BMW Patents Fancy, Kind of Ridiculous Cup Holder

BMW Patents Fancy, Kind of Ridiculous Cup Holder
2016 Subaru BRZ Price Dropped to $26,190
10 Automakers Sued Over ‘Deadly’ Keyless Ignitions
Hyundai Made a Sexy Car. What the Heck? Here’s How They Did It
AutoGuide Answers: What’s Your Favorite Muscle Car?
2017 Infiniti Q30 Image Emerges Ahead of Frankfurt Debut

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BMW has filed a patent for a high-tech cup holder.

The patent was filed in February but was recently published in the U.S. It relates to "an apparatus for holding a liquid-filled vessel includes a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature related to the temperature of the liquid in the vessel and a control unit connected to the temperature sensor." You read that right. The word "temperature" is used four times in that sentence. And in case you're wondering, "liquid-filled vessel" is BMW's fancy way of saying a cup and the apparatus holding said cup would be a cup holder.

It appears that the fancy cup holder would use the temperature of the beverage to prompt the car take certain actions, like if the cup is too hot, it'll flash a warning saying "Attention! Hot!" A diagram for the patent also shows that if the liquid-filled vessel is carrying coffee and it gets too cold, it'll suggest the driver to take a break and will even automatically roll down the windows or turn on a radio station "with fast pieces of music" to wake the driver up.

Discuss this story at our BMW Forum

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2016 Subaru BRZ Price Dropped to $26,190

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Pricing on the 2016 Subaru BRZ has dropped to $26,190 including destination.

The pricing change reflects a $300 drop in the starting price for the Japanese automaker's rear-wheel-drive sports coupe, which is powered by a 2.0-liter Boxer four-cylinder engine with 200 hp. The 2016 Subaru BRZ will also be available in Limited trim, with the six-speed manual model priced from $28,190 while opting for a six-speed automatic will cost $1,100 additional. The automatic model will also come with paddle shifters.

For the 2016 model year, Subaru is adding its Starlink 6.2-inch multimedia system as standard across all models, as well as a rearview camera. The single-touch gesture display includes AM/FM stereo with HD Radio, SiriusXM Satellite Radio, Radio Data Broadcast System, single-disc CD player, Bluetooth hands-free phone connectivity and audio streaming, iPod control, iTunes Tagging, a USB port and an auxiliary jack.

Limited trim models receive a body-color trunk spoiler, fog lights and Alcantara trimmed interior as well as Keyless Access. The model also swaps out the manual HVAC system for a dual-zone automatic climate control and the standard All-Weather Package includes dual-mode heated front seats and heated side mirrors. Inside, the dual visor vanity mirrors are illuminated while the front door courtesy lights illuminate when the doors are opened.

The 2016 Subaru BRZ will arrive dealerships this fall.

Discuss this story at our Subaru BRZ Forum

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10 Automakers Sued Over ‘Deadly’ Keyless Ignitions

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Ten automakers in the U.S. are being sued for allegedly concealing the possible risk of carbon monoxide poisoning in some vehicles with keyless ignitions.

A class action lawsuit has been filed against some of the world's largest automakers claiming that they concealed the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning in more than five-million vehicles equipped with keyless ignitions. According to the complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, some vehicle owners were under the mistaken belief that the engines will automatically shut off. As a result, some drivers left their vehicles running, resulting in toxic gas being emitted sometimes in garages attached to homes.

Automakers being named in the lawsuit include BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Fiat Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Toyota and Volkswagen. Brands owned by those automakers are also being named as defendants, including MINI, Acura, Kia, Infiniti, Lexus and Bentley.

Drivers are claiming that the automakers have known for years about the risks of keyless ignitions, yet continued to market their vehicles as safe.

The biggest focus on the lawsuit is that plaintiffs say the automakers could have avoided 13 deaths by installing an inexpensive feature that would automatically shut off unattended engines, noting that even American automakers GM and Ford patented a shut-off feature. In addition, 27 complaints have been filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) since 2009 over keyless ignitions.

[Source: Automotive News]

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Hyundai Made a Sexy Car. What the Heck? Here’s How They Did It

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Hyundai surprised the automotive world when it recently took the wraps off its unusually sexy Vision G Coupe Concept during the prestigious Monterey Car Week. A collective gasp and then some soul searching likely happened shortly afterwards, people surely contemplating what the world was coming to when the word "sexy" could legitimately be used to describe a Hyundai.

Initial reactions to the concept were split on opposite ends of the spectrum. People either thought it was beautiful and should be put into production right away, or they hated it and thought it was just a copycat. Either way, Chris Chapman, Hyundai's chief U.S. designer, welcomes the strong opinions.

"I welcome polarization and the hot and cold," he said in a recent interview during Pebble Beach festivities. "I'd rather have that than something lukewarm, which doesn't make a statement."

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Peter Schreyer, Hyundai/Kia's design director, agrees.

"If there is some friction and if there are opposite opinions, this is a good thing," he said. "Being neutral is not what we want."

The Vision G is anything but neutral and it generated a lot of buzz when it was unveiled, arguably because it was so controversial. Characterized by its strong yet elegant lines, the concept for a future grand touring sports coupe has a design that's bold without being obscene. Keeping it clean and simple was Hyundai's secret for success.

"Peter and I are really into simple design and hate when superficiality becomes the thing that disguises bad proportions and extra design elements that are not needed," Chapman said. "It's a perfect design when you can't eliminate any more lines. If you take away one element, the whole thing falls apart like Jenga. We took away as much as possible, and the design still has integrity."

Proper proportion is something many automakers struggle with, and if a car's proportion is off, it won't sit right with consumers. A proper proportion was one of Hyundai's main design goals for the Vision G, Schreyer said.

"People talk too much about shapes and lines," he said. "For me, the big picture and proportion is always more important. I want people to immediately know from a distance what a car is."

Schreyer used to design at Audi and is credited with helping design the now iconic Audi TT. He said he learned a lot from his time at the German automaker.

"To me, Audi was a very good school. We learned about the same things we're taking about today. Things like precision and the way you do a proper proportion."

He sees Kia and Hyundai following in a similar trajectory as Audi. Before Audi became the huge seller it is today, it used to be an automotive afterthought, a quirky European automaker without much prestige or presence in the market. The big picture goal is to one day have Hyundai and Kia have a larger market share and be top of mind for consumers when it comes to luxury cars, kind of like Audi.

The Vision G is one step in that direction. When it was unveiled, some critics said that from some angles, it looked too much like an Infiniti, a Bentley, a Jaguar, or an Aston Martin. Some said Hyundai stole the interior right out of a Mercedes S-Class. What was important here is that no one said it looked like something lower-end; these are all upmarket brands, so these criticisms are actually compliments in Hyundai's eyes.

"This is meant to be a high-end car, so the associations are there for a purpose," Schreyer said (pictured, left). "If people didn't say that, then we probably have failed."

Chapman (pictured, right) adds that cars that create an emotional connection will help elevate the brand.

"The company has made big strides in getting themselves on the map and getting into the consciousness of the people. They did that by playing with emotional cars. We finally went from bland to grand," he said. "As long as we can stay on this course of emotional appeal, we're going to be in a really good position."

Discuss this story at our Hyundai Forum

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AutoGuide Answers: What’s Your Favorite Muscle Car?

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We've had a lot of time behind the wheel of some impressive muscle cars this summer, and it had us all buzzing in the office. Finally, someone had to ask, "What's your favorite muscle car?"

Here are your AutoGuide.com Editors' picks for their muscle car of choice:

Dodge Charger Hellcat – Mike Schlee, Road Test Editor:

"Some may not consider the Dodge Charger a muscle car, but it checks off all the right boxes. Classic muscle car name, massive V8 power, aggressive good looks and, of course, rear-wheel drive. Yeah, I'm going to be stuck with an eight-speed automatic transmission, but I can think of 707 reasons the SRT Hellcat will quickly make me forget all about that.

Why am I picking a Charger over a Challenger, especially when the Challenger SRT Hellcat has a manual transmission option? Two reasons, really. First, with a newborn baby having just arrived, the extra set of doors makes getting a baby in and out of the car much easier. And being a full-size car, his rear-facing child seat fits without issue while not intruding on front passenger space. And then there is that massive trunk.

My other reason for the selecting the Charger is its sleeper status. Yeah, it looks aggressive and the hood scoop hints at its true potential, but anyone not in the know would ever suspect this family sedan of being a tire-shredding 707-hp monster."

Dodge Challenger Scat Pack Shaker – Jodi Lai, Managing Editor:

"The Dodge Challenger Scat Pack Shaker is my favorite muscle car from the holy trifecta. Hands down. I like its retro looks better than the Mustang and the Camaro, and I also dig the retro driving dynamics. Seriously.

Sure, the new Mustang is a better car; it's more modern and much more advanced. But there's something about the Challenger's raw, slightly unhinged character that really speaks to me. I like it when cars make me work for my fun, and the Challenger definitely doesn't make it easy. The Challenger is just so much more engaging to drive. Just two levels under the almighty Hellcat, the V8-powered Scat Pack Shaker has all the power you'll ever need. No one realistically needs the Hellcat's 707 hp in a daily driver. The V8 still sounds demonic and people have come to respect all Challengers because of the Hellcat, so you get a lot of props for driving around in this retro beast.

The Challenger takes pride in its retro personality, and dollar for dollar, it's one of the most fun and engaging cars you can buy."

Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE – Sami Haj-Assaad, Features Editor:

"I know its heavy, hard to see out of, and the interior is ugly, but I can't get enough of the modern Chevrolet Camaro. This isn't exactly a new infatuation — I have a lot of admiration and respect for the old Yenko Camaros of yesteryear, but after taking a 1LE packaged Camaro around Gingerman Raceway in Michigan, I made up my mind, and the Camaro is where it's at.

For starters, it looks like a modern piece of muscle. The sheetmetal is chiseled and tough, while those halo headlights give the Camaro a distinctive, sinister profile at night. But the 1LE package takes all the great tidbits from the highway rocket-themed ZL1 and applies them to the regular Camaro. It's stiffer, more responsive and has more grip.

It was a blast on the track, especially thanks to that beefy 426-hp 6.2-liter V8. For me, if I had to buy a muscle car today, I'd make my first and only stop at the Chevy dealership. Well, maybe I'd get a mullet wig and leather jacket on the way."

Ford Mustang GT – Craig Cole, Associated Editor:

"I'm a simple guy. I don't need a lot of superfluous fluff. For me, the more clear-cut and straightforward things are, the better. Accordingly, my modern-day muscle car of choice would be a run-of-the-Flat-Rock-mill Mustang GT, preferably in Deep Impact Blue or Magnetic gray.

I don't need a Shelby version of Ford's famous filly. Likewise, an overhyped Cobra model or the like is too over the top. Just give me a fastback 'Stang with five furious liters under the hood and I'll be happy for decades, as long as it's also equipped with a manual transmission.

Fill 'er up with premium gasoline, and you're treated to a 435-horse stampede and enough torque to roast the rears for miles. Toe into the throttle and the engine sings a siren song that could wake the dead. Driving one on a warm summer evening with the windows down, does life get any better?"

Dodge Challenger SRT- Stephen Elmer, News Editor:

"A muscle car should be an unapologetic machine built for straight line speed thanks to a big V8. Nothing fits that bill better than the Dodge Challenger. It may not be the most agile of Detroit's muscle cars, but it packs loads of style and its presence is undeniable. Smoking the rear wheels is simple, thanks to a massive 6.4-liter V8, the motor I would take in the car.

Sure, It would be hard to turn down the 707-hp supercharged Hellcat V8, but I like my muscle cars naturally aspirated. Nothing beats that predictable linear pull of a big N/A engine. Stick a "fossil fuels are yummy" bumper sticker on it and I'm ready to leave some rubber on the road."

Tesla Model S – Jason Siu, News Editor:

"I wouldn't go so far as to say I hate American cars, but I honestly can't see myself ever wanting one. Sure, the idea of a torque-filled V8 rumbling is exciting, but I just love technology and turbochargers that much more. So in my response about my favorite muscle car, I'm going to buck the trend and cause some controversy by voting for the Tesla Model S. Wait, what? That's not even a muscle car! Yes, I know it's not a muscle car, but it is an American car and the silly Ludicrous Mode makes it even FASTER than some muscle cars. Don't get me wrong, I love how a Dodge Viper looks and performs, but how does an all-electric sedan that does 0-60 in less than three seconds not seem appealing?

But seriously, what's up with the shoddy interiors in all those muscle cars?"

Those are our picks, which is yours? Tell us your pick in the comments below. If you want a closer look at the big names in the segment, then be sure to compare the three titans side by side: Compare 2015 Ford Mustang to 2015 Dodge Challenger to 2015 Chevrolet Camaro

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2017 Infiniti Q30 Image Emerges Ahead of Frankfurt Debut

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Infiniti is readying its entry level compact car for its official debut at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show, and released this new image last night on its UK Twitter account.

The image doesn't really show us anything new, as we've already been exposed to the sleek hatchback in official photos before. The car looks quite similar to the not-for-North-America Mercedes-Benz A-Class, which is natural since it shares quite a few parts with the German car.

The platform is borrowed from the Mercedes, and likely the engine will be too as the two automakers have been collaborating on products for a while now. Under the hood will likely be a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that's turbocharged to make 211 hp.

The Q30 will also share most of its components with the upcoming QX30, which is a hiked up version of the Q30 with a higher ride height. Infiniti is hoping that the Q30 and QX30 will give the brand a major boost in Europe, which is the main market for the two new cars. We'll report more about the production Q30 when it debuts in Frankfurt.

Discuss this car at our Infiniti QX30 Forums

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Car Reviews

Thursday, 27 August 2015