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BMW names new chief for Mini

Mini is still transitioning models over to its new platform, and in the US market at least, the diminutive brand is dealing with a sales decrease of 15.6 percent in 2014. The low gas prices aren't helping either. But as of March 1, there's a new boss running the company across the world as Sebastian Mackensen (right) is promoted to the top spot from his current role as head of sales. Mackensen has been with Mini since October 2013, and according to Automotive News, before that he headed North and South American sales for Audi. Current brand boss, Jochen Goller is staying with BMW family and moving to China to take over as marketing chief for the BMW Brilliance joint venture. He had been the leader at Mini since 2013. Among several other personnel shifts, the BMW brand is also promoting Uwe Dreher to be its new head of marketing. He is currently in charge of those duties for the company in the Great Britain region. Personnel changes at MINI and BMW Group sales Munich . From 1 March 2015, Peter van Binsbergen will be Senior Vice-President, Sales and Marketing of BMW Group Germany. The 47-year-old mechanical engineer is currently Head of Sales and Marketing at the BMW Brilliance Joint Venture based in China. Mr van Binsbergen's career with the BMW Group began over 20 years ago when he assumed senior positions responsible for product planning, marketing and sales at BMW South Africa. He then moved to BMW Japan, where he was Director of Marketing, followed by a move to BMW Group headquarters in Munich, where he led the department responsible for sales channel development and the Group's "Future Retail" programme. Jochen Goller will move to China where he will take over an extended role with overall responsibility for Sales and Marketing at the BMW Brilliance Joint Venture in China. Mr Goller (48), who has headed up the MINI brand since 2013, already has experience when it comes to the Chinese market. During his 15-year career with the BMW Group, he was previously Head of Marketing at BMW China before returning to Europe, where he first took over responsibility for the MINI brand in Great Britain and Ireland ahead of moving to his current job. From 1 March 2015, Sebastian Mackensen will take on responsibility for the MINI brand. Mr Mackensen (43) joined the BMW Group in October 2013 as Head of MINI Sales.

BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe caught without cladding

Like it or not, the majority of BMW 3 Series variants are on their way out, and the 4 Series models are hotly embroiled in the testing needed to replace them. We've now driven the basic 4 Series, seen spy photographs of the 4 Series Convertible and both versions of the M4 and today we get a better-than-ever look at the 4 Series Gran Coupe.
And, mostly dependent on your personal disposition towards four-dour coupes, that look should be a pleasant thing. The long, swooping Gran Coupe may be roughly similar in size to the related 3 Series GT, but it has been sculpted with beauty in mind rather than crossover function. We expect that those details still hidden by the body cladding here, mostly front and rear, can be filled in by simply remembering what the standard 4 Series looks like and squinting your eyes a bit. Subtlety is thy name, BMW variants.
As for the mechanicals, well, we expect to have the very same greasy bits under the hood and beneath the car that are found in the 4 Series lineup, too.

Experience the 2016 Quail Motorsports Gathering in glorious technicolor beauty

If you want to properly experience all of the best that Monterey Car Week has to offer, you're going to want to head to the Quail Lodge and Golf Club on the Friday before The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Showcasing everything from classic roadsters to modern hypercars and everything in between, The Quail has something to offer pretty much everyone. But The Quail is an extremely exclusive event, and it's not always easy to get tickets. Our high-res gallery of 54 images may be the next best thing. This year, the BMWs of all vintages were front and center in celebration of the German brand's 100-year anniversary. But that's not all. You'll see an impressive collection of Lamborghini Miura coupes in our gallery, all brought to The Quail to celebrate that car's 50th anniversary. Pre-war race cars, post-war sportscars, motorcycles old and new... there was a lot to take in at The Quail in 2016. We did our best to capture the event in images, and we hope you enjoy scrolling through. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2016 Quail Motorsports Gathering View 54 Photos Image Credit: Copyright 2016 Drew Phillips / Autoblog Design/Style Motorsports Misc. Auto Shows BMW Lamborghini Automotive History Convertible Coupe Wagon Concept Cars Luxury Racing Vehicles Special and Limited Editions Performance Supercars Classics Sedan Pebble Beach