William Maley

Most automakers tend to hold a debut of a new product at some extravagant venue. For the new V60, Volvo chose the driveway of a typical suburban family home in Sweden. Pragmatic? Sure, but in a way it works for next member of 60 series family. As we suspected from spy photos and was revealed by leaked photos last week, the 2019 V60 is a smaller version of the V90. All of the traits are there such as a minimalist body design, headlights featuring Thor's hammer, and L-shaped taillights that extend upward along the tailgate. Compared to the V90, the V60 is about seven inches shorter in overall length and two inches short in wheelbase. But compared to the current V60, the new model will offer more cargo space (48.2 vs. 43.2 cubic feet) and two more inches of rear legroom. The V60's interior is the same as what you'll find in the XC60 and 90 series models. A minimalist design featuring wood and aluminum inlays on the dash and door panels, and a large touchscreen with Volvo's Sensus infotainment system. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and 4G LTE will be standard on all V60s. Volvo will be offering six engines for the V60. The ones that have been confirmed for the U.S. are the T5 (turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder, 250 horsepower) and T6 (turbo and supercharged 2.0L four-cylinder, 310 horsepower and 295 pound-feet). The two that are very interesting are the plug-in hybrids. The T8 and all-new T6 Twin Engine hybrids use the same twin-charged 2.0L found in the T6 and a 65-kilowatt electric motor. The difference is in the output of the gas engine. The T6 produces 253 horsepower and 258 pound-feet, while the T8 makes do with 303 horsepower and 295 pound-feet. Total output for both powertrains are, T6 Twin Engine: 340 horsepower and 435 pound-feet of torque T8 Twin Engine: 390 horsepower and 472 pound-feet of torque Interestingly, both models reach 62 mph in 4.8 seconds and have an electric-only range of 28 miles. At the moment, Volvo isn't saying if the Twin Engine models will come to the U.S. The other two engines are diesel and will not come to the U.S. The T5 and T6 will come equipped with an eight-speed automatic. The T5 comes in front-wheel drive, while the T6 is all-wheel drive. Being a Volvo, the V60 will come fully stocked with various safety equipment such as City Safety with Autobrake, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, and Volvo's semi-autonomous Pilot Assist system. No word on pricing, but the V60 will be available later this year for purchase or through the Care by Volvo vehicle subscription service. A Cross Country variant will be coming according to Roadshow. Source: Volvo, Roadshow Press Release is on Page 2 Volvo launches new V60 versatile family estate Volvo Cars, the premium car maker, today revealed the new V60 five-door, mid-size premium estate, underlining the Swedish company’s position as a maker of cars that combine good looks with everyday practicality. The car was launched in its natural habitat – the driveway of a family home in Stockholm – highlighting Volvo Cars’ pedigree in family estates and pinpointing how the V60’s versatile design caters to the diverse needs and realities of modern family life. Few car makers can match Volvo Cars’ history and credibility in making well-designed, practical and versatile estate cars. “The family estate driver is an important customer for our business and has been for generations,” said Håkan Samuelsson, president and CEO of Volvo Cars. “The new V60 honours that tradition, but also takes it much further.” The new V60 shares Volvo Cars’ Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform with the award-winning new XC60 and four top-of-the-line 90 Series cars, which have been the collective force behind the company’s record-breaking global sales performance in recent years. The SPA-based V60 introduces a new standard to the mid-size premium estate segment with a luxurious interior, increased levels of space, advanced connectivity, plus Volvo Cars’ latest driver support systems and other safety technology. “The V60 really is the central point of the Volvo brand,” said Robin Page, Senior Vice President Design at Volvo Cars. “It’s refined, has a beautiful proportion and stance, yet delivers on practicality and versatility. In a first for the segment, customers can access the new V60 via Volvo Cars’ new premium subscription service Care by Volvo*, which offers car access via a monthly flat-fee subscription rather than ownership. Care by Volvo makes having a car as transparent, easy and hassle free as having a mobile phone. Reflecting Volvo Cars’ industry-first announcement to electrify all new cars from 2019, the V60 comes with two plug-in hybrid powertrain options: the new T6 Twin Engine AWD petrol plug-in hybrid that generates a combined 340hp or the T8 Twin Engine AWD petrol plug-in hybrid that delivers 390hp. The regular petrol choice offers T5 or T6 powertrains. Drivers who prefer diesel can select D3 or D4 engines. The new V60 reinforces Volvo Cars’ standing as the industry leader in safety, with a comprehensive list of safety features that come as standard, including advanced driver support systems known from the 90 Series and XC60, making the new V60 one of the safest cars on the road. The City Safety with Autobrake technology uses automatic braking and detection systems to assist the driver in avoiding potential collisions, and is the only system on the market to recognise pedestrians, cyclists and large animals. In a world first, City Safety now also engages autobraking to mitigate oncoming collisions. The Pilot Assist system – which supports the driver with steering, acceleration and braking on well-marked roads up to 130km/h – has been upgraded with improved cornering performance. The V60 also includes Run-off Road Mitigation, Oncoming Lane Mitigation and other steering assistance systems. The optional Cross Traffic Alert with autobrake further improves safety for people inside and outside the car. Volvo Cars’ Sensus infotainment system is fully compatible with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and 4G, and keeps drivers connected at all times. The system is control via an intuitive tablet-style touch screen that combines car functions, navigation, connected services and entertainment apps. View full article

Nine years ago, Porsche introduced its first diesel-powered model, the Cayenne SUV. This was followed by diesel variants of the Panamera and Macan. But Porsche has now ended production of all diesel models. According to Autocar, Porsche has ended sales of the Macan S Diesel and Panamera 4S Diesel. A Porsche spokesman said the move mirrors the “cultural shift” of the brand's customers. The spokesman also mentioned, “another software update” for the diesel engines that are part of “ongoing consultation with the authorities”, likely hinting at regulatory issues concerning the future of these engines. The removal of diesel is no great loss to Porsche as a source tells Autocar the fuel only made up 15% of automaker’s total worldwide sales. Porsche's focus will now be on hybrids and the upcoming Mission E electric vehicle. Source: Autocar View full article

We cannot fault anyone who forgets Kia sells a flagship sedan. No, we're not talking about the Stinger. We're referring to the K900 which sounds like the name of a knock-off Doctor Who character. Later this year, Kia will be launching the second-generation K900 in select markets like the U.S.. Today, Kia dropped a teaser photo of the new model. Compared to the current K900, the new model looks much leaner and the A-Pillar has been pushed back slightly. The headlights feature LED accents. We think the new K900 will use the underpinnings of the Genesis G90, which would allow it to have rear and all-wheel drive. Engines are expected to be the twin-turbo 3.3L V6 and 5.0L V8. As for when we'll see it, some believe it will debut at Geneva while others have it at New York. Our money is on New York. (Author's Note: I actually reviewed the K900 back in 2015 and thought it was a nice sedan for the money. You can check out the review here. -WM) Source: Kia Press Release is on Page 2 Kia previews second-generation K900 Kia Motors has previewed its flagship luxury sedan, the K900, ahead of its world debut later in the year. The new model combines sophisticated exterior design, effortless performance and a spacious cabin distinguished by luxurious materials and elegant styling. New technologies protect occupants, enhance interior comfort and give the driver greater confidence at the wheel. Created through joint efforts by Kia’s designers in Korea and in the U.S., the new K900 will be manufactured at the company’s production facility in Korea. The new flagship sedan will go on sale in selected global markets from the second quarter of 2018. View full article

It seems Volkswagen wasn't the only German automaker that was using a defeat device in their diesel vehicles. Over the weekend, German paper Bild am Sonntag obtained documents that revealed Diamler may have been using illegal software modifications to pass emission tests. U.S. investigators looking into Daimler found two engine management functions, Slipguard: Recognized whether or not the vehicle was being tested in a lab Bit 15: Turned off the emissions cleaning after 26 kilometers (16 miles) of driving Bild also cited emails from Daimler engineers questioning whether or not the functions were legal or not. “The authorities know the documents and no complaint has been filed, The documents available to Bild have obviously selectively been released in order to harm Daimler and its 290,000 employees," a Diamler spokesman told Reuters. The spokesman declined to comment on the content of the documents, saying that it " had agreed upon strict confidentiality with the Department of Justice." Diamler has been under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice and Stuttgart prosecutors over allegations of possible cheating. Source: Bild via Reuters View full article

About a month ago, we reported on a California Air Resources Board (CARB) document that revealed the 2019 Camaro could be getting a seven-speed manual for the 6.2L V8. At the time, speculation was that the manual transmission could come from the Corvette. But it appears this dream has been popped. Last week, Bozi Tatarevic on Twitter uncovered that the document listing the seven-speed manual for the Camaro was marked as a canceled. A new document uploaded on the same day shows the 'Trans Type' being a six-speed manual and 10-speed automatic. CarBuzz speculates that the seven-speed transmission has been pushed back to 2020. Our guesses as to why GM pulled the seven-speed off the CARB document could either be that GM ran into issues with fitting the Corvette's seven-speed in the Camaro - the transmission mounts on the rear-axle in the Corvette while the Camaro mounts it at the engine. There could also be the issue of transmission being slightly too expensive for the Camaro. Source: hoonable on Twitter, (2), CarBuzz View full article