Police Recover BMW 750i xDrive that was Stolen During the Detroit Auto Show [with VIDEO]

The BMW 750i xDrive that was stolen during the 2011 Detroit Auto Show has been found. The $95,000 car was discovered at a gated apartment complex near Telegraph and Glendale Street, in Detroit’s West Side. Detroit police said the wires to the tracking system had been cut, but the Bimmer was probably ditched due to the massive media attention surrounding the case. Authorities seized the vehicle for further processing.

The 7-Series was used by BMW officials and guests during the press days of the Detroit motor show. Although it was a crime of opportunity, as the handler left the keys in the car and stepped away for a second, the thieves weren’t amateurs and were able to annihilate the GPS tracking device fitted to the $95,000 luxo-barge. Video report available after the break.

Next Lincoln Models to get Unique Designs and Different Technology than Fords

According to an Automotive News report, future Lincoln vehicles will be heavily differentiated from their Ford counterparts, as the two brands will no longer share design cues and technology.

“The strategy isn't just new products, but full differentiation from the Ford brand in not only design, but in technology”, said Derrick Kuzak, Ford's group vice president of global product development, on the sidelines of the 2011 Detroit Auto Show.

Mr. Kuzak also said that Ford would achieve this by modifying the existing platforms in order to create unique Lincoln products. That could be the case with Ford’s power steering or chassis electronic control, for example.

“Imagine adding suspension control to that and what would happen to the platform if you did that on Lincoln only”, he added.

Scott Tobin, Lincoln's director of product development, told Automotive News that future Lincoln products will have newly designed interiors, an extended V6 engine line-up and other features, such as paddle shifters and all-wheel drive systems, with no rear-wheel drive variants in the works.

Lincoln also plans to reorganize its dealer network by eliminating at least 200 franchises in the top 130 U.S. markets. Furthermore, remaining dealers must agree to thoroughly upgrade their facilities and implement other changes.

Source: Autonews

Has the Detroit Motor Show Lost its Mojo?

With the U.S auto market catching momentum in 2010, most of us had high expectations for this year's edition of the North American International Auto Show. And while Porsche's comeback to the show after a four-year hiatus was a welcome addition, the absence of key players such as Nissan, Infiniti and Mazda continues to worry.

But even the companies that did take part in the show didn't really impress with their offerings. The fact that the first press day was more than enough for the participating [mainstream] brands to announce their new production and concept models at the Cobo Center, says a lot about this year's event.

In fact, if it weren't for the Koreans and Japanese, the 2011 Detroit Salon would have been as exciting as the Brussels motor show... Hyundai and Kia led the way with the Veloster and two more concept crossovers followed by Toyota which expanded its Prius family with a minivan and showcased a concept for a smaller hatchback model, while Honda revealed pre-production prototypes of its next generation Civic.

And how about Detroit's Big Three? Well, GM showed the new Buick Verano and Chevrolet Sonic(s) alongside a prototype version of the GMC Sierra. Ford displayed the Focus EV and hybrid variants of the C-MAX together with the oddly named Vertrek study, while Chrysler's stand featured the redesigned 300 and Mopar variants of the 200 sedan and Fiat 500. Where are the eye-popping American concept models? Where's Cadillac? Where's Lincoln?

The European or rather the German carmakers opted to keep most of their newcomers for the rapidly approaching Geneva Salon as the only noteworthy presentations concern the U.S. market 2012 VW Passat, Audi A6, BMW 1 Series M Coupe and 650i Convertible, MINI Paceman study and Porsche's 918 RSR Coupe concept.

And there you have it; in three short paragraphs the most notable debuts of the 2011 Detroit Show.

Economic woes aside, another reason that Detroit is steadily losing its role as one of the top players in the international motor show scene could be that many automakers are spreading their new model debuts over more shows in North America, namely the New York and Los Angeles events, both of which experienced increased numbers of world premieres in the past couple of years.

Share your thoughts about this year's edition of the Detroit Motor Show, and what you believe about its future in the comments section below.

What a Steal... Thieves Nab $94,000 BMW 7 Series at Detroit Motor Show

While we're done covering the automotive action from the main show floor of the Cobo Center, the Detroit Motor Show continues to make headlines, albeit for the wrong reasons. A BMW 750i xDrive (or 750iL xDrive) worth either $94,000 or $140,000 (depending on the news site....) was stolen near the Westin Book Cadillac in downtown Detroit. And what has that got to do with the Detroit Show, we hear you ask?

Well, the 7-Series was part of a fleet of BMW sedans that were used by the Bavarian automaker's executives and guests during the press days of the show. According to Police reports, the gray bimmer was being loaded into a transporter bound for New Jersey when the handler stepped away momentarily leaving the keys in the vehicle. That's when the crafty thieves stepped in and drove away with the 7er. Video report after the jump.

Born in the USA: 2012 VW Passat, Previously known as NMS, Revealed Ahead of Detroit Show

Volkswagen has finally lifted the covers of its New Midsize Sedan [NMS], and it's name is... Passat. In other words, the Wolfsburg-based carmaker chose to retain the Passat name for its new mid size sedan model, which has been specifically developed for the North American market and will be built at the firm's new US plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

The four-door saloon model will be launched in the States in mid-August with an entry-level price in the US$20,000 range, according to the company. Final prices will be announced in March. "There is hardly any other saloon of this size (exactly 191.7 inches or 4,868 mm long) that offers such high technology and quality at a comparable price," said Volkswagen in a statement.

As previously mentioned, the new, U.S. market Passat has a length of 191.7 inches (4,868 mm). Its wheelbase is 110.4 inches (2,803 mm) and its width is 72.2 inches (1,835 mm), meaning its size has increased in all three dimensions compared to the previous model. This should translate to increased passenger space over the same-name model it replaces.

The sedan's exterior styling draws its inspiration from the recently launched Jetta, and not from the refreshed, European market, Passat - not that there's a huge difference... Not surprisingly, the interior also looks similar to the Jetta, albeit with more upscale trim.

According to the German automaker, the car’s technology and styling came from Germany, while Volkswagen of America provided the conceptual direction.

Talking about technology (or the lack it...), the entry-level Passat will be offered in the States with VW's familiar 2.5-liter five-cylinder motor producing 170-horsepower, while returning an estimated 31mpg on the highway.

Other engine options will include a more frugal Clean Diesel (TDI) with 140HP and a highway fuel economy of 43mpg, and a six-cylinder petrol engine, the 3.6-liter VR6 with 280-horsepower, which is paired with a standard dual clutch transmission (DSG), returning 28mpg on the highway and completing the 0-60mph sprint in 6.5 seconds.

Buyers in the U.S. will have a choice of three equipment lines: S, SE and SEL. The base version will come equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system, ESP, ABS with braking assistant, Hill Climb Assist (with manual transmission and DSG), and six airbags

Other standard features include electric windows all round, air conditioning, insulating glass, an analogue clock in the center of the instrument panel, cruise control, outside temperature display with frost warning, radio-CD system (MP3-capable, plus external audio input) and a Bluetooth hands-free mobile phone system (with voice activation).