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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).

AWD BMW M5 is headed our way

Remember the rumor about the BMW M5 going all-wheel drive? Well, there's definitely some truth there because these spy shots show BMW testing the Autobahn-storming sedan with the ability to spin the front and rear wheels. Our spy shooters grew suspicious when they saw this seemingly normal-looking M5 appearing to turn all four wheels during ice testing. They checked it out and snapped these shots underneath clearly showing power routed to the front axle. While this shows that the tech is at least being tested on a current-gen M5, all-wheel drive is probably not coming until the next 5 Series model, which is already being evaluated. The idea of power going to the front and rear axles for this sport sedan might polarize some hardcore brand fans as a break with tradition. However, the head of the M division thinks the change is a priority to actually put torque down effectively. The future vehicle is slated to get at least 600 horsepower and pack it into a lighter platform. Rear-drive M5 purists can take heart, though. The all-wheel-drive system would reportedly be an option, and it would be rear-biased to still let drivers hang the tail out, if the desire arises.

First BMW i8 in US sells for $825,000

Here are some numbers. The standard BMW i8 starts at starts at $135,700. The first i8 in the US was auctioned off at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance this past weekend and the auctioneers, Gooding & Company, said before the gavel was lifted the fist time that they expected the i8 with unique Frozen Grey Metallic and other upgrades to raise between $150,000 and $200,000 for the Pebble Beach Company Foundation. Turns out, the car eventually sold for $825,000 to an unnamed buyer. Along with the honor of having the first i8 on these shores, the special plug-in hybrid comes with Dalbergia Brown leather upholstery, a set of Louis Vuitton luggage and something called a "professional edition" charging station along with laser headlights (subject to regulator approval). A number of other i8s were delivered to a few wealthy car shoppers who managed to make their way to Pebble Beach over the weekend, including automotive guru Roger Penske and Nest CEO Tony Fadell. The special edition was presented at the auction by Jay Leno and BMW North America president and CEO, Ludwig Willisch. You can't put a price on that. Just kidding. You can, and it's apparently $825,000.