William Maley

William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com January 17, 2012 If you’re one of those people who doesn’t understands Lincoln's alphabet soup naming and just wished the brand would return to using actual names, you’re not going to be happy with this news. Last year, Ford CEO Alan Mulally hinted that Lincoln would drop the MK-alphabet soup and go back to using actual names. But it looks like that idea has gone into the trash. At the 2012 Detroit Auto Show, Lincoln showed off the MKZ Concept, indicating the Zephyr name probably wouldn't be revived. "What I've learned in my career is it's product that matters, not the name," said Jim Farley, Ford's marketing chief to reporters. In a separate interview, Mulally said he had come to terms with the current naming structure at Lincoln. Source: USA Today View full article

William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com January 17, 2012 Nissan showed off a concept version of the new Pathfinder at the 2012 North American International Auto Show last week, but didn't disclose many details. But, Motor Trend has found out some information about what will powering it. A source at Nissan tells Motor Trend that the production version of the new Pathfinder will use Nissan's 3.5L V6. This makes sense since the Pathfinder is Nissan’s version of the new Infiniti JX35, which uses the same powertrain. Horsepower and torque hasn't been revealed, but we're guessing 265 HP and 248 lb-ft of torque like in the JX. A CVT transmission will likely be the only transmission option. The production version of the Pathfinder will be shown at next month's Chicago Auto Show. More interesting though is that Nissan told Motor Trend that at the New York Auto Show, the company will premiere a new vehicle that no one outside the company has seen before. Source: Motor Trend View full article

William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com January 17, 2012 Mark Reuss, GM’s North America President recently dealt some dirt on the next generation Chevrolet Colorado, due out in the U.S. sometime in either 2012 or 2013. Reuss revealed the Colorado’s main target is the Toyota Tacoma. “Tacoma is the volume leader. We know that there’s a buyer for a really good Chevrolet lifestyle sport truck that’s quite different than the Tacoma,” Reuss told Car & Driver. How much different are we talking? Reuss and his colleagues didn’t say. Most likely Reuss brought up the Tacoma in reference to the Colorado being extremely capable in addition to it competing in the mid-size truck segment. Although mid-size is a bit of a misnomer; Reuss said the new Colorado will be something like 90 to 95% of the size of the Silverado full-size truck. And of course since we are talking about Chevrolet Colorado, the question was brought up if GMC would get a version. Reuss said it’s possible that GMC could get a version of it. If it does happen, the GMC version would be significantly differentiated from the Chevrolet. GM isn’t saying anything about it at the moment. Reuss also talked about how the Colorado will have better fuel efficiency and a “powertrain change” versus the Silverado. Most likely, this means the Colorado will pack a four or six-cylinder engine, but a diesel engine could be in the cards with a diesel Cruze being introduced next year. Source: Car & Driver View full article

William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com January 17, 2012 If you’re one of people who wants an electric car, but have the fear of not having enough power to make it through your daily drive, you might want to hear this story. A new study released by Columbia University says that 95% of daily trips could be made with an electric vehicles. The study done by two doctoral students used data from the Department of Transport’s 2009 National Household Travel Survey. The data showed 95% of the 748,918 recorded single-trip journeys by car were under 30 miles. More surprisingly, 98% of single-trip journeys were under 50 miles in length. Only 1% of single-trip journeys were 70 miles and above. The study found out the average distance for single-trip distance is 5.95, while 95% of rural residents' trips were under 50 miles. But of course, these numbers are only for single trips, which only tell you so much. What would more helpful if there was an average commuting distances. Luckily, the study provides those numbers as well. The study found 95% of those surveyed traveled under 40 miles to work; the average trip was 13.6 miles. The average round trip drive for urban drivers was 36.5 miles, while rural drivers saw an average of 48.6 miles. Source: Green Car Reports View full article

Thanks Gary, we appreciate this

William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com January 16, 2012 A few years ago, a man by the name Scott Devin decided to build an American supercar to compete with the world’s best. So he called on a Swedish designer, Daniel Paulin to design his car. Now, being a new start-up car company, Devon couldn’t develop his own platform or an engine due to not having enough money. So, he went the donor car route for his new car and picked the Dodge Viper. Now, before you start thinking all Devon did for his new car was take a Viper and dress it up, there was more done to it. The Viper V10 was tuned and tweaked to produce 650 HP. The body, designed by Paulin was coachbuilt. The end result was the Devon GTX and was very impressive. Not only for its looks, but also for its performance. When the GTX was taken out to Laguna Seca Raceway, it set the fastest lap for a production car. Devon’s plan for the GTX was to put it into limited production starting in 2010 with a list price of $500,000. However, Devon’s plans wouldn’t come together. Part of the problem was the high asking price for the GTX, which meant not many orders were placed. The other problem was Chrysler announcing production of Viper would end in 2010, which would hurt the supply of Devon’s vehicles. In the end, only two GTXs were built. Now, you have the chance of owning one of the two. This week, a Devon GTX, Serial #1 will going up on the auction block at Barrett-Jackson. No estimates have been provided, but we’re guessing this GTX will fetch a pretty penny. Source: Barrett-Jackson View full article

I don't know. I actually like Infiniti's grill.. Lexus' grill looks like the designer watched way too much Predator

William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com January 16, 2012 The Volkswagen VR6 engine, found in the Passat, Touareg, and Porsche Cayenne could be saying good-bye. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, a member of the Volkswagen board of management who oversees research and development said the company is deciding whether to keep the VR6 in production or scrap it. As it stands, the VR6 engine is expensive to build and import, and doesn’t sell in many vehicles. Hackenberg said the company is deciding whether to put the VR6 into more vehicles or to ditch it. Hackenberg says he is interested in “a turbo five, as we just used in the Audi [TT RS].” The U.S. version of the TT-RS produces 360 HP and 343 lb-ft of torque. If Volkswagen was to go with a turbo-five, the engine could be built in the U.S. with the Passat and Touareg being possible canidates. Source: Car & Driver View full article

William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com January 16, 2012 Lexus is hoping to rebound from a poor 2011 and reclaim its crown of being the number one luxury automaker in sales. For 2012, Lexus is planning on introducing nine new or updated models, plus three F-Sport cars. The vehicles include the recently introduced GS350 and GS450h, while later on in the year we'll see updated versions of the ES, IS, LS, and LX. Mark Templin, Lexus' general manager says the company is forecasting a 21% increase in sales this year. "We will grow more than any other luxury brand this year. Our base plan is 240,000. But we think we can exceed that by a pretty good margin," Templin said. Beyond this, Lexus is looking towards expanding their lineup with new models and more versions of existing cars. First will be the CT, for which there has been rumors of a high performance model coming out. In addition, Lexus is looking at adding a seven seat crossover as the brand looks to phase out its body-on-frame SUVs. And finally, Lexus is looking to get back in the coupe game. Karl Schlicht, Lexus' global head of product planning and marketing said the LF-LC Concept, shown at last week's Detroit Auto Show could be made into a production model with a price tag between $100,000 and $130,000. But that's not all. Templin said he would like to see an SC430 replacement, priced around the $70,000 mark. And rumor has it that Lexus is working on a GS coupe to compete with Mercedes-Benz E-Class coupe. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) View full article

William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com January 16, 2012 The current BMW X5, which has been on sale since 2006, is getting a bit long in the tooth. BMW knows it and is beginning to work on a next generation model which has been caught by a spy photographer. Like the BMW 3-Series spy photos, the X5 mule has false headlights and taillights, and a lot of camouflage. But, judging from the profile, expect the new X5 to share a resemblance to the current X3 with a blunt front end and a different angle of slope for the tailgate. A source says the new X5 will ride on a on a heavily-modified 5 Series platform; codenamed F15. Engines will likely include BMW’s turbo six and eight engines, including a diesel option. Also, expect a M and ActiveHybrid model to come as well. Production of the new X5 could start in the forth quarter of 2013 at BMW’s Spartanburg, S.C. plant. Source: Motor Trend View full article

William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com January 16, 2012 Automakers have been pushing Hybrid vehicles for the past few years as a way for owners to save gas and the environment. However, according to LMC Automotive, hybrid sales in the United States have slowed last year to 2.2% compared to 2.4% in 2010. Mike Jackson, chief executive of auto retail chain AutoNation Inc., says that while 75% of customers that walked into his showrooms wanted to talk about hybrids, they only make 2.5% of AutoNation sales. “What happens from the 75 percent consideration to the 2.5 percent commitment? They look at the price premium for the technology, which is already subsidized and discounted, and say ‘the payback period is too long; not for me.’ It’s a back-of-the envelope conversation on the part of the American consumer,” said Jackson. Hybrid vehicles face two challenges: the cost of hybrids haven't come down fast enough to justify the added expense and regular internal combustion engines have become more efficient.David Champion, senior director of the Auto Test Center of Consumer Reports points out that a regular Civic gets 32 MPG combined while the Civic hybrid achieves 44 MPG combined. That extra MPG means $322 savings in fuel for a year. But with a larger price tag, the Civic hybrid takes more than six years to get the money back. What’s more, improvements to a regular internal combustion engine can potentially improve fuel economy by 40% while costing an extra $2,000 per model by 2020. Also, putting a vehicle on a diet and doing better aerodynamics can lower consumption by up to 10% and would cost approximately $200 per car by 2020. “The advantages of hybrids are getting harder to justify. It’s the cost differential. Consumers are rational and they understand the cost of ownership,” said Scott Corwin, vice president of consulting firm Booz & Co., New York. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) View full article

William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com January 15, 2012 Tom Stephens, the Vice Chairman and Chief Technology Officer for General Motors is retiring on April 1st, ending a 43-year career that included leadership of GM's global powertrain and product development organizations. Stephens started at GM back in 1969 as part of a student program. From there he would hold positions at Cadillac, Buick-Oldsmobile-Cadillac Division, and GM Powertrain. Highlights for Stephens include leading the development of the first Cadillac Northstar engine and spearheaded the creation of GM’s advanced propulsion technology strategy. “Tom Stephens is an engineering icon within our company and within our industry. We have all benefited greatly from his passion, wisdom, and commitment to product excellence. His talent and contributions to GM are deeply appreciated and his expertise will be missed,” said GM Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson in a statement. Press Release is on Page 2 GMViceChairman and Chief Technology Officer to Retire Tom Stephens caps 43-year powertrain and product development career April 1 DETROIT – General Motors Vice Chairman and Chief Technology Officer Tom Stephens has elected to retire effective April 1, capping a 43-year career that included leadership of the company’s global powertrain and product development organizations. In his most recent role as CTO, Stephens led the company’s product technology arm, working to identify and develop advanced and game-changing technologies for integration in future GM vehicles. He also focused on building closer relationships with external and internal technology partners. His successor will be named later. Stephens, 63, served as Vice Chairman, Global Product Operations from April 2009 through February 2011. He was Group Vice President of Global Powertrain from July 2001 to March 2008, when he was promoted to Executive Vice President of Global Powertrain and Global Quality. His GM career began in 1969 as an hourly employee at the Chevrolet Engineering Center in Warren, Mich., under the University of Michigan Student Co-op Program. Stephens held several engineering positions at Cadillac Motor Car Division and a series of engineering leadership posts with the Buick-Oldsmobile-Cadillac Division before being chosen to lead the newly created GM Powertrain Division. “Tom Stephens is an engineering icon within our company and within our industry,” said GM Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson. “We have all benefited greatly from his passion, wisdom, and commitment to product excellence. His talent and contributions to GM are deeply appreciated and his expertise will be missed.” Key highlights of Stephens’ career include leading the development of the first Cadillac Northstar engine, GM’s premier dual overhead cam performance engine, which won numerous industry and engine awards. He also spearheaded the creation of GM’s advanced propulsion technology strategy, which guided the company’s development of a wide range of advanced engine technologies, hybrid vehicles, and the Chevrolet Volt. Stephens led the globalization of powertrain engineering, leveraging global centers of expertise to speed engine development. He also championed the use of computational tools and common parts in GM engineering and product development processes to increase quality and efficiency. After retirement, Stephens will continue to serve on the board of directors of the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Foundation and the board of trustees for the Detroit Science Center. He is a member of the Engineering Advisory Council for the University of Michigan School of Engineering and was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2007 for his contributions to powertrain engineering. View full article

William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com January 15, 2012 Riddle me this Batman; what future car is Toyota Division Group Vice President and General Manager, Bob Carter talking about. Will have “more room than a BMW X5, be faster than a (Volkswagen) TDI and have higher mpg than a Fiat 500.” The answer, well it could be one of two things; a new model Toyota is working on or the new Avalon. What? The Avalon? Yes, and here’s how. To have more room than a BMW X5, the vehicle would need an interior volume greater than 102.4-cubic feet. To beat a Volkswagen TDI, the vehicle would need to produce more than 140 HP and 235 lb-ft of torque. To best a Fiat 500 in mileage, the vehicle would need to best 30 MPG City and 38 MPG Highway. Using some process of elimination, we can eliminate the Prius v and new Prius c. We can also eliminate the NS4 concept and the recently updated Camry Hybrid. The final clue leading us to the Avalon is Carter stating the vehicle have “lavish features rarely found in near-luxury vehicles.” Whether this process of elimination pans out or not, we’ll likely see this model sometime in 2012. Source: Ward’s Auto via Autoguide View full article