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Filed under: Car Buying , Concept Cars , Tuners , Auction Action , BMW Click above for photo gallery Now that BMW's 1-series has a solid presence on dealer lots, enthusiasts of the Roundel can start with lusty customizations that pay homage to the great BMWs of the past. In the case of this 135, we can say that BMW started it with its Concept tii that made the rounds in late 2007. Classic BMW in Texas plucked a 135i out of its stock for Projekt 1. Many of the "upgrades" that have been applied to the car are largely unneeded cosmetic geegaws like mirror covers and bodykit accents. We're down with the matte stripe job on the hood, and the vaguely described "retrofit front suspension" and performance exhaust system offer some tangible benefits; the exhaust even proves its worth with dyno sheets. Basically, the exhaust and suspension are the only things on the list worth having, and those would cost about 5 grand, rather than the 12K price inflation this 135 is carrying...
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Filed under: Maintenance , BMW BMW's N54 engine has won the International Engine of the Year award for the past two straight years. It has also been listed as one of Ward's 10 Best Engines during the same period. The engine produces 306 hp and 295 ft-lbs of torque in a 3.0L inline six package thanks to the use of twin Mitsubishi turbochargers and direct injection. The N54's quick response and smooth torque curve has been an attraction for many enthusiasts, including myself - I call my Montego Blue coupe the turbo Cookie Monster. That is why a few BMW 335i owners are miffed by a feeling of reduced performance after a recent service update . Posters on the BMW forum e90post.com claim that a software update to adjust rattling wastegate valves has induced lag into the turbochargers that wasn't there before. As illustrated in the gallery below, the N54 turbochargers differ from most setups in that the wastegates default to the open position. This allows for better emissions due...
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Filed under: Etc. , Marketing/Advertising , BMW Click above for a few images leading up to Rampfest. As jaded pseudo-journalists, viral marketing campaigns have lost some of their grimy allure over the last few years. But BMW's latest attempt to get the masses pumped about the eminent launch of the 1-series coupe in the U.S. has so much hoontastic potential than even our oddly named friends can't ignore it. Head on over to the fictional Bavarian village of (lemme get this right) Oberpfaffelbachen's website and you're greeted with the Oktoberfest anthem. From there, you can read up on the town's history, get a quick "Hallo" from the mayor and begin to understand the marketing ruse that BMW is launching - literally - when you check out the Rampenfest link. The idea is simple. Build a 454 meter-high ramp that will launch the 135i over the European landscape and across the Atlantic onto U.S. shores. But the joke doesn't end there. Jeff Schultz, a (faux) documentary...
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Filed under: Coupes , Geneva Motor Show , BMW Click above for a high-res gallery of the BMW 1-series tii concept. Among the assorted wares BMW will be showing off in Geneva, the Bavarian boys will also be displaying a complete accessories package for the 1-series that includes a number of the aerodynamic features we've seen already . According to Winding Road's sources, the concept that will be sitting on BMW's stand will gauge the public's interest in a tii model that could be powered by a twin-turbo, four-cylinder engine that would put a premium on (thank God) weight savings, thorough to lighter brakes, wheels and exterior elements. Make the jump for BMW's press release about its performance parts for the 1-series. Gallery: BMW 1-series performance parts catalog Gallery: BMW Concept 1 Series tii [Source: BMW via Winding Road ] Continue reading BMW bringing aero kit for the 1-series to Geneva, tii variant rumored Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Aftermarket , Tuners , Coupes , BMW Click above for a gallery of pics. The numero-uno forum for all things 1-series got a hold of BMW's brochure for its upcoming line of performance parts, and as suspected, much of the kit originally seen on the tii concept will be available through authorized BMW dealers. The photos we posted last week of the modified 1-series show the same car displayed in the brochure. Unfortunately, the text is in German, but Google's translation software is here to help. Aside from some aerodynamic body panels that are visible in the pictures, well-to-do customizers can upgrade the front brakes of their 1-series with six-piston yellow calipers squeezing 325mm drilled and slotted rotors, while two-piston calipers in the rear grab onto 320mm rotors. Three different wheel choices frame those new yellow binders, ranging from 18x7.5-inches all the way up to 19x9 inch rollers, while a new dampers, springs, stabilizer and strut tower bars are available...
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Filed under: Aftermarket , Spy Photos , Tuners , Coupes , BMW click above for gallery of images Few models in the BMW lineup have as much tuning potential as the newly released 135i, and the Bavarian boys and girls are intent to capture as much of that market as possible. The BMW 1-series tii concept proved that BMW was serious about offering performance parts to boost (and possibly lighten) its new turbo'd coupe, and a member of 1addicts posted photos of what could be the first 135 to get the in-house tuner treatment. Most of the parts shown are carryovers from the tii concept, including the revised front fascia, side skirts, carbon fiber diffuser and matching rear wing. The C.F. hood may have been swapped out for a stock aluminum piece, but we're guessing the weave has been covered in matching white paint. The upgraded brakes are one of the most obvious additions, while inside, there's plenty of Alcantara covered kit, from the shift boot to the seats, which are also dead ringers...
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Filed under: Detroit Auto Show , Convertibles , BMW click above for more high-res live shots of the BMW 1 Series Convertible The final reveal in BMW's three-movement press conference was a drop-top version of its perfectly-sized 1 Series. While some in the audience might have preferred that the preceding female dancers had instead lost their tops, this vehicle was not a bad consolation prize. Available in naturally-aspirated (128i) and forced-induction (135i) flavors, the 1 Series 'vert offers wind-in-your-face motoring in a mere 22 seconds by virtue of its electrohydraulic power soft top. Technical goodies abound, such as VALVETRONIC, an on-demand electric water pump that uses only 1/10th the power of a standard water pump and only runs when required, and pop-up roll bars to protect the occupants in case the vehicle goes rubber-side up. Additionally, the 135i gets an electronically-controlled limited slip differential to help cope with its additional 70 HP, as well as six-piston...
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Filed under: Coupes , Marketing/Advertising , Videos , BMW The BMW 1-Series is on the verge of being sold here in the U.S., which means the multimedia blitz is on its way. With automakers getting more creative to capture buyers attention, spots are getting more high tech, and less reality based. BMW brass have recognized the trend, and the end result is a fanciful version of how the 1-Series is produced at the factory. Hit the jump to see the the :30 spot, which carries the tag line "Makes you want to get behind the wheel." While the commercial may not do that for us, the razor sharp BMW chassis and silky smooth 300-hp twin-turbo inline-six has us panging for a shot behind the wheel. Check out the gas fill up point just before the Bimmer takes off. That would beat the hell out of self-serve in the dead of winter. [Source: YouTube] Continue reading VIDEO: BMW 1-Series spot - creation by precision Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Coupes , Etc. , Marketing/Advertising , BMW After centuries of counting on eight reindeer (unless there is fog), it appears as though Santa Claus has instead opted for the internal combustion engine. To traverse the sometimes tight airways around metropolitan areas, good ol' Saint Nick decided the nimble nature of the BMW 1-Series was best-fitted to do the job. The boys and girls of team Bimmer have decided that the best way to sell the 1-Series on their home turf during the holiday season is to involve the biggest commercial icon of Christmas. As you can see above, Santa is haulin' ... presents, and the smallest four-wheeler from the Bavarian Motor Werks is leading the way. St. Nick is going so fast, all the vowels have left the billboard. If this doesn't keep awake the children of Hamburg, we don't know what will. Imagine trying to sleep when every car that drives by makes you think Santa is pulling into your driveway. Heck, we're sure there are a lot...
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Filed under: Aftermarket , Tuners , Coupes , BMW Click the image above for a high-res gallery. Like everything else from the propeller people, AC Schnitzer gets a stab at improving BMW's products before they're even released to the masses. The formula is the same for the new 135i, boosting power output of the 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged six to 360 HP and 332 lb.-ft. of torque, while simultaneously dropping the 0-60 time to under five seconds and increasing the top speed to 186 mph. The additional power is found with the installation of a new exhaust and some clever ECU tweaks, while the suspension has been replaced with the firm's sports setup that was tuned on the Nurburgring's North Loop by touring car hot shoe Manfred Wollgarten. The body kit, comprised of a new front spoiler, side skirts, rear wing and roof mounted spoiler, supposedly do wonders for high velocity hoonage, while a set of 19x18.5-inch Type IV "BiColor" wheels wrapped in 225/35R19 rubber keep...
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Filed under: Coupes , Marketing/Advertising , BMW The man behind the MINI's launch in 2001, Jack Pitney, is heading up the marketing effort for BMW's new 1-series in the U.S., and he's hoping that the same warm reception granted to the MINI will be duplicated...
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Filed under: Frankfurt Auto Show , Coupes , BMW Click the image above for a host of live high-res pics of the BMW 1-series. Of all the vehicles that made their debut at this year's Frankfurt Motor Show, one will likely have more impact on North American...
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Filed under: Car Buying , Coupes , Euro , BMW While it's impossible to accurately judge the cost of vehicles in the U.S. based off pricing in Europe, Autocar gives us a brief glimpse of what to expect. According to the Brit website, the diesel-equipped...
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