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(Updated 28th April 2008)

M1 Concept

Munich/Cernobbio. To mark the 30th anniversary of the BMW M1 super sports car, BMW Group Design is presenting a homage to this legendary model as part of the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este 2008. The BMW M1 designed by Giorgio Giugiaro was a car of superlatives and a highly emotive vehicle that was uncompromisingly primed for the race track. Spawning this development was the BMW Turbo by Paul Bracq, a revolutionary concept car which, in addition to its groundbreaking functional design, also boasted a raft of technical innovations. It is from these two unique vehicles that the BMW M1 Homage takes its cue - a design study that pays tribute to its forerunner models and an embodiment of the competence, creativity and potential of the BMW Group Design team.

"For BMW, heritage is always also a living heritage. Drawing inspiration from your own past and thereby reinventing yourself - that is exactly what the BMW M1 Homage demonstrates in impressive style." Dr Klaus Draeger, BMW Group Board Member, Development.

A particular forte of BMW Group Design is to draw on its own powerful history and actively feed this into the design of the future. The BMW M1 Homage is a design study in the tradition of a BMW Turbo that represents a contemporary take on the BMW M1 and the mid-engine concept. This tribute exhibits an emotional design that showcases technology and integrates it into the overall aesthetics of the vehicle.

The Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este provides the perfect backdrop for the BMW M1 Homage. Here automotive beauties from the past meet the concept cars and design studies of the future. It is in this dynamic field of tension between past and present that the BMW Group Design team affords insights into its own perspective on a historically inspired automotive future.

Homage to the BMW M1.
"For a company as for a product, it is important to be aware of one's roots. In the spirit of Giugiaro and Bracq, the BMW M1 Homage unites the BMW values of design and technology in a highly emotional and exciting interpretation."
Christopher E. Bangle, Director Design BMW Group

The BMW M1 was an utterly uncompromising super sports car oozing passion; its forerunner, the BMW Turbo by Paul Bracq, displayed innovative technical solutions that found their expression in emotional design. It is precisely this blend - of technology and design, rationality and passion - that the BMW M1 Homage embodies. It presents an exciting and authentic interpretation of the BMW M1 and the mid-engine concept from a present-day perspective, and the legacy of the BMW M1 Homage is obvious at first glance. Unquestioningly it takes up the graphic play of the hallmark BMW M1 colours black and orange and interprets them anew. The Liquid Orange paintwork exclusively developed for the BMW M1 Homage cites the classic BMW M1 colour, yet surprises with its powerfully iridescent play of colour and brilliant depth. It shapes the extrovert surface language and strikingly highlights the eloquent interplay of convex and concave surfaces.

Mention the BMW M1, and another feature that immediately springs to mind is the characteristic twin logo at the rear, on the right and left edge above the tail lights. For BMW, this particular arrangement of its emblems has always signalled a mid-engined model. In the development stage of the BMW M1 this dual emblem was the first styling element to be approved even before the initial sketches were drawn. Likewise, it was confirmed from the outset that the BMW M1 Homage would feature the same twin badges. Other specific styling cues taken from the BMW M1 are the air vents in the bonnet and the louvres on the rear windscreen, as well as the black cutline dividing the roofline from the rear section of the body. Overall, the exterior dimensions of the BMW M1 Homage are in keeping with those of the BMW M1; only the extended wheelbase indicates a larger passenger cell.

Emotional design at the flashpoint between tradition and modernism:
The BMW M1 Homage takes long familiar elements from the BMW Design repertoire, reinterprets them and couches them in a new context. Its design brings together past and present, expanding the observer's perception through new design solutions that find their expression in typical BMW style. If the contrasting colours were a dominant design theme for the BMW M1, this contrast is perpetuated in the BMW M1 Homage through its surface styling. Familiar elements, such as the trademark proportions, are combined with new and exciting lines, surfaces and details to create an up-to-date interpretation of the BMW M1, which remains to this day an extraordinary car.

Shunning the strong wedge shape of other mid-engine cars, the BMW M1 Homage consciously opts for BMW's characteristic proportions. A relatively long engine compartment, a clearly defined transition into the A-pillar and a stretched window line featuring the "Hofmeister" kink instantly give it away as a bona fide BMW. The horizontal flow of lines lowers the car's visual centre of gravity and lends it an air of sovereignty.

Though the BMW M1 already boasted extremely harmonious and sporty proportions, its surface design was not yet an explicit styling issue and was dominated by high-contrast graphic themes. Today, however, next to the car's proportions, it is primarily the unusual surface styling that determines the strong recognition value of a BMW model. For some years now, all BMW vehicles have exhibited a striking and unique design language. The sculpting of the surfaces demands substantial experience and craftsmanship at the highest level. Only through the combination of craft skills, state-of-the-art technology and a sure sense of the personality of each BMW can designers and modellers achieve the overall sculptural effect that lends a BMW its unique character. The BMW M1 Homage systematically melds the proportions and graphic themes of the BMW M1 with the surface language of the new BMW look - a combination that imbues the vehicle with an exciting, sporty and authentic emotionality.

The front-end styling of the BMW M1 Homage adopts many of the graphic design themes of the BMW M1: the contrast between the black, recessed surfaces and the car colour, the small, squat kidney grille and the "invisible" headlamps. And yet the front of the BMW M1 Homage is an absolute novelty for BMW. Each element assumes a function: the hallmark twin kidney, for example, is not only a distinguishing feature of the BMW brand but combines aerodynamic, cooling-air routing and safety solutions. The design of the headlamps, meanwhile, is a new iteration of the retractable headlights of the BMW M1. Like the lamps on the historic model, those on the BMW M1 Homage are only visible when switched on. When not in use they are discreetly integrated into the front-end design and "disappear" into the recessed black cutline, almost like pop-up headlights.

Along the side of the car all the lines, surfaces and details lead the eye from the front end along the stretched engine compartment and clearly defined A-pillars before converging at the centre of the vehicle. Two expressive lines are drawn from the front along the flanks of the vehicle towards the engine compartment area. The flow of lines begins in a straight, disciplined fashion at the front end, lowering the optical centre of gravity of the BMW M1 Homage and highlighting its low-slung stance. From the middle of the car, however, the lines break up. The power of the design is focused precisely where the power of the vehicle also lies - at the engine. Strong, sensuous sweeping lines accentuate the car's mid-engine concept, the design emphasising the mechanics behind it, the engineering skills and the engine expertise of the BMW Group.

The roofline of the BMW M1 Homage is flatly tapered, extending into and around the rear. In so doing it draws a continuous line and forms a link between the two sides of the car. It is on this line, above the tail lights, that the hallmark twin BMW logo can also be found.

"Engineering is beautiful - let's show it!"
The overall design is driven by functionality and each detail has its purpose. Aspects such as aerodynamics, cooling-air routing and safety lend the BMW M1 Homage technical substance and make it a genuine BMW. A telling symbol of this is the kidney grille design of the BMW M1 Homage, fulfilling as it does several functions at the same time. The twin kidney isn't just a signature BMW feature, it is also part of the car's honed aerodynamics: it guides the air to the engine cooling as well as constituting the front section of a crash box, similar to the monocoque chassis of a Formula One race car.

Inspired by aircraft design, the car as a whole also boasts sophisticated air ducting through the body. For example, the cooling-air routing for the engine is positioned below the roofline, in the black recessed cutline along the side of the vehicle behind the window graphic. Small flaps and openings guide the air stream into the engine compartment to ensure an adequate supply of cooling air.

Vision and inspiration.
"The BMW M1 Homage clearly manifests the creativity and potential of the BMW Design team. A project such as this is a valuable source of inspiration for our day-to-day work."
Adrian van Hooydonk, Director Design BMW Automobiles

The BMW M1 Homage holds great significance for the BMW Group Design team, its genesis epitomising both a living tradition and an innovative future. This vehicle is designed as a source of inspiration; it sets out to challenge us to question and rethink what we see around us. The BMW M1 Homage pays eloquent tribute to the BMW Turbo and the BMW M1, which in their design were well ahead of their time. Originally slated as "merely" a design study or small series, their influence remains very palpable today - 30 years on.

Alpina to return to Racing after 20 years.

Alpina is returning to racing after a 20 year lapse, BMW specialist/manufacturer, Alpina, will return to motorsports with an entry into the 2009 FIA GT3 European Championships in addition to a few other prominent endurance races.

Alpina's motorsports history boasts of winning three European Touring Car Championships with such legendary drivers from F1 and Touring Cars as Niki Lauda, Jacky Ickx, Hans Stuck and Dieter Quester. Alpina drivers also won the Nürburgring 24 Hours numerous times, as well as the 24 Hours of Spa in 1970.

With Alpina's B6 S model as the basis, the B6 GT3 will step into a starting grid of 45 pure-bred challengers such as Ferrari, Lamborghini and Aston Martin to name a few. The B6 GT3 uses the super-charged 4.4 liter V8 engine from the B6 S making 530 HP, 725 Nm.

The prime directive, besides winning, is to raise Alpina's brand recognition as well as increasing exposure to markets new to the Alpina name. However, motorsports will be Alpina's fourth business venture as the B6 GT3 will not only be a factory car but sold to private parties, collectors and race teams as well.

BMW to make new M1.

BMW is serious about a successor to the M1 supercar and we can expect to see it in 2012.

According to reports the car is now in development and will feature a carbon fibre chassis plus carbon-ceramic brakes, forged magnesium wheels, Kevlar bucket seats and a carbon fibre bodykit.

It seems like BMW may be feeling a bit overshadowed by cars such as the R8, Mercedes SL Black Series and the McLaren SLR, all coming from its main competitors.

Now the boys over in Bavaria want revenge and are preparing to wedge in an all-new V10 with twin-turbochargers and an ECU developed by BMW’s F1 team.

Expect around 625bhp which could push the ultralight supercar to way over 200mph.

An entry-level twin-turbo V8 version could cost around £90,000 but the V10 monster will likely set you back £250,000.

BMW NEW Range of Cars?

BMW is considering launching an all-new environmental brand within the next seven years.
It is planning a fourth brand - to add to Rolls Royce and Mini - and has set up a new unit called ‘Project i’ which is working on a completely new car specifically for driving in cities.

BMW chairman Norbert Reithofer said the project is fully independent and ‘free to act beyond BMW structures if necessary’, reports headlineauto.

The i stands for innovation and he added: ‘The task of the “Project I” team is to present specific solutions in the first half of the next decade. Whether this will require a fourth brand or not, will be decided at a later date.’

Reithofer said that it was not yet clear which alternative drive system or technology the new vehicle would use.

‘This is why we have decided to focus on a wide range of technological options.

‘An electric motor is an option we are looking into. It does not only work at zero-emission level. The technology is now sophisticated enough to offer driving pleasure.

‘This is one of the reasons why we are evaluating the option of launching a battery-powered car.’

He said that a decision will be taken this year on the drive system and before a decision on a new brand could be taken a design would also have to be designed.

‘We will look at all these things before we decide whether this might be a sub brand for BMW or Mini or whether it is a stand alone brand.’

The Project i team is also looking at mobility projects in the future looking at what extend people will be able to get around individually given traffic and emissions restrictions in big cities.

BMW RETURNS TO ALMS WITH THE LATEST GENERATION BMW M3.
BMW of North America to partner with Rahal Letterman Racing for 2009 season.

BMW presented the racing version of the new BMW M3 at the Chicago Auto Show. Powered by a 485 bhp eight cylinder engine, this impressive race car has been designed to compete in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) beginning in 2009. The car is based on the fourth generation of the BMW M3, the high-performance sports car produced by BMW M GmbH.

BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen says: "With the sporting genes of the production BMW M3 being clearly evident, developing a racing version of the car was the next logical step. The fact that the road-going vehicle is fitted with a V8 engine as standard provided us with an ideal base. However, the BMW M3 is more than a race car, it has achieved legendary status amongst race fans across the globe. I am convinced that this unique story of the BMW M3 racing cars will now be expanded upon by the addition of further chapters."

BMW's 2009 entry into the American Le Mans Series will be driven by a partnership between BMW of North America, LLC and Rahal Letterman Racing, co-owned by US motorsport legend Bobby Rahal.

"We are very pleased to be returning to the American Le Mans Series with our latest generation BMW M3," states Tom Purves, Chairman and CEO, BMW of North America. "Sports car racing has been part of BMW of North America's history practically from day one. Just two weeks after the company was incorporated in March 1975, a BMW CSL won the Twelve Hours of Sebring. We are confident that the fourth generation M3 will continue the legacy of its two predecessors which combined to win six manufacturer's championships over nine seasons in US sports car racing. As it has been in the past we believe the ALMS is the ideal venue to showcase the potential of the newest BMW M3."

Echoing that sentiment Bobby Rahal adds, "BMW has an illustrious racing heritage. Rahal Letterman Racing is eagerly anticipating, not only becoming part of that heritage, but helping to enhance it. Our dedication to this project will be without equal and we look forward to racing at the front of the grid with BMW in the years to come."

Martin Birkmann, Motorsports Manager, BMW of North America, adds: "We are very excited to announce our return to the American Le Mans Series with the 4th generation M3 at the same time as the road car hits the BMW showrooms. We are also excited about our partnership with Rahal Letterman Racing. The ALMS offers racing where we can compete against the finest and most renowned automotive brands from Europe and the US. Motorsport is deeply ingrained in the BMW DNA and we are pleased to partner with an organization which shares that same heritage. Rahal Letterman Racing is the perfect partner to be behind the wheel of our new BMW M3 racing effort."

The BMW M3 Race Version: Sportiness personified.

In the course of developing the race version of the BMW M3, BMW's engineers were faced with an ambitious task: to improve upon the sportiness of an already sporting car. A better base would, though, be difficult to find. In standard form the vehicle delivers powerful dynamics and sporting aesthetics. Thanks to an eight cylinder engine producing 414 bhp, BMW's customers are provided with a unique driving experience.

Those engine blocks, cast in BMW's light alloy foundry in Landshut - the very source of BMW's Formula One castings - selected for race duty need to withstand even more power: the BMW P65 race engine delivers 485 bhp.

In order to enable the BMW M3 to make full use of this performance on the race circuit, the experts in Munich have not concentrated solely on the engine, but have race-tuned the chassis as well. The race version of the BMW M3 is wider and significantly lighter than its production equivalent, enabling it to perfectly transmit the power of its V8 to the track. Widespread use of carbon-reinforced plastic (CRP) provides proof of substantial weight reduction. As with the production version, the race car's roof is manufactured from this high-tech material.

The race version of the BMW M3 is clearly aimed at the top echelon of motorsport. As such, it is no surprise to discover that in the course of its development, begun in mid-2007, numerous Formula One techniques were applied. These include computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and wind tunnel analyses, both of which have ensured the best possible aerodynamic package for the BMW M3.

Intelligent control systems have been incorporated throughout the BMW M3. The POWER400 control unit actuates all the accessories fitted to the car, such as lights, wipers, etc., via two bus systems. Traditional relays and fuses are thus eliminated, ensuring considerable weight saving, improved reliability and ease of application. The functions of the BMW P65 engine are managed by an ECU 408 electronic control unit, developed in-house by BMW Motorsport. The software and applications, too, have been developed by the experts in Munich.

An intensive test program, during which the performance of the race car will be honed by BMW Motorsport, looms for the BMW M3 over the coming months. Development drivers will be BMW works drivers Andy Priaulx (GBR), Jörg Müller (GER) and Augusto Farfus (BRA), currently racing in the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC). The aim is, after all, for the BMW M3 to be an immediate front-runner upon its comeback to the American Le Mans Series.

BMW Racing in North America

BMW's return to race track coincides with the fourth generation M3's entry into North American showrooms, a pattern familiar to those eager to follow the newest chapter in BMW's storied racing history.

After the CSL's, the 70's ended with the 320 Turbo. Known affectionately as the "Flying Brick" the flame-throwing coupes delighted sports car racing fans with their signature exhaust fire. The program also added reams of data to BMW's turbocharging technology, information that would help a BMW-powered Brabham win the 1983 Formula One World Championship.

In the late 1980's BMW of North America entered IMSA's top prototype category with the BMW GTP. The program netted only one win, but added incalculable experience to the men and women responsible for racing here in the US. When the second generation M3 debuted in 1995, the company was ready for a major effort in production car racing that continued through 2006 and the third generation M3.

When the checkered flag fell on the last race of the 2006 season, BMW of North America wrote the final page of the most successful chapter to date of its 31-year motorsport story. From 1995 through 2006, BMW of North America's M3 racing program drove to 53 wins in 118 races entered, adding 14 championship trophies to corporate display cases and a shine on the Roundel like never before.

Return to familiar territory.

BMW can look back on numerous successes and titles in the ALMS. The BMW V12 LMR prototype won the inaugural ALMS race in 1999 at the Twelve Hours of Sebring. In 1999 and 2000 the BMW V12 LMR went on to score six victories. For 2001 BMW switched to the GT Class, winning everything in sight with the BMW M3 GTR, which was developed specifically for the ALMS: BMW works driver Jörg Müller claimed the drivers' championship, Team BMW Motorsport took the team title and BMW won the manufacturers' championship in the company's most important market.

BMW in the American Le Mans Series.

The American Le Mans Series is far from virgin territory for BMW. During both 1999, the series' inaugural season, and the following year, the company celebrated major successes in North America. Under the management of the Schnitzer Team's Charly Lamm, five BMW drivers scored a total of six victories with the 580 bhp BMW V12 LMR. In 1999 the impressive BMW V12 LMR simultaneously won the very race which served as inspiration for the ALMS: the Le Mans 24 Hour Race.

In 2001 BMW deployed a new car. For the third ALMS season a switch was made from the Prototype category to the GT class using the BMW M3 GTR, a totally new development powered by an eight cylinder engine delivering 450 bhp. Two operations, Team BMW Motorsport from Germany and the US-domiciled BMW Team PTG, entered two cars each. The Team BMW Motorsport entries were driven by Jörg Müller/JJ Lehto and Fredrik Ekblom/Dirk Müller respectively, with Hans-Joachim Stuck and Boris Said, and Niclas Jonsson and Bill Auberlen doing driver duties in the Team BMW PTG Team-entered cars.

The debut season of the BMW M3 GTR rapidly became a success story: BMW drivers mounted the top step of the podium seven times, with six pole positions falling their way. BMW works driver Jörg Müller captured the drivers' title, Team BMW Motorsport took team honors, and BMW the manufacturers' championship. After a development program totalling less than six months BMW was able to lay claim to no less than three championships with the BMW M3 GTR.

Ultimately successful 2001 season does not start according to plan.

The 2001 season did not, though, start according to plan. At the opening race on 4 March in Fort Worth, Texas, the BMW M3 as raced during the previous year was deployed. Stuck and Said gave it their all, and placed third for BMW Team PTG. Approximately two weeks later things looked up: at the Sebring 12 Hour Race in Florida the BMW M3 GTR celebrated its track debut having undergone only cursory shakedown tests due to time pressures. However, Müller and Lehto immediately fired a shot across the bows of the opposition: they crossed the finish line of the classic race in third place, thereby ensuring BMW's first podium place with the BMW M3 GTR. "That was the car's first test drive under racing conditions," said team manager Charly Lamm.

Team BMW Motorsport thereafter crossed the Atlantic in order to amass more experience by taking in two European Le Mans Series events of 2.45 hour duration each at Donington (Great Britain), and in Jarama (Spain). Although the team suffered a double retirement in England, the Jarama race ran totally to plan: Team BMW Motorsport celebrated its first one-two via Ekblom/Dirk Müller and Lehto/Jörg Müller.

They're unleashed.

After its European sojourn, Team BMW Motorsport returned to the USA. Together with Team BMW PTG, Charly Lamm's operation fought for points and placings at California's Sears Point Raceway. Lasting almost three hours, the race culminated in a quadruple success for BMW: Lehto/Jörg Müller won from Said/Stuck, with Ekblom/Dirk Müller and Auberlen/Jonsson following them across the line. The next race, at Portland, Oregon, saw Said/Stuck win, with Team BMW Motorsport taking third and fourth places.

The extent of the domination of the BMW teams became clear during the final four rounds of the series: in Mosport (Canada), Mid-Ohio and Laguna Seca Lehto/Jörg Müller won from Ekblom/D Müller; the season finale, the 'Petit Le Mans' at Road Atlanta, saw Auberlen/Said/Stuck win. Dirk Müller and Jörg Müller placed second.

Thus the BMW teams ended the 2001 ALMS season with four consecutive one-two victories. BMW drivers mounted the top step of the podium seven times, with Jörg Müller celebrating the most: he amassed 185 points to take the drivers' title by five points from team-mate JJ Lehto. The teams' classification was won by Team BMW Motorsport (184 points), with BMW Team PTG placing third with 170. The Manufacturers' Championship went to BMW with 198 points.

In total the BMW teams had contested ten races each. For Team BMW Motorsport in particular, participation in the series proved a major logistical challenge: the team travelled nearly 7,000 miles within Europe and a further 28,000 miles in North America as its crew travelled from race to race. A regular paddock and permanent workshop facilities were as sorely missed as were home town comforts.

"The technicians, the teams and the drivers performed magnificently," said BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen after the season finale. "The late project start, combined with the logistical challenges of the North American races, made it extremely demanding." The effort was, though, justified: the BMW M3 GTR came through its baptism of fire with flying colours.

BMW 2010 5-Series:

When you think of luxury executive saloons, one car always comes to mind – the BMW 5-series. A class leader since its inception, the 5-series remains a crucial car in BMW’s lineup so there’s a great deal of importance surrounding the next-generation model. That car is due to arrive by late 2009 for the 2010 model year and heavily disguised prototypes have already been seen testing around the streets of Munich. These latest renderings allow us to peer under the heavy camo gear, giving us a clear indication as to what to expect for the new executive saloon.

Most of the planned changes are skin-deep. Under the new sheet metal, BMW will continue with its new found love of turbocharging. The new 4.4L twin-turbo V8 from the recently revealed X6 is expected to appear in a range topping model, while more turbo-diesel variants are expected to join the lineup as well. BMW is currently developing its second generation common rail system for its diesel powerplants, which operate at greater pressure for improved performance. The transmission systems will include a six-speed manual and a six-speed Steptronic semi-auto gearbox, however a new eight-speed unit from ZF is also expected to be available. Coming in towards the end of 2010 will be the next-generation M5 sporting a larger displacement 5.5L V10 and possibly forced induction for extra power.

Performance will also be improved thanks to the extensive use of lightweight materials including carbon-fiber and aluminum. The car’s construction will be a hybrid of an aluminum spaceframe for the front section, and a traditional steel monocoque for the passenger compartment and rear. This will ensure a favorable front-to-rear weight distribution and improved handling. Up front will be an independent suspension with MacPherson struts, with a multi-link layout for the rear. High-performance models will include carbon-fiber body panels to shed even more weight.

Inside, the car will have a more spacious interior, especially for rear-seat passengers, while the center console will be oriented more towards the driver and run an updated version of iDrive. Headroom will be similar to the current model, despite a shorter roof for thenew car, while trunk volume will grow to 550L. Wheel sizes will range from 17, 18 and 19in, and a new electrohydraulic brake system will also be added, which will improve braking distances and stability.

Other News:

BMW will launch 12 new models between now and 2011 starting with a new entry level minicar. The new model will be a small three-door four seater with FWD and measure just 3.8m in length. It will feature the full gamut of BMW EfficientDynamics technology including brake energy recovery and engine stop-start features. Powertrains will include both petrol and diesel motors as well as a hybrid option and possibly a plug-in hybrid model with a range of 100km. Launch date for the car is 2011.

In 2010 production of the new Mini Colorado SUV should start at a factory in Leipzig. Engines will include both petrol and diesel units with power ranging from 120 to 175hp.

Next year will see the arrival of the next-generation 7-series. The new saloon will feature for the first time options for AWD, pneumatic air suspension and a hybrid model.

The next-generation 5-series won’t arrive until 2010 but a concept version of the car will be displayed at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2009. Power levels will range from 170hp to 480hp. The new M5 is rumored to feature a new twin-turbo V10 with output close to 600hp.

2010 will also see the launch of the new CS-inspired flagship four-door coupe. There will only be two engine options available, a 420hp V8 and a 507hp V10 as shared with the current M5 and M6. This same year, BMW will also introduce a new X1 crossover designed to rival the upcoming Audi Q3 and VW Tiguan soft-roaders. BMW will follow this with the next-generation X3, which is set to grow in size over the current model and will be manufactured in America.

The final addition will be the production version of the Progressive Activity Sedan (PAS). BMW’s original plan was to develop a luxury minivan similar to the Mercedes R-class but product planners disbanded the idea and have instead decided to build a crossover based on the 5-series platform. It will feature coupe styling, an AWD configuration and be in showrooms by 2009.

1-Series Tii

STOP PRESS these parts are from a leaked Performance brochure, not a Tii concept:

Since the BMW 1-Series Concept was presented at the Tokyo Motor Show badged as a 2002 Tii interest has been immense. No official decision has been taken whether it will actually go into production but there seems to be a production version of the concept car spotted in Germany.

Currently there is no information along with the pictures, many features are exactly the same the BMW 1 Series Coupe Tii Concept first presented, such as the wheels, the sports bucket seats with Alcantara cover, the rear air dam and the gurney flaps. Some may think all of this equipment could have been bought from tuners, but not the steering wheel with the small screen on the top. It was discreetly presented in Detroit, according to the original topic.

No technical specs has been released for the BMW 1 Series Coupe tii Concept besides the size of the wheels (18 inches) and a little mass reduction, in order to make the car run faster. Fans of the old 2002 Tii form an orderly queue here.

New M3 Cabrio

The new M3 Cabrio is reported to be the first to feature BMW's 7-speed double clutch transmission which will carry the label "M DKG" and is very similar to Volkswagen's six speed DSG transmission which uses 2 computer controlled switches to make shift changes both quicker and smoother. The 0 to 60mph time lies at 5.3 seconds which is 0.4 seconds slower than the coupe, largely due to the extra weight of the retractable roof.

Expect to see the M3 Cabrio in the flesh until Geneva in March this year.

X1 Image

General News.

BMW M3 Saloon goes on sale in March 2008. Powered by an award-winning 3,999cc V8 engine, the M3 Saloon is the second variant of the current 3 Series body style to be launched. Its 420hp engine powers the car from zero to 62mph in 4.9 seconds before going on to an electronically-limited top speed of 155mph. Fuel consumption on the combined cycle is 22.8mpg.

New BMW fuel filler system brings an end to mis-fuelling:
An innovative fuel system has been introduced to stop some of the 150,000 cases of mis-fuelling in the UK that occur every year*. The device, called Incorrect Fuelling Protection System (IFPS), is now fitted as standard to all diesel-powered BMW cars.

IFPS works by preventing the fuel filler nozzle of a petrol pump from entering the fuel tank neck of a diesel-powered car. The larger diameter diesel nozzle is able to touch two opposing contact patches that then releases the locking system. This allows the nozzle to engage. A petrol pump nozzle can not make the same connection and this access is blocked.

The system was initially introduced on 1, 3 and 5 Series, and X3 cars in March, but is now also fitted to 6 and 7 Series and X5 models. Its introduction is expected to prevent most of the 1,000 cases a year of mis-fuelling that occur on BMW cars which can each cost owners thousands of pounds to rectify.

Mini SUV.

Mini's new crossover SUV makes its first official appearance in 2009, part of a BMW crossover offensive that begins with the X6 due this year. The Mini is second, and in 2010, BMW will launch the X1, based on the new-to-the U.S. 1 Series. An all-new X3 is due in 2011. The X3 will grow in size and will be built in Spartanburg, South Carolina. This doesn't count the 2010 5 Series-based Progressive Activity Sedan, a kind of X6 with low aspect-ratio body.

The Mini will be about 158 inches in overall length, smaller than current microcrossovers like the Suzuki SX4. A designer tells Motor Trend his team worked up a proposal three years ago for a 165-inch-long Mini SUV, but BMW management says no Mini should be more than about four meters (157.5 inches) long. The smallest BMW, the not-for-USA 1 Series hatchback, is 167 inches.

So the crossover will be slightly longer than the new Clubman. It'll be higher for ground clearance and to further improve interior space. It won't get those clap-hands doors: "They're just a Clubman thing," our source says. They also compromise body rigidity too much for a sport/utility.

This will be very much an on-road crossover. Our man insists it'll be really fun to drive. "That's vital with Mini." It uses a heavily adapted version of the current Mini platform, with Getrag all-wheel drive from the maker of Mini's six-speed-manual transmission. With a transverse engine, it can retain familiar Mini short-hood proportions, but also rules out any platform sharing with the BMW X1.

Power comes from the new R56 Mini's 1.6-liter engine, which in turbocharged form makes up to 210 horsepower. Styling will be predictable. Mini design chief Gert Hildebrand has criticized designers "who build a monument to themselves." Staying true to Mini heritage and evolving the lineup's styling, like a Porsche 911, is the right tack, he says. He arrived at Mini after the 2001 model was finished and had freedom to change pretty much everything for the new car, but chose not to.

The crossover will get a version of the familiar Mini nose with the "hexagonal'" grille and softly shaped lights. It also will have Mini's defiantly non-wedged outline, and the horizontal separation of roof, glasshouse, and body. Mini's black protective body moldings are well suited to a crossover. Lights, door-handles, mirrors, and other external details will conform to Mini's "island" style; they're set in to a single panel rather than being aligned with other cut-lines.

M5 Hurricane.

Twin-turbo powered BMW M5 V10 engine, expected for its mid-cycle debut, indicate. However, tuning firms such as G-Power have already taken the liberty. Running just 0.5bar of boost pressure the bi-turbo system produces a staggering 730hp, a 50% increase over the standard 507hp. G-Power recently put the M5, dubbed Hurricane, to the test at the Nardo high speed test track in Italy and “only” achieved a premature top speed of 322 km/h (200 mph) due to an electrical fault compared to its potential 350 km/h (217 mph) according to G-Power engineers. G-Power is currently planning to increase boost pressure to 1.0 bar for an output of 800hp.

X6.

X6 sports activity coupé “heralds the dawn of a new era in motoring”.

BMW’s press release goes on to say that “never before have the elegant flowing lines of a coupé been combined with the powerful presence of a four-wheel drive model”. Yet there are many – albeit less prestigious – manufacturers who believe they’ve already done just that. But let’s forget the overstatements and concentrate on what the new X6 does offer – namely, the safety and convenience of a high driving position combined with the on-road performance of a sports car, packaged in the svelte lines of a coupé.

For the first time in BMW’s history, an entire model range is turbocharged, with the X6 offering four forced induction powerplants. The flagship is an all-new twin-turbocharged V8 producing 402bhp at 5500rpm. The 4395cc engine makes the BMW X6 xDrive50i the most powerful production X model BMW has ever produced, while its 600Nm of torque from 1800rpm through to 4500rpm propels the X6 from 0 to 62mph in 5.4 seconds. Top speed has been electronically limited to 155mph and fuel consumption on the combined cycle is 22.6mpg (with emissions at 299g/km).

The configuration of the new V8 engine is unique in that it’s the first powerplant to locate twin-turbochargers and a catalytic converter within the vee of the engine. This design has allowed engineers to fit the twin-turbochargers needed for increased performance without having to reconfigure the double wishbone front suspension.

Twinned with BMW’s benchmark xDrive four-wheel drive system, Dynamic Performance Control makes its world debut on the BMW X6. Dynamic Performance Control works by spreading drive forces from side to side at the two rear wheels as required in a given situation.

The system works by detecting possible over- or understeer of the vehicle in, for example, a bend. When this occurs Dynamic Performance Control will vary the distribution of drive forces between the wheels for perfect stability, dynamic traction, and forward motion. This is achieved by transferring additional wheel speed to the outer rear wheel to push the car round the corner rather than applying brake force to the inner wheels as currently happens with traditional stability control systems.

The BMW X6 launches in May 2008 with prices starting at £41,995 for the entry-level xDrive30d. The flagship X6 xDrive50i goes on sale later in the year and prices for this model will be announced nearer the time.

AC Tunes "the One"

German tuner AC Schnitzer is taking BMW's 1-series coupé closer than ever to the M3 (and possibly beyond it) with this, its take on the 135i.

The Aachen-based firm's modifications take the 135i's twin-turbo, straight-six engine to a heady 355bhp and 332lb ft, enough to propel the baby 2+2 to 62mph in under five seconds and a top speed of 186mph.

Beyond the engine upgrades, the Schnitzer 1-series coupé gets sports suspension, an additional strut brace, a rear wing and roof spoiler, revised front aerodynamics and 19in alloy wheels.

Schnitzer isn¹t limiting its mods to the range-topper, either; it is also offering diesel upgrades that will add around 30bhp.

Notice the Turbo Badge.

Isetta Returns
BMW are to build a new 21st century version of the 1950's Bubble Car - the Isetta. Details are still vague, but it will retain the original rear engine set-up & will have the lowest CO2 rating of any BMW, competition includes the Smart car. Possibility of Hybrid engines making it the perfect City car. As you can see from this image it will have plastic front arches, high headlamp units & side doors (two). Expect it in 2010 should it get the green light.

Mini Monte
BMW's off-road Mini will be built in the USA. BMW hopes that sales will double if production moves to the U.S. Production of the Mini on steroids is due to start late 2008, due for sale in 2009. Called the Mini 'Monte' will have increased ride height & use the convential front-wheel drive layout although having a wider track. Engines will include a new 1.4l diesel & buyers will have choice of manual or automatic gearboxes. Should be priced around £2000 dearer than the new Mini Clubman.

BMW CELEBRATES YEAR ONE OF THE 1 SERIES WITH SPECIAL ENGRAVED START/STOP BUTTON

Drivers who purchase a 2008 BMW 1 Series will be reminded that they are one of the few lucky drivers of the next BMW icon every time they start or stop their cars. Each 2008 BMW 1 Series, both coupe and convertible models, will be equipped with a specially engraved Start/Stop button with the inscription: “Year One of the 1”. The engraved Start/Stop button is one of several notable initiatives to be announced celebrating the launch of the new BMW 1 Series in America next spring. Appearing exclusively in the 2008 calendar year 1 Series models coming to the U.S., the “Year One of the 1” button was created by the same team of BMW designers who designed the 1 Series.
“Forty years ago, BMW introduced a car, the legendary 2002, that changed the American automotive landscape. That car was a pivotal car in the history of BMW and is still revered by aficionados today. We believe the 1 Series will be as important to the history of BMW in America,” said Jack Pitney, Vice President, Marketing, BMW of North America. “The ‘Year One of the 1’ Start/Stop button is a way to directly engage our customers with a simple message of celebration each time they get behind the wheel of their new 1 Series,” continued Pitney. “Our ‘Year One of the 1’ activities will incorporate several elements that will celebrate this historic launch. The specially engraved Start/Stop button is just one of the many things we will announce as we approach the launch next year.”

The new 1 Series, which draws inspiration from the legendary BMW 2002 of 1968 with a focus on pure performance, will be available as a Coupe and Convertible. In addition to premium design, the 1 Series features rear-wheel-drive dynamics, agile handling, powerful 6 cylinder engines and seating for fou

X1 mini 4x4 spied

Two small off-roaders are in the pipeline at BMW. BMW plan to build a 1-Series-sized 4x4 called the X1 is well underway, too – as our picture of this test mule reveals. The X1’s existence was confirmed by BMW boss Norbert Reithofer last week, but Auto Express’s insiders added that drivers should expect the company to spring a few surprises when the machine makes its debut in 2011.

The newcomer is likely to mirror the look of the recently unveiled X6, and some insiders have hinted that the car could be a sporty three-door machine, rather than a conventional five-door SUV. There will be no questioning the quality of its engineering, however, as off-road expert Magna Steyr – which currently builds the X3 for BMW – is reported to be developing the 4x4 system.

BMW Concept 1 Series tii as a young interpretation of classic

BMW brand values.
• Implementation of specific requirements for motorsport ensured through the design of the car.
• Design study following the tradition of BMW's compact, light and extremely
sporting coupés. The characteristic features of models particularly
successful in motorsport have gone straight into BMW Concept 1 Series tii.
• BMW Concept 1 Series tii underlines the extremely sporting potential and the youthful, temperamental character of the BMW 1 Series. The design study raises the focus on pure driving pleasure already associated with the BMW 1 Series Coupé to an even higher standard.
• As the fifth concept car presented by BMW in 2007 alone, BMW Concept 1 Series tii clearly demonstrates the exceptional bandwidth covered by
the world's leading manufacturer of premium cars. Following the
BMW M3 Concept Car, the BMW Concept CS and the BMW Concept X6/BMW Concept X6 ActiveHybrid, BMW Concept 1 Series tii stands
out as a unique symbol of maximum driving pleasure also in the compact segment.

Exterior:
• Through its unique, completely different design, BMW Concept 1 Series tii clearly emphasises its outstanding potential in driving dynamics.
• Optimised aerodynamics on the body with individual, distinctive
design of the front air dam, side-sills and rear air dam. Special gurney flaps generating additional downforce on the rear axle.
• Further enhancement of agility and efficiency through consistent lightweight engineering using carbon components inter alia on the engine compartment lid, the mirror caps, and the inlays for the front air intakes
at the side. Significant reduction of weight versus series production cars.
• Sporting, accentuated, contrasting and, at the same time, typical BMW colour scheme on the exterior and interior. The body colour Alpine White is combined with the very dark carbon structure of the CFP elements, with further highlights added in Blue.
• BMW Concept 1 Series tii takes up striking features of former motorsport models in many of its details: fins along the engine compartment
lid to optimise the flow of air, contrasting colour scheme on the engine compartment lid, decal strips on the roof of the car and the rear lid in contrasting colour, visible, open towing fixture.

Interior:
• Authentic interpretation of specific motorsport standards through the concept of the interior design as well as colours and material design.
• Sports bucket seats with integrated headrests and side airbags,
three-spoke sports steering wheel and gearshift knob with alcantara cover, model-specific door linings, door closing handles and armrest on the driver's side.
• The contrasting colour scheme (Black, White, Blue) and the various functions and features derived from motorsport also characterise the interior of BMW Concept 1 Series tii.
• The white rev counter highlights this instrument of particular significance in motorsport, the sports steering wheel with its white spokes and trim taking up the exterior colour scheme.
• Use of dark alcantara on the door linings and the instrument panel prevents reflections and accentuates the driver-oriented design and configuration of the cockpit. Alcantara on the seats, the steering wheel rim and the gearshift knob optimises side support and, respectively, the driver's grip.
• The newly developed structure tissue for the footwell accentuates the sporting and functional character of the interior.

X5M Official

X5 M is edging even closer to reality. The M-badged Sport Activity Vehicle is expected to get the 438 horsepower 6.0 litre V12 engine currently found on the 7-series sedan.
If this huge engine sounds a little absurd, you would be surprised to find out it is not unheard of. The 2000 BMW X5 Le Mans, an experimental vehicle, got 750 bhp from the same 6.0 litre V12 found on BMW's 1999 Le Mans winner. German race car driver Hans Stuck took this behemoth around the Nurburgring in 7 minutes, 49.92 seconds.

Unfortunately, with the X5's current weight at just under 5,000 lbs., the .088 power-to-weight ratio with this massive engine would still be less than that of the Porsche Cayenne Turbo (.096). To match that, the X5 M would have to shed over 400 lbs.

Still, for SAVs, the X5 M is pretty interesting, with larger air intakes, bigger bumpers, quad-exhaust, and new alloy wheels. Expect the interior of this car to get similar refinements as other M-badged BMWs. First seen as a prototype touring Death Valley this past July, expect the BMW X5 M to hit dealerships in 2008.

90 Years in A Night

Munich. On Saturday, 20th October 2007, BMW invites the public to the BMW Museum exhibition at the Olympic Tower from 19.00 to 2.00 hrs as part of the "Long Night of the Munich Museums". This year BMW Mobile Tradition looks back over the successful 90-year history of the brand. The special exhibition "The BMW brand. A story of success" has some outstanding objects from these nine decades lined up for visitors. Among them are rare exhibits such as the first BMW motorcycle engine from the 1920s, the BMW Turbo design study of 1972 and the BMW Z1 Art Car by A.R. Penck.

The highlight of the evening will be a rally through the Museum featuring games, films and competition questions. The main prize that participants can look forward to is a ride in a range of historic BMW classics. Providing the evening's entertainment and ensuring a lively atmosphere will be DJs Charles and Tom.

On the weekend of 20th/21st October the BMW Museum exhibition will offer an attractive range of activities in parallel with the opening of BMW Welt. On Saturday and Sunday the Museum exhibition is open from 10.00 to 17.00 hrs and is free of charge to all-comers.

The exhibition closes on 9th December and will return next year to the newly refurbished and extended BMW Museum.

Inspiring young Art;

Within the BMW Welt, designed by COOP HIMMELB(L)AU and opened on 20th October, the interior of the building has also become a remarkably impressive sight. For two classes of the Munich Academy of Fine Arts it also constitutes an artistic platform for the creative presentation of visionary and filigree architecture. The 18 young artists from Prof. Norbert Prangenberg's class for ceramic and glass and the photography class conducted by Prof. Dieter Rehm looked into the synergy of the outer structure and the interior of BMW Welt. They had already witnessed the development of the imposing building during the construction stage and, based on their impressions, decorated the transparent rooms with innovative exhibits. "We are pleased that, due to our longstanding partnership with the Academy of Fine Arts, the creative design of BMW Welt has been significantly influenced by the young talents of the Munich Art Academy," commented Rudolf Wiedemann, Head of BMW Welt.
On the occasion of the exhibition, curated by Jone Elissa Scherf, two catalogues have been published, "Schräg zu Sonne, Skewed to the Sun, Class for Ceramic and Glass Professor Norbert Prangenberg", and "Shifting Borders, Study Workshop and Class of Professor Dieter Rehm" containing coloured illustrations, artists' biographies and statements in German and English as well as a foreword by Dr. Michael Ganal, Board Member of the BMW AG. Both catalogues are available at BMW Welt, to which you are cordially invited to experience the young artists' works of art.

The mutual cooperation between the BMW Group and the Academy of Fine Arts began more than twenty years ago, this also being evident in the sustainable support of the Academy Gallery at the university underground station.

In this unconventional exhibition forum, selected works by young university talents from all semesters are presented. The gallery has been jointly supported by the BMW Group and the Cultural Department of the city of Munich since 1996. Furthermore, annual purchases of students' works are made for BMW Group premises.

International artists exhibit in the BMW Welt

Artists and their works will also form a part of the opening exhibition dealing with the theme BMW EfficientDynamics. The sculptures of the American artist Tim Prentice combine art, science and technology into one. The filigree works provide a new interpretation of aerodynamics, lightweight construction and optimisation of energy flux. The interplay of air and light breathes life into the delicately formed sculptures as - embedded into the film projection of the double cone - they glimmer through the spacious plaza.

The 12 columns by Frank Raendchen, which powerfully accentuate the structural architecture on the main and lower floors of the double cone, are made of granite and glass. With his sculptures the Hamburg artist facilitates an experience of archaic power and movement - but, at the same time, of a stony lightness. When the translucent light transforms the upper sections of the columns into an almost suspended state, the artist appears to have lifted the boundaries of structural calculations. Through his sculptures new perspectives on movement, lightness and energy are created.

Also inside the double cone, Bernhard Edmaier's pictures offer a fascinating insight into the diversity and beauty of planet earth - not only as a result of the new perspectives experienced by the beholder. Amazing structures and meticulously finished landscape surfaces complement each other in unison with the diversity of BMW materials and surfaces. "We operate at the BMW Group location, which also involves focussing totally on innovation when supporting the arts," commented Rudolf Wiedemann, referring to the opening exhibition which can be seen at BMW Welt until March 2008. For further details please visit:

www.bmwgroup.de/culture
www.bmw-welt.de
www.adbk.de/akgalerie

BMW Pit Lane Park to visit Las Vegas

The BMW Sauber F1 Team brings Formula One back to Las Vegas (USA). From January 7 to 10 2008, the spectacular Pit Lane Park will be stopping off in America's entertainment capital. For the first time since the 1982 USA Grand Prix, the sound of a BMW Formula One engine will ring out across the Nevada Desert once again.

For the BMW Sauber F1 Team Pit Lane Park, the new year will kick off in the same way as the current season is seen out: with an overseas appearance. For the Formula One race weekend in China, the high-tech event park wowed the fans in Shanghai from October 5 to 7 with its hands-on Formula One experience. After a brief winter break it will then set off on its journey to the United States in January.

Pit Lane Park will be one of the highlights of the support programme for the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. This trade fair, held annually since 1967, is a showcase for pioneering home entertainment products. The CES has been the venue for the premiere of such technical innovations as the video recorder, the CD player and, more recently, high-definition television (HDTV). The CES is one of the most important trade fairs for the BMW Sauber F1 Team's Official Corporate Partner Intel, who will be exhibiting at the event. The exhibition grounds extend across the Las Vegas Convention Centre, the Las Vegas Hilton hotel and The Venetian, right on the city's famous Strip. The BMW Sauber F1 Team Pit Lane Park will be set up on the Gold Lot car park on the corner of Paradise Road and Convention Centre Drive.

So far this year Pit Lane Park has made appearances in Kuala Lumpur, Barcelona, Rome, Silverstone, at the Nürburgring, in Warsaw and in Shanghai. Formula One fans in the US can now look forward to a very special motor sport experience early in 2008. Entering the replica pit lane means stepping through the gateway to motor racing's crowning discipline. Here visitors can put questions to Formula One experts, prove their talent as a member of the pit crew in the Pit Stop Challenge, or clock up some race laps in the simulator. Numerous exhibits will be on display which visitors are permitted - indeed positively encouraged - to touch so as to get to know the objects first hand.

But the highlight of every Pit Lane Park visit are the demonstration rides along the 90-metre track. A race car from the BMW Sauber F1 Team and one from Formula BMW, the worldwide junior series run by BMW, will be putting on some thrilling displays.

BMW SUV "PAS" to Rival the Mercedes R-Class.

Space is the real luxury says BMW. BMW's forthcoming "Progressive Activity Sedan" due in 2009. The PAS also evidence of this with the X6 first presented concept of Bayern stands for "emotional stressless vehicles", the new space as a luxury interpretation and BMW combines driving pleasure."Let's just what this marketing German in real life. When PAS is a kind of R-Class from Bavaria. Like the X6 shows a coupé roof line, in the basic version as a four-seater and focus on four-wheel drive and High-End-Motor. Biggest difference: the X6 divides the genes with the X5, the PAS with the next generation Touring (Internal Code: F11, starting in June 2010). While the X6 series of all-wheel drive, it must be at the PAS. From the base price are both cars close together in the target numbers, the PAS will still trumph the X6.

No, not just the design. But especially the interior. The PAS will be a First-Class-Viersitzer, a fine car trip with individual seats and rear, in height, length and angle. Heating, ventilation and massage function must in this league is not specifically mentioned. This is a modular and expandable extended to the rear center console, in which among other screens, shelves, connections for MP3 player and headphones, a folding table and pushed hide-Business Class on the highway. Whoever it may be factual, also gets the PAS than 4 +1 seater with dual divided and separated fold rear seat and fully retractable middle seat. Originally, BMW wanted a coach with the PAS-Doors displayed behind the rear doors - a reality, but it was too expensive and reminded the decision makers too much to Rolls-Royce. Something must distance. But the two tailgate blessed the Chiefs. It facilitates access to the trunk, whose minimum capacity of 600 liters surpasses the Fünfer-Touring. When laid flat stalls even fit into 1,750 liters.

The basic model weighs 1,900 kilograms

To coupe character to emphasize BMW on extremely short overhangs, wide fenders issued with large wheels (from 245/55-R-18-Serienrad 21-Zöller until everything is possible), slightly offset sills and a fully independent rear conclusion with shared lamps. The wheelbase is with just over three meters halfway between short and long-sevens. The rear legroom is in the comfort position against even the Rolls-Royce Phantom: and despite the exterior length of about 4.85 meters. Especially proud of the Bavaria on the convenient entry and exit for the rear passengers and the good visibility. The opposite the Fünfer-Touring by six centimeters larger amount owed the PAS also on the 728-millimeter diameter grown. Behind their hands give the developers a drag coefficient of 0.31. At the weights, we should not expect values fable: The basic model weighs a whopping 1,900 kilos, but may also stately 600 km CDs.

The PAS 3.0i Automatic with 306 horsepower in 6.7 seconds from zero to 100 km / h speed. For comparison: A 335i is only 1.2 seconds faster. At the same time, a total consumption of 10.5 liters per 100 kilometers in prospect, which has a range of 750 kilometers are expected. The handling of the PAS is reportedly widespread in all major disciplines at the level of the new Fünfer-Touring. Even critical maneuvers like falter, yaw, or Anlenken control in the border region deserve after assessing the Top-Gütesiegel house. Notable value of 12 meters gratifying close turning circle, and the very short braking, in cold and warm 38-Meter-Marke undercuts the plant. As with other cars it should PAS for a wide range of assistance systems indicate how active steering, roll stabilization, damping control, electro-hydraulic brake or Adaptive Cruise Control (cruise).
When launched it will have four engines, likely two petrol & tw diesel variations.

BMW is dedicated to the PAS also reinforces the theme of lost energy. Means: Energy, for example, is created during braking is converted to storage cells to fill the auxiliary units, such as air conditioning or light machine drive. This saves fuel and even the environment. As soon as the conditions for this himself dining energy cycle series (lithium-ion batteries and other software), the Munich want their Efficient - Dynamic - ahead to extend the hybrid field. Until then, it will remain in the following units: • PAS 3.0d, 245 PS/550Nm • PAS 3.0sd, 300 PS/650Nm • PAS 30, 306 PS/400Nm • PAS 4.0si, 408 hp / 600 Nm The V8 will be canceled entirely. Why? Because the line six cylinder in contrast to the current automatic transmissions still a long way to go. To compensate for this shortcoming, PAS already works in the new eight-stage self-switches of ZF, Friedrichshafen. The is up to 850 Nm of torque away and has an integrated start-stop function.

Triumph TR is back!

Is another of Britain's most famous names set to make a comeback?

In the first of two shock scoops about one car giant this week, thanks to Auto Express exclusive uncover exciting plans by BMW to bring back one of Britain’s best-loved marques – Triumph is on to a winner!

Last week, the firm announced its plans for the future. Part of this strategy was the introduction of the long-awaited SUV version of the MINI – but bosses also described why they are aiming to expand the company with new brands.

Despite speculation that Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo are in the frame as targets for acquisition, our sources have suggested that BMW will add to its portfolio by reviving a classic badge – and Triumph is top of the list. The historic British marque, which the maker took over when it bought MG Rover in 1994, would be a clear choice to market a rival for the new, Chinese-owned MG TF roadster.

Our pictures reveal what a modern Triumph car could look like, taking its styling inspiration from the classic TR4. Just as the new MINI’s design was heavily influenced by the Sixties classic, a reinvented Triumph would be a retro remake.

BMW is committed to launching more premium models as it bids to gain a bigger slice of the most lucrative areas of the new car market. And these pictures show how an upmarket two-seater could offer a premium alternative to the Mazda MX-5. With a raft of class-leading engines and platforms in the BMW stable, the roadster would be a force to be reck oned with. However, there are obstacles to overcome before any Triumph car could be built.

One problem may be Triumph the motorcycle manufacturer. The firm confirmed the car and motorbike brands are separately owned. A spokeswoman for the firm told us: "BMW owns the rights to Triumph Cars, which is entirely separate from Triumph Motorcycles. We are therefore not privy to any activities they may be planning and are unable to comment".

As well as using the household name to mar ket a new roadster, BMW would benefit from having Triumph models to test its low-weight mat erials and new tech nologies before using them on mainstream cars. But bosses will be watching with interest Audi’s relationship with the Austrian motorbike maker KTM, which has already led to the pro duction of the X-Bow track-day car.

In a recent statement, chairman of the board of management at the blue propellor, Norbert Reithofer, said: “The BMW Group explored all the options for future growth during the strategic review, including potential acquisitions or the creation of a fourth brand. However, this would require the new automotive brand to be a perfect fit for the company.”

No official comment has been made about the Triumph project, but British car fans can expect to hear more on the ambitious plans by the end of the year.

THE NEW BMW 1 SERIES CONVERTIBLE

BMW's 128i and 135i Convertibles Come to America in 2008
Woodcliff Lake, NJ - September 30, 2007... For those whose definition of pure driving pleasure includes wind in the face and sunshine above, the new BMW 1 Series Convertible follows the tradition established by the iconic BMW 2002 sport sedan. The essence of such driving purity - a responsive six-cylinder engine positioned within a rear-drive chassis to provide balanced, sporty dynamics - is at the heart of this compact four-place convertible.

The 128i Convertible, which joins the new 1 Series Coupe going on sale in the spring of 2008, will be powered by BMW's 3.0-liter, 230 horsepower inline six-cylinder engine generating 200 lb-ft of torque. Like its fixed-roof stablemate, the 128i Convertible will feature Valvetronic valvetrain management and aluminum/magnesium cylinder block construction-core elements of BMW's EfficientDynamics.

The 135i Convertible, on sale later in 2008, features BMW's twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine producing 300 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque from as low as 1,400 rpm. With its direct piezo gasoline injectors, twin low-mass turbochargers and air-to-air intercooler, optimum performance and economy is achieved with no loss in engine response. For the 135i Convertible, acceleration from 0-62 mph is accomplished in 5.6 seconds and top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph. Both engines feature on-demand engine coolant pumps that improve fuel economy and reduce parasitic losses for increased efficiency.

Distinctive BMW Convertible appearance
In a mere 22 seconds-even on the move at speeds up to 25 miles per hour-the occupants within the 1 Series Convertible can go from encapsulated comfort to top-down exhileration. If conditions dictate, the electro-hydraulically-operated softtop can be raised within the same 22 seconds, producing a distinctive silhouette enhanced by long frameless doors. The characteristic features of the BMW kidney-shaped grill, front skirt, door sills and rear skirt are identical to those of the 1 Series Coupe.
The standard softtop is available in either black or taupe cloth, but it is the optional Moonlight Black version which is unique to the 1 Series Convertible. Interwoven with fine shiny metallic fibers, this distinctive top produces a shimmery metallic silver appearance in sunlight. The visual effect enhances the convertible's exciting range of nine colors which includes an exclusive hue: Cashmere Silver Metallic.
A distinctive feature of the 1 Series Convertible is the flared shoulder line which runs parallel to the road. This shoulder line flows from the hood past the A pillar to the trunk lid, forming a surface which encompasses the entire interior, giving the impression of a boat deck.
The view from the rear is influenced by the position of the softtop: with the top lowered, completely concealed in the tail, the look is flat and elegant; the appearance with the top up is broad shouldered. The trunk lid has an integrated spoiler chiseled into the rear end of the car to accentuate the short rear section. On the 135i, an additional lip spoiler provides greater downforce on the rear end at high speeds.
The individual sections within the L-shaped rear taillights give the vehicle a lower, sportier look. Horizontal lights integrated in the rear light clusters offer a homogeneous lighting effect with the help of light-emitting diodes (LEDs). This light design, as found on other BMW models, makes the BMW 1 Series Convertible stand out at night. Also, the Adaptive Brakelights operating in two stages in relation to brake application force are yet another feature typical of BMW, with the additional benefit of extra safety on the road.
The standard (on the 135i) Adaptive Xenon Headlights (optional on the 128i), complete with integrated cornering lights, make driving in the dark safer than ever. The daytime headlight function, in typical BMW style, uses the four corona rings around each headlight to enhance the visibility of the car under normal and "murky" light conditions.
Convertible interior features technology enhanced comfort, convenience
Two unique BMW 1 Series Convertible features provide increased driver and passenger comfort, thus improving the overall experience regardless of the top's position. The optional Boston leather incorporates BMW's Sun Reflective Technology where pigments worked into the upholstery mitigate the effect of the sun's ultraviolet rays. Excessive heating of the seats and armrest is diminished, especially for darker interior colors. The overall effect can produce surface temperatures some 20 degrees Fahrenheit below a comparable "normal" leather interior.

The standard upholstery is a sporty and comfortable Leatherette, which is also the covering on the optional Sport Package's sports bucket seats with enhanced side support (Boston leather can be selected for this package).

The climate-control system in the 1 Series Convertible has an additional convertible mode (compared to the system in the BMW 1 Series Coupe) designed for open-roof conditions. The three standard modes; gentle, medium and intensive, react primarily to interior sensors, while the convertible mode reacts less to interior temperature and more to the exterior temperature and sunlight factors to establish the intensity of the ventilation.

Turbulence in the roof-down cabin can be reduced by an available wind deflector which can be affixed to the sides of the vehicle with a few adjustments. The wind deflector allows for conversation at normal sound levels and the ability to enjoy the wide variety of audio and communication offerings which include SIRIUS satellite radio, HD radio, the optional Premium Sound system and Bluetooth. For simple and straightforward connection of an MP3 player, an auxiliary input jack is standard and a USB port for direct control of an Apple iPod or iPhone media player is available as an option.

The control console for the entertainment and climate-control functions is integrated smoothly and harmoniously into the dashboard through its soft radii and flowing surfaces. With the optional navigation system, the iDrive controller is integrated in the center console, following BMW's characteristic philosophy of full driver control at all times. Galvanized pearl gloss surfaces adorn the interior door handles, the glove compartment handle, the radio's rotary knobs, the knobs of the automatic air conditioning system, the iDrive controller, and the ornamental trim strips featured on the sport steering wheel.

Enhanced iDrive provides programmable memory keys
BMW's iDrive is included with the optional navigation system. It enables the driver to control all secondary and comfort functions such as communication, air conditioning, entertainment and navigation functions easily and conveniently.
This latest version of iDrive is equipped with six Programmable Memory Keys allowing the driver to program often-used functions such as navigation destinations, radio stations or specific telephone numbers. Touch-sensitive sensors on each button allow the driver to preview the function on the iDrive screen before the button is fully depressed, activating the command. This allows the driver to choose the stored function safely and conveniently, keeping his or her eyes on the road in the process.
Spacious trunk supplemented by folding seat backs and storage bag
An active couple can carry their gear, regardless of the season, thanks to the generous trunk space offered by the 1 Series Convertible. Two golf bags will fit in the trunk of the new 1 Series Convertible - even with the top down! Lowering the soft top produces a storage space that is 8.48 cubic-feet, which does not include the optional large storage bag that extends into the passenger compartment and can accommodate two snow boards or a golf bag without soiling the upholstery. A zippered opening allows access into the storage bag from within the passenger compartment.
High-tech suspension with newly-developed differential
In traditional BMW style, the new BMW 1 Series Convertible transmits the power of the engine to the rear wheels. This design concept and configuration - engine at the front, drive wheels at the rear - guarantees optimum traction, near-perfect weight distribution front-to-rear, excellent directional stability, and predictable handling.
The front suspension is also built to a standard quite unique to its competitive group. The new 1 Series Convertible shares the 1 Series Coupe's sophisticated suspension system with an aluminum double-pivot front suspension and a five-link fully independent rear suspension in lightweight steel to offer an optimum combination of stiffness and low weight. The very stable track control arms and thrust rods make an important contribution to the car's driving dynamics and provide exacting wheel control.
The standard BMW Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) includes a Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) function that provides electronic intervention to prevent loss of vehicle control, but at a higher threshold before activation. This allows the driver to experience more spirited driving on dry roads and offers more flexibility when driving in more challenging conditions such as in the snow. If the driver desires, both DSC and DTC can be disabled. Active Steering, a variable ratio steering system exclusive to BMW, is available as an option.
The rear differential on the 1 Series comes from a new generation of final drives optimized for running smoothness. Featuring double-helical ball bearings for the first time, the differential runs at an even lower operating temperature reached more quickly than before thanks to the reduction of fluid required in the differential. Like the 1 Series Coupe, the Convertible features an electronic limited slip function built into the vehicle's Dynamic Stability Control system.
Safety equipment maximized for convertible design
The four standard airbags in the new BMW 1 Series Convertible are designed for the optimum protection of the car's occupants. The advanced frontal airbags are activated in stages in relation to impact severity while the side airbags integrated into the sides of the front seat backrests reduce the risk of injury at chest, hip and head levels in side impact situations. The new BMW 1 Series Convertible also comes with crash-optimized seats with specially padded headrests and backrests designed to reduce the risk of injury in an impact from the rear.

All seats within the 1 Series Convertible are fitted with three-point inertia-reel seat belts and headrests, with the front seat belts str fastened on the frames of the driver's and front passenger's seats, keeping the belt in an optimum position around the occupant's hips regardless of seat height or fore-aft placement.
Also, the driver's pedals move back automatically with a predetermined amount of deformation in the event of a frontal collision so that the risk of driver foot injury is reduced. And last but not least, the rear seats come standard with LATCH attachments for child seats.
The new BMW 1 Series Convertible is equipped with a roll-over sensor, which continually monitors the vertical and horizontal movements of the vehicle. As soon as the sensors register the danger of the vehicle rolling over, two roll bars are extended in fractions of a second from their storage areas behind the rear headrests. Simultaneously, the front-seat-belt tensioners and the head airbags are activated. Further roll-over protection is offered by the optimized stability of the A pillar and windshield frame.
BMW Ultimate ServiceTM:
Providing owners with incredible value and peace of mind
The BMW 1 Series Convertible will feature BMW Ultimate ServiceTM, a suite of services that includes the BMW Maintenance Program (formerly called Full Maintenance), Roadside Assistance and the New Vehicle Limited Warranty. BMW AssistTM with TeleService is part of the optional Premium Package or can be ordered separately as a stand-along option.

BMW Ultimate ServiceTM includes:
The BMW Maintenance Program is the only no-cost maintenance program in the industry that covers wear and tear items like brake pads and rotors for four years or 50,000 miles, whichever comes first. BMW owners pay nothing for all scheduled inspections, oil changes, brake pads, wiper blade inserts and other wear-and-tear items.

BMW Roadside Assistance is one of the industry's most comprehensive plans available. Not only is it no-charge for the first four years, but there is no mileage limit. BMW drivers enjoy the assurance of on-the-road help 24 hours a day, seven days a week, anywhere in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. This includes everything from flat tire changes, emergency gasoline and lock-out assistance, to towing, alternative transportation and even trip-interruption benefits. This service also includes valuable trip routing advice.

BMW New Vehicle Limited Warranty: All 2008 BMW passenger vehicles are covered by BMW's excellent Limited Warranty, which includes:
• New-vehicle warranty - four-year/50,000-mile coverage of the vehicle.
• Rust-perforation warranty - 12-year/unlimited-mileage coverage.

BMW AssistTM provides the driver with services that enhance on-the-road security and convenience, for added peace of mind. It is a part of the optional Premium package and can also be ordered separately as a stand-alone option. BMW is the only vehicle manufacturer that offers this service for four years at no additional cost. Most other manufacturers cover only the first year of service.

The in-vehicle equipment for BMW AssistTM includes GPS technology and hands-free communication functions accessed via buttons in the overhead or center console. Vehicle occupants may request emergency or other services simply by pressing a button; the BMW AssistTM system then transmits the location and vehicle information to the BMW AssistTM response center. A response specialist will then speak with the occupants to coordinate dispatch, notify emergency contacts on file, and link BMW Roadside Assistance or emergency services as needed and requested. A severe accident automatically activates the BMW AssistTM call as well. The BMW AssistTM Safety Plan also includes Remote Door Unlock and Stolen Vehicle Recovery services, which can save the owner time and money.

TeleService automatically notifies the BMW center when a vehicle will need service. This feature allows the Service Advisor to proactively set up a customer appointment and have the needed parts ready.

BMW AssistTM subscribers can also enroll in the BMW AssistTM Convenience Plan (available at an additional cost of $199 per year) to avail themselves to many BMW AssistTM Concierge services, from travel planning to dining reservations, shopping assistance and event tickets, as well as receive directions, and traffic and weather information. A selected destination and its phone number can be sent directly to the on-board navigation system and Bluetooth®-linked mobile phone, after a push of the new Concierge button. The Convenience Plan also includes Critical Calling, a new service that connects the driver in case their mobile phone is not in the vehicle or its battery is discharged. After pushing the SOS button, a BMW AssistTM response specialist will link the driver to his requested party for up to five minutes and for up to four events per year.

As before, the BMW AssistTM system includes Bluetooth® hands-free phone connectivity with hands-free phonebook access and dialing by name or number via the steering wheel controls. Use of this feature requires a customer-provided compatible Bluetooth® mobile phone.

Performance with a conscience
BMW strives to produce its motor vehicles and other products with the utmost attention to environmental compatibility and protection. Integrated into the design and development of BMW automobiles are such criteria as resource efficiency and emission control in production; environmentally responsible selection of materials; recyclability during production and within the vehicle; elimination of CFCs and hazardous materials in production; and continuing research into environmentally friendly automotive power sources. Tangible results of these efforts include the recycling of bumper cladding into other vehicle components; water-based paint color coats and powder clear coats; near-future availability of hydrogen-powered models; and various design and engineering elements that help make BMWs easier to dismantle at the end of their service life.

BMW have filed for three new trademarks, hinting at potential future production model or design study designations, reports car enthusiast website leftlanenews.com. Trademarks of 'BMW M10', 'BMW 555' and 'Progressive Activity Sedan' have all been registered. Upon first glance, you'd be forgiven for thinking that BMW have a high-performance "M" version of an oversized luxury sedan, a 5.5-litre 5-series and an until-now unsurfaced mould-breaking crossover vehicle in the pipeline - but all may not be as it seems.

BMW M10

Rumours of a spiritual successor to the BMW M1 of the late 70s flourished last year following the "leak" of information by an Italian tuning firm on a forthcoming V10-powered supercar from the German maker. And it would seem that substance has now been given to the tuner's claims. It had been maintained that they were to produce a 214 mph supercar based on BMW's forthcoming M10, seeing showroom floors by the end of 2009.

BMW 555

According to leftlanenews.com, the '555' trademark was 'published for opposition' back in August, which tends to indicate a strong indication as to the use of a trademark. In regard to its use, there are two likely options. The newly-registered trademark may very well refer to a forthcoming 5-series featuring a 5.5-litre output, although it may also signal a turbocharged version of the 5-series' existing 5.0-litre engine. The designation would therefore follow suit with BMW's 335, which is powered by a turbocharged 3.0-litre unit.

Progressive Activity Sedan

The more ambiguous registration is this, the 'Progressive Activity Sedan'. BMW presently refer to their upcoming X6 SUV as a 'Sports Activity Coupe', so unless the name got the boot after its Frankfurt premiere, that designation is likely to stay - if only for marketing purposes. It could however signal the naming strategy for the forthcoming 5-series based V-Series, captured by our spies only last week. Or, dare we say it, BMW have yet another new mould-breaker up their sleeves?

Sheer Driving Pleasure All Your Life: Worldwide Supply of Parts for Classic BMWs.

The name says it all: Mobile Tradition. More than 200,000 enthusiasts the world over have joined forces within approximately 600 brand clubs ensuring that the history of BMW lives on - a world record. And when it comes to "living on", the fans and aficionados of the brand take things very literally: The overwhelming majority of the worldwide fleet of classic BMWs made up of more than 200,000 cars and 70,000 motorcycles are not parked somewhere in museums and garages where they just gather dust, but are rather driven actively on the road. This is attributable not only to the robust BMW technology of way back then, but rather and above all the supply of parts today.

The stock of parts covered by BMW Mobile Tradition comprises some 24,000 individual items, most of them parts for classic cars and motorcycles introduced after 1948. So the enthusiast wishing today to live out his youth dream of a BMW 2002 or R 75/5 need not worry about repair and maintenance: "We want every BMW classic with two, three or four wheels to receive full approval and homologation by the motor traffic authorities" - this is the philosophy of BMW Mobile Tradition.

Ninety Years of BMW - the Symbol of Innovation.

Munich. It was exactly 90 years ago, on 21 July 1917, that a small company in north Munich was entered in the commercial register. Two days later the management issued a letter with notification of its new name: "May we respectfully inform you that, with effect from this day, we have changed our company name to Bayerische Motoren Werke." Henceforth, the company's products bore the letters "BMW".

The spirit of innovation has transcended through the history of BMW for no less than 90 years. And indeed, this ongoing innovation of the white-and-blue brand has been borne out and initiated consistently by the creativity, skill, and consistency of the company's employees. The products created in this process have at all times combined proven and new technologies in a most characteristic manner, forming a sophisticated, trendsetting symbiosis at all times.

V3 SUV latest

This heavily diguised 3-Series Touring is actually the much anticipated new SUV

Underneath the skin lies the basis for a model likely to be called the V3. It’s essentially BMW’s answer to sporty people carriers such as Ford’s S-MAX, and the firm hopes it will succeed where other prestige offerings like Mercedes’ B-Class have failed. Based on platform architecture shared with the 3-Series and the X3 SUV, the V3 will provide more versatility for families than any BMW before – but with the same style and driver appeal.

While this prototype doesn’t give away much – only the widened wheelarches and slightly raised ride height reveal the V3 will be bigger than the existing Touring – BMW bosses have made it clear that the new model will offer genuine flexibility.

The finished article will feature a high roof and a raised driving position – with an interior that features five, six and seven-seater options. Insiders claim the driving experience will be as sporty as ever and the looks will resemble those of a coupé.

Engines will be taken from the 3-Series line-up, with the
company’s 3.0-litre turbo petrol and diesel units topping the range. All variants will get BMW’s Efficient Dynamics system, which helps to save fuel and cut emissions. A four-wheel-drive model is likely, too. The V3 is set to go on sale in 2008.

The new BMW M3 (with latest Spy Shots of M3 Variants)

M3 Convertible

M3 Cabriolet (folding metal roof)

M3 Cabrio (note roof joins)

M3 Saloon

The concept looks back at a long tradition, the result is unique every time:
For more than two decades, the BMW M3 has ranked alone as the epitome of ultimate dynamism derived directly from motorsport, a car offering powerful and superior aesthetics, as well as a truly incomparable driving experience. And now the new version of this high-performance sports car is ready to go - perfectly prepared to find the ideal line not only on the race track.

Like its predecessors, the fourth-generation BMW M3 sets new standards in technology and driving dynamics. And at the same time, like all high-performance models from BMW M GmbH, the new BMW M3 offers all the qualities required for everyday driving enjoyment of the highest calibre.

The new BMW M3 is based on the BMW 3 Series Coupé, but is nevertheless quite unique in its looks and technical features. The engine, for example, is an exclusive development precisely for this model, with the chassis, suspension and body all based consistently on the requirements of motorsport.

So leaving aside just a few components, the new BMW M3 is a brand-new car from the ground up. The aesthetic design of the body again typical of BMW M and the drivetrain technology conceived from the start for supreme performance - clear proof of the competence of the car development engineers at BMW M GmbH with their close ties to motorsport - spell out supremacy of the highest standard. In a nutshell, therefore, the new BMW M3 is a car built to be a winner, a car always able to prove its superiority also in everyday traffic.

Making its debut in the BMW M3: eight-cylinder power unit with 420 hp:
The truly impressive "heart" of the new BMW M3 is the car's brand-new eight-cylinder power unit in V-arrangement combining outstanding power and performance with unique dynamism. Displacing 3,999 cc, the new V8 develops maximum output of 309 kW/420 hp. Maximum torque, in turn, is 400 Newton-metres or 295 lb-ft at an engine speed of 3,900 rpm. And perhaps an even more impressive fact is that some 85 per cent of this maximum torque is available consistently throughout the enormous speed range of 6,500 rpm.

The new BMW M3 accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 4.8 seconds and has a top speed limited electronically of 250 km/h or 155 mph.

The eight-cylinder power unit owes its perhaps most striking feature to the high-speed engine concept again typical of BMW M: Maximum engine speed of 8,400 rpm gives the engine supreme thrust and torque at all times.
This power is transmitted to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox in conjunction with brand-new final drive featuring BMW's Variable M Limited-Slip Differential.

Over and above the engine's specific output of 105 hp per litre, average fuel consumption in the EU test cycle of just 12.4 litres/100 kilometres (equal to 22.8 mpg imp) bears clear testimony to the supreme engineering that has gone into this equally supreme car.

Know-how carried over from Formula 1 in production, construction, and the choice of materials:
The engine block of the new eight-cylinder comes from BMW's light-alloy foundry in Landshut north of Munich, which also builds the engine blocks for the Grand Prix cars raced by the BMW Sauber F1 Team. The crankcase is made of a special aluminium-silicon alloy. It is both compact and extremely strong and torsionally resistant in its bedplate design.

Despite the two extra cylinders, the entire power unit is approximately 15 kg
or 33 lb lighter than the six-cylinder engine featured on the former model.

The V8 power unit of the new BMW M3 is equipped with variable double-VANOS camshaft control, a unique technology reducing losses in the charge cycle and thus improving power and torque in the process. Responding extremely quickly to the driver's commands, double-VANOS improves the spontaneity of the engine at all times, thus also helping to reduce fuel consumption and exhaust emissions.

The engineers at BMW M have developed a low-pressure version of double-VANOS specifically for the new eight-cylinder, operating at the regular operating pressure of the engine's oil circuit.

A further feature of the new power unit is the use of eight individual throttle butterflies giving the engine a particularly smooth and sensitive response throughout the entire speed range and enabling the driver to call up the superior power of the engine directly and smoothly at all times. A volume flow-controlled pendulum-slide vane pump supplies the eight-cylinder with lubricating oil, the amount of oil delivered to the engine always being geared precisely to what the engine needs at the given point in time.

Wet sump lubrication optimised for driving dynamics, finally, ensures an adequate supply of oil to the power unit even in extreme braking manoeuvres and under high centrifugal forces in a fast bend.

New engine management and Brake Energy Regeneration:
Yet another new development is the electronic management of the V8 power unit integrating the clutch, gearbox, steering and brake functions tailored specifically to the requirements of a BMW M Car. And then, as a further highlight of engine management, ion flow technology serves to detect any tendency of the engine to knock as well as misfiring and mis-combustion.

Intelligent energy management featuring Brake Energy Regeneration enhances the efficiency of the power unit to an even higher standard: This new system generates electricity for the car's on-board network only in overrun and while applying the brakes, with the alternator generally being disconnected as long as the engine is in traction, "pulling" the car.

Apart from particularly efficient generation of electric power, this process also helps to provide extra drive power when accelerating.

Twenty Years of the BMW M3

It is one of the most successful chapters in the history of the automobile and in international motorsport alike: the story of the BMW M3 - and to this day, the end of this unique success story is not even in sight.

In 2006 BMW and BMW M GmbH celebrated the 20th birthday of the most successful touring car of all times. Within two decades, three generations of the BMW M3 have successfully entered and conquered both the market and the race track, each of these models quite unique and legendary in its own right. Dominating the racing scene and paving the way on the road for a new species of particularly sporting, but nevertheless highly practical series-production cars fully suited for everyday use, the BMW M3 to this day thrills a loyal and constantly growing group of enthusiasts and aficionados the world over.

This unique story of success started back in 1986 with the launch of the first BMW M3 based on the E30 version of the BMW 3 Series. From the start, this thoroughbred sports car thrilled not only the motorsport enthusiast and the racing expert, but also car fans the world over. Boasting powerful-looking spoilers and strikingly flared wheel arches all round, the very first BMW M3 was a sensation to behold even at a standstill. And although the road-going version offered all the everyday driving qualities required of a modern car, the real home of the BMW M3 was the race track. Powered by a four-cylinder featuring avantgarde four-valve technology, the BMW M3 brought home one victory after the other.

Originally conceived for just 5,000 units for the purpose of homologation, this very first BMW M3 gained growing popularity right from the start.
And apart from the car's convincing concept, an ongoing increase in engine power from 195 hp all the way to 238 hp added to the car's fascinating thrill.

Total production up to the end of the car's production cycle in 1991 amounted to almost 18,000 units including the BMW M3 Convertible. Subsequently, the two following generations significantly exceeded even this remarkable sales figure, the second generation of the BMW M3 based on the E36 model series accounting for a sales volume of almost 72,000 units, and the third generation based on the E46 model series achieving an even more impressive production run of over 85,000 units.

Precisely this success confirms the strategy of BMW M GmbH to convey the qualities of superior motorsport machines right through to series production. After three generations and more than 174, 000 units sold, production of the E46-based BMW M3 ended in 2006 - only to be continued in 2007 with the fourth generation carrying on this exceptional story of success.

The successor to a legend:
Based on the coupé version of the E36 model series, the second generation of the BMW M3 made its appearance in 1992. At first sight this model looked quite "normal", without any large spoilers or striking wheel arches - but just one glimpse into the engine bay told another story, with this being the first BMW M3 to feature a six-cylinder power unit.

Developing maximum torque of 320 Newton-metres or 236 lb-ft all the way from 3, 600 to 6, 000 rpm, together with maximum output of 286 hp, this outstanding sports car offered the driver superior acceleration at all times and in every situation. Indeed, BMW's engineers were able to achieve these performance figures quite unusual at the time through painstaking attention to detail and with a number of innovative solutions: Apart from VANOS variable camshaft management and the upgraded single throttle butterfly control unit, newly developed engine electronics able to process more than 20 million instructions per second helped to give the engine its enormous power and performance.

Catering for growing demand for a four-door model, the second generation of the BMW M3 was also built in saloon guise, in addition to the coupé and convertible versions. And the success of all three models was overwhelming, almost 72, 000 units of all three body variants leaving BMW's Regensburg Plant throughout seven years of production. These were joined by another 700 units built as completely knocked down (CKD) kits at BMW's Rosslyn Plant in South Africa.

The BMW M3 saga goes on:
Towards the end of the year 2000, the latest and still current version of the BMW M3 entered the market as the next generation. Based on the E46 model series coupé, this version of the BMW M3 again combines supreme performance, exceptional driving qualities and unique design, clearly distinguishing the car from other models in the BMW 3 Series.

Particularly the front section of the current BMW M3 supporting the engine compartment lid made of aluminium looks flatter and more aggressive than on every other regular production BMW 3 Series. And beneath the engine compartment lid with its striking powerdome lurks one of the most significant innovations introduced in this model - the new, even more powerful six-cylinder engine developing maximum output of 252 kW/343 hp and applying the high-speed engine concept carried over from Formula 1 and now so characteristic of all cars built by BMW M GmbH: When revving at a speed of 8,000 rpm, the pistons in the new M3 power unit move up and down at a velocity of more than 20 metres or 66 feet a second, thus reaching a new dimension for a car of this class.

The BMW M3 CSL was also based on this model. Boasting an even more powerful engine, developing 265 kW/360 hp and featuring radical lightweight technology using the most advanced materials such as carbonfibre-reinforced plastics and carbon, the BMW M3 CSL has a power-to-weight ratio of 3.85 kg/hp - a truly outstanding figure which raises this BMW M3 to an entirely new dimension of dynamic performance.

Still, the fact remains that yet another model stands out as the fastest and most expensive of all BMW M3s built so far - the BMW M3 GTR presented to the public in 2001 for the American Le Mans Series (ALMS). Indeed, this truly unique car was a genuine eye-catcher from the start not only through its muscular look, but also and in particular through its 4.0-litre V8 high-performance power unit developing 330 kW/460 hp in racing trim and, respectively, 258 kW/350 hp in the road-going version.

This supreme sports car set the standard also in another respect, its price of approximately Euro 250,000 making it a truly exclusive offer.

The new BMW 1 Series Coupé

BMW is extending the 1 Series line-up in the UK with a new model consisting of a brace of high performance twin-turbocharged engines and a diesel capable of a frugal 58.9mpg. The new BMW 1 Series Coupé goes on sale in the UK in November and will be available in 120d, 123d and 135i guises. The 135i marks the first time a twin-turbo petrol engine has powered a 1 Series, while the launch of the 123d heralds the introduction of the world’s most powerful production four-cylinder diesel engine.

(See downloadable release for formatted table)

Model / Power Hp / Torque Nm / 0–62mph Seconds / Top Speed Mph / Combined
Mpg
BMW 120d Coupé 177 350 7.6 141 58.9
BMW 123d Coupé 204 400 7.0 148 54.3
BMW 135i Coupé 306 400 5.3 155* 30.7

*Electronically-limited

The flagship of the range is the BMW 135i with its 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged petrol powerplant. Offering 306hp from its light alloy and magnesium straight-six engine, the 135i is capable of accelerating from zero to 62mph in 5.3 seconds before going on to an electronically-limited top speed of 155mph. Peak torque of 400Nm from just 1,300rpm through to 5,000rpm ensures smooth yet rapid progress and in-gear flexibility.

Courtesy of High Precision Direct Injection for the most efficient burn of fuel mix and Bi-VANOS variable valve technology combined with lightweight engineering principles, the BMW 135i is capable of frugal motoring while maintaining its top end performance. The 2,979cc engine posts a 30.7mpg figure on the combined cycle and a CO2 emissions figure of 220g/km. BMW’s EfficientDynamics programme seeks to boost engine performance while at the same time cut fuel consumption and emissions. Second generation High Precision Direct Injection and Brake Energy Regeneration are both elements of EfficientDynamics deployed on the 135i Coupé.

Frugal yet sporting :
The BMW 135i is joined in the range by another twin-turbocharged model to offer a unique blend of performance and economical motoring. The 204hp four-cylinder engine in the BMW 123d Coupé sets a benchmark for small diesels. Its 1,995cc powerplant is the world’s first all aluminium diesel to have an output per litre figure in excess of 100hp – something only BMW M cars usually attain. It is also the first four-cylinder production diesel to come with twin-turbo technology.

Peak torque is 400Nm from 2,000rpm, while the engine revs to in excess of 4,400rpm where peak power is attained. This performance equates to a zero to 62mph time of 7.0 seconds and a top speed of 148mph – previously unheard of figures in such small capacity production diesels. By comparison the output of the four-cylinder BMW 123d betters that of established six-cylinder diesel engines from both Audi and Mercedes.

The BMW 123d Coupé also makes financial sense. Its 138g/km emissions figure sees it fall into the Band C Vehicle Excise Duty tier while the fuel consumption figure on the combined cycle is 54.3mpg. It is aided in this by the use of elements from BMW’s renowned EfficientDynamics programme. The 123d comes with Auto Start-Stop technology, Brake Energy Regeneration, third-generation common-rail fuel injection, a diesel particulate filter, active aerodynamics, Electric Power Steering and low rolling resistance tyres.

For customers seeking an entry point into the new 1 Series Coupé range, the 120d offers another option of style, driving dynamics and parsimonious motoring. Its 1,995cc four-cylinder engine mixes a 177hp output and a zero to 62mph time of 7.6 seconds with 58.9mpg economy and emissions of just 128g/km. The same EfficientDynamics technologies used on the 123d are also deployed on the 120d.

Dynamic capability:
Like every BMW before it, except xDrive models, the new BMW 1 Series Coupé has 50:50 weight distribution and a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive configuration for the best in driving dynamics. To offer the most compliant yet sporting ride and the best in directional stability, the 1 Series Coupé has a double-joint spring strut front axle arrangement with a five-link rear suspension. Such an arrangement allows engineers greater scope in fine tuning the ride characteristics of the car.

Dynamic Stability Control is standard on the 120d Coupé to act as an electronic safety blanket for the driver. Dynamic Traction Control is a further function of DSC that permits a greater degree of wheelslip for more spirited driving. The BMW 123d and the 135i come as standard with Dynamic Stability Control+ with its five additional safety features of Soft Stop, Hill start assistant, Brake Drying, Brake pre-tensioning and Brake fade compensation. In addition to this the 135i Coupé has a high performance braking system featuring six-piston callipers for greater retardation.