The New My BMW App Updates Features for More Than 4 Million Android and Apple iOs Users

by Gabrielle DeSantis

BMW may have made some headlines for an earlier emissions scandal, but it’s hitting the news once again, this time for a good reason. There’s a new version of the My BMW App available now and, with recent updates, it’s accessible for four million Android and Apple users.  Additionally, according to the BMW Group, you can utilize quite a few new functions on the new and improved My BMW App. What are they, and what will they do?

My BMW App updates for Android and Apple users

The My BMW App | BMW Group

There were two major update sessions with the My BMW App. One rolled out in May 2021, and the rest came out in July 2021 after the BMW Connected App expired on the last day of June 2021. 

In May 2021, the update brought the newest map style that now includes predictive route planning. It gives real-time data on traffic conditions and shows users a comparison of fuel prices for nearby stations. You’ll also get personalized video service, which will deliver more info on the car’s service status without the customer being present. For example, it gives users data on tire or brake pad wear. 

Explore BMW is another feature added in the May update. This allows users to access How-To articles on features of the vehicle in addition to editorial content on anything BMW is offering. Unfortunately, this item isn’t available in the US, Canada, or China. 

In July 2021, BMW rolled out a new feature that allows visualization of the remote air conditioning function. Users can see scheduled functions for the ventilation, air conditioning, and heating systems all from the app. Should you require service, users can reserve a time for an appointment through the app, which will remind you when it’s getting near. 

My BMW App updates for EVs

The updates specific to electric vehicles will now give users all the information they will ever need to charge the vehicle. Users can see how much charge time is left and control any part of the process from the My BMW App itself. 

BMW also offers a point system now that you can access from your Android or Apple smartphones. This feature allows users to collect points whenever they charge their vehicle. To earn those points, you will have to charge it at least 20 times a month, and each charging session has to be at least 15 minutes long. 

Users can even collect points by driving their vehicles. You’ll earn them with each kilometer you drive on electric power and for every kilometer covered on electric power in an eDrive zone. Points are redeemed through the charging of the BMW vehicle. Your My BMW App will show you how many points you have and how many miles have been driven. 

What other plans has BMW revealed for its EV future?

According to Autoweek, BMW is hard at work making its three-part strategy for a future line of vehicles become a reality. The plan, set for 2030, is to integrate a refined computerized system, high-performance electric powertrains with accompanying batteries, and sustainability for its vehicle’s life cycles. 

Its Operating System 8 software architecture, which BMW claims to be the most powerful, is being rolled out with the new iX model this year to compete against Tesla. If all goes well, you can be sure that it will quickly be implemented with many other cars in the BMW lineup. This will pave the way for over-the-air updates.

However, BMW is not only working on its line of EVs. It’s also dabbling into the electric scooter business as well. For 2022, it’s gearing up for releasing the BMW CE 04, which is essentially a spinoff of the 2014 C Evolution.

The My BMW App, which replaced the old BMW Connect App, promises to offer the most useful features you could ask for. Plus, it’s accessible for Android as well as Apple smartphone users. 

RELATED: Is Your BMW Eligible for Biggest Over-the-Air Upgrade Ever?

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0 Chevy Malibu Models Have Been Made in the U.S. Since February 2021

by Gabrielle DeSantis

There isn’t an automaker that didn’t feel the sting from the pandemic shutdowns of 2020. The industry continues to struggle with after effects despite the return to normal operations in recent months. Chevy Malibu is no different. A good example is the supply shortage of semiconductor chips.

Since most brands rely on these chips as a significant component for vehicle production, including Chevrolet, the output of many vehicle models like the Malibu continues to experience additional delays.  Chevy hasn’t built a Malibu in the U.S. since February. 

There’s a chip shortage causing all the fuss for Chevy Malibu

2020 Chevrolet Malibu | General Motors

The semiconductor chip shortage came about because of a surge in demand for personal electronics during the pandemic. Americans working and learning from home needed better tech to stay connected. And the depleted reserves of those chips meant carmakers could not finish the production of various model vehicles.

These chips are responsible for powering various auto features, including backup cameras, emergency braking platforms, and power steering. Not having these chips means cars offering these basic systems can’t roll off the production line.

Automakers like Ford, Hyundai, and Volkswagen scheduled additional production shutdowns around April and May, hoping the semiconductor chip market would catch up to demand. And Chevy was hit especially hard, with several vehicle models affected by these shortages, none more so than Chevy Malibu. The GM Fairfax Assembly plant, responsible for producing the Malibu and the Cadillac XT4, idled on February 8 and remained offline. 

The Chevrolet Malibu’s days were already numbered

The Chevy Malibu production line may be stalled, but the sedan’s days were already numbered. Last year, GM announced it would be dropping the Malibu from the portfolio after its present generational run finishes in 2024. The ninth-generation Malibu was redesigned in 2016 and, despite a mid-cycle restyle, continues to lag in car sales, according to metrics reported by Drive Tribe.

The current semiconductor chip shortage only exacerbates Chevy Malibu’s delay in production and reinforces its cancellation. When chip supplies become available, the automaker seems to be allocating resources to more popular pickups and SUVs, says GM Authority. General Motors hasn’t offered any news about when the Malibu production line will restart. It seems, at least for now, the sedan’s future is bleak, with the chip shortage forcing a potential early retirement.

Other vehicle models affected by the chip shortage

The car-buying trends for 2021 are rebounding but will continue to be off-kilter, with some sources estimating the global industry as a whole will produce 1.5 to five million fewer vehicles altogether this year. And according to Car and Driver, Chevrolet isn’t the only automaker stumbling in vehicle production because of the chip shortage. Volkswagen’s Bratislava, Slovakia plant shuttered SUV production from April 29 through May 7. 

Ford experienced a pause in production for its highly-anticipated new Bronco Sport. This past spring, even luxury classes saw delays, including plants responsible for building the Land Rover Discovery Sport and the popular Range Rover Evoque. And Stellantis delayed production of the Dodge Durango and the Jeep Grand Cherokee, as well. 

It’s hard to predict how long the semiconductor chip shortage will continue to affect the auto industry. But some signs point to a return to normal on the horizon, and analysts predict that pains will ease by the fourth quarter this year. Others suggest it may take all of 2022 to see semiconductor chip supplies fully recover.

Meanwhile, GM resumes production of the GMC Acadia, Cadillac XT5, and Chevy Traverse, reallocating those available chips to higher revenue-producing models. Consumers might have to say goodbye to the Chevy Malibu a little sooner than expected. 

RELATED: Chevy Killed Impala, Next is Malibu, Followed Closely by Camaro and Spark

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Best Thing For a Bentley Flying Spur is Hack it Up Like This

by Gabrielle DeSantis

What would you do to a Bentley Flying Spur? This one went under the knife, coming out the other end as a pickup truck. A custom shop in the UK is responsible for it, and to us, it’s the best thing we have seen done to a Flying Spur ever. 

Hacking on this Flying Spur began in 2020

Bentley Flying Spur pickup | DC Customs

DC Customs began hacking the Flying Spur back in January 2020. The Spur started out as a pre-2019 silver sedan with nothing special that made it stand out. Bentley did a facelift of the Spur in 2019. New, these Flying Spurs cost either side of $200,000 depending on options. Today, a used Spur still runs between $100,000 and $150,000. 

DC stripped it down and began its transformation by cutting off the rear portion of the roof. Then it began fabricating the pickup bed. Before it could do that it needed to have the shock towers lowered. Each side lost two inches as the towers protruded high into what would become the bed. 

Bentley Flying Spur pickup under construction
Bentley Flying Spur pickup | DC Customs

While fabricating the bed DC also created the unique front bumper with larger air intakes. These front ends from the factory are a toned-down version of the fascias found on Continental coupes. DC took cues from the coupe’s fascia but went larger with the openings. 

A stock Flying Spur weighs over 5,300 lbs.

Bentley Flying Spur pickup
Bentley Flying Spur pickup | DC Customs

The Spur’s bed is lined with wood and small storage areas on each side. Fabrication to turn it into a pickup didn’t require any structural changes to the frame. Flying Spurs have pretty stout frames and suspensions, in total weighing over 5,300 lbs. 

Even with that amount of heft, the Spur handles quite well with all-wheel drive and 500 hp. The V8 in the S-version can accelerate from 0-60 mph in 4.6 seconds with a top speed of 190 mph. Yes, for an over-two-ton behemoth as a sedan these haul. We don’t know whether this particular Spur is an S-type. We also don’t know whether this conversion added weight or subtracted it.  

This pickup conversion was done to a nice Spur, not a salvage car

Bentley Flying Spur pickup finished
Bentley Flying Spur pickup | DC Customs

Inside the interiors are luxurious as one can imagine with this being a Bentley. If it is the S-type it comes with Piano Black wood, two-toned leather seats, a rear diffuser, and special alloy wheels. From chatter online we understand this was not a salvage title vehicle but an unmolested Flying Spur. To some, this will definitely be scandalous. 

After the body was massaged the whole car was shot in purple and silver two-tone. DC christened it “Decadence.” In spite of what looks to be a beautiful paint job, the company says this pickup wasn’t built to be a show car. The owner supposedly drives it regularly. We know we would, too. 

RELATED: 5 Affordable Bentley Models That you Probably Shouldn’t Buy

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A Mclaren Recall Means That Cars Had Faulty Brakes

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Mclaren is known for a lot of things: Formula 1, the legendary Gordon Murray-designed F1, the brand’s ties to Ayrton Senna, you name it. Thankfully, that all boils down to one convenient word: performance. The brand is known for making things that go, turn and stop. However, there’s now a Mclaren recall that interferes with one of those things. A new recall has been reported by the NHTSA stating there’s an issue with the brakes on your Mclaren.

Stopping at 200 MPH is somewhat important

Mclaren’s (nearly) perfect 720s | Martyn Lucy via Getty Images

To quote the NHTSA, “The brake assembly banjo bolt may be missing the holes that supply brake fluid to the caliper, which would cause the brakes to fail on one corner of the vehicle.” Unfortunately, this Mclaren recall, like others, is full of a lot of technical jargon, so let’s “brake” that down (sorry). First, what exactly is this musical bolt and why is it causing British supercars to break? Effectively, the flow of fluid through the brake lines is controlled by the banjo bolt.

So, it appears that what’s happening here in layman’s terms is pretty straightforward. Effectively, these bolts are missing a hole. That hole is what helps get brake fluid into the brakes, squeezing the pad into the carbon-ceramic rotor when the driver hits the stop pedal. However, the distribution of this issue is only on one caliper. That means the car will pull pretty hard to one side or the other because of the uneven brake pressure.

The Mclaren recall will hit the brand hard

A green Mclaren 570s on a track in the UK
Mclaren brakes are no cheap thing | Mclaren

Thankfully, like any other recall, Mclaren will happily service the affected vehicles free of charge. Now things get a little weird. No one noticed. At least, not for a long time. Rather, Mclaren knew on May 2, but owners haven’t said a peep. Frankly, that’s probably because these people aren’t daily driving their Mclarens. No, these cars are probably garage queens, being driven a handful of times a year.

It’s entirely possible owners simply hadn’t noticed because the cars weren’t being driven much, and when they were, they weren’t being driven hard enough for the issue to be noticeable. Regardless, the recall is a pretty large setback for the British manufacturer. You may recall that earlier this year, the boys in orange had to sell their factory and lease it back to themselves to stay afloat.

Mclaren are on the ragged edge

Mclaren's GT in blue on a twisty road in St Tropez
A blue McLaren GT in St Tropez | Mclaren

Those aren’t exactly ideal circumstances for a manufacturer facing a recall on four of their models. Four of their very, very expensive models. Models in that range, like the 600LT, 720s, 570s, and GT were surely optioned with expensive five-figure carbon-ceramic brakes. Not a cheap fix for Mclaren. But at the end of the day, Mclaren makes some truly exquisite machinery, and they’ll surely manage to come out of their hardships more or less in one piece. For now, they’d best find a new brakes supplier.

RELATED: Forget the SUV and Take a Sports Car Camping Instead

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