Ever wonder why BMW went from the bulky metal or plastic panels to foam and swirly sheeting on its secret prototype models or what goes on during testing of upcoming vehicles at Death Valley, California? Then follow the jump to watch a pair of official BMW videos that provide us an insight into the world of prototypes at the firm’s Research and Innovation Center called ‘Plant Zero’ as well as a clip from the heat testing team.
As it turns out, the BMW M3 sport pickup truck that has been making the internet rounds recently is nothing more than an expensive hoax being prepared by the Bavarian automaker for April Fools’ Day. Nevertheless, we can’t say we’re not interested in a ute that’s based on one of the most coveted sports cars in the market. If you’ve had your fill of spy shots and want to see the M3 sport ute on the move, all you have to do is hit the break and watch the video.
Source: AMS via Autoblog.com
Leading up to the world premiere of the 2012 M5 that’s believed to take place at the Frankfurt Motor Show this fall, BMW is releasing a series of videos slowly uncovering its high-performance sports saloon.
This time, we get a three-and-a-half-long video clip of the M5 flung around on the snow. There’s also a lot of talk going on, but unfortunately, it’s all in German, so if any of you out there can translate the basic bits, we’d appreciate it. We’ll remind you that the new M5 will be motivated by a twin-turbocharged V8 engine with direct-injection pumping out close to 600 horsepower. Take (another) look at the M5 in the video after the jump.
By now, you have probably already read about the third generation of BMW’s 6-Series Coupe, the first photos of which were released over the weekend, but the Bavarians have also published a video of their 2+2 Grand Tourer.
Set to get its first public outing at the Shanghai motor show in China in April, the 6-Series Coupe will charge into showrooms later this year with a choice of two turbocharged powertrains (depending on the market), a 3.0-litre straight six packing 320HP in the 640i, and a 4.4-litre V8 delivering 407HP in the 650i. A diesel version and a range-topping M6 model with a twin-turbocharged V8 engine are also planned down the line.
After the first couple of somewhat cryptic teaser films, BMW allowed Evo Magazine’s Chris Harris to sit behind the wheel of its upcoming 2012 M5 sports saloon and share the video with the rest of the world.
The Bavarian company is still keeping mum on the performance details, but officials confirmed that the twin-turbocharged V8 lump that replaces the outgoing M5’s 507HP V10 will have more oomph than on the X5 M / X6 M. “Do you really think we would give it less than an X6M?”, BMW officials told Harris. In the X6 M, the twin-turbo V8 kicks out 555HP and 680Nm or 501-lbs/ft of peak torque.
So what were his initial thoughts about the car after a quick test drive of a pre-production M5? “It felt like an M-car in the correct sense: purposeful, but not too aggressive,” Harris wrote. “To me this car feels like its DNA has been drawn from the E39 M5. It’s a less frenzied machine than the one it replaces: it has torque and flexibility but still the killer pace every M5 owner requires.”
Source: Evo
The story goes that right after World War 2, some crazy Germans decided to craft a one-of-a-kind racecar built around a BMW V12 engine made for airplanes: a 1925 46.0-liter 12-cylinder unit, to be precise. There was no a shortage of these kind of engines in that era, since Germany wasn't allowed to own any military aircrafts.
They had a problem however: the engine tipped the scales at 510 kg (1,124 lbs) and was huge measuring 1.8 meters long, 1.1 meters tall and 0.87 meters wide. Finding a proper chassis was difficult, but they managed to get hold of a 1908 American LaFrance car that could withstand the weight of the beast. It took the builders several years to complete the car, which was manufactured in a workshop belonging to the Auto & Technik Museum in Sinsheim and was given the name Brutus.
According to the museum, the engine puts out 500 horsepower at 1,500 rpm, while other sources claim 750 hp at 1,700 rpm (for only one minute). Its fuel consumption is 1 liter/km (2.35 mpg), hence the huge fuel tank, and the car is said to comfortably cruise at speeds of over 100 km/h (62 mph) at just 800 rpm.
The BMW Brutus is owned by the Sinsheim Museum in Germany where it can be seen today. Since it's hard to find accurate data about the Brutus, we'd appreciate it if any of you happen to know more about the car, dropped us a comment below.
By Dan Mihalascu
Sources: Sinsheim Museum , Blogautomobile , BMWblog
Former BMW Group Design boss Chris Bangle was on a roll at the Geneva Motor Show. Following his encounter with Saab's new chief designer, Jason Castriota, Bangle also had a quick video chat with Car Design News Editor Eric Gallina about his views on supercars.
"Well, I'm kind of old school on supercars, you know," said Bangle. “If they're not something that, just, you know, knocks your balls off, you know, they're nice cars, and go fast too, you know. The world needs another, oh that's good!" Want more Bangle? Hit the jump to watch the clip.
Source: Cardesignnews / Youtube
Turns out BMW's statement "We're all looking forward to Friday" was referring to yet another teaser video of the upcoming M5 sports saloon. This time, the Bavarian automaker showed the car testing in Northern Europe, albeit partially wrapped in the firm's traditional swirly camouflage. The official clip also hosts Dr. Kay Segler, president of BMW M GmbH, who describes the new M5 as "a bold business car, but with the push of a button, you have a sports car".
As you probably already know by now, the next M5 will come with a twin-turbocharged V8 engine, most likely based on the same unit found on the X5M and X6M crossovers. The official presentation of the M5 F10 is expected to take place at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show in September. Video follows after the break.
Apparently BMW is getting ready to introduce its hotly anticipated F10 M5 sports saloon as the Bavarian automaker released a teaser video on its official Youtube page this week. While the video itself doesn't really show anything, BMW's statement "We're all looking forward to Friday" hints at a reveal for tomorrow. That or another lame teaser. We shall see.
The new M5 is expected to drop the V10 in favour of a smaller but even more powerful V8 lump with twin-turbocharging and direct-injection technologies, which could flirt with 600-horsepower mark.
You might think watching two world-renowned designers talking cars would be entertaining . . . and you'd be right on the money. Rising star and Saab's current hot shot design director Jason Castriota penned the PhoeniX concept. Chris Bangle, known for turning BMW on its head with his flame surfaces and unique rear ends, was hanging around Geneva and decided to chat with Castriota about his "aero" style.
Check out the video below for a minute and a half of a little (friendly?) banter between two polarizing designers as they discuss what makes the PhoeniX a Saab.
By Phil Alex
Source: Cardesignnews via Jalopnik
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The new BMW Z4-based 99d roadster and the BMW 550i-based ACS5 sports saloon will hog the limelight on AC Schnitzer's stand at this week's 2011 Geneva Motor Show. Both models were developed to offer performance without compromising on fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions. The Z4 99d comes with a 190HP 2.0-liter turbo diesel engine, while the ACS5 features a 4.4-liter turbocharged V8 gasoline unit pumping out 540-ponies. Scope out the first promotional videos of AC Schnitzer's newest tunes right after the break.
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Do you happen to own a fourth generation BMW M3 Coupe, Sedan or Convertible model, and if so, do you crave for a throatier sound from its exhaust? If you answered yes to both questions and can justify spending $4,374 plus labor for installation for a performance exhaust system, then you may want to take a look the Bavarian firm's new M Performance offering.
BMW said the new exhaust system is crafted from an extremely heat-resistant and lightweight chrome-nickel alloy called Inconel, which allowed the firm's engineers to reduce the thickness of the tubing from 1.5mm to 0.8mm. This resulted in a weight reduction of approximately 40%, or about 20 pounds when compared to the M3's stock exhaust system. So basically, you're getting a much lighter exhaust system with a more powerful sound
The M Performance Exhaust also comes with perforated inner pipes and polished titanium tips, which are laser engraved with the M logo.
The company said the new exhaust may be installed at any Authorized BMW Center at a price of $4,374 plus installation.
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If this ad is to be taken seriously, the only difference between a late 1980s E30 BMW 325i and a Hyundai Excel is price and the engine / transmission layout. After all both have, “[A] plush interior, European styling [and] room for five.”
After all, niggling little details like equipment levels, brand image and build quality have never bothered car buyers before, right? Apparently not, as the Excel went on to become one of U.S.’s best selling imports, with 168,000 of the little blighters sold in its first year stateside. That’s a lot of, “Hun-days,” [sic].
So what if it had the looks of a three-year-old Toyota Corolla and was built in a place that wasn’t even a country sixty years ago; it cost just US$5,499 and in salesman speak that’s a damn good deal. There are probably innumerable benefits to owning a 1988 Hyundai Excel. Such as...uh...or maybe...um...and then there’s...oh.
It was cheap, yeah? And cheap is good despite what a certain fictional character may have said to the contrary. That’s true for at least the vast majority of cash-strapped Americans and almost certainly for Hyundai. Yes, it was front wheel drive and sure it had no outstanding qualities other than the price tag. The same could be said for many of the cars sold today, and you don’t see any of them comparing themselves to a German heavyweight.
So watch the ad and reminisce about a simpler time when men wore pinstriped shirts, martini lunches were often followed by cocaine afternoons and a balmy little upstart from the Sea of Japan had the verve to stick its fingers in its ears and stick its tongue out.
By Tristan Hankins
Source: Youtube via NYT
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We've lost track of how many times we've seen crazy edits to the English subtitles of a scene from the 2004 German-language movie titled “Downfall" in the United States, in which Adolf Hitler explodes with anger. This four-minute-long video spoofs BMW and the company's decision to make use of the N54 twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter straight-six engine on the 1-Series M Coupe. Enjoy some laughs in the video after the jump.
Source: Youtube via Autoblog.nl
For more than thirty years now, BMW has been producing a special range of security vehicles that offer armored protection against everything from pistol fire to small explosions. These vehicles are developed at a special test facility located in east Germany, in a former soviet base, said to have been the biggest military airport in Europe during the Cold War. Here, the Bavarian automaker tests its armored vehicles and hosts a special driver training program where instructors teach participants how to react in dangerous situations and push the cars to their limits. You can watch the video right after the jump.
Source: BMW via Autoblog.nl
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If this video is to be believed, An Jiaxuan is an inventor par excellence and an electronics genius to boot. We see him playing around with various (and presumably) self-developed Smartphone apps, including ones that switch the lights and air conditioning on and off and can take a picture from a tripod-mounted camera.
That’s not all, though. Jiaxuan’s next big project is equipping and controlling a full-sized car via remote control. What’s the timeframe for this endeavour? Just twenty days.
With little more than some software development knowhow, a borrowed BMW 1-series hatchback, a Nokia C7 Smartphone and a whole lot of electronic and mechanical components, Jiaxuan makes the impossible a reality. Sure, it could all be a hoax or a viral ad for the C7, but that’s not really the point; this video has some funny moments.
Like when Jiaxuan’s friend asks, “How’s the control? Is it just as good?”
And Jiaxuan replies, “Of course man, it’s gotta be otherwise we’re not gonna be able to get the car to drift.”
It’s that sort of balls-to-the-wall car lover insanity that we at Carscoop adore. Or the final scene in the video, where Jiaxuan’s friend points at an overflying aircraft and says:
“Think you can control that plane up there?”
Looking up at the sky, Jiaxuan answers, “We could try, yah...I think it’ll work.”
Click through for the full video and let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
By Tristan Hankins
Via: Motofilm
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The BMW 750i xDrive that was stolen during the 2011 Detroit Auto Show has been found. The $95,000 car was discovered at a gated apartment complex near Telegraph and Glendale Street, in Detroit’s West Side. Detroit police said the wires to the tracking system had been cut, but the Bimmer was probably ditched due to the massive media attention surrounding the case. Authorities seized the vehicle for further processing.
The 7-Series was used by BMW officials and guests during the press days of the Detroit motor show. Although it was a crime of opportunity, as the handler left the keys in the car and stepped away for a second, the thieves weren’t amateurs and were able to annihilate the GPS tracking device fitted to the $95,000 luxo-barge. Video report available after the break.
By Csaba Daradics
Source: WXYZ
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While we're done covering the automotive action from the main show floor of the Cobo Center, the Detroit Motor Show continues to make headlines, albeit for the wrong reasons. A BMW 750i xDrive (or 750iL xDrive) worth either $94,000 or $140,000 (depending on the news site....) was stolen near the Westin Book Cadillac in downtown Detroit. And what has that got to do with the Detroit Show, we hear you ask?
Well, the 7-Series was part of a fleet of BMW sedans that were used by the Bavarian automaker's executives and guests during the press days of the show. According to Police reports, the gray bimmer was being loaded into a transporter bound for New Jersey when the handler stepped away momentarily leaving the keys in the vehicle. That's when the crafty thieves stepped in and drove away with the 7er. Video report after the jump.
Source: 7Abc
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As previously reported, BMW has officially green-lighted a production version of the Vision ED plug-in hybrid sports car. So, it was only a matter of time before new information on the eco-friendly model would surface online. First we saw some pictures hit the Teamspeed forum, followed by this here video, but we’re not entirely convinced that both are part of a lucky scoop.
The quality of the photos lead us to think that we’re dealing with a viral and the fact that no one on BMW’s police-escorted crew noticed that their photo shoot is being recorded in an empty race track in Abu Dhabi doesn’t seem likely. Nevertheless, this is more proof that the Bavarian maker is ramping for an official presentation, probably due at a major international auto show this year, with a production model following in 2013.
The Abu Dhabi video is available below, along with two more clips, one showing how the Vision ED’s – allegedly named i8 in some reports – hybrid powertrain works and a new commercial featuring the same car.
By Csaba Daradics
Via: E90post
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