According to Autocar magazine, BMW has filed a patent for a hybrid car that actually uses a split engine for its powertrain.

What is this exactly?

Ok, a traditional hybrid car basicly has a gasoline engine mated to an electric motor. The electric motor will either add extra power to the gasoline engine, or actually sometimes take over from the gasoline engine and run the car on its own.

But in BMWs split hybrid setup there would be a traditional gasoline-electric combination and a third regular gasoline engine. The third engine would sit dormant unless even more power was needed and then it turns on and gives more juice.

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The guys at BimmerFile have scored an exclusive interview with the development manager for one of BMWs most interesting divisions, BMW Performance.

I dont want to steal the fire from the interview, so check it out yourself where they cover topics such as BMW Performance kit development, marketing strategies and what the future holds.

Source: http://www.bimmerfile.com/2010/01/08…s-eric-riehle/

I have to admit that I have the biggest soft spot for Alpina vehicles. I was estatic when the Z8 was sold in Alpina trim in the US (well except for the slushbox). I was even more excited when the previous generation 7-Series was sold in Alpina B7 trim. The sheer power and style of this car, combined with the rarity in the USA combine to make a droolworthy vehicle on every level.

Now its back in F01 trim. The car will make its official debut at the 2010 Chicago Autoshow (February) as the 2011 BMW Alpina B7.

Pushing the beast is a twin-turbocharged and direct-injected 4.4-liter V8 pumping out 500 horsepower and and 516 pound-feet … CONTINUED

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First and foremost. The photos are only renderings based on what the magazine believes the car will look like. (If you want to see what the car will likely look like, our collection of spy photos are here: http://www.bimmerpost.com/?s=f10+m5&…bimmerpost.com. The most revealed of the spyphoto sets is this one: http://f10.5post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=303014).

But on to the guts of the story. The car itself is destined to arrive in late 2010/2011 as a 2011 model. CAR magazine expects that the car will have:

4.4-litre V8 bi-turbo
578bhp, 530lb ft
155mph limited top speed
0-62mph 4.4sec
Unlimited top speed 188mph

The 4.4l V8 M engine would be the … CONTINUED

The sister publication of Autobild "Allrad" has a new Huckfeldt interpretation of the forthcoming BMW X3 Sport Activity Vehicle. As of all the publications who have created illustrations of the X3 , This interpretation stands out as the closest to the production car which this time around will be built at BMWs Spartanburg plant in South Carolina.

Taking as many of the characteristics from the E83 and refining them such as the rising glasshouse towards the rear of the car coincides with a sloping coupe like roof at the rear quarter this brings the X3s characteristic rear quarter light a better resolved solution allowing it to be smaller and more shapely. The visual appeareance of the car adds more muscle to … CONTINUED

C&D recently conducted its 2009 Lightning Lap Test where the BMW M3 once again proved itself as one of the best performing cars available today, besting out most of the other mainstream performance cars participating in the test. Here is a list of the results:

1. Corvette ZR1, (2:51.8)

2. KTM X - Bow, (2:52.3)

3. Lamborghine LP670, (2:53.9)

4. Ariel Atom 3 (2:57.6)

5. Corvette Grand Sport (2:58.8)

6. Audi R8, 5.2 (2:59.5)

7. Lotus Exiqe S 260 (3:05.0)

8. BMW M3 (3:05.4)

9. Porsche Cayman S (3:05.8)

10. Porsche Carrera S (3:05.8)

11. Jaguar XKR (3:06.4)

12. Ford Shelby GT500 (3:07.4)

13. Audi TTS (3:08.4)… CONTINUED

Now that the BMW M1 has been confirmed, the natural next question would be: What’s on everyone’s M1 wishlist (performance, features, options)? Come share your list.

We believe this to be an F30 3-series in testing, though Autocar claims it as a F30 body on top of the future 3-series GT’s mechanicals. According to them:

First 2011 5-series spotted in Milano Beige, a color not usually very eye catching, except that it sits on the F10s beautiful sheet metal.

This eye catching Lumma CLR X650 was recently spotted in Paris traveling with a caravan of exotics, including a white AMG Black Series and Bugatti Veyron. From Autogespot

You can see a flat black version of the X650 here and white version here.

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