In our favourite clip a man narrowly avoids disaster thanks to an email read to him by his all-new BMW 3 Series.

The driver seat’s memory function is shown by use of a rather odd couple sharing the all-new BMW 3 Series.

Created especially for all Ontario residents, a heated steering wheel saves the day when a group of freezing friends hop into an all-new 3 Series.

One of the more playful clips highlights the side view cameras on the all-new 3 Series that keep an animated youngster in view for his own safety and his family’s amusement.

Keyless entry saves the day when an overloaded dad with precious cargo can open the doors of his all-new BMW 3 Series.

A little known feature to most, BMW’s hands-free trunk opening on the all-new BMW 3 Series makes for a fun clip.

If you’d like to place an order or inquire about the all-new 3 Series please call (905) 619-5522 or send an email to info@endrasbmw.com to be put in touch with a sales advisor.

Living in nearby Markham with his lovely wife and two kids, Steve spends his downtime shuttling his kids to soccer and hockey practices. Once an avid hockey player himself, a recent severely broken leg unfortunately had Steve throwing in the proverbial towel. When he’s not acting as a chauffeur to his kids, Steve spends his free time watching his favourite sport – Formula 1. Ask him about Senna’s legendary qualifying laps in the rain or youngster Sebastian Vettel’s current dominance and he’ll happily indulge you with a passionately technical rant on anything F1. As a testament to his passion for the sport he admits to having shed a few tears of sadness during the famous 1991 incident at Imola. Of course we’re talking about the passing of the Brazilian, great Ayrton Senna.

Ask Steve to pick the daily driver of his dreams and he’ll give you one letter and one number. For those of you who guessed M5, Z8, X6 or 1M, good guess, but we’re talking about the M3. The E92 M3 Coupe with a proper manual gearbox to be more exact. Even though Steve contradicts himself as being both a lover of ‘the latest and greatest’ and ‘raw simplicity,’ he finds both in the M3. Steve finds many similarities between the current M3 and the race bred E30 M3 of the late 1980’s, a car which introduced him to the brand way back in high school when his friend took him for a hormone-fuelled blast across town.

Talking about racing, Steve remembers the days when hundreds of import cars would line up at nearby Taunton Road and dare each other to drag race. Back then, Steve’s modified 1993 Civic Si Hatch was very much a part of the scene. This was of course when much of the area was farm land and mass residential developments were a thing of the future. Steve remembers the most exhilarating ride of his life to be one inside a turbocharged Porsche 930 Turbo Koenig Special, an extremely rare car of which only a handful exist in North America. Steve was hesitant to admit it, but he had kept his eyes shut when the 480 turbocharged horses propelled the featherweight Porsche to gut wrenching speeds.

Shifting gears to Steve’s experience as a Sales Advisor, he says his favourite part of the job is taking the time to educate customers about the brand. More specifically, showing what exactly makes a BMW the Ultimate Driving Machine. “All cars have bells and whistles,” Steve says, “but it’s the drive that really sets them apart.The reason so many people swear by their old and new BMWs is because they drive like nothing else out there. Often times we’ll have people come in who are bored of driving their current car and look to BMW to put the excitement and dynamics back into driving.” Steve further comments that “a car is more than a means of getting from A to B, it’s all about what happens between A and B, and there’s no better car to enjoy the journey in than a BMW.”

Steve Choi
New Car Client Advisor
Telephone: (905) 619-5522 ext.5555
Email stevechoi@endrasbmw.com

Click on the ads below for more information and call (905) 619-5520 to book an appointment today.

While the BMW M Performance X6 M50d will not be available in North America, BMW has announced that an extensive M Performance Package will be offered for both the 300hp TwinPower Turbo inline-6 xDrive35i (+15hp and +30lb-ft of torque) and 400hp TwinPower Turbo V8 xDrive50i (+40hp +30lb-ft of torque). In addition to upping the engine output, the M Performance Package also includes 20-inch wheels and many cosmetic M upgrades.

All information regarding the updated X6 SAC : BMW X6 Press Release

• If you’d like to place an order or inquire about the 2013 X6 please call (905) 619-5522 or send an email to info@endrasbmw.com to be put in touch with a sales advisor.

As always, BMW will have a spectacular display showcasing its newest models and concept cars. We’re fairly certain that BMW will have the new 3 series sedan, X3 xDrive35i, Z4 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, X5 xDrive35d, 650i xDrive Coupe and 135i Coupe Performance on display, while the M division will likely bring over the  M3 Cabriolet, X6 M, and hopefully, the new M5. Some concepts that we’re hoping to see are the i3 and i8 Efficient Dynamics Concepts, the Vision ConnectedDrive concept, and the ActiveHybrid3.

While we’re not one hundred percent certain on which cars BMW has in store for us, we do know that the BMW/MINI booth will be located on the 800 level of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre South building. Last year over 300,000 enthusiasts attended the show and we’re anticipating even bigger crowds for 2012!

[Pictures taken in Paris and Frankfurt. Via Automobile and BMWBLOG.]

While the brand new BMW 1 Series shined with its appealing overall package and low running costs, the BMW 320d EfficientDynamics Saloon chipped in with class-leading driving dynamics, exceptional fuel economy, and attractive ownership costs. Individual awards were also handed out as the BMW X5 won the ‘Large 4×4 of the Year’ and the BMW 7 Series was voted ‘Luxury Car of the Year.’

What makes the BusinessCar Awards particularly meaningful is that they are the only honours of its kind voted for solely by the publication’s audience. In other words, the immediate fleet car drivers were the ones that rewarded BMW with their votes.

The editor of BusinessCar nicely summed up BMW’s current offerings as follows: “BMW’s impressive and class-leading combination of desirability, efficiency and driving pleasure has again shown itself, with this haul of awards, decided by the readers of BusinessCar, proving that the brand is at the forefront of the company car market.

Purely for entertainment, here’s a brief peek inside BMW 3 Series car manufacturing plant in Munich.

BMW recently announced that their M Division was working on an entirely new line of cars dubbed “BMW M Performance.” These sports performance cars would combine unrestricted everyday usability and outstanding efficiency. Today BMW has announced the first four models: BMW M550d xDrive Sedan,
BMW M550d xDrive Touring, BMW X5 M50d and BMW X6 M50d.

BMW provided an immense list of performance figures, modifications, and gadgets in which we found the following extra juicy bits of information:

• World premiere for a new six-cylinder in-line diesel engine developed exclusively for the BMW M Performance Automobiles. BMW’s TwinPower Turbo technology and three turbochargers collaborate to produce 381 horsepower and 740 Newton metres of torque.
• M-specific tuning of suspension, bodyshell mounting, engine and transmission mounting, springs and dampers, all standard and optional chassis control systems, and the Servotronic mapping for the hydraulic steering; result is significantly enhanced agility and precision in dynamic driving situations, with the linear build-up of lateral forces familiar from M cars.
• The electronic all-wheel-drive system is tailored to each model, allowing the threat of understeer in extremely dynamic driving situations to be counteracted by adjustments to the power split, without the Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system having to intervene.
• BMW M550d xDrive Sedan: Acceleration [0 – 100 km/h]: 4.7 seconds, top speed: 250 km/h (155 mph), average fuel consumption: 6.3 litres/100 kilometres.
• BMW X5 M50d: Acceleration [0 – 100 km/h]: 5.4 seconds, top speed: 250 km/h (155 mph), average fuel consumption: 7.5 litres/100 kilometres (37.7 mpg imp).
• BMW X6 M50d: Acceleration [0 – 100 km/h]: 5.3 seconds, top speed: 250 km/h (155 mph), average fuel consumption: 7.7 litres/100 kilometres (36.7 mpg imp).

North American availability of the BMW M Performance cars has not been confirmed. Expect the M Performance models to debut in Europe at the Geneva Auto Show this March.

Shown to the public for the first time in Geneva back in early 2011, BMW’s futuristic roadster dubbed ‘Vision ConnectedDrive’ took the world by surprise. To the uninformed eye, the ConnectedDrive looks like the aftermath of a steamy affair between the i8 EfficientDynamics and last year’s 328 Hommage. But underneath its exciting futuristic design lies something that sets this concept apart from anything else you’ve ever come across, namely, layers.

The Vision ConnectedDrive has purposely been built to expose the different layers of tech gadgetry that promise to revolutionize the infotainment, safety, and convenience features as we know them. Fibre optics in various colours define the three levels and underscore the difference between each distinct area. The “safety layer” displays relevant driving information on a three-dimensional iteration of BMW’s head-up display, while the “infotainment layer” offers movies, music, and Internet access to the passenger at the swipe of a finger. The infotainment is also extended to the driver by means of a concierge service and “emotional browser” that relates music and passing architecture to the driver’s interests. The “comfort layer”, which makes up the entire car, debuts car-to-car and car-to-infrastructure communications.

Lastly, researchers at the Polytechnic School of Montreal have developed the “smart fabrics” that make up much of the Vision ConnectedDrive’s interior. It works by registering touches ad swipes when alternating currents are sent through the fibres. While the technology behind it is tough to explain, the hypothetical idea of simply swiping your seat to activate its ventilation feature is simple enough to understand and absolutely awe-inspiring to imagine.

At the end of the day, the Vision ConnectedDrive is as much a peek in to BMW’s technology department as it is a distant preview of what BMWs of the future will look like. The 2012 apocalypse aside, we’d say the future looks bright!

Rumor has it that the Vision ConnectedDrive will make its Canadian Premiere at the Toronto Autoshow this February. If you’re planning on going then stop by our Facebook page in the coming weeks as we’ll be handing out daily free ticket packages to the Auto Show! Endras BMW Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/EndrasBMW

• #One: When you’ve got your windshield wipers turned up full notch and visibility remains poor, try putting on your sunglasses. Surprisingly, it’ll clear up your windshield and increase your visibility. While it may make things a tad darker, it will get rid of frustrating streaks and blinding raindrops. If you get the chance, try on a pair of polarized sunglasses, which not only maximize your visibility in rainy weather but also eliminate strenuous water glare. This trick works just as well at night, and even better when you’ve got Corey Hart’s ‘Sunglasses at night’ on the dial.
• #Two: While there are many guidelines to assuming the correct driving position, there’s one trick that makes mincemeat of the process. It’s as simple as taking your left foot and placing it on the footrest to the left of the pedals. The key is to use your left foot to push back firmly into the seat, scooting your behind snugly into the seat arch. Odds are you’ll never have been grasped this firmly by your seat. You’ll feel supported and secure, and completely ready to tackle the most twisty and demanding of morning commutes. The last step is to reach out and adjust the steering wheel until your wrists break at the very top of the wheel. And that’s it. Easy as pie.
• #Three: Kick the habit of purchasing 89 octane gasoline. While there are a few engines, such as the 5.7L V8 Hemi, that suggest it for optimum performance, there is no sound reason to fuel up on 89 octane if your owner’s manual does not ask for it. This is mainly because 89 octane is a rip-off. Since 89 octane doesn’t exist, the fuel stations produce an 87-91 octane mixture on-site as you pump it into your car. While the octane level and price of this medium grade gasoline should lie smack dab between 87 and 91, the mixture is often skewed towards the less refined 87 octane while the price is skewed to more expensive 91 octane. So medium grade, 89 octane fuel is a scam. Therefore if you feel like treating your engine to a better fuel grade, don’t opt for 89, but aim squarely for 91 octane or higher. Mind you, BMWs all require 91 octane to operate at their intended levels of performance and fuel economy.
• #Four: Venture outside the safe confines of the law. Because how else will you reach the limits of your car? And how else are you supposed to learn what your car behaves like beyond those limits? We suggest you find a deserted parking lot, turn off the traction control, and let loose. While not overdoing it, you should try and get a feel for your car’s dynamics when making abrupt manoeuvres. This in turn will sharpen your reactions in the case of an emergency. For a more professional take on car control you can of course attend a more controlled driving experience program or track day event. In any event, the times spent behind the wheel purposefully losing control of your car will pay off in the face of imminent danger.

BONUS TIP: Better your gas mileage by turning off the AC and lowering the windows at low speeds. At high speeds, the opposite hold effect. Raising the windows and instead using the AC to stay cool will improve your gas mileage.

On weekends, the only thing on Paul’s mind is jumping on his 2003 CL 1200 BMW motorcycle and heading North towards Buckhorn. It’s there where after a 120 kilometre ride, his cabin and 16′ Legend fishing boat await him for a weekend of relaxation and peace of mind. Paul also owns a mint BMW E46 325i, a car that he says “was great in its day and hasn’t changed one bit nor has it given him any problems.” His passion for everything BMW not only impacts his choice of transportation but also makes Paul an excellent technician. As you’d expect, he treats every car as if it were his very own and takes great pride in looking after them.

When pressed about his favourite car he didn’t give the question much time. “A BMW 333i,” he said. “A 333i?” we asked. Paul then told us it was a South Africa-only E30 produced between 1984 and 1986 with a 3.3 litre M30 6 cylinder engine that made 197 hp. It slotted right underneath the legendary E30 M3, making it the bargain

of the century and unfortunately rendering the M3 overpriced and thus quite unsuccessful in South Africa. The rest of the world was less lucky as we were left without a 333i and forced to pay full M price for any 3 series sportier than the 168 hp 325is. We then asked Paul which car he’d buy if he won the big ticket to which, unsurprisingly, Paul went with a BMW. He said he definitely wouldn’t mind a brand new 650i xDrive with 400 hp that would have the journey up to Buckhorn fly by while Paul and his lovely wife would bask in the luxury of the fine Nappa leather massaging sports seats.

An interesting detail about Paul is that he’s been around BMWs for such a long time that he remembers performing Pre-Delivery Inspections (PDIs) on E30 BMWs, which makes him an absolute legend around the shop. His many years of hard work with BMW and at our dealership have been invaluable and great fun, and we look forward to many more years of having Paul share his vast knowledge and expertise around the service department.