Section: E83 X3
Feb 3rd, 2010
With their typical fun-to-drive qualities, superior all-wheel-drive technology and powerfully expressive styling, the BMW X models occupy a position all their own in their respective classes. The unique attractions of this concept, now successfully established in four different market segments, received further confirmation recently with an excellent showing in the latest readers’ poll by the German magazine Off Road. The BMW X5 was voted “Off-Roader of the Year” in the “Luxury SUV” category, while the BMW X1 and BMW X6 came first and second in the “Crossover” category and the BMW X3 took second place in the “SUV” category.
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Jan 5th, 2010
Something that unfortunately has gone under our radar over the last few days has been the 2010 edition of the Dakar. For the second year in a row it is being held in South America over 9000 km of the world’s nastiest terrain from Argentina to Chile. It consists of 14 stages and takes place from January first to seventeenth. BMW is represented by four X3s as members of the teamBMW X-Raid . The X3 (CC)s used are heavily modified (to say the least) and are powered by a BMW 3 liter variable twin turbo diesel putting out around 286 hp and 425 lb-ft.
SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) -France’s Stephane Peterhansel has kept his overall lead in the Dakar Rally, driving his BMW to second place in Tuesday’s fourth stage as the grueling race left Argentina and entered Chile.
Peterhansel, a nine-time Dakar Rally winner, was a second behind stage winner Robby Gordon of the United States. Nasser Al-Attiyah of Qatar was third.
Peterhansel was 7 1/2 minutes ahead of Spain’s Carlos Sainz of Volkswagen in the overall standings, and 10 minutes ahead of Al-Attiyah, also in a VW.
The stage took the racers across the Andes at about 13,000 feet and through the Atacama dunes, one of the driest places on Earth.
For a brief synopsis of the stages completed thus far read on after the break!
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Dec 11th, 2009
Tonight BMWNA announced price bumps across the lineup. This is nothing new, it is somewhat of a BMW tradition to ring in the New Year with a less than one percent increase. This time it is a .4% increase per vehicle. Destination and handling was also increased but by a flat rate of $50 per vehicle. The newly launched 5 GT, and Active Hybrids will not see the MSRP price increase but will still suffer the inflated shipping charge.
Official Release
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Nov 20th, 2009
For some of our readers that have been on the fence with what to do for their next vehicle since the X3 has been delayed and the next 5 is not to hit the US until late April early May, have no fear BMW FS has a solution.
BMW Financial services is granting lease extensions for maturing X3 and 5 Series vehicles.
It is for leases expiring before 12/31/09 but may be applied to others on case-by-case basis. It is a 12-18 month lease extension term. It is a minimum 1 year extension with a month to month until 18 months. Contact BMWFS lease end agents for full terms and qualification requirements.
This option will also help lessen the effects of leasing a new to market vehicle for those that can utilize this option.
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Jul 27th, 2009
I’m currently driving the X6 50i and pondering how it slots into what BMW has been historically. There has been lots of talk among automotive enthusiasts about the influx of SAVs at BMW and how they may or may not have impacted the brand. Yet they sell. But better news for BMW, they offer more profit per vehicle than anything else in the fleet.
And that leads to the idea… did the SAV save BMW from being gobbled up by a larger automaker years ago? During the corporate buying spree of the early and even mid 2000’s, BMW was ripe for a take-over. It’s worth considering that the additional sales and profit from the X5 and the X3 (the single most profitable vehicle in the line-up) sured up BMW’s financials and helped elevate the company to where it is today.
Granted the full answer is probably a little less dramatic. BMW’s line-up has appealed to more people and surely benefited from the rise of the luxury class in the 2000s.
Additionally, one could make the argument that MINI had a hand in that success as well. Yet you can’t overlook the SAV in all of this. And as an enthusiast who has typically cast aside the SAV (rightly or wrongly over the years), I have to admit it’s been an important part of the equation for many reasons.
Agree? Disagree? Sound off below.
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Apr 22nd, 2009
Last year around this time we featured an article on what BMW models are made where entitled “Made in Germany?” . BMWAG has graciously done this work for us this year by releasing a list of production facilities, what models are produced/assembled at each plant and the total number produced at the plant for 2008. This saved us a good deal of time and we thank them!
Worth noting in this official document is that the 5 Series GT will be in production this year as will the X6 Hybrid, but there is no mention of the new X3 or X1 which are both expected this year as well (now possibly in the Spring of 2010?). If you are questioning BMW producing cars in Asia, you will be happy to know that CKD stands for Complete Knock Down, and these are cars produced elsewhere in kit form and assembled for the specific local market in which they are assembled.
Full BMWAG PDF can be found here.
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