The results are in and BMW has once again outpaced Mercedes-Benz to retain its title as the United States’ most popular luxury brand.
Thanks to strong demand for vehicles like the 3-Series, 4-Series and X5, the BMW brand managed to end 2014 with 339,738 sales, up 9.8 percent from the company’s 309,280 deliveries in 2013. Last year’s sales tally set a new high watermark for the company’s U.S. operations.

Rival Mercedes-Benz also set a sales record in 2014, but its 330,391 new car deliveries weren’t enough to dethrone BMW. For the year, Mercedes’ sales were up 5.7 percent, driven by strong demand for the C-Class and M-Class.

Lexus — which held the top position in the luxury segment for more than a decade before being knocked off by Mercedes a few years ago — managed a solid 13.7 percent sales increase to 311,389 units.

Audi remains a relatively small player in the U.S. luxury segment, but the VW-owned brand once again displayed steady progress in 2014. The division’s sales spiked 15.2 percent to a record-setting 182,011 vehicles last year.

Photo by Drew Johnson.

Following Tesla Motors’ lead, Toyota has announced plans to share its full portfolio of patents related to hydrogen fuel-cell technology.

Speaking to media at the Consumer Electronics Show, Toyota senior vice president Bob Carter suggested the royalty-free program — involving approximately 5,680 patents — will help accelerate the industry toward a “hydrogen future.”

Most of the patents or pending submissions are focused on software that manages the fuel-cell system, while nearly 2,000 describe fuel-cell stack hardware. Several hundred additional patents are related to hydrogen tanks and delivery or refueling technology.

Critics of hydrogen fuel-cell technology focus on the lack of refueling infrastructure and relatively high costs for fuel-cell powertrains as factors that could prevent the technology from serving as a viable alternative to battery-powered electric vehicles. Carter argues that sharing patents will help inspire other automakers to join the game, quickly reducing powertrain costs and incentivizing hydrogen-station buildout.

“The first generation hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, launched between 2015 and 2020, will be critical, requiring a concerted effort and unconventional collaboration between automakers, government regulators, academia and energy providers,” the executive said. “By eliminating traditional corporate boundaries, we can speed the development of new technologies and move into the future of mobility more quickly, effectively and economically.”

Tesla Motors last year made a similar move, promising to share its full range of technology patents and inviting competitors to use its network of Supercharger stations.

Toyota made clear its intention to share its full range of patents only through the industry’s first years, likely through 2020. Tesla did not publicly disclose similar limits, though the California-based startup did not explicitly promise to indefinitely extend its patent-sharing program.

Subaru has announced a new partnership with Sirius XM Connected Vehicles that will enhance the company’s Starlink connectivity system. The tie-up will bring AT&T 4G LTE connectivity to future Subaru vehicles.
Building on Starlink’s current suite of technology — which includes access Web-based radio stations, iTune tagging and social media apps for Facebook and Twitter — the Sirius XM deal will provide Subaru owners with advanced features like stolen vehicle recovery, automatic collision notification, remote vehicle lock/unlock via the Starlink smartphone app and monthly vehicle reports.

“Working with trusted, industry leaders such as Sirius XM and AT&T to enhance the Subaru Starlink in-vehicle connectivity system is a natural fit for Subaru,” said Alan Bethke, vice president of marketing, Subaru of America, Inc. “Sirius XM and AT&T will enable us to provide customers with additional peace of mind through new safety and security services, as well as enhanced connectivity.”

Subaru’s 4G-connected Starlink system will begin shipping later this year in 2016 model year vehicles.

Not to be outdone by General Motors’ latest OnStar enhancements, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is rolling out new services for its “Uconnect Access” at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
Among Uconnect’s newest features is a Monthly Vehicle Health Report. As the name suggests, the new service automatically sends a monthly email to an owner’s inbox detailing the status of their vehicle’s key systems, including suspension components, brakes safety systems and oil and fluid levels. Owners can also log on to a dedicated Website to learn more about the status report.

In addition to the Monthly Vehicle Health Report, FCA is also introducing a new Vehicle Health Alert for Uconnect Access. If the vehicle detects an issue with either its powertrain, oil, brakes, safety equipment or suspension, Vehicle Health Alert will immediately send an alert to the owner’s email with further details. The system will also illuminate a traditional warning light on the vehicle’s dashboard.

On the convenience side, Uconnect Access is getting updated with a new Vehicle Finder function that can send a vehicle’s exact location to an owner’s smartphone via the Uconnect app. But before you even make it to your vehicle, you can now feed direction directly to the on-board navigation system thanks to a new Send Destination to Vehicle function. Utilizing the Uconnect application, owners can search for a certain kind of point of interest or directly input the address. That information is then sent to the vehicle’s integrated GPS.

The new Uconnect services will be available during the first half of 2015 on certain 2015 model year vehicles. An active uConnect Subscription is required.

Ford has released more details and images for the seven-seater Edge crossover that debuted at the Guangzhou Auto Show last November.

The Edge Limited is being built specifically for China, where both the standard five-seater and the new extended wheelbase three-row version will be offered. The Edge Limited also sports a traditional long roof, vertical tailgate and redesigned rear end as compared to the two-row. Ford however, did not provide dimensions to reveal exactly how much longer than the US-market Edge it would be.

Ford will offer two engine options, both EcoBoosts. The first is a 2.0L inline-four, generating 240hp and 254 lb-ft of torque. A 2.7L V6 will generate 322hp and 375 lb-ft of torque, which will be similar to the US version, which produces 325hp and the same torque figures in its 2015 F-150 application.

Either engine can be paired with front- or all-wheel-drive. The sole transmission will be a six-speed automatic. The naturally aspirated 3.5L V6 found on American Edges will not be available in China.

The Edge Limited will also offer a host of safety features such as a 360-degree panoramic camera system, active cruise control, blind spot monitoring, an active parking assist. A panoramic sunroof, dual-LED headlamps, and electronic folding rear seats round out the options list.

The Edge Limited will go on sale in China in May.

Toyota subsidiary Daihatsu has unveiled its show cars for the upcoming Tokyo Auto Salon, consisting largely of modified Copen roadsters. There will be at least 14 Copens on display, three of which have been revealed ahead of the live debut at the show on January 9.

The Copen is a small, front-drive kei-class roadster whose second-generation went on sale in June 2014 after a two-year hiatus. Its closest competitor in the Japanese marketplace is the recently leaked Honda S660. However, the Copen uses an innovative skeleton frame that acts as part of the body. Composite panels can then be interchanged around the frame to create entirely new looks for the car.

The Copen Robe TamonDesign is a sportified version that features an enlarged grille, a single, wider, blackedout hood bulge rather than the standard dual thin body-colored ones, Recaro seats and 6-spoke Rays racing wheels.

The Copen Robe Seico reimagines the grille yet again, and gives the rear deck of the race-themed roadster an integrated ducktail and a bespoke, blacked out rear panel. Interestingly, the stock teardrop motif for the foglight bezels in front and reflectors in the rear have been deleted for a cleaner design all around on both show cars.

A third design simply attaches a small trailer to the Copen that packs a folding table, chairs, tent and enough gear for two people to camp. Remaining versions that have not been revealed in high-resolution images include a rally racer and a retro design that incorporates the round head and tail lights and grille of the previous generation Copen.

Kia has fully detailed a limited-edition version of the Soul dubbed Red Zone 2.0.
Designed as a follow-up to the Soul Red Zone, the Red Zone 2.0 model stands out thanks to a Shadow Black paint job with Inferno Red accents on the radiator grille, the lower bumper and the rocker panels. The sporty treatment continues with a model-specific body kit that includes a roof-mounted spoiler, LED tail lamps and split five-spoke 18-inch alloy wheels.

The two-tone look also applies to the interior with seats upholstered in black cloth with red contrast stitching as well as red accents on the center console, the shift knob and the steering wheel. The Red Zone 2.0 comes standard with a set of sport pedals, a rear-view camera, an eight-inch touch screen with navigation and a 350-watt Infinity sound system. A panoramic sunroof is available at an extra cost.

Kia has not made any changes under the hood, meaning the Soul Red Zone 2.0 is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 164 horsepower and 151 lb-ft. of torque. The four-banger is bolted to a six-speed automatic transmission.

The 2015 Soul Red Zone 2.0 will arrive at Kia dealers in a couple of months. Pricing information and availability will be published in the weeks leading up to its on-sale date.

Mercedes-Benz has published additional teaser images that preview an autonomous driving concept. The yet-unnamed show car will be introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) that will open its doors next week in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The teaser image reveals that the concept eschews the traditional two- or three-box styling in favor of a monobox design that looks like it comes straight out of a science fiction flick. The otherworldly look is accented by design cues such as an unusually long wheelbase and tiny overhangs on both ends.

The discreet bulge located on the rear portion of the roof presumably hides a variety of sensors and cameras that help the concept scope out the road ahead. Mercedes is keeping technical details under wraps but we wouldn’t be surprised to see the car use an eco-friendly hydrogen or full-electric drivetrain.

A full set of details about Mercedes’ next concept will emerge online over the coming days, and the concept is scheduled to make its official debut during a press conference that will be held tomorrow. Although it is highly unlikely that the show car will reach production as-is, it will serve as a preview of the autonomous technology that will be available on regular-production Mercedes cars in the next few years.

If there’s one thing Aussies love, it’s burnouts. Auto enthusiasts from Down Under have set a new Guinness world record for the largest number of cars conducting burnouts simultaneously.

103 cars came together during an event in Canberra, New South Wales called the 28th annual Summernats (it is currently summer in the southern hemisphere) to participate in the intentional tire fire. 107 vehicles attempted the feat but only 103 were counted, because, according to Guinness officials, the smoke show needed to last at least 30 seconds.

The cars that participated consisted mostly of Australian market Fords and Holdens, but included at least one blown W126 Mercedes coupe and a Subaru Sambar ice cream truck for good measure. Some cars used tires dye-injected to emit green or pink smoke. The result, as one might imagine, was an immense nebula of pulverized rubber rising to coat otherwise shiny paint jobs, nostrils, raised camera phones and wayward marsupials in a fine layer of latex dust.

The record overtakes the previous burnout record, itself set two years ago, also at the Summernats. That one, however, consisted of a relatively paltry 69 cars. Along with the recent chronicling of a parallel parking Mini and a BMW M4 conducting the “most drifts around a car driving on two wheels in one minute,” this continues the Guinness tradition of dubious and contrived things for which to set records.