BMW brand sales up 13.1 percent, best March ever
MINI brand sales up 3.5 percent
BMW Motorcycle sales up 7.6 percent

Woodcliff Lake, NJ - April 2, 2013… The BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported March sales of 33,149 vehicles, an increase of 11.2 percent from the 29,806 vehicles sold in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date, the BMW Group (BMW and MINI combined) is up 4.3 percent on sales of 78,957 in the first three months of 2013 compared to 75,729 in the same period in 2012.

“March roared out like a lion giving BMW even better numbers than the previous record set in 2007,” said Ludwig Willisch, President and CEO, BMW of North America. “The arrival this month of the new 320i … CONTINUED

An M3POST member shares with us his journal from a recent BMW european delivery trip where he picked up his BMW Individual Santorini Blue E92 M3 Coupe.

By ///Matthew:

If you follow my blog you will probably already know that my 2011 Alpine White E92 M3 (along with my 1999 Estoril Blue M3) was destroyed by the storm surged caused by Superstorm Sandy in October of 2012.

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. A hurricane destroys my cars? Well, I certainly wasn’t about to take that lying down. Before my now totaled E92 M3 was towed from my driveway I was already planning my next automotive aquisition. I was embroiled in a fight with the insurance company that covered my E36 … CONTINUED

M3POST member boostedM’s E92 M3 coupe was a beast before with its Active Autowerke Stage 2 supercharger, but it’s now time for a total transformation as he has started a new build based around a Rotrex supercharger system.

Follow along with the his journal on M3POST.

Sure, we’ve already seen the F10 LCI basically revealed (at least for the front end updates), but this is the first look we get at the M Sport LCI model as well as the LCI interior.

The interior shows the new iDrive touch system and new M Sport steering wheel, which resembles the F30 3 Series M Sport steering wheel.

The exterior doesn’t show much changes to the M Sport bumper except perhaps a new foglight housing. This prototype also features a trunk spoiler (as standard?).

As we’ve mentioned previously, mechanical changes will include updated steering and the N63Tu engine (445hp / 480 lb-ft) for the 550i. Production for the F10 LCI begins this July, with deliveries starting in August/September.

An F30POST member gives us his real life review of the just announced/released BMW M Performance Power Kit for the F30 335i sedan.

The F10 5 Series and F10 M5 LCI refresh models are coming soon, but spy photos have shown the external styling updates will be understated, with tweaks to the upper front fascia and headlight updates (sleeker looking and with optional full LED squared-off headlights), but the M5 will receive no changes to the lower front bumper design. Like the 5 Series, the F10 M5 will also receive light updates to its tail lights and lower rear bumper.

As for the interior, the most recent 5 Series LCI spy photos show that it will be offered with the new iDrive touch system. The M5 LCI will receive the M6 steering wheel as standard.

With these changes in mind, we’ve mocked up a preview render look at the F10 … CONTINUED

Just recently, we reported that the Nurburgring was up for sale and we now report that the legendary track has now been sold. And you’ll never guess who the buyer is. Read on…

Here is the first M135i owners meet by 1ADDICTS members, taking place in Hong Kong. The group gathered to share in their common ownership and to see various options and colors in person.

The cars here represented 4 of the 6 colors available on the M135i in Hong Kong (only black and silver were missing).

An M3POST member gives us a look inside the belly of The Welt. He was given a customer tour of the BMW Welt during his recent European Delivery.

He was taken through the ground floor level of the Welt where the building’s design and purpose were thoroughly explained. He then ventured through a door, and behind the scenes of BMW Welt which gave him a whole new appreciation for what goes into the delivery process.

Our first stop was a small room to watch a short video detailing the processing of BMW Welt car deliveries from the drop off of cars from the plant, to their preparation and storage prior to their receipt by customers on the delivery floor. After being seriously impressed by the process, … CONTINUED