BMW Group Thailand announces it is ceasing support warranty and maintenance programs on BMW and Mini next models sold by the gray market importers.

BMW Thailand president Michael Kordis said the carmaker officially pulls the plug on all after sale service programs for BMW and Mini vehicles it programs to officially roll out in the future.

Mr. Kordis said those vehicles that imported from the Europe countries are design to run on Euro-5 standard fuels, but most of the fuels in Thailand are only Euro-3 standard.

He said Thailand’s lower standard in fuel may cause serious damages to BMW vehicles’ engine.

The prestige carmaker has established links between its maintenance shops around the world to collect vehicles data which are entering into service program. For example, a car made for an England market would received maintenance service in England rather than in Thailand.

BMW said the mandate sets to protect the company brand name and its customers.

“Vehicles that are sold in Thailand should have been engineered for the Thai market only, which is different from vehicles that are engineered for the England market in both climate and fuel aspects,” Mr. Kordis said.

MBW sold 2,356 vehicles in Thailand for 2009, up 26 percent or up 5.0 percent in market share from a year ago. It is the only brand which seen sale growth in the premium car segment.