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REPORT: New Lexus small car headed for U.S. by 2012 - perhaps sooner
Lexus introduced its LF-Ch concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September and it's believed to be a shoo-in for production for the European market. However, The Detroit Bureau is reporting that Lexus is considering bringing the compact hybrid to the U.S. market as well. If it does come here...
Valentino Rossi samples the BMW M3 GTS, drives away in M3 sedan
Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, BMW, Motorcycle Valentino Rossi drives the BMW M3 GTS - Click above for high-res image gallery After securing his record ninth MotoGP title, there's little doubt that Valentino Rossi is the fastest man on...
Yesterday
Electric Rolls-Royce Phantom could arrive within a year
Out of the UK, Autocar is reporting that an electric drive version of the Rolls-Royce Phantom could hit the streets within 12 months. We've been hearing about battery-powered Rollers for some time now, but the rumors seem to be heating up. BMW, Rolls' parent company, has been getting more h...
BMW prices the ActiveHybrid X6 starting at $89,725
For a mere $89,725 you can have your pick of questionable V8 powered BMW X6s. For that price tag you can get the monster 555 hp X6 M or the new the new ActiveHybrid X6. Unlike Mercedes-Benz, which has opted to only make the ML450 hybrid available for lease, BMW will sell the ActiveHybrid X6 to all...
Spy shots: BMW 1-series hybrid spotted in Munich
The 1 Series hybrid will take on the production version of the Lexus LF-Ch concept recently shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show when it hits the market in late 2011 or early 2012. The Lexus is similar in size to the 1er, but will only be offered as a hybrid, while the 1 will retain conventional pow...
Tuesday, Nov 17
ATT Autotechnik drops BMW 335i Doppelturbo-Cabriolet
Filed under: Aftermarket, Convertible, Performance, Europe, BMW ATT Autotechnik Doppelturbo-Cabriolet - click above for high-res image gallery This is the problem: According to ATT Autotechnik -- the M3 Convertible is so good, why bother with any other...
Friday, Nov 13
Mercedes-Benz ML450 Hybrid launches next week for lease only
Monday will see the launch of the first European-branded vehicle equipped with the two mode hybrid system that was co-developed between GM, Daimler, BMW and Chrysler. The Mercedes-Benz ML450 edges out the BMW X6 ActiveHybrid in getting to showrooms but it actually shares much with the B...
Wednesday, Nov 11
First Drive: 2010 BMW X6 ActiveHybrid is technologically impressive... but to what end?
BMW's pitch on how great the X6 ActiveHybrid is goes like this: it's the world's most powerful hybrid vehicle, fuel consumption is reduced about 20 percent compared to a similar vehicle without a hybrid drivetrain, and no matter what speed you're going, the incredibly complicated powe...
BMW's Baloga confirms four-cylinder diesels for U.S. market
While some of us here at ABG HQ are major fans of BMW's diesel engines, we were disappointed when BMW opted to enter the U.S. market only with the twin turbo 3.0-liter six cylinder diesel. As fantastic an engine as that is, the 2.0-liter four cylinder is also plenty strong and yields even better fu...
Tuesday, Nov 10
Spy Shots: BMW 5 Series Touring caught testing... but will it come to America?
Filed under: Spy Photos, Wagon, Europe, BMW, Luxury 2011 BMW 5 Series Touring - click above image for hi-res gallery Looky, looky - it's another piece of future German metal disguised to look like MC Escher on peyote. But what is it? Well, unlike the...
Monday, Nov 9
BMW to launch third hybrid model within the next 12 months
Our leader Sebastian was down in Miami on Friday for international media launch of the BMW ActiveHybrid X6 and we'll have his review shortly. During the event, AutoCar's Greg Kable spoke with BMW project leader Peter Tünnermann about the company's hybrid plans. The X6 and the new ActiveHy...
Thursday, Nov 5
Citroën updates C5 with a small turbo and an all-new diesel
Citroën's entry in the medium-large car segment is the C5. This sedan, which competes against offerings such as the VW Passat, gets updated with a couple of Euro V-compliant powertrains that reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. First, the C5 gets the 1.6-liter THP turbo gasoline eng...
Wednesday, Nov 4
Next BMW M5 to cut CO2 emissions by 20%, no hybrid
To do that, BMW will follow an increasingly common path with direct injection, turbocharging and revised gearing. The M5 will apparently use a version of the 555 hp turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 from the X5M/X6M. The increase in torque from the 383 lb-ft at 6100rpm of the current 5.0-liter V10 to...
SEMA 2009: Local Motors Rally Fighter touches down in Vegas
It looks like the open source model can work for building new cars after all. We finally managed to track down the Local Motors Rally Fighter here at SEMA, and it is even more awesome in person than in pics. The interior on this pre-production car obviously still needs some work, but the rest is...
Chrysler to outfit Fiat 500-approved dealers with specific showroom "salons"
In order to properly court those new wallets buyers, Chrysler plans to open "specific interior showroom branded salons" in select dealerships, mostly in metropolitan areas. A dedicated set of salespeople will be assigned to sell the Fiat 500 in the States... ya know, since they otherwise w...
BMW M3 GTS unveiled!
First deliveries are scheduled to begin in Germany next May, carrying a sticker price of 115,000 euros (about $170k) before taxes. Official engine specs haven't been released, but we're sitll looking at somewhere in the neighborhood of 450 horsepower from the 4.4-liter V8, driving thro...
Spy Shots: Next generation BMW 3 Series pops up swathed in swirlies
The next 3 is also expected to adopt some new powertrains including a new turbocharged and direct-injected three-cylinder engine. When the new 3 arrives here in the U.S., it will likely also mark the return of four-cylinder engines to the brand's U.S. lineup, to which we say, bring on the fuel s...
BusinessWeek calls out 50 Ugliest Cars of Past 50 Years... with questionable results
Beauty, as they say, is in the eye of the beholder. While some cars seem to be almost universally loved for their gorgeous lines and undeniable sense of style - the Lamborghini Miura and Shelby Daytona Coupe certainly come to mind. Others, such as the new Honda Accord Crosstour and even the la...
Officially Official: Toyota confirms departure from Formula One
The buck's got to stop somewhere. Toyota has been pouring in hundreds of millions of dollars into its Formula One racing program for seven years now and has little to show for it. Now after both Honda and BMW have mothballed their F1 teams, Toyota has confirmed longstanding speculation by do...
Tuesday, Nov 3
Rumormill: $170k BMW M3 GT/GT4 Street probably not coming to U.S.
The prototype is said to have already lapped the Nurburgring in 7:40, with testing still underway in France. Targeting the Porsche 911 GT3, the hard-core M3 will be extremely limited in production - possibly as few as 25 examples annually - available directly from BMW Motorsport but cert...
MV Agusta teases new F4, details leak out ahead of EICMA
Shortly after showing off its new 2010 Brutale naked streetfighter, iconic Italian motorcycle manufacturer MV Agusta will unveil its range-topping F4 sportbike at the EICMA motorcycle show. MV let loose one teaser image early last month, but details are just now starting to leak out ab...
Monday, Nov 2
REPORT: Mini's future models roadmapped; big, small, efficient and diesel (maybe)
Finally, the crystal ball tells us that the well-liked Coupe Concept and Roadster Concept seen earlier this year at the Frankfurt Motor Show have been green-lighted for a hopeful 2012 debut. One year later, the stalwart Cooper hatchback is scheduled for its second major redesign since t...
Sorry, Acura dealers: V8, RWD dropped for "low-growth period"
Part of the shift in strategy for Acura - which still markets exclusively in North America and China - is to put the final nail in the coffin for a rear-drive platform and V8 engines, two components seen as vital for going toe-to-toe with the European brands. Instead, Acura will reportedly f...
Sunday, Nov 1
VIDEO: Hyundai steps up to remedy world's worst parking job
One of the cars crushed by the X5 was a 2004 Hyundai Elantra belonging to Todd Jamison - a car that he had finally finished paying off the month before the incident. To make him feel better after that little misfortune, Hyundai gave Mr. Jamison a brand new Hyundai Elantra Touring. Follow the jum...
Another One From the Vault: BMW E39 M5 Wagon
It seems to be raining apocryphal BMW M cars that have been sitting in cold storage. And in a way, it has! On Thursday, we saw the mind-boggling, hyper-cool E34 M5 Convertible that BMW stashed away for twenty long years. Today's car isn't nearly as crypto (meaning we've seen pictures of it bef...
Friday, Oct 30
Vroom for Everyone: Local Motors unveiling crowdsourced Rally Fighter at SEMA [w/VIDEO]
The wild things have left the movie theaters and are headed toward Las Vegas. Destination? SEMA. Case in point, the Rally Fighter. Local Motors, the company that plans to build the offroadster, is attempting an industry first: dipping into the collective wisdom of the Internet (we're not s...
Thursday, Oct 29
Add Lightness: BMW signs joint venture to further carbon fiber research
Now that steel and aluminum are vying for top billing as the metal of choice in Automobile Land, carbon fiber is often considered the next logical step towards reducing the prodigious weight of today's cars and trucks - especially for high performance and eco-friendly vehicles. The prob...
Greenlings: How does weight affect a vehicle's efficiency?
Today, one of the main reasons automakers want to reduce weight is because it's a great way to increase MPG numbers. AutoblogGreen reader GenWaylaid sent in a Greenlings question about how, exactly, reducing weight helps efficiency. We investigate his query after the jump.
Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 10.29.09
Also of interest: SEMA Preview: Suzuki showing Kizashi-strong lineupREPORT: BMW builds E34 M5 Convertible, keeps it secret for 20 long yearsMitsubishi sketches out Concept-cX-influenced compact crossover for 2010SEMA 2009: Hennessey preps a 500-hp carbon look Genesis CoupeEdm...
Remember how luxury crossovers were "The Next Big Thing?" Yeah, not so much.
According to Cadillac's general sales manage Ed Peper, mid-size luxury crossovers like the SRX, Audi Q5, and Land Rover LR3 "are like 26 percent of the luxury market." Perhaps he should have phrased that "are still 26%," because an Edmunds chart reveals that the crossover luxury segment...
Megacity will be BMW's first to use carbon fiber "on a large scale"
The two vehicles mentioned in the release are the BMW M6 Coupé and the Megacity, which is part of the automaker's Project i. BMW still isn't spilling the beans about the type of powertrain - is it a hybrid or will it be offered with different powertrain options? - in the Megacity, but did say th...
REPORT: BMW builds E34 M5 Convertible, keeps it secret for 20 long years
Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Performance, Europe, BMW Source: Autocar]REPORT: BMW builds E34 M5 Convertible, keeps it secret for 20 long years originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Wednesday, Oct 28
GM-Volt founder stranded, learns why EVs take so long to bring to market
This is the sort of issue that is normally found and fixed in the hundreds of thousands of miles of durability testing done before a car is put on sale. All of this applies to every new vehicle regardless of powertrain. Is this public beta testing really what you want automakers to do? Or would y...
BMW creates an M5 CSL, and no, you can't have it
The transformation began with a modified version of the standard M5's 5.0-liter V10, which has been stroked to 5.5-liters and fitted with a carbon fiber intake, secondary oil cooler and a new fascia. BMW remains mum on official power figures, but Biermann says the mods are good for around 58...
Opinion: REPORT: Evidence mounting that 2010 Audi S4 is underrated
Everyone knows that the BMW 335i is the most underrated car currently on the market in terms of raw thrust and grunt. BMW claims 300 hp and 300 torques, but even dogs know that BMW's trick 3.0-liter twin-turbo engine puts out much closer to 350 hp and 350 tire-spinning pound feet of torque. Why?...
Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 10.28.09
BREAKING: Acura confirms Euro Honda Accord Tourer coming as TSX sport wagon! When we polled you yesterday about your unrequited love of the JDM-only Accord Tourer we had no idea Honda would announce plans to bring the wagon to the States... wearing an Acura badge.
VIDEO: BMW tests new wind tunnel with a model we can appreciate
A couple of points - sadly, Sylvie was diagnosed with cancer right after the photo shoot was completed. She was treated, so far so good, but now wears a wig. We know this because BMW chose to exploit her illness to point out that despite the wig, Sylvie still rocks out in a convertible. Thanks BMW...
VIDEO: How not to park your BMW X5
When we think about off-road prowess, brands like Land Rover, Jeep and Hummer come to mind. We've never once considered putting BMW on that list, though the Ultimate Driving Machine gets its kudos for its on-pavement athletic talent. That predisposition could change after watching a rou...
AW: Jaguar to hatch R-D6 inspired sports fastback for 2014
The new car would reportedly be one size smaller than the current XF and would share its aluminum chassis architecture with the next XK and planned XE sportscars. After the five-door hits the market, there's a reasonable chance a sportier three-door could shortly follow. Power will repor...
BMW may add four-cylinder diesel to 5-series GT, not for U.S.
BMW's new 5-series Gran Turismo is just now going on sale in Europe and will be coming to U.S. dealers in the next few weeks. However, the Munich brand is already looking at expanding the powertrain lineup. Here in the U.S., we will get the 535 and 550 GT with turbocharged six- and eight-cylinder ga...
Tuesday, Oct 27
Ford officially confirms China's Geely as preferred bidder for Volvo
In spite of the lack of shareholding, Ford doesn't want Volvo to wither on the vine and wants whoever buys it to have the resources to make it a going concern - unlike what happened when BMW dumped Rover. Perhaps the toughest nut to crack will be intellectual property concerns. Any time a sale l...
Right-hand drive Camaro available in Australia for a measly $128,500 USD
For years and years, avid American car enthusiasts thought of a certain Holden as the Holy Grail. In hushed tones and with furtive looks, we let each other know that, yeah, the BMW E39 M5 is pretty dang sweet, but there's this Australian car... a four-door with a six-speed and a Corvette motor... an...
Rendered for Your Pleasure: Subaru WRX-powered Kickboxer motorcycle concept
There's a longstanding tradition of using horizontally-opposed boxer engines in motorcycles - and not just from BMW - the flat configuration has found a home in a slew of two-wheelers ranging from Russia's Ural to the current Honda Goldwing. So, it's not too much of a stretch to wonder how...
Rumormill: BMW looking at cheaper 5 Series Gran Turismo, rules out M model
The famed automotive pot-stirrers at Autocar are at it again. According to two blurbs from the UK publication, BMW's new 5 Series Gran Turismo may spawn at least one less costly, less powerful variant, but a high-performance M version is apparently off the table.
Ford makes biggest gains in Consumer Reports annual reliability report, Japanese still lead
General Motors had 20 of 48 models score average reliability, while Chrysler saw one-third of its models place below average. The Asian brands, meanwhile, are still the standard bearer for reliability. Of all the Asian models included in the report, 69 percent scored above average relia...
Spy Shots: BMW 3 Series coupe and convertible get mild rhinoplasty
In back the car gets revised taillights and a bumper massage. Inside expect slightly upgraded ergonomics and iDrive. The sedan and touring are rumored to get this look as well, and should appear next year. Source: Carscoop]Spy Shots: BMW 3 Series coupe and convertible get mild rhinoplasty...
Monday, Oct 26
REPORT: BMW to focus on premium, upmarket EVs
BMW is known for offering premium automobiles and motorcycles here in the United States, so it comes as little surprise that the German automaker would plan to produce premium electric vehicles as well. According to Autocar, those electric vehicles, which are currently being develope...
REPORT: Mini 'Countryman' crossover skipping Detroit for Geneva?
The Mini will be produced at Magna's plant in Austria, but first BMW has to complete the shift in X3 production from that plant to its facility in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Until that's done, Countryman production can't begin. That has observers figuring that the production Mini cross...
Sunday, Oct 25
Spy Shots: 2011 BMW 5-Series
Under the hood will be the usual suspects, with the 550i supposedly getting the brand's eight-speed auto. There are also rumors of a turbocharged four-cylinder and Active Hybrid. The car should make its first public appearance sometime early next year.
Friday, Oct 23
V-Series Challenge participants announced, no surprises inside
The three participating journalists include Jalopnik's Wes Siler, who will be racing Lutz in a Jaguar XFR; Jack Baruth representing The Truth About Cars and freelancer and New York Times contributor Lawrence Ulrich. We have no idea what the latter two journos will be piloting, but we do k...
Thursday, Oct 22
Tokyo 2009: Yamaha Super Tenere doesn't panic, always knows where its towel is
Yamaha looks to have channeled a bit of BMW with the Super Tenere concept bike that's currently being displayed at the Tokyo Motor Show. Like the Bavarian automaker's Gina concept, the Super Tenere eschews traditional bodywork for a fabric covering supported by some kind of internal ske...
F1 teams play musical engines as Cosworth emerges the favorite for 2010
The two veteran teams would be joining Manor, Campos, Lotus and USF1 under Cosworth power. Ferrari, Renault and Toyota will, of course, continue building their own engines. If McLaren doesn't absorb BMW's engine department in time, it will likely stick with Mercedes, while Brawn and For...
Wednesday, Oct 21
Tokyo 2009: Alpina B7 Bi-Turbo LWB is longer, and therefore better
The Alpina B7 Bi-Turbo long wheelbase revealed at the Tokyo Motor Show today doesn't add anything to the less well-endowed Alpina B7 we saw at Geneva except length, but isn't that enough? The double-turbo'd 4.4-liter V8 brings 507 romping horsepower and 275 lb-ft. of torque - all of which i...
Tuesday, Oct 20
Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 10.20.09
Mazda's design chief working on new RX-7Infiniti working on premium compact electric car?Next generation Nissan Micra coming to the U.S.OnStar prevents its first high-speed chaseSpy Shots: BMW resurrecting the M3 CSL? Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 10.20.09 originally appeared on Au...
Tuesday, Sep 29
Autoblog Podcast #147
Episode #147 of the Autoblog Podcast is ready for your consumption. Chris calls in to Sam and Dan, and the trio bites into a few timely topics. BMW's move to put its turbo 4.4 liter V8 into the M5 is our first subject of conversation, before moving on to more powertrain news with the rumors that th...
Monday, Sep 28
Opinion: REPORT: BMW M5 dropping V10 for turbo V8
BMW M5 - Click above for high-res image gallery The straight six in the first BMW M5 supersedans was silky smooth and plenty powerful, but it was getting a bit long-in-the-tooth, so it had to go. It was replaced by the 400 hp V8 in the E39, then later with the fire-breathing V10 in the current M5...
Thursday, Jul 23
Opinion: BMW throws big cash on the hoods of its U.S. diesel offerings
BMW is offering the rebates on the X5 35d and 335d as an "Eco Credit" to supplement Cash for Clunkers. BMW points out that on top of the up to $4,500 in incentives, buyers of the Bavarian diesels are also eligible for tax credits of $900 for the 335d and $1,800 for the X5 35d. And since the oil-burn...
Thursday, May 28
Podcast: Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 5.28.09
First Ride: BMW F 800 GS Chris, Sam, and Dan toss the ball around this week discussing the Lexus HS250h, the Toyota Prius's newfound chassis grace, the production version of the BMW 5-Series GT, Cadillac's sharp new SRX, and of course, a few questions.Other news of import
Monday, May 11
Opinion: Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 5.11.09
BMW dropping a cylinder for next-gen 1- and 3-Series The next 1- and 3-Series from BMW, as well as the Z2 roadster, are rumored to get a new range of turbocharged three- and four-cylinder gasoline engines as part of BMW's push to cut emissions and fuel consumption.
Thursday, Apr 23
Opinion: Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 4.23.09
What started with a Viper-bodied mule, a few drawings and a full-scale interior mock-up has evolved into this, the latest prototype caught outside AMG Headquarters in Affalterbach, Germany. Other news of import Rolls-Royce considering trademark suit against Geely GE
Wednesday, Jun 18
Autoblog Podcast #98
Filed under: Concept Cars, Motorsports, Podcasts, Coupes, Sedans/Saloons, BMW, Cadillac, Ford, Jaguar, Celebrities, Special/Limited EditionsWe're back for a fifth week in a row, a recent record at the very least. Chris, Sam, and Dan edge us ever closer to number 100 with Autoblog Pod...
Wednesday, Aug 29
We've heard this before: USA Today reports hatches are coming back
Being the auto-obsessive types that you are, we're sure you can recount endless conversations with potential car buyers about the variety of body styles on the market, and how several of the CUVs and wagons currently available are, at times, far superior to their overblown SUV counterp...
Wednesday, Jul 11
Autoblog Podcast #70
Turning our gaze to the Roundel, BMW has officially officialized the 1-series coupe. With real snort under the hood of even the base model, it appears that this car may have found some of the DNA that the 2002tii left kicking around. Will the styling be off-putting? Will it poach MINI buyers?...
Friday, Jul 6
First review of the BMW M3 by Car Magazine
The final verdict? The car isn't as hard edged as the previous E46 version - a cost of trying to please a more general audience - but it's still very fast, practical and well built. Now the wait is on for the hardcore, track-focused, CSL version. [Source: Car Magazine]
Tuesday, Jul 3
Officially Official: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG
Mercedes-Benz has announced the latest edition of its M3 challenger - the new C63 AMG. The new uber-C has an AMG hand-built 6.3L V-8 with 451 hp and 443 lb-ft of twisting force. As with other Germans from Audi and BMW, the C63 has it's terminal velocity electronically capped at 155 mph, althoug...
Thursday, May 10
Spy Shots: Hyundai's RWD Coupe!
Hyundai is about to be a very hot brand, and the biggest log on the fire will be its upcoming rear-wheel-drive BH platform that will spawn the Genesis luxury sedan, a long-wheelbase Genesis model, a Kia version of the Genesis, a possible pickup, and a groundbreaking (for Hyundai) rear-wh...
Wednesday, May 2
BMW M1 reborn as the new tii!
The M series cars are now a staple of the BMW lineup, representing the high-performance iterations of several of the "mainstream" models. However, back in 1978 before the M3 or M5 or M6 were ever conceived, BMW had a desire to compete against the Porsche 911 that was dominating endurance ra...
Monday, Apr 30
SPY VIDEO: Mercedes-Benz C-Class Estate
Aside from the hunch-back, the C-Class Estate is virtually identical to its sedan sister, and offers the same range of engines that starts with the 156-hp C180 and extends up to the 272-hp C350, with a few diesels thrown into the mix. Source: World Car Fans]
Friday, Mar 23
Hyundai "BH" in U.S. by 2008, will not replace Korea's Equus
Filed under: New York Auto Show, Sedans/Saloons, Hyundai Source: Wards Auto] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time
