India, Nov. 13 -- In a sweeping safety directive that has sent shockwaves through the automotive market, federal safety regulators have urged owners of more than 720,000 BMW luxury sedans, coupes, and sport-utility vehicles to park their cars exclusively outdoors due to an escalating fire hazard.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and BMW of North America announced the coordinated safety campaign encompassing 720,796 vehicles spanning model years 2012 through 2018. The expansive recall targets a wide array of popular nameplates, including specific variations of the 3 Series, 5 Series, Z4, X1, X3, X4, and X5 hybrid models, following alarming reports that affected automobiles could potentially catch fire even after ...