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Were you, like us, just thinking that BMW's U.S. lineup would be fully complete if only it had just one more crossover utility Sports Activity Vehicle that slotted in somewhere between the small X3 and midsize X5? If so, we have good news. Just such a vehicle – logically and tentatively named the X4 – is rumored to be in development. Again.

Just as the X6 was designed as a sportier take on the more traditional SUV-shaped X5, the new X4 would inject a bit more Bavarian flavor into the plain ol' X3. Citing an unnamed source within the company, Autocar reports, "We haven't made any firm decision... however, the X6's success shows there is a continued demand for sporty off-roaders."

Yes, we've heard this rumor before, but not since 2008. Why the possible change of heart? Despite drawing ire from what seems to be a vocal minority, BMW reports that the X6 is handily outpacing its own initial sales projections. In fact, it's 80,000 sales worldwide is twice what the automaker had expected to sell. And one good turn deserves... something.

[Source: Autocar]

Thanks to modern technologies like ignition keys with embedded chips and factory installed security immobilizers, it's getting harder and harder to steal new cars. As a result, the number of cars and trucks stolen in the United States dropped by 13.1 percent in 2008 compared to 2007, a trend that has been continuing for five years. Total thefts for the year could actually end up under 1 million for the first time in 20 years.

Owners of older cars on the other hand aren't so lucky. One of the main driving factors behind car thefts is to strip the vehicles and sell the parts. The main market for those parts is older, high volume vehicles, so the same vehicles are the ones that tend to get stolen. The top ten stolen vehicles for 2008 includes a couple of surprises and a bunch of perennial hits.

[Source: SmartBrief ]

Press release

Hot Wheels: Vehicle Theft Continuing to Decline

DES PLAINES, Ill., Aug. 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Hot Wheels 2009, the National Insurance Crime Bureau's (NICB) companion study to its popular Hot Spots auto theft report, examines data reported to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and determines the vehicle make, model, and model year most reported stolen in 2008. See the full report at www.nicb.org.

For 2008, the most stolen vehicles* in the nation were:

1. 1994 Honda Accord

2. 1995 Honda Civic

3. 1989 Toyota Camry

4. 1997 Ford F-150 Pickup

5. 2004 Dodge Ram Pickup

6. 2000 Dodge Caravan

7. 1996 Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee

8. 1994 Acura Integra

9. 1999 Ford Taurus

10. 2002 Ford Explorer

Certain models of older cars and trucks are popular with thieves because of the value of their parts. Frequently, the parts can be stripped from a car at a chop shop and sold for at least twice as much as the value of the vehicle on the used car market. Newer models are also more difficult, but not impossible to steal thanks to anti-theft technology incorporated by the manufacturers.

Although the final numbers have not yet been released, the preliminary 2008 FBI Uniform Crime Report (UCR) shows that vehicle theft is on pace to record a decrease of 13.1 percent from 2007 numbers. That would make 2008 the fifth consecutive year of declining vehicle thefts. Moreover, if the preliminary figures hold total thefts for 2008 would be below 1 million vehicles--the lowest annual total in over 20 years.

"This is great news for vehicle owners, law enforcement and the insurance industry," said Joe Wehrle, NICB's president and chief executive officer. "It takes years of sustained effort to deliver the kinds of reductions that we are enjoying today. NICB joins with our member companies in acknowledging the great work performed by law enforcement and our investigators in the fight against vehicle theft.

"Comprehensive legislation, aggressive enforcement and rigorous prosecution are the three essential components to a winning crime control program. NICB is proud to contribute to each of those areas through our national legislative affairs program and our network of experienced investigators," Wehrle said.

NICB provides law enforcement with local resources for identifying and recovering stolen vehicles as well as training and information analysis in the detection and prevention of vehicle theft and insurance crime.

As good as this news is, however, vehicle theft is still a costly drain on our economy and a tremendous hassle for victims. To protect their investment, vehicle owners are urged to follow NICB's "layered approach" to auto theft prevention by employing simple, low-cost suggestions to make their vehicles less attractive to thieves.

NICB's four layers of protection are:

Common Sense: Lock your car and take your keys. It's simple enough but many thefts occur because owners make it easy for thieves to steal their cars.

Warning Device: Having and using a visible or audible warning device is another item that can ensure that your car remains where you left it.

Immobilizing Device: Generally speaking, if your car won't start, it won't get stolen. "Kill" switches, fuel cut-offs and smart keys are among the devices which are extremely effective.

Tracking Device: A tracking device emits a signal to the police or to a monitoring station when the vehicle is stolen. Tracking devices are very effective in helping authorities recover stolen vehicles. Some systems employ "telematics," which combine GPS and wireless technologies to allow remote monitoring of a vehicle. If the vehicle is moved the system will alert the owner and the vehicle can be tracked via computer.

Considering a used vehicle purchase? Don't buy a headache, check in with VINCheck(SM), NICB's free vehicle history service at www.nicb.org.

You can help stop this criminal activity by reporting suspected insurance fraud and vehicle theft to NICB at 1-800-TEL-NICB (1-800-835-6422) or by texting to TIP411 keyword "Fraud." You may also report fraud and theft by visiting our Web site www.nicb.org. All tips can be anonymous.

About the National Insurance Crime Bureau: headquartered in Des Plaines, Ill., the NICB is the nation's leading not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to preventing, detecting and defeating insurance fraud and vehicle theft through information analysis, investigations, training, legislative advocacy and public awareness. The NICB is supported by more than 1,000 property and casualty insurance companies and self-insured organizations. NICB member companies wrote nearly $343 billion in insurance premiums in 2008, or more than 82 percent of the nation's property/casualty insurance. To learn more visit www.nicb.org.

* This report reflects only stolen vehicle data reported to NCIC in 2008. No further filtering of information is conducted, i.e., determining the total number of a particular make and model currently registered in the U.S. for comparison purposes.

SOURCE National Insurance Crime Bureau

Nearly 31,000 Mazda CX-9 crossovers are being recalled to repair an issue with the driver's seat. Models affected were built during the 2007-2009 model years. According to Mazda North American Operations, improper routing of wires under the driver's seat cushion can lead to a short-circuit that activates the power-adjustment mechanism. This could lead to an inadvertent change in the seating position, height adjustment, or seat back recline while the vehicle is in motion. According to Mazda, dealers will be able to fix the potential problem with cable ties and replacement parts. If you are a late-model CX-9 owner, check your mailbox after the notices go out on March 9.


[Source: Automotive News ]

There's been a deluge of pictures of the Hyundai Equus surfacing in the last few days, and new official images have turned up that give us a glimpse both inside and out. The new exterior shots show off two different grille treatments, with the V6 models get Genesis-esque horizontal slats, while V8 models use vertical elements. A straight-on side view also shows off the size of this big sedan -- it's a long wheelbase with lengthy rear doors, a true executive sedan in size and style. Inside, the appointments appear luxurious and comprehensive, ready to take on the big guns from Lexus, Mercedes, BMW and Audi. Hyundai's saying that it looked past its usual practice of engineering a vehicle to a price point and just went for broke with this new Equus to make it truly great. The proof of the pudding is in the eating, and plans are underway to bring the model to the North American market, possibly as a 2011 or 2012 model.

[Source: TheCarBlogger]

Nissan hasn't posted an annual loss in nine years, but the automaker is poised to take a big hit on its 2008 earnings, and like the rest of the industry, it is scrambling to restructure. The Japanese carmaker is expected to report a $2.9 billion shortfall, prompting Carlos Ghosn and his team to chop 20,000 jobs – fully 8.5 percent of its employees worldwide. Some of the job losses will be arrived at through early retirement packages and the ending of temporary worker contracts, but most will be out-and-out layoffs. The personnel cuts will leave Nissan with 215,000 workers globally and take place now through March of 2010.

Nissan's planned cuts are markedly more aggressive than those employed by other Japanese automakers, suggesting that Japan's third-largest automaker is even more pessimistic about the potential for near-term economic gains. That appears to be particularly true in its domestic market, where the strong Yen and other factors have conspired to result in 12,000 of the planned job losses. Thanks for the tip, Karen!

[Source: Associated Press via ClockOnDetroit]

Ford has so far been able to avoid suckling on the teat of the federal government like its cross-town rivals, but after today's announcement of a 2008 fourth-quarter loss of $5.9 billion, serious questions are beginning to arise about how FoMoCo will fair in 2009.

This will be the third consecutive year Ford hasn't posted a profit, with a $2.8 billion loss in the previous year and $620 million drop during the same quarter of 2007. Ford wrapped up 2008 with $13.4 billion in cash reserves, but has announced plans to draw $10.1 billion in available credit to weather what's sure to be a rough 2009. That would bring Ford's liquidity up to $23.5 billion, sans the money already used for January, and the automaker contends that this is enough to meet its goals for the year. However, if Ford continues its fourth-quarter cash burn rate of $1.83 billion a month, there's a distinct possibility that FoMoCo execs might be knocking on Uncle Sam's door before the year comes to a close.

On a more positive note, Ford posted a 2008 pre-tax profit of $1.06 billion in Europe, although the last quarter saw a drop of $330 million. Hit the jump for Ford's full press release.

[Source: Ford]

The Smart fortwo couldn't have come to the United States at a better time. Skyrocketing fuel prices and a dearth of fuel efficient vehicles gave Daimler's Tiny Tim a big push to the tune of 25,000 units for the year, far surpassing Smart's goal of 15,000 units. Smart's success is also another feather in the cap of Roger Penske. Penske is the only US distributor for Smart, with only 74 dealers spanning 35 states, and surprisingly, smart achieved its considerable success without using television as an advertising medium.

The fortwo used an extensive online marketing campaign that included $99 down payments. 100,000 people sent in their checks for $99, and Penske says about 55% of those down payments will result in sales. The Penske Automotive Group is expecting another 25,000 sales for 2009, and six more dealers are going to be added. What's left to be seen is whether the fortwo can sustain success if $2 per gallon gasoline sticks around for an extended period of time.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Nissan's press release on the GT-R SpecV left a lot of unanswered questions, particularly the geeky tidbits that we thrive on. So with the help of our friends at the GTRBlog, who were on hand for the unveiling in Japan, and a few of our super-secret sources abroad, we were able to scrounge up some of the more salient details on Nissan's upgraded Godzilla.

To begin with, Nissan maintains that the GT-R SpecV is aimed at the discerning enthusiast, the same kind of buyer that would pass up the Porsche 911 GT3 for the RS variant. For $170,000, that's a very select group of consumers, but we doubt Nissan will have much difficulty moving the 20 to 30 SpecVs it'll be producing each month when sales begin February 8th.



Peak output remains the same, at 478 horsepower, but a switch on the right of the steering wheel (shared with the cruise control) activates an electronic circuit to boost mid-range torque by 15 lb-ft (up to 449 lb-ft). A green light illuminates on the dash when the overboost function is enabled, giving drivers 80 seconds to perform any overtaking maneuvers, and then defaulting back to the standard setting.



The SpecV's carbon ceramic brakes were developed in conjunction with Brembo and are painted silver to differentiate the upgraded stoppers from the standard GT-R. Although the six-piston (front) caliper size remains the same, the discs have been upgraded to 390mm (15.35 inches) and fitted with SpecV specific brake pads. Nissan claims a weight savings of 11 pounds per corner and –2.0 Gs worth of stopping power, but the system comes at a cost: $45,000.




The 20-inch RAYS forged aluminum wheels – the same units offered on the NISMO Clubsports GT-R -- also contribute to the overall weight savings, which comes in 132 pounds lighter than the standard model at 3,704 pounds. As mentioned in our previous post, Nissan replaced several components with lightweight carbon fiber, including the seats, interior trim (even the seat-back adjuster), grille and brake ducts, along with the trick dry carbon fiber rear wing (coated in clear matte paint) that increases downforce. The Bilsteins have been retuned to be more responsive on the racetrack and the engine cover has been replaced with a SpecV-only piece. The standard GT-R hues are available, but if you want to stand out, the Ultimate Opal Black paint job will set you back an additional $6,100.



Nissan hasn't released 0-60, 0-100 or quarter mile times yet, but we expect some official figures in the coming weeks. And as for a Nurburgring time... just you wait.

According to the NHTSA, more than $37 million in fines were collected last year for cars sold in 2007 from manufacturers that failed to meet current CAFE standards. Of the six manufacturers that paid fines, Mercedes-Benz was hit the hardest, racking up an astounding $28.9 million bill that was paid in December. That's a huge figure, especially in this troubled automotive market, but it's actually a bit smaller than the $30.3 million fine paid by DaimlerChrysler the previous year -- a figure that still holds the record. Go Daimler!

Other marques that failed to meet CAFE requirements included Volkswagen, which was hit with a $4.5 million sum, along with Porsche and Maserati, both of which paid fees of $1.2 million and Ferrari, which managed to skate by with a relatively paltry $1.1 million fine.

With increasingly strict regulations expected in the near future, these fines don't exactly bode well for the manufacturers of higher-end luxury vehicles, and the fact that the timing for these requirements is still undecided makes it even tougher to plan for them.

[Source: Detroit Free Press]

We didn't know sales for the U.S. auto industry in 2008 would be this bad when the year began, but it sure ended on a fitting note. Over the past six months or so we've seen the U.S. auto sales market nearly collapse and almost take our own domestic auto industry with it.

Nevertheless, there were a couple of standouts. Both MINI and Subaru somehow managed to post sales gains in 2008 compared to the previous year. The success of MINI is likely due to production capacity more than popularity, but we have no explanation for Subaru other than its sales staff is more persuasive than at your average car dealership.

As for the big dogs, despite the whole lot of them being hit equally hard over the past few months, Japanese automakers had a stronger first half of 2008. As such, their year-end sales data looks better than the domestics with Toyota being the worst performing Japanese automaker at -15.4% and Honda fairing the best with a drop of just 7.91%. In comparison, Ford Motor Company (-20.7%) and General Motors (-22.9%) were equally unimpressive while the Chrysler Group hemorrhaged sales and finished down a full 30%.

As for the rest of the auto industry, it's all there below and it isn't pretty.