APRIL 15, 2015

Ferdinand Piech. Editor-in-Chief's Note: The 77-year-old VW Group Chairman says he wants to hang around another couple of more years before he retires, but the once-brilliant product guru (he developed the Porsche 908 racer among many other achievements) may have gone too far this time in suggesting that CEO Martin Winterkorn is dispensable. Assuming he could do his usual act of belligerent bluster to influence any future management decision, Piech instead encountered a blistering pushback, to the point that he doesn't have the board seats to influence anything. Piech used to be considered a mad genius, but now it's looking more and more like he's just mad, and his tenure needs to be cut short. Piech and Winterkorn are going to get together and discuss things in the next few days, according to German media reports (that should be good for a few laughs), so it might get resolved quickly, or not. We'll see how it all shakes out in the coming weeks, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Piech asked to stand down by the board - for good. -PMD

(Cadillac)
Cadillac has announced a long list of upgrades to the 2016 ELR. The electrified luxury coupe will offer improved performance, a more dynamic driving character and higher levels of personal technology for the 2016 model year. Major product upgrades include a revised electric drive system that increases power and torque by more than 25 percent and results in faster acceleration, improving 0-60 time by 1.4 seconds. The ELR will also achieve a higher top speed. Other enhancements include a retuned chassis and steering for better handling, more responsive brakes and a new Performance Equipment Package. The ELR will feature OnStar with 4G LTE and a standard built-in Wi-Fi hotspot, which provides a mobile hub for drivers and passengers to stay connected. The hotspot is on whenever the vehicle is on and comes with a three-month/three-gigabyte data trial, whichever comes first. With a new grille and Cadillac’s new crest, the 2016 ELR features the first application of extended-range electric vehicle technology by a full-line luxury automotive brand. Pricing will start at $58,495 after U.S. federal tax credits, which is a much needed reduction.

 

(Bentley Motors/newspress)
Bentley Motors is commemorating the historic "Blue Train" race won by the Bentley Speed Six in 1930 with a Mulliner Limited Edition – the Mulsanne Speed "Blue Train". Eighty-five years ago, Captain Woolf Barnato, Chairman of Bentley Motors and pioneering "Bentley Boy" was staying in Cannes at the Carlton Hotel. He accepted a wager that not only could he beat the Calais-Mediterranée Express or "Blue Train" back to Calais, but that he could be at his club in London before the train even reached the English Channel. He was, and the remarkable victory has been talked about ever since. The Mulsanne Speed "Blue Train" Limited Edition is produced by Bentley’s bespoke coach building division, Mulliner. Each car features a number of detailed historical references and modern interpretations of design details from the original Speed Six. A few examples? The fluting pattern in the door panels and the rear quarter inserts echo the interior of Barnato’s original car. And the dashboard fascia (below) features an expertly crafted veneer image of the original Bentley "Blue Train" Speed Six. Meanwhile, the tread-plate plaques bear the wording "Blue Train 85 Years" and the front grille features a square mesh design inspired by original Speed Six. The car debuted this week at the Techno-Classica show in Essen, Germany. One more thing? Just four - count 'em - four examples will be hand-crafted in Crewe for customers in continental Europe.

(Bentley Motors/newspress)

Editor-in-Chief's Note: This  video for the new Porsche Cayman GT4 - "Rebels, race on" - is worth a look. Watch it here. -PMD

(Chevrolet)
Chevrolet continues to leak out details of the all-new 2016 Camaro in dribs and drabs before its official introduction on Saturday, May 16, which will take place during a special public event at Detroit’s Belle Isle Park. The latest info? Chevrolet says its engineering team spent nine million hours of computational time honing the driving experience of the all-new 2016 Camaro before the first prototype turned a wheel. The result? Chevrolet says the Gen 6 Camaro is 28 percent stiffer than the current model. “The modeling abilities of computer aided engineering are advancing at incredible rates,” said Jim Karlavage, Camaro program engineering manager. “Today, we can accurately model opportunities to add torsional strength without adding unnecessary mass. The result is a lighter, stiffer structure that benefits every aspect of the driving experience.” The more rigid body structure allowed the engineers to more precisely calibrate the steering and suspension systems because they didn’t have to compensate for chassis flex. The lighter structure also enabled the size and mass of elements such as the wheels, tires and brakes to be scaled accordingly. “The structural weight savings are compounded by opportunities to reduce un-sprung weight,” said Karlavage. “The result is a more nimble driving experience that rewards the driver with satisfying feelings of responsiveness and control.”

(Honda)
The HondaJet begins a world tour in late April, making its first appearances in Japan and Europe. The HondaJet will travel more than 26,000 nautical miles during the tour and stop in more than 13 countries along its flight route. 

(Rolls-Royce Motor Cars images)
This is an engineering mule for a future Rolls-Royce, but not just any Rolls. This in fact is the first engineering mule for Project Cullinan - aka the upcoming Rolls-Royce SUV - the high-sided, all-terrain motor car announced by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in February. This early engineering prototype is based on a shortened Phantom Series II body with an all-wheel-drive suspension system that will deliver a ride "that will be Effortless … Everywhere," according to the luxury manufacturer. Project Cullinan engineering mules will spend equal amounts of time testing on- and off-road "to ensure that the customer will experience the same unrivalled ride quality on loose surfaces and challenging terrain as they do on the road today." We shall see about that.

Editor-in-Chief's Note: From the "Learning To Live A Life With Reduced Expectations" File, our "Quick Take" this week has us in a 2015 GMC Canyon pickup truck. Not just any Canyon pickup mind you, but a stripped-down, bare-bones version of GM's new "mid-size" pickup truck. That means a back-to-basics, rear-wheel drive, manual gearbox pickup that reminded us of simpler times, except for the 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, which was admittedly very slick. Occasionally we get yanked by readers who say something like, "It's nice that you drive all of these cool factory hot-rods and all, but what about normal vehicles?" Well, here it is, folks. The Canyon, part of GM's two-pronged attack on the mid-size pickup truck market (along with the Chevrolet Colorado) - a market that is either just waiting to bust out or is what it is for the foreseeable future - is about the size of of what full-size trucks used to be about 20 years ago. We found it to be solid, comfortable and when you put your back-to-basics goggles on, a perfectly acceptable means of everyday transportation, especially if you need a pickup bed and you live in a warm climate. Up here in the north we'd have to load on a few options, like four-wheel-drive and heated seats, for starters, but even so getting into the Canyon with its minimalist persona well and truly present and accounted for was oddly appealing and endearing. (We found the "Bronze Alloy Metallic" paint to be a real downer, however. Perhaps they should rename the color "End of the Road" Brown, because that would be more in keeping with the truck's stripped down mission in life.) I've often lamented the fact that the more technology that is available in our modern-day machines the more reliant we become on it, which is not necessarily a good thing by any means, and with the Canyon so lightly equipped it was nice to be reminded of all of the things you don't really need. Buying such a stripped-down truck is as much a state of mind as anything else, so you have to be fully committed to that idea going in, otherwise you'll find yourself fumbling around and wishing for stuff that just isn't there. But as I said, we found the Canyon to be oddly appealing in its back-to-basics guise, not to mention the fundamental appeal of a price tag that comes in at just under $25,000. -PMD
2015 GMC Canyon 2WD Extended Cab: $24,915 ($22,650 Base Price; Bronze Alloy metallic; Jet Black/Dark Ash interior; 2.5-liter, DOHC, direct-injected 4-cylinder with Variable Valve Timing delivering 200HP with 191 lbs-ft of torque; Six-speed manual transmission; 16" Ultra Silver metallic cast aluminum wheels with all-season tires; STABILITRAK stability control with traction control; 4-wheel antilock disc brakes with Duralife rotors; Power steering; Projector-type headlamps with LED DRLs; Compact spare wheel; Rear vision camera; Outside remote exterior mirrors with manual folding; Front bucket seats; 4-way power adjustable driver seat; Dual rear seats with under-seat storage; Power windows and power door locks; Air conditioning; Tilt steering column; USB port; AM/FM stereo; Convenience Package - Remote keyless entry, Rear window defroster, Cruise control, EZ lift and lower tailgate, Content theft alarm/theft deterrent system - $590; Spray on bedliner (factory installed), $474; Audio system with 4.2" diagonal color screen, $275; OnStar with 4G LTE and standard built-in Wi-Fi hotspot (includes 3GB/three-month data trial); OnStar basic plan, 6-month OnStar directions and connections with automatic crash response and turn-by-turn navigation; 4.10 rear axle ratio; Destination charge, $925)

Adherence to Brand Image: This particular Canyon doesn't have anything to do with what GMC is trying to do with its brand image, but it is an honest, straight-up pickup truck that fulfills its mission nicely.  -PMD