BMW News In Brief - Warranty Goes Unlimited

Warranty goes unlimited BMW will improve its warranty terms for all new cars registered in the UK from 1 November 2001. The mileage limit of 60,000 miles over the generous three year cover of the warranty has now been dropped to allow unlimited mileage over the same period.

At the same time the paint warranty has been extended from 12 months to 24 months unlimited mileage and now all parts will carry 24 month unlimited cover too. The six-year unlimited mileage corrosion warranty remains unchanged.

"This extension of our warranty terms is a reflection of the confidence we have in the quality of our products," said BMW Great Britain's aftersales director, Steve Nash. "Now we can give our customers complete peace of mind over the first three years of ownership, however many miles they do."

Parts prices tumble

BMW has reduced the retail prices of 22,000 parts in the UK with effect from 1 November. The average price reduction is 9.9 per cent and equates to a customer benefit of around £4 million per year.

"This action is part of our on-going quest to reduce the cost of owning a BMW. The savings apply both to older and more recent models but are particularly valuable for owners of older cars who will now be able to maintain their BMW in perfect condition even more inexpensively", explained Steve Nash, BMW Great Britain's aftersales director.

£310 million investment at Regensberg

This week, BMW AG has announced a 500 million Euros (£310 million) investment in its Regensberg plant in Germany over the next six years. Expansion in the press shop, body shop, paint shop and final assembly areas will boost production capacity from 180,000 to 240,000 annually. The new BMW 1 Series will begin production at Regensberg in 2004, joining the 3 Series Saloon, Coupé , Touring and Convertible models.

This is the first part of BMWs announced intention to invest 16 billion Euros (£10 billion) over the next six years in its fixed assets.

X3 production contract signed

Also this week, BMW AG has signed a cooperation agreement with Austrian company Magna Steyr, covering the development and production of the new BMW X3 Sports Activity Vehicle. BMW will retain sole responsibility for the vehicle's design, engine construction and purchasing.

Magna Steyr will build a new assembly facility and extend the paint shop and body shop facilities at its production site in Graz, Austria to build up to 300 X3s per day - creating 2500 new jobs. Production is due to start in 2004.

Professor Joachim Milberg, chairman of the board of management of BMW AG, said, "Our cooperation with Magna Steyr increases the speed and flexibility of our company and is a significant milestone in the implementation or our new product offensive".

Slick price for F1 gearbox

Another pre-Christmas bonus for buyers of the new BMW M3 is a price reduction of £300 for the highly praised, Formula 1-derived sequential manual gearbox (SMGII). With immediate effect the price for this option will be £2,100.

BMW C1 Scooter of the Year ..... twice

The BMW C1 has been awarded 'Scooter of the Year 2001' in the up to 125cc category by readers of the German magazine "Roller Spezial and Scooter". This is the second year in succession that the C1 has received this award.