Birchwood BMW Blog

2009 BMW 335d

Starting in 2008 we introduced clean, high-performance and fuel-efficient diesel engines to the Canadian market. Boasting 25% less CO2 emissions than gasoline engines, BMW diesels will meet the strictest emission regulations proposed for North America without compromising performance.
Diesel demystified.
The true facts behind some common misconceptions.
MYTH: Diesel engines lack performance compared to gasoline engines.
FACT: BMW Advanced Diesel engines deliver greater fuel efficiency and more torque at lower speeds. Our Variable Twin Turbo technology intelligently combines two turbochargers to provide a maximum output of 265 hp and peak torque of 425 lb-ft from 1,750 to 2,250 rpm.

MYTH: Diesel engines tend to be noisy.
FACT: By implementing an improved combustion cycle, today’s BMW Advanced Diesel engines are quiet and unobtrusive

MYTH: Diesel exhaust is smelly.
FACT: While diesel vehicles and fuels of the past may have tweaked your nose, it’s a whole different story today. The BMW Advanced Diesel engine neutralizes odour-causing emissions before they exit the tailpipe. Combined with the low-sulfur diesel fuels now available across North America, you can look forward to a pleasant, smell-free drive.

Wheels
Tire dimensions (front) 225/45 R 17
Tire dimensions (rear) 225/45 R 17
Engine
Engine type DOHC I-6 24V Twin Turbo
Displacement (ccm) 2,993
Power (SAE hp @ rpm) 265 @ 4,200
Torque (lb-ft @ rpm) 425 @ 1,750
Drivetrain Rear-Wheel Drive
Weight in kg
Curb weight, auto -1,735
Performance
Top speed (km/h) 210
Acceleration 0 – 100 km/h (in s) 6.3
Fuel consumption
City, auto (L/100km) 9.1
Highway, auto (L/100 km) 5.4
Tank capacity in I (approx.) 61

http://www.bmw.ca/ca/en/insights/technology/efficient_dynamics/diesel_vehicles/overview.html

http://www.bmw.ca/ca/en/insights/technology/efficient_dynamics/diesel_vehicles/diesel_misconceptions_3.html

Finally we get to see some new prototypes being driven around. Moving away from all the Z4, PAS, 7 Series shots, today we have the next generation 2010 BMW 6 Series, codename F13. With the current car being already very successful, BMW will not drastically change the design.

What we know is that the front headlights will be similar to the ones on the CS Concept but will not have the circular cut out, just a straight across slit. Longer than today’s model, the 2010 6-Series will offer more legroom for rear passengers. At the same time, it will get a sportier cockpit with a more driver oriented console layout.

We also learned that the convertible will be offered with a folding hardtop, like the new 3-Series convertible.

The rumor going around is that there will be three engine options, 306, 408, and 507 horsepower and of course the new eight-speed automatic gearbox with paddle-shifters.

That’s all we really know for now, but hopefully we will hear more soon.

[Source: GlobalMotors and MotorAuthority ]

Another week and more photos of a new BMW concept, the PAS, short for Progressive Activity Sedan, a car that we have talked about in the past and gave some full details on what BMW wants to achieve with this new model.

If you’re still wondering about this whole PAS deal, here is an excerpt from that article:

“The Progressive Activity Sedan is an individual solution for the progressive individual who has become bored of a regular sedan and SUV but with no compromise on driver enjoyment.”

and if you were thinking about comparing the Progressive Activity Sedan to the Mercedes R-Klasse, here is the answer:

“What will the Progressive Activity Sedan offer over a regular MPV or SUV? Individuality and function partnered with a very exciting range of petrol and diesel engines and optional efficient platforms. Individual dynamics and agility will make this a vehicle that does more than stand out because of it’s design. In which it is very design orientated , crisp sharp lines , shallow glasshouse , very aerodynamic swooping roof in the form of a coupe , long bonnet more like a car.”

As far as the new photos that popped up today on GlobalMotors, nothing really new there, still the heavy-camouflaged test mule and no sign of the pattern camo, usually typical to the FEP stages.

The rumors, (yes, we speculate again, I apologize) is that the concept will be unveiled at the begining of next year, with a production ready model coming out in 2010.

More photos at GlobalMotors

We’re getting used to the BMW X6, Hybrid version, popping all over the place in what it seems to be the final testing stages. The hideous hump on the hood that we have seen in the early testing phases has trimmed down a bit and the hood on this test mule looks promising and …I can’t believe I will say this, quite attractive. It somehow reminds me of the aggressive sexy look of the new M3 and I hope the final production model will not be far off.

This prototype has been spotted this time on German soil, compared to the multiple previous shots taken by our friend Palbay, near Spartanburg, SC. The BMW X6 Hybrid will utilize the previously outlined dual mode ActiveHybrid system, developed together GM and Daimler, which has discrete modes for high-torque, low speed driving as well as for high-speed cruises. It is expected to improve fuel efficiency by about 20% when compared to the xDrive50i V8 model.

The system uses a modular hybrid system which can be adapted to many different engine/vehicle combinations, as opposed to a design-specific petrol engine/hybrid combination, which sees wider use in the automotive industry.

The BMW X6 ActiveHybrid will be revealed at the end of 2009, most likely following the BMW 7 Series Hybrid launch.

[Source: More photos at MotorAuthority]

http://www.iihs.org/news/rss/pr112508.html

ARLINGTON, VA – Seventy-two vehicles earn the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s TOP SAFETY PICK award for 2009. This is more than double the number of 2008 recipients and more than 3 times the number of 2007 winners. TOP SAFETY PICK recognizes vehicles that do the best job of protecting people in front, side, and rear crashes based on good ratings in Institute tests. Winners also have to have electronic stability control (ESC), which research shows significantly reduces crash risk.

For the first time ever, winners represent every class of vehicle the Institute tests except microcars. Most car, minivan, and SUV models, midsize convertibles, and small and large pickups are eligible. Ford and its subsidiary Volvo have 16 winners, including the Ford F-150 large pickup. Thirteen winners are from Honda and its Acura division. The Honda Fit with optional ESC is the first minicar to earn TOP SAFETY PICK.

Honda, Acura, and Subaru, which picked up 4 awards, are standouts for 2009 because they have at least 1 TOP SAFETY PICK in every vehicle class in which they compete.

“Consumers are the biggest winners,” says Institute president Adrian Lund. “No matter what kind of vehicle buyers may be considering, now they can walk into just about any dealership and find one that affords the best overall protection in serious crashes.”

Front and side impacts are the most common kinds of fatal crashes, killing about three-quarters of the 28,896 passenger vehicle occupants who died in 2007. Rear-end crashes usually aren’t fatal, but they result in a large proportion of crash injuries. Neck sprain or strain is the most commonly reported injury in two thirds of insurance claims for injuries in all kinds of crashes.

Automakers improve protection: TOP SAFETY PICK provides an incentive for manufacturers to offer safer vehicle designs that go far beyond basic federal standards.

“In order to win, automakers have beefed up the side structures of vehicles and added side airbags to do a better job of protecting people in serious side crashes,” Lund says. “They’re rapidly adding ESC to prevent crashes, and they’re designing seats and head restraints that do a better job of protecting against whiplash.”

The changes are evident in the safety equipment that is increasingly standard. For the 2009 model year, 84 percent of passenger cars, 99 percent of SUVs, and 23 percent of pickups have standard side airbags with head protection. The same is true for ESC. It’s standard on 74 percent of passenger cars, 99 percent of SUVs, and 37 percent of pickups.

Crash avoidance is required: The Institute began the TOP SAFETY PICK program in 2006, initially giving out 2 tiers of awards. Gold winners scored good ratings for front, side, and rear crash protection. Silver winners had good ratings in front and side tests and acceptable ratings in rear evaluations.

For 2007, the Institute raised the bar to win by requiring good rear impact results and ESC as either standard or optional equipment. ESC helps drivers maintain control of their vehicles in the worst situation – loss of control at high speed – by engaging automatically when it senses vehicle instability and helping to bring a vehicle back in the intended line of travel. ESC lowers the risk of a fatal single-vehicle crash by about half, and it lowers the risk of a fatal rollover crash by as much as 70 percent.

Rear, side performance still lags: Crash tests have driven major improvements in the designs of all kinds and sizes of passenger vehicles. The Institute began conducting frontal tests for consumer information in 1995. Side tests were added in 2003 and rear tests in 2004. Most vehicles earn good ratings based on the frontal crash test, but significant differences remain among vehicles’ performance in side and rear tests.

Twenty-six models fall short of earning TOP SAFETY PICK because of inadequate head restraint designs. The Smart Fortwo, the only microcar in the US market, missed because of its head restraints. The same goes for Toyota’s hybrid Prius, which performed well in the Institute’s front and side crash tests but came up short for rear crash protection.

Chrysler is the only major automaker lacking a single TOP SAFETY PICK. It could have picked up 5 awards if the head restraints were better in the Dodge Avenger and Chrysler Sebring, the Sebring convertible, and the Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country.

A 2008 Institute analysis of insurance claims found that, all other factors being the same, drivers of vehicles with seat/head restraint combinations rated good in Institute evaluations were 15 percent less likely to sustain neck injuries in rear-end crashes than drivers of vehicles with poor head restraints.

Eleven vehicles missed the mark because they didn’t earn a good rating for occupant protection in side crashes. Many of these vehicles are smaller cars whose size puts them at a disadvantage in the challenging test compared with larger, heavier vehicles.

Still, the sheer number of this year’s winners indicates that automakers have made huge strides to improve crash protection to achieve TOP SAFETY PICK designation,” Lund says. “For years Toyota had more also-rans than winners. For 2009 this automaker has come on strong by updating seats and head restraints in the Avalon, Corolla, FJ Cruiser, and RAV4 to earn good ratings. Volkswagen has done the same with the Eos, Jetta, Passat, and Rabbit.”

Winners include 8 large cars, 13 midsize cars, 6 small cars, 1 minicar, 3 midsize convertibles, and 3 minivans. Among SUVs, 19 are midsize, 10 are small, and 5 are large. The 2008 Toyota Tundra was the first large pickup to earn TOP SAFETY PICK. For 2009, the Tundra is joined by the Ford F-150 and the Honda Ridgeline. The Toyota Tacoma is the only small pickup winner.

Each year the Institute offers to test TOP SAFETY PICK candidates early in the model year. The policy is for manufacturers to reimburse the Institute for the cost of vehicles if the tests aren’t part of the group’s regular schedule. TOP SAFETY PICK is presented by vehicle size because size and weight are closely related, and both influence how well occupants will be protected in serious crashes. Larger, heavier vehicles generally afford better protection in crashes than smaller, lighter ones.

“Just because small cars are TOP SAFETY PICKs doesn’t make them as crashworthy as larger vehicles,” Lund says. “Rather, it’s all the more important to choose a small car that rates highly for safety because you give up the protection of size and weight.”

How vehicles are evaluated: The Institute’s frontal crashworthiness evaluations are based on results of 40 mph frontal offset crash tests. Each vehicle’s overall evaluation is based on measurements of intrusion into the occupant compartment, injury measures recorded on a Hybrid III dummy in the driver seat, and analysis of slow-motion film to assess how well the restraint system controlled dummy movement during the test.

Side evaluations are based on performance in a crash test in which the side of a vehicle is struck by a barrier moving at 31 mph. The barrier represents the front end of a pickup or SUV. Ratings reflect injury measures recorded on two instrumented SID-IIs dummies, assessment of head protection countermeasures, and the vehicle’s structural performance during the impact.

Rear crash protection is rated according to a two-step procedure. Starting points for the ratings are measurements of head restraint geometry – the height of a restraint and its horizontal distance behind the back of the head of an average-size man. Seat/head restraints with good or acceptable geometry are tested dynamically using a dummy that measures forces on the neck. This test simulates a collision in which a stationary vehicle is struck in the rear at 20 mph. Seats without good or acceptable geometry are rated poor overall because they can’t be positioned to protect many people.

ALL 72 WINNERS

Large cars
Acura RL
Audi A6
Cadillac CTS
Ford Taurus
Lincoln MKS
Mercury Sable
Toyota Avalon
Volvo S80

Midsize cars
Acura TL, TSX
Audi A3, A4
BMW 3 series 4-door models
Ford Fusion with optional electronic stability control
Honda Accord 4-door models
Mercedes C class
Mercury Milan with optional electronic stability control
Saab 9-3
Subaru Legacy
Volkswagen Jetta, Passat

Midsize convertibles
Saab 9-3
Volkswagen Eos
Volvo C70

Small cars
Honda Civic 4-door models (except Si) with optional electronic stability control
Mitsubishi Lancer with optional electronic stability control
Scion xB
Subaru Impreza with optional electronic stability control
Toyota Corolla with optional electronic stability control
Volkswagen Rabbit

Minicar
Honda Fit with optional electronic stability control

Minivans
Honda Odyssey
Hyundai Entourage
Kia Sedona

Large SUVs
Audi Q7
Buick Enclave
Chevrolet Traverse
GMC Acadia
Saturn Outlook

Midsize SUVs
Acura MDX, RDX
BMW X3, X5
Ford Edge, Flex, Taurus X
Honda Pilot
Hyundai Santa Fe, Veracruz
Infiniti EX35
Lincoln MKX
Mercedes M class
Nissan Murano
Saturn VUE
Subaru Tribeca
Toyota FJ Cruiser, Highlander
Volvo XC90

Small SUVs
Ford Escape
Honda CR-V, Element
Mazda Tribute
Mercury Mariner
Mitsubishi Outlander
Nissan Rogue
Subaru Forester
Toyota RAV4
Volkswagen Tiguan

Large pickups
Ford F-150
Honda Ridgeline
Toyota Tundra

Small pickup
Toyota Tacoma

ALSO-RANS
These 26 vehicles earn good ratings in front and side crash tests. They have ESC, standard or optional. They would be 2009 TOP SAFETY PICK winners if their seat/head restraints also earn good ratings:

Chevrolet Malibu
Chrysler Sebring, Sebring convertible, Town & Country
Dodge Avenger, Grand Caravan
Infiniti G35, M35
Kia Amanti
Lexus ES, GS,IS
Mazda CX-7, CX-9
Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder, Endeavor
Nissan Altima, Pathfinder, Quest, Xterra
Saturn AURA
Smart Fortwo
Toyota 4Runner, Camry, Prius, Sienna

Birchwood dealer thrilled with arrival
By: Myron Love (Updated: May 4 at 02:00 AM CDT)

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/subscriber/autos/articles/general/story/3958528p-4571048c.html

ERNIE Joyal and his sales staff at Birchwood BMW are extremely enthusiastic about the new 3 Series Cabriolet that arrived in the showroom a couple of weeks ago.
“The handling is unbelievable, the braking system flawless and there is a wonderful power curve to the engine,” Joyal says.
He notes Car and Driver magazine has rated the new model the best convertible in its price range.
The Cabriolet comes in 328i and 335i versions. Both have 24-valve, in-line six-cylinder engines and standard six-speed manual transmissions. The 328i has 230 hp and maximum torque of 200 lb-ft at 2,750 rpm.
The 335i, with its twin turbo engine, can reach 300 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque as early as 1,400 rpm. “The 335i is for performance-minded buyers,” Joyal says. “We’ve already sold all of our 335i models.”
New standout features that the new Cabriolet convertible offer are a hardtop roof that folds into the trunk and still leaves some room for baggage and a new sun-reflective tint on leather upholstery, which keeps the upholstery from getting as hot as it used to.
The 328i starts at a base price of $56,300 while the 335i starting price is $66,300.
Joyal describes driving one of the new models — and BMW products in general — as the “ultimate driving experience.”

Affordability appeals to young

(Updated: March 28 at 12:05 PM CDT)

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/subscriber/autos/articles/bmw/story/4150303p-4739407c.html

The new BMW 1 Series, that drove into Birchwood BMW’s showroom last Saturday, is geared for younger drivers, BMW sales rep John Isaac says.

“It’s (the 1 Series) is a little more affordable without compromising quality,” he says. “The handling is fabulous — like all BMW models.”

The new BMW 1-Series has arrived in Winnipeg.
He reports that the model has been available in Europe for a few years already but is new to Canada and the United States.

The 1 Series comes in two versions — the 126 and the 135 — and each is available in a coupe or cabriolet model. The 1 Series models all have 24-valve in-line six-cylinder engines and six-speed manual transmissions. The 135 model has high precision injection and is turbo-powered. The sporty 128 cabriolet generates 230 hp and 200 lb.-ft. of torque compared to 300 hp and 300 lb.-ft. of torque for the twin-turbo 135 model.

Standard features for all models include fully automatic soft top, automatic climate control with separate temperature settings for the driver and front passenger, xenon headlights and a wind deflector when driving with the top down.

The base price for the 128 coupe is $33,900 and while the base price for the cabriolet is $39,900. The 135 model sells for $41,700 for the coupe and $47,000 for the cabriolet. (Freight and pdi are extra.)

“People who have come and test driven the model we have in our showroom have really liked it,” Isaac says. “The supply will be limited in the first year but we already have several orders.”

While Birchwood BMW’s new Mini Clubman has been in the showroom since the beginning of March, Isaac notes that only with the warmer weather and disappearing snow cover have people begun to warm up to the new model.

Because of its size, the Clubman is more flexible than the regular Cooper, Isaac says. The wheel base is a little longer, which makes for a somewhat smoother ride. The dual doors at the back make loading easier and the third door on the side makes it easier for families putting children in the back seat.

The Clubman is available in two models — the $26,450 base model (with 118 hp) and the $31,500 turbo-charged S version (172 hp).

All nine dealerships unveil new service
By: Myron Love (Updated: August 1 at 02:25 PM CDT)

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/subscriber/autos/story/4206947p-4799299c.html

The Birchwood Auto Group’s nine dealerships have become Winnipeg’s newest Wi-Fi hot spots.

“MTS normally focuses on places such as restaurants and libraries for its Wi-Fi service,” says Kevin McNeill, director of information systems for the Birchwood Group. “We are the first auto dealers to offer the service.”

McNeill reports that there was some demand for the Internet service, particularly from customers from luxury vehicle stores (such as Birchwood BMW MINI, Woodhaven Lexus Toyota and the combination Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover store all at the Pointe West AutoPark in Headingley). “We decided to roll out the program at all of our stores,” McNeill says.

Birchwood customers are now able to bring their laptops with them when they bring their vehicles in for servicing, get the access code and go online for up to 60 minutes at a time while waiting for their vehicles