Companies hire PR firms in order to create the perfect stunt. Regardless of how outlandish or risky they may be, many ultimately pay out big. However, once in awhile one doesn’t fair too well, causing a considerable backlash for the company and its representation. Such an unfortunate incident occurred when BMW’s Mini Cooper brand asked Sassenbach Advertising to represent them, ultimately selecting a questionable method to gain popularity.

The public relations nightmare was rooted in Germany’s custom of letting people assign names to weather systems. Charging a relatively small fee, the PR firm paid a mere £190 to name the weather front “Cooper” and “Minnie.” Buisnessweek writer Carol Matlack wrote that the Meteorological Institute at the University of Berlin maintains the long list of names chosen for high and low pressure systems. Based on information the company referred to the high-pressure system that occurred on January 24^th as “The Cooper.”

Those that remember the events surrounding that cold snap know that the weather turned deadly. Indeed by early February nearly 100 people in countries such as Ukraine, Romania and notably Poland tied or were hospitalized due to cold temperatures reaching -33C.  As many as 950 people were treated for frostbite and hypothermia in the Ukraine alone. Indeed, as the weather continuing for the next little while, many weather stations are still referring to the storm as “The Cooper.”

The meteorological institute had implemented this “adopt a vortex” scheme a decade ago in order to raise money for the Berlin’s Free University weather monitoring system. However, it should be noted that this type of naming is certainly not out of the ordinary. Indeed, the United States Weather Service has been naming hurricanes since the 1950’s.

While the intentions were innocent enough, the PR firm was regretting their decision soon after. The carmaker immediately apologized for connotation that individuals believe the name might have had. Indeed, they stated that they could not influence which names occurred when. Tantamount to suggesting that they couldn’t control the weather, the damage was already done.

To add insult to injury the low-pressure system called “Minnie” is still registered and may affect us in the upcoming year. While it is unlikely to cause any deaths, one does not think that it can get any worse than this.

You can now save up to £15 a month on the pre-registered BMW 3 Series Saloon with FREE portable Sat Nav available with selected models.

With more than 12 prestigious awards to its name including What Car? ‘Car of the Year 2011’, it’s no surprise that the BMW 3 Series Saloon remains one of the UK’s favourite executive saloons.

It’s powerful, highly efficient engine range also boasts impressive fuel economy and CO2 emissions levels to beat most of its rivals.

Nationwide Vehicle Contracts has some fantastic deals on a selected number of pre-registered 11 plate BMW 3 Series Saloons, in stock to lease from just £274.95 + VAT a month.

A great selection of M Sport, Efficient Dynamics and SE models are in stock for quick delivery. Nationwide Vehicle Contracts are also offering a FREE portable Sat Nav with selected vehicles, helping you save even more money!

Savings of up to £15 a month are now available on the following pre-reg vehicles:

BMW 3 Series Saloon 318d 2.0 M Sport - From £274.95 + VAT a month

BMW 3 Series Saloon 320d 2.0 Efficient Dynamics - From £284.95 + VAT a month

BMW 3 Series Saloon 320d 2.0 M Sport - From £299.95 + VAT a month

BMW 3 Series Saloon 320d 2.0 SE - From £304.95 + VAT a month

This offer is strictly whilst stocks last so to make sure you don’t miss, simply follow the above links or call Nationwide Vehicle Contracts on 0844 482 9595.

Prices based on a 4 year contract and excludes VAT, initial payment and processing fee. Limited Stock Available. Terms & Conditions Apply.

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At the Detroit Motor Show, 2012′s hottest new vehicles were once again on show, with revelations from all the major manufacturers. From the sublime to the ridiculous, cars for every occasion were displayed for all to see – even if many were likely to be out of most people’s price range, and most certainly that of the 5,000 journalists from over 50 different countries that attended.

Still; we can all dream, can’t we?

And, in amongst the gas-guzzlers and status symbols, there were once again electric and hybrid cars from the likes of BMW, General Motors, Lexus, Mercedes, Nissan, Toyota and Volvo – to name but a few. And once again these models caused a buzz (quite literally!) and earned huge amounts of media coverage, because electric cars are the new black. Or are they the new Betamax?

Car of the Year 2011 in Detroit was GM’s Chevy Volt – a hybrid. And Nissan’s all-electric Leaf was a close second; both trumpeting the arrival of a brave new world of ecological awareness and herald the electric revolution. Yet both missed their sales targets of 10,000 a year! Admittedly Nissan by a fraction, but the Volt by more than 2,000.

Popular? To put it in perspective, in the same timeframe the Toyota Camry sold over 308,000. (And GM had to also recall Volts for a battery problem fault.)

So, not the best of starts for what is an important time for the fledgling genre. With customers cautiously making their way back to the showrooms post-recession (or even MID-recession!), sales of “alternative power source light vehicles” were up 2.3% in the U.S. last year, compared to an over all 10% rise (according to analysts WardAuto.)

Even the industry is cautious. Sales of hybrids have levelled out and consumers are turning to more fuel-efficient cars rather than gamble on the new electric technology – possibly because of the initial costs of both electric and hybrid cars. Perhaps a case of jam tomorrow? No one has cash to spend right now, and those savings over five years seem an awful long way away.

Ed Hellwig of autoanalysts Edmunds.com says that “consumers will have access to more supply and more choices in alternative-fuel cars than ever in 2012. This could be the year when we see whether this is really ready to go mainstream, or the public just aren’t interested.” And it’s not just at the initial thought process that consumers are wary.

Paul Taylor, chief economist of the National Automobile Dealers Association, said that “People are enthusiastic about hybrid and electric cars but when they see how much they cost, they want to test drive something else.” And that ‘something else’ is the range of fuel-efficient and less thirsty cars that all major companies have developed or are developing alongside the bandwagonesque electrics.

PricewaterhouseCooper’s Autofacts group revealed that more efficient combustion engines are cutting consumption by 15-25% in some vehicles, so competition is fierce – but in reality prices will have to drop eventually and then, possibly, sales will rise.

But no car manufacturer wants to be the first to crack in the game of electric car poker. They’ve all joined in with heavy investments sitting in the middle of the table, and no one wants to be the first to fold or take a gamble and reduce prices. Someone somewhere has to break ranks. But who? And when?

Let’s leave the last word to Anthony Pratt, director of forecasting at car industry analysts Polk. Manufacturers have to be involved in the latest technology. But that technology is in its infancy, and the next five years could be even more challenging.”

No car manufacturer can create a flawless vehicle. Once in awhile a certainly defect creeps up that alters its safety and ultimately causes the company to recall the model. Costing a tremendous amount of money as well as causing some embarrassment for the company, BMW’s Mini’s have unfortunately been recalled due to potential fire risk faults in its water pump.

A rather large recall, the company is looking to fix nearly 235,000 vehicles of which nearly 30,000 are located here in the UK. The Guardian noted that a number of models have been affected by this change, particularly the Cooper S as well as the John Cooper Works models made between 2006 and 2011.

The move was announced by BMW who, as Mini’s parent company, are responsible for the inner workings of the company. Their announcement was prompted after the company was notified of four separate cases where fires have resulted from the electric water pump. The company had explained that under high operating pressures there is a problem with the electro-migration on the circuit board installed within the pump itself. Because of this there can be some failure associated with the water pump breaking, smouldering, even catching on fire.

A problem that could not be ignored, the company has therefore taken the necessary steps in remedying the difficult situation.  Reporters have noted that all owners that have registered their vehicles have been notified about the problem. They have been invited to take their vehicles to their nearest Mini dealership in order to begin the exchange process. The company estimated that it should not take more than an hour or two to make the exchange. Furthermore, the company has noted that turbocharged engines that are affected have an additional water pump so the problem is not completely dire.

The mini plant located in Oxford makes around 200,000 vehicles each year. BMW has noted that there is a very low incidence of faults in these cars. Representatives have state that a great deal of time and effort is places to make these cars as effective and safe as possible. This, according to them, is an extreme circumstance that is rarely if ever repeated. While no injury’s or accidents have been reported due to this problem, the company is hopeful that the letter scheme will sort out any potential problems that might result from the issue.

The long-awaited BMW 6 Series Grand Coupe is finally here with leasing rates starting from just £884.95 + VAT a month with Nationwide Vehicle Contracts.

Just 20 months after wowing visitors at the Beijing Motor Show, the BMW 6 Series Grand Coupe is set to give the Audi A7 and Mercedes-Benz CLS a run for their money when it hits UK showrooms in July.

The BMW 6 Series Grand Coupe joins the existing two-door coupé and convertible in the expanded 6 Series range, boasting a distinctive new style with frameless doors and longer, flatter roof structure.

Under the bonnet, three engines are available at launch including a 3.0-litre straight six turbocharged engine delivering 316bhp and 332lb ft of torque on the entry-level 640i Gran Coupé.

For those after more power, the 650i receives a turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 packing an impressive 444bhp and 479lb ft of torque, accelerating from 0-62mph in just 4.6 seconds!

The all-new BMW 6 Series Grand Coupe is now available to lease with Nationwide Vehicle Contracts. Prices start from just £884.95 + VAT a month for the 640d 3.0 SE Auto.

To find out more about the BMW 6 Series Grand Coupe and to get an instant quotation on any model in the range, simply follow the above links or call Nationwide Vehicle Contracts on 0844 482 9595.

Prices based on a 4 year contract and excludes VAT, initial payment and processing fee. Limited Stock Available. Terms & Conditions Apply.

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Fancy yourself behind the wheel of the new BMW Z4 for under £260 + VAT a month? For a strictly limited time, Nationwide Vehicle Contracts has an amazing deal on the BMW Z4 Roadster 2.0 sDRIVE20i M Sport available to lease from just £259.95 + VAT – saving a whopping £179 a month!

Arguably the most beautiful car in the BMW range, the BMW Z4 offers striking looks, a luxurious cabin and an exhilarating drive that few of its rivals can match.

Longer, lower and more elegant than its predecessor, the latest generation BMW Z4 boasts a fully retractable hard top roof that opens and closes in just 20 seconds, adapting effortlessly from a chic coupe to a cool convertible.

But it’s under the bonnet that the BMW Z4 truly comes to life with the 2.0 straight six-cylinder petrol engine delivering 184 bhp of thrilling performance and high-level efficiency thanks to BMW’s latest EfficientDynamics technology.

Nationwide Vehicle Contracts are pleased to announce a special offer on the BMW Z4 Roadster 2.0 sDRIVE20i M Sport available to lease from just £259.95 + VAT a month over 4 years or just £299.95 + VAT a month on a 2 year contract. These rates are available on a personal contract only.

The top-selling M Sport package offers an enhanced exterior style with 18’’ star spoke M light-alloy wheels, M sports chassis and M aerodynamics package, along with M sport seats and M leather steering wheel. Other features include Bluetooth, BMW professional radio/CD/MP3, Xenon headlights and dual zone automatic air conditioning.

We expect this deal to be snapped up quickly so to make sure you don’t miss out, call Nationwide Vehicle Contracts today on 0844 482 9595 or follow the above links.

Prices based on a 4 year contract and excludes VAT, initial payment and processing fee. Personal Contract Only. Limited Stock Available. Terms & Conditions Apply.

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Those with an interest in the inner workings of the global economy know that China is the next economic frontier. With a great deal of financial and political sway, the thirsty nation is searching for vehicles to quell its rapidly rising needs. In a battle to dominate the market two contenders have come forward: BMW and Audi. Both Germany manufacturers, it seems that their rivalry will be reaching a fevering pitching during this battle, leaving one the true victor to feast on the spoils.

Analysts believed that in 2012 the Chinese to overtake the Germans to become the second largest luxury car market. While many don’t believe that it will topple the United States, currently placed in first, the increase in sales have been quite staggering. For example, Bloomberg Buisnessweek suggested that some 939,000-luxury vehicles have been sold in 2011. This is 39 climb from the previous year, beating Germany’s 914,000 vehicles.

The Shanghai based firm LMC Automotive commented on this dramatic increase, stating that it is likely to far exceed that next year. Indeed, conservative statstics believe predict a staggering 16 percent rise at the same time suggested that Germany will reach a modest 4.4 percent climb.

Considering all of this, Audi has been doing particularly well this year. Of all the manufactures the company experienced a 69 percent rise over last year. Setting very admirable targets for the following years, the company hopes to be beat BMW as the global seller of luxury automobiles in 2015. This compares remarkably well with BMW 9.8 percent rise as well as Mercedes 24 percent rise in the market. While the general European trend has actually fallen by 3 percent, these manufactures don’t appear to be much affected.

Bloomberg noted that while the battle between these two great figures is indeed important, other Germany manufactures like Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen also hold some value. Based on Barclay’s estimates, Europe will be in a recession the first half of 2012 and the growth caused by these manufactures will be of great importance.  While it may not be as strong as in previous years, the Chinese consumer market will certainly provide the European economy with a strong backbone to begin its recovery.

Nationwide Vehicle Contracts is pleased to announce reductions of up to £40 a month on selected BMW 3 Series Saloon models with cars in stock for quick delivery.

First up is a great pre-registered deal on the BMW 3 Series Saloon 318d 2.0 M Sport, in stock to lease from just £284.95 + VAT a month. This superb vehicle comes well-equipped with rear parking sensors, blue shadow cloth/alcantara upholstery, M sports suspension, cruise control, front sport seats and 17’’ alloy wheels offered as standard.

For those after an automatic, the popular BMW 3 Series Saloon 318d 2.0 M Sport Auto on a pre-registered 11 plate is now available to lease from just £314.95 + VAT a month. Boasting all the style and charisma of the standard 3 Series but with the added benefit of the M Sport package, this vehicle is hard to beat when it comes to sporty style, comfort and impressive driving dynamics.

Finally, the pre-registered BMW 3 Series Saloon 320d 2.0 Efficient Dynamics is in stock to lease from just £294.95 + VAT a month. This 320d EfficientDynamics is the cleanest, greenest, most fuel-efficient 3-Series ever, making it ideal for company car owners, fleet buyers and the environmentally conscious alike.

Stock on the above models is strictly limited so to take advantage of these fantastic BMW savings before it’s too late, simply follow the above links or call Nationwide Vehicle Contracts on 0844 482 9595.

Prices based on a 4 year contract and excludes VAT, initial payment and processing fee. Limited Stock Available. Terms & Conditions Apply.