Auto and Cars

Listen to Chris Harris Discuss the Auto Industry’s Failure to Lead Chris Harris has become one of the most highly respected motoring journalists in the industry. While Harris can be quite blunt when speaking about cars he doesn’t like, something he isn’t shy about doing, his opinion matters in this industry. Over the years, he’s been quite outspoken about his distaste for SUVs and, especially SUV “Coupes”. In a recent video from Top Gear, Harris talks about mainly the Aston Martin DBX but also about the state of the industry as a whole and its move toward crossovers and SUVs. And it’s worth listening to for the bigger picture. While this video isn’t directly about BMW, it’s hard to not lump the Bavarian brand into the argument. BMW invente...

The new BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe priced from £69,340 OTR in the UK December 2019 is a rich month in terms of BMW premieres for the UK market, as the 8 Series gets complete with the launch of the Gran Coupe version. BMW has comprehensively developed the new 8 Series at the high-end of its model portfolio. Besides the Coupe (G15) which continues the tradition of the E31 ancestors, the Convertible (G14) and Gran Coupe (G16) bodies have also been added to the lineup. As the first-ever 8 Series Gran Coupe saw its market premiere in several European countries last month, in December, it was UK’s turn to witness the introduction of the luxury four-door coupe. After the new X6 and M8 Competition Coupe and Convertible celebrated their debut, the new 8 Series rounds off powerful fleet of ne...

VIDEO: Auto Express recreates the Italian Job with MINI Coopers This year marks sixty years of MINI and it’s also the fifty-year anniversary of The Italian Job, one of the most iconic car movies of all time and one that just so happened to feature Minis. To honor that, Auto Express took three MINI Coopers to all of the famous locations from the original movie and even reenacted some of its iconic scenes. For instance, they took the three MINI Coopers to the same spot where the Lamborghini Miura famously crashed into the bulldozer at the end of a tunnel and was then hurled down a cliff. They even stood atop the spot of the wreckage, just as the Italian mob members did in the movie. Does that count as a spoiler if the movie’s been out for almost twice as long as I’ve bee...

VIDEO: Which is the greatest BMW M car of all time? BMW M is easily one of the most iconic performance brands in the history of the automobile. Aside from maybe Alfa Romeo’s cloverleaf, Corvette’s crossed flags and Ferrari’s Prancing Horse, there may not be a more iconic performance badge than BMW’s “///M”. During its several decades, BMW M has made some legendary motor cars, performance machines that not only left their marks on history but changed it forever. But which is the greatest M car of them all? In this video from DriveTribe, we get to check out most of the best M cars throughout its storied history. There are so many, you might end up remembering one you’d forgotten about from this video, as there are almost too many historically grea...

Our experience at the 2019 BMW SIM Live Event Most of my professional life revolves around test driving cars or being in an office writing stories. And while gaming has been part of my youth, it’s not something that I’ve spent my time on recently. So earlier this year, I wrote a couple of stories on the BMW SIM Live Racing, but without fully understanding or appreciating the virtual world of racing. With that in mind, I wanted to further explore this world, so I headed to Munich for a fun day with BMW Motorsport. In the heart of Munich, at the BMW Welt, the Motorsport and Marketing teams at BMW had prepared a special event for ten of the best sim racers in the world. To make it even more interesting, they allowed media representatives and fans to showcase their talents and ...

VIDEO: Here are the first eight BMW M8 Gran Coupe First Edition In the BMW M Studio Garching, BMW M CEO Markus Flasch has just introduced to the world – the first eight M8 Gran Coupe First Edition models. (Listen to our podcast with Markus Flasch). The limited edition M8 Gran Coupe is painted in the stunning Aurora Diamant Green Metallic color which was first featured on the Concept version of the M8 Gran Coupe. Only 400 of the First Edition models will be made and a numbered plaque will show their owners just how rare they are. The BMW kidney grille, side air breather trim, door mirror and window-surround trim, exterior badging and door sill plates are finished in Gold Bronze, mirroring the M8 Gran Coupe Concept vehicle. The interior is finished in BMW Individual Ivory Whit...

MINI Getting Six-Speed Manual Transmissions back for 2020 The manual transmission is vital to the heart and soul of a MINI. While the go-fast JCW cars are only automatic now (which is a damn shame), it’s not the proper way to drive a MINI. For that, you need three pedals and a row-your-own gearbox. Unfortunately for may potential customers, manual transmissions haven’t been available for about six months or so. Thankfully, that lack of availability will end in the beginning of February, 2020. “Starting early February 2020, customers will be able to resume ordering [two- and four-door] MINI hardtop and convertible models equipped with manual transmissions from March 2020 production,” spokesman Andrew Cutler recently told Car and Driver. Apparently, the temporary l...

Kubica and BMW DTM team finishes winter test at Jerez Every year, BMW hosts a testing session at Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, which is called DTM Young Driver Test. This year, the guests were former BMW F1 driver Robert Kubica (POL) and BMW works driver Nick Yelloly (GBR) from the GT racing scene. As preparations for the 2020 season continue, Marco Wittmann (GER) and Philipp Eng (AUT) were also in action in southern Spain. BMW M Motorsport ran two BMW M4 DTMs at Jerez de la Frontera and used the three days to evaluate various technical concepts for next season at the racetrack. Kubica and Yelloly alternated at the wheel of one car, while Wittmann and Eng shared the work in the cockpit of the other BMW M4 DTM. In total, they completed more than 700 laps, or more than 3,200 kilometers. &...

Audi Design Boss critical of BMW Sports Activity Coupes Even though an SUV with a coupe-like roof line existed even before the first BMW X6 was launched, the Bavarian brand is largely credited with inventing this sub-niche of the SUV segment. After the original E71 X6 was launched, most journalists criticized the Germans for their bold approach. Fast forward more than a decade and if you take a gander at the automotive world, you’ll notice the X6 was actually a trailblazer. Traditional rivals from Germany now have at least one SUV with a Coupe-like roof line in their line-up, from the Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe to the Audi Q8. That’s just to name a few. Speaking to Autocar recently, Audi’s design boss, Marc Lichte had a couple of interesting things to say about what is no...

Photo Gallery: The new BMW M8 Competition models hit UK streets The new BMW M8 Competition Coupe and M8 Competition Convertible have just had their UK market launch. On that occasion, a contingent of journalists got behind the wheel to drive BMW’s most powerful cars offered today. With 625 horsepower and 750Nm peak torque, the two M brothers can run from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.2 seconds. The top speed is limited to 155 mph (189 mph with M Driver Package). Pricing starts at £123,435 for the BMW M8 Competition Coupe and £130,435 for the M8 Competition Convertible. The hefty price tag allows BMW to pack quite a few features and options in the new M8 models. All new BMW M8 models are fitted as standard with Adaptive LED headlights. Optional BMW Laserlights are av...

MINI cars won’t get Android Auto, for now The big news this week in the BMW community was the announcement around Android Auto coming to BMW cars. Android Auto in a BMW will be demonstrated live for the first time at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2020 and will be available for customers in 20 countries from July 2020 for all vehicles with BMW Operating System 7.0. Naturally, MINI owners have started to wonder whether their own cars will be getting the highly coveted Android Auto. We reached out to MINI on the topic. “MINI won’t receive Android Auto functionality at the same time as it was just announced for BMW,” a MINI spokesperson told us. “At this time we don’t have a confirmed timeline of when this functionality may become available on MINI models...

VIDEO: Regular Winter Tires or Studded Tires for your BMW? We’ve been big proponents of proper winter tires for ages. It’s not something we take lightly, either. Winter tires are far safer than their all-season alternatives when temperatures dip below freezing. More than that, proper winter rubber also allows your BMW to perform the way it’s intended to in colder weather, while lesser tires will lack the proper grip to do so. The real question is, which sort of winter tire do you get? In snowy climates, a lot of drivers prefer studded winter tires. While studded winter tires might offer better traction in very slippery conditions, they aren’t always the best alternative. They’re also not always legal, as some States in the US don’t allow them on the r...

AC Schnitzer introduces a tuning program for the BMW 3 Series Touring After the introduction of the BMW 3 Series sedan tuning kit, German tuner AC Schnitzer launches a new program. This time, it’s the BMW 3 Series Touring that gets the to be special. The performance upgrades start with a tuning kit and the BMW 330d Touring which now makes 315 horsepower instead of the 265 hp. The kit will then expand to the 320i, 330i and M340i models. AC Schnitzer also presents acoustic diversity. The AC Schnitzer sports rear silencer (for 320i, 330i, M340i) with 2 exhaust tailpipes each in right/left combination with “Sport Carbon”, “Sport Chrome” or “Sport Black” tailpipes (4 pieces) is in preparation and already available for the 320i and 330i. The suspensi...

BMW i3 production to get extended until 2024 Just before the new BMW CEO Oliver Zipse took over the top spot in Munich, the BMW i3 was rumored to be pulled out of production in 2020. But since, the plans have shifted. According to a latest report, corroborated by our own sources, the BMW i3 will continue to be manufactured until 2024. “We will continue to build the i3 until 2024,” a BMW spokesman is quoted by local newspaper Leipziger Volkszeitung. Around 180,000 units of the compact electric car have been built in Leipzig since the start of production in 2013. Furthermore, BMW apparently has more plans for the i3 electric vehicle. The same report says that the i3 should receive another battery pack update. No further details were given on what that upgrade will look like. T...

Will Morgan use BMW Four-Cylinder Engines moving forward? For BMW enthusiasts, it’s hard to not love Morgan. The plucky British sports car maker has been building some of the most fun and interesting little roadsters for ages and it’s a brand that still does things in the most old-school way possible. Until now that is, as Morgan Motor Company will now be moving on from its old-school steel chassis design, which has been in use since the 1930’s, and switching to a new aluminum architecture. “The launch of new CX-platform-based cars in 2020 will mark the end of production for Morgan’s legendary traditional steel chassis. Introduced in 1936 in Morgan’s first four-wheeled vehicle, the 4-4, the steel chassis has played a hugely important role in the compa...

20,000 BMW i8 hybrids built at the Leipzig Plant The latest BMW i8 hybrid which rolled off the production line in Leipzig celebrates a significant milestone. Since its launch in in 2014, there were 20,000 BMW i8 units manufactured and delivered to markets around the globe. This makes the BMW i8 one of the most successful plug-in hybrids in the world. The anniversary vehicle is a BMW i8 Roadster Ultimate Sophisto Edition of which only 400 units are built – 200 Coupés and 200 Roadsters. The BMW i8 number 20,000 is intended for a customer in Germany. According to BMW, both the i8 Coupe and Convertible feature Sophisto Grey metallic paint with E-Copper accents applied to the 20-inch radial-spoke BMW i light alloy wheels, kidney grille inserts and side skirt accent. The tai...

BMWBLOG Podcast Episode 9 — BMW M4 GT3, 6 Series Gran Coupe and Audi RS6 Avant Controversy It’s that time again. Our latest episode of the BMWBLOG Podcast is here, episode nine. In it, we discuss some good, hot-button topics and we’re excited to bring it to you. The first topic we discuss is the BMW M4 GT3, the racing version of the upcoming M4 road car. It was just recently teased in a new sketch image from BMW and the image shows off some of the car’s new grille design. That’s the most controversial aspect of the upcoming BMW M3/M4 and we talk about that a bit more, even though we’ve discussed it ad nauseam. After that, we move onto the BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe. I wrote an article about it last week, talking about how the 6er GC is possibly the best used ...

BMW posts sustainable lithium order worth €540 million Earlier this year, recognizing the increasing amount of lithium that’s going to be needed for EV production, BMW announced it will only source the raw material from sustainable sources. This week, the German car maker announced it will be purchasing lithium worth over €540 million from their current supplier, Ganfeng Lithium Co. Ltd. The decision was made to continue the collaboration with Ganfeng as they extracts lithium by mining so-called hard-rock deposits in Australia under the strictest sustainability standards. For the BMW Group’s purchasing experts, ethically responsible raw material extraction and processing begins right at the start of the value chain: They are intensively involved throughout the battery c...

The new BMW X6 celebrates market introduction in the UK December 2019 marks the official market launch for the new BMW X6 in the United Kingdom. The pioneering Sports Activity Coupe has already reached its third generation. After the world premiere at the IAA Frankfurt in September this year, the new X6 is currently celebrating the market introduction in several markets. The G06 generation of Bavarian SAC has recently reached UK soil. The new X6 is available in three trim lines: Sport, M Sport and M Performance. For the UK market, the X6 is available in 4 engine variants: BMW X6 xDrive30d with 265 hp starting from OTR £59,340, BMW X6 xDrive40i with 340 hp starting from £60,320, BMW X6 M50d with 400 hp starting from £74,335 and the range-topping BMW X6 M50i starting from £76,870. The st...

Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class is here to take on BMW X2 The BMW X2 is an odd car, objectively. It looks odd, it competes in a segment that doesn’t make much sense and it drives far better than a car of its size and shape should. There’s no much about the X2 that makes any practical sense. Yet, its segment of cars just won’t quite, as yet another competitor for the X2 has just been unveiled — the all-new Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class. Admittedly, the first-gen GLA hit the market far before the X2. However, that first-gen car was more of a large-ish hatchback, rather than a small crossover. The BMW X2 is the latter and now the Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class is as well. In terms of styling, Suttgart’s oddball is far more normal looking than Munich’s. The Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class is actually a handsome little...

Photo Gallery: BMW M850i xDrive Convertible goes Art Cruising in Miami BMW is once again partnering up with Art Basel Miami Beach and providing support for the event. This time, the German car maker offered a BMW M850i xDrive Convertible for an experiment, where artists Alexandre Arrechea and Spencer “MAR” Guilburt went on a trip around Miami, trying to find the best examples of modern mural paintings. For such purposes, a convertible was definitely the perfect choice as it allows you to check out the world around you unobstructed. As a long-standing global partner of the renowned Art Basel art fair, BMW is once again involved in Miami, for example with a VIP shuttle service and as part of the joint initiative BMW Art Journey and the BMW 8 Series Mural Tour. The car in question here, th...

Australian BMW range to get more Pure models in the future The upcoming BMW M3 and M4 models is likely to get a ‘Pure’ version alongside the standard alternatives. This is meant to be a choice for the purists out there who are still hellbent on a manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive setup. There’s no official confirmation regarding the name of these products for now, but the general consensus is that ‘Pure’ should work fine. Some countries are already using that naming convention for new BMW cars. One of them is Australia who first sold a Pure BMW M3 and they are now going to extend that philosophy to other models as well. This week, BMW Australia announced a Pure alternative to the standard BMW M550i xDrive sold in the land down under. This model is AUD15,000 cheaper than the standard o...

Android Auto is Finally coming to BMW in July 2020 First we learn that BMW will be making Apple CarPlay free for all customers and now that it will finally be offering Android Auto for BMW cars, after what seemed like ages of customer complaints? What is happening in Bavaria? Have they been drinking some particularly strong Glühwein, lately? Whatever is happening, we like it. Ever since BMW began offering Apple CarPlay, customers with Android phones have been asking why they’ve been neglected. For reasons only understood by BMW, Android Auto — Android’s screen-mirroring alternative to CarPlay — hasn’t been offered in any Bavarian products. Until now, that is. BMW has just announced that it will be offering wireless Android Auto integration beginning July 2020. Just like its own CarPlay...

Is the most expensive Mac Pro really worth more than a 3 Series? Apple is a brand that seems to be the envy of the production world. Even brands that don’t manufacture electronics look to Apple as a gold-standard by which to run their company. BMW reps have cited Apple when discussing the brand’s plans or future products before. But the comparison between BMW and Apple is never an apples-to-apples (pun intended) comparison, as even the most expensive Apple product is cheaper than some BMW options. However, what he comparison was more accurate? What if there’s an Apple product that actually costs as much as a new BMW? Welcome to the Mac Pro. The Mac Pro is a high-end computer designed for professionals; web developers, graphic designers and animators, so it’s very expensive to start, at ...

VIDEO: Why Alex Roy chose an E39 M5 to break Cannonball Run Record For those of you who don’t know about Alex Roy and his record-breaking run across the country, this video is only going to be a taste of the story. But first, a very brief history lesson. Journalist and driver Alex Roy decided to break the famous Cannonball Run record of driving across the United States of America. He managed to break the record, with a run of just over 31 hours, using a modified 2000 BMW E39 M5 and a new documentary has been released about the now-famous coast-to-coast run called Apex. In this short clip, we get to see why Roy chose the E39 M5 and what was done to it to make it capable enough to handle the rigors of this high-speed blast across nearly 3,000 miles. The clip is also narrated by Ice T, so ...

Is the BMW B58 Engine among the brand’s best of all time? Consider the fact that the word “Motor” is in the brand’s name and it’s no longer surprising that BMW has made some incredible engines over the decades. While the brand’s “Ultimate Driving Machine” mantra sort of took over BMW’s reputation, it’s every bit as well known for making incredible powerplants as it is for making great handling cars. Over the brand’s one hundred years, it’s compiled a seemingly endless list of world-leading engines. Is this new BMW B58 engine among them? When it comes to BMW, it seems as if a large part of the fanbase refuses to accept anything recent as among the brand’s best anything. Many BMW fans are still stuck in the past and have a hard time admitting modern BMWs to be superior to classic ones in ...

Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale vs. BMW M3 CS – Exhaust Showdown! It’s what we’ve all been waiting for! To go head to head with some of the rarest cars in the world, pitting them against each other in an exhaust showdown to answer one basic question – which one sounds the best? Now that my M3 CS has joined the BMWBLOG garage, I can finally publish this long-awaited comparison. And just in case you missed my M3 CS reveal, you can watch it here. So, car enthusiasts the world over know the rivalry between Henry Ford and Enzo Ferrari. Titans of industry, their racing escapades and their constant drive to best the other on the track led to some of the most spectacular car racing in history. This rivalry recently got the full Hollywood treatment in the “Ford v. Ferrari” movie starring academy ...

SPIED: Fresh scoop shows more of the 2021 BMW 4 Series Coupe (G22) The future BMW 4 Series Coupe (G22) is already causing a lot of controversy and debate, as the final car will certainly look a bit shocking. The latest spy photos (we don’t own them, but you can see them here) are the clearest to date. They most likely show a camouflaged BMW M440i version, given the honeycomb pattern of the radiator grille painted in Cerium Grey. The gargantuan kidneys are there, so for those who still cannot believe their eyes, here you have the proof. BMW was serious when it stated that most of Concept 4 will make into production. The G22 generation is the very demonstration of the fact. Certainly, the 4 Series Coupe will never gonna go unnoticed with the huge front grille design. Besides the kidneys ...

Rumor: Current BMW 1 Series to have 5-year production life, no LCI The current 1 Series has only been on sale for less than a year and there are already rumors going around that it will not be your typical BMW. Well, if you look at the platform it is built on, you can already say it’s not a typical BMW as it is FWD but, according to a recent rumor we’ve heard of, the F40 generation will have a production span of only 5 years. This wouldn’t be the first time BMW doesn’t follow the usual 7-year production cycle for a model though. The same happened with the F15-generation BMW X5 , a car that was built atop an older platform, shared with the E70 X5 generation. In the case of the F15, even though it did get a couple of technical improvements over the years, it didn’t go through a proper fac...

Video: BMW M135i xDrive vs Audi S3 Acceleration comparison With the BMW M135i xDrive now getting delivered across the globe, some people are wondering whether the new M Performance model in the 1 Series range is worth the extra money. During our time with the car, we were rather satisfied with how it behaved and couldn’t really complain about its performance. However, the true test the new M135i xDrive has to ace is against its main rivals from Audi and Mercedes-Benz. We’ve seen a couple of videos showcasing the BMW against the Mercedes-AMG A35 before but now it’s time to take a look at how it fares against the Audi S3. The guys from AutoTopNL had them both for testing purposes and they set up one of their trademark acceleration comparison videos. On paper, the Audi S3 should have the u...