Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Performance, Europe, BMW, Design/Style, Luxury

BMW and Pininfarina are planning to debut a new concept at the 2013 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. The Gran Lusso Coupé is designed to be the next logical step forward from the Zagato Coupé, and the one-off creation boasts plenty of BMW earmarks to set the car off as a true member of the German automaker’s family. With a long wheel base and a stretched nose, the two door can’t help but channel the long-dead BMW 8 Series, and the potent V12 under the hood only reinforces the link.

BMW has been kind enough to slip the world a few teasers, and the images show what looks like it could be the low-slung grand tourer of our dreams. Check out the full press release below for more information, and stay tuned for the full unveiling.

Continue reading BMW Pininfarina Gran Lusso Coupé concept echoes 8 Series

BMW Pininfarina Gran Lusso Coupé concept echoes 8 Series originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 May 2013 19:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW Pininfarina Gran Lusso Coupé concept echoes 8 Series

Filed under: Recalls, BMW

On the heels of the massive airbag recall just last month, which included a total of 3.4 million Japanese automobiles from Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Mazda, German automaker BMW has announced that it will recall 42,000 of its 2002-03 3 Series models (E46 platform) for the same problem. The recall is blamed on a single defective part, all from the same supplier, which may cause the airbag to catch fire or send metal fragments towards passengers in the front seats. BMW spokesman Dave Buchko told the Detroit News that the automaker knows of no improper “deployments or injuries related to this issue in any BMW.”

The part in question, supplied from a company named Takata, was manufactured incorrectly at its Moses Lake, WA, plant. The company also disclosed that some airbag components may have been exposed to moisture at another one of its locations, in Mexico. According to Takata, there have been six incidents worldwide (four in the United States) and none have resulted in injuries.

BMW adds 42k 3 Series models to massive airbag recall originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 06 May 2013 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW adds 42k 3 Series models to massive airbag recall

Filed under: Recalls, BMW

On the heels of the massive airbag recall just last month, which included a total of 3.4 million Japanese automobiles from Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Mazda, German automaker BMW has announced that it will recall 42,000 of its 2002-03 3 Series models (E46 platform) for the same problem. The recall is blamed on a single defective part, all from the same supplier, which may cause the airbag to catch fire or send metal fragments towards passengers in the front seats. BMW spokesman Dave Buchko told the Detroit News that the automaker knows of no improper “deployments or injuries related to this issue in any BMW.”

The part in question, supplied from a company named Takata, was manufactured incorrectly at its Moses Lake, WA, plant. The company also disclosed that some airbag components may have been exposed to moisture at another one of its locations, in Mexico. According to Takata, there have been six incidents worldwide (four in the United States) and none have resulted in injuries.

BMW adds 42k 3 Series models to massive airbag recall originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 06 May 2013 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW adds 42k 3 Series models to massive airbag recall

Filed under: Concept Cars, Crossover, BMW, Shanghai Motor Show, Design/Style, Luxury

The day has finally come for BMW to pull the covers off its X4 Concept at the Shanghai Motor Show. The machine brings few surprises – we’ve already seen an official image gallery from the German automaker, so its exterior shape was well known – but at least now we get to see it with our own eyes, and with the lenses of our very own cameras.

You can clearly see the fastback roofline in our high-res image gallery above, along with the jacked-up stance that allows BMW to call this machine a Sports Activity Vehicle, which basically means “Crossover” to our friends in Munich. We’ve seen similar vehicle shapes before, most notably in the form of the BMW X6, but also as far back as the 1980s from the likes of AMC.

We fully expect the transition from concept to production to be pretty seamless, so what we see here is, for the most part, what we’ll see on the showroom floor in 2014. Feel free to peruse the press release below, but first, be sure to browse through our live images from Shanghai and let us know what you think.

Continue reading BMW X4 hatches its fastback shape in Shanghai

BMW X4 hatches its fastback shape in Shanghai originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Apr 2013 23:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW X4 hatches its fastback shape in Shanghai

Porsche has confirmed that Timo Bernhard and Romain Dumas will be part of its LMP1 driver line-up at next year’s Le Mans 24 Hours in the wake of speculation linking Red Bull Formula 1 driver Mark Webber to the German manufacturer.

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LEMANS: Porsche confirms Bernhard and Dumas

Force India has extended its agreement with Mercedes-Benz to use the German firm’s engines from the 2014 Formula 1 season onwards

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F1: Force India gets 2014 Mercedes deal

Formula One Schedule Race # Date Race Winner/Time (*) 1 – Mar 16 Australian Grand Prix 11:00 PM 2 – Mar 24 Malaysia Grand Prix 1:00 AM 3 – Apr 14 Chinese Grand Prix 12:00 AM 4 – Apr 21 Bahrain Grand Prix 5:00 AM 5 – May 12 Spanish Grand Prix 5:00 AM 6 – May 26 Monaco Grand Prix 5:00 AM 7 – Jun 9 Canadian Grand Prix 11:00 AM 8 – Jun 30 British Grand Prix 5:00 AM 9 – Jul 7 German Grand Prix 5:00 AM 10 – Jul 28 Hungarian Grand Prix 5:00 AM 11 – Aug 25 Belgian Grand Prix 5:00 AM 12 – Sep 8 Italian Grand Prix 5:00 AM 13 – Sep 22 Singapore Grand Prix 5:00 AM 14 – Oct 5 Korean Grand Prix 11:00 PM 15 – Oct 12 Japanese Grand Prix 11:00 PM 16 – Oct 27 Indian Grand Prix 2:30 AM 17 – Nov 3 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 5:00 AM 18 – Nov 17 United States Grand Prix 11:00 AM 19 – Nov 24 Brazilian Grand Prix 8:00 AM *All times are in Pacifc Standard Times

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Motorsports Racing Events : 2013 Formula 1 Racing Schedule – F1

Filed under: BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

It turns out that Mercedes-Benz North America has legitimate claim to being the top selling luxury nameplate in the US in 2012.

While sources such as Autodata had put BMW in the top spot, registration data from R.L. Polk shows that Mercedes customers registering new vehicles topped the Bavarian automaker in the most recent calendar year. Polk says Benz posted 274,123 registrations, compared with BMW’s 268,498.

In terms of sales posted, BMW had bested Benz 281,460 to 274,134. But sales are recorded somewhat inconsistently from automaker to automaker. Some book the sales as soon as they are shipped from factory to dealer. There is perennial gamesmanship between the two German rivals, and the sales numbers suggest that BMW pushed out some extra sheetmetal to dealers in the last four weeks of the year.

Polk officials have not released their numbers to the public, but Autoblog obtained them from Mercedes-Benz.

Speaking at the monthly meeting of the International Motor Press Association in New York City, Mercedes-Benz North America chief Steve Cannon said, “Cars sold to people in the calendar year who then register their vehicles seems to be a more accurate measure of real sales than just the raw sales numbers.”

Cannon claims that BMW used “various methods” to beef up its sales in December, as Mercedes had been watching month-to-month registrations all year, and had been leading BMW for 11 months. Cannon said, “When you look at the difference between our sales and registrations, there is a discrepancy of 11. When you look at BMW’s, there is a discrepancy of 13,000.”

A BMW spokesman said the company stands by its sales figures.

Mercedes says it’s tops in luxury sales for 2012, not BMW originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Feb 2013 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes says it’s tops in luxury sales for 2012, not BMW

Filed under: Concept Cars, LA Auto Show, Coupe, Technology, BMW, Electric, Luxury

Word has it BMW may be planning to bring a new electric vehicle concept to the Los Angeles Auto Show. A report in the French magazine l’Automobile suggests the German manufacturer will show up with a sportier version of the i3. BMW has made big waves about shifting its naming structure to brand coupes, convertibles and sports cars with even-number designations, leaving odd digits for base models and hatchbacks. That means the concept could theoretically wear an i4 badge if and when it rolls across the stage. The report suggests the i4 will offer buyers a lower, more attractive roofline and come with a steeper price tag if it makes production.

Both the i3 and the i4 will presumably make use of the same carbon-reinforced plastic chassis, and odds are the sportier variant will benefit from the same 170-horsepower electric motor found in the five-door. Expect more details as we get closer to the Los Angeles Auto Show later this month.

BMW bringing i4 concept to LA Auto Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Nov 2012 11:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW bringing i4 concept to LA Auto Show

Filed under: Car Buying, BMW, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

In an effort to take the US luxury-sales crown from BMW, Mercedes-Benz is offering some sweet deals.

The German carmaker has told its US dealers they can offer discounts up to $5,000 on the GL-Class SUV for “VIP customers,” a distinction to be determined by general managers. The program also includes $750 off C-Class, $2,250 for E-Class, $3,000 for GLK-Class and $3,275 for S-Class vehicles (which also includes 2013 models).

“We limit the number of cars” in the Customer Advocacy Program, says Mercedes spokeswoman Donna Boland in a Bloomberg story. “It is not carte blanche.”

While BMW beat both Lexus and Mercedes in 2011 US luxury car sales, Bloomberg says Mercedes leads so far this year by 5,221 units. Experts quoted in Bloomberg’s story expect the competition between the two German companies to continue through the end of the year, which could be really good news for luxury car shoppers.

Mercedes-Benz offering up to $5,000 discounts to VIPs originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 03 Nov 2012 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes-Benz offering up to $5,000 discounts to VIPs