Auto and Cars

BMWBLOG Podcast Episode 4 — Our own Chuck Vossler talks EVs, Tesla Model 3 and Old-School Bimmers Well, episode 4 is here of our podcast and we have another guest for you. This time, it’s our own Chuck Vossler. While he isn’t a full-time writer for BMWBLOG (he’s a much more important human for that), he does contribute to our site every now and again. He’s also one of our resident EV experts, as he’s owned a few over the years and is an EV enthusiast. He’s also the owner of a BMW i3 and a Tesla Model 3 Performance. Don’t fret, though, he’s also a proper petrol-head. We talk a lot about EVs in this episode, especially about the differences between the BMW i3 and Tesla Model 3. The reason for that is not because they’re two comparable cars — because they’re not, they’re very different — b...

Tuning Preview: Manhart BMW M8, X5 M, X6 M and X7 announced German tuning shop Manhart Performance has just released a teaser featuring some of their upcoming tuning projects based on new BMW M models. The tuning professionals from Wuppertal are known for taking the M cars to the extreme and the new projects are likely to follow suit. Firstly, we have the Manhart MH8 800 based on the BMW M8. The power increase for this particular model is expected to give the sports coupe around 800 hp. The first two photos show the front and rear of the coupe, which is already factory-blessed with 625 hp and carries the title of the fastest series BMW ever. With the 175 additional horsepower, the 3-second mark for the sprint from 0 to 100 km/h, should be easily achievable. Secondly, Manhart Performanc...

TEASER: BMW M2 CS Racing teased ahead of the regular BMW M2 CS Tomorrow, the BMW world will get one more exciting model – the BMW M2 CS. Along with the production limited M2 CS, we will also soon get to see the racing version of the car, dubbed BMW M2 CS Racing. The BMW M2 CS Racing will replace the vastly successful M235i and M240i racers that seem to make up half of the Nürburgring 24-hour grid each year. The car will also be suitable for clubsport levels, not just professional racing. The first cars will be delivered at the start of the second quarter of 2020. BMW Group Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt recently said: “It is fantastic to be able to take BMW’s Customer Racing program to the next level with the new club racing sector, as well as the associated setting up of global se...

3D Design releases new aero parts for the G20 BMW 3 Series Back in September, Japanese tuning company 3D Design released their aftermarket program for the new G20 BMW 3 Series. Their aero kit is comprised of a number of items, that enhance the car’s sportiness and add a bit more flavor. As usual, their products are made of carbon fiber and to the highest level of quality, after being developed in the wind tunnel. Their initial program included a front lip spoiler, a rear diffuser, a trunk spoiler and side sills. Today, they are ready to unveil additional parts. 3D Design is now offering a front lip spoiler and a trunk spoiler made of Polyurethane. Furthermore, a carbon fiber splitter can be fitted to the new Polyurethane front lip. In the back, there is a new quad exhaust system with c...

Video: BMW M2 vs Porsche Cayman GTS Comparison The BMW M2 is definitely a media darling. It has been praised so much, it’s hard to overlook its popularity. Understandably so too as it appeals to a lot of people who consider the current BMW M line-up to be a bit too heavy and too big for their liking. There’s a reason why the BMW M2 has been repeatedly called the E46 M3 of the modern age. The guys from Fifth Gear however decided to compare the Bavarian machine to yet another brilliant creation. Traditionally, BMWs haven’t exactly been a match for Porsches. Sure, there have been some exceptions to the rule over the years but the more expensive Porsches are widely regarded as better drivers’ cars. In this particular case, the BMW M2 in the video below has to go up against a Porsche Cayman...

PHOTO GALLERY: BMW X7 M50d takes a journey in the picturesque Greece The BMW X7 was the long awaited, missing exponent that the upper echelon of the BMW portfolio so objectively needed. The first generation of its kind, the G07, was officially premiered in November 2018 at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Sales started soon after, while the market introduction started in Spring this year in several countries around the Globe. In Greece, the new BMW X7 celebrate its market launch in June 2019. The national media event coincided with the premiere of the new 7 Series LCI as well. As for the high luxury sedan, the uber-premium SAV was also pictured in the beautiful scenery of the Thessaloniki and Chalkidiki regions. The X7 boasts a sovereign and upscale design mostly inspired from the Concept X7...

Electric Automobility – A Promise Yet Fulfilled The automobile has been amongst us for over a century. And automobility has been obtainable for the middle class since the end of World War I, especially in the US, thanks to Henry Ford’s Model T. In the beginning three modes of powering prime movers were in competition. The first was the external combustion – steam engine. Successfully ‘miniaturized’ in the late eighteenth century, steam engine road going vehicles could be seen on British post roads – but the technology (and safety) hadn’t caught up, nor were the roads up to carrying the enormous weight of the steam carriages. Hence the evolution of the iron railed road. Steam cars reappeared in the early twentieth century, but they were extremely inefficient compared to electric motors o...

PHOTO GALLERY: The new BMW 745Le xDrive encounters the scenic Greek roads The LCI generation of the G11/G12 7 Series celebrated its market introduction this year. Sporting a substantially enhanced exterior design and a comprehensive technological upgrade, the new BMW 7 Series LCI is sure to have created a stir in the industry, while also making the Bavarian luxury flagship a tad more appealing to potential clients. During summer of 2019, the LCI 7 Series has become available in numerous markets across the world, including Europe, Asia and The Americas. For the launch in Greece, the national BMW subsidiary has chosen the beautiful city of Thessaloniki (in northern Greece) and Halkidiki peninsula (in the Eastern part of the Ellada) as the perfect locations to showcase the luxury saloon to...

How to install a map update on the BMW OS 7.0 infotainment system The following helpful video from BMW teaches us how to physically install a map update for the navigation feature on models equipped with the iDrive OS 7.0 infotainment system. The process is easy and convenient, as it is intuitive, thanks to the enhanced, user-friendly interface. What you need for this operation is an external flash drive, such as an USB stick, and a proper BMW vehicle. The USB stick must contain a newer map version than the one to be found on the OS 7.0 system that we want to update. Enter the car, open the cover on the lower center console to reveal the USB port. Insert the USB stick and instantly the infotainment system will automatically open the map update menu and will retrieve a message on the co...

BMW plans ten new models in the next two years Under the new BMW M president Markus Flasch, the ///M offensive from Munich continues. Year-over-year, the sportscar division at BMW have posted record sales and it is now in the midst of a major product refresh. During the BMW M Festival at the Kyalami circuit in South Africa, Flasch gave some insight into the product lineup coming in the next two years, along with some concrete dates. Photo by DCNCars on Instagram The new products cover both full-M models, as well as the M Performance Automobiles family. Next to be unveiled in just a matter of days is the 2020 BMW M2 CS, a limited production run which will cater to BMW purists. BMW will also launch in 2020 the all-new BMW M8 Coupe, Convertible and Gran Coupe, all which have been already...

SPIED: BMW M2 CS scooped once more ahead of its imminent debut The BMW M2 range will soon expand with a new model when the new BMW M2 CS will be joining the M2 Competition. Recently, a test prototype of the CS version was filmed taking a quick run on the Nürburgring circuit. We have recently reported that the new M2 CS is about to premiere next week. The super-sport M2 model placed above the Competition version proves the commitment of BMW M to further develop its pinnacle compact coupe. As previously reported, the M2 is to remain a puristic option for the die-hard M fans, in the true tradition of the performance division. Pictured model: BMW M2 Competition The new BMW M2 CS was recently scooped while performing some seriously fast stints on the Nordschleife loop on the Nürburgring tra...

BMW M235i Gran Coupe spotted in Sapphire Black Long before the market launch of the new BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe, the first live photos in alternative colors reach us. While the official photos showed the new model in Storm Bay and Snapper Rocks Blue, we now see the BMW M235i Gran Coupe in Sapphire Black. In conjunction with the black livery, the accents in Cerium Gray, which are offered exclusively for the BMW M235i Gran Coupe, are particularly effective. The exterior mirrors, kidneys, parts of the air intakes in the front apron and the tailpipe trims are painted in the contrasting color and point to the M Performance model. Exclusive to the top model is also the mesh grille which is used instead of the classic struts. The BMW M235i Gran Coupe will remain the top model of the F44 serie...

BMW 6 Series: A handy used car guide for the F06 – F12 – F13 trio Are you looking to buy a BMW 6 Series? We put together a guide to pick the best model of the BMW 6 Series. The F-coded versions of the third generation 6 Series were the last true and pure models of their kind. So, it is quite a good time to have a thorough look at the F06 – F12 – F13 trio of models that have defined the last genuine BMW 6 Series between 2011 and 2018. Currently, the 6 Series is quite poorly represented in the BMW portfolio, with the G32 frankly being just a rebadged 5 Series GT. As in 1989, the original 6 Series has once again been replaced by the 8 Series. Models Available BMW 650i Coupe As a brief history, the third generation of the 6 Series was introduced towards the end of 2010 as a 2011 model year...

VIDEO: How to correctly recharge your electrified BMW at home BMW continues the series of helpful “How-To” videos and now teaches us on how to effectively and correctly re-charge an electrified car while at home. Irrespective of the car brand. All we need is a plug-in hybrid or full-electric automobile, a portable EV charger and direct access to a convenient power source, which must be typically resistant to withstand some high voltage electric current. As shown in the video, the portable charger designed for electric vehicles is composed of a power cord (for connecting to the electric supply network), a panel with 4 LEDs that are lit for notifying ongoing different states of operations or issues (Power in green, Charging in blue, Temperature in orange and Fault in red) and the charging...

EVs outsold the manual transmission for the first time in the US The time is now upon us. We all knew this day was coming but it’s still a bit odd to see. The manual transmission is going to die off, as will the internal combustion engine and both will be replaced with EVs. While the world hasn’t gone fully-electric just yet, the EV has already dispatched one of them — the manual. According to a recent report from Driving.ca, who recently spoke with J.D. Power, the manual transmission was beaten by EVs in the third quarter of this year, a market first. In an email with Driving, Tyson Jominy, Vice-President, PIN Consulting of the Data and Analytics Division at J.D. Power, said“[Manual transmissions] have been on a nearly century-long decline and while no rational person thinks the trend ...

Who Remembers the V16-powered BMW 750iL “Goldfisch”? I love stories about one-off automotive projects that never saw production and were lost to time. BMW has a few, actually, with the most famous now being the original BMW M8. However, there’s another one that is equally as intriguing but in a different way. Whereas the original BMW M8 Prototype was awesome and exciting, this other car was silly and hilarious. The car in question is the V16-powered BMW 750iL “Goldfisch” made back in 1987. Meaning “Goldfish” in German (who would have guessed?), the BMW 750iL Goldfisch was an absurd and amazing one-off by BMW that seemed to have been made purely to see if it could be done. Essentially, what BMW did was stuff a massive 6.6 liter V16 engine under the hood of an E32-generation 7 Series, whi...

BMW USA sales increased 9.4 percent in October 2019 BMW sales totaled 25,440 vehicles in October 2019, an increase of 9.4 percent over the 23,262 vehicles sold in October 2018.  Year-to-date, BMW sales in the U.S. are up 3.8 percent. Through October, BMW Sports Actvity Vehicles have driven growth in the U.S. and currently account for 57% of sales.  Increased availability of the U.S-built BMW X3 (+18.3% YTD) and BMW X5 (+27.6% YTD), and the addition of the BMW X7, have contributed to the positive gains. “Since the start of 2018 we have introduced more than 40 new and refreshed models to market.  We will add to this total at the Los Angeles Auto Show later this month when we debut several more, ranging from the BMW M8 Gran Coupe and M2 CS, to electrified variants of two of our most impor...

Czech Republic orders 10 BMW 7 Series plug-in hybrids for police cars In the future, the police force in the Czech Republic will get to use ten BMW 7 Series plug-in hybrids as part of a free rental program. The luxury limousines will not only be used for show purposes, but also used by regular traffic policemen in everyday life. The joint project is designed to last for a period of six months with a 25,000-kilometer planned for each of the ten vehicles. The current project of renting the BMW 745Le xDrive models continues the very successful loan of 10 BMW i3 electric cars and subsequently the BMW i8 Police Cars as well. “I am very pleased to continue the cooperation between the Police of the Czech Republic and BMW, which significantly contributes to the promotion of sustainable mobilit...

BMW X8 G09 likely to be unveiled by 2021 While BMW has yet to officially acknowledge an X8 model, the online chatter has intensified the last few years around the new model. According to our sources, the BMW X8 G09 has been approved and we could see it in late 2020 or early 2021. Whether it will be in a concept form or the production model, it remains to be seen. We have also yet to see any test mules on the road, but when they go out for testing, they will certainly be roaming around the Spartanburg area as well. Just like all non-front-wheel-drive based SUVs, the BMW X8 G09 will be built in South Carolina on the same lines as the X3, X4, X5, X6 and X7. Not an accurate rendering The new X8 won’t be an ordinary model. Firstly, it will be offered as an M Performance model, similar to th...

TEST DRIVE: BMW Z4 M40i — The Most Fun BMW in a Long Time Roadsters are dead. Gone. Finished. Gone are the days when customers yearned for the wind in their hair exhaust noise filling their ears. Instead, the modern car buyer wants something sensible, efficient, high-tech and kind to the environment. In this new world of efficiency and sensibility, a two-seat, drop-top sports car just doesn’t make much sense. Which is a damn shame because this last generation of sporty roadsters is actually quite fantastic and the BMW Z4 M40i is among them leading one final charge. What is a Roadster Supposed to Be? There’s really only only one purpose for a roadster. Though sizes and shapes may vary, prices and luxuries may too, the only constant should be fun. And a fun roadster can be had in many dif...

BMW X3 M Competition vs Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio: Driving.Ca Test When I first drove the BMW X3 M Competition, the first car that came to mind was the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio. Like the Alfa, the new X3 M has a sense of fun and excitement about it that seems like it shouldn’t exist in an SUV. It isn’t quite as intoxicating as the Alfa, or as manic, but it’s closer than any other SUV I’ve driven since. Both cars are extremely similar on paper, too; both have similar engines, both are similarly quick and both are similarly priced. So they couldn’t be more direct competitors. But, the real question is: which one is better? In this new comparison test from Driving.ca, we get to find out which they think is best. It’s an interesting test because, on paper, they’re so similar bu...

TEST DRIVE: 2019 BMW M340i xDrive – The European Model One of the most exciting cars to come out of Munich in the last year is the BMW M340i. The M Performance vehicle fills a void between the 3 Series range and the future BMW M3 G80. While the North American market gets two variants – the rear-wheel drive and the all-wheel drive – the Europeans will have to do with just the xDrive system. According to BMW, the data collected from the previous generation F30 340i, showed that most European customers prefer to have the power sent to all four wheels. BMW M340i RWD vs. xDrive Yet, that’s not the only change compared to the US model. European customers will get their models with an Otto particulate filter installed, which means their cars will develop 374 HP and 500 Nm (369 lb-ft) of tor...

Happy Halloween: From BMW to Mercedes-Benz BMW Happy Halloween: “This Halloween any car can dress up as its favorite superhero”. That’s the punchline used by the BMW USA Instagram account to cheekily troll their old-time rival – Mercedes-Benz. On the eve of this year’s Halloween, BMW of North America hints at the fact that the Mercedes-AMG E53 dresses up as its secret superhero – the BMW M5. At a first glance, the more obvious choice would have been the E63 or E63 S models to keep. That would have kept the power levels even. Instead, it’s the E53 that gets the punchline with its 435-hp six-cylinder engine. In comparison, the BMW M5 Competition uses a 4.4 liter twin-turbocharged engine in the F90 BMW M5 now makes 625 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque. That’s an increase of 25 hp but its torque ...

BMW says “Consumers and infrastructure not ready for EV takeover” The internal combustion engine might be a thing of the past in the next decade to come. The world seems hellbent on adopting electric vehicles on a wide scale but there are still plenty of hurdles to overcome. In a recent interview with media representatives from Australia, at the BMW Welt in Munich, Dr Heinz Treseler, one of the people involved in developing the BMW X5 PHEV claimed the world isn’t ready for a massive adoption of EVs but rather plug-in hybrids for now. “For many cases it [PHEV] is still the best solution. There are limits with pure electric drive at the moment,” Dr Treseler said. The demand shows he’s right. While people are still rather reticent towards EVs, mainly because of range anxiety, plug-in hybr...

Photo Gallery: Dahler Unveils 636 HP BMW M850i xDrive Kit Swiss tuner Dahler has unveiled its latest offering for BMW fans around the world in the shape of their upgraded kit for the BMW M850i xDrive. Their creation is not just looking for Manhart blood but also, to some extent, it’s even challenging the BMW M8. That’s because the power output figure claimed by the tuner is higher than even the most powerful BMW put in production to this date. Under the hood of the BMW M850i xDrive hides the latest iteration of the N63 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8, massaged to make 523 HP and 553 lb-ft of torque. Those figures turn the M850i into a very fast car, no matter how you look at it. The S63 version of that mill can be found under the hood of the M8 and M8 Competition, with 600 or 617 HP on tap and ...

BMW to get Dual-Clutch and Hybrid Transmissions from Magna Canadian auto-parts maker Magna International said it would build dual-clutch and hybrid transmissions for BMW. The dual-clutch transmission will cater to front-wheel drive BMW models. “This new award is another result of Magna’s commitment to delivering high-quality, flexible and innovative transmissions,” said Tom Rucker, President of Magna Powertrain. “Our scalable dual-clutch transmissions enhance drivability while simultaneously providing optimal levels of efficiency, which makes our product a perfect match for BMW.” Magna 7HDT300 Hybrid Dual-Clutch Transmission Magna says the transmission technologies will be used in more than 170 different vehicle applications. The new hybrid solution by Magna is said to have no impact o...

No full-fledged M versions planned for front-traction BMWs If we needed extra certainty on this matter, well, there we have it. On the occasion of the M Festival held at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit in South Africa, BMW M CEO, Markus Flasch, said that pure M versions derived from front-driven models are a no go for the performance brand. BMW M is associated with peak driving performance and, invariably, with rear-wheel drive platforms (or, lately with xDrive-sourced chassis). This is in complete contradiction with the newest generation of the 1 Series (F40) or the all-new 2 Series Gran Coupe (F44). Flasch officially ruled out any chance of seeing a fully fledged M model developed on the basis of the FAAR front wheel drive architecture. This means no 1 Series M or M2 Gran Coupe models...

Manual transmissions will live on for future BMW M2, M3 and M4 Manual transmissions are a sensible subject for automotive purists. They are highly praised for giving the driver the opportunity to be one with the car, to be in the middle of the action and control it as you wish. Manuals are linked to driving sensations and performance models. So, given the client demand for this transmission, the future BMW M2, M3 and M4 generations will also offer the choice of a manual gearbox. According to BMW M CEO Markus Flasch, the manual gearbox should no longer be seen as an entry-level option. Moreso, the company wants to really position the manual as sort of an exquisite, optional equipment. “The manual stick shift is not an entry proposition any more. It used to be the entry transmission then ...

BMW M2 CS is the most “pure” M car in a long time, says M Boss We all know the BMW M2 CS is coming and it’s going to be the fastest, most hardcore M2 iteration yet. As with all ‘CS’ Bimmers, the upcoming M2 version will be lightened, focused and made more powerful, all in the name of making it the most precise, track-ready version of the M2 yet. According to BMW M CEO Markus Flasch, it’s all worked out quite well. At an event in South Africa, Flasch recently said the BMW M2 CS is “the most crisp and pure BMW M model that we have launched in quite some time,”. While that might seem like a bold statement at first, it’s actually not that hard to imagine. Most recent M cars have either been SUVs or big luxury vehicles. So it’s been a long time since BMW M made a proper, driver-focused weapo...