The classically styled BMW Z8 roadster has fallen into the hands of German aftermarket firm, Senner Tuning, which has presented a new sports package with a selection of performance upgrades.

Produced in limited numbers between 1999 and 2003, the BMW Z8 was inspired by the 1955 BMW 507, the Z8 range, of which only 5,703 models were manufactured, featured a 4.0L V8 rated at 400bhp and 500Nm of torque.

After the addition of a sports filter, a custom exhaust system and a light ECU tune, output is lifted to 450bhp and 535Nm with Senner stating that the modded Z8′s top speed is in excess of 300km/h.

To improve the BMW Z8 roadsters handling, Senner hooked it up with a Variant 2 Inox-Line coilover kit that are fully adjustable and also include a new front strut bar for extra stiffness.

The tune is rounded out with the Racing Gold varnished brake callipers and the 19” Schwert SC1 alloy wheels mounted on Continental Sport Contact 5P tyres measuring 255/40R19 up front and 285/35R19 at the back.

Yesterday, we brought you the lowdown on the refreshed for the 2013 model year X6 crossover. Now, we also have the first official photos of the high-performance 2013 X6 M, which gains the some cosmetic touches while still maintaining the mechanical hardware of the 2012 model.

At the front end of the sports crossover, the new X6 M gets a tinkered double kidney grille with different slats that angle in the lower section and redesigned headlamps with LED units fitted as standard. At the rear end of the car, we find adaptive new LED headlights.

A couple new colours for the body and some new leather trims inside complete the subtle revisions for the new model year.

Power comes from a twin-turbo 4.4L V8 engine with 547bhp and 680 Nm of torque. It is connected to a six-speed M Sport automatic transmission which sends power to an all-wheel drive system. This enables the crossover to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 4.7 seconds, before hitting a limited top speed of 250 km/h.

BMW has recently revealed the first images and information about the newly updated 2013 BMW X6 Sports Activity Coupe.

The new BMW X6 facelift received some changes in the front fascia. The standard foglights are now set in matt finish surrounds in the upper area of the outer air inlets. The striking three-dimensional modelling of the frame and newly designed bars, angled in the lower section, make the BMW kidney grille stand out, according to the car maker.

As an alternative to the standard Xenon headlights, the new BMW X6 is the first vehicle in its segment to be available with adaptive LED headlights. With its newly designed taillights with LED technology, the rear of the new BMW X6 also features more intense styling. The taillights are now two LED-fed light banks.

The program of external paint finishes for the new BMW X6 consists of two non-metallic and nine metallic colours, including Marrakesh Brown metallic, Orion Silver metallic and Midnight Blue metallic. The standard equipment range of the new BMW X6 also includes a new 19” light alloy wheel style for the X6 xDrive50i.

The standard Nevada leather upholstery is now also available in Vermilion Red. Also available is a new Nappa Leather upholstery in Ivory White. The new BMW X6 comes standard as a four-seat model. A three-seat rear bench is available as an option.

The BMW X6 will again be offered in two models, the X6 xDrive50i which features BMW’s 4.4L 400bhp TwinPower Turbo V8 and the X6 xDrive35i with BMW’s 300bhp TwinPower Turbo inline-6. Both are mated to BMW’s 8-speed automatic transmission.

With the Olympic Games coming up this spring, BMW is keen to leverage its sponsorship. And since they’re taking place in London, England, the German automaker wouldn’t miss the opportunity to include its more youthful, retro British subsidiary. And so it has released not one, but two new special editions of the classic Mini hardtop hatchback, both named after London neighbourhoods.

First up is the MINI Baker Street. It takes its name from the famous street which is now one of the busiest shopping areas in London and originally gained its fame from fictional detective Sherlock Holmes.

The MINI Baker Street is finished in exclusive Rooftop Grey metallic paint, with twin black bonnet stripes drawing a subtle V-shape, and is available in MINI One, One D, Cooper and Cooper D guise. Pepper White or Midnight Black shades are available as an optional body colour.

‘Baker Street’ lettering is added to the side scuttles and door sills and the special edition features 16″ ’6-Star’ twin-spoke light alloy wheels in a high-gloss black to match the door mirror caps. Cooper and Cooper D models feature a painted black roof.

Inside is a fresh interpretation of the leather seats available on the standard MINI Hatch. The diamond-patterned design in stylish Cross Check Rooftop Grey is also used on surfaces around the cockpit and door trim. Contrasting light grey stitching appears on the floor mats, gearstick and handbrake gaiter.

The comprehensive equipment list on the MINI Baker Street includes the Pepper Pack, which means automatic air conditioning, Bluetooth, on-board computer, leather steering wheel, front fog lamps, a multi-coloured interior lighting package and height adjustment for the front passenger seat are all included. DAB digital radio is standard, as it is on all MINIs. The company’s wide range of optional extras will allow owners to personalise the car to their own tastes even further.

Named after the vibrant area next to London’s Hyde Park, the MINI Bayswater showcases the best of the brand’s performance credentials. This hot hatch special edition is available in Cooper, Cooper D, Cooper S and Cooper SD models.

A Kite Blue metallic paint has been created especially for this model, as have the 17″ light alloy ‘Sandblast’ wheels. They feature a high-gloss black finish with machined rim and spoke edges. The exterior is finished with blue and grey Sport Stripes on the bonnet, from outside the car a blue stripe is on the left and grey on the right, corresponding door mirror caps are coloured in the same way. ‘Bayswater’ lettering adds a touch of class to the side indicator surrounds and door sills. Midnight Black metallic and Eclipse Grey metallic can be ordered as alternative body colours on Cooper S and Cooper SD variants.

The MINI Bayswater’s interior includes the Chrome Line and Chili packages as standard, but other elements are completely bespoke. For example, the Punch Leather seats come in Rocklike Anthracite and include side bolsters sporting a unique metallic sheen with blue and grey contrasting stitching and ‘Bayswater’ seat tags.

Other elements that extend the MINI design language include Piano Black cockpit finishes, which continue the colour scheme of the Sport Stripes on the bonnet. The floor mats are unique to this car and have anthracite-coloured edging with blue contrasting stitching.

The MINI Baker Street and MINI Bayswater will go on sale on 1st March for a limited period in all 100 global markets where the brand is sold. Pricing on both editions will be released closer to their on-sale dates.

Think there are a lot of MINI variants already? Hold on to your hats, because BMW is showing no signs of slowing down any time soon. According to MINI’s global boss, Kay Segler, BMW’s MINI brand will add three new models by the end of the decade.

Not much is known about these models, but all are likely to be built on the upcoming BMW/MINI front-wheel-drive platform that will also underpin the second-generation MINI Cooper hardtop that’s due in 2014.

There are already six variations on the MINI theme: the standard Cooper hatchback, the MINI Convertible, the Coupe, the Roadster, the Clubman wagon and the Countryman crossover.

A two-door version of the Countryman Coupe is also slated to appear in early 2013, which would bring the total model count to seven. Provided none of the existing models get dropped in the interim, by 2020 there could be as many as 10 distinct models in MINI’s product portfolio.

But what are these three new MINIs likely to be? MINI’s chief designer recently declared his support for a production version of the Rocketman city car concept, and even a Clubman-based light commercial panel van dubbed “MINI Cargo” has been rumoured.

However, with MINI’s penchant for defying convention and the plethora of quirky concept cars it has wheeled out in the past, it’s anyone’s guess as to what it has planned for the future.

Mr. Raymond Tan, Head of Marketing, BMW Group Malaysia, Yang Berhormat Dato’ Mukhriz Mahathir, Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry and Mr. Geoffrey Briscoe, Managing Director of BMW Group Malaysia.

BMW Group Malaysia announced yet another record breaking performance for the year 2011 with a total of 5,604 BMW, MINI and Motorrad vehicles, breaking down into 5,003 BMW, 301 MINI and 300 Motorrad vehicles delivered throughout the year, surpassing its performance in the previous year by 24% and making Malaysia one of the fastest growing markets throughout the entire BMW Group network.

“2011 marked the ninth year of continuous and positive growth for BMW Group Malaysia and with our growing customer base, spurred by our BMW EfficientDynamics and BMW ConnectedDrive innovations, we are confident that we will continue to grow from strength to strength in the year 2012,” said Mr. Geoffrey Briscoe, Managing Director of BMW Group Malaysia at the showcase of the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept Car at The Pavilion, Bukit Bintang.

The BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept Car is the physical manifestation of the BMW Group’s vision of developing a sustainable, contemporary sports car with an innovative plug-in hybrid concept combined with a modified electric drive system to deliver the performance of a sports car while retaining the fuel consumption and emission levels of a ‘green’ car.

Featuring a 3-cylinder turbo diesel engine with 2 electric motors, the supercar is able to generate a power output of 262 kW/ 356 hp, an astounding 800 Nm of Torque and boasts a 0-100km/h performance of a mere 4.8 seconds whilst only consuming an average of just 3.76 liters per 100km and only emitting 99g per km of CO2. The sports car is the precursor to the BMW Group’s revolutionary BMW i range of electric vehicles which are slated for introduction by the year 2013.

Recently featured in box office movie Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol, the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept Car’s visit to Malaysia arrives on the back of the showcase of the BMW ActiveE concept car to further display the company’s commitment to BMW EfficientDynamics and the future possibilities of Sustainable Mobility.

According to Briscoe, in the three years since BMW Group Malaysia has introduced BMW EfficientDynamics to the market with the fleet of BMW Advanced Diesel vehicles of the BMW 3 Series, BMW 5 Series, BMW 7 Series, BMW X1, BMW X3 and BMW X5 ranges, the premium automaker now accounts 15 to 20 per cent of its total vehicle delivered to customers to be that of the Advanced Diesel variant. The positive growth in the take up of the technology already proves that there is a growing interest and demand for Sustainable technology in the Malaysian Automotive industry.

Advanced diesel engines are able to consume up to 30 percent less fuel whilst at the same time, provide 20 percent more horsepower and up to 70 percent better acceleration. The engines are also reputed to emit 25 percent less carbon dioxide (CO2) compared to their petrol counterparts. At the current moment, the technology is also one of the more immediate solutions to tackling the issue of rising cost of fuel.

“Moving into 2012, we will continue to expand on our sustainable technology offering here in Malaysia. As modern engines have evolved into intelligent and efficient machines, we also see a need for the legislative infrastructure to change from one that is based solely on engine size to that of efficiency with the reduction in emissions being the main target,” said Briscoe.

He further added that the showcase of the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics by BMW was intended to provide Malaysians with an understanding of the broad technology spectrum for the premium automotive industry the BMW Group is exploring for today and the imminent future which includes Advanced Petrol and Diesel combustion engines, Hybrid Technology as well as Electric and Hydrogen vehicles.

“It is important for Malaysia to move further up the green technology and sustainability chain, not only in its commitment towards the environment but as a matter of automotive and industrial policy as the future success of the automotive industry will be driven by sustainable products, policies and practises. The Malaysian government’s long stated intention of introducing Euro IV specification for fuel for instance is a critical step towards the country’s evolution into an actual green technology advocate and it is our hope that greater emphasis will be given towards the alternative engine technologies that are readily available today in the discussion of the second review of the National Automotive Policy scheduled for this year,” said Briscoe.

Briscoe further added that the Malaysian government’s extension of full exemption of import and excise duty on hybrid and electric cars until 2013 was a valued and important step as it has initiated momentum towards the establishment of a roadmap for the mass adoption of Clean and Green Technology in the automotive industry but that more could and needed to be done.

“It is vital that while we pursue new alternatives to achieve sustainability in the automotive industry that attention is also given to improve on existing technologies such as Advanced Petrol and Diesel engines which run on the lower sulphur content Euro IV specification fuel, as well as the introduction of incentives for all hybrid technology including those for hybrid vehicles above the 2,000 cc capacity as these engine can prove to be more efficient than their smaller counterparts. This move will provide a holistic support to what remains to be a very young segment of the industry at the moment,” said Briscoe.

Officiating the showcase in Kuala Lumpur, Dato’ Mukhriz Mahathir, Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry reiterated the government’s commitment towards the adoption of Green Technology in Malaysia.

During the ceremony, Dato’ Mukhriz said “The Malaysian government continues to pursue its commitments towards reducing carbon emission levels in the country by the year 2020 to 2005 era levels, as outlined during the Copenhagen Accord in 2009. Furthermore, recent developments in the automotive industry both globally and regionally have created unique opportunities for Malaysia to rapidly tap into and we are committed to transforming Malaysia into a regional hub for the production of Technologically Advanced and Sustainable vehicles in the years to come.”

Dato’ Mukhriz further added that he was pleased to see companies like BMW taking proactive steps to provide clarity around new innovations in Malaysia particularly with their efforts in Advanced Diesel, Active Hybrid and Electric vehicles. He said, “The BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept Car is a true testament to the possibilities driven by technology. BMW Group Malaysia has made strong commitments to the country in its efforts to promote the use of clean and sustainable technology which has led to the introduction of advanced assembly techniques and technology to Malaysia, and it is my hope that they will continue to work with us further in the years to come.”

Members of the public who are keen to learn more about the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept Car are welcome to visit the public showcase which will be held at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur from 18th to the 22nd of January 2012.

Further information about the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics is available at www.bmw.com.my.

For more pictures of the BMW BMW Vision EfficientDynamics at The Pavilion, visit our Facebook Page by clicking here!

Nearly 89,000 Mini brand cars, including the Mini Cooper line of vehicles, are being recalled in the U.S. and another 29,868 in the UK because of faulty water pumps that can malfunction and potentially cause engine compartment fires.

Vehicles affected include certain Cooper S and John Cooper Works models built between 2006 and 2011.

The recall comes about three months after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened a defects investigation, citing 12 reports of fires in the vehicles manufactured by BMW.

Five of the fires reportedly destroyed the cars, according to a NHTSA document. BMW said it is unaware of any injuries or accidents caused by pump malfunctions.

“For us this is a pretty serious issue,” BMW spokeswoman Nathalie Bauters said, noting that the company seldom issues full recalls.

Bauters said BMW will notify car owners by mail in February, and U.S. dealers will replace the water pumps free of charge.

The pump was designed to conduct heat away from the engine’s turbocharger after the car is turned off. BMW, in a letter to the NHTSA, said the pump’s electronic circuit board can malfunction because of “certain design features” and in some cases overheat.

BMW said that the turbocharged engine of the models affected by the fault are equipped with an additional water pump which draws residual heat out of the turbocharger after the engine has been switched off.

“Under high operating temperatures an electro-migration can occur at the circuit board installed in the additional water pump it added. This can lead to a failure of the additional water pump or smouldering and even a fire cannot be excluded.” BMW said.

Eric Noble, president of the CarLabs industry consulting firm in Orange said that BMW’s reputation is unlikely to suffer much from the recall.

“I think this is relatively minor in terms of any impact it would have on Mini as a brand. Mini buyers tend to love their Minis. This alone isn’t going to change that.” Noble said.

With 2012 now upon us, BMW has released a series of updates across its ever-expanding range, but the most noteworthy among them are a pair of special editions in the 1 Series. The Exclusive edition and Sport edition are pretty much self-explanatory, as they were designed for exclusivity and sportiness.

The Edition Exclusive adds chrome trim on the window frames, exhaust and grille and new light alloy wheels available in 16”, 17” or 18”. Buyers can opt for the exclusive body finish in Mineral Grey metallic or one of five finishes drawn from the standard portfolio and the exterior mirrors are coloured in an Oxide Silver matt finish.

Inside, the seats are wrapped in Boston leather either in Pearl Grey with grey contrast stitching or in black with white contrast stitching. The interior also gets a new sports steering wheel trimmed in chrome and the 1 Series coupe gets an anthracite-coloured BMW Individual roof liner.

The Edition Sport, meanwhile, comes with an M body kit, exclusive Carbon Black metallic paint, a gloss black grille, a sport-tuned suspension, tinted tail lights and 17” or 18” alloy wheels.

Inside, the cabin gets an M steering wheel, stainless steel pedals, aluminium trim, blue contrast stitching on the seats and unique floor mats.

Both packages are available on either the 1 Series Coupe or Convertible, and with a broad range of engines, with deliveries beginning in March.

BMW Group Malaysia today announced the appointment of Wearnes Autohaus, a wholly owned subsidiary of Wearnes Automotive as the newest BMW dealer in the Klang Valley area. The new BMW dealership began its operations today at its fully fledged 4S (Sales, Services, Spare Parts and Systems) facility in Segambut.

Welcoming Wearnes Autohaus to the BMW Group network, Mr. Geoffrey Briscoe, Managing Director of BMW Group Malaysia said, “It is a privilege for BMW Group Malaysia to welcome to our dealership network a new business partner as established as Wearnes Automotive who have had vast experiences and successes in the automotive segment here in Asia.”

Briscoe added that Segambut and its surrounding area were key vicinities for the Premium segment as the area has the potential for the delivery of over 300 cars as well as over RM 10 million in aftersales parts and services turnover annually.

Reiterating Briscoe’s sentiments, Mr. Andre Roy, Group Managing Director of Wearnes Automotive said, “We are truly pleased to be appointed as an authorised BMW dealer in Malaysia. Wearnes Automotive has been operating in the Southeast Asian Region since the 1900s and we have successfully built up our reputation in representing premium automotive brands in the region. As a business entity in Asia, we believe this partnership with BMW Group Malaysia will further enhance our presence in Malaysia.”

Ms Jane Lim, Managing Director, Southeast Asia of Wearnes Automotive, added, “Our operations here in Malaysia have been performing strongly over the past few years and we have been continuously exploring opportunities such as this in the region. We at Wearnes are excited by the synergies this premium partnership will bring, as BMW shares a common passion for dynamic mobility and customer excellence. Now, with our presence in Kuala Lumpur, we are confident that our business will continue to grow from strength to strength.”

From Left: Frank Scheffer (Finance Director of BMW Group Malaysia); Geoffrey Briscoe (Managing Director of BMW Group Malaysia); Andre Roy (Group Managing Director of Wearnes Automotive); Ms Jane Lim (Managing Director Southeast Asia of Wearnes Automotive)

With the new appointment Wearnes Autohaus will be able to better serve BMW’s growing customer base in Malaysia through its new authorised 4S dealership facilities which houses a main showroom, sales office, spare parts centre and service workshop with a 14 service bay capacity.

The introduction of Wearnes Autohaus Sdn. Bhd. marks another achievement in BMW Group Malaysia’s ongoing strategy of growing its dealership network to ensure that BMW customers are provided with improved choice and convenience while catering to its growing customer base. In the past five years, BMW Group Malaysia has undertaken several dealership initiatives which include establishing new BMW, MINI and BMW Motorrad dealerships, refurbishing of existing dealerships as well as the introduction and expansion of BMW Premium Selection, BMW’s authorized pre-owned car program as well as the establishment of BMW Body & Paint workshops throughout the country.

The Wearnes Autohaus BMW 4S Centre is located at:
No. 39, Jalan 2/57B,
Jalan Segambut Tengah,
51200 Kuala Lumpur.

For further information customers can call:
Wearnes Autohaus at +603-6259 8221
or
BMW Voice at toll free 1-800-88-3000

or visit www.bmw.com.my

U.S. based automakers are revelling in joy because car buyers in America are back as certain marques post double digit sales growth for 2011. More interestingly, Bayerische Motoren Werke (BMW) AG’s brand may have outsold Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz last month to cement its victory as the top-selling luxury brand for the year, according to estimates by Autodata Corp.

BMW’s U.S. sales was estimated to have increased by 16 percent, levelling out at 27,000 in December 2011 as compared to December 2010 and both sides are currently playing the waiting game, hoping that the other will release their report first.

Autodata Corp. estimates that BMW’s total U.S. sales for 2011 is currently at 248,073, outselling Mercedes by 2,804 vehicles who’s sales was aided by a face-lifted C-Class and M-Class SUV, which helped to increase Mercedes’ sales by 28 percent to 25,778 vehicles in December 2011 alone; settling at a total of 245,269 deliveries of Mercedes vehicles for 2011 in the U.S., which is a 13 percent increase.

A new version of the 3-Series is being introduced next year and Jim O’Donnell, then-head of BMW’s U.S. operations, had warned in August that Mercedes could gain ground as BMW wound down the old version.

Mercedes’s discounts for buyers per C-Class peaked at US$4,234 in December 2011 and the average discount for 2011 (From Jan-Nov) was US$3,516 compared to US$3,237 for the same period in 2010.

However, BMW’s discount peaked at US$4,289 per 3- Series for December 2011 and from January to November 2011, the average discount provided as US$3,167 compared to US$3,370 compared to the same period in 2010.

These results exclude Daimler’s Mercedes Sprinter and Freightliner vans and Smart cars and BMW’s Mini brand, being non-luxury vehicles.

Lexus has lost its seat as the top-selling luxury vehicle in the U.S. after a reign of 11 years in a row, which was seriously hampered by a lack of production due to the Japanese earthquake and tsunami in March 2011. Lexus sales fell 8 percent to 25,355 in December 2011 to settle on a total of 198,552 units sold for the year, which is a 13 percent increase from 2010.

BMW’s new U.S. Chief Executive Officer Ludwig Willisch reiterated that he expected BMW to finish on top in 2011. “Competition is tough,” he said. “If you’re in the No. 1 position, everyone else would like to be in your place.”