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BMW says SUVs killed the sports car market

In many ways, we're living in a golden age of automotive performance. After all, it's possible to show up at a Dodge dealer, hand over about $60,000 and storm away with a 707-horsepower Challenger Hellcat. Or for those who prefer a touch more luxury, the BMW M4, Mercedes-AMG C63 and latest Cadillac ATS-V offer between 425 and 503 horsepower, depending on your pick, with a bit more poshness. However, none of these powerful vehicles fit the classic definition of a two-place, droptop sports car, and according BMW head of sales Ian Robertson, that's because the segment is very much in the doldrums.
According to Robertson, two factors seriously wounded the classic sports car market. First, the global economic crisis of a few years ago put a serious hurt on sales, according to Bloomberg. Further worsening the situation, the boom in popularity of luxury SUVs and crossovers in the past few years hasn't allowed for much recovery. Even car-hungry China hasn't helped much because of the smog in many cities and preference among some of the very rich there to be chauffeured.
Combined, Audi TT, BMW Z4 and Mercedes-Benz SLK sales peaked around 114,000 units a year in 2007, but they are only expected to reach 72,000 annually by the end of the decade. Robertson is pretty pessimistic about the market's comeback too. "Post-2008, it just collapsed. I'm not so sure it'll ever fully recover," he said to Bloomberg.

Karma Automotive partners with BMW for powertrains

Now in the process of rising from the ashes of Fisker, the newly renamed Karma Automotive has announced a powertrain supply deal with BMW. Only instead of Karma providing BMW with technologies (as Tesla has for Daimler and Toyota), this deal goes the other way around. It is BMW that will be providing Karma with its powertrain components moving forward. Little in the way of specifics was disclosed regarding precisely what the supply deal will entail. However according to the statement below, it will include "high voltage battery charging systems and a wide range of hybrid and EV systems." BMW has demonstrated its competence in developing and manufacturing such components with vehicles like the i3 and i8, and ActiveHybrid versions of the 3 Series, 5 Series, and 7 Series sedans. Karma Automotive is what Chinese component manufacturer Wanxiang renamed the company formerly known as Fisker Automotive once it acquired the rights to the company and the Fisker Karma which it previously produced. The brand name, however, remained the property of Henrik Fisker's coachbuilding operation. The original Fisker Karma was powered by a 2.0-liter turbo four supplied by General Motors, with a lithium-ion battery pack from A123 systems. Karma Automotive Signs Supply Agreement With BMW COSTA MESA, Calif., Nov. 12, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Karma Automotive announced today that BMW has agreed to be a supplier in ensuring their vehicles are built with the highest quality automotive parts. BMW will supply Karma Automotive with their latest powertrain components, including high voltage battery charging systems and a wide range of hybrid and EV systems. Throughout automotive history, BMW has been globally recognized for engineering and manufacturing world-class products. They are a proven technology leader and renowned for conceiving and delivering groundbreaking innovations. Karma Automotive will integrate the first BMW components into its plug-in hybrid flagship vehicle, which will re-launch in 2016. The next generation of vehicles already in development will utilize more of BMW's powertrain technology. "The Wanxiang Group is giving Karma Automotive the opportunity to bring a stunning car back to the market, and the partnership with BMW and their outstanding track record is a great fit for the future," said Karma's CEO Tom Corcoran.

BMW readies EV, hydrogen updates for 2015 Detroit Auto Show

BMW's stand at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show will be the place to go for updates. News about advances in electric vehicle infrastructure, hydrogen fuel cells (maybe) and BMW's suite of connected vehicles app things will all make an appearance at the show next month. Let's start with what we know for sure. Both the i3 and i8 plug-in vehicles are supremely connected cars. A new announcement from BMW (available below) says that the suite of "Now" – ChargeNow, ParkNow and DriveNow – apps will be extended and available internationally. The updates include things like being able to find new new fast-charging stations and ParkNow LongTerm, which will let drivers find a permanent parking space where they can fill up their batteries. As Jacob Harb, BMW of North America's head of electric vehicle sales and strategy, told AutoGuide, "2015 is the year of infrastructure." While there is no official mention of a fuel cell stack in the official release (and we've asked BMW to see if there's anything to this news), Inside EVs says that BMW will also show off its new fuel cell stack in Detroit. That's the one that Toyota and BMW are working on together, as announced back in January 2013. If it makes an appearance, then it'll be our first look at the powertrain that's one generation beyond what Toyota has now in the Mirai. BMW at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) 2015 in Detroit. On 12 January 2015, BMW will welcome in the new car year by unveiling a raft of new products at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. A fixture on the calendar since 1907, the event originally known as the Detroit Auto Show has a long tradition in the USA. This year will be the 27th time it has been held on an international stage, and more than 200 exhibitors will gather at the COBO Center on the Detroit River to present their latest offerings to a large audience. More than 18 million people have visited the show since 1989. The public days take place from 17 – 25 January. Celebrating their world premieres in Detroit are the new BMW 6 Series Convertible, Coupe and Gran Coupe, as well as the new BMW M6 Coupe, BMW M6 Convertible and BMW M6 Gran Coupe high-performance models. They will be joined at the NAIAS by the cutting-edge BMW i models and innovative services encompassing the world of electric mobility. And BMW ConnectedDrive will be showcasing its over-the-air regular automatic map updating technology.