Bob Lutz reportedly to stay on at General Motors

Bob Lutz, General Motors vice chairman and internationally renowned product guru, has reversed his retirement plans and is expected to stay with the remade car company as it charts a new path out of bankruptcy. Multiple media outlets are reporting Lutz, 77, has changed course and will not retire from GM at the end of the year as he had planned. Automotive News, citing anonymous sources, says the veteran industry leader will stay on at the company, possibly in a marketing or communications role--and could have product input.

BMW 520d EfficientDynamics (2011) first official pictures

Company car choice will be made even more difficult in September 2011 with the launch of BMW’s new 520d EfficientDynamics saloon with some extraordinary economy and CO2 emissions figures of 119g/km and 63mpg. BMW 520d EfficientDynamics: how it’s so clean The 520d ED is fitted with a longer final drive ratio to reduce revs at motorway cruise speeds, low-drag alloy wheels and low-rolling resistance tyres on top of the standard 520d equipment. Most Fives already have stop-start and an Optimum Gear Shift Indicator to let the driver know when the most efficient time is to change gear.

Audi SQ5 Exclusive – for when an SQ5 just isn’t enough

Audi are debuting a limited edition of their new SQ5 – the SQ5 Exclusive – at Paris 2012 before a limited production run of 50 cars. The new Audi SQ5 – a diesel RS Q5 in all but name – bowed in at Le Mans in June featuring the 3.0 litre twin turbo diesel V6 with 479lb/ft of torque, 309bhp and a very un-SUV 0-62mph of 5.1 seconds. As the range-topping Q5 you would think that would be enough for Audi, but it seems they think there’s a market for an even more exclusive Audi SQ5 so they’re producing a limited edition model that’ll cost an extra £30k – the Audi SQ5 Exclusive.