BMW, Mercedes-Benz Fight to Outsell Each Other in China

BMW, Mercedes-Benz Fight to Outsell Each Other in China
BMW may have outsold Mercedes-Benz globally in 2009, but the two German automakers are both vying to be the biggest luxury brands in the Chinese market.


For the time being, BMW holds that title. Over the past six years, its marketshare in China has grown from 16 to 23 percent, but BMW isn’t resting on its laurels. At the Beijing auto show, CEO Norbert Reithofer announced the company has increased its 2010 sales forecast (which includes BMW, Mini, and Rolls-Royce vehicles) by 20 percent, bumping the total to 120,000 units. In contrast, BMW sold 90,500 vehicles in China in 2009.

New vehicles tailored to the Chinese market -- like the new long wheelbase 5 Series sedan -- will likely help BMW achieve that goal, but the automaker sees the potential to grow over the long term. Reithofer believes his company can build as many as 300,000 vehicles annually in China, thanks in part to an expanded joint venture with Brilliance Automotive Holdings. BMW is expanding its existing plant in Shengyang, which builds the 3- and 5 Series lines, but is also building a second facility, which may build the X1 crossover for the market.

Daimler was a little less forthcoming with specific goals for its Chinese market strategy, but said it simply plans on outselling BMW by 2011. The automaker believes a number of products, designed exclusively for Chinese customers, will help propel it to the top of the sales charts. In addition to launching a new line of heavy-duty trucks for commercial clients, Mercedes-Benz will ultimately launch an electric car co-developed with Chinese automaker BYD, and a long-wheelbase C-class sedan.

Of course, these plans for domination assume another German rival -- Audi -- isn’t able to turn about its fortunes in China. Although it had been the leading luxury brand in the market for the last 20 years, Audi has seen its marketshare slip over the last six years, falling from 66 to 46 percent. Should the firm’s new A8L or the forthcoming A7 fastback resonate with Chinese buyers, BMW and Mercedes-Benz both have their work cut out for them.

Source: Automotive News; 1,2 (Subscription required)

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Spied: U.S.-Spec Fiat 500s Testing in Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, we’re told, is a perfect college town -- but as it’s about 18 miles east of Chrysler’s proving grounds in Chelsea, Michigan, it’s also an ideal road trip destination for engineers exercising Fiat 500 prototypes.

We caught this duo of U.S.-spec 500 test vehicles following one white Euro-spec 500 through downtown Ann Arbor earlier this afternoon. Although we weren’t able to whip our camera out in time to catch all three Cinquecentos in a row, the U.S.-spec prototypes wore body stampings painted in black, and looked slightly wider than European models.


If our visual ruler holds true, this may lend credence to reports suggesting the 500 will grow slightly for its North American debut, allowing Fiat’s little hatchback to move to a new platform, will also underpin the Panda.

Production of the U.S.-spec cars is expected to commence in Chrysler’s Pueblo, Mexico, assembly plant this December. The base 500 will be the first to reach market in early 2011, while the 500C convertible, the performance-tuned Abarth, and a new station wagon model will follow shortly afterward. An electric-powered model and a four-door variant are also being considered.

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Is Subaru Considering a Diesel-Powered WRX STI for Europe

Subaru Tecnica Institute has produced high performance vehicles for over 22 years, but for the first time in its history, there may soon be a diesel-powered Subaru Impreza, tuned for performance, in Europe.


Subaru developed a diesel variant of its famous boxer engine for Europe, which made its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show back in 2007. Fast forward to January 2009, when it launched the diesel-powered Impreza for Europe, whose 2.0-liter flat four turbocharged engine produced 227 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque, mated to a six-speed manual transmission. With Europe's strict emission laws, a diesel-powered STI could be just what Subaru needs to remain compliant.

But will a diesel-powered STI be able to compete with its gasoline-powered stable mate? With a little massaging from Subaru's in-house racing division, it should easily be able to compete. With its low center of gravity, superior fuel economy and low-end torque, a diesel boxer would make perfect sense for the STI. A 2.5-liter turbocharged flat-four gasoline powered STI pumps out 305 horsepower and 290 pound-feet of torque, and we're confident Subaru wouldn't release an oil burning Impreza WRX STI unless it was comparable to the gasoline version.

Just this week, we reported that Subaru greatly improved upon the 2011 STI's handling characteristics. New anti-roll bars, stiffer springs, improved bushings and a lowered ride height all combine for the improved handling. With its improved equipment, the Subaru just lapped the Nürburgring Nordschleife in a record-breaking 7:55. If the rumors from Autocar are true, don't expect a diesel STI to be launched until the Impreza enters its next generation for the 2012 model year.

Source: Autocar

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Report: Saab in Talks with BMW on Underpinnings, Engines for Revived 92

It’s no secret that Saab is hard at work on plans to reintroduce its 92, but it’ll need some help to before the car can be produced. The automaker is preparing to enter into talks with BMW to do just that.

Instead of developing a costly platform from scratch, Saab is in talks with BMW to source underpinnings for the car. Saab is reportedly eyeing Mini’s architecture to underpin the new 92. Saab CEO Victor Muller wants the brand’s new model to closely resemble the teardrop shape of the original car, which was dropped from the Saab lineup in 1956.


According to the report, Saab is also looking into sourcing engines and transmissions from Mini. Mini currently offers 1.6-liter naturally aspirated and turbocharged inline four-cylinder engines here in the States, and 1.4-liter gasoline and 1.6-liter diesel I-4 powerplants are available also. Transmission choices are limited to six-speed manual and automatic gearboxes.

With Saab trying to regain market share, this would be a great move for the marque, but the 92 would be a direct competitor of the Mini Cooper. Although producing components in larger quantities would be beneficial to lower costs, we’re not sure it’s a great idea for Mini to bolster its own competition.

Would it be a good move for Mini to help Saab, or would it cannibalize its own sales?

Source: Reuters and automobilemag

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Le Mans-Winning Bentley Speed 8 to Star at Bentley Drivers Club 60th Anniversary

In 2003, Tom Kristensen, Dindo Capello, and Guy Smith drove the Bentley Speed 8 prototype to victory in the Le Mans 24 Hours. The same car will be featured at the 60th Anniversary of the Bentley Drivers Club at Silverstone.

The Bentley Drivers Club 60th Anniversary meeting promises to be a “moving-museum” of Bentley’s motor racing heritage. Bentleys of every era, ranging from a 1925 3 Litre to the 2003 Speed 8, will appear in the paddock and on the track.

Bentley will be bringing several of its more famous racing cars to the track, including at least two cars that helped the marque win the famous Le Mans race five times between 1924 and 1930. The first official Le Mans works Bentley- a 1925 3 Litre- will be featured as one of them and the 1926 3 Litre, “MK 5205”, is another of the featured Le Mans works Bentleys of old.

In stark contrast to the older racing Bentleys, are the Speed 8 and other Brooklands cars and Bentleys that have raced at BDC events in the past 60 years. The Bentley handicap race is set to show the full mix of Bentley’s racing heritage by pitting classic 3 Litres against more modern Turbo Rs.

The Bentley Drivers Club 60th Anniversary meeting takes place at Silverstone on August 8th and 9th.

Image of Benley at Le Mans in 1925 credited to the W.O. Bentley Memorial Foundation

 source by carsanddriver

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FEATURES: Eight Great Volkswagen-Italdesign Collaborations(1986)

1986 Volkswagen Machimoto
Many have tried to meld the stability of an automobile with the open-air sensation of a motorcycle, but few attempted to do so like Italdesign did with the 1986 Machimoto concept.

Using the 1.8-liter, 16-valve I-4 from the then-current GTI, the Machimoto was a low-slung, topless speedster with unusual rear wheel skirts that were de rigeuer on '80s show cars. The Machimoto's true claim to fame, however, lurked within the cabin. Instead of traditional seating, Giugiaro called for two banks of saddle seating, allowing the driver -- along with seven passengers -- to straddle the seat as if it were a motorcycle.


At the time, critics lambasted the idea of a VW-cycle hybrid, but perhaps Giugiaro had the last laugh. In 2006, Volkswagen showed the three-wheel GX3 concept, and reportedly came very close to pushing the hardcore trike into production.

 ...next page >>
source by automobi

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Audi Sound Engineers Place 62 Speakers into a Q7

After orchestrating the design and installation of some pretty far-out Bang & Olufsen sound systems into vehicles like the R8, A8, and Q7, you'd think Audi's sound engineers would be perfectly content. Not so. In fact, in pursuit of the perfect sound, some engineers within the company have created their dream sound system, which involves stuffing 62 speakers into a Q7.



The venture, dubbed the Audi Sound Project, is the pet project of infotainment development engineer Peter Gleim. His goal -- to focus on wave field synthesis -- sounds like a scientist's fantasy, but is actually quite impressive. The object is to recreate a sound wave with several sources (i.e. speakers) placed closely together. Each speaker is controlled separately, so the signal can be delayed and staggered, allowing the listener to hear an exact reproduction of the original sound. Better yet, the sound is produced in an identical fashion for each seating position.

"We can simulate any wave front," Gleim said in a release. "With stereo, we can generate a sound as if the two speakers were located far outside the car. We can also add any desired spatial impression computationally -- not as a sound effect, but as a mathematically precise simulation."

Gleim's team managed to cram all 62 speakers, baffles, and amplifiers into the Q7, but its interior looks anything but normal. The ASP system includes five tweeters, five subwoofers, and 52 midrange speakers, all connected to a large power amplifier. Speakers are integrated into the dashboard, pillars, door panels -- virtually anywhere engineers could find space. Three separate PCs are needed to control both the amplifier and the entire speaker array.

"Our goal was to show what is technically feasible; to explore the limits," said Denis Credé, head of Audi's sound development. "What we are learning will be integrated into the sound systems of tomorrow. It's like with racing: A lot of what is first tried out on the race tracks of this world later shows up in modified in production vehicles. The Audi Sound Concept project is like racing for sound systems."

We imagine both packaging and cost are two major hurdles in pushing the ASC into production. On that later note, adding the 14-speaker Bang & Olufsen system in an A8 or Q7 adds roughly $6300. We suspect that figure would grow exponentially for a 62-speaker system.
We're fans of excellent sound systems, but aren't always convinced they're worth the investment. What say you -- when shopping for a car, is the sound system an important component, or do you skip that option box?

Source: Audi

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Stunning Stingray: Convertible Chevy Corvette Stingray Concept Spotted?

Allow us, if you will, to play paparazzo for a moment and show you what may be an up-and-coming movie star. Photos of what appear to be a convertible version of the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray (or Centennial) concept recently appeared online, and we wouldn't be surprised if the car is destined for a career in Hollywood.


You may have seen the coupe version of the Stingray in person at the 2009 Chicago Auto Show, but there’s a better chance you saw it on the silver screen. GM’s Corvette Centennial concept was tapped by director Michael Bay for Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen, his 2009 sequel to Transformers.

So, then, what is this? We’ve no idea, other than the fact that someone (GM designers? Bay himself? Robotic alien creatures?) in the Southern California area managed to transform the striking coupe design into an angular roadster. Apart from the stubby wrap-around windshield and the waterfall decklid, we note a few other striking differences between this and the original Stingray concept design:

-a new hood, with two intake nostrils flanking a hood bulge that gives us flashbacks of the C3 ZL1 prototype

-new wheels, which adopt a new five-spoke pattern with deeply offset rims

-deeper front intakes, which appear to house fog/running lamps of some kind in their upper corners. These lamps seem to have replaced the slender, LED lamps that ran up the leading edge of the coupe’s front fenders

The Internet is abuzz with speculation of this car’s origins -- but seeing as Bay is already at work at a Transformers 3 and the car was spotted near a major film industry hotspot, we wouldn’t be surprised to see this ‘Vette gain a supporting role in the upcoming film.

Source: Corvette Blogger, BobsBlitz

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Cannonball: Wall Street Bankers Partake in Road Rally as Performance Bonus

If you're an investment banker, how do you unwind from the stresses of derivative swaps, ethics investigations, and a weakened economy? The answer, it seems, is to blitz your way through Vermont in an expensive supercar along with 13 of your buddies -- and inevitably, get busted by the fuzz.

Reports are still somewhat sketchy, but it appears several top-performing investment bankers from an offshore investment company were rewarded with a special road trip inspired by the Cannonball Run. A road trip from New York City to Montreal was arranged, allowing participants to view the recent Canadian Grand Prix. Over 14 high-performance vehicles, including several Lamborghinis and a Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren -- were rented from a New York company for the trip, which quickly became a high-speed road rally.


On the evening of June 11, the Vermont State Police received a call reporting a group of supercars was traveling at excessive speeds. The SLR was pulled over, but its driver somehow managed to avoid getting a citation.

Another banker wasn't so lucky. Spencer Lodge was clocked by an officer doing nearly 104 mph in a Lamborghini LP560 Spyder, and was arrested on the spot. A plea arrangement forced Lodge to pay $881 in fines and was released from police custody.

Police aren't finished, though -- authorities in Vermont say additional charges may be in the works for the other drivers. In an interview with WCAX, Lt. Bob Stebbins noted these may not be simple speeding tickets -- a number of participants may be charged criminally based upon the dangerous driving involved.

Sources: NBC Today, WCAX.com

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