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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.

2016 BMW M4 GTS: More power, less weight, ready for the track

BMW calls its new M4 GTS the "most agile, radical, and powerful M4 ever." It's got 493 horsepower, a slick new water injection system, a three-way adjustable coilover suspension, and a weight reduction of roughly 200 pounds compared to a stock M4. Only 700 will be built, with 300 allocated for the United States. And did we mention it looks absolutely killer? Let's talk about that water injection system for a moment, because it's the first time this technology is being used on [an intercooled - Ed.] production road car. Basically, water absorbs heat from surrounding air, so a fine mist is sprayed into the intake manifold where it evaporates, lowering the temperature of the intake air. BMW says this reduces final compression temperature, allowing the turbochargers to operate with increased boost pressure and better spark timing. The end result is increased output – 493 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque from the same twin-turbo, 3.0-liter straight-six as the standard M4. That's an increase of 68 hp and 36 lb-ft. But the GTS isn't just about increased power. In fact, the bigger story is its weight reduction. BMW incorporated the use of aluminum and carbon fiber throughout the M4's construction, and DIN curb weight is listed as 3,329 pounds. It's unclear if that's the exact US measurement, and BMW couldn't comment on that as of this writing, but compared to our 3,530-pound stock M4, that represents some 200 fewer pounds of heft. Carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) is used in the hood, making that part some 25 percent lighter than the stock piece. CFRP is also used for the driveshaft, making it 40-percent lighter than the standard setup. Even inside the car, the new center console is 30-percent lighter than what you'd find in a normal M4. The rear seats are gone, and we're sorry to say that the cool racing buckets pictured here won't be available in the US. Making this thing super capable at the track is a three-way M coilover suspension, combined with upgraded carbon ceramic brakes, set behind staggered wheels and tires. Up front, the GTS rides on 19-inch rollers wrapped in 265/35-series Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, and out back, 20-inch wheels are fitted inside 285/30-series rubber. The only transmission available is the seven-speed, M DCT dual-clutch unit, and when all is said in done, BMW says the M4 GTS will run the infamous Nurburgring Nordschleife in 7 minutes and 28 seconds. Another cool feature: organic LED technology.

Economy-car buyers increasingly get the best deal on technology

One of the great things about technology is – with the exception of Apple products – consumers get more for their money every year. For example, the first 1GB USB drive I bought in 2005 cost me $30. Today you can get 10 for that price, delivered to your door thanks to Amazon. The same goes for car tech. Features such as navigation and Bluetooth started out on high-end vehicles before trickling down to entry-level cars. Same with driver assist features ranging from rearview cameras to forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking — so now it's not only rich people who are protected in car crashes. I've found that this democratization of tech has reached a point where amenities on low-cost cars can be as good — and sometimes even better — than those on vehicles costing tens of thousands of dollars more. While attending a media event for the launch of the all-new 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback, I was impressed by the car's cool styling and go-kart performance. Equally noteworthy is the amount of standard tech on the low-cost hot hatch. (Pricing will be announced later this month, but expect it to come in a bit higher that the current Corolla iM's roughly $19,000 base.) Even the base SE CVT trim of the 2019 Corolla Hatchback comes with an 8-inch touchscreen and Toyota's Entune 3.0 infotainment system. Among other features, Entune 3.0 provides Wi-Fi capability, Amazon Alexa connectivity, the Entune App Suite for integration of smartphone apps such as Pandora and Yelp and, for the first time in a Toyota, Apple CarPlay (but no Android Auto). The 2019 Corolla Hatchback is also the first North American vehicle to get the second-generation Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) suite of driver assists that's also standard on the base model. TSS 2.0 includes Toyota's Pre-Collision System (forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking) with new daytime and low-light pedestrian detection and daytime cyclist detection features, lane keeping and lane departure alert with steering assist, auto high beams, adaptive cruise control, and road sign detection. While the 2019 Corolla Hatchback sets a new benchmark in standard tech on a budget-mobile, competing cars aren't far behind. The 2018 Honda Fit LX, for example, includes forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and assist and adaptive cruise, while the automaker's Lane Departure Mitigation and Lane Watch camera system is added the two top trims.