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New VDO Door Lock Actuators for BMW

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Continental Commercial Vehicles Aftermarke
Vahrenwalder Strabe 9
Hanover, 30165
Germany

Press release date: February 1, 2012

– Coverage includes BMW M3, 128i, 318i, 330i and Z4 models from 1993 to 2012 -

Allentown, PA – Continental Commercial Vehicles Aftermarket, a leading aftermarket supplier of OE-engineered aftermarket parts for HVAC and engine cooling, door systems, brake systems, tire pressure monitoring systems, engine management, fuel systems and instrumentation, introduces door lock actuators (DLAs) for BMW vehicles. The added part numbers cover BMW M3, 128i, 318i, 330i and Z4 models from 1995 to 2012.

No longer just for passenger doors, actuators are found on tailgates, trunk lids and fuel tank doors. VDO actuators are OE-designed and validated to restore original function and fit exactly as the factory unit. They provide trouble-free installation and work the first time, every time. Every VDO actuator is made in ISO certified facilities with the same specs and quality standards as supplied to OEMs. All actuators come standard with original equipment electrical connections, and are competitively priced.

Four new actuator part numbers have been added to the VDO Door Lock Actuator product category, which continues to provide enhanced vehicle coverage for all makes of automobiles, light trucks and SUVs from 1977 to 2012. This VDO category now features over 130 SKUs (some with exclusive applications).

According to Dave Maclay, Product Manager, Actuators are standard equipment for multiple applications on most cars and light trucks, and the service requirements are steadily increasing. The new BMW actuators weve added are one example of how our VDO Door Systems Program gives aftermarket distributors and service shops a true competitive edge for capturing sales and service opportunities that were typically a car dealer exclusive.

For more information, visit: www.vdo.com/usa or contact: salessupport-us@vdo.com. With sales of Euros26 billion in 2010, Continental is among the leading automotive suppliers worldwide. As a supplier of brake systems, systems and components for powertrains and chassis, instrumentation, infotainment solutions, vehicle electronics, tires and technical elastomers, Continental contributes to enhanced driving safety and global climate protection. Continental is also a competent partner in networked automobile communication. Continental currently employs approximately 150,000 people in 46 countries.

The Automotive Group with its three divisions Chassis Safety (sales of approximately Euros5.8 billion in 2010, 30,000 employees), Powertrain (sales of approximately Euros4.7 billion in 2010, 27,000 employees) and Interior (sales of approximately Euros5.5 billion in 2010, 30,000 employees) achieved sales of approximately Euros16 billion in 2010. The Automotive Group is present in more than 170 locations worldwide. As a partner of the automotive and commercial vehicle industry, it develops and produces innovative products and systems for a modern automotive future, in which cars provide individual mobility and driving pleasure consistent with driving safety, environmental responsibility and cost-efficiency.

Within the Continental Interior Division the Commercial Vehicles Aftermarket Business Unit accommodates the specific requirements of the commercial vehicle, special vehicle and aftermarket sector. A global network of sales and service companies ensures proximity to local customers. Covering the product brands Continental, VDO, ATE and Barum the Business Unit offers electronic products, systems and services for commercial and special vehicles, a broad selection of products for specialized workshops and spare parts for the Independent Aftermarket and the Original Equipment Services after end of series production of the vehicle manufacturer.

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The BMW X1 began production in 2009. An updated version makes its debut at the 2012 New York auto show.

(Credit:
BMW)

A few years ago, BMW debuted a new, smaller SUV in Europe, suggesting it would also export the
car to the U.S. But the X1 never made it to our shores as demand for the car in its existing markets took up all of its production, and the dollar fell against the Euro.

BMW X1 (photos)

Click through for the full photo gallery and more details.

Those unfortunate circumstances seem to have changed enough, as BMW will now be showing off the X1 at the 2012 New York International Auto Show. Bringing it to a major U.S. show means one thing: the X1 will hit U.S. dealers as a 2013 model near the end of this year.

The X1 gets minor revisions for the 2013 model year, with other sites reporting turn signals integrated with the side mirrors. As the X1 has only been in production for a few years, it is not due for a major update, and already takes advantage of many newer BMW technologies.

BMW will only make one engine available in the U.S., its 2-liter four-cylinder with direct injection and a twin-scroll turbocharger. We drove a similar power train in the new BMW 328i recently, and found it more than adequate to motivate a smaller vehicle.

In the X1, which measures about 14.5 feet in length, the engine gets it to 62 mph in about 6.3 seconds. Fuel economy should be a little lower than that of the 328i, probably averaging in the mid- to high 20s.

We will get more details on the U.S.-bound X1 during our coverage of the New York auto show on April 4 and 5.

We still aren’t sure whether it will have a downsized bi/tri turbo V6 when the next generation of the high performance 3-series officially debuts, but as this video indicates—equipped with a V8 or not—the F80 M3 will still be quite fast.

According to GTspirit.com, this prototype was spotted on the German Autobahn in the vicinity of Braunschweig. Although this video was shot from the interior of a tuned BMW 1M with more than 420 horsepower, it certainly looks to us like keeping up with the new M3 at triple digit speeds was no small task.

The F80 M3 is expected to hit showrooms in the summer of 2013 as a 2014 model. Even if the engine is “downsized” we feel pretty safe guessing it will be more powerful than the 420 horsepower the current high revving V8 has to offer.

Sure the idea of a non inline six cylinder engine is a little weird, especially to vintage BMW lovers like ourselves. However, if the F80 M3 is truly a more powerful and improved version of the already excellent current model we’re guessing one turn behind the wheel is all it will take to make our nostalgic reservations a thing of the past.

While there was a collective sigh of relief over the proposed tax on diesel vehicles not being implemented, there was also some harsh news for the auto makers with hike in excise duty. Now it has been reported that the prices of smaller cars such as Maruti Alto, Swift, Hyundai i10 i20 and Tata Indica are set to increase between a range of Rs 4,000 to Rs 20,000 depending on the variants from Friday midnight.

The reports stated that while bigger cars like Honda City or the Toyota Camry as well as the expensive sports utility vehicle like the BMW X1 or the Audi Q5 can go up by about Rs 35,000 to Rs 2 lakh. The government has increased more taxes on bigger vehicles taking the effective excise duty to around 27 percent.

It was also mentioned that expensive executive cars like the BMW 7 Series or the Mercedes S Class would see an effective hike of around Rs 4 lakh depending on the variants customers choose to buy. Fully imported vehicles with a landed price of $40,000 would see a substantial hike. Basic duties on such vehicles has been hiked to 75 percent from the current 60 percent that would translate into a basic hike of Rs 3,00,000 onwards, according to reports.

BMW Team RLL secures third and sixth place on the ALMS GT grid.

Sebring, 16th March 2012. BMW Team RLL completed the first qualifying session of the
2012 American Le Mans Series (ALMS) in Sebring (US) today. Joey Hand (US), at the
wheel of the no. 56 BMW M3 GT, set the third-fastest time of 1:59.776 minutes in the
ALMS GT category. Jörg Müller (DE) came sixth in the number 155 car. Pole position in
the ALMS GT field went to Chevrolet’s Jan Magnussen(DK) in a time of 1:58.996 minutes.

Photo by: Richard Sloop

The new seasons for both the ALMS and the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC)
get underway at the “Sebring International Raceway” this weekend. In total, 64 cars will
line up at the iconic circuit in Florida.

When the 60th staging of the 12 Hours of Sebring gets underway at 10:30hrs local time
(14:30 GMT) on Saturday, the two reigning GT champions, Joey Hand and Dirk Müller
(DE), will share the cockpit of their BMW M3 GT with Jonathan Summerton (US). Bill
Auberlen (US) and Uwe Alzen (DE) will be in action alongside Jörg Müller in the sister
car.

Bobby Rahal (Team Principal):
“The front-runners might be a few tenths ahead of us. However, qualifying is one thing, but
the race will be a completely different ballgame. It’s tomorrow that it counts. We will try to
stay out of trouble, make no mistakes at the pit stops and put in consistent lap times. And
then we will have to wait and see how the race develops.”

Joey Hand (BMW M3 GT – No. 56):
“I love qualifying the car and the bit of extra tension that comes along with it. Overall I was
really happy with the car. The Dunlop tyres worked very well. For the first time our rivals
showed their full potential, so there’s quite a lot of work ahead of us. However, in
tomorrow’s race it will be all about consistency. And in this respect I know just how strong
our team is. The race will definitely be a completely different affair.”

Jörg Müller (BMW M3 GT – No. 155):
“This wasn’t a perfect qualifying for me, but we all know that grid positions are not too
important in a 12-hour race. Our plan was to set our fastest time on lap three or four. The
Dunlop tyres got better and better, but towards the end our tyre pressure wasn’t 100 per
cent right, although I had been convinced that our strategy had been the right one. But
unfortunately this wasn’t the case. Nevertheless, I think that we will be able to raise our
game in tomorrow’s race.”

By Charles Ty on Mar 14, 2012 in Basketball, Sports, United States, World • No comments

While most college basketball fans have their eyes on the NCAA Tournament right now, a few are on the National Invitation Tournament or NIT.

ESPNU unveiled the 2012 NIT bracket last March 11, 2012 listing the 32 NCAA Division I basketball teams who did not make it into the 2012 NCAA Tournament, as reported by various international sites. This marks the 75th anniversary of the NIT for men’s college basketball.

Based on the 2012 printable NIT bracket provided by ESPN.com, among the top seeds in the NIT this year will be Washington, Tennessee, Seton Hall and Arizona.

There will be 16 games during the First Round which will be held on March 13 and 14. Winning teams will then advance to the Second Round with eight games to be held on March 15 to 16. It will then be halved on the Quarterfinals with only four games which will be held on March 20 and 21. All 28 games will be played on the home court of the higher-seeded team except No. 7 seed Iowa hosts No. 2 seed Dayton since Dayton is the host of the NCAA First Four and cannot host a first-round NIT game.

The NIT battle will continue to Semifinals on March 27 and finally the Championship game on March 29.  Both games will be played at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Below is the 2012 NIT printable bracket as provided by ESPN.com.

2012 NIT Bracket (Click Image To Enlarge)
Image Credit: ESPN/ NIT, L.L.C

Tags: 2012 NIT Bracket, Bracketology, National Invitational Tournament, NIT

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The E-POSTBRIEF BMW M3 DTM made its debut at the DTM test sessions in Estoril (PT). The car took to the track in the characteristic yellow of Deutsche Post AG for the first time. Dirk Werner (DE) of BMW Team Schnitzer will be behind the wheel of this car in the 2012 DTM. Deutsche Post AG is supporting BMW’s return to the DTM as “Premium Partner BMW Motorsport”.

Photo by: Adriano Manocchia

“Deutsche Post AG is closely associated with the DTM as a long-term partner,” says BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt. “It is fantastic that one of the six BMW M3 DTM cars will race in the E-POSTBRIEF design in 2012, and that the company is able to join our team as Premium Partner. As a German driver, Dirk Werner is the perfect man for our E-POSTBRIEF BMW M3 DTM.”

“I really like the design of the car,” said Werner. “The E-POSTBRIEF BMW M3 DTM is a real eye-catcher, and that is always a positive thing in motor racing. That way, the opposition always know immediately who they are dealing with. The E-POSTBRIEF is a fascinating product, which I have already used myself. It is the modern way of posting letters.”

As a German driver, Dirk Werner is the perfect man

Jens Marquardt

Ingo Bohlken, Chief Marketing Officer BRIEF Deutsche Post AG, said: “The DTM and BMW Motorsport are very well suited to Deutsche Post AG. Speed, dynamic, innovation and teamwork play a major role for both parties. The DTM thrills its fans race after race. The return of BMW looks like making it even more exciting than it has been in recent years. We are looking forward to cooperating with BMW Motorsport and Dirk Werner, who will drive the E-POSTBRIEF BMW M3 DTM.”

Around two years after the launch of its last new car model, Hindustan Motors has launched the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport SUV in India at Rs 23.53 lakh.

The four-wheel drive offroader is powered by a 2.5-litre diesel engine putting out 178 PS of power. In terms of price, it competes with the Toyota Fortuner, Ford Endeavor, Chevrolet Captiva, Hyundai Santa Fe and the smaller BMW X1.

Kolkata-based HM assembles and markets Mitsubishi car models such as the Lancer, Cedia and Outlander in India.

roudra.b@thehindu.co.in

BMW Team RLL kicks off the 2012 ALMS season in Sebring.

Munich, 12th March 2012. BMW Team RLL launches the defence of its titles in the GT
class of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) at the 12 Hours of Sebring (US) this
Saturday. The “Sebring International Raceway” is the oldest circuit in North America and
this year hosts the spectacular endurance race for the 60th time.

This is not the only important anniversary this year: BMW M is celebrating its 40th birthday
in 2012. A BMW M3 has triumphed in the GT class at Sebring on three occasions – 1997,
1998 and 2011. BMW also has two overall victories to its name. In 1975 the BMW 3.0
CSL won in Florida, while the BMW V12 LMR prototype crossed the line first after 12
hours in 1999.

Joey Hand (US) and Dirk Müller (DE) return to the ALMS as reigning GT champions. This
year they will once again alternate behind the wheel of the no. 56 BMW M3 GT. Twenty
three-year-old Jonathan Summerton (US) will join them as the third driver in Sebring, and
will also line up at a further three races over the course of the season.

We will be the team to beat,…

Jens Marquardt

The no. 55 BMW M3 GT, which finished runner-up in Sebring last season, will be driven
by Bill Auberlen (US) and Jörg Müller (DE). Auberlen has finished third in the Drivers’
Championship for the last two seasons. Jörg Müller is contesting his first ALMS season
since 2001, when he won the GT title in the BMW M3 GTR. BMW Team RLL has called
on the services of another old hand as this car’s third driver, in the form of Uwe Alzen
(DE). The German is also due to start at the “Petit Le Mans” in Road Atlanta (US).

Jens Marquardt (BMW Motorsport Director):

“This weekend BMW Team RLL gets down to business in the American Le Mans Series
for the first time since it won its titles in 2011. Everyone has worked hard through the
winter to ensure that we remain successful with the BMW M3 GT this season. We will be
the team to beat, but we are ready for that challenge. I am delighted that we will once again
be represented by such an experienced and impressive team of drivers. Everything is in
place for us to enjoy another strong year. Now we are all excited to see how the balance of
power pans out in Sebring.”

Bobby Rahal (Team Principal):

“We’ve made a number of changes this season. Although not as outwardly obvious as in
previous years, we have continued to develop the BMW M3 GT for this season. For 2012,
most of the improvements are under the skin to take advantage of some of the new tyres
that Dunlop has developed. As we’ve done in every season, the driver line-up has been
modified with Jörg Müller replacing Dirk Werner for the season. We’ve also added Uwe
Alzen as a third driver at both Sebring and Petit. I’m also excited to add Jonathan
Summerton for four races to substitute for Joey. Along with my son Graham, Jonathan was
one of the first six Formula BMW USA scholarship winners in 2004. I believe Jonathan
will do a good job for us. Anchoring the line-up will, of course, be Bill Auberlen and Dirk
Müller.”

Photo by: Eric Gilbert

Bill Auberlen (BMW M3 GT – No. 55):

“I can’t wait for Sebring. I am looking forward to co-driving with Jörg Müller this year and
have my fingers crossed that we find success together. The competition is going to be
brutal, but we know our cars very well and the team which will work to find every
advantage.”

Jörg Müller (BMW M3 GT – No. 55):

“I have great memories of Sebring. I won there with the BMW V12 LMR in 1999, then
won the GT class two years later with the BMW M3 GTR. The season kicks off with a real
highlight at Sebring. I always feel very at home in America. Bill Auberlen, Uwe Alzen and
I have experienced a lot in motor racing, and our wealth of experience will stand us in good
stead.”

Uwe Alzen (BMW M3 GT – No. 55):

“What could be better than to start the season in sunny Florida, and at a fantastic event like
the 12 Hours of Sebring. This circuit is a law unto itself. It covers a long distance, and we
have to contend with the prototypes, so it will not be an easy race. I spend a lot of time in
Florida every year, so this is something of a home race for me.”

I appreciate the opportunity BMW has given me.

Jonathan Summerton

Joey Hand (BMW M3 GT – No. 56):

“I am more than ready for Sebring this year as I’ve spent more time testing than ever
before. We have tested the ALMS M3 GT twice at Sebring already and I have only recently
returned from the test in the BMW M3 DTM in Portugal. Added to that was a week of
physical training in Italy. I would love to get the ALMS season started like we did last year
with a 1-2 finish. Momentum is important in racing and there is no reason why BMW Team
RLL can’t keep our championship form rolling on this year.”

Dirk Müller (BMW M3 GT – No. 56):

is highly motivated to defend the titles we won last year. The preparations have been
excellent and I am very optimistic that we will have another successful season. It certainly
won’t be easy, but we are well prepared. It feels great to be the team to beat again.”

Jonathan Summerton (BMW M3 GT – No. 56):

“I appreciate the opportunity BMW has given me and will do everything I can to support
the BMW Team RLL programme at Sebring. I have had two productive tests with the team
and feel ready for my first sports car endurance race.”

The German luxury car maker BMW which has reported record profits in 2011 is looking to continue its growth momentum well into 2012. According to reports, Brilliance BMW’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing Daniel Kirchert reportedly confirmed that the joint venture’s new production site will begin operation in the second quarter of the year, with production of the new 3 Series commencing by the end of the year.

It was mentioned that Dr. Kirchert as saying “Several people participating in BMW Mission 3 have transformed from being simply interested in the brand to loyal BMW fans. They are passionate about our brand. This kind of experiment not only tested the BMW brand, but also the team spirit that comes when competing with others. The atmosphere was very good. Events like BMW Mission 3 can only be done on a person-to-person basis; there is no substitute for that.” He also stated that the new factory will open for business in the second quarter. He mentioned “We have already begun producing the BMW X1. The technology at the Tiexi production site is the world’s most cutting-edge, most modern and most environmentally friendly.”

Finally he stated “Brilliance BMW has previously told us that they want us to promote our own brand. Within in the year we will share more detailed information about this brand with everyone, we’re sure they won’t have to wait too long.”