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BMW web sales plan opposed by German dealers

Tesla isn't the only manufacturer that is facing a backlash over its plans to sell cars directly to customers. BMW is under fire from its German dealerships over its desire to sell its cars via the internet.
BMW has plans to sell the new i3 through the World Wide Web, while a "Mobile Sales Force" will be making house calls. According to Automotive News Europe, Head of German Sales Roland Krueger told German weekly Wirtschaftswoche, "We can imagine that Internet sales could be expanded to all models." This is the particular caveat that has traditional brick-and-mortar dealers so up in arms.
According to the head of BMW's German dealerships Werner Entenmann, "We told BMW in no uncertain terms that we cannot accept direct sales channels." Reuters reports that an anonymous dealer has gone so far as to pledge not to use the sales force in Germany. Krueger, for what it's worth, told Wirtschaftswoche that the "backbone" of BMW sales will still be traditional dealerships.

2014 BMW X5 recalled over faulty child-safety locks

BMW is set to recall some 6,400 of its new-for-2014 X5 SUVs built between December 12, 2013 and March 10, 2014 due to concerns that the child safety locks, if set, might deactivate without warning. The problem affects only those vehicles with the automatic soft-closing option.
According to the bulletin issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the lock mechanism on the rear doors "may not have been manufactured to correct tolerances," meaning the safety locks could disengage with a simple pull of the door handle. Basically, with a pair of tugs, the rear doors could be opened from the inside, regardless of child safety locks.
BMW is in the process of notifying owners of affected vehicles. Any necessary repairs will be conducted free of charge. Take a look below for the official press release from NHTSA.

Pure black BMW i8 hydrogen fuel cell prototype on the track

Largely coated in matte black paint with just a few touches of dark blue contrast, the BMW hydrogen fuel cell-powered i8 prototype looks stealthy just sitting still. Now, that ninja-like styling is taking to the track in this video to prove that its performance doesn't come with much noise. The quiet hum of the tires and an odd whir from the rear are all that you hear coming. As this i8 prototype picks up speed around the circuit, the sounds that the drivetrain makes just get weirder. When moving slowly, you can pick out the usual whine that's expected from conventional electric vehicles. However at higher velocities, the coupe almost makes a noise like its constantly exhaling. Along with the recently unveiled BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo hydrogen-fueled concept, this sneaky looking i8 is part of BMW's technological push to become a greener automaker. The company is also prototyping a turbocharged engine with water injection and new plug-in hybrid powertrains. Although this low-slung coupe is by far the most attractive of that bunch. We might not be too far away from actually seeing this tech on sale on models bearing the Bavarian brand's roundel, either. Thanks to collaboration with Toyota, the company wants to have fuel cell components ready by 2020, and sales could start early in the decade. Hopefully all of the company's FCEVs look as menacingly great as this i8 by that time, though.