BMW i Series 2014 News

A number of potentially hazardous faults have been identified in vehicles sold in Australia, prompting a wide range of recalls.

BMW is looking to join the ranks of car companies like Tesla and Mercedes-Benz by offering a home energy storage solution based around its vehicle battery technology.

John Carey previews BMW's battle plan for its next 100 years.

A vote by 75 motoring journalists from 22 countries has awarded the compact prestige car the World Car of the Year award for 2015.It finished on top of a 24-car field and eventually beat the two other finalists, the Ford Mustang and Volkswagen Passat.The other big prizes for 2015, Green Car of the Year and Performance Car of the Year, went to the plug-in hybrid BMW i8 and the Mercedes-AMG GT coupe.The winners were announced at the New York Motor Show today at an event hosted by Bridgestone Corporation and Autoneum at the culmination of a six-month voting process.The C-Class delivers levels of refinement, luxury, safety, ride and handling that challenge best-in-class.The awards are in their 11th year and previous winners include the Audi A6, BMW 3 Series, Lexus LS460 and Volkswagen Golf, Polo and Up.To be eligible for the overall World Car award, candidate cars must have become available for sale on at least two continents between January 1, 2014 and May 31, 2015.The WCOTY wins by Mercedes-Benz follow its victories in the Green Car contest in 2007 with the E320 Bluetec and 2012 with the S 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY and its Luxury Car success with the S Class in 2014.“We are extremely delighted of winning the honour of World Car of the Year,” says the chairman of Daimler, Dr Dieter Zetsche.The WCOTY victory follows a similar success for the C-Class in the CarsGuide Car of the Year award.The WCOTY judging panel says: “Taking its design and technological cues from the S-Class, the C-Class employs an all-new aluminium/steel hybrid platform and updated rear-drive powertrains that delivers levels of refinement, luxury, safety, ride and handling that challenge best-in-class.” WORLD CAR OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2015Overall winner: Mercedes-Benz C-ClassGreen Car: BMW i8Performance Car: Mercedes-AMG GTLuxury Car: Mercedes-Benz S CoupeDesign: Citroen CactusPREVIOUS WORLD COTY WINNERS:2014: Audi A32013: Volkswagen Golf2012: Volkswagen Up2011: Nissan Leaf2010: Volkswagen Polo2009: Volkswagen Golf2008: Mazda22007: Lexus LS4602006: BMW 3 Series2005: Audi A6

The BMW i3 electric car has won Wheels magazine’s latest Car of the Year award even though it conked out during the test because it ran out of power.The oddly shaped $65,000 car which is about the same size as a $15,000 hatchback, is one of the most controversial winners of the world’s oldest Car of the Year award since the Leyland P76 in 1973, the Holden Camira in 1982 and the Honda CR-Z hybrid sports car in 2011, of which fewer than 100 were sold last year.The magazine also admits its latest winner is poor value: “If the i3 has an obvious weakness, it’s value.”BMW sold just 33 examples of its quirky i3 electric car since it was introduced last year. Even the Leyland P76 sold more examples in its first partial year on sale.The BMW i3 was criticised by the magazine because it drained power too quickly after it failed to complete one phase of the test.“BMW could and should do a better job of explaining the range extender functions and the importance of avoiding battery depletion,” the magazine said.However, Wheels editor Glenn Butler defended the decision to hand the award to the BMW i3 and added "It didn't break down ... it ran out of electricity".“We aren’t suggesting this is the car for every Australian,” Mr Butler told News Corp Australia.“Those who do big country kilometres will need something with greater range. But for the average Australian who does just 40km a day, the i3 offers fuel-free, emission-free motoring.”The BMW i3 is not the first winner to run out of fuel. The Ford Falcon that won in 2002 ran dry and had to be refuelled, said Mr Butler.Meanwhile safety advocates have criticised the award because the BMW i3 only scores four stars out of five for safety according to European authorities.Even Wheels magazine admitted: “Like almost any car in production, it could be made a little safer.”However, in earlier awards, Wheels took safety so seriously that in the year 2000, Holden air-freighted a Barina from Europe to Australia because the magazine insisted all contenders have three-point, lap-sash seatbelts.Until Wheels introduced the rule, the Barina at the time had a lap-only belt in the middle back seat. It went on to win the 2001 award.The BMW i3 is the first car with a four-star safety rating to win the award in 10 years.“Questions have been raised about the i3’s four-star (rating),” said the magazine. “There’s no question, however, that the BMW i3 does a good job of protecting its occupants in a crash.”The BMW i3 has seven airbags but it was marked down for having a poor pedestrian safety rating.Last year, 151 pedestrians were killed on Australian roads, accounting for 13 per cent of the total road toll.The head of the Pedestrian Council of Australia Harold Scruby said: “It’s disappointing that such a prestigious award should not take pedestrian safety seriously. When we get out of a car, we’re all pedestrians.”

Car makers are embracing lifestyle hardware as the next step in connecting vehicles with the newest-generation drivers.At the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai displayed apps to remotely interact with the car.There's nothing new in that; car companies have been touting remote apps for years. The difference this year is the focus on linking those apps to "wearables" rather than smart phones (the band/watch is connected to the phone, which remains securely in owners's pocket or handbag).It's all about ease of access and for once car companies are surfing the leading wave of the tech swell, anticipating the arrival of the Apple Watch and the next-gen Android Wear devices will hasten adoption of Dick Tracy-style wristbands.BMW, the most ambitious, integrates some functionality in its i3 electric car, working with a Samsung smart watch and its iRemote software.The functions - from checking the battery level to remotely firing up the aircon - can be accessed using either the touchscreen or by voice recognition.BMW is also researching using the watch to lock and unlock the car's doors using gesture control.BMW says the application "can significantly enhance comfort and convenience not only in the private sphere but also when using the BMW car-sharing program DriveNow".Hyundai's take on how wearables might work includes handing over some of the driver assistance aids to the smartwatch. So it's the watch, rather than the steering wheel, that will vibrate when a driver leaves the lane or another car starts to veer into its space. Likewise, the smartwatch will monitor the user's heart rate and can then automatically stop the car and call emergency services if there are critical changes to the driver's pulse.To varying degrees all of the above systems are production ready, meaning they'll be appearing in vehicles in the near future. Meanwhile, watch this space.

Can the new BMW i3 change the way Australians embrace electric cars?The increase in fuel tax has sparked predictable radio chatter this week about the cost of motoring. Apart from ordinary families facing another belt in the budget, experts from all points of the compass talked about the future of fossil fuel and the hybrid and plug-in electric cars already on the road.One spoke of fuel cell cars that generate on-board electricity (but not of the hydrogen stations needed to keep them going).The reality is that electric cars, despite big talk by everyone up to global head of Nissan-Renault Carlos Ghosn, are struggling for traction across the world.So far this year, only 200 Australians have bought a battery car. We don't know how many are with ordinary motorists or government departments and councils.The big problems for battery cars are obvious: cost and 'range anxiety'. The price problem will never go away until governments are prepared to provide the sort of subsidies that have boosted sales in Europe and the US going back to the original Toyota Prius. The Australian list price for a Leaf is $39,990 - it's similar in size to the Pulsar you can buy for less than $20,000. The Holden Volt is $59,990.Range anxiety is the fear of running short of charge, even though Australians typically commute less than 100km daily.Both challenges came into sharp relief this week as I slid into the latest electric contender, the BMW i3. It's a brilliant car, despite four safety stars, trendy, efficient and drives well.BMW has an optional range-extender engine that lifts the distance between charges to 300km but there is still the problem of price - are people prepared to pay at least $63,900 for a future car that's here and now?

BMW's revolutionary i3 electric and plug-in hybrid models arrive in local showrooms on November 21.After opening the order books in April, BMW's carbon-bodied and electric-powered i3 will finally hit Australian roads on November 21.The i3 will be the first of BMW's new 'i' range of electric and hybrid vehicles to be available for Australian delivery, with the $299,000 i8 petrol-electric coupe not due for delivery until early 2015.Australian i3s will be available in either pure-electric or plug-in hybrid form, with the $63,900 i3 battery electric vehicle (BEV), or the i3 with petrol range extender (REX) for $69,900.Both versions are visually identical, aside for a second fuel-flap on the REX's right-front and 20mm wider 175-section rear tyres.The i3 BEV uses a 125kW/250Nm 'BMW eDrive' electric motor that powers the rear wheels via a single-speed automatic transmission.Charging the 360-volt lithium-ion battery pack takes 11 hours with a standard 10 amp power outlet, or six hours with the optional $1750 'i Wallbox Pure' charge point installed.Charge times drop further when using a ChargePoint public charge point however, taking three hours using an AC point, or as little as 30 minutes with one of the three ChargePoint DC Fast Charger stations currently in Australia.The i3 BEV carries an official range of 160km in 'Comfort' driving mode, which steps up to 200km in the 'Eco Pro+' mode.The i3 REX adds a 650cc two-cylinder petrol engine, which cuts in to charge the batteries when needed and extends the official range to 300km.The i3 REX carries an official combined fuel consumption of 0.6L/100km, with a 9.0-litre fuel tank.Like most electric vehicles, additional battery charge is also harvested from the i3's brakes. The slowing effect of the regenerative braking delivers a side benefit of reduced braking inputs 75 per cent, according to BMW. This should bode well for the lifespan of the i3's brake pads.The i3 uses a similar construction to the more upmarket i8, with a carbon fibre body structure wrapped in plastic external panels, riding on an aluminium chassis.This clever design helps the i3 BEV to tip the scales at just 1195kg, with the petrol hardware of the i3 REX adding 120kg.Both versions of the i3 come with a practical 250-litres of boot space, which expands to 1100-litres with the 50/50 rear seats folded flat. An additional 35-litre storage space is under the bonnet where the engine would normally be found.Standard safety features include six airbags, ABS, stability control, traction control, cruise control, rear-view camera, automated parking assist and front and rear parking sensors.Standard cabin features include wool and leather trim with eucalyptus woodgrain details, 10.3-inch multimedia display,5.5-inch driver instrument display single-zone climate control, auto-dimming mirrors, ISOFIX child seat mounts and 19-inch alloys.BMW's ConnectedDrive system also incorporates voice control, satnav with real-time traffic information, digital radio, Bluetooth, embedded apps and emergency calling.A $2,200 'Driving Assistant Plus' option pack is available, that adds lane departure warning, forward collision and pedestrian warning with autonomous emergency braking (AEB), active cruise control and tyre pressure monitoring.Also available as options are a 20-inch alloys ($1,000), sunroof ($2,920), LED headlights ($1,400), heated front seats ($730), rapid charge adapter ($1,000) and heat pump climate control system ($1,300).

BMW announces Australian pricing for hybrid supercar Crystal balls are always a bit murky — and gazing into them costs cash. Just how much depends on the reputation of the soothsayer and the gullibility of the client.BMW's vision is much more transparent and much easier to appreciate than the insights of the local clairvoyant. And it is BMW that will pay the price if its prognostication is wrong.Its electric/hybrid sub-brand — known as "i" — is a multibillion-dollar investment that amounts to a daring interpretation of the next generation of auto mobility.In the case of its i8 supercar — this week announced with a local price of $299,000 when it goes on sale in March next year — that amounts to a radically styled and constructed body powered by an electric motor pumping through the front axle and a turbocharged 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine engaging the rear. In electric mode, the i8 does 37km.Depending on operating mode (BMW's conventional Eco Pro, Eco and Sport), the motor, engine or both will provide motive power. And there's no shortage of that.BMW says the i8 will hit 100km/h in 4.4 seconds after the accelerator is depressed. That's on a par with a Porsche 911 Carrera S, which costs $243,000 in Australia.Where the Porsche wins is in outright driving dynamics — it eats corners, ferociously. Overseas test drives indicate the Beemer falls just short of those lofty marks but in BMW's defence it wasn't intended to.The maker has maintained the i8 is a "forward-looking and sustainably focused sports car" rather than a next-gen take on an outright track car, as with its performance M vehicles. It is also a saleable showcase of how BMW can electrify a tiny engine to act and perform close to the benchmark set by conventional Euro sports coupes.The hybrid drivetrain is wrapped in a carbon-fibre reinforced plastic and alloy body, replete with vertically opening "butterfly" doors, laser headlights and all the driving aids the Bavarian maker can cram into the computers.Given only a handful will end up in Australian garages, there's no reason to doubt the success of the i8, at least as a mobile "proof of concept". Viability will depend how fast BMW can make mass-market versions that fuse the technology and performance with what families expect.

THE Audi A3 small car -- which owes much of its DNA to the Volkswagen Golf -- has won the 2014 World Car of the Year, as voted by 69 jurors from 22 countries. The luxury hatch toppled the widely-tipped favourite, the Mazda3 from Japan, in the awards announced at the New York motor show today.The Audi A3 was among five German cars that took out a cleansweep of the 2014 World Car of the Year categories, and it was Audi’s second win in 10 years, having won the inaugural award. Indeed, German cars have won seven of the past 10 World Car of the Year awards, Japanese brands have won the remaining three.Accepting the award on behalf of the company, Audi's North America president Scott Keogh said: “The Audi A3 has only been on sale three weeks and already it’s off to a flying start.”Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi, said: “This major award win is an achievement that the whole company can celebrate.”The Audi A3 was among 24 finalists that included the BMW i3 electric car, which won the Green Car of the Year and the Car Design of the Year. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class was the Luxury Car of the Year while the Porsche 911 GT3 was awarded top performance car honours.But the Mazda3 had emerged as an early favourite for the outright World Car of the Year award following rave reviews globally since it went on sale late last year. The previous generation Mazda3 has been Australia’s top selling car for two of the past three years, and was the vehicle that ended the Holden Commodore’s record 15-years as the market leader, in 2011.The Mazda3 is returned to the top of the sales charts so far this year -- after being overtaken by the Toyota Corolla in 2013 -- and is likely to take out top-seller status this year buoyed by the new model which went on sale in January.World car of the year winners2014 – Audi A32013 -- Volkswagen Golf Mk72012 -- Volkswagen Up2011 -- Nissan Leaf2010 -- Volkswagen Polo2009 -- Volkswagen Golf Mk62008 -- Mazda22007 -- Lexus LS4602006 -- BMW 3 Series2005 -- Audi A62014 World Car of The Year category winnersGreen car of the Year -- BMW i3 electric carCar Design of the Year -- BMW i3 electric carPerformance Car of the Year -- Porsche 911 GT3Luxury Car of the Year – Mercedes-Benz S-ClassThis reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling