Poor Brake Lubrication Leads to BMW Recalling 176,000 Four-Cylinder Models

BMW has issued a global recall on some 176,000 models fitted with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged gasoline engines from the 2012-2014 model years, and specifically, the N20 and N26 codenamed units, because of a problem with the power brake system.

The technical description of the problem from BMW reads:

"An oil plug in the intake camshaft may become displaced, restricting oil supply to the vacuum pump. Due to insufficient lubrication, the vacuum pump that supplies brake power assistance may fail. A failure of the brake vacuum pump results in a reduction in braking power that could increase the risk of a crash."

Affected models in the BMW range include the 2012-2014MY 320i, 328i, 320i xDrive, and 328i xDrive sedans; 2014MY 328i xDrive Sports Wagons; 2012-2013MY 528i and 528i xDrive sedans, 2013-2014MY X1 sDrive28i and X1 xDrive28i and 2012-2014MY Z4 sDrive28i roadsters.

According to the Bavarian manufacturer, 76,191 of the recalled vehicles are in the United States, with some 9,400 in Canada, 25,000 in China, 6,800 in Germany and the rest in other countries around the globe.

PHOTO GALLERY

BMW 3-Series Driver Goes All Rocky Down the Steps of Philly Museum of Art [Updated]

Disrespectful criminal, mischievous hoon or a victim of circumstances? We'll let you decide after we tell you the story of Emin Faki, 20, who was filmed earlier this week going down the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art in a…1980s (pre-facelift) BMW 3-Series E30 Convertible.

The museum is not only famous for its vast collection of artwork, but also for the 72 steps before the entrance, which are collectively known as the "Rocky Steps" after Sylvester Stallone climbed them in the triple-Oscar-winning film Rocky and its sequels.

Local photographer HughE Dillon, who runs the website PhillyChitChat and lives nearby, captured the scene on video. He stated the following about the incident:

"I was driving down the BF Parkway home. Since I live across from the steps I know what looks normal there, two headlights didn't fit that bill. I got stuck at traffic light w/cars in front of me, so video starts as he's closer to the bottom."

Philadelphia police learned about the incident and according to a report from Philly, they questioned 20-year old Faki on Friday. The District Attorney's Office said it has already approved a felony charge of criminal mischief against the driver as the car caused around $8,000 in damage to the steps. However, police said that they will not be pressing charges just yet as they want to determine whether the car had any mechanical issues at the time causing the driver to go down the steps.

Dillon told the news daily he doesn't believe speculation that the car was parked on top and it started to roll down by itself with the driver jumping in to save it.

"At first I couldn' believe it," Dillon said. "I was a little nervous. I thought he was going to roll. He was so deliberate in every single step. And then he went down backwards. It’s difficult to do. When he got to the halfway point, he did a victory lap. There’s a big apron, probably 30 feet wide, and he drove up and back, up and back, four times. Then he had to do a K-turn at either end. When he got to the bottom, he did another victory lap, then drove off," he added.

First Video and Screenshot Credits: HughE Dillon

Update: We just discovered a second video shot from one of the people on the steps named Stefan Santacroce, in which we hear (but don't see) that the car rolled down on its own and that the driver jumped in to save it

PHOTO GALLERY

VIDEO

Poll: Has BMW Pulled Off the 3-Series Coupe and 4-Series Name Switch Successfully?

Now that we have had a chance to take in the BMW 4-Series, by seeing the reviews and clicking through all of the photos, and even know what the new M3 coupe, the M4 is going to look like, albeit in ‘concept form’, a question arises.

The question, rather informally put, is did they get away with changing the name? Are these new 4-Series and M4 models just as appealing as they would have been had they retained the traditional naming policy?

Put in a different way: If you were in the market for a 4-Series-sized coupe or convertible, would the new name matter when making the final decision? Feel free to choose your preferred poll option, and don’t hesitate to use the comments box.

I don’t want to influence the result here in any way, but what I will do is will bring the 4-Series Gran Coupe to your attention, since we’re on the topic. It’s not a 3-Series, but it’s not a 4-Series Coupe, because that has two doors, right? It will cost more than both of them, and may get close to the 5-Series in terms of acquisition costs, and with a wheelbase only 48mm smaller, perhaps in terms of size, too.

But what is it? Is it a relevant new and unique model that combines 4-door practicality with coupe looks and more interior space (length- and not height-wise) than a regular 3-Series, or is it just more confusion in an increasingly cluttered BMW range? I think it steps on the toes of the 5-Series a bit.

By Andrei Nedelea

Poll: Was BMW's 3-Series Coupe and Convertible Name Switch to 4-Series Successful?

PHOTO GALLERY

Alpina Details the 345HP D3 Biturbo Diesel in New Video

If you’re looking for a fast diesel-powered BMW 3-Series and the 330d doesn’t quite cut it for you, chances are the Alpina D3 Biturbo will. Powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter engine developing 345 hp (350PS) and 700Nm (516 lb-ft) of torque, the D3 Biturbo has 91 hp and 140 Nm (67 lb-ft) more than the standard 330d.

Naturally, it is faster too, covering the 0 to 100 km/h sprint in 4.6 seconds (0.6 seconds quicker than the 330d) and reaching a top speed of 278 km/h (173 mph) – the 330d is limited to 250 km/h (155 mph). The 330d has a better fuel economy though, with a combined consumption of 4.9 l/100 km (48 mpg US), compared to the Alpina D3’s 5.3 l/100 km (44.4 mpg US).

Of course, the Alpina D3 Biturbo is more expensive than the 330d (€46,975 compared to €37,815, prices excluding taxes in Germany), but there’s more to the car than the souped-up diesel engine.

Find out what from the official video posted below.

By Dan Mihalascu

VIDEO

Prior Design Launches New Aero Package for BMW 3-Series F30

If for whatever reason you brought a new BMW 3-Series F30 sedan without ticking the M Sport package box on the options list and at the same time, are not interested in the Bavarian carmaker's aftermarket M Performance parts, Prior Design has come out with an assortment of aero components that may interest you.

BMW Releases Second Wave of M Performance Parts for 3- and 5-Series Sedans in the US

BMW is expanding its M Performance offerings in the United States with a second round of products for the latest iterations of the 3- and 5-Series sedans that are available for order now via the brand's dealerships.
The latest expansion, which comes after the release of a first set of components in May this year, includes chassis, aerodynamic, and cockpit upgrades.

A Brief Look at BMW's All-Electric Cars from the 1970s to Today

On July 25, BMW’s first dedicated i Store opened its doors at London’s Park Lane, right next to the BMW and Mini dealerships, a year and a half before the i3 premium city car rolls off the production line at the company’s Leipzig plant.
The i3 was previewed by a concept study at last year’s Frankfurt Motor Show. The prototype is powered by a 170HP electric motor, although BMW has revealed that the production model will also feature a range-extending gasoline engine that will work as a battery generator.
That much you may know as the Munich-based automaker has been promoting its i sub-brand heavily, the most recent example being the i3 Coupe, a three-door version of the 2011 study.

Funny Things BMW 3-Series E36 Owners Say

It's been a while in internet time, but there's a good chance some of you may remember a video titled "Sh!t Honda Guys Say", which made fun of owners of the Japanese brand's cars.
Now it's time for a similarly-themed and named satire that targets drivers of the third generation BMW 3-Series, codenamed E36, that was built from 1991 through 1998.

New Cadillac ATS 3.6 vs. BMW 335i and Mercedes C350 in MT's 6-Cylinder Rematch

Like the VW Golf, the BMW 3-Series has been dominant for so long, shrugging off one newcomer after another, that it practically defined the premium compact sports sedan segment.
This, of course, makes it not only harder for BMW engineers to come up with something better every time there's a replacement due, but it also makes it the car all rivaling manufacturers have set as their benchmark.
Cadillac has made quite a fuss about its new ATS being a bona-fide, Nürburgring-bred sports saloon that can take on the best – i.e. the brand new, F30 3-Series.

Spy Shots: New BMW 3-Series Gran Turismo Loosens up on the Nürburgring

BMW seems hell bent to offer a 3-Series (or 3-Series-based) model for almost every need; from four door sedans in regular and long wheelbase body styles and station wagons, to coupes, convertibles, high performance variants, and even a so-called four-door coupe and a taller liftback model named the 3-Series Gran Turismo (GT).
The latter was spied by our photographers lifting its inner wheel in a corner during testing on the Nürburgring in Germany.

BMW Weekend Track Racer's Drifting Effort Hits a…Wall

This video doesn't really allow us to say with certainty whether the driver of the silver-colored BMW 3-Series coupe (E36) lost control of his car or if he was attempting to force the rear-wheel drive model into a drift by violently turning the steering wheel, but whatever the reason, it didn't end very well…

Paris Motor Show: BMW 335i Sedan with M Performance Accessories

Aside from selling cars, BMW also wants a piece of the aftermarket industry's pie, and for this reason, it is constantly adding new goods to its newly formed M Performance sub-brand.
The 2012 Paris Motor Show sees the very first presentation of numerous products from this program designed specifically for the new 3-Series that are demonstrated on a 335i sedan.

M.I.A.'s New Bad Girls Video Clip Looks up to Arabian Drifting

Bet you weren't expecting Arabian style drifting (called hagwalah) to find its way into a mainstream music video clip from a British female rapper. Yet all this took place in M.I.A.'s brand new song called "Bad Girls" which fuses the sounds of Middle Eastern music with rap lyrics.
The 36-year old singer of Sri Lankan descent, whose real name is Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam, filmed the entire music video in the Middle East showing local drivers with a selection of European cars like the Alfa Romeo 156 and the BMW 3-Series hagwalah-ing.
Drift over the break to watch the music clip.

BMW gets Playful with Six New Ads, Two of Which will Air during the Super Bowl

While BMW wants to keep its signature motto "Ultimate Driving Machine" alive, it also desires to attract a younger crowd with its marketing efforts on the brand-new 2012 3-Series sedan.
Hence the playful nature of its new U.S. campaign, which comprises six short commercials, two of which will air on TV during Super Bowl XLVI this Sunday.
The 15 and 30 second ads were created by 'Kirschenbaum, Bond, Senecal + Partners', and all of them demonstrate some of the new technologies that have been incorporated into the latest 3-Series in a humorous manner. You can watch all of them right after the break.

Cadillac ATS' Super Bowl Ad Tells Everyone who Doesn’t Believe it Can Beat the 3-Series to go to "Green Hell"

Unlike Cadillac's previous failed attempts, the all-new ATS sedan was designed from a clean sheet to compete squarely against the best Germany has to offer in the executive compact sedan segment, namely the BMW 3-Series sedan – and possibly, the rest of the Bavarian model's range later on.
And if there's one thing GM's premium brand has been touting about the ATS more than anything else since it began teasing the car last summer, it's the fact that it's handling and driving dynamics were honed at the Nürburgring race track in Germany, which as most of you already know, is nicknamed "The Green Hell".