mika
Still Wondering
Pellicer’s G450 is twenty-eight seconds short of a two hour lead at the half way point.
africarace-live.com: Complicated restart to Africa Race
thevintagent: To Vegas, baby - Windhoff engine
thekneeslider.com: Make the commitment to be a better rider in 2009
Bikes in the Fast Lane: Sliding Ang;les – female supemoto team
solomoto30.com: Honda announces a line of CB1300s for 2009 in response to Yamaha and Kawasaki
solomoto30.com: This time the Spanish site presents some patent drawings form Honda and speculates on the next VFR
motorsport.com: AMA announces 85th Anniversary for Vintage Motorcycle Days
motorsport.com: AMA hires Joe Bromley as racing director
I like this concept but wonder where the carhop would hang the tray for my tall mug of root beer on a hot summer day.
topspeed.com: Hodge Ha wk trike concept uses Honda RC52 engine.
motorciclismo.it: Test- Husaberg FE 570 Supermotard
motorcycle.com: Part One – How to Road Race
Leaving the lawn chair
The legendary design house Pinifarina undergoes a shake up due to the legendary economics of the day. They have stopped taking new design contracts, will focus on the development of EVs and the Pinifarina family has been forced out of the company. emunds.com has the details.
Porsche.com: Porsche reports a 24% decrease in NA delivers for 2008
motorauthority: update – More details on Splinter wooden supercar
Changes to WTCC via bmw-motorsport.com
15.12.2008
New qualifying format for WTCC.
The drivers in the World Touring Car Championship must come to terms with a new qualifying system next year. The single 30-minute session will be split into two qualifying sessions in 2009.
Similar to Formula One, all drivers will have 20 minutes to hit the track during the first qualifying session. Once this time has expired, the drivers will return to the pit lane, with only the ten fastest drivers from the first session, Q1, returning to the track.
The top ten from Q1 have a five-minute pause before heading out again for Q2, during which they do battle for positions one to ten on the grid. The grid positions outside of the top ten are determined using the times from Q1. The result of the first sprint race is then used to determine the starting grid for race two, whereby the top eight from race one start in reverse order.
The individual qualifying sessions will be extended for the street circuits in Marrakech (Morocco), Pau (France), Porto (Portugal) and Macau (China). Due to the increased probability of red flags, Q1 will last 30 minutes on narrow street circuits, while Q2 will last 15 minutes.
BMW reports NA auto sales numbers for December and 2008. The overall 2008 are better than most that I have seen only showing a 9.7% decline from 2007 total. The December numbers are shocking; however. The combined group was down 35.9% and the Roundel segment of the group was down a whopping 40.2% for the month. BMW will be glad to move on from counting the 2008 numbers, but move on to what?
The following are auto only sales numbers
BMW GROUP U.S. DIVISION REPORTS DECEMBER SALES
01/05/2009
In December, BMW Group sales in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) down by 35.9 percent. Company continued to gain market share in 2008.
Woodcliff Lake, NJ - January 5, 2009... The BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported December sales of 21,626 vehicles, a decrease of 35.9 percent over the 33,761 vehicles sold in December 2007. The BMW Group also reported a 2008 sales volume of 303,190 vehicles, down 9.7 percent, compared to 335,840 vehicles in 2007.
Commenting on the 2008 result, Jim O'Donnell, President of BMW of North America, LLC. said:
"Low consumer confidence and tight credit was a double whammy in '08 making it a year we'd all like to forget. One bright spot for us was a December of reasonable sales and gaining share in the premium market for the full year. This is a foundation for our 2009 plan of keeping high value leasing and retail financing and introducing 10 new or significantly refined vehicles in the next 24 months that showcase our classic dynamic values and impressive technology that contributes to our class leading efficiency. This will help manage our way through the immediate turmoil but we'll have an equal focus on doing more of the right things that set us up for the market's return."
BMW Brand Sales
Sales of BMW brand vehicles decreased 40.2 percent in December for a total of 18,060 compared to 30,199 reported in the same month a year ago. In 2008, BMW brand sales were down 15.2 percent, to 249,113 vehicles compared to 293,795 vehicles sold in 2007.
BMW Automobile Sales
BMW's automobile sales are down 40.2 percent in December to 13,796 versus 23,064 in the same month a year ago. In 2008, sales decreased by 15.4 percent, to 195,085 automobiles compared to 230,535 in 2007.
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Sales
Sales of BMW Sports Activity Vehicles decreased by 40.2 percent in December to 4,264 vehicles over the 7,135 sold last December. In 2008, sales of BMW Sports Activity Vehicles were down 14.6 percent, to 54,028 vehicles compared to the 63,260 sold in 2007.
MINI Brand Sales
MINI USA reported December sales of 3,566 automobiles, up 0.1 percent from the 3,562 cars sold in December 2007. In 2008, the division reported sales of 54,077 automobiles, an increase of 28.6 percent, compared to the 42,045 cars reported in 2007.
"Fuel efficiency and small cars had a big year in 2008 even with low fuel prices slowing down the positive sales development in the past few months," said Jim McDowell, Vice-President of MINI USA. "A balance of rational and emotional reasons are going to be the way of the future to continue small car growth in the U.S. MINI's success in 2008 may be a good indication of this balance."
Table: Sales BMW of North America, LLC, December 2008
Dec. 2008
Dec..
2007
%
YTD
2008
YTD 2007
%
BMW brand
18,060
30,199
-40.2
249,113
293,795
-15.2
BMW passenger cars
13,796
23,064
-40.2
195,085
230,535
-15.4
BMW light trucks
(SAVs)
4,264
7,135
-40.2
54,028
63,260
-14.6
MINI brand
3,566
3,562
0.1
54,077
42,045
28.6
TOTAL Group
21,626
33,761
-35.9
303,190
335,840
-9.7
BMW Certified Pre-Owned
Sales of BMW's Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) vehicles are up 23.4 percent, to 11,719 CPO vehicles versus 9,496 vehicles reported last December. In 2008, CPO sales are up 16.4 percent, to 104,500 over the 89,795 reported in 2007.
BMW introduces new Winter Driver Training Program.
01/05/2009
Whitby – BMW Canada has announced it will offer Winter Driver Training in February 2009. The course is a one full-day session held at the International Club Academy Racing (ICAR) in Mirabel, Quebec.
The goal of the Winter Driver Training program is to teach participants the basic elements for safe, confident winter driving. Through the course, participants will learn key manoeuvres such as emergency braking and avoiding, front and rear wheel skid control, 180 degree turns, and drifting. Participants will learn how to handle a car with and without the Dynamic Stability Control enabled. At the end of the day, drivers will test and demonstrate some of their newly acquired skills in a snow autocross.
For a cost of $795.00 per person, participants will enjoy a full day behind the wheel of BMW’s quintessential 335i Coupes with both manual and automatic transmissions. Participants will take part in both in-class theory and in-car driving experience, with more focus on the latter. Class sizes will be limited to 16 participants with three instructors led by Chief BMW Driver Training Instructor, Pierre Savoy.
Sessions are being held the week of February 2 to the 8, 2009. Customers can visit www.bmwdrivertraining.ca or call 1-866-226-9723 for more information or to register. To be eligible for participation, drivers must have a valid driver’s license and be at least 18 years of age.
Video: BMW X6 M
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05.01.2009 CET
The New Year begins with a new regatta.
The BMW ORACLE Racing team will join a competitive fleet of 10 America’s Cup teams in Auckland, New Zealand, this month in preparation for the inaugural Louis Vuitton Pacific Series starting 30 January in America’s Cup Class yachts.
The venue of the 30th and 31st America’s Cup will play host to the event organized by Louis Vuitton, the New Zealand Government and Emirates Team New Zealand.
“Auckland is always a great place to sail,” said BMW ORACLE Racing CEO and Skipper, New Zealand’s Russell Coutts. “And with a race format aimed at close competition this should be an event that both sailors and fans will really enjoy.”
Coutts will helm the BMW ORACLE Racing entry, sharing afterguard duties with team owner and founder Larry Ellison (USA). 2008 New Zealand Olympian, Hamish Pepper (NZL), joins Coutts and Ellison in the afterguard as tactician.
trendhunter.com: 30 viral car and motorcycle campaigns
reuters.com: Motor racing – Alonso unhurt in Kenyan plane incident
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