BMW – Page 47 – Automobiles Review

BMW 8-Series [render] – Based on Gran Lusso Coupe

Autoprojecoes has published a nice render picture of modern BMW 8-Series. The project is based on the recently announced Gran Lusso Coupe Concept.

The premium manufacturer is probably going to prepare a direct rival of the upcoming Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe. The Gran Lusso Coupe Concept was exhibited at the last month’s Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. The car really impressed the public, so it is a perfect platform for an eventual 8-Series. BMW 8-Series E31 (1989–1999) was powered by V8 and V12 petrol engines and was a real sports car capable of doing 300 km/h (186 mph).

Of course, the future 8-Series will be probably a lot more power and fast than its predecessor.

Stay tuned!

June 24, 2013

25th BMW International Open: Ernie Els and Rolls-Royce Ghost

Rolls-Royce Ghost was launched in 2009 and has been the epitome of elegance, dynamics and technological progress. Captivating in every way, this remarkable car allowed Ernie Els (South Africa) to travel to the 25^th BMW International Open.

Although Els himself owns an impressive fleet of cars, the outing in the Rolls-Royce Ghost was a first for the four-time Major winner. Having landed at Munich airport in his private jet, Els’s route took him past Munich’s striking squares and landmarks, including Leopoldstrasse and the famous Siegestor (Victory Gate), before he arrived at the Chinese Tower. There, Els met up with a further six players from the high-class field at the 25th BMW International Open to take part in the “Tee Time” show event in the English Garden.

Rolls-Royce Ghost is powered by a 6.6 liter twin-turbocharged V12 (N74B66) with 570HP (419 kW) at 5,250RPM and 780Nm (575 lb-ft) of torque at 1,500RPM. The engine is mated to a ZF 8-speed automatic gearbox – 0-100 km/h in 4.7 Seconds and a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).

Check out the interview with Ernie below!

Ernie, the reigning Open Champion at the wheel of a British Icon: is that a perfect combination?

Ernie Els: “Absolutely. Rolls-Royce is a unique brand, which speaks for itself. That is something it definitely has in common with the Open, which is the biggest of the four Majors. In that sense, they really suit each other very well.”

The feeling of driving a Rolls-Royce is often described as a “magic carpet ride”. Did you feel like you were on a magic carpet?

Els: “Yes, it really does feel like that. Magic is precisely the right word. It is simply fantastic. I have driven a lot of cars over the course of my life, but never a Rolls-Royce. I was actually a bit nervous about driving it. Rolls-Royce is obviously a big status symbol. If you can afford to buy a Rolls-Royce, you have obviously done something right with your life.”

The BMW International Open is still missing from the long list of tournaments you have won. Will that change in 2013?

Els: “I have always liked München Eichenried. I have been playing here since 1997. Unfortunately I don’t know why the other guys have always played better here than me. I have often had problems on the odd hole. That said, I love the course and the city.”

Why are BMW tournaments held in such high regard on the Tour?

Els: “Tournament Director Marco Kaussler has a wealth of experience when it comes to organising the tournament, and does a fantastic job. The way he looks after the players is sensational. The fact that we all feel so happy here is largely down to him. But you could say the same for everyone at BMW – and you really feel that as a player.”

Do you like Germany and, in particular, the host city of Munich?

Els: “I have not seen all that much of Germany or Munich over the course of my career. In recent years I have been out to some restaurants in the evening, but don’t ask me which ones. Unfortunately we never see enough of the cities, as we spend most of our time at the golf course. However, I am impressed by what I have seen of Munich. It is a beautiful and very clean city, which is very popular among South African tourists. I am sure I will come over for Oktoberfest one day.”

Source: BMW

June 21, 2013

JMS BMW 3-Series F30

JMS has announced their latest project based on BMW 3-Series Sedan (F30).

The exterior boasts a new front lip spoiler with integrated diffuser – €299 and a KW coilover suspension for €1218, which can reduce the ride height up to 55 mm at the front and 45 mm at the rear. There is also a set of 20” Schmidt Revolution Gambit-style wheels for €2599 equipped with 225/35 R20 front and 255/30 R20 rear tires.

Other parts like speedpedal, chiptuning and exhaust also possible on enquiry. No words about results from the performance upgrades.

Source: JMS

June 19, 2013

2014 BMW 4-Series Convertible [render]

PS-Garage has published a render picture of the upcoming 2014 BMW 4-Series Convertible. After the revealing of the Coupe model, it is easier to imagine how the convertible version will look like.The engine range will include the same power units as the Coupe – a 428i with 2.0 liter turbocharged petrol with 245HP (180 kW) and 350Nm (259 lb-ft) of torque. 0-100 km/h in 5.7 seconds and a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph); and a 435i – a 3.0 liter turbocharged petrol with 300HP (224 kW) and 406Nm (300 lb-ft) of torque. 0-100 km/h in 5.3 seocnds and a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).Stay tuned for official information and pictures!

June 18, 2013

Athletic: Vorsteiner BMW F13 M6 Gran Coupe

Vorsteiner BMW F13 M6 Gran Coupe comes to offer the BMW enthusiasts more athletic stance and modern styling thanks to the new released tuning program. It highlights the lines of the M6 beast and makes it stand even more out.

The specialists at Vorsteiner have started the modification with add-on spoiler, which has a subtle but effective design. It directs the airflow and adds down force. In addition, it also gives the car a lower stance and improves its performance capabilities.

Furthermore, the add-on side skirts give this BMW lower and more aggressive appearance. They keep the vehicle balanced and create additional down force. What additionally helps the performance is the new rear diffuser attached to the rear bumper.

This element includes four extended aero fins and an upper splitter. The function of the rear diffuser is to reduce the turbulence and enhance the airflow from under the vehicle. At the same time the top splitter creates down force.

What rounds off the aero kit is the boot lid spoiler, which is created with the aim to deliver additional rear down force, while improving the style of the M6. All of the mentioned components are made of pre-preg carbon fiber.

At last, the overall appearance of the Vorsteiner BMW F13 M6 Gran Coupe is finished by the set of 21 inch VSE-003 forged aluminum wheels with five twin spoke design. They retain the factory tire pressure monitoring system in order to minimize unsprung weight for improved vehicle handling and performance.

Source: Vorsteiner

June 18, 2013

2014 BMW 4-Series Coupe – US Price $41,425

BMW has officially announced the all-new 2014 4-Series Coupe.

The “4” in its title headlines this new product line for the Coupe and emphasizes not only its stand-out design, but that any way you look at it, the new 4 Series Coupe represents something more than its BMW 3 Series cousins.

The 4-Series Coupe is visibly larger in width and wheelbase than the outgoing BMW 3-Series Coupe (E92), and its stretched silhouette sits considerably lower to the road. This, together with its BMW-typical short overhangs, long hood and set-back passenger compartment with flowing roofline, give the BMW 4 Series Coupe a visual balance. The car’s striking front end – with its characteristic BMW design features, such as the double- kidney grille, four round headlights and a large air intake in the front apron – is keen to display its family ties with the BMW 3 Series. New elements of the BMW 4 Series Coupe are the Air Breathers, which are positioned rearwards of the front wheel arches to reduce drag. The Coupe’s muscular wheel arches and wide track give an aggressive stance, with its prominent horizontal lines.

Overall, the 4-Series is 26mm longer, 43mm wider and 16 lower than the E92. The model also rides on a 50mm longer wheelbase and weighs 45 kg (99 lb) less.

The engine range includes a 428i – a 2.0 liter turbocharged petrol with 245HP (180 kW) and 350Nm (259 lb-ft) of torque. 0-100 km/h in 5.7 seconds and a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). There is also a 435i – a 3.0 liter turbocharged petrol with 300HP (224 kW) and 406Nm (300 lb-ft) of torque. 0-100 km/h in 5.3 seocnds and a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).

The styling packages include:

A Sport package with gloss black accents, a sport-tuned suspension and 18-inch twin-spoke alloy wheels
A Luxury package with chrome accents, leather seats and high-gloss wood trim
An M Sport package with an aerodynamic body kit, shadow line trim and 18-inch M-style wheels. There’s also a sports suspension, high-performance brakes and M-spec interior.

The 428i will be priced from $41,425, while the 435i will retail for $46,925.

Source: BMW

June 17, 2013

The Sportiest Cars of 2013 – Three BMWs in the Lead

Three BMW models lead in three different classes for “The sportiest cars of 2013“. The manufacturer shows once again its preference for pure driving pleasure.

In the diesel category, the BMW M550d xDrive was voted into first place again, continuing the trend it set the previous year. Two more first-in-class awards were won by the BMW F30 335i Sedan and the BMW E92 335i LCI Coupe.

The “Sport Auto” Awards 2013 was presented on 12^th June 2013 at the Kunstmuseum Stuttgart.

As a reminder, the BMW M550d xDrive is powered by N57D30 with three turbocharges, high pressure piezo injectors and a lot of aluminum elements. The result is 381HP (280 kW) and 740Nm (546 lb-ft) of torque. 0-100 km/h in 4.7 seconds and a Vmax of 250 km/h (155 mph). The fuel economy is 6.3 l/100km with 165 g/km of CO2. The power is put on the road through a ZF 8-speed automatic gearbox and the world’s most intelligent AWD system.

The E92 335i LCI and F30 335i share the same old 3.0 liter in-line six-cylinder twin-turbocharged petrol developing 300HP (224 kW) and 407Nm (300 lb-ft) of torque. The engine is mated to the new ZF 8-speed automatic transmission, which sends all that power to the rear wheels, where electronically controlled differential takes care about the traction in every road conditions.

The curb weight of the car is 1627 kg (3586 lbs), which is not so much, so the performance is staggering. 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 4.7 seconds. The 335i covers ¼ mile in 13.3 seconds with terminal speed of 167 km/h.

So when we mention “sport” in the world of cars, the first thing we have in mind is BMW!

Source: BMW

June 13, 2013

Better Performance: Schmidt Revolution BMW 335i F30

Schmidt Revolution BMW 335i F30 delivers better performance. How? By the irreversible evidence of physics that the performance of the unit depends on the mass to be moved. And this is why the tuners have paid attention to the weight saving.

The first visible modification on this BMW is the new rims, which include RADINOX®-technology. The latter offers special stainless steel alloy material which is absolutely corrosion free. In addition it provides compressive strength in the cases of kerbing damage for instance.

To be more precise, this BMW 335i F30 three-piece 20-inch wheels are carrying the name Schmidt Revolution FS Line and are in sizes 8,5×20 and 10×20 inches at the front and rear respectively. They are fitted with Continental 5P tyres in size 235/35-20 and 265/30-20, on the front and rear axle.

Another tuning brand has been involved in this transformation and it is Lightweight, which has offered this BMW an improvement in performance in two levels. The first level enhances the power output to 336 hp (247 kW) and 460 Nm (338 lb-ft) of torque at 5.700 rpm. The second one – the level two, increases the power of this vehicle up to 365 hp (268 kW) and 480 Nm (353 lb-ft) of torque at 5.600.

Furthermore, the muffer made from titanium is also delivered by Leightweight. It includes two 80-mm-tail pipes for the adaptation to the series system and it also contributes to some additional visual accents. In order to optimize the driving dynamics, the specialists have given the car Bilstein-B12-chassis with stabilizers from Eibach.

Source: Miranda Media

June 12, 2013

BMW E46 M3 CSL – 10th Anniversary [video]

BMW has published a new video to celebrate the 10^th anniversary of the famous E46 M3 CSL. The sports car is designed to be the ultimate driving machine… and it is!

Essentially, this is the lightweight version of the E46 M3 with some additional power, of course. The interior is a little stripped, there is a lighter rear window and some other lightweight components like a carbon fiber reinforced plastic roof, center console and trunk.

The curb weight is pretty decent 1,385 kg (3,054 lbs), which is over 110kg (243 lbs) less than a standard E46 M3. Remember that the CSL also comes with 19” alloy wheels with performance tires and improved braking and traction.

The heart of E46 M3 CSL is a 3.2 liter naturally aspirated I-6 with 360HP (265 kW) at 7,900RPM and 370Nm (270 lb-ft) of torque at 4,900RPM. The engine is mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. 0-100 km/h in 4.9 seconds and a top speed of 308 km/h (191 mph). ¼ mile in 13.0 seconds with 170 km/h (106 mph). A lap around Nurburgring is done within 7 minutes and 50 seconds.

Totally 1,383 units were produced.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qW1ID6Zd6Q0

Source: BMW

June 11, 2013

Classic MINI and Porsche 911 for 50th Anniversary

BMW has released a photo gallery showing a nice duo of a classic MINI and Porsche 911 celebrating its 50^th anniversary.

It may be the fundamental differences between the two cars (e.g. the Mini has its engine in the front, the 911 at the rear) that dominate at first glance. But there are also a number of factors – over and above their shared cult status – that lend particular empathy to MINI’s birthday greetings.

Both models made their name with an eye-catching turn of speed. At the end of the austere 1950s Mini was the ground-breaking new kid on the block, generating sales figures that mimicked the upward curve of its acceleration. The 911, as the successor to the Porsche 356, was born with speed in its blood.

Only a handful of cars can claim to have endured over such lengthy time spans, retaining their unmistakable identities despite all the nips, tucks and updates along the way.

It’s tempting to wonder how different history would have been without the creators of these two successful cars. Neither Sir Alec Issigonis nor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche had any inkling that their designs would come to be considered immortal icons of modern times. Indeed, you would have needed a very clear crystal ball to see that Porsche had just dreamt up the most successful sports car of all time and Issigonis the “world’s only cool small car”.

Source: BMW

June 6, 2013

G-Power BMW M3 GTS SK II Sporty Drive TU Supercharger

G-Power-BMW-M3-GTS-SK-II-Sporty-Drive-TU-Supercharger-small

G-Power has announced their latest project based on the extremely fast BMW E92 M3 GTS. It received both styling and performance modifications and as we well know, G-Power always bets on the performance.

The E92 M3 GTS received a full supercharger system – GTS SK II “Sporty Drive”, which boosts the engine to 650HP (478 kW) at 7,800RPM and 630Nm (467 lb-ft) of torque at 3,900RPM. This is an increase of 200HP and 190Nm. 0-100 km/h in 4.1 seconds and 0-200 km/h in 11.8 seconds. The top speed is 323 km/h (201 mph). The price for the complete G-POWER SK II „Sporty Drive“ TU supercharger system plus installation is €23,500.

The braking system is also improved – 6-piston calipers at the front with 396 mm Ceramic-Carbon brake discs and 4-piston calipers at the rear. In addition the G-POWER ceramic braking system reduces the unsprung mass by 50%, compared to a system with steel brake discs. Accordingly the cornering and road handling is improved significantly. The price for the complete set is whopping €26,238.

The wheel/tire set includes G-POWER 20” SILVERSTONE CS wheels fitted with 255/30 ZR 20 on the front and 295/25 ZR 20 on the rear axle – Michelin tires. The price is €7,437.

Source: G-Power

June 4, 2013

Leib Engineering BMW GT 300

After the introducing of the M3 GT 500, Leib Engineering has unveiled the GT 300 variant, which is based on the BMW E92 325i.

The 3.0 liter naturally aspirated I6 is boosted to 295HP (217 kW) thanks to a new intake manifold, sports exhaust system with by Supersprint and an ECU re-map. If, this is not enough with a single push of a button on the M-multifunction steering wheel adds another 15HP.

The exterior boasts a carbon fiber front spoiler, a matte black rear diffuser and a set of BBS CH-R wheels with Pirelli P Zero tires – 8.5J x 19” at the front with 235/35 R19 and 9.5J at the rear with 275/30 R19. Behind the wheels, there is a high-performance braking system with discs that measure 338 mm front and 324 mm rear – six- and two-piston calipers, respectively.

The tuner also installs an adjustable KW coilover suspension for perfect stance and improved handling.

The interior boasts black anodized gear shift paddles for 6-speed automatic models and sticker-bomb tuning for the dashboard, center console and door panels.

Source: Leib Engineering

June 3, 2013

Tag: BMW