William Maley

By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com February 4, 2013 Besides the Challenger R/T Redline package, Chrysler will also being showing the new and limited edition Mopar 13' Dart at the Chicago Auto Show this week. The Mopar 13' Dart is the forth special-edition, Mopar-badged model since Chrysler became part of Fiat in 2009. The Mopar 13' Dart's exterior is decked out in gloss black paint with contrasting Mopar Blue racing stripes. The exterior also benefits from a ground effects kit that includes a front lip, one-piece trunk spoiler, and rear diffuser. Inside, the Mopar Dart has a Mopar Blue leather seat with contrasting black accents for the driver, and black leather with blue accent stitching for the rest of interior. Under the hood there is a 1.4L MultiAir turbocharged engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission. Mopar fitted a sport-tuned exhaust system to give a more meatier noise. Other changes include a sport suspension kit, premium brake kit with slotted rotors, and a revised steering calibration. Only 500 Mopar 13' Darts will be built. No information on pricing or a release date has been announced. Source: Chrysler Album: Mopar 13' Dart 5 images 0 comments 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 Chrysler Group LLC Introduces New Mopar ’13 Dodge Dart Select Mopar parts and accessories outfit new Mopar ’13 Dart Performance upgrades include lowered sport suspension, revised steering calibration, sport-tuned exhaust, ground-effects kit, and premium brake kit with slotted rotors Custom leather Mopar driver’s seat Industry-first wireless charging for smartphones 500 numbered units to be built at company’s assembly plant in Belvidere, Ill. Limited-edition vehicle to be displayed at Chicago Auto Show Mopar ’13 information to go live at http://www.dodge.com/en/2013//dart-mopar13/ tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 1 Auburn Hills, Mich. , Jan 31, 2013 - Chrysler Group LLC today introduced the limited-edition Mopar ’13 Dart, marking the fourth special-edition Mopar-badged vehicle created since the company partnered with Fiat S.p.A in 2009. The car will be shown at next week’s Chicago Auto Show. Building on the success of the Mopar ’10 Challenger, Mopar ’11 Charger and the Mopar ’12 300, the limited-edition Mopar ’13 Dart will be built and customized with Mopar performance parts and accessories. Production for a limited run of 500 units will begin this spring at the company’s assembly plant in Belvidere, Ill. “Our new Mopar ’13 Dart will turn heads and stand out from the crowd,” said Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO of Mopar, Chrysler Group’s service, parts and customer-care brand. “For this special, limited-edition vehicle, we specifically kept the driver in mind as we added select Mopar parts and accessories.” Inspired by the tuner scene, the Mopar ’13 Dart is designed for driving enthusiasts. Powered by a 1.4-liter MultiAir® intercooled turbo engine with a manual transmission, the Mopar ’13 sports a gloss-black finish with a pair of car-length Mopar Blue stripes, which mirror each of the three previous Mopar-themed models. For enhanced handling, upgrades include a performance steering-gear calibration, a 7 millimeter-lowered suspension and low-profile 40 aspect performance tires (225/40R18). From the racing scene, Mopar added a premium brake kit with slotted rotors. Engine breathing is enhanced with a performance-tuned exhaust and to further optimize aerodynamics and increase downforce, the custom Dart features Mopar’s ground-effects kit, which includes a front-chin spoiler, one-piece deck-lid spoiler, as well as a unique and aggressively styled rear diffuser. Unique exterior elements include a Mopar badge in the crosshair grille and gloss-black 18-inch wheels with a Mopar logo on the wheel center caps. The vehicle’s unique interior, featuring a serialized plate, gives the driver a custom Mopar Blue leather seat with black accents. To keep the emphasis on the driver, the driver seat is Mopar Blue while all other seats are black with blue accent stitching. The centerpiece of the interior is a floating island bezel that is accented with Mopar Blue paint and lighting. The interior is further enhanced with rich details, including Mopar Blue accent thread, as well as light-black chrome and gloss-black elements. Along with a Mopar serialized badge on the dash, the special-edition Mopar ’13 includes industry-first wireless charging for smartphones, a blue-stitched leather-wrapped steering wheel with an identically garnished shifter knob, a bright sport-pedal kit, premium Mopar carpet floor mats, door-sill guards and an 8.4-inch navigation screen. The limited-edition Mopar ’13 Dart will be delivered to each customer with a personalized owner kit. Assembled in a custom-made black case, contents include a personalized plate with vehicle specifications, the date of manufacture and the unique identification number (of 500) of the vehicle. Along with a Mopar ’13 brochure and other memorabilia, the kit will include a limited-edition sketch of the vehicle signed by Mark Trostle, Chrysler Group Chief Designer for the Mopar Brand. Information on the Mopar ’13 will be go live at http://www.dodge.com/en/2013//dart-mopar13/ tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 1 View full article

I think the story is trying to say is that the Insignia and XTS will become one.. Not sure if I fully see that

By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com February 4, 2013 Opel's interim CEO Thomas Sedran made some interesting comments concerning the Insignia replacement. “We will draw on developments from within the parent company for the Insignia replacement. This provides us with the advantage of being able to use technology from GM that is also earmarked for Cadillac,” said Sedran. This has lead Autocar to make the assumption that the Insignia replacement will have a sister car in the form of the next Cadillac XTS, both due out later this decade. While we're not quite sure that the Insignia and XTS will be sister cars, we could easily see the Insignia and XTS sharing some key components if the XTS sticks with FWD. Source: Autocar 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 February 3, 2013 The U.S. Department of Energy announced a updated strategy to promote green cars and lower the costs over the next nine years at the Washington D.C. Auto Show on Thursday. One part of the original strategy which stated a goal of having a million electric vehicles on the road by 2015 has been eased off. "Whether we meet that goal in 2015 or 2016, that's less important than that we're on the right path to get many millions of these vehicles on the road," said a Department of Energy official. Auto experts say the strategy is more realistic since consumers aren't fully sold on electric vehicles due to the high cost, recharge times, and limited charging infrastructure in the U.S. The DOE is backing a new plan to promote research into lithium-ion battery tech to help lower costs. Source: Reuters 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 February 3, 2013 If you wanted a more powerful C63 AMG, but think the Black Series version is a bit unlivable, Mercedes-Benz might have the vehicle for you. To be introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in March, the 2014 C63 AMG 507 Edition provides performance and styling upgrades to the C63 AMG lineup. That's right, you can get the 507 Edition the sedan, coupe, or if you live outside of North America, a wagon. Starting with the engine, Mercedes-Benz was able to squeeze out more power from the 6.2L V8 by adding forged pistons, new connecting rods, a lighter crankshaft, and a remapped engine controller. Horsepower is now at 507 (up from 451) and torque is at 450 pound-feet (up from 443). All of that power goes through AMG’s seven-speed transmission. Other performance upgrades include a braking system with six-piston calipers up front and four-piston clampers in the back. There is also a set of nineteen-inch, lightweight alloy wheels. Visual changes for the C63 AMG 507 Edition include a vented hood from the Black Series, AMG stripes on the rocker panels, and black accents on the grille, rear spoiler, and mirrors. Inside, there is a Alcantara wrapped steering wheel, red accents in the gauge cluster, piano black accents throughout the cabin, and "Edition 507" badge. The C63 AMG 507 Edition arrives at Mercedes-Benz dealers in the summer. Source: Mercedes-Benz Album: 2014 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Edition 507 9 images 0 comments 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 Mercedes-Benz Introduces An Even More Aggressive C63 AMG MONTVALE, NJ – The C63 AMG models are becoming even more aggressive with the addition of a newly developed "Edition 507". The output of the AMG 6.3 liter V8 engine has been increased by 56 hp, bringing the output to 507 hp with 450 lb.-ft. of torque. The model year 2014 C63 AMG "Edition 507" uses much of the same technology as the SLS AMG: the eight-cylinder naturally aspirated engine features forged pistons, connecting rods and a lightweight crankshaft as seen on the super sports car. An AMG high-performance compound constuction braking system with red brake calipers is fitted as standard. The C63 AMG "Edition 507" will be available in the Summer of 2013 and is designed to appeal to ambitious drivers who take pleasure in best-in-class technology as well as exclusive design and sporty handling. The C63 AMG "Edition 507" coupe and sedan produces 507 hp and accelerates from 0-60 in 4.1 seconds. This new model outperforms the existing 451 hp C63 model by three-tenths of a second, and the variants with the AMG Development Package which produce 481 hp by two-tenths of a second. In addition to an increase in top speed to 174 mph, the "Edition 507" also includes a voucher for a driver training session at the AMG Driving Academy. According to Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-AMG GmbH: "The C 63 AMG with the classic AMG 6.3-litre high-revving V8 naturally aspirated engine is one of the most popular AMG high-performance cars in the world. With the new C 63 AMG "Edition 507", we are offering our loyal customers an attractive model variant which boasts even higher performance and at the same time is visually exciting." Preliminary Technical Data: C63 AMG C63 AMG "Edition 507" "Edition 507" Sedan Coupe Displacement 6208 cc 6208 cc Power output 507 hp at 6800 rpm 507 hp at 6800 rpm Max. torque 450 lb.-ft at 5200 rpm 450 lb.-ft at 5200 rpm Acceleration 0-60 mph 4.1 s 4.1 s Top speed 174 mph 174 mph C63 AMG "Edition 507" featuring technology from the SLS AMG The increase in power output to 507 hp at 6800 rpm comes courtesy of the modified inner workings of the AMG 6.3-liter V8 engine. The forged pistons adopted from the SLS AMG, together with new connecting rods and a lightweight crankshaft, translate into a weight saving of 6.6 lbs. The reduction of rotational mass inertia improves the agility of the eight-cylinder M156 naturally aspirated engine. The maximum torque has also increased by 7 lb.-ft., jumping from 443 lb.-ft. to 450 lb.-ft. at 5200 rpm. The titanium grey-painted variable intake manifold is a characteristic feature of the uprated V8 engine. A new engine control system rounds off the series of implemented powertrain measures. The exterior of the C63 AMG "Edition 507" is characterized by exclusive new design features. Most notable of the features is the hood – it originates from the C63 AMG Coupe Black Series. Two openings in the distinctive aluminium hood help with expelling engine heat. Newly designed AMG light-alloy forged wheels with 235/35 R 19 front tires and 255/30 R 19 rear tires are another exclusive feature of the "Edition 507". The AMG light-alloy wheels are produced using lightweight forging technology and are available in two variants: titanium grey with a high-sheen finish, or matte black with highsheen rim flanges. An AMG sports stripe applique in matte graphite grey have been located above the rocker panels and are yet another new feature of the exterior. The spoiler lip on the trunk lid, the exterior mirror housings as well as the surrounds on the radiator grille and daytime running lights are all finished in high-gloss black. Available as an option for the C63 AMG "Edition 507" is an exclusive designo magno platinum matte finish paint. AMG high-performance braking system featuring compound technology As standard, the C63 AMG "Edition 507" comes with an even more powerful AMG high-performance braking system featuring compound construction technology. The front axle makes use of compound brake discs measuring 14.2 in. x 1.4 in. The advantages of the compound design include higher fatigue strength and lower warping characteristics. In addition, compound construction discs are lighter in weight and the reduced unsprung masses improve the response of the spring/damping elements. With compound construction, the brake discs are connected to an aluminium bowl via eight cast bracket arms. The brake discs are ventilated and perforated all around and are decelerated by means of 6-piston aluminium fixed calipers on the front axle and 4-piston fixed calipers on the rear axle. The brake callipers are painted red as standard fitment. "Edition 507" interior: even more dynamic and exclusive The sporty yet functional interior of the C63 AMG is even more dynamic and exclusive in the case of the "Edition 507". Three different equipment and options are available to choose from: porcelain designo leather/DINAMICA, black designo leather/DINAMICA and black designo leather. In the case of the designo leather/DINAMICA upholstery, light-colored contrast stitching makes for an attractive highlight. The AMG Performance steering wheel in Alcantara® with light-colored contrasting stitching has a 12-o'clock marking. The gear selector lever of the AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission is finished in DINAMICA and features an AMG badge. The steering wheel and gear selector lever gaiter also have light-colored contrast stitching. In the AMG instrument cluster, red applications to the dials serve to visually differentiate this variant from the other C63 AMG models. The trim is done in high-gloss black piano lacquer and the "Edition 507" badge on the trim on the front passenger side round off the high-quality, exclusive interior. Optional extras include: - AMG illuminated door rocker panels - AMG rear axle locking differential - AMG 5-spoke light-alloy forged wheels, painted in titanium grey and with a high-sheen finish, with tires in sizes 235/40 R 18 (front) and 255/35 R 18 (rear) - AMG Performance Media - AMG carbon-fiber/high gloss black piano lacquer-look trim - Exterior designo magno platinum matte finish paint; four other exterior paint colors will be available from the existing C63 AMG palette. The C63 AMG "Edition 507" will be celebrating its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show, which will be opening its doors on March 5, 2013. The model's sales and market launch in the U.S. is planned for the Summer of 2013. Pricing will be announced closer to the market launch. The C63 AMG "Editon 507" coupe and sedan replace the existing AMG Development Package for MY2014, and will be sold in the U.S. in addition to the existing C63 AMG coupe and sedan with 451 hp. View full article

Reportedly, there was supposed to be a Corvette Stingray in the halftime show.. But it never materialize.

They refeshed the ZDX for 2013 and announced that it would be shown the door in 2014. See This -----------> Acura Refreshes ZDX For 2013, Kills It One Year Later

By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com February 3, 2013 Alfa Romeo is planning to introduce a new SUV by 2015 as part of a plan to help with Fiat’s profitability. Bloomberg says the SUV will be one of nine Alfa Romeo models introduced by 2016 to help triple sales and broaden the appeal of the brand to other markets. “Alfa is the only brand that can boost margins for the group,” If the right models get rolled out, “Alfa could become the Apple (AAPL) of the car industry. We just need our equivalent of the iPhone,” said Roberto Ferrari, owner of Fiat dealer Sprintauto, near Milan. The SUV will use Fiat’s Compact U.S. Wide (CUSW) platform and be available with front or all-wheel drive. Source: Bloomberg 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 January 31, 2013 While Chicago is just a week away, Automakers are already gearing up for the Geneva Motor Show in March. Case in point, Toyota has released a teaser image of a convertible GT 86 concept. Officially named the FT-86 Open concept, Toyota says the concept, "previews a possible future development of the award-winning GT 86 sports coupe." More interesting is that Toyota says they will, "gauge public reaction to the idea, at the same time as it carries out engineering tests on a prototype." Source: Toyota 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

I know.. I've been trying to figure how the LaCrosse eAssist is decent and the Malibu Eco is terrible.