The Auto China 2010 exhibition currently taking place in Beijing has seen some major western carmakers show off their new vehicle.

BMW has unveiled its Concept Gran Coupe, a four-door model which uses LED lighting and a sleek black finish to provide the speed and style of a Gran Turismo car to the consumer market.

The Independent reports that Ford has also used the exhibition, which is open to the public until May 2nd, as a platform for showcasing its sporty Start, a small, environmentally-friendly vehicle targeted at city dwellers.

"Alongside LED lights, the Start features a ‘Human Machine Interface,’ which brings the car’s six-inch information screen to life when a compatible smart phone is attached," the newspaper said.

Ford recently unveiled a limited edition Fiesta S1600, based on the popular Fiesta Zetec-S, which comes with a standard specification that includes alloy pedals, heated leather sports seats and a choice of engines.

BMW’s first series-production electric-drive model will aim to create "new benchmarks" when it goes on sale in 2013.

The launch of its Megacity Vehicle was announced by Norbert Reithofer, chairman of the board of management of BMW AG, on Thursday (April 22nd).

Billed as "a zero-emission urban car for the world’s metropolitan regions", the Megacity will feature ultra-lightweight materials to optimise performance.

"With this innovative vehicle, designed from the ground up, we will be creating new benchmarks for electric mobility from 2013 on," said Mr Reithofer.

BMW has been conducting research into electric vehicles since mid-2009, when its Mini E models were involved in global field testing.

The German car manufacturer recently said it was on the lookout for 20 volunteers to lease out a Mini E as its trials continued, but participants had to live within a triangular geographical area between Andover, Oxford and West London and pay £330 per month for the lease.

Car manufacturers have suffered from the volcanic eruption in Iceland which has seen flights grounded for several days, Auto Express reports.

The eruption of Eyjafjallajökull, located in the south of the country, has caused chaos for many, and the motor industry has not escaped unscathed.

With flights suspended since last Thursday (15th), some companies have seen their supply of car parts cut off, leading some to announce a halt to production.

Nissan has suspended production of some vehicles in Japan owing to a lack of air pressure sensors, which are manufactured in Ireland, the car news and reviews website said.

Also affected is BMW, which has suffered as a result of stock being grounded in Germany, meaning its Spartanburg plant in the US is running short of suppliers, the site added.

BAA announced this morning (April 21st) that its airports were open, but "it will take some time for flying schedules to return to normal".

Two London entrepreneurs are claiming to have launched the world’s first neighbour-to-neighbour car rental service, reports the Telegraph.

Under the scheme, drivers who don’t own a car but occasionally require one can hire their neighbours’ vehicles for a fee.

WhipCar offers a website for motorists to register their cars for hire, and those on the lookout to hire one can search their area for availability and make a booking.

Fees range from £7 an hour to for a Vauxhall Astra to around £53 a day for a BMW 320i, and it all helps to tackle the problem of thousands of cars sitting unused, the news provider said.

"For the first time, anywhere in the world, would-be drivers can get rental access to the car next door, literally."Vinay Gupta, founder of the venture, told the Telegraph.

All hire prices include the cost of insurance, which will cover the driver for the duration of the hire period.

BMW is on the lookout for 20 volunteers to lease out a Mini E as part of its electric car consumer trials, Fifth Gear reports.

People living within a triangular geographical area between Andover, Oxford and West London are eligible to take part but must pay £330 for a monthly lease of the car.

It’s the second phase of the car manufacturer’s consumer trials, with the first due to end in June.

Those initial trials, which started in December 2009, saw the cars tested by companies but this is the first time private individuals will be given the chance, the car enthusiasts’ website said.

"There are several criteria that potential car-testers must fulfil, including having daily access to a private garage, car port or off-street parking so Southern Electric can install a charging point", Fifth Gear added.

Anticipated to be on the roads between September 2010 and March 2011, the Mini E is a two-seater with a battery where the back seats would normally be.

The UK’s BMW group reported a 14 per cent rise in sales during March compared to the previous year.

BMW’s UK group has reported a 14 per cent increase in sales during March compared to the previous year.

The group, which combines sales figures for BMW and Mini, revealed it sold 24,395 vehicles last month, an improvement of almost 3,000 on March 2009.

Globally, the car manufacturers’ sales showed a 17 per cent rise across the first quarter of this year, again by comparison to the same period last year.

With total global sales exceeding one million in the last financial year, the company appears to be set to break new ground in the 12 months ahead.

Its popular 5 Series model has received over 3,300 advance orders and the group also reported a strong performance from its Mini Convertible range.

New car sales in the UK rose by 26.6 per cent last month compared to March last year, according to data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

Internationally acclaimed artist Jeff Koons is set to create a new work involving BMW cars.

The sculptor will become the latest in a long line of artists to get involved in with the BMW Art Car project.

Speaking from his studio in New York, Mr Koons, who is famed for his giant reproductions of everyday objects, said: "I always thought it would be an honour to work on a BMW Art Car, I look forward to participating in a tradition set forth by such great artists as Calder, Lichtenstein, Stella, and Warhol."

Further details of the new project are sketchy, but BMW said the Koons Art Car will be revealed later this year.

The artist’s work will celebrate the 35th anniversary of the BMW Art Car programme.

Artists have been turning BMW cars into art since 1975, and the resulting works have been exhibited across the globe, including at the Louvre, the Guggenheim Museums, and the Shanghai Art Museum.

In 1999, Pablo Picasso’s signature was used to promote the Citroen Xsara Picasso.

People thinking about buying a BMW or BMW parts in the next couple of years will be inspired by a new collaboration, the manufacturer has forecast.

Ian Robertson is a member of the board of management at BMW AG and commented after it was announced that the carmaker will be the official Automotive Partner of London 2012 and a Sustainability Partner supporting the games’ low-carbon agenda.

He said not only are the agreements a great chance to further develop even more fuel-efficient vehicles, but it will be an encouraging development for customers, employees, suppliers and dealers.

"Sustainability is a central pillar of our business and guides all aspects of our operations," he explained. "Therefore, we have a natural affinity with London 2012 and its commitment to low carbon and healthy living."

Chairman of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, Lord Sebastian Coe, said he was pleased to see BMW named as the automotive partner of the event.

News of the partnership comes days after BMW parts were named as some of the factors behind a recent award.

The BMW Z4 won Scottish Drop Top of the Year at the Scottish car of the Year Awards 2009.

Those on the lookout for BMW Z4 parts might find further proof of their great buying choices in the recent comments of an expert.

Last week saw the Scottish Car of the Year Awards 2009 take place and the model was given the gong for best "drop top" vehicle.

President of the Association of Scottish Motoring Writers – the organisation behind the event – Bill Caven, said the build quality of the motor was excellent.

He also highlighted its "slick folding-roof mechanism", which helped to make the Z4 the "ultimate" driving experience.

BMW also took home the Eco award for its EfficientDynamics system, which incorporates various technologies to deliver a greener solution for motorists.

These include Active Aerodynamics and Auto Start-Stop features.

"With its Efficient Dynamics programmes [BMW has] certainly provided a breath of fresh air in making us more aware of what clean should mean," Mr Caven explained.

The aforementioned prizes are not the first for the manufacturer this autumn. Earlier this month, the group’s model range was named by a Fleet News/Grant Thornton survey as the most reliable in the country.

Research findings have revealed that BMW has come up trumps for reliability.

The results came about as a result of data obtained regarding the UK’s 50 largest car leasing firms by Fleet News and Grant Thornton.

Stephen Briers, editor of Fleet News, said: "This is one of the largest vehicle reliability surveys of its kind and it reviews a market where cars are subjected to some of the most testing conditions they will ever face on the road."

Respondents at the leasing companies were asked to measure the cars’ reliability based upon how many breakdowns occurred on the models in their range.

He added that any make of car that made it in the list could consider it as being a significant result and was said to be down only to the efforts by manufacturers to make their vehicles withstand the conditions of the roads.

BMW came top with its 3 Series (2nd), BMW 5 Series (5th) and MINI (8th). Other vehicles in the brand’s range include the M3 and X5.

In total the survey covered 840,000 vehicles.

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