CALSTART
News Center --
BMW, Volvo to Offer Natural Gas Models in ‘96,
February 20, 1996
Gothenburg, Sweden and Munich, Germany — BMW and Volvo have announced they will both be selling compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered cars in 1996, reports Automotive International. BMW is already selling two models, the 316 and 518, that have a $4,700 option available to enable the cars to run on either gasoline or natural gas. The two fuels may be switched on-the-fly. Volvo’s bi-fuel 850 will also be available in right-hand-drive models for the United Kingdom, a country that has CNG refueling stations strategically placed to enable drivers to cross the entire length of the country.
http://www.calstart.org/news/newsnotes/96022002.html
CALSTART News Center-- CALSTART Connects with BMW , March/April/May 1995
Partnering Opportunities Explored Between BMW and California Advanced Transportation Technology Companies. One of the world's leading automakers, BMW, joined with CALSTART April 21 to host a unique workshop designed to explore the leading-edge technologies now coming to market for environmental vehicles and find ways to work together to speed development. The BMW/CALSTART workshop brought together more than 90 top executives from nearly 50 companies across California, the U.S., Canada, and Germany, to cooperatively assess environmental vehicle technologies and network about the future. The goal was to form business partnerships to tap the best technologies.
http://www.calstart.org/news/features/04019508.html
Detroit
Free Press -- BMW to boost U.S. production S.C. plant to build luxury
sport-utility,
March 12, 1998
SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- Bayerische Motoren Werke says it will hire 500 workers and boost the output at its only North American assembly plant by late next year, when it begins production of a car-like sport-utility vehicle. The German luxury automaker's $600-million plant in Spartanburg now employs 2,000 and makes about 50,000 Z3 roadsters annually. Executives have said in recent weeks that BMW will introduce a luxury performance sport-utility vehicle, mostly for the North American market, though they offered few details.
http://www.freep.com/business/qbmw12.htm
Detroit News -- Dave Phillips,Chrysler studies world market. Rumors of talks between No. 3 automaker, BMW's Rover show global strategy is vital to competition., July 9, 1997
Chrysler Corp. and BMW AG deny reports the U.S. automaker is mulling a purchase of BMW's Rover car group, but experts say a deal like that could help spur Chrysler's worldwide expansion. News reports in England on Tuesday said Chrysler Chairman Robert Eaton discussed the move with BMW Chairman Bernd Pischetsrieder. Chrysler Vice-Chairman Robert Lutz reportedly has been in discussions with executives of Rover's car operations in England.
http://detnews.com/AUTOS/industry/970709/chrysler/chrysler.htm
Knoxville
News -- Ina Hughs, The ad challenge: List 20 things to do in this lifetime,
August 18, 1997
Advertising for the 1997 BMW includes a four-page Fortune magazine ad listing 20 things you and I should do in this lifetime. Of course buying a BMW is at the top -- or bottom -- of the list, depending on which way you rank the order. Since I consider myself to be a very fortunate person, I was a bit miffed to discover I had not yet done even half the things I ''should,'' even though my life is way past half over. To begin with, I have never owned a BMW, although I once toyed with the idea of taking out a loan for a BMW motorcycle. My mother put her foot down, and that was back when my mother's foot was, well, heavier than it is now.
http://www.knoxnews.com/features/hughs/archives/1997/ih081897.html
San Diego Sources -- New BMW Theft-Deterrent System Chases Off Thieves And Reduces Insurance Rates, April 29, 1997
BMW automobiles are much harder to steal now that a new theft-deterrent system comes with every model. According to statistics compiled by the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), theft incidents and related losses on BMW automobiles have dropped dramatically in the past two years. "Overall insurance losses against BMWs have dropped 84 percent, thanks to a theft-deterrent system that's only available on BMWs. Several years ago, we embarked on a mission to lower the cost of owning a new BMW, and lowering insurance premiums for BMW owners is an important part of that quest," explained Victor Doolan, head of BMW's U.S. sales and marketing arm. BMW's other measures to lower ownership costs include picking up the cost of maintenance for the first three years, increasing resale values and providing popular features, such as traction control, at no additional cost, Doolan explained.
http://www.sddt.com/reports/autos/DN97_05_02/DN97_05_02_te.html
San Diego Daily Transcript-- BMW Motorcycles Rev Up Record 1997 Sales, Jan. 14, 1998
BMW of North America Inc., the importer and distributor of BMW motorcycles in the United States since 1980, reported that 1997 motorcycle sales were the highest in the company's history. The BMW Motorcycle Group posted sales of 6,103 units, an increase of nearly 25 percent over year-end sales figures for 1996. According to Edward A. Robinson, vice president of BMW's Motorcycle Group, BMW's strong retail performance was bolstered not only by the continued popularity of the BMW R 1100 RT sport-tourer, but also by the mid-year introduction of two new models -- the high-performance K1200 RS sport tourer and the new R 1200 C "Cruiser."
http://www.sddt.com/reports/autos/98/01/16/te.html
San Francisco Chronicles -- Peter Stack, Licensed to Sell James Bond returns in blitz of product promotions from cosmetics to cars, Wednesday, December 10, 1997
Perennially cool and aloof James Bond has been pressed
into advertising bondage these days to build audience interest in the 18th
007 feature, ``Tomorrow Never Dies,'' which opens December 19. The distributor,
MGM/UA studios, and a raft of top-brand companies are putting Bond in everybody's
face with a blockbuster $100 million
marketing campaign. Brosnan's version of the suave
British secret agent, based on Ian Fleming's novels, seems to be everywhere
lately.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1997/12/10/DD36883.DTL
San
Francisco Chronicles -- Michael Taylor, CHP to Get BMW Motorcycles
$2.4 million contract includes a `buy-back' provision, November 7, 1997
The California Highway Patrol is phasing out the familiar
Kawasaki motorcycles their patrol officers ride and will soon be on BMWs,
under a new $2.4 million contract the state just signed with the prestigious
German firm. And for the first time, the state's buyers included
a ``buy- back'' provision in the contract, something the CHP says will
ultimately save taxpayers money because BMW will have to repurchase the
motorcycles in about three years.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1997/11/07/MN24501.DTL
Sun
Herald Online --Maureen Johnson, BMW to buy Rolls in $570 Million
purchase,
March 31, 1998
LONDON - Rolls-Royce, that very British symbol of elegant
motoring, was bought Monday by German automaker BMW in a $570 million
deal. At the Rolls-Royce plant in central England, the workers who
build the luxury cars - handmade to orders placed by oil sheiks, film stars
and tycoons - jokingly greeted each other Monday with the phrase "Guten
Morgen." "The spirit of the car won't change," vowed Mike Garnett,
41, who started with Rolls-Royce as a teen-age apprentice. "It's still
our hands that make them British." The deal still must be approved
by shareholders of parent company Vickers PLC, which selected BMW's bid
over offers from rival Volkswagen and two consortiums, including one of
Rolls enthusiasts who had fought to keep the company British.
http://www.sunherald.com/business/docs/rolls033198.htm
PR
NewsWire -- BMW Reports Best First Quarter Ever March 1998 Also Best
Month Ever; BMW Group. First Quarter Sales Up 4 Percent, April 2, 1998
WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J., BMW of North America, Inc.,
continuing to break its own sales records, just closed its best month ever,
reporting March sales of 12,239 units, an increase of 6 percent over the
11,578 units reported for the same period a year ago. BMW also reported
its best-ever first quarter, with sales of 30,939, up 6 percent over a
year ago. Sales of BMW's best selling model, the
528i sedan, increased 39 percent, contributing to BMW's overall U.S. sales
strength. Other gains worth noting: BMW's new 323i convertible were
210 percent higher than it's predecessor, the 318i convertible (213 in
March 1997); Z3 sales were up 20 percent over the same period a year ago
and 5 Series sales increased by 30 percent. BMW Group
reported retail sales of 13,580 vehicles for March 1998, an increase of
2 percent over Group sales of 13,259 recorded a year ago.
http://www.prnewswire.com:80/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/
4-2-98/451761&EDATE=
SportServer -- BMW's F1 return sets up duel with Mercedes, September 9, 1997.
FRANKFURT, Germany (Sep 9, 1997 - 07:39 EDT) -- BMW, the
German executive cars group, surprised rival carmakers by using the eve
of the Frankfurt motor show to announce its return to Formula
One motor racing from 2000 in partnership with Britain's Williams team.
The five year contract is expected to cost the company more
than $160 million a year. It opens the prospect of
a bitter duel for supremacy on the track with its arch-rival Mercedes-Benz.
Mercedes has been using its own return to Grand Prix racing
with the McLaren team in recent years as part of its
strategy to modernize its image and attract younger buyers.
http://www.sportserver.com/newsroom/sports/oth/1997/oth/car/feat/archive/090997/car30665.html
Yahoo! -- BMW set to clinch bid for Rolls-Royce-paper, March 29, 1998
LONDON, March 29 (Reuters) - Rolls-Royce Motors is poised to be sold by engineering group Vickers Plc(quote from Yahoo! UK & Ireland: VICK.L) to Germany's BMW AG for around 300 million pounds, according to reports in the Sunday Times and Observer newspaper. After weeks of speculation about the likely buyer of the luxury carmaker, the Sunday Times said rival bidder Volkswagen AG (OTC BB:VLKAY - news; VOWG.F), which had also offered about 300 million pounds, would have to substantially increase its terms to win. A report in German news magazine Focus said on Saturday that BMW was the preferred bidder for Rolls, but a spokesman for BMW told Reuters that it had received no indication yet from Vickers that it had been successful.
http://biz.yahoo.com/finance/980329/britain_ro_1.html
Yahoo!
-- Clifford Coonan, FOCUS-BMW ahead in race for Rolls-Royce - report,
March 28, 1998
FRANKFURT, March 28 (Reuters) - German carmaker BMW AG
(BMWG.F) is the preferred buyer for luxury British carmaker Rolls-Royce
Motor Cars, ahead of is rival Volkswagen AG (OTC BB:VLKAY - news; VOWG.F),
the news magazine Focus said on Saturday. However, a spokesman for BMW
in Munich told Reuters that it had received no indication that the decision
by Rolls-Royce's current owners, Vickers Plc (quote from Yahoo! UK &
Ireland: VICK.L), would fall its way. We have done all that we can to begin
the decision-making process. The rest is up to Vickers,'' he said, adding
that he did not know when the decision would be announced.
http://biz.yahoo.com/finance/980328/germany_bm_2.html
Asiaweek -- Cesar Bacani, ASIA'S CARS OF CHOICE, November 1, 1996
AH, THE GOOD LIFE. A designer flat in Hong Kong's exclusive Peak district. A second home in Singapore and time-share condos in Bali and Cebu in the Philippines. Holidays in Paris, London and New York. And a car that really grips the road. Like the midnight-blue Mercedes-Benz E200 that 34-year-old Singapore entrepreneur Christina Lim bought in 1994. "It's reliable, comfortable and safe," she says. "The road- holding is much better than Japanese cars because it is heavier. I was driving down Sixth Avenue when a guy cut into my lane and made a U-turn. I used the power brakes and power steering, otherwise I would have hit him."
http://www.pathfinder.com/asiaweek/96/1101/cs1.html
Asiaweek-- Many Roads to Profit. How BMW cracked the region's markets, November 1, 1996
AT 48, BERND PISCHETSRIEDER has spent nearly half his life with BMW. He signed up with the Munich-based car maker in 1973 after earning his degree in mechanical engineering. His stints in production, quality assurance and purchasing led to the top spot in 1993, when he became BMW chairman. Pischetsrieder also heads the Rover Group, which BMW acquired in 1994. He spoke with Asiaweek's Cesar Bacani in Seoul. What is BMW's Asian strategy? In Asia at the moment, it's ten markets in ten countries and you need to comply with different regulations in every place. The problems are the existing local-content regulations and high import duties.
http://www.pathfinder.com/asiaweek/96/1101/cs2.html
Consumer
Reports -- THE BEST OF THE BEST: Our top picks in new cars, trucks
and vans.
April 1998
In this year's annual Auto Issue, Consumer Reports magazine highlights vehicles that stand out in seven categories, earning them the distinction: "Top Picks." The 1998 cars and trucks selected by Consumer Reports' editors and auto-test engineers are best in their respective categories, based on tests of handling, acceleration, braking, fuel economy, comfort, and convenience--with safety as a central theme throughout. Providing an overall standard of excellence, the Mercedes-Benz E320 remains the highest-scoring vehicle Consumer Reports has tested. It combines strong acceleration with reasonable fuel economy, responsive handling, a serene ride, and fine reliability--at a pricey $47,000.
http://www.consumerreports.org/Special/Samples/Reports/9804topp.htm
Forbes --BMW: A New Edge for 1998
Performance, safety and individuality: three words that describe BMW. The German automaker has built its reputation by delivering the ultimate in performance-oriented luxury cars. But its goal is to provide more than just a good product. It is intent on providing a good value and a satisfying ownership experience. The automaker is likely to only enhance its image with a range of new products debuting in 1998. The all-new 323is coupe and the 323i convertible prove you can get six-cylinder power for little more than what you'd expect to pay for a four-cylinder car.
http://www.forbes.com/specialsections/auto/bmw.html
Forbes -- Jerry Flint, Knees together and swing to the right, May 20, 1996
"WE WANT the message to be: `This car is drop-dead gorgeous. I've got to go see it,' " says Nick Scheele, chairman and chief executive of Jaguar Cars Ltd. Scheele's Jaguar XK8 sports car is one of four new roadsters European manufacturers are introducing to the U.S. market. This new breed of two-seater is priced right for a change, about the same as upper-class sports utility vehicles. BMW's Z3 is in showrooms now and there's already a six-month waiting list. This two-seater is built in BMW's new South Carolina plant and carries a 1.9-liter, 138hp, four-cylinder engine. Prices start at $28,750, but you can run that up to $33,000 with metallic paint ($475), leather upholstery ($1,150), heated seats ($500), traction control ($1,100) and, of course, a wooden steering wheel ($650). Half the fun of having a sports car is dressing her up.
http://www.forbes.com/forbes/052096/pacars.htm
Fortune --Sue Zesiger, The Most Improved Wheels, November 24, 1997
Some stellar improvements have surfaced in the luxury-car market in the past few years--state-of-the-art traction control, side airbags, and more powerful and efficient engines, to name a few. Yet despite the bells and whistles, only a handful of high-end car companies have truly elevated the art of auto building a notch or two. The seven brands mentioned here have all improved in their own ways, from quality control to product breadth. But all seem to be aspiring to one intangible: putting more emotion into the driving experience. Some call it performance; others call it passion. BMW has been a benchmark of both (and its 98% sales increase from 1991 through 1996 proves it), but here comes some tough--and emotional--competition.
http://www.pathfinder.com/fortune/1997/971124/car.html
Money -- Peter Keating, New Study Ranks Appeal of Cars, October 5, 1995
It's pretty easy to find rankings of cars based on negative indicators -- like how easily they blow up in rear-end collisions. But what if you're looking for the lowdown on the really cool features of today's top models? You might want to take a look at the latest survey by J.D. Power and Associates, a company which has made a name for itself until now by polling consumers to find out what's wrong with their vehicles. The firm has just completed a new Automotive Performance, Execution, and Layout Study, dubbed its "APEAL Study" for short, in which it asked drivers for the first time about features they liked about their cars.
http://www.pathfinder.com/money/moneydaily/1995/951005.moneyonline.html
Munich
Found Online -- Anthony DiPaola, BMW, the Drive to Suceed, October,
1997
Germany's romance with the automobile is legendary. The
country's highways have no speed limit, allowing car owners to unbridle
the mighty horsepower of today's steel stallions. Sleek car designs
seduce even the most stoic river to slide behind the steering wheel, continuing
a love affair that has a distinct economic advantage. Germany derives
around 20 percent of its Gross Domestic Product from
auto sales and supply, and "Made in Germany" has long been a symbol of
quality. Automobile production, the world's single largest industry,
is on the increase internationally, and shows no signs of slowing down.
http://www.munichfound.de/issues/1997/10/articles/BMW.html
US News --William J. Holstein, No time to luxuriate, Can BMW stay on top in a tough luxury-auto market?, June 30, 1996
At the beginning of the 1990s, BMW and other European auto makers that dominated the American luxury market were rear-ended by an oil shock and a recession, luxury taxes, and a surge of competition from an unexpected source. After pooh-poohing Japanese car makers' ability to enter the high end of the market, the Europeans were stunned when Toyota's Lexus, Nissan's Infiniti, and Honda's Acura charged in with lower-priced luxury cars that didn't require frequent servicing (at the time, a common joke among Bimmer owners was that BMW stood for "Break My Wallet"). Compounding BMW's problems was the fact that its styling had become boxy and dated. American sales plunged by nearly half in 1991, to a mere 53,000 units.
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/970630/30beem.htm
US News -- Wheels of fortune. Open markets enable German auto makers to create good jobs in America
When Hassie Smith applied for work at the new BMW plant
in Spartanburg, S.C., she never dreamed she would get the job. "I
sent the application in as a joke," laughs Smith. After all, eight years
as a counselor at an alcohol treatment center isn't the
typical route to a spot on an automobile production line. Smith didn't
know it, but
typical was the last thing her employer-to-be was interested
in. When the 5:30 a.m. phone call came, Smith was stunned. She had
made the first cut. All jokes aside, she was now one of 80,000 applicants
vying for 1,500 jobs. "I had to give it a shot,"
recalls Smith. "I was one of the lucky ones."
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/car.htm
US News -- William J. Holstein, The `smart car' revs up, November 24, 1997
After years of false starts, the race to develop cars that can ride the information superhighway has begun in earnest. The ultimate goal is to allow drivers to obtain updates on traffic conditions, receive help with directions, even send E-mails or faxes--without fumbling for a car phone. In theory, an onboard computer should be able to respond to an individual's voice command and find the kind of music he or she wants, or deliver the latest news on subjects the driver cares most about. If the car breaks down, experts in a remote-monitoring center might be able to transmit corrective software to fix the problem on the spot. Luxury car manufacturers are pushing hard to develop technologies that would someday make such a "smart car" possible. General Motors has taken an early, commanding position with its Onstar system. Onstar started primarily in Cadillacs but now is available on 1.3 million 1998-model GM cars and trucks.
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/971124/24map.htm
Bavarian Motor Works (BMW) -- Germany
Auto Adventage--12
REASONS TO BUY A PRE-OWNED BMW FROM AUTO ADVANTAGE
Each Auto Advantage BMW is Hand-Selected. Each
BMW is carefully chosen from sources around the country by Ken Davis, the
President and founder of Auto Advantage. Ken has a vested interest in assuring
your satisfaction, so he chooses only the finest previously owned BMWs.
5 Day-250 mile, 100% Money-Back Guarantee. In Virginia, there is
no law granting a 3-day right of recision on used cars. But Auto Advantage
offers a 5 day-250 mile 100% money back guarantee with every BMW.
If you are unsatisfied with any aspect of your purchase, you may
return your BMW and get 100% of your money back. 250-Point Inspection.
We perform a 250-point mechanical and cosmetic inspection on each BMW.
We then give you a copy of the 250-point inspection sheet and service repair
order.
http://www.autoadvantage.net/reasons.html
The Bavarian Motor Warehouse, Inc. began business in October 1995 in a newly refurbished 15,000 sq ft., 60 year old former Lincoln-Mercury dealership on West Main St. in Charlottesville, VA, one block west of Charlottesville's historic downtown mall area. The Bavarian Motor Warehouse is central Virginia's only independent exclusive dealer for BMW cars and motorcycles and offers exceptional pre-owned BMW's for sale at reasonable prices. Many of the BMWs offered for sale were purchased directly from BMW and most are still under factory warranty. All BMW's are checked and serviced before resale by the owners of Blueridge Motor Works whose 47 years of cumulative BMW Factory Training in the maintenance and repair of BMWs assures the quality of the Bavarian Motor Warehouse inventory. In addition, all BMWs offered for sale are personally selected by Phil Marx and most will carry either the remainder of their BMW warranty or a 3 month/3000 mile service contract.
http://www.cvilleauto.com/bmw.html
BMWeb -- The BMW Insider Page
On 8-Sep-95, I received a recorded delivery letter from the BMW Car Club (GB) Ltd. I have since been removed as a member of the car club at a board meeting at which I was not allowed to attend or to put my case in person or in writing. As far as I am aware, none of the board members had actually ever seen the Web Pages. Jump straight to the latest developments. "At a recent Board meeting, consideration was given to the nature of computer generated material and information published by yourself on the Internet, concerning Club matters, with use of the Club's name, and the BMW logo. It is considered certain information is inaccurate and misleading, and that despite being requested to do so, you have not published withdrawals or corrections of this information. In particular, but not exclusively, the Board takes exception to your having incorrectly stated two persons who recently ceased to be directors were summarily dismissed from those positions.
http://www.njh.u-net.com/inside.html
The roots of BMW (Bayerische Motoren Werke) extend back 82 years to a small aircraft-engine manufacturing business set up in a former bicycle factory north of Munich, Germany. In 1923, the company added a motorcycle product line that continues to this day to set benchmarks for excellence in two-wheel transportation the world over. By 1928, the BMW marque was gracing its first automobile -- the Dixi -- and the automotive world was forever changed. In the '30's BMW built convertibles, coupes, roadsters and saloons. The smallest of these cars, the 328, became the greatest legend of them all. On roads and race courses around the globe, the name BMW is synonymous with leadership in innovation, performance and quality. Now a brief look at the highlights, turning points and breakthroughs in the history of Bayerische Motoren Werke.
http://www.achilles.net/~ottos/history.html
Dedicated to BMW 5-series Cars
" The 5 Series has been BMW's middle car since the late 70's. The 5 series have filled the gap, from the inexpensive 3 series to the limousine-like 7 series. They are available with a huge range of engines ranging from a 2.0 liter with 118 hp, to the mighty 540i with a 4.0-liter V-8 underhood. Major changes in body styles occured in 1982 with the advent of the E28 style which stayed until 1989, when the E34 came out. Then in 1997, the current E39 was introduced. BMW's big-six has been in production from 1979 in the 633CS to the 1993 535i. It is widely known as BMW's most reliable engine ever built, routinely going 300k miles before needing any significant work. It is one of the safest cars available today. Outstanding performance, reliability, fun to drive makes BMW the car for the enthusiast."
http://www.dido.com/users/azaytsev/bmw.htm
Edmund's Review --February 23, 1998
People buy BMWs for a variety of reasons. BMWs carry an
obvious panache that tells the world that you have, indeed, arrived. Driving
a BMW also tells the world that you are person who is young at heart,
someone who may want to change their own gears from time to time; unlike,
say, a stuffy owner of a Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, or Cadillac. Lastly, BMWs
politely tell people that you like to drive, and to please move out of
that left lane so
that you can pass, thank you. The BMW 3-Series is now
in its seventh year of production. Despite this, the car is still fresh
and exciting; evoking powerful feelings of desire and jealousy every time
we see one cruising down the street.
http://www.edmunds.com/edweb/cars/BMW/364.98.html#review
Edmund's Review
-- James M. Flammang, Remarks by Dr. Henrich Heitmann, chairman/CEO of
BMW (US) Holding Corp., at 1997 New York Auto Show, March 26, 1997.
Each year at the New York Auto Show, the International Motor Press Association invites an industry leader to speak on current trends. At the 1997 show, the guest of honor was Dr. Henrich Heitmann, who rose to his current post less than two months earlier. Heitmann joined BMW in 1985, having previously served as general counsel at Volvo. In his opening comments, Dr. Heitmann noted that listeners might consider him to be either a "car guy" or a "troublemaker who they have to keep moving around." He considers himself to be both. Most industry speakers, Dr. Heitmann noted early, tell the same old three-part tale. They describe their company's recent successes, outline the obstacles ahead, and then tell how their organization is especially suited for the challenges in the near future. While not discounting BMW's successes in the marketplace - including billion-dollar before-tax earnings in 1996, sale of 105,000 vehicles in the U.S. in '96, and a 15-percent hike in worldwide sales so far this year - Heitmann preferred to talk about "fresh perspectives."
http://edmund.com/edweb/tirekick/bmw-impa.html
Edmund's Review -- Grant Whitmore, 98 BMW 323is Coupe
We like ‘em, but we know they aren’t cool. We’re talking about the 4-cylinder Bimmers that used to populate the lowest levels of the 3-Series ranks. With the exception of the 318ti (hatchbacks are allowed to have 4-pot engines) the 318 lineup seemed like some sort of internal combustion rip-off. The cars looked like BMWs. They smelled like BMWs. They even shifted and steered like BMWs. They just didn’t go like BMWs. People buy BMWs because they like to drive. Sure, BMWs are also safe and luxurious, but let’s face it, Volvo is the maker that we think of when safety issues come to mind, and Mercedes-Benz is the maker for buyers who value luxury over performance.
http://www.edmunds.com/edweb/whitmore/98BMW.323is.Coupe.rt.html
Car
and Driver -- 318ti/323is/328is/M3 1998
These are the cross-training cars in the BMW lineup:
They are all intended for sport, yet you can drive them daily and they
carry up to five people. We voted the M3 as the best-handling car available
in the U.S. in 1997. We compared it with Porsches, a Ferrari, and a Corvette,
and it still won. The shorter 318ti is less money than the other
coupes, and it's also less car. Its rear suspension is from
the previous-generation 3-series, which was
last sold in 1991. Its 1.9-liter four is perfectly matched to a smooth
five-speed manual, inspiring sporty driving, but it's not very quick. A
better choice for enthusiasts is one of the three
six-cylinder, two-door models. Every one of them is
worth its price, which is in luxury-car territory. The refinement of the
ride, the handling, and the additional power of the larger engines are
worth the extra cost, especially if you take driving
seriously.
http://plwihm00.xweb.eds.com/buying_guide/buying_guide.cgi?func=gen_editorial&car_id=536
Hoover's Company Profile -- BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE AG
Bayerische Motoren Werke (BMW), the maker of the "Beemer,"
is one of Europe's top auto exporters. BMW's
motorcycle line also competes globally and the firm owns UK-based Rover,
maker of niche cars under the Rover, Mini,
MG, and Land Rover brands. The company's largest
automobile plant outside Germany is in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Nonvehicle
subsidiaries include softlab GmbH (information systems) and Kontron Elektronik
(industrial computers). BMW participates in BMW
Rolls-Royce, an aircraft engine joint venture.
http://www.pathfinder.com/money/hoovers/corpdirectory/b/bamfx.html
Hoover's Company Profile -- Retail - BMW wholesaler
http://www.pathfinder.com/money/hoovers/corpdirectory/non_public/hvr43805.html
MotorWorld Online--BMW Motorcycles Continue On The Road To Success 1996 Becomes The Fourth Record Year In A Row.
The Motorcycle Division of BMW AG announced record sales for 1996, marking its fourth record year in a row. With deliveries to customers amounting to 50,465 units worldwide, the previous record of 50,246 units achieved just one year ago was exceeded by 0.4 per cent, even though BMW's model range was streamlined in 1996 with two model series ending production according to plan - the three-cylinder K75 and the "old" two-valve flat-twin Boxer models. "1996 was not an easy year, which makes us even happier about this positive result. And we really have every reason to look optimistically into the future", is how Dr. Michael Ganal, the Managing Director of BMW's Motorcycle Division, sums up the situation.
http://www.motorworld.com/news/news3_97/bmw_success.html
The
Unix Nerd's Domain -- BMW Addicts Page
I have to confess to some severe
bias at this point. I am a true BMW addict. For me no other car combines
the build quality, handling and style of a BMW. Until you've driven a well
set up rear wheel drive car you don't know what you're missing. Why not
follow a few of the links below....
http://www.unixnerd.demon.co.uk/bmw.html
Welcome
to John George Morris' Web Site
Here you will find all sorts of things, including rusty old cars, niffty gadget designs, radical libertarians, BMw triumph and despair stores, how to repair a 68 scout with a beer can, dangerous drawing styles, plus strange and unusual uses for blue foam.
http://www.auburn.edu/~morrijg/
