1972 Bmw 2002tii Round Tail Light Coupe With Sunroof on 2040-cars

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BMW recalling 1 Series ActiveE over bad drivetrain housing

There are always growing pains when automakers introduce new technologies. BMW is learning this with the electric powetrain used on the 2011 BMW ActiveE. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about half of the all-electric 1 Series coupes currently in the hands of the public are being recalled for a potential problem that could leave the cars stranded.
With 700 ActiveE models running around the US, 360 of these cars have insufficient sealing between the electric motor and transmission, which could lead to premature wear to the connection between the two, which in turn could result in a loss of propulsion. BMW started notifying affected owners by phone earlier this month.
While no automaker wants a recall on its hands, it's much better for BMW to learn such a lesson now on the low-production, lease-only ActiveE ahead of the car's successor, the BMW i3, which is expected to be a much higher-volume EV. Scroll down for the official recall notification.

2015 BMW X3 arrives with tweaked styling, diesel option

The luxury crossover market has been a huge success for BMW, having sold over a million X3 models worldwide since the CUV first went on sale in 2003, not to mention all of the momentum its had with the larger X5. At the Chicago Auto Show, BMW is unveiling the refreshed 2015 X3, featuring an improved design, a new diesel engine option, and a rear-wheel drive variant.
The X3 is getting some handsome upgrades to the exterior. The twin, circular headlights now extend to touch the slightly widened, chrome kidney grille, to bring the styling in line with the 3 Series and 4 Series. (LED headlights are now optional, as well.) The front bumper gets reshaped brake cooling ducts, and the rear bumper gets a touch of additional metal trim at the bottom. BMW has also added standard LED turn signals in the side mirrors.
BMW has enhanced the interior with added chrome trim, high-gloss black trim around the center console, sliding covers for the cup holders and new interior upholstery designs. The X3 is also getting a major boost in optional technology - there's a new Parking Assistant, as well as an Active Driving Assistant with adaptive cruise control, Lane Departure Warning, Frontal Collision Warning, Pedestrian Warning, and City Collision Mitigation.

BMW Films are on the way back [w/videos]

The BMW Films series caused a stir in 2001 and 2002 by combining top-quality cinematography, Hollywood names and driving excitement to sell its sporty wares in a whole new way. By arriving five years before YouTube, they ranked as some of the earliest viral videos on the internet. By now, these sorts of films are almost commonplace, but back when BMW hit upon the idea, the idea of brand-integrated short films on the internet was still a novelty. Now, for the first time in over a decade, the German automaker is planning on bringing back BMW Films for a new season.
Trudy Hardy, BMW North America Vice President of Marketing, announced the series' return at the 2014 Automotive News World Congress in Detroit, according to Ad Age. However, neither the German brand nor Anonymous Content, the original production company, have been willing to comment further on when the new videos are coming.
The original series of eight films starred Clive Owen as the Driver (back then, Owen was largely unknown to American audiences), a mercenary who would take a variety of jobs and always drive a BMW. David Fincher executive produced the first season and directors included top names like John Frankenheimer, Ang Lee and Guy Ritchie. All of the second season movies had Owen driving a Z4, but in our estimation, the quality had fallen off a bit compared to the outstanding first season.