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BMW hires Ferrari chief engineer Fedeli

There's going to be a little bit more Prancing Horse in some future BMWs because the Bavarian brand is hiring Ferrari chief engineer Roberto Fedeli to join the company in November. Fedeli's new position is still somewhat of a mystery though, and he reportedly might be lending his talents to the high performance M division or possibly even Rolls-Royce. When asked by Automotive News Europe, BMW said that it "currently can't say what his role will be."
Regardless of his new job, Fedeli was a big get for BMW because of his strong résumé. He has been with Ferrari since 1988 and led the engineering for the famous Italian automaker's vehicles since 2007. Fedeli tendered his resignation in September at around the same time that chairman Luca di Montezemolo announced his decision to leave the company. However, Ferrari told ANE that there was no connection between the two events.

BMW i3 REx rated at 117 MPGe, 39 mpg with 72-mile EV range

The numbers haven't made their digital way to the EPA's website yet, but we can now confirm that the BMW i3 with range extender will be officially rated at a combined 117 MPGe with 39 mpg once the battery runs out. That puts the amazing little city car just ahead of the pure-electric Fiat 500e (116 MPGE, combined) and behind the Honda Fit EV (118) and the Chevy Spark EV (119). In the plug-in hybrid category, it's at the top of the class, beating out the Honda Accord PHEV, which is rated at 115 MPGe but is also a much bigger vehicle. The i3 REx also has an official all-electric range of 72 miles and can go another 78 on gas (for a total of 150). When it's not carrying around the extra fuel tank and engine, the all-electric i3 gets 124 MPGe (combined), which is the currently the highest in the US. The i3 EV also has an all-electric range of 81 miles. BMW expects to deliver the first i3 REx in the US this week and delivered the first all-electric version earlier this month. There was a bit of a hold-up on the range-extender version thanks to a delay with getting these EPA numbers. Now that all the bureaucratic boxes have been checked, it's off to customer driveways they go.

Recharge Wrap-up: BMW i3 Super Bowl ad, Tesla updates backup camera

For the fourth year in a row, fuel economy is the biggest factor in buying a new vehicle. A new report from JD Power and Associates found that, despite cheaper gas, customers still sought out fuel-sipping cars. 14 percent of survey responders cited mileage as the biggest concern when shopping for a new car, and the second most important reason to reject a vehicle. The biggest deal-breaker, though, when it comes to buying a new car is much more superficial: 30 percent of shoppers cite appearance as the main reason to avoid buying a particular vehicle. Read more at Automotive News, or in the press release below. Tesla's 6.1 Firmware update for the Model S makes maneuvering the car in reverse a bit easier. The update includes reverse guiding lines for the rear-view camera when backing up. Combined with the parking sensors, the new lines in the display make it easier to place the car into parking spots by showing where the car will be positioned based on the angle of the steering wheel. Two white lines curve with the steering to show where the car is going. Check it out in the video below or read more at Teslarati. BMW will air a new ad for the i3 during Super Bowl XLIX. The 60-second commercial will play during the first quarter of the game on Sunday, February 1. BMW didn't give the whole idea behind the TV spot away, but did hint at the concept behind the ad. "Big ideas like the BMW i3 take a little getting used to, and the creative idea surrounding our spot will play on this analogy," says BMW's Trudy Hardy. Despite Cheap Gas, Fuel Efficiency Still a Primary Concern Exterior Look/Design Top Reason Buyers Don't Even Consider a Vehicle WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.: 14 January 2015 - Despite gas prices falling to their lowest levels since 2010, fuel economy-for a fourth consecutive year-remains the most influential factor among the majority of new-vehicle buyers in determining which vehicle they select, according to the J.D. Power 2015 U.S. Avoider StudySM released today. The study, now in its 12th year, examines the reasons consumers purchase, reject or do not consider-or avoid-particular models when shopping for a new vehicle. According to the study, 14 percent of new-vehicle owners cite gas mileage as the most influential reason for selecting the vehicle they ultimately purchased. At the segment level, gas mileage is the primary purchase reason among buyers of compact, small and midsize cars and compact MPVs.