Category Archives: BMW

Edmunds picks used car “best bets”

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Posted in BMW, Ford, General Auto News, Honda - DO NOT USE, Hyundai, Toyota

Auto website Edmunds recently listed its 2010 picks for “best bets” on the used car market. The awards are based on three issues: reliability, safety and availability. Those interested in purchasing a used car may want to consider picking up some of these models.

The picks were restricted to 2003-2008. Toyota was the most-picked brand, with its Camry, Tacoma and Prius models taking home their respective categories. Honda also put in a good showing, earning praise for its CR-V and Odyssey. Hyundai also had two cars, with the Azera and Elantra winning the large and compact sedan categories.

The rest of the field was a bit of a grab bag, but notable winners include the Ford F-150 for a large truck, BMW 3 Series for a coupe, and Infiniti G35 for a luxury vehicles.

Sometimes it pays for consumers to wait until models have been on the road for a few years to see which will remain reliable and live up to their billing. Then, drivers can be sure to pick up the best-designed models at a discount on the used car market.

BMW 5-Series is sold out

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Posted in BMW, General Auto News

BMW 5-Series might be flying off showroom floors, but that doesn’t mean users who want to drive the German automaker’s flagship vehicles have to stick to their old ride. By searching for used BMW vehicles on the pre-owned market, drivers can put themselves in a BMW – while saving quite a bit of cash.

According to BusinessWeek, new car sales for the recently revamped 5-Series have been quick, and customers are currently waiting three to four weeks for delivery on the popular model. BMW expected the redesign to find an audience, but sales have outperformed expectations.

"The 5-Series is at the core of the BMW brand and we knew it was going to be a very strong vehicle for us," Ian Robertson, BMW’s sales chief, told the news source. "In the U.S., where it’s doing very well, it could come to between 15 percent and 17 percent of our business as we ramp up."

The previous “E60” model was somewhat controversial for its exterior design, which many did not view as traditional for BMW. BMW lead designer Chris Bangle was criticized for his “Bangle butt” rear ends, which critics argued was not aesthetically pleasing, but BMW became the world’s leading luxury manufacturer during his tenure.

With Bangle’s departure, the 5-Series underwent a heavy redesign. Since BMW is selling off the old E60 models to make room for the new ones, drivers who want a BMW might want to search the used car market for a lightly-worn BMW.

New York and New Jersey drivers find electric range shorter than expected

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Posted in Auto Industry News, BMW, General Auto News, Nissan, Toyota

Select drivers in New York and New Jersey were given preview models of BMW‘s all-electric Mini E car and found that the battery’s charge lasted shorter than the company anticipated.

BMW owns the Mini Cooper brand and has developed an electric model of the car. Preliminary tests showed that the car was supposed to drive over 150 miles, according to the Wall Street Journal. However, those tests didn’t take into account real-world driving conditions, which, according to the drivers, have reduced the range by almost a third.

That could be bad news for claims made by automakers about electric batteries’ longevity. The Nissan Leaf, due out later this year, has a less-powerful battery pack than the Mini E and claims 100 miles, which is about what testers found the Mini E gets under real driving conditions. Nissan’s American product planner, Mark Perry, told the news source that the 100 miles depends on various factors, such as the weather and use of heating or air conditioning.

Until the battery issues are sorted out, drivers who still want to be environmentally-friendly might want to consider hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius. However, these cars can be expensive when bought new, so it might be best to look for deals on the used car market.

BMW 320d reported goes over 1,000 miles on one tank

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Posted in BMW

Apparently BMW is making a big play in the race for the car with the highest gas mileage on the market.

The 2010 BMW 320d EfficientDynamics reportedly went more than 1,000 miles on one tank of gas during a recent trip from the UK to Munich. The vehicle’s 2.0-liter, four-cylinder turbo diesel engine averaged 57 mpg during the entire 1,013 mile journey.

Tom Ford, who is a frequent presenter on the UK’s television program Fifth Gear, drove the car and told various press outlets that the car’s performance surprised him.

“I was prepared for this car to fail in the real world, I was wrong,” Ford said. “Although I did try and be careful and drive in a feather-footed manner, I did cruise at a reasonable 65ish mph on the autoroutes and autobahns, so faster than the usual economy run pace.”

While the distance achieved by the car’s one tank of gas may be impressive to some, it’s not the only option for consumers interested in fuel-efficient automobiles.

Hybrid cars have been in the market for close to 10 years, which means a fair amount of them can now be purchased as used vehicles.

BMW launches Motorsport parts catalogs in the U.S.

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Posted in Auto Industry News, BMW

German automaker BMW has released its factory Motorsport parts catalogs intended for track and racing use to customers in the U.S. for the first time.

“Now, for the first time ever in the United States, you can purchase authentic BMW Motorsport parts to offer true BMW performance, available at select BMW centers. It’s the only way to push your track-approved BMW model to its limits,” the company announced in its website.

The launching of the Motorsports catalogs, which were previously available only in Europe, aims to increase BMW’s impact on motorsports as it competes at the American Le Mans Series through a partnership with the Rahal Letterman Racing Team, the company said in a statement.

The catalogs include parts and components for the Z4 (2009 to current) M3 (1995 to current ) and 3 Series sedan (2006 to current). They feature parts from full-on race engines and body pieces to the smallest O-rings and assorted gaskets.

Motor Trend reported that currently only four BMW dealers in the U.S. have been authorized to handle these parts, which included BMW dealerships in Westmont, Illinois; Atlanta, Georgia; Stratham, New Hampshire; and Solon, Ohio.

Survey shows BMW on top of most valuable car list

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Posted in Auto Industry News, BMW

German automaker BMW has overtaken the perennial frontrunner Toyota by a slim margin as the world’s most valuable car brand, according to an annual ranking of the world’s top brands.

The BrandZ Top 100, a survey compiled by the market research company Millward Brown, pegged BMW’s brand’s value at $21.82 billion, higher than Toyota’s $21.77 billion.

Peter Walshe, Millward Brown’s global brand director, told the Automotive News that Toyota will likely bounce back on top once recall issues are addressed and media scrutiny subsides.

“It is likely that Toyota’s brand has suffered further in recent months, but it is a strong brand and is trying hard to overcome the damage through a major communications campaign,” Walshe told the news provider. “All of our evidence shows that strong brands are much more likely to recover from a crisis.”

Rounding up the top 10 list are Honda ($14.3 billion), Mercedes ($13.7 billion), Porsche ($12 billion), Nissan ($8.6 billion), Ford ($7 billion), Volkswagen ($7 billion), Audi ($3.6 billion) and Renault ($3.3 billion).

High-performance BMWs destined for NY auto show stolen from New Jersey lot

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Posted in BMW

Even though the New York International Auto Show concluded nearly a week ago, the annual car expo is continuing to make headlines. As local authorities attempt to clean up the legal mess caused by the post-show riot that occurred in midtown Manhattan late Sunday night, they now have a new case on their hands.

The New York Post reported on Thursday that a group of thieves stole six BMWs late last month that were scheduled to be on display at the Javits Center on April 3rd. Apparently, the Beemers were taken during three separate heists from a Port Authority-owned parking facility in Jersey City.

Among the vehicles that were stolen was an extremely limited edition 550i Sophisto – a vehicle that was expected to be a main attraction at the 2010 show. The $90,000 sedan, which is thought to be the only one of its kind in the country, is still unaccounted for.

“We provided all the information to the authorities,” a BMW spokesman told the news source. Local police are still looking for at least three suspects who they believe are responsible for each heist.

2003 BMW X5: A ‘sports activity vehicle’

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Posted in BMW

Prospective car buyers interested in used BMW models in New Jersey may want to take a look at the 2003 BMW X5, a rare combination of power, luxury and dynamic handling.

The BMW X5 was introduced to consumers in 2000, creating a new mode of transport known as the “sports activity vehicle.” The X5 is stylish, sporty and extremely fast (capable of hitting speeds up to 150 mph).

It is, however, not a traditional off-road SUV. It drives and rides like a luxury sedan, has high-end cabin furnishings and a plethora of lavish options including a DVD-based navigation system.

The 2003 X5 is available with a variety of engine choices, including a 340-horsepower V8 that comes standard with every 4.6i model. Each X5 comes standard with all-wheel drive, four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes as well as front and side airbags, according to Consumer Guide Auto.

The basic 3.0i model can be purchased with a 5-speed manual transmission or as an automatic. However, every X5 with a V8 engine is only available as an automatic.

New to the ’03 X5 is a safety feature called a brakeforce display, which is an emergency system that activates an extra set of lights during extreme braking situations, Edmunds.com reports.

Lindsay Lohan’s BMW involved in an alleged hit and run

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Posted in BMW, Celebrity Auto News

Owners of used BMW models in New Jersey may be interested in another legal incident involving Lindsay Lohan. According to the celebrity website TMZ, the actress’ BMW struck a member of the paparazzi early Sunday morning in front of The Hotel Cafe in Hollywood and then drove away without stopping.

While Lohan was not behind the wheel, her driver is now a person of interest in a hit and run investigation. The photographer was treated for a hand injury by EMTs on the scene but did not go to the hospital.

“Of course I’m going to sue them,” the paparazzo told TMZ in a statement. “I want to press charges so badly… [the driver] is going to jail.”

Authorities reportedly watched video footage of the incident and have decided that it does not meet the standards of an assault with a deadly weapon charge.

Apparently the driver was attempting to maneuver the BMW through an alley surrounded by photographers and struck the injured party in a fairly “benign” fashion, the Hollywood Gossip reports.

Used BMW models in New Jersey may become more popular following Lohan’s latest run-in with the law.

The E60 BMW M5: Decades of MPower

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Posted in BMW

For some people, automobiles simply represent a considerable expense that living in the suburbs requires. German car enthusiasts looking for used BMW M5s in New York might see vehicles differently.

The BMW 5 Series has done 5.5 million in worldwide sales since it came out 37 years ago, according to Inside Line (IL). With the release of the 2011 5 Series only seven months away, some industry experts are getting excited to see what sort of features BMW has bolted onto the sedan for the upcoming summer. But the real aficionados will have to wait about a year longer than their tamer friends to test drive their dream car.

The fifth generation BMW M5, a high-performance version of the 5 Series made by the company’s racing division, is expected to arrive in mid-2011, according to the publication. It’ll feature a twin-clutch eight-speed manual gearbox and a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 that’s expected to produce about 550 horsepower – considerably more than the 2011 402-HP 550i.

For car fans that don’t feel like waiting a year and a half to drive an M5 or who are on too tight a budget to buy a brand-new BMW, there’s always the model’s generously-powered fourth generation. Individuals generally fall victim to the car bug at an early age, meaning loud exhaust systems and paintjobs are all that matter at first. However, their taste sometimes becomes more refined as they mature, and the desire for class and performance begins to grow.

It’s almost as if the fourth generation M5, referred to by BMW as the E60, were built for this sort of driver. The first E60s hit the road in 2006, according to Car and Driver. These M5s featured all the elegance of an adult’s luxury sedan, combined with the mischievousness of a lead-footed teenager’s fantasy.

“The magic of BMW’s M cars has always been their massive performance accompanied by incredible civility,” wrote IL’s D. John Booth and Scott Oldham in November of 2005. “Mat the M5’s gas pedal and all hell breaks loose as 400 horsepower are transferred to the tarmac by the computer-controlled manual clutch Sequential Manual Gearbox.”

But the M5 still offered all the advantages of a mid-size luxury sedan too. “It’s as well suited for a wife’s run to the supermarket as it is for a BMW-club track day,” said Car and Driver.

The letter M that’s found on the trunk lid of this high-performance BMW sedan stands for Motorsport, meaning the manufacturer didn’t simply place a massive engine under the hood of a regular 5 Series. Other important upgrades were also made, including the E60’s available Formula One-inspired transmission control, which was part of BMW’s Drivelogic shift program. BMW says its M cars shift gears in milliseconds and without having to slow down, thus explaining how a 4,000-pound sedan can accelerate to 60 MPH in 4.5 seconds.

The BMW M5 has been around for several decades and each generation includes features its predecessor didn’t. Whether they choose to wait for the 2011 model or purchase a used BMW E60 in New York, it seems M5 fans know how to mix class and performance correctly.