Monday, March 9, 2015

Lamborghini Aventador LP 750-4 Superveloce Coming In Late Spring


The permanent all-wheel drive Lamborghini Aventador LP 750-4 Superveloce with a naturally aspirated 750 horsepower 6.5 liter V12 engine accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 2.8 seconds and powers on to reach a top speed of more than 217 mph and will have its market introduction in late this Spring for a price of more than $350,000.

Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6 Concept


Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6 concept high performance two seater sportscar.

Aston Martin DBX Concept


Aston Martin DBX Concept

Volkswagen Golf SportWagen Starts At $21,395 In April


The Volkswagen Golf SportWagen, goes on sale in U.S. dealerships in April, starting at $21,395 (excluding transportation, taxes, title, options, and dealer charges) for the 1.8T S model with a 170-horsepower 1.8-liter turbocharged and direct-injection four-cylinder TSI® engine mated to a five-speed manual  manual transmission with an EPA estimated highway fuel economy of 36 mpg. The TDI Clean Diesel model is powered by the new 150 horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged and direct-injection diesel engine, driving the front wheels through either a six-speed manual or a six-speed DSG® dual-clutch automatic transmission. For the manual transmission model fuel economy is 43 mpg and for the automatic transmission model it's 42 mpg. At 179.6 inches long and 70.8 inches wide, the Golf SportWagen is 1.1 inches and 0.7 inches larger than the Jetta SportWagen.

The Golf SportWagen SE starts at $26,995, only available with the six-speed automatic transmission, Golf SportWagen 1.8T SEL, the top gasoline-powered SportWagen trim starts at $29,345. The base TDI S starts at $24,595 and offers a six-speed manual transmission. Golf SportWagen TDI SE starts at $27,995 with the DSG transmission an $1,100 option. Golf SportWagen TDI SEL starts at $30,345.

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

February 2015 U.S. Auto Sales

General Motors dealers in the United States delivered 231,378 vehicles last month, up 4 percent compared to a year ago. Year-to-date sales of 434,164, is 10.3 percent higher than a year ago.

Ford Motor Company U.S. sales totaled 180,383 vehicles in February, down 1.9 percent from a year ago. Year-to-date sales are 358,734, up 5.9 from 2014.

Toyota, Scion and Lexus reported total February 2015 sales results of 180,467, an increase of 13.3 percent from February 2014. Year-to-date sales for Toyota and Lexus is 349,661, a gain of 14.4 percent over 2014.

FCA US (Fiat Chrysler) reported U.S. sales of 163,586, a 6 percent increase compared with sales in February 2014 and the best February sales since 2007. Year-to-date sales of 308,593 is 9 percent higher than the first two months of 2014.

Nissan Group announced total U.S. sales for February 2015 of 118,436 units, up 2.7 percent year-over-year and a February record. Year-to-date Nissan and Infiniti brand sales are 222,543, an 8.1 percent rise over a year ago.

American Honda reported February Honda and Acura vehicle sales of 105,466, an increase of 5.0 percent versus February 2014. The Honda Division sold 92,474 vehicles in February, an increase of 4.1 percent for the month. The Acura brand posted sales of 12,992 units in February, rising 12.5 percent over the same period last year.

Hyundai Motor America reported its best February ever, selling 52,505, up 7 percent versus the same period last year. Year-to-date sales of 97,010, a 4.3 percent increase from 2014.

Kia Motors America reported February sales of 44,030 vehicles, up 6.8 percent over the same period last year. Year-to-date sales of 82,329, is a 5.2 percent gain over last year.

Volkswagen of America reported sales of 25,710, down 5.2 percent from 2014, Year-to-date VW sales are 49,214, a decrease of 2.8 percent from last year. Separately, Audi reported that its February 2015 sales increased 5.3 percent to 11,455 vehicles. Through the first two months of 2015, Audi U.S. sales rose 9.6 percent from a year earlier to 22,996 vehicles.

Subaru of America reported record sales for February 2015 totaling 41,358 vehicles, an 18.5 percent gain over February 2014. Year-to-date sales of 82,170, a 21 percent gain over the same period in 2014.

The BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported February sales of 28,921, an increase of 18.2 percent from the same month a year ago. Sales of BMW brand vehicles increased 14.5 percent in February for a total of 25,201 compared to February, 2014.

Mercedes-Benz reported the highest February sales in its history with 23,616, up 4.5 percent from February 2014. Sprinter Vans was up 17.9 percent at 1,675, combining with 458 units at smart for a monthly total of 25,749 for Mercedes-Benz USA. On a year-to-date basis, Mercedes-Benz recorded sales of 48,235, an increase of 6.7 percent versus the same period last year. Adding 3,180 units for Sprinter and 950 vehicles at smart, MBUSA's year-to-date sales volume totaled 52,365.

Mazda North American Operations reported February U.S. sales of 25,650 vehicles, representing an increase of 5.4 percent versus last year. Year-to-date sales through February are up 6.4 percent versus last year, with 45,921 vehicles sold.

Mitsubishi Motors North America reported February 2015 vehicle sales of 7,533, a 26 percent sales increase from February 2014. Year-to-date sales are up 29.3 percent from the same period last year.

Jaguar Land Rover North America reported February 2015 U.S. sales for both brands of 6,327, a 14 percent increase from February 2014 bringing year-to-date sales up 11 percent from 2014. Land Rover February sales reached 4,917, up 23 percent from February 2014 while Jaguar sales were 1,410, down 9 percent from February 2014.

Volvo Cars of North America reported U.S. sales of 4,012, a 0.5 percent increase versus February 2014. Year-to-date sales are up 0.3 percent over the first two months of 2014.

Porsche Cars North America announced February 2015 sales of 3,202, down 30 units compared to February 2014. Vehicle supply was adversely affected by the west coast port dispute and inclement weather in many areas. PCNA sales remain 12.8 percent higher year-to-date compared to the same period last year.

Sales will be updated as manufacturers report.

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

BMW Performance Center West - Thermal, California



BMW has a new Performance Center West located near La Quinta, California, that offers the full complement of driver training courses similar to the BMW Performance center at the Spartanburg factory in South Carolina which opened in 1999 and has hosted nearly 130,000 drivers. The BMW performance driver training facility occupies 32 acres on the grounds of the The Thermal Club, a private motorsports club that is selling large "garage villas" for car racing enthusiasts who want quick access to 5.5 miles of road racing circuits. When finished, the BMW Performance Center West will have a dedicated 1.4 mile road course, 6.2 acres of paddock, a skid pad and an 8,500 square foot Performance Facility. BMW launched driver training in Germany in 1977.

I challenged the BMW M3 and M4 (above) with acceleration, cornering and braking through a coned autocross course clocking times around 35 seconds per lap. 

BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer Can Carry 7 People


The BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer offers five newly developed turbocharged engines producing from 116 to 192 horsepower and can accommodate up to seven people across three rows of seats, in addition to a generously sized and variable-use luggage compartment. BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer will debut in Geneva next week.

J.D. Power 2015 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study For 2012 Models

The J.D. Power 2015 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study finds that bluetooth connectivity and voice recognition issues are the most frequently reported problems after three years of ownership. The study examines problems experienced during the past 12 months by original owners of 2012 model-year vehicles. Overall dependability is determined by the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles (PP100), with a lower score reflecting higher quality. The study covers 177 specific problem symptoms grouped into eight major vehicle categories.


For more information visit JDPA.com


McLaren 675LT Will Debut In Geneva Next Week


The McLaren 675LT (‘Longtail’) is track-focused and road legal in the McLaren Super Series with a 666 horsepower 3.8-liter Twin Turbo V8 engine mated to a 7 Speed SSG transmission. The sprint from 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) takes just 2.9 seconds and 0-200 km/h (0-124 mph) clocks at 7.9 seconds en route to a top speed of 205 mph.

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Consumer Reports Top 10 Vehicles For 2015 - 3 From Subaru

Consumer Reports Top 10 vehicles for 2015 must rank at or near the top of its class overall performance road-test score, an average or better predicted reliability rating, based on problems reported by subscribers who rated 1.1 million vehicles in Consumer Reports’ latest Annual Auto Survey and must perform effectively if included in crash or rollover tests conducted by the government or insurance industry.

Best overall: Tesla Model S
Compact car: Subaru Impreza
Midsized sedan: Subaru Legacy
Large car: Chevrolet Impala
Luxury car: Audi A6
Green car: Toyota Prius
Sports sedan: Buick Regal
Minivan: Honda Odyssey
Small SUV: Subaru Forester
Midsized SUV: Toyota Highlander

Top Brands
1. Lexus
2. Mazda
3. Toyota
4. Audi
5. Subaru

2016 Mitsubishi i-MiEV All-Electric Vehicle Coming In Late March


The 2016 Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric vehicle will arrive across the United States in late March with a starting MSRP of $22,995 (excluding destination/handling, tax, title, license etc.) and after a Federal tax credit of $7,500, the net starting MSRP is $15,495 (taxpayer must incur federal tax liability to receive full benefit).

The 2016 Mitsubishi i-MiEV comes equipped with heated driver and front passenger seats, remote keyless entry, heated side mirrors, a fully-transferable 8-year/100,000-mile limited warranty for the lithium-ion main drive battery pack and a 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain limited warranty. A new Navigation Package is available that includes an MMCS navigation system with 7-in. touchscreen display, real-time traffic, 3D mapping and Mapcare®, Bluetooth® hands-free phone system, USB port and rear view camera.

Monday, February 23, 2015

Infiniti QX30 Concept Debuts Next Week


Infiniti QX30 Concept crossover with carbon fiber in the lower cladding and roofbar supports, will have its world premiere at the 2015 Geneva International Motor Show next week.

Mercedes-Maybach 600 S Pullman Limo Starts Around $567,000


The Mercedes-Maybach 600 S Pullman, Mercedes-Maybach's second model, is 21.3 feet long, 3.5 feet longer than the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class and powered by a 523 horsepower V12 biturbo engine. The owner and VIP guests are seated in the direction of travel on two executive seats which are part of the standard specification while other passengers can sit on the fold-down seats facing backwards. If specifically requested, the Pullman can also be delivered in an exclusive version without the additional seats. The price for unarmoured models start at around $566,922.

2016 Lotus Evora 400 Coming This Fall


The new Lotus Evora 400, almost 50 pounds lighter and faster than the previous model, gets a new supercharged and charge-cooled mid-mounted 400 horsepower 3.5-litre V6 engine producing 302 ft. lbs. of torque with 0-60 mph acceleration of 4.1 seconds to a maximum speed of 186 mph. The new Lotus Evora 400 will enter production for European markets this summer with deliveries starting in August. North American markets will receive the 2016 Evora 400 in the Fall.

Thank You Mr. K - 80 Years In The Car Business and My Z


The father of the Datsun Z, Yutaka Katayama - Mr. ‘K’ - passed away on Feb. 20 at the age of 105. Katayama joined the company in 1935, built the Datsun brand from scratch, ran Nissan’s U.S. operations in the 1970s and retired from Nissan in 1977. I had my 1978 Datsun 280Z (above) for 10 years and that car generated lifelong relationships, stories and speeding tickets.

Mr. K (left) made one of the first color films of a Datsun on Japanese roads and later filmed motor sport races across the globe. He was a victorious team manager as two Datsun 210s were entered in a grueling rally circumnavigating the Australian continent catapulting the brand into worldwide renown and setting the stage for Datsun exports. He put together the key concepts for the Z-car and was inducted into the American Automotive Hall of Fame in 1998.

Monday, February 16, 2015

2016 Toyota Avalon Coming This Fall

2016 Toyota Avalon with V6 power is refreshed for its fourth-generation providing a choice of XLE, XLE Plus, XLE Premium, Limited and Touring trim levels. Hybrid customers can choose from three separate grades, adding luxury features and technology options as they move up from XLE Plus to XLE Premium and Limited grades. One retuned suspension prioritizes a comfortable ride for the XLE through Limited grades and the other, provides a more dynamic and responsive driving experience for the Touring grade. The 2016 Toyota Avalon will go on sale later this Fall.

Saturday, February 14, 2015

2016 Hyundai Elantra GT Coming Next Month For $19,625


The 2016 Hyundai Elantra GT, with updated styling and customer-focused technology, comes standard with a 173 horsepower 2.0-liter Nu engine mated to the choice of either a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission with SHIFTRONIC® manual shift control and delivers an EPA-estimated fuel economy rating of 24 mpg city/33 mpg highway/27 mpg. 2016 Elantra GT pricing will start at just $19,625 (including $825 freight charge), and will be available in dealerships starting this March.

2016 Acura RDX Is Refreshed - Coming This Spring


2016 Acura RDX luxury sport-utility is newly refreshed with Jewel Eye™ LED projector headlamps and LED taillights, a new, more powerful 279 horsepower 3.5-liter i-VTEC® V-6 engine with Variable Cylinder Management  cylinder deactivation technology, an expanded list of AcuraWatch™ safety and driver-assistive technologies, and a host of new luxury features and technologies, including a new line-topping RDX with Advance Package adding rain-sensing wipers, front fog lights, Bi-Directional Keyless remote engine start, front and rear parking sensors, ventilated front seats, an auto-dimming driver's side mirror, and AcuraWatch™ advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies including Lane Departure Warning, Adaptive Cruise Control, Collision Mitigation Braking System™ and Lane Keeping Assist, along with a standard Multi-View Rear Camera and Expanded View driver's side mirror. There's a new 4.2-inch full-color TFT Multi-Information Display with expanded, customizable information readouts such as average vehicle speed, fuel economy, fuel range, tire pressure monitoring system and turn-by-turn navigation. The 2016 RDX launches at Acura dealerships nationwide this Spring.

Kia Trail’ster e-AWD Concept


Kia Trail’ster e-AWD concept, based on the Soul urban passenger vehicle, is primarily powered by a 185 horsepower 1.6-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission and matched to an electric all-wheel-drive system with a 1.2 kWh Lithium Ion Polymer battery powering a 27 kW, 270 volt AC synchronous permanent magnet electric motor outputting 35 horsepower and 100 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels and bringing total output to 220 horsepower and 285 pound-feet of torque.

Nissan 370Z NISMO Roadster Concept


The Nissan 370Z NISMO Roadster Concept has a 350 horsepower 3.7-liter DOHC V6 engine with Variable Valve Event and Lift Control and mated to a 7-speed automatic transmission with Downshift Rev Matching, Adaptive Shift Control and manual shift mode with paddle shifters.