Auto Trends

M Sport wheels, BMW 135i, originally uploaded by Eric Flexyourhead

Cars.com recently offered some great input on the overall worth of certain car add-ons when it came time to trading or reselling a vehicle in for a new one. What they found was certainly surprising. Some add-ons are actually worth their weight in gold when it comes to their resale value (especially if you desired the add-on in the first place).

Here is a summary of the results:

The Must Have Bunch (60% to 90% Return on Investment)
America seems to be a nation of much more “want” than “need”. With that said, there certainly does appear to be a group of convenience add-ons that seems to be on just about everybody’s need list. Having a vehicle without this standard list of features could cost you big in the end when it comes time to selling your vehicle off.

• Cruise Control- An All-American standard
• Power Windows- Today’s generation probably wouldn’t even know what to do with an ancient window crank.
• Power Door Locks- Who can even remember the last time they had to place a key in a car door lock to open a door?
• Air-Conditioning- In cities like Phoenix, Tucson, and Las Vegas, it should be a crime to sell a vehicle without air conditioning.

The If You Want It, Go For It Bunch (40% to 60% Return on Investment)
While these features are not considered important to the majority of all car buyers, they are popular enough to be split 50/50 amongst most buyers. This means that whether you decide to spring for these or not, there are enough buyers that are willing to pay extra for their convenience, that not only will your vehicle be worth more, it may sell quicker for having it.

• Power Seats- nice comfort feature by most consumers standards.
• CD Changer- American’s have to have their tunes. In the not so distant future, new infotainment features should take the place of this ancient dinosaur add-on.
• Automatic Transmission- The only caveat is certain sport cars, such as the Mustang or Camaro, which may become worth more to the enthusiast who prefers a standard manual transmission.
• Tilt Steering- You never even think about it until you really need it!
• Alloy Wheels- American’s like their bling, baby!

The Noteworthy Bunch (30% to 40% Return on Investment)
These are the add-on features that may be worthy to some, but are not worthy to the majority. These are the kind of features that you certainly shouldn’t allow yourself to be pushed into by the salesperson, unless it is something you really want.

• Anti-lock Brakes- Here is an important option put surprisingly low on this list. The reason that it is only currently at a 37% return on investment, is it is quickly becoming standard equipment in many vehicles. One day this won’t even be considered an add-on, but that should be considered a good thing.
• Performance Model (Engine Upgrade)- While the smaller engines are usually the bread and butter of manufacturers, the upgraded models are certainly sought after by enthusiasts who crave performance. If you yourself prefers performance to gas mileage, this is still a worthwhile investment over the long haul.
• Leather Seats- While not a favorite for everybody, it is still considered a luxury item.
• Premium Stereo- You would think this add-on would be worth more to consumers, but to the ultimate audiophile, the best systems are custom-built, not a manufacturer upgrade!

The Loser Add-Ons (0% to 30% Return on Investment)
Here is the saddest group of add-ons of all. These will actually depreciate faster than the vehicle itself. The moment you drive off the lot, you might as well kiss the money spent on any of these goodbye!

• Rear Entertainment Systems- Who really watches these things anyway!
• Navigation Systems- The problem here is that the integrated equipment becomes outdated so quickly, it is obsolete by the time the car is barely a year old. The better bet is to purchase a portable GPS unit that can be upgraded anytime, moved from vehicle to vehicle, and purchased at a reasonable cost.
• The Sport Package- Opinions take their toll on sport packages. One consumers race stripes, is another consumers eye-sore. For this reason, the sport package should be purchased on a need to have basis, because your “gotta have,” just might be someone else’s “gotta get rid-of”.

Porsche_911_GT3_2010_06, originally uploaded by Dream-cars.tv

Porsche has released test footage of their upcoming 2010 Porsche 911 GT3. But this is no drive around the track with just some no-name schmuck, we are talking about the legendary rally driver, Walter Röhrl. Before we take you on that ride, let’s talk a bit about the new GT3.

To begin with, much of the improvements over the Porsche GT3 have very little to do with looks and everything to do with performance. To begin with, the front end has been completely designed, offering the popular “wide mouth” look. But don’t be fooled by the new “look”, as the soul purpose of the new larger intakes is to pull more air through the chassis.

A new lip spoiler in the front rounds out some of the body upgrades. The spoiler’s main job is to keep the majority of air from entering the lower underbelly and dragging the Porsche’s top track speed down. With all the aerodynamic upgrades, the 2010 GT3 has the capability of a top speed of no less than 194 mph.

With such an extreme speed capability the Porsche will also receive a 100 percent increase in down force pressure to help hold it on the track during high speed maneuvering. The suspension has been upgraded, along with refined aerodynamics, and its all important stopping power has been fortified with slightly larger brakes than before.

But when you are talking improvements on the 2010 Porsche 911 GT3, the most notable has to be the large 3.8 liter, flat 6-cylinder Boxer engine. The engine has been given an improved intake and exhaust system, which will offer a nice boost in horsepower and mid range torque. The GT3 now boasts 435 horsepower compared to last years 415. No torque specifications have been given yet.

What exactly can you expect out of the new GT3 in the seat of your pants? Well, try about 0-60 in 4.0 seconds flat, which is almost fast enough to catch your own breath…

Now let’s go for that drive, shall we!

BMW X6 M, originally uploaded by BlogAutomobile.fr

Why should Porsche soccer moms have all the fun, BMW asked as they unveiled their potent and sleek X6 M performance crossover vehicle at the New York Auto Show just a few weeks ago. The X6 M may be built to compete with the Porsche Cayenne Turbo, but if you look at some of the numbers this beast is pushing, it may have already sent the Cayenne “King of the Road” SUV, running scared!

While the V8 powered Cayenne Turbo S produces some very solid numbers, about 521 horsepower and 531 ft-lbs of torque, capable of 0-60 in just 4.8 seconds, the newest “M” badge by BMW is boasting just as much muscle under its hood. Fitted with a twin turbo 4.4 liter V-8, the BMW is reported by the manufacturer to punch out 0-60 in around 4.5 seconds thanks to its 555 horsepower, 500 ft-lbs of torque, and launch control.

But the X6 M is obvious a heck of a lot more than a glorified Saturday night dragster, it is a very precise and competent handling vehicle. The X6 is given air suspension with Adaptive Drive, which means that not only can it have all the agility and poise of a lowered sports car, but it also offers one of the most comfortable and smooth rides you could ask for on just about any road surface.

BMW is also introducing its new Servotronic Power Steering with their newest addition to the M lineup. This system promises to make control of the wheel much more enjoyable by monitoring the speed of the vehicle and making smart adjustments to the ease of turning the wheel. Low speed parking will offer the most computerized assistance for the driver, while high speed cornering assistance will be substantially decreased to offer improved stability and an overall better “feel” of the road.

In addition to the improved handling, the X6 M will feature a launch control option. What this control enables the driver to do, is switch into a “Sports Power Mode” that will enable them to set up a perfect standing launch. Not only will the BMW control wheel spin to a precision which makes 0-60 in 4.5 seconds achievable for just about any level of driver, it also offers optimum upshifts to give the V-8 an advantage of crisp clean shifts at all optimum rpm ranges.

To round out the launch control feature, the six-speed automatic will also be fitted with paddle shifters for the driver who likes to be in control more than a computer. Now, just why would an SUV crossover type vehicle need all this fire-breathing power and neck snapping performance characteristics, I have no idea, but I’d sure like the opportunity to find out!