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Surge in demand for BMW electrified vehicles

The BMW Group, which is comprised of the BMW, BMW Motorrad, MINI and Rolls Royce brands, has announced its recent sales figures. And based on these numbers, we can say that the Bavarian automaker has had a decent run so far.

Compared to the same period last year, the company has managed to sell 1,401,551 vehicles in the first seven months of 2017. This is a 4.3% increase compared to the previous year and in July’17 alone, sales increased by 0.4%.

Speaking of the achievement, Dr Ian Robertson, Management Board Member for Sales and Brand BMW, said, “Following a record first half-year, our sales in July remain at a very high level, with profitability our primary focus.”

He added, “Despite continuing headwinds in the USA, as well as the model changeover of the BMW X3 and the BMW 5 Series in China, we were still able to achieve last year’s high sales levels, due to our policy of balanced global sales growth.”

July also happens to be a great month for the sales of BMW’s electrified vehicles. And since the beginning of the year the company was able to deliver more than 50,000 BMW i, BMW iPerformance and electrified MINI vehicles. This is a 74.8% increase compared to the same period last year.

Currently, there are total of nine electrified vehicles that are made by BMW. This product portfolio and the fact that it has sold a record number of such vehicle this year has made the automaker the 3rd biggest BEV/PHEV manufacturer in the world.

Supporting this notion is the fact that the i3 has been the company’s best selling compact battery-electric vehicle in the premium segment since 2014. These figures are expected to improve even further as car buyers around the world begin to embrace electrified vehicles as the future of personal mobility.

That said, we shall have to wait and see if these sales figures are affected in anyway by the introduction of Tesla’s affordable family sedan – the Model 3. Touted as the affordable Model S, Tesla hopes to reach a much larger customer base with this relatively inexpensive yet premium EV.

German automakers strike deal with home regulatory agencies

It looks as though German regulators are getting tough on manufacturers of diesel engines. Based on a news article published by Auto Express, Big name automakers such as Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and BMW have reached an agreement with the German authorities to update 5.3 million cars with software tweaks enabling them to run a lot cleaner.

This news affects vehicles with Euro5 and 6 diesel engines and the new software will reduce the amount nitrogen oxide emissions emitted by 25 to 30 percent. Having said that, 3.8 million of those vehicles are Volkswagens, which makes up a majority of the total stated earlier.

As many of you already know, VW found itself in a bit of a pickle when regulatory agencies in the US and Europe discovered that the automaker had installed cheat devices in its vehicles. These devices allowed them to circumvent the rather stringent diesel emissions regulations that were put into force in recent years.

As result of the scandal, VW has had to pay hefty fines in these markets on top of initiating programmes to roll back the effectiveness of the devices. Apart from that and to help alleviate the anger of many disgruntled VW owners, the company has opted to buy back their vehicles at reasonable prices.

BMW and Daimler, the latter being the parent company of Mercedes-Benz, are also introducing incentives for customers who trade in their older and dirtier burning diesel vehicles for new models that are more friendly to the environment.

We aren’t sure whether such practices will be adopted in other markets but for now, it looks like only German car buyers will benefit from this. That should suit the rest of us just fine because the days of the diesel engine are numbered. The advent of practical electric cars will soon render eco oil burners obsolete and relegate them to the history books.

Source: Auto Express

BMW 8-Series is an iconic vehicle that deserves praise

BMW is known for building luxury cars with sportscar-like credentials, something not many have been able to replicate. Over the years, the Bavarian automaker has produced some absolute stunners including the E46 M3. But what many tend to forget is, it also made a Grand Tourer called the 8-Series.

Meant to entice the upper echelon of society, the car was an over-engineered and sophisticated machine that featured many firsts for a road car and for BMW in general. It was the first to use a multiplex type of wiring system that has since become the industry standard. It was also one of the first to use a drive-by-wire throttle, which meant that there was no real mechanical connection between the accelerator pedal and the throttle opening or closing.

The body was designed through the use of Computer Aided Design or CAD software. A technology that was still relatively new back in the 1980s. The result, was a body that was 3kg lighter than if it had been designed with conventional tools during that era. The car had a significantly better drag coefficient that that of the then BMW 6-Series, which was an impressive achievement at the time.

The car was built between 1989 to 1999, and during its 10 year production run, the it was offered with either a V8 or V12 engine. There were two variants of the former and three of the latter but only two choices of automatics (4-speed & 5-speed) and a single 6-speed manual.

Despite the boxy 80s’ styling and the absence of the fluidic contours of contemporary BMWs, the 8-Series was a marvel in its own right. The absence of the B pillar made the car look considerably larger and more spacious, couple that with cool pop-up headlamps, and what you have is an iconic vehicle that is still revered till this day.

Unfortunately, the car never sold well due to the steep asking price, stricter emissions regulations as well as a sequence of events that led to some economic turmoil during that period.

There is a new version of the 8-Series that is scheduled for launch next year with dimensions and design that isn’t far off from the current generation BMW cars, but we digress.

The original 8-Series has a special place in the hearts of many BMW enthusiasts especially the one in this awesome Petrolicious video. Check out Taylor Patterson’s story and tell us what you think of the iconic 8-Series.

Family of E28 owners prove that older BMWs are still cool

There’s a saying in the car enthusiast fraternity, that a family that drives together, stays together. This is especially true in the case of the Caccavo family, where the dad, mum and son, each drive a well looked after E28 BMW 5-Series car.

It all started when the dad, Dean Caccavo decided to look for a clean E28 M5 that was relatively affordable, in good condition and was able to offer immense driving pleasure. After patiently waiting for prices of the M5 to dip to an acceptable level, Dean was able to pick one up that was in relatively good condition.

Seeing this, his wife wanted in on the action and so did his son, which lead to all three of them having very different yet similar E28 5-Series that they use as their daily drivers. It’s a touching story that should serve as a reminder to those who think that older cars don’t have the ability to cope with as much abuse as more modern ones. Check out this awesome video by Petrolicious video to for the full story about how the Caccavo family fell in love with the E28.

In general, the E28 was the second generation 5-Series that BMW made, it replaced the aging E12 and was produced from 1981 to 1988. The car was 4,620mm long, 1,700mm wide and 1,415mm high, which is considerably smaller than the current generation 5-Series. But back then, cars of that era were heavy and less powerful than the ones we have today.

There were a number of engine options to choose from, ranging from a 1.8-lire four cylinder to a 3.5-litre straight six that helped produce a sweet sounding exhaust note. Variants of the car included the 518, 518i, 520i, 525i, 525e/528e, 528i, 533i, 535i, M535i and the M5.

The E28 was eventually replaced with the more robust E34 that proved to be a hit among executive car buyers around the world. That said, the E28 is still respected among many and is still a decent classic by today’s standards.

BMW M8 prototype to debut at Nürburgring 24-hour race

BMW has revealed that alongside the development of the new 8 Series, the automaker’s engineers are also working on the M version of the car. The fully camouflaged prototype will make an appearance as a driving presentation, which is part of the support programme for the Nürburgring 24-hour race.

“The conception and development of the standard BMW 8 Series and the M model run in parallel,” explains Frank van Meel, President BMW M Division. The future BMW M8 will build on the genes of the 8 Series and augment its DNA with added track ability and generous extra portions of dynamic sharpness, precision and agility. It all flows into a driving experience that bears the familiar BMW M hallmarks and satisfies our customers’ most exacting requirements.”

The car is said to feature classic M design features which include large air intakes, modified brakes and a sports exhaust with four tailpipes. The M8 will also be the base on which BMW will build their M8 GTE race car that will spearhead the German automaker’s charge for the Le Mans title.

Development has already begun with the hopes of a debut sometime this year, but the car will only enter competitive racing next year beginning with the Daytona 24 Hours.

Take a look at the picture gallery below for a basic idea of what the M8 might eventually look like. We know its not much to go on, but something is better than nothing.

Resto Modded BMW 2002 featured on Jay Leno’s Garage

The resto mod market has has been steadily gaining ground over the past few years. Demand for such vehicles has been on the rise thanks to people like Magnus Walker, who, after restoring classics, have managed to preserve the beauty and essence of these vehicles yet incorporate certain amount of modernity to make them practical for today’s world.

Resto Mod is essentially the term used to describe a classic vehicle that has been restored by fusing the original body, panels and switchgear with modernized running gear. Considered sacrilege by purists, the popularity of resto modded vehicles have soared as of late. This is because, despite the vehicles looking just as they did 30 or 40 years ago, underneath, are mechanicals that allow vintage/classic cars to be driven in modern day traffic conditions, without breaking down or spewing oil all over the road.

Such is the case here with a BMW 2002, which was featured on Jay Leno’s Garage Youtube channel. It was brought in by founder of the well-known Bavarian Workshop. Marc and his team were responsible for the restoration project with this particular 1976 BMW 2002, which has been modified to keep up with today’s econoboxes but look infinitely cooler cruising down the highway.

Check out this video to learn more about the restoration process and the immaculately clean BMW 2002 that resulted from it.

BMW to reveal new 8 Series concept car

During BMW’s annual general meeting, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Harald Krüger, announced that the automaker would be introducing a new concept car. Considered to be a design study, it will be unveiled at this year’s Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este on 26 May 2017.

The concept car will provide a glimpse into what the new BMW 8 Series Coupe would look like when it eventually is revealed in 2018. According to the Munich based automaker, the new car “embodies uncompromising dynamics and contemporary luxury – the essence of a modern BMW coupe”.

Speaking of the new concept car, Krüger said, “The BMW 8 Series Coupe will build on our tradition of luxurious sports coupes and add a genuine dream car to our line-up – a slice of pure automotive fascination. The 8 Series Coupe will underpin our claim to leadership in the luxury segment. I can tell you today that this will be a true luxury sports coupe.”

At the moment, all we have is an outline of the car. It isn’t much to go on but based on the silhouette, the car may incorporate design cues from the 6 Series Coupe albeit with wider dimensions. Both front headlights and rear taillights should be of the LED kind at the very least and the car in general, should be loaded with the latest safety tech and BMW’s latest iDrive system.

We will bring you more once the car is unveiled next week, so stay tuned for more updates.

BMW opens biggest warehouse and parts centre in Asia Pacific region

BMW Group Malaysia has officially opened its state-of-the-art logistics warehouse and parts distribution centre in Senai, Johor. This facility will function as the parts distribution hub for 23 countries in the region.

The 775,000 square feet facility is located at the Free Industrial Zone of the Senai International Airport in Johor Bharu. More than RM130 million was invested in the facility which is considered one of its kind and the first in the Asia Pacific region. It will not only function as the logistics warehouse and parts distribution centre for vehicle parts but for lifestyle merchandise of brands under the BMW umbrella, which include BMW, MINI and BMW Motorrad.

Regarding the launch, Mr. Hendrik von Kuenheim, Senior Vice President Region Asia, Pacific and South Africa, BMW Group, meanwhile, said, “The record sales performance we achieved in Asia last year and in the first quarter of 2017 is a testament to the strength of the BMW Group in the region. In that, we believe Malaysia to be a key market that supports our strategic business direction in expanding our footprint in the region. The opening of the new BMW Group Regional Parts Distribution Centre here will help the BMW Group to continue driving our vision to deliver the best in automotive innovation and value to customers in the region.”

According to the German automaker, the launching of this facility proves its commitment to serving customers in the region and ensuring that the parts supply chain is in check with BMW standards and to ensure customer satisfaction.

It was completed at the end of last year and marks the first phase of the construction of the entire facility. Situated in a strategic area with good access to the sea port and airport in the Free Industrial Zone, BMW’s new centre should improve parts supply even further. Besides Malaysia, other countries that will benefit from the launching of this facility include Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Philippines, Brunei, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Tahiti, New Caledonia, Fiji, and Guam.

The opening of this new centre is expected to create 120 new job opportunities in the country, which is good news for us Malaysians.

BMW introduce new BMW 2 Series Coupe and Cabriolet

BMW has given us a glimpse of the new 2-Series Coupe and Cabriolet ahead of their official launch in July this year. The automaker has sold about 150,000 such cars of the same name plate around the world but the demand is highest in the US, UK and Germany.

The new 2 Series features subtle design changes on the outside but an all-new interior with different upholstery choices. Now, the bi-LED headlights are fitted to both models as standard, but can also be specified in adaptive full-LED ones as an option. The twin headlights has a hexagonal look giving rise to a more futuristic appearance, The kidney grille is larger, the outer air intakes are now also larger and the rear features new single-piece LED taillights as standard.

Step inside the cabin, and you are immediately greeted by a new instrument display that features a black-panel design. There’s now one new leather and two new cloth upholstery options to choose from, which complement the aluminium or fine wood trim strips and high-gloss black panels with chrome accents.

BMW says that the interior feels more spacious and less cluttered due to certain tweaks that they’ve made to the design and layout. It’s more prominent features are the contrast stitching as well as the high-gloss black surfacing for the centre stack and the chrome elements for the control panels in the doors.

Located at the top of the centre stack is the high-resolution 8.8 inch touchscreen infotainment system that has the latest iDrive operating system as standard, optional navigation system, support for Apple Carplay, voice control system and a touch controller interface.

For convenience there’s a charging tray that allows you to charge your compatible smartphone wirelessly and the in-car Wifi hotspot provides high speed mobile internet for up to 10 devices. You can also insert a SIM card to expand the vehicle’s connectivity services which include Real Time Traffic Information (RTTI) with hazard preview, On-Street Parking Information and access to the vehicle via Remote Services. There’s even support for Microsoft Office 365, which will allow occupants to use a secure server for their emails, calendars, contact details and the car’s built-in Microsoft Exchange function.

The new 2 Series can be ordered with 16, 17 or 18-inch light-alloy wheels and the exterior body coloyr can be ordered in two new colours which are Mediterranean Blue, Seaside Blue and Sunset Orange. The M Performance vehicles, M240i and M240 xDrive get a bit extra kit than the standard cars.

BMW is offering the two series with a number of engine options that include three, four and six-cylinder powerplants with power outputs ranging from 136bhp to 340bhp. These engines can be mated to either a 6-speed manual or eight-speed Steptronic gearbox. And like the other cars in the line-up, the Coupe and Cabriolet have safety tech that include Active Cruise Control, a Driving Assistant, Lane Departure Warning system and City Collision Mitigation.

The 2 Series will officially be shipped out to dealerships around the world later in the year but expect more information and pictures as the launch date draws nearer.

The love story between a man and his BMW E30 M3

There’s saying that “The bond between a man and his car can only be understood by those who have experienced it”. This is especially true in the case of Gabor Mester and his E30 M3. He first laid eyes on this particular car at a very young age. It belonged to the parents of a friend of his. Gabor would go out of his way to find opportunities to spend more time with it.

The E30 M3 is considered the greatest of all M3 cars, it had a light nimble chassis that was powered by a four-cylinder engine which BMW derived from racing for use on the road. It’s an amazing vehicle that no automaker can replicate again due to more stringent safety standards and emissions regulations. This is probably one of the reasons why owners like Gabor seem to cling to the E30 rather than buy a newer vehicle.

At the beginning, he made that family promise that, when it came time to sell the M3, they would give him the first preference. And they did, but to know the full story, check out this love story between Gabor and the true ultimate driving machine.