BMW - My Favourite Car in the world: September 2013

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

BMW i8: 10 Things To Know

On September 10, BMW’s first hybrid sportscar will make its debut at the 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show. The BMW i8, also referred internally as the progressive sports car, aims to set the bar really high in they performance hybrids segment, one that is expected to grow in the next years.

Recently we had the opportunity to test drive a pre-production version of the upcoming BMW i8 at a BMW secret facility in France where we experienced both the ride and the process thought behind the car.

Here are the top 10 things to know about the BMW i8:

1. BMW i8 has the lowest center of gravity in the current BMW lineup.

2. First BMW to use the new family of engines: 1.5 liter based on a 3-cylinder architecture. Essentially a half-six engine.

3. First BMW with three drivetrains: FWD, RWD, or AWD. Due to its unique architecture, the BMW i8 can run on front wheels, rear wheels or all four wheels. In electric mode, the front-wheels are activated, on gasoline, the rear wheels are being spun, while the all-wheel drive system kicks off when the car uses the electric motor in conjunction with the rear-placed conventional engine.

4. Gorilla Glass. Same glass used on modern smartphones and tablets. The special glass is used for the rear window for sound absorbing.

5. Lighter than the current BMW M3. Thanks to the CFRP used, the BMW i8 weighs only 1,490 kilograms, 200 kg lighter than the M3. This makes the i8 hybrid to be faster than the more powerful M3.

6. The electric motor which drives the front wheels comes with a GKN two-speed automatic gearbox. The motor always run in first gear while in eDrive mode but switches directly to second gear in the mixed modes.

7. First BMW production car with butterfly-style doors. Sometimes referred to as “lambo-doors”, the unique opening will make getting in and out of the car a bit more complicated than usual, but the cool factor is worth the pain.

8. Despite its size and power, the BMW i8 sits on slimmer than usual tires – 20 inches aerodynamically designed wheels, 7.0 inches wide at the front and 7.5 inches wide in the back. The wrapper around the wheels are 195/50 and 215/45 tires, in standard form, but the car we drove used 215/45 and 245/40 tires. Even with slimmer rubers, the large contact patch offers maximum cornering stability.

9. The electro-mechanical steering system comes from the X3 SAV. Recent BMWs have been criticized for their lack of road feedback and somewhat soft steering, but the BMW i8 does better and gives the steering input we all expect from a bimmer.

10. When fully charged, the BMW i8 runs up to 35 kilometers (22 miles) on electric power only with a top speed of 75 km/h (47 mph).

source : http://www.bmwblog.com/2013/09/04/bmw-i8-10-things-know/

August 2013: BMW U.S. Sales up 45 percent

The BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported August sales of 30,546 vehicles, an increase of 35.4 percent from the 22,553 vehicles sold in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date, the BMW Group (BMW and MINI combined) is up 12 percent on sales of 233,326 in the first eight months of 2013 compared to 208,268 in the same period in 2012.

“This has been a summer of momentum, giving us a good tail-wind as we enter the all-important autumn selling season,” said Ludwig Willisch, President and CEO, BMW of North America, LLC. “The sales records set before the financial crisis continue to fall and with the arrival of the new X5 and the new 4 Series Coupe in the next couple of months, we are heading towards a strong finish for the year.”

August 2013: BMW U.S. Sales up 45 percent

BMW Brand Sales
Sales of BMW brand vehicles increased 45.7 percent in August for a total of 24,523 compared to 16,835 vehicles sold in August, 2012. Year-to-date, the BMW brand is up 14.8 percent on sales of 188,997 compared to 164,636 sold in the first eight months of 2012.

In August, best performing vehicles included the 3 Series, up 66.9 percent to 10,357 units; the 5 Series, up 158.2 percent to 4,359 units; the 6 Series, up 67.8 percent to 760 units and the 7 Series, up 172.6 percent to 924 units.

BMW Pre-Owned Vehicles
In August, sales of BMW used vehicles (including certified pre-owned and pre-owned) increased 19.2 percent to 16,706 vehicles compared to the 14,012 vehicles sold in August, 2012. January through August, BMW used vehicle sales are up 8.5 percent on volume of 118,259 compared to 108,952 in the same period of 2012.

MINI Brand Sales – best August ever
MINI USA reported the best August ever with sales of 6,023 automobiles, an increase of 5.3 percent from the 5,718 sold in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date, MINI sales in the U.S. are up 1.6 percent on volume of 44,329 compared to 43,632 in the first eight months of 2012.

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Road & Track not sold on the BMW i3

Generally the BMW i3 has been receiving positive reviews and many of the journalists that had a chance to drive BMW’s first electric vehicle have been impressed with the ride quality. U.S. magazine Road and Track seems to be going the opposite direction.

While in Munich for a quick 15 minutes drive, the U.S. outlet was less than impressed with the ride quality, but at the same time praised the overall package and interior design.

So what are some of the drawbacks? Let’s have a look.

Our time at the wheel consisted of 15 minutes on a cone course. The first thing I scribbled into my notebook: “This ain’t no Tesla. It’s not a BMW, either.”

Threading an i3 through a slalom feels like autocrossing an X5 on snow tires three sizes too narrow. The battery pack is mounted in the floor, Tesla-style, helping to keep the center of gravity low, but you’d never know it. The tall body cranks into the air, lists like a sailboat, and settles into tire-chattering understeer at what feels like a walking pace.

Tire size can’t help. The i3′s low-rolling-resistance, 155/70R-19 Bridgestones are nearly 1.5 inches narrower than the rear tire on BMW’s S 1000 RR motorcycle. The 1970s-tall sidewall is likely a boon to ride quality, as is the lack of a rear anti-roll bar, but it does the chassis no favors.

BMW says weight distribution is nearly 50/50 front-to-rear, but there’s no balanced behavior here. The overboosted steering is devoid of feedback, and at high speed, the understeer becomes snap oversteer paired with pucker-worthy stability-control interventions that seem to be the only thing keeping the car’s wheels on the ground.

At least the brakes feel great. The i3 uses Tesla-style accelerator mapping (full regeneration hits when you come off the gas), leaving a brake pedal free of the typical unpredictability of a blended brake system. The 11,000-rpm electric motor uses a clever magnet design that helps power production at high shaft speeds. Consequently, the i3 is quick to its 93-mph top speed, and BMW says 60 mph arrives in around seven seconds.

source : http://www.bmwblog.com/2013/09/03/road-track-sold-bmw-i3/

BMW i8 Leaked Photos

BMW i8 leaked photos emerge on the interwebs. With a week before its public debut in Frankfurt, the BMW i8 hybrid sportscar is being shown in its fully glory.

The two photos below shows the sports hybrid with a side view and open door while the other image shows the interior of the production car.

Like the BMW i3, the i8 designers are showing the car with a bi-color paint job, which is composed of a blueish-silver and black elements. The car sits on 20 inch wheels.

The interior is dominated by two large displays, one of the displays is used directly behind the wheel for the indication of engine speed, speed, and other information relevant to the driving. The second display sits in the center of the dashboard and is used for the infotainment functions. Clearly visible are also the automatic transmission gear selector, and the buttons for suspension setup as well as the iDrive controller.

FIRST DRIVE: BMW i8

BMW i8 hybrid is powered by the B38 1.5 liter three-cylinder petrol engine aided by two electric motors. The little but potent combustion engine is transversely mounted behind the cabin and delivers 228 horsepower and 236 lb ft-of torque. That’s 152 hp per liter, an impressive figure by any standards. BMW engineers confirmed that there is room for a bit more power, but the current level delivers the best efficiency.

At the front, but closer to the wheels, BMW placed an electric motor developing 129 horsepower and 184 lb ft-of torque. This is the same electric motor as in the BMW i3 but with less power (170 hp in the BMW i3). All these add up to a combined 357 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque.

source : http://www.bmwblog.com/2013/09/03/bmw-i8-leaked-photos/

BMW M4 DTM Rendering

Earlier this week BMW announced that in 2014, the all-new BMW M4 will enter the DTM championship.

“We are all really looking forward to the new BMW M4 DTM,” said BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt. “The BMW Concept M4 Coupé certainly looks fantastic. So will our DTM car for next season – I can already promise all the fans that much. The BMW M3 DTM won the title at the first attempt in 2012. We obviously want to follow on from this success with its successor. However, it will still be quite a while until we get to see our new DTM racing car for the first time.”

Furthermore, Dr. Friedrich Nitschke, President of BMW M, says that “with the launch of the BMW Concept M4 Coupé, we are now laying the foundation for a new era, both on the road and on the racetrack. The reactions to the Concept Car have so far been overwhelming. It is almost a matter of course to use it as the basis for a motorsport version. The DTM is obviously the ideal platform for this step. All fans of BMW M and the DTM certainly have good reason to start looking forward to 2014.”

We have asked rendering artist Jon Sibal to show us what the BMW M4 DTM could look like. The rendering uses design elements from the current M3 DTM car coupled with the new and already aggressive M4 design.

source : http://www.bmwblog.com/2013/08/20/bmw-m4-dtm-rendering/

Spoiler Alert: BMW Team RLL results at Baltimore ALMS

BMW Team RLL finished third and fourth in today’s American Le Mans Series Grand Prix of Baltimore that will go into the record books as the shortest race in ALMS history due to a crash on the first lap that cost the event half of its duration.

The checkered flag flew only one-hour-and-fourteen-minutes after the green flag waved with Dirk Müller and Joey Hand finishing third in the No. 56 BMW Z4 GTE and the No. 55 machine of Bill Auberlen and Maxime Martin coming home fourth.

The crash occurred just after the green flag waved, blocking the circuit and involving eight cars. Polesitter Bill Auberlen, in the No. 55 Z4 GTE, just skirted by and Joey Hand, starting the No. 56 Z4 GTE from the 11th position, was able to stop the car untouched. The restart began with two laps behind the pace car and the always quick thinking Bobby Rahal called Hand into the pits immediately – sacrificing the Californian’s minimum drive time and points – to get Müller in the No. 56 right away. Hand may have set a record for the shortest drive in ALMS history, but the move put Müller in the lead and gave him the best chance to stay in the race for the driver’s title. Unfortunately, following the race’s last restart Müller was slowed by a prototype car that missed the line through the chicane and was passed by both Corvettes.

Spoiler Alert: BMW Team RLL results at Baltimore ALMS

Bill Auberlen had a wild start in the No. 55 Z4 GTE and had a second near miss laps later, but kept the car clean before handing off to Martin after five laps. The Belgian raced as high as second before losing the rear bumper of the car and bringing out a yellow flag. He slipped to fourth in the closing stages of the race.

Unofficially, BMW still stands second in the GT class Manufacturer’s championship and Müller now is fifth is the driver’s title chase, behind both pairs of Corvette drivers, but all are only separated by a scant eight points.

“It seemed like amateur night,” said Bobby Rahal, Team Principal. “I’m very frustrated. We had a perfect plan and were leading the race. On the last restart a prototype car totally cocked up the chicane and Dirk nearly hit it. He was held up enough for the Corvettes to get by and that was that.”

“We knew this weekend would be rough and tough,” said Gordon McDonnell, BMWNA Motorsport Manager. “We thought the Z4 GTE would be extremely well-suited to this course and we saw that in qualifying. The race seemed to have a mind of its own and we were along for the ride. I’m really proud of the guys for keeping their heads down. They fought really hard and 3rd and 4th is a great result to leave this race with.”

Joey Hand, driver No. 56 Z4 GTE – (3rd) – “We’ll take a third-place but we’re not as excited as we would have been. Dirk did a good job but got unlucky during that restart with the traffic. But that’s what endurance racing is all about. I love racing and came here to race, but today I had to be a team player and get out of the car early. It was just a unique race, to say the least.”

Dirk Müller, driver No. 56 Z4 GTE – (3rd) – “What a race. What a strategy! We pitted early went from dead last, after yesterday’s penalty, all the way up to the front. I had the pace, and the car was strong. On the last restart I was fully prepared but everybody ahead checked up and I had to apply emergency braking into the chicane. Basically the two Corvettes just took advantage of it. Once behind them I was quicker, and was able to close the gap somewhat, but P3 is more than I was hoping for overnight. I’m really happy. There is still a ways to go in the championship; we are getting stronger and stronger. This result was a team effort.”

Bill Auberlen, driver No. 55 Z4 GTE – (4th) – “The team was poised for a 1-2 finish today, but it seemed most of the field came to crash instead of race. I’ve already had a double victory at the Circuit of the Americas this season in the GRAND-AM series driving BMWs so I’ll put today behind us and focus forward to Round Eight.”

Maxime Martin, driver No. 55 Z4 GTE – (4th) – “This certainly was a strange race; very short with no pit stops. We started quite okay but in a little crash I lost two places and the rear bumper, so in the end we weren’t quick enough to stay with the front pack. We are scoring points, but we could have had a much better day.”

Round Eight of the 2013 ALMS season will be held at the Circuit of the Americas, in Austin, Texas, on Saturday, Sept. 21st. The 2.45-hour race will be broadcast Sunday, Sept. 22nd on ESPN2 television at 1:00 p.m. ET.

source : http://www.bmwblog.com/2013/09/01/bmw-team-rll-finishes-3rd-4th-baltimore/

2013 BMW M6 Coupe – BMWBLOG Test Drive

It’s the Coupe of Coupes

The 2013 BMW M6 is the 3^rd generation of the 6 series coupe that has gotten the M treatment. This is BMW speak for their Motorsports division and all of the additional performance items that the car brings. By far, the 2013 BMW M6 is the best one yet! Gone is the heavy and thirsty V10, replaced with a lighter, more efficient and higher powered 4.4 liter, V8 twin0turbo engine that makes the latest M6 a joy to drive.

The M6 is on the verge of being “out there,” with its 20 inch M light-alloy wheels, carbon fiber roof, quad exhausts and air intakes that can swallow a small village. This is not an understated coupe. Yet, all together, the look works, without the risk becoming boy racer-looking.

Once inside, the interior captivates you, with the sumptuous double stitch leather and simple yet elegant layout, the M6 mixes elegance and performance quite nicely. The thick rimmed steering wheel is perfectly sized, offering the full range of switchgear one expects from a performance coupe. There is a configurable Head-Up display, which is a nice touch. The high-center infotainment screen is large and offers excellent viewing, regardless of the sun angle. Menu navigation is managed by the BMW iDrive system; one that takes a bit to get used to, but once you’ve fiddled for a few minutes, it does become fairly intuitive to use.

One thing we always enjoy about BMW automobiles is the wonderful tactile sensation all the buttons and switchgear offer. For me, BMW is the gold standard in this area. Rear seats are more for occasional use, yet comfortable for small people or kids. Trunk is surprisingly large and well appointed. One novel trick is the backup camera placement. Can’t see it? Maybe it would be a good bar bet with your friends to ask them to tell you where it is. Surprise, it’s hidden behind the roundel emblem. BMW’s iconic emblem does double duty as the manual trunk release in addition to being the electrically operated lens cover. I love it!

Read More : http://www.bmwblog.com/2013/09/03/2013-bmw-m6-coupe-bmwblog-test-drive/

Monday, September 2, 2013

2014 BMW X5 – Video Gallery from Vancouver

Here is the new 2014 BMW X5 in all its glory.

While being tested in Vancouver, Canada, the new 2014 BMW X5 gets a videoshoot that gives us a closer look at the design details, functionality and driving characteristics.

For the first time, the new BMW X5 will be offered with a rear-wheel drive configuration beside the “typical” xDrive setup. In the U.S., the rear-wheel drive 2014 X5 sDrive35i will start at $53,725 and the 2014 BMW X5 xDrive35i is priced at $56,025. The 2014 BMW X5 xDrive35d price is $57,525 and the 2014 BMW X5 xDrive50i will start at $69,125. All prices include $925 destination and handling.

source : http://www.bmwblog.com/2013/08/31/2014-bmw-x5-video-gallery-vancouver/