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Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) / November 1, 2016 Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley issued Tuesday an emergency declaration following an Oct. 31 explosion of a gasoline pipeline in Helena, Alabama, effectively relaxing hours-of-service regulations for gasoline haulers operating in the state. The pipeline that exploded is part of the same Colonial Pipeline that leaked in September that caused gas shortages in several states along the East Coast. The pipeline runs from Texas to New York and New Jersey. Several states issued emergency declarations as a result of that leak. Bentley’s State of Emergency declaration suspends hours regulations for any drivers or carriers providing aid through pipeline repair or fuel transportation for 30 days through Dec. 1, unless the order is canceled sooner. Colonial Pipeline representatives said the gasoline pipeline, Line 1, will likely remain shut down the rest of this week. Line 2, which transports diesel, jet fuel and other distillates, was restarted late Oct. 31 and is expected to remain in operation. Colonial says the incident occurred at approximately 2 p.m. local time Oct. 31, when a crew working on a permanent fix for the gasoline pipeline struck the pipeline with a trackhoe, sparking a fire and explosion that killed one worker and injured four others. The fire has since been contained.

Today's Trucking / November 1, 2016 Cummins Inc. reports that its third quarter revenue of $4.2 billion is down 9% over the same period last year. In its earnings statement, Cummins noted that “lower truck production in North America and weak international demand for power generation equipment were the most significant drivers of the decline in sales.” North America revenue dropped 13%, while international sales declined by 3%. Within international markets, higher revenues in China partially offset declines in the Middle East and Africa. Net income attributable to Cummins was $289 million ($1.72 per diluted share). “Due to the slow pace of growth in the global economy, we continue to face weak demand in a number of our most important markets,” announced Cummins chairman and CEO Tom Linebarger. “The restructuring actions that we initiated in the fourth quarter of 2015, combined with strong execution on material cost reduction initiatives, productivity gains and improvements in product quality are all helping to mitigate the impact of weaker revenues. We are on track to deliver our goal of 25% decremental EBIT margin for the full year 2016, as a result of strong operational performance in very challenging economic conditions. We have returned $1.3 billion to shareholders so far this year, through a combination of dividends and share repurchases, consistent with our plans to return 75 percent of operating cash flow to shareholders in 2016." For a more comprehensive look at at Cummins' third quarter performance, please click here.

Court gives ELD rule the green light Fleet Owner / November 1, 2016 The rule to mandate electronic logging devices (ELDs) is good to go, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit ruled Monday. The requirement, published late last year and set for an initial implementation phase to begin in December 2017, was challenged by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Assn. and truck drivers Mark Elrod and Richard Engel. OOIDA President and CEO Jim Johnston said the organization was “disappointed,” and that it “strongly” disagreed with the court's ruling. “Because this issue is of vital importance to our members and all small business truckers, we are reviewing our next steps to continue our challenge against this regulation,” Johnston said in a statement. An FMCSA spokesman [the American people’s employee] refused to comment. OOIDA had successfully blocked an earlier attempt to require e-logs to track truck driver hours of service, with the court agreeing that the 2010 rule did not sufficiently address drive harassment, a protection required by Congress. However, the new rule meets the requirement, the court decided, and the panel also rejected four other arguments made by the petitioners in the case. Broadly, the decision written by Circuit Judge David F. Hamilton regularly refers the 80-year history of regulating the trucking industry and driver work limits. “Congress has long recognized commercial trucking as a dangerous industry. Danger to the public has lain at the center of the hours of service rules since 1935,” he writes, and he quotes a statement from a congressman at the time who coined the term “truckathon” to describe the “brutal, inhumane, and dangerous practice whereby drivers of busses (sic) and trucks are compelled to work 18 to 20 hours a day, to the detriment of their own health and the danger of the public who travel the highways of our country.” In the point-by-point denial of OOIDA’s claims, the the three-judge panel rejected the arguments that: The rule is contrary to law because it permits ELDs that are not entirely automatic: “Petitioners’ reading of the statute seeks to pit one statutory requirement against another rather than allow the agency to balance competing policy goals endorsed by Congress,” the decision summarizes. The agency used too narrow a definition of “harassment” that will not sufficiently protect drivers: “When defining harassment, the agency sought input from drivers, motor carriers, and trade organizations; it considered administrative factors; and it ultimately provided a reasonable definition of the term.” The agency’s cost‐benefit analysis was inadequate and fails to justify implementation of the ELD rule. “The agency did not need to conduct a cost‐benefit analysis for this rule, which was mandated by Congress. Even if such analysis were required, the studies were adequate.” The agency did not sufficiently consider confidentiality protections for drivers. “The agency, however, adopted a reasonable approach to protect drivers in this regard.” The ELD mandate imposes, in effect, an unconstitutional search and/or seizure on truck drivers. “We find no Fourth Amendment violation. Whether or not the rule itself imposes a search or a seizure, inspection of data recorded on an ELD would fall within the “pervasively regulated industry” exception to the warrant requirement. The agency’s administrative inspection scheme for such information is reasonable.” The American Trucking Association (ATA) participated in the case as a “friend of the court” who supported the rule. “ATA is pleased that the court has cleared the way for this important regulation and we look forward to its implementation,” spokesman Sean McNally said.

A deeper dive into the new truck engine oils Sean Kilcarr, Fleet Owner / November 1, 2016 I’ve talked about the impending introduction of the new CK-4 and FA-4 diesel truck engine oils with Leonard “Len” Badal, the global Delo brand manager for Chevron Lubricants, several times now and he’s always a great font of information – often on their particular characteristics, the end result of five years’ worth on what were previously called Proposed Category 11 or “PC-11” motor oils. One thing Badal stressed to me about the CK-4 and FA-4 oils – each a different “sub-category” within the PC-11 specification – is that they were designed with new engine designs and component technology in mind. Ostensibly they are formulated to maintain performance in a higher engine heat environment (new 2017 model engines may run almost 50 degrees hotter) yet also deliver better fuel economy, mainly via thinner viscosities, so an engine does not have to work as hard – and thus burns less fuel – moving such “lighter weight” oils around. Yet he also pointed out to me that many of the “thinner” CK-4 and FA-4 blends heading to the market Dec. 1 – especially the 10W-40 and 10W-40 varieties – will be “backward compatible” to a significant degree; even back to 2010 model year engines, and with often longer oil drain intervals to boot. That means fleets run a mix of late model and older trucks should be able to reap fuel economy gains and maintenance savings from longer drains, though perhaps not on the order of what fleets operating the latest and greatest greenhouse gas (GHG) compliant 2017 model engines with the thinnest oil blend will get. Badal also recently pointed out that many truck OEMs are embracing the new FA-4 blend more broadly as a factory-fill option. Here’s what he knows at least so far regarding what engine oil the various OEMs plan to spec for 2017: Cummins Inc.: CK-4 – Cummins CES 20086 and FA-4 – Cummins CES 20087. Both CK-4 and FA-4 are approved for the new GHG-compliant 2017 Cummins IX-15 and IX-12 engines (Note: the IX-12 won’t be commercially available until 2018). CK-4 along with Cummins CES 20086 specification oils are also approved for use in older ISX and ISX-15 model engines, while FA-4 is not authorized for anything but IX-15 model engines at this time. With its new categories, Cummins will also its oil drain recommendations by 10,000 miles – from a maximum 40,000 to 50,000 miles – for new IX-15 engines using the new oils. Detroit Diesel: CK-4 – DFS 93K222 and FA-4 – DFS 93K223. Detroit Diesel has approved the backwards compatible CK-4 for older engines in Freightliner and Western Star trucks. FA-4 is approved for new GHG-complaint 2017 model engines along with EPA-complaint 2010 and 2013 engine models. The company has not announced an oil drain extension, but recommends using the new products in new engines. Detroit Diesel will start factory-filling new model engines with FA-4 and DFS 93K223 approved oil starting mid-December 2016. Volvo and Mack: CK-4 – Volvo VDS4.5, CK-4 – Mack EOS 4.5 and CK-4 – Renault VI RLD 4. No specification is being released for FA-4 for it will not be allowed for use in EITHER new or older Volvo or Mack diesel engines. Badal noted that Volvo and Mack specifications are built around tighter requirements for improved oil oxidation performance as measured by the new Volvo T-13 engine test versus the typical CK-4 or FA-4 Volvo T-13 requirements. That being said, Volvo is announcing a 10,000-mile oil drain extension (from 45,000 to 55,000 miles) for new engines using the new VDS4.5- or Mack EOS 4.5-approved CK-4 oils. Navistar: As of now, Navistar does not have its own OEM specification qualification program; it simply uses the API designations for engine oils. Most Navistar equipment is powered by Cummins engines, and so its oil recommendations will be the same as Cummins, including the oil drain extension. For its own N13 model diesel engine, CK-4 is recommended for all models, with FA-4 approved for new model GHG-compliant 2017 engines only. Yet Navistar will be factory-filling with CK-4 SAE 10W-30 diesel, Badal emphasized PACCAR: CK-4 for now with FA-4 to be announced in the future. Badal noted that PACCAR uses the API designations for its specifications with no specific OEM specification qualification program included. Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks are equipped with either a PACCAR MX or Cummins diesel engine and both engine models have been factory filled with Delo 400 XLE Synblend SAE 10W-30 (a CK-4-grade product) since back in mid-September. FA-4 oils may be used with the new Cummins IX-15 diesel engines once they started to be installed in Kenworth or Peterbilt trucks, but PACCAR has not committed yet to whether it will use FA-4 oils for its GHG-compliant 2017 model MX engines. Badal also stressed something else: that the new CK-4 and FA-4 products are just the start, not the end, of the reformulation program for diesel motor oils. “Most OEMs are already starting to develop next generation engines and engine oils for launch between 2020 and 2025 – and almost all of the new oil development programs for these engines are focused on low HT/HS [High Temperature/High Shear] 5W viscosity grades [that will be] factory filled to meet stricter fuel efficiency and emission standards,” he explained in a recent blog post. The hitch, however, is that such 5W oils cost more than comparable 10W and 15W grades – a LOT more, largely because they are full synthetics, he told me recently. “The price difference between a 10W-30 and a 15W-40 isn’t much; they are within the ballpark of one another,” Badal pointed out. “But when you get to 5W blends, you are talking two to three times the cost of a 15W product.” That doesn’t mean moving to 5W grades isn’t worth the extra money, he stressed; indeed, those blends can deliver greater improvements in fuel economy as well as longer oil drain intervals. The issue is this, though: a fleet must really justify those improvements by attaining them consistently, but that can be problematic based on a fleet’s duty cycle. “It’s not a durability or performance issue; it’s a cost justification issue,” Badal emphasizes. “For example, we had one fleet double their oil drain interval while another only achieved a 15% extension. So it comes down to the type of engine and the duty cycle it’s working in. You have to drive a lot of value to make the transition to a 5W blend pay off.” Something to keep in mind as we draw closer the dawn of a new diesel engine oil era.

DOT extends comment period for speed limiter plan Fleet Owner / November 1, 2016 With less than week remaining on the initial deadline, the Dept. of Transportation on Tuesday issued a 30-day extension to file comments on the truck speed limiter proposal. “The new public comment deadline of Dec. 7 will provide all interested parties sufficient opportunity to fully develop and submit comments and evidentiary materials to the agencies,” the DOT notice says. While the 118-page proposal suggests that speed limits of 60, 65 or 68 mph would be beneficial, the agencies will gather public input before setting the actual number. The speed limit would be managed by a governing device and would apply to all newly-manufactured vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating more than 26,000 lbs. Both the American Trucking Assns. and the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Assn. had requested more time to evaluate and gather member input on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, published Sept. 7 by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). An ATA petition had prompted the rulemaking, but the DOT proposal has not earned the endorsement of the group. “In my humble opinion, we think this is flawed,” Chris Spear, ATA’s president and CEO, told reporters last month. “We cannot afford to elevate risk to the motoring public [for] this [speed limiter] rule does not even take the danger of differential speeds for cars and trucks into account.” OOIDA, which represents small business truckers, had asked for a 60-day extension of the comment period, citing the “wide range of issues” related to limiting truck speed and noting that the proposal is “based on complex research that in some instances is being used in an unconventional way.” More than 3,000 comments have been submitted in the two months since the proposal was posted. Comments may be posted or viewed here.

Comment Period on Proposed Speed-Limiter Rule Extended to Dec. 7 Transport Topics / November 1, 2016 The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have extended the deadline for public comments on their proposed speed-limiter rule by 30 days to Dec. 7, the agencies announced Nov. 1. The proposed rule would require all newly manufactured U.S. trucks, buses, and multipurpose passenger vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating more than 26,000 pounds to be equipped with speed-limiting devices. According to FMCSA, requiring speed limiters on large commercial vehicles could save lives, as well as an estimated $1 billion in fuel costs annually. American Trucking Associations, along with 50 state trucking associations, had asked for a 30-day extension in a Sept. 9 letter to Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “In the nearly 10 years since ATA concurrently petitioned NHTSA and FMCSA for action on this important issue, much has changed in vehicle and motor carrier safety,” ATA President Chris Spear wrote in the letter, citing advances in technology, stricter regulatory oversight and increases in speed limits at the state level. “These developments, along with new state laws and speed limits, have changed the way motor carriers view and respond to safety concerns. In addition, the proposed rule’s dramatic departure from ATA’s initial petition in terms of tamper-proofing, the lack of a retrofit requirement, and the agencies’ reluctance to specify a governed speed requires additional time for ATA and its federation partners to re-engage its membership on these important issues,” Spear added.

Arconic Inc. Launches as Independent Company, Separates from Alcoa Inc. Heavy Duty Trucking / November 1, 2016 “Today we launch Arconic as a strong independent company,” said Arconic Chairman and CEO Klaus Kleinfeld. “Our multi-year transformation while part of Alcoa Inc. substantially improved our competitiveness and profitability. Our culture combines driving innovation with a relentless focus on operational excellence and cost control; this positions Arconic to create significant value for our customers and profitable growth for our shareholders.” Arconic retained 19.9% interest in Alcoa Corporation, which is available for monetization. In the North American automotive market, Arconic invented the bonding process to enable the mass-market shift from steel to aluminum. The Company expects its North American automotive sheet revenues to grow six-fold, from $229 million in 2013 to $1.3 billion in 2018. Arconic representatives will mark the Company’s trading debut as ARNC by ringing the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange on November 2. The Arconic Foundation, an independently endowed charitable organization, is also making its inaugural grant to an organization that reflects the Arconic vision: Engineers Without Borders (EWB). The $300,000 grant will support the mission of EWB in major countries where Arconic operates: the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Mexico and Brazil. EWB applies engineering and ingenuity to infrastructure projects worldwide to help build a resilient, sustainable future. .

Heavy Duty Trucking / November 1, 2016 The separation of Alcoa Inc. into two distinct standalone companies– Alcoa Corp. and Arconic Inc.—took effect on Nov.1. Back in Sept. 2015, Alcoa’s board of directors unanimously approved a plan to separate the 128-year-old firm into two independent, publicly traded companies. The aim was to create one entity (Alcoa Corp.) devoted to Alcoa’s traditional lightweight metal manufacturing and other upstream businesses and another (Arconic) focused on engineered products and solutions, including truck wheels. The spinoff was accomplished via a pro rata distribution by Arconic of 80% percent of the outstanding shares of newly formed Alcoa Corp. Alcoa Inc. shareholders received one share of Alcoa Corporation common stock for every three shares of Alcoa Inc. common stock, held as of the record date of Oct. 20. Alcoa Inc. shareholders also retained their shares of Alcoa Inc., which became Arconic Inc. shares. “Today we launch Arconic as a strong independent company,” said Arconic Chairman and CEO Klaus Kleinfeld. “Our multi-year transformation while part of Alcoa Inc. substantially improved our competitiveness and profitability.” Arconic stated in a news release on the separation that in the North American automotive market, it is at the “forefront of capturing growing demand for aluminum sheet as the industry shifts to light-weighting,” including for truck cabs and chassis. Arconic will also continue to offer its Alcoa-branded forced aluminum wheels for commercial vehicles. The company added that across its North American automotive portfolio, 96% of its revenues come from products “where it is number one or number two in its market.” .

Car & Driver / November 2016 Overview: If the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and the Ford F-150 are the two mainstream consumer candidates in the full-size pickup-truck race, then consider the 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 a viable third-party alternative. Sure, the GMC technically espouses the same values as the mechanically identical Chevy, but the Sierra does so without the bow-tie badge and with a slightly more white-collar image. Three cab configurations and bed lengths, four trim levels, and five powertrain choices are available for this GMC. All two-door standard-cab Sierra 1500s come equipped with seating for three, while the double cab adds a rear bench seat and two small rear doors. A 6.5-foot box is standard for both cabs, although an 8.0-foot box is offered on single-cab models. With an available 5.8-foot bed, the bigger crew cab trades cargo space for additional rear-seat room. But you don’t have to make any sacrifices if you opt for a four-by-four crew cab, which also is available with the 6.5-foot bed. Both four-door Sierra 1500s offer the option to trade the standard three-across front-row bench seat for a pair of bucket seats and a large center console. While all cab configurations are available in base and SLE trims, the higher-end SLT trim is offered only with the double-cab or crew-cab body styles, and the top-of-the-line Denali comes only with the latter. Most base and SLE Sierra 1500s come standard with a 285-hp 4.3-liter V-6 engine and a six-speed automatic transmission; a 355-hp 5.3-liter V-8 that’s also connected to a six-speed automatic is optional, but it’s standard on base and SLE Sierra 1500 double-cab models with the 6.5-foot bed. Stepping up to the Sierra 1500 SLT and the top-of-the-line Denali moves the V-8 to the standard-features list. An eight-speed automatic transmission pairs with the V-8 in the Sierra 1500 Denali as well as in SLT crew-cab models equipped with either the Premium Plus package, the tow-friendly Max Trailering package, or the four-wheel-drive-only All Terrain or All Terrain X packages. The All Terrain X package is available exclusively with the 5.8-foot bed; it includes a performance exhaust system that ups the small-block’s output to 365 horsepower. Additionally, Californians can opt for the mild-hybrid eAssist package. Limited to Sierra 1500 SLT crew-cab models equipped with the 5.8-foot box, the package includes the V-8/eight-speed combo along with a 13-hp electric motor and a small battery pack mounted under the center console or the front bench seat. Those looking for a truck that can hustle, however, will want to check the box for the 420-hp 6.2-liter V-8 engine. Coupled with the eight-speed automatic transmission, the Sierra 1500’s biggest mill can be had on four-door SLT models as well as the Denali. For this review, we drove a GMC Sierra 1500 Denali with four-wheel drive and the $7450 Denali Ultimate package, which includes the 6.2-liter engine, a set of 22-inch wheels on all-terrain tires, trick power side steps, a sunroof, and a trailer-brake controller. Add a $395 coat of Mineral Metallic paint, and the truck’s price totaled a hefty $63,795. What’s New: After an extensive refresh for 2016, the Sierra 1500 enters 2017 with only a handful of minor changes. Automatic shutters behind the grille are standard, a capless fuel filler is introduced, and a low-speed automated braking system has been added to the truck’s available Enhanced Driver Alert package (which includes lane-keeping assist, automatic headlights, front and rear parking sensors, forward-collision alert, and a Safety Alert Seat that vibrates if the vehicle senses a potential collision). Additionally, crew-cab models can tow as much as 12,500 pounds—500 more than last year—and all 2017 Sierras come equipped with General Motors’ Teen Driver technology, a feature that gives helicopter parents a window into their young driver’s habits behind the wheel. What We Like: The Sierra 1500 is a handsome machine, especially when decked out in the ultraluxurious Denali trim or the sinister-looking All Terrain X package. Inside, the Sierra 1500 features a number of spacious storage pockets and bins, while logical controls make navigating the HVAC and multimedia systems a breeze. The interior is quiet, and the crew cab’s massive rear quarters provide plenty of space for passengers to stretch out. Like the Chevy Silverado, the Sierra is relatively light and responsive on the road for a big truck. Although they’re limited to the option sheets of pricier models, the 6.2-liter V-8 and smooth-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission make a powerful pair, able to launch these big trucks to 60 mph in less than six seconds. What We Don’t Like: As with most full-size pickups, don’t let the Sierra 1500’s $29,400 base price fool you—this is an expensive tool. Feature-laden SLT models start at $43,275 and can quickly inflate with the addition of a few simple options such as a bigger cab or four-wheel drive. Oddly, some items, such as a proximity key with push-button start and adaptive cruise control, aren’t on the options menu, while crew-cab models lack high-level HVAC vents for rear-seat occupants. Also, like its bow-tie sibling, the Sierra’s ride quality suffers considerably on its available 22-inch wheels, and to the detail-oriented, its slightly off-center driving position in relation to the steering wheel and instrument cluster can be an irritating design flaw. Verdict: A Chevy truck with a more highbrow badge. Photo gallery - http://www.caranddriver.com/photo-gallery/2017-gmc-sierra-1500-quick-take-review Specifications VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear- or rear-/4-wheel-drive, 3-, 5-, or 6-passenger, 2- or 4-door pickup PRICING: Base, $29,400; Base 5.3, $30,695; Base 4WD, $33,340; Base 5.3 4WD, $34,635; SLE, $36,150; SLE 5.3, $37,445; SLE 4WD, $40,055; SLE 5.3 4WD, $41,250; SLT, $43,275; SLT 6.2, $45,970; SLT 4WD, $46,525; SLT 6.2 4WD, $51,580; SLT eAssist, $52,125; Denali, $53,350; All Terrain X 6.2 4WD, $54,960; Denali 6.2, $55,845; Denali 4WD, $56,500; Denali 6.2 4WD, $58,995 ENGINE TYPES: Pushrod 12-valve 4.3-liter V-6, 285 hp, 305 lb-ft Pushrod 16-valve 5.3-liter V-8, 355 or 365 hp, 383 lb-ft Pushrod 16-valve 5.3-liter V-8, 355 hp, 383 lb-ft + AC motor, 13 hp, 44 lb-ft (combined output, 355 hp, 0.5-kWh lithium-ion battery pack) Pushrod 16-valve 6.2-liter V-8, 420 hp, 460 lb-ft TRANSMISSIONS: 6-speed automatic with manual shifting mode 8-speed automatic with manual shifting mode DIMENSIONS: Wheelbase: 119.0-153.0 in Length: 205.0-239.0 in Width: 80.0 in Height: 73.7-74.1 in Passenger volume: 73-136 cu ft Curb weight (C/D est): 4700-5700 lb FUEL ECONOMY: EPA city/highway driving: 15-18/20-24 mpg C/D TEST RESULTS FOR: 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali 6.2L V-8 4x4 Zero to 60 mph: 5.6 sec Zero to 90 mph: 11.4 sec Rolling start, 5-60 mph: 6.3 sec Top gear, 30-50 mph: 3.0 sec Top gear, 50-70 mph: 3.7 sec Standing ¼-mile: 14.0 sec @ 99 mph Top speed (governor limited): 99 mph Braking, 70-0 mph: 179 ft C/D observed fuel economy: 15 mpg

Car & Driver / November 1, 2016 For ages, automakers have been searching for a practical means of varying an engine’s compression ratio on the fly. How hard the air—and sometimes the fuel—is squeezed before ignition plays a crucial role in overall efficiency: Compressing the mixture as much as possible without detonation yields a longer expansion ratio and more power for every increment of fuel consumed. Since the compression ratio is determined by basic engine geometry (the cylinder volume with the piston at the bottom of its travel versus the top), that isn’t easily changed. One expedient now in wide use is combining the Atkinson cycle with variable valve timing. But Infiniti (Nissan) has made a ­significant stride with its Variable Compression-Turbo (VC-T). This boosted 2.0-liter four-cylinder, the product of two decades of research and 300 patents, will power unspecified Infiniti models beginning in 2018. Here’s how it works (see below): The key enabler is a piece Infiniti calls the “multi-link,” (001) a diamond-shaped component that replaces the connecting rod’s big end and allows computer control over each cylinder’s compression ratio. When the electronically controlled harmonic drive mechanism (002) rotates, the actuator arm (003), eccentric control shaft (004), lower link (005), and, finally, the multi-link all move to vary the piston’s stroke. Infiniti claims VC-T is capable of providing any desired compression ratio between 8:1 and 14:1. Bumping the ratio to 14:1 during light-throttle cruising maximizes fuel efficiency. Then, when the driver dips into the throttle, the compression ratio can drop as turbo boost rises, avoiding detonation. Infiniti hasn’t yet revealed any power, torque, or mileage ratings but claims that VC-T will combine the power of a 2.0-liter turbo gasoline engine with the torque and efficiency of a similarly sized diesel. Many auto­makers have experimented with compound-connecting-­rod and moving-cylinder mechanisms, but Infiniti appears to be the first to solve the durability issues of a crankcase stuffed with links and levers. Stroker Ace Honda has filed a patent in Japan for an engine in which each cylinder has a different stroke, their altering displacements translating to varied power potential and fuel consumption. The goal is to take fuller advantage of cylinder deactivation. When, for the purposes of saving fuel, the engine-control computer deactivates cylinders, it will be able to pick and choose which cylinders to drop to best match power and efficiency with the demands placed on the engine. If it moves beyond the developmental phase, it will still be years out. But probably not the 20 years Infiniti has into its VC-T. .

If you're me and carefully choose a new vehicle that you're absolutely thrilled with, a vehicle you can and will drive for 10 to 20 years, I suggest you ignore the settlement AND recall notices, and continue with the car you have and enjoy for many years to come. Over the next several years, changes are going to rapidly come to the light vehicle industry. If you don't "need" a new car, there's a strong argument for you to sit tight. Battery pricing, size and weight is falling quickly, and battery capacity is rapidly rising. And, don't give up on the gasoline and diesel engines just yet.

Ferdinand Piëch, the immensely powerful former chief of Volkswagen's supervisory board, is more than likely the root cause of the VW diesel-emissions scandal. Whether he specifically asked for, tacitly approved, or was even aware of the company's use of software to deliberately fudge EPA emissions testing is immaterial. I sat next to him at an industry dinner in the Nineties, just after the fourth-generation Golf had debuted at the Frankfurt show. I told him, "I'd like to congratulate you on the new Golf. First of all, it's a nice-looking car, but God, those body fits!" "Ah, you like those?" "Yeah. I wish we could get close to that at Chrysler." "I'll give you the recipe. I called all the body engineers, stamping people, manufacturing, and executives into my conference room. And I said, 'I am tired of all these lousy body fits. You have six weeks to achieve world-class body fits. I have all your names. If we do not have good body fits in six weeks, I will replace all of you. Thank you for your time today.' " "That's how you did it?" "Yes. And it worked." That's the way he [Piech] ran everything. It's what I call a reign of terror and a culture where performance was driven by fear and intimidation. He just says, "You will sell diesels in the U.S., and you will not fail. Do it, or I'll find somebody who will." The guy was absolutely brutal. I imagine that at some point, the VW engineering team said to Piëch, "We don't know how to pass the emissions test with the hardware we have." The reply, in that culture, most likely was, "You will pass! I demand it! Or I'll find someone who can do it!" In these situations, your choice was immediate dismissal or find a way to pass the test and pay the consequences later. Human nature being what it is—if it's lose your job today for sure or lose your job maybe a year from now, we always pick maybe a year from now. That management style gets short-term results, but it's a culture that's extremely dangerous. Look at dictators. Dictators invariably wind up destroying the very countries they thought their omniscience and omnipotence would make great. It's fast and it's efficient, but at huge risk. This diesel fiasco is immeasurable in terms of damages—so much worse than Toyota acceleration, Ford Firestone tires, or GM ignition switches. In all those cases, tragically, people died, but it wasn't premeditated. You settle with the victims' families, pay the fine, put in the new parts, and for $1.5 billion, it can all be contained. But this Volkswagen mess is like the disaster that keeps on giving. To make the cars legal in the U.S., VW will need to program them with the software that passes the test, in which case, performance is down and fuel consumption is up, and every VW TDI owner is part of a class-action suit against Volkswagen. To retrofit a urea system is basically a nonstarter, as it would require far too much change. There is no easy fix. But you can probably rely on the German government to do what is necessary to pull Volkswagen out of this crisis. In terms of marketing cars in the U.S., Volkswagen will need a radically new array of products that are much closer to mainstream American tastes than what it has. The whole "Clean Diesel" campaign, as the foundation of the VW brand, cannot be resurrected. It's history. Robert "Bob" Lutz

France 24 / November 1, 2016 Veteran US director Oliver Stone takes aim at state-sponsored citizen surveillance in his new film "Snowden". Having met with Edward Snowden himself in Russia to prepare the film, he traces the NSA recruit’s journey from patriot to whistleblower. The Academy Award-winning filmmaker talks to Olivia Salazar-Winspear about cyber warfare, policing the digital space and how the war in Vietnam was a turning point in his personal and political life. Stone believes US President Barack Obama should pardon Snowden, who is considered a traitor by US authorities. It would be "a wonderful act of grace if the president did that", he told FRANCE 24. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “The government has the ability to repeat and control the commercial airwaves. In a sense, they repeat every so often: terrorism – fear – terrorism – fear. Repeat, repeat, repeat, that works – propaganda.” “What Washington seems to want to do is lock up and only give the leaks they want, the leaks that favor the U.S., like the Panama Papers. They control those leaks, but not the ones that are critical of the government. We're living in a closed news environment. It's an information war in a bad way." Oliver Stone At the same conference actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who plays Snowden in Stone’s biopic, echoed the director’s sentiments on mass surveillance but pointed out that at least it was being put to the vote in Switzerland. “It’s wonderful it’s being voted on. That is exactly what didn’t happen in the United States. Whether mass surveillance is right or wrong, that’s a complicated issue… but if people vote on it and feel it’s right, that’s at least is following democracy. That is what should have happened in the United States,” Gordon-Levitt said. .

VW is getting off the hook FAR too easy, and culprit Ferdinand Piech isn't even being investigated, much less going to jail.

You could fabricate that yourself.

The part number, 6MF519P2, is correct. But there seems to be serious quality issues with the aftermarket units. When you contacted Watt's Mack at 1-888-304-6225, did they say it no longer available thru Volvo ?

Automotive News / November 1, 2016 Encouraged by the success of the Ford Transit and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Volkswagen Group is weighing whether to enter the U.S. commercial van market with its all-new Crafter. Volkswagen has invested 800 million euros (about $871 million) in a plant in Poland with capacity for 100,000 vehicles annually in 2018. It shouldered the development cost for an exclusive platform. Previously, the Crafter was developed with and built by Mercedes-Benz Vans, which supplied VW with only 50,000 of the vehicles per year. Ford began building its European Transit van for U.S. customers in Kansas City, Missouri, in mid-2014, while Mercedes is expanding its Charleston, South Carolina, site at the cost of $500 million after record sales of 194,000 large vans globally last year. Fiat's Ducato was reborn as a Ram ProMaster equipped with a 3.6-liter Penta-star gasoline engine. "No decision has been made but the option is being analyzed," said a VW source. "The problem is the chicken tax [a 25 percent tariff on light trucks imported into the U.S.], so whether a [complete knockdown] assembly or full production is the most sensible depends on the volume." Another problem is distribution, but the acquisition of a stake in U.S. heavy-truck maker Navistar in September may give VW access to a sales network. New (2017) VW Crafter - http://the-new-crafter.com/com/en/ .

House Republicans question VW settlement The Hill / November 1, 2016 Two Republicans are probing the settlement agreement between the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Volkswagen in the wake of the automaker’s emissions scandal. In two Tuesday letters to the EPA, Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) and Rep. Tim Murphy (R-Penn.), the chairman of the committee’s investigative subpanel, requested more information about the $14.7 billion settlement approved by a federal judge last month. The Republicans said they are concerned about the $2 billion VW is set to invest in zero-emission vehicle technologies. Upton and Murphy worry those investments could give VW a competitive edge in the zero-emission vehicle market. “It appears that, just as the company plans to enter the EV market, it will be consenting to a court-required $2 billion investment – potentially into its own infrastructure and to support its own newly entered market,” they wrote. “This is a curious outcome for the settlement of a cheating scandal." The members also requested more data from the EPA about the exact amount of emissions Volkswagen released due to improper software on vehicles that allowed excess pollution. Regulators have estimated VW vehicles equipped with the software emitted up to 40 times the legal limit of nitrogen oxide. The company is paying $2.7 billion for environmental mitigation efforts under the settlement, but the congressmen want more information on the real-world impacts of those emissions. VW and federal officials agreed this summer to a $14.7 billion settlement following revelations of technology installed on some Volkswagen vehicles that turned off pollution controls. More than $10 billion of that will go toward repairing or replacing 2-liter diesel VW and Audi vehicles equipped with the software. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GOP lawmakers question VW settlement with U.S. Automotive News / November 1, 2016 Republican lawmakers today pressed the EPA for answers about aspects of Volkswagen’s deal with the Department of Justice and the agency to settle aspects of the company’s diesel emissions violations, saying the settlement could give VW an advantage as it readies a major electric-vehicle push. Part of the settlement, approved last week by U.S. District Court Judge Charles Breyer, requires VW to invest $2 billion in zero-emission vehicles over the next decade. In a letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, U.S. Reps. Fred Upton, D-Mich., and Tim Murphy, R-Pa., said the structure of the required spending may enable VW to “obtain substantial competitive benefits, if not a monopoly” on the burgeoning electric-vehicle charging market. VW’s allocation of the $2 billion also appears to be subject to “limited” federal oversight, the GOP lawmakers said. With VW Group readying plans to launch 30 electric vehicles globally by 2025, the duo called the $2 billion zero-emission vehicle fund a “curious outcome for the settlement of a cheating scandal.” Under the settlement, VW must also set aside $2.7 billion to fund environmental remediation projects to make up for the excess nitrogen oxide emissions spewed by its roughly 475,000 2.0-liter diesel vehicles with rigged emissions software. In a second letter to McCarthy, Upton and Murphy also asked the agency to describe how it determined that $2.7 billion was the appropriate amount to fund those projects. An EPA spokesperson said the agency would review the letters and respond.

Paul, as far as China buying into Australian dairy and cattle farms, it takes a seller in order to have a buyer. Yes, China's government is pushing their companies to make worthwhile global investments. But they can't do it unless someone is selling. All the seller has to do is say......no. As for that free trade agreement between Australia and China, they got the better half of that deal. Who signed that???

Rear cab mounts, at least on the early ones (what the rear of the cab sat on). The Mack N and Ford C had the same rear cab mounting arrangement.

CNN / October 31, 2016 Libertarian presidential nominee and former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson says Hillary Clinton could face impeachment over the continued FBI investigation into her private email server if she is elected president. "I think unquestionably if [Clinton] takes office she is going to be under criminal investigation, unquestionably this is going to be the nation's agenda for the entire time she is office and it may well end up in impeachment," Johnson said. "This is Watergate kind of stuff. This is really, really deep, real stuff and all you have to say, all you have to recognize is the FBI would not have done this -- this is not political, this is anything but political, because of the fact they dropped this investigation in July, saying, to clear the decks for the election. That was also clearly, I don't even want to call it a political move, as much as a move that would clear up the election, that people would feel like this was not overhanging. Well, now it's overhanging, and it's overhanging for a reason. There's so much smoke in the room that it will never, ever get ventilated over the next four years. Never." "Let me just point out the obvious: the FBI is not doing this lightly, they recognize just what a bombshell this is, especially having exonerated her in July," Johnson said. "To come back and say this with 11 days to go, knowing that there will be no resolution prior to election, but knowing if they don't release this, knowing how damnable all of this is, this is the horrible situation that the FBI has placed itself in it just points to the gravity of the situation."

The cowl-mounted rectangular rubber hood rest in the photo above, we sourced from Ford. They were stamped Fomoco. It was borrowed from the N-model, which shared it with the Ford C-Series.

Car & Driver / November 1, 2016 The Jeep CJ66 is just the latest in a long and storied line of Jeep concept vehicles to emerge from the creative minds at Jeep and Mopar. Built with a variety of Jeep components including bits from the TJ-, CJ-, and JK-series Jeeps, the Moab-inspired CJ66 makes its debut at the 2016 SEMA show in Las Vegas. Starting with a Jeep Wrangler TJ frame, the team dug deep into the brand’s legacy and came up with a 1966 Jeep CJ Universal Tuxedo Park body. While the specific details regarding the low-volume Tuxedo Park Jeeps are highly contested, most experts agreed it debuted as an option package in 1961 to imbue the rugged Jeep with more upscale appeal for the general consumers. It achieved this by adding chrome bumpers, hood hinges, and badging, plus whitewall tires and other minor trim upgrades. In 1964, Kaiser introduced the Tuxedo Park Mark IV as a new model of sorts. Rare in any configuration, the rarest is the long-wheelbase Universal model, which is what Mopar used for the CJ66 concept. Jeep called this one Universal because it let buyers outfit their Jeep to fit their needs with numerous hard- and soft-top options and even the opportunity to specify a PTO to run a post-hole digger or other agricultural equipment. Whatever the backstory, it’s hard to ignore this rig’s Copper Canyon finish, the 35-inch BFGoodrich all-terrain tires, and the Jeep Performance Parts 17-inch beadlock wheels with color-matched beadlock rings. A two-way air system takes the hassle out of airing the tires up and down for conditions at hand, and a two-inch lift kit keeps some daylight between the rubber and metal. A new, as-yet-unspecified Mopar crate V-8 mates with a six-speed manual transmission, which sends torque to a pair of Mopar Dana 44 axles. Mopar also supplies the engine cover, the cold air intake, and the cat-back exhaust. Oversize concept fender flares team with front and rear Mopar 10th Anniversary Wrangler JK Rubicon bumper kits; the skid plates, front bumper plates, and concept rock rails come from Jeep Performance Parts. Matte-black accents contrast with the Copper Canyon paint on the hood, the seven-slot Jeep grille, the bezels of the Wrangler JK headlamps, the hood hinges, and the latches. The LED amber fog lamps and a Warn winch with fairlead come from Mopar. As a finishing touch, the race-inspired fuel filler cap is shifted to the inside fender wheel well. A custom-built roll cage, mandrel bent to match the two-inch chop of the windshield, surrounds the seats, which are sourced from the Viper. The center console and shifter were swiped from a JK, and Mopar provides the instrument-panel gauges and the all-weather mats. Finally, the steering wheel center features the special 50th Anniversary Moab Easter Jeep Safari logo, unveiled earlier this year. Image gallery - http://www.caranddriver.com/photo-gallery/get-your-kicks-cj66-concept-melds-generations-of-jeeps-with-modern-mopar-hardware#1

I agree that North America (excluding Mexico) are mature markets that are no longer growing. Asia is still booming. China and india are completely different from each other. India is 20 years behind China, with different metrics. Great place to invest though. Car sales in China are booming (world's largest new car market). Aside from the tier one cities, driving (and parking) a car is no problem. Ford does need a medium-duty COE. I'd certainly like to see one. Perhaps, with the launch of the MY2018 Cargo (H62X Global Cargo Modular Cab - GCMC), we'll see a new medium-duty Cargo for the US market.