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BMW Recalls 1.6 Million 3 Series Cars For Air Bag Problem

DETROIT (AP) - BMW is expanding a recall of its most popular models to fix an air bag problem that is hitting much of the global auto industry. The German automaker says it will recall 1.6 million 3 Series cars from model years 2000 to 2006 across the world, including 574,000 in the U.S. The company said Wednesday that it's a precaution because other automakers using similar systems have reported problems. Air bag inflators in systems made by Takata Corp. can rupture. If that happens, the bags might not work properly, and shards could fly out and cause injury or death. The problem is responsible for millions of recalled vehicles during the past few years made by manufacturers such as Chrysler, Ford, Honda, Mazda, Nissan and Toyota. Here's a look at the long history associated with this problem, that affects millions of cars. BMW said it has no reports of problems in its vehicles. Dealers will replace the passenger-side front air bags. The new recall excludes 42,000 BMWs recalled in May 2013 for the same problem. The company says it is recalling all vehicles equipped with potentially faulty air bag systems regardless of where they were sold. In June, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began investigating air bags made by Takata, a Tokyo-based supplier of seat belts, air bags, steering wheels and other auto parts. The agency said it received six reports of air bags rupturing in Florida and Puerto Rico. Three people were injured in those cases. It had estimated 1.1 million vehicles in the U.S. could be affected, but the total is likely to climb. The government says it wanted to act quickly in warm states while it continues to investigate the issue. "Based on the limited data available at this time, NHTSA supports efforts by automakers to address the immediate risk in areas that have consistently hot, humid conditions over extended periods of time," the agency said in a statement. Takata said in a statement Tuesday that it is supporting the NHTSA investigation and its customers with technical analysis and replacement parts. "Our objective is to do all that is possible to ensure the safety and well-being of the public," the statement said. Related Gallery AOL Autos Test Drive: 2014 BMW 428i

2016 BMW M3 gains new colors, LED taillights

The BMW 3 Series gets a few new models and some significant mechanical tweaks for its recently announced 2016 refresh. At the same time, the Bavarian brand is taking the opportunity to make some much more minor adjustments to the M3, too. BMW didn't mention the M3's changes in its announcement of the 3 Series refresh, but company spokesperson Hector Arellano-Belloc explained the updates to Autoblog. On the outside, the sport sedan now comes with full LED taillights, and the exterior is available with new colors from BMW Individual: Smoked Topaz Metallic and Champagne Quartz Metallic. The shades join Tanzanite Blue Metallic and Azurite Black Metallic from the brand's bespoke division. Under the hood, everything is the same with a twin-turbo, 3.0-liter inline-six engine making 425 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. Inside, the M3 gains the improved navigation system from the 3 Series that features over-the-air map upgrades. There's more chrome trim around the interior, as well. "Given how new it is, the changes to the M3 are minimal," said Arellano-Belloc to Autoblog. However, the tweaks show that BMW is trying to keep the performance sedan at the top of its game.

Ring Taxi BMW M3 chases an Aventador SV and Cayman GT4

On paper, a BMW M3 that's loaded with three passengers probably shouldn't have a chance at keeping up around a track with a Porsche Cayman GT4 and a Lamborghini Aventador LP 750-4 Superveloce. In the real world, driver skill and track knowledge can make all the difference, though. And when the M3 is a Nurburgring Taxi with a driver that knows the course incredibly well, we end up getting a fantastic lap like this one. The 'Ring Taxi driver starts by teasing his passengers that they'll see whether the Lambo is fast. Before the two of them get on track, the GT4 cuts in to join the party. What follows is a fascinating lap of the Nordschleife. It's impressive how the BMW driver's skill allows him to keep up with the two other cars and blow past tons of other traffic. During faster sections, the Porsche and Aventador start to pull away, but as soon as the course gets curvy again, the M3 is right back in the action. As the group pulls back into the parking lot, even the Ring Taxi driver sounds impressed with his performance. See the impressive show in the video above. Related Video: