1972 Bmw 2002 Tii Track Car on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Tier 1 suppliers call GM the worst OEM to work with

Among automakers with a big US presence, General Motors is the worst to work for, according to a new survey from Tier 1 automotive suppliers, conducted by Planning Perspectives, Inc.
The Detroit-based manufacturer, which has been under fire following the ignition switch recall and its accompanying scandal, finished behind six other automakers with big US manufacturing operations. Suppliers had issues with trust and communications, as well as intellectual property protection. GM was also the least likely to allow suppliers to raise their prices in the face of unexpected increases in material cost, all of which contributed to 55 percent of suppliers saying their relationship with GM was "poor to very poor."
GM's cross-town competitors didn't fare much better. Chrysler finished in fifth place, ahead of GM and behind Dearborn-based Ford, which was passed for third place this year by Nissan. Toyota took the top marks, while Honda captured second place.

BMW i3 starts near $35,000; NA first deliveries January 2014

While in Germany at the first early pre-production drives of the hotly anticipated BMW i3, BMW people finally hinted at a price ballpark. Numbers being tossed around by pundits have actually been pretty close to what BMW is discussing internally - between $35,000 and just over $40,000. We have been assured now that the base price, should one choose to buy and not lease in the Euro zone, is just over 35,000 euro, with some big taxes included in that price. In the US, the starting price for the fully EV plug-in version should be $34,500 or right thereabouts. In addition to new pricing, we've also gotten our best-yet look at the i3, with the freshly uncovered spy shots you see here.
European deliveries begin in November of this year for the fully electric version of the rear-wheel-drive i3 with 168-horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. The e-motor mounted over the rear axle is supplied with energy by the 22-kWh lithium-ion battery pallet under the passenger compartment. Recharging happens in any of three ways: public or personal garage plug-in charge station (garage version not included in the price), the onboard system's Pro Eco mode that adds resistance to the drivetrain in a type of rolling brake energy recuperation, or through the normal brake energy and off-throttle coasting regeneration more common to EVs. Range on a full charge of this drivetrain is said to be upwards of 100 miles under hyper-miling conditions.
Perhaps the best bit of news is that the alternative, range-extending, two-cylinder 600cc engine supplied by BMW Motorrad for the hybrid version of the i3 - mounted in the rear together with the e-motor - will add only 2,000 euros in Europe and about $2,000 in the US. This is a range-doubling solution that could have brought a much higher price gouge, so thank you, BMW. The hybrid e-drive i3 version arrives a couple months after the full-EV launch version. Remember that, unlike the very similar system for the Chevrolet Volt, the system in the i3 supplies no mechanical torque to the driven axle and is only used as a generator (a system BMW first used last year in the 1 Series-based Active ). The US is seen as the clear number one market for the i3.

BMW is 'watching the pickup space closely'

Automotive April Fools' Day jokes rarely become real product, but then again, they're generally flights of fancy. The E92 M3-based BMW pickup truck from 2011 is a notable exception – M built it for hauling parts. Now, BMW might seriously be looking into a vehicle with a bed. Speaking to Australia's Motoring, Australian Marketing Manager Marc Werner dropped a few hints that the German brand is at least studying the feasibility of a truck or ute. "Never say never," Werner told Motoring. "We're watching the space closely." According to Motoring, Werner's statements are a big deal because they're in stark contrast to what BMW Asia, Pacific, and South Africa boss Hendrik von Kuenheim said a year ago – that BMW is "definitely not" building a truck. The Aussies seem to think this means, along with arch-nemesis Mercedes-Benz's new midsize pickup, BMW's position on its first-ever truck might be softening. Since the Australians (probably) started bouncing with glee over the idea of a roundel-adorned pickup, Werner was quick to temper expectations. He told Motoring that a pickup is far easier for Munich's rivals. "It's easier for Mercedes because they have commercial vehicles and trucks and vans. We do not. And perhaps it's easier for Audi. Just take the Amarok, why not?" Werner said. "Yes it's harder for us but we'll be watching how Benz goes." While we wouldn't count on Munich building a truck/ute in the near future, Motoring does make a good point – in 2016, a BMW pickup sounds as crazy as a front-drive Bimmer did in 2006. In other news, the new China-only 1 Series debuted yesterday. It's BMW's second front-driver after the 2 Series Active Tourer.