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BMW expands Takata airbag recall nationwide, 140k 3 Series affected

Following the urging of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, BMW has expanded its recall of vehicles equipped with Takata airbag inflators to cover the entirety of the United States, rather than just high-humidity areas. That means there are about 140,000 owners of 2004 to 2006 model year BMW 3 Series coupes, convertibles, sedans and wagons (that means owners of both E46 and E90 3ers should take note). It's unclear if this recall includes the high-performance M3 Coupe and Convertible. With the expansion of its airbag recall, BMW joins Honda, Mazda, Ford and Fiat Chrysler in moving from a regional to a nationwide recall of vehicles equipped with Takata airbags. According to Reuters, BMW claims none of its vehicles have been subject to the potentially harmful airbag deployments.

BMW X4 M40i caught production-ready

It seems like BMW is pretty committed to this whole X4 thing. Aside from the current xDrive28i and xDrive35i, we've captured a round of spy photos showing what our spy shooters tell us is a more dynamic M40i model.
The higher-performance hunchback follows in the footsteps of BMW's other sub-M cars like the M235i. In fact, much like the high-po 2 Series, the M40i is expected to make use of a 3.0-liter, turbocharged six-cylinder, developing 365 to 375 horsepower.
Aside from that, the rest of the X4 M40i fits the brief of other near-M models, with a more aggressive body kit, larger wheels, firmer suspension and brawnier brakes. Expect some mild tweaks inside, too, including sportier seats and an M-specific steering wheel.

BMW 8 Series return signaled by a ton of new trademarks

There's an ebb and flow to rumors in the auto industry. We'll hear a rumor or report, then nothing for months, only for the story to pop back up again with a fresh head of steam. This time around, it's the BMW 8 Series, a car we haven't reported on since February, when we said it'd be back in 2020. Today's news is that BMW has filed trademark applications for a series of numbers related to the new model – 825, 830, 835, 850, 845, and 860 – along with an M850 and an M8. It was uncovered by AutoExpress, which adds additional depth to the story. Much like the 7 Series dukes it out with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class Sedan, the new 8er will take the fight to the S-Class Coupe. Even in Europe, where automakers like Mercedes offer a far wider array of powertrain options, the S-Class Coupe is only available in six-cylinder S400, eight-cylinder S500 (what we call the S550) and S63 AMG, and twelve-cylinder S65 AMG trims. If BMW uses all the numbers it's sitting on, the 8 would have a far broader spread of powertrain options, three of which – 825, 830, and 835 – could undercut even the base S400. But as AutoExpress explains, these trademarks obscure a bigger shift in how BMW will build and market its luxury coupes. Under the new strategy, BMW would move the 6 Series away from its role as a larger grand tourer, leaving space for the 8. The 6er would then be repositioned to challenge the Mercedes-AMG GT and Porsche 911. According to AE, BMW has been content to let the 911 do its thing, but the success of the AMG GT is forcing its hand. That means a lighter, hotter, and two-seater 6 Series. We like. Of course, 8 Series rumors have been floating around since the last one, the E31, went out of production. That means we'll continue to advise caution here, even though everything laid out by AutoExpress makes lots and lots of sense. Related Video: News Source: AutoExpressImage Credit: BMW Rumormill BMW Coupe Luxury Performance trademark bmw 8 series