2008 BMW Models Get 0.9% Financing

The 2009 BMWs are on the way, and it’s time to get rid of the 2008s. Yep, BMW has model-year-end sales too, they just use fancy terms, like 0.9% financing, to promote them. Through Sept. 2, all 2008 BMW models — besides the X6, M3 and M5 — will be eligible for 0.9% financing for qualified buyers. What does that mean?

The current average loan rate is 6.78%, so say you want to finance a base 328i sedan, which starts at $32,700, over four years. Putting nothing down on the car (and let’s keep tax out of the equation), your monthly payment would be $779.70. That’s a lot of money for a 3 Series; in the end you’d wind up paying $37,426 with all the interest included.

Lower the rate to 0.9% and your monthly payment drops to $693.84, with total cost over the term of $33,304. So BMW is basically offering a $4,000 discount here. The math is rudimentary, but 0.9% is a good deal on any car, let alone a BMW. Oh, and because the 328i is one of the most affordable BMWs on the lot, the savings only go up as you move up through the model range.

BMW Financing Offers (BMW USA)

Related
2009 BMW 3 Series: New Look, U.S. Diesel Confirmed (KickingTires)

First Look: 2009 BMW 7 Series

BMW has taken a scalpel to the 7 Series and sculpted a new look straight from the playbook of the 6 Series coupe. For the first time we see a BMW with a flat nose — the redesigned car is slightly bigger and will no doubt be more expensive than the outgoing model.

Don’t think this is a mild facelift to keep sales fresh. BMW has altered the frame and chassis with a new blend of steel and aluminum, completely redesigned the interior and dropped two new engines under the hood. The 2009 7 Series also will be the first vehicle to feature a new iteration of the much maligned iDrive system. No on-sale information has been released, but we don’t expect to see the new 7 Series hit the U.S. until the 2009 calendar year.

Keep reading for more of the updates and, of course, a full photo gallery.

Through Ian's Lens: 2007 BMW Alpina B7

What can you say about the outside of a 750 unit, limited-run, $115,000 imported German sedan with a 500 horsepower, supercharged V8 engine? Aesthetically, not much. To the untrained eye, the outside of the 2007 BMW B7 Alpina looks exactly like any other 750 BMW on the market today. A different rear badge, 21-inch rims, and a few slight fascia modifications (like the Alpina insignia on the front spoiler) are about the only portions of the exterior design that set apart the B7 from its equally expensive kin.

But the design and implementation of the interior is where the rare B7 sets itself apart. The thought and effort put into the overall comfort for the driver and the passengers start with the seats themselves. From there, the opulence sweeps through the cabin, with brushed metal highlights on fine wood grain. The interior roof is covered in Alcantara (designer synthetic suede) and the steering wheel is housed in sewn leather. Since the design of this car hinges more on the texture of pretentious materials and not on a color palette, I have chosen to show these images to you black and white. After all, elegance deserves elegance. More photos below.

Video: BMW's iDrive

All auto journalists talk about it. They all complain about it. It’s the dreaded iDrive, BMW’s electronic interface that controls virtually every aspect of the company’s vehicles through a central knob and display screen. It also drives most of us nuts for one reason or another. Check out senior editor Joe Wiesenfelder pointing out just why it has such a bad reputation.

Cars.com Videos (YouTube)

Cars.com Video: 2007 BMW 760 Li

A little while back we got to spend some comfortable seat time in the 2007 BMW 760 Li. This one even came equipped with the new BMW Individual package. Check out our most- and least-favorite attributes and gadgets in this video, hosted by our own Joe Wiesenfelder.

Friday Fleet Notes: 04.27.07

This week the staff was behind the wheel of a couple of BMWs and an impressive family hauler. Here’s what they had to say.

2007 BMW Z4

After spending a lot of time lately writing about crossover SUVs, it was nice to get back into a car designed for drivers. The 3.0si is the most powerful non-M version of the Z4 you can get, and its 255-horsepower, 3.0-liter inline-six sings a sweet song at high rpms. Acceleration isn't fierce, but it's plenty strong if you're looking for an occasional thrill. Our coupe had the six-speed automatic transmission, and its manual mode featured impressive rev-matching on downshifts.

The car is planted and stable through fast corners and the handling is top-notch. The sport seats' aggressively bolstered backrests may be a little narrow for some, but they do a good job of keeping you in place when driving the car hard. For such a small car, the 12-cubic-foot cargo area adds some unexpected practicality.

There are a couple of drawbacks. The super taut sport suspension and low-profile run-flat tires make for a punishing ride on rough roads — even for a sports car. Additionally, if you're much taller than 6' 1", you'll be pushing the limits of the cabin, and over-right-shoulder visibility is significantly compromised by the coupe's large hatch.

• Mike Hanley, Cars.com reviewer

BMW Hydrogen 7 Ready for Daily Use

Yesterday, BMW announced its hydrogen-powered 7 Series sedan would be loaned out to everyday drivers to test the new technology’s real-world abilities. Other companies, like Honda, have done pilot programs with their hydrogen-powered vehicles, but with extremely limited testing of one or two cars. BMW will loan a fleet of 100 Hydrogen 7s to prospective users in the U.S. and Europe in the first half of 2007. 

According to BMW spokesman Andreas Klugescheid, the company will loan the Hydrogen 7 for a few weeks up to a few months to test both the technical aspects of the car and the habits of its drivers. The catch? BMW has already compiled a list of potential recipients of the Hydrogen 7 who not only would be good test subjects but would also put a spotlight on the hydrogen sedan itself. They also have to live near hydrogen fueling stations, and there are only a handful of those in the U.S. — mostly in California and Washington, D.C. We’re thinking celebrities and politicians too.

That means there isn’t much chance a current BMW owner will be able to request a Hydrogen 7. However, BMW is touting the fact that this hydrogen-powered 7 Series is built just like any other product, right alongside other 5 and 7 Series cars in Germany, so more could be produced rather easily. The V-12 engine can run on either hydrogen or gasoline and has separate tanks for each. It has a range of 425 miles when both tanks are full. Running on just water-vapor-producing hydrogen, the car can only manage 125 miles. BMW hopes that being at the forefront of hydrogen technology will cement it as “the ultimate fuel” leader. With 100 Hydrogen 7s on the road, we'll all be keeping an eye on the results.

Related:
Road Testing BMW’s Hydrogen 7 [Wired.com via Jalopnik]
BMW Readies Hydrogen 7 Series for 2007 [internal]

BMW Individual Coming to U.S.

For more than a decade, BMW has been selling highly customized versions of its cars to overseas buyers. The program calls the models “Individual” — fairly self-explanatory, but we’ll give it a shot anyway seeing as the 2007 7 Series, which starts at $75,000, will now be offering the treatment here in the U.S.

Customers get to pick from a palate of paint colors that change appearance depending on the lighting. Inside, the leather is upgraded and even the headliner gets a spiffy Alcantara treatment. There are also unique 20-inch wheels, multiple wood finishes, illuminated doorsills (shown here) and a higher price tag. The Individual package costs an additional $10,000 for the 750i and 750Li and $11,000 for the 760i and 760Li. Oh, and that spiffy paint job costs an extra $3,000.