Not all the news we’ve seen come in recently are that brilliant as the launching of the F12/F13 BMW M6 if we’re honest. There’s one that crept over the weekend and is rather nasty.

In the USA, Land of the Free and plenty such things, people take recalls and such very seriously. Problem is, they’ve decided the Bavarians don’t feel the same way.

That’s why the NHTSA slapped a massive 3 million dollar fine on BMW’s plate. Like I said, not great news, but there is some decent reasoning behind the decision.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration started an investigation into BMW’s handling of recalls back in 2010. The investigation span an impressive amount of work.

Looking into 16 recalls that reached as far back as 2002 and covered over 300.000 BMW cars (and bikes) the authority took its time before coming up with a final decision.

The evidence was overwhelming and it seems that in all the cases the NHTSA looked into, BMW behaved in pretty much the same way.

Once they discovered a problem, the Bavarians would file with the NHTSA but they would provide very little information in it.

That essential information came later, in some cases considerably and the authority considered this practice unacceptable.

Since BMW North America accepted to pay the fine as a form of settlement and promised to make some changes in the way they handle recalls, it probably is.

BMW customer care has always felt like something special but this situation shows us that there is still considerable room for improvement.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

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BMW recently announced that the current 135i and 335i models will benefit from two power kits able to increase the total output. This information has been released by BMW North America, the American division of BMW claiming that everyone who opts for these power upgrades until the end of this year will benefit from a special price. According to the company, the first power kit is priced at $599 while the second one gets a price tag of $1,199, excluding installation fee for both.

In terms of performance, the first power kit is able to provide additional 20 horsepower and 43 Nm of torque for a total of 320 horsepower and 450 Nm of torque. With this power boost, the BMW 335i manages to improve the sprint from 0 to 100 km/h with about 0,2 seconds.

On the other hand, the more complex second power kit brings slightly more improvements and of course, increased performance comparing to the first stage.

According to the Germans, the last power kit includes a second water cooler, a revised ECU unit and other advanced cooling technologies for the engine. You can contact any BMW center to get this power upgrade, all the modifications being covered by the warranty.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post BMW North America upgrades the 135i and 335i models appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

It seems that the Germans from BMW have no plans to leave the first place in the premium segment, August being the fifth consecutive month in the lead for BMW. According to the official figures, BMW reported an increase of 6,5% comparing to the same month of the last year. On the other hand, Mercedes announced that the sales decreased by 1,9%. BMW sold 20,815 models in the U.S. while Mercedes 18,477 and Lexus 18, 103 vehicles, 7% less than August 2010.

In terms of models, the new BMW 5 Series benefited from an increase of 41% while the new X3 almost tripled its figures compared to August 2010, from around 900 vehicles to almost 2,400 units.

Jim O’Donnell, head of BMW North America said: “This has been a very strange August for our industry, with both difficult news and unfortunate events –consumer confidence down and an earthquake, hurricanes and floods in the Northeast.”

The German company also published some information regarding to its sales figures from the beginning of 2011 until now. To be more precise, the sales in the first eight months of this year increased by 12% to a total of 155,929 vehicles.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post BMW still leading the premium market of the U.S. appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

It seems that the Germans from BMW have no plans to bring the new X1 to the U.S. market very soon. According to the official details, BMW won’t introduce the new X1 in the U.S. very soon as there is a high demand in Europe for this model. Moreover, they say that the euro-dollar exchange rate is another setback and even the model could be a success in the States, there is still difficult to take a decision.

BMW North America stated at Monterey that the new X1 is currently a very popular model in Europe bringing unrespectable good sales. Bringing the model in the United States would be a difficult task as the factories are already having a hard time keeping with the demand.

As mentioned above, the euro-dollar exchange rate is also not helping the German company, as it keeps at above 1.40 US for a euro. This will bring significant losses to the German company.

However, there are some chances to see the new X1 on the American streets somewhere in 2013, most probably a facelift version of the current model.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

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BMW of North America announced that the BMW M3 Frozen Black, the special edition of the German model dedicated to the U.S. market sold out extremely fast. As we previously talked, the current M3 E92 received yet another special edition, this time dedicated to the American customers that are not very satisfied with the standard BMW M3. In the beginning, it seemed that the spicy price tag won’t attract too many customers mainly considering that the Frozen Black edition brings no major improvements.

However, according to BMWNA, the BMW M3 Frozen Black sold out in around 20 minutes after the ordering phone lines opened. This is not the first time when a limited edition dedicated to the American customers vanished in a matter of minutes, the previous M3 Frozen Gray being sold out in just 12 minutes.

If the M3 Frozen Gray was manufactured in 30 units, the new Frozen Black special edition was available in only 20 units, one of them being reserved for the American division of BMW. According to BMW, the nineteen units will be delivered starting this month while the last model is expected to reach its customer by the end of July.

As expected, the BMW M3 Frozen Black brings no power upgrades, the same 4.0-liter V8 engine developing the same amount of power, 414 horsepower and 400 Nm of torque. Alongside an M Double Clutch Transmission (M-DCT), the German model sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in 4,5 seconds.

The noteworthy modifications brought by this special edition are the new matte black exterior finish, 19-inch GTS alloy wheels, gloss black components and red brake calipers. At the interior, the customers benefit from carbon leather trim, Novillo leather upholstery, heated front seats, red stitching and the BMW Individual Enhanced Premium Sound System.

Other features of the M3 Frozen Black include BMW Assist with Bluetooth, Park Distance Control, Navigation System, iPod and USB connectivity, Real-time Traffic Information and Universal garage-door opener. A revised suspension able to lower the ground clearance by 10 mm is available too while the pricing starts at $79,650 but unfortunately is too late to place your order.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

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North American owners of the BMW X5 Sports Activity Vehicle who desire more performance from their cars can now get it directly from the German car manufacturer since BMW Performance accessories will be available starting this month.

The parts that are available for the BMW X5 SAV are varied, some of which being aluminium pedals, aerodynamic components, new kidney grilles and a new sport steering wheel. The full offer can be found at all Authorized BMW Centers.

The BMW Performance Aero Kit for the BMW 2011 X5 includes new bumper covers which have a new design, new side skirts. Black kidney grilles are also available to offer a meaner look to the X5. The whole kit was designed with the purpose of reducing the drag in order to improve the stability of the car.

The interior of the BMW X5 wasn’t forgotten either, since it received a new pedal set and steering wheel. The Pedal Kit is made of aluminium for all three pedals which also feature rubber inserts. These pedals will be found in all of the X5 versions and will make sure to deliver a new feeling to the driver.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

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