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When Ernst Lieb (farthest right in the photo) was ousted as CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA earlier in the week, speculation was that he had been fired. While Mercedes has officially remained mum on the topic, a new report from the Financial Times says the cause of his departure was “irregularities in the human resources area,” which FT says related to paying a household employee with company money.

Apparently, an internal whistleblower busted Lieb, who FT says had already gotten into hot water over his wife’s golf membership – which he was billing to the company. The hard line taken with Lieb, says FT, may be linked to a focus on eliminating corruption in the German business community, after a string of scandals at Siemens, Volkswagen and Daimler itself. Daimler infamously paid a $200 million settlement earlier this year when the U.S. charged the company with bribing foreign officials.

But another report, from TheDetroitBureau.com, suggest that business decisions might have been a factor in Lieb’s exit, “including a dicey move authorized by Lieb meant to bolster September sales numbers.” While the Bureau quotes a “senior source at Daimler AG headquarters in Germany” saying that this attempt to manipulate sales numbers had “nothing to do with this,” the report goes into detail explaining a one-day-demo program M-B USA cooked up for its dealers. The plan could have added “several thousand” units to the sales totals for the month of September.

While the source of the corporate brass’ dissatisfaction with Lieb remains a mystery – at least for now – we expect more details will surface, including who the company will hire to replace him. In the meantime, M-B USA was forced to cancel its annual dealer meeting in Chicago this week.

Deposed Mercedes-Benz USA CEO Lieb accused of financial wrongdoing

We first saw the Cadillac XTS Platinum concept (pictured) at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show, but it appears that the production car will finally bow in Los Angeles next month. The XTS will be Cadillac’s new flagship sedan, replacing both the STS and DTS when it arrives.

The big highlight of the XTS will be Cadillac’s new CUE infotainment system, which will later be available in the ATS sedan and SRX crossover. Mum’s the word on what sort of powertrain will be lurking under the hood of the new flagship, but recent reports have suggested that we could see a turbocharged version of General Motors’ new 2.5-liter inline-four, producing around 300 horsepower. For reference, the XTS Platinum concept debuted with a 3.6-liter V6 mated to a plug-in hybrid system, delivering 350 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque.

The XTS will go into production in the spring of 2012. We’ll have the full suite of details live from Los Angeles next month.

2013 Cadillac XTS coming to LA Auto Show

BMW shocked the motorcycle world in 2009 with the launch of its S 1000 RR superbike. Here was a bike, produced by a company known mostly for its touring and adventure machines, that wasn’t just competitive with the best from Japan and Italy, but class-leading in power and technology – and all for an extremely reasonable price. And it has sold rather well.

So, how do you go about updating such a successful product? Carefully. BMW has chosen not to reinvent the wheel with its 2012 S 1000 RR, and that’s certainly fine by us. Still producing a peak of 193 horsepower, there’s no change to the engine other than a remapped throttle curve that’s said to improve low-speed performance along with an additional riding mode (Rain, Sport, Race and Slick).

Suspension updates, on the other hand, are many. Geometry of both the front and rear suspenders has been adjusted, as have the spring rates. Structural updates include a new forged and milled fork bridge plus a reconfigured air passage through the steering head. Naturally, the electronics package has been “refined” for 2012, as well.

We’re pleased with the new color schemes BMW worked up for its sportiest model. Before, we really only liked the red, white and blue motif that made up BMW’s Motorrad Motorsport package, but now there are more attractive options that included Racing Red with Alpine White and Black, Sapphire Black Metallic and Bluefire (a light shade that you can see in our gallery). Oh, and don’t forget the revised RR logo…

Check out all the details in the full press release after the break.

Continue reading 2012 BMW S 1000 RR refines the sportbike paradigm

2012 BMW S 1000 RR refines the sportbike paradigm

Does Technology Make A Segment Leader?

Want to give yourself a headache? Go out and shop for a new compact sedan with the stipulation that it must have seating for up to five passengers and a highway EPA fuel economy rating in the high-30-mpg range or better. You won’t have to look hard, because it seems nearly every automaker is jumping into an already crowded segment and delivering this type of vehicle. Without much effort, we can alphabetically list the Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Mazda3 and Toyota Corolla. Spend a bit more time, and the list opens up even wider.

Sticker prices, fuel economy numbers and warranty terms are objective and indubitable. Driving dynamics, styling and passenger comfort, in sharp contrast, are subjective. To differentiate itself from the crowd, and win consumers over on both fronts, Mazda has worked hard to deliver a competitive compact that is objectively frugal and subjectively stylish and fun to drive.

Enter the new 2012 Mazda3 Skyactiv.

Fitted with a new high-compression engine and offered with two new transmissions, the latest of the Mazda’s energy-efficient variants sounds impressive on paper – but so do most redesigned cars at first glance. We recently spent a day in Southern California putting the updated Mazda3 Skyactiv through its paces to determine if the Japanese automaker has really provided us with something revolutionary, or just another round of marketing hype.

Continue reading 2012 Mazda3 Skyactiv

2012 Mazda3 Skyactiv

Tesla’s libel suit against Top Gear was dealt a crushing blow with London’s court ruling that no Top Gear viewer would have reasonably assumed the Tesla Roadster’s on-track performance on the show relates to its real-world capabilities.

As you might recall, Top Gear’s review of the Roadster concluded by claiming that, “In the real world, it doesn’t seem to work” (watch it here). But that’s just Top Gear being, well, Top Gear, implies Justice Tugendhat:

In my judgment, the words complained of are wholly incapable of conveying any meaning at all to the effect that the claimant misled anyone. This is because the contrast between the style of driving and the nature of the track as compared with the conditions on a public road are so great that no reasonable person could understand that the performance on the track is capable of a direct comparison with a public road.

The ruling was handed down verbally by Justice Tugendhat before lunch on Wednesday, October 19th. The Tesla versus Top Gear trial will continue as the automaker is suing BBC for five malicious statements made during the Top Gear’s 2008 review of the electric Roadster. Tugendhat is expected to return a complete verdict within weeks.

Court rules Top Gear did not libel Tesla

Now that we have a clear glimpse of the 2012 BMW 328i and 335i, it’s time for us to set our sights on the next chapter of the 3 Series story: the M3. Our trusty spy photographers caught this prototype doing its thing on the Nürburgring, and though there’s still lots of swirly camouflage, it’s pretty easy to see how the new 3 Series’ design will adapt to the bulgier M shape.

What’s still unknown, however, is exactly what’s powering the next M3. It’s no secret that BMW will be dropping the naturally aspirated 4.0-liter V8 in favor of a turbocharged six-cylinder setup, but we’ve heard reports that the automaker’s traditional inline-six may be nixed in favor of a brand new V6 configuration. Either way, expect the new M hotness to pack somewhere around 450 horsepower, and by using a forced induction setup, there should be substantially more torque on tap than the current car’s seemingly puny 295 pound-feet.

BMW M3 Sedan being worked out on the ‘Ring

The season for gift-giving is quickly approaching, and if you’re all out of ideas for that certain someone special on your list, Neiman Marcus may have just the thing. This year’s fantasy gift is a Ferrari FF. For the low, low price of just $395,000, buyers can snag a unique Neiman Marcus version of the all-wheel-drive, 650-horsepower Ferrari hatch. Only 10 versions of the vehicle will be built for the holiday season, each packing its own complimentary custom luggage set as part of the deal. As with each standard FF purchase, owners will be treated to the Ferrari Winter Driving Experience in Aspen, Colorado, as well.

As you may recall, the Chevrolet Camaro Convertible received the Neiman Marcus treatment last year with special paint for a staggering $75,000. That model sold out before we could bat an eye, and if we were the betting type, we’d say the same thing will happen to the Ferrari FF Neiman Marcus Edition. Head over to the Neiman Marcus site for more information.

This year’s Neiman Marcus fantasy car gift? Ferrari FF

Last month on The Young and the Restless Volkswagen-Suzuki Partnership, Osamu Suzuki was publicly declaring his angst with the “ball-and-chain” union, proclaiming it needed to end and serving legal papers. Volkswagen, meanwhile, was saying little other than that it wanted to speak to its partner privately and was not ready for a divorce, in spite of previously serving its own legal papers.

It seems the word games have gotten a tad hotter. Volkswagen’s mantra remains that it won’t deal with the matter in public but that it has no intention of leaving. Suzuki, on the other hand, has said that since its primary purpose for the partnership – access to VW’s “core technologies” – hasn’t happened, it will eventually demand the return of its shares if nothing changes. And it “may have to consider further action” if VW doesn’t turn a kind ear. We have a feeling this show, and its public drama, won’t be canceled anytime soon.

Despite public squabbles, VW says it plans to keep Suzuki stake

Say what you will about what he’s done since, but nobody was as hot a talent as Jacques Villeneuve in the mid ’90s. The French Canadian driver – and son of Gilles Villeneuve, who died while racing for Scuderia Ferrari – won both the Indy 500 and the IndyCar title in only his second season in the series. Then he moved up to Formula One and repeated the feat by taking the championship in only his second season, having only lost out to his Williams teammate Damon Hill the season before.

The 1997 world championship was nothing short of epic, pitting the newbie against Michael Schumacher in a battle that came down to the last race and saw Schumi disqualified from the standings for some questionable driving tactics. Needless to say, Williams was elated at securing what would, unfortunately, be the end of its dominant winning streak. And so were their sponsors. So much so, in fact, that Rothmans – the tobacco brand that was the team’s title sponsor – gave Jacques the very special gift you see here.

What might look like an ordinary Viper, in fact, packs some serious Venom – modified by Hennessey to the tune of over 600 horsepower, and decked out in Rothmans racing stripes to boot. It cost $135,000 new, but with a 3.3-second sprint to 60 and a 205-mile per hour top end, was capable of keeping pace with the half-million Ferrari Enzo that wouldn’t come out for another few years. Of course, with all that power driving the rear wheels and no electronic aids whatsoever, you’d have to be an F1 driver to keep it all under control.

The car traveled with Villeneuve as he contested the 1998 world championship to considerably less success, and, with 23,000 miles on the odometer, is now up for grabs in the UK with a £39,995 asking price – equivalent to $63k at today’s conversion rates. Which may be worth it for the performance capabilities alone, never mind the provenance.

Find of the Day: Jacques Villeneuve’s 1997 title-prize Hennessey Viper Venom

Here’s a handy trick: Say you find yourself in the middle of nowhere with a dead battery and no way to roll-start your vehicle. What do you do? If you happen to have enough rope lying around (or belts, for that matter), you can conceivably lift the drive axles, wrap the rope around a tire and pull with all of your might with the transmission in gear and the ignition on. The motion should be enough to turn the engine over and start the combustion cycle.

Of course, it’s worth noting that the vehicle needs to be properly supported during this whole endeavor, or you could wind up with a runaway hulk in a hurry. Fortunately, the enterprising youths in the video after the jump had their derelict ride well secured before pulling the old rope trick.

We should mention a few safety precautions here. First, make well sure that you can release the rope as soon as the engine fires, or you’ll quickly be introduced to the front fender well. Second, don’t waste your effort on an automatic. There isn’t a power in the ‘verse that can cause a slusher to turn over its engine. Finally, be warned that it’s going to take a significantly larger amount of effort (thanks, compression!) for any vehicle with more than four cylinders. Check out the video after the jump to see the trick in action.

Continue reading How to start a car with a dead battery without jumper cables

How to start a car with a dead battery without jumper cables

Autocar reports that Mini may be working on a more sinister version of Countryman. The hotter crossover would receive the once-over by the rally kings at Prodrive using lessons learned from the Mini WRC effort. Dave Richards, the head honcho at Prodrive, has made it clear that road-going versions of the Countryman WRC are a possibility, and Autocar was able to snag a few photos an aggressive Countryman wearing a fixed carbon fiber wing and custom alloy wheels. The report dishes on further details by saying that the vehicle will pack a Prodrive Milltek exhaust and a more potent version of the turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder currently available in the Mini Cooper S.

That’s interesting and all, but we hear word that Prodrive is focusing its efforts on creating a powerful version of the three-door Paceman. Is it possible that Mini and Prodrive are currently working on more than one model? Hoping certainly doesn’t cost us anything at this point. Head over to Autocar to check out the photos for yourself.

Prodrive working on WRC-inspired Mini Countryman

The Black Series epidemic has claimed the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG as its latest victim. Our spy photographers recently managed to catch a few photos of the SLS AMG Black Series out for a little testing on the Nürburgring.

What will the vehicle bring to the table when the production version arrives? The whispers kicking around the web indicate that buyers will enjoy around 650 horsepower wrapped in a package that’s lighter than the standard car. The extra power and reduced weight should get the Black Series to 60 miles per hour in around three seconds flat.

No one knows for certain, but we feel confident in guessing that the machine will also embrace a host of suspension and brake modifications for an even higher performance threshold. Don’t think that all of those toys will come cheap, however. Chances are the model will cost over $500,000.

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series takes to the track

We’ll admit it, this video isn’t exactly new, but it’s the first time we’re seeing it and, honestly, we’re stunned. The creators have dubbed this “The Mother of All Hot Wheels Tracks,” and after sitting at our desks with wide eyes and dropped jaws, we’re inclined to agree. And not just because it’s amazing to watch a little toy car run a claimed 2,000-foot gauntlet of orange plastic – it’s remarkable from a construction standpoint, too. Think about it: How many times would you design an elaborate Hot Wheels track only to have the whole thing come apart around Turn Four?

Consider this thing the Nürburgring of the Hot Wheels world.

Being the skeptics that we are, we so have to question the authenticity of this race course, only because the changing camera angles leaves some wiggle room for building the sections separately with much less track. You can vote yea or nay in our poll below, but frankly, we want to live in a world where this is 100 percent real.

Regardless, it’s an amazing feat of Hot Wheels engineering, and we highly encourage you to take four minutes out of your day to watch the full video, posted after the jump.

View Poll

Continue reading Mother of all Hot Wheels tracks leaves us speechless, if real [w/poll]

Mother of all Hot Wheels tracks leaves us speechless, if real [w/poll]

Planting The RS Flag On American Soil

Audi has made it clear that it’s only a matter of time before we finally get the chance to enjoy a wider slice of the company’s RS offerings in the United States. The German automaker has already confirmed that next year will see the arrival of the RS5, and additional models are presently being discussed for U.S. introductions.

But Audi has already fired the first shot in its effort to redefine what the RS badge means to American consumers with its 2012 TT RS. With 360 horsepower squeezed from a turbocharged 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine and just 3,300 pounds to sling around the track, the coupe isn’t just the best TT ever made, it’s possibly the most desirable steed in the Audi stable at the moment.

We can already hear the clattering of a thousand keyboards banging out something along the lines of, “OMG R8 STFU,” but allow us to elaborate. With a power-to-weight ratio of 9.2 pounds per horsepower, a top speed of 174 mph and a conservative 0-60 mph time of 4.1 seconds, the TT-RS is a pitch-perfect weapon. So perfect, in fact, that Audi officials admit that the meanest of the TT clan can outpace its R8 brethren on most tracks unless the eight cylinder gets a straight long enough to properly stretch its legs.

Do we have your attention? Did we mention that the 2012 TT RS is only available with a manual transmission? How about now?

Continue reading 2012 Audi TT RS

2012 Audi TT RS

The United Auto Workers have ratified a new four-year labor agreement with Ford by a two-to-one margin. The deal will see the automaker add 12,000 hourly jobs over the course of the term by bringing some production back into the U.S. from overseas. The agreement will also see Ford invest $16 billion in domestic product development and manufacturing during that time, as well. The automaker says that it will increase production by adding another shift at its Auto Alliance International, Michigan Assembly, Chicago Assembly and Louisville Assembly facilities to prepare for projected increased demand for fuel-efficient vehicles.

Ford has also indicated that the company will move production of the F-650 and F-750 medium-duty commercial trucks from Mexico to its Avon Lake, Ohio facility once that plant stops making the current E-Series. The move will put an end to Ford’s 10-year partnership with Navistar International. The two companies currently produces the medium-duty F-Series trucks in Escobedo, Mexico under the Blue Diamond LLC joint venture.

The ratification comes after a few worrisome days when it appeared that Ford could have faced its first strike in decades. Though the company’s Chicago Assembly plant rejected the new labor agreement, the UAW Local 600 endorsed the deal earlier this week. Hit the jump for the full press release.

Continue reading UAW finally ratifies new Ford contract, more details revealed

UAW finally ratifies new Ford contract, more details revealed

Yikes. The EPA has finally released its official fuel economy rating for the Fisker Karma, and it’s not high: just 52 MPGe, an all-electric range of 32 miles and 20 miles per gallon on gasoline when the battery runs dry. This is well below the numbers that Fisker reps were bandying about in past years: 67.2 mpge and an all-electric range of 50 miles.

American conservatives – who really have it out for plug-in hybrids that the federal government helped fund with loan guarantees – are already calling the Karma’s numbers a “flop.” It’s kind of hard to say if that’s the right word to use since luxury car buyers probably won’t be turned off by these figures – 20 mpg is nothing surprising for the class – but we agree that the PHEV needed to be more efficient when running on gasoline to truly impress us on the green front. At least a 32-mile electric range isn’t all that shabby, and company CEO and co-founder Henrik Fisker said he still thinks most drivers will beat the EPA estimate and be able to wring 50 electric miles out of their $95,900-plus cars.

Whatever they are, the numbers do contain some good news for Fisker. With EPA certification now in the bag, sales can officialy begin. Fisker said the first sales marked a “major milestone” and that his company “can deliver many more of these truly amazing automobiles to customers during the remainder of 2011 and for many years to come.” The first 39 Karmas should be rolling out “now-ish” to dealers for use at demonstration vehicles and the first customer vehicles should arrive from Finland in about two weeks.

Continue reading Fisker Karma gets EPA certified: 52 mpge, 32-mile electric range, 20 mpg on gas

Fisker Karma gets EPA certified: 52 mpge, 32-mile electric range, 20 mpg on gas

In the right weather and with the right person, riding in a horse-drawn carriage around Central Park can be romantic… if a little corny. Of course, it can also be a bit odorous and, for those on foot who have to deal with the horse by-product, messy. It’s not just joggers and bikers who object to the city horses; animal welfare groups have long worried about the poor working conditions. Not only do the animals spend their days shuffling along on hard pavement through slow-moving traffic while inhaling exhaust fumes, most of the horses return at night to narrow stalls beneath tenement buildings with never a chance to step into a pasture and graze. A recent petition drive gathered nearly 45,000 signatures in favor of retiring the carriage horses.

Welcome to the 20th century. Central Park may be about to reenact the transition from horse-drawn to horseless carriage as the four-footed form of horsepower is replaced by electric motors. The organization NY CLASS (New Yorkers for Clean, Livable, and Safe Streets) has commissioned designs for electric carriages, modeled after some early cars, as horse replacements. The plan is to make the cars available to the same people who currently own and drive the horse-drawn carriages so no one will lose a job – except possibly the horses, who may finally get a chance to step onto some of that grass they’ve been circling for years while never getting a hoof off the blacktop.

Right now, the horse-replacements exist only as foot-long models (a bit small for a romantic evening), but if the New York City Council moves forward on legislation to phase out the carriage horses, the electric cars could be replaced with full-size versions in the next few years.

History Repeats Itself: NYC horses may be replaced by electric carriages

After an epic five-way showdown for the crown and a record 30-car field, Matt Neal has won the British Touring Car Championship, becoming the first three-time champion in the series since the ’80s. The battle came down to the final three races held this past weekend at Silverstone – the same iconic circuit that hosts the British Grand Prix in Formula One along with countless other top-tier automobile and motorcycle races.

After securing pole position, Neal drove his Honda Civic to victory in Race 1, his teammate Gordon Shedden beat him out for Race 2 and the pair came eighth and tenth (starting on a reverse grid) behind race winner Tom Chilton in the Ford Focus. The points accrued were enough for Neal to claim the title with 257 points to Shedden’s 249, while Chevrolet’s defending champion Jason Plato landed third in the standings with 236. Mat Jackson and James Nash, who were both also in contention for the title up until the end of the third race, tied for fourth with 191 points.

In a further victory for the Honda, the team won the manufacturers’ championship as well as the teams’ title, while James Nash’s Vauxhall-fielding 888 Racing team won the drivers’ and teams’ titles in the independent category. It was surely a high note for Honda on which to finish as it continues preparing a new NGTC-spec touring car based on the new European-market Civic for next year’s championship, when it will seek to defend its titles once again and make it a hat trick. Follow the jump for the pair of full press releases.

Continue reading Matt Neal takes the British Touring Car Championship for Honda

Matt Neal takes the British Touring Car Championship for Honda

There are lots of watchmakers out there leveraging their automotive partnerships with special edition timepieces, but few of them are as convincing as the series Jaeger-LeCoultre produces for Aston Martin. And there are few we’d rather have on our wrists.

Most of the AMVOX series are inspired by Aston Martin road cars – some even have transponders to open and close the doors – but this latest example pays tribute to Aston’s victorious racing program. The AMVOX5 LMP1 packs JLC’s 41-jewel Caliber 752 movement with chronograph and GMT functions, so you can time your hot laps at circuits from Suzuka to Sebring, La Sarthe to Laguna Seca, plus a date window and 65-hour power reserve.

The precision movement is housed in a 44-milimeter ceramic-titanium case, affixed to the wrist with a calfskin and Cordura strap, all decked out in the team’s blue and orange livery. We got a chance at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show to see one of the 250 examples that will be offered before the press embargo lifted, and were tempted to race off with one of our own. But since we resisted the urge, you can see more in the trio of high-res images.

Jaeger-LeCoultre celebrates Aston Martin Racing with AMVOX5 LMP1

We recently sat down with Albert Biermann, Head of Product Development for BMW at the German automaker’s high performance M division, to get a taste of what’s going on behind the scenes. We had a lot of questions, and Biermann did his best to answer them without giving his PR minders heart palpitations.

What did we learn? Plenty. But here are the highlights: The M wagon is dead, all-wheel drive won’t be coming to the current M5, the M6 is due to hit in the summer, and offering a manual transmission on BMW’s twin-turbocharged sports sedan is a massive headache thanks to us pesky Americans.

Continue reading Six Things We Learned at BMW M

Six Things We Learned at BMW M