BMW 4 Series advertisement

There has been so much hype about the 4 Series even before it took shape, that by now, everybody even remotely interested in the industry knows about it.

For this very reason (and the fact that it’s awesome), the new model is sure to leave the dealerships quite fast, so any boon gained by an extensive advertisement campaign is rendered moot.

Still, for a company like BMW, if you get a nice idea about a small ad, why not use it? It couldn’t hurt, right? And in just 16 seconds they managed not only to put their product in a very nice light, but also get a laugh out of the viewers… well, most of them, anyway.

Hailed as a worthy successor to the BMW 3 Series Coupe, the 4 Series has a lot to prove, and initial reports say it is just as good or even better than the 3 Series it follows. And with some select markets already getting their grubby fingers on the car, some real feedback from users will soon start to arise, most likely depicting how great a car it is. For those that still have to wait, watch the video below for a bit of 4 Series taste.

ACEA’s new chief Jonnaert takes up office

Erik Jonnaert started as the new secretary general of ACEA today. He succeeds Ivan Hodac.

Ford’s Asian plants outproduce Ford of Europe

Ford vehicles assembled in China and the rest of Asia now outnumber those built in Europe for the first time as the automaker strives to grow in emerging markets in the region.

Daimler will build Mercedes C class and GLA in Brazil

Daimler will open a new plant in Brazil to build Mercedes cars. The plant will produce the C class sedan and GLA compact SUV.

GM’s Spain plant will build minivans for Opel and PSA

General Motors’ Opel factory in Spain will build subcompact minivans for Opel and PSA/Peugeot-Citroen. The minivans will be based on a PSA platform

VAT hike limits Italy’s September car sales decline to 3%

A hike in VAT helped to limit Italy’s decline in car sales in September to 3 percent by artificially inflating demand.

Car sales decline slows to 1% in Germany in September

Germany’s new-car sales fell by just 1 percent in September, raising hopes that Europe’s battered car market may be on the road to recovery.

Opel will reduce Adam minicar production

Opel will reduce output of its Adam minicar car this month, but denied media reports that suggested the cuts were due to falling demand.

RAC offering 40% off breakdown cover

Buyers who purchase breakdown cover from the RAC online before 4 November 2013 will be entitled to a 40% discount. The offer applies to Roadside and Recovery level cover or above. That means you’ll still get a discount if you choose optional extras, like cover for breakdowns at home and onward travel cover.

The RAC claims that its patrols manage to repair four out of five breakdowns at the roadside and that 98% of its customers would recommend RAC Rescue to friends and family. As with all special offers there are various terms and conditions which are displayed on the RAC website.

Top Kia Carens now available with touchscreen sat nav

Kia has extended the appeal of its top spec Carens MPV by adding the ‘3 Sat Nav’ variant, which gets a seven inch touchscreen system with satellite navigation on top of standard ‘3’ spec. The updated model is available to order now and is priced at £24,845 on the road.

As well as the sat nav system buyers will benefit from dual zone climate control, a full length panoramic roof and an upgraded audio system. All variants are fitted with a 1.7-litre CRDi diesel engine with 134PS, coupled with a six-speed manual transmission.

Without reform, China’s economy may crash

In November, the central government will present the long-awaited catalog of economic reforms to the party’s Central Committee. The proposals will indicate whether China is serious about restructuring the economy. Any adjustments to economic policy would have a great impact on the automotive market. In the first eight months of the year, China’s light-vehicle sales increased 13 percent year-on-year, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. We expect growth to slow to 10 percent this year, with prospects for a further slowdown in 2014.

Volvo unveils joint venture in Daqing

Volvo Car Corp. unveiled its joint venture with Chinese parent Zhejiang Geely Holding Group last week in the northeast China city of Daqing. Geely holds a 70 percent stake in the new joint venture, while Volvo owns the remainder. Volvo’s joint venture is scheduled to launch trial production this year. After reaching full production, it will produce up to 80,000 vehicles a year.

Dongfeng: ‘Far’ from a decision on PSA stake

Dongfeng Motor Co., China’s second-largest automaker, said it’s “far” from making any decision on investing in PSA Peugeot Citroen after being contacted by investment banks. “We indeed received information from investment banks regarding PSA and we are doing preliminary research on it,” said Song Hefeng, an official at Dongfeng’s legal and securities affairs department. “We have not come up with any conclusion yet — far from reaching that point.”

PSA woos prospective buyers with French flair

PSA Peugeot Citroen’s dealers in China give away French wine and perfume to prospective customers, sending the message that a country that produces such fine luxuries must also make good cars. Connecting the Paris-based company’s vehicles to the allure of its homeland has become even more critical for PSA as it prepares to shift upmarket and challenge the German luxury brands.

Qoros sedan earns five-star rating in Europe crash test

Qoros Auto Co. received a five-star rating in the Euro New Car Assessment Program crash test for its first production model, the Qoros 3 compact sedan. The company is the first China-based automaker to achieve a five-star crash test rating in Europe, said Qoros, a joint venture between Chery Automobile Co. and Israeli investment company Israel Corp.

JAC to assemble cars in Ukraine

Jianghuai Automobile Co. will start assembling cars in Ukraine this year with complete knockdown kits imported from China. The state-owned Chinese automaker said it also plans to export vehicles assembled from the CKD plant in Ukraine to Russia and other countries in the former Soviet bloc.

BMW, Hyundai, Kia recall more than 181,000 cars

BMW AG, Hyundai Motor Co. and Hyundai affiliate Kia Motors Corp. are recalling a total of 181,492 cars in China, the country’s quality watchdog said on Friday. BMW’s China venture, BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd., is recalling 75,832 units of the BMW 5 series, including 88 imported cars, to fix faulty socket adapters for taillights, according to the Web site of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.

F15 BMW X5 – Intelligent safety button video

Today’s cars have a plethora of tech incorporated into them, ranging from driving assistants to comfort features and even some vanity tech.

And it has been several years since this huge amount of features have been used on premium cars.

BMW, being one the the premium car making giants, is up to date with pretty much every piece of tech on its cars. Problem is that with so many features, it is quite hard to get accustomed to most of it. And since each manufacturer adopts a different style to tackle this problem, newcomers to BMW might struggle even more.

Still, far be it from BMW to let you struggle in vain. On the latest iteration of their F15 BMW X5 they installed a button that makes it easy to control the basic safety features installed, like the Frontal Collision Warning, Pedestrian Warning, Lane Departure Warning and Active Blindspot Detection. It is all done with a simple button.

In a short video, they explain exactly how to use this new button, located just below the hazard lights button. You can watch the video.

Cooper shareholders set to approve $2.5 billion Apollo deal

Cooper Tire and Rubber Co. shareholders will likely approve on Monday the U.S. company’s $2.5 billion (15.3 billion yuan) sale to India’s Apollo Tires, in a transaction that is expected to create the world’s seventh-largest tire maker. A green light from Cooper shareholders will bring Apollo one step closer to completing the takeover, although hurdles still remain due to opposition from workers at Cooper’s joint venture in China.

Time for Beijing to scrap outdated automotive regulator

Sixty-one years ago, China’s central government created an all-powerful agency to oversee the nation’s industries. The National Development and Reform Commission can decide whether a Chinese automaker should be allowed to form a joint venture with a foreign partner, build an assembly plant or expand an existing factory. Despite the economic reforms of 1978 — when China began to dismantle its Stalinist economy — the commission still exists. It is time to scrap this outdated regulatory body. 

Skoda announces Rapid Spaceback pricing

Skoda has announced pricing and specification details for the Rapid Spaceback estate. Prices start at £14,340 for the entry-level 86PS 1.2 TSI in S trim and rise to £18,640 for the top-spec 105PS 1.6 TDI GreenTech in Elegance trim. Other engines offered are a 1.4 TSI with 122PS, a 105PS version of the 1.2 TSI and a 90PS version of the 1.6 TDI. Both the 1.4 TSI and 1.6 TDI are available with a DSG automatic gearbox.

Standard specification includes air conditioning and electric front windows but the S model misses out on a few key features. The SE model, priced from £15,480 gains alloy wheels, rear parking sensors, cruise control and Bluetooth while Elegance models get climate control and cornering lights among other things. All models have a 415-litre boot – which is actually a touch smaller than a regular Rapid – but should be a little more practical thanks to its shape.

Schaeffler replaces CEO Geissinger to overhaul strategy

German supplier Schaeffler says it has replaced Juergen Geissinger as CEO to pave the way for a change in strategy at the company.

Volvo names new U.S. chief in shakeup to boost sales, marketing

Volvo tapped the head of its finance arm as acting boss for the United States as part of a management shakeup to boost the automaker’s lackluster sales and marketing in the U.S.

Marchionne says Fiat no closer to Chrysler deal amid talks

Fiat is no closer to reaching an agreement to buy a UAW health-care trust’s stake in Chrysler, but negotiations will continue, CEO Sergio Marchionne said.