William Maley

There have been spy shots floating around for past few months showing a hotted-up version of the Focus RS, leading many to believe that Ford is working on a new RS500. But a report from Autocar says Ford hasn't made a final decision on it. According to a source, the RS500 is “not genuinely green-lighted, but the desire exists to have a star in the RS and ST range”. The stumbling blocks are whether or not a financial case can be made and if the factory line in Cologne, Germany. Autocar speculates that the new RS500 will have a similar performance bump to the previous model. The last-generation RS500 featured 345 horsepower, an increase of 15 percent over the standard RS. If Ford was to apply 15 percent increase for the new RS500, then it could produce 396 horsepower. If the RS500 gets the green light, it would likely be launched next summer as a swan song for the current Focus. Source: Autocar View full article

Honda has finally pulled the curtain back on the 2017 Civic Hatchback that will be arriving this fall in the U.S. There aren't many changes with the transition from concept to production model. There is a sloping roofline and a upswept beltline. The model shown here - Sport Touring - features side skirts, intergrated rear wing, and center mounted exhaust. The Civic Hatchback will only be available with the turbocharged 1.5L four-cylinder. The LX, EX, and EX-L get 174 horsepower, while the Sport and Sport Touring feature 180. Both tunes of the turbo 1.5 will feature the same amount of torque - 162. One exciting bit of news is that the hatchback (along with the Civic coupe and sedan equipped with the turbo engine) will have a manual transmission as standard equipment for the LX, Sport, and EX trims. A CVT will be available on those trims and standard on the EX-L and Sport Touring. Honda says the Civic Hatchback provides best-in-class rear legroom (36 inches) and cargo space (no measurement is listed for it). More importantly, the hatchback will be the basis for the next Civic Type R, due out next year. Honda's Swindon plant in the UK will handle the worldwide production of the Civic Hatchback. Pricing will be announced at a later date. Source: Honda Press Release is on Page 2 All-New 2017 Honda Civic Hatchback Arrives This Fall in North America Aug 15, 2016 First 5-door Hatchback for Civic lineup in the U.S. Civic Hatchback combines Euro-inspired styling and five-door versatility All models powered by 1.5-liter DOHC direct-injected turbo engine Civic Hatchback will serve as the basis for radical new Civic Type-R TORRANCE – Arriving this fall in North America, the 2017 Civic Hatchback is the latest addition to the much-heralded 10th-generation Honda Civic lineup, joining the 2016 North American Car of the Year – the Civic Sedan, and the Civic Coupe that launched earlier this year. The 2017 Honda Civic Hatchback combines striking, Euro-inspired styling and five-door versatility with the Civic's world-class driving dynamics and Honda direct-injected turbo engine technology. The Civic Hatchback, scheduled to arrive this fall at Honda dealers nationwide, also will serve as the basis for the radical new Civic Type-R launching in the U.S. in 2017. "The Civic Hatch has been a staple for Honda in Europe, but has long been the forbidden fruit for Honda fans in the U.S.," said Jeff Conrad, senior vice president and general manager of the Honda Division of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "Now, we're bringing this sporty, stylish and versatile Civic Hatchback to North America, as we amp up the performance of our incredible Civic lineup with each new Civic model." Built on the same world-class platform as the 10th-generation Civic Sedan and Coupe, the 2017 Honda Civic Hatchback offers an appealing combination of sporty styling, efficiency, interior utility and premium features. The Civic Hatchback will be available in LX, Sport, EX, EX-L, and Sport Touring trims, and will feature a single engine for the U.S. market: a 1.5-liter DOHC direct-injected turbocharged in-line 4-cylinder with peak output of 174 horsepower and 162 lb.-ft. of torque in LX, EX and EX-L trims and 180 horsepower and 162 lb.-ft. of torque in the Sport and an all-new Sport Touring grade, which feature a high-flow center-mounted exhaust. The turbocharged engine will be offered with either a sporty CVT (all trims) or a performance-inspired 6-speed manual transmission (LX, Sport, and EX trims). Anticipated EPA fuel economy ratings of 31/40/34 mpg (city/highway/combined) for CVT-equipped models, based on the newer, more stringent model year 2017 EPA ratings requirements, put the 5-door Honda Civic Hatchback at the top of its class. Working in concert with the Honda turbocharged powertrain is the Civic's more rigid and lightweight body and sophisticated chassis design, featuring a fully independent suspension system with liquid filled bushings, front and rear; sport-tuned electronic power steering with variable gear ratios; and powerful 4-channel anti-lock disc brakes with Electronic Brake Distribution and Hill Start Assist. The interior of the 2017 Honda Civic Hatchback carries through on the modern, sophisticated and premium quality of the 10th-generation Civic lineup, with high-grade materials and finishes applied liberally throughout. In terms of packaging, the 2017 Honda Civic Hatchback delivers class-leading volume and cargo capacity, including a roomy interior (122.9 cu. ft.), best rear seat legroom (36.0 inches) and largest cargo carrying capacity in the competitive set. Available on most trims (and standard on Sport Touring) will be the Honda Sensing™ suite of safety and driver-assistive technologies, which includes Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS™), Forward Collision Warning (FCW) integrated with CMBS, Lane Keeping Assist (LKAS), Road Departure Mitigation (RDM), Lane Departure Warning integrated with RDM and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low-Speed Follow. Other available features include Honda Display Audio with Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™ (EX and above trims), heated front seats and heated side mirrors, power driver and front-passenger seats, remote engine start and more. The Civic Hatchback's all-new Sport Touring grade makes Honda Sensing™, Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™ and LED headlights as standard equipment, while adding heated rear seats and other features. The Civic Hatchback will target top-class safety ratings – an NCAP 5-star Overall Vehicle Score and an IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK rating with a GOOD rating in all crash test modes and a SUPERIOR rating in frontal crash prevention, when equipped with Honda Sensing. The 2017 Civic Hatchback was developed jointly by Honda R&D teams in Europe and Japan and will be manufactured exclusively by Honda of the UK Manufacturing in its Swindon, UK plant. View full article

While this year at Nissan is all about the pickup truck, last year it was the ‘Year of the Sedan’. We saw the introduction of the redesigned Maxima, along with refreshes of the Altima and Sentra. There was one slight problem. Compared to the Maxima which stood out with a sharp design, the Altima and Sentra just existed with no real item of note. But maybe there is something to either model that is hidden away. I decided to find out as a 2016 Nissan Sentra SR came in for a week-long evaluation. Nissan isn’t going to take home any awards for the design of the 2016 Sentra. Designers took the 2013 model and made some small changes such as adding a new front clip to help bring the Sentra in line with the current design language, and a more distinctive character line. One change that is worth mentioning about the Sentra’s design is the new SR trim. This trim adds some sporty touches such as a mesh grille insert, sill extensions for the lower body, seventeen-inch aluminum-alloy wheels with a dark finish, rear spoiler, and a chrome exhaust tip. These touches help the Sentra stand out in a crowded field. Like the Sentra’s exterior, the interior hasn’t seen any major changes. The design is very conservative with some flowing lines and contrasting trim pieces (silver and piano black). There is a mix of hard and soft touch materials used throughout the interior. Our Sentra tester featured a set optional leather seats that we found to provide decent support for short trips. We did wish the front seats did offer more thigh support on longer trips. The Sentra does have an ace up its sleeve when it comes to the back seat. In most compact cars, the back seat is something you would use sparingly due to the small amount of head and legroom. In the Sentra, the amount of head and legroom can give some midsize sedans a run for their money. I happen to be 5’8” and I had more than enough space to feel very comfortable. The trunk is also large for the class with 15.1 cubic feet of space. Most Sentra models will come equipped a five-inch touchscreen with NissanConnect. This system isn’t one of our favorites for a number of reasons. The interface looks dated when compared to other systems. Not helping matters are some odd omissions from it. For example, if you want to pause an iPod or whatever you have plugged into the USB input, you’ll need to turn down the volume all the way to zero. Why not a pause button?! We also had issues with the system crashing our iPod. The only upsides are the interface being easy to use and providing snappy performance. Power comes from a 1.8L four-cylinder with 130 horsepower and 128 pound-feet of torque. This is paired with either a six-speed manual (only available on the S and FE+ S) or Nissan’s Xtronic CVT (standard on SV and above, optional on S and FE+ S). Performance is lethargic as the Sentra’s engine takes its sweet time to get up to speed. You can put your foot to the floor and there isn’t any difference in how fast the vehicle climbs up in speed. On the positive side, the engine is fairly muted when accelerating around town. Nissan’s Xtronic CVT is one of the better offerings on sale as it doesn’t have the ‘rubber-band’ effect (engine rpm climbs up before dropping back down). The upside to the low power numbers is fuel economy. The Sentra SR is rated by the EPA at 29 City/38 Highway/32 Combined. Our average for the week was 32.4 mpg. If you’re looking for a compact that feels like a bigger vehicle in terms of ride, the Sentra is the ticket. No matter the type of road you find yourself driving on, the Sentra’s suspension provides a smooth and relaxed ride. We do wish Nissan had added some more sound deadening around the vehicle as you can hear road and tire noise on the highway. Around corners, the Sentra shows little roll and seems to change direction quickly. The steering feels very light which is ok around town, not so much when driving on a curvy road. The 2016 Nissan Sentra doesn’t really stand out in a highly competitive compact car marketplace. Compared with competitors in a number of key areas, the Sentra either finishes in the middle or bottom. The only real plus points are a large back seat and trunk, along with a price tag that won’t break the bank. The Sentra begins at $16,780 for the base S and climbs to $22,170 for the SL. Our SR came equipped with a couple of option packages that added adaptive cruise control, a forward collision mitigation system, leather seats, Bose sound system, and a few other features brings the as-tested price to $25,245. Considering a number of these features are only available on higher trim models of competitors, the Sentra becomes quite the value. Is there anything special to the 2016 Nissan Sentra SR? After spending a week in it, I have to say no. This is a model that is aimed at those who just need a vehicle that can get them from point a to b without any fuss. If you’re looking for something more, there are a lot of options in the compact segment that are worthy of a closer look. Disclaimer: Nissan Provided the Sentra, Insurance, and One Tank of Gas Year: 2016 Make: Nissan Model: Sentra Trim: SR Engine: 1.8L DOHC Four-Cylinder Driveline: CVT, Front-Wheel Drive Horsepower @ RPM: 130 @ 6,000 Torque @ RPM: 128 @ 3,600 Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 29/38/32 Curb Weight: 2,920 lbs Location of Manufacture: Aguascalientes, Mexico Base Price: $20,410 As Tested Price: $25,245 (Includes $835.00 Destination Charge) Options: Premium Package - $2,590 Technology Package - $1,230 Carpeted Floor Mats and Trunk Mat - $180.00 View full article

Subaru's green credentials aren't the best as it only sells one hybrid in the U.S. (XV Crosstrek Hybrid) and one in Japan (Impreza Sport Hybrid). But that could be changing in 2021. Japanese newspaper Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun reports that Subaru plans on launching an electric crossover in the U.S. by 2021. This crossover is expected to use Subaru's new modular platform that was revealed earlier this year. The report doesn't say anything about power or possible range, nor does it say how it got this information. When asked by Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, Fuji Heavy spokesman Masato Saito said the company hasn't made any decision on introducing an electric vehicle. Saito went on to say that if Subaru did go forward with an EV, it would likely target the North American marketplace. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun View full article

Guys, I hate coming into threads and having to clean them because it is devolving into a mess. Don't give me a reason to lock the thread or start handing out points and bans. Thank you.

Earlier this week, we reported on the rumor that Mercedes is planning a new subbrand for electric vehicles that might launch towards the end of the decade. Now, Autocar has found a number of trademark applications by the German automaker possibly revealing the name of this new subbrand. The applications filed in the United Kingdom revolve around the letters EQ and includes such names as, EQA EQC EQE EQG EQS EQ Inside EQ Boost Generation EQ Autocar speculates some of the names could be used for electrified versions of current models (ex: EQC for C-Class). EQ Boost might be used for hybrid models. We know Mercedes is planning to show an electric SUV concept next month at the Paris Motor Show. This might be where we learn if EQ is the name or not. Source: Autocar View full article

As the Holden Commodore and its variants ready for their final curtain call, there is the question of what would stand as the brand's hero car. Various GM executives have said the Australian brand would retain a V8 powered vehicle, most likely a sports car. The folks at CarAdvice were able to gleam a tiny bit of information about this new V8 vehicle. When asked if the sports car would compete with the Ford Mustang, Holden's executive director of sales, Peter Keley said it wouldn't. “No [when asked if the V8 sports car will be a Mustang competitor]. We’re not going to say anything specific about the vehicle. We are going to launch a V8 sports car and it will blow your socks off. We can’t talk specifics,” said Keley. 'Blow your socks off". Big words for a vehicle that not much is known about. But Keley's answer has given us one big clue, it will not be a rebadged Camaro or be around the same size. There is talk about the Camaro coming to Australia if there is enough demand for it. We're going to put on our speculation hats for a moment and figure out what Holden has in store. Our guess is that Holden could do a successor to the Monaro coupe. Using the Alpha platform, the model would be slightly longer than the Camaro to have it stand-out from the Mustang. We would expect the 6.2L V8 from the Camaro with 455 horsepower and the choice of either a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic. We wouldn't be surprised if this coupe arrives in 2018 or sometime after. Source: CarAdvice View full article