Search
Motoramic

New BMW M135i concept, Fiat imports from Italy and the hardest hit of Danica Patrick’s career in the Dash

What we're reading this morning about BMW's new bahnstormer, Fiat's Italian jobs and Danica Patrick's crushing introduction to Nascar:

BMW unveils concept M135i [BMW] With last year's BMW 1 Series M Coupe out of production, BMW has another idea for a small stormer — this hatchback, the M135i, powered by a twin-turbo straight six engine good for at least 300 hp. Bet on BMW building these in small numbers at a high price (some dealers attempted a $20,000 markup on the $50,000 M Coupe) with a few reaching America.

Volkswagen profit more than doubles [Associated Press] Germany's national automaker and home to ten brands if you include Porsche says profit for all of 2011 rose to $20.5 billion, thanks mostly to some financial gains on investments. Excluding those, operating profits hit $15.1 billion on sales of 8.27 million vehicles.

Marchionne: Fate of Fiat plants hinges on exports to U.S. [Reuters] Fiat-Chrysler boss Sergio Marchionne says in order to meet surging demand for Chryslers in the United States, Fiat needs to export from Mexico, Canada or Europe — and if Fiat's Italian plants don't step up, two of the five would have to be closed. The linchpin appears to be getting Alfa Romeo back into the United States, something that Fiat's delayed for years.

GM plant resumes rollout of Volts [Detroit News] After halting production for a recall to add fire-preventing re-enforcements to its battery pack, GM has resumed building Volts in Hamtramck, Mich., along with shipping the first HOV-lane qualified models to California.

Danica Patrick endures a heavy crash at Daytona, proving her toughness in the process [Yahoo] Near the end of yesterday's Budweiser Shootout, racer Danica Patrick took a hard bump into an inside wall, destroying her car and forcing her to run a backup machine from the back of Sunday's Daytona 500. The thing to notice in this video: How Danica takes her hands off the wheels in the seconds before the crash — a move long practiced by open-wheel racers to keep their wrists from being snapped in an accident. Patrick wasn't hurt, and says she's ready for Sunday.



Got news or info to share? Email us here, and follow Motoramic on Twitter or Facebook

 

14 comments

  • JoeSchmoe  •  Pleasanton, California  •  2 months ago
    I've hit walls harder than that, and that's just getting out of a bar.
  • Mildly Amused  •  Minneapolis, Minnesota  •  2 months ago
    I once got hit in the ankle by a shopping cart in a grocery store by a woman. I immediately turned and yelled "give a woman something with four wheels and she has to crash it". An old man with his wife in the aisle started laughing until his wife gave him the evil eye .....
  • Craig E. Munson, Attorney  •  Irvine, California  •  2 months ago
    If you hold onto the wheel you can break a wrist easily. She was really concerned about breaking a nail.
  • Matthew  •  2 months ago
    it was the gartorade duel 1 some one needs to get there facts stright
    • S 2 months ago
      facts? if you want facts Yahoo ain't your kind of place
  • Al  •  Washington, District of Columbia  •  2 months ago
    time to quit nascar...dani p....move on over to 'demolition derby'
  • F  •  Brighton, Michigan  •  2 months ago
    you should be proud joe
  • dead7  •  2 months ago
    Supa good job of open mouth insert foot Indy, most sprint cars, and several other racing series use methanol (aka wood alcohol) Nascar uses a SPECIAL unleaded fuel not avalible to public. NHRA uses nitromethane ( a byproduct of making gasoline) get an understanding of what you talking about BEFORE you state your opinion. None of these fuels could used in a street car. So where are you saving the money????
    • Matthew 2 months ago
      Indycar has not used methanol in 5 years - the fuel/exhaust fumes are toxic. They run 98% ethanol, 2% gasoline. BTW, The reason pro racers shun gasoline is fire safety during crashes - it ignites at a much lower temperature than alcohol.
  • Ken  •  Houston, Texas  •  2 months ago
    Here's a hint Sergio, how about building those in demand Chrysler's right here in the US. You got a US company, it's about time you start supporting the US economy. We don't need any more imports or vehicles made in Mexico or Canada. MAKE 'EM HERE! The big problem is the unions jacking up the cost of the production. How about [GASP!] setting up non-organized factories and keeping the greedy unions out of it.
  • robert  •  2 months ago
    so...how many crashes does Ms Patrick have to go through before she grasps the fact that she's not a NASCAR driver. No, a lot of them aren't her fault, but she seems to crash about every freakin' race....
    • Michael 2 months ago
      Now, that's not PC :)
  • SUPA  •  Portland, Maine  •  2 months ago
    When are we going to realize vehicle racing sports are a phenomenal waste of 80,000,000 gallons of gas a year?If we got rid of them gas would go down a full dollar.Hell if we stopped spending tax payer money on corporate wars America would bounce back our money would be worth more and gas would be another dollar cheaper.Think about that before we waste money and lives backing up the bully nation of Israel.
    • Senorita555 2 months ago
      Ever go to a Nascar race? More fans in an enclosed space than could ever be dreamed. Nirvana for advertisers. Getting rid of it, and/or F1 ain't gonna happen in our lifetime.
    • Pengis™ 2 months ago
      wonderful idea, until you consider how much money NASCAR alone puts into the economy.
    • Sean 2 months ago
      Somebody once made the same argument about Navy and Airforce Airshows, saying how much money it costs in fuel, time and coordination. the amount of money used on advertising alone more than covers the cost of the fuel in both circumstances (the airshows also have a nack for really boosting enlistment rates in their areas too). If you lived in an area where Nascar was big, you would understand. Every time a major race came to town, local business would be booming as spectators flooded the towns. And as to the antisemetic jab at the end of your comment, they dont have a single friend in that area, every other surrounding country would not only rather the country dismantled, but its citizens wiped off the face of the earth. Do I agree with alot of its tactics? no, I think it often brings the hatred upon itself however they have to be tough because the moment they let down theyre guard, they WILL be destroyed. Please tell me again how Nascar fits anywhere into that again though?
  • SeadogMillionaire  •  2 months ago
    I will be the first to get an Alfa Romeo. ALWAYS loved that brand ... despite its boast of being the most unreliable brand in the world !!!
  • JOHN  •  San Diego, California  •  2 months ago
    Someone ran into her and caused her to spin out. She's as good a driver as any of the boys.
  • Road  •  Eugene, Oregon  •  2 months ago
    Hope she is alright! Danica you need to buy a -- www.roadrunnerev.com -- if you want to drive crazy like that.
  • Joshua  •  Portland, Oregon  •  2 months ago
    I'd Danica her Patrick! OOO-RAH!

Follow Yahoo! Autos

RESEARCH A CAR

Top Rated

Category: Sedans