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BMW Looks to Expand Lineup

Wednesday, September 8th, 2010

BMW Concept Gran Coupe

BMW has had a pretty good year thus far, with sales up 7.2% in the U.S. But the maker of BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce is facing big challenges from its German competitors Mercedes and Volkswagen (owner of Audi), which are in the midst of massive product revivals.

Norbert Reithofer, BMW’s CEO, plans to keep his company competitive by expanding the model lineups at BMW and Mini and introducing a new brand for its upcoming electric cars.

We’ve already touched on the electric Megacity Vehicle. The model will go on sale sometime in 2013 in the U.S. and could eventually spur a family of electric cars.

The Mini brand will get at least three new models, according to Reithofer. Cooper roadster and coupe versions will come out in the next two years. The third model is the 2011 Mini Countryman, which is the brand’s first four-door vehicle, and goes on sale in the U.S. early in 2011.

Speaking of four doors, BMW’s 6 Series, which is scheduled to be redesigned next year, will probably receive a four-door version if Reithofer has his way. The four-door coupe would compete with the Audi A7 and Mercedes CLS, a type of car BMW currently lacks. It could end up looking similar to the BMW Concept Gran Coupe pictured above.

More controversially, BMW plans to introduce a new front-wheel-drive platform to the BMW brand for its future small-car models. BMW is known for its rear- and all-wheel drive. The brand doesn’t currently have a front-wheel-drive car, so the move should give some BMW loyalists pause. Reithofer told Bloomberg Businessweek that BMW’s small cars will help the brand win over new customers.

All this planning is to maintain BMW’s profitability and its No. 1 luxury-car mantel, something the automaker has owned since 2005. With careful execution, the new entry-level models and brand expansions should allow more car shoppers to consider BMW, but it will require a careful balancing act for the German automaker to maintain its reputation and go down market.

BMW Chief Plans ‘Big Push’ to Fend Off Audi, Mercedes (Bloombery Businessweek)

Posted in BMW, Hybrids/Alternative Fuels, In The News, Mini, Mini Cooper Countryman | Comments Off

Mazda Reveals Shinari Concept Car

Tuesday, September 7th, 2010

Shinari Concept Car

Looks like: A villain from the "Transformers" movies
Defining characteristics: Coupe profile with four doors, gaping grille, mostly glass roof
Ridiculous features: Slitlike side mirrors, white bucket seats
Chance of being mass-produced: Mazda says the Shinari is only a design study, but we wouldn't be surprised if elements of it – especially the front grille – find their way to Mazda production cars.

The Shinari concept car is a vision of what a four-door Mazda sports car might look like. Even though it has four doors, the Shinari looks more like a coupe from many angles. It's a design theme that's increasingly being used in production cars like the Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class and Jaguar XF.

Many of Mazda's U.S. models have adopted grilles that give them a happy-face look, and the Shinari shows where this design could lead in the future, with its more angular appearance that transforms the smile shape into more of a shield. Pinched headlights and taillights and muscular body panels combine to give the concept a menacing presence. Since the Mazda smiley face hasn't been universally well-received, we wonder if this new look will be adopted sooner rather than later.

Inside, the dashboard has been shaped with a focus on the driver. The four white bucket seats are a mainstay of concept cars, which aren't limited by the wear-and-tear concerns of production cars. The roof, meanwhile, features multiple clear panels.

Posted in Concept Cars, In The News, Mazda | Comments Off

Most-Read Car Reviews of the Week

Sunday, September 5th, 2010

Going on for almost three months now, the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee remains the week’s most popular review on Cars.com. As the Chevrolet Cruze approaches its official on-sale date, we see that review crawling back up the charts, now at No. 5. We have no new introductions to the top 10 this week, but two vehicles return: the 2011 Honda CR-Z and 2010 Honda CR-V, which bumped off the 2010 Buick LaCrosse and 2011 Porsche Cayenne for now.

1.   2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee

2.   2010 Subaru Forester

3.   2010 Subaru Outback

4.   2011 Hyundai Sonata

5.   2011 Chevrolet Cruze

6.   2011 Kia Sorento

7.   2010 Hyundai Santa Fe

8.   2011 Scion tC

9.   2011 Honda CR-Z

10. 2010 Honda CR-V

Posted in Car Reviews, In The News, Top 10s | Comments Off

This Week’s Most-Read Stories

Saturday, September 4th, 2010

Labor Day Car Shopping

The week’s top stories have explosions, sweet deals and important safety updates. Our most popular story is about the explosion that happened at an airport’s hydrogen station, raising concerns about using hydrogen as an alternative fuel. Going into Labor Day weekend, our list of 10 financing deals for the holiday comes in at No. 2. The end of the month means another list of the top 10 best-selling cars, which lands at No.3. Rounding out the top five are the recall of the Pontiac Vibe, which complements an earlier Toyota recall, and our first look at the 2011 VW Jetta.

1. Hydrogen Explosion Deals Blow to Fuel Cell Advocates
2. Ready for Labor Day Car Shopping? Ten Impressive 2010 Deals
3. Top 10 Best-Selling Cars: August 2010
4. Recall Alert: 2005-2008 Pontiac Vibe 2011
5. Volkswagen Jetta: First Look

Posted in In The News, Incentives | Comments Off

Recall Alert: 2011 Kia Sorento, 2010 Kia Soul

Thursday, September 2nd, 2010

Kia Motors is recalling 23,972 2010 Kia Soul and 11,213 2011 Kia Sorento vehicles over faulty installation of an ambient lighting system in those vehicles, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The Soul’s speaker lights — which are standard equipment on the Soul Exclaim and Soul Sport and optional on the Soul Plus — and the Sorento’s optional accent lighting in the front and rear door trim panels on the EX trim may have been improperly soldered. When the lights are illuminated in certain conditions, an electrical short may occur and cause a fire.

Owners will be notified this month. Kia dealerships will replace the wiring harnesses for the lighting systems free of charge. Owners can contact Kia at 800-333-4542 or the National Highway Safety Administration at 888-327-4236.

2010|Kia|Soul

2011|Kia|Sorento

Posted in In The News, Kia, Kia Sorento, Kia Soul, Recalls | Comments Off

2011 Dodge Durango: First Look

Thursday, September 2nd, 2010

Two weeks ago, we showed you a sneak peek at the new 2011 Dodge Durango SUV, and now Dodge has provided more photos and a little more information. The photographer took a few steps back this time, so you can see the full exterior. Unfortunately, the interior view remains an extreme close-up, but at least you can see what looks like a new Dodge logo. Check out the pictures below and click on them for larger versions.

It's no secret that the Durango is based on the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, but the Dodge has three rows of seats, whereas the Grand Cherokee has two. The drivetrains are also familiar — a 3.6-liter V-6 and a 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 with towing capacities of 6,200 pounds and 7,400 pounds, respectively. Credit goes to reinforced unibody platform and rear-wheel drive. Most of today's crossovers can't tow trailers this heavy.

Dodge's press materials boast "excellent fuel efficiency," defined not as mpg ratings but as a range of more than 500 miles. That could mean any number of things, including a large gas tank. (The Grand Cherokee's tank holds 24.6 gallons, which would work out to 20.3 mpg over 500 miles. Grand Cherokee 4x2 models are indeed EPA-rated between 20 and 23 mpg on the highway, depending on the engine.) It's not what we'd call excellent mileage, but we'll wait and see what the EPA says.

Front-seat active head restraints and side-impact airbags are standard, as are side curtain airbags for all three rows, Dodge says. An electronic stability system is also included. Options include a blind spot warning system, adaptive cruise control with Forward Collision Warning and keyless access.

Posted in Dodge, Dodge Durango, In The News | Comments Off

Top 10 Best-Selling Cars: August 2010

Wednesday, September 1st, 2010

Cash for Clunkers continues to cast a long shadow: Big automakers had what looks to be a bad month, but last year the popular government program dramatically boosted the sales of many models, including the Toyota Camry, Honda Civic, Honda CR-V and Honda Accord. So the dramatic declines experienced by those models is not all too surprising.

Year-to-date, five of the models in the top 10 are selling less than they sold year-to-date in 2009. Before August, only one model on this list – the Dodge Ram – was selling worse in 2010 compared with 2009.

Toyota (down 31.4%), Honda (down 30%), Nissan (down 27%) and GM (down 24.9%) saw the most dramatic declines. Of course, Japanese automakers were the biggest gainers during Cash for Clunkers; GM’s decline is partly due to the strong sales gains by Pontiac and Chevrolet in August 2009. Chrysler saw a 7% increase because very few of its cars sold well during Cash for Clunkers.

The best selling full-size trucks — Ford F-Series, Chevrolet Silverado and Dodge Ram — performed well this month, and they were the only models on the list (besides the Hyundai Sonata) to post positive gains. Honda remains the automaker with the most cars on the list with three models, the same as last month.

Notable Items:

*Honda Accord includes 2,642 Honda Crosstours

Posted in Cash for Clunkers, Chevrolet, Chevrolet Malibu, Chevrolet Silverado, Dodge, Dodge Ram, Ford, Ford F-150, Honda, Honda Accord, Honda Accord Crosstour, Honda Civic, In The News, Nissan, Nissan Altima, Top 10s, Toyota, Toyota Camry, Toyota Corolla | Comments Off

Labor Day Deals for Luxury-Car Shoppers

Wednesday, September 1st, 2010

As Labor Day weekend approaches, we wanted to give car shoppers one more rundown of this weekend’s incentives – this time for luxury makes. Many luxury shoppers choose to lease cars, so we're breaking down both the best lease deals and the best deals for financing a car purchase.

Some of the top lease deals can be found at Acura, Audi, Lexus and Lincoln dealerships. Acura has an event going on that is especially noteworthy, offering $0 due at signing and the first month’s lease payment free.

The best financing deals can be found at Cadillac, which is offering six-year loans at 0% interest on most of the remaining 2010 models.

Both loan interest rates and leasing deals often vary by region. Like our APR interactive map showed us earlier this week, the best financing deals are offered to Midwest and East Coast residents. Western states seem to have the most attractive lease deals.

In the listings below, we've given a range of prices when the deals vary by region; otherwise, the numbers reflect a nationwide offer. Most of the deals we've listed end on Labor Day or Tuesday.

Acura lease deals

2010 MDX: $570/month for 36 months (30,000 miles), with $0 due at signing
2010 TSX: $360-$370/month for 36 months (30,000 miles), with $0 due at signing
2010 TL: $430/month for 36 months (30,000 miles), with $0 due at signing

Acura financing deals

2010 MDX, RDX, RL, TL, TSX, ZDX: 0.9-1.9% APR for 24-60 months

Audi lease deals

2011 A4: $379-$449/month for 36 months (30,000 miles), $1,673-$2,894 due at signing
2011 Q5: $469-$619/month for 36 months (30,000 miles), $3,874-$4,368 due at signing

Audi financing deals

2010 A3 A4, A6 A8, TT, TTS: 0.9% APR for 36 months

BMW lease deals

2010 5 Series Gran Turismo: $689/month for 36 months (30,000 miles), $5,614 due at signing
2010 X3: $419/month for 36 months (30,000 miles), $4,594 due at signing
2011 X5: $529/month for 36 months (30,000 miles), $5,804 due at signing
2011 X6: $589/month for 36 months (30,000 miles), $6,214 due at signing

BMW financing deals

2011 1 Series, 3 Series, 5 Series, 7 Series, X3, X5, X6, Z4, M3: 0.9% APR for 24 months
2010 M6, 5 Series Gran Turismo: 0.9% APR for 24 months

Cadillac lease deals

2010 CTS: $349/month lease for 27 months (22,500 miles), $1,999 due at signing

Cadillac financing deals

2010 CTS, CTS-V, CTS Sport Wagon, DTS, Escalade, Escalade EXT, ESV, STS: 0% APR for 72 months

Lexus lease deals

2010 IS 250: $339-$349/month for 36 months (30,000 miles), $3,489-$4,038 due at signing
2010 ES 350: $339-$399/month for 36 months (30,000 miles), $3,499-$3,695 due at signing
2010 HS 250h: $339/month for 36 months (30,000 miles), $3,499 due at signing
2010 RX 350: $449-$469/ month for 36 months (30,000 miles), $3,499-$3,695 due at signing

Lexus financing deals

2010 IS 250: 0.9-1.9% APR for 60 months
2010 ES 350: 1.9% APR for 60 months
2010 HS 250h: 1.9% APR for 60 months

Lincoln lease deals

2010 MKZ: $349/month for 24 months (21,000 miles), $3,164 due at signing
2010 MKX: $399/month for 36 months (31,500 miles), $4,963 due at signing
2010 MKS: $399/month for 24 months (21,000 miles), $4,393 due at signing

Lincoln financing deals

2010 MKZ, MKX, MKT, MKS: 0-1.9% APR for 60 months
2010 Navigator 0.0-2.9% APR for 36-60 months

Mercedes-Benz lease deals

2011 C300: $349/month for 27 months (22,500 miles), $2,607 due at signing
2011 GLK350: $459/month for 36 months (30,000 miles), $4,253 due at signing
2011 SLK-Class: $499/month for 36 months (30,000 miles), $4,844 due at signing
2011 M-Class: $529/month for 36 months (30,000 miles), $5,074 due at signing
2011 E350: $689/month for 36 months (30,000 miles), $3,159 due at signing

Mercedes-Benz financing deals

2011 C-Class, GLK-Class, R-Class, E-Class: 1.9% APR for 24-36 months
2010 S-Class: 1.9% APR for 24-36 months

*Lease and finance deals vary by region and year/model/trim availability. Higher lease rates apply for lessees with lower credit ratings. Lease excludes taxes, titles and fees.

Posted in Acura, Audi, BMW, In The News, Incentives, Lexus, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz | Comments Off

2011 Jeep Liberty Gets Minor Updates, Lower Price

Tuesday, August 31st, 2010

The 2011 Jeep Liberty has been available to customers for a while now, with 1,497 vehicles on sale on Cars.com, but the automaker hasn’t released any information in terms of updates to the model for the media’s consumption or on its consumer website.

Just by looking at some of the photos dealers have posted, we can see that Jeep has updated the Liberty’s steering wheel to match the one going into production on the 2011 Jeep Wrangler and the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. This change alone is fairly significant, as the Liberty’s old steering-wheel controls could access only the onboard computer and redundant radio controls, placed behind the steering wheel.

The new steering wheel lets the driver control the same functions as well as Uconnect Phone, Chrysler’s Bluetooth pairing system. A cool part of Uconnect Phone is the ability to stream audio from a Bluetooth-enabled phone through the Liberty’s stereo. You can also access UConnect Voice Command, which allows you to control audio, record memos and even play incoming text messages through the Liberty’s speakers. Comparing Jeep’s user guides of the 2010 and 2011 Liberty, the 2010 Liberty did not have the ability to stream music or play incoming text messages.

You can now also access the cruise control from the steering wheel, as opposed to an awkwardly placed third stalk that the 2010 Liberty used.

In addition to the silver appliqué trim on the 2010 model, a wood grain appliqué now seems to be available. There appear to be upgrades to some of the interior materials, but we have no confirmation on that.

For 2011, the Liberty comes in Sport, Limited Edition and Renegade trims. The Sport starts at $23,250, which is a $5 drop from the 2010. The Limited starts at $26,650 ($475 less from 2010) and the Renegade at $27,250 ($610 less from 2010). Four-wheel drive is a $1,600 option. Destination is a $745 fee for all trims.

We’ll keep you posted on other updates for the 2011 Jeep Liberty when Chrysler makes more information available.

2011 Jeep Liberty interior:

2010 Jeep Liberty interior:

*Exterior shot courtesy of Wally Armour Chrysler Dodge Jeep Dodge Truck

Posted in In The News, Jeep Liberty | Comments Off

New EPA Labels a Step in the Right Direction

Monday, August 30th, 2010

Electriclabels

The new mileage stickers under consideration by the EPA that we detailed earlier today may face some challenges in the future, but they are a good first step in addressing alternative-fuel vehicles going on sale later this year.

For starters, offering an “annual electric cost” figure, much like one would find on a new refrigerator, is an excellent idea.

We’ve said for some time that cost-per-mile figure would allow consumers to make an apples-to-apples comparison against gas-powered cars. The one potential downfall that may take some time to figure out is that electric prices may not always be stable; as disruptions occur in oil, coal and nuclear power production, some regions of the country are likely to pay very different amounts for their electricity in the future. These labels could be misleading at that point, or at least inaccurate in regions that rely more on one form of electrical generation than another. Electric costs also fluctuate with the time of day, generally costing less at night or other off-peak hours.

Secondly, the proposed letter-grade ratings for cars seem like it’s less thought-out than the simple numbers comparison on mpg. For example, the grades are purportedly given to a vehicle as its grade versus all cars, not just cars in its class. That doesn’t help the pickup truck shopper or the electric car shopper as they aren’t seeing a grade versus the direct competition.

The grades should be set against the vehicle’s category; they shouldn’t be a drive by the government to get everyone into a Chevy Volt or Nissan Leaf.

In the end, though, the EPA continues to look for improvements in both its gas ratings and the ways in which it displays them on auto stickers. The revision to how mileage ratings were calculated back in 2008 is a good example of this progress. For these changes, they deserve a pat on the back, as long as they make it easier, not harder, for consumers to get the answers they need.

Posted in Hybrids/Alternative Fuels, In The News | Comments Off

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