BMW will be raising their prices for 2009 and we are checking out the price difference to see how bad the damage is. For now the price range on the 128i increased $600 and the M6 increased $1,400.
The 335i received several MSRP increases, with the sedan going up by $800, the coupe by $1,200, and a raise of $1,300 for the convertible. The 328i sedan, meanwhile, rose $700 to an MSRP of $33,400.
BMW has issued a recall on more then 20,000 American cars because the passenger side airbag will not deploy during an accident. 2004-2005 5-Series sedans, 2004-2006 X3 SUV’s, and 2006 3-Series are all under the recall list.
According to the recall notice, a sensor that deploys the airbag could be deactivated by wear and tear caused by passengers opening and closing the car door. BMW dealers will begin servicing affected vehicles in September, 2008. As a courtesy, BMW will extend the warranty on the affected autos airbags for 10 years with no limit on mileage.
Norbert Reithofer is BMW’s Chief Executive Officer who told consumers this week that they had decided to stop production for the larger sport-ute range of cars. This range includes the X6, X5, and X3 crossovers. He said that they had made this decision based upon the economic problems that the U.S. and Europe are facing and because sales for SUV’s have dropped to an all time low.
BMW stated last week that they will be starting production of the new X1 at the Leipzig facility. This week they have stated that the X1 concept will be revealed during the Paris Motor Show in September. The concept will be close to what the production version will look like.
The new model will be built off the 1-series platform (a shortened 3-series) and according to an unnamed source quoted by Automotive News, “will use the two highest spec gasoline and the two highest spec diesel engines from the 1-series.”
BMW will be obtaining the eight-speed automatic transmissions from ZF Friedrichshafen a German supplier that they often deal with. BMW has plans to debut the new transmission in the X6 Sport Activity Vehicle and 7-Series sedan.
The current BMW 7-Series both use six-speed automatics. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class utilizes a seven-speed automatic of their own design, while Lexus debuted their eight-speed transmission in the LS 460. Increasing the number of forward gears offers advantages in smoothness, acceleration, and improves fuel efficiency. Lower fuel consumption equates to reduced emissions, helping the powerful models meet increasingly stringent air quality standards in Europe and the United States.
The BMW is such a great car that no one can resist it. Not even some thieves looking for something that can truly give them a thrill ride. In Straiton, Midlothian some thieves reached through the letterbox of a suburban home and grabbed the keys to the residents £40,000 BMW Z4M.
Police stated the car was probably targeted while the owner was using it at work or while they were shopping and the thieves followed them home.
BMW is already working on a way to bring the power levels of the AMG up by the time the new M5 is revealed in 2011. In order to accomplish this the output needs to be more than current model’s – which is 501 horsepower. BMW till have to get rid of the V10 5.5 liters and give it a couple turbos and use direct-injection in order to bring it up to at least 550 horsepower.
PSA and BMW are working together to create the 4-cylinder 1.6 liter engine that for now resides in the R65 MINI Cooper. Norbert Reithofer – BMW CEO – stated during an interview that this engine will be making its way into the BMW 1-Series. We weren’t able to get details on which particular models would be given this engine or even which markets it will be sold in.
BMW stated today that they will be releasing their new in-car internet system to the markets located right outside of Germany sooner then they originally planned. The new ConnectedDrive allows drivers unrestricted access to the Internet through the EDGE network. EDGE is one of the fastest mobile Internet connections in the world.
People riding in the back seat will be able to connect and surf the net as much as they want. However, we don’t recommend drivers surfing unless they are at a complete stop. Unlimited service is going to cost consumers around 15 euros every month.
By using a hologram technology made by viZoo, a Dutch advertising company, BMW is marketing the X6 a new BMW as an entirely new class of car. BMW is using the hologram to catch the market in a new and exciting way. The system uses a 10ft long light controlled area. The system will show a three dimensional interactive image of the X6. The system is controlled by a touch screen, which can be used to see a variety of the X6’s angles, see the interior and get the vehicle’s stats. BMW has yet to any footage of the X6 hologram.