New BMW 7 Series world premiere in China

Shanghai. The BMW Group today celebrated the world premiere of the striking new BMW 7 Series in Shanghai, China. The choice of location for the event underlined the significance of the Chinese market for the company’s new flagship model: in 2018, 44% of global BMW 7 Series sales were made to customers in China (ca.… Continue reading New BMW 7 Series world premiere in China

The new BMW 7 Series.

BMW M760Li xDrive:Fuel consumption combined: 12.5 – 12.4 l/100 km (22.6 – 22.8 mpg imp),CO2 emissions combined: 285 – 282 g/km,exhaust standard: EU6d-TEMP. BMW 750i xDrive (BMW 750Li xDrive): Fuel consumption combined: 9.5 – 9.5 l/100 km (29.7 – 29.7 mpg imp) [9.6 – 9.5 l/100 km (29.4 – 29.7 mpg imp)], CO2 emissions combined: 217 – 217 g/km (218 – 218 g/km), exhaust standard: EU6d-TEMP. BMW 745e (BMW 745Le): Fuel consumption combined: 2.2 – 2.1 l/100 km (128.4 – 134.5 mpg imp) [BMW 745Le: 2.3 – 2.2 l/100 km (122.8 – 128.4 mpg imp)], electric power consumption combined: 15.4 – 15.0 kWh/100 km (62 miles) [BMW 745Le: 15.4 – 15.1 kWh/100 km (62 miles)],… Continue reading The new BMW 7 Series.

Straight Eight: BMW Motorrad achieves eighth all-time sales high in succession in 2018.

BMW Motorrad sold more motorcycles and maxi scooters in 2018 than ever before. Compared to the strong previous year, deliveries increased by a further 0.9%. As of December 2018 a total of 165,566 vehicles (previous year 164,153 units) were delivered to customers. Dr. Markus Schramm, Head of BMW Motorrad: “2018 was another very successful year for… Continue reading Straight Eight: BMW Motorrad achieves eighth all-time sales high in succession in 2018.

‘I’ve assumed the worst’: Aston Martin and Bentley brace for slow-motion Brexit crash – Brisbane Times

Loading Aston Martin’s board before this week authorised contingency planning for Brexit that included shipping car components via air freight to allow for the use of ports other than Dover, which faces potential chaos in a no-deal scenario. For the last eight months, Volkswagen AG-owned Bentley has likewise supplied some parts through an alternative port,… Continue reading ‘I’ve assumed the worst’: Aston Martin and Bentley brace for slow-motion Brexit crash – Brisbane Times

European car sales drop 8.7 percent in December – ACEA

MILAN, Jan 16 (Reuters) – European car registrations fell 8.7 percent year-on-year in December, with sales at all major carmakers except Daimler and Jaguar Land Rover contracting as the introduction of tougher new emissions tests continued to weigh on demand. Registrations fell to 1.04 million cars in the European Union (EU) and European Free Trade… Continue reading European car sales drop 8.7 percent in December – ACEA

Tesla To Release ‘Midrange’ Model 3 Sedan, Its Cheapest Car Yet

For most car buyers, the average Tesla may be more than a bit too pricey for comfort. But that could be changing, as the company’s CEO and co-founder, Elon Musk, announced Thursday that it is now taking orders for a more affordable version of the Model 3 sedan.

According to Business Insider, the “lower cost, midrange” Tesla Model 3 will be sold at $45,000, with federal and state tax rebates reducing the base cost to $35,000 for California buyers. In a Twitter post, Musk said that the “true cost of ownership” could be closer to $31,000 once gas savings are taken into account. Interested buyers can now choose the midrange version on Tesla’s newly updated Model 3 configurator, where it joins the existing high-performance and long-range battery versions.

The lower-priced Tesla Model 3’s base variant comes with a single motor and rear-wheel drive, and an estimated range of 260 miles per charge for its battery pack. This sets the new version apart from the performance and long-range editions, which both have dual-motor setups, all-wheel drive, and battery packs that allow the vehicle to last about 310 miles between full charges.

According to Mashable, the midrange Model 3 has an estimated 0-to-60 mph time of 5.6 seconds and a top speed of 125 mph. The car is being offered in black, deep blue metallic, midnight silver metallic, red, and white, though all color options but the black version will cost an additional $1,500 to $2,500.

As noted by USA Today, the Model 3’s initial announcement last year put Tesla “on the radar of average car buyers,” as its usual price tag of around $55,000 made the car substantially more affordable than the Model S and the Model X, which could both set customers back by more than $100,000 for some of the higher-end trims. The publication speculated that the release of the new midrange Model 3, combined with Tesla’s steady improvements in quarterly production, could help the Palo Alto-based automaker become more competitive in a premium midsize sedan market that also includes cars from Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Lexus, and Mercedes-Benz.

Despite the midrange Tesla Model 3’s lower price point, Business Insider wrote that the new version falls short of what Elon Musk had originally promised ahead of the car’s announcement. The publication pointed out that Musk previously teased a version that would cost $35,000 before tax incentives, or $10,000 less than the midrange edition’s base price. Likewise, Musk’s previous comments that the cheaper Model 3 will be shipping by the end of the year were also cited, as automotive industry analysts predicted last month that Tesla might not be able to make good on its promise of a late 2018 rollout.

A spokesman for Tesla told Business Insider that deliveries for the midrange Tesla Model 3 are expected to start in about four months from now.

With traditional sporting spirit and British flair: the MINI 60 Years Edition.

With traditional sporting spirit and British flair: the MINI 60 Years Edition. MINI celebrates the brand’s 60th anniversary with an exclusive design model – Specific design features for the exterior and interior emphasise the authentic background and agile character of the original in the small car segment – Special edition as MINI 3 Door and… Continue reading With traditional sporting spirit and British flair: the MINI 60 Years Edition.

BMW F 850 ​​GS and R 1250 GS                         Now it’s getting fat

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                        Now it’s getting fat

Would you buy an electric car from Cadillac? Take our Twitter poll

Cadillac electric crossover SUV based on GM BEV3 modular platform
General Motors' announcement last week that Cadillac will become its lead brand for electric cars is a radical change in strategy.

When America's largest automaker launched its first electrified car, the Chevrolet Volt, company leaders said their electric cars would have to be sold under the Chevrolet brand, reasoning that electric cars would have to be mainstream, and thus sold under GM's largest, most mainstream brand.

DON'T MISS: Long-range Cadillac SUV to lead GM's next electric-car push, in 3 years

Now, seemingly feeling the pressure from Tesla, the company has changed tack and plans to focus its electric cars efforts under its most expensive brand, Cadillac. At the Detroit auto show on Monday, Cadillac showed its first electric-car concept, a largish mid-size SUV that looks likely to seat five passengers, though details from the company were scant.

The new electric Caddy SUV will be GMs first electric car to use GM's new third-generation electric-car architecture, with a versatile “skateboard” chassis and a battery-pack design that can accommodate different capacities in the same format. As with Tesla, the high-end vehicle is designed to allow GM to spread the costs of converting to electric drivetrains over more expensive models that can absorb the cost, after federal tax credits for the auto giant's plug-in cars run out.

It isn't expected to go on sale until 2022, however, and by then more automakers will be bringing a wider selection of more affordable electric cars to market.

CHECK OUT: GM president dashes hopes of future Volt, says no more hybrids

That led us to wonder whether our readers would be likely to buy an electric car from Cadillac. A key question is whether the Cadillac name still carries enough cutting-edge cachet to attract high-tech early adopters, or whether those are even the buyers who might be looking for an electric luxury car by 2022.

Certainly, Cadillac will face no shortage of competition among luxury electric SUVs by then, with new models hitting the market from Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz this year.

So, our Twitter poll for this week asks readers simply: “Would you buy an electric car from Cadillac?”

Some may answer, “Absolutely.” Others may have grown weary of the brand's repeated stuttering revival efforts and answer, “Never.”

In between, we expect many readers might consider it only if they don't have Tesla as an option (“Not over a Tesla”), or if the price is cheap enough to compete with the host of more affordable options that will be on the market by then: (“Only if it's cheap.”)

As always, remember that our Twitter polls are unscientific, as our respondents are self-selected and too few in number to constitute a nationally representative sample.

Ecobonus and FCA, here’s who risks: there are 5 models produced at Mirafiori and Grugliasco

If the battle against the Ecobonus is fought, at the moment, with slogans and statements (parade and response, depending on the interlocutor), how it translates, concretely, the tool of (dis) incentive that the government is studying for the automotive sector and that scares FCA so much? The fears that Mike Manley revealed yesterday speaking from… Continue reading Ecobonus and FCA, here’s who risks: there are 5 models produced at Mirafiori and Grugliasco