BMW

Manufacturer Spotlight: BMW, airplanes to supercars

With its legacy dating nearly 110 years to manufacturing airplanes, BMW (Bavarian Motor Works) is renowned for its luxury vehicles that provide a unique combination of driving pleasure and performance. It took 18 years after BMW began in Munich, Germany as Bayerische Motoren Werke AG for the company to transition from airplanes to cars. The Dixi, the first four-wheel effort, was a hit. It joined by the Type 328 roadster as the brand’s defense against the Depression. The two-seater was hugely successful on the racing circuit with more than 120 victories during a five-year tenure ending in 1940. Following WWII, BMW stretched its ever-advancing success with models like the 501 and 502, luxury and roomy sedans. But the carmaker didn’t

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2017 NEW CAR PREVIEW: BMW to unveil lineup in Detroit

BMW will offer a varied new selection of vehicles, including the world debut of the 2017 5 Series sedan as well as the M Performance and plug-in hybrid electric iPerformance variants January 9 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The BMW X2 Concept, a compact Sports Activity Vehicle first unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in September, will make its North American debut. With the introduction of the 530e iPerformance, BMW now offers a family of plug-in electric hybrid vehicles including the 330e iPerformance, the 740e xDrive iPerformance,  X5 xDrive40e iPerformance as well as the i3 and i8. The world debut of the 5 Series sedan will be represented in Detroit by the 2017 540i, and the

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2016 Lexus IS200: New luxury sedan gives BMW pause

The 2016 Lexus IS200 is a new vehicle, replacing the IS 250 as the upscale brand’s entry level luxury sedan. It features three models, including a more fuel-efficient 2.0-liter, four-cylinder, turbo-charged engine with 241 horsepower. The Weekly Driver Test Drive My weekly driver test drive was the Lexus IS200t with the F Sport Package. Lexus is known for its generous list of standard features, among other qualities. The new IS lineup in no exception. Standard equipment across the line includes: 17-inch wheels (18-inchers on the IS 350), xenon headlights, LED running lights/foglights/taillights, heated exterior mirrors, a sunroof, keyless entry and ignition, dual-zone automatic climate control, a manual tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, eight-way power front seats with driver

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Good Housekeeping debuts Best New Cars list

Good Housekeeping, the magazine whose testing institute has evaluated products and presented the Good Housekeeping Seal of approval since 1909, has unveiled its inaugural “Best New Cars” for 2016. The new list was compiled in conjunction with Car and Driver, the renowned automobile publication. The two publications’ collaboration narrowed 160 vehicles to 41 across four categories; eight winners: Compact, Sedan, Eco and Crossover. Then, the engineers from the Good Housekeeping Institute logged 2,000-plus miles on real roads, assessing performance, safety features, family friendliness, price, infotainment systems, usability, storage and intuitive design. Here are the winners, announced January 11, 2016 at North American International Auto Show in Detroit: Compact Mazda3 S 5-Door Grand Touring (2015): Swift acceleration gives this car a

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Five ugly cars easy to like or collect

One of the most entertaining car displays in the nearly yearlong packed calendar of auto shows is the Concours d’LeMons. It’s been held in August the past six years in conjunction with the diverse auto week celebration on the picturesque Monterey Peninsula. It’s also home to arguably the country’s most lofty auto show, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Last year, the Concours d’Lemons expanded to Michigan. Top honor (Worst of Show) was awarded to a 1977 Leata Caballero. Never heard of it? Neither had I. It was made by Stinebaugh Manufacturing in Post Falls, Idaho, and failed. Fewer than 100 were made. Not to be outdone, at the Concours d’Lemons on the Monterey Peninsula, Worst of Show honors were bestowed

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What’s in a badge? Everything for carmakers

By any name — badge, emblem, insignia, logo, nameplate — whatever symbol a car manufacturer uses to market and showcase its vehicles means a lot in the automotive industry. Some car badges are globally recognizable, while other a far less well known but remain distinguished among collectors and automotive insiders. A car badge is some ways is no different from a badge on a law enforcement officer. In different ways, it means the same thing — authority. The three-point star of Mercedes-Benz means the authority of the open road and Germany engineering. The Leaping Jaguar is unmistakable as the symbol of the authority of elegance of Jaguar. Corvette has used several different badges, including the one below Not all automobiles

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BMW joins massive airbag recall list

More than 1.5 BMW 3 Series vehicles from 2000 to 2006 are being recalled to replace passenger-side front airbags, the luxury carmaker announced. The manufacturer said the recall is a “voluntary precautionary measure” aimed at minimizing the risk of faulty airbag activation. This issue is airbag supplied to BMW by Tokyo-based Takata Corporation. The airbag could rupture under certain circumstances, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. If the rupture occurs, shards could fly out and cause injury. Several other automakers since 2009, including Chrysler, Ford, Honda, Mazda, Nissan and Toyota, have recalled 10 million vehicles affected by the same problem. About one-third, or 574,000 of the BMW cars recalled, are in the United States. BMW said it

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2014 BMW 4-Series: New name, more luxury, keen price

How do you top a long-successful car? Just ask BMW, which is offering a successor to its highly popular 3-Series coupe and convertible. The new 2014 BMW 4-Series coupe just may be the best reasonably priced sports coupe. It’s longer, lower and more stylish than its predecessor and is more luxurious. Indeed, the new 4-Series has more than enough pizzazz, performance and comfort to back up its rakish new body. The 4-Series coupe replaces the 3-Series coupe. It shares mechanical components with the outgoing 3-Series coupe, but is superior in many respects. The 3-Series BMW long has dominated the “Best Buy” lists of car buff magazines, and there’s no reason why the 4-Series can’t do the same. The stunning interior

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BMW drives itself better than some drivers drive BMW

BMW doesn’t have the first autonomous car prototype, but its modified 2014 M235i Coupe sure looks impressive. Several manufacturers have predicted the public will be driving driverless cars by 2020, and a few states have legalized the vehicles under certain conditions. In the meantime, BMW (and others) are showcasing their autonomous cars on tracks and doing so impressively. They corner well and pilot through cones at high speed. The BMW new ActiveAssist feature can bring a vehicle “back into line in demanding driving situations without any input from the driver”, using 360-degree radars, cameras and ultrasonic sensors. The German manufacturer revealed a modified version of the M235i Coupe at the recent 2014 Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas. The car

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Honda shines in TheWeeklyDriver’s 2013 top-10

For the seventh straight year, theweeklydriver.com has selected its top-10 Cars of the Year. Honda continues its streak as the only manufacturer represented in each year of the list. We’ve picked 70 cars, of course, in the past 10 years, and now 13 Honda models have been featured, including in 2013, the Honda Odyssey and Honda Accord. As editor and publisher of the site since its debut in 2004, I wrote 34 full reviews of 2013 model year cars and trucks. Contributors Dan Jedlicka (www.danjedlicka.com) and Bruce Aldrich (www.tahoetruckeeoutdoor.com) also contributed reviews to the site in 2013, pushing the total reviews to more than 100 for the year. Aldrich also filmed and produced all of the videos on the site

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Toyota, BMW among 22 LA Auto Show global debuts

Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, BMW, Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Land Rover, MINI and Nissan and Subaru will combine to present the global debuts of 22 vehicles at the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show at the Los Angeles Convention Center. World debuts include the NISMO JUKE RS and a NISMO Concept vehicle from Nissan, as well as four models from Mercedes-Benz, which will be unveiled alongside the brand’s North American introductions of the GLA 250 and the S63. Porsche has added two new world debuts to its lineup, in addition to the previously announced Macan, the manufacturer’s highly anticipated SUV crossover vehicle. In addition to the roster of global premieres, a variety of North American debuts will be unveiled in Los Angeles,

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Green Car of the Year?: BMW, Toyota, Mazda, Audi, Honda vie

The Audi A6 TDI, BMW 328d, Honda Accord, Mazda3 and Toyota Corolla have been selected as finalists for the 2014 Green Car of the Year by the Green Car Journal. The winner will be announced at this year’s LA Auto Show beginning Nov. 19 with three media days. An increasing number of vehicle models are considered for the Green Car of the Year program each year, a reflection of the auto industry’s expanding efforts in offering new vehicles with higher efficiency and improved environmental impact. Green Car Journal has been honoring the most important “green” vehicles every year at the LA Auto Show, since its inaugural award announced at the show in 2005. Finalists are selected for their achievements in

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BMW debuts all-electric vehicle with 100-mile range

The BMW i3, the BMW Group’s initial model running on electric power alone, has debuted as the first premium car with an all-electric drive system. The BMW i3 is the result of an integrated development approach aimed at cutting fuel consumption and emissions in urban traffic. The substructure of the passenger compartment is made from carbon fiber and the chassis is aluminum. The carmaker says it will offer fast charging capability as an option, allowing i3 owners to regain up to 80 percent of charge in as little as 20 minutes, delivering 80 to 100 miles of driving between charges. Charging can be accomplished from a conventional domestic power socket, BMW i Wallbox or public charging station. The vehicle concept

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2013 BMW 750Li: Superior luxury, hefty price (video)

The 2013 BMW 750Li, my weekly driver, showcased BMW’s power, as in a 4.4-liter, 32-valve V8 with 445 horsepower and five-second, 0-60 mph prowess. The 7-Series is the BMW flagship, of course and it deserves the status. It’s a beast of a seat, a 4,600-pound cruiser best suited for long, open-road hauls. But the long (201 inches) sedan is also a standard bearer of engineering, technology and for audio enthusiasts, an over-the-top whirlwind of sound. There’s a lot to lot about the new BMW. It short, it’s opulent. And it’s got a hefty price to go along with all of the fine mechanics and superior workmanship. Videographer Bruce Aldrich, editor/publisher of www.tahoetruckoutdoor.com, and The Weekly Driver, review the top-line BMW

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BMW 135is, 2013: Rocket-fast coupe offers classic ride, high price

The 2013 BMW 135is is everything right with an upscale small car. It’s powerful, classically designed, keenly appointed and it drives with a healthy dose of attitude. The little BMW series is all about performance, and it’s in your face about it. Among several options are two turbocharged engines that produce 300 and 320 horsepower, respectively, both with six-cylinder engines and six-speed manual transmissions standard. The top-line 135is coupe, with the 320 horsepower and a six-speed manual transmission, was my weekly driver. I avoided getting in trouble. What’s not to like? Like other BMWs, the 135is is ideal for the open road and it’s race-car fast, with 0-60 mph performance in about five seconds. While not quite warp speed, the

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BMW 750Li, 2013: stylish, hi-tech, hefty price

The 7-Series is the BMW flagship and it deserves the status. It’s a beast of a sedan, a 4,600-pound cruiser best suited for long, open-road hauls. The 2013 BMW 750Li, my weekly driver, showcased BMW‘s power, as in a 4.4-liter, 32-valve V8 with 445 horsepower and five-second, 0-60 mph prowess. But the long (201 inches) sedan is also a standard bearer of engineering, technology and for audio enthusiasts, an over-the-top whirlwind of sound. The 750Li has a base price of $90,000 and that’s reflected in all that BMW represents -— superior handling and superior design as well as industry-best comfort and refinement. But the available option packages put the vehicle into a category of automotive overload combining plushness and hi-tech

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