How Shocking: Electrical Issues Plague Modern Cars

With modern cars fitted with more and more electronic equipment, it is logical that electrical problems are popping up much more frequently than in past years. According to a Warranty Direct survey in the UK, electrical faults account for 27% of all car malfunctions every year.

That’s a 17% rise over just five years ago, with more than four out of 10 cars each year facing breakdowns due to electrical problems that are mostly rather complex, and expensive to fix.

Topping the list of the most problematic cars is the 2002-2009 MY Renault Megane, with a 34.66% chance of electrical failure, followed by another French car, the Peugeot 607, with 31.28%. But, as you can see from the list that follows, electrical gremlins plague not just the French models, but also the German and British.

However, there are no Japanese or Korean car in the Top 10.

So, next time you walk into a showroom to buy a new car and drool over the options list, bear in mind that all those wonderful gadgets, which are often unnecessary, might cause you quite a headache in the long run.

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This is what a New BMW 1 M Coupe Looks Like after a Heavy Fender Bender

The brand-new BMW 1 M Coupe hasn’t been around from more than a few months, but we already have the first recorded accident of which we know about.

The unlucky owner of the car, who is from South Korea, posted these photos of the mishap over at the BMW 1Addicts forum. He said that he was the first customer to receive one of the 80 BMW 1 M Coupes scheduled to arrive in the South Korean market.

He also claims that the accident occurred after another car ran through a red light and crashed into his BMW. Take a look at the car before and after the accident in our gallery after the break.

Photo source: 1 Addicts

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BMW Marks Returns to DTM with New M3 Coupe Concept Racer

New DTM racing cars are like public transportation: you wait for ages and then , all of a sudden, three or four buses appear at the same time. Just yesterday we posted Audi’s new entry into the German Touring Car Championship or, as it’s more commonly known, DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters). Today, BMW pulled the wraps off its new own DTM racer based on the coupe version of M3.

And mind you, unlike Audi, BMW revealed the M3 in the flesh clad in carbon fiber and looking quite menacing with its matte paint, flared wheel arches and aerodynamic package.

This isn’t the final form of the racer as BMW Motorsport’s engineers will hone it for its 2012 premiere. Set to debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, it is powered by a 480HP V8 built according to the racing series’ new regulations.

This is the first time that BMW will officially participate in the DTM series since its departure in 1994.

“The DTM comeback sees BMW return to its roots” said member of the board Dr. Klaus Draeger. “We will be facing our main competitors in the premium sector and we are looking forward to this challenge. We have enjoyed great success in the past, and I am convinced we will follow on in 2012 where we left off”.

BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen commented:

"The entire team at BMW Motorsport is approaching this exciting project with absolute commitment. We began making technical preparations following our declaration of intent in April, and established parameters for a high-performance vehicle concept for deployment in the DTM. The positive decision of the BMW Board of Management means we can now shift up a gear and give the green light for development."

Now we’ll have to wait for Mercedes’ competitor which will, more than likely, be based on the brand new C-Class Coupe. This three-way battle between the German premium automakers’ pumped-up coupes should be quite interesting to watch.

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New Study Finds that Chinese Buyers Prefer European over Local Brands

Car buyers’ preferences in China are shifting towards European models and away from domestic and even Japanese vehicles, according to a new study published today by JD Power Asia Pacific. This is the third year that the study takes place.

The latest edition included 65 brands and 161 separate models in nine segments and is based on responses from 4,979 potential buyers of new-vehicles located in 53 cities.

JD Power said it examined pre-purchase perceptions amongst Chinese consumers who intend to buy a new car in the next 12 months. The results show that the percentage of potential new car buyers considering a model by a European carmaker has increased substantially, from 25% in 2009 to 32% in 2001.

The reasons cited are positive perceptions of safety and engine and transmission technology, as well as strong recommendations from friends and family for European cars.

On the other hand, consideration for models by Japanese carmakers has followed the opposite direction, dropping from 32% in 2009 to 27% this year. New car buyers said that they don’t have the same confidence in quality, reliability and dealer service, nor do they receive positive feedback from family and friends.

Domestic carmakers are also facing a decrease in car buyers’ preferences, from 26% in 2009 to 20% in 2011. Poor quality, negative reviews and a lack of recommendation from family and friends are cited as the main reasons.

The study also showed that brand awareness and perception differs according to location and plays a major role in considering a new model.

“Brand awareness does depend on location; for example, in the South region, Japanese brands have particularly high brand influence due to their long tenure there,” said Dr. Mei Songlin, general manager of research at J.D. Power Asia Pacific, Shanghai.

Models with the highest levels of consideration in each segment:

• Compact segment: BYD F0 and Chery QQ3
• Premium compact segment: Chevrolet Sail
• Entry midsize segment: Volkswagen Polo
• Midsize segment: Chevrolet Cruze
• Lower premium midsize segment: BYD F6
• Upper premium midsize segment: Honda Accord
• Luxury segment: Audi A4L
• SUV segment: Volkswagen Tiguan
• MPV segment: Buick GL8

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Kelleners Sport Tunes the BMW 1-Series M Coupe to 410HP

German aftermarket firm Kelleners Sport is one of the first official tuners to get its hands on the new BMW 1-Series M Coupe and offer a complete conversion. Named KS1-S, the modified 1 M Coupe’s turbocharged straight-six now delivers 410-horses, or a good 20% more than the standard car, and just 10HP short of the E92 M3, while torque is increased from 450 to 550 Nm or 405.7 lb-ft.

As a result, the power to weight ratio drops from 4.4kg per HP in the stock model to 3.8 kg per hp in the KS-1 S.

Visually, the KS1-S differs from the standard 1 M Coupe thanks to new aerodynamic parts designed to minimize drag and increase downforce at high speeds, as well as the quad 83 mm exhaust pipes.

Kellener’s 1 M Coupe now rides on new 20-inch alloy wheels shod in tires size 245/30 at the front and 265/30 at the rear.

The company also worked on the suspension settings and added an adjustable coil-over system, which gives the driver the opportunity to adjust both rebound and compression independently.

Changes were also made also in the interior with two-tone black and white perforated leather and alcantara covering the dashboard, door panels and front and rear seats.

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