BMW TeleService Wins Best Safety and Security Solution

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At the 2013 Telemamatics Update Awards in Detroit, BMW walked away with the Best Safety and Solution Award. This award was given to BMW because of its recent announcement that nearly all 2014 BMW models will include a 10 year service for Assist™ eCall with enhanced Automatic Collision Notification and BMW TeleService.

bmw teleservice

This is a great safety feature to add to the 2014 models, especially with their already fantastic entertainment, power, and luxury features. It will include censors in the car that can tell the BMW TeleService where the car is and what kind of damage is done to it.

Using the Urgency Algorithm, BMWs will be able to determine the severity of an injury, if any, and will be able to alert emergency vehicles and respondents of what has happened.

Along with safety, BMW TeleService will be able to tell the driver when maintenance is needed. It will relay data to the nearest BMW Service Center by making an automatic call.

BMW is making great efforts to improve the driving experience while feeling safe in the hands of BMW TeleService.

M Power App for iPhones by BMW is Coming Out

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BMW has once again proved its tech-savvy abilities with the new M Power App for iPhones. This app will allow BMW owners to track their lap times, review of laps, and other data like braking force and fuel efficiency. Additional features that can be measured are throttle input, steering input, G-force, and RPM.

The M Power App has pre-loaded maps on it supported by BMW, but it can also download and create custom tracks right on the spot.  That feature makes it so that performance isn’t measured just on actual tracks, but also on everyday activities like going to work, going to baseball practice, or going to the movies.

On your phone you can also use what is called head-to-head ghost comparison mode which will compare a previous lap on the track, or trip, to your current lap.s

Just because it is the M Power App does not mean that it is limited to M Series models. Any BMW model can use this app to measure performance. The app has not been released yet, but it is said to come out this summer.

BMW M Power App

BMW X5 Series is Going to See Some Changes

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In 1999 BMW introduced the first Sports Activity Vehicle, the BMW X5 Series. Now they are going to offer something that has not been offered on the X5 yet…rear wheel drive.

The X5 sDrive35i will feature rear wheel drive powered by a 3.0-liter TwinPower Turbo inline-six, which is the same engine power as the xDrive35i. Set to release near the end of the year, we can only hope that time flies until that day.

The rear wheel drive is not the only upgrade for the X5 series. The X5 xDrive50i is also going to be seeing an increase in power. With a 4.4-liter TwinPower Turbo V8, the new xDrive50i is going to see an increase of 45 horsepower, knocking it up to 445.

Lines for the X5 include the Luxury Line, xLine, and the ever popular M Sport. These all give a different feel for your BMW such as presence and robust, modern and distinctive, and performance oriented. Interiors will also come in Ivory White and Mocha to personalize your drive even more.

Upgrades to the BMW X5 Series are going to give a whole new meaning to luxury and performance, making it true to its word. BMW: The Ultimate Driving Machine.

bmw x5 series

Longest Drift Record Set by BMW

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On Saturday May 11, 2013 the BMW M5 Sedan set a new Guinness World Record for the longest drift. The event was hosted at the BMW Performance Center near Greenville, South Carolina.

The previous record was recorded in February this year and it lasted for over ten minutes, stretching close to 7 miles, beating its predecessor that stood at 5.8 miles. The new record, set by BMW completely destroyed the record set in February. With a distance of just over 51 miles, BMW took the number one spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for longest sustained drift.

This monumental success was part of an entire event that helped to raise money for over 150 charities. Linked with the BMW Pro-Am golf tournament, the longest drift started off the week of charity events hosted by BMW. On that one day alone $20,000 was raised for the charities.

Spectators were also given the opportunity to ride in new BMW models, and take rides with Performance Center Instructors giving them a thrill of an experience.

The longest drift record will now be even more difficult to beat considering the length of the drift is just 10 miles shorter than the distance from Santa Maria to Santa Barbara.

2014 Vehicles are Beginning to Show Up at BMW of Santa Maria

We all anticipate the arrival of new vehicles at our favorite dealerships, whether we are looking at purchasing a car or not. Well, the wait may be coming to a close. BMW of Santa Maria has now started to receive 2014 vehicles with the arrival of the 2014 BMW X3 AWD 4-door 35i, in which there are two different versions at the dealership.

2014 Vehicles

One X3, for example, comes with great features like the Driver Assist Package (rear-view camera), M Sport Package, Premium Package (Comfort Access Keyless Entry, Lumbar Support, Nevada Leather Upholstery, and Satellite Radio), Tech Package (BMW Apps, Heads-Up Display, and Navigation System), and an 8-Speed Automatic  Steptronic. With this also comes heated seats, power moonroof, and sport seats. EPA estimated gas mileage on the 2014 X3 is 19 city/26 hwy*. The X3 features a comfortable roomy ride while still providing an enormous cargo area.

With the arrival of a couple 2014 vehicles, that means we can expect some more in the near future. Hopefully soon the 2014 BMW 3 Series, or new M3s and M5s will be rolling onto the lot so that we can look at the new sportier cars too.

Please check out BMW of Santa Maria’s current inventory of 2013’s, 2012’s, and pre-owned vehicles either on our website or in person.

*EPA estimate only. Actual gas mileage may vary based on options, driving conditions, habits, and vehicle condition.

Forbes Ranks BMW as World’s Most Powerful Car Brand

BMW Forbes List

Forbes releases rankings of the world’s most powerful brands. In the latest ranking, BMW was above every other car brand.

On the list BMW was ranked 9th overall, ahead of Cisco and following behind General Electric, with the top three spots going to Apple, Microsoft, and Coca-Cola. The next closest auto brands were Toyota in 14th place, Mercedes-Benz in 16th place, and Honda in 19th place.

These rankings are based off of many different aspects. There is, of course, brand revenue, but it also includes consumer perception ranking, brand value, and company advertising.

BMW ranked 5th in customer perception, with Microsoft being number one, and its brand value was estimated at $26.3 billion, with brand revenue of $73.7 billion. There was no rank for BMW in company advertising, but BMW was selected by consumers as the highest among all brands for high quality products and services.

Forbes also did a ranking of the most admired company in which BMW was listed as 14th in front of Procter and Gamble and following American Express, with the top three being Apple, Google, and Amazon. The next closest to BMW in the automotive field was Toyota which is listed as 29th.

Being the global sales market leader for luxury vehicles, BMW has always focused on luxury, customer satisfaction, and performance, so it is no wonder why they have been recognized for their brand.

The BMW X4 Appeared in Shanghai

At the 2013 Shanghai Auto show BMW showed off their new concept, the X4, with an exhilarating opening of gymnastic performers and the vehicle pulling through them at the end.

This vehicle will be the first sports-activity coupe in its class, being modeled after its “big brother” the X6. It has a low profile, and dramatic roof line, its looks like your normal BMW Coupe, but the big build and SUV looking shape gives it the performance of a BMW X-Vehicle.

BMW made advancements in its innovation and customer-driven production with this new design. After the X6 debuted in 2008 it did so great that they wanted to make another one, and thus the BMW X4. It is a concept for those looking at getting a mid-range vehicle, but they still want to be sporty.

“Emotional” is a term that BMW uses more than once to describe this design concept, and rightfully so. The BMW X4 has a look that will definitely appeal to your driving emotions.

At this point you cannot find out what the price will be, but Richard Jacobi, head of production for the X-Series, said it would be between the X3 and X5, closer to the X3.

The BMW X4 is said to launch in 2014.

Andy Warhol Painted M1 Coming to Los Angeles

BMW is attending Paris Photo’s inaugural Los Angeles Fair and they are going to feature the 1979 M1 that was painted by Andy Warhol.

This car is considered the most famous art car of all time, and it was done so quickly that the cameraman barely even had time to get the film rolling.  When Warhol painted the car he said he wanted to, “give a vivid depiction of speed. If a car is really fast, all contours and colors will become blurred.” At the show there will also be a film about the making of the car showing Warhol painting it.

BMW is also going to present burlesque style photos with the 6 series Gran Coupe.  There will be photos of the 650i Grand Coupe in a retro setting with two models doing burlesque style poses inside and outside the car.

Paris Photo and BMW’s 10th anniversary of their partnership is sure to bring fun and excitement to the automobile world with the Andy Warhol M1 and the burlesque photos.

bmw

 

The Electronaut Effect

BMW introduced the Electronaut Effect data on April 11, 2013. BMW has a new feature for BMW ActiveE models, which are the first all-electric car for BMW, that help consumers to understand the possible effect of driving an electric car over a gas powered car.

The consumers who have tested out the products are known as Electronauts. These Electronauts have been driving ActiveEs for over a year now, and have the data that supports what the cars have saved them.

Since January 2012 the data they have provided us with a look into three categories of benefits from an electric car: Range (most miles in one day), Savings (total money saved), and Environment (gallons of gas not used).

As of April 11, the Electronics had driven 6.1 million miles, saved $740,000, and saved over 275,000 gallons of gas. The data of the Electronaut Effect provides consumers with evidence of the performance of the ActiveE vehicles.

For the already established Electronauts they will have another feature for them to track their already existing data in order to check how they are doing.

BMW i8: The Not-So-Far-Away Future

This new design for BMW is one that they expect to be efficient and the future of what cars will be. It is the exciting look of future efficient dynamics, and is suppose to start production this year.

What the BMW i8 will offer:

  • A non-traditional look, one that is very low to the ground and extremely sporty, with new curves, angles, and freshness
  • Lightweight and aerodynamic – light materials such as carbon and not as many components, such as brackets
  • 3 cylinder engine, with driving capabilities of electric or diesel power
  • Car can recharge its battery with internal combustion engine
  • Electric drive on the rear and front axels to make it run with noise and with emission

This is a car that is expected to release in 2014. So, we as BMW enthusiasts can only hope that it does! This will bring a new era of cars to our lives.