BMW 328i Sedan

3.0-liter, inline 6-cylinder engine
230 horsepower
Rear-wheel drive

It's a sound experience as remarkable as the BMW driving experience. Unlike traditional stereo systems, Logic7 routes two-channel (stereo) sound through a seven-channel playback matrix to create 360-degree Surround Sound. The anti-theft AM/FM stereo CD/MP3 player audio system includes 13 upgraded speakers (including 2 subwoofers), Digital Sound Processing (DSP), Radio Data System (RDS), Auto-Store and 3-channel FM diversity antenna, and it displays MP3 song title and artist.

Can a vehicle be too responsive? Not if you're looking for a dynamic performance that actually adapts to the way you drive. Our 6-speed STEPTRONIC automatic transmission adapts to every driver differently, resulting in improved gear shifting, a more responsive performance, and reduced fuel consumption.

It operates in three modes: sport, which features higher shift points for more lively response; drive, which incorporates BMW's Adaptive Transmission Control; and manual, which allows the driver to assume control of gear selection.

In short, 6-speed automatic transmission provides faster, smoother shifting and enhanced fuel-economy. And if equipped with our Formula 1 inspired steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, you can upshift and downshift quickly without using a clutch.

These self-supporting tires with integrated reinforcements allow tires that have experienced a loss of air pressure to maintain their shape and full use. In fact, you can drive on a flat for up to 150 miles at reduced speeds, so you don't have to stop in an unsafe area to change a tire or wait for roadside assistance.*

* Cars with run-flat tires do not come equipped with a spare tire. Due to low profile tires, please note that wheels, tires and suspension parts are more susceptible to road hazard and consequential damages.

Source by bmwusa

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BMW 128i Coupe

128i Coupe
40 years in the making.
Starting at $29,150 MSRP
3.0-liter, inline 6-cylinder engine
230 horsepower
Rear-wheel drive
28 mpg hwy*
What makes a BMW a BMW
What sets the 1 Series apart is what sets BMW apart—an unyielding dedication to the joy of driving. The BMW formula is succinct: Power. Performance. Premium design. Executed with innovation and efficiency.


More specifically—and unlike our competition—BMW maintains an unwavering belief in rear-wheel drive for superior handling. Near-perfect 50:50 weight balance for maximum agility, traction, and control. And a lightweight chassis and finely-tuned suspension for a sporty, yet comfortable ride.

All driven by independent thinking and an uncompromising culture of ideas. It’s how all BMWs become Ultimate Driving Machines.

Trust BMW Assist to help you with your busy life through the optional Convenience Plan, available to all Safety Plan subscribers. When you're on the road, the Convenience Plan offers a helping hand 24/7.

Whenever you need it, receive personalized Directions, Traffic and Weather reports, BMW Search and Concierge services to not only recommend restaurants and hotels, but then send the destination address and phone number right to your BMW. You can make up to four operator-assisted calls per year with Critical Calling if your cell phone is not available or its battery is discharged.

Source by bmwusa

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BMW Recalls, Halts Sales of 1 Series Models; Cites Fire Risk

New information released on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website shows that BMW is recalling all 1 Series models sold in the U.S. between 2008 and 2010 for a potential fire risk.

According to the manufacturer, cars built between December 1, 2007, and May 27, 2010, may not have sufficient clearance between the seatbelt tensioners and the sound insulation in the B-pillars. Should a crash occur, the tensioners could overheat. In rare instances, the excess temperature could possibly ignite the insulation material.



BMW has not yet released a fix for the issue, but has notified NHTSA of the recall and halted sales of all 1 Series models until it rectifies the design issue. BMW will notify owners of the recall shortly and provide updated information to NHTSA when it has a fix. For more information, contact your local BMW dealership.

Source: NHTSA automobilemag

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Report: Saab in Talks with BMW on Underpinnings, Engines for Revived 92

It’s no secret that Saab is hard at work on plans to reintroduce its 92, but it’ll need some help to before the car can be produced. The automaker is preparing to enter into talks with BMW to do just that.

Instead of developing a costly platform from scratch, Saab is in talks with BMW to source underpinnings for the car. Saab is reportedly eyeing Mini’s architecture to underpin the new 92. Saab CEO Victor Muller wants the brand’s new model to closely resemble the teardrop shape of the original car, which was dropped from the Saab lineup in 1956.



According to the report, Saab is also looking into sourcing engines and transmissions from Mini. Mini currently offers 1.6-liter naturally aspirated and turbocharged inline four-cylinder engines here in the States, and 1.4-liter gasoline and 1.6-liter diesel I-4 powerplants are available also. Transmission choices are limited to six-speed manual and automatic gearboxes.

With Saab trying to regain market share, this would be a great move for the marque, but the 92 would be a direct competitor of the Mini Cooper. Although producing components in larger quantities would be beneficial to lower costs, we’re not sure it’s a great idea for Mini to bolster its own competition.

Would it be a good move for Mini to help Saab, or would it cannibalize its own sales?

Source: Reuters and automobilemag

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etro Repeat: BMW 328 Coupe Wins 2010 Mille Miglia

Seventy years after a BMW 328 first won the event, a 328 Touring Coupe managed to win this year's 1000-mile Mille Miglia race in Italy.

Despite the car's age (it rolled off the line back in 1940), drivers Giuliano Cané and Lucia Galliani suffered no technical issues, although arriving at the event was itself a feat. As was the case back in 1940, the BMW wasn't trucked to the starting line, but driven nearly 300 miles from the company's museum in Munich, Germany, to the checkpoint in Brescia, Italy. Such was the case for the 328 piloted by Enzo Ciravolo and Maria Lietner that ultimately finished third.

Although the cars proved reliable, the race was still quite a challenge. The 1000-mile route takes teams throughout Italy, providing them with both 80-degree heat near the Adriatic Sea and frigid temperatures in the Alps. In a brilliant marketing move, BMW provided drivers -- especially those who fielded the roofless 328 Roadster -- with insulated clothing from its motorcycle accessory range.



"Victory by Cané and Galliani, along with the third place finish of Ciravolo and Leitner, is a marvelous example of teamwork," said Karl Baumer, the director of BMW Classic. "Both the blind understanding between the crews inside the cars and the cooperation with the mechanics along the way worked out perfectly. For that, I would like to say 'thank you' to all those involved."

Source: BMW

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Fast Art: Jeff Koons’ BMW M3 GT2 Art Car Revealed

We’ve seen previews of BMW’s latest Art Car, but we hadn’t seen the finished product -- a M3 GT2 racer decorated by artist Jeff Koons -- until its official unveiling in Paris this morning.

With its 17th Art Car, BMW is returning to its roots, and actually racing the Koons-styled GT2 in the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans. The first Art Car -- a 1975 3.0 CSL -- was the brainchild of driver Hervè Poulain, who commissioned artist Alexander Calder to dress up the exterior. Poulain ultimately raced the car at Le Mans that year, while two other Art Cars -- a 1976 3.0 CSL decorated by Frank Stella, and a 1979 M1 Procar painted by Andy Warhol -- also competed in the endurance race.



Unlike those early Art Cars, Koons’ product isn’t actually painted. Thanks to both a tight timeframe and the weight-conscious mindset of BMW’s racing directors, Koons applied his radical pattern to the M3 GT2 with a vinyl wrap. Better yet, the vinyl wrap process allows Koons’ design to be applied to a number of spare parts -- important, should the M3 suffer a collision during the Le Mans event.

Before crafting his design, Koons was given the chance to witness the M3 GT2 in action for inspiration. According to the artist, he was reportedly inspired by the “raw, unfiltered performance” of the GT2, and decided to give the M3 a design that gives the impression of motion even when at a standstill.

“These race cars are like life; they are powerful and there is a lot of energy,” Koons said. “You can participate with it, add to it, and let yourself transcend with its energy. There is a lot of power under that hood and I want to let my ideas transcend with the car -- it’s really to connect with that power.”

Koons’ M3 GT2 was unveiled earlier today at Paris’ Centre Pompidou, the same venue Roy Lichtenstein used to unveil his 320i Art Car back in 1977. The car will be on public display today, before the car heads to Circuit de la Sarthe for the 24 Hours on June 12 and 13.

Source: BMW

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