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European new car sales drop nearly 8% in first half of 2019

PARIS — European car sales dropped 7.9% in June, led by bigger declines for Nissan, Volvo and Fiat Chrysler (FCA), according to industry data published on Wednesday. Registrations fell to 1.49 million cars last month from 1.62 million a year earlier across the European Union and EFTA countries, the Brussels-based Association of European Carmakers said in a statement. Calendar effects resulted in two fewer sales days in most markets, accentuating the decline. Registrations for the first half closed 3.1% lower, ACEA said. For European carmakers, weakening demand at home compounds the pressure from a sharper contraction in China and emerging markets that may yet bring more profit warnings. NissanÂ’s aging model lineup contributed to a 26.6% June sales slump while Volvo Cars, owned by ChinaÂ’s Geely, saw deliveries tumble 21.7%. Registrations also fell 13.5% last month at FCA, 10.1% at BMW, 9.6% at Volkswagen Group and 8.2% for both Mercedes parent Daimler and FranceÂ’s PSA Group. The Peugeot makerÂ’s domestic rival Renault suffered less, posting a 3.9% decline. By the Numbers BMW Chrysler Fiat Nissan Volkswagen Volvo Peugeot Renault

Jaguar Land Rover to drop supercharged V8 for turbocharged BMW power

There are few things that sound as good as Jaguar's 5.0 liter supercharged V8. As great as it is when the supercharger whines or the exhaust cracks and pops on throttle lift-off as the air pressure equalizes, the basic design dates back to the '90s. Plainly, the engine isn't as efficient as it needs to be, but designing a new V8 from the ground up is an expensive proposition. Instead, Automobile reports that Jaguar Land Rover is set to use a twin-turbocharged V8s supplied by BMW. Scalable architecture is all the rage as automakers streamline designs in order to save costs. For example, Jaguar's current supercharged V6 is quite literally a V8 with two holes missing. They didn't even change the length of the block. It seems both of those designs are on their way out, with the V6 being replaced by a inline-six closely related to the company's inline four. It seems that rather than designing an new and expensive V8 for their top of the line models JLR, is sourcing from BMW. From 1994 to 2000, BMW owned Land Rover. A few models, including the Land Rover Range Rover, used BMW engines then and in the initial years of Ford's JLR stewardship. It seems things have now come full circle. BMW currently makes a twin-turbo 4.4 liter V8 that produces anywhere from 440 to 600 horsepower, depending on the application. Automobile says that a new 4.0 liter V8 is in the works and that it will most likely be the engine that JLR uses. Expect it to be more powerful, more fuel efficient, and lighter than what both BMW and JLR currently offer. This seems like a win for both companies. BMW gets to offset the cost of a new motor while JLR, a smaller company, doesn't have to invest in a whole new architecture. As automakers search for ways to cut costs, expect collaborations like this to continue. Infiniti and Mercedes-Benz both share a four-cylinder engine. Ford and GM have worked together to design a shared 10-speed automatic. While we may lament the loss of that wonderful Jaguar Land Rover engine, we can still be happy that they haven't abandoned the V8. Related Video: News Source: Automobile Rumormill BMW Jaguar Land Rover

Buy this Munro report, get a free BMW i3

Here's an offer we've never heard of: if you buy the Master- or OEM-level version of a detailed production and cost report on the BMW i3, the engineering firm that produced the report will give you a 'free' i3. Munro & Associates is the company behind the study and the offer, its comprehensive breakdown of the production realities involved in the i3 including a video of the disassembly process of the range-extended hybrid and a detailed analysis of every part therein - everything from fuse boxes to crossbar beams, headlights and the battery pack. You've only got a day to take advantage, though - the report has to be purchased by the time CEO Sandy Munro gives his talk, "Deconstructing the BMW I3: Groundbreaking Technology and the Composite Car," in Detroit Wednesday morning. The price of said report? That's "TBD," so head to the Munro site if you're tempted by the idea of a new car that comes with a trunk full of paperwork. We just hope they're not selling the i3 that they tear down. The press release below has more information. Munro to Give Away 2014 BMW i3 with Every Purchase of the Consulting Firm's Master Teardown Report When Purchased at Two Upcoming Detroit Events DETROIT, Jan. 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Visitors to the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) during Preview Week often go home with a lot of swag and trinkets, but how about a $50,000 BMW i3? This year, a local engineering firm, Munro & Associates, is giving away a BMW i3 electric car with every purchase of the Master-/OEM-level version of its benchmarking study of this unique vehicle when purchased during NAIAS or the Plastics in Automotive Conference. The study, the most extensive of its kind, details the production and costs of every system in this carbon-fiber electric vehicle, which CEO Sandy Munro calls the most advanced vehicle on the planet. WHO: Munro & Associates, the global leader in manufacturing, costing and benchmarking. Using its proprietary advanced design, quality and costing software, Munro developed comprehensive reports on key vehicle systems and – for the first time – will offer the reports for general distribution. WHAT: A FREE 2014 BMW i3 for anyone who purchases the Master-/OEM-level report during Preview Week of NAIAS or during Sandy Munro's presentation at the Plastics in Automotive Conference.