If you’re a member of the MINI fraternity you’ll be anxious to take note of MINI’s Coupe release date.  In the Coupe, MINI has reinforced the dynamic side of the Cooper with aggressive design and bold, masculine styling.  Even standing still, the MINI Coupe concept is an exciting prospect indeed. Breaking from the show floor at the Canadian International Auto Show, MINI has announced a Fall 2011 release date – while pricing remains to be seen.  Expect a premium over Cooper S models as the Coupe will become a sports car within the already sporty brand along side the John Cooper Works (JCW) products. Expect the full range of MINI engines available on option as well as a wide variety of in car media and infotainment options for the taking.  If you ask us, the MINI Coupe would make for one sexy “city car” on the busy streets of Toronto (or any other major city around the world, for that matter). Here is the original:  2011 CIAS: MINI Canada Announces Release Date for MINI Coupe

The Canadian crowds will be pleased when they drop by the MINI exhibit at this year’s Canadian International Auto Show. Plenty of eye-popping boldness can be found in MINI’s Paceman concept car – the “X6 of the MINI lineup” as we have coined it. Fraught with organic design details including its earthen color scheme and natural finishes (we particularly enjoy the leather clad exterior door handles) this MINI returns to the colour schemes of yesteryear which had fallen out of fashion for a time – but leave it to MINI to turn Fashion on its head. Of course, its bold green paint is a tribute to British racing heritage but in a new take – its metallic finish is modern, eye catching, and stylish. This “Paceman” concept car is fitted with MINI’s 1.6 liter John Cooper Works engine spinning out 208 hp and the Countryman’s new All Wheel Drive system. Expect brisk performance with a mix of versatility and a side of style when a (likely) production version makes it to showrooms. Enjoy our MINI Paceman gallery shot earlier today from the show floor. Read more from the original source: 2011 CIAS: MINI Makes a Splash with Paceman Concept

When Joel Ewanick was installed at General Motors as the new marketing chief, Cadillac reached back into its history to proclaim itself “The New Standard of the World” once again. There’s a lot to live up to in that slogan, and products like the CTS-V lineup (especially the gorgeous Diamond Edition, pictured) meet that level. Elsewhere, Cadillac is working to make that proclamation a reality. In the highly competitive luxury segment, manufacturers have been steadily upping their game by offering free comprehensive maintenance programs. Cadillac is now joining in with its own offering, named Cadillac Shield. We like the clever name – Cadillac Shield. It has a nice ring and ties in with the brand’s shield badge. The basis for the program starts off with Cadillac’s warranty offerings, which include a five-year, 100,000 mile powertrain warranty and four-year, 50,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty coverage. For the duration of the bumper-to-bumper warranty, Premium Care Maintenance is included as part of Cadillac Shield and it includes scheduled oil changes, tire rotations, replacement of engine and cabin filters, along with comprehensive well vehicle inspections. 24/7 roadside assistance is included for five years or 100,000 miles. This level of service is far beyond what was standard in the industry just a few years ago. In addition, all Cadillacs now come standard with a year of OnStar’s Directions and Connections plan. Also new is a myCadillac smartphone app that will offer buyers the ability to set parking reminders, schedule maintenance, request roadside assistance and locate a dealer. This is in addition to the OnStar application that enables owners to track diagnostic information and access common key fob functions like starting the engine, unlocking doors and turning on the lights. With Cadillac Shield, it clearly shows the brand is intent on offering an all-encompassing luxury experience for customers. Now just bring on the product – the new ATS, an updated CTS and suitable flagship, please. Cadillac Shield will begin to be marketed by Cadillac dealers over the next few weeks, and it will apply in retrospect to all buyers of 2011 model Cadillacs. Related posts: Cadillac Drops STS V-8 for 2011 2011 Cadillac CTS-V...

Ninth-gen Civic gets better fuel economy, and will be offered in coupe, sedan, hybrid, Si, GX, and HF models. Concept cars and spy photos couldn’t prepare us for the stunning inoffensiveness of the ninth-generation Honda Civic, coming to dealers this spring as a 2012 model. Despite the sedate looks of the new models, they’re guaranteed shopper favorites—the company sold over 260,000 Civics in 2010, and the nameplate is likely to continue racking up big numbers going forward. That’s because the new car is shaping up to do what Civics have always done best: deliver good fuel economy and a fun steer at a sensible price. Keep Reading: 2012 Honda Civic / Civic Hybrid / Civic Si Official Photos and Info – Car News Related posts: 2012 Honda Civic / Civic Hybrid Spy Photos – Future Cars 2010 Honda Insight – Official Photos and Info – Car News 2012 Honda Civic Si Spy Photos – Future Cars See more here: 2012 Honda Civic / Civic Hybrid / Civic Si Official Photos and Info – Car News See more here:  2012 Honda Civic / Civic Hybrid / Civic Si Official Photos and Info – Car News

BMW Canada has just released pricing on their new X1 vehicle in the Canadian market.  The X1 did not make an appearance at the show today, but to take a closer look please hit the jump for our X1 coverage . Pricing has been released at $38,500 MSRP for the base model without any option upgrades. The X1 will fit well into Canadian life as a versatile daily driver that retains the closeness and connection to the road of the 3 series car that its chassis is based upon.  The X1′s all wheel drive system will be popular with Canadian drivers who frequent snow covered roads in their daily travels.  While the X1 does sit higher off the ground than its purely “car” based siblings, it will maintain a very sporty, lightweight feel among a sea of heavy SUVs in the market. We love the X1′s looks and are certain of its success as many BMW drivers mature from their compact sport sedans, looking for something more practical while retaining much the same feel of their sport sedan. Stay tuned for our BMWBLOG Drive Review in the coming months. Read the original: 2011 CIAS: BMW Canada Announces X1 Pricing

Breaking news from the Canadian International Auto Show, BMW has released their pricing for the 1M in the Canadian market.  The 1M will be available in BMW showrooms across Canada this Spring, although the vehicle allotment to Canada will be limited, thus making the 1M a highly exclusive Canadian car. BMW Canada has confirmed a $53,600 MSRP and don’t expect any ‘wiggle room’ considering the hotly contested waiting list across Canada. Our sources tell us that the 1M is already essentially “sold out” based on the Canadian allocation.  Of course, if you do make the short list, Canada’s wealth of curvy mountain and ocean-side roads will be your playground. Originally posted here:  2011 CIAS: BMW Canada Announces 1M Pricing

Hyundai has lifted the cloak off the all-new i40 that will debut in Geneva soon. The i40 features a design based around the fluidic sculpture; the trademark split hexagonal grille, wraparound headlights w/LED daytime running lights (DRLs), and bonnet ceases. A narrow silhouette and elongated roofline will complete the look. Inside, owners will be treated to premium, soft-touch plastics throughout with class-leading head, leg, and shoulder room. Luggage space is rated at 553 litres, but flip-down the rear seats and you’ll find 1,790 litres of load capacity. The i40 wagon will be the first vehicle in its class to offer ‘modern premium’ features to sway customers from Audi and BMW, by offering quality that undercuts competitors. Hyundai has a desire to offer ‘modern premium’ in its car with “all the credentials of an Audi but an affordable price,” managing director, Tony Whitehorn said. “Apple and Starbucks are good examples of modern premium. They offer good quality products that everyone can enjoy. We want to offer cars with all the equipment, looks and feel of a premium car but at accessible prices.” Whitehorn added upmarket companies like BMW offer entry-level cars that give less standard features as a way to easily “sell a badge”. “We will do what they do without the badge but match them on luxury.” Standard equipment will include electric parking brake, leather steering wheel w/cruise control, Bluetooth, rear parking sensors, lane assist system, ESP, and x6 airbags. Mid-spec and flagship models will arrive with heated front and rear seats, heated steering wheel, bi-xenon headlights, panoramic glass sunroof, and a satellite navigation system. Prices are expected to start at around £18,000. Two engines will be available from launch; a 1.6 GDI 138bhp petrol, and a 1.7 CRDi with either 113bhp (111PS/84kW) or 134bhp (132PS/100kW). A Blue Drive variant will be offered at a later date, returning 65.7mpg (4.3l/100km) and emitting 113g/km. After launch, three variants of a 2.0 litre GDI and CRDi diesel will be available, developing upto 170bhp (168PS/127kW). European sales start in Summer, with UK sales starting in July with the saloon arriving later on in the year. The i40 will come with a premium quality interior, standard equipment...

Our favorite journalist, Chris Harris of UK magazine EVO delivers another exciting and interesting comparison. This time, Harris compares the MINI John Cooper Works against the Citroen DS3 R, Renault Clio RS Cup, the VW Polo GTI and the English version of the Opel Corsa OPC, the Vauxhall Corsa VXR. The facelifted John Cooper Works is powered by the award-winning 1.6-liter twin-scroll that delivers 211 horsepower. As always, Harris delivers a meaningful and insightful review that might help consumers decide for the best small car in the 200 horsepower range. [Source: EVO via BimmerToday ] See the original post: Video: Chris Harris (EVO) compares MINI John Cooper Works against competition

At the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show in September, BMW will unveil the second generation 1 Series. The compact 1er hatch will be unveiled to the world with a new, fresh design, an evolution of the current model aligning itself with the new BMW design language. The next generation 1 Series will be available in three and five door variants with both variants using the new modular/expendable platform. The backbone of these models was designed especially for this purpose so every model can have a variation backbone, simply be moving suspension points and firewalls to areas that will benefit each vehicle. Corroborated with more parts sharing, this new approach will allow BMW to reduce even more the production costs. The 1er will remain a rear-wheel drive vehicle and shares the same L7 architecture as the next 3 series. At the same time, the L7 has the flexible firewall location geometry that will allow it to accommodate FWD, RWD, or AWD models. The car is expected to have a more aggressive look, fitted to the 1 Series bodystyle. Inside, the car will inherit some cues from the 5 Series, but also some design structure from the upcoming 6 Series. Expect first official photos to hit the web sometimes in August. (Video: Auto Motor und Sport ) View post:  Spy Video: 2012 BMW 1 Series F20

AutoBild has managed to capture the first spy photos of the Renault R-Space Concept, a vehicle that will hint at the forthcoming Espace replacement. Spied ahead of its debut at the Geneva motor show, the concept was caught on a photoshoot in Portugal. Unlike the Espace MPV, the R-Space Concept is crossed between a sporty coupe and a MPV. Up front, thin LED headlights sit on each corner of the fascia, while small silver grilles rest below. The Renault diamond is proudly placed in-between the headlights. A steeply raked, panoramic windscreen floods the interior with light, while the side profile sports flared wheelarches, large alloy wheels, integrated side-steps, a quirky rear-side window kink, suicide doors, and coupe-like roofline. Towards the rear, designers have decided to play it safe with the large Renault badge dominating the bootlid. Internal sources suggest the R-Space Concept will underpin an extended platform of the firms Megane model. View original here: Renault R-Space concept spied ahead of Geneva premier Originally posted here:  Renault R-Space concept spied ahead of Geneva premier

BMW enthusiasts from around the nation are invited to join Active Autowerke in celebrating 30 years of excellence and innovation at their 2011 Spring Social on Saturday, March 12, 2011. Attendees will have the opportunity to take a close look at Active Autowerke’s full-range of Signature products including their exclusive supercharger kits. They will alsolbe featuring several Supercharged E36 M3′s,E46 M3′s, E92 M3′s and everything else in between. Meet and mingle with the Active Autowerke team and other BMW aficionados while enjoying food, drinks, raffle prizes and giveaways.  There will also be professional models on hand to take photos with all the guests and their BMW’s. Expect tons of surprises and be the first to watch the exclusive premiere of The Active Autowerke 30th Year Anniversary Movie. RSVP at www.facebook.com/activeautowerke and/or e-mail your full name and number of guests at info@activeautowerke.com . Who: Active Autowerke What: 2011 Spring Social When: Saturday, March 12, 2011 Where: 9940 SW 168 Terrace, Miami, Florida 33157 Why: Active would like to celebrate 30 years of excellence and innovation with BMW enthusiasts around the nation. Read the original: 2011 Spring Social: Active Autowerke to showcase full-range of Signature products

Land Rover will debut the Range_e prototype at the Geneva motor show. The diesel-electric plug-in hybrid is based on the Range Rover Sport and uses a 3.0 TDV6 engine that is mated to an 8-speed ZF automatic transmission. A small electric motor and plug-in technology works alongside the 3.0 TDV6 diesel engine. In electric mode, the prototype can travel upto 20 miles (32km) before the diesel engine kicks in to increase the range to an additional 671 miles (1,080km). With top speed limited to 120mph (193km/h), the vehicle emits a supermini-like 89g/km of CO2 emissions. More information will be released on 1st March. Original post: Land Rover to debut Range_e at Geneva More here:  Land Rover to debut Range_e at Geneva

BMW takes home yet another trophy from AJAC’s Canadian Car of the Year Awards.  The BMW 5 series sedan has won in its class for “best luxury vehicle over $50,000.” Competition was hard fought this year as the segment is heating up within Germany from the likes of Audi’s newly released A6 and Mercedes successful E class nipping at BMW’s heels’. Congratulations to BMW on yet another design award.  The official AJAC press release with all respective 2011 winning cars follows below: The Late Jack Pitney of BMW NA shows the new 5 series design lines “The overall 2011 Canadian Car of the Year, the 2011 Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year, as well as the Best New Design and Best New Technology for 2011 will all be declared at approximately 8:20 am on Thursday, February 17th at the Canadian International Auto Show in the south Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto. Eleven category winners are competing for the top honours after being announced last October during the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada’s (AJAC) annual “TestFest. It’s a tight race.   General Motors won three of the eleven categories while both Ford Motor Company and Volkswagen Canada each garnered double wins.  Other category winners were the BMW Group, Hyundai Canada, Porsche Canada and Toyota Canada.  See list of all eleven category winners below. Seventy of Canada’s top automotive journalists spent four intensive days at the Niagara Drive Centre located at the Niagara District Airport conducting back-to-back comparative testing of 144 “all new” or “significantly new” 2011 vehicles.   No easy task.  Their vote results were determined from more than 40,000 individual data points established in the testing.  That information includes not just specifications and features but actual performance data and subjective ratings on up to 23 different characteristics – from interior roominess and comfort to ride quality and handling ability. The seventy journalists are all members of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) whose primary purpose is to provide consumers with sound, objective, comparative data for use as a resource buying guide when considering the purchase of a new car, truck of SUV/CUV. The journalists’...

BMWBLOG is once again bringing you the latest news from Canada’s premier auto show, CIAS 2011. This year marks the show’s 38th running, and it continues to grow in size by a small margin every year. We’ll be bringing you the latest Canadian specific information and coverage from the show floor during the day but for now here are some interesting facts and figures about “The” Canadian auto show. Since 1974, the Canadian International AutoShow (CIAS) has been striving to redefine the typical automotive show. Each year, the Show’s content has expanded and improved, with prize packages and promotions continuing to raise the level of excitement. In its opening year, the show was held at the International Centre and attendance was 85,000. This year we are expecting a crowd of more than 300,000. Every year, the show brings exclusive premieres, celebrities, and designers to the City of Toronto. The CIAS is the largest consumer show of any kind in Canada in both size and attendance. • Attendance: 258,652 (2010) and 253,384 (2009) • There are over 125 exhibitors with approximately 1,000 cars and trucks on display. • Floor space: over 500,000 sq. ft. within the north and south Metro Toronto Convention Centre located at 255 Front St. West and 222 Bremner Blvd. respectively. • Toronto’s newest Ronald McDonald House (RMH) is the largest in the world thanks to a generous donation of $2 million in 2009 by the Toronto Automobile Dealers Association (TADA) in co-operation with the Trillium Gift of Life Network. • The estimated value of the exhibits at the Show is $60-million (not including the cars). • The estimated value for the cars is another $30-million, not including the classic car exhibit; some of which are priceless. • Approximately 500 people are needed to run the show including 100 catering people required to feed the staff and press. • There are approximately 100 people working in security at the show. • Approximately 100 trailers are used to transport the vehicles. The show unloads 200 tractor-trailers of display materials. • There are nearly 1300 directional and descriptive signs posted. • It takes approximately two weeks to set up using approximately 400 workers. • Carpeting installed is 48,063 square metres,...

Just a little over two years ago I talked about how Audi was not taking advantage of social media and missing out on connecting with their customers. Well, the company has come a long way just this past year alone. Considering how innovative and forward thinking the company is, it was only a matter of time that they would begin using social media. In the following video filmed at the Chicago Auto Show, Douglas Clark, General Manager Customer Strategy & Engagement, talks about the different ways Audi is using social networking sites to interact with people… Connect with Audi and follow on: Twitter Facebook Flickr YouTube Likewise, you can follow The Unofficial Audi Blog on: Twitter Facebook Flickr YouTube Here is the original:  Audi’s Social Media Strategy Has Come A Long Way