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Evade Terrorists With a BMW X5 Security Plus

August 27, 2014 by admin 7 Comments

What’s new at the 2014 Moscow International Auto Salon.

BMW X5 Security Vehicle

An ordinary BMW X5 does not offer the protection of a security-enhanced model.

It is a dangerous world out there. Drive-by shootings, carjackings and war zone weaponry can put you and your passengers at risk. For these reasons BMW provides a line of Security Vehicles that are specially designed to ward off criminals, gang bangers and terrorists all.

BMW X5 Security Plus

This week at the Moscow International Auto Salon (MAIS), BMW took the wraps off of its latest security model — the X5 Security Plus. This crossover utility vehicle is specially fitted with heavy-duty, lightweight materials to protect the driver and passengers from an assortment of weapons including, .44 caliber handguns, AK-47 rifles, explosive devices and armor-piercing weapons.

BMW says that it uses pre-shaped aramid and polyethylene parts as well as special steel to protect vulnerable areas in the each vehicle. Aramid is a type of fiber originally developed by DuPont more than 50 years ago and valued for its heat-resistant properties. It is the same body armor fabric used in various aerospace and military applications; it will not melt or ignite in normal levels of oxygen. Polyethylene is a common plastic.

Specially Outfitted Vehicles

Even with the special security fittings, BMW claims that the changes are not apparent to the untrained eye. The overall harmony of the vehicle and its form and function remain. BMW makes use of security glass, run-flat tires and a self-sealing fuel tank to protect occupants. It also comes equipped with an attack alarm and an intercom system to communicate with the outside world.

Each model comes with BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive system, ensuring superior handling and excellent traction. The modified chassis and control systems perform the same way that BMW’s other sport activity vehicles or SUVs work, with fuel economy enhanced by the automaker’s Efficient Dynamics technology.

BMW X5 Security Vehicle

An onboard fire fighting system is a security vehicle feature.

BMW 7 Series Sedan

The X5 is not the only BMW model that offers security protection. In addition, customers can also choose a standard X5 Security package that offers a standard level of protection against handguns. For optimum safety a BMW 7 Series offers state-of-the-art security in its High Security model. That model protects occupants from armor-piercing munitions and explosives.

BMW follows international Bullet Resistant Vehicle (BRV) guidelines as set forth in 1999 and updated as recently as 2009 to cover five categories of protection: VR4, VR5, VR6, VR7 and VR9. The most recent update introduced a change in trajectories for projectiles that strike a vehicle. The old standard offered protection for only certain types of shots conducted from limited angles. The new standard warrants protection for shots from any angle.

BMW X5 Security Vehicle

Special materials protect vehicle occupants including Aramid and high-grade steel.

Security Plus Advanced Training

Customers can order security vehicles outfitted with additional equipment such as: sirens, flashing lights and signal systems. Security driver training is also available as is special intensive training where drivers learn how to perform challenging maneuvers at high speeds, including escape turns and double lane changes. Are you looking to acquire James Bond-type driving skills? Your primer awaits you.

Choosing the Moscow auto show to debut its latest Security Vehicle may have been timed to coincide with the rash of threats along Russia’s border with the Ukraine. Apart from that volatile area of the world there are many other places where crime, war or terrorism has diplomats, corporate executives and other high-profile individuals demanding the best protection they can get.

BMW X5 Security Vehicle
BMW X5 Security Vehicle

Photos copyright BMW Group.


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Filed Under: Auto Shows Tagged With: ARAMID, AUTO SHOW, BMW 7-SERIES, BMW X5, MIAS, MOSCOW, MOSCOW INTERNATIONAL AUTO SALON, POLYETHYLENE, Russia, SECURITY VEHICLE

Moscow: Datsun Makes a Splash With Its mi-DO Hatchback

August 27, 2014 by admin 4 Comments

What’s new at the 2014 Moscow International Auto Salon.

The last time that the Moscow International Auto Salon (MIAS) was held the Datsun brand was a historical footnote in the annals of the automotive industry. That was 2012 — since then, Nissan revived the Datsun brand and is now selling budget models in Indonesia, India, South Africa and Russia.

Nissan at the MIAS

The Russian market is important to Nissan, which is also heavily invested in AvtoVAZ, the largest car company in Eastern Europe. The Renault-Nissan alliance controls the company and through its Lada brand it has been gaining market share. The just introduced Datsun brand will further Nissan’s growth across the Russian land mass.

The newly resurrected Datsun brand is on display at the MIAS, which is holding its press day today followed by a business day on Thursday. Beginning on Fri. and running through Sept. 7, 2014, the bi-annual show will be open to the public.

Datsun mi-DO and on-DO Models

Datsun miDOTwo new models are on display, including the on-DO sedan that will begin delivery to customers in early Sept. The second model, a mi-DO hatchback, goes on sale early next Jan.

The model names may seem odd to western ears, but they have special meaning in the east. The word “DO” is Japanese for “moving” and also represents the “way” in doing things. The word “on” is Russian for “he” and “mi” sounds like the English word for “me” or what personalizes the car. So, “he moving” and “me moving” are what Russian consumers understand when hearing the names for the two Datsun models.

MIAS represents the international debut for the Datsun mi-DO, a model that shares the same platform and wheelbase as the Datsun mi-DO, but is shorter overall. Both models sit on a 94.5-inch wheelbase and are 59 inches tall and 66.9 inches wide. The hatchback is 155.5 inches long; the sedan comes in at 170.7 inches long.

Engine and Transmissions

Datsun mi-DO hatchbackThe two Datsun models are powered by an 87-horsepower, 1.6-liter four cylinder engine and are paired with a standard five-speed manual transmission. A four-speed automatic is also available.

Standard equipment includes: driver and front passenger air bags, anti-lock brakes, heated seats, heated door mirrors, and other amenities. To serve the Russian market, 25 Datsun dealers are in place in key areas across the country. Another 75 Datsun dealers are expected to be up and running within the next two years.

A new vehicle warranty for 3 years or 100,000 kilometers (62,137 miles) is standard for Russian market Datsuns. Nissan has also set up Datsun Finance to provide financing solutions to Russian customers.

Commitment to Russia

Speaking to the press, Vincent Cobee, Global Head of Datsun, underscored his company’s commitment to the new market, by noting that the brand’s highly affordable price has struck a chord with Russian car buyers. That price is 329,000 Russian rubles or roughly US$9,100 or far below the lowest price of any car sold in America. The Renault-Nissan alliance has no plans to sell Datsun in the United States or Canada.

Photos copyright Nissan Motor Corporation.


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Filed Under: Auto Shows Tagged With: DATSUN MI-DO, DATSUN ON-DO, hatchback, MIAS, MOSCOW INTERNATIONAL AUTO SALON, NISSAN, RENAULT-NISSAN ALLIANCE, Russia, sedan

Looking Ahead: Moscow International Automobile Salon

August 25, 2014 by admin 3 Comments

And the show goes on.

LADA Kalina
This Lada Kalina is just one of many cars built by AvtoVAZ.

Moscow plays host to an important automotive event this month, the biennial Moscow International Automobile Salon (MIAS). This auto show is held on even numbered years and is slated to begin on August 29 and run through September 7, 2014.

This year’s show will take place amidst international tension following Russia’s seizure of the Crimea region from the Ukraine this past spring and ongoing tensions with its former USSR republic elsewhere. The press and business days are set for Aug. 27 and 28 respectively — alas, Auto Trends will not be there, but our press contacts will be on site to share those updates. We plan to feature the Moscow highlights later this week.

Moscow Auto Show

The Moscow show is sanctioned by the “Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d’Automobiles” (OICA) or “The International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers” as it is known in English. Not all major shows receive that designation although Detroit, Washington, DC, and Los Angeles are among the three US shows that are currently sanctioned.

The Moscow show is held at the International Exhibition Centre or “Crocus Expo.” The Expo is part of the larger “Crocus City” trade fair and business center, and is located in Moscow’s Krasnogorsk district.

The Moscow show has been the site of several important global debuts including the 2014 Mazda 6 sedan in 2012. This year, the show will feature an updated BMW X6 crossover, an assortment of Chevrolet models, a Hyundai Equus limousine, a Russian market Ford EcoSport, as well as models from Renault, Lada and Nissan. Clearly, the world’s automakers understand the importance of this strategic market.

BRiC Nations

Like many countries, the auto industry is a significant contributor to the Russian economy. Hundreds of thousands of people are employed directly by automotive manufacturers, with millions more employed by suppliers and ancillary industries. Russia, along with Brazil, India and China comprise the BRIC nations, representing large nations with economies that are emerging global.

The dust up between Ukraine and Russia has lead to sanctions from the west. Those sanctions have driven up inflation within the Russian Federation and are contributing to auto sales falling by more than 7 percent year-to-date. Talk that Russia might retaliate by restricting automotive imports has yet to pan out. Whatever the course that the Putin administration plans to take, it will have little bearing on this year’s show.

Russian Production and Consumers

The Russian automotive industry produced more than 2.2 million vehicles in 2013. Russians bought 2.9 million new vehicles, ranking sixth in the world and coming in just behind Germany in Europe. The long-term outlook for the Russian consumer market remains bright with sales expected to recover within the next few years. A RolandBerger study pins sales at 3.3 million per year by 2020, considerably below the lofty 4 million annual units analysts had forecast earlier.

AvtoVAZ is the largest Russian automobile manufacturer, producing Lada brand vehicles for the local market mostly. Nissan is the biggest foreign brand in Russia and along with its French partner, Renault, has taken controlling interest in AvtoVAZ.

The Japanese manufacturer is currently building Nissan and Datsun models for the local market. AvtoVAZ has the capacity to build 1 million vehicles per year and the Russian market is expected to overtake the German market within the next few years.

Potential Deeper Conflict

Perhaps the one thing that might detract from this year’s Moscow show is if things heat up in the Ukraine. At present, thousands of troops that have pledged allegiance to Russia are battling with Ukrainian nationals to the east and along Russia’s border. Putin has been carefully weighing his approach to this conflict, mindful that his response could lead to deeper sanctions. If so, the Russian economy could sustain a harder hit, perhaps reversing the long-term prospects of that nation’s budding automotive industry.

Photo courtesy of AvtoVAZ (Lada).

Filed Under: Auto Shows Tagged With: AUTO SHOW, AVTOVAZ, CROCUS EXPO, LADA, MAZDA 6, MOSCOW, NISSAN, OICA, Russia, UKRAINE

Chevrolet Europe and a New GM Strategy

December 9, 2013 by admin 3 Comments

Chevrolet is a classical American brand with a French name, but its success in Europe has always been hampered by Opel, a German brand owned by GM. Beginning in 2005, GM sought to expand Chevrolet’s presence in Europe, selling Chevrolet and Opel (or Vauxhall) models side-by-side, often rebadged products at that.

Chevrolet Europe and the Opel Ampera

The Opel Ampera is based on the Chevrolet Volt.

 

Chevrolet Europe

By far, Chevrolet is GM’s strongest brand, accounting for nearly half of its global sales. But, when it comes to Europe, struggling Opel has the upper hand and will remain GM’s primary brand across much of the continent for the long haul. That’s due to GM management announcing last week to pull Chevrolet back across nearly all of Europe, allowing Opel/Vauxhall to compete as the company’s mainstream brand.

Beginning in 2016, volume sales across Europe will be assigned to Opel with the Vauxhall name holding sway in the United Kingdom. Chevrolet will see its presence reduced to a few iconic models, including the Corvette, while GM will seek to raise Cadillac’s visibility across Europe.

Opel and Chevrolet EuropeChevrolet Europe will maintain a full presence in Russia as well as in other Commonwealth of Independent States that once defined the Soviet Union. Opel has a presence in the market too, but GM says that “…the brands are clearly defined and distinguished.” In Russia, Chevrolet is the mainstream brand and Opel serves a premium market, a strategy GM attempted to employ elsewhere in Europe, but failed.

Cadillac Europe

As Chevrolet Europe shrinks and Opel/Vauxhall is stabilized, GM plans to expand Cadillac’s presence. The automaker says that it is expanding and enhancing its European dealer and distribution network as “it prepares for numerous product introductions.” It will be a three-year process that GM hopes will establish Cadillac in a market dominated by BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi, with Jaguar, LandRover, Volvo, Lexus and Infiniti also competing.

GM Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson noted, “This is a win for all four brands. It’s especially positive for car buyers throughout Europe, who will be able to purchase vehicles from well-defined, vibrant GM brands,” Akerson said.

“Our customers can rest assured that we will continue to provide warranty, parts and services for their Chevrolet vehicles, and for vehicles purchased between now and the end of 2015,” said Thomas Sedran, president and managing director of Chevrolet Europe. “We want to thank our customers and dealers for their loyalty to the Chevrolet brand here in Europe.”

Opel Meriva and Chevrolet Europe

The Opel Meriva is a strong seller in Russia.

 

South Korea Connection

Much of the Chevrolet product sold in Europe comes from its South Korean operation. Likely, GM will scale back production in Korea, but it may ease some of that loss by shipping cars to Australia instead. GM operates a money losing Holden operation that includes two manufacturing plants in Australia. The company has been weighing shutting down production and importing cars instead.

GM Chevrolet EuropeGM Europe has been a money losing operation for years, having last turned a profit there in 1999. Even as GM went bankrupt and restructured itself in 2009, the automaker has been unable to solve its European operations, what has long presented a drag on its business.

Indeed, as GM shed brands and adjusted its operation elsewhere, Europe has cost the company a mint. By realigning how it does business in Europe, it also sends a signal to the financial markets, what it hopes will boost GM shares now trading for around $40 each on the New York Stock Exchange. Notably, the federal government says that it plans to sell its remaining shares before the year ends, a move that would eliminate its stake in the 105-year-old automaker. Should GM’s share price continue to rise, taxpayers are likely still to lose about $10 billion on the GM bail out reports Money News.


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Filed Under: Automotive News Tagged With: CADILLAC, CHEVROLET EUROPE, GM, OPEL, Russia, VAUXHALL

Nissan Sets Datsun For July 15 New Delhi Debut

July 5, 2013 by admin 2 Comments

“Drive a Datsun, then decide,” was the tag line for the Japanese automotive newcomer that had just begun to sell its line of small, inexpensive cars to American consumers in the 1970s. By the mid-1980s, the Datsun name disappeared as parent Nissan decided to use its own name globally.

New Delhi Reveal

Nissan is resurrecting the Datsun name and brand, and will unveil the first of several models that will bear the budget brand’s face and badging on July 15 in New Delhi, India. It will mark the global reintroduction of a new brand that will target emerging markets such as India with cars priced from well below $10,000. Nissan has no plans to reintroduce Datsun to North America.

DatsunThe sketch featured here was just one of two released by Nissan earlier this week. The new model will be revealed just 16 months after Nissan announced Datsun’s return, a move that other manufacturers may not match. Instead, competing automakers are likely to continue supporting established brands, by producing models that will match Datsun.

Local Market Considerations

Following its Indian introduction, the first models are expected to go on sale in India, Indonesia and Russia in 2014 followed by South Africa later in the year. And, unlike the global development of models for multiple markets, Datsun vehicles will be developed with the local market in mind. Thus, what India receives may be far different from what Datsun will sell in other markets.

Nissan says that Datsun models will offer consumers an “engaging driving experience, peace of mind ownership and accessibility at the right and transparent price with a competitive total cost of ownership.” Pricing has not been announced, although Auto Trends previously shared that a $3,000 to $5,000 price point was the target. That would put Datsun within range of Tata and its diminutive Nano model, currently the lowest-priced car in the world.

Datsun Reliability and Durability

As Nissan moves toward its Datsun reveal, the company has stressed that its new products will be both reliable and durable as well as accessible to consumers. That’s a point not lost on critics who wonder if Datsun will take short cuts and serve up low-quality vehicles to an unsuspecting public.

Datsuns will be locally produced, enabling Nissan to harness economies of scale. Nissan says that its own engineers and stylists are behind Datsun products and says that it is “a new brand for the 21st-century risers.” Check back with Auto Trends after the reveal for more details about the new Datsun. Meanwhile, you can follow brand developments on the new Datsun website.


See Also — Nissan: Drive a Datsun, Then Decide

Sketch courtesy of Nissan.

Filed Under: Automotive News Tagged With: DATSUN, India, INDONESIA, NEW DELHI, NISSAN, Russia, SOUTH AFRICA

7 Car Brands You Won’t See in the USA Anytime Soon

May 23, 2012 by admin 2 Comments

Tough market and competition keeps some automakers away.

The U.S. auto industry is the second-largest in the world, having been bypassed by China in 2009. China’s ascendancy came as the U.S. market tanked, but its recovery is in progress and promises to be a good one. Car manufacturers the world over prize both markets, desiring the U.S. because of its high profit margins and China for its volume. Not all brands are present in both markets and we can think of several makes that aren’t likely to make an appearance in the U.S. anytime soon.

1. Renault — Big in Europe and in the Americas from Mexico on south, Renault is no stranger to the U.S. market. The French automaker partnered with American Motors Corporation in 1980 and assumed controlling interest of AMC in 1983. Throughout much of the 1980s, Renault and AMC models were sold across the US until Renault sold AMC to Chrysler in 1987. Renault’s presence in the U.S. market ended in 1992 when its rebadged Eagle Premier model was dropped by Chrysler. Today, Renault and Nissan are in a strategic alliance with the latter likely keeping the former from ever showing up stateside again.

Renault Clio
Renault Clio.

2. Peugeot — Like Renault, French automaker Peugeot also sold its cars in the United States, beginning distribution in 1958. Its models, however, were less than inspiring and the market for Peugeot cars never thrived. By 1991, Peugeot exited both the U.S. and Canadian markets, although it has since reestablished a presence in Mexico. Don’t expect to see the latest Peugeot models on U.S. highways within the next few years despite its all-new alliance with General Motors. China is a more practical expansion point for this automaker with GM, perhaps, nixing any possible plans for U.S. distribution.

Editor’s Note: In February 2019, Peugeot announced it will return to the U.S. market, setting 2026 as its re-introductory date. Likely, the company will debut its latest models through a car-sharing service.

3. Skoda — The Volkswagen Group is bent on leading the world in car manufacturing and its Skoda subsidiary will be doing its part to contribute a significant sales boost. The Czech automaker was largely unknown outside of eastern Europe until VW came calling and buying in 2000. Skoda products share platforms and parts with Volkswagen products, but one model could find its way to the U.S. However, Volkswagen is much more interested in promoting its eponymous brand than launching Skoda stateside, thus any Skoda product sold here will likely carry VW badging.

Skoda MissionL
This Skoda MissionL is a Chinese-bound model.

4. SsangYong — It looks difficult to pronounce, but a Korean friend of mine says that the double “S” in SsangYong is treated as a hard S. No matter, this once bankrupt automaker was rescued by India’s Mahindra & Mahindra, a company with its own designs on the U.S. market. Those designs have been thwarted in a legal tie-up with its one-time U.S. distributor and could take years to untangle the mess. SsangYong may prove to be the avenue by which Mahindra makes its official U.S. debut, but we don’t see that happening within five years, if at all.

5. Samsung — Korea’s big electronics company began building cars in 1998, just before the Korean economy tanked. Two years later Renault bought a controlling stake in the automaker, increasing it to 80.1 percent where it is today. Samsung cars are rebadged Nissans, the latter a strategic partner of Renault. Nissan Motors is on a quest to increase its market share in the U.S., with an eye of overtaking Honda as the second-largest Japanese automaker in America. Allowing Samsung badged models would only undercut its U.S. efforts, thus the only Samsung you’ll ever see is the one you watch, make calls on or use to wash and dry your clothes.

Renault Samsung SM5.
Renault Samsung SM5.

6. Holden — Okay, trick submission. Holden cars have recently made an appearance in the United States with its Monaro coupe sold as the Pontiac GTO and its Commodore as the Pontiac G8. When Pontiac died, Holden’s presence in the U.S. went with it, but only for a little while. Today, the Chevrolet Caprice is sold as a pursuit vehicle to law enforcement agencies only. That car is the Holden Commodore-Pontiac G8 and is one model that may eventually be sold to retail customers. As far as Holden getting a hold in the U.S. market, we that think brand-happy GM has learned its lesson. At least we hope that it has!

7. Tata — We’ve known for years that Tata Motors has been planning to sell its uber-cheap Nano in the United States. A European-spec model, the likely precursor of the U.S.-spec model, has been built. However, it still hasn’t been sold. Tata has been exporting its cars to other emerging markets and it seems likely it will continue to find markets where competition is thin in the ultra-low-cost entry-level market. As for a U.S. model of any kind, Tata may be content with managing its Jaguar and LandRover brands, highly profitable lines for this Indian car company.

Tata Nano
The U.S.-spec Tata Nano is not ready for prime time.

Other Brands

There are scores of other brands around the world that either have a more localized presence or simply have little interest in entering the highly-competitive and expensive U.S. market. Maruti, an Indian automaker controlled by Suzuki, is busy expanding its presence throughout this vast republic of 1.3 billion people. Russian and Chinese manufacturers may someday sell cars stateside, although it seems likely that a Chinese brand such as BYD will set up shop here first. Brands that don’t make it to the U.S. need not look longingly at the U.S. market as the cost of entry is too high and the competition fierce.

Filed Under: Fun News Tagged With: brands, BYD, China, Holden, India, Peugeot, Renault, Renault Clio, Renault Samsung SM5, Russia, Samsung, Skoda, Skoda MissionL, SsangYong, Tata, Tata Nano

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  • Infiniti Overhauls QX80 Trims and Makes This Important Safety Feature Standard
  • Ford F-250 Super Duty and a Trail-Stomping Tremor Package
  • A Cut Above: Mazda’s Mazda3
  • The Highly Efficient Hyundai Ioniq
  • Volkswagen Atlas Revels in its Strengths
  • General Motors Deepens Partnership With Honda, Takes Stake in Nikola
  • Smart Concept: Jeep Grand Wagoneer
  • More Than an Encore: Buick Encore GX
  • Got a Recall? There’s an App for That.
  • Refreshed Nissan Titan Makes Its Case
  • BMW M235i: Not Your Typical Coupe
  • Hot Stuff: Lexus RC F Sport Coupe
  • Will the Electric Vehicle Boom Create New-Found Dependencies for Foreign Minerals?
  • Rumors? We Got Them!
  • About Bollinger Motors, EV Startup
  • Raptor Fighter: Ram 1500 TRX!
  • White Space Wonder: 2020 Nissan Rogue Sport
January 2021
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