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BMW's just released the deets on their new-for-2008 5 Series, and we now know what we've already known — 2009's going to be the big refresh for the mid-size luxe sedan and wagon from the folks at Bayerische Motoren Werke. 2008's kind of "meh," with the only real changes in looks we're seeing from last year's model are some slight changes to the skirt-bound air intakes as well as to the headlights, dashboard and interior design. Otherwise, this Bangle-baby's pretty darn similar to the '06 model. The only real change appears to be coming from under the hood — it's enough that the 6-cylinder sedans and sport wagons will be receiving "new model designations, reflecting a marked boost in power." Exit the now old-school 525i and 525xi, and enter the new 230 hp 528i and 528xi. Similarly, say goodbye to the 530i and 530xi, and say hello to the new inline-six, 300 hp N54 twin-turboed 535i and 535xi. In fact, the only designation seeing a decease in numbers-in-name seems to be the old 290 hp V8 540i sports wagon that's now been renamed the 535xi. Check out all the numbers for yourself below the jump in the extra-long press release.
The most powerful 6-cylinder Sedans and Sports Wagon yet headline a thoroughly revised 5 Series
Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, May 1, 2007... Building on last year's updates, BMW's 2008 5 Series Sedans and Sport Wagon receive another significant freshening and, in the case of 6-cylinder models, a major boost in power and efficiency. Complementing the power increase, a thoroughly revised interior, new technological features and a freshened look front and rear ensure this benchmark collection of rear and all-wheel-drive Sedans and Sports Wagon will maintain their place at the forefront of the mid-size luxury class.
These early release 2008 5 Series models represent the most significant update since their introduction in 2003. Adopting the new engines introduced in the 3 Series Coupe, the 6-cylinder Sedans and Sport Wagon receive new model designations, reflecting a marked boost in power. Last year's 525i and 525xi both get the new, 230-horsepower iteration of BMW's remarkable aluminum/magnesium composite N52 engine, along with new 528i and 528xi nomenclature. Similarly, the 530i and 530xi become the 535i and 535xi, the new designations signifying the addition of BMW's latest, 300-horsepower N54 twin-turbo inline-6. Included in this upgrade is the 2008 535xi Sports Wagon, its 300-horsepower eclipsing the old 290-hp V-8 540i and making it the most powerful Sports Wagon BMW has ever offered in the U.S. While the current 550i retains its 360-horsepower 4.8-liter V-8, the mid-size flagship receives a new Sport Package with 19-inch wheels and new body treatments, along with the updated interior and exterior freshening.
In addition to the horsepower boost, new performance features include a quicker-shifting Sport Automatic transmission for the rear-drive 535i and 550i Sedans, which also provides fingertip shift control via steering-wheel-mounted paddles. This is in addition to the new, updated STEPTRONIC that is now a no-cost option on all 5 Series models. New Sport Package contents bring 18-inch wheels and run-flat performance tires to all 6-cylinder models, including staggered-width 18-inch tires on the rear-drive 535i Sedan. The same 18-inch wheel and tire option is also available on Sport Package-equipped 535xi models as a further extra-cost addition.
New technological features also make their appearance for '08. First among these is BMW's Lane Departure Warning system, a camera-based system that monitors lane placement, and discreetly notifies the driver via mild steering wheel vibration of any motions that might indicate an inadvertent lane change. The convenience of Active Cruise Control is extended via a new Stop and Go feature, which enables the system to function even in heavy traffic. Active Cruise allows the vehicle to come to a complete stop without losing its setting, then accelerate back up to set speed with only a touch of the accelerator pedal from the driver. Audio options expand with a USB Adapter for an iPod or MP3 player. And BMW's leading-edge iDrive system adds a row of programmable "favorites" buttons, which can be used for anything from radio-station presets to pre-programmed destinations with the optional navigation system.
As in the past, all BMW automobiles and SAVs include BMW Ultimate Service, which includes 4 year, unlimited mileage Roadside Assistance, 4 year / 50,000 mile New Vehicle Limited Warranty and BMW Maintenance Program at no extra cost. In addition, all 5 Series BMWs also include a 4 year membership in BMW Assist Safety Services as standard equipment.
With all these changes for 2008, BMW's 5 Series again reasserts itself as the class leader in the midsize performance-luxury field.
What's new for 2008
As of 3/07 production (Sedans and Sports Wagon):
• 528i Sedan (new designation)
• 528xi Sedan (new designation)
• 535i Sedan (new designation)
• 535xi Sedan (new designation)
• 535xi Sports Wagon (new designation)
• 550i Sedan (existing model)
Performance & efficiency
All 5 Series models:
• New STEPTRONIC includes faster shifting and more efficient operation for improved efficiency and quicker acceleration. This transmission is now a no-cost option on all 5 Series models
• New electronic shifter offers "shift-by-wire" actuation and more ergonomic operation
• SMG no longer available
528i/xi Sedan only
• 230-hp N52 engine for all 528i/xi models:
• magnesium/aluminum composite construction
• Valvetronic and Double VANOS valve actuation
• includes single-stage intake
• revised tuning provides 230 horsepower @ 6500 rpm, 200 lb-ft. of torque at 2750 rpm, an increase of 15 horsepower/15 lb-ft. of torque over previous 525i.
• New optional wheels and tires. 528i Sport Package includes 18-inch wheels with performance run-flat tires; optional with Sport Package on 528xi
535i/xi Models
• 300-hp N54 for all 535i/xi models:
• all-aluminum construction
• twin-turbocharger technology boosts horsepower with virtually no turbo-lag
• Direct fuel injection with piezo electric injectors
• Double VANOS 1 steplessly variable valve timing
• N54 engine rated at 300 horsepower @ 5800 rpm, 300 lb-ft. of torque at 1400—5000 rpm, an increase of 45 horsepower and an astonishing 80 lb-ft. of torque over previous 530i/xi, with a significantly broader torque band.
• Brake discs upgraded to 13.7 front and 13.6 rear, same size as 550i
535xi Sedan
• 535xi Sport Package offers the additional option of 18-inch wheels and tires in staggered width; first time on all-wheel-drive models
535i Sedan
• New optional Sport Automatic includes steering-wheel paddle shifters and rpm matching during downshifts, plus a Sport button for quicker, more dynamic shifting (beginning 06/07 production)
• Sport Package includes 18-inch wheel and tire sizes in staggered width; first time on 6-cylinder models
535xi Sports Wagon
• 300-hp N54 engine, same as 535i/xi Sedans. This engine makes the 535xi Sport Wagon the most powerful wagon BMW has ever offered, including the previous-generation (E39) V-8-powered 540i
• 535xi Sport Wagon offers 18-inch wheel and tire sizes as an upgrade with the Sport Package (same size front and rear)
550i Sedan
• New optional Sport Automatic includes steering-wheel paddle shifters and rpm matching during downshifts, plus a Sport button for quicker, more dynamic shifting (beginning 06/07 production)
• Sport Package now includes 19-inch, staggered-width wheels with performance tires, new aerodynamics package
Exterior design & function
All 5 Series Sedans
• Reconfigured optical headlight lenses
• New front airdam has reshaped opening with upturned ends
• Relocated amber DOT lenses; headlight area is completely white
• Taillights include new white design with fewer reflectors, plus red lines in the optical lenses
• Reshaped rear bumper, with revised diffuser below the bumper
535xi Sports Wagon
• New front-end treatment includes revised headlights, front fascia and relocated DOT lenses
• New rear-end treatment includes reconfigured taillights. Rear diffuser remains as before
Ergonomics, luxury & convenience
• Thoroughly revised interior
• New standard steering wheel
• Window switches relocated to armrest
• Larger, more refined door pockets
• Smaller, leather-wrapped passenger door handle
• Wood trim now flows from the instrument panel into the door panel, giving a richer, warmer, more integrated look
• iDrive includes six programmable "favorites" buttons, which can be set to many frequently used features including destination addresses, auto-dialed phone numbers or radio station presets
• New electronic shifter for STEPTRONIC automatic with ergonomically optimized contour, placement and function
• Leather-wrapped center console with:
• New center-console storage compartment
• New ashtray
• Leather-trimmed iDrive controller
• Radio buttons and temperature controls trimmed in titanium silver
New options, all models
• Active Cruise Control Stop & Go, allows operation even in heavy traffic, and can accommodate speeds all the way down to a complete stop, and resume to set speed from 0 mph
• Lane Departure Warning system, provides an immediate notification when the car crosses into another lane without turn signals
• USB adaptor for iPods or MP3 players, which does not use the CD player connections
5 Series models for 2008
528i Sedan
The Series' "basic" model, with an additional increase in horsepower this year, new STEPTRONIC automatic, new interior and freshened exterior styling. Significantly improved 0-60 performance—0.8 seconds quicker with manual transmission, 0.5 seconds quicker with automatic. Key distinguishing features and attributes include:
• Revised 3.0-liter DOHC 24-valve inline 6-cylinder engine with magnesium/aluminum composite construction, Valvetronic variable intake-valve lift, Double VANOS 1 variable valve timing, single-stage induction system; 230 hp/200 lb-ft. torque
• Standard 6-speed manual transmission, 6-speed STEPTRONIC automatic transmission optional at no extra cost
• 17 x 7.5 alloy wheels, Star Spoke design #138
• 225/50R-17 V-rated all-season tires
• Standard Dynamic Traction Control
• Active Steering available only as stand-alone option
• 4-wheel ventilated disc brakes
• Leatherette upholstery
• 10-way power front seats, including power head restraints
• Available option Packages:
• Sport (includes sport suspension, Sport steering wheel, space-saver spare tire, Shadowline trim, Active Roll Stabilization, 18 x 8.0-in. Star Spoke (design #246) wheels with run-flat performance tires and 20-way Multi-Contour seats)
• Premium (includes Dakota leather, Universal Garage Door Opener, auto-dimming interior & power-folding exterior mirrors, 4-way power lumbar support, and ambient lighting package)
• Cold Weather (includes heated steering wheel, heated front seats & retractable headlight washers)
528xi Sedan
The 528xi is equipped essentially like the 528i Sedan, with minor differences in technical specifications, options and Package contents. Key differentiating features from 528i Sedan include:
• xDrive all-wheel drive system, electronically controlled with variable front/rear torque split and traction control
• Performance and fuel efficiency are somewhat affected by additional weight and mechanism of AWD system. With new 230-hp engine, acceleration is 7.1 seconds 0-60 mph manual, 7.6 seconds with STEPTRONIC automatic; top speed is now electronically limited to 150 mph.
• Dynamic Traction Control included along with Hill Descent Control
• Wheel construction differs; same rim width, but different offset
• Vehicle height increases from 57.8 in. to 58.3 in.
• Same option Packages as 528i, except:
• Sport Package deletes sport suspension calibration (AWD have their own calibration, same with or without Sport Package); deletes Active Roll Stabilization; and retains standard 17 x 7.5 wheels and all-season tires
• New 18 x 8.0 Star Spoke wheels (design #246) with 245/40R-18 run-flat performance tires 2 (same equipment as included in 528i Sport Package) are available as stand-alone option in combination with Sport Package
• Active Steering not available
535i Sedan
Premium 6-cylinder model, with new 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-6 and more extensive standard equipment. Performance jumps significantly over 528i and previous 530i—0-60 acceleration drops to 5.7 seconds with automatic. Key differentiating features from 528i Sedan include:
• Twin-turbocharged N54 engine with aluminum block and head and cast-iron cylinder liners; Double VANOS 1 and direct fuel injection; 300 hp/300 lb-ft. torque
• Xenon Adaptive headlights standard (528i: optional)
• Same option Packages as 528i, except:
• Premium Package deletes 4-way power front-seat lumbar support, as it is standard on this model
• Sport Package (includes same equipment as 528i Package except 535i adds staggered-width Star Spoke wheels (Design #124); 18 x 8.0-in. front, 18 x 9.0-in. rear) with 245/40R-18 front and 275/35R-18 rear run-flat performance tires 2
535xi Sedan
Combines the 535i engine and xDrive to create a higher-performing all-wheel-drive sports-luxury Sedan. Key differentiating features from the 535i Sedan include:
• Performance and fuel efficiency are only marginally affected by additional weight and mechanism of AWD system; acceleration with automatic actually drops, to 5.6 seconds compared to 5.7 for the 535i Sedan
• xDrive all-wheel drive system, electronically controlled with variable front/rear torque split and traction control
• Dynamic Traction Control included along with Hill Descent Control
• Wheel construction differs; same rim width, but different offset
• Vehicle height increases from 57.8 in. to 58.3 in.
• Same option Packages as 535i, except:
• Sport Package deletes sport suspension calibration (AWD have their own calibration, same with or without Sport Package); deletes Active Roll Stabilization; and retains standard 17 x 7.5 wheels and all-season tires
• Staggered width wheels (18 x 8.0-in. front, 18 x 9.0-in. rear) with 245/40R-18 front and 275/35R-18 rear run-flat performance tires 2 are available as stand-alone option in combination with Sport Package
• Active Steering not available
535xi Sports Wagon
Combines 5 Series design, performance and technology with sports-wagon versatility. Embodies a host of features that enhance people- and cargo-carrying capabilities; xDrive endows it with amazing traction and agility. With new twin-turbo engine, the 535xi Sport Wagon becomes the quickest 5 Series wagon ever offered in the U.S. Minimal additional weight has only a slight effect on acceleration compared to 535xi Sedan; 5.8 seconds 0-60 mph with automatic. Key differentiating features from 535xi Sedan include:
• Sports Wagon body, unique from the windshield back, graceful yet practical; essentially the same length and width, 0.4 in. taller, 198 lb. additional curb weight
• Standard roof rails, accommodating BMW roof carrier systems
• Dual-panel Panoramic Moonroof
• Variable cargo area, with straight side walls and level floor:
• Wider than in previous 5 Series Sports Wagon; cargo volume ranges from 17.6 to 58.3 cu ft. with seats upright or folded, height of loaded cargo
• Enclosed storage compartments on both sides
• Lockable storage compartment under floor, with adjustable dividers for small cargo items
• Standard cargo net, usable with rear seats upright or folded
• Tailgate with separately opening rear window (both open upward)
• Electrically released from remote or interior switch
• Soft Close of lower section: user closes gently, power mechanism draws it down
• Cargo cover rises automatically when window or lower tailgate is opened;
supported on gas struts, no cord or prop. Cover can also be removed from vehicle.
• Optional power tailgate with programmable opening height
• Red light at left bottom of tailgate for safety; visible when tailgate is open
• Unique rear suspension, with self-leveling air springs; designed to maximize cargo space
• Optional 18 x 8.0 Star Spoke wheels (design #124) with 245/40R-18 run-flat performance tires 2 (same style as included in 535xi Sport Package) are available as stand-alone option in combination with Sport Package. Same size wheels and tires front and rear
550i Sedan
Flagship model, with 4.8-liter, 360-hp all-aluminum N62 V-8, standard Dakota leather and additional standard equipment over any 6-cylinder model. Further performance gain over 535i—5.4 seconds 0-60 with manual transmission, 5.5 seconds with automatic. Key differentiating features from 535i Sedan include:
• All-aluminum 32-valve V-8; Valvetronic variable intake-valve lift and Double VANOS 1; 2-stage intake manifold, 360 hp/360 lb-ft. torque
• wider, 17 x 8.0-inch wheels with 225/50R-17 all-season run-flat tires
• Standard Park Distance Control
• Same option Packages as 535i, except:
• Premium Package deleted as all contents standard on this model
• Sport Package includes all items in 535i package, but substitutes larger staggered-width wheels (19 x 8.0-in. front, 19 x 9.5-in. rear) with 245/35R-19 front and 275/30R-19 rear performance tires. 2 The 550i Sports Package also includes V-8 specific sport exhaust system and its own unique aerodynamics kit
Power & performance features:
A more-powerful base engine, twin-turbo performance, and a superlative V-8 all complement the most sophisticated chassis in the class.
BMW's engines have become legendary for their performance, smoothness, and sophistication—attributes that apply equally well to BMW's inline-6s and V-8s. The 5 Series offers three of these engines—two 6-cylinders and one V-8—including the company's first turbocharged engine in more than three decades. From the base 528i to the range-topping 550i, the 5 Series offers the most impressive range of powerplants in the class, all backed by 6-speed transmissions, manual or automatic.
As the first full-production aluminum/magnesium composite engine every offered, the 3.0-liter N52 inline-6 carries on BMW's tradition of building cutting-edge engines that combine outstanding power, unparalleled refinement and excellent fuel economy. For 2008, this engine receives a boost to 230 horsepower, making the 528i/xi Sedans the most powerful entry-level 5 Series ever offered. Similarly, the new 300-hp twin-turbo 535i/xi Sedans and Sports Wagon are the quickest 6-cylinder-powered 5 Series cars yet. And the range-topping 550i offers the same 360-horsepower V-8 as BMW's 750Li Sedan in a sportier, more compact platform.
These exemplary engines reside in a chassis that includes aluminum suspension, large-diameter disc brakes, performance tires on 17-, 18- or 19-inch wheels and options such as Active Steering and Active Roll Stabilization. With either xDrive all-wheel-drive or traditional rear-drive, the 5 Series sets the standard for handling, ride and braking for the class.
BMW's inline 6-cylinder engines: Class-leading distinction, performance and efficiency
• Unparalleled smoothness and sound
• A distinction from the multitude of V-6 engines on the market
Almost all vehicle manufacturers of 6-cylinder engines have adopted the V-6 format, whose compactness is advantageous in small or midsize cars with front-wheel drive. By contrast, BMW's inline 6-cylinder engines are outstanding for their smoothness and sound, and BMW customers treasure them for these attributes. Thus BMW retains the inline format while developing it toward reduced weight, more compact dimensions - and ever more brilliant performance, smoothness and sound. An increase in fuel efficiency and even tighter control of emissions were also set as goals for this BMW engine generation, which currently powers the 2008 528i/xi 6-cylinder models.
N52 engine: magnesium/aluminum composite construction and Valvetronic variable valve lift
As the "base" level powerplant, the N52 engine offers a wide variety of benefits in the 528i and 528xi Sedans. In addition to offering a further development of BMW's traditional inline 6-cylinder engine, the aluminum/magnesium composite construction reduces weight compared to an all-aluminum design, which also enhances weight distribution. The Valvetronic variable valve lift improves performance and fuel efficiency, while detail refinements such as an electric water pump and volume-controlled oil pump also increase efficiency. The result is an engine that retains the legendary smoothness of BMW's inline 6-cylinder engines, while offering an outstanding balance of performance and fuel efficiency.
Compared to the previous M54 6-cylinder, the N52 offers a wide variety of benefits:
• Higher revving ability. The "redline" is 7000 rpm, vs. 6500 for the M54.
• Reduced weight - 22 lb. less. Had BMW engineers developed the previous engine to meet their goals, it would have added about 30 lb. - and thus would have weighed fully 52 lb. more than the new engine does.
• More compact - Because there is just one external drive belt, vs. the previous two, overall engine length is about an inch shorter. Here are details of how this dramatic progress was achieved - over an engine that was already outstanding in all these respects:
Evolved Valvetronic variable valve lift. This exclusive, patented innovation, enhancing the performance and fuel efficiency of BMW's V-8 and V-12 engines since 2002, varies valve lift to control engine power, dispensing with a conventional throttle. Valvetronic enhances engine power, torque and efficiency. Compared to the original Valvetronic system, introduced on BMW's V-8 and V-12 engines in 2002, the N52 engine's 2nd-generation system benefits from several evolutionary improvements:
• Maximum engine speed increased by 500 rpm. Enabled by making Valvetronic's reciprocating parts more rigid.
• Maximum intake-valve lift increased from 9.7 mm to 9.9 mm, which contributes to the increase in maximum power output.
• Greater maximum intake-valve acceleration. Less time is spent opening and closing the valves; thus they are effectively open longer.
• Phasing of the two intake valves. Starting from minimal intake-valve lift (i.e. idling), an increase in engine load causes the lift and timing of intake valve 1 to increase faster than that of valve 2. At its maximum, this phasing has valve 1 lifting 1.8 mm more than valve 2; at about 6 mm, the two valves are again "in synch." This refinement enhances fuel economy under low-load driving conditions.
Improved combustion chambers. Subtle refinements to the combustion-chamber shape conspire with the intake-valve phasing to create more stable combustion, with benefits to fuel efficiency and emission control.
Further evolved VANOS. Double VANOS 1 is a familiar feature of all current BMW engines. The range over which intake-valve timing can be varied has been increased by 10º, achieving yet another de-throttling effect.
Higher fuel-injection pressure results in an improved injection spray, helping reduce raw hydrocarbon emissions in a cold engine.
All-new engine electronics. Among many innovative details, the basic ignition and valve timing functions are duplicated. The first part was optimized for fuel consumption and emissions; the second part was determined according to pure driving parameters. Depending upon how perfectly the engine is running at any time, control interpolates between the two strategies. Under ideal conditions, the engine always runs with its lowest possible fuel consumption. In case of poor fuel quality or unfavorable environmental conditions, the control parameters prioritize driveability. With introduction of this latest version, the engine's electronic control module has been upgraded in calculating capability and renamed from MSV70 to MSV80.
Magnesium/aluminum composite construction. An important innovation - a world's first in modern times and exclusive to BMW. Structurally, the new engine block consists of three major castings:
• Bedplate (magnesium alloy ). The lower portion of the block (crankcase); similar in concept to a construction element found in some racing engines as well as the M5 and M6's 500-hp V-10. The bedplate combines with the upper crankcase to form the block's outer shell; the result is an ultra-rigid engine structure.
• Upper crankcase (magnesium alloy). Joining the bedplate at the level of the
crankshaft (main) bearings, this too is a weight-saving casting. It is mounted onto
the bedplate from above.
• Insert (silicon-impregnated aluminum alloy, or Alusil). In this sense, the N52's construction resembles that of current BMW V-8 and V-12 engines, though these blocks are all-Alusil.
In addition to the magnesium construction, other weight-saving materials include hollow camshafts, saving a remarkable 2.6 lb. each. Beginning as steel tubes, the camshafts are shaped in a hydroforming procedure, subjected from the inside to a water pressure of 58,000 lb./sq in. against outer forms to achieve the cam profiles. The engine's camshaft cover is of a new, weight-saving plastic material. (On earlier N52 engines, it was of magnesium.) And the chain camshaft drive, a high-durability, low-maintenance feature of all current BMW engines, has an aluminum chain tensioner that also saves weight. As a final weight-reducing element, the exhaust headers' flanges are formed from 2-mm-thick steel, significantly lighter than the 12-mm flanges used in the M54.
Electric water pump, electronically controlled according to coolant and oil temperatures at any moment. It runs only as much as needed, and in doing so consumes a maximum of 200 watts vs. up to 2 kilowatts (10 times as much) for a conventional pump. The electric pump has numerous tangible benefits:
• By requiring less power, contributes to the engine's increased power output.
• Faster engine warmup, because it doesn't circulate coolant when the engine is cold.
• Provides coolant circulation for the Heat-at-Rest feature now included in the climate control.
• By eliminating an external drive belt, makes the engine shorter.
Variable-volume oil pump. To supply pressure to the VANOS 1 at all speeds and temperatures without excess capacity at high engine speeds, BMW engineers developed a new type of oil pump with these advantages:
• Contributes to the engine's increased power output, by requiring less power from
the engine.
• Doesn't require a bypass to divert excess flow, which can be up to 80% with a conventional pump. This also avoids possible excess oil temperatures and oil foaming.
Oil/coolant heat exchanger. Another feature that speeds engine warmup; during this phase of operation, it transfers heat from the coolant to the oil circuit. Under conditions of high engine power and high oil temperatures, it performs the reverse, transferring heat from the oil circuit to the coolant, from which the engine cooling system then removes excess heat.
Additional power for 2008
While those traits illustrate the improvement over the previous-generation BMW inline-6, the N52 engine also benefits from additional power enhancements for 2008. Compared to its most direct predecessor, the 215-hp 525i/xi engine of 2007, the 230-hp 528i/xi engine delivers a tangible performance boost:
528i vs. 525i -
• 0-60 mph in 6.5 sec. for the 528i Sedan with manual transmission, compared to the '07 525i Sedan's 7.3 sec. (In fact, the new 528i nearly matches the 2007 530i from 0 to 60 mph, 6.5 sec. vs. 6.4!)
• 0-60 mph in 7.1 sec. with automatic transmission, vs. 7.6 sec.
528xi vs. 525xi -
• 0-60 mph in 7.1 sec. for the 528xi with manual transmission, vs. '07 525xi Sedan's 7.9 sec.
• 0-60 in 7.6 sec. with automatic transmission, vs. 8.2 sec.
N54 engine: twin turbocharging, piezo direct fuel injection, high
compression ratio
As BMW's other approach to modern 6-cylinder power, the N54 is as innovative as the N52 engine, though these different innovations are aimed at further increasing performance. A pair of relatively small turbochargers boost performance significantly, but minimize the traditional turbocharging response lag ("turbo-lag"). In addition, high precision direct fuel injection further enhances performance and fuel efficiency. Finally, high-tech heat-resistant materials in the engine help facilitate performance. With the N52 naturally aspirated engine and this even-newer N54 turbocharged unit, BMW is announcing to the world its approach to high performance: Instead of ever-larger engines, BMW will achieve its performance goals with smaller, lighter, more efficient and cleaner-running engines.
First: the 300-hp N54 engine is anything but simply a turbocharged version of the 230-hp N52. Several new "core" features distinguish it from the N52 and facilitate the higher performance level:
• All-aluminum structure. As attractive as the magnesium/aluminum concept is for saving weight, the extra strength of all aluminum construction was deemed necessary for the increased power and torque. Some, but not all, of the mag/alu construction's weight saving was lost. Like the N52's, the N54 block is a completely new construction, with bedplate.
• Cast-iron cylinder liners. Whereas the N52 has an aluminum-silicon cylinder casting inside its magnesium crankcase, the N54 has cast-iron sleeves inside its aluminum crankcase.
• Different bore and stroke. The bore has been reduced from 85.0 to 84.0 mm; the stroke is increased from 88.0 to 89.6 mm. This gives greater cylinder-wall thickness - again to handle the higher stresses within the engine - but leaves the engine's displacement essentially unchanged at 2979 cc vs. the N52's 2996 cc. Both round off to 3.0 liters.
• Conventional valvegear. In the research and development that led to the N54 engine, BMW's engineers found that Valvetronic's variable intake-valve lift did not lend its advantages to the turbocharged engine. They remain valid for the non-turbo engine.
• Moderately increased weight. Naturally, the aluminum construction, iron cylinder liners and turbochargers add some weight to the N54; so do solid camshafts, compared to the N52's hollow ones. Altogether, the N54 weighs 419 lb., vs. the N52's 357. With this moderate weight increase, of course, come 70 more horsepower and those 300 lb-ft. of torque; BMW engineers point out that a 4-liter engine of this performance would weigh a good 150 lb. more!
The performance-enhancing technologies.
Now, here are the technologies and features that actually produce the dramatically increased power and - especially - torque that characterize the new N54 engine:
Twin turbochargers. Turbocharging is a familiar form of increasing the performance of combustion engines - it has been around in various forms for 100 years. At various times, BMW has set milestones in the development of turbocharging: in 1973, the 2002 Turbo offered 170 hp, vs. 130 for its non-turbo stablemate the 2002 tii. In 1983, a BMW powered Brabham racecar was the first turbocharged vehicle to win a Formula 1 championship.
Yet over its history, turbocharging has also suffered some daunting drawbacks. If, as was usual, a single turbo was used, it often had an unacceptable degree of "turbo lag" - the lag between the time the driver mashed down the accelerator pedal to the time when the turbo responded. This was at its worst at low engine speeds. Another was relatively high fuel consumption. And finally, the available materials didn't always fare well under the high-heat, high-rpm operation of a turbocharger, which gets its energy from hot, flowing exhaust gases and typically spins well past 100,000 rpm. After the 2002 Turbo, which ironically was introduced just about the time of the first international energy crisis, BMW set turbocharging aside. (Except for diesel engines, where turbocharging is a highly conventional, almost indispensable, power enhancer.)
The N54 turbocharging concept addresses both turbo lag and durability concerns. By utilizing two small turbos - each one serving three cylinders - BMW has reduced the inertia that creates turbo lag. To quote Dr. Burkhard Göschel, BMW's Board Member for Engineering, turbo lag "has now become a thing of the past. The engine is agile, and it performs like a big, naturally aspirated engine, but with much better mileage."
Materials progress, always a factor in advancing the capabilities of engineering and technology, figures here too: BMW has drawn upon innovative and heat-resistant materials from space technology to facilitate the twin turbos' dramatic contribution to performance. All turbo components subjected to the most extreme heat (i.e. the exhaust stream) are made of advanced steels that can withstand up to 1050ºC, or 1920ºF.
Direct fuel injection with piezo injectors. Fuel injection, as we have (mostly) known it over the decades in which it has become a feature of all contemporary automotive engines, has been of the port type: the fuel is injected into the engine's intake ports, where air passes through on its way to the cylinders. Direct fuel injection sprays fuel directly into the cylinders, or more precisely the combustion chambers. If this were as simple as it sounds, direct injection would long since be commonplace. But the cylinder is a much hotter, higher pressure place than the intake port and poses big hurdles for the fuel injectors and the optimization of just how, when and how much fuel is squirted in. Until now, the only BMW gasoline engine with direct injection has been the 760Li V-12 engine, where this technology brings advantages in fuel efficiency, power, torque and emission control.
The N54's direct injection is a 2nd-generation evolution of the 760Li's system, and a key factor in achieving BMW's goals for this engine. Its main advance over the 1st-generation system is that it gives the engineers greater degrees of freedom in the calibration of fuel quantity and timing and the distribution of the fuel-air mixture in the combustion chamber. With this concept, it's possible to utilize a "leaner" mixture - thus less fuel. The advantages in fuel efficiency, power, torque and emission control are more significant.
A further advantage to torque and fuel consumption is the cooling effect of fuel being injected into the hot combustion chambers. Typically, to avoid overheating, turbochargers have had to make do with a lower compression ratio. That '73 2002 Turbo, for example, had a low 6.9:1 ratio, vs. the non-turbo 2002 tii's 9.5:1; a more contemporary example is the Volvo S60 2.5 Turbo engine's 9.0:1 compression ratio vs. it's non-turbo counterpart's 10:3:1. As a higher compression ratio benefits both fuel efficiency and (especially low-speed) torque - traditional turbo engines have suffered on both counts - the N54 benefits mightily: its compression ratio is 10.5:1, almost exactly the same as the non-turbo N52's 10.7:1!
Positioned centrally in the combustion chambers for optimum combustion, the injectors - those critical components that inject the fuel into each cylinder's combustion chamber - are subject to especially high temperatures. A new-type piezo injector is another essential element in attaining the ambitious performance/efficiency/emissions goals with the necessary long-term durability: A "stack" of piezo crystals reacts lightning-fast to impulses from the engine electronics, governing the injector needle's opening stroke and duration for ultra-precise control of fuel quantity.
According to researchers who led the piezo injector's development, alone it contributes 2-3% fuel savings and 20% less emissions. Its operating principle involves applying mechanical pressure to a non-conducting crystal to produce an electrical impulse; in turn, this impulse is so fast that it significantly reduces the injector's response time.
Air-to-air intercooling. Turbocharging typically includes intercooling of the engine's induction air, that is, some method of cooling the compressed air that emerges, heated up by the compression process, from the turbocharger(s). Sometimes it's done with coolant; in this case it's done indirectly by outside air. Intercooling is desirable, even necessary, to reduce the temperature of incoming air to help preclude detonation or "knocking" that can reduce power or, in the extreme, damage the engine. Of course the N54, like the N52 and all other current BMW engines, has knock control.
High-rpm concept. This is shared with the N52 engine, and also contributes significantly to the engine's performance character. Like the N52, the N54 has a 7000-rpm redline. Its maximum power occurs at 5800 rpm - actually lower than the 530i's 6600 and the new 528i's 6500 rpm - but power stays high and vigorous well toward that 7000 rpm.
The bottom lines. The peak power of 300 hp has already been mentioned; this is fully 45 higher than the 530i, and 70 hp up on the 528i. The torque increase is just as impressive: 300 lb-ft., vs. the 530i's 220 and 528i's 200. At least as important is the fact that this engine can deliver its peak torque all the way from 1400 rpm (not far above idling!) to 5000 rpm. Finally, 300 lb-ft. is significantly better than competing 3.5-liter non-turbo engines deliver: Lexus GS 350, 274 lb-ft. at a high 3600 rpm; Infiniti M35, 268 lb-ft. at an even higher 4800 rpm. Compared to the 528i's 200 lb-ft., the N54's 300 lb-ft. is fully 50% greater. BMW engine engineers assert that to achieve this kind of torque increase, it would have taken a 4-liter naturally aspirated engine. That would have weighed too much and its fuel consumption would have been unacceptably high. For this reason, say the engineers, "we did not take that path."
One BMW engine engineer, Udo Lindner, goes so far as to assert that the N54 has "the torque of a diesel but the revving capability of a gasoline engine." Diesels, currently very popular in Europe and capable of stump-pulling torque, operate at rpm levels well below those of gasoline engines, so he's saying that the N54 delivers the best of both worlds.
The other bottom line, surely the most important to performance enthusiasts, is dramatically quicker acceleration compared to their predecessors:
535i Sedan:
• 0-60 in 5.7 sec. with automatic transmission, vs. 6.6 sec. for the 530i
535xi Sedan:
• 0-60 in 5.6 sec. with automatic transmission, vs. 6.9 sec. for the 530xi Sedan
535i Sports Wagon:
• 0-60 in 5.8 sec. with automatic transmission, vs. 7.3 sec. for the 530xi Sports Wagon
With their standard manual transmissions (SOP 09/07), all these pairings will offer comparable improvements. As in all 5 Series cars, top speed is electronically controlled at 150 mph.
The 550i's V-8
The 550i's predecessor was widely acclaimed by most who drove or tested the 545i, not merely for its strong, fuel-efficient power, but also for its highly pleasing sound. Car and Driver (May '04) summed it up as "among the friendliest, most enthusiastic engines in existence."
With 4.8 liters, the 550i's V-8 delivers brilliant performance. Peak power is 360 hp; likewise, peak torque is 360. With its standard 6-speed manual transmission the 550i attains 60 mph in just 5.4 sec. from rest; with automatic, the new model does 0-60 in 5.5 sec.
Aside from such impressive test data, this evolution pays off in real-world performance, as media critics have found in their test drives:
• Edmunds.com, posted March 21, '05: "It's refined and athletic like the old 4.4, but its torque band seems to go on forever."
• auto motor und sport, Germany, March 2, '05: "The [more powerful V-8] engine provides not just impressive initial thrust, but also a level of response over its entire rpm range that meets high expectations."
Just what BMW had in mind.
Dynamic Stability Control:
remarkable new braking functions
All BMW models are standard-equipped with Dynamic Stability Control, which provides a wide range of traction and stability functions.
While retaining all the functions or the previous DSC, a revised system appeared in the 5 Series and other BMWs in 2006. This Enhanced DSC adds a wide array of customer-relevant functions that make driving even safer and more pleasant. They are:
• Brake Fade Compensation. Brake fade occurs as the brakes heat up under hard use; a given degree of deceleration requires more pressure on the brake pedal. As brake temperature rises, this function automatically compensates by increasing the hydraulic pressure relative to pedal force.
• Brake Standby. When the driver lifts off the accelerator pedal abruptly, DSC recognizes that sharp braking may be about to occur and applies just enough pressure in the brake system to snug up the pads against the rotors. Thus by the time the driver's foot reaches the brake pedal, the lag time normally resulting from bringing the pad to the rotor is eliminated, reducing stopping or deceleration distance.
• Brake Drying. Acting on input from the rain sensor (an element of the standard rain-sensing windshield wipers), the pads are periodically brought up to the rotors - just enough to eliminate any film of water between pads and rotors, but not enough to cause a brake application.
• Comfort Stop. Especially with an automatic transmission, unless the driver consciously eases off on the brake pedal, a jerk can occur as the vehicle comes to a stop. Comfort Stop eases off, making for smoother stops. Currently only in the rear-wheel-drive models.
• Start-off Assistant. Briefly holds the vehicle when the brakes are released while stopped facing uphill. The driver can then start up without doing a ballet with the clutch, brake and accelerator (manual transmission) or rolling backward on a steep hill (automatic transmission).
• Modulated ABS function. "Analogized" control of the DSC brake valves makes the anti-lockup function (ABS) smoother. Instead of simply being fully on or off, application and release of these valves are now modulated.
Character of the 5 Series:
the essence of sport and luxury
Long one of BMW's true core products, the 5 Series elegantly defines the middle of the line with compact exterior dimensions, ample interior space and a masterfully calibrated blend of sport and luxury. Appearing in '04 in its current generation, the Series maintained trim exterior size while increasing interior space and introducing new technologies - including an aluminum front-end structure, available Active Steering and Active Roll Stabilization, evolved suspension and a further developed iDrive control system.
That the current generation carries on the 5 Series tradition brilliantly is supported by this quote from Motor Trend's March '05 issue: "Here's a thoroughbred, the product of decades of setting the benchmark all other automakers' sport sedans aspire to. Just look at the stance, the way the body sits on the chassis, ready to pounce on any opportunity to show its stuff on a challenging stretch of road. The smoothness and flexibility of BMW inline-sixes are legendary, and the 225 horses of the 2979-cc engine seem more spirited than their numbers might otherwise suggest. And BMW is one of the only automakers courageous enough to offer a 6-speed manual gearbox in a $50,000 sedan."
With even more powerful engines, available xDrive and the new Sports Wagon to extend its capabilities, the 5 Series is today's representative of this fine tradition.
State-of-the-art safety and security features
In terms of safety and security, the 5 Series is a state-of-the-art vehicle from a state-of-the-art vehicle maker. With an extensive array of standard features, and such available options as the new Lane Departure Warning system, Night Vision and Head-up Display, the 2008 5 Series remains an industry leader and fully representative of BMW's safety values. Key standard features include:
• Dual front-impact Supplementary Restraint System (SRS) with dual-threshold deployment, 2-stage Smart Airbags - optimized for shape and deployment characteristics.
• Front safety belts with automatic tensioners and force limiters - standard on all models.
• Rear safety belts with automatic tensioners - included with the optional rear-seat side-impact airbags.
• Automatic-locking retractors (ALR) on all passenger safety belts for installation of child restraint seats.
• LATCH attachments at the outboard rear seating positions for child restraint seats.
• Front-seat side-impact airbags - standard.
• Rear-seat side-impact airbags - optional at nominal extra cost, so that customers can make their own choice in this matter.
• Head Protection System - front-to-rear via BMW's Inflatable Tubular concept; a long airbag deploys from the ceiling, suspended on a "sail."
• Active front head restraints - included with the front Multi-contour seats that are optional in all 5 Series models. Responding to impact sensors at the rear of the vehicle, the head restraints instantly pivot forward into close proximity with the occupants' heads. Thus occupants are able, if they prefer, to adjust the restraints away from direct contact with their heads, yet gain optimum protection against whiplash or more serious head/neck injuries.
• Energy-absorbing padding of body-pillar and roof areas - specific padding at the A-, B- and C-pillars as well as along the roof above the doors.
• Fuel-tank design and location. Not only is the fuel tank designed to remain sealed even in severe impacts, its location has been chosen to provide optimum protection from impacts.
• Battery Safety Terminal - in case of a severe accident impact, breaks the high-current connection between the battery and starter cable. This helps prevent a possible short circuit in the electrical system.
• Automatic fuel-pump shutoff upon severe accident impact. In addition, the doors are automatically unlocked; the interior lighting and 4-way hazard flashers are switched on. Thus even after an accident, BMW's safety strategy is still at work.
• Coded Driveaway Protection - BMW's rolling-code engine immobilizer.
• Central locking system with double-lock feature. When the vehicle is locked from the outside, the double-lock feature prevents individual door-lock buttons from being pulled up; thus even if a thief has broken into the car, it isn't possible to open the doors. Owners, however, have access to information on how to get out if one is locked in the vehicle from the outside.
• Alarm system with interior motion detector - standard on the 5 Series.
possibilities new and familiar
2008 brings with it a number of significant new technological options that complement an already extensive array of performance, comfort and safety features. For 2008 Package highlights include new contents for both Premium and Sport Packages for 6-cylinder models, as well as a revised Sport Package for the 550i Sedan.
Most of the optional features on the 2007 5 Series carry over to 2008, with few exceptions. Most notable, the Sequential Manual Gearbox has been discontinued, effectively replaced by the new Sport Automatic that arrives later in the year. The Premium Sound Package (ZPS), which included the Logic7 audio system and 6-disc CD changer, has been replaced by an individual stand-alone option for the Logic7 system and a BMW center-installed 6-disc changer.
Premium Package (528i/xi and 535i/xi models). Combines luxury and convenience features:
For all models -
• Dakota leather upholstery
• BMW Universal Transceiver, a 3-function remote for garage doors and other external devices
• Auto-dimming interior and exterior mirrors, now including a power-fold feature
Additionally for 528i and 528xi models -
• 4-way power lumbar support for the front seats, which is standard in the 535i/xi.
Additionally for 535xi Sports Wagon
• Power tailgate. Released from the interior or exterior switch or the remote, the tailgate opens electrohydraulically. Closing is from the exterior button.
Sport Package. Comes in essentially two forms, one for rear- and one for all-wheel-drive models:
Rear-wheel-drive models -
• Active Roll Stabilization, which dramatically reduces body roll in corners and curves
• Sport suspension calibration
• Sport wheels and tires:
528i Sedan - 18 x 8.0 wheels, 245/45R-18 run-flat performance tires
535i Sedan - 18 x 8.0 front and 18 x 9.0 rear Star Spoke wheels (design #124) with 245/40R-18 front and 275/35-18 rear run-flat performance tires 4
550i Sedan - 19 x 8.0 front/19 x 9.5 rear wheels; 245/40R-18 front / 275/35R-18 rear performance tires 4
• Satin-chrome Shadowline exterior trim - all-black around the side windows replaces the standard black-plus-chrome window framing
• 20-way power front Multi-contour seats, in place of the standard 10-way power seats
• 3-spoke sport steering wheel
For 550i Sedan only -
• Aerodynamics kit.
All-wheel-drive models -
• Includes only the exterior and interior features; no sport suspension or Active Roll Stabilization
• For all-weather attributes, retains standard wheels and all-season tires. Wheels described for 528i and 535i Sedans are available on 528xi Sedan, 535xi Sedan and 535xi Sports Wagon as stand-alone options in combination with the Sport Package. (Optional wheels on the 535xi Sports Wagon are 18 x 8.0 front and rear.)
Cold Weather Package. Combines weather- and versatility-oriented features:
For all models -
• Heated front seats, with variable heating balance via iDrive
• Heated steering wheel
• Headlight cleaning system, with retracting high-intensity liquid jets.
For 535xi Sports Wagon only -
• Ski bag.
STEPTRONIC automatic transmission - 6-speed, like all 5 Series transmissions.
Sport Automatic transmission - 535i and 550i Sedans only; requires the Sport Package. An even sportier alternative to the standard STEPTRONIC Sport setting, this 6-speed transmission offers crisper gearshifts in manual mode, and paddle shifters on the steering wheel. A leather boot around the console shifter also distinguishes this transmission from the standard STEPTRONIC.
Lane Departure Warning. A camera mounted on the windshield near the rearview mirror monitors lane position at all times at highway speeds. The central control unit projects the vehicle's path based on that position. When the system projects that the vehicle will drift out of the lane, it will warn the driver by producing a mild vibration in the steering wheel. The warning is cancelled by the use of the turn signals, brake actuation, or below approximately 35 mph, indicating city traffic. The system can also be turned off via a switch on the multi-function steering wheel or in the iDrive menu.
Active Cruise Control. Employing a radar sensor unit at the front of the vehicle, ACC senses the speed of vehicles traveling ahead, adjusts the BMW driver's speed to maintain following distance, and offers the driver additional control choices over the standard cruise control. 2008 adds a Stop & Go feature, which allows use in heavy traffic. The system can come to a complete stop and remain active; a touch of the accelerator pedal by the driver reactivates the cruise control so it can resume the set speed.
Active Steering. Offered on RWD models only; offers unique benefits:
• Widely variable steering ratio; steering-wheel movements for parking maneuvers, U-turns and sharp corners are greatly reduced for amazing agility. With increasing vehicle speed, the steering becomes "slower," favoring stability over agility.
• Vehicle stabilization; in critical situations, can intervene to preserve stability. For example, if the driver applies the brakes while driving on a surface with uneven traction (one side of the road slick, the other grippy), Active Steering can recognize incipient instability and steer against it.
Park Distance Control employs ultrasonic sensors in the front and rear bumpers to detect obstacles not be visible to the driver; emits an acoustic warning. Includes a vehicle diagram in the iDrive display, which graphically depicts obstacles' locations. Standard on 550i.
Xenon Adaptive headlights with auto-leveling and low-speed cornering lights. Stronger, daylight-like illumination; headlights "steer" to enhance the driver's view around curves and corners. This year adds low-speed cornering lights in the inboard headlamps, which illuminate nearby objects at speeds below 25 mph. Optional on 528i/xi models, standard on 538i/xi models and 550i.
Leather upholstery - though included in the Premium Package, also available as a stand-alone options. Standard on 550i.
Light Poplar wood interior trim. The Light Poplar offers the same attractively grained wood as the standard Dark Poplar, but with a more subtle effect.
Bamboo wood interior trim. Another distinctive wood grain, Bamboo provides an especially distinctive and contemporary look, harmonizes well with all interior colors, and is an eco-friendly, renewable resource.
20-way front Multi-contour seats. In addition to the standard seats' 10-way power adjustments, the 20-way power adjustments of these remarkable and comprehensive luxury seats include -
• Thigh support
• Angle of articulated upper backrest section, independently from overall backrest angle
• Backrest width (the backrests' side bolsters spread or narrow to accommodate the occupants' back and shoulders)
• 4-way power lumbar support, which is standard in the 535i/xi models and 550i.
Split folding rear seats and ski bag for the Sedans.
Heated front seats as a stand-alone option.
Heated rear seats, available for all models in combination with the Cold Weather Package.
BMW On-board Navigation System. The standard iDrive system has a 6.5-in. control display (color monitor) at dash center and a turn-and-push controller between the front seats. This option includes an 8.5-in., higher-resolution control display plus:
• GPS Navigation with DVD database
• Standard controller, plus Voice Command activation of features
• Real Time Traffic Information, which provides up-to-the-minute information on traffic and road conditions
Head-up Display - displays important driving-related information on a 6 x 3-in. field in the windshield, just below the driver's normal line of sight to the road ahead:
• Check Control and On-board Computer warnings, prioritized according to their urgency, such as vehicle defects, engine-oil level, low windshield-washer fluid
• Navigation instructions
• Cruise-control set speed (standard or Active Cruise Control)
• Current vehicle speed.
Logic7 premium stereo. The optional Logic7 premium audio system delivers audiophile-quality sound via a digital Surround Sound process, utilizing 13 high-quality speakers, Digital Sound Processing and increased audio power.
Sirius Satellite Radio. Appealing path to entertainment, news and information channels. After the first year of ownership, a subscription fee is required for Sirius service.
High-Definition Radio. Offers enhanced digital sound quality; FM reception becomes CD quality while AM reception becomes equivalent to analog FM reception. There are over 1,000 radio stations nationwide that currently offer high-definition broadcasts.
iPod/USB adapter. A separate USB adaptor for iPods or MP3 players, which does not use the CD changer connections, provides a convenient audio connection.
Power rear-window and manual rear side-window sunshades. For the Sedans, the option includes both; for the Sports Wagon, only the side-window shades. The power rear-window shade is controlled from a console switch; the side-window shades are easily raised or lowered by rear-seat passengers.
BMW Ultimate ServiceTM:
providing owners with incredible value and peace of mind
Every 2008 BMW 5 series is provided with BMW Ultimate ServiceTM, a suite of services that includes the BMW Maintenance Program (formerly called Full Maintenance), Roadside Assistance, the New Vehicle Limited Warranty and BMW AssistTM with TeleService.
BMW Ultimate ServiceTM includes:
The BMW Maintenance Program is the only no-cost maintenance program in the industry that covers wear and tear items like brake pads and rotors for 4 years or 50,000 miles, whichever comes first. BMW owners pay nothing for all scheduled inspections, oil changes, brake pads, wiper blade inserts and other wear-and-tear items.
BMW Roadside Assistance is one of the industry's most comprehensive plans available. Not only is it no-charge for the first 4 years, but there is no mileage limit. BMW drivers enjoy the assurance of on-the-road help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, anywhere in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. This includes everything from flat tire changes, emergency gasoline and lock-out assistance, to towing, alternative transportation and even trip-interruption benefits. This service also includes valuable trip routing advice.
BMW New Vehicle Limited Warranty: All 2008 BMW passenger vehicles are covered by BMW's excellent Limited Warranty, which includes:
• New-vehicle warranty - 4-year/50,000-mile coverage of the vehicle.
• Rust-perforation warranty - 12-year/unlimited-mileage coverage.
BMW AssistTM provides the driver with services that enhance on-the-road security and convenience, for added peace of mind. The BMW AssistTM Safety Plan is standard on all 5, 6, and 7 Series models, including M5 and M6, and is included in the Premium Package or available as a stand-alone option on all other models. Starting with MY 2007 vehicles, BMW is the only manufacturer that offers this service for 4 years at no additional cost. Most other manufacturers cover only the first year of service.
The in-vehicle equipment for BMW AssistTM includes GPS technology and hands-free communication functions accessed via buttons in the overhead or center console. Vehicle occupants may request emergency or other services simply by pressing a button; the BMW AssistTM system then transmits the location and vehicle information to the BMW AssistTM Response Center. A response specialist will then speak with the occupants to coordinate dispatch, notify emergency contacts on file, and link BMW Roadside Assistance or emergency services as needed and requested. A severe accident automatically activates the BMW AssistTM call as well. The BMW AssistTM Safety Plan also includes Remote Door Unlock and Stolen Vehicle Recovery services, which can save the owner time and money.
TeleService automatically notifies the BMW center when a vehicle will need service. This feature allows the Service Advisor to proactively set up a customer appointment and have the needed parts ready.
BMW AssistTM subscribers can also enroll in the BMW AssistTM Convenience Plan (available at an additional cost of $199 per year) to avail themselves of many BMW AssistTM Concierge services, from travel planning to dining reservations, shopping assistance and event tickets, as well as receive directions, and traffic and weather information. On many models produced September 2006 and later, a selected destination and its phone number can be sent directly to the on-board navigation system and Bluetooth®-linked mobile phone, after a push of the new Concierge button. The Convenience Plan also includes Critical Calling, a new service that connects the driver in case their mobile phone is not in the vehicle or its battery is discharged. After pushing the SOS button, a BMW AssistTM response specialist will link the driver to his requested party for up to five minutes and for up to four events per year.
As before, the BMW AssistTM system includes Bluetooth® hands-free phone connectivity with hands-free phonebook access and dialing by name or number via the steering wheel controls. Use of this feature requires a customer-provided compatible Bluetooth® mobile phone.
Performance with a conscience
BMW strives to produce its motor vehicles and other products with the utmost attention to environmental compatibility and protection. Integrated into the design and development of BMW automobiles are such criteria as resource efficiency and emission control in production; environmentally responsible selection of materials; recyclability during production and within the vehicle; elimination of CFCs and hazardous materials in production; and continuing research into environmentally friendly automotive power sources. Tangible results of these efforts include the recycling of bumper cladding into other vehicle components; water-based paint color coats and powder clear coats; near-future availability of hydrogen-powered models; and various design and engineering elements that help make BMWs easier to dismantle at the end of their service life.
BMW Group In America
BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand, the MINI brand, and the Rolls-Royce brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, an industrial design firm in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group's global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all Z4 Roadster and X5 Sports Activity Vehicles. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 340 BMW passenger-car centers, 327 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 148 BMW motorcycle retailers, 80 MINI passenger-car dealers, and 25 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group's sales headquarters for North, Central and South America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.
Related: Spy Photos: BMW 5-Series Freshening; Spy Photos: 2009 BMW 5-Series [internal]


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To follow up on last weeks post of BOOM in Spain, here is peak at what's to expect from the daring developers much sooner in the U.S.A. BOOM in Palm Springs, CA!
BOOm is many voices, a collaborative project that brings together the visions and dreams of 10 world-renowned and exciting emerging architects. With each team designing a unique neighborhood, BOOM celebrates self-expression through groundbreaking design that is fresh, unconventional and bold.
The community has a pretty extensive architectural fact sheet for a retirement community that mirrors more of a program for a lavish resort or mega cruise ship. With over thousands of ideas, there are concretely 300 residences, 750 master bedrooms, 60 boutique hotel suites, 1 event center, 6 assisted living suites, 1 gym and spa, 10 swimming pools, 1 clubhouse, 8 unique neighborhoods, 4 parks, 1 meditation center, 9 specialized nursing beds, 5 performance spaces, 1 healing funhouse, 2 nightclubs, and 5 outdoor cafes.
"BOOM is really about celebrating outdoor life, indoor life, but also the liberty and individuality of human living." – Jurgen Mayer
Location: Palm Springs, CA
Team: HWKN, J. Mayer H, LOT-EK, Joel Sanders Architect, Sader + Vuga, L2 Tsionov-Vitkon, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Arakawa + Gins, Rudin Doner Design, Surfacedesign (Landscape)
Status: Expected Completion 2013

subset: commoncrawl


text:
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Story and Photos by Tom Collins
Edited by Scott Johnson
This past Sunday, Philadelphia celebrated Father's Day with the mother of all shows! The long awaited return of U2 resulted in The Joshua Tree 30th Anniversary Tour making a stop in the City of Brotherly Love. Fans began lining up for this show 2 whole days in advance, to get the best spots available at Lincoln Financial field. Fortunately, U2 fans are quite a fine, caring group of people. Throughout the day, waiting outside the gates, strangers offered each other water, food, and shade if they had it.
During the wait, we were treated to a quick preview of some newly added songs at sound check. U2 nation sang along and cheered at the addition of "Mysterious Ways" to the set list. Kudos go out to the staff and security at Lincoln Financial Field. They did a wonderful job of keeping the lines organized, safe and happy. General Admission fans were cued up on the ramps inside the stadium until the sound check was over.
Once inside, everyone quickly jockeyed for the spot they thought would give them the best view. The stage consisted of a massive LED wall that backed the Main Stage. Rising from the top of the stage was part of The Joshua Tree, which was mirrored by a "B" stage and ramp that stretched out towards the center of the field. I chose to be at the front of the "B" stage. After a long days wait, the opening act The Lumineers took to the stage. They played a 45 minute set that everyone obviously enjoyed. A short time after the set had concluded, the moment finally arrived for U2! A single spotlight followed the first member down the ramp. It was none other than drummer Larry Mullen Jr. He went to a drum kit at the end of the stage, when he started into the distinctive opening of "Sunday Bloody Sunday." The Edge then began to walk down the ramp, dropping the recognizable guitar riff over the drums. The crowd erupted as they got their first glimpse of Bono coming down the ramp followed by bassist, Adam Clayton. There they were! All 4 members of U2 were kicking off the Philadelphia show, in the middle of The Linc, on a Joshua Tree shaped stage!
It had been 30 years since the release of their groundbreaking album, The Joshua Tree. Their hair was lighter, and lines in their faces much deeper. But, the voice and that sound were still ageless. Philadelphia sang along with their arms in the air to "New Years Day" and "Bad." A highlight moment in the show for many was the much beloved song, "Pride". Images of historical and influential people scrolled the huge stage screen, along with many quotes. One of the more recognizable being Dr. Martin Luther King's speech "I Have a Dream". When "Pride" finished, all 4 members stood together at the center of the "B" stage and soaked in the huge crowd that was there to show their love. U2 made their way up the ramp to the Main Stage that was a glow in red with the towering Joshua Tree behind them. Now, everyone who had patiently waited in the front of the Main Stage was treated with "Where The Streets Have No Name".
The wall behind Bono and company became a black and white image of a endless road through the middle of a desert. The imagery that U2 used throughout the show was poignant as well as beautiful. But, there were many fans who were quite disappointed that the massive video wall rarely ever showed clear images of the band performing. Any time they were shown on the screen, it was in grainy black and white with various effects and filters. For an entire stadium full of people, they hardly got to see the band. After playing 'Side One' of The Joshua Tree, they took a very quick breather and came back out refreshed to complete the hit album with 'Side Two'. Simply put, it was AMAZING! Bono's voice with Edge's guitar work and lyrics, that were written with heart and emotion, filled every seat in the stadium.
At the completion of the album, U2 went right into their encore which included a tribute to women. It was the first time on the tour that they used "Mysterious Ways" showing many famous, historical, and noteworthy woman on the wall behind them. Wrapping up this magnificent night was "One", "Beautiful Day", "Elevation" and "Vertigo". It was definitely one of the Best concerts Rock Titan has covered in 2017 thus far!
U2 Concert Slide Show


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I intend to fill this page with all my fully painted Imperial Fists units and minis. I thought that it would be nice to have them collected into one place and I will take photos specifically for this page as it evolves.
Imperial Fists Assault Terminators
First Company Veterans
Two Thunder Hammer/Storm Shield terminators and three Dual Lightning Claws. This is the hammer unit that will be led by none other than Captain Danarth Lysander. I'm thinking of adding another five TT/HH so I can field 7 TH/SH in a Land Raider Crusader with Lysander for an all out hammer.
Imperial Fists Assault Marines
Fourth Company, Seventh Squad
They are customized with plasticard Assault Xs (the ones with arrows) which were quite difficult to get right. I am thinking of moving to greenstuff in the future instead. Time will tell as additional variations here isn't a priority.
Imperial Fists Tactical Marines
Fifth Company, Second Squad
Fifth Company, Second Squad
One sergeant with a power weapon.
One meltagun marine
One Lascannon marine


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Montessori School of Evergreen prides itself on welcoming families to our campus from a wide variety of backgrounds. We are committed to offering an inclusive and diverse educational environment for all of our students. We encourage families who can demonstrate need to apply for tuition assistance.
Families who are interested in being considered for an award must apply each year. All tuition assistance is handled by a third party, School and Student Services. Applications must be submitted electronically by February 8, 2019, for consideration for the following school year. After careful consideration, awards for tuition assistance are announced in February before enrollment begins.
To apply, please read this 2019-2020 Tuition Assistance Program for more information. And then click on the link below to access the tuition assistance application and to submit for consideration.
If you have any questions about application process, please contact Chong Shirk, Director of Finance and Operations, at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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2 May 2013
It is with great sadness that we note the death of Professor William R. Roff (Professorial Research Associate) on 2 May 2013. Here is a reminder of some of his major works (courtesy of Paul Kratoska, Publishing Director, NUS Press).
- Studies on Islam and society in Southeast Asia NUS Press, 2009, pp. xvii, 354
- The Origins of Malay Nationalism. By William R. Roff. Yale University Press: New Haven and London, 1967. Pp. xx + 297 2nd edition: Oxford University Press, 1994 pp. xxviii, 303, 2nd ed.
Translation: Nasionalisma Melayu: Penerbit Universiti Malaya, 1975
- Kelantan: Religion, Society and Politics in a Malay State . William R. Roff. ; Peasant Citizens: Politics, Religion, and Modernization in Kelantan, Malaysia xix, 371 pp., front. Kuala Lumpur: Oxford University Press, 1974.
- Customary Law, Islamic Law, and Colonial Authority: Three Contrasting Case Studies and their aftermath. Islamic Studies. Publisher: International Islamic University, 2010 Volume 49 Issue 4 Pages 455 - 462 In Search of Southeast Asia: A Modern History. Edited by David J. Steinberg. David K. Wyatt, John R. W. Smail, Alexander Woodside, William R. Roff, and David P. Chandler contributors. New York: Praeger, 1971. xii, 522 pp. Illustrations, Appendix, Notes, Glossary, Bibliography, Index
- Revised edition: The Emergence of Modern Southeast Asia. Ed. Norman Owen. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press and Singapore: Singapore University Press, 2005.
- Islam and the Political Economy of Meaning: Comparative Studies of Muslim Discourse (ed.) University of California Press; Croom Helm, 1987 295 pp.
- Nasehat: Distance and Authority in a Malay Sultanate. Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, 2012, Volume 85 Issue 2 Pages 99 - 102
- On Going into the Field. Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society 2012 Volume 85 Issue 2, Pages 103 ? 109 DOI 10.1353/ras.2012.0003
- Public Art, Nationalism and National Unification in Malaya/Malaysia. Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. 2011 Volume 85 Issue 1. Pages 99 - 100
- Onomastics, and Taxonomies of Belonging in the Malay Muslim World 1 Journal of Islamic Studies Date 09/2007 Volume 18 Issue 3 Pages 386 ? 405 DOI 10.1093/jis/etm031
- Southeast Asia. Studies on Islam and society in Southeast Asia (by Michael Laffan and William R Roff) Journal of Southeast Asian Studies 06/2010 Volume 41 Issue 2 DOI
- The Mystery of the first Malay Novel (and who was Rokambul?) Bijdragen tot de taal-, land- en volkenkunde 1974 Volume 130 Issue 4. Pages 450 - 464
- Kerjasama dan koperasi di Semenanjung, 1910-1941: petikan dari bahan-bahan terbitan sezaman Penerbit Universiti Malaya, 1984
- Bibliography of Malay and Arabic periodicals published in the straits settlements and peninsular Malay states 1876-1941: with an annotated union list of holdings in Malaysia, Singapore and the United Kingdom. Oxford University Press 1972 (London oriental bibliographies Volume
3). Pages (7), 74
- Autobiography & biography in Malay historical studies Occasional paper / Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, 1972 Volume no. 13, 21 pp.
- Guide to Malay periodicals 1876-1941, with details of known holdings in Malaya Papers on Southeast Asian subjects/Dept. of History, University of Malaya Eastern Universities Press, 1961
Volume no. 4, Pages [12], 46
- Sejarah surat2 khabar Melayu Siri monograf (Universiti Malaya. Persekutuan Bahasa Melayu)
Publisher: Saudara Sinaran Berhad, 1967 Volume no. 1, 41 pp. Indonesian and Malay Students in Cairo in the 1920's Indonesia (Southeast Asia Program Publications at Cornell University), 04/1970 Issue 9 Pages 73 - 87
- The Persatuan Melayu Selangor: An Early Malay Political Association Journal of Southeast Asian History 03/1968 Volume 9 Issue 1 Pages 117 - 146 DOI 10.1017/S0217781100003653
- Islam and the Political Economy of Meaning: Comparative Studies of Muslim Discourse. Edited by William R. Roff. Comparative Studies on Muslim Societies. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1987. 295 pp.
- The Malayo-Muslim World of Singapore at the Close of the Nineteenth Century, The Journal of Asian Studies 11/1964 Volume 24 Issue 1 Pages 75 - 90 DOI 10.2307/2050415
- Southeast Asian research tools: Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei by Roff, William R and Koch, Margaret L University of Hawaii (Honolulu). Southeast Asian Studies Program 1979 Volume no. 16, pt. 4. 61 pp.
- The Wandering Thoughts of a Dying Man: The Life and Times of Haji Abdul Majid bin Zainuddin. Edited with an introduction and notes by William R. Roff. Kuala Lumpur: Oxford University Press (Oxford in Asia Historical Memoirs), 1978. xvi, 169 pp. Bibliography, Index.
- Carving the Path to the Summit. By Ahmad Boestamam. Translated with an introduction by William R. Roff. Athens, Ohio: Ohio University Press (Southeast Asia Translation Series No. 2), 1979. 180 pp. Notes, Index.
- Whence Cometh the Law? Dog Saliva in Kelantan, 1937 Comparative Studies in Society and History Date 04/1983 Volume 25 Issue 2 Pages 323 - 338 DOI 10.1017/S0010417500010458
- Transcending borders: Arabs, politics, trade and Islam in Southeast Asia by Jonge, Huub de; Kaptein, N. J. G; Mohammad Redzuan Othman; Roff, William R; Freitag, Ulrike Koninklijk Instituut voor Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde (Netherlands) and International Institute of
Asian Studies (Netherlands). Series Proceedings / Koninklijk Instituut voor Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde. International Workshop on South-East Asian Studies, 1997, 12th, Leiden, Netherlands Publisher KITLV Press 2002
- Southeast Asia Research Tools. 9 vols. Directed by Shiro Saito. IV: Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei. By William R. Roff, with the assistance of Margaret L. Koch. Honolulu: University of Hawaii, Asian
Studies Program (Southeast Asian Studies, no. 16), 1979.
- Southeast Asia in the twentieth century: a reader by Christie, Clive J; Roff, William R; Allen, Louis; Tan Cheng Lock, Tun Dato' Sir; Rajaratnam, S; Huxley, Tim. I.B. Tauris Publishers,
1998, 350 pp.
- An argument about how to argue? (in Islamic Legal Interpretation: Muftis and their Fatwas, Harvard University Press, 1996)
- Patterns of Islamisation in Malaysia, 1890s-1990s: exemplars, institutions and vectors? (Journal of Islamic Studies (Oxford) 1998)
- Social science approaches to understanding religious ritual: the special case of the hajj? (in Malaysia: Islam, Society and Politics, ISEAS, Singapore, 2001)
- Murder as an aid to social history: the Arab community in Singapore in the early twentieth century? (in Transcending Borders: Arabs, Politic, Trade and Islam in Southeast Asia, KITLV, Leiden, 2002)
- Pondoks, madrasas and the production of 'ulama in Malaysia' (Studia Islamika (Jakarta), 2004)
- The Ins and Outs of Hadrami journalism in Malaya, 1900-1941: assimilation or identity maintenance?? (in Proceedings, International Conference on Yemeni-Hadramis in Southeast Asia, Kuala Lumpur, 2005)
- "Functions of the Internet in a Sectarian Islamic Context," in ISIM Review (Leiden), numero 15, Spring 2005, pp. 50.
- Sanitation and security: the imperial powers and the nineteenth century hajj (Arabian Studies (Cambridge) 1982)


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The People Complained
The people complained. I can tell you this about the folks back home in Boston. When winter wears on we complain. When the hazy, hot and humid days of summer wear on, we complain. It can get too wet. It can get too dry. And as for the traffic, or the subway service. The one universal is; we complain. I wanted to let you know you are not alone. Cindy and I were out for lunch Friday noon, and there was a bit of a flurry underway. We overheard someone say; "I'm sick of winter!" We both looked at each other and chuckled; "You ain't seen nuthin' yet, dearie!" And we sure have no idea what a Montana winter looks like or feels like. But I suspect we'll find out. And when we do, I suspect we'll complain about it.
And so it was that in the wilderness as the people wandered through the desert wastes, there was no bread, no meat, no water and no vegetables like there was back in Egypt. And so the people complained. In Hebrew word is literally; "they murmured." Ah yes, how exquisitely human!
Moses, "Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness?" But God heard the people's murmuring and recognized their heartaches and rained down bread from heaven. He gave them quail to eat at night and in the morning he gave them "manna" that would keep body and soul together.
They ran around in the morning gathering the stuff saying in Hebrew: "Manna" which literally means "What is it?" And so, that is what they called it. "What is it?" "Manna?" It was just enough to preserve them through those long, long years of wandering through the desert wastes. It was a way to humble them and let them know that we do not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. We are still learning that lesson.
When we come to this Altar Rail Sunday by Sunday, we come to the "What is is it?" of the Body of Christ. The "Magnum Mysterium" of God's Presence in the the Person of Jesus is here in our very midst. It is placed in our hands by a parish priest. We too are fed by the Bread of Heaven. God's living Being shared among us. We remember that night when Jesus told us to love one another and then gave thanks to God, broke bread, said the blessing and gave it to us. Likewise after Supper he did the same with the Cup of Salvation.
Remember the marvels God has done for us. By the way, class, what are the Five Mighty Acts of God our Catechism teaches us to acknowledge and proclaim in our faith? The Divine Drama has Five Acts like any great Shakespearean Drama.
- Act 1: The Creation
- Act 2: The Exodus and the Law
- Act 3: Jesus Christ
- Act 4: The Church
- Act 5: The Christian Hope
It is one thing to say God has acted in history; it is another to say how. Perhaps by naming these five mighty modes of action you can recognize that God continues to be active throughout history and within your own life as well. God is always creating, freeing, and inviting us into obedience to him. God is clearly incarnate in the person of Jesus in every human life particularly as we come to know the love and forgiveness that God intends for us. In the church we come to know how community relationships participate in the formation of our Christian nature. And finally in The Christian Hope we share in the death and resurrection of Jesus in which we all participate through Baptism. We share together in the Whole Mystery of God in community.
And while we are speaking of community isn't it interesting that we speak of God in community as well. When we name God as Trinity, we are not speaking merely of a static doctrine, we are speaking of a dynamic community. God is not just our Creator, God is also our Savior. God is our Sanctifier. We name God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. As we interact with one another we recognize something of God within each other was we see the marvels of creativity. We see the Jesus within each other as we see how we reach out to one another to salvage what we can of each other when in distress for instance. And I will say this about the Holy Spirit; her name interestingly enough is Hagia Sophia the Holy Wisdom from on High, the gift giver who abundantly bestows upon each of us gifts for ministry. The Biblical word for Spirit is in the feminine form and therefore encourages to experience all the fullness of God.
This world needs a church that sees God in such dynamic terms. There is much that seeks to destroy the creatures of God in this world. That's called sin. Yes. On occasion we need to use that word. Just last week a dear friend of mine lost a grandson to a drug overdose; 18 years old he was. I don't know why he did what he did. Or the thousand more who do the same? But I do know that so many of our young people lack hope. There is no work for so many of our inner city and rural poor. If we cannot come up with a way to save our young, we are merely an anemic and ineffectual presence. Is it any wonder our young are no longer a vital presence in the church. I think we need to find a way to organize our life around their needs now and engage the entire community fabric around us so that we can be the hope of the future.
That's why I like to think of God as dynamic community. God as creative, God as redemptive, God as the one who makes all holy; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This, I submit to you is how we are to engage the powers and the principalities.
In today's Gospel the landowner sends us out to do the work God wants us to do. The harvest is plenteous, the laborers are few.
That is to say there are so many human needs. When the church has been at its most effective, that's how we have organized our life. Celtic Christians for instance, organized their work around the sick, the dying, the hungry, those in need of education, interestingly enough. They were also master cooks and made wonderful beer as the record shows. They were cheerful sorts in a depressing world. To them the Gospel was Good news and brought joy to the world.
As we go forth to do God's work, the landowner finds others idle as the day wears on. Why are you standing there idle? Nobody has hired us? They were bored to tears. They resorted to crime, perhaps alcoholism. I suspect they complained too. But God challenges us with this notion of discipleship; There are always unmet human needs.
As Matthew's Gospel enumerates in the 25th chapter, there are always those who are hungry, thirsty, there are strangers who needs your welcome, naked, sick, imprisoned. How interesting that this is how Jesus judges the nations of the earth; in the same manner as the "least of these" are treated.
Allow me to add our inner city and rural young who are easy pickings for alcohol and drug abuse or criminal activity. I think the landowner's question is a legitimate one. Why are we standing idly by when there are so many unmet human needs?
It doesn't matter when we go. First thing in the morning or late in the day. To Jesus the first and the last are one and the same.
What I find most compelling about this Gospel passage is that whenever we respond to human need and do the ministry God has sent us to do the Kingdom of Heaven immediately breaks in upon us. It satisfies something deep within the human soul when we respond to the needs of those beset right now by disaster. Whether in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, or Mexico, there hundreds of thousands, if not millions in a chorus of human suffering crying out to us for help. We keep writing checks to the Episcopal Relief and Development Fund and I'm sure there are many of you who do also to the Red Cross or other charity. Likewise the Cathedral Social Concerns Committee seeks to respond to many local human needs.
This is God at work. God as Creator, Savior and Gift Giver; in the dynamic community known as the Church. This is who we are called to be! First, last, always. St. Paul writes in today's Epistle; "live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ."
Still, the people complain. We will be all too human. That goes with the territory as any parish priest or administrator will tell you. But living the Gospel life and keeping our eyes on kingdom work by caring for one another in our needs, that's what will satisfy the community of God within us. We will become creative, we will save each other in the midst of every disaster, we will bring to bear the gifts God has so lavishly bestowed up on us wisely.
This community of faith known as the Holy Trinity is far more than a doctrine. The dynamic community of God is knit into every human heart.
In the Name of God; the Most Holy, Undivided and Everlasting Trinity. Amen.
Fr Paul


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Bedrooms: 3-4
Baths: 5.5
Main Floor Sq. Ft.: 1884
Second Level Sq. Ft.: 1627
Bonus Room Sq. Ft.: 763
Third Floor Sq. Ft.: 144
Width: 61'4″
Depth: 104'4″
Main Floor Ceiling Heights: 10 ft.; Exposed beams in kitchen, breakfast room & family room
Special Features: Guest room/study on main level. Sunroom, home office, outdoor kitchen, & potting shed; bonus room and full bath above garage; master suite upstairs. Observation tower on 3rd floor.


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6 Ways to Craft an Ineffective Sermon
You have never tried to make your message irrelevant, boring, or incomprehensible.
At least I hope not!
But you find yourself preaching while questioning your effectiveness. You walk up to deliver a sermon lacking confident in your content. You question your ability. Your capacity. Even your calling. You feel your church more tolerates the message than engages in the content.
Of course, this isn't the case EVERY time you preach, but more times than you'd like to admit.
Option 1:
The easy solution is to become hyper-spiritual. Say you are "trusting" God and the Holy Spirit to speak in spite of you. Not to be irreverent, though. We know at the heart of preaching, spiritual intervention is necessary. But we all know the difference between "I'm ready to go and trusting God to do what only he can do," and "I'm not close to ready, so God perform a miracle."


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The resources below deal with the impact of dogs (your own or other people's) on landscaping, which I've organized into four separate issues. Almost all of us deal with one of these issues, whether we be dog owners or not: many folks who do not own dogs are confronted by the problems posed by other people's dogs entering their yards. Even in cases where we can't prevent dogs from entering the yard, we will probably wish, at the very least, to stop other people's dogs from defecating in our yards.
Preventing other people's dogs from entering your yard may mean either building a fence or applying canine repellents, while preventing dogs that you own from leaving the yard entails constructing some sort of dog fence, visible or otherwise. I deal with each of these matters below.
But this topic calls for the discussion of two other issues pertinent to dog owners. First of all, even if you're successful in keeping your canine friends within the confines of your own yard, the fact is that dogs can create "dog spots" in your grass or cause even more significant damage to a property, tearing a lawn to shreds and leaving behind a muddy mess. The second issue also has to do with damage; but in this case, I'm referring not to damage caused by dogs, but the damage caused to dogs through the ingestion of plants toxic to pets.
I address all four of these problems in the resources below.
Dog Repellents
Tired of having other people's dogs using your yard as their own personal toilet? Dog repellents come in many forms, ranging from products whose smell keeps dogs away, to devices that emit sonic and ultrasonic sound waves that dogs find offensive.
Plants Poisonous to Dogs
The chances that you have a plant growing in your yard that is at least mildly toxic to dogs are very good. Don't believe me? Check out this list, which links to resources telling you more about the plants in question. While it's hardly exhaustive, I think the list will give you an idea of just how many different types of plants are poisonous to dogs. Note that these are common, not obscure plants!
Underground Dog Fences
I mentioned above that there's a device that emits sonic and ultrasonic sound waves designed to drive canine intruders away. But a similar technology exists to keep your own dog from leaving the yard. Don't worry: neither of these gizmos is in any way harmful to dogs. And the beauty of underground dog fencing is that it can be kept invisible. You can read about underground dog fencing in the following article, based on an interview with an expert in the field:
Landscaping to Prevent Dog Damage
This article explores how to balance two pursuits that aren't always compatible with each other:
- Maintaining a dog-friendly yard
- Keeping the yard clean and aesthetically pleasing to humans


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The latest edition of al Qaeda's English-language web magazine offers readers a new fatwa from American-born jihadi leader Anwar al-Awlaki, instructions on how to destroy buildings using gas lines, and a primer on the AK-47 rifle, in what is "Inspire"'s slickest production to date.
The fourth issue of "Inspire" a publication of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), the terror organization's Yemeni branch, follows three previous installments in the past year that gave instructions on the killing American civilians, and boasted about the failed "printer bomb" cargo plane plot that originated in Yemen. A young American citizen from North Carolina named Samir Khan apparently began editing and publishing the on-line magazine after relocating to Yemen.
In this edition, Yemeni-American radical cleric Awlaki issues a religious justification for taking money and property from Americans and citizens of other Western nations. Awlaki is at the top of the U.S. government's "kill list" because of his operational involvement in AQAP.
Awlaki's message appears intended to assuage any concerns that American and European jihadis might have about resisting taxes and stealing from corporations.
"Some Muslims today might feel uncomfortable consuming money that was seized by force from the disbelievers and would feel that income they receive as a salary or from business is a better form of income," Awlaki writes. "That is not true. The best and purest form of income is booty."
Inspire Magazine Details Method For Blowing Up Buildings
The 67-page magazine also uses sophisticated graphics to detail a method for blowing up buildings with natural gas, and basic steps for using an AK-47 automatic rifle. The magazine includes an essay on dealing with American drone strikes in Afghanistan and Pakistan, noting that those watching bombs fall around them should close their eyes and pray.
"If you feel terrified, then think about paradise."
The latest issue of Inspire also recycles past statements by Osama bin Laden and American al Qaeda spokesman Adam Gadahn.
Inspire editor Samir Khan's American sensibilities have alarmed U.S. law enforcement and intelligence officials. Khan's ability to use American vernacular, like a graphic depicting graffiti that reads, "Jihad 4 Eva," has prompted concerns that young Muslims with an interest in jihad and al Qaeda will be drawn to a voice similar to their own.
"He does appear to be increasingly involved with operational activities [of Al Qaeda]", a U.S. official told ABC News.
One counterterrorism official told ABC News that U.S. intelligence analysts view Khan as an "aspiring" Awlaki.
CLICK HERE to follow the ABC News Investigative Team's coverage on Twitter.
CLICK HERE to follow the ABC News Investigative Team and Brian Ross on Facebook and join in on the discussion.
British officials recently found copies of Inspire in the apartments of several suspects arrested and charged in connection to a bomb plot in the U.K. Officials said the suspects were avid followers of both the magazine and Awlaki.


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I had the opportunity to attend a food talk with Mark Bittman, writer of all things 'foodly'. It was to discuss his latest book, Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating with More Than 75 Recipes.
It's simple really. Eat less meat. He's not a vegetarian; he's not dogmatic about healthy food. He just reversed the proportions of what he was eating and discovered it made him a bit healthier. Well, a lot healthier, actually.
I tend to get my rah-rah out when it comes to portions. I'm on the less is more side of the equation. As a whole, Americans consume too much food and I strongly believe over-sized portions are to blame. If you've ever bought vintage tableware, you'd notice that the dinner plates are smaller (9″) than their modern versions. Today, eating off a 12″ plate is the norm. And the food is piled high.
Socially, we're led to believe that more=value. Think Costco. (aka 'buy more, eat more')
Large portions are everywhere. It bothers me how much restaurants serve. Personally, I can't even make it through the children's meal without leftovers. My 8 year old eats more than I do if given the opportunity. He likes to eat. I like that about him, but I'm a mom and sometimes I have to pull back the food. Trust me; he's getting plenty to eat!
Most kids have no problem with starches and will gladly eat a meal comprised of 50% garlic bread. Other kids are meat, no veggies kind of folks. It's our job to create a better balance. It is possible to create healthier eating habits at the family table.
So what is the right balance?
According to the USDA and the ADA
- ½ vegetables
- ¼ starches/carbs
- ¼ protein/meat
Ten Ways to Stop Overfeeding
- No serving dishes on the table. It only encourages over eating.
- Eat less meat. I know it's hard to believe, but 1 pound of meat feeds a family of four.
- Leave the table a little hungry. Your body will train itself to eat less.
- Cut down on salt. Studies show that we have a hard time saying no to salty food.
- Cook! When you cook, you can control the portions and the ingredients.
- Keep it unprocessed. Fresh, simple ingredients nourish us instead of addict us. This week, try to get rid of 3 processed foods in your kitchen. Start with boxed macaroni!
- Eat more vegetables. It's hard to over eat fresh vegetables. Your stomach will be full long before the calories have exceeded their limit.
- No seconds. I know, sometimes you want to lick the serving dish. Try to refrain from loading up on seconds. Give it ten minutes. If you really want more, limit it to a spoonful and not another whole plate.
- Use smaller plates. Try 9″ dinner plates.
- Get organized! Plan out meals using good vegetable-meat-starch-fat ratios.
I'm not talking about anything drastic. It's possible to combat over feeding and overeating by simply changing a few dinner table habits. If you can think of a good reason not to, I'm open to suggestions. Now, if I could only stop at one chocolate chip cookie!