By James Wong
When you think of a showroom dedicated specially only to the hallowed BMW M nameplate, the first place that comes to mind would be Germany. ‘It would definitely be there,’ you would think, the home of BMW and also to the Nürburgring, the choice testing ground for BMW M vehicles.
By Chris Haak
For some time, General Motors has seemingly operated under the assumption that its buyers are define the value of their cars by a “by the pound” metric. The logic appears to be that if a given GM vehicle is a bit large for its class, then consumers will hopefully perceive the GM vehicle as being a better value. That’s why, for example, the Chevrolet Cruze is almost as big as a midsize car, and has a published curb weight just 97 pounds lighter than the [also big-for-its-class] midsize Hyundai Sonata.
By Carl Malek
BMW has released the official details on its newest special edition M3 the 2012 BMW M3 CRT (Carbon Racing Technologies). First introduced earlier this year as the BMW M3 GTS Sedan Concept, this featherweight M3 can be considered a four door version of the M3 GTS Coupe – a car considered by many to be perhaps the most radical factory car ever built on the current generation E92 platform. Of course, the addition of the sedan’s rear doors does increase weight by 198 lbs over the M3 GTS Coupe. Despite this slight weight increase, the M3 CRT manages to achieve a curb weight of 3,483 lbs which is a full 100 lbs lighter than a typical M3 sedan.
By Carl Malek
After photos of the 2012 BMW M5 began making there way on to the internet, BMW has decided to unveil the official details on their latest four door missile. The brand new M5, which joins the more conventional 5 series sedan on BMW’s new F10 platform, is one of the first examples of the company’s recent shift towards better fuel efficiency in their M cars without compromising the world class performance enthusiasts have come to expect from a car wearing the M badge.
By Carl Malek
BMW of North America has formally taken the curtains off of its latest special edition BMW M3 Coupe. Officially known as the BMW M3 Frozen Black Edition, this car is not only a sequel to the equally stunning Frozen Gray edition, but it also offers many of the same features and upgrades that made the Frozen Gray edition a must-have purchase for BMW M enthusiasts last year.
By Carl Malek
Rather than wait until the Frankfurt Auto Show, BMW has decided to lift the curtain early on its upcoming 2012 BMW 1 series hatchback model. Looking much more complete and aggressive than its predecessor, the new 1 Series boasts revised styling with brand new front end design that takes its cues from the not only the top of the line 7 series, but the 5 Series GT as well. The rest of the car is more or less an evolution on the same styling themes that made their initial debut on the previous model but the overall effect of the new design is rather promising and should make the new 1 Series look rather handsome to casual observers.
By Carl Malek
Among the great cars talked about in the halls of BMW’s offices in Munich and abroad, one car defiantly stands above them all. That car is the legendary BMW 328. Built in the 1930s, the original BMW 328 roadster is considered by many to be one of the most stylish vehicles of its time. But just because it looked good didn’t mean the 328 was a slouch on the racetrack. In 1940, a 328 set the record for the highest recorded average speed at the world famous Millie Migila raceway, clocking in at 103 miles per hour which was a pretty blistering number for its time.
By Chris Haak
Auto executives are, by nature, an optimistic bunch of people. They’re always on the verge of catching onto the next big trend, of turning around operations, yadda yadda. Therefore, I raised my eyebrows more than a little bit when I saw what Lexus general manager Mark Templin had to say about his brand’s future. It wasn’t optimistic; it was downright melancholy. In an interview with Automotive News, he conceded the luxury-vehicle sales crown for 2011 with seven-plus months remaining in the year. The reason?
He’s blaming the Japanese earthquake, which has done great harm to the auto industry supply chain, but in particular, to Japanese auto manufacturers. Many Japanese OEMs still are not running at full production, including heavyweights Honda and Toyota. Toyota, in fact, said that it was not likely to resume normal production until November, a full eight months after the March earthquake. Lexus is particularly affected, though, because the majority of the brand’s models, with the sole exception of the RX crossover, are built in Japan. In post-tsunami Japan, local auto production is a disadvantage.
By Carl Malek
Even though the MINI brand is currently seated at the bottom rung of BMW’s brand ladder, the company has always positioned itself as being more premium than mainstream. To help prove that point, MINI has pulled the curtains off the MINI Inspired By Goodwood Package, which will be on display at the Shanghai Auto Show. MINI has had its fair share of special edition models produced throughout the company’s long history, but the MINI Inspired By Goodwood will be positioned as the most expensive model in the MINI lineup.
Starting with a MINI Cooper S hardtop model, the company leveraged its connections with fellow BMW brand Rolls-Royce to bring some of the elegant equipment and features that would otherwise be more at home in Rolls Royce models like the Ghost and the Phantom. Nearly every surface in the new MINI has been covered in the same type of leather that is regularly reserved for Rolls products, and the door handles and dashboard are covered with burled walnut accents.
By Carl Malek
Earlier this year, the 2011 BMW Z4 GT3 proved to the world that it was capable of winning races when it took the checkered flag at the Dubai 24 hours race. Not wanting to rest on a job well done, BMW removed the car from its well-earned place in the winners circle and took it back to the test track to help prepare the car for the first series of customer entries in the 2011 GT3 competition.
Now, the BMW Z4 GT3 resembles its street legal cousin but only in name and in its basic exterior shape. Most of the body panels on the GT3 have been extensively modified and altered to help the car achieve maximum aerodynamic efficiency while keeping the vehicle planted on the track. BMW engineers also performed a engine transplant under the hood of the Z4 GT3, replacing the roadgoing Z4′s six-cylinder powerplant with the same 4.4 liter V8 that sees duty in the limited-edition BMW M3 GTS. The V8 channels all its horses to the car’s rear wheels through a specially-tuned six speed sequential manual gearbox that is shifted with steering wheel mounted paddles.
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