Drew Dowdell

Right.. it's the old Chrysler K-Car idea. They built a full range of sedans, coupes, convertibles, trucklets, and mini-vans off the same component set. MQB goes all the way up to Atlas and Passat. It's not about size, it's about engine orientation.

Volvo introduced the mildest of mild refreshes today on the XC90 while simultaneously announcing refreshes on their T8 and T6 Twin Engine lines. The new powertrain is said to offer up to 15% fuel saving and emissions reduction in real-world driving. The new system offers brake-by-wire energy recovery to recover kinetic energy while driving. The T8 Plug-in hybrid comes with up to 420 horsepower and a 15% increase in range. The T6 gets a similar 15% range boost. In addition to the T8 and T6, Volvo will be introducing a range of mild-hybrid engines, now indicated with a new B5 badge. The B-badged cars are expected to become Volvo's new standard powertrain over time as part of the company's goal to have all of its vehicles electrified by 2025. The mile hybrid will be available on gasoline vehicles in the US and on both gasoline and diesel vehicles in other markets. Gasoline B5 vehicles will be available with all-wheel drive. Volvo further announced that the XC40 crossover will gain a T5 Twin Engine Plug-In hybrid option as well as a T4 Twin Engine Plug-In hybrid option to follow later. XC90 Mild Refresh The XC90 gets a mild refresh for 2020 with an updated grille, new wheels, new colors, and an attractive new wool blend upholstery. While Apple Car Play has been offered for a few years, the 2020 XC90 will now also offer Android Auto. Safety technology has been updated to where the XC90 can now help with steering tied in both with the City Safety and Blind Spot Information system. XC90 now also ads Oncoming Lane Mitigation and Cross Traffic Alert works with autobrake. The 2020 XC90 starts production in Torslanda, Sweden in May of this year. Volvo Press Releases on Page 2 and 3 Volvo Cars takes major step towards its electrified future with a range of new hybrid powertrains Volvo Cars has today taken a significant step towards its electrification goals with the release of upgraded and newly-developed electrified powertrain options, to be made available across its entire model range going forward. The company has upgraded its existing T8 and T6 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid powertrains, while at the same time confirming that plug-in options will now be available on every model it produces. Moreover, Volvo Cars will introduce a range of mild hybrids in the coming months, starting with diesel and petrol versions on the XC90 and XC60 SUV models. These mild hybrids for the first time offer customers Volvo’s advanced kinetic energy recovery braking system, which is coupled with its existing internal combustion engines to create a new integrated electrified powertrain, under its new ‘B’ badge. This new powertrain, electrified via brake-by-wire energy recovery, offers drivers up to 15 per cent fuel savings and emission reductions in real world driving. The new brake-by-wire system interacts with the energy recovery system and reduces fuel consumption and emissions by recovering kinetic energy under braking. In line with our strategy and supported by extremely strong demand, Volvo Cars has upgraded its production capacity so that up to 25 per cent of total production can be Twin Engine plug-in hybrid cars. In addition, it expects its new ‘B’ badged powertrains to gradually become the new standard, moving it closer to its goal that by the middle of the next decade all of its cars will be electrified. There will be new and upgraded powertrains introduced on Volvo’s larger Scalable Product Architecture (SPA)-based cars. The upgraded T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid with up to 420 horsepower features a new battery and brake-by-wire advanced battery charging. The range of the T8 powertrain has increased by around 15 per cent and this powertrain is available on all 90 and 60 Series cars. An upgraded version of the smaller capacity T6 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid is also combined with the new battery and brake-by wire-technology. This powertrain also offers an approximate 15 per cent range increase and is available on the V60 estate and S60 sedan. The XC90 will be available with a B5-badged mild hybrid petrol or diesel variant, as well as a B6-badged petrol mild hybrid. On the XC60, customers will be able to choose between a B5 mild hybrid petrol or diesel variant, a B4 diesel mild hybrid as well as a B6 petrol mild hybrid. The B5 petrol will be available with front wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The company’s smaller Compact Modular Architecture-based XC40 SUV will also receive a new electrified option, in the form of a T5 Twin Engine petrol-plug-in hybrid. A second, T4 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid option will follow later. Volvo Cars introduces refreshed Volvo XC90 SUV Volvo Cars has today unveiled a refreshed version of its best-selling XC90 large SUV, the company’s top-of-the-line flagship, adding a newly-developed fuel-saving engine option that marks the next step in the company’s ambitious electrification strategy. The refreshed XC90 for the first time offers customers Volvo’s advanced kinetic energy recovery braking system, which is coupled with its existing internal combustion engines to create a new integrated electrified powertrain, under its new ‘B’ badge. This new electrified powertrain offers drivers up to 15 per cent fuel savings and emission reductions in real world driving. The new brake-by-wire system interacts with the energy recovery system and reduces fuel consumption and emissions by recovering kinetic energy under braking. The introduction of the new XC90 ‘B’-badged cars represents a major step for Volvo Cars towards its electrification ambitions. The new ‘B’-badged cars complement Volvo’s existing T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid electrified option on the new XC90. On the outside, the refreshed XC90 offers subtle upgrades to the original award-winning exterior design, such as new wheels, exterior colours and a modern new grill, among other details. On the inside, the superlative and award-winning interior design remains in place, but perhaps the most noticeable addition is the fact that it can be ordered with a range of different seating configurations. From the four-seat Excellence variant and the seven-seat family SUV to the brand new six-seat configuration, the XC90 is available with any number of seats that best fits people’s preferences and lifestyles. New interior materials including a wool blend offer further options for personalisation. Based on Volvo’s own, in-house developed platform, powertrain and safety technology, the 2015 XC90 marked the start of Volvo Cars’ transformation. It introduced the new face of the Volvo brand characterised by the Thor’s Hammer headlights, while introducing its new Scalable Product Architecture. The world-first technologies and innovations that were launched on Volvo’s other 90 and 60 Series models between 2015 and 2019 have also found their way into the XC90 over the intervening years. As a result, Volvo’s top-of-the-line SUV has become more advanced since its introduction, clocking up over 320,000 units sold worldwide - and counting. In terms of active safety technology, the XC90 now offers drivers help with steering on both the City Safety and the Blind Spot Information System. City Safety with Autobrake is still the only system on the market to recognise pedestrians, cyclists and large animals. The Oncoming Lane Mitigation system first introduced on the XC60 is now also available on XC90, while the Cross Traffic Alert technology now also offers autobrake. All this, together with the safety cage that forms the core of the passive safety technology, makes the XC90 one of the safest cars on the road and underlines Volvo Cars’ unwavering commitment to developing the safest cars possible. While the XC90 was the first Volvo to offer Apple Carplay integration, it is now also compatible with Android Auto. The Sensus infotainment system has gone through multiple updates in recent years, all of which have been adopted into the XC90. Where available, the Spotify music streaming service is integrated in the XC90. The model year 2020 version of the XC90 will go in production in May at the Torslanda plant in Sweden and is now available to order in all Volvo markets around the globe. View full article

To be honest, I don't know. I would guess probably not. They'll probably both be on the last iteration of Alpha.

At work they keep replacing the IE and Edge icons on my taskbar even though I've deleted them. GO AWAY! Sadly, I'm not allowed to use Opera at work, but I just bring my personal laptop and use that for a lot of stuff.

At the risk of inviting the wrath of @balthazar , I do wish there were a Lincoln model between MKC/Corsair and Nautilus.

The problem in MIA is that even the TSA pre lines are super long because they give TSA Pre to all the senior citizens. There needs to be a TSA Pre+ for seasoned flyers... people who have gone through Pre-Check more than 4 times in the last 12 months and thus know the drill.

I don't think these will 5th wheel tow. They're rated for 10,000lbs max.

There's that, but there's also the VSS platform coming for the next generation CT6. VSS is supposed to be capable of a much wider range of vehicles than Alpha and Omega are. as mentioned above, there is also a new platform coming. Maybe this buys them time until that gets released.

I use both pretty interchangeably. This new BMW/MB app only seems to be in Seattle and Portland in the US so far.

They already own the 5 apps. They developed them.

But 5 apps? They couldn't consolidate it down to one or two?

The Buick LaCrosse and Chevrolet Volt have entered that great used car lot in the sky as of February 15th according to a GM announcement. The Cadillac CT6 and Chevrolet Impala were originally scheduled to end production in June of 2019 but have now had their production schedules extended until January 2020. GM states that the reason for the extension is to allow for continued availability of the CT6-V, Blackwing Twin-Turbo V8, and Super Cruise. The Cadillac CT6 is also built in Jinqiao, China. GM had announced the closure of 5 plants back in November, including Hamtramck. Lordstown Ohio will be the first plant to be unallocated with production stopping March 1st. GM has stated that this restructuring would boost company cash flow by $6B by the end of 2020. View full article

I already get accused of biases in my writing by certain folks. I've always found it best to not complicate matters more than needed.

Oh, that's airline issues. My issues have been with check-in and security lines being beyond ridiculous.

MIA is such an absolute cluster these days. I don't know what their problem is.

The totally redesigned vehicles (Navigator, Continental, Aviator) have done a fantastic job with that. The ones that are merely makeovers (Nautilus, MKZ, MKC) aren't there yet. I hope they refresh the Nautilus interior rather quickly.

I like Key West, but that's really getting down there. I need to get back, I need a break from this cold and dark we've been having in Pittsburgh the last few weeks... I'm really feeling it.

The Rivian R1T and Rivian R1S were both shown at the LA Auto Show in November, both claiming a top of the line range of 400 miles. The folks over at Rivian Forums have uncovered a patent filing for an extended battery for the Rivian R1T. The drawing shows a bed mounted battery with connections for coolant and electrical flow. In addition to providing more energy, the R1T would detect when the auxiliary battery was installed and adjust braking, suspension, and steering to compensate for the extra weight. Rivian uses a skateboard style architecture which places the entire powertrain and battery system in a platform below the vehicle and then builds the body on top of it. This allows Rivian to have nearly a free hand in designing the body and interior above the powertrain. Rivian will offer 3 standard battery packs for the R1T: 105-kWh: 402 horsepower, and 413 lb-ft of torque, range of 230+ miles 135-kWh: 754 horsepower, and 826 lb-ft of torque, range of 300+ miles 180-kWh: 700 horsepower, and 826 lb-ft of torque, range of 400+ miles Rivian claims the R1T will get 80 percent charge in just 15 minutes when using a DC fast charger and a full charge in eight hours using a Level 2 charger. Rivian says the R1T will begin at $61,500 after Federal Tax credit - likely putting the base at just under $70,000. Production is expected to begin in late 2020 at a plant in Normal, Illinois. The company recently landed $700M in investment commitments, lead by a significant investment by Amazon. Related: RIVIAN R1S SUV PROMISES TO GO ANYWHERE ON ELECTRICITY RIVIAN R1T PICKUP HAS A 400 MILE RANGE AND TOWS UP TO 11,000 POUNDS RIVIAN LANDS $700M IN INVESTMENT COMMITMENTS View full article

I just hope they keep this look longer than they kept the Winged grille look. Not that the winged grille was great... just keep some consistency.

BMW Group and Daimler AG are combining forces to take on rideshare and mobility services like Uber and Lyft. They will invest a combined 1 billion euro to build a new company with a multiprong approach. The new company will offer five services in a single portfolio. Eventually, they will offer an all-electric, self-driving fleet of vehicles that charge, park, and drive autonomously and interconnect with other forms of transport. The five apps include: Reach Now: Offers a range of options for users to get where they're going including a combination of public transport, car-sharing, ride-sharing, and bike rentals. Charge Now: A locator and payment app for public charging stations that work with multiple charge point operators. Park Now: A parking reservation, time management, payment, and ticketing system. Free Now: A ride-hailing service that also includes taxis, private chauffeurs, and eScooters. Share Now: A car-sharing app that allows customers to rent and pay for vehicles through the app. The combined apps already have over 60 million active customers in Europe and the Americas. The new company will be based in Berlin, Germany. BMW press release on Page 2 BMW Group and Daimler AG invest more than €1 billion in joint mobility services provider Berlin . The BMW Group and Daimler AG are pooling their mobility services to create a new global player providing sustainable urban mobility for customers. The two companies are investing more than €1 billion in total to develop and more closely intermesh their offerings for car-sharing, ride-hailing, parking, charging and multimodal transport. The cooperation comprises five joint ventures: REACH NOW for multimodal services, CHARGE NOW for charging, FREE NOW for taxi ride-hailing, PARK NOW for parking and SHARE NOW for car-sharing. “Our mobility services have developed a strong customer base and we are now taking the next strategic step. We are pooling the strength and expertise of 14 successful brands and investing more than €1 billion to establish a new player in the fast-growing market for urban mobility,” said Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars. “By creating an intelligent network of joint ventures, we will be able to shape current and future urban mobility and draw maximum benefit from the opportunities opened up by digitalization, shared services and the increasing mobility needs of our customers. Further cooperations with other providers, including stakes in startups and established players, are also a possible option.” “We are creating a leading global game changer. The 60 million customers we already have today will benefit from a seamlessly integrated, sustainable ecosystem of car-sharing, ride-hailing, parking, charging and multimodal transport services. We have a clear vision: these five services will merge ever more closely to form a single mobility service portfolio with an all-electric, self-driving fleet of vehicles that charge and park autonomously and interconnect with the other modes of transport,” said Harald Krüger, Management Board Chairman of BMW AG. “This service portfolio will be a key cornerstone in our strategy as a mobility provider. The cooperation is the perfect way for us to maximize our chances in a growing market, while sharing the investments.” The two companies’ mobility services have a wealth of experience and a strong customer base, with a combined total of over 60 million active customers to date. Building on their current, highly attractive product range and robust costumer base in the key regions of Europe and America, the companies will grow their global footprint as their existing mobility services combine to form five joint ventures: · REACH NOW offers more than 6.7 million users simple, direct access to a range of mobility services through a single multimodal platform. The REACH NOW apps will offer a range of options for getting from A to B, allowing users to book and pay directly for public transport and various other mobility options, such as car-sharing, ride-hailing and bike rentals. REACH NOW will be managed by Daniela Gerd tom Markotten as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), with Johannes Prantl as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). · CHARGE NOW is a service by Digital Charging Solutions GmbH (DCS), and its comprehensive charging network is a key contributor to zero-emissions driving. CHARGE NOW makes public charge points quick and easy to locate, use and pay for, both at home and abroad. Digital Charging Solutions GmbH develops simple, standardised access to public charge points for car manufacturers and fleet operators. With over 100,000 charge points across 25 countries, its white-label solutions are helping OEMs and fleet operators to realise their strategies for electric mobility. Customers benefit from cross-border access to one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing charging networks, with over 250 charge point operators (CPOs) to date. · PARK NOW makes parking easier, on-street or off. The innovative digital parking service offers users the best possible parking solutions at a glance, allows them to reserve parking slots and manage their parking times, and enables ticketless entry and exit in public garages as well as cashless payment of parking fees. In addition, with the search for parking currently accounting for about 30 percent of the traffic on urban roads, PARK NOW is helping towns and cities to reduce traffic volumes, thereby helping to make city centres cleaner, healthier and more liveable. In Europe and North America over 30 million customers are already using the service in more than 1,100 cities. CHARGE NOW and PARK NOW are headed by Jörg Reimann as CEO, with Thomas Menzel as CFO. · FREE NOW offers a variety of mobility services including taxis, private chauffeurs with rental vehicles, and state-of-the-art e-scooters, all at the tap of a finger. One of the largest ride-hailing services in Europe and Latin America, FREE NOW already serves more than 21 million customers and over 250,000 drivers, who make a valuable contribution to the reduction of traffic in city centres. FREE NOW is headed by Marc Berg as CEO, with Sebastian Hofelich as CFO. · SHARE NOW is a free-floating car-sharing service that allows customers to rent and pay for vehicles by smartphone — anytime, anywhere. Its fleet will now be extended to incorporate a wider range of models and increase market coverage. More than 4 million customers in total currently use the fleet’s 20,000 vehicles in 31 cities around the world. Car-sharing increases vehicle utilization rates, helping to cut the overall number of cars on the roads in urban areas. Olivier Reppert has been appointed CEO of SHARE NOW, with Stefan Glebke as CFO. REACH NOW, CHARGE NOW, FREE NOW, PARK NOW and SHARE NOW represent innovative solutions by the BMW Group and Daimler AG for cities and municipalities seeking to make their traffic more efficient and sustainable. Thanks to their established services, the joint venture group already commands significant resources to support and systematically enhance sustainable urban mobility. “We are steering very clearly towards growth, and together we will continue to invest consistently in our joint mobility services. As well as linking in additional transport options, we want to reach out to even more people in towns and cities across the world, thereby improving the quality of urban life,” Krüger explained. The new mobility portfolio will be easy to access, intuitive to use, and will cater to customers’ needs. Its seamlessly integrated, sustainable ecosystem will make mobility more convenient — because cities are where the future of mobility will be decided. This is confirmed by the choice of Berlin as the base for the organization’s headquarters. A hub of creativity and innovation, the German capital is an attractive location for employees and upcoming talents. The next few years will see up to 1,000 new jobs created worldwide – including in Berlin and Germany. After an initial phase of investment and growth, the new joint venture group will offer attractive profitability, which will be crucial to its success. “As premium manufacturers, we have long been setting standards in the automotive industry and for our customers. In the premium vehicle business, we will continue to compete for customers. But our new portfolio for individual urban mobility on demand represents a logical extension to the value chain. Ultimately, we want to offer our customers as many options as possible for getting from A to B. In short, this is about driving, riding or being driven," said Zetsche. With their joint mobility services, the BMW Group and Daimler AG are responding to mobility needs of today and the future with a focus on cities. Digitalization is a key enabler as it creates new opportunities for individual mobility. Over time, customers will be able to use and experience additional mobility options from all-electric autonomous fleets that are available on demand, charge and park themselves, and connect with other modes of transport beyond road and rail. In the competition for the best urban mobility solution, the promise of safety and comfort by the two leading German premium OEMs provides the basis for this to happen. View full article