2008 Bmw M5 Base Sedan 4-door 5.0l on 2040-cars

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BMW says its diesels are above board

BMW got yanked into the riptide of the Volkswagen diesel scandal thanks to a report in Auto Bild, which Auto Bild has now clarified. On Thursday the German magazine said that when the International Council on Clean Transportation tested the X3 xDrive 2.0d, the ICCT discovered the diesel X3's tailpipe emissions exceeded the European limit by more than 1,100 percent. The key detail, though, is that apparently at no time did the ICCT find that BMW cheated on any emissions tests. No one has explained why the X3 diesel had such high emissions and the ICCT wouldn't comment on the Auto Bild report. But the mag has issued a clarification asserting that in spite of the excessive emissions, there is no evidence BMW engaged in regulatory subterfuge. Every other BMW vehicle ICCT tested was within compliance, but the organization's report from October 2014 - that no one paid attention to - found that nitrogen oxide emissions in 15 vehicles it tested averaged seven times the European limit. The brand's stock is still suffering from the taint. It dropped almost ten percent the day the report came out before rallying to close at five percent down. But on Monday BMW stock closed at 84.01 euros, and as of writing on Friday it's still trying to fight its way back above 80 euros. With so many people still just trying to find out how widespread the the issue is, and trust rather low, it's likely BMW won't be the one dragged down, fairly or not. Related Video:

2014 BMW X5 doesn't upset the formula

BMW has unveiled the 2014 X5, and fans of the company's CUV will find plenty familiar in the machine. The biggest change to the recipe comes in the form of the X5 sDrive35i, which is the first rear-wheel drive version of the high-riding five-door to date. Buyers will, of course, continue to be able to opt for all-wheel drive, and both models will get their thrust from a 3.0-liter, turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine. That powerplant makes 300 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque and is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. BMW says the combination is good enough to get the SUV to 60 miles per hour in around 6.2 seconds.
Those who require more thrust can step up to the more potent X5 xDrive50i with its twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 engine. Drivers get to enjoy an extra 45 hp over the previous model, with final output up to 445 hp and 480 lb-ft of torque. Paired with an eight-speed automatic of its own, the engine can hustle the big X5 to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds.
The 2014 BMW xDrive35d continues to offer diesel power, though output has dropped 10 horsepower to 255 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque. Even so, BMW says the X5 diesel will be just as quick or quicker than the 2013 model. You can check out the full press release below for more information.

BMW calling in 76k vehicles over airbag issues

Vehicles these days are typically fitted with a mat in the front passenger seat that determines whether that airbag needs to be activated in the event of a collision and how it should deploy. But that system doesn't always work, as Mercedes recently found in its SL-Class roadster and as Suzuki did before it with the Grand Vitara and SX4 crossovers. Now a crop of BMW vehicles have befallen the same issue, prompting the Bavarian automaker to cooperate with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to issue a recall for the vehicles in question.
The problem affects precisely 76,565 vehicles, including certain the 3 Series (sedan and wagon), 5 Series, 7 Series and X5 crossover families spanning the 2006 and 2007 model years and fitted with a certain type of seat. However, since the parts to repair the problematic components are not currently available, as you can see from the recall notice below, it won't be until March 2014 when local dealers will be able to resolve the issue.