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BMW and Roland Sands show off Concept 101 custom bagger

Though BMW may not be the first motorcycle manufacturer that comes to mind when you think of cruisers, that's precisely what the German marque has unveiled – in concept form at least – at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este this year. Appearing alongside the 3.0 CSL Hommage concept, the BMW Concept 101 is a custom "bagger" created in California through a collaboration between BMW Motorrad, BMW Designworks, and legendary bike builder Roland Sands. Better suited towards cruising down the highway than carving up a racetrack or a dirt trail, the Concept 101 strikes a rather stunning (if uncharacteristic) form. The elongated shape is rendered in materials like brushed aluminum, carbon fiber, and wood trim, tapering towards the rear that encompasses two hard saddle bags characteristic of this style of cruiser. The top half of the bike is done up in lighter shades than the dark bottom, capped by a saddle crafted in fine-grain black leather, perforated black leather and a strip of brown leather. Power comes commandingly from an inline-six displacing 1.6 liters – or about 101 cubic inches, which along with Highway 101, gives the concept bike its name. The engine breaths out through a pair of tailpipes, each with three outlets to emphasize the six-cylinder and envision what it would look like if Munich opted to take on the Honda Gold Wing F6C Valkyrie. Of course this isn't the first time BMW has done a bike with Roland Sands, nor the first time it's displaying a bike concept at Villa d'Este. Last year the German marque displayed the Concept Roadster at the same show, and did the Concept Ninety with the same custom shop at the previous year's concours. BMW Motorrad "Concept 101" - The Spirit of the Open Road. Munich/Cernobbio. Every year, the most impressive representatives of the mobile past and future on both two and four wheels assemble at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este for a very special get-together on the shores of Lake Como. Amid this extraordinary blend of the traditional and the contemporary, BMW Motorrad once again presents a breathtaking concept study: the BMW Motorrad "Concept 101". "The Concept 101 opens up a new chapter in the history of our concept bikes. It is the BMW Motorrad interpretation of endless highways and the dream of freedom and independence - the perfect embodiment of "American touring". Designing this big touring bike study was amazingly exciting for us because we haven't been involved with a motorcycle concept like this before.

Bosch has an advanced self-parking system slated for 2019

Self-driving cars are the future of the auto industry, but there are many years and intermediate steps between now and driverless roads. Bosch made one of those important baby steps earlier this month when it unveiled its Home Zone Park Assist, which takes automated parking to the next level. The system works like this: a driver pulls up to where they'd normally begin to angle into a preferred parking spot. The driver then sets the start point and slowly drives the car into place so the system can learn the route. After the route is entered, the driver can let the car take control by either holding down a button inside the vehicle or on a smartphone app to engage the self-parking program from outside the car. Twelve ultrasonic sensors, a rear-facing stereo video camera, and four radar sensors work together to slot the car safely into or out of a spot perfectly every time. If you don't start in the same place every time that's okay, because the car can deviate from the original start and stop points by up to six and a half feet. The system can track up to 100 meters' worth of complex maneuvers, perfect for anyone tired of backing out of long, curvy, or steep driveways. Bosch says the system will be available in a few years but doesn't mention any specific models. Other companies have similar technologies, but they're not quite as advanced. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently cleared a similar technology called Park Assistant Plus for use in the BMW 7 Series. BMW's technology allows drivers to move the car in and out of parking spaces with the key fob. Tesla's Summon feature allows the Model S and X to come when called up to 10 meters away. But Bosch seems to have pushed the boundaries of what autonomous features on cars can do. Besides superior distance, the really amazing aspect of Bosch's system is that it allows cars to sense obstacles within its path and make the decision whether to proceed with minor course adjustments or stop and wait for its owner. That's right, a decision-making car. Welcome to the brave new world. Related Video:

Audi to spend $17 billion to fight BMW

It's no secret that VW Group, parent company to not only Volkswagen but also Audi, Bugatti, Bentley, Lamborghini, Porsche and Ducati brands sold in the US, is determined to become the world's largest automaker. Even more impressive is that VW is prepared to spend billions to make it happen.
With that comes word that VW Group will be spending $17 billion on its Audi brand over the next three years to push itself above rival BMW. The money will be invested in both vehicle development (including lightweight auto design and alternative powertrains) and facilities (including expansion in Hungary, China and new operations in Mexico). The luxury brand is focused on global manufacturing infrastructure.
Already Europe's best-selling luxury brand, Audi's objective is to overtake BMW by the end of the decade by selling more than two million cars per year (BMW is shooting for 1.54 million sales in 2013). If those objectives are met, VW Group should be on track to be the industry's volume leader by 2018.