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Erick Mahle, from team FULLOPP, is taking his daily driver BMW 740 for a spin... so you will never have to. © Source: topspeed We need your comments below >>
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BMW has joined the hybrid party with the introduction of a 7 Series hybrid concept car which will be shown at next month’s Paris motor show. Although we have previously seen the 7 series in hydrogen form, this concept is a little more traditional-hybrid in its underpinnings and may simply be the German company’s way of saying, we can do it too. The BMW Concept 7 Series ActiveHybrid is based on a BMW 750i , which is powered by a mighty 300 kW (600 Nm of torque) V8 petrol engine with twin turbochargers and high precision jnjection. The petrol engine is kept intact, with an electric engine added only as an aid, making this B-em-veh what the industry calls a mild hybrid. Generating its power from brake energy regeneration, the main purpose of the electric motor is to supply electric power to the power-consuming items on board. Allowing the petrol engine to run more smoothly Fuel and emissions ratings have both improved by a respectable 15 per cent compared with the stock 750i. Meanwhile the...
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When heading to BMW to pick up its latest M3 Convertible , all sorts of questions flowed through my head. Will the engine be too highly strung? Will the car be rigid enough? Will the extra weight incur a performance penalty? Will my hair get messed up? What hair? It will rev to 8300rpm, which is where peak power is made. In fact, we believe that it will rev higher than that. The way it delivers its power is semi-parabolic, with the redline seeming to be there only to maintain its longevity. But the engine wants to keep going. I wouldn’t be surprised if the test rigs regularly saw 10,000rpm when BMW was developing this masterpiece. But open the taps and from around 5000rpm onwards, there’s a gradual transition to a trumpety bellow that just gets better and better with each passing notch of the tacho. From 6500rpm it’s sounding nothing like a V8 anymore and more pure-bred race car, until finally at 8300rpm it’s shouting a cacophonic, yet symphonic, melodic, and harmonic tune that nothing...
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The stop/start system already found on four-banger BMW 1-Series and 3-Series cars is expected to make its way onto six-cylinder models sometime within the next year. The system automatically shuts off the engine when the car is at a standstill, restarting the engine automatically when the driver is ready to accelerate again. It's likely only to appear in the 3-Series' six-cylinder models at first, but we wouldn't be too surprised to see it in the 1-Series and 5-Series sooner or later. For that matter, there's no reason why BMW wouldn't put it on their whole range, even the V8 models, eventually. © Source: jalopnik We need your comments below >>
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Who'd have thunk it? AC Schnitzer has turned the awkward looking BMW 1-Series coupe into something really rather desirable. The styling features, which fit to the car with or without the M-Technik bodykit, include front and rear skirt 'attachments' and enlarged side intakes on the front spoiler. According to AC Schnitzer this gives the car a 'greedier, more competitive look'. Right you are. Engine upgrades are available throughout the range. The 120d gets a power boost to 210bhp from 177bhp, while the 123d goes up from 204 to 240bhp. The most appealing however is the 135i, which AC Schnitzer has ramped up from 306 to 360bhp - that's 15bhp more than a 3.6-litre Porsche 911 Carrera... © Source: topgear We need your comments below >>
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(from AC Schnitzer Press Release) The New Spearhead: The ACS3 Sport Cabriolet based on the BMW M3 The sun shines, the wind's in your hair and the engine note in your ears: almost no other vehicle on the road evokes such untrammelled emotions as the BMW M3 Cabriolet . Especially when the road leads via AC Schnitzer in Aachen. The 309 kW / 420 HP V8 engine is (as yet) untouched, but in the end, extra sporting performance can be achieved in a different way, as suspension guru Manfred Wollgarten knows: "With our racing suspension set up on the North Loop, we've thoroughly mastered the physics of driving". The car is an out-and-out eyecatcher from the outside: with its new front skirt and strictly rectangular segments of the chromed grille insert, the vehicle has a strong, muscular look. The sporting presence is further underlined by the carbon spoiler lip with optional aluminum braces. The power dome on the bonnet hints at the powerful 4.0 litre V8. It is flanked by two AC...
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(from Hamann Press Release) Design and technology rejuvenation: The HAMANN tuning programme for the new BMW 6-series When it comes to exclusively refining BMWs, HAMANN-Motorsport is one of the first addresses. Again, the Laupheim-based company gives proof to this by introducing its latest refinements for the new BMW 6-series. By developing an entire tuning programme not only for the coupe, but also the convertible, HAMANN-Motorsport renders an additional sportive and individual touch to the facelift already applied by BMW . Already the design elements create this impression and increase the aerodynamics as well. The front- and rear spoiler reduce the buoyant forces of the HAMANN 6 -series which has a significant effect on the carґs handling and agility. This is also achieved with an additional pair of side skirts which significantly calms the air flow between both axles. The roof- and rear spoiler also ensure the necessary surface pressure on the asphalt. Mainly on country roads with winding...
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BMW has responded to customer demand for a tauter 6 Series by announcing the availability of a new Edition Sport trim level for the grand tourer. While the new Competition Package offers a host of modifications for the M6 , the Edition Sport follows along the same lines for the rest of the 6 Series range, including both coupe and convertible models. The package includes a restyled hood and new lightweight 19" alloys, plus stiffer anti-roll bars and the anti-roll stabilization system borrowed from the M division. Brushed aluminum trim for the cabin and fog lights also form part of the Edition Sport, along with a couple of new colors. The 650i Edition Sport also benefits from a new exhaust system. Pricing and availability have not yet been announced for the US market, but the package commands a £1500 - 2000 premium in the UK. © Source: autoblog We need your comments below >>
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It’s time for the first test drives for BMW with its 7 Series (in the photo a 740i pre-series reserved for the press) which will soon arrive on the market with plenty of technology to improve driving pleasure. A few tests have been carried out on the BMW test-track at Miramas, the details below. The guys from CAR have confirmed the agility and command reaction of the sedan, comparing it to a 3 Series; and on pushing the “sport” button gives extra driving feel, setting engine, steering and suspension response. The real ace up their sleeve however, is the rear wheel steering making for great cornering as the rear wheels automatically follow and react to what’s happening up front. The magazine says it’s a natural and satisfying driving feel for both passenger and driver, with the Series 7 feeling like a smaller car that what it actually is, forging new paths for bigger sedans. Clientele for this type of car is looking for comfort and the 7 Series guarantees it with sophisticated chassis and...
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BMW has gone to great lengths to disguise its new 5-Series based BMW PAS , completely re-skinning the car to hide its true lines. The initial digital impression certainly relies upon some significant artistic freedom, although you can certainly expect to see a significant resemblance to the new 5-Series along with a similar if not identical engine line-up. This first real prototype was discovered undergoing testing in southern France amongst a huge entourage of BMW ’s. Early reports speculated this would be BMW’s answer to the Mercedes R-Class; however this is not the case. As these spy shots reveal - the PAS is a true fastback more likened to a sports toured rather than a people mover. It is set to offer a more practical alternative to the BMW X6 while still being considerably smaller than the Mercedes R-Class. © Source: caradvice We need your comments below >>
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The current BMW X3 will soldier on for at least the next few years until the arrival of an all-new model towards the end of the decade. Nonetheless, these are the very first spy-shots of Munich’s compact SUV, snapped undergoing road tests outside the Nürburgring. The new X3 ’s dimensions will hardly change compared with the current car and its styling will be shaped to reflect elements from the CS Concept. The basic shape will remain much the same, however the new model is expected to feature a more prominent grille plus new wraparound headlights. Designers will also focus on improving the quality of the interior, as the new X3 will be facing stiff competition from the recently unveiled new Audi Q5 and Mercedes-Benz GLK. Production of the X3 will be moved to BMW ’s Spartanburg plant in the U.S. where it will be built alongside the new X6 and X5. Expect to see the twin-turbo 3.0-litre from the 335i make its way into the X3 range as well as the powerful but frugal new 152kw 2.0-litre turbodiesel...
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Spy photographers have caught the interior in clear view of the new BMW 5 Series for first time. Even with a significant amount of specially cut foam padding used to disguise the instrument panel and center console from prying eyes, we can still make out some new details. The i-Drive controller is placed on the right side of the gear lever, and similar to Audi's MMI interface, there are additional navigation/function buttons surrounding the controller. Also similar to Audi are the new buttons and scroll wheels on the totally new steering wheel. Sitting at the base of the gear selector console is a big button with a “(P)” for the electronic parking brake. The shape of the dashboard is also brand new, although the two circular recesses on the passenger side are fake as well as the old i-Drive controller location. The real deal is more like, you guessed it, the Audis. Keyless-go, active suspension, improved night vision, head-up display and a bigger sat nav screen are all features that...
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No more spy pics, no more renderings, the first official images of the all new BMW 7-Series have leaked onto the web and who are we to hold them back from you. The official unveiling isn't until next week, but perhaps this may spur BMW into action sooner. Very little was left to the imagination regarding the exterior design, recent prototypes have sported only light camouflage and a recent teaser poster caught at a golf tournament showed the CS inspired headlights. We see from these leaked images, both the front and rear lights will get LEDs and the interior shows us a first glimpse of the updated i-Drive system. Of course we will bring you full details as soon as they surface, but enjoy these photos in the meantime. © Source: worldcarfans We need your comments below >>
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(from Andrei Avarvarii) Designed by Romanian fresh industrial design graduates Andrei Avarvarii (exterior design) and Adrian Vasiliu (interior design) the BMW Z0 project is a sports car for the next decade. The fuel-challenged years ahead are a real threat to the traditional driver’s machine. However we think that, by going back to the roots of the automobile, we were able to create a smart, efficient and environment friendly sports car. For many years the key to performance was the power to weight ratio and not just power. Manufacturers these days seem to have forgotten that and got absorbed in an absurd competition for power. The Z0 is the proof that less can be better. As the name suggests the car is intended as the smallest sports car produced by BMW. The “0” number signifies that the vehicle is reduced to the essence and it has zero harmful emissions. The small 1.6 liter turbo hydrogen engine and the 450 kg kerb weight ensure top performance in an affordable package. Modern, yet nostalgic...
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In the past, BMW didn't exactly rush in to follow the trend toward larger, more family-friendly vehicles. Like a fashionable latecomer to a cocktail party, the German automaker launched the BMW X5 a few years into the SUV craze. But when the tide turned and the market clamored for scaled-down utility, BMW was ready with the nimble X3. And now that the crossover has found its way into the lineup of practically every marque in the auto industry, the German automaker steps up to bat with the X6 , a four-passenger "Sports Activity Coupe" that BMW hopes will entice customers looking for the superior handling of a sport sedan with the space and functionality of an SUV. And just to clear up any potential confusion: Yes, BMW is calling the X6 a coupe, but that's just pure marketing, as it really does have four doors. Underneath the crossover's controversial styling lies the capable, athletic handling BMW is known for. The all-wheel-drive X6 shares the same platform as the...
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