The China-made BMW X1 was launched on the Chinese car market in March. Sales however are not very good because buyers find it too expensive. BMW is therefore working on a cheaper entry-level X1 that will be launched later this year. The X1 is made in China by the Brilliance-BMW joint venture.

Price of the current X1 range starts at 282.000 yuan, this cheaper version will start around 260.000 yuan. Cheaper indeed but buyers will loose a lot. As you can see the screen is gone, meaning the airco and radio/cd will be manually controlled. Furthermore, all the LED-light-thingies disappear, there will ne no leather and no wood. Worst thing is the engine and the gearbox: a 2.0 four-cylinder with only 150hp and 250nm, mated to a six-speed manual.

Well, this won’t work. The absence of a screen and automatic gearbox will make this BMW basically unsellable. Even the smallest Geely’s come with huge screens and sorta advanced 6-speed automatics these days! What is BMW thinking here? The X1 range is just too expensive, BMW better be happy with a smaller margin and make it cheaper quickly.

Via: Autohome.

The new BMW 3Li debuted at the Beijing Auto Show, the 3Li is stretched by 110mm in the middle for more space in the back, so the owner can be chauffeured around. It will available as 320Li, 328Li and 335Li when it hits the China car market in the second half of this year.

The 3Li is made in China by the Brilliance-BMW joint venture that also makes the stretched 5Li and the X1 SUV. The 3Li was designed by BMW in Germany. Rumors at the show said BMW is preparing more China-special cars, including a super-stretched 7-series.

Young journalist likes new BMW.

New spy shots from the BMW 5 Active Hybrid testing in China, it will ave its Chinese debut at the Beijing Auto Show next week and it will be listed on the China car market within this year. The 5 Active Hybrid, a very catchy name indeed, will be made locally by the Brilliance-BMW join venture from 2013, until then it will be imported from Germany.

The BMW 5 Active Hybrid, and that is the last time I write that bloody name, combines a BMW TwinPower Turbo six-in-line engine with an electric motor and an eight-speed automatic transmission. Total power is 340hp and 400nm, channeled to the rear wheels. Will Chinese car buyers buy it? Not many, the imported car will be too expensive and the market still seems not ready for hybrids, no matter from which brand.

Via: Autohome.

BMW has officially launched the BMW 3Li, an extended version of the regular 3-series that will debut at the Beijing Auto Show later this month. The 3Li is stretched by 110mm in the middle for more space in the back, so the owner can be chauffeured around. It will available as 320Li, 328Li and 335Li.

The BMW 3Li will be listed on the Chinese car market in June, it is made in China by the Brilliance-BMW joint venture that also makes the BMW 5Li and the BMW X1. BMW will not make the standard-wheelbase 3-series in China. Only competition comes from the Audi A4L, made in China by the FAW-Volkswagen joint venture. The Beijing-Benz C-class is only available with the standard wheelbase.

Flat screens pop out of the ceiling, fine for the executive’s neck.

Chinese executive cars need an ashtray, BMW forgot. The Audi A4L got one. Audi knows, they’ve been in China for ages, BMW only nine years.

Wood, chrome and leather; this China will like.

I hope that is light. I don’t see why they bother with the seat-belt in the middle, no executive will share his ride with two others.

Extra piece of chrome on the C-pillar. Chinese influence…

Via: Sohu.com.

New spy shots from the upcoming BMW 3Li which will debut at the Beijing Auto Show later this month. The 3Li is extended by 110mm compared to the standard 3-series for more space in the back, it is made in China by the Brilliance-BMW joint venture and will be listed on the Chinese car market in July.

BMW will not produce the standard-wheelbase 3-series in China but the very powerful and sporty versions, such as the 335i and M3, will be imported for sporty drivers. The 3Li is available as 320Li, 328Li and 335Li. Chinese car buyers can so choose between two different 335i′s.

The 3Li’s main task is to compete with the Audi A4L, a stretched Audi A4 made in China by the FAW-Volkswagen joint venture. Mercedes-Benz doesn’t make a stretched version of the locally made C-class but it seems they will have to now.

Via: Sohu.com.

The Brilliance-BMW joint venture plans to sell 150,000 BMW sedans in 2012, up 40% compared to 2011. Brilliance-BMW sold 108,190 BMW sedans in 2011, up 53,5%, outclassing China’s passenger car sales rise of 5.2%.

“I believe sales in China’s luxury car market should rise 15 to 20 percent this year as this segment is still small in China and more consumers are chasing for premium brands,” chairman Wu Xiaoan told reporters at a results briefing. “We will grow faster than the market.”

The Dadong facility will expand production capacity to 200,000 units by the end of 2012, to 160,000 until 2013, from the current 100,000. BMW-Brilliance has a second plant which had started production earlier this year, adding another 200,000 units by the end of 2013. Shenyang-based Brilliance declared a 43% rise in net profit to 1.8 billion yuan ($285.4 million).

China’s luxury segment is expected to rise 10% this year, after a slow down in 2011 due to Beijing scrapped tax incentives for small cars.

Via: InAutoNews.

German luxury carmaker BMW Group will recall 120,246 vehicles in China for repairs beginning May 10 due to potential problems with a battery-cable cover, China’s quality watchdog said on Tuesday.

The recalled vehicles include the BMW 3 and BMW 5 Series models made in China as well as those imported between 2003 and 2010, according to a statement on the website of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ).

BMW said the battery cable cover inside the boot of the vehicles may be incorrectly mounted and result in the electrical system malfunctioning, the vehicle failing to start and, in some cases, charring or fire.

The automaker said the flawed installation in the boot may pose safety risks.

BMW said its franchised dealers will contact customers for free upgrades, of the recall through mail or phone calls. Defective parts will be replaced free of charge.

BMW’s latest recall move came two months after the carmaker announced the recall of 3,406 Mini Cooper vehicles imported into China since February 1 due to defective electric water pumps.

Via: ChinaDaily.

The first pictures of the China only stretched BMW 3Li popped up in January. It was however unknown how much it was extended. Now we know: 110mm, wheelbase goes from standard 2810 to 2930, length from 4624 to 4736. Official designation for the 3Li is ‘F35′, it will debut at the Beijing Auto Show next month and is made in China by the Brilliance-BMW joint venture.

The 3Li’s main task is to compete with the Audi A4L, a stretched Audi A4 made in China by the FAW-Volkswagen joint venture. Mercedes-Benz doesn’t make a stretched version of the locally made C-class but it seems they will have to.

BMW will not produce the standard-wheelbase 3-series in China but the very powerful versions, such as the 335i and M3, will be imported for sporty drivers. The 3Li is available as 320Li, 328Li and 335Li. Chinese car buyers indeed can choose between two different 335′s.

Via: Autohome.

At a press conference surrounding the launch of the China-made BMW X1 Mr. Olaf Kastner, president and CEO of Brilliance-BMW, also said that the joint venture would launch a new sub-brand within this year. The sub-brand will focus on new energy vehicles.

Mr. Kastner did not reveal anything more. The first time we heard about this plan was in December last year, around the same time BMW announced they were planning to build a BMW 5-series hybrid and a BMW 5-series EV in China under the Brilliance-BMW joint venture. That plan seems off the table now, the greeniebeenies will go to the sub-brand. What cars exactly will be made is yet unsure.

Via: qq.com.

The BMW X1 was up until now imported into China which made it too expensive. This has changed today, the China-made BMW X1 has been listed and priced on the Chinese car market. It is made by the Brilliance-BMW joint venture that also makes the 3-series and 5-series. Price starts at 282.000 yuan and ends at 498.000 yuan. Engines: 18i, 20i and 28i.

The BMW X1 will be produced at the joint venture’s new ‘Shenyang West’ factory in Shenyang, the factory will also produce the new China-made 3-series that will debut at the Beijing Auto Show in April. The new factory will also produce the BMW ‘N20′ 2.0 turbo engine (20i) that delivers 135kw and 270nm. The engine will be used in the X1, 3-series and 5-series.

Via: Sohu.com.