2010 BMW 5 Series - More Details

Many people are waiting to see how the new 2010 BMW 5 Series will look like, but the Germans managed to keep it under the radar until now.  Expected to see the ligth starting October 2010, the folks from autozeitung.de managed to get their hands on a set of spyshots with what looks like the new 5-Series. Slightly sportier and with an increased wheelbase, it featurs a wider BMW grille inspired from the CS Concept and packs state of the art technology that includes a steering system with an active rear axle, Night vision, lane-assist, active braking or an advanced cruise control system. With petrol engines under the hood to output from 180 to 370 hp, and diesels ranging from 180 to 290hp, the new 2010 BMW 5 Series sure will definitely be a hot ride. [via WCF]

BMW M3 Aerodynamic Kit by Hartge

The M3 is already an amazing ride, but we’ll have to agree that it could use a small facelift from time to time. That’s what the wicked tuners from Hartge managed to do. They came out with an aerodynamic kit that include a front spoiler lip, carbon add-ons for the front spoiler lip, and side sills for both right and left rear. Also included with the package there’s a rear diffuser, a stylish lip for the boot lid (not available for the convertible, though) and a set of carbon cased mirrors. Though we don’t have a price or a full list of changes, it’s obvious that the exterior accessories pimped it out a little, don’t you think? [via WCF]

BMW Z10 ED Eco-Supercar

You thought BMW was going to let Bentley come up with a biofuel supercar that will get all those ecogeeks excited? Well, they won’t. Developed by the Technik divisio, a two-seat BMW that will go by the name of Z10 ED (Efficient Dynamics) is expected to be a green super car that will blow your mind. Packing a 400hp (298kW) 3.0-liter engine, a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, F1-derived regenerative braking technology that will store energy in a li-ion battery, and start-stop engine management, it’s rumored that the new Z10 ED will cost something close to $110,000. We’re eager to see how it looks … [via Autocar]

Geneva Preview: BMW Alpina B6 GT3

Alpina is coming out of a 20 year hiatus from racing as it is all set to take on Porsche and Ferrari in the FIA GT3 European Championship this year. With what? Their new BMW Alpina B6 GT3. Based on the Series, the street legal race car is powered by a 4.4-litre V8 engine (mated to a  6-speed sequential gearbox), outputs 520hp, takes it from0 to 100km/h in just 3.9 seconds and tops off at 285km/hr. Alpina is still hunting for drivers to ride this beauty in this year’s race, but the good news comes from the fact that it is also available to public sale. Set for official release at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show in March, the Alpina B6 GT3 seems to be a hot set of wheels already!

Rendered Speculation: BMW M3 Touring wagon by Jon Sibal

Click above to view more BMW M3 Touring renderings by Jon Sibal

Some of us live in the real world, while other spend time in Fantasyville. Jon Sibal falls into the latter, and we're happy for it. The talented illustrator had given us glimpses of upcoming supercars - including the Ferrari Scuderia Spider, Mercedes SLR Speedster (later revealed as the Stirling Moss edition) and Aston Martin One-77 - before the manufacturers have released official pictures. So what would Sibal drive himself? Well, needless to say, it doesn't exist (yet), but while you might think it'd be some fantastic derivative of an upcoming supercar, what Jon has picked out for himself is a BMW M3 Touring wagon.
The current-generation M3 is currently made in three bodystyles: the E90 sedan, E92 coupe and E93 convertible. If you were high astute enough to follow the psychedelic pinball counting cartoon on Sesame Street as a child, you'll have noticed that the E91 is missing from the equation. That's the designation for the current 3 Series station wagon. BMW's anticipated to roll out an M3 wagon sometime in the next few months, but Sibal's not waiting around, and has given us these renderings to hold us over. While he was at it, he dropped the ride height down to the floor with a KW coil-over suspension, fitted a titanium exhaust, AC Schnitzer spoilers front and back, BBS mags coated in Yokohama rubber and Brembo eight-pot brakes, then added a supercharger to the M3's V8 and painted it satin white for good measure. Not too shabby, and not too far-fetched, either. Who knows, if Sibal earns what he deserves, maybe this fantasy can become reality when BMW unleashes the latest M3 Touring on the world.

BMW cuts 26,000 workers, may apply for state aid

BMW builds terrific cars and crossovers, but even Germany's finest is struggling to tread water in a brutal automotive climate. Lagging demand has forced BMW to cut 26,000 workers for the months of February and March and BMW's factories in Dingolfing and Regensburg will be effected by the eliminations, which will cut 38,000 units. BMW is also reducing hours at Berlin and Landshut to better align output with demand. The reduced production hours and labor cuts won't result in any permanent layoffs, though a prolonged sales slump could lead management at the Bavarian Motor Werks to take more drastic action. The shrinking vehicle market is also hurting BMW's stock price, which is down 49% over the past 12 months.
The world's largest luxury automaker may also be looking for loan guarantees from the German government. Reuters is reporting that BMW is looking to follow Volkswagen in securing its debt to help weather the auto sales tsunami. Volkswagen, which is reducing hours for 86,000 of its workers, requested financial support in December. Something tells us the German government won't ask BMW brass to take any tongue lashings in order to be considered for loans.
[Source: Bloomberg]

Spy Shots: 2011 BMW 6-Series Cabrio getting swirly-whirly

In its 93 year history, BMW has only produced two generations of the 6-Series: the original from 1976 to 1989, and the current model introduced in 2003. But these days a product cycle over five years is growing long in the proverbial tooth, so the Bavarian automaker is preparing to launch the third-generation 6 by 2011.
Although it is hard to tell much from the spy shots of this heavily disguised test mule, the 2011 6-Series is expected to follow the same form as the current model, although like the new 7-Series and Z4 roadster, it will feature toned-down styling to minimize the controversial "flame surfacing" technique and the so-called "Bangle Butt" that characterizes the current model.
While this convertible test mule appears to be wearing a soft-top, sources point out that the new 6 is expected to go with a folding hard hat in its next iteration (remember that mules for the original Z4 were initially spied wearing a faux canvas roof, only to have the production car carry a retractable hard-top,). It is too early to tell if that means that a hard-top convertible will be the only version offered, but given that the two-door 3 Series is offered in both coupe and cabrio bodystyles, our money is on the 6 Series continuing down both paths.
[Source: CarScoop]

BMW influencing low-cost housing with GINA Concept?

The BMW GINA Light Visionary Model was not only about doing more with your car, it was about multiplying the concept of what kind of object a car could be. BMW's design chief ,Chris Bangle, the man behind the BMW GINA Concept, was a recent guest professor at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design and brought the vision of GINA with him.
Bangle's challenge to the class was that they utilize the transformable skin from the concept car to create "futuristic housing concepts." The students came up with homes that almost act as foils for their owners - one "would give you more space, but only if you negotiated it with your neighbors." The idea of a house that can mutate along with us is a clever carryover of technology from concept auto to domicile. Even so, the idea of a house that chides us with "Go ask Bob next door if it's all right..." could take some getting used to. Thanks to everyone for the tips!

507-hp BMW Alpina B7 rumored to appear in Geneva

Back in December, we received a surprise sneak peak sketch of the upcoming Alpina B7 (above). Now Carscoop is quoting inside sources with news of the B7's new powertrain, and a date for the unveiling. The new Alpina B7 is rumored to use BMW's 4.4L, twin-turbo V8, retuned to pump out a breathtaking 507 hp. That's a mere seven ponies more than the last generation B7, which achieved additional punch from BMW's 4.4L by employing a supercharger. The new Alpine B7 will supposedly be unveiled to the press at Geneva this March, where we'll learn more, like whether the modified 7 series will receive BMW's rumored eight-speed transmission.
[Source: Carscoop]

BMW DesignworksUSA pens Bavaria Deep Blue 46 motoryacht

You might think that BMW's designers would be busy enough coming up with new segment-busting crossovers or toning down Chris Bangle's "flame-surfacing" design language, but they've found the time to dabble in naval architecture (to be fair, DesignworksUSA is an independently operated studio acquired by the BMW Group in 1995, but still...). The Munich office of the industrial design firm has been commissioned by Bavaria Yachtbau GmbH to come up with the 46-foot sport yacht you see here.

V12 BMW 760i spied?

Although BMW's flagship 7 Series sedan has traditionally been available with twelve cylinders under the hood, the latest F01 chassis has so far been headlined by the company's twin-turbo V8. If these spy shots are anything to go by, however, the eight-cylinder turbo is about to get some company,
A more aggressive front end, different wheels and a taped-up V12 badge on the front fender are the give-aways of the new range-topping model, which could employ the carryover naturally aspirated unit or get a pair of turbos bolted on for good measure. However, reports differ over whether BMW will offer an M7 performance version to compete with Audi's S8 and Mercedes' S63 AMG in addition to the V12 model. In the meantime, BMW is expected to unveil the new 760i at the Shanghai Motor Show in a couple of months from now.

Acura LMP1 and BMW GT2 cars take Sebring testing by storm

Despite losing Audi for the 2009 season, the American Le Mans Series still has a lot to celebrate. For one, as we told you yesterday, Acura is on hand this week at the Winter Test event for the 57th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring with its new LMP1 racer. The good news is that midway through the second day of on-track testing, one of the two Acura racers has the fastest lap time so far of 1:44:814 (126.723 mph) around Sebring's 3.7-mile circuit. Despite the good first showing of these ARX-02a prototype LMP1 race cars, the ARX-01b cars that raced last year in the LMP2 class were still turning in lap times that were often just as fast as their bigger brothers.

Also of worthy of celebration during the first two days of winter testing is the emergence of the BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team and its M3 GT2 car. This is the first track outing for the M3 GT2 since it was announced less than a year ago at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show. The 12 Hours of Sebring, which also kicks off the 2009 ALMS season, will be its first contest against the likes of Porsche, Ferrari, Viper, Aston Martin, Panoz and even a Ford GT in the GT2 class.
The 57th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring takes place March 18-21 and, along with the above new competitors, will be the only time that Audi races on North American soil this year with its brand new R15 TDI.

Fiat to jump into bed with BMW, too?

Dang. We've all met our fair share of individuals who get around, but Fiat seems to be taking things to new levels. Aside from its various joint ventures in emerging markets, the Italian automaker was first in bed with General Motors. That fell apart a while ago already, but now they've jumped into the sack with Chrysler. A partnership with ally Tata's Jaguar subsidiary was also rumored to be in the mix, while French auto group PSA could join in on the action, too. But the latest reports suggest that Fiat is preparing to announce another partnership, this time with BMW.
The partnership is expected to involve Fiat borrowing the platform from either the 1 Series or the MINI for Alfa Romeo's upcoming replacement for the 147 hatchback. Previous reports placed the two automakers potentially partnering on a new platform, while teaming up for sales of Alfa Romeos in North America, and but the latter will fall on Chrysler's shoulders now. Codenamed 149, the five-door counterpart to the front-drive MiTo was expected to employ Fiat's new C-Evo platform, but a switch to the MINI platform could save it the trouble, while the BMW 1 Series' architecture could put Alfa back on the rear-drive performance map.
[Source: Car and Driver via eGMCarTech]

BMW preparing new Z10 ED green supercar for production?

The only thing better than a major automaker rolling out a supercar concept is when they actually put it into production. Usually, if the green light is given, it happens after the show car's public debut. In this case, however, early word from Autocar indicates that things are working backwards. BMW reportedly originally envisioned this effort as a concept car, but instead it has decided to put it into limited production to showcase its high performance and green capabilities.
The car in question, according to AC's latest reports, is a new flagship supercar from BMW to be called the Z10 ED. With a two-seat, front-engine layout, the Z10 ED (for Efficient Dynamics - BMW's term for its green tech) is being prepared by the company's Technik skunkworks department. As you may recall, this is the very same crew that brought the Z1 and Z8 roadsters to showrooms.
As the story goes, after BMW canceled plans to revive the M1 with a mid-engine, R8-eating supercar, Munich's decision-makers apparently gave the go-ahead for another project to highlight the company's tree-hugghing and road-hugging technology. For starters, integrated door frames and extensive use of carbon fiber will be employed to keep curb weight down and rigidity up. Power is tipped to come from a high-output version of the company's 3.0-liter six, with all the bells and whistles: twin turbos, variable valve timing and compression, along with a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, F1-derived regenerative braking, and start-stop engine management. All of which should yield an anticipated 400 horsepower out of a relatively compact engine.
No telling when we might see the Z10 hit the roads, but sources suggest a $110,000+ price tag when it arrives.
[Source: Autocar]

BMW prefers 8-speed automatic over dual-clutch for volume vehicles

In the fierce competition between luxury automakers, every detail is a potential battlefield, including the number of forward ratios in an automatic transmission. Mercedes-Benz struck first with its seven-speed automatic, which prompted eight-speed responses from Lexus, along with BMW, Audi and even Hyundai. These slushboxes are packed with technology and can either rifle off extremely fast up- and downshifts or coddle their occupants with velvety smooth transitions.
The newest front, though, replaces the traditional torque converter with a set of clutches that hand off gearchanges from one to the next in a fraction of a second. While these new dual-clutch gearboxes are a performance home run, they are still more costly and complex than their more traditional automatic brethren, so it's not surprising to hear that the famous Bavarian automaker is sticking with the tried-and-true autobox in its volume sellers, for now at least.

BREAKING: Chris Bangle quits BMW, auto industry

You won't have Chris Bangle to kick around anymore. The BMW Group design chief famously (or infamously, depending on your point of view) took BMW styling in a radical new direction beginning with the 2002 7-Series, a car that featured the extremely controversial "Bangle Bustle," and then really pushed the envelope (and some enthusiasts' patience) with the "flame-surfaced" 2002 Z4. The automaker's designs have mainstreamed considerably in the intervening years, but Bangle's impact is without question. Cues he pioneered have since been aped by other automakers; take the bustled trunklid of the Acura RL, for example.
And now he's quit BMW.
According to a brief statement released by the automaker, the 52-year-old Bangle has left to "...pursue his own design-related endeavors beyond the auto industry." From the sound of things, the breakup would appear to be an amicable one, as he will "maintain strong ties to the BMW Group." Then again, that could simply be an oblique way of noting that Bangle's influence on the vehicle lineup will be felt long after his departure. Adrian van Hooydonk, the head of design for the BMW brand, will succeed Bangle at the top of BMW Group design.

Spy Shots: BMW Alpina B7 caught in traffic ahead of Geneva debut

Controversial BMW designer Chris Bangle may be out of the picture, but Bimmer's new 7-Series still bears his hallmarks. That aside, the new F01-generation holds much promise, with the possibility of a seemingly endless succession of performance variants speeding down the autobahn in hot pursuit.
Rumors of an M7 may turn out to be unfounded, although a V12 version looks to be on the way. But not before pseudo-works tuning house Alpina lays their new B7 on us. The high-performance luxury sedan is tipped to bow next month at the Geneva show, but an undisguised prototype has just been spotted on German streets.
Following the teaser sketch released by Alpina back in December, this is the most we've seen of the upcoming bahn-stormer. Visible mods to the standard 7 remain low-key on the Alpina version, but the spy shots show small lip spoilers on the lower fascia and on the trunk lid, rounded out by bigger wheels. But the real treat will come under the hood, where Alpina's performance gurus are thought to have pulled 500 juicy horsepower out of the 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8. Thanks to Andrus for the tip!

[Source: GlobalMotors.net]

Other Perspectives: Chris Bangle - The man who saved BMW?

Chris Bangle, who left BMW earlier this week to move "beyond the automobile," did not create the butt that bears his name - Adrian van Hooydonk did. But most importantly, Bangle did not stand behind that butt; he stood in front of it. It was Bangle's vision for not just BMW, but for automobiles entirely, that allowed that bustle butt to come into existence. Two new essays that look at BMW design before Bangle and the scope of automotive design after Bangle are well worth reading, even if you aren't a fan of the man or his machines.
So while this particular blogger is unmoved by the current 3 Series and 7 Series, bristles at the X3 and X6, and thinks the 6 Series looks like some rare species of giant clam, this same blogger can readily assert that Bangle's vision did something lasting, influential, and important. The exact measures of those three feats will be determined by history's refining hand, but they will not be erased.
If nothing else, providence provided a man named Bangle to hang our epithets on, saving us from having to say "Hooydonk Butt" which just sounds dirty. Follow the links for the stories and see if you think that far from destroying BMW design, the man not only helped rescue the company but perhaps car design itself.
[Source: Speed Sport Life and Motor Trend]

BMW Offers Upgraded Maintenance Coverage Plan

With the slumping economy most of the car makers are thinking of creative ways to bring in some customers which naturally yields some sales. While many American brands are offering job-loss protection plans BMW is giving their customers the option to purchase an upgraded-extended maintenance program for a total of 6 years or 100,000 miles on a BMW that is 4 years old or newer.

So what is the catch? The price of course! This is no free option here. You will have to dish out between $1,395 to $2,995, depending on the model and year, for the extended maintenance plan. Don’t worry, it is well worth it if you plan on keeping your Bavarian ultimate driving machine. I wonder what other companies including Audi will do. Would you purchase the plan considering it will take care of all of the items covered in the 50,000 mile factory maintenance plan which is standard?

World Fastest BMW M5? - Could It Really Be?

AWD Motorsports built a serious E60 BMW M5 monster. This beast runs 10.57 seconds in the quarter mile. That is pretty serious in my book for a 4-door sports sedan!

You have to see this video! Sit back and go get a paper-towel to wipe the drool off of your face.

BMW M5 vs. Cadillac CTS-V: The 4-Door Duel

MotorWeek’s heavyweight smack-down test video of the BMW M5 up against the new Cadillac CTS-V.

Who comes out on top? Well, you just have to watch the video and find out.

Mind you, the Cadillac has a 6.2 liter V8 with 551 horsepower and 551 lb-ft of torque and can run 0-60mph in 4.2 seconds. The BMW M5 has a 5.0-liter V10 engine with 500 horsepower and 383 lb-ft of torque with a 0-60mph time of 4.5 seconds. Those are just numbers right? Just wait and see… enjoy the video below

Which snow tires should I buy?

Let me start by saying that I am one of those people that drive year round with performance tires, despite the fact that I live in the snowy Chicago. Yes, I know, not very responsible in my part, but the truth is that when it snow heavily, I tend as much as possible, to “hibernate” and not drive much.

But things have changed this winter and it requires that I drive more than usual, including my last trip to Detroit during a huge snowstorm. So now, I am at the point where I need to ask the same very question  myself: “Which snow tires should I buy?”

My research started, obviously, with BMW forums, Google searches and other internet resources. But since I know a lot of BMW owners and have tons of friends that drive bimmers, I figured they would be reliable sources as well.

I was once again reminded that there are three options when it comes to snow tires: performance, studdable and studless.

Performance Winter Tires

By choosing the performance winter tires, you’re not sacrificing much when it comes to dynamic handling, but you are trading some snow and ice traction. Not the safest bet in winter tires choices and they are geared more an experienced driver or someone that lives in an area with moderated snow.

The low profile performance winter tires are rated H-speed or V-speed and always need to be installed in sets of four.

My research concluded that the following are some of the most respected and high rated tires:

1. Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D - several options available
2. Bridgestone Blizzak LM-22/LM-25
3. Michelin Pilot Alpin PA2

Studdable Winter and Snow Tires

These type of tires offer the highest safety while driving in heavy snow conditions. The S or T-speed rated studdable tires feature  snow tire tread compounds and studdable tread designs for good snow and ice traction. Studdable tires don’t really work well on ice without studs, and don’t work great on dry or wet surfaces. Once again, these type of tires must be installed in sets of four. Something to keep in mind that I didn’t know myself: studded tires are prohibited in certain states, including some regions in Canada.

The general consensus here is that the Pirelli Winter Carving is the best choice at a reasonable price.

Studdless Ice and Snow Tires

Studdless tires are the most popular choice for most of the BMW owners. These type of tires offer the best in snow traction, but will give up some dry road responsiveness over an H/V rated snow tire to get it and without using winter tire studs. Studdless tires perform much better on ice and much worse on dry or wet surfaces.

Rated Q-speed, these tires must be installed in set of four as well. In this category, the task of choosing three most popular and performant studdless tires, was a little bit more difficult. But based on the number of recommendations that I have received and the research I conducted, here is what I recommend:

1. Blizzak WS-60
2. Michelin X-Ice Xi2
3. Dunlop Graspic DS-2

This concludes my research and recommendation process, but I am sure there are many other tires choices available, so I encourage you to list them below in the comments section and I will edit the article to include them.

Women attracted by men driving expensive cars

Surprise, surprise! A study by university researches revealed that women are more attracted to guys driving expensive automobiles.

To make this even more obvious, professors at University of Wales Institute in Cardiff, showed women pictures of the same man driving two, quite different cars - a £70,000 Bentley Continental and the economical, practical Ford Fiesta.

Do you dare to guess which one they choose? The Ford Fiesta!!! Nah,…..just kidding, don’t trade the Bentley for a Ford yet, your car still turns more of the women’s heads.

We’re not sure if the researchers were going through an emotional crisis or breakups, but they decided to make the male specie stand out even more. In the same research, they concluded that men are more impressed with women’s looks rather than the car they drive. No kidding??!!

One interesting thing they discovered and worth mentioning, is the fact that more women are buying high-end vehicles. I would have to agree with this, for the past years, I have noticed more and more women driving luxury vehicles in the Chicago area.

And the study goes on and on, but I will let you read it on yourself, some humor to entertain you today.

I always wonder where these studies come from and why would someone finance them, but that’s another story.

On an ending note, NO, we don’t say that ALL women are the same nor calling them shallow, so don’t jump all over us, we’re just the messenger. In a way, I disagree with their statement anyway and I sometimes believe this is just a myth.

Buying your car based on the Free Maintenance Programs

This is a topic that came up in many of the debates I had with my friends or other car fans. As many of you know, BMW is one of the few companies left to offer a Car Free Maintenance Program for any vehicles still under the original factory warranty. In a recent article, we spoke about the options you have when your BMW warranty expires, but that’s a whole different story and you can read upon it.

Before we go ahead and compare some of the maintenance programs offered by other luxury brands, allow me to express my opinion on this. As I have always told my friends, one of the many reasons why I chose a BMW was the Free Maintenance Program which made me more comfortable that all the scheduled maintenance and not only, would be taken care of, without extra charges on my end. With maintenance part of the initial car warranty (Get a FREE, No Obligation, Extended Auto Warranty Quote in Less than a Minute!), all I have to worry about is making the monthly payments.

BMW calls its maintenance plan “BMW Ultimate Service” which goes for the first 4 years of ownership, or the first 50,000 miles.

Now, let’s see who are the contestants this time around: the long-time competitor, Mercedes-Benz, the runner up Audi and the  king of car luxury sales in the U.S, Lexus.

Even thought Mercedes was one of the first to offer a free maintenance plan, back in 2005, they decided to eliminate their free maintenance and offer their customers the option to choose from a variety of prepaid plans.

The decision to remove the free maintenance plan was solely based on cost issues and Mercedes-Benz does not feel that the customers have jumped ship based on this. Their Prepaid Maintenance Plan offers solutions for all the pockets without having the customer think they’re giving up an “arm and a leg” for scheduled maintenance.

Audi gets a little better and while they still don’t offer a full 4 year plan, they do offer the first scheduled maintenance service at 5,000 miles or 12 months, whichever comes first, free of charge. Until 2007, Audi of America offered a  4-year/50,000-mile program, called Audi Advantage, which was established in the late 1980s as a way to restore consumer confidence and jump-start the brand in the United States.

To stay within the Audi/VW Group, Volkswagen provides owners of new, 2009 models with free scheduled maintenance for three years or 36,000 miles, along with regular checkups every 6,000 miles or 90 days.

Lexus is the U.S. leader in luxury car sales but unfortunately for their owners, they do not offer a full free maintenance program. Lexus only provides your first scheduled maintenance service at no charge. The service is performed at 30 days or 1,000 miles, whichever occurs first. Lexus also provides your second scheduled maintenance service at no charge. The service is performed at six months or 5,000 miles, whichever occurs first.  The scheduled maintenance plan is called Lexus Luxury Care and matches several personal budgets or fits your lifestyle.  Terms are available for 2, 3, 4 or 5 years.

We hope this article answers some of the questions you had and in the end, without taking sides or being biased, we would like to show you BMW’s research in determining the average cost of maintaining other vehicles during the first four years of ownership.

BMW 335i in…..matte black

Update: Added an M3 Coupe in matte black from Bimmerfest 2009 event

I’m not sure about you, but as far as myself, I have not seen yet a 3 Series in matte black. Sure, we’ve seen before the Lumma CLR 500 RS(BMW M5) sporting the same “paint”, then a pretty cool X6 sporting the same style and today, we will show you the first BMW 3 Series, most specifically 335i, covered with a matte black vinyl wrap.

The car belongs to nlakind, a member of e90post forum, and the matte black vinyl wrap was created by Vinyl Styles shop in California. It’s an 8-10 year vinyl that is washed by using a mixture of water and baby shampoo because there is no ammonia in baby shampoo.

Despite the total cost of $3,000, there are some great benefits to this, as outlined by the owner as well: more affordable than painting your car, it protects the paint and it doesn’t depreciate the value of your car. Let’s assume that you get bored of it down the line, it can be removed and the original paint remains intact.

Despite the obvious “Wanna be Batman” badge, the 335i looks amazing, unique and it definitely stands out. Sure, $3,000 sounds expensive, but I’ve always said that BMW fans will do anything for and with their cars.

And here is a BMW M3 Coupe in matte black done by Loud Ocean of Santa Ana (Thanks for the photos Khoi)

BMW M Fleet unveiled at the Jerez Moto GP

Back at the Qatar MotoGP, BMW introduced for the first time, the X6 M Safety Car, which will be used along with other M vehicles at the MotoGP European races this year. Today, BMW  used the Jerez MotoGP motorbike race to show off the entire official MotoGP safety Car fleet.

Prior to the race today, the starting grid at Jerez showcased the assembly of the full BMW Safety Car. Along with the safety cars, twelve X6 M shuttles will be serving special VIP guests.

As you might recall, the BMW X6 M was unveiled last month at the New York Auto Show and it is powered by a V8 M Twin-Turbo engine producing 555 horsepower. Alongside it on each MotoGP grid continues to be the still amazing BMW M6 which outputs 507 horsepower from its V10 engine.

On related news, the Race Director Paul Butler now has a BMW M5 Touring at his disposal for official duties, with the Medical Car a 330i Touring. A brand new M3 Sedan has been given to the Safety Officer Claude Danis.

The Race Stewards have the use of an X5 4.8i, but that is not the end of the mouthwatering BMW presence at the track. The front of each Grand Prix grid will feature a brand new BMW S 1000 RR and a BMW HP 2 Sport as Safety Bikes.

Talk about great PR for BMW!

Week 1: BMW of the Week

Last week we launched our most recent innitiative on bringing the BMW and BMWBLOG community even closer. To accomplish this, we setup a BMWBLOG Group page on the popular photo sharing site, Flickr.com, and we asked you, our readers, to submit your BMW photos. Despite the fact that it was a soft launch and without much buzz around it, our group received over 130 photos from people all over the world and most important, with so many distinctive BMW models, from old school bimmers to the more modern ones.

As we promised back then, every week, we will choose one car to be featured in our articles and the criteria will be very diversified, one week we might focus on BMW history, other week on the best photo and so on and so forth. In my opinion, everyone will have a chance to have their  car featured at one point since we will be going back each week and scan through all the photos. Yes yes, we know, lots of work, but I believe it is worth it. As far as we’re concern, we can already see the benefit of this BMWBLOG photo group since we have had the opportunity to see some great cars out there.

So…..the BMW of this week….is actually a whole group of bimmers who belong to Christiaan Conover and Chris Wilkinson. He shared with us his collection of BMWs and it was a tough call to choose the best one, from the classy and still beautiful 1974 BMW 2002, to one of the most amazing Ms ever built, 1987 E24 M6 and 1992 E36 325iS.

Next week, we’ll go back to the pool and pick another bimmer, so feel free to keep submitting the photos. We also hope that you appreciate this initiative of bringing our readers together and most important, to share the beauty of our cars.

2009 BMW Z4 ….in different colors

With just a few days before the all new, re-engineered BMW Z4 Roadster will hit the U.S. dealerships showrooms, we thought it will be interesting to show you the new roadster in different colors. Some of them we have seen before, Orion or Titanium Silver, but others were still unknown to many of us.

Some of you might remember that the official photos were all about the Orion Silver while many auto show display models were painted in the gorgeous Deep Sea Blue. After seeing the Z4 photos below, we can certainly agree that the car selection matches the new roadster and most important, it caters to many different tastes.

So, what exterior colors are available? Well as usual, BMW separates them in two categories, metallic and non-metallic:

Metallic: Havana, Space Gray, Black Sapphire, Titanium Silver, Deep Sea Blue, Orion Silver

Non-Metallic: Black, Crimson Red

At the Frankfurt Auto Show in September, BMW will unveil the Z4 Individual which we hope will bring some unique colors as well. On an unrelated note, after seeing the 335i matte black yesterday, we cannot wonder how that “matte coat” will look on the Z4……

BMW History: Did you know that…..

Prior to building automobiles, BMW used to manufacture engines for airplanes and shortly after, motorcycles? Since its inception in 1916, Bayerische Motoren Werke AG was one of the most important makers of aircraft engines. BMW’s first significant engine was the Illa inline-six liquid-cooled engine built in 1918, famous for its high-altitude performance.

After World War I, by the Versailles Armistice Treaty, BMW was forced to cease aircraft engine production and started focusing on the motorcycles. Some of the most successful aircraft engines were the  BMW 132 and BMW 801 air-cooled radial engines, and the pioneering BMW 003 axial-flow turbojet, which powered the tiny, 1944-45-era jet-powered “emergency fighter”, the Heinkel He 162 Salamander, and was tested in the A-1b version of the world’s first jet fighter, the Messerschmitt Me 262.

Some people also say that the BMW roundel portrays the movement of an airplane propeller to signify the white blades cutting through the blue sky, but we’ll leave this subject for another time.

We hope you enjoy our short series of BMW History and we will continue next time with…..well, it’s a surprise, so stay tuned!

First Pre-Production MINI with BMW 2.0L Diesel Engine

While those of us that live in the U.S. are still waiting for the first MINI diesel model, the fellows in Europe have already been enjoying them for a while. But the big news today, according to Motoringfile, is that sources close to MINI indicate the first MINI model rolling down the production line at the Oxford Plant equipped with a 2.0 liter BMW diesel engine.

Don’t get your hopes up yet, the car is still in the pre-production/testing phase and the rumors of a MINI featuring BMW diesel engines have been going around since March when Autoblog reported their findings.

The MINI diesel powered vehicle tested at the Oxford plant was the R55 Clubman, which apparently was paired with the third generation 2.0 liter twin-turbo diesel from the BMW 123d, an engine that outputs 204 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. Fuel economy on the 123d is rated at 54 MPG.

Unfortunately, there is no confirmation on when we would see the first MINI diesel coming to the States, but the future does sound promising for all the MINI fans.

Mercedes E-Class Coupe: New competition for the BMW 3 Series Coupe?

It is quite interesting when a large German manufacturer decides to stop competing with the popular midsize-coupes in the premium-segment. Are Audi A5 and BMW 3 Series Coupe suddenly share this market among themselves? Is Mercedes really interesting in only watching the game between the two without their own competitor?

If we believe the new nomenclature from Stuttgart then the answer is YES, the E-Class so it seems to have moved away from this market, especially since historically, any models carrying the E-Class badge, have always been directly competing with the 5 Series.

But a big question arises: Is the new E-Class Coupe the successor of the old C-Class based CLK, of course at a much higher price, or is it simply a model derived from the E-Class line dominating a new market?

Well, let’s see where Mercedes stands on this and take a look at some numbers below.

If we compare the wheelbase of the E-class Coupe with the C-Class sedan and the C-Class T-model with whom the E coupe allegedly has nothing in common, we start to wonder. Is it coincidence that the wheelbase in all three cases is exactly 2,760 mm? Possibly. The E-Class models however have a significantly longer wheelbase, 2,874 mm to be exact.

To go even further with the measurements, if we compare the entire exterior length, we find that the C-Class Sedan is about 12 centimeters shorter than the E-Class Coupe, but the coupe remains nearly 17 centimeters behind the E-Class Sedan. It is very common that the Coupe model is longer than the sedan it is derived from, we see the same thing in the BMW 3 Series as well.

Looking at the width of these cars, we notice that the C-Class Sedan is only ONE centimeter shy of the E-Class Coupe, but the E-Class Coupe is still a whole lot smaller than the E-Class Sedan - seven centimeters is very significant when it comes to the car’s width!

Comparing the Mercedes E-Class Coupe to its counterpart in the Audi line-up, the A5 and the BMW 3 Series Coupe, we determine that the E-Class Coupe is longer than both, but not by much. It is sitting somewhere between the 3er Coupe and the 6 Series Coupe.

Mercedes claims that there are 60% common parts between E-Class Sedan and the Coupe version, but they don’t tell us how many of these parts can be found in the C-Class as well e.g engine, gearbox.

We believe it would be very interesting to get the percentage of common parts shared between the C-Class Sedan and E-Class Coupe, which could demonstrate even further our theory. We’re no Mercedes-Benz experts, but we strongly believe that there are plenty common parts between the two different models, putting the E-Class Coupe even more in the “minor C-Class league”.

Now let’s focus a little bit on pricing, I’m sure your heads are already spinning from all these measurements. In Europe, the Audi A5 and BMW 3 Series Coupe start at around 34,000 Euros, while the new E-Class Coupe is a whole 10,000 euros higher. A pretty significant difference we would say, don’t you agree?

But the general auto media is not interested in such details, instead, the current issue of the “Auto Straßenverkehr” compares the three cars with each other, simply telling us that the despite the higher price tag, the E-Class Coupe goes after the Audi A5 and especially after the very popular 3 Series Coupe.

But instead of telling their readers that the Merc is a bit too expensive for that segment, they do the exactly the opposite: they are complaining about the price difference between A4 / A5 and 3er sedan / Coupe. And to go even further, next they are praising Mercedes for the very small difference between E-Class Sedan and Coupe.

As long as you intentionally forget to tell your readers about the huge price difference between C-Class Sedan and E-Class Coupe, then it’s safe for everyone to assume that the new “E-Class” Coupe is probably closer to the C than to the E.

Of course, in the end everybody is free to compare any cars however they want to, but in this case, it seems to come to a personal opinion of what market the E-Class Coupe really belongs to.

But in this case one could really think that the only purpose of naming the new “CLK” as the “E-Class Coupe” instead, is the opportunity to sell it at a higher price tag. Since in the end, this is the an E-Class now.

At least by it’s name…