Drew Dowdell

The words "bold" and "Volvo" don't normally go together, but when an auto maker effectively starts a new segment, you have to call the move bold regardless of its eventual success. Ahead of the North American International Auto Show in Detroit next week, Volvo took the wraps off the S60 Cross Country. What is bold about it? Well, it is a crossover luxury sedan. The wagon version, the V60 Cross Country, was revealed in November 2014 at the LA Auto Show. The S60 Cross Country effectively increases the luxury crossover sedan segment count from zero to one. The S60 CC takes the standard S60 and gives it a 2.5 inch lift in ride height and makes AWD standard in the US market. (In Europe and other select markets the S60 CC will be available in FWD). The Cross Country will launch with the familiar T5 engine, a 2.5 liter turbo-charged 5-cylinder producing 250 horsepower. Subaru tried a similar concept in the family car market, selling a sedan version of its popular Legacy Outback on and off from 1998 - 2007, but met with little success. In the luxury market however, every automaker is fighting to find its niche. Volvo going off the beaten path may be just their ticket to success. The Volvo S60 Cross Country will be shown at the Detroit Auto Show on January 12th, 2015 at 2:55pm eastern. We will be on hand to bring you more updates from the show floor. You can sign up to follow all the stories from Detroithere, or follow us onFacebook, Twitter, andGoogle+ Press release on page 2 Source: Volvo Media Volvo takes Cross Country brand into sedan territory Volvo Cars points to the future with the new S60 Cross Country A segment first from Volvo Cars Builds on a strong heritage of lifestyle-oriented products Volvo Cars is stepping up to meet the demands of its core customers with the unveiling of the exciting S60 Cross Country at the Detroit Auto Show. Back in 1997, when Volvo was the first premium brand to introduce an all-road capable variant of its successful wagons, no one could predict the future success of the crossover concept. Today, the crossover is ubiquitous and has helped to define a whole new category of lifestyle vehicle. Volvo is once again taking a bold step forward – this time in the luxury sedan segment – with the unveiling of the S60 Cross Country – the first premium sedan with the same level of capability and rugged design cues of the renowned Cross Country wagons. “We want to further explore the market with our Cross Country brand. We did this back in 1997 with the V70 Cross Country and it led to the birth of a whole new segment. We have included all the capability-driven benefits of the Cross Country brand in this new model, while offering a completely unique expression of adventure and all-road readiness in a distinctly sporty and stylish package,” said Lex Kerssemakers, Senior Vice President Product Strategy and Vehicle Line Management at Volvo Cars. Capable stance Like the recently introduced V60 Cross Country, the S60 Cross Country shares an increased ride height of 65mm (2.5 inches) and comes with the same capable All-Wheel Drive underpinnings of its sibling, making it the only truly capable and stylish all-road sedan crossover on the market. The S60 Cross Country will also be delivered with front-wheel drive in Europe and selected markets. “The S60 Cross Country is the sole contender in the luxury crossover sedan segment. We have identified a clear niche in the market for a more capable sedan with rugged styling cues and a higher stance. The S60 Cross Country will appeal to people that are searching for an exciting and capable sedan, whilst enjoying the clear benefits that a crossover offers,” said Alain Visser, Senior Vice President Sales, Marketing and Customer Service. Reflecting Volvo’s legendary capability of nature and Scandinavian heritage, the S60 Cross Country offers both 18” and 19” wheels with high profile tires that add both comfort and all-road aesthetics, reduce road noise, and add increased wheel protection when needed for city or country. Delivering an involved and focused driving experience with rugged substance, this dynamic design brings a sporty and adventurous edge to the sedan. Powertrain The S60 Cross Country will launch with a powerful T5 All-Wheel Drive gasoline powertrain delivering up to 250 bhp* available in the US, Canada, Russia and Europe. The S60 Cross Country is expected to be available on a limited basis this summer.

If you think the current Chevrolet Silverado has too much brightwork, the 2015 Silverado Custom Sport package might be for you. As a special edition package available on the LT and LTZ models, the Silverado Custom Sport package swaps out the chrome front and rear bumper, and grille surround for body colored versions. Chrome is added to the door handles and side mirrors. You can have any color of Custom Sport you like as long as it is white, black, or white diamond (LTZ only). The package also includes projector beam headlights, tow hooks, and heated mirrors. Chevy says this special edition pays homage to the 1967 Chevrolet Custom Sport that was available with bright trim and bucket seats. The Custom Sport package will cost between $1,950 - $2,950 with the higher number likely applying when selecting the white diamond tricoat paint. 2015 Silverado Custom Sport 2015 Silverado LTZ Z-71 Chevrolet Press Release on Page 2 Source: GM Media 2015 Silverado Offers Custom Sport Package Inspired by Chevy Custom Sport Trucks that helped launch personal-use pickups DETROIT – With the new 2015 Silverado Custom Sport special edition, Chevrolet pays homage to one of its most iconic pickups, adding a sophisticated monochromatic look to double- and crew-cab Silverados. The Custom Sport package features body-colored front and rear bumpers and a body-colored grille surround with a chrome-accented black grille. Other accents include 20-inch chrome wheels, chrome door handles and mirror caps, and chrome body-side moldings. The package also includes projector beam headlamps, tow hooks and heated power-adjusted mirrors. “The Custom Sport special edition was inspired by Chevy Custom Sport Trucks of the late 1960s,” said Sandor Piszar, Chevrolet Trucks marketing director. “Those CST models added a touch of elegance to a great all-around truck, just like the Custom Sport package for the new Silverado.” The redesigned 1967 Chevrolet pickup entered the market at a time when trucks were starting to move off the jobsites and into the driveways of cities and suburbs. The 1967 Custom Sport Truck, with its bright trim, plush carpet and bucket seats, helped launch a wave of personal use pickups that continues today. For the 2015 Silverado, the Custom Sport package will be available as LT and LTZ models, including Z71s. LT models will be available in black or white, while LTZs will come in black or White Diamond Tricoat. Package prices will vary from $1,950 to $2,950, depending on the model. Dealers can place orders starting this month.

Infiniti shared a full picture of the Q60 Concept due to be unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show next week. Shown here in coupe form, the Q60 concept takes the Q60 (née G37 coupe) down a more aggressive looking route. While this is labeled a concept, one look at the sister car Q50 sedan will tell you that there is no reason Infiniti would need to vary the look much once in production. If you imagine this car with production mirrors, wheels, and a simpler lower air intake area, you'll probably be pretty close to the real thing. Under the hood, expect the standard compliment of a 3.7 liter V6 with output in the 330 horsepower range and a choice of rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. While Infiniti does make a hybrid version of the Q50 sedan, we doubt that powertrain will make it into the coupe. The Infiniti Q60 Coupe Concept will be shown at an event on January 11th at 4pm and again during the Detroit Auto Show on January 13th at 8:05 am eastern. We will be on hand at the Sunday event to bring you more pictures and updates. You can sign up to follow all the stories from the Detroit Auto Show here, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+

As a preview to the unveiling of the 2016 Nissan Titan on January 12th, Nissan released teaser images and video of the upcoming redesign of its full size truck. Sales of the Nissan Titan are typically in last place behind the Detroit-3 and the Toyota Tundra. Nissan is hoping to change that with the 2016 Titan. While still camouflaged in these pictures, we get a better view of the revised truck. In the video, we can see the new truck being put through various performance tests and if you look closely, you can get a hint of the new interior as well. Powertrains for the 2016 Titan will range from the familiar 317 horsepower 5.6 liter V8 to a new 5.0 liter Cummins turbo-diesel making around 300 horsepower and between 500 - 550 lb-ft of torque. Fuel economy for the new turbo-diesel is rumored to reach 26 mpg combined, a figure that would beat the successful Ram 1500 V6 EcoDiesel's figure of 23 mpg combined while also producing a lot more power. The 2016 Nissan Titan press release is scheduled for January 12th, 2015 at 8:05 am. We will be on hand to bring you pictures and updates from the floor. You can sign up to follow all the stories from Detroit here, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ Source: Nissan Media