Let’s say you were speeding behind the wheel of an old Chevy Blazer with bald tires and worn brakes in the rain. Rounding a curve, you leave the road and strike a tree, resulting in permanent injuries. Under previously existing Florida law, you could sue General Motors for producing a defective vehicle, since the jury would not be allowed to… Read more: Change In Florida Law May Reduce Lawsuits Against Automakers

BMW 1M is hotter than ever, especially after the glowing review from Top Gear and Jeremy Clarkson , but is it really worth the $40,000 mark up? As much as we love the car, we’re going to say…NO WAY! According to Jalopnik and other online media, Pacific BMW dealerships in California listed a BMW 1M with a markup price of $40,000. Now it remains unclear if this is simply a publicity stunt or the dealership actually hopes to sell the car at that price point, but $94,000 is a lot of cash for an entry-level M. BMW dealers operate independently and they are are free to price vehicles however they wish, without any “official” involvement from BMW headquarters. We reached out to the dealership for an official statement… View post:  BMW dealer marks up the 1M by $40,000

Nissan has revealed its international “Midterm Plan Announcement”—a product plan for the next six years that the company is more colorfully calling “Nissan Power 88.” Whatever the name, this is a major product offensive for Nissan, which will unveil a new product somewhere in the world every six weeks for the next six years; the total should be 51 new cars and trucks worldwide. The U.S. will see a significant number of these. Over the next four years, Nissan will launch seven new models in the States, and Infiniti will benefit from five vehicle introductions. Here’s the breakdown. Nissan Altima Nissan’s family sedan—and the nameplate that saved the brand in the U.S. a decade ago—is due for replacement with an all-new model some time in 2013 or 2014. It will probably be more evolutionary than revolutionary, and this teaser rendering (which is taken from the company’s presentation) reminds very much of the current car. Sentra The me-too Sentra is also aged and ready for a remake. But it’s still a strong seller in the segment. Can we ask for the next SE-R to borrow the excellent 1.6-liter turbo four from the Juke ? NV200 New York City recently settled on Nissan’s NV200 small van to serve as the city’s taxi starting in a few years. We strongly expect the company to offer a version of the van—which is comparable to a Ford Transit in size and shape—to regular retail customers, too. Three-Row Crossover To the left, you can see the current Nissan Murano. Just as Infiniti is receiving a three-row crossover on the Murano’s platform (read more about it below), so, too, will Nissan. Heavier-Duty Titan Nissan’s Titan was never a hit with customers, and its platform is now quite old. We expect Nissan to replace it in 2013 or 2014, and, as we previously reported , it should ride on a frame derived from the heavy-duty underpinnings of the new Nissan NV full-size van. Maxima Replacement The car we know in the U.S. as the Maxima is closely related to a sedan sold in other countries as the Teana. Our Maxima was introduced in 2008 as a 2009 model, so the image here that teases the next-gen Teana probably presages a replacement for the Maxima, too. Figure on Nissan cramming even more high-tech toys and...

The first trailer for Mission Impossible 4 has hit the interwebz. It shows off the upcoming BMW i8 and new 6-Series Convertible. [MotorAuthority] California will no longer let hybrids drive in the High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes with only a single occupant. [GreenCarReports] Rolls-Royce is taking the 102EX Electric Phantom prototype on a world tour… View original here: Mission Impossible 4, GM, Rolls-Royce, Gordon Murray: Todays’ Car News

Most of us who grew up driving four-cylinder, carbureted economy cars are familiar with start-stop technology. Thirty years ago, it wasn’t a selling point, but rather the byproduct of carbureted engines attempting to meet ever-stricter emission requirements. The result was a car likely to stall under even moderate loads (the air conditioning… Read more here: Start Stop Technology Likely Coming To Your Next Car

In assembling our best new car deals on American cars and deals on American-made cars , we compiled and examined a lot of data. Much of the findings enriched our deals reports, while others inspired trivial pursuits. To fuel your discussions around the BBQ grill (or even an automotive grille) this weekend, we determined how many cars each brand actually builds in the United States. For this, we focused on 2011 models sold in the United States, which count 1,310 individual trims. Of those, 101 mainstream models are built in America based on information obtained from JATO, an auto industry data provider. Looking at brands, we see Chevrolet and Ford sharing bragging rights with 12 models each, followed by Toyota (9), GMC (8), and Honda (8). In this analysis, “models” are considered the key named vehicles, rather than iterations. For example, the Jeep Wrangler is the model, and it includes the four-door Wrangler Unlimited. Likewise, the Cadillac Escalade includes the Escalade ESV, thereby matching how we organize vehicles online. Among the findings, Chrysler has just a single car built within U.S. borders, the 200–a model heavily advertised for its Detroit roots. It is clear why that campaign isn’t used for other models. At the corporate level, General Motors leads with 27 U.S.-built models, even without its four purged brands. A slimmed-down Ford Motor Company can boast 14 models built here, while Chrysler Group counts 12 vehicles. Ford and Honda each have six U.S.-built models that are Consumer Reports recommended, followed by Chevrolet with five. Manufacturer U.S.-built models Recommended U.S.-built models Percent U.S.-built recommended models Acura 2 2 100% BMW 3 0 0% Buick 3 3 100% Cadillac 4 1 25% Chevrolet 12 5 42% Chrysler 1 0 0% Dodge 4 0 0% Ford 12 6 50% GMC 8 2 25% Honda 8 6 75% Hyundai 3 3 100% Infiniti 1 1 100% Jeep 5 0 0% Kia 1 1 100% Lincoln 2 1 50% Mazda 2 2 100% Mercedes-Benz 4 1 25% Mitsubishi 3 0 0% Nissan 7 4 57% Ram 2 1 50% Subaru 3 3 100% Suzuki 1 0 0% Tesla 1 0 0% Toyota 9 8 89% Total 101 50 50% While this data can fuel discussions, we recommend that car shoppers prioritize how a vehicle performs in our tests and ranks in the ratings, rather than shop by country of origin–a criteria complicated by parts sourcing...

The next generation A-Class design will include a traditional Mercedes-Benz grille and slightly more understated tail lights Read more here: 2012 Mercedes-Benz A-Class Spy Photos and Speculation

Munich, 29th June 2011. An era has ended: On Wednesday Mario Theissen was officially bade farewell during an emotional event in Munich’s BMW Classic. On 1st July Jens Marquardt assumes sole responsibility for BMW’s motor racing projects. More than 100 friends and associates from all phases of his career, including the reigning Formula 1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel, Nick Heidfeld, Alessandro Zanardi, Peter Sauber, Franz Tost, Norbert Haug, Stefano Domenicali and the current BMW works drivers, looked back together with Mario Theissen on the past years, obviously with a special focus set on his time as BMW Motorsport Director. During his 12-year tenure, Theissen celebrated innumerable victories and titles achieved in a variety of championships and series by BMW teams and drivers. “I have really enjoyed my 34 years with BMW,” said Theissen. “I was fortunate enough to spend my entire working life with a fascinating company which constantly provided me with challenging projects. For me the motorsport project was the culmination of everything that had gone before. Extremely tight deadlines, forward and backward steps in two-weekly cycles, triumph and disappointment – and all this in the public eye. It was a fantastic time. During this period I met many interesting people, some of whom have become very good friends. I owe my colleagues a particular vote of thanks. Their untiring efforts ensured that BMW is a regular visitor to the podium, and that the motorsport history of BMW has a few more chapters now. Naturally I must also thank my family. During the past few years a few things obviously strayed, literally, off-track, and thus I am looking forward to a considerably more peaceful period in my life.” “With the retirement of Mario Theissen an era in BMW Motorsport has ended,” said Dr Klaus Draeger, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG with responsibility for development. “During his 12-year service he kept the BMW flag flying remarkably high. Whether in Formula 1, in endurance racing, touring cars or in young driver development programmes: Under Mario Theissen’s leadership BMW Motorsport celebrated success in all relevant disciplines. We are bidding farewell not only to an outstanding engineer and team principal, but also to an arch motorsport...

Back in Hollywood. BMW is pleased to announce their participation in the upcoming Paramount Pictures release “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” as the film’s main automotive partner. High performance with fewer emissions is the name of the game: One of the BMW vehicles provided for Tom Cruise´s next film is the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept car. It has been recognized as having the most sophisticated technology and the most striking design among the current concept electric supercars. In a few years the BMW i8, which was inspired by the BMW Vision Efficient Dynamics concept vehicle, will enter series production. “We are thrilled to be involved again in another Hollywood Blockbuster,” said Ian Robertson, BMW AG Board Member for Sales and Marketing. “The BMW Group leads the way in developing future mobility with a focus on sustainability. One great example is the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept car which will be presented in the film. With its futuristic design and large glass surfaces, the car offers a fascinating perspective on the future of sheer driving pleasure – in combination with maximum efficiency. Also with BMW ConnectedDrive technology, it is the perfect car for Ethan Hunt to outsmart his pursuers through narrow streets and busy city traffic.” Having provided vehicles for outstanding film projects, TV productions, etc. for more than 75 years, entertainment marketing is firmly established as an important building block for the BMW Group’s long-term image and product communications. “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol”, directed by Brad Bird, is scheduled for release mid of December 2011. For more information please see www.bmw.com/mission Go here to read the rest: BMW is back in Hollywood with Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol

After years of failed attempts at small cars with the Cavalier and Cobalt, General Motors finally has a universally-regarded competitive small car with the Cruze. Consumers seem to agree whole heartedly, as the Cruze is proving to be a big sales success; last Month it was the top selling compact car in the United States. Many questioned the wisdom of dumping the Cobalt name, but the Cruze has quickly established itself. One area the Cobalt did do really well was in appeal to the youth market. The Cobalt had a two-door variant and a performance trim level in the form of the SS. The Cobalt SS, which was available in two and four-door versions, got great reviews for its value proposition. Fun, tunable – it had it all going for it. The Cruze right now is aiming for the middle of the market, but we think Chevrolet would be wise to expand its appeal. That could happen, as The Detroit Bureau reports. The newspaper says its has heard GM has greenlighted a two-door model. We think it makes perfect sense. The Cobalt already has an aggressive look that would lend to a two-door perfectly. Appealing to younger buyers is very important. What else is needed, more than just a two-door though, is a performance model. Rekindle the appeal of the Cobalt SS with a Mazdaspeed3-rivalling model available as both a two and four-door. Such a car would generate excitement for the Cruze lineup and us enthusiasts. Don’t expect it to be called SS though; Chevy is being very careful about its use of that name instead of throwing it around loosely like it was doing a few years back. It does mean “super sport”, after all. Related posts: Chevrolet Cruze Gets 2 MPG Bump for 2012 2011 Chevy Cruze Eco Harnesses Air for Peak Efficiency Chevy to Debut Cruze Sedan and Volt Electric Car at LA Auto Show See original here: Report Says Chevy Cruze Coupe in Development

DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP/Getty Images Mercedes-Benz’ Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher ended in 7th and 17th place respectively at the European Grand Prix. In this race, Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull placed first. Schumacher’s car collided with Petrov’s car on lap 15, just after leaving his first pit stop. The collision broke his front wing thus he needed to do another stop after completing the lap. Michael Schumacher said he was not too happy with the race, he commented, “Not a very satisfying race for me today. The outcome was decided after lap 15 when I slid into Petrov and lost the points I could perhaps have achieved. Our race pace should have allowed me to finish more or less where I started, but that is only speculation after the incident. I saw Petrov quite late, even though I was aware that he was coming, and tried to brake as late as possible and go round the corner with him. But when I wanted to draw back, I locked the front wheel and slipped into him, which was clearly my mistake. From then onwards, the race was done and I just had to drive the car over the finish line. We will now look ahead to Silverstone which is one of our home races.” Meanwhile, Rosberg used the option-new option-used option-prime stopping strategy which made him use the full potential of his car. Original post: Mercedes Petronas’ 2011 European GP Results

On July 1-3, the Goodwood Festival of Speed will take place, in which Mercedes-Benz will celebrate and showcase its history with the exhibition titled “125! years inventor of the automobile”. The exhibition, “125! years inventor of automobile” will trace back its history for the first Benz Patent Motor Car in 1886. Some of the cars that will be showcased are Mercedes-Benz 500 K Cabriolet B (1936), Mercedes-Benz 280 SL Roadster (1960s), Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1975), Mercedes Simplex 40 hp (1902) and the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupé. Mercedes-Benz will also have racing cars running the hillclimb circuit. The line-up will include the W-165 Silver Arrow (Tripoli GP 1939), 190 2.5 16V EVO II (DTM 1990) and 300 SL (Le Mans 1952). For the newer models, the would-be FIA GT3 race car, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 will join the climb. The vehicles will be driven by Paul Stewart, Bernd Schneider, Sir John Surtees and Klaus Ludwig as festival tradition of having high-profile race drivers take the wheel, will be followed. See the original post here:  Mercedes-Benz to Celebrate Its History at the 2011 Festival of Speed

Finishing isn’t the only thing—but it’s way ahead of the next-best option. The Nürburgring 24 Hours is like The Perfect Storm in a forest. Rain, shine, or snow, more than 220,000 racing fans, powered by the best beer in the world, gather for the most overwhelming, pagan auto race on earth. Wall Streeter Jim Glickenhaus, owner and patron of the privateer Ferrari F430–based P4/5 Competizione— about which you can read in tantalizing depth here —was a first-timer at the 2011 event, and he was awestruck. “It’s like Woodstock! People camp out in the woods for days. There are rock concerts. There’s a burning man [like at Burning Ma ]! It’s unbelievable!” Keep Reading: A Roar in the Forest: How the P4/5C Racer Battled Fate at the Nürburgring 24 Hours – Feature Read the rest here: A Roar in the Forest: How the P4/5C Racer Battled Fate at the Nürburgring 24 Hours See the original post: A Roar in the Forest: How the P4/5C Racer Battled Fate at the Nürburgring 24 Hours

The Pikes Peak International Hillclimb in Colorado is the second-oldest continuous motorsports event in the United States, after the race at Indy . But having just dropped its 89th checkered flag, Pikes Peak is about to change radically. After 11 years under construction, the $20 million paving of the 12.4-mile course up the 14,100-foot mountain is nearly complete. Only about two miles of dirt remains, and the date of the 90th Hillclimb in 2012 is being moved to later in the summer to allow the paving crews to finish their work. After that, the road up Pikes will resemble a slightly shorter, somewhat tighter, open-ended version of the Nürburgring . Anything will be possible, including sending up F1 cars and Le Mans prototypes in a manufactured-sponsored all-out war for Pikes Peak supremacy. The race already has an electric-car demonstration class: The first car waved off the line this year was a Nissan Leaf, making it up in a respectable 14:33.429, which wasn’t even the slowest time. No doubt sensing the new opportunities, executives from Audi, Renault, BMW, and Porsche were spied this year sniffing around the pits and the pre-race Fan Fest in downtown Colorado Springs. Audi of America PR director Jeff Kuhlman, bumped into at Fan Fest, said there’s nothing to announce but the company is considering running “some type of historic car” next year. PR men are not above creating smoke screens. Sending Michele Mouton’s winning 1985 Quattro Sport S1 up the hill seems less likely than running something that could actually bag a record, like this year’s Le Mans–winning Audi R18. Kuhlman just shrugged, but Audi is definitely interested in making a bigger splash in U.S. motorsports. At a dinner with automotive journalists recently, Audi of America president Johan de Nysschen asked the table point-blank how the company can influence potential buyers through racing in the States. In retrospect, I wish I had thought to say “Pikes Peak,” instead of what I did say, which was, “Forget racing and concentrate on golf.” Veteran Pikes Peaker Jeff Zwart, who finished Pikes second in class this year with an 11:07.869 in a Porsche 911 GT2 that he drove out from Los Angeles, figures only one issue prevents Audi from running the R18. “The turning radius would have...

Andre de Vries, also known as ‘AdvEvo’ on most automotive forums, shows us how to drift a BMW 1M. Andre is a long-time BMW owner and has been known to drift and race on some of the fastest circuits in Europe, including Spa Franchorchamp. In the video below, Andre takes a Sapphire Black 1M through some intensive drifting sessions and demonstrate once again what a balanced and fun car the 1M really is. Andre also drives in the Dutch Supercar championship and is a past master at this kind of stunt. Don’t try this at home… [Video via SkiddPlayer ] Read the original post: Video: Amazing drifting – BMW 1M