Auto and Cars

Video: MINI Countryman JCW Reviewed on The Straight Pipes This year MINI decided to offer some of its JCW models a bit more power. We would venture to say that they went with a lot more power. The new MINI Countryman JCW and MINI Clubman JCW are now delivering over 70 horsepower more than the pre-facelift versions. That took the power output over 300 HP and it was bound to cause a lot of talks online about how the cars feel this time round. The guys from The Straight Pipes took the Countryman out for a spin. Not surprisingly, they actually liked it. And that falls into the pattern we’re seeing in the US and Canada right now, where the Countryman and Clubman models are the best sellers in the range. Apparently, people want bigger cars but they also like the quirkiness of the MINI brand. ...

2020 BMW 745e xDrive Review includes instrumented tests The guys from MotorWeek took the brand new BMW 745e xDrive model out for a spin to see how it compares to its predecessor. In true MotorWeek fashion, they took the new PHEV on a proper course to see just how much performance it brings to the table. They were not disappointed. Just as I found during my time with the car, the new setup is a lot better than before, the biggest change being felt from under the hood, with that impressive six-cylinder engine making it all worthwhile. On the MotorWeek instrumented test, the BMW 745e xDrive model did a 0-60 mph sprint of just 4.8 seconds. The best 1/4 mile time the guys recorded was 13.3 seconds at 105 mph which isn’t back breaking but not too slow either. This thing is rather fast, consid...

BMW and Team MTEK to part ways starting next year BMW Team MTEK has been a constant presence in various motorsport events over the last few years but it seems like that partnership has come to an end. According to Autosport, Team MTEK wants back in the World Endurance Championship and since BMW recently announced its retirement from the series, the two companies will follow different paths from 2020 on. Team MTEK ran BMW M3 and M4 models in the DTM between 2013 and 2015 and did so quite successfully. The guys were also behind the BMW efforts in the World Endurance Championship with the BMW M8 GTE in the 2018-2019 campaign. However, team boss Ernest Knoors said they will no longer work with BMW from here on out.”We have completed our contract with BMW and are now looking for other opport...

BMW mocks Tesla Cybertruck with its own Bulletproof X5 It’s safe to say that the Tesla Cybertruck reveal didn’t go as planned. Love it or hate it, there’s no denying that Elon Musk’s little display backfired, when he attempted to show off the Cybertruck’s “Tesla Armor Glass” by having a metal ball thrown at the window. Despite being said to be bulletproof against 9mm gunfire, the metal ball broke the window after having been thrown by a normal-sized mad. Hardly bulletproof, then, is it? So poke some fun at Tesla, BMW tweeted a photo of its newly released bulletproof X5 VR6. In the tweet, we get to see the bulletproof BMW X5 shot to hell by a variety of different caliber bullets, none of which went all the way through. The caption that goes along with it reads: “Comes with bulletproof wi...

AC Schnitzer now offers a tuning pack for the Toyota Supra If there was ever a need to confirm that the Toyota Supra is a BMW underneath that pretty sheet metal, it was just taken care of by the people of AC Schnitzer. The German tuner known for making sure BMWs go even faster than they would in standard guise, associated with the Bavarian brand since its inception, just announced it has a tuning kit available for the Toyota Supra. The tuner didn’t just stick to the easy path either. They could’ve easily brought out an ECU tune for what is otherwise a BMW engine under the hood of the Supra and call it a day. Instead, they created an entire package for the Japanese car and I have to say I’m impressed. Since I already mentioned the B58 3-liter straight six engine, I will say the power out...

BMW Reaches Agreement with Worker Unions for cost cutting Not long ago BMW announced it is in talks with various suppliers and unions to find ways to cut its spending in the following years. According to BMW these measures are needed to make sure the company remains profitable and has enough money to invest in electric cars as well as autonomous tech. Today a new report from Reuters claims the Bavarians have already reached an agreement with representatives of the work force. According to the report, cost cutting will be achieved by reducing bonuses for workers based related to the company profits while Christmas and other bonuses for certain workers will be changed, to a slimmer layout. This agreement won’t affect the bonuses and income for workers this year but will be implemented sta...

Electric Vehicles Charging Guide: Making sense of EV charge connectors The electric car market is getting bigger than ever. Almost every month there is a new product announcement from automakers around the world and the next decade will see an impressive electric offensive. And while everyone seems to agree on the basic principles of electric cars, there is one area where they haven’t – standardized connectors. So naturally, one of the first things you’d notice when you purchase an EV is how different the charge connectors are. So today, we’re going to break them down, as well as the options for Level 1, 2 and 3 charging. Which Connectors Are Available for Charging? J1772 Photo: Michael Hicks / Flickr “mulad” / CC-BY-2.0 The standard connector for AC charging in the United States is th...

Could the RWD/Manual G80 BMW M3 be the best M3 yet? There’s a possibility that the next-generation BMW M3, in its rear-wheel drive/manual gearbox spec, could be the best road-going M3 yet. Before you grab your pitchforks and torches and punch my address into Waze, let me explain. Dubbed ‘G80‘, the next-gen BMW M3 will be a very interesting car and one that has immense potential to be an all-time great. It will be based off of the G20-generation 3 Series chassis, which is probably the best 3 Series chassis since the E46-generation. In fact, it’s probably the best 3 Series chassis yet, as it’s far more rigid, better balanced and more capable than any 3er before it. So right off the bat, the G80 M3 will have really good bones. Then there’s the engine. Powering the next-gen BMW M3 will be ...

SPIED: BMW M5 Facelift spotted next to current M5 We’ve already seen some new spy photos of the facelifted G30 5 Series and fans rejoiced when they realized it sports normal looking Kidney Grilles. In fact, they’ve barely changed over the pre-facelift car. That face made a lot of BMW fans happy, as they feared the new-face 5er might get the same grilles as the upcoming 4 Series. Those same fans might get some continued relief in knowing that the facelifted BMW M5 will also get a normal grille design, as seen in these new spy photos. (We don’t own the photos but you can see them here) In these new photos, we can clearly see a facelifted BMW M5, wearing camouflage, sitting next to a pre-facelift M5. As they sit next to each other, we can easily see the differences between the two cars and...

Video: BMW M2 Competition vs Alfa Romeo 4C Drag Race We’ve seen the BMW M2 Competition in all sorts of drag races ever since it came out but we’ve rarely seen it go up against an Alfa Romeo 4C. One of the reasons for that is surely the fact that the 4C is truly a rare car in the first place. Our friend Joe Achilles decided to pit his own BMW M2 Competition against the little Alfa and things were quite interesting, to be honest. From the get go I should mention that the thing that makes the Alfa so desirable is its incredible low weight. The Italian sports car tips the scale at under 1 ton which is amazing these days. Sure, you do lose some comfort features in the process, but then again, that low weight makes it so desirable by true gearheads. Under the hood there’s a 4-cylinder 1.75-li...

Report: MINI could become an all-electric brand after 2030 MINI is about to get reinvented beginning with the third decade of the 21st century. Some of the ingredients of the makeover recipe is running all-electric and returning to core brand values. Electrification is gaining traction at the moment. In around 5 – 10 years from now, everybody expects that more than 50 percent of the vehicles sold to be plug-in hybrids or pure electric. MINI is about to undergo a major overhaul, in the road to going back to the old roots paved by Sir Alec Issigonis in the early 1960s. The British brand was bought by BMW Group in the ’90s and, since then, it managed to flourish and become very popular. Despite the complete rejuvenation, in the last years, the growth tempo has slowed down a bit. Further c...

Which electric car charging station to use – Guide Congratulations on your electric car or plug-in hybrid and welcome to this new world. Yet, we’re certain that many questions are still left unanswered when it comes to electro-mobility and one big one is: Which electric car charging station to use. There is no standard naming convention, but most of the EV owners can often be heard using terms like Level 1, Level 2 or Level 3. Each charging power level has its own use case, pros or cons, so we put together a guide, along with some charging stations recommendations. Levels Based On Power (kW) Level 1 Level 1 charging is charging from a basic 120V household outlet. BMW includes a Level 1 OCU (occasional use charger) with all of their electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. It is without a ...

Photo Comparison: BMW X6 M vs Audi RS Q8 — Big Brutes At this year’s 2019 LA Auto Show, many members of the media, as well as fans, we re able to see the all-new BMW X6 M for the first time in person. Packing the same engine as an M5 or M8, the X6 M is a serious brute of an SUV. However, its styling is quite controversial and could turn some enthusiasts off. Especially when you consider that the X6 M wasn’t the only uber-fast SUV to debut in LA. The Audi RS Q8 made its worldwide debut that same day and it came packing serious performance credentials. Ahead of its LA Auto Show debut, the Audi RS Q8 broke the all-time lap record for SUVs are the Nurburgring. So it’s a seriously fast machine and one that isn’t just fast in a straight line. The ‘Ring requires serious handling capability and...

Should BMW make an electric pickup truck, a la Tesla Cybertruck? A few days ago, Tesla make huge waves in the automotive world, with ripples still being felt throughout the internet days later. Now, we won’t talk about the actual Cybertruck itself, because its unveiling has been a bit of a mess, regardless of your feelings on the brand. Instead, we want to look at whether or not BMW should try and jump into that segment and make an electric pickup truck? I want to preface this by saying we, in no way, think BMW will ever make a pickup of any kind, electric or otherwise. It’s just not in the cards for BMW. However, it’s not a terrible idea, actually. BMW needs to start making more electric vehicles. Yes, the Bavarians say there are more EVs on the way but they’ve been saying that for yea...

BMWBLOG Podcast Episode 7 — Talk to BMW M CEO at LA Auto Show It’s that time of the week again, as our latest episode of the BMWBLOG Podcast is now live. In this episode, our seventh in total, we come to you from the 2019 LA Auto Show. Well, mostly. We recorded half of the episode in LA and the second half back at home. The reason for this was we wanted to sit down with a very special guest for this episode — BMW M CEO Markus Flasch. Markus is quite new to his role at BMW M but he’s already in the process of doing big things with the brand. This also marks the second time we’ve spoken to him (as I previously interviewed him at M Fest a few months back) and he’s always been kind to us and giving us his time. At the LA Auto Show, our sit down was the last in a long day of interviews for h...

2020 BMW M550i xDrive pricing announced for Australia and it’s not cheap For the model year 2020, BMW Australia will introduce the new BMW M550i xDrive performance sedan in different variants, including an entry-level model badged ‘Pure’. The label ‘Pure’ was until now reserved for the lower-spec M2 and M3 variants sold on the Australian markets. With the advent of the new M Performance business sedan, BMW will introduce a cheaper price version of the M550i xDrive beginning with 2020. The entry-level BMW M550i xDrive will have a starting price of AUD 134,900, substantially below the standard variant which sports a price tag of AUD 149,900. The ‘Pure’ and the standard M550i xDrive will basically be the same car, in terms of powertrain. Both are equipped with the enhanced N63 4.4-liter V...

The new BMW 330e encounters Lexus ES 300h in Autobild comparison test After battling the Volvo S60 T8 and emerging victorious, the new BMW 330e plug-in hybrid is now up to the next challenge as it encounters the Lexus ES 300h in a new comparison trial. This Autobild test puts together two different hybrids: the new BMW 330e plug-in hybrid and the mild hybrid Lexus ES 300h. As with most test drives, the German journalists tried to highlight the positives of both models. Out of the two, the 330e is the most practical choice, offering versatility and power in everyday use. Autobild was impressed by the all-rounding German plug-in hybrid with its full-electric range of around 56 kilometers. What’s more, the BMW manages a smooth, seamless transition between electric drive and the internal co...

BMW M2 CS vs. BMW M4 GTS – Which One To Buy? I live for these types of problems. They keep me up at night and they consume me as I endlessly debate them. For the same money, would you buy a BMW M2 CS or a BMW M4 GTS? This problem became more acute for me when a $134,000 Black Sapphire Metallic 2016 BMW M4 GTS with 2,300 miles was offered to me by one of my favorite BMW dealerships for $79,990 this weekend. Firstly, I had not realized that the BMW M4 GTS had dropped so much in their resale value. Secondly, the BMW M2 CS price for the U.S. market is around the $84,000 mark (more on that soon), so that brings the two special M cars pretty close in value. The BMW M4 GTS was limited to just 700 worldwide and it delivered 500 horsepower from a water-injected track-focused engine. It can spri...

The BMW E89 Z4 was not only fun to drive, but good looking also After more than 115,000 units, the BMW E89 Z4 production of the Roadster at the Regensburg plant was officially completed in 2016. At the time, it was unclear whether BMW will continue its joint project with Toyota in building a roadster successor. So naturally, it was a sad moment seeing one of the most fun driving BMWs rolling off the production line. For the last time. The BMW E89 Z4 also marked the last new BMW powered by the award-winning N54 engine. The engine was replaced years ago by the more economical N55, which in turn was replaced by the modular motor with the internal code B58. In contrast to the first generation, the Z4 E89 was only available with a three-piece folding metal roof, instead of the soft classic ...

BMW M135i shown again in Storm Bay Blue – Photo Gallery As part of the local presentation, BMW Bulgaria revealed a new photo gallery of the BMW M135i painted in Storm Bay Blue Metallic. In the photos, we see the top model of the third generation in a Fall setting and seeing what it looks like under different light conditions. The Storm Bay Blue costs an additional 1,200 euros and is more expensive than the other metallic finishes priced at 700 euros. The accents in Cerium Gray, which are reserved for the M135i top-of-the-line model, further differentiate the car from the rest of the lineup. In addition to the M135i-specific mesh kidney, the exterior mirrors, elements of the outer air intakes in the front apron and the tailpipe covers in Cerium Gray are also also unique to the model. If...

BMW says the Range Extender “has no future”, but not necessarily canceled in the i3 One of the selling points of the BMW i3 electric car was the optional Range Extender. The REx in the BMW i3 supplements its battery pack with an 0.6-liter 38-hp 2-cylinder from the BMW C600 scooter and a 2.4 gallon fuel tank. In the US, the fuel tank was restricted to 1.9 gallons so the i3 REx can qualify for incentives. The Range Extender could add anywhere from 40 to 80 miles of range based on the driving mode. While the European i3s dropped the REx option in 2018, thanks to the increased battery capacity in the latest models, the US-bound electric BMWs retained this option. Photo: Tom Moloughney The future of the BMW i3 is still uncertain. Initially the BMW EV was supposed to be phased out in 2020, b...

VIDEO: BMW M2 CS and M8 Gran Coupe Overview with BMW Head of Design The 2019 LA Auto Show kicked off last week and as always, we were on site capturing the latest and greatest news from the BMW and MINI brands. Our coverage can be found here, and of course on our Instagram, Facebook and Youtube channels. One of the pieces of content we captured on our Youtube channel was an interview and a design walkthrough with Domagoj Dukec, the recently appointed head of BMW design. Dukec has been featured before on BMWBLOG so it’s always great to hear him speak about the latest BMW design trends. The two models featured in this video are the BMW M2 CS and the M8 Gran Coupe, the latest M cars to join the sports family. These are also some of the last non-polarizing designs from M, with the rumored 2...

BMW M6 GT3 Finishes second at Kyalami IGTC finale As you might’ve heard, BMW took part in the IGTC finale in South Africa this weekend, fighting for a win on the legendary Kyalami track. This was a long time coming return for BMW to the former Formula 1 track in South Africa, after the German manufacturer had some pretty good times on it with Nelson Piquet behind the wheel. This weekend though it was all about the BMW M6 GT3 and the car rose to the occasion. BMW had three cars on the field during the race, thanks to BMW Team Schnitzer and the Walkenhorst Motorsport team. It was the latter that managed to finish second thanks to the car driven by Mikkel Jensen, Christian Krognes and Nick Catsburg, wearing the number 34 on the livery. The #34 squad had just missed out on the pole shootout...

Video: BMW X4 M Competition vs Mercedes GLC 63 AMG S drag race, dyno runs Even since the BMW X3 M Competition and X4 M Competition models first came out we’ve been hearing how fast they are. For cars this big to be this fast using 3-liter engines, something just didn’t add up. The spec sheet did show impressive numbers but even so, a lot of us have been secretly suspecting that the S58 engine is making more power than advertised. Luckily for us, this suspicion is set straight in the video below. The guys from DSC Off in Russia brought the two models together to have a proper comparison for a change. While the traditional drag race was included in the mix, they also decided to put the cars on the dyno, something that should settle the debate regarding horsepower once and for all. The res...

FIRST DRIVE: Rolls Royce Cullinan Black Badge — An Exercise in Excess I’m not a rich man. I never have been. So the idea of luxurious excess seems a bit ridiculous to me. As it does to the rest of the 99-percent. As a normal working-class man, I’ve never had the means to experience an abundance of riches, so such things have always felt foreign, and even a bit wasteful, to me. However, after experiencing them in the all-new Rolls-Royce Cullinan Black Badge, I’ve seen the warm, luxurious light. I get it. I want it. I need it. Following my day with BMW, at its Spartanburg, South Carolina plant, Rolls-Royce had a select few of us journalist hang back while the rest flew home. The reason for our extended stay was that we were selected to drive the all-new Cullinan Black Badge, a car that ha...

Battle of the plug-in hybrids: BMW 330e goes against Volvo S60 T8 The new BMW 330e plug-in hybrid Bavarian meets a compelling Scandinavian rival, the Volvo S60 T8, in a battle that will reveal which constructor makes the best electrified mid-sized premium sedan. AutoExpress has brought together Sweden and Germany in a comparison test that aimed at revealing which is the leader in the segment mid-class premium plug-in hybrids. Standing brave and proud for Germany is the new BMW 330e, while the VolvoS60 T8 fights for the honor of Swedish engineering. The journalists from the UK automotive publication have found out that the 330e is quite on par with the S60 T8, even though the Scandinavian model has almost 100 hp extra than the electrified Bimmer. The ride is ambivalent in the BMW plug-i...

BMW M and the Los Angeles Auto Show 2019 At the Los Angeles Auto Show that just kicked off this week, BMW M showcased the entire spectrum of brand new high performance Bimmers, to the pleasure of the gathered audience and fans. 2019 has been a fantastic year for the BMW M division. The portfolio of sheer sports models got revamped and renewed with sensational additions. And every single one of them was highlighted on the stage of the Los Angeles Auto Show. The most important show-stoppers were the complete fleet of brand new M8 models, the new generations of the high-performance X3 M, X4 M, X5 M and X6 M, the new M2 CS limited edition hot coupe and the M235i xDrive Gran Coupe M Performance model, which along with other versions of the new 2 Series Gran Coupe, will be the first-ever fro...

History: What Do BMW CS and CSL Stand For? BMW has a long tradition of building some exquisite, limited edition high-performance versions of existing models under various acronyms that further highlight the special status. Of all, BMW CS and BMW CSL are the most popular. CS stands for Clubsport But what do CS and CSL actually mean? The “CS” particle stands for “Club Sport” or “Clubsport”. Contrary to belief,  “CS” does neither stand for “Coupé Sport” nor for “Competition Sport”, though that moniker was used back in 2016 for 60 special M4 cars sold on the Spanish market. At the same time, the “CSL” denotes a significantly enhanced CS model and literally stands for “Coupé Sport Leichtbau” (“Coupé Sport Lightweight”). The origin of the two acronyms can be traced back to the 1970s, when BM...

BMW, Mercedes, VW fined 100 million euro for steel cartel Germany’s cartel authority said it was fining BMW, Volkswagen Group and Daimler a total of 100 million euros for unlawful actions in relation to steel purchases. A report by DW says that from 2004 to 2013, the automakers regularly met steelmakers and other companies in the supply chain to discuss uniform surcharges when purchasing steel. Germany’s competition watchdog, the Bundeskartellamt, says that unlawful prices resulting from the cartel were paid until at least 2016. BMW said it would pay a penalty amounting to 28 million euros. Daimler said it will have to pay 23.5 million euros. VW Group declined to comment on the amount it would pay. The cartel office said that purchasing prices for long steel products, the steel type aff...

BMW M: The M2 CS weight is the same as the M2 Competition Our podcast with BMW M CEO Markus Flasch goes live on Monday, but before that, there are a few things we can share. Yet, we still encourage you to subscribe to the podcast for some interesting topics. One of the main things we’ve discussed with Flasch was the all-new BMW M2 CS. The M2 Clubsport is shaping up to be the darling of the BMW community, so naturally, it’s a hot topic today. And nothing gets people going more than the weight of new cars. When asked whether the BMW M2 CS weighs the same as the M2 Competition, Herr Flasch said the following: “They weigh about the same, all things considered, unless you equip the M2 CS with the carbon ceramic brakes which save about 25 kilograms (55 lbs),” Flasch told us. “The reason for ...