Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Automotive Addicts

Automotive Addicts

AutomotiveAddicts.com Downtime Issue Resolved

Posted: 10 May 2011 07:21 PM PDT


We would like to apologize to all of our readers for our site unavailability May 10, 2011 around 7pm till 10pm. Our hosting provider had a catastrophic internal issue totally out of our hands. We are in the process of making sure this does not happen again in the future. The Fire has been put out!

Thank you for your understanding and continued readership.

Video: The Smoking Tire Reviews 2011 BMW M3 Competition Package

Posted: 10 May 2011 11:07 AM PDT


The Smoking Tire’s host Matt Farah returns to the site where his old show, Garage419, left off on the Pacific Coast Highway. This time he returns to one of the most beautiful roads in America behind the wheel of the all-new performance oriented 2011 BMW M3 Competition Package.

The new 2011 BMW M3 Competition Package embodies the best that the current E92-body BMW M3 has to offer featuring competition package specific suspension, wider wheels and body accents. Basically, the competition package turns this naturally-aspirated V8 monster into the baddest M3 you can get in America. Matt takes us on a journey in the new BMW M3 Competition Package reiterating how the M3 still is the benchmark for all sport coupe vehicles. Enjoy!

[source: The Smoking Tire]

Report: Subaru Tribeca, Mazda6 Living On Borrowed Time

Posted: 10 May 2011 08:58 AM PDT


If Japan's Nikkan Kogyo newspaper is correct, both the Subaru Tribeca crossover and the Mazda6 sedan may be put to rest in the very near future. Subaru has stopped working on development of a next-generation Tribeca, primarily since the current version has sold just 910 units year to date. The Tribeca is chewing up production capacity at Subaru's Indiana plant, which could be used to produce more high-demand Legacy and Outback models. Even a design change from the original (and controversial) styling hasn't been enough to boost Tribeca sales, since consumers have a hard time figuring out exactly where the crossover excels against its competition.

Mazda phasing out the Mazda6 would come as more of a surprise, since it would leave them without a mid-size sedan. Sales of the Mazda6 have failed to meet expectations since the 2008 redesign: Mazda had hoped for annual production of 100,000 units, but built less than half of that in 2010. Should Mazda pull the plug on the Mazda6, it's entirely possible that they'd abandon the Flat Rock, MI facility in favor of one with lower operating costs, and sources have Mazda considering a switch to manufacturing in Mexico.

Neither the Tribeca nor the Mazda6 are bad choices, but both lack a strong identity. The Tribeca went from quirky styling to bland styling, and even an upscale interior isn't enough to draw in buyers. Lower pricing would probably boost sales, at least temporarily, but the real issue is the population of other viable choices in the segment. The Tribeca simply isn't better at anything than its competitors, many of which offer a lower price. The Mazda6, on the other hand, is competitive enough against offerings from Honda and Toyota, but it lacks distinctive styling or performance. Where's the Mazdaspeed version? Where's the manual transmission option for trim levels above the base model? For a manufacturer that built its reputation on racing and fun-to-drive cars, the Mazda6 almost seems like an afterthought. Maybe it really is time to pull the plug.

Source: Autoweek

BMW Reminds You That The 5 Series Is Fuel Efficient

Posted: 10 May 2011 08:55 AM PDT


OK, kids, you definitely don't want to try this stunt at home. Imagine tooling down a desert highway with a tanker aircraft just a few feet over your head; one gust of wind, one wrong control input and it's over, Johnny. Think "smoking crater in the desert floor" and you get the picture. Sure, I know this was done via CGI, but the very thought of attempting this stunt still makes me pucker. It does make for a cool video, though, so enjoy BMW's efforts to tell you that the new 5 Series gets up to 32 miles per gallon below.

It's worth mentioning that only the 528i is rated at 32 MPG on the highway, and that the car's 3.0 liter inline-six only cranks out 240 horsepower. That's not a lot for a sedan that tips the scales at over 3,800 pounds, which would have me leaning towards the 535i. It still gets 28 MPG on the highway, but packs a much more reasonable 300 horsepower and 300 pound feet of torque. Of course a turbo diesel would be the ideal compromise for a car like the 5 Series, so let's hope that BMW begins thinking along those lines for future U.S. models.
Posted by Didik Rg at 6:06 AM

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