Not really a huge fun of larger cars but BMW fans and CUV fans would probably get a kick of the leaked images (thanks to the internet) of the new BMW X3 M. Yup, that M badge makes this just a bit more bad-ass.

Performance-wise, the car boasts of a lowered sports suspension, stiffer dampers, and variable sports steering. Lowered suspensions – now that does ruin the point of getting a taller vehicle.

On the outside, the X3 gets a full M body kit with side skirts and sporty bumpers. The wheel arches have also been modified wheel arches to fit the 19-inch alloy rims.

Inside, the car gets a leather sports steering wheel with flappy paddle gear shifters. The front seats can also be had with Pearlpoint cloth-leather trim.

The normal X3 will come out later this year and the M Sport package by early 2011.

BMW’s quest for an electric city vehicle looks to be on track. The Megacity project just showcased the first official pictures and some details about the MCV.

Powering the car is a 100Kw electric motor mounted at the back. A possibility of a range-extender model (one equipped with an internal combustion engine that recharges the batteries) is also hinted.

The body’s made from LifeDrive – BMW’s revolutionary Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic material. BMW claims that it’s steel-strong but just half the weight of aluminum. Not bad for something that’s basically toughened plastic.

The company says the four-seater will offer ‘an innovative solution for sustainable urban mobility, which will be brought onto the market by 2013 and sold under a BMW sub-brand’.

BMW aims to sell these EVs under a sub-brand.

Looks like BMW will try to take the fight even to the small-car market. The German automaker is reported to be working on a new 3-cylinder engine that’s expected to be fitted to the 1-series.

Autocar reports that the engine is based on the new 500cc-per-cylinder design and will incorporate BMW’s direct injection technology and turbocharging.

Mind you that BMW has grand plans for the unit and it isn’t expected to be just a paltry entry-level engine due to its size.

“This is not an entry-level unit. It’s a serious, refined, sporting engine with great CO2 figures,” a BMW source said.

BMW has had plenty of experience working on 3-cylinder engines on its bikes but they’ve made improvements on the 1-series to be able to accommodate the engine.

Check out this even more souped-up version of the BMW M3 – the BMW M3 GTS.

Powering the M3 GTS is tweaked version of the M3′s standard 4.0L V8. Displacement has been upped to 4.4L. Power is boosted to 450 bhp and torque is now up to a total of 324 lb-ft. Power is sent to the rear wheels courtesy of BMW’s seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

That much power allows the car to go from 0-62 mph in just 4.4 seconds and go all the way to 190 bhp. The GTS has been put on a diet as well – 100kg less than the standard thanks to carbon fiber and weight-saving efforts.

Helping the car cope in the corners are a revised suspension system, new tires, new fixed-caliper brakes. Aero bits include a fixed rear wing and a new front splitter.

Not your run-of-the-mill souped up repmobile this one.

BMW’s M Series has been the accessible performance vehicles for those who do not have quite enough to buy entry-level supercars.

Check out this latest M3 with the Competition Pack. And what a machine this one is with the ‘Frozen Black’ color scheme.

The Competition Pack features a lowered suspension (by 10mm), lighter alloy wheels, and a new sport mode option in the Electronic Damping Control system. The stability system’s been tweaked as well.

All these additions are expected to give the M3 better handling. Imagine rounding those corners with better stability from the suspensions and stability systems.

The car also features a start-stop system that helps with the fuel consumption and emissions.

Now we got more proof that BMW’s new flagship in its initial design and development. Here’s an image of the Concept Gran Coupe.

The Concept is expected to become the new BMW 8-series. Despite its sleek shape, the car is huge. The car will be 5 meters long and despite the “coupe” label, will be a four-door saloon and is expected to hit the market by 2012.

It looks like it’s poised to take on the sporty saloon cars like the Panamera and the Rapide. BMW designed the car to have the “practicality” of the saloon while having the characteristics of a grand tourer.

Powering the car will be the same diesel and gasoline powerhouses that are found in the current 5-series and 7-series. The engine will most likely be mated to BMW’s eight-speed automatic.

“It’s true that the Gran Coupe points to a specific model, a saloon with the presence and elegance of a 7-series but a more dynamic, sporty character: much more of a driver’s car.” said BMW design chief Adrian van Hooydonk.

BMW recently revealed the BMW Z29 – a supercar prototype concept that’s developed by jointly by BMW’s Technik subsidiary and M division.

Now, BMW reveals a slew of secret concept cars that’s developed by Technik for its 25th anniversary. The division was founded in 1985 and, in 2003, started to focus on developing all sorts of technology across BMW’s fleet.

The company’s responsible for creating concepts such as a fuel cell hybrid based on the 1-series, a rear-engined people’s car with centered seating, an electric car, an off-road buggy with a massive V8, an Ariel Atom-style track car and a lightweight coupe.

Currently, Technik is focusing on the digital bits of BMW’s tech needs. These include alternative drive and energy management systems, safety management and driver assist systems, and communication and connectivity.

BMW has announced that they are seriously considering shifting away from their RWD and 4WD configurations and go for FWD layouts to be able to compete at the lower price range market.

Thing is, many BMW 1-Series drivers think that BMW has already made the shift to a FWD layout with the 1-Series. A survey of 1-Series drivers revealed that 4 out 5 think their engines power the front wheels.

BMW CEO Norbert (no, he’s not one of Dilbert’s cronies) Reithofer said that the survey results were “quite a surprise.”

BMW initially announced that the company will be making FWD Beemers for a car to be slotted below the 1-Series and will be based on the Mini’s platform.

I haven’t driven the 1-Series so I don’t know how it feels. Does it torque steer and oversteer that much?

If you’re wondering why the heck BMW Sauber is still racing with the BMW name despite the BMW’s exit at the end of the 2009 season, well fret not. It’s all just a temporary thing as Sauber makes the transition after buying the team out.

Sauber, apparently, did not apply for a change in name for the 2010 season, hence, the still-official team title of “BMW Sauber Ferrari F1 Team.”

Rumors have it that the decision not to drop BMW on the onset was to keep BMW pleased so that Sauber would be assured dibs of BMW’s prize money from the 2009 season. But those are just unconfirmed reports.

Team owner Peter Sauber said that the name change will come but the group is still considering the best timing for it. Sauber confirmed that it will happen this season.

Source: Autocar

Need a Beemer 5-series with a real trunk? Then BMW has just the thing for you – the 5-series Touring. The new 5-series variant that allows you to pack more stuff thanks to the larger trunk capacity.

The car us powered by a choice of two gasoline engines and two diesels. The entry-level diesel has proven to be popular with the other variants. Thanks to the decent power output of 161 bhp and 280 lb-ft of torque. The mile returns are great as well as drivers can get 54.3 miles to the gallon.

All engines come with a six-speed manual as standard while an eight-speed automatic gearbox is option.

As for the new trunk, there’s space alright. Even with the foldable back seats up, the car sports 560 liters of space. 60 more than the old model. with the seats down, the space swells even more

If you want a more spacious German car though, you might want to spring for the E-Class estate with its 1950 liters of cargo space.

Ring the panic bells. Ferrari’s going hybrid. Now BMW’s going front-wheel drive. Okay, so maybe that’s no real reason to play the doomsday card. It’s just the way it is for automakers these days. Embracing change and all the crap.

Anyway, the break in tradition won’t affect beloved models. Front-wheel drive will be introduced to a new entry-level model to be slotted in beneath the 1-series (pictured) and will be sharing components with the Mini.

This would usher in break from BMW’s tradition of building only rear-wheel and four-wheel drive configurations.

BMW’s looking to increase hardware sharing among its models to bring production costs down. Whether or not these savings will translate to lower-priced Beemers has yet to be seen.

BMW is really keen on developing the BMW Megacity – its contender for the budding electric city car market. BMW hopes to launch the electric line as a sub-brand in three year’s time.

As for directions, BMW will be building the Megacity at its Leipzig plant in Germany. The plant currently houses the production of the small 1-series and the X1.

BMW initially showcased an electric 1-series at the Detroit auto show to show off its current electric powerplant. However, BMW has given no clear indication whether or not the Megacity will be sharing any of its components with the 1-series.

The Megacity is the culmination of the BMW project-i which aims to develop zero emissions vehicles. Some might remember the MINI E – the first electric vehicle from the project.

For some reason, hybrids rank higher than EVs in my book as far as green technology is concerned. Sure, they really aren’t zero-emmissions but they just don’t have to deal with charge times and effective ranges that EVs have to deal with.

Now here’s some interesting technology from BMW – a split engine hybrid design. The system basically uses two internal combustion engines and an electric motor.

The idea is to have the one engine be used at lower speeds and power demands and have the second engine cut in when the demans are greater.

The electric engine will be there to assist when the two IC engines switch.

Quite a cool idea. It’s basically like having to drive a car with a smaller engine. We only hope BMW also takes into consideration the type of car this engine will be fitted into.

Source: Autocar

BMW has pulled out of the competition but the team is most likely to stay as Peter Sauber decides to rescue his own team and field an entery to next year’s championship.

Just a couple of weeks ago, BMW was reported to be sellings the F1 team to Qadbak Investments, a British Virgin Islands, investment group. However, the deal fell sqaure on its ass just a few days ago, prompting Sauber to step in.

The FIA ruled that Sauber will get an entry subject to signing the Concorde Agreement. It will be taking the place of Toyota which pulled out of the competition earlier this year.

Maybe Sauber wants to be the next Brawn.

Source: Autocar

BMW claims that they are making good progress in their attempt to make an electric urban transport.

“We are acquiring pioneering future technologies and raw materials that we need for our MegaCity vehicle on competitive terms,” said BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer.

Dubbed as the MegaCity under the company’s Project i division, the car is being developed for extreme lightweightedness. To achieve this “extreme” level of lightness, the car uses a plastic reinforced with carbon fiber.

BMW recently showcased the Simple concept which does reveal some of BMW’s thoughts on how to move forward. It sure looks different from\\ The final car will have a different look though.

I really appreciate the effort that. comes to the development of electric vehicles but unless they get to the point where these cars need only two minutes to get fully charged, I still think there’s a better way to get around petroleum.

Ever wondered if BMW ever thought of lopping off the top of the M5? Apparentley, they did. But that was 20 years ago and the plans were thrown to the shitter just before it was launched.

Apparently, BMW had concerns that it might just not fly with the market.

A select group of press people got the rare treat of seeing the car. BMW is celebrating the M5′s 25 years of existence.

Given the old M5′s shape, it doesn’t look to shabby at all. If it had been launched back then, the car would have been priced at £50,000 – a huge amount back then.

Today’s M5s are basically supercomputers on wheels – a huge development from the first M5s of old. From a power rating of 282 bhp in 1985, today’s M5s can give drivers 500 bhp on demand just by pessing the M button.

Source: Autocar

Back in the day estate cars and sportiness rarely come hand in hand. But the Germans have made sure that people can have their luggage space and power at the same time.

So Audi had their take with the RS4. But how about one with a BMW badge?

Well here’s the BMW M3 Estate… with a V10. Built by Manhart Racing, the M3 packs a 5.0L V10 from an M5 mated to a 7-speed gearbox. Manhart pegs the 0-62 mph time at 4.3 seconds.

Manhart also added more tweaks and parts to the car including an LSD, a stainless steel exhaust with four tailpies. Manhart also tweaked the ECU to fit the V10′s profile. Body modifications include a new hood, a new front bumper and side skirts. The car sits atop 20-inch aluminium alloys.

Source: Autocar

BMW is on a roll with its fleet-wide showcase of developments. Last week, it was the Mini. Now, they’re on to their own fleet. This here’s their own take of what “green” and “sporty,” when combined, should be – the Vision Efficient Dynamics concept.

It’s basically a diesel-electric hybrid. The fossil-fueled engine’s a 1.5L turbocharged 3-cylinder diesel that will eventually be found in 2011 1-series but BMW found a good use for it now in this green concept.

Amazingly, the wee diesel motor is even more powerful than the current-generation 2.0L 4-cylinder turbodiesel dishing out 163 bhp and 214 lb-ft of torque. In a car like the 1-Series, that’s already a handful. To complete the powertrain, the powerplant combo is mated to a seven-speed double-clutch gearbox.

The diesel if mated to a pair of electric motors. The electric motors then power either the front and rear wheels via single speed reduced-ration transmissions. When combined with the trubo-diesel the system can dish out as much as 356 bhp.

That much power combined with a lightweight body construction and aerodynamics allows the car to go from 0-62 mph in just 4.8 seconds and to its limited top speed of 155 mph. That’s enough to match the current M3.

The concept is set to be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

Source: Autocar

BMW looks to be in bad shape. July saw their year-on-year global sales fall by 12.6% as the global financial crisis continues to hurt auto sales all over.

All of BMWs brands posted losses save for the MINI which were up for the first time since September of last year. MINI’s figures rose by 0.3 % after selling 19,281 units in the month with Germany and the UK markets providing the much needed sales.

Despite this, sales and marketing board member Ian Robertson claims that these figures reveal that the company is managing despite the crisis. BMW sold a total of 109,923 units last month.

“Over the course of the next months we will see BMW Group sales continue their gradual upward trend – not least as a result of several new models,” he said. “I am confident we will continue to expand our market position in the premium segment for 2009 as a whole and be able to maintain our position as leading premium manufacturer.”

Source: Autocar

The new M edition of the BMW X5 mid-size crossover SUV finally made its debut at the Shanghai Motor Show, as BMW showcased the car’s new engine, M-branded interior furnishings, and extensive exterior upgrades.

The BMW X5 M gets a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 engine that can turn out 547 brake horsepower, with a peak torque of 501 lb.-ft. Additionally, the M’s engine layout—the M TwinPower unit was placed between two rows of cylinders and fitted with the catalytic converters—is said to provide better engine response and an improved and more linear delivery of power.

Exterior upgrades include new large air intakes for the front bumper, quad exhaust pipes out the back, and gills on the car’s front wings. Inside, there’s an M-badged steering wheel along with leather sports seats.

The BMW X5 M, which is slated to be released sometime in October, also sports BMW EfficientDynamics technology. There’s also an M Drive transmission and Dynamic Performance Control, which should provide the driver with better stability and flexibility in choosing preferred setups.

Source: Autocar

BMW has released the new BMW X5 Security Plus, which features armor protection capable of withstanding an AK-47 barrage and a suite of security features on top of the standard mid-size crossover SUV.

The Security Plus is rated with a six bullet resistance, meaning that the car can take the pounding from most handguns as well as rifles like the AK-47. The rear passenger compartment has more armor protection. Steel and molded panels offer added cover especially for usually unprotected areas such as the frames and the spaces between the doors.

The vehicle also sports special bullet-resistant security glass that is also coated with polycarbonate to fend off crowbar assaults. An intercom system, an audio alarm, and a visual warning beacon round out the additional security features.

There’s only one engine available for the BMW X5 Security Plus, a 4.8-liter V8 capable of 350bhp, though I doubt anyone would be picking this SUV out because of the powertrain. It has an 8.2-second 0-62mph time, pretty impressive despite all the weight that has been added onto the vehicle.

Source: Autocar

BMW is really trying to dish out some competition for everyone in their market brackets despite the poor showing of auto sales all over the world. BMW, itself, is performing quite poorly these days but that doesn’t stop their research and development boffins to churn out new models.

CAR Magazine reports that BMW is considering giving 5 different variants for the 2011 next-generation 1-Series. The variants would include a 2-door hatch, a 3-door shooting-break (who goes hunting or golfing in a 1-Series?), a 3-door sport wagon, a 3 or 5-door GT1, and a 3-door sport activity coupe.

Now that’s quite the selection of variants to choose from. In a marketing perspective, while this would probably give buyers a huge range of choices, it might just water down the car’s impact to buyers. Why make a 3-door shooting-break 1-Series when another model (say, an X3 or X5) would probably serve those who do sporting activities better.

Source: CAR

BMW has revealed plans for their upcoming coupe, a hub of advanced features and green technology that will serve as a showcase platform for all BMW technologies. Dubbed the Z10 ED, the two-seat eco-supercar is going to be the highlight of BMW’s future.

The ‘ED’ stands for BMW’s innovative green technology called Efficient Dynamics, geared towards improving emission levels and fuel efficiency. To keep the car lightweight, the body makes extensive use of carbon fiber and the chassis is made from aluminum components. Sources indicate that the Z10 is likely to feature a 7-speed transmission and be capable of around 400 horsepower.

According to sources, “The idea is to bring all the very latest technology together in a way that will allow a high level of performance without overburdening the environment in a way that the current crop of supercars do.” The technologies showcased in the Z10 ED are going to be used across all future BMW models, making the ED something of a proving ground for innovation.

The Z10 looks like it’s going to be an incredible machine, and the potential is off the charts. It’s going to be manufactured in limited numbers, but even then, it’s definitely going to be more than a high-end testing platform.

And does this mean that the 7-series will get relegated with this new car?

Source: Autocar

Earlier in the week, BMW Sauber officially unveiled its car for the 2009 Formula 1 season, launching the F1.09 at the Spanish circuit of Valencia.

The new car features dramatic redesigns that comply with the new rules changes and aerodynamic considerations. There’s a high-and-narrow rear wing, with a full-width front wing, higher sidepods, a higher nose, and reduced air deflectors. Early testing with Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems and development of the V8 engine for extended use are also underway.

“The team started work early on the wide range of changes,” said team driver Nick Heidfeld. “I’m confident that we’re in good shape and am looking forward to the first race, when we’ll see whether the balance of power has shifted at all.” Heidfeld took the reins of the F1.09 last Friday and took it for a 92-lap run.

After a third-place finish in the 2008 constructors’ race, much is expected out of BMW in the upcoming season. “In 2009 we are looking to maintain our first-class reliability record while at the same time enhancing our performance levels so that we can be at the front of the pack on a consistent basis,” said Mario Theissen, Director of BMW Motorsport.

Source: Formula 1

With this latest move by BMW, I think the world of luxury motoring has really turned a page. BMW’s flagship series – the 7 Series – is set to get a hybrid version to be available at the end of 2009 to cater to the growing green market. In addition to the 7 Series the new X6 SUV will also get a conjoined electric motor as well.

The 7 series is set to be a “mild hybrid” which would incorporate a start-stop system along with the capability to shut down the engine when coasting or braking. The rest of the car’s electronic systems will be handled by the electric motor. The 7 Series Concept packs a 4.4L twin-turbo 400-hp V8 that is paired with a 20 hp motor.

The X6 SUV, however, will get a full hybrid treatment meaning the car will be able to run either on the electric alone or cycled with the internal combustion engine. The X6 is likely to get the same V8 found in the 7 Series.

Source: World Car Fans