William Maley

BMW doesn't have a vehicle that directly competes with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class coupe, but Autocar says that could be changing. According to sources at BMW's R&D center in Munich, there are two proposals on the table for a new 8-Series. The first is a four-door coupe - think 6-Series Gran Coupe in a larger size - and the second is a for a two-door coupe and cabriolet. Why is BMW considering a competitor to the S-Class Coupe? Because they want to experience the same profits that Mercedes is currently enjoying. According to internal studies, Mercedes is earning up to 30,000 Euros on every S-Class they sell. That turns into a tidy profit of up to billion Euros in a year. Now if BMW decides to go forward with either option, Autocar says a concept is likely to appear in 2018. A production model would follow two years later, using the 7-Series platform. Source: Autocar View full article

Rolls-Royce has announced that 2016 will mark the end of the current Phantom lineup. The sedan will make a return in 2018, but the coupe and drophead coupe will not. To mark the end of the coupe and drophead, the British automaker has announced a new special edition. The Phantom Zenith coupe and drophead coupe will come equipped with a Tailgate Hosting Area; laser-etched armrests featuring the locations of where the 100EX and 101EX concepts were revealed, unique instrument dials, a Spirit of Ecstasy figurine, and more. “As the name promises, Zenith will be the pinnacle; the best of its kind; the highest standard achievable by which everything else is judged. Zenith will be the sum of all the best features of Phantom Coupé and Drophead Coupé, with a few surprises added," said Rolls' Director of Design, Giles Taylor. Rolls will only be building 50 Zenith models before both models say good-bye later this year. As for the next-generation Phantom sedan, it will utilize a new aluminum platform that will find its way underneath all of Rolls-Royce models. The Phantom will also use lightweight metal and carbon fiber to help reduce weight. Design is expected to be the same as the current Phantom. Source: Rolls-Royce Press Release is on Page 2 ROLLS-ROYCE MOTOR CARS BRINGS SEVENTH GENERATION OF PHANTOM TO AN END 23.02.2016 Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Chief Executive Officer, Torsten Müller-Ötvös, has announced that the current Phantom will enter the last stages of its celebrated life in 2016. This announcement follows the recent news that Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has begun testing its all-new aluminium architecture, which will underpin every future Rolls-Royce arriving in-market from early 2018. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Chief Executive Officer, Torsten Müller-Ötvös, has announced that the current Phantom will enter the last stages of its celebrated life in 2016. This announcement follows the recent news that Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has begun testing its all-new aluminium architecture, which will underpin every future Rolls-Royce arriving in-market from early 2018. He also announced that Phantom Coupé and Drophead Coupé models will not be renewed in the future. These two magnificent Phantom models will end their lives with a special collection of only 50 highly desirable cars to be called Phantom Zenith. The current seventh generation of Phantom started production in Goodwood over 13 years ago and quickly became the foundation upon which the renaissance of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars was built. A magnificent, graceful and powerful statement of the marque’s claim to the very pinnacle of super luxury, Phantom VII is now approaching the end of its production. During November this year, the build of the very last Phantom Coupé and Drophead Coupé at Goodwood will be completed. These models will not be replaced. Collectors around the world will be excited to learn that a spectacular collection of 50 unique Coupé’s and Drophead Coupés, called Phantom Zenith, will be built to celebrate the end of production of these truly exceptional cars. Rolls-Royce will also build the last Phantom VII limousines this year. Torsten Müller-Ötvös, said, “I am proud and excited to announce that a new Phantom is on the way – a contemporary and beautiful Phantom enhanced with cutting-edge technologies and design innovations. Any new Phantom is an historic and important moment in automotive history and we are working hard on perfecting the Phantom VIII.” Rolls-Royce Motor Cars reset the benchmark for luxury motor cars in 2003 when it launched Phantom VII, a motor car that has remained the pinnacle of pure luxury for the last 13 years. Over those years Rolls-Royce created many fantastic Phantoms that stunned the world with their beauty and redefined the notion of pure luxury motoring. Now it is time to take the next step in the luxury journey. Phantom VII – Continuing to set the luxury benchmark even as it prepares to leave the world stage Even as it prepares to leave the world stage, Phantom VII will continue to set the benchmark for luxury motoring with a number of limited-run collector’s pieces, each of which will be the last of their line. To mark their exit, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars’ Bespoke design department will create the most highly Bespoke examples of each Phantom model to date – Coupé, Drophead Coupé and Limousine. At the same time the craftspeople who build each Rolls-Royce motor car to roll down the line at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood are already preparing themselves for the painstaking work that will go into these very special final motor cars. Zenith – The very pinnacle of automotive excellence The first of these special collections will be named Zenith, and will be the last ever Phantom Coupé and Drophead Coupé models available to commission from Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. “As the name promises, Zenith will be the pinnacle; the best of its kind; the highest standard achievable by which everything else is judged,” comments Director of Design, Giles Taylor. “Zenith will be the sum of all the best features of Phantom Coupé and Drophead Coupé, with a few surprises added. We expect huge demand for these 50 fine motor cars as we shall not look upon their like again.” Such surprise features will include a Tailgate Hosting Area; laser etched armrests depicting the original launch locations of 100EX in Villa D’Este and 101EX in Geneva; Bespoke instrument dials and a special treatment of the iconic Spirit of Ecstasy figurine. Each customer will also receive a ‘money cannot buy’ portable memento of his or her purchase, whilst the motor cars will be offered to clients in a palate of memorable colour combinations from Rolls-Royce’s history. Phantom VII – The return of the pinnacle of automotive excellence The launch of the seventh generation Rolls-Royce Phantom, on 1 January 2003, was much more than the reveal of a new super-luxury car; it signalled the 21st Century renaissance of the world’s most famous luxury automobile brand and the first glimpse of a masterpiece that quickly established itself at the pinnacle of automotive excellence, leading where others could only try to follow. For the preceding five years, and in the absence of publicity, designers, engineers and craftspeople had overseen the birth of a flagship Rolls-Royce motor car and state-of-the-art production facility on the Goodwood Estate in Southern England. Without parallel in the car industry, the achievement was all the more astonishing for a brand which shouldered the weight of automotive history and for which expectations for the future were rightly very high. From launch, the Rolls-Royce Phantom proved itself a worthy recipient of the famous Spirit of Ecstasy figurine. From its Pantheon grille to long rear overhang, the design was clearly a Rolls-Royce. Every angle revealed a bold yet elegant car with road presence that was second to none. From 2005, new variants of Phantom VII were added. First was the Phantom Extended Wheelbase, followed by the ultimate in luxurious open-top motoring, the Phantom Drophead Coupé in 2007 and, in 2008, the Phantom Coupé, Rolls-Royce’s sophisticated grand tourer. All these beautiful cars are timeless in their appeal, and have been the cornerstone of Rolls-Royce’s Bespoke offering to its clients’ sophisticated requirements, allowing them to create individual works of art with their superlative cars. Today, every Phantom that leaves the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood has Bespoke features. ‘Waterspeed’, ‘Aviator’, ‘Metropolitan’, ‘Maharajah’ and ‘Serenity’ are a few of the names of Iconic Bespoke Phantoms which have entered private collections around the world and will live down the years as some of the most beloved Rolls-Royces ever. View full article

Lamborghini will be seeing a change of the guard next month as current CEO Stephan Winkelmann will become head of Audi's Quattro GmbH - the division that it tasked with working on the R and RS models. Winkelmann's successor will be former Scuderia Ferrari F1 team principal Stefano Domenicali. Winkelmann became Lamborghini's CEO in 2005 and is credited for the massive growth the brand has been seeing for a few years now. In 2015, Lamborghini sold a record 3,245 vehicles. Winkelmann also signed off the Urus SUV which is expected in a couple of years. "I have been responsible for Lamborghini for a significant period of time in its history, and in the process have always aimed to use the brand's potential to achieve very ambitious goals. Lamborghini's key corporate data displays continual, profitable growth with a focus on the development of new products, new processes, and many other corporate sectors. Together with my colleagues from the Board of Directors, I was able to facilitate successful initial release of our third model series being launched in 2018. These successes would not have been possible without the passion, skill, creativity, and courage that are ingrained in the Lamborghini DNA and in our employees. I would like to thank everyone for this time from the bottom of my heart," Winkelmann said in a statement. Domenicali started with Ferrari back in 1991 and moved to the Scuderia Ferrari F1 squad in 1993 in their business planning department. He would hold a number of positions before being named team principal in 2008. Six years later, Domenicali resigned from his position due to the team's poor performance. Sometime thereafter, Audi brought him as the Vice President New Business Initiatives. Source: Lamborghini Press Release is on Page 2 Stephan Winkelmann to be new CEO of quattro GmbH As of March 15, 2016, Stephan Winkelmann (51) will be the new CEO of quattro GmbH, a 100 percent subsidiary of AUDI AG, which produces and distributes the high performance R and RS models. Winkelmann was President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. since January 1, 2005. Heinz Hollerweger (62), the current Head of quattro GmbH, is to retire after almost 40 years of successful work for Audi. "With his experience from more than eleven years in charge of Lamborghini, Stephan Winkelmann will be a key contributor to the further growth of quattro GmbH," says Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG. quattro GmbH includes the Audi Sport brand with customer motorsport, the development and distribution of the R and RS models, the accessories of the Audi Sport collection and the car‑customizing services of Audi exclusive. In the future, the Audi Sport brand is to be positioned more clearly. As CEO of Lamborghini, Winkelmann was responsible for substantial investment in the future of the company from 2005 onwards. He developed Lamborghini into one of the world's leading manufacturers of super sports cars. In 2015, the brand with the raging bull achieved a new record with deliveries of 3,245 units. Lamborghini is also a pioneer in the field of automotive lightweight construction and in the development of innovative carbon‑fiber technologies. As of 2018, Lamborghini will produce a third model series for the first time, which will be made alongside the Huracán and Aventador models at its site in Sant'Agata Bolognese: a highly sporty SUV. Winkelmann also pushed forward with the expansion of Lamborghini's sales organization. Under his leadership, the number of Lamborghini dealerships has tripled in the last decade. This year, the brand with the raging bull celebrates the 100th birthday of the company's founder, Ferruccio Lamborghini. In May 2014, Winkelmann was presented by President of Italy Giorgio Napolitano with the Grand Cross, the country's highest order of merit, for his achievements as CEO of one of the most important Italian companies. Before Winkelmann became CEO of Lamborghini in 2005, he was the Board of Management Chairman of Fiat Auto Austria, Switzerland and Germany. Stephan Winkelmann succeeds to Heinz Hollerweger (62), who will be retiring. "Heinz Hollerweger has been one of the catalysts for Audi's path into electric mobility," stated Stefan Knirsch, Board of Management Member for Technical Development at AUDI AG. "He also contributed decisively to the success and expansion of quattro GmbH." The Audi subsidiary's sales increased in 2015 by 13 percent to more than 17,000 units. Hollerweger also achieved a lot with the development of Audi Sport, which includes the brand's sporting activities such as customer motorsport under the label of Audi Sport customer racing, the R and RS models, and the accessories of the Audi Sport collection. Heinz Hollerweger was born in Austria and started his career at Audi in Ingolstadt in the area of acoustics in 1977. Twelve years later, he moved to the Audi site in Neckarsulm as head of acoustics, and returned to Ingolstadt three years afterwards as head of vehicle inspections. From 1997 until 2005, he was responsible for the area of vehicle physics. After that, he was in charge of overall vehicle development. In that position, he was responsible for numerous show cars that later went into series production, such as the Audi Q5 custom concept, predecessor of the successful Audi SQ5. Furthermore, Hollerweger coordinated the entire test activities of the Technical Development division. During his time as head of overall vehicle development, more than 70 models were developed to series maturity. Hollerweger has been one of the catalysts of electric mobility. With the R8 e-tron, he and his team designed a sensational electric super sports car for the Frankfurt Auto Show in 2011: a powerful sports car with electric drive, the first test vehicle of its kind. It was later developed to series maturity at quattro GmbH. In April 2014, Hollerweger became Head of quattro GmbH, where his responsibilities included the expansion of the RS portfolio and the development of the new Audi R8. In addition to the "Golden Steering Wheel 2015" in the sports car category and the "Auto Trophy 2015," the Audi R8 also received numerous awards for its connectivity and is regarded as the benchmark for its segment in this respect. quattro GmbH was also highly successful with the R8 LMS in 2015, winning all of the renowned GT3 races worldwide. STEFANO DOMENICALI TAKES OVER LEADERSHIP OF AUTOMOBILI LAMBORGHINI Sant'Agata Bolognese, February 23, 2016 – Stefano Domenicali will become the new President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini on March 15, 2016. He succeeds Stephan Winkelmann, who will take over as CEO of sports Audi affiliate quattro GmbH. "Over the past eleven years Stephan Winkelmann has transformed Lamborghini into a global leader in the manufacture of super sports cars. His successor, who also possesses a wealth of experience in this area, will be continuing this success," says Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board Management of AUDI AG and Chairman of the Administrative Board of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A.. Stefano Domenicali, born on 11 May 1965 in Imola, graduated in 1991 after studying business administration at the University of Bologna and began his professional career in finance with Ferrari. In 1993 he moved to Scuderia Ferrari, where he took over as Head of Business Planning. He was also director of the Mugello circuit, which belongs to Ferrari. From 1996, Domenicali was responsible for sponsors of Scuderia Ferrari, before becoming sporting director of the Formula 1 team in 1998. From 2004 to 2007 he headed the Direzione Sportiva F1. In 2008 he was Team Principal of Scuderia Ferrari F1, which won the Constructors' World Championship that year. From 2009 to 2014 Domenicali represented Ferrari in the F.I.A World Motor Sport Council and still belongs to that body today. He is currently president of the F.I.A. Single Seater Commission. He has been Vice President New Business Initiatives at AUDI AG since November 2014. In 2002 he received the order of merit of the Italian Republic, the Ufficiale Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana. Stefano Domenicali says: "I am very excited to be taking on the challenges of this great legacy. It is now my duty to continue the successes that my predecessor Stephan Winkelmann achieved for Automobili Lamborghini." Stephan Winkelmann comments: "I have been responsible for Lamborghini for a significant period of time in its history, and in the process have always aimed to use the brand's potential to achieve very ambitious goals. Lamborghini's key corporate data displays continual, profitable growth with a focus on the development of new products, new processes, and many other corporate sectors. Together with my colleagues from the Board of Directors, I was able to facilitate successful initial release of our third model series being launched in 2018. These successes would not have been possible without the passion, skill, creativity, and courage that are ingrained in the Lamborghini DNA and in our employees. I would like to thank everyone for this time from the bottom of my heart." Winkelmann was born in Berlin on 18 October 1964 and grew up in Rome. He held a variety of senior positions in the Fiat Group heading up operations in Germany, Austria and Switzerland before being appointed President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini in 2005. Between 2004 and 2015 the sales figures at Lamborghini more than doubled, and the turnover more than tripled. The dealer network has also tripled in size and now encompasses 135 dealers in 50 countries. During this time the number of employees, today 1,300, practically doubled. Models introduced under Winkelmann, starting with derivatives of the Gallardo and ranging through to the V10 Huracán and V12 Aventador as well as limited editions and one-offs, set numerous new sales records. In 2015 the third model line was announced, the luxury SUV "Urus", to be constructed in Sant'Agata Bolognese starting from 2018, and marking the beginning of a new era for the company. Raising the profile of the brand was another focus under Winkelmann's leadership, with numerous successful initiatives launched. These included motor sports activities, encompassing the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo single-make series, the GT3 championship, and the instructional driving courses Accademia and Esperienza, but also the establishment of the fashion line Collezione Automobili Lamborghini. Winkelmann's strategy was also aimed at taking care of ethical corporate responsibilities such as sustainable development of business and society while always keeping ecological issues in mind. In 2015, the CO2-neutral manufacturing certification for the entire Lamborghini factory at the historic Sant'Agata Bolognese location, became the most recent success of this strategy's implementation. Under Winkelmann's leadership Lamborghini became an increasingly attractive employer and received numerous awards, one of these being the Top Employer Italia 2016 certification. These results are in part due to the participative model under which constant dialog and collaboration form the basis for relations with the trade unions. In May 2014 President Giorgio Napolitano recognized Winkelmann with the title of Knight Grand Cross, the highest-ranking honor in the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, for his service as the CEO of one of the most significant Italian companies. View full article

From the story, Most of these dealers are in small towns of America and have most of the GM brands in one dealer. They might not sell a lot of Cadillacs, but they do move a lot of the other brands. I have to agree with you on this point. If a customer wants to try out the vehicle, it would be nice to have a couple of demo vehicles that you can use along with this showroom idea.

Cadillac president Johan de Nysschen is trying to sell Cadillac's lowest-volume dealers (selling 50 or less models in a year) on transitioning to a virtual showroom. Automotive News says de Nysschen outlined this concept to dealers last week during national brand meetings in Southern California. The concept involves a dealer going to a concierge-style approach where salespeople would visit prospective buyers either at home or work, equipped with a touchscreen device with vehicle configuration or virtual-reality units. Dealers who go with this concept will also not stock Cadillac vehicles. Instead, orders would be coming from regional inventory center. de Nysschen has expressed concern for dealers that have Cadillac in the same showroom as one of the other GM brands (most of the low volume Cadillac dealers), saying he'll have trouble tolerating dealers "selling Cadillac out the back door of a Chevy store" last year. But de Nysschen also sees an advantage in having a sales and service footprint that covers America's smaller towns - an area that many of Cadillac's competitors don't exist in. Going with the virtual dealer concept, de Nysschen believes Cadillac can retain that point and give dealers the relief of not having to stock a small number of vehicles on their lot. "We want to work with those small dealers to give Cadillac a competitive advantage in terms of reach into their local communities, but do so in a way that's more closely aligned with what we think the Cadillac luxury brand experience should be," said de Nysschen to Automotive News. It's a way to "immerse customers in a virtual brand experience, so that our dealers need not concern themselves with investing in showrooms and brand-element requirements, which clearly are cumbersome if you're such a small dealer." But dealers are worried about the virtual showroom concept as it would basically become a service center for Cadillacs that might sell a new vehicle once in a blue moon. "How does having fewer Cadillacs on display at dealerships in all of these communities help sales?" asked Byron Hansen, owner of Hansen Motor Co. in Brigham City, Utah. "It makes you wonder what they're trying to accomplish." Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) View full article

“The 2013 Nissan Maxima is a very special car, but it's time for this 'four-door sports car' to take its final curtain call and have a new model ready in the wings.” That was how I ended my review on the last-generation Nissan Maxima. It was a good full-size sedan, but it was getting up there in age and new models were one-upping it. No one knew at the time that this could have been the final Maxima. But thanks to a few people at Nissan’s, the full-size sedan was given a reprieve. Last year, I had the chance to drive the new 2016 Maxima and came away really impressed. But I knew this short drive only told part of the story. How would the Maxima fare when I would drive it for a week? I spent a week in the sportiest Maxima, the SR and have some thoughts on it. As I wrote in my first drive, I thought the Maxima’s design was able to make it stand out not only in the full-size class, but also in Nissan’s very crowded lineup. I still believe this. The Maxima features a lot of items that we have seen on the Murano crossover, such as the V-Motion grille, boomerang headlights and taillights; dual exhaust tips, and blacked-out pillars that give the illusion of a floating roof. The SR adds a sporty flair with a set of nineteen-inch wheels. The Maxima’s interior has undergone a massive change. There are quality materials in abundance with soft-touch plastics, contrasting stitching, and faux aluminum. SR models get a combination of Alcantara and leather wrapping around the seats. Nissan’s Zero Gravity seats feature additional bolstering to hold you in if you decide to test the validity of the ‘4-Door Sports Car’ slogan. I found the seats to provide a nice balance of comfort when driving long distances or making a quick trip, and holding you in when you feel like taking the back roads. The back seat is slightly smaller than what you might expect in a big sedan with headroom coming up short for taller passengers. Legroom is average by full-size sedan standards. Nissan’s designers slightly angled the center stack towards the driver to make the area a bit more intimate. It works as it makes you feel that you are a key part of the vehicle. Controls are large and have a solid feel to them. The Maxima is one Nissan’s vehicles equipped with an eight-inch screen and the latest version of Nissan Connect. The system is pleasant to look at thanks to a new interface. You have the choice of controlling the system by either the touchscreen, buttons on either side screen, or Nissan’s ‘Display Commander’ knob in the center console. No matter which control method you choose, navigating the system is quite easy. Like the Murano I reviewed a couple of months ago, the Maxima experienced the problem of saying it lost XM signal, despite there being a signal and playing a station. I found that switching to another source and then going back to XM, the problem would be gone. A software update could fix this problem. Power for the Maxima comes from a 3.5L V6 producing 300 horsepower and 261 pound-feet of torque (@ 4,400 rpm). Nissan retains the Xtronic CVT and front-wheel drive for the Maxima. All-wheel drive was considered, but Nissan ultimately passed due to a projected low take rate. The V6 is really impressive as it moves the 3,564 pound Maxima SR with no problem. Accelerating at a normal rate, the V6 delivers power on a smooth and steady rate. Pin the accelerator to the floor and the V6 roars into life with a mean growl and moves the Maxima at an alarming pace. Where the Maxima’s powertrain falters slightly is with the Xtronic CVT. For a sedan that’s billed as a ‘four-door sports car,’ having a CVT kinds of sours this mission statement. You expect to feel and hear the changing of a transmission for a ‘sports car’ and you don’t get that with a CVT. That isn’t to say the Xtronic CVT is bad. Nissan has done a lot of work to make the CVT bearable such as a mode that mimics the gear changes of an automatic and somehow reducing the amount of droning when the engine is spinning at high rpm. But if you are trying to promote the Maxima as the ‘four-door sports car,’ maybe putting an automatic transmission wouldn’t be such a bad idea. As for fuel economy, the Maxima SR is rated at 22 City/30 Highway/25 Combined. My average for the week landed around 23.5 MPG is mostly city driving. Nissan is positioning the Maxima SR as the sportiest of all the Maxima trims. Under the skin, Nissan made some changes to the SR’s suspension with new dampers, springs, and stabilizer bar. A set of Goodyear Eagle F1 tires improves overall grip. Out on a curvy road, the Maxima SR is quite surprising. For a large sedan, the Maxima SR is surprisingly very agile with barely any hint of body roll. Steering is nicely weighted and provides decent feel. The downside to the changes in the suspension is a somewhat stiff ride. Certain bumps and imperfections will jostle you and your passengers. At least the Maxima does quite well when it comes to road and wind noise isolation. After spending a week in the Maxima, my level of enthusiasm died down somewhat. Nissan did address a number of issues that plagued the previous Maxima and has made it a real winner in the full-size sedan class. But the fact Nissan is still calling the Maxima a ‘four-door sports car’ and saddles it with a CVT kind of nixes that image they are trying to put out there. If you want something that stands out in a full-size sedan, then the Maxima is worth a look. Just be somewhat realistic on the sporty image that Nissan is trying to convey. Cheers: Sharp Styling, V6 Performance, Sporty Handling Jeers: CVT kind of ruins the 'four-door sports car' image, tight headroom in the back Disclaimer: Nissan Provided the Maxima SR, Insurance, and One Tank of Gas Year: 2016 Make: Nissan Model: Maxima Trim: SR Engine: 3.5L DOHC 24-Valve V6 Driveline: CVT, Front-Wheel Drive Horsepower @ RPM: 300 @ 6,400 Torque @ RPM: 261 @ 4,400 Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 22/30/25 Curb Weight: 3,564 lbs Location of Manufacture: Smyrna, TN Base Price: $37,670 As-Tested Price: $38,750 (Includes $825.00 Destination Charge) Options: Sport Floor Mats, Trunk Mat, and Trunk Net - $255.00 View full article

No one is saying that the TDI will be replaced by electrics. No one. It would be a piece of a puzzle of trying to build out other options aside from diesels. I will agree on the point the U.S. government shouldn't be involved with this. Also, I think a lot of that beloved-ness of diesel has gone down somewhat.

How does this plan put Volkswagen in further peril? Please, explain this to me. Volkswagen is up to their necks in this scandal and anything to prevent from drowning would be a good thing.