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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.

BMW begins restoring Elvis Presley's 507 [w/video]

Imagine the King of Rock n' Roll driving a car and you'll likely picture a pink Cadillac or a yellow De Tomaso shot full of holes. But Elvis also owned a 1957 BMW 507 roadster, and now that roadster is returning home to BMW headquarters.
The 507 was a rare bird, of which only 254 examples were ever made. They were sold mostly to celebrities and royalty, but Elvis Presley was a GI when he bought it while stationed in Germany. The example that he bought had been displayed at the Frankfurt Motor Show, used as a press car and raced by Hans Stuck (which is how Elvis came to see it in the first place), so when he took delivery of it second-hand, the dealership had a new engine installed. It was originally white, but legend has it that Elvis got tired of women writing their phone numbers on the side of it in lipstick that he had it repainted in red.
Stories differ on what exactly happened to it next, with some saying that he returned it once the lease was up and other saying that the army shipped it back to him in the States after his tour was over. But what we do know is that the car sat for many years, neglected but sheltered from the elements. Now it's heading to the the BMW Museum in Munich, where it will be on display until August 10, after which the BMW Group Classic department will undertake a comprehensive restoration of the star-studded roadster that's expected to take two years of work.

2018 Kia Stinger vs. other luxury hatchbacks compared by the numbers

Ten years ago, if you had told us that one of the many new luxury segments to develop would be sedan-style hatchbacks, we'd have said you'd lost your mind. And yet, here we are today with not one, but four cars competing in just such a niche upscale segment: The Kia Stinger, Buick Regal Sportback, BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo and Audi A5. That's just in one size and price bracket. Two of the manufacturers listed here make larger versions of each luxury hatchback. We aren't entirely sure how it happened, but we're not going to complain, because we love the idea of a car with almost no compromise: luxury features, sporty performance, and plenty of practicality. Try Autoblog' s Car Finder to search for your next new vehicle. One of the reasons we're taking a look at these cars right now is that Kia has recently released pricing for its entry in the segment, the Stinger and Stinger GT. Buick wasn't far behind with the Regal Sportback and Regal GS, nor was Audi with the A5 and S5. So it seemed like an appropriate moment to look at the numbers and see which come out ahead or behind, with victors in each category highlighted with bold and underlined text. What we found when comparing these cars' statistics is that each one has a clear area of expertise. For performance, it's hard to beat the four-cylinder Kia Stinger and the V6 Stinger GT. The four-banger has the most horsepower of the four cars, and is just behind on torque. The V6 has the most power and torque among the six-cylinder versions. The Stingers are also the second lightest of the group when equipped with rear-wheel drive, though they fall to third with all-wheel drive. Space is a split between the Buick Regals and BMW 3 Series Gran Turismos. The Buicks have the most cargo space with the rear seats up or folded by a significant margin. The BMW on the other hand generally offers more space for passengers. It's up to you what's most important. Compare these and other potential new vehicle purchases using our tool. When it comes to cost, nothing can beat the four-cylinder Regal's base price of under $26,000. But if a V6 is what you're after, the Stinger GT is the cheapest. Neither matches the Audi A5 and S5 for fuel economy, though. Both Audis have the highest numbers for city, highway, and combined EPA estimates. Related Video: