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Autoblog Podcast #404

Episode #404 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth, Chris Paukert and Brandon Turkus talk about the BMW i8 and i3, this week's SEMA show, the looming Ferrari spin-off and the passing of Tom Magliozzi, longtime co-host of NPR's Car Talk. We start with what's in the garage and finish up with some of your questions, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. Check out the rundown below with times for topics, and you can follow along down below with our Q&A. Thanks for listening! Autoblog Podcast #404: The video meant to be presented here is no longer available. Sorry for the inconvenience. Topics: BMW i8 and i3 SEMA Ferrari to be spun off Tom Magliozzi of Car Talk passes away In The Autoblog Garage: 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLA45 AMG 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300 4Matic 2015 Ford Mustang GT Hosts: Dan Roth, Chris Paukert, Brandon Turkus Runtime: 01:54:34 Rundown: Intro & Garage - 00:00 BMW i8 and i3 - 36:18 SEMA - 01:00:53 Ferrari IPO - 01:12:44 Tom Magliozzi - 01:21:12 Q&A - 01:32:45 Get the podcast: [UStream] Listen live on Mondays at 10 PM Eastern at UStream [iTunes] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes [RSS] Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator [MP3] Download the MP3 directly Feedback: Email: Podcast at Autoblog dot com Review the show in iTunes Auto News Celebrities Earnings/Financials Podcasts SEMA Show BMW Ferrari Ford Mercedes-Benz SEMA 2014 mercedes gla45 amg

A BMW i3 will cost you $100,000 in Brazil

Brazil is a long way from the US, and the price of the BMW i3 in that South American country is even further away from what Americans pay for the same electric vehicle. But that hasn't stopped a few wealthy Brazilians from taking the plunge. The BMW i3 REx – i.e., the one with the gas-powered range-extender – is the first mass-produced vehicle of its kind to be imported to Brazil (there are a few Nissan Leaf vehicles in fleet use), and those intrepid buyers are forking over about $100,000 to own the vehicle, according to Just-Auto. The country's first 100 i3's were recently received in Sao Paolo, and about 30 of them have been sold. That pricetag is a wee bit higher than in the US, where the i3 starts under $42,000. BMW did open a $261-million factory in Brazil this year, but the i3 continues to be produced exclusively in Germany. It's not just fancy new plug-in cars and World Cup tickets that cost a lot in Brazil. The Volkswagen Golf, which retails for less than $18,000 in the States, costs about $23,000 in Brazil and the Economist ran a series of articles last year explaining how currency changes have resulted in the dollar-to-Brazilian real exchange rate surging in recent years.

Car Hacking 101: Here's what motorists should know [w/video]

Cars are nothing more than computers on wheels. As such, they're vulnerable to hackers. Most people who work within the auto industry have understood this for years, but for the broader American public not paying as close attention, three storylines emerged recently that underscored this new vehicular reality. First, German researchers found a flaw in BMWs remote-services system that allowed them to access the telematics units in vehicles. Then, a 60 Minutes report demonstrated that researchers could remotely infiltrate a Chevy Impala and override critical functions, like acceleration and braking. Finally, a US Senator released a critical report (see video above) that found almost all automakers are unprepared to handle real-time hacks of their vehicles. Those reports come on the heels of two previous instances in recent months when researchers demonstrated the capability to hack cars. All this news can be disconcerting. If you're late to the concept of car-hacking and wondering how this is possible, we've got you covered. Here's your quick primer on what you need to know. 1. How Did My Car Become A Computer? On the outside, cars haven't changed all that much over the past couple of decades years. On the inside, however, the amount of electronics and software has dramatically increased. Most new cars contain more than 50 microprocessors known as electronic control units. These ECUs control everything from airbag deployment and navigation systems to throttle control and braking, and they're usually connected to each other on an internal network called the CAN bus. 2. What Exactly Is Car Hacking? Depends who you ask. Automakers might consider anything that alters the car from its state of manufacture as a 'hack.' For example, if you're chipping the engine – re-calibrating those ECUs to increase your horsepower – some people might consider that a hack. But in the context of the recent news reports, security experts are focused on unwanted, unauthorized cyber intrusions into a vehicle. Once inside your car, prospective attacks could range from minor things like eavesdropping on conversations via an infotainment system and unlocking car doors to major concerns, like overriding driver inputs and controlling braking, steering and acceleration. 3. How Is This All Possible? Any part of the car that communicates with the outside world, either via a remote or direct connection, is a potential entry point for hackers.