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World's Largest BMW Showroom Opens in Abu Dhabi, Best Selling Model in the M.E. is the 7-Series

Abu Dhabi, home of all things extravagant such as the largest indoor and first Ferrari theme park, can now lay claim to having the world’s largest showroom for BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and BMW motorcycles.

BMW Group’s long-standing importer for the region, Abu Dhabi Motors, invested some AED 300 million (roughly €62 million or US$81 million) in the new 35,000-square-metre showroom over its three-year construction.

The facility features separate showrooms and sales areas for the BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce cars, and for BMW motorcycles, with more than 70 automobiles and 10 motorcycles on permanent display.

There's a lot to see from many automakers at this year's Geneva Auto Show, including a raft of new models from the BMW brand, which will introduce the new 6-Series Grand Coupe, the facelifted X6 and X6M, the new M6 Coupe, X5 M50d, X6 M50d M550d xDrive sedan and Touring along with several new engines for the 1-Series, 3-Series and X3.

That's quite a handful but we're not done yet. The Bavarian firm will also showcase the latest 3-Series sedan, the i3 hatchback and i8 sports coupe concepts (all of which we've already seen before) and in a world premiere, the new BMW M Performance accessory program, which brings us to this post.

BMW's new 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine with a twin-scroll turbocharger continues to trickle down the range. Following its introduction in the Z4 sDrive28i, 528i and the all-new 328i, the force-fed four-pot is now replacing the 240-horsepower 3.0-liter straight-six in the X3 xDrive28i.

The German automaker announced U.S. pricing today for the four-cylinder X3 xDrive28i, which arrives in showrooms this April as a 2013 model with the same MSRP of $37,995, including $895 destination and handling, as the outgoing six-cylinder 2012 xDrive28i.

For owners of the new generation of the BMW 6-Series Convertible codenamed F12 looking to improve the looks and the performance of their drop-top model, Lumma Design has released the first details on its CLR 600 GT package that will debut in a couple of weeks' time at the Geneva Auto Salon.

The German tuning firm's offerings include a rather discreet exterior styling kit comprising a front apron with additional LED daytime running lights (wonder how long these will last…), rocker panels, blacked out kidney grilles, and a rear apron with a diffuser.

The BMW X3's smaller brother, the X1, is getting ready for its first facelift after having been in the market for a little over two years. However, don't expect to see it in showrooms before 2013.

The fully camouflaged prototype suggests that the styling changes will be concentrated up front with the X1 likely to gain new headlamps along with tweaked kidney grilles and a re-sculptured bumper.

At first we had the M brand for BMW's thoroughbred sports cars, then came the M Sport Packages, which add styling and suspension upgrades to the firm's mainstream vehicles.

More recently, the Bavarians launched the M Performance sub-brand that offers exclusive engine variants, enhanced handling and bespoke styling treats at a lower cost than the pure M models. You see the pattern, right?

So the next step for BMW is the introduction of the M Performance Parts, that will launch in spring 2012.

For the past 50 years, the BMW Group has been providing patrol cars to the German city of Munich and this tradition continues with a new contract that will see the automaker supplying several hundred vehicles a year to the Bavarian Police.

Under the new deal, BMW will produce specially modified versions of its new 2012 3-Series sedan and its upcoming Touring sibling, along with the 5-Series sedan and Touring models, and for the first time ever, the X3 crossover as well.

Thermaltake isn't the only company in the broader computer industry that has tapped the styling expertise of the BMW Group subsidiary DesignworksUSA for its products.

Síragon, which is a Venezuelan manufacturer and assembler of personal computing products and consumer electronics such as cameras and LCD television sets, has also enlisted the help of DesignworksUSA for the creation of its flagship AIO 9000 Series all-in-one computer.

Up until now, we weren't sure if BMW would keep the supercar-like scissor doors seen on the original Vision EfficientDynamics concept and the evolved i8 study on the production model as the company's engineers avoided opening up the car in front of our scoop photographers.

However, being the diligent spy shooters that they are, they managed to snag the first pictures of the final production prototype with the passenger-side door wide open, and as you can see from the pictures, the i8 will indeed keep the concept's swiveling doors fixed to the A-pillars.

It seems that BMW has entered a non-stop process either revealing completely new models or updating its existing portfolio.

Just to get an idea of what we're talking about, in the last 30 days alone, BMW has introduced these new models: 320i Turbo plus the 316d and 318d; the 125i Turbo, 125d, 116d ED and 1-Series M Sport Packages; the M550d, X5 M50d and X6 M50d; the X6 and X6M Facelift, the market launch of the ActiveHybrid 5; and of course, the M6 Coupe and Convertible.

BMW officially revealed the new generation of its M6 range this past Saturday and now we have the first video footage of both the Coupe and Convertible variants, courtesy of the folks over at the m5board forums.

Before you make the jump to watch the two clips though, we should tell you that you won't have the chance to hear the sounds of the new M6's twin-turbocharged V8 engine just yet as both videos come with a background music.

The famous M badge returns to BMW's 6-Series range with the official unveiling of the new M6 Coupe and Convertible models ahead of their world premieres at the Geneva Salon in March and the New York Auto Show in April respectively.

Not surprisingly, at the heart of the M6 lies the same 4.4-liter V8 engine with two twin-scroll turbochargers found in the latest M5 sedan with the internal designation S63Tü.

Just as it does in the M5 saloon, the eight-cylinder unit produces an output of 560-horses (412kW) between 5,750 and 7,000 rpm, and a peak torque of 680Nm (502lb-ft) between 1,500 and 5,750 rpm. BMW also tells us that the rev limiter intervenes at 7,200 rpm.

All that power is transferred to the road through a standard 7-speed M-Double Clutch Transmission (M-DCT) and BMW's Active M Differential which optimizes power transfer between the rear wheels. Down the line, the Bavarian automaker may also offers a 6-speed manual gearbox in the United States like it did with the new M5.

U.S. federal safety regulators have slapped a $3 million (€2.3 million) fine on BMW North America for delays in reporting and not providing enough information on its safety defects and recalls. The fine will be paid into the Treasury Department's General Fund.

Automakers are required by law to notify the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) within five business days of identifying a safety defect or noncompliance and to promptly conduct a recall.

BMW aims to establish itself as a manufacturer of premium green vehicles through its new "i" sub-brand starting with the i3 hatchback in pure EV and extended-range EV flavors in 2013 and shortly after the i8 hybrid sports car, which is obviously the more interesting proposal of the two.

Following up on the spy pictures of the camouflaged production version of the i8 that we showed earlier in the week, our scoopsters also snagged a video of the test car quietly (perhaps too quietly for a BMW coupe) running around on the snow which you can watch after the break.

For the past couple of years, we've been following the development of the next generation BMW M6 in both coupe and convertible guises but now the time has come to begin the final countdown for their reveal.

According to sources, the new M6 Coupe will make its grand premiere at the 82nd Geneva International Auto Salon in early March with the Convertible to break cover about a month later at the 2012 New York International Auto Show in April.

Have US$76,895 to spare? For that coin, you can get in the brand new 2013 BMW 640i Gran Coupe, which is the initial model of the Bavarian firm's sports saloon that arrives in the U.S. showrooms early this summer.

The 640i Gran Coupe is powered by a 3.0-liter turbocharged straight-six gasoline engine delivering 315hp at 5,800 to 6,000 rpm and 330 lb-ft of peak torque on stream between 1,300 and 4,500 rpm. Power channeled to the rear wheels through an 8-speed automatic transmission.

The last time we showed you a prototype of the BMW i8 hybrid sports car it was in May of 2011 with a scoop video of the car undergoing cold-weather testing. Now, our spy photographers captured another prototype of the i8 being driven on the snow.

So what's new about this test car? Well, a lot actually, as whereas the previous prototype was based on BMW's second concept for an i8, the car featured here is the final production version.

The design of the i8 has progressed with BMW moving the exterior mirrors from the window to the corner of the doors and refining other details such as the door handles, headlamps, bumpers and even the alloy wheel designs.

But while the Bavarians have made some necessary changes, the overall shape of the car along with the aerodynamic details like the rear wings and air channels in front of the rear wheel arches remain unchanged. We still don't know if the production model will keep the concept's butterfly-style doors.

If you thought Road & Track's comparo with the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and the Nissan GT-R was kind of a stretch given the huge price difference between the two coupes, we wonder what you'll have to say about Autocar's video test of the Nissan GT-R and the BMW M5 saloon.

The British magazine admits that the BMW M5 and Nissan GT-R "are not conventional rivals" but adds that both "have around 550bhp, cost nearly £75k and promise brutal performance" which it says, justifies a comparison.

Brand loyalty is a priority for any car manufacturer. It ensures that they have a healthy core of buyers who will remain loyal when the time comes to change their car for a new one. Luring customers away from a rival, or “conquest” sales, as it is commonly known in the industry, is also one of their key objectives.

Therefore, when a report like the 2012 New Luxury Vehicle Loyalty Study comes out, you can bet automakers pay attention. Conducted by Polk and AutoTrader, the study examines the reasons why luxury car buyers stay loyal or “defect” to another brand.

“Understanding behaviors and attitudes is critical in helping automotive marketers to more effectively reach and influence luxury shoppers during their decision making process”, said vice president of automotive insights at AutoTrader, Rick Wainschel.

If you happen to be a European owner of a classic BMW and either prefer to shop original parts directly from the automaker or you need a specific component that can't be found anywhere else, the German company has some good news in store for you.

BMW announced today that it has launched a new online shop dedicated to its classic models offering customers the opportunity to buy parts straight from their computer.

Currently, the BMW Classic Parts website is available only for customers in Germany but the service will be expanded to further European markets in April.

Top Nice Cars

World's Largest BMW Showroom Opens in Abu Dhabi, Best Selling Model in the M.E. is the 7-Series

BMW Introduces New M Performance Parts Program, Includes Engine Upgrades

2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i with 2.0L Turbo Priced from $37,995

Lumma Design Presents New BMW 6-Series CLR 600 GT Prior to its Geneva Motor Show Debut

SPY SHOTS: 2013 BMW X1 Facelift, this One May Come to the States

BMW Video Teases M Performance Parts for 1-Series Hatchback

BMW Wins Another Contract to Supply Munich's Police with Patrol Cars

BMW DesignworksUSA's New Síragon All-in-one Computer

SCOOP: New Photos Reveal Production BMW i8 Hybrid Sports Coupe's Scissor Doors

BMW Announces New X3 Drive28i with 2.0L Turbo, X5 M Sport Edition and More for 2012

First Videos of New BMW M6 Coupe and Convertible on the Move

BMW Reveals 2013 M6 Coupe and Convertible with 560HP Bi-Turbo V8 [30 Photos]

NHTSA Drops a $3 Million Fine on BMW for Untimely Reporting of Recalls

SCOOP: BMW i8 Hybrid Sports Coupe Poses on Film for us

BMW to Reveal New M6 Coupe in Geneva and M6 Cabrio in New York

2013 BMW 640i Gran Coupe Priced at $76,895 in the States, See How it Compares against its Rivals

Spy Shots: New BMW i8 Coupe Wears its Production Outfit for Testing

Autocar Compares Nissan GT-R with…BMW M5 Sedan

New Study Examines Why Luxury Car Buyers Stay Loyal to their Brands

BMW Classic Opens Online Parts Shop for Cars and Motorcycles Built from 1960 to 1990