The rumor coming out of a BMW dealer presentation held in the Netherlands last week is that the previously rumored M550d will officially come in with 381 HP from its tri-turbo inline-6 cylinder diesel motor, far lower than the initial speculations of 500+ HP. But it will make over 516 lb-ft torque! Finally, it will be AWD-only, as speculated earlier.

This new tri-turbo diesel F10 5 series was previously confirmed to be coming, but a power figure was not yet known. That set off a round of high horsepower estimates because this model was supposed to have been tuned by BMW M.

Production of the M550d will begin next March, but it’s not yet known whether this model will be available in North America. Future applications for … CONTINUED

Missed the 2011 SEMA Show in Las Vegas? No worries, Johnny Lin provides us with a mega gallery of BMW models at the event (along with some other fine looking German vehicles). Hope you got the bandwidth to keep up =)

BMW’s new 2.0L 4 cylinder turbo engine (the “N20″) may be down on cylinders and displacement compared to the inline 6 cylinder (N52) that it replaces across BMW’s model range, but even in factory form, it matches the outgoing N52’s horsepowers and features an extra 30 lb-ft of torque (in the X1 xDrive28i, X3 xDrive28i, F20 128i, 528i, Z4 sDrive28i, and upcoming F30 328i).

And what the N20 loses in smoothness and top-end pull compared to the outgoing N52, it now looks like it will easily make up for in tuneability. Kelleners Sport has released the specs of its N20 tune and the figures are impressive! These are power gains that the naturally aspirated N52 could never achieve.

The Kelleners N20 tune achieves 294 hp and … CONTINUED

The hot-selling BMW 5 series has been named by J.D. Power as its 2011 Most Appealing Midsize Premium Car. The F10 scored full marks across the Performance and Design categories — which include Overall Performance and Design, Performance, Comfort, Features and Instrumental Panel, and Style. Check out the full results inside.

A member’s visit to Germany has brought us these great photos of some unique BMW Individual creations, including Atacama Yellow E93, Avus Blue E92, Laguna Seca Blue E93, Java Green M3, Lipstick E92 M3, Monte Carlo Blue 5GT, Chestnut Brown F11, Frozen Dark Blue F10, and Byzanz Metallic E93.

Motor Trend has driven the latest 528i with a turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder (N20) engine instead of the traditional six-cylinder engine. What’s their take?

In sum: It offers more power, performance, and fuel economy from a smaller, more efficient, albeit more expensive, package. Read what else they have to say inside.

Insideline takes the 2012 528i with its new 2.0L turbocharged inline 4 cylinder N20 engine for a spin. Like others they’ve been impressed by the versatility of the N20.

Presenting the world premiere of the BMW Activehybrid 5, available beginning March 2012. BMW today announced the introduction of its newest hybrid, the BMW ActiveHybrid 5. Based on the BMW 535i Sedan, the ActiveHybrid 5 brings together BMW’s 3.0-liter TwinPower Turbo inline six-cylinder engine, an electric drive system and an eight-speed automatic transmission for the first time. The latest generation of BMW ActiveHybrid technology also adds precisely controlled energy management to the mix. All of which gives the BMW ActiveHybrid 5 an exceptional balance of performance and fuel economy for a benchmark performance/luxury sedan. Its drive system generates combined output of 335 hp (DIN), allows the car to be driven on electric power alone up to 37 mph (60 km/h), and accelerates the BMW ActiveHybrid … CONTINUED

Couldn’t make the 2011 Frankfurt IAA? Now problem. Dackelone brings it to your screen with this MEGA gallery featuring both BMWs and non-BMW. Load up the thread and grab a snack, as this one may take a while to load