Drew Dowdell

He's already got a 4x4 Jeep, he should be fine

What's everyone think of the Enspire that is the article pic?

lol, well we got off topic really quick.

That was still an SUV. They're talking about something shaped like an Avalanche but with a sedan like trunk for the bed. There was the Lincoln Blackwood with a carpet lined bed.

The current Durango is a good looker, but I think it's on its way out.

once it pops, the whole economy is going to start to tumble.

This Benz diesel is supposed to be very clean... assuming they didn't cheat with software.

Yeah, but it seems much worse where you are.

So... an Avalanche.

and claim to have invented it.

That's an ohio thing

Subaru and Volvo already tried that.

Sorry about that. It was a permissions issue that has now been fixed.

The third gen was really ugly until it got a refresh (pictured above) but that wasn't enough to save it.

I still hate the term crossover coupe.

Buick is reportedly working on a crossover coupe to add to its lineup in the US. This vehicle would be in addition to, rather than replace, any vehicles in the current lineup. Most of Buick's recent lineup has been a rebadge of some other brand's designs, this new vehicle would be a departure from that with Buick leading the design process from the start. CarDesignNews was shown some sketches and models of future Buicks and what they saw would "turn everything you think about Buick on its ear". It is a bold design that will shock people both inside and outside the industry. The designs would feel familiar without using specific cues. Buick also took the time to insist that Buick would not become a China-only brand even though 4 out of every 5 Buicks are sold there. The bulk of the design work takes place in Warren, Michigan, while smaller design teams work in Shanghai, Melbourne, and near Seoul. As far as the name, Buick has trademarked Enspire for the U.S., so that has a strong possibility of coming to fruition. No timeline is set for the release of the new crossover, but the overhaul of the Buick look is well underway. View full article

you know... looking back, that final Dakota wasn't too bad looking. I wonder what they go for used.

RAM sees a Dakota-sized hole in their lineup and FCA CEO Mike Manley says he wants that hole filled fast. Part of the issue is that Ram currently does not have a platform to use for a mid-size pickup. The Jeep Gladiator, while considered a mid-size, has a different mission in life. It is positioned, and priced, as a premium product with an MSRP starting over $33,000 where competitors like the Ranger and Colorado start in the mid-$20k range. Furthermore, the new product will not be built on the Gladiator platform, further increasing costs and development time. The current estimate is that the Dakota, if that's what it is called, will be introduced in the 2022 time frame. That puts RAM rather late to market as Ford has recently released the Ranger, and a new Nissan Frontier is on the way, and even Mitsubishi is working on a truck. In the meantime, RAM plans to keep building the RAM 1500 classic for an extended period of time alongside the new 2020 RAM 1500 model. Fleet and commercial customers like the lower price of the RAM Classic and sales have remained brisk. View full article

If you're the owner of an Android phone and an Android Auto enabled vehicle, this summer there will be a big upgrade coming to the interface of both. The new design will allow you to do more with fewer taps, while also showing more information on the screen at a time. As soon as you start your car, Android Auto will pick up where you left off with your media and automatically show your navigation app of choice. Navigation will show a suggested list of places or the user can say "Hey Google" to navigate to a new place. At the bottom will be a navigation bar that will allow users to control apps and see turn-by-turn navigation instructions even while on a Media or Phone screen. The color pallet has changed to a darker theme which is easier on the eyes. The font has been changed to be easier to read. In vehicles with wider screens, Android Auto will now fill that extra space with additional information such as next-turn direction, playback controls, or ongoing call information. You can see the new animations and look at the video below. These changes will be available on all Android Auto capable devices this summer. View full article

Jeep is rumored to be testing a Mercedes-Benz supplied 2.0 liter Turbo-Diesel in 14 test vehicles in the Detroit, Michigan area. However, it is unlikely that such a vehicle would be sold in the U.S. The most likely scenario is that this is testing for the European and Asian markets. The Compasses were converted by an independent supplier for FCA and the suspected engine of choice is the Mercedes-Benz OM654 2.0 diesel producing 192 HP and 295 lb-ft of torque. The engine was released in 2016 for the E-Class, but the engine was designed to be mounted in transverse applications as well. In the U.S., the Compass is only sold with a 2.4 liter gasoline engine. In Europe, the Compass comes with a two different 1.4-liter gasoline engines (140 hp an 170hp), two 2.0-liter diesel engines (140 hp and 170 hp), and a 1.6-liter diesel engine (120 hp). Which engine you can get largely depends on if the car is 4x4 or not. GM currently sells its compact crossovers with a 1.6-liter turbo diesel, and Mazda finally unveiled their diesel CX-5. We think that this diesel Compass would be a good fit in the U.S. and should FCA be reading this, please bring it here. View full article