Auto and Cars

BMW 745e Gets 500 HP with simple ECU Tune from BR-Performance The new plug-in hybrid choice from BMW in the 7 Series range, the BMW 745e, is quite a different animal compared to the old model. We saw that during our test drive and it wasn’t all just about the added power, the character of the car simply felt different on a number of levels. The extra two cylinders under the hood make a huge difference in the grand scheme of things. However, some have wondered why BMW decided to offer the B58 engine and yet cut its power short. As we all know, the least powerful iteration of the B58 engine today can be found in the Z4 M40i and is rated at 340 PS. Even so, the unit used on the BMW 745e is claimed to be making only 286 PS which left some wanting for more. Well, the solution to that i...

BMW M4 CSL Render sticks new grille on M4 GTS body Render artists must be loving BMW, lately. Ever since the debut of the Concept 4, there have been countless renders of its new grille grafted onto other BMWs. In this latest render, in an attempt to predict the design of the upcoming BMW M4, we see that new grille design stuck onto the face of an M4 GTS. However, because the ‘GTS’ name is dead, the next-gen hardcore M4 will be called the M4 CSL. So this is what the BMW M4 CSL might look like. Sort of. Okay, so the render is more than just an M4 GTS with a new grille stuck on its face. Its hood has been redesigned to match the new 4 Series concept cars, as have the headlights and the car’s flanks. Its sides have been smoothed out, with less body lines and creases and th...

VIDEO: Watch the Rolls-Royce Cullinan Get Dirty in the Rebelle Rally When Rolls-Royce first debuted the Cullinan, it was said to be genuinely capable at off-roading, not just driving up the gravel driveway of a summer house in The Hamptons. Despite those claims, most enthusiasts are skeptical at best of the Cullinan’s off-road capabilities. It is a $400,000-plus luxury SUV, not exactly your ideal off-roader. However, Emme Hall from CNET’s Roadshow was able to put the Rolls-Royce Cullinan to the test better like no one ever has, in the Rebelle Rally. The Rebelle Rally is the first-ever women’s off-road endurance rally race in America and it’s done without any GPS navigation. Instead, it’s all done with good a old fashioned map and compass. Hall and her navig...

BMW questions Audi’s approach to pull out of DTM racing Audi announced late last month that it will leave the DTM racing championship at the end of the 2020 season. That move took everyone by surprise, including BMW Motorsport which is last mohican in the racing series. Of course, this move also cast a doubt on the future of DTM. Furthermore, the news didn’t sit well with BMW board members. According to Motorsport, outgoing BMW chief of R&D Klaus Frohlich was equally surprised and disappointed by the Audi’s exit. “That surprised and disappointed me,” BMW board member Klaus Frohlich said of Audi’s exit to Süddeutsche.de. “And I find it not only astonishing, but also unsportsmanlike to drop out and not talk to us as a second partner before. It ...

BMW M2 Competition by Lightweight: Faster than the BMW M2 CS It’s never a bad thing to be light. While this may not always be true for humans, it is if we’re talking about cars. BMW is perfectly aware of this, so much so that even the Bavarians have already released a lightened version of the extraordinary BMW M2 Competition, called BMW M2 CS. Furthermore, a potential BMW M2 CSL is not completely off the table. However, someone may have anticipated the Bavarian roadmap. The tuners team “Lightweight”, who recently created a BMW M2 cabriolet starting from a standard BMW 2 Series – making it faster than a standard BMW M2 – worked hard to reduce the weight off this little gem. First of all, the steel roof has been replaced by a carbon fiber roof in order ...

BMW Welt pickup could become more expensive for European customers If you live in the United States, then the BMW European Delivery is the best way to purchase a new BMW. Period. The mirage of picking up your car in Munich, at the BMW Welt, and getting a discount on it as well, it’s something no one should overlook. But if you live in Europe, there is a cost associated with having your delivery at the iconic BMW Welt. According to Bimmertoday, and yet to be confirmed by BMW, the BMW Welt website now only shows two delivery options, both more expensive than before. Prior to the Welt closure, a “Basic Starter Package” was offered at a price of 675 euros. The basic pick-up, which is limited to 60 minutes, included a compressed briefing and the handover of the vehicle at ...

BMW Lifestyle releases its new 2020 Collections of Gear Part of the fun of buying a car like a BMW is being part of the club. As much as car enthusiasts like to mock customers for being brand snobs, being part of the group of fans that buy a certain car is part of the fun. But how can you spot each other when you’re out and about, on foot and not in your car? Well, BMW has an answer for you — BMW Lifestyle gear. BMW Lifestyle has just released its new 2020 collection of gear and it’s filled with your typical premium automotive brand gear. There are a few jackets, some t-shirts, a couple of travel mugs, a couple of backpacks, a watch and some other various different BMW-branded items. Some of the items are made by other brands, such as Montblanc and Puma. While most of...

VIDEO: Learn about unique E34 BMW M5 with 400 PS from the Factory In the early 2000’s, BMW impressed the world with a naturally-aspirated engine that packed 100 horsepower per liter and it powered the E46 BMW M3. At the time, such a specific power output was unheard of in a car as relatively inexpensive as the M3. If you wanted 100 hp/liter in a naturally-aspirated, you needed to buy something like a McLaren F1. However, not only did BMW do it in an M3 but it might have actually done it almost a decade earlier, in the E34 BMW M5. Now before you jump down my throat and mock my supposed lack of BMW knowledge, let me mention that we know the E34 M5 did not have 100 hp/liter. Even its bigger 3.8 liter inline-six make 335 hp, or less than 100 hp/liter. However, according to this video,...

SPIED: 2021 BMW 5 Series Touring PHEV appears on camera Spy photographers have recently captured a camouflaged plug-in hybrid BMW 5 Series Touring LCI, set to go on sale this year as a 2021 model. We already know what the LCI 5 Series Sedan will look like, thanks the last week’s “leaks” detailed by us here and here. Until the scheduled online reveal takes place towards end of May, the G30/G31 LCI test prototypes continue the on-road FEP undeterred. The LCI 5 Series Touring will incorporate the same restyled headlights and tail lamps as the Sedan counterpart, together with the more tridimensional kidney grille. The G31 was already a fashionable wagon, so the LCI model will look even crisper. Lately, a minimally cladded plug-in hybrid Touring test vehicle was spotted in...

BMW M Boss: We don’t have a power ceiling restraining M products Looking over the specs M cars have these days and how they changed from generation to generation you might notice a downwards curve in the last 10 years. Whereas cars made by the BMW M division had power increases of around 18% between generations, on the newer models that power increase went down to an average of four percent. Some might be worried that car makers are afraid of offering more power but that’s not the case in Munich. Speaking to the current BMW M boss at an event in South Africa, the people from Which Car magazine in Australia managed to squeeze out a couple of answers regarding this topic. According to Flasch, there isn’t a power ceiling but the discussion should be about controlling that power...

Cool photos of the BMW M850i xDrive Convertible (G14) from Australia Check out a new photo gallery of the marvelous BMW M850i xDrive Convertible (G14) in the scenic lands of Australia. Let’s get this out of the way: I am an all-time fan of cabriolets. Even though they are not very popular and sell in limited numbers, such cars are unique in giving a true, open air driving pleasure. Yes, they might be heavier than their rigid-roof counterparts due to added structural and torsional reinforcement measures for their body, and yes, the extra weight might affect 0-100 km/h acceleration by 0.1 – 0.2 seconds (imperceptible, if you ask me). Convertibles are a dying automotive species nowadays, in a world where constructors put a strong accent on reducing costs and improving profit m...

TEST DRIVE: Hyundai Kona – A Budget Electric Crossover It seems like nothing is impossible if enough energy and effort is put into a project. It’s hard to believe how far certain car makers have come in the last 20 or 30 years, but if there’s one car brand out there which could be used as an example of how far you can come, it’s Hyundai. The South Korea-based automaker has come a long way in the last 20 years and has become a best-seller not just in the US but all around the world. Hyundai now has great-selling cars in every segment that matters and is aiming even higher, at brands that seemed simply untouchable not more than 10 years ago, with its luxury sub-brand, Genesis. Genesis is not available worldwide for now, yet the South Koreans have big plans for the luxury...

PHOTO GALLERY: BMW M850i xDrive Coupe featured in Sunset Orange metallic Delight your eyes with this fresh photo gallery from the Australian market of the BMW M850i xDrive Coupe (G15). The Sunset Orange metallic paintwork is a perfect match with the dynamic character of the M850i xDrive Coupe. It certainly renders the car a spectacular look with its unique shine. The color powerfully contrast with the shiny black finish of the kidney grille, side window ornaments and alloy wheels, as part of the BMW Individual high-gloss Shadow Line package with extended content. This BMW M850i Coupe is also enhanced with specific M Performance carbon fiber parts like the aerodynamic elements on the front air intakes, the exterior mirror casings, the discrete, trunk-mounted spoiler, the impressive rear...

BMW: “Driving down battery cost will lead to widespread EV adoption” We recently had the chance to have a sit down with some BMW experts working in the Battery Cell Competence Center in Munich. The new 120 million Euro facility allows engineers and scientists to work on one of the hottest topics in the automotive industry today: batteries. The world is hellbent on adopting electric vehicles on a wider scale but there are some hiccups in the way, hiccups that will eventually be dealt with. We’ve had the chance of talking about solid state batteries and the challenges they pose, as well as other related topics. BMW says that “it doesn’t seem to be a ‘Holy Grail’ solution rising in the horizon for now, so we’ll have to make due with the technology we hav...

Video: Thrashing a Rolls-Royce Cullinan in the desert looks like great fun Whenever you review a car, no matter how expensive it is and how well insured it is, there’s always a lingering thought in the back of your head telling you to be careful. You don’t want to be the guy who has to call the people telling them something went wrong. You normally ignore that thought because otherwise you’d be paralyzed by fear. But that’s harder to do when you’re talking about a $400,000 Rolls-Royce Cullinan. However, Emme from Roadshow, had the audacity not only to take a Cullinan out for a spin but she entered a desert rally with it. She competed in the Rebelle Rally which is a competition dedicated to women passionate about cars, that takes place in the desert and requ...

TEST DRIVE: E36 BMW 325i in Individual Violet Metallic During our recent stint with the 2021 BMW 4 Series Coupe prototype, we also had the chance to explore and drive an iconic BMW – the E36 BMW 325i. But this was not your typical E36 3 Series, but rather one refined by the folks at BMW Individual. This E36 BMW 325i in Violet Metallic hails from the stables of BMW Group Classic in Munich featuring a comprehensive rehaul, both on the outside and inside. The car is essentially new, with just 11,600 kilometers on the odometer, and it was used sporadically for media scenic drives. An Exclusive Interior Let’s start with the interior since it’s quite striking. The cockpit greets the driver with an almost completely analog speedometer, with only the onboard computer providin...

The rare BMW ALPINA Roadster V8 Limited Edition The BMW ALPINA Roadster V8 Limited Edition is considered the temporary continuation of the iconic Z8 after the production of the E52 model series ceased in November 2002. The BMW Z8 is a marvelous roadster. When you add ALPINA to the game, you have the recipe for an exciting model. Titled Roadster V8 Limited Edition, this Z8-based ALPINA open-top model from the early 2000s is the perfect symbiosis between a seductive design and unparalleled, pure grand turismo driving comfort and performance. The Z8 will forever remain a symbol of breath-taking design and proportions, with an astonishingly aerodynamic silhouette and an almost perfect design philosophy, blending in modern and classic traits. The BMW ALPINA V8 Roadster Limited Edition was a...

Video: Tuned Supra takes on stock BMW M4 on drag strip The new Toyota Supra has quickly become an automotive darling, even though some are criticizing it for various reasons. Most of that criticism comes from the fact that most of the underpinnings come from BMW which is also why a lot of people love it at the same time. The engine and the gearbox are sourced from the Germans as well as a lot of the bits inside, the infotainment system, and so on. However, the Japanese did some tinkering to certain parts of the car to make it even better. That’s why in various comparisons against what is supposed to be exactly the same car – the BMW Z4 M40i – the Supra comes up on top. And that happened a number of times. In the video below we get to see it at work in a straight line, ...

The MINI John Cooper Works GP Seems like an absolute Riot The entire BMW Group seems so sensible these days. It seems like every decision the massive German company makes is made by a computer, calculating potential profits and losses. I guess that’s because it’s a giant German company… I digress. In the midst of all the gray sensibility, there seems to be a flash of madness shining through; a bit of silly, stupid fun. The MINI John Cooper Works GP. Despite being a brand whose ethos is built on the notion of fun, MINI has become a bit too sensible as of late. Cars like the Countryman and Cooper SE reek of spreadsheets and focus groups. Not so with the MINI JCW GP, though. Oh no, the GP is full-on, foam-at-the-mouth psychopath whose sole purpose is to be fun. In this n...

VIDEO: Listen to the Music of this ultra-low-mileage BMW Z4 M Coupe One of the most forgotten M cars of the past couple of decades also happens to be one of the most special — the BMW Z4 M Coupe. It was a rare car even when it was new and it’s somewhat forgotten now but it’s one of the absolute coolest BMWs of its time and a car any enthusiast would love to own. In this new video from Enthusiast Auto Group (EAG), we take a look at an ultra-low-mileage example that sounds incredible. Powering the BMW Z4 M Coupe is the brand’s famous S54 engine, the very same engine that powered the E46 M3. It’s a 3.0 liter naturally-aspirated inline-six with six individual throttle bodies and about 330 hp, for the North American model. But forget the specs because only two t...

Electric MINI Cooper gets “Cybertrucked” in new Render I can still remember the hilarity of the Tesla Cybertruck’s first announcement. Elon Musk strode onto that all-black stage like the rage-tweeting Steve Jobs-wanna-be that he is and attempted to demonstrate an indestructible truck that was eventually destroyed by a man with a ball. Despite the objective absurdity that was the Cybertruck launch announcement, it seemed to have resonated with a lot of fans. So much so in fact, that renders have been made of other cars with the Cybertrucks’ oddball styling. The latest of which is a MINI Cooper , a staple of British design. When the classic Mini first arrived, it was an ingenious package; stylish and practical, fun and economical. In fact, it may be one of the most brilliantly...

Facelifted 2021 BMW 5 Series leaked again and we love the car Quite a busy week in the “BMW leak world” because another image of the 2021 BMW 5 Series LCI has just come out. The image seems to be part of an official brochure which we’ve head that’s starting to arrive a dealerships around the world. It’s likely that these marketing brochures are used to attract customers to the new facelifted 5 Series, so they serve a good purpose. The brochure initially popped up on GermanCarForum, then on Carscoops, before making its rounds on social media and other platforms. Just like the previous leaked 5 Series images, the refreshed business sedan looks the part – it’s bold, sleek and elegant. This is arguably one of the best facelifts in recent memory, on...

Rendering: BMW iNEXT (iX) shows a crossover bodystyle with an EV touch 2021 will bring one of the most technologically advanced cars ever created by BMW. The BMW iNext (iX) is the company’s first true competitor to Tesla offerings and aims to play in the high-end market of electric crossovers. Despite not many spy photos, rendering artists are already putting out their own interpretation of the car. The new flagship of the BMW i sub-brand is roughly the size of the current X5 and should not only impress with its electric drive, but also set new standards in the areas of autonomous driving and connectivity. Renderings: @zer.o.wt on Instagram It is also clear that the BMW iNext, or iX as that might be the final name, will not exclusively use the new features. Whether electric drive...

3D Design’s G21 BMW 3 Series Touring exterior kit looks angry As far as daily sports wagons go, the BMW 3 Series Touring is among the best in the business. It’s quick (depending on the model), handles well, looks good and has tons of space inside for the family run. There’s almost nothing the 3 Series Touring does poorly. However, it can be a bit sedate looking, especially if you don’t opt for the M340i Touring. So if you have a long-roof 3 Series but it just doesn’t look quite disco enough for you, this tuning kit from 3D Design might just be for you. This new tuning kit fits right over the stock M Sport exterior package and makes the 3er Touring look properly sporty. As per usual with 3D Design’s work, this kit is made of the highest quality and fits like...

BMW Russia now offers the option to select, configure and pay online for a BMW BMW has been teasing us for years with an Amazon-line experience when buying a car online. There were a few attempts in Asia to put in place such a process, but none at a global scale. Tesla made famous the online car buying process and automakers are starting to adapt. One of them is the BMW Group Russia which just announced their new digital offerings which includes an e-commerce component to purchase a new BMW. The entire process of buying a car – from model selection, to choosing the options and features, payment and loan approval, to estimating the value of the car to be traded in – is being made fully available online. Some dealerships are also offering an option to deliver the car to the ad...

Rare Find: BMW M8 Coupe Competition in Individual Aventurine Red II This new BMW M8 is a bit interesting. It’s flawed as a sports car, due to its lack of real communication from the controls and its massive curb weight. However, it’s actually an outstanding GT car, thanks to its brutal speed and surprising comfort. This very nature causes a bit of division among BMW enthusiasts, some of which bemoan its GT-like nature and some embrace it. Driving nature aside, though, there’s one thing most enthusiasts can agree on — the BMW M8 Competition is a damn fine looking machine. Seen here in this Instagram post is a BMW M8 Competition in a very rare Aventurine Red II, one of BMW M’s Individual colors, and it looks outstanding. With the gloss black accents, black wh...

MINI Cooper SE – The First EV You Should Try In Your Life By now, everyone knows most of the things about the new MINI Cooper SE. It’s a small car, it’s electric and it doesn’t cost that much, but its range is not necessarily enough to be your main car. I won’t torture you by telling you for the 400th time that the car has an electric engine similar to the one used for in the BMW i3 – 184 HP and 270 Nm (199 ft-lb) – able to punch the road quite hard. And that the range is between 235 km and 270 km (145 – 165 miles). Which might not be adequate for certain markets. Yet today, I want to analyze this car from a different perspective. I said that this MINI is pretty good, but it might not be enough for long distances to be your main car. But what if...

VIDEO: Check out this Chris Harris/BMW Compilation from Top Gear Among all famous motoring journalists, Chris Harris is among the most respected and admired. His ability to flog cars better than any other journo, while also delivering clever and witty dialog, is deeply impressive. He’s also a pretty big fan of BMWs and owns several. In this new clip from Top Gear, they’ve put together a compilation of Harris driving and interacting with various different BMWs. As per usual, it’s filled with clips of Harris flogging different Bimmers. For instance, the video features his comparison between a BMW M2 and his very own 1 Series M, a comparison that’s very much worth your time. There’s also another interesting comparison in the half-hour-long video, which pits th...

VIDEO: Catch a Good Look at the G80 BMW M3 at the Nurburgring Chasing down prototype cars at the Nurburgring is nothing new. You’ll see more photographers at a Nurburgring manufacturer test day than at a Kardashian wedding. So seeing clips of some camouflaged test mules lapping the ‘Ring isn’t exactly uncommon. What is uncommon is getting an up close look at one of these camouflaged cars while they sit idle. Thankfully, that’s exactly what we get from this new spy video of the G80 BMW M3. In this new video, we get to see the usual array of manufacturer test cars lapping Germany’s most famous race track. One of which is the G80 M3, one of the most hotly anticipated cars in BMW’s lineup. However, after seeing it do its thing on track, we get to see it u...

BMW: Regularly fast-charging won’t noticeably affect our batteries The switch from internal combustion engines to electric ones won’t be an easy one and it brings a few issues we weren’t initially expecting. Since electric cars require an entirely different infrastructure, they will bring with them some different problems that need to be taken care of. One that seems to be of particular interest for most ‘electronauts’ is related to the downsides of fast-charging on the regular. Recent reports showed that cars using fast charging more often could end up having issues retaining similar amounts of energy stored in their batteries compared to cars that have been charged on lower settings. It was one of the topic I had the chance to touch on during a recent interview...