William Maley

Since I use two screens, I tend to vary what I have on either desktop. The first is a drawing of the Skoda Superb that I pulled from their media site - I have a thing for drawings of concepts and production vehicles. The other is a Subaru WRX STI rally car. Usually, I have one of the shots from my reviews on one of my screens.

Last year, federal prosecutors in Manhattan and the F.B.I. opened an investigation into General Motors into its handling of the ignition switch defect. The investigation focused on whether the automaker failed to comply with federal safety laws stating that an automaker must disclose vehicle defects in a timely fashion and misleading federal regulators on the full extent of problem. The result of their investigation showed that GM did commit criminal wrongdoing. The New York Times reports investigators from the Justice Department have found criminal wrongdoing in the failure of GM of disclosing a defect tied to at least 104 deaths. People briefed on the inquiry say the two parties are negotiating what misconduct the company would admit to and a settlement. The Times says the amount will eclipse the $1.2 billion paid by Toyota last year for not disclosing its problem with unintended acceleration. Now the settlement will include a so-called 'cooperation credit' as GM helped out in the Justice Department's investigation. “We are cooperating fully with all requests. We are unable to comment on the status of the investigation, including timing,” said GM in a statement. Also under investigation are former GM employees, some who were dismissed last year could face criminal charges. Source: The New York Times View full article

For a full-size truck in Australia? Yes. Ram will be sending some of their trucks - 2500/3500 models I think - later in the year.

The Nissan IDx concepts received rave reviews from the press and public when they debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2012. A modern interpretation of the iconic Datsun 510 from the 70's, the concepts were small, rear-drive coupes that could compete with the likes of the Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ. The past year or so saw reports of a production model possible arriving in 2016. But since then, Nissan hasn't said anything about them. The Truth About Cars reports that plans for a production version of IDx has been canned. Speaking with Pierre Loing, Vice President of Product Planning for Nissan North America, he explained that the company doesn't have a small enough rear-drive platform to do a production IDx. The 370Z was a possible candidate, but it was deemed too big. What about developing a new platform for the IDx? “Small, sporty cars are very attractive for consumers but not in huge numbers. To do them properly – in our case – you can’t rely on an existing rear-wheel drive platform, because its dimensions are for a much larger powertrain. So, for us, it would mean developing a different rear-wheel drive platform and then we are bumping into the same obstacles every other automaker has: the volumes of a small, sporty car are not enough to justify the investment,” said Loing. So while the dreams of a rear-drive IDx have been dashed, the design of the IDx could be transferred to a front-wheel drive based model. “I think we may still have some room (to add a retro-inspired car). We have a wide lineup.” Source: The Truth About Cars View full article

Mostly Midsize trucks - Ford Ranger, Holden Colorado, Mitsubishi Triton, Nissan Navara, Toyota HiLux.. I think there are some other competitors from India and China.

It seems America isn't the only place that is interested in the Toyota Tundra. CarAdvice.com.au reports there is “enormous demand” for the Tundra in Australia. Speaking with Tony Cramb, Toyota AU's executive director of sales and marketing said there was room for a larger truck. But there are two key items withholding the Tundra from the Australian marketplace. “We have an enormous demand for a Tundra here in Australia, there’s no doubt if we could get a diesel Tundra, then I think we’d sell 100 a month. But regrettably because it’s manufactured in the States, it’s unlikely to happen that way," said Cramb “… We’ve had strong requests at dealer meetings to get the Tundra here, and we have made representation. But when it comes down to it, because it’s not LHD here, and because it’s petrol, in the end it’s very hard to make the case.” For now, those who are interested in buying a Tundra in Australia can visit an importer and pick up one for around 120,000 AUD (about $94,000). Source: CarAdvice.com.au View full article

Last May, General Motors agreed to a consent order from federal safety regulators over its decision on waiting too long recall 2.6 million vehicles with faulty ignition switches. Part of the order was to disclose detailed safety issues and meet with officials from NHTSA monthly. This could be extended up to three years. Well after a year of being under scrutiny, NHTSA has decided to extend it one more year. The Detroit News obtained a letter from NHTSA to GM dated on May 14th. The letter, written by Timothy H. Goodman (a lawyer for NHTSA) to GM North America general counsel Lucy Clark Dougherty said the agency would be extending the order. Now this isn't because NHTSA is disappointed in how GM handling recalls now. But "to continue the dialogue those requirements have facilitated on important safety issues," as the agency has seen this to be a productive tool. "GM learned a hard lesson last year. We expect to see the improvements they've made continue and that their new approaches are applied to every GM safety issue and every recall. Today's action will help keep them on the right track," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx in a statement. Source: The Detroit News View full article

Let me direct you here ---> Carfax: 2015 Volkswagen GTI *Note: Shameless Plug by your's truly. Also, I will have a GTI review here in a month or two.* Let me try to answer these questions as best as I can. It comes pretty close. The GTI has a lot of spunk, fun in the corners, quite comfortable for daily driving, and does pretty well on gas - got 28 MPG for the week. If you're planning on carrying people, go for the four-door. Comes with a decent amount of equipment on the base model. Yes, the GTI is built Mexico. Really couldn't tell a difference in quality, so I think you might be safe. That drove me crazy as well. Had an SE and wished I could get the plaid seats (Yes, I'm a sucker for plaid) I would honestly buy a GTI if I could. But I can't comment on reliability or dealer experience. What I will say is skip the driver assistance package since it becomes a hinderance because Volkswagen made it way too sensitive.

For the decade and a half, the 'Zoom-Zoom' tagline instantly conjures up Mazda. But there's one problem with it; everyone has their own interpretation of it. Mazda hopes to rectify it with the introduction a new marketing campaign in the U.S. with the tagline of 'Driving Matters'. "When we go into a focus group, we do a first opening statement. 'When I say Mazda, what do you think of?' Nine times out of 10 they say 'Zoom Zoom,'" he added, banging a table for emphasis. "Then I'll ask them to explain to me what 'Zoom Zoom' means, and I'll get 6 or 7 different answers. That's what Driving Matters is supposed to address. It's supposed to solidify what 'Zoom Zoom' means to people," aid Russell Wager, vice president of U.S. marketing at Mazda. Now Zoom-Zoom will not fully go away. The automaker plans to have 'Zoom-Zoom' in small print in some of the ads. The first ad, called 'A Drivers Life' which shows a man's life arc through various Mazdas - starting with the first MX-5 Miata and goes through Mazda's current lineup ending with new MX-5. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), Mazda Press Release is on Page 2 Mazda Launches All-New Advertising Campaign, “Driving Matters”New Campaign Communicates How the Joy of Driving Can Enhance Your Life IRVINE, Calif. (May 21, 2015) – The Oxford Dictionary defines “driving” as, “operating and controlling the direction and speed of a motor vehicle.” Mazda believes that driving is more than a definition. Driving is an experience that can enhance your life. To better illustrate how every Mazda vehicle embodies why “Driving Matters,” today Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) is rolling out a new advertising campaign. Driving Matters is an evolution of the Game Changers campaign. With Game Changers, Mazda succeeded in increasing consumer awareness of the functional attributes of our vehicles. Driving Matters will extend the message by creating an emotional connection to the brand. “Through the Driving Matters campaign, consumers will get a glimpse at why driving matters so much to Mazda and why we obsess over every detail in designing our cars,” said Russell Wager, vice president of marketing, MNAO. “Whether it’s for safety purposes or for maintaining our ‘fun to drive’ nature, it all comes down to the fact that driving matters to our customers and it matters to us.” Mazda’s all-new Driving Matters campaign will showcase various aspects of what makes the driving experience so important. Through Mazda’s advance technologies and design, the campaign will dive into the importance of vehicle safety, good-looks, fuel efficiency and the fun-to- drive personality of Mazda cars. The engineering and design that goes behind each car in Mazda’s lineup epitomizes the enhancement driving has on a person’s life. The campaign will launch with “A Driver’s Life,” which chronicles the major moments and life stages in a driver’s life, like getting a license and buying your first car, through raising a family and obtaining your “reward” car. The spot will feature multiple 2016 models but the aim is to celebrate driving and the core values of Mazda customers. The campaign will launch on Friday May 22nd in cinema and television with a mixture of a :60 and :30 second ads. It will be supported digitally and on our social channels. “Mazda makes cars for people who take pleasure in driving, and “Driving Matters” perfectly aligns with that philosophy. Through our creative process, it became evident that Mazda’s inspiration for pure driving enjoyment is something that relates to the typical car buyer,” said Harvey Marco, creative director, Garage Team Mazda. Mazda’s long-running Zoom-Zoom tagline will continue to be a part of the brand’s DNA. Since its inception in 2000, Zoom-Zoom has come to symbolize what a Mazda stands for – stylish, insightful and spirited – and the Driving Matters campaign will communicate the company’s core belief in the joy of driving and illustrate the emotional enhancement driving has on our lives in everyday situations. Mazda will deliver the new advertising message via in-cinema, television, print, out-of home and digital media. View full article

Previously, we heard that the next-generation Jeep Wrangler would have an all-aluminum body. But that doesn't appear to be the case anymore. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne told reporters yesterday that the Wrangler would shed the aluminum body, but would have certain parts made from aluminum. “There will be a large portion of that vehicle that will be aluminum. It will not be all aluminum. We've run the numbers and we've simulated mileage and the impact. Because of the difference in cost -- not just of the material but the actual assembly process -- I think we can do almost as well without doing it all-aluminum. I think we can get very close,” said Marchionne. The move to aluminum would help out in fuel economy with a lighter curb weight. But it would also mean a possible move from the Toledo factory where the Wrangler is currently built. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) View full article

While Takata has agreed to declare its airbags in nearly 34 million vehicles defective yesterday, a new report from Bloomberg says the supplier changed the design to reduce the risk of abnormal deployment back in 2008. Sources tell Bloomberg that Takata changed the propellant mix to help reduce the effect of humidity - what many believe to be the cause of problem - around the same time that Honda announced that it would be replacing airbags in some of their models. This new information could shine a light on one of the biggest mysteries on Takata's airbags. The company has said time and time again that its current products are safe, but didn't say why. It should be noted many of the vehicles involved in the recall were built before 2008. The report goes onto say that a select group of people - including government officials - were told about the change. Source: Bloomberg View full article

It seems a month can't go by without another automaker announcing a new pocket rocket. Currently we have the Ford Fiesta and Focus ST; Honda Civic Si, Subaru WRX and WRX STI; Subaru BRZ, Scion FR-S, and Volkswagen GTI. So that leaves us and a number of enthusiasts wondering - where is GM's contender? General Motors' vice president of product development tells Automotive News that at the moment, there isn't a business case for one. "Capital is not a black hole. On those cars, the price point begins to approach the segment of the next car up. We would spend a lot of money and resources, and what are we really doing?" said Reuss. AutoPacific Inc. analyst Dave Sullivan agrees with Reuss' reason, stating that the added cost and complexity of fitting a bigger engine and manual transmission into either the Sonic or Cruze is prohibitively expensive. But Sullivan does point out that they can pull items and help from their European division. Case in point is the Opel/Vauxhall Astra OPC/VXR with a turbocharged 2.0L four with 276 horsepower. For the time being, Reuss says that the company is offering a wide selection of accessories to boost performance for not that much cash. Case in point is the $995 performance stage kit and exhaust package for the Sonic. But if you press Reuss, he says a production pocket rocket could be in the timeline. "The real question is: Is that a big priority? For now, no. Forever? I wouldn't say that." Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) View full article

After months of pressure from the U.S. Government and a number of recalls from automakers, Japanese supplier Takata agreed to declare that its airbag inflators in nearly 34 million vehicles are defective. The announcement was made today by U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx at a press conference. “Up until now Takata has refused to acknowledge that their airbags are defective, That changes today,” said Foxx. The problem with Takata's airbags deals with propellant exploding with too much force and sends dangerous metal fragments flying. This problem has been linked to 6 deaths and more than 100 injuries. Scarily, the root cause of the problem hasn't been found at this time - though officials link the problem to high humidity and moisture exposure. The Detroit News reports that Takata will announce that it has filed 4 defect reports with U.S. auto safety officials stating that 33.8 million vehicles have defective driver and passenger air bag inflators. This is double the amount vehicles already recalled by automakers since 2013. It could mean that this air bag problem could mark the largest U.S. recall of any consumer product, since the Tylenol poison scare in 1982. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), The Detroit News View full article