2007 Mercedes C230 Amg/sport on 2040-cars

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Audi, BMW, Daimler buy Nokia's Here digital mapping business

The fight for control of Nokia's Here digital mapping service appears to have drawn to a close as a consortium of German automakers has announced a deal to jointly acquire the business from the Finnish telecom giant. As anticipated, ownership in Here will now be taken over jointly by Audi, BMW, and Daimler, beating out reported rivals bids from the likes of Apple and Uber. Here is one of the largest and most advanced digital mapping and location systems. It started out in Chicago in 1986 as Navteq before Nokia acquired it in 2007, and is now slated to change ownership again. The cloud-based service maintains high-definition digital maps for nearly 200 countries and supports over 50 languages, gathering data from users to update the data continuously. Rather than transition the service into their own proprietary technology, however, the automakers insist that it will remain open "to all customers from the automotive industry and other sectors." Ownership will be shared equally between the three companies, with "none of them seek[ing] to acquire a majority interest" in Here. For another, Here's management is promised to remain independent, and "the consortium will not interfere into operational business." Though the purchase price has not been disclosed, it is rumored to be worth in the neighborhood of $2.7 billion. Assuming it passes regulatory approval, the acquisition is slated to be completed in the first quarter of next year. The German automakers anticipate implementing the service to provide connected vehicles with accurate, up-to-date information on road and other conditions. Examples it outlines include warning other drivers of icy conditions based on outside temperature and ABS activation. It could also warn drivers of impending traffic jams, or even guide traffic through green lights in an urban environment. In the future, the highly detailed maps are envisioned to enable fully automated driving as well. Related Video: AUDI AG, BMW Group and Daimler AG agree with Nokia Corporation on joint acquisition of HERE digital mapping business Ingolstadt, Munich, Stuttgart, Aug 03, 2015 - Acquisition will secure and strengthen HERE as an independent company serving customers from all industries - Real-time maps and location based services will be the basis for the mobility of tomorrow - Transaction expected to close in first quarter 2016 Ingolstadt, Munich, Stuttgart – August 3rd, 2015.

5 new EVs that make driving fun

One of the things enthusiasts bellyache about the most is electrification. The noisiest complainers say that EVs will suck the fun out of driving and can’t possibly be as engaging as a roaring gas engine. ItÂ’s undoubtedly true that the noises EVs make are not always as visceral and thrilling, but itÂ’s also true that electrification has ushered in a new era of performance that gas vehicles simply cannot match. WeÂ’ve gathered a list of EVs that donÂ’t suck to drive. We all know by now about Tesla and its Plaid models, which absolutely set the quarter-mile ablaze with their amazing acceleration figures. The vehicles on this list don't come from Tesla. Nor does the list include some highly anticipated performance EVs that will soon hit the market, such as the new 2024 Porsche Macan. This selection may be a bit short on range compared to tamer models, but at the same time, itÂ’s hard to ignore their specs and even harder to ignore the sensation that a full-throttle electric powertrain delivers. LetÂ’s dive in to see five new EVs that make driving fun. Porsche Taycan PorscheÂ’s gas-powered vehicles are among the most exciting on the road, so itÂ’s not surprising to see the automakerÂ’s first electric effort as a home run. The Taycan is available in a staggering number of configurations, ranging from the 375-horsepower base model to the massively powerful Turbo S models with up to 750 horsepower in temporary boost mode. Classic Porsche styling and high-end tech round out the package, making the Taycan one of the most desirable EVs today. That said, the TaycanÂ’s almost $91,000 starting price puts it out of reach for a majority of car buyers, and the prices keep steadily rising along with the performance. It also trades range for performance, as the least powerful variant is the most efficient, returning 242 miles with the extended-range battery. The car can take advantage of fast charging, however, and can recover up to 80 percent of its battery capacity in just over 22 minutes.   Kia EV6 GT How about a Kia that can out-accelerate many supercars, especially from a few years ago? The EV6 GT comes with two electric motors with a combined 576 horsepower and 545 pound-feet of torque. Its 0-60 mph time lands at just 3.4 seconds, and the EV offers a top speed of 161 mph, making it one serious Korean EV. At the same time, it features the standout styling of the standard model, which gives it a striking curb presence and a futuristic look that is unique among EVs.

This or That: Mercedes S-Class 350SD vs. 2003 Jaguar XJR [w/poll]

Budget. It's a wretched word, whether you're going out to eat, shipping for a new outfit or, more relevant to today's discussion, buying a car. Massive marketing machines have convinced us, as a population, to buy the best you can afford, repercussions be damned – If you've saved up some money, spend it! All of it, on whatever it is that currently sits atop your personal Amazon wishlist, be it a Timex that takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin', a $17,000 Gold Apple Watch or a $60,000 Rolex Cosmograph Daytona. But what if the best you can afford is... say, $12,815? For that price, you can buy a brand-new 2015 Nissan Versa (including destination), assuming you're happy with zero options and a manual transmission. For that price, you'll get standard air conditioning, a CD player and... well, a warranty. Pretty sensible choice, Captain Frugal. But also ridiculously uninspired. And so that brings us to today's edition of This or That, in which two Autoblog editors pick differing sides of an argument and duke it out to see which one of us can convince you, dear reader, is better. Or at least less wrong. You be the judge. As a refresher, I'm two-and-two on these challenges, having lost the first and second editions before storming back in rounds three and four. Today, as alluded to above, we decided to throw our collective brainpower (oh lord, what have we done?) at what may be the single most difficult question currently confounding the best minds our planet has to offer: What is the best used used luxury car you can buy for the price of a 2015 Nissan Versa? Shall we meet our contenders? Allow me to introduce you to the most perfect luxury car money can buy (assuming the amount of money you're holding is equal to the amount of the cheapest new car currently sold in America, the Nissan Versa). My pick is the 1991 Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Not just any S-Class, but the legendary W126, which was produced between 1979 and 1992. And not just any W126, either, but one powered by a 3.5-liter turbodiesel engine. And with that, I send the argument to my esteemed colleague, Associate Editor Chris Bruce. Bruce: Jeremy, we had over $12,000 to budget for this challenge, and the best you can manage is a 24-year-old diesel Mercedes? I love oil-burners as much as any other auto writer with their mountains of torque and huge cruising range, but you're making this too easy on me. Also, you're really choosing a brown, diesel, German luxury sedan?