William Maley

Off-Road.com has obtained a product timeline that reveals Ford's launches for the upcoming year and the big news is that a new F-150 appears to be around the corner. The timeline reveals that the next-generation Ford Explorer will be launched first, most likely at Detroit. We have reported that the new model would be using a new modular rear-wheel drive platform. Next up is the new F-150. We don't know what Ford has in store aside from a hybrid powertrain. But considering both General Motors and Ram introducing redesigned trucks this year, we're expecting Ford to fight back hard. Last, but not least is the Bronco. Off-Road speculates this model will appear in 2020 as a 2021 model year vehicle. Source: Off-Road.com View full article

Back in October, the rumorpile brought to light plans at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles for a new straight-six engine to replace the Pentastar V6. This engine would be based on the new four-cylinder Global Medium Engine (GME) currently used in the Alfa Romeo Giulia and Jeep Wrangler. Max displacement is expected to be around 2.9L due to European taxes. We have some new details on this engine. Allpar is reporting this engine is likely not going to be based on GME due to size concerns. Instead, it will be a new design that will be featuring small bores that are closely spaced, and aluminum hardening instead of steel cylinder linings. The goal is to have the engine be three-inches longer than the 2.4L four-cylinder at most. The engine is also being designed with turbocharging, with plans to have it either match or exceed the output of the 5.7L HEMI V8. Its speculated that Jeep and Ram models would use a twin-scroll setup, while Alfa Romeo and Maserati models will use a twin-turbo setup. A set of Ferrari-designed heads are expected to appear on Alfa Romeo and Maserati models. Allpar speculates this engine could appear in the upcoming Wagoneer or the next-generation Grand Cherokee, putting a possible timeframe of 2020 or 2021. Source: Allpar View full article

Mercedes-Benz has announced pricing for most of the upcoming AMG GT four-door expected to arrive in the first half of next year. The GT 63 will set you back $137,495, while the more powerful GT 63 S begins at $159,995. Both prices include a $995 destination charge. The 63 means a twin-turbo 4.4L V8 resides under the hood. The standard GT 63 produces 577 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. Move up to the S and the V8 pumps out 630 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque. Both models come paired with a nine-speed automatic and 4Matic all-wheel drive. It's clear that Mercedes is aiming the GT four-door at the likes of the Porsche Panamera Turbo and Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid. Panamera Turbo: 550 horsepower and 567 pound-feet, $151,500 Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid: 680 horsepower and 626 pound-feet, $186,200 The only model Mercedes hasn't announced pricing for is the GT 53. This model pairs a 3.0L twin-turbo inline-six engine with a mild-hybrid system to produce a total output of 429 horsepower and 384 pound-feet. That will be revealed at a later date. Source: Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe V8 models to start at $136,500 Pricing announced for all-new Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe All-new, high-performance, 4-Door Coupe expands AMG GT family and offers unparalleled levels of performance and versatility Dec 17, 2018 – Atlanta: Mercedes-Benz USA today announced pricing for the V8 variants of the highly anticipated new Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe. The Mercedes- AMG GT 63, powered by a handcrafted AMG 4.0-liter V8 biturbo that produces 577 hp and 590 lb-ft peak torque, starts at $136,500*. The more powerful Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S produces 630 hp and 664 lb-ft peak torque and starts at $159,000*. Additional standard equipment for the GT 63 S includes the AMG Performance Exhaust System, the AMG Dynamic Plus Package including Active Engine Mounts, RACE Mode, Drift Mode, and AMG Drive Unit steering wheel controls. The Mercedes-AMG GT 63 and Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S will arrive in U.S. dealers in the first half of 2019. Pricing for the GT 53 variant will be announced at a later date. Drawing directly from the successes of the legendary SLS and AMG GT, the new Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe is the third vehicle developed independently by AMG, and its first unique four-door sports car. Engineering highlights of the new Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe include Active Rear- Wheel Steering, facilitating high agility and stability characteristics, standard electronically deployable rear spoiler, providing optimal rear downforce at a variety of speeds, AMG electronic rear-axle limited-slip differential, and specially adapted AMG Ride Control Sport Suspension based on Air Body Control. This expansion of the AMG GT family opens up the segment to those looking for a vehicle that combines the impressive racetrack dynamics of the two-door AMG GT sports car with everyday practicality, offering ample space for four passengers, with the unparalleled level of performance expected from Mercedes-AMG. *Prices excludes $995 destination and delivery charge. View full article

GMC is giving its off-road oriented Sierra AT4 some more performance with a recently announced package. Called the AT4 Off-Road Performance Package, it will add a 6.2L V8, performance air intake, cat-back performance exhaust system, and a set Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac tires with 18-inch alloy wheels. The intake and exhaust add 15 horsepower and 9 pound-feet of torque over the stock 6.2L V8 - total output stands at 435 horsepower and 469 pound-feet of torque. The price tag for this option is $4,940 which may put some people off. You can buy most of the parts a la carte, but as The Truth About Cars notes, it will be slightly more expensive than buying the package. The AT4 is aimed at the likes of the Ram 1500 Rebel to give buyers an off-road ready truck. This includes a two-inch suspension lift, four-wheel drive with a two-speed transfer case; locking rear differentials, skid plates, Rancho off-road shocks, and hill descent control. The AT4 Off-Road Performance Package is available now. Source: GMC, The Truth About Cars Sierra AT4 Powers Up With New Off-Road Performance Package DETROIT — Defining the premium off-road segment, the 2019 GMC Sierra AT4 is now available with the all-new Off-Road Performance Package. The Off-Road Performance Package adds factory-installed performance upgrades that bring additional power and purpose to the Sierra AT4. “The 2019 GMC Sierra AT4 debuted all-new, purposeful technologies for the premium truck segment and the new Off-Road Performance Package takes it a step farther,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president of Global GMC. “It offers optimized performance, both on- and off-road.” The Sierra AT4 Off-Road Performance Package includes: 6.2L V-8 engine mated to 10-speed automatic transmission. 18-inch machined aluminum wheels with Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac tires. Cat-Back Performance Exhaust System. Performance Air Intake. Thanks to these additions, the AT4 Off-Road Performance Package delivers up to 435 horsepower and 469 lb-ft of torque — increases of 15 horsepower and 9 lb-ft of torque over a Sierra equipped with a conventional 6.2L V-8 engine. The 6.2L is manufactured at GM’s Tonawanda engine plant in New York and was recently named a Wards 10 Best Engine for 2019. For 25 years WardsAuto editors have evaluated every all-new or significantly improved engine or electric propulsion system available in production vehicles in the U.S. Vehicles must have a starting MSRP less than $64,000. The editors score eligible vehicles on horsepower, torque, technology, observed fuel economy, relative competitiveness and noise characteristics. The Off-Road Performance Package’s upgrades build on the Sierra AT4’s distinctive formula of authentic off-road capability, innovative technology and bold design, along with GMC’s premium refinement. The Sierra AT4 was introduced earlier this year, and content includes: Standard 2-inch factory-installed suspension lift. Standard 4WD with a two-speed transfer case, locking rear differential and skid plates. Standard off-road-tuned Rancho monotube shock absorbers. Standard Hill Descent Control. Standard Traction Select System. Standard GMC exclusive, industry-first MultiPro Tailgate. Standard black chrome finish on the fog lamp bezels, fender surround and grille insert. Standard body-color grille surround, door handles and bumper. Standard exclusive athletic interior trim elements. Standard red vertical recovery hooks. Available segment-first Multi-Color Head-Up Display. Available segment-first Rear Camera Mirror1. Available GMC-exclusive, industry-first Carbon Fiber Pickup Box2. A full suite of advanced available safety features including Surround Vision, Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert, Front Pedestrian Braking and Low Speed Forward Automatic Braking1. The Sierra AT4 Off-Road Performance Package has an MSRP (excludes tax) of $4,940 and is on sale now. View full article

Since the arrest of former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn last month, a fair amount of dirty laundry has come to light showing the turmoil and tension between various executives and the relationship between Nissan and its alliance partner, Renault. The arrest has also brought questions as to whether Ghosn 'jumped' or 'was pushed'. A new report from The Wall Street Journal is adding fuel to the latter. The paper obtained a transcript from a town hall meeting at Nissan's headquarters in Yokohama, Japan - days after Ghosn's arrest. Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa revealed that he disagreed with Ghosn's move to increase market share in the U.S., at the cost of investments for the Japanese market. “The investment in the Japanese market was very weak because there was too much power concentrated in one individual who decided that the Japanese market was less important, and we spent too much money on the U.S.,” said Saikawa. “He felt that there was no point investing in Japan where the population was stagnating.” Ghosn set a goal of achieving a 10 percent market share in the U.S. by 2017. Nissan came very close to hitting goal, reaching 9.2 percent last year. For Nissan to reach this goal, they piled on the incentives and made a push with sales to rental car companies - the latter according to industry analysts isn't as profitable, despite the higher volume. Nissan also put a lot of pressure on its dealers to move products. José Muñoz, who was Nissan's chairman in the U.S. from 2014 to this past January introduced a campaign under the slogan “Grow or Go.” Basically, if a dealer wasn't prepared to grow fast to meet the targets, Muñoz urged dealers to sell their franchise. “If a dealer didn’t perform they’d threaten a dealer with termination notice,” said Alan Haig, president of Haig Partners, a brokerage firm that deals with the sales of car dealers. The report doesn't say how much investment was moved from Japan to the U.S. But reading between the lines and noting the relationship between the two became quite tense, we're assuming it was a large amount. Source: Wall Street Journal (Subscription Required) View full article

This past year hasn't been good for Jaguar Land Rover. A triple whammy of sales dropping in China, demand for diesel vehicles falling, and the looming threat of Brexit has seen the company report a 90 million pound (about $113,550,300) loss in the third-quarter. S&P Global Ratings recently cut their long-term rating into JLR's parent company, Tata Motors into Junk Status. Because of this, Jaguar Land Rover will be detailing a three-year cost-cutting plan next month. Tata announced the plan back in October that would save 2.5 billion pounds (about $3.2 billion) within the first 18 months. There would be job cuts, but Tata did not say how many. The Financial Times reported this week that JLR is planning to cut 5,000 of its 40,000 workforce in the U.K.- this according to sources. “It’s do or die at the moment,” Robin Zhu, an analyst from Bernstein said. “JLR has been seriously mismanaged in recent years, with cost runaways, products disappointing in the market, and hedging issues costing it billions." “Jaguar Land Rover notes media speculation about the potential impact of its ongoing charge and accelerate transformation programmes. As announced when we published our second-quarter results, these programmes aim to deliver £2.5bn of cost, cash and profit improvements over the next two years. Jaguar Land Rover does not comment on rumours concerning any part of these plans,” JLR said in a statement to The Guardian. Other parts of the plan are said to include a reduction in models and selling off various assets. But Evercore ISI, an investment advisory frim said JLR needs to do more than cut costs. "The company needs to consider whether it’s spreading itself too wide and whether competing with the Germans in the tough premium sedan segment is a viable strategy," it wrote in a note to investors this week. Source: Financial Times (Subscription Required) via The Guardian, Automotive News (Subscription Required) View full article

Hyundai and Kia find in themselves in a bit of legal trouble. Last week, the law firm Hagens Berman filed a class-action lawsuit against the Korean automakers over an alleged defect on two engines; the 2.4L four-cylinder and turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder from the Theta II family. The defect in question is a flaw in the engine design that “restricts or blocks oil flow to the engine’s moving parts, such as connecting rod bearings, prematurely wearing out those parts to the point that the engine parts seize, which stops engine operation while running. Engine seizure often causes internal parts, such as the connecting rods, to break and knock a hole in the engine, permitting fluids to leak and ignite a fire,” according to the lawsuit. More than 350 complaints have been filed on National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) on models equipped with these engines, 2011-2019 Hyundai Sonata 2011-2019 Kia Optima 2011-2019 Kia Sportage 2012-2019 Kia Sorento and Soul 2012-2019 Kia Soul 2013-2019 Hyundai Santa Fe 2013-2019 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport Bloomberg reports that NHTSA has opened an investigation into the "timeliness and scope of the carmakers’ recalls related to manufacturing errors in “Theta II” engines." Hyundai has issued two recalls in 2015 and 2017 for certain Sonata and Santa Fe models. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York meanwhile has opened a criminal investigation into this issue. When reached for comment, Hyundai Motor declined to say anything about the lawsuit. In a statement, the company said that “nothing is more important than the safety and security of Hyundai customers,” noting that it is cooperating with the U.S. Department of Transportation and the NHTSA. “Over the past three years, we have held numerous meetings with DOT and NHTSA representatives, and proactively discussed and identified possible safety items for NHTSA’s evaluation, including the engine recalls. NHTSA has been fully briefed and kept apprised of these recalls and low rates of associated non-collision fires,” said Hyundai Motor. Source: Bloomberg View full article

Late last week, the first spy shots of the next-generation Cadillac Escalade made their way onto the web. Much like the spy shots of the Chevrolet Suburban that came out back in May, we can't tell much about the exterior due to the heavy camouflage. There are certain details that can be made out such as Escala-like grille and the headlights moving horizontally. Like the new Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra, the Escalade and sister SUV models will utilize the T1XX platform. One of the key changes this platform brings is an independent rear suspension, something we first saw in the Suburban spy shots. The 6.2L V8 with 420 horsepower is expected to continue into the next-generation model, teamed with a new 10-speed automatic. There is also the possibility of the twin-turbo 4.2L V8, detuned to 500 horsepower or so. Expect to see the 2020 Escalade sometime next year. Source: Car and Driver, Motor Authority View full article