2003 Bmw M3 Smg on 2040-cars

Auto blog

BMW apparently still undecided about future i project electric vehicles

Coaches like to say that there's no "i" in team. At least one BMW executive is saying the company's not sure if there are any more "i"s in its near future. BMW executive Harald Krueger indicated that the German automaker is holding back on any i-project plans besides the i3 city car and i8 plug-in hybrid sports car until the company gets a better idea of how those models are selling, Reuters says. Bimmer has spent about $2.7 billion on the plug-in sub-brand and says it's taken more than 11,000 orders for the i3 since the model was first shown off at German dealerships last fall. Additionally, BMW has no plans to make the i3 in China (BMW makes versions of its 3- and 5-series sedans there). As we all know, should the brand expand, BMW has already trademarked the "i" badge from i1 through i9. There are a lot of mixed messages on the BMW i project front. For example, early indications are that i3 demand has been higher expected. BMW North America chief Ludwig Willisch indicated earlier this month that US demand for the electric city car, at least for the near future, will likely to outstrip supply. Bimmer dealers in the US will start getting the $41,350 i3 in May. Additionally, fellow BMW executive Jacob Harb said the company was already starting to work on its next EV, to be larger than the i3, though he didn't give many details and was later somewhat refuted by another BMW spokesman. So stay tuned. Featured Gallery 2015 BMW i8 View 22 Photos News Source: Reuters Green BMW Electric i8 bmw i5 harald krueger

BMW Shanghai: Driving in mega cities, designing the future and more

The BMW enclave is a suitable mix of high-tech and throwback cool.
A few days before the Shanghai Motor Show kicked off, we were part of an international group of media that was invited to have a look at the BMW Designworks Shanghai Studio and ConnectedDrive Lab facility. The building that BMW found to house its Chinese think tank is in a lovely part of Shanghai known as the former French Concession. The late 1890s and early 1900s French architectural style, brick-paved streets and tree-lined spaces feel a world apart from the ultra-modern heart of Shanghai, and the BMW enclave is a suitable mix of high-tech and throwback cool.

NHTSA expands new Takata probe to 4 more automakers

DETROIT — The U.S. government's highway safety agency has launched an investigation into four additional automakers that have a potentially deadly type of Takata air bag inflator in their vehicles but have yet to recall them. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in documents posted Thursday that it is investigating Audi, Toyota, Honda and Mitsubishi in connection with a Takata recall involving 1.4 million inflators. This brings the total number of manufacturers potentially impacted to five, as BMW was connected to the issue when it was brought to light earlier in December. The inflators made by the now-bankrupt Takata have a distinct and separate problem that can cause them to blow apart a metal canister and spew shrapnel into people's faces and bodies. The problem killed a driver in Australia who was in an older 3-Series BMW, which has already recalled more than 116,000 vehicles. The problem is so dangerous that in some cases BMW has told drivers to park their vehicles until repairs can be made. The safety agency says in documents that Takata didn't provide details on the affected makes, models or model years of vehicles with the defective inflators. So it is telling the companies to recall them promptly. The agency says that based on when the faulty inflators were produced, it's likely that the vehicles to be recalled came from the 1995 through 2000 model years. In letters to all four automakers, NHTSA says they have five business days to notify the agency after finding out about a safety defect. “If your company has not yet gathered enough evidence to make a determination that the subject air bag inflators present an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety, reply with a detailed work plan including the benchmark dates required to make the determination,” the agency wrote in letters to all four automakers dated Wednesday. A Honda spokesman said Thursday it hasn't determined yet whether its vehicles are affected, but a decision should be made soon. Audi, Mitsubishi and Toyota said they are still investigating. NHTSA has told the companies to respond by Jan. 17. On Dec. 4, NHTSA posted documents from Takata and BMW detailing the problems. The documents said the Australian driver was killed, while another Australian driver and a driver in Cyprus were injured. Unlike previous recalls, the Takata non-azide inflators do not use volatile ammonium nitrate to fill the air bags in a crash.