Tag: german

Autoblog Podcast #208 – Explorer, Compass, Ward’s Engines, and a German trio

Filed under: Podcasts, Etc., Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Ford, Jeep, Kia, Land Rover, Volkswagen

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Episode #208 of the Autoblog Podcast is manned by the terrible trio of Chris Shunk, Dan Roth, and Zach Bowman. We start with the Autoblog Garage and then move on to cover the official-ness of the BMW 1M, Ward’s ten-best engines, the 2012 Audi A6, the Volkswagen Golf R and wrap by coming back to the States to mull the 2011 Jeep Compass and 2011 Ford Explorer. We finish with your questions at the end for an hour and twenty-four minutes total. Thanks for listening!

Autoblog Podcast #208 – Explorer, Compass, Ward’s Engines, and a German trio

In the Autoblog Garage:

2011 Range Rover Sport Supercharged
2011 Kia Optima

News Topics:

  • 2011 Ford Explorer
  • 2011 Jeep Compass
  • Ward’s Ten Best Engines
  • 2012 Audi A6
  • Volkswagen Golf R
  • BMW 1M


Hosts: Dan Roth, Chris Shunk, Zach Bowman,
Runtime: 1:23:58

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Autoblog Podcast #208 – Explorer, Compass, Ward’s Engines, and a German trio originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 Dec 2010 17:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: German inventors build car that comes when you call it

Filed under: Europe, Technology

KITT

Researchers in Germany say they’re now one step closer to bringing the nightmare fantasy of unmanned driving to life. A group of scientists have created a vehicle they call the MadeInGermany or MIG. Users can call up the vehicle via their smart phone or iPad and it will automatically chart the quickest and most efficient route to the user’s destination sans driver. Using an array of sensors, the vehicle generates a 3D image of its surroundings, helping it to navigate around pedestrians, other vehicles and bicyclists. Should the user decide to take control of the vehicle, they can operate the controls via that same smartphone or other mobile device.

The researchers say that their system will make car sharing more feasible, thereby reducing the number of cars in cities like Berlin by as much as much as 80 percent. Call us skeptical…

[Source: Canoe]

Report: German inventors build car that comes when you call it originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Oct 2010 18:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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German OEMs pick one electrical charging connector to rule them all

Filed under: Hybrid, Europe, Government/Legal, Technology, Electric

One massive sticking point with electric cars is the lack of standards when it comes to plugging in the vehicle. In the 90s, the General Motors EV1 didn’t use the same kind of plug as the Toyota RAV4 EV, and that meant electric vehicle charging stations had to keep multiple adapters on hand if they wanted to service to multiple machinery.

If there’s any hope that EVs will take off in popularity over the next few decades, some standardization is in order. To that end, German manufacturers Audi, BMW, Daimler (Mercedes-Benz and Smart), Porsche and Volkswagen have banded together banded together in support of a modular connector system for electric vehicle charging.

The consortium’s connector system has been submitted for standardization under the designation IEC 62196-2 Type 2 for single- and three-phase charging with alternating current, and a DC extension is currently under development. If all goes according to plan, this new plug system will be ready for use by 2013.

It’s important to note that there are other plug designs and standards in the works as well, most notably the IEC 62196-2 Type 1 (which is favored by Japanese automakers and is the same as the SAE J1772 proposal in the U.S.). In other words, there could be one standard plug in Japan and the States, and another one in Europe. Sounds familiar, no?

Not surprisingly, the SAE has issued something of a response to this new development from Germany, highlighting that its plug and receptacle are ready to go and available now. Read more here. Thanks for the tip, Roy!

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading German OEMs pick one electrical charging connector to rule them all

German OEMs pick one electrical charging connector to rule them all originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Sep 2010 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chrome-dipped Mercedes SLS AMG shines at German GP

Filed under: Coupe, Mercedes-Benz, Racing

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 chromed by Laureus – Click above for high-res image gallery

Is nothing sacred? We’ve seen all manner of chromed-out Mercedes, from the SLR McLaren to a C63 (and more than we care to remember in between), but some things ought to be left alone. If the SLS AMG weren’t enough to warrant exclusion from this most Middle Eastern of practices, we’d have hope at least that the GT3 racing version would be. We’d hope, but we’d be wrong.

The example you see here was rolled out by the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, an organization that promotes athletics as a remedy to youth issues. The foundation is supported by Mercedes-Benz, among other sponsors, and the livery is also featured on a DTM C-Class touring car. Offset by the red accents, the bright finish “mirrors” that of McLaren’s F1 cars, which remain powered by Mercedes engines, though the automaker has switched its patronage to its own team this season.

The car was displayed during the German Grand Prix a couple of weeks ago at Hockenheim, the only place where it stood a decent chance of not standing out. At least it was for a good cause.

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 chromed by Laureus

[Source: Mercedes-Benz Passion via JonSibal.com]

Chrome-dipped Mercedes SLS AMG shines at German GP originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ferrari fined $100,000 for transgressions in German Grand Prix

Filed under: Motorsports, Government/Legal, Ferrari

Fernando Alonso leads teammate Felipe Massa in the 2010 German Grand Prix – Click above for high-res image gallery

If you followed yesterday’s 2010 German Grand Prix, you’ll remember that Felipe Massa mysteriously (not really) slowed late in the race, allowing his teammate Fernando Alonso to take the lead and the eventual win. Although this type of teamwork has been going on since the first two-chariot entry at the Circus Maximus, team orders are technically no longer allowed in Formula 1. As if the on-track maneuver wasn’t obvious enough, the radio chatter between Rob Smedley and the drivers made it pretty clear what was going on. And that radio chatter is monitored, so it wasn’t surprising that soon after the race an inquiry began into Ferrari’s tactics.

Well, the official word has come that Ferrari has been fined $100,000 for breaking the Sporting Regulations during the German Grand Prix. The stewards have also referred the matter to the World Motor Sports Council, meaning the result of the race could be in jeopardy. But for now the results stand.

Massa, probably stung by the call to move aside, admitted after the race that he let Alonso past, but he said he did it on his own accord. Ummmm… okay. Ultimately the driver has the final decision, but if he wants to return to the driver’s seat next season he’ll usually want to heed the advice of his team boss.

The official statement tells us that the stewards found Ferrari guilty of breaking article 39.1 of the Sporting Regulations, which forbids team orders that influence the outcome of the race. They also charged that Ferrari transgressed article 151c of the International Sporting Code, relating to bringing the sport into disrepute, the same section that McLaren was famously busted for back in 2007. Thanks to everyone for the tips.

Gallery: 2010 German Grand Prix

Ferrari fined $100,000 for transgressions in German Grand Prix originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 German Grand Prix: Tussles, team orders and tire wear [SPOILERS]

Filed under: Motorsports, Racing

2010 German Grand Prix

2010 German Grand Prix – Click above for high-res image gallery

The Formula One World Championship passed the halfway point with the British Grand Prix two weeks ago, and while Red Bull and McLaren have been the teams to beat of late, several others are showing signs of marked improvement, Ferrari being but one of them. Heading into qualifying for the German Grand Prix, the Maranello squad was telling anyone who would listen that they were in it to the very end. After all, the Scuderia had taken the top step of the podium in the first round of the season and Fernando Alonso was fifth in the drivers’ standings.

Of course, there were still two Red Bull drivers and two McLaren drivers ahead of him, none of whom are mailing it in for the remaining nine races. Vettel, Hamilton and Button have each racked up two wins in 2010, and last week’s victor, Mark Webber, has posted three. If Ferrari, and Alonso in particular, were going to get back into the hunt, they needed a great showing in Hockenheim. There was good news for the tifosi: Fernando was quickest through much of practice heading into the Sunday feature. Would his speed hold through qualifying? And would Ferrari truly take that big step everyone has been anticipating? Follow the jump to read how things went down.

Gallery: 2010 German Grand Prix

[Images: Matthias Schrader, Martin Meissner, Michael Probst, Jens Meyer, /AP | Guillaume Baptiste/AFP/Getty Images]

Continue reading 2010 German Grand Prix: Tussles, team orders and tire wear [SPOILERS]

2010 German Grand Prix: Tussles, team orders and tire wear [SPOILERS] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 25 Jul 2010 14:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BBC: 1M pedestrians party at banquet held on German Autobahn

Filed under: Etc., Europe, Humor

German pedestrians flood the Autobahn – click above to watch the video

The Germans certainly know how to do a block party. According to the BBC, residents between Duisburg and Dortmund have closed 40 miles of the famous Autobahn for one massive street festival. Organizers of the event handed out 20,000 tables in order to help create the longest table in the world as part of the celebration. At some point, the road was even closed to cyclists due to congestion.

Near as we can tell, the whole event was held to celebrate the Ruhr region as part of the area’s nomination as the Cultural Capital of Europe, 2010. Residents came out in droves to participate in everything from singing and dancing to street shows to mark the occasion. We’re guessing there was plenty of good food on hand, too. Sounds like a pretty good time to us, but we have a hard time believing that anyone on this side of The Pond would be okay with shutting down the 405 for a similar summer shindig. Check out some video footage of the big party on the Trans Europe Express – complete with appropriate Kraftwerk soundtrack – after the jump. Thanks for the tip, Gary!

[Sources: BBC, YouTube]]

Continue reading BBC: 1M pedestrians party at banquet held on German Autobahn

BBC: 1M pedestrians party at banquet held on German Autobahn originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Jul 2010 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: German mfgs cleaning up as appetite for luxury cars is ‘bottomless’

Filed under: China, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Earnings/Financials

There’s a three-to-four month wait for a new 5 Series and BMW has raised its 2010 global forecast to 1.4 million units. Mercedes-Benz Q2 production exceeded 300,000 units and Daimler’s operating profit for the period was €2.1 billion ($2.7B U.S.) Audi’s percentage increase in sales in 2010 compared to last year has outdone both BMW and Benz. The reasons for all that, says Bloomberg, is new product, growing U.S. demand and Chinese-market growth “that’s way beyond expectations.”

While there’s an undeniable story in the recovery of U.S. sales, this is even more so about China. The demand for luxury by that country’s million or so millionaires and their underlings is a leather-lined sinkhole, and the three German manufacturers are doing everything they can to fill it. Their best is barely enough. Benz and Bimmer have added workers and shifts this summer to try and fill orders.

From the sounds of it, they might not be able to manage that this year – China’s appetite is such that the demand “won’t be easily derailed even if economic growth slows,” according to one analyst. If nothing else, and assuming the analyst is correct, it should lay a decent foundation for 2011 and perhaps allay some concern about that double-dip recession talk.

[Source: Bloomberg via BusinessWeek | Image: Doug Kanter/AFP/Getty]

Report: German mfgs cleaning up as appetite for luxury cars is ‘bottomless’ originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Jul 2010 14:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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