Review of the year. BMW 2012

Don't forget fans!

Tomorrow is our last day of our Mittens Drive! Our tree is quickly filling up but we still have room for more! Stop in and purchase mittens for $5 from our Boutiques store. We will also be a drop site for any item that is listed on the People Serving People Wish list here: http://bit.ly/10HQVw

BMW xDrive vs. snowcat

The Moment - BMW 6 Series

Stop into BMW of Minnetonka and help us in a great cause!

All mittens and other donated items will be given to People Serving People. Stop in and purchase them from our Parts Boutique for only $5!

Thanks for the great review!

My fiance and I purchased our 2010 528xi from Tom Rusch two Saturdays ago. We had come in several times to test drive and he was extremely helpful - showing us several different make and models. Never once was he pushy or "used car-sales-man like" as some of the other posts below would state.

I am mainly taking the time to write this because of the poor treatment I have recieved at other (unmentionable) luxury dealerships in the area -- who size you up based on age,clothing, gender etc. And I am young so usually do not get this treatment at dealerships (sizing up by weekend wear and young appearance is seeming to be the status quou every where else).

This was just the best experience I have ever had at a dealership. We literally were treated like kings - from having coffee served to us, to having Tom go through every little bell and whistle on the car as if it were a fine piece of art - it was hands down the best experience. Aside from the class A treatment, we also recieved a really great deal on the car. Also, their $1500 cash financing deal was something I would really recommend taking advantage of while its available.

i just think everyone should experience car shopping like this instead of feeling like you are being led to the guillotine when signing loan papers.-Amanda

The Road Home - BMW

Kudos Kathy D and Dave P!

Another 5-star review! Keep it up, team. "Received first class service here on a car purchase recently. Kathy D (Sales) and Dave P (Finance) were both fun to work with and made the process easy. Other members of the BMW Mtka team that I encountered were very friendly and accommodating. The owners/GM clearly take pride in keeping the place tiptop, as it was spotless inside and horsepower is on display in perfect form. I look forward to doing business with this dealership in the future. Most importantly, felt like I received a fair deal and walked away with the car I was looking for." For more great reviews, check out our Yelp page. http://bit.ly/tPH1gz

 

Snow might make for a beautiful holiday season, but it also means harsh driving conditions. Let BMW help you drive through confidently.

Ugly Holiday Sweater Contest is here again!

Join our staff, this Saturday December 15th, as we show off our best Ugly Holiday Sweaters! Wear yours and you'll be entered to win an Ultimate Detail for your favorite 4 wheeled friend!

BMW Wish Again

Tire Rack Tire Test - Winter/Snow vs. All-Season vs. Summer Tires on Ice

BMW 1 Series M Coupé. Owner`s polo shirt.

Have you stopped in and donated mittens yet?

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It’s for a good cause! All mittens and other donated items will be given to People Serving People! Stop in and purchase them from our Parts Boutique for only $5!

 

How The BMW All-Electric i3 Is The Future

While the show is often stolen from the all-electric i3 by the stunning and elegant i8, the all-electric i3 has not only a lot going for it but paints a new face for BMW’s future. The i3 is a shot forward, in fact so forward most won’t really catch it. This is BMW’s take on the future and how it will be part of it. After all, BMW is more known for its gasoline car and technology than electric cars... so far. If it continues playing its cards as well, it should be one of the top electricdrive leaders.

Styling The i3. Most of what we know about the i3 is its manufacturing marrying expensive carbon fiber with reinforced plastic. What this means is a light car that won’t be as penalized by its battery weight than say a normally constructed car, or a car otherwise engineered for a gasoline engine turned electric. The i3 and i8 both share this technology but it will come at a price. Although both haven’t had a definite price tag yet, we can bet on around $50,000 for the i3 and over $100,000 for the i8. Ah, that BMW performance comes at a price.

As I mentioned before, some of the styling cues get a little lost on the i3, especially as its lays so close to its other more sculptural sister, the sensual i8. The i3 makes good use of aerodynamics and as Benoit Jacob, head of Group Design at BMW i’s, the team behind both vehicles told me, the vehicle has been engineered with aerodynamic efficiency.

Airflowing BMW i3. The i3 sits slightly higher than the i8 and looks a little more on the plump side, but overall looks great. The interior is roomy enough to accommodate four easily, five on a pinch, American bodies. I feel the rest of the world could easily fit five in almost all circumstances.

For all intents and purposes, there is very little difference between the four-door i3 and the two-door. The car manages to keep its lines smooth and well proportioned. A nice visual trick helps us see how streamlined the car is as you see it from from the side of the windshield to the back where it tightens up making it look like a tear drop. Very aerodynamic indeed. But the real work is around the front fascia and back where the amount of designing spent to lower the aerodynamic drag comes together intelligently combining its low weight to the performance it promises.

The front facia has discreetly carved out air tunnels on either side of the bumpers that force the air around and above the car. Even below and above the headlights, niches have been carved out to direct the air away from the front surfaces and chased away.

The wheels are another obvious cue that show how they are designed to suck the air from below the car when in motion. In both cases, the BMW i8 and i3 make plenty use of what Benoit called active aerodynamics. I pressed him on that point he made very clear, and asked why he didn’t go the way others do, such as Porsche with its Boxster and automatic raised back wing. His point was to design a car that was aerodynamically correct from the beginning and not have to revert to automatic wing gadgets, something he said can always stop working.

In essence, all these aerodynamic “tricks” are well integrated into the original design making both cars a pleasure to see. With an active and static efficient aerodynamic system built around the car, both i3 and i8 make full use of airflow to facilitate its penetration through the air, thus lowering resistance. Add on top of that a very light body and now you can start to see where BMW is going with this, into the future. BMW i3 electric car may not have as many stylistic cues and catchas as as its i8 sister, but it will be one fun electric BMW car to drive around town and take off on small windy roads.

This holiday season, BMW of Minnetonka has partnered with the local non-profit organization, People Serving People for our Holiday Giving Campaign.

12-0157_Holiday_Giving_Email_v1.pdf Download this file

Alternative drivetrains. BMW history and present.

BMW i3 Coupe Unveiled Ahead Of L.A. Auto Show

Continuing its quest  to come up with a range of plug-in hybrid and electric cars in the near future, at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show BMW will unveil a new member of its ‘i’ family, the new i3 Coupe . It is a normal i3 with three doors, and some new styling details.

The i3 Coupe comes with a revised front fascia, new side profile, and modified rear-end design. The interesting bit is the side window. They have sort of lowered the edge of the rear window, so the rear compartment gets more light and wouldn’t feel claustrophobic. You have seen this before, of course, on the Hyundai Genesis Coupe. Is BMW copying Hyundai now?

Size-wise, the i3 Coupe measures 3,964mm in length, 1,768mm in width and 1,555mm in height, and offers a 2,570mm wheelbase. Inside the cabin the car features the latest edition of the iDrive, and also a tablet thingy as the instrument cluster. It is very luxurious though, with wool seats and luxury leather upholstery, plus wood and aluminum trimming.

Typical of the ‘i’ brand and the i3 range, the power comes from an electric motor  that develops 170 hp and 250 Nm. BMW says it has a range of 160 km on a single charge.

There are no solid production plans behind the i3 Coupe, but if the i3 turns out to be a success, BMW may want to extend its range with different variants like this.

Courtesy of: http://bit.ly/U9VhHu

Take the next step with BMW ConnectedDrive

Planning a trip? Find a destination on your computer and send it to your car. BMW ConnectedDrive.

Ed, thank you for providing outstanding customer service

"I had a great experience working with Ed Howard, who was knowledgable, courteous and straight forward to deal with. Ed gave me a fair deal on a 2012 528xi and he went the extra mile by giving me a ride to the nearest government service center, when I realized that my license had expired (and I had been previously dropped off at the dealership).

There was no sales pressure and the dealership is truly a place I look forward to coming back to. I'd highly recommend Ed and Minnetonka BMW to my friends and colleagues." - jgranacher

Click here to read this review and many more on the DealerRater reviews!

BMW M Presents: The Making of an M Print

Congratulations to Sharon A. on winning a brand new iPad!

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She is the 2nd winner from our Fall Service Clinic. Here she is with members of our staff: Jeff LaMott, Tim Simmon and Jim Machemehl! Thanks to all who attended!

BMW i. BORN ELECTRIC TOUR. NYC.

BMW M Performance steering wheel puts driving data at your fingertips

Taking a BMW M series car out on the track is an occasion for daydreaming that you're Michael Schumacher at the wheel of a Formula 1 racer. Unfortunately, the average BMW doesn’t come with a US$50,000 F1 steering wheel, making the illusion that bit harder to maintain. To help rectify this, BMW is offering a steering wheel with a touch of the racetrack as part of its M Performance accessories catalog.

The BMW M Performance steering wheel isn’t as insanely complicated as the F1 wheel and you don’t have to remove it in order to get in the car, but it does provide some features to make a track day a bit more interesting. At first glance, it looks fairly conventional except that on the rim is an OLED display with two LED readouts on either side and a pair of thumb buttons hidden under the leather. The purpose of these readouts is to provide the driver with information at a glance without having to look at the dashboard instruments – much like an F1 wheel.

The M Performance wheel operates in three modes. The first is ECO, during which the displays guide the driver into how to drive in the most economical style and provide readouts on how well the car performed against averages. The second is the Sport mode, where the wheel acts as a stopwatch, monitors fuel consumption and acts as a g-meter to show and record acceleration in turns. The last is Race mode, which includes a lap timer with various split-time and memory functions displayed to the nearest hundredth of a second. This mode also has an optional lap trigger that uses an infrared transmitter and receiver to measure lap times automatically as well as the ability to time a variety of sprints, such as the 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) or the American quarter-mile sprint. The LEDs even provide countdown and sprint-finish indicators.

Radiator temperature is shown in all three modes and oil temperature is displayed for petrol engines. The system also has a memory function so information like acceleration in a curve is available to read later.

Of course, none of the modes are particularly practical, but since the M Performance wheel is the steering equivalent of a go-faster stripe, that’s not a major drawback. Pricing for the M Performance Wheel starts at US$800.

The video below is a review of the M Performance steering wheel provided by BMW.

Source: BMW

Winter/Snow vs. All-Season vs. Summer Tires on Ice

Congratulations to Ann S. on winning a brand new iPad!

 

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Here she is with members of our staff: Jeff LaMott, Bob Doherty and Jim Machemehl!

BMW CPO - Best Day Ever

BMW 116d EfficientDynamics Records 103 MPG UK

BMW’s award-winning and cleanest car currently on sale in the UK now has another accolade. A BMW 116d EfficientDynamics five-door Hatchback entered into the RAC Future Car Challenge 2012 achieved an outstanding103mpg over the 64-mile Brighton to London route, winning the Best Internal Combustion Engine class in the process.

The route from Brighton to London included many miles of uphill section and busy London traffic, but event organisers measured the fuel used over the challenging route recording a 39 per cent improvement over the official 74.3mpg combined economy figure. The Brighton to London RAC Future Car Challenge event was first introduced in 2010 to showcase low energy use vehicles. It features competitors driving electric, hybrid, hydrogen and low-emission conventional petrol and diesel cars on a route from Brighton to London, using the least amount of energy possible. The event is a real-world test of current and future vehicle technology.

The 116d benefits from a suite of BMW’s EfficientDynamics technologies, which are designed to maximise fuel economy and lower emissions. These technologies were put to good use on the completely standard car by an experienced driving duo from Green-Car-Guide.com editor, Paul Clarke, and engineering specialist Paul Andrews from Oaktec, who between them have won nine eco-driving events and 24 class wins in special stage rallies.

The BMW 116d EfficientDynamics is a rear-wheel-drive family hatchback that can accelerate from zero to 62mph in 10.5 seconds, has a top speed of 121mph yet still achieves impressive performance figures. With its 99g/km emissions figure the BMW 116d qualifies for zero Vehicle Excise Duty, is exempt from the London Congestion Charge and it has a benefit in kind rating of just 13 per cent for company car drivers.

Steve Chater, Corporate Operations Manager, BMW UK said: “We know our cars are class-leaders when it comes to efficiency and driving pleasure but this result raises the bar further. Being able to achieve more than 100mpg is an outstanding result and this is on top of it being the cleanest BMW ever offered for sale in the UK courtesy of 99g/km CO2 emissions. 2012 has seen BMW launch ActiveHybrid models in 3, 5 and 7 Series guises, but while we push ahead bringing new technologies to market we will continue to enhance the conventional combustion engine as has been clearly demonstrated here.”

Paul Clarke, Editor of Green-Car-Guide.com, said: “It is an incredible achievement for a BMW to achieve over 100mpg on a busy Saturday morning drive from Brighton into central London. Hybrids and electric cars certainly have an important future, but it shows that people shouldn’t write off the internal combustion engine yet, as its efficiency is improving all the time.”

 

The BMW 116d EfficientDynamics was the only premium brand vehicle in its class. As well as competing in the event, the Green-Car-Guide.com team also drove the car from the North West to Brighton, and back again, a round trip of over 500 miles, and achieved more than 90mpg over the motorway route. Eco-driving principles were applied during the event to achieve the extremely high fuel economy. See more extensive coverage of the drive at www.Green-Car-Guide.com

Source:BMWBlog

Thanks to this wonderful author for writing up a great review!

Had a wonderful experience purchasing our X3 with BMW of Minnetonka. Had visited Joe Schad a couple months prior to our purchasing our X3. We were just starting to look around, and after experiencing poor customer service at a couple of other competeters, it was a nice change to deal with Joe and BMW of Mtka. The service was a night and day difference from the others. I would definitely recommend them over others. We've been so pleased with our purchase and Joe has worked with us on taking care of any issues we may have.. Thanks to him and everyone else there!!-The Ultimate BMW Driver

BMW marks 25 years of 12-cylinder engines

BMW's second-generation 7 Series, unveiled in 1986, featured two new top-of-the-range sedans whose formidable six-cylinder in-line engines generated universal enthusiasm in the motoring media. Nevertheless, it was an open secret that an even bigger star was waiting in the wings: the first German 12-cylinder luxury model in half a century.

Expectations were running high, fuelled by BMW's release of various advance details of the new model's technical specifications. In September 1986, one news magazine informed its readers: "BMW will be opting for an aero engine-style design. That means most engine systems on the 12-cylinder 7 Series model, which is due for market release in June 1987, will be duplicated. There will even be two lambda sensors. And even if half the engine capacity failed, for some reason, speeds of over 200 km/h would be possible even on just six cylinders." Last but not least, BMW's development chief at the time was quoted as saying: "if the engineers wanted to go for nothing but the best of everything, we didn't try to stop them."

The rumour mill was rife with speculation about the future top-of-the-line engine's capabilities. One story doing the rounds claimed that: "BMW is doing everything it can to promote a sense of exclusiveness and cachet. They even want the licensing authorities to allow them to state the performance not in figures but in words – to the effect that the engine is appropriate in power and performance for the requirements of the vehicle."

In February 1987, BMW finally put an end to the speculation and released the technical specifications of the 12-cylinder engine in the new BMW 750i, ahead of its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show the following month. The new engine, which had been designed completely from scratch, would develop 300 horsepower from a displacement of five litres. Its refinement, low noise levels and excellent balance between performance and fuel consumption set new benchmarks in engine design. These objectives were achieved by using state-of-the-art technologies and a raft of innovative ideas right across the board. In short, the BMW 750i's 12-cylinder engine had been built with the aim of setting a new and groundbreaking benchmark that would occupy the highest echelons of automotive engineering.

Source: BMW

Happy Halloween! What is your all-time favorite candy?

Ours is the Lime Rock! Check out the video of this BMW M3!

BMW 3 Series xDrive - Corners

Thanks to 'rwolff' for the great review!

Jeff Swanson and BMW did a great job of providing knowledge and service during our visit. They went above and beyond to make sure our needs were cared for.-rwolff

BMW Tire Pressure Monitor

Winter is approaching but have no fear!

Let BMW of Minnetonka take great care of your tires. Stop in and see our Winter Tire Storage! Right now, receive a free set of tire totes with your purchase!

Click here for more information

Busting the Myths of Driving a Manual Transmission

 

The few who do learn manual shifting usually don't pick up the skills from a driving school; rather, they got schooled by their bored Uncle Joe or their theoretically more experienced best friend — who started driving a manual transmission just last summer. This gets you by, but if performed incorrectly you can still cause costly damage to your car over time.

Case in point: Julie Sun, an Edmunds employee, who owns a 2002 Audi A4 and who has been driving a stick-shift car for ages. She recently discovered that, because of incorrect clutch and shift habits, she now has to pay $2,000 for a new clutch and flywheel.

Fortunately, Edmunds.com Editor in Chief Karl Brauer was kind enough to take young Julie out in his Ford GT and teach her the myths of the stick shift to avoid future grief and service payments.

Myth #1: It's OK to constantly "ride" the clutch. If there's a philosophical way to think about how to treat your clutch, this could be it: Whenever the clutch pedal isn't all the way up or all the way down, you're putting wear on your clutch. Picture a big red light mounted on your dashboard. Whenever the clutch pedal isn't fully depressed or fully released the light is on, and your goal is to keep the light off.

That's a general way you might think about how to drive a manual transmission vehicle. In truth it's OK to spend a second or two in the process of pressing or releasing the clutch pedal (you certainly don't want to treat it like a light switch), but in general the less time spent in this transitional period the better.

Myth #2: Use the clutch to hold your car in place on steep hills. If you're stopped on a slight incline you must use the brake to keep the car from rolling backward. If you're worried about rolling back between the time you release the brake pedal and engage the clutch you can "cheat" by pulling the emergency brake. Don't fully apply the E-brake unless you're on a really steep hill. Instead, just use enough E-brake to keep the car from rolling backward. Then engage the clutch when traffic allows and pull away from the stop, being sure to release the E-brake as soon as you start moving forward. The most important rule, however, is never use the clutch to hold your car in place while waiting on an incline. Doing this will burn out that imaginary red light on the dash — as well as really burn out the clutch.

Myth #3: Use the clutch to save your brakes. The clutch can theoretically be used as a braking device when slowing down, but this is more trouble than it's worth. First, if you're using the clutch to slow a car to "save your brakes" you better be really good with the clutch. If you're not smooth in your downshifting you'll be putting extra wear on the clutch.

Anyone want to guess which components cost more to replace — brake pads or a clutch plate? You're better off just pushing the clutch pedal in and leaving it in, and/or shifting to neutral, when slowing down in a manual-shift vehicle — especially if you aren't extremely smooth at downshifting. If you are smooth at downshifting and you feel like going through the trouble, you can constantly downshift and release the clutch as you slow down. But even doing that action smoothly won't make your brakes last appreciably longer.

Myth #4: It's impossible to be perfectly smooth when engaging the clutch. Always try to learn exactly where the clutch pedal is when the clutch starts to engage. You can practice this in a parking lot, and once you are familiar with it you can use this knowledge to make every shift smoother. This will add confidence to your ability to stop and start on an incline, and it will make downshifting easier, because you can quickly let the clutch pedal go from the floor to the area in the pedal travel where the clutch actually starts to engage (it's different on every car). Once you get to that point quickly you can then modulate the speed at which the pedal is released to achieve a smooth engagement. This is how you can keep from rolling back on an incline without using the E-brake.

Myth #5: It's normal for the car to lurch when downshifting. When you do downshift (without coming to a complete stop) it's important to "rev-match." This means raising the engine's rpm as you release the clutch to more closely match your vehicle's engine speed to the rear-wheel speed. Again, this is only important on downshifting. As you accelerate and upshift you don't have to worry about rev-matching. By giving the engine just a bit of throttle when you downshift you can make the clutch engagement smoother, which reduces clutch wear and head bobbing on downshifts.

If you get really good at rev-matching you can even try heel-and-toe downshifting, which is what racers use to get the smoothest downshifts, and the best lap times, around a road course. Heel-and-toe shifting is actually a whole other article, but in short you must apply both the brake pedal and the gas pedal simultaneously, thus slowing the car down and rev-matching the engine to rear-wheel speed — all at the same time. This can be accomplished by carefully placing your right foot on the brake pedal and the gas pedal.

But for the sake of your clutch, and the safety of your fellow drivers, please don't try heel-and-toe shifting until you've fully mastered the basics mentioned above!

BMW Seat Memory

The infinite world of the web.

Experts from BMW Group Research and Technology are developing in the research project webinos an open source platform for using mobile web applications across different devices.

In today’s modern society, we are constantly online. A world without social networks would be almost inconceivable, while using apps has become an intrinsic part of our digital lifestyles. Every device now enables the use of web services, whether it’s a smartphone, the home PC, the television or an in-car head unit. However, these devices are not yet able to communicate between one another to exchange information in that way. And this is precisely where the EU-funded project webinos comes in, by aiming to develop and standardise an open source web-based and browser-based application platform to enable the unrestricted and combined usage of heterogeneous CE devices. 30 partners from the automotive, IT and telecommunications industries, as well as several research institutes, have united forces with this common goal. The research project, which is being funded by the European Commission as part of its 7th Framework Programme, was launched in September 2010 and runs until August 2013. An initial automotive prototype will be on show at the “Communication World” IT trade fair in Munich on 9–10 October 2012.

 

Cloud computing as a role model.

Cloud computing provided the inspiration for the webinos project. The World Wide Web already provides an impressive example of how documents and information can be successfully exchanged across the boundaries between different devices with the help of open source standards. Webinos applies the same approach to applications. By creating purpose-designed web browser add-ons and defining suitable communication standards, webinos demonstrates how the browser can increasingly evolve into a shared web application platform. The research work is focusing on the development of both communication mechanisms between the devices as well as the necessary browser interfaces for web applications.

 

The webinos technology.

To enable secure data exchange, webinos relies on the concept of “personal zones”. A personal zone comprises all of a user’s devices, and centres around a personal zone hub that works like a kind of telephone exchange. The hub knows what the individual devices are, which applications are installed on which device, and also which services they each support. Users can configure and adapt their personal zone on a special website. Special privacy settings are designed to ensure that applications are only able to make use of enabled data and services.

A web browser such as Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome can be used to execute webinos-enabled applications. Web applications can access the services within a personal zone by means of a special browser add-on. The new interface builds on the trend first started with HTML5 of using the browser as an application platform.

In the research project webinos 22 different service components have been developed for accessing device functions. These cover both universal functions and the specifics of the smartphone, PC, TV and vehicle devices addressed in webinos. For the in-vehicle integration the Vehicle API (that allows access to the vehicle-specific data), the Geolocation API (that can be used to obtain data on speed and GPS location) and the Device Orientation API (that comprises data on both lateral and linear acceleration) are the most relevant components. The Geolocation API and the Device Orientation API are both standards of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). A wealth of data can be made available with the help of just these three packages. This makes it possible to access parking sensor information, average speed and fuel consumption readings, as well as light and windscreen wiper settings, and also relay information on the current gear. Customers could use webinos enabled applications to call up their vehicle’s current fuel level on their smartphone or TV, for instance. Conversely, the technology also makes it possible for them to access their smartphone’s or PC’s media library from the comfort of their car.

 

First automotive prototype showcases browser-based onboard computer and networked trip planner.

In the research prototype on show at the Communication World fair, the complete onboard computer display appears in the browser with HTML5 and the webinos add-ons. Thanks to the new interfaces in webinos, the Park Distance Control function can also be visualised in the browser.

Users are able to manage their personal points of interest for a trip with the help of the “webinos travel” web applications. The trip can be planned on the smartphone, tablet or home PC. On the day of departure, the planned stop-off points are then ready to be selected in the vehicle, or can be sent from the smartphone directly to the navigation system as the journey’s destination. If it is not possible to drive all the way to the destination, the latter will be transmitted to the web application on the smartphone for Last Mile navigation on foot.

M Power - Stitcher Radio

Government to warn motorists tens of thousands may have counterfeit air bags

Car owners whose air bags have been replaced in the past three years may have had dangerous counterfeit bags installed, the Obama administration warned Wednesday.

Only 0.1 percent of the U.S. vehicle fleet is believed to be affected, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a statement. But industry officials briefed by the government said tens of thousands of car owners may be driving vehicles with counterfeit air bags. NHTSA testing has shown most of the counterfeit bags don't inflate or fail to inflate properly. In at least one case, a counterfeit bag fired shards of metal shrapnel on impact, the agency said.

NHTSA is asking car owners to check a government website, www.Safercar.gov, for information on how to contact a call center established by auto manufacturers to learn if their vehicle model is among those for which counterfeit air bags are known to have been made.

 

No deaths or injuries have been tied to the counterfeit bags, NHTSA said. But it's unclear whether police accident investigators would be able to identify a counterfeit bag from a genuine one, industry officials said.

NHTSA has compiled a list of dozens of vehicle makes and models for which counterfeit air bags may be available, but the agency cautioned that the full scope of the problem isn't clear yet and the list is expected to "evolve over time."

If a car is on the list and has had its air bags replaced during the past three years by a repair shop other than a new car dealership, NHTSA is asking owners to bring the vehicle into a dealership to be inspected at their own expense to determine whether the replaced air bags are counterfeit. Fees for checking out air bags could run $100 or more, industry officials said. Some types of cars have as many as eight air bags.

The counterfeit bags typically have been made to look like air bags made by automakers and usually include a manufacturer's logo. Government investigators believe many of the bags come from China, an industry official said.

The bags are marketed to auto body shops as the real deal, industry officials said. Auto dealerships that operate their own body shops are usually required by their franchise agreements to buy their parts, including air bags, directly from automakers and therefore are unlikely to have installed counterfeit bags, industry officials said.

But only 37 percent of auto dealers have their own body shops, according to information on the National Association of Automobile Dealers' website. Many consumers whose vehicles have been damaged are referred by their insurance companies to auto body shops that aren't affiliated with an automaker.

Consumers who bought replacement air bags online or who have purchased a used car that may have its airbags replaced in the past three years were also asked to check NHTSA's list.

Counterfeiting of a wide variety of auto parts has long been a well-known problem, industry officials said. But recent incidents have escalated concern by government officials. In August, federal agents confiscated nearly 1,600 counterfeit air bags and arrested a North Carolina auto mechanic, according to a report by the Charlotte Observer. The mechanic was tied by federal officials to another counterfeit air bag case last year in Tennessee, the report said.

Last February, Dai Zhensong, a Chinese citizen, pleaded guilty and was sentenced in federal court in Chattanooga, Tenn., to 37 months in prison for trafficking in counterfeit air bags, according to a statement made at the time by the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Zhensong was a part owner and manager of the international department of Guangzhou Auto Parts, which made a variety of auto parts, many of which were counterfeit, the statement said. In 2010, he traveled from China to Chattanooga to sell additional counterfeit air bags and other auto parts. The counterfeit air bags were manufactured by purchasing genuine auto air bags that were torn down and used to make molds to produce the counterfeit bags. Trademark emblems were purchased through Honda, Toyota, Audi, BMW and other dealerships located in China and affixed to the counterfeit air bags. The air bags were advertised on the Guangzhou Auto Parts website and sold for approximately $50 to $70 each, far below the value of an authentic air bag, the statement said.

BMW models that are affected are:

2007-2011 X5, E70, E60, E61
2008-2010 5-Series, 528i, 535i
2004-2007 5-Series. 525i, 530, 535, E60, E61
2007-2011 E90, E91, Not listed E92, E93
2007-2011 X5, E70
2004-2007 525i, 530, 535
2011-2012 X3

Source: FoxNews

BMW Wants To Teach You How To Drive Like A Pro

BMW doesn’t just want you to drive its cars. It wants to teach you how to drive them like a professional. And in order to do attract students to its Performance Driving School, BMW has redesigned its site to provide an in-car, interactive experience.

“We were trying to really bring to life the exhilaration that the school offers,” says Marc Hartzman, creative director at Kirshenbaum Bond Senecal + Partners, the agency behind the redesign. “We let [the viewer] feel like what it’s like to sit in the front seat with these drivers.”

Prior to the redesign, the website for BMW’s driving school only featured still photographs and text, a decidedly static way to market high octane driving classes. Now, the site features a video aimed at showcasing the adrenaline rush and lessons students receive in BMW courses. Videos on the site give prospective students an inside look at a “hot lap” (when a student rides shotgun while a course instructor performs various driving maneuvers).

The shoot involved placing cameras inside the performance car to capture the instructor’s tips and attaching cameras to a lead car for exterior shots of the performance car. The exterior shots required that cars move at the same speed and maneuver the course in near unison.

“The sound effects kind of get your blood rushing and your heart pumping and evoking all those emotions we kind of want you to feel. But then along the way we provide a little substance,” Hartzman says.

kbs+ looked no further than Matt Mullins, the chief driving instructor for the school, to star in the videos. Mullins is a former NASCAR competitor and Hollywood stunt driver--he worked on Will Ferrell’s Talladega Nights--who has taught drivers of all skill levels, including Martha Stewart and Secret Service officers.

Each of the five “mini-lesson” videos feature Mullins performing a specific driving skill--the quickest way to handle corners, proper vision, breaking and driving in wet conditions--in a BMW M5 and describing the techniques used to pull it off. Viewers watch Mullins maneuver the track and can opt to watch the mini-lessons on a pop-up screen as he demonstrates each one.

Learning to maneuver a car like Mullins is hardly cheap. One day at BMW’s M School--which teaches professional driving lessons--costs $1,450, and the two-day class costs $3,595.

BMW 3 Series raises bar in unexpected ways

The BMW 3 Series has been around for nearly 40 years with an edge in performance that competitors strive to match.

A few, such as the Audi A4, are closing in, so you might think the 3’s 2012 makeover would have widened the gap. But instead, the sixth-generation BMW takes a whack at a few pet peeves I’ve had about the car over the years.

I tested the rear-drive 328i sedan, which starts at $35,795 -- $270 more than 2011 models. Some enthusiasts might grouse over the 4-cylinder twin-turbo engine that replaces the inline 6, but consider the huge gain in fuel economy.

The EPA puts the 2012 manual’s mileage at 23 in the city, 34 on the highway, compared with 18/28 for the previous generation. Torque and horsepower rise from 200 and 230, respectively, to 255 and 240. And BMW pegs zero-to-60 time at 5.7 seconds, compared with 6.3 for the previous manual.

Click here to see other new car reviews.

You can choose between a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission, both with a stop-and-go function that helps save gas by shutting down at stoplights.

Four driving modes -- EcoPro, Comfort, Sport and Sport Plus (which shuts down traction control) -- give you a wide range in performance.

My tester was equipped with the manual gearbox, which is smooth and easy to shift, but I do have one complaint. Another change for 2012 is a moderate gain in size, which adds more room all around while shedding 88 pounds.

That’s super, but to drop the clutch effectively I had to keep the seat farther forward than I like. Plus, you can’t adjust the steering wheel high enough to let you bend your knee into a more relaxed position when using cruise control.

As for exterior design, BMW sharpened creases along the sides and hood for a more aggressive look. Inside, however, the 328i really shines. Fit and finish and material quality are excellent. The Sport, Modern and Luxury models each offer a slightly different appearance.

The iDrive control system, much maligned in the past, has been refined for easier use. And there are tons of other techy features, though they quickly spiral the price past the $40,000 mark.

Heads-up display, parallel-park assist, surround/top view screen, blind-spot monitor, lane departure warning system, navigation with real-time traffic data, variable sports steering, ConnectedDrive Internet link and a foot-activated trunk opening system are among the options. Enthusiasts also may be swayed by the M sports and adaptive packages.

The 3 Series’ former gas-guzzling ways, along with its skimpy backseat, were a tradeoff to the Bimmer’s handling prowess in the past -- but no more.

Only the 328i and 335i sedans (starting at $43,295) received the makeover for 2012. Still to come are the coupe, wagon and convertible. Also new will be an even more fuel-efficient ActiveHybrid version of the 3.

Source: Biz Journal

BMW 3 Series raises bar in unexpected ways

The BMW 3 Series has been around for nearly 40 years with an edge in performance that competitors strive to match.

A few, such as the Audi A4, are closing in, so you might think the 3’s 2012 makeover would have widened the gap. But instead, the sixth-generation BMW takes a whack at a few pet peeves I’ve had about the car over the years.

I tested the rear-drive 328i sedan, which starts at $35,795 -- $270 more than 2011 models. Some enthusiasts might grouse over the 4-cylinder twin-turbo engine that replaces the inline 6, but consider the huge gain in fuel economy.

The EPA puts the 2012 manual’s mileage at 23 in the city, 34 on the highway, compared with 18/28 for the previous generation. Torque and horsepower rise from 200 and 230, respectively, to 255 and 240. And BMW pegs zero-to-60 time at 5.7 seconds, compared with 6.3 for the previous manual.

Click here to see other new car reviews.

You can choose between a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission, both with a stop-and-go function that helps save gas by shutting down at stoplights.

Four driving modes -- EcoPro, Comfort, Sport and Sport Plus (which shuts down traction control) -- give you a wide range in performance.

My tester was equipped with the manual gearbox, which is smooth and easy to shift, but I do have one complaint. Another change for 2012 is a moderate gain in size, which adds more room all around while shedding 88 pounds.

That’s super, but to drop the clutch effectively I had to keep the seat farther forward than I like. Plus, you can’t adjust the steering wheel high enough to let you bend your knee into a more relaxed position when using cruise control.

As for exterior design, BMW sharpened creases along the sides and hood for a more aggressive look. Inside, however, the 328i really shines. Fit and finish and material quality are excellent. The Sport, Modern and Luxury models each offer a slightly different appearance.

The iDrive control system, much maligned in the past, has been refined for easier use. And there are tons of other techy features, though they quickly spiral the price past the $40,000 mark.

Heads-up display, parallel-park assist, surround/top view screen, blind-spot monitor, lane departure warning system, navigation with real-time traffic data, variable sports steering, ConnectedDrive Internet link and a foot-activated trunk opening system are among the options. Enthusiasts also may be swayed by the M sports and adaptive packages.

The 3 Series’ former gas-guzzling ways, along with its skimpy backseat, were a tradeoff to the Bimmer’s handling prowess in the past -- but no more.

Only the 328i and 335i sedans (starting at $43,295) received the makeover for 2012. Still to come are the coupe, wagon and convertible. Also new will be an even more fuel-efficient ActiveHybrid version of the 3.

Source: Biz Journal

Looking for a new car at an affordable price?

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A hell of a ride: Liri Farfus gets a taste of the Nordschleife.

Thanks to this wonderful author for writing up a great review!

We purchased an X3 in April and we get more pleased with it as time goes on! Our salesmen, Craig told me this would happen and in my mind I thought, "that's a great salesmen line!" It's true though. Not only do I like my vehicle more, I like the dealership more. We've had to get it serviced a couple of times and the level of professionalism is beyond. Even though I have a BMW, it's a less expensive one, but they never make me feel that way. They know our name instantly, even if you're just coming in for a car wash! They went above and beyond with financing, servicing the vehicle, and answering any questions we may have. In this day, good customer service is hard to find. Exceptional customer service is obsolete. They are beyond exceptional and for that we will never go anywhere else.-Kiki

Get a free diagnostic test, only at BMW of Minnetonka!

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Hey fans!

It’s Trivia Time! We have a 4 pack of tickets to give away to The Minnesota Renaissance Festival! The person who answers correctly, wins!

We have the space to hold more than 400 BMW’s in our Climate Controlled Show Rooms. How big of a building do we have?
(Hint - It’s at bmwofminnetonka.com)

 

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Thanks to this wonderful author for writing up a great review!

I was very satisfied with the professionalism of the sales staff of BMW of Minnetonka. Aaron Hanson, my salesperson delivered what he promised. The shipping company that was used was very reputable and there was not a scratch when I recieved it. The car only took 2 days to ship. I highly reccomend BMW of Minnetonka for online purchasing of new and used cars.-KingKing

The new BMW 7 Series

BMW to unveil fastest Mini ever, the Mini John Cooper Works GP, at Paris Motor Show

BMW is headed to the Paris Motor Show to unveil the latest version of the Mini John Cooper Works, a GP model boasting 218 hp. The special edition will be limited to 2,000 models.

The new Mini packs in all the features of a high-end sports car, including a 218hp engine, individually adjustable coilover suspension, a braking system designed for speedsters and 17 inch wheels made of a light alloy. The diminutive vehicle can turn into a rocket on the track, with a 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) acceleration time of just 6.3 seconds and a top speed of 242 km/h (150 mph).

Its 4 cylinder 1.6l engine is coupled with a 6-gear manual transmission, and the average EU test cycle consumption of the MINI John Cooper Works GP was brought down to 7.1 liters/100 km (39.8 mpg imp), corresponding to CO2 emissions of 165 grams per kilometer.

Parisian premiere

The sports car's standard specifications include xenon headlights in black shells, foglamps, sun protection glazing, air conditioning, and DSC with special GP mode, according to the press release. The body is painted in the "Thunder Grey metallic" color, with John Cooper Works insignia appearing on the lower air intake and the tailgate.

In the wake of the Paris Motor Show (Mondial de l'Automobile de Paris) from September 29 to October 14, BMW will launch the production of the Mini John Cooper Works GP, which will be limited to 2,000 units.

The original Mini John Cooper Works is available since the summer in the Countryman, Clubman, Cabrio, Coupé and Roadster versions.

Source: NY Daily News

We would like to take a moment to remember and honor the men and women who lost their lives 11 years ago today.

We will never forget.

BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe - A Class of Its Own

Imagine yourself behind the wheel of this great 2008 BMW 5 Series.

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BMW CPO - The Scream

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BMW battles to retain dominance in luxury market

When Cadillac officials met with reporters during the recent upscale Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California, they spent a surprising amount of time discussing their competition — in particular, BMW. With its new compact sports sedan called the ATS, Cadillac is taking aim at the Bavarian manufacturer, which has become the benchmark of performance luxury. 

“It won’t be easy” to take on BMW, said Cadillac General Marketing Manager Don Butler, but if the company has any hope of regaining credibility in the luxury market, General Motors’ flagship brand has no other choice. And it’s not alone. 

Last year, the BMW logo adorned more luxury cars than any other brand sold in the U.S., and BMW’s formidable reputation for making its self-proclaimed “ultimate performance machines” establishes it as the king of the hill that virtually every high-end automaker targets, from German rival Mercedes-Benz to Toyota's Lexus.

Time and again, that has proven easier to say than do, and BMW has continued to gain ground in recent years. But it certainly doesn’t mean competitors are backing down. Audi, for instance, is making inroads with products that deliver a mix of solid handling and acceleration along with eye-catching design. Akio Toyoda, president of Toyota, Lexus' parent company, has vowed to put more “passion” and “performance” into new and redesigned products like the LS 460 sedan that will go on sale later this year.

“I would not tell you the truth if I said I did not care” about the challenge the competition is presenting, said Ludwig Willisch, who last year became the CEO of BMW of North America. He added he's also intent on maintaining the position BMW gained in 2011 as the U.S. market’s luxury sales leader.

Being No. 1 “is meaningful to us,” said the German executive, and not just when compared to the likes of Cadillac, Mercedes or Lexus.  Though BMW was the luxury sales leader in the U.S. in 2011, China surged to become BMW’s top market. As of June, however, the U.S. is back in the lead — although BMW of North America is now in a tight race with Mercedes-Benz. And after seeing its sales collapse in 2011 as a result of product shortages stemming from Japan’s March earthquake and tsunami, Lexus is now back in the competition, as well.

BMW has rolled out a number of new models in recent months, including an all-new 3-Series, several high-performance M models, the new X1 compact crossover and, for 2013, it will update its flagship 7-Series.

The new X1 targets a fast-emerging compact crossover segment that Willisch anticipates will bring “new customers we haven’t seen so far.”

Collectively, the German luxury automakers have launched what is considered to be the most aggressive era of product proliferation in automotive history. As soon as some product gaps are identified, BMW or Mercedes or Audi rapidly jumps in — usually with the Teutonic competition quickly following. 

“It’s all about entrepreneurial spirit,” said Willisch, who downplayed concerns that BMW is overdoing things. A few years ago, the automaker saw skeptics abound when it rolled out the X6 Sport-Activity Vehicle, a crossover blending attributes of a conventional SUV and a sports coupe. But demand has been strong enough to persuade the maker to prepare a smaller version, the soon-to-launch X4.

Still, not everyone is convinced. Lexus CEO Mark Templin said he has no interest in adding “100 new models … because I don’t have to,” especially at the lower end of the luxury spectrum. The Japanese marquee brand doesn’t intend to compete with the X1 or the 1-Series passenger car because that, Templin said, is the role of the mainstream Toyota brand.

He has a point. Skeptics dub such miniluxury models as “compliance cars,” which luxury makers like BMW and Mercedes-Benz have to add to their lines in order to meet strict new U.S. mileage mandates and toughened European carbon dioxide rules. Lexus, Cadillac and Audi can turn to down-market sibling brands, such as Toyota, Chevrolet and Volkswagen.

Indeed, while BMW is rolling out a number of new battery-powered cars and plug-in hybrids, such as the new 3-Series-based ActiveE and the upcoming i3 and i8 models, Willisch acknowledged they’re likely to generate collective volumes “in the four digits.”

More conventional hybrids, such as the revised 2013 7-Series version, could do better. A recent study found that the Toyota Prius is frequently found as a companion to luxury models like the 7-Series in the 10 most affluent ZIP codes in America. Willisch said more and more luxury buyers, regardless of their income and net wealth, “are interested in fuel economy,” even if they're just driving something they can brag about to friends and neighbors.

Last year’s strong showing by BMW in China makes it clear that the automaker will have to adapt to global realities. BMW is developing new products specifically for China, notably a stretched version of the 3-Series designed to appeal to buyers who prefer being chauffeured. But no worries, insisted Willisch. He said his company “will continue to build ‘truthful’ BMWs” that can live up to the ultimate driving machine image.

But expect the manufacturer to also put more emphasis on design, creature comfort and safety, as well as quality and customer service. If competitors like Cadillac want to take a shot at BMW, the Bavarians are more than ready to return fire.

BMW M3 Lime Rock Park Edition - Teaser

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BMW of Minnetonka *ULTIMATE AUTO AUCTION*

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE

Who:  Open to all dealers and the public

What:  “AS IS” WHOLESALE AUCTION

·       Cars are sold “AS IS” with no expressed or implied warranty

·       Many vehicles are available for finance

·       Vehicles may be test driven and inspected prior to the event

·       No test drives or inspections on sale day

·       These are vehicles that did not pass BMW of Minnetonka’s reconditioning and inspection standards. 

·       All vehicles available would normally be sent to dealer auctions and open to the public at whole sale prices   

When:  August 25^th 2012 from 9:30am - 11:30am

Where:  BMW of Minnetonka

15802 Wayzata Boulevard

Minnetonka, MN 55391

952.303.7500

Please register prior to the event online at, WWW.BMWOFMINNETONKA.COM

Thanks to this wonderful author for writing up a great review!

I just leased my second vehicle from Sears. My first was a 2010 C300. The service and experience from Matt Mahoney was excellent with this first vehicle. I did not have any major issues with that car, but went in for regular service, each time I was well taken care of. As my lease was nearing the end I was interested in some other manufacturer's vehicles so did research and checked around. I told Matt what I was looking for and he advised me to wait for the 2013 GLK350 as it was being updated and would be a perfect fit. I was glad I took his advice. I just took ownership this week and love the car. I highly recommend Mercedes vehicles, Sears Imported Autos and Matt Mahoney-Boowiebear

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Take a look at this beauty!

It's the all new 2013 BMW X1 for sale. It's a fantastic SUV and we urge you to come on down and take a look at it yourself!

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