William Maley

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com September 16, 2013 Volvo Cars' CEO says that the next-generation of vehicles will be much higher than the models currently sitting in showrooms today. "The new vehicles will be more expensive," said Volvo Cars CEO Hakan Samuelsson to Automotive News. Samuelsson says that he is not happy with Volvo's current position in the U.S. and thinks its time for a change in their strategy. "I think the company has no future if we are targeting mass market products. The new vehicles will be more expensive, but only if they deliver something the customer finds attractive," said Samuelsson. "Nothing will be excluded. It is fair to say I am not very satisfied. We have to come back in the U.S. market." The first vehicle that will see a price hike is the upcoming XC90, due sometime next year. 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

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com September 16, 2013 Nissan executive vice president Andy Palmer let loose some information concerning the next-generation Z. Speaking with Auto Express at the Frankfurt Motor Show last week, Palmer revealed that the company will reveal a concept at the Toyko Motor Show in November that gives some hints of what to expect with the next Z. “Do I know what it looks like? Yes I do. Have I driven it? Yes I have. When will you see it? Come to Tokyo,” said Palmer. Palmer says the next Z will be lighter and smaller than the 370Z. Also, the next Z will feature a smaller powerplant and possibly be turbocharged. Palmer also stressed that electric power is being looked at as well. Source: Auto Express 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 September 14, 2013 Mazda made big news last year when they announced that the 2014 Mazda6 would be coming with diesel engine sometime next year. Now, Mazda has postponed the launch of the Mazda6 diesel to next April. Automotive News got their hands on a letter from Mazda North American Operations' senior vice president of U.S. operations, Robert Davis. Davis told employees in the letter that emissions testing on the 2.2L SKYACTIV-D engine is taking longer than thought. "I know we had discussed it being in showrooms before the end of the year, and everyone involved in the program is disappointed it will not be, but final certification testing -- the results of which are looking encouraging -- is taking longer than we had initially expected," Davis wrote in the letter. Mazda confirmed the delay in a brief statement and said the Mazda6 diesel would be coming in late-spring. In the meantime, a source tells AN that Mazda will be shipping an extra 4,000 Mazda6s in the first quarter of 2014 due to the delay. 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

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com September 14, 2013 Earlier this year, General Motors CEO Dan Akerson said that if the Opel Adam and Cascada convertible were sold in the U.S., that it "would help Buick in this market and in China in terms of demographics." Since then, rumors and speculation have been flying on whether either one of these models would appear in the U.S. This week, we reported that Opel Adam is under consideration for the U.S. But it will likely not come until the next-generation model is launched if it is given the green light. Now, we have an update on the Opel Cascada. Insiders told Edmunds this week that the Opel Cascada becoming a Buick model "could happen soon." The Cascada is expected to have an easier time getting over the U.S. than Adam since it is loosely based on the Opel Insignia/Buick Regal. No word yet on a possible date. Source: Edmunds 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 September 13, 2013 This was Rolls-Royce's CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös answer pertaining to the rumors of a SUV back in April, “We have no plans to produce an SUV, definitely not, the next thing is drophead Wraith but bespoke orders are the priority.” Here's Torsten Müller-Ötvös this week at the Frankfurt Motor Show when asked about an SUV, ”We are intensively thinking about entering the SUV segment. The SUV segment is very interesting. It has been incredibly stable during the crisis, and I think a luxury niche will develop." But why now? Likely, Rolls-Royce has seen luxury automakers raking in the sales (and money) with SUVs. Plus, it would give Bentley's SUV a run for its money. Source: The Truth About Cars 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 September 13, 2013 Volvo has announced this week the engine lineup for the upcoming V60 wagon. The V60 will be the first Volvo to use the the company's Drive-E four-cylinder engines. Drive-E is the name for Volvo's next-generation of engines that will feature such items as direct fuel injection and turbocharging. For the V60, the Drive-E engine will be a turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder with 240 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. This will be the base engine and come in front-wheel drive only. Those who want all-wheel drive will have to go with either the turbocharged 2.5L five-cylinder engine with 250 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, or the turbocharged 3.0L inline-six with 325 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque. "This is an exciting time of transformation for Volvo and shows our Swedish heart is beating strongly. The V60 signifies our first step in a gradual move toward powerful, highly efficient, four-cylinder engines across the entire portfolio of our vehicles," said Volvo Cars of North America President and CEO John Maloney. Source: Volvo 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 Volvo Announces Engines for V60 Sportswagon Coming to U.S. Market ROCKLEIGH, N.J. (Sept. 12, 2013) – Targeting best-in-class performance and best-in-class fuel economy, Volvo Cars of North America announced engines for the much-anticipated Volvo V60 sportswagon that will hit American shores in January. From the automaker known for its wagons, the new Volvo V60 is by no means ordinary. It provides all the handling of a dynamic sports sedan but offers additional versatility for people who need a wagon. Pricing and specifications will be announced at a later date. Powered By a Range of Engine Choices The V60 will feature front-drive power from the new Drive-E family and all-wheel-drive models will be powered by engines from Volvo's current lineup. One of the Drive-E gasoline engines will be offered - a two-liter, turbocharged, 240-horsepower version. "This is an exciting time of transformation for Volvo and shows our Swedish heart is beating strongly," said Volvo Cars of North America President and CEO John Maloney. "The V60 signifies our first step in a gradual move toward powerful, highly efficient, four-cylinder engines across the entire portfolio of our vehicles." As a result, U.S. V60 customers can choose between the new engine and some current engines until Volvo transitions solely to Drive-E. At the top of the power heap is the performance-tuned T6 engine offered in the V60 R-Design, making 325 horsepower and 354 lb.-feet of torque. V60 Engine Range: T5 4 cylinders 2.0 Liter Turbocharged 240 HP/258 lb.-feet FWD New Drive-E T5 5 cylinders 2.5 Liter Turbocharged 250 HP/266 lb.-feet AWD T6 6 cylinders 3.0 Liter Turbocharged 325 HP/354 lb.-feet AWD The smaller, lighter Drive-E engines deliver considerably lower emissions and higher fuel economy savings - ranging from 13 to 26 percent depending on the engine to which they are compared. They also offer the opportunity to be augmented by electrification. Specific fuel economy numbers will become available shortly before cars with Drive-E powertrains reach retail outlets early next year. Most Powerful Wagon in Volvo History For the more performance-minded individual, Volvo's R-Design version of the V60 promises a more intense driving experience. Decked out in distinctive R-Design visual cues, revved by the performance-tuned T6 engine and enhanced with Advanced Quick Shift - transmission optimization software that improves the speed of each gear change - the V60 R-Design will be the fastest and most powerful wagon in Volvo history. View full article

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com September 12, 2013 The past couple of years has seen the return of performance to Toyota with the introduction of the GT86 (Scion FR-S), introduction of the F-Sport to Lexus, and rumors of the return of the Supra. But there could be more changes at Toyota to bring more performance into the fold. Auto Express talked with Karl Schlicht, executive vice president at Toyota Europe who said the company is "Currently discussing sport lines for Toyota models”. Schlicht goes onto say there is “an appetite for Toyota to do credible performance cars”. Source: Auto Express 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

That would explain the chunkyness I'm seeing. Did you get any direct rear shots of the Tahoe? Any of this wiper assembly? Where was the Yukon revealed? Was it at a media event like the Tahoe/Suburban? Yukon was shown in Los Angeles