2010 BMW X6 M First Drive Test

Methinks BMW doth protest too much. The company has long contended that it would never build an M version of its sport-utility ... er, Sports Activity Vehicles, the implication being that an SUV by any other name was inappropriate for the purest of pure driving machine.

Of course, when the market said otherwise and other companies — Land Rover and Mercedes in particular — started selling overpowered and sometimes supercharged SUVs, BMW was almost forced to respond in kind.

Nonetheless, Bavaria’s best has fudged a little with the designation. Unlike its various sedans and coupes that wear the most desired of lettered aftermarket tuning badges before their model designation — M3, M5 or M6 — the company’s SAVs wear their iconic M after the standard badging, as in the X6M. You may well think I’m nicking pits but the subtle implication is that while the breathed-on sedans and coupes are disassembled and re-engineered from the ground up, the suffixed “M” infers that its wearer has added a sport kit to the standard item.

This just isn’t right. I’m jamming into Road Atlanta’s infamous Gravity Cavity at more than 200 kilometres an hour, the entire vehicle getting seriously light over the big hump that drops into Turn 10. First, the slight kink at the end of the back straight loads the outside tires and then, when the road drops out from under you, the X6M suddenly humps sideways. At 100 km/h, this kind of behaviour would be all lighthearted fun. At 230 km/h, it may still be a whole lot of fun, but there’s a sense of drama not captured at more sensible speeds.

That sense of foreboding should be dramatically heightened since I’m not, in fact, driving a sports car typical for such race track shenanigans. The real reason the situation needs a massive amount of adjustment isn’t that I’m slewing sideways at 230 km/h but that I’m slewing sideways at 230 km/h in a sport-utility vehicle. OK, so it’s a Sports Activity Vehicle because that is BMW’s affectation for its faux roaders, but the appellation hardly alters the fact that I’m racing around in something with an SUV’s profile and a centre of gravity somewhere around my ears.

Thankfully, the SAV I am flinging about with an almost devil-may-care attitude has been thoroughly massaged by BMW’s M division. Indeed, without BMW’s famed motor-sports division’s ministrations, chances are the X6 I’m driving with such élan would have ended up off the race track, say in neighbouring North Carolina. The X6M is the first off-roader to ever receive BMW’s M badge, a significant fact considering that, not so very long ago, the concept of a high-performance SUV was pooh-poohed by the good folks at BMW.

The transformation to M missile is actually quite easy for BMW. For one thing, unlike the M5’s V10, which is purpose-built, the X6 M’s basic engine — the twin-turbo V8 — already exists in the more basic X6 xDrive50i. BMW massages the big 4.4-litre engine to a staggering 555-horsepower output by rerouting the turbocharger plumbing more efficaciously (both turbos are nestled in the vee between the cylinders where the intake manifold normally resides) and by having both banks of cylinders drive both turbochargers through a set of headers that would do any hot rodder proud. That BMW has also turned the turbo boost up to an astonishing 22 psi is both the reason for the crazed power numbers and proof that the company’s basic 4.4L V8 is truly overbuilt.

Such techno gibberish may wow spinning propellor types like Yours Truly, but all that matters to the person behind the leather-clad steering wheel is that the twin-turbo V8 delivers its maximum 500 pound-feet of torque all the way from 1,500 rpm to an incredible 5,650 rpm. The sensation is of endless power and, when you stand on the loud pedal, the X6 M jumps ahead no matter what the rpm.

It might have jumped in even more dramatic fashion did it not weigh in at a portly 2,305 kilograms. Even though that translates into an almost gargantuan 5,080-pound curb weight, BMW still claims a zero-to-100 km/h time of 4.7 seconds, which is way deep into sports car territory. It’s scary to imagine what this drivetrain might accomplish in a lighter chassis.

All that avoirdupois has seemingly little effect on the X6M’s handling. Oh, sure, the SAV might handle even better were it to shed a thousand kilos or so, but there is truly little to deride in the comportment department.

Everyone returned from their maximum adrenalin lapping of Road Atlanta positively amazed at how well the big X6 M managed its high-speed foray. The brakes — big, four-piston calipers up front — faded but little, the variable-effort Servotronic steering had plenty of feel and, despite serious attempts at clipping apexes, there was precious little body roll. This last is made all the more amazing since the M’s ride is as accommodating as the basic X6’s.

Traction was equally impressive as the X6 M’s big 20-inch wheels wear sticky low-profile performance radials (P315/ 35R20 in the rear and P275/ 40R20 in the front). And even when enthusiasm does get the better of judgment, BMW’s stability control system brings the big X6 back into line.

The rest of the M is very much standard X6 save for some optional trim bits such as the carbon fibre-patterned leather surrounding the centre console and inlaid throughout the doors. That means it’s roomy in both rows of seats, has plenty of headroom fore and aft and there’s a good-sized trunk, though you can’t pack luggage as high as you can in an X5 because of that sloping roof. That so much of the basic X6 is carried over is one of the reasons the M’s sticker price is an almost reasonable $99,900.

The only thing stopping a complete affirmation of the X6 M’s prowess is the ever more resounding question of who really needs an SUV with a coupe-like sloped roof, all-wheel drive and 555 hp that weighs only slightly less than an Escalade? It’s a little like watching Serena Williams out-hustle the lithe twig-like figures that make up the rest of the female tennis world; I admire the triumph of enthusiasm over genetics and am amazed how something so muscular can at the same time be so graceful. Nonetheless, I can’t help but think that both would be better served if they lost a few kilograms.

THE SPECS

Type of vehicle: All-wheel-drive, mid-sized luxury SUV

Engine: Twin-turbocharged 4.4L DOHC V8

Power: 555 hp @ 6,000 rpm; 550 lb-ft of torque @ 5,650 rpm

Transmission: Six-speed manumatic

Brakes: Four-wheel disc with ABS

Tires: P275/40R20 front; P315/35R20 rear

Price: base/as tested: $99,900/$111,850

Destination charge: $1,995

Transport Canada fuel economy L/100 km: 13.5 city, 9.5 hwy.

Standard features: Power door locks, windows and mirrors, four-zone climate control air conditioning with micron air filter, 16-speaker AM/FM/CD audio system, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, DVD navigation system, electronic cruise control, power sunroof, information display, tilt and telescoping steering wheel, leather seats, 10-way power front seats, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, auto headlights, Dynamic Stability Control with M Dynamic Mode, Automatic Stability Control + Traction, Dynamic Brake Control, Dynamic Traction Control, Hill Descent Control.

2009 BMW M3 Coupe Road Test

BMW's 3-Series Coupe is already a very competent two-door hardtop, possibly the best in its segment when it comes to straight-line performance and handling. That's why I was near flabbergasted when the German automaker announced a V8 would replace the old inline-six, and a V8 that was even more powerful than the old M5's powerplant and lighter than the outgoing M3's inline-six.

The previous generation M5 remains one of my favourite cars of all time. That was until the new M3 showed up. Now, instead of a single four-door super sedan, BMW offers a range of V8-powered M3s, starting with a four-door sedan, followed up by a two-door coupe, and topped off with a convertible, featuring a retractable hardtop no less. Yes, odd isn't it? Then again, why BMW feels it's necessary to build a coupe when its retractable hardtop convertible offers coupe-like protection and refinement when the top is up and open-air enjoyment when it's down, speaks volumes about the premium brand's priorities. Instead the M3 Coupe sports a carbon fibre roof to shave pounds off of the regular metal roof, whereas the complexity of the retractable hardtop's multiple roof panels and additional mechanicals adds 200 kilos (440 lbs), not good, high above the car's centre of gravity, even worse, which is ok for poseurs but hardly acceptable for M3 purists.

And BMW has plenty of those. The first M3 came on the scene as a 1986 model, based on the old E30 3-Series, and compared to today's version was a radical departure from its donor car, with deep ground effects, coke bottle wheel flares and a tall rear wing, not to mention a highly-stressed, specially-tuned four-cylinder engine. How times have changed, from the E30 to the E36 (I drove the more powerful Euro-version that didn't go to the US but was available in very limited supply here in Canada), the E46 version that followed, with its glorious inline-six, and then E90/E92/E93 (sedan/coupe/convertible) models currently in production. I've driven all of these cars, except for the original E30-base M3, on numerous occasions, and each delivered serious performance for its day, so much so that the M3 has acquired a loyal following of performance-oriented owners that Porsche might even envy.

I bring up the storied German sports car maker only because its 911 is probably the closest competitor to an M3 Coupe. All of the more direct M3 competitors are sedans, starting with Audi's RS4, and continuing on with Cadillac's CTS-V, Lexus' IS F, and Mercedes' C63 AMG. BMW already makes an M3 sedan to go up against these wannabes, but until Cadillac's CTS-V Coupe hits the scene, or Audi decides to finally officially announce an RS5, the 911 is about as close to a rival as we're likely to see.

The rivalry has gone on for decades, really, although Porsche would never admit to it. Most people would likely consider Porsche as being a notch higher on the desirability meter, and the 911 is a fabulous car that deserves heaps of praise, but the very fact that a "lowly" BMW coupe gets mentioned in the same breath as the iconic Porsche must make the engineers in BMW's M division feel quite proud. And they really deserve credit.

The M3 Coupe is as good a performance machine as four-seat cars get, something that I set out to remind myself of one balmy night a few weeks ago. There's a particularly nice set of unpopulated rural roads not too far from my new condo, and at night, in the dark, with no cars on the road and trees surrounding, everything feels twice as fast as it really is, and believe me, the M3 is very, very fast. The sound of the high-revving 415hp 4.0-litre V8 is intoxicating, a mechanical whirr that feels like it'll spin forever as power keeps building and building up to its 8,500 rpm redline, the flick of fingers engaging the next of seven gears faster than the mind can conjure the thought, so quick is the paddle-shift actuated double-clutch sequential manual gearbox, brakes so strong that the seatbelt wages war with my chest, an indelibly stamped diagonal from shoulder to hip, and a flick with the left fingers downshifts, revs blipping to match perfectly with the targeted gear.

Giggle inducing corners turned into hysterical fits of laughter as the coupe danced from one bend to another, from punishingly jarring undulation to sharp crested rise, biting into the pavement with its meaty 245/40R18 front and 265/40R18 rear tires and never relenting, never even hinting at losing its line. It's a car that a skilled driver can make slalom like Bode Miller on Atomics (or Fischers, Rossignols or Heads), it reacts exactly to every input, kicks its rear wheels sideways just enough to get the adrenal glands pumping before catching itself and shooting forward as opposite lock is applied to the steering and the front wheels point their way out of harm's way. What a brilliant ride!

Pulling into my parking garage it rumbles to a stop, exhaust barking out its final few blats and a calmness overtaking the last remaining reverberations echoing between the concrete walls. To look around the cabin, my example covered in classic BMW red leather and a carbon fibre-like weave trim, dark gray high-grade plastic with aluminum fittings, it's a real site to behold. Nothing over the top with luxury or particularly contemporary in design, but purposeful in execution and pleasant on the eyes. The M3 is well stocked too, with a three-spoke multifunction M steering wheel, M-specific instrument dials, CD/MP3 audio with Logic7 and auxiliary input, Bluetooth hands-free connectivity, BMW Assist, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated eight-way sport seats that hug so perfectly, driver's memory, anthracite roof liner, rain-sensing wipers with heated washer jets, a self-charging proximity sensing keyless entry fob plus push-button ignition, 60/40 split-folding rear seatbacks with pass-through and ski bag, and the usual power features expected in this class. Safety features include a full assortment of airbags, performance-tuned traction and stability control, a torque-sensitive variable M differential lock, automatic adaptive bi-xenon headlamps with washers, adaptive brake lights, a tire pressure warning system, and an alarm system with interior motion sensor. Performance-oriented goodies include a standard six-speed manual gearbox (the 7-speed dual-clutch unit on this car is optional), 18-inch alloy rims, vented and cross-drilled front and rear rotors, and an M3-specific sport calibrated suspension, while the M body kit looks fabulous.

Stepping away from the door, it's impossible not to look back. Its white paint shimmering under the lights, chrome embellishment glistening, carbon roof a dark contrast but nevertheless a shining example of the effort BMW goes to in order to make its M cars better than anything else money can buy, and the M3 Coupe really is in a class of few.

BMW Developing Green M1 Supercar To Match Audi R8

The Germans can get into these piques of competitive frenzy when it comes to cars. A while back, it was who could make big, fast luxury sedans best, and now it seems to be building green super cars is all the rage. Chalk it up to “anything you can do, I can do better” or maybe this really is an example of how competition is a good thing.

Audi’s R8 is a spectacular car, whether it is motivated by a V8, V10 or the stunning e-Tron. It turns out that BMW does not want to let things go unanswered, and has been working on a replacement for its well-remembered M1 supercar of the 1980s. But word has it that the new “M1″ will be green.

When BMW rolled out its dramatic Vision Efficientdynamics Concept at this year’s Frankfurt show, they were proclaiming that parts of it would end up on the street and sooner than we would expect. A lot of auto-journos scoffed at the idea, focusing more on the Vision Efficientdynamics Concept looks, but it turns out that bits and pieces of the drivetrain will make it into the long rumored M1.

The original BMW M1 was the company’s only foray into mid-engined supercar territory. Designed by Italian master designer Giorgetto Giugiaro and powered by a straight 6 worked over by the Bavarian’s M Division motorsports group, the M1 was not a car to be trifled with.

And so, it seems, the same can be said for the rumored M1 for the new century.

The rumors first surface in England that the new M1 would be green and crib green bits & pieces from the show car. AutoBlogGreen went so far as to say the “new green M1 will be ready for sale in 2012 … with a price well north of $100,000.” And now Edmunds is saying it’s really real. The new M1 will indeed feature components straight out of the concept car, such as the mid-engine 1.5-liter three-cylinder turbodiesel even though the new M1 will be a 2+2 and it will also be a plug-in hybrid.

One thing that won’t please fans of BMW is that the hybrid M1 will be a little slower than the electric Mercedes SLS (another direct Teutonic rival). BMW says the M1 will motivate from 0 - 60 in 4.8 seconds and have an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph.

2010 AC Schnitzer BMW Z4 E89 Official Revealed

Ready for its world premiere: the extensive product range for the BMW Z4 by AC Schnitzer. Them Aachen-based tuning specialist has further optimised the brand-new classic from BMW, which has already received extensive accolades from the trade press.

The BMW Z4 as standard is far from under-powered. But as is well known, enthusiastic drivers can never have enough power. Sufficient reason then for AC Schnitzer to upgrade the Z4 3.5I Turbo to 286 km/h. With a power of 360 HP and a weight of 1485 kg, the open-top roadster from BMW accelerates from a standing start to 100 km/h in just 4.9 seconds. Even the most demanding driver will be delighted with this performance.

The driving experience is enhanced acoustically and visually by the stainless steel sports rear silencer and the chromed Racing tailpipe trims.

Equally sporting is the AC Schnitzer suspension variant in the Z4. Thanks to a new spring kit, the transverse acceleration appears to bypass the conventional laws of nature.

This impression is certainly partly supported by the aerodynamic components made of PU-Rim, a high quality flexible plastic. The aerodynamic pack for the new BMW Z4 consists of a chrome front grille and front spoiler, where both components combine to give a more muscular look to the long bonnet lines.

New sports fenders, consisting of wheel arches with integral air outlets for improved cooling of the front brakes and chromed deflectors, optimise the side lines of the roadster.

Finally, the two-piece rear spoiler gives the rear of the BMW Z4 by AC Schnitzer an impressive look; because of the performance of the car, this is probably the aspect which will be seen most by other drivers!

In the inside, both driver and passenger enjoy an impressive interior. The aluminium cover for the i-Drive System Controller, the aluminium foot rests and pedal set, are just a few of the ergonomically perfect controls which give the vehicle elegance and enhance the sporting ambience.

Standing on AC Schnitzer Type IV in 18” or Type VI wheels in 18, 19 or 20 inch, the BMW Z4 takes to the stage for its world premiere. A striking entrance from the Aachen specialist, which will certainly not be forgotten in a hurry.

BMW Joins With Allianz to Sell Auto Insurance, Boost Profit

Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, the world’s largest maker of luxury cars, will start selling auto insurance for Allianz SE, Europe’s biggest insurer, to boost profit and get more revenue from car sales.

BMW will offer traditional auto insurance as well as products that provide for monthly payments if finances become tight and guarantee a car’s value in the event of an accident, the Munich- based automaker said today.

“We see a lot of potential in the cooperation with Allianz,” Michael Rebstock, a BMW spokesman, said in a telephone interview. “Ideally, we’ll be able to sell every leasing customer an insurance policy.”

The cooperation with Allianz, which is also based in Munich, comes as auto companies reassess their business in light of the worst industry crisis since World War II. Manufacturers are looking at ways to sell services, rather than just cars, to stabilize revenues and get a larger slice of consumer spending on transport.

Daimler AG, the maker of Mercedes-Benz cars, for instance, will expand its car2go car-sharing project to Austin, Texas, later this year. The Stuttgart, Germany-based automaker began testing car2go in Ulm, Germany, in March. The 200 Smart mini- cars in the southern German city are available to rent spontaneously for 19 cents a minute, including taxes, insurance and fuel.

In the cooperation with Allianz, BMW aims to expand the range of services it offers leasing customers, which account for about 50 percent of the automaker’s sales. The cooperation should help BMW achieve its 2012 profit goals, Rebstock said.

The manufacturer, which also makes Mini and Rolls-Royce vehicles, is targeting a return on sales from its automotive business of 8 percent to 10 percent three years from now. Automotive operating profit was 1.4 percent of revenue in 2008.

2010 BMW 535i Gran Turismo Drive Test

I just drove the all-new 2010 BMW 5-series Gran Turismo, or GT, for the first time. Here are some initial thoughts.

First, I liked the vehicle much more than I expected, both in terms of its design and packaging and in the way it drives. It feels much more like a 5-series than like an X5. In fact, it has virtually nothing in common with the X5 other than its largely successful attempts at utility, but in the way it goes down the road, it's very close to a 5-series.

I drove two examples of the 535i GT, which is powered by BMW's new, turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder. Unlike the twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter that we've come to know and love across the BMW lineup in recent years, this engine has a single, twin-scroll turbocharger, and it's the first BMW turbo engine with Valvetronic. It makes the same 300 hp and 300 lb-ft as the previous turbo six. Why the new engine? Because it allows BMW to more easily meet newer, more stringent emissions regulations.

The new six is every bit as satisfying as the twin-turbo six, with strong, linear power across the band and really nice initial acceleration from a stop. In other words, it has no discernible turbo lag. It's mated with BMW's all-new, eight-speed automatic transmission, which is also standard in the new twelve-cylinder 7-series. This new powertrain is truly a winner. The engine makes just the right amount of noise, although some might find it just a tiny bit coarse. But with speeds of up to 135 mph easily attained today on the Portuguese freeway system, we'd have to wonder why anyone would opt for the available 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8, which is the engine that the 5-series GT will debut with when it goes on sale in early December. The V-8 will also be mated with the eight-speed automatic. The 535i doesn't go on sale until April 2010, when optional all-wheel drive will also come on-stream.

The biggest surprise for me was how light the 535i feels, even though it weighs a not-inconsiderable 4586 pounds. From the first moment you pull away from a parking space, there's an unexpected feeling of lightness to the entire vehicle, engendered partly by the light-effort but very communicative steering. I drove two test vehicles, one with regular steering and one with BMW's optional Active Steering. I definitely preferred the regular setup, which was precise, required just the right amount of effort, and made the GT easy to place in a corner. The Active Steering car, on the other hand, seems to confound any effort to storm through a corner with grace and composure. It also provides weird feedback in low-speed, parking-lot maneuvers.

Ride comfort is fine, and also definitely much closer to that of a 5-series sedan than the stiff, heavy feeling you get in an X5 or X6, which seem to beat the pavement into submission. Or, maybe it was just the flawlessly smooth Portuguese pavement that we drove on, unlike the pockmarked roads of my native SE Michigan. Like the new 7-series, the X5 GT offers the ability to choose between normal and sport suspension and throttle settings via an easy-to-identify rocker switch on the center console near the shift knob.

In terms of interior comfort and usability, front-seat passengers get most of the same amenities and features that you see in the 7-series sedan. Auto-close doors like those in the 7 are standard. The rear seat is the big story here. Standard is a 60/40 setup for three passengers, but two captain's chairs are optional. With either setup, the rear seats move fore and aft and recline; the captain's chairs do so electrically, and they even have BMW's noted Comfort seatbacks, which allow you to adjust the top of the seatback for better neck and head support.

The signature utility feature here is the dual-function rear hatch. Grab one handle under the lip of the trunk, and a trunk-lid-style door swings up to expose a good-size opening to load cargo. Or you can push a different button and the entire rear liftgate rises electrically, creating a far bigger opening. The rear seatbacks fold forward (with optional electric operation), and a 60/40-split rear panel folds forward as well. When it's in place and the hatch is down, the cargo compartment is completely sealed off from the passenger compartment; in fact, the hatch door has a sizable rubber gasket to make sure of the seal. This is both to stave off noise intrusion as well as odors from potential stinky cargo (like, you know, your gym bag).

The rear-seat area proved to be very comfortable for a 30-minute ride from the Lisbon airport to our hotel. It's even more inviting, I would say, than the rear thrones in the BMW X6, and it's almost as comfortable as sitting in the back of a long-wheelbase 7-series. Owners of the 5-series GT certainly won't be embarrassed to ask friends, family, or clients to sit back there.

Will the 5-series GT find favor in America? It's hard to say, but our initial experiences with the vehicle indicate that it's a nice combination of driving and utility.

BMW Celebrates 15 Years Of Production In Spartanburg

Produces 1.5 million vehicles for the world

On September 8, 1994, the first US made BMW 318i rolled off the line in Spartanburg, SC. Today, 15 years to the day later, BMW Manufacturing`s 1.5 millionth vehicle rolled off the line to celebrate 15 years of manufacturing excellence.

The1.5 millionth vehicle, driven in the ceremony by Associate Eileen Huffman, is a 2009 Monaco Blue BMW X6 xDrive 35i with oyster interior. The vehicle is right-hand drive and has been ordered by a customer in Hong Kong.

In addition to remarks by South Carolina`s Secretary of Commerce, Joe Taylor; Sky Foster and Ryan Childers, the BMW associates that presented the Spartanburg factory`s first vehicle to the world in September 1994 also reflected on their 15 years with BMW Manufacturing.

"Today`s events represent a significant milestone for BMW, emphasizing both BMW`s commitment to the US market and its confidence in the future," stated Josef Kerscher, President of BMW Manufacturing. "We are very proud of the positive impact this BMW plant has delivered for this area and the quality of the vehicles that our associates produce for world markets each day."

BMW announced their plans to build the first factory outside of Germany in June of 1992. Construction on the plant began in 1993 and the first vehicle rolled off the line in September 1994. Since then, BMW has produced 5 different vehicles and their variants, the BMW 318i, the Z3 and Z4 roadsters, the BMW X5 Sports Activity Vehicle and the X6 Sports Activity Coupe. BMW has expanded the plant 5 times, including the current $750 million expansion to add 1.5 million square feet. Following this most recent expansion, the plant will be 4.0 million square feet.

To date, BMW has invested $4.2 billion in South Carolina and employs about 5,000 people including contractors at the plant. According to the University of South Carolina`s Moore School of Business, who conducted an economic impact study on the plant in 2008, BMW`s South Carolina factory supports 23,050 jobs and generates $1.2 billion in wages and salaries annually within the state. In addition, the total economic output associated with BMW`s annual economic activities is more than $8.8 billion in South Carolina.

Other significant milestones in the plant`s history include:

* Landfill Methane Gas Program – originally launched in 2003, infrastructure was installed at the nearby Palmetto landfill to collect, clean and compress methane gas and transport it through a 9.5 mile pipeline to the BMW plant. In 2009, BMW replaced the original 4 turbines with 2 new highly efficient turbines. The new turbines will increase the electrical output from 14% up to almost 30%. Currently, over 60% of the plant`s total energy requirements are provided by methane gas.

* Clemson University International Center for automotive Research (CU-ICAR) - In 2003, BMW pledged $10 million to Clemson to endow professorships in the graduate automotive engineering program and under the Research Centers of Excellence Act, the state of South Carolina matched the pledge, generating $20 million for the school. In keeping with BMW`s original vision, the research and development being carried out at CU-ICAR today is laying the foundation for tomorrow`s next big discovery.

* The BMW Charity Pro-Am golf tournament - now headed into its 10th year, has raised more than $7.3 million for over 125 Upstate and Western NC charities

As BMW Manufacturing looks to the future, the plant in Spartanburg will begin production of the BMW ActiveHybrid X6, BMW`s first hybrid vehicle, later this year and finalization of the $750 million expansion to build the next generation BMW X3 is well underway. BMW in Spartanburg, SC currently employs 5,000 people including contractors and produces 500-600 vehicles per day.

Review: 2009 BMW 335d, Performance and Fuel Economy

2009 BMW 335d -

Over the last two years BMW has started making a major push for its new EfficientDynamics technology in Europe and more recently in North America. The premise is that the company that has long promoted itself as the "Ultimate Driving Machine" can retain all the qualities that made it so ultimate while drastically cutting fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. In Europe, BMW offers a suite of technologies like automatic start-stop for engines, brake energy regeneration and smaller four cylinder engines. The most important near term technology however is diesel engines.

Late in 2008, BMW launched its first two new clean diesel vehicles here in the United States, the X5 xDrive35d SUV and the 335d sedan. We recently had a chance to spend a week with the 335d to determine if it truly can provide the driving experience that customers expect of a BMW with better fuel efficiency. Read on to find out if the automaker succeeded.

BMW 335 Sedan

BMW wants you to know it’s paying attention. As a company whose cars are aimed at people who enjoy performance driving, some consumers may feel that it’s out of step with all things green.

The Munich-based automaker has an answer to that: “EfficientDynamics” -- two capitals, no space -- which is public-relations speak for cars that burn less fuel but aren’t a total bore to drive.

Next week’s Frankfurt Auto Show will showcase a BMW concept vehicle powered by a three-cylinder turbo-diesel engine and two electric motors -- basically a plug-in, hybrid sports car.

Cool stuff, but don’t look for it at your dealership next autumn. If you’re shopping for a fun, Earth-cuddling Bimmer today and not in a “Blade Runner” future, you’ll have to go old school, oddly.

Step one: Look at BMW’s best-selling models, the 3 Series and the X5 SUV, and then consider a fuel that most Americans gave up ages ago -- diesel.

Two out of every three BMWs sold in Europe are diesels, and BMW calculates that its European fleet already nearly achieves the U.S. mandate for 2016 of 35.5 miles per gallon. In the U.S., BMW sells the 335d sedan and the X5 xDrive35d, which are capable of 550 or more miles on a single tank.

Audi, Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz are also pushing their diesels stateside, capitalizing on successes in Europe. My pick for favorite efficient car last year was the VW Jetta TDI, and I’m looking forward to Audi’s release of its A3 TDI, which is supposed to get 42 miles per gallon on the highway.

Price Premium

Opting for a diesel is a game of give and take. There’s a price premium: BMW’s $44,725 sedan and the $52,025 SUV cost at least $3,600 more than their gasoline-burning counterparts. Balanced against that, the Internal Revenue Service is giving a tax credit of $900 and $1,800 on the 335d and X5 diesel respectively, and BMW has an “eco credit” of $4,500 off both vehicles’ final prices.

In terms of performance, you’ll sacrifice horsepower but gain loads of extra torque, the hallmark of diesel engines (and the reason why heavy tractor-trailers use them).

In this new era of cleaner diesel engines that use sophisticated urea and scrubbing systems, you’ll release 20 percent less carbon dioxide while getting as much as 30 percent better gas mileage on the highway.

Both BMW diesels get the same engine, a 3.0-liter, twin- turbo, inline six-cylinder. The 335d wins the battle of the fun as it weighs some 1,400 pounds less than its big brother. As the most fuel-efficient BMW ever sold in the U.S., it drinks 23 mpg city and 36 highway, but still scoots to 60 mph in six seconds. That’s 10 mpg better than the gasoline engine on the open road.

In my tests, I saw an average of 32 mpg in mixed driving.

Different Experience

While it looks the same as the regular 3 Series, the driving experience is markedly different. The 335i gas version has a 300-horsepower, twin-turbo six, which soars to 7,000 rpm at redline and has a clean, endless stream of power. It practically sings arias.

Conversely, the diesel is all basso profundo, flush with power at the lower registers, but meek above 4,500 rpm. While it has only 265 horsepower, the massive 425 pound-feet of torque is available at a mere 1,750 rpm.

That extra grunt means the 335d comes on like a bull when you slap the accelerator, bouncing out of a standstill as if it were a muscle car. And it’s content to stay at those lower registers: Even at extra-legal highway speeds you’ll rarely see 3,000 rpm on the tachometer.

X5 Disappoints

In comparison, the X5 is a slight disappointment. The thrill of that low-end power is negated by all the extra heft. It will still make 60 mph in a respectable 6.9 seconds, though the fun factor is much paler.

The good news is that once you are up to speed, there’s a pleasant sense of sturdiness to the thrum of the engine. Engineers have done a good job of matching the gearing to its ample weight and the balanced delivery of power feels coherent and thoroughly BMW.

On a recent drive up to Connecticut’s Lime Rock racetrack, the X5 handled both highway speeds and back roads admirably, even in heavy rain. Part of this is a result of its all-wheel- drive, which is standard, but also because of the steady torque on demand.

Best of all, I averaged 23 mpg, which is pretty extraordinary for a vehicle which weighs more than 5,000 pounds, and is in line with Environmental Protection Agency estimates of 19 city, 26 highway. The regular X5 manages only 15 and 21.

Ultimately the best argument may be the fact that, for a range of about 550 miles, I’ve been able to ignore the fuel pump completely. Fewer fill-ups in any vehicle is a glorious thing.

The 2009 BMW 335d Sedan and X5 xDrive35d SUV at a Glance

Engines: 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline diesel six-cylinder with 265 horsepower and 425 pound-feet of torque.

Transmissions: Six-speed automatic.

2009 BMW 335d, Performance and Fuel Economy

2009 BMW 335d

2009 BMW 335d
Over the last two years BMW has started making a major push for its new EfficientDynamics technology in Europe and more recently in North America. The premise is that the company that has long promoted itself as the "Ultimate Driving Machine" can retain all the qualities that made it so ultimate while drastically cutting fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. In Europe, BMW offers a suite of technologies like automatic start-stop for engines, brake energy regeneration and smaller four cylinder engines. The most important near term technology however is diesel engines.

Late in 2008, BMW launched its first two new clean diesel vehicles here in the United States, the X5 xDrive35d SUV and the 335d sedan. We recently had a chance to spend a week with the 335d to determine if it truly can provide the driving experience that customers expect of a BMW with better fuel efficiency. Read on to find out if the automaker succeeded.

BMW Gets 550 Miles per Tank With Diesel Engine

BMW wants you to know it’s paying attention. As a company whose cars are aimed at people who enjoy performance driving, some consumers may feel that it’s out of step with all things green.

The Munich-based automaker has an answer to that: “EfficientDynamics” -- two capitals, no space -- which is public-relations speak for cars that burn less fuel but aren’t a total bore to drive.

Next week’s Frankfurt Auto Show will showcase a BMW concept vehicle powered by a three-cylinder turbo-diesel engine and two electric motors -- basically a plug-in, hybrid sports car.

Cool stuff, but don’t look for it at your dealership next autumn. If you’re shopping for a fun, Earth-cuddling Bimmer today and not in a “Blade Runner” future, you’ll have to go old school, oddly.

Step one: Look at BMW’s best-selling models, the 3 Series and the X5 SUV, and then consider a fuel that most Americans gave up ages ago -- diesel.

Two out of every three BMWs sold in Europe are diesels, and BMW calculates that its European fleet already nearly achieves the U.S. mandate for 2016 of 35.5 miles per gallon. In the U.S., BMW sells the 335d sedan and the X5 xDrive35d, which are capable of 550 or more miles on a single tank.

Audi, Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz are also pushing their diesels stateside, capitalizing on successes in Europe. My pick for favorite efficient car last year was the VW Jetta TDI, and I’m looking forward to Audi’s release of its A3 TDI, which is supposed to get 42 miles per gallon on the highway.

Price Premium

Opting for a diesel is a game of give and take. There’s a price premium: BMW’s $44,725 sedan and the $52,025 SUV cost at least $3,600 more than their gasoline-burning counterparts. Balanced against that, the Internal Revenue Service is giving a tax credit of $900 and $1,800 on the 335d and X5 diesel respectively, and BMW has an “eco credit” of $4,500 off both vehicles’ final prices.

In terms of performance, you’ll sacrifice horsepower but gain loads of extra torque, the hallmark of diesel engines (and the reason why heavy tractor-trailers use them).

In this new era of cleaner diesel engines that use sophisticated urea and scrubbing systems, you’ll release 20 percent less carbon dioxide while getting as much as 30 percent better gas mileage on the highway.

Both BMW diesels get the same engine, a 3.0-liter, twin- turbo, inline six-cylinder. The 335d wins the battle of the fun as it weighs some 1,400 pounds less than its big brother. As the most fuel-efficient BMW ever sold in the U.S., it drinks 23 mpg city and 36 highway, but still scoots to 60 mph in six seconds. That’s 10 mpg better than the gasoline engine on the open road.

In my tests, I saw an average of 32 mpg in mixed driving.

Different Experience

While it looks the same as the regular 3 Series, the driving experience is markedly different. The 335i gas version has a 300-horsepower, twin-turbo six, which soars to 7,000 rpm at redline and has a clean, endless stream of power. It practically sings arias.

Conversely, the diesel is all basso profundo, flush with power at the lower registers, but meek above 4,500 rpm. While it has only 265 horsepower, the massive 425 pound-feet of torque is available at a mere 1,750 rpm.

2010 BMW M6 Competition Limited Edition

The BMW M6 Competition Limited Edition is being presented for the first time at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show.

The BMW M6 Competition Limited Edition combines the supreme dynamics of a high-performance sports car and the exclusive features of BMW Individual to form a truly fascinating symbiosis. Appropriate modifications of the suspension further enhance the profile of this unique Coupé designed from the start for maximum performance.

New set-up of the springs, dampers and anti-roll bars, together with the body lowered by 12 millimetres/0.47" at the front and 10 millimetres/0.39" at the rear, together with a new combination of wheels and tyres, optimise both lateral and longitudinal dynamics to a standard never seen before. The suspension control systems, the control unit masterminding the EDC Electronic Damper Control, wheel track and camber as well as the map controlling the variable M differential lock are all geared precisely to these special modifications of the suspension.

The colour concept featured both outside and within the interior highlights the unique character of this outstanding two-door in a most stylish manner, emphasising the motorsport technology and uncompromising premium quality of the car. BMW Individual matt paintwork in Frozen Grey metallic accentuates the powerful and, at the same time, exclusive presence of this unique Coupé.

The BMW M6 Competition Limited Edition is being built in a production run of just 100 units. The exclusivity of this very special model is further symbolised by a special placard on the roof lining bearing each car's serial number as a unique achievement in automotive technology.

The interior of the BMW M6 Competition Limited Edition is available in two colour variants. BMW Individual all-leather upholstery in Merino comes either in Black with light-grey contrasted seams or in twin-tone Silverstone/Black with light-grey and black seams forming a special contrast.

Merino leather comes on the seats, the headrests and side panels at the rear, the instrument panel, the trim cover on the driver's side, the glove box, the armrest, the handbrake lever gaiter, as well as the door and side panels. The door closing handles, in turn, are finished in black nappa leather.

On the twin-tone model the seat centre sections as well as parts of the door and side panels as well as the door closing handles come in black, all further elements are in Silverstone. On both versions footmats with a surrounding bend in Silverstone Merino leather as well as door cutout trim proudly bearing the "M6 Competition" model designation add the final touch to the exclusive ambience of the car.

2010 BMW 5 Series GT First Drive

What BMW bosses handed their designers to tackle back in late 2005 was the company's first vehicle meant to cater blatantly to upper-middle-class family life. But it couldn't be too blatantly a family carrier or the minivan thing would soon scare away the all-important image-conscious orthodontists and corporate managers. And thus started the usual design challenge, as all the cooks in the kitchen tell one another that it needs to be a little bit this and a little bit that, ad infinitum. The risk of turning such a notion into something that means nothing in particular to anyone must have loomed large.

First, the 5 GT is not a 5 Series at all, really. The wheelbase and both track widths are identical to those of the new 7 Series, with which it shares the really good F01 modular chassis that has been created for use with the next 5 and 6 Series as well as the new 7 Series.

Since the GT is 4.3 inches taller than the current-generation 535i sport wagon (and 3.5 inches squatter than the X6), the ease of entry and exit is right on with the design brief — the height is perfect for the everyday. Regarding interior space, the 5 GT is pure genius and we could easily see ourselves driving it cross-country nonstop if the fuel tank held 200 gallons of unleaded and there were a port-a-john aboard. It's particularly spacious in the rear, offering the legroom of a 7 Series and the headroom of an X5.

German carmaker BMW to build 2 new Mini models

German carmaker BMW AG said Thursday that it will add two new models to its line of Mini cars.

One of the models will be a coupe, while the second model will be unveiled at the Frankfurt Auto Show Sept. 15, Munich-based BMW said in a statement.

The coupe will be a two-seater and likely feature a 1.6-liter turbocharged Mini John Cooper Works engine. Details of the second new model were not announced -- and neither were dates for the start of production for either car.

BMW Mini Cooper S

BMW said both models would be produced at the Mini plant in Oxford, England.

The two new cars join Mini Hatch, Clubman and convertible models already produced there.

"The production of the two new Mini models is very good news for Oxford, and for the U.K. car industry," British Business Secretary Lord Peter Mandelson said, welcoming it as "a demonstration of BMW's long-term commitment to the U.K."

BMW diesel-electric concept

BMW will show a radical diesel-electric hybrid concept car at the Frankfurt auto show in Germany this month that will give a glimpse into the brand's technical and design plans.The Vision EfficientDynamics concept is the first car created under the leadership of new BMW design chief Adrian van Hooydonk, who replaced Chris Bangle when the controversial American resigned this year.

The remarkable-looking car melds BMW's signature twin-kidney grille with the classic Coke-bottle plan view and intricate surfaces to manage airflow for maximum efficiency and performance.

The 2+2 concept uses a 1.5-liter, three-cylinder turbodiesel and the two-mode hybrid system General Motors developed with BMW and Mercedes. The electric and diesel powerplants could combine to accelerate the concept to 60 m.p.h. in 4.8 seconds, with a top speed of 155 m.p.h.

The concept's lithium-polymer batteries can be charged either from an outlet or by the diesel engine. BMW says the concept can be powered by the engine or batteries alone.

The automaker projects a 31-mile range on batteries alone and up to 400 miles with the diesel.

BMW Unveils Triple Threat Plug-In Sports Car

BMW's Vision EfficientDynamics concept has been the subject of rumor and innuendo for weeks, but now the German car company is setting the stage for its 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show display with new details of its concept.


As the name implies, this concept car grafts fashionable green technology on the body of a 2+2 sports car. The promise: BMW M-car performance from a vehicle with a three-cylinder diesel plug-in hybrid powertrain.

To break down everything in that last clause takes some effort. The combination of fewer cylinders, plug-in hybrid technology, lithium-ion battery cells, and diesel combustion is a technological tour de force, should it ever reach production. It's a holy grail for green-car drivers that melds the state of the art in lower-consumption driving in ways that haven't made the step from engineering lab to the street quite yet.


The drivetrain marries a direct-injection, 1.5-liter, 163-hp, three-cylinder turbodiesel to two electric motors (one per axle), a set of lithium-ion batteries and a software controller that modulates and marries both powertrains to a combined total of 356 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. Using only the diesel engine's power, a six-speed dual-clutch transmission sends power to the rear wheels. The hybrid powertrain is less conventional: it's actually two distinct applications, a hybrid system on the rear wheels and a hybrid motor on the front wheels. The rear-wheel hybrid system operates in tandem with the diesel engine, while the front system operates on battery power alone. With this arrangement--similar in concept to the Ferrari hybrid system announced earlier this year--the Vision EfficientDynamics could provide all-wheel drive in electric-only mode, with battery power twisting its front and rear axles simultaneously.

Performance is geared to please the toughest Bimmerphile. BMW claims a 155-mph top speed and a 0-60 mph time of less than 4.8 seconds, while providing fuel economy of almost 63 mpg, and for European enthusiasts, CO2 emissions of 99 grams per kilometer.

Because it's also a plug-in hybrid, those controversial CO2 emissions could be halved to 50 grams per kilometer, if the Vision EfficientDynamics were juiced up with electricity and driven on battery power alone. The plug-in technology used means the concept car would use a standard 220-volt household outlet to recharge its batteries. A 2.5-hour recharge time is predicted, though on a 380-volt line, BMW says a 44-minute full recharge is possible.

Driving range could pass 400 miles with fuel or 31 miles on electricity alone, BMW also adds.

A grand tourer in silhouette, the concept wears aerodynamically influenced cues for style and purpose. A low front end and active louvers cool the drivetrain when needed, and close to improve airflow when unnecessary. The racing-inspired details continue with well-managed airflow--so tightly tuned, the EfficientDynamics concept generates a coefficient of drag of 0.22, while today's best production cars sit at 0.24 (the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe).