From the driver’s seat, the V60 Cross Country echoes its sibling S60’s stylish interior, complete with configurable TFT instrument cluster (allowing choices of Performance, ECO, or Elegance display themes instead of analog instrumentation), and SENSUS infotainment system. The electronic instrumentation is legible, and controls are logically placed and work as anticipated.  Pairing my iPhone was a straightforward task, as were radio tuning, iPod browsing, and voice-commmanded destination entry on the navigation system.

Although the digital instrumentation and SENSUS infotainment software has been updated, the Scandinavian layout of the interior is largely unchanged from this platform’s launch, and retains features like the clever storage compartment ahead of Volvo’s distinctive “waterfall” console, and a complete telephonic keypad on the dash which doubles as infotainment station presets . One appreciated feature of the Technology Package (itself included in the Platinum Package) on the test vehicle was the Road Sign Information camera system, which uses a camera to read speed limit signs and then display the posted speed on the speedometer.

Volvo’s comfortable, supportive seats (with dark gray “offblack” upholstery and brown stitching) are great thrones from which to pilot the crossover wagon, whether just around town or on a longer drive. The V60 Cross Country is quiet inside, with nice materials used giving the interior an upscale feel. Back seat  legroom is tight behind tall drivers, as is the case with the S60. The rear seatback folds flat in 40/20/40 sections, and offers a retractable cargo net to separate the boot from the passenger compartment in either folded or upright positions.

Volvo’s advertising campaign for the V60 Cross Country shows it being driven out into the wilderness on unpaved tracks in rugged-yet-serene natural settings. During my week with the V60 Cross Country, I was able to explore similar terrain on a trip to the mountains east of Seattle. A mild winter meant that  Forest Service roads were covered with mud, potholes, and gravel instead of snow, and on these surfaces the Cross Country’s body structure felt  solid, which is an improvement from previous generations of Cross Country and XC70 vehicles . The raised suspension height and additional ground clearance meant i never bottomed the car. All that suspension travel meant that the Cross Country handled the pot-holed gravel road much better than I had anticipated.  On that excursion I also learned that the Twilight Bronze “crossover wagon” looks good clean or covered with mud. That said, the cladding collects road dirt and mud, which is easy to get on your pant leg when entering and exiting the vehicle.

While the Cross Country’s taller suspension compared to the standard V60 provides additional ground clearance and gives the Cross Country more of an SUV stance, it  also raises the wagon’s center of gravity, which is noticeable underway by additional lean in corners, and by the tall wagon sometimes feeling a bit unsettled when cruising down the interstate. The suspension meant that the car didn’t beg to be hustled briskly down my favorite winding country roads, but it did provide a comfortable ride in all driving conditions. Optional speed-sensitive steering on the V60 Cross Country provided good feedback.

The car I tested was equipped with Volvo’s adaptive cruise control with queue assist. This system manages the throttle and brakes to maintain appropriate following distances from highway speeds down to stop-and-go traffic. I took advantage of this system in a rush-hour commute from Seattle to Washington’s state Capitol, Olympia. The 70 mile trek was choked with traffic,  taking two hours and 20 minutes on congested Interstate 5. During that slog, I used the brake pedal just twice (when my instinct overruled my trust in the technology) , and gas pedal only about five times (to quickly pull out to another lane). I otherwise let the Volvo mind the stop-and-go, which it did flawlessly.

Fuel economy ratings for the V60 Cross Country are 20/28/23 MPG (City/Highway/Combined); during my week covering 365 miles in the V60 Cross Country, I saw consumption of 21.7 MPG at an average speed of 32 miles per hour, according to the Volvo’s trip computer. Admittedly, a majority of these miles were in suburban stop-and-go conditions. This was actually better than the 20.7 MPG I got from the 2013 S60 T5 AWD sedan we reviewed which shares a powertrain with the V60 Cross Country.

The 2015.5 Volvo V60 Cross Country starts at $41,000, with all 2015.5 V60 and S60 models receiving Sensus Navigation and Volvo’s Sensus Connect/Volvo On Call connected services as standard equipment. The vehicle reviewed included the $3600 Platinum Package [Harmon Kardon Premium Sound System, Active Dual Xenon Headlights with WAshers; Accent Lighting; Audo Dimming rear view mirrors; Convenience Pkg; (Keyless Drive; Rear Park Assist Camera, HomeLink; Digital Compass); Technology Package (Adaptive Cruise Control w/Queue Assist; Collision warning with full auto brake; pedestrian/cyclist detection w/auto brake; distance alert; driver alert control; lane departure warning; road sign information; active high beam)], $1550 Climate Package [heated front and rear seats; heated steering wheel; heated windshield; heated windshield washer nozzles, IAQS], $925 BLIS Package [BLIS; Cross Traffic Alert; Front Park Assist; Lange Change/Merge Aid], $560 metallic paint, $325 speed-sensitive steering, $400 Urbane Wood inlays, and $940 destination charge, for a total of MSRP of $49,350. The V60 Cross Country’s most obvious competitor is the Audi allroad. Comparing the two, the V60 Cross Country has 30 extra HP (without requiring premium fuel), while the Audi costs about $750 more when equipped similarly.

The V60 Cross Country does seem to live up to the image created by Volvo’s marketing group. It is capable and competent on paved or unpaved routes, comfortable and quiet around town, and equipped with safety and luxury fittings to justify its presence in both the Volvo showroom and in its price range when compared to competitors.

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Being a child of the 1980s, it shouldn’t come as any surprise that I have a bizarre fascination with the W126-body Sonderklasse, or as we know it today, the S-class. It was–and still is–my ideal of luxury, as dowdy and pragmatic a luxury car as has ever been imagined.

At dealerships and auto shows, the “bank vault” demo (in which the salesperson would slam one of the doors shut, making a seismic thud that shook the floor) impressed me to no end as a child. The W126 was built with solidity to conduct Important Business, the way office furniture used to be built.

Thirty years later, the new-school “dreadnought” class of luxury cars is currently caught in an inexorable march toward more and more technological wizardry, in an effort to out-impress each other’s intended customers. Right now we live in the age of die neue S-Klasse, known internally as the W222; loaded with sensors and adaptive suspension and steering components, the car can very nearly drive itself.

Not that the old W126 could be ever have been described as Luddite in nature: it was the first car to be made available with airbags (1981), the first to offer seatbelt pre-tensioners (1981), the first to offer traction control (1989), and the first to offer a four-speed automatic transmission with a “topographical sensor” that detected the grade at which the car was travelling, to keep the cruise control smooth, and prevent the car from riding backwards when moving uphill from a dead stop.

But to me, those individual features seemed to age fairly gracefully; airbags and seatbelt pre-tensioners take a very long time to achieve true obsolescence on their own. Will the high-res screens that currently replace the dashboard look as dated in ten years as navigation screens from 2005 do today? Will the current suite of automated driving tech be able to “play well with others” in thirty or forty years’ time?

From a consumer perspective, it almost feels a bit like the kind of “planned obsolescence” ploy that consumer cellphone manufacturers seem to have cooked up. Anybody still using a cellphone from more than five years ago? Anybody?

So, what would happen if we designed a car whose premier feature was longevity? One whose electronic content was kept to an absolute minimum, in favor of feature content that is designed to last fifty years or more? One whose interior materials were designed not to look permanently “new,” but to reach their peak gracefully and build a pleasant patina over time?

If the object of the game is moving more cars off the lots, does that seem like a self-defeating prophecy? How would you price a car like that to offset the eventual dip in sales?

We know already that there’s currently a mass market for analog sports cars: the Scion FR-S / Subaru BRZ twins and Mazda Miata come to mind right away. How much of a stretch is it to imagine a car as focused on endurance as those cars are on driving pleasure?

Have your say below in the Comments.

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Scarcely a month after being appointed president of Cadillac, Johan de Nysschen (formerly of Infiniti, formerly of Audi, formerly of a BMW dealer chain in South Africa) wasted no time shaking things up at GM’s luxury division, revealing that he would take the brand–and all its things–away from its family home, the Renaissance Center in Detroit, and pack it off to a high-rise in New York City. This is the first domestic GM auto brand to be headquartered outside of the RenCen since Saturn (next to its own plant in Spring Hill, TN).

Not long before that, as part of the finalization of the company structure that would become Fiat Chrysler Automobile (FCA), CEO Sergio Marchionne made the decision to headquarter the company, not in Detroit or Turin, but the Olympic Park area of London. That’s London, England. One of the most car-unfriendly cities in the world. Not exactly an epicenter of automotive culture. (The same could rightly be said of NYC.)

Per Marchionne, their move was purely for logistical reasons; it placed FCA’s offices in a politically neutral environment between Fiat and Chrysler’s existing headquarters, delicately removing one of the barriers to FCA’s healthy marriage. In Cadillac’s case, the reason cited was to get the brand out into fresh air, near two thoroughfares that define its target audience–Wall St. and Madison Ave. “If we stayed where we’ve been, nothing would change,” said de Nysschen.

And also, since it’s apparently moving season, Toyota is currently moving its U.S. headquarters from Torrance, CA to Plano, TX this year, to be closer to its truck manufacturing facilities in San Antonio.

None of these examples has had time to pan out just yet; we have no idea if history will view these moves as success or failure.

But what if you were in charge? Why do it? What conditions make it worth the cost and time and energy it takes to make a new home for yourself as an automaker? Have things gotten so stale at the home office that it’s time for a permanent change of scenery? Does that say more about your location or your people?

When is it worth the expenditure of finding new real estate, making deals with local governments, helming the PR blitz, transporting all your stuff, building out all-new offices, moving your essential staff, buying out your non-essential staff, hiring new staff?

Perhaps more importantly: where the heck do you want to go?

Do you pick a congested city center such as New York, downtown LA or Chicago? Do you shop states and local municipalities against each other, creating a bidding war of tax incentives and favorable zoning conditions, as Tesla did with its new Gigafactory site in Reno, NV? How about planting your roots in a smaller (but equally accessible) town with almost no automotive presence, such as Henderson, NV or South Bend, IN (ancestral home to Studebaker)?

Where to, boss?

Have your say below in the Comments.

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As with the previous generation Legacy, all new Legacy models have standard all-wheel drive; the only transmission choice now available is a Continuously Variable automatic (CVT). With the base 4-cylinder motor, power is up 5 HP to 175 HP, and fuel economy has improved drastically to 26/36/30 MPG city/highway/combined. On a one-hour highway segment with sustained speeds of 65 MPH, I actually saw 37.1 MPG indicated average on the Legacy’s trip computer. After two more hours with speeds around 77 MPH, my average was 35.9 MPG- impressive numbers for a spacious sedan with standard AWD. At the end of my week with the sedan, having covered 400 highway miles plus 120 miles in stop-and-go suburban traffic, my average consumption was 31.4 MPG according to the Legacy’s trip computer.

Subaru claims that the 2015 Legacy has best-in class interior volume among midsize sedans, and that claim is believable. The Legacy feels incredibly spacious inside, with plenty of legroom in front and back seats. The front seats are large and flat, so while they don’t hug the driver or offer a ton of support, their grippy fabric holds occupants in place. Door openings are large (front doors even have puddle lamps integrated to their bottom edges), as is the trunk opening leading to a capacious 15.1 cubic foot trunk.

While the new Legacy is spacious, efficient, and capable, its styling doesn’t stand out from the midsize-sedan crowd. Especially in the as-tested “Tungsten Metallic” paint, this beige sedan never once turned heads as I spent time behind the wheel. The tail lamps look vaguely like those on a Hyundai Sonata, the side profile is anonymous, the the trapezoidal grill shape has become ubiquitous to the point of near anonymity. While the Legacy’s styling is by no means offensive to the eye, it isn’t eye-catching, either.

From behind the wheel, outward visibility is phenomenal. Large windows and a relatively low cowl and beltline make it easy to see out, and making the cabin feel bright and airy. The analog speedometer and tachometer are clear, and the trip computer display between them toggles between consumption statistics and a digital speed readout, as well as showing cruise control information and gear selection.  Dual-zone automatic climate control worked just as expected. The cabin has plenty of storage space, with bottle holders in all four doors, double cupholders in the front console and the rear fold-down armrest, plus door pockets, a large cubby at the base of the center stack (with USB and AUX connectors), and a very clever rectangular opening perfectly sized for resting a smartphone at an angle where it is visible to the driver.

The touchscreen infotainment system has a seven-inch screen which is easy to see, with crisply-displayed, legible text. Pairing my iPhone to stream music and make handsfree calls was straightforward. The screen displayed the image from the back-up camera when reverse was selected, there are provisions for control of Pandora and aha smartphone apps, and there’s even additional vehicle status, fuel economy information, and real-time weather and gas prices able to be displayed. Unfortunately, the soft-key “buttons” are relatively small and close together, so it was easy to accidentally press the wrong one and end up getting a selection other than what was intended.  Too, there are 20 station pre-sets to be shared between AM, FM, and SXM satellite radio, but scrolling through them requires manipulating the finicky infotainment screen, taking eyes off the road for to long. Sound quality from the system was decidedly non-premium, lacking both clarity and power.

On the road, the Legacy’s 175 HP is adequate, though in typical  CVT fashion the transmission masks the feeling of acceleration, so it doesn’t feel particularly quick. Paddle shifters on the steering wheel allow the driver to select six fixed ratios, though doing so doesn’t infuse any additional excitement into the driving experience. The steering wheel itself offers little feedback about what the front tires might be doing. Coupled with plenty of sound dampening material to quell engine and road noise, the Legacy isolates the driver from the road.

The new Legacy occupies a unique niche in the midsize sedan segment. Pricing starts at $23,495 for the 2.5i Premium model; this includes the standard 175 HP, 2.5 liter horizontally-opposed engine with CVT and all-wheel drive, 17″ alloy wheels, power driver’s seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, heated exterior mirrors, fog lights, and seven inch touchscreen display for infotainment and backup camera. The vehicle I tested had an optional Moonroof Package for $1195 ,and $300 PZEV (Partial Zero Emission Vehicle) package; including the $795 destination charge, the price was a very reasonable $25,785.

At that price, the Legacy 2.5i Premium is a lot of car for the money. For buyers shopping in the midsize sedan segment who like the idea having all-wheel drive, the Legacy’s combination of features, space, fuel economy and price offer a unique value proposition.

Subaru provided the vehicle, insurance, and a tank of gas for this review.

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Almost a year ago plus a couple days, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) put forth a requirement through its parent organization, the US Department of Transportation, that all cars manufactured on or after May 1, 2018 be sold in the US with a backup camera as standard equipment.

I’m sure most of us have seen one by now: a large screen in the center console, dash or even rear view mirror will display live video from a camera mounted above the rear license plate, whenever reverse gear is selected. Often (though not always) there are sightlines projected on the display to give drivers a quick index of where objects are in relation to the rear of the vehicle; sometimes the lines even move to match steering angle and speed.

According to a New York Times article, regulators argued that each year, between 95 and 112 deaths, and 8,374 injuries, could be wiped off the board if rear blind spots were totally eliminated.

For the mandate, rules were set determining the rearward field of vision (10 feet wide, 20 feet deep), the angle of the lens (130 degree fisheye), and even the duration the image should stay on the screen (between 4 and 8 seconds).

While many in the industry were happy with the decision for obvious reasons, observers have noted that backup cameras seem like a safety item of fairly low importance, perhaps even compared to other active safety features, such as automated collision avoidance, telematics, or even a combination of the two–vehicles that would be required to communicate and avoid collisions as if they were magnetically opposed to one another, an idea the DOT’s chief secretary Anthony Foxx had opined only two months before their backup camera mandate.

There’s no question regulators don’t make these decisions from within a vacuum. Industry players (such as yourselves) have had plenty of time to catch NHTSA’s ear before these announcements were made.

So the question I pose to you is: if you were convinced your industry could handle the business–or the overhead–which emerging automotive technology absolutely NEEDS to be in every car sold in the US? Does fully driverless automation even enter the question, or is it too complex and risky? Are eye tracking devices simple and cheap enough to economize, or are they not effective enough to make roads safer?

Or, as folks in the aviation industry might ask, is all this augmented reality feature creep making us worse at managing our ever more complicated machinery?

Have your say below in the Comments.

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Scarcely a couple of weeks before opening day, news outlets received a terse statement from MINI: they would be withdrawing their entire exhibition from the New York International Auto Show (NYIAS). This is kind of a big deal; New York is a big show, one of the perennial “majors,” and MINI has never been considered a boutique manufacturer. As a subset of BMW, they represent a harbinger of new products and features from their Bavarian overlords. And they didn’t just give up floor space, either; industry insiders were expecting to see at least one major debut, most likely the convertible version of its newly renovated Cooper and Cooper S, or perhaps a look at the highly anticipated production version of its new, larger take on the six-door Clubman.

The subsequent explanation that came last week left behind a bizarre twist: NYIAS organizers decided at the last minute to change the way their show halls were filled, organizing individual brands by their market share (in vehicle sales) rather than clustering brands together under their respective corporate umbrellas (BMW, VW, GM, Ford, etc).

As in real estate, the trick is location, location, location: under the previous scheme, MINI was tucked into prime terroir near its own BMW family, in the midst of the other German automakers. This year, it would be cast to the outer reaches of Javits Center with other lower-volume sellers, potentially leaving its new wares to be judged late in the news day by a straggling, foot-worn media corps, and later in the week by a show-weary public. MINI USA was left with the unenviable decision to leave behind months of work, exhibition fees, and perhaps thousands of dollars worth of marketing materials that may never see the outside of a box.

That starts to beg the question: what drives us to do these shows? For auto enthusiasts and media members, the answer is obvious–it’s a petting zoo for new cars. But for OEMs, it’s a little trickier to work out. How do you quantify the impact your show booth spend has made? How has your presence directly affected sales?

Consultancy firms have sprung up out of whole cloth to help automakers and dealers determine Return On Investment from their presence at individual shows, from “majors” like Detroit and Paris to “little fish” like Philadelphia and New Orleans. Admittedly it must be very difficult making solid numbers out of such murky research, but they promise a profile of media saturation, visitor attendance and their buying intentions, and even claim to measure potential influence among those who pressed their grubby fingerprints on your cars.

So what say you, boss? If you had the numbers in hand, what’s the minimum ROI you would need to justify showing up to The Big Show? Do you need a guaranteed amount of market penetration before you consider putting out your wares? What markets are worth pursuing: only large, densely populated cities with large arteries for easy public access, or perhaps smaller exurban markets with freer roads, cheaper real estate and more spending potential?

Or are there more cost-effective alternatives to the traditional auto show, such as small, de-centralized mall kiosks or “pop-up” public displays at concerts and race events?

Have your say below in the Comments.

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I grew up in a household which, by and large, respected the value of the new car. We bought whatever had a warranty, and when the warranty ran out, it was time to start shopping again.

“You aren’t buying someone else’s problems,” we were told. “You don’t have to worry about reliability,” others said. Never mind the fact that a couple of our new cars were real lemons; one car decided to spew acrid clouds of white smoke out of the steering column as we pulled into the driveway one morning. It was an electrical short caused by faulty wiring, covered under warranty, of course.

My wife’s family, on the other hand, feels the opposite way: buy used cars and run them into the dirt. “It’s irresponsible to bury yourself in debt for something that won’t even keep half its value in five years,” they said. “Why do you need something no one else has ever owned, just to get yourself from point A to point B?” they asked.

Generally, it’s considered sound financial advice (with a little argument here and there) to buy used, or even Certified Pre-Owned, if you don’t mind spending a little more.

What if, one morning, America woke up, rolled out of bed, and collectively chose to be used car people? (Obviously compensating for time zones, it would have a rolling effect.)

The decision may not be theirs to make. Subprime auto loans are starting to make a comeback, in a way that somewhat echoes the subprime mortgage crisis and subsequent credit crunch of the late 2000s.

We also have a more recent macroeconomic example unfolding as we speak in Russia.

So if the “nightmare scenario” presented would happen, we can probably assume that in the months ahead, there would need to be a fire sale on the glut of new cars which would suddenly and inexplicably take over holding lots and vehicle processing centers at ports across the country.

Meanwhile, it’s not hard to imagine an oversaturated market for off-lease vehicles and “newer used” vehicles would suddenly see inflated prices and rapidly decreased day-supply, as buyers with the cash to burn suddenly swallow up the best used stock. New, and “newer used,” would suddenly compete with each other, dollar for dollar.

Would the government, at the Federal or State level, decide to leverage tax dollars to try and lift the flagging market? How long would the effect last?

The biggest question I would pose to you as an executive would be: how do you start from scratch? What would your full line of “New Cars For A New Era” look like in a market that’s trying desperately to compete with a massive–but also dwindling, and decaying–pool of fresh used cars? How do you compete against your own best work?

Have your say below in the Comments.

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We live in interesting times. Converging automotive technologies (like drivetrain electrification, automated driving, enhanced connectivity, etc) are advancing with frightening pace, yet the form factors themselves–the size, shape and mission of the cars themselves–have hardly changed at all in the last fifteen years. Small hatchbacks, large hatchbacks (served lukewarm and hot). Small vans, big vans (for commercial customers and large families). Crossovers of all sizes, from mini to Venti. You know the drill.

That begs the question: are we missing anything? Are there customers-in-waiting in the US who are still unserved by the showrooms of today?

To help things along, I’ve found some (dubious) unsold market segment ideas for your consideration:

Autonomous vehicles for municipal duties: I know, I know, I hate the idea of autonomous cars too. And the laws aren’t even ready for them, you say. But there may be a good field-testing opportunity if automakers pitch to the right customer: public utilities. According to a 2012 study by the EPA regarding litter abatement in coastal cities, a large metropolis like San Diego, CA or Portland, OR has an annual spend of around $5 million on street sweeping alone. In New York City, which reportedly spends around $16 million a year for the service, arcane laws keep drivers tied to their cars during the hours that street sweepers might come, for fear of being ticketed or towed. Without a cab or air conditioning, the sweepers could be far smaller and easier to maneuver, even around parked cars. And without the need for breaks or lunches, unmanned vehicles could sweep more often and for longer duration, thus catching unoccupied spaces more frequently and obviating the need to issue vast no-parking edicts for scheduled routes. Any vehicle that excels at street sweeping could easily be adapted to another task: curbside trash pickup.

Living rooms on wheels: Jason Torchinsky at Jalopnik recently brought up a proposal for a luxed-up Scion xB, basically an extremely austere, tall-box chassis, overstuffed with creature comforts and technology. It would almost certainly not be fun to drive. But it’s fairly easy to imagine a subset of yawning millennials and baby boomers who are breaking away from greater America’s lust for utility and performance. They never really cared about lateral-g figures, approach angles or Nürburgring lap times, and just want a peaceful place to whittle away their dull commute or long road trip. From a pricing and profit-per-unit perspective, it may make a lot of sense as well; it would potentially put some very nice materials and feature content within reach of the entry-luxury buyer. It could be the new Buick Roadmaster… for people who don’t know about the old Buick Roadmaster.

Tiny pickups: America. Buys. Pickup trucks. In the Deep South, where I live, I can’t throw a pebble without hitting a full-size pickup. We’re also on the cusp of a burgeoning midsize pickup truck market, with GM running a full media blitz for its new entrants, the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon, a new Toyota Tacoma, and rumors swirling about Ford’s impending resurrection of the Ranger, due in 2016 or 2017. There’s also been a steady downsizing of commercial vehicles over the last decade, thanks in no small part to the introduction of Ford’s Transit Connect in 2009; the compact size, ease of parking, fuel efficiency and friendly sticker price attracted fleet customers in droves. Now the small-van market is swarming with offerings from Nissan, Chevrolet, Ram, and soon, Mercedes. Considering over 90 percent of new vehicle registrations in the US are for commercial customers, does the downsizing trend extend to pickups as well? If so, we could see the first resurgence of truly small pickups since the Chevrolet LUV, Mitsubishi Mighty Max, and Isuzu P’up.

What say you, chief? Anything I’m missing? Comment below.

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2016 Chevrolet Volt

The second generation of GM’s controversial Volt ditches its unique shape for a more conventional one, while improving seating capacity, range, efficiency, and performance. I wasn’t clear from the first photos how they’d fit a fifth passenger (answer: they lowered the battery pack and force the person to straddle a console and two cupholders). I also wasn’t clear on whether the car was still a hatchback (answer: it is).

The interior lost some of its special (Apple-like) design, but demonstrates improved materials. I’m not sold on the new shape, but the car will be more appealing to spec sheet shoppers.

The Volt hits dealers at the end of 2015.

Chevrolet Bolt Concept

The Chevrolet Bolt concept demonstrates a “family-size” EV that promises a 200-mile range and “affordable” (meaning approximately $30,000 price after tax incentives – or $37,500 before them). It’s GM’s shot across Tesla’s bow, since Tesla is promising its similarly-capable (and similarly-priced) Model 3 within the next 2-3 year timeframe as well.

The Bolt (stupid name, by the way – it’s not as clever as they probably think it is) looks to me like a cross between a BMW i3 and a Ford C-Max. It’s sort of a quasi-MPV in a tall-wagon way. It’s very clearly not production-ready yet; the interior looks like a spartan, fanciful concept-car interior.

Frankly, I’m not sure that buyers will flock to this car. If the Tesla Model S’s sales (and buzz among buyers) is any indication, buyers and intenders are looking for attractive, conventionally-styled vehicle. The Bolt is not conventionally styled, but that could be because it’s only a concept. Tesla is also dropping huge investments in infrastructure so that its owners can do longer road trips; no word from GM on this front, and I’m sure Tesla isn’t going to let Bolt owners use its Supercharger network.

2016 Nissan Titan

Calling the current Nissan Titan old is like calling Hong Kong expensive. The current Titan, introduced in 2003, has changed very little during its time on the market. Offered only with a 5.6 liter V8 gasoline engine and no regular cab, the Titan’s cheap plastic interior, lack of a heavy duty model, and limited configurations, plus a stale product, left the Titan as an afterthought in the full-size pickup market.

Before the Great Recession, Nissan was going to rebadge the Ram as the next Titan. Chrysler’s bankruptcy changed plans, and Nissan was forced to develop its new Titan solo. The result of that is the truck that you see here.

Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn thinks that there’s a sweet spot in the pickup market between light duty and heavy duty trucks, because 75,000 light duty buyers move up to heavy duties, and 75,000 heavy duty buyers move down to light duties. To him, that’s 150,000 potential customers for a Titan that falls between the two classes in terms of capability. To me, that’s a pipe dream, because 1) the Titan’s 2,000-lb. payload capacity is two-thirds of the F-150’s 2.900 lbs. (SuperCrew 4×2 156.8″ WB with the 3.5L EcoBoost V6), and 2) the Titan’s 12,000-lb. towing capacity is only 200 lbs. better than the F-150’s 11,800 lbs. (same truck configuration).

The new Cummins 5.0L V8 diesel sounds like a nice engine. It’s a ‘tweener’ between the 3.0L Ram EcoDiesel and the 6.7L PowerStroke V8 diesel. That may mean that it does not meet the EcoDiesel’s efficiency numbers, nor the power of the big diesels. It will still do better than its gasoline competition, but the Titan is coming out during a time that diesel fuel is nearly $1.00 per gallon more expensive than gasoline, almost totally eating away the efficiency benefit that diesel enjoys.

The interior is functional, but does not appear to be up to par vs. very strong domestic competition. It doesn’t have the technology of GM or the luxury of Ram. It does appear to be more comfortable inside than the Tundra’s.

2016 Toyota Tacoma

With no news in the compact/midsize pickup segment for several years other the withdrawal of the former Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon and the Ford Ranger, it seemed that the Tacoma and Frontier would own the segment. Then, GM introduced some very capable replacements for the Colorado and Canyon. Nissan’s product planners were busy with the new Titan, so they weren’t updating the Frontier. So, in time to steal a bit of the Colorado’s thunder, Toyota has trotted out an all-new Tacoma.

The Tacoma currently owns the segment’s sales lead, and Toyota wasn’t going to go down without a fight. The new truck looks nearly identical to the old truck (though they say it’s all-new). Interior materials are equivalent to the GM trucks’, but the exterior is far less handsome to these eyes. Toyota is upgrading the engine to a 3.5L V6 with direct- and port-injection, or a standard 2.7L four cylinder. GM, meanwhile, offers a 2.5L four, 3.6L V6, and soon, a 2.7L four cylinder Duramax diesel.

2017 Ford F-150 Raptor

Ford’s last-generation Raptor was a cult favorite among the off-road crowd (as well as those who wanted to look like they were part of that crowd). It’s little surprise that Ford is rolling out a new generation Raptor based on that all-new 2015 F-150. The new truck is more capable, with BFGoodrich KO2 off-road tires, larger-capacity FOX Racing Shox, a 3.5L high-output EcoBoost V6, and a 10-speed transmission. Little about the Raptor was a surprise (even the tires, which in my opinion are the best available in that market, were not a surprise), but the 10-speed transmission is definitely a segment (or, heck, industry-first). The Raptor goes on sale in fall 2016.

2016 Ford Shelby GT350R Mustang

Whatever you do, don’t call it a Z/28, even though it shares much of its arch-rival’s dossier. Five-hundred-plus horsepower, high-revving V8? Check. Super-sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 high-performance tires? Check. Magneride dampers? Check (OK, the Z/28 doesn’t have MagneRide, but the ZL1 does). Comforts stripped from the interior to save weight? Check.

In fact, the GT350R takes what I love about the GT350 (flat-plane crank V8, lofty redline, buttoned-down performance) and boils it down further into the bare essentials for track success, with no air conditioning, rear seat, spare tire or inflator, trunk liner, exhaust resonator, or backup camera to distract the car or driver from its track-focused mission. No pricing information is available at this time, but it goes on sale later this year.

Volkswagen Cross Coupé GTE Concept

Volkswagen is doing pretty well in its march to dominate the world auto industry by 2018. Where it’s not doing particuarly well is in the U.S., where it has a puny market share and a very limited product lineup. There is almost zero chance the company will meet its 2018 sales goal of 800,000 Volkswagen-brand units by 2018 (although its luxury brand, Audi, is almost certain to exceed its 200,000-unit goal, with over 180,000 new Audis finding owners in 2014).

One gaping hole in VW’s U.S. lineup is a midsize SUV – you know, like the Highlander/Explorer/Pathfinder/Traverse/Santa Fe/Sorento/Pilot. The Touareg doesn’t count; it is a luxury vehicle too expensive for the mainstream. VW has previously shown the CrossBlue concept in Detroit, now today, we have the Cross Coupé GTE as a further refinement of the theme, and one that appears to be nearly production-ready.

The Cross Coupé GTE is intended to telegraph a new design language for Volkswagen in the U.S. It’s powered by a 3.6L V6 with plug-in hybrid capability. The concept can travel up to 20 miles in emission-free “E-Mode” and seats five. Late in 2016, VW will produce a seven-seat SUV at its Chattanooga, TN plant that currently produces the Passat midsize sedan.

I found the Cross Coupé GTE to be an attractive vehicle; perhaps the most striking feature was how it is more squared-off than other current Volkswagens. Creases and character lines are extremely sharp, to the point that I was afraid if they made production, vigorous waxing or buffing might rub through the paint. Volkswagen’s success or failure in this segment is certainly an unknown. The Passat started out hot, but has cooled significantly since its debut just a few years ago. A lot will depend on the three Ps: packaging, pricing, and powertrain (both efficiency and performance).

There were certainly other interesting debuts in Detroit – not the least of which were production versions of the Ford GT and Acura NSX – and we will cover those soon. Plus, there will be even more cars tomorrow. Stay tuned!

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By Seth Haak, Age 9

The book, Incredible Lego Technic Cars, Trucks, Robots & More by Pawel “Sariel” Kmiec, was interesting to read to learn about all the models. If you are especially interested in Legos, this would be a good book for you.

My favorite section was the construction vehicles because I’ve been interested in trucks ever since I was very young. Some of these were so realistic, they didn’t even look like Legos. It surprised me that the Sandvik PF300 was an estimated 9,200 pieces.

I liked how many models had pneumatic power with moving pistons on vehicles like excavators and front-end loaders. Some of them surprised me that they were drivable with a remote.

Even though construction vehicles section was my favorite, I liked the KZKT-7428 Rusich in the truck section. I like how Sariel decided to make a truck with a trailer that can tow a tank. I also complement his Black Panther tank.

It is interesting that the MAN TGS 6×4 cement truck was used at the 2011 Lego World Fair in Copenhagen as part of the Great Ball Contraption (GBC) display, “which was a giant collaborative Rube Goldberg machine used to transport Lego soccer balls in the most spectacular way possible.” (page 252)

The designers of all the models featured in this book have a creative way of building all of the bodywork. For instance, when Sariel designed the Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster, he used chrome parts in all the right places to make the model look more realistic.

Nearly all of the models featured in Incredible Lego Technic Cars, Trucks, Robots & More are fully functional, with working motors, engines, suspension, steering, and even transmissions. The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport model crated by Sheepo has a remote-controlled 7+R sequential transmission and all wheel drive!

Reading this book made me want to show my creativity and use Lego Technic to build models of my own. The book was a fun read – you could either just look at the detailed pictures or read about the models and the challenges the builders faced when they built them for more information. I would recommend this book to my friend Michael (he’s good with Technics) or any creative person who wants to see what can be done with advanced Lego building skills.

You can find Incredible Lego Technic Cars, Trucks, Robots & More here on Amazon. It lists for $29.95, but is currently selling for $20.10.

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