William Maley

Last month, the United Auto Workers established a local chapter for workers at Volkswagen's Chattanooga, Tennessee plant. This month, opponents of the UAW are working on establishing their own union chapter. According to Reuters, opponents are creating the first chapter of American Council of Employees, which will allow hourly and salary workers to join. Mike Burton, a key player in defeating the UAW's efforts to represent hourly workers in Chattanooga, is leading the efforts in creating this new union. He tells Reuters that since the UAW lost, more workers have come over to the UAW's side. The hope with this new union is that it will force Volkswagen to hold another vote to decide which union employees want. Gary Casteel, secretary-treasurer of the UAW, told Reuters that he doesn't think the new union will succeed due to Volkswagen already recognizing the local chapter. Also helping matters is that the chapter has "substantially more than 700 members" at the plant that employs 1500 hourly workers. Burton only has 108 signatures. Source: Reuters William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. View full article

I'm working on downloading a set from Volvo at the moment.

The past few years have seen a number of rumors about the next-generation Ford Focus RS and if it will come to the U.S. or not. A new report from Road & Track says the Focus RS is coming, with a big change for the U.S. According to a source, Ford is planning to send a limited number of the next Focus RS to the U.S. The next RS will come equipped with a 2.3L EcoBoost four-cylinder. The source says power figures are still be determined, but Road & Track speculates that the RS could be packing 310 to 350 horsepower. As for what wheels all of that power will go to, another source says that it will utilize a new all-wheel drive system with torque vectoring to improve handling. Source: Road & Track 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

It has been almost two months since General Motors announced a compensation fund for families who either lost a loved one or who were injured because of a problem due to the ignition switch. According to the Detroit Free Press, almost 300 people have filed a claim. 100 people who have filed a claim said their loved ones were killed because of defect, while 184 people said their injuries come as a result of the problem. These numbers come from Amy Weiss, a spokeswoman for fund administrator Kenneth Feinberg. The Detroit Free Press says each person who has filed a claim has to provide evidence that it was the defective switch that was the cause of the injury/fatality. If the person is able to prove this, Feinberg will will use actuarial tables and medical cost data to determine individual payouts. Source: Detroit Free Press 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 2015 Volvo XC90 features a number of firsts for the Swedish brand. First model not to use any parts from Ford First new model to come from the Geely ownership First model to use Volvo's SPA architecture The 2015 XC90 features all new styling that has been previewed in previous Volvo concepts with the boxy look getting modernized. The front is familiar to current Volvo's with a large grille and diagonal emblem. The headlights are unique as the LED running lights are T-Shaped. Volvo calls this "Thor's Hammer" design. Moving inside, the XC90 is lined with matte wood and leather. A large touchscreen controls infotainment and climate functions, while the shifter is made from crystal cut glass. Power comes from two engines. The base is a turbo and supercharged 2.0L four-cylinder with 317 horsepower. Optional is a plug-in hybrid model that makes a combined 400 horsepower. Both engines come equipped with all-wheel drive. Being a Volvo, the XC90 comes with some new safety features. First is a run-off road protection system which tightens the seat belts and and readies an energy absorbing technology in the seats for an impact. The other new feature is a intersection braking system that stops the crossover if it tries to pull out in front of an oncoming car. "This is one of the most important days in our history. We are not just launching a car, but re-launching our brand. This day marks a new era for our company. The XC90 paves the way for a portfolio of exciting new cars to come in the following years," said Håkan Samuelsson, President and CEO of Volvo. Volvo has revealed that the base price of the XC90 will begin at $48,900. Further pricing details will be released at a later date. Source: Volvo 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 World premiere: the all-new Volvo XC90 Months of speculation ended today after Volvo Cars unveiled its all-new Volvo XC90, delivering on its promise to introduce a visually striking, seven-seat luxury SUV with world leading safety features, advanced powertrain technologies, an unrivalled combination of power and fuel efficiency and a superlative interior finish. Three years in the making and part of an $11 billion investment program, the all-new XC90 marks the beginning of a new chapter in Volvo's history, capturing its future design direction, incorporating its own range of new technologies and utilizing its new Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) technology. "This is one of the most important days in our history. We are not just launching a car, but re-launching our brand. This day marks a new era for our company. The XC90 paves the way for a portfolio of exciting new cars to come in the following years," said Håkan Samuelsson, President and CEO of Volvo Car Group. Volvo's new face Symbolizing this historic day in Volvo's 87 year history, the new XC90 will be the first of its cars to carry the company's new more prominent iron mark logo, which has the iconic arrow elegantly aligned with the diagonal slash across the grille. Together with the T-shaped "Thor's Hammer" LED daytime running lights, the iron mark introduces an entirely new, distinctive and confident face for Volvo's forthcoming generation of cars. The XC90's larger hood with its new topography, the beltline and the sharpened shoulders connecting with the tattoo-like, new rear lights are other important design signatures that will be mirrored across the range. To add more visual muscle from the sides, the XC90 comes with a range of wheel sizes up to 22 inches. "The overall impression, both exterior and interior, has a strong connection to the key elements of the Swedish lifestyle: the generous space, the celebration of light and the focus on wellbeing," said Thomas Ingenlath, Senior Vice President Design of Volvo Car Group. First SUV without compromises The XC90 is firm evidence of the "designed by Volvo for Volvo and its customers" strategy. Its outstanding combination of luxury, space, versatility, efficiency and safety will bring the luxury SUV segment into a new dimension, just as the original XC90 achieved in 2002. "SPA has enabled us to create the world's first SUV without compromises," said Dr. Peter Mertens, Senior Vice President, Research and Development of Volvo Car Group. "You get the in-command feel, generous interior space and flexible capability combined with the agility and smooth comfort of a much smaller and lower car. The adrenaline rush that is key to true driving pleasure is delivered by powertrains that offer an unrivalled combination of power and clean operation. And since the XC90 carries the Volvo badge, world-class safety is standard." Unrivalled combination of power and fuel efficiency The all-new XC90 offers 316 hp, 2 liter turbocharged and supercharged AWD engine, which provides an outstanding combination of performance and fuel-efficiency. The top of the range XC90 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid, which combines a two-liter, four- cylinder supercharged and turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor, offers an unrivalled combination of power and clean operation: around 400 horsepower with carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of around 60 g/km (NEDC driving cycle). This will be the world's first 7-seat plug-in hybrid. Most comprehensive standard safety package The all-new XC90 offers the most comprehensive and technologically sophisticated standard safety package available in the automotive industry. It includes two world first safety technologies: a run-off road protection package and auto brake at intersection capability. In a run-off road scenario, the all-new Volvo XC90 detects what is happening and the front safety belts are tightened to keep the occupants in position. To help prevent spine injuries, energy-absorbing functionality between the seat and seat frame cushions the vertical forces that can arise when the car encounters a hard landing in the terrain. The XC90 is the first car in the world with technology that features automatic braking if the Volvo driver starts to turn in front of an oncoming car that is going quicker than expected. This is a common scenario at busy city crossings as well as on highways, where the speed limits are higher. City Safety becomes the umbrella name for all of Volvo Cars' auto brake functions, which are standard equipment in the all-new XC90. It now covers vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians in front of the car, day and night. "The new technologies will take us a significant step closer to our vision that no one will be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo car by 2020," said Dr Mertens. "Our starting point on safety is the same today as it was when the company was created almost 90 years ago: real-life situations. We study data. We crunch numbers. We innovate. The result is one of the safest cars ever made." Three focus areas will help Volvo Cars to reach Vision 2020: safety, connectivity and autonomous drive. "With the XC90, we take the first step towards self-driving cars. A new function that automatically follows the vehicle ahead in stop-and-go traffic will provide a radically simplified, semi-autonomous driving experience," said Lex Kerssemakers, Senior Vice President, Product Strategy and Vehicle Line Management of Volvo Car Group. Luxurious interior The XC90's interior is the epitome of Scandinavian luxury. The most striking feature is a tablet-like touch screen control console, which forms the heart of an all-new in-car control system. This system is virtually button free and represents an entirely new way for drivers to control their car and access a range of Internet-based products and services. It also helps create an interior that is modern, spacious and uncluttered. "The new interior is pure and uncluttered, while still radiating the sophisticated confidence and formality that luxury SUV customers expect. The simplicity is perfectly in tune with our Scandinavian design heritage. It opens up generous surfaces and gives us the opportunity to create a modern, luxurious interior architecture," said Mr Ingenlath. The new XC90 interior combines materials such as soft leather and wood with handcrafted details, including a gear lever made of crystal glass from Orrefors, the famous Swedish glassmaker, and diamond-cut controls for the start/stop button and volume control. Craftsmanship has been in sharp focus during the whole development work. The genuine seven seater features new, innovatively designed seats that also free up interior space for passengers both in the second and third seat rows. The third row seats were designed to accommodate passengers in class-leading comfort up to 5'7" inches tall. One of the top audio systems in the world The XC90 features one of the top audio systems available in the automotive world after Volvo Cars audio experts joined forces with their counterparts at the renowned British audio equipment company Bowers & Wilkins. The top-of-the-line system in the XC90 features a 1,400 Watt Class D amplifier and 19 Bowers & Wilkins speakers. It also includes one of the first air-ventilated subwoofers in a car. Integrated into the car body, it turns the whole interior space into a giant subwoofer. The latest sound processing software has been used to manage the timing of the sound and co-ordination of the speakers. This brings the emotional experience of a world-class live performance into the car. Two main accessory themes The all-new XC90 is available with a range of accessories that makes it possible for the owner to create a truly personalized car. There are two major exterior styling themes: The Urban Luxury package combines a color coordinated body kit with polished stainless steel details, such as front deco frames, front and rear skid plates and side scuff plates. The 21-inch exclusive polished wheels complete the elegant look. The Rugged Luxury kit enhances the ruggedness of the XC90 SUV with tech matte black exterior trim, stainless steel skid plates, running boards with illumination and integrated exhaust pipes. This version is supplemented by unique 22-inch wheels. Pricing Full details on the pricing will be announced at a later date, but a well-equipped XC90 T6 AWD will have a starting price of $48,900. The XC90 T6 AWD will come standard with such luxurious features as Navigation, 19" wheels, a power laminated panoramic sunroof, state- of-the-art car connectivity and is expected to deliver best-in-class power and fuel efficiency. View full article

I do have a shot of the engine bay, but I think its still on my camera. Let me go find it and I'll upload it here in a bit.

There are days where I consider myself the luckiest person alive. A couple weeks ago, I had the chance to go for a ride in a very special truck. A fellow colleague of mine had the great fortune of getting his hands on the Ram 1500 Rumble Bee concept and was wondering if anyone wanted to check it out. Why not I thought to myself and sent a message to him saying I would like to see it. Before too long, I heard the rumble of a V8 entering my neighborhood and I knew the truck had arrived. Now the Rumble Bee Concept debuted last year during the Woodward Dream Cruise. Starting life as a standard 2013 Ram 1500 R/T regular cab with the 5.7L HEMI V8, Ram dug through its toy box and installed a new exhaust system, intake, and 4.10 final drive setup. The truck also got matte yellow paint job with black striping, the Rumble Bee logo, twenty-four inch wheels, and much more. Seeing the Rumble Bee Concept in person, it gives the impression that it wants to be seen. During my brief ride in the truck, I couldn't help but not people passing in the other lane or walking notice the bright yellow truck. It probably helped that the exhaust note could be heard throughout the county. The Rumble Bee has two settings for the exhaust, Loud and LOUDER!. In Loud, the Rumble Bee sounds like you fitted an aftermarket exhaust to bring out the magnificent noise of the V8. In LOUDER!, it sounds like you're driving around in a drag car. This is due to the switch closing the exhaust pipe and dropping exhaust below the driver. Aside from the noise that could cause your local constabulary to have a nice chat with you, the Rumble Bee concept is very much like the standard Ram 1500. The dash layout is easy to use and the bucket seats are very comfortable. The UConnect system and AC system worked and were nice to have in this concept. While I didn't get the chance to drive the Ram 1500 Rumble Bee concept, just getting the chance to see it in person and have a ride was a awesome. The Ram 1500 Rumble Bee concept is mean-looking looking that has a vicious bite to go with it. Of course the question comes up of whether or not Ram will put this into production. My guess is maybe. Ram has been tinkering around with a high-performance model by doing a number of concepts, the Rumble Bee being one of them. Even though Dodge has been christened with being the performance brand, I'm sure they would be ok if Ram had something of their own. Maybe they could even have a Hellcat Ram. Author's Note: I want to give a huge thanks to Chad Kirchner for bringing over the Ram 1500 Rumble Bee Concept and giving me a ride in it. You can check out Chad's first impressions on the Rumble Bee Concept by heading over to TFLTruck.com. - WM 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