I sold my Viper, but the memories I'll keep

The following is written by auto industry veteran Tom Kowaleski. The words are his own, but the memories now belong to everyone thanks to his willingness to share. If you're an industry veteran with a story to share, contact us at tipsATautoblogDOTcom.

It became the flame that started the fire of belief in the next life of Chrysler.

I just sold a car. Nothing new. Millions do it every day. But my car was a 1995 Dodge Viper, so maybe it was a bit more unique since just 12,000 were built. And like others selling a car that's been a part of the family for close to 20 years, this was a confluence of emotions for me. I was sad to see it go, but happy to have the cash and one less big, shiny, under-utilized object in my life.

Viper was a major part of my education in the automobile business. I worked at Chrysler in the '80s and '90s, and the Viper's development â€" indeed, its whole story â€" was critical to Chrysler's revitalization and comeback into credibility. The Viper program was done on a shoestring. It came to life as the result of four incredibly strong personalities agreeing on a single vision. It was a car no consumer research would ever support. It was a car one no one else would ever think of building. Yet, it became the flame that started the fire of belief in the next life of Chrysler.

The first time I laid eyes on the Viper, I was invited to join a final review session with Bob Lutz, the Vice Chairman of the company at the time; Francois Castaing, the new head of Engineering and recent AMC arrival; and Tom Gale, the head of Design and the most senior 'real' Chrysler person. The fourth member of the gang, the scalawag racing legend Carroll Shelby, was not in attendance.

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I can still see the car sitting under an old tarp. Not one of those fancy, shrink-wrapped neoprene body suits used today, but a worn, amorphous, grey dog of a cover. Worse yet, the car was in an equally scruffy hall of the old Chrysler Highland Park, MI styling dome. The building was dark, dingy, on its last legs â€" exactly how everyone on the outside pictured the company.

We assembled, and someone says, "Pull it off." A giant red sphere assaulted our eyes and its rawness looked like a Shelby Cobra that had been stepped on and semi-squashed. The only difference was that the nasty snout grew a crosshair grill. Initially, Gale didn't want it to look like this. Truth be told, Lutz wanted something closer to his beloved Autocraft Cobra. But Gale kept enough "Dodgeness," in the package, and Lutz reluctantly let go a bit. The Viper we cheered is what resulted. "This'll show em," growled Lutz.

Viper was rooted in Chrysler's historic character of doing things differently; focusing on its creative engineering and counter-programming the "Big Two," neither of which would ever dare build such a car. Sure, Chevy had its Corvette. But this was different. It embodied what separated Chevy from Dodge. They were bigger. We had more guts and were willing to take bigger risks.

It embodied what separated Chevy from Dodge. They were bigger. We had more guts and were willing to take bigger risks.

Raw, squat, no door handles, goofy offset pedals, powered by a mongrel of a V10 truck engine cast in aluminum, and breathed upon by two engineering mavericks borne from the racing circuits of the world. Who would ever think this could be inspiration for turning around pundits, Wall Street, shareholders, suppliers, dealers and the public on the troubled, cash-starved, beleaguered, struggling Chrysler Corporation as it was known thanks to this list of liberally used adjectives in every story?

Just a month or so after first laying eyes on the car, Castaing and I were walking into the press day of the reborn 1989 Detroit "International" Auto Show, where Lexus and Infiniti were making their worldwide introductions. Chatting about the press conference where we would soon unveil the Viper, Francois blurts out, "We're gonna build it." Of course no one had a precise roadmap on how, but why let that stop the desire? Just weeks after, interviews began to find the right "band of brothers" who would spend the next three years together getting the job done.

Viper came to life in a space that once housed the former American Motors styling studios, the same place where the infamous Pacer was conceived. Hard to believe, I know. Fifty-five gallon drums with hunks of wood straddled between them were the work tables. It was 1989, but the whole thing had the feeling of 1939. The first engine and chassis mule hid under the skin of a Corvette. This car was going together in the best and most cost efficient "shade tree" engineering manner.

The Viper was being developed to meet the same feel, touch and sight standards of a K Car!

At an early program review, the team was struggling to replicate the interior look and feel of the concept, while designing the production version to meet the myriad corporate "guidelines." These had nothing to do with safety regulations, but rather were the standards of consistency built into every Chrysler vehicle. They defined such things as the sightlines from the driver's seat, pedal placements and reach to controls. In essence, the Viper was being developed to meet the same feel, touch and sight standards of a K Car!

Laboriously going through each of these challenges, Castaing was getting frustrated listening to his team. Finally, the seat/pedal placement problem becomes the proverbial camel's straw. "Break some eggs," he said, got up, walked out of the room, and from that day forward the pedal offset to the left was signed off.

Heat was an ever-present problem from the massive V10, both under the hood and in the side-mounted exhaust system. One day Lutz took the late automotive journalist David E. Davis, Jr. on a head-snapping ride around the proving grounds, demonstrating that the prototype had the goods. Returning to home base, he stopped and the car promptly began to torch itself â€" driver and passenger escaping. I'd like to say the two lit their cigars on the flames, but that wouldn't be true.

Francois conducted a solo drive at the same location with the team anxiously awaiting his return and review. Picture this: He gets out of the car, leans nonchalantly against the driver's door and proceeds to deliver his critique. What's that smell? Smoke begins to rise. His pants had caught on fire from leaning against a side exhaust yet to have the insulation installed. Without realizing it, the world's first â€" and likely only â€" Armani "Bermuda shorts" suit was just created.

His pants had caught on fire from leaning against a side exhaust yet to have the insulation installed.

Finally, in 1991, Viper was ready for the first of several big debuts. The first two "production intent" Vipers would be the official pace car and backup for the Indianapolis 500. A shakedown was planned at the Speedway the last weekend of April. Shelby was to be the pace car driver in the race and was doing the final test. Only it was pissing rain. But unlike the real event, this show had to go on.

I hopped into the passenger seat and we took off in a sideways spray down the pit lane. No top, no back window. We entered the track at the exit of Turn 2. We started gathering speed down the back straight. Into Turn 3, the short shoot, Turn 4 and then a blast down the main straight. We went low entering Turn 1 and track out in the short shoot at a buck twenty-five. I turned my head right and there's the wall, a gnat's width between the door and me, spray nailing my face. Better to look straight ahead, I thought. And then, oh great, a wall of rain was coming right at us as we blew down the back stretch.

We were doing something like 140 mph then, and Shelby grabs himself in the crotch. What's he know that I don't? Out pops his hand with a rag and he leans forward rubbing the inside of the windshield. The swirl effect has rain coming into the car from behind and under the sport bar and through the hole where there's no window.

Damn, I'm flying around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with a racing legend on his second heart at 140 miles per hour in a driving rainstorm in one of only two cars in existence, and all I can think about is â€" I never thought it would end like this. Then it was over. We slowed, entered the pit road, Carroll looked over and deadpans, "Dang it Tom, with all this excitement... I forgot to take my heart rejection pills today."

Rolling out of view for the last time watching the Viper leave my life, with these memories it's likely always to be a part of it.

Are you an industry insider with a story to share? Contact us at tipsATautoblogDOTcom.

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Report: Daimler consulting with Ford about 3-cylinder engines

Soon enough, Ford will offer its 1.0-liter EcoBoost three-cylinder engine under the hood of the Fiesta here in the United States, building on the success of the small powerplant overseas. In fact, this success has caused other automakers to take notice, and according to Automotive News Europe, Daimler is now talking to Ford about this engine for use in its own products.

In other markets, Ford offers the 1.0-liter mill under the hood of the Focus (we had the chance to sample this package on our home turf), as well as the B-Max MPV. For this new collaboration, Daimler would use the turbo-three in the next-generation Smart ForTwo, as well as the Renault Twingo, which the German automaker will be collaborating on as part of its alliance with Renault-Nissan. Speaking to AN, a Mercedes-Benz engineer called the 1.0-liter mill an "interesting and impressive engine."

In exchange for details about the EcoBoost inline-three, Daimler will supply Ford with information regarding its Euro6 stratified lean-burn gasoline engine, which is found in the new E-Class sedan.

This isn't the first time Ford has collaborated with Daimler and Renault-Nissan about powertrain development. Earlier this year, the companies said they would all work together on hydrogen fuel cell development, with a plan to introduce a hydrogen powertrain by 2017.

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Video: Mr. Checkpoint tweets sobriety check locations, raises hackles [w/poll]

There's a better-than-average chance that you or someone you care about had a cocktail, a beer or a glass of wine to celebrate Memorial Day and its attendant long weekend. Hopefully, if you were doing your celebrating outside of the walkable zone from your place of residence, you made arrangements to get home without driving yourself. If you live in southern California, some of those arrangements might have involved checking in with a personality that goes by the name of Mr. Checkpoint.

Mr. Checkpoint is the branded handle of entrepreneur Sennett Devermont, who offers a service that will alert you of DUI checkpoints in your area (as long as your area is in SoCal, at least for the time being). Mr. Checkpoint has more than 43,000 followers on Twitter, around 5,000 fans on Facebook and plans for an iPhone app in the next month. Devermont uses those social outlets, along with text messages and his own website, to alert drivers about DUI checkpoint locations. For his part, Devermont believes that Mr. Checkpoint is raising awareness about the dangers of driving under the influence; he's even reported as saying that he made his service free when he learned about the positive impact it was having.

Others, including the executive director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving in Los Angeles, believe that Mr. Checkpoint merely provides a way for potentially dangerous drivers to evade law enforcement officers. You can get the full version of the Mr. Checkpoint story and controversy, but scrolling down to watch the video below. After you do, make sure to vote in our poll on the subject, too.

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Motorsports: Race Recap: 2013 Indianapolis 500 better than Bollywood; all the emotion, none of the music [spoilers]

If the 2013 Indy 500 were a movie it would be the one expected to win all the little statues come awards season, and if it were an athlete it would have made spectators watch in awe as it broke record after record. And this kind of talk comes after last year's race was considered one of the best ever â€" the last lap hijinks in 2012 and Takuma Sato's crash leading to a podium ceremony straight out of a Golden Globes tearjerker.

But this year's race delivered more than anyone expected, from the 250,000 fans to the commentators to the IndyCar series itself and, finally, to the guy who hopped through a two-mile window on Lap 197 to take the lead and keep it until the end.

Ed Carpenter, Indianapolis native, stepson of Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George and IndyCar's only driver and team owner, took pole position of the 33-car field with a four-lap average of 228.762 miles per hour around the 2.5-mile oval. The cars would take off in three-up rows, the two in the row with Carpenter being 21-year-old rookie Carlos Munoz in his first-ever IndyCar race and Marco Andretti, scion of that famous line and eight-time entrant trying to break the so-called Andretti Curse â€" there hasn't been an Indy 500 winner with that surname since Marco's grandfather Mario did it in 1969.

The order after that was EJ Viso, AJ Allmendinger making a return to IndyCar with Penske after a seven-year hiatus, having been let go from Penske's NASCAR team for a failed drug test last year, Penske teammate Will Power, who's never won on an oval and hasn't won anything since last year, former winner Ryan Hunter-Reay, three-time winner Helio Castroneves, James Hinchcliffe, JR Hildebrand, Alex Tagliani, and the long-suffering Tony Kanaan in 12th.

After the green flag waved, it took just four laps for the day's first caution to show, with JR Hildebrand getting loose in Turn 1 and sliding into the wall, then down onto the apron. The incident was almost a mirrored image of his performance in the 2011 race, when he was leading on the last lap but spun into the wall on the last turn. Carpenter did well to keep his lead under caution, losing control of his car at one point and taking a trip across the grass before getting back on without damage.

Five laps later it was Tony Kanaan who would begin his domination of the race. He had passed five cars on the first lap and another four on Lap 2, hanging around in third position until Lap 9 when he assumed the lead. For the next 20 laps, he and Andretti would swap the lead, until Sebastian Saavedra would bring out another yellow flag on Lap 29 after clouting the wall.

Penske drivers Power and Allmendinger enjoyed the sunshine of the lead at a quarter of the race distance, but the yellow flag came out again when Takuma Sato spun at the exit of Turn 2 on lap 57. From there it was a pretty clean race, the lead changing a ridiculous number of times because of the huge tow afforded by the spec IndyCar chassis.

On Lap 193, Graham Rahal crashed to bring out the penultimate yellow flag of the race, while Hunter-Reay was leading Kanaan and Munoz. It took four laps for the course to go green again, and both Kanaan â€" who's known for his excellent restarts â€" and Munoz passed Hunter-Reay going into Turn 1. Hunter-Reay knew he was going to get passed, calling the DW12 IndyCar chassis "a bulldozer" when it comes to clearing the air for those behind, another driver saying it makes "the leader the slowest guy on the track."

But the ease of passing it creates meant Hunter-Reay knew he'd probably get another shot at both drivers in the next three laps â€" that is, until a lap after the restart last year's winner Dario Franchitti spun into the wall and crashed at Turn 1, bringing out a yellow flag that would last until the end of the race.

Kanaan, driving with torn tendons in his right hand, took the flag behind Jim Harbaugh in the Corvette Stingray pace car. It is Kanaan's first triumph in this race and the first for his Hydroxycut KV Racing Technology/SH Racing team in the IndyCar series, and he's the fourth race winner in the first five races of 2013. The low number of cautions kept speeds high, Kanaan's average velocity of 187.433 mph breaking the 23-year-old record set by Arie Luyendyk. Fifteen drivers lead the race, a record, swapping the front spot a total of 68 times, another record that doubled last year's record. Five lead changes came in the last 30 laps.

Kanaan was followed by Munoz, Hunter-Reay, Andretti, Justin Wilson (with the top Honda-powered car gained nine positions from his starting place), Helio Castroneves, AJ Allmendinger (who led 23 laps on his return but lost out on strategy when a seat belt problem forced him to pit early in the race), Simon Pagenaud, Charlie Kimball and Carpenter. Andretti's third place takes him to the top of the driver's standings, ahead of Sato, Castroneves, Hunter-Reay and Hinchcliffe.

In 11 tries, Kanaan has never won the Indy 500 â€" he's led the race eight times and has come in every place from second to fifth, including third last year, making him the most tenured veteran without a victory. Until this weekend.

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Report: Driving while using medical marijuana not necessarily illegal in Michigan

It's going to be a while before we've figured out our brave new marijuana-approved world. The next lesson comes courtesy of the Michigan Supreme Court, which has reportedly ruled that it isn't necessarily against the law for a medical marijuana user to drive with the drug in their system. The ruling comes after motorist Rodney Koon was busted for doing 83 miles per hour in a 55-mph zone and tested positive for "internal possession of marijuana."

Koon said it had been at least six hours since he "used his medicine," and the blood test registered 10 nanograms per milliliter of the active ingredient in marijuana, THC. The 86th District Court in Grand Traverse County, MI â€" the county where Koon was caught â€" ruled that it took five times that amount to declare a person stoned.

But that was the ruling of a single court. The problem for the Michigan Supreme Court justices was that the state of Michigan hasn't explicitly identified the threshold for being under the influence marijuana, the same way it usually takes a blood-alcohol level of at least .08 to be considered under the influence of alcohol, and charged with driving while intoxicated. The vagaries pitted the state's Zero Tolerance policy against the protections accorded by Michigan's Medical Marijuana Act, and the Zero Tolerance policy lost. We imagine there'll be a rematch â€" yet another one â€" soon enough.

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Video: Scratch that new crossover, Volvo teases ad campaign for XC60

If we were to paraphrase the opening lines of Kenneth Graeme's Wind in the Willows for our own purposes, we'd write, "Have you heard about Volvo? They never planned a new crossover at all. It was all a horrid low trick of theirs...." To be fair, though, we can't blame them for our own presumption. When the Swedish car company created a site called LeaveTheWorldBehind.com and teased a couple of videos for some kind of collaboration with Swedish House Mafia, we thought the crossover in one of the teasers pointed to a new vehicle on the way.

Turns out that's not the case. It really is 'just' a collaboration with the band on a music video for Swedish artist Lune's cover of their 2009 song, Leave the World Behind.

But there are Volvos in it, and you can watch it below and hear original song alongside. We've also included the press release with more details on why it all came together, and a behind-the-scenes video on the collabo. To paraphrase Forrest Gump, "That's all we have to say about that."

Behind the Scenes with Swedish House Mafia members

2013 May 22: This week, the members of Swedish House Mafia unleashed a new version of their hit song "Leave the World Behind" featuring the young Swedish singer Lune. Swedish House Mafia created their new music video in collaboration with Volvo Cars in Scandinavia and the song and video will be the leading theme in Volvo's forth coming global launch campaign of the new Volvo XC60.

"All Volvo's XC cars are designed around people's wish to get out there and to leave your everyday life behind for a while. So we thought that the members of Swedish House Mafia were the obvious choice," said Per Carleö, Marketing Manager at Volvo Cars.

Volvo XC cars are designed to bring you out of town and into a tranquil or adventurous experience, away from today's busy urban lifestyle. The new XC60 is no exception. The challenge was to create a relevant and credible, yet exciting campaign that clearly explains the Swedish heart of Volvo and the core of Scandinavian lifestyle.

For the last few years, Swedish House Mafia has been one of the most successful music acts in the world and by far the most successful Swedish act. They have officially broken up as of their final appearance at the Ultra Music Festival in Miami, USA, on March 24, 2013. The band members are now concentrating on new projects in their successful careers but as a last project together, they created a brand new version of "Leave the World Behind.

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Official: Grid 2: Mono Edition is some kind of spendy video game

For years now, video game makers (and their marketing teams, more than likely) have sought to amp up the excitement of their new releases with wild and lavish special edition packages. Our own Call of Duty Prestige Master, John Neff, is sure to remember the functional night vision goggles that shipped with CoD's Modern Warfare 2, and the radio-controlled "surveillance vehicle" that was packed in with Black Ops. The monstrous Halo franchise has offered special edition games in a Master Chief head and with a massive set of action figures, and, closer to home, our copy of Gran Turismo 5 came complete with a lovely 1:43 scale Nissan GT-R Spec V (and book... yawn).

But certainly we've seen nothing that can compete with the recently announced, UK-only special edition of the upcoming Grid 2 title from Codemasters and Briggs Automotive Company (better known as BAC).

For the reasonable sum of just 125,000 British pounds (around $189,000), the Grid 2: Mono Edition can be yours. That's right, a little less than a new Porsche 911 Turbo S, you can have a copy of Grid 2 complete with original artwork, a brand new Playstation 3, a tour of the BAC factory, a Grid 2-branded racing helmet, a full racing suit with boots and gloves, and, you guessed it, a G2-liveried BAC Mono. That's right â€" buy a video game, get a racecar.

At least that's how Codemasters is spinning it. In the attached press release, it claims that Grid 2: Mono Edition will set the Guinness World Record for "Most Expensive Video Game Commercial Available â€" Special Edition." Our request for a playable demo is in the mail, Codemasters.

£125,000 GRID 2â„¢: MONO EDITION â€" THE WORLD'S MOST
EXPENSIVE VIDEOGAME - AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER TODAY

Codemasters®' GRID 2™: Mono Edition Includes GRID 2, PlayStation 3 and Actual 170mph BAC Mono Supercar to Deliver the Ultimate Racing Experience

Codemasters® are delighted to announce that the world's most expensive videogame â€" the GRID 2â„¢: Mono Edition - is available for pre-order. This exclusive edition of the game is available for just one customer and includes the highly-anticipated racing game GRID 2, a PlayStation 3 to play it on, a 170 m.p.h. BAC Mono supercar - sporting a GRID 2 livery - and full driver race wear.

The BAC Mono is a British manufactured, road-legal, ultra-high performance supercar which stars in the game. Created from high-strength carbon fibre, the BAC Mono is an unrivalled example of light-weight performance engineering and its 2.3 litre, 280 bhp four cylinder power plant will propel its driver from 0-60 m.p.h. in just 2.8 seconds.

The GRID 2: Mono Edition sets the Guinness World Record for the "Most Expensive Video Game Commercially Available â€" Special Edition" and will include a range of extras for the buyer to enjoy the ultimate experience of racing the car in-game and driving it in real life. The GRID 2: Mono Edition includes:

A copy of GRID 2 for PlayStation including bespoke artwork
BAC Mono in exclusive GRID 2 livery
A day at the BAC factory which includes a factory tour and time spent with technicians to customise the BAC Mono for size and specifications
A GRID 2: Mono Edition branded Bell Racing helmet
Race suit, boots & gloves all made to measure in BAC Mono and GRID 2 branding
A PlayStation 3
The GRID 2: Mono Edition is available to pre-order by contacting sales@bac-mono.com

"BAC are immensely proud and excited at the release of GRID2: Mono Edition; a game which offers an opportunity for one lucky person to own a truly unique supercar. Codemasters have developed a stunning game which focuses on delivering the ultimate driving experience and Mono is the ultimate expression of this, in both the real and virtual worlds."

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What $20 million means to both Tesla and Fisker

When is $20 million not equal to $20 million? When, for some, it's an interest payment and, for others, it's all they're worth. Here's how that one number means two totally different things to two different green car companies.

Speaking to Bloomberg Television about the early repayment of Tesla Motors' DOE loan, CEO Elon Musk said today that, "ultimately, the US taxpayer actually made a profit above $20 million on this loan. For this loan at least, people's tax bill actually went slightly down."

Musk said that, now that the loan has been paid back, more people might take a look at Tesla. "We were attacked a lot in certain quarters for having some government debt," he said. "I think that actually matters to some consumers out there, whether or not a company actually does have government debt, and being able to say we fully repaid that debt with interest, I think it is helpful to some number of people out there in thinking about buying a car." So, for Tesla, which recently raised over a billion dollars, $20 million is an easy price to pay to potentially sell more EVs.

Now, let's look at Fisker Automotive, which is still fending off bankruptcy. We learned this week that VL Automotive and Wanxiang made an offer to buy the troubled automaker for an undisclosed sum. Word out today is that the amount that the two companies are willing to pay for Fisker is, you guessed it, $20 million. That's about one percent of Fisker's $2 billion-plus value back when the Karma plug-in hybrid was launched, according to Reuters. It's unclear how a potential Fisker buyer will have to deal with the outstanding DOE loan amount of $171 million and other issues, but the $20-million offer a striking contrasts to Musk's statement on Bloomberg Television, which you can watch in the video below.

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Video: Zach Sobiech was a Nissan GT-R fan, will always be our hero

Like presumably any other 17-year-old out there, Zach Sobiech was ecstatic when a Nissan GT-R rolled into his driveway. As you can see in the image above, he had an ear-to-ear smile as he got to spend a week driving his dream car â€" but what you can't see is that he was just weeks away from losing a four-year battle against a rare form of bone cancer called osteosarcoma.

Nissan found out about the teen and his dream of driving a GT-R, and actually did something about it. Says Mike Disser from Nissan Marketing Communications, "The team at Nissan was inspired by Zach's story. Loaning a GT-R to Zach to help make one of his dreams come true was an opportunity to do something uplifting and rewarding for a very special car-guy."

"You don't have to find out you're dying to start living"

Diagnosed with the cancer at the age of 14, Zach fought back with inspiring optimism and an infectious smile, but he ultimately lost his battle with cancer on May 20. In the video posted below, Zach says "you don't have to find out you're dying to start living," and hopefully, his heartwarming spirit will live on with those who watch it. Zach's love for the GT-R starts to show around the 5:30 mark, but we definitely suggest that you grab a box of Kleenex and watch the entire 22-minute video.

This video was posted on his 18th birthday ­â€" May 3 â€" when he had just weeks to live. Be sure to check out some of the videos for songs that he wrote including "Clouds" (also embedded below).

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Chevy Spark EV priced at $27,495; will lease for $199/month

The Nissan Leaf, the Fiat 500e and now the 2014 Chevy Spark EV 1LT. Three different electric hatchbacks that can all be had for the same low lease price: $199 per month. The Spark even has the same appealing $999 down payment as the Fiat (the Leaf's is $1,999) and both require 36-month leases, so the cost of these two city runabouts is identical, at least at the base level. The one potential hiccup: Chevy says it's a "low mileage lease," and you'll pay 25 cents a mile for each mile over 12,000 per year. Considering these are urban-minded vehicles with limited ranges, however, that doesn't seem like as pressing an issue.

If you want to buy a Spark EV outright, General Motors will ask you for $27,495, a figure that will drop to $19,995 for anyone who qualifies for the full $7,500 federal tax credit. That's a good deal for EVs, but the gas-powered Spark starts at just $12,185. Before Fiat announced its low lease deal last month, all GM would say is that the Spark EV would cost somewhere "under $25,000 with tax incentives." Well under, apparently.

The Spark EV goes on sale in California and Oregon in the middle of June. The car is rated at 119 MPGe combined and has a range of 82 miles. When that's not enough, DC quick charging with the SAE combo charger will refill the battery to 80 percent in about 20 minutes (when such DC stations stations become available, since the Spark is not compatible with the already-available CHAdeMO stations).

Chevrolet Spark EV Lease as Low as $199 per Month
Could save owner average $150 monthly in fuel costs based on EPA assessments

DETROIT. â€" Chevrolet announced today a low mileage lease on the new 2014 Spark EV 1LT for as low as $199 per month* for 36 months, with $999 due at lease signing including security deposit (tax, title, license dealer fees extra), making the vehicle one of the most affordable EVs on the market.

Spark EV's Manufactures' Suggested Retail Price starts at $27,495 â€" as low as $19,995 net of the full federal tax credit which ranges from $0 to $7,500 â€" and includes $810 destination freight charge.

Depending on their tax situation, California Spark EV owners may also qualify for other state and local tax credits and incentives ranging from $0 to $2,500, potentially reducing the price to $17,495. Spark EV owners in California are also eligible for High-Occupancy Vehicle, or carpool lane, access.

Compared to the average new gas-powered vehicle, the Spark EV can save drivers, on average, about $150 per month in fuel costs based on EPA assessments**.

The Spark EV will be available at select Chevrolet dealers throughout California and Oregon beginning mid-June 2013.

"The Chevrolet Spark EV is the most efficient â€" and now one of the most affordable - EVs you can buy" said Chris Perry, vice president, Chevrolet Marketing. "Combined with outstanding infotainment and great design, the fun-to-drive Spark EV is engineered to impress."

The Spark EV features a combined city/highway EPA estimated range of 82 miles when fully charged and an EPA-estimated combined city/highway 119 MPGe fuel economy equivalent. The vehicle's 21 kWh lithium-ion battery pack will continue Chevrolet's tradition of offering outstanding limited warranty protection â€" eight years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first.

Spark EV will be the first vehicle on the market to offer as an available option compatibility with the recently approved SAE combo charger for DC Fast Charging. The capability, available shortly after launch, will enable the Spark EV to recharge up to 80 percent of its capacity in approximately 20 minutes at select DC Fast Charging stations when they become available. Unlike most competitors, the Spark EV's battery system is capable of handling multiple compatible DC Fast Charges daily. Charging can also be completed in less than seven hours using a dedicated 240V charge. A 120V charge cord set comes standard. Charging can be managed and monitored remotely using the Spark EV's smart phone application, provided by OnStar, which is standard for three years.

Connectivity to Enhance Efficiency

The 2014 Chevrolet Spark EV will offer several forms of in-vehicle connectivity, including the MyLink infotainment system that includes a seven-inch touch screen and integration with third-party apps and features such as Siri Eyes Free, Pandora and BringGo navigation. These features require the user to purchase third party apps separately on a compatible smart phone. See Chevrolet.com/MyLink for more details. The Spark EV RemoteLink application is designed to enhance the overall ownership experience with fingertip interaction and control. The application, which requires compatible smart phone and active OnStar subscription:

• displays charge status â€" plugged in or not, and voltage
• provides flexibility to "Charge Now" or schedule charge timing
• displays percentage of battery charge level and total range
• allows manual setting of grid-friendly charge mode for off-peak times when electricity rates are lowest
• sends text or email for charge reminders, charge interruptions and full-charge notification
• displays miles and odometer readings
• remotely starts the vehicle to pre-condition interior temperature
• requires compatible smart phone and active OnStar subscription

Because the Spark EV operates only on electricity, drivers will need to know if they can reach their destination on a single charge. The Spark EV Waypoint tab, which is integrated into the RemoteLink app, can quickly plot a waypoint route with recommended charging stations if the route is beyond the vehicle's remaining range.

The Spark EV comes with three years of OnStar Directions and Connections service, which includes Automatic Crash Response, stolen vehicle assistance and connected navigation.

Chevrolet will also provide customer assistance via a Spark EV advisor. Dealers will provide on-site dedicated Spark EV service and sales experts. To be among the first to purchase a Spark EV, customers can visit their nearest participating Chevrolet Spark EV dealer. A Spark EV dealer locator is available on www.chevy.com/sparkev.

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world's largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4.5 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design, and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

*Lease example based on survey. Each dealer sets its own price. Your payments may vary. Payments are for a 2014 Chevrolet Spark EV with an MSRP of $ $27,495. 36 monthly payments total $7159.68 . Option to purchase at lease end for an amount to be determined at lease signing. Ally must approve lease. Take delivery by 07/01/2013. Mileage charge of $.25/mile over 12,000 miles. Lessee pays for excess wear. Payments may be higher in some states. Not available with some other offers. Residency restrictions apply.

**Savings of $150 per month based on 23 MPG HWY for an average vehicle and $0.12 per kW-hrs electricity cost. Visit fueleconomy.gov for details.

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ETC: Graduates! The CEO of GM has some wisdom to share

Universities are right now trotting out Grade-A commencement speakers to motivate this year's graduating class of collegiates to change the world, or at least vacate their parents' property before the age of 30. Some of the most inspiring commencement speeches of all time include the one Steve Jobs gave at Stanford in 2005, and this year's address du jour is one given by the late David Foster Wallace at Kenyon College in 2008 (watch them both below).

Automaker executives are often invited to the podium to speak as well. Former General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner spoke in 2011 at Virginia Commonwealth University, and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne just recently addressed graduates at Walsh College. Over the weekend, current GM CEO Dan Akerson took to the podium to inspire students embarking from the Mendoza School of Business at Notre Dame.

Did Akerson, who graduated from Annapolis in 1970, motivate the next Jobs, Musk or Gates to lead us all into a bright and promising future? We'll let you read the transcript below and judge for yourself. His message had to do with what constitutes a good leader, those qualities being the ability to define reality by setting priorities, allocating capital and resources to meet those priorities, a willingness to serve and leading by example.

Speaking to a room full of business school graduates, Akerson also remarked, "If all you intend to do with this knowledge and influence is see how many points you can score on your personal wealth scorecard... then something is terribly wrong." An interesting, if convenient, revelation from someone whose salary topped $11 million in 2012.

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Thank you.

Dean (Ed) Conlon, Father (Mark) Thesing, distinguished faculty, family and friends and of course, the Class of 2013... thank you for allowing me to share this very special day with you.

As a graduate of Annapolis, I've always felt a special connection to Notre Dame because the two schools share so much history.

The bonds were strengthened immeasurably just last month, when Father Hesburgh was recognized as an honorary Navy chaplain. He has truly lived the chaplain corps motto, which is "vocati ad servitium," or called to serve.

That's a theme we'll return to in a few minutes.

It is an honor to be part of this wonderful event. And every time I go to a graduation ceremony, I'm reminded of a piece of advice from Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun.

He said a graduation speaker is like the corpse at an Irish wake: his presence is required to justify the occasion, but no one expects him to say very much.

I promise to use these few minutes wisely.

Let me start by congratulating everyone who put in the time, effort and resources to earn a degree from the Mendoza College of Business.

This is a terrific achievement and one certainly worth celebrating.

I'm sure each of you has high expectations for yourselves and your careers... and why not? You are obviously bright, energetic, motivated and ambitious men and women.

That is all well and good. But as much as this day is about you... and your expectations... I want to spend these few moments talking about what we expect from you.

I can sum it up in one word... leadership.

Every institution that we rely on... whether it is business or government or academia... demands effective leadership to deal with complex issues, now more than ever.

Indeed, everywhere you look in our society, there is a demand... a hunger... for authentic leadership.

For example, a recent Gallup poll revealed that almost three-quarters of Americans don't particularly trust "big business."

We did score better than Congress and HMOs, but that's a pretty low bar, isn't it?

Don't believe the polls? Try this.

Go to Google Books and enter the word "leadership." Wait all of three-tenths of a second... and you'll get more than 6.3 million results.

The tomes come in all shapes and sizes... written by people with vastly different experiences and different perspectives.

Many of these are books written by "gurus," including one who dissected leadership into 155 behavioral descriptors clustered into 21 scales.

Now, I earned a degree in engineering. I have worked in finance for much of my career. So I have an affinity for facts, figures and detailed analytics.

But slicing leadership into 155 behavioral descriptors strikes me as slicing things a bit too thin. I think we can simplify it.

From a business perspective, what a leader does is relatively easy to define.

First, a good leader defines reality by setting priorities.

Next, he or she must allocate capital and scarce resources to meet those priorities.

Third, good leaders know that to be effective, they must be willing to serve as well.

And finally, there are the career-defining tests of character, where you must be prepared to lead by example.

Luckily, these kinds of tough calls don't occur every day. However, a single misstep can undo a decade or more of hard work in a day, so it's encouraging to know how thoroughly ethics have been integrated into the curriculum here.

Now that we've framed the subject of leadership, let's look at how we practice the science at GM.

Our first step is to always put an issue or pending decision in the context of our four operating strategies.

We adopted these after bankruptcy to provide focus and instill a sense of urgency to everything we do, and we've stuck to them religiously because they work.

The pillars are to design, build and sell the world's best vehicles... differentiate and strengthen our brands... maintain a fortress balance sheet... and pursue profitable growth around the world.

These all may appear simple on their face, but they've served us very well.

For example, we know through benchmarking that we need to establish Cadillac as a true global luxury brand to achieve margins on par with key competitors. That has made Cadillac a priority in our four-year, $11 billion China capital program.

Similarly, it was starkly evident that our outsourced information technology model was inadequate for the 21st century, when every single link in the automotive value chain is wired and connected â€" from the design studio to the showroom floor.

So now we are in the process of building our second state-of-art data center and hiring more than 4,000 high-tech workers around the country to design proprietary software.

In addition, we realized there are not enough U.S. high school seniors pursuing college-level science, technology, engineering and mathematics degrees to support American manufacturing and GM in particular.

That led us to create the Buick Achievers program, which has awarded nearly $12 million to more than 2,100 college-bound students since 2011.

These are just a few examples of the path we are following at General Motors today, and though we are in the early innings of our recovery, it is working for us.

We've delivered 13 consecutive profitable quarters, we're on the cusp of regaining our investment grade credit rating and before too long I expect we'll rejoin the S&P 500.

So, define reality. Allocate resources. Serve as well as lead. That's what leaders do. And our society needs this from smart, capable people like you... in every walk of life.

It doesn't matter if your road leads to corporate America, the non-profit sector or government service.

You will leave here today with freshly minted degrees that show you have mastered challenging business courses... from one of the best schools in the nation.

If all you intend to do with this knowledge and influence is see how many points you can score on your personal wealth scorecard... then something is terribly wrong.

Frankly, I doubt that's the case. I doubt that anyone who chose to pursue a degree at this university... with its storied mission of service to others... would come away focused solely on himself.

This school's mission is carved in stone above the East door of the Basilica. It reads "God, Country, Notre Dame."

Regardless of your religion or politics, the meaning is clear. Notre Dame exists to shape leaders for a higher calling... for something bigger than ourselves.

The Mendoza College then distills these values into a simple business dictum: economic enterprises serve people, not the other way around.

These are powerful ideas, and if you can live up to the values of the school, success and satisfaction... however you care to measure it... will follow.

Today, we need you... the best and brightest citizens our nation can produce... to do more. You can do so well... and you can do so much good too.

Remember, being good is commendable. Doing good is remarkable.

I urge you to put your country's interests above your own. Get involved in your community. Serve your fellow citizen.

Bring your intellectual firepower, your ambition, and your energy to making America the country we know it can be.

Congratulations again on a wonderful achievement. Everyone in this room is proud of you.

Meanwhile, everyone in this country is counting on you. We can't wait to see what you can do.

Thank you.

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Official: 2014 BMW 5 Series starts at $50,425* and gets a new diesel, 5 Series GT starts at $60,925* [w/video]

BMW itself says it is making "Precise modifications to the design" of the facelifted, sixth-generation 5 Series, and this is the result. The 2014 5 Series will come in four flavors â€" sedan, Touring, Gran Turismo and ActiveHybrid 5 â€" the biggest news probably the addition of a diesel engine for the US market.

When they go on sale in August, the 528i sedan will start at $50,425, a $1,700 increase over the 2013 model, and if you want xDrive that adds $2,300 to the price across the model range. The 535d employs a 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline six-cylinder diesel with 255 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque and starts at $56,025. BMW portends "substantial fuel efficiency gains over its gasoline-fueled counterpart," but the exact numbers won't come until closer to the on-sale date. The $64,825, top-dog 550i holds pat with 4.4-liter, twin turbo V8, with output upped to 445 hp and 480 lb-ft â€" an increase of 45 hp and 30 lb-ft of torque. The outputs haven't changed on the twin-turbo four-cylinder in the 528 nor the 3.0-liter six-cylinder gasoline engine in the 535, and *all prices include the $925 destination charge. The engines are also fitted with a coasting mode that uncouples the powertrain when rolling downhill.

Outside there are new "contour lines" for the grille and air intakes, slimmer taillights and elements that accentuate the car's width - as if that were necessary. Xenon adaptive headlights will be standard along with side indicator lights on the rearview mirrors, the options list adds LED headlights, the Luxury Line and Modern Line packages. The former package adds chrome trim to certain exterior elements, the latter adds matte chrome trim.

Inside will be more storage and more cup holders, additional luggage capacity in the 5 Series GT, an optional rear seat entertainment system that puts tablets on the front seatbacks, and a touchpad iDrive controller.

There's a lot more besides which you can read about in the press release and video below, and you can pair words with images in the four high-res galleries above and below.

The New BMW 5 Series Sedan and BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo

Updated styling, a new BMW Advanced Diesel engine, Standard Navigation and BMW Apps increase the appeal of the BMW 5 Series family.

Woodcliff Lake, NJ â€" May 18th 2013, 6:00pm Eastern Time . . . Athletic ability, efficiency, compulsive allure, and innovations designed to enhance the driving experience: the BMW 5 Series has always contained the signature ingredients of a best-selling BMW model. Consistently rising sales figures have fortified its position as a global leader in its class. Now, for the 2014 model year, another new chapter in this success story is poised to begin. Precise modifications to the design, the addition of a new inline-6 BMW Advanced Diesel engine for the Sedan, and even more of available equipment all raise the appeal of the BMW 5 Series family a notch higher.

The enhanced, 2014 BMW 5 Series Sedan and 5 Series Gran Turismo will go on sale at Authorized BMW Centers in the US in August, 2013.

MSRP for the 5 Series Sedan and 5 Series Gran Turismo:

528i Sedan - $50,425
528i xDrive Sedan - $52,725
535i Sedan - $56,025
535i xDrive Sedan - $58,325
535d Sedan - $57,525
535d xDrive Sedan - $59,825
550i Sedan - $64,825
550i xDrive Sedan - $67,125
535i Gran Turismo - $60,925
535i xDrive Gran Turismo - $63,225
550i Gran Turismo - $68,825
550i xDrive Gran Turismo - $71,125
ActiveHybrid 5 - $62,325

All prices include $925 Destination and Handling

Design: Developing the Five's signature sporty character.
Fresh contour lines for the surround of the BMW kidney grille and redesigned lower air intakes reinforce the sporty appearance of the 2014 BMW 5 Series Sedan. The accentuated width of the rear end is underlined by an extra crease in the apron, as well as slim, sharply contoured and therefore more striking rear lights.

The 2014 BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo receives a modified front apron exuding presence and solidity. Its redesigned rear end creates a longer and lower visual impression. A three-dimensional surface design for the area around the license plate holder and a chrome strip in the rear apron add further depth to its dynamic character.

Xenon Adaptive headlights are fitted as standard on all 5 Series models, while Adaptive LED Headlights join the options list for 2014. Elsewhere, the side indicator lights are now integrated into the exterior mirrors. Also new in the BMW 5 Series are the Luxury Line and Modern Line, in addition to the popular M Sport choice, each containing select design and equipment features.

Functionality and desirability at new levels.
New details lend further refinement to the premium impression of the new BMW 5 Series' interior and a new layer of functionality. The Central Display of the standard iDrive operating system is now bordered in the Sedan by chrome trim. The storage compartments and cup holders in the center console of these models now have increased capacity.

A revised rear section increases the luggage capacity of the new BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo by 2.1 cu-ft to 17.7 cu-ft (European figures, preliminary). New exterior paint colors, light-alloy wheels, upholstery colors and interior trim elements for all BMW 5 Series models enhance their appeal and increase the scope for individualization.

Engines: more power, now with the choice of BMW Advanced Diesel.
The introduction of the 2014 BMW 5 Series family also heralds an expansion of its engine range. The BMW 535d has been added as BMW's latest diesel variant in North America. Its inline-6 BMW Advanced Diesel engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo technology makes 255 horsepower at 4,000 rpm and 413 lb-ft of torque from 1,500 â€" 3,000 rpm (preliminary figures). Simultaneously, the new BMW 535d Sedan is expected to show substantial fuel efficiency gains over its gasoline-fueled counterpart. US EPA figures will be available closer to the on-sale date. BMW's xDrive intelligent all-wheel drive system is also available on the new 535d Sedan.

The top-of-the-line engine of the new BMW 5 Series Sedan now features an updated V-8 with BMW TwinPower Turbo technology and BMW's Valvetronic throttle-less intake technology, developing a monstrous 445 horsepower and 480 lb-ft of torque.

The 5 Series chassis technology â€" which includes a double-wishbone front axle, integral rear axle and Servotronic variable power steering function â€" has been honed to deliver an unrivalled balance between sporty performance and ride comfort. The BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo comes with standard air suspension, including automatic self-leveling rear suspension. The Driving Dynamics Control switch on the center console is standard on all models. Adaptive Drive and Integral Active Steering are systems unmatched by other players that can be specified as options.

Brake Energy Regeneration, the Auto Start-Stop functionality, and ECO PRO mode, the suite of standard-fitted BMW EfficientDynamics technologies now also includes a coasting mode (which disengages the powertrain while coasting), and the ECO PRO Route function, which can be selected via the Navigation system. Additionally, updated aerodynamics is a key factor in the latest advances made by the engineers in the area of fuel efficiency.

More innovative than ever: BMW ConnectedDrive.
The galaxy of innovations on the options list borne by BMW ConnectedDrive technology allows the 2014 BMW 5 Series family to underline its leadership in the areas of connectivity, infotainment, convenience, and safety. For example, the function of the optional Comfort Access system, which allows the tailgate or trunk to be opened hands-free, has been extended to include a closing mechanism, which means that a movement of the foot under the rear apron can now be used to prompt the tailgate to close as well as open.

In addition, the 2014 BMW 5 Series offers customers a new rear-seat entertainment system with tablet-style displays, a Harman Kardon Surround Sound system and a new version of the ambient light option with a facility which allows the interior lighting to be alternated in tone between orange and white.

The range of BMW ConnectedDrive business solutions and driver assistance systems is more advanced and richer in variety than ever. The BMW 5 Series enables a scope of intelligent connectivity unique in the marketplace, allowing it to set the benchmark for in-car use of office applications.

Alongside the globally unrivalled Concierge Service for hotel reservations and a selection of other services, BMW ConnectedDrive also offers an unusually extensive suite of office functions, including internet-based services. The dictation function, for example, provides a convenient way of entering text for SMS messages and emails during a journey. The array of search, travel, office and social media services can be accessed via the car's integrated SIM card or the customer's smartphone.

iDrive4.2: Now with touchpad.
The newly-standard iDrive4.2 Navigation system makes use of an optimized menu display and allows access to Advanced Real Time Traffic Information. A new iDrive rotary controller with an integrated touchpad allows the input of characters for destinations, phone numbers, and other functions within the iDrive4.2 operating system.

BMW 5 Series: A success story.
A global bestseller, winner of a string of comparison tests and "Germany's favorite car" â€" the BMW 5 Series represents a quite unique success story. Its sales figures, the verdicts of experts and the response of the public make a compelling narrative. And now the BMW 5 Series Sedan and BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo are preparing to build on their standout presence in the world's car markets with the help of cutting-edge technological innovations and sensitively modified design features.

The introduction of the 2014 BMW 5 Series provides the latest highlight in the development of the company's longest-serving model family; the BMW 5 Series has been a fixture in the BMW portfolio since 1972 â€" longer than any other current model. It didn't take the 5 Series long to establish itself as a paragon of driving pleasure and aesthetic appeal in its segment. And today it can add efficiency and innovation to the list of disciplines in which it leads the way in the executive car market.

The BMW 5 Series Sedan currently rolling off the assembly line is the sixth-generation model. A harmonious balance between sporty flair and elegance has been a defining feature of the four-door variant since it first made the leap from the drawing board to the road and went on to become the most popular executive car in one market after the next. The BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo, unveiled in 2009, has seen BMW introduce drivers to an all-new type of car. Its extravagant design represents the expression of sports performance, luxurious long-distance comfort and versatility.

Global market leader: BMW 5 Series defends leading position.
To date, over 6.6 million BMW 5 Series cars have left the factory. And the current BMW 5 Series is in excellent shape to surpass the record set by the highly successful last two generations, each of which sold in excess of 1.4 million units. A total of more than one million units of the current BMW 5 Series Sedan have been delivered to customers since the sales launch of the 5 Series in 2010. No other generation has bettered these sales figures over such a short period of time.

Acclaim: BMW 5 Series top ratings, design awards.
The quality and popularity of the BMW 5 Series are reflected in the host of prizes and distinctions awarded to the members of the model family around the world. In early 2013 the BMW 5 Series secured class victory â€" for the third year in succession â€" in the readers' survey "The Best Cars" conducted by the German motoring magazine "auto, motor und sport". This success came not long after the BMW 520d EfficientDynamics Edition with BMW BluePerformance technology had been voted "Car of the Future" and awarded the ADAC automobile association's "Yellow Angel". The BMW 5 Series as a whole had been named "Germany's favorite car" in the same competition in 2011.

In addition to the red dot award, iF Product Design Award and Design Award of the Federal Republic of Germany, the BMW 5 Series has also picked up a notable collection of international distinctions in recognition of its successful exterior design. Beyond these, the BMW 5 Series has been voted "Car of the Year", "Best Car", "Premium Car of the Year", "Family Car of the Year" and "Executive Car of the Year" in various countries.

This broad spread of qualities has been recognized with a swathe of impressive ratings elsewhere as well. German car journal "Auto Bild" crowned the BMW 525d Touring "Value Champion 2012" on account of its high value retention in the used car market. The title had been awarded to the BMW 520d Sedan the previous year. And the BMW 5 Series emerged from both the Euro NCAP and the US NCAP crash tests with the highest rating of five stars. It was also the first vehicle to achieve a 100 per cent score in the Safety Assist category of the Euro NCAP crash tests.

Design and body.
Instantly captivating and compelling, the aesthetic qualities of the BMW 5 Series models have secured sales success around the globe and a wealth of awards and distinctions. "We haven't completely redesigned the BMW 5 Series, we've just given its character a slightly sharper sporty edge," says exterior designer Won Kyu Kang, describing the modifications made to the BMW 5 Series Sedan.

Sporty elegance is the identity of the BMW 5 Series Sedan. Its design is defined by the hallmark BMW proportions created by a long hood, long wheelbase, short overhangs and set-back passenger compartment. At the front end, additional contour lines for the BMW kidney grille surround and the restructured lower air intake accentuate the car's sporty appearance. All the variants of the new BMW 5 Series model family are fitted with xenon headlights as standard.

Joining the options list are Adaptive LED Headlights. Here, both the low and high beams are generated by LED units positioned on horizontal ribs in the center of the two light rings, which are leveled off at the bottom. Sweeping chrome inserts with engraved BMW lettering add the finishing touches to the distinctive and extremely high-class appearance of the Adaptive LED Headlights. The side indicators are now integrated into the exterior mirrors on all 2014 BMW 5 Series models. And the Sedan has newly structured rear lights with particularly thin and strikingly contoured LED light strips. These lights and an additional crease in the rear apron emphasize the wide track of the Sedan.

The 2014 BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo combines signature BMW proportions with an innovative body concept. The elegantly stretched coupe roofline, four doors with frameless windows and a high-opening tailgate exude sporty intent, luxurious long-distance comfort and extensive variability. Carefully targeted modifications to the car's design shine an even brighter spotlight on its unmistakable character, which meets the highest standards across an extremely wide spectrum.

A new air intake highlights the powerful presence of the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo's front. The tailgate, meanwhile, has been extended aft and gives the roofline's transition into the rear an even more harmonious appearance. All of which allows the car as a whole to cut a lower-slung and dynamically stretched figure. These sharpened contours have also had a positive effect on the trunk capacity of the new BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo, which has been increased by 2.1cu- ft to 17.7 cu-ft (preliminary).

Horizontally structured and three-dimensional surfaces play a defining role in the new look of the rear end. Vibrant light and shade effects around the license plate mount, a dynamically sweeping crease extending into the flanks and a chrome trim strip in the rear apron give the tail end a lighter and sportier feel. This impression is reinforced by the new outline of the two-section rear lights. Their horizontal layout is accentuated internally by a light design distilled into two LED light strips.

Interior.
New details inside the 2014 BMW 5 Series provide a refined impression and increased functionality. In all models the Central Display of the iDrive operating system is now bordered by high-quality chrome trim strips. The storage compartments and cup holders in the center console of the Sedan now have increased capacity.

Generous levels of space, exquisite materials and high-quality workmanship all contribute to the premium ambience characteristic of the BMW 5 Series model family, as do exclusive interior design details like the standard iDrive and the black-panel technology of the instrument cluster and automatic climate control system's display.

The iDrive controller with the now standard Navigation system features a touchpad surface allowing character recognition. For example, a destination can be programmed into the Navigation system by spelling out the desired address using finger movements on the touchpad surface. The existing "rotary speller" in the Central Display may also still be used, and the driver can alternate freely between the two operating methods while entering a command. Voice Command may also be activated from the touchpad.

BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo.
The BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo offers an unmatched blend of luxurious long-distance comfort and versatility, fusing the imposing elegance of a Sedan with the variable-usage interior of a Sports Wagon model and the versatility of a Sports Activity Vehicle. Its seating position â€" slightly raised to a height somewhere between that offered by a sedan and an SAV â€" allows particularly comfortable entry and exit. Rear passengers can enjoy legroom and headroom normally the preserve of luxury cars. The rear seats slide forward by (inches?) 73 millimeters and the angle of their backrests can be adjusted through 33 degrees. When released from its locked position, the partition behind the rear seats follows the longitudinal movements of the seats, allowing trunk capacity to grow from 17.7 cu-ft to 23 cu-ft. The partition and rear seat backrests can be split 40 : 20 : 40. Folding down all the elements and moving the rear seats all the way forward allows the Gran Turismo to reveal its maximum 62 cu-ft of load capacity. To load items into the trunk, one can either open the full, high-opening tailgate or a separate trunk lid below the rear window. Similarly to a sedan, this smaller opening allows access to the load area without disturbing rear seat passengers.

Automatic tailgate operation comes as standard on the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo and is also available as an option for the BMW 5 Series Sedan. The function of the optional Comfort Access system that allows the tailgate to be opened hands-free has been extended â€" for all members of the new BMW 5 Series model family â€" to include a closing mechanism, which means that a movement of the foot under the rear apron can now be used to prompt the tailgate to close as well as open. After unloading items from the luggage compartment, customers can also close the tailgate without having to put down the items they're holding.

New to the BMW 5 Series: BMW Lines.
2014 BMW 5 Series customers can choose from a wide selection of exterior paint colors. New additions to the range â€" and available for all models â€" are Calisto Grey metallic, Jatoba metallic, Mineral White metallic and Glacier Silver metallic. New variants have also been added to the line-up of optional light-alloy wheels.

Exclusively composed BMW Lines are now available for the first time to all members of the new BMW 5 Series model family as an alternative to standard specification. Customers can choose between the Luxury Line , Modern Line, and M Sport, which shine the spotlight on selected facets of the car's character to great effect. All Lines also include the option to upgrade to luxurious Nappa Leather upholstery at no additional charge.

The Luxury Line exudes a high level of elegance and exclusiveness thanks to a carefully assembled selection of high-class features for the exterior and interior. The chrome finish of the trim bars in the outer sections of the lower air intake, the fronts of the black kidney grille slats, the window recess finishers, the trim strip in the rear apron and the exhaust tips all add gleaming touches. Leather upholstery with exclusive stitching, a black sports leather steering wheel and interior trim strips in exquisite Fine-line anthracite wood create a particularly refined interior ambience.

The Modern Line displays a strikingly contemporary and dynamic edge. The air intake bars, kidney grille slats, rear trim strip and exhaust tips come in matt chrome, and the instrument panel and sports leather steering wheel can be specified as an option in the Oyster light color shade . Interior trim strips in dark Pearl and exclusive stitching for the leather upholstery ensure the interior creates an eye-catching impression.

All variants of the new BMW 5 Series can also be ordered M Sport Package, which now features a new M steering wheel, LED fog lights, and no-charge Nappa Leather upholstery to further increasing the scope for individualization.

Powertrain and Chassis.
The engine is the heart of every BMW. The new BMW Advanced Diesel 535d Sedan model, additional availability of xDrive intelligent all-wheel drive, and an even more powerful and fuel efficient V-8 join the action for 2014. The line-up for the new BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo is comprised of two gasoline engines.

The cutting-edge chassis technology underpinning the 2014 BMW 5 Series family delivers a balance of dynamic performance and ride comfort without peer. The BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo is also fitted as standard with automatic self-leveling air suspension at the rear axle.

Among the options available for all members of the BMW 5 Series family are the Integral Active Steering and Adaptive Drive systems, which no other model in this segment offers. Enhancements of acoustic and suspension comfort in the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo, meanwhile, lend even further emphasis to its role as a supreme long-distance specialist.

A new diesel engine for the Sedan.
BMW TwinPower Turbo technology ensures an exemplary balance of driving pleasure and fuel consumption across the engine range. In the new diesel engine, which powers the BMW 535d Sedan, this package of technology consists of a variable-geometry turbocharger and high precision direct fuel injection with solenoid valve injectors. The 3.0-liter engine develops a maximum output of 255 HP, generates peak torque of 413 lb-ft.

The new generation of the V-8 engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo technology for the BMW 5 Series model family takes to the stage armed with a 10 percent rise in output yet also significantly reduced fuel consumption. Found under the hood of the BMW 550i Sedan and BMW 550i Gran Turismo, it now also combines its two twin-scroll turbochargers and high precision direct fuel injection with BMW's Valvetronic throttle-less intake valve control. The engine generates 445 horsepower and maximum torque of 480 lb-ft from its 4.4-liter displacement. The new BMW 550i Sedan, for example, roars from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.5 seconds.

The 2014 BMW 535i Sedan and 535i Gran Turismo retain BMW's multi-award-winning "N55" 3.0-liter inline-6 engine with 300 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque. An award winning BMW TwinPower turbo "N20" four-cylinder gasoline engine is retained for the 2014 BMW 528i Sedan.

The BMW 535i Sedan can be fitted with a 6-speed manual transmission as a no cost option. All BMW 5 Series models receive the extremely fast and precise, not to mention extraordinarily efficient, 8-speed automatic transmission provided as standard equipment. The 8-speed automatic now comes with a coasting function and can also be ordered with Sport Automatic shift paddles on the steering wheel. The Sport Automatic option, standard for the 2014 BMW 550i Sedan models, stands out with impressive shift dynamics and now includes Launch Control.

Driving Dynamics Control.
The fine-tuning carried out on the chassis for the 2014 BMW 5 Series models makes for an even more assured conversion of engine power into dynamic performance and ride comfort. Both the double-wishbone front axle and the integral rear axle are made largely of aluminum. They allow the spring and damper systems to respond with great precision to inconsistencies in the road surface and ensure optimum road holding at all times. The overall result is a balance between sporty ability and ride comfort that no rival can better. What's more, the car's set-up can be adapted to suit individual needs or the driving situation at hand using the standard equipment Driving Dynamics Control switch on the center console. Pressing the button changes the driving mode, altering the responses of the accelerator and steering, as well as â€" if so equipped â€" the shift characteristics of the automatic transmission and the settings of the electronically controlled dampers.

The car's driving characteristics are further enhanced by the Adaptive Drive system, which includes Active Roll Stabilization and Dynamic Damper Control. Electronically controlled anti-roll bars help to reduce the car's body roll through quickly taken corners and in sudden changes of direction, for example.

In addition to controlling the amount of speed-dependent steering assistance generated and regulating the steering angle of the front wheels, Integral Active Steering also adjusts the steering angle of the rear wheels. This system imbues the car with impressive agility in dynamic driving situations, comfortable and assured reactions when changing lanes and through corners, and optimized maneuverability through tight bends and in city traffic.

The newly updated 2014 BMW 5 Series Sedan and Gran Turismo will arrive in US later this year in August 2013.

BMW Group In America
BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and the Rolls-Royce brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, a strategic design consultancy in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group's global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all X5 and X3 Sports Activity Vehicles and X6 Sports Activity Coupes. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 338 BMW passenger car and BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 139 BMW motorcycle retailers, 117 MINI passenger car dealers, and 34 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group's sales headquarters for North America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

Information about BMW Group products is available to consumers via the Internet at: www.bmwgroupna.com

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Spy Shots: Jaguar F-Type Coupe spotted testing

The automotive world has been hot on fire with the Jaguar F-Type of late. We're still recovering from the excitement of driving Jaguar's new sports car for the first time, and recently we had a predictive look at a coupe version. As it turns out, those 'patent sketches' were just a warm up for the real deal F-Type Coupe, as this brand new set of spy images proves out.

Word from our shooter is that security around the F coupe was and is really tight. The photographer had to hide in the cargo area of his clandestine SUV, just to catch these few, not-perfectly-clear images (that odd color your see is window tint). Still, the photos are good enough to see that the rakish silhouette of the hardtop is going to do justice to the convertible. In fact, the new top seems to flow quite perfectly into the car's rear haunches.

Expect that the F-Type Coupe will share an engine lineup with the roadster, meaning both a naturally aspirated and a supercharged V6, as well as a V8 option. Hot R and R-S versions of the Jaguar coupe are a virtual lock, too, though how far down the product pipeline they are is unclear.

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Teased: Aston Martin teases "very special concept" to be unveiled May 19 [w/video]

We knew Aston Martin was taking three cars to the Nürbrurgring 24-Hour race this weekend, they being a V12 Vantage GT3 car, the Rapide S Hybrid Hydrogen concept and a V12 Vantage N24 that is close to road-legal. We've just discovered that the automaker is bringing a fourth, a concept to be revealed on Sunday, May 19 that we know nothing about save that it will celebrate the company's centennary.

Based on the image above it looks like it will be a modern take on the Aston Martin racer from the late fifties that contested the World Sportscar Championship and won Le Mans, but we'll just have to wait until tomorrow to find out. There's a short video below, and a press release on its other 'Ring efforts this weekend, to tease you until then.

Aston Martin set to take on Nürburgring 24 Hours

• Debut of Aston Martin Bilstein Vantage GT3 at the Nordschleife
• Hybrid Hydrogen Rapide S set to make history with zero CO2 emission lap
• Close-to-production V12 Vantage targets class honours

Aston Martin heads to the ADAC Zurich 24 Hours of Nürburgring (N24) in Germany this weekend (18-20 May) with three very different race cars â€" an international championship-winning V12 Vantage GT3, a record-breaking Hybrid Hydrogen Rapide S and a close-to-production specification V12 Vantage.

Aston Martin has a long-standing relationship with the world-famous Nordschleife; its race cars won the Nürburgring 1,000 km race in 1957, '58 and '59 and the British sports car maker has been a regular at the annual 24-hour endurance race since 2006.

This year, the British manufacturer has ambitious plans to celebrate its centenary in front of more than 200,000 race fans at the N24 by entering a front-running GT3 car crewed by top professional drivers; a world-first engineering technology project; and a near-standard V12 Vantage that truly underlines the durability and performance of its road-going cars.

The build-up to the race start will be further enhanced by a stunning 100-car parade of Aston Martins around the length of the legendary 22km-long (circa 13.7 miles) Nordschleife circuit.

Alongside the Bilstein V12 Vantage GT3, which marks Aston Martin's most focused attempt yet to challenge for honours at N24, and its close-to-production V12 Vantage sister car, the company has entered its unique Hybrid Hydrogen Rapide S. Announced earlier this year, and after a shakedown on the Nordschleife at a VLN endurance race in April, the ground-breaking race car â€" based on Aston Martin's new four-door, four-seat sports GT â€" is returning to the Nürburgring to become the first Hybrid Hydrogen-powered car to compete in an international racing event.

Working in partnership with hydrogen experts Alset Global, Aston Martin's engineers have developed the prototype, which will complete its qualifying lap on pure hydrogen, meaning that virtually the only emission from the twin turbocharged 6.0-litre V12 engine's exhaust pipes will be water.

Aston Martin CEO Dr Ulrich Bez, will be one of four drivers behind the wheel of the Hybrid Hydrogen Rapide S in the 24-hour race. He said: "The prospect of making history at the Nürburgring 24 Hours with the Hybrid Hydrogen Rapide S in this, our centenary year, is a great thing for Aston Martin.

"Alongside our partners Alset Global, we have worked incredibly hard to prove out this exciting engineering and I'm looking forward to taking the wheel of the race car at the Nürburgring on Sunday."

The third car in the line up is a V12 Vantage in close-to-production specification, modified to satisfy the N24 regulations. David King, Director of Special Projects and Motorsport at Aston Martin, explains: "It's important to us that we don't only show what we can do with pioneering technologies and race car development, but that we showcase the ability that our road cars have to deal with the demanding and gruelling challenges that the Nordschleife can create."

Leading up to the main event the Aston Martin Centenary Parade â€" a lap of the Nordschleife with 100 VIP and customer cars â€" will take place to celebrate 100 years of Aston Martin and to offer customers the chance to share in the Nürburgring experience that is so close to the brand.

Aston Martin will compete in the ADAC Zurich Nürburgring 24 Hours on May 19-20 for the eighth successive year with the goal of maintaining its 100% finishing record.

More than 200 cars will start the 24-hour race, which runs on the daunting circuit that combines the legendary Nordschleife with the modern Grand Prix track.

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Report: Visteon working on creepy artificial intelligence for your car's infotainment [w/video]

Those that hanker for the days when automobiles were generally simple machines â€" responsive only to the will of their human masters â€" probably don't work in R&D at Visteon. The Michigan-based automotive supplier, with a track record in climate control and electronics manufacture, has released some new information about a new system it is calling Human Bayesian Intelligence Technology or HABIT.

The goal of HABIT, in a nutshell, is to learn and predict what in-car setting a driver would like, in advance of him even having to ask for them. Using data about radio, climate control and driving behavior, HABIT stores and analyses (some might say "learns") about a driver's preferences, and then makes cues them up for the driver at the right time of day, or in the right situation.

If all of that sounds a little "big brother" to you, well, just wait until you have a look at the demo video Visteon has put together. We'd certainly like to get a closer look at the HABIT system when it's ready for primetime (or even in advance of that), but we're not entirely sold on the sort of creepy, blonde robot guide that we've seen here. Scroll down to see and watch what we mean.

Visteon Cockpit Concept Learns the Driver's HABIT

System understands driver's personal preferences to deliver a more meaningful experience behind the wheel

VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP, Mich., May 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Would you like your vehicle to suggest a different route to or from work when there are unexpected delays on your regular course? What if your vehicle's cabin temperature adjusted automatically based on your preferences and the outside temperature?

Visteon Corporation (NYSE: VC) has developed a unique cockpit concept that offers these solutions and others by incorporating Artificial Intelligence (AI) to deliver an enhanced driving experience. Visteon's Human Bayesian Intelligence Technology (HABIT) system employs machine learning algorithms that are cognizant of the specific driver and the surrounding environment.

The HABIT system continually learns as it processes a driver's selections of climate temperatures, radio stations, phone call tendencies and other unique behaviors depending on the outside temperature and time of day. It factors in the individual's historical inputs to present a human-machine interaction (HMI) that is customized for the driver. The system also learns the driver's tastes -- even when he or she is not in the vehicle. For example, HABIT registers activity like music that the driver has listened to using his or her on-line music library or Internet radio.

"The goal of HABIT is to become an experience that improves each time the driver uses the ever-aware system," said Shadi Mere, innovation manager at Visteon. "With vehicle manufacturers striving to deliver a more personalized driving experience, the HABIT cockpit concept demonstrates how your car can learn and grow with you over its lifetime."

During a recent research clinic, more than 70 percent of survey respondents had a positive initial reaction to the HABIT concept. Respondents liked the anticipatory learning of the system and the natural voice interaction, combined with voice shortcuts, which aligned with their expectations of voice commands similar to the ones on their smartphones and other devices. Visteon's cockpit concept incorporates high-end graphics and animation designed to improve interaction with mobile devices.

A video of the HABIT cockpit concept is available on www.youtube.com/visteon

A high-resolution image and video are available at www.visteon.com/media/multimedia.

Read a blog from Innovation Manager Shadi Mere about the HABIT system at http://blog.visteon.com/

About Visteon

Visteon is a leading global automotive supplier delivering value for vehicle manufacturers and shareholders through a family of businesses including:

Halla Visteon Climate Control, majority-owned by Visteon and the world's second largest global supplier of automotive climate components and systems.
Visteon Electronics, a leading supplier of audio and infotainment, driver information, center stack electronics and feature control modules.
Visteon Interiors, a global provider of vehicle cockpit modules, instrument panels, consoles and door trim modules.
Yanfeng Visteon Automotive Trim Systems Co., Ltd., a successful China-based partnership between Visteon and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation's automotive components group, Huayu Automotive Systems.
Through this family of enterprises, Visteon designs, engineers and manufactures innovative components and systems for virtually every vehicle manufacturer worldwide, and these businesses generated $13.8 billion in sales in 2012, including unconsolidated operations. With corporate offices in Van Buren Township, Mich. (U.S.); Shanghai, China; and Chelmsford, UK; Visteon has facilities in 29 countries and employs through its various businesses, including non-consolidated operations, approximately 55,000 people. Learn more at www.visteon.com.

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Video: Florida DOT quietly changed yellow-light standards, municipalities issuing more tickets

Red light cameras don't appear to be going away, so it should come as no surprise that neither are the controversies around them. We're told again and again that they're about safety, not revenue collection, yet year after year, the studies and headlines compete to support and tear down those arguments. An investigative report by Florida's WTSP Channel 10 News gets the maelstrom whirling again, having found that various state municipalities have shorted yellow light times to below those recommended by the US Department of Transportation.

The retiming of yellow lights was precipitated by a change the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) made to its guidelines for yellow-light durations. Until 2011, the regulations "mandated yellow light calculations factor in either the posted speed limit or 85th percentile of drivers' actual speed â€" whichever was greater." That year, though, the phrase "whichever was greater" was cut, and certain cities began resetting the yellow lights to illuminate for the shorter interval â€" either trying to ensure more safety or more revenue. The FDOT says the new language was only meant to establish a minimum time for yellow lights, not to dictate their exact duration.

Various US government studies and reports recommend not using a road's speed limit when determining the length of the yellow light because it increases violations and crashes, but instead using the traffic's 85th percentile speed or the speed limit plus ten miles per hour.

More than one study has found that people want red light cameras, studies have also shown that while major accidents have been reduced at intersections with cameras, smaller fender-bender accidents have increased, and that's not an isolated finding. And with so much money in play â€" the Channel 10 news report says Florida collect about $100 million in red light camera fines last year and could get to $130 million this year â€" it's no wonder cities shorten yellow light times below the minimum guidelines, manipulate accident data, robo-sign tickets with the names of dead police officers, and redesign their license plates to make them easier for the cameras to read.

Check out the news segment in the video below and head over to the WTSP site for all of the numbers and specifics, and if you're in Florida, you'll need to pay even more attention to the lights in front and the traffic behind.

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Official: 2014 Cadillac XTS gets 410-hp twin-turbo V6

General Motors told us so back in March, but it is now official: The twin-turbocharged 3.6-liter V6 announced for the 2014 Cadillac CTS will also join the options list for the 2014 Cadillac XTS. The LF3 engine puts out 410 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque in the XTS, however, which is 10 hp and 61 lb-ft down from its application in the CTS. It will be identifiable from the outside by a specific grille treatment and a badge on the decklid. The 3.6-liter V6 with 304 hp and 264 lb-ft holds steady as the standard engine, and both will be yoked to a six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters.

Also new for the front-wheel drive model for 2014 are updates that include electric power steering and optional Automatic Parking Assist that can maneuver the sedan into parallel parking spots. The three trims above standard â€" Luxury, Premium and Platinum â€" get Intellibeam headlights that automatically switch between high- and low-beam,

The four current trim levels remain but the list of optional extras for the higher specs grows with a rear-seat entertainment system equipped with DVD screens in the front seatbacks, memory settings for the front passenger seat and an armrest in the back seat fitted with radio and sunshade controls. The press release below has more info on all of the changes.

Cadillac XTS - 2014

New for 2014
- Cadillac Twin-Turbo V-6 with 410 hp (306 kW) â€" SAE certified
- Automatic Parking Assist (FWD models)
- Electric power steering (FWD models)
- Intellibeam headlamps
- Rear-seat entertainment system
- Front passenger seat memory feature
- Revised rear-seat armrest with wood trim, radio controls and sunshade control (if equipped)
- Opaque sunroof sunshade

2014 CADILLAC XTS OFFERS TWIN-TURBO V-6, AUTOMATIC PARKING ASSIST

The Cadillac XTS is one of the most technologically advanced production cars in the brand's history, delivering the space, elegance and dramatic presence that are brand signatures in a unique package tuned for a new generation of luxury customers.

Cadillac's all-new, power-dense Twin-Turbo V-6 engine highlights new features for 2014, along with technologies including available Automatic Parking Assist and Intellibeam, as well as electric power steering on all front-wheel-drive models. Additional new and revised features include:
- An available rear-seat entertainment system with twin DVD screens that fold out of the backs of the front seats
- Available front passenger seat memory feature
- Revised rear-seat armrest with wood trim, radio controls and sunshade control (if equipped)
- Opaque sunroof sunshade.

XTS is offered in a well-equipped standard model and three optional collections: Luxury, Premium and Platinum. The XTS Platinum represents the highest level of technology and luxury, including a unique front appearance, wheels and interior colors, materials and trim.

Highlights for all collections include:
- Standard direct-injected 3.6L V-6 with lightweight features, including integrated cylinder heads/exhaust manifolds
- Available advanced all-wheel-drive system with electronically controlled limited-slip differential
- Magnetic Ride Control, rear air springs, HiPer Strut front suspension and Brembo front brakes â€" all standard
- Standard 19-inch wheels and available 20-inch wheels
- Capless fuel tank filler for easier, cleaner refueling
- Folding rear-seat head restraints that enhance rear visibility
- Safety Alert Seat that pulses to alert the driver
- Intervening braking system that lessens or avoids potential collisions
- Short- and long-range radar systems that support adaptive cruise control, front/rear automatic brakes and Rear Cross Traffic Alert.

XTS is the only luxury sedan with standard Magnetic Ride Control â€" the world's fastest-reacting suspension â€" while the advanced all-wheel-drive system uses Haldex technology with an electronic limited-slip differential to transfer power front-to-back, and side-to-side, along the rear axle. It is available on all three collections.

The XTS is also the most spacious Cadillac sedan, tailored to provide roominess in a more efficiently sized package. It offers more interior space than midsize luxury cars and is comparable to full-size sedans, particularly in the rear seat area, where it has 40 inches (1,016 mm) of rear legroom. That's about four more inches than the BMW 5 Series, and Mercedes-Benz E-Class, and about two more inches than the Audi A6.

And when it comes to trunk space, the XTS is in a league of its own, with 18 cubic feet (509 L), exceeding both midsize and full-size competitors â€" more than Audi A6 and A8L, BMW 5 and 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz E- and S-Class. For XTS customers, the cargo advantage means room for five or more suitcases.

XTS design and exterior features
XTS's hardware and spatial dimensions are the foundational layers that support exceptional surface detail. Multidimensional elements, including the grille, headlamps and accent lighting, coalesce to give the XTS a presence and attention to detail unlike any Cadillac that has come before it.

The XTS's surface details also convey a more nuanced design philosophy, bringing elegance with refined, graceful forms and surfaces working harmoniously with established Cadillac linear forms. Additional features include:
- Unique "Twin-Turbo" grille and deck lid identification on models equipped with the 3.6L twin-turbo engine
- Premium chrome/satin-chrome grille finish on Platinum Collection
- Intellibeam automatic headlamp control is standard on Luxury, Premium and Platinum Collections
- Illuminating door handles are standard on all Luxury, Premium and Platinum Collections
- Capless fuel-filling system is standard on all models
- High-intensity discharge headlamps with Twilight Sentinel are standard on all models
- Adaptive Forward Lighting is standard on Premium and Platinum collections
- LED center high-mounted rear stop lamp is standard on all models
- Heated outside mirrors with auto-dimming feature, turn-signal indicators and puddle lamps are standard on all models
- Rainsense automatic windshield wipers are standard on Luxury, Premium and Platinum collections
- Nineteen-inch polished aluminum wheels are standard on Luxury and Premium Collections
- Twenty-inch aluminum wheels with polished finish and chrome inserts are standard on the Platinum Collection
- Eight exterior color choices: Radiant Silver Metallic, Black Raven, Crystal Red Tintcoat, White Diamond Tricoat, Graphite Metallic, Black Diamond Tricoat, Silver Coast Metallic and Sapphire Blue Metallic.

XTS interior features
Like the exterior, the XTS's cabin extolls a multidimensional philosophy in a bold, elegant design that is also very efficient in the ways it encompasses passengers and cargo. It represents Cadillac's new expression of luxury also in its use of authentic materials and unprecedented connectivity. Platinum Collection models feature a fully wrapped leather interior with microfiber sueded headliner, as well as premium wood trim on the steering wheel, console, center stack, instrument panel and door panels.

Seating trim is offered with Soleil Keisel surfaces or premium Opus full leather â€" both with perforated detailing. Heated and ventilated seats are also offered. Additional interior features include:
- Adaptive remote start is standard on all models
- Audio system with Bose premium eight-speaker sound is standard on the base model and Luxury Collection
- Bose Studio Surround Sound with 14-speaker system with energy-efficient amplifier is standard on Premium and Platinum Collections
- Rear-seat entertainment system is available on Premium and Platinum Collections
- SiriusXM Satellite Radio (with free trial period) and HD radio are standard on all models
- Tri-zone automatic climate control is standard on Premium and Platinum Collections Dual-zone automatic climate control is standard on the base model and Luxury Collection
- Leather-wrapped IP and door trim top pad, along with the center console, is standard on the Platinum Collection
- Color, reconfigurable 12.3-inch gauge cluster with driver information center is standard on Premium and Platinum Collections
- Head-Up Display with color readouts is standard on the Premium and Platinum Collections
- Illuminated entry and courtesy lighting is standard on all models
- Accent lighting, including LED spotlights with light pipes, is standard on Luxury, Premium and Platinum Collections
- Soleil Keisel leather seating surfaces with mini-perforated inserts are standard on the Standard model, Luxury and Premium Collections
- Opus full-leather seats with mini-perforated inserts are standard on the Platinum Collection
- Heated driver/front passenger and outboard rear passenger seats and vented driver/front passenger seats are standard on Luxury, Premium and Platinum Collections
- Leather-accented steering wheel with wood accents and tap up/tap down transmission controls is standard
- Heated steering wheel is standard on Luxury, Premium and Platinum Collections
- Power rear window shade and manual rear side window shades are available on the Premium Collection and standard on the Platinum Collection
- Real wood trim is incorporated on all models
- Six interior color/trim combinations: Jet Black, Shale with Cocoa accents, Medium Titanium with Jet Black accents, Caramel with Jet Black accents, Jet Black with Light Wheat accents and Very Light Platinum with Dark Urban and Cocoa accents.

CUE details
Cadillac CUE is standard on all models. Its heart is the standard eight-inch (203 mm) screen in the center stack, the faceplate below the screen and the steering wheel controls. Features include capacitive-touch control with proximity sensing, haptic feedback, gesture recognition and natural voice recognition.

A 12.3-inch (312 mm) reconfigurable instrument cluster is standard on Premium and Platinum Collections. It features vibrant graphic displays showcased among four driver-selectable themes, ranging from minimal to extensive information. And while it is the prominent element in the XTS's technological character, CUE is part of a more comprehensive and layered approach to the car's design, capabilities and performance.

XTS powertrains
The new Cadillac Twin-Turbo 3.6L V-6 is available in the XTS, delivering SAE-certified 410 horsepower (306 kW) and 369 lb.-ft. of torque (500 Nm), making it one of the most power-dense six-cylinder engines in the segment. A pair of smaller turbochargers and an efficient charge air cooler help provide more immediate power delivery, while peak torque is sustained over a broad range â€" 1,900 to 5,600 rpm â€" for a confident feeling of power in almost all driving conditions, such as accelerating or overtaking traffic on the highway.

The twin-turbo engine is a comprehensive upgrade on the 60-degree, 3.6L DOHC V-6 that is offered as the standard engine in the XTS. However, almost every component is unique. New features include:
- All-new cylinder block casting
- Strengthened connecting rods
- Machined, domed aluminum pistons with top steel ring carrier for greater strength
- 10.2:1 compression ratio
- Patented, integrated charge air cooler system with low-volume air ducts
- Two turbochargers produce more than 12 pounds of boost (80 kPa)
- Vacuum-actuated wastegates with electronic control valves
- All-new direct injection fuel system
- Tuned air inlet and outlet resonators, aluminum cam covers and other features that contribute to exceptional quietness and smoothness.

The cylinder heads are also unique to the Cadillac Twin-Turbo. They feature a high-tumble intake port design that enhances the motion of the air charge for a more-efficient burn when it is mixed with the direct-injected fuel and ignited in the combustion chamber.

The XTS's standard 3.6L V-6 is rated at 304 horsepower (224 kW) and 264 lb.-ft. of torque (355 Nm). Lightweight features help reduce overall weight for greater efficiency and a more favorable front-to-rear weight balance. Examples include a composite intake manifold that saves approximately 5.5 pounds (2.5 kg) over the weight of a comparable aluminum intake and an integrated cylinder head/exhaust manifold design that saves approximately 13 pounds (6 kg) per engine.

The engines are matched with six-speed automatic transmissions with tap-shift control.

XTS driving experience
A layered approach to the driving experience relies on new and established technologies â€" all rooted in a stiff structure. The body is infused with strategically placed, ultra-high-strength steel for strength and crash protection, and serves as the foundation for the advanced chassis system.

A smart all-wheel-drive system with Haldex technology â€" with an electronic limited-slip differential that splits torque between the rear wheels â€" complements an advanced HiPer Strut front suspension and standard Magnetic Ride Control real-time damping to give the XTS sure-footed, confident and comfortable ride and handling traits. A linked H-arm design with "air springs" comprises the rear suspension.

HiPer Strut is based on the MacPherson strut front suspension design and features dual-path top mountings that separate the transfer of spring and damper loads to the body structure. It improves ride-and-handling characteristics in four significant ways:
- Provides more linear and communicative steering through improved camber control
- Improves impact isolation on bumps and rough surfaces
- Reduces torque steer
- Improves vehicle sensitivity to tire irregularities and wheel imbalance.

Magnetic Ride Control delivers precise body motion control â€" "reading" the road every millisecond and changing damping in just five milliseconds. It replaces conventional mechanical-valve shocks with electronically controlled shocks filled with a magneto-rheological fluid containing minute iron particles. Under the presence of magnetic charge, the iron particles align to provide damping resistance almost instantly.

New for 2014, a premium electric, variable-assist power steering gear is employed with all front-wheel-drive models. It is designed to deliver excellent response and on-center characteristics, while enhancing efficiency by drawing energy only when the wheels are turned.

StabiliTrak electronic stability control is standard on all models, along with variable-effort steering and four-wheel disc brakes (front Brembo brakes) with four-channel antilock brakes â€" all features that add important layers of control to the driving experience. Like Magnetic Ride Control, XTS borrows the Brembo braking technology from Cadillac's V-Series of high-performance models.

XTS safety
The XTS's technology fundamentally supports a range of advanced safety features, based on a "control and alert" strategy that extends the vision around the vehicle. It helps drivers identify potential crash situations and even intervenes when a crash threat appears more imminent, employing visual, audible and tactile (vibration) alerts, depending on the feature.

The alerts are designed to identify obstacles with sufficient warning to give the driver time to react and make changes â€" including the Safety Alert Seat feature, which vibrates either the left or right side of the driver's seat cushion, depending on the location of the impending concern. The intervening features, including Automatic Collision Preparation and front and rear automatic brakes, take over if the threat appears more immediate or the driver does not react to previous alerts.

The Driver Awareness Packageis standard on the Premium and Platinum Collections and available on the Luxury Collection. It includes:
- Lane Departure Warning
- Forward Collision Alert
- Safety Alert Seat
- Side Blind Zone Alert
- Rear Cross Traffic Alert
- Reflected LED display.

The new Intellibeam feature automatically deploys high-beam headlamps when needed and instantly turns them down when oncoming traffic is detected.

The Driver Assist Package is standard on the Platinum and available on Premium Collections. It includes:
- The Driver Awareness Package
- Adaptive Cruise Control
- Front Automatic Brake
- Rear Automatic Brake
- Automatic Collision Preparation.

Additional safety features include dual-stage frontal air bags, knee air bags, side-impact air bags, head-curtain air bags and seat side-impact air bags for outboard rear passengers. Also, a rearview camera with dynamic guidelines is standard on Luxury, Premium and Platinum Collections. Head-up display and full-speed adaptive cruise control are available.

The XTS also offers Automatic Parking Assist, which enables the car to parks itself in parallel spaces. It uses ultrasonic sensors to locate a suitable space and maneuver the car into the space. The driver is required to only engage reverse and apply the accelerator and brake pedals.

XTS and OnStar
One year of OnStar Directions and Connections service is standard on XTS. OnStar is the global leading provider of connected safety, security and mobility solutions and advanced information technology.

OnStar's RemoteLink Mobile App allows smartphone users to control vehicle functions, access vehicle information and send directions directly to the vehicle. An opt-in service called FamilyLink allows subscribers to stay connected to loved ones by checking the location of their vehicle online or by signing up for vehicle location alerts.

More information about OnStar can be found at www.onstar.com.

Cadillac has been a leading luxury auto brand since 1902. In recent years, Cadillac has engineered a historic renaissance led by artful engineering and advanced technology. More information on Cadillac can be found at media.cadillac.com.

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