Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2001 12:29:28 -0700
Reply-To: "C.R. Rowland" <cr_rowland@YAHOO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "C.R. Rowland" <cr_rowland@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Off Topic: BMW C1
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
I recently viewed a photo of a BMW C1 on the Tiico engine website.
http://www.vanagon.net/bmw2.jpg
I immediately was compelled to learn more about the C1 and found out they are
not available in the US in the email I received below from BMW marketing. My
question to the list is what has been the experience of other listmembers in
importing vehicles from Germany. How about the comments around crash testing
and emissions? Is an officer of the law going to pull me over for driving one
of these in the US?
For those who are as curious as I was when I saw this, here is a link to the
German BMW C1 website.
http://www.bmw-c1.de/de/index.html
Thanks
Chris
Content from BMW follows...
===============================================================================
Good Afternoon Mr. Rowland:
Thank you for your interest in the C1. All of us at BMW are excited about this
new
concept in personal transportation.
The C1 was originally designed to meet the needs of the European transportation
market. At this time, BMW Group has not decided whether to import the C1 into
the United
States. Investigations are underway at the corporate level to determine whether
it would
be commercially viable, as well as how and where it would be distributed and
serviced.
These investigations are purely exploratory at this time and a final decision
has not been reached.
Other factors that will affect the importation of the C1 have to do with
differing safety
regulations that are in effect in various export markets as they relate to
helmets and/or
seatbelts. The European local and federal standards do differ from domestic
standards and
this is another obstacle that would need to be overcome before importation.
BMW Group does not recommend that you import a C1 outside of the normal
channels of
distribution. Since the C1 has not been certified for importation into the USA,
you, as the
importer, would have to bear the costs of crash testing and emissions
certification. In my
opinion, these costs would be excessive.
Please contact us if you have further inquiries.
Kind Regards,
BMW Motorcycles
=====
C. R. Rowland
www.geocities.com/cr_rowland/
"No matter where you go, there you are."
__________________________________________________
Terrorist Attacks on U.S. - How can you help?
Donate cash, emergency relief information
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/fc/US/Emergency_Information/
