BMWNA today held a Press Conference to launch the new Z4 in the US. While the conference was very informative, to our loyal readers there was not much further information in regards to the Z4 outside the fact that European Deliveries will be available on May 20th.
What was welcomed, was the official confirmation of 6 new models being launched within 2009. The xDrive version of the 7 series, the 760Li/i, the X5 ///M, the X6 ///M, the 5 Series GT (F07/PAS) and a two mode hybrid of the X6 will all be introduced this fall/winter.
The X1 will also debut for markets outside the US this year.
We expect to see the official launches of the X1 and 5 Series GT at a similar time to last years launch of the 7 Series, so late June early July.
Official Release: The BMW Group asserted its position in the first quarter 2009 despite the weak state of the sales markets brought about by the global financial and economic crisis. “We have continued our forward-looking finance and cost management strategies with great determination during the opening quarter of the year”, stated Norbert Reithofer, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG on Wednesday in Munich. “In view of the difficult conditions still prevailing on the financial markets, we remain focused in our efforts to improve our liquidity position”, continued Reithofer. Strengthening the liquidity base creates manoeuvring room and ensures that the BMW Group will be able to continue its policy of investing in the future. continued →
Yes, this is a bit confusing and makes little initial sense. This is the first time a non-EU produced model is being offered for pickup in Europe by those of us in the states. If there is a choice, it is my opinion to ALWAYS take delivery at the BMW Welt as there is nothing better than driving your car on the roads it was designed for. Our original understanding was that X5 and X6 ///M models would have limited availability for delivery at BMW Welt but it has been brought to our attention that the wording really means that you take delivery of a car normally available for European Delivery and get to “experience” the ///M SAVs.
This limited driving event starts with picking up your new BMW (not an ///M SAV) in Munich and ends with an ///M Power Driving Experience in Salzburg, Austria.
With all eyes focused on the challenge ahead in the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship, the BMW Sauber F1 Team engineers at the factories in Hinwil and Munich are working flat out on improvements to the F1.09. The team will line up for the first race of the European season in Barcelona on 10th May with an initial development package in place. continued →
While most enthusiasts have cried out in anger with the recent news that the ///M division has gone the forced induction road; the news may not be all that bad. The BMW ///M motors of the past have always been fairly low in displacement, peaky in horsepower and torque, but loving to rev to sky high red lines. The newest rendition from the ///M camp is a bit different from those engines; it was intentionally designed to be different and change the playing field. It is capable of producing more torque and more horsepower with less displacement and greater efficiency than the motors of the past.
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Official Release: The BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported April sales of 19,362 vehicles, a decrease of 38.4 percent from the 31,448 vehicles sold in the same month of 2008. The BMW Group also reported a year-to-date sales volume of 70,606 vehicles, down 29.4 percent, compared to 99,977 vehicles sold in the same period a year ago. Despite the negative development in April, both BMW and MINI continue to track better than their market segments year-to-date. continued →
While we have not covered the Koni Challenge Series/SCCA SPEED World Challenge Series here at BimmerFile in great depth we thought it was worth the mention for this weekends race in NJ because 17 BMWs will be racing. The BMW models competing will include a Z4, 328i, E46 ///M3 and current generation ///M3s from race teams such as Turner Motorsports and Kinetic Motorsports. With a wide range of models and teams of BMWs composing nearly a third of the field there should be some interesting racing! The Grand-Am KONI Sports Car Challenge and the SCCA SPEED World Challenge GT races will be held at NJ Motorsports Park in Millville.
The KONI Challenge race is scheduled to start at 3:10 p.m. ET Saturday, May 1 and will broadcast on SPEED television at 12:00 p.m. ET on May 9. The SPEED World Challenge Touring race is scheduled to start at 10:30 a.m. Saturday and will be televised on SPEED on May 22 at 2:00 p.m. ET. The broadcast of the Sebring SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge races has been delayed, and will now air on SPEED Monday, May 11.
Official Release: The Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2009 has produced a brilliant winner. An Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Berlinetta Touring claimed victory in the coveted Trofeo BMW Group, awarded by the Jury to the “best of show” at the Concorso. And it was not only the Jury who were won over by the 1938 Alfa – the two prizes awarded by public referendum, the traditionrich Coppa d’Oro Villa d’Este and the Trofeo BMW Group Italia, also went to the car owned by American Jon Shirley. In the Concorso d’Eleganza Design Award for concept cars and prototypes, the public voted for the Aston Martin Lagonda One – 77. continued →
Information on future BMW models continues to slowly leak to us from all corners of the globe. While we are still a ways away from any official confirmation of any of these future models, certain things are beginning to take shape.
The recent Huckfeldt rendition of the Z2 also included an image of the BMW Project-i Megacity car. On many occasions we have been led to believe that Autobild and Huckfeldt are given information well in advance of launches (based on design concepts) to gain the feel of the general public. That is why more often than not the cars depicted in these images are so close to the eventually released products. continued →
Official Release: In January 2009, the BAVARIA Yachtbau GmbH announced BMW Group DesignworksUSA as their new design associate and commissioned the global design consultancy and subsidiary of the BMW Group to support the Giebelstadt boat builder in the realignment of its product portfolio. DesignworksUSA operates in a multitude of industries both for the parent company’s three brands as well as for external customers. Together with BAVARIA the consultancy had presented their debut joint project, the Deep Blue 46, at the BOOT Düsseldorf. With this boat the two partners achieved a precision landing. It was recently awarded the trophy “Boat of the Year” at the Croatia Boat Show. The second collaboration of this Bavarian connection is just about to be presented to the public. In April, the Cruiser 55, the biggest BAVARIA yacht to date, will be shown for the very first time at the Saló Nàutic Internacional de Palma on Majorca. continued →
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Sections: //X5 M\\ | //X6 M\\ | E71 X6 | E89 Z4 Roadster | European Delivery | F01 7 Series | F07 PAS | Official News | X1 May 6th, 2009 2 Comments 
