2014 BMW X1 xDrive28i - Snowbound and Down
05 Feb, 2014 - Automobile Magazine Log-Term Tests (Four Seasons)
Everything I know about cars I have learned in two places: in high school and at Automobile Magazine deputy editor Joe DeMatio's dinner table. And when I say "know about cars," I mean "impressions of what a car is supposed to be like" rather than anything actually substantive about motor vehicles. I have picked up the occasional very minor technical tidbit, and I'm somewhat up-to-date on newer safety technology, but only because my retired parents are looking to trade up from their 12-year-old Toyota Camry for something with stability control and front and rear parking assist. But, in the main, every impression I have of what a particular marque is goes back to what the guys at my high school said about it in the hallway between classes.
So, when Joe called to tell me I could drive the magazine's Four Seasons BMW to Chicago, I was swept up in an ecstasy of high school nostalgia. "A Bimmer," I thought. "Now, I will be cool!"
You see, I came of age in the era of The Preppy Handbook and actually attended a prep school mentioned in its pages. Although I drove to school daily in my grandmother's old early-1970s Buick -- quickly named "Bertha" by my classmates but appreciated for its solid and reliable ability to ferry up to seven of us somewhere with enough personal space not to wrinkle our khakis -- the coolest of the kids had BMWs -- red and boxy-fronted with the blue-and-white propeller badge. (There was one girl from our sister school with a small British convertible sports car, which was mega-cool, but it was always in the shop.)
So I drove up to the Automobile Magazine offices in my 2001 Subaru Forester (essentially the current equivalent of Bertha: safe, hyper-reliable, definitely sensible, and tragically unsexy), hoping to see a version of the stylish BMWs that had filled my high school insecurities. It didn't have to be a 7-series of course, even a lowly 3-series would help me banish the demons of my high school automotive inferiority complex. And what did they have for me but something that looked like, well, a family car, the 2014 BMW X1 xdrive28i. Instead of a dashing sporting vehicle of my pubescent imaginations, I was getting a mommy-goes-to-hot-yoga-after-dropping-the-kids-at-the-country-club car. Was it just an updated, more expensive version of my very own Bertha-Subaru?
Those last two sentences aren't exactly fair to the X1, and they're certainly the product of my own middle-class-impostor-in-a-rich-kid-school past. To be sure, the X1 is way sleeker than either Bertha or my Subaru. The midnight blue exterior ($550 upcharge) is striking, and the front grille and lighting details give it the refined aura of something that has been designed and put together. If Mommy's going to yoga, she's doing so with her hair carefully pulled up and back, with her leggings topped by an exquisite hand-knit oversize Irish fisherman's sweater, and wearing her simple pearl-stud earrings. When you watch Project Runway, there's always that one design on the catwalk that pulls it all together: amazing lines and form that still give a sense of casual effortlessness. That's the X1, even if it is a mommy car.
So, I hop in the BMW-not-quite-of-my-dreams, and Joe starts to familiarize me with its features and singularities. That's when things get interesting. This sleek German machine, it turns out, is also full of protocols and rules. To shift the transmission, I have to press the button on the side of control stick; there is no simply moving it where I want. Each time I forget, I am reminded of my failing by a notice on the dashboard, which I must acknowledge by tapping on the iDrive controller. "OK, ja, ich verstehe, danke," I think to myself with slightly adolescent irritation. The driver's-side door doesn't open the first time I pull on the handle. It waits for the second time, to make sure I really want to get out of the car. And the split-screen nav system, which theoretically offers drivers a multiplicity of choices -- destination map in one of four views on one side and almost any other metric you want on the other -- also takes a fair amount of fiddling to figure out. It is more logical than intuitive.
After all that is worked out, I hop into the car and head west on I-94 to a weekend of meetings and coaching in Chicago. This little jaunt will, it turns out, test all the X1's protective, controlling logic circuits. Because, unbeknownst to me, I'm headed straight toward eine Polarwirbelsschneearmageddon, that is, a Polar Vortex Snow Armageddon.
I know it is going to be cold in the Windy City this weekend. On my agenda for Friday is the meeting of a national governing board, bringing many members in from California, Florida, and the northeast. Since many of us are also Facebook friends, I had watched their trepidation about high temps of five degrees with the schadenfreude that Midwesterners reserve for our weak-blooded coastal cousins who are finally faced with the reality of winter weather. But somehow I, and everyone else I knew, missed the possibility of sudden whiteout snow squalls around the southern shore of Lake Michigan. Both Detroit and Chicago had been getting snow, but nothing we don't handle on a regular basis.
Driving from southeast Michigan to Chicago is easy: just take I-94 west, and when you hit Indiana, head north on the Skyway into the city. Couldn't be simpler. The only reason I set the X1's navigation is to test it out. (One of the things I have learned about cars from hanging out with Joe is that each navigation system is its own nut to be cracked. Since the editors at car magazines drive new cars all the time, and as engineering among different marks seems to be getting increasingly similar, the peculiarities of each car's infotainment/navigation system is a major topic of discussion.)
So, I'm driving west on I-94 on a sunny winter's day, and the X1's nav system tells me to take I-69 South and then head west on the Indiana Toll Road. Ja, OK, ich verstehe, I say in my head, and then I promptly ignore this bossy German car that doesn't, apparently, even know the quickest way to Chicago.
I should have listened to the car. West of Kalamazoo, the roads get worse. What had been clear asphalt is now studded with small snow ruts. It's no problem. The X1, particularly equipped with Michelin Pilot Alpin PA2 ZP winter performance tires, handles the conditions with aplomb and ease, and I am, for once, the cool kid in the cool car driving steadily and surely in the left lane, passing those traveling at a slow though not quite crawling pace in the right lane. The automatic windshield wipers click on as a light snow comes into the air. The Bruckner symphony I have chosen from my iPhone wafts through the car with its Germanic certainty. I am in the "We don't know where the road will take you, but we'd be happy to get you there" winter television ad, enjoying the automotive highlife.
And then, suddenly, in the space of half a mile: the whole world turns white. The car's vented disc breaks bring me easily and smoothly down to a safe speed, and soon enough there are brake lights visible through the gloom as the entire highway comes to a stop.
Luckily, those of us heading westbound are safe. But the eastbound lanes about ten miles up have seen tragedy: a crash involving multiple eighteen-wheelers and several cars unfortunate enough to be amongst them has taken three lives and sent others to the hospital. Our side of the highway is closed so emergency vehicles can get to the scene more quickly. And so we sit. The snowstorm lifts, bringing a gorgeous sunset sky of light purples with it, and people get out of their cars to share news and to ponder how long we will be stuck here.
I should have listened to Brunhilde, as I now call the X1, when she told me to divert south earlier. Clearly, she had picked up information about either the snow or the accident before I heard about it, and in this case, she knew best. So, as we start moving again, I follow her directives -- ja ich verstehe, this time completely without irony -- and get off I-94 to drive through Michigan City on surface roads, eventually making my way on to Chicago.
Part of the problem was that I didn't have the nav programmed so that Brunhilde could talk to me. And I probably didn't have the traffic alerts selected. No alert popped up on the dashboard, such things being reserved only for errant shifting impulses. So, approaching Chicago, I need to switch my destination location to the restaurant for the board meeting dinner rather than my friends' Boystown condo because of the delay. Rather than using the simultaneously trusted and not-trusted BMW nav system or trying to adjust it as I drive in wintry Chicago traffic, I pull out my iPhone and ask Siri to get me where I need to go. Siri takes over, speaking to me across the wonder that is Bluetooth, and gets me there pronto. I even prop the phone up in the extra cupholder that pushes slightly into the passenger's side of the cabin so I can check the visuals as needed.
The weekend in Chicago goes well. The Polar Vortex lifts, and temperatures are above freezing. The X1 handles any and all road conditions; the parking assists allow me to squeeze into snow-drift constricted parking spots any number of times; and the windshield wipers keep my view clear front and back without a hitch.
Getting ready to come home on Sunday, weather is again looming. This time I will not be caught unawares. I'll take the Indiana Toll Road, which is usually much better maintained in snow armageddons. I program the X1's navigation system with Ann Arbor as the destination and turn on the voice notifications.
Sure enough, as I come around the southern end of Lake Michigan, the snow starts. But this time, instead of sending me south, the X1 wants me to continue around the bottom of the lake to I-94. I check the Google Maps app on my iPhone, and it tells me to take the Toll Road to the south, which was my human-directed decision as well.
And there begins a battle of wills: Siri v. Brunhilde, in a cage match of soothingly engineered women's voices. With each exit, the X1 tells me to get off and head north to hook up with the highway through Michigan, even when that means backtracking some 50 miles. But I ignore her and keep moving forward -- ja ich verstehe, now just shut up! -- all the way past Elkhart to I-69 North on perfectly tended roads.
As I head north to Michigan, the roads became truly awful. (And, as I find out later, this would have been the case all along I-94 as well.) Again, the all-wheel-drive BMW handles the conditions without faltering. I never feel pulled out of track or as if I am going to slip off the road, though this was certainly not the case for other vehicles around me. I get as far as Jackson, Michigan, and call it a night, not because Brunhilde isn't performing like a champ but because when the truckers are sliding on the road around you, it's good to get out of their way, no matter how stable the X1 is or how good its safety features are.
I descend on friends in Jackson with little notice -- "Siri, call Tom and Tod," -- and a little help in finding their place -- "Siri, give me directions to Tom and Tod's house," -- glad that I don't have to fiddle with the car's nav system as I try to avoid being pinned against the highway wall by an eighteen-wheeler. The next day, rested, hot-tubbed, breakfasted, caught up with their lives and lunched, I drive back to Ann Arbor, again with the BMW handling the conditions flawlessly. I leave Brunhilde's voice controls off.
In the end, I loved this car. Like Bertha and my Subaru, it is safe, hyper-reliable, and sensible. Unlike them, it is undeniably stylish and pulled-together in a confident sort of way. It is undeniably comfortable in how it sits on the road and how I sit in its amazing and completely adjustable heated seats. The steering wheel is both responsive and as a bonus is heated for hyper-cold days. Over time, I'm sure Brunhilde and I could come to an understanding about my impulsivity and her needs for navigational control, but my iPhone workaround works just fine for me. I wonder why car companies don't just fold on a losing hand while they can and fully equip their cars to integrate with smartphones, allowing Google Maps to show up on the nav screens.
In the end, though, that last point is a quibble. Who cares? I got to drive a Bimmer to Chicago for the weekend, safely handling one of the worst weather weekends of this winter. And I got to tick a long-dreamed-of item off the bucket list: I am one of the cool kids at last.
So, when Joe called to tell me I could drive the magazine's Four Seasons BMW to Chicago, I was swept up in an ecstasy of high school nostalgia. "A Bimmer," I thought. "Now, I will be cool!"
You see, I came of age in the era of The Preppy Handbook and actually attended a prep school mentioned in its pages. Although I drove to school daily in my grandmother's old early-1970s Buick -- quickly named "Bertha" by my classmates but appreciated for its solid and reliable ability to ferry up to seven of us somewhere with enough personal space not to wrinkle our khakis -- the coolest of the kids had BMWs -- red and boxy-fronted with the blue-and-white propeller badge. (There was one girl from our sister school with a small British convertible sports car, which was mega-cool, but it was always in the shop.)
So I drove up to the Automobile Magazine offices in my 2001 Subaru Forester (essentially the current equivalent of Bertha: safe, hyper-reliable, definitely sensible, and tragically unsexy), hoping to see a version of the stylish BMWs that had filled my high school insecurities. It didn't have to be a 7-series of course, even a lowly 3-series would help me banish the demons of my high school automotive inferiority complex. And what did they have for me but something that looked like, well, a family car, the 2014 BMW X1 xdrive28i. Instead of a dashing sporting vehicle of my pubescent imaginations, I was getting a mommy-goes-to-hot-yoga-after-dropping-the-kids-at-the-country-club car. Was it just an updated, more expensive version of my very own Bertha-Subaru?
Those last two sentences aren't exactly fair to the X1, and they're certainly the product of my own middle-class-impostor-in-a-rich-kid-school past. To be sure, the X1 is way sleeker than either Bertha or my Subaru. The midnight blue exterior ($550 upcharge) is striking, and the front grille and lighting details give it the refined aura of something that has been designed and put together. If Mommy's going to yoga, she's doing so with her hair carefully pulled up and back, with her leggings topped by an exquisite hand-knit oversize Irish fisherman's sweater, and wearing her simple pearl-stud earrings. When you watch Project Runway, there's always that one design on the catwalk that pulls it all together: amazing lines and form that still give a sense of casual effortlessness. That's the X1, even if it is a mommy car.
So, I hop in the BMW-not-quite-of-my-dreams, and Joe starts to familiarize me with its features and singularities. That's when things get interesting. This sleek German machine, it turns out, is also full of protocols and rules. To shift the transmission, I have to press the button on the side of control stick; there is no simply moving it where I want. Each time I forget, I am reminded of my failing by a notice on the dashboard, which I must acknowledge by tapping on the iDrive controller. "OK, ja, ich verstehe, danke," I think to myself with slightly adolescent irritation. The driver's-side door doesn't open the first time I pull on the handle. It waits for the second time, to make sure I really want to get out of the car. And the split-screen nav system, which theoretically offers drivers a multiplicity of choices -- destination map in one of four views on one side and almost any other metric you want on the other -- also takes a fair amount of fiddling to figure out. It is more logical than intuitive.
After all that is worked out, I hop into the car and head west on I-94 to a weekend of meetings and coaching in Chicago. This little jaunt will, it turns out, test all the X1's protective, controlling logic circuits. Because, unbeknownst to me, I'm headed straight toward eine Polarwirbelsschneearmageddon, that is, a Polar Vortex Snow Armageddon.
I know it is going to be cold in the Windy City this weekend. On my agenda for Friday is the meeting of a national governing board, bringing many members in from California, Florida, and the northeast. Since many of us are also Facebook friends, I had watched their trepidation about high temps of five degrees with the schadenfreude that Midwesterners reserve for our weak-blooded coastal cousins who are finally faced with the reality of winter weather. But somehow I, and everyone else I knew, missed the possibility of sudden whiteout snow squalls around the southern shore of Lake Michigan. Both Detroit and Chicago had been getting snow, but nothing we don't handle on a regular basis.
Driving from southeast Michigan to Chicago is easy: just take I-94 west, and when you hit Indiana, head north on the Skyway into the city. Couldn't be simpler. The only reason I set the X1's navigation is to test it out. (One of the things I have learned about cars from hanging out with Joe is that each navigation system is its own nut to be cracked. Since the editors at car magazines drive new cars all the time, and as engineering among different marks seems to be getting increasingly similar, the peculiarities of each car's infotainment/navigation system is a major topic of discussion.)
So, I'm driving west on I-94 on a sunny winter's day, and the X1's nav system tells me to take I-69 South and then head west on the Indiana Toll Road. Ja, OK, ich verstehe, I say in my head, and then I promptly ignore this bossy German car that doesn't, apparently, even know the quickest way to Chicago.
I should have listened to the car. West of Kalamazoo, the roads get worse. What had been clear asphalt is now studded with small snow ruts. It's no problem. The X1, particularly equipped with Michelin Pilot Alpin PA2 ZP winter performance tires, handles the conditions with aplomb and ease, and I am, for once, the cool kid in the cool car driving steadily and surely in the left lane, passing those traveling at a slow though not quite crawling pace in the right lane. The automatic windshield wipers click on as a light snow comes into the air. The Bruckner symphony I have chosen from my iPhone wafts through the car with its Germanic certainty. I am in the "We don't know where the road will take you, but we'd be happy to get you there" winter television ad, enjoying the automotive highlife.
And then, suddenly, in the space of half a mile: the whole world turns white. The car's vented disc breaks bring me easily and smoothly down to a safe speed, and soon enough there are brake lights visible through the gloom as the entire highway comes to a stop.
Luckily, those of us heading westbound are safe. But the eastbound lanes about ten miles up have seen tragedy: a crash involving multiple eighteen-wheelers and several cars unfortunate enough to be amongst them has taken three lives and sent others to the hospital. Our side of the highway is closed so emergency vehicles can get to the scene more quickly. And so we sit. The snowstorm lifts, bringing a gorgeous sunset sky of light purples with it, and people get out of their cars to share news and to ponder how long we will be stuck here.
I should have listened to Brunhilde, as I now call the X1, when she told me to divert south earlier. Clearly, she had picked up information about either the snow or the accident before I heard about it, and in this case, she knew best. So, as we start moving again, I follow her directives -- ja ich verstehe, this time completely without irony -- and get off I-94 to drive through Michigan City on surface roads, eventually making my way on to Chicago.
Part of the problem was that I didn't have the nav programmed so that Brunhilde could talk to me. And I probably didn't have the traffic alerts selected. No alert popped up on the dashboard, such things being reserved only for errant shifting impulses. So, approaching Chicago, I need to switch my destination location to the restaurant for the board meeting dinner rather than my friends' Boystown condo because of the delay. Rather than using the simultaneously trusted and not-trusted BMW nav system or trying to adjust it as I drive in wintry Chicago traffic, I pull out my iPhone and ask Siri to get me where I need to go. Siri takes over, speaking to me across the wonder that is Bluetooth, and gets me there pronto. I even prop the phone up in the extra cupholder that pushes slightly into the passenger's side of the cabin so I can check the visuals as needed.
The weekend in Chicago goes well. The Polar Vortex lifts, and temperatures are above freezing. The X1 handles any and all road conditions; the parking assists allow me to squeeze into snow-drift constricted parking spots any number of times; and the windshield wipers keep my view clear front and back without a hitch.
Getting ready to come home on Sunday, weather is again looming. This time I will not be caught unawares. I'll take the Indiana Toll Road, which is usually much better maintained in snow armageddons. I program the X1's navigation system with Ann Arbor as the destination and turn on the voice notifications.
Sure enough, as I come around the southern end of Lake Michigan, the snow starts. But this time, instead of sending me south, the X1 wants me to continue around the bottom of the lake to I-94. I check the Google Maps app on my iPhone, and it tells me to take the Toll Road to the south, which was my human-directed decision as well.
And there begins a battle of wills: Siri v. Brunhilde, in a cage match of soothingly engineered women's voices. With each exit, the X1 tells me to get off and head north to hook up with the highway through Michigan, even when that means backtracking some 50 miles. But I ignore her and keep moving forward -- ja ich verstehe, now just shut up! -- all the way past Elkhart to I-69 North on perfectly tended roads.
As I head north to Michigan, the roads became truly awful. (And, as I find out later, this would have been the case all along I-94 as well.) Again, the all-wheel-drive BMW handles the conditions without faltering. I never feel pulled out of track or as if I am going to slip off the road, though this was certainly not the case for other vehicles around me. I get as far as Jackson, Michigan, and call it a night, not because Brunhilde isn't performing like a champ but because when the truckers are sliding on the road around you, it's good to get out of their way, no matter how stable the X1 is or how good its safety features are.
I descend on friends in Jackson with little notice -- "Siri, call Tom and Tod," -- and a little help in finding their place -- "Siri, give me directions to Tom and Tod's house," -- glad that I don't have to fiddle with the car's nav system as I try to avoid being pinned against the highway wall by an eighteen-wheeler. The next day, rested, hot-tubbed, breakfasted, caught up with their lives and lunched, I drive back to Ann Arbor, again with the BMW handling the conditions flawlessly. I leave Brunhilde's voice controls off.
In the end, I loved this car. Like Bertha and my Subaru, it is safe, hyper-reliable, and sensible. Unlike them, it is undeniably stylish and pulled-together in a confident sort of way. It is undeniably comfortable in how it sits on the road and how I sit in its amazing and completely adjustable heated seats. The steering wheel is both responsive and as a bonus is heated for hyper-cold days. Over time, I'm sure Brunhilde and I could come to an understanding about my impulsivity and her needs for navigational control, but my iPhone workaround works just fine for me. I wonder why car companies don't just fold on a losing hand while they can and fully equip their cars to integrate with smartphones, allowing Google Maps to show up on the nav screens.
In the end, though, that last point is a quibble. Who cares? I got to drive a Bimmer to Chicago for the weekend, safely handling one of the worst weather weekends of this winter. And I got to tick a long-dreamed-of item off the bucket list: I am one of the cool kids at last.
| Body style | 4-door hatchback |
| Accommodation | 5-passenger |
| Construction | Steel unibody |
| Base price (with dest.) | $33,425 |
| Price As tested | $41,075 |
| Engine | 16-valve DOHC turbocharged I-4 |
| Displacement | 2.0 liters (122 cu in) |
| Power | 241 hp @ 5000-6500 rpm |
| Torque | 258 (369 w/overboost) lb-ft @ 1250-4800 rpm |
| Transmission | 8-speed automatic |
| Drive | All-wheel |
| EPA Fuel Economy | 22/33/26 (city/hwy/combined) |
| Steering | Hydraulically assisted |
| Lock-to-lock | 3.3 turns |
| Turning circle | 38.7 ft |
| Suspension, Front | Strut-type, coil springs |
| Suspension, Rear | Multilink, coil springs |
| Brakes F/R | Vented discs |
| Wheels | 17-inch aluminum |
| Tires | Goodyear Eagle LS2 |
| Tire size | 225/50R-17 94H |
| Headroom F/R | 41.3/39.7 in |
| Legroom F/R | 41.4/34.9 in |
| Shoulder room F/R | 55.0/54.6 in |
| Wheelbase | 108.7 in |
| Track F/R | 59.1/60.2 in |
| L x W x H | 176.5 x 70.8 x 60.8 in |
| Passenger capacity | 98.0 cu ft |
| Cargo capacity | 27.6/63.3 cu ft |
| Weight | 3726 lb |
| Weight dist. F/R | 50.6/49.4 % |
| Fuel capacity | 16.6 gal |
| Est. fuel range | 430 miles |
| Fuel grade | 91 octane (premium unleaded) |
| STANDARD EQUIPMENT | Halogen fog lights LED taillights Matte-black roof rails Rain-sensing windshield wipers Leather-wrapped steering wheel Leatherette-trimmed interior Tilt-and-telescopic steering column Cruise control Bluetooth USB port Automatic climate control Adjustable front armrest |
| Midnight Blue metallic paint | $550 | |
| Cold weather package | $700 | Retractable headlights washer Heated steering wheel and front seats |
| Servotronic steering | $250 | |
| Ultimate package | $6150 | Homelink Keyless entry and ignition Rearview camera Panoramic sunroof Auto-dimming rearview mirror and exterior mirrors Power front seats w/lumbar support Front and rear parking assist Interior ambient lighting Navigation Voice control SiriusXM satellite radio and traffic w/one-year trial subscription BMW Online and BMW Apps |
Miserable cold and snow the gripped much of the East and Midwest put the chill on new-car sales in January, which dropped 3% compared to a year ago. That started 2014 with an annualized sales rate of 15.2 million units, which is slightly below December's 15.4-million-unit pace and considerably below the 16- to 16.5-million units most industry watchers are predicting for this year. Not all automakers suffered the winter doldrums. A few proved immune to the cold; Chrysler's U.S. sales chief Reid Bigland quipped that "the bad weather only seemed to affect our competitors' stores." Nissan, Subaru, and Jaguar-Land Rover joined Chrysler in defying the downturn. Overall, fleet sales suffered more so than retail sales, possibly as a result of a change in the depreciation allowance businesses can take for trucks. We'll have to see whether the tax change puts a long-term chill on pickup truck sales. As for the rest of the market, the good news is that this winter can't last forever. --Joe Lorio
JANUARY 2014 SALES RESULTS, AND PERCENT CHANGE VERSUS JANUARY 2013.
GENERAL MOTORS -12%
It was an unhappy start to 2014 for General Motors, although its double-digit decline is compared to a particularly robust January in 2013. The decline in pickup sales hurt, although GM notes that its trucks have been selling with a richer (more expensive models, more heavily equipped) model mix than their predecessors.
Buick -1%
The Encore's big increase over its small initial volumes last year and another good month for the Regal (+43%) kept Buick from joining the other GM divisions with a double-digit decline.
Cadillac -13%
Cadillac sales were down across the board, even the new CTS (-11%) and XTS (-13%). The lone exception was the SRX (+2%), whose small increase was enough to give the model its best ever January.
Chevrolet -13%
New vs. old at Chevrolet: C7 Corvette (+149%) versus C6, new Impala (-16%) versus old, and new Silverado (-18%) versus previous.
GMC -10%
The Sierra (-14%) was caught in the pickup downdraft, and the big SUVs were down by a quarter in the changeover to the new model. Things would have been worse but the Acadia (+5%) crept up a bit and the big vans (+85%) surged.
FORD MOTOR COMPANY -8%
Ford blamed the weather for its decline, which was worse for fleet deliveries than for retail sales (-5%). A bright spot was Lincoln, which had its best January since 2010.
Ford -9%
F-series volume was just two-thirds of its prior-month total, which was down slightly compared to last January. Other Ford trucks and SUVs were mostly flat or down. Mustang (+7%) was the lone bright spot among Ford cars—although it still got beat by the Camaro. All other Ford cars were down, led by the C-Max (-48%) and the Taurus (-39%).
Lincoln +43%
The MKZ sold better than three times its year-ago total, although the previous number was hampered by a slow start of production. The MKX (+36%) was also up, while the MKS (-30%) and Navigator (-36%) declined.
TOYOTA MOTOR SALES -7%
Toyota, like Ford and GM, was significantly off its January 2013 total. The company downplayed the significance of a stop-sale order that came late in the month, as it only affected cars equipped with heated seats and is expected to be largely rectified for February.
Toyota -9%
Despite a significant decline, the Camry (-27%) remained the number one passenger car, but it slipped to number four overall, behind the big Ram pickup. The new Corolla had a smaller decline (-5%) but still was the bestselling small car. More negative numbers on the car side: Prius (-23%), Venza (-41%), Yaris (-65%). There was better news for Toyota trucks: RAV4 (+45%), the new Highlander (+21%), and the new Tundra (+13%).
Lexus +9%
Credit the redesign: the IS sees volume more than double. Credit the snow: the GX see volume nearly double.
Scion -18%
Once again, the iQ (-44%) is the loss leader, as all Scions were down.
CHRYSLER GROUP +8%
Frigid temperatures in much of the country did nothing to cool the Chrysler juggernaut, as the company recorded its 46th straight month of year-over-year sales increases. Only the Dodge division was left out in the cold.
Chrysler +2%
The 200 (+23%) bounced back up in January, with the Town & Country (+8%) following behind. The 300 (-41%) was a drag on results.
Dodge -19%
Where the Chrysler 200 surged in January, its twin, the Avenger, fell by half (-50%). Other Dodges on the decline included the Dart (-29%), the Challenger (-30%), and the Journey (-27%), while the Grand Caravan (+47%) and the Durango (+22%) were the only two models in positive territory.
Jeep +38%
The new Cherokee again added more than 10,000 units to Jeep's total, accounting for most of the brand's sales increase. The Grand Cherokee (+10%), the Compass (+31%), and the Wrangler (+8%) all pitched in as well. Evidently, rotten winter weather is actually a boon to Jeep sales.
Ram +24%
The ProMaster van has arrived on the scene but it's still a very minor player for Ram; if you're looking for the source of the brand's sales gain, look no further than the big Ram pickup (+22%).
Fiat +29%
After some recent declines, Fiat was able to move forward again, with sales of the 500 coupe largely stable and the 500L providing the additional volume.
AMERICAN HONDA -2%
Honda just about tracked the overall industry's decline. The Accord fell to 20,604 units, in a month that was unkind to mainstream midsize cars. At least Acura was in positive territory.
Honda -4%
The Accord's decline (-14%) put it behind not just the Camry but also the Altima and the Fusion. The best-performing Honda passenger car was the Civic, which was flat. The CR-V was up slightly (+2%) but got knocked off its bestselling SUV pedestal by the Ford Escape. The Odyssey (+17%) was the only Honda to significantly outdo its January 2013 results.
Acura +14%
With 420 units sold, the new RLX didn't do much to push Acura ahead. Instead, look to the MDX (+65%) and the RDX (+10%).
HYUNDAI – KIA +1%
Slow growth for the Koreans is still growth nonetheless, as Hyundai claimed 2014 was its best January ever, and Kia said the same.
Hyundai +1%
The Equus (+29%), Elantra (+26%), Accent (+21%), and Santa Fe (+12%) were Hyundai's biggest gainers in January, while the Genesis (-41%) dropped ahead of a new replacement and the Sonata (-26%) sang the mid-size sedan blues.
Kia +2%
The Rio (+28%), the Soul (+10%), and the new Cadenza helped Kia overcome declines for the Sorento and the Optima (both -11%).
NISSAN NORTH AMERICA +12%
Nissan enjoyed one of the biggest increases of any major manufacturer. Infiniti's year-over-year increase actually outpaced Nissan division's, which posted a January record.
Nissan +10%
Most of Nissan's action was on the truck side. One might expect big gains for the new Rogue (+54%), but the Frontier (+88%), and the Xterra (+52%)? Meanwhile, the Murano was down (-27%), as was the new Pathfinder (-16%), while the Titan (-36%) continues to drift lower. Of the passenger cars, Leaf sales nearly doubled and the Juke jumped (+46%), while the Versa (-17%) and the Cube (-25%) dropped.
Infiniti +26%
Infiniti was feeling the affect of the new Q50 in January. The other models pitched in as well, most importantly the JX/QX60 (+21%). Only the big SUV, the QX56/QX80 was down (-12%).
VOLKSWAGEN GROUP -13%
Once again, the Volkswagen brand dragged down the results for the Volkswagen Group, but this time Audi and Porsche were less able to stem the loss.
Volkswagen -19%
Volkswagen blames a sell-down prior to a new-model changeover for depressed sales of the Golf (-35%), but that doesn't explain the Passat (-30%), the Tiguan (-16%), or the Touareg (-44%). And last year's bright spot has gone dim, as the Beetle (-9%) is now tracking against the revised version rather than the old model.
Audi +0%
Increases for the Q5 (+18%), the Q7 (+43%), and the A6 (+18%) overcame weakness in the A4 (-11%), the A5 (-23%), and the A8 (-33%).
Porsche -8%
The Cayenne (-23%) declined, due, Porsche says, to low availability. Trouble is, the Boxster, the 911, and the Panamera were down as well.
Bentley +2%
Lamborghini +2%
DAIMLER-BENZ +2%
Model proliferation is helping to put Mercedes-Benz well out in front as this year's luxury derby gets started.
Mercedes-Benz +1%
The CLA's 2433 units is down from its previous months' totals, but still was critical to the brand's year-over-year growth. The CLA, the new S-class (+37%), and the Sprinter (+20%) had to counter losses elsewhere in the lineup. The C-class (-20%) has the best excuse—a new version about to arrive and, possibly, some cross-shopping with the new CLA—but all other Mercedes models declined as well.
Smart +8%
Smart crept up in January. And that was before its wacky Super Bowl commercial aired.
SUBARU +19%
Subaru looks to make 2014 another record year, given the start it got in January. The Forester's big increase (+65%) was versus the old model last year, but there's no such caveat for the XV Crosstrek (+73%). The BRZ (+28%) is still on the upswing, and so is the WRX (+17%), with the latter soon to be replaced with a new version. So, too, will the Legacy (-14%), both of which should help keep Subaru's momentum going.
BMW GROUP +3%
Despite a strong surge by BMW, the brand remained well behind Mercedes-Benz.
BMW +11%
The 3 Series/4 Series combo (+34%) is still benefitting from the arrival of the new coupes. This month, though, the good news extended to the 5 Series (+27%), the 6 Series (+20%), the X3 (+35%), and the X1 (+14%) as well. Only the X5 (-33%) missed the party.
Mini -31%
A big decline for the standard Mini we can understand, what with the new one about to arrive, but what happened to the Countryman (-24%)?
Rolls-Royce +2%
MAZDA -12%
The new Mazda6 was up by nearly half (+48%), but that was the extent of the brand's good news. Even the formerly hot CX-5 (-5%) appears to be taking a breather. Mazda says that availability of the new Mazda3 (-23%) should improve with a new factory coming on stream. Let's hope so.
JAGUAR LAND ROVER +15%
Jaguar +31%
Jaguar's January increase was about split between the new F-Type and the XF (+29%).
Land Rover +11%
The new Range Rover Sport (+29%) has arrived on the scene, and its presence is being felt at Land Rover.
MITSUBISHI +5%
The new Outlander was up by half, and the Outlander Sport by a third, but uh-oh, what's this? Only one i-MiEV was sold.
VOLVO -22%
A big drop for the XC60 (-40%) is not good news for Volvo, and a doubling of S80 sales doesn't make up for it.
TOP 10 BESTSELLING NAMEPLATES IN JANUARY
1. Ford F-series 46,536
2. Chevrolet Silverado 28,926
3. Dodge Ram 25,071
4. Toyota Camry 23,323
5. Toyota Corolla/Matrix 22,753
6. Nissan Altima 22,515
7. Honda Civic 21,824
8. Ford Fusion 20,717
9. Honda Accord 20,604
10. Ford Escape 19,459
JANUARY 2014 SALES RESULTS, AND PERCENT CHANGE VERSUS JANUARY 2013.
It was an unhappy start to 2014 for General Motors, although its double-digit decline is compared to a particularly robust January in 2013. The decline in pickup sales hurt, although GM notes that its trucks have been selling with a richer (more expensive models, more heavily equipped) model mix than their predecessors.
Buick -1%
The Encore's big increase over its small initial volumes last year and another good month for the Regal (+43%) kept Buick from joining the other GM divisions with a double-digit decline.
Cadillac -13%
Cadillac sales were down across the board, even the new CTS (-11%) and XTS (-13%). The lone exception was the SRX (+2%), whose small increase was enough to give the model its best ever January.
Chevrolet -13%
New vs. old at Chevrolet: C7 Corvette (+149%) versus C6, new Impala (-16%) versus old, and new Silverado (-18%) versus previous.
GMC -10%
The Sierra (-14%) was caught in the pickup downdraft, and the big SUVs were down by a quarter in the changeover to the new model. Things would have been worse but the Acadia (+5%) crept up a bit and the big vans (+85%) surged.
Ford blamed the weather for its decline, which was worse for fleet deliveries than for retail sales (-5%). A bright spot was Lincoln, which had its best January since 2010.
Ford -9%
F-series volume was just two-thirds of its prior-month total, which was down slightly compared to last January. Other Ford trucks and SUVs were mostly flat or down. Mustang (+7%) was the lone bright spot among Ford cars—although it still got beat by the Camaro. All other Ford cars were down, led by the C-Max (-48%) and the Taurus (-39%).
Lincoln +43%
The MKZ sold better than three times its year-ago total, although the previous number was hampered by a slow start of production. The MKX (+36%) was also up, while the MKS (-30%) and Navigator (-36%) declined.
Toyota, like Ford and GM, was significantly off its January 2013 total. The company downplayed the significance of a stop-sale order that came late in the month, as it only affected cars equipped with heated seats and is expected to be largely rectified for February.
Toyota -9%
Despite a significant decline, the Camry (-27%) remained the number one passenger car, but it slipped to number four overall, behind the big Ram pickup. The new Corolla had a smaller decline (-5%) but still was the bestselling small car. More negative numbers on the car side: Prius (-23%), Venza (-41%), Yaris (-65%). There was better news for Toyota trucks: RAV4 (+45%), the new Highlander (+21%), and the new Tundra (+13%).
Lexus +9%
Credit the redesign: the IS sees volume more than double. Credit the snow: the GX see volume nearly double.
Scion -18%
Once again, the iQ (-44%) is the loss leader, as all Scions were down.
Frigid temperatures in much of the country did nothing to cool the Chrysler juggernaut, as the company recorded its 46th straight month of year-over-year sales increases. Only the Dodge division was left out in the cold.
Chrysler +2%
The 200 (+23%) bounced back up in January, with the Town & Country (+8%) following behind. The 300 (-41%) was a drag on results.
Dodge -19%
Where the Chrysler 200 surged in January, its twin, the Avenger, fell by half (-50%). Other Dodges on the decline included the Dart (-29%), the Challenger (-30%), and the Journey (-27%), while the Grand Caravan (+47%) and the Durango (+22%) were the only two models in positive territory.
Jeep +38%
The new Cherokee again added more than 10,000 units to Jeep's total, accounting for most of the brand's sales increase. The Grand Cherokee (+10%), the Compass (+31%), and the Wrangler (+8%) all pitched in as well. Evidently, rotten winter weather is actually a boon to Jeep sales.
Ram +24%
The ProMaster van has arrived on the scene but it's still a very minor player for Ram; if you're looking for the source of the brand's sales gain, look no further than the big Ram pickup (+22%).
Fiat +29%
After some recent declines, Fiat was able to move forward again, with sales of the 500 coupe largely stable and the 500L providing the additional volume.
Honda just about tracked the overall industry's decline. The Accord fell to 20,604 units, in a month that was unkind to mainstream midsize cars. At least Acura was in positive territory.
Honda -4%
The Accord's decline (-14%) put it behind not just the Camry but also the Altima and the Fusion. The best-performing Honda passenger car was the Civic, which was flat. The CR-V was up slightly (+2%) but got knocked off its bestselling SUV pedestal by the Ford Escape. The Odyssey (+17%) was the only Honda to significantly outdo its January 2013 results.
Acura +14%
With 420 units sold, the new RLX didn't do much to push Acura ahead. Instead, look to the MDX (+65%) and the RDX (+10%).
Slow growth for the Koreans is still growth nonetheless, as Hyundai claimed 2014 was its best January ever, and Kia said the same.
Hyundai +1%
The Equus (+29%), Elantra (+26%), Accent (+21%), and Santa Fe (+12%) were Hyundai's biggest gainers in January, while the Genesis (-41%) dropped ahead of a new replacement and the Sonata (-26%) sang the mid-size sedan blues.
Kia +2%
The Rio (+28%), the Soul (+10%), and the new Cadenza helped Kia overcome declines for the Sorento and the Optima (both -11%).
Nissan enjoyed one of the biggest increases of any major manufacturer. Infiniti's year-over-year increase actually outpaced Nissan division's, which posted a January record.
Nissan +10%
Most of Nissan's action was on the truck side. One might expect big gains for the new Rogue (+54%), but the Frontier (+88%), and the Xterra (+52%)? Meanwhile, the Murano was down (-27%), as was the new Pathfinder (-16%), while the Titan (-36%) continues to drift lower. Of the passenger cars, Leaf sales nearly doubled and the Juke jumped (+46%), while the Versa (-17%) and the Cube (-25%) dropped.
Infiniti +26%
Infiniti was feeling the affect of the new Q50 in January. The other models pitched in as well, most importantly the JX/QX60 (+21%). Only the big SUV, the QX56/QX80 was down (-12%).
Once again, the Volkswagen brand dragged down the results for the Volkswagen Group, but this time Audi and Porsche were less able to stem the loss.
Volkswagen -19%
Volkswagen blames a sell-down prior to a new-model changeover for depressed sales of the Golf (-35%), but that doesn't explain the Passat (-30%), the Tiguan (-16%), or the Touareg (-44%). And last year's bright spot has gone dim, as the Beetle (-9%) is now tracking against the revised version rather than the old model.
Audi +0%
Increases for the Q5 (+18%), the Q7 (+43%), and the A6 (+18%) overcame weakness in the A4 (-11%), the A5 (-23%), and the A8 (-33%).
Porsche -8%
The Cayenne (-23%) declined, due, Porsche says, to low availability. Trouble is, the Boxster, the 911, and the Panamera were down as well.
Bentley +2%
Lamborghini +2%
DAIMLER-BENZ +2%
Model proliferation is helping to put Mercedes-Benz well out in front as this year's luxury derby gets started.
Mercedes-Benz +1%
The CLA's 2433 units is down from its previous months' totals, but still was critical to the brand's year-over-year growth. The CLA, the new S-class (+37%), and the Sprinter (+20%) had to counter losses elsewhere in the lineup. The C-class (-20%) has the best excuse—a new version about to arrive and, possibly, some cross-shopping with the new CLA—but all other Mercedes models declined as well.
Smart +8%
Smart crept up in January. And that was before its wacky Super Bowl commercial aired.
SUBARU +19%
Subaru looks to make 2014 another record year, given the start it got in January. The Forester's big increase (+65%) was versus the old model last year, but there's no such caveat for the XV Crosstrek (+73%). The BRZ (+28%) is still on the upswing, and so is the WRX (+17%), with the latter soon to be replaced with a new version. So, too, will the Legacy (-14%), both of which should help keep Subaru's momentum going.
BMW GROUP +3%
Despite a strong surge by BMW, the brand remained well behind Mercedes-Benz.
BMW +11%
The 3 Series/4 Series combo (+34%) is still benefitting from the arrival of the new coupes. This month, though, the good news extended to the 5 Series (+27%), the 6 Series (+20%), the X3 (+35%), and the X1 (+14%) as well. Only the X5 (-33%) missed the party.
Mini -31%
A big decline for the standard Mini we can understand, what with the new one about to arrive, but what happened to the Countryman (-24%)?
Rolls-Royce +2%
MAZDA -12%
The new Mazda6 was up by nearly half (+48%), but that was the extent of the brand's good news. Even the formerly hot CX-5 (-5%) appears to be taking a breather. Mazda says that availability of the new Mazda3 (-23%) should improve with a new factory coming on stream. Let's hope so.
JAGUAR LAND ROVER +15%
Jaguar +31%
Jaguar's January increase was about split between the new F-Type and the XF (+29%).
Land Rover +11%
The new Range Rover Sport (+29%) has arrived on the scene, and its presence is being felt at Land Rover.
MITSUBISHI +5%
The new Outlander was up by half, and the Outlander Sport by a third, but uh-oh, what's this? Only one i-MiEV was sold.
VOLVO -22%
A big drop for the XC60 (-40%) is not good news for Volvo, and a doubling of S80 sales doesn't make up for it.
TOP 10 BESTSELLING NAMEPLATES IN JANUARY
1. Ford F-series 46,536
2. Chevrolet Silverado 28,926
3. Dodge Ram 25,071
4. Toyota Camry 23,323
5. Toyota Corolla/Matrix 22,753
6. Nissan Altima 22,515
7. Honda Civic 21,824
8. Ford Fusion 20,717
9. Honda Accord 20,604
10. Ford Escape 19,459
Audi RS 4 Avant Nogaro to Debut at 2014 Geneva Auto Show
05 Feb, 2014 - Automobile Magazine News & Rumors
05 Feb, 2014 - Automobile Magazine News & Rumors
Celebrating the twenty-year anniversary of its boisterous Avant RS2, Audi has announced that it will introduce a special-edition Audi RS 4 Avant Nogaro model. This ultimate hot hatch will seek to continue the RS2's legacy of high-revving power and capable all-wheel-drive dynamic handling when it debuts at the 2014 Geneva auto show in March.
The original Audi Avant RS2, which was the first high-performance RS model from Audi, arrived in 1994. With its 2.2-liter five-cylinder engine and hefty turbocharger, the all-wheel-drive Audi Avant RS2 produced 315 hp and 302 lb-ft of torque. Porsche aided with the RS2's development, combining high-end performance with the everyday usability and versatility of an all-wheel-drive hatchback. Power fed all four wheels (17-inchers from Porsche) via a six-speed manual gearbox, and drivers could manually activate a locking rear-axle differential for added stability.
Audi's modern interpretation, the Audi RS 4 Avant Nogaro, attempts to preserve the look and spirit of the celebrated mid-90s classic. Customized special-edition Nogaro blue pearl-effect paint carries over from the 1994 Audi Avant RS2, and matte black finish on the RS sport exhaust and roof racks complete the homage alongside the black-gloss trim grille and window slots. Like its predecessor, the Audi RS 4 Avant's interior is clad in a combination of high-quality leather and Alcantara, with special blue stitching among many other blue trim elements to celebrate the twenty-year anniversary of the Avant RS2.
The Audi RS 4 Avant Nogaro is more than skin deep, however. Like in the regular 2014 Audi RS 4 Avant, 450 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque are available from the RS 4 Avant's 4.2-liter naturally-aspirated V-8, which is similar to the engine in the base Audi R8. Quattro all-wheel-drive is standard, as is Audi's seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The Nogaro edition is complete with 20-inch wheels and red RS-badged brake calipers, with carbon fiber ceramic disc brakes as an available upgrade on the front axle. A sport differential and RS sport suspension make the Audi RS 4 Avant Nogaro a force to be reckoned with through the curves.
The original Audi Avant RS2 from 1994 could sprint from 0-62 mph in just 5.4 seconds in its way to a 162 mph top speed, while the modern Audi RS 4 Nogaro can do the same sprint in 4.7 seconds with a 174-mph top speed. Considering that twenty years of automotive innovation has resulted in the RS 4 Avant Nogaro cutting less than a second of the RS2's 0-62 mph sprint, it is no surprise that the original RS2 is one of the most sought-after performance cars from that era. Over the course of its brief two years of production and availability in Europe, only 2,908 RS2 units were built.
Starting price for the Europe-only RS 4 Avant Nogaro is set at €87,300 (about $118,000). For more information and photos on the 2014 Audi RS 4 Avant Nogaro, follow our coverage of the 2014 Geneva auto show in March.
The original Audi Avant RS2, which was the first high-performance RS model from Audi, arrived in 1994. With its 2.2-liter five-cylinder engine and hefty turbocharger, the all-wheel-drive Audi Avant RS2 produced 315 hp and 302 lb-ft of torque. Porsche aided with the RS2's development, combining high-end performance with the everyday usability and versatility of an all-wheel-drive hatchback. Power fed all four wheels (17-inchers from Porsche) via a six-speed manual gearbox, and drivers could manually activate a locking rear-axle differential for added stability.
Audi's modern interpretation, the Audi RS 4 Avant Nogaro, attempts to preserve the look and spirit of the celebrated mid-90s classic. Customized special-edition Nogaro blue pearl-effect paint carries over from the 1994 Audi Avant RS2, and matte black finish on the RS sport exhaust and roof racks complete the homage alongside the black-gloss trim grille and window slots. Like its predecessor, the Audi RS 4 Avant's interior is clad in a combination of high-quality leather and Alcantara, with special blue stitching among many other blue trim elements to celebrate the twenty-year anniversary of the Avant RS2.
The Audi RS 4 Avant Nogaro is more than skin deep, however. Like in the regular 2014 Audi RS 4 Avant, 450 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque are available from the RS 4 Avant's 4.2-liter naturally-aspirated V-8, which is similar to the engine in the base Audi R8. Quattro all-wheel-drive is standard, as is Audi's seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The Nogaro edition is complete with 20-inch wheels and red RS-badged brake calipers, with carbon fiber ceramic disc brakes as an available upgrade on the front axle. A sport differential and RS sport suspension make the Audi RS 4 Avant Nogaro a force to be reckoned with through the curves.
The original Audi Avant RS2 from 1994 could sprint from 0-62 mph in just 5.4 seconds in its way to a 162 mph top speed, while the modern Audi RS 4 Nogaro can do the same sprint in 4.7 seconds with a 174-mph top speed. Considering that twenty years of automotive innovation has resulted in the RS 4 Avant Nogaro cutting less than a second of the RS2's 0-62 mph sprint, it is no surprise that the original RS2 is one of the most sought-after performance cars from that era. Over the course of its brief two years of production and availability in Europe, only 2,908 RS2 units were built.
Starting price for the Europe-only RS 4 Avant Nogaro is set at €87,300 (about $118,000). For more information and photos on the 2014 Audi RS 4 Avant Nogaro, follow our coverage of the 2014 Geneva auto show in March.
Last week we wondered which new Audi model was being teased from inside a mysterious delivery truck. As it turns out, this new model which will debut next week is not the 2016 Audi TT as we previously thought, but instead appears to be a sporty variant of the Audi A1 compact hatchback that's not sold in the U.S.
This extended teaser shows a few quick peeks at the new Audi, including a silhouette that clearly shows that this new Audi is a two-door hatchback with a greenhouse that mirrors that of the Audi A1. Other clues like the manual shift knob and sport seats we see in this video make us think that this new model will be a high-performance Audi S1 variant of the A1 that slots below the A3 in the European market. This hot hatch would give Audi a competitor for other small, high-powered hatchbacks like the Fiat 500 Abarth, the Mini Cooper S, and the Volkswagen Polo GTI.
In Europe, the standard Audi A1 is offered with a range of small four-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines. We've previously heard that an Audi S1 was under consideration, which would use the same supercharged and turbocharged 1.4-liter gasoline four-cylinder as the Volkswagen Polo GTI. Quattro all-wheel-drive will presumably come standard, as will a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
Keep an eye out for the official reveal next Wednesday, February 12 to see the Audi S1 in its entirety and just what performance tricks are in store for Audi's subcompact hatchback.
This extended teaser shows a few quick peeks at the new Audi, including a silhouette that clearly shows that this new Audi is a two-door hatchback with a greenhouse that mirrors that of the Audi A1. Other clues like the manual shift knob and sport seats we see in this video make us think that this new model will be a high-performance Audi S1 variant of the A1 that slots below the A3 in the European market. This hot hatch would give Audi a competitor for other small, high-powered hatchbacks like the Fiat 500 Abarth, the Mini Cooper S, and the Volkswagen Polo GTI.
In Europe, the standard Audi A1 is offered with a range of small four-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines. We've previously heard that an Audi S1 was under consideration, which would use the same supercharged and turbocharged 1.4-liter gasoline four-cylinder as the Volkswagen Polo GTI. Quattro all-wheel-drive will presumably come standard, as will a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
Keep an eye out for the official reveal next Wednesday, February 12 to see the Audi S1 in its entirety and just what performance tricks are in store for Audi's subcompact hatchback.
Recall Central: All 2008-2014 Aston Martin Models Except Vanquish
05 Feb, 2014 - Automobile Magazine News & Rumors
05 Feb, 2014 - Automobile Magazine News & Rumors
The Problem: A defect in the accelerator pedal arm can break, meaning that the driver cannot increase engine speed and the vehicle will return to idle. Aston Martin says it has not received any reports of accidents or injuries so far.
The Fix: Aston Martin has already sent out letters notifying owners of the recall. Aston Martin dealerships will then replace the accelerator pedal assembly at no charge.
Number of Vehicles Potentially Affected: In the U.S. this recall comprises 5001 Aston Martin models produced between the end of 2007 and October 2013. This includes the 2008-2014 Aston Martin DB9 and V8 Vantage; the 2009-2012 Aston Martin DBS; the 2010-2012 Aston Martin Rapide and 2014 Rapide S; the 2011-2012 Aston Martin V12 Vantage; the 2011-2014 Aston Martin V8 Vantage S; and the 2012 Aston Martin Virage.
The Fix: Aston Martin has already sent out letters notifying owners of the recall. Aston Martin dealerships will then replace the accelerator pedal assembly at no charge.
Number of Vehicles Potentially Affected: In the U.S. this recall comprises 5001 Aston Martin models produced between the end of 2007 and October 2013. This includes the 2008-2014 Aston Martin DB9 and V8 Vantage; the 2009-2012 Aston Martin DBS; the 2010-2012 Aston Martin Rapide and 2014 Rapide S; the 2011-2012 Aston Martin V12 Vantage; the 2011-2014 Aston Martin V8 Vantage S; and the 2012 Aston Martin Virage.
Last redesigned in 2010, the BMW X3 is being updated, with the 2015 model set to go on sale this spring. Interior and exterior changes as well as two new model variants are designed to help the X3 stay competitive in a growing premium small SUV segment.
New to the BMW X3 family is the X3 sDrive 28i and the X3 xDrive 28d, while the xDrive 28i and xDrive 35i continue. The BMW X3 sDrive 28i is the first and only rear-wheel-drive BMW X3 available in the U.S. market, and will be equipped with the same turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, making 240 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, paired with BMW's 8-speed automatic transmission. Also available for the first time in the States is the diesel-powered, all-wheel-drive X3 xDrive 28d, with the now-familiar 2.0-liter turbodiesel unit featured in the BMW 328d. That engine makes 180 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque, the latter available from 1750 rpm, and also utilizes an 8-speed automatic. 0-60 mph can be reached in just under 8.0 seconds, versus the swifter 6.2 seconds achievable in the X3 sDrive 28i.
Fuel economy numbers have not been released for either new model, but it would be safe to bet that the X3 sDrive 28i will be slightly more efficient than its all-wheel-drive variant, which is rated at 28 mpg on the highway. Expect significantly better mileage from the diesel version. The 2015 BMW X3 also adopts sharper, more aggressive looks than its predecessor. New twin-circular headlights lead the way, flanking a higher-contrast kidney grille and sportier front bumper and intakes. Around back, the X3's rear bumper takes on a more refined character with a metallic insert. The new headlights can be had as full LEDs to match the LED lower fog lights; there are also LED turn indicators, now housed in the exterior side mirrors. Inside, the BMW X3 receives chrome trim changes and a high-gloss black panel display, as well as new cup holders that feature a sliding cover. Four new exterior colors, new upholstery and trim options, and new wheels also are available.
Pricing for the xDrive 28i and xDrive 35i will remain at $40,725 and $45,825, respectively. The new 2015 BMW X3 xDrive 28d will start at $42,825, while the sDrive 28i will be the most affordable variant, at $39,325. All prices include destination charges.
Look for the new 2015 BMW X3 to hit showrooms in spring 2014. Until then, check out the photo gallery above and stay tuned for more information.
New to the BMW X3 family is the X3 sDrive 28i and the X3 xDrive 28d, while the xDrive 28i and xDrive 35i continue. The BMW X3 sDrive 28i is the first and only rear-wheel-drive BMW X3 available in the U.S. market, and will be equipped with the same turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, making 240 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, paired with BMW's 8-speed automatic transmission. Also available for the first time in the States is the diesel-powered, all-wheel-drive X3 xDrive 28d, with the now-familiar 2.0-liter turbodiesel unit featured in the BMW 328d. That engine makes 180 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque, the latter available from 1750 rpm, and also utilizes an 8-speed automatic. 0-60 mph can be reached in just under 8.0 seconds, versus the swifter 6.2 seconds achievable in the X3 sDrive 28i.
Fuel economy numbers have not been released for either new model, but it would be safe to bet that the X3 sDrive 28i will be slightly more efficient than its all-wheel-drive variant, which is rated at 28 mpg on the highway. Expect significantly better mileage from the diesel version. The 2015 BMW X3 also adopts sharper, more aggressive looks than its predecessor. New twin-circular headlights lead the way, flanking a higher-contrast kidney grille and sportier front bumper and intakes. Around back, the X3's rear bumper takes on a more refined character with a metallic insert. The new headlights can be had as full LEDs to match the LED lower fog lights; there are also LED turn indicators, now housed in the exterior side mirrors. Inside, the BMW X3 receives chrome trim changes and a high-gloss black panel display, as well as new cup holders that feature a sliding cover. Four new exterior colors, new upholstery and trim options, and new wheels also are available.
Pricing for the xDrive 28i and xDrive 35i will remain at $40,725 and $45,825, respectively. The new 2015 BMW X3 xDrive 28d will start at $42,825, while the sDrive 28i will be the most affordable variant, at $39,325. All prices include destination charges.
Look for the new 2015 BMW X3 to hit showrooms in spring 2014. Until then, check out the photo gallery above and stay tuned for more information.
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