BMW will soon offer a more fuel efficient diesel engine option in its flagship 7-Series sedan.

BMW announced on Friday that an all-new 740Ld xDrive Sedan model will join its lineup for the 2014 model year. Based on the long-wheelbase version of the all-wheel drive 7-Series, the 740Ld xDrive Sedan will make use of BMW’s 3.0-liter TwinPower Turbo diesel engine.

Under the hood of the 7-Series that oil burner will develop 255 horsepower and a V8-like 413 lb-ft of torque. Shifting through an eight-speed automatic, BMW says the 740Ld xDrive Sedan will be capable of accelerating from 0-60 in 6.1 seconds.

Fuel economy ratings are not yet available for the 740Ld xDrive, but BMW notes other vehicles equipped with its diesel engine – such as the 328d and 535d – have returned a 25-30 percent improvement in fuel economy compared to their gas counterparts. If that holds true for the 740Ld xDrive, expect to see a highway rating of about 36mpg.

The 2014 BMW 740Ld xDrive Sedan will make its first public appearance at next month’s Chicago auto show. BMW says its diesel flagship will arrive in showrooms later this spring.

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General Motors has announced that Tim Lee will soon retire from his position as executive VP of global manufacturing. He will be succeeded by Jim DeLuca, a 35-year GM veteran who currently serves as VP of manufacturing for the company’s international-operations unit.

Lee has been praised for his role in building the company’s international presence. Serving as chairman of GM China, he managed a dozen joint ventures as the region continued to grow in importance. The company set another sales record in China last year, delivering over three million in its largest market.

“Tim inspired a collaborative approach across the organization and a true global mindset that made a difference for our customers, stockholders and employees,” said GM’s new CEO, Mary Barra. “His creativity, dedication, strength in building relationships and commitment to people development set a strong example for his team and for the company.”

After Lee leaves his post in April, DeLuca will take responsibility for GM’s manufacturing facilities spread across the globe. The move is the latest shakeup in GM’s global operations, following GM China president Bob Socia’s departure and the arrival of former Volvo CEO Stefan Jacoby.

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The good times are expected to keep on rolling with J.D. Power and LMC Automotive calling for a strong month of January sales.

Following a mostly positive 2013, a sales forecast created jointly by J.D. Power and LMC Automotive predicts that January retail sales will inch up 3 percent to 847,400 units. That forecast nets a seasonally adjusted annualized rate, or SAAR, of 13.1 million retail sales, up 400,000 units over December and 300,000 units over January 2013.

Moreover, those sales are expected to be profitable. Average retail prices in January are on pace to exceed $29,500, marking a $300 improvement over the average price in January 2013.

“We are forecasting January 2014 to have the strongest level of retail sales for a January since 2004, and transaction prices will be the highest on record for the month of January,” said John Humphrey, senior vice president of the global automotive practice at J.D. Power. “In combination, the strong sales rate and record transaction prices are expected to result in record levels of consumer spending for the sector.”

The compact CUV segment is shaping up to be one of the hottest of 2014. Early estimates suggest compact utility vehicles will account for 16.3 percent of January retails sales, up 3.5 points from the same period last year.

Total light vehicle sales, which includes fleet deliveries, should be about 1.1 million, or 1 percent better than last year. The overall market SAAR should be around 15.3 million in January.

LMC Automotive predicts automakers will sell 16.2 million vehicles in the United States this year, up from 15.6 million units last year.

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Renault and Nissan are reportedly preparing to further combine their production and development efforts, potentially saving more than 400 billion yen (~$3.78 billion USD) per year, according to a Nikkei report. Both automakers are expected to reorganize their operations to minimize overlap, sharing parts and reworking factories to build models from different brands.

The companies have maintained a strategic partnership for more than a decade, operating independently and maintaining separate brands. The latest plan marks a significant shift toward tighter integration, putting the manufacturing departments of both companies under common management.

The alliance already boasts of 2.69 billion euros (~$3.6 billion USD) in savings during 2012, thanks to combined purchasing power and other strategies. The pair also took a controlling stake in Russia’s Avtozaz, adding another global facet to help them achieve their stated goal of 10 million annual sales by 2016.

The mixed-model manufacturing line is expected to be refined at a joint-venture facility in India, initially producing approximately 400,000 cars per year by 2015, before expanding to the companies’ other global facilities by 2020.

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Nissan and FedEx Express have announced the start of a test program that will see the all-electric e-NV200 van put to use in real-world conditions as part of the delivery company’s fleet in Washington, D.C.

The tests, which mirror similar studies that have taken place in Japan, Singapore, the United Kingdom and Brazil, are intended to help determine if the e-NV200 is up to the task of serving as a greener alternative to traditional U.S. delivery vehicles.

The e-NV200 utilizes a variant of Nissan Leaf‘s electric drivetrain that provides an estimated range of up to 73 miles. Charging can be accomplished with either 120V or 240V electrical outlets, and a quick charge port can restore 80 percent of battery capacity in roughly 30 minutes.

Drivetrain aside, the e-NV200 is essentially identical to the standard NV200, a Ford Transit Connect-fighting small van that launched in the U.S. last spring.

“We’re eager to work with FedEx and other companies to put the e-NV200 through its paces to continue to build awareness of the capability of electric vehicles and to evaluate how well it meets the needs of the commercial consumer,” Erik Gottfried, Nissan director of Electric Vehicle Sales and Marketing, said in a statement. “We’d also like to explore clever uses of EVs in work environments where carbon emissions of gas-powered vehicles make them impractical or impossible to use.”

Nissan has committed to eventually launching a taxi version of the e-NV200 for New York City, where its gas-powered sibling is currently utilized as a cab, but general retail sales are still up in the air.

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