William Maley

German authorities will put Volkswagen's fixes for diesel emissions to the test. German newspaper Die Welt reports that the German Transportation Authority will take Volkswagen vehicles affected by the diesel cheating scandal and perform emission and fuel usage testing once the company begins doing the fixes. Die Welt goes on to say that the test results and raw data will be published in full to guarantee transparency. No word as to when the re-tests would be carried out. Volkswagen says vehicles in Europe only need a software upgrade and a new mesh filter to be placed in front of the vehicle's air mass sensor. Source: Reuters View full article

Automotive News recently reviewed a fair amount of data to answer a question; which automakers are selling more vehicles to rental car companies? Previously, the big three would do "fleet dumping" as a way to prop up sales for the month. But now, Ford and General Motors have actually cut back on selling to rental fleets and number of Asian automakers are picking up the slack. Automotive News compared sales to rental fleets in 2012 to this year's numbers, and GM has reduced its sales to fleets from 18.6 percent (nearly one-fifth of their total sales) to 13.6 percent. It should be noted that GM is still the top rental car provider with 378,219 vehicles through November. But GM is the only automaker to reduce its rentals this year (down 11 percent through November). Ford has also seen its share of fleet sales drop from 15.4 in 2012 to 11 percent this year. Automotive News does note that Ford's fleet volume has increased 23 percent through November of this year. Meanwhile, Asian automakers are increasing their sales with Hyundai and Kia leading the charge. Through November, 22.4 percent of Hyundai's total sales were for rental fleets. Contrast this to just 9.9 percent in 2012. Jessica Caldwell, an analyst for Edmunds.com says a possible reason for this is people are buying up crossovers and trucks, and Hyundai and Kia don't make that many. "Anytime an automaker is under pressure to protect market share, it's tempting to count on the daily rental business to dial up more volume," said Caldwell. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) View full article

The Cadillac Escalade is an anomaly for the brand. The model represents everything that Cadillac would like to leave behind, Shares the platform that Chevrolet and GMC use for their full-size SUVs Too Much Bling Nimble Performance is non-existant Hasn't sold in any real volume in other countries But the Escalade is the model that commands top dollar and brings in buyers who tend to go for German and Japanese luxury brands. According to Automotive News, buyers laid down an average of $85,000 for the long-wheelbase Escalade ESV. The Escalade "is the one car we have that import buyers won't even bat an eye to buy," said Keith Harvey, executive manager of Gold Coast Cadillac in Oakhurst, N.J. "They don't have to worry what people will think when they pull up to the country club. It's an Escalade." This leaves Cadillac in a precarious place. How do you bring one of your most popular models into the image you are trying to create for the brand? In the short-term, Cadillac president Johan de Nysschen has floated the idea of doing a VSport model to possibly expand the Escalade lineup. But long-term, de Nysschen admits there is some frustration on how to evolve the model. "How do you balance the desire to bring it into alignment with where we're taking the brand and the equally intense desire not to screw up a good thing?" he said last April. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) View full article

In a class that is highly competitive such as the compact luxury sedan segment, trying to make yourself stand out is a tough ask. Some can do it just on reputation, while others must rely on price, design, features, or overall drivability. Infiniti is using technology to have their Q50 sedan stand out in this crowded field. We spent a week in the Q50S 3.7 to see if any of this new technology makes a difference. In terms of styling, the Q50S sits right in the middle of the compact luxury sedan spectrum. It isn’t as shocking as the Lexus IS, but it isn’t boring as a BMW 3-Series. The overall design is reminiscent of the Q70 (formally known as the M37/35h/56) with a narrow grille, a sculpted hood that rises and falls, and a distinctive character line running from the front fender to the rear. This particular Q50S was fitted with 19-inch Rays wheels finished in black and looked quite sharp. It should be noted the wheels are part of a Performance Wheel package that also swaps the standard run-flat tires for a set of summer performance tires. The Q50S’s interior is very scrumptious with leather and soft plastics seemingly lining every surface, and a small amount of wood trim around the center stack. Front seat passengers get supportive seats with power adjustments and the ability to cool and heat. The driver gets a couple of more adjustments in the form of adjustable seat bolsters and a manual extension for the thigh. Rear seat passengers will find plenty of headroom, but legroom is somewhat limited thanks to a tall transmission tunnel. A key feature of the Q50 is Infiniti’s InTouch infotainment system. The system is comprised of two screens; the top one handles navigation and key information about the vehicle, while the bottom one handles audio, climate, vehicle settings, and other functions. Now before you start thinking the dual screen setup is going to be a catastrophe like the system used in Acura vehicles, it isn’t. The difference is that Infiniti uses two touchscreens, unlike the one touchscreen and the other screen being controlled by a knob like a number of Acura models. Using the system was a breeze thanks a simple layout and quick performance. There are a couple of downsides to the InTouch system. First is the navigation system which is looking very dated when compared to other models in the compact luxury class. Second is the bottom screen that washes out in sunlight. In terms of power, the Q50 comes with either a 3.7L V6 or a hybrid powertrain that pairs the V6 with an electric motor. Our tester boasted the V6 with 328 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque. This is paired to a seven-speed automatic transmission. The V6 is very potent as it will pull hard during acceleration and feels eager to get up to speed. But the V6 isn’t the smoothest or most refined at higher rpms as many of its competitors. The seven-speed automatic transmission delivers quick and smooth shifts. In terms of fuel economy, the Q50 with the V6 is rated at 20 City/29 Highway/23 Combined. Our week of driving saw an average of 21.2 MPG. The Q50S boasts a sport-tuned suspension which gives it a button-down feeling on the road. In corners, the Q50 shows excellent control of body motions. Agility is also tops as the Q50S seamlessly moves from corner to corner. The ride is on the firm side, letting in some bumps into the cabin. Noise isolation is excellent. Now the Q50 has one other key item that Infiniti is quick to point out and that is the optional Direct Adaptive Steering system. Unlike most systems where the system is mechanical-based, Direct Adaptive Steering uses a drive-by-wire system that transmits electrical impulses from the steering wheel to the front wheels, causing them to turn. Infiniti has also fitted an electric motor to mimic weight when turning. At first, I thought I was driving a normal steering system as it had good weight and feel for a sporty sedan. It was only when I parked the car and played around with the wheel did I realize something was different. The steering wheel moved very fast and with no feel. It was then I realized I had the drive-by-wire system. After spending a week with the Direct Adaptive Steering system, I’m a bit mixed. Not with the system itself, I actually didn’t have any complaints about the steering feeling disconnected to the road or having enough weight as other reviews. I found it to be like any other steering system. But I find myself wondering if this was done because Infiniti sees the future of steering going to this, or if they did this just for the sake of differentiation? The Infiniti Q50S is a good compact luxury sedan, but it relies too much on technology as a crutch. Yes, it's amazing that the dual-screen infotainment system works very well, but so does a single screen and a controller. The drive-by-wire steering system is a really cool piece of technology, but does it bring any real improvement? If you take the technologies away, you have a sedan that is very competent. But in a class that is highly competitive and models are constantly improving, competent isn’t good enough. Infiniti needs to go back to drawing board and figure out how to take a model from competent to a real contender. The bones are there in the Q50, they need a bit more finessing and less tech. Disclaimer: Infiniti Provided the Q50S 3.7, Insurance, and One Tank of Gas Year: 2015 Make: Infiniti Model: Q50 3.7 Trim: S Engine: 3.7L DOHC 24-Valve V6 Driveline: Seven-Speed Automatic, Rear-Wheel Drive Horsepower @ RPM: 328 @ 7,000 Torque @ RPM: 269 @ 5,200 Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 20/29/23 Curb Weight: 3,675 lbs Location of Manufacture: Tochigi, Japan Base Price: $43,650 As Tested Price: $54,055 (Includes $905.00 Destination Charge) Options: Technology Package - $3,200 Deluxe Package - $3,100 Performance Wheel Package - $1,800 Navigation Package - $1,400 View full article

FCA's second five-year plan had some interesting products for Chrysler, including a new compact called the 100 due in 2016. But there could be some changes in store for Chrysler's lineup due to current situation in the market. Allpar reports that investor presentation mentioned that Chrysler's future lineup was “under re-evaluation”. Causes for the re-evaluation include fuel prices going down and are predicted to stay there for the next few years, the increasing popularity of crossovers, and the decline in small car sales. The original plan for Chrysler in the second five-year plan included, Compact 100 sedan to be launched in 2016 Next-generation minivan to be launched in 2016, with a PHEV to follow a year later New full-size crossover to be launched, with a PHEV in 2017 200 sedan is refreshed in 2017 Midsize crossover is launched in 2018 Next-generation 300 is launched in 2018 Allpar believes that the 100 might morph into a crossover, complementing the Fiat 500X and Jeep Renegade. But there could be the possibility of 100 being sold elsewhere in the world and not the U.S. and Canada. The midsize crossover is speculated to be the replacement for the Dodge Journey and is expected in the near future. Source: Allpar View full article