Archive for May, 2009
General Motors Set To Declare Bankruptcy
Posted on 31. May, 2009 by admin.
Numerous business publications and news organizations are reporting that General Motors will enter Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Monday morning, with the U.S. federal government set to be become the majority shareholder in the “new GM,” owning up to 60 percent of the restructured company.
GM is the second largest auto manufacturer in the world, after Toyota. It produces the number two best-selling vehicle in the U.S., the Chevrolet Silverado light and heavy-duty pickup trucks, after the Ford F-Series light and heavy-duty pickups.
President Barack Obama is expected to officially announce the bankruptcy move early Monday. GM is expected to receive as much as $30 billion in financing from the government, in addition to $20 billion previously injected into GM by the U.S. Treasury. The bankruptcy proceedings are expected to take 60 to 90 days and create a smaller GM that can be profitable even if new vehicles sales remain at only 10 million units a year in the United States.
To achieve its smaller footprint, GM will likely have to lay off up to 21,000 more workers and close 12 to 20 factories. Forty percent of the company’s 6,000 dealers are also expected to be shuttered.
The federal government will continue to stand behind GM's new vehicle warranties.
Developing…
[Sources: Bloomberg, New York Times, The Wall Street Journal]
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Spy video: 2011 BMW 6 Series
Posted on 31. May, 2009 by admin.
The 2011 BMW 6 Series was video spied by the folks at Edmunds Insideline. A 6er prototype shows up at the Nurburgring track for more testing and for the first time, judging by the engine sound, we believe we’re looking at test mule powered by the powerful 4.4 liter V8 twin-turbo engine.
As we learned in the past, several powerplants will be available for the new 6 Series, starting with the the twin-turbo 6-cylinder 326 horsepower engine, followed by a 6-cylinder diesel as well and as a surprise, the newly developed, but not yet released, Tri-Turbo 6-cylinder diesel which produces 354 horsepower.
And since we’re moving towards more fuel efficient luxury sport cars, BMW will offer a model under the 655 naming convention which is powered by the hybrid powertrain from the X6 and 7 Series hybrids.
A 6 Series rendering created together with Promotor.ro
The 2011 BMW 6 Series will use the latest 8-speed transmission as well as the 7-speed DCT one. To make the new 6er appeal eve more to car enthusiasts, a new damping system will offer four different sport settings from Comfort right through to Performance , including an option for efficient performance.
As far as the overall design, sources close to BMW confirm that the 2011 6 Series is slightly longer and wider than the current generation and that overall appearance will carry over, based on the idea of an evolutionary design which keeps the premium sport car image. As signaled by BMW’s new CS concept, the automaker will be abandoning its awkward trunk design features in favor of a more streamlined design. It will have shorter overhangs and a lower roofline which implicitly gives the car a more muscular look.
The 2011 BMW 6 Series will launch in the first half of 2010, but more revealing test mules will be seen this summer.
And the Youtube version for those of you outside the U.S.
Click here to view the embedded video.
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Autocar First Drive: BMW X1 xDrive23d
Posted on 31. May, 2009 by admin.
Another BMW X1 test drive came out, this time, the UK based Autocar published their X1 review. As we mentioned earlier today, last week, several auto publications were invited for press preview of the X1 before the official launch in June.
So far, most of the X1 reviews we’ve seen were quite positive and Autocar gives the X1 a passing grade, even more, their last statement is quite powerful: “In simple terms, it takes all the likeable qualities of the 3-series and wraps them up in a higher-riding estate style body, also allowing you to head off-road when the need arises.”
Before we let you read the entire review, we would like to applaud BMW for offering this press preview test drive, which turned out to be an effective marketing method so far.
What is it?
BMW’s new junior off-roader – the X1. UK sales are slated to get underway around October, with local BMW officials hinting at a starting price of £25,000 for the entry-level xDrive18i and rising to around £35,000 for the range topping xDrive28i.
BMW is going for a broad reach with the X1, which will come with the option of three petrol and three diesel engines from the outset. The petrols include two 2.0-litre units with 141bhp and 168bhp, and a 254bhp 3.0-litre six-cylinder unit. On the diesel side there is a trio of 2.0-litre common rail fours producing 141bhp, 175bhp and 201bhp. We’re testing a prototype of the 201bhp xDrive23d here.
A six-speed manual gearbox is standard on all but the xDrive30i and xDrive23d, both of which receive a six-speed automatic with remote shift buttons on the steering wheel.
BMW X1 xDrive23d Full Review
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Photo Gallery: BMW X1 going off-road
Posted on 31. May, 2009 by admin.
Media publications around the world were invited last week to test drive the not-yet released BMW X1. Gathered in the Mallorca region in Spain, auto journalists spent a day behind the wheel of the smallest Sports Activity Vehicle in the BMW line-up.
We showed you yesterday Edmunds’ report on the car and overall, it was quite positive. We have to admit that the X1 is starting to grow on us and we finally see where the car will fit. An X3 sits in our garage currently, but looking at X1 photos, we definitely see ourselves “falling” for it. We love the overall size, interior space seems to be as spacious as the X3, but with a far better design.
Sure, the next X3 is just around the corner and it is rumored to have been taken up a notch on the design scale, but at the same time, it carry a higher price tag.
The BMW X1 will be available in four wheel drive, but in the future, a rear wheel drive option will be offered. With the initial launch in the European market only, the four-wheel drive will be the only option offered. The 2.0 liter 177 horsepower xDrive23d prototype in these images also features an M Sport Package which will be offered to enhance the front fascia.
As reports are starting to flow in, we will keep you updated.
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2010 MINI Crossover caught again
Posted on 31. May, 2009 by admin.
The first crossover vehicle ever developed by the MINI brand has made another appearance. Developed under the internal name “Project Colorado”, the Crossover will be the first MINI developed outside the U.K and built by Magna Steyer, an Austrian company.
MINI Crossover will be available in two versions: the regular front-wheel-drive and a higher-end all-wheel drive model using the xDrive train from BMW.
It can hold up to four passengers and it will be longer than any existing MINI, 13 ft long (4 meters). The crossover also runs on higher wheelbase which should help bolster its off-road credentials.
Even though no official information were released regarding the engine, it is fair to assume that some of the engines found in the Cooper and Clubman models will make their way into the new Crossover, starting with the four-cylinder 1.6 liter gasoline engine (120horsepower) and the latest 1.6 liter turbocharged engine built by BMW.
The MINI Crossover, which is larger than the Clubman, will be first production MINI to measure more than 4 meters in length. Expect its exterior dimensions to be similar to the concept measuring around 4,050mm (159.5-in.) in length, 1,830mm (72.0-in.) in width and 1,598mm (62.9-in.) in height.
The MINI Crossover or Crossman as some media likes to call it, is expected to arrive in the showrooms during the second half of 2010, but it will make its debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show this fall.
[Source: Carscoop ]
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Revere London unveils custom Range Rover Sport
Posted on 31. May, 2009 by admin.
Luxury tuning houses are no rare sight in the automotive world, especially in the UK where companies such as Project Kahn specialize in upgrading exotic models with both aerodynamic and mechanical modifications. Now, a new tuner by the name of Revere London is trying to get in on the luxury tuning action, and to prove that it can take on the already established houses it has just unveiled its first project – a heavily modified Range Rover Sport.
A number of modifications are available for the Range Rover Sport, including an aggressive new bodykit that gives the SUV some edge over the standard model.
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Another round of dealer cuts imminent at GM
Posted on 31. May, 2009 by admin.
Just a couple of weeks ago General Motors revealed that it would be cutting ties with over 1,100 dealerships, and the bad news keeps coming for dealers as the struggling automaker is expected to cut a further 450 dealerships in the coming months.
Many dealerships are under franchise agreements with GM that are expected to finish late next year – at which point around 450 dealers will most likely not have their contracts renewed. The dealerships facing the axe from GM have been chosen because they “have very specific issues”, the automaker’s sales chief Mark LaNeve revealed to Automotive News.
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Car and track listing announced for Need for Speed: Shift
Posted on 31. May, 2009 by admin.
For the driving simulator fan, the Need for Speed series holds a certain nostalgia as one of the first really fun and engaging car games. For the past 15 years the franchise has expanded on that theme, evolving to a level of realistic graphics and fun-focused gameplay that everyone can get on board with. The latest chapter in the series, Need for Speed: Shift, promises to deliver on the fun while upping the reality factor.
Now with the release of the latest instalment in the series, ‘Need for Speed: SHIFT’, the franchise is set to become more driver focused, in the same vein as Forza and the GT series.
Need for Speed: Shift screenshots
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Week 3: “BMW of the Week”
Posted on 30. May, 2009 by admin.
Being busy with the new blog redesign, we neglected our “BMW Of The Week” initiative, but don’t worry, we’re back and planning on continuing to do this from now on. We are still committed to build one of the largest BMW Photo Gallery, so your cooperation and help will be greatly appreciate it. Remember, all you have to do is to head over to our BMWBLOG Flickr Group and upload some photos of your bimmer, your mother’s car, friends, you name it…
To make things even more interesting, every week a BMW will be chosen from the photo gallery and featured as Car of The Week. The way we choose it varies from the best looking bimmer, best photography, best modding to even the most weird modification ever done to a BMW, which brings us to this weeks’ winner.
A heavily modded, tuned up BMW E36 drew our attention and the car featured here, has definitely went through a “serious surgery”, besides being even more lowered, this E36 gets a new hood design with air vents, a more aggressive bumper and a total new design on the sides.
Add to this the custom wheels and especially, the new interior with LCD screens in the headrest, new steering wheel and blue colored trim all around, and you get a BMW that …..doesn’t really look like a BMW anymore.
Why did we choose this car? One, because it’s different and two, just to show you one more time the amount of “craziness” (in a good way) that BMW owerns have.
Thank you Roland Gheorghiu for uploading these photos and many others to the Flickr Group.
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Edmunds: BMW X1 Prototype First Drive
Posted on 30. May, 2009 by admin.
Edmunds’ InsideLine was one of the few media publications invited to test drive the upcoming BMW X1 in a session hosted by BMW in the beautiful Island of Mallorca, Spain. As usual, a very detailed and informative report, but what really got our attention was the little between the lines statemet that BMW will be bringing the X1 to the States sometimes in 2011.
If initially we reported that the BMW X1 will only be available for the European market, at the NYC Auto Show, a BMW representative misterously spoke of BMW’s plans to indeed include the X1 in the U.S. line-up as well. So, apparently, BMW has always had plans for the U.S. market and for those of you looking for a smaller SAV model, the X1 might satfisfy your needs.
We arrived with enthusiasm for a drive of a prototype of the BMW X1 sport activity wagon (or SAW — after the cult series of scare-your-date films??), but then we immediately had the stuffing knocked out of us. Because although the BMW X1 starts deliveries in most of the world in October of this year, it won’t come to North America until the middle of 2011. So we’re driving the 2012 BMW X1.
Of course there are reasons for that, of which more later.
After picking ourselves up, dusting off and starting all over again, we stopped our whining long enough to discover in the still-camouflaged BMW X1 a really solid, car-based people/stuff carrier. Over all kinds of milder terrain and on spectacular curvaceous roads on the mostly German- and British- colonized Spanish island of Mallorca, the 2012 BMW X1 actually rips it up pretty darn well for being a new BMW that we don’t remember anyone anywhere asking for.
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