BMW model selection in the U.S

To maintain its lead and pull away from the competition, BMW plans to offer a larger model selection in the highly competitive U.S. market. According to new BMWNA CEO Ludwig Willisch, the company will certainly bring the popular BMW X1 across the ocean. “We certainly plan to go with the X1 to America”, said the new North American chief, Ludwig Willisch, to reporters in New York.

Currently the German automaker does not offer the smallest of its sports utility vehicles in the United States, yet it’s available for the Canadian market. In Europe, the X1 Sports Activity Vehicle has exceeded all sales expectations and demand for the product is at its highest peak.

Willisch, who took up the CEO job in early October. wants the BMW market in the U.S. to offer customers more variety. First move was the introduction of four-cylinder engines across several series, including the 5 Series premium sedan. In the past, the image of a four-cylinder banger did not fit with the aspirations of a premium brand, but Willisch looks at this differently. ‘Americans are only interested in a quick pick-up, so that they can get onto the highway fast. They don’t really care what’s under the hood,’ said Willisch.

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Audi RS3 vs BMW 1 Series M Coupe

Fifth Gear UK and its famous host Tiff Needell compares the Audi RS3 versus the all-new BMW 1 Series M Coupe. The BMW 1M Coupe and Audi RS3 have two things in common… Power. Each offers an identical 335bhp and 450Nm of torque.

However, they are two very different beasts. The Audi’s 2.5-litre five cylinder turbo drives all four wheels via a seven speed dual clutch automatic gearbox. The BMW on the other hand has a 3.0-litre straight six twin-turbo. And it sends all its power to the rear wheels via a good ol’ fashioned six-speed manual.

While the 1M is rumored to redline at around 7,000 rpm, the RS3 is able to rev up to 6,800 rpm.

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BMW M Performance Accessories M3 DTM

“Sneak Preview” in Heidelberg: the BMW M Performance Accessories M3 DTM was presented to selected members of the public, consisting of BMW customers and guests, in Autohaus Krauth in Heidelberg this evening. Two days before the car makes an appearance as part of the season-ending DTM event at the neighbouring Hockenheimring, selected members of the public were given a glimpse of the new livery and traditional M colours.

“Old-school DTM fans will recognise from the typical BMW M stripes that the appearance is based on the original BMW M3 cars from the ‘old DTM’. We are very proud of this design. It is both traditional and modern in equal measures. It shows our roots, but in a contemporary style,” said BMW Motorsport Director, Jens Marquardt, at the unveiling of the BMW M Performance Accessories M3 DTM. Marquardt continued: “The car’s aerodynamics were developed in close collaboration with the engineers from series production. The BMW Group boasts impressive resources in this field and the wind tunnels are ultra-modern. This – and the Title Partner BMW M Performance Accessories – shows that the entire company is behind the 2012 DTM project and is working hard towards it.”

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Ad campaign for the new BMW 3 Series

The sixth generation of the BMW 3 Series celebrated its début in Munich last Friday. The whole world was able to attend the presentation in the BMW plant and BMW Welt live, via Facebook. The BMW Group’s most important volume model will be taking off at the beginning of February 2012. The launch campaign for the new BMW 3 Series underlines the sportily dynamic positioning of the vehicle, coupled with maximum efficiency and impressive design. Across all sales channels, the campaign consistently shows sportiness and passion as the central themes.

The first online measures can already be viewed at www.bmw.com and www.facebook.com/bmw. The online description on the BMW website provides all the information about the vehicle. Alongside details about the design of the vehicle, handling, efficiency, comfort and safety, the BMW lines are also presented. The new BMW 3 Series saloon is appearing initially in the BMW lines Sport, Luxury and Modern. In a BMW TV special, exterior and interior designers explain every facet of the vehicle. On Facebook, the new BMW 3 Series can be individually configured in the three equipment lines, paint colours and wheel rim design and can be viewed in a 360-degree image. The configured vehicle can then be posted and shared with friends.

BMW Coupés and Convertibles exhibition at BMW Museum

From 28 October 2011 until the end of September 2012, the BMW Museum is devoting a special exhibition to the development of the big BMW Coupés and Convertibles. Entitled “The Line of Beauty”, it features 14 outstanding exhibits that span the years 1937 to 2011 and take visitors on a historical journey through the world of elegant sports cars.

Preliminary design studies and original hand sketches from the BMW Group Archives recall the longstanding design tradition and leading international stylists that have left their profound imprint on the image and identity of the BMW brand to this day.

The curtain is raised by the BMW 327 Sports Convertible and BMW 327/28 Sports Coupé, both of which rank among the most attractive automobiles of the pre-war era. The BMW 502 Coupé and the Convertible of the same name, along with the BMW 503 Coupé, reflect the luxury and elegance spawned by the economic miracle of the 1950s.

The 1960s are ushered in by the Bertone-designed BMW 3200 CS, before the BMW 2000 CS – with its formal language firmly in the mould of BMW’s “New Class” – signals a turning point in the history of BMW Coupés and Convertibles. The 1970s are launched under the banner of the elegant BMW 3.0 CSi, followed in 1976 by a second milestone in the shape of BMW’s first 6 Series range. The journey through time leads visitors to the BMW 8 Series of the 1990s en route to the second 6 Series range, which rings in the new millennium. Rounding off the exhibition are the new BMW 6 Series Convertible and the new BMW 6 Series Coupé, which was unveiled to the public this year.

Creating a special bridge between past and future is a project initiated by the BMW Museum in the summer of 2011 and featuring design classes held by three renowned design and art schools. With its historical and contemporary exhibits, “The Line of Beauty – The big BMW Coupés and Convertibles” has inspired students to fashion new forms and forge new ideas. In a series of workshops, the young designers analyse historical styles of automotive design, the BMW heritage, and their own national 

MINI Countryman Prodrive

Recent spy photos reveal that Prodrive is working on a production version of the MINI Countyman. The Banbury-based engineering firm developed the MINI Countryman WRC that runs in this year’s rally championship.

MINI WRC is powered by a 1.6-litre, four-cylinder Di turbo-charged engine. The power transmission takes place via an Xtrac 6-speed, sequential gearbox. For its outings on the rally stages, the MINI Countryman chassis has been fitted with a roll cage developed by Prodrive, which exceeds the strict safety.

BMW M3 DTM

The BMW M3 DTM excited tens of thousands of fans at the DTM season finale at Hockenheim (DE). Dirk Werner (DE) completed two laps on the Hockenheim track in the “BMW M Performance Accessories M3 DTM”, one immediately before the DTM race and one immediately afterwards, together with one Audi and one Mercedes-Benz. The three premium constructors that are involved in the series in future gave the fans on the grandstands and in front of their televisions a first taste of the coming year.

BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt said: “This event was something very special for us. Since the early morning there have been clusters of people around our car, and it was simply breathtaking to be able to present our car in front of such a crowd. The reactions to our car were all positive. Today gave us all a lot of extra motivation to present ourselves in top form in half a year’s time at the same venue.”

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