New BMW 1 series

The new BMW 1 Series has had key elements reshaped and redesigned, and a high standard specification.


The BMW 118i M Sport 5-door sports hatch has 18” M Sport alloy wheels, M Sport suspension, Sport seats and BMW EfficientDynamics.

Read More

The new BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer

BMW is set to launch their new BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer this summer.

This spacious seven seater is clearly targeted at families and features large windscreen, optional panoramic roof and intelligently redesigned pillars to provide superior all-round vision. You can create even more space by folding down the third and seconds rows.

This extra efficient car has Auto Start-Stop (as standard) which reduces emissions when stopping temporarily at lights or in traffic. BMW also claims that their Aero Curtain provides optimised aerodynamics, thereby reducing emissions and improving fuel consumption.

There will be a range of preferences and driving styles to choose from including a range of petrol and diesel engines. Extra options include the xDrive 4 wheel drive and the latest generation BMW TwinPower Turbo engines which offer enhanced performance and efficiency.

Read More

BMW Hybrid cars: Top performance, stylish and economical

High performance and economical is not something you hear together when you are talking about cars. Well, BMW offers three varieties of hybrid cars offering the same exciting top performance and quality which we associate with the BMW brand, along with reduction in fuel consumption and reduced emissions.

When the first hybrid cars came out, I guess the design and styling was not what the car manufacturers had in mind – they simply looked horrendous. Thankfully that’s changing now as we can see from the range of sexy designs being launched annually. The BMW ActiveHybrid models across their popular 3 Series, 5 Series and 7 Series range are among the best looking hybrids available in the market now.

3 Series ActiveHybrid Sedan

The BMW ActiveHybrid 3 is the World’s first BMW full hybrid compact executive saloon and available as a Sport, Luxury or M Sport model. Prices for the BMW ActiveHybrid 3 in the UK starts from £42,145.

As for the technical specs, the ActiveHybrid 3 is powered by a Turbo six cylinder 3 litre (2979cc) VALVETRONIC with Double-VANOS direct injection, in-line petrol engine with a max output of 306hp (let me catch my breath). The engine is mated with BMW's eight-speed automatic transmission. The car stores and draws power when required from a lithium-ion high-performance battery. The electric engine comes on for silent urban driving for approx 1-2 miles with a maximum speed of 37mph. It also automatically recognises when the car is going up a gradient and the boost functions comes on automatically to support the combustion engine. The car also charges by itself when it is going downhill.

5 Series ActiveHybrid

The BMW ActiveHybrid 5 powertrain is very similar to that of the BMW ActiveHybrid 3. I have always had a soft spot for the 5 Series models - neither too small nor too large. Just the right size. The ActiveHybrid 5 is significantly more economical and with reduced CO2 emissions. Prices in the UK start from £47,790.

7 Series ActiveHybrid

The BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is squarely aimed at those with a taste for luxury but also want to do their bit for the environment. The car is powered by a 3 litre TwinPower Turbo V8 engine. The car features a 0.4 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. You have the choice of several options to personalise your BMW ActiveHybrid 7 including a choice of paint finishes and extensive range of alloy wheels.

M Sport package

Pictured is the optional 20" M light-alloy wheels in double-spoke design for the M Sport model. Prices for the BMW ActiveHybrid 7 start from £66,200.

There are actually several hybrid cars offered by other manufacturers available in the market and many of them cheaper than the BMW models. However, they simply cannot match the performance of the BMW ActiveHybrid models. And when it comes to design and styling, the BMW cars are heads above the competition.

Read More

Clarion Builds 974 BMW 2002 restoration project: Renovated Interior revealed

You may recall that I posted about the restoration of 30+ year-old BBS RS 001s rims as part of the Clarion Builds 974 BMW 2002 restoration project, some time back.

Well, they have come a long way and finally revealed what they did with the interior. All the gauges were also rebuilt and every part of the car’s interior was either replaced or reconditioned and re-plated.

They teamed up with CoupeKing and HushMat for the cabin insulation.

Watch the video below to see the fantastic job CoupeKing did with the leather upholstery and carpets.

To finish off the look and feel, the car was fitted with Nardi 390 steering wheel, shifter knob and parking brake handle (both Nardi as well).

Read More

Exclusive Preview of the New BMW i8 Ad

This is BMW's new ad for the BMW i8. The film was shot in the desert near Almeria, in southern Spain by acclaimed film director Tarsem.

The BMW i8 is a plug-in hybrid sports car. The car combines BMW eDrive technology and a BMW TwinPower Turbo 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder petrol engine.

Read More

Restoring 30+ year-old BBS RS 001s rims

Car audio company Clarion is in the process of restoring an iconic 1974 BMW 2002. As part of the project, they got their hands on original 30-year-old Germany built BBS RS 001 wheels. They hired VR Wheels in Los Angeles to restore them to mint condition - actually the end product looks better.

Check the amazing video of how they refurbished the old wheels and gave it a new life:



Related link: Clarion Builds

Read More

BMW to recall cars over air bag fears

BMW is recalling about 1.6 million 3-Series vehicles produced between May 1999 and August 2006 worldwide. They will replace passenger-side front airbags made by Takata Corp because the inflators could break apart during deployment and injure passengers.

The recall is an extension of last year's recall of 240,000 cars globally for the same issue, he said.

The air bag supplied by Japan's Takata has also affected Honda Motor Co, Toyota Motor Corp, Nissan Motor Co, Mazda Motor Corp, Fuji Heavy Industries-owned Subaru, Mitsubishi, Ford and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' Chrysler brand.

This latest recall will affect about 574,000 in the United States, about 450,000 in Germany and about 189,000 in the United Kingdom.

Read More

The new BMW X4

A fusion of the power of the X model with the design of their classic coupe, the X4 is BMW's latest crossover vehicle.

3 different types of twin power turbo engines powering the X4: 

BMW X4 xDrive35d

• 6 cylinder in-line diesel engine with 313hp and 630Nm of torque
• Goes from 0-62mph in 5.2 seconds
• It has a top speed of 153mph (247km/h)
• Fuel consumption: 47.1mpg
• CO2 emissions of 157g/km

BMW X4 xDrive30d

6 cylinder in-line diesel engine with 258hp and 560Nm of torque

Goes from 0-62mph in 5.8 seconds

It has a top speed of 145mph (234km/h)

Fuel consumption: 46.3-49.6mpg

CO2 emissions of 149-159g/km

BMW X4 xDrive30d

4 cylinder in-line diesel engine with 190hp and 400Nm of torque

Goes from 0-62mph in 8 seconds

It has a top speed of 132mph (212km/h)

Fuel consumption: 50.4-54.3mpg / Automatic: 52.3-56.5mpg

CO2 emissions of 136-146g/km

Others options include a full-colour Head-up display, surround-view which offers the driver a bird's eye view of the area around the vehicle as well as reversing assist camera which shows the area behind the vehicle.

Read More

BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé

Roomy and sporty Coupés from BMW. Four frameless doors and a large boot.

A great example is the BMW 435i, which is powered 6-cylinder TwinPower Turbo petrol 225 kW (306 hp) engine and accelerates from 0 to 62 mph in 5.5 seconds.
Average fuel consumption is quite modest at 28.3 to 29.0 mpg (Steptronic transmission: 30.9 to 31.4 mpg), accompanied by CO2 emissions of just 193 to 189 g/km (Steptronic transmission: 178 to 174 g/km).

Read More

The BMW i8

The BMW i8 plug-in hybrid is the perfect dream car for me - an eco friendly high-performance sports car. It features a passenger cell made from carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) and BMW eDrive technology that enables it to be driven on electric power alone.

Here are some pics from Frankfurt:

Read More

2014 BMW M4 Concept

The BMW Concept M4 Coupe was unveiled at the “Concours d’Elegance” in Pebble Beach on the 16th of this month. A peek into their vision of the future sports car.

Read More

World Premiere of the BMW i3

The BMW i3 was launched today simultaneously in New York City, London and Beijing.

It is the first purpose-built plug-in electric production vehicle to be made primarily from carbon fiber.

Watch it here:




http://www.live.bmwgroup.com

Read More

BMW M5 Nighthawk

The limited edition BMW M5 Nighthawk. Limited to only 10 units for the Japanese market.

Read More

3rd gen BMW X5

Check out the third generation of the BMW X5  This Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) combines performance and luxury. The new model has enhanced aerodynamics, a few new engine variants, adaptive chassis options and a range of customisable design packages.

Read More

The new MINI Paceman

Four versions of the all-new MINI Paceman is set for UK launch in March 2013.

This coupé version of the Countryman goes from a 0-62mph of just 7.5 seconds. The unique design features include upright front grille, with hexagonal radiator grille and broad chrome surround along with the blacked-out pillars creating a ‘floating’ roof. However, the most distinguishing feature is it's roof which gently slopes towards the rear of the car, ending at the integrated spoiler.

The four versions of the car includes two petrol and two diesel. All have powerful four-cylinder engines with a six-speed manual gearbox, or the optional six-speed automatic with Steptronic function for manual control.

For those who want4 wheel drive, MINI’s ALL4 system is available on the Cooper D, SD and Cooper S Paceman models.

MINI Cooper Paceman:

1.6-litre Petrol engine 122bhp

0-62mph in 10.4 seconds,

fuel economy of 47.1mpg

CO2 emissions of 140 g/km.

MINI Cooper S Paceman

1.6-litre Petrol engine tuned to deliver 184bhp.

0-62mph in 7.5 seconds.

Fuel economy is 46.3mpg

CO2 emissions are 143g/km.

MINI Cooper D Paceman

1.6-litre 112bhp turbocharged Diesel engine

0-62mph time of 10.8 seconds.

Fuel economy 64.2mpg

CO2 emissions 115g/km.

MINI Cooper SD Paceman

2.0-litre 143bhp Diesel engine.

0-62mph time is 9.2 seconds.

Fuel economy is 61.4mpg

CO2 emissions 122g/km.

A John Cooper Works Paceman version will also be coming soon.

Prices will start at £18,970 on the road.

Read More

BMW Zagato Roadster concept

The BMW Zagato Roadster, made it's official debut at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance yesterday. This collaboration between BMW and Zagato is based on the BMW Z4 35iS.

Enjoy the pics. What do you think?

Read More