Raleigh Auto Show Opens Thursday

Because I live a stone’s throw away from Raleigh, I get to enjoy the annual North Carolina International Auto Expo which is held for four days every February inside the Jim Campbell building on the North Carolina State Fairgrounds. This year’s show runs from February 11-14 and I plan on making my visit there on Thursday afternoon.

Small Show

Don’t get me wrong: this show is small and some manufacturers choose to stay away. Honda and Mercedes haven’t displayed their cars in the past few years, but fans of Ford, GM, and Toyota will not be disappointed: their vehicles take up a significant part of the showroom floor.

But despite the show’s size, you can happen upon some good finds. In recent years I got to see the Dodge Challenger, Buick LaCrosse, and Ford Taurus ahead of their respective releases and talk with company and marketing representatives. From a customer’s point of view you should be able to find many of the current 2010 models plus soon to be released 2011 cars.

No Pressure

One advantage with most any auto show is that you can see what you want without the pressure of a salesman. And, if GM continues with its past practice, you may be able to actually drive a few of Chevrolets or Buicks on display.

One of the local dealers, Capital Ford, will provide a display for an F250 Crew Cab, a Propane vehicle that ROUSH Performance has converted.

“Ford has been and will continue to be a leader in fuel efficiency and green technology,” said Tim Michael, President of Capital Ford. “We are thrilled to have the F250 Crew Cab at the Auto Expo to demonstrate that trucks too can be fuel efficient.”

Ford will also showcase the 2011 Mustang, the upcoming Fiesta subcompact, and the soon to be updated 2011 Lincoln MKX and other models.

New Releases

The 2011 Toyota Sienna will be shown just ahead of its big marketing push in time for the Winter Games which start on Friday. Super luxury makes including Aston Martin, Maserati, and Ferrari will each be present while Kia, Hyundai, all Chrysler brands, Mazda, and others will be present.

The North Carolina International Auto Expo is sponsored by the Wake County New Vehicles Dealer Association who contributes some of the show’s proceeds to local charities. Over the past four years, the group has donated $150,000 to a number of causes.

I will follow up here later this week with some of my finds including important “trends” you will want to know about.

Mercedes, BMW Tie The Knot

A Little Bit Of Autobahn Collaboration!

BMW and Mercedes have reached an agreement to share some key components, including engine and transmission technology. Will we see the day when these two rivals eventually merge operations? I doubt it, but it something to think about.

Okay, the title of this article is a bit of an exaggeration – Germany’s two biggest luxury automakers are not merging operations. Instead, Daimler AG and Bayerische Motoren Werke (BMW) have reached an agreement where the two companies will begin sharing some components in a bid to collectively reduce their costs.

Specifically, the automakers will take advantage of their respective economies of scale and use their collective might to purchase car parts in greater numbers and for less cost per part. Parts including brake components, certain cabin materials, and possibly the sharing of safety components could be included in this deal.

BMW Engines, Gearboxes To Mercedes?

BMW has even discussed selling engines and gearboxes to Mercedes which would be a highly unusual agreement, given that these two components are often what distinguishes the German models the most. However, the current economic climate around the world is pretty dismal, making such a deal advantageous to all sides. The only concern would be consumers – how would they view two similar models which aren’t all that different under the hood?

One engine being considered by BMW to supply to Mercedes is its new V12 powerplant which it plans to unveil in 2009 for use in the 7-series and in a new ‘baby’ Rolls-Royce sedan. Based on an extended version of BMW’s new turbocharged 4.0L V8, the new engine might be useful for Mercedes in both the S-class as well as in the Maybach (Mercedes’ ultra-luxury brand). No transmissions have been identified with this agreement, but the possibility of one or more gearboxes being shared is strong.

Who Else Has BMW Been In Talks With?

BMW has hinted that Mercedes isn’t the only automaker interested in company technology. Aston Martin has expressed interest in hammering out a deal with the German automaker and one American manufacturer has expressed interest in BMW diesel technology. Likely, that company is General Motors who is looking to expand the Cadillac CTS line up to include at least one diesel powerplant that is ready for the US market.

Besides BMW and Mercedes, other automakers are cutting deals in a bid to save money. Most notably are Nissan and Chrysler, Ford and General Motors, a number of Japanese brands with each other, and Chrysler and Volkswagen. Whether these arrangements will diminish the independence of any automaker remains to be seen, but the savings that can be realized may be something too good for any of them to pass up.

(Source: Autocar)