BMW's 'Demo' Sales Boost Results

BMW AG recently reported it sold 21,297 of its flagship-brand cars in the U.S. in July. But those numbers are not as straightforward as they appear.

Hundreds of BMWs counted as sold in July remain in showroom inventories and are still advertised for sale as new cars, according to dealers.

The company made a special offer to dealers on July 31. For one day only, the dealers would receive discounts of as much as $7,000 per 2012-model car as long as each vehicle was reported as sold that day.

The number of such deals raises questions about the accuracy of ...

bmw

bmw
bmw
bmw
bmw
bmw

bmw cars pic

bmw

Mazda MX-5, Toyota Venza mostly stay the course

Mazda MX-5, Toyota Venza mostly stay the course
They may be very different in form and market niche, but the Mazda MX-5 and Toyota Venza are both excellent vehicles that offer a lot of value and/or fun to their owners. And that’s nothing to sneeze at.

Both cars are also inching toward the end of their life cycles in their current forms, so their respective manufacturers are adding new content to keep potential clients interested – not that there isn’t plenty of incentive to love these cars already.

And though I’m covering them both in one column, since neither is particularly new this year, they couldn’t be a lot more different. Sure, they both have four wheels and the usual electronic and safety nannies, but that’s just about all these two cars share in common. The MX-5 is Mazda’s dynamic little two seat roadster – Mazda’s little bundle of joy, as I like to call it – while the Venza is a terrific crossover/wagon-type thing that’s a comfortable, roomy and efficient hauler of people and stuff.

Mazda
Mazda
Mazda
Mazda
Mazda

New Opel Astra Cars pictures

Opel
Opel
Opel
Opel
Opel

audi R8 e-tron to feature digital AMOLED rear-view mirror

Filed Under Transportation
Audi R8 e-tron to feature digital AMOLED rear-view mirror
By Edgar Alvarez posted Aug 11th 2012

Audi R8 e-tron to feature digital AMOLED rear-view mirror

Audi's R18 racing car's been sporting this digital rear-view mirror for some time, and was most recently spotted with it at the renowned LeMans racing competition -- but now the German outfit's bringing the tech to a more consumer-friendly vehicle, the R8 e-tron. The luxurious automobile company announced that gorgeous 7.7-inch reflector is making its way from its speedy R18 to the stunning R8 e-tron, marking the first time any ride outside of the former will come loaded with such feature. In case you weren't aware, the AMOLED rear-view mirror helps automatically reduce headlights glare "during the hours of darkness," while also allowing drivers to dim or turn it off altogether if, you know, they're just not feeling the vibe.
audi
audi
audi
audi

Mercedes Benz-regarded as the first automobile

Mercedes-Benz (German pronunciation: is a multinational division of the German manufacturer Daimler AG, and the brand is used for automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The name first appeared in 1926 under Daimler-Benz but traces its origins to Daimler's 1901 Mercedes and to Karl Benz's 1886 Benz Patent Motorwagen, widely regarded as the first automobile.
Mercedes Benz
Mercedes Benz
Mercedes Benz
Mercedes Benz
Mercedes Benz

Opel's GTC tugs at the heart strings

From once being a fairly charismatic brand – I remember lusting after the Superboss Kadett in my pubescent years – the lightning slash lost some of its sporty allure as it became more grown up and fuddy-duddy over the years.

In recent years the passion’s been reignited with cars wearing high-performance OPC badges, and the introduction of the Astra GTC coupé to bring some style and aspiration to the Opel party. The previous GTC three-door sold here from 2006 until 2009, and in March this year the latest generation was launched on local shores, fresh from its international debut at the Frankfurt Motorshow in September 2011.

Though it shares a basic platform with the Astra five-door hatch, the GTC isn’t simply a three-door version and the two cars don’t share a single body panel. The GTC coupé is wider, lower and has a longer wheelbase than its five-door cousin, giving it much cooler curves. It’s styling that makes women go weak at the knees while the car’s broad “shoulders” give it a masculine and hunkered-down look that goes down well with the lads too.

Engine power isn’t quite as athletic as the styling, and the model choices in the new Opel GTC are an Enjoy version powered by a 103kW 1.4-litre unit and a 1.6 Sport with 132kW on tap – both turbocharged petrol engines.

The 132kW version on test here doesn’t quite make it into hot hatch territory, and is down on power from the 147kW 2-litre turbo engine that powered the flagship version of the previous Astra GTC that sold here a couple of years back.
Opel
Opel
Opel
Opel