Auto and Cars

Formula E: A Detailed Recap of the Marrakesh Race for BMW i Motorsport The BMW i Andretti team once again turned in a successful weekend at Round 5 of the 2019-2020 Formula E championship in Marrakesh, Morocco, with Max Guenther showcasing the speed of the BMW iFE.20 all weekend on his way to his second podium finish of the season. It was a mixed bag of fortunes for Alexander Sims, however, who drove a brilliant comeback race but retired from 5th place on the final lap of the race with a mechanical issue. The result sees young Max Guenther promote himself up to a sterling 4th place in the drivers’ championship, but the BMW i Andretti team slide down to 2nd in the constructors’ championship after a weekend of excellence from the DS Techeetah team saw the Chinese / French team...

Lucas Auer and Kyle Kirkwood complete Formula E tests Formula E is the next big thing in motorsport. As more and more manufacturers work on electric cars and keep developing the technology around them, the focus on the competition is gaining momentum. That’s why car makers such as BMW and others are now competing in the venue and are looking for new drivers to take the helm. This past weekend, two more had a go behind the wheel of the iFE.20 racer to see how they can handle it. As we mentioned a while back, the two were Lucas Auer and Kyle Kirkwood. While Auer is going to race in the DTM this upcoming season for the first time, BMW Motorsport wanted to see whether he would also be a good fit for Formula E. The rookie completed 86 laps in the #27 car and, with a personal best time ...

Photo Comparison: BMW 1 Series vs 2020 Audi A3 Sportback BMW is new to the front-wheel drive hatchback game. The new 1 Series hatch is the brand’s first attempt and it competes in a segment full of veterans. Cars like the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus have all been competing in this space for far longer. But the 1er’s biggest rival will likely be this — the all-new 2020 Audi A3 Sportback. The Audi A3 has been the longest-running premium hatchback in the segment, having debuted back in 1996. So to say that Audi knows a thing or two about making a premium, front-wheel drive hatchback would be an understatement. Which is why the BMW 1 Series is going to have its hands full, as it needs to go up against the newest iteration of a veteran car in its r...

Rolls-Royce Cullinan 6×6 Rendering takes opulence to next level If there’s one word that can be used to define the Rolls-Royce Cullinan it is, without a doubt, opulence. From the design to the materials used inside and, of course, the price, everything about the Cullinan screams luxury. It also reflects the fact that’s reserved for a certain, very exclusive demographic. The rendering here is taking things to an even higher level, as if that was even possible. Yes, for now, this is just a rendering but wouldn’t it be cool though? Think of the Mercedes G63 AMG 6×6 and what a crazy car it is and now picture a proper rival for it. The Cullinan 6×6 would be a proper alternative, especially if it would keep the 6.75-liter V12 twin-turbo mill under the hood intact...

IAA Frankfurt Motor Show Moving To Munich Starting In 2021 Germany’s Verband der Automobilindustrie has announced that the IAA Frankfurt Motor Show will move to Munich starting in 2021. The German car association says that “attractive event locations, excellent transport infrastructure, and expertise in the organization of major events” as the reasons for choosing Munich. Initially, the VDA picked Berlin, Hamburg, and Munich as the prospective sites for the Frankfurt Motor Show. “The three cities that were shortlisted as the venue have all presented highly ambitious and convincing plans to further develop the IAA together with the VDA,” VDA President Hildegard Müller said in the group’s announcement. “It was a very close race, for which I t...

BMW iX3 – The Bavarians give us an early look at its design During the presentation of the new BMW Concept i4, Oliver Zipse, BMW CEO, has also given us an early view of the BMW iX3. The all-electric SUV will arrive this year and the top view show us some of its design features. One thing that immediately stands out is the kidney grille. Compared to the Concept iX3, the production model has a new kidney grille. This closely follows the look of the conventionally-powered X3 models, but still making the iX3 clearly recognizable as a member of the BMW i family. According to a previous press release, the new BMW iX3 will have a range of more than 440 km measured on the WLTP test. The range is achieved thanks to a battery pack of 74 kWh. The first fully-electric SUV uses the fifth gener...

Is BMW M getting a new logo with a 2D look? Originally, the premiere was probably planned for the 2020 Geneva Motor Show, but now BMW M is simply releasing it online. On Facebook, the BMW M account is wearing a new logo which completely dismisses the familiar three-dimensionality badge. The new iteration has a modern 2D look and four colors. The characteristic M logo does not shine with a chrome effect, instead, is kept in plain white. The three colored stripes to the left of the M are also shown without any shades, gradients and other effects. Instead, they are kept completely monochrome. It remains to be seen whether the new two-dimensional BMW M logo will only be used for communication and presentation purposes or on actual vehicles. At this moment, we don’t believe that a fla...

BMW Concept i4 revealed in first videos and commercials The BMW Concept i4 is finally here. The plan was to unveil the new electric car at the Geneva Motor Show, but the COVID-19 forced the Swiss government to shut down the event. So BMW has opted for an online reveal showing the car in all its splendor. At the same time, they released a couple of videos that show the car in motion, giving us a better view of its design. Speaking of the design, the BMW Concept i4 features some radical yet attractive and exciting yet familiar lines. Sure, its monster kidney grilles are going to cause some controversy but we’ll all get used to it and it actually sort of works on an electric car, despite the irony. Rather than be used to bring air into an engine, as the BMW Concept i4 obviously has ...

WORLD PREMIERE: The BMW Concept i4 Electric Gran Coupe The wait is finally over. The BMW Concept i4 is finally here and it’s about as real as it’s gonna get. So soak it in, the electrified future of BMW is here and it’s bold. After the cancellation of the 2020 Geneva Motor Show, due to Coronavirus precautions, BMW decided to launch its i4 Concept via livestream on the same day of its original Geneva debut. Today. While we can’t see the car in person, as we would have if it were revealed in the land of cheese and chocolate, we still get to see what the brand’s sedan of the future is like. And it looks interesting. The Design – Fairly Close To The Production Car The BMW i4 Concept may be just that, a concept car, but it’s extremely close to produ...

SPIED: Which BMW 7 Series test mule is this one? The next-generation BMW 7 Series is about two years away from its debut. The design was finalized last year and testing is under way. But some publications might have jumped the gun today when a new set of spy photos came out. And everyone is keen on believing that BMW is testing some hidden features under the sheet of the current G12 generation. But according to our sources, this is still very much so the current 7 Series limousine which is likely to get a very mild facelift this year. Emphasis on very. As we don’t own the spy shots, you can see them here. The prototype sports some light camo around the headlights and taillights, likely hiding some new light graphics. Other than that, it looks pretty much the same as thi...

Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA and GTAm are Here to Frighten the BMW M3 Ever since driving the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, I’ve been smitten by its devilish charms. It’s so good looking, so incredibly fast and sensational to drive that it almost makes me forget about its, frankly, embarrassing unreliability. However, Alfa seems to be working on its reliability while also injecting even more fun into its stunning sedan. Welcome the all-new Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA and GTAm, two cars that should make the BMW M3 very, very nervous. We obviously haven’t driven the upcoming G80 BMW M3 but it’s going to need to be astonishing to keep up with these two. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; if it were my money, there’s no way I’d buy the A...

BMW quarantines employees after worker tested positive for coronavirus According to Automotive News and confirmed by a BMW spokesperson, BMW AG has told about 150 employees in Munich to stay at home for 14 days under self-quarantine after a colleague tested positive for the coronavirus. The report says that the employee who tested positive was taken to hospital after he visited a doctor on Sunday. He is doing well under the circumstances, BMW said. The reported worker had not traveled abroad and was working in the automaker’s FIZ research and development center in Munich. During his time at work, he was in contact with about 150 other employees. The affected premises were closed off and disinfected and operations are continuing without restrictions, BMW said. The last week ha...

LEAKED: BMW Concept i4 Leaks Ahead of Official Unveil After the cancellation of the 2020 Geneva Motor Show, BMW had to scramble to come up with new plans for the launch of its all-new i4 Concept. So the folks in Bavaria decided to keep the reveal on the same day it would have been in Geneva but do it live on the internet instead. So the world will see a livestream of the BMW i4 Concept reveal tomorrow. However, it seems as if some publications decided to do BMW’s job for it, by leaking the official photos of the i4 early. Some members of the press received photos of the BMW i4 Concept early, so they could have articles and videos up the moment the embargo lifts. It’s a courtesy the BMW provides journalists, so long as said journalists adhere to the embargo agreement. However...

VIDEO: Johnny Smith drives the MINI Cooper SE on the road Now that the new MINI Cooper SE is here, BMW and MINI enthusiasts can get themselves into a small, electric hatchback that’s actually fun to drive. It seems as if the famous British brand has injected a bit of fun into electric motoring. But is it actually as much fun to drive as you would expect from an electric MINI? This new video from Johnny Smith gives us some insight. Johnny Smith is an esteemed automotive journalist and presenter, working on Fifth Gear, Sniff Petrol and his own channel, CarPervert. In his latest video, he drives the MINI Cooper SE to see what it’s like in real-world driving and if it’s as fun as promised. To be honest, it seems as if it’s as advertised. The steering and turn-in are ...

Pre-Owned Electric — Should You Buy a Used BMW i3? One of the main reasons why electric vehicle customers lease their cars is depreciation. EVs simply don’t hold their value well, for a number for reasons. Battery degradation and technology evolution are two of the biggest factors as to why EVs depreciate so quickly but the reasons why aren’t really important for this exercise. Instead, we’re going to focus on the fact that EVs do depreciate quite quickly, making them shockingly cheap on the used market. So let’s take a look at whether or not it’s a good idea to buy a used EV, specifically a used BMW i3. The i3 is one of the more fun and interesting electric cars on the market. However, it’s often overlooked due to its range, or lack thereof. Its rang...

VIDEO: WhatCar pits the BMW 3 Series vs Tesla Model 3 This is the test that Elon Musk had in mind when he first dreamed of the Tesla Model 3. He wanted to take on the BMW 3 Series and that’s exactly what he’s done. In this new video from WhatCar, we get to see the two cars take each other on to see which is actually best. In this test, we take a look at a BMW 320i and a short-range Tesla Model 3. So they both have similar power and prices but are almost completely different in every other regard. For instance, the Tesla is significantly faster, hitting 60 mph in 6.1 seconds, versus the BMW 3 Series and its 7.3 second time. However, the 3er can drive around 400 miles on a single tank of fuel, while the Model 3 can only manage around 250 miles on a single charge. But which one...

PHOTO GALLERY: The new BMW X6 (G06) in the Land of Oz New photos with the BMW X6 arrive from Australia, where the luxury SAC has recently celebrated its media debut. The new generation of the X6 – the G06 – has been available on the Australian market since the advent of the 4th quarter of 2019. Recently, automotive journalists have got the chance to test the new X6 during a media event. Press representatives were able to drive two versions of the Sports Activity Coupe: the entry-level X6 xDrive30d and the range-topping X6 M50i. The two models are different, yet bold and powerful characters, each having its unique attributes and strong qualities. The BMW X6 xDrive30d was specced in the newly released Riverside Blue metallic paint finish, combined with 22-inch M Sport bi-color...

BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe (G16): Cool photos from Australian press launch The impressive BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe has been finally photographed on Australian soil. Like the X6, the first-ever 8 Series Gran Coupe in history has entered the Australian market in late 2029. Recently, first photos from the Australian press launch have been made available. The media event had two main stars: the rear-driven BMW 840i and the high-end BMW M850i xDrive all-wheel-drive high performance four door coupe, which are also the sole two versions for the G16 available in the land of Oz. The most spectacular of the two was the entry-level 840i model, which was featured in a sensational BMW Individual combo. The exterior was adorned in the deep and powerful Tanzanite Blue II metallic paint finish, with furth...

TEST: 2020 BMW X5 M / X6 M – 3.8 seconds from 0-62 mph During our test drive of the new 2020 BMW X5 M Competition and X6 M Competition, we also spent some time doing some unscientific tests. Our goal was to measure the 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) time for the new M Power SUVs, but unfortunately, we did not have a Vbox with us. So we had to rely on a regular timer to capture the standard sprint which came out to 3.8 seconds. We’ve seen some other Youtubers posting a 3.4 seconds time from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h), so we’re either terrible drivers or there were some other factors in play. Since we’re pretty confident in our Launch Control and shifting skills, we had to dig a bit further. So we came up with this excuse: in the car, there were three passengers. By our own calculatio...

VIDEO: Carwow drives the BMW X6 M Competition – 3.4 seconds sprint The BMW X6 M Competition is a car that’s hard to figure out. On one hand, it sort of annoys the journalist in me, as it’s an overly heavy, massive and thirsty SUV in the least appropriate era ever for such cars. Also, it’s the sort of car I just don’t normally like. However, the little kid in me sees an SUV with over 600 hp and the ability to frighten supercars and then I giggle. Saying it’s a car that I hate to love might be accurate. In this new video from Carwow, you can see why. Few cars attract as much attention as a plum-purple X6 M Competition. Just look at the car in this video, with it flamboyant exterior color (which I like, for the record), gloss black accents, massive wheels and ...

Formula E: Maximilian Günther finishes second in Marrakesh Maximilian Günther finished second in Marrakesh for the BMW i Andretti Motorsport team. It was Günther’s second top-three result with BMW i Andretti Motorsport in the #28 BMW iFE.20, having previously taken victory in Santiago (CHI). He climbs into fourth place in the Drivers’ Championship, just behind team-mate Alexander Sims in third. Sims also drove an impressive race, but was unfortunately forced to retire from fifth place shortly before the finish. BMW i Andretti Motorsport is currently second in the Team standings with 90 points. Günther started from second place on the grid after a strong performance in qualifying. He set the fastest time in the regular qualifying session, earning himself a poi...

VIDEO: Discussion — Did BMW or Alfa Romeo Invent the Sport Sedan? One of the more persistent debates among car enthusiasts surrounds the origins of the sport sedan. As car enthusiasts, we all love sport sedans because they offer the same practicality and usability as a regular sedan but are actually enjoyable to drive in the same way a sports car is. So you can use it everyday but also have fun it it, having your cake and eating it, too. So, naturally, the inventor of such a car would be revered, right? Well, it’s actually a bit difficult, as there’s a debate as to who actually invented it. The two brands constantly argued about are BMW and Alfa Romeo. In this new video from the Carmudgeon Show, we listen to journalist Jason Cammisa and Derek Tam-Scott discuss the origins of...

Stunning Images: 2020 BMW X6 M Competition in Mineral White During our test drive of the new 2020 BMW X6 M Competition, one of the test models was painted in the beautiful and immaculate Mineral White color. For the new BMW X5 M Competition and X6 M Competition, you get a rather nice palette of exterior colors available at no charge. From Alpine White to Mineral White, Carbon Black and Donnington Grey all the way to Marina Bay Blue Metallic, all of these colors are free. Inside, you also get a lot of other combinations free of charge, like Black with Midrand Beige or Sakhir Orange/Black or Ivory White /Night Blue. Carbon fiber trims is also quite popular inside the cabin while Piano Black trims will cost extra. Furthermore, BMW’s Individual program also allows for a huge variety ...