FIRST DRIVE: 2016 BMW 340I

Powerful and perfectly poised, BMW's 340i is the finest 3-Series ever made

Engine power, eager handling, and all-wheel-drive come together in fine style to make the 340i Bimmer’s finest 3 Series ever.

The 3 Series is the car that made BMW great. With over 14 million built and sold over the last 40 years, the 3 Series accounts for more than 25 percent of all BMWs made each year. So it’s fair to say that the new 3 Series coming for 2016 is a make-or-break car for BMW. Overall, the history of the 3 Series is a story of greatness with a just few dull moments. The high points include the first M3 back in the 1980s, the advent of the turbocharged 335i in 2007, and now the new 340i is poised to replace the 335 and begin the next chapter.

The updated 3 Series for 2016 includes the 320i and 328i with a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, the 328d with its turbo-diesel, and an all-new 330e plug-in hybrid expected early in 2016. But we traveled to the remote central highlands of Mexico to test-drive the new 340i – an all-new model that is now the flagship of the 3 Series.

The soul of a new machine

The core of the 340i is an all-new 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine. Fitted with a twin-scroll turbocharger designed to boost quickly at low rpm and hold that boost pressure right up to redline, the 340i engine produces 320 horsepower and 330 pound-feet of torque, which are great numbers. But what you care about is that the torque is at peak by 1500 RPM and the 340i carries all 330 pound-feet to 5,000 RPM before it begins to drop. At that point, horsepower output is nearing its peak, and that will carry you all the way to redline at 7,000 RPM. The net effect is that the 340i has plenty of power under your foot, and it will give you that power from the moment you come off idle.

One reason to love BMW is that its among the last automakers who will give you a proper sports sedan with rear-wheel-drive and a manual transmission. You can also get your 340i with BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive system, and unlike most automakers they don’t force you into an automatic (or worse, a continuously variable) transmission when you choose AWD. Our test car was a six-speed manual with all-wheel-drive and that delightful turbocharged straight-six engine.

The 340i with xDrive will take you from 0 to 60 in just 4.6 seconds. If you don’t feel like rowing your own gears, BMW will give you the 340i with an eight-speed Steptronic automatic, which costs you only 0.2 seconds in that 0 to 60 run. Either transmission is good for a top speed governed at 155 mph. One fact worth mentioning – the six-speed manual will automatically blip the throttle for you on downshifts.

Running around in the Chihuahuan mountains, the 340i always had power – you could drive the whole set of twisties in third gear if you wanted to, but running up and down the speedo and the gears as you chase the straights and unwind the corners is just too much fun to miss.

Back to great handling

Remember the dull points I mentioned in the history of the 3 Series? The truth is that not all 3 Series cars have been designed with great handling. Through much of the line’s middle age, BMW let the 3 Series become a somewhat dowdy and conservative luxury car, with a smooth ride and steering that felt like you were driving an armored limousine. The current generation pulled out of that slump, and now the 340i takes it to the next level. This is truly a driver’s car, especially if you opt for the Track Handling package.

Track Handling – even the name suggests that BMW got the message. The package includes variable sport steering, adaptive M suspension, and M Sport brakes with nifty blue fixed-mount calipers.

The heart of great handling is in the suspension and chassis, and BMW did their homework here. They increased the number of mount points for the suspension, and gave the 340i track package a set of electronically controllable shocks. You can select your drive mode and the 340i changes the damping rate, as well as the car’s responses to monitored attributes such as acceleration, lateral g, speed, throttle position, and steering angle. The result is that the 340i is always poised, corners flat, and delivers razor-sharp steering response. The fixed calipers mean that brake modulation is back on the table. This is how a BMW is supposed to drive.

View Our 2016 BMW 340i Inventory

On the curvy mountain roads in Mexico, the 340i is eager to bite at turn-down, and then you feel the suspension grab hold of the road and take a set on the tires. The car arcs down to the apex you want, and then naturally asks you to unwind and apply throttle for a perfect exit. This is a car that’s easy to drive well.

Comfort and convenience

Another tough point on previous generations of the 3 Series has been the interior – and specifically the seats. Either the cars came with old-man luxury seats that failed to hold your body in place during spirited driving, or they came with sport seats that assumed you’re built like a 130-pound Formula One driver. For American men, that meant side bolsters that hit you in the kidneys like a welterweight boxer. With the 340i, BMW’s designers finally hit the mark just right – for me, anyway. The side bolsters are there, and you can tighten them up if you’re on the skinny side, but they fit a more generously built man as well.

The rest of the interior is similarly nice – BMW learned about touch surfaces and high quality materials a long time ago. One nice fact about the whole new 3 Series is that the upgrades that were part of the optional Sport Line in prior years are now standard on all the 328 and 340 models.

It goes without saying that all the technological bells and whistles are there if you want them. You get a good stereo with Bluetooth and all the usual conveniences as part of the base package, and then you can upgrade with Navigation, satellite radio, moonroof, and so on. Many of the items that are optional on the 320i and 328i models come standard on the 340i, however, so if you’re planning to option up, it might be worth your while to just step up to the 340. I think you’ll be glad you did.

Just a little different

The main changes to the bodywork all happened around the nose of the car. LED headlights now come with a distinctive look based on BMW’s now-expected “Angel Eye” outlines, and feature an LED line that comes off the headlamps and heads to the signature BMW kidney grilles. A few proportions are changed around the front fascia, but the new 3 Series pretty much looks like a set of standard model year changes. Which is all OK because it was a good-looking car before and it really didn’t need a bunch of expensive and ultimately pointless sheet metal updates.

The 2016 3 Series starts at $34,145 for the 320i sedan, and tops out at $48,795 for the 340i with xDrive. You get your choice of the 6-speed manual or 8-speed automatic transmission as a no-cost option, and xDrive is always a $2,000 premium over the rear-wheel-drive model. That’s money well spent, in my opinion, because xDrive is flexible and can direct up to 100% of torque to the rear wheels on clean, dry pavement, especially when you put the car in Sport mode.

If you haven’t driven a 3 Series for a while, the 2016 lineup is worth your attention. BMW has delivered the right product for driving enthusiasts who nonetheless want their comforts and a fine luxury car. Specifically with the new 340i, you really can have it all.

Highs

• Enthusiast handling
• Great engine power
• Available manual transmission
• Super comfortable

Lows

• iDrive still not all it could be
• Wagon body available only on the 328i

by Jeff Zurschmeide - Digital Trends Product Review

BMW will bring four new models to the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show

Technology, performance, utility and efficiency are all present and accounted for.

The Los Angeles Auto Show doesn't start until November 18, but automakers are already giving the public some insight as to what to expect on the show floor. This week, BMW announced that four models will make their North American debuts in LA, with design focus ranging from performance to technology to fuel economy.

In addition to the four models below, the automaker will roll out several other models that have already been shown off in the United States, including the refreshed 2016 3 Series, the electric i3 and the plug-in hybrid supercar i8. The X5 xDrive40e plug-in hybrid will also make an appearance.

BMW 330e

The 'e' in 330e doesn't stand for electricity, but rather the Greek letter eta. BMW uses this designation for cars designed with fuel efficiency in mind, and it doesn't get much more efficient than a plug-in hybrid. Combining an electric motor and a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the 330e puts out 248 horsepower and will reach 60 mph in 5.9 seconds -- not bad for a car that should achieve 373 miles on a single tank of gas. In all-electric mode, the Bimmer will cover approximately 25 miles at speeds up to 75 mph.

On-sale date: Spring 2016

BMW X1

For its second generation, BMW's littlest crossover morphs from a quasi-wagon to a miniature carbon copy of its larger stablemates. At launch, the X1's only power train option will be a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder mated to all-wheel drive -- output is a modest 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Changing the X1's shape allowed BMW to add a bunch of interior space for cargo, both human and inanimate.

On-sale date: October 24, 2015

BMW 7 Series

If technology is what you're after, the all-new 7 Series absolutely delivers. Its chassis utilizes carbon fiber, the infotainment system has gesture controls and the key fob has its own screen. In non-US markets, the car will also park itself without a driver inside. For more efficiency, active shutters in the front grilles cut down on air resistance. At launch, buyers will have a choice between six- and eight-cylinder engines.

On-Sale date: October 24, 2015

BMW M4 GTS

The M4 GTS is an even higher-performance variant of the already-beastly M4 coupe. Its turbocharged six-cylinder engine uses water injection to lower combustion temperatures, reducing strain on parts and boosting both efficiency and performance -- whereas the standard M4 has 425 horsepower, the M4 GTS packs 493 hp. Only 700 of these models will be sold worldwide, with 300 slated for US delivery.

On-sale date: Spring 2016

by Andrew Krok - CNET.com

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TheNew BMW 7-Series is the Most Tech-Filled Car Yet

On sale soon, the 7-Series can park itself without the driver being present.

Due on sale in late October, the new BMW 7-Series is one of the most technologically advanced cars to ever make the leap from concept dreams to reality.

This is a car that can park itself while the driver stands outside, and one that has a tablet for backseat passengers to control every aspect of the interior, including the lights, sounds, and even how it smells.

1. Automatic parking

BMWThe autonomous-parking feature means the 7-Series can be driven into a garage on its own.

Clearly the headline-grabber here, the new 7-Series can park itself when no one is in it. All you have to do is point the car roughly into the entrance of a space or garage, get out, then press the key fob and the car will do the rest.

Let go and it will stop, but with an array of cameras and sensors looking in every direction, the car should work things out for itself. Clearly, we are one step closer to the end game: autonomous cars collecting us from the pub.

2. Smart key

BMWThe smart key has a 2.2-inch touch screen and charges itself as you drive.

The key fob that controls the self-parking feature also has an LED display to show how much fuel the car has (and what the estimated range is), plus the status of door locks and windows.

It has a 2.2-inch touch screen with a resolution of 320 x 320 and lets you set the climate control or heaters to a certain temperature before you get in; it also shows notifications, such as when a service is due.

3. Inductive charger

The smart key's battery will last for months, but to stop it from ever running out, the 7-Series has an inductive charger to slot it into as you drive. The charger can also top-up any smartphones (or phone cases and covers) compatible with the Qi charging standard.

4. Samsung tablet between the back seats

BMWAn included Samsung tablet lets rear passengers control seats, lighting, music, and more.

Continuing the mobile theme, the 7-Series includes a 7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 between the two rear passenger seats. This can be detached and used as a regular Android tablet (and connected to the car's built-in Wi-Fi network), but when fitted in the car it runs a bespoke BMW application.

Here, passengers can control the music, the cabin lighting, and the position of both rear seats and the front passenger seat, which can fold flat to act as a footrest.

​BMWRear seats get twin TV screens and a 7-inch Samsung tablet.

The tablet can also be used to control the seats' massage function and even how the cabin smells; two different perfumes can be installed when you buy the car and picked from depending on your mood. The tablet can play its own music through the car or stream video to two 10.3-inch screens on the back of the front seats.

5. Gesture controls for the 12.3-inch touch-screen display

BMWA 12.3-inch touch screen has multitouch and can recognize gestures made in front of it to accept calls and change volume.

But the toys are not only for backseat passengers; those up front also get to have some fun. New for the 2016 7-Series is a 3D sensor that reads hand gestures performed by the driver or front passenger. Rotate a pointed finger in front of the dashboard to turn the stereo volume up or down or prod two fingers toward the dashboard to reject an incoming call.

Several other gestures can be configured to do whatever you like with the car's infotainment system. BMW's iDrive system is here, as you would expect, and features a touch screen for the first time. There is also the familiar scroll dial and control buttons between the front seats.

6. Bowers & Wilkins stereo with speakers made from diamond

Such a huge car demands an equally large stereo, and few come larger than the 1,400-watt system created for the new 7-Series by the British sound company Bowers & Wilkins. It has no fewer than 16 speakers dotted around the cabin, each illuminated as part of the car's dynamic lighting package, which includes lights in the roof lining designed to resemble a starry night.

A £5,000 optional extra, the stereo's speakers include laboratory-grown diamonds in the tweeters to produce sounds beyond what humans can hear. Never seen in cars before, the three-diamond dome tweeters are joined by seven midrange drive units made from Kevlar, a material more commonly found in Formula One cars and bulletproof jackets. Completing the setup are a further four aluminium tweeters, two bass subwoofers, and a 1,400-watt, 10-channel amplifier.

7. Heads-up display with night vision

BMWA heads-up display shows speed and sat-nav instruction, and a night-vision camera shows pedestrians and large animals at roadside.

And finally ... the 7-Series' heads-up display is 75% larger than its predecessor, as used by the BMW i8, and uses a night-vision camera to warn the driver about pedestrians and large animals, which may be hidden at the sides of the road.

The display, which is projected on to the windshield and can be seen only by the driver, shows the car's speed, the limit for that road (which changes when a camera spots a different road sign), overtaking restrictions, and sat-nav instructions in full colour.

The new BMW 7-Series goes on sale this month. Prices in the US start from $81,300.

Alistair Charlston - IB Times UK

BMW Creates Special Edition M4 GTS

USA Today - BMW is creating a special high-performance edition of its M4 coupe aimed at pleasing both commuters and racers.

The 2016 BMW M4 GTS is aimed at giving thrills on the raceway as well as the street.

Its six-cylinder turbocharged 3-liter engine has a water injection system that boosts power to 493 horsepower. That's 16% more horsepower than in a conventional M4, which is already a higher-performance version of the 4-Series.

Only 700 will be made.

"We've taken a radical route with the set-up of the BMW M4 GTS to create a sports machine for the race track that delivers top-end dynamics and inspirational performance," says Frank van Meel, CEO of BMW in a statement. "It allows us to demonstrate what is possible today with a road-legal car."

Thee M4 GTS is capable of zero to 60 miles per hour in 3.7 seconds. Top speed is limited to 189 mph.

The water injection system works by spraying a mist into the intake manifold, causing it to evaporate. That lowers the temperature of the intake air. The resulting lower engine combustion temperature reduces engine knock whilee allowing the engine to operate at higher boost pressure and with advanced spark timing, according to BMW.

Besides more power, the system is designed to enhance engine life and lower wear.

by Chris Woodyard

BMW Laserlight

BMW Laserlight is a highly efficient lighting technology with a high-beam range double that of headlights containing conventional technology.

The BMW i8 is also the world’s first series production vehicle in which BMW Laserlight technology is offered, a pioneering high-beam function that heralds a new era in the development of innovative BMW lighting technology.

In the laser headlight, the beams of light are bundled together to attain a luminous intensity that is ten times greater than conventional light sources such as halogen, xenon or LED. BMW Laserlight has a visual range of up to 600 metres, twice that of a headlight with conventional light technology.

BMW Laserlight surpasses energy efficiency compared with already highly effective LED light technology by a further 30 percent, thereby providing considerably greater light intensity and a marked reduction in electricity consumption.

The laser diodes are ten times smaller than conventional light diodes, enabling the height of the reflector to be reduced from 9 cm to less than 3 cm. This, in turn, creates more space in the headlight and also reduces weight, thereby creating new design possibilities for the vehicle.

BMW Laserlight takes the coherent and monochromatic blue laser beams and transforms them into harmless white light. This is done by using special lenses to direct the beams emitted by three high-performance laser diodes onto a fluorescent phosphorous substance inside the laser light source. This fluorescent substance converts the beams into a white light, still with a very high intensity, which the human eye finds particularly pleasant due to its close similarity to daylight. Following conversion of the laser beams, the harmless, dispersed light is projected forward by the headlight unit.

The laser headlight is also equipped with automatic headlight range control to keep the beam of light at a pre-set level, no matter whether the vehicle is driving uphill or downhill, whether it is fully laden or whether the driver is the sole occupant.

All these characteristics make BMW Laserlight the ideal high-beam light source for automobiles. It combines high light intensity with optimal energy efficiency and extra-small dimensions. The outstanding illumination range of the BMW Laserlight facilitates even better visibility and enhanced foresight when driving in the dark. The result is a relaxed and comfortable ride and increased safety on the road.

Visit Laurel BMW today!


BMW Insights - Technology

5 Tire Tips You Didn't Know

Some of the best advice we’ve ever heard: Invest in what goes between you and the ground. That means good shoes, a good mattress and good tires. People often neglect their tires or just don’t pay too much attention to them in general. It’s important to check your tires’ PSI once per month and have them rotated every 5,000 miles.  

Here are a handful of tire tips from caranddriver.com we bet you didn’t know :

1. Skinny tires, much taller and narrower than the norm, are coming back. BMW’s i3 electric/plug-in hybrid, which relies on minimal rolling resistance to achieve acceptable driving range, is leading the charge. The i3’s Bridgestone Ecopia EP500 tires have aspect ratios ranging from 55 to 70 (narrow tread, tall outside diameter) to reduce energy loss as the tire rolls into and out of its footprint. This shape also reduces the car’s frontal area and aerodynamic drag. To compensate for a reduced air cavity and a smaller-than-normal footprint, Bridgestone uses an elevated inflation pressure to deliver the desired acceleration, braking, and cornering traction.

2. In the strictly theoretical sense, increasing just the width of a tire does nothing to improve acceleration or braking traction. A wider tire will have a shorter contact patch, which is precisely what you don’t want when the goal is maximum longitudinal grip. Jamie McNutt, the replacement-tire development manager at Bridgestone Americas, says that a longer, not wider, contact patch helps you climb faster to maximum braking grip.

3. Wider tire treads do, however, increase cornering grip. Again, though, tire engineers are always working with multiple variables. See our first point about the modern Corvette, which uses skinnier tires than its predecessor yet increases its roadholding with a stickier compound. To maximize traction in all directions, tire engineers aim for an even pressure distribution throughout the contact patch.

4. Static electricity build-up is an old concern that has returned to haunt modern tires. An inadequately grounded vehicle is an issue during refueling and when occupants slide out of the car’s interior. Modern tire compounds have become less conductive as manufacturers have greatly reduced the amount of carbon black in rubber compounds to cut weight and rolling resistance.

5. A run-flat tire can roll for more than 100 miles after it loses pressure. Tire manufacturers typically claim that a deflated run-flat can cover 50 miles at 50 mph, but if you slow down, you can stretch that distance much farther. Lee Willard, a product development engineer at Michelin, says the range roughly doubles if you drop your speed to 40 mph. Slow down more, and the range continues to grow. It’s all about reducing the amount of heat generated in the tire.

For the full list of tips head over to Car and Driver’s Blog: http://bit.ly/1IKbyxg

Top 10 Excuses People Used When Being Pulled Over

“Well gosh officer, I didn’t see the speed limit sign!” – the most common excuse police hear when pulling drivers over, according to an article from Cars.com about a survey done by Insurance.com. The comparison pooled licensed drivers 18 an older. More than a fifth of the drivers polled said when they gave an excuse to the officer that pulled them over they said they couldn’t see the sign that told them not to do something.

There were 10 other popular answers given among drivers polled. They are listed with their percentages below:

1. I couldn’t see the sign telling me not to do it :20.4%
2. I’m lost and unfamiliar with the roads: 15.6%
3. I didn’t know it was broken: 12.4%
4. Everyone else was doing it: 6.4%
5. I’m having in emergency situation in my car (for instance spilled a hot drink on your lap): 5.4%
6. I missed my turn/exit: 4.8%
7. I had to go to the bathroom: 5.6%
8. I didn’t do anything dangerous: 4.2%
9. I was on my way to an emergency (for example, to help someone who was ill or injured): 4.0%
10. My GPS said it was the right thing to do: 2.2%
11. I’m just helping out; I wasn’t even supposed to be driving (for example, your friend is intoxicated): 2.0%

To read the full article from Cars.com, click the link : http://bit.ly/15XAT5U

Driving in The Rain: 3 Tips to Stay Safe

Getting caught in a rainstorm while driving can be a scary thing. You’re not only worried about yourself but those driving around you as well. Defensive driving techniques should always be applied to the road, but even more so when driving in the rain. There are around 707,000 automobile crashes each year due to rain, resulting in approximately 3,300 deaths and 330,200 injuries.

Statefarm has offered a few tips for driving safely in the rain:

1. Turn on those headlights. It’s the law in all states to turn headlights on when visibility is low, and many states also require having the headlights on when the windshield wipers are in use. Praeter says that well-working wipers and relatively new (not threadbare) tires also are must-haves when driving in rain.

2. Beware of hydroplaning. That’s the technical term for what occurs when your tires are getting more traction on the layer of water on the road than on the road itself—the result is that your car begins to slide uncontrollably. It’s easy enough to hydroplane: All you need is one-twelfth of an inch of rain on the road and a speed of more than 35 miles per hour. If you start to hydroplane, let off the accelerator slowly and steer straight until you regain control.

3. Turn off cruise control. Ironically, on rain- or snow-slick surfaces, cruise control may cause you to lose control. You might think it’ll help you stay at one steady speed, but if you hydroplane while you’re in cruise control, your car will actually go faster.

Read the full article from Statefarm here: https://learningcenter.statefarm.com/auto/safety/5-tips-for-driving-safely-in-the-rain/

How Much Auto Insurance is Enough?

Your auto insurance plan is a collection of policies that cover various things in the event of an auto accident. It’s illegal to drive without auto insurance and the bare minimum you must hold is a liability insurance policy.

Wall Street Journal has laid out other various policies and what is covered under each one. Some drivers may need more insurance than others so it’s incredibly important to review your policy before choosing one.

• Liability coverage – These policies help cover liability and expenses when you’re at fault in an accident. The money will go to the people you hit, but it won’t cover the people in your car.

• Bodily Injury Liability (BIL) – This policy pays for the medical expenses of people injured in a crash in which you’re at fault. You’ll often see BIL policies described as a “20/50” policy or a “100/300” policy. These numbers describe the maximum dollar amount the policy will pay for a single person’s injuries and the maximum for all the injuries sustained by all the occupants of the other car. For example, a 20/50 policy will pay a maximum of $20,000 for a single person’s injuries, and up to $50,000 total for the injuries of everyone in the car you hit.

• Property Damage Liability – This policy pays for damage done to the other car if you’re at fault in an accident. Property liability is sometimes referred to alongside BIL as a third number, so a 20/50/10 liability package will cover up to $10,000 for damages to the other car.

The following policies cover you and your card in an accident:

• Personal Injury Protection (PIP) – This covers your and your passengers’ medical expenses after an accident. If you lose time at work because of your injuries, this policy may also cover lost wages.

To see the other types of policies including uninsured motorist, collision and comprehensive coverage, check out this link: http://guides.wsj.com/personal-finance/insurance/how-much-car-insurance-do-you-need/  

6 Summer Tuneup Tips

It may feel like summer is winding down but there are still another 2 months of this glorious season left. You should paying extra special attention to your car as we enter the hottest part of the summer. Fluids tend to drain more quickly and engines are known to overheat easier.

Bankrate has provided 6 tune up tips for you car this season. All you have to do is remember the acronym SUMMER.

S: Scrub the battery

Long drives and hot weather can put a strain on your car battery. To keep your battery healthy, sprinkle some baking soda onto the battery terminals, and then lightly spray with water. Let the mixture sit for an hour, and then wipe it off with a wet sponge.

U: Use a sunshade

When you park in direct sun, not only does your car's interior heat up, you are putting strain on the dashboard and upholstery, which can accelerate wear. Use a sunshade to protect your car interior and lengthen its lifespan.

M: Maintain proper fluid levels

All fluids are important to your car's operation, but antifreeze, also known as coolant, should be your top priority. A low coolant level can cause your car to overheat. Check your antifreeze level and add more if it's low. Do not open the coolant tank lid while the engine is hot.

M: Make sure tire pressure is correct

Check your tire pressure regularly and before any long trips. Inflate tires to the recommended pressure listed in your owner's manual for the number of passengers and the amount of cargo you'll be carrying. Proper tire pressure will help prevent a blowout and can improve your fuel economy by up to 3.3 percent.

E: Expect an emergency

Like a good Boy Scout, you should be prepared for an emergency. Make an emergency kit that includes jumper cables, roadside flares or reflective triangles, a flashlight, old towels or paper towels, a first-aid kit, nonperishable snacks and water.

R: Replace your wiper blades

Summer means the dry season for many areas, but storms can occur unexpectedly. Make a note to remind yourself to replace wiper blades every six months or sooner if they are unusually squeaky or you notice decreased visibility.

For the full article from Bankrate please follow the link: http://www.bankrate.com/finance/auto/summer-car-tuneup-tips-1.aspx