BMW leaks specs for the 220i and 220d

Presented on their BMW website, some interesting specs emerged about the new BMW 2 Series, namely the 220i and 220d.

The BMW 220i will be using the N20 2 liter, 4 cylinder engine as before, capable of dishing out some 184 Hp and 270 Nm of torque. Fuel consumption depends on the transmission, with the manual managing 6.1 liters/100 km, while the automatic one will do 5.7 liters/100 km.

Moving on to the diesel burning 220d, we find it is powered by the N47 unit, capable of delivering the same power of 184 Hp and 380 Nm of torque. As expected, the fuel efficiency is better for this version, with the manual transmission managing 4.5 liters/100 km and the automatic transmission 4.2 liters/100 km.

As a bonus, the new BMW 2 Series will also benefit from CFRP technology developed for the electric BMW i3.

GM to expand web app to allow customers to buy cars

General Motors has introduced “Shop-Click-Drive,” a web application to allow customers to research automobile purchases and arrange them with local dealers before visiting a showroom, or skip the dealer altogether and is preparing to offer it on a national scale, according to a summary in AutoGuide.com, which cites Automotive News as its source.

General Motors has also introduced a website about the program. Go to the “Shop-Click-Drive” website.

China Sales chief at GM’s microvan venture resigns

Yang Jie, sales chief of SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile Co., has resigned for personal reasons, the company said.

SGMW has yet to name Yang’s successor. Yang joined the company in 1997 as an engineer in its paint shop. He later became a sales manager and was made SGMW’s sales chief in 2009.

Porsche plans 2014 profit gain as Macan joins 918 in lineup

Porsche said profit growth is likely to resume in 2014. Porsche’s 18% return on sales makes it one of the world’s most profitable automakers

Citroen wants new C-line models to emphasize simplicity

Citroen’s C4 Cactus, which will be unveiled in February and go on sale in mid-2014, will be the first model from the carmaker’s C-line which has been designed to be comfortable and practical.

Smaller carmakers face squeeze from China’s ‘lemon law’

A beefed-up vehicle warranty law that took effect this week is unlikely to burden global automakers, but will probably raise costs for smaller local players that may add to pressure for eventual consolidation in China’s fragmented car industry.

The new “lemon law” gives Chinese consumers nearly as much protection as enjoyed by their counterparts in the United States to obtain free repairs or replacement of defective vehicles.

Dongfeng breaks ground for EV assembly plant

Dongfeng Motor Corp. began building a plant on Sunday to produce electric cars and plug-in hybrid vehicles, according to local media. The company is constructing the plant in the central China city of Wuhan, where Dongfeng is headquartered. The facility will launch production toward the end of 2014.

Ferrari sees Japan sales rising 30%

Ferrari expects its Japan car sales to rise by 30 percent this year as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe seeks to lead the country out of 15 years of deflation.

Renault expands Morocco plant to meet strong Dacia demand in Europe

Renault is expanding Dacia production at its plant in Tangier, Morocco, to help meet strong demand in Europe for the Sandero, the carmaker’s top-selling model in the region.

Renault-Nissan plans production in Nigeria

Renault-Nissan plans to build vehicles in Nigeria with a local partner as Nissan prepares to make the country a significant manufacturing hub in Africa, CEO Carlos Ghosn said.

BMW brand sales rose 8% in September on U.S., Asia demand

BMW brand sales in September rose 8 percent on demand from the United States and Asia. Nine-month deliveries increased 9 percent.

Mercedes gains ground on BMW, Audi as CLA lifts sales

Mercedes-Benz gained ground on rivals BMW and Audi last month as the introduction of its latest compact model, the CLA, helped boost deliveries

Lamborghini scales back sales expectations in China

After years of profiting from China’s appetite for high-priced toys, makers of hyper-luxury cars are shifting their focus back to more traditional markets such as the United States and Japan.

“The U.S. is really getting back on track and getting more important for us,” Lamborghini S.p.A. CEO Stephan Winkelmann said in an interview in Tokyo. In China, “there is a slowdown in high-end luxury,” he said.

SAIC opens parts sourcing unit in Shanghai’s free trade zone

SAIC Motor Corp. launched a subsidiary this week that will source and ship components to the Chinese automaker’s overseas subsidiaries. The company is based in China’s first free trade zone in Shanghai, qualifying it for preferential trade polices. The company’s 100,000-square-meter warehouse will source auto parts worth 20 billion yuan ($3.3 billion) annually within five years.

PSA confirms partnership talks after report says Dongfeng plans 30% stake

PSA/Peugeot-Citroen said it is in talks on potential new overseas partnerships after a Chinese newspaper reported that Dongfeng Motor may buy a 30 percent stake in the French automkaer for $1.63 billion.

ThyssenKrupp helps trim weight in new Skoda Octavia

ThyssenKrupp cut 20 percent from the weight of the crankshaft in the new Skoda Octavia’s revised 1.2- and 1.4-liter TSI gasoline engines. That contribution helped Skoda parent Volkswagen Group shave 22kg from the engines.

Next-generation Mini could have up to 10 variants

The Mini brand is set to undergo a major change as up to 10 next-generation models adopt the front-wheel-drive UKL architecture from parent BMW.

Jaguar Land Rover seeks Brazil carmaking experts; eyes entry into market

Jaguar Land Rover is seeking managers with manufacturing experience in Brazil as it mulls following rivals Audi, Mercedes and BMW in building a plant in world’s fourth-biggest auto market.

Mazda wants to sell about 500,000 Mazda3s a year

Mazda aims to sell about 500,000 redesigned Mazda3 compact cars a year around the world, CEO Masamichi Kogai said, setting the highest target ever for its best-selling model.

Jaguar Land Rover exec Edwards to run brand-boosting unit

Jaguar Land Rover named John Edwards to head its newly created individual products division. Edwards was Land Rover’s global brand director until a management reshuffle.

Bentley says China slowdown continues

Sales of Bentley cars in China fell 17 percent in the first nine months of 2013, adding to other indications that the market for high-end goods in China is shrinking.

Volkswagen says group sales rise 7% as China offsets Europe drop

VW said group vehicle sales for its brands, which include Audi and Porsche, increased 7 percent in September as strong demand from China outweighed declining deliveries in Europe.