Car NEWS log

With Cameron Diaz now officially set to ride in the BMW Hydrogen 7 to the 2008 Oscar Awards, more unofficial details are coming out that BMW is planning to launch a Hybrid 7 Series in the next 2-3 years. We have blogged about hybrid BMW models before. In fact, just last April, we spoke about a Hybrid 5 Series model possibly in the works. Now, rumor has it that the flagship 7 Series will get the eco-friendly powerplant first.

Likely a joint venture between BMW, General Motors, and Mercedes-Benz, the new powerplant will be a “mild” hybrid system. This type of hybrid recovers energy from braking (aka “regenerative braking”) to be stored and used to supplement the internal combustion engine. The Hybrid 7 Series will have to ultimately rely on gasoline for propulsion, as this type of hybrid is not able to run in pure electric mode like the Porsche Cayenne Hybrid.

With the news of BMW’s twin-turbo diesel hybrid X5 fresh on our minds, it seems 2008 is turning out to be a green year for the German automaker.

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Volvo

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It took over 80 years, but Volvo has hit a mega milestone with the production of its 15,000,000th vehicle. The big number was hit with a C70 convertible, which rolled off the assembly line yesterday in Uddevalla, Sweden.

Although Volvo started as SKF in 1911, it wasn’t until 1927 that the company produced its first vehicle, the ÖV4, of which it made only 297 examples in its first year. Volvo’s production capacity as a major automaker has, of course, long since far exceeded that rate. However the 200-Series, produced between 1974 and 1993, remains the best-selling Volvo of all time, with over 2.8 million units sold.

Swedophiles can read more in the press release after the jump, and check out our 29-image high-resolution gallery of the 2008 Volvo C70 below.

Chrysler has been on the look-out lately for dancing partners for anything from vehicle platforms to alternative propulsion, and the Pentastar has extended its outsourcing to IT services. Chrysler and Tata Consultancy have teamed up on a $120 million, multi-year contract that sources Chrysler’s dealer website work to India. The deal effectively continues the partnership formed between Tata and Chrysler in 2002, but the new deal means even more work goes to India.

Chrysler points out that the IT services were previously performed by contractors that weren’t Chrysler employees, but the Auburn Hills automaker declined to mention which company lost the work. IT workers at Chrysler are still nervous about the possibility of more IT outsourcing, however, and it’s hard to blame them. Chrysler is strapped for cash and looking to free up money for new products, and IT isn’t exactly a core automotive function. It will be interesting to see if Chrysler and Tata will one day expand the partnership to include more vehicles, but this time it’s just bits and bytes.

Nash really wanted to do a STaSIS BBK on his A3 2.0T, unfortunately finding a wheel that clears a BBK in the high offset to fit the A3 was going to necessitate using custom 3 piece Work wheels which were a bit out of the budget at the moment.

In the end he decided to leave the brakes alone and go with 18″ Hartmann B7 RS4-252 wheels with some Bridgestone Potenza S-02 tires. The ET 47 wheels were chosen to avoid rubbing and a 5mm H&R spacer was used in the rear to even the look out with the fronts.

New TPMS units also had to be sourced as Nash plans to use his old wheels for winter usage.

And now that the wheels are on Nash has a 4 hr drive to look forward to early tomorrow morning, get some rest buddy!

Audi was nice enough to provide us with some more shots of the 2009 A4 Avant ahead of its official unveiling in Geneva next month. As discussed previously, the new estate gets an extra five inches tacked onto its back end to produce a total of 50-cubic feet of storage in the boot. At this point, Audi will only be offering those of us in the States the 2.0-liter TFSI, whereas sedan buyers can opt for the larger 3.2-liter V6. Disappointing as that may be, Audi was able to shave off ten-percent of the weight on this model when compared to the outgoing version.

Source:AutoBlog

Mazda is very proud to announce its Dockable Entertainment System that will be optional in the 2008 Mazda CX-9. Any kind of an entertainment system with a dock is awesome, except in this case when the docking gadget is the Gameboy Advance. Yes, the Gameboy Advance–technically four generations old–is now supported by the 2008 Mazda CX-9. The press release is quick to call it the “world’s most popular video game platform,” which may be a bit of a fabrication. Regardless, the idea of being able to dock a portable gaming system in an in-car entertainment system is a great. But it’s a shame that Mazda dropped the ball and didn’t look into which Gameboy is the current standard. Either that, or Mazda’s PR team needs to get some facts straight. The Dockable Entertainment System with Game Boy Advance is available in the Moonroof and Bose packages in the CX-9 for $1,400. Click through to see the full release for yourself.

MAZDA TO OFFER DOCKABLE ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM WITH GAMEBOY ADVANCE FOR CX-9 CROSSOVER SUV

IRVINE, Calif. - Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today announced a new accessory available for the multiple-award-winning 2008 Mazda CX-9. Providing hours of entertainment for those long hauls, the Dockable Entertainment System with Game Boy® Advance (DES) is now available, and allows customers with moonroof-equipped vehicles to enjoy a Genuine Mazda Accessory rear seat DVD system.

With the ability to play games, movies, music and more in the CX-9, the Dockable Entertainment System with Game Boy® Advance (DES) provides endless enjoyment, truly enhancing the travel experience of the passengers and driver alike. The system combines the versatility of a premium in-vehicle player, a portable DVD player, 10.2-inch display and the world’s most popular video game platform. The complete Mazda accessory kit contains a dockable DVD player, roof-mounted docking station, two wireless headphones, a wireless game controller, AC charger and a carry bag. A factory-installed, roof-mounted Rear Seat Entertainment System option with Bose 5.1 surround sound, 115V power outlet and audio/video input is available for customers choosing vehicles not equipped with a moonroof.

Coming off the heels of winning the 2008 Motor Trend Sport/Utility of the Year and the coveted North American Truck of the Year award, Mazda offers another way to make the CX-9 even more enjoyable. The Mazda CX-9 deftly blends Mazda’s signature sporty driving spirit with seven passenger sport-utility vehicle (SUV) practicality. A clean break from traditional SUVs, the Mazda CX-9 crossover SUV has won high marks for its dynamic styling, powerful and dynamic driving performance and a spacious interior more commonly found in premium vehicles. With the addition of the Dockable Entertainment System with Game Boy® Advance (DES), Mazda provides more options for its customers to further improve the driving experience.

The Dockable Entertainment System with Game Boy® Advance (DES) is available on all 2008 CX-9s equipped with the Moonroof and Bose® Audio Package. With a suggested retail price of $1,400, the system is just another way that Mazda is providing CX-9 customers with more of the options they want

While the Toyota Prius and other hybrids may be the next best thing to riding a Vespa for the environment, one group has been concerned about their lack of noise they produce. Members of the National Federation of the Blind are voicing their concerns to a Maryland legislative committee today regarding the safety of hybrid vehicles while running in all-electric mode. It’s been reported over the last couple of years that individuals who rely on sound to safely interpret and navigate their surroundings are at risk when navigating congested urban environments populated by hybrids. The legislative task force will study the effects of a vehicle’s noise levels on pedestrian safety and make a recommendation by the end of the year. If this initiative gets traction, we don’t think a Prius will start singing like the Ferrari F430 anytime soon… but maybe they could give it a nice growl like the Audi R8?

[Source: AutoBlog]

Audi Q7 PPI ICE – Excellent Ultimate

At the end of November in Essen one could have paid attention to a bright stand of the company PPI. The company was able to attract attention of the audience by the only pearl - Audi Q7 PPI ICE.

In November 2007 the car was just a “halved” copy – no modernized power unit and full-quality press-release. At the moment – full package.

PPI ICE is a European tuning-scene unicut. The car can be compared only to the product by ABT and, to tell you the truth, gold would still go to the novelty by PPI.

The first thing – body-kit

The “suit” is almost perfect for Q7. The powerful front, wide wheel-arches, channels and a prestigious rear end with an anti-wing and run-out. The picture is supported by a “soundy” exhaust 4-shank represented by chrome pipes at either side of the car.

The second thing – the engine

The manufacture offers a few power increasing variants – via a kit. For instance, the diesel variant program includes a sport air-filter, new control unit software and sport exhaust system. The result – 47-hp power increase and 45-NM increase of the torque.

The top variant is Audi PPI ICE 4.2L V8 where with the help of a couple of powerful compressors the experts of the company were able to increase the power to 600 hp. The acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h. takes 5.9 seconds (the series – 7.4 seconds) and the max speed is 295 km/h.

The third thing – dynamics

As for the dynamics, the novelty got ultimate high-performance braking system with 405- and 380-mm braking plates, modernized (by PPI module) suspension which is able to change the clearance in the range of 110 mm (for instance, it can lower by 40 mm or rise by 70 mm), and a few stabilizers. The car is equipped with 22-inch rims of the series.

The forth thing - interior

The interior of the car looks very rich and tailored for Anglo-American contingent, which is explained by multiple possibilities of attaching pocket devices like, for instance, iPhone, Treo or Blackberry. Moreover, the interior is done in alcantara, carbon and leather.

Chrysler LLC is still in court battling it out with Plastech over tooling in which Chrysler claims ownership over. In fact, Chrysler already has suppliers lined-up to take Plastech’s business (Decoma unit of Magna, Continental Plastics, Mayco Plastics).

If Chrysler wins in court tomorrow, it is prepared to shutdown all of its assembly plants for a week while it moves the tooling equipment and gets its new suppliers online. Plastech’s work for Chrysler was the assemblies and molded parts, such as the center consoles and bumper fascias.

Plastech is contending that if the equipment is removed it will be unable to reorganize under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

INTRODUCTION
In 2006, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars unveiled 101EX, an experimental car hand-built to explore an exciting new design direction for a modern coupé. Wrapped in a sleek, rakish body, 101EX was an engineering-led study, showcasing the technical and architectural innovation inherent in the quintessential modern Rolls-Royce car. Both handsome and elegant, it encapsulated the essence of contemporary coupé style.

So positive was the worldwide reaction to 101EX that, in autumn 2007, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars announced that a series model would go into production in the summer of 2008. This coupé would complete the Phantom family, standing alongside the Phantom, Phantom Extended Wheelbase and Phantom Drophead Coupé.

Revealed at the Salon International de l’Automobile, Geneva in March 2008, the Phantom Coupé is the third new model from Rolls-Royce Motor Cars since BMW Group became custodian of the marque in 1998.