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Preserving automotive history costs big bucks

$1.8 million is spent each year to maintain GM's fleet of 600 production and concept cars.
When at least two of the Detroit Three were on the verge of death a few years back, one of the tough questions that was asked of Ford, General Motors and Chrysler execs - outside of why execs were still taking private planes to meetings - was why each company maintained huge archives of old production and concept vehicles. GM, for example, had an 1,100-vehicle collection when talk of a federal bailout began.

Overheated dog rescued from BMW by concerned bystander

Dogs, cars, and summer heat do not mix. Hundreds of dogs fall ill and die each year from heat exhaustion when left in cars on hot days, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. In Grand Bend, ON, a passerby rescued a small dog from such a fate when he smashed out the rear window of a car and pulled the dog to safety. According to CTV, two unnamed individuals attended a festival on Saturday, June 11 celebrating the unveiling of a new band shell in Grand Bend. They allegedly left their small dog locked in their car in a parking lot. Temperatures across Ontario on June 11 approached 90 degrees Fahrenheit, and even with the windows cracked and the sunroof open, the dog was in obvious distress. Will Costa was also attending the festival when he heard an announcement over park loudspeakers calling for the owners to report to the parking lot to rescue their dog. "When I heard the announcer, I couldn't believe it," Costa told CTV. "It was so hot." Costa and a few other festival attendees moved to the parking lot to see what was happening, and saw a small crowd surrounding a man attacking a BMW with a large rock. After twenty minutes of work, the man with the rock finally shattered the BMW's passenger rear window and retrieved the suffering dog. The owners didn't show up for nearly another hour. "The dog was completely soaked," said Costa. "The owners didn't show up for another fifty minutes. I believe in another fifty minutes it could have been fatal." The crowd gave the dog water and called the police. Costa told CTV that the owners were confused and embarrassed when they finally arrived, and were told by responding officers to report to the local police station. There is no report yet of warnings issued or charges filed against the owners. Related Video: News Source: CTV, AMVA Auto News Weird Car News BMW Safety Videos heat

BMW plugs in new X5 xDrive40e PHEV crossover

BMW broke with its own convention when it rolled out the original X5 back in 1999, and did it again when it launched the i3 and i8 plug-in hybrids in 2013. Now it's bringing the two together with the reveal of the new X5 xDrive40e. Based on the third-generation F15 model and previewed by the X5 eDrive concept at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show, the X5 xDrive40e is the first PHEV from the core BMW brand. Its hybrid powertrain pairs a 2.0-liter turbo four (itself good for 245 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque) to an electric motor integrated into the eight-speed automatic transmission (contributing another 113 hp and 184 lb-ft) for a total combined output of 313 hp and 332 lb-ft. That makes it more powerful by both counts than the six-cylinder X5 xDrive35i (though considerably less so than the V8-powered xDrive50i), giving it a quoted 0-62 time of 6.8 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 130 mph. But it can travel up to 19 miles on electric power alone, at which top speed is limited to 75 mph. BMW has mounted the 9-kWh lithium-ion battery pack underneath the luggage floor, limiting cargo capacity to between 17.65 and 60.7 cubic feet, depending on how you set up the rear seats. An adaptive suspension keeps it all on an even keel, with power transmitted to all four wheels through a permanent all-wheel-drive system. An M model it is not, but the Bavarian automaker will offer it with an M Sport package. Full details on pricing and availability have yet to be announced, but the X5 xDrive40e is set to hit European dealers in the fall. The BMW X5 xDrive40e The first plug-in hybrid production car from the BMW core brand is a Sports Activity Vehicle. Permanent all-wheel drive and the BMW EfficientDynamics eDrive technology endow the BMW X5 xDrive40e with sensational sportiness and supreme poise on the one hand and outstanding efficiency on the other. With a total system output of 230 kW/313 hp generated by a four-cylinder petrol engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo technology and a synchronous electric motor, the BMW X5 xDrive40e achieves a combined fuel consumption of 3.4 – 3.3 litres per 100 kilometres (83.1 – 85.6 mpg imp) and a combined electricity consumption of 15.4 – 15.3 kWh over the same distance. CO2 emissions come in at 78 – 77 grams per kilometre (figures according to EU test cycle for plug-in hybrid vehicles, may vary depending on the tyre format specified).