BMW X1 Set for 2011 U.S. Release, but Does it Makes Sense?

BMW has been teasing the arrival of its newest compact SUV for a long time, but yesterday officially confirmed it would arrive in the U.S. sometime in 2011.

The X1 shares the somewhat awkward styling of the X3, but is smaller and has less interior space and less power, all at a cost that probably will reach X3 levels once properly optioned out. Frankly, I think the arrival of the X1 should mean the demise of the X3. Why on earth would BMW offer such similar models, considering the X3 is such a slow seller? Seems to me like a GM-style mistake!

Regardless, the X1 will debut in Europe this fall with one gas and three diesel engine choices, each available in rear-wheel drive or with BMW’s xDrive AWD system. According to a BMW press release:

The X1 will set new benchmarks in the premium compact segment for efficiency, comfort, utility, and of course driving dynamics. Achieving up to 45.2 miles per US gallon on the European test cycle, the BMW Advanced Diesel-powered X1 sDrive18d will provide remarkable fuel efficiency while still achieving a top speed of 124mph.

Well, I guess 45 miles per gallon should sell a few cars… that and some more pictures of a bikini model!

Engine choices for U.S. consumers will be announced closer to launch, but I hope we can count on at least one diesel option.

Does it make sense for BMW to offer both the X1 and the X3?

-tgriffith

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Showdown: First Cars

Here’s our latest Car Blog Showdown. This week, tgriffith and jgoods were invited to tell us about their first cars - what did they love about it, and why wasn’t the other’s a great choice? What was your first car? Did you love it? Why?

1940 Ford Deluxe Coupe

jgoods’ 5 reasons why he loved his black 1940 Ford Deluxe Coupe:

• I lowered it, so it bottomed out frequently, but the car looked great.
• It was very customizable, so I added dual exhausts, leaded rear deck, bigger bumpers, a couple of engine mods.
• The car had its own notable odors—burning oil on fast acceleration and the smell from the rear opera seats where a friend had gotten drunk and thrown up (no opening windows back there, and no getting that smell out).
• The electrical system would cut out periodically, always producing the thrill of a new driving adventure.
• Absolutely nothing was cooler in my high school parking lot.

tgriffith’s 3 reasons why jgoods should not love his 1940 Ford Deluxe Coupe

• If you love your car because it smells like puke, something must be wrong.
• Can the Deluxe Coupe really be appreciated by a kid getting it as his first car?
• This is a car to have later in life, to restore, and to treasure forever. Imagine how it must have been treated by a high school kid!

1966 Plymouth Valiant

• It sat in my parents’ driveway before I even got my license. I’d sit in it, start the engine, and fantasize about how it would feel to drive on my own.
• Yes, it’s ugly. Perhaps even the ugliest in my high school parking lot. But it was still the car all my friends piled into.
• Sometimes it would start, sometimes it wouldn’t. Every day was an adventure!
• When the driver’s side wiper arm broke in a rainstorm, I had to drive with my head hanging out the window. We still laugh about that day.
• Plain and simple, it was my first car. It could’ve been anything, and I would have loved it!

jgoods’ 3 reasons why tgriffith should not love his 1966 Plymouth Valiant:

• The Valiant had a pretty good drivetrain if you had the V8, but this car is about as sexy as a stone.
• Jay Leno has a V200 with 88,000 miles and the original engine (see it here), and he took his driver’s license test in it when 16, he says. A perfect car for the test, as passenger protection was excellent with all that iron around you.
• Finally, there can be no quibbles about one’s first car. You had to love those wheels.

Okay, readers - your turn: What was your first car? Did you love it? Why?

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Do these Hummers really get 100 mpg?

 

I suppose this had to happen at some point.

Creating a Hummer that gets 100+ miles per gallon is a huge public relations story for the company that has managed to build one. And bloggers love to jump on the story and say that a Hummer can kick a Prius’ butt. 

Raser Technologies unveiled their Prius-kicking Hummers (an H3 and H3 SUT) at this year’s SAE World Congress in Detroit last week, and I have to admit at first glance, the technology is impressive.

Raser customized their H3 with a system similar to that in the Chevy Volt, which runs for the first 40 miles on pure electricity, then uses a gas engine to generate electricity for driving up to 400 miles on one tank. Drive 50 miles per day and this H3 will return 185 miles per gallon. Driving 200 miles or more drops the mpg to 33 (still about double the mileage of a gas-powered H3). 

It’s pretty obvious that Raser is proving a point by creating a Hummer, the epitome of gas hogs, that can run virtually gas-free on daily commutes. They might even be hoping to secure a licensing deal by impressing the bigwigs at the Big 3 and proving that the technology for extreme efficiency in trucks and SUVs does exist.

I do have doubts that an electric Hummer can maintain the legendary towing, off-road, and all-weather capability of its gas-powered counterparts.

But…

If electric Hummers were available that had the same capabilities as gas-powered versions, would your opinion about the brand change?

-tgriffith

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As GM sinks, who’s rising to take their place?

A diesel-powered roadster, VW's Bluesport concept could help them reach their goal

Volkswagen is one step away from world domination.

As we’ve mentioned here before, VW wants to be the world’s biggest automaker. A few years ago we all would have had a nice hearty laugh at such a notion, because GM was strong, invincible, and American. But then the wheels began falling off the ol’ GM bus, and Toyota overtook them in 2008 as the world’s biggest automaker.

Now GM (which some now call Government Motors) is poised to slip to number three, thanks to the determined and surging Germans. It could happen this year, as GM continues to reduce production by an expected 31 percent.

Looks like we’re witnessing a bit of a changing of the guard in the automotive world. I can just imagine sitting in my rocking chair when I’m 80 years old and telling stories of when a company called General Motors made more cars and trucks than any other company in the world. Who knows, if  they continue sliding like this, my grandkids may know GM only as a niche maker of heavy-duty pickup trucks. After all, to GM’s credit, those are what it seems to build best.

Is anyone out there bold enough to say GM will earn back their title of the world’s number one automaker?

-tgriffith

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Unveiled! The Tesla Model S

Tesla today has taken the tarp off its heavily hyped Model S luxury sedan.

While they haven’t released much about the specs of the Model S, one thing is for sure: The body is beautiful, if quite a departure from the looks of its sister, the Tesla Roadster.  

The Tesla Model S is getting style comparisons to the Jaguar XF and the Buick Lucerne - the Jag in the front and rear and the Buick in the silhouette. I’m not sure I completely agree with the Buick comparison, but I definitely see some modern Jag in the design. Take a look at the pictures, and let us know if you agree.

Note the sleek coupe-like styling and glass roof! Also, the interior is said to feature a center rack consisting entirely of a touch-screen interface to control audio, HVAC, navigation, and whatever other extras Tesla loads into the Model S. 

When Tesla first announced plans for an all-electric sedan, they said it would cost around $60K. Official pricing, or even an availability date, haven’t been set. 

Will Tesla deliver on the Model S? What do you think of it?

-tgriffith

*UPDATE*

Acording to a Tesla press release, the anticipated base price of the Model S is $49,900 after a federal tax credit of $7,500. The company has not released options pricing. Three battery pack choices will offer a range of 160, 230 or 300 miles per charge. The standard Model S does 0-60 mph in under six seconds and will have an electronically limited top speed of 130 mph, with sport versions expected to achieve 0-60 mph acceleration well below five seconds.

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With an Electric Ford Focus, Why Do We Need the Volt?

The electric Focus should look something like this

Here’s a quote GM doesn’t want to hear from auto analysts: “Why do we need the Volt?”

GM has spent years and untold amounts of money developing their electric Volt concept. The quote is from Bill Pochiluk, an auto analyst with Automotive Compass. He said it in response to the news that Ford is preparing to release its own electric vehicle, despite having spent almost no development dollars of its own.

Ford’s electric Focus has been developed almost entirely by outside supplier Magna International (which has built cars for BMW, Mercedes-Benz, GM, and Chrysler, so don’t write them off). The electric Focus is due in early 2011 and expected to have a 100-mile range per charge. 

Ford’s strategy seems to make a lot of sense, as GM’s in-house development of the Volt has hit many road blocks and drained the company of valuable and hard-to-come-by money. 

While GM will earn bragging rights for developing the Volt on its own (if it’s successful), the bottom line is that consumers care a lot more about price than bragging rights. In this case, I’d expect the electric Focus to come in well below the estimated $40K cost of the Volt. 

The one drawback for Ford, if it can be called a drawback, is that Magna is free to sell the same technology to other automakers. Ford doesn’t seem to mind, though, because the more successful Magna is, the more the price of their technology will drop. Ultimately, that’s beneficial for Magna, for Ford, and for anyone buying an electric car. 

The partnership between Ford and Magna is a great example of the teamwork needed to efficiently achieve and distribute innovation in the auto industry today. Ford seems to be taking advantage, while GM struggles to succeed in innovating on their own. 

It all comes back to the question above: Why do we need the Volt?

-tgriffith

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Hot Car Videos

Given that it’s Friday and we’re heading into the weekend, I thought it might be fun to take a look at three car videos getting lots of attention on YouTube over the last couple of days. The first is an animated video of the new BMW Concept 5-Series Gran Turismo:

BMW generally seems to get technology very well, but don’t you think they could have added some sound to that video? I’d happily trade all those animated rulers for a good soundtrack.

Next up is a video that should appeal to Corvette fans. GM’s VP of Global Design provides a guided tour of the new Stingray concept, which was created to represent the autobot Sideswipe in the new Transformers 2 movie. It won’t see mass production, but it looks great and clearly reflects a bunch of Corvette history:

Last up is a video that shows a race-ready version of the new Hyundai Genesis Coupe drifting around a track in preparation for a series of events Reese Millen will drive the car in this summer:

Have a great weekend, everyone, and please let us all know if you’ve seen any other great car videos recently.

-Steve Halloran

Acura NSX: Collectible or Forgettable?

When I was entering high school, I helped my dad restore a 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado. (By “helped,” I mean “watched,” but I still felt involved just by being there as he worked!)

As the Barrett-Jackson auction in Arizona ended last week, I remembered that old Toronado and wondered which cars from today my son might someday collect or even restore. Of course there isn’t a scientific way to predict what models will skyrocket in value, but we can certainly take educated guesses.

Below are four modern cars I believe will eventually sit behind red ropes at auctions or await restoration in garages across America.

I could’ve really used any full-size American SUV here - the Suburban, the Navigator, the Yukon, etc. I think the Escalade is unique, because it’s the only one that has taken on an image like no others: A symbol of excess used by athletes and rappers nationwide. In 40 years or so, we’ll look back on these and remember a time when America truly believed that size mattered.

Cars that influence the design of their competitors’ cars are truly innovative, and the xB came along at a time when there was nothing like it. Soon we had the Honda Element and Ford Flex. The first Scion xB will be remembered and collected because of the impression it has made on today’s youth.

The Mustang is a perennial collectible… I still fantasize about one day having a cherry red ’65 in my garage. The Shelby GT500KR is the version of Mustang today that is rare enough to warrant collectibility in the future. Buy one now and watch as its value increases over the coming decades.

Honda recently scrapped their plans to build a new NSX, but the ones in existence are primed to take on a near-mythical quality. This is the car that caused Ferrari to rethink their build quality, for goodness sakes. Find one now and pay what you must for it, because this car will bring in even bigger bucks in the future, assuming you (or your grandkids) are ever ready to sell it.

Which modern cars do you think will be collected in the future?

-tgriffith

 

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In 2007, Toyota built 1.3 million cars in America.

Alfa Romeo: Coming to America!

Of the 15.5 million vehicles built in America in 2007, foreign manufacturers built 6 million. That’s a number primed to grow as the U.S. automakers struggle and foreign companies see value in increasing operations here.

Cars will always be built in America, even if our homegrown Big 3 go belly up.

Even Alfa Romeo, who withdrew from the U.S. market in 1995, is coming back with new models and could possibly move production here in 2011 or 2012.

Honda has built cars in the U.S. for years, with a major operation in Ohio and another being built in Indiana. Last year 1 million Hondas were built in America and the Indiana plant will add capacity to build 200,000 more. Honda is also considering moving production of the Fit stateside, as Honda is looking for ways to keep up with demand. Honda’s overall sales were down 28% in October of this year, but sales of the Fit rose by that same percentage.

Toyota has a similar philosophy, having recently opened a new plant in Texas, and is building another in Mississippi to handle the production of Highlanders and Prius hybrids. In 2007, Toyota built 1.3 million cars in America.

BMW produced 150,000 vehicles in America last year and is investing to bring their capacity up to 240,000. Production of their X3 will move from Europe to South Carolina. Nissan is building a new plant in Mississippi, Kia is building a new plant in Georgia and Hyundai recently completed a plant in Alabama. Volkswagen will build a U.S. production plant in Tennessee, where they intend to build a car designed for the U.S. market.

All of these new plants are paying decent wages and have real advantages over Detroit, with younger workers and much lower benefit costs.

There’s a lot to be excited about in America’s future of auto production, even if that future is void of GM and Chrysler.

If automotive jobs are still in America, what are your thoughts on foreign companies providing those jobs?

-tgriffith

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