Auto and Cars

Funky BMW Aerodynamic Wheel developed specifically for BMW iX3 BMW’s first ever electric SUV will arrive in some markets in 2020. Along with an all-electric drivetrain, the BMW iX3 will also bring a few novelties. The BMW Aerodynamic Wheel is one of them.  According to BMW, the Aerodynamic Wheels on the BMW iX3 blend lightweight construction and reduced air resistance with the sporting elegance of a V‑spoke aluminum wheel in a whole new way. BMW also says this is the first time they’re using cast aluminum wheels with inserts consisting of a plastic carrier and an aluminum visible surface. The new aero wheels feature reducing 5 percent less drag compared to a conventionally powered BMW X3. The new Aerodynamic Wheels are not only more efficient but also lighter tha...

Buyer’s Guide: The Infamous BMW E65 / E66 7 Series Of all the 7 Series models in BMW’s history, the BMW E65/E66-generation might be the most heavily criticized. Some of that criticism is deserved and some isn’t and much of it is debatable. However, what isn’t debatable is that the E65 7er is an excellent used value at the moment. So we’re going to put together a bit of a Buyer’s Guide for any enthusiasts looking to get into an inexpensive luxury car. For this Buyer’s Guide, we’ll provide a brief crash course into the E65’s history, what it is, which models were noteworthy, what to look for and what to avoid. So let’s break it down. A Brief History The E65 BMW 7 Series is almost certainly the least loved 7er of all time but much of i...

BMW 3 Series Touring vs Mercedes C-Class Estate vs Volvo V60 Since the initial debut of the BMW 3 Series Touring, back during the E30-generation, it’s been one of the very best daily drivers on sale. That doesn’t mean it’s the only daily sport wagon, though, especially not anymore. More and more brands are debuting excellent wagons that can give the new 3er a real run for its money. So how can the new G21-gen 3 Series Touring take on some of its toughest competitors? Auto Express found out. In this new comparison test, the BMW 3 Series Touring took on the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Estate and Volvo V60. What’s so interesting about this segment is just how close each of these competitors are. None of them really put a foot wrong and are all extremely well-rounded daily...

Video: New BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe commercial goes against stream The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe is about to reach dealerships around the world. The first international media test drives are now taking place in Portugal and the world is getting ready to welcome another controversial BMW model into the world. To mark the occasion, the marketing people over at BMW set up a couple of commercials for the four-door coupe, with a new approach. Last year we saw the first ads for the 2 Series Gran Coupe and they were implying the 2er was the second choice for most people. Or, to put it differently, the other choice. The aim of that ad was to say it’s OK to be different. When everyone chooses the same clothes, the same path, the same style, you could go for a different choice and set yourself...

Video: Petrolicious Takes a closer look at the BMW 1M Coupe Over the last 10 years BMW launched more M models than ever. Among them you’ll find cars that are already considered by many as classics even though their age doesn’t exactly fit in that description. The BMW 1M Coupe is one of those cars. Built in limited numbers, the 1M is regarded by many as the best BMW launched in the last decade and I’d have a hard time arguing they are wrong. The brainchild of some really passionate people inside Munich, the BMW 1M Coupe is not your run of the mill M car. As a matter of fact, some would say it’s not worthy of the M badge. Those would be the ‘purists’ who can’t get over certain things, like the fact that the 1M doesn’t have a bespoke M-develo...

Video: MINI Cooper SE Review goes over the essentials You can now buy one of the cheapest electric cars on the US market and it’s a premium choice too. The MINI Cooper SE is now on sale and the compact hatch is bound to stir up some heated conversations. Most will focus on its range but there’s so much more to this car than that. The guys from What Car? in the UK were invited to Miami to test the new electric MINI even though they are headquartered not far from where this car is actually made. Miami was chosen by MINI representatives as the perfect location for the first test drives and it’s easy to see why: it has the perfect weather for it, during winter time. While the temperatures in Miami during the test drive were closer to 25 degrees Celsius, in the UK, the home...

This BMW E46 M3 CSL could be yours for $103,000 As far as collectible BMW models go, some are obviously more expensive than others and some are rarer than others. At the very top of the list you’ll find cars like the BMW E30 M3 and the BMW E46 M3 CSL. This latter model is also considered by many the best M car ever made and seems to have a certain halo around it. Whenever you see one, you’d better rest assured you’re in the presence of greatness. Prices for the rare BMW E46 M3 CSL have also been going through the roof. It’s not just the fact that’s it’s a blast to drive that makes it so expensive, it’s also the fact that it was built in limited numbers. With only under 1,400 ever made, seeing one is a rare occurrence. The car we’re showing...

VIDEO REVIEW: Check out the BMW M850i Gran Coupe in our new video It’s hard to fault the BMW M850i Gran Coupe. That’s not to say I can’t find any faults, as it’s my job as a journalist and BMWBLOG’s resident curmudgeon to find things wrong with even the best of cars. Even still, the only faults I could find with the M850i Gran Coupe were minor, as it’s a wonderfully well-rounded car. In this video review, I talk about the newest Gran Coupe, what makes it so special and what’s wrong with it. First thing’s first, the BMW M850i Gran Coupe is the best non-M version of the 8 Series. I know its name is a bit confusing; it has an M badge but isn’t an actual M Division car and it has the word “Coupe” in its name but actually has ...

BMW 8 Series Coupe wrapped in Matt Pine Green metallic foil Matt Pine Green isn’t a true BMW Individual color, but a “frozen” wrapping foil, yet it still looks pretty good dressing up the lovely BMW 8 Series Coupe. Although the professional way of adding the foil to the body makes it look like an actual BMW Individual color. You can also see that the BMW logo is not the official one, as the blue has been replaced by the same green shade on the wrapping foil. The “special color” of this BMW 8 Series Coupe is the so-called Matt Pine Green, which is quite a popular color choice among aftermarket tuning shops. The green tone of the foil mimics a BMW Individual color, looking very premium. The overall impression is that of a light green shine with a deep grey ...

SPIED: BMW iNEXT caught testing in the snow yet again Arguably the most important car to come from BMW in the coming years will be the iNEXT all-electric SUV. While that might not be the sexiest of enthusiast’s cars coming from Bavaria, it’s one that will make a massive difference to the future of the brand. In fact, it has the potential to make or break the brand. Despite that, we know very little about the BMW iNEXT, as the Bavarians have kept the lid on it quite tightly. So when we see new spy photos crop up, we take notice. (We don’t own the spy photos but they can be seen here) When the BMW iNEXT debuts, it’s supposed to be the most advanced electric and autonomous car BMW has ever made. According to BMW, the iNEXT is going to represent the very best of what...

OPINION: iNEXT, M Next supercar and X8 are the pillars of BMW’s overhaul With the future iNEXT, X8 and M Next supercar scheduled to premiere in the coming years, interesting and bright times are settling in for the Bavarians. BMW throttles in for a major makeover as automotive brand in the following years, with some sensational models planned for unveiling. The intention is to launch a series of flagship, hallmark new vehicles that define themselves as design and technology trendsetters. BMW seems to be in need to recapture the attention of the industry with something really daring. BMW has always seen themselves as leaders in the automotive space, but recently, pundits are claiming the opposite. While not a tragic situation, many have expressed their opinion that, lately, BMW has been...

The new BMW ALPINA B3 available to order from EUR 81,250 ALPINA has officially announced that its mid-class family of models is now available to order. The starting price tags from the Buchloe-based tuner are EUR 81,250 for the ALPINA B3 Saloon AWD and EUR 83,050 for the ALPINA B3 Touring AWD. Based on the G20/G21 3 Series generation, the new ALPINA B3 all-wheel-drive models are the most powerful of their kind in the history of ALPINA. The Saloon and Touring models are powered by the BMW S58 inline-six-cylinder petrol engine, sourced from BMW M GmbH.   The powerplant in the ALPINA B3 has been specifically enhanced and tuned to deliver a peak output of 340 kW/462 PS (455 hp). Power is exclusively sent to all four wheels via the specially modified 8HP 75 ZF-sourced automatic gearbox...

This Lego BMW M1 project could become reality with your help Some of you might’ve heard of the brilliant projects Lego created recently as part of their Lego Technic projects. They have done a real, life-size Bugatti Chiron replica out of legos and it is a massively impressive machine. Now the people from Lego are teasing us with a Lambo, but it looks like other projects are in the works as well. The Danish company has a special section on its website where you can propose ideas for future models to be built. One of them right now is the BMW M1. One avid fan of the only BMW supercar ever made took some time to create a project based on the car. The Tomoell project focuses on two different versions of the BMW M1. One is a race-car livery model made up of 1,059 pieces of lego while ...

New BMW Individual, leathers and trims added to X5, X6 and X7 configurators As previously reported, BMW is enriching the X5, X6 and X7 lineups with new BMW Individual, leather upholstery and trim choices. Beginning with Spring 2020, the BMW X5, X6 and X7 are receiving new means of personal customer individualization as part of the quarterly update measures. The high-ranging BMW X flagships now offer the possibility to choose your favorite from a comprehensive list of optional leather upholsteries, dashboard ornaments and BMW Individual.   At the start of production for the G05 and G07 generations, some of the choices were initially available, such as bi-color Vernasca Beige/Mocha or the BMW Individual Merino Tartufo leather choices. For some reasons related to supplier availabili...

PHOTOS: Media launch of the new BMW X6 M50i in Czech Republic The new BMW X6 has recently celebrated the introduction on the Czech Republic market. Already in its third generation, the new X6 has already been introduced on mostly all the relevant markets across the globe. The G06 series comes with a completely refreshed styling philosophy and a load of technology. Its angular design evokes the trails of the first E71 generation. The most striking hallmark design features are the inverted kidney grille, which can optionally be fitted with an illumination device, the revised front bumper and the elongated L-shaped tail lights. The new X6 of the G06 generation is a complete brute force. The executive-class Sports Activity Coupe exudes power and and prowess through all its pores. Even thou...

VIDEO: A story of the BMW M2 CS and BMW X5 M development In a new video, BMW M GmbH presents the road to mastering the ultimate driving dynamics in the development phase for its new BMW M2 CS racing-honed coupe and the new BMW X5 M high-performance SAV. The M Division has always been about sheer automotive passion and state-of-the-art chassis and driving technology to help achieve the ultimate dynamics. In the latest video, the Garching-based BMW performance division explains the main steps of the development process, through which the brand new models achieve perfection in driving dynamics. The video starts with the introduction into the cold weather testing program, which happens near the Arctic Circle. Here, in Lapland, town of Arjeplog, in Sweden, BMW M GmbH owns a complex testing ...

BMW M2 CS Racing celebrates debut in North America The new BMW M2 CS Racing has celebrated its North American debut at last week’s 24-hour Daytona. The testing and development phase for the BMW Motorsport racing contender is thus continuing in full swing. The new M2 CS Racing is aiming to continue on the success of the preceding M235i Racing and M240i Racing models. The racing-honed version of the recently M2 CS was officially featured at the BMW Motorsport stand at Daytona, so the public and interested sports customers were able to get a first glimpse and taste of the new model. It is not a surprise that BMW Motorsport chose US soil to flash its new high-performance racing compact coupe, as the North American market is tagged as the most important market for the BMW M GmbH brand...

Did Jaguar just take a shot at BMW’s new grille design? It’s no secret that BMW, along with a lot of other luxury (see: German) brands, is moving toward massive new grilles. The BMW X7 and 7 Series LCI were the cars to get the ball rolling and then the Concept 4 started the controversy. Now, it seems that every car enthusiast wants to mock BMW’s new grille design. While we don’t think it’s going to be as bad as many enthusiasts fear, it’s hard to blame anyone for poking fun. The latest critique of this new trend of massive grilles actually comes from another brand — Jaguar. During a recent interview with Car Throttle, Jaguar head of design Julian Thompson said that the famed British brand isn’t going to follow the big grille trend. It’s a ...

PHOTO GALLERY: The new BMW X1 LCI from Bulgarian Market Launch The new BMW X1 LCI has recently celebrated its official launch on the Bulgarian market and new photos of the compact SAV has recently surfaced online. At the beginning of this year, BMW Group Bulgaria organized the official launch of the new BMW X1 LCI generation on the Bulgarian market with a photoshoot. The compact-sized Sports Activity Vehicle was shot in the capital city of Sofia, at the foot of the stunning Balkan Mountains. The chosen model featured in the press photos is the BMW X1 xDrive25d equipped with the M Sport pack. The car is finished in the BMW Individual Storm Bay metallic grey exterior color. Given the winter season, the “shoes” of the F48 LCI were winter tires, wrapped around special 19-inch B...

TEST DRIVE: 2020 BMW 840d Gran Coupe – Unencumbered Two years ago, we saw a magical comeback happen. 20 years after BMW retired the 8 Series nameplate, they finally decided to bring it back and they did so with a vengeance. Whereas the original was available solely in 2-door Coupe format, the new 8 Series is available in no less than three different body styles. The 8 Series Reborn The first one to come out was, sort of naturally, the Coupe. That’s the original shape of the 8 Series and it was only normal to expect the revival of the model to bear the same style. However, unlike nearly 30 years ago, we live in a quite different world. It’s a world where a wider assortment of possibilities is welcome and manufacturers struggle to fit into every niche. That’s how we als...

Even the Toyota Supra’s Gauge Cluster is Actually BMWs Back when the Zupra (BMW Z4 combined with the Toyota Supra) project was first announced, it was sort of understood that both BMW and Toyota would develop a joint architecture and built two different sports cars off of it. Now that both the new Z4 and Supra are here, it’s becoming clearer and clearer that both cars were almost entirely designed by BMW. One of the few Toyota-only aspects of the new Supra seemed to be its instrument panel, which was actually something a lot of enthusiasts appreciated. Considering the fact that a car’s gauges are in front of the driver’s face at all times, most enthusiasts enjoy a good looking set. And the fact that the Toyota Supra seemed to have significantly different gauges than th...

Video: Two BMW Cars run in the World’s Greatest Drag Race The folks at Motor Trend have put together yet another one of their annual Best Driver’s Car competitions. For 2019, the BMW brand was well represented. As a matter of fact, the Munich-based manufacturer was the only one in the program with two cars. Those two cars are also part of the, by now traditional, World’s Greatest Drag race event. The best part of it all is that you can check it out in the video below. In all fairness, we would’ve liked to see the BMW M8 Competition lining up at the starting line here but, according to Motor Trend, at the time of filming, that car was not available for testing. The reason why we would’ve liked the M8 here is to see how BMW’s fastest car, in a straight line, ...

SPIED: Facelifted BMW M5 caught testing again wearing camo Of all the BMWs currently on sale, the M5 is probably the best overall car. It’s nearly faultless, with incredible performance, great handling, long-distance comfort and top-notch tech. However, stagnation is death, so the Bavarians aren’t going to just sit on their hands and wait for their competitors to leapfrog them. Hence why the BMW M5 is going to received its mid-cycle facelift (LCI) shortly and that very facelifted car has just been caught testing. (W e don’t own the spy photos but they can be seen here) In these photos, we see the upcoming BMW M5 LCI wearing some camouflage on its face and its butt. The differences seem to be minor but they should make it seem like a newer, fresher car when it finally a...

Reuters: Next generation MINI delayed due to Brexit uncertainty The Brexit saga is far from over and a new report from Reuters comes to emphasize that. According to them, the next generation MINI is delayed due to the Brexit uncertainty. The current MINI hatch model has been on the market since 2014 and is built on the UKL1 platform. But the new generation might not be around the corner as many have assumed. “The lifespan of this platform has been extended,” BMW spokesman Maximilian Schoeberl told Reuters. “For cost reasons and because of Brexit.” Most of MINI’s cars are currently built in Oxford and in Born, the Netherlands, and any next generation car would require investments into the production lines of both factories. Therefore, BMW is taking a cautio...

Corona virus: BMW extends factory vacation in China Just like other car manufacturers, BMW is reacting to the outbreak of the new corona virus in China. The current plant vacation to celebrate the New Year will be extended by one week until February 9 in all three BMW Group plants in China. Whether the vacation will be further extended it depends on the developments over the next few days. A total of around 18,000 people are employed in the three BMW plants around Shenyang. It goes without saying that the BMW Group takes all measures to prevent the spread of the corona virus – even if a week of production downtime is associated with considerable costs, after all, a high four-digit number of new cars will be built less than planned. Furthermore, all employees with office workstatio...

BMWBLOG Podcast: Ep. 16 — Jackie Jouret on Elvis’ BMW 507 and the 2002 We have a special podcast episode for you this week. We’re a bit late, so we apologize for that but it will be worth the wait. This week, we have Jackie Jouret on the podcast, the journalist/author/BMW enthusiast that found Elvis Presley’s BMW 507 and wrote a book on the BMW 2002. To say she has a wealth of knowledge about the BMW brand would be a gross understatement. She joined both Horatiu and I to talk about her experience with the BMW brand, what sparked her love for the brand, how she found the BMW 507 and about the iconic 2002. Jackie has written two books about those very subjects, both of which can be found on Amazon. There’s “Finding Elvis’ 507”, which is about, you guess...

Video: BMW M850i marginally faster than M2 Competition on Laguna Seca With all the diversification BMW has been planning and working on for its model range, when it comes to 2-door Coupe models you don’t have a lot of choices. There’s the 2 Series and there’s the 8 Series and that’s about it. I intentionally left the 4 Series out of discussion because it’s bound to get a new version this year and sales have been slumping. Therefore, if you want a stylish and powerful 2-door coupe, you might be looking at the M2 Competition or the M850i xDrive. Both cars have been included in last year’s Best Driver’s Car competition held by the guys from MotorTrend. As a matter of fact, BMW was the only manufacturer with two cars on the roster, three if you coun...

Rumor: BMW iNext could get Intelligent Glass Control technology The BMW iNext is supposed to become BMW’s new technology flagship when unveiled, next year. The new car is supposed to bring autonomous driving to the table and a lot of new tech that will eventually trickle down to other models in the range. One of those bits of technology could be Continental’s Intelligent Glass Control, a function that has been available on other cars since 2017, but not nearly in the same price range as the iNext. Now, the iNext is supposed to get it too and it will be done quite differently than before. Whereas other cars had the choice of turning the windows opaque or not, on the iNext, the goal of this technology will apparently be to keep the temperature inside as comfortable as possible...

Buyer’s Guide: BMW E36 3 Series – What To Look For As many of you may already know, my first car was an E36 BMW 3 Series, a 328i sedan to be more exact, and I loved it. In fact, every time I see an E36 3 Series of any kind on the road, I stare at it in jealousy and fondness. I miss my car. Well, I miss most of it, as I don’t miss the headache of maintaining my very high-mileage car. Considering that the E36 3 Series has become shockingly cheap on the second-hand market, a lot of enthusiasts are buying it as a first-time BMW or even a project car. They’re also becoming quite popular thanks to their simple looks, driver-focused interiors and naturally-aspirated straight-six engines. So we thought we’d give you a buyer’s guide on the E36; a bit of history, which mod...

Toyota Supra and M2 Competition featured in Motor Trend’s Grand Prix We recently saw a couple of head-to-head races from Motor Trend’s recent Best Driver’s Car competition. One featured the BMW M2 Competition and the Toyota Supra, while the other featured a BMW M850i and a Bentley Continental GT. Now, MT decided to do something a bit more interesting and have their own Grans Prix with the cars from BDC, at Laguna Seca. In this video, we get to see both the BMW M2 Comp and the Toyota Supra. To start off the Grand Prix, MT has a drift-off to see what order each of their six drivers get to choose their cars in. For the drift competition, they use the BMW M2 Competition, as it’s naturally a superb drift car. After the drift competition, which is surprisingly funny, they ge...