Bmw Monitor 16:39 E38 E39 on 2040-parts.com

Mercedes-Benz to drop the R-class in the U.S.

Mercedes-Benz will drop the slow-selling R-class wagon from its U.S. lineup after the 2012 model year. But the German automaker will continue to build the R-class at its plant in Alabama for export to other markets.

Dual-clutch transmission put on hold at Chrysler

Chrysler Group has delayed introduction of a fuel-saving automatic transmission so it can make the shift patterns more palatable to U.S. drivers--the latest sign that a key tool in automakers' plans to meet tougher fuel-economy rules needs some fine-tuning. Two weeks ago, Ford Motor Co., which uses a similar dual-clutch transmission in its Fiesta and Focus, took a hit in Consumer Reports' annual reliability survey because many drivers complained about balky shifting.

Saab Museum reopens & Saab back in production – sort of

Saabs are being built and the Saab Museum re-opens. The Saab Museum has reopened after Saab’s bankruptcy problems and a Trollhatten dealer is to ‘build’ the last 100 Saabs. We’re still waiting for a decision from Saab’s administrators about which – if any – of the bids they’ve received for what’s left of Saab are solid enough to pursue.