BMW are set to release a smaller and more affordable version of the X5 in the coming months.
Having just launched the MINI First – a cheaper entry level model – BMW look set to continue their pursuit of cornering the mid end as well as the high end of the market.
The BMW X1 will come equipped with all of the EfficientDynamics features aimed at eco-friendly motoring including start-stop technology and Brake Energy Regeneration, amongst other Green extras.
Eco friendly motoring is becoming increasingly vital for our collective carbon footprint and more and more manufacturers are investing in research and development to envelope the best green technology into all types of vehicles.
BMW have won two Green awards in the last 12 months and look set to pick up more in the coming months with the release of the new MINI One D.
With a 90hp engine with 6mg fuel economy, this low end commuter car is a must for those that want a low CO2 emitting little hatchback with high fuel economy.
The British icon, the Mini is of course celebrating its 50th anniversary this year but has also recently passed a noteworthy milestone.
BMW’s MINI plant in Oxford has now built more than 1.5 million units of their award winning hot hatch since 2001.
The 1.5 millionth MINI was a MINI Clubman, red of course, was seen heading off the production line by Business Minister Ian Lucas and BMW Group board member Ian Robertson.
Having been acquired by BMW Group, the MINI has been hugely popular worldwide, thanks to the design, ergonomics and engineering excellence of Bavarian Motor Works.
The Mini E, an electric powered version of the iconic car, is being trialled in the US by 450 people in New York, New Jersey and California as BMW look for detailed feedback to see how they can get an electric powered car on the market by 2012.
BMW have invested heavily into lowering CO2 emissions in the last few years but they hope that the Mini E will eliminate them altogether if it becomes a viable consumer option.
BMW are targeting the US market in a big way by opening 17 more MINI dealerships across America during the next 18 months.
This is just an example of how dominant the iconic hot hatch has become since its reincarnation by BMW in 2001.
The MINI has since been a big success in the US and the inclusion of these 17 new dealerships will take the total US Mini dealerships to 100.
The popularity of the MINI across the Pond has been even higher than BMW had ever imagined and the German car giants aim to better last year’s sales total of just over 54,000 units even though the US is experiencing economic difficulties.
The new BMW Z4 is receiving favourable reviews and looks set to be incredibly popular, especially if we are in for the ‘Indian summer’ that we have been predicted.
Car Chat started the ball rolling in April as we gave the new Z4 the thumbs up, in fact, we didn’t want to give the car back to BMW but were forced to by our financers!
Since our review, many well respected publications have been impressed with BMW’s latest drop-top, none more so that probably the most respected car journalist of them all, Jeremy Clarkson.
What Car? Magazine have named the BMW 318d ES as the Best Green Executive Car in their 2009 Green Car Awards.
With combined fuel economy of an impressive 60.1 miles per gallon and CO2 emissions of just 123g/km the BMW 318d ES is the most efficient and eco friendly 3 series ever made by the Bavarian Motor Works company.
Since 2007 BMW’s eco friendly EfficientDynamics have been used to great effect with the BMW 118d receiving the Green Car of the Year award in 2008 and now the BMW 318d ES receiving its green accolade this year.
The car sales industry has obviously been affected by the economic downturn and dealerships have had to introduce more discounts than normal in an attempt to boost sales, whilst the Government have introduced the scrappage scheme whereby a car that is 10 years old or more can be scrapped in return for a £2,000 discount off a brand new vehicle.
This has received much criticism from many in the motoring industry but early signs suggest that the scheme could be a relative success. The main criticisms are surrounding the fact that discount is limited to brand new cars as opposed to including year old used cars as well, as they have done in Germany.
BMW have been crowned Which? Best Car Manufacturer for 2009.
Which? Are the consumer experts, renowned as one of the most respected in the UK and their Cheif Executive, Peter Vicary-Smith gave a glowing reference to the German car manufacturers, saying that BMW vehicles always ‘excel’ in Which? road tests.
Throughout the past year BMW have implemented their innovative EfficientDynamics (including stop-start technology) which has certainly given the Bavarian Motor Works company a competitive edge in terms of green engineering.
This has lead to BMW receiving a further two awards including Green Car of the Year for the 318d ES and the Mini Cooper S.
It’s one of the most iconic cars in the world, but how did the Mini Cooper come to fruition? The inventor of the Mini, Sir Alec Issigonis, had always intended on the Mini being the car for the everyman, but his good friend John Cooper, who owned the Cooper Car Company specialising in Formula 1 and rally car design, had the foresight to see that the Mini would be suited to motorsport so Cooper approached Issigonis with his ideas, but Issigonis was reluctant as he had never intended his brain child for racing.
BMW has had their fair share of negative press of late after they laid off 850 agency workers at their MINI plant in Oxford with union leaders and politicians weighing in with their two pennies worth, but what has gone relatively unnoticed is the fact that BMW are one of the leaders in eco friendly engineering.
Because of the way a BMW will hold its value, most used BMW’s are re-sold but, like anything, they do have a life span and at the end of that they’re on the scrapheap.
Or are they?
BMW are the most environmentally friendly car manufacturer in existence. Their South Carolina plant in the US has been named a charter member of the US Environmental Protection Agencys National Performance Track. They have recieved this prestigious accolade because of their recycling initiative when it comes to used BMW’s.
A new BMW is a treasure not to be touched. Built to perfection, there is nothing that can be done to improve it and neither should you try.
However, buy a used BMW from an approved dealership and the world is your oyster to customise and personalise with as much bling as your bank account sees fit.
Many BMW fans have started down the road of personalising their used BMW and, realising the attention it draws from onlookers, they become positively obssessed. Starting with replacing plastic interior trims for chrome trim is a relatively cheap way to start. Door handle covers, inside and out, trunk lid trim, gauge rings and light trims can all be replaced with chrome alternatives as well as gear knobs and tax disc holders.
The Stig is the unidentified test driver of vehicles on the favourite BBC Sunday night programme, Top Gear. So far unbeaten, The Stig’s laptimes are breathtaking.
However, he came very close to being beaten last Sunday by Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton performed a lap in 1 minute 44.6 seconds in wet, oily conditions. This came in at a mere .2 of a second behind The Stigs 1 minute and 44.4. And his performance was in dry conditions.
Lewis Hamilton has thrown down the gauntlet to The Stig with a challenge for both drivers to compete in the same weather conditions.