Auto News 5

The BMW Group has extended its premium car sharing program DriveNow to the US.

The Italian government expects Fiat to outline the future of its local production facilities within the next few weeks, Industry Minister Corrado Passera said.

Volkswagen has opened a $27 million (21.7 million euro) technical center in California to expand its engineering capabilities in the region as part of a push to accelerate U.S. sales.

Despite Lincoln's slumping sales, Ford's luxury brand topped the American Customer Satisfaction Index's annual survey of the auto industry, topping last year's co-champs, Cadillac, Lexus and Toyota.

Volkswagen Group has become so dominant in Europe that rivals are being left behind.

VW is set to reap massive savings from its new MQB platform, which will save the automaker billions of euros in costs by the end of the decade and cut production times by a third.

VW is set to reap massive savings from its new MQB platform, which will save the automaker billions of euros in costs by the end of the decade and cut production times by a third.

It's that time of year again: Vacationers are busy returning home and buying school supplies for their kids. Drivers are being warned by the police to watch out for the legions of young students that will cross the streets all over the city, be it at intersections or between parked cars. I'd like to jump in as well and remind you to pay extra attention.


You should note that many streets around schools and playgrounds have a speed limit of 30 km/h, but only on weekdays between 9-and-5 from September to June. However, a number of children at various levels will return to school as early as next week (heck, some already have).

Ecstatic to renew ties with their classmates, they often forget about basic safety rules even with school crossing guards nearby. Drivers need to be careful to avoid accidents, especially at a time when the increased traffic seriously grates on their nerves.

Does the summer heat make us all forget our usual morning routine? How come we have to wait until October (at least) for everything to return to normal?

When you approach a school area, make sure to observe the speed limit and double-check at every street corner. We're not too old to remember what it's like to be a kid and feel like you can do just about anything, and run around just about anywhere because the world will stop for you. Also, keep in mind that some of those crazy youngsters like to ride their bicycles to school.

And for the love of God, do not drive by an idling school bus with the stop sign activated. Not only will you save about nine demerit points and a big fine, but you will also help those little boys and girls safely arrive at school, and later back home. Thank you!

Designed for sport utility vehicles (SUV), crossover utility vehicles (CUV) and pickup trucks, these all-season tires feature an aggressive-looking tread design and provide good year-round versatility. However, they are not suited to ride in deep snow and at temperatures below -7° Celsius.

Performance tires come in large sizes with low profiles and prove to be a great alternative to OEM tires. They also give the vehicle a sportier look.


Article provided by PMCtire.com

These tires deliver excellent performance both on dry and wet pavement while giving a sportier look to pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles (SUV) and crossover utility vehicles (CUV).

They feature a very aggressive tread design; however, like all summer tires, they are not suited to ride at temperatures near the freezing point, let alone on snow and ice.


Article provided by PMCtire.com

BMW's DriveNow car sharing service is about to make the jump to North America. Unsurprisingly, California has been chosen as the inaugural destination.

A total of 70 BMW ActiveE electric cars will be located at nine DriveNow stations across the entire city of San Francisco. Customers can register online or in person, allowing them to locate and reserve an available vehicle via the DriveNow website or mobile app.

On the road, drivers can easily locate the nearest charging point should they need to charge the vehicle - at no cost - during their unlimited rental. Also, 14 dedicated ParkNow stations are currently set up in and around San Francisco.

DriveNow was originally launched in June 2011 and now has around 45,000 members. This fall, Cologne will become the fourth German city to offer the car sharing service after Munich, Berlin and Düsseldorf.

Photo: BMW

Performance summer tires are designed for sporty driving during the hot season.

They feature a very aggressive tread design; however, like all summer tires, they are not suited to ride at temperatures near the freezing point, let alone on snow and ice.


Article provided by PMCtire.com

These tires are designed for paved roads as well as dirt, gravel, snow and off-road trails. Having said that, they often prove more capable off the road than on the road.

Their aggressive tread design features a number of separate blocks and deep grooves for maximum traction in every direction. They sport the ''M+S'' (Mud and Snow) logo that certifies their all-season performance including during winter.


Article provided by PMCtire.com

These all-season tires ensure a pleasant ride and predictable handling any month of the year whether you're driving a sport utility vehicle (SUV), crossover utility vehicle (CUV) or pickup truck, including luxury and/or performance models.

They feature a versatile tread design and can be used all year long except in provinces where winter tires are mandatory. Of course, handling on snowy or icy roads is average at best. Moreover, they are not suited to ride in deep snow and at temperatures below -7° Celsius.


Article provided by PMCtire.com

All-season tires offer year-round versatility, good ride quality and high durability. This segment also includes grand touring (GT) tires for luxury and/or performance cars.

Drivers can use all-season tires any day of the year except in provinces where winter tires are mandatory. Of course, handling on snowy or icy roads is average at best.


Article provided by PMCtire.com

Extreme performance summer tires are designed for sporty driving during the hot season.

They feature an ultra-aggressive tread design; however, like all summer tires, they are not suited to ride at temperatures near the freezing point, let alone on snow and ice.


Article provided by PMCtire.com

We're back with our annual summer and all-season tire evaluation and rankings, which will help you make the best selection for your pickup truck, sport utility vehicle (SUV) or crossover utility vehicle (CUV). All the main tire models available in Canada have been considered.

Once again, the team at PMCtire.com relied on multiple sources of information such as consumer reviews from various North American websites and message boards, customer feedback, road tests, auto writer columns and literature provided by tire manufacturers.

These evaluations were conducted mainly to help you select the summer or all-season tires that best fit your driving needs. Obviously, the rating system may differ from one tester to the next since everyone has their own personal expectations and driving habits.

You'll also notice that the gap between models is often small. That's mostly because the technology used by tire companies in the design and manufacturing process is similar. Therefore, it's difficult to rank one particular model above or below another while staying impartial.

We tried to cover tire models from a wide price range and various quality levels since every customer has a specific budget and plans to use the tires for a specific period of time.

Here are our summer and all-season truck tire reviews and rankings for 2012:

1. Top 5 all-season tires for trucks, SUVs and CUVs in 2012
2. Top 5 performance all-season tires for trucks, SUVs and CUVs in 2012
3. Top 5 performance summer tires for trucks, SUVs and CUVs in 2012
4. Top 5 all-terrain tires for trucks, SUVs and CUVs in 2012
5. Top 5 all-terrain tires for commercial trucks, SUVs and CUVs in 2012
6. Top 5 off-road tires for trucks, SUVs and CUVs in 2012

Article provided by PMCtire.com

These models are designed for trucks that ride on heavy-duty tires and need maximum off-road traction for driving around construction sites and recreation areas as well as through deep snow.

They allow great payload capacity and feature an ultra-aggressive tread design that provides exceptional grip in the mud and on slick rocks.

These tires sport the ''M+S'' (Mud and Snow) logo that certifies their all-season performance including during winter. They can even receive studs to improve traction on ice.


Article provided by PMCtire.com

Performance all-season tires are designed for year-round sporty driving. They feature an aggressive tread design and provide good versatility.

These tires are not suited to ride in deep snow and at temperatures below -7° Celsius.


Article provided by PMCtire.com

We're back with our annual summer and all-season tire evaluation and rankings, which will help you make the best selection based on your needs. All the main tire models available in Canada have been considered.

Once again, the team at PMCtire.com relied on multiple sources of information such as consumer reviews from various North American websites and message boards, customer feedback, road tests, auto writer columns and literature provided by tire manufacturers.

Obviously, the rating system may differ from one tester to the next since everyone has their own personal expectations and driving habits. These evaluations were conducted mainly to help you select the summer or all-season tires that best fit your driving needs.

You'll also notice that the gap between models is often small. That's mostly because the technology used by tire companies in the design and manufacturing process is similar. Therefore, it's difficult to rank one particular model above or below another while staying impartial.

Here are our summer and all-season car tire reviews and rankings for 2012:

1. Top 5 all-season tires for passenger cars in 2012
2. Top 5 performance all-season tires for passenger cars in 2012
3. Top 5 performance summer tires for passenger cars in 2012
4. Top 5 extreme performance summer tires for passenger cars in 2012

Article provided by PMCtire.com