William Maley

DOH! Fixed it.

Volkswagen CEO Matthias Mueller told a German publication that it would launch a recall for diesel vehicles that have emission-cheating software starting in January and hopefully finish up fixing all of the vehicles by the end of the year. "If all goes according to plan, we can start the recall in January. All the cars should be fixed by the end of 2016," Mueller told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Now it should be noted this is only for vehicles in Europe. A Volkswagen of America spokeswoman says the EPA has to agree to the fix that Volkswagen would present. No timetable was given as to when a fix would be announced. Muller said a number of vehicles could be fixed by a software update, while others will need new injectors or larger catalytic converters. Source: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung via Reuters, CNN Money View full article

Volkswagen CEO Matthias Mueller told a group of 20,000 employees today in Germany that the company will be cancelling and delaying a number of projects in light of the diesel emission scandal. "Therefore we are putting all planned investments under review. What is not urgently needed will be scrapped or delayed. And therefore we will adjust our efficiency program. I will be very open: this won't be painless," said Muller. Fixing around 11 million vehicles around the world that are affected by the rigged software is a costly prospect for Volkswagen. Muller says the $7.29 billion set aside for repairs will not be enough to pay for fines and lawsuits. Volkswagen has been criticized for being an “incredibly inefficient” company. Last year, the automaker had set aside $17.4 billion research and development. That is higher than what Ford and General Motors spent on r&d combined last year. “Where’s the innovation? Obviously not in diesel engines. There’s a culture of spending and a lack of focus on efficiency in favor of striving to be bigger,” said Arndt Ellinghorst, an analyst with Evercore ISI. Source: Bloomberg View full article

The clock is ticking now as the UAW has issued a strike notice to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles that will end a previously agreed upon contract extension tomorrow at 11:59 PM EDT if a new deal for its 40,000 members isn't reached. FCA issued a statement saying they have received the notice and are continuing discussions with the UAW to possibly alleviate this situation. The Detroit Fress Press has learned from sources that negotiations between the two groups have broken down and that the UAW negotiators have left the bargaining table. A number of union members have been wanting a strike since the two groups went into negotiations. How serious is the UAW with the strike. An unnamed UAW official says elected leaders are being asked to pick up picket signs and are meeting with plant officials on keeping machinery running for safety reasons. What's unclear at this moment is the UAW's plan for the strike? Would it be national strike or would the Union target certain plants? “They don’t have to go long if they do strike. A strike causes pain on both sides and applies pressure to get back to the table,” said Kristin Dziczek, director of the Labor & Industry Group at the Center for Automotive Research Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), Detroit Free Press, The Detroit News, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles FCA US Statement Regarding UAW Strike Notification FCA US confirms that it has received strike notification from the UAW. The Company continues to work with the UAW in a constructive manner to reach a new agreement. The UAW Strike Notice is Below View full article

Let me the answer the first two questions: Yes and Yes

Well he did have the trademark for Fisker and the logo.

Mazda's Skyactiv diesel engine has been rocky since it was first announced back in 2011. The automaker was planning on having it available on one of their vehicles starting in 2013. But since then, Mazda has pushed back the launch again and again, citing the reason of delivering "the right balance between fuel economy and Mazda-appropriate driving performance." But in light of the Volkswagen cheating emissions on their diesel vehicles, a few people are questioning whether or not Mazda will go forward with their diesel plans. “It’s been delayed and delayed, and Mazda keeps saying it’s coming. At this point, I don’t understand why they would need a diesel for this market. I don’t see it happening,” said Dave Sullivan, an analyst for AutoPacific to Bloomberg. Sullivan points out that in light of the Volkswagen scandal, the U.S. Government is going to make it even tougher for diesel vehicles to be sold. “The government is not making it easy, and if anything it’s just going to get worse. The oversight that’s coming is about to make it even more difficult,” said Sullivan. Bloomberg reached out to Mazda who said engineers in the U.S. are still hard at work on the engine. Mazda says they don't a have a timetable as to when the engine will be introduced, nor will they be changing their plans in light of the Volkswagen mess. Source: Bloomberg View full article

A lot of automotive writers have a list of vehicles that we wished more people would consider purchasing. For example, my list of vehicles I wished more people would consider includes the Cadillac CTS, Lexus IS, and Mazda6. Let me add another one to this list, the Chevrolet SS. This car on paper has a number of items that should bring in people such as potent V8 engine, a choice of automatic and manual transmissions, long list of standard features, and a price tag under the $50,000 mark. But this isn’t happening. Sales figures for SS came to 2,479 vehicles in 2014. This year isn’t any better with 2,199 vehicles sold through August. Now, we should note that GM was only planning on selling a couple thousand a year - something the company is achieving. But we think the Chevrolet SS is worthy of more and deserves some time in the spotlight. Let us explain. Unfortunately, we must begin with a negative to the Chevrolet SS and that happens to be the exterior. The SS happens to be the Holden Commodore from Australia. With the model coming to the U.S., GM made a number of small changes such swapping out the Holden emblems for Chevrolet ones, putting the SS name to the trunk lid, and adding a set of nineteen-inch alloy wheels. However for a model that has the performance credentials like the SS, we were expecting a bit more in terms of design. Maybe some hood vents, flared out fenders, or more aggressive bumpers to make it stand out. Now the understated look does give the SS an understated look to put under the radar of many folks. But maybe it is a bit too understated. The first day I had the SS, my dad said it looked like a Malibu. Ouch. At least the Chevrolet SS begins to improve when you go inside. This has to be one of GM’s best efforts in terms of interiors outside of Buick and Cadillac. The interior is trimmed with suede with contrasting stitching, soft-touch plastics, and faux aluminum trim. The seats come wrapped in leather with suede inserts. The front seats provide excellent support and hold you whenever you decide it's time to play around. A set of power adjustments and heat and ventilation make the front seats the place you want to be in the SS. For the back seat, passengers will find more than enough head and legroom. Chevrolet has fitted the last-generation version of the MyLink system to the SS. While that means you don’t get a fancier interface to use, it does mean you’ll be avoiding a number of problems that currently plagues the current version. The interface is simple looking and easy to understand. Moving to the various functions of the system only takes a few moments. One other bit of technology that Chevrolet has fitted to the SS is a heads-up display. This display provides key information such as speed, navigation, what’s playing, and much more on the windshield. This helps reduce the time you take eyes off the road. In terms of power, the SS comes packing with a 6.2L V8 with 415 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque. Previously, you could only get a six-speed automatic with the SS. But for the 2015 model year, Chevrolet has added a no-cost six-speed manual as an option. The first time you start up the 6.2 V8 in the SS, it sounds like a monster being rudely awaken. The engine boasts a pronounced growl at idle. When you put the vehicle into gear and get moving, the V8 begins to purr and produce a distinctive burble that increases in tempo and volume the higher you climb in the rev range. In terms of outright performance, the SS has oodles of power at its disposal. Whether you are leaving a stop light, merging onto a freeway, or accelerating out of a turn, the V8 has power throughout to get you moving. Our test SS had the six-speed manual and it is unlike any manual transmission that I have driven so have so far. The shifter requires a firm hand and some force to have it go into gear. The clutch is also slightly tricky since there is a small window between moving and stalling. Once you understand these traits, the manual transmission becomes quite fun to play with. Now there is one issue with the manual transmission and that is the skip-shift system. This locks out second and third gears to improve fuel economy. This system proved to be more of an annoyance than help as we found ourselves confused as to why we couldn’t go into second after leaving a stop, before realizing the skip-shift system had kicked in. Also, the engine would bog down when we shifted into fourth. This meant we found ourselves shifting into third to give the engine some breathing room. In terms of fuel economy, the SS equipped with the manual is rated by the EPA at 15 City/21 Highway/17 Combined. Our average for the week was around 16.2 MPG. If you were worried about the size of the SS being a detriment in overall driving experience, you can breathe a sigh of relief as the SS is a fantastic handler. A lot of this comes down to GM fitting the magnetic ride control system on the SS for the 2015 model year. This system uses special shocks filled with magnetic fluid that instantly change the firmness in milliseconds. This allows the SS to hunker down and show no sign of body roll when you are playing around in the corners and also provides a smooth ride when you’re doing some errands. You can adjust how firm or soft the suspension is via a knob in the center console. The steering has a lot of feel that will inspire a fair amount of confidence for a driver. We just wished there was a little bit more weight to go with it. It’s a shame the Chevrolet SS isn’t getting the time in the spotlight that it fully deserves. Now some of this has to put at GM since there hasn’t been any marketing for the vehicle. Do you remember the last time you saw an ad for the SS? We going to assume the answer has been never. But some of this must be leveled at the SS’ design. It just blends in with every other car. But the overall package and performance does combat most of the design issues for the SS. This is a car that you kind of have to take a chance on. But if you decide to do it, the SS will reward you greatly. Disclaimer: Chevrolet Provided the SS, Insurance, and One Tank of Gas Year: 2015 Make: Chevrolet Model: SS Trim: N/A Engine: 6.2L V8 W/SFI Driveline: Six-Speed Manual Transmission, Rear-Wheel Drive Horsepower @ RPM: 415 @ 5,900 Torque @ RPM: 415 @ 4600 Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 15/21/17 Curb Weight: 3,960 lbs Location of Manufacture: Elizabeth, Australia Base Price: $45,745 As Tested Price: $46,740 (Includes $995.00 Destination Charge) Options: N/A View full article