Test Drive: 2010 BMW 118d

By Kevin Harrison

For this new car review I’ll skip my usual pretentious introduction where I talk about something that seemingly has nothing to do with the car, but then I somehow tie it all together at the end . Because this review is definitely very unique – it’s about a car that isn’t even available for sale in Canada.

Why even bother writing a review that very few Canadians will get to drive? Well, for that very reason. It’s a unique experience. But on top of that, this is a car that BMW very well could bring over to Canada and it would fit in quite nicely. BMW currently sells its 1-series in two forms (coupe and cabriolet) in Canada, but there are some people that may not realize that there is actually a hatchback version available world wide everywhere but here. I think that’s a mistake. While the 1-series hatchback may not be palatable to American taste buds, Canadians tend to find hatchbacks more agreeable.

On top of that, this particular model would likely do quite well. It’s a diesel and diesels are well suited for long distance driving. And if you haven’t noticed, Canada has the second largest land mass in the world. As a result not only do we do lots of driving, but we are the 3rd largest emitters of carbon dioxide (CO2) per person in the world because of it.

So is the 118d a car that we’re missing out on, or is it best kept elsewhere?

Read the rest of this entry »

What Colour Will The Next Stig Be?

There is definitely going to be a new Stig.

If you haven’t already heard, the Stig’s identity has actually been revealed as Ben Collins. I didn’t write any blog posts about it when all the hoopla was going on because I honestly didn’t want to know the identity of the Stig, so I didn’t follow it. But it’s next to impossible to shelter yourself from Top Gear news. I don’t know why Ben Collins decided to out himself as the Stig, but he has and it has cost him the best job in the entire world. Stupid, Ben. Just stupid.

Obviously the show can’t go on when everyone knows who the Stig is, so the Top Gear crew is currently seeking their new Stig. Jeremy Clarkson has come up with the idea of having a “Stig Farm” where stigs are cultivated on mass.  And since Ben Collins (or a man playing him in Stig form) will likely be killed off once the new season begins, the new Stig will have to dawn a different colour.

Hardcore Top Gear fans that have been following the show since it’s old format (like me) will remember that even before white Stig there was black Stig who met his untimely death once he got his identity revealed as well. Judging by the picture, a new coloured Stig is likely.

Which colour do you like? I’m thinking blue, but having a pink Stig would be quite hilarious.

[The Sun]

Shocker: Euro Brands Are Still Unreliable

Consumer Reports has revealed its annual 2010 reliability scores and predictably, the Asian brands killed, the domestic brands are on the rise and the Euro brands remain as uneliable as Metro Transit’s bus services.

While this is hardly breaking news, it did seem that the Euro brands were making some heaway over the past few years with BMW and Mercedes-Benz finding themselves above the industry average. This time around, the sport luxury heavyweights are all near the bottom with different problems.

BMW, it seems, is still having problems with its N54 engine which is bringing its overall scores down. As a result BMW’s least reliable model is the 135i and surprisingly the M3 is its most reliable model.

Mercedes-Benz on the other hand has 6 models rated below the industry average with most experiencing electric issues.

Audi is also doing terribly with 75% (!) of its models ranking below industry average. Audi’s least relaible vehicle is apparently the A6 3.0T. In fact, Audi has the second worst reliability score behind Chrysler. Oddly enough, Volkswagen is doing much better as it ranks 10 spots up from Audi.

It’s not all bad news for the Euro brands, however. Porsche is ranked 2nd for best reliability, while Volvo is ranked 8th overall. That is the first time in a long time that the Swedish brand has been able to crack the top 10. Porsche’s least reliable model is the 911 while the Boxter gets the nod for most reliable. For Volvo the XC90 is worst while its best is the C30.

Another odd ranking worth noting is Chevrolet who ranks 17th overall, but the Corvette Z06 is its most reliable vehicle (unsurprisingly the Aveo is its worst). But this could likely be explained by the sheer volume of model a brand sells. The Corvette likely has good reliability scores because they are niche vehicles and as such, they don’t sell in great numbers, therefore there won’t be as many Corvettes in Chevy’s service bays as say a volume seller like the Aveo.

[Consumer Reports]

Alfa Romeo Giulietta Coming in 2012 As A Dodge

Beggers can’t be choosers I guess.

It would’ve been amazing to have the Alfa Romeo Giulietta in its current form, but apparently North Americans will have to settle for a Dodge version. It’s probably because the vomit inducing Caliber is scheduled to end its 5 year cycle in 2011. It will be officially dicontinued next year, so something needs to replace it and the Giulietta is a good fit.

As long as Chrysler doesn’t Americanize the design too much, it shouldn’t be too bad. Like I said, we’re lucky we’re getting the Giulietta at all.

We should also consider ourselves lucky as this likely won’t be the only Alfa to grace our shores as Fiat head Sergio Marchionne has promised at least 20% Italian influence into the faultering Chrysler brand.

Marchionne is also a Canadian, so thankfully he’s hooking us up with some sweet Euro product. Maybe we’ll even see some Canada only models? One would hope.

[USA Today]

Nissan LEAF Has 7 Second 0-100 Time?

The Green Car advisor is shedding some light on just how fast the world’s first mass produced electric vehicle can go.

After rumours of its time being in the 5 to 13 second range, they were able to consistently get 7 seconds. That’s not bad at all, considering it takes a 4 cylinder Toyota Camry 9 seconds, a Toyota Prius, 9.8 seconds and the LEAF’s direct competitor, the Chevy Volt, 8.8 seconds.

On top of that, the LEAF apparently has a top speed of 150 kph. That number could and should be a bit higher, but it means the LEAF is definitely usable on the highway.

Can’t wait to try one for myself!

[Green Car Advisor]

BMW M3 GT Coming?!

Rumours are floating around the internets (from fairly reliable sources too) that the next generation M3 sedan will be replaced by a GT hatchback version similar to the 55oi GT pictured above.

I must say, I really liked the 550i GT that I tested a while back because it blended excellent performance and handling with a luxurious comfortable drive and excellent versatility. But that’s not what M cars are about.

M cars, specifically M3′s are all about raw performance and eff anything else. That means ride quality, luxury, versatility, and reliability even all take a back seat to the raw performance.  Adding some versatility to a vehicle that has traditionally been a raw performance coupe since its inception is a bit like adding a business degree to a porn star’s education.

Still, there’s something deliciously awesome about the CTS-V Wagon, the C63 AMG wagon and the RS3 hatchback.  And when you think about it, BMW has no high performance car that is also practical. The M3 GT is probably meant to that void. Sure the X5 M and X6 M are options, but let’s get real here. While they are tremendous for SUV’s they are still SUV’s nonetheless. Showing up to a track in your X6 M is pretty ridiculous afterall.

[Inside Line]

Pressure to Ban Right Hand Drive Vehicles in Canada Mounts

As it currently stands in Canada, right hand drive vehicles (RHD) are allowed to be imported so long as they are 15 years old or older. I’m not quite sure why newer RHD vehicles aren’t allowed, but they aren’t. It has something to cars 15 years old or older being considered antiques and thus, they are considered rare. Therefore, it is unlikely that they will be driven very much, so any environmental or safety concerns are negated.

Anyway, the Canadian Automobile Dealer Association is lobbying the federal government to essentially ban RHD vehicles indefinitely. What do they have against RHD vehicles? Well according to their press release:

“The Canadian Automobile Dealers Association (CADA), which represents over 3,300 dealers nationwide, is calling on the federal government to close a regulatory loophole that allows thousands of dirty and unsafe right hand drive (RHD) vehicles into Canada every year.”

Wait, what? Dirty and unsafe? That’s a little presumptious isn’t it? Besides, there are PLENTY of dirty and unsafe cars around in Canada anyway. In fact, name mostly any 15 year old model from any domestic car company and I guarantee you they are just as dirty and unsafe. 1995 Dodge Neon anyone?

This is obviously just a case of a special interest group (and yes they are an interest group) protecting their interests at the expense of another market. Obviously preventing more used cars from being sold or imported gives NEW car dealers more of an advantage.

Let’s just hope Harper and his band of fools are smart enough to realize this as well.

[Canadian Automobile Dealer Association]

Top Gear Filming In Israel

There’s no doubt that Top gear is the best show on earth, and one of the reasons it’s so good is the challenge segments. This is where Clarkson, Hammond and May choose a car (under specific guidlines) and all go through a series of challenges to find out who bought the best vehicle.

Usually the challenge take place outside of the blokes’ home country of Great Britain, and usually it’s somewhere you wouldn’t quite expect. Case in point, the boys were spotted in Israel in what appears to be some sort of roadster challenge.

Richard chose a Fiat Barchetta, James took the wheel of a BMW Z3 while  Jeremy went with a Mazda MX-5. Jeremy’s car was even decked out with a hookah! I’m sure it was only used for legal substances.

What’s also interesting is the convoy apparently apparently went through the Isreal/Jordan border, which typically is for foot traffic only. Israeli officialy must be huge fans of the show to let them through, especially in unusual cars.

There is still no date set for the new season of Top Gear, but you can expect it sometime in late November.

[Autoblog]

First Fiat 500 Sold In Canada Goes For $85,000

And it wasn’t even the Abarth edition like the one pictured above!

The first of undoubtedly many Fiat 500′s in Canada was sold at auction in Windsor, Ontario at the anual Venetian Ball. What is the Venetian Ball? Well it’s a charity dinner that helps support elderly Italian-Canadians. So it seems quite fitting that the premium the Fiat sold for was for something Italian.

Chrysler says the $85,000 bid for the 500 is proof that there is lots of “enthusiasm” and “excitement” for the 500 to officially go on sale. For once, I actually agree with Chrysler. I genuinely believe they have a winner on their hands.

The $85,000 500 itself was a limited-edition model which features Prima Edizione badging. My Italian is rusty, but I’m pretty sure that just means “limited edition”.

The Fiat 500 will be available for all to buy by the end of 2010. And the good news is, it will be much cheaper than $85,000.

[Canadian Driver]

A Lot Of Car Names Are Funny If You Put “Anal” In Front Of Them

Despite technically being the age of an adult, I am still very immature and thus, stuff like this deserves a blog post from me.

There has always been great debate as to whether car companies should use the alphanumeric naming system for their models (i.e Volvo C30) or whether using an actual word is better (i.e Ford Focus).

Well, Rumours On The Internets just posted the list of the top 25 car names that are hilarious if you put the word ‘anal’ in front of them. My personal favourites are:

1) Anal Ram

2) Anal Intrigue

3) Anal Odyssey

Come to think of it, there are many other good ones that didn’t make the list such as ‘Anal Explorer’, ‘Anal Tribute’ and ‘Anal Journey’.

Click here to see their full list. Good stuff.

[Rumours on the internets]

Six Speed Manual Only for BMW 1-Series M!

Amazing!

BMW has just announced that there will be no automatic transmission option on the 1-series M! That is how you know BMW is serious about this being a true performance car. On top of that, they finally put the horsepower rumours to rest. The 1-series M will come with 340 horsepower from a 3.0 inline six. No torque numbers are released yet, but expect them to be in the 300 range as well. Drool.

And if all that weren’t enough, it will also have a chasis, braking system and rear differential identical to the M3. BMW claims the 1-series M is faster than the M3 around the Nordschleife track!

BMW has released the image above as well, which is less exciting since it’s still all swirly camo’d out. Expect an official reveal in December.

I am seriously in love. I seriously need this car. And I will seriously sell my soul to own it. Not really. But maybe. Probably.

[Top Speed]

Oh Hi: 2011 Chrysler 200

Alright I’m going to go on record as saying the Chrysler Sebring currently being offered is the worst mid-size sedan on the market. Can you think of one that’s worst? No? That’s what I thought. And if you said the Dodge Avenger, it’s basically the same car as the Sebring anyway.

Chrysler’s products are seriously lacking in every department. You name it, performance, safety, reliability, style, fuel efficiency… Chrysler is never what comes to mind for any of these key components. The good news is, Chrysler isn’t a lost cause just yet because Fiat is now in charge and they are in the midst of revamping the brand. Case in point, more Fiats and Alfas will be coming to our shore, but Chrylsers themselves will likely gain some credibility.

The 200, the Sebring’s replacement, is the first major new vehicle under Italian leadership. Already it’s safe to say that it is miles ahead of the Sebring in terms of style. Still, it kind of has a bit of blandness a la Hyundai Azera. But it’s by no means offensive or ugly.

The 200 will be powered by a 3.6 litre V6 and will come with either a 4 speed automatic (really?) or a 6 speed automatic (that’s better) depending on trim level. Chrysler as not released horsepower ratings as of yet.

The 200 supposedly has a significantly updated interior as well as upgrade more comfortable seats. But then again, Chrysler probably said similar things about the Sebring so we’ll have to take that at face value.

For more pics, cliquez ici.

[Autoblog]

Bumblebee Gets Into Accident With Police Car!

Bumblebee nooooooooooooo!!

Alright, I’m gonna admit, I have no idea who Bumblebee is. I haven’t seen any of the transformers movies, despite the fact I used to be into transformers as a kid (the toys) and despite the fact that Megan Fox is a major character. But I can deduce from common sense that Bumblebee is a transformer, yes? He appears to be a Chevy Camaro in his car form.

Anyway, apparently producers are in the process of shooting for the third installment of the transformers series and things have not been going so well. The video above shows Bumblebee (or the Camaro that plays him) getting into an accident with an on duty police car that was apparently on its way to a call. It’s not clear if they were actually shooting at the time of the collision, however I would assume if they were, they would have blocked off the street before hand. Unless emergency vehicles are granted special access through movie sets in the interest of saving time or something. I’m not quite sure how these things work.

What is clear, however, is that the crew of the movie seemed to be a bit more concerned about the car than the driver, which is kinda messed up. They wasted no time putting a tarp over Bumblebee so that no sneaky photogs could catch a pic of him in his crumpled state. It turned out the driver was fine though. The police officer sustained minor injuries. Judging from the video, it would seem as though Bumblebee was at fault for not yielding to an emergency vehicle.

This is just the latest bad news for the new Transformers 3 movie. Apparently Megan Fox has not been casted this time around either. An injured Bumblebee and no Megan Fox? Now there’s really no reason to watch this movie.

[Youtube]

GM’s Been Lying About Chevy Volt For Years?

GM’s supposed savior, the Chevrolet Volt, is very nearly ready to hit the production lines and dealer lots – as early as next month in the States in fact. But a new revelation has Volt enthusiasts and auto journalists alike fuming.

Since the announcement of the Volt about three year’s ago, GM marketed it as a full on electric vehicle that had a gasoline engine meant to be used as a range extender. In other words, the gas engine did not power the wheels at all, it just generated power for the electric motor in the event it ran out of juice before you were able to plug it in. GM was asked time and time again whether the gas engine powered the wheels at all, and while GM didn’t outright say no, the typical non-answers and PR language for years made it seem like indeed it was just a range extender.

Well, now comes official word that the GM’s gas engine does in fact power the rear wheels. A lot of people feel quite miffed. Why? Well as mentioned, this was supposed to be GM’s halo car – a car that used a unique technology that no one had attempted in any production vehicle for the main purpose of ultimate efficiency. One of the main downsides of electric vehicles (EV’s) after all, is “range anxiety”. Meaning the driver always has a fear of running out of juice before they are able to make it back home or to a charging station. GM made it seems like it came up with a solution to that problem by having the gasoline engine act as a generator of sorts. Since that is no longer true, the Volt is not, by definition, a full electric vehicle anymore. It is a plug-in hybrid. Those interested in the Volt and those reporting on it, understandably, feel led on or lied to even. Chevy’s response is that they couldn’t reveal information about the Volt’s power train for patent publishing reasons, but now that they have it, they revealed the true nature of the power train.

My personal point of view is not quite as animated as other car blogs. Apparently Inside Line feels lied to, frustrated and have strong feelings of disbelief while Jalopnik went and photoshopped the Volt to look like the devil. However, as a fellow car enthusiast and automotive journalist, I must agree, this really is quite the disappointment. It’s not because it’s wrong for the Volt to be a plug-in hybrid, it’s because it has been force fed to us as a full on EV for years. It’s almost like having a friend who brags about working at the White House, but then you find out he’s just the janitor. Not a lie per se, but definitely misleading.

I have defended the Chevy Volt in the past against fools like Rush Limbaugh, but I’ve also been quite critical as well. This new revelation has me feeling a bit let down. I wanted the Chevy Volt to succeed and I wanted it to offer a breakthrough in power train technology. Turns out it’s just using technology that Toyota, Volvo, and Honda have been working on for years. It’s not so much the fact that the Volt isn’t a full on EV with a range extender, it’s the fact that it has apparently come to light that no one is working on such a feat when we thought GM was the whole time. Quite the let down GM. Here’s hoping the Volt will still save you as much as you think it will.

[General Motors]

My Next Car Is Coming In May!

According to Autoblog, my next car, the 1-series M, will be officially available for sale in May! Although it’s likely that I won’t be able to actually buy it then, you better believe that a test drive will make me want to take out a loan to ensure I get one. Especially since only 2,700 will be produced. The good news is, the majority of those 2,700 will be sold in North America.

God, I am so in love with this car it’s sick. Must. Have.

[Autoblog]