Auto News 5

Italian brake maker Brembo has bought the 30 percent of its Chinese joint venture it did not already own, the company said.

Audi is on pace to sell more than its stated goal of 150,000 cars and SUVs in the United States this year and will get a boost from diesel models reaching dealerships this month, a brand executive said.

The failure of a Germany transport group to make a definitive ruling on the safety of the refrigerant HFO-1234yf gives European car buyers another reason to delay their purchases.

Visteon posted lower second-quarter profits, but the company raised its full-year forecast after CEO Tim Leuliette pointed to stronger operating earnings in all of the company's regions, including Europe.

Demographic trends unfolding in China could ultimately lead Africa to replace the world's most populous country as a global center of low-cost manufacturing, according to Ford's official futurist.

BMW has a good idea where it will sell the majority of its new i8 plug-in hybrid supercars. 'The U.S. will be by far the largest sales market for the i8,' the car's product manager, Hendrik Wenders, said.

Working on the line at Volkswagen's U.S.

Italian brake maker Brembo has bought the 30 percent of its Chinese joint venture it did not already own, the company said.

Audi is on pace to sell more than its stated goal of 150,000 cars and SUVs in the United States this year and will get a boost from diesel models reaching dealerships this month, a brand executive said.

The failure of a Germany transport group to make a definitive ruling on the safety of the refrigerant HFO-1234yf gives European car buyers another reason to delay their purchases.

BMW has a good idea where it will sell the majority of its new i8 plug-in hybrid supercars. 'The U.S. will be by far the largest sales market for the i8,' the car's product manager, Hendrik Wenders, said.

Young people are buying cars at a slower rate than their parents, restrained by mounting student loan debt, a rising cost of driving and an increasing reliance on biking and public transportation.

Working on the line at Volkswagen's U.S.

Visteon posted lower second-quarter profits, but the company raised its full-year forecast after CEO Tim Leuliette pointed to stronger operating earnings in all of the company's regions, including Europe.

Italian brake maker Brembo has bought the 30 percent of its Chinese joint venture it did not already own, the company said.

August is vacation time for many people, and for a few years now it has also meant a well-deserved break for everyone involved in the F1 circus. Design offices and engineering shops must close for about a month and let employees catch their breath before diving into the second half of the season.

I hear some fans complaining about it and lamenting the fact that the Belgian Grand Prix is too darn far away. For them, a world without F1 doesn't make sense.

However, I can assure you this four-week hiatus is crucial. With 20 races in just 36 weeks, plus all the time spent developing the new cars and putting them to the test during the winter, F1 teams inevitably grow tired at some point.

The 2013-2014 off-season will be even more intense, you know, with the arrival of turbo- hybrid V6 engines. Integrating the different energy sources to achieve maximum performance will be an extremely challenging and time-consuming process. In all likelihood, a number of teams will line up for the first Grand Prix of 2014 with a fast, yet unreliable car.

Most F1 enthusiasts who have listened to the new engines are very disappointed with its sound effects, comparing them to either a vacuum cleaner, a lawnmower or a blender -- nothing that even remotely resembles a spine-tickling V10 engine revving at nearly 20,000 rpm. Everyone will have to get used to hearing a duller, more muffled sound coming from these big turbocharged V6s with fairly complex electrical components.

Whether you like it or not, the future of F1 depends on these so-called “clean” powerplants that will burn a maximum of 100 kg of fuel per Grand Prix. This decision comes after two of the three F1 engine suppliers (Ferrari, Renault, and Mercedes) urged the FIA to make the new units as close to production engines as possible.

Let's just wait to hear them from trackside before making a final judgement, shall we? Maybe the sound won't be so bad after all...

Photo: René Fagnan

Toyota Canada is recalling 26,830 Tacoma pickup trucks equipped with an Access Cab because the fasteners within the driver and front passenger seat belt assemblies could loosen if the access doors are repeatedly and forcefully closed over an extended period of time.

Should the fasteners loosen completely, the seat belt may not properly restrain the occupant, which could increase the risk of injury in a crash or sudden stop.

Toyota dealers will therefore replace the fasteners or the seat belt assemblies as necessary.

Source: Transport Canada

Photo: Rob Rothwell

General Motors is offering a sneak-peek at its completely redesigned GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado compact pickup trucks. The pair will enter production in Wentzville, Missouri, next year.

According to GM, the next-generation Canyon and Colorado are designed to be capable, versatile and fuel-efficient alternatives to full-size pickups.

Photo: GM

Kia will launch a dramatic new European concept at the Frankfurt Auto Show on September 10th. The pictures released by the company show a sporty-looking small car with rugged lines. The name and specs have not yet been disclosed.

While there are no current plans for production, Kia will gauge potential customer response at the show, hopefully to come to market with other fantastic products.

Photo: Kia

Photo: Kia

BMW will unveil the production version of its new i8 plug-in hybrid at the upcoming Frankfurt Auto Show, the German automaker announced while giving no pricing indications.

Larger than the recently introduced BMW i3, this new model is made of aluminum and carbon fibre-reinforced plastics, and weighs a mere 1,490 kg (3,285 lbs). A 231-hp, 1.5L three-cylinder engine combines with a 131-hp electric motor to propel the BMW i8 from 0-96 km/h in 4.5 seconds, which is comparable to a Tesla Model S. The gasoline engine drives the front wheel, and the electric motor takes care of the rear wheels, essentially forming an all-wheel drive setup.

The BMW i8 will apparently charge in about 3.5 hours from a 120V outlet or just 1.5 hour from a 240V Level 2 charger. DC fast charging at 440V has yet to be confirmed, but it could allow the i8's battery to get back to 80% in 20 minutes or less.

In pure EV mode, the BMW i8 will offer a range of about 35 km and a top speed of 120 km/h. With both sources of power engaged, it will top out at 250 km/h. Calculated using the EU test cycle for plug-in hybrid vehicles, the average fuel efficiency of the BMW i8 at model launch will be less than 2.5L/100km, the company claims.

Source : thedetroitbureau.com

Photo: BMW