Spotted - North American BMW's vs SA

tman

Well-known member
During my last business trip to Canada & the US I took a few pictures of the cosmetic & engine differences between the BMW's available there VS here.

Most dealerships there (Including BMW) offers you up to 96 months to pay for a new car @ 0% interest. Imagine we could get that here?!

The most common cosmetic change. All BMW models feature this added side indicator.





Im pretty sure we dont get these X3 mags here in SA?


Note the Xdrive badge on the boot, and the black tailpipes on a 328i

The pic quality is quite bad - this is a 328i, and it also features the Xdrive badge


 

AdiS

Well-known member
Are the xdrive models not just the 4wd versions? Like the e46s used to be denoted xi. E.g. 330Xi


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 

distilledsilver

New member
Xdrive is 4 wheel drive. Reason we don't get the option here is cause we don't get snow :thumbsup:

Black tail pipes are part of the sportline package.

Most interesting thing is how they play around with rear indicators and brake lights. Rear indicators can be red over there, so on a lot of bmw's such as the E90 and E60 it is red. Some models have the the brake light also functioning as the indicator, while the indicator on the cluster does nothing.

This is also the reason why centre brake lights became law in the 80's, longer before they were even fitted to cars in any other market. Because if you braked with your hazard lights on, there was no way to tell the brake lights were on!

This led to some pretty crazy designs as manufacturers had to find a place to add them on :roflol:

2730_1_1994_964_speedster_guards_red_black_10505_miles_web2.jpg


DRLs are also changed around. On the E90 LCI with xenons, the high beam still functions as DRL rather than the corona rings. Same with the E60 LCI which had corona ring DRLs regardless of whether they had xenons or not in other markets.

You will also find the interior plastered with warning stickers all over the place. And iDrive requires you to accept a disclaimer about not letting it distract you while driving EVERY SINGLE TIME you turn the car on!!!
 

osiris

///Member
My Yamaha R6 was imported from the US and also came with funny side reflectors on the front wheel on either side of the brake disc, also the Indicators stayed illuminated at all times until you actually indicate then it flashed....These were the first things I fixed when I got the bike.
 
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