Smg Transmission Soft-close Doors Active Seats Heads Up Cmofort Access Much More on 2040-cars

Auto blog

British automakers take costly precautions as Brexit 'no deal' fears grow

LONDON — Carmakers in Britain have triggered some Brexit contingency plans, such as certifying models in the EU, and are working on redrawing production schedules and stockpiling more parts to defend against any loss of unfettered trade after Brexit. The moves are aimed at ensuring plants, which rely on the just-in-time delivery of tens of thousands of components, can keep operating after Brexit on March 29, but will add costs and bureaucracy which could risk their long-term viability. London and Brussels hope to agree a deal by the end of the year to avoid tariffs and trade barriers, but Prime Minister Theresa May's proposals have been criticized by both Brexiteers, who want a cleaner break from the bloc, and the European Union. McLaren Automotive is looking at having its cars certified by both a British and an EU agency to smooth sales. It is also planning to stockpile critical components and change shipments into the EU around Brexit if there is disruption. "I will sell a little more in January and February and plan to pick the volume up in May and give us a leaner period through the change point," Chief Executive Mike Flewitt told Reuters. BMW, which said last week it would move the annual summer-time shutdown of its British Mini plant next year to April, is looking for lorry parking areas and warehousing on both sides of the channel and is seeking to sign contracts to lease certain locations, a spokesman said. It is also investing in IT systems to handle any new red tape as carmakers estimate tens of thousands of new documents could be needed if tariffs and customs are imposed. The German carmaker's Brexit plans are costing millions of pounds, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters. But Honda, which builds 10 percent of Britain's 1.67 million cars at its Swindon plant in southern England, is not in the market to buy "huge amounts of warehousing space," its Europe boss Ian Howells told Reuters. "It's been a very precise calculation or estimation of what components need to be brought in," he said, adding the firm could also alter its output to sell more into the EU at the start of next year. Waste of money? Many British carmakers have also asked suppliers to look into how they would handle delays at ports, executives told Reuters, as thousands of parts, engines and finished models move between Britain and the continent every day.

BMW sold 2.49 million BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce vehicles in 2018

FRANKFURT — German carmaker BMW on Tuesday said it achieved record sales of 2.49 million BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce vehicles last year. "BMW Group achieved record sales in 2018. 2.49 million vehicles mean the BMW Group is the world's leading premium automotive company for the 15th year running," Chief Executive Harald Krueger said. In 2017, BMW Group sold 2.46 million vehicles. Daimler has not yet released annual sales figures for Mercedes-Benz passenger cars, so it remains unclear whether BMW brand overtook Mercedes-Benz in terms of sales in 2018. Sales of BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce cars were higher than Mercedes-Benz in 2017.

BMW says current M3 sold out, no new AWD M models planned

Car and Driver asked the head of BMW M, Friedrich Nitschke, a few questions about what the go-fast division had in mind for the future, and was rewarded with some enlightening answers. The best news to purist ears is that Nitschke said customers don't want all-wheel drive on their M cars, so it's the rear wheels alone that will propel new product into the future. If you want both an M badge and four driven wheels, it's the X5 M, X6 M and M Performance models you're looking for in the catalog.
"Mixed bag" is the phrase you're looking for regarding the other answers. Nitschke said that future M engines "at the core of their architecture" would "be closer to BMW AG engines" that are optimized for M cars, instead of following in the line of unique marvels like the V10 and naturally aspirated V8. They will keep the high redlines, however, with Nitschke saying "there is room beyond" the 7,000 rpm mark in BMW's current V8 turbos.
Managing weight will keep the same priority for M that it is for every other brand, so electrically assisted power steering is coming, as is an "unconventional" materials mix. At the smaller end of the M scale, Nitschke described three-cylinder engines as "attractive," saying that the brand can produce more than 310 horsepower from a three-pot.