The new BMW 1 Series will go on sale in September priced from £15,690 to £20,800
Helmut Panke, chairman of the BMW board of management, says the carmaker will achieve record sales and earnings this year
Although still the blue chip choice for luxury saloon buyers, the Mercedes-Benz S-class is now the oldest car in the segment. BMW, Audi, Jaguar and even VW have all launched high-tech, high quality rivals within the past three years, and in Britain it faces tough competition from Range Rover
BMW has reported a 2.5% increase in its first quarter pre-tax profits to €851m (£575.5m) and said it was on course to produce record results in 2004
Definition of executive express
Diesel vs petrol – which 5-series is best?
BMW has teamed up with Manheim Auctions to roll out a series of online auctions to its 150-strong franchise network, enabling dealers to purchase used cars online
BMW has outpaced rival Mercedes-Benz with a higher-than-expected 14.5% increase in second quarter profits and by reconfirming its forecast of record earnings for the full year.
The Government is determined not to make the same mistakes again. In 1998, when then BMW boss Bernd Pischetsrieder dropped the bombshell at the British motor show that he would close subsidiary Rover's Longbridge plant unless it made huge cost savings and efficiency gains, MPs were caught completely cold.
Lost franchises, notably two BMW outlets, and large investment in new premises are blamed for a massive slump in pre-tax profits at premium retail group William Jacks.
So why has BMW released details of its all-new 1-series – and even allowed a selected few journalists to drive it – months before the car's official release?
BMW, the German premium carmaker, is expecting record new car sales and profits this year driven by the introduction of new models and strong registrations for Mini.
BMW Group group's profit from ordinary activities, at €3,205 million, was 2.8% below the record level of 2002. Net profit for 2003 was €1,947 million, 3.6% down from 2002.
German trade paper Autohaus reports that some manufacturers, including BMW, Audi and VW have ceased to offer manufacturer warranties following changes to German product liability law.
In the closely fought compact executive market, one model stands out from the rest: the BMW 3-series.
Two UK dealer master technicians have won the BMW international service technician competition. Nearly 6,300 technicians from the German carmaker's dealerships from 33 countries competed to gain a place in the finals in Munich.
BMW has reportedly pulled forward the launch of its much anticipated 1-series in order to keep pressure on VW's slow selling Golf, according to rumours swirling through Munich.
Williams Liverpool, one of the UK's biggest BMW dealerships, is to open a new aftersales department as part of a £2.3m expansion project on the former Tate & Lyle sugar refinery site it occupies.
BMW Group says ideas from employees at the Oxford MINI assembly plant have saved £10.5 million in the past two years implementing BMW's Continuous Improvement Process.
Ford retailers received a boost this week after a leading used car guide revealed three of its best selling models had firm residual values. CAP Black Book rates the Focus, Mondeo and Fiesta – all permanent fixtures in the list of top sellers – as strong used car performers.