Keep it up, guys. I mean no sarcasm in that statement, either. General Motors have the absolute best product they’ve ever had, and a good understanding of what the future can look like with a little extra money spent on new, classy interiors; how proper exterior styling can sell cars; but most important, how being sporty is still what buyers want.

With that said, I’m extremely disappointed in the folks over at GM. They’ve done something that I believe can only mean they’re about to fall back to where they once were: pride in sales goals.

You see, when you’re a really big car company, like GM, with billions of dollars spent in so many directions, sometimes things can go awry. I give you the loaning of tax payer monies and inevitable bankruptcy situations. As they say, “Pride comes before the fall”. And to say GM had a bit of pride would be like saying Lady Gaga has an understated wardrobe.

Now believing in what you do is always good. I feel as though I’m one of the better young automotive writers today, and I know I’ll go far. However, I can and will admit when I’m wrong, nor will I be afraid to ask for advice. I’ve owned and operated RawAutos.com for over 4 years now, and I still ask others in this industry for their opinions on certain things we do here.

General Motors didn’t just believe in what they did before bankruptcy, they thought they were the greatest. If you had walked into any American GM brand dealership, i.e., Chevrolet, GMC, Pontiac, Buick, Hummer, etc. you will have noticed this smug attitude on why Cadillac were better than Mercedes-Benz or BMW, or how a Pontiac G8 was the greatest thing since sliced bread. Oh, and also better than a BMW 5-Series. Instead of GM challenging themselves, they set ridiculous goals to try and meet for the buying public: being better than BMW.

Interestingly enough, they’re still attempting to do so. A Cadillac CTS is better than a 5-Series BMW, even though it feels more cramped on the inside than the previous E60 5er, doesn’t have the same luxury, and isn’t nearly as quick. The Chevy Volt is now the greatest thing since sliced bread. And the SUV and truck departments of each GM company is better than anything around, even with years’ old technology and interiors.

Right about now you’re asking me what gives me the gall to attack GM like this, right? Simple, I’ve been raised in a GM family. My parents’ driveway still looks like a new and used General Motors car dealership. I would list for you the models that my family have owned, including myself, but that would take up this whole article. So when I say I’ve been around and driven just about every GM product of the last 20 years (including Corvettes from the 1960s, ’70s, ’80s, ’90s and 2000s), take my word for it. Along with this, I’ve been around GM dealerships since I was a kid, as the owner of one in particular is a family friend.

Now for some good news. The General is on to something. The CTS is a far better Cadillac than they’ve offered in a very long time; The new ATS should be a proper addition to the luxury GM family; Buick are on a roll with great products; Chevy is starting to get the picture with the new Malibu, Cruze, and Sonic; But more than all else, the management seem to have a ferocity that anyone under the age of 50 has yet seen from this company.

Last week it came out that General Motors had sold over 9 million vehicles worldwide. Good enough for the world sales crown, sneaking in above Toyota and Volkswagen. Chevrolet alone sold 4.76 million cars around the globe. This is where it becomes a problem. General Motors filed for reorganization under Chapter 11 bankruptcy laws in June of 2009, losing the global sales crown in 2008 to Toyota. Since that time, Toyota have not done too well themselves, what with the unintended acceleration issues, the tragic Japanese Tsunami, as well as the crazy Thai floods.

Even without the tragedies that have hurt Toyota, they were still heading in a bad direction, losing lots of overall quality credibility, as well as building more trucks, SUVs and crossovers than necessary. So they were destined to fall down and scrape their knee at some point.

No matter who holds the top sales crown, it only means bad things for quality and ability. General Motors proved this, as did Toyota with their handling of their numerous scandals.

So I say now, just as many smarter people warned GM years before this time, do NOT enjoy the most sales. Instead, enjoy making the most money from those sales, or having the best quality. If you start back with your ‘we’re better than you’ attitude, you will lose this battle, again. And again. And again. I’ve met certain individuals inside of GM I believed were idiots that didn’t belong working in the auto industry. Then again, I’ve met some great individuals within the company that have made me believe there’s only good to come.

Everyone wants to be the biggest and the best. Once you’re there, though, you have more challengers than you need or want. And eventually, someone will take you out.

General Motors’ Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson was reported as saying about the new sales crown, “In addition to Chevrolet’s record-setting sales, the entire lineup of GM vehicles is meeting customer needs for fuel-efficient cars and work vehicles as well as unmatched luxury.” Unmatched luxury? My God, did someone put a Cadillac badge on a Benz and show him that instead of the real thing? General Motors certainly have some more luxurious cars than ever before, but they’re currently only besting their old selves in the luxury department for numerous cars.

General Motors, I beg of you, enjoy modesty. Adopt the word as a belief in who you are. Dictionary.com defines the word modest as, “Having or showing a moderate or humble estimate of one’s merits, importance, etc.; free from vanity, egotism, boastfulness, or great pretensions.” You need to learn to challenge yourselves before you can say you’re better than anyone else in advertising, social media, press releases, etc.

Always know your worth, and never be afraid of it. However, think before you go saying you’re the biggest again. Because the next minute you tout your bigger status is the chapter before your preceding bankruptcy.

Both New Zealand and Japan sit on the infamous Pacific Ring of Fire. The Ring marks the points where the Pacific tectonic plate touches adjacent plates. Along this line, which reaches parts of North and South America, Asia and Australia, is concentrated the world’s most intense earthquake and volcanic activity.

Over 230,000 people (the overwhelming majority in Indonesia) died in a tsunami caused by an earthquake off the coast of Sumatra in 2004, showing that those far from the Ring of Fire are not immune from risk. Tsunamis (a Japanese word) occur when one tectonic plate is forced under another under the sea, resulting in a sudden and huge displacement of water. Giant waves, which increase in height when they hit shallower waters, can travel miles over land, destroying everything in their path.

Japan (by no means unused to seismic disturbances) suffered first the earthquake and then a resulting and unprecedented tsunami that hit coastal areas, leaving 9,000+ currently confirmed dead and many more still missing. When it was revealed a nuclear power plant had been damaged, Japan’s troubles truly seemed never-ending. The strong and long-time powerful Japanese economy was initially hit hard, dropping 16% in two days, before quickly recovering as the Nikkei 225 regained points. Everyone’s still unsure as to the future threat the failing nuclear reactors will have on the country since its been realized that radiation is leaking into some natural foods as well as milk.

Many businesses and factories in Japan shut down to conserve national energy resources and to help prevent electricity being cut off from households. Foreign markets suffered from a fear of a breakdown in the international parts supply line.

Non-Japanese automobile manufacturers rely on Japanese electrical components and batteries for hybrid cars. European firms such as BMW and Volvo still don’t know the effect on their production due to the stalling of Japanese industry.

Fans of cars and the rally driving experience will be hoping world-famous brands such as Toyota, Nissan, Suzuki, Mazda and Honda are not too badly affected. In 2008, Toyota overtook the USA’s General Motors as the world’s largest car manufacturer. China produces the most cars of any nation, but it cannot match the quality of Japanese vehicles or its hold on the car market in the developed world.

Just as the Japanese economy has proved resilient, no doubt this blip in its car industry will disappear – the track days UK, other European, and US companies run will continue to include Japanese cars. We should, however, all send our best wishes to our friends in Japan and count our blessings.

Here’s to hoping Japanese sports cars never stop being some of the best out there.

You see, it’s come to our attention that some rental car companies aren’t following through with recall notices, sometimes for even up to a year or more! Roughly 50 percent of recalled cars in a rental car’s fleets are actually sent in for the work. How dirty…

The American Car Rental Association (ACRA) President, Bob Barton, addressed these issues recently in a blog on their site and said:

Every year, auto manufacturers, together with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, issue hundreds of recalls and service bulletins affecting millions of vehicles in North America, including thousands of our members’ rental cars and trucks. This is done via direct communication between the manufacturers and the rental car companies, NOT via the Association. Further, many members’ practices exceed what is required. Although ACRA does not maintain an industry standard for recalls, and each member company follows its own pre-established operating guidelines, in most cases, members place a “hold” on recalled vehicles so they are not rented until the recall work is completed. Most recalls issued by manufacturers do not require the owner of the vehicle (whether it be a rental company, leasing company or a private individual) to ground a vehicle and cease operation.

According to Clarence Ditlow, Executive Director of the Washington-based Center for Auto Safety, “There can be months of delay between the time a manufacturer notifies NHTSA about a defect and when vehicle owners are informed of a recall. NHTSA could require car makers to notify rental companies sooner.” This would be a positive step towards helping our members in their commitment to  providing customers with vehicles that are safe to drive.

So basically, it sounds to me that Mr. Barton isn’t addressing the real issues. He’s just saying, “Hey, don’t look at me… I don’t live here!” So if he’s the President of ACRA, what exactly does he do, then?

Anyway, the point is, we need some type of legislation from the government to make sure that this doesn’t happen. And while Mr. Barton is correct in saying that many recalls aren’t necessarily cause for a vehicle’s use to be ceased right away, it’s still something that should be addressed in the same fashion the rental car companies want their money: Right here and right now!

So right about now you’re wondering who the best companies are to rent from, right? Well according to the study conducted by NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), from 2006-2010, ranging only recall notices given by GM and Chrysler (Ford would not disclose their recall information for the study), 65% of the cars recalled were fixed within the first 90 days. Not bad, but not great. Avis/Budget only fixed 53% after the same 90 days, and Hertz was rated at 34%.

All of this information came about because two sisters rented a Chrysler PT Cruiser in California and were killed in an accident when the power steering fluid caught fire and they crashed head-on into a semi-truck. Chrysler had sent a recall notice due to the fact that the power steering fluid could catch fire… The car was rented from Enterprise. The girls’ family the rental car agency and won $15 million, and they’re now lobbying California lawmakers to make it law that all recalled cars cannot be rented until they’re fixed.

Now what have we learned here? Firstly, don’t ever rent a car you know nothing about. Secondly, thank God Chrysler doesn’t make that PT Cruiser thing any longer…

Stay safe out there!

[Source: Consumer Affairs & ACRA]

Mr. De Lorenzo is a veteran in the auto industry/press area of life. He now operates Autoextremist.com and appears on Autoline After Hours. One thing that Peter is definitely crazy about are his opinions. If you don’t like them, just stand back, because he’ll probably end up pissing you off. Oh well.

But this time he’s at it again, giving this nation of attention-span deficit civilians an understanding of what’s in store for the auto world. I don’t agree with everything he says, but I do with lots. Here are some examples I agree with:

GM Marketing: Joel Ewanick gets the band back together. Improved, intelligent – with a dollop of tenacity – but still a long, long way to go.

GM Marketing, Part II: Ad agencies Goodby (Chevy) and Fallon (Cadillac) grade “C” and “C,” respectively. Better, but not nearly good enough.

Here are a couple I disagree with:

Jaguar: Some signs of life although the new XJ looks like a parade float, btw. Let’s face it – the C-X75 is the only Jag worth talking about.

Audi: Confident, strong and sure of every move they make, these automotive Masters of the Universe show no signs of fatigue – or letting up.

So head on over to Autoextremist to see what’s going on. There are some very interesting things to read and see…

[Source: Autoblog via Autoextremist]

Back when I first started RawAutos.com, it was just supposed to be my personal automotive columns/editorials. And while I’ve gotten away from that, I still love doing it.

My first blog I ever wrote and posted was about Aston Martin being the next Porsche. Now that can certainly be debated, but you can’t debate the simple fact that Aston is making some of the most beautiful and artistic automobiles. Ever.

I don’t think that I have to tell you that we’re living in weird and uncertain automotive times. In fact, my father and I were talking about that not too long ago. He, as well as some friends, are trying to get me to either sell or trade-in my 2008 Bullitt Mustang. Psh, yeah right! In roughly a year and a half of ownership, I have roughly 30,000 miles on the young gal, and I’ll put many more miles on it for years to come. But the point of my original statement was that my father and I were talking about me keeping my car for 20 or 30 years. He said that it would take roughly that amount of time for it to become an actual classic that’s worth the money I payed for her. While this is most likely true, I’m willing to wait. But he also said something that made me ponder the future. He said, “In 20 or 30 years, you won’t be able to use the Bullitt, because there won’t be that many gasoline stations any longer.” And I simply said that I’d buy my petrol online.

So could this be true? Are we heading into an all-new life in America where gas is hard to find?

I say yes and no. While I believe that gas stations will get fewer and farther apart, partly because of hybrid, electric and other alternative energy fuels. I do believe, however, gasoline will be banished to the far end of filling stations. Kind of like how truckers have to pull to that area all the way in the back, or some other random area, in order to get diesel fuel.

Is it a bad thing? Absolutely not. I’m all in favor for alternative fuels being used, as long as they’re actually productive and make cars safer for the environment. And I don’t just mean by the amount of pollutants that come out of the tail pipes. I also mean the batteries, precious and rare materials that they’re made of, and all of the other components. But, I don’t want to not be able to drive my gasoline powered car. And I sure won’t be pressured into buying a hybrid or full-electric car to replace my car. I’d buy one to accompany my gas powered cars, but never to take the place of. There are still too many good years left in the gasoline powered automobile, especially with the DFI (direct-fuel injection), charged motors (turbo and supercharged), twin-cam setups and other engine technologies, along with new and better aerodynamics that are being used to maximize the effectiveness of your fuel.

Let’s put it this way; there are 121,466 filling stations in the United States according to a 2002 Census report. As of right now there are 309,056,111 people in America (as of time publishing. Add roughly 47 people for every 10 minutes). That makes 2,544 people per gas station. But upon review and calculations from the U.S. Department of Energy, there are only 6,536 alternative fuel filling stations in America. If we’re hoping to have CAFE standards met to such high standards, we need to start getting alternative filling stations to go along with the cars. If we’re going to meet the U.S. required 35 average mpg for passenger cars by 2020, I think we need to have just a few more alternative fuel filling stations around…

But most importantly, we need to do more to get people into the right kinds of alternative fuel vehicles. Hybrids, folks, aren’t the answer. I hate to break it to you. As much as so many people love them, they get around the same mileage as a diesel car. Diesels can also produce roughly the same amount of C02 emissions as a hybrid car. Think about the car pictured above, the VW Jetta TDI Cup Street Edition. It’s a diesel with sports car like performance qualities. It comes with a manual transmission, great fuel economy, but even better, it doesn’t mean you have to compromise when looking for something that’s good for the environment, your wallet, yet still fun to drive.

So what will this all mean to the enthusiast driver like yourself? Hopefully nothing. With cars like the Tesla Roadster, it shows that there are at least a few people out there thinking about the thrill of the drive while working on cleaner cars. Whether you like the Tesla or not, you can’t argue that it’s not a fast and fun for an electric car. But let’s add a twist to this article; what happened to the flying cars that we were told about decades ago?! What happened to Doc Brown not needing roads where we’re going?

Seriously, though, maybe if the automotive corporations, along with the many of the members in the government would take their heads of their, er, get their heads in the game, I mean, maybe we wouldn’t be having this conversation.

I do also have to say one thing, while I’m a BMW fanatic, I love what Volkswagen and BMW both have been doing when it comes to diesel powered automobiles, but also BMW with its electric technology. Sure, maybe it’s not the smartest thing right now, but I’ve driven the Mini-E, and will be driving the ActiveE Concept 1-Series coming up soon. I’m impressed with the levels of dedication to try and produce something smart, but still fun and fantastic. They’re no where near as affordable as a Prius, but thank God I can at least drive them like I stole ‘em when the time permits.

Until the next time we speak again, “Happy Motoring”.

[Shell gas station photo taken from: The Fun Times Guide]

[Photo taken from: The Fun Times Guide]

On January 23, 2010 I was on Motor Trend Radio with Bob Long to talk about the concluded Detroit Auto Show, also called the 2010 North American International Auto Show. I spoke about the new releases from BMW, Audi, Ford, Volkswagen, Buick, Cadillac among others. You can listen to my appearance below, or you can download it for yourself, along with other podcasts of Motor Trend radio via iTunes with keyword Motor Trend, or by going to here.

Motor Trend Radio is aired on Saturday and Sunday mornings at 11-1 ET on Stars Too, Sirius 108, XM 139.

Hopefully this won’t be my first and last appearance, as Bob Long and I have become quite good friends. His show has been a fantastic influence on me, and it was a dream come true to be on the radio show of Motor Trend magazine.

Unfortunately, I can’t attach the audio file. I’ve been trying, but I think because it’s an iTunes format it’s not allowing me. So sorry guys, but you’re going to have to download it and listen, or get it off iTunes.

Also, for the first time ever, I’ll be showcasing the best and worst awards of the 2009 year, the best green cars of the year, and also a list made out by you, the reader, on what were the best and worst things of the year. They can range from automotive bailouts, to gas prices, and even to President Obama taking government control of General Motors. Whatever you want. This is your awards ceremony.

So, hey, get your google fingers ready, your old car magazines out, and start filling out your top cars of the year. Remember to send them to me in order for your voice to be heard.

josh@rawautos.com

There are 27 cars this year, so the numbering will be from 1-27; one being the best, of course. One way that I’ve found it easiest, is to break it down with your top 10 first, your top 15 after that, and then finish out the numbering. It certainly won’t be easy to vote, especially with the various surprises I have set up for this year.

P.S. If you don’t see a car on the list that you want to add on, feel free to add it and number it. I just have to make the final approval of it whenever you send me your list. Some friends of mine have already put cars on the list that would never see the light of day on RawAutos CotY Awards. Also, major production vehicles only, folks. Not the new Ariel Atom, or anything of that sort. It’s not a car that too many people can really get a hold of.

In alphabetical order:

Audi R8 5.2 V10

Audi S4

Audi TTS

BMW 5-Series GT

BMW 7-Series

BMW X5 M

BMW X6 M

BMW Z4

Chevrolet Camaro

Ferrari 16 M Spider

Ford F-150 Raptor

Ford Mustang/GT500

Ford Taurus SHO

Hyundai Genesis Coupe

Jaguar XF-R

Lamborghini LP550-2 Valentino Balboni

Lamborghini LP670-4 Super Veloce

Lexus LF-A

Mazda Mazdaspeed 3

Mazda Miata

Mercedes-Benz E-Class/E63 AMG

Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

Nissan 370Z

Porsche 911 GT3/GT3 RS

Porsche Panamera

Volkswagen GTI

With information about the updated 3-Series coupe and convertible comes new upgrades. Most see this as a design refresh, but there are some very appealing things just beneath the surface. Just to highlight the exterior enhancements that are easy to see; the front, lower fascia is now presented with subtle winglets on the air-dam, but more than that, the actual area for air flow is slightly larger than the outgoing design, also allowing for larger splitters at each end of the fascia.

If you look very closely, you can see the slight increase in kidney grille size. But if you look even more closely than that, you’ll see the actual top corners have been become rounded out, no longer with a bit of an edge. One more styling difference; the corona rings, or halos, as some like to call them, are now bright LED units, with the updated E90 3-Series headlights making a coupe appearance.

The rear-lights are also modified LED look and finish. Though they were LED lights before, BMW added their new ‘L’ shaped design theme to an all new, almost E46 LED taillight, underneath the Ls. Holding the exhaust ports is an all-new bumper with a horizontal expressive line that shows the wide back end.

One quick thing that I must highlight before I go on is the full redesign of the side mirrors. If you’ve driven the E92/E93 3-Series you may have been slightly annoyed to have to move your head around in a circle to really get a full view of what is actually in your mirror. Now, though, you don’t have to do that, as BMW has taken notice to this issue and created larger mirrors to aid your visibility.

While the new exterior features and functions are a nice touch for all of us who love the 3-Series, the real news is the N55 inline-6 engine that first appeared on the new 5-Series GT. It features a single turbo with twin-scroll technology, direct-fuel injection and Valvetronic variable intake technology, along with being all aluminum. The engine still makes 300hp and 300lb-ft of torque with a 7,000 rpm redline.

However, the engine now builds peak torque at 1,200 rpm all the way to 5,000 rpm, where the N54 builds peak torque at 1,400 rpm. Peak horsepower is still produced at 5,800 rpm. So not much has really changed, just BMW making more torque available from startup, which is great. Also expect a slight increase in gas mileage due in part to valvetronic. The N55 weighs roughly 427lbs, according to BMW. The 328i’s N52 inline-6 goes unchanged with its 230hp and 200lb-ft of torque.

BMW has really upped the abilities of their all-wheel drive system. While the press release does not seem to indicate any modifications, it is interesting to note that BMW estimates the 0-60 of their manual equipped 335s is 5.3 for the RWD coupe and 5.2 for the AWD coupe. With the steptronic transmission (which now sports real + and – paddles, instead of the thumb and finger operated units), the gap widens. In automatic form, the 335i coupe accelerates to 60 in 5.5-seconds as a rear-wheel drive, versus the all-wheel drive’s 5.3-second 0-60 sprint. Of course, though, the actual numbers will be much faster than what BMW estimates. So look for your 335i to be right about where the older N54 model was in terms of performance, just slightly faster. So, hopefully we’re looking at a 4.7-second 0-60 time of both rear and all-wheel drive models.

One very cool design feature to the new 3-Series convertible, is the use of, what BMW calls, Sun-Reflective Leather. This allows the leather materials to stay much cooler when the sun is beating directly on it. This makes BMW the first automaker in the world to offer such booty-loving technology. If you’ve ever had a BMW convertible, or any BMW for that matter, you’ll know that the leather gets HOT!

The Sun-Reflective technology allows for the infrared radiation to flow in wavelengths of 720 nanometers. Whatever that means…

Basically, if you have darker leather seats, they will stay about 37 degrees cooler, and 27 degrees cooler with lighter interior. So the armrest, seats, headrests and shifter won’t send you to the ER after getting in.

Looking good so far and I’m glad to see this LCI is more than just a subtle refresh.

And as an exclusive tip, Juliane Blasi, the BMW Z4 exterior designer, led this LCI design effort.

-Josh

“Happy Motoring!”

BMW Press Release:

Woodcliff Lake, NJ – January 16, 2011 6pm Eastern Time… BMW has announced substantial enhancements to the 2011 3 Series Coupe and Convertible, including outstanding style updates for 328i and 335i models and a new engine for 335i models. The 2011 3 Series Coupe and Convertible models will go on sale in Spring 2010, and pricing will be announced closer to the on-sale date.

Fundamentally unchanged are each car’s essential attributes of rear-wheel drive (xDrive is available on the Coupe), near-perfect 50-50 weight distribution, remarkably precise steering, and skillfully engineered suspension…all of which conspire to produce the uniquely satisfying driving experience that is quintessentially BMW.

All-new is the engine for the 335i model. Internally designated the “N55,” this turbocharged, all-aluminum engine features essentially the same “short block” and 3.0-liter displacement of its predecessor, but benefits from five additional years worth of development and refinement. The result is an engine that is more responsive, more fuel efficient, and cleaner-running than its outstanding predecessor, but preserves the previous engine’s output and soul: 300 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque, and a 7,000 rpm redline. The 6-speed manual gearbox – beloved by North American enthusiast drivers – remains standard, and the well-known 6-speed Steptronic automatic is optional, now featuring “pull-style” shift paddles on the multifunction steering wheel.

Design. Reflecting the legendary distinction of BMW Coupes and Convertibles

The profile of the BMW 3 Series Coupe and Convertible is instantly recognizable at first glance. Beyond the basic shape of the car and its classic lines, the new design of the headlights, the enhanced depth and detail of the taillights, the interior, and even the exterior mirrors were specifically created for the Coupe and Convertible. These unique design elements reflect the sporty character of the car. The driver who chooses a two-door vehicle desires a car with dynamic looks as well as driving performance. With this in mind, BMW engineers and designers set out to create a unique, unmistakable blend of design features and most importantly, driving pleasure.

It all begins with proportions. The new, long hood powerfully symbolizes BMW’s loyalty to the inherently balanced inline-6 engine. The long wheelbase, short overhangs, the passenger compartment set aft and the low, sleek roofline which seamlessly slopes into the trunk are all characteristics of the BMW Coupe and BMW retractable hardtop Convertible.

In addition to the classic proportions, three design lines-the shoulder, character and lower sill lines- enhance the sleek appearance. Both the shoulder line and character line stretch uninterrupted to the back of the car, allowing one’s eye to move quickly and smoothly from front to rear along the entire length of the car. The sill line of the lower edge of the door flows into the front and rear air dams, reinforcing the dynamic nature of BMW’s newest 3 Series Coupe and Convertible.

The combination of lines flowing into one another elegantly emphasizes the vehicles’ performance potential. While the shoulder line rises slightly but consistently from front to rear, the character line flows in a long, stretched arch all the way from the front fender to the new taillights. As the sill line, by contrast, moves up slightly to the rear in a slow and gentle curve, the distance between the character and sill lines becomes smaller near the rear wheel arches. The fender flare around each rear wheel also serves to give the character line extra tension in both an upward and outward direction.

Attractive new innovations at the front, side, and rear – integrated precisely into the overall look of the car- give greater emphasis to the sportiness of both models. At the same time, these modifications slightly extend the overhangs front and rear (now 1.14″ and 0.12″ longer, respectively), which adds a sleeker and even more athletic appearance.

The new, widened kidney grille, a signature feature of every BMW, suits the broad new hood and stands out from the surfaces around it. Interaction with the three-dimensional kidney frame creates a look of power and unique style. The frame around the kidney grille now features a chrome band precisely twisted within itself.

The 3 Series Coupe and Convertible come standard in the U.S. with Xenon Adaptive Headlights, accented by BMW’s signature corona light rings. At the top, the new headlights merge into a trim bar cutting off the light beam to create that concentrated, focused look typical of a genuine BMW. The corona rings, now powered by super-bright LED light sources, can serve as daytime running lights (if that feature is activated), and also as evening city lights, making the Coupe and Convertible instantly recognizable as a BMW, day or night. The upper edge of each headlight fixture is also illuminated by an LED light source.

The new design of the taillights is unique to the 3 Series Coupe and Convertible. The rear light cluster feature two-piece L-shapes and are further accentuated by a new color scheme. With two rows of light tubes that illuminate simultaneously, they create a night design with depth and dimension. Integrated flush into the body of the car, the lights are split into two sections and extend up the trunk lid, blending with the character lines from the side profile. Horizontal LED tube taillights give the car an unmistakable look at night. The horizontal flowing lines accentuate the wide track and low stance of the Coupe and Convertible.

An additional horizontal contour line has been added to the rear air dam to further accentuate the width of the Coupe and Convertible. It creates light-and-shade effects to give the entire rear end a flatter and smoother appearance.

The exterior mirrors also receive a new design, adding further innovation to the unique looks of the BMW 3 Series Coupe and Convertible. They blend harmoniously into the side view and silhouette of each new model.

Deep Sea Blue Metallic, Vermillion Red Metallic, and Mineral White Metallic exterior colors will each become available for the new 3 Series Coupe and Convertible this spring.

Interior: a truly stylish ambiance

The emphasis on individual style, dynamic performance and exclusivity continues within the interior. Here again, the focus is on the driving experience, as announced by the standard leather multifunction steering wheel. Horizontal lines dominate the surfaces on and around the instrument panel which blend with the lines of the center console door panels to give the interior a light but dynamic feel. In true BMW fashion, all operational and informational elements essential to driving are grouped on and around the steering wheel. Climate controls, as well as those for the audio and navigation systems, are within easy reach of the front passenger.

Because the Coupe and Convertible are four-passenger cars, the rear seat passengers are treated to a center console between their individual rear seats which includes individual storage boxes, additional air outlet vents, and footwell lights.

The BMW 3 Series Coupe and Convertible come standard with Dark Burl Walnut wood trim. As a choice, Bamboo Anthracite wood, Light Burl Walnut wood, and Aluminum trim are optional. Like the standard Dark Burl Walnut, these materials appear on the dash, front and rear consoles, doors and rear side panels.

The standard leatherette upholstery is available in Black and Creme Beige. For the optional leather upholstery, luxurious Dakota leather can be chosen. Here too, the buyer may choose Creme Beige, Oyster, Coral Red, Saddle Brown, Gray, or Black. Upholstery leather appears on the seat facings, door inserts and door handle surrounds; other leather-trimmed items include the gear shift boot, handbrake grip and steering wheel.

In other items of trim that don’t change with upholstery or trim options, the interior door handles, gearshift surround trim, steering wheel spokes, instrument dial and engine Start/Stop button surrounds, dash air-outlet adjusting tabs and the optional iDrive controller are in pearl-gray galvanic material.

An elegant ambiance is further created in the interior by special lighting and switches with a premium look and feel. Ambiance lighting, streaming down from under the ledge on the door and side panels, and running from the A pillar all the way to the rear passenger area, creates a particularly warm, indirect lighting effect.

Through its design and configuration, the cabin emphasizes the sporting and driver-oriented character of the 3 Series Coupe and Convertible. Taking a seat behind the steering wheel, the driver’s eyes will immediately focus on the instrument cluster.

All-new turbocharged engine with Valvetronic for 335i

BMW 3 Series Coupe and Convertible customers have a choice of two inline-6 engines that are the worlds’ finest. The 328i features 230 horsepower while the 335i has 300 horsepower and is the first inline-6 equipped with a single twin-scroll turbocharger, BMW’s Valvetronic throttle-less intake technology, High Precision direct fuel injection, and all-aluminum construction.

The 335i’s new inline-6 engine displaces 3.0-liters and develops maximum output of 300 hp at 5,800 rpm, with peak torque of 300 lb-ft available all the way from 1,200-5,000 rpm. Redline is 7,000 rpm. This is the same level of performance as the previous 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-6 but with the innovation of twin-scroll technology and the integration of Valvetronic, this new engine is even more fuel efficient.

Historically, BMW engineers were never satisfied with the most often-cited downside to turbocharging: the frustrating “turbo lag” that occurs between the time at which driver presses the accelerator pedal and when the turbocharger develops sufficient rotation to increase power. Turbo lag is usually worse at low engine speeds. Other drawbacks included relatively high fuel consumption and poor emissions output. At the time, turbocharger technology was not a reliable, practical or efficient was to make power. For these and other reasons, BMW put turbocharged gasoline engines on the shelf for more than 20 years.

Two recent developments caused BMW to reconsider turbocharging. While many luxury-performance carmakers began to achieve power gains by building engines of ever-increasing displacement, BMW looked for a more efficient way; smaller engines and turbocharging made sense. Also, the technology transfer from BMW’s turbocharged diesel engines could easily be transferred to their gasoline-fired counterparts. Accordingly, BMW articulated its new approach to developing high-performance engines as part of its EfficientDynamics initiative.

The new N55 is the first BMW inline-6 to combine turbocharging, High Precision direct fuel injection, and Valvetronic variable intake technology. It features a single, mid-sized turbocharger with a “twin-scroll” housing to boost performance and minimize the response lag. Thanks to its housing design which maintains proper separation between streams of exhaust gasses, the turbocharger builds up pressure much faster than previous-generation turbochargers, thus eliminating even the slightest tendency for lag.

A further advantage of turbocharging is that this is the most weight-efficient method to boost engine power and performance. The N55 turbocharged inline-6 weighs approximately 150 lbs. less than an equally powerful eight-cylinder engine displacing 4.0 liters. This lower weight means a significant advantage not only in fuel economy, but also in balancing the car’s weight distribution.

Using Valvetronic for the first time on a turbocharged inline-6 allows the engine to “inhale” air for combustion with virtually no delay and with reduced pumping losses. As a result, the engine makes power more quickly than ever before, and this is proven by the N55′s ability to reach peak torque at 1200rpm, 200rpm earlier than its predecessor.

As a result, the technology in the BMW 335i Coupe and Convertible represents a significant achievement in terms of both performance and fuel efficiency. The advantages over a conventional turbocharged engine are not only clearly measurable, but easy to feel on the road.

Turbocharging typically includes intercooling of the engine’s induction air, that is, cooling the compressed air that emerges, very much heated up by the compression process, from the turbocharger(s). Sometimes it’s done with coolant; in the case of the N55 engine, it’s accomplished with outside air. Intercooling is necessary to reduce the temperature of the incoming air to preclude detonation or “knocking” that can reduce power or, in the extreme, damage the engine. Of course, the N55, like all other current BMW engines, is equipped with knock control as part of the Digital Motor Electronics (DME) engine management system. On the N55 engine, the DME is now mounted directly to the top of the engine for better packaging and weight savings.

The significant loads and cylinder pressures of the N55 300-hp engine required the use of an aluminum engine structure with cast-iron cylinder sleeves. Altogether, the N55 weighs about 427 lbs. The 335i Coupe and Convertible dual exhaust system runs at both sides of the vehicle. At low loads, a flap channels most gas through one side to reduce low-frequency exhaust “rumble.” The 335i Coupe and Convertible feature an air-to-oil external oil cooler mounted in one wheel well as opposed to the N52′s coolant-to-oil unit.

The peak power of 300 hp at 5800rpm has already been mentioned; this is fully 70 hp up on the 2011 328i models. At least as important is the fact that this engine can deliver its peak torque from 1200 rpm – not far above idling – to 5000 rpm. On the road, this power and torque result in outstanding performance. The 335i Coupe and Convertible can accelerate from 0 – 60 mph in just 5.3 (5.5) seconds and 5.5 (5.7) seconds, respectively, when equipped with the manual (automatic) transmission. The sense of urgency continues all the way to the electronically limited top speed of 130 mph (150 mph when equipped with the optional Sport Package). The 335i xDrive coupe accelerates 0-60 mph in 5.2 (5.3) seconds when equipped with the manual (automatic) transmission.

Finally, the new N55 engine is able to achieve a more favorable emissions signature than its predecessor. The single turbocharger has only one exhaust path and feeds a single catalytic converter in place of the previous engine’s two. This means the exhaust gases are concentrated at the catalytic converter for better cold-start emissions performance, making the N55 a more environmentally friendly engine.

The 328i Convertible is powered by BMW’s 230 horsepower, 200 lb-ft, 3.0-liter inline-6 engine, known internally as the N52. Its magnesium/aluminum construction and Valvetronic variable valve lift are features found only on BMW engines. The N52 achieves impressive progress on all performance and technology fronts, especially in its remarkably light weight of 357 lbs. An aluminum/magnesium engine block, hollow camshafts, plastic camshaft cover, improved combustion chambers, a further evolved Double VANOS VANOS = VAriable NOckenwellen Steuerung = variable camshaft control, or variable valve timing, higher fuel injection pressure, sophisticated engine electronics, an electric coolant pump, a variable-volume oil pump and an oil/coolant heat exchanger are the other weight-saving features and improvements of this engine over previous generations.

For the Coupes: Available xDrive intelligent all-wheel drive.

The 2011 BMW 335i xDrive Coupe combines intelligent all-wheel drive with the power of BMW’s new 300-horsepower, turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 engine. Likewise, the 2011 BMW 328i xDrive Coupe will impress with its 230-hp, 3.0-liter inline-6 engine featuring magnesium-aluminum construction. On smooth, dry roads BMW’s xDrive gives a sporty, rear-wheel drive feel. But on a wet or snow-covered road, xDrive automatically sends more torque to the axle with more traction. BMW’s xDrive is the most sophisticated and responsive all-wheel drive system on the market today. It has proven its merits, in terms of agility and safety, in the 19 BMW models currently offered with xDrive in the U.S.

For the Convertibles: Sun-Reflective Leather offers cooler seats

BMW is the first carmaker in the world to use sun-reflective technology to mitigate temperatures on leather seating, armrest surfaces, headrests, and gear shifter. The process uses modified color pigments imbedded in the leather during the production process to reflect the infrared radiation of the sun in wavelengths of more than 720 nanometers.

This leather treatment is able to reduce surface temperatures on dark interior colors by up to 20 Celsius degrees (36 Fahrenheit degrees), and also offers advantages on light-colored upholstery, where the heating effect of sunshine is less severe, reducing the surface temperature by as much as 15 Celsius degrees (27 Fahrenheit degrees). All other qualities of the leather remained unchanged.

BMW Group In America

BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and the Rolls-Royce brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, a strategic design consultancy in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group’s global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all X5 Sports Activity Vehicles and X6 Sports Activity Coupes. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 338 BMW passenger car centers, 335 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 142 BMW motorcycle retailers, 90 MINI passenger car dealers, and 31 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s sales headquarters for North America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

[Source: BMW]

-Josh

“Happy Motoring!”

You’ve got to love Buick for even trying to bring us a show car that could dazzle and distract us from all of the other great things going on at the 2010 NAIAS. But this is one car that really grabbed my attention; it’s the return of a performance model to Buick. No longer is Buick the car company for old people. Well, it still could be if GM didn’t produce this car.

Just for talking points, here’s what you’ll get if they do decide to make it: Ecotec 2-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder making 255hp and 295lb-ft of torque (est). All this power is put through an all-wheel drive system and mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. Oh, and I almost forgot, an electronic limited-slip rear differential. Sounds like a sports sedan to me. Buick claims that you can suspect a sub 6-second 0-60 time. I’m thinking, maybe, 5.4-seconds. The whole car is actually based on the Opel Insignia offered in Europe. Hey, if we can’t have the G8, bring on the Regal GS, I say. Hell, give us both. GM will then have a real set of performance cars to choose from.

Press Release:

-Josh

“Happy Motoring!”

[Source: GM]