Auto and Cars

Video: BMW M8 Competition Review – Worthy of the M Badge? The BMW M8 Competition is currently sitting at the top of the food chain in the BMW line-up. It’s the fastest car BMW ever put into mass-production and it is, probably, the most desirable one at the moment. We had a go aboard the new M8 and the M8 Competition earlier this year on the Portimao Circuit and left rather impressed with how this beast handles on a track, especially considering its size. It is now time to look at what Steve Sutcliffe had to say about it. Steve is one of the oldest and most experienced journalists in the business and he has been with a number of British magazines so far. His experience can’t be ignored and he does come with a couple of interesting views regarding the cars he drives, rarely following tren...

Bill Auberlen tied Scott Pruett for most IMSA career wins The last race of the 2019 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship was a thrilling one, not just because the number 96 BMW M6 GT3 claimed another win, but also because its positioning on the final lap allowed Bill Auberlen to tick yet another milestone. The American driver, who celebrated his 51st anniversary that day, managed to tie the record for the most career wins in the IMSA thanks to his victory. The race was incredibly tight with the winner being settled in the final lap. Bill Auberlen drove the number 96 BMW M6 GT3 car together with Robby Foley and Dillon Machavern and he took the final stint behind the wheel at the Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. He was running second in the GT Daytona (GTD) class ...

BMW M340i xDrive Sedan in Tanzanite Blue II Metallic BMW is bringing us a new photo gallery of their top 3 Series model. The BMW M340i xDrive Sedan is shown here in Tanzanite Blue II Metallic, a BMW Individual color for the M Performance model. From November 2019, the Sedan model will also be available in BMW M340i First Edition guise. Furthermore, the M Technic Package is available as an option for the new BMW M340i xDrive Sedan. The package adds two remote coolant radiators to meet the particularly high demands of the powerful six-cylinder. Speaking of the engine, the B58 3.0 liter unit makes 275 kW/374 hp, an increase of 35 kW/48 hp on the engine powering the previous range-topping models, while peak torque is up by 50 Nm (37 lb-ft) to 500 Nm (369 lb-ft). The maximum operating pre...

Meet one of the best looking cars today – The BMW M340i Touring The BMW M340i Touring gets another photoshoot to coincide with the upcoming market launch in November 2019. Next month, the Sedan and Touring models will also be available in BMW M340i First Edition guise. Limited to 340 units in each case, the First Edition will include particularly enticing design and equipment features. The Most Powerful Non-M Engine BMW’s beautiful touring gets the most powerful six-cylinder engine today, aside from full M models. The 3.0 liter six-cylinder unit makes 374 horsepower, enough to take the BMW M340i Touring from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.5 seconds. With the xDrive system onboard. The dual-branch, twin-tailpipe exhaust system incorporates two petrol particulate filters, enabling the BMW M...

Upcoming BMW M5 CS shows off its badge The BMW M5 CS will be a new addition to the already exciting M5 family. Currently, the super sporty business sedan comes in standard form as well as with a Competition package. But next year, the BMW M5 CS will become the top model of the range. Similar to the M3 CS and M4 CS, the tuned up M5 CS will bring some visual and performance upgrades. A prototype was just spotted in Munich with no camouflage and with the M5 CS badge on the boot. You can see the photos here. So what do we know about the new M5? Firstly, it will get a slightly more aggressive front-end, coupled with a spoiler in the rear. A throatier exhaust system is also likely in the books, same as new set of wheels and some software upgrades to the suspension and ECU mappings. BMW’s ‘CS’...

Impressive BMW M5 35 Jahre Edition hits US dealership Announced back in mid-May this year, the limited model BMW M5 35 Jahre Edition has recently reached various dealerships across the world. Out of the 350 units planned, 35 examples are reserved for the US market. One lucky San Francisco Bay dealer has just received a mind-blowing M5 35 Jahre Edition, which is the subject of this article. The special edition M5, dedicated to the 35th anniversary of the iconic high-performance sedan, is based on the M5 Competition version pumping out 617 hp (625 PS) / 460 kW of maximum output and 553 lb-ft of peak torque (750 Nm in the metric system) from the S63 90-degrees V8 aggregate with 4.4-liter displacement with TwinPower Turbo supercharging. We also learn that this special unit of the M5 35 Jah...

The new BMW ALPINA B3 Saloon: Younger, Greater, Stronger The all new BMW ALPINA B3 Saloon model has been officially introduced at the 46th edition of the Tokyo Motor Show which kicked off today. The high-performance sedan from the Buchloe-based manufacturer comes to complement the already revealed B3 Touring. The new premium mid-class ALPINA B3 high-performance sedan is based on the BMW 3 Series with M Sport Package. The car sports ALPINA CLASSIC 20” forged wheels, a stainless steel exhaust system with twin tailpipes, as well as the characteristic ALPINA aerodynamic elements, which deliver a forceful and distinctive stance. As an exclusive feature, the new ALPINA B3 can also be customized in the iconic ALPINA Blue metallic and ALPINA Green metallic exterior colors. The new BMW ALPINA ...

2020 ALPINA B3 sedan revealed at Tokyo Motor Show At the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show, thee Buchloe-based automaker has just unveiled the 2020 ALPINA B3 Sedan. Just like the B3 Touring, the new sedan features the straight-six 3.0 liter S58 engine with Bi-Turbo charging. The engine is featured in the BMW X3 M and X4 M, and will be under the hood of the upcoming M3 and M4. With an output of 340 kW (462 hp) between 5,000 and 7,000 rpm the engine delivers impressive driving performance. The maximum torque of 700 Nm is available between 3,000 and 4,250 rpm. The ALPINA specific cooling system ensures the thermal stability of the high-performance engine even under highest loads. It comprises a large-volume intercooler, enlarged cooling air ducts and a powerful main cooling package paired with a 1,...

VIDEO: Is the BMW Z3 M Coupe worth its weird looks For BMW enthusiasts, the Z3 M Coupe is the stuff of legends. Us weirdos love the BMW Z3 M Coupe despite the fact that it looks like one the Joker’s clownshoe. And I don’t mean the cool Heath Ledger Joker, I’m talking the overly pretentious and annoying Joaquin Phoenix Joker. The reason we all love it is that it’s great to drive and hilariously exciting. But is it good enough to convince a car enthusiast that isn’t exactly a BMW enthusiast that it’s worth its odd looks? In this new video from JayEmm on Cars, we take a look at the BMW Z3 M Coupe from a car enthusiast that isn’t specifically a BMW enthusiast. It’s interesting to hear someone with an unbiased car opinion talk about such a unique BMW. Because Bimmer-philes sort of unanimousl...

SPIED: BMW M4 Convertible seen up close and personal There’s been a lot of talk regarding the upcoming BMW M4 and its design. Mainly, its supposed grille design. The new M4, along with its 4 Series counterpart, is said to be getting the same massive grille as the Concept 4, which  isn’t exactly the most loved design. However, having said that, the rest of the new M4 should look quite good. Even in Convertible form, seen in these new spy photos. (We don’t own the spy photos but they can be seen here) In these new spy photos, we can see that the next-gen BMW M4 will have some seriously big grilles. But we can also see that it’s going to be a good looking car. Even as a drop-top with its roof up, it’s a pretty thing. Its proportions are just right, which is tough to do in a coupe-turned co...

BMW 1 Series, Z4, X6 and X7 competing in the European COTY 2020 The complete list of contenders for the European Car Of The Year (European COTY 2020) award has been recently announced. The Bavarian automaker completes with a forceful squad of four models: the new 1 Series, the new X6, the Z4 and the X7. The voting process for the 2020 European COTY comprises of two stages. The first one will produce a short list of seven nominees which will be announced on November 25th, 2019. The second round will determine the winner of the award which is to be revealed on the eve of the Geneva Motor Show on March 2nd, 2020. As you may guess, the deliberation period is pretty long enough to make a decision, so there could be a lot of surprises coming. The seven models that are to qualify for the shor...

SPIED: Future BMW i4 enters new experimental phase Based on the future generation BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe, the full-electric BMW i4 should be revealed towards the end of next year or in early 2021. Like its future iX3 bigger brother, the i4 will also feature a signature BMW i design applied to the standard car it derives from. Some new spy shots have come out today showing the car in a testing camo. The design theme will be fundamentally inspired by the Concept 4 show car premiered at the IAA Frankfurt and the 2017 BMW i Vision Dynamics concept. The striking front fascia with its huge kidneys will be the attention center point of the i4. Like in the i Vision Dynamics, the impressive kidney grille will be connected in the middle and will be covered (compared to the ICE 4 Series Gran Cou...

BMW E39 M5 with 9k miles on the clock is asking for $150,000 Prices for mint, older BMW M models are constantly increasing, just like it’s the case with the BMW E39 M5 we’re showing you today. This car has only 9,000 miles on the clock and comes in a rare color for the BMW E39 M5. But does that justify the price tag of $150,000? I’ll be the first to say that I love the E39 M5. In my book, it’s the best M5 ever made and it’s mostly down to the engine. That 4.9-liter S62 V8 is absolutely marvelous in terms of power delivery, refinement and sound. Then there’s the looks too, with the E39 M5 being one of the best looking M5 ever made. Its shape is still fascinating to this day and that’s yet another reason why people love it. Prices of mint M5 models have been steadily going up but this mi...

Restoration of very rare BMW E30 M3 EVO II The BMW E30 M3 EVO II is arguably one of the most special BMW models ever built by the Bavarians. With only 500 units ever produced, the idea of even seeing one in person is an extreme rarity, never mind owning one. Which brings us to Christo, the car lover featured here today. The history of his BMW M3 E30 shown in Misano Red begins in the late 80s when he was unable to find a suitable successor to his ALPINA C1 E21-series. With just a few units destined for the UK market, finding one was proven to be an impossible task. But luck came upon Christo when a press test car from Italy became available. The only problem? It was a left-hand drive and living in the UK, a RHD was the preferred choice. A conversion process has now begun with the help o...

BMW seeking additional partners for its mobility joint-venture In an interview for the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, BMW’s newly appointed CEO Oliver Zipse expressed his full openness to attract new partners and collaborators in the mobility services venture. Back in late February 2019, BMW Group and Daimler AG were announcing their official cooperation in the field of mobility services. The partnership includes five joint ventures addressing the areas of charging facilities, parking, urban mobility and ride sharing. Afterwards, under the helm of former CEO Harald Krueger, BMW further extended its cooperation with Daimler to develop future technologies for automated driving. Speaking of BMW mobility services, Oliver Zipse quoted his expansion intentions: “We ...

BMW ranks 11th out 100 in the Interbrand 2019 Best Global Brands top BMW has ranked pretty well in the 2019 edition of the Interbrands Best Global Brands rankings. Overall, it is an improvement in the brand value of 1%. For BMW, the 11th place is an increase compared to 2018, when the Bavarians ranked 13th in the Interbrand top. The 1% improvement in brand value corresponds to a consistent surge from $41,006 millions in 2018 to $41,440 millions this year. Given the latest model offensive, it is expected that BMW will grow even further and classify in a better spot next year. Of course, there are many factors to take into account here, besides simply the brand value or the customer satisfaction or product reliability. The brand recognition is more complex than thought in the first instan...

LEAKED: The rear-end of the BMW M3 G80 The upcoming BMW M3 G80 has just been leaked! Or at least, partially. The rear-end of the new BMW M3 G80 popped up on Instagram from what seems to be a BMW preparation center. Judging by the first images, this is likely a pre-production car since the dual-twin pipes in the back are smaller in size than normal, and the diffuser is painted in the same color as the body. This might also be a Competition model since it comes with a more aggressive rear spoiler. The BMW M3 G80 is still a few months away from its unveil – early 2020 – so it’s not unusual that BMW has a series of pre-production models floating around. The new M3 won’t land in customers’ hands until next summer, but it’s also likely that it will be previewed as part of some exclusive VIP e...

BMWBLOG Podcast Episode 2: BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe, M8 and more It’s Monday and that means a new episode of the BMWBLOG Podcast is now live. In Episode 2, I talk about some interesting, and possibly polarizing, topics and we’re really excited to share it with you. Obviously, it all starts with the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe, though, as that was the headline of last week. The all-new 2 Series Gran Coupe is a car that’s been incredibly polarizing among the enthusiast fanbase. So we had to start the discussion there. So I get into its styling, drivetrain and what it means for the brand moving forward. It might not be a car that we love, or even like, but it’s one BMW probably had to make. After that, we move onto some of BMW’s other new cars, such as the new BMW M8 and 8 Series Gran Coupe. W...

Doug DeMuro says BMW X7 is Cooler than Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class When BMW first debuted the X7, enthusiasts of the brand were a bit shocked. Seeing a Roundel, an emblem typically associated with small sports cars, on the hood of an SUV the size of a house was a bit odd. However, once enthusiasts started driving the BMW X7, they were quickly surprised with how good it actually is. Myself included. The X7 is a superb luxury SUV and an incredible first attempt by BMW. However, its main competitor is all new and it’s from a brand that’s been doing it for longer — the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class. In this new video from Doug DeMuro, we take a look at the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class to see if it can take down the impressive new BMW X7, a car DeMuro has also reviewed and liked a lot. There’s no doubt, th...

BMW 1 series goes against A-Class and A3 in comparison test Given the recent market introduction of the new 1 Series, the first comparison tests were just a matter of time to appear. One the very first battles is conducted by the German automotive news magazine Auto Motor un Sport (AMuS) and puts the Bavarian hatchback against two of its major co-national opponents: the Mercedes-Benz A-Class and the Audi A3. The chosen Bimmer was a 118d Sport Line to compete with a Mercedes-Benz A 200 d and an Audi A3 35 TDI. All three compact-sized premium models featured a 2.0-liter diesel engines with 4 cylinders and developed the same peak output: 150 PS (148 hp). And that is where the similarities end. The 1 Series can be described as the most dynamic and agile of the three. Moving onto a new, fro...

Report: SUV Boom could mean trouble for BMW workers in Germany You probably noticed that the traditional BMW best-sellers have lost some serious ground recently in favor of all sorts of high-riding alternatives. From SUVs to crossovers, people seem to be more interested in anything else but the sedan that made German cars so desirable in the first place. Right now, a whopping 44 percent of all sales made by BMW around the world goes to the SUV corner and that could trigger some really bad consequences for a number of people. Germany is the biggest economy in the EU and it does rely on its automotive industry quite a lot. 830,000 people have jobs in the field and they are getting less and less work done as demand for the cars traditionally made in Germany is going down. Instead, with peo...

BMW official confirms upcoming 2 Series Coupe will remain RWD The launch of the new 2 Series Gran Coupe made some of BMW’s most avid fans wonder what the future holds for the beloved 2 Series range. That’s mainly because the new Gran Coupe model is built atop a front-wheel drive platform and has a rather peculiar shape too. Furthermore, the 2 Series Coupe is such a good car, it would definitely be a shame to see it follow in the footsteps of the F20 1 Series and go FWD. Earlier this year we told you that the 2 Series Coupe will live on and that it will remain rear-wheel drive. Today we got yet another confirmation that this is the way BMW plans to do things, courtesy of Auto Express. Speaking to the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe product manager, Gernot Stuhl, they learned that the 2 Series Co...

TEST DRIVE: 2019 BMW 745e – Straight Six For The Win Test drive and review of the 2019 BMW 745e plug-in hybrid. This is also one of the most extensive facelifts BMW has ever done. When BMW unveiled the facelift for the current 7 Series the world was certainly divided. The reason for that? Well, it’s staring you right in the face when you look at it: the oversized kidney grilles. However, before we get into that, I should point out that there’s a lot more going on with the LCI 7 Series than just the grille. This is also one of the most extensive facelifts BMW has ever done. The Design In terms of design, it’s basically as radical as the one done on the F20 1 Series about four years ago. The second generation 1 Series was initially launched with a rather odd design, especially up front, w...

VIDEO: Joe Achilles tests a BMW M135i alongside his M2 Comp For most BMW enthusiasts, the M2 Competition is the best Bavarian on sale. To most of those same enthusiasts, the all-new BMW M135i is the antithesis of the M2. Its front-wheel drive-based, it sports a transverse four-cylinder engine (on account of it being front-drive) and it only comes with an automatic gearbox. So what does a BMW M2 Comp owner think about having an M135i for a bit? YouTuber Joe Achilles is currently the owner of an M2 Competition and is a big fan. But BMW UK has lent Achilles an M135i for a few months, which is a really interesting contrast. So his two car garage for the next few months consists of one of the best rear-drive sport coupes in the Bavarian stable and its new front-wheel drive-based, all-wheel d...

The new BMW 330e plug-in hybrid model photographed in a special combo A sweet gallery of photos comes from Sweden, where a lucky owner presents us his outstanding BMW 330e plug-in hybrid vehicle equipped with M Performance Parts. The star of the photo show is the new G20 BMW 330e electrified model which has been specced in the M Sport trim line with 20″ M Performance forged Y-spoke 795 M wheels in black matte for a daring visual effect. As well, this 330e coming from Sweden is painted in the special BMW Individual Dravit Gray metallic color finish and also features BMW Individual full high-gloss Black line, which also includes the shiny black radiator kidneys. The interior is an all-black deal, boasting refined Vernasca leather with contrasting stitching in white color. The final resul...

BMW Formula E team completes successful and productive test sessions The sixth chapter of the ABB FIA Formula E “green” competition will kick off next month, on November 22, with the first two races of the upcoming season to be held in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia. Prior to the start, the teams have prepared themselves at Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain, where the official testing sessions have been held this week from Tuesday to Friday. The new contender of BMW i Motorsport, the iFE.20 single-seater, has impressed with its sustained performance emerging 1st in the overall practice standings and clocking a huge 536 laps over the course of three highly productive test days. The drivers for 2019-2020 Formula E season, Alexander Sims and Maximilian Gunther, got behind the wheel of their...

New ALPINA B3 Sedan G20 will debut at the Tokyo Motor Show In a few days, one of the most traditional auto shows for ALPINA will start – the Tokyo Motor Show. In Japan, the German automaker will debut the ALPINA B3 Sedan which completes the B3 family after the presentation of the touring at this year’s Frankfurt Auto Show. No other information was released now by ALPINA, but a few things are clear. Just like the B3 Touring, the ALPINA B3 Sedan will be powered by the S58 3.0 liter TwinTurbo engine. The very same engine is used by the X3 M and X4 M models, and will be under the hood of the future G80 M3 and G82 M4. While the pure BMW models get more power, the unit found in the ALPINA units is slightly detuned. In the Touring, the S58 has bespoke turbos and cooling helping to deliver 462...

VIDEO: Check the 4 Series Coupe in camouflage in motion Yesterday, we saw some spy photos of the new BMW 4 Series Coupe doing some laps of the Nurburgring. Today, we get to see some video of the very same car, doing the very same thing. It’s interesting to see both photos and video of the car because seeing a car in motion gives a better perspective of its styling. In this new spy video, the upcoming 4 Series Coupe looks refreshingly good, if I’m being honest. After seeing the frumy-assed BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe, it’s nice to see a proper rear-drive, three-box coupe with a long hood and short deck. It’s a handsome looking thing, this new 4er and I think we’re all going to get used to its massive grille when it finally debuts. After seeing the BMW Concept 4, the car which the new 4er tak...

RENDERING: How could the unlikely BMW M2 Gran Coupe look like Russian graphic designer Nikita Aksionov shows us how an M2 variant for the new BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe should look if ever greenlighted. As this will probably not be the case, we can only dream about the high-performance four-door coupe that would slot above the M235i xDrive. The main reasoning behind not greenlighting such a project is that BMW M wants to stay faithful to old school rules and not produce a model that derives from a front-driven underpinned car. The only M2 will remain the Coupe version: the current F87 LCI as M2 Competition (and in the near future, M2 CS) and the future generation derived from the next G42 model series (G87?). Nonetheless, if the M2 Gran Coupe would ever see the light of day, it would high...

Problem Solved: How Volkswagen Improved Our 2018 Atlas SE’s Turning Radius Everyone loves a good mystery. The quagmire of why our long-term Atlas had the turning radius of a Greyhound bus frustrated me from the first time I tried to make a U-turn. Unfortunately, without any point of reference, I chalked up the Atlas’ lack of agility to the fact that it’s a large three-row SUV. But once I got behind the wheel of another Atlas, that experience shed light on the fact that not all was what it should be with our long-termer. It turns out, we were right. After multiple visits to our local Volkswagen dealer could not remedy the situation, VW North America asked us to relinquish the keys for a week to see if they could diagnose the problem. What they found, according to our helpful VW PR contac...