BMW and AUDI and MERCEDES BENZ

With the launch of the facelift for the BMW X5 (E70), it is also time to compare the revised design andengine line-up to its classic competitors from Ingolstadt and Stuttgart. While design can be quite subjective and usually based on personal preference, the technical details are the one that remain set in stone and help us differentiate between similar models.So let’s begin first with the vehicle curb weight, the one element that influences the dynamic and sportiness of the car. Starting in the 300 horsepower range, the heaviest contender comes from Audi, the Q7 stops the scale at 5,206 lbs (2,280 kg). Second in weight comes the BMW xDrive35i with its 4,728 lbs (2,145 kg). The Mercedes-Benz ML350 is a tad lighter than the X5 35d, at 4,706 lbs (2,135 kg). To compensate for its clear disadvantages, Audi has already announced the next Q7 will save about 440 lbs (200 kg). It is also worth noting that the Q7 is about 9 inches(23cm) longer than the X5, and around 12.2 inches(31 cm) longer than the M-class.While you can order all three models with the Lane Change Warning technology, Active Cruise Control and a rearview camera, the BMW X5 offers even more exclusive optional equipment.The Head-Up Display provides additional comfort and reduces in some situations the need to monitor the speedometer, allowing the driver to focus on the road ahead. In addition, the BMW X5 offers the option of side cameras integrated in the front wheel arches (side view) and also a view of the vehicle from above (surround view).BMW X5 features a Professional Navigation system with 8.8 inch LCD, the largest one when compared to its competitors. Audi Navigation Plus MMI comes with a 7.0 inch LCD and 6.5 inch LCD in the Mercedesunique selling point for the X5 is unrestricted Internet access

BMW X5 LCI vs. Audi Q7 vs. Mercedes-Benz ML

In 2010, to celebrate the year of the tiger in China, BMW launched thea special edition M3 Coupe available in limited quantity. Just a year later, BMW is preparing to introduce another special M3 Coupe for the Chinese market. Dubbed Matte Edition, the new M3 limited edition offers buyers the choice of two unique exterior paints, black matte or gunmetal greyThe bespoke colors are creating by combining a metallic finish with a silky matte clear coat. The M3 Matte Edition also includes black chrome side air intakes, red brake calipers, lightweight 19″ high-gloss alloy wheels and blacked out exhaust pipes.Inside, as expected, carbon fiber has been extensively used, starting with the trim and matching special black carbon fiber leather for the seats along with contrasting red seams for the seat edges and door armrests. BMW M3 Matted Edition is powered by the same naturally aspirated 4.0-liter V8 engine found across the standard M3 lineup that churns out 420 horsepower and 400Nm of peak torque.

BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz

BMW sales in North America have seen an increase in May, 27% down when compared to the same period a year ago, but still climbing from previous months. Despite the current economic situation, globally, BMW Group sold 109,042 vehicles in May.
This sales decrease of -18.3% was more moderate than in most of the previous months and gives BMW the possibility to position themselves better in the second half of this year.
Now many of you might wonder how were the BMW sales compared to the some of its main competitors, Audi and Mercedes-Benz.
BMW brand were down 18.1% on the previous year (110,707) at 90,643 units. For the year to the end of May, deliveries to customers decreased 20.9% to 408,370 vehicles (prev.yr.: 515,989). The new BMW Z4 is off to an excellent start – it has already been delivered to 2,365 customers since its launch on 9 May. The BMW 7 Series also remained on its growth track: 3,370 (prev.yr.: 3,321 / +1.5%) vehicles were sold worldwide in May. In its important domestic market, Germany, the brand’s flagship was the clear market leader in the luxury sedan segment with 801 new registrations in May. The BMW X6 also made further gains in the month under review, with 3,625 units (prev.yr.: 1,734 / +109.1%) delivered.MINI brand were 19.1% lower in May than for the same month last year (22,685) at 18,348 units; for the year to the end of May, 79,260 MINI (prev.yr.: 102,364 / -22.6%) vehicles were delivered to customers. In Germany, MINI increased its sales volume by 11.8% (3,569 / prev.yr.: 3,193) in the month under review. The brand made gains in countries such as China (350 / +48.9%), New Zealand (26 / +30,9%), Malaysia (20 / +33,3%) and Switzerland (447 / +0.2%). 25,000 MINI fans from around the world celebrated the brand’s 50th birthday at the MINI United Festival at the Silverstone racetrack in the U.K. from 22-24 May 2009. Two new jubilee models, which will join the model range in September, were also part of the Silverstone line-up. There is a choice of two petrol engines or a diesel engine for both the MINI 50 Mayfair and the MINI 50 Camden which will be launched in September 2009. Production of the MINI 50 Mayfair and the MINI 50 Camden will begin exactly 50 years after the classic Mini was officially released, and will be limited to one year. Mercedes-Benz sold 25,600 vehicles in May (May 2008: 23,100) and increased sales by 11 percent. In addition to the boost from the new E-Class, the A- and B-Class also contributed to the growth in sales. Around 5,300 customers bought an A-Class vehicle in Germany in May (May 2008: 3,400), representing an increase of 54 percent. Deliveries of B-Class vehicles rose by 27 percent to 3,900 units (May 2008: 3,000). Sales in the A- and B-Class segment totaled 18,900 units worldwide, remaining largely unchanged from the same month last year (May 2008: 19,000). The smart fortwo posted a sales increase of 26 percent in Germany with 3,200 units sold in May (May 2008: 2,600). Since the beginning of the year, customers have bought 50,100 units of the innovative two-seater worldwide (January-May 2008: 55,500, minus 10 percent). The smart fortwo is now in the third year of its lifecycle. Mercedes-Benz in May was able to gain market shares in key Western European marketsThe new E-Class has met with an outstanding customer responseExecutive Vice President Sales and Marketing Mercedes-Benz CarsWe expect sales to receive a further boost in the coming months from the introduction of the new E-Class to other important markets such as China and the U.S., as well as from the launch of the new E-Class coupe and the face lifted S-Class.” As was the case in April, the first month after the vehicle’s launch, the new E-Class was once again the market leader in Germany in May. “The new S 400 

Porsche working on a baby Panamera to compete with BMW 5 Series

Following the industry trend, Porsche is looking to expand their offerings into new territories. While the controversial Panamera model was received with skepticism, the sales have been exceeded the expectations and customers were thrilled with the new niche vehicle.

According to Autobild, Porsche is developing a smaller Panamera-like model to compete against the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class.
Under the hood, engine options would reportedly carryover from the Panamera so expect petrol

BMW to save billions by 2012, with the help of Mercedes-Benz

BMW and Mercedes…an interesting partnership that many of us have not seen it coming years ago. In a discussion with Bloomberg, BMW announced that it is well on track to meet – and even exceed its goal of reducing spending on components and supplies by $5.2 billion by 2012, partly due to a partnership with the Stuttgart-based and old competitor, Mercedes-Benz.
“We can say that from today’s perspective we will certainly and easily reach the 4 billion-euro savings goal, and even significantly surpass it
Diess, the management board member responsible for the cutsJust days ago, BMW announced first-quarter net income of $417 million – surpassing the expected earnings of just $340 million. These profits represent an increase of $196 million compared to the same quarter in 2009.The increase in profits came from strong sales of the new 7 Series, a highly profitable vehicle according to BMW officials. An important part of costs savings came from the prosperous partnership with Mercedes.
The two German rival luxury car companies are working hand in hand to cut costs and talks between BMW and Mercedes have yielded new projects over the past several months that will help each company reduce spending by about 100 million euros a year by 2012.
In the past, Mercedes-Benz and BMW have discussed many times about possible partnerships and plans to share research and manufacturing in order to cut costs during the financial crisis. The two companies were already developing together hybrid power units and conducting joint purchasing of components.

BMW vs. Audi

BMW and Audi are dueling again, but this time, onto the “marketing battle field”. And what would be the best place to do so other than the one of the top states when it comes to car luxury sales: California.

On the corner of Santa Monica Blvd. and Beverly Glen Blvd (corrected the location), Audi has put up some billboards showing the all new Audi A4 along with the headline: “Your move, BMW”. Santa Monica BMW, a local dealership, took on the challenge and entered a virtual chess game ….of course, with cars rather than pawns, kings or queens.

But which one is the king though? Will it be the BMW M3Coupe or the Audi A4? Fair comparison? Probably not, but it’s all fun in the end. has initiated a tactical outdoor marketing campaign on behalf of BMW of Santa Monica. The campaign is in response to Audi’s current billboards challenging BMW with the headline “Your move, BMW.”

Juggernaut Advertising’s creative work features the BMW M3 with the headline

positioned prominently within the same sightline to westbound traffic as the Audi ad. Juggernaut approached BMW of Santa Monica after identifying a unique and immediate geographical opportunity along the highly trafficked Santa Monica Blvd. corridor between Beverly Hills and Santa MonicaWhen we heard the idea, we loved it and couldn’t resist going forward,

BMW leads Audi, Mercedes 2011 global sales

BMW Group comes at the top of the premium market May 2011. Munich-based automaker topped rivals Audi and Mercedes-Benz, selling 121,168 cars worldwide in May, a rise of 19 percent over 2010 figures. Audi continues its ascending sales path with 19.5 percent increase (113,400 cars), ahead of Mercedes-Benz, whose May sales grew 7.3 percent to 108,766 units.
The butter and bread for BMW in May sales were the new 5 Series Sedan and the Spartanburg-built X3 Sports Activity Vehicle. In total, BMW Group, including the BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce brands, sold 147,563 units in May, a rise of 21.1 percent.
For the first five months of this year, BMW sold 555,429 units (19.2 percent increase over last year), ahead of Audi’s 17.5 percent rise to 535,400 cars. Mercedes’ sales grew 10.5 percent to 490,021 through five months of 2011.
one of the world’s fastest growing luxury markets, BMW’s sales jumped 51.1 percent – 21, 150 cars. Audi continues to be the leader on the Chinese market with 25, 153 vehicles, a 44.6 percent increase. Mercedes is trailing with 16,401 cars in May, or 43.1 percent increase from the year before.
Japanese carmakers reeled from output disruptions following the quake with Lexus reporting 45 percent decrease in sales and a long-wait at local dealerships.
In the United States, BMW maintains the lead in May 2011 sales with 20, 651 units. Mercedes follows closely with 18,886 cars1.8 per cent more than a year earlier. Deliveries for the first five months of the year rose 13 per cent to 92,068 vehicles, to lead Mercedes’ 90,274 sales and the 77,237 deliveries by Lexus.

BMW X3

The BMW X3 is still on the first generation and it received a minor facelift in 2006. The X3 is a well executed sibling to the more popular BMW X5, the older brother that takes the crown among the xDrive line up. Let’s face it though, the X3 isn’t quite the most appealing BMW we have seen, but the facelift version seems to be more along the lines of what we expect from a smaller SAV. The front-end has suffered some minor changes, Angel Eyes headlights and a redesigned front-bumper, add a M Package to it and it becomes more bearable. Openings below the front bumper are now larger, and the fog lights have been moved up into the main bodywork.
The non-boxier, sportier look and with the design lines flowing easier, make the X3 score a few points more than the GLK. The rear-end reflects the first generation X5, with its flat, squarish design.  In the facelifted version, the rear bumper received a very subtle restyle, and the taillight clusters now house
instead of traditional bulbs. Even though the X3 looks a bit outdated when compared to the other BMWsthe next generation will change this feelingI still prefer the more agile, sportier look on the X3

Mercedes-Benz vs BMW X3

Two weeks ago at the Chicago Auto Show, I had more time to spend with the Mercedes-Benz GLK, a vehicle that is a direct competitor to the BMW X3 Sports Activity Vehicle. Built on the same principle as the X3, the GLK 350 is Mercedes’ attempt to take over the entry premiumsegment.I decided to break down the comparison into multiple sections, I will focus on exterior and interior design, engine, fuel consumption, performance and pricing.The Mercedes Benz GLK350 is very boxy when compared to the other Mercedes models, with flat sides and distinctive creases. It is clear that MB had no intention of marketing the GLK as a smaller version of the popular ML-Class models. It reminds me mostly of the 90s style, orthogonal body with plenty of creases. But in the same time, Mercedes Benz managed to give the GLK a more aggressive, something that many SUVs are missing.The P-shaped headlights are not the most appealing design element on the GLK, it somewhat reminds me of  a truck coming out of Detroit’s factories. The front-grille was designed with aggressiveness in mind and with the large three-pointed star logo dominating the front design. The rear-end design is quite simplistic, keeping the same square look with large taillights boxing the rear and side of the car. Oh, let’s not forget the dual exhaust tips.Mercedes Benz 178.2 inches in length, it is 79.4 inches  wide and 66.9 inches tall. The wheelbase is measured at 178.2 inches

2011 BMW 740i

In fact, when we began deliberations on the finishing order in this test, most expected the 740i to finish in the upper middle of the ranking because it didn’t seem to excel at any one thing.
Then we started discussing the priorities for this class of car. Spacious, comfortable seating? Front-seat room ranks second to the Hyundai’s, and rear space nearly matches it, trailing the long-wheelbase Jag and cavernous Mercedes (an extra $4400 buys the 740Li if you’re ferryingall four headrests boast airplane-style side wings; and the zillion-way adjustable multicontour front seats$1300feel sublime.Cars in this class should be technology leaders, but they need to be user-friendly. After several generations of Sevens, BMW is getting that second part right. The latest button-ringed iDrive infuriated far fewer of us than Audi’s shifter and MMI or Jag’s pokey touch screen, though it trails the big-button/touchscreen Lexus and Hyundai interfaces. As for tech, the active roll stabilization and dynamic damping thatcomes with the $6500 M Sport package represent the state of the suspension art. Inveterate gadgeteerscan add night-vision with pedestrian detection$2600a head-up display$1300and around-viewcameras$1200

Level Fullsize Luxury Sedans

together a comprehensive and highly detailed comparison between the entry-level high-end luxury sedans from several automakers, including BMW. The US magazine takes out favorite 740i and places it against Audi’s new A8, the controversial Panamera, the luxurious LS 460, the new and improved Jaguar XJL, the new contender Hyunday Equus and the classic competitor, Mercedes S400. Each car tested had its own pros and cons, but overall, MotorTrend places the 2011 BMW 740i at the top of their list, another indication that the six-cylinder 7er fits the bill for many customers looking for ultimate luxury without sacrificing the driving experience.
Porsche 77
2. Audi 75
3. Jaguar 69
4. BMW 66
5. Lexus 59
6. Hyundai 56
7. Mercedes-Benz 48 Lexus 52%/$1557
2. Jaguar 52%/$1649
3. Hyundai 51%/$1172
4. BMW 48%/$1719
5. Audi 45%/$1904
6. Porsche 44%/$1976
7. Mercedes-Benz 40%/$2016Porsche 83 110
2. Lexus 88 115
3. Mercedes-Benz 87 142
4. Hyundai 102 148
5. BMW 113 165
6. Audi 111 182
7. Jaguar 130 175 LexusMercedesHyundaiAudiJagBMWPorsche Lexus Mark LevinsonJaguar Bowers & WilkinsHyundai LexiconBMW baseunbrandedPorsche Bose
 SurroundAudi baseBoseMercedes-Benz base

Volvo To Compete With BMW And Mercedes-Benz

According to a report by Automotive News, Geely, the new Chinese owner of Volvo Cars, wants the Swedish car maker, best known for its safety, to build cars that will compete head-to-head with premium automakers like BMW  and Mercedes.
Geely purchased the Volvo brand from Ford for $1.5 billion which represents China’s biggest acquisition of a foreign automaker.
Sources close to the Chinese company state that the the research and development department of the Volvo brand will be the main priority, while a modest sale increase would be enough to keep the company on the profitability course.
We want to make more high-level cars that compete with the S class of Mercedes Benz and the 7 series of BMW. We need products to compete in that segmentIf Volvo can sell 380,000 units every year, the business will be profitable, but in order to get an upper hand in the competition we need a dramatic increase in volumeVolvo sold nearly 335,000 cars last year, and lost $653 million.olvo’s high-end sedan, S80 sells for $39,200, a far lowerBMW’s entry level 7 Series in the US, 740i, which starts at $70,150. The other German competitor, Mercedes-Benz, has the S400 hybrid starting at $87,950.Although Geely is one of the fastest growing automotive companies, their revenue and profits are considerably smaller when compared to the German mammoths like BMW, Mercedes and Porsche

Top BMW designer, Karim Habib leaving BMW for Mercedes

This is totally unexpected and a huge loss for BMW. The new 7 Seriesdesigner, Karim Habib, one of the top designers at BMW will join Mercedes-Benz team. Karim  will lead the firm’s advanced design studio located in Stuttgart.According toHabib will be responsible for the Mercedes-Benz F series cars and concept cars. For those of you that are not familiar with his work, Karim Habib was the head of the design team behind the amazingwhich was unveiled at thein 2007Habib earned a degree in mechanical engineeringUniversity and shortly joined the famous Art Center College for Design in Switzerland. He eventually finished his studies at the US branch of the Art Center College, in California.
He was hired right out of college and joined the BMW Group where he worked closely with former BMW chief designer, Chris Bangle. He moved to Munich and joined the Advanced Design department.
After Adrian Von Hooydonk stepped up to take the Chief Designer position, it was expected that Habib will follow a similar path, taking more responsibilities. But unfortunately, as we predicted aftermany young talents will either follow him or join other firms.

BMW close to being exempted from New Fuel Economy Standards

Very interesting newsBMW and Mercedes-Benz might get a break from the U.S government regarding the newstandards. Under this new proposal, the government will set less stringent emission standards for BMW and a few other foreign auto makers that sell fewer than 400,000 vehicles a year in the United States.posted by us back in May and at that time, we were quite excited to see that BMW has started to position itself well for the 2012 new fuel economy standards.We’re hoping that despite this exemption, BMW will continue to focus on its EfficientDynamics program and eventually introduce more fuel efficient vehicles in theBut after digging deeper into this announcement, we found some potential issues and concerns that the general public and U.S. based automakers might have. The question is whether these foreign car makers are getting a clear advantage over their counterpart U.S. companies.

But could this be argued that the U.S. government would like to offer some soft of incentives to these foreign companies investing into the American market?
Obviously this is a very sensitive issue and it will cause some friction between auto makers, but one of them that is clearly happier than others is Porsche.
have caused some distress inside the company and having more relaxed fuel economy standards in the U.S. definitely helps them.

magazine names BMW 3 Series most reliable car

magazinepublished a new survey on the most reliable car sold According to the survey of the country’s 50 largest contract hire companies, BMW 3 Series is the most reliable car in the

BMW’s top seller model is followed by the Honda Accord, Audi A4 and another BMW, 1 Series.

3 Series’ direct competitor, Mercedes-Benz C-Class comes 7th.

Most reliable car manufacturers survey places Honda at the top of the list. VW and BMW coming in second and third, respectively.
To be on the safe side, the research included 1.5 million vehicles owned or managed by the top 50 leasing companies This is the largest reliability survey of its kind, so any vehicle with a top 10 placing will represent a safe bet for any organization or private motorist.”

BMW 6 Series Coupe Concept vs. Mercedes-Benz CL

News of the week come from BMW with their latest unveiling: the BMW 6 Series Coupe Concept. Set for debut in less than two weeks at the Paris Motor Show, the new, redesigned, revamped 6er Coupe strives to conquer once again the high-end segment of premium, luxurious, sporty Coupe vehicles.

The competition is fierce at this level. Mercedes-Benz offers the highly acclaimed CL, Jaguar brings the XK and Lexus SC43 is the competitor
With the new BMW 6 SeriesBMW has another opportunity to outline the new design language under chief designer Adrian Van Hooydonk. Escaping from the sometimes radical and adventurous Bangle design, the new 6er Coupe is softer and “safer” than its predecessor, but continues to emit a strong presence across the exterior design lines.At the front, the car heavily resembles the Gran Coupe Concept revealed earlier this year in Beijing. The front-end is dominated by

including the main lights, daytime running lights, foglights, and signal indicators.

The sides bring back memories
in our opinion, BMW’s best concept in the past ten years. From flame surfacing, to concave and convex shapes, the design offers substance, dynamics, sportiness and an agile allure.But where the Concept 6 Series Coupe really shines is the rear-end presence. The trunk lid runs into thetaillights in a fluid, harmonious way. The rear bumper resembles closely the one seen in the CS Concept and the trapezoidal-shaped exhaust tips come to confirm this.
Moving inside, as seen on the new 5 and 7 Series, the interior design becomes more luxurious, while still maintaining its sportiness. BMW remains true to its core design elements and the BMW Concept 6 Series Coupe continues to feature the driver-oriented cockpit, which underlines the sporty character of the 6 Series. The center section of the instrument panel, featuring the iDrive Control Display, the central air vents and the audio and climate controls, is inclined slightly but visibly towards the driver.
We could safely say that the interior is dominated by the large 10.2 inch display that reveals the latest infotainment system from BMW. The ConnectedDrive system plays an important role in the new 6er and provides even more integration across devices within the car, but also a synergy with the driver and the passengers.
Moving onto its main competitor, Mercedes-Benz
model is being advertised as a full-sized grand tourer automobile. Originally derived from the SL-Class roadster, it has since been based on the S-Class sedan. Known at first as the SEC and later S coupe, it was spun off into its own, current name in 1998. The CL continues to follow the same development cycle as the S, though riding on a slightly shorter wheelbase.The new W216 model was also officially unveiled at the Paris Motor Show, back in 2006. The 2011 facelift version of the Mercedes CL-Class made its world debut in July 2010 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The new CL-Class comes with an improved exterior and interior, but the biggest changes are found under the hood. The exterior gets a new grille, bi-xenon headlights fenders and hood, and new exhaust pipes. On the interior the biggest change is the additionSince the motoring options on the 6 Series have not been revealed, we will focus at this point on the usual photo comparison, showing the two cars side-by-side and from different angles

New Mercedes-Benz E-Class vs. New BMW 5 Series

The moment we have all been waiting for is finally here: a real life comparison between the recently unveiled 2011 BMW 5 Series and the latest Mercedes-Benz E-Class design. While we have been down this road just a few days ago with a photo comparison between the 5 Series this is time, the German

to get their hands on the new 5 and place it against the E-Class, and by place it, we mean, literally next to it.

The head-to-head photoshoot and comparison of the two models included the BMW 530d and Mercedes E350
two engines very popular in Europe. The eternal confrontation, as Autobild has named it, creates and will create lots of controversy and disputes among BMW fans and plenty of comparison articles will flowThe new 5 Series not only put some more weight on, but it has also grown in size. It measures 4,899 mm in length, 1,86 mm in width and has a height of 1,464 mm. 28 centimeters more than the original 5 Series of 1972. Mercedes-Benz E-Class has the following dimensions: 4,868 mm in lengths, 1,854 mm width and 1,471 mm height. Pretty close dimensions, isn’t it?Inside, the 5 Series welcomes the driver with its comfortable padding, many ways adjustable seats and a sporty yet luxurious cockpit, but as Autobild points out, 2,260 euro extra. Despite the extra inch, Autobild feels that the 5 Series feels less spacious than the E-Class which also has a more comfortable back seat entrance.

But the BMW 530d stands out with fine details and sophisticated functionality. At 49,300 euros, the 530d offers BMW
Head-Up Display, Night Vision and in-color surround view5 Series Sedan includes Adaptive Drive with four adjustable options.
The E-Class offers the 619 euros inflatable multi-contour seats, not as luxurious as the BMW, but also convenient, according to Autobild. The E 350 CDI is priced at 50,992 euros, even at 52,914 euros with the Elegance package. The interior design for the E-Class is labeled as being relatively sober and less elegant while the 5 Series offers more for the eye.

2012 BMW M5 vs. 2012 Mercedes-Benz E63

The new 2012 BMW M5 was unveiled earlier this week. The super sporty luxury sedan will join the 5 Series family later this year. The new M5 also joins some tough competitors in the super sporty sedan segment, starting with the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG, Audi RS6 and Cadillac CTS-V.

BMW has moved on with the new F10 M5 from naturally aspirated engines to a TwinPower turboch
arged V8. Thehigh-revving 4.4-liter (4395cc) turbocharged uses the BMWPower Turbo technology, twin-scroll turbochargers, high-precision direct fuel injectionvariable valve control and a cross-bank exhaust manifold that guarantees legendary BMW M-car thrust with seamless lag-free power delivery from just off idle.

The engine outputs 560 horsepower from 5,750-7,000 rpm and 680Nm (502 lb-ft) of torque from only 1500rpm. The high-rev unit should rocket the M5 to 62 mph in 4.4 seconds and under 4 seconds using BMW’s new Launch Control.
BMW offers a 7-speed
in the new M5. The M5 is limited to a top speed of 155 mph, or 190 mph with the M Driver’s Package.The competitor, Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG, has recently swapped its 6.2-liter V-8 for a new twin-turbo 5.5-liter which makes 518 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque in standard form, or 550 hp and 590 lb-ft when equipped with the the extra power is mostly due to an increase in boost pressure from 14.5 to 18.8 psicontinues to use the E63’s seven-speed Speedshiftautomaticwith a clutch pack instead of a torque converter. 0-to-62-mph time is reported to be 4.4 seconds in base trim and 4.3 seconds for Performance pack cars.
The car is limited to a top speed of 155 mph, or 186 mph with the Performance

2012 BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe vs. 2012 Mercedes-Benz

The German jump ahead of time and compare what could become one of the most fun and exciting four-door coupes that will drive a fierce competition between BMW and the Stuttgart-based, Mercedes-Benz.The comparison puts head-t0-head the newly unveiled 2012 BMWfuture 6 SeriesGran Coupeand its counterpart, the second generation 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS due to be unveiled this fall at Paris Motor Show.Judging by the first photos, BMW Gran Coupe is an emotional concept, one that will please even the core enthusiasts. While the 5 Gran Turismo was considered to be an innovator in its segment, the new Gran Coupe joins an already well established and competitive premium segment where currently, Mercedes, Audi and Porsche have the reign. Labeled as 6 Series Gran Coupe, the new model will sit at the top of BMW’sThe BMWCoupe is labeled as a 4-door coupe type of vehicle with a distinctive sporty character and emphasizes the new design language into a single product: a sleek, dynamic and “good looking” automobile. BMWCoupe is rumored to be offered in a wide range of powerplants. As an entry-level model, the 635i powered by the 3.0 liter turbocharged unit with 306 hp. Next, the 650i using the same engine as the new 550i, a 4.4-liter V8 turbo with 407 hp.

will get to enjoy the 635d with a 3.0 liter bi-turbo and 300 hp underneath the hood. The rumor of the day says that an M-like variant of the Gran Coupe could be offered, powered by a modified twin-turbo V8 engine developing 585 hp, similar to the upcoming M5.The popular Mercedes Benz introduced in 2004 goes through a major redesign. The nose is reshaped with a larger grille, more sculpting to the front bumper, and bigger headlights. The grille has to grow to match up with the taller hood, raised to provide more space between sheetmetal and hard bits in accordance with stringent new European pedestrian-protection standards.The rumormill churns that the second generation Mercedes-Benzis expected to be available in four engine variants, split equally between petrol and diesel. The two petrol models could beand the CLS550 The first will feature the new direct-injection 3.5 liter V6 engine with an output of301 hp and 368 Nmwhile the 550 will feature a new 4.6 liter twin-turbocharged V8 that delivers 429 hp and 700 Nmof torque.engines are rumored to be the 350 CDI and 250 CDI. First one is powered by a 3.0 liter V6 producing 252 hp. Second diesel models is using a four-cylinder diesel engine producing 204 horsepower.

BMW Vision ConnectedDrive: Smart Car of the Future

BMW’s latest concept
The latest sportscar from BMW doesn’t emphasize the exterior design, but rather showcases how in the future cars will be connected to their surrounding environment.
Augmented Reality and even artificial intelligence are two of the primarily characteristics of this concept. The car has the ability to connect with the outside world, anticipate driving habits and driver’s personal preferences. Location-based information is another key concept in BMW’s Vision ConnectedDrive. The Infotainment system which is based primarily on location-based information displays data falling within a certain predefined radius.
Thilo Koslowski, the vice president of automotive research at Gartner,in an interviewthat this kind of location-awareness is the latest auto tech trend. “Cars are becoming smarter and communicating intelligently with the outside world,

 Just like the ConnectedDrive Concept, the cars have the ability to pinpoint your current location at all-time, identify your music and movie preferences, and furthermore, interact in a social way with other cars on the road. Koslowski
that over the next ten years, cars will “crowd source” information from other drivers as they pass your vehicle, learning valuable information that are then displayed on your screen.
The cars are bound to become a central hub of information, a super-smart
office that allows you to complete most of your daily tasks. The car also becomes an entertainment hub, aside from the in-car media features, the smart car of the future would allow you to order movie tickets, make reservationsCars will become the ultimate even more so because they truly are mobile. Making information more accessible to the driver has become a new automotive focus.”

 In their Vision ConnectedDrive Concept, BMW-based services enable the information available to be used to create a digital tour of the city or to book a ticket, complete with the appropriate entry in the digital calendar.As drivers and passengers crave for more information as they drive, information overload becomes an issue that could lead to potential distractions. Safety is the ultimate goal in any modern vehicle and automakers are already taking the necessary steps to improve safety of their cars and passengers. Fox News touches on this subject as well reporting on new technologies developed by Mercedes-Benz and Volvo that can sense an imminent collision and hit the brakes automatically. The Volvo S60 can detect a passing pedestrian and flash a warning light before braking. BMW has already deployed several new technologies in the recently launched 5 and 7 Series

2011 Mercedes-Benz and BMW ahead of Lexus

January 2011 sales report numbers indicate that all three of the German luxury brands saw a significant increase in the total of units sold in the United States.
Compared to same period of time in 2010, BMW sales increased 20 percent, Audi also publishes a 20 percent increase while Mercedes-Benz
14 percent raise. Although showing the smallest percentage gains, Mercedes-Benz took the German luxury sales crown last month in the U.S. market, a change from December2010In January 2011, BMW sold January 15,905 vehicles. Best performing vehicles included the new X3 SAV – officially on sale in the U.S. for only two weeks – up 273.3 percent to 1,075 units; the 5 Series, up 76.2 percent to 4,350 units and the facelifeted X5, up 23.6 percent to 3,038 units.Mercedes-Benz managed to sell 17,273 vehicles in January. Best-selling the E-Class with 4,795 units. The C-Class sales grew 3.6 percent to 4,172 models sold. The M-Class SUV reported sales of 28.9 percent over last January, or 2,484 vehicles. Mercedes also saw impressive growth for its diesel models, with sales of Bluetec-powered products growing nearly 136 percent.2010 was the best sales year ever for Audi. Ingolstadt-based automaker sold 100,000 units and 2011 has started on the positive side as well. In fact, this past month was Audi’s most successful January in history, moving nearly 7,812 off dealer lots across the U.S. BMW X3′s biggest competitor, the Q5 compact crossover, continues to show remarkable sales numbers, 1,584 units sold a 50.9-percent increase overlast yearA4 remains the best sold Audi in the United States with 2,483 units. Audi’s larger sold to 756 customers, 59.8 percent improvement over last January. The all-new Audi A8 shows 450 units sold, but still lower than the 626sold in the same month.Lexus has been dominating the luxury sales for years, but January sales are an indication that their reign on the top of the throne might be over. The Japanese automaker reported a decline of 17 percent in the sales department last month with just 12,860 deliveries.

Audi Q5 Vs. BMW X3 Vs. Mercedes-Benz GLK

One of the most common comparisons in the past few months has been the one between the BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLK and of course, the new Audi Q5. Inone of ourwe dissected the three cars based on their exterior appearance, interior design, performance and pricing.Shortly after, we decided to takecompare it against the current X3, a comparison that will be more accurate when BMW will launch their second generation X3 next year.The fellows took the same approach of comparing the three vehicles based on similar criteria and it would be interesting to see what their conclusionwas.Which of these three is best for you? First, know that each of these three compact luxuryhas been introduced or revamped in the past two years. The BMW X3 was refreshed in 2008with an improved ride and a smoother shape; the Audi Q5 emerged brand-new in 2009; and the Mercedes-Benz GLK arrived late last year as a 2010 model.They’re state of the art, in the small-luxury-ute segment. They’re similar in size, equipment, and mission, too. Each of these compact utes has a six-cylinder engineavailable four-wheel drive (it’s standard on the Q5 and X3, an option on the GLK). Maybe most important to you, each wears a luxury-brand badge that conveys a certain standing in the world far more effectively than the badges on other very pleasant vehicles like the Volvo XC60, Infiniti EX35, even the Acura

Mercedes-Benz building a crossover competitor for BMW X6

According to the German magazine Auto Zeitung, Stuttgart-based automaker, Mercedes-Benz is working on a new model aimed at the BMW X6 SportsThe coupe-crossover dubbed to launch sometimes in 2014.won’t be a high-end model but rather a stylish and relatively affordable coupe-crossover based on the same compact car platform that will underpin the next-generation B-Class. While not confirmed, the assumptions are that the GLC will likely employ a transversely-mounted four-cylinder engine driving the front wheels in standard form. An all-wheel drive system will most likely be offered as well.Details are scarce at the moment, but a possible engine could include the 1.8 liter four-cylinder outputtingmore powerful turbodiesel, 2.2 liter with 250 ponnies.The idea behind the Mercedes-Benz GLC is to offer a smaller car than its competitors, avoiding the competition in the crossover segment with a smaller niche product. In the past, there have also beenrumors around BMW’s plans to build a smaller will be positioned below the X6

BMW’s revamped X3 is no threat to the Q5 according to Audi”

Things are started to heat up in the premium compact SUV segment. Last year, the segment was dominated by the Audi Q5 and Mercedes GLK, mostly due to the X3 approaching the end of its lifecycle and in need of a design refresh. The compact has recently seen some increased competition from the Lexus RX, a car that many consumers compare it now against the aforementioned models.
With the new X3 just weeks away from hitting the showrooms of BMW dealerships, Audi comes out with a statement downplaying the threat it could pose to its high-seller Q5.
“I don’t expect to see any downturn in Q5 volume. In fact, we will sell more Q5s next year than we did this
year,Audi of America,

BMW Leads Mercedes in U.S. Luxury Auto Sales By 29 Units

After a close finish in April, BMW is the top-selling luxury brand in the United States. Munich-based automaker took the lead from Mercedes-Benz with 29 units sold more.
As expected, the 2011 BMW sales continue to receive a boost by the new 5 Series and X3 models. The 5 Series sales rose 77 percent last month. BMW deliveries in the U.S. rose 8.9 percent in April to 18,801 compared to the same month last year.
Deliveries for the first four months of the year rose to 71,417 vehicles, to lead Mercedes’ 71,388 sales and the 64,932 deliveries by Lexus.

With all three automakers producing more compelling products, the top premium brand of the year will be decided by a photo finish. In 2010, Lexus finished the year as the highest selling luxury auto brand in the United States, followed by BMW and Mercedes.
The Stuttgart-based Mercedes-Benz sold 18,042 cars and SUVs last month, 2.3 percent more than a year earlier

Turning cars into cash

Need quick cash? If you are a car owner, look no further. An increasingly popular breed of lending offers the best both worlds _ allowing you to put up your vehicle as collateral for a cash loan, and keep driving it.The car equity loan lets the borrower continue using the mortgaged vehicle. This differs from pawned assets, which are kept by a pawnshop until their redemption.The similarity is that the loan is aimed at assisting people who have assets but are in urgent need of money.Car owners can use a vehicle registration book as collateral with creditors, get an amount of money (up to 70-80% of the car's present value) and repay it over a negotiated period, between 12 and 72 months. The payoff includes the principal and interest.The flat interest rate may vary depending on the creditor, repayment ability of the borrower, type of vehicle, vehicle age and usage purposes.A low interest rate of 3.5% to 4.0% may be charged on newer cars (one to three years old) with a short instalment period of not more than 36 months. Higher interest is required for older cars, as well as lengthier terms: 60 or even 72 months.Although car title loans have been offered by loan brokers for a long time, their popularity has been increasing in recentyears among commercial, heightening market competition and allowing consumers easier access to loans.Normally approvals are made within three days of applicationThe impressive growth is in line with rising car salesBased on the Land Transport Department's statistics, 28.48 million vehicles were registered in Thailand as of 2010, and the Bank of Thailand estimated 4.8 million were fully paid up.
This year, car sales are expected to reach 900,000 units, along with 2 million motorcycles, bringing total auto loans to as high as 334 billion baht.
For refinancing and used-car loans, the market size is as large as 210 billion baht, of which 60 billion baht is for motorcycles.
Choosri Patcharoen, the executive vice-president for marketing at Ayudhya Capital Auto Lease Plc, also known as Krungsri Autocountry's auto refinancing loans this year would expand 10% and car equity loans up to 30%. of 137 billion baht at the end of June, a 30% rise year-on-year. Of the loans, 30 billion baht was from the Krungsri car-for-cash business, which expanded 23%.The performance gave the company, which pioneered the business among commercial banks eight years ago, a leading 40% market share.As well, new players in recent years have expanded the market. Among the leadingengaged in the businessThe interest rate is low when compared with other credit types and no credit guarantor is needed, Ms Choosri noted.new-car hire-purchase loans are expected to reach 3% by the end of the year. charges 2.65% interest a year for new-car loans and a minimum of 3.75% for used carsbank is offering a rate of 3.6%, or 0.30% a month, in its car-for-cash segment.

Jaguars starters outplayed in OT loss

From the four-yard line, Jaguars quarterback
hit he ground, but managed toescape a defender. At least five Bills players got their hands on Garrard, none bringing him down, before he scrambled into the end zone for the Jaguars' first points of their third preseason gameThe Jaguars lost to the Bills, 35-32, in overtime in the third preseason game for both teams. It was the first preseason overtime gameScores came in bunches for both teams. The Bills opened on a 17-0 run before the Jaguars scored 17 consecutive points to tie the game and eventually lead 32-17. The Bills then countered with two unanswered touchdowns and then a two-point conversion in the final minute of regulation.The Jaguars recovered from the early deficit by scoring two touchdowns for the first time all preseason. They were the first two touchdowns of the preseason for the first-team offense, both on drives aided by pass interference penalties."I liked the way we finished the half; there wasn't a lot to smile about in the first quarter," Jaguars Things didn't start the way we needed to, but it's live football. The guys settled down and started making more plays as we closed out the first half and obviously we got ourselves back in the game."Playing without starting running back the Jaguars offense stalled on its first drive, picking up one first down.
The next two drives both resulted in three-and-out stops and Garrard was 0-for-3 on passes he threw during them.
They scored their first points late in the second quarter was called for a pass interference set up the Jaguars at the eight-scored two plays later.
The Jaguars lacked starting defensive defensive end and second-year defensive tacklePlaying against a team lacking three of its best pass-rushers, Fitzpatrick completed his first 11 passes and finished 11-of-12. Fitzpatrick finished with a perfect quarterback rating of 158.3, 165 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.Even though it's preseason, he had to bounce back from somewhat of a rough game last week,'' receiverbest play was on a
 We settled down and made a couple of plays there at the end and got ourselves off the field defensively with what looked likethere for a little while,We're really not doing enough defensively to slow him down"The Bills began pulling starters late in the first half, but the Jaguars left most of theirs in until they tied the game.That meant Garrard started the third quarter, directing the Jaguars second touchdown drive againstwhat was mostly Buffalo's second-team defenseThe two-yard run by Brock Bolen four plays later completed the comeback. Seventeen consecutive points tied the game.

Campaign offers High-end Toyota Yaris

Central Trade and Auto Companythe exclusive dealer for Toyota, Lexus and Hino vehicles in the Kingdom, recently launched the new Toyota Yaris hatchback in the Jordanianmarket, and it is now availableshowrooms with special pricesToyota Yaris has undergone a few internal and external improvements, powered by 1.0 litre, 3 cylinders in-line, w/ VVT-I engine that produces a peak 75 horsepower at 6,000 rpm, in addition to its ability to generate 93 Nm of torque at 4,100 rpm.The economic Yaris hatchback delivers a rich lineup of features that guarantee passenger comfort. The car is furnished with modern fabric seats and is equippedair conditioning, power mirrors and windows, digital speedometepower door locks,steeringcontrols.Additionally, the Yaris is equipped with two front air bags for driver and passenger, as well as many other advanced features.Toyota Yaris 2011 is currently available at Central

Ford, Toyota to collaborate on hybrid projects

A chance airport encounter between Alan Mulally and Akio Toyoda led to a partnership that aims to produce vastly more efficient pickups The top executives at Ford and Toyota they will work together on a hybrid system for light trucks and in-vehicle multimedia technology. Details will be hammered out in coming months. A formal agreement is expected next year.Mulally, who drove a Lexus before joining Ford in 2006, has visited Toyota several times, including once with fellow Ford executive Mark Fields. "We went to study with the masterat the time. He and Toyoda negotiated terms of the deal.President Barack Obama and automakers have agreed to double the corporate average fuel economy for vehicles sold in the U.S. to 54.5 mpg by 2025.Ford is taking advantage of Toyota's hybrid leadership it has sold 3.3 million hybrid vehicles since 1997. Toyota will gain from Ford's truck-making expertise.Toyota has a rear-wheel drive hybrid system in development, but they need Ford's volume to make it work,"Ford needs a fuel economy improvementshould be mutually beneficial.Ford and Toyota will join forces to develop a hybrid powertrain for pickups and SUVs and make in-vehicle communications less distracting and easier to use.The partnership, announced Monday in Dearborn by executives from both companies, is not the first of its kind.General Motors worked together to come up with a hybrid transmission in 2005 that is available in the Chevrolet Tahoe and SilveradoSierra and Cadillac Escalade. Sales of GM's five hybrid trucks totaled just 2,251 this year through July, down more than 25 percent from last year.What's different now is the 54.5 mpg corporate average fuel economy standard the Obama administration has set for 2025. That means more fuel-efficient gas-only engines, as well as offering gas-electric hybrids, plug-in hybrid electrics and pure electric powertrains in more segments.

Woman’s car destroyed in early morning arson attack

emories went up in smoke when a young Albury woman’s car was destroyed by arsonists at the weekend.
 Whitehouse has been left “angry” and “devastated” after her white Toyota Torago, which was not insured, was torched while parked outside her Wingara Street home early yesterday morning.
Sgt Mark Watson, of Albury police
fire was deliberately lit.was woken about 1am yesterday by the sound of her car being reduced to what is now a molten mess.I woke up and heard sounds like a firecracker and I ran outside and my car was on fire,“I freaked out, I was running to try and get a bucket of water, I just wanted to save it, I was hysterical.The car has actually been in my family since before I was born, so there are heaps of memories, especially of road trips when I was younger.”Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

3 killed in car stopped on Chicago freeway

Three people are dead after their car was struckwhile stopped on the middle of a town freeway. State Policethe Chevrolet Cavalier was stopped with its lights off in the center lane of the southbound side of the Bishop Ford Expressway near 130th Street just after 3 a.m. when a Toyota Highlander hit the car.
The Cook County medical examiner's office two of the people killed were 34-year-old Latoya Williams and her 19-year-old son, Derrick Young. They lived inAlso killed was 27-year-old Jermaine Garner of City. Police say Young was the driver. The Toyota's 64-year-old driver was not injured and was not cited by police

1994 Mercedes-Benz W124 E320 Coupe

As the television blew up about the arrival of hurricane Irene, I sat there, staring into space, reminiscing about my past car ownership experiences. So assuming that a fair amount of you will be pulling a hermit crab while the storm rolls through, I thought I’d provide some piece of mind from my own personal motoring experiences, which could also mean you fans can learn about your favorite senior-editor…that is, if you still havepower I absolutely love to drive. In fact, I love driving so much that whenever I do things with my friends, I’m always the first to volunteer. But the part of driving that makes my insides twist the most is long road trips. It’s rather similar to the feeling you get when you revisit that greasy burger joint down the street for the first time months because the lady doesn’t appreciate your love handles. With me being in college with high school friends being scattered all over the east coast, many a long road trips happened. And they wouldn’t have occurred without my first car.
Now, for just about every petrol head, or perhaps even everyone, one of the biggest and most memorable moments in one’s life is their first car. That is, unless you care so little about cars that you’ve managed some way to avoid suicide from being verbally and physically harassed by your classmates from riding your childhood bicycle with tassels for your entirety.
Either way, the car that was took up the challenge to being my first major key to freedom was a clean, well-maintained 1994 Mercedes-Benz W124 E320 Coupe with a low 76,469 miles on it. As far back as I remember, the first car I ever fell in love with was the black 1980s Mercedes-Benz W126 420SEL driven by the Triads in Lethal Weapon 4. Let’s not forget folks, I was seven years old when I saw that movie. Since then through the ownership of my E320 Coupe, my love for the Stuttgart brand grew to an obsession. And I’ll explain why.
The longest road trip I have ever driven on my own was a lofty nine-hour road trip from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ to Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia to visit one of my best friends from high school—roughly 470 miles. And I was not worried one bit as I was in my third year of owning my Mercedes. By then, I new my car inside and out—I knew of its place and importance in automotive history as well as its particular highlights. So while I was practically already married to my first car, getting inside of it to carry out the longest road trip ever yet for me was no different than driving to Starbucks for a cup of Joe.
I woke up bright and early on a Wednesday during the spring of 2010 to make sure I was ready, packed and set for the long journey to Virginia. Clothes? Check. Munchies? Check. One-dollar tallboy Arizona teas? Radar detector? Can’t leave with out it.
At around 12 noon, full of breakfast, I tugged the long, heavy door to step inside the black Benz and embark on the trip. With every entrance into the E320, I couldn’t help but appreciate the fastidious build quality. The opening and closing of the coupe doors resembled that of a tank so much, that it was an event in itself…a petrolhead’s odd, but rather guilty pleasure. Now this isn’t one that comes from arousal, but rather through appreciation. If my memory serves me right, the E320 had around 140,000 miles on it and yet the interior looked as if it had yet to be broken in. Everything had the solidity of a brick house.
Inserting the skeleton-like laser-cut key into the tumbler, firing up the 3.2-Liter M104 straight-six only brought a slight shutter to the car as the engine’s presence disappeared at a high idle just above 1k RPM for a cold start. Even with the at the time mileage accumulation of roughly 140,000 miles, the car was still as refined as its Germanic build quality proudly boasted. After the car shortly settled to a nearly hybrid-quiet 600 RPM idle,
The first part of the journey began when I gunned the E320’s straight six to its 6400 redline to merge with high-speed flow of traffic on I-95. Regarded by many Benz enthusiasts as the best six-cylinder ever produced by the brand, the E320’s M104 offered 217hp and 229 lb-ft of torque. It was during a time when Mercedes built their cars to the “cost-no-object” ideology set forth by the company decades ago—something that permeates throughout the entire car. But the engine is also thoroughly modern featuring tech that even basic cars these days usevariable valve lift, electronic fuel injection, four-valves per cylinder. Some time before the road trip, the same friend I set off to visit in Virginia rode shotgun with me to test the E320’s 0-60 time. Low and behold, we clocked 60 in at 8.29 seconds, just a hundredth of a second off of the official factory time of 8.3 seconds
Though with that flat torque curve, the E320 felt far faster than its numbers suggested. A true testimony to the precision engineering that paid off by keeping the car still very fresh in its operation. Ok, so onwards. First waypoint on the trip: Baltimore.
Now, it was on long road trips that I learned to appreciate the E320 and even reflect on its history and pedigree for a bit to appreciate the brand even more. As I sat there and glanced at the exterior temperature gauge, which read an accurate 76 degrees, I set the cruise control at a comfortable 79 mph,
sat back and cruised. It was moments on the highway that Mercedes-Benz’s history of anal retentive engineering paid off to make some of the most sublime highway cruisers ever made, the E320 being no different. The W124 went down in the book of superlatives in ways that explain the way the Benz just ate up miles. For instance, the W124 E-Class had the lowest drag coefficient of any car at its time at just 0.28 Cd. That of course also translated into fuel economy—30 mpg popped up very frequently for highway driving.The miles rolled by as I cruised my way down to Baltimore. About two hours into the trip, I couldn’t help but reach for my bag of potato chips that sat on the seat next to me in a plastic Shop-Rite bag. I shifted my hands around to pop the bag open, the Benz tracked straight and true on the rather worn-down surface of the NJ Turnpike section of I-95. I reached in to grab a handful and the inevitable chip slid right out of my grip and into the slot just between the seat and the center console. Damnit! Being a bit of a clean freak, I always dread a dirty car…especially when you discover that lost potato chip or French fry that is so stale that flies refused to eat it. I reached over to see if I can snatch it up and to my relief, I remembered that Mercedes put inserts between those very slots to keep pocketed items from getting caught in the most untouchable spots inside a vehicle. There, another moment for me to appreciate the Benz, purely from their attention to detail.
In fact, everything in the car was designed not only to a “cost-no-object” build quality standard, but to form following function. The shift gate was shaped to avoid confusion when choosing gears by feel. The body was designed specifically to be aerodynamic. The taillights and the side indicators have ripples in them to prevent the build up of dirt that could inhibit their luminescence. Headlight wipers were standard to perform the same function. The passenger side rear-view is squared for better short-distance visibility where as the driver-side is rectangular for better long-distance visibility (coming from a country where you will be penalized for not staying right unless passing). Wait, hang on, Baltimore? Already? Before I knew it

I remember purposely making the route slightly longer because part of the experience of long road trips is to see what other parts of the world were like. But before I left the interstate to see what kind of entertaining back roads the mid-Atlantic can offer, I pulled for a quick rest stop just outside of Baltimore. While I stretched my legs out, I observed the black Benz from the outside. Size wise, the E320 Coupe is not much different than your modern day late-E46 BMW 3-Series coupe.
As for the shape, I have always thought that the E320 Coupe made much better use of the W124’s proportions. While the sedan looks fairly edgy and stodgy at several angles (Porsche-tuned 500E aside with the flared wheel arches), there was no angle at which the Coupe looked miles better as its proportions are complemented by the sleeker profile of two-less doors. Sure, the Coupe may have looked aged next to your current BMW 6er or Mercedes CLK with its two-tone under cladding. But the E320 Coupe still embraced the elegance and classiness that came with the hood-mounted Three-Pointed Star as it ages gracefully in the era of the Bangle-butt. But one of the most unique exterior features of the E320 Coupe was the ability to open all four-windows without the presence of a b-pillar. Ok, break time over. Onwards into West Virginia.
Legs stretched and ready to go, I was willing to put the E320 to the test with some good back local back roads. Now you’re probably thinking: there are far more better cars suited for that sort of job. But a Mercedes-Benz? The E320 was very much a driver’s car, but one that differed in many ways to what others would call the performance drivers’ cars, Mercedes-Benz’s direct rival: BMW. For instance the lack of cup holders, driving position, and exterior visibility proves that the E320 was designed primarily also for driver orientation and nothing other than the sole practice of driving. But that’s not all.
At the first swooping corner I found, the big five-spoke wheel yielded the Benz’s recirculating ball-type steering system’s characteristics. Although on the slower side with 3.0 turns lock-to-lock, it was accurate and adequate for point and shoot steering. It was also well weighted and had linear and natural progression as well as plenty of feedback. Although the steering may have not offered the same amount of road feel as a BMW or Honda tiller, enthusiasts wouldn’t be upset having this car as a daily duty.
five-way multilink rear suspension (only employed by Ferrari and professional race cars at the time) from the earlier developed W201 190E, father to the current C-Class, the suspension was very ahead of its time as many mainstream automobiles haven’t utilized these suspension designs until the late 1990s and even still don’t utilize such designs entirely.
The Benz also had a near-50/50 weight distribution, 53/47 front and rear to be exact. The results were very balanced and neutral handling characteristics with understeer and oversteer both kept in check, making for very confident turn-in with the rear following nicely. Only if you purposely plowed the car heavily into a corner will you result in understeer (but that’s basically the story with anything on wheels). Otherwise, the car was pretty nimble for its cumbersome weight of 3,550lbs.

Abandoned Ferrari Enzo found in Dubai

Here’s an unfortunate find. Remember the destruction of Saddam Hussein’s epic car collection, many of which included the destruction of a Porsche 993 Turbo S, an extremely rare Lamborghini LM002 SUV and supposedly a Mercedes-Benz 500K worth more than millions? Well this one is a little something like that.Ferrari Enzo rotting away in the desert of Dubai. Supposedly, the reason as to why cars like these end up sitting in the dust are from entrepreneurs who returned home after their business or real estate ventures failed.
It was said to have been found in a police impound, which means that the car will most likely be auctioned off and sent to a new owner who could fix it up. But they’d better have some deep pockets and lots of cash to spend because the Enzo is sitting in a part of the world where exterior temperatures often exceed 115 degrees F.

Only 399 Enzos have been officially sold to the public. With already a considerable amount of them dead from careless actions of their owners, the Ferrari Enzo could slowly be disappearing off of the face of the Earth

BMW X3 effect: Audi Q5 Business Edition launched at 35.13 lakh rupees

Audi has launched the Audi Q5 SUV now sporting a new competitive price tag. The Audi Q5 Business Edition will be available for a price of Rs 35.13 lakh ex-showroom Mumbai. The Audi Q5 was available in three variants till now. The Q5 2.0 TDI retailed for around 40 lakhs, the Q5 2 liter TFSI Quattro comes with a price tag of around Rs 44 lakh ex-showroom Mumbai and the top-end 3.0 TDI Quattro sported a price tag of over 50 lakh rupees. The news comes at a time when arch rival BMW is getting ready for the arrival of the new BMW X3.Audihas experienced formidable growth, even surpassing annual sales of 3003 cars for 2010 in the first seven months of 2011. In July 2011, we sold 343 cars – a growth of 52 percent over the same period last year. Our focus is on strengthening our portfolio through the introduction of products like the Audi Q5 2.0 TDI q which are extremely relevant for India and also the expansion of our dealer network. With the opportunity that India presents, we are confident of achieving our retail sales target of 5000 cars by the end of 2011
 BMWwill launch the new BMW X3 on 25th August 2011 in Pune. Prices of the new SUV are expected to be over Rs 40 lakh. The Audi Q5 will be the main rival for the BMW X3 and battle seems to have already commenced with the launch of the Audi Q5 Business Edition. Audi has given its customers an option of a very competitively priced product over the BMW X3 which will be launched soon. Now, everything will depend on how BMW India prices the new

BMW considers adding artificial sounds to make Electric Vehicles safer

According to the magazine, BMW’s competitors Audi and Mercedes-Benz have already begun developing specific-sounds for their EVs.
BMW is weighing whether to add artificial sounds to its electric vehicles to make them safer to pedestrians. German rivals Audi and Mercedes-Benz say that they already have started developing brand-specific sounds while Nissan and Infiniti have revealed the solutions they will use to ensure that their EVs don’t pose a danger to people when traveling at low speeds.
BMWin charge for the future electric vehicles family, BMW and MINI prototype electric cars currently are not equipped with active sound systems that add artificial noise at low speeds.However we have been looking into possible technical solutions for a while and we would be able to add such a feature to our vehicles should this turn out to be a real problem. We are also cooperating with organizations for the visibly impaired in Germany.”In summer of 2011, BMW will roll-out a new field trial, ActiveE, an electric vehicle conversion based on the 1 Series Coupe. Two years after the kick-off of this field trial, BMW will launch their first built-from-the-ground-up electric vehicle, Megacity.has not offered more details on the technology piece behind the artificial sounds, the competitors have been more open about it. Mercedes is said to deliver a naturally produced sound that warns pedestrians but does not mimic the noise created by an internal combustion engine.
Audi’s acoustics experts are working to create a futuristic engine note for the brand’s EV.

2011 BMW X3 vs. Audi Q5 vs. Mercedes-Benz GLK

comparison saga is back and the moment we have all been waiting for has come. How will the new BMW X3, the second generation premium compact SAV, stack up against the Audi Q5 and Mercedes-Benz GLK, two of the leaders in this premium segment?

In its second iteration, the 2011 BMW X3 has been redesigned from the ground up. The F25 X3 went through an extensive exterior redesign, aligning the new X3 with the recent designs seen in some of the BMW models. While maintaining the “boxy” look, the 2011 X3 is a half-inch taller, 3.4 inches longer and 1.1 inches wider than the current model.

The design features flared wheel arches and more aggressive design cues. The dynamic side creases around the fenders turn the new X3 into a distinctive model. At the front-end, the corona-ring running lights flanking the twin-kidney grille, and underlined by a fairly sporty bumper, complete the unique look of this X3.
The interior syncs up with the recent design approach transposed in the new BMW models. The driver-oriented dashboard connects the driver to its car and the latest iDrive with the 8.8-inch LCD,  environment.

BMW 6 Series Cabrio vs. Mercedes-Benz SL

BMW unveiled their latest, newest and updated 6 Series Convertible. Competing for the same high end market as the Mercedes-Benz SL, the new 6er brings a new design language at the table, as previewed earlier this year with the Gran Coupe Concept and more recently, the 6 Series Coupe Concept.
The new 2012 6 Series Convertible has the alure of an athelete, combined with svetlness, classic looks and the 6 Series shark nose. The high-end cabriolet sports a sweeping hood surrounded by a muscular profile. Like the lines projecting outward from the nose of the car and continuing along its full length, the harmoniously curved surfaces of the body take their cue from the movement of waves sent out by a the bow of a motor boat piercing the water.
the expected level of luxury, yet retaining the sportiness of BMW cabin design. Driver oriented dashboard, lots of new technology and gadgets, take the interior design to a new level.
High-quality materials and meticulously formed surfaces combine to produce an ambience defined by luxury, sweeping style and Teutonic functionality.Mercedes-Benz SL has been considered a direct competitor to the 6 Series ever since BMW introduced their high-end convertible into the market. The SL received a face lift in 2008 featuring a new front end that evokes the classic 300SL with a large grille featuring a prominent 3-pointed star and twin “power domes” on the hood; the car also features new headlights with an optional “Intelligent Light System” and a new speed sensitive steering system.Car and Drive describe the facelift as having “effective styling changes” which include a “new single-bar grille that evokes most of its SL forebears, flanked by L-shaped headlamps that evoke none of them.” The SL features a new deeply sculpted side scoops and a protruding nose mark a r
grille that evokes most of its SL forebears, flanked by L-shaped headlamps that evoke none of them.” The SL features a new deeply sculpted side scoops and a protruding nose mark a revolutionary departure from the conservative styling found on the previous generation SL
With the facelift, the interior has been also improved with better seats, a new-look three-spoke leather steering wheel, and a completely restyled instrument cluster. In terms of materials, there are two types of leather to choose from, as well as five different aluminum or fine-wood trims and five color combinations.
For the latest model year, Mercedes reduced the offerings from two non-AMG models to just one, ditching the SL600 in the U.S. market.

Mercedes-Benz plans BMW Mega City rival

The premium electric vehicles market is starting to heat up. Mercedes-Benz, BMW’s old-time and classic rival, has kicked off styling studies into a range of new alternative-drive city cars as part of a project known internally under the working title Mega City MobilityAccording to the new MB electric vehicle is aimed at the 2013 BMW Megacity Vehicle, rumored to be unveiled in a concept form within the next few months. The car is being styled at the company’s Yokahama-based studio in Japan under the direction of Holger Hutzenlaub, who heads the Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Studios.Interesting enough, Autocar managed to get some exclusive photographs that reveal a range of ideas that have already come out of the Mega City Mobility project, including sketches and a clay model of a stylish new one-box offering.magazine mentions that Mercedes-Benz took the decision to start the Mega City Mobility project in Japan based on the country’s acute lack of space and the solutions that are being generated to provide an increased standard of living in large cities.One of the first products to stem from Mercedes-Benz’s Mega City Mobility project will be the new Smart E-scooter, a similar offering as the new MINI E Scooter.In the same premium electric market, Audi is planning their own city vehicle set to come off the same platform as parent company Volkswagen’s new Up city car.BMW plans to launch their first Megacity in 2013 as a car that caters to mobility and urban environment. BMW believes that the Megacity vehicle will be the first volume-produced automobile to employ the significant benefits afforded by carbon technology.

Mercedes-Benz CL vs. 2012 BMW 6 Series Coupe

When it comes to market at the end of this year, the 2012 BMW 6 Series Coupe will compete in the same segment with the Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar XK and Lexus SC43. The new F13 6er Coupe builds atop the Concept revealed last year and showcases a fresh design with a combination of luxury and sportiness.
With the new BMW 6 Series, BMW has another opportunity to outline the new design language under chief designer Adrian Van Hooydonk. Escaping from the sometimes radical and adventurous Bangle design, the new 6er Coupe is an evolution of the previous model, but its design lines continue to emit a strong presence. We described the new 6 Series in a previous article
Moving onto its main competitor, Mercedes-Benz. The CL model is being advertised as a full-sized grand tourer automobile. Originally derived from the SL-Class roadster, it has since been based on the S-Class sedan. Known at first as the SEC and later S coupe, it was spun off into its own, current name in 1998. The CL continues to follow the same development cycle as the S, though riding on a slightly shorter wheelbase.

BMW leads Audi, Mercedes-Benz in June 2011 global luxury-sales

BMW brand topped rivals Audi and Mercedes-Benz, selling more cars worldwide in June 2011. The Munich-based automaker 134,432 cars sold last month, a rise of 12.3 percent over 2010.The runner-up, Mercedes-Benz sold 120,510 cars in June, 6.4 percent increase over last year. VW-owned Audi closes the podium with a 19 percent increase or 117, 650 cars sold globally.From January until July 2011, BMW sold 689,861 units, a 17.8 percent increase. Audi tops Mercedes with 652,950 cars (17.7 percent increase). Mercedes’ sales rose 9.7 percent to 610,531 units through six months.The increased BMW’s global deliveries are directly related to the booming sales of the new 5 Series sedan and the all-new, redesigned, X3 SAV.The figures reflect strong global demand,” BMW sales and marketing boss Ian Robertson said in a statement, adding however, that due to the model cycle and the year-on-year base effects, he expects the carmaker’s growth to slow in the second half of the year. BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce brands, sold 165,855 units in June, a rise of 15.9 percent. Between January and June, the brands’ sales were 833,366, a rise of 19.7 percent.

2012 BMW 1 Series Production Photos from Regensburg

Back in May, BMW unveiled the second generation 1 Series hatchback. Due out in 2012, the rear-wheel drive F20 1 Series will continue to be positioned in the entry-level luxury premium market where it will compete with the offerings from Audi, the A3, and Mercedes-Benz with its A-Class.
The market launch will take place this month and first driving reviews are just around the corner as well. As always, BMW releases new photos of the F20 1er at the Regensburg plant.
The five-door hatchback can be seen below in Alpine white, Deep Sea Blue and Crimson Red. The now-exclusive Valencia Orange paint will be offered in the fall. According to our sources, BMW AG is the owner of the paint and the M Division licensed the rights to use it on the new 1 Series M Coupe.

2011 BMW 3 Series Coupe vs. 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe

Ahead of its Geneva debut, Mercedes-Benz previews the new 2012 C-Class Coupe. The new model takes a different approach and moves away from the compact look. Many design elements have been inherited from the C-Class sedan, similar front fascia and fenders as its four-door siblings.
To differentiate itself, the Coupe models receive a sweeping panoramic glass roof that’s nearly an inch and a half lower than the sedan. Interesting enough, the C-Class Coupe incorporates a kink in the quarter window design which somewhat reminds of the Hoffmeister Kink seen on BMWs.
The 2012 C-Class Coupe is built on the same platform as the sedan and uses the same 108.7-inch wheelbase, but it’s slightly lighter – 100 lbs. By comparison, the BMW 3 Series Coupe is nearly two centimeters shorter.

Mercedes will offer a base model, C250 Coupe, equipped with a direct-injection, turbocharged 1.8-liter I-4, which produces 201 horsepower at 5500 rpm and 229 pound-feet of torque from 2200-4300 rpm. The four-cylinder powered C250 Coupe has a standard fuel consumption of 6.5 to 7 liters per 100 kilometers. BMW 325i Coupe is the one that comes close to C250. The six-cylinder 218 horsepower 325i Coupe runs to 100 km/h in 7.1 seconds and has a standard consumption of 7.2 to 7.4 liters.
In Europe, Mercedes will launch the C180 Blue Efficiency powered by a four-cylinder engine. The car accelerates to 100 km/h in 9 seconds and has fuel consumption rating of 6.7 liters to 7.3 liters. Its counterpart in the BMW lineup is the 318i Coupe that has a standard consumption of 6.3 liters per 100 kilometers.
The higher-end C350 Coupes receive a direct-injection 3.5-liter V-6, which is rated at 302 horsepower at 6500 rpm, and 273 pound-feet of torque from 3500-5250 rpm. A seven-speed automatic transmission is matted to the engines which drives the rear wheels. 4Matic all-wheel drive will not be offered on the C-Class coupe. The BMW 335i Coupe runs to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds, but it consumes 8.4 liters, more than the Mercedes, which reports 6.8 to 7.0 liters.
Inside, Mercedes continues to offer the luxury touches its customer became accustomed to, along with some cutting-edge electronic wizardry.

BMW 5 Series GT sales disappointing – 3 Series Wagon might stay

According toBMW of North Americahas been disappointed by the sales of the 5 SeriesIntroduced last year as a replacement for the new 5 Series Wagon, the 5 GT has been one of the most criticized products in the past years.With a design idea starting from inside the vehicle, the exterior was a combination between a crossover, like the X6, and a sports wagon. Based on initial studies conducted by BMW, the results showed that the 5 Series GT is a vehicle appealing to those that are looking for luxury, space and performance, but are not willing to spend money on a full 7 Series nor any SAV models. Adrian van Hooydonk confirmed that the study revealed an aging customer base who find the traditional seating position of the BMW 5 Series Sedan too sporty, but at the same time consider the elevated seating in the X5 or X6 too high.The idea seem to have backfired. According to BMW of North America CEO Jim O’Donnell, the sales of the 5 GT in the U.S. have been lower than expected, and even more interesting, the 5 GT has stolen customers from the 7 Series family. he expected the car to attract 5 Series Wagon buyers instead.Furthermore, some of the 5 Series Wagon customers went with a competitor car from Mercedes-Benz.

“The disappointment I have is that I thought a lot of our 5-series station wagon customers would go with the . “In point of fact, that is not happening. We have lost those customers to the competition — mainly to Mercedes-Benz.

“The GT has attracted 7- and 5-series customers and conquests,” he says, “but not the station wagon customer we had hoped.”

In Florida, 10 percent of BMW 7-series owners have replaced their cars with the 5-series

For the enthusiasts, these might be good new
he doesn’t want to lose wagon sales to Mercedes-Benz so BMW will keep the 3 Series wagon in its lineupnew 3 Series Wagon will be replaced by a 3 Series Gran Turismo, a hypothesis that seem unlikely now.

Mercedes-Benz Concept A-Class : Future Opponent for BMW 1 Series

Ahead of its New York Auto Show debut, Mercedes-Benz reveals their latest model: A-Class Concept. The new redesigned A-Class aims to go head-to-head with the new BMW

1 Series and the young Audi A3 Concept. The new A-Class features a far more sportier design with a higher seating position that aims to attract the young demographic.

The new Concept A-Class will go on display at the Shanghai and New York auto shows later this month and is a significant departure from the current, rather boxy A-Class model. Instead of a traditional grille, the fascia of the Concept A-Class features plenty of metallic silver hexagons on black stems, an unique design that continues to be seen on the wheels and LED headlamps. The headlights and daytime running-lights

remind us of the CLS models.Among other unique features that will probably not going to make it into production are the LED-lit turn signals integrated into the sliver of a mount for the side-view mirrors. From the side, the Concept A-Class showcases an elegant profile with a coupe-like design.While the new BMW 1 Series remains a rear-wheel drive vehicle, both the current, second-gen A-class and its predecessor are front-wheel drive, and the next A will be no different. The concept is powered by an all-new 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, turbocharged and direct-injected, producing 210 hp.As a highlight, the Concept A-Class also includes some of the advanced systems found in other vehicles, like radar-based collision warning and adaptive brake assist. Later this year, the new  F20 1 Series Hatchback will also launch with some new options generally not available in entry-level BMWs: lane departure warning, parking cameras, parking assist and new infotainment options.There is no word on whether the Concept A-Class has been approved for production, but we expect Mercedes to push forward these type of vehicles to gain more market share in the important small compact premium market.

BMW M3: New Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG to get more horsepower

Mercedes-Benz reveals new details on their C63 AMG model. The new coupe is based on the recently introduced C-class and it is currently the smallest AMG model offered by the Stuttgart-based automaker. In the sporty premium coupe segment, the C63 AMG goes against BMW’s E92 M3 Coupe.
The 6.2 liter V8 naturally aspirated engine found in the C63 AMG produces in “standard” form 457 horsepower, but with the addition of the optional AMG Development Package, the power output is raised to 487 horsepower. The package includes forged pistons and connecting rods, and a lightweight crankshaft like the SLS sports car, red brake calipers and a carbon spoiler lip on the rear lid.
The special parts save 6.6 pounds, make the engine more responsive and allow it to rev higher than the standard version. The extra power helps the C63 AMG run to 100 km/h in just 4.3 seconds, a tenth of a second faster than the non-tuned engine. Top speed is also boosted to 174 mph from 155 mph for the standard AMG version. In both cases the car’s top speed is electronically limited. The new C63 AMG is also said to run about 15% more efficient than previous generation, 12.0 liters per 100 km.BMW’s M3 Coupe is powered by one of the last naturally aspirated engines available at the Munich-based automaker. The 4.0 liter engine produces 420 horsepower and aided by the 7-speed DCT, rungs to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds.Fuel fuel consumption for the M3 with DKG is just below 11.2 liters per 100 km, while the manual transmission registers a slightly higher number, 12.4 l/100km. pricing has yet to be announced for the new C63 AMG Coupe, but in Europe the base price starts at € 72 590, just marginally above the sedan and just below the Knaupp Estate. Adding the AMG Development Package adds € 7116.20 to the base price. In comparison, the BMW M3 Coupe starts at € 68 750 € and with another € 4300, the aggressive Competition Package can be included.

2011 BMW X3 next to Audi Q5, Mercedes-Benz GLK and Lexus RX

Second generation BMW X3 made its official debut last fall at the Paris Motor Show. The redesigned mid-size premium SAV went on sale earlier this year and customers’ response to the new product has been more than favorable. Dealerships around the country are reporting strong sales for the premium SAV and demand remains high.
Prior to its launch, in early 2010, BMW of North America hosted several events at the Spartanburg Delivery Center in South Carolina where BMW client advisors from around the country gathered to not only test the new X3, but also to compare it against its competitors.
The 2011 BMW X3 competes in a segment with the Audi Q5, Mercedes-Benz GLK and even the Lexus RX. With the first generation running its lifecycle in 2010, the mid-size premium SUV segment was dominated by the Audi Q5 and Mercedes GLK.
In a recent conversation with a BMW official, we learned that BMW sees the GLK as stronger opponent than Audi’s Q5. The GLK with its boxy look, but attractive dimensions, has been a major seller for Mercedes-Benz USA with number of units sold nearing 2,000 every month.
But now that the second-generation $36,750 2011 BMW X3 has arrived, GLK350 4Matics and Audi Q5s have lost some of their sheen. X3 sales jumped from the first-generation’s 351 in February 2010 to 1987 a year later. That’s 12.1% of all BMW USA sales in February, another sign that the new X3 will play a major role for BMWUSA in the upcoming years.
BMW sold 1,987 units of the new X3, Mercedes reported 1,853 GLK vehicles sold and Audi’s Q5 comes third with 1,539 units. Lexus RX, considered by many a competitor to the larger X5 and Q7, had a volume of 6567 units sold in the same month.