William Maley

Details about the next Jeep Wrangler have been coming in drips and drabs. We know that it will be using aluminum panels to help cut weight, possibly feature a new turbocharged four-cylinder and eight-speed automatic, and feature a pickup variant. But there is one detail that can be confirmed, a production timeframe. The Toledo Blade reports that Fiat Chrysler Automobiles will cease production of the Cherokee and begin retooling the line at Toledo assembly beginning in April. This to make way for the next-generation Wrangler production at the plant. Bruce Baumhower, president of United Auto Workers Local 12 tells the Blade production is expected to begin in November. FCA declined to comment when asked by the paper. Baumhower went on to say production of the current Wrangler would continue uninterrupted during the retooling process. The current Wrangler would cease production in March 2018 to make way for the Wrangler pickup. Production of the Cherokee will move over to FCA's Belvidere, Il plant. According to local media there, production of the Compass and Patriot ended on December 23rd. Retooling of this plant has already begun according to UAW officials. Source: The Toledo Blade View full article

If you want to one up your friend who will be getting their hands on a new Ford GT, then why not put a bid on the first functional prototype of the last-generation GT. Going up for auction next month at Russo and Steele Arizona sale in Scottsdale, AZ, the GT Confirmation Prototype 1 (CP-1) is the first fully functional prototype. It was the fourth GT model ever built - wears the VIN 004 - and the first to come with a full interior. Being a prototype, the GT CP-1 has some special parts such as a "sniffer pipe" for emissions testing, quick-release fuel tank, and a carbon-fiber clamshell. The prototype also features signatures of 13 members of the original Ford GT design and development team including the designer Camillo Pardo and Carroll Shelby. One downside, the vehicle has a top speed of 5 mph. Ford sold this vehicle back in 2008 to "GT Joey" Limongelli, an avid GT collector and author of the book “Ford GT 2005-2006: The Complete Owners Experience. Source: Russo and Steele Press Release is on Page 2 First shown in 2002 to celebrate Ford Motor Company’s upcoming centennial, the Ford GT40 concept car was designed by Camilo Pardo, the head of Ford’s “Living Legends” studio under the direction of Ford design chief J. Mays. Clearly inspired by the GT40s that beat Ferrari at Le Mans in 1966 and dominated there through 1969, the new-generation Ford GT was soon prepared, refined, and tested for production. A true piece of automotive history, Ford GT prototype CP-1, short for Confirmation Prototype 1, was the first fully-functional Ford GT prototype built in 2003 as part of the all-new GT’s development phase. Assigned VIN 004, it was the first Ford GT prototype to be equipped with an engine, drivetrain, and full interior, in contrast to the red, white, and blue Ford Centennial prototypes which were non-runners for exhibition purposes only and currently reside in the Ford Museum. In 2008, CP-1 was purchased from Ford Motor Company by “GT Joey” Limongelli, the respected GT collector and author of “Ford GT 2005-2006: The Complete Owners Experience,” considered the definitive book on the reborn Ford GT. In addition to its early provenance, the originality of CP-1 is perhaps what makes the car so tantalizing to hard-core Ford enthusiasts. Its body and engine compartment feature an array of non-standard components and many design features that are exclusive to this prototype, including the air bags, which are in fact Mustang components, and the steering column that was sourced from a Ford Windstar van. The silver trim rings on the seats were eliminated on production cars, the striking Camillo Pardo-designed all-aluminum headliner was replaced in production by a more traditional padded item, and a note scrawled in marker on the center console instructs test drivers to “push red button to start” the mid-mounted V-8 engine, which is mated to a 6-speed transaxle. Outside, the right quarter-panel features two quick-release valves connected to the fuel tank that allow quick changes of fuel grades. Extending beyond the rear bumper, a set of experimental exhaust pipes incorporate a “sniffer pipe” that allowed the engineers to determine engine emissions during testing. Of further interest, the engine of CP-1 resides beneath a lightweight carbon-fiber rear clamshell. However, when Ford executives learned the projected cost of this item was projected to cost approximately $45,000 to produce, a more traditional and far less-costly aluminum unit replaced it. The engine of CP-1 is fitted with a black supercharger and valve covers, which were replaced in production by a silver blower and traditional Ford Blue valve covers. While CP-1 has a fully functional powertrain and the car has a 17-digit VIN, prior to the sale in 2008 Ford engineers installed a chip in the engine limiting its top speed to 5 mph for display use only. As offered, CP-1 is accompanied by factory Build Sheet documentation, and it retains the test connections and monitoring equipment used during the Ford GT’s road and emissions certification testing. The vehicle is adorned by the autographs of 13 members of the original Ford GT design and development team including Bill Ford, GT Chief Designer Camillo Pardo, GT Chief Design Engineer Fred Goodnow, and even Carroll Shelby, who played a major role in the Ford GT testing and development program. A true motorsports and design landmark in every respect and an essential part of the Ford GT development and testing process, CP-1/VIN 004 stands as an incredible link bridging the original GT40 of the 1960s to the current Ford GT that took on the world’s best and won at the 2016 running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Truly historic as the first powered and fully functional Ford GT prototype, CP-1/VIN 004 offers an incredible opportunity at auction. Experience all the high energy excitement of Russo and Steele in Scottsdale for yourself! Bidder registration is just $200 and includes admission for all 5 days of “Auction in the Round” action for the bidder and one lucky guest. Stay tuned for further updates on our 17th annual Scottsdale auction and event schedule and join us January 18-22 live from Salt River Fields at Talking Stick! View full article

2016… What a year. This year saw a number of things that no one thought would actually happen did. Not helping matters is the number of famous people that have sadly passed on. Here at the Cheers & Gears Detroit Bureau, it wasn’t such a great year for vehicles. For the 2016 review season, 44 vehicles came in for evaluation. Out of this group, only eight vehicles earned a spot of being my favorite vehicles from the year. Read on to see which vehicles made the cut. 2016 Cadillac ATS-V Coupe It is amazing how far Cadillac has come in the past decade and proof of it can be shown in the ATS- V coupe. A 464 horsepower twin-turbo V6 makes the vehicle fly with no issue. A set of sticky tires and adjustable dampers show the ATS-V is just as capable, maybe more so than its German counterparts. But it can also provide decent ride around town if you set the dampers into a comfort mode. Then there is the look. I’m not usually a fan of red, but it looks killer on the ATS-V coupe. It pairs quite nicely with sharp angles and a low roofline This was one of the models where I found myself grinning from ear to ear because of how much fun I had. 2016 Chevrolet Volt It is amazing how far Chevrolet has come with the Volt. Five years ago, the Volt was this odd looking vehicle with a clever powertrain that made range anxiety nonexistent. Yes, 35 miles of electric-only range didn’t seem like a lot. However, the gas generator acted as an insurance policy if you ran out of juice with the battery. Flash forward to this year and Volt has not only seen an increase in overall range to 53 miles, but it has also gotten sleeker. This is currently my favorite looking Chevrolet vehicle with the new Cruze a close second. Other plus points include an improved interior and smooth ride. The new Bolt is currently basking in the spotlight that the Volt was at one time. But let us not forget the Volt is one of the key reasons why the Bolt exists. 2016 Dodge Charger R/T Scat Pack & SRT Hellcat Dodge covered the two extremes of performance this season with the Charger R/T Scat Pack and Hellcat. The Scat Pack was first up and I fell in love with it. For almost $40,000, you basically got an SRT Charger minus the adaptive suspension and number of luxury items. It was great fun with the 6.4L HEMI V8 bellowing down the road and the sharp looking Plum Crazy paint color. I found that you really don’t need the adaptive suspension as the Scat Pack does ok on bumpy roads or curvy roads. Then we come to the Charger SRT Hellcat. 707 horsepower from a supercharged 6.2L HEMI V8. It seems maddening that we are given a vehicle with all of this power for a price tag under $66,000. Trying to describe the way the Hellcat goes is difficult and something you need to experience. This is a vehicle that will make you laugh like a small child every time you decide to drop the hammer to hear the whir of the supercharger and manic sound of the V8. 2016 Kia Optima SXL It is no secret that the Kia Optima is one of my favorite midsize sedans. It offers distinctive looks and feature set at a price that will surprise many. But it was set to fall off my list earlier this year when I drove the Optima EX. The big issues were an uncomfortable ride and poor noise isolation. So when I found out that the top of line SXL was scheduled later in the year, I was worried that it would be plagued by the same issues. But those issues never appeared. The SXL was not only quiet but showed a noticeable improvement in terms of ride comfort. I still don’t know what black magic Kia did on the SXL, but it kept the Optima on my favorites list. Now if they could work on the lazy throttle… 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata “Sometimes to fully test a vehicle, you need to put it in a situation where it isn’t fully comfortable.” That was the case for the Mazda MX-5 Miata as it would not be only driven in the middle of one of the coldest winters in Michigan, but it would also be taking me to and from the Detroit Auto Show. Crazy? Of course. But the MX-5 Miata was wearing a set of winter tires which helped it stick to the road. Despite the cold temps and snow that would fall during the latter half of the week, the MX-5 Miata proved to be just as fun as it would have been in warmer weather. Sharp handling, an engine that loved to rev, and a slick six-speed manual transmission. It didn’t hurt that I could actually fit my suitcase into the trunk of the Miata for the show. 2016 Scion iA I have a trend of driving brands or vehicles that will be ending. Most infamously was the time when I drove a Suzuki SX4 for review and then hearing the news of the brand leaving a couple of days after returning it. That was the case of the Scion iA. A few months after driving the iA, Toyota announced that it was shuttering the brand. Some of the vehicles, like the iA would continue as Toyotas. This was a smart move as the iA proved to be a winner. Being a rebadged Mazda2 was a big reason as to why I liked the iA. It was a fun vehicle to drive around town or on a special road. But it also featured a lot of standard equipment including automatic emergency braking. While the brand is gone, it is good to see the iA lives on. 2016 Toyota Prius Three I have never been a fan of the Prius family. Every Prius that I have reviewed left me wondering who decided to start selling a science experiment and not an actual vehicle. But the 2016 Prius is my biggest shock of the year. Yes, the Prius will take its time getting up to speed on the freeway. But around town, the Prius was a spritely performer. More surprising was how well the Prius drove. Taking a corner, I was expecting to experience motion sickness because of how much body roll previous models had. But the Prius took it like a champ showing little body and some decent steering - thank the new TGNA architecture. It doesn’t hurt that I got 60.2 mpg as my average for the week. Well done Toyota. 2016 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen If there is one shining light at Volkswagen, it would have to be the Golf family. Last year, I named the Golf GTI as one of my favorites. This year, that honor falls to the SportWagen. Yes, it isn’t the sharpest looking vehicle in the class and the DSG transmission needs some more work. But Volkswagen got the basics right. The 1.8T is powerful and delivers excellent fuel economy. The interior spacious for both passengers and cargo - I was able to fit two massive Ikea boxes into it. Volkswagen also mastered the dark art of balancing fun to drive with comfort. I could take the Golf SportWagen down a windy road and be entertained. Afterward, I could drive it around town and not feel any road imperfections. There you go, the eight vehicles that earned a coveted spot on my favorites list. Now it should be noted that some vehicles we’re close to getting onto this list, but were kicked off for one reason or another. Here are those vehicles, Chevrolet Malibu 2LT: Chevrolet did an excellent job with the new Malibu with fixing a number of issues that plagued the old model. But the 2LT introduced a new set of problems - questionable materials, poor road noise isolation, and the lack of options. I really do like the new Malibu, just not in 2LT form. Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible: Loved the V8 performance and noise. Hate the $54,000 pricetag. This might explain why GM has such a large amount of Camaros sitting on dealers. Hyundai Elantra: Hyundai played it safe with the updated Elantra and this would have been ok a couple of years ago. But in light of the redesigned Chevrolet Cruze and Honda Civic, it wasn’t enough for the Elantra to be a strong contender as it once was. Nissan Titan XD Pro-4X: This was a truck I really wanted to like. Nissan was trying something different with the Titan XD - offer something between a light-duty and heavy-duty pickup. Plus, a nice Cummins V8 diesel could have been the cheery on top. But trying to convince someone that your truck is the best is difficult since truck buyers tend to stick with one brand. Not helping is the lack of cab and bed sizes. At the time of our original review, the XD was only available as a crew cab. A regular cab has been since introduced. But it seems Nissan doesn’t fully understand the truck market. You need to have a lot of options available to buyers at launch, not down the road. View full article

Another crossover could be joining Nissan's U.S. lineup. The Truth About Cars has learned from sources that Nissan will be debuting the Qashqai at the Detroit Auto Show next month. The Qashqai has been sold in Europe since 2007 and has become the brand's best-selling model. The Qashqai will sit below the Rogue in Nissan's lineup. In terms of measurements, the Qashqai is 10 inches shorter in overall length and rides on a wheelbase that is 2.3 inches shorter than the Rogue. No mention of a powertrain, but we assume that Nissan's xTronic CVT and the choice of front-wheel and all-wheel drive will be available. The model could be released in late 2017 as a 2018 model. Source: The Truth About Cars View full article

The Takata Airbag recall now stands as the largest vehicle recall ever due to how many vehicles around the world use them. In the U.S. alone, 19 auto manufacturers have recalled 49 million vehicles with the airbags that can shoot out shrapnel in the event of an accident. 11 deaths and 184 injuries in the U.S. have been linked to these airbags. Due to this, Takata has been facing numerous lawsuits and investigations. A new report says that Takata is close to closing one of those investigations. The Wall Street Journal has learned from sources that Takata is in negotiations with the U.S. Justice Department about a possible settlement. The deal would see the Japanese supplier pleading guilty to criminal misconduct and paying a fine ranging from hundred of millions to $1 billion. The settlement could be finalized early next year, but sources say the timing could slip. Reaching an agreement with the Justice Department would put Takata in better standing when it comes to another supplier (possibly Autoliv) taking over the company. It would also close one door in a massive scandal. Source: Wall Street Journal (Subscription Required) View full article

Before the Consumer Electronics Show kicks off in Las Vegas next week, Ford has unveiled the second-generation self-driving Fusion Hybrid test vehicle. The most noticeable change is cosmetic. Gone are the tall cylinder sensors mounted on the roof. In their place are a set of roof rails featuring new LiDAR sensors that give the vehicle a more targeted field of vision. This allows Ford to only use two sensors which provide the same amount of data if they were using four. Other improvements over the previous test vehicle include more computational and electrical power; computer vision and machine learning technologies; and highly-detailed 3D maps. "The Virtual Driver's responsibilities can be slotted into three tasks: sensing the surrounding environment, using that perception to make decisions on the road, and controlling the car. The Fusion Hybrid's autonomous brain is located in the trunk, where the equivalent of several high-end computers generate 1 terabyte of data an hour - more than the average person would use in mobile phone data in 45 years," wrote chief program engineer Chris Brewer in a post on Medium. These improvements plus an expansion of their test fleet to 90 vehicles should help Ford reach its goal of having a Level 4 autonomous vehicle - designed to perform safety-critical driving functions and monitor conditions during the trip - by 2021. Source: Ford, Medium Press Release is on Page 2 FORD DEBUTS NEXT-GENERATION FUSION HYBRID AUTONOMOUS DEVELOPMENT VEHICLE; CAR TO FIRST APPEAR AT CES AND NORTH AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW IN JANUARY Ford Motor Company is introducing its next-generation Fusion Hybrid autonomous development vehicle, just in time for CES and the North American International Auto Show in January. The new vehicle uses the current Ford autonomous vehicle platform, but ups the processing power with new computer hardware. Electrical controls are closer to production-ready, and adjustments to the sensor technology, including placement, allow the car to better see what’s around it. New LiDAR sensors have a sleeker design and more targeted field of vision, which enables the car to now use just two sensors rather than four, while still getting just as much data. The new vehicle also evolves the two main elements to creating an autonomous vehicle – the autonomous vehicle platform, which is an upgraded version of the car itself, and the virtual driver system. The next-gen Fusion Hybrid autonomous development vehicle follows the company’s current generation, which hit the streets three years ago. View full article

I'm assuming that it will be replaced around the same time as the WRX, but I can't seem to find any details on this at the moment.

More and more police departments are going towards crossovers and SUVs for their fleets. According to Automotive News Canada, police departments are going with these vehicles over their sedan counterparts as they are able to fit all of their equipment needed on a daily basis. Officers like them as crossovers and SUVs are easier to get in and out. “We’re all dealing with the same issue, and that is the vehicles are getting smaller, yet there’s still demand for more gadgets and equipment put into those cars. It’s always a bit of a tradeoff and a challenge to make it all fit,” Julie Furlotte, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police's national mobile assets manager. The RCMP's current fleet is made up of around 1,200 to 1,300 police package sedans and 1,600 police package utility vehicles. There is also another plus point for utility vehicles, durability. “I’m hearing from my customers anyway that when they look at the sedan versus the SUVs, the SUVs are a little bit more expensive (but) they actually get better durability out of them,” said GM Canada’s manager of fleet marketing and government sales. There is the question of the performance gap. Pursuit vehicles are mostly sedans as they offer better than their utility counterparts. But that is changing. Sgt. Michael McCarthy of the Michigan State Police (MSP) precision-driving team - they're the group behind the annual test of pursuit-rated vehicles - says the performance gap is shrinking. “LAPD (Los Angeles Police Department) are buying a larger percentage of SUVs than they are of the sedans. They are very capable. They have a fairly short turning radius. They’re deceptively fast.” Source: Automotive News Canada (Subscription Required) View full article

Hyundai has been seeing its sales declined as it doesn't have enough crossovers and SUV to feed the growing demand by consumers. This, in turn, is causing profits to drop, making investors disappointed. Because of this Hyundai is going crazy with cutting costs. Reuters reports that Hyundai's cost-cutting measures include reducing the number of business-class flights, annual trips for overseas workers to see family, and cutting back on fluorescent light bulbs. "We're trying to address a mismatch between the market trend and our product line-up. That's a longer term plan. For now we're trying to save every penny," said a source. Hyundai is working overtime to get new crossovers out the door starting with a B-segment model in 2018. In the meantime, Hyundai is redirecting exports from low-demand markets to the U.S. Source: Reuters View full article

Especially with truck nuts.

The Subaru Impreza is beginning to hit dealers and that is causing everyone to wonder when the next WRX and STI are coming. Motoring spoke with a senior Subaru engineer who revealed that the next-generation WRX/STI will not arrive till 2020. “The WRX will have a facelift soon, not a full model cycle, because the new model just launched in 2015,” said the engineer. “The full model cycle will be about four or five years, and that’s when you’ll see a full model. We would love to have the WRX on the new platform, because the car would be a lot better … but the 2018 will be a facelift only.” Rumor has it that the next WRX will adopt some sort of hybrid powertrain that will increase power and reduce emissions. Source: Motoring Pic Credit: William Maley for Cheers and Gears View full article

There will always be those who try their best to find loopholes. Case in point are some Volkswagen TDI owners who deciding to strip their vehicles for parts before turning them into dealers. This came to light a couple of weeks ago on Jalopnik as it had found various threads on Reddit and TDI forums with such titles as “Will anyone be stripping salvaging parts before selling back?” and "Stripping the Turn-Ins". Why are there owners who are seriously considering this? It comes down to EPA's consent decree which states a vehicle must be 'operatable'. This is defined by the court as, "“Operable” means that a vehicle so described can be driven under its own 2.0-liter TDI engine power. A vehicle is not Operable if it had a branded title of “Assembled,” “Dismantled,” “Flood,” “Junk,” “Rebuilt,” “Reconstructed,” or “Salvaged” as of September 18, 2015, and was acquired by any person or entity from a junkyard or salvaged after September 18, 2015." This definition leaves a lot of room for interpretation and some are taking that to mean it is ok to remove a number of parts. In fact, one Volkswagen TDI owner in Ohio basically removed almost everything on his Golf to see if Volkswagen would buy it back and was brought to light by Jalopnik last week. But this loophole has been closed. USA Today reports that U.S. District Court Judge Charles Breyer warned owners last Thursday not to strip their vehicles. This was brought up by Volkswagen's attorney which referenced the Jalopnik story. "Clearly the purpose of the agreement by Volkswagen was to accept these cars in the condition that they were in as they were being driven on the road, and not to strip the cars," Breyer said at the hearing. Jonathan Cohen, an attorney for the Federal Trade Commission told USA Today that the agency is "absolutely against bad-faith behavior by consumers" but also noted that VW cannot reject buybacks based on "the vehicle's superficial condition." (i.e. normal wear and tear). Breyer said he would consider taking further action if needed at a later time. Source: Jalopnik, 2 , USA Today View full article

It seems dual overhead cams are making a return to the Corvette in one application. A set of GM service documents made their way on to Reddit sometime this morning. In the documents, there is a 6.2L DOHC V8 with LT5 code. Furthermore, the engine application corresponds to the 2018 Corvette. There isn't any indication of forced-induction being used for this engine. LT5 holds a special place in Corvette history. This was the code used for the only Corvette to ever feature a DOHC V8, the C4 ZR-1. What could this engine be used for? The Drive believes this engine could be used for the mid-engine Corvette since it is a break from the traditional. We're wondering if there could be track-special Corvette that could use this engine. Source: The Drive, Reddit View full article

China has fined General Motors $29 million for monopolistic pricing according to Reuters. This ends speculation that we first brought to light last week. The fine is due to GM setting minimum prices on certain Buick, Cadillac, and Chevrolet models. "GM fully respects local laws and regulations wherever we operate. We will provide full support to our joint venture in China to ensure that all responsive and appropriate actions are taken with respect to this matter," GM said in a email statement. It was speculated that the fine is due to comments made by president-elect Donald Trump about the U.S. possibly recognizing Taiwan. But sources tell Reuters that the investigation was already underway before Trump's comments. This is possibly a move by China to protect their companies. Source: Reuters View full article