BMW history. The 02 Series.

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BMW Wins 2013 Kelley Blue Book Brand Image Award for Best Overall Luxury Brand

BMW was named today the of the 2013 Kelley Blue Book Brand Image Award winner for “Best Overall Luxury Brand.” The awards, which are based on consumer perception data from the Kelley Blue Book’s Brand WatchTM study, honor the automotive brands that have most successfully captured and maintained positive consumer attention and enthusiasm. BMW’s win was credited to its well-rounded image and broad appeal, according to Kelley Blue Book.
“It is an honor to be recognized as the ‘Best Overall Luxury Brand,” said Ludwig Willisch, President and CEO, BMW of North America. “The fact that this award is based solely on consumer perception only makes BMW’s win that much more satisfying.”

Brand WatchTM is an online brand and model perception tracking study tapping into 12,000+ in-market new-vehicle shoppers annually on Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com. The highly comprehensive Brand WatchTM study offers insight into in-market new-vehicle shoppers’ perceptions of brands and models, including important factors driving their purchase decisions while they are in the midst of the shopping process.
“The Kelley Blue Book Brand Image Awards are unique because they reflect the opinions of actual in-market new-car shoppers, providing automakers with a glimpse into what potential customers really think of their brand and showcasing their perception strengths,” said Hwei-Lin Oetken, vice president of market intelligence for Kelley Blue Book. “While other awards from KBB.com are based on data calculated by Kelley Blue Book experts, the information that comprises the Brand Image Awards comes directly from the opinions of thousands of new-car shoppers over the period of an entire year. The insights gleaned from the Brand Watch study can be an invaluable tool for automaker marketing teams and their agencies.”
This marks the sixth consecutive year that Kelley Blue Book has presented auto manufacturers with the Brand Image Awards and the ninth win for BMW in various categories. The brand previously took home awards for Best Exterior Design, Luxury (2012, 2009, 2008), Best Performance Brand (2011, 2009), Coolest Brand (2011, 2009) and Best Exterior Design – Luxury Sedan/Coupe/Hatchback (2008).
“Some will say that perception is reality, and while we concede that image isn’t everything, it is more than enough to get shoppers into the store, and that’s half the battle for automakers and their dealers,” said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com. “With standout vehicle lineups and positive consumer perception confirmed by empirical study, the winners of Kelley Blue Book’s 2013 Brand Image Awards have secured enviable positions in the minds of car buyers.”
[Source: BMW]

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NY Auto Show preview: BMW 3 Series GT set to make U.S. debut

BMW’s theme for the 2013 New York Auto Show seems to be “small and sensible.”

In addition to unveiling the Concept Active Tourer plug-in hybrid and 2014 328d diesel, the Bavarian brigade will show the 3 Series Gran Turismo (GT) for the first time in the United States.

For those of you who don’t speak BMW, “Gran Turismo” is the wonderfully romantic name the German carmaker uses for high-roofed hatchbacks based on its luxury sedans. The 3 Series GT will further expand the 3 Series range, and complement the larger 5 Series GT in the company’s lineup.

What buyers will get is a stretched wheelbase and a taller roof with a crossover-style tailgate, all adding up to extra cargo space. This is definitely an exercise in function over form: even a dramatically sloping roofline can’t save the 3 Series GT (or its 5 Series sibling) from terminal ugliness.

Under the skin, the GT is all 3 Series. Like the 2014 3 Series sedan and wagon, it will be offered as either a 328i, with a 240 horsepower, 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four, or a 335i, with a 300 hp, 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six.

An eight-speed automatic transmission will probably be the only option, and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive may also be offered.

Like the regular 3 Series, the GT will also be offered with several aesthetic trim packages, including Sport Line, Luxury Line, Modern Line, and M Sport.

We’ll have all the details on the 2014 BMW 3 Series GT when the 2013 New York Auto Show opens next week. Will it be a niche hit or an ugly flop? Tell us what you think in the comments.

Source: DigitalTrends

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The service provide by Andre Prasad is second to none. He was very helpful and never pushy, his only goal was finding a car that would be exactly what I wanted. Even though I was only in the market for a $11k vehicle, I felt as if he was as attentive and courteous as if I was buying a new M5. When I buy a BMW in the future, it will be purchased from BMW of Minnetonka. The facilities are outstanding as well.-Charles

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Great service and teamwork can be found here. I was surprised and delighted at how helpful and pleasant a car dealership could be when buying a used car. From what I observed first hand, BMW of Minnetonka is a professional, full service operation. Our salesman, Gary, answered all of our questions and responded to all of our concerns with respect and sincerity. Ie: we asked for a carfax and he produced one immediately instead of trying to convince us that "Auto Check is better". He cheerfully enabled us to gather all the information and tools we needed to achieve confidence in our purchase of a used car. We hope to work with him again someday!

BMW Manufacturing Expands Use of Hydrogen Fuel Cells

BMW Manufacturing announced today the successful expansion of the company’s hydrogen fuel-cell material handling equipment across its 4.0 million square foot production facility. In 2010, BMW completed the installation of a hydrogen storage and distribution area near the plant’s Energy Center to power about 100 pieces of fuel cell material handling equipment. Since that time, the company has more than doubled its hydrogen-fuel cell fleet to approximately 230 units to service the entire plant’s production and logistics functions.
“BMW continues to complement its sustainable production model by adding alternative, efficient technology, said Josef Kerscher, President of BMW Manufacturing. “Successful implementation, and ultimately expansion, of our hydrogen fuel cell material handling fleet has provided a sustainable energy source that exceeds our expectations.”

The additional usage of the hydrogen fuel cell system was executed by adding two new higher-capacity compressors, new storage tubes and distribution piping, and eight new hydrogen dispensers. The expanded system will deliver at least 400kg of Hydrogen per day. BMW estimates that the expanded system will avoid 4.1 million kw/hours per year, up from 1.8 million kw hours/year for the initial hydrogen fuel cell system.
BMW also released a project update to the Landfill Gas-to-Hydrogen Pilot Project. The first phase of the study, that validated the economic and technical feasibility, began in July 2011. The project has now successfully moved to the second phase of methane-to-hydrogen conversion. The project team, led by South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA), is implementing and testing equipment that will monitor the hydrogen purity. To do this, BMW has installed a clean-up system that takes a stream of landfill gas (post-siloxane removal), removes the sulfur and trace contaminants and, ultimately, produces hydrogen via a Steam Methane Reformer (SMR).
“BMW is very pleased with the progress we have been able to achieve in the last 18 months, said Cleve Beaufort, BMW Group’s Energy Manager for the U.S. and Canada. “The objective of generating renewable hydrogen from methane is proving to be a possible option for BMW and will be transformational for the fuel cell industry.”

Throughout this project, SCRA has been a leading funding and implementation partner. The U.S. Department of Energy has also provided both technical and funding support for the project.
The final phase of this project is scheduled to begin in late 2013. At that time, BMW will conduct side-by-side trials of material handling equipment fueled by landfill gas derived hydrogen versus commercially sourced hydrogen.
For their efforts in on-site energy production, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently named BMW Manufacturing the second largest Green Power Partner. Green Power rankings recognize U.S. businesses and communities that are making investments in on-site power generation. BMW’s U.S. plant currently produces 38% of its electrical requirements on-site, mostly from its landfill gas-to-energy program.

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The sales person, finance person and general manager of the dealership were wonderful and provided the best customer service I have seen. I have bought a lot of cars from other dealers and they do not compare. They treated me with great respect even though I was dressed in a sweatshirt and blue jeans. They all worked very hard to make my car deal exactly how I wanted it and accepted all of my requests. They all are great. I would highly recommend them to anyone and will go back again once I buy another car in the future.-Tammy

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So I purchased my first BMW this week and I have to say that I am very impressed and happy that I didn't go with the comparable Audi. I am a younger guy (29 years old) so I was a little nervous about going to the BMW dealership as I figured that I wasn't the usual "clientele".. I was immediately greeted by the receptionist and was quickly introduced to my sales rep (Craig Haggerty). We went and sat at his desk and I immediately told him that I WAS NOT looking to buy anything that day, but wanted to just check out my options. Craig then spent almost two hours showing every possible car that fit into my criteria, the last test drive even went past their closing time. I then told Craig that I would get back to him if and when I made a descion. We exchanged a few emails over the course of 4 or 5 days and then I went into the dealership and bought my new used 2009 BMW 535 X Drive. The service was great and the price was right!! I highly recommend that you swing by if you are interested in a pre-owned BMW. Don't be intimidated or think they won't help. I was treated with respect and I felt like I was the most important person in the room!!!-Docmaster1

BMW 3 Series Car and Driver's 10 Best - Snapshots

The BMW 3 Series is the only car to ever win Car and Driver's 10 Best Award 22 years in a row. To show how much people have loved the 3 Series through the years, BMW created a commercial using photos from real drivers.