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Daily Auto News: Nov. 3, 2006

TheCarConnection Drives: 2007 BMW X5 4.8i

The sporting credentials of BMW's X5 have never been in question-but its utility credentials often left a bit to be desired. Prospective buyers who needed third-row seating had to look elsewhere. And the original X5's cargo-carrying ability was not much of an improvement over a typical mid-size sedan.

It's no surprise that the new 2007 BMW X5 is bigger (though at first glance, it's hard to tell, so subtle are the alterations to wheelbase and sheetmetal), can be ordered with third-row seating, and now comes with a much stronger 260-horsepower standard engine. Too, its upgrade V-8 has been punched out to 4.8 liters and 350 horses from last year's 4.4-liter, 315-hp engine.
What is surprising is that the X5's s sports car-quality handling characteristics have not been hobbled by any of these changes. as I experienced first-hand during two days of flogging new X5s (both the base six-cylinder powered 3.0si and the V-8 X5 4.8i) on some of South Carolina's best moonshiner backcountry roads, the '07 X5's every bit the runner the old one was. And then some.

Mulally: Ford Had No Business Plan

Ford's turnaround is in progress, but new CEO Alan Mulally says a key part of the turnaround is missing. That's why he's drafting a business plan for the company, which apparently hasn't had one to steer its efforts. In an interview with Fortune magazine, Mulally said he's carving out a business plan that will encourage success at the third-largest automaker, which reported a $5.8-billion third-quarter loss. Mulally told the magazine that he found Ford has meetings down pat-product meetings, quality meetings, production meetings-"but what we didn't have was a business plan... And so, we started with a business plan here," he said. The newly minted CEO also said the company is not well integrated on the global level, and that he's initiated meetings each week to foster that process.

See Ford's new Escape for 2008

BMW Doesn't Want Aston Martin

Though it's minting money with MINI and has reinvigorated Rolls-Royce, BMW isn't interested in acquiring Aston Martin from Ford Motor Company. The company's new CEO, Norbert Reithofer, says that his company has no interest in the supercar maker, which Ford has put on the market as part of its turnaround effort. Ford purchased a stake in Aston Martin in 1987 and took it over in full in 1994 - just five years before it purchased Land Rover from BMW.

Matrix Filmmakers Working on Speed Racer

The film brothers who brought the world Keanu Reeves' finest English-speaking performance will take on the animated task of making a live-action version of the Speed Racer cartoon. The Hollywood Reporter says the Wachowski brothers, Larry and Andy, will shoot the film next summer in anticipation of a summer 2008 release. The Wachowskis brought The Matrix trilogy to theaters with Keanu as the star; there's no word on casting for the flick.

FROM THE SOURCE headlines from the latest press releases

Mechanic Hits the Jackpot in the BP National Search for the Best Auto Technician in America

Name	Symbol	Last	Change

Autobytel, Inc.	ABTL	3.30	+0.05 (+1.54%)

Autoliv Inc.	ALV	55.85	-0.05 (-0.09%)

AutoNation Inc.	AN	19.76	-0.04 (-0.20%)

ArvinMeritor Inc.	ARM	14.69	+0.03 (+0.20%)

American Axle & Mfr. Holdings Inc.	AXL	17.88	-0.19 (-1.05%)

Ballard Power Systems Inc.	BLDP	6.67	-0.14 (-2.06%)

BorgWarner Inc.	BWA	56.57	-0.60 (-1.05%)

Cummins Inc.	CMI	122.63	-1.91 (-1.53%)

DaimlerChrysler AG (ADR)	DCX	57.41	-0.35 (-0.61%)

Dura Automotive Systems	DRRA	0.45	-0.02 (-4.26%)

Eaton Corporation	ETN	71.75	+0.71 (+1.00%)

Ford Motor Company	F	8.56	+0.04 (+0.47%)

General Motors Corporation	GM	34.66	+0.01 (+0.03%)

Gentex Corporation	GNTX	15.82	+0.01 (+0.06%)

Goodyear Tire & Rubber	GT	15.38	+0.04 (+0.26%)

Honda Motor Co. Ltd. (ADR)	HMC	35.40	+0.14 (+0.40%)

Johnson Controls Inc.	JCI	81.67	+0.11 (+0.13%)

Lear Corporation	LEA	30.02	+0.21 (+0.70%)

Magna International Inc.	MGA	74.57	+0.33 (+0.44%)

Motorola Inc.	MOT	22.60	-0.17 (-0.75%)

Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. (ADR)	NSANY	24.55	-0.04 (-0.16%)

Sonic Automotive Inc.	SAH	26.00	+0.30 (+1.17%)

Siemens AG	SI	89.12	-0.21 (-0.24%)

Sirius Satellite Radio	SIRI	3.72	0.00 (0.00%)

Toyota Motor Corporation (ADR)	TM	118.25	+0.70 (+0.60%)

TRW Automotive Holdings	TRW	23.56	-0.79 (-3.24%)

Tower Automotive Inc.	TWRAQ.PK	0.07	+0.01 (+7.69%)

United Auto Group Inc.	UAG	22.49	-0.33 (-1.45%)

Visteon Corporation	VC	7.40	-0.10 (-1.33%)

XM Satellite Radio Hold.	XMSR	11.25	+0.41 (+3.78%)

You'll find lots more at TheCarConnection.com, including service tips from our resident gearhead Bob Weber; buying, selling, and leasing tips; recall and safety links; and a wide range of news, views, and reviews from the automotive world's top columnists.

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Daily Auto News: Nov. 3, 2006