Category Archives: BMW
BMW product head says M division would like to develop own car
Inside Line reports that BMW’s M division wants to play with the other kids and develop its own car, but it’s got to wait on parent BMW to say Alles klar. This isn’t new; they’ve been public about the desire for at least two years. The holdup, naturally, is that bean-and-spreadsheet wielding boogeyman named The Business Case: any in-house M offering has to feed the profit motive before getting the okay.
Sure, Audi has its R8, but that was made easier because of the Lamborghini link. The real template for this is Mercedes-Benz’s AMG, which created the SLS on its own, and on its own chassis. The sales success of that car must surely have the folks at M anxious to fabricate a proper challenger.
When we talked to former M Division head Dr. Kay Segler, he spoke about pushing the 1 Series M through without dilution in spite of frequent reservations about its business case. We haven’t heard the same talk yet from the department’s current head, so, using a different template, it could be time for M engineers to start turning wrenches in their spare time: the IS-F began as an after-hours project, and in effect so did the Pagani Zonda. Give us the M1 Hommage, guys. Or feel free to do even better..
Yes, the U.S. will get a BMW 3 Series wagon
Contrary to rumors and reports circulating the internets, BMW will, in fact, bring the next 3 Series wagon to the U.S. But it’s still a ways out.
According to Autoblog sources, the touring variant of the F30 3 Series will likely land on European shores within the next year, with the coupe and convertible versions arriving in late 2013. All four models – sedan, coupe, convertible and wagon – will be available in the U.S. when they arrive, but for the time being, the two-door and five-door versions of the E90/E92 will soldier on until their respective replacements arrive. And yes, a diesel version of the 2012 sedan unveiled last week should make it Stateside, as well.
This is what a 217-mph BMW 7 Series looks like
Take one BMW 7 Series, hand it over to Germany’s TuningWerk, ask for the second-stage tune that the company characterizes as “a little revitalization,” and the sedan you get back will top out at 720 horsepower, 803 pound-feet and 217 miles per hour.
The super stormer gets bigger, lighter brakes, a new sound system, a sport exhaust, and a weight-loss totaling 264 pounds, The eight-speed transmission is swapped for a beefier unit with either five or six speeds. It all makes getting from zero to 62 mph a minor inconvenience, taking but 3.5 seconds.
If all that’s too much – and at €198,000 ($274,982 U.S.) it may be – you can hold steady at the Stage One tune that raises the game to “just” 530 hp and 546 lb-ft. There’s more info in the presser after the jump.
2012 BMW 3 Series unveiled
The BMW 3 Series has been the most lauded sport sedan in the world for longer than we can remember. Worthy competitors pop up, only to fall short of beating this benchmark – often by some subjective measure that can’t be quantified. So it’s a big deal when the 3 Series is up for a clean-sheet redesign. Not one to refuse a challenge, BMW has stepped up to the task of redesigning its best-selling vehicle and came up with this, the redesigned 2012 BMW 3 Series.
BMW clearly wanted to bring the design of the new 3 Series more in-line with the look of its other new cars, mainly the 5, 6 and 7 Series. To that end, the most visible difference is up front, where the car’s nose has grown in size. Likely a nod to European safety standards that require taller hoods for pedestrian safety, the 3 Series’ new schnoz is both taller and wider than before. The new, larger twin-kidney grille is also no longer separated from the headlights, which are also bigger. Instead, the grille surrounds meet a small portion of the lights to create the impression of a more unified front fascia. It looks a bit like the 5 Series, but also appears to draw inspiration from the forthcoming i8. The new 3 Series looks most familiar, from the side while the new rear end shows off the car’s larger trunk.
BMW celebrates 30th anniversary of the 5 Series with special edition for Japan
Hard as it may be to imagine for some, there was a time when there was no BMW 5 Series. Shocking, we know, but that was over three decades ago. The Bavarian mid-range staple is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, and to mark the occasion, BMW is offering a special edition exclusive to the Japanese market.
The 528i 30th Anniversary Edition packs the M Sport aero package, matched to the blue color of the exterior, and interior options – including beige leather, satin walnut trim, head-up display, 16-speaker sound system with USB interface – plus aluminum window frames and tinted glass from the BMW Individual catalog and special door sill plates, all bundled as standard.
Only 200 units will be offered in the Asian island nation, with a price tag of ¥ 7,890,000 – equating to a little over $100k, or ¥740 (just $10) over the price of the standard 528i in Japan. Only the one image was released, but you can click to view it in high resolution. And while no press release was made available in English, you can follow the jump for the original text in Japanese, along with its auto-translated version.
