Auto News 5

BMW today revealed the completely redesigned X3 crossover ahead of its official debut at the Geneva Auto Show in March.

Photo: BMW

The new BMW X3 features revised front and rear fascias, new twin circular headlights, new body colours and alloy wheels, as well as mirror-integrated turn signals.

At the time of launch, the X3 will offer a choice of four diesel engines and three gasoline engines, with output ranging from 150 to 313 horsepower. Obviously, selection will be limited in North America, as was the case in previous years.

Photo: BMW

BMW ConnectedDrive has been enhanced with functionalities such as head-up display, active cruise control with stop & go function, an iDrive controller with integrated touchpad, a parking assistant, and intelligent emergency call.

Pricing details and release dates will be announced later.

Photo: BMW

From GMM

Jenson Button thinks GP2, F1's second-tier support series, will run the premier category close for pace in 2014.

As the sport's all-new energy-recovery and V6 turbo-powered era kicked off at Jerez last week, drivers were impressed with the torque but concerned that the big reduction in downforce had slowed the cars too much in the corners.

The initial laptime gap compared to the same Jerez test last winter was a disastrous 10 seconds, but McLaren rookie Kevin Magnussen ultimately got the gap down to under 6 seconds.

Nonetheless, GP2 - with unchanged technical specifications - will come close in 2014.

"They will be a lot closer on certain circuits," 2009 world champion Button agreed.

"We'll be quicker, but not that much quicker."

Jenson Button, McLaren MP4-29. (Photo: WRi2)

However, the McLaren driver thinks that with F1 set to embark on a steep and speedy development curve with the clean-sheet regulations, the Jerez cars will be substantially faster by the time the season begins in Australia.

"And three races in there will be another chunk in terms of laptime," said Button.

"By the end of the year we might not be that far off (2013 pace), maybe a couple of seconds, which will be pretty good when we get a real handle on where we are."

Some of the extra laptime, Button explained, is due to Pirelli's new, harder and more durable tyres.

"We think they are half a second slower," he said.

"The cars are also heavier, about one to 1.2 seconds through weight, so that's 1.6, 1.8 seconds already from those two changes."

Mitsubishi Motors North America named a new CEO to head the automaker's operations as it plots a comeback in the U.S. market.

Nissan North America said today it has switched managers for marketing the company's multibillion dollar initiative to sell electric vehicles.

The average fuel economy of new trucks, cars, SUVs and vans sold in January in the United States rose 0.1 mpg from December, to 24.9 mpg, according to a monthly report from the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute.

News 5 Feb, 2014

Aston Martin recalls three-quarters of the cars built since 2008 due to fake plastic in the pedal assembly

DMAX, a diesel engine joint venture between General Motors and Isuzu, will spend US$60m to make design changes that meet future emissions requirements, retaining around 500 jobs, the US partner said in a statement.

Mercedes-Benz car sales in January rose 15.4% to 109,477 vehicles worldwide.

Ford will halt production at its Romanian B-Max factory for four days in February because of low demand, officials were quoted as saying on Wednesday.

News 6 Feb, 2014

Best pictures yet of the MG CS 4x4 spied testing in Scandinavia, likely to debut at the Beijing Motor Show

Pictures See all 6 pictures 5 Feb, 2014

General Motors and Isuzu Motors plan to invest $60 million to upgrade technology in their diesel engine joint venture in Ohio.

A top BMW executive has said the success of electric vehicles hinges not on the development of a public charging infrastructure but on the willingness of consumers to have charging ports installed at their homes.

What Is It?

Daimler is expected to post a surge in fourth-quarter profit on Thursday as its rejuvenated Mercedes-Benz model range helps CEO Dieter Zetsche to turn around a legacy of profit warnings.

Aston Martin is recalling most of its sports cars built since late 2007 after discovering a Chinese sub-supplier was using counterfeit plastic material in a part supplied to the luxury sports carmaker.

Aston Martin is recalling most of its sports cars built since late 2007 after discovering a Chinese sub-supplier was using counterfeit plastic material in a part supplied to the luxury sports carmaker.

Mitsubishi Motors (MMC) has moved Osamu Masuko from his role as president to chairman and chief executive officer while Tetsuro Aikawa is promoted from managing director to president and chief operating officer.

This year marks a step change in the F1 regulations. A raft of aero and powertrain rules are set to create a more efficient race car with more direct links to road car technologies. V8s, used since 2006, will be replaced by all new 1.6 litre turbo charged V6. Engines are now also referred to as 'power units' thanks to the increased hybrid nature of their power generation.

Production of the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class has started at the company's Bremen plant; the new model will also be built in Beijing; East London, South Africa and Tuscaloosa, Alabama, in the US.