2017 Second-Generation 2.0L TDI: Proposal by December 16th, could be approved by March 2017 Source: Bloomberg View full article