The fact that the Z4 is so radical is important. The car it half replaces, the disappointing Z3, drew a withering storm of hairdresser jibes. The radical looks of the Z4 are BMW's way of telling us that this is going to be different: this car will be every bit as good to drive as it is demanding to look at.
A positive market reaction to the new MINI is the key factor in a 19 per cent rise in car sales in the first 10 months of 2002, BMW has reported. The Munich firm said it had sold 891,100 cars up to the end of October, compared with 750,300 the previous year, while sales in October alone rose nine per cent to 85,300.
The Honda Accord may lack the charisma to be a credible Audi A4 or BMW 3-series rival, but the well-built and good-driving Accord is great value for families.
Following the launch of the 7-series, which attracted criticism for its controversial design, BMW unveils the next car to reveal chief designer Chris Bangle's vision for the brand.
Pluto-barges are popping up like friends after a lottery win. What with BMW unleashing the dare-to-be-different 7-series with Valvetronic V8s and controversial I-Drive, and Mercedes revising the S-class - default choice of company directors and diplomats across the globe - with new engines, air suspension and a modest amount of body massaging, there's never been a better choice of limo.
Dealer networks could be downsized as leading carmakers tackle the changes that block exemption is heralding. Industry sources reveal major marques such as Audi, BMW and Mini will use the chance to issue new franchising contracts as a way of stripping out “rogue” retailers from their networks.
Who said the 21st century would be filled with small, anonymous, economical commuter cars? Within weeks of Volkswagen Group coyly announcing hand-built copies of the Queen's new Bentley state limousine could be ordered from Crewe, and as BMW puts the finishing touches on its huge new Rolls-Royce, DaimlerChrysler gave the media a preview of its all-new Maybach uber-luxury saloon in New York.
If buyers want an off-roader they should get a Land Rover. The BMW X5 satisfies a completely different set of requirements - image and style.
The Mini is not an average supermini - it comes with emotional weight and head-turning style as standard. It's a highly successful formula, with year to date sales for the Mini One, sportier Mini Cooper and quick Cooper S (launched in June) approaching 20,000 units.
Ten per cent of the 100-plus BMW Approved repairer network estimators who failed a tough certification test are having their training needs reassessed by their managers. All are expected to resit the examination, which is part of the Audatex Fast Track Certification course.
Volkswagen Group boss Bernd Pischetsrieder is no stranger to controversy. Just a few years ago, when he was running BMW, he stood up at the British International Motor Show and delivered a stinging criticism of Rover - just as the 75 saloon was being launched. Experts believe it effectively damaged sales.
BMW 5-series remains a top retail choice after six years in the showroom. Even 1996 cars look fresh, and they're now less than half the price of their newer counterparts - making as little as £10k for an average mileage 520i on 96P.
The Mercedes CLK and BMW 3-series coupe are far rarer than the saloons on which they're based, but they still attract a high level of interest from buyers. Cars with leather trim, climate control and metallic are most sought after.
Cheshire-based Blue Bell group has opened a state-of-the-art BMW approved bodyshop at Brooke Park, Handforth Dean. The new site can handle up to 100 cars a week, more than tripling the capacity when the facility was based at the group's nearby Wilmslow dealership.
Jaguar dealers will be denied the £30,000 F-type sportscar after the Coventry car-maker canned the model in favour of beefing-up its range of estates and diesels. The move will make the replacement for the XK8, due in autumn 2005, the earliest that Jaguar dealers will see a new sportscar capable of combating new models from BMW and Mercedes. The mid-engined two-seat F-type was aimed squarely at the Porsche Boxster and was due on sale in spring 2005.
The charismatic Alfa 156 is a stylish alternative to the Audi A4, BMW 3-series and Lexus IS200. A great deal less expensive, too. A 99S 1.8 TS with 42,000 miles is £8,500 privately.
BMW is to launch a Mini diesel variant in 2003 after securing a deal with Toyota to source between 10,000 to 20,000 engines a year. Toyota will supply the 1.4-litre D-4D unit used in the Yaris to the Mini plant at Oxford, where engineers will modify it for performance and fit. Production at the plant is likely to increase by 25 per cent, from 100,000 to 125,000 vehicles a year, to handle the new variant.
It hasn't taken long for the new Mini to become a common sight on British roads, the non-existent discounts from BMW outlets' bolt-on Mini dealerships backing up the they're selling every one they can lay their hands on.
Late 1990s Mercedes C-class and BMW 3-series saloons are highly regarded stepping stones to quality car ownership.
Mercedes-Benz is the second manufacturer to withdraw from this year's Birmingham motor show, although Chrysler, Jeep and Smart will be there. It joins BMW, which announced its decision last year. The company says it has decided to channel resources to other customer events during the year, including equestrian pursuits like the Blenheim horse trials.