BMW, which is showing its new i3 full-electric compact and i8 hybrid-electric sports coupe at the Vancouver International Auto 2014 BMW i3 at the Vancouver International Auto Show. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann,…

BMW sets 100,000 electric vehicle sales goal by 2020

BMW, which is showing its new i3 full-electric compact and i8 hybrid-electric sports coupe at the Vancouver International Auto Show this week, is targeting 100,000 electrified vehicle sales by the year 2020, a year chosen so that it can meet more stringent European Union emission standards that were to be applied on the first year of the next decade.

BMW won't likely stop at the mass-market i3 or its niche-oriented i8 in its quest to reach 100,000 EV unit sales by 2020, so expect adaptations of the new models as well as additional "i" models in coming years.

Production of the new i3 and i8 will nevertheless be increased in 2018 in anticipation of achieving the 100,000-unit goal, said BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer to reporters earlier this week. The German brand wants to reduce its average emissions by 105 grams per km within the next six years, which would be a significant improvement over the 133 gram/km its vehicles emit now. The EU's industry-wide goal is 95 grams/km Read Full Story
Have you taken a look at BMW’s incredibly diverse lineup these days? Its 3 Series and new 4 Series say it all. If you haven’t heard Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press yet, the 4 Series…

2014 BMW 335i Gran Turismo xDrive Road Test Review

Have you taken a look at BMW's incredibly diverse lineup these days? Its 3 Series and new 4 Series say it all. If you haven't heard yet, the 4 Series is an updated version of the old 3 Series coupe, convertible and new four-door Gran Coupe endowed with a new numerical designation, which means that they use the same underpinnings as the four-door sedan and five-door liftback 3s. Tally the total of 3 Series sedan, Touring (wagon) and this Gran Touring (hatchback) I'm covering here, along with the X3 crossover, and then add in the 4 Series Coupe, Cabriolet (convertible), four-door Gran Coupe, and the sporty new X4 crossover coupe, and there are a total of eight body styles being built upon the back of the 3 Series, a line that only comprised two to three body styles back in its earlier years. How times and tastes have changed. The 3 Series Gran Touring fits into this menagerie perfectly.

Truly, along with its arguable good looks and enviable performance, my 2014 BMW 335i Gran Touring, Read Full Story
Is Nissan giving us another possible glimpse at the upcoming next-generation Maxima? The Japanese brand showed us the Sport Sedan Concept   at the 2014 North American International Auto Show in Detroit…

Nissan New Sedan Concept teased ahead of Beijing auto show

Is Nissan giving us another possible glimpse at the upcoming next-generation Maxima? The Japanese brand showed us the Sport Sedan Concept at the 2014 North American International Auto Show in Detroit last January, and now we're preparing for the New Sedan Concept that will be unveiled at Auto China 2014 in Beijing on April 20.

At first glance the New Sedan Concept looks much the same as the Sport Sedan Concept, but of course it's merely a teaser image that only shows the front portion of the car, wrapped loosely in a semi-transparent sheet. Just the same, it's easy to make out its V-shaped grille and unique headlight design. We'll have to wait for more teasers or the real deal to get a better idea of what Nissan is planning.

The New Sedan Concept targets "Chinese digital lifestyle" customers, says Nissan, which is marketing-speak for younger and upwardly mobile enough to own a smartphone and tablet.

It's quite possible that the New Sedan Concept is the Chinese Read Full Story
You’d think after spending time in a new Fiesta ST that the regular Fiesta would seem a bit on the boring side, but not so. Certainly Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press the ST is a rare…

2014 Ford Fiesta SE Hatchback Road Test Review

You'd think after spending time in a new Fiesta ST that the regular Fiesta would seem a bit on the boring side, but not so. Certainly the ST is a rare and wonderful whirlwind of fresh air to drive, but as far as subcompact hatchbacks go the little Fiesta SE I recently tested out is impressive on all counts.

For 2014, Ford currently offers the Fiesta with two engines and three transmissions, the ST getting a 197-horsepower 1.6-litre turbocharged, direct-injection EcoBoost four connecting through to a six-speed manual, and all other models getting Ford's 120 horsepower DOHC, 16-valve, Ti-VCT 1.6-litre four-cylinder with 112 lb-ft of torque driving the front wheels via a five-speed manual or a sophisticated six-speed PowerShift dual-clutch automatic. Of course, nearly 200 hp sounds pretty feisty compared to 120, and let me tell you there's much more to the fabulous little Fiesta ST than just its high-revving mighty might engine, but most of us regular folks are just trying to get Read Full Story
I have to be honest with you. I wasn’t expecting the Compass to impress me. First off, it’s styling is miles better than its first Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press generation, secondly…

2014 Jeep Compass Limited 4×4 Road Test Review

I have to be honest with you. I wasn't expecting the Compass to impress me. First off, it's styling is miles better than its first generation, secondly it has one of the nicest interiors in its class, plus its totally accommodating inside, and is sportier feeling on the road than I remember the previous model being.

Jeep updated the Compass for the 2011 model year, giving it some of the Grand Cherokee's good looks while also revising the suspension for better handling, reworking the interior with more soft-touch materials and better electronics, while giving the little ute the option of real off-road capability. Now, three model years later, the Compass looks much the same as that redo while features have become more plentiful; especially in my top-line Limited model.

Jeep offers the Compass Limited with three transmissions, a standard five-speed manual, a $1,495 six-speed automatic and a $2,500 continuously variable (CVT) that's actually the one you'd want if you plan Read Full Story
It’s no secret that the current Acura TSX and TL models are in need of updates, but you might be surprised to find out that Honda’s The 2014 TLX Prototype wears Acura’s trademark grille.…

Acura to debut 2015 TLX at New York auto show next month

It's no secret that the current Acura TSX and TL models are in need of updates, but you might be surprised to find out that Honda's luxury brand is planning to replace both at once with a single model.

It's true. The upcoming 2015 Acura TLX not only combines the TSX and TL names, but will also form a concerted effort to pull more premium sport-luxury sedan buyers away from the likes of Infiniti's new Q50, Lexus' IS series, Cadillac's ATS, Volvo's S60, not to mention the big three Germans, Audi's A4, BMW's 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz' C-Class. And according to Acura, in less than a month we'll know exactly what the luxury brand has planned.

The new production-ready 2015 Acura TLX will makes its debut as part of the 2014 New York International Auto Show at 1:50 pm (EST) on April 16 inside Manhattan's Jacob Javits Convention Center. You might remember that a TLX Prototype was unveiled at the Detroit auto show in January and then made its Canadian debut in Toronto last month, Read Full Story
The latest Boxster roadster and Cayman sport coupe are superb little sports cars, offering fabulous performance in a nice, light, 2015 Porsche Boxster GTS (Photo: Porsche) agile package, but a little…

Porsche shows new 2015 Boxster GTS and Cayman GTS

The latest Boxster roadster and Cayman sport coupe are superb little sports cars, offering fabulous performance in a nice, light, agile package, but a little more power along with a bit better handling never hurts, right? That's always the premise behind Porsche's GTS trim level. It's long been one notch below top-of-the-line Turbo models with the Panamera and Cayenne (as well as previous iterations of the 911), but it forms the new top-tier package for the Boxster and Cayman lines.

Most noticeable will be styling enhancements including new revised front and rear fascias with blacked out trim, blackened bi-xenon headlights integrating the Porsche Dynamic Light System (PDLS) as standard, blackened taillights, and "silky black gloss" exterior lettering. While these trim details will be exciting to some, it's what's between the rear bulkhead and tiny trunklet that truly intrigues.

The new GTS models are moulded from the already soul stirring Boxster S and Cayman S trims, Read Full Story
Smiles abound in Ingolstadt right about now, as that German city’s four-ringed pride and joy leads the blue and white roundel Audi is ahead of BMW in the global luxury segment sales race, and models…

Audi jumps ahead of BMW in worldwide luxury brand sales

Smiles abound in Ingolstadt right about now, as that German city's four-ringed pride and joy leads the blue and white roundel bunch from Bayerische, 80 km down the A9, in the global premium brand sales race. It's true. Audi is ahead of BMW on the worldwide sales charts, albeit by only 383 vehicles over the first two months of 2014.

Audi says that it's sold 242,400 units from January 1 through February 28, a 9.3-percent gain over the same period last year, whereas BMW is only up 8.9 percent with 242,017 units sold over the same period.

"Competition in the premium segment is more intense than ever," stated Audi CEO Rupert Stadler in a Bloomberg report. According to Bloomberg, Audi was 429 units behind BMW during the same two months last year, which when added to the 383-unit lead it has now represents an 812-unit gain over January and February last year.

BMW has been the leader of luxury vehicle sales for the past nine years, having taken over the reigns from Read Full Story