BMW X1 M Sport

Yesterday BMW announced the BMW X1 M Sport UK price list which will be available soon. The package will offer a new aerodynamic style which will feature a redesigned front bumper that will have large X5M/X6M style air intakes, a rear roof spoiler and new side skirts. The UK version will ride on 17-inch star-spoke alloy rims and will be available with a high-gloss Shadowline exterior trim for the window surrounds.

BMW X1 M Sport

Inside the cabin, the BMW X1 M Sport will offer chrome plated door sills that will have the "M" badge, an M Sport multi-function steering wheel well as sports seats. This package will also offer Anthracite headlining.

For the entry-level BMW X1 18d sDrive M Sport the package will cost 26,615 pounds and the top-of-the-line 18d xDrive M sport will cost 27,710 pounds. The M package does not include any increase in the engine's power.

BMW has also confirmed the price for the X3 M Sport package which will cost from 33,830 for the xDrive 20d M Sport.

BMW X1 M Sport

The automaker sold more than 6,300 units of the X1 in the United Kingdom last year making the smallest sport utility vehicle of the German manufacturer one of the most popular cars in this segment.

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BMW X1 M Sport UK Pricing Announced

The guy you see in these pictures is not one of those distracted drivers that cause accidents. Although he isn't steering the car with his knees and his foot is nowhere near the brakes, he isn't in any trouble as he is behind the wheel of the first successful "road train", a very clever setup in which vehicles are programmed in order to automatically follow professionally-driven lead vehicles to reduce the number of accidents and congestion.

These road trains which are also known as "platooning" feature cars that automatically monitor the speed, distance and the direction of the vehicle immediately in front and imitate its actions during long drives or pre-planned routes. The cars have the possibility to leave this platoon at any given moment, but with the ability to focus on a newspaper and eat a good breakfast, who would want that?

Tom Robinson is the road-train project coordinator for Ricardo U.K. which is one of the seven firms that is working on the SARTE – Safe Road Trains for the Environment project that is partly funded by the European Commission. He said that "this is a major milestone for this important European research program."

The gathered SATRE statistics approximate that these road trains could increase safety by reducing rear-end car impacts, lower the emissions by 20% and permit cars to safely travel closer together which will ease the congestion. In addition, these autonomous vehicles will allow the drivers to make the most out of their commutes. This advanced technology will be ready in the next few years, but it will take some time before general public acceptance and local laws catch up to the technology. Regardless to say, this innovation is certainly very promising and will bring many good things in the years to come.

Source: Wired.com

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Volvo Is Testing Almost-Autonomous 'Road Train'

Chevrolet Camaro Convertible Indy

Last night Chevrolet unveiled the Camaro Convertible Indianapolis 500 at the Barrett-Jackson auction. The car is in fact a 2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible that has a style inspired by the 1969 Camaro pace car. This will be the seventh time for a Camaro to pace this race which this year will be celebrating its 100^th anniversary.

Chevrolet will be auctioning off the first of 50 replica pace cars this Saturday night and all the money will go to the David Foster Foundation which is a charity that supports families with children that need organ transplants.

Chevrolet Camaro Convertible Indy

The cars are equipped with a V8 power unit that outputs 400 hp (298 kW), linked to a 6-speed automatic gearbox.

All of the 50 cars are SS convertibles fitted with the 2SS equipment package that offers as standard the following features: 4-wheel disc brakes with Brembo 4-piston calipers and hydraulic assist; StabiliTrak ESC – Electronic Stability Control; Sport/Competitive mode that improves the on-track performance; with the manual transmission, a Performance Launch Control that will enhance the hard-acceleration launches for a quicker response; 20-inch aluminum rims wrapped with performance tires; head-up instrument display and center console with auxiliary gauge package.

Chevrolet Camaro Convertible Indy

Besides this 2SS equipment package, all the cars come with the RS package that adds HID headlamps and unique tail lamps.

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Chevrolet Unveils Camaro Convertible Indy

Ferrari FF

After months of anticipation and various spy shots, Ferrari finally released the first official photos of their new FF (Ferrari Four) model, the successor of the 612 Scaglietti model. Ferraris are known for being fast, beautiful and expensive. This one adds another word to the list: practicality. The company's flagship grand tourer offers four seats, just like its predecessor. However, it offers more space thanks to its shooting brake/hatchback body style. Folding down the rear seats, it offers as much cargo space as you can find in a small wagon, but remember – this still is a proper Ferrari.

This is the first shooting brake Ferrari since the 250 Breadvan and comes with the part-time all-wheel drive system developed by the Maranello-based company. Dubbed 4RM, we don't know any details about it but what we can tell you is that this system is 50% less heavy in comparison with a conventional system, helping the FF to have a weight ratio of 47:53, pretty close to perfection.

Ferrari FF

The Ferrari FF has a curb weight of less than 4,000 pounds, making it 110 pounds easier than the 612 Scaglietti. To improve fuel efficiency and keep emission levels down to a minimum, the FF benefits from the HELE stop-start system. But let's face it, who among us cares about the fuel consumption or the cargo capacity when we talk about a Ferrari? All we care about is the performance.

Speaking of, the Ferrari FF needs only 3.7 seconds to do the 0-60 mph sprint, a third quicker than the predecessor. It has a top speed of 208 mph (335 km/h) which is 9 mph more than the 612. All of these figures are possible thanks to the all-new 6.3-liter V12 direct-injection engine that churns 651 hp and 504 lb-ft of torque. The power unit is linked to a transaxle dual-clutch F1 gearbox. According to the official press release, the Ferrari FF has a fuel consumption of 15, 4 l/100 km and CO2 emissions of 360 g/km with the HELE system.

Ferrari FF

The official debut of the Ferrari FF will occur at the upcoming 2011 Geneva Motor Show which will be organized this March.

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Ferrari FF Unleashed

Spyker C8 Aileron Spyder

We haven't heard anything lately about Spyker that didn't have to do with its acquisition of SAAB. Apparently, the Dutch car manufacturer had plenty to do after taking control of the Trollhattan unit from General Motors, so busy in fact that they missed the production target of the all-new C8 Aileron Spyder.

The model is a stretched and updated convertible version of the popular C8 and was launched about 18 months ago in Pebble Beach. Spyker was supposed to begin the production of this car in the first half of 2010 but they didn't. However, things could take a turn for the better as according to some reports coming from Netherlands, the automaker is planning on keeping this model very exclusive by making only 99 units.

Spyker C8 Aileron Spyder

CEO of Spyker, Victor Mueller, said that for the C8 Aileron Spyder they will remove the 4.2-liter V8 engine developed by Audi and they will use the same engine that is available for the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 which is a supercharged 6.2-liter unit.

This is a huge improvement as the Audi engine produces 400 hp while the Corvette one outputs 638 hp, which is more than 50%. However, nothing is certain at the moment.

Spyker C8 Aileron Spyder

We are very eager to see a production unit of the Spkyer C8 Aileron Spyder, but first they need to start working on it.

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Info – Spyker C8 Aileron Spyder

2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG

In my opinion, the 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG is one of the most elegant four-door cars launched by the German automaker in the last decade. The company managed to update the sedan while at the same time keeping the roofline but adding the more SLS AMG-like grille. The profile of the 2012 model has also been more deliberately developed and now has more prominent wheel arches, deep-draw aluminum door skins and a more complex look in comparison with the first generation of the CLS that had a cleaner bodyside. To sum up, the new generation looks more sculpted and muscular.

Other exterior changes brought to the AMG model include the LED headlamps that come as standard and are installed below a very interesting lightweight aluminum hood and a more aggressive lower front fascia, along with a rear bumper cap that has an integrated diffuser element, specific to the model. Other characteristics that point out that this is an AMG model include the twin exhaust and the V8 BiTurbo badges.

The first generation of the Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG featured a normally aspirated V8 6.2-liter and for the new model the company downsized this engine to by replacing it with the all-new V8 5.5-liter (turbocharged). Although this new engine is smaller than its predecessor it is not only more efficient but more powerful at the same time. The power unit of the first generation of the CLS63 AMG produced 507 hp and 467 lb-ft. while the new one churns 507 hp and 465 lb-ft. The CLS 550 (non-AMG) model offers 402 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque. For those of you that aren't quite satisfied with the AMG's power, you can buy the car with the optional AMG Performance Pack that will boost the pressures of the turbo from 14, 5 pounds per square inch to 18, 8, allowing the power unit to provide 550 hp @ 5,750 rpm and a massive torque of 590 lb-ft from 2,000 rpm to 4,500 rpm.

2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG

With this increase in power, the new CLS63 AMG is a tenth quicker in the 0-60 mph sprint, as it only needs 4.3 seconds in comparison with the outgoing model that does it in 4.4 seconds. With the aforementioned AMG Performance Pack, the top speed of the all-new 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG is 186 mph, which is a lot more than previous model which is capable of doing a top speed of 155 mph.

The adaptive suspension of the CLS63 AMG will allow the driver to choose from one of the following modes: Comfort, Sport and Sport Plus. In the front, the car features a strut suspension and in the back it comes with a rear air setup. To stop the car in an efficient way, Mercedes fitted their new model with 15.8-inch carbon ceramic brake discs in the front and 14.-inch steel discs in the back. The models that are ordered with the performance pack come with red-painted calipers while the carbon ceramic units come with a striking gold bullion finish which is quite normal when we take into consideration that they cost just as much as a Chevrolet Aveo – around $10,000 according to preliminary info.

The new engine is linked to the 7-gear SpeedShift MCT that does the job very well and in the Manual mode, the gears change almost instantly. This transmission is exclusive to the AMG model. Mercedes decided to include the Start / Stop technology on their new model which will improve the fuel efficiency by 2-3%. In comparison with the first generation of the CLS, the new one is over 30% more efficient but even in these conditions it is only capable of doing 16 mpg in the city and 21 mpg on the highway.

2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG

Inside the cabin you will find an updated look that offers plenty of high-quality materials, even more impressive than the E-Class. Being an AMG-spec model, it comes with more supportive sport seats as well as sporty aluminum shift paddles. The headroom in the back of the car is quite limited but the good side is that you will have enough trunk space to carry your luggage. Some of the most important optional features include the massaging seats with active bolsters and the Active Lane Keeping Assist which will vibrate the car's steering wheel in order to grab the attention of the wandering driver. In addition, it is also capable of dragging the brakes to stop the car from crossing over a road's painted lines if the driver does not respond to the vibration of the wheel. Other additional features that can be purchased would be this interior wood trim dubbed Designo Light Oak Matte or the limited-slip differential.

Although the new model is overall better than its predecessor, it should have just about the same price tag which puts it in the $100,000 range for the base model. The one pictured is equipped with a bundle of features and will probably cost $20,000-$25,000 more. The Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG is $10,000 less expensive.

2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG

Official pricing details will be published in the following weeks.

Source: AutoBlog.com

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Review – 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG

Bentley Flying Star

For those of you looking for a Bentley shooting brake look no further as Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera can make your dreams come true, for a hefty price of course. The Flying Star was unveiled by the Milanese coachbuilder at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show but since then, they only managed to deliver three examples of this very interesting custom creation.

Bentley Flying Star

Why just three examples? Because they said that for building just one, they need about 4,000 man-hours. What they do is they take a Continental GTC (the outgoing model, for now) and transform it into a long-roofed coupe. Things will take a turn for the better as they recently made an investment in the staff and equipment and they said that in the near future they will be able to make five cars at a time.

Bentley Flying Star

However, each example will still take 6 months to deliver and the total annual production will be limited to only 19 units. The good side is that those wealthy buyers that can afford it will be able to choose from a wide variety of customizations, including the powerful 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12 that can be available in various states of tune ranging from 552 hp for the entry-level configuration and up to 621 for the Supersports model.

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Touring Superleggera Increases Production Of Bentley Flying Star

Click here to view the embedded video.

This is one of those moments when I want to be Kid Rock although I really don't understand why he is famous. Why? Because Chevrolet and NASCAR racer Jimmie Johnson collaborated to make Kid Rock's birthday party one that he will never forget. The famous rocker turned 40 this week and had a celebration concert where Johnson gave him a new and very cool Chevrolet Camaro on behalf of the Bow Tie brand. Kid Rock seemed very surprised and quite grateful for this great gift. More than that, he asked if he is being punked.

Ironically, his 40^th birthday celebration that Kid Rock organized for himself took place at Ford Field. This special one-off Chevrolet Camaro came with some special graphics that were slathered over the back glass, doors and the hood. In addition, the car has a rather childish "BADASS" license plate.

Needless to say, I really don't enjoy seeing how rich people like Kid Rock get great gifts like this cool Camaro. I would rather prefer that he bought one for himself and gave this one to the rest of us, not as fortunate as he is. Anyway, the car looks very cool with that matte black paint and those massive black-painted rims. I for one would remove that "40"logo and the license plate.

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Chevrolet Gives Kid Rock Custom Camaro

Back in the early 90s, Daewoo was one of the largest companies in South Korea, bigger than both Samsung and LG, and close to Hyundai. Those days are now only a memory. In 1999 the Korean government disbanded the Daewoo Group and at that point General Motors already owned about 50% of the Daewoo Motors corporation, a stake that varied over the time.

Ever since then, GM used the resources of Daewoo in order to develop and produce a range of cars sold under other General Motors divisions, especially Chevrolet, which has already replaced the "Daewoo" name in most of the markets.

Korea was one of the few exceptions where the "Daewoo" badge still meant something, but this isn't an entirely good thing because General Motors is planning on getting rid of the name in the brand's own country. As a consequence, by the end of the first quarter, the GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co. will be known as GM Korea Co.

In its history, the company was called GM-Korea, right after Detroit stepped in to take over 50% of the company from Toyota, which then collaborated with what was known back then as Shinjin Motor, until 1972.

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GM Will Be Dropping The Daewoo Name

The economy is slowly but surely recuperating and traffic is becoming more and more difficult, comparable to the prior moment when the economy imploded.  Things are already bad according to the Urban Mobility Report published by the Texas Transportation Institute. According to this report, an average American spent 34 hours sitting in traffic in 2010 and paid $808 for this "privilege."

2008 was a good year for car owners as the traffic was better than it had been in at least 10 years, but things took a turn for the worst in 2009 when the economy showed signs of revival.

For coming up with these figures, the researchers at Texas Transportation used real-time traffic data for 439 urban regions in order to find out how far we are going and how much time do we need to get to our destination. The result? We spent an additional 4.8 billion hours in our cars last year, wasting 3.9 billion gallons of fuel for nothing. Taking fuel loss in consideration along with shipping delays and lost work time, we all blew $115 billion in traffic in 2010.

Those of you that are Washington and Chicago citizens were the most unfortunate as you have wasted an average of 70 hours sitting in your car in 2010 which is more than double in comparison with the country's average of 34 hours. In 1982 (the first edition of the Urban Mobility Report), we spent 14 hours in traffic and it cost us "only" $24 billion in today's dollars.

The traffic congestion cost the average driver $808 in 2010, compared to 1982's inflated-adjusted $351. In order to round up the 10 worst cities as far as commuting is concerned, here are the remaining 8:

1. Los Angeles/Long Beach: $1,464 / 63 hours;
2. Houston: $1,322 / 58 hours;
3. Baltimore: $1,218 / 50 hours;
4. San Francisco: $1,112 / 49 hours;
5. Boston: $1,112 / 48 hours;
6. Dallas/Fort Worth: $1,077 / 48 hours;
7. Denver: $1,057 / 47 hours;
8. Seattle: $1,056 / 44 hours.

Although these figures look pretty bad, it could have been way worse if it hadn't been for the public transportation system. How worse? It would have cost us another 785 million hours in traffic if we hadn't had the bus and the rail systems to ease the traffic.

The researchers of the Texas Transportation Institute came up with a couple of solutions to improve this situation:

a)      Maximizing the use of the system by quickly removing stalled cars;

b)      Increasing capacity by building more roads and expanding public transit;

c)       Changing traffic patterns by telecommuting, commuting at off-peak times and carpooling;

d)      Building carpool lanes, tool roads as well as other options for a faster trip;

e)      Diversifying land development patterns by offering more sources for biking, walking;

f)       Figuring out that although traffic in the urban areas can be terrible, it doesn't have to be that all day.

Source:  Urban Mobility Report (.pdf) via Wired.com

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Wasting Our Lives In Traffic…