Category: BMW

The next-generation BMW 7-series is reported to be officially unveiled on July 7th.

BMW is expected to take the wraps off its new flagship next July. For the carmaker, it will be a come back to the roots with a more conventional design and a focus on technology. The next 7-Series will be available with two petrol engines at launch, both twin-turbocharged, the 4.8-litre V8 unit that appeared on the X6 and a re-engineered V12 engine. Both engines will be hooked up to a new eight speed automatic gearbox. The V8-powered version will feature two square pipes, while the V12 engine will come with four square pipes.

For the first time, the 7-Series will be available with an all-wheel drive transmission. However this option won’t be available at launch like the four wheel steering System. The 7-Series will the first company’s model to offer this technology. Without a doubt, the four steering wheel system will help the heavy limousine to be more agile than ever in corners.

The interior will re-introduce the famous driver orientated console. Abandoned on the current model, this move confirms that the carmaker wants to go back to its roots. However, the controversial iDrive will still be available. The 7-Series will debut a second-generation which will allow the carmaker to control everything, even personalize the warning system!

BMW ruled out the possibility to build the M1 Homage, but a new report has confirmed a future production version of the concept car.

In an interview with Car magazine, BMW board member, Herbert Diess, has revealed that the M1 Homage previews a supercar that the carmaker plans to launch in the near future. This news doesn’t come as a surprise. BMW has been working for a longtime on how to reach the £100,000 growing market segment.

The future supercar is said to be a rear-engined vehicle which will be focused on sports. Despite a visual link with the legendary M1, the future model won’t feature its moniker. Also unlike the M1, the future supercar will feature a wide range of engines with six, eight and ten cylinder units. The Audi R8 and the Lamborghini will likely be its fiercest competitors.

This is probably the most astonishing rumour, but BMW is seriously considering building a hatchback variant of the next-generation 5-Series.

Like the new Skoda Superb, the German carmaker wants to make a two-in-one 5-Series combining the advantage of a hatchback and a saloon. The rumoured boot would be designed to act like a conventional boot or hatchback. Why would BMW decide to release a hatchback 5-Series? In the family car segment, a hatchback is a quite common body, but in the executive segments, the only carmakers to sell hatchback models are the French clique which don’t record big sales. If customers want practicality, they generally ten to buy the estate version which is much sexier than a hatchback model, except for the Citroen C6.

The hatchback body would be sold along with the saloon and estate models. How will BMW explain the new body to its usual customers? Maybe an emerging market favours hatchback models and BMW is betting that the specific costs will be then covered. Future will say.

Here are some spyshots of the facelifted 3-Series that BMW plans to unveil this year.

With this facelifted, BMW will try to relaunch the family car which has suffered since the Mercedes C-Class hit the market. The spotted version is the saloon, the best selling variant. From the clear spyshots, it appears that the model will get a serious facelift for a BMW with redesigned taillights and slightly re-designed front fascia.

The taillights will be reduced by one quarter, while the front fascia will feature a new bumper, modified foglights, new bonnet and new grille.

The facelift will also see the launch of the twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre unit on the estate variant.

The German tuner has unveiled a sport package destined for the new 1-Series cabriolet.

On the outside, the sport package adds a bodykit that includes front and rear spoilers, and sport exterior mirrors. There are also several new alloy wheels with sizes varying from 17in to 19in. The interior is trimmed with carbon-fiber panels and features a sport steering wheel.

In addition to the visual enhancements, AC Schnitzer offers engine upgrades: 135i’s output jumps from 306 to 360bhp, he 120d’s from 177 to 200bhp and the 123d’s from 204 to 240bhp. There are also a suspension kit.

BMW has once again won the prestigious title of ‘International Engine of the Year 2008 for one of its engines, the  3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol unit.

The powerful BMW unit was one of seven engines to triumph in the 2008 Awards that use turbocharging to achieve high power output from smaller displacement engines that use less fuel and produce less CO2. The 300bhp powertrain is found in many models from the 1-Series to the X6.BMW also wins ‘Best New Engine of the Year’ with its 2-litre Diesel Twin-Turbo unit and the ‘1.4-litre to 1.8-litre’ category with the co-engineered BMW-PSA 1.6-litre turbocharged engine.

Peter Langen, BMW’s director of powertrain who also witnessed his engines top the 3- to 4-litre and Above 4-litre categories, commented: “BMW rightly views these awards as the highest industry recognition of its outstanding achievements in engine technology and manufacturing. It is an honour for our 3-litre twin- turbo engine to have secured the highest accolade for the second year running, and we are truly delighted that so many of our other engines have been judged as class-leading.”

The Awards, which are judged by 65 motoring journalists from 32 countries from four continents, also rewarded a variety of other manufacturers for engine excellence across a number of different categories. The Volkswagen/Audi Group, Toyota, Porsche and Subaru were all worthy category winners.

International Engine of the Year Awards 2008: Winners

Best New Engine of 2008    
BMW 2-litre Diesel Twin-Turbo (123d)   

Green Engine of the Year
Toyota 1.5-litre Hybrid Synergy Drive (Prius)                                                    

Best Performance Engine    
Porsche 3.6-litre Turbo (911 Turbo, 911 GT2)                           

Sub 1-litre
Toyota 1-litre (Aygo, Yaris, Peugeot 107, Citroën C1, Subaru Justy)                                    
1-litre to 1.4-litre      
Volkswagen 1.4-litre TSI Twincharger (Golf, Touran, Tiguan, Jetta)

1.4-litre to 1.8-litre
BMW-PSA 1.6-litre Turbo (MINI Cooper S, Clubman, Peugeot 207, 308)               

1.8-litre to 2-litre      
Volkswagen/Audi 2-litre Turbo (A3, A4 Cabrio, A6, TT, Eos, Jetta, Golf GTi, Seat Altea, Leon, Skoda Octavia)       

2-litre to 2.5-litre               
Subaru 2.5-litre Turbo (Forester, Impreza, Outback, Legacy) 

2.5-litre to 3-litre
BMW 3-litre Twin-Turbo (135, 335, X6)

3-litre to 4-litre
BMW 4-litre V8 (M3)                                                                                              

Above 4-litre
BMW 5-litre V10 (M5, M6)