2016 BMW Alpina B6 xDrive Gran Coupe Gets More Power and Dynamism

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By Robert Sorokanich - Car and Driver

It’s tough to write a press release about a lightly updated car. If the announcement is too short, it sounds terse—it makes 60 more horsepower, now leave me alone—and if you leave out the important details, you risk sowing confusion among the enthusiasts. BMW partner Alpina ran in the opposite direction with its announcement of the 2016 updates to the B6 Gran Coupe. The word “dynamic,” or some variant thereof, appears fifteen times in the car’s press release. That’s a lot of dynamism.

So, top-line items: Based on the BMW 6-series Gran Coupe, a 5-series sedan masquerading as a swoopy coupe and fooling nobody, the Alpina variant gets shipped as a body-in-white to Alpina’s shop, where it’s upfitted with a custom drivetrain, appearance package, and interior.

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Last year, the underhood bit meant a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8 with 540 horses and 540 lb-ft of torque. Compared to the BMW M6 Gran Coupe, last year’s B6 had 20 fewer horses but 40 additional lb-ft. It also had all-wheel drive and a traditional torque-converter eight-speed automatic, two options that can’t be had on the M6. All in, the 2015 B6 was a little slower and a little less grippy than the M6—although it’s hard to criticize a car that runs the zero-to-60 sprint in 3.7 seconds and grips to the tune of 0.92 g, numbers we extracted during our test of the 2015 B6 GC.

This year? The B6’s horsepower jumps to 600, thanks to significant intake and fuel-system revamping. Torque surges to 590. The power goes through the same eight-speed auto to the same xDrive all-wheel driveline, but the rear tires are now 295s, a 10-mm increase in width. The fronts stay the same at 255, with gorgeous 20-inch, 20-spoke Alpina wheels still fitted at all four corners. Oh, and the front chin spoiler is redesigned, the grille kidneys are a smidge bigger, and the hood’s character lines are more pronounced. These tweaks follow BMW’s refreshes of the 6-series coupe/convertible, Gran Coupe, and M6 lineup for 2015.

Alpina says the additional power will hurtle the big-body Bimmer to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds, on its way to an electronically limited 200-mph top speed. That makes the B6 the top velocity dog in the 6-series Gran Coupe hierarchy, outmuscling the 560-horse, dual-clutch-packing, rear-drive-only M6 GC with its paltry 155-mph top speed. If the press-release verbiage is any indication, it might out-dynamic the M6, too.

When we first drove the 2015 B6 Gran Coupe, its standout quality was just how different it felt from behind the wheel in comparison with the M6. With the torque-converter automatic, a more forgiving suspension setup, and a slightly less aggressive personality, the B6 feels more livable than the M model while still offering wicked performance. It was charming, a reminder of the soft-in-a-good-way feel that marked the earliest M cars. Will a stonking 600 horses change all that? We’ll have to slide behind the wheel to find out.

What Can A BMW Genius Do For You?

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By Nate Risch - BMW Car Club of America

Last year BMW created a new position at all of its dealerships—the BMW Genius—and the people who filled these positions should become your best friends. Why is that? Well, these are the people who are happy to answer all of your BMW questions!

The BMW Genius is basically a customer service position that works off of a salary instead of commision like the sales people. This was done so that there is no pressure for a sale and allows them to have the customer's best interest in mind.

BMW Geniuses go through quite a bit of product training and even spend a week with BMW USA learning everything about the new vehicles. Although dealerships may utilize their Geniuses differently, most will have them conduct test drives, help with picking out options that best suit the customer's needs, demonstrate vehicle features, and help set up all of the technology in a new vehicle. 

BMW wants you to get the most out of your vehicle, thus they have made it so that you can get access to a BMW Genius even without going to a dealership. They have created a BMW Genius app for Android and iOS devices that is simple to use and can answer just about any question that may arise. The app contains how-to videos and key benefits about BMW features, information about BMW functionalities, model specific product information, product specs and more.

One of the best new initiatives that BMW USA has done for the BMW Genius program though is creating a national hotline. You can call the BMW Genius Hotline where a dedicated team is available to help answer all of your product related questions. Whether it be connecting your new phone via bluetooth, programming the garage door opener, using the voice commands, or anything else that raises a question.

What I recommend to everyone with a new BMW, is that they program 1-844-4GENIUS (443-6487) into one of their memory buttons on their dash. Thus whenever a question does arise, you just hit the Genius button and get your question answered immediately. The hotline is available Monday through Saturday, 9:00am-9:00pm (EST).

When you take delivery of a new BMW, most likely a Genius will be there to go over all the main features with you. If they were to cover everything at delivery, it could be a little overwhelming. Thus after you have had some time to get acquainted with your new vehicle, a BMW Genius may call you to set up an Encore appointment. If they don't, I highly recommend that you call up your local dealership and set one up. The BMW Encore is a special session scheduled at a time of your convenience, dedicated to answering all of your questions about your new BMW. Plan to spend about an hour with your Genius.

New cars are becoming more and more complex, and BMW wants to make sure that you utilize your car to its full potential, the BMW Genius is here to help.

BMW i5/i7 scoop: target Tesla Model S

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By Georg Kacher - Car Magazine UK

There has been talk aplenty in BMW’s cylindrical Munich HQ about the Silicon Valley upstart Tesla and its emergence as an executive challenger. So it should come as no surprise that a riposte is being prepared: an electric BMW potentially badged i5 or i7.

Due in 2018, the battery BMW is designed to hobble the success of Elon Musk’s Model S - and it’ll be priced to suit, with target volumes in the tens of thousands and a cost spanning from just below the Tesla to more than $125,000 (£85,000).

CAR has compiled a scoop dossier on the secret BMW i5/i7 model ahead of a possible concept car tipped for this autumn’s 2015 Frankfurt motor show. Read on for our full scoop.

BMW’s Tesla fighter: a new electric saloon

BMW is on schedule to bring its new green luxury car to market by 2018. Which makes for a perfect timing because 4.5% of all units sold in the pace-setting US CARB states must be zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) by 2018, and this number is set to increase in annual steps to 22% by 2025. 

Manufacturers who fail to comply by not offering any or enough ZEVs, transitional zero emission vehicles (TZEVs), neighbourhood electric vehicles (NEVs) or e-vehicles with range extender (BEVXs) have no choice but to acquire clean-air credits from sources like Tesla, currently the major provider of such certificates. And that makes German car makers wince. 

This is the background into which BMW’s F18 PHEV project is born. It’s based around the long-wheelbase four-door 5-series architecture designed for China; the stretched platform helping accommodate the bulky batteries required for these vehicles, as well as liberating extra space for bodies.

Why the i5/i7 electric car uses 5-series hardware

By 2018, the next-gen 5-series will be on sale. The backbone of all future rear-wheel and four-wheel drive BMWs is an advanced matrix dubbed CLAR, short for Cluster Architecture. Cluster is in this context another word for module which explains the high degree of flexibility and interchangeability of components. CLAR effectively replaces the 35up toolbox prepared for 3-series, 5-series and bigger.

While suspension, steering, brakes and the basic packaging will by and large be adopted from the G38 5-series, the drivetrain of i5/i7 has evidently been inspired by the i8. At a glance, the layout actually looks remarkably like an i8 with the combustion engine up front and the main e-motor in the back. Again, there is no mechanical connection between the front and rear wheels. Although it is labelled PHEV, this, too, is in fact an electric vehicle with a more powerful range extender (BEVX). 

P18 PHEV is described as low-emission sports saloon featuring a fully adaptive innovative drivetrain. Its main markets are bound to be North America and China, which explains the conscious decision to go for a formal three-box design instead of a trendy crossover. 

Design, spec of BMW project P18 PHEV 

Our artist’s impression shows how i5/i7 could look, but it’s worth noting that the design is still in a state of flux, according to our sources. The strategy team led by a former project i manager seems to favour a mix of current 6-series Gran Coupé and next-edition 7-series styling elements. 

To underline its low-emission talents, i5/i7 boasts two e-motors, not only one like the i8. Depending on the driving situation and the momentary performance duties, it can be electric front-wheel drive, electric rear-wheel drive or petrol-electric all-wheel drive. While the i8 makes do with a 1.5-litre three-cylinder on steroids, the four-door sister model will likely feature a more relaxed and smoother running four-cylinder rated at around 245bhp. 

A new kind of Tesla-bashing BMW

The e-unit in front develops 204bhp, the smaller battery-powered motor in the back is good for 95bhp, sources say. This brings the aggregate target output to 400kW or 544bhp - right in the middle of Tesla territory. 

Allegedly capable of a zero-emission range of 80 miles, this BMW is designed to operate in battery mode most of the time. To underline its predominantly silent and vibration-free running characteristics, the combustion engine will typically only cut in above 40mph when road and wind noise out-decibel it. The transmissions of choice are a blend of two-step and six-speed automatics.

Are you a believer in battery BMWs? Let us know in the comments below.

At $137,000, the New BMW i8 Is a Steal

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By Bill Saporito - Time

This amazing gas-electric hybrid will stop traffic — then leave it in the dust.

The commotion started before I even got to the car. People were taking pictures. The BMW i8 did indeed stop traffic; a guy in a delivery truck braked in the middle of 50th Street to ask permission to take a picture — as if truck drivers in New York City are always asking permission to do things.

When you get to test drive a lot of cars you try to be blasé about them. Bentleys, Benzes, Mustangs, Corvettes, Jags. Next. 

Not this time. The BMW i8, a hybrid-electric sportscar machine, is unlike anything else I’ve ever driven. Yes, maybe the lowercase ‘i’ in i8 is a deliberate reference to Apple’s elegant gadgetry, but it’s not by any means a stretch. If you married an iPhone to SpaceX and put the thing on wheels, this is what you might get. The shape is exotic, a curvaceous wedge that is screaming aerodynamics. Its winged doors could make Agent 007 envious. They open skyward, but on the practical side they require only a foot and a half of clearance.

The i8 is priced from about $137,000 to $140,000, although I’m sure you could get one for $130,000 if you negotiate hard. Take it. A steal. Why do I write this way? Wasn’t the Jaguar F-Type and its 550-horsepower power plant a cushy blast? Yes indeed. Is the 2015 ‘Vette not an All-American power avenger going from 0 to 60 miles per hour in a heartbeat? Yes and yes. Love it.

The i8 is a different animal. It has two engines, a battery-powered variety fore and a gasoline-powered one aft. And the latter is a 1.5-liter, three-cylinder number borrowed from the MINI Cooper. How could that putt-putt possibly provide any punch? It does, thanks to some clever German tinkering. The MINI engine is a mini-monster, with an attached turbo booster that raises the output to 228 hp. No big deal, right? Hitch that threebee to the battery-powered, 128-hp traction machine in the front and you get a hybrid 330 horses in a car that weighs 3350 lbs. That’s some 500 lbs. lighter than a Volt. We’re talking about a thrust-to-weight ratio out of a 757. 

One of the keys here is the electric engine. As with all electrics — whether you’re driving a Volt, Tesla, or Lionel model train — you get instant torque, because the power reaches the wheels at close to lightspeed. You aren’t actually going to be traveling that fast, although when you punch the i8 in Sport mode, it sure does feel that way. The two large circular indicators that dominate the dashboard change color from cool blue to hot orange. You are in rocket mode, and the i8 starts ripping up pavement at a hellacious clip as you click through the paddle shifters. It’s an elevator ride to 60 mph in four seconds and change. Am I being a tad hyperbolic here? I fear not. 

Yet even in the battery-only eDrive mode the ride is special. You drift along as if you are driving a submarine in an urban aquarium, motoring in near silence as spectators gawk. Put on Miles or Mozart or Maroon 5 or whatever you like and you get the sensation that you are seated inside your iPhone listing to iTunes. Try not to notice the people noticing the car. The battery-priority modes you can choose from include Comfort, which imparts much of a sedan feel to the ride, and Eco Pro, which maximizes the fuel savings.

Fuel savings. It’s sort of ironic in a car that clocks in at $136,650 that fuel efficiency is part of the conversation — especially with gas prices under $2 — but BMW is taking the view that energy efficiency is relevant at every price point. And it certainly is. Toyota’s Prius became a status symbol in California for exactly that reason — at least until Tesla got going. The i8 has an electric-only range of about 30 miles, which stinks, before the conventional motor kicks in to charge it. There’s also a portable charger that plugs into a standard 110-volt socket. Combined, the i8 touts a 76 mpg efficiency rating. That gives it a combined range of about 300 miles considering its smallish fuel tank. But as is the case with the Volt, the gas-electric combo eliminates range anxiety from the equation.

Drawbacks? Of course. The i8’s light weight derives from the carbon fiber tub that forms the body, which creates a large lip at the doorway. To say it’s awkward getting in and out of the i8 would be an understatement. The two nominal back seats are very comfortable…for a couple of bags of groceries. There’s a sort of trunk, too, that holds the charger and not much else. On the other hand, the interior is nothing short of cool and elegant, with blue seatbelts and accent lighting offsetting the light gray leather.

So maybe only rich tree-huggers will want to buy an i8, which is a shame. Not that people shouldn’t buy gas guzzling Viper SRTs if that’s what they want in a sports car. To me, it’s all about the ride, and the i8 is just ridiculously fun to drive.

2016 BMW M6 GT3 Race Car Starts Testing

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By Viknesh Vijayenthiran - Motor Authroity

BMW is set to phase out its Z4-based race car from GT competition at the end of this year and replace it in 2016 with a new car based on the M6 platform. The new race car is being developed to GT3 specifications, with versions likely developed for the similar-spec GTE and GTD categories of the respective World Endurance Championship and United SportsCar Championship.

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After first announcing the M6 GT3 race car last October, BMW has started testing of a prototype, with the initial shakedown taking place at the automaker’s test track in Dingolfing, Germany. Works driver Jörg Müller, who has competed for BMW in competitions like the American Le Mans Series as well as the World Touring Car Championship and even the 24 Hours of Le Mans, was the first behind the wheel.

“It is a fantastic moment when you walk into the garage and see this stunningly beautiful car,” Müller said after the initial session. “A roll-out is obviously just an initial performance test but, on the whole, everything was very good and we had no problems.”

Power in the M6 GT3 comes from a version of the twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8 fitted to the M6 road car and several other M-badged machines. The engine is paired with a six-speed sequential transmission mounted at the rear axle for better weight balance, and it produces over 500 horsepower.

Other differences compared to the M6 road car include a significantly wider track, a number of aerodynamic mods aimed at boosting downforce, and a curb weight of less than 2,866 pounds. One additional difference is an FIA-approved safety cell.

In developing the car, the engineers placed great emphasis on the safety, efficiency, ease of maintenance and reliability, which is particularly crucial for the 24-hour races that the M6 GT3 is expected to compete in.

BMW hasn’t said when the car will be ready but any teams interested in acquiring one can presently register their details with BMW Motorsport.

BMW North America Probes Interest for Bringing M235i Racing Model Stateside

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February 4, 2015
By Gabriel Nica - Auto Evolution

BMW launched the M235i Racing model back in 2013, almost at the same time with the road-legal car and privateer racing teams around the world have adopted the model in the meantime. However, most of them are from Europe as the US doesn’t get this version at the moment. That might all change in the near future.

According to the BMW Car Club of America, the North American branch of the brand is probing interest amongst enthusiasts regarding the introduction of the M235i Racing stateside.

Of course, as they say, the number of cars imported would be limited and deliveries could begin in the first quarter of 2016, if enough interest is expressed by the market.

The technical details behind the M235i Racing are interesting enough to make this proposition tempting. The car comes with an upgraded 3-liter inline 6-cylinder engine making 333 HP and 450 Nm (332 lb-ft) of torque that is connected to a revised 8-speed ZF automatic gearbox that sends it all to the rear axle.

On the outside, there’s a lot that tells you that this is no ordinary M235i like the decals and the wider/bigger/meaner aerodynamic kit. Under the skin lies a new suspension/steering combo made up by KW dampers, H&R springs and H&R anti-roll bars for the front and rear axles.

The brakes are part of BMW’s M Performance system and the wheels measure 18x10 inches all around. Inside you’ll find a roll cage certified by the FIA as well as 6-point racing harness from Schroth and a single Recaro Pro Race SPG sear.

In Europe, this car sells for €59,500 excluding VAT. The US pricing, on the other hand, could differ wildly, if BMW decides to bring the M235i Racing here.

BMW fixes security flaw in its in-car software

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January 30, 2015
By Edward Taylor – Reuters

German luxury carmaker BMW has fixed a security flaw that could have allowed hackers to unlock the doors of up to 2.2 million Rolls-Royce, Mini and BMW vehicles, it said on Friday.

BMW said officials at German motorist association ADAC had identified the problem, which affected cars equipped with the company's ConnectedDrive software using on-board SIM cards -- the chips used to identify authorised users of mobile devices.

BMW drivers can use the software and SIM cards to activate door locking mechanisms, as well as a range of other services including real-time traffic information, online entertainment and air conditioning.

The security risk occurred when data was transmitted, BMW said, adding it did not impede the car's critical functions of driving, steering or braking. 

BMW said it was not aware of any examples where the data had been used to compromise the security of a vehicle.

In recent years, cybersecurity experts have criticized the automotive industry for failing to do more to secure internal communications of vehicles with network-connected features.

The danger, they say, is that once external security is breached, hackers can have free rein to access onboard vehicle computer systems which manage everything from engines and brakes to air conditioning.

They fear it is only a matter of time before hackers might break into wireless networks on cars to exploit software glitches and other vulnerabilities to try to harm drivers. 

ADAC's security researchers were able to simulate the existence of a fake phone network, which BMW cars attempted to access, allowing hackers to manipulate functions activated by a SIM card. 

BMW said it had taken steps to eliminate possible breaches by encrypting the communications inside the car using the same HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) standard used in Web browsers for secure transactions such as ecommerce or banking.

BMW said it was able to update its ConnectedDrive software automatically, when the vehicle connects up to the BMW Group server or the driver calls up the service configuration manually.

"The online capability of BMW Group ConnectedDrive allowed the gap to be closed quickly and safely in all vehicles," BMW said. "There was no need for vehicles to go to the workshop."

BMW M2 Convertible Rendered: a New Age for the Performance Drop Top?

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January 28, 2015
By Gabriel Nica - Auto Evolution

We know for a fact that the M2 coupe is coming. Not only have we seen it out testing but we also know that it will enter production this November. The question that’s on everybody’s mind however revolves around an open top experience. That’s right, will we see an M2 Convertible any time soon?

Well, we’d definitely like to see that so we rendered one based on the latest batch of spyshots, including what looks like a production front bumper.

As the rumor mill goes (and confirmed by one of our insiders in Munich) the new M2 will be using an upgraded version of the N55 3-liter turbocharged inline 6-cylinder engine that is slated to have around 370 HP and 500 Nm (369 lb-ft) of torque.

With those numbers swirling in our heads it’s hard to imagine how good an open top M2 could make you feel. Rear-wheel drive, a manual transmission and plenty of torque for a car that should be 200 kg (440 lbs) lighter than an M4 Convertible? Sign me up!

The difference in weight would come specifically due to a textile roof used on the M2 unlike the hard top on its bigger brother that adds a hefty amount of weight compared to the Coupe M4. To be more precise, the Coupe tips the scale at 1,572 kg (3,465 lbs) while the convertible is rated at 1,825 kg (4,023 lbs). That’s a difference of exactly 253 kg (558 lbs) working against the drop top.

With a textile roof however, the M2 would probably be an M4 killer. Sounds good, right? Well, that’s also why we won’t see it come to fruition as BMW wouldn’t want it to cannibalize the sales of its brother.

Following the same line of thought, sources claim that the carbon fiber roof and other lightweight technology from the new M3 won’t make it on the M2 because it would turn the smallest BMW Coupe into a track monster considering that the 2 Series chassis is already lighter than the 4 Series one. But no matter how tame the Germans decide to keep the M2 we’re sure it’s going to be a great car and we can’t wait to take it for a spin.

Unfortunately that won’t happen until next year so you’d better buckle up and start saving some money.

BMW's Hilarious Super Bowl Commercial

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January 27, 2015

BMW has released wither new BMW i3 Super Bowl 49 ad and it's hilarious. It starts in 1994 with Bryant Gumbel and Katie Couric on the set of The Today Show trying to explain the "@" symbol. Flash forward to the present day, Bryant and Katie are sitting side by side in a new BMW i3, attempting to explain how the i3 runs. The ad is titled "Newfangled idea" and worth a minute of your time. 

Hack BMW's Active Sound Design System to Sound like an M4 or Rolls-Royce Ghost

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January 22, 2015
By Alexander Kalogianni - Digital Trends

The growing trend of pumping phony engine notes through a car’s stereo system is a much maligned feature that automakers have been using to satisfy the driver’s desire for that raw, audible experience without compromising the comfort sound baffling and insulation brings to the cabin. The intent is at leas noble, as far as recognizing enthusiasts want that sound, its just the execution that falls a little flat. Still, one driver made the best of his BMW’s Active Sound Design, thinking if his car is going to deliver a fake engine noise, why not upgrade it to an M4?

In the video, the driver demonstrates how his BMW m135i can sound just like the Bavarian automaker’s M4 sports car, at least on the inside. According to posters on a German forum, if the car is equipped with a Harman Kardon or Bang & Olufsen system, anyone with a savvy knowledge of coding can swap out the sound files in the BMW’s ECU.

Ok, so it’s not exactly easy, but relatively speaking, anyone who knows what they’re doing can have the sound of a Rolls-Royce V12 coursing through the interior of a 1 Series if they wanted.

If anything, it demonstrates the silliness of the Active Sound Design gimmick. Enthusiasts enjoy that guttural, mechanical sound of an engine for several reasons, not the least of which is that satisfying recognition that all these components are at work, creating very real and distinct sounds as they churn, and resonate and so on.

The fact that it’s a digital sound file also rubs people the wrong way. Ford’s Focus ST got a lot of stick for a “fake” engine noise, but that was in reality real engine noise piped into the cabin via a corrugated tube with a diaphragm in it, and I think many naysayers to the current trend would be far happier to at least have that.

If automakers insist on continuing with this trend, then they should go all the way and have fun with it, instead of trying to pass it off as “engine sound enhancement.” Instead of being disingenuous, they should do what Renault does in the Clio, which has a menu of fake engine sounds ranging from a motorcycle to a sci-fi concept car that sounds like the Jetsons family vehicle.

If anyone wants to give it a go, this thread at 2Addicts will point you in the right direction.

Cheap Gas Makes Electric Cars Harder to Sell, BMW Warns

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January 19, 2015 By Elisabeth Behrmann - Bloomberg

Cheap gas may make electric cars an even harder sell, according to BMW AG, the German luxury automaker that’s aiming for plug-in versions of all its top models.

Sales of the zero-emission vehicles will probably dip in some countries, including the U.S., Ian Robertson, BMW’s head of sales and marketing, said today on the sidelines of the DLD-15 conference in Munich.

“There are some short-term changes that will occur in some countries,” Robertson said. “There would be some moves toward some bigger-engine vehicles.”

Gas for less than $2 a gallon has made a comeback. U.S. pumping at the fastest rate in more than three decades, combined with the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries’ refusal to cut supply, helped drive the price of oil down 40 percent in the past 12 months. Consumers are turning from more expensive eco-friendly vehicles with hybrid or electric powertrains toward bigger models with conventional motors.

In the U.S., sales of hybrid and electric cars totaled 570,475 vehicles last year, down 3.7 percent compared with a year earlier, according to the Electric Drive Transportation Association. Carmakers including BMW, Daimler AG and General Motors Co. (GM) are building electric cars to comply with tightening emissions regulations.

In 2014, BMW delivered 16,052 of its i3 city car as well as 1,741 of the i8 plug-in hybrid sports car. Combined, the two accounted for 0.8 percent of the vehicles BMW, the world’s largest maker of luxury vehicles, sold last year.

A short-term shift away from cars like the small and zippy i3 won’t change BMW’s strategy, Robertson said. Up next is a plug-in hybrid version of its X5 sport-utility vehicle.

“The legislative framework in the U.S. and Europe, China and Japan is clear, and it’s not going to change,” said Robertson. “The advent of zero-emission cars is coming, so our strategy remains on that track.”

$700,000 for 2014 M5 - 30th Anniversary Edition

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By Tom Jense - FOX Sports

NASCAR team owner and inveterate car collector Rick Hendrick is at it again.

Thursday night at the Barrett-Jackson Collector-Car Auction in Scottsdale, Ariz., Hendrick paid $700,000 for a special 30th Jahre -- German for "year" -- Anniversary Edition 2014 BMW M5 sedan, with all proceeds going to the BMW Car Club of America Foundation, which helps train young drivers.

The car was one of just 30 imported in to the U.S. market, and one of just 300 produced worldwide. The $700,000 hammer price was the high sale of the auction so far.

And it hauls asphalt, too, thanks to a 600-horsepower engine, which propels it from zero to 60 miles per hour in just 3.9 seconds. The consignor described this car as "the last unsold example in this country" and "the most powerful production BMW ever.

Finished in Dark Frozen Silver paint, it came with black chrome exterior accents, black chrome wheels, black and grey leather interior with suede accents, "30 Jahre M5" logo designations on grille, door sills, door handles, exhaust, and seats, as well as an interior badging plaque indicating it's a special edition and one of 300 made.

Afterward, Hendrick was all smiles beside driver Jeff Gordon, who accompanied him to the auction.

Hendrick said the car will join the more than 200 cars in his Concord, N.C., museum. In fact, it will be parked next to a BMW i8 hybrid supercar in the same color.

"We were fortunate enough to get the i8 in this color," said Hendrick. "This baby's going to go right beside the i8 in the museum. The only miles it's going to get are in the truck (sending it from Arizona to North Carolina.)"

It's the new BMW 1-Series!

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By Stephen Dobie

BMW's hatch gets styling tweaks and new engines, plus a satnav that helps you save fuel. Via bossiness...

Facelift enthusiasts of the world: grab your anoraks and magnifying glasses, BMW's product updaters have been busy at work.

In all fairness to them, the updated 1-Series is a little easier to spot than quite a few other premium German facelifts we could mention.

That's probably because its styling was never the sharpest in its class, and that's where the updates are easiest to spot. The headlights look slimmer (they have a "significantly flatter geometry" in BMW-speak) and are far better integrated into the front-end. They optionally come as full LED units, too. 

The rear, meanwhile, has larger taillights that give it a slightly more aggressive aesthetic. And aggression is what you may feel when a dinky debadged M135i has stormed past you at 155mph on the autobahn...

New engines join the range too, most notably three-cylinder units. A 108bhp 1.5-litre three-pot powers an entry-level 116i petrol model in European markets, though sadly not in the UK, where the range kicks off with a 134bhp four-cylinder 118i.

A 115bhp diesel - another 1.5-litre three-cylinder - is at the heart of the ultra-efficient 116d, which we do get. In its most prosaic spec, it tops 83mpg and emits 89g/km of CO2. If you really have to go diesel, though, the 221bhp 125d is the one to have; it'll complete 0-62mph in 6.3sec while emitting 121g/km of CO2. 

You're reading Top Gear, though, so you want to know how the M135i hot hatch fares. And it's good news, its 3-litre six-cylinder turbo engine gaining an extra 5bhp, so it now matches its slinkier M235i sibling with 321bhp.

Specify the optional eight-speed paddleshift gearbox and it will hit 62mph in 4.9sec on its way to that de rigeur 155mph top speed. Stick with the standard six-speed manual and it will rev-match on downshifts.

One of the more interesting nuggets of tech nestled in the new 1-Series is its application of satnav data to increase efficiency. Pick the automatic gearbox and the car will change up or down gears depending on if the nav informs it of an upcoming roundabout, a string of corners or motorway slip road.

Pick a posher satnav system and the car will tell you when it might be good to lift off the throttle, to lessen the amount of braking needed for corners, roundabouts and the like. Depending on your viewpoint, it's either exceedingly clever, or pushy and Big Brother-like.

The updated BMW 1-Series will take its bow at the Geneva motor show in March, with sales following soon after. Prices start at £20,245 for that 118i, rising to around £31,000 for an M135i.​

Next-generation BMW M5 to get all-wheel drive

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January 13, 2015
By Richard Ingram – Auto Express

New head of BMW M cars confirms the new BMW M5 will get a rear-biased four-wheel drive system

Former boss of Audi RS and new head of BMW M, Franciscus van Meel, has confirmed that the new BMW M5 and M6 will be fitted with all-wheel drive, in order to cope with big increases in power and torque.

Speaking to Auto Express at the Detroit Motor Show this week, van Meel suggested that his expertise with Quattro four-wheel drive at Audi could lead to more all-weather M cars – including a grippier version of its popular M5.

“If we continue the power increases in the future – especially regarding torque and also horsepower – then probably the next generation M5 and M6 will have so much torque and power that we need to think about those solutions.”

However, he insisted that rather than getting a pure 50:50 four-wheel drive system, the M5 would likely adopt a rear-biased setup to ensure it lost none of its existing driving characteristics, and remained great fun behind the wheel.

“I wouldn’t like to use the word four-wheel drive because it’s always connected a little bit – emotionally – to straightforward driving and that’s not what we’re talking about.

“So if we go on a direction of four-wheel drive, for us it will really be like a rear-wheel drive with more traction.”

While four-wheel drive might make BMW’s powerful M cars more useable, van Meel assured us there were no plans to explore practical estate versions such as an M3 or M5 Touring.

“I had the same question the other way around in my former job. Why not explore an RS sedan? BMW is not a Touring-focused group. Popularity is still stronger on the sedan [saloon] side, so when people connect to BMW, it’s sedan. What people connect to the company next door [Audi], it’s another body shape.

“That body shape is not popular in China and not popular in the US – and as the US is our biggest market, we would be making a model that our biggest market does not want.”

However, he wouldn’t rule out the prospect of extending the X-model M car line-up. When challenged on the idea of an X3M or X4M, he simply commented: “That might be a business opportunity.”

 The previous-gen X5M and X6M enjoyed enormous success worldwide – especially in America – and with new models ready for launch very soon, that win looks set to continue.

The 2015 BMW Alpina B6: Meet the fastest in the Gran Coupe family

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By Norris McDonald - The Star

Base price/as tested: $142,400/$150,800

Engine: 4.4L twin-turbo V8

Power/torque: 540 hp/ 540 lb.-ft.

Fuel consumption L/100 km: 17.6 city, 11.7 hwy.; premium grade fuel

Competition: Audi RS7, Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG

What’s best: A rare beauty that both coddles and performs.

What’s worst: Hearty appetite for premium fuel

What’s interesting: Alpina founder Burkard Bovensiepen started it all in 1962 by slapping a pair of Webber carbs on a BMW 1500.

Alpina is to BMW what AMG is to Mercedes . . . but on a much smaller scale. With only 210 employees, this family-owned company in Buchloe, Bavaria, produces around 1,500 BMW-based cars a year. It’s on the road where this bespoke beauty separates itself from the other four-door coupe versions of BMW’s 6 Series, posting the highest top speed of any BMW.

I’m not alone in thinking the four-door coupe version of BMW’s 6 Series, known as the Gran Coupe, is one of the prettiest cars on the road. Drop into your local BMW store and they’ll have three turbocharged versions of this svelte Swabian on offer — the 315 hp six-cylinder 640i xDrive at $87,900; the 445 hp 4.4L V8 650i xDrive at $99,800; and the full-bore rear-drive M6 that starts at $127,900 and extracts an extreme 560 hp from the same 4.4L V8. 

Three choices should be enough, right? You’d think so.

But what if the two lesser models are just too “common,” and the M6 a tad too brutish for your sophisticated sensibilities? Well, Goldilocks, cut a cheque for 150 large and say hello to the rare-as-chicken-lips 2015 BMW Alpina B6.

This one is just right.

Dressed to kill in bespoke 20-inch multi-vane alloys and muscular body mods resplendent in Alpina Blue Metallic, the B6 is a bespoke beauty that doesn’t yell for attention. Yet it draws the eye and slacks the jaw with its elegance and sensuous tension.

The Alpina recipe leans more on the side of luxury than on track performance, but having said that, the B6 is hardly a poser. Those body bits are functioning aerodynamic aids, as this four-door coupe posts the highest top speed of any BMW — thanks to its Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires and the deletion of that pesky 250 km/h governor found on all other high-po Bimmers. Credit also goes to the Alpina-modified 4.4L twin-turbo V8 that makes 540 hp (down 20 hp from the M6) but a robust 540 lb.-ft., which trumps the M6 by 38. Give it enough room, and the Alpina B6 will see 318 km/h.

So what the heck is an Alpina?

Alpina is to BMW what AMG is to Mercedes . . . but on a much smaller scale. BMW and Alpina were very successful racing partners in the ’70s. In 1988, Alpina said goodbye to motor racing and concentrated on the business of building their special brand of BMW road cars. 

With only 210 employees, this family-owned company in Buchloe, Bavaria, produces around 1,500 BMW-based cars a year.

In the case of this B6, partially assembled all-wheel-drive 650i xDrive Gran Coupes are plucked from the BMW assembly line and sent to Alpina for finishing. 

The engines get high-performance Mahle pistons, new turbos, water-to-air intercoolers and a heavy-duty cooling system with 30 per cent extra capacity so things don’t go boom when running at high speeds in hot climates.

Alpina tunes the excellent ZF eight-speed auto to their liking and installs their own stainless steel exhaust system that exits through a pair of twin elliptical tailpipes. In keeping with the philosophy of the automaker, the sound is rich but subdued — unlike that of a V8-powered Mercedes AMG vehicle that will unapologetically belt its intent.

Alpina also reinforces the xDrive system and rear axle, tweaks BMW’s variable damping control and adds a bit more negative camber in the front for better bite in the corners. And of course, there are bigger brakes to retard this 2,168 kg beast that weighs in a hefty 175 kg over the rear-drive M6 Gran Coupe.

Inside, you’re treated to blue-faced gauges and an Alpina-badged steering wheel with blue and green stitching. The traditional shift paddles are ditched for “Switch-tronic” buttons on the back of the wheel. A bit weird, but they work. The rest of the cabin is pure BMW 6 Series, and here in white leather it looks spectacular. Naturally, for your Alpina dollars you’re getting the full complement of goodies from Harman Kardon audio to most of BMW’s latest safety systems.

It’s on the road where the B6 separates itself from the other Gran Coupe models. The big torque coupled with all-wheel-drive give the Alpina B6 unrelenting urge and a rock-solid composure. There are no jackrabbit starts here — just the sense of a very powerful twin-turbo V8 rapidly overcoming substantial sybaritic mass.

And the suspension tuning is masterful. Looking at those 20-inch wheels you’d be forgiven for expecting a lousy ride, but in Comfort mode the B6 glides over the worst the GTA can throw at it. Yet there is not a millimetre of slop in the body control. In Sport or Sport+ mode, the dynamic parameters tighten up considerably.

BMW Canada is not saying how many 2015 Alpina B6s it will sell, but with under 200 allotted for the U.S., you can be sure of not spying many up here. It’s a unique take on this sleek four-door — smooth, luxurious, understated and fast as hell. For the few that dig a little deeper for the B6, it will be a justifiable expense

Designed to resist AK-47s: Tony Abbott's new bulletproof BMW

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By David Wroe - The Sydney Morning Herald

It's not quite The Beast, the legendary armored limousine that protects the US President, but it can stop an AK-47 round or a roadside bomb blast.

And the hulking BMW armored car worth at least $500,000 is now carrying Tony Abbott on his daily travels, delivering him to the Prime Minister's XI cricket match in Canberra on Wednesday.

Amid the heightened current terrorism alert, Mr. Abbott's new ride is one of nine BMW armored cars the government has bought under a $6.3 million contract, replacing the 12-year-old prime ministerial limo fleet of customized Holden Caprices.

The BMW 7 Series High Security cars were first used at the G20, ferrying world leaders around Brisbane, but have been phased into regular use over the holiday period.

The new V-12 prime ministerial fleet will be spread across the country and, when not needed by Mr. Abbott, will be available for visiting VIPs such as foreign leaders and dignitaries.

According to the German auto giant's website, Mr. Abbott's new car "meets the highest standards of ballistic protection", with bulletproof windows made from layers of laminated glass and polycarbonate coating, making them hard but flexible enough to absorb the impact of a bullet.

"It is the first vehicle specifically designed to protect against the world's most widely used firearm, the AK-47," the Munich-based firm's website states.

The armor plating is made from strengthened steel backed up by an interior made from sculpted synthetic fibers that are hard and heat resistant. It all forms "an impenetrable second skin", the website states.

Other safety features include tires that remain inflated even when punctured, a self-sealing petrol tank, an attack alarm and an intercom system that allows the occupants to communicate with people outside without having to open the doors.

It replaces the 2003 V-8 Holden Caprice fleet, which was bought by former prime minister John Howard and was custom-fitted with bulletproof doors and windows, as well as an armored floor and protected fuel tank.

The new cars were the subject of a political stoush with Labor questioning why Holden wasn't considered for the contract after it emerged that BMW did not bid in the original tender. Officials from the Attorney-General's department told recent Senate hearings the original tender winner turned out not to meet the "full requirements" and the department had to seek the best "value for money".

US President Barack Obama rides a customized General Motors Cadillac that the US Secret Service has nicknamed The Beast and famously carries several liters of blood of the President's type in the boot. It is estimated to weigh at least seven tons.

British Prime Minister David Cameron travels in an armored, super-charged, five-liter Jaguar XJ Sentinel that reportedly can release tear gas to disperse an angry crowd.

Gorgeous BMW 6-series gets minor Botox treatment

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By Henry Payne - The Detroit News

To the guitar wail of Jimi Hendrix, BMW revealed a mild refresh of its most premium model at the North American International Auto Show Monday: The 2015 6-series. Widely admired as one of the most beautiful cars in the world, the question is: How do you improve on perfection?

Very carefully as it turns out.

Modest updates to the stylish, third generation, $78,000-plus tourer will be applied across its model range: Coupe, convertible, a four-door Gran Coupe, and ground-pawing M6 performance edition. The changes are few and subtle. Full LED lighting is now standard. A bigger, nine-rib kidney grille gains a rib over the current model. The lower front air intakes now connect to form a continuous opening across the front chin.

The sumptuous leather interior and base, six-way seats remain largely unchanged with minor adjustments in trim and color. Bang & Olufsen still provide an optional audio upgrade. The cramped rear seats provide little room for anyone bigger than a toddler.

Powertrain offerings don't change — the major change in the 6-series coming in its major, 2012 overhaul when its normally-aspirated engines gave way to turbocharged offerings and the big coupe was offered for the first time with all-wheel drive. For 2015, the entry level 640i carries over its 315-horsepower, 3.0-liter turbo inline-six. The 650i hangs on to its 445-horse, 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8. Both powertrains are offered with only an eight-speed automatic transmission — the manual having been put out to pasture years ago.

The coupe, Gran Touring, and convertible are all available in an M (for "Motorsport") performance upgrade. The M transforms this stately cruiser into an earth-pawing deviant — its twin-turbo V-8 packing 560 possessed ponies.

Despite a gold-plated sticker price that can easily climb north of six-figures, the 6-series — based on the same chassis as BMW's flagship, 5-series sedan — has sold more than 20,000 copies since 2011 (80,000 world-wide). The U.S. market accounts for two-thirds of those sales.

Indeed, the U.S. market continues to be a focus for the Bavarian automaker. The automaker announced in Detroit that it will be expanding production of its Spartanburg, South Carolina, plant to 400,000 units a year — the largest of any BMW plant in the world — when it introduces a plugin-hybrid version of its BMW X5 sport ute later this year.

BMW also announced a new sales experience for customers. They can meet with a BMW "individual consultant" to design a customized 6-series for themselves. All BMWs, meanwhile, will receive routine, mobile network-based, map updating for their navigation systems. Built into the vehicle through a SIM card, the automatic updates are free.

Review: BMW M3 sedan is more functional and fun than its two-door M4 twin

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By David Undercoffler - LA Times

Think of BMW's new M3 and M4 as fraternal twins with only a pair of doors to tell them apart.

Nearly everything else on these potent overachievers is the same, including 425 turbocharged horsepower and sub-four-second zero-to-60-mph runs.

After a white-knuckle week of testing both 2015 models, we were smitten by the four-door M3 but merely impressed with the two-door M4. Credit the sedan's extra dose of practicality — at no cost to style — and the sweet-shifting manual transmission that came in our test car. The M3 starts at $62,950 and wants for nothing.

Its lineage helps. As it has been for the previous four generations, the M3 is the high-performance version of BMW's 3-series family. BMW first launched the road-going M3 in 1986 to comply with racing regulations.

The original M3 was a coupe, but a few of the following generations have offered sedan and convertible variants. That continues here, except for the name: The sedan lives on as the M3, while the coupe and hardtop convertible are now badged as M4s.

Their rear-wheel-drive powertrains are identical. Wedged under the bulging aluminum hood of each is a 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine. It replaces the outgoing model's surly V-8 and uses turbocharging for the first time in the venerable model's history.

The new M3 sedan and it's M4 twin (BMW)

The new M3 sedan and it's M4 twin (BMW)

Though it lacks the pure vocals of the high-revving V-8, the twin-turbo six makes up for it in grunt. Horsepower is up a bit to 425, from 414, while torque is 406 pound-feet, a sharp increase from the old V-8's 295 pound-feet.

These new M cars went on a diet, using the smaller engine and carbon fiber and aluminum bits throughout to shed around 175 pounds. More power and less weight drop zero-to-60 mph times by 0.6 seconds.

An M3/4 with the standard six-speed manual transmission will do the run in 4.1 seconds, while cars with the $2,900 seven-speed dual-clutch transmission can pull off 3.9 seconds, according to BMW.

All that performance is adjustable too. The steering, the optional ($1,000) adaptive suspension, the dual-clutch transmission and the throttle input each have three modes.

A pair of configurable buttons on the steering wheel allow drivers to preset two combinations of all those modes. That's helpful, because the car reverts to a goofy default setup every time you fire it up.

Other high-tech options include an active limited-slip differential, stability control with a special dynamic mode, and a carbon fiber engine brace, trunk lid, roof and drive shaft. Those with unlimited budgets — or a desire to put the car on a race track — can add the $8,150 carbon ceramic brakes.
The manual transmission came with a light, precise shifter and automatic rev-matching on downshifts that felt like cheating; even the most ham-fisted driver could row it smoothly.

The automated dual-clutch on our M4 tester may be a tad faster, but the manual was much more fun, creating an intimate connection between driver and car. The manual also offered slightly better highway mileage, at 26 mpg instead of 24. Both versions are rated at 17 mpg in city driving.

We also preferred the higher seating position in the M3. Sitting lower in the M4 made it feel a bit more like a muscle car than a sport sedan.

Both models are athletic on the road, with endless power delivered in linear fashion. For maximum fun and control, turn off the overly conservative stability control software.

In curves, the M3 in particular felt lively and tactile. It's a car that still communicates the nuances of the roadway to the driver, a trait that's vanishing as cars get faster and more capable of doing most of the work for you.

The full brunt of torque comes on at a very low 1,850 revolutions per minute, so you need a deft touch on the gas pedal. The turbocharged engine never sounds great, but the noise gets better the harder you press it — partly because BMW pumps fake engine sound into the cabin through the stereo speakers.

The M3 combines asphalt-shredding power with the livability of a sedan and a comfortable back seat. Compared with the M4, it offers an extra inch and a half of headroom and legroom for back-seat passengers. Trunk space is also up by a cubic foot.

Our loaded test models weren't cheap: $81,425 for our M3, painted Yas Marina Blue, and $86,200 for the Austin Yellow M4. That included carbon ceramic brakes, the active suspension and LED lights, all of which are unnecessary.

Better to buy the base M3 for $62,950 or the base M4 for an additional $2,175.

So the sedan, more fun and functional, is also cheaper than the coupe. There's also something beautiful about a roomy sedan that can run with the Porsches.

They may be twins, but the M3 wins this sibling rivalry.

I Drove BMW's $150,000 Hybrid Sports Car 88 MPH Through The Streets Of Las Vegas, And I Can't Stop Thinking About It

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By Steve Kovach – Business Insider

I hate driving.

One of the happiest moments of my life was when I sold my old Honda CR-V after moving to New York almost seven years ago. New York has a great public-transportation system as well as plenty of taxis and Ubers. Why bother with the hassle of owning a car? 

But at the Consumer Electronics Show this year I saw a bunch of people tweeting about BMW's new hybrid sports car, the i8. They were drooling over this thing. It also looked pretty cool, like an updated DeLorean from "Back To The Future," complete with butterfly doors. At dinner Wednesday night, a friend told me about her test drive and said it blew her mind.

I had to try it. 

BMW made it simple, too. You just send the company a tweet with your location and a crew drives to you with a shiny i8. Demand was pretty high, so it took a little over an hour for them to show up. 

And then (holy smokes!) I saw this thing pull into the parking lot of my hotel.

BMW also brought along a camera crew to follow me in a separate car and film me driving through the streets of Las Vegas. There was also a GoPro mounted inside the windshield. So look for me in a future car commercial, I guess.

But before I could even get behind the wheel I had to sign a waiver. I have no idea what this thing said. I didn't read it. I assume I signed my life away in case something nasty happened during my drive. I didn't care. I wanted to drive this thing so badly I would've signed away my firstborn. 

Getting in was tough. The i8 sits really low to the ground, so you have to kind of slide in butt-first. I'm over 6 feet tall, so this was pretty difficult. But once inside, I was totally comfortable. The interior was much roomier than it looks from the outside.

There's a lot of tech in this car, too, so I had to become familiar with all the gizmos before I could start the ignition. My favorite: The heads-up display that projects your console screen onto the windshield so you don't have to take your eyes off the road to look at the GPS, XM radio, incoming calls, etc.

Then my BMW guide, who sat in the passenger seat, hit the ignition button. It seemed like nothing happened. No noise. No rumble and roar of the engine. Just silence. Because the i8 is a hybrid, it can run in an electric-only mode, so you can't feel the engine. It's a little jarring at first for those used to driving regular cars.

The i8 can travel about 20 miles on battery power alone. After that, you'll need to use the gas-powered engine. The car can also switch automatically between electric and gas based on your speed, acceleration patterns, and a bunch of other factors. 

I pulled out of the SLS hotel lot and onto Joe W Brown Drive. I was overly cautious at first, afraid to taint the car with even a grease spot. I've never sat behind the wheel of a vehicle like this. Pedestrians and other drivers were gawking at me. It felt as if I were driving a car designed for Tony Stark. Eventually, I started feeling more confident. Then my guide switched the i8 to sport mode, which turns on the gas engine, and told me to turn down an empty side street.

The speed limit was 35 mph. I didn't see any cops or people or other cars.

"F--- it," I thought, and floored it.

The interior was silent, but I had the windows down so I could hear the engine roar and echo off the buildings lining the street. The g-forces pressed my head against the back of my seat. I took the i8 up to a symbolic 88 mph before slowing down again so I didn't run the red light at the end of the road. Breaking one traffic law was enough for me.

By the way, the model I drove costs $150,000.

I tooled around the city a bit more before arriving at BMW's booth outside the Las Vegas Convention Center. I parked the car and did a quick interview for the BMW camera crew.

Hours after my test drive, I was still thinking about the i8. If I could, I'd buy one in a heartbeat. And this is coming from a dude who hates driving.

If you have an extra $150,000, I highly recommend buying the BMW i8.

2016 BMW 7-Series Final Prototype

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The new BMW 7-Series final prototype was caught unmasked on December 31, 2014. The front end looks like a combination of the X5 and F30 with a rear end confirming the earlier versions we have seen. BMW's new Laser Lighting will also including, although it is not yet clear if they will be standard. BMW will officially unveil the 2016 7-Series at the International Motor Show in Geneva in May 2015.