Yes, I realize that the Toyota Avalon and Lexus ES350 aren’t competitors. I know the ES350 is based on the Toyota Camry, and I realize they’re in two totally different classes. But hear me out. Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve been driving both the 2011 Avalon and 2011 ES350, and I’d say they’re incredibly similar. In fact, I’d bet there are plenty of buyers who would cross-shop the two. Despite the size difference, the two are closely related. Both are luxury sedans powered by the same 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 268 horsepower, both use the same 6-speed automatic transmission, and both transfer the power to the front wheels. Both get about the same fuel economy (I averaged a little over 24 mpg in each, ) have the same safety features, and use the same audio and navigation system. They even cost around the same amount of money, provided you equip both similarly. Of course, the Lexus has more standard features. Starting at $35,525, the ES350 gets 17-inch alloy wheels, foglights, heated exterior mirrors, sunroof, automatic wipers, keyless ignition & entry, dual-zone climate, power front seats with driver memory, a power tilt-and-telescoping steering column, leather with wood interior trim, an auto-dimming mirror, Bluetooth, and an eight-speaker audio system with in-dash six-CD changer with satellite radio, iPod interface, auxiliary audio and USB audio jack. The Avalon, given you choose the upgraded Limited trim, starts at $35,485, and comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, foglights, auto-dimming and heated driver and rearview mirrors, heated mirrors, sunroof, automatic headlights, leather with wood trim, back-up camera, dual-zone climate, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, power driver seat, reclining rear seat, Bluetooth, and a nine-speaker stereo with six-CD changer and USB & iPod jacks. So yeah, pretty much the same thing for the same money. So what’s the difference? The Avalon is bigger, by a couple inches in just about each direction. Not a huge difference by any means, but enough to classify it as a “large sedan,” while the ES350 gets the “mid-size” classification. I didn’t notice a big difference between the two, except that rear seat passengers have more room...

Ford shrinks the winning formula of its C-Max and slaps it on the Fiesta platform. Although boutique outfits and exotic cars tend to dominate the headlines at the annual Geneva auto show , there are always plenty of important debutants from mainstream manufacturers, too. Take this Ford B-Max concept. It is to Ford’s B-segment Fiesta what the C-Max is to the C-segment Focus and the S-Max is to the D-segment Mondeo: a tall, wagon/minivan blend based on a car platform that’s sure to be a huge hit with Europeans. (Go ahead and bet every last euro in your offshore bank account that this model will go into production.) Keep Reading: Ford B-Max Concept – Auto Shows Related posts: Ford Iosis Max Concept – Auto Shows 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid and C-Max Energi Plug-In Hybrid – Auto Shows 2012 Ford C-Max Official Photos and Info – Auto Shows Read the original post: Ford B-Max Concept – Auto Shows Read the rest here:  Ford B-Max Concept – Auto Shows

Iterated in the special edition models of already niche market vehicles such as the Lamborghini Gallardo Bicolore and the Aston Martin One-77, the exotic automaker badge is only the beginning of gaining notoriety. German automaker Mercedes-Benz has been no exception to this new luxury car trend. Treating lucky buyers to elite releases of vehicles inside their famed AMG lineup, Black and White Edition versions of certain models In 2009, 200 models of the Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG were  sold in association with timepiece maker IWC Schaffhausen. Mercedes-AMG’s newest creation has turned attention to the C63 AMG sedan accessorizing the vehicle as the Affalterbach Edition. Unfortunately not for sale in the United States, it will provide some bewilderment the occupants of this most popular automobile market where the very rare Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Affalterbach Edition is destined this year. All 30 vehicles will be sold as an exclusive AMG model for the United States’ northern neighbour Canada. Named after location for the AMG Performance Studio, the Affalterbach Edition of the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG introduces itself donning a full array of factory tuning whimsy. Merging with the C63 AMG’s body coated in a designo MAGNO Allanite Grey paint colour featuring standard scratch resistant clearcoat, the sedan’s exteriors lends carbon-fiber mirrors and rear deck lid spoiler pieces. Two-tone 19-inch AMG alloy wheels are worn over high-performance disc brakes coupled with striking red brake calipers. Described by a Mercedes-Benz representative at the 2011 Canadian International Auto Show as an uncommon sight on a factory AMG vehicle, he mentioned that the red brake calipers are added as tribute to the Canadian marketplace. Chosen power for the Affalterbach Edition vehicle is the same reputable and still hand-built 6.3 liter normally-aspirated V-8 engine found on the 2011 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG. Slowly being phased out on other AMG models in favour of the 5.5 liter biturbo engine for 2011, the 6.2 liter V-8 featured in the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Affalterbach Edition is still competent to deliver peak performance. Removing the rev-limiter which had held the C63 AMG below 250 kilometers per hour (155 miles per hour), unbridled fury of the AMG Performance Package...

BMW’s Allerton on top of the world after dominating Australian Superbike opener Procon Racing BMW rider Glenn Allerton has dominated a drama-charged day at Phillip Island, winning both races of the opening round of the Viking Group Australian Superbike Championships in spectacular style. The field was forced to gamble after the race 1 out lap, with a damp circuit sending some riders scrambling for spare bikes with wet tyres fitted. The BMW S 1000 RR-mounted Allerton elected to remain on slicks, and despite being swamped in the opening laps, soon found pace as a dry line around the 4.45km circuit emerged. The 30-year-old picked off place after place, and by the fifth lap found himself in the lead after blazing past polesitter Wayne Maxwell who was struggling on deteriorating wet rubber. Allerton greeted the chequered flag with a lead of over 20 seconds, with second-place going to another European machine, the Aprilia RSV-4 ridden by Ben Attard. Proving the victory was no fluke, the NSW-based rider backed up the performance by winning race 2 in dry conditions, again by a solid margin. Two wins from two starts, on debut with a new team and race bike, has Allerton excited about his championship chances in 2011. “This is the best start to a season I’ve ever had,” said an ecstatic Allerton. “The weekend really could not have gone better for us given we are a new team and racing a new bike. “We made a good choice this morning on the slicks but in the second race showed that the pace was genuine. “Given the limited time we’ve had to work on the bike, the team at Hepburn Motorsport have done an awesome job and I cannot fault them at all.  Thanks also has to go to all at BMW.” Allerton is looking forward to continuing the form at his favourite track on the calendar next weekend. “I love Symmons Plains, it’s my favourite track in Australia and I feel like we can be strong again there.” Allerton leaves Phillip Island with a 13-point advantage over second-placed rider Troy Herfoss, who was impressive in his first ever Superbike outing with Team Suzuki. Herfoss’ result was built on both speed and consistency. The GSX-R1000 rider settled for a strong fourth place in the opening race when unable to attack, but was on song in the second 12-lapper...

From a small automaker geared towards the general masses, the South Korea-based Hyundai has been shifting their strategy towards premium products. Company’s Genesis Coupe model has received several accolades and awards and driven by its success, Hyundai is said to be aiming in the future at BMW’s top seller, the 3 Series. According to Automotive News , Hyundai may add a rear-wheel-drive sport sedan to its growing lineup of upscale products in the United States. The sedan would go head-to-head with BMW’s 3 series, but also with the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Audi A4 or Acura TL. The rumormill churns out that the sedan will be using a rear-wheel drive platform now used for the Genesis coupe and sedan models. Genesis Coupe featured here The design is said to be closer to the Genesis Coupe’s look, a far more attractive design when compared to its sedan sibling. “The Genesis Coupe is in the same segment, really, as the 3-series coupe,” Hyundai CEO John Krafcik said. “One of the things we’re thinking is: Should we do something that’s a sedan version of that?” For the same auto publication, Krafcik did not offer more details or say whether the car is approved for production. Other sources say the vehicle has been in Hyundai’s future strategy since 2006 and it is referred internally as the “RK”. Since their introduction in 2008, respectively 2009, the Coupe and Sedan achieved combined sales of 29,122 units. Only in the U.S., BMW sold 5,763 3 Series units in January 2010. See the original post here:  Hyundai going after BMW with a 3 Series rear-wheel drive competitor

Craving that naturally aspirated sound? Dying to hear that roar noise from a BMW engine? Well, the video below will give you both. An one-off BMW Z4 Hartge Z3 Coupe makes its way on the interwebs and a Youtube video takes us closer to the car. The only one every built Z3 Hartge comes equipped with a 5.0 liter V8 naturally aspirated engine and has a maximum output of 420 hp and a peak torque of 530 Nm. The car reaches a top speed of more than 300 km/h and gets to 200 km/h in just 13 seconds. The engine is matted to a 6-speed gearbox. The engine is the same one used in the BMW E39 M5. The car started its life as a Z3 M Coupé in September 1998. This one time project was meant for automotive shows, but eventually it was put on license plates. And after it had driven around in Germany for a while, it was bought by someone from Holland. The rest is here: One-off Model: BMW Hartge Z3 Coupé 5.0 liter V8 engine

We can’t let the cat out of the bag yet, but BMW’s M-Power microsite is embarking on a new journey and it all begins now with a new teaser. More information will be revealed on March 1, but feel free to share with us your guesses. The official announcement says that the BMW 1 Series M Coupé makes room for another exiting new BMW M automobile which will hit the roads in 2011. The Closed Room will reopen March 1st, 2011 in the evening (CET). Since we would like to avoid any unnecessary panic, it is worth mentioning that BMW will NOT unveil a new M at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. The BMW 1M teasing began last summer when BMW slowly unveiled the new M. In the following months, several teasing episodes reveal more of the overall design. The world debut came this year at the Detroit Auto Show when BMW introduced the new, unique Valencia Orange 1M. In the upcoming months, expect a similar “treatment” from BMW. View post: New M teaser from M-Power.com

This summer, BMW will take the veil off the second generation BMW 1 Series. The entry-level premium car will first launch in three and five-door variants, and it will be followed next year by the new Coupe and Convertible. Ahead of its unveiling, rendering artists are actively working at properly drawing the new car, using as an inspiration the most recent spy photos. Due to be unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, the new generation 1 Series hatchback is built under the codename F20, and will feature a slightly longer wheelbase and wider track than the current model. 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. Design wise, the new 1 Series is an evolution of the current model, but with new design cues inherited from recently launched models. The bonnet sports the same sporty creases seen on the new 5, 6 and 7 Series, a trend that began back in 2009 when BMW unveiled the new Z4. From the side, the renderings show a more aggressive stance, with concave and convex lines flowing from the rear-quarter to the front. Along with the redesigned bodystyle, the new 1er family will offer a wide range of engines, including turbo-petrol engines with three or four cylinders. First, a couple 2.0-liter four-cylinder will be introduced, producing 204 and 238 horsepower. One of them is the new N20 TwinPower four-cylinder engine. For now, BMW has scrapped any plans to offer an electric and hybrid drive for the new 1 Series. The decision to move forward with the highly-efficient N57 1.5 liter diesel engine was driven by the results obtained in testing the Vision EfficientDynamics vehicle. The horsepower range for the three-cylinder powerplants goes from 95 to 177 horsepower. The gasoline version, dubbed N30, comes in displacements of 1.2 and 1.5 liters with power output of ranging from 70 to 184 horsepower. At the high-end of the line-up, BMW will continue to offer the six-cylinder N55 Twin-Scroll engine for its 135i Coupe model. The 2012 BMW 1 Series will make its public debut at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. Go here to see the original: Latest Renderings: 2012 BMW 1 Series Hatch

After a seemingly endless winter break, the first race of the 2011 World Superbike Championship has concluded at Phillip Island Racetrack Australia.  Weather played a role with on and off rain through the event, but the final order was decided in the dry. Qualifying went well for team BMW Motorrad Motorsport with surprise pace from BMW’s newcomer: Leon Haslam.  We knew he would be fast, but to beat Troy Corser out of the box is impressive indeed.  Both Motorrad riders have had notable success at the Phillip Island circuit with Troy Corser having won there 7 times, and Leon Haslam owning the lap record, among other wins including last years WSBK win at his home circuit.  When the checkered flag fell on the third and final Superpole qualifying session, Haslam had managed a front row start and Corser a 7th place start on the grid. On to the races, where in Race 1 Leon Haslam managed a 3rd place podium finish in his first ever race for BMW Motorrad!  This equals the best result to date for team BMW Motorrad Motorsport and spells out a good omen for the rest of the season – in BMWBLOG’s opinion – a race win is coming, and soon.  Troy corser managed a top 10 finish in race one. Race two was exiting though it did not yield any more podium trophies.  Both Troy and Leon spent most of the race battling among others for a podium spot for second place after an incredible race start that saw Leon lead the race!  Troy also managed impressive passes on lap two to follow Leon but Troy unfortunately suffered an off track excursion after finding a false neutral while pushing hard.  When the dust settled, Leon Haslam finished in 5th place while Troy Corser fell to 19th place after struggling for grip. All-in-all, this was a brilliant race weekend that showed BMW’s prowess on the grid.  We look forward to the next race at Donington in 4 weeks! Race Quotes: Leon Haslam: “As a team we have made huge steps forward from two weeks ago. We still have some issues that need looking at in more detail to ensure we can become regular podium finishers, but on the whole we can be happy with the two races. The first race was great; we encountered some issues in race two but still managed to finish in the top five so we are definitely happy. A huge credit...

The 2009 Hyundai ix-Metro Concept is expected to go into production in 2012 Hyundai will begin building a new production plant in Brazil, after confirming plans in late 2008. Hyundai sees the new plant as a “gateway to Central and South American markets.” Hyundai initially wanted the factory opened this year, but due to the economic slowdown, it delayed plans. Production of the new sub-compact car will commence in November 2012 once the plant has been finished in Piracicaba, Brazil. Power comes from a 3-cylinder 1.0 litre GDI turbocharged petrol engine With Hyundai investing $600m, the company said: “We want to enhance our competitiveness against major U.S. and European auto-makers in Brazil by setting up a production site”. Last year saw Hyundai’s vehicle export into Brazil increase by 19% to 80,000 vehicles. Sales should rise once again this year and Hyundai anticipates Brazil to be the third largest car market in the world by 2015. The facility will have an annual capacity of 150,000 units. Originally posted here: Hyundai begins building assembly plant (BR) The rest is here:  Hyundai begins building assembly plant (BR)

The forthcoming Nissan Z -Series sport cars may be available with three new powertrains; a petrol, petrol-hybrid, and a diesel. The latter would be pinched from Mercedes, giving European customers flexibility. The petrol unit would appeal to the U.S, Japanese, and Australian market, with the hybrid appealing to the U.S market too. Undoubtedly, the diesel would be the European customer’s choice. The three engine options will place fuel economy as the top priority and be would be state-of-the-art. We can safely expect three transmissions to be offered aswell; a manual, CVT, and a Mercedes sourced automatic. Nissan is likely to tweak the current 3.7 litre V6 petrol, while the hybrid variant will mirror that of the Infiniti M35h Hybrid. That means a 3.5 litre V6 petrol, linked to an electric motor would push-out 360bhp (355PS/268kW) and 610Nm (450lb-ft) of torque. A combined fuel economy figure of 36mpg (7.81/100km) will be achieved. The diesel engine would be the 3.0 CDI V6, pumping out 210bhp (207PS/157kW) and 542Nm (400lb-ft) of torque, although this would increase the price considerably. See the rest here: Next-generation Nissan Z may arrive with three powertrains options Read the original: Next-generation Nissan Z may arrive with three powertrains options

Euro NCAP has slammed Renault over the Dacia Duster ’s safety rating, after it scored a mere three stars. Being one of seven vehicles tested, the examiners were nitpicking over the Duster ’s pedestrian protection and safety assist, in which it scored 28% and 29%. Euro NCAP said: “The Duster performs well below the latest level of safety performance demonstrated by other new cars on the European market. It is disappointing that a mother company like Renault does not give safety the same priority in Dacia cars as it does in cars sold under its own brand.” Renault has responded to the criticism by saying “in keeping with the objectives of Dacia, which seeks to design and build vehicles that are acclaimed for their strength and reliability. Dacia Duster benefited from the Renault Group’s know-how and boasts a solid level of passive safety performance”. See the original post: Euro NCAP slams Renault over Dacia Duster safety rating Read the original post:  Euro NCAP slams Renault over Dacia Duster safety rating

The BMW European Delivery Program has been for many years my preferred choice to purchase a new bimmer. As someone who has twice picked-up his BMWs in Munich, I personally swear by the program and the lifetime experience that comes with it. For years, I have been a huge advocate of the program and kept saying that the ED program is one of the most hidden gems within the vast range of BMW offerings to its customers and in my opinion, the best way to be introduce to the brand. In May 2011, a new European Delivery episode will begin for myself. The moment I set my mind on the BMW 1M, I knew that the only way to fully enjoy the new and my first M car was to fly to Munich and take delivery at the now iconic BMW Welt. What I like to call the “perfect marriage, the 1M European Delivery saga will take you through the entire experience, from ordering to signing the paperwork, to picking up in Munich, driving across Europe, dropping off the car, tracking it across the ocean and awaiting delivery at JMK BMW in New Jersey. But before we will take you on our journey, we are going to share with you some of the key points associate with the ED program. What is European Delivery? European Delivery is a program offered by BMW that allows you to pick up your new BMW in Munich, Germany at the BMW Welt . The Welt was opened in late 2007 and delivers anywhere between 230-250 vehicles a day. In my opinion, the biggest advantage of ED are the cost savings which in many cases can offset the cost of your trip. In general, the purchaser saves approximately 10 percent off of US MSRP. Furthermore, BMW of North America offers members of the BMW Car Club of America (BMW CCA) a rebate on the purchase of a new or CPO vehicle after one year of continuous membership. The amount ranges from $500 to $1500 depending on the model The second biggest advantage is the ability to drive YOUR own car on the Autobahn and experience Europe like never before. Here are some other key points: A customer still places the order through a US BMW dealership. All vehicles are available in the ED program, excluding the ones built in Spartanburg – X3, X5 and X6. You may stay with your car in Europe up to 5 months after delivery (there is a 19% penalty tax if your car is not exported within the 6-month...

Just ten years ago, cars were considered a mean of transportation that serve one purpose: taking us from point A to B. While today, the automobile still serves the same purpose, there are other functions within the car that create a connection between the driver and the car, and in many cases, its surroundings. Engineers are creating vehicle that can adapt to new technologies and are flexible enough to allow future enhancements. In a single phrase: the car becomes a mobility platform. The term mobility is vast, some use it in a context of a movement, others use in conjunction with mobile phones, but today’s cars are a combination of both. For many of us, the car has become a mobile office and the capabilities found inside the car sometimes exceed the ones found in a regular office. A decade ago, voice-operated cars were considered Science-Fiction, a “talkative” automobile reminded us of the cheesy yet somewhat entertaining Knight Rider and futuristic cars belonged in Hollywood blockbusters rather than on the road. But the fast adoption of mobile devices, especially smartphones, and technology that allows for fast and anywhere connectivity has driven up innovation and the future is closer than ever. For years, BMW has been slowly investing in an in-car platform called ConnnectedDrive. What started as a navigation system with some whistles and bells, now has become a full-blown platform that allows for apps to be built on top of it. Dave Evans, Cisco’s chief futurist agrees with us: “the car will no longer be simply a mode of transportation, but rather a node on the network”. “My BMW Remote”, Twitter, Facebook, Web radio and Email are some of the offerings coming from Munich, but with the recently announced $100 million BMW i Ventures fund, the expectations are high and BMW is hoping to build an eco-system around their cars. BMW is not the only automaker heavily investing in new telematics. For years, Ford has been working closely with Microsoft and the Sync platform came to live. Microsoft Sync supports things like voice recognition, audible text messages, Pandora radio and much more. Jaguar uses Microsoft Sync in their vehicles as well. GM has just come forth this month to announce their own competitor for Microsoft’s...

There are many opinions regarding the use of superchargers and turbochargers in performance vehicles. Many think that it’s a “replacement for displacement,” and shun it off as simply another “Get fast quick” scheme; throwing it the way of Nitrous Oxide. Others believe it’s more than that, and is a great way to get as much power out of the car as possible, while keeping the weight of the car low. Although you might be hard pressed to find an American carmaker put a factory turbo in place of a bigger engine on a muscle car, foreign manufacturers have been using forced induction on cars for years. There are exceptions, of course. In the 80′s, for example, Ford slapped a turbocharger on a 2.3-liter inline-four and called it the Mustang SVO. In the 90′s and early 2000′s, Pontiac’s high-performance Grand Prix was called the GTP, and featured a 3.8-liter Supercharged V6. When it wasn’t in the shop, that bad boy pushed out up to 260 horsepower. Today, even Cadillac is getting in on forced induction by putting a supercharger on their ultra-powerful CTS-V, which boasts 556 horsepower from its 6.2-liter V8. So clearly nowadays it’s more excepted to use these methods to increase power, but let’s look at the 90′s, when a Japan vs. USA sports car war was clearly in effect. Japan came out with some excellent road-scorchers, each equipped with twin-turbos – the Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4, Nissan 300ZX TT, Toyota Supra TT, and the Mazda RX-7 TT. Meanwhile, American carmakers were coming out with equally powerful sports cars, but instead of fitting them with turbochargers, they beefed up the size of the engines to large displacements. This brought us the Chevy Corvette, Ford Mustang GT, Chevy Camaro Z28, and Dodge Viper. Each camp has their supporters, some of them diehard, but opinions and preferences aside, is one method better than another? It all depends on how you look at it. Forced induction is inherently more efficient, considering a smaller engine is used, which keeps weight down and fuel economy up. During normal driving it can act as like a regular 3.0-liter engine but when pushed, can put out the power of a 4-liter monster. Large displacement engines, on the other hand, have fewer moving...