Jul 15th, 2008
Not major news by any account but the name change of the X3 3.0si has been officially confirmed. As we mentioned here several months back BMW will be readjusting their naming schemes due upcoming regulations. So following the same rules as the X6 in naming the X3 will follow as is the X5 xDrive35.
This still leaves us wondering what the new name of the upcoming “Z” will be if there is more than one engine version.Is it possible that if a 4 cylinder engine is an option it would be the Z4 and if it is a 6 it would be the Z6? We will let you know as soon as we hear!
Update
No sooner was this written it was brought to our attention that BMW has already given us a clue to the possible naming game of the next Z4, sDrive.
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May 6th, 2008
We thought it would be nice on a Tuesday, which just happens to be the day after Cinco De Mayo to give you some news that may help your headache (or make it worse). That is if you partook in the festivities a bit too hard.
For all you SAV lovers out there we give you the test mule of the next X3. Yes it is an X3 in underpinnings and drive train but looks like an E91 with some serious fender flares. This is a drive train mule. It is still in the early stages of testing, the actual prototype sheet metal will begin its testing mid summer.
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Feb 27th, 2008
We have just received some breaking news courtesy from an internal BMW memo that confirms our original speculation. The names of the models in the X6 lineup were not created because of some marketing plan. The xDrive50i and xDrive35i may have some competition in the amount of (nomenclature related) weight added to the rear of BMW models in the not so distant future.
Here’s an excerpt from the internal BMW memo:
Due to upcoming U.S. regulations in effect for Model Year 2009, we are changing some of our naming protocol. The new naming protocol will affect all products that currently have an engine displacement designation within the name—X3, X5, X6, Z4 and Z4 Coupe.
With that quote one can only imagine what other names we will see! What do you think they will name the Z?
Feb 27th, 2008
Not ground breaking news but something that client advisors often over look are Priority 1 options. BMWNA does not openly advertise or promote these options and are often items that the majority of buyers have no interest in. To some they are what sells them on the car. Priority 1 essentially means that the car is for a specific buyer as a “sold” car. These options are not available for dealer lot cars or pre-specced cars.
We have also obtained a full copy of the dealer ordering guide which shows all the options (includes 1 and X6) so enjoy! There appears to be some added benefit of purchasing a 1 series with a production date after March as more colors will be available and some changes to equipment are being made. We will try to find out why some of these changes are being made.
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Feb 12th, 2008
Most purchasers of a BMW assume they are getting a German made product. Most non-enthusiasts do not realize that their vehicle may have been produced in the US or several other locations outside of the “fatherland”. Dealers are able to identify the production location of a specific car within their allocation but this is not always revealed to the customer. It will however be stated on the window sticker when it is delivered.
Until recently US bound 335i sedans were solely built in Germany but due impart to the weakness of the dollar and ramp up in production of the 1 series coupe, production has begun to join the 328i sedan in Roslyn, South Africa. The Roslyn plant has won several awards for its quality so it is by no means a substandard product. This move in production is not indicated for other models within the 3 range. continued →
