Volkswagen is reportedly pushing forward with development plans for the next-generation Phaeton, despite lingering doubts regarding the model’s viability.
Spending more money on a new Phaeton has been viewed as contradictory in light of VW’s cost-cutting strategy. The company aims to save nearly $6 billion USD in operating costs by 2017. The Phaeton, meanwhile, has brought an estimated loss of more than $31,000 USD per unit over a decade, according to Bernstein analyst Max Warburton.

The redesigned flagship sedan is expected to be built upon VW Group’s MLB platform, shared with the next-generation Audi A8, with a choice between six- and eight-cylinder engines in the US. A hybrid drivetrain with up to 400 horsepower has also been mentioned in rumors.

Corroborating earlier reports, unnamed sources have told Reuters the company will bring the revamped Phaeton to market by 2017 or 2018.

It is unclear if the company expects to make a profit from the new model, or if it believes the luxury car will be worth the expense to serve as a technology showcase that attracts more buyers to its mainstream offerings. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class has been mentioned as a benchmark.

The Phaeton is expected to carry a price tag of more than $86,000, however analyst suggest potential buyers will be wary of buying a VW-badged luxury sedan that costs nearly as much as an S-Class — and more than the Audi A8 — regardless of its features.

General Motors has initiated a recall campaign for a small batch of 2015 Chevrolet Corvette coupes.
A manufacturing deficiency allowed some units to leave the factory with the right-hand rear toe link, outer ball joint to knuckle fastener, improperly tightened to below the proper torque specification.

The company warns that, over time, the nut can loosen and allow the joint to separate, which would result in sudden vehicle instability and increase the risk of a crash.

Drivers should be able to hear a metallic clunking noise if the nut is loose, especially when driving over bumps and potholes.

Service technicians will inspect the toe link, replace any damaged components and install a new nut to the specified torque.

Nissan has released a teaser clip for its Super Bowl commercial.
The segment show the first ten seconds of the 90-second ad known as “With Dad,” which reflects a couple having a baby. Scenes of the baby are interspersed with shots of the professional-driver father on the race track.

“We can’t wait to share this emotional story with the Super Bowl audience and we hope seeing the first few seconds will whet America’s appetite to watch the spot during the game,” said Nissan North America sales and marketing executive VP Fred Diaz.

Unlike other automakers, Nissan will not be releasing its full commercial ahead of the Super Bowl XLIX airing on Sunday, February 1.

Nissan has issued two large recall campaigns to fix problems with hood latches and wiring harnesses.
The larger recall, affecting nearly 469,000 vehicles, covers the 2008-2013 Rogue and Rogue Select. The SUVs were built with a kick-panel wiring harness that is prone to damage due to water and salt seeping through the carpet on the driver-side floor.

The defect has raised concerns over electrical shorts and potential fires. Service technicians will install a new connector with a waterproof seal to resolve the issue.

The company is also recalling more than 170,000 other vehicles due to a hood-latch defect. The campaign lists the 2013-2014 Nissan Pathfinder, 2014 Pathfinder Hybrid, 2013 Infiniti JX35 and 2014 Infiniti QX60 and QX60 Hybrid.

In the affected vehicles, the hood release cable may have been installed incorrectly, preventing the latching claw from properly engaging. Consequently, the secondary latch can remain in the open position, allowing the hood to flip open while driving if the primary latch fails or was accidentally left unlatched.

The company has not yet confirmed a repair schedule for either recall.

Driving across a snow cover lava field that has played the “Land of Always Winter” in HBO’s Game of Thrones is a daunting experience. The starkness is captivating, yet eerie. Watching to carefully avoid the White Walkers, we are still fully in control because we are behind the wheel of the 2015 Land Rover Discovery Sport.
Land Rover sought a location that would contain virtually every known condition that could possibly upset a Utility Vehicle’s day. Iceland, in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, filled the bill perfectly. Essentially a volcanic minefield, it’s a combination of beauty, desolation and adventure that brings to mind Nordic invaders in Viking helmets during the Ninth Century. Or not. Bottom line, though, is that it takes a hardy soul, animal or vehicle to survive.

Land Rover calls the Discovery Sport the most capable and versatile compact utility vehicle they have made to date, but does this newest Rover have what it takes? Read on.

New but improved
Totally new, the Discovery Sport is the replacement of the Land Rover LR2, and will become a stablemate of the LR4, which already uses the Discovery name in over 170 worldwide markets. Built on a platform with a wheelbase that is 3.25-inches longer than the smaller Range Rover Evoque, it is that vehicle’s larger, more capable big brother. Penned by Land Rover chief designer Gerry McGovern and his team, it was shown at the 2014 New York International Auto Show as the Land Rover Discovery Vision concept vehicle.

Built with four doors and a rear-opening hatch, Land Rover is calling it a 5+2 seater rather than a seven-passenger vehicle. Sure, it’s an attempt to appeal to families, and includes a sliding middle row, but in reality, only the shortest of shorties will actually be able to fit back there. Still, it features stadium seating placing the second and third row seats approximately two-inches higher than those in front of them, respectively. It is offered in three trim levels ranging from base SE, HSE, and HSE Lux with all the various fitments expected from a top-of-the-range vehicle.

Buyers will typically cross shop the Discovery Sport with Audi’s Q5, BMW’s X3 and the Mercedes-Benz GLK. However, it should be noted that those competitors only offer two rows of seating. If you want a vehicle that can match the Discovery Sport’s 5+2 seating arrangement, you’ll either have to upgrade to something more expensive like the Q7 or switch to a non-premium product like the Kia Sorento.

Motivation
Power comes from the impressive 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine found in the Range Rover Evoque. Direct-injected, it makes 240 horsepower at 5,500 rpm, and 250 lb-ft of torque at a lowly 1,750 rpm. It is mated to a ZF nine-speed automatic transmission and Haldex full-time four-wheel-drive system that is operated by the rising rotary gear selector knob on the center console, and works in combination with the steering wheel-mounted paddle shift levers.

The nine-speed transmission uses tightly spaced cogs with an extremely low first gear for off-road encounters. Using adaptive shift technology and a weight 16.5 pounds lighter than the brand’s six-speed automatic transmission, the end-result is improved fuel economy with lower emissions.

Land Rover says the auto start/stop-equipped petrol-burner goes from 0-60 mph in 7.8 seconds, tops out at 124 mph, and achieves 21 city/ 28 highway with 23 miles per gallon combined. All that and the ability to tow 5,500-pounds, too. For those of the oil-burning persuasion, Land Rover’s 2.2-liter turbo-diesel will be available later in the year.

Design and Capability
Within the Land Rover range, the brand builds vehicles for three separate niche groupings. Range Rover occupies the luxe end of the spectrum while Defender goes all Mad Max in its segment. Discovery ventures into both sides with luxury features and enhanced capabilities needed to hit the trails as well as the local fashion malls.

Using construction techniques gleaned from the Jaguar F-Type, the Discovery Sport is built with some Aluminum to decrease weight, while other body parts include 20-percent Boron and high strength steels. A bonus: Our tester was spec’d with one of the largest panoramic sunroofs we have seen in any car. In addition, a lighter and lower profile multilink kit with variable air suspension resides under the rear deck, which helps to maximize cargo capacity once the second and optional third row seats are folded flat. By the numbers, cargo space is class leading with 24.3-cubic feet in the five-passenger model, and 16.9-cubic feet behind the third row. Fold both rows forward and you are looking at 60-cubic feet.

A clamshell hood and two-bar hexagonal mesh grille offer the first hint of the Discovery Sport’s pedigree. Halogen and optional Xenon headlamps with daylight LED running lights are inspired by big brother Range Rover for a contemporary look that has some Evoque influence as well. Pulling the wheels out to the corners of the 180.7-inch long vehicle and its 107.9-inch wheelbase give it a planted, secure feeling that aids in handling as well as ride comfort. In addition, a laminated windshield and acoustic tuning around the Discovery Sport helps to keep most of the road and wind noise out, even whilst using studded winter tires.

It’s what’s inside that counts
Taking many of the design elements found in the Range Rover Evoque, Land Rover interior designers have improved on many of the features and, in the process, have actually cleaned up the interior design quite a bit. Loaded with soft-touch material throughout, it presents in a conservative manner, not unlike the country of its roots. Stiff upper lip, indeed.

The eight-inch touchscreen display has been overhauled and features a much more intuitive sense of organization than previously found in JLR products. Incorporating voice controlled satellite navigation, hotspot connectivity and available InControl technology allows the screen to take on the appearance of an owner’s smartphone. It is the centerpiece of the chrome-banded center console, which now frames climate, audio, telephone, and navigation controls.

Riders in the five-passenger versions will find four 12-volt power outlets for smartphones and tablets, while three-row versions include six additional USB ports.

The interior design is the type that manages to look like as though it belongs in a true luxury vehicle but is one that you wouldn’t hesitate to get dirty, if you actually needed to.

Iced excursions
Running through the valleys, across rivers, and up mountainside trails seems like kids’ stuff to the Land Rover Discovery Sport. But then it has been to most anything sporting an LR badge. Our excursions had us beginning before sun-up along icy roads near Reykjavik and the surrounding countryside. Never mind that sunrise occurs at approximately 10:30am, while sunset occurs around 4pm, during winter months.

Armed with the LR’s Terrain Response System we were ready for anything from general road surfaces, to mud and ruts, as well as pure sand. With road conditions changing by the moment from rain to snow, and the occasional patch of black ice, we started in the grass/gravel/snow mode, which offered slower startups and the ability to combat wheel slippage.

While encountering wheel slippage, we were able to deal with what could have potentially been treacherous conditions thanks to the Discovery’s brake-based torque vectoring system and the included Haldex center coupling AWD, which provided front to rear traction through sensors that monitored the situation up to 100 times per second.

You stud, you
Black ice: Able to send an 18-wheeler pirouetting down a highway, it was everywhere gravel wasn’t in Iceland. But thanks to our studded snow tires, we were able to stop in a straight line, even under the most trying of conditions. Conversely, the Terrain Response system’s traction control allowed for a tiny bit of spin before the all-wheel-drive system locked up and sent us hurling on our way. Still, discretion being the better part of valor, we were mindful of the conditions at hand, because it is clearly not good form to return a new vehicle to your hosts with crinkled sheet metal.

Crossing the River Hvitá (White River) displayed Land Rover toughness, and the ability to descend with a 25-degree approach angle and then climb a 45-degree incline, as we dropped off the icy banks on the way to the other side. With a wading depth of almost 24-inches and air intakes located high above its wheel arches, the Discovery Sport lived up to the legacy of its legendary relatives by fording this body of water that displayed currents that could have caused lesser Utes to drift downriver. The Sport was having none of it and quickly ascended the other side.

Leftlane’s bottom line
Land Rover continues its roll with the introduction of the 2015 Discovery Sport. A full utility vehicle with definite sporting pretensions, it is clearly up to the task of following in the footsteps of its legendary forefathers. Land Rover only hopes it can create some legends of its own.

2015 Land Rover Discovery Sport base price, $37,995. Destination fee, $925.

Photos by Mark Elias and courtesy of Land Rover.

German officials have announced a plan to upgrade a stretch of the Autobahn to support autonomous vehicles.
The government will outfit part of the highway with equipment to enable vehicle-to-infrastructure communication. The sensors and wireless gear will work in conjunction with vehicle-to-vehicle communications capabilities of prototype and production models.

“The goal is to network the road and the vehicles to reduce traffic jams and increase road safety,” said transportation ministry spokesman Ingo Strater, according to quotes published by Bloomberg.

The government aims to support domestic development of next-generation autonomous technology by BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen Group, among other automakers.

The pilot project will be focused on segment of the A9 autobahn connecting Munich and Berlin, though the government has not yet detailed a time-frame for completing the upgrades.

Image by Ronan Glon.

Believe it or not, the Mercedes-Benz’s R-Class crossover is still in production at the company’s Tuscaloosa, Alabama, production facility, but that won’t be the case for long.
That’s because on Tuesday Mercedes-Benz announced that it will shift R-Class production away from Tuscaloosa this summer to clear up room for its more volume-oriented utility models. Production of the R-Class will be moved to contract manufacturer AM General in Indiana.

“Within our growth strategy we are expanding our global production network and will additionally use the capacities of a contract manufacturer. We are thus increasing flexibility and continue to improve our competitiveness,” said Markus Schäfer, Member of the Divisional Board Mercedes-Benz Cars, Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management.

Mercedes will use its newfound capacity in Alabama to increase production of its M-Class, GL-Class and upcoming GLE Coupe lines of utility vehicles.

Launched in 2005, Mercedes was ultimately forced to pull the R-Class from the U.S. market in 2012 due to slumping sales. Despite its weak reception here, the R-Class built a loyal following in China, where it has been sold exclusively since 2013.

AM General is best known for building Hummer-branded vehicles. The shift to AM General is somewhat ironic as the plant is staffed by the UAW, the very same labor union that has been trying to organize Mercedes’ Tuscaloosa plant for years.

Volkswagen Group has issued a recall for six different models sold under the VW and Audi brands, each outfitted with the company’s 3.0-liter TFSI engine.
Customers in 2013 first began complaining of a fuel odor from the engine compartment. The company launched several investigations in 2013 and 2014, however no abnormalities were uncovered at the time.

Further analysis completed later in 2014 found that a small leak can form at the connection between the fuel rail and the injector if a certain valve is positioned ‘unfavorably’ in the tolerance range during dynamic driving. The problem is being handled as a formal recall, as leaking fuel increases the risk of a fire.

The campaign affects more than 26,000 vehicles, including the 2011-2012 Audi S4, S5 and Q7; the 2012 Audi A6 and VW Touareg Hybrid; and the 2012-2013 Audi A7.

Service technicians will replace fuel rails and install a reinforced retaining bracket to resolve the potential leaks.

Kia has invoked another popular film series in its latest Super Bowl commercial.
“The Perfect Getaway” features Pierce Brosnan listening to a pitch from his agent. Brosnan interrupts the presentation several times with visions of a James Bond-style plot, but the agent has other ideas for a ‘getaway’ to promote the Kia 2016 Sorento.

“To demonstrate the vehicle’s off-road capabilities and sophisticated personality, Kia teamed up with actor, Pierce Brosnan, to create a getaway so unexpected that even Pierce himself did not see it coming,” the automaker notes.

The commercial continues the theme Kia used for its Super Bowl XLVIII segment, which featured Laurence Fishburne in his Morpheus wardrobe from The Matrix.

Nissan has released an animated video to demonstrate the two-stage turbocharger that can be found inside the new Titan XD‘s Cummins engine.
The system uses a sequential arrangement, with a smaller turbocharger optimized for low airflow and a larger compressor geared for higher exhaust flow.

With a lower inertia, the smaller unit can spool up faster and significantly reduce perceived lag time. The larger compressor, meanwhile, helps maximize power in the higher rpm range.

The M² system from Cummins Turbo Technologies serves as the airflow control between both turbochargers. A patented rotary valve directs exhaust gasses to the compressors or bypass ports.

“We are excited to have Cummins as a partner to launch the new TITAN XD,” said Nissan Titan chief product specialist Rich Miller. “The Indiana-made Cummins 5.0L V8 is a perfect fit for our truck that was designed in California, engineered in Detroit, and will be assembled in Mississippi.”

The new Titan will arrive first in its XD trim, featuring the Cummins diesel engine, ahead of the gasoline-powered variants.