October 27, 2011

VW Quarterly Profit surges on Audi A6, Tiguan Demand
Volkswagen AG said third-quarter operating profit surged 46 percent on demand for Audi's revamped A6 sedan and the VW brand's Tiguan SUV. Operating profit advanced to 2.89 billion euros ($4.05 billion) from 1.99 billion euros a year earlier, the company said today on its web site. VW is expanding in China and the U.S. in a bid to surpass Toyota as the world's biggest carmaker, reports Automotive News. VW has a goal of boosting deliveries of cars, SUVs, and vans by 11 percent this year to a record 8 million units. The maker of the Golf hatchback, VW's best-selling vehicle, plans to invest a record 62.4 billion euros over the next five years on plants, models and r&d to underpin its global expansion. VW wants to hire more than 50,000 workers through 2018 as it targets more than 10 million autos a year. "VW keeps performing well in an increasingly challenging market place," said Marc-Rene Tonn, an M.M. Warburg analyst who recommends buying VW stock. "Expansion is fueled by a balanced model cycle and presence in key markets. VW's order books are full; they should be on track to achieving their 8 million sales target.” For more on VW’s third quarter profit surge, click here.

The Back-Seat Driver in Your Dashboard
Remember when Mom or Dad would nag you about wasting gas by driving too fast? Now your car can do it for them. Technology designed to coach you toward a more efficient style of driving is showing in many new cars.The Wall Street Journal reports that options run the gamut from simple displays of fuel consumption, to interactive video games, to a gas pedal that actually pushes back when you stomp it. Auto makers view these features as lures for younger, cash-conscious and tech-savvy buyers. They might also help car makers meet coming federal fuel-efficiency standards. Research indicates these electric nudges can make a significant dent in fuel consumption, if drivers actually follow the advice the systems give them. Car makers are treading carefully. They want to engage their customers in the effort to conserve oil, but they don't want to irritate them and don't want to compromise safety by making eco-driving displays too distracting. Most of these technologies can be ignored or turned off if drivers choose. For video coverage of how automakers are developing and installing new technology designed to coach drivers to drive more efficiently, click here. To read the rest of the article, click here.

Mercedes-Benz to Replace V6s with Inline Engines, Report Says
Mercedes-Benz is planning to replace its current V6 engines with inline sixes by 2015, reports MSN Autos. The move is part of a plan that includes the development of several new engines and sees the German brand downsizing its powertrains across the board. A car manufacturer juggling engine configurations is nothing new. In the past few years, we've seen a host of carmakers downsize their powerplant lineups, shrinking cylinder counts in the name of efficiency and packaging. With the exception of BMW, which has returned to turbocharging, most of these brands do not go backward. Mercedes-Benz, one of the most renowned luxury brands in the world, is going backward. It gave up 6-cylinder engines more than a decade ago. Here's the thing, though, according to MSN Autos: The move might make sense. Mercedes-Benz has a long history with straight sixes. The company favored them in its vehicles for roughly a century before stepping away from the configuration in the late 1990s. Engine trends are generally universal. Mercedes is moving away from the V6; its future lineup will contain turbocharged 4-cylinders, downsized V8s, and straight sixes. For further analysis on Mercedes-Benz’s move away from V6 engines, click here.

3-Door Coupes and Other Oddities
Every now and again, automakers like to try odd door-combinations – and they rarely catch on with customers. The new Hyundai Veloster has one door on the driver's side and two doors on the passenger side for a total of three. It is an asymmetrical exercise in utility and styling flexibility that is likely to be at risk in the marketplace, reports CNN Money. The same goes for extra doors that don't follow the natural order of things because they are hinged in the rear and open to the front, don't have outside handles, or are otherwise compromised. People who think of themselves as automotive innovators have been fiddling with the basic rear-opening door formula for years without improving it. CNN Money is featuring a gallery of three-door coupes and other automotive oddities. In addition to the Veloster, the list includes the Saturn Ion. Along with heavy, expensive plastic skin, the Ion "quad coupe" with two small hatch-like rear doors represents another failed innovation by Saturn. The rear half-size apertures couldn't be operated independently; they could only be opened after the front doors. Check out the rest of CNN Money’s list of automotive odd-door concoctions here.

Partial Skyactiv Tech Debuts On 2012 Mazda3
Long a player in the C-Class segment, the Mazda3 makes up nearly half of all Mazda North American Operations’ U.S. sales. So important is the Mazda3, the company pulled forward the debut of its new Skyactiv fuel-saving technologies to make the 2012 Mazda3 a viable player in the compact-car segment’s new 40 mpg marketing wars, according to Edmunds Auto Observer. Mazda recently previewed its refreshed 2012 Mazda3 in Los Angeles, which sports a partial application of Skyactiv. Now on par in the class with its Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) highway fuel-economy rating of 40 miles per gallon, the 2012 Mazda3 with Skyactiv has kept its engineered-for-the-driver focus along with the efficiency gains. “The development of Skyactiv Technology is likely one of the biggest R&D investments Mazda has ever made,” said Robert Davis, senior vice president of Mazda’s U.S. Operations Group. “This is a critical part of Mazda’s future product development and is key to our future sales success. We have said that our intention is to work toward 400,000 [U.S.] sales, and Skyactiv is going to help us reach it.” For complete coverage of the Mazda3 and Skyactive technology, click here.

The First Step to a New Image for your Dealership
Metal halide has become the preferred lighting system for all automotive applications including lot lighting, service department, showroom, and detail areas. Recently, the automotive market has been presented with opportunities to use new LED and fluorescent technologies; however, metal halide systems have also experienced technological advancements offering improved performance, quality of light, and energy savings. The benefits of an upgraded metal halide system not only compete, but can exceed that of LED and fluorescent options. AIADA Affinity Partner Venture Lighting’s Natural White® system was specifically designed for automotive dealerships by offering daylight color, 90% maintained light levels, longer lamp life, and an improved color rendering index to highlight and bring out the true colors of the vehicles and other merchandise. Dealership customers will experience an enhanced shopping environment with Venture’s Natural White system. To learn more about the product and service benefits and see potential savings, click here. Venture provides lighting design comparisons to educate and assist dealers, designers, and contractors with identifying the best lighting solution. Through their full turnkey proposal, they assess existing lighting conditions and discuss your goals and objectives. Contact Venture at (800) 657-0077 or aiada@venturelighting.com to learn more.

Around the Web
Your Ridiculously Cool Nissan GT-R Cutaway Wallpaper is Here [Jalopnik]
Revealed: 2013 Audi A4, S4, and A4 Allroad Quattro [Autoblog]
Hyundai Tries New Equation with 2012 Veloster [The Detroit News]
Recession Busters: Great Used Sedans Under $10K [AOL Autos]