This month, BMW North America has unveiled a national advertising campaign to help combat distracted driving. The theme of the campaign is “DON’T TXT & DRIVE” and it has started with some very emotional video spots, in which over-protective parents are careless when it comes to texting while driving. The result is that they expose their family to risk and fail their “job” as parents when they text while being behind the wheel.
The entire campaign will be built around this concept, involving both kids and parents, and will also use suggestive ads (television, print, online and radio) to illustrate different situations of distracted driving. In addition to this, campaign’s message will also be incorporated in more than 100 teen driving schools from across the United States.
“Distracted driving is an epidemic in America, and it has deadly consequences for thousands of people on our roads each year. (…) Putting a stop to these needless deaths, as well as hundreds of thousands of injuries will require everyone to take personal responsibility for safe driving. I am grateful to BMW for their efforts to raise public awareness about distracted driving and for urging drivers to put down their phones and focus on the road. I hope that other automakers will follow their lead.”
said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood
BMW’s initiative is to raise awareness of the fatal effects of texting while driving. It is already known that, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly 5500 persons died in car accidents involving distracted drivers, and nearly 87 percent of teens admit they text while driving.
This isn’t the first initiative of this type came from BMW: in Spartanburg, South Carolina, BMW’s Teen Driving Shool has trained in safe driving more than 3000 young drivers for the last 10 years.
The “DON’T TXT & DRIVE” campaign runs through the rest of the year.
This is the first video released:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMBtFgey7rk[/youtube]
So, what do you think about the video: is it too emotional?
[Source: Autoblog, Photo]
Post tags: Tags: advertising campaign, BMW, distracted driving, safe driving
BMW has recently announced that it will start using two new lighting technologies on its cars:
1. “BMW Dynamic Light Spot”: a system with infrared sensor which detects animals or people at 328 feet (the equivalent of 100 meters) in front of the vehicle. Whenever something is detected on the road, a beam of light focuses on the object and alerts the driver.
2. “Glare-free high beam assistant”: a system that is meant to increase safety by preventing glare. It uses a camera which locates the oncoming vehicles and then “adjusts” the headlights, even if the high beam has been already switched on.
In addition to those technologies, BMW has also worked to an optional full-LED headlight, debuting in the new BMW 6 Series Coupé.
By using this lighting technology, BMW increases considerably the safety for night driving. Apparently, the DLS will be included in the Night Vision package.
What is your opinion about BMW’s new lighting technology?
[Source: Worldcarfans, Photo]
Post tags: Tags: BMW, lighting technology, Night Vision
Celebrating 75 years from the birth of BMW 328 the Hommage prototype has one of the most stunning car designs in history. If in the 1930s the 328 was a dreamy sports car for every driver, 75 years later BMW doesn’t stop to impress. We think it is fair to say that this is one of the most beatiful custom made cars all-time.
This beauty features some unique details including exterior leather side-straps, no car doors, carbon fibre re-enforced plastic, retro round headlights and last but not least, iPhone gauges.
The two built-in iPhones display lap times, GPS maps and other regular informations about the car’s status and are meant to replace the usual board gauges.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elS2pyICc6M&feature=feedu[/youtube]
Post tags: Tags: 73 years, BMW, bmw 328, bmw 328 hommage, gauge, iphone, prototype
According to the CEO Norbert Reithofer, the German automaker BMW is thinking about the possibility to build a plant in Russia as part of the company’s ongoing global expansion into the emerging markets. This new plant might be built in one of the country’s industrial clusters, in either St. Petersburg or Kaluga, where there are already other car plants from various manufacturers.
If this factory will exist, BMW will make a lot of models there, like the X1, X5 and X6 crossovers, along with the 3-, 5- and 7-Series sedans. At the moment, the cars are assembled under license in Kaliningrad by Avtotor, a local partner of the company.
Source: Inside Line | Photo: leftlanenews.com
Post tags: Tags: BMW, bmw russia
Italdesign BMW Nazca M12 Concept
If you are in the market for a very rare and expensive sports car, you might want to take a closer look at this Italdesign BMW Nazca M12 Concept. This car was designed by Giorgetto Giugaro (the same genius that worked on the BMW M1) and only a few were ever made. The Nazca M12 debuted back in 1991 and one year later, the sportier Nazca C2 was launched, and it was followed in 1993 by the open top version, dubbed Spider C2.
Italdesign BMW Nazca M12 Concept
A dealer in Czech Republic has one of these beauties up for sale, based on the body of a Nazca M12 built in 1991, featuring a massive V12 5.7-liter engine that was prepared by Alpina, sourced from the golden days of the 850i.
Italdesign BMW Nazca M12 Concept
This power plant produces 379 hp, while the original M12 coupe model had a V12 5.0-liter engine from the 850i, delivering 300 hp. The aforementioned C2 Coupe had a V12 that offered 350 hp, also prepared by Alpina, while the C2 Spider had the V12 5.7-liter available in the 850 CSI, producing 380 hp.
Italdesign BMW Nazca M12 Concept
Price for this rare beauty? Almost $1.1 million (725,000 Euros).
Italdesign BMW Nazca M12 Concept
Source: Mobile via Gtspirit via Carscoop
Post tags: Tags: BMW, Concepts, italdesign, italdesign bmw nazca m12 concept, nazca m12
[youtube width="470" height="344"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmvoPh3EIsw[/youtube]
This video explains the extensive development necessary every time a new seat is created. For the German automaker, the seat is considered a part of the car’s suspension and is designed in order to bring the driver into a perfect position. Extensive testing is conducted, on various driving conditions, and the final decision is made after rigorous analysis on BMW’s test track.
PS: Pay close attention at 3:34
Source: BMW via Youtube
Post tags: Tags: BMW, driver's seat, Video
How clever? Well, it will be able to adapt its shifting pattern and power delivery in order to suit road conditions. How is it going to do that you ask? By using a lot of nerdy stuff, like GPS mapping, a wireless data connection, the car’s DSC (Dynamic Stability Control), along with front and rear-mounted cameras and radar sensors.
(more…)
Post tags: Tags: BMW, transmission
At the company’s Group Innovation Day 2011 in Munich, the German automaker BMW has revealed new technologies meant to maximize efficiency. The new lightweight construction techniques that use materials like CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced plastic), aluminum, along with other hybrid materials will replace previous components that were made out of steel.
These components include seat frames, door shells, steering columns, hoods, wheels, pedal assemblies, axel drive shafts and others as well.
Source: BMW via WCF
Post tags: Tags: BMW, cfrp
[youtube width="470" height="270"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AYPeSyeJB8[/youtube]
This week BMW uploaded a video where they show us their Experimental Vehicle Shop (Plant Zero), located somewhere amongst the array of buildings at the company’s Research and Innovation Center in Munich, Germany. In this video you can see where first-off prototypes are built and assembled by hand.
Those so-called “zero” prototypes are made from a solid block of aluminum and the entire development process is not meant to create the best car available, but also devise the most efficient and accurate methods to produce the car on the company’s assembly lines – all highly robotized and digitized.
In this video appears a secret prototype for what will probably be a future vehicle but the image is blurred so we cannot make out what it is – this is what I call a proper teaser. In addition, we also see an X6 prototype and find out why BMW enjoys using that swirling white-on-black camouflage over black plastic and metal body panels.
Pretty interesting stuff if you ask me. But I do hope that the production version of that X6 prototype will look better than the current generation of the model which is simply outrageous, in a bad way of course.
Source: BMW
Post tags: Tags: BMW, Video
[youtube width="430" height="270"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8S-fWLpN3w[/youtube]
If you are curious to find out how a wheelie is done, you have arrived to the right place. BMW wanted to know more about motorbike stunts and they asked four time stunt riding world champion Chris Pfeiffer and he explained it.
Kids, don’t try this at home!
PS: This is part one of the series. More clips will be uploaded pretty soon. Stay tuned.
Source: BMW
Post tags: Tags: BMW, motorbike stunts, Video
The German automaker BMW has announced this week that it will develop smaller displacement engines that will feature the TwinPower technology. First launched in 2009 on the 6-cylinder 3.0-liter engine, the technology was fitted to the 5-Series GT. It features twin-scroll turbocharging coupled with direct-injection and variable valve management (aka Valvetronic) that can deliver greater output and better efficiency from a smaller power unit.
In January this year, the car manufacturer launched the X1 xDrive 28i that has an all-new 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, fitted with the TwinPower technology. This power unit can develop 242 hp (245 PS / 180 kW) and 258 lb.-ft (350 Nm) of torque. For the model that has an AWD system, the fuel consumption is 7.9 liters / 100 km.
A few weeks ago we mentioned that according to various sources, BMW is working on a 3-cylinder engine. Now we know that it will benefit from this technology and it will be used to power a new entry-level model, along with the next generation of the Mini.
The company plans on both gasoline and diesel 3-cylinder and 4-cylinder as being its highest volume engine groups. By the year 2015, these engines will power approximately 1.5 million cars.
Source: Autonews via WCF
Post tags: Tags: BMW, twinpower
VW and BMW Evacuate Employees From Japan
The current situation in Japan has affected almost all of the car manufacturers and the latest news is that BMW and Volkswagen have decided to evacuate some of its employees from the country. According to Automotive News Europe, the German automaker BMW has 750 people working in Japan, and about 50 of them have returned to their homeland already.
As far as Volkswagen is concerned, they have approximately 600 workers in Japan, and about 30-40 of them have left the country due to the earthquake and the tsunami that up until now killed more than 10,000 people and did incommensurable damages.
Most likely, other manufacturers will do the same thing in the following period.
Source: Automotive News Europe via Autoblog
Post tags: Tags: BMW, japan tsunami, News, Volkswagen
BMW’s Drivable Book to Celebrate Commitment to Culture
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vwLB1a8QTA&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
In order to show their commitment to arts and culture in the last 40 years, BMW has created a special book, with wheels, controlled by a remote control.
The creator of this innovative book is the Grammy-Award winning designer, Stefan Sagmeister, also the designer of well-known album covers for the Rolling Stones, the Talking Heads and Lou Reed.
CULTURE is a book describing BMW Group’s international cultural partnerships for the last years. The limited edition of 1488 hand-signed copies, which are not available for sale, were first presented to the public by BMW board member Frank-Peter Arndt at a press conference in Berlin on March 9, 2011.
Stefan Sagmeister explained:
“In a publication about all the cultural activities of the BMW Group it made sense to include four hidden wheels and a remote control that allows readers to drive the book around the room. Culture really moves.”
Beside the creative concept, the book itself is an artistic product by that fact that its covers, arranged in the proper numerical order, generate an abstract representation of the 1972’s legendary BMW “four cylinder” building from a bird’s eye view.
The book is divided into four parts, covering all the BMW Group’s main cultural activities – contemporary art, classical music and jazz, architecture and design and, finally, culture within the company. In addition, it contains more than 50 partly full-page color reproductions.
What do you think about BMW’s initiative? Is creativity overrated or is it quite limited into automotive industry?
[Source: Worldcarfans]
Post tags: Tags: BMW, drivable book
Who said blogging doesn’t pay? A Canadian BMW dealer begs to differ. He’s putting up a big, juicy pay for an in-house blogger to write about BMW day in and day out: a free condo in downtown Toronto for a year, a new BMW every six months to drive and international travel. All that and $65,000 a month seems like a blogger’s dream. But what does it take to get there and what happens once you’ve won?
First, the contestants must pick their best 200 words to praise and raise BMW. The second step is a public poll and the ones who get to top 20 will have to produce a video on performance in just 48 hours. Ten will be chosen for a face to face interview and only one will be lucky enough to soak up all the BMWness in the world.
Contestants should have “an in-depth knowledge of BMW product and is willing to spend all day and night writing about it”. That makes it clear that during the next year, the lucky blogger will be almost brainwashed and will have nothing to make small talk about except the bavarian car maker and its vehicles. Although that’s not necessarily a bad thing, we’d like to still have a life.
If you feel up the task, you can join the contest here. Let us know how that goes.
Source: Jalopnik.
Post tags: Tags: BMW, bmw blogger, bmw blogging contest, bmw contest
BMW ConnectedDrive Concept
Next month at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, the German automaker BMW will reveal the ConnectedDrive Concept car. It will be a two-seat roadster and will set the grounds for potential current and future in-car technologies designed in order to improve comfort, infotainment and most important, safety.
BMW ConnectedDrive Concept
This crossover employs a layering principal in its design and takes the EfficientDynamics language to an entire new level. The high level of comfort is guaranteed by the extended wheelbase and the electro-mechanical retracting doors which we’ve first seen in the Z1 concept. Out in the back you’ll notice the two generous air outlets, the L-design of the rear lights and their outside edge of the rear position. The concept rolls on beautiful 20-inch rims that have a 3D design.
BMW ConnectedDrive Concept
The cabin of the ConnectedDrive Concept is at least to say, unusual. BMW decided to split it into two sections – one for the driver and the other one, you’ve guessed it, for the passenger. The sections are separated by the long center console and the reason behind this concept is to offer focused attention on the road.
BMW ConnectedDrive Concept
More divisions are available with the three levels of technology we’ve mentioned in the first paragraph: technology-comfort, infotainment and safety which are distinguished by fiber optics finished in various colors. The first layer was designed for safety and is finished in a red pattern which flows to the front of the car to represent safety-specific info and the driver’s focus on the road. The second layer was designed for the aforementioned infotainment system and is finished in a “blue ribbon of light” that stretches into the section of the passenger. The final layer, a green one, represents comfort and it was conceived to focus on the interaction of the car with the surroundings. The emphasis is on the outside of the car, starting and ending with the two antennas.
2011 BMW Vision ConnectedDrive Concept
The German automaker did not reveal what is under the hood of the ConnectedDrive Concept. However, we do know that the official details will be published on March 1st. Stay tuned to find out more about this exquisite concept.
Post tags: Tags: BMW, concept, connectedrive, geneva-motor-show
