Performance breeds excitement and the BMW Performance Edition for the 2011 335i / xDrive Sedan ensures that new car buyers are in for that extra thrill beyond the outstanding performance that can already be realized with these exciting vehicles.

Customers can now option their vehicles with a special BMW Performance Edition (option code ZMZ) that includes an all-new Power Kit, black kidney grilles and a “BMW Performance Edition” badge for only $550.

The BMW Performance Edition for the 335i highlights a Power Kit which consists of engine tuning software (no additional hardware), which will increases the engine power output from 300bhp to 320bhp and torque from 407Nm to 430Nm / 450Nm (manual / automatic transmission); this is the same horsepower rating as the 335is!

Acceleration from 0-100kmh is now 0.2 seconds faster than the standard model and 0.5 seconds faster than the standard model from 80kmh to 120kmh and thankfully, emissions and fuel consumption ratings are unaffected by the power upgrade!

Black kidney grilles and a BMW Performance Edition badge will visually identify these Performance Edition vehicles from other standard 3 Series vehicles.

The BMW Performance Edition is offered only for a limited time on 335i Sedans through the end of 2011 which will ensure that owners of these vehicles will belong to a very special club of performance purists.

BMW is also pleased to announce that the contents of the BMW Performance Edition will be made available to existing 135i and 335i customers. Pricing to purchase the contents of this edition as a retrofit will be announced in August, 2011.

Toyota, the world’s biggest automaker in sales has sworn off the pursuit of being No.1.

According to Toyota’s Executive Vice President, Satoshi Ozawa, the quality and customers satisfaction is more important to his company and there is no meaning behind the marque being in the top slot. Ozawa also stressed that they will never have a target to be No.1.

In the past, Toyota claimed that they were never in the pursuit to be in the No.1 spot, but rather, they wanted about 15% of the global market (which would of course place them in the top spot).

After Toyota eclipsed General Motors in 2007, the company faced slipping quality that was later blamed in part on rapid growth. This year, Toyota has been hurt by production problems due to the Japanese earthquake.

Since the earthquake, Toyota said its factories worldwide won’t return to full production until November or December. That means buyers across the globe may not be able to get the models they want or parts they need. Toyota now predicts global sales will drop 1% to 7.24 million in the current fiscal year.

KTM North America has placed a recall on certain models of KTM and Husaberg scramblers that require a replacement for, what they’ve decided to be, defective clamps due to improper heat treatment.

The improper heat treatment could cause cracks to the handlebar clamps thus allowing the bars to move from their set position. This may result in injury or death to the rider and the passenger.

The replacement is deemed to be free of charge in the United States and the safety recall has already begun, being in June 2011. A total of 1,228 units has been estimated to be affected and the affected models are: 2011 Husaberg FE 570S, 2011 Husaberg FS 570, 2011 KTM450 EXC, 2011 KTM 530 EXC, 2010-2011 KTM 690 Enduro R.

Chrysler has released its latest ‘Imported from Detroit’ commercial featuring Dr. Dre and Beats by Dr. Dre audio technology that can be found within the all-new 2012 Chrysler 300S.

Directed by Mark Romanek, this 60-second commercial, which Chrysler calls ‘Good Things,’ Dr. Dre is seen driving a 2012 Chrysler 300S through the streets of Los Angeles equipped with a Beats by Dr. Dre. A voice explains that ‘good things’ don’t necessarily come to those who wait, but instead to those who work to make it happen.

As he drives through the streets, people respond to the music coming from his car. Finally, Dr. Dre reaches his destination, a hip-hop club, where he exits the vehicle and delivers the line,‘This is L.A. and this is what we do.’

Dr Dre has worked side-by-side with the engineering team at Chrysler to design and tune the 10-speaker audio system; and make the Chrysler 300S the closest you can get to a recording studio on four wheels.

The Beats by Dr. Dre 300S includes a 363bhp HEMI V8, an eight-speed automatic transmission, 20-inch rims and a 522-watt sound system that has 10 speakers from Beats by Dr. Dre.

Check out this video as the latest commercial of the 2012 Chrysler 300S has a musical beat that is going to stick in your brain and give you a glimpse of Los Angeles in a good way.

While the crisis in Japan is still unfolding, celebrities all over the world have encouraged their fans to take action and help them collect relief funds. KISS; the most iconic band in the history of rock is also taking part to help victims in Japan. So if you think your dad happens to “rock!”, then we dare suggest these newly-styled MINI Countryman for him.

KISS has been working with eBay to sell the rare KISS-themed MINI Countryman vehicles on a ten-day Father’s Day Charity Auction, where participants can bid on any of the four KISS-themed MINI Countryman; each autographed by the entire band and custom-painted with the iconic makeup for each band member.

The vehicles, which debuted at the New York Auto Show 2011, each have their own auction listing on eBay Motors and all the money will be donated to UNICEF. The organization is working hard to raise money for children affected by the recent disaster in Japan.

The KISS-themed MINI is the all-new 2011 Countryman and feature the iconic makeup and costumes mimicking Paul Stanley (Starchild), Gene Simmons (The Demon), Tommy Thayer (Spaceman) and Eric Singer (Catman). The four KISS-themed MINI Countryman also happens to possess all four individual KISS band-member autographs.

After seven years and ten months, Mazda Motor Corporation has announced that the cumulative production of the Mazda3 has reached three million units on 26th April 2011.

This achievement has made Mazda3 the fastest-selling model in Mazda’s current line-up of passenger vehicles with over 1.1 million units having been sold in North America alone.

The three-millionth Mazda3 was produced at the Mazda’s Hofu Plant in Japan and in addition to the Hofu plant, Mazda3 cars are also built at the Ford Mazda Automobile (CFMA) plant in Nanjing, China, and at AutoAlliance Thailand (AAT).

Kudos to Mazda for their achievement, this important milestone in production shows that the Mazda3 just happens to be a true global vehicle!

The Germans proudly presents the brand new SC-1 Endora-Cars and proves what might be the best synergy of dynamism, elegance, individualism and lifestyle.

The SC-1 picks up the looks and values of contemporary American and European sportscars built in the 1950′s, 1960′s and early 1970′s with modern inclusions like LED foglights, tail-lights and a rear diffuser.

A very special design cue is found on the side of the SC-1, whereby a part of the body is formed in a contrasting colour that somehow allows us to reminisce back to a design that was used on the classic sportscars once built in the 1950′s.

This stunning coupe is equipped with three state of tune with the basic configuration, 6.2 litre Aluminum-V8 with 437 bhp, 7.0  litre engine with 512 bhp and a supercharged version of the 6.2 litre V8 with 647 bhp.

Every engine is paired to a six-speed-manual gearbox, however a six-speed paddle-shifter is also available on the options list, but alas for only the base-line 6.2 litre Aluminum-V8 with 437 bhp.

Nothing is made simple in a car and that includes the car’s horn.

Perhaps we didn’t realize that this deceptively simple device actually takes into consideration customer horn-blowing behaviour and its impact on the horn itself including the usage amount, tonality, even physics.

In North America for example, the car’s horn is used for friendlier communication and to make sure their car is locked before they walk away as well as a locator to find their vehicle in a crowded parking lot. Therefore, Ford is taking into consideration by providing North American customers with trumpet horns that produce a softer sound which makes it more melodic. Most vehicles have dual trumpet horns, tuned to frequencies that are not unpleasant, but are just slightly discordant.

Trumpet horns aren’t suitable for all countries because for some like India, the usage of a car horn gets far heavier because drivers use them to help navigate through congested traffic and on less developed roads. Therefore Ford developed a disc horn, which has a longer life-span in a vehicle where the honking is part of their daily routine.

There are also drivers who prefer both. In China for example, customers drive with one hand on the steering wheel and one hand on the horn. They use their horn extensively but  in the meantime, they want it to sound melodic. Hence, Ford come out an electronic trumpet. Moreover, China has one of the most extreme set of conditions, including cold temperatures and roads at an altitude of 15,000-feet .

Ford has taken into account the physical environment of where the car is being driven because altitude and temperatures does affect the way sound travels.

Do take a look at the video below for a short car horn quiz and see why engineers think designing a car’s horn is more complicated than you think!

Facing some 400 lawsuits alleging lost vehicle value or injury or death from sudden acceleration, it seems it would be some time before Toyota enters the court room.

A federal judge has said he wants the first of the cases to be tried in the beginning months of 2013. That means the pre-trial discovery of evidence should be wrapped up by the end of 2012. U.S. District Judge James V. Selna made the announcement at a hearing on January 14.

According to Bloomberg, Selna specifically urged trial lawyers to select “bellweather cases” designed to test the claims of both plaintiffs and the defendant sooner rather than later. According to the report, attorneys on both sides of the cases have agreed to Selna’s time table.

Volvo is recalling up to 7,420 vehicles over a potential seat safety defect, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The Swedish automaker claims that in certain 2009-2011 S40, S60, V50 and XC60 vehicles equipped with power front passengers seats, the rail detection system was manufactured incorrectly, potentially allowing passengers to move the seat forward too far.

The forward positioning of the seat could cause increased risk of injury to the passenger in the event of a crash.

As of right now, the company hasn’t said when exactly the recall will begin.

This is the second recall from Volvo in under a month. The first involved a bad ECU parameter that could cause vehicles to stall.