William Maley

Dodge has announced some changes to the Viper for 2015 which include a increase to 645 horsepower, a one mile per gallon improvement on the highway, and a new GT model which gets an adjustable suspension and five-mode stability control. But Dodge saved the best change for last. Announced today, all 2015 Vipers will see a price cut of $15,000. Here's how it looks, Viper SRT - Orignal Price: $99,885, 2015 Price: $84,885 Viper GT - $94,995 Viper T/A - Orignal Price: $115,885, 2015 Price: $100,985 Viper GTS - Orignal Price: $122,385, 2015 Price: $107,995 Prices don't include destination. Dodge says the price cut also extends to the 2014 models currently sitting on dealer lots. The hope is the price will help jump start Viper sales Now if you bought a current Viper before the price cut, you might be a bit peeved. But Dodge has you covered as well. The automaker announced that all fifth-gen owners will be given a certificate worth $15,000 towards the purchase of a new Viper. That will go on top of the current $15,000 cut. Dodge also announced that all of Dodge dealers will finally be allowed to sell the Viper. Production of the 2015 Viper is expected to begin in the forth quarter of this year. Source: Dodge William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. Press Release is on Page 2 Dodge Embraces Viper's Roots and Revs Up Excitement, Delivering the Ultimate Hand-built American Exotic Supercar with a New Starting U.S. Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $84,995 New for 2015, Dodge is reducing the Viper's starting U.S. Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) by $15,000 to start at $84,995 Adjusting for inflation, the 2015 model year Viper is priced competitively to the first generation Viper, which launched in 1992, as calculated by Kelley Blue Book The Dodge Viper was first introduced in 1992 with a starting U.S. MSRP of $50,700. Adjusted for inflation, the equivalent in today's dollars would be $86,130 Current Gen 5 Viper owners to receive a certificate worth $15,000 to be redeemed toward the purchase of a new Dodge Viper. This $15,000 certificate is in addition to the $15,000 price reduction All existing 2014 model year dealer inventory will be reduced by $15,000, effective immediately 2015 Dodge Vipers will be sold throughout the entire Dodge dealer network New for 2015, the Viper's refined 8.4-liter V-10 engine and Tremec six-speed manual transmission delivers 645 horsepower and up to 20 miles per gallon on the highway Production of the 2015 model year Dodge Viper will begin at the Conner Avenue Assembly Plant in Detroit in the fourth quarter with vehicles arriving in dealer showrooms in the first quarter of 2015 September 8, 2014 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - Dodge is reconfirming its commitment to the future of the Viper and repositioning the iconic Detroit-built supercar for 2015, giving the snake more horsepower, improved fuel economy and a new starting price $15,000 less than the 2014 model it replaces. For 2015, the hand-built American exotic now delivers an increased 645 horsepower, gets up to 20 miles per gallon and is offered at a new starting U.S. Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $84,995 (all prices exclude tax, title, license, destination and gas guzzler tax). Reaching back into its 100-year history, Dodge is using the formula that successfully launched the original 1992 Dodge Viper, but with even more power, refinement and craftsmanship. Adjusting for inflation, the 2015 model year Viper is priced competitively to the first generation Viper, as calculated by Kelley Blue Book. When Viper was first introduced, the U.S. MSRP was $50,700. Adjusted for inflation -- that equates to $86,130 in today's dollars. "The Gen 1 Viper had 400 horsepower. It didn't have air conditioning, anti-lock brakes, traction control or stability control. It didn't even have real windows. It was the purest, rawest and most visceral American performance car of its time," said Tim Kuniskis, President and CEO - Dodge and SRT Brands. "The Gen 5 Viper maintains the purity of the original car, with its seductive design, perfect weight balance and all-aluminum V10 with an additional 245 horsepower. But the rawness has been tamed with state-of-the-art five-mode ESC, two-mode suspension, ABS, traction control, launch control and a lightweight structure comprised of carbon fiber, magnesium and aluminum. Despite the Gen 5's massive leap forward in technology and performance, we're pulling its starting price back to the equivalent of the original Gen 1 car." Dodge is repositioning every Viper model with a lower starting price. In addition to the new starting price, all existing Gen 5 Viper owners will get a certificate worth $15,000 that can be redeemed toward the purchase of a new Dodge Viper. This $15,000 certificate is in addition to the $15,000 price reduction. Effective immediately, all existing 2014 model year Vipers in dealer inventory will also be re-invoiced and receive a new Monroney label that highlights the $15,000 price reduction. Dodge is also expanding Viper sales beyond the current SRT network of dealers. More than 2,300 Dodge dealers will be able to sell the 2015 Dodge Viper. "We have a saying at Dodge: 'If you know... you know,' and if you know Viper, you know this is big news," Kuniskis added, "and if you don't know Viper, it's time to check it out and see what makes owning and driving the iconic Viper so much more unique, exclusive and interesting than any other American performance vehicle." New 2015 Dodge Viper models and features For 2015 model year, Dodge is also introducing a number of product enhancements, new packages and new colors, including: SRT – new accent stitching on the seats and instrument panel, Alcantara accents on the doors and instrument panel and 'Viper' badged aluminum sill plates GT – new model with Nappa leather seats with Alcantara inserts, Alcantara accents on the doors and IP, 'Viper' badged aluminum sill plates, two-mode suspension, five-mode ESC, 'GTS' hood and two-piece StopTech slotted rotors GTS Ceramic Blue Special Edition with an exclusive Ceramic Blue exterior color and Black stripes TA 2.0 Special Edition with high-performance Aero Package High-impact Y'Orange, Stryker Orange and Stryker Purple exterior colors – arriving to dealers in early 2015 Production of 2015 model year Vipers will begin at the Conner Avenue Assembly Plant in Detroit in the second half of the fourth quarter of 2014. Vipers will start arriving in dealerships in the first quarter of 2015. View full article

It has been almost three years since our last report on the Lexus GS F. At that time, we reported that the model would use a detuned version of the LF-A's V10 engine with 500+ horsepower. Nothing came of that rumor, but a new one has come across our rumorpile desk. Autocar has learned from sources that GS F is still incoming and will use a tuned version of the 5.0L V8 found the upcoming RC F Coupe producing somewhere in the range of 500 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. This will be paired up to a eight-speed automatic and Torsen differential. The run to 60 MPH is expected to be in the mid four second range and reach a top speed of 170 MPH. The report goes on to say that orders could begin as early as the forth quarter of next year. Like before, we'll believe it when we see it. Source: Autocar William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. View full article

Its a little boring, but I found it to be easier to understand when looking for a control and nicely built.

Disagree. I would say Aston is more memorable then... Volvo, Mitsubishi, Lexus, Lincoln... I Could go on.

Aston Martin could lose a big market in the U.S. if federal regulators don’t exempt the brand from an upcoming safety rule. The rule in question deals with new side-impact crash regulations that require vehicles to better withstand the impact from running into a pole or tree. This rule has been phased in over the past few years, but low-volume manufacturers like Aston Martin have been given an exemption runs out this month. Convertibles built by low-volume manufacturers don't lose their exemption till next September. According to Reuters, Aston Martin reached out to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in March asking for exemptions up until 2017 for the DB9 and Vantage. These happen to be the oldest models in Aston Martin's lineup. Aston Martin explained that with money tight during the recent recession, they weren't able to redesign the DB9 and Vantage to meet the upcoming standards. The lack of the exemption would cause "substantial economic hardship" to Aston Martin, including the possible closure of dealers in the U.S. A spokesperson for NHTSA told Reuters that a decision hasn't been made at this time. "The agency has been in contact with Aston Martin regarding their exemption request and is awaiting additional information from their dealers," the spokesperson said. Source: Reuters William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. View full article

As do I, but we're talking about two different classes (mid and fullsize). The Passat seems to straddle between the two. I'm hoping to get a TDI in one of these days.

Despite rave reviews, the Cadillac CTS has been slipping in sales. Sales in July slipped 29 percent, while August saw another 35 percent drop. This is a the opposite of what is happening in the luxury marketplace as sales are currently up six percent. A possible cause to this is the base price of the CTS has climbed $6,000 from the previous model. “While it may have been a terrific car, it may not have been perceived as having earned its stripes for that kind of pricing against the Germans. Cadillac has just not earned its way to charge the kind of premium that the Germans can get,” said Michelle Krebs, senior analyst with Autotrader.com. Uwe Ellinghaus, Cadillac's chief marketing officer said in a recent interview that the brand may have been too ambitious” in raising prices on the CTS. To fix this, Ellinghaus considering adding more standard features or offering some features like heated seats as stand-alone options. "These are things that we can do relatively quickly," Ellinghaus said. Also being changed is Cadillac's ad campaign. Ellinghaus explained that company will move away from the current messaging of comparing Cadillac to Germans, and instead focus on on its American roots. “We definitely cannot build a brand on being as good as,” “We are not German -- and that’s a good thing. We are American. We need to build this brand on what differentiates Cadillac from our German competitors,” said Ellinghaus. Source: Bloomberg William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. View full article

The wait is finally over. Last night at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Mazda introduced the forth-generation MX-5 Miata to the world. Details on the ND MX-5 Miata are very slim, but there are a few details that Mazda has revealed. For one, the new MX-5 Miata comes in 220 pounds less than NC model it replaces. For those keeping track, that means the ND will likely have a curb weight somewhere around 2,200 pound range. Mazda's Kodo design language is also very present here with a mix of flowing lines and sharp angles, and a wide, low stance. What powers this generation of the MX-5 Miata is being kept quiet. But according to Mazda, the new MX-5 Miata features the full suite of Skyactiv technologies. The 2016 MX-5 Miata is expected to start rolling out starting next year. Source: Mazda William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. Press Release is on Page 2 Mazda Unveils All-New Mazda MX-5 HIROSHIMA, Japan-Mazda Motor Corporation today celebrated the unveiling of the fourth generation Mazda MX-5 (known as Roadster in Japan) together with fans at events held simultaneously in Japan, USA and Spain. The all-new MX-5, which adopts both SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY and Mazda's KODO-Soul of Motion design language, will be rolled out to global markets starting in 2015. The MX-5 is an iconic model representing Mazda's vehicle-engineering philosophy-the pursuit of driving pleasure. "Innovate in order to preserve" was the motto for the fourth generation, as the development team searched for innovations that go beyond simple evolution. Environmental and safety demands are much more stringent than they were when the first generation MX-5 was introduced 25 years ago, but the fourth generation stays true to the model's original aim of offering the pure driving fun that only a lightweight sports car can. It achieves this through the adoption of SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY and refinement of its appeal to the senses and sensations through which people enjoy cars. The design of the all-new MX-5 reveals another layer to Mazda's KODO design language. The exquisite proportions make the driver and passenger stand out, and both the interior and exterior evoke the exhilaration of open-top driving. It is the most compact of any generation MX-5 so far and is more than 100 kilograms lighter than the model it replaces, promising a dramatic leap in Jinba-ittai driving fun. As of July 2014, total production volume of the Mazda MX-5 exceeded 940,000 units and it continues to hold the Guinness World Record for the best-selling two-seater sports car. This highly-celebrated model has received over 200 awards from around the globe including Japan Car of the Year 2005-2006. Moving forward, Mazda will continue to develop products which offer all customers driving pleasure and outstanding environmental and safety performance. View full article