Showing posts with label BMW. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BMW. Show all posts
hope for a loophole in the rules, then exploit it. But don't think you're going to just buy some property to make a private museum without the neighbors causing problems
When Peter Mullins wanted to make an underground garage for a dozen of his prize Bugatti and other exotic French classics below his bungalow house in West LA, he ran into zoning laws the were possibly meant to keep people from creating earthquake related problems for houses and insurance companies.
It seems the rule is that an underground garage can only be 1/4 the size of the building above it.
That's just not going to fit more than a couple cars. So... he got a really smart architect type person who knew of a simple little loophole. A garage known as a "private museum" has no size restrictions. Problem solved.
Other people had a lot more headaches with trying to make a place for their collection, like Peter Nettesheim in Long Island, who was balked by neighbors for 5 years when he tried to build a detached garage for BMW car and motorcycle restorations. A hobby that needs some garage space. He had bought a 2 acre lot with big trees that would give some privacy screening, but without 1st getting all his plans approved.
In one corner sits the oldest BMW motorcycle to date, a 1923 R2 with a confirmation from BMW hanging above it.
Take a moment to look at http://www.ride-ct.com/?p=9364 photos of the inside of the collection garage.
Most of his vintage bikes were obtained in Germany, a couple in Poland, but none in the USA. Many of his bikes are extremely valuable, worth into six figures apiece.
Nettesheim began restoring cars, but then reality hit: “After I was done with each car, I put so much time and effort into them I couldn’t sell them. What I realized was that I didn’t have enough garage space. So I started doing motorcycles; you can fit more inside the garage.”
By the mid-1990s, Nettesheim, whose day job is as the Freightliner dealer for Long Island, N.Y., had an architect draw up plans for a 32-by-48-foot two-story barn with two doors at one end. “It is the largest legal garage in town,” says Nettesheim. He has 53 motorcycles and four cars at his home, and he says that is only three-quarters of what he has.
http://www.garagestylemagazine.com/ Garage style magazine Fall 2010 issue
http://autoweek.com/article/new-yorkers-bmw-passion-fills-two-garages
http://www.motorcycleclassics.com/classic-german-motorcycles/classic-bmw-motorcycles-zmmz07jfzraw
http://www.limws.org/Thumbnail-folders/Nettesheim/index.html
http://tbrnewsmedia.com/museum-like-house-holds-huge-collection-of-bmw-motorcycles/
2016 in Review
2016, also known as Year Six of the Modern Age of Electric Cars is about to end, so i took the time to review some of the most important facts this year:
The EV Future will be bright (But it's not here yet)
If there is a phrase that sums up the general feeling in the Plug-in scene in 2016, it's the one above, starting with the production-spec Chevrolet Bolt Detroit presentation in January, the Tesla Model 3 earthquake in March, 31st, and ending with several announcements of long range EV's throughout the year, the fact is that buyers had a taste of the Second Generation EV's, but all they could buy during 2016 were First Generation BEV's / PHEV's and a couple of 1.5G models (Chevrolet Volt II, Hyundai Ioniq Electric), which lead to a Osborne effect in many western markets, with buyers preferring to wait for the upcoming models, leading to a drop in sales of First Generation electric cars.
Sometimes Tesla behavior reminds that of a certain Right Said Fred hit, with a near cult-like following from its fans and a Model 3 success that surpassed Elon's wildest dreams, it would be more than enough to keep every other OEM happy and they would just surf the wave and prepare for the Model 3 goldmine.
Not Tesla. During 2016, they did a Model S facelift (Ok, they had to do something about that nose), improved their P90D/90D versions, replaced the 70 version for the 60/75 units, which together with the QA issues of the Model X, created unnecessary production constraints in Q1 & Q2.
As the year progressed and the Q3 was turning out to be memorable, they thought: "This is becoming boring, we haven't presented anything awesome in the past couple of months, so what can we do? I know, the P90D is passé, let's do the P100D! And add the Second Gen. Autopilot!"
With another two jaw-dropping additions, they managed to increase even further their sexyness-awesomeness, with the minor detail of screwing up the production plan of Q4...
With all this, the new Power packs and all the rest that's going on (Gigafactory, Model 3 tooling...), being COO of Tesla must be one of the toughest jobs on Earth.
Then again, Tesla has to keep their cult followers happy, right?
 |
| Model 3: 9 months away from hitting the roads, but already the most important EV in History |
The EV Future will be bright (But it's not here yet)
If there is a phrase that sums up the general feeling in the Plug-in scene in 2016, it's the one above, starting with the production-spec Chevrolet Bolt Detroit presentation in January, the Tesla Model 3 earthquake in March, 31st, and ending with several announcements of long range EV's throughout the year, the fact is that buyers had a taste of the Second Generation EV's, but all they could buy during 2016 were First Generation BEV's / PHEV's and a couple of 1.5G models (Chevrolet Volt II, Hyundai Ioniq Electric), which lead to a Osborne effect in many western markets, with buyers preferring to wait for the upcoming models, leading to a drop in sales of First Generation electric cars.
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| BYD Song plug-in: Announced for 2016, now scheduled for 2017 |
BYD Remained Number One (But failed to amaze us)
After watching BYD sales surge three-fold and reaching the Best Selling plug-in manufacturer status in 2015, one would think that sales would at least double in 2016, but this wasn't the case, with around 100.000 units sold this year, or 64% growth, it felt like when Messi won the Pichichi Trophy with 45 goals, yes it was impressive, but the previous year he had scored 50...
Having won seven Monthly Best Seller Trophies (January, April, May, June, July, August, October), and with a 30.000 units lead over the Second Placed Tesla, the Best Selling Manufacturer trophy is more than deserved, but this was more due to regularity (Five consecutive months at 10.000-something) than outlandish results, with the two most impressive results of the year going to Tesla (13.394 units last September) and Zotye (12.318 in October). Using the Messi analogy, it was like despite the 45 goals, not once did the Argentinean player scored a poker during the whole season.
The model diversification (Tang, e5, etc) occurred in 2015, didn't followed in 2016, with only the BYD Qin EV300 reinforcing the lineup, while the Song and Yuan Crossovers and the T3 Van remained in the sideline.
Will they appear in 2017? They'd better do, as 2017 in the Chinese EV Market will be even more fierce, with foreign carmakers forced to join the local EV party and on a global level, there will be other OEM's (Tesla, BMW, BAIC) targeting 100k or more EV's for 2017.
You'll better step up, BYD...
China is Rising - Third Chapter
Will they appear in 2017? They'd better do, as 2017 in the Chinese EV Market will be even more fierce, with foreign carmakers forced to join the local EV party and on a global level, there will be other OEM's (Tesla, BMW, BAIC) targeting 100k or more EV's for 2017.
You'll better step up, BYD...
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| BAIC EU260: A rising star |
2016 was Year Three for the Chinese EV market, with foreign makers still neglecting the Chinese EV market, where the local brands have 95% of this booming market to themselves, this allowed the Chinese EV makers global share to rise from 31% in 2015 to 43% in 2016, with China rapidly becoming the place to be, not only it is the largest EV market in the World, but also the fastest growing one, volume-wise.
Even mentioning EV Share, China is making giant steps, their plug-in share is now at 1.4%, an important improvement over the 0.9% of 2015 and already above markets like the USA or Europe, both close to 1%.
If BYD and BAIC are frequently mentioned here, others are also contributing for this unstoppable wave, like Zotye (#6 in the global manufacturers ranking), SAIC Roewe (#12), Zhidou (#13) or Chery (#15).
An interesting trend is the steady climb of chinese cars in the global ranking, if in 2013 the best positioned chinese model was outside the Top 10 (#11 - Chery QQ3 EV), in the following year there were two (#7 - BYD Qin & #10 - Kandi EV) in the Top 10, 2015 witnessed three models in the Best Sellers ranking (#4 - BYD Qin; #6 - Kandi Panda EV; #8 - BYD Tang), while in 2016 there are four (#3 - BYD Tang; #7 - BYD Qin; #9 - BAIC E-Series EV; #10 - BAIC EU260) models, with the Tang becoming the first Chinese model to reach a Podium seat.
Expect for 2017 to reinforce this trend, maybe with five Chinese models in the Top 10?
I'm Too Sexy (To Surf the Wave)
Sometimes Tesla behavior reminds that of a certain Right Said Fred hit, with a near cult-like following from its fans and a Model 3 success that surpassed Elon's wildest dreams, it would be more than enough to keep every other OEM happy and they would just surf the wave and prepare for the Model 3 goldmine.
Not Tesla. During 2016, they did a Model S facelift (Ok, they had to do something about that nose), improved their P90D/90D versions, replaced the 70 version for the 60/75 units, which together with the QA issues of the Model X, created unnecessary production constraints in Q1 & Q2.
As the year progressed and the Q3 was turning out to be memorable, they thought: "This is becoming boring, we haven't presented anything awesome in the past couple of months, so what can we do? I know, the P90D is passé, let's do the P100D! And add the Second Gen. Autopilot!"
With another two jaw-dropping additions, they managed to increase even further their sexyness-awesomeness, with the minor detail of screwing up the production plan of Q4...
With all this, the new Power packs and all the rest that's going on (Gigafactory, Model 3 tooling...), being COO of Tesla must be one of the toughest jobs on Earth.
Then again, Tesla has to keep their cult followers happy, right?
BMW steps up from other German Automakers
Following on the Volkswagen Dieselgate and Tesla's increasingly larger appetite for premium customers, German automakers joined the EV bandwagon with both feet, announcing big plans for the future, but the fact is that in 2016, only BMW made the necessary step-up.
In the BMW i-line models, the i3 model finally received a decent battery, with 33kWh, pulling sales to record levels and making it the cornerstone of its plug-in strategy.
The German automaker also launched the 740e plug-in hybrid, which was an instant hit in its class, helping BMW to have the most extensive plug-in lineup of all, while all other PHEV's were also beating sales records, which allowed it to become the Third Best Selling Plug-in maker in 2016, the first among established OEMs;
In the BMW i-line models, the i3 model finally received a decent battery, with 33kWh, pulling sales to record levels and making it the cornerstone of its plug-in strategy.
The German automaker also launched the 740e plug-in hybrid, which was an instant hit in its class, helping BMW to have the most extensive plug-in lineup of all, while all other PHEV's were also beating sales records, which allowed it to become the Third Best Selling Plug-in maker in 2016, the first among established OEMs;
German automakers global share remained stable at 19%, with BMW (8% Share) surpassing Volkswagen (5%) as the major Teutonic EV maker, with Mercedes in Third, with 2% share, Audi in Fourth (2%), followed by Porsche (1%) and Smart (0%), with BMW being the only brand to win share (+2%) regarding last year.
Global Sales Continue to Grow
After a slow start, EV sales picked up pace, now expected to surpass the 750.000 units, after the 140k of 2012, low-200k in 2013, 320k in 2014, and 550k last year.
Growth Is All Around
While Norway continues to be the poster-child for EV Share (29% Share!) and China the King of Volume (Over 100.000 units more than in 2015!), others are also making themselves noted, like Belgium (1.76% in '16 vs 0.78% in '15) or Austria (1.6% vs 0.6%), while several countries in the Scandinavian region, probably inspired by the Norwegian case-study, are growing at surprising rates and reaching high market shares, like Sweden (3.7%), Iceland (4.2%) on Finland (1.2%).
Other markets finally had their Year One in 2016, like Luxembourg (0,61%), Lithuania (0,40% vs 0,04% last year) or Romania (0.14%).
Despite the general positive trend, there were some slowing markets this year, with the largest being Japan, that for the second consecutive year is falling significantly, with its current market share (0.45%) far from the 2014 peak, when it was flirting (0.98%) with the 1% barrier.
Other two markets dropping significantly regarding 2015 are the Netherlands (3.4% vs 9.3%) and Denmark (0.6% vs 2.3%), but in these cases the culprit is easy to identify, as fiscal changes made EV's less appealing to local buyers.
Other two markets dropping significantly regarding 2015 are the Netherlands (3.4% vs 9.3%) and Denmark (0.6% vs 2.3%), but in these cases the culprit is easy to identify, as fiscal changes made EV's less appealing to local buyers.
Also of importance is the dissemination of plug-ins into countries not associated with EV's, like Malaysia (Some 106 units), UAE (283 sales), Sri Lanka (993 units!) or Ecuador (20 Twizzies).
GCBC's The Bad 8 For 2017
But some cars suck.
It's not that sucky cars are, by definition, slow or inefficient or incapable or unreliable or unavailable. They may be none of those things.
But these eight new vehicles certainly aren't desirable.
You can do better. You must do better. Please, consider the alternatives.
Flip the equation around and we'll phrase it thus: do you want to get us something for Christmas? Please don't get us any of these vehicles. They may be best sellers, they may be worst sellers. But they won't sell to anybody that'll park a vehicle in front of GCBC Towers.
They're listed here for a number of reasons, some for just one reason. Whatever the reason, it's bad enough to cause your sales analyst of choice to reject the car so completely that I'd prefer to own anything else on the market; to reject the car so completely that you, too, should strongly consider avoiding it at all costs.
These eight vehicles have their pluses, but the minuses – however few or however many - far outweigh the positive side of the ledger.
Click any of the images to be taken to the model's Sales Stats page. Don't forget to check out GCBC's The Good 12, the list of vehicles you should definitely park in GCBC Towers' driveway on Christmas morning.
 | FIAT 500L This is the worst new vehicle you can buy. It's not just undesirable. It really is awful by every measurable standpoint. The transmission is horrid. It's chronically unreliable. It's painful to look at. Anything is preferable. Alternative: Kia Soul |
 | NISSAN VERSA SEDAN Nissan seemingly built a car – cheap to buy, small on the outside, big on the inside – without putting a single moment's worth of extra thought into it. They didn't style it. They didn't make it ride or handle or steer well. They just didn't bother.Alternative: Toyota Yaris iA |
 | ACURA RLX We get it. You don't want what everybody else wants. They want an E-Class or a 5-Series or an A6. You're different. But "wanting to be different" and "dull" shouldn't go together. They don't go together. Alternative: Genesis G80 |
 | MITSUBISHI MIRAGE As technology advances, as time marches on, as the world turns... the Mitsubishi Mirage doesn't. This car feels like something out of 1998, and not like something that would've been class-leading in 1998.Alternative: Chevrolet Spark |
 | BMW X4 It's not a proper SUV. It's certainly no coupe. It's not as good as the X3, and certainly not as good-looking. It's just a silly car in a silly class of silly German crossover coupes. You make way too much money to spend it on silliness. Alternative: Mercedes-Benz GLC |
 | AUDI A3 E-TRON The Audi A3 e-Tron is perfectly pleasant to drive and a handsome car to behold. But Audi is charging a premium price for a small hatchback in an arena where way more technology (and space) is readily available for less money. Alternative: Chevrolet Bolt |
 | BUICK ENCORE To be fair, it's a struggle to make the case for any subcompact crossover. Spend a little bit more money and you can get a whole lot more utility. And in the Buick's case, it's overstyled, overpriced, underpowered, and uncomfortable. Alternative: New Chevrolet Equinox |
 | NISSAN TITAN XD If you want a heavy-duty pickup, get a heavy-duty pickup. Nissan, already a niche pickup truck builder, is attempting to create their own, utterly unnecessary truck niche. The XD is a ghastly attempt to do so. Alternative: Ford F-250 |
RECOMMENDED READING
2016's The Bad 8
2015's The Bad 8
2014's The Bad 8
Every Vehicle Ranked By November 2016 YTD U.S. Sales
Every Vehicle Ranked By November 2016 Canadian Sales
2017's The Good 12
New BMW M5 Limited Competition Edition
BMW has just released the new M5 Competition Edition has been released in celebration of the F10-generation M5, which first went on sale at the end of 2011. It is limited to just 200 models worldwide.
The car is powered by a twin-turbo V8 found in the standard BMW M5. While retaining the M TwinPower Turbo technology and twin-scroll turbochargers of the standard M5, the Competition Edition runs more boost due to a recalibrated engine control unit. Both power and torque have increased - making it one of the most powerful cars ever produced by BMW - with peak power output standing at 600hp (560hp in the standard BMW M5) and torque output reaching 700Nm (680Nm in the standard BMW M5). As a result the car goes from 0-62mph in just 3.9 seconds.
There are still three Drive Control settings to choose from, namely, Comfort (for normal road use), Sport (for a dynamic driving style) and Sport Plus (for extreme driving, such as on a racetrack).
The BMW M5 Competition Edition extensive range of extra features include: Adaptive LED headlights, Reversing Assist camera, powered boot lid operation, Comfort Access, sun protection glass, front and rear heated seats, electrically operated rear sunblind, and the Bang & Olufsen Advanced audio system.
The Competition edition really looks sexy with the carbon fibre BMW M Performance Parts, gloss black kidney grille and six-piston caliper brakes mounted on high gloss Jet Black 20-inch M Double-spoke 601M light alloy wheels.
Only two exterior colours are available: Mineral White and Carbon Black.
Interior features, include full Black Merino leather upholstery with Opal White contrast stitching, the 'M5' logo on the head rests of the M Sport multi-function seats, and an 'M5 Competition' logo and '1/200' engraving on the M Performance interior trim.
The BMW M5 is now selling for £100,995 OTR in the UK. Not sure about Malaysian prices yet.
According to BMW, fuel consumption remains low at 28.5mpg despite its extreme performance, while CO2 emissions are 231g/km, no doubt thanks to their seven-speed M Double Clutch Transmission Drivelogic and EfficientDynamics technology,which incldues engine Auto Start-Stop and Brake Energy Regeneration.
There are still three Drive Control settings to choose from, namely, Comfort (for normal road use), Sport (for a dynamic driving style) and Sport Plus (for extreme driving, such as on a racetrack).
The BMW M5 Competition Edition extensive range of extra features include: Adaptive LED headlights, Reversing Assist camera, powered boot lid operation, Comfort Access, sun protection glass, front and rear heated seats, electrically operated rear sunblind, and the Bang & Olufsen Advanced audio system.
The Competition edition really looks sexy with the carbon fibre BMW M Performance Parts, gloss black kidney grille and six-piston caliper brakes mounted on high gloss Jet Black 20-inch M Double-spoke 601M light alloy wheels.
Only two exterior colours are available: Mineral White and Carbon Black.
Interior features, include full Black Merino leather upholstery with Opal White contrast stitching, the 'M5' logo on the head rests of the M Sport multi-function seats, and an 'M5 Competition' logo and '1/200' engraving on the M Performance interior trim.
The BMW M5 is now selling for £100,995 OTR in the UK. Not sure about Malaysian prices yet.
Top EV Automotive Groups - May 2016
In the beginning of the year, i've published the 2015 EV sales divided by Automotive Groups, let's see how the ranking is after the first five months of 2016.
| Sales '16 | % | Total Sales | % | |||
| Renault-Nissan | 36.729 | 15 | 328.074 | 22 | ||
| BYD | 34.008 | 14 | 121.664 | 8 | ||
| VW (VAG) | 21.852 | 9 | 94.330 | 6 | ||
| Tesla | 21.677 | 9 | 130.924 | 9 | ||
| BMW | 17.117 | 7 | 69.146 | 5 | ||
| Mitsubishi | 15.614 | 7 | 150.580 | 10 | ||
| Geely | 12.881 | 5 | 79.050 | 5 | ||
| GM | 10.729 | 5 | 122.560 | 8 | ||
Comparing with the 2015 and all-time numbers:
- This year the Renault-Nissan Alliance is still in the leadership, but emerging BYD (14% share now vs 11% in 2015) is becoming increasingly menacing, it looks to be just a question of time until the Chinese Group becomes the Best Selling OEM when it comes to plug-ins;
- Another significant event to those less familiar with EV Sales, is that Tesla is selling as many plug-ins as the whole Volkswagen Group (Including, VW, Audi, Porsche...), although VAG is still new to the game, the fact is that it has lost 2% share regarding last year, while Tesla share has been stable throughout the years, surfing the EV wave at around 9 to 10% share;
- BMW is expanding its plug-in portfolio and it shows, with a steady climb, having surpassed Mitsubishi, which has suffered from a number of ailments (Emissions scandal, ageing BEV lineup, fiscal changes in key markets...), dropping 2% share regarding 2015, a poor performance for what it is still the historical Second largest EV Maker. Having a hard time to keep up with the times, Mitsu?
- Geely is stable in #7, with Kandi, Geely and Volvo performing ok in their respective price classes.
- General Motors has recovered some ground, rising to the #8 position, thanks to the Volt II, although it is still an embarrassing place to be for a OEM that once was among the pioneers in 2010/11 and inclusively won the Best Seller crown in 2012;
- A word of mention to the following positions, with BAIC in #9, Ford in #10 (4% share, below the historical average of 5%), SAIC in #11 and Daimler Group, of Mercedes and Smart, still languishing in #12, selling a third of the eternal rival BMW...Merc has a lot to recover.
- A word of mention to the following positions, with BAIC in #9, Ford in #10 (4% share, below the historical average of 5%), SAIC in #11 and Daimler Group, of Mercedes and Smart, still languishing in #12, selling a third of the eternal rival BMW...Merc has a lot to recover.
- Finally, looking at sales by OEM's country of origin, Chinese automakers are increasing their lead, having by now 36% of the market, up 5% over 2015 and 13%(!) over the historical record. Expect this lead to increase even further during the year, possibly reaching 50% share by year end.
Happy Birthday BMW
Two days ago BMW celebrated a centenary. They are now focused on BMW’s vision for the future of mobility in the next 100 years. As part of the celebration, they unveilled their Vision Next 100 Concept Car. Four key factors underpin the BMW VISION NEXT 100
A genuine BMW is always driver-focused.
For autonomous driving, it’s no longer a question of ‘if’ but ‘when’. The BMW Group believes that BMW drivers will let their cars do the work – but only when the driver wants. The BMW VISION NEXT 100 remains a genuine BMW, offering an intense experience of Sheer Driving Pleasure.
Artificial intelligence and intuitive technology become one.
Artificial intelligence will learn from us, anticipating many of our wishes and working away in the background to perform the jobs we delegate to it. The way humans and technologies interact will be transformed: screens and touchscreens will be replaced by more intuitive forms of human-machine communication and interaction. Better yet: technology will become more human.
New materials open up breathtaking opportunities.
In the future, how will cars be manufactured? At some point, presses that punch out hundreds of thousands of steel parts may well become obsolete – the use of carbon may already be a first indication of the sea-change that is imminent in the world of automotive materials and production. Technologies such as rapid manufacturing and 4D printing will produce not components or objects but intelligent, networked materials and could soon replace conventional tools to open up unimagined possibilities in design and engineering.
Mobility will remain an emotional experience.
BMW vehicles have never been a means of getting from one place to the next. Far more, a BMW is about looking to the next bend in the road, feeling the power of the engine and enjoying the sense of speed; it’s about the sensory experience, the adrenaline rush or that intimate moment at which a journey begins. Moving into the future, that’s not set to change – because the emotional experience of mobility is firmly fixed in our collective corporate memory. By keeping the driver firmly in the foreground, the BMW VISION NEXT 100 will heighten this emotional experience in an unprecedented way.
A genuine BMW is always driver-focused.
For autonomous driving, it’s no longer a question of ‘if’ but ‘when’. The BMW Group believes that BMW drivers will let their cars do the work – but only when the driver wants. The BMW VISION NEXT 100 remains a genuine BMW, offering an intense experience of Sheer Driving Pleasure.
Artificial intelligence and intuitive technology become one.
Artificial intelligence will learn from us, anticipating many of our wishes and working away in the background to perform the jobs we delegate to it. The way humans and technologies interact will be transformed: screens and touchscreens will be replaced by more intuitive forms of human-machine communication and interaction. Better yet: technology will become more human.
New materials open up breathtaking opportunities.
In the future, how will cars be manufactured? At some point, presses that punch out hundreds of thousands of steel parts may well become obsolete – the use of carbon may already be a first indication of the sea-change that is imminent in the world of automotive materials and production. Technologies such as rapid manufacturing and 4D printing will produce not components or objects but intelligent, networked materials and could soon replace conventional tools to open up unimagined possibilities in design and engineering.
Mobility will remain an emotional experience.
BMW vehicles have never been a means of getting from one place to the next. Far more, a BMW is about looking to the next bend in the road, feeling the power of the engine and enjoying the sense of speed; it’s about the sensory experience, the adrenaline rush or that intimate moment at which a journey begins. Moving into the future, that’s not set to change – because the emotional experience of mobility is firmly fixed in our collective corporate memory. By keeping the driver firmly in the foreground, the BMW VISION NEXT 100 will heighten this emotional experience in an unprecedented way.
BMW's hands-free driving technology - BMW AirTouch
BMW recently unveiled their i Vision Future Interaction Concept Car at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. They showcased some of the future teach that we hope to see sometime in the near future.
The Vision Car is based on the BMW i8, and it includes a first in hands-free driving technology which they call the BMW AirTouch. It allows you to control the entire in-car display with a range of intuitive commands that use your whole hand, without having to touch the screen itself. Sensors record the hand movements in the area between the central console and the interior mirror, enabling the driver or passengers to change the content displayed on the large panorama display. Simple confirmation selects the relevant menu item or activates an icon.
AirTouch has another option to confirm actions - a concealed AirTouch button on the rim of the steering wheel. Within easy reach of the driver's left thumb, it lights up when a menu or icon can be activated. One tap is sufficient to activate the desired program or change a setting. A similar button is positioned in the side sill door area for passenger use, enabling them to use one hand to navigate through the menu, and the other hand to confirm inputs.
The intelligent AirTouch menu control system reduces the number of steps needed to make a selection. For example, when activating the phone pad, the system automatically brings up contacts or call lists to the top select level, so that a call can be made with just one further action. AirTouch recognises which selection and control steps are required next and displays them in advance. This allows the driver to concentrate on the road ahead, and offers additional convenient control options when the vehicle is travelling in highly automated mode.
AirTouch has another option to confirm actions - a concealed AirTouch button on the rim of the steering wheel. Within easy reach of the driver's left thumb, it lights up when a menu or icon can be activated. One tap is sufficient to activate the desired program or change a setting. A similar button is positioned in the side sill door area for passenger use, enabling them to use one hand to navigate through the menu, and the other hand to confirm inputs.
The intelligent AirTouch menu control system reduces the number of steps needed to make a selection. For example, when activating the phone pad, the system automatically brings up contacts or call lists to the top select level, so that a call can be made with just one further action. AirTouch recognises which selection and control steps are required next and displays them in advance. This allows the driver to concentrate on the road ahead, and offers additional convenient control options when the vehicle is travelling in highly automated mode.
New Models for the Rest of 2015
New Models for the Second Half of the Year
Pure electrics have been resisting quite well to the new wave of PHEV's, mostly thanks to Tesla and the Nissan Leaf, but in the second half of year more Plug-in Hybrids will arrive, and PHEV Share should rebound, not only the refreshed Chevrolet Volt will make its impact, but there's a bundle of new PHEV's coming, particularly SUV's, and only one pure electric to help balance the numbers:
BYD Tang - The manufacturer claims this SUV has even more demand than the Qin, so the chinese EV leadership should belong to it in the future. Sales target for this year: 15.000.
Chevrolet Volt II - Pushing the plug-in sales boundaries (only) in America, the second generation of the Volt could reach some 10.000 units this year and then step up in 2016.
Tesla Model X - Its production has been pushed back so many times that people wonder if it will land this year, after all there isn't still an official picture of the Real Deal, but having faith that deliveries do start as promised, in September, expect small numbers in the beginning, as Tesla will watch closely how the FalconWings Doors behave. Sales target for 2015: 4.000 units.
Volkswagen Passat GTE - There hasn't been many plug-ins in this particular segment, but the recent arrival of the Mercedes C-Class PHEV is just the first of many new players preparing to enter the game, the Passat GTE is another addition, based on the success of the regular Passat and of the Golf GTE, i think this has all the ingredients to replicate their success and reach some 3.000 units.
Hyundai Sonata Plug-In - The Korean automaker has arrived late to the plug-in train, is it ready to pick-up on the lost time? The Sonata PHEV is the first model on which we can evaluate if the Korean brand is going plug-in for real or not. Kia has only sold 1.500 Soul EV this year, so we'd better not expect a lot from these guys...Sales target: 1.500 units
BMW X5 Plug-In - The fourth plug-in of the BMW stable, it will be a strong contender for the Premium SUV PHEV trophy, but the Cayenne has already a big lead for this years trophy. Sales target: 1.500 units.
Volvo XC90 Plug-In - The regular XC90 is having an overwhelming reception and the T8 (PHEV) version waiting list is getting longer and longer...If Volvo can make them fast enough, i would say that some 1.500 units could be registered this year.
Audi Q7 e-Tron - Another addition to the Premiumbarge large SUV niche, Audi is looking to replicate the plug-in A3 in a XXL format. Sales target: 1.500 units.
BYD Song and Yuan - These smaller plug-in SUV's were shown earlier this year and the question remains: Will they arrive in time to land this year? If so, will they sell in significant numbers? My guess is a December launch, just in time to enter this year ranking.
Pure electrics have been resisting quite well to the new wave of PHEV's, mostly thanks to Tesla and the Nissan Leaf, but in the second half of year more Plug-in Hybrids will arrive, and PHEV Share should rebound, not only the refreshed Chevrolet Volt will make its impact, but there's a bundle of new PHEV's coming, particularly SUV's, and only one pure electric to help balance the numbers:
BYD Tang - The manufacturer claims this SUV has even more demand than the Qin, so the chinese EV leadership should belong to it in the future. Sales target for this year: 15.000.
Chevrolet Volt II - Pushing the plug-in sales boundaries (only) in America, the second generation of the Volt could reach some 10.000 units this year and then step up in 2016.
Tesla Model X - Its production has been pushed back so many times that people wonder if it will land this year, after all there isn't still an official picture of the Real Deal, but having faith that deliveries do start as promised, in September, expect small numbers in the beginning, as Tesla will watch closely how the Falcon
Hyundai Sonata Plug-In - The Korean automaker has arrived late to the plug-in train, is it ready to pick-up on the lost time? The Sonata PHEV is the first model on which we can evaluate if the Korean brand is going plug-in for real or not. Kia has only sold 1.500 Soul EV this year, so we'd better not expect a lot from these guys...Sales target: 1.500 units
BMW X5 Plug-In - The fourth plug-in of the BMW stable, it will be a strong contender for the Premium SUV PHEV trophy, but the Cayenne has already a big lead for this years trophy. Sales target: 1.500 units.
Volvo XC90 Plug-In - The regular XC90 is having an overwhelming reception and the T8 (PHEV) version waiting list is getting longer and longer...If Volvo can make them fast enough, i would say that some 1.500 units could be registered this year.
Audi Q7 e-Tron - Another addition to the Premium
BYD Song and Yuan - These smaller plug-in SUV's were shown earlier this year and the question remains: Will they arrive in time to land this year? If so, will they sell in significant numbers? My guess is a December launch, just in time to enter this year ranking.
It seems like only yesterday...
By Megan Alink, Director of Marketing Communications for Automotive
What were you doing on September 14, 1999? It was likely an inauspicious day for most people, but for QNX, the date represented our official entry into the automotive market:
Don’t get me wrong — QNX was no tentative newcomer on the scene. After all, we were marking almost two decades in the embedded software business. QNX OS technology was already powering mission-critical systems for credit card processing, energy generation, healthcare, mail sorting, precision manufacturing, mining, security, and warehouse automation worldwide. (Whew!) But it was time to take that reliability and flexibility to more markets, ones with needs similar to our existing customer base. Enter automotive. (And we did.)
Today, we are pleased to be able to say that QNX software is found in more than 60 million vehicles on the road. In telematics systems like OnStar. In infotainment services like Volkswagen's RNS 850 GPS navigation system and Ford SYNC 3. In the digital instrument clusters of the state-of-the-art Audi TT and Mercedes S-Class Coupé.
60 million is a very big number. Obviously, we wouldn’t have reached this milestone without the support of our Tier 1 customers who build QNX into their systems every day, the 40+ automakers who choose these QNX-based systems, and our ecosystem of automotive partners who enrich our offering with their market-leading innovations. We want to thank all of these companies for the exciting and challenging opportunities they give us. Here’s to the next 60 million!
What were you doing on September 14, 1999? It was likely an inauspicious day for most people, but for QNX, the date represented our official entry into the automotive market:
Don’t get me wrong — QNX was no tentative newcomer on the scene. After all, we were marking almost two decades in the embedded software business. QNX OS technology was already powering mission-critical systems for credit card processing, energy generation, healthcare, mail sorting, precision manufacturing, mining, security, and warehouse automation worldwide. (Whew!) But it was time to take that reliability and flexibility to more markets, ones with needs similar to our existing customer base. Enter automotive. (And we did.)
60 million is a very big number. Obviously, we wouldn’t have reached this milestone without the support of our Tier 1 customers who build QNX into their systems every day, the 40+ automakers who choose these QNX-based systems, and our ecosystem of automotive partners who enrich our offering with their market-leading innovations. We want to thank all of these companies for the exciting and challenging opportunities they give us. Here’s to the next 60 million!
New BMW 1 series
The new BMW 1 Series has had key elements reshaped and redesigned, and a high standard specification.
The BMW 118i M Sport 5-door sports hatch has 18” M Sport alloy wheels, M Sport suspension, Sport seats and BMW EfficientDynamics.
The BMW 118i M Sport 5-door sports hatch has 18” M Sport alloy wheels, M Sport suspension, Sport seats and BMW EfficientDynamics.
The new BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer
BMW is set to launch their new BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer this summer.
This spacious seven seater is clearly targeted at families and features large windscreen, optional panoramic roof and intelligently redesigned pillars to provide superior all-round vision. You can create even more space by folding down the third and seconds rows.
This extra efficient car has Auto Start-Stop (as standard) which reduces emissions when stopping temporarily at lights or in traffic. BMW also claims that their Aero Curtain provides optimised aerodynamics, thereby reducing emissions and improving fuel consumption.
There will be a range of preferences and driving styles to choose from including a range of petrol and diesel engines. Extra options include the xDrive 4 wheel drive and the latest generation BMW TwinPower Turbo engines which offer enhanced performance and efficiency.
BMW Hybrid cars: Top performance, stylish and economical
High performance and economical is not something you hear together when you are talking about cars. Well, BMW offers three varieties of hybrid cars offering the same exciting top performance and quality which we associate with the BMW brand, along with reduction in fuel consumption and reduced emissions.
When the first hybrid cars came out, I guess the design and styling was not what the car manufacturers had in mind – they simply looked horrendous. Thankfully that’s changing now as we can see from the range of sexy designs being launched annually. The BMW ActiveHybrid models across their popular 3 Series, 5 Series and 7 Series range are among the best looking hybrids available in the market now.
The BMW ActiveHybrid 3 is the World’s first BMW full hybrid compact executive saloon and available as a Sport, Luxury or M Sport model. Prices for the BMW ActiveHybrid 3 in the UK starts from £42,145.
As for the technical specs, the ActiveHybrid 3 is powered by a Turbo six cylinder 3 litre (2979cc) VALVETRONIC with Double-VANOS direct injection, in-line petrol engine with a max output of 306hp (let me catch my breath). The engine is mated with BMW's eight-speed automatic transmission. The car stores and draws power when required from a lithium-ion high-performance battery. The electric engine comes on for silent urban driving for approx 1-2 miles with a maximum speed of 37mph. It also automatically recognises when the car is going up a gradient and the boost functions comes on automatically to support the combustion engine. The car also charges by itself when it is going downhill.
The BMW ActiveHybrid 5 powertrain is very similar to that of the BMW ActiveHybrid 3. I have always had a soft spot for the 5 Series models - neither too small nor too large. Just the right size. The ActiveHybrid 5 is significantly more economical and with reduced CO2 emissions. Prices in the UK start from £47,790.
The BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is squarely aimed at those with a taste for luxury but also want to do their bit for the environment. The car is powered by a 3 litre TwinPower Turbo V8 engine. The car features a 0.4 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. You have the choice of several options to personalise your BMW ActiveHybrid 7 including a choice of paint finishes and extensive range of alloy wheels.
Pictured is the optional 20" M light-alloy wheels in double-spoke design for the M Sport model. Prices for the BMW ActiveHybrid 7 start from £66,200.
There are actually several hybrid cars offered by other manufacturers available in the market and many of them cheaper than the BMW models. However, they simply cannot match the performance of the BMW ActiveHybrid models. And when it comes to design and styling, the BMW cars are heads above the competition.
When the first hybrid cars came out, I guess the design and styling was not what the car manufacturers had in mind – they simply looked horrendous. Thankfully that’s changing now as we can see from the range of sexy designs being launched annually. The BMW ActiveHybrid models across their popular 3 Series, 5 Series and 7 Series range are among the best looking hybrids available in the market now.
3 Series ActiveHybrid Sedan
The BMW ActiveHybrid 3 is the World’s first BMW full hybrid compact executive saloon and available as a Sport, Luxury or M Sport model. Prices for the BMW ActiveHybrid 3 in the UK starts from £42,145.
As for the technical specs, the ActiveHybrid 3 is powered by a Turbo six cylinder 3 litre (2979cc) VALVETRONIC with Double-VANOS direct injection, in-line petrol engine with a max output of 306hp (let me catch my breath). The engine is mated with BMW's eight-speed automatic transmission. The car stores and draws power when required from a lithium-ion high-performance battery. The electric engine comes on for silent urban driving for approx 1-2 miles with a maximum speed of 37mph. It also automatically recognises when the car is going up a gradient and the boost functions comes on automatically to support the combustion engine. The car also charges by itself when it is going downhill.
5 Series ActiveHybrid
The BMW ActiveHybrid 5 powertrain is very similar to that of the BMW ActiveHybrid 3. I have always had a soft spot for the 5 Series models - neither too small nor too large. Just the right size. The ActiveHybrid 5 is significantly more economical and with reduced CO2 emissions. Prices in the UK start from £47,790.
7 Series ActiveHybrid
The BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is squarely aimed at those with a taste for luxury but also want to do their bit for the environment. The car is powered by a 3 litre TwinPower Turbo V8 engine. The car features a 0.4 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. You have the choice of several options to personalise your BMW ActiveHybrid 7 including a choice of paint finishes and extensive range of alloy wheels.
M Sport package
Pictured is the optional 20" M light-alloy wheels in double-spoke design for the M Sport model. Prices for the BMW ActiveHybrid 7 start from £66,200.
There are actually several hybrid cars offered by other manufacturers available in the market and many of them cheaper than the BMW models. However, they simply cannot match the performance of the BMW ActiveHybrid models. And when it comes to design and styling, the BMW cars are heads above the competition.
BMW Alpina D5 2014 Review
BMW Alpina D5 2014 Review - The new Alpina D5 Biturbo is 'the meanest green auto on the planet,' as per the producer. Which is a reasonable enough supposition to make, given that the auto has 347bhp, an incredible 516lb ft of torque and can hit 62mph in 5.1sec preceding pummeling some way or another to a top velocity of 171mph
At the same time the numbers that recognize the Alpina D5 as
Clarion Builds 974 BMW 2002 restoration project: Renovated Interior revealed
You may recall that I posted about the restoration of 30+ year-old BBS RS 001s rims as part of the Clarion Builds 974 BMW 2002 restoration project, some time back.
Well, they have come a long way and finally revealed what they did with the interior. All the gauges were also rebuilt and every part of the car’s interior was either replaced or reconditioned and re-plated.
They teamed up with CoupeKing and HushMat for the cabin insulation.
Watch the video below to see the fantastic job CoupeKing did with the leather upholstery and carpets.
To finish off the look and feel, the car was fitted with Nardi 390 steering wheel, shifter knob and parking brake handle (both Nardi as well).
Well, they have come a long way and finally revealed what they did with the interior. All the gauges were also rebuilt and every part of the car’s interior was either replaced or reconditioned and re-plated.
They teamed up with CoupeKing and HushMat for the cabin insulation.
