William Maley

More 3-Series News: Possible Diesel & Confusion Over The Wagon William Maley - Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com October 19, 2011 BMW could be bringing a sequel to their previous 3-Series diesel. Inside Line was speaking with BMW's head of sales and marketing, Ian Robertson. Robertson said "the diesel infrastructure is progressing well in the U.S.," and "the negative historical baggage associated with diesel is being removed." "The X5 diesel is doing well in the U.S.. From month-to-month it accounts for a third or half of sales. It is still an issue of getting bums on seats. U.S. buyers are still astonished by how good a modern diesel is." said Robertson. Robertson also said diesels will also play a role to meeting upcoming CAFE fuel economy standards. Inside Line also asked Robertson if the new 3-Series Touring (aka Wagon) would make the crossing. Robertson said the touring would not make it due to concerns with sales. BMW's own sales projections say they would be able to sell about thousand wagons a year in the U.S.. "The sport-activity vehicle is still dominant in the U.S. There would need to be a major change in behavior to make the Touring a success." However, Autoblog is reporting the 3-Series Touring will make it sometime after the 2013 European debut. The current Touring will solider on till that time. Source: Inside Line, Autoblog

Fisker Karma Gets The EPA Certification William Maley - Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com October 19, 2011 2011 hasn't been an easy year for Fisker. The company has had to push back the delivery date of their Karma sedan from May to November due to a number of delays with production and certifications. Now, the company has gotten certification from the EPA that shows the Karma complies with emissions standards and fuel economy ratings. That mean Fisker can begin delivering vehicles to their dealers. The EPA gave the Fisker Karma an EPA rating of 52 MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent,)an all-electric range of 32 miles and 20 miles per gallon on gasoline when the battery runs dry. That's a large drop from the 67.2 MPGe and an all-electric range of 50 miles Fisker was saying early on. Now before you start saying the Karma is a failure with the ratings, remember what the Karma's competition is; cars like the Mercedes-Benz CLS550, Audi A7, etc. Owners of these vehicles would be impressed with 20 MPG. With the EPA certification in hand, Fisker can now begin delivering vehicles. The first batch of 39 Karma sedans will be demonstration models for dealers. Source: Green Car News

Rumorpile: Toyota FT-86 To Come Under 2,500 lbs? William Maley - Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com October 19, 2011 At next month's Tokyo Motor Show, we'll finally see the production versions of the often teased Toyota FT-86 coupe. But that isn't stopping details of the new vehicles from leaking out. Autocar is reporting today that the FT-86 will have a curb weight close to 1,100 kg, which is about 2,425 lbs. To put that into prospective, the Hyundai Genesis coupe is 800 lbs heavier when equipped with it's turbo-4. Source: Autocar

Can't wait for the changes

GM Develops Mobile Technology That Watches Road Ahead Portable devices debut at Intelligent Transport Systems World Congress System communicates with other vehicles, surrounding infrastructure and pedestrians to warn driver about potholes, construction zones and cyclists GM researchers put the technology into small mobile devices and smartphone applications connected to vehicle display, for easy use Technology expected to be available later this decade will be a significant leap in safety 2011-10-17 - DETROIT – New technology being developed by General Motors researchers could alert drivers of potentially dangerous driving situations in advance by using small, portable devices to create a wireless safety net. These portable devices are designed to gather information from other vehicles and infrastructure to warn drivers about slowed or stalled vehicles, hard-braking drivers, slippery roads, sharp curves and upcoming stop signs and intersections. Instead of minimizing a collision once it occurs, as most safety systems do today, these new technologies could help prevent crashes altogether. This technology, known as vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication systems could help avert nearly 81 percent of all U.S. vehicle crashes, according to a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “These safety systems could provide a significant leap in automotive safety, but their effectiveness goes up dramatically as more people use them,” said Don Grimm, senior researcher for GM’s Perception and Vehicle Control Systems group. “By putting the technology into portable devices, we could make this potentially life-saving technology widely available and more affordable.” GM has been testing the technology in two mobile platforms: a transponder about the size of a GPS unit and a smartphone application that can be tied to the vehicle’s display unit. GM is l showcasing the technology this week at the Intelligent Transport Systems World Congress in Orlando. The portable transponder has its own display screen. For the smartphone application, GM engineers can connect the smartphone to the vehicle’s audio and video display systems to seamlessly integrate notifications into the automobile. The embedded system, portable transponder and smartphone technologies all use Dedicated Short-Range Communications, or DSRC, to transfer data between devices and have a communication range of about one-quarter of a mile in all directions. The DSRC radio can send and receive messages with other vehicles in the area, as well as communicate with fixed radios connected to traffic signals or construction zones. These systems can provide critical information using basic location data. For example, if the driver at the head of a string of vehicles applies the brakes, those that follow can automatically get an alert. Two vehicles approaching an intersection can warn each other before the drivers can see each other. When fully connected to the automobile’s computer system, these devices also can relay information already being collected by sensors throughout the automobile. The sensors that activate electronic stability control, for example, could alert drivers in other vehicles about hazardous road conditions ahead. As an added benefit, the smartphones have the potential to be used by pedestrians and bicyclists, who could download a special application to let drivers know their location. The technology could help prevent vehicle-to-vehicle collisions and also reduce the number of collisions with pedestrians and bicyclists. “The technology we’re testing right now is a viable solution for providing crucial safety information to drivers,” Grimm said. “Instead of just seeing what’s right in front of them, drivers will be able to know about the truck a quarter-mile ahead that’s stalled in their lane. Later this decade, smartphones, transponders and embedded systems could be working together to make our roadways safer.” GM is working on embedding these communications systems into new vehicles, but with the average age of U.S. vehicles at 10.2 years, according to Polk, GM researchers also have been focusing on finding ways to retrofit automobiles already on the road.

Chrysler's Large Cars Getting Diesel And Hybrid Options William Maley - Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com October 18, 2011 Chrysler hasn't been shy with offering diesels for the US. Back in the mid to late 2000's, Chrysler offered versions of the Jeep Liberty and Grand Cherokee with a diesel. And they still aren't shy to offer them once more. Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne says the company will once again offer diesel powerplants for their larger vehicles. The first vehicle to lead the charge will be the Jeep Grand Cherokee in 2013. In its November 2009 five-year plan, Chrysler said 14% of it's global sales will be diesel, an increase from 8% in 2009. Marchionne also admitted that he has little choice but to also offer hybrids in the near future. He's skeptical about the technology, its cost, and sales number. But he acknowledges the new CAFE standards coming in make hybrids a necessary. "I have no other way of getting to 2025 numbers than by going to hybrids." The first hybrid to arrive from the pentastar is believed to be the Chrysler 300 in 2013. Source: Automotive News

Volvo Brings Back A Wagon With A Dash Of Hybrid William Maley - Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com October 17, 2011 Previously if you wanted a wagon from Volvo, you could choose between the small V50, the large V70, and the all weather XC70. However due to poor sales and people heading towards to crossovers, Volvo has cut their wagon lineup to the XC70 only. Now, Volvo is sending over a new wagon with an added feature. The V60 Plug-In hybrid will be making it's way to the US sometime in 2012. The US version of the V60 hybrid will use a gas engine instead of a diesel engine for the rest of the world. Volvo hasn't released mileage figures of the gas version, but the European version is able to get 124 MPG. Source: Motor Authority

Rumorpile: Civic To Get A Refresh In 2013?! William Maley - Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com October 17, 2011 The new Honda Civic has been panned for many things, including a design that looks almost the same as the model it replaces. Well, Honda seems to be taking the concerns to heart and could be working a refresh. According to a source, Honda held a "Grassroots" meeting for West Coast Honda dealers. Dealers issued concerns and comments about the new Civic to the company. Honda's response to their dealers a "very refreshed, and more aggressively styled Civic" would make an appearance sometime in late 2012 as a 2013 model. Source: Temple of VTEC

I wouldn't mind if Volkswagen brought over the UP! The other two.. Meh

GM CEO Sees 2012 As Flat William Maley - Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com October 17, 2011 Many industry analysts see 2012 as an up year for new car sales. But GM CEO Dan Akerson sees sales being “flattish” for 2012. In a interview with Automotive News, Akerson says GM sees sales of new cars staying flat for 2012 - if the U.S. economy avoids any major disruptions from economic instability in Europe. "As we go into '12, we're looking for kind of a repeat of '11," Akerson said. Akerson predicts total sales to be around 12.7 to 12.8 million vehicles this year. Akerson did make it clear that if sales were flat, GM is confident of turning a profit for the year due to improved labor costs. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

Best of luck to you Mr. Doane

Introducing The All-New 6th Generation BMW 3 Series Sedan Dynamic, Efficient and Luxurious My link My link My link My link My link Woodcliff Lake, NJ – October 14, 2011 11:15 am EDT … With the announcement of the sixth generation BMW 3 Series Sedan, the benchmark by which all sport sedans are measured just got raised. The pioneering history of the 3 Series serves as inspiration for the new sports sedan, whose powerful styling represents a fresh interpretation and conscientious development of traditional BMW design cues. It will not only set new standards for performance and handling but also for luxury, technology and efficiency as well. The all-new BMW 3 Series Sedan arrives in US showrooms in February 2012 as a 2012 model. The new BMW face, with elongated headlights reaching along as far as the BMW kidney grille, emphasizes the new BMW 3 Series’ sense of width and strengthens its athletic overall profile. The sixth generation of the 3 Series has grown moderately in size compared to its predecessor, with its wide track (front + 37 mm/1.46 in., rear + 47 mm/1.85 in.) particularly prominent, and the car’s length (+ 93 mm/3.66 in.) and wheelbase (+ 50 mm/1.96 in.) also accentuates its sporting allure. Inside the new BMW 3 Series Sedan, the rear passengers will appreciate the noticeable increase in space made possible by the larger dimensions. And the BMW 3 Series range is now also available in a trio of trim and equipment variants – the Sport Line, Luxury Line and Modern Line. Each presents its own individual take on the character of the sports sedan, with exclusive, high-quality material combinations and unbeatable build quality underlining the premium ambience of the new range. Drive and chassis technology have always been key areas of expertise for the brand, and agility and driving dynamics remain outstanding attributes of the new BMW 3 Series Sedan. The new car belies its larger dimensions with an equipment equalized curb weight 88 lb (40 kilograms) below that of its predecessor. A choice of two muscular, refined and efficient engines – which both feature new BMW TwinPower Turbo technology – will be available for the new BMW 3 Series Sedan in the US market. In addition to the already successful 6-cylinder N55 engine powering the 335i, customers can also opt for the new turbocharged 4-cylinder (N20) variant in the BMW 328i. This latest-generation engine, initially introduced in the 2012 Z4 sDrive28i, rewards the driver with both a dynamic driving experience and significantly reduced fuel consumption. The innovative 8-speed automatic gearbox – which is a first in the segment – opens up a whole new level of driving experience. It can be specified in combination with either the 328i or the 335i and includes the new Auto Start-Stop function. Compact and exceptionally efficient, it allows the new BMW 3 Series to match or outperform models fitted with the standard six-speed manual gearbox in terms of fuel economy. The new 8-speed automatic brings together shift comfort, dynamic performance and efficiency of the highest order, making it the perfect partner for the new sedan’s dynamic potential. As components of the BMW EfficientDynamics technology line-up, the Auto Start-Stop function, Brake Energy Regeneration, and need-based operation of ancillary components (including an on-demand air conditioning compressor) also play their part in reducing fuel consumption. Added to which, the new Driving Dynamics Control switch, which allows the driver to choose between Comfort, Sport, Sport + and ECO PRO mode, gives both models the potential to further improve these figures. This ECOPRO mode helps drivers maximize fuel economy through their driving style, thereby enabling them to increase the distance they can travel between visits to the pumps. BMW will add another cutting-edge engine to the line-up in 2012, when the BMW ActiveHybrid 3 will premiere. BMW ConnectedDrive offers an unmatched combination of available driver assistance technology and mobility systems for the new BMW 3 Series range. A new arrival in the premium mid-size segment is the latest-generation full-color Head-Up Display, which projects key information – in sharp resolution – onto the windshield so it appears directly in the driver’s field of view. Also available is Surround View with Side View and Top View, which gives a bird’s-eye perspective of the vehicle and the area around it. In addition, an available Parking Assistant system helps the driver to parallel park. Among the other assistance technology available under the BMW ConnectedDrive banner are the Active Blind Spot Detection System and Lane Departure Warning System with camera-based Collision Warning system, which are offered for the first time in a BMW 3 Series. A Navigation System with Real-Time Traffic Information (RTTI) and an innovative comfort access function allowing hands-free opening of the trunk lid are all included on the options list.