A British journalist recently decided to challenge BMW‘s claim that its new 320d EfficientDynamics sedan could drive for 1000 miles on a single tank of diesel, and managed to achieve the feat, driving exactly 1,013 miles. Tom Ford, the driver of the BMW, kept the windows up and the air-conditioning off, but avoided hypermiling tricks...
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Alpina is an interesting BMW tuner, taking run-of-the-mill BMWs and transforming them directly on the BMW assembly line. In some markets, like here in Southern California, you can walk into your local BMW dealership and see a (grossly inflated) Alpina vehicle on the showroom floor. The company’s resume extends from 3-Series E21 to E90, 5-Series E12...
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Infiniti is set to launch its new go-fast division, Infiniti Performance Line, later this year, promising an enticing list of performance parts, set to include mundane things like air filters, and stretching all the way to “automotive engine parts, namely turbochargers and superchargers.” The first IPL car is set to debut at the Pebble Beach...
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BMW‘s oddball 5-Series GT hatchback/station wagon/SUV thing is not off to a great start in the United States, and BMW executives are blaming the decision to market only the top-of-the-line rear-drive V8 car upon launch as the culprit behind sluggish sales. “The V-8 was probably not the right car to launch it with,” said Rich Brekus,...
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BMW insider SCOTT26, posting on E90Post.com has dropped another juicy rumor on us: a successor to the Z8. Known internally as the Z Spyder Stradale the car is rumored to be the pet-project of BMW boss Norbert Reithofer. The name Spyder Stradale comes from a special version of the BMW 328 MM dating from the...
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The BMW X6 M continues to be a confused child in our eyes in the crossover segment. The twin-turbocharged 4.4L V8 tosses out 555-hp and 501 ft-lbs of torque, numbers that rival the much larger and more popular Porsche Cayenne Turbo. But BMW sticking their coveted M-badge on a SAV (or SUV, whichever you’d like...
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Things have gotten very interesting in Japan now that many tuners are expanding the term JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) to encompass European vehicles. Japanese tuner 3D Design specializes in tuning BMWs and has made quite the splash in its young American presence. The company is already quite popular with the newer model E90 and E92...
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BMW has now officially announced a new matte-black paint option that will be offered on M3 models equipped with the Competition Package. Titled Frozen Black Matte, the new paint color was first showcased at the Beijing Auto Show, but BMW has taken until now to release a selection of photos for us to drool over....
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BMW is planning to introduce its 5 Series ActiveHybrid next year and deliver a 3 Series hybrid after that. BMW chief Norbert Reithofer told company shareholders yesterday in Munich that, “As early as next year, the new BMW 5-series will also be available as a full hybrid. And we are anticipating the hybridisation of further...
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The Japanese are known for their calligraphy. The Swiss invented Helvetica. Now the Russians are creating beautiful stenciled art work – on the bodywork of an E36 BMW 3-Series. With AK47s. Apparently, the BMW in question was headed to a museum exhibit dedicated to the political turmoil of the early 1990’s, when Russia was a...
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BMW is rumored to be working on an even more hard-core version of the newly released M3 GTS. According to supposed BMW insider “SCOTT26” on M3Post, the M3 GTS-R will be the final and most hard-core M3 yet. Included in the package will be wider rear fenders and new lighter-weight wheels. There will also be...
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With a field stacked full of Porsches and Audis, it was BMW that took the top spot at the legendary Nürburgring 24 Hour race in the No. 25 BMW M3 GT2. Drivers Jörg Müller, Augusto Farfus, Uwe Alzen and Pedro Lamy managed 154 laps on the Green Hell to claim BMW’s 19th victory at the...
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BMW is working with its dealer network to help get U.S. customers to pre-order vehicles. The concept of pre-ordering has all but vanished from the U.S. auto market, although its not clear if that is due to impulsive consumers or because of dealerships that would rather sell what’s on the lot. This is in stark...
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The upcoming lineup of front-drive “small premium” BMWs will will share the 1 Series badge with their RWD counterparts. According to a report by AutoCar, the new models, which will share the same underpinnings as the next-generation MINI Cooper, will also be hatchbacks and are likely to be offered in both 3-door and 5-door trim....
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BMW‘s M3 GTS track machine has been officially approved for sale, in Europe. The M3 GTS has 6 more horsepower than a stock M3, but is 154 lbs lighter than the standard car, and comes loaded with important track bits like one-piece bucket seats, harnesses, a roll cage and a fire extinguisher system. The only...
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The 2010 One Lap of America – an 8-day cross-country motorsports bonanza covering 3500 miles (at legal speeds) with time trial competitions at some of America’s most famous racing circuits including Mid-Ohio and Road America – always attracts an eclectic mix of motorheads and machines. This year’s event, sponsored by Tire Rack and Motor Trend,...
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BMW has confirmed that it will offer a diesel version of its new 5 Series luxury sedan in North America. What isn’t clear is when BMW plans to launch the vehicle, or which diesel engine will be offered. The decision would seem to be a clear cut one, with BMW currently using its twin-turbo 3.0-liter...
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BMW has released new images of the Concept Gran Coupe in its development stages, sparking speculation over whether the vehicle will return as the reincarnation of the famous 8-series luxury coupe. With a whole new segment of luxurious, 4-door coupes opening up, BMW is eager to get a slice of the action and take on...
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The verdict is still out on the styling of the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo with the interesting crossover concept of sedan and crossover in one. As we noted in our First Drive, the 5 Series Gran Turismo is more based on the 7-series sedan than the 5-series but has fantastic performance that makes it...
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Well here’s something that has definitely grabbed our attention. Steve Marsh, also known as BMW Steve, was a huge BMW and general automotive fanatic. Recently he passed away in his sleep. His family paid the biggest tribute to his passion by finding the only way to immortalize him; importing in a custom BMW E93 M3...
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BMW has announced that it will build just 99 special edition Z4 sDrive35is Mille Miglia models in celebration of the 70h anniversary of the BMW 328’s impressive performance at the historic race. The 328, we’ll remind you, took not only first place, but third, fifth and sixth. As an sDrive 35is model, this Z4 gets...
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BMW announced today that it is on track to save about $5.2 billion by 2012, by spending less on components and through a strategic partnership with Mercedes-Benz. A report by Bloomberg said that BMW will surpass its goal of cutting $5.2 billion. “We can say that from today’s perspective we will certainly and easily reach...
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Chances are if you’re reading this, you live in a locale that is devoid of frequent regime changes, random acts of violence or shaky private property rights. In the other 98% of the world, such interruptions of daily life do exist, and when there’s a great gulf between the rich and the poor, things tend...
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The BMW M3 isn’t what it used to be. It’s still a potent performance car in the hands of the right driver, but sucessive versions have become a little too mainstream. The first-generation E30 was only for the hardcore, and the E36 maintained that tradition. By the time the E46 came around in 2002, it...
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