We’ve already seen two hybrids from BMW: the 2010 ActiveHybrid X6 “sport activity vehicle” and 2010 ActiveHybrid 7 full-size sedan. Now BMW’s third hybrid model, which it has hinted at for several months, will be unveiled next week at the Geneva Motor Show. As a show car, its full name is the BMW Concept 5-Series ActiveHybrid. But in fact, it’s a…
The depressed auto sales trend that began back in 2008 is going to leave some lingering effects, affecting the service department business of new-car dealerships for many years. So predicts J.D Power and Associates—that dealer service traffic will decline by 20 percent between 2009 and 2013, with a 25-percent drop in service dollars from…
We get punchy around High Gear Media occasionally, and sometimes we BS back and forth about topics less salubrious than, say, fuel efficiency and lowering our oil dependency. Which is how the following question came up: If the urea runs low in my new clean-diesel car, can I just pee in the tank to top it up? Urea to cut NOx First, a bit of…
For over three decades, BMW has relied on its “Ultimate Driving Machine” tagline, but now the automaker’s new ad agency, GSD&M Idea City from Austin, Texas, are shifting to a new campaign that could have significantly broader appeal. The “Ultimate Driving Machine” tag and most of the campaigns that spun off of it appealed first and foremost to…
When companies play their cards right, sponsorships can yield profitable, high-profile branding opportunities. The Staples Center in Los Angeles is a great example of corporate sponsorship at work; so was Viagra’s support of NASCAR. To buff its image as an “aspirational” auto brand, Mercedes-Benz recently began sponsoring fashion week events in…
BMW has enhanced its X5 SUV for the 2011 model year, updating the vehicle’s powertrain and styling to keep it fresh in what has become one of the most closely fought segments in the industry. Originally launched back in 1999, the BMW X5 helped change the SUV segment by showing that the driving dynamics, responsiveness, and handling of a car…
BMW has announced a limited-time offer, running from February 2 through March 31, to extend the no-cost maintenance coverage on some U.S. Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) cars by an additional two years or 50,000 miles. With this offer, buyers would be covered by warranty for six years or 100,000 miles from their original in-service date from new, as are…
Though there is no M7 in the works, there’s really no need for one, as the 2011 Alpina B7 is on the way. Revealed in early January, the 2011 Alpina B7 starts from $122,875 for the short-wheelbase model, and $126,775 for the extended limo. Slightly less powerful than the mighty 760i’s 536-horsepower twin-turbo V-12, the Alpina B7’s twin-turbo V-8…
