The world famous Autobahn, known for its sections of speed-limit-free roads, looks set to lose some of its famous stretches of highway, with the election of a new, environmentally focused government in the home state of manufacturers like Mercedes-Benz and Porsche.

With the Green Party having emerged victorious in a regional election in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, the likelihood of a 120 km/h (roughly 75 mph)  speed limit is imminent, as the Green Party pledged to implement this measure as a means of reducing greenhouse gases. “Traffic in Baden-Wuerttemberg contributes around 30 percent to carbon-dioxide emissions,” Winfried Kretschmann, the Green Party’s leader, said in a statement.

Automakers like Mercedes-Benz and Porsche, which are based in the region, sell cars that are capable of more than double the proposed limit.

[Source: Bloomberg]

Despite being an ultra-niche vehicle, interest in the Nissan GT-R always remains strong, and car enthusiasts have been fretting about whether Japan’s natural disasters have impacted production of the revised GT-R.

According to an interview with David Reuter, Nissan Americas vice president of communications, supplies of the GT-R are safe, with roughly 70 percent of North America’s allocation on the ground already. “There are no shortages of anything specific at this point,” he told Inside Line. “As we work through the final assessments, we’ll have a better idea if we have any dips to smooth over with individual vehicle lines.”

Reuter also confirmed that the Nissan LEAF is safe, with 1,500 cars either in transit or at the port. Infiniti vehicles, which are all built in Japan, are considered most at risk for production disruption, but Reuter said that a 50-day supply of vehicles exists.

While companies like Nissan have emerged unscathed, General Motors announced major cutbacks at plants in Spain and Germany due to a shortage of Japanese made parts. While Japan’s automakers may be sending a positive message for now, the long-term situation could potentially get much worse due to factors beyond the control of the auto industry.

[Source: Inside Line]

While motorists in North America have had 10 percent ethanol infused gasoline all but forced on them, and Brazil operates almost entirely on E85 biofuel, German motorists have slammed the door shut on the corn-based fuel by simply refusing to purchase gasoline that is made up of 90 percent dino-juice and 10 percent ethanol.

The Super E10 gasoline has an octane rating of 95 , but motorists in Germany are simply purchasing the pricier 98 octane fuel that is devoid of ethanol. The backlash comes from a variety of organizations, ranging from the German ADAC automobile club to Greenpeace, who claim that ethanol can do everything from ruin the mechanical bits of automobiles to increase CO2 production.

While only half of Germany’s gas stations offer the fuel, the problem is so severe that Germany’s Environment Minister is convening a summit to figure out how to deal with the problem. Currently, gas stations are sitting on ample reserves of E10 while the non-ethanol high grades are in short supply.

[Source: The Truth About Cars]

World War II jokes aside, the French and the Germans are joining forces this time…and for powers of good. BMW and PSA Peugeot Citroën plan to invest 100 million Euros and the efforts of 400 employees into developing hybrid technology, to be shared by both brands.

The program, excitingly titled “BMW Peugeot Citroën Electrification,” will be based in both Munich, Germany, and Mulhouse, France. The program will add over 100 new engineering jobs to the two cities and will focus on hybrid components such as battery packs, E-machines, generators, power electronics, chargers, and software.

“As responsible carmakers, we aim to create an open European platform and foster the development of European standards for hybrid technologies,” said Philippe Varin, Chairman of the Managing Board of PSA Peugeot Citroën. “This joint venture will also enable us to develop advanced technological manufacturing expertise in Europe in the field of electric powertrains, and to retain all its potential for creating value.”

This is not the first time BMW and PSA Peugeot Citroën have worked together; in 2002, the two companies developed and built four-cylinder engines for MINI, Peugeot and Citroën cars. And in 2010, they worked on a replacement four-cylinder engine that will meet new EU 6 emissions requirements.

The program is scheduled to start at the end of 2011, and we can expect to see hybrid-equipped BMWs, Peugeots and Citroëns in 2014.

Audi can’t get ‘em out the door fast enough. The comapny’s factories are running at full capacity to meet record demand for the A6 sedan and A3 hatchback, forcing buyers to wait an average of three to four months to take delivery.

During normal sales periods customers usually take delivery of their cars within eight to ten weeks, says an Audi spokesperson. But Germany’s three largest manufacturers BMW, Mercedes and Volkswagen have reported record sales throughout January, while the Volkswagen Group has both the highest sales figures and the strongest share values.

Likewise, the situation at Audi is more tense; they are delivering vehicles to consumers two months after their competitors. BMW’s customers wait three months at most, with up to six months for the popular BMW X3. Mercedes sales are close to 2007 levels, just as they were before the recession. But at Audi, “if sales continue to grow like this,” says Audi sales chief Peter Schwarzenbauer, ”it’ll be difficult to say how long it could take to reduce waiting times.”

Audi expects double-digit growth in both China and the U.S., coming after record sales figures of 1.09 million cars last year. Growing demand in Germany, the United States, and powerhouse market China are putting the pressure on the manufacturers. And in response, Audi, BMW and Mercedes are all planning to add or expand their factories.

Can the momentum carry on without a deluge of angry customers? It might seem like a blessing to have so much demand that they can’t build them fast enough. But the company needs to act fast to keep buyers happy, otherwise soon they’ll be wishing they were back in this position.

[Source: Bloomberg]

The long awaited next generation BMW M5 will get its first showing in (lightly disguised) concept form at the Shanghai Auto Show. With China becoming a rapidly important market for BMW (read: sales are booming), the new car, codenamed the F10, will surely be a hit with performance-minded buyers in China and the world over.

The sublime V10 is expected to be jettisoned in favor of a new twin-turbo V8, as seen in the X5M and X6M. Rumors state that the car will also feature ceramic brakes (a first for any BMW), and we can similarly expect to see some kind of dual clutch transmission. The new V8 makes 555 horsepower and 510 lb-ft in the SUVs, and a bump in power wouldn’t be unreasonable for what is arguably BMW’s flagship M car. The most significant development of course, is that BMW chose to reveal the car at Shanghai, but this still leaves the door open for an official production unveiling at September’s Frankfurt Auto Show, which is of course, BMW’s home turf.

[Source: 4 Wheels News]

Although Lexus managed to snatch the U.S. luxury car sales crown away from its German rivals for the 11th straight year in 2010, the company is off to a slow start, already being outpaced by BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

While Lexus sales are down 17 percent, Mercedes-Benz is up 11 percent and BMW is up by 21 percent. Lexus managed to hold off the two brands last year, but a new BMW X3 and Mercedes C-Class will allow them to make up the difference with the two new models, which represent volume leaders for the brands.

Analysts cite large incentives at the end of 2010 as a possible reason for Lexus’ strong finish. Similarly, a drop off in sales due to the lack of incentive spending on 2011 could be a corrective force for BMW and Mercedes’ sales figures.

[Source: Automotive News]

BMW has always been known for their trademark inline-6 engines, but the recent industry-wide trend of downsizing has led to BMW adopting turbocharged four-cylinder engines as an alternative to smaller, naturally aspirated I6 engines in the name of efficiency.

First to get the turbo-4 treatment is the X1 small crossover, although Jim O’Donnell, head of BMW USA, said that more are on their way. Likely candidates for this engine are the 3-Series and Z4, whose rivals, like the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, SLK and Audi A4 and A5 already offer a turbo 4-cylinder as the base engine. The X3 could also be a candidate, as Audi’s Q5 shares the same 2.0T engine and doesn’t seem to fare any worse than its 6-cylinder siblings.

Expect an announcement at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November. With the X1 hitting 60 mph in about 6 seconds while returning a smidge under 30 mpg on the European highway cycle, we’re pretty optimistic that these new BMW four-bangers will be just fine.

[Source: MotorAuthority]

The Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG will get some significant tweaks for 2012, with an official debut at March’s Geneva Auto Show. Arrving this summer as a 2012 model, the biggest news is the addition of Mercedes’ 7-speed MCT gearbox, used in the SL63 and other top-tier AMG cars previously.

While the C63 makes 451 horsepower and 443 lb-ft in standard trim, an available AMG Performance Package can boost that figure 481 horsepower, putting it well above its rivals from BMW, Lexus and Audi. The Performance Package engine has a number of fundamental changes, including forged pistons, lighter connecting rods, a redesigned crankshaft, remapped ECU and red brake calipers. A carbon fiber rear wing is also present. A limited slip differential is available as a no cost option.

Among the cosmetic changes are revised LED head and tail lamps, new alloy wheels and a redesigned diffuser.

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Some driving schools teach you the rules of the road. Others show you how to get the most out of your car while driving at the limit on a closed circuit. A rarefied few, like BMW‘s facility in the former East Germany, can show you how to get away with life and limb intact should you ever come under an armed assault.

With BMW’s lineup of factory armored cars, sold under the BMW Security lineup, are frequently sold to customers who live in locales where the rule of law isn’t always stringently enforced. The armor plating helps these types of BMW owners defend themselves against bullets or bombs, but the other half of the equation is driving training. The BMW facility, stationed at a former Soviet airbase, is a prime location to teach evasive driving maneuvers, and as the video below explains, it’s  pretty badass.

[Source: BMW]

Video after the jump

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Volkswagen‘s newest Jetta was designed to be a volume leader, selling for about $15,000. But Volkswagen loyalists, who previously loved the Jetta for its premium feel and sporty character, have decried what they see as a cheapening of their beloved compact sedan, and Volkswagen seems to be listening.

After driving a European market Jetta, with a more sophisticated multi-link rear suspension and dual zone climate control, a journalist from InsideLine confronted Jetta’s Global Technical Project Leader, Frank Donath, about the decontented car sold in North America, and if there were plans to bring the better equipped European car over.

Donath admitted that, if sales were strong, there was a good chance for the European car to make its way over. The North American Jetta, which uses hard plastics, a torsion-beam suspension and manual climate control, was designed with cost-cutting in mind, and the use of hard plastic and a less sophisticated suspension have saved Volkswagen a lot of money, at the ultimate cost of a less refined car. Now, VW seems to be essentially backtracking, and tacitly admitting that a more premium Jetta is needed. We concur.

[Source: InsideLine]

BMW‘s upcoming X1 crossover will be delayed by almost a year, due to extreme demand in the European market. BMW’s Leipzig, Germany plant can barely produce enough vehicles for Europe, and BMW USA has decided to delay the small crossover’s American launch until at least the fall of 2011.

Canada will be getting the X1 on schedule, due to their smaller market and the fact that Canadian consumers overwhelmingly gravitate towards compact vehicles. The X1 makes its North American debut at the Montreal Auto Show today.

[Source: Car and Driver]

Thanks to Google Translate, we were able to whip up a wacky title for this article, but the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG E-Cell is all business, aside from the Banana Popsicle Yellow paint.

Making 525 horsepower and 649 lb-ft of torque through all 4 wheels, the SLS E-Cell will hit 60 mpg in 3.9 seconds, a couple tenths slower than a gasoline SLS. The conversion to electric power necessitated minimal changes, as the battery and motor take up the same space as the gas engine and gearbox, although weight is up by 800 lbs due to the added mass of the electric drivetrain. The front suspension has been redesigned to accomodate the car’s conversion to electric power, with a multi-link setup and pushrods replacing the double-wishbone setup on the standard car.

Mercedes is committed to producing the SLS E-Cell for the 2012 model year, and expect it to cost more than the GNP of an African country when it comes to market. It will probably be worth it.

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz SLS E-Cell

BBS wheels are arguably one of the most famous brands in the automotive industry. Appearing on everything from Volkswagens to Formula 1 race cars, the high-quality German made rims have been a staple of both the “show” and “go” sides of the industry for decades. But reports out of Germany state that BBS filed for bankruptcy on December 30th.

This isn’t the first time that BBS has undergone financial turmoil. In 2007, the company also filed for bankruptcy, and managed to pull through. This time, it appears that the company’s precarious situation got the better of it, although partner company IG Metall was apparently planning a large investment in BBS just before the filing.

[Source: Fourtitude]

The German automotive giant BMW is about to make a big splash at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show, with no less than three unveilings.

First up will be a slightly tweaked version of the current 1-series coupe and convertible, which is getting a face-lift. The recently announced 1-series M Coupe will also be present at the show, which will surely get the enthusiasts pulse racing.

But this won’t be the only new M-edition car on the stand, as BMW will also be showing a version of its new X3, with an M-sport package. (An X3 M model, rumored to be in the future product lineup, is illustrated above).

Unfortunately it  won’t be packing any extra grunt, but it will have a sportier appearance, thanks to revised bumpers and sills, and it will also be wearing 20-inch alloy wheels. Since it is just an appearance package, it will be available with any engine option and considering the X3 xDrive35i already makes 300-hp, it’s not exactly a slouch.

In addition, the all-new 6-Series Convertible will officially be revealed with a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 that produces 400-hp and will send power to its rear wheels via an 8-speed automatic transmission.

Check back January 10th for complete coverage of the 2011 Detroit Auto Show.

[Source: Evo]

Volkswagen‘s New Midsize Sedan, the car designed and built in America, for American consumers, has been revealed in a series of spy photos that show the car undisguised.

Not surprisingly, the car looks like a 2011 Jetta with bigger proportions, trading the Passat’s distinctive styling for something as generic as a badgeless car in an auto insurance commercial. Clearly, Volkswagen is hoping to sell 800,000 units by taking the most anonymous and lowest-common-denominator route possible.

[Source: Jalopnik via JokeJoe]

Porsche is going on a hiring blitz, looking to recruit 100 engineers for its Weissach research center, ostensibly to help shore up ranks for the expected hybrid car blitz that was alluded to at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Porsche’s official press release (posted below the jump) directly mentions that engineers will be able to work on projects like the 918 Spyder, a hybrid supercar. With Porsche’s CEO stating that he is “confident hybrid technology will find its way into sports cars,” the hiring move is a logical next step, with fairly transparent motives.

[Source: Porsche]

Hit the jump to see the official press release

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Following the news of Google’s self-driving car, there’s news that the German’s have been working on a pretty cool idea – an autonomous car controlled by an iPad.

This latest addition to the market, brought to you by the AutoNOMOS Labs project at Germany’s Freire University, combines a modified Volkswagen Passat that is equipped with sensors, GPS, radar and scanners, along with an iPad app that relays coordinates and other user information to the car. The test vehicle in question is a taxi – no word on why this type of technology is being used on a taxi service, but it is an interesting concept.

Watch the video after the jump.

[Source: Mashable]

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After days of back-and-forth rumors concerning the arrival of DTM touring car racing in the United States, the series debut in the United States has been confirmed for 2013, in partnership with NASCAR and GRAND-AM sports car racing.

The announcement comes as BMW also stated that they plan to return to DTM in 2012, giving them a year to prepare for the North American stage. While some feared that the arrival of DTM would steal the spotlight away from GRAND-AM, a well-regarded series that has suffered from a traditional lack of interest in road racing, some team owners, including Chip Ganassi, expressed hope that it would bring in more manufacturer support to GRAND-AM.

Others have suggested that DTM would give NASCAR a way to bring their Sprint Cup series to Europe, where oval track stock car racing is not as firmly established.

[Source: Speed TV]

Audi is launching a revised version of their 3.0 TDI in the German market that sees a slight reduction in power in exchange for improved efficiency.

New new Q7 TDI will pump out 204 horsepower and 332 lb-ft through an 8-speed transmission and return 33 mpg, comparable with some four-cylinder sedans. 0-60 will take 9.1 seconds, compared to the standard 240 horsepower Q7 TDI that only takes 7.9 seconds. With a marginal reduction in mileage, the faster TDI will likely stay on our shores as the sole Q7 TDI, with the slower, more efficient car confined to Europe.

[Source: Left Lane News]

BMW let the public catch a glimpse of their 6 Series Concept, a car that’s been widely previewed online in advance of its debut. Although it’s been labeled a “design study”, you can be sure that 95% of what’s shown here will make it to the showrooms.

Technical details are scarce, but BMW touts full LED headlights and an all-new iDrive system as big innovations. Expect turbocharged 6 and 8 cylinder engines, as well as BMW’s EfficientDynamics mild hybrid system to appear in Bavaria’s flagship coupe.

Hit the jump for more details

Gallery: BMW 6 Series Concept

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BMW‘s 6-Series Coupe “Concept”, is about as much of a concept as the earth is flat. BMW has released a couple videos in addition to the photos previously leaked, with one showing the car’s exterior and the other detailing the slightly more interesting interior improvements.

Just like the current 6-Series set the trend for BMW’s styling, the next generation should do the same, incorporating elements of the 5-Series GT and 7-Series. Inside, a new dashboard with a bisected center console are the most significant improvements, as is the new Bang & Olufsen stereo.

Hit the jump to see the videos

[Source: BMW]

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General Motors’ Opel division is set to expand outside of Europe with its establishment in Chile and Israel. Reports say that GM has inked a deal with an independent distributor to sell Opel vehicles in Israel, independent of GM’s vehicle distribution channel in the country.

Despite selling Buick, Chevrolet, Cadillac and Isuzu, through one channel,  Opel will be sold through its own network perhaps because of Opel’s premium positioning.

Meanwhile, Opel will launch in Chile as brand makes a foray into Latin America. Chile is South America’s most prosperous economies and avoids the high taxes that neighbouring Brazil places on cars. Michael Klaus, the executive director of Opel international operations, told the AP that “German automotive engineering has a high appeal in South America and we are glad to start with Chile.”

[Source: Sympatico Autos]

Volkswagen is hoping to ensure their long-term success by renewing the contract of CEO Martin Winterkorn for an undisclosed length of time. In a speech to VW employees in Germany, Bernd Osterloh, the advisory board’s chief deputy said that Winterkorn has “advanced the company in every respect.”

Under Winterkorn’s leadership, Volkswagen has acquired truck maker Scania and is in the process of merging with sports car maker Porsche. VW posted its largest profit in two years during the 2nd quarter of 2010, amid rising Chinese sales. Volkswagen is aiming to be the world’s largest car maker by 2018.

[Source: Detroit News]