AutoDen » Cars

New Transportation Department Safety Rules to Improve Rear Visibility

Uzair — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 00:42:47 +0000

Last week, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced their future plans to reduce accidents caused by blind spots. According to a report by Executive Road Warrior , the new regulation will require all passenger cars to be equipped with rear-view video cameras. The rule, which is in the proposal stages, comes from a Congressional mandate in the Cameron Gulbransen Kids Transportation Safety Act of 2007, named after a two-year-old child who was killed when his father accidentally backed over him at the family’s home. Many of the high-end and premium vehicles have already taken advantage of the rear-end camera technology by incorporating a small camera usually above the license plate. The live feed then gets displayed on the navigation LCD screen inside the car. The rear-end cameras cones in handy when backing up or parking a vehicle

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New Transportation Department Safety Rules to Improve Rear Visibility

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New Transportation Department Safety Rules to Improve Rear Visibility is a post from: AutoDen

The Diesel Driver: BMW 535d Review and Road Test Part I

Uzair — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 16:55:23 +0000

The Diesel Driver reviews one of 5 Series models we would like to see available in the US: the 2011 BMW 535d, either in sedan or wagon bodystyle. “The 2011 BMW 535d is the flagship diesel-powered sedan in the sixth generation of BMW’s vaunted 5er Reihe (5er Series), code-named F10. The 5er Series is very important to BMW as it accounts for a major portion of the company’s profits. Indeed, at the company’s 2010 annual shareholders meeting , Norbert Reithofer, BMW’s Vorstandvorsitzender (CEO), commented that that the 5er Series is a “key driver of sales, image and profit for the BMW Group.” He also mentioned that BMW has “received considerably more orders than planned” for the 5er Series. The straight-six that powers the 535d Touring manages to conjure up 300 hp thanks to BMW TwinPower Turbo technology, yet it is remarkably efficient and eco-friendly. While it can get from 0-100 km/h in 5.7 seconds, it uses only 5.3 l/100 km on the highway (44.4 mpg) and 8.1 l/100 km in the city (29 mpg) and its CO2 emissions are only 165 g per kilometer. BMW offered me the best of both worlds with a new 535d Touring

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The Diesel Driver: BMW 535d Review and Road Test Part I

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Veritas RS III with BMW V10 at the 2011 Essen Motor Show

Addydas21 — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 15:31:28 +0000

Another BMW powered vehicle showcased at the 2010 Essen Motor Show is the Veritas RS III. Resurrecting the name of Germany’s first Formula 1 team, Veritas is a small company that was created by a group of international motor racing enthusiasts and their latest project, RS III delivers their vision of a one-seater sport roadster. Only 30 copies of the Veritas RS III have been built and the roadster is based on a monocoque frame while its body is made entirely from carbon-kevlar. Power comes from a supped up BMW M5 5.0 liter V10 engine that develops 600 horsepower. The engine can be matted to a 7-speed SMG III gearbox or the 6-speed manual from BMW. Due to the lightweight body structure, the RS III weighs only 1,070 kg or 2,360 lbs.

Veritas RS III with BMW V10 at the 2011 Essen Motor Show

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Renderings: 2012 BMW 3 Series and 2014 BMW M3

pete — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 14:41:47 +0000

UK Magazine AutoExpress dedicates several pages in their print edition to the next generation F30 BMW 3 Series and the F32 BMW M3. Next generation BMW 3 Series is due out in 2012 and it is built on a new modular platform. The F30 3 Series models return to the “slimmer look”, dynamic lines with squat proportions and short rear overhangs. As seen in the renderings below, the typical proportions of a 3 Series remain, but the exterior design is more toned and muscular, bringing some the aggressiveness and design lines seen in the recent models, including the F10 5 Series. BMW is getting back to basics with clean uncluttered shapes, plus lower and wider kidney grille openings. The sedan model has a longer wheelbase, at least 1.5″ longer than the current generation. The F30 will sport a “pushing nose”, somewhat similar to the E89 Z4 front-end.

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Renderings: 2012 BMW 3 Series and 2014 BMW M3

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Rumor: BMW Withdraws from WTCC for 2011

Uzair — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 11:52:40 +0000

In news today that has yet to be confirmed by our contacts at BMW, BMW Motorsport have announced that they’re withdrawing from the 2011 season of the World Touring Car Championship(WTCC). This rumored story comes on the heels of two other important changes within the BMW Motorsport camp that Dr. Mario Theissen, current BMW Motorsport Director, is retiring and BMW are re-engaged in participating in DTM(German Touring Cars) for the 2012 season after a nearly 20 year absence. Despite the factory teams pulling out of the WTCC, BMW have announced that they’ll provide the turbocharged 1.6 liter direct injection race engines to customers in order that they stay in compliance with the FIA’s regulation changes for the series for 2011 allowing privateer teams to remain in the series. Dr. Thiessen was quoted as saying: “The BMW 320 TC, powered by the newly-developed 1.6-litre four-cylinder (DI-)turbo engine, will expand our customer racing offering, and be entered in the World Touring car Championship by private teams.” You can read more about the details of this engine and other BMW Motorsport projects in our exclusive interview with Dr. Theissen located here in our Ten Minutes with Theissen article.

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New York Times: BMW designers also in charge of the camouflage on test mules

Addydas21 — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 20:45:17 +0000

New York Times publishes an interesting article on spy photographers, car paparazzi as some of us might call them. The now famous Brenda Priddy and retired spy photographer Hans Lehmann are mentioned in the article as well, along with BMW’s Chief Design, Adrian Von Hooydonk who gives some insight into the psychedelic BMW camouflages we have seen in the past years. “The new patterns are often created by designers, according to Adrian van Hooydonk, design director for the BMW Group. And they are considerably less expensive than the elaborate masks that engineers once created. That process was complex, he said: entire full-scale “bucks” of the new cars often had to be constructed, and then masking and padding had to be engineered for each one. Grilles and headlight shapes are crucial to a car’s identity, but to allow for realistic testing at high and low temperatures, engineers had to be careful not to cover the air inlets or alter the aerodynamics. Mr

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2010 Top Gear Awards: Family Car of the Year – BMW 520d Touring

Uzair — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 15:23:50 +0000

2010 Top Gear Awards winners have just been announced and the 2011 BMW 520d Touring takes the top spot in the “Family Car of the Year” category. Here is the review that led to the win: “Pity the competition. The new 5 Touring is one of the most sorted all-round cars available today. In fact, if you can stump up the not-insignificant £30k asking price for this entry-level 520d – there’s a 530d, too, plus the 525i and 530i petrols, but the smallest diesel is the one everyone will buy – it could be all the car you’ll ever need. Its Big Numbers, as we’ve come to expect from BMW, are lightly stupefying. With 184bhp and 280lb ft of torque, the 520d will spin to 62mph in 8.3 seconds but, with the help of the standard stop-start tech, return 55mpg and 137g/km of CO2. In a car this size, that’s astonishing.

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2010 Top Gear Awards: Family Car of the Year – BMW 520d Touring

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Rumor: BMW 1 Series M Coupe GTS/CSL in 2012?

Addydas21 — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 20:03:46 +0000

Rumor of the day is brought to you by Jon Sibal and it involves a rumored 1 Series M Coupe GTS/CSL style coming out sometimes in 2012. A source close to Sibal mentioned that BMW is hosting inside talks around a Performance Program for the 1M. JS: Will the new Performance Program be handled by the M Division or would that be a separate division on its own? BMW source: When the car was being conceived we sat down and discussed what could be done to extend the appeal of the car. Dr Segler came from MINI so we thought about MINI-ising the 1M in terms of what is available for the enthusiast in terms of scope. The ideas were put forward but the budget made this impossible for this generation. But what we have will be carried over to the next generation because there will be more time and more money to do so

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Rumor: BMW 1 Series M Coupe GTS/CSL in 2012?

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New MINI Countryman TV Commercials

pete — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 15:35:03 +0000

MINI releases new TV commercials showcasing their latest model, MINI Countryman. Beside the fun-to-drive FWD vehicles, MINI also stands out with their unique and innovative marketing campaigns. MINI has always appealed to a younger crowd, funky in a way, yet still mature to appreciate the driving experience as well. Their marketing campaigns often spoke directly to its customers, delivering the message in an unconventional way by combining the qualities or features of their cars with real-life experiences. Let’s have a look. [Source: BimmerToday ]

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New MINI Countryman TV Commercials

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“Green Police”? MINI E Polizei electric by AC Schnitzer

Addydas21 — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 15:18:47 +0000

MINI Tuning Specialist supports the initiative: “TUNE IT! SAFE!” by the VDAT by kitting out the emission-free concept car. The TUNE IT! SAFE! initiative by the Verband Deutscher Automobil Tuner e.V. (VDAT) impressively shows the future of tuning with its sixth campaign vehicle – an electric MINI in Police Look. Every year since 2004, a special concept car has been presented which meets both the high demands of tuning fans and maximum safety standards. The campaign, supported by the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development, shows that the yearning for individualisation can continue to be met in the future. AC Schnitzer, more than almost any other tuning specialist for the MINI brand, stands for individuality and safety. Consequently, the Aachen-based company has largely taken responsibility for the MINI and provided a uniquely spectacular campaign vehicle

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“Green Police”? MINI E Polizei electric by AC Schnitzer

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Honda to retire boxy Element SUV after 2011

pete — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 13:06:44 +0000

Honda will soon be out of its Element. Literally. The automaker announced today that it is retiring its once-distinctive Element SUV after the 2011 model year. The Element has soldiered through nine model years, remaining mechanically unchanged throughout its run.Similar Posts:

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BMW to Make Super Bowl Comeback After 10 Years

Addydas21 — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 11:44:38 +0000

BMW continues to increase their budget for brand awareness in 2011 and a report by AdAge states that BMW North America is returning to the Super Bowl after 10 years. In a statement issued for AdAge, Stacy Morris, Marketing Communications manager at BMWNA says “We’re in the window of our biggest launch period in history and the Super Bowl gives us the stage to make that big impact.” In early 2011, BMW will utilize their marketing budget to promote the new BMW 6 Series coupe and convertible models, the 5 Series sedan, the 2011 and the ActiveE upcoming pilot. Ms. Morris has yet to reveal more details around the Super Bowl theme chosen by BMW, but the company will work with MDC Partners’ Kirshenbaum Bond Senecal & Partners. Recently, BMW announced the separation from its lead global creative agency, Omnicom Group’s GSD&M Idea City in Austin, effective Dec. 31 of this year.

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Best and worst vehicle blind zones, and the role of rearview cameras

Addydas21 — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 06:30:00 +0000

All vehicles have a rear blind zone . It's defined as the area right behind your back bumper. And you can't see what's there. Reversing into unseen pedestrians has lead to many injuries and deaths for both children and the elderly. As a result, NHTSA is establishing regulations that require better rear field-of-view for new vehicles. (Read: ” Rearward-visibility rule proposed to protect pedestrians—especially kids–from backover tragedies .”) How much of a design problem is rear visibility? Starting in 2002, Consumer Reports has measured the blind zone directly behind the rear bumper of over 400 vehicles focus on assessing child backover dangers

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Best and worst vehicle blind zones, and the role of rearview cameras

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Rearward-visibility rule proposed to protect pedestrians–especially kids–from backover tragedies

pete — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 05:30:00 +0000

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has proposed a new safety regulation to protect pedestrians from backover accidents, a tragedy that the agency estimates will cause 292 fatalities and 18,000 injuries a year. The regulation will expand the required field of view for all passenger cars, pickup trucks, minivans, and buses, and NHTSA believes automakers will install rearview cameras to meet the standards. The rule has a progressive roll out requiring 10 percent of new models to comply by September 2012; 40 percent by September 2013; and 100 percent by September 2014. Notably, in car development cycles, this calls for a relatively rapid deployment. NHTSA cites that about 44 percent of fatalities from light-vehicle backover accidents involve small children, under age five. At the other end of the spectrum, about a third of the fatalities claim seniors aged 70 years and over. The main reason that back-over accidents are so frequent is that every vehicle has a rear blind zone–the area you can't see from the driver's seat

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Rearward-visibility rule proposed to protect pedestrians–especially kids–from backover tragedies

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Rearward-visibility rule proposed to protect pedestrians–especially kids–from backover tragedies

Addydas21 — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 05:30:00 +0000

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Rearward-visibility rule proposed to protect pedestrians–especially kids–from backover tragedies

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Rearward-visibility rule proposed to protect pedestrians–especially kids–from backover tragedies

pete — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 05:30:00 +0000

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Rearward-visibility rule proposed to protect pedestrians–especially kids–from backover tragedies

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Test Drive: 2011 X3 xDrive20d SE in the snow

pete — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 19:51:57 +0000

SkiddMark takes the new 2011 BMW X3 xDrive20d SE, UK model, to the snowy Innsbruck ski resort in Austria. While most of the recent reviews of the new X3 were focusing on the driving experience on dry pavement and some mild offroading, the UK folks put the premium compact SUV through a far more difficult route. “The route of our test took us from Innsbruck in Austria south-west to the ski resort in Sölden, covering around 200km in total. We followed a mix of twisty alpine roads and autoroutes, venturing through a few villages along the way. First thing that struck me was how much quieter the new X3 has become, all of the cars we drove were fitted with 17″ Pirelli W210 Scottozero 2 winter run-flat tyres and despite this the new X3 cruised along like a 5-series. It retains its predecessor’s lower driving position and you’d be hard pressed to initially notice the increase in size.

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Test Drive: 2011 X3 xDrive20d SE in the snow

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Test Drive: 2011 X3 xDrive20d SE in the snow

Uzair — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 19:51:57 +0000

Test Drive: 2011 X3 xDrive20d SE in the snow

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MotorTrend: “The M3 is as suave as George Clooney in a Brioni tux”

Uzair — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 19:37:01 +0000

MotorTrend parts ways with their 2009 BMW M3, but the review of the super sporty sedan is nothing short of spectacular. Here is an excerpt from the long-term review: “Our M3 was a sedate and luxurious sedan as well as a supremely rewarding driving machine. Docile in inclement weather and smooth enough to transport your grandparents (if you can resist temptation), the M3 was equally primed for backcountry road-smash mode, where it would fire every synapse in your brain related to driving pleasure. And then you’d find the M Drive button, which holds your preferred throttle, traction, and damping settings. With one press, everything somehow managed to get better. This is the M3’s genius.

MotorTrend: “The M3 is as suave as George Clooney in a Brioni tux”

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MotorTrend: “The M3 is as suave as George Clooney in a Brioni tux”

Uzair — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 19:37:01 +0000

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