Auto and Cars

BMW presents the next generation of its Digital Key technology BMW is ushering a new and more secure generation of its current Digital Key technology, slated to arrive later this year. The new generation of the smartphone-enabled digital key technology will increase usability and versatility. Currently, it is possible to lock and unlock you BMW vehicle, start the engine or turn it off and even share your key with trusted friends via the BMW Connected smartphone app. Now, BMW Group, as leader of the Car Connectvity Consortium (CCC), aims to further expand the digital access technology and ensure full functionality between different car manufacturers and across multiple devices. Latest advancements in interconnectedness and secure digitalization are employed to achieve this scope. Olaf M...

Rolls-Royce inadvertently confirms current Ghost production ends this year There’s been a lot of talk about the future of the Rolls-Royce Ghost going on around the internet. The car is rather popular in the Rolls-Royce family and fan club and it will surely live on past this generation. Well, the people over in Goodwood might’ve just given us a hint as to when to expect the new car. The company announced that a Black Badge Ghost will be making an appearance at the 2019 NEC Classic Motor Show. In the press release announcing the participation of the British brand at the event there’s a line saying: “Ghost has been selected because 2019 marks the end of the model family’s remarkable ten year tenure in which it has secured uninterrupted commercial and critical success.” If that’s true, th...

BMW X3 M vs Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio — Auto Express Test When I drove the BMW X3 M for the first time, the first car comparison that came to mind was the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio. That was the car that the X3 M reminded me of most and not just on paper. While they’re similar on paper, they have a similar brutality that isn’t typically seen in SUVs. even performance ones. But the real question is: which one is better? Auto Express finds out. Before we take a look at which one AE liked better, let’s check the specs. The BMW X3 M Competition uses a 3.0 liter twin-turbocharged inline-six engine with 510 PS (503 hp) and 442 lb-ft of torque. While the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio uses a 2.9 liter twin-turbocharged V6 that makes 505 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque. They both use ei...

SPIED: More BMW 4 Series Coupe spy photos crop up with interior pics We’re all waiting with bated breath to see the next-generation BMW 4 Series, for a few reasons. One of which is obvious: it’s the new 4 Series and we wanna see it. The other is more specific, though. After seeing the BMW Concept 4 (seen above) and some spy photos, there’s a good possibility that the next-gen 4er has an enormous, planet-swallowing grille. So we need to see what’s going on with the front end of the next-gen 4 Series. Some new spy photos have emerged and, while we still can’t tell what it’s grille looks like, we do get to most of the rest of it. (We don’t own the spy photos but you can see them here) These new photos are very close and we get to see a surprising amount of detail of this new 4 Series. Epic...

Future BMW X8 will have an M Performance hybrid – X8 M45e Over the last few weeks, the chatter around the new BMW X8 has intensified. We first learned that prototypes are currently being built in Spartanburg which will lead to some public roads testing in the near future. Next, we also heard that the highly unique BMW X8 will come in three variants with at least one of them being a full-fledged X8 M model. The third member of the X8 family was rumored to be the brand’s first M Performance hybrid with the badge M45e attached to it. Another independent source with a decent track record has just posted a similar announcement on the BMW X8 M45e, so we’re now inclined to believe that BMW is indeed planning the M Performance PHEV. What the source left out was the fact that the car will be usi...

TEST DRIVE: 2020 BMW M235i xDrive — A New Kind of BMW There seems to be a lot of pessimism surrounding BMW’s latest crop of front-wheel drive-based cars. Both the BMW M235i Gran Coupe and the M135i hatch are drawing the ire of BMW enthusiasts the world over for powering the wrong axle first. Yes, both cars are all-wheel drive but they both prioritize their front axles. Maybe that pessimism got to me, maybe it clouded my judgement, but I was not overly excited to drive the new BMW M235i when I had the chance to do so in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Despite that, I carried on and drove it anyway (champagne problems, I know). While at BMW’s “Test Fest” recently, I had the chance to sample the all-new M235i Gran Coupe on both road and track. So I’ll separate my driving impressions from ...

2020 BMW ALPINA B7 xDrive – New Photos of the ALPINA Green Color From our latest test drive, we bring you some new photos of the 2020 BMW ALPINA B7 xDrive featured in the ALPINA Green color. The exclusive paint finishes in ALPINA Blue metallic and ALPINA Green metallic (as seen here) are hallmark feature reserved solely for BMW ALPINA automobiles. A wide range of other BMW and BMW Individual paint finishes are also available. The new 2020 B7 is the 6th generation full-size performance-luxury model from ALPINA and the 3rd generation of B7 to be available in the U.S. It is based on the recently unveiled 7 Series Facelift. Therefore, the BMW kidney grill has grown in size and together with new slim headlights makes up the polarizing front end appearance. A new front bumper with functional...

Video: Go for a ride on board the iconic BMW M1 supercar There’s only one BMW M1 in the history of our favorite brand. That’s not necessarily the only reason why the iconic supercar is so loved, though. There have been other cars offered in limited amounts throughout the history of the Bavarian company but none has the aura the M1 has. To this day, the M1 still holds a special place in the hearts of gear heads around the world and, for good reason. That’s why the video posted below is such a treat. BMW only made 399 of them in street legal clothes and out of that total, only a few dozen are still in running order today. Therefore, seeing one in real life is truly a rare occasion. Getting to drive one or at least sit on the passenger seat is an even rarer occurrence, to be honest. Thank ...

MINI Looking into selling cars at non-BMW dealers It’s no secret that MINI sales have not been doing great recently. Apart from the surprisingly popular Cooper SE model, which already has 78,000 orders waiting for delivery, the MINI range hasn’t been a top-seller for the BMW Group, especially in the US. Thus, the Germans and the Brits have started looking for solutions and it seems like one of them would be to allow non-BMW dealers to sell MINI cars. MINI USA has a new boss and Michael Peyton is not afraid to try out new things. He has been a high-ranking executive at Ford and Harley-Davidson over the years and he might have a better perspective over how cars are being sold in the US compared to his predecessors. Nevertheless, a final decision hasn’t been made just yet but this is one o...

BMW M2 CS beats Urus, Cayman GT4 and M850i on Hockenheim German magazine SportAuto is known for their timed laps on the famous Hockenheim GP, so it comes as no surprise that the recently unveiled BMW M2 CS is part of their latest test. Of course, these are unofficial lap times, meaning that the automaker has yet to publish their own times. The M2 CS used was a pre-production car with the camouflage on and it was tested in September 2019. According to FastestLaps, the BMW M2 CS scored a lap time of 1:55.80, more than 2 seconds faster than the M2 Competition. Of course, it’s not an entirely accurate comparison since we don’t know the track and weather conditions at the time of the two tests. But nonetheless, the new M2 CS will be the faster car. Looking down the lap times list we can see...

VIDEO: How to get the most out of Gesture Control? Gesture Control is a technology that was first premiered on the G11/G12 7 Series generation in 2015. Nowadays, it can be specced as an option on almost any new BMW, as part of the BMW Operating System 7.0. As it enables a simple and intuitive operation, it is good to know how to use it in your favor. The BMW Gesture Control system is based on a set of sensors that are placed on the roof, near the mirror. They are designed to translate a set of predefined hand gestures that are made in the middle area in front of the center console and act consequently to perform the assigned function. Gesture Control can be activated or deactivated either by calling up the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant or by taking your way into the menu of the BM...

REVIEW: 2019 BMW 120d xDrive Hatchback We knew this moment would come. BMW told everyone years ahead and yet, nobody seemed ready for it, somehow. Yes, the BMW 1 Series is no longer rear-wheel drive. You can start mourning now, but the truth of the matter is, as uniquely as it was positioned in the segment, the rear-wheel drive aspect of the car didn’t really make a huge difference to the end user. It did make a difference for BMW though. Years ago, BMW conducted a study which showed that a large majority of people buying the 1 Series don’t really know where the power goes in the first place. And, if we’re being honest, we’re only disappointed about the BMW M140i being gone, the one with the six-cylinder engine under the hood, as that was the biggest, baddest boy in the range. So, when ...

#M4CHALLENGE: Vote On 16 BMW M4 Individual color BMW Mexico has put together an M campaign to promote the extensive offerings of the BMW Individual program. To do so, they dug deep into the special M catalog to come up with no less than sixteen unique models based on the BMW M4 Coupe model. Gustavo Lara, BMW M Manager for BMW México, tells us that the sixteen models feature some quite unique exterior colors and interior configurations. The campaign also aims to connect to BMW fans from around the world, so the folks at BMW Mexico setup a page where one could vote on their favorite version. Below, we can see some flashy colors, like the Birck Green, Miami Blue, Purple Silk or Speed Yellow. There are also a few colors from other brands you can choose from, such as Nardo Grey (Audi) , Ross...

Rumor: BMW might test an X7 fuel cell in the future All auto manufacturers are immersed in the research and development of different technologies, such as the fuel cell. BMW is one of the most active in this field of hydrogen, working with Toyota for the last six years. At the recent Frankfurt Auto Show, BMW has unveiled their latest hydrogen fuel cell project based on the BMW X5. But a report from Motor.es – which we weren’t yet able to confirm with our own sources – says that the next on the hydrogen list might be the BMW X7. There is even a date thrown around – 2023. The report does not mention that there is no official confirmation and that plans could change, but for now, it seems like the Bavarians are looking at the fuel cell technology in the large 7 seater. By 2023, the BMW X7...

BMW M2 CS faster at Sachsenring than 911 Carerra S, AMG GT S, 718 Cayman GTS and R8 V10 The Auto Bild December 2019 edition will feature a track test with the new BMW M2 CS at the Sachsenring in Hohenstein-Ernstthal, Germany. The test was performed way ahead of the official press drives, so it remains unclear whether the BMW M2 CS was a final production car or pre-production. What we do know is that it featured the six-speed manual transmission and the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires. And the recorded times are quite interesting. Let’s start with the BMW M2 CS time as published by Auto Bild – 1:34.98 – which is just a bit over half a second faster than the M2 Competition on the same track. The M2 CS was weighed also and came in at 1532 kilograms. The standard sprint 0-100 km/h was tim...

Video: Rolls-Royce CEO introduces the Cullinan Black Badge Just as we reported a while back, yesterday Rolls-Royce unveiled the latest model offered with the Black Badge treatment, the Cullinan Black Badge. It’s a stunning machine, to be honest, one that comes with more power, better handling and a different feel altogether. For this launch, the CEO of Rolls-Royce, Torsten Müller-Ötvös sat in front of the camera and explained what led to the creation of this car and what sets it apart. Launched for the first time in 2016 on the Ghost and Wraith models, the decision to introduce the Black Badge treatment wasn’t taken lightly. As the CEO confides in the video posted below, there were some serious discussions going on behind closed doors as to whether this would be a good move. After all,...

VIDEO: How to create a feel-good atmosphere inside your new BMW The new BMW Operating System 7.0 is an all-rounding infotainment system which contains lots of clever and helping features. One of them is called “Caring Car” and its main purpose is to basically relax or energize the driver by adjusting climate, cabin lighting, audio settings and seats and choosing the adequate music to create a feel-good atmosphere inside the car. The “Caring Car” feature is available only in BMW OS 7.0-equipped models in conjunction with the BMW Live Cockpit Professional digital instrument cluster. It can be easily turned on or off from the main menu of the infotainment system. You need to select “CAR”, then click on “Caring Car” option. There are two mood-enhancement programs to choose from: Vitalize a...

BMW offers 50 i3 cars for Bidirectional Charging Management project The wider spread of electric vehicles brings up a number of opportunities for all of us. One of the most interesting topics discussed related to the EV phenomena is the possibility of using the battery cells located inside the cars for other purposes as well. Like the bidirectional charging technology. BMW has teamed up with other companies and institutions to bring to life the Bidirectional Charging Management project which is now entering a new phase. The project aims to develop technological solutions for electric mobility aimed at diversifying the way it is used. The main goal is to find a way to interlink vehicles, charging infrastructure and power grids for the first time in a way that facilitates the widest possi...

BMW starts production of the new 2 Series Gran Coupe at the Leipzig plant BMW celebrates the production kick-off for the first-ever 2 Series Gran Coupe (F44) at the group’s Leipzig facility. The newest addition to the compact model portfolio now joins the new 1 Series, which is being assembled at the site since July this year. Hans-Peter Kemser, Leipzig plant manager said on the occasion: “We are proud to produce the new four-door coupe at the Leipzig plant for the entire world market. This new vehicle leads to a significant increase in volume.” The BMW Leipzig plant, located in the northern part of Germany, is accelerating the process of becoming a competence facility for the BMW entry-level compact models. With the advent of the 2 Series Gran Coupe, the production for the new model w...

Over 78,000 orders have been placed on the new MINI Cooper SE The first ever fully electric car from MINI, the Cooper SE, seems to be a success even before reaching dealerships. MINI claimed that in the first weeks after the car was unveiled, they already had 30,000 orders for one from interested customers around the world. Today, that number is over 78,000. That’s what the CEO of the BMW Group said during a recent meeting in Munich, going over the financial results of the company in the first three quarters of 2019. Oliver Zipse took over the reigns at BMW this year and has a lot of work to do, to keep the company competitive and take the next evolutionary steps. His goal is to offer a good mix of traditional, internal combustion engines, hybrids and electric vehicles, and the offensiv...

EXCLUSIVE: First real-life video of 2020 BMW M2 CS We bring you the first real-life video of the 2020 BMW M2 CS, courtesy of BMW Belgium and Luxemburg and autofans.be. We have only seen the new M2 Clubsport model through official photos and videos, but now it’s time to see what the car looks like in real life. What sets the BMW M2 CS apart from the BMW M2 Competition model is a number of exterior upgrades, which include a carbon fibre roof and a carbon fibre-reinforced plastic bonnet with vents. The hood is about half the weight of the steel version found on the M2 Competition. Other changes include a carbon fiber splitter on the front bumper, a carbo-fiber boot spoiler and a new diffuser. On the inside, the M2 CS gets a pair of bucket seats lined with a mix of leather and Alcantara wi...

BMW claims electrification of auto industry is imminent The moment some people have been dreaming of for quite some time now has finally come. The electrification of cars and the entire auto industry is now imminent, according to BMW. Most car makers are doing their best to offer electric vehicles and hybrids of all sorts, not just because the regulations dictate they do so but also because the customers are starting to ask for such models more often than not. In a recent interview with Euractiv, BMW’s head of external affairs, Andreas Klugescheid said customer demand is rising and that will lead to more choice in the field of electrified cars. “Our customers, what do they do? The good news is that they are starting to buy electric vehicles,” Klugescheid said. “People start to buy these...

OPINION: BMW Gesture Control really improves in-car operation The BMW Gesture Control system was first premiered on the G11/G12 7 Series generation that was introduced back in 2015. The industry and journalists were rather skeptical about the practical utility of such a feature. The latest automotive developments prove that they were wrong to consider it a marketing gimmick. BMW has been a pioneer in the field of in-car infotainment. The BMW Connected saga started in 1998, when the Bavarian constructor premiered the BMW Telematics, which was the tagline for marketing the BMW Assist package. The first car to be fitted with the new technology was the E38 generation 7 Series. In 2001, with the advent of the E65 7 Series, BMW ushered in an all-new infotainment concept, which was to become ...

BMW 330is Edition: Limited-production model exclusively for South Africa The BMW South African subsidiary has a pretty rich history of exclusive and special edition models. After the classic 325is developed on the E30 model generation, in 2020 BMW South Africa will launch a limited-run model based on the new G20 3 Series: the 330is Edition. The special 330is Edition will celebrate in market launch in South Africa in the course of 2020. It will be assembled in a limited production of just 300 units. The new 330is Edition was officially revealed at the recent BMW M Festival organized on the Kyalami Grand Prix circuit. Details are scarce at the moment and more will probably be disclosed at the official launch of the model. Basically, the 330is Edition will be developed on the underpinning...

VIDEO: Comfort Access for a convenient way to get in and out of your BMW The next chapter on the list of useful BMW How-To videos shows us how to use the Comfort Access feature to get in and out of a BMW vehicle in a convenient and seamless way. Comfort Access uses radio frequency communication technology to detect the electronic key fob and its position relative to the car. When activated, this feature enables the driver and passenger to unlock and lock the BMW vehicle without the need of reaching for the car or pressing the outer door handles. The Comfort Access system, which is offered as an option on mostly all new BMW models, can be activated via the intuitive BMW OS 7.0 infotainment interface. To get the most out of this feature, select the option CAR on the main screen, then go ...

2019 LA AUTO SHOW: BMW M2 CS, M8 Gran Coupe, 2 Series Gran Coupe For BMW, this year’s Los Angeles Auto Show will be a busy event, with an avalanche of new models to be displayed at the North American motor salon kicking off on November 18th. BMW will celebrate the world premieres for the latest additions to its lineup. Up to now, 2019 has been a fruitful and rich year for the Bavarians, especially the last two months. BMW has already revealed online the new vehicles that are scheduled for official unveiling in Los Angeles. The BMW M GmbH high-performance division will mark an extensive presence at LAAS 2019, with a fleet of new models composed of the new BMW M8 Gran Coupe and M8 Competition Gran Coupe, followed by the X5 M/ X5 M Competition and X6 M/X6 M Competition and the recently sh...

2020 Performance COTY: BMW M2 Competition emerges 2nd ahead of Toyota Supra The Performance Car of the Year is a special event organized on a yearly basis by the US automotive magazine Road & Track. For choosing the 2020 winner of the contest, 11 sports cars were lined up. The BMW M2 Competition was one of them and, in the end, it managed to come as a surprising runner up in the final standings, given its opponents. The 2020 PCOTY title, as it is abbreviated, was awarded after some serious scrutiny of all 11 vehicles. The cars were put to test on the Northern California’s Thunderhill Raceway Park and, afterwards, covered the whole distance up to Lake Tahoe, on the demanding roads of Sierra Nevada. @machineswithsouls The eleven contenders battling the 2020 PCOTY title awarded by Road & ...

Video: BMW X4 M Competition gets tested on the track We’ve been hearing a lot about the track prowess of the BMW X4 M Competition, as more and more people get to drive, and even own one. The new M car from BMW has a hard task ahead, challenging seriously tough competition from Mercedes-AMG and Alfa Romeo. Yet given how good the reviews have been so far, I think it actually has a chance against those cars. The guys from The Straight Pipes took one on the track to see how it compares. That’s where you want your BMW X4 M Competition to be tested too, because it may very well be considered by many to be too stiff for normal use. That’s the thing with M cars though, they have to be able to provide a good experience both on and off the track. In the case of SUVs, I know racing them on a prope...

BMW developing with TenneT new charging strategy for electric cars With the help of digital integration and connectivity, BMW Group and power operator TenneT aim to completely change the way we charge electric vehicles. The charging process will take into account the status of the grid as to overcome possible overloads of the network, to minimize shortfalls and maximize the use of renewable energy sources. The project between the two companies makes use of the BMW i3’s already standard connectivity technology as to properly manage and time the charging process. For example, where there is a high rate of utilization of the power grid, charging may not be possible or work just at a limited level. After the supply bottleneck is overpassed and the grid reverts to normal usage values, charg...