Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards are dictating a change in engine development. On mainstream models, a focus has turned to maximizing fuel economy though turbocharging. Hyundai/Kia was the first to proclaim the mid-size V-6 sedan as a thing of the past, and Chevrolet and Ford have followed. The two top sellers in the segment, Toyota and Nissan, are sticking with V-6 power though. Toyota hasn’t announced any plans for a turbocharged four-cylinder in the Camry whatsoever, sticking to natural aspiration. Both Toyota and Nissan have said as long as there is V-6 demand, they will continue to build them. Illustrating this commitment, Toyota has announced an $80 million investment at its Huntsville, Alabama engine plant. The investment includes adding 125 new jobs and boosting V-6 capacity at the plant by a 216,000 units, to 362,000. A 300,000 square feet building will be constructed as part of the investment. “This V6 line addition continues to reflect our growing optimism for an improving North American market, and we continue to study more localization in North America,” said Steve St. Angelo, Executive Vice President of Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. The Huntsville, Alabama plant produces V-8, V-6 and four-cylinder engines for eight of Toyota’s North American vehicle lines. The total capacity of the plant will be up to 700,000 engines when the additional capacity comes online in March 2014. Toyota’s engine capacity in the U.S will stand at 1.4 million overall. Since the beginning of the year Toyota has announced $700 million in investment into U.S plants, along with 1,100 jobs. This investment is interesting because it indicates optimism about auto sales in the U.S, and with this particular announcement, higher V-6 sales. Where do they expect to need the additional capacity? It couldn’t come from Camry. Camry is experiencing its stiffest competition ever, and has never had any capacity issues. Anyhow, it is good to see increased investment in U.S manufacturing. Automoblog.net – A Car Blog for Auto Enthusiasts Read more: Toyota Announces $80 Million Investment In Additional V-6 Engine Capacity

Filed under: Motorsport , Latest News No this isn’t a story from the mid-eighties that got mislaid. The “too fast to race” rally cars that were banned in 1986 are going to compete in a multi-stage rally in Cheshire in August 2012. Group B cars were fire-breathing monsters (literally spewing flames from the exhaust on nearly every gearchange), with up to 500 bhp. They were banned after two fatal crashes in 1986 in which three spectators and two competitors were killed. It was felt that the cars were simply too fast for narrow forest tracks with open access for spectators. There will be five locations for the UK rebirth, including Oulton Park circuit and Cholmondeley. Lest you think the latter is a comedy name from The Fast Show, Cholmondeley is the location of the Pageant of Power, a sort of Goodwood Festival of Speed of the north, The publicity photographs show all the Group B classic cars – Audi Quattro, Peugeot 205 T16, Ford RS 200 and even a Lancia 037. They are also promising a wide range of other cars, including WRC rally cars and historic classics. There is a nice looking Rover SD1 race car on their website, which suggests a pretty broad church of interesting motors. They are still interested in new entrants and will include static displays and non-competitive runs on the course, so anyone that has an interesting classic from the 1970s and 1980s might want to get in touch The event will take place on the weekend of 25/26 August and (a few) more details are available at the rallygroupeb website.   Here is the original post: Quattro lives! Group B rally weapons return to UK Excerpt from:  Quattro lives! Group B rally weapons return to UK

Filed under: Humour , Latest News Fiat has managed a cool piece of ambush marketing in Sweden – by parking a Fiat 500 directly outside VW headquarters when Google was filming it for Streetview. Now anyone in Sweden looking up the VW HQ in Södertälje will see a Fiat 500 perfectly parked under the VW corporate identity. Is it Fiat’s way of showing how much better looking the 500 is than the Beetle ? It is not clear how Fiat managed to pull off the stunt. Did a Fiat-loving insider tip off the company that there would be filming that day for Streetview, or did some eagle-eyed Fiat employee notice the camera car lurking around the town? Whoever did it, Google Streetview users are going to be seeing the image for some time to come. Even Google can’t afford to film every street every month, so it is likely to be a year or two before the image gets replaced. We look forward to seeing how VW responds. Come on guys, you have to top that with an even better prank on Fiat. It shouldn’t be hard – this is the company that makes the swamp-monster Multipla, after all. Our thanks to www.resume.se for reporting the story originally.   Read the original post: VW accidentally advertises Fiat 500 Go here to see the original: VW accidentally advertises Fiat 500

Filed under: Latest News Hertz, the car rental company, is setting up a car sharing club in Oxford that will only offer electric vehicles. This probably makes a lot more sense for most people than buying an electric car. Members of the car club can rent the Nissan Leafs by the hour for as little as £5 and can recharge them at any one of 32 charging points round the city (due to expand to 60 charging points soon). Of course, the big issue with electric cars is that they are not much use for long-trips, so it can seem a bit of a waste to spend over £20,000 on a car that is mostly suitable for short journeys. However, the car club neatly solves the problem. People can rent the Leafs for shopping trips or journeys around Oxfordshire without having all that money tied up in owning the car. If the Oxford approach proves a success, it is to be hoped other cities will follow suit. Car clubs are proving very popular in London, and electric cars would be ideal. If you could rent one for a couple of hours, return it and leave it recharging for the next user, it could start to reduce the levels of urban pollution in major cities. London , for example, consistently breaks EU limits on air pollution.   Read more from the original source: Hertz launches Electric Vehicle car club in Oxford View original here:  Hertz launches Electric Vehicle car club in Oxford

BMW North America releases to dealers the ordering guide and pricing for the 2012 BMW M6 Convertible and 2013 BMW M6 Coupe. The 2012 BMW M6 Convertible will be the first of the three new M to arrive in US BMW Center showrooms. The M6 Convertible arrives this June and will be priced at $113,995 (including $895 Destination and Handling). As we have seen last month, the online configurator shows the M6 Convertible and Coupe in the following standard colors: San Marino Blue, Singapore Grey, Black Sapphire, Mojave, Silverstone and Space Gray. The BMW Individual color pallet includes Citrin Black, Tanzanite Blue, Ruby Black and Moonstone. The unique Individual colors will cost an additional $1,800. The more refined upholstery which includes Platinum/Black Full Merino leather, Opal White Full Merino, Amaro Brown Full Merino, Champagne Full Merino and Canyon Brown Full Merino, will have the owners spend another $5,000. For those looking to equip your M6 with the special M Carbon Ceramic Brakes, additional $8,7000 will be added to the base price. The list of standard features is quite extensive, from 19″M light alloy wheels to Comfort Access Keyless Entry, rear-view camera, Park Distance Control and Navigation System. A full list can be seen in the PDF below. Download PDF   Go here to read the rest:  Ordering Guide: 2012 BMW M6 Convertible and 2013 M6 Coupe

It’s 2012, and you know what that means – the end of the world! No, not really – we just wanted to make sure you were paying attention. 2012 is Tesla’s “Year of the Model S.” This is a time of reckoning; Model S is the make-or-break. If they can’t turn a profit with this car, it’s over. Tesla has been around since 2003 and without a real product line, lost money during that period. Millions of development dollars have been poured in for development of the Tesla and primarily the Model S. Up until now Tesla hasn’t generated much because the Roadster never sold in large quantities. Most of it has come through deals with other companies and deposits on the Model S and upcoming Model X crossover. That is all about to change soon once deliveries of the Model S begin. Case in point? Tesla calls 2012 the “year of two halves.” If all goes to plan, the two parts of the year couldn’t be more different. Case in point? The Model S is expected to account for 90 percent of Tesla’s revenue this year, and it will only be on sale for six months. Talk about a big launch. This information is especially important because Tesla has just reported its financials for the first quarter. The company logged a $89.9 million (86 cents per share) loss and revenue of $30.2 million, down due to the discontinuation of Roadster sales in North America. Revenue for the entire year is expected to be between $560 and $600 million. Thanks to crash test certifications progressing quickly, Tesla expects to deliver the Model S in June, a month ahead of schedule. Most people expected delays, if anything so this is really impressive. Stock jumped 8 percent on the announcement. So far Tesla has pulled everything off flawlessly. We can’t underscore how big of a deal it is that Model S is making it to production. We’re experiencing the making of a new American car company, and we hope Model S blows past Tesla’s sales expectations. No related posts. Automoblog.net – A Car Blog for Auto Enthusiasts Read the original:  2013 Tesla Model S Ahead of Schedule, Tesla Reports $89.9 Million Loss

A new recall was issued by BMW of North America for faulty head restraints. The recall affects 7,600 new 2012 BMW 3 Series manufactured between October 18, 2011 and March 18, 2012. The recall bulletin states that in a collision, the head rest could move down by 25 mm, increasing the risk of a neck injury. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, BMW plans to notify owners this month, and dealers will address the problem by installing a small clip to limit the headrest’s movement. For more information, see below. Vehicle Make / Model: Model Year(s): BMW / 3-SERIES 2012 Manufacturer: BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC Mfr’s Report Date: APR 19, 2012 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 12V176000 NHTSA Action Number: N/A Component: SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT Potential Number of Units Affected: 7,600 Summary: BMW IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 BMW 3-SERIES VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 19, 2011, THROUGH MARCH 18, 2012, THAT HAVE FRONT SEAT HEAD RESTRAINTS THAT EXCEED THE DOWNWARD MOVEMENT LIMIT OF 25MM IN THE HIGHEST POSITION. THUS, THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 202A,”HEAD RESTRAINTS.” Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE HEAD RESTRAINT MAY UNEXPECTEDLY MOVE DOWN SLIGHTLY IF IT WAS ADJUSTED TO THE FULLY EXTENDED POSITION, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY. Remedy: BMW WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL ATTACH A CLAMP TO THE FRONT SEAT HEAD RESTRAINT POSTS, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MAY 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BMW CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND SERVICES AT 1-800-525-7417. Notes: CUSTOMERS MAY CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION’S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV. See the rest here:  BMW recalling 7,600 new 3 Series models over faulty head restraints

The B7 is produced at the same assembly line in Dingolfing,Germany, along with BMW’s own 7-Series. For the 2011 model year, the B7′s twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 is assembled by hand at ALPINA’s facility in Buchloe,Germany, before being shipped to BMW for installation. After, the assembled vehicle is then sent back to ALPINA for finishing touches. The B7′s engine, derived from the BMW N63 that is found in the standard BMW lineup, matches the BMW 750i in fuel economy despite increased performance, plus its lighter weight than the 760Li’s V12 engine gives the B7 considerably better weight distribution and handling. The aluminum 4395cc V8 aggregate yields 507hp (373 kW) at a moderate 5500rpm, with a maximum torque of 700Nm available between 3000-4750rpm. Two specially constructed for ALPINA turbochargers with generously-dimensioned turbine vanes are responsible for the forced induction. Thorough exploitation of the engine’s potential was achieved by means of optimizing the indirect intercooler (air-water/water-air) with its short intake paths and flow-optimized intercooler tracts. High-performance pistons are at work in the cylinders, carefully developed to harmonize with a compression of 9.2:1 and a maximum turbo boost of 1.0 bar.  The result is a formidable specific output of 115hp (85kW) per liter, with a maximum average compression of 20.1 bar, a benchmark even amongst established sports cars Dynamic, graceful and potent – the silhouette of the B7 Bi-Turbo is significantly influenced by the evolutionary new design of the 21” ALPINA CLASSIC wheels. A turbine-like three-dimensional curve guides each of the 20 spokes from the centre of the wheel to the rim, at which point they have a milled surface. Depending on the angle of the viewer, the rotational speed of the wheels and the light, the appearance of these classic wheels is constantly changing. Of course they continue to possess the refined tire air valves, safely and attractively hidden away behind the lockable wheel covers At the present, the only ALPINA car offered in the USA has been the Alpina B7. BMW of North America offered 800 Alpina B7s as limited edition models for 2007 and 2008, which all quickly sold out. The F01 B7 was offered again for the 2011 model year in...

The BMW Group continued on its successful course as the world’s leading premium car company once again in April with an increase of 6.1% in sales. A total of 145,505 (prev. yr. 137,195) BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brand automobiles were sold worldwide last month. Over the past four months the number of deliveries climbed 9.8% to a new record of 571,040 vehicles (prev. yr. 519,958). “Following on from the best first quarter in the company’s history, we have just reported our most successful April sales ever. We are well on course to achieving a record year in 2012. We are clearly benefitting from a very attractive product line-up which is finding success with customers right across the globe. This momentum will continue as we add new vehicles throughout the year, such as the BMW 6 Series Gran Coupé in June”, said Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management, Sales and Marketing BMW, in Munich on Tuesday. The BMW Group made strong gains in nearly all regions and in many markets in the month under review. Sales continued to grow dynamically in Asia with 39,770 vehicles delivered (prev. yr. 31,803/ +25.1%). China accounted for 27,197 deliveries, an increase of 30.8% over the same month last year (prev. yr. 20,800) in China. Sales were solid across America with 32,705 vehicles delivered in April (prev. yr. 31,491/ +3.9%). In the U.S., 26,793 vehicles were delivered in April which reflects an increase of +6.1% over the same month last year (prev. yr. 25,247). In Europe, sales remained at last year’s level with 68,033 vehicles sold (prev. yr. 69,409/ -2.0%). Several markets in northern and central Europe attained healthy growth in April, for example the Netherlands (2,100/ +29.0%), France (5,150/ +9.2%) and Austria (2,057/ +9.4%). In Germany, a total of 27,192 new BMW and MINI vehicles were registered in April, an increase of +6.2% over last year (prev. yr. 25,600). The BMW brand accounted for 23,420 registrations (prev. yr. 21,866/ +7.1%) and MINI for 3,772 registrations (prev. yr. 3,734/ +1.0%). BMW:  Worldwide sales of BMW brand vehicles climbed to 121,476 (prev. yr. 113,090 / +7.4%) in the month under review. The brand has delivered a total of 478,030 (prev. yr. 434,270) vehicles to customers worldwide since the start of the year – an increase of...

BMW will recall over 24,000 vehicles sold in the United States. The 24,340 vehicles built from 2009-2011 may fail to meet U.S. and California emission regulations. Roughly 2,740 are X5 xDrive50i and X6 xDrive50i manufactured in 2011 and 2012. Another 21,600 units recalled are 3 Series models. According to Dirk Arnold, VP of Communication at BMW North American, the recalls are scheduled for May 9. The vehicles affected were manufactured at the plant in Spartanburg, S.C., and Germany. Arnold said that certain emissions parts, the SCR catalyst, the DEF mixer and the EGR valve, may improperly overstate vehicle mileage, causing emissions standards to be exceeded and the illumination of the “Service Engine Soon” light. BMW said the repair will require the inspection and replacement of one or more of the emissions components and the reprogramming of the vehicle’s engine control unit. This year, BMW had to recall 1.3 million 5 Series and 6 Series vehicles from the 2003 to 2010 model years. U.S. recalls accounted for 368,000 of them. [Source: Automotive News - sub. req. ] View original post here:  BMW will recall 24,000 vehicle to fix emission glitch

Today started out pretty miserable, weather wise. Teams awoke to loud thunderstorms, heavy rain and high winds as they made their way to Mid America Motorplex in Pacific Junction, Iowa. Believe it or not somehow we were the first team to arrive at the track to find the gates locked! Looking at each other, we began to compare our watches, think we’d arrived an hour early; criss-crossing time zone is mentally challenging. Anyway our fears were soon put to rest as a few minutes later the track workers arrived and opened the gates. With all the heavy rain falling we decided to see if we could find shelter for the car and belonging, and soon found the tech shed which suited our purpose. Only problem was the roof leaked when the winds increased their ferocity, and soaked much of our equipment. For those that don’t know this track was closed for most of last year due to being underwater, due to the flooding that occurred in the area in 2011. Fortunately track management and their team had really worked diligently to make the track habitable again to race cars. The storms pushed back the start by an hour to 9:00am, and depending on how you look at it, fortunately the rains started to subside. The early runners would have referred the rain to continue so everyone had to tackle a wet track, while the later runners preferred a drying track for obvious reasons. After yesterday’s run at Autobahn, teams were re-classified based on their finishing position, so we were in the early group which meant Mike would have to learn the track on his recce lap, but also determine which water puddles were safe to transgress and which to avoid. This was SOP for probably the first 20 to 25 runners. After that a drying line began to appear and would allow the later runners an advantage. We were in the third run group and Mike peddled the BMW M5 around had a decent showing, but knew crews in our class running later would have significantly better times, thus reducing our points haul for the morning. After all the runs were complete we finished 19th overall and 5th in Luxury Class. By the time the afternoon sessions started, the track was dry except for the odd puddle here and there, so everyone would be on an even footing. And sure enough the times tumbled. Our morning time was 5:35.319...

Connected and very technology savvy, the younger driving crowd test drives a full assortment of vehicles in the virtual world. Through incredible rich video gaming experiences such as the Grand Turismo and Project Gotham Racing series, it’s possible for some gamers to become completely familiar with a car without stepping into a dealership. Another notable driving game in what is a wide selection of racing titles is MotorStorm RC. Recently introduced for the Sony Playstation 3 and the all-new Playstation Vita handheld console, North American Toyota brand Scion positioned their newly released iQ subcompact car. As a real-world vehicle starting at $15,265, 2012 iQs will bring the gaming experience of MotorStorm RC and other Sony Playstation Vita titles to Scion buyers of the mini car. From May 1st to July 31st, purchase of the nifty, fuel-efficient Scion iQ will come with an additional perk from a popular electronic entertainment device company. A $250 premium, the Sony Playstation Vita portable gaming console will be a hot inclusion with the Scion buying experience. A highly evolved game unit, the Sony Playstation Vita delivers a new generation of on-the-go entertainment (provided when you are not behind the wheel of the Scion iQ. Speaking in regards to the latest dealer promotion with Sony, Scion vice president Jack Hollis declares the product pairing with the iQ as an ideal match. “Similar to the PS Vita, the Scion iQ comes loaded with premium technological features, has a focus on functionality, is concentrated into a suitably small package and most importantly is tons of fun.” said Hollis. While the high-profile offering of a game console with a car purchase is unique for Toyota, high-profile portable electronics have been paired with another vehicle sale as of late. Every 2011 model of the Hyundai Equus luxury sedan, an Apple iPad is standard pre-loaded with the interactive owner’s manual. Hyundai discontinued the inclusion of the Apple iPad into the 2012 model year. Considering the fact the Equus retail price of $59,000, the Scion iQ deal with the Sony Playstation Vita could be seen as a better bang for the buck. The partnership with the Sony Playstation Vita comes as Toyota’s youth-oriented brand fights gain greater support from their target...

The BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported April sales of 26,793 vehicles, an increase of 6.1 percent from the 25,247 vehicles sold in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date, BMW Group is up 13.7% on sales of 102,522 in the first four months of 2012 compared to 90,204 in the same period in 2011. “The momentum of the first quarter proved strong enough to give us a good result in April and I expect solid growth to continue through the rest of Spring and into Summer,” said Ludwig Willisch, President and CEO, BMW of North America. “There’s no shortage of desire in the market, now it’s all about having the right models and being able to meet growing demand.” BMW Brand Sales Sales of BMW brand vehicles increased 12.0 percent in April for a total of 21,062 compared to 18,801 vehicles sold in April, 2011. Year-to-date, the BMW brand is up 15.7 percent on sales of 82,611 compared to 71,417 sold in the first four months of 2011. In April, best performing vehicles included the X5 SAV up 50.9 percent to 3,561 units; the 3 Series, up 20.8 percent to 9,003 units; and the 6 Series, up 92.9 percent to 513 units. BMW Pre-Owned Vehicles In April, sales of BMW used vehicles (including certified pre-owned and pre-owned) fell 7.0 percent to 13,511 vehicles from the 14,521 vehicles sold in April 2011. January through April, BMW used vehicle sales are up 2.1 percent on volume of 54,862 compared to 53,735 in the same period of 2011. MINI Brand Sales MINI USA reported sales of 5,731 automobiles in April, a decrease of 11.1 percent from the record 6,446 sold in April 2011. Year-to-date, MINI sales in the U.S. are up 6.0 percent on volume of 19,911 compared to 18,787 in the first four months of 2011. Table: Sales BMW of North America, LLC, April 2012 April 2012 April 2011 % YTD 2012 YTD 2011 % BMW brand   21,062 18,801 12.0 82,611 71,417 15.7 BMW passenger cars 14,617 13,642 7.1 59,805 51,817 15.4 BMW light trucks  (SAVs) 6,445 5,159 24.9 22,806 19,600 16.4 MINI brand   5,731 6,446 -11.1   19,911 18,787 6.0   TOTAL Group   26,793 25,247 6.1 102,522 90,204 13.7 Read the original:  April 2012: BMW USA sales up 15.7 percent

Remember that theoretical Golf/Jetta CC four-door-coupe-type substance we reported on last month? Yeah, don’t get your hopes up. We’ve learned from European sources that while approval for the car still looks good—a final decision has yet to be made—it is highly unlikely that the car will make it to U.S. dealers. The reason is simple: The thing would be really expensive, and is expected to cost more to build than our Passat. VW China is hot for this car and was originally hoping Volkswagen of America could add volume and bolster the business case. But beyond U.S. sales being unnecessary—the car appears to be on track for China and Europe anyway—China’s hopes were a bit misguided: Sales numbers here would be tiny, especially at a theoretical $30K-plus price point. If the Golf-based CC does indeed get a green light, it should appear elsewhere in about three years. Comparison Test: Volkswagen CC 2.0T vs. Acura TSX V6 and Buick Regal Turbo Comparison Test: VW Passat vs. Malibu, Accord, Sonata, Camry, and Optima First Drive: 2013 Volkswagen CC 2.0T Our sources say that things may change based on currency fluctuations, and that it could— could —be fiscally feasible to bring the car here a few years down the line. It is possible, too, that the MQB-based car could be built in a North American plant once VW has installed tooling for the modular architecture. In closing, however, we’ll just repeat ourselves: Don’t get your hopes up. Illustration by Christian Schulte See more here: Volkswagen Golf/Jetta CC Not Destined for U.S. Go here to see the original: Volkswagen Golf/Jetta CC Not Destined for U.S.

Ease is among the chief differentiators between the obnoxiously wealthy and those who are merely ultra-rich. Ease of buying your way into finer polo clubs, out of lesser felonies, into better key parties, that sort of thing. When it comes to the Audi A8L W-12, the only thing that isn’t easy is saying A8L W-12. When your flagship vehicle’s designation reads like a license plate, maybe it’s time to rethink vehicle names. We’ve got a suggestion for this one: Autobahn King. (more…) Read more: 2012 Audi A8L W12 Instrumented Test: 0 to 60 mph in 4.1 More here: 2012 Audi A8L W12 Instrumented Test: 0 to 60 mph in 4.1