William Maley

Umm, you do know this is a pickup right?! There is a talk of an SUV, but rumor has it that it hinges on whether or not the truck does decently in sales.

The rumors that have been swirling around for the past year have been laid to rest this morning. General Motors announced that Hummer will be returning as GMC-branded electric pickup truck boasting 1,000 horsepower and 11,500 lb-ft of torque. 0-60 mph will take three seconds. Those hoping for details about battery capacity, charging, and price will need to keep waiting until May 20th when GMC will officially show off the truck. Before then, GMC will preview the truck in a thirty second ad during the Super Bowl on Sunday. “GMC builds premium and capable trucks and SUVs and the GMC HUMMER EV takes this to new heights. We are excited to debut our revolutionary zero-emissions truck during the biggest night in TV advertising," said Duncan Aldred, vice president of Global Buick and GMC in a statement. Production will take place at GM's Detroit-Hamtramck plant, with sales beginning next fall. Source: GMC GMC HUMMER EV Pairs Incredible Capability, Zero Emissions “Quiet Revolution” campaign telegraphs GMC’s future with its first all-electric truck DETROIT – GMC will introduce the GMC HUMMER EV, bringing bold design and remarkable capability to the electrified vehicle space, during this weekend’s big game, in an ad titled “Quiet Revolution.” The spot juxtaposes the staggering anticipated performance metrics of GMC’s first all-electric truck with the remarkable quietness inherent in the operation of an electric vehicle. The GMC HUMMER EV truck will showcase the GMC brand’s design and engineering potential, and will feature: 1,000 horsepower 11,500 lb-ft of torque 0 to 60 mph in 3 seconds “GMC builds premium and capable trucks and SUVs and the GMC HUMMER EV takes this to new heights,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president of Global Buick and GMC. “We are excited to debut our revolutionary zero-emissions truck during the biggest night in TV advertising.” The GMC HUMMER EV will be revealed on May 20, 2020 and built in Michigan at General Motors’ Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant. The 30-second TV spot is scheduled to air during the second quarter of the big game. The spot highlights the anticipated performance of GMC’s all-electric super truck, which will generate remarkable metrics in terms of horsepower, torque and acceleration while providing incredible on- and off-road capability. All of this is combined with the vastly reduced noise and zero emissions inherent in the operation of an electric vehicle. As part of the digital and social media marketing push surrounding the big game ad, GMC will take over the YouTube homepage masthead on Friday, Jan. 31. Customers can follow the conversation at #GMCHummerEV. View full article

Correct. Older models can't get this upgrade due to them using an older electrical platform

Cadillac's Super Cruise system is getting a major upgrade just in time for the 2021 CT4 and CT5. The system will now be able to automatically change lanes whenever the driver taps or fully engages the turn signal stalk. The vehicle will signal and look for a safe gap before making the maneuver. Information as to which step the system is on is shown to driver in the instrument cluster. “This is our most extensive update we’ve made to Super Cruise since its debut. We have made a number of improvements to make Super Cruise more intuitive, better performing and more accessible for our customers. In addition to the automated lane change functionality, we’ve made improvements to the user interface and hands-free driving dynamics,” said Mario Maiorana, Super Cruise chief engineer in a statement. This upgrade is due in part to GM's new digital vehicle platform that allows for more "electrical bandwidth and data processing power." Other improvements include better rear-facing sensors and updated software. Following the CT4 and CT5, the updated Super Cruise system will appear on the upcoming 2021 Escalade. That brings us to an interesting item caught by the folks at Roadshow. The picture Cadillac used in the press release has the rear end of the next-generation model expected to debut next month. Source: Cadillac, Roadshow Press Release is on Page 2 View full article

Today in Tokyo, Subaru put forth an ambitious plan. By the mid-2030s, the Japanese automaker will only sell electric vehicles worldwide. This announcement comes as no surprise as both China and Europe have announced stricter emissions regulations that will be coming in the near future. But to reach that goal, Subaru will be working with Toyota (which owns a 8.7 percent stake in Subaru) on developing both hybrid and electric vehicles. In a statement, Subaru executives said work has started on a “strong hybrid” vehicle using Toyota technology. No other details were provided. The two are also working on full-electric vehicles that will launch sometime this decade. These vehicles will play a key role in Subaru's goal of having 40 percent of vehicles sold be all-electric and electrified cars by 2030. Despite this change in direction for powertrains, Subaru executive's stress their vehicles will retain the key traits that have their vehicles unique. “Although we’re using Toyota technology, we want to make hybrids that are distinctly Subaru,” said Subaru's Chief Technology Officer Tetsuo Onuki. “It’s not only about reducing CO2 emissions. We need to further improve vehicle safety and the performance of our all-wheel drive.” Source: Reuters, Autoblog View full article

Today saw the Lexus UX 200 F-Sport being swapped for this 2020 Volvo S60 T5 Momentum. This base model comes very well equipped with a LED headlights, panoramic sunroof, 10-way power seats12.3-inch display for the instrument cluster, and a 9-inch infotainment system. But this particular vehicle is loaded with over $9,000 in options including metallic paint, 19-inch wheels, adaptive cruise control, Harman/Kardon audio system, and power trunk lid. This brings the price to $46,240 with destination - base being $36,050. Power comes from a turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder with 250 horsepower, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. I'll be updating this piece later in the day with some first drive impressions and I only briefly drove it around my work's parking lot to grab some pictures. In the meantime, start dropping off your questions. UPDATE: As promised (albeit slightly late), some more first impressions of the S60. The T5 engine is a surprisingly punchy engine, providing rapid power when driving on the freeway or exiting a turn. But the downside is noticeable turbo lag when leaving a stop - something I noted in my XC40 review. Volvo Sensus and my iPhone 7 Plus aren't seeming getting along at the moment. When I first plugged my phone in, the system recognized it and brought up the button to launch Apple CarPlay. But I couldn't bring up the CarPlay interface as the button did nothing. I had to unplug and plug the phone back in before it worked. One more issue concerning CarPlay. Some apps only bring up a blank screen when first opened. I would close them and relaunch to bring them to back to regular status. I can't explain whether this is due to me still running an older version of the OS or something with the car. To answer @regfootball comment on the space, this feels slightly larger than the outgoing S60. In the back, I have slightly more legroom than the previous models I have driven. Headroom is still tight, partly due to the optional panoramic sunroof. Volvo still hasn't solved getting in and out of the back as it still feels like a tight squeeze, even though the rear doors do have a wider opening. View full article

Some final thoughts before the UX 200 F-Sport returns home tomorrow. Someone asked about road noise in the UX (forgot who it was) and I'm slightly disappointed. There is a fair amount that comes inside when driving on the freeway. Some of this can be drowned out by the radio, but I have to wonder if switching the tires would help dampen some of the noise. Getting cargo into the rear can be troublesome due to the tall lift-over Fuel economy is ok, currently sitting at 28.4 MPG with a 60/40 mix of highway/city Surprisingly good in the corners with body motions decently controlled and steering providing decent response.

Point taken, but many people that are buying this type of vehicle in the U.S. don't really care about performance. Its about the badge. See the number of GLAs and X1s that are sold to see that. Plus, I wouldn't be surprised if we start seeing this downsizing trend happen in the U.S. more and more. I mean who would have through we would be seeing a turbo 2.0L four-cylinder sold in a truck. For this type of vehicle, 169 horsepower is plenty. Also on the bigger and better: I argue that its our regulations on safety and other items that are causing vehicles to get heavier, hence requiring more power. Yes we want more features and technology, but I think all of the safety and advanced active safety stuff is adding more weight overall.

Man you should avoid going to Europe then where there a number of luxury vehicles with similar outputs to this. I mean we could say the same thing with BMW and the X1 - shared architecture with the MINI or the Cadillac XT4 which shares the same E2XX as the outgoing Buick Regal and Chevrolet Malibu. Just because it shares a platform with the RAV4 and the CH-R, doesn't mean it feels or drives cheap. That platform happens to be one my favorites as it how blends comfort and sport. Possibly in other markets ?

I haven't spent any time behind the wheel of the XT4, so I can only express what it is like to sit in it. The XT4 has a slightly larger back seat than the UX, especially in legroom. I was getting photos of the interior yesterday and my knees were in the back of the front passenger seat. I also would say the infotainment system is better because you don't have to use that stupid touchpad controller. But I think the UX has a nicer interior both in terms of design and material quality. I also like the looks the UX better. For what I have been reading, the XT4 does have a slightly more uncomfortable ride, along with a fair amount of road noise. Also a number of features such as adaptive cruise control are optional on the XT4. The closest vehicle I have driven to the UX is the XC40 I drove last year. I think the Volvo is more luxurious, slightly better looking, and offers better performance. But the UX feels more lively in terms of handling and is more maneuverable in tight spaces.