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BMW won't bring front-drive 2 Series tourers to US

BMW may have rolled out a new front-drive 2 Series in overseas markets, but according to the latest from Automotive News, it won't be bringing it to the United States anytime soon. The model line consists of the 2 Series Active Tourer – the company's first front-drive model – and its extended counterpart, the 2 Series Gran Tourer, which was introduced just last week at the Geneva Motor Show. Though available with all-wheel drive, their front-drive underpinnings make them a radical departure for the Bavarian automaker, which has made a name for itself on rear-drive architecture. The development is not unlike the path which Mercedes has pursued with models like the A-Class hatchback, B-Class minivan, CLA four-door coupe and GLA crossover. BMW evidently thinks, however, that even in its longer Gran Tourer form, the 2 Series hatchback is still too small for the US market, where minivans have grown far beyond their miniature dimensions. The 2 Series name will continue to be offered on the rear-drive coupe and convertible that were spun off of the 1 Series and which are unrelated to the front-drive hatchback and minivan. The X1, however, is slated to switch to the front-drive platform shared with the company's Mini brand.

BMW to pay $1.6M, rehire workers in discrimination settlement

A BMW subsidiary is on the hook for $1.6 million and must rehire workers as part of a settlement for a race discrimination lawsuit with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. A change in BMW Manufacturing's criminal background check policy at the Spartanburg, SC, factory disproportionately affected African American workers, according to the EEOC, and it cost many people their jobs. The automaker has since changed the policy. According to Automotive News, the suit stemmed from BMW switching logistics contractors at the plant in 2008. As a result, 645 existing workers had to submit revised criminal background checks to keep their jobs. About 100 people didn't meet the new guidelines, according to the EEOC, and they lost their jobs. Around 80 percent of those affected were African American. According to the government agency's complaint, the altered procedures only took into account the category of a crime, not factors like when it occurred or whether the infraction was a misdemeanor or felony. With the settlement accepted by US District Court, BMW must offer work to the affected employees in this case and as many as 90 African American applicants that the contractor didn't hire because of the rules. The automaker also must offer training in the proper manner for criminal background checks. While there's nothing inherently wrong with investigating workers, "when a criminal background screen results in the disproportionate exclusion of African-Americans from job opportunities, the employer must evaluate whether the policy is job related and consistent with a business necessity," P. David Lopez, the EEOC's General Counsel, said in the agency's release, which you can read below. BMW to Pay $1.6 Million and Offer Jobs to Settle Federal Race Discrimination Lawsuit Company's Criminal Background Policy Disproportionately Affected African-American Logistics Workers, EEOC Charged GREENVILLE, S.C. - The U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina today entered a consent decree ordering BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC (BMW) to pay $1.6 million and provide job opportunities to alleged victims of race discrimination as part of the resolution of a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

BMW M5 Pure Metal Silver Limited Edition is a US special

America usually misses out on limited-edition models, but BMW has just made an ultra-exclusive version of its M5. Only 50 units of the Pure Metal Silver Limited Edition will be made, and the high-performance sedan is a US-only affair. Built upon a M5 with the Competition Package, the special edition boasts more power and a unique paint job to make it stand out from the regular M5. The Pure Metal Silver Limited Edition is up to 600 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, which is 25 hp and 16 lb.-ft. of torque more than a M5 fitted with the Competition Package. The added power is from an increase in boost pressure and "targeted modifications." Thanks to the M dual-clutch transmission with Drivelogic, zero to 60 mph is dealt with in 3.9 seconds. The special edition is only marginally quicker than a base M5, so the power increase is more useful in bar trivia than in the real world. On the outside, the Pure Metal Silver paint job is one of the special edition's defining features. The color is BMW's most expensive paint option – it costs $10,000 in BMW Individual's Catalog. While being insanely expensive, the paint job is stunning and gives the M5 a chrome-like look. Besides the paint, the special edition retains the 20-inch M alloy wheels, black M Performance kidney grill, and M Performance Exhaust with carbon bezel as the M5 with the Competition Package. The interior features Merino (gray) leather with contrast stitching and aluminum trim to match the sedan's unique paint job. Each vehicle will have a badge (ranging from one to 50) highlighting the vehicle's limited quantity on the trim. Pricing for the Pure Metal Silver Limited Edition starts at $130,900 plus a $995 destination and handling fee. That represents a $30,000 price hike over the M5 with the Competition Package. That's a whole lot of silver for a gray car. But the special edition does come with the M Driver's Package as standard, which raises the top speed to 190 mph and includes an entire day of high-performance driving at BMW's Performance Center in California or South Carolina. The ultra-exclusive M5 will be available in August. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2016 BMW M5 Pure Metal Silver Limited Edition News Source: BMWImage Credit: BMW BMW Luxury Special and Limited Editions Performance Sedan limited edition