The new BMW 3 Series Coupé and Convertible coming to Vines Group.
New models get more powerful and efficient engines. Most efficient BMW 3 Series ever goes on sale. New additions to the BMW 3 Series Saloon and Touring ranges.
BMW has announced a raft of improvements and changes to the 3 Series range that offer owners more power and torque with lower fuel consumption and emissions. The class-leading BMW 3 Series Coupé and Convertible receive design changes and interior enhancements intended to keep both models at the forefront of their respective sectors.
Freshened for spring: the BMW 3 Series Coupé and Convertible
Coupé and Convertible models have been an essential ingredient in BMW’s portfolio since the 1930s. It is a heritage based on contemporary style and elegance with defining features such as a long wheelbase, short front and rear overhangs, prominent wheel arches and an elongated, flowing silhouette. The current models, the third generation 3 Series Coupé and fourth generation Convertible (the first one to feature a retractable hardtop), build on this tradition.
The revised Coupé and Convertible feature new front and rear lights, a revised kidney grille, a new front air dam, rear valance and side rocker panels. The face of both models has been subtlety restyled by adding a twisted chrome band around the kidneys, new lights with bright white LED corona rings, indicators and side repeaters and an illuminated ‘eyebrow’. A new front air dam with a single large air intake is embellished with matt aluminium fins to give the car a wider and lower frontal appearance and, thus, a more dynamic look.
At the rear all red light clusters feature LED light bars and the re-styled rear bumper visually reduces the perception of height, again giving a more dynamic stance. In profile the cars are slightly longer than the former model due to the new front and rear valances – by 29mm at the front and 3mm at the rear. Contrasting character lines on the side valances and rear bumper enhance the sporting stance of both cars, while new standard wheel designs (and a new optional 18-inch alloy) and three new exterior colours, Vermillion Red, Deep Sea Blue and Mineral White, put the finishing touches to the exterior. Inside, Dakota Leather is now standard on all Coupé and Convertible models while new Anthracite Bamboo trim offers a fresh, modern feel.
Prices for the new BMW 3 Series Coupé start at £27,845 OTR for a 320i SE and £30,200 OTR for a 320d SE. This rises to £52,730 OTR for a BMW M3 Coupé. Entry into the BMW 3 Series Convertible club starts at £32,905 OTR for a 320i SE and £35,115 OTR for a 320d SE rising to £56,740 OTR for an M3 Convertible.
All of the new BMW 3 Series coupe and convertibles go on sale at Vines BMW on 20 March, 2010.
For contract hire and leasing deals on the new BMW 3-Series and the rest of the BMW and MINI range please visit our dedicated website www.vinescontracthire.co.uk
It was announced today that BMW and MINI have shared seven awards between them in the Business Car Awards including the prestigious Manufacturer of the Year and the important Environment Award for BMW EfficientDynamics.
Uniquely these awards are not decided upon by a panel of judges, but by a secure online voting system and are highly regarded by the fleet community.
More details can be found on the Business Car website. Here are the categories in which BMW and MINI won:
The new BMW 5 Series Saloon, the epitome of aesthetic design and supreme driving pleasure in the upper midrange segment, is conquering the road. Through its sporting and elegant looks, driving dynamics typical of the brand, outstanding efficiency as well as innovative comfort and safety features, the sixth generation of BMW’s executive express convincingly reflects the supreme standard of the world’s most successful manufacturer of premium cars throughout the entire process of development.
Design: charismatic, elegant, sporting.
With the longest wheelbase in the segment, a long and sleek engine compartment lid, short overhangs front and rear and a coupé-like, graceful roofline, the new BMW 5 Series Sedan stands out clearly from the competition. Overall, the aesthetic looks of the car are clearly determined by perfectly balanced proportions. Design features typical of the brand are to be found both at the front with its BMW kidney grille inclined slightly forward and on the strikingly chiselled engine compartment lid, in the stylish and elegant side view of the car, and on the muscular rear end. Within the interior modern function and a superior ambience come together in perfect harmony, unmistakable style and clear orientation to the driver in the cockpit guaranteeing a truly unique driving and travelling experience.
Driving experience: supreme dynamics and outstanding comfort.
The most advanced drivetrain and suspension technologies ensure supreme sportiness and an even higher standard of motoring comfort all in one. At the same time optional Dynamic Driving Control enables the driver to set the suspension individually to his personal requirements. The new BMW 5 Series Sedan is available with Adaptive Drive encompassing Dynamic Damper Control and Dynamic Drive stability control, as well as BMW’s Integral Active Steering. The new BMW 5 Series Sedan is making its debut with one eight-cylinder and three six-cylinder petrol engines as well as two six-cylinder diesels. The range is rounded off by a four-cylinder turbodiesel with an aluminium crankcase and common-rail direct injection. Maximum output in this case of 135 kW/184 hp makes the BMW 520d fitted as standard with Auto Start Stop the new efficiency benchmark in its segment. Average fuel consumption in the EU5 test cycle is just 5.0 litres/100 kilometres (equal to 56.5 mpg imp), the CO2 emission rating is 132 g/km (provisional figures). The top-of-the-range BMW 550i comes with an eight-cylinder boasting BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology and High Precision Injection for maximum output of 300 kW/407 hp. The straight-six with BMW TwinPower Turbo, High Precision Injection and VALVETRONIC in the BMW 535i delivers maximum output of 225 kW/306 hp, while the two straight-six power units featuring High Precision Injection and lean-burn operation develop 190 kW/258 hp in the BMW 528i and, respectively, 150 kW/204 hp in the BMW 523i. Straight-six diesels with the most advanced technology give the BMW 530d maximum output of 180 kW/245 hp and the BMW 525d an equally impressive 150 kW/204 hp. Fitted with optional BMW BluePerformance technology, the BMW 530d fulfils the EU6 emission standard. And it almost goes without saying that all versions of the new BMW 5 Series Saloon comply in full with the EU5 standard in Europe.
BMW EfficientDynamics: BMW 5 Series increasing the lead.
All versions of the new BMW 5 Series Sedan are available as an option with BMW’s new eight-speed automatic transmission. The BMW 550i comes as standard with BMW’s automatic transmission optimised for efficiency, just like EPS Electric Power Steering featured on all models.
BMW EfficientDynamics technologies are naturally featured as standard in appropriate combinations on each model, with features such as Brake Energy Regeneration, a gearshift point indicator, active air flap control, and on-demand operation of ancillary units including a detachable a/c compressor. Intelligent lightweight construction, finally, is ensured by features such as the doors, engine compartment lid, front side panels and suspension components made of aluminium.
Innovative driver assistance systems with BMW ConnectedDrive.
The driver assistance systems offered for the first time in the context of BMW ConnectedDrive include a Parking Assistant, Surround View, collision warning with application of the brakes in conjunction with Active Cruise Control plus Stop & Go, and a new Speed Limit Device. Further features
also available are Lane Change Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Speed Limit Info, a Head-Up Display, BMW Night Vision with detection of individual persons, and a back-up camera.
Joint development and production together with the BMW 7 Series.
The launch of the new BMW 5 Series Sedan opens up the latest chapter in a truly impressive story of success. In the course of five model generations, overall sales of the BMW 5 Series already amount to more than 5.5 million units. Now the new model is based on a newly developed vehicle architecture also featured in the BMW 7 Series luxury sedans. Joint production of the BMW 5 Series Sedan and the BMW 7 Series at BMW Plant Dingolfing, together with the extensive use of shared components, ensures highly efficient production with a supreme standard of quality following the most demanding benchmarks in the market.
FOR LATEST NEWS AND EVENTS SURROUNDING THE LAUNCH OF THE 2010 BMW 5-SERIES FOLLOW THIS LINK>>>
For contract hire and leasing deals on the new BMW 5-Series and the rest of the BMW and MINI range please visit our dedicated website www.vinescontracthire.co.uk
BMW Z4 wins a 2010 What Car? Car of the Year award. Vines BMW are pleased to announce that the BMW Z4 2.5 sDrive 23i has scooped the open top award in thisyear's What Car? awards.
What Car? said, "If proof were needed that open-top cars aren’t just for posing in, then the BMW Z4provides it."
Sebastian Coe visits the BMW Group. Two-time Olympic champion is fascinated by BMW Welt.
The BMW Group in Munich welcomed a sporting and political VIP from Britain: Lord Sebastian Coe, two-time Olympic champion and Chairman of the London Organising Committee for the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), visited the company headquarters on Tuesday. Accompanied by Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Sales and Marketing, Lord Coe toured BMW Welt and the BMW Museum in the morning before being given an opportunity to experience at first hand the future of zero-emission motoring during a test drive in the MINI E through Munich’s snow-covered streets.
At the London Summer Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in 2012, BMW will be the official Automotive Partner, supplying around around 4,000 low-CO2 vehicles to LOCOG.
Coe, who won a gold medal in the 1,500 meters in Moscow in 1980 and Los Angeles in 1984, commented on his visit: “BMW is an exciting company with an interesting history and fascinating products. I am impressed at how intensively BMW is tackling the challenge of sustainable mobility. As a former sportsman I am particularly pleased to see that sporty driving and environmentally friendly mobility need not be a contradiction. BMW shares our vision of sustainable Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.”
Robertson said: “Sportiness is the core of our identity and the core of the BMW brand. As the world’s most sustainable car manufacturer, we promote and support the idea of sustainable Games – be it in London in the summer of 2012 as Automotive Partner or in the winter of 2018 as National Sponsor. Accepting social responsibility is an inextricable part of our self-image. As a corporate citizen, the BMW Group with its customers and associates around the world stands for international understanding and intercultural exchange.”
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Sophisticated Metal-Crafted Designs for Jewel-like Icons
Designed to appeal to those looking for a premium solution to their mobile music needs, the Sennheiser premium range is the epitome of refined design. DesignworksUSA was able to bring its in-depth insights from working in a wide spectrum of premium industries spanning luxury phones to private jets to create an aesthetic expressed in a minimal surface area to create an understated exclusivity. This is emphasized with the use of authentic materials including high-quality metal giving an unparalleled sense of touch and emotional satisfaction to the user.
All three ranges of earphones will be revealed at the International CES Exhibition in Las Vegas on 7th January 2010 together with Sennheiser’s other exciting products, where CX 680 will be receiving an International CES Innovations Design and Engineering Awards Honoree title.
“Our partnership with Sennheiser has combined best expertise’s to create an overarching story for Sennheiser’s new, compelling earphone lines. We were able to integrate our in-depth understanding of consumer lifestyles, advanced technologies and excellence in design into a new and unique product experience,” said Laurenz Schaffer, President of DesignworksUSA. To fit specific target markets of exclusivity, technical excellence, and sports performance each earphone range features an individual iconic design. “Earphones are expected to provide top-quality sound on the move and at the same time have an excellent finish quality,” explained Maurice Quarré, Head of Product Management Consumer at Sennheiser. “DesignworksUSA created a design that goes beyond technical functionality”.
Led by the strategic design consultancy’s Singapore Studio, that has extensive experience with consumer electronics products, all three studios including Los Angeles and Munich worked closely together during the design process of the earphones. “DesignworksUSA’s insight in expressing mobility and emotional connections through design enabled the team to create optimally differentiated products that express the active and dynamic nature of the Sennheiser earphones,” said Magnus Aspegren, Director of Singapore Studio, DesignworksUSA.
About BMW Group DesignworksUSA
BMW Group DesignworksUSA provides design strategy, research, design development, sustainability consulting, brand communications, 3D modeling, and color, materials, and finish to many of the world’s great brands. In addition to being the creative partner to BMW Group, which includes BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, additional DesignworksUSA clients include Boeing Business Jets, HEAD, Hewlett Packard, Microsoft, Nokia, Saeco, and Sony. The company was founded in 1972 by Charles W. Pelly in Malibu, California, and acquired by BMW Group in 1995. Since December 2009, President Laurenz Schaffer has led DesignworksUSA’s strategy and operations, which includes studios in Los Angeles, Munich, and Singapore. With global resources and clients across a spectrum of forward-thinking industries, DesignworksUSA has an unparalleled understanding of consumers and the world of design that surrounds them, both today and many years into the future. www.designworksusa.com
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New BMW Drivetrain technology announced for Detroit Motor Show.
The Detroit Auto Show, as it is commonly called, was held for the first time in 1907 as a regional event and has been a regular highlight of the international circuit of motor shows since 1987, representing the most significant annual event of its kind on the North American continent.
Apart from the world debut of the fascinating, ultra-sporting BMW Z4 sDrive35is, the press and public in Detroit will also experience the starting signal for new drivetrain technology at the Show from 16 – 24 January 2010: At the NAIAS 2010 BMW presents the models BMW ActiveHybrid 7 and BMW ActiveHybrid X6.
The first hybrids from BMW demonstrate impressively how much extra efficiency and driving dynamics a premium manufacturer such as BMW is able to offer through innovative technologies combining the combustion engine and electric drive.
Further proof of the brand’s innovative power is the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo, a unique new model bringing together luxurious motoring comfort, superior variability and an elevated seating position to provide an unprecedented driving experience also benefiting from impressively low fuel consumption and exhaust emissions thanks to the wide range of technologies from BMW EfficientDynamics.
As the epitome of Sheer Driving Pleasure, the new BMW Z4 has made a great name for itself also in the North American automobile market within a very short time. This re-interpretation of the classic roadster with a retractable hardtop, seats moved back almost to the rear axle and a powerful straight-six engine is now entering a new dimension of driving dynamics: At the 2010 NAIAS BMW is proudly presenting the BMW Z4 sDrive35is featuring a Twin Turbo power unit with High Precision Injection for maximum output of 250 kW/340 hp and peak torque of 450 Newton-metres/332 lb-ft.
In conjunction with seven-speed Sport Automatic transmission featuring double clutch operation now available in the Roadster for the first time in the USA, the BMW Z4 sDrive35is accelerates to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 4.8 seconds.
Thanks to BMW EfficientDynamics, this significant increase in power, perfor-mance and driving dynamics comes without the slightest increase in fuel consumption. At 9.0 litres/100 kilometres (equal to 26.1 mpg US) and 210 grams CO2 per kilometre in the EU test cycle, both fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are the same as on the BMW Z4 sDrive35i with regular Sport Automatic.
Following the BMW EfficientDynamics development strategy, the German manufacturer of premium cars offers a unique range of options and technologies giving customers from all over the world exactly the right models to enjoy new standards in terms of both driving dynamics and efficiency. Power units and transmissions with a supreme level of efficiency all round, technologies and features on the engine’s ancillary units likewise serving to enhance efficiency, optimised aerodynamics and intelligent lightweight technology help to provide a perfect symbiosis in all segments of the Sheer Driving Pleasure so typical of the brand, on the one hand, with surprisingly low fuel consumption and emissions, on the other. And as a further cornerstone of BMW EfficientDynamics, BMW ActiveHybrid technology is now also about to enter the market.
The BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is the first vehicle in the world to combine a V8 gasoline engine, eight-speed automatic transmission and an electric motor as a mild-hybrid concept. This combination of an upgraded eight-cylinder with BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology and High Precision Injection, on the one hand, and an electric motor, on the other, gives BMW ActiveHybrid 7 overall system output of 342 kW/465 hp and maximum torque of 700 Nm/516 lb-ft.
Power is conveyed to the wheels by an eight-speed automatic transmission. The electric motor positioned between the combustion engine and the converter on the automatic transmission, in turn, draws its energy from a lithium-ion battery developed specifically for automotive applications.
Precisely masterminded interaction of both power sources serves to optimise not only the supreme level of efficiency, but also the dynamic performance and motoring comfort offered by the BMW ActiveHybrid 7. Just one example is that the BMW ActiveHybrid 7 accelerates from a standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) in a mere 4.9 seconds, while making do on average fuel consumption in the EU test cycle of 9.4 litres/100 kilometres (24.9 mpg US) and restricting CO2 emissions to 219 grams per kilometre.
A further feature of the BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is the car’s Auto Start Stop function keeping idle periods when stopping at the traffic lights or in congested traffic to a minimum and thus preventing any superfluous consumption of fuel. For the first time the air conditioning and ventilation may still be operated even with the engine switched off, just as the energy management concept featured in this Luxury Performance Sedan provides the option to run the air conditioning even when the car is at a standstill.
Parallel to the BMW ActiveHybrid 7, BMW is also presenting BMW the Active Hybrid X6 at the 2010 NAIAS. The world’s first Sports Activity Coupe with full-hybrid drive capitalises on the options provided by the combination of the combustion engine and the electric motor to a degree never seen before. The vehicle’s drive system is made up of a 300 kW/407 hp V8 with BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology and two synchronous electric motors developing maximum output of 67 kW/91 hp and, respectively, 63 kW/86 hp. The electric motors receive their energy from an NiMH high-performance battery positioned beneath the luggage compartment and also supplying power to the on-board network.
Maximum system output available in this case is 357 kW/485 hp, with torque peaking at 780 Newton-metres/575 lb-ft. Precisely controlled interaction of the three drive units optimises the overall efficiency of the BMW ActiveHybrid X6 at all speeds. Acceleration from a standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) comes in 5.6 seconds, top speed of BMW ActiveHybrid X6 is limited electronically to 236 km/h or 146 mph (250 km/h or 155 mph in conjunction with the optional Sports Package). Average fuel consumption in the EU5 test cycle, on the other hand, is just 9.9 litres/100 km (equal to 23.7 mpg US), CO2 emissions are 231 grams per kilometre.
BMW’s first full-hybrid is able to run on electric power alone up to a speed of 60 km/h or 37 mph, that is without the slightest emission of CO2. The combustion engine cuts in automatically whenever required.
The two-mode active transmission serves to enhance the level of efficiency and driving dynamics by providing the ideal combination in each case of the two drive systems. Incorporating the two electric motors, three planetary gearsets and four multiple-plate clutches, the two-mode active transmission conveys the power of the drive system in the same way and with the same qualities as a seven-speed automatic transmission, intelligent xDrive all-wheel-drive technology, in turn, spreading out power variably between the front and rear wheels.
BMW sets a new course with an innovative vehicle concept at the NAIAS 2010. Opening up a new segment never seen before, the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo combines the essential features of a prestige Sedan, a modern Sports Activity Vehicle, and a classic Gran Turismo with one another. Stylish and elegant in its looks, this unprecedented four-door comes with frameless windows and a two-piece tailgate. The generous interior offers luxurious comfort, a slightly higher seating position for comfortable access and a superior overview of traffic conditions as well as a truly impressive range of variability.
Powerful but efficient engines, eight-speed automatic transmission featured as standard, Dynamic Driving Control also coming as standard, the most advanced suspension technology and innovative driver assistance systems interact with one another in the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo to ensure a truly unique driving experience. The 550i Gran Turismo, for example, is powered by a V8 featuring BMW TwinPower Turbo and High Precision Injection for maximum output of 300 kW/407 hp. The BMW 535i Gran Turismo, in turn, comes with a newly developed straight-six for the first time combining a turbocharger, direct gasoline injection, and fully variable VALVETRONIC valve management. Displacing 3.0 litres, the BMW TwinPower Turbo delivers maximum output of 225 kW/306 hp. And thanks to BMW EfficientDynamics, both versions of the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo offer a level of fuel economy and emission management simply outstanding in this segment and with this kind of performance.
The BMW Advanced Diesel with BluePerformance technology offers yet another opportunity to enjoy Sheer Driving Pleasure at a low level of fuel consumption and exhaust emissions.
Featuring the BMW 335d Sedan and the BMW X5 xDrive35d as special variants of the six-cylinder diesel, BMW is focusing specifically on the challenges of the North American automobile market and is therefore promoting this drive technology in continuing its worldwide entry into the marketplace. Developing maximum output of 265 hp, the power unit featuring Variable Twin Turbo Technology and common-rail direct fuel injection also offers an unprecedented cruising range on the road. And equipped with a diesel particulates filter, an oxidation catalyst, and SCR Selective Catalytic Reduction to reduce the level of nitric oxides (NOX) to a minimum, the new model meets the emission standards now in force even in the strictest States in the USA.
A wide range of options pointing into the future for enjoying Sheer Driving Pleasure of the highest standard – precisely this is the highlight of the model range and other innovations presented by BMW, the German premium car maker, at the 2010 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit.
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