Volvo is increasing its recruiting an additional 200 employees in Sweden, to meet likely demand in the New Year. The assembly plant that’s receiving the boost in employment will be Volvo’s Gothenburg factory, which employs around 3,200 people. The additional 200 workers will increase the current production rate from 48 units to 52 units per hour. A Volvo spokesperson said over the telephone: “We want to be prepared as we expect higher demand next year.” Here is the original post: Volvo to employ 200 more workers to meet demand Read the original here: Volvo to employ 200 more workers to meet demand

Here’s the top ten reasons to buy a Dodge Challenger in the coming year. 1. It’s updated for 2011. 2. The SRT8 has a bigger engine. 3. So does the V-6. 4. Prices didn’t rise all that much. 5. It can attack a track. 6. There’s a version for drag racers. 7. The Challenger makes retro continue to look good. 8. It’s just as fast, if not faster, than… Read the original post: Top Ten Reasons To Buy A Dodge Challenger In 2011

Here in North America, we are just hours away from the New Year, in some other parts of the world, some of you are already celebrating 2011, so we would like to take a moment to wish you a happy and prosperous 2011. We hope all of your dreams and wishes will come true in the new year and we will certainly be here tomorrow to welcome you into the year. For us, 2010 was an extraordinary year, twelve months where we spent every day delivering the best and most comprehensive BMW news. We worked around the clock, here in the US, but also in Germany ( BimmerToday.de ) and Romania ( BMWBLOG.ro ) to bring the BMW news to your doorsteps. In 2010, we delivered over 2,100 articles, some shorter, others longer and comprehensive; our readers left nearly 21,000 comments, creating a strong community around us and an eco-system around the brand. With over 30 million pages delivered this year, BMWBLOG established itself as an important automotive media outlet, not just in the BMW world, but among other automotive outlets as well. Beside many other accomplishments, we have attended all the major auto shows, both European and North American, several international car launches, ALMS races, interviewed some of the key people at BMW, even covered competitor’s cars by creating unique photo and specs comparisons, and many other things that we can’t even remember at this moment. We will outline some of our best articles in just a few minutes. As we promised last year as well, in 2011 we will be pushing the envelope even more, we will bring new content, unique and delivered in many different ways. Detroit Auto Show is our first milestone and we promise you one of the best coverages. And as a first surprise, we are starting the new year tomorrow with our Shawn Molnar going live on Drive Chicago and NY Morning radio with Paul Brian, Director of Communications Chicago Auto Show, to talk about winter tires and their importance. In the coming year we expect so many news from Munich, Garching, Oxford and Goodwood and as usual we will report on all major developments. Thank you again from the BMWBLOG team and we look forward to hearing from you in 2011! Go here to see the original: BMWBLOG wishes you a Happy 2011!

Updated with video One word: HOT! The production version of the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept was spotted during a photoshoot in Abu Dhabi. A member of Teamspeed paid a visit at the Abu Dhabi F1 race track and came across this gem. Back in November, we were one of the very few and fortunate people to receive some co-driving time in a similar production vehicle, but the car was sporting the usual psychedelic camouflage. The car spotted at Abu Dhabi seem to feature a matte gray paint with a blue shade on the sides. Developed under the Project i umbrella, Vision EfficientDynamics will make its debut as a production car at the end of 2013, with deliveries beginning in early 2014. The EfficientDynamics Concept features a 1.5 liter three-cylinder turbocharged engine producing 163 hp and 214 lb-ft of torque all on its own. According to Dr. Philip Koehn, Head of Vision EfficientDynamics project, his engineers were looking for the smallest engine produced by BMW and fortunately, an experimental unit was found on the premises. The diesel engined is aided by two electric engines. First one, in a rear-end placement, produces a constant 33 horsepower and 214 lb-ft of torque. The second electric motor sits at the front of the car for a perfect weight distribution. The electric unit outputs 80 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque. A temporary boost feature meant that for 30 seconds it could produce 112 horsepower or as much as 139 horsepower for just 10 seconds. The 1,450 kg sports car runs from 0-62 mph in only 4.8 seconds, performance that brings it at the same level as the current M3. The car will charge from a conventional power socket in just 2.5 hours, and BMW indicated its fuel efficiency will approach 90 miles per gallon The car will have an electric-only driving range of about 31 miles, while diesel power extends the total range of the vehicle to up to 435 miles. In every recent conversation we had with BMW, the company continued to emphasize that their hybrids and full-electric cars will carry over the sporty spirit that characterize the brand, and these vehicles will continue to deliver the emotional driving experience the customers expect, and judging by these photos, they might be on the right track, despite the rumored $200,000 price tag. Thanks for the tip...

One of our nominees here at the 2010 BMWBLOG awards was BMW’s latest addition to the 3 Series family, the super sporty 335is. The folks over at Cars.com gave the 335is a thorough review. Here is an excerpt: “The Ultimate Driving Machine has never come cheap, and BMW’s newest addition to its 3 Series lineup, the 2011 335is, hammers that tradition home. About $50,000 gets you a stick-shift coupe with vinyl upholstery and a CD stereo incapable of fully integrating your iPod. Genuine leather, heated seats and the other niceties cost more. If BMW ran a steakhouse, it would charge extra for the sides with your filet. Got beef with that? So did I, until I drove it. The 335is combines outstanding performance with surprising livability, and the whole package is good enough to justify its high price — for those few who choose to pay it, anyway. —- Well-Rounded Performance Rather than use the 335i’s new twin-scroll, turbocharged six-cylinder, the 335is goes with the old twin-turbo six, with higher turbo boost and bolstered cooling to churn out 320 horsepower and 332 pounds-feet of torque. The car feels palpably quicker than the 300-hp 335i: It spins its rear tires away from stoplights, scoots in the passing lane at 70 mph and bellows a rich, satisfying exhaust note all the way to its 7,000-rpm redline. While the M3′s normally aspirated, 414-hp V-8 packs explosive acceleration at higher revs — and in absolute terms it’s significantly quicker — its comparatively modest 295 pounds-feet of torque means it doesn’t get cooking until the tach needle swings past 3,000 rpm. The 335is has power to spare long before that mark. —– 335is in the Market There’s no praise like sales, and the 3 Series continues to be among the top-selling luxury cars on the market. In the array of options in the model lineup, the 335is is likely to remain a niche member, but it does everything it sets out to do and sacrifices remarkably little to get there. It’s not inexpensive, and at its performance limits it behaves more like a 335i than an M3. But there are many drivers who don’t want to wring their cars out to 8,000 rpm for maximum performance, and the 335is offers them a different flavor. I suspect enough performance...

BMW TV wishes everyone a Happy 2011. With more than 18 million views and comments in 2010, one could say that the BMW official Youtube channel has been a success and the online media presence of BMW continues to evolve and increase. The video summarizes some of the most important events that took place in the BMW world, from the new series of short films, Unscripted, to the launch of new vehicles like the X3, Gran Coupe, 7 Series Individual Steinway & Sons , BMW M3 GTS , Vision EfficientDynamics , and various scenes from the motor sport on two wheels and four. Enjoy the video and we are already looking forward to 2011. Excerpt from:  The very best of BMW TV 2010

2011 is upon us and for BMW brand the new year is announcing to be quite exciting. If 2010 was a recovery year, the upcoming 2011 is expected to be a turning point for BMW with car sales increasing in Europe and North America, and especially in China. With over twenty new models coming out in the next few years, the family of BMW cars gets refreshed while adding new niche vehicles and a sub-brand. A first here at BMWBLOG, we are sending out our predictions for 2011 and will draw the line at the end of next year to see how we did. BMW will surpass Lexus as the biggest premium automaker in the US. – In 2010, BMW closed the gap against Lexus, but in 2011 with the introduction of the new 5, X3 and 6 Series, we anticipate BMW taking the lead in the premium segment. BMW will increase the awareness of their Megacity electric vehicles – We expect BMW to increase the marketing budget for their upcoming electric sub-brand, and a concept electric car will be unveiled. BMW 1M will be sold out and becomes the car of a true BMW enthusiast – The new “baby-M” is announcing to be a hit for BMW and if the pricing falls around the $45,000 mark, we predict a quick sell out. BMW announces a four-cylinder diesel model for the US market – It will be in an X1 model, or a next generation 1 Series F20 (123d), or an X3 (xDrive 20d). BMW increases the sales gap from Audi in the North American market due to increased advertising and marketing – BMW has already announced a comeback in the Hollywood scene and 2011 movies and TV shows will feature more and more BMWs, including the new 6 Series in the Mission Impossible franchise. That’s our take for 2011, but we would love to hear your predictions as well. Read more from the original source:  Editorial: 5 Predictions For BMW In 2011

Press Release: All members of the Monster Energy X-raid rally team has safely arrived in Buenos Aires to begin final preparations for the official start of the 33rd Personal Dakar Argentina-Chile on New Year’s Day. Six BMW X3CCs, the brand new Mini All4 Racing and the team’s fleet of race trucks, service trucks and support vehicles have been removed from the dock area in Buenos Aires and are being prepared by Sven Quandt’s army of mechanics and engineers. Guerlain Chicherit and co-driver Michel Périn managed to carry out a short pre-event test in the Mini All4 Racing about 50km from Buenos Aires at a nearby motorcross circuit on Wednesday afternoon. Chicherit’s Mini has been developed in record time and the Frenchman will be hoping to improve on the fifth position he obtained with a BMW X3CC last year. The entire X-raid team will attend pre-rally administration and scrutineering formalities at La Rural conference centre in Buenos Aires on Friday morning, before the competition cars are placed in a Parc Ferme area. Team members will then attend a New Year’s Eve dinner in the fashionable Puerto Madero area of the city to celebrate the start of the New Year. One hundred and fifty-six cars, 183 bikes, 33 quads, 68 trucks and competitors from 51 nations are expected to finalise pre-rally formalities over the next two days before the official start on New Year’s Day. [Source: X-Raid via BimmerToday ] The rest is here:  X-Raid team and MINI Countryman arrive in Buenos Aires

Many of us choose to buy Audi cars because they’re stylish and perform well, but those with families (or who want to live through a crash, for that matter) are looking for safe vehicles. Well, look no further. The influential Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) chose three Audi models – the Audi A3, Audi A4 and Audi Q5 – as 2011 TOP SAFETY PICK winners. This marks the third year in a row that these three Audi models have earned the Institute’s top recognition. TOP SAFETY PICK recognizes vehicles that do the best job of protecting people in front, side, rollover, and rear crashes based on good ratings in Institute tests. Winners must also have available electronic stability control, a crash avoidance feature that significantly reduces crash risk. Here’s a video of a side crash test for the 2010 A4: Side crash test for the 2010 Q5: Front crash test for the Q5: Front-runners: Hyundai/Kia and Volkswagen/Audi each have 9 winners for 2011. Next in line with 8 awards apiece are General Motors, Ford/Lincoln, and Toyota/Lexus/Scion. Excerpt from:  2011 Top Safety Picks: Audi A3, A4, and Q5

Press Release: With average British winter temperatures dipping below 7°C, MINI customers can now equip their cars with specially developed winter tyres. With more natural rubber in their compound to give extra grip at lower temperatures, winter tyres are the perfect way to stay safe in the ice, snow and rain. And, with MINI’s winter wheel and tyre packages, style conscious drivers don’t have to compromise; both steel and alloy rim design combinations are available across the entire range. THE FACTS: Stop Quicker. Winter tyres stop up to 20% quicker when driving in cold weather conditions compared to summer tyres. Better Grip. Special rubber and silica compounds offer increased levels of grip when outside temperatures drop below 7°C. Maximum Safety. Sophisticated tread patterns and an increased number of sipes provide increased levels of safety and mobility. Braking distance at 60mph on wet road under 7°C Winter tyres – 65.7m Summer tyres – 70.5m Braking distance on an icy road from 20mph Winter tyres – 57m Summer tyres – 68m MINI Winter Tyre prices start at £420 for the Hatch, Convertible and Clubman models and £600 for the new MINI Countryman. [Source: BMW ] Read more here:  MINI Winter Tires In The UK – The Cold Hard Facts

Based on the MINI Clubman S, Schmidt Revolution creates their own version of the popular MINI, dubbed StreetWorker. The pimped-out Clubman S features a matte blue wrap, black accents, and 18-inch Cirrus wheels with Continental tires. To give the car a Pimp My Car type of image, the Schmidt Revolution fitted a Streetec air suspension which can raise or lower the vehicle 40mm and 60mm, respectively. Power-wise, the custom MINI has a tuned up engine that produces 200 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. Top speed? 137 mph. Press Release: In a kind of competition from the Fiat 500, the Toyota IQ and others in its class, the Mini Cooper Clubman S prevailed with style and passion. In fact, the Schmidt Revolution, wheel manufacturer from Bad Segeberg, had taken on the task of providing a concept car with Urban Lifestyle tuning. With its Clubdoor, the engine and the concept of space, it is practically the perfect choice for this task. The “genetically engineered” Mini, already equipped with a John Cooper Works Aerodynamic package, has been purchased in March 2010. With black xenon lamps including daytime running lights and after a performance increase to 200 hp and torque of 250 Nm – these two parameters allow the Clubman to reach a maximum speed of 220 km/h – the car is ready for city travel, at least for trips around the church tower. The colors still harbored some problems in it, should the Mini yet actually be equipped with chrome foil. Rethinking was not easy for the men from A4M in Wuppertal; the BMW sprout has a matt blue car wrap, and then they returned back to immaculacy. Street workers usually go a lot, so the “feet” and “shoes” require special attention The Cirrus wheels were decorated with colored multiplex material, so this fun car is never left unattended in city traffic. The really impressive 8Jx18H2 Cirrus rims have any of 3D-shaped multiplex patterns in matte blue; any tint of body color, from bright red to carbon black is possible at any style. Cheap tires, causing annoying road noise, were changed with recapped 215/35R18 Conti tires, and the tire problem was solved. To allow for changing “obstacles” while impressive driving in city traffic, the concept car has a Streetec air suspension with...

Change is in the air at BMW where many top executives have been trading jobs internally and moving around both the company, and the World. BMW Canada has not escaped these changes, as current (until January 1st 2011) President of BMW Canada, Franz Jung is about to be replaced by Manfred Braunl, a well established executive within the brand who first made a move to BMW Canada in 1996, before moving back for assignment in Germany. We last spoke with current President, BMW Canada, Franz Jung in Toronto at the Canadian International Auto Show earlier this year, and we thoroughly enjoyed our time with him (Our full interview can be viewed by clicking HERE ). His polished, kind demeanor will be missed and we at BMWBLOG wish him all the best in his new assignment as President of BMW Italy. We look forward to interviewing BMW Canada’s new President, Manfred Braunl and getting a feel for his style of leadership and the direction he would like to take BMW Canada in the future. Jim O’Donnell, President of BMW of North America, LLC: “Manfred has significant Canadian experience which will help us sustain our momentum in this market.” “We’re delighted to welcome him back to North America to support BMW’s strong position within the Canadian automotive landscape.” “Franz has distinguished himself during his tenure at BMW Group Canada, helping the company retain its leadership of the premium segment in a very competitive marketplace,” continued O’Donnell. “We wish Franz the very best in his new role in Italy, and will always consider him a part of the North American team.” [Source: Newswire.ca ] BMW Canada has not escaped these changes, as current (until January 1st 2011) President of BMW Canada, Franz Jung is about to be replaced by Manfred Braunl More:  Manfred Braunl Named President, BMW Canada

Since in some parts of the world we’re in winter season, we would like to continue sharing some videos showing different BMW vehicles and their handling on snowed surfaces. The two vehicles in question are the BMW X6 Sports Activity Coupe and a camouflaged BMW X5 since the footage was filmed prior to the facelift unveiling that took place this year. Just as a reminder, BMW offers an extensive Snow and Ice Training which can be proven to be useful in difficult road situations. Let’s have a look. Continued here:  Video: BMW X6 and X5 – Testing In Snow

One of the most understated BMW models in the US, the 328i Sports Wagon, receives a stellar review from AutoWeek editors. With the removal of the 5 Series Sports Wagon from US line-up, the question remains whether next generation 3 Series will be introduced in the North American market with a sports wagon variant. Here is an excerpt from the AutoWeek review: “Let’s see, here we have one of the best-driving cars on the planet, with cargo room. Talk about a win-win. I didn’t have a need to use the space behind the second row, but there’s no question that everything that makes the 3-series a great car is evident in this configuration: good power from the I6, steady suspension, precise steering, luxury appointments, rakish styling in a classic wagon configuration and solid build quality everywhere. It’s almost embarrassing to admit it, but my fixes for this car would center on comfort stuff: I’d like a better radio tuner and cupholders that give me confidence that they’ll hold the cup through a 0-to-60-mph run. COPY EDITOR CYNTHIA L. OROSCO-WRIGHT: This is a fine little wagon, although it seems you have to nearly squat to the ground to get in. Getting out is also a bit of a chore, and I hit my head on two separate occasions–and yes, I did duck. NEWS EDITOR GREG MIGLIORE: This is a sharp wagon inside and out, enjoyable to drive and with a nice amount of function for a family man. The cupholders are ridiculous, so I’ll get that out of the way immediately. And frankly, they’re a little distracting when you’re trying to prevent spills, even though I couldn’t contain a few rogue drops of coffee.” Full review continued Here is the original: AutoWeek reviews the 2011 BMW 328i Sports Wagon

While BMW Motorrad has officially rejected rumors of a naked S1000RR making it to production, that didn’t stop one man from stripping the clothes off of his S1000RR until he found it “just naked enough.” Naked bikes are all the craze these days as they satisfy urban riders searching for style, speed, and a touch of comfort/visibility over their fully clothed brethren. California motorcycle tuner Ken Zeller decided to take matters into his own hands when hemodified the S1000RR to roughly a naked-bike layout one would find from the factory. The clip-ons have been replaced with raised handle bars, and most fairings have been removed, though we bemoan the loss of the beautiful right side “shark gill” fairing! If you think your S1000RR would be sexier with its clothes off, visit Evoluzione Cyclesports in California where Ken can help you out. [Source, MCN ] Original post:  BMW’s S1000RR Looks Good in the Buff