Brabus builds a brazen, ballistic G-Wagen

The Gelandewagen has a long history as a world-conquering off-roader. Now in its 30th year of production, the two ton Benz-built bruiser has conquered the Sahara, straddled the Alps and set dozens of records for going places lesser trucks could not.

But now Brabus has written another record for the G-Wagen: the most powerful production off-roader ever built.

BMW ships, prices first US-market diesels in 20 years

It's been a long while since BMW sold a diesel car in the US market.

Since 1988, when the 524d and 524td sedans left our shores in a cloud of their own soot, the Soviet Union fell apart and Germany reunified. We've had two Bushes and a Clinton in the White House and watched oil prices surge to dizzying heights.

Now, even as crude oil prices continue to fall in the dour economy, BMW has returned with a pair of oil-burners. Starting next year, the German automaker will offer the 335d, a diesel version of the 3-series sedan and the X5 xDrive35d, a diesel variant of the popular X5 SUV.

Both are powered by 3-liter, twin-turbocharged diesel inline-six rated at 265 horsepower and a tarmac-wrinkling 425 pound feet of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission is the only option for both models. BMW has yet to develop a manual gearbox that can handle the immense torque output, so neither US or European customers will be able to row the gears themselves.

Like the new Mercedes-Benz diesels, the oil-burning BMWs will use a particulate filter and urea injection to eliminate soot and reduce emissions. The urea solution - called AdBlue - is carried in a 5.5 gallon tank on both the 335d and X5 diesel. BMW expects a tankful of AdBlue to last for about 15,000 miles.

As a part of the automaker's five-year / 40,000 mile complimentary maintenance program, BMW will refill each car's AdBlue tank at no extra cost at 10,000 miles.

At the pump, the 335d is rated at 23 mpg city and 36 mpg on the highway, with a range of about 560 miles. The X5 diesel carries a 22 gallon tank which translates to 585 miles with a 19 mpg city and 26 mpg highway EPA rating.

The 335d will sell for $44,725 and the X5 xDrive35d will go for MSRP of $52,025, including destination and handling.

Both will be eligible for a federal tax credit. The IRS will kick back $900 for each 335d, while X5 xDrive35d customers will qualify for the maximum federal tax credit of $1,550.

[BMW]

Nissan intros new budget-leader Versa 1.6; zero percent leases for five models

With automakers everywhere struggling to turn a profit, many are returning to the formula of budget-conscious cars to lure used car buyers into dealer showrooms.

For 2009, Nissan will lay claim to selling the cheapest new car on sale in America with the Nissan Versa 1.6 hatchback.

Priced at $9,990, the new trim Versa offers a smaller 1.6-liter DOHC four-cylinder engine good for 107 horsepower.

Paired with a standard 5-speed manual transmission or an optional 4-speed automatic transmission, the Versa 1.6 won't win any races, but it will save money at the pump.

Fuel economy is rated at 26 mpg city/34 mpg highway with the 5-speed manual and 26 mpg city/33 mpg highway with the 4-speed automatic.

For a sub-$10K car, the Versa 1.6 is still well-equipped. Power locks & windows, a decent 4-speaker AM/FM CD stereo and ABS brakes are all standard, as are dual front airbags.

Combined with the new-car warranty that no private-party used car can offer, the Versa 1.6 makes a convincing case for itself as a basic commuter car.

The Versa 1.6 will be in dealer showrooms starting Nov. 18.

Special lease offers on Versa, Sentra, Altima, Rogue and Murano

In other news, Nissan has also announced zero-percent financing for 36 months for five models:

That the Murano crossover and Rogue compact SUV qualify should come as no surprise. Both are relatively thirsty SUVs with combined EPA gas mileage in the mid-20s.

For sedan buyers on a budget, the Versa and Sentra compact sedans and the Altima mid-size sedan all qualify and are worth checking out. The down payment varies depending on the model and trim, but each lease is built upon a $199 monthly payment for 36 months.

The lease program started yesterday and will continue through the end of November.

[Nissan]

As a merger draws near, GM and Chrysler cull the SUV herd

In cattle ranching parlance, culling the herd is a process of selective slaughter. It is a metered and carefully planned elimination of the weak and unfit, done to protect the rest of the herd either from disease or in hard times, from starvation.

General Motors and Chrysler both sharpened their fiscal axes today and took drastic steps to ensure their continued survival. Upon unanimous approval by the board of directors, GM announced it has cancelled Project CXX, a $2 billion program to replace the aging Cadillac Escalade, GMC Yukon and Chevrolet Suburban sport-utility vehicles.

“It would have been very difficult in today’s environment to spend a couple of billion dollars to do a replacement,” said Bob Lutz, GM’s vice chairman and head of product development in a statement.

All three full-size sport utes — which a decade ago were icons of a resurgent GM — are now living on borrowed time. With the recent truck plant closures in Ohio and Wisconsin, the current generation of sport-utes will only be built for as long as sales volume remains self-sustaining.

Sales of sport-utility vehicles have steadily waned since 2004. As the highly profitable market shrank, losses continued to mount at all of the Big Three. And after posting a $18.8 billion loss in the second quarter of 2008, GM is reported to be in the final stages of a merger with embattled Chrysler LLC. While 2008 hasn't been kind to any domestic automaker, GM will likely suffer the worst in the coming months; its passenger cars were often sold as loss-makers and the company staked it's continued success on its line of sport-utes.

Layoffs at GM plants are set to continue, with Janesville, the firm's oldest and most reliant on sport-ute production, set to close by Christmas. If the Chrysler merger goes through, further layoffs are expected.

Chrysler pulls plug on Aspen & Durango hybrids
Earlier this week, Chrysler announced it would close its Newark, Del. plant nearly a year ahead of schedule. As a result, the Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen Hybrid sport-utes will be culled before they complete their first full model year.

Production of the two full-size hybrid sport-utes began two months ago, just in time to be scorched in September, the worst month of U.S. auto sales in 15 years.

Speaking with Automotive News, Chrysler spokesman Todd Goyer said the company had no plans to move the Aspen and Durango hybrids elsewhere. "Keeping the plant open for the hybrid versions isn't a sound business decision," he said.

1,000 Chrysler employees will be laid off when the final shift is completed on Dec. 31, 2008.

The Detroit News reports there are no signs that Chrysler will commit to another body-on-frame full-size sport-ute. Ford has already committed to a unibody layout for the next Ford Explorer, following the lead established by Honda with their Pilot sport-ute and Ridgeline pickup truck.

Unibody layouts used stamped steel sections that are welded together to form the structure of an automobile. Commonly used to build passenger cars, unibody designs are typically 10 to 20 percent lighter — and hence, can be more fuel-efficient — than a similarly sized body-on-frame vehicle.

[ NYT, AN, DTN]

EDITORIAL: 2010 Mini Crossman SUV Concept set to ruin brand heritage, defy logic at Paris debut

At nearly 14 feet long with a 11 foot long wheelbase, any pretense of an SUV being sold as a MINI borders on the clinically insane.

But that hasn't stopped BMW — the parent company of MINI — from applying horrid marketing groupthink to a world-renowned brand.

And thus, lipsticked pigs like the Mini Crossman Concept are born.

Since the first Morris Mini rolled off the line at Longbridge, Birmingham in 1959, the Mini has been known for exceptional space efficiency combined with world-beating handling and — in the hands of rally pilots like Timo Maakinen — world championship caliber performance.

All of which make the forthcoming Crossman SUV an insipid, overwrought creation that — judging by recent sales figures — is completely out of touch with the rest of the market.

As Dodge and Chrysler have shown by virtue of their flirtations with bankruptcy, the SUV market has all but collapsed. And now that Sin City has given up on the Hummer, it doesn't take an economist to realize that the demand for poseur trucklets of all sizes has taken a serious — and likely permanent — beating.

Furthermore, Mini will be the latecomer to an already overbooked party.

While the official MSRP has yet to be set, the production version of the all-wheel-drive Crossman will likely sell for about $2000 to $3000 more than the front-wheel-drive only Mini Clubman S, which offers nearly the same amount of space and sells for $24,100.

So, at $26,000 for a base Crossman, Mini's new trucklet will compete with everything from the Jeep Patriot to the lease-returned BMW X3 3.0i. When there are a dozen or so products all trying to survive in a shrinking market, the future doesn't bode well for newcomers.

No matter how much faux Britannia blush BMW decides to smear on its off-roading porcine plunker, it will still squeal under the strain of a fading and cliched niche.

Think I'm wrong?
Give me an earful in the comments.

Sueeey...!

[Photo Credit: BMW AG]

2009 Chevrolet Equinox to receive all-new drivetrains, Pontiac Torrent SUV culled

In the wake of the restructuring plan announced last week, we are learning more about the sweeping changes coming to all corners of the GM empire. With fuel economy triage being the top priority, the General is tending to the patients in worst shape first.

For 2009, the Chevrolet Equinox SUV will ditch its 3.4 liter pushrod V6 for an all-new 2.3 liter turbo inline 4 with direct injection. The motor is a stroked version of the 2.0 liter turbo four found in the Chevrolet Cobalt SS.

Official horsepower figures haven't been released yet. Given that the current V6 is rated at 185 horsepower, we expect output in the mid 200s. Fuel economy figures aren't in either, yet a 15 percent improvement from the current model's mileage (16 city / 24 highway) isn't out of the question.

In addition to the base four cylinder, a Sport model will join the lineup in mid-2009, powered by a 263 horsepower DOHC 3.6 liter V6 taken from the Saturn Aura.

Both trims will be front wheel drive using the same six-speed automatic transmission with manual shift control.

The Pontiac Torrent — a badge-engineered clone of the current Equinox model — will cease production at the end of 2008. The new Equinox will be re-badged by the GMC division and sold as the GMC Terrain, starting mid-2009.

[Source: GM]