BMW Group talks trade with Trump administration, claims status as ‘largest vehicle exporter from the US’

Photo: BMW PressClub USA.

Who is the largest exporter of motor vehicles from the U.S.?

In a statement issued yesterday after joining other German automakers for “a constructive working meeting” with Trump administration officials, the BMW Group said that their company is “is the largest vehicle exporter from the US in terms of value.”

It’s a little late to announce back-to-school specials, but for a college kid with around $20K to spend, the 2019 MINI Oxford Edition is a pretty cool idea

Photo: BMW Group Press Club.

Cars that are relatively inexpensive when new but still offer some level of an enthusiast-oriented driving experience aren’t exactly plentiful on the market these days.

And now that the industry—in the U.S., at least—seems to think everyone wants a crossover, “cheap sports cars” might become even harder to come by.

But there are a few around, like the Toyota 86 / Subaru BRZ twins and, of course, the Mazda MX-5 Miata.

And then there is MINI.

Does size matter when it comes to safety? MINI Hardtop 2 Door bags IIHS safety award for criteria that include ‘nearly avoiding’ a collision, BMW Group says.

Photo: BMW Group media website.

When it comes to factors that affect crashworthiness as well as lighting and driver assist technologies, size might not matter so much. The 2019 MINI Hardtop 2-Door, which weighs in at 2,690 pounds with automatic transmission and sports a wheelbase of 98.2 inches, just brought home a 2018 Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

BMW launches wireless plug-in hybrid charging for German market, with other regions soon to follow.

Photo: BMW Group PressClub Global.

The BMW Group announced today that a touchless charging station is now available as a lease option in Germany for the BMW 530e iPerformance plug-in hybrid. According to BMW, the launch in Germany will be followed by offerings in the UK, the US, Japan and China.

A Mini Cooper cop car? Yes, it really is a thing.

Photo: BMW Group media website.

Somehow, it's hard to imagine this working in the United States. Picture, for example, a big ol' diesel-smoking Ford F-250 Super Duty speeding along some highway in a semi-rural area. Then picture a vehicle that, relatively speaking, might as well be a go-cart with blue lights on top trying to pull it over. It doesn't quite seem to fit, does it?

BMW Group set to debut new 8 Series coupe at Le Mans

Photo: BMW media website.

The highways may be awash with crossovers, but luxury sports coupes are alive and well at the BMW Group, with the debut of the new BMW 8 Series Coupe set for Le Mans on June 15, the eve of the 2018 edition of the legendary 24-hour long-distance race.