William Maley

The diesel emission scandal has caused many automakers to rethink plans and possibly end development on diesel powertrains. Volvo has already announced that it would not be developing any new diesel powertrains in the coming years. Now, Porsche could be following them. Porsche CEO Oliver Blume tells Reuters the company will make the decision whether or not it will continue developing diesel engines by the end of the decade. "Of course we are looking into this issue. We have not made a decision on it," said Blume. "For the generations that will follow there are different scenarios." Blume said over the next 10 to 15 years, Porsche would offer a mix of combustion engines, plug-in hybrid vehicles, and electrics. Currently, diesels make up 15 percent of Porsche's global sales. In 2016, the German automaker sold a record 237,778 diesel vehicles - comprised of the Cayenne, Macan, and Panamera. Source: Reuters View full article

Police departments now have another choice for a pursuit rated vehicle. Today, Ford unveiled the F-150 Police Responder which is the first pickup truck to be pursuit rated. If you're wondering what it means to be 'pursuit rated', it basically means the vehicle can travel at high speeds without overheating the engine, reduced braking performance, and other mechanical issues. The Police Responder is equipped with a 3.5L EcoBoost V6 with 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. This comes paired with a 10-speed automatic and a part-time four-wheel-drive system. Top speed is rated at 100 mph. The FX4 off-road package comes standard for the F-150 Police Responder and includes locking rear differential, skid plates, and off-road tuned shocks. The suspension also comes with a stiffer front anti-roll bar specific to the Police Responder. A set of 18-inch aluminum wheels come wrapped in all-terrain tires. A 240-volt alternator, column shifter, heavy-duty cloth front seats, steel plates in the seat backs, and vinyl rear seats finish off the model. “Ford’s 2018 F-150 Police Responder is the perfect all-terrain law enforcement vehicle. Aside from its industry-first on-road pursuit capability, this purpose-built pickup can comfortably seat five, while providing capability in off-road patrol situations for officers in rural environments patrolled by sheriff’s departments, border patrol operations and the Department of Natural Resources,” said Stephen Tyler, Ford’s police brand marketing manager. Law enforcement agencies can place orders for the F-150 Police Responder next spring. Source: Ford Press Release is on Page 2 FORD REVEALS INDUSTRY’S FIRST POLICE PURSUIT-RATED PICKUP TRUCK – THE F-150 POLICE RESPONDER Purpose-built for the demands of law enforcement, the first pursuit-rated pickup – the 2018 Ford F-150 Police Responder – joins the industry’s broadest lineup of law enforcement vehicles this fall All-new F-150 Police Responder is ready for action with a specially designed interior; performance features include police-calibrated brake system, all-terrain tires and 18-inch alloy rims, plus the largest passenger volume of any pursuit-rated vehicle Performance-rated for speeds up to 100 mph, F-150 Police Responder is engineered for high-performance capability and durability for both on-road and off-road situations – it’s ideal for rural environments patrolled by sheriff’s departments, border patrol operations and fish and game authorities DEARBORN, Mich., July 20, 2017 – Ford is revealing the industry’s first pursuit-rated pickup, the 2018 F-150 Police Responder, giving law enforcement agencies a more versatile and capable patrol vehicle. Capable of speeds up to 100 mph, the all-new F-150 Police Responder features a powerful and efficient 3.5-liter EcoBoost® engine and Ford SelectShift® 10-speed transmission, plus four-wheel drive for all-terrain police performance. The truck offers 375 horsepower and 470 lb.-ft. of torque – more than any other pursuit-rated police vehicle. Based on the F-150 FX4 off-road model, the Police Responder’s 145-inch wheelbase sits on a high-strength steel frame, and features Ford’s high-strength, military-grade, aluminum-alloy SuperCrew body – giving it the largest passenger volume, payload and towing capacity of any pursuit-rated police vehicle. The truck features best-in-class front and rear shoulder and hip room, as well as rear legroom. “Ford’s 2018 F-150 Police Responder is the perfect all-terrain law enforcement vehicle,” said Stephen Tyler, Ford’s police brand marketing manager. “Aside from its industry-first on-road pursuit capability, this purpose-built pickup can comfortably seat five, while providing capability in off-road patrol situations for officers in rural environments patrolled by sheriff’s departments, border patrol operations and the Department of Natural Resources.” Additional F-150 Police Responder performance enhancements include a police-calibrated brake system with upgraded calipers and pad friction material, upgraded front-stabilizer bar for improved braking and handling and 18-inch alloy wheels with all-terrain tires. An upfit-ready interior features a column shifter with center-seat delete, heavy-duty cloth front seats with slim bolsters and anti-stab plates, vinyl rear seating and heavy-duty vinyl flooring for easy cleanup. A high-output 240-amp alternator is included to support on-board electrical devices, along with a police-calibrated speedometer, and engine hour and engine idle hour meters. Underbody skid plates protect the truck from curbs and rough terrain. A standard class IV hitch gives F-150 Police Responder best-in-class towing capability of 7,000 pounds. F-150 Police Responder joins the broadest lineup of law enforcement vehicles in the industry. From its Police Responder Hybrid Sedan – the first pursuit-rated hybrid police vehicle – and market-leading Police Interceptor Sedan and Utility, to the Special Service F-150 and Expedition, Special Service Police Sedan and Transit Prisoner Transport Vehicle, Ford offers the right vehicles for a variety of law enforcement needs. 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There is a huge difference between hybrid and plug-in hybrid models. So it seems interesting that Chrysler will be dropping the plug-in part of the Pacifica Plug-In hybrid in their marketing for almost all of the U.S. Bloomberg reports that Chrysler will advertise the Pacifica PHEV as the Pacifica Hybrid for the majority of the country. The reason is that most Americans see 'plug-in' and think limited range. For the record, a plug-in hybrid can run on electric power alone for a time. Once the battery is depleted, the gas engine will kick on to provide propulsion and charge the battery. There is one exception to this plan, California. Tim Kuniskis, head of FCA's passenger-car brands in the U.S. tells Bloomberg buyers in the state understands what a plug-in hybrid vehicle is. “People here see it as a benefit and understand that that’s worth more,” said Kuniskis. Jessica Caldwell, an analyst with Edmunds echo's Kuniskis' statement, saying Californians under the value of plug-in hybrids. It doesn't hurt that plug-in hybrids qualify for government incentives. “In California, it’s not seen as something that’s negative. It’s seen as like ‘that’s cool, that’s progressive,’” said Caldwell. In due course, Chrysler will be marketing the Pacifica PHEV as plug-in hybrid in the rest of the U.S. once more consumers become educated on what plug-in hybrid is and isn't. Source: Bloomberg View full article

We knew it was coming, but it was still a shock when Honda announced that the Accord Coupe would be no more with the next-generation model. As The Truth About Cars notes, about 5 percent of Accord sales were the coupe. That means out of 345,225 Accords sold last year, about 17,200 were for the coupe. Despite dropping the coupe, Honda believes buyers of the coupe will switch over to the sedan. “The sedan has dramatic enough styling to appeal to coupe intenders,” said Sage Marie, American Honda spokesman at the reveal of the 2018 Accord to Wards Auto. The key words in that quote is 'coupe intenders'. We have to wonder how many of the buyers of the Accord Coupe bought it because it was the better looking of the two. We also wonder how many Accord Coupe owners will transition to the new sedan. It might be a small amount, but considering how much hemorrhaging is going on in the sales of midsize sedans, every little bit will help. Source: Wards Auto, The Truth About Cars View full article

This. I'm not a big fan of the 3.6 for numerous reasons - big one being that lacks low-end punch. I don't know if this will work in GS. I want to believe it will work, but I'll be holding judgment till I can drive. And a quick reminder to those as to why Buick possibly didn't go with a boosted-six, This was back in October when Holden provided some details on the next Commodore.

The excitement over the return of the Ford Bronco has been somewhat staggering. This has meant a fair amount of rumor, speculation, and renderings of the new models have been popping up before the official introduction. The latest rumors come from an unnamed Ford employee speaking with Gear Patrol. According to the engineer, Ford has been struggling with the design of the new Bronco, reportedly sending it back twice. The last one was scrapped due to it looking "too much like a Wrangler.” The current design being worked on is said to be a four-door variant of the Brazilian Troller T4. What about a two-door? The engineer said, “there’s just no market for it.” It will feature removable roof panels to give that open air feeling like a Wrangler. Power is said to be the 2.7L EcoBoost V6 with 325 horsepower. Ford is using the Wrangler as a benchmark in terms of off-road capability. One area that the Bronco will not be able to compete with the Wrangler is rock climbing mostly due to issues with the platform from the Ranger. Source: Gear Patrol View full article