Auto and Cars

Report: BMW allegedly dropped plans to open a factory in Russia According to Automotive News, BMW has dropped plans to open a factory in Russia after talks with authorities broke down over government subsidies for the facility. The news outlet reports that BMW failed to reach a conclusion in talks with Russian government officials over the level of economic incentives for the plant. BMW currently has a presence in Russia through its local partner Avtotor which assembles 3, 5 and 7 Series models and X1, X3, X4, X5 and X6 SUVs from semi-knocked-down kits. Former BMW CEO Harald Krueger said in 2018 that the company was considering establishing its own local production facilities in Russia. “We see Russia as an important market for the BMW Group and are in constant contact with ...

BMW Mount Rushmore — Which Bimmers Do You Put On It? BMW has a rich history of incredible cars. For at least the past sixty years, the Bavarians have been debuted at least one or two incredible cars every decade. So it’s very difficult to narrow it down to just a few of the very best. That isn’t going to stop us from trying. But it’s just not possible to choose just one or even two or three. So we’re going to pick four of the best BMWs of all time and put them on our fictional Bavarian Mount Rushmore. In this little exercise, we can choose from any BMW throughout its storied history. However, it has to have a BMW Roundel on it. No MINIs, no Rolls-Royces, nothing that comes from a brand that BMW owns or has owned. Also, like Mount Rushmore itself, this isn’t...

MINI’s “Inner Drive” Campaign Tells the Story of the First-Ever Mini There are a few cars throughout the history of the automobile that genuinely changed the industry. Most of them were small and affordable. The Volkswagen Beetle was one. The other is another small car that’s far more enjoyable to drive — the Mini. Developed to be a small and fun solution to the dense, congested traffic of London, as well as something to help handle the fuel rationing in England, the original Mini was a masterpiece of packaging and chassis tuning. That masterpiece was designed by a man who would later live on in legend. Sir Alec Issigonis. In this new video campaign, MINI honors Issigonis by telling his story in a very creative virtual story book. “The MINI brand has always embraced a...

TEST DRIVE: BMW i3s – Can I Drive It In The Winter? I was recently at a BMWCCA Cars & Coffee with our 2018 BMW i3s and it was a typical freezing cold day in January. One of the chapter officers came up and asked me” “Do you really drive this every day, even in the winter?” “Absolutely,” I said. “With a set of dedicated snow tires and wheels, we have had no problems.” I live in the Midwest and we get some pretty nasty winter weather with temperatures down to -5F/-20C and plenty of snow every winter. In fact, we have been daily driving a BMW i3 since 2014 when they first came out. Before I jump into my winter driving experience with the BMW i3s, here are a few tips I compiled over the years: Winter EV Driving Tips Keep Fully Charged Precondit...

BMW is recalling around 680 model-year 2020 BMW X7 SUVs BMW of North America has just issued a recall for the 2020 BMW X7 SUV. According to the recall notice released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there are approximately 680 models being recalled. The issue is centered around the rear reflex reflectors which may not reflect an adequate amount of light, decreasing the vehicle’s visibility to other drivers and increasing the risk of a crash. Your local dealership will replace both rear reflex reflectors for free. BMW will begin notifying owners March 23. BMW owners can call the automaker at 800-525-7417, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s vehicle-safety hotline at 888-327-4236 or visit its website to check their vehicle identificatio...

VIDEO: Watch this BMW Z4 chase a 5 Series LCI Test Mule on Autobahn We know that BMW is readying the facelift of the next-gen 5 Series, as we’ve been seeing spy photos surface, showing off some new headlights and taillights. While we don’t have an exact timeframe for when we’ll see the facelifted 5er, we do know it’s on the way and we could see it this year. In this new video, we actually get to see the 5 Series LCI (facelift in BMW-speak) on the Autobahn, as it’s chased by a BMW Z4 sDrive30i. The video is from the POV of the Z4’s driver and they seem to find a 5 Series Touring LCI test mule, wearing heavy camouflage, driving ahead of them. So they decided to follow it to get a better look. Whichever model of 5er that test mule is, it’s fast. I&...

BMW won’t force customers to buy electric vehicles The electric vehicles market is on the rise with more and more customers being interested in buying an electric car. And the sales numbers are showing it. While it does seem like the uptake is building up extremely slowly, sales are definitely increasing and BMW will have to adapt at some point. The German company has repeatedly said they plan to offer customers a wide choice to pick from and that they will use their flexible architecture to the max, to make sure they deliver what the customers want. This week, that was highlighted once again by an official. Speaking to the press at a conference, BMW Australia boss, Vikram Pawah said: “We are absolutely committed to the power of choice now and well into the future, allowing custom...

2020 BMW X5 xDrive40d and X6 xDrive40d Pack a Diesel Punch Last I drove a BMW X5, it was the six-cylinder gasoline variant, dubbed “xDrive40i“. Thanks to its 3.0 liter turbocharged I6, making 335 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque, the six-pot X5 made far more than enough power and I wasn’t once left wanting for more. In fact, it’s quicker than any customer will ever need. Add some more torque and there may not be a better X5 value on the market. Welcome the BMW X5 xDrive40d. BMW has just revealed its newest entry to the X5 family and it’s powered by a 3.0 liter turbocharged inline-six diesel engine. The oil-burner powering the new X5 makes a whopping 340 hp and 516 lb-ft (700Nm) of torque, which gives it a bit more power and a ton of extra torque. In addition to ...

EVs Outsold Manual Transmissions in 2019 — Is This the End? Electric vehicles do not take up a large portion of the automotive market. With just 1.6 percent of the total US automotive market share, EVs aren’t especially popular. That in itself isn’t too surprising, nor is it very sad. What is sad, though, is the fact that, even at less than two percent of the market share, EVs still outsold manual transmissions in 2019. You read that right, the row-your-own gearbox took up less than 1.6 percent of the market share in the US last year. More specifically, only 1.1 percent of all vehicles sold in 2019 had manual gearboxes. That’s almost painful to read because it means the end is nigh. As car enthusiasts, we’ve all been dreading the end of manual transmissions for y...

BMW says they’re not interested in Formula 1 return Every once in a while the topic of BMW and Formula 1 comes back to focus. And every single time, the answer is the same – BMW does not see a viable path for the in the most popular racing event in the world. Despite a relationship with Formula 1 that stretches back to 1952, BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt believes that BMW’s development has taken it down a different path. “The V6 Turbo Hybrid is an engine that has absolutely nothing to do with what we do in series production,” he told Auto Bild. “From an engineering perspective, I have to say: hats off to what they do in Formula One, but the technology has no relevance for the road.” BMW’s latest stint in Formula 1 started in ...

BMW puts 75,000 Euros up for grabs in SIM Racing competitions BMW is committed to SIM Racing and has recently announced that it will be offering 75,000 Euros in prize money at various competitions throughout 2020. SIM Racing fans can join two major series on two different platforms. Those interested in racing the BMW M8 GTE virtually can do it on the iRacing motorsport platform while those interested in the M2 CS Racing can do it on the rFactor2 platform. The best of the best will get a chance to duke it out in Munich at a grand finale hosted by BMW. “They [the two platforms] allow us to address talented and enthusiastic drivers on many different levels and provide them with a route into the fascinating world of motorsport. We are also planning continual expansion of our range of ...

Buyer’s Guide: BMW E39 M5 The BMW E39 M5 was produced from 1999 to 2003 and is perhaps BMW’s most critically acclaimed sedan in its history. The E39 M5 is a spacious and comfortable sedan that produces tremendous amounts of power and handles like a car that weighs significantly less. The car is appreciating, although how long that will continue is unknown. There were 12,000 originally sold in the United States, so between accidents and modifications, finding a pristine example may not be easy. Beyond what you can see in pictures, here’s what to look for when shopping for an E39 M5. Engine The M5 has a 4.9 liter V8 that produces 395 horsepower and 365 ft-lb of torque. Contrary to the E60 M5, torque is available earlier, which makes this car a more enjoyable daily driver but ...

Video: How BMW is developing autonomous driving cars Autonomous driving cars is seen by many as the future of transportation, yet, it might not deliver what most people are expecting. Most car makers today are investing heavily into this type of tech, considered by some as the Holy Grail of personal transportation. But the truth of the matter is that completely independent/autonomous driving cars might not exist after all. BMW is at the forefront of the efforts and they have dedicated millions of dollars towards this goal. In the video below we get to see how things are evolving and shaping up. Mariana Van Zeller traveled across the world to the BMW Autonomous Driving Lab in Munich, Germany to reveal the inner workings of driverless car development, the latest frontier in auto engineeri...

Photo Gallery from the Tokyo Auto Salon 2020 A few weeks ago, the 2020 Tokyo Auto Salon showcased some of the world’s most exciting tuners and aftermarket part companies. BMW was a heavily featured brand in Tokyo, with cars ranging from brand-new high-performance M cars to vintage classics being on display. There were also some of new Toyota Supras on hand, which is fun because the Supra is both Japanese and German. What’s great about the Tokyo Auto Salon is the sheer range of cars on hand. There were some crazily modified Bimmers as well as bone stock ones. Two great examples of that contrast are the bagged BMW M3 with a roof box and aftermarket wheels and the seemingly bone-stock E28 BMW M5. There weren’t only just show cars on display but also parts. Aftermarket co...

TEST DRIVE: 1983 BMW 528e (E28) vs BMW 540i (G30) BMW likes to stick to what works, and not mess with what doesn’t need to be messed with. Their cars have had the same shaped grills for almost a century, they have had the four headlamps and the famous Hofmeister Kink for almost half a century. As well as having the buttons and instrumentation still light up in that soothing orange. But over the last couple of years BMW has caught a lot of flak for their newer cars being less engaging to drive, being focused more on comfort rather than sportiness. To see if this was the case I decided to compare my personal car, a 1983 BMW 528e (E28 chassis) to a current generation 2017 BMW 540i xDrive (G30 chassis). Completely Different Drivetrains Starting off with the drivetrain, both cars have...

US Market is Likely to Get Four-Cylinder Toyota Supra If you’re been interested in buying the BMW Z4 Cou… sorry Toyota Supra but felt it was too expensive, you might be in luck. According to this new report from Motor Trend, the Supra will be getting a four-cylinder version in the ‘States later this year. The four-cylinder Toyota Supra has been on sale in Japan already, offering two different variations of it in fact, but it’s been a six-cylinder-only model in the US market since its debut. While the sixer in the new Supra is a brilliant engine, as it’s a slightly de-tuned version of the same B58 engine found in the Z4 M40i, a four-cylinder model would help to put a lot of butts in seats. Admittedly, there’s been no confirmed word from Toyota about a...

BMW Product Manager: 2 Series Gran Coupe aimed at “young, extroverted customer” BMW’s 2 Series Gran Coupe is the brand’s latest front-wheel drive model joining an extremely popular segment in Europe. The premium four-door coupe takes on the Mercedes-Benz CLA and the Audi A3/S3 Sedan. The styling of the 2 Series Gran Coupe has been the subject of endless discussions online and offline, and it’s without a doubt, one of the controversial ones in the current BMW lineup. But to learn more about the purpose and goals of this new model in the BMW family, we sat down with Gernot Stufhl, BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe Product Manager. One of the first things we wanted to learn was the customer base for the 2er Gran Coupe. “We would like to reach the young, extroverted kind of c...

BMW teams up with Alcantara in Italy to create the X5 Timeless Edition BMW Italy is launching the limited-run BMW X5 Timeless Edition in collaboration with leather upholstery specialist Alcantara. The new BMW X5 Timeless Edition is a celebration of the 20-year history of the BMW X family, whose pioneer and all-time icon is the very X5, already in its fourth generation. The Timeless Edition for the G05 model series will be assembled in just 50 examples, to be sold exclusively on the Italian market. The X5 Timeless Edition model is based on the xLine version, while the chosen model variant is the X5 xDrive30d, equipped with a competent and robust 6-cylinder diesel engine rated at 265 PS (261 hp). The car is shown off in the Mineral White body color, that powerfully contrast the all-black...

TEST DRIVE: 2020 BMW X6 M50i — Style Doesn’t Need to Make Sense Personally, I’ve never been a fan of SUV “Coupes”. Just the idea of them has never really appealed to me and I feel as if they’re inherently compromised, both as an SUV and as a sports car. Chopping off the roof to add style makes it less practical, thus defeating the entire purpose of buying an SUV. Yet trying to make it sporty still doesn’t work because it’s a massive SUV that still won’t handle well. All the while, it just becomes an odd looking ‘Tweener that doesn’t really have a real place in the world. Yet after spending a week in the BMW X6 M50i, I realized that maybe none of that actually matters. As I picked up my Manhattan Green X6 M50i test car, the Big Bimmer...

Let the Horsepower War End and and the Lightweight War Begin I remember when I used to read old Motor Trend magazines as a young teenager, from my quite retreat (toilet), and supercars were all just starting to crest the 500 horsepower mark. That seemed to be the number for a properly psychotic supercar — 500 hp. Now, that same 500 hp that I used to think was only reserved for the most exotic of supercars is now available in middling sports sedans. Back in my Motor Trend magazine days, the BMW M3 had 333 hp. Now, this next-generation of M3 will crest that formerly magical 500 hp mark, which would have blown my fifteen-year-old mind. That’s progress, though, isn’t it? As engine technology gets better, turbocharging becomes cheaper and expectations get higher, horsepower...

Video: BMW M2 Competition vs A45 AMG, Audi RS3 and Golf R drag race Since BMW hasn’t launched – and doesn’t plan to – a more powerful car than the M135i xDrive in the 1 Series range, the Bavarian manufacturer is missing a hot hatch to throw against the likes of the Mercedes-AMG A45 or the Audi RS3. Therefore, that job might fall onto the BMW M2 Competition, a car that’s not a hatchback but a Coupe and yet has the power and the credentials to keep the fight interesting. The guys from CarWow joined forces with Joe Achilles and put together a drag race with all these cars and a Golf R for some reason. To be fair, the Golf is considerably cheaper than the other cars here and doesn’t lag that far behind but we all know it’s not in the same league. As...

Add Some Aggression to Your BMW with this 3D Design Steering Wheel One of Japan’s largest tuning companies, 3D Design, is also one of the very best makers of aftermarket parts for BMWs. 3D Design is known mostly for making its own cosmetic upgrades, both inside and out. Most notably, it’s known for making aluminum paddle shifters, which make modern BMWs more fun to drive. Now, though, the Japanese tuner is offering its own steering wheel for modern Bimmers and it’s ultra aggressive looking. If you own a sporty BMW but it just doesn’t feel exciting enough inside the cabin, this 3D Design steering wheel should help with that. It looks similar to the one you can get right from BMW’s M Performance Parts Division but it’s more polygonal that that. It&rsquo...

BMW Driving Experience in Italy: the BMW X6, M135i xDrive and M2 Competition taste the snow The 2020 Italian BMW Driving Experience season debuted on January 29th at the Livigno ice plateau. The main stages of the 2020 BMW Driving Experience program are the Advanced Safe and Ice Driving course in the series of Advanced Safe Driving Courses. In addition to the standard theory sessions, participants will have the opportunity to try out numerous practical sessions including braking exercises, obstacle avoidance, understeer, oversteer and two sets of track laps to perfect driving technique and cornering trajectories. This BMW Driving Experience will occur on the most prestigious slopes of the Italian territory: Vallelunga, Adria, Monza, Misano, and for the first time in Livigno. The A...

Jonathan Aberdein Joins BMW M Drivers Roster for 2020 DTM The 2020 DTM season will feature six drivers from BMW and up until today, we only knew five of them. The sixth driver was announced today as Jonathan Aberdein from South Africa. The 21-year old will be joining the roster for the upcoming season and will drive a BMW M4 DTM model after impressing the BMW M Motorsport director, Jens Marquardt racing for customer team, WRT. Therefore, we now know the six drivers that will be lining up at the starting line in a BMW M4 DTM: Marco Wittmann, Philipp Eng, Timo Glock, Sheldon van der Linde, Lucas Auer and Jonathon Aberdein. The South African driver proved his worth in the last season of the DTM, driving for Team WRT. He drove in all 18 races and had a total of eight finishes in the top ten...

Video: 2020 BMW M135i vs 2017 BMW M140i comparison There has been a lot of talk both online and offline about the new BMW 1 Series. It can seem as if many enthusiasts refuse to understand why BMW moved to a front-wheel drive platform and they always bring up the older M140i model for comparison. Of course the old M Performance car will perform better than its newer counterpart, the BMW M135i, as it’s powered by the brilliant B58 engine. However, most 1 Series models sold were not fitted with the B58 engine so, to the vast majority of customers, other things matter more, such as interior design, build quality and practicality. In those regards, the new 1 Series is superior. The guys from RaceChip put together a very interesting video comparing the two cars. They took a BMW M135i x...

BMW to build a new school in Ga-Rankuwa, South Africa A couple of weeks ago, BMW stated that it wants to ramp up its efforts to educate people with no access to schools around the world. Their goal is to support a million people from all over the globe gain access to education and the plan kicked off this week, in South Africa. German Chancellor Angela Merkel was present in the African country this week and she was part of the announcement that BMW will build an entire new school in Ga-Rankuwa, as part of its educational efforts. The new school will accommodate 1600 pupils and will cover education from grade RRR to Grade 12, which is basically kindergarten through high-school. The estimated investment will rise to about R113m ($7.5 million at today’s exchange rate) and will suppor...

SPIED: 2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost shows up once again, reveals new dashboard The future Rolls-Royce Ghost generation is still a few months away from its official unveiling, yet test prototypes are starting to lose some of their exterior cladding. Under the psychedelic camouflage tape, we can already start seeing the overall silhouette of the new Ghost as the latest spy photos reveal (you can see them here). The forthcoming generation is apparently giving up its softer styling for a more muscular and edgy design philosophy, which reminds very much of the latest Phantom series. The size of chrome radiator grille is similar to that on the new Cullinan, yet it visually resembles the Phantom grille. Also, the new luxury limousine from Crewe features revised air inlets, with a decisively rectang...

This BMW M8 Coupe in Nardo Gray Individual Color is simply stunning While Nardo Gray may be known as an Audi finish, recently it found its way to various models from other manufacturers, ranging from the Ferrari 458 Italia, Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG to the Porsche 911 GT3 RS. Now, it is also featured as an Individual Finish for this BMW M8 Coupe. This is the first M8 that we’ve seen in this color and at a first glance, is arguably the best one to date. The beautiful shade of grey matches the luxurious and sporty look of the BMW M8 and will turn heads everywhere it goes. Furthermore, this is not just a regular M8, but rather a BMW M8 Competition model which means it has a higher price tag and some other cool bits. Compared to the standard model,  the BMW M8 Competition is tuned u...

Video: MINI Cooper SE gets a wild first commercial The first ever commercially sold electric MINI is now available worldwide. The MINI Cooper SE is here to provide a fun alternative for those looking for a zero-emissions car. We recently sampled it and found the electric MINI a truly enjoyable ride albeit with a limited range. Nevertheless, this is meant to be more of a city car anyway and the first commercial featuring the “fresh kid on the block” shows it. The 1-minute long video shows the car in its natural habitat, around busy city streets. It also goes over the extremely fast-paced lifestyle we have these days and the challenges it presents. The new MINI deals with all of them and wants you to take a step in a new, bold direction, without too much regard to what others ...

Video: Here’s how the sound of future BMW EV models is made One of the key differentiators between internal combustion engines and electric cars is that the latter make no sound. It may seem peculiar but that becomes a problem at times. Not necessarily for the people inside, but for those on the outside, as they can be taken by surprise. For those inside, the serenity an EV offers might be just what the doctor ordered. However, in the particular case of BMW EV models that may also be an issue. That’s because people have associated a certain sound with speed and performance for a long time and it will be hard to drop it all in a matter of a few years. The sound a car makes with a V8 under the hood is hard to resist. Then again, the performance brought along by the EV boom is also i...