BMW to offer four-cylinder diesels in North America to improve fuel efficiency

BMW will offer four-cylinder diesel engines in North America as it seeks to improve fuel efficiency and match the performance of its current six-cylinder gasoline engines. BMW is considering diesels in a range of models, including its 1 series, 3 series and 5 series sedans and possibly the X3 crossover and Z4 roadster, said Tom Baloga, vice president of engineering for BMW of North America. "You're going to see it in the 3 series, and the 5 series is a good possibility," Baloga said.

Ford agrees to sell Aston Martin

Ford Motor Company announced this week it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell Aston Martin, its prestigious UK sports car business. The new owner of Aston Martin is a consortium comprised of: David Richards, founder and chairman of Prodrive, a world-leading motorsport and automotive technology company; John Sinders, an avid Aston Martin collector and a backer of Aston Martin Racing; and Investment Dar and Adeem Investment Co, international investment companies headquartered in Kuwait. The sale is expected to close during the second quarter and the transaction values Aston Martin at GBP 479 million ($925 million). As part of the transaction, Ford will retain a GBP 40 million ($77 million) investment in Aston Martin.

2013 BMW 7-series comes with more power, features, cost

BMW released the details of the 2013 7-series sedan on Friday, saying that the entire 7-series line will offer more power, better fuel economy and more advanced features. And it all comes at a slightly higher cost. The 740i and Li will now feature a version of BMW's stalwart, 3.0-liter TwinPower Turbo inline-six engine delivering 315 hp and 330 lb-ft of torque.