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BYD are already making small waves in the USA – they loaned a fleet of cars to the LA housing authority recently and also were in talks to set up their American HQ in Los Angeles where they expect to be making their electric bus series in the USA. BYD previously attended the Detroit Auto Show in 2010 with their E6 electric car and also F3 DM model, but have yet to begin sales in the USA, they also attended the 2010 Geneva Auto Show but haven’t as of yet started sales in Europe although they have an EU wide distributor lined up. For 2012 Detroit Auto Show BYD will show their E6 with an updated trim which is expected to be updated for American tastes including an improved rear seating area, the one that China Car Times got to see at the Guangzhou Auto Show had a good interior but needed to be improved in small areas.

BYD, the fast-growing Chinese automaker backed by investment guru Warren Buffet, hopes the fourth time is a charm. The company will return to the North American International Auto Show in Detroit next week for the fourth time, debuting two new models and reprising its “coming to America” theme that has played for the last several years.

The car company, which started life as a battery manufacturer, has recently suffered a drop in sales revenue and has even backed off on some of its more aggressive electric vehicle plans, including a U.S. launch in 2010 that was announced at the Detroit show last year. In spite of that, it appears the company continues to view the U.S. market as a land of opportunity and should use its press conference at the auto show to announce concrete import plans.

At the show BYD will show off a U.S.-spec crossover, the 2012 e6 Premier, which boasts a range of more than 150 miles from its iron-phosphate lithium batteries. In addition, it will introduce a plug-in hybrid SUV, the S6DM, which will offer up to 38 miles in EV-mode until a 2.0-liter gas engine kicks in.

Along with the e6 and S6 models, BYD plans to exhibit its F3DM hybrid (with a claimed 60-mile EV-only range) and k9 electric bus (which has a claimed 155-mile range), the latter of which was introduced in China in October. The company also will show solar panels, battery storage systems and other aspects of its total energy solution.

While it gathers a lot of attention for its EV technology, BYD’s rapid growth in China has been fueled by sales of its F3 sedan, a Ford Focus-size compact powered by a 1.5-liter gas engine.

From Cri English:

Chinese carmaker Jianghuai Automobile Co., Ltd. (JAC) started shipping the first batch of 500 cars to Brazil on Tuesday.

It signed a deal in August to export 620,000 ethanol-powered cars to Brazil in the next ten years.

In a statement on Wednesday, the company said it will send the second and third batches, 1,500 and 2,500 cars respectively, in January and February next year.

In August, the company announced it signed the Exclusive Distributor Agreement with Brazilian dealer SHC.

JAC Motors, among the top 10 Chinese carmakers, sought to break into the world No.4 auto market that has been long dominated by U.S. and European automakers and has a high entry threshold.

She Cairong, deputy general manager of JAC Motors, said: “We should continuously broaden our global vision to gradually compete with global auto giants.”

From Bloomberg:

A missed sales target caps a tough year for shares of BYD, the Chinese electric car company backed by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway.BYD tells Bloomberg that it will sell between 520,000 and 550,000 cars this year.  That’s below the already-reduced target of 600,000.  In August, BYD cut that goal by 200,000 vehicles.

The Chinese company has started a trial program with the Los Angeles Housing Authority for an electric car fleet and it still expects to sell its K9 electric bus in the U.S. in 2011.  Sales in the U.S., however, of the E6 electric car are now planned for 2012.  That’s two years behind schedule.

BYD expects a “sizable profit” from electric vehicles in about five years, but its third quarter profits fell 99 percent after weak sales this summer.

At today’s close of HK$40.50, the Hong Kong listed stock has lost half its value since early April, when it hit its 2010 high just above HK$80.

Berkshire’s 225 million share stake, purchased for $230 million in September of 2008 at the height of the credit crisis, is still very profitable on paper.But Berkshire’s current gain on the deal of about $934,000 puts the black ink below $1 billion for the first time since the summer of 2009.

At BYD’s peak in October of 2009, Berkshire’s paper profit soared to almost $2.3 billion.

Buffett showed his support for BYD with a celebratory visit during his September trip to China.

The Hyundai Accent is a popular economy car in China and is trying to stay competitive for 2011 onwards. The face lift model has received a redone front end and also a new set of lights at the rear, this is the first update the car has received since its 2008 update.

The Accent retails for around 80,000rmb to 100,000rmb in China and comes with a 1.4L engine only mated to a mixture of 5 speed or 4 speed auto. A 1.6L option is offered as a top model.

A race car for the private-jet set.

With most of the world’s roadways growing ever more crowded, and with penalties for speeding becoming ever more draconian—a Swedish man faced a $1 million fine in Switzerland for doing 180 mph in a 75-mph zone in his Mercedes SLS AMG last year—it’s getting harder and harder to exercise exotic sports cars at anywhere near their limits. And yet, in this golden age of performance, there have never been more high-horsepower cars on the market.

Keep Reading: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 – First Drive Review

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1. Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 – Auto Shows
2. Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3: Shhh, It’s a Secret
3. 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG – First Drive Review

What happens when vehicles take on people, places, and things with similar names?

Twice before, we’ve pitted vehicles against similar-sounding products, people, places, and things. In previous battles, the Patriot Act took down Jeep’s Patriot SUV, and Toyota and Yoda played to a draw. Here we present Round 3 of Cars Versus Stuff.

Keep Reading: Cars Versus Similarly Named Stuff: Round 3 – Feature

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BMW’s X3 crossover grows up and gets its turbo on.

Introduced seven years ago, the original 3-series–based BMW X3 was getting old. In spite of a mid-cycle refresh for 2007, in our last comparison test of small luxury crossovers, we called it “a five-year-old BMW on stilts,” and poked fun at its tight back seat, dated interior, and high cost. (Of course, its fine driving dynamics meant it still charged to a second-place showing behind the then-new Audi Q5.) And so we welcome this new-for-2011 model. Like most vehicular reprises, the latest X3 has grown up and grown out—mostly to make room for the smaller X1 in BMW’s lineup—with a larger silhouette, more available power, and a marked increase in comfort.

Keep Reading: 2011 BMW X3 xDrive35i – Short Take Road Test

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1. 2011 BMW X5 xDrive35i – Short Take Road Test
2. 2008 BMW X6 xDrive35i – Short Take Road Test
3. 2010 BMW X6 M – Short Take Road Test

On Tuesday, we posted an audio recording of a mystery car’s exhaust note. To hear it again, click play above. This was a tricky one; we tried to include a hint with the engine shutoff and start-up heard around 0:50 and 0:59. If you had noticed that subtle clue, you might have guessed the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg hybrid, with its novel “sailing” function. Sadly, no one did.

Like that sound? Download the MP3 and quiz your friends, make your own ringtone, or just lull yourself to sleep with sweet, sweet vehicular ear candy.

2011 Volkswagen Touareg hybrid Exhaust MP3 (Right-click to Save As…)

Related posts:

1. 2011 Volkswagen Touareg / Touareg Hybrid / Touareg TDI – First Drive Review
2. Name That Exhaust Note, Episode 32: 2010 Volkswagen GTI DSG
3. 2011 Volkswagen Touareg @ 2010 Geneva Auto Show – Video

We noted a couple of quiet updates made to a 2011 Jaguar XF Supercharged that recently graced the C/D lot. Two buttons caught our eye—specifically the one that operates the newly available heated windshield (thanks, Land Rover!) and another that opens the glove-compartment door.

A read of the 2011 XF press release reveals this line: “JaguarSense® glove box opening sensor replaced by a pushbutton for more convenient operation.” Interestingly, the same change does not appear to have been made to U.K.-market XFs. And the all-new XJ also includes the JaguarSense button-y thing.

Our 2009 XF long-termer’s touch-sensitive bull’s-eye worked consistently for only a handful of operators, and many of us wondered what would happen if the battery died, trapping the owner’s manual inside. That first complaint has been addressed in a switch to a more traditional momentary switch. But pressing it—tactile feedback and all—still activates a solenoid that actually does the job of releasing the door, so tough luck when the battery’s flat.

Other changes for the 2011 XF: the base model gets the naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V-8 that was previously only the province of the XF Premium model; XF Supercharged and XFR models continue with the supercharged 5.0-liter in two states of tune. This means the 4.2-liter V-8 that the car was originally introduced with is now entirely gone from the lineup. The newfound 5.0-liter in the base car is accompanied by a commensurate increase in front brake-disc size, matching the Premium’s. Also, the 2011 XFR gets a black grille, which looks pretty good.

Oh, and the wave-to-operate overhead lights? They’re still there, as are the pop-up shift knob and rotating HVAC vents. Sometimes the opposite of progress is slow, too.

Related posts:

1. Name That Exhaust Note, Episode 61: 2011 Jaguar XFR
2. 2010 Jaguar XF Supercharged – Short Take Road Test
3. 2009 Jaguar XF Supercharged – Long-Term Road Test

Wrap-Up: Our long-term Mini JCW convertible shook and rattled its way to the 40K mark.

In the summer of 2009, we set out to determine the 40,000-mile hardiness of the Mini John Cooper Works convertible, a tiny car that has the features—and price—of larger and more established near-luxury competitors. We discovered early what we loved about our Mini: its accessory-fueled good looks; its barking, popping exhaust note; and its rewarding and willing handling on smooth roads.

Keep Reading: 2009 Mini John Cooper Works Convertible – Long-Term Road Test Wrap-Up

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1. 2009 Mini John Cooper Works Convertible – Long-Term Road Test Intro
2. 2009 Mini Cooper John Cooper Works Convertible – Auto Shows
3. Name That Exhaust Note, Episode 6: 2009 Mini John Cooper Works Convertible