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A month ago, Jaguar Land Rover signed a joint-venture agreement with China’s Chery Automobile Company. JLR’s 12.1 billion yuan ($1.9 billion U.S.) investment, if approved, will pay for a plant in Changsu to build Jaguars, Land Rovers, engines and joint-venture models. The facility will also house a research and development center. Chery has submitted the paperwork to clear the deal with the Chinese government. The agreement must pass muster with the Ministry of Enviroment Protection, after which it will go to the National Development and Reform Commission.

When the agreement was first inked an Indian analyst said, “it will be some time before we see the results,” a nod to the fact that government approvals can take a long time. Subaru is an instructive example, having signed an agreement with Chery a year ago. Sources said the deal was ready to be approved last November, but that was the last that has been heard of it – it’s still waiting on the necessary signatures. [Read More]

	Posted Tesla Losses Widen but EV Maker Lifts 2012 Revenue Target by $10M.
	Posted Jaguar Expands its Performance Driving School: Autoweek TV.
	Posted Spy Photos of the 2014 Porsche Macan.
	Posted 2012 Honda Accord Coupe EX-L Navi: Review notes: A Fun Honda Accord….
	Posted Jaguar F-Type revisits ‘Swinging Sixties’ to Challenge Porsche, Mercedes.
	Posted Survey: Young U.S. Drivers Know Risks, but Text Anyway.
	Published CBR Auto Body San Jose News : 5-9-12.
	Posted New Altima Guns for Bigger Slice of Mid-Sized Sedan Segment.
	Posted The Elegance, the Other Old-Car Event in Hershey, Returns for 2012.
	Posted Enterprise introduces customer repair status notification tool.
	Posted 918 Alert! Porsche’s Stinging Spyder Grows Closer to Becoming Reality.
	Posted Apple granted patent for iOS steering-wheel remote.
	Posted Jaguar Land Rover sales surge offsets Tata decline in April.
	Posted BMW to open more used-car stores in China.
	Posted 2012 SLP Chevrolet Camaro Panther 600: An extra dose of power: Panther unleashed.
	Posted GM to Yank $10M in Facebook Ads, Saying They Don’t Work.
	Posted Ferrari’s First Hybrid Likely to Surpass Enzo as Most Expensive, Powerful Model.
	Posted BMW Shows Off First Look at Redesigned 3-Series Wagon.

(Credit: BMW)

BMW ActiveE Smartphone Application

By driving electric cars, BMW ActiveE drivers have already kicked the gasoline habit. But now the auto manufacturer is giving them a little help in the effort to quit fossil fuels for good. BMW has partnered with Real Goods Solar to offer EV customers discounted residential solar panel systems so they can charge up using only the sun.

BMW ActiveE (photos)

Real Goods Solar will install solar panels at homes of ActiveE drivers at a 35 percent discount. The Colorado-based company operates offices in California and Connecticut, and offers several purchase plans, including the typical upfront system purchase, a zero-down 20-year lease of the system, and a pre-pay lease.

In all instances, the company will… [Read more]

Porsche plans sedan below Panamera to compete with Mercedes E class, report says

Porsche will introduce a smaller version of its four-door Panamera sedan by 2017, a German car magazine said. The sedan, code-named Pajun, will expand Porsche’s portfolio to six model lines and compete with the Mercedes E class and CLS coupe cars.

Nissan says Magna Steyr will build new Infiniti entry model

Nissan said contract manufacturer Magna Steyr will build a new premium compact car for the automaker’s Infiniti brand starting in 2014.

Mercedes-Benz shows off the dark side of the C63 AMG Black Series coupe

Mercedes-Benz has rolled out a new video for its vicious C63 AMG Black Series. The 510-horsepower machine spends a little time frolicking through an industrial complex before taking to an open stretch of track for a little more fun. The entire clip is appropriately shot in black and white and set to the riotous tones of the hefty 6.2-liter V8 banging off the limiter. Not a bad way to blow two minutes of your day.

As you may recall, Chris Harris recently lined the C63 AMG Black Series up against bruisers like Porsche 911 GT3 RS and the BMW M3 GTS for a little German showdown. Harris found the C63 to be a willing dance partner with appropriate levels of presence on the street, but still found the machine out gunned by the track-bred Porsche.

Continue reading Mercedes-Benz shows off the dark side of the C63 AMG Black Series coupe

Published CBR Auto Body San Jose News : 5-2-12.

The OnStar FMV replaces almost any vehicle’s rear view mirror, bringing with it GM’s concierge service.

Between May 6 and June 16, OnStar’s aftermarket telematics system, the OnStar FMV, is getting a lot cheaper with a price drop to just $99, which includes installation at participating consumer electronics retail outlets, including Best Buy.

When I took a look at the OnStar FMV last year, one of the only drawbacks that I could find was that the “price, installation, and subscription fees create a high cost of entry.” At an MSRP of $299 with a subscription fee of $199 to $299 per year, adding an OnStar mirror to your car was no mere impulse purchase.

According to OnStar, the cost of entry hasn’t stopped nearly 30,000 drivers from already pulling the trigger and installing an FMV unit in their rides. Among these subscribers, the telematics provider states that the top two vehicle makes for new FMV installs are Toyotas and Fords, making up 15.6 percent and 12.3 percent of new sales, respectively. And these aren’t just old cars that we’re talking about: 2011 model year owners were the most likely to have the FMV installed, followed by owners of 2007 and 2012 models.

OnStar FMV

Getting back to the price d… [Read more]

	Published CBR Auto Body San Jose News : 4-25-12.
	Posted How Can We Better Sell Jobs to Customers?.
	Posted Competing with Giants.
	Posted Save Lives, Build Your Reputation.
	Posted Negotiation Tactics to Use with Insurers.
	Posted Chrysler’s April sales rise 20% on strong Jeep, sedan volume.
	Posted Hyundai plans 3rd shift in Alabama to lift Sonata, Elantra output.

A fourth member will join the Jaguar family, but it’s not so much new as it has been estranged.

	Published CBR Auto Body San Jose News : 4-18-12.
	Posted 2013 Scion FR-S: Drive Review: An Affordable and Practical Sports Car.
	Posted Ferrari Will Launch First Hybrid in 2013.
	Posted 2012 Toyota Prius C: Fuel Economy Champ.
	Posted Jim Press: U.S. Dealers to Tap China Retail Market.
	Posted Peugeot Previews 208 Crossover Variant.

When Ford sold Jaguar and Land Rover to Tata Motors for $2.5 billion, the auto industry was in rough shape. And it didn’t help that the luxury combo pack didn’t exactly have a lineup full of fresh rides.

Only four years have past since that historic sale, but the industry is in much better shape and new vehicles like the Land Rover Evoque and Jaguar XJ have seemingly done wonders for the luxury brands. In fact, Tata’s investment may be in much better shape than most anyone would have thought. According to Bloomberg, analysts predict that an Initial Public Offering could show that the brands are worth a combined $14 billion.

That’s a monumental return on investment, and there are plenty of reasons for the lofty estimate. Tata reportedly earned $2 billion off JLR in 2011, and sales are at all-time highs. The brands are also expecting major growth in China and Russia, and Tata has promised to double its investment in new products. Tata has also pledged 40 new or refreshed models in the next five years…

[Read More] .

	Published CBR Auto Body San Jose News : 4-11-12.
	Posted Jaguar’s appearance in ‘Mad Men’ surprised automaker.
	Posted MG reveals Icon SUV concept for Beijing motor show.
	Posted Audi set to buy Ducati for $1.1 billion.
	Posted 2012 BMW X3 xDrive 28i: Review notes: Certainly improved, but we still don’t like run-flat tires.
	Posted First Shift: Mustang going Fusion?.
	Posted Next Ford Mustang takes the modern road: Autoweek TV.
	Posted 2013 Subaru BRZ Limited: Believe (most of) the hype.
	Posted Patent filing may point to a hybrid Ferrari California.

(Credit: Wayne Cunningham/CNET)

During CNET’s press preview of the 2012 New York International Auto Show, I did not see some of the cars I hoped for, but saw plenty I liked. This show proved to be the most practical of the season, eschewing weird concept cars for real rubber meets the road stuff. The cars presented here are the ones you will see on the road and consider buying.

I was particularly pleased to see some much-needed new tech features from Acura, Infiniti, and Subaru, which should keep those companies relevant in this increasingly competitive space. Also on the stands were another affordable and economical BMW, along with a very strong showing of what will come of the Chrysler reorganization under Fiat. And let us not forget the flying car. Everyone wants to know about the flying car.

Here are some of the hot new cars from the show.

2013 SRT Viper
The Viper is back, shedding its Dodge branding for the newly formed SRT division under Chrysler. Where the old Viper relied on raw power, this new version takes advantage of technology to improve its performance handling and everyday driveability. And what SRT has produced looks like something that can go head-to-head with the supercars of the world. Traction and launch control systems now keeps the 600 pound-feet of torque from… [Read more]

Jaguar C-X16 concept to become F-Type two-seater convertible

A new Jaguar two-seater is coming–the F-Type convertible, based on the C-X16 concept rolled out at the 2011 Frankfurt auto show.

	Published CBR Auto Body San Jose News : 4-4-12.
	Posted 20 special-edition copies of the Ferrari 458 Italia sent to China.
	Posted 2012 Nissan Armada Platinum: Review notes: Big, powerful, comfortable and thirsty for fuel.
	Posted New Porsche Cayenne GTS revealed.
	Posted Suppliers to the 2013 Ford Escape.
	Posted At Infiniti and Hyundai, humans backstop voice commands.
	Posted China parts flow briskly to U.S., but will it last?.
	Posted Interest in Monterey week events heats up.
	Posted Canada’s dented auto union seeks new road map.
	Posted Cars that drive themselves? They are coming.
	Posted Jaguar Electric Car? The C-X75 Is A True Supercar….

Speaking today at the New York Auto Show, Adrian Hallmark, Global Brand Director of Jaguar confirmed the pussycat brand plans to build a car based on the C-X16 Concept and called the F-TYPE. Better news? It will be unveiled in production form later this year — well, without the camouflage it’s got above. More »

2013 Mercedes GL: As Big As A German Castle [New York Auto Show]

Need to tow a horse trailer or vintage racer or a fair-sized boat? Think a Suburban is utterly déclassé? Mercedes has you covered, good sir! The refreshed 2013 GL-Class supersized SUV bowed today, offering exactly zero surprises and likely causing ripples of civilized excitement among upper middle class and lower upper class households. More »

 
Nissan’s Iranian New York City Cab Problem [New York Auto Show]

While Nissan happily trumpets their taxi-selection victory inside the Javits Center, just outside Bill de Blasio, Public Advocate for the City of New York, held a press conference decrying the selection. The reason? Nissan still does business in Iran, in violation of U.S. sanctions. More »

Published CBR Auto Body San Jose News : 3-28-12.

The inherent frugality of a hybrid car might make you think of a no-frills driving experience. But luxury automakers have learned the win-win nature of an electric-assisted power train.

Infiniti, Porsche, and BMW devised their own takes on the hybrid car, fitting these fuel-efficient systems into full-size sedans and SUVs. Lincoln borrowed a hybrid system from sister brand Ford for its own midsize sedan, the MKZ. And Lexus even transferred the Prius hybrid power train into a luxury hatchback.

BMW ActiveHybrid 7
With its 7 Series hybrid, BMW did not bother to downsize the engine, instead adding an electric-drive system. The result? About 50 extra horsepower and yet fuel economy in the low 20s, which is an impressive figure for such a big and powerful car. Read the full review of the BMW ActiveHybrid 7.

Infiniti M35h
When Infiniti turned its flagship sedan into a luxury hybri… [Read more]

	Published CBR Auto Body San Jose News : 3-21-12.
	Posted Toyota to Unveil ‘All-New’ Sedan at New York Auto Show: Will likely replace Avalon, dealers say.
	Posted Jeep Unveils Six Off-Road Concepts.
	Posted Technology Makers Share Blame for Distracted Driving, NTSB chief says.
	Posted Want to Know Where Your Teen Is? Ask OnStar.

(Credit: BMW)

The BMW X1 began production in 2009. An updated version makes its debut at the 2012 New York auto show.

A few years ago, BMW debuted a new, smaller SUV in Europe, suggesting it would also export the car to the U.S. But the X1 never made it to our shores as demand for the car in its existing markets took up all of its production, and the dollar fell against the Euro.

BMW X1 (photos)

Click through for the full photo gallery and more details.

Those unfortunate circumstances seem to have changed enough, as BMW will now be showing off the X1 at the 2012 New York International Auto Show. Brin… [Read more]

	Published CBR Auto Body San Jose News : 3-14-12.
	Posted Despite Economic Woes, Europe Isn’t Yet a Cheap Car Market.
	Posted 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG revealed for New York auto show.
	Posted For Luxury Automakers, China’s Allure Fades as Discounts Spread.

…and why Chevrolet has designs on young buyers

AutoNews Now: Honda bullish on Civic

Honda Civic fights through natural disasters and critics to outsell rivals, Lexus and Mini tops in customer service, dealers pull ads amid FTC scrutiny.

	Posted 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL: Drive Review.
	Posted Picking the best of Geneva 2012: Autoweek TV.
	Posted Lamborghini, Ferrari capture Autoweek awards at Geneva motor show: Editors also give honors to Infiniti concept, Mercedes-Benz small car.
	Published CBR Auto Body San Jose News : 3-7-12.