The Mercedes C-Class and E-Class model lines were the best sellers with combined sales of 11,987 vehicles Go here to read the rest: Mercedes-Benz USA September 2011 Sales Up 15.6 Percent

FORZA Motorsport just released a sneak peak of the five BMW Design Challenge cars that will be included in the Limited Collector’s Edition of the game. Our friend and respectable rendering artist Jon Sibal was asked to participate in the design challenge. Jon spent some time sketching various designs and the final piece was called “Mechanika“. His design inspiration comes from Motorsport events where he spends extended time in the pit area observing how cars are prepped for the race. Jon says that “some of the race cars would have their shell off exposing the beauty of the raw and organic shapes of the engine components as well as other mechanical parts typically hidden underneath the liveried skin.” Shortly after the race, the cars expose their “internals”. Jon decided to use the visuals and express them in artistic way. “The mechanical and organic components were designed in a Giger-esque style underneath a disintegrating brushed aluminum shell. It has a lot of depth and tons of details with every piece digitally brushed and painted.” As a sneak preview, Turn 10 released a screen shot of his design on a BMW E92 M3 as it appears in the video game. Here’s a quote from FORZA MOTORSPORT: First up we have automotive artist Jon Sibal, who’s best known for his incredible speculative renderings of upcoming cars, concept illustrations, and SEMA vehicle design. Jon took some time out of his busy schedule to work his magic on the 2008 BMW M3 in a piece entitled “Mechanika”—which looks exactly like it sounds. “Mechanika” drapes an industrial quilt of mechanical elements over the M3’s organic shapes in a way that perfectly captures the M3’s symbiosis of machine and driving passion. FORZA Motorsport 4 LCE will be released on October 11th at US$79.99. More information at FORZA MOTORSPORT See the rest here:  FORZA 4 BMW Design Challenge Cars

As the Facebook fiends among you are already aware, we recently announced a partnership with the game Car Town . Our first in a series of monthly contests has now concluded, and here are the results! September’s challenge was to wrap a Honda Accord in a “Back to School” design. Last week, our editors chose their virtual 10Best wraps , awarding each of the designers a special in-game Scion xB. The top entries were then posted to the Car and Driver Facebook page for our fans to vote on. After a week at the polls, the fans overwhelmingly “Liked” the chalkboard-look wrap by nazerr, who wins a Mazda Furai concept wearing C/D livery. Congratulations! The next contest begins on October 11 and the theme will be Halloween. Be sure to enter and then check our Facebook page a week later to “Like” your favorites. Read the rest here: Presenting the First Car and Driver/Car Town Design Contest Winner Read more from the original source:  Presenting the First Car and Driver/Car Town Design Contest Winner

Filed under: Road Tests Nissan took a decisive leap into the future this year, making electric motoring a reality with the new Leaf. Nissan describes the £25,990 Leaf as the first, affordable, purpose-built, zero-emissions car from a major manufacturer. I spent almost a week with this charged Nissan to see what the Leaf’s like to live with on a daily basis. Tuesday The Leaf arrived whilst I was out at a launch, but the all-electric car proves to be a draw for friends and I end up taking a mate for a late night spin in the charged Nissan. I’ve not driven this car since the UK launch , but the giant-killing acceleration and massive 280Nm of torque still impresses, despite the negative effect hard acceleration has on the Leaf’s range. The Leaf is wonderfully relaxing to drive too; at first I missed the engine note, but then marvelled at what a refined drive the current Car of The Year is. It handles well too. Wednesday I attend another car launch today in Marlow, Bucks which is a 120 mile round trip from my home. Normally, I’d have taken the Leaf, but because of its 100 mile range and lack of nearby public charging points, the electric Nissan spends most of the day on my drive. I end up borrowing my wife’s Volkswagen Golf and it makes me think that the Leaf is probably best suited to urban environments, so you’d need another car for long journeys. This is where the Chevrolet Volt and Vauxhall Ampera score over the Nissan, with their range-extending 1.4-litre petrol hybrid generator power. Wednesday evening means the usual Collins’ weekly pilgrimage to the supermarket. Over 80 miles of battery power is still left in the Leaf and with just a 30 mile round trip, it’s the electric Nissan that we’re going to take shopping. My son’s baby seat easily fits in the back of the spacious interior, as there’s plenty of head, leg and shoulder room and we’re off. As we sit in rush hour traffic, I look around to see if the Leaf is getting any interest from other motorists. It’s not, which is a shame considering how ground-breaking this car is. Maybe Nissan has played it too safe with the exterior styling? There are some neat features of the design including the huge, blobby headlights at the front...

Each week, our German correspondent slices and dices the latest rumblings, news, and quick-hit driving impressions from the other side of the pond. His byline may say Jens Meiners, but we simply call him . . . the Continental. A couple weeks back, I was allowed to drive a prototype of the  Audi S8 with the new, twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8—and able to push it up to 120 mph briefly. The new, compact V-8 is a fantastic engine with very little turbo lag and a beautiful growl, although it still lacks the ultra-quick response of the supercharged engines from Cadillac and Jaguar. It was co-developed by Audi and Bentley and will also be available in the base Continental GT . How is that for an entry-level engine? The powerplant, which comes with standard cylinder deactivation, is close in character to AMG’s twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter V-8, which I first drove last summer in a prototype of the S63 AMG . Let’s compare the two: The S63 AMG is a rear-wheel-drive sedan with a seven-speed automatic transmission, and it tips the scales at nearly 4700 pounds; the Audi S8 comes with Quattro all-wheel drive, an eight-speed automatic, and thanks to its all-aluminum body, it weighs just over 4300 pounds. The 5.5-liter AMG engine is stronger, producing 536 hp at 5500 rpm and 590 lb-ft of torque from 2000 to 4500 rpm. What’s more, you can order a performance package, which adds 27 hp and a remarkable 74 lb-ft of torque. By contrast, the 4.0-liter Audi engine produces a bit less power—520 hp at 5800 rpm. Maximum torque is significantly lower at 479 lb-ft, but it is available from 1700 to 5500 rpm. On the road, the Benz can’t make use of its power advantage: The S63 AMG runs from 0 to 62 mph in a claimed 4.5 seconds, or 4.4 with the performance package; Audi says the all-wheel-drive S8 charges to the same speed in just 4.2 seconds. Both cars are governed at 155 mph, but you can get the AMG with a modified governor that allows it to reach 186 mph. No word yet from Audi on its policy for the S8, but previously, only the RS models were available with a modified governor. Speaking of, the next RS6 will get a variation of the new twin-turbo V-8 as well, but for the R8 supercar, the future, according to Audi development chief Michael Dick, still holds a high-revving,...

For most the prospect of “One Ford” would seem to limit creativity and the ability to produce localized performance models for different markets. For one, Ford’s globalization plans primarily include core models; there will still be select variants and model lines that are unique to different areas. The Focus ST released at Frankfurt is Ford’s first truly global performance vehicle, to be sold in over 40 markets. The ST-R racing model that follows is starting off exclusively in North America and will be spread to European markets after. Its goal is to offer affordable racing for enthusiasts. Economies of scale for parts are clearly there with all the volume. Ford Racing in North America designed the ST-R, in partnership with the Global Performance Vehicles group. It is homologated for racing in a variety of series that include the Grand-Am ST, World Challenge TC and Canadian Touring Car Series. Each Focus ST-R comes turn key and ready to go. The ST-R is powered by the same 2.0-liter EcoBoost as the ST, and it includes an FIA-specification roll cage, upgraded braking power and a “track-tuned” suspension. Ford says the ST-R had a perfect basis to build from: “From the beginning, the Focus and new Focus ST were designed to be driver’s cars,” says Jost Capito, director of Global Performance Vehicles and Motorsport Business Development. “The road-going Focus features best-in-class brakes, handling and powertrains and the design and functionality of the various vehicle systems have helped us to develop a global technical specification for teams wanting to race the new Focus cost effectively. Ford Racing in North America has taken this effort and developed the new Focus ST-R and is a perfect example of how a great production car inspires a competitive race car for enthusiasts.” We’ll have to see for ourselves when the standard ST arrives. For now though, we imagine the ST-R is set to make a significant splash in racing. No word on whether there will be any requirements for purchase; Ford says it will be available to order by “seasoned hardcore professional drivers, amateur racers and track day enthusiasts.” All the aforementioned buyers better be prepared with a good amount of cash though;...

Another ambitious technology was created by Mercedes-Benz, called the “AMG Lightweight Performance”, the design is now being introduced at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show. Made in an effort to upgrade crash safety, the “zero intrusion cell” protects the battery modules in the vehicle from damage and deformation in case there is a crash. The SLS AMG E-CELL body shell being shown by Mercedes-Benz AMG at the IAA 2011 is one trailblazing outcome of its ambitious “AMG Lightweight Performance” design strategy. Its key element is a transmission tunnel made out of lightweight carbon-fibre composite material (CFRP), which is structurally integrated into the aluminium body shell and firmly bonded with it. The high-strength and stiff CFRP component helps to reduce weight, while also serving as a monocoque housing for the battery modules. The carbon-fibre battery monocoque in the SLS AMG E-CELL forms an integral part of the body shell and acts as the vehicle’s “spine”. The advantages of carbon composite materials were specifically exploited by the AMG engineers in its design. These include their high strength, which makes it possible to create extremely rigid structures in terms of torsion and bending, excellent crash performance and low weight. CFRP components are up to 50 percent lighter than comparable steel ones, yet retain the same level of stability. Compared with aluminium, the weight saving is still around 30 percent, while the material is considerably thinner. The advantages in terms of weight achieved through the carbon-fibre battery monocoque are reflected in the agility of the SLS AMG E-CELL and, in conjunction with the highly innovative wheel-selective four-wheel drive system, ensure true driving enjoyment. The carbon-fibre battery monocoque is, in addition, conceived as a “zero intrusion cell” in order to meet the very highest expectations in terms of crash safety. It protects the battery modules inside the vehicle from deformation or damage in the event of a crash. Tobias Moers, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-AMG GmbH, responsible for overall vehicle development: “AMG Lightweight Performance is the term we use at AMG to encompass all the different technologies involved in lightweight construction....

Last week, we announced a partnership with the Facebook game Car Town , and that it would include design contests for the game. Today, the first contest is officially open! The idea is to wrap a given car—in this case a Honda Accord—in a chosen theme—this one’s “Back to School”—with the goal of being chosen as one of the C/D editors’ virtual 10Best. Head over to our Facebook page to get details and to enter ; we’ll pick our 10 favorites after a week to receive a special in-game Scion xB. We’ll then ask our Facebook fans to vote on their favorite based on Likes, and the overall winner will get an even better car for their Car Town garage: a Mazda Furai concept wrapped in C/D livery! So get crackin’—you really want to be named to our virtual 10Best, don’t you? Original post: The First Car and Driver/Car Town Design Contest is Now Open! Excerpt from:  The First Car and Driver/Car Town Design Contest is Now Open!

Today, at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show, Buchloe-based automaker ALPINA unveils the new 2012 ALPINA B6 Bi-Turbo Convertible which is based on the new BMW 6 Series Convertible. As expected with all the ALPINA models, the B6 Bi-Turbo Cabriolet receives a power upgrade. The 4.4 liter V8 TwinTurbo engine from BMW gets a new turbocharged system which increases the power output from 404 horsepower to 500 ponies at 5,500 rpm. The maximum torque was also raised to a whooping 516 lb-ft between 3,000 and 4,750 rpm. The increased power takes the ALPINA B6 Bi-Turbo Convertible from 0 to 62 mph in 4.8 seconds and has a top speed of 193 mph. Visually, the car receives the usual ALPINA treatment with a new front apron, which has carbon flaps and a carbon lip at the bottom. The B6 is also fitted with the Akrapovic exhaust system which should provide exceptional acoustics. Inside, the design is dominated by the Lavalina full leather trim with cognac accents, a trademark of ALPINA and seen across other models as well. Enjoy the photo gallery. See the original post here:  IAA 2011: ALPINA B6 Bi-Turbo Cabriolet

BMW’s EffecientDynamics have been a key to the company’s ability to deliver performance with reductions in fuel consumption and vehicle emissions. The Twin Power Turbo gas engines are a significant contributor to that achievement and manage to squeeze big power out of relatively small packages. The four cylinder gas 2.0L engines are beginning to find their way into cars across the BMW model range. The diesel engined cars are challenging their equivalently sized gas motors with decent acceleration and even better fuel economy. The hidden gem in BMW’s product line may be the 525d sedan – usefully quick and incredibly frugal. A winning combination. The adaption of the eight speed automatic transmission has also allowed the use of the clever Auto Start Stop technology coupled to the additional overdrive ratios of the transmission. That provides enhanced fuel economy, and yet takes nothing away from the driving performance expected from a BMW. BMW is introducing a new driving mode called ECO PRO that can be utilized whilst driving in everyday traffic. ECO PRO mode is activated by what is called the ‘Driving Experience Control’ switch. It is NOT a performance mode, but rather, according to the press release, ‘a relaxed and fuel-efficient driving style at low engine speeds’. Auto ETA? (And yet when requested, it will go back into regular performance mode). The ECO PRO mode is standard in the new 1 series and to the four and six cylinder models of the 6er and 5er Sedan and Touring. (No verification at the time this was written as to whether or not this feature will make it into the US market.) And Frankfurt is the first public display of BMW’s ‘i’ sub-brand concept cars, the i3 and the i8. BMW showed the i3 and i8 concept to an international group of journalists at the end of July, a tease, if you will, of their public unveiling. While the focus of gearheads will be the i8, the i3 is the model that is the key to the ‘i’ sub-brand’s success. BMW will sell every i8 they can build and they won’t build that many (purposefully – after all this is a halo car for the sub-brand). But word is that they intend to build 30,000 i3s a year. The i3 should be in production in 2013 at the Leipzig...

Just when you thought that there was no more hope for companies to build bahn-burners, BMW roars ahead with the new M5. It’s not easy following the phenomenal V10 powered E60 M5, but it appears that the turbo-charged V8 in the F10 M5 is a worthy successor. Where the V10 was a naturally aspirated engine producing big horsepower at high RPM, the M tuned turbo V8 in the new M5 brings ton of torque to the party and keeps it spooled up. It gains in horsepower, but it is the torque is what transforms the M5 into Mr. Hyde. M has decided to utilize hydraulically assisted power steering, whereas the non-M 5ers get the more energy efficient electrically assisted power steering. Of course the power is put to the ground through the rear wheels only and then the power is allocated from side to side by BMW’s clever limited slip differential. While horsepower is improved and torque has been increased (considerably), the new M5 gets 30% better fuel economy than the outgoing E60 M5. Credit Valvetronic, direct injection, and turbo-charging for the improvement. The combination of those three systems are responsible for the improvement. The engine is coupled to a seven speed M double-clutch Drivelogic transmission. The suspension features components whose weight has been optimized for performance characteristics. The shock absorbers are electronically controlled, the steering is M specific Servotronic. Stability control, high performance braking and M-dynamic mode compliment the superb turbo V8. The F10 M5 styling is subtly aggressive, harking back to the Q-ship qualities of the E39 M5. Just enough has been done to distinguish the M5 from it’s lesser siblings. But they have not gone overboard (or boy racer). After all this is a four door sedan. And its interior delivers the luxury required of a premium sedan, while still retaining the focus on the driver that you expect from a BMW. The chunky leather clad M steering wheel now has two M Drive buttons fitted to it. And when you look past the luxury and subtle styling queues, you end up with one heckuva super car. It will do 0-100 km/h in 4.4 seconds, from 0-200 km/h takes just 13 seconds. And purchasing the optional driver’s package raises the top speed to about 190 MPH. An exceptional amount of performance...

For years, while Ford enthusiasts in Europe got performance models like the Focus ST and RS, American customers were left out in the cold. This time around with the new generation Focus, Ford promised things would be different. Performance iterations would be coming to the United States (at least the tamer ones anyway; we’re hoping for the RS too). At Frankfurt Ford is revealing the first of these new models, the Focus ST hatchback. The Focus ST was previewed by a concept model that was shown last year. The production model arrives looking quite similar, with a unique design that ditches the standard Focus’ split grille design. Instead there is a one large lower grille that dominates the front end. It sets the ST apart from your average Focus. Side skirts, a reworked rear fascia and an exclusive yellow paint color round off the changes to the ST’s exterior. But, what is a hot hatch really about? What is under the skin; that’s the part we care about. The Focus ST is powered by Ford’s 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder. The boosted 2.0-liter makes 247 horsepower and 265 pound feet of torque and is mated to a six-speed manual transmission. The engine uses features such as high-pressure direct injection, low-intertia turbocharging and Twin-independent Variable Cam Timing (Ti-VCT) to generate its impressive figures. The Focus ST marks the first use of Ford’s 4-cylinder EcoBoost in a performance application. Ford’s engineers paid particular attention to the car’s exhaust system, working to create an impressive driving soundtrack. The exhaust note was one of the things customers loved about the five-cylinder previous generation ST. We wouldn’t know; we’ve never heard it. The Focus ST is Ford’s first world performance car, says Jost Capito, direct of Global Performance Vehicles “It’s the first performance model to build upon the design and technology strengths of one of our new global production vehicles……Focus ST hasn’t come around by chance….what came first was our global performance strategy, which has been developed with North America, Europe and Asia together. With this, the core DNA attributes like the steering, driving dynamics, the sound quality and the power enhancements...

“One Ford” is increasingly being put into action, and it is paying dividends to Ford with increased profits and sales. For the first time since its introduction, the Focus is the same car in the United States as Europe.”One Ford” is realigning models and designing core models to be sold in all international markets. This has made introducing a unifying global design theme important. The Iosis Concept from a few years back was introduced to preview Ford’s “Kinetic” design language. However, implementation of design strategies was haphazard; Ford North America pursued a divergent design centered around a bold, brash look and a three-bar grille. That look won’t work everywhere, and the Ford Evos Concept premieres Ford’s “first truly new global design language.” Evos is the new face of Ford. Like Kinetic, the look is toned down in comparison to North American Ford design; goodbye to the three bar grille. A trapezoidal grille features instead. The Evos is meant to evoke a more premium appearance. It isn’t particularly innovative or groundbreaking; we see hints of Aston Martin (and that is no bad thing). On the Evos Concept the look works beautifully; everything flows and surfaces are done very well with a simplistic purity. Simply put, we like the Evos. The question is how this will translate over to Ford production models. No doubt the details and lines work on the Evos, but we’ll see if production cars designed in the mould of the Evos will manage to pull it off as effectively. It is a tall order. Hopefully Ford will be able to create the right balance of beauty and distinctiveness. Summing it up, J Mays, Ford group vice president and Design and Creative officer, says that “We wanted the Ford Evos Concept to give a clear message about where Ford design is heading – shaping vehicles that are fun to drive, have a strong premium visual appeal, and above all, are stunningly beautiful.” Ford has been pushing the envelope with technology recently, and the company looks to continue that leading technology position. The Evos Concept explores the possibilities that can be had with a vehicle that is connected to the cloud, the driver’s smartphone, and therefore the driver’s...

Perhaps because BMW’s rival Audi ’s design strategy is based around LED lighting, or maybe because even the lowly 2012 Kia Soul sports the bright eyes, the Munich-based, propellor-clad automaker wants to develop and own the next big thing in headlight technology: lasers. Yes, we said lasers. BMW announced this week that it is working to create laser lighting for automotive headlight use. The company believes that lasers’ low energy consumption, high brightness, and brightness consistency are far superior to those of LEDs. Obviously BMW won’t be mounting lasers on a 5-series and flicking on a switch—the light is emitted from laser diodes, and is indirect. According to BMW, the bluish light from the diodes must first pass through a fluorescent phosphor material that converts it into a brilliant white color. Another benefit to the laser diodes, says BMW, is their compactness—headlight units as a whole could be much shallower, and might not need to be large units at all. The automaker is excited by the design possibilities that compact, bright diodes open up. BMW didn’t give a timetable on when we might see the first automotive application of laser light, but we would imagine it will be several years before the tech is ready to hit the road. Go here to see the original: BMW Working to Bring Lasers to Your Headlights, Because LEDs are Just So Audi More: BMW Working to Bring Lasers to Your Headlights, Because LEDs are Just So Audi

One is never alone—one is in a zone of stone—when one never leaves home without his smart telephone. One can also get a little confused, what with all of the OnStar rebranding GM’s doing. First, OnStar Add-On was renamed “ Onstar FMV ” and six weeks or so ago, GM decided that OnStar MyLink didn’t offer consumers a way to parse what was really happening between their cars and smartphones and renamed the app “OnStar RemoteLink .” Got it? It’s okay, we’re still a little dizzy, too. But fear not, lost children of the sea, as the General is making it easier than ever for you to get directions from your OnStar-equipped automobile! The latest version of RemoteLink allows you to type a destination into your phone or select it from your phone’s address book, send it to the car, have the route appear as soon as you energize up your chariot of fire (or in the case of the Volt, chariot of fire and lightning ) then use OnStar’s turn-by-turn directions or the car’s built in nav screen to get you there. Oh, the synergies. View original here: Revised OnStar App Allows You to Send Directions to Your Car from Your Phone Read the rest here:  Revised OnStar App Allows You to Send Directions to Your Car from Your Phone