All posts by Francis Mitterrand

News

BMW Recalls Over Half a Million Vehicles After Starter-Motor Fire Risk

BMW is once again dialing up the recall hotline—this time over a component most drivers never think about until it fails: the starter motor. The German automaker has announced a worldwide recall covering a mid–six-digit number of vehicles after discovering a defect in the starter (referred to internally as the “anlaser”) that could, in extreme cases, lead to a vehicle fire.

The issue affects 16 BMW models built between July 2020 and July 2022, all of which use starter motors supplied by a third-party manufacturer. According to BMW, excessive wear inside the starter’s electromagnetic solenoid can create electrical resistance that may result in a short circuit. That, in turn, can cause localized overheating—and in the worst-case scenario, a fire while the vehicle is in operation.

BMW says it identified the problem after receiving customer complaints and conducting inspections of affected vehicles. The company will contact owners directly and replace the faulty starters free of charge.

Until repairs are completed, BMW is urging owners to take a cautious approach. The company specifically recommends that vehicles not be left unattended after starting, especially if the engine has been restarted while still warm—a condition that places higher electrical demand on the starter system.

While any recall involving the word “fire” is bound to raise eyebrows, BMW downplayed the financial impact. A company spokesperson told AFP that the campaign will have little to no effect on earnings—welcome news after a difficult 2024, when BMW took a hit of hundreds of millions of euros from a massive 1.5-million-vehicle recall caused by faulty brake components supplied by Continental.

This latest recall serves as another reminder that even as modern cars grow ever more complex, some of the most serious problems can still come from the simplest hardware. A starter motor is about as basic as it gets—but when it fails electrically, the consequences can escalate quickly.

For BMW owners of 2020–2022 vehicles, the message is clear: watch for that recall notice, book the fix, and don’t leave your car running unattended until it’s done.

Source: BMW

News

Germany Becomes the World’s Second-Largest EV Producer

If there was ever any doubt that Germany could pivot from piston to plug, 2025 just erased it. According to fresh numbers from the Automotive Industry Association (VDA), Europe’s manufacturing heavyweight is now the second-largest producer of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids on Earth, trailing only China. And it didn’t get there by inching forward—it got there by flooring the accelerator.

Last year, German factories built 1.22 million EVs and PHEVs, a national record and a 15-percent jump over 2024. That surge mirrors what’s happening across Europe, where EV sales climbed nearly 30 percent to about 2.6 million vehicles. In other words, this isn’t a niche wave anymore—it’s the new tide.

Still, China remains the colossus in the room. With 16.1 million new-energy vehicles rolling out annually—including battery EVs, plug-in hybrids, range extenders, and hydrogen models—it’s operating on a scale that makes the rest of the world look like a regional supplier. But Germany’s rise to second place is no small feat, especially for a country whose identity has been built around mechanical precision and internal-combustion dominance for more than a century.

What makes the shift more impressive is that it’s happening without a collapse in overall production. German plants built 4.15 million passenger cars last year, a 2-percent increase over 2024. The real story, though, is what those cars are. Nearly 30 percent were fully electric, and when you add plug-in hybrids, about 40 percent of everything built in Germany now has a charging port. That’s not a transition—that’s a transformation.

At the brand level, Volkswagen continues to own the European EV conversation. In 2025, VW sold almost 275,000 electric vehicles, a 56-percent year-over-year increase that underscores how aggressively the group is pushing into the battery era. Tesla, meanwhile, had a rougher year on this side of the Atlantic, with European sales down 27 percent to 238,765 vehicles. The Model Y may still be a familiar sight on Autobahns and boulevards, but the competitive landscape is no longer a one-brand show.

Taken together, the numbers paint a clear picture: Germany isn’t just adapting to electrification—it’s shaping it. With nearly half of its production now electrified and volume growing, the country is positioning itself as Europe’s EV engine room, even as China sets the global pace.

For enthusiasts and industry watchers alike, it’s a strange but fascinating moment. The nation that gave us the Nürburgring and the flat-six is now just as defined by kilowatts and battery packs. And judging by the trajectory, Germany’s electric chapter is only just beginning.

Source: VDA

Tuning

AC Schnitzer Turns the BMW i5 Into a Stealthy Electric M5

By now, the G60-generation BMW 5 Series has settled into its role as Munich’s tech-heavy, executive express, and its all-electric i5 sibling has proven that electrons don’t have to mean anonymity. Still, if you’re the kind of owner who wants your EV to look less like a boardroom shuttle and more like it’s late for a Nürburgring lap, AC Schnitzer has been quietly cooking up exactly what you need.

The longtime BMW tuning house has rolled out a full suite of visual and chassis upgrades for the i5, applying the same hardware it previously offered for the gas-powered G60/G61 models. The result is a sedan that looks like a toned-down M5—muscular without crossing into boy-racer territory.

The transformation starts at the nose. A new front splitter sharpens the i5’s face and visually lowers the car, and it’s matched with more assertive side skirts and not one but two rear-spoiler options. Touring models get their own tailored wing, because even your electric family hauler deserves a little aerodynamic swagger. All of these pieces are designed to work with BMW’s M Sport package, which already gives the i5 a more aggressive set of bumpers from the factory.

AC Schnitzer also offers striped side decals for anyone who thinks subtlety is overrated, but the real show-stealers are the wheels. Three different designs are available, in finishes and sizes ranging from 19 to 21 inches. The photo car wears 21-inch AC3 FlowForming five-twin-spoke alloys, filling out the arches nicely and pairing up with red brake calipers for a splash of visual drama. It’s the kind of detail that makes pedestrians do a double take—and then realize it’s not an M5 after all.

To make sure the stance matches the looks, AC Schnitzer fits shorter coil springs that drop the i5 by 20 to 25 millimeters, along with spacers that widen the track by 20 mm. The effect is simple and effective: the i5 sits lower, looks wider, and appears far more planted than the buttoned-up stock car.

The donor vehicle here is the i5 M60 xDrive, the baddest electric 5 Series BMW sells. With two motors delivering a combined 601 horsepower and 820 Nm of torque, it’s already plenty quick in factory trim. AC Schnitzer isn’t touching the powertrain for now—electrons are apparently off-limits—but if history is any guide, the upcoming combustion-powered M5 won’t be so lucky.

Pricing, as always with German tuners, is à la carte. The front splitter will set you back €1,290, the side sills €840, and the roof spoiler €490, with an additional €540 if you opt for the more subtle rear lip. Wheels are the biggest ticket item, running up to €5,390 depending on size and finish. Add €486 for spacers and €581 for the lowering springs, and you can build an i5 that looks every bit as menacing as its M-badged cousin—without waiting for BMW to do it themselves.

For enthusiasts who want their electric executive sedan to project more Autobahn attitude and less airport-hotel anonymity, AC Schnitzer’s i5 package might be the perfect plug-in personality upgrade.

Source: AC Schnitzer