Thursday, October 7, 2010
BMW Vision Concept gets the greenlight. To be built at Leipzig plant
Today, German magazine Auto Motor Und Sport, quoting sources close to BMW, confirm our initial assumptions. The beautiful VED goes in production in 2013 and will be built at the Leipzig plant.
The interesting news come from powerplant used in the first models. According to the same magazine, initially, the VED production car will be powered by a combustion engine.
At a later date, the hybrid version of the same car will follow. The powertrain which has been heavily tested this summer will be using a three-cylinder 1.5 liter engine, aided by two electric motors
The intelligent combination of these units, together with precisely controlled energy management, simultaneously enhances the dynamic performance and the efficiency of the car. Overall system output is 356 horsepower, and peak torque is 590 lb-ft.
According to a BMW executive, the total volume continues we should expect varies between 5,000 and 10,000 units.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
BMW 5 Series Receives Five Stars in New More Stringent Crash Test
New criteria for the NCAP rating system include: more stringent side-impact tests, use of crash-test dummies of varying size (now also simulating a small adult female as well as a medium-size adult male), collection of more data, introduction of a single overall rating score and the highlighting of high-tech crash avoidance systems like electronic stability control, lane departure warning and forward collision warning.
“The performance of the new 5 Series in these tough new tests reflects BMW’s long-held belief in a holistic approach to vehicle safety that places equal emphasis on active and passive safety,” said Jim O’Donnell, President of BMW of North America. “That’s why we were the first to introduce the Head Protection System in 1997 and why we made Dynamic Stability Control, our electronic stability control system, standard on every BMW sold in the US beginning with the 2000 model year.”
The all-new 2011 BMW 5 Series is available with Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot Detection, and Active Cruise Control with a Stop & Go feature. It is also available with Night Vision with Pedestrian Detection, a BMW first.
Every 2011 BMW 5 Series is equipped with BMW Assist which includes an enhanced Automatic Collision Notification system. This system, developed jointly with the William Lehman Trauma Center, not only contacts the emergency call center automatically in the event of a collision, but will also transmit data that will alert emergency responders to the probability of severe injury in order to help them better prepare.
Another important safety feature for drivers in colder climates is the availability of BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive, which is now available for the 535i and 550i Sedans as well as the 535i and 550i Gran Turismo.
Monday, October 4, 2010
BMW ConnectedDrive receives special Euro NCAP award for Assist Advanced eCall
Author: Horatiu B.
Press Release: Testing institute distinguishes BMW Assist Advanced eCall as a pioneering safety technology beyond crash test requirements – The only emergency call system in Europe that BMW ConnectedDrive provides for all BMW models – Award conferred at the 2010 Paris Motor Show.
Munich. Following the most recent awards of five stars for the BMW 5 Series sedan and the BMW X1 in crash tests, the Munich premium automobile manufacturer has now been distinguished by the safety testing institute Euro NCAP (European New Car Assessment Programme) with a special award for the BMW Assist Advanced eCall, the advanced emergency call system with automatic localisation and accident severity detection.
Awarded for the first time, the Euro NCAP Advanced Award distinguishes pioneering technologies in the field of vehicle safety and occupant protection that extend beyond the crash test requirements acknowledged throughout Europe. The award ceremony will be held on Friday, 1 October 2010 at the Paris Motor Show in Paris.
With its Euro NCAP Advanced Award, this institution funded by European governments, automobile clubs, and insurance companies is expanding its assessment procedure to include safety technologies that have yet to be taken up in the crash tests. As explained by Euro NCAP’s Secretary General Dr. Michiel van Ratingen, the key objective of the award is to educate consumers on the advantages of innovative safety systems in cars. In this respect, the focus of interest is placed on innovations that contribute directly to reducing the number of deaths on the road. The BMW Assist Advanced eCall is a unique system on the European car market for the early alert and comprehensive information of emergency services in the event of a collision. It forms part of the mobility services provided by BMW ConnectedDrive available in the BMW Assist package for all current BMW models.
Launched in 1997 in the USA and two years later in Europe, this technology automatically contacts a BMW call centre directly after an accident, creating the optimal conditions for the fast and targeted deployment of emergency services. The BMW call centre then reroutes the emergency call directly to the emergency services closest to the accident site. Since 2008, Assist Advanced eCall, now available in Germany, Austria, Italy, and France, also allows the transmission of additional data. The emergency services of many European countries can now receive these data that, in addition to the precise position and details of the vehicle model and colour, also contain information on the occupants, the number of activated airbags, the intensity of the collision, and the predicted severity of injuries.
The data on crash type and severity are analysed by an algorithm developed by BMW scientists for calculating the risk of injuries to the occupants. On the strength of this information the emergency services can prepare in good time and provide adequate medical care to the accident victims. In addition, the system also allows the driver of a BMW to initiate the emergency call manually, for instance to alert emergency services to other road users. In this manner, Assist Advanced eCall is an effective contribution to saving the lives of accident victims.
The Euro NCAP Advanced Award is a supplementary award for the assessment of vehicles that have achieved at least three stars in the testing institute’s crash test. The first recipient of this award is therefore the BMW 5 Series sedan certificated with five stars. Launched in March 2010, this model could convince the testers with its extensive standard safety equipment and highly effective occupant protection for a range of collision types. Achieving excellent results for the protection of both adult and child occupants and of pedestrians, this business sedan therefore ranks at the top of its segment in terms of safety too. Furthermore, the new BMW 5 Series sedan is the very first vehicle at all to be awarded 100% for its comprehensive safety equipment in the Euro NCAP crash test.
Munich. Following the most recent awards of five stars for the BMW 5 Series sedan and the BMW X1 in crash tests, the Munich premium automobile manufacturer has now been distinguished by the safety testing institute Euro NCAP (European New Car Assessment Programme) with a special award for the BMW Assist Advanced eCall, the advanced emergency call system with automatic localisation and accident severity detection.
Awarded for the first time, the Euro NCAP Advanced Award distinguishes pioneering technologies in the field of vehicle safety and occupant protection that extend beyond the crash test requirements acknowledged throughout Europe. The award ceremony will be held on Friday, 1 October 2010 at the Paris Motor Show in Paris.
With its Euro NCAP Advanced Award, this institution funded by European governments, automobile clubs, and insurance companies is expanding its assessment procedure to include safety technologies that have yet to be taken up in the crash tests. As explained by Euro NCAP’s Secretary General Dr. Michiel van Ratingen, the key objective of the award is to educate consumers on the advantages of innovative safety systems in cars. In this respect, the focus of interest is placed on innovations that contribute directly to reducing the number of deaths on the road. The BMW Assist Advanced eCall is a unique system on the European car market for the early alert and comprehensive information of emergency services in the event of a collision. It forms part of the mobility services provided by BMW ConnectedDrive available in the BMW Assist package for all current BMW models.
Launched in 1997 in the USA and two years later in Europe, this technology automatically contacts a BMW call centre directly after an accident, creating the optimal conditions for the fast and targeted deployment of emergency services. The BMW call centre then reroutes the emergency call directly to the emergency services closest to the accident site. Since 2008, Assist Advanced eCall, now available in Germany, Austria, Italy, and France, also allows the transmission of additional data. The emergency services of many European countries can now receive these data that, in addition to the precise position and details of the vehicle model and colour, also contain information on the occupants, the number of activated airbags, the intensity of the collision, and the predicted severity of injuries.
The data on crash type and severity are analysed by an algorithm developed by BMW scientists for calculating the risk of injuries to the occupants. On the strength of this information the emergency services can prepare in good time and provide adequate medical care to the accident victims. In addition, the system also allows the driver of a BMW to initiate the emergency call manually, for instance to alert emergency services to other road users. In this manner, Assist Advanced eCall is an effective contribution to saving the lives of accident victims.
The Euro NCAP Advanced Award is a supplementary award for the assessment of vehicles that have achieved at least three stars in the testing institute’s crash test. The first recipient of this award is therefore the BMW 5 Series sedan certificated with five stars. Launched in March 2010, this model could convince the testers with its extensive standard safety equipment and highly effective occupant protection for a range of collision types. Achieving excellent results for the protection of both adult and child occupants and of pedestrians, this business sedan therefore ranks at the top of its segment in terms of safety too. Furthermore, the new BMW 5 Series sedan is the very first vehicle at all to be awarded 100% for its comprehensive safety equipment in the Euro NCAP crash test.
Rumor: BMW new front-wheel-drive family of cars to be sold in the United States
Author: Horatiu B
According to a report published by Automotive News, BMW’s new front-wheel-drive family of cars will be sold in the United States. Quoting sources within the company, AutoNews reports that BMW is convinced luxury buyers are ready embrace vehicles positioned below the 1 Series Coupe sold currently in the US.
Furthermore, the report says that the new class is being called UKL, an abbreviation for lower compact class cars sold in Germany. In our opinion, this is just an internal code and the production vehicles will be carrying a different label.
In an interview with the aforementioned publication, Ian Roberton, head of sales and marketing at BMW, said that the new class “will be a relatively big segment because we have several body styles”.
Without disclosing the bodystyles, Robertson confirmed that the US-bound vehicles will be powered by a four-cylinder engine. The new BMW family of small cars is expected to be launched before 2013.
Robertson expects significant volume from the small car lineup, with sales of 100,000 vehicles worldwide a year. Bringing the MINI brand and its FWD to focus, Robertson said for AutoNews that “No one has said to me the Mini isn’t great to drive”.
The following question remains: are the US customers ready for a front-wheel drive BMW?
According to a report published by Automotive News, BMW’s new front-wheel-drive family of cars will be sold in the United States. Quoting sources within the company, AutoNews reports that BMW is convinced luxury buyers are ready embrace vehicles positioned below the 1 Series Coupe sold currently in the US.
Furthermore, the report says that the new class is being called UKL, an abbreviation for lower compact class cars sold in Germany. In our opinion, this is just an internal code and the production vehicles will be carrying a different label.
In an interview with the aforementioned publication, Ian Roberton, head of sales and marketing at BMW, said that the new class “will be a relatively big segment because we have several body styles”.
Without disclosing the bodystyles, Robertson confirmed that the US-bound vehicles will be powered by a four-cylinder engine. The new BMW family of small cars is expected to be launched before 2013.
Robertson expects significant volume from the small car lineup, with sales of 100,000 vehicles worldwide a year. Bringing the MINI brand and its FWD to focus, Robertson said for AutoNews that “No one has said to me the Mini isn’t great to drive”.
The following question remains: are the US customers ready for a front-wheel drive BMW?
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