BMW recalling 32,000 vehicles due to engine fire risk

BMW has announced it will recall a total of five model lines belonging to the 2008-2011 model years due to a fire hazard, including the 5-Series, 5-Series Gran Turismo, 7-Series, X5 and X6 fitted with 8- or 12-cylinder engines.

BMW said the circuit board for the electric auxiliary water pump can overheat and can start a fire. The company found at least 102 cases of pump failures so far, including two engine compartment fires.

The recall is expected to begin this month, with dealers set to replace the auxiliary water pump free of charge. Owners may contact BMW at 1-800-525-7417 or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153).

Saab sold to Chinese investors

In a statement on October 28, Saab owner Swedish Automobile said it concluded a deal to sell 100% stake of the struggling carmaker to Chinese partners Youngman and Pang Da for €100 million ($142 million).

The company said "Swedish Automobile announces that it entered into a memorandum of understanding with Pang Da and Youngman for the sale and purchase of 100% of the shares of Saab Automobile AB (Saab Automobile) and Saab Great Britain Ltd. (Saab GB) for a consideration of €100 million".

Swedish daily Svenska Dagbladet reported earlier in the week that Pang Da and Youngman had instead offered 200 million kronor ($39.1 million) to buy all of Saab.

American 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth will debut in Los Angeles

Chrysler has announced it will introduce the 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth US at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 18.

No infomation about the engine, but we know that the European model comes with a 1.4-liter turbocharged engine with 140 hp and 206 Nm of torque or 160 hp in the Essesse version.

In addition, the suspension, brakes and tech goodies will also be upgraded.

Renault Pulse unveiled in India

According to a recent report, Renault is working on a new model named the Pulse minicar, which will be unveiled at the 2012 New Delhi Motor Show this upcoming January.

Developed by Renault's Design Center in Mumbai, the Pulse will be powered by a 1.5 dCi diesel engine which will be produced at the Renault-Nissan Chennai plant in India.

The Pulse will be the third model in Renault's Indian-market lineup, along with the Fluence and Koleos.

The Renault Pulse will go on sale in India starting with January 2012.

Volkswagen XL1 Production confirmed for 2013

In an interview with Autonews Europe, Volkswagen Group CEO, Martin Winterkorn has confirmed that the production version of the XL1 is already under development.

Accordingly, the XL1 will be assembled in Dresden or Wolfsburg and will be equipped by an electric motor with 27 hp and a 0.8-liter 2-cylinder diesel engine with 48 hp. It is mated to a seven-speed double-clutch gearbox, allowing the 795 kg car to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 11.9 seconds and hit a top speed of 161 km/h.

The XL1 returns a fuel efficiency of 0.9-liter per 100 km (261 US mpg or 313 UK mpg) and CO2 emissions of 24 g/km.

The Volkswagen XL1 will be produced by 2013.

Four Ford Mustangs announced for SEMA

Ford has announced it plans to introduce four Mustangs at the 2011 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

First up, the Forgiato Wheels Mustang features a matte silver paint, a wide body kit and 21-inch front wheels and 22-inch rear wheels. In addition, the car is also equipped with a Vortech supercharger to ensure "the performance matches up to the aggressive appearance."

Next, the Creations n’ Chrome Mustang comes with a red paint, a carbon fiber hood, roof and trunk. Other goodies include 18-inch forged wheels, a Vortech supercharger and a chromoly roll cage.

The MRT Performance Mustang has a ProCharger supercharger, stainless steel sport exhaust system and an H&R coilover suspension. There's also a custom hood, unique paint accents and Sparco racing seats.

Lastly, the H&R Springs Mustang has an Edelbrock supercharger, a flowmaster stainless steel exhaust and Pirelli P Zero tires. The model is also equipped with an adjustable H&R sport suspension.

Skoda to introduce four new models

According to a report from Car magazine, Skoda is planning to introduce two new crossover models and two new SUVs within the next five years.

On the crossover side, a new crossover, similar to the Volkswagen Touran, will replace the Roomster in 2014, while a larger model, similar to the Volkswagen Sharan, will come in 2016.

On the SUV side, the Yeti will be replaced by two new models. A new SUV, based on the Volkswagen Tiguan, coming in 2015 and a larger seven-seater SUV arriving on the scene in 2016.