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BMW reclaims US luxury sales crown from Mercedes

The numbers, they are in: BMW has reclaimed the luxury-sales crown from Mercedes by a margin of 9,347 cars. Mercedes donned the king's headgear in 2013 after a strong final quarter of 2013 when the new CLA and S-Class poured out of dealerships. This year, led by the 3 Series/4 Series and X5, BMW sold 339,738 units – a 9.8-percent increase year-on-year. Mercedes, led by the C-Class and M-Class, saw its sales go up by 5.7 percent to 330,391 units. We'll have to wait a bit to see if there's another registrations-vs-sales challenge as in 2012, when BMW was anointed US luxury ruler. Behind them, a dark horse named Lexus nudged closer to the leading Teutons, selling 311,389 cars. The Japanese luxury automaker also had the biggest gain among the top three, its sales rising by 13.7 percent compared to 2013. Audi had the biggest sales of anyone among the top five, though, with a 15.2-percent gain to 182,011, which moved it a spot ahead of Cadillac; the Wreath-and-Crest brand dropped 6.5 percent to 170,750. Acura (167,843), Infiniti (117,300), and Lincoln (94,474) took the final positions. Speaking of Lincoln, sales at the once-mighty luxury marque stand as the mightiest jump of any on this list, up 15.6 percent. That's the power of Matthew McConaughey... and better cars and a new crossover, sure. So now that we're back to Round One of 2015, in case no one else has said it yet: "Ok, fight!"

2019 Autoblog Technology of the Year finalists revealed

Every fall, we line up a range of new models with the latest and most compelling automotive technology from the past year. We test everything from semi-autonomous systems like Tesla's Autopilot to trick suspension setups like the Multimatic spool-valve shocks on the Chevy Colorado ZR2. We spend months paring down the list to a small group of contenders. After testing, dinner and healthy debate, we tally up the votes and name our winner. For Autoblog's 2019 Technology of the Year Award, our three finalists are the Cadillac CT6 with Super Cruise, the Infiniti QX50 with Variable Compression Turbo and the Mercedes-AMG E 53 with EQ Boost. Super Cruise is an advanced SAE Level 2 semi-autonomous system, though Cadillac (unlike some of its rivals) is reluctant to push that point. Cadillac would like you to think of this as an advanced driver assistance feature rather than a semi-autonomous system. Super Cruise allows completely hands-free highway driving. Thanks to a driver-facing camera, the system forces the driver to keep his or her eyes on the road even if hands are off the wheel. Although the CT6 is being discontinued, look for Super Cruise to make its way to other Cadillacs soon. VC Turbo is a little more complicated. Basically, Infiniti's 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four can vary the compression ratio on the fly. In general, turbocharged engines are more efficient than naturally-aspirated engines when on boost, but can perform worse at low revs. VC Turbo allows for a best-of-both-worlds situation, increasing the compression at low revs and backing it off once the turbo spools up. The best part is that it does so seamlessly, with only a dash readout letting you know what's going on under the hood. Our third finalist is the EQ Boost 48-volt system in the Mercedes-AMG E 53. Like VC Turbo, EQ Boost does a lot just beneath the surface. Mercedes has developed a new turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six and paired it with a small electric motor. While the car can't run on electricity alone, the motor helps improve both efficiency and performance, smoothing shifts and filling in low-end torque before the turbos spool up. Think torque fill, similar to a McLaren P1. Who can complain about better fuel economy and more torque? Look for the 48-volt system to make its way into most of the Mercedes-Benz lineup. The winner will be revealed next week on Autoblog, and we'll present the award Jan. 15 at the Detroit Auto Show. Related Video:

Cadillac ATS and CTS get blacked-out treatments

Some still think of gallons of chrome when Cadillac comes to mind, and some of the automaker's models still take the blinged-out approach (we're looking at you, Escalade). But for those whose impression of the America luxury marque's is about more than brightwork, Caddy has announced a new Black Chrome package. Available for the ATS coupe, ATS sedan, and CTS sedan, the optional package, as you might have guessed, applies dark chrome to the outside of the vehicle. On the ATS, that includes the front grilles (upper and lower) and rear trim, as well as body-colored door handles, gloss black window moldings, and dark-finish 18-inch alloys. Buyers can choose to apply the package to the Luxury or Premium trim, with the 2.0-liter turbo or 3.6-liter V6, in rear- or all-wheel drive, with four exterior paint choices, any interior available, and in two- or four-door bodystyles. The package goes for $795 on the sedan and $595 for the coupe. The package costs a little more for the CTS but includes a bit less trim, limited to the grille and those same 18-inch alloys. It can still be paired to the 2.0 turbo or 3.6-liter V6 in rear- or all-wheel drive, with three exterior tints and a limited selection of interior treatments. Pricing here starts at $1,295 with the Luxury trim, or $1,095 in either Performance or Premium spec. Those looking for a shinier treatment, however, need not apply. Related Video: Cadillac Introduces Black Chrome Package for ATS and CTS ENHANCES ENGAGING PERFORMANCE, STRIKING DESIGN 2016-03-14 Cadillac today introduced the Black Chrome Package for Cadillac ATS Sedan and Coupe and Cadillac CTS Sedan. The package further enhances the engaging performance and the striking design of the ATS, a Consumer Guide Best Buy for three years in a row, and the CTS, named one of Car and Driver's 10Best for three years in a row. The Black Chrome Package is available now to order at local Cadillac dealerships or through the Build Your Own tool on the Cadillac.com website. For additional information, customers can call Cadillac Customer Experience at 1-800-458-8006.