BMW Cars

Archive for the ‘BMW Talk’ Category

The M3 was launched in 1986 deriving its DNA from the E0 3-Series, and the history of automotive was re-written for the BMW brand.

Since the roll out of the very first M3, BMW has released three more generations of this vehicle. Through modifications of the engine, chassis, and aerodynamics of a standard 3-Series, an M3 performance car is born for enthusiasts.

The original 4-cylinder engine, fitted to the coupe or convertible M3, was replaced by the E36 6-cylinder model that was subsequently made as a coupe, convertible, and a sedan for the first time.

The BMW M3 takes the next chapter when the E46 came with a straight-six powerplant made available in convertible and coupe variants.

The current M3 E90/92/93 series was rolled out back in 2007 with its power given out by a new V-8 powerplant. The current M3 is offered as a sedan, hardtop convertible, and coupe variants.

With the celebration of the 25^th year of the M3, we want to share to our readers videos which detail the different M3 generations. It will take about half an hour to watch everything but it will all be worth it if you are a BMW fan.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The public will now be seeing more carbon fiber in future BMW units. According to reports, the carmaker has discovered numerous other ways to maximize the use of the material. BMW officially announced that they will be using carbon fiber extensively in their Megacity electric vehicle. The carbon fiber frenzy won’t be exclusive to BMW’s electric car project, though.

According to Ian Robertson, the global sales head of the company, BMW intends to be the first car company to use massive volumes of carbon fiber in all of their vehicles. Robertson adds that by maximizing the use of carbon fiber on their cars, better economies will be tapped into.

To date, BMW and partner company SGL Group plans to construct a $100 million carbon fiber manufacturing plant. This should be able to supply enough carbon fiber for BMW’s electric car. Robertson also revealed during the interview in Beijing Motor Show that this plant will be situated in Washington.

While the plant in Washington is underway, a factory located in Germany will be molding the Megacity’s paneling. The Megacity Vehicle is set to be released in 2013. With the use of the carbon fiber material, the electric vehicle is bound to be light weight. This should make up for the heaviness of the EV’s batteries.

Carbon fiber is also boasted to have outstanding features for crash safety. Robertson admits that the material will be costly, but the sales head remains positive about the ventures advantages. Carbon fiber, according to Robertson, should make the car at least 30% lighter. With the heavy batteries of the EV, Robertson is optimistic that the trade off will work, and it’ll be a great addition to the alternative car fuels of the future!

This spring is going to be a great time for all the BMW lovers out there.

Why? Many reasons really. One of them can definitely be attributed to this baby, though.

Feast your eyes on the BMW ActiveHybrid 7, which is scheduled to be available during this season.

It is a luxury sedan with room to seat five. What is considered a “mild hybrid system” powers the vehicle. It has 440 horsepower attached to its 4.4 liter V8 engine, not to mention 20 horsepower attached to its electric motor.

It is estimated that the hybrid system will reduce not only emissions but also fuel consumption by as much as fifteen percent!

When you are talking about BMW – you have to remember the brand new 2011 BMW 1-Series right?  This is a car that not only do I absolutely love but it is actually one of those particular cars that seems to stick out in your head.  This car has been the topic of many conversations, as it has been spotted being driven around Germany as early as last year.

However, the 2011 BMW 1-Series is definitely one of the larger BMW cars that I have seen and its engine is certainly something that I did not expect to find.  It is going to have between a 1.4 to 3.0 liter turbo engine.

The point?  The 2011 BMW 1-Series is going to rock and it is going to kick butt as soon as it comes out.

BMW is set to give the world a preview of their gasoline-electric concept hybrid this week at the Geneva Motor Show. The luxury carmaker will showcase the ActiveHybrid 5 Concept side by side with the 6-cylinder and V8 models.

The concept car ActiveHybrid 5 has under its hood a sophisticated hybrid setup that involves a 6-cylinder gasoline direct injected and twin turbocharged engine paired with a lithium ion battery dependent electric motor.

The electric motor of this green car registers 54 horsepower and is linked to the gasoline engine via a special clutch. When the driver hits the brakes or when the car is coasting, the electric motor will be activated as a generator to charge the batteries.

The hybrid system is similar to the setup of the ActiveHybrid 7 where the electric motor is paired with a V8. According to BMW designers, the technology allows one to save about 10% of fuel and it also permits all-electric driving in the city streets. It also makes use of a stop-start technology to save more fuel. Weather control is also controlled by the battery and does not depend on the engine.

BWM also linked the navigation system with the software that controls the consumption of energy of the motor, battery, and the engine. The car may for example depend on the battery more when cruising down a downhill route and the system is designed to recharged it as it passes on that section of the road.

BMW has not released any figures about fuel economy or power outputs but expect for updates as soon as we hear about them.

I was browsing through some BMW archives today, and came across something that literally took my breath away: the BMW Concept Coupe, from all the way back in 2006.

There is something about this concept that is both classic and modern. I don’t know, something about it strikes me as being evocative of a Rolls Royce Silver Ghost, and believe me when I say that is an absolutely enormous compliment.

Way back when this was revealed, it was done in the days leading up to the Mille Miglia, a contemporary road race designed for those cars which originally competed in the first event, which took place between the years of 1933 and 1957. As it happened, back then the fastest time was set by the BMW 328, which got an average of more than 100 miles per hour in 1940.

It seems that everyone in the world is switching up their gears and going from the bigger and bulkier cars and moving on down to the smaller, more compact cars.  To be honest, I think that is a better option – only because the cars are better all around for the environment as well as the overall appeal of the cars.  BMW is no different and they are actually switching up their way of thinking too.

In 2014, they are actually rumored to release two cars that are right around the same size of the 1Series and honestly … I think that is great!  One car is rumored to be electric and it was actually shown just a few short weeks ago at the Detroit Auto Show.

The other car – not quite sure what they have in store for it but this little clip of a picture is a sneak peek!

The BMW 3 Series sedan is expected to hit the market by 2011 as a 2012 model but the carmaker is not taking things lightly as it gives the current 3 Series coupe and convertible a mild upgrade inside and out for the 2011 model.

The most noticeable change are the reshaped headlamp clusters making the design go well with the wider grille and lower front end of the car. The tail lights retain their old shape but the reflectors got a reworked detailing. The hood looks a bit wider, side mirrors more extended, and the air dam at the tail end of the car also gets more contour lines.

Aside from its looks, the 3-Series has some changes under its hood. A single turbo version will be replacing the twin turbo charged 3.0L. The new engine called N55 was recently launched as the power plants for the 535i Gran Turismo and for the 740i. The new engine resolves the turbo lag which might have been experienced by drivers with the twin turbo system. The N55 makes use of dual exhaust inlets that result to faster spinning of the turbine because of the better balance achieved with the incoming pulses.

BMW also boasts of a cleaner cold starting with the reduction of the emission by directing all the exhaust gases into a single and bigger catalytic converter which warms up faster. The intake of the engine makes use of the Valvetronic variable valve control system technology.

The direct fuel injected N55 gives the same 300 horspe power and 300 lb-ft of torque to the 3-Series but the torque maintains its peak at 1,200 to 5,000 rpm.

Traveling to Las Vegas means to enjoy the casinos, theaters, and other activities in the Sin City. You can make it more exciting and worthwhile if you will get a ride to fit the lifestyle. No you don’t have to buy the next to impossible priced cars but you can rent and drive them around.

The choices for exotic cars are really wide. You can visit the garage of the car rentals in Las Vegas and choose from different brands like Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Lamborghini, BMW, etc. If you are into European cars, renting a BMW in Las Vegas, Nevada will give you a thrilling ride going from one spot to another.

BMW was founded March of 1916 and is one of the major car manufacturers in the world today. Known for its performance and dependability, BMW branched out to other brands like the Mini and the Rolls Royce.

Post World War I, BMW stopped producing aircraft engines. The company focused on producing motorcycles in 1923 followed by cars in 1928.

The BMW logo or roundel is also believed to be symbolizing the movement of the airplane propeller but in fact it is an evolution of Rapp Motorenwerke logo from which BMW grew. The colors are attributed to colors of the flags of Bavaria.

BMW cars are a bit too expensive for a lot of people but you can rent a BMW in Las Vegas, Nevada so you can make your vacation or trip special. Choose from the wide range of BMWs and cruise along the strip in style.

BMW Megacity is set to roll out of the factory before the mid of the next decade and it is expected to use a range of lightweight materials so it can achieve its very low emission targets. BMW partners with SGL Group, expert maker of carbon fiber and other composites, to meet the set goals.

The technology and materials produced by SGL will be used for the Megacity Vehicle. Ultra light but very strong materials that will be used for the car’s architecture will be the key to meet the safety and environmental goals of BMW for the future member of their fleet.

The Megacity Vehicle will be marketed under a sub-brand of the BMW, most likely under the Isetta brand. The first car is expected to be marketed by the sub-brand as early as 2012. There are also ongoing negotiations to collaborate with Japanese carmaker Toyota so the platform of their iQ car can be utilized for the Megacity project. This will help BMW to meet their very tight schedule for production.

The Megacity Vehicle is being developed under the umbrella of the Project i of BMW but this does not mean that all of the cars that will be spawned from this run will be as high tech as the Megacity. Some of the vehicles may come with simpler goals, come with more affordable price tags, and be more readily available to consumers. The Mini E was the first product out of the Project i Project of BMW.

The Megacity Vehicle is still under development and will take a few more years for retail release. Realistically, the car will be ready for release by 2014 or 2015.

The SGL Group will be able to supply the carbon fiber materials needed by BMW to meet the economies of scale for their alternative fuel car and meet the math solution to make the Megacity Vehicle available for the buying public.