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THE NEW 3 SERIES

It is the epitome of sporty flair in its segment and for years it has maintained the leading position as the mostly widely sold premium vehicle in the world. Now the BMW 3 Series sets out to extend its lead even further. Specific design modifications, a further refined interior design, the new generation of the optional operating concept BMW iDrive, new services provided by BMW ConnectedDrive, a revised range of engines and innovations in the areas of drive technology, safety and comfort make both the new BMW 3 Series Saloon and the new BMW 3 Series Touring more attractive than ever before. With rear-wheel drive, harmonious axle load distribution, outstanding steering precision and highly sophisticated chassis technology, the BMW 3 Series sets unsurpassed standards for driving dynamics in its segment. More than ever before, this unique driving pleasure can now be combined with an awareness of economy and minimized pollutant emissions. Thanks to BMW EfficientDynamics the new BMW 3 Series achieves significantly lower fuel consumption and exhaust emission levels with each of the ten engine variations available than those of the relevant competitors in the premium segment.

The new features in the powertrain field include the further optimized... [Read More]

Woodcliff Lake, NJ - BMW of North America, LLC today announced a price increase of 2.1 percent on average across its model range of 2009 BMW brand vehicles. The modest price adjustment is driven mainly by continually rising raw materials costs and ongoing exchange rate pressure.

"The significant structural and economic changes in the marketplace are prompting all automakers to further refine actions to respond to these pressures," said Jim O'Donnell, President of BMW of North America, LLC. "At BMW, we're responding with a number of internal efficiency improvements to offset our increased costs so that we can keep this price increase modest."

Model year 2009 vehicles are due to arrive at dealerships in October. Minor price adjustments will also be made to selected options/packages. There is no 2009 pricing on Z4 Roadsters and Coupes as production concludes at the end of the 2008 model year.

If you're in the market for a new BMW make sure you check out the new Bimmerfest BMW Ordering / Pricing Details forum here - http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=139 You will find Bimmerfest exclusive dealership ordering guides, invoice pricing and more!

Statement on voluntary recall involving front passenger seat sensor mat on U.S.A. model BMWs

BMW announced a voluntary recall regarding the front passenger air bag seat sensor mat involving approximately 200,000 Model Year 2004-06 vehicles. Affected are certain Model Year 2006 3-Series, Model Year 2004-06 5-Series, and Model Year 2004-06 X3 vehicles, depending upon seat type. BMW has found that the sensor mat may become damaged during vehicle usage depending upon the manner and frequency of the front passenger's entry and exit.

BMW will begin sending customer letters in late September 2008. Affected owners may continue to drive their vehicles; however, customers should contact their BMW Center if the air bag warning lamp, and the passenger air bag “on-off” lamp are illuminated simultaneously. In this situation, BMW recommends customers not to use the front passenger seat and have the vehicle serviced immediately. At the present time, we are unaware of any accidents or injuries as a result of this issue.

ALREADY A CLASSIC: THE LAST MINI CONVERTIBLE OF THE CURRENT GENERATION COMES OFF THE PRODUCTION LINE

Global success story with around 164,000 units produced

Munich. Style icon, global player, "value master" and now already a classic. Now that around 164,000 units have been produced, the MINI Convertible of the current generation has reached the end of its production period. As planned, the MINI plant in Oxford ceased production of the open-top four-seater. The final specimen - a MINI Cooper S Convertible Sidewalk painted in metallic White Silver has been sold to a MINI fan in the USA. In the land of limousines, the nimble little automobile with the electrically folding soft top has won over a very loyal group of fans. Only on its domestic market of Great Britain and Ireland were more units of the MINI Convertible sold in the past four years than in the USA.

Similar to the MINI and MINI Clubman, the MINI Convertible has long since established itself as a globally successful model. Although around 77 percent of the total sales in the production period are attributable to the five major automobile markets - in addition to Great Britain and Ireland plus the USA, these are Germany, Italy and Japan - there are only a few untapped areas on the map of the... [Read More]

The BMW Group benefits from highly advanced innovations developed by the BMW Sauber Formula One Team

Munich. The main prerequisite for BMW's comeback to Formula One in 2000 was to generate synergies between F1 and series development. It was for this reason that development of the Formula One powertrain and electronics was integrated at the Munich plant, with the BMW Research and Innovation Centre (FIZ) playing a pivotal role. The F1 factory was set up less than a kilometre away from the think tank and the two formed a close network. "The FIZ represents the future of BMW," states Mario Theissen. "Here you have the most capable engineers working in state-of-the-art research and development facilities. The FIZ has vast resources at its disposal, from which we benefit directly. Conversely, with its extreme technical challenges and the requisite pace of development, the company's F1 involvement represents a unique testing ground for our technicians."

The acquired know-how remains within the company, where it benefits the development of production cars. The expertise developed for the machining of various materials and components in Formula One, such as cylinder heads or crankcases, finds its way into production cars as well the development of motorcycles at BMW Motorrad.

Further... [Read More]

HOMAGE TO ANDY WARHOL ON FOUR WHEELS

His BMW Art Car with co-driver Frank Stella live at the Hockenheimring during the Formula l Grand Prix

Munich/Hockenheim. During the German Formula 1 Grand Prix, BMW will be paying very special homage to the legendary pop artist Andy Warhol. To mark the 30th anniversary of the BMW M1, Warhol's BMW Art Car (1979) will again be taking to the starting grid. The setting for the celebration is the revival of the most spectacular stable trophy in racing history - the BMW M1 Procar series. Both on 19th and 20th July 2008, ten of these cars will be on the starting grid in Hockenheim. Jochen Neerpasch, former head of BMW Motorsport GmbH and initiator of BMW M1 development, will take Andy Warhol's Art Car round the track on a few of laps of honour.

During this spectacular ride, the co-pilot is also bound to look pretty impressive. Frank Stella is not only one of the most significant artists of the 20th century, but also an enthusiastic racing car driver. Moreover, three years before Warhol, he himself designed the BMW 3.0 CSL, a "rolling work of art" which raced at Le Mans in 1976.

Warhol himself was just as enthusiastic as usual: "I love that car. It has turned out better than the artwork".... [Read More]

Blackstone Laboratories

Established in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 1985, Blackstone Laboratories strives to provide an easy-to-use, understandable, and accurate oil analysis program with the fastest turnaround in the industry. At the heart of our program is ICP (inductive coupled plasma) spectrometry, database averages for comparing wear, and a comments section on each report that explains - in plain English! - what your results mean.

To get started with our program, just fill out our kit request form for a free sampling kit. The cost of analysis is $22.50. We also have a discount analysis program in place, if you're interested in receiving a price break on your oil samples.

What is Oil Analysis?
Oil analysis is a quick, nondestructive way to gauge the health of an engine by looking at what's in the oil.

What does a standard analysis include?
In our standard oil analysis, we perform four tests:

... [Read More]