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Environmental group accuses BMW, JLR of link to deforestation in Paraguay

ASUNCION, Paraguay — Environmental group Earthsight said on Wednesday it has linked some of Europe's largest carmakers to the deforestation of the Chaco, a dry forest region of Paraguay home to jaguars and one of the last uncontacted indigenous groups in the world. The group said in a report that livestock companies have illegally logged lands of the Ayoreo Totobiegosode indigenous ethnic group, some of whose members live in voluntary isolation. The livestock skin is used in leather upholstery of luxury vehicles sold by high-end European auto brands including BMW, Jaguar and Land Rover, the group said. UK-based Earthsight said it had made covert visits to tanneries that bragged about supplying the raw material to the luxury car brands. "BMW is using hides sourced from two slaughterhouses processing cows from ranches responsible for illegal [logging] in the Ayoreo Totobiegosode's forests. Jaguar Land Rover didn't dispute sourcing from a Paraguayan tannery that processes hides from another slaughterhouse doing the same," the report said. Jaguar Land Rover said in a statement to Reuters it had found no evidence to verify Earthsight's claims. It said its European suppliers assured sustainability. "We continue  our drive for further transparency and, in this case, the leather supplier in Europe verifies with each raw material supplier that no rural property that directly supplies it is involved in illegal deforestation," the automaker said. BMW did not respond to a request for comment on the Earthsight investigation. Paraguay exports about 50,000 tons of wet-blue leather (tanned, but not dried, dyed or finished) a year, and almost two-thirds of those shipments are bound for Europe, according to the report. Automakers say that leather is a byproduct of the far larger meat industry and high-end cars constitute a comparatively small market niche. But indigenous leaders say deforestation driven by growth in beef and leather exports is encroaching on their territory and destroying their way of life. "As deforestation advances with extensive cattle ranching, they are being imprisoned, they are disappearing," Taguide Picanerai, a spokesman for the Ayoreo community in the Alto Paraguay department, northwest of Asuncion, told Reuters. The region is home to some of the world's highest rates of deforestation, Earthsight said.   Green BMW Jaguar Land Rover

2016 BMW X1 packs more into its little footprint

BMW is rolling out the second-generation of its X1 crossover, promising a roomier interior, greater efficiency and more technology in a compact form. The 2016 BMW X1 clearly embodies more dynamic styling than the model it replaces, with a more upright form punctuated by a higher seating position as compared to its low-slung predecessor. Inside you'll find a fully redesigned cabin space with more room for both people and cargo, and a long list of features. A 6.5-inch dashboard display comes standard along with a seven-speaker audio system and cloth seats, but buyers can upgrade to an 8.8-inch monitor, a 12-speaker Harman Kardon system, and a number of leather upholstery options. Upgrade to the Premium Package and you get a larger panoramic moonroof than that offered on the outgoing model, along with adaptive LED headlights and a head-up display. The Drive Assistance Plus package throws in features like lane departure, automatic high-beams, frontal collision warning, pedestrian detection, active cruise control, and park assist. There'll be an M Sport package available later as well, offering sports seats, paddle shifters, and a retuned suspension. Though BMW will surely be offering an array of engine options in other markets, for the US it's offering the new X1 exclusively in xDrive28i spec. Its 2.0-liter turbo four drives 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque through an eight-speed automatic transmission to all four wheels for a 0-60 time of 6.3 seconds. That ought to help the Bavarian automaker move even more than the nearly 62,000 units of the X1 it's sold since its introduction here in 2012. Pricing for the new version of BMW's littlest crossover will be released closer to its arrival in showrooms in the Fall, but you don't need to wait that long to delve into the full details in the press release below and the high-resolution images in the gallery above. The All-New BMW X1: - Greatest interior roominess and versatility in its class - Highest power with reduced emissions - Commanding presence, robust proportions, dynamic lines - Innovative connectivity and groundbreaking BMW EfficientDynamics technology unparalleled in the segment Woodcliff Lake, N.J. – EMBARGO: June 2, 2015 – 6:00pm EDT/3:00pm PDT... Today, BMW announced the all-new BMW X1 Sports Activity Vehicle.

BMW releases complete pricing info on M3 and M4

When BMW unveiled the M3 and M4 at the Detroit Auto Show back in January, we told you that the new sportsters were starting at $62,000 and $64,200, respectively. That leaked info, though, only told a small part of the story for the new M cars. Now, we have the complete pricing sheet on the new coupe and sedan, direct from BMW.
The pricing intel that we had at the time was correct - prices start at $62,000 for four doors and $64,200 for two. Those prices don't include the $925 destination charge. Potential customers should also plan on spending an extra $550, as seven of the eight paint options are of the metallic variety. BMW's trademark Alpine White is the only no-cost paint option.
As for the cabin, customers will, interestingly, have the choice of a cloth/leather combination as standard. That's in addition to the standard suite of leather options. There are also extended leather and full leather options, for $950 and $3,500, respectively. There are three option packages available, covering all the extra goodies for the M3 and M4.