ON THE TABLE - JULY 31, 2013

GM's True Believers. Speaking of the True Believers, it is because of them that the Chevrolet Impala was just named the top sedan overall in Consumer Reports 2013 rankings. This is the first time in the more than 20 years of CR's car ratings that a domestic brand has claimed the title of top sedan. And nearly all of the past chart toppers have been upscale and luxury cars. More perspective? The 2014 Impala scored 95 points overall - the previous Impala (2012) came in at 63, too low to be recommended. Currently only two cars now score better than the Impala: the electrically powered Tesla Model S, which is classified as a hatchback by CR, and the BMW 135i coupe. We're not fans of CR in the least, but kudos to the True Believers at GM who bring it every day in an environment that's less than ideal, especially when you consider the Captain Queeg factor.

AE Quote of the Week, I. Holman W. Jenkins Jr. hits it out of the park today in The Wall Street Journal with his column, "Detroit Was a Cluster." In describing the true essence of the UAW, Jenkins nails it: "The UAW, let's understand, wasn't just a union; it was a government-sanctioned labor monopoly that behaved as monopolies do, extracting maximum compensation for minimum productivity. A certain piety prevents it from being noted, but lack of access to a competitive labor market has undermined the Big Three and Detroit's appeal as an industry hub since the 1940s."

AE Quote of the Week, II. Holman W. Jenkins Jr. in The Wall Street Journal again: "A lot went into Detroit's decline besides the UAW, but one more UAW contribution was Mayor Coleman Young. A UAW organizer who was expelled for being too radical, he switched his career to politics and later spent 20 years presiding over the city's unraveling from 1974 to 1994."

AE Quote of the Week, III. And finally, Holman W. Jenkins Jr. in The Wall Street Journal closes with this: "The region may even be starting to reclaim some of its attractiveness as an auto production cluster. Ironically, a final casualty might be the UAW itself. If the union no longer has the political leverage to extract monopoly rents from the Big Three, UAW members will have little reason to keep paying dues." 

(Audi)
The all-new high-performance 2014 Audi RS 7 – the most powerful RS model ever offered in the U.S. – will have a base price of $104,900. The Audi RS 7 is fitted with a twin-turbo 4.0 TFSI V8 engine, producing 560 HP and 516 lb-ft of torque. Launching from 0-60 mph in just 3.7 seconds, the RS 7 has a top track speed of 174 mph. The RS 7 is expected to arrive in U.S. showrooms this fall.

(BMW Group)
BMW has introduced the all-new BMW i3 electric car to the world. Constructed "in a revolutionary way from next-generation materials," according to BMW, the i3 will go on sale in the US market in the second quarter of 2014, and starts with a base MSRP of $41,350, before any federal or state incentives, and before adding a Destination & Handling fee (currently $925).

(BMW Group)
BMW designed the i3 with what they're calling the LifeDrive architecture concept. The Life Module includes the passenger cabin, which is is the first-ever mass-produced Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) passenger cell in the automotive business, and is a big factor in the cars efficiency, according to BMW PR mavens. The result is an electric car that weighs about 2,700 lbs (preliminary US figures). Due to the lightweight, high tensile strength of CFRP, the passenger cell has added protection, and the battery has less work to do, which allows for the use of a smaller, lighter battery that saves even more weight, reduces charging time and increases range. The light weight design of the Life Module also lowers the BMW i3’s center of gravity, making it a more engaging and dynamic car to drive. The Drive Module, which is constructed out of 100% aluminum, consists of the 22-kWh, 450 lb. lithium-ion battery, electric drive train, MacPherson strut and 5-link rear  suspension system and structural and crash components. The battery, which is mounted in the rear close to the drive wheels, gives impressive performance characteristics while also providing better traction, according to BMW.

(BMW Group)
The hybrid synchronous electric motor in the i3 weighs only 110 lbs. and generates an output of 170HP with maximum torque of 184 lb-ft. This propels the 2,700 lb car from 0-30mph in 3.5 seconds, 0-60mph in approximately 7.2 seconds, and to an electronically limited top speed of 93 mph (preliminary USA figures), according to BMW. The accelerator pedal also acts as a brake when the driver lifts off the accelerator. BMW is insisting that the electric i3 is a BMW - the Ultimate Driving Machine - in every sense of the word. We'll see about that, won't we?

(BMW Group)
BMW is calling the i3 a new type of megacity vehicle with its small size allowing for easy maneuvering and parking on city streets, while the car’s short front and rear overhangs make parking in tight spaces much easier. Its sharp turning radius and nimble handling are the perfect match for city driving. In the front, the Slide Through Experience allows the driver to slide through the car and exit on the passenger side, to avoid exiting into a busy city street. This is made possible because of the absence of the transmission tunnel. The coach doors make getting into and out of the car much more practical by eliminating the B pillar and creating one large opening to enter and exit, according to BMW.

(BMW Group)
The BMW i3 will be able to travel 80 to 100 miles on a single charge. This can be increased by up to approximately 12% in ECO PRO mode and by the same amount again in ECO PRO+ mode. It is able to recharge in only 3 hours with the use of a 220V Level 2, 32-amp J1772 charger. The SAE DC Combo Fast Charging, which charges the BMW i3 up to 80% in 20 minutes, and 100% in 30, can be had as an option. In order to reduce range anxiety, a rear-mounted 650cc, 34 hp, two-cylinder, gasoline-powered Range Extender generator is available, which roughly doubles the vehicle’s range. When the battery gets to a certain level, the Range Extender starts and maintains the battery’s current state of charge. The Range Extender never directly drives the vehicle’s wheels. The Range Extender adds roughly 330 lbs. to the vehicle curb weight and has a fuel capacity of 2.4 gallons.

(BMW Group)
Star guests Sienna Miller and James Franco helped welcome the new BMW i3 at the car's introduction in London.

(Images courtesy of BMW Group)
Anders Warming, Head of MINI Design, previewed a sampling of visionary design and innovative ideas at the MINI Design@Home event in Munich. Included was the MINI Vision, which showcases various elements of future MINI design. "The design of the MINI Vision reaches pointedly into the brand’s past and combines the underlying features and values of MINI with future-focused aesthetic and technical innovations," say BMW PR minions. "In customary MINI fashion, the MINI Vision seizes the limelight with creativity, individuality and a generous helping of versatility," they continued. Is it a preview of much of the 2014 re-do of the MINI? Yes.

(Images courtesy of Porsche Cars North America)
Porsche will continue the 50^th birthday celebration of its 911 sports car at the 63^rd annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance with static and dynamic displays of new and historic models, from Aug. 14 – 18. The upcoming 918 Spyder hybrid super sports car will be at various locations throughout the Monterey peninsula during the weekend, including at the Porsche Zentrum at Quail Lodge, Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. On Friday, Aug. 16, The Quail Motorsports Gathering will feature a Porsche exhibit highlighting 50 Years of the 911. One of the first 911s sold in the US will be displayed alongside the new 50^th Anniversary 911 and the 2014 911 GT3.

The limited-edition 50^th Anniversary Porsche 911 will be showcased alongside rare Porsche road and racing cars at The Quail. The Porsche Zentrum will host the current lineup of Porsche models, including the  2014 911 GT3 and the upcoming plug-in electric Panamera S E-Hybrid.

A special Porsche 911 class, the Weissach Cup will be featured at the 38th running of the Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in honor of the 50^th anniversary of the 911. A 1972 Martini 2.1 Turbo RSR, the 1978 “Moby Dick” 935, the 1978 “Baby” 935 and not one, but two 911 GT1s will be on display in the garage area of Laguna Seca, before they move to Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance for display on Sunday. The latest 911 GT3 Cup car, which will race next year in the United SportsCar racing (USC) series, will debut and be on display all weekend at Laguna Seca.

The Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid super sports car will be all over Monterey Aug. 14 - 18.

(Mecum Auctions)
An impressive array of more than 40 Porsches will star at the Mecum Daytime Auction in Monterey, California, August 15-17. Headlining the Porsche lineup destined for the auction block will be one of the rarest and most desirable of them all – a 1955 Porsche 550/1500 RS Spyder - Chassis No. 550-0077 (Lot S134). This machine, part of the Peter & Cheryl Dunkel Collection, was actively campaigned in Europe back in the day. The Dunkel collection also includes a 1958 356A Speedster Race Car (Lot S146.1), a 1963 356B Carrera 2 Coupe (Lot S137) and a 1954 Porsche Allgaier A133 Diesel tractor (Lot S185). These Porsches will cross the block on Saturday, Aug. 16 at the Mecum Daytime Auction in Monterey in addition to Thursday and Friday’s offerings of prime Porsches and more. Auction gates open daily at 8 a.m. and complimentary general admission is extended to all. Eighteen hours of the Monterey auction will be broadcast live on Discovery’s Velocity Network in addition to the live stream presented from gavel to gavel on Mecum’s website at www.mecum.com.