William Maley

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com December 3, 2013 Last month, we reported that Fiat and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne was hard at work on a new revival plan for Alfa Romeo that would be announced sometime next spring. But the crafty folks at Automotive News have talked with sources at the company and suppliers and have a possible rough idea of what this plan will look like. The plan will focus on a new rear and all-wheel-drive architecture that will underpin a number of future Alfa vehicles. In turn, these new vehicles will play a crucial role of selling 300,000 vehicles worldwide by 2016. What are these new vehicles? The big one is the long-rumored Giulia. Originally planned to be launched next year, the 3-Series competitor has been pushed back to late-2015 at the earliest because of this new architecture. This architecture will also underpin a new large sedan that was originally planed to use the Maserati Ghibli's architecture. Other possibilities for this architecture include a midsize and large coupe. Then there are the crossover and SUVs. First is a small crossover that would use the Jeep Compass/Patriot replacement as a base. Next is a midsize model that would use the new RWD/AWD architecture. Finally, there is a large SUV that is under consideration. This model could use the upcoming Maserati Levante as a base. Roadsters are expected to play a key role as well as the new Roadster that is being jointly worked on with Mazda is expected to arrive in 2015. Also coming is a convertible version of the 4C. One surprise from the Automotive News report is that MiTo and Giulietta will live on to fight another day. No word if they will be coming to U.S. or not. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. View full article

Chrysler Group LLC Reports November 2013 U.S. Sales Increased 16 Percent; Best November Sales Since 2007 44th-consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains Chrysler, Jeep®, Dodge and Ram Truck brands each post sales increases in November compared with same month a year ago Jeep brand posts best November sales ever with 30 percent sales gain All-new 2014 Jeep Cherokee SUV records strong first full month of sales with 10,169 units sold Jeep Wrangler, Jeep Patriot, and Dodge Dart each post sales record for month of November Chrysler Town & Country sales up 70 percent; best November sales since 2007 Seven Chrysler Group vehicles, representing each vehicle brand, have earned a 2014 Best Buy from Consumers Digest December 3, 2013 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - Chrysler Group LLC today reported U.S. sales of 142,275 units, a 16 percent increase compared with sales in November 2012 (122,565 units), and the group’s best November sales since 2007. The Chrysler, Jeep®, Dodge and Ram Truck brands each posted year-over-year sales gains in November compared with the same month a year ago. The Jeep brand’s 30 percent increase was the largest sales gain of any Chrysler Group brand during the month. Chrysler Group extended its streak of year-over-year sales gains to 44-consecutive months in November. “Our all-new Jeep Cherokee is off to a terrific start with more than 10,169 units sold in its first full month on sale,” said Reid Bigland, Head of U.S. Sales. “Our launch emphasis on Jeep Cherokee quality is now being rewarded with brisk sales and helping Chrysler Group achieve our 44th-consecutive month of year-over-year sales growth.” In its first full month of sales, the all-new 2014 Jeep Cherokee mid-size SUV recorded sales of 10,169 units. The addition of the Cherokee to the product lineup helped the Jeep brand attain its best November sales ever. In addition, the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Wrangler, Jeep Patriot and Jeep Compass each posted year-over-year sales gains in November, led by the 31 percent increase in Compass sales. Four Chrysler Group vehicles set sales records during the month of November. The Wrangler, Patriot, Dodge Dart, and Ram Cargo Van each recorded their best November sales ever. The Dart compact car achieved its record with a 44 percent year-over-year sales gain. Chrysler Group finished the month with a 91 days supply of inventory (500,536 units). U.S. industry sales figures for November are internally projected at an estimated 16.3 million units Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate (SAAR). November 2013 U.S. Sales Highlights by Brand Jeep® Brand Jeep brand sales were up 30 percent in November, its best November sales ever and the first full month of sales of the all-new 2014 Jeep Cherokee. Jeep brand dealers sold 10,169 units of the new Cherokee during November, and greater numbers of the mid-size SUV continue to arrive in dealership showrooms across the country. The Cherokee was named in November as one of the Top 10 Cars for Hispanic families by the jurors of the Hispanic Motor Press Awards. The Jeep brand’s 30 percent increase was the largest percentage sales gain of any Chrysler Group brand in November. The Jeep Compass, Jeep Patriot, Jeep Wrangler, and Jeep Grand Cherokee each posted year-over-year sales gains in the month. The Compass, with its 31 percent increase, recorded the largest percentage sales gain of any Jeep brand model in November. The Wrangler and Patriot each posted their best November sales ever. The Wrangler last month picked up two 2014 Best Resale Value Awards from Kelley Blue Book. For the third-consecutive year, the Wrangler won the Best Resale Value Award in the Compact SUV/Crossover category, and earned a spot on the Top 10 list of vehicles with the best resale value for the fourth-consecutive year. The Grand Cherokee, with its 9 percent year-over-year increase, posted its best November sales performance since 2003. The Grand Cherokee, the most awarded SUV ever, added another honor in November when it earned a Midsize SUV Best Buy from Consumers Digest. Ram Truck Brand Sales of the Ram pickup truck were up 22 percent in November, its 43rd-consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains and its best November sales since 2003. Sales of the Ram Light Duty pickups were up 18 percent, while Ram Heavy Duty sales increased 26 percent. The Crew Cab models posted the largest percentage sales gains in November. The Ram Truck brand, which now includes sales of the all-new 2014 Ram ProMaster van, was up 25 percent in November, compared with the same month a year ago. The ProMaster van went on sale in the U.S. in October. The ProMaster and the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel each were named Top 10 Cars of 2014 for Hispanic Families by jurors of the Hispanic Motor Press Awards. The Ram 1500 EcoDiesel earned the top spot in the Diesel category, while the ProMaster took top honors in the Commercial Vehicle category. In addition, the Ram 1500 earned a 2014 Best Buy from Consumers Digest in the Full-Size Pickup segment, and a Best Buy from the automotive experts at Consumer Guide Automotive in November. In its second month on sale, ProMaster sales were up 45 percent compared with the previous month of October. The Ram Cargo Van had its best November sales ever with its 7 percent year-over-year sales gain. Chrysler Brand Chrysler brand sales were up 12 percent, compared with the same month a year ago. It was the brand’s best November sales performance since 2007. Sales of the award-winning Chrysler Town & Country were up 70 percent, the minivan’s best November sales in six years. Consumers Digest named the Town & Country and the Chrysler 300 as Best Buys for 2014. The automotive editors at Consumers Digest drive Best Buy contenders in a range of circumstances and conditions and evaluate vehicle characteristics such as acceleration, ride quality, fuel economy, fit and finish, styling, and interior ergonomics. The Town & Country picked up a second Best Buy last month in the Minivan category from the automotive experts at Consumer Guide Automotive. Dodge Brand Dodge brand sales were up 4 percent, the brand’s best November sales since 2007 and its 30th-consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains. The Dodge Dart compact sedan recorded its best November sales ever. The Dart’s 44 percent increase was the largest percentage sales gain of any Dodge brand vehicle during the month. Sales of the Dodge Durango full-size SUV were up 36 percent compared with the same month a year ago, extending its run of year-over-year sales gains to 13-consecutive months. It was the Durango’s best November sales in seven years. Sales of the Dodge Charger were up 11 percent, the sport sedan’s best November sales since 2007. To celebrate 100 years of Dodge performance and heritage, the brand is offering special editions of two of its most iconic vehicles. New 2014 Dodge Charger and Dodge Challenger 100th Anniversary Editions will arrive at dealerships in the first quarter of 2014. The Charger and Challenger 100th Anniversary Editions celebrate the brand’s centennial with unique style, technology and commemorative features, including an exclusive owner’s kit. The Challenger, which set an all-time sales record in March this year, earned a spot on Kelley Blue Book’s Top 10 list of 2014 vehicles with the best resale value. Three Dodge vehicles each earned a Best Buy in November from the automotive experts at Consumer Guide Automotive. The Durango earned its Best Buy in the Large SUV category, while the Dodge Grand Caravan was a Best Buy in the Minivan category. Grand Caravan sales were up 12 percent in November, the minivan’s best November sales since 2007. The Dodge Journey earned its Best Buy in the Mid-Size Crossover category. FIAT Brand FIAT brand sales were down in November compared with the same month a year ago. But the brand has recorded eight months of year-over-year sales gains during 2013. The Fiat 500e all-electric vehicle in November earned a spot on the Top 10 Cars of 2014 for Hispanic Families, a list prepared by the jurors of the Hispanic Motor Press Awards. The 10-person panel of judges is made up of highly-respected Hispanic-market journalists, many with automotive backgrounds, as well as Hispanic leaders in the automotive industry. In addition, the 500e was named “Best Electric Car of 2013” by Road & Track magazine. These awards are the latest in a recent string of honors accorded the 500e, having been named best electric vehicle by Spanish-language automotive radio show, Ruedas ESPN, and “top electric vehicle” in the Northwest Automotive Press Association’s “Drive Revolution” green car competition.

Yes you should get that review done

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com December 2, 2013 We've been reporting for the past few years on Ram getting a version of the Fiat Doblo to compete with the likes of the Ford Transit Connect and Nissan NV200. Well today Ram has finally confirmed that a version of Doblo would be introduced into the U.S. sometime next year wearing the ProMaster City name. "The Ram ProMaster City further expands the Ram Commercial truck lineup, which includes everything from vans to pickups to Class Four and Five trucks. As Ram Commercial continues to gain share and grow sales in the market, we will be aggressive in our goal of expanding our commercial vehicle offerings," said Reid Bigland, President and CEO - Ram Truck Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. Source: Ram William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. Press Release is on Page 2 Ram Commercial Confirms New Small Van December 2, 2012, Auburn Hills, Mich. - The Ram Commercial Truck division today announced that it will offer an all-new small van for the North American market. Joining the larger and highly capable Ram ProMaster as an additional van offering, the 2015 Ram ProMaster City will compete with small commercial and passenger vans. "The Ram ProMaster City further expands the Ram Commercial truck lineup, which includes everything from vans to pickups to Class Four and Five trucks," said Reid Bigland, President and CEO - Ram Truck Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. "As Ram Commercial continues to gain share and grow sales in the market, we will be aggressive in our goal of expanding our commercial vehicle offerings." "Our successful relationship with Fiat Professional, one of the world's foremost commercial truck manufacturers, gives Ram a competitive advantage with access to proven products and technology that will resonate with our U.S. and Canadian customers," added Bigland. Based on the successful Fiat Doblo, a two-time International Van of the Year winner with more than 1.3 million units sold, the Ram ProMaster City will encompass familiar Ram Truck styling cues and offer features and powertrains preferred by North American commercial customers. View full article

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com December 2, 2013 Speaking with reporters at the Tokyo Motor Show a couple weeks ago, American Honda CEO Tetsuo Iwamura said for him, "The big challenge is Acura. Acura has seen it sales increase six percent so far this year to 135,126 vehicles. However, the brand still trails in sales when compared to brands such as Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz, and Lexus. So what does Iwamura have in mind for Acura? To start, Iwamura wants to strengthen and grow Acura's presence in the U.S. and China, the two markets where the brand sells vehicles. To pull this off in the U.S., Acura needs to work on its sedans. Iwamura admits that sales of the ILX haven't been forming as well as the company expected and the RLX needs to do better. The hope is that upcoming RLX Sport Hybrid will bring in more customers. The big hope for Acura is the introduction of the new TLX sedan which will take the place of the TSX and TL sedans. The new model will be introduced sometime next year and will help Acura have three distinct sedans; a compact, mid-size, and full-size. One area that Acura doesn't need to focus on for the time being is their SUV lineup. The RDX and MDX currently make up 60 percent of total sales for the brand. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), Motor Trend William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. View full article

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com November 29, 2013 One of the big things that we have been wondering since the introduction of the Buick Regal GS is if the Regal would be the only model in Buick's lineup to have a GS model or could there be more. According to Car and Driver, there might be more GS models. Ed Welburn, General Motors’ vice president of global design tells Car and Driver that more GS models could be on the way to help bolster Buick's performance cred. The most likely candidates for this would be the Verano and LaCrosse. Source: Car and Driver William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. View full article

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com November 27, 2013 Back in the late nineties and early 2000s, hybrid vehicles were seen as being on the fringe of the automotive marketplace. Built with fuel economy in mind, the first hybrid vehicles were for those who wanted to stand out while getting impressive fuel economy. Fast forward to today and hybrid vehicles are now part of the mainstream. A number of manufacturers are offering hybrids in different types of vehicles. From compact cars all the way to luxury SUVs. But not every type of vehicle has a hybrid model. For example, there are no compact crossovers that offer a hybrid option. Somewhat weird when you consider the compact crossover class is currently the hot thing in the marketplace. Instead, some automakers are going with small vans/wagons for a hybrid with more space. Case in point, the 2013 Toyota Prius V. Introduced back in 2011, the Prius V takes the formula of the standard Prius and puts it into a larger package. Does this formula work though? The Prius V's exterior design can be summed up like: It's a Prius, but larger. Park a Prius and a Prius V next to each other and you can tell they share a family resemblance. Compared to the Prius, the V is about 5.3 inches longer, 1.2 inches wider, and 3.3 inches taller. Aside from the bigger dimensions, Toyota put on a new front end and restyled the rear end.The model seen here is the Prius V Two, the base model in the Prius V lineup. When I first got in and looked around, the song 'Bare Necessities' from The Jungle Book played in my head. The Two model looks and feels bare. Stepping inside, you are surrounded by the color grey from the door panels to the seats. It was too much grey for my taste. Materials in the Prius V range from textured hard plastics on the dashboard to vinyl on the door panels and the lid of the top glove box. I'm ok with the hard plastics, but the vinyl is an odd choice. As for features, the Two model comes well-equipped for the $27,748.00 price tag. There is a touchscreen radio, backup camera, Bluetooth, USB and Aux jacks, steering wheel controls, and automatic climate control.The front seats are very plush and provide the driver and passenger the basic adjustments to get themselves situated. I was wishing for a bit more support from the seats for longer trips as I was feeling pain in my lower back. Passengers in the back will find loads of head and legroom. Plus, passengers can move the seat forward and back, and recline to make themselves comfortable. Cargo space in the Prius V is huge. With the back seats up, you'll find 34.3 to 40.2 cubic feet of space. This is dependent on how far forward the back seat is. Fold the rear seats down and you have 67.3 cubic feet of space. Compared to its closest competitor the Ford C-Max Hybrid, the Prius V has about 9.8 to 15.7 cubic feet of more space with the seats up and 14.7 cubic feet more with the seats folded. Onto the next page for powertrain and ride impressions. Powering the Prius V is the same Hybrid Synergy Drive powertrain that you'll find in a regular Prius. You have a 1.8L four-cylinder engine (98 horsepower and 105 lb-ft of torque) paired with a 60 kW electric motor. Total output of this system stands at 134 horsepower. A Nickel-Metal Hydride battery pack provides power to the electric motor while a continuously variable transmission makes sure all of the power gets to the front wheels. The Prius V's powertain feels very overwhelmed. This is due to the V weighing 232 pounds more than the standard Prius. Leaving a stop or trying to make a pass, I found the powertrain was better at making noise than actual power. I really do think an extra 15 to 20 in horsepower and torque would really help out. The Prius V also features three different drive modes: Eco, Power, and EV. Eco cuts back on the available power from the hybrid system in a effort to boost fuel economy. Power increases throttle response and uses all available power from the system. EV allows the Prius V to travel a short distance on electric power only. During my week, I found myself using Power to get up to speed at a decent rate, while using EV mode to drive around in my neighborhood without using any gas. EPA rates the 2013 Toyota Prius V at 44 City/40 Highway/42 Combined. During my week long test, I saw an average of 43 MPG. The Prius V redeems itself somewhat in ride and handling. The suspension does a great job of ironing out bumps and providing a smooth ride for passengers. Steering is provided by electrically-power assisted system and it provides decent feel and weight for normal driving. This isn't the vehicle to go for an exuberant drive as the Prius V's handling is somewhat sloppy with the soft suspension tuning and the low-rolling resistance tires. Much like the Prius I had last fall, the Prius V exhibits the same abundance of road and wind noise no matter if you are driving in the neighborhood or go out onto the freeway. I'm really wishing Toyota addresses this with the next-generation Prius V. Is a bigger Prius a good thing? It really comes down to your priorities. If you're looking for a hybrid vehicle that delivers impressive fuel economy numbers while having a surprising amount space, then you should consider the Prius V. Otherwise, the negatives such as abundant road and wind noise, and poor performance have me going towards models like the Ford C-Max Hybrid. It's a matter of personal preference. The Prius V just doesn't meet mine. Disclaimer: Toyota Provided the Prius V, Insurance, and One Tank of Gas. Year: 2013 Make: Toyota Model: Prius V Trim: Two Engine: Hybrid Synergy Drive: 1.8L DOHC 16-Valve VVT-i Four-Cylinder, Electric Motor Driveline: Front-Wheel Drive, CVT Horsepower @ RPM: 1.8L - 98 @ 5,200; Electric - 80 @ 0 Torque @ RPM: 1.8L - 105 @ 4,000; Electric - 153 @ 0 Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 44/40/42 Curb Weight: 3,274 lbs Location of Manufacture: Tsutsumi, Japan Base Price: $26,650.00 As Tested Price: $27,748.00 (Includes $795.00 Destination Charge) Options: Carpet Floor Mats & Cargo Mat - $225.00 Cargo Net - $49.00 First Aid Kit - $29.00 William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. View full article

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com November 26, 2013 The marketplace for small and midsize pickups is beginning to get exciting once again with the introduction of the Chevrolet Colorado. Automotive News reports that it could be getting more exciting in the coming future. One thing that dealers have been clamoring for the new Colorado is an off-road version, something akin to the S-10 ZR2 package which offered higher ground clearance, stronger shocks, beefier axles and other enhancements. "The dealers already have been asking for an off-road model. We're considering it," said Jeff Luke, General Motors' chief engineer for trucks. GM North America President Mark Reuss echoes Luke's comment by saying that an off-road variant "absolutely" is on the table. "I think there's all kinds of opportunity for accessorization and powertrain variants in a platform like this. There's a lot of things you can do here that you can't do in a full-sized truck," said Reuss. In addition, the Colorado will be available with manual transmission. Automotive News says the option will be available for the extended-cab, two-wheel-drive WT trim level only. "I'm making a bet on this. If you look at the past data, it's probably not a financially sound decision. But we're creating something here that hasn't been created before. So we're going to take some risks," said Reuss. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. View full article