BMW

,

BMW reaches 95th birthday with new models, more U.S. production

For nearly 95 years, BMW has been synonymous with luxury, value and performance automobiles. With MINI and Rolls Royce Motor Cars also under the BMW Group umbrella, the manufacturer founded in 1916 as Bayerische Flugzeug- Werke (BFW), has vast and diverse offerings across its three-brand canvas. BMW car prices range between $30,025 for the entry level 1 series to $103,225 for the top-of-the-line M6 model. Beginning with its first brief tenure as a small company building military aircraft engines, BMW experienced rapid growth throughout its history. In recent years, BMW's commitment to "sheer driving pleasure" as a top priority throughout its lineup, has dramatically increased the popularity of the carmaker headquartered in Munich, Germany. In fact, from the year 2000

Read more

Ten top deals on 2010 cars, Ford to Mitsubishi, BMW to Nissan

With 2011 car models now infiltrating and in some instances already saturating the market, now is a good time for a bargain on a new 2010 vehicle. Hybrids to pick-up trucks, Ford to Mitsubishi, there are at least 10 good buys on the markets, according to the web site, TheStreet.com.Dealer incentives, low interest rates and discounted sticker prices to move last year’s models are three of primary reasons substantial discounts. And in some cases, unpopular models are available for even deeper discounts. The web site TheStreet.com has a comprehensive list of 10 vehicles, all 2010 models, it believes are great bargains. The list begins surprisingly with the Ford F-150 pick-up truck, for years among the top-selling vehicles in the United

Read more

BMW, Hyundai get only 5-star grades in new NTHSA ratings system

The upgraded ratings system will now evaluate side pole crash testing and crash prevention-technologies. Also, for the first time, it will utilize a petite female crash test dummy to simulate crash scenarios involving female vehicle occupants. Ratings for 33 of the 55 vehicles to be tested under the new system this year were announced, with the BMW 5 Series 4 DR RWD and the Hyundai Sonata as the only vehicles receiving a 5-star overall rating score under the new ratings system. Twenty-eight other vehicles received a 4-star overall rating score. The full list of newly rated vehicles as well as safe driving statistics, vehicle defects, safety recalls and passenger safety, are available at the official website for the federal government’s

Read more

BMW, Rolls-Royce set to recall nearly 200,000 vehicles with braking issues

Nearly 200,000 luxury sedans from BMW and Rolls Royce and dating to 2002 are being recalled to fix a potential leak in the power-braking system. The cars included BMW 5 Series, 6 Series and 7 Series as well as the high-priced Phantom.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced a power-steering probe of the BMW Z4 in July, following one crash and 107 complaints. The power-braking leaks create a vacuum loss that impairs a feature used when brakes are applied, BMW explained on its website. BMW will notify recalled vehicles owners by mail. Dealers will inspect the cars and replace the parts. Drivers who lose braking power should immediately schedule a service appointment. The recall covers the 745i/Li, 750i/Li and

Read more

BMW will test second electric car in four U.S. metro areas in 2011

The four-passenger ActiveE is based on the 1 Series Coupe and has a 32-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack. Introduced at the Detroit auto show in January, the ActiveE has a 100-mile range per charge. It takes 8.5 seconds to reach 60 miles per hour and has a maximum speed 90 mph. BMW‘s Mini E, its debut electric vehicle, was deployed worldwide and now including more than 600 test cars in its second year. The ActiveE is scheduled for testing only in the United States. Mini E drivers will be given preference as test pilots for the ActiveE and could switch to the new car when their existing leases expire. The other cars will go to online applicants who live in the

Read more

Best used cars under $3,000: Mazda Miata, BMW 3 Series, VW Rabbit On Popular Mechanics’ list

The Mazda Miata is the gold-standard, fun-to-drive used car — at least according to Popular Mechanics. The general-interest “umbrella” magazine for all things mechanical has published a list of cars it considers the best used cars available for $3,000 or less.The Miata, the best-selling sports car ever made tops the list. The publication offers: “For three grand, you’re probably looking at a first-generation edition (1989–1994) with the 1.6-liter four-cylinder. Mazda built tens of thousands of them, and many folks who bought them barely drove them, so plenty of low-mileage examples exist.” “They’re enormously fun, with a lithe feel, telepathic steering, raspy engine note and one of crispest gearboxes in the industry. They’re tough, too, as evidenced by the number plying

Read more

BMW, Ford, Honda, Volvo, Toyota among cars gone to the dogs

More precisely, the AAA has selected its newest list of 11 cars in six lifestyle categories that dog owners prefer when transporting their pets. According to the AAA, 45 million households in the United States have a dog and more than 80 percent of dog owners take their best friend with them when they run errands or drive their cars for leisure. “There several vehicles with features that can help keep pets safe, comfortable and easy to clean-up after while also addressing other driver desires such as sportiness, adventure or luxury,” said John Nielsen, AAA National Director of Auto Repair and Buying Services. The AAA’s experts drove and reviewed hundreds of vehicles and compiled a list of their top car

Read more
,

Great 1980s cars time's forgotten, Audi to Toyota, BMW to Ferrari

Neither age makes the respective car ancient. Nevertheless, article offers unique insight and states that the 1980s was a far superior decade for cars than the 1970s. AUTOMOTIVE RESOURCES Auto Shipping Quote, Car Financing, Car Insurance Quotes, Car Loans, Online Car Insurance, Rental Cars, Used Cars The article’s premise is that the 1980s was great decade for prominent, groundbreaking cars—the BMW 5 Series, Honda Civic CRX and Ferrari F40. Writer John Pearley Huffman also offers: “A few machines have somehow faded from our collective consciousness. They’re essentially unappreciated, but their innovations or performance mean they deserve more prominence.” In his description of the 1983 BMW 5 Series, Huffman writes: “Luxury machines like the 1983 BMW 5 Series changed what the

Read more
,

BMW, 335d, 2010: The Weekly Driver Car Review

The 2009 version I drove six months ago attracted a lot of attention. Some onlookers didn’t know a BMW diesel was available in the United States. Other car enthusiasts wondered what the odd exterior promotional decals were all about. Little has changed with the 2010 model, the second year of car in this country. Officially, there’s only one change. The 2010 model has HD radio. But the promotional decals are long gone, replaced by a BMW strong point, exterior paint colors and a well-coordinated interior. AUTOMOTIVE RESOURCES Auto Shipping Quote, Car Financing, Car Insurance Quotes, Car Loans, Online Car Insurance, Rental Cars, Most of the major car publications have selected the vehicle on best-of-the-year lists, and what’s to argue? Is

Read more

BMW X6 M, 2010: The Weekly Driver Car Review

BMW introduced the X6 M at the New York Auto Show in April 2009 with a lofty goal. The German manufacturer wanted to offer serious competition in the high-performance crossover segment. The Porsche Cayenne Turbo S and Mercedes ML63 AMG are leaders in that fraternity, and who’s going dispute the warranted popularity of those vehicles? The BMW X6 M is hard to criticize, too — at least from a pure performance perspective. What’s not to like about a 555-horsepower, 4.4-liter V8 that powers down the highway with little effort? Just like its primary competition, the 2010 BMW X6 M edition presents itself as an open road beast. It’s heavy (2.5 tons), it’s strong and it’s in charge. The new BMW has

Read more

Geneva Motor Show: BMW to Volvo, Audi to VW . . . But Geneva Girls make the show

At the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, more than 80 cars, the 2011 Audi A1 to the 2011 Volvo S60 and the 2011 BMW 5 Series to the 2011 Volkswagen Sharan, made their debut. First held in 1905, in the Geneva Motor Show has hosted almost all major internal combustion engined models in the history of the automobile, along with benzene- and steam-powered cars from the beginning of the century. Exotic supercars often steal the spotlight during their debuts at the show. Prototypes, new equipment, technical breakthroughs, international partnerships, as well as political and social debates, have been announced at the show. Despite its lack its own automobiles, the Geneva Motor Show has no inferiority issues when it comes to an

Read more

Rare 1937 BMW roadster set for London auction

The BMW 328 Mille Miglia ‘Büegelfalte’, chassis no. 85032, was part of the manufacturer’s early sports racing activity in the pre-war years. Chassis 85032 was manufactured in May 1937 as a standard-bodied car for Rudolf Schleicher´s Experimental Department at BMW. The car participated in the 1937 Le Mans with the well-known British driver of the period, A.F.P. Fane, as well as the 1937 Tourist Trophy in the hands of H.G. Dobbs. The following year it participated in the 1938 Mille Miglia and won a notable victory in the 2.0-litre class, again with Fane driving and William James as co-driver. The beautiful and entirely unique bodywork of ‘85032’ was designed by Wilhelm Kaiser, an experienced member of BMW`s new design department,

Read more
,

BMW named official vehicle for 2012 London Summer Olympics

The London Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) set targets for CO2 emissions – which BMW met with its Olympic fleet of cars, beating the target average CO2 output of 120g/km. AUTOMOTIVE RESOURCES Auto Shipping Quote, Car Financing, Car Insurance Quotes, Car Loans, Online Car Insurance, Rental Cars, Used Cars BMW will showcase electric vehicles with its 2012 fleet, the company already running a number of electric Minis in three countries to collect data on their usage. Wheelchair-accessible vehicles will be provided, as will BMW bicycles in the Olympic Village. BMW will also use its motorcycle range to support certain events. LOCOG Chairman Sebastian Coe commented: “Operationally, an automotive deal is vital for any organizing committee and

Read more

Best dirt cheap collectible cars, BMW to Ford, Buick to Volkswagen

In conjunction with Hagerty Insurance, which specializes in covering collectible cars, here are 10 vehicles presented as “Collectibles: Best of the Dirt Cheap.” The first on the list, with text written by Peter Valdes-Dapen, a CNNMoney.com senior editor, is the V8-powered Ford Mustang. “With demands for fuel economy rising, performance took a back seat in most late 1970s and early 80s cars,” writes Valdes-Dapen. “That made the 205 horsepower Mustang 5.0 HO a particularly desirable model for performance fans. Starting next year, Ford is bringing out a new 5.0-liter displacement V8 for the Mustang, which will bring more attention to the original.” AUTOMOTIVE RESOURCES Auto Shipping Quote, Car Financing, Car Insurance Quotes, Car Loans, Online Car Insurance, Rental Cars, Used

Read more

BMW diesel tops list of most efficient luxury cars

The No. 1 car on the list is the 2009 BMW 335d. Lots of reviewers like the new diesel not only because its gets great gas mileage with averages of 23 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway but it’s a performance diesel. Cars.com says of the 335d: “There are other luxury cars with higher fuel economy estimates, but the 335d represents the best combination of efficiency and driving enjoyment.” Here are the 2010 models and one 2009 model on Cars.com’s list of the top-10 luxury cars that average at least 25 mpg on the highway, plus a comment from the reviewers: AUTOMOTIVE RESOURCES Auto Shipping Quote, Car Financing, Car Insurance Quotes, Car Loans, Online Car Insurance,

Read more
,

Edmunds.com unveils recommended cars, trucks for 2010

The guide contains Edmunds.com’s Top Recommended Vehicles — shopping lists for consumers interested in any market segment. Another section of the guide, What You Should Know before Buying, provides valuable segment-specific guidance no car shopper should miss. “You’re ready to buy a new vehicle, but how do you go about narrowing down the choices?” Karl Brauer, Editor in Chief of Edmunds.com asked. “Consumers can really use a friend in this overwhelming process; our buying guides give them the benefit of our extensive experience testing and researching every car on the market.” Here are Edmunds.com top recommended vehicles for 2010: Sedans Under $15,000 —- Honda Fit, Hyundai Elantra Under $20,000 —- Mazda MAZDA3, Suzuki Kizashi, Ford Fusion Under $25,000 —- Honda

Read more
Previous Next