2004 Bmw Z4 3.0i 6-spd Manual 2-owner Low Miles!! on 2040-cars

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A look back on BMW, South Carolina and Southern manufacturing

It has been 20 years since BMW broke ground on its Spartanburg, SC manufacturing facility, and while the automaker doesn't have any plans to mark the moment, economists and industry analysts have taken a closer look at the facility's impact on South Carolina, the South and global manufacturing. As of November, the Spartanburg plant's 7,000 employees cranked out 25,000 vehicles per month, and BMW has poured some $6 billion into the state since the plant opened in 1993. While that figure nearly matches the state's proposed budget for next year, some say there have been drawbacks.
To begin with, South Carolina provided BMW with hundreds of millions of dollars worth of public money and tax breaks with little public oversight, setting a precedent that would repeat itself with other corporations. The Detroit News reports that a Pew Center evaluation found 26 states didn't have a sufficient system for evaluating tax incentive performance. But BMW opened the door for a Southern manufacturing renaissance, with automakers from Mercedes-Benz to Hyundai and Volkswagen opening plants in the Deep South.
While states have raced to offer ever sweeter tax and cash incentives for big manufacturers, officials say BMW is proof the system can pay dividends. You can read the full piece here.

BMW R1200 GS Adventure is made for epic roadtrips

BMW Motorrad has taken the wraps off of its newest GS Adventure model. Based on the R1200 GS, the Adventure trim makes an already tough bike just a bit tougher, thanks to a number of technical changes that improve off-road capabilities without sacrificing any of the R1200 GS' riding manners.
The most noticeable change might be the larger fuel tank, up in size from 5.3 gallons to 7.9 gallons, although this largely due to the Adventure's lower fuel economy - it loses about three miles per gallon to the regular R1200 GS. BMW claims that the larger tank won't inhibit riding comfort, thanks to its narrow design and placement in the bike's frame. The spring travel is 0.8 inches longer, while there's nearly half an inch of extra ground clearance, which is largely responsible for its improve off-road talents. A new, larger seat promises a more comfortable ride and a greater range of adjustability, while a few tweaks within the engine offer an even smoother delivery of the bike's 125 horsepower and 92 pound-feet of torque.
We have a full gallery of images of the R1200 GS Adventure available up top, along with the entire press release from BMW, which can be found by scrolling down.

2016 BMW 435i ZHP Edition Coupe Quick Spin [w/video]

BMW will make a total of 100 ZHP 435i coupes for 2016. This is not one of them. Nope, it's their predecessor, what the company calls a "replica," based on a 2015 car. Think of it as Car Zero. Bimmer nerds (the ones who correct you if you call their car a "Beemer") will remember the ZHP package from the E46 3 Series. An internal option code that became insider lingo and a must-have for enthusiasts. They're still sought after today. Built from 2003 to 2006, the original ZHPs included a power boost (to 235 hp), a modified suspension, an M-Tech II body kit, and a unique shifter and shift knob. The new ZHP has a considerably longer list of equipment. It builds on a 435i coupe with the M Sport package and either a manual or automatic transmission. Additions begin with the new-for-2016 Track Handling package – 18" wheels, M Sport brakes, the Adaptive M Suspension, and Variable Sport Steering. To that BMW adds an M Performance limited-slip differential, M Performance exhaust, the M Performance Aerodynamics package, and the M Performance Engine Kit; horsepower goes from 300 to 335, torque jumps to 332 lb-ft for automatic cars or 317 on manuals. Yeah, it's a lot of stuff, but nothing you can't order on a car for yourself. So the process that let BMW make this replica so easily also contributes to a lack of specialness. All of the equipment is available either from the factory or through BMW's VIA personalization program. VIA components are spec'd at the time of ordering and then installed at port when the car lands in the US. BMW hasn't announced pricing yet, but we have a hunch a full-on ZHP will come in slightly lower than a car optioned a la carte (though we don't know, since BMW didn't tell us how much our car cost). The 4 Series we reviewed had all the ZHP equipment save the wheels and tires. All 2016 ZHPs will get v-spoke wheels finished in Orbit Grey and wrapped in Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires; the car we drove had a different 18-inch wheel design and Bridgestone Potenza S001 rubber. Driving Notes The 435i already has too much power. The M engine kit provides more of it. You may not be surprised to learn that we also enjoy chocolate-covered chocolate. Perhaps the saving grace of the questionable output bump, and the most transformative part of this package, is the mechanical limited-slip. Even without the grippier tires it's supposed to come with, the near-ZHP put it all to the ground smoothly and predictably.