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BMW of North America has recalled almost 59,000 of its largest, most technologically advanced models for a fire risk issue. The fault relates to an air-conditioning wiring harness that could short-circuit in these models, increasing the risk of a fire. This is the second recall for a fire risk issued by BMW this month. Previously, 87,000 BMWs were recalled because of engine starters that could catch fire. The wiring harness recall is unrelated to that one and affects a different variety of model

The Electric 3 Series Taking Shape BMW’s electric 3 Series is finally taking shape. With its official design premiere set for March 18, the German marque has shared the first technical details of the i3 sedan – the second production model on the next-generation Neue Klasse platform. The i3 follows the iX3 crossover, but while the SUV gets the early spotlight, it’s the i3 that carries the real legacy. The 3 Series has always been BMW’s benchmark for sporty sedans, and now the i3 is set to bring t

From the Archives BMW North America has a whole treasure trove of classics we'd like to drive someday. From early pioneers such as the 2002 and E9 Coupes, to modern classics like the E39 M5. The company is currently running a YouTube series on these, featuring some of the many cars in the collection. The series stars Steve Saxty, the author of countless automotive books, including BMW by Design, and Tom Plucinsky, the head of BMW Classic North America, a legend within the company's halls, and an

From Model to Brand Icon There are very few cars that started off as humble models of a brand that would eventually become so iconic as to become the brand itself. Mini represents that status, having been a mainstay of motoring culture since the '60s. It gained fame as a symbol of practical motoring, but also because its simplicity and driving dynamics made it a capable race car, with multiple runs and wins at the Monte Carlo Rally. It was acquired by BMW back in the late '90s, and they decided

BMW Says No to Long-Wheelbase Cars in America BMW is drawing a clear line in the sand when it comes to long-wheelbase (LWB) vehicles: they’re not coming to the United States. According to an interview with BMW Blog, the decision is rooted in hard data, not brand philosophy or engineering limitations. Internal research shows that American buyers simply aren’t interested in stretched-wheelbase sedans or SUVs, even as those same models thrive in other parts of the world. BMW product chief Bernd Kör

A Sign of the Times Is the era of the simple car coming to an end, or is pushing the boundaries of software development the new normal? Either way, cars are relying more and more on programming, and there's no stopping that train whether we like it or not. BMW is well aware of this, to the point that BMW's development chief had declared that vehicle design is defined more by software than hardware. "In the past, platforms were largely defined by body styles and engine layouts. Today, digital fun

All Lit Up Illuminated grilles aren't exactly new. For those old enough to remember, the 1965 Chrysler 300L had something called the center-grille running light. It would take a while before we would see a lit-up grille bearing the now-defunct automaker Mercury, first on the Sable and later on the Villager minivan. Fast forward to the 2010s, and Mercedes-Benz began offering illuminated grille badges, eventually evolving into what we see today. BMW then took it to the next level by illuminating t

BMW's Electrified Range at the Moment While BMW started dabbling with electrification as far back as the '70s, the ball really started rolling in the 2010s with the original i3 and i8. While those models didn't exactly set the market alight, it didn't stop BMW from gradually adding hybrid vehicles to its range. It started with the ActiveHybrid versions of the 7 Series, 5 Series, and 3 Series, and eventually evolved to the 'e' plug-in hybrids we know today. Right now, nearly every BMW model has a

A Neue Way of Building BMWs It's not just the iX3 and i3 that are being built in a 'cleaner' way. In a bid to pursue its carbon-neutral targets, BMW will be applying its new production methods to other models as well. With that, we can expect more models to use recycled and secondary materials in their construction and to benefit from new, more efficient production methods. This is all part of BMW's commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement and its own goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions

BMW’s latest research suggests people aren't turning their backs on EVs just yet. With EV sales slowing in several major markets, and the brand preparing to roll out its new electric 3 Series, BMW commissioned Dutch research firm Kien Onderzoek to determine whether hesitation is also creeping into the company-car world. The findings show a surprising growing adoption, but with clear expectations. Of the 655 company car drivers surveyed, 60% of them would choose an EV to replace their current lea

A delayed recall fix can be highly frustrating, and the knowledge that you're driving around in a vehicle that could fail at any time is sobering, but for one couple, what might have been no more than an inconvenience turned tragic. According to a new lawsuit, a fire in the engine bay of a 2016 BMW X3 xDrive28i led to a couple's house catching fire, causing the death of their pets and injuries to themselves, which the husband never recovered from, reports CarComplaints.com. The widowed plaintiff

The Ring Hears Silence BMW recently released a video showing the all-electric M3 prototype lapping the Nürburgring in Germany while still wearing camouflage. The footage signals a new chapter for the M as it expands into high-performance EVs, while also reinforcing BMW’s long-standing partnership with the Nürburgring, where it serves as the circuit’s official vehicle partner. The video comes with a dramatic, heart-racing soundtrack, but it’s obvious the all-electric M3 (codenamed ZA0) isn’t deli

If you didn’t sit through the entire live reveal of the new BMW i3, you might have missed the fact that BMW teased something pretty special. The company will be making a new-generation 3 Series Touring—unlike the M3 Touring racing wagon revealed earlier this week, this will be a BMW wagon that's actually for sale. When even Volvo has abandoned the wagon segment, this is great news for longroof fans.  BMW Keeps The Wagon Alive https://www.youtube.com/live/98qr4Z26mbA?si=mR5kpGra9DwYGQnl&t=15

First of the Neue Klasse LCIs The Neue Klasse has been established, and the all-new iX3 ushered in a new era for BMW. The next-generation 3 Series will be the next to get a radical overhaul, but the rest of the range will get facelifted to get the same look. With that, expect the 7 Series, 5 Series, and X3 to get elements from BMW's new philosophy. Of the upcoming LCI models, the 7 Series will get the Neue Klasse look first. There have been spy shots of it for the past couple of months, and now,

Too Hard to Ignore So, this is the so-called 'timeline-wrecking' car that BMW teased a few days ago. While we were partially correct in calling it an M3 or M4, we didn't expect it to be a Touring, and it's a wild one, indeed. It's going to be BMW's entry in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring this year, and it'll fend off the likes of the Porsche 911 GT3 RS and Mercedes-AMG GT. The car started out as an April Fool's joke last year, but it's safe to say the public wanted it to be real. According to BMW,

BMW revealed three new models in Beijing this week. We’ve already seen the dramatic new 7 Series, but the company also showed off two China-only models: long-wheelbase versions of the BMW i3 and BMW iX3. China is unique in offering stretched examples of otherwise relatively compact models, satisfying that market’s desire for increased rear-seat comfort. Both models have stretched wheelbases to free up more space over the standard models, and the elongated body seems to have balanced the i3’s pro

BMW Reinventing the Dashboard For a good chunk of its history, BMW's dashboard layout was as straightforward as it got. Large and clear instrumentation, an orange glow, and a driver-oriented center stack. However, all of that changed at the turn of the millennium. It all started with the E65 7 Series that integrated an infotainment system into the cabin's design. Not long after that, several competitors followed, and it's almost impossible to find a car without some form of infotainment inside t

Station wagons have been completely eclipsed by crossovers and SUVs, which offer a more commanding driving position along with impressive cargo capacity, but according to BMW, American buyers couldn't care less about the practicality of a wagon, and the German automaker wants to offer more of them to U.S. customers. Speaking with CarBuzz, BMW's Senior VP of Brand and Product Management, Bernd Koerber, said that Americans are more interested in the way Munich's wagons look than how useful they ar

BMW is preparing a subtle but widespread branding update, with BMWBlog reporting the automaker will begin fitting a revised physical BMW roundel to all newly built vehicles starting in February. The change is not a full redesign, instead it is a refinement of the familiar badge meant to look cleaner and more modern as BMW transitions into its next design and technology era. What C

Like Toyota, BMW didn’t put all its eggs in the same basket when it came to electrifying its lineup. Despite being one of the pioneers of modern electrification, BMW approached it wisely, refusing to go all-in on battery electric vehicles. Through its “Power of Choice” strategic approach, BMW has given customers a broad choice of powertrains, including gas, plug-in hybrid and battery electric, often across a single platform. This has allowed it to navigate the EV downturn better than many of its

For several years now, the BMW X4 has been on life support. Since 2022, we've seen reports that the coupe-styled crossover will be killed off, but it's not going to disappear altogether. According to a reputable insider who shares their findings on the BimmerPost forum, the X4 will return, and an M variant is coming next year with more power than the 717-horsepower M5, but both it and the base crossover will be all-electric SUVs. As first reported by BMW Blog, the electric iX4 will enter product

Cultural Appropriation Some countries are more heavily influenced by culture and tradition than others, and brands often leverage this to promote products and drive profit. The automotive industry is one of the sectors that typically does this well, creating one-off or special-edition models to celebrate culture and tradition. February is a significant month for Chinese culture, as this is the time when they gear up and celebrate their version of the New Year, or as we know it, the Lunar New Yea

The BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class have long been two of the best luxury SUVs you can buy. In the U.S., they’ve consistently been best-sellers for the brands as they sit at a size and price point many American buyers find appealing. Often used as family vehicles, safety is a top priority when shopping for a X5 or GLE, but which one is safest? We’ve compared them based on the latest ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). While both 2026 models can be considered safe,

In January, the 2026 World Car of the Year awards finalists were announced, and now those finalists have been whittled down to the top three in each category, including overall World Car of the Year. For 2026, BMW and Hyundai are the top performers, with multiple mentions, but the finalists also include offerings from Mercedes-Benz, Lucid Motors, Volvo, Chevrolet, Kia, and Mazda. Two Chinese vehicles also make the final round, though neither is offered in the United States. Without any further a

With the reveals of the iX3 crossover and i3 sedan out of the way, BMW is now preparing to go up a size with the iX5, or electric X5. Thanks to new spy shots from the Autoblog photographers, we now know that the most powerful version, tipped to get the M70 badge (not M60 as previously assumed), will have new rubber from Michelin, rubber that isn't yet available, even on the quickest supercars. The sidewalls reveal that the tires are Pilot Sport S 6, the latest evolution of the road-going range,