Category: BMW

In an interview with the weekly German car magazine Automobile Woche, Carsten Preis of the M division declared that BMW plans to deliver 100,000 M3s in the coming years. Though the figure looks impressive, it is actually only 10,000 more than the previous generation.

In order to achieve such a sales figure, BMW will release the M3 in both convertible and saloon variants in the near future. Also, despite a bigger engine and more power, BMW engineers have made the car softer to appeal to the masses. The question is whether these efforts are enough to compete successfully with fellow German carmakers Audi and Mercedes. Here nothing is certain.

When BMW released the former M3 it did not have serious competition but Audi and Mercedes seem to have taken a course in how to build sportier cars. The RS4 has been very well received by the journalists and the new C63 AMG looks extremely promising.

According to the German car magazine Autobild, Mercedes could use the new Mini platform for their next A-Class.

It is very likely that the next A-Class will lose its innovative platform. Dubbed “Sandwich“, the platform enables the engine and the transmission to slide underneath the floor below the pedals rather than entering the passenger compartment in the event of a violent frontal impact. Unfortunately, this platform is very expensive to make and is not as flexible as other platforms. Even though Mercedes succeeded in extracting the B-Class from it, deriving a roadster variant would be close to impossible.

In order to reduce cost and to compete equally with the Audi A3 and BMW 1-Series, Mercedes decided to reuse the C-Class platform for the future B Class and the hypothetical baby roadster. This will enable the compact MPV model to be fitted with a bigger engine and adopt the RWD scheme, as well as comply more closely with the Mercedes brand image. However, using the C-Class platform for the A-Class would increase the size of the baby Benz and Mercedes would lose current customers to the competition.

Basing the future A-Class on the Mini platform would make sense for Mercedes as it would share costs with BMW. The latter would be able to use its assembly lines in the Oxford plant and would increase the profit margin made on the Mini.

Everyday we can watch videos about future models or funny TV commercials. With this video we become an open-mouthed child.

The launch date of the 1-Series Coupe barely announced, here are the first almost undisguised spyshots of the convertible.

Like the coupe, the convertible is much sexier than the hatchback and BMW made the right decision to favor a soft top. Perhaps it is less impressive while working but it suits better the carmaker’s brand image.

No information is available concerning the engine but inline 4 and 6 will be available in order to compete with the future Audi A3 convertible.

This is BMW’s answer to the Nissan 350Z and Porsche Cayman, a coupe version of the Z4 roadster. That’s what BMW wants us to believe because the collapsing sales of the “flame surfacing” roadster tell a different story. Its sales are so far from the forecasts that it could become uneconomical to produce. From 56,000 sales in 2003, it dropped to 34,000 in 2004 and some insiders say the first six months of this year sales have declined by another 30 percent. Although it is displayed as a concept-car at the Frankfurt Motor Show at the same time as Porsche presents the Cayman, this coupe will go into production next year.

The bodywork of the Z4 is nearly unchanged – including the door and the nose – in order to reduce the development cost of the new model, like Porsche did with the Cayman. More elegant than the roadster, the coupe’s roofline blends into a high boot lid with an integrated spoiler. An interesting quirk: the rear upper body lifts to access the boot. The interior from the roadster is unchanged but is the concept-car blends brown leather with aluminium door inserts and dashboard controls.

The coupe will be powered  by the 3.0-litre straight six, 261 bhp and 232 lb ft whereas sources says it could also be powered by the V8, 400 bhp, from the future M3.

Anticipating Alfa’s 159 Sportwagon, BMW releases the estate version of its best-seller. BMW designers, led by Chris Bangle resisted the temptation of a bold styling. This 3 series Touring can load up to 1385 litres of luggage, which exceeds the capacities of a Mercedes C-Class Estate or a Peugeot 407 SW. Nevertheless, a VW Passat Variant or a Vauxhall Vectra offer up to 1850 litres.
BMW has paid a great attention to practicallity, fitting this new version of the 3-series with a reversible boot floorpan, a 12 volt power socket, luggage lashes or a bag and umbrella holder. For a few hundred extra pounds , you can get a waterproof box to store muddy boots for example.
Technically speaking, the Touring is almost identical to the excellent sedan. But beware: the Alfa 159 Sportwagon is underway…

With a maddening power-to-weight ratio (300bhp for 1320kgs), the Z4-based Alpina Roadster S dashes from to 60mph in 5.3 seconds and reaches 165mph. The Buchloe-made roadster is now cheaper, with a range starting at £38,750 OTR, i.e. the same price as a Porsche Boxster 3.2S, delivering 276bhp, but £1,752 more than a 350bhp TVR Tamora. We can expect the Alpina to be more reliable though. At this price, the Alpina comes with an air conditioning, 19’’ alloys, n extended leather upholstery, a cruise control and 6-CD changer. Almost a bargain in fact…

75bhp for the Mini D while many other superminis can offer up to 130 (Seat IBIZA, VW Polo), this was not enough. In September, the Mini will get 13 more horse-powers and reach 88bhp. In the mean time , torque will increase by 10Nm to 190Nm, thus, the Mini will be able to accelerate from to 62mph in 11.5 seconds, reach 109mph and return 58.9mpg. Not enough to worry a Peugeot 206 HDI 110 driver though.
Along with this power increase, all Minis will receive a better equipment –CD player will become standard-, new options and new prices. The new Mini range will start at £10,995 on the road.

No speed limit on certain sections of German motorways: do you guess why German carmakers make the best sporty sedans? In this category, here is BMW’s new ground-to-ground family missile: the M5. Outside, it’s not so spectacular, but its 19’’ alloys and 4 exhaust pipes indicate there is something special under the bonnet. A 4999cc V10 delivering 507bhp at 7750rpm has made it to the BMW 5-series. Not only does this engine take up an F1-like layout, but its block is also cast  in the same Landshut-based foundry as those used by Williams. This magnificent piece of machinery, complying with the stringent Euro IV norm, is coupled with a 7-speed SMG III gearbox.

In order to cope with this powerful engine weighing 240kgs, BMW has fitted the M5 with EDC self-adapting dampers and an active steering. The front underframe has been stiffened too. Of course, ESP (called DSC) is standard, but it can be completely disengaged. Thus, it’s possible to make the most of the 50/50 balance of the chassis and the V10 can give its best on a track.

With a governed top speed of 161 mph, you can’t expect to worry the owner of a Ferrari F430.
But, according to Autocar magazine, the M5 can accelerate from 0 to 100mph in 9.8secs. It’s only 0.4sec slower than the Ferrari… Besides, from 0 to 150mph, the Italian 2-seater is defeated by 0.5sec (21 vs 21.5)!

Priced at £61,755, the BMW can be seen as a bargain when you know an F430 costs £124,650.

In the mean time, you can comfortably journey down to the south of Spain with your family and other luggage, enjoying the leather upholstery, the head-up display and the M-Drive, allowing you to tune the car as you wish.

Now, could you imagine cruising at 70mph on the M5 in an M5?

BMW has added a 4-cylinder 2-litre 150bhp engine to the Z4 range, so as to give it a lower entry point level. Even smaller, this new engine offers such technological refinements as the Vanos (variable valve timing) and Valvetronic (valve lift) systems so as to ensure a quick response through the gears, as BMW puts it. It allows the Z4 to accelerate from 0 to 60mph in 8secs and to be compliant with the Euro IV norm.

Thanks to this UK-made block, the Z4 is now available for £22,755 on-the-road. A Z4 2.0SE is available too, with the same equipment as the Z4 2.2 SE’s. The Z4 2.0 is cheaper than a Mercedes SLK 2.3 Kompressor, priced £28,055, but more expensive than a Mazda MX5 1.8 Sport, priced £18,000, which is to be replaced very soon. Maybe BMW is anticipating Mazda’s new roadster, seen in the Geneva Motor Show and expected late 2005.