William Maley
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Everything posted by William Maley
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From the album: Review: 2016 Scion iM
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From the album: Review: 2016 Scion iM
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The Kia Soul is one the popular models in their lineup. But even more popular are the Soul ads with hamsters (Kia would like you to call them Hamstars). Recently, Kia unveiled a new ad with the Hamstars and the Soul EV (with others to follow). But the automaker slipped something towards the end of the ad of a new powertrain option. In the closing frames, Kia has an overview of the Soul lineup with Gas, Electric, and Turbo. Turbo? Right next to it is 'Winter 2016'. Very sneaky Kia. Rumors of a turbocharged Soul have been flying around for a few years now, but this could be first real indication of it. What could be under the hood of the Soul Turbo? Car and Driver speculates it might be the turbocharged 1.6L four-cylinder used in the Forte Koup and Forte5. The engine produces 201 horsepower. Source: Car and Driver, Kia View full article
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The Kia Soul is one the popular models in their lineup. But even more popular are the Soul ads with hamsters (Kia would like you to call them Hamstars). Recently, Kia unveiled a new ad with the Hamstars and the Soul EV (with others to follow). But the automaker slipped something towards the end of the ad of a new powertrain option. In the closing frames, Kia has an overview of the Soul lineup with Gas, Electric, and Turbo. Turbo? Right next to it is 'Winter 2016'. Very sneaky Kia. Rumors of a turbocharged Soul have been flying around for a few years now, but this could be first real indication of it. What could be under the hood of the Soul Turbo? Car and Driver speculates it might be the turbocharged 1.6L four-cylinder used in the Forte Koup and Forte5. The engine produces 201 horsepower. Source: Car and Driver, Kia -
Very few engines have a long history of powering various vehicles - the small-block Chevrolet V8 and the Buick 3.5L V8 that would be used in a number of British vehicles. Another one can be found under the hood of the Bentley Mulsanne, the 6.75L (6 and 3/4 in Bentley parlance) twin-turbo V8 can trace its roots back to 1959. But the final curtain call for this engine is coming. Bentley CEO Wolfgang Dürheimer told Car and Driver that the V8 has found its “final home” in the Mulsanne. The next-generation Bentley flagship would switch to a 12-Cylinder (most likely a W12 one). Keep in mind this isn't likely going to happen until the next decade as the Mulsanne recently underwent a refresh. This isn't the first time the V8 - known as the L-Series - has been shown the door. Back when BMW owned Bentley in the mid-nineties, the automaker dropped the L-Series V8 and replaced it with one of their own with the new Arnage. Volkswagen would snap Bentley up in 1998 and would bring back the L-Series for the Arnage in the Red Label. The BMW V8 would stick around in the Arnage Green Label. However due to poor sales of the Green Label, Bentley dropped it - engine and all. Source: Car and Driver -
Has it really been a month since Volkswagen and the U.S. Government announced they had reached an agreement over the 2.0L TDI emission scandal? Yes, it has and since then, the two have been hard at work with finalizing the agreement. This week, the two were in Federal Court in San Francisco to give an update. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer said at the brief hearing that the two parties have been making significant progress. The "parties ... have reported that in the month since we last met they have made substantial progress in intensive daily efforts to finalize the agreement, and most importantly are on track to meet the court's deadline," Breyer said. That deadline is June 21st. But there could be a possible roadblock for this agreement. Bloomberg reports that Volkswagen is arguing the fines being sought by the U.S. Government for emission cheating are excessive. The filing made on Tuesday said they were presenting this because the government probe is still ongoing. Source: Reuters, Bloomberg View full article
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Has it really been a month since Volkswagen and the U.S. Government announced they had reached an agreement over the 2.0L TDI emission scandal? Yes, it has and since then, the two have been hard at work with finalizing the agreement. This week, the two were in Federal Court in San Francisco to give an update. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer said at the brief hearing that the two parties have been making significant progress. The "parties ... have reported that in the month since we last met they have made substantial progress in intensive daily efforts to finalize the agreement, and most importantly are on track to meet the court's deadline," Breyer said. That deadline is June 21st. But there could be a possible roadblock for this agreement. Bloomberg reports that Volkswagen is arguing the fines being sought by the U.S. Government for emission cheating are excessive. The filing made on Tuesday said they were presenting this because the government probe is still ongoing. Source: Reuters, Bloomberg -
Late this year will see the launch of two new EVs, the Chevrolet Bolt and Hyundai Ioniq EV. The Bolt is the big story as it will offer a 200 mile range. The Ioniq EV will only have an 110 mile range. But that doesn't mean Hyundai isn't thinking about doing an electric vehicle with more range. Byung K. Ahn, director of Hyundai’s Eco-Vehicle Performance Development group says the Korean automaker is planning to launch a 200 mile EV in 2018, and then a 250 mile EV two years later. It would be easy to think that Hyundai will just improve the Ioniq EV to reach these ranges, but Ahn said it wouldn't the Ioniq. For a vehicle to have a range of 200 miles or more, it requires a vehicle with a larger footprint. Despite the improvements in improvements in overall energy density and software mapping, sometimes the best solution is to throw more batteries at it. Keep this in mind, the Chevrolet Bolt's wheelbase 3.9 inches shorter than the Ioniq (102.4 vs. 106.3 inches), while being able to provide a range of 200 miles. We're wondering if the design of the Ioniq's platform to allow three different powertrains - hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric - effects the overall packaging to fit more batteries. Ahn said Hyundai is “looking at different possibilities” for their long-range EVs. This means it could be based on a current or new model. Source: Car and Driver Pic Credit: Newspress USA View full article
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Late this year will see the launch of two new EVs, the Chevrolet Bolt and Hyundai Ioniq EV. The Bolt is the big story as it will offer a 200 mile range. The Ioniq EV will only have an 110 mile range. But that doesn't mean Hyundai isn't thinking about doing an electric vehicle with more range. Byung K. Ahn, director of Hyundai’s Eco-Vehicle Performance Development group says the Korean automaker is planning to launch a 200 mile EV in 2018, and then a 250 mile EV two years later. It would be easy to think that Hyundai will just improve the Ioniq EV to reach these ranges, but Ahn said it wouldn't the Ioniq. For a vehicle to have a range of 200 miles or more, it requires a vehicle with a larger footprint. Despite the improvements in improvements in overall energy density and software mapping, sometimes the best solution is to throw more batteries at it. Keep this in mind, the Chevrolet Bolt's wheelbase 3.9 inches shorter than the Ioniq (102.4 vs. 106.3 inches), while being able to provide a range of 200 miles. We're wondering if the design of the Ioniq's platform to allow three different powertrains - hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric - effects the overall packaging to fit more batteries. Ahn said Hyundai is “looking at different possibilities” for their long-range EVs. This means it could be based on a current or new model. Source: Car and Driver Pic Credit: Newspress USA -
General Motors is planning to expand the use of start-stop systems across most of their range by 2020 in an effort to improve fleetwide fuel economy. The plan will see at one powertrain combination offered in a vehicle to have this system. Stop-start systems work by turning off the engine when the vehicle isn't moving. When the driver removes his/her foot from the brake, the engine will kick back on. This move comes as the EPA will start handing out credits towards compliance with corporate average fuel economy standards to automakers who use this system in their vehicles next year. "Everyone will end up adding start-stop. Now there's a benefit in the EPA cycle, which there wasn't a few years ago. GM's new nine- and 10-speed automatic transmissions have been engineered from the beginning to incorporate start-stop. That will make it much easier and much smoother. That's what's been the holdup. First it was a regulatory issue, then it was a hardware issue," said AutoPacific analyst Dave Sullivan. GM spokesman Tom Read tells Automotive News that vehicles equipped with the stop-start system will use absorbent glass mat batteries (AGM) and tandem solenoid starters to enable faster and smoother restarts. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) View full article
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GM to Offer Stop-Start on Most of Their Lineup By 2020
William Maley posted an article in General Motors
General Motors is planning to expand the use of start-stop systems across most of their range by 2020 in an effort to improve fleetwide fuel economy. The plan will see at one powertrain combination offered in a vehicle to have this system. Stop-start systems work by turning off the engine when the vehicle isn't moving. When the driver removes his/her foot from the brake, the engine will kick back on. This move comes as the EPA will start handing out credits towards compliance with corporate average fuel economy standards to automakers who use this system in their vehicles next year. "Everyone will end up adding start-stop. Now there's a benefit in the EPA cycle, which there wasn't a few years ago. GM's new nine- and 10-speed automatic transmissions have been engineered from the beginning to incorporate start-stop. That will make it much easier and much smoother. That's what's been the holdup. First it was a regulatory issue, then it was a hardware issue," said AutoPacific analyst Dave Sullivan. GM spokesman Tom Read tells Automotive News that vehicles equipped with the stop-start system will use absorbent glass mat batteries (AGM) and tandem solenoid starters to enable faster and smoother restarts. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) -
That's my thinking - An all-wheel drive variant with larger turbos for a six-cylinder. Also, we need to keep in mind that there is the possibility of the Camaro going to Australia. Imagine what HSV could do to one of those...
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Mercedes-Benz is getting ready to launch four new electric vehicles - two sedans and two SUVs - by 2020. Autocar reports that the German brand is accelerating plans after the German government announced that it would be offering subsidies on all EVs priced less than €60,000 (about $66,900) to spur sales. The outgoing R&D boss at Mercedes-Benz, Thomas Weber has put these plans into motion and hinted that the electric models will share links with standard models. This means the sedans will have a connection to the C and S-Class, while the SUVs will share bits from the GLA and GLC. Sources tell Autocar that the designs share the basic elements with the gas-powered models, but will have their own touches to make them recognizable as EVs. In terms of platforms, the two sedans and GLC-sized model will use a new one known as MEA (Modular Electric Architecture). MEA allows Mercedes to offer an electric vehicle with either rear-wheel or all-wheel drive in combination with three electric motors. The GLA-sized model will utilize the same platform that underpins the B-Class Electric Drive. As for power, Mercedes' r&d is working on a range of electric motors producing 75 to 400kW (101 to 536 horsepower). Batteries will come from Accumotive that will provide a minimum range of 250 miles. Source: Autocar View full article
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Rumorpile: Mercedes-Benz Plans Four New EVs By 2020
William Maley posted an article in Mercedes Benz
Mercedes-Benz is getting ready to launch four new electric vehicles - two sedans and two SUVs - by 2020. Autocar reports that the German brand is accelerating plans after the German government announced that it would be offering subsidies on all EVs priced less than €60,000 (about $66,900) to spur sales. The outgoing R&D boss at Mercedes-Benz, Thomas Weber has put these plans into motion and hinted that the electric models will share links with standard models. This means the sedans will have a connection to the C and S-Class, while the SUVs will share bits from the GLA and GLC. Sources tell Autocar that the designs share the basic elements with the gas-powered models, but will have their own touches to make them recognizable as EVs. In terms of platforms, the two sedans and GLC-sized model will use a new one known as MEA (Modular Electric Architecture). MEA allows Mercedes to offer an electric vehicle with either rear-wheel or all-wheel drive in combination with three electric motors. The GLA-sized model will utilize the same platform that underpins the B-Class Electric Drive. As for power, Mercedes' r&d is working on a range of electric motors producing 75 to 400kW (101 to 536 horsepower). Batteries will come from Accumotive that will provide a minimum range of 250 miles. Source: Autocar -
With Holden transitioning the big Commodore from rear-wheel to front-wheel drive, there have been questions as to what will happen to Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) - the factory approved tuner that has created some of the widest performance vehicles in Australia - when this switch happens. Speaking with GoAuto, HSV's marketing and product planning general manager Damon Paull said they plan to continue working with Holden and the next Commodore. “We will certainly be looking to offer a Commodore-based product,” said Paull. “Holden has come out and said they are going to call it Commodore, whatever they end up importing. We'll certainly work closely with them to see if we can build a business case, which we are 100 per cent confident we can, that fits performance, design and innovation and fulfils customer expectation.” The next Commodore is expected to be a rebadged version of the next-generation Opel/Vauxhall Insignia and Buick Regal, and is expected to go on sale in 2018. If HSV is able to make a case, then we would expect something along the lines of the current Insignia OPC/VXR: twin-turbo V6 paired with an all-wheel drive system. Source: GoAuto View full article
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With Holden transitioning the big Commodore from rear-wheel to front-wheel drive, there have been questions as to what will happen to Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) - the factory approved tuner that has created some of the widest performance vehicles in Australia - when this switch happens. Speaking with GoAuto, HSV's marketing and product planning general manager Damon Paull said they plan to continue working with Holden and the next Commodore. “We will certainly be looking to offer a Commodore-based product,” said Paull. “Holden has come out and said they are going to call it Commodore, whatever they end up importing. We'll certainly work closely with them to see if we can build a business case, which we are 100 per cent confident we can, that fits performance, design and innovation and fulfils customer expectation.” The next Commodore is expected to be a rebadged version of the next-generation Opel/Vauxhall Insignia and Buick Regal, and is expected to go on sale in 2018. If HSV is able to make a case, then we would expect something along the lines of the current Insignia OPC/VXR: twin-turbo V6 paired with an all-wheel drive system. Source: GoAuto -
Another leadership shake-up at Alfa Romeo and Maserati has taken place. Today, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles announced Reid Bigland will take over from Harald Wester as the CEO for the two brands. Wester will remain as FCA's chief technology officer, and Bigland will continue as the head of U.S. and Canadian sales. "I am thankful for the work Harald has carried out in the last few years establishing a sound technical framework for our two premium brands and which has culminated in the recent launch of the Maserati Levante and the Alfa Romeo Giulia" said FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne in a statement. "It is time now for our efforts to be directed towards the global commercial expansion of these two brands, and I can think of no one better than Reid to fulfill that mission.” Bigland inherits what can be described as a 'comedy of errors'. The relaunch of Alfa Romeo is considerably over budget according to supplier sources to Automotive News. Meanwhile, countless delays have pushed back the launch of the Giulia (on sale at the end this month for Europe, fall for the U.S.) and Alfa's first SUV - the Stelvio - has been pushed back to early next year. Originally, Alfa Romeo was supposed to have eight models by 2018. This has been pushed back to 2020. Maserati isn't faring much better with profits falling and a lineup that is aging. The Levante SUV has been plagued by delays. European sales only began this month, with U.S. sales starting in October. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Press Release is on Page 2 FCA Announces Leadership Changes Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (NYSE: FCAU / MTA: FCA) announces the following leadership changes with immediate effect: Reid Bigland is named as the Chief Executive of the Alfa Romeo and Maserati brands. Reid has held a number of Sales and Brand Leadership positions within FCA, and is currently the Head of US Sales and the Chief Executive of FCA Canada, positions that he will continue to hold. Harald Wester, who has led the Alfa Romeo and Maserati brands until now, will be able to devote his full attention to the role of Chief Technology Officer for FCA, a role which he held while developing the technical basis for the Maserati and Alfa Romeo products and brands, and which have now achieved a high level of maturity. “I am thankful for the work Harald has carried out in the last few years establishing a sound technical framework for our two premium brands and which has culminated in the recent launch of the Maserati Levante and the Alfa Romeo Giulia. It is time now for our efforts to be directed towards the global commercial expansion of these two brands, and I can think of no one better than Reid to fulfill that mission. Reid has an extraordinary record of growing sales and market share in the US and Canada over the last 7 years at FCA, including leading the growth and positioning of the Ram and Dodge brands for part of that time.” added Sergio Marchionne, Chief Executive Officer of FCA. Reid Bigland and Harald Wester will continue to serve on the Group Executive Council (GEC). The Group Executive Council is the highest management body in FCA, and is chaired by the Chief Executive and is comprised of the senior functional and operating heads of the global organization. View full article
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Another leadership shake-up at Alfa Romeo and Maserati has taken place. Today, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles announced Reid Bigland will take over from Harald Wester as the CEO for the two brands. Wester will remain as FCA's chief technology officer, and Bigland will continue as the head of U.S. and Canadian sales. "I am thankful for the work Harald has carried out in the last few years establishing a sound technical framework for our two premium brands and which has culminated in the recent launch of the Maserati Levante and the Alfa Romeo Giulia" said FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne in a statement. "It is time now for our efforts to be directed towards the global commercial expansion of these two brands, and I can think of no one better than Reid to fulfill that mission.” Bigland inherits what can be described as a 'comedy of errors'. The relaunch of Alfa Romeo is considerably over budget according to supplier sources to Automotive News. Meanwhile, countless delays have pushed back the launch of the Giulia (on sale at the end this month for Europe, fall for the U.S.) and Alfa's first SUV - the Stelvio - has been pushed back to early next year. Originally, Alfa Romeo was supposed to have eight models by 2018. This has been pushed back to 2020. Maserati isn't faring much better with profits falling and a lineup that is aging. The Levante SUV has been plagued by delays. European sales only began this month, with U.S. sales starting in October. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Press Release is on Page 2 FCA Announces Leadership Changes Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (NYSE: FCAU / MTA: FCA) announces the following leadership changes with immediate effect: Reid Bigland is named as the Chief Executive of the Alfa Romeo and Maserati brands. Reid has held a number of Sales and Brand Leadership positions within FCA, and is currently the Head of US Sales and the Chief Executive of FCA Canada, positions that he will continue to hold. Harald Wester, who has led the Alfa Romeo and Maserati brands until now, will be able to devote his full attention to the role of Chief Technology Officer for FCA, a role which he held while developing the technical basis for the Maserati and Alfa Romeo products and brands, and which have now achieved a high level of maturity. “I am thankful for the work Harald has carried out in the last few years establishing a sound technical framework for our two premium brands and which has culminated in the recent launch of the Maserati Levante and the Alfa Romeo Giulia. It is time now for our efforts to be directed towards the global commercial expansion of these two brands, and I can think of no one better than Reid to fulfill that mission. Reid has an extraordinary record of growing sales and market share in the US and Canada over the last 7 years at FCA, including leading the growth and positioning of the Ram and Dodge brands for part of that time.” added Sergio Marchionne, Chief Executive Officer of FCA. Reid Bigland and Harald Wester will continue to serve on the Group Executive Council (GEC). The Group Executive Council is the highest management body in FCA, and is chaired by the Chief Executive and is comprised of the senior functional and operating heads of the global organization. -
The latest way Tesla has been trying to get around states that ban direct sales (Michigan for example) is to apply for a dealer license. But this plan appears to not be working. Automotive News reports that North Carolina's Division of Motor Vehicles has rejected Telsa's application to attain a second dealership license and said the automaker must go through a third-party dealership group. The ruling states that Tesla didn't meet the specific requirements to become exempt from a state law prohibiting manufacturers from owning dealers. Tesla already has one store in North Carolina in Releigh and was hoping open a new store at their service center in Matthews (suburb of Charlotte). The DMV order signed by signed by Administrative Hearing Officer Larry Greene, said there are “at least three independent dealers” in the market that would be able to own and operate a Tesla dealership “in a manner consistent with the public interest.” The news gets slightly worse for Tesla. Earlier this month, The Detroit News got their hands on documents between the state of Michigan and Tesla ranging from 2014 to early 2016 detailing the saga of Tesla trying to sell vehicles in the state. The most recent development saw the Secretary of State’s office requesting Tesla to provide proof that it is a franchised dealer. If not, the state will not rule on the applications. Secretary of State spokesman Fred Woodhams in an email said this it’s “an explicit requirement in state law.” Tesla doesn't see it that way. “We don’t harm any franchised dealers by selling directly; we have no relationships with any franchised dealers we would be unfairly competing against. Unlike if General Motors opened up their own store-owned dealership across the street from a franchised dealer that they gave rights to,” said Todd Maron, Tesla's general counsel. We highly recommend checking out The Detroit News piece to get the full picture of this mess. It is becoming very clear the only way for this to be settled once and for all is for it to go to the courts. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), The Detroit News View full article
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The latest way Tesla has been trying to get around states that ban direct sales (Michigan for example) is to apply for a dealer license. But this plan appears to not be working. Automotive News reports that North Carolina's Division of Motor Vehicles has rejected Telsa's application to attain a second dealership license and said the automaker must go through a third-party dealership group. The ruling states that Tesla didn't meet the specific requirements to become exempt from a state law prohibiting manufacturers from owning dealers. Tesla already has one store in North Carolina in Releigh and was hoping open a new store at their service center in Matthews (suburb of Charlotte). The DMV order signed by signed by Administrative Hearing Officer Larry Greene, said there are “at least three independent dealers” in the market that would be able to own and operate a Tesla dealership “in a manner consistent with the public interest.” The news gets slightly worse for Tesla. Earlier this month, The Detroit News got their hands on documents between the state of Michigan and Tesla ranging from 2014 to early 2016 detailing the saga of Tesla trying to sell vehicles in the state. The most recent development saw the Secretary of State’s office requesting Tesla to provide proof that it is a franchised dealer. If not, the state will not rule on the applications. Secretary of State spokesman Fred Woodhams in an email said this it’s “an explicit requirement in state law.” Tesla doesn't see it that way. “We don’t harm any franchised dealers by selling directly; we have no relationships with any franchised dealers we would be unfairly competing against. Unlike if General Motors opened up their own store-owned dealership across the street from a franchised dealer that they gave rights to,” said Todd Maron, Tesla's general counsel. We highly recommend checking out The Detroit News piece to get the full picture of this mess. It is becoming very clear the only way for this to be settled once and for all is for it to go to the courts. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), The Detroit News -
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles currently finds itself in hot water with the German transport ministry (KBA) for missing a meeting last week to talk about the use of software that turns off emission controls. Then word came out from the KBA that FCA declined to cooperate with the investigation, saying their vehicles meet emission standards. Because of that move, the KBA is considering banning the sale of FCA vehicles. Reuters cites a report from German newspaper Bild am Sonntag where sources said the KBA could threaten the company with a sales ban if they don't comply with emission rules. Not good news since the country is FCA's second biggest European market. How did FCA end up here? Bild am Sonntag explains that the KBA found evidence of the exhaust treatment system turning off after 22 minutes in some of FCA's models. A regular emission test takes about 20 minutes. After this news came out, shares in FCA dropped five percent in European stock trading. What happens next? Italian regulators and the European Commission will look at the data from the KBA before deciding the next move. FCA isn't the only automaker currently in hot water with the KBA. Last week, Opel met with officials to discuss software that turns off emission controls in the Zafira. Source: Reuters View full article
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Fiat Chrysler Automobiles currently finds itself in hot water with the German transport ministry (KBA) for missing a meeting last week to talk about the use of software that turns off emission controls. Then word came out from the KBA that FCA declined to cooperate with the investigation, saying their vehicles meet emission standards. Because of that move, the KBA is considering banning the sale of FCA vehicles. Reuters cites a report from German newspaper Bild am Sonntag where sources said the KBA could threaten the company with a sales ban if they don't comply with emission rules. Not good news since the country is FCA's second biggest European market. How did FCA end up here? Bild am Sonntag explains that the KBA found evidence of the exhaust treatment system turning off after 22 minutes in some of FCA's models. A regular emission test takes about 20 minutes. After this news came out, shares in FCA dropped five percent in European stock trading. What happens next? Italian regulators and the European Commission will look at the data from the KBA before deciding the next move. FCA isn't the only automaker currently in hot water with the KBA. Last week, Opel met with officials to discuss software that turns off emission controls in the Zafira. Source: Reuters -
Volvo is in the midsts of overhauling their lineup with the 90 Series nearing completion, and attention being turned towards the 40 and 60 Series. As Car and Driver notes during the press introduction of the 40 Series concepts, a video was shown demonstrating the flexibility of the CMA platform. Various body styles such as convertible were shown. This got Car and Driver thinking, was Volvo considering adding more variants down the line on the CMA platform? Peter Mertens, Volvo’s head of research and development said CMA could sit underneath a coupe or convertible. But right now, Mertens said Volvo is focused on their core models for this and the SPA platform. At the moment, Volvo's overhaul will be running till 2020. After that, Mertens said there would be the possibility of adding “emotional products” such as a convertible, a coupe, or even a coupe/SUV thing (PLEASE NO VOLVO, NO! -WM). Source: Car and Driver View full article
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There Is the Possibility of More Variants In Volvo's Lineup
William Maley posted an article in Volvo
Volvo is in the midsts of overhauling their lineup with the 90 Series nearing completion, and attention being turned towards the 40 and 60 Series. As Car and Driver notes during the press introduction of the 40 Series concepts, a video was shown demonstrating the flexibility of the CMA platform. Various body styles such as convertible were shown. This got Car and Driver thinking, was Volvo considering adding more variants down the line on the CMA platform? Peter Mertens, Volvo’s head of research and development said CMA could sit underneath a coupe or convertible. But right now, Mertens said Volvo is focused on their core models for this and the SPA platform. At the moment, Volvo's overhaul will be running till 2020. After that, Mertens said there would be the possibility of adding “emotional products” such as a convertible, a coupe, or even a coupe/SUV thing (PLEASE NO VOLVO, NO! -WM). Source: Car and Driver -
Infiniti and high-performance vehicles just never seem to happen. We hear about plans and see concepts that preview an upcoming model. Then, the plans fall through. The latest victim was the Q50 Eau Rouge concept that was officially canceled last year. Still, Infiniti isn't giving up the dream. Infiniti's European boss François Goupil de Bouille tells Autocar that the brand knows it needs a halo vehicle (such as performance model) and hinted that hybrid power could be used for it. “Having halo cars is important, but historically brands develop their base and then add in these higher-end models. One day the question will come for Infiniti, but at the moment our focus is on building the core," Goupil de Bouille said. (In terms of Europe, not North America. -WM) “But if you look at what we are doing in F1 then you can see some possibilities. We worked closely with Red Bull, but now with Renault we are more integrated than ever and have taken charge of the hybrid modules on the F1 car. That gives an idea of the direction in which we are going in terms of performance and, while no decisions have been taken for road cars, when we are ready to discuss it, there is one opportunity there.” But like previous times with any talk of an Infiniti performance vehicle, we'll believe when we see it. Source: Autocar View full article
