Key new 7 Series derivative for the UK goes on sale

One of the most important derivatives of the BMW 7 Series has gone on sale. The long-wheelbase BMW 730Ld is the latest addition to the marque’s flagship model range and is a welcome introduction for chauffeurs and business users. Priced at £56,790 OTR, the BMW 730Ld offers an additional 14cms of legroom for rear seat passengers and a wealth of optional enhancements aimed at cocooning occupants in a hi-tech, luxurious environment.

BMW 730d

• Price OTR: £53,730
• Power Hp: 245
• Torque Nm: 540
• Zero-62mph Seconds: 7.2
• Top Speed Mph: 153
• Combined Mpg: 39.2
• Co2 Emissions g/km: 192

BMW 730Ld

• Price OTR - £56,790
• Power Hp - 245
• Torque Nm - 540
• Zero-62mph Seconds: 7.3
• Top Speed Mph: 153
• Combined Mpg: 38.7
• Co2 Emissions g/km: 194

The latest BMW 730Ld builds on the standard-wheelbase specification with self-levelling rear suspension, chrome rain channels in the roof, illuminated interior rear vanity mirrors and an electrically-powered sunblind for the rear window.

This long-wheelbase specification can be enhanced with optional multi-adjustable Comfort Seats for both front and rear seat passengers. This is complemented by individually heated and air-conditioned seats that can also be fitted, in the rear, with a massaging capability. Two levels of rear entertainment package completes the initial bespoke passenger experience. The BMW Business package comprises twin adjustable 8-inch flat screen monitors with a remote control. The system is flexible enough to permit two different programmes, DVDS or MP3 devices and games consoles to be played or viewed at the same time. The higher specification BMW Professional system comes with 9-inch twin flat adjustable monitor screens, twin wireless headphones and is operated by an iDrive controller in the rear armrest.

The new BMW 730Ld is powered by an all-aluminium 2,993cc straight-six cylinder diesel engine that produces 245hp at 4,000rpm. A peak torque figure of 540Nm is attained from 1,750rpm through to 3,000rpm and this results in a zero to 62mph time of 7.3 seconds and a 153mph top speed. Its 194g/km emission figure is class-leading for conventionally powered luxury cars, as is its 38.7mpg combined consumption figure. The BMW 730Ld comes with a six-speed automatic gearbox as standard.

Every modern BMW uses EfficientDynamics technologies as standard to maximise economy and emissions figures, while also improving output and engine performance for a greater driving experience. The BMW 7 Series features Brake Energy Regeneration that uses the engine’s power on overrun, such as braking, to charge the battery for the car’s electrical system. Other ancillaries, such as the air-conditioning compressor, are also able to disengage to improve the all round performance of the car.

Chassis refined for rear seat comfort

The BMW 7 Series is the first BMW saloon to feature race car-like double-wishbone front suspension. This arrangement allows engineers to fine-tune the suspension for the best kinematic configuration. The standard wheelbase BMW 7 Series comes with a rear suspension consisting of a five-link arrangement made of aluminium. However, for the long-wheelbase vehicle the emphasis is even more biased on comfort so a self-levelling rear suspension is fitted as standard.

Drive Dynamic Control featuring Variable Damping Control comes as standard on the new BMW 730Ld. Drive Dynamic Control is the umbrella function that lets a driver customise the characteristics of his or her car. Variable Damping Control can bet set in comfort, normal, sport and sport + modes. For the first time though these settings are infinitely variable depending on driving style and road surface condition. The selected mode now alters the throttle response, gear change speed and steering feel. The BMW 7 Series also marks the first time the dampers of a BMW feature compression and rebound damping capability for enhanced ride quality.

The BMW 7 Series comes as standard with Dynamic Stability Control + featuring additional functions such as Hill-Start Assistant, Brake Drying, Brake Pre-tensioning, Soft-stop and Brake Fade Compensation. Dynamic Traction Control can be activated via a button to enable spirited driving or greater traction on slippery surfaces such as snow and ice.

The BMW 730d and 730Ld are predicted to account for 85 per cent of all 7 Series sales in the UK during a full year. A long-wheelbase version of a diesel-powered 7 Series was first introduced in September 2005 following a high level of interest from chauffeurs and business users.

Labels: BMW 7 Series, BMW 730d, BMW 730Ld

Going above and beyond customer service

All of our staff at Vines pride themselves on their customer service, going above and beyond the call of duty, whether it’s working to secure affordable monthly payments or dealing with unexpected requests for assistance.

We asked our staff to recall some of their best examples of excellent customer service. Here’s what they said:

“A customer could not get their cd out of their old car, we copied it off of I tunes and burnt it to a cd”

Andy Hibbert, Sales Manager, Guildford

“When I was a sales person I took 5 cars to one customer to see if they would go over the raised entrance of his drive. He since has come back and purchased 3 cars”

Domonic Mcconnon, Group MINI Buyer

“Offering to take someone home to Chertsey after they came in and purchased a car out of hours”

Wayne Manton, Sales Executive, Guildford

Labels: Customer Service, Vines BMW, Vines Mini

New BMW Z4 to make international debut at Detroit

BMW’s first roadster to come with a Retractable Hard-Top roof makes its international debut at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit this month. The two-seat sports car, offered with three six-cylinder petrol engines with a range of outputs from 204hp to 306hp, is also the first BMW roadster available to be specified with a Double Clutch Transmission and an Adaptive M Suspension. Following its debut in Detroit the car will then be showcased in Geneva.
The new BMW Z4 goes on sale in the UK in May 2009. The BMW Z4 sDrive23i costs £28,645 OTR, the BMW Z4 sDrive30i is £32,660 OTR and the BMW Z4 sDrive35i £37,060 OTR.
For a behind the scenes look at the design process and the testing programme of the BMW Z4 log on to www.bmw-web.tv The full press pack for the 2009 Detroit NAIAS can be downloaded from www.press.bmwgroup.com

Labels: BMW Z4 sDrive30i, New Z4, Six-cylinder petrol engines

The full year sales of BMW’s 1 Series Coupé and the widespread acceptance of BMW’s award-winning EfficientDynamics technologies helped BMW weather the credit crisis storm in 2008.

In what was a difficult year for the motor industry as a whole, BMW managed to stay ahead of the market trend by the end of December. The first full year of 1 Series Coupé and a sales growth in three-door 1 Series model uptake combined with a 22 per cent increase in 5 Series Touring sales were highlights in 2008. Year-end sales figures show BMW finished the year with 113,132 registrations. While the overall car market was down 11 per cent, BMW managed to increase its market share to 5.31per cent of Total Industry Volume despite sales falling by seven per cent.

Tim Abbott, BMW UK Sales Director, said: “2008 was very much a year of two halves. A strong first six months saw BMW sales increase overall, but this was unfortunately cancelled out by the difficult times all manufacturers faced in the last six months. BMW has not been immune to the current credit crisis but has ended the year in a stronger position than the market as a whole and with an increase in market share compared to 2007. Following a degree of restructuring in 2008, BMW is now well placed to tackle the challenges that lie ahead in 2009.”

New engines for BMW 116i and BMW 330d Convertible

BMW’s flagship 3 Series diesel-powered Convertible is available with a new engine. Featuring third generation common-rail injection technology with piezo injectors, the new BMW 330d Convertible now has a 2,993cc engine that produces 245hp, up from 231hp. Torque has also improved from 500Nm to 520Nm at 1,750rpm.

The fuel consumption and CO2 emissions figures have similarly improved. The BMW 330d Convertible now records a combined consumption figure of 46.3mpg as opposed to 43.5mpg, while emissions have dropped from 170g/km to 162g/km. This now places a manual transmission-equipped car into the lower Band D Vehicle Excise Duty bracket and sees it meet the new stringent EU5 emissions target. The BMW 330d Convertible is priced from £37,610 OTR.

News of this change comes as the existing 1,599cc powerplant in the BMW 116i has been replaced by the Hams Hall-built 1,995cc engine already showcased in the 118i and 120i models. The latest edition to the BMW 1 Series range still produces 122hp, but torque has been increased by 25Nm to 185Nm between 3,000 and 4,250rpm. Acceleration from zero to 62mph has improved as a result of this. A five-door 116i now records a 9.9 seconds time as opposed to 10.2 seconds, with the three-door posting a time 0.1 seconds quicker. The vehicle retains its CO2 emissions figure of 139g/km and Vehicle Excise Duty C banding. The BMW 116i costs from £16,410 OTR.

Labels: BMW 116I, BMW 330d Convertible, Hams Hall-built 1995cc engine

BMW 5 Series Business Edition models launched

BMW’s award-winning 5 Series range has now been expanded with the introduction of the Business Edition model portfolio. Offered on 520d, 525d and 530d Saloon and Touring variants, and in SE and M Sport trims, the Business Edition specification represents a significant customer saving on a range of equipment normally offered as an option.

For a premium of £1,000 over a standard 520d SE or M Sport model, a Business Edition vehicle comes equipped as standard with Dakota leather, Bluetooth with telematics, BMW Business Navigation system, BMW ConnectedDrive Assist and Online, and a six-disc CD changer. The door sill finishers on an SE come with the ‘Edition’ designation, while M Sport models retain M Sport door sill monikers.

For a premium of £1,750 over a standard 525d or 530d SE or M Sport model, Business Edition vehicles receive the same upgrades as the 520d Business Edition models with the addition of a BMW Professional Multimedia Navigation system, Extended voice control and a USB audio interface in place of the six-disc CD changer. M Sport Business Edition models powered by either the 525d or 530d gain 19-inch M Double-spoke alloy wheels. This same 19-inch alloy wheel is also now offered for the first time on all 5 Series Touring models.

Prices for a 520d SE Business Edition Saloon start at £28,430 OTR and rise to £41,960 OTR for a 530d M Sport Business Edition Touring.

Labels: 5 Series Business Ed, 520d SE. 525d Saloon, 525d Touring

New Sport trim launched for BMW 1 Series

Three- and five-door versions of the BMW 116i, 116d and 118d are now available with a new Sport trim level. Customers choosing this car over an ES model gain 17-inch alloy wheels, front foglights, heated exterior mirrors and windscreen washer jets, a Sport multi-function leather steering wheel and Sport seats. The announcement of the Sport specification marks the launch of a fifth trim level to the 1 Series line-up that historically featured Standard, ES, SE and M Sport specifications. Prices start at £17,220 OTR for a three-door BMW 116i Sport.

Labels: BMW 116d, BMW 116I, BMW 118d, BMW Sports Trim

BMW’s most fuel efficient car announced

BMW is pleased to announce the launch of the new 116d – the marque’s most fuel efficient and least polluting vehicle. With a combined consumption figure of 64.2mpg and a CO2 emissions figure of 118g/km, the BMW 116d even trumps the current World Green Car of the Year, the BMW 118d.
Available in both three- and five-door guises, the BMW 116d is powered by a four-cylinder diesel engine producing 116hp. The 1,995cc powerplant with its 260Nm of torque from 1,750rpm ensures it is capable of a zero to 62mph time of 10.2 seconds (10.3 seconds for the five-door) before going on to a top speed of 125mph.

The BMW 116d costs just £35 a year to tax courtesy of a Band B Vehicle Excise Duty rank, while its 13 per cent Benefit-in-Kind rating also ensures it makes economical sense for the business user. The new three-door BMW 116d costs from £17,605 OTR, while the five-door 116d is priced from £18,135 OTR. Both models go on sale in March 2009.

Labels: BMW 116d, Fuel Efficient Car, New BMW

First BMW roadster to feature a Retractable Hard-Top roof, three six-cylinder engines offered along with Double Clutch Transmission


The latest in BMW’s long and successful roadster family has been revealed. The all-new BMW Z4 will go on sale in May 2009 and features a host of innovations never before showcased during BMW’s 75 years of roadster heritage.

The BMW Z4 is the first to come with a two-piece, electro-hydraulically operated Retractable Hard-Top roof that can be raised or lowered in 20 seconds. The new roadster is also the first vehicle to be offered with Adaptive M Suspension. Electronically controlled dampers offer three different configurations and lower the ride height by up to 10mm for a more dynamic drive. By way of comparison, the Sport+ setting of the new car is comparable to the outgoing Z4’s standard ride comfort level.

The standard Drive Dynamic Control function is another first and allows the driver to alter, depending on model specification, the throttle and steering response, level of ride comfort, Dynamic Stability Control response and, on automatic or Double Clutch Transmission cars, gear change times.


Powering the new BMW Z4 is a choice of three six-cylinder powerplants. The range flagship is the current International Engine of the Year winning 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged engine. Producing 306hp at 5,800rpm, the BMW Z4 sDrive35i powers its way from zero to 62mph in 5.2 seconds (5.1 seconds for a Double Clutch Transmission-equipped car) and on to an electronically-limited top speed of 155mph. The twin-turbocharged 2,979cc engine with high-precision direct injection technology produces 400Nm of torque from just 1,300rpm for effortless in-gear acceleration. The strong performance credentials are matched in terms of economy and emissions. The Z4 sDrive35i records a combined consumption figure of 30.1mpg (31.4mpg) and CO2 emissions of 219g/km (210g/km).

Joining this model in the launch line-up are the Z4 sDrive23i and the Z4 sDrive30i. Both use the same magnesium aluminium alloy engine with Double VANOS and VALVETRONIC technology, but with varying capacities. The 2,497cc entry-level Z4 sDrive23i produces 204hp at 6,400rpm and 250Nm of torque from 2,750rpm. This equates to a zero to 62mph time of 6.6 seconds (7.3 seconds for the Sport Automatic) and a top speed of 151mph (149mph). In contrast the Z4 sDrive23i is capable of 33.2mpg (34.4mpg) on the combined cycle and CO2 emissions of 199g/km (192g/km) respectively.

All three six-cylinder powerplants surpass the latest strict EU5 emissions standards.
The BMW Z4 sDrive30i comes with a 2,996cc powerplant offering 258hp at 6,600rpm and 310Nm of torque from 2,600rpm. The six-cylinder engine records a zero to 62mph time of 5.8 seconds (6.1 Seconds for the Sports Automatic) and an electronically-limited top speed of 155mph. Like the Z4 sDrive23i, the Z4 sDrive30i posts impressive combined consumption and CO2 emissions figures, recording 33.2mpg (34.0mpg) and 199g/km (195g/km).
Transmitting the power to the road in all three Z4s is a six-speed manual gearbox as standard. Customers of the Z4 sDrive23i and the Z4 sDrive30i who prefer the characteristics of an automatic can specify a six-speed Sport Automatic transmission featuring gear change paddles on the steering wheel. Buyers of the Z4 sDrive35i can choose the more advanced seven-speed Double Clutch Transmission, again with gear shift paddles located on the steering wheel.

EfficientDynamics

All of the latest BMW Z4s come as standard with facets of BMW’s award-winning EfficientDynamics programme. Technologies that improve engine performance while enhancing economy and cutting emissions include Brake Energy Regeneration, Electric Power Steering with Servotronic, Reduced Rolling Resistance Tyres, on-demand control of the engine’s ancillaries and Optimum Shift Indicator on manual transmission cars. The BMW Z4 also adheres to a philosophy of lightweight construction with the front suspension and subframe being largely made from aluminium.

Enhanced packaging

The new BMW Z4 is larger than its predecessor measuring 148mm longer at 4,239mm and 9mm wider at 1,790mm, and this results in greater interior space and luggage capacity. With the roof up, headroom has been increased by 44mm while the greater car width and design enhancements have led to 20mm more shoulder room and 43mm more elbow room.
For the first time on a BMW Z4 there is a bespoke storage facility located behind the driver and passenger seats. This approximate 15.5-litre single compartment stretches the width of the car’s interior and features netting to hold the contents in place. It can be complemented by an optional Storage Package that adds further stowage capacity. BMW’s latest generation of iDrive makes its first appearance on a Z4. The BMW Professional Multimedia Navigation system features a hard disc drive capable of 12Gb of audio file storage and BMW ConnectedDrive functionality. The system also comes with eight programmable Favourite buttons as system shortcuts.
The unique roof construction of the BMW Z4 creates a boot that varies in capacity from 180 to 310 litres – large enough to stow a full set of golf clubs. For the first time on a BMW Z4 customers can specify a through-loading system for additional storage capability. A hatch between the two seats permits a second full set of golf clubs to be carried.
Driver visibility in the BMW Z4 has also been improved. All round visibility is up by 14 per cent while, courtesy of the four electric windows creating a larger glasshouse, side visibility is up 40 per cent. The Retractable Hard-Top roof features a glass rear window and this too improves visibility by 52 per cent.

Prices for the new BMW Z4 will be announced in 2009.