Report: 2012 BMW 6 Series Coupe coming to Shanghai
Word has it that BMW is planning to unveil the next 6 Series coupe at the upcoming Shanghai Motor Show in April. According the Dutch arm of AutoWeek, it only makes since for the big two door to take a bow this spring since the concept version debuted at the 2010 Pairs Motor Show last fall. Given that we’ve seen more than a few spy photos crop up recently, the prediction would seem spot-on.
New Arrival: 2010 BMW 535i GT
It’s a car. It’s a hatchback. It’s a crossover. It’s a wagon. It’s all of them. Or is it none, one, or a few? Well, we know BMW‘s funky 5 Series Gran Turismo is a hatchback, at least when hoisting its two-piece rear liftgate. Raise just the integrated trunklid, and it’s more sedan.
We also believe the 5 GT to be a crossover, given its 61.4-inch overall height (about as tall as a Nissan Juke), 5.7 inches of ground clearance (same as Infiniti EX35 AWD), multifunction interior (cargo capacity ranges from 10 cubic feet in the enclosed trunk to 63 cubic feet hatch-style with the back seats folded), and available all-wheel drive. These are the reasons we invited the GT to participate in our Sport/Utility of the Year contest. BMW, hoping for a Car of The Year envelope, declined. Luckily, the maker didn’t snub our request for a long-term 535i GT-based on the 6049 miles it’s already amassed at our hands, the 5 GT is pretty popular.
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First Drive: 2012 BMW 1 Series M Coupe Prototype
Almost since the launch of BMW‘s pocket-size 1 Series, an BMW M version has been predicted. The tii concept car shown at the 2007 Tokyo motor show was the first harbinger, and the blogosphere has barely quieted down since. One of the biggest questions: What would they call it? Millennial enthusiasts might assume M1, but grownups associate that name with BMW’s first modern mid-engine supercar, so that name was a non-starter (it’s being reserved for something more fabulous than the lowest-priced M vehicle). Instead it will be dubbed 1 Series M Coupe.
That name also draws a connection to this latest M’s true predecessor, the quirky two-seat Z3 and BMW Z4 M Coupes. Okay, it’s around a foot longer, seats four, and weighs a few hundred pounds more, but in its cheeky styling and narrow, nippy demeanor it passes the paternity test. BMW has not released many official details about the 1 M (it breaks cover officially in Detroit in January), but during a recent tech-day visit to Munich the engineers let us take a quickie test drive and either admitted to or winked and nudged at the following facts:
Categories: Auto Review, BMW, Car Review, Sedan Tags: BMW
Quick Spin: 2012 BMW 1 Series M Coupe
There’s a well-worn automotive axiom that plays out many different ways: The amount of money you spend is proportional to how fast you go. You want more speed? You spend more money.
If you’ve priced a BMW M3 these days, you see the principle at work. Back in the old days (1987), a U.S.-spec M3 boasted a 195-horsepower four-cylinder engine and did 0-60 miles per hour in about 6.7 seconds on its leisurely way to a 143-mph top speed – all for just over $30,000. Today, the least expensive 414-horsepower V8 M3 will set you back $58,400. As it should, the new M3 trounces the old in every conceivable performance metric with its 4.6-second 0-60 mph run, supercar mid-range and electronically-limited 155-mph top end.
This reality left enthusiasts wishing BMW would offer something a little less speedy for a commensurate drop in MSRP. Seeing the opportunity with its 2012 BMW 1 Series M Coupe, BMW will soon show us how much speed around $45,000 will buy at the upcoming Detroit Auto Show. But to tide you over until then, come with us for a ride in a BMW 1 Series M Coupe prototype.
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Review: 2011 BMW 550i
More than one mile above sea level, located in the heart of Sequoia National Park, is the General Sherman tree. This nearly three-hundred foot tall Giant Sequoia is considered the largest tree in the world, as based on total volume. More impressive than its mass is its age – scientists believe it is between 2,300 and 2,700 years old. Giant Sequoias have prospered over centuries, while countless lesser trees have come and gone, because they posses very unique qualities. Their foot-thick bark allows them to resist fire, and their shallow roots take advantage of rain showers during periods of drought. And, in an interesting twist of natural survival, their tall canopies effectively block the sun, preventing competitors from taking hold and surviving in the darkened shadows at their base.
Further BMW X4 details surface
According to Auto Express, the X6′s sibling will be based on the 2011 X3 and feature coupe-like styling. The model is also poised to receive the innovative twin-hatch system (from the 5-Series Gran Turismo) and individual seating for four.
2011 BMW X3 fills out, adds a dash of sport
Behold the 2011 BMW X3. It’s longer, wider and taller than its predecessors, but you’d be forgiven for thinking it looks remarkably similar to the last X3.
Naturally, BMW’s twin-kidney grille is affixed up front, but like the new 5 and 7 Series, it’s more upright and slightly larger than before. The lower air dam is slightly chiseled while staying true to BMW’s recent organic shapes, and the wider headlamps come equipped with “Corona Rings” and optional Xenon bulbs.
BMW Frozen Gray M3 paint a pain, owners must sign agreement about its care
If you were one of the 30 Bimmerphiles to snag a 2011 Frozen Gray M3 Coupe last month, expect to fill out another round of paperwork before you take delivery of your new matte gray baby.
BMW is apparently requiring all owners to sign a “maintenance agreement” that insists the M3 is never polished or waxed, ran through an automatic car wash or even strongly rubbed. Additionally, BMW politely asks that you immediately remove bugs, bird droppings, tree sap and fuel spills with a soft sponge, and naturally, dealers are more than willing to sell you appropriate products for maintaining the matte finish.
2011 BMW 550i xDrive debuts along with M-Sport package
Heading into the 2011 model year, BMW is adding even more powertrain variants across its lineup. The most likely candidate for the U.S. market is the 550i xDrive sedan. The 407 horsepower twin-turbocharged V8 can send its 400 pound-feet of torque to all four wheels with the rears getting 60 percent of the grunt. The front-to-rear balance can be adjusted on the fly based on traction conditions, and if the car is cornering, more torque is sent to the back freeing up the fronts for steering force.
In Europe, at least, BMW is also bringing back the 535d, but instead of the previous twin-turbo setup (which is still used in the U.S.) it has a single twin-scroll turbocharger. Output for the top diesel is now up to 300 hp and 446 lb-ft of torque from just 1,750 rpm. Acceleration to 62 mph takes just 5.7 seconds with combined mileage on the EU driving cycle being rated at 38.6 miles per gallon. We already got an early look at the new M Sport package yesterday which gives the 5 Series a slightly toned down M5 appearance.
2010 Detroit Auto Show Preview: BMW to unveil faster Z4 sDrive35is, almost an M
When BMW launched the new Z4 early this year, they made it clear that, unlike the last Z4 and the Z3 before it, there were no plans to create an M version this time around. Of course, forgoing the M nomenclature doesn’t mean that BMW won’t create a faster Z4 than what’s currently in showrooms.
In fact, the first of those faster roadsters will debut next month at the Detroit Auto Show. The Z4 sDrive35is is based on the existing 35i, with its delicious twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six. Compared to the existing turbo Z4, the new model gets a higher-flow intake and the turbos are allowed to spin up to higher boost pressures, resulting in an 11 percent bump in both power and torque output. The ’35is now makes 335 hp and 332 pound-feet. In fact, for brief bursts, the 35is can crank up the boost even higher resulting in short periods of up to 369 pound-feet of torque.
Categories: BMW, Convertible, Detroit Auto Show Tags: BMW, Detroit Auto Show
