NOVEMBER 30, 2016

(Audi)
The Electric Future is coming, and sooner than you may think. BMW Group, Daimler AG, Ford Motor Company and Volkswagen Group with Audi and Porsche have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to create the highest-powered charging network in Europe. The goal is the quick buildup of a sizable number of stations in order to enable long-range travel for battery electric vehicle drivers. The projected ultra-fast high-powered charging network with power levels up to 350 kW will be significantly faster than the most powerful charging system deployed today. The buildup is planned to start in 2017, with an initial target of about 400 sites in Europe. By 2020 Battery Electric Vehicle customers should have access to thousands of high-powered charging points. The goal is to enable long-distance travel through open-network charging stations along highways and major thoroughfares, which has not been feasible for most BEV drivers to date. The charging experience is expected to evolve to be as convenient as refueling at conventional gas stations. The network will be based on Combined Charging System (CCS) standard technology. The planned charging infrastructure expands the existing technical standard for AC and DC charging of electric vehicles to the next level of capacity for DC fast charging with up to 350 kW. BEVs that are engineered to accept this full power of the charge stations can recharge brand-independently in a fraction of the time of today’s BEVs. The network is intended to serve all CCS equipped vehicles to facilitate BEV adoption in Europe. Editor-In-Chief's Note: We're talking mass-market BEV adoption here, folks. You can expect a similar arrangement to come online in the U.S. too. -PMD

(Rolls-Royce images)
From the "Hell Freezes Over" File (again), Rolls-Royce has published photographs of its "all-terrain, high-sided vehicle" - aka Giant SUV - in development, dubbed "Project Cullinan." This latest development vehicle will travel to numerous locations around the world in a testing program to ensure that the end product will be, in Rolls-Royce speak, "Effortless… Everywhere." Destinations for the Project Cullinan development program in 2017 include the Arctic Circle for cold weather durability and traction testing and later, the Middle East for high temperatures and challenging desert conditions.

(Toyota)
Toyota will show the 2018 Camry at the Detroit Auto Show in January. They released a teaser shot today (12/1) at a press function in Detroit.

Surprising Excellence.

This week finds us in the 2017 Chevrolet Cruze Hatchback Premier. I will get right to the point here because I found this car to be a most impressive machine. Nicely rendered inside and out, the Cruze Hatchback Premier performed flawlessly, whether it be in the urban slog or hustling on the freeway. Everything about this car is well thought out, and the little details - like the heated steering wheel as standard or the heated rear seats - may not seem like a big deal but taken as a whole with the rest of the car's features, it's clear that the True Believers reporting to Mark Reuss executed everything about this machine at a high level. Taut and responsive in feel, this Cruze underpromises and overdelivers in almost every aspect of consideration, and the highway mileage - while running at 80-85 mph - was pleasing, too, approaching 37 mpg. The Chevrolet Cruze Hatchback Premier is a genuine achievement in the compact car class. Is it as good as the Honda Civic? Not quite, but it's definitely worthy of a closer look and a spot on your consideration list. -PMD
2017 Chevrolet Cruze Hatchback Premier (1SF): $29,465 ($23,945 Base Price; Red Hot, Jet Black Interior; 1.4L DOHC 4-cylinder with direct injection and VVT; 153HP @ 5600 rpm, 177 lbs-ft of torque @ 2,000-4,000 rpm; Front-Wheel Drive; Six-speed automatic transmission; McPherson strut front suspension with side loaded strut modules, specifically tuned coil springs, direct-acting stabilizer bar, hydraulic ride bushing; Compound crank rear suspension with double-walled Z-link; Four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes with power assist; 17" alloy wheels; Driver and front passenger heated leather seats; Heated outboard leather-trimmed rear seats; 8-way power seat adjuster, driver; Tilt and telescoping leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated; Power outside mirrors; Keyless start; Remote vehicle start; Apple CarPlay capability by Apple, Android Auto capability provided by Google (both available with compatible smartphones); XM Radio + service subscription sold separately by SiriusXM after three months; Teen Driver; OnStar Remotelink app; OnStar Basic with Navigation; 4G LTE WI-FI Hotspot with limited data trial; Sun & Sound with Navigation Package - Power sunroof, Chevrolet MyLink audio system with Navigation and 8" diagonal touchscreen with select Bluetooth streaming, Bose premium audio system with nine speakers, Multi-color enhanced info driver instrument display - $1,995; RS Package - Sport body kit, RS lettering and ornamentation, 18" aluminum wheels with all-season black wall tires, Front fog lamps, Rear spoiler - $995; Enhanced Convenience Package - Power windows with express driver up/down, Automatic air conditioning, Automatic dimming inside rear view mirror, Wireless device charging, Heated outboard rear seats, 110-volt AC power outlet - $865; Driver Confidence Package - Intellibeam headlamps with automatic high beam, Rear park assist, Following distance indicator, Forward collision alert, Rear cross traffic alert, Lane keep assist with lane departure warning. Lane change alert with side blind zone alert - $790; Destination Charge, $875)
Adherence to Brand Image: The Cruze Hatchback Premier is what Chevrolet at its best should be about. Pleasing to look at, fun to drive and an excellent overall value from every angle, this machine represents the Chevrolet ideal - the one that has been historically crafted with varying degrees of success for decades - perfectly. -PMD

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