Matt Farah tests the X6 M out at its home track - the BMW Performance Center track in Spartanburg, South Carolina. As usual, the X6 M’s performance defies what the eye sees and mind expects from this 5300 pound CAV and Farah couldn’t be more effusive in his praise of it. Check out the video inside.
Watch the new turbo 4 cylinder 528i take on the old 6 cylinder 528i in a head to head race and dyno, conducted by Classic BMW.
The 2012 528i features the N20 turbo 4 cylinder engine which is quoted at 240hp/260lb-ft torque, 0-60 in factory quoted 6.2sec and is 15% more fuel efficient.
The previous F10 528i was powered by the N52 6 cylinder engine which had 240hp/230lb-ft torque and ran from 0-60 in factory quoted 6.6sec. And although the two engines are factory rated at the same 240hp, on this particular dyno, the N20 engine vastly outpowered the N52 engine - 240hp vs. 208hp at the crank.
The result seen here is obvious based on the factory quoted numbers alone, but seeing a visual of the speed/acceleration difference … CONTINUED
LOCOG & BMW GROUP UNVEIL LONDON 2012 FLEET
26.04.2012
London, 26 April 2012: LOCOG and BMW, Official Automotive Partner to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, today revealed full details of the London 2012 fleet. Set to play an essential role in delivering a successful Games, LOCOG’s deployment plans for the low-emission, diesel, hybrid and electric cars, motorcycles and bicycles were unveiled for the first time.
Whether it be pulling boats out of the water at Weymouth, providing a mobile camera platform for the marathon, towing a horse ambulance across Greenwich Park or carrying medal winners around the Olympic Park to media interviews, the BMW and MINI fleet will perform an extremely wide range of duties during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Naturally making sure the right people are … CONTINUED
VAC Motorsports has put together an impressive dedicated M3 track car build for a customer, in which they managed to drop several hundred pounds off the factory M3’s weight - to just 3200 pounds.
The build was done to the customer’s specs, down to the color scheme, and all the work was done in-house. Here’s the full specs of the build.
Some highlights:
-E92 M3 6MT
-3230lbs ~400lb savings
Safety/Interior:
-Grand Am spec cage with L/R NASCAR door bars and dash bar. Done 100% in house.
-Lexan ¼ windows
-VAC race seat install kit
-TRS harnesses
-VAC steering wheel disconnect
-VAC diamond plate floor pans
Suspension/Braking:
-Brembo 365/345 kit
-Nitron NTR R3 3 way adjustable suspension
-Powergrid links
-VAC studs/spacers
Data:
-AiM Sports Pista
-AiM Sports Smarty Cam
Drivetrain:
-VAC remote oil sensor manifold
-Header back Fabspeed exhaust
-OS Giken Grand Am Spec clutch
-Active Autowerke tune
-Aerocatch latches
The 2013 BMW M6 Coupe (F13) (official info thread) has also made an appearance at the 2012 Auto China show in Beijing, in a stunning Brilliant White Metallic Individual exterior with Opal White Individual leather interior and Piano Black Gloss trim. Until now, the F13 M6 coupe has only been shown in Sakhir Orange at the Geneva and New York auto shows.
The M6 coupe’s carbon fiber roof looks gorgeous contrasting against the pearly Brilliant White metallic paint. It is said (per our NYIAS interview) to save approximately 10 pounds compared to a steel roof and more than that versus a sunroof. Compared to the F10 M5, the M6 coupe is a little more sporty in terms of handling by the design of the front and rear … CONTINUED
The 3 Series Li Long Wheelbase model has just premiered in China (for the Chinese market only), so the next 3 series variant to be introduced will be the F31 touring wagon. We expect it to make its debut at the AMI auto show in Leipzig, Germany in early June.
Seen here are FEP (final evaluation phase) F31 Sport Line and a F31 Luxury Line models being put through the paces on the Nurburgring.
To repeat, the F31 touring is confirmed to be making a return to the North American market. When will it hit the States? In our interview from the 2012 NYIAS, we learned that the F31 will be available in the European market before it launches into North America. Only BMW knows how long the … CONTINUED
Have a look at the sights and sounds from BMW’s presence at the 2012 Auto China show, currently underway in Beijing, China. The two big premieres at the show for BMW were the BMW i8 Spyder Concept and the BMW 3 Series Li Long Wheelbase model. The press conferences for each model can be viewed below, along with some more information on each and photos.
‘Insider’ Scott26 provides some rumors and ruminations on the plans and design for the upcoming BMW 2 Series coupe, convertible, and even a potential sedan.
Details are provided as to how the design of the 2 series will be similar and different than the F20 1 series hatchback on which it will be based. But the biggest info here is that BMW is currently considering a four-door 2 Series sedan-coupe to battle the upcoming Audi A3 sedan and Mercedes CLA. The BMW 2 Series sedan may take the form of a compact “Gran Coupe” which we’ve already seen the 6 series variant of and which is also expected as a 3/4-series. Read the full details/rumors inside.
BMW’s DCT is an excellent transmission and is now without doubt the fastest production transmission offered by BMW, but enthusiasts who appreciate rowing their own gears still get a warm fuzzy feeling when seeing a manual transmission in a new BMW model, even if it’s already been confirmed and has been seen previously — such as the 6 speed shifter seen in this F10 M5.
There are just a few US spec F10 M5s roaming the US being driven by BMW employees or on loan as press cars. One of these was just spotted (thanks Justin) in Newport Beach in Los Angeles.
The U.S. order bank for the 2013 M5 will open this week and full option pricing and order guides will also be made available. The 6 … CONTINUED
