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A car writer's year in new vehicles [w/video]

Christmas is only a week away. The New Year is just around the corner. As 2014 draws to a close, I'm not the only one taking stock of the year that's we're almost shut of. Depending on who you are or what you do, the end of the year can bring to mind tax bills, school semesters or scheduling dental appointments. For me, for the last eight or nine years, at least a small part of this transitory time is occupied with recalling the cars I've driven over the preceding 12 months. Since I started writing about and reviewing cars in 2006, I've done an uneven job of tracking every vehicle I've been in, each year. Last year I made a resolution to be better about it, and the result is a spreadsheet with model names, dates, notes and some basic facts and figures. Armed with this basic data and a yen for year-end stories, I figured it would be interesting to parse the figures and quantify my year in cars in a way I'd never done before. The results are, well, they're a little bizarre, honestly. And I think they'll affect how I approach this gig in 2015. {C} My tally for the year is 68 cars, as of this writing. Before the calendar flips to 2015 it'll be as high as 73. Let me give you a tiny bit of background about how automotive journalists typically get cars to test. There are basically two pools of vehicles I drive on a regular basis: media fleet vehicles and those available on "first drive" programs. The latter group is pretty self-explanatory. Journalists are gathered in one location (sometimes local, sometimes far-flung) with a new model(s), there's usually a day of driving, then we report back to you with our impressions. Media fleet vehicles are different. These are distributed to publications and individual journalists far and wide, and the test period goes from a few days to a week or more. Whereas first drives almost always result in a piece of review content, fleet loans only sometimes do. Other times they serve to give context about brands, segments, technology and the like, to editors and writers. So, adding up the loans I've had out of the press fleet and things I've driven at events, my tally for the year is 68 cars, as of this writing. Before the calendar flips to 2015, it'll be as high as 73. At one of the buff books like Car and Driver or Motor Trend, reviewers might rotate through five cars a week, or more. I know that number sounds high, but as best I can tell, it's pretty average for the full-time professionals in this business.

BMW Motorad reveals Concept Stunt G 310 in Brazil

BMW has been on a bit of a concept motorcycle bent lately, and each has taken a decidedly different approach from one another. The Motorad division did the Path 22 scrambler concept in June, the Concept 101 custom bagger in May, the Concept Roadster last year, and the Concept 90 retro racer the year before. Now it's at it again with the Concept Stunt G 310. As you might have guessed, the G 310 is a stunt bike. Its compact form is built around a single-cylinder engine canted rearwards with a rotated cylinder head to help optimize the weight balance. The intake was moved forward and the exhaust towards the rear, mounted under the seat, to enable the rider's freedom of movement. It has long travel in the suspension, but still rides on a short wheelbase – perfect for impressing the crowds. To that end, it was designed with collaboration from four-time stunt riding champion Chris Pfeiffer. It's also got a lockable throttle so the rider can take his hands off the controls (not advisable for the rest of us). The beefed-up secondary rear brake can be actuated by a squeeze of the finger. Axle pegs allow for additional foot-placement options, red crash bars protect the mechanical elements, and a specially designed "stunt tail" is milled from solid aluminum and provides an additional foot-hold. The shape is adorned with an eye-catching neon livery designed to give the impression of movement, even when it's sitting still. The bike will be unveiled in Sao Paulo, Brazil, at South America's preeminent motorcycle show. BMW Concept Stunt G 310 – Street. Style. Stunt. 06.10.2015 Munich/Sao Paulo. With the world premiere of the BMW Concept Stunt G 310 at South America's largest motorcycle show, BMW Motorrad is presenting a completely new side: the uncompromising interpretation of an aggressive and agile stunt bike based on a single cylinder study. Thanks to his experience as a four-times World and European stunt riding champion, Chris Pfeiffer, contributed to the realisation of the BMW Concept Stunt 310. "Stunt riding is a demanding and multi-faceted sport. Ideally you need a compact, agile bike which is also stable and robust at the same time. You have to achieve the ideal balance between aggressiveness and control", explains Chris Pfeiffer. Compact proportions, highest-level agility.

Recharge Wrap-up: Hyundai and Kia rethinking diesel for US, BMW i partners with Soho House

Hyundai and Kia are once again considering bringing diesel vehicles to the US. "It's something that's a strong consideration for us at this point," says John Juriga of Hyundai/Kia America. Diesel would help the group meet future fuel economy standards. While the obstacles that previously kept the brands from bringing diesel to the US in the past still exist, Juriga says they see a "more direct path" to making diesel work for them. Hyundai and Kia are also considering introducing cylinder deactivation, plug-in hybrids and 9- and 10-speed transmissions to reach fuel economy targets. Read more at Wards Auto. BMW's i division is teaming up with Soho House as its official automotive partner. BMW will provide i3 EVs for the private club's members and guests to use. The two groups will also host events together focused on art, design and innovation, beginning with an art talk called, "The Naked Truth? Nudity, fashion, and the photographic image today." According to BMW's Steven Althaus, the two brands are a great match. "BMW i and Soho House share a common mindset: both brands strive for innovation, creativity as well as a special sense for aesthetic setting new design standards," Althaus says, "What I look forward to most about our partnership is our determination to create memorable and sophisticated experiences together." Read more in the press release below. Foodlogica aims to reduce the environmental impact of food transport in Amsterdam using solar powered electric trikes. The trikes deliver food to local businesses and restaurants, a job usually done by air-polluting diesel trucks. The electric trikes feature cargo boxes that can hold 47 cubic feet or about 660 pounds of food. The trikes are stored in a shipping container fitted with solar panels, which charges them when they're not in use. By delivering food using solar and human power, Foodlogica is helping taking pollution and traffic congestion out of the "last mile" of food transport in Amsterdam. Get hungry and read more at Treehugger. An organization called Ten9 wants to get 1 billion people using sustainable transportation by 2025. Ten9 is a coalition of organizations that are trying to get transportation to that "tipping point" through technology, policy and good ideas. Ten9 wants to get Tesla CEO Elon Musk on board, as well as other business and technology leaders and world leaders.