Bentley’s Power on Ice adventure is set to deliver

Whether the passion is to drive for speed, or to put driving skills to the ultimate test, Bentley’s Power on Ice excursion is ready to provide exciting results. Bentley is returning to northern Finland next month to offer guests a chance to drive the 6L 567HP Continental GT coupe and 621HP Continental Supersports coupe. The course is unusual and challenging for all drivers, but four-time World Rally Champion Juha Kankkunen will be there to teach.

“The circuits are crafted from snow and ice and are unlike any other track or road you have seen before,” says Peter Barnes a senior instructor with Bentley Driving.

“As well as drawing inspiration from Juha’s world records, Bentley’s engineers and professional drivers have used Finland’s extreme conditions to enhance the safety and handling capabilities of our cars. We’ve got a great deal of knowledge and expertise to share but the accent for Power on Ice will always be on fun and taking part in something far more memorable than a normal skiing holiday,” adds Peter.

“Power on Ice mixes the pure exhilaration of slaloming a Bentley supercar on a purpose-built course or taking a spin around a ‘figure of eight’ track, with the opportunity to acquire advanced techniques from a personal instructor, that will enable drivers to handle their cars with confidence even in the harshest weather conditions,” Peter explains.

Bentley’s continued innovation and luxury reputation meets inspiration and imagination in Finland for a totally unique driving experience. The Continental is suited for winter driving with the all-wheel-drive system with Torsen differential, ensuring dynamic and safe handling on all road surface.

Top 20 Car Brands by Perception from Consumer Reports

The perceived difference between top-of-the-line car brands is diminishing. The Consumer Reports National Research Center has recently conducted a survey of the 2012 Car-Brand Perception. Toyota, Ford, Honda, Chevy and Mercedes-Benz maintained their stay as perennial leaders of the past and present, but watched their point gap decrease. The small electric-car builder has seen a rise with recent dramatic events like gas price increases and the economic downturn.

The Top 5 Car Brands by Perception are led by Toyota, Ford, Honda, Chevy and Mercedes-Benz, with BMW, Volvo, Cadillac, Lexus and Tesla rounding out the top ten. The survey asked the consumer how important each factor was to the respondent making a car purchase. Safety was the top consideration, followed by quality, value, performance, environmental friendliness, design and style, and technology and innovation.

Consumers are recognizing the forecast of more electric cars to the market, with Fisker and Tesla making a showing in the latest survey. Small producers that were added to the 2012 survey are scoring better than many well-established brands. Awareness is still relatively low on many of these electric car brands compared to the more established companies, but respondents familiar with Fisker and Tesla held them in high regard in certain categories.

Car-brand leaders do not stand out from the rest of the pack the way they have in the past, and individual factors show the perceptions leading to significant changes. Category scores reflect the number of times that the particular make was mentioned as a standard of the particular attribute in all seven categories.

Consumer Reports National Research Center conducted a random, nationwide telephone survey of 2,045 adults from Dec. 1-5, 2011, and collected survey data from 1,702 adults in households that had at least one car.

New Car Sales Forecasting Growth For Second Straight Year

Even with the recent statistic of America’s average car age climbing almost to teenie bopper status, there are many signs pointing in the direction of new car sales. Consumers are awaking to the fresh new car smell, with a 1.2 million car growth in sales from 2010-2011.

Polk analyst Mark Seng predicts sales to grow roughly 1 million cars per year through 2015, which industry analysts consider back to normal. Polk also states that the number of cars in the United States in 2010 grew slightly, from 240 million to 240.5 million. The aging trend of vehicles has stalled U.S. auto sales since 2009, when they reached a 30-year low of 10.4 million new cars and trucks sold. The slow growth has put the brakes on auto companies and parts manufacturers hiring in large numbers.

Consumers will continue to aid dealerships in new car purchasing with the gradual rise in employment in the U.S. New car sales are projected to surpass the all-time high set in 2005 by 2016. The grass is indeed greener in the near future.

700 ActiveEs from BMW now available in U.S.

The ActiveE is part of BMW Group’s research to develop a sustainable driving option for BMW consumers in the United States.

The first BMW ActiveE 1-series was delivered to the United States on Friday, January 13^th. The ActiveE 1-series was the first of a fleet of 700 BMW 1-series sedans converted to battery electric vehicles.

The ActiveE has a lithium-ion battery pack that is integrated into the tunnel and gas tank area. Having a liquid-cooled and heated pack basically means that whether it is in hot or cold weather the performance of the ActiveE should remain consistent. The ActiveE is said to have a driving range of up to 100 miles and goes from 0 to 60 mph in less than 9 seconds, which is not too shabby for an eco-friendly car.

This test fleet of 700 sedans that are being delivered to the United States will help to give BMW further real-world information on how electric-car drivers use plug-in vehicles on a daily basis. The 700 ActiveE BMW sedans will be sold on two year leases and the households that use them will give feedback on their usage to BMW. The test fleet will be delivered to BMW customers in New York, Boston, Hartford, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, and Sacramento over the next several weeks.

The first 100 percent BMW that is a 100 percent electric car is the ActiveE, however, it will not be the last. BMW Group’s next step towards an emission-free, mass produced electric vehicle will be the release of the BMW i3 electric in 2013. The BMW i3 will focus on providing eco-friendly transportation to consumers in congested urban areas.

Consumer Reports Top Spot goes to 2012 Toyota Camry

The 2012 Toyota Camry is being recommended by Consumer Reports, after reviewers were impressed by many of the new features the car offers.

The new 2012 Toyota Camry has earned top marks according to Consumer Reports. Among family sedans the 2012 Camry has out shown its competition with an improved interior, crisp handling, and better gas mileage.

Consumer Reports reviewers tested all three versions of the 2012 Camry. Based on the testing of the reviewers the four-cylinder and hybrid versions of the Camry earned the coveted “recommended” label from Consumer Reports.

There were several improvements and features that reviewers cited as to why they gave the Camry the “recommended” label. The 2012 Camry looks better than ever with its angular design and it has one of the nicest interiors ever fitted to a Japanese car. The Camry is also very good at being a family saloon, meaning that it offers plenty of room inside the cabin and plenty of cargo space. Additionally, the improved gas mileage of 38 mpg in the hybrid and 27 mpg in the four-cylinder rival that of its top competitors.

The midsize Camry has led car sales in 13 of the last 14 years, but in 2011 sales fell behind competitors. Reasons for the Camry’s struggles in 2011 were largely out of Toyota’s control as the effects of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan disrupted their parts supplies significantly. However, Toyota is optimistic that the prestigious rankings from Consumer Reports will help boost their sales in 2012 to once again regain the top position.

Earning a “recommended” label from Consumer Reports is a great statement to the quality and convenience of the 2012 Toyota Camry. Consumer Reports is a non-biased and non-affiliated group of shoppers and technical experts whose mission is to work for a fair, just, and safe marketplace for all consumers.

Drivers Always Have a Copilot with BMW ConnectedDrive

Imagine having a copilot with you during every drive—a copilot that provides safety, entertainment, and convenience wherever you want, when you want. With BMW ConnectedDrive, available at West German BMW, drivers can experience having a copilot now.

BMW ConnectedDrive is an in-car technology that provides a range of driver assistance systems. For safety, BMW ConnectedDrive showcases BMW Night Vision, which uses a thermal camera to display and warn drivers of objects or people up ahead. This technology also offers Lane Change Warning, which will detect and warn drivers of cars in their blind spot.

With BMW ConnectedDrive, have easy access to hands-free phone calls, their music, the Internet, and smartphone apps. Using the iDrive controller and Control Display in the center console, drivers have access to the Internet, including Google, Facebook, and Google Maps. With Bluetooth, drivers make and receive phone calls while keep their hands on the steering wheel. In addition, Bluetooth Audio Streaming allows drivers to easily sift through their favorite songs on their iPod of MP3.

For convenience, BMW ConnectedDrive gives drivers the ability to receive information, make reservations, find directions, locate businesses, and park with ease. BMW Assist Information Service connects drivers to an agent at the BMW Call Center, free of charge. Agents at this center can book a hotel for you, tell you where the nearest Wal-Mart is located, or reserve tickets to that show you’ve been meaning to see. To make parking easier, BMW ConnectedDrive offers the Park Assistant, which will park the car for you. All drivers have to do is control the brake and gas.

A copilot for your safety, entertainment, and convenience awaits you with the BMW ConnectedDrive. Stop by West German BMW today to experience this innovative technology.

Used Car Sales Up in 2011

Americans bought nearly 39 million used vehicles in 2011, more than three times the number of new cars, trucks, and crossovers sold. According to CNW Marketing, pent-up demand cars during tough economic times led to a surge in used car sales last year as the economy recovered and as old cars wore out.

CNW says many traditional new car buyers have shifted to the pre-owned vehicle market during the economic recession, and many are still option for used cars. The increased pool of used car buyers has led to higher demand for used cars, especially newer models. “Nearly new” vehicles – ones that have just come off short-term leases and are backed by warranties – are in particularly high demand; however, a downturn in dealer leasing over the past years has fewer of these vehicles on the market.

With used car values up, both dealerships and private parties have pushed to sell their pre-owned vehicles, both traditionally and online. The combination of demand and marketing push worked: CNW predicts that the trend of record used cars sales will continue into next year.

SuperBowl Commercials Cost BIG Car Companies BIG Money

Commercial spots for the 2012 SuperBowl sold out around Thanksgiving, and auto companies are leading the list of this year’s buyers.

It’s that time of year again, holiday decorations are being put back into storage and New Year’s resolutions have been set. College Football Bowl games are wrapping up and the NFL playoffs are set to begin…which can only mean one thing…..SuperBowl commercials are only a couple of weeks away.

Companies large and small are putting the final touches on their SuperBowl commercials that run a cool $3.5 million for 30 seconds of ad space. NBC has stated that the ad space for commercials during the 2012 SuperBowl sold out around Thanksgiving.

As usual there are a wide variety of companies showing their stuff during the game, but the auto industry has bought up more time and space in the 2012 SuperBowl than any other industry. Major auto companies that will be airing commercials during the 2012 SuperBowl include; Volkswagen, Kia, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Toyota, and Hyundai.

Volkswagen will try to repeat the success of their award winning “Force” commercial from the 2011 SuperBowl. According to Tim Mahoney, chief marketing officer at Volkswagen, they have purchased a 60-second spot in the 3^rd quarter for a commercial that will feature the 2012 Beetle.

GM is also going to be making a big splash in the 2012 SuperBowl, the company has purchased 5 spots for ads. They will be running 1 Cadillac ad and 4 Chevy ads, and have talked with other SuperBowl advertisers to get product placement in their commercials. Additionally, Chevrolet has been running a contest where internet users can vote for 1 ad that will air during the 2012 SuperBowl with their route66 campaign.

Auto companies know how to market their product and there is no bigger marketing stage than the SuperBowl. Car companies are preparing funny, happy, and emotional commercials to make you fall in love with their car brands.

Reduced Water Usage is Part of Ford’s Sustainability Strategy

In an effort to increase their sustainability and decrease the environmental impact of their facilities Ford is reducing the amount of water used in their manufacturing processes.

Ford is starting 2012 with an aggressive plan to reduce the amount of water used in their manufacturing processes. Ford is driving their goal to not only have efficient vehicles, but to also be an all-around efficient company including the way that they produce and manufacture products.

The aggressive plan that Ford is taking to reduce their water usage in manufacturing has a goal of 30 percent global reduction by 2015 of the amount of water used per vehicle in 2009. These efforts come on the heels of the Ford’s Global Water Management initiative launched in 2000 reducing the company’s global water use by 62 percent, or 10.5 billion gallons.

Reducing their water use by 10.5 billion gallons is equivalent to how much water 105,000 American residences use yearly on average. If Ford is able to meet their current goal of 30 percent more reduction, they will drop the amount of water used per car from 2509.9 gallons in 2000 to 924.7 gallons in 2015.

In order to achieve this significant amount of water reduction Ford has been applying innovative technology to its production processes. When the water reduction inniative began in 2000 Ford had very little ability to even track water usage. Today Ford engineers have developed systems to track and even predict the amount of future water usage.

By reporting and tracking the sustainability measures of their manufacturing processes Ford is showing their commitment to environment friendly manufacturing. Integrating water conservation into their manufacturing processes is just one part of Ford’s global sustainability strategy.