Dinan X5M Races Challenger R/T Scat Pack

F Series OBDII Port ECU Flashing Is NOW Available from VF Engineering

BMW is recalling 154,472 vehicles registered in the U.S. and Canada for a fuel pump problem that could cause stalling, according to a filing with U.S. safety regulators and BMW.

BMW told regulators that no injuries have been reported. Since 2014, the German-based company has conducted safety recall campaigns in China, Japan and South Korea for the same issue, according to a filing posted on Friday by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Of the vehicles recalled in North America, 88 percent are registered in the United States.

BMW is recalling certain vehicles in the U.S. model year 2007-2011. Among them are the X5 3.0si, X5 4.8i, X5 M, X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive48i and X5 xDrive50i, 2008-2011 X6 x Drive35i, X6 xDrive50i and X6 M, 2010-2011 X6 ActiveHybrid, according to the filing.

Also the 535i xDrive Gran Turismo, 535i Gran Turismo, 550i xDrive Gran Turismo and 550i Gran Turismo, 2011-2012 528i, 535i, 535i xDrive, 550i and 550i xDrive and 2012 535i ActiveHybrid, 640i Convertible, 650i Convertible, 650i xDrive Convertible, 650i Coupe and 650i Coupe xDrive vehicles.

BMW will notify owners and dealers to replace a fuel pump module free of charge beginning in early December. BMW owners can call BMW customer service for details.

BMW provided 11 past and present M cars to Car and Driver for its 2016 Lightning Lap competition, which allowed this rare look at how several generations of M cars compare at the same track with the same conditions.

Notwithstanding size and weight increases throughout the years, lap times have dropped on newer models. Driving feel and enjoyment is of course harder to quantify and chart, however.

Great look at the previous versus new X5 M, and a comparison of their grey colors – Space Grey vs Donington Grey.

You’ve seen the specs and details behind the new X5 M and X6 M in our Official Thread, now see how they compare to their predecessors, both on paper and visually.

It all started with an X. This letter was first used as a model designation for a BMW automobile as early as in the mid-1980s to indicate that it featured four-wheel drive technology. The car’s dual symmetry was the ideal allegory for the transmission of drive torque to all four wheels. 15 years ago, the letter X became the symbol of an entirely new vehicle category and, at the same time, of a very special form of driving pleasure. The BMW X5 made its debut as the world’s first Sports Activity Vehicle, soon going on to conquer not only the road but also off-road terrain, whilst attracting additional target groups to the BMW brand. Once again the German premium automobile manufacturer had demonstrated its extraordinary sense for innovative and future-oriented vehicle concepts. The introduction of the BMW X5 in 1999 laid the foundation stone for the unique success story of BMW X models on automotive markets all over the world.

15 years further on, a complete BMW X family has developed from the pioneer of a new vehicle category. The brand’s range now comprises five BMW X models. These are complemented by the two four-wheel drive high-performance sports cars of the BMW M GmbH, the BMW X5 M and the BMW X6 M. The BMW X5 is already the third generation of its kind to continue the story of success. The second generation of the Sports Activity Coupe BMW X6 and the BMW X3 are now being produced. The BMW X1 offers a guarantee of multi-faceted driving pleasure in the compact segment. And the BMW X4, a Sports Activity Coupe, now also combines superior dynamism with sporting elegance in the mid-range segment. Each of these models was the first premium vehicle of its kind within its competitive environment. And the range will continue to expand also in the years ahead. The BMW X7, an exceptionally large and luxurious model, is under development. The popularity of BMW X models, which contributed decisively towards BMW becoming one of the world’s most successful producer of premium four-wheel drive automobiles, continues to increase consistently. To this day, more than 3.3 million BMW X models have been sold worldwide. Almost every third newly registered vehicle of the brand is now a BMW X model.

In this video, race car driver Scott Pruett and BMW Product & Technology Communications Manager Matt Russell explain the BMW M Electronic Damper Control (EDC) system and how the Comfort, Sport and Sport+ suspension settings make a difference in the F10 M5 and F12/F13 M6.

Although the M5 and M6 use an M tuned version of the BMW EDC, here is a general summary of EDC technology from BMW:

Electronic Damper Control (EDC) automatically or manually adjusts each damper to suit the driving conditions meaning you enjoy outstanding comfort along with the best in BMW on-road safety. EDC reduces variations in wheel load, ensures tyres have excellent traction and counteracts bodyshell movement regardless of the weight your automobile may be carrying or the state of the road’s surface.

Sensors constantly monitor all factors influencing the vehicle’s behaviour and occupants’ comfort, in order to precisely adjust the damper control. In a fraction of a second, the signals are analysed by the EDC microprocessor and orders are sent to the actuators on the shock absorbers, which, with the help of magnetic valves, are variably adjusted to provide optimal suspension. Thanks to Electronic Damper Control, the tendency for the nose to dip when braking is practically eliminated. The influence of potholes and unevenness on the road surface is reduced to minimum.

In addition to increased driving comfort and improved roll characteristics on the tyres, EDC also contributes to vehicle stability and safety. By reducing the nose’s tendency to dip when braking and improving the tyre traction, EDC shortens the braking distance when braking heavily. The damper adjustment means that even when braking with ABS the vehicle chassis remains upright on the road and all four wheels have the largest possible contact to the surface.

The Driving Experience Control switch with ECO PRO lets the driver choose between various programs (like COMFORT, NORMAL, SPORT or SPORT+) and adjust the suspension to suit his individual needs.

BMW Manufacturing Co. announced today that the National Association of Foreign Trade Zones (NAFTZ) recognized the company as its Exporter of the Year. In addition, the NAFTZ recognized BMW as the recipient of its Export Achievement Award for being the member that showed the most improvement in value.

BMW’s plant in South Carolina has steadily increased its export activity. According to data from the U.S. Department of Commerce, based on the 2011 value of BMW exports from South Carolina, the company’s Spartanburg facility is the largest automotive exporter from the U.S.

BMW’s plant in Spartanburg currently produces over 1,000 vehicles each day and is the exclusive exporter of X3 and X5 Sports Activity Vehicles and the X6 Sports Activity Coupe through the Port of Charleston. This year, the plant is projected to produce more than 300,000 vehicles and will export approximately 70% of those vehicles to more than 130 global markets.

Accepting the award on behalf of BMW, Sky Foster, Manager for Corporate Communications at BMW Manufacturing, stated, “We are very proud of our accomplishments. I wish to thank our associates, Tier 1 Suppliers and the South Carolina Ports Authority for their support in our shared success.”

Lewis Leibowitz, Board Chairman for NAFTZ, stated that “the FTZ program has proven to be especially successful to ensure the U.S. remains a strong global competitor. BMW’s plant in South Carolina continues to be a leader in the passenger vehicle segment and we applaud their results.”

The plant originally began vehicle production in 1994. In the last 18 years, BMW Manufacturing has produced over 2 million vehicles. Earlier this year, the company announced another $900 Million expansion to increase capacity to 350,000 units by 2014 and will bring a new model to its Spartanburg operation.

The annual UK National BMW Festival was recently held at the Heritage Motor Centre in the UK. This year’s event celebrated the 40 years of BMW Motorsport and the 60th anniversary of the BMW Car Club of GB.

Check out the massive set of photos inside.