BMW has opened a new purpose- built performance centre at Rock-ingham, Northamptonshire to cater for in-house and external driving activities.
The new BMW Performance Centre at the Rockingham race circuit near Corby, Northants, will accommodate a programme of internal and external BMW activities, featuring BMW cars, motorcycles and associated technologies.
Following their acquisition of the Warwick BMW dealership in February 2001, former F1 driver Damon Hill and Nick Whale have acquired a second dealership in partnership.
Although the Automotive Academy announced by the Government will not be fully operational until later next year, BMW, Honda, Jaguar, Land Rover, MG Rover Group, Nissan, and Leyland Trucks are amongst those who have already appointed senior directors to sit on the Academy's Project Board.
MG has launched a V8-powered version of its ZT saloon and ZT-T estate. Powered by Ford's 260bhp, 4.6-litre V8 engine, used in North America in the Mustang, the rear- wheel drive MG ZT 260 V8 hopes to compete with the likes of the BMW 330i, Jaguar X-Type and Volvo S60 T5.
Lookers Group is involved in discussions with BMW and Mercedes-Benz as it looks to add the two premium brands to its portfolio.
Glass's Market Intelligence Service suggests that the residual values for prestige convertibles (e.g. Mercedes CLK Cabriolet, Audi A4 Cabriolet) and larger 4x4s (e.g. Range Rover, BMW X5) aged one- to three-years-old out-perform those of the rest of the market.
Specialist German motor trade lawyer Dr. Christian Genzow has told the trade website autohaus-online that a Munich court has delivered its verdict in respect of one of three temporary injunctions sought by the German association of BMW dealers.
Guildford-based BMW retailer, Vines, is investing £15 million in a major revamp of its showrooms, along with the relocation of its Redhill and Crawley sites.
Designed as a launch-pad for the next generation of GP drivers, Formula BMW, already running in Germany and some Asian countries, is coming to the UK next year.
BMW Group Financial Services Great Britain, which provides finance, leasing and insurance facilities to BMW and MINI customers in the UK, reached a milestone on 10 September 2003 with the company's portfolio of active customers breaking through the 100,000 barrier for the first time.
The BMW Group announced at Frankfurt that it is studying a technology “able to truly expand the real world”: Augmented Reality. Wearing data glasses, the user is able to perceive virtual objects and presentations superimposed on the "real" environment around him.
BMW's particle filter launched at Frankfurt this week will be entering the market in the course of next year, enabling even BMW's larger and more powerful models to fully maintain the EU4 emission standard. The BMW Group's smaller diesel models will fulfill EU4 legislation even without a particle filter.
H.R. Owen Plc has acquired the Chelsea BMW and Mini franchises from the Sytner Group - the final stage in creating one of the largest BMW areas of responsibility in the UK.
The first prototypes of BMW's all-new E90 3-series, which is due to be launched at the 2005 Frankfurt Show, are now venturing out of the proving ground for extended testing. And although the cars are heavily disguised, it appears the E90 may be the least adventurous of Chris Bangle's recent designs.
BMW and Peugeot dealers are coming to terms with an uncertain future after the two carmakers issued five-year retail agreements under the revisions to block exemption.
Oxford BMW is investing £2m into a new dealership in the city. The 2000-square metre site has motorcycle and car showrooms and a workshop.
BMW is to recruit 750 new sales executives for its UK dealer network over the next three years – a 10 per cent growth in headcount.
Inchcape has created the UK's largest BMW territory with the acquisition of six BMW dealerships at a cost of £18.9m. The move, which AM exclusively revealed in its June 27 issue, cements Inchcape's position at No 6 in the AM100 and is expected to take the group past £1bn turnover.
Inchcape is expanding its power base with BMW in the south-east after reaching agreement to acquire dealerships in Cobham, Surrey and Wimbledon from William Jacks. The territories adjoin Inchcape's BMW franchise in Thames Ditton.
