William Maley

By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com May 8, 2013 Infiniti’s president, Johan de Nysschen tells Car and Driver the brand is considering doing a model above the Q70 (M37 and M56). This new model would likely become the brand's flagship vehicle and it will not be like your conventional luxury sedan. "Above Q70 you need a car that competes with 7-series, S-class, and Audi A8. That’s conventional thinking. There’s enough action going on in that segment. I don’t think the world needs another car like that. But I do think the world needs an upscale, very emotional, high-performance luxury sedan from Infiniti that might be a different concept," said de Nysschen. Whatever that mean is anyone's guess. de Nysschen went onto say that if the flagship is given the go ahead, its platform will be used for a GT coupe. “I think we need some kind of sexy sports car that might share powertrains and platforms with [the range-topping sedan], but an even more emotional iteration.” Sadly this new GT will not be the Emerg-E concept which was shown the door due to the high pricetag. 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

By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com May 7, 2013 Ford's recent product launches have had their fair share problems. From Ford Escapes equipped with the 1.6L EcoBoost that could catch on fire to Lincoln MKZs being delayed on the production line to make sure they were being built to the highest quality they can be. Now Ford is taking a long, hard look at how they do product launches. "We've done a complete analysis on lessons learned in the last couple of years, including the recent MKZ launch, and are now incorporating a number of changes in our development and new-model launch process," said Ford President of the Americas, Joe Hinrichs to Automotive News. Ford's ambitious launches of new- and redesigned models during the past two years strained Ford and its suppliers Hinrichs admits. “We’ve gone through some growing pains getting those new processes and plants launched, and we’ve learned a lot from that,” Hinrichs said. Ford is "trying to be a lot more proactive earlier in the development process to identify the issues and get in front of them," he said. The changes will affect dealers more than consumers, but the end result will hopefully improve the experience for a consumer. The changes Ford will be implementing include monthly launch reviews with quality comparisons against competing vehicles, hiring and sending engineers to supplier plants to monitor their ability to keep pace with vehicle launches, and using models and tech to find potential problems earlier. 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

Yeah.. I'm expecting we'll see those numbers come out sometime this or next week since GM is doing the media drives for the Silverado this week.

Don't see any mention of it in the press release at all.. Coming soon I guess?

By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com May 7, 2013 Volvo is in the middle of a massive product offensive. With their entire lineup being refreshed and the new V60 coming in 2014, you would think Volvo is coming close to finishing. Not so says Automobile Magazine. They’re reporting that Volvo has more to come in the next few years. We’ll begin with what we know. Next year, Volvo will introduce the brand new XC90 crossover. The new XC90 will also debut Volvo’s Scalable Platform Architecture (SPA) that will underpin a majority of Volvo vehicles and use a range of three and four-cylinder engines. Automobile reports the next model to get SPA will be S80 and V70 replacements, the S90 and V90 in 2016. That will be followed by the S60 in 2017 and the XC60 in 2018. There is talk of a new C60 coupe that is inspired by the P1800 coupe of the sixties. The new coupe will be a 2+2 and if given the green light, will arrive in 2016. Plus, Volvo is considering a small crossover to compete with the likes of Audi Q3, BMW X1, and the upcoming Mercedes-Benz GLA. While SPA covers most of Volvo’s model range, it sadly cannot go small enough to do a vehicle to go head to head with the Golf/GTI (mostly due to weight and cost). Which is why Volvo and its parent company, Geely are working on a new platform for this. This platform will spawn a new sedan and hatchback. No word on when this platform will be announced. Source: Automobile 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

By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com May 7, 2013 GMC has announced the specs on the 4.3L EcoTec V6 that will be installed in the 2014 Sierra. The 4.3L produces 285 horsepower and 305 pound-feet of torque. GMC says the 305 pound-feet of torque is the best in class. Also best in class is the 4.3L V6 tow rating of 7,200 lbs. The 4.3L V6 goes on sale later this fall with a starting price of $25,085. Source: General Motors 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 2014 Sierra’s New 4.3L Tops in Standard V-6 Pickup Torque New EcoTec3 engine continues rich GMC V-6 heritage 2013-05-06 DETROIT – When the all-new 2014 GMC Sierra full-size pickup arrives this summer, its standard 4.3L EcoTec V-6 it will offer the most torque of any standard V-6 in the segment – 305 lb-ft (413 Nm). Buyers will choose from three new, advanced EcoTec3 engines – a 5.3L available at launch, followed by the 4.3L and 6.2L versions available later this year. All are designed specifically for the high trailering and hauling demands unique to truck buyers. Torque is the turning force that generates off-the-line acceleration and confident trailering performance. Sierras equipped with the 4.3L EcoTec3 V-6 will have trailering ratings up to 7,200 pounds (3,266 kg) for a regular cab, short bed, four-wheel-drive model – 500 pounds more than the most capable Ford F-150 3.7L and 700 pounds more than a Ram 1500 3.6L. Sierra’s standard V-6 produces an SAE-certified 285 horsepower (212 kW) and is matched with a proven, efficient six-speed automatic transmission. EPA fuel economy estimates will be released later. Like Sierra’s optional 5.3L and 6.2L EcoTec3 V-8 engines, the new V-6 features three state-of-the-art technologies – direct injection, active fuel management (cylinder deactivation) and continuously variable valve timing – that have been proven and perfected through 6 million hours of computational analysis by engineers studying the combustion process. In all, 10 million CPU hours were spent refining and making the most of the Sierra’s EcoTec3 engines. “This is technology no other truck maker can match, and we offer it in every EcoTec3 engines, for every customer,” said Jordan Lee, GM Powertrain chief engineer. “It is a standard feature, so our drivers get our best and most sophisticated technology regardless of trim level.” Although they share only a handful of parts with previous Sierra engines, the new EcoTec3 V-6 builds on experience gained from millions of trucks and billions of real-world customer miles resulting from a half-century of leadership in V-6 engine development. In 1960, GMC debuted the first V-6 pickup truck ever and offered it exclusively through most of the ’60s. That engine, offered in various displacements starting at 5.0L, was designed with aluminum pistons, improved cooling and a stout crankshaft and bearings designed for unprecedented durability. “The family of V-6 engines introduced in 1960 was designed to last, and I’ve heard of some owners going more than 450,000 miles on the original engine,” said Donald Meyer, GMC truck historian. “They had really high torque and pulled loads well. GMC engineers know how to build durable, reliable engines that never quit.” Like the 2014 engine, the 4.3L V-6 introduced as standard equipment for GMC half-ton pickups in 1985 used geometry and engineering from the brand’s proven Small Block V-8. As with today’s V-6, engineers studied the combustion chamber, developing “Vortec” technology that swirled the air and fuel inside the engine to create a more homogenous mix, improving power and efficiency. That engine was the basis for new generations of engines through the 2013 model year. 2014 Sierra models with the 4.3L EcoTec3 V-6 go on sale later this year with a suggested starting price of $25,085, including a destination charge of $995 but excluding tax, title, license and dealer fees. View full article

By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com May 6, 2013 Buick has been one of the success stories since General Motors came out of bankruptcy a few years ago. The tri-shield brand has seen its sales on the up and up for the past few years thanks to vehicles such as the Enclave, LaCrosse, and Verano. Now GM's North American President, Mark Reuss tells Automotive News that Buick deserves something special. "We've very carefully built Buick back to a brand that has respect. Something special for Buick, I think, is really needed for the next phase of where that brand is going," Reuss said. Reuss went onto say that Buick is ready for an entry "that's very special, that's not shared with anybody else and is quite unique." So what are the possibilities? Reuss gives examples of a Riviera-like flagship, a convertible and a coupe. Recent rumors also have the return of the Grand National nameplate and the introduction of a plug-in hybrid crossover. 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

By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com May 5, 2013 Chevrolet never really had a luxury version of the Silverado, unlike GMC and the Sierra Denali. That is changing with the introduction of the new 2014 Silverado High Country. The High Country sits atop the Silverado model lineup and differentiates itself from other models by coming with a chrome grille, halogen projector headlamps, body-color front and rear bumpers, twenty-inch chrome wheels, and more chrome bits throughout. Inside, High Country models are wrapped in saddle-brown leather and come equipped with eight-inch touch screen, Bose premium audio system, and front and rear park assist. Available in the crew cab configuration only, the Silverado High Country comes available with two engines: the 5.3L EcoTec V8 and 6.2L EcoTec V8 engine. No word on pricing at the moment, but we'll likely find out when the Silverado High Country goes on sale later this fall. 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 Silverado Adds Rugged Luxury with New High Country • New crew cab model to compete in premium pickup segment • Unique exterior appearance, saddle brown interior • Standard 5.3L V-8 with 355 horsepower, up to 23 mpg highway SAN ANTONIO – The 2014 Silverado High Country will further broaden Chevrolet's portfolio in the premium pickup segment when it joins the LTZ and Z71 models in the Silverado lineup this fall. Silverado High Country is distinguished by a unique chrome grille with horizontal chrome bars, halogen projector headlamps and body-color front and rear bumpers. Unique 20-inch chrome wheels with P275/55R20 all-season tires are standard, as are chrome body side moldings, door handles and mirrors. Inside, Silverado High Country features an exclusive saddle brown interior, with authentic materials throughout. Features include heated and cooled perforated premium leather front bucket seats with High Country logos on the headrests, Chevrolet MyLink connectivity with an 8-inch touch screen, Bose premium audio and front and rear park assist. "High Country will be the top model in the Silverado lineup, with a higher level of premium features and materials with a rich, Western themed appearance," said Maria Rohrer, Silverado marketing director. "But at the same time, High Country is 100-percent Chevy truck, with the capability and dependability customers have relied on for more than 95 years." Standard engine for the Silverado High Country is the 5.3L EcoTec3 V-8, SAE-certified at 355 horsepower (250 kW), with class-leading V-8 fuel economy of up to 23 mpg highway (2WD models). The all-new 6.2L EcoTec3 V-8 also will be available. Both engines feature direct fuel injection, Active Fuel Management and continuously variable valve timing, proving the refined power and torque truck customers expect. Both seamlessly switch to four-cylinder mode to save fuel during light-load driving. Because of the high level of standard equipment, Silverado High Country will offer only a few options. In addition to the 6.2L EcoTec3 V-8, they include a chrome rear bumper with CornerStep, integrated trailer brake controller, sunroof, navigation, and a rear-seat entertainment system as well as a High Country Premium Package which includes heated steering wheel, driver alert package, adjustable pedals and integrated trailer brake controller. View full article