Weighing in at 6.5 tonnes of manipulated masonry, everything apart from the glass windows is made of brick – even the hinges that allow the door to open, the tyres and the hubcaps. As great as this piece is, and as impressive as it would be for a dealer to own, don’t expect to see it outside your local used BMW dealer unless they have a spare £80,000. I’m sure someone will buy it and cherish it, but as with most things that come out of the art world, I have to ask myself who and why.

What do you think? Is this a sound investment or is it a needless extravagance? Leave us a comment and let us know.

A survey which has been carried out by Fleet News magazine has found that the BMW 3 Series is the most reliable company car. Fifty of the largest contract hire companies managing a total of 1.5 million vehicles were polled and voted th BMW the best. This is no prettied up survey done for a nice looking car by biased people – this is based on hard, cold facts. No business can afford to choose their fleet cars on sentiment, only on cost – cost to run and maintain.

The BMW 3 series has evolved since it’s inception to become lighter, roomier, more economical whilst still delivering top performance all encased in a sleek, sexy body.

Police pursued the stolen vehicle to a stop when four young men ran from the car only for three of them to be apprehended shortly after.

The teenagers are alleged to have stolen the vehicle from Little Bay in southeast Sydney and later drove off without paying for fuel at a nearby station. The individuals have been charged with taking the vehicle without consent and one of the arrestees has had assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest added to his charges.

It appears that no matter how wonderful BMW cars are to drive, they don’t come with cloaks that make your theft and terrible driving invisible to the police.

There are a range of components included in BMW’s vision for carbon fibre plated cars, with some being available across the M3 range. Door mirror caps and lower front splitters will be obtainable for all models, while coupe and sedan owners will have the opportunity to purchase a rear boot lid spoiler.

The parts have been tested in the company’s Munich-based wind tunnels, but besides looking strikingly cool, what is the point in carbon fibre parts? BMW say that their accessories will reduce lift and minimise drag, thus enhancing high speed stability and maintaining fuel efficiency. The parts are yet to be priced up for the public, but they will be covered by a two year warranty and will be available from authorised dealers.

All that realistically separates the frozen gray M3s from the standard coloured models is the stylish paint job and impressive dual-leather interior. However, trading in your used BMW for one of these limited edition models carries considerable kudos, particularly with only 30 being made available. The eye-catching exterior paintwork is achieved using a metallic luster finish which is produced with a silk matte clear coat on top of the grey metallic base coat, making the model distinguishable from the conventional gloss finishes of other M3 Coupes.

The Spartanburg assembly line in South Carolina churned out the milestone vehicle, a fitting accolade given that the plant has proven to be integral to the success of the model. The centre has existed for 15 years and become the centre for expertise on BMW X models.

This new sedan looks set to be released wearing a 6 series badge and BMW may display a production model as early as the Paris Auto Show in the autumn. The show acts as a demonstration of the newest models likely to hit markets over the coming years. If the Gran Coupe proves to be as stylish as initial reports seem to suggest, then the forecourts of used BMW dealerships look set to swell with older models.

The Gran Coupe has been designed to compete with the likes of like the Porsche Panamera, Audi A7 and Maserati Quattroporte, while retaining all the classic sleek features of past BMW coupes. When it does launch, a range of engines similar to those in the current 5 and 7 series models looks likely, with 8-speed automatic transmissions across the board.

The feat achieved by the Sunday Times’ Tom Ford, on a test run from the Channel Tunnel to Munich, ending in Lille, was also notable for the fact that the driver didn’t use overly efficient driving techniques such as coasting, and drove at reasonable speeds throughout.

The superb economy that this model offers makes it an ideal choice for companies looking to upgrade their used BMW company vehicles for a more economically sound option. However, the new 320d still packs a punch, with its 163bhp ensuring that fuel-saving need not be boring. BMW’s commitment to greener driving has certainly paid off.

The BMW Roadside Assistance application will soon be available for iPhone, BlackBerry and Android users and with the range of features on offer, it’s easy to see why this app could prove useful. The app is aimed at cutting down the time it takes the user to get information to BMW in the event of a breakdown so that they can provide assistance sooner and also providing the same user experience which users expect from BMW.

Features include: Roadside Services (allows you to connect to Roadside Assistance by selecting the service you require including towing, battery, tyres and lock-out), Dealer Locator, Service Detailes and VIN Registration.

With the amount of BMW drivers who are also smartphone users, it’s easy to see where this app’s audience lies, and providing it works well, its success is all but guaranteed.

The German manufacturer is extremely eager for people to keep using BMW servicing rather than independents. To help its cause it is actively pushing its inclusive servicing offers with all of the new models.

In short this allows you to make a single advance payment which covers you for the first five years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first. It might seem like a big expense in the short term, but you will at least know the servicing costs in advance.

On top of that you get the reassurance that yours will remain a genuine BMW with genuine parts throughout the course of its life.

There is a healthy trade worldwide for faked auto parts. Even reputable mechanics can be taken in as they’re often packaged and sold as the genuine article. The only answer, says BMW, is to make sure you stick with genuine BMW services throughout the car’s life span.