Auto and Cars

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...

Should Electric Cars make Artificial Acceleration Noise? BMW was one of the first brands to begin widely using artificial engine sound, piped through the speakers, in its performance cars. It did so because refinement and NVH (Noise Vibration Harshness) levels have become so excellent that the only way to hear the engine, without hearing outside road noise, was to fake it. Something similar is also happening with electric cars. Car companies are beginning to fake acceleration noise in electric cars, as they don’t really have any, inherently. Is that more or less acceptable than fake engine noise through speakers inside the car? Let’s take a look. Both modern performance cars and EVs are creating fake noise to supplement their lack of exciting acceleration noise. While enthusiasts bemoan...

Should BMW M reconsider a potential BMW 1 Series M? It’s not much of a secret that BMW M has no plans of building a performance car off of the new 1 Series. According to the M Division, it has no interest in front-wheel drive vehicles and fans are in agreement. Quite strongly, in fact. So as it stands now, there will not be another 1 Series M Division product. But should there be? I know, the idea of a front-wheel drive-based M car is about as attractive as a sauerkraut ice cream to most BMW enthusiasts but hear me out. This new generation of 1 Series, despite driving the supposedly incorrect wheels first, is actually a better driving car than Bavarian purists want to admit. While I haven’t driven the new 1er (as it isn’t available in the US), I have driven the BMW M235i Gran Coupe and...

Study finds BMW one of the most attractive employers in the world A recent study carried out by Universum found that the BMW Group is the most attractive employer in the automotive industry worldwide. The research on the topic was carried out throughout 2019 and the results were published this week. BMW is now included on the list of World’s Most Attractive Employers for 2019 and dominated the automotive world. But that’s not all though, as the Bavarians are quite popular in other fields as well. Among engineering and IT students, the company also placed fourth, behind Google, Microsoft and Apple. Universum surveyed more than 240,000 students from 12 countries for the study. For some, this high ranking position might be a surprise but it really shouldn’t be the case. That’s because BMW ...

2020 BMW M550i, X3 M40i and X4 M40i get a power bump BMW of North America announces a power increase for some of its Model Year 2020 vehicles. The 2020 BMW M550i xDrive and 2020 BMW X3 M40i and X4 M40i xDrive are part of the power bump for next year, from the same engine units. The biggest increase is found in the 2020 M550i sedan, which saw the output from its twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8 increase from 456 hp and 480 pound-feet in 2019 to 523 hp and 553 lb-ft in 2020. That’s nearly a 15-percent boost which was achieved thanks to larger turbochargers, new intake manifold and ports, higher fuel pressure, a stronger block, reinforced pistons, and new engine management, BMW spokesman Oleg Satanovsky told Motor Authority. The 2020 BMW X3 M40i and X4 M40i have also seen their power output go up...

Video: Check out this custom-made BMW M3 CS Touring? The BMW M3 CS was unveiled by the German manufacturer as a more poised and agile track weapon than the standard M3 and Competition Package. It was created to be lighter and sharper, so combining the CS badge with the Touring body style is a bit of an oxymoron. Nevertheless, a lot of enthusiasts –especially around good old Europe — are fascinated by this body style. So here we are, discussing whether what we’re looking at here is a true BMW M3 CS Touring model. The guys from Evolve hooked up with the owner and creator of this car to offer us some insight into what he’s done and why this is a CS Touring model. According to him, the car was done using a BMW M3 CS donor. As far as I can gather, they used the body of a 3 Series Touring as ...

The BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe is the Best Used Bimmer you can buy Have a little BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe fever? That’s okay. Us too. It’s a wonderful car that drives as sensationally as it looks. The only downside is that it’s expensive, with even just the BMW 840i starting at $84,900. That’s a hefty sum for a car with just six cylinders and 340 hp. However, if you want something almost as good looking and very similar in style, but for a lot less green, you can check out the used market for a BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe. It doesn’t take more than just a quick glance at 6 Series Gran Coupe listings to realize how good of a deal it is. Regardless of model or spec, the 6er GC can be had for seriously cheap prices, especially considering the sorts of price tags it wore when new. Just a quick sea...

Bavarian Bond — A Brief History of James Bond BMWs Just a few days ago, the first official trailer for the all new James Bond movie, No Time to Die, was released. As a fan of the Bond franchise, I was very excited to see the new trailer and am waiting very impatiently for it to hit theaters. While the most recent entry to the series, Spectre, wasn’t it’s best, this new one looks like it’s going to be a thrill ride. It also features some fantastic cars, such as the iconic Aston Martin DB5, an ’80s Aston Martin V8 Vantage and even the new Land Rover Defender. James Bond is most certainly cemented in the Aston Martin brand once again, that’s for sure. However, there was once a time when 007 actually drove BMWs. During Pierce Brosnan’s stint as James Bond back in the ’90s and early ’00s, th...

VIDEO: The BMW X6 M50i gets reviewed by Throttle House Humans may never know why the BMW X6 M50i exists. It’s a car that seemingly has no real purpose. Want a bit, fast SUV? Get a BMW X5 M50i or X5 M. Want a stylish performance car? Don’t buy an SUV. However, for some reason, the X6 M50i actually sort of works. As we find out in this new review from Throttle House. On the outside, there’s no denying the polarizing looks of the BMW X6 M50i. It’s a massive brute of a thing but has an aggressively raked roofline designed to make it look sportier. It ends up just looking sort of odd but it’s a very love-it-or-hate-it sort of look. Those who love it will defend it like they would their child and those that hate it can’t be convinced otherwise. Either way, though, it stands out. What’s hard ...

G80 BMW M3 production to kick off November 2020, deliveries in 2021 The next-generation G80 BMW M3 is scheduled to enter production in November 2020. Deliveries of first units are expected by Spring 2021. Even though the new M3 and M4 won’t arrive to market until 2021, we expect to see both cars, fully unveiled, sometimes in the second half of next year. But it’s not only the new M3 and M4 that are going through the final testing stages. Work on the BMW M4 GT3 racing car has already begun and BMW Motorsport says that rollout is planned for the second half of 2020. Along with the reveal of the BMW M4 GT3, the Motorsport division has also showcased one of the more interesting aspects of this new generation of sportscars – its new kidney grille. Since the debut of the BMW Concept 4, we’ve ...

Former BMW Design Chief Jozef Kaban Returns To VW Group After a short stint at BMW Group, former head of design Jozef Kaban returns to VW Group. This week, VW Group has announced a reshuffling of its design department. Kaban was previously the chief of exterior design at Skoda from 2008 to 2017 before moving to BMW and then Rolls-Royce. Kaban made a name for himself early when he designed the Bugatti Veyron while still in his 20s. He was named chief of Skoda design at 35 after being head of exterior design at sister brand Audi. He also designed the Volkswagen Lupo, Seat Arosa and the third-generation of Skoda Octavia and Superb. Kabaň will act as Chief Designer at the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand, effective July 1, 2020. The position will be vacated by Klaus Bischoff, who will be pr...

BMWBLOG garage is getting a BMW M3 CS The BMWBLOG garage is getting a shake-up! Roughly 2 years ago after picking up my custom-built hero F80 M3 and publishing my video review which detailed my impressions of the car and what it was like during the first year of ownership (watch the review here) I’m now saying goodbye to the M CHI3F, but welcoming the M CHI3F 2.0! Or in other words, a 2018 BMW M3 CS. Watch the video reveal at the end, then after that read the rest of this article so you can feel better about all the weird car stuff you do that only car people understand. Here’s the thing, you’re into BMWs. It’s why you’re here reading this article and not something about the latest cryptocurrency, or the newest way to grow your own kale, or why it is that the political administration of...

These are our Top Three Winter Tires for your BMW for 2020 One of the most overlooked aspects of yearly car maintenance (BMW cars included) is a set of winter tires. Most drivers feel as if they can get away with the same all-season tires they’ve been driving on all year. And in most cases, they’ll survive with them but using all-season tires in the winter is less than ideal. Our German colleagues call all-season tires “no-season” tires because they’re not actually good in any season, just not terrible in any specific season. Having a specialized tire for the winter months can be hugely helpful for any car but especially for cars designed for higher levels of performance. Our own Chuck Vossler is even a huge supporter of BMW i3 winter tires, as his Nokians have helped him get through pl...