Categories
BMW Motor Shows

What to expect from BMW in 2014

BMW M3 and M4 on display in Detroit

As well as the launch of the highly anticipated M3 and M4 in Detroit this week, BMW has much more in store during 2014. Make sure you follow the source link from BimmerFile for more detail:

2014 North American International Auto Show (January)

  • M3 (F80) and M4 (F82)
  • M235i (F22)
  • 228i (F22)

2014 Geneva Motor Show (March)

  • 4 Series Gran Coupe (F36)
  • FWD Active Tourer (F45)
  • MINI Four-door concept (F55)

2014 New York Auto Show (April)

  • X4 (F26)
  • X3 LCI

2014 Moscow Motor Show (August)

  • X6 (F16)

2014 Paris Motor Show (September)

  • X5 M (F85) and X6 M (F86)
  • 2 Series Convertible (F23)
  • MINI Four-door (F55)

[Source: BimmerFile | Pic: Bimmerpost]

Categories
Formula 1

Concrete jungle where dreams are made of

Red Bull Racing visits New York City

Grand Prix of America promoter Leo Hindery Jr, god bless him, still has dreams of New Jersey hosting a grand prix next year. The 2014 F1 calendar already has 21 races pencilled in and that’s without including the “New York” race.

Hindery Jr said: “Even if it ain’t all it seems, I got a pocket full of dreams, baby, I’m from New York!”

No hang on a minute, he just sung that to himself while he actually said out loud: “We never had any expectation of being on a preliminary schedule.

“But it took on a life of its own because so many of us are aspiring to be on the calendar that haven’t been there before—ourselves, Russia, Mexico, and with Austria also returning. In our particular case we were told not to do anything but stick to the date of the 20th [of June], which we intend to do.”

Attempting to give his comments some credibility, he added: “Bernie told us if we stayed consistent with the rules and applications then he would expect there to be a New Jersey race. Time-wise, we have done everything we have been told to do, and when to do it.

“The calendar decision will be made later this month, and although I can’t guarantee anything, we fully expect to be on it.”

Bernie is such a tease, isn’t he.

“I underestimated the challenges of doing this in the midst of a worldwide financial crisis,” Hindery Jr said, as he continued to dig a deeper hole for himself.

“Were it not for some great partners and some folks in the sport who want us to succeed then it would have been abandoned. I wouldn’t have been able to have pulled it off. But hands down this has been the toughest challenge of my career.”

Pulled it off? Well, that just might be the first thing dear Leo has got right. Because right now, there’s no race there. There, there’s no race!

[Source: Sky Sports | Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]

Categories
Volkswagen

2011 Volkswagen Jetta

2011 Volkswagen Jetta

Volkswagen’s all new Jetta model was launched at a live event in New York’s Times Square this morning. Following yesterday’s leaked photos there were no real surprises revealed.

The Jetta draws heavily on styling cues from the New Compact Coupé, first shown in January this year. With a better and closer look at the production model we can see the front and rear grille treatments are less aggressive than the show car. As a result the look is more restrained, or, judging by some of yesterday’s comments, a little bit boring.

Sure, the chrome detailing in the grille is a little busy. Also, the main headlight cluster is not quite as special as the show car. (Perhaps that look is being saved for xenon equipped models featuring LED daytime running lights?) But I wouldn’t call the design of the new Jetta boring. Safe, perhaps.

Overall, though, the Jetta is largely faithful to the concept model and its sharp crease lines and pleasing side profile present the market with a new model that is just that. A new Volkswagen. Indeed, the press release available below states, “the new Jetta will no longer be sharing any body components with the Golf, rather it will be a vehicle type that is just as independent as a CC or a Tiguan.”

One disappointment does lie in the new Jetta’s steering wheel. It’s a three spoke design, familiar to the Volkswagen range, but just one of the upper spokes houses steering wheel controls. Higher spec models may well have controls on both sides, but the result on the images released today looks unfinished and cheap. A slight dampener on an otherwise smart looking car.

Volkswagen Australia have confirmed the new Jetta will be on sale in Australia in 2011. As to a specific date – our educated guess would suggest local availability around 12 months from now.

There’s another 10 photos available below, along with the full European press release detailing engine choices on offer at initial launch. At the end of the article a selection of new Jetta and New Compact Coupé pics are placed side by side for comparative purposes.