Drew Dowdell
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Everything posted by Drew Dowdell
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Buick is reportedly working on a crossover coupe to add to its lineup in the US. This vehicle would be in addition to, rather than replace, any vehicles in the current lineup. Most of Buick's recent lineup has been a rebadge of some other brand's designs, this new vehicle would be a departure from that with Buick leading the design process from the start. CarDesignNews was shown some sketches and models of future Buicks and what they saw would "turn everything you think about Buick on its ear". It is a bold design that will shock people both inside and outside the industry. The designs would feel familiar without using specific cues. Buick also took the time to insist that Buick would not become a China-only brand even though 4 out of every 5 Buicks are sold there. The bulk of the design work takes place in Warren, Michigan, while smaller design teams work in Shanghai, Melbourne, and near Seoul. As far as the name, Buick has trademarked Enspire for the U.S., so that has a strong possibility of coming to fruition. No timeline is set for the release of the new crossover, but the overhaul of the Buick look is well underway. View full article
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Buick is reportedly working on a crossover coupe to add to its lineup in the US. This vehicle would be in addition to, rather than replace, any vehicles in the current lineup. Most of Buick's recent lineup has been a rebadge of some other brand's designs, this new vehicle would be a departure from that with Buick leading the design process from the start. CarDesignNews was shown some sketches and models of future Buicks and what they saw would "turn everything you think about Buick on its ear". It is a bold design that will shock people both inside and outside the industry. The designs would feel familiar without using specific cues. Buick also took the time to insist that Buick would not become a China-only brand even though 4 out of every 5 Buicks are sold there. The bulk of the design work takes place in Warren, Michigan, while smaller design teams work in Shanghai, Melbourne, and near Seoul. As far as the name, Buick has trademarked Enspire for the U.S., so that has a strong possibility of coming to fruition. No timeline is set for the release of the new crossover, but the overhaul of the Buick look is well underway. -
you know... looking back, that final Dakota wasn't too bad looking. I wonder what they go for used.
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RAM sees a Dakota-sized hole in their lineup and FCA CEO Mike Manley says he wants that hole filled fast. Part of the issue is that Ram currently does not have a platform to use for a mid-size pickup. The Jeep Gladiator, while considered a mid-size, has a different mission in life. It is positioned, and priced, as a premium product with an MSRP starting over $33,000 where competitors like the Ranger and Colorado start in the mid-$20k range. Furthermore, the new product will not be built on the Gladiator platform, further increasing costs and development time. The current estimate is that the Dakota, if that's what it is called, will be introduced in the 2022 time frame. That puts RAM rather late to market as Ford has recently released the Ranger, and a new Nissan Frontier is on the way, and even Mitsubishi is working on a truck. In the meantime, RAM plans to keep building the RAM 1500 classic for an extended period of time alongside the new 2020 RAM 1500 model. Fleet and commercial customers like the lower price of the RAM Classic and sales have remained brisk. View full article
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RAM sees a Dakota-sized hole in their lineup and FCA CEO Mike Manley says he wants that hole filled fast. Part of the issue is that Ram currently does not have a platform to use for a mid-size pickup. The Jeep Gladiator, while considered a mid-size, has a different mission in life. It is positioned, and priced, as a premium product with an MSRP starting over $33,000 where competitors like the Ranger and Colorado start in the mid-$20k range. Furthermore, the new product will not be built on the Gladiator platform, further increasing costs and development time. The current estimate is that the Dakota, if that's what it is called, will be introduced in the 2022 time frame. That puts RAM rather late to market as Ford has recently released the Ranger, and a new Nissan Frontier is on the way, and even Mitsubishi is working on a truck. In the meantime, RAM plans to keep building the RAM 1500 classic for an extended period of time alongside the new 2020 RAM 1500 model. Fleet and commercial customers like the lower price of the RAM Classic and sales have remained brisk. -
If you're the owner of an Android phone and an Android Auto enabled vehicle, this summer there will be a big upgrade coming to the interface of both. The new design will allow you to do more with fewer taps, while also showing more information on the screen at a time. As soon as you start your car, Android Auto will pick up where you left off with your media and automatically show your navigation app of choice. Navigation will show a suggested list of places or the user can say "Hey Google" to navigate to a new place. At the bottom will be a navigation bar that will allow users to control apps and see turn-by-turn navigation instructions even while on a Media or Phone screen. The color pallet has changed to a darker theme which is easier on the eyes. The font has been changed to be easier to read. In vehicles with wider screens, Android Auto will now fill that extra space with additional information such as next-turn direction, playback controls, or ongoing call information. You can see the new animations and look at the video below. These changes will be available on all Android Auto capable devices this summer. View full article
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If you're the owner of an Android phone and an Android Auto enabled vehicle, this summer there will be a big upgrade coming to the interface of both. The new design will allow you to do more with fewer taps, while also showing more information on the screen at a time. As soon as you start your car, Android Auto will pick up where you left off with your media and automatically show your navigation app of choice. Navigation will show a suggested list of places or the user can say "Hey Google" to navigate to a new place. At the bottom will be a navigation bar that will allow users to control apps and see turn-by-turn navigation instructions even while on a Media or Phone screen. The color pallet has changed to a darker theme which is easier on the eyes. The font has been changed to be easier to read. In vehicles with wider screens, Android Auto will now fill that extra space with additional information such as next-turn direction, playback controls, or ongoing call information. You can see the new animations and look at the video below. These changes will be available on all Android Auto capable devices this summer. -
Jeep is rumored to be testing a Mercedes-Benz supplied 2.0 liter Turbo-Diesel in 14 test vehicles in the Detroit, Michigan area. However, it is unlikely that such a vehicle would be sold in the U.S. The most likely scenario is that this is testing for the European and Asian markets. The Compasses were converted by an independent supplier for FCA and the suspected engine of choice is the Mercedes-Benz OM654 2.0 diesel producing 192 HP and 295 lb-ft of torque. The engine was released in 2016 for the E-Class, but the engine was designed to be mounted in transverse applications as well. In the U.S., the Compass is only sold with a 2.4 liter gasoline engine. In Europe, the Compass comes with a two different 1.4-liter gasoline engines (140 hp an 170hp), two 2.0-liter diesel engines (140 hp and 170 hp), and a 1.6-liter diesel engine (120 hp). Which engine you can get largely depends on if the car is 4x4 or not. GM currently sells its compact crossovers with a 1.6-liter turbo diesel, and Mazda finally unveiled their diesel CX-5. We think that this diesel Compass would be a good fit in the U.S. and should FCA be reading this, please bring it here. View full article
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Jeep is rumored to be testing a Mercedes-Benz supplied 2.0 liter Turbo-Diesel in 14 test vehicles in the Detroit, Michigan area. However, it is unlikely that such a vehicle would be sold in the U.S. The most likely scenario is that this is testing for the European and Asian markets. The Compasses were converted by an independent supplier for FCA and the suspected engine of choice is the Mercedes-Benz OM654 2.0 diesel producing 192 HP and 295 lb-ft of torque. The engine was released in 2016 for the E-Class, but the engine was designed to be mounted in transverse applications as well. In the U.S., the Compass is only sold with a 2.4 liter gasoline engine. In Europe, the Compass comes with a two different 1.4-liter gasoline engines (140 hp an 170hp), two 2.0-liter diesel engines (140 hp and 170 hp), and a 1.6-liter diesel engine (120 hp). Which engine you can get largely depends on if the car is 4x4 or not. GM currently sells its compact crossovers with a 1.6-liter turbo diesel, and Mazda finally unveiled their diesel CX-5. We think that this diesel Compass would be a good fit in the U.S. and should FCA be reading this, please bring it here. -
I wonder if any of the production ones have been saved... .like that Pope Waverly
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It'll all depend on what is available.
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I've been watching the new videos on this daily. I intend to go chase it someday.
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I'm hoping for an XTS when I pick up my rental on Thursday. I want the biggest, roomiest, luxury vehicle I can rent without going to an SUV. Either that or a 300C
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Makes a SMART look absolutely broughamy.
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A new bubble forming. It makes the GDP look good, but it's not a good sign for the economy.
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Industry News: Electrics Soar In EU while Diesel Fades
Drew Dowdell replied to Drew Dowdell's topic in Industry News
A 5 day power outage is common for you? Even still, just go somewhere that has a charger and power up for 30 minutes. It's not like you'll have anything to do at home with the power out. It's these strawman arguments that make you look especially ridiculous in your opposition to EVs. We get it. Don't buy one. Let the people who do want one alone. -
VW News: VW May Be Cutting Most of Golf Lineup in US
Drew Dowdell replied to Drew Dowdell's topic in Volkswagen
I guess that's true. But from the spy shots, the golf looks to have a very different face from the new Jetta. -
VW News: VW May Be Cutting Most of Golf Lineup in US
Drew Dowdell replied to Drew Dowdell's topic in Volkswagen
The one I don't get is cancelling the long roof version. -
Industry News: Electrics Soar In EU while Diesel Fades
Drew Dowdell replied to Drew Dowdell's topic in Industry News
I could still get to work. I don't drive 250 miles one way. I could go a week with no power at the house and still get to work -
Industry News: Electrics Soar In EU while Diesel Fades
Drew Dowdell replied to Drew Dowdell's topic in Industry News
The assumption of 6 hours to charge is wrong unless you're plugging into a wall outlet. Fast charging adds 90 miles of range in 30 minutes or less. Supercharger is faster. -
Rumors are swirling that Volkswagen may be cutting most of the Golf lineup from the US market with the next generation of Golf. The standard version of the Golf, e-Golf, Golf SportWagen, and Golf Alltrack would be dropped in the US while the GTI and Golf R continue on. The e-Golf will be replaced by something in the ID lineup. Looking at the sales numbers, it is easy to see why Volkswagen may make this move. Sales of the base Golf in 2018 numbered just 6,642, down 51% from the year prior. GTI and Golf R combined sold more than triple that amount (20,152). The one head-scratcher is the Golf Sportwagon, which sold nearly as many units (14,123) as the GTI (16,684), but if Volkswagen is looking to shed the econo-car image of the Golf and stick with just the hot-hatch image, then dropping the Sportwagen may make sense. As the next generation of Golf hasn't actually been released yet, Volkswagen is declining to comment. View full article
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Rumors are swirling that Volkswagen may be cutting most of the Golf lineup from the US market with the next generation of Golf. The standard version of the Golf, e-Golf, Golf SportWagen, and Golf Alltrack would be dropped in the US while the GTI and Golf R continue on. The e-Golf will be replaced by something in the ID lineup. Looking at the sales numbers, it is easy to see why Volkswagen may make this move. Sales of the base Golf in 2018 numbered just 6,642, down 51% from the year prior. GTI and Golf R combined sold more than triple that amount (20,152). The one head-scratcher is the Golf Sportwagon, which sold nearly as many units (14,123) as the GTI (16,684), but if Volkswagen is looking to shed the econo-car image of the Golf and stick with just the hot-hatch image, then dropping the Sportwagen may make sense. As the next generation of Golf hasn't actually been released yet, Volkswagen is declining to comment. -
There are often times I feel like I would like to do that, but there are too many things I need to monitor, not just the latest sports ball scores, but things like tenants and web servers, that it's really hard to take a "vacation" without a phone. My phone plan works in 122 different countries without extra charges too.
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I think Tesla made 2 big mistakes. 1. getting way overly complicated on the Model X with the doors - It would have sold just as well without them, possibly at a lower price (higher volume), and it wouldn't have been delayed a year. 2. Doing the Model 3 before the Model Y - That was just a very poor reading of the direction of the product mix out there as far as sedans go. Still build a sedan of course, but the Model Y should have been the priority. I do wish Rivian well, but I wonder if they'll be priced too high to make a big impact on the market. If they price their SUV at the same price as the Model X, they'll probably kill Tesla in sales, but I get the impression that they'll be higher priced than that.
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Zotye has confirmed earlier speculation that the first vehicle they will offer in the U.S. will be the T600. A refreshed version of the T600 was shown at the Shanghai Auto Show last month. The T600 would come with a 1.6-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder and 6-speed automatic, but other details are not being released until U.S. certification is complete. In China, the T600 starts around $14,000. In January, Zotye announced that it has signed up 19 dealers with 80 more in process. They hope to have 300 dealers in the top 100 markets in the US in time for the expected launch of the T600 in late 2020. Following the T600 would be a full-size crossover and a midsize sedan. View full article
