Auto News 5

Ford is faced with rebuilding the C-Max Hybrid's sales after volume tanked when the company was forced to lower the vehicle's estimated fuel economy in August.

Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne will turn Alfa Romeo into a stand-alone company -- like Maserati and Ferrari -- as part of his latest plan to revive the brand, sources told Automotive News Europe.

Michael Millikin, GM's top lawyer, was conspicuous in his silence during a U.S. Senate panel grilling of CEO Mary Barra over the company's ignition-switch recall.

Classic Chevrolet in Grapevine, Texas, the nation's largest Chevrolet dealership, has opened its own compressed natural gas fueling station to help sell the brand's new natural-gas-powered vehicles.

Chrysler Group has rebounded from bankruptcy and the Great Recession, a feat many deemed impossible in 2009.

Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne will turn Alfa Romeo into a stand-alone company.

It's never easy for a labor union to walk away from a fight, but for the UAW, surrender offered a way to salvage a long-term opportunity from the wreckage of Chattanooga.

Mark Fields, the 53-year-old New Jersey native who is expected to be named soon as Ford's next CEO, has confronted cynics with every big post he's taken. They always expect him to fail #8211; and he never does.

Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne will turn Alfa Romeo into a stand-alone company -- like Maserati and Ferrari -- as part of his latest plan to revive the brand, sources told Automotive News Europe.

In late 2009, Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne and his team laid out an audacious five-year plan to rebuild Chrysler Group.

Public dealership groups are moving to improve their own online lead development and reduce reliance on third-party lead providers.

Mercedes-Benz USA is taking a hard line with dealers after the brand made little progress in the latest J.D. Power and Associates Customer Service Index.

As if the small-car company needed to explore yet another market segment, a few BMW workers recently decided to have fun with a MINI Paceman and turned it into an Adventure pick-up truck.

As you can see on the picture, this is not a joke.

According to BimmerToday, the rear section of the roof had to be chopped in order to install the metallic cargo box. The team also reinforced the chassis, added a roof brace integrating the spare tire, and switched to off-road rubber.

What do you think?

Source : caradisiac.com

Photo: BMW

Former Formula 1 driver, Juan Pablo Montoya believes the DRS has devaluated the art of overtaking in F1.

The Drag Reduction System has been introduced in Formula 1 in 2011 to increase the show with plenty of overtaking.

"It's good for the show. I mean, it makes a better show because people pass people, but I think overtaking is an art. Now it's like giving Picasso Photoshop," Montoya said during an exclusive interview on The Racer's Edge.

The Colombian explains a lot more effort was needed to overtake before the DRS feature.

"You had to think and you had to risk a lot. You don't have to fight for the positions now. You come into the straight and if you are close enough you have DRS and you've cleared the guy by the next corner," comments Juan Pablo Montoya.

Departed from Formula 1 in 2006, the popular Colombian spent several years in NASCAR and returns to IndyCar this season.

Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) and Nico Rosberg (Mercedes). (Photo: WRi2)

In 1965, Camilo José Vergara was a Chilean student who moved to the U.S. to study. During the 1970s, he started taking pictures of various neighbourhoods such as Harlem to document how they deteriorated over time.

In a way, Vergara's work could be considered as a primitive version of Google Street View (Google's founders weren't even born yet!).

This week, Google Street View launched a similar feature allowing users to see the evolution of any given area since 2007. Nice.

Source : qz.com

Will the five-passenger Ford C-MAX and Toyota Prius v face direct competition from the next-generation Chevrolet Volt? That's a question more and more people are seeking an answer to.

According to a Reuters article from two weeks ago, the new Volt may be available in more than one model, including a less expensive, lower-range variant. More interestingly, there are growing rumours of a production version of the Orlando-inspired concept that debuted at the 2010 Beijing Auto Show.

The new Chevrolet Volt is due for the 2016 model year. Stay tuned...

Source : greencarreports.com

Photo: Chevrolet

On May 6th, Fiat-Chrysler president and CEO Sergio Marchionne will announce Alfa Romeo as a stand-alone company within the automaker's ranks. Similar to Maserati and Ferrari, Alfa Romeo will have to publicly disclose profits and losses.

According to Marchionne, the move will help turn the struggling brand around. Last year, Alfa Romeo sold fewer than 75,000 cars... like it used to in the 1960s, and far from the 300,000 promised a decade ago.

Fiat-Chrysler will need to invest at least five billion euros in Alfa Romeo for the operation to be successful, Mediobanca Securities analyst Massimo Vecchio told Automotive News.

Several sources claim that six new Alfa Romeo products will be launched in the next few years, including a compact SUV and a midsize sedan to be built in Cassino, near Rome. A full-size SUV and a full-size sedan are expected to be produced in Turin. Alfa Romeo also plans a large coupe and a two-seat roadster.

Source : autonews.com

Pros: With ideal weight distribution and efficient brakes, this is one of the best-handling compact CUVs on the market. It also has ideal size for small, urban families. All-wheel drive comes standard. And of course, the new, clean diesel-powered BMW X3 xDrive28d promises gobs of torque, improved fuel economy, and lower emissions.

Cons: You may find the ride a bit stiff at times, the interior lacks storage solutions, and don't expect to sit more than two adults or three children in the back.

Photo: BMW

2015 BMW X3 xDrive28d Price: BMW Canada will start selling the 2015 X3 xDrive28d this spring at a base MSRP of $45,000, putting it halfway between the two gasoline-powered models (X3 xDrive28i at $43,300, and the X3 xDrive35i at $48,900). An xLine package is available to boost the appeal and cachet of the vehicle, while the M Sport package enhances its performance and look.

2015 BMW X3 xDrive28d Fuel Economy: Fuel consumption ratings for this new X3 model will be announced at a later date.

Improvements and Changes: The 2015 BMW X3 sports redesigned front and rear fasciae, new twin-circular headlights (standard bi-xenon, optional LEDs), a more eye-catching kidney grille, new exterior colours and interior trim, and new light-alloy wheel options.

BMW's Connected Drive has been upgraded to include head-up display, active cruise control with Stop&Go, the iDrive controller with touchpad functionality, and a parking assistant.

The standard audio system now includes nine speakers totalling 205 watts, while the rear bench seat features a new 40/20/40 split and a centre armrest with cup holders.

2015 BMW X3 xDrive28d Powertrain: The all-new 2.0L inline 4-cylinder turbodiesel engine produces 181 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque (exactly like in the 328d sedan), allowing 0-100km/h acceleration in just over eight seconds. The X3 xDrive28d also uses a new 8-speed automatic transmission with taller cruising gears that help save even more fuel, along with an ECO PRO mode.

Cargo Capacity: The X3 boasts a 550-litre trunk that expands to 1,600 litres once you fold the rear seats.

Safety: In addition to the aforementioned technologies, you should know that the 2015 BMW X3 xDrive28d's traction and stability control systems work together with the third-generation xDrive system to prevent slips and slides while correcting oversteer and understeer. Hill descent control is also part of the mix.

Comparing the 2015 BMW X3 xDrive28d: The Audi Q5, Acura RDX, Infiniti QX50, Lincoln MKC, Mercedes-Benz GLK, Porsche Macan, and Volvo XC60 are all worthy alternatives here.

From GMM

Lewis Hamilton thinks the time is right for Sebastian Vettel to "show his leadership" at world champion team Red Bull.

The Milton Keynes based team has been pushing to emerge from its pre-season crisis involving troubled engine supplier Renault.

But at the same time, German Vettel - the reigning quadruple-consecutive drivers' world champion - has been struggling simply to keep up with his fresh-faced new teammate, Daniel Ricciardo, following the sport's V6 rules switch.

Further up the grid, Hamilton and his Mercedes have been dominating, but in an interview with Germany's Bild am Sonntag newspaper, the 2008 world champion commented on Vettel and Red Bull's plight.

"As a four time world champion, Sebastian needs to show his leadership inside the team now," Lewis Hamilton is quoted as saying.

"When it comes to the crunch, you are able to show that leadership to your team," he added.

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing. (Photo: WRi2)

Indeed, Hamilton expects Vettel and Red Bull - formerly a near-unbeatable combination in F1 - to eventually get back to winning.

"Regardless of the power unit, it's still a strong car," said the Briton, referring to the Adrian Newey-penned RB10. "So I don't believe that the current situation will stay the same."

Hamilton also commented on his ever-intensifying rivalry with Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg, in the wake of their forceful wheel-to-wheel battle in Bahrain.

"We both know what we are doing," he said, amid reports the Brackley based team is at odds over whether to rein in their battle with some form of 'team orders'.

"Nico is fair and aggressive, but not wildly aggressive," Hamilton said. "Just the right amount. The real problem is that he is faster than ever before."

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors, must be giddy right about now, while dealer associations in Arizona, Maryland, New Jersey, Texas, Virginia, and Massachusetts are probably cringing.

That's because three highly ranked officials with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have publicly opposed current state laws that ban manufacturers from selling automobiles to consumers without a traditional dealer network.

Andrew Gavil, director of the FTC's Office of Policy Planning; Deborah Feinstein, director of the Bureau of Competition; and Martin Gaynor, director of the Bureau of Economics, claim these laws are outdated and “bad policy,” pointing out that the Internet has changed how people shop, not just for everyday items but also for more expensive products.

They also urged lawmakers to be skeptical of auto dealers' arguments that they need protection.

“Change can sometimes be difficult for established competitors that are used to operating in a particular way, but consumers can benefit from change that also challenges longstanding competitors,” they wrote.

Their views do not necessarily reflect those of the commission, however.

Source: autonews.com

Photo: Tesla