William Maley

Ram could be going down the same road as GM and Ford with their midsize pickup trucks. Originally, Ram was going engineer and develop the Dakota for North America by Chrysler’s engineering staff. However, when Fiat assumed control of the automaker in 2009, plans changed. "It is something that we are evaluating.As a global organization, we are now starting to look at what can we bring to the market that would actually work in Europe, in Asia, in the U.S., in Mexico, and so forth, and get the platform right so that we can enjoy the economies of scale that come with that," said Ram CEO Fred Diaz Chrysler is still trying to figure out what the next Dakota will become. Previously, the company hinted at a midsize unibody pickup, but Diaz says Chrysler is still evaluating both unibody and traditional body-on-frame designs. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) View full article

Currently Volkswagen has 588 dealers in the U.S., and sold 256,830 vehicles last year. But coming up in seven years, VW has set a goal of selling 800,000 vehicles in the U.S., and the current number can’t handle that goal. Back in April, head of VW of America Jonathan Browning, said there would be an "evolutionary" increase in dealers for the next couple of years, after which a "radical change" would be necessary. When would this radical change happen? "But by 2014/15 we will have to add dealers across the U.S. to achieve our long-term objectives," said Browning said to Automotive News this week. Browning said he predicts the brand to sell in excess of 300,000 cars this year and improve on that by a "double-digit" amount next year. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) View full article

After two years and countless number of concepts, Toyota will show off the production version of the FT-86 sports car. Toyota's UK office released pictures and some tidbits about the vehicle. In Europe, the coupe will be called GT 86. Here's the specs of the GT 86: 2.0L boxer with D4-S injection (direct and port injected) 197 hp @ 7,000 rpm and 151 lb-ft (205 Nm) @6,600 rpm 6-speed manual or automatic transmissions 17-inch wheel/tire package standard 4,240mm (167 in.) long, 1285mm (50.6 in.) high, 2,570mm (101 in.) wide 53:47 front-to-rear weight distribution 475mm (18.7 in.) center of gravity Inside the GT 86 is a three-gauge cluster with a larger tachometer, carbon fiber styled trim, an all black roof, red stitching, aluminum pedals, and “aviation-style” switches. The GT 86 will go on sale in Europe next June. We'll learn more about the Toyota GT 86 or FT-86 next week at Tokyo Motor Show. Source: blog.toyota.co.uk View full article

Jaguar is looking to increase the number of vehicles they sell in the US. To accomplish this, the company will introduce AWD and introduce a new range of engines. Adrian Hallmark, Jaguar’s Global Brand Director said the brand is struggling to compete with automakers that offer AWD; especially in the snow belt, where 70% of XF’s class are equipped with AWD. Hallmark says the company has prototypes testing, and he says are discussions to find a solution. Jaguar is also working on a new range of powertrains. "We are seen as a V8 brand in the U.S., but the U.S. is downsizing and we need to respond. Within the next two years we will have new engines, V6s and smaller," said Hallmark. Also in the cards are four-cylinder turbo engines and possibly diesels for the US market. Jaguar is also looking at hybrid powertrains, but Hallmark says this is not a key priority. "They are a very expensive solution and customers are not willing to pay for it." For now Jaguar will use hybrids as a way to improve performance. Source: Inside Line View full article

A few years ago, rumors began to fly around of a high performance version of the Lexus GS to take on the BMW M5, Mercedes-Benz E55/E63, and Audi RS6. Power was destined to be a V10 producing somewhere in the range of 500+ HP. However, the past years have brought forth nothing and the only thing close to this dream machine is the GS F-Sport package shown at SEMA. But that hasn’t stopped the rumors from flying out. At the LA Auto Show, sources at Lexus told Autocar that thy “would love” to launch a high-performance GS. Autocar is also reporting that the GS performance model will come with a detuned version of the LFA’s 4.8-litre V10, producing somewhere around 450 HP. We’re not holding our breath on this one. Source: Autocar View full article