New All-Electric BMW 1-Series Coupe Revealed (details and photos)

The new BMW 1-Series Coupe all-electric car that willbe revealed as BMW Concept ActiveE at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show and will go into production within the next two two years.

While retaining the 1-Series Coupe’s rear-wheel drive model, BMW solitary the pattern shape’s internal-combustion engine adding a new synchronous electric motor expressly urban for this vehicle that’s integrated in the rear axis. The motor produces a crop of 125kW or 170hp and highest torque of 250Nm or 184 lb-ft.

Read more (details and photos)!!
The electrical energy that powers the motor is stored in a twosome of lithium-ion sequence packs developed jointly by BMW and SB LiMotive. The array packs concern the place that would routinely be taken up by the conventional drivetrain and fuel cistern in vehicles powered by a combustion engine.

The new Concept ActiveE tips the scales at a hefty 1,800 kg or about 3,970 pounds. BMW predicts that the all-thrilling 1-Series can accelerate from nought to 60km/h (37mph) in fewer than 4.5 seconds and from zilch to 100km/h (62mph) in less than 9 seconds, while the car’s maximum velocity is electronically limited to about 145 km/h or 90 mph.

BMW says that the frank-world scale is likely to be around 160 kilometers or 100 miles on a solitary payment, depending on conditions. The car’s lithium-ion batteries can be revived by a conventional clout shop at civic charging stations or at an exclusive block box. On the European grid, BMW says that the battery fill can be insincere thrilling at a high-current authority channel (50 ampere) in as little as three hours, while in North America, using a high-current (32 ampere continual) residential divider box, the care time is estimated to be around 4.5 hours.

The all-electric 1-Series Coupe rest a four-seater, however, the car’s gumboot power has been condensed to 200 liters due to the electric tidbits.

The Concept ActiveE is distinguished by the Liquid White hard ending as well as the special logos and lifelike basics derived from printed circuits in Electric Blue on the covering, doors, roof and coffer lid. The auto also gets exclusive light-alloy veer wheels, a specially trimmed interior and revised instrument panel and main parade that have been enhanced to contain flaunt substance point to electric steer.

[Via http://autoworld.wordpress.com]

North American BMW 7-Series to get a six-cylinder engine

BMW has revealed a six-cylinder version of the 7-Series for the North American market. It will be making a live appearance at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show.

It’s called the 740i (740Li in long wheelbase form). It will be powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0L I6, putting out 315hp and 300lb-ft of torque. That’s 15hp more than what the engine puts out in the BMW 335i. This car is the first non-hybrid BMW in North America to get brake energy regeneration. The car will be getting the same six-speed automatic the 7-Series normally utilizes.

That 3.0L I6 is fantastic, and it gives us another reason to choose the 7-Series as the winner for our Executive Car of the Year. Will it actually win though?

Here is BMW’s press release regarding this car:

The 2011 BMW 740i and 740Li Sedans – Six-Cylinder BMW Power Returns to the 7 Series in North America

Woodcliff Lake, NJ – December 16, 2009 2:00pm Eastern … As an exciting example of its EfficientDynamics engineering philosophy, BMW announced the North American debut of the 7 Series with a twin-turbocharged inline-6 engine. Featuring BMW’s award-winning inline-6 engine that produces V-8 power on six-cylinder fuel consumption, the new BMW 740i and BMW 740Li achieve a remarkable balance of power, efficiency, and sporty driving dynamics. Both models will go on sale in the United States as 2011 models in Spring 2010. Pricing will be announced closer to the on-sale date.

In 1977, the original BMW 7 Series was launched exclusively with inline-6 propulsion. The United States first met the BMW 7 Series in the 1978 model year as the 733i Sedan. The 733i featured a 3.2-liter inline-6 engine rated at 197 horsepower. The 733i remained on sale in America until it was replaced in 1985 by the BMW 735i Sedan. The 735i, which featured an updated inline-6 engine producing 218 horsepower from 3.4 liters, enjoyed a production run that lasted through the end of the 1992 model year. The 735i was joined by the extended-wheelbase 735iL in May of 1988.

A keystone of BMW’s EfficientDynamics philosophy is “virtual displacement,” the notion that BMW’s modern engines of smaller displacement can equal or exceed the outputs of traditional engines of larger displacement and more cylinders. This principle is already seen in the BMW 750i model, which features a twin-turbocharged V-8 engine performing at the level of BMW’s previous-generation V12 engine. Virtual displacement provides the power of a larger engine with the fuel efficiency and low CO2 emissions signature of a smaller engine. The 2011 BMW 740i and 740Li feature BMW’s internationally acclaimed twin-turbocharged inline-6 engine with up-rated output of 315 horsepower at 5800 rpm and 330 lb-ft of torque from 1600-4500 rpm. All-aluminum construction, High Precision direct fuel injection, Double-VANOS variable camshaft technology, and Brake Energy Regeneration are a few of the technologies used under the BMW EfficientDynamics philosophy to place the 740i and 740Li among the most powerful six-cylinder luxury sedans in the world.

Delivering power to the rear wheels is BMW’s 6-speed automatic transmission, well-known for fast, smooth gearshifts and an ability to intelligently adapt to the driver’s style. Both models will be available with the full complement of well-known 7 Series options and packages, including the M Sport Package, Driver Assistance Package, Luxury Seating Packages, Rear Entertainment Package, and even the BMW Individual Composition Package.

Source: Autoblog

[Via http://theblogofcars.wordpress.com]

BMW to bring X6 M, X1, 5 Series GT to Auto Expo 2010

BMW HQ

The Auto Expo 2010, which goes on from January 5 to 11 next year in Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, will be packed with new models from BMW. The German brand will show new cars as well as its existing line-up in its booth next year. Apart from the currently running BMW models, the Indians will have the first look of the 400 bhp, twin-turbo direct-injected 4.4-liter V8 550i Gran Turismo. The new compact SUV BMW X1 will also make an appearance along with the new 760Li with 535bhp twin-turbo, 6.0-liter, V12 engine. Besides all this, the new BMW X6 M with the 4.4-liter, 555 bhp V8 engine will also be among the exhibits.

[Via http://gratiscarconnect.wordpress.com]

F1 News Round-Up (11/12/09)

Hi guys, here is my round of the F1 news for this week.

So let’s start with the teams’ then, good news for BMW, Peter Sauber has brought back the team and has replaced Toyota for the starting grid for the 2010 season. Also a team back in action is Renault, all we know at the moment is that the buyers has brought 75% of the team and are keeping the name the team name as Renault. Thanks to Pete and the unknown buyer so all the team keeps their jobs. The newly formed Virgin Racing has set to launch their project Next Tuesday. That really early, very early for a new team, let’s see what happened. Finally, Brawn GP has changed its name to Mercedes, but still run with Brawn line-up of the best brains.

For the track news now, and I said this is my last post that the British has been saved for 17 years at Silverstone, I so want to be their but they won’t be any tickets left when I do finally get a job! Also Silverstone has broke a record, which is the most even tickets sold in 24 hours, they have sold 6,500 tickets making a whopping £1.2 million, not bad for a circuit that has just about to start work on a new part of the track! Also, the Canadian Grand Prix is back from its one year break. It great place to race and a lot of crashes, that should be interesting with 26 cars going round J.

So, the drivers market is still wide open and they is a name at Mercedes with Schumacher written on the car, yes, Schumacher looks like he is coming out of retirement and going to have a seat next to Nico. It will be interesting if he does return; all we got to do is wait and see. Lastly, Lotus is looking at Trulli is looking likely to become the main driver. But what about Kamui Kobayashi, he had 2 amazing races and hasn’t been confirmed yet to any team yet, someone please sign him up

Because of the increase of the number of teams, there is a new points system in place. It is now 1st get 25 points, 2nd gets 20 points and 3rd get 15 points. The remaining 7 places are covered by the old points 10, 8, 6, 5, 3, 2 and 1. I don’t see why they have that, why not the easy 10 for a win, 9 for 2nd and 8 for 3rd and so on to 1 for 10th.

And finally … the FIA has now said at every race, there will be an experience F1 driver to help make the decisions of racing incidents, thanks you Jean Todt to try and make fair racing back to the track. But now, I can see a lot of teams trying to pay them out to fix the results, not naming any teams (RENAULT) … sorry.

So that the F1 news round-up and keep an eye out for Chad’s post coming this weekend. See ya all later and have a good weekend!

[Via http://f1racingmad.wordpress.com]

Greenville, SC Rated One of the Best Bang for the Buck Cities

We all know that most of the country has been hit hard by the recession and housing prices seem to have been one of the most effected by the recent downturn.  As different cities saw housing prices increase at varying degree, we are also noticing that some cities are recovering better than others. 

Liberty Bridge at Falls Park in Greenville, SC

Forbes magazine recently posted an article Best Bang for the Buck Cities.  It ranked the top 100 metropolitan areas by housing prices, jobs, travel time, foreclosures and other key categories.  Near the top of the list was Greenville, SC coming in at number 20.  The Upstate has been a growing area for years, but it never saw the skyrocketing housing prices like other parts of the country.  Instead the market has grown at a steady  rate  therefore, the surrounding areas did not experience the large decline that most of the country experienced. 

There are several factors that have contributed to these mild market fluctuations.  Interestingly, one of the main reasons is the prices of the auto industry in the Upstate.  BMW is expanding their plant in Greer, SC and the Michelin headquarters are located there as well.  Greenville is one of the few cities that have been helped by its dependence on the auto industry. 

Additionally, but not discussed in the article, Greenville is seeing quite a bit of people relocating from other areas.  They are moving from as close as North Carolina or Florida and as far away as California.  They are choosing to move for various reasons including job transfer, family, a lower cost of living, or just looking for a great place to retire. 

The end result of a moderate housing increase, a strong international presence, and a lower cost of living is that Greenville and the surrounding areas appear to be weathering the storm quite nicely with blues skies ahead.

To get more information about the area, contact Mike Cloys at mcloys@arcbuildersinc.com or 864-567-1648.

[Via http://arcbuilders.wordpress.com]

Cool Woodie Wagon

Sometimes the rides posted in Doing It Wrong are really doing it right. Like this woodie Bimmer wagon. I dig it. One more pic after the jump (and note that this thing is a 3-door).

[Via http://blog.cardomain.com]

This is Our Winter Wonderland

Winter is here in Chicagoland.  Temperatures dropped rapidly- last weekend it was nearly 50 degrees and today it is 28 degrees.  Brrrrrrrr!!!  The cold definitely hits you as soon as you walk outside.  And since this is just the start of winter, we are in the “adjustment” stage where we all have to get used to the colder climate.  We know we are finally adapted when 40 degrees outside feels warm and not cold.  Well, we are not quite at that point yet!  We actually had snow flurries yesterday though.  Nothing that you see once it touched the ground, but it was definitely coming down for a while.  There is another threat of snow just days away, and do you know what that means for us?

Snow tires. 
Wiper blades. 
Another set of snow tires. 
And another. 
Another wiper blade replacement. 
More snow tires. 
And more snow tires. 
More wiper blades. 
And again, more snow tires. 
I think you get the picture.

It has been pure craziness with tires and wipers.  We have been mounting so many tires and installing so many wiper blades.  We have been getting a lot of shipments of tires that customers have ordered and had shipped to our shop for the installation (after all, we ARE a TireRack.com “Recommended Installer!”).  Not only are the tires constantly being shipped to our shop, but we also have many sets of our customers’ tires stored upstairs.  We offer free tire storage to all of our customers because we know that many of them switch their tires and/or wheels from summer to winter.  The salt that gets put down on our Chicago streets will eat away at the nice summer wheels that are on a lot of our customers’ vehicles.  Thus, when winter comes along, they know it is time to take their expensive wheels off and replace them with the stock wheels.  As far as tires go, well,  during the summer, a good portion of our customers like to have performance or all-season tires on their vehicles.  But come winter time, they need to be swapped with winter tires.  In Chicago, having winter tires on from December through the end of March is pretty much mandatory if you want to avoid sliding off the road into a ditch or guard rail (or another car for that matter).

So, our phone has been ringing off the hook with customers wanting to have their tires swapped or installed.  In our back room, there are piles of new tires that are stacking up from customer’s orders through Tire Rack.  Empty boxed that previously held wiper blades are strewn throughout our garbage containers.  Used tires belonging to customers are still upstairs, however, now it is their summer tires sitting there rather than their winter tires. 

Ahhhh… winter in Chicagoland.   It has arrived.  (Against my will, might I add.)

This is OUR winter wonderland!

[Via http://rennology.wordpress.com]

Toys Bright and Shiny at LA Auto Show Ferrari, Maserati Missing in action

It’s no secret that these are interesting times in the automobile business. There’s the bailout of GM and Chrysler, of course, as well as the recall debacle Toyota is facing. Then there’s the L.A. Auto Show, which runs Dec. 4-13 for the public but opened for the media Dec. 2 for a two-day preview as it does every year. Talk about a recall. The keynote speaker kicking off the show in front of the press Dec. 2 was scheduled to be General Motors’ CEO Fritz Henderson. Oops. Henderson suddenly and dramatically exited the company the day before, leaving old industry hand Bob Lutz to step in for him. It probably wasn’t the first time Lutz, a former Marine, had been dropped into a war zone.

 There is also the matter of the missing superstars.  Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini and Bentley are conspicuous no-shows this year, erasing a good portion of the glitz from this edition. Thankfully,  Aston-Martin and Rolls-Royce are on hand to uphold the outrageous upper stratosphere of the car game, but the three missing marques also means a significant reduction in the car babes hired every year to purr over the upscale product. Which brings up another point. Viper, along with parent Chrysler itself, may not be around for next year’s show.

 Also present is Saab, which is being shopped by GM as if it were a regifting situation and may not be here in a year either. No matter.

The show, spread over the vast expanse of the Los Angeles Convention Center, provides pretty much the same dose of hype and gearhead ecstasy as every year. There is the usual dose of debuts, cars unveiled with a showbiz flourish.

Among those shown for the first time anywhere are the Cadillac CTS coupe, renewed Dodge Viper and Toyota Sienna. Thirty-one other models are on view for the first time in North America, including ones from Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Jaguar, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz. Porsche, aloof as always in its own space apart from the rest of the carmakers, rolled out its brand new Boxster Spyder, calling it nothing less than a “world premiere.” In-from-Germany executive Christian Dau termed the minimalist convertible “the perfect Porsche,” so focused on performance that routine niceties such as air conditioning, cupholders and even interior handles were left out to save weight. Dau said it would cost just over $62,000 when it goes on sale in February. The media obediently swarmed until the car was obscured in the crush. Yep, a Hollywood premiere all right.

There is the usual contingent of improbable “concept” cars, most of which will never be produced, at least in this form. BMW’s see-through Vision, Subaru’s flighty double-wide gull-wing sedan, and Chevy’s Leno (yes, Jay) Camaro fall in this category. They’re amazing to look at, but would you want to drive one? One you might want to drive, if you were a big-time DJ, is the Sciion XB DJ 2.0 by Five Axis concept. This is a car tricked out with a 2,000-watt sound system, massive fold-out speakers and a DJ mixing deck. It’s like a Death Star for tailgate parties. Meanwhile, the ordinary transportation that provides the car business with most of its cash money is largely ignored. The new VW Beetle convertible and the nice little Toyota Yaris generated no heat and featured no draped car babes.

The unveiling of the Ford Fiesta was the exception. Pitched with what seemed near-desperation to the texting demographic, it enjoyed a great deal of attention. To show off its youth market chops, the introduction included such phrases as “tweet-up” and “growing the buzz.” Hey, with talk like that, how can you say no?

 The LA Auto Show is Dec. 4-13. Weekday hours are 11 am-10pm, 9 am-10pm Saturday, 9 am-8 pm Sunday. Adult admission is $12, with $2 discount coupons and $10 e tickets available on the web site www.laautoshow.com.  Convention Center parking is $12.

[Via http://dickpietschmann.wordpress.com]

Young Drivers test - day 2 - BMW

Day two – Wednesday

Weather conditions: dry in the morning, some light drizzle in the afternoon

Temperature Air: 13 – 19 °C, Track: 13 – 22 °C

Number of drivers participating: 12 from 9 teams

Fastest lap overall: Gary Paffett (McLaren Mercedes) 1:18.718 min

Circuit length: 4.428 km

Esteban Gutierrez (MX)

Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.09-07 / BMW 86/9

Test kilometres today: 301 (68 laps)

Fastest lap: 1:20.190 min

Programme:

To ensure a fair comparison, the BMW Sauber F1 Team today started with the same programme for Esteban Gutierrez as it did yesterday with Alexander Rossi. In the morning Esteban familiarized himself with the car and the track. After the lunch break the team made set-up changes for Esteban to evaluate. The focus was on mechanical set-up changes and the engineers were very happy with the feedback from the 18-year-old driver from Mexico. Due to some light drizzle the afternoon’s programme had to be adapted several times, but the track conditions never allowed intermediates or wet tyres to be run as it remained far too dry. The team also stuck to its rule not to send out one of the youngsters with an extra-low fuel load. Unfortunately Esteban had to stop an hour early because of a hydraulic leak.

Esteban Gutierrez said: “It was a very positive day for me. The main idea was to live that experience, to enjoy the day and to learn. This very high professional level means you have to be very calm and use your intelligence. Due to the hydraulic problem in the afternoon I was unable to make use of two more sets of fresh tyres, but on the other hand I had five sets, which of course is more than I ever had before on one day! I really thank the team for this much appreciated opportunity. I learned a lot for the day when I can hopefully jump into a Formula One car again. In the end, with the grip level getting higher, my neck was a bit stiff and it was good to evaluate my own physical condition. The extra training I did paid off.”

What comes next:

Thursday will be the third and final day of Formula One’s joint junior tests. After two youngsters from Formula BMW have been at the wheel of the BMW Sauber F1.09 for the third day, it is the turn of crowned Formula Renault 3.5 series champion Bertrand Baguette from Belgium. As a reward for his 2009 success (5 wins) he already had his first taste of Formula One on Tuesday in Jerez, where he was driving for the Renault F1 Team. Bertrand Baguette was born on 23 February 1986 in Verviers (BE).

[Via http://f1photos.wordpress.com]

The Best Gran Turismo Rig Ever - BMW E30 M3

This is by far the best Gran Turismo game rig ever. Actually it was already one of my favorite E30 M3 BMWs before I even saw the front of it and realized that it is being used to play video games in! Garage Studie is responsible for this masterpiece. I have a feeling I’m going to need to stop by there during an upcoming trip to Japan. See the full Studie shop tour post here.

[Via http://blog.cardomain.com]

Crowdsourcing: Are You Ready to Join the Crowd?

Last week, I came across an interesting creative website called IdeaBounty.com. This online social think tank “provides a secure channel for the world-wide creative community to offer solutions to creative briefs. A reward or ‘Bounty’ is offered for the Idea that best answers the brief and the contributor of the Winning Idea gets the cash.” Brands such as Red Bull, BMW, Castle Lager and most recently Peparami have all posted briefs on the site and awarded money prizes to winning creatives for their ideas. This new form of mass collaboration  is now being referred to as “crowdsourcing.” It’s a relatively new concept but one that’s starting to generate a lot of buzz in the advertising world. Most recently, musician Tommy Lee, IBM and Woot.com have received attention for their crowdsourcing efforts. But what does the future hold for this innovative creative brainstorming phenomena and why should people care? Before I try and answer these questions I thought it might be a good idea to first define the term“crowdsourcing” since it’s relatively new term.

So, what is crowdsourcing?
Jeff Howe originally coined the term “crowdsourcing” in 2006 in a Wired magazine article to describe a new form of creation that was carried out not by an individual, but by a community of people. Another helpful definition is the one provided by Wikipedia, which was one of the first hugely successful crowdsourcing platforms ever created. Ironically, the definition below has been created, revised and edited by dozens of people so it epitomizes the true essence of crowdsourcing.

“Crowdsourcing is a distributed problem-solving and production model. Problems are broadcast to group of solvers in the form of an open call for solutions. Users — also known as the crowd — typically form into online communities, and the crowd submits solutions. The crowd can also sort through solutions to find the best ones. These best solutions are then owned by the entity that broadcast the problem in the first place — the crowdsourcer — and the winning individuals in the crowd are sometimes rewarded. In some cases, this labor is well compensated, either monetarily, with prizes, or with recognition. In other cases, the only rewards may be kudos or intellectual satisfaction. Crowdsourcing may produce solutions from amateurs or volunteers working in their spare time, or from experts or small businesses which were unknown to the initiating organization.”

Why should a brand care about crowdsourcing?
While some brands have had projects in the past that have contained crowdsourcing elements, readily available emerging social media platforms and online tools that are largely free and easy to use means crowdsourcing is becoming a beneficial strategic approach, not to mention a cost-effective one. Additionally, customers these days almost expect to participate with brands. MySpace, Facebook, Twitter and blogging have all been successful because they involve people having the ability to co-create and lead their own creative experiences. The sheer volume of people within these social communities has forced brands to create innovative and engaging solutions in order to reach and interact with customers. Starbucks, Dell, Best Buy, LG and Nike have all created digital platforms that allow customers to help them create new products and message.

What are some of the benefits of crowdsourcing?
- Get creative work done for relatively cheap
- Able to select creative work from a large talent pool
- Ability to improve productivity and creativity
- Use the Internet to gather valuable feedback from an active and enthusiastic community reducing research expenses and time spent sifting through focus group data
- Involve willing and passionate customers in collaborative process reducing staffing costs
- Provide an opportunity to promote upcoming marketing initiatives and products, hopefully generating brand “buzz” through social media channels
- Able to build relationships with creative talent for possible future fulltime hire

What is the future of crowdsourcing?
First off, if you think crowdsourcing is only popular because of the poor economic times you’re gravely mistaken. The recession will eventually go away but crowdsourcing is here to stay. Like anything it will evolve with the times but the founding concept will be used for years to come. As crowdsourcing continues to build momentum several challenges and questions will need to be addressed. The biggest challenge will be to figure out how to fairly compensate people for their ideas. While I myself am a fan of crowdsourcing, I recognize the obvious issues it presents when it comes to salary and wages for anyone pursuing a career in advertising, marketing and graphic design. I wish I had a magic answer to this dilemma but crowdsourcing is so new that no one really has an answer at this point.

The biggest question facing the use of crowdsourcing is how will it affect all business models no matter the industry. Major changes will need to take place within all business models but creative agencies will need to make changes first as they are the ones most directly affected. Agencies that embrace the crowd community and figure out how to incorporate crowdsourcing into their overall business model will be the ones that are seen as industry leaders and will be the ones that gain the most in the new brand world we are entering into.

What are your thoughts on crowdsourcing? Looking at successful uses of crowdsourcing, which industries do you think are prime candidates for a crowdsourcing solution?

Photo Credit adlaw

[Via http://mattstengel.wordpress.com]

BMW Vision Concept

Sim, mais um Concept aqui no carroseminis, mais uma BMW, é a vez da BMW Vision.

Definida como M3 do futuro, a BMW Vision foi apresentada esse ano no Salão de Frankfurt.

“símbolo para o futuro e do puro prazer de condução”, é assim que a BMW descreve o Vision.

O motor é híbrido – diesel e eletricidade – com 3 cilindros, 1,5 litros e 163 cv de potência. Ainda segundo dados da BMW, ele pode fazer de 0 – 100 km/h em 4,8 segundos sendo seu limite os 250 km/h. O consumo é de 3,76 litros por cada 100 Km rodados.

E não podíamos deixar de falar da sua emissão de CO2, pois este carro conceito está ai para diminuir isto.

Despejando 99 gramas de CO2 por km é o carro mais “verde” já feito.

Miniaturas? Claro que já tem.

Mas como foi produzida a pedido da BMW para o Salão de Frankfurt é limitada em 750 peças, como mostra a imagem a baixo.

Agora é só esperar a mini ir para a produção em massa e garanti-la.

Post sugerido por: Rose Oliveira – @roseoly

[Via http://carroseminis.wordpress.com]

BMW 5-Series Unveiled

So then, BMW had finally unveiled the latest BMW 5-Series, the F10.

There will be quite a few engines to choose from: A V8, three straight-6s, two straight-6 diesels and even an inline-4 diesel. The top of the line 550i will have an eight speed automatic gearbox as standard, while the others will have it as an optional extra. Some of the models will use the old six-speed manual as standard, while others will use a new version. The 520d will come with a start-stop system to improve fuel economy (Seems like this model is trying to emphasize on fuel economy with it’s tiny diesel engine and a start-stop system).

The 550i will feature the recently introduced twin-turbo 4.4L V8, putting out 407hp and 442lb-ft of torque. The claimed 0-100kph time (About 62mph) is 5 seconds flat, and the top speed is electronically limited to 155mph.

Sounds interesting, and the car looks quite nice as well, though there are a few bulges here and there I’m not too sure about, need to see it in the flesh. For more details, here’s the press release:

The world debut of the new BMW 5 Series Sedan once again marks the epitome of aesthetic design and supreme driving pleasure in the upper midrange segment. Through its sporting and elegant looks, driving dynamics typical of the brand, outstanding efficiency as well as innovative comfort and safety features, the sixth generation of BMW’s executive express convincingly reflects the supreme standard of the world’s most successful manufacturer of premium cars throughout the entire process of development.

Design: charismatic, elegant, sporting.

With the longest wheelbase in the segment, a long and sleek engine compartment lid, short overhangs front and rear and a coupé-like, graceful roofline, the new BMW 5 Series Sedan stands out clearly from the competition.

Overall, the aesthetic looks of the car are clearly determined by perfectly balanced proportions. Design features typical of the brand are to be found both at the front with its BMW kidney grille inclined slightly forward and on the strikingly chiselled engine compartment lid, in the stylish and elegant side view of the car, and on the muscular rear end.

Within the interior modern function and a superior ambience come together in perfect harmony, unmistakable style and clear orientation to the driver in the cockpit guaranteeing a truly unique driving and travelling experience.

Driving experience: supreme dynamics and outstanding comfort.

The most advanced drivetrain and suspension technologies ensure supreme sportiness and an even higher standard of motoring comfort all in one. At the same time optional Dynamic Driving Control enables the driver to set the suspension individually to his personal requirements. The new BMW 5 Series Sedan is available with Adaptive Drive encompassing´Dynamic Damper Control and Dynamic Drive stability control, as well as BMW’s Integral Active Steering.

The new BMW 5 Series Sedan is making its debut with one eight-cylinder and three six-cylinder petrol engines as well as two six-cylinder diesels. The range is rounded off by a four-cylinder turbodiesel with an aluminium crankcase and common-rail direct injection. Maximum output in this case of 135 kW/184 hp makes the BMW 520d fitted as standard with Auto Start Stop the new efficiency benchmark in its segment. Average fuel consumption in the EU5 test cycle is just 5.0 litres/100 kilometres (equal to 56.5 mpg imp), the CO2 emission rating is 132 g/km (provisional figures).

The top-of-the-range BMW 550i comes with an eight-cylinder boasting BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology and High Precision Injection for maximum output of 300 kW/407 hp. The straight-six with BMW TwinPower Turbo, High Precision Injection and VALVETRONIC in the BMW 535i delivers maximum output of 225 kW/306 hp, while the two straight-six power units featuring High Precision Injection and lean-burn operation develop 190 kW/258 hp in the BMW 528i and, respectively, 150 kW/204 hp in the BMW 523i.

Straight-six diesels with the most advanced technology give the BMW 530d maximum output of 180 kW/245 hp and the BMW 525d an equally impressive 150 kW/204 hp. Fitted with optional BMW BluePerformance technology, the BMW 530d fulfils the EU6 emission standard. And it almost goes without saying that all versions of the new BMW 5 Series Sedan comply in full with the EU5 standard in Europe.

BMW EfficientDynamics: BMW 5 Series increasing the lead.

All versions of the new BMW 5 Series Sedan are available as an option with BMW’s new eight-speed automatic transmission. The BMW 550i comes as standard with BMW’s automatic transmission optimised for efficiency, just like EPS Electric Power Steering featured on all models.

BMW EfficientDynamics technologies are naturally featured as standard in appropriate combinations on each model, with features such as Brake Energy Regeneration, a gearshift point indicator, active air flap control, and on-demand operation of ancillary units including a detachable a/c compressor. Intelligent lightweight construction, finally, is ensured by features such as the doors, engine compartment lid, front side panels and suspension components made of aluminium.

Innovative driver assistance systems with BMW ConnectedDrive.

The driver assistance systems offered for the first time in the context of BMW ConnectedDrive include a Parking Assistant, Surround View, collision warning with application of the brakes in conjunction with Active Cruise Control plus Stop & Go, and a new Speed Limit Device. Further features also available are Lane Change Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Speed Limit Info, a Head-Up Display, BMW Night Vision with detection of individual persons, and a back-up camera.

Description in Brief.

Joint development and production together with the BMW 7 Series.

• The world debut of the new BMW 5 Series Sedan opens up the latest chapter in a truly impressive story of success. In the course of five model generations, overall sales of the BMW 5 Series already amount to more than 5.5 million units. Now the new model is based on a newly developed vehicle architecture also featured in the BMW 7 Series luxury sedans.

• Joint production of the BMW 5 Series Sedan and the BMW 7 Series at BMW Plant Dingolfing, together with the extensive use of shared components, ensures highly efficient production with a supreme standard of quality following the most demanding benchmarks in the market.

• World debut of the new BMW 5 Series Sedan, the epitome of the sporting but elegant, innovative and driver-oriented executive express. The sixth generation of BMW’s immensely successful four-door stands out through modern aesthetics in design, conveys all of the Sheer Driving Pleasure so typical of BMW, and offers unparalleled efficiency in the upper midrange segment.

• The premium character of this outstanding Sedan is underscored by features and technologies otherwise to be found only in the luxury class. In the sum total of its features, the new BMW 5 Series Sedan thus represents the outstanding competence in development of the world’s most successful manufacturer of premium cars.

• The sophisticated aesthetics and dynamic looks of the new BMW 5 Series Sedan are the result of perfectly balanced proportions. Again in the typical style of the brand, the new 5 Series Sedan boasts a long and contoured engine compartment lid, short overhangs, a coupé-like flowing roofline as well as the longest wheelbase in the entire segment.

• The charismatic flair of the upright front section and the BMW kidney grille inclined slightly forward from certain perspectives, the stylish elegance of the side view and the muscular sportiness of the rear end all come together in typical BMW design language to provide an outstanding look of style and supremacy.

• Within the interior horizontal surfaces and exciting lines create a truly generous and harmonious ambience. The clear structure of the cockpit enhances the high level of driver orientation, while the stylish, modern design of the interior may be further refined by top-quality materials and tastefully composed colour combinations reflecting the individual choice of the customer.

• Benefiting from BMW EfficientDynamics naturally featured as standard, the new BMW 5 Series Sedan further extends BMW’s leadership in the segment also when it comes to efficiency. All power units fulfil the EU5 emission standard, the new BMW 530d with optional BMW BluePerformance technology even comes with EU6. Intelligent lightweight technology is borne out among other things by chassis components as well as the engine lid, front side panels and doors all made of aluminium.

• The new BMW 5 Series Sedan is entering the market with one eight-cylinder and three six-cylinder petrol engines as well as two six-cylinder diesels. The top model is the BMW 550i powered by a V8 with BMW TwinPower Turbo featuring High Precision Injection (300 kW/407 hp). Then there are the world’s first straight-six petrol engine with TwinPower Turbo, High Precision Injection and VALVETRONIC (225 kW/306 hp) in the BMW 535i as well as two straight-six petrol engines with High Precision Injection and lean-burn technology in the BMW 528i (190 kW/258 hp) and the BMW 523i (150 kW/204 hp).

• The latest generation of straight-six diesels featuring an all-aluminium crankcase and common-rail direct injection develop 180 kW/245 hp in the BMW 530d and 150 kW/204 hp in the BMW 525d. Due to supplement the model range in the near future, the new BMW 520d comes with a thoroughly upgraded 135 kW/184 hp four-cylinder diesel and features Auto Start Stop as standard. Offering average fuel consumption of just 5.0 litres/100 km (equal to 56.5 mpg imp) in the EU test cycle and a CO2 emission rating of 132 g/km, this high-tech power unit sets a new benchmark in its segment.

• Eight-speed automatic transmission comes as an option with all engine variants of the BMW 5 Series and is standard on the BMW 550i. Sports Automatic with shift paddles on the steering wheel is also available as an option. With its innovative gearset configuration, a unique level of inner efficiency and optimised weight, the eight-speed automatic transmission combines outstanding gearshift comfort, dynamic performance and efficiency of the highest level.

• The combination of a double track arm front axle and the Integral-V rear axle ensures supreme driving dynamics and motoring comfort all in one. Further efficiency is provided by EPS Electric Power Steering including Servotronic as standard feature for the first time in the BMW 5 Series. Optional Integral Active Steering, finally, adds a controlled rear axle steering function to the active steering on the front wheels, with a steering lock of up to 2.5o.

• In its driving behaviour, the new BMW 5 Series Sedan is even more dynamic than before and offers a significant improvement in motoring comfort. In its agility it follows the benchmark set by the BMW 3 Series, in its supremacy it comes very close to the BMW 7 Series Luxury Performance Sedan. All the car’s driving characteristics may be set and tuned individually by Dynamic Drive Control available in conjunction with the Sports Automatic, Dynamic Damper Control and Integral Active Steering options.

• The clearly structured cockpit and intuitive controls enhance Sheer Driving Pleasure in typical BMW style to an even higher level, at the same time underlining the sophisticated ambience within the passenger compartment of the new BMW 5 Series. The driver-oriented cockpit in Black Panel technology, the multifunction steering wheel featured as standard, the two highly functional steering wheel columns, and the separation of driving and comfort functions further enhance the feeling of supremacy at the wheel. An important option for the truly discerning customer is the BMW Head-Up Display optimised once again in terms of the information provided, image resolution and the size of the image presented.

• The new BMW 5 Series Sedan comes as standard with the latest generation of BMW iDrive control. Both the standard and optional audio, navigation and communication functions are masterminded via the Controller on the centre console and the 10.2- or, respectively, 7-inch Control Display integrated harmoniously in the instrument panel.

• BMW ConnectedDrive offers a unique range of functions for enhanced comfort, safety and infotainment, unparalleled even in this superior segment. For the first time the new BMW 5 Series Sedan comes with a Parking Assistant, a collision warning and brake initiation function in conjunction with Active Cruise Control and Stop & Go, Surround View and the Speed Limit Device all available in the new model. Further options are Lane Departure Warning, Lane Change Warning, Speed Limit Info, a High-Beam Assistant, BMW Night Vision able to detect even individual persons, Park Distance Control and a back-up camera. And last but certainly not least, BMW ConnectedDrive comes with BMW Online, BMW Assist, BMW TeleServices, and the option to use the internet in the car.

• In the interest of enhanced agility and safety, the new BMW 5 Series Sedan boasts a particularly stiff body structure. Appropriate use of high-strength and ultra-high-strength steel increases the mean stiffness of the new model car by approximately 55 per cent over its predecessor, at the same time optimising the weight of the car.

• Standard features include three-point inertia-reel seat belts on all seats, frontal and side airbags as well as crash-activated headrests for the driver and front passenger, curtain head airbags at the side, a tyre defect indicator as well as an active engine compartment lid for optimum pedestrian safety. Daytime driving lights, foglamps, two-stage Adaptive Brake Lights and cruise control complete with a brake initiation function all come as standard, bi-xenon dual headlights, Adaptive Headlights with variable light distribution, adaptive headlight range control and bending lights, as well as an Enhanced Emergency Call function even able to automatically locate the vehicle through BMW ConnectedDrive are all available as options.

• The wide range of sophisticated features offered as standard in the new BMW 5 Series comprise Comfort Start without requiring the driver to even insert the key, the BMW Professional radio complete with a CD player, an AUX-In plug and six loudspeakers, automatic air conditioning with separate temperature and ventilation control on the driver’s and front passenger’s side, as well as an Integrated Owner’s Manual. The exclusive comfort options clearly oriented to the luxury class, finally, include Comfort Access, a USB plug, a multi-channel audio system, rear seat entertainment systems, four-zone automatic air conditioning, active seats, Soft Close Automatic on the doors, a contoured sliding roof optimised for supreme acoustics, as well as an electrically retractable trailer bar.

Power units:

BMW 550i

• V8 petrol engine with TwinPower Turbo and High Precision Injection
• Capacity: 4,395 cc, max output: 300 kW from 5,500 – 6,400 rpm
• Max torque: 600 Nm/442 lb-ft from 1,750 – 4,500 rpm
• Acceleration: 0 – 100 km/h in 5.0 seconds
• Top speed: 250 km/h
• Average fuel consumption to the EU standard:
• 10.4 ltr/100 km
• CO2 emissions to the EU standard: 243 g/km,
• full compliance with the EU5 emission standard.

BMW 535i

• Straight-six petrol engine with TwinPower Turbo,
• High Precision Injection and VALVETRONIC
• Capacity: 2,979 cc, max output: 225 kW at 5,800 rpm
• Max torque: 400 Nm from 1,200 – 5,000 rpm
• Acceleration: 0 – 100 km/h in 6.1 seconds
• Top speed: 250 km/h
• Average fuel consumption to the EU standard:
• 8.4 ltr/100 km
• CO2 emissions to the EU standard: 195 g/km
• full compliance with the EU5 emission standard.

BMW 528i

• Straight-six petrol engine with bi-VANOS
• and VALVETRONIC
• Capacity: 2,996 cc, max output: 190 kW at 6,600 rpm
• Max torque: 300 Nm from 2,600 – 5,000 rpm
• Acceleration: 0 – 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds
• Top speed: 250 km/h
• Average fuel consumption to the EU standard:
• 7.6 ltr/100 km,
• CO2 emissions to the EU standard: 178 g/km,
• full compliance with the EU5 emission standard.

BMW 523i

• Straight-six petrol engine with bi-VANOS
• and VALVETRONIC
• Capacity: 2,996 cc, max output: 150 kW at 6,100 rpm
• Max torque: 270 Nm from 1,500 – 4,250 rpm Acceleration: 0 – 100 km/h in 7.9 seconds Top speed: 234 km/h
• Average fuel consumption to the EU standard:
• 7.6 ltr/100 km
• CO2 emissions to the EU standard: 177 g/km,
• full compliance with the EU5 emission standard.

BMW 530d

• Straight-six diesel with aluminium crankcase,
• turbocharger with variable turbine geometry and common-rail direct fuel injection (piezo-injectors, max injection pressure 1,800 bar)
• Capacity: 2, 993 cc, max output: 180 kW at 4,000 rpm Max torque: 540 Nm from 1,750 – 3,000 rpm
• Acceleration: 0 – 100 km/h in 6.3 seconds Top speed: 250 km/h
• Average fuel consumption to the EU standard: 6.2 ltr/100 km
• CO2 emissions to the EU standard:
• 162 g/km,
• full compliance with the EU5 emission standard.

 

BMW 520d

• Straight-four diesel with aluminium crankcase, turbocharger with variable turbine geometry and common-rail direct fuel injection
• (magnetic valve injectors, max injection pressure 1,800 bar)
• Capacity: 1,995 cc, max output: 135 kW at 4,000 rpm Max torque: 380 Nm from 1,900 – 2, 750 rpm
• Acceleration: 0-100 km/h in 8.1 seconds (provisional),
• Top speed: 225 km/h (provisional)
• Average fuel consumption to the EU standard: 5.2 ltr/100 km
• CO2 emissions to the EU standard: 137 g/km (provisional),
• full compliance with the EU5 emission standard.

Source: Inside Line and WorldCarFans

[Via http://theblogofcars.wordpress.com]

Compex Fuarı Açıldı "Toshiba da olmasa fuarda olmayacakmış:)"

Dün Compex Bilgisayar fuarı başladı. Yılların fuarı ben kendimi bildim bileli yapılıyor ama sona geldiler artık sanırım . Toshiba dışında doğru dürüst bir stand yada marka yokdu. Çoluk çocuk doluşmuş oyun oynuyorlardı. Resmen oyun fuarı olmuş, yazık üzüldüm.
Almi diye bir stand gördüm ama onların hizmeti ilginçdi. www.firmadan.com diye bir site açmışlar bu siteden canlı ihale bile yapabiliyorsunuz. örneğin cep telimi alacasınız, yada bilgisayar yada bebek bezi ihale açıyorsunuz 1 tanede olabilir 10 tanede size firmalar tekliflerini yolluyorlar en ucuz rakam için kıyasıya rekabet vr bu tabii ihaleyi açanın işine geliyor siz ucuz ucuz malınızı sorunsuz alıp ödemeyide dilediğiniz gibi yapıyorsunuz. Ben çok tuttum kullanırım artık
Onun dışında fuarda beğendiğim kocaman bir BMW hemde turkuaz rengi koymuşlar Türkiye pist şampiyonu Aytaç Biter’inmiş yanında dev ekrandan bir araba yarışı var onu oynayabiliyorsunuz. Çok eğlenceli hem gerçek gibi hemde yazılıma Aytaç Biter’in de görselini bilgisini eklemişler isterseniz Aytaç olabiliyorsunuz. Bence yabancı bir oyunda yer alan başarısı ile bir Türk olmak önemli. Tebrik ediyorum kendisini araba bu yanda gördüğünüz rengi süper dimi

New Brooklyn.

“The Launchpad” is our new “trick specific/700cmx/fixed freestyle” frame. The first frames are nearing completion and should be trickling out to paint in the next week. All of the first batch is spoken for but some will be available in shops that have preordered them. Our friends in LA, Orange 20 are first on the list to have some in stock. The bros at WBASE ,Chari & Co. and Tokyo Fixed Gear are all on the list to have frames soon too. If you can’t get your hands on one from this first run, we will be taking orders for the next, hopefully to be completed in the very near future.

“The Launchpad” is going to be offered in long and short top-tube versions with the option of either a Mid or Euro bottom bracket shell with a 45×45 integrated headtube. Color options are black, red, and clear. The long version has a taller standover and slightly steeper HT angle than the short. Overall, the geometry of this frame isn’t a much of a departure from the “Gangsta”. This thing is more stout than it’s older brother and has ample tire clearance. We’re pretty stoked on it and the addition of our “Clusterfork” is going to make for a kickass frameset that sells for $850MSRP and is handmade here in Brooklyn.

Slowly beginning to feel the top tube that slopes the ‘wrong’ way!

More info here.

BMW to supply cars for London 2012

BMW has just signed up to become the official vehicle sponsor of the London 2012 Olympics in a deal worth $67 million (why is this information never in £’s?). They will supply about 4,000 BMW and Mini cars to transport athletes, officials & other members of the Olympic community. They will also supply BMW bicycles for use inside the Olympic Park.

In keeping with the Olympics ‘green’ ethos, the cars will have to meet a certain emissions standard criteria set by London 2012.

BMW tries something a bit different...

It’s unfortunate that we have to approach a German carmaker to supply vehicles for our Olympics Games, but I think it’s great that Mini will be involved as well, being such an icon of British heritage. Plus BMW do make some sexy cars, so at least our Olympics cars will be classy if nothing else!

982 days to go…!

Port Jervis BMW Ride

I rode the RT from Atlantic Highlands to Port Jervis this last Sunday to experience the last of the fall color.

On the way already it became clear that Atlantic Highlands retains the fall colors later into the season than the rest of New Jersey, heading west and then north the leaves had mostly fallen, but there was enough of a color splash here and there to make up for it… I only stopped at times to snap a picture, but the weather was fantastic for late November, and the ride was fun.

Having once again planned the route with my trusty bikeroutetoaster.com app, I’ve also recently become aware of a great way to plan a route using google maps directly. In google maps I can modify a route to suite me by dragging it onto the roads I’d like to travel… However, the problem has been that there is no good way to get a google map route converted and downloaded to my Garmin GPS.  Well, now there is a fantastic tool that does just that: MaptoGPX.

Here an excerpt from their site, as well as another useful link to the GPS Visualizer site:

The Google Maps API is great, but it doesn’t have an easy way to export data in GPX format. This bookmarklet is my attempt at a hack to get information out of Google Maps and into GPX, suitable for loading on a GPS.

This bookmarklet can create a GPX file based on driving directions, an address search or a local search. The GPX file will contain a route, a single waypoint, or up to ten waypoints, respectively. The code for extracting waypoints from local search originally came from this page.

If you’re looking for a utility to display GPX files in Google Maps, I recommend GPS Visualizer.

Once in Port Jervis, it was time to shed some layers of clothing, stop for lunch at the Erie Hotel and Restaurant, and then begin the Hawk’s Nest part of the ride…

About four miles from Port Jervis, the section of New York Route 97 has been frequently used in television commercials and advertisements.  A 30 minute drive from Port Jervis along this scenic road will lead to the oldest wire suspension bridge in the United States and a museum/home of noted author, Zane Grey.

The overall trip was approx 320 miles, a good day out…

Check out the trip as posted on Everytrail.com.  I used HoudahGeo to push GPS tracking data from my motorcycle’s Zumo into the pictures EXIF data, and when uploading the resulting images, the Everytrail site automatically maps them as follows: Atlantic Highlands to Port Jervis

Top ten craziest cars of all time

BMW GINA Light Visionary Model

It’s a transforming BMW – the stunning BMW GINA Light Visionary Model features a moveable lightweight aluminium space-frame body covered by fabric, meaning the Beemer can change shape at the touch of a button. BMW chiefs say the GINA is not a concept in the standard sense, so we won’t ever see this in production form.

Find More about BMW Cars

Mazda Taiki

Unveiled at the 2007 Tokyo motor show, the stunning Taiki concept car features the next generation Wankel ‘RENESIS’ rotary engine which is likely to power the Mazda RX8.

Find More about Mazda Cars

 

Nissan Pivo 2

Nissan’s new GT-R is picking up accolades everywhere it goes – including setting a Nurburgring lap time quicker than the Bugatti Veyron.

Find More about Nissan Cars

 

 

Judge Dredd Land Rover

Rambo and Rocky star Sylvester Stallone appeared in 1995’s action flick Judge Dredd as the hard-hitting agent of justice in a violent future. And Dredd’s car was equally imposing – Land Rover was tasked with building Dredd’s city cabs, and produced thirty bright yellow beasts.

Find more about Land Rover Cars

Citroen DS Robot

At the 2006 Paris motor show, New York engineering collective Amorphic Robot Works premiered its take on Citroen’s cool transforming robot advert – by building its own.

The ‘totemobile’ is a converted 1965 Citroen DS which uses massive electric pumps to transform it into an 18 metre tall totem pole, which Amorphic say is “the final maturation of an enormous biological organism.”

Find more about Citroen Cars

Mercedes-Benz Boxfish

Car designers take inspiration from all sources – the interior of the new Ford Fiesta is modelled on a mobile phone, the Toyota Auris’ insides were carved according to the Notre Dame Cathedral, and the gorgeous Jaguar XK was modelled on British actress Kate Winslet.

Find More about Jaguar Cars

Milner Motors Air Car

Congestion, jams and stop-start traffic – modern day driving can be a drain on your energy.

 

 

 

Peugeot 20Cup

Peugeot is renowned for its handling technology and has produced some of the greatest hatches ever, including the legendary Peugeot 205 GTi and the Peugeot 306 GTI-6.

And in 2005, Peugeot’s motorsport division rolled out this three-wheeled 120bhp concept – the bonkers Peugeot 20Cup.

Find More about Peugeot Cars

 

Citroen C-Metisse

Citroen unveiled a green supercar at the 2005 Paris motor show – and this is the full working model.

The Citroen C-Metisse features gullwing front and rear doors, a mad interior which Citroen claims “reinforces the sensation of being in a fighter jet”, and a hybrid-diesel engine which returns 45mpg – but still propels the C-Metisse from 0-62mph in just 6.2 seconds.

Find More about Citroen Cars

Tang Hua Book of Songs

This Chinese car weighs just 500kgs, has two seats, measures 1.8-metres in length, and shares the Tang Hua stable with its brothers:

The people's choice: BMW E9

Given the enduring popularity of one of our older posts on the BMW 3.0 CSI (one of our consistently high hit-generators), we thought we’d give our viewers what they want and provide more E9 goodness.

We certainly have to agree that the E9 is just about one of the prettiest, classiest, and most appealing cars ever, even when pitted against the stiff competition of… other vintage BMs. To wit: it’s more stately and mature than the Neue Klasse likes of the 2002, and less bloated, boat-like, and, well, ’80s (Members Only, popped collars and all that), than the E24. And that’s no knock on either the Neue Klasse or the E24 (or the ’80s!), because we love them all.

[Speaking of which, here's a random factoid we came across recently: GM's Bob Lutz, who, as you may have heard, is still in the headlines to this day, did a stint as EVP of sales at BMW in the early '70s and had his hand in, among other things, developing the E24 as well as the perennially class-leading (in terms of sales as well as reception from the automotive press) 3-series. Fascinating stuff, coming from Mr. GM himself (if it is indeed true).]

Like many of the cars you see on these pages, we would more than love to own an E9 someday. And we’d love nothing more than to then pass it on down to our kids. It would be an honor- this is easily heirloom-worthy stuff.

Now, enough talk- on to pictures.

If you enjoyed this feature and would like to see more model-specific content in the future, hit us up in the comments.

Photo credit: (from top) Kirk Teetzel, Yan Alexandre, Jurrie Vanhalle, Langé, T. Merkle, KillerPM, Moricz Peter, Malcolm Edwards, Pieter d’Haens

- Gyro

2011 BMW M3 GTS

Alright, we’ve got some fantastic news for you today. BMW has officially announced the M3 GTS track ready model. As you can see by the image, this car is just beast like. I think most can agree that the regular M3 is already an achievement in all areas of automotive performance and styling but the GTS takes all those attributes up to a new level.

So let’s get to the goodies shall we. First up, weight. This probably one of the major benefits. The GTS has shed 190kg of body fat which brings its weight down to 1490kg. It was basically able to achieve this by putting in some lighter seats and getting rid of all those non nessecary option like insulation, air conditioning, radio. The only 2 things that have actually been added to this car is a roll cage and fire extinguisher. You know, just in case you go so fast, you catch on fire!

On to the numbers! The GTS has also increased the M3’s V8 engine output to 450hp and that’s naturally aspirated!  Last but not least, when you pull the switch and open that hood, you’ll now be staring at a 4.4L engine instead of the standard 4L. Come on, pull your jaw back up now.

When it comes to the exterior the changes are quite noticeable. You are probably drooling over the black 19’s, the new front spoiler or the black simple wing in the back. Which ever one is one your mind, we agree. They’re all brilliant.

Final order of business of course is the price tag. Let’s talk turkey. If you want this wolf in wolf’s clothing, you’ll have to shell out around $185,000CAD to have it waiting for you in your garage.

All things considered, the price could be worse!

And the promo:

Curtas - BMW M3 GTS

Performance séria, o máximo extraido do carro. É isso que fascina a gente aqui do raceinblood, e espero que fascine você que lê aí também, tem coisa melhor do que um carro que ande pra valer, que seja equilibrado e focado em ser simplesmente rapido? É esse o pensamento que nos guia, e deixando um pouco de lado a base supernobre do carro do post, essa M3 é muito do que eu queria dirigir por aí. A versão GTS veio para ser a opção da marca bávara para os pilotos que sempre levam seus carros a algum evento do tipo track day ou quem sabe um sortudo que mora numa região bem montanhosa e pouco movimentada, e é no meu modo de ver um claro desafio aos Porsche 911 que sempre tem uma versão  GT3 por aí desfilando um carro de pista pelas ruas.

O fato é que os caras pegaram um dos carros esportivos mais bem sucedidos da atualidade e trabalharam suspensão (subchassi traseiro fixo, totalmente de pista), colocaram uns amortecedores com regulagens infinitas (deve ter fim, mas haja paciencia!), retrabalharam o sistema de freios para suportar o fading que um uso em pista gera, adotaram rodas de 19 polegadas e tornaram o sistema de controle de tração menos interferente. Eletronico também é o cambio automatizado de 7 marchas. Tudo bem, a gente perdoa. Pra coroar tudo isso, a cilindrada do motor foi elevada de 4.0 para 4.4 e a potencia saiu dos 420 para chegar nos 450 cavalos, com componentes internos mais leves visando subir o giro mais rapidamente, e vale lembrar que o V8 original do carro é um dos motores que mais trabalha bem em alta rotação, fruto do desenvolvimento da equipe de F1 da marca. No exterior, spoiler dianteiro e aerofolio traseiro regulaveis denunciam o carro.

Já o interior com santantônio denuncia a redução de peso, mas não foi muito grande: de 1.600 para 1.500 Kg, mas também olha só, toda a forração do carro parece intacta, apenas retiraram o banco traseiro, o sistema de som e o ar condicionado automatizado, sobrou aquele simples de três comandos que tem no Pointer do meu vizinho. Se fosse meu as coisas seriam diferentes… O detalhe legal é que os cintos de seis pontos não são instalados de fábrica, o dono-piloto que os instala no seu banco concha fixo de fibra de carbono e se quiser retira após a diversão no autodromo, pra ir pro trabalho durante a semana. Outro ponto que eu também mudaria…

Um carro inspirador sem sombra de duvidas, a BMW está de parabéns pela iniciativa de tornar esse mundo melhor!

Thiago Marinelli

BMW registra resultados mais baixos que o previsto

Diário do Grande ABC/AFP

A montadora de carros de luxo alemã BMW anunciou nesta terça-feira resultados trimestrais mais frágeis que o previsto, apesar de um forte crescimento na China.

O lucro operacional, acompanhado com muita atenção pelos mercados, retrocedeu 85,8%, a 55 milhões de euros, quando os analistas esperavam mais que o triplo. Quanto aos lucros líquidos, o resultado foi de 78 milhões de euros (-73,8%), igualmente inferior às expectativas.

A BMW prevê que as vendas de todo este ano serão de 10 a 15% mais baixas que em 2008.

Fonte: Diário do Grande ABC/AFP | www.dgabc.com.br

Обзоры современных машин: BMW – Часть 2.

Продолжение. Начало здесь

6 купе

AUTOCAR

Наше мнение: Нет мнения
Результаты тестов: Средне

AUTOEXPRESS

Наш выбор: Для полного кайфа надо, конечно, брать М6, но если ты не владеешь своей нефтяной компанией, довольствуйся 635d
Позиция в рейтинге : Не участвует

CAR

О модели: Машина выглядит лучше в виде купе, чем кабриолета, но все равно, 3-я серия смотрится лучше. Собрана отлично, но стиль машины очень на любителя. Ездит так себе, но зато на средних оборотах 635d может посрамить даже суперкар.
Наш выбор: 635d
Секрет фирмы: У 635d момента больше, чем у M6
Вердикт: Слишком жирная, где там хирурги с липосакцией?
Конкуренты: Jaguar XK
Результаты тестов : Средне
Одним словом: Хорошо.

TOPGEAR

О модели: Большая тачка, которая может потягаться с Porsche 911, особенно в своей M6 ипостаси. Но, не смотря на классное умение держать дорогу и мощь двигателя, машина оставила нас слегка равнодушными – у нее просто нет такой харизмы, какая есть у ее конкурентов.
Позиция в рейтинге : Не участвует
Наш выбор: Нам 635d, пожалуйста.
Не обманывайся насчет: Дизайнеров автомобилей, у которых вся морда заросла волосами – они все лгуны.
Конкуренты: Aston Martin Vantage, Mercedes Benz SL, Jaguar XK, Maserati GranTurismo, Porsche 911

WHATCAR

За: Странноватая машина конфигурации 2+2, которая может стать GT или просто спортивным купе, в зависимости от твоего настроения.
Против : Мы были оптимистами, когда назвали эту машину 2+2, поскольку сзади места очень мало. Задний обзор проблематичен.
Вердикт: Мягкая и комфортная машина, которая вполне способна пересечь континент. Однако, она довольно дорога, а Jaguar XK лучше.
Рейтинг для лучшей модификации: Хорошо
Рейтинг модели по версии читателей журнала: Хорошо
Наш выбор: 630i SE

6 кабриолет

AUTOCAR

Наше мнение: Идеальный выбор для жены олигарха
Результаты тестов: Средне

AUTOEXPRESS

Наш выбор: Нет мнения
Позиция в рейтинге : Не участвует

CAR

О модели: см 6 купе

TOPGEAR

О модели: См 6 купе

WHATCAR

За: Мощный урчащий двигатель V8 довезет тебя на пляж довольно быстро, а открывающаяся крыша позволит тебе приобрести приятный загар по дороге.
Против : Задний обзор проблематичен, а сзади можно посадить только детей. Этот вариант дороже, чем купе, а стоимость владения такова, что тебе лучше бы иметь солидный счет в банке.
Вердикт: Комфорт, мощь и скорость. Добавь к этому еще и солнце, припекающее макушку. Но Jaguar XK лучше практически во всем.
Рейтинг для лучшей модификации: Хорошо
Рейтинг модели по версии читателей журнала: Хорошо
Наш выбор: 630i SE

7 седан

AUTOCAR

Наше мнение: Впечатляющий седан класса люкс
Результаты тестов: Отлично

AUTOEXPRESS

Наш выбор: Невпечатляющий интерьер салона скрывает хайтековские примочки и классное шасси. Мягкий и экономичный дизель 730d лучше, чем его прожорливые бензиновые собратья.
Позиция в рейтинге : Не участвует

CAR

О модели: Это одно из тех противоречивых явлений, которое называется “спортивный лимузин”. Мягкий и убаюкивающий, когда ты едешь на заднем сидении, читая Financial Times, но на водительском сидении намного более интересный и заводной. И, наконец-то, внешний вид стал приличным.
Наш выбор: 730d SE
Секрет фирмы: Опционально можно установить систему доступа в интернет из машины. Жаль только что в наших краях она не работает.
Вердикт: Для богатеев, которым приспичило уволить шофера и самим сесть за руль.
Конкуренты: Maserati Quattroporte
Результаты тестов : Хорошо
Одним словом: Хорошо.

TOPGEAR

О модели: Последняя инкарнация Бэнгловского чудовища уже не настолько уродлива, как предыдущие. И даже, как автомобиль, она намного лучше. Наворотов море, а вот с харизмой дела не очень.
Позиция в рейтинге : Не участвует
Наш выбор: Уж если ты решил потратить такие бабки, бери V8 бензиновый вариант.
Не обманывайся насчет: шоферов. Ты все равно захочешь сам сесть за руль.
Конкуренты: Audi A8, Mercedes S-Class, Jaguar XJ, Lexus LS, VW Phaeton

WHATCAR

За: Продвинутая машина с точки зрения технологий. Отлично сделана, оборудована всем, что только можно себе представить, а места сзади навалом, даже если не

покупать длиннобазную версию. Дизели таковы, что они являются самыми экономичными и экологичными в своем классе.
Против : Комфортабельный салон – это еще не все, что требуется от лимузина, а длиннобазная версия не ездит так же мягко, как должна, учитывая ее статус, как машины, для которой нужен шофер. Цены слишком высоки.
Вердикт: Комофрт и удобство – приоритеты номер 1 для лимузина и эта модель, к сожалению, не всегда соответствует своему предназначению. Жаль, потому что дизельные варианты являются практически идеальными для машины такого класса.
Рейтинг для лучшей модификации: Хорошо
Рейтинг модели по версии читателей журнала: Хорошо
Наш выбор: Нет мнения

М3 купе

AUTOCAR

Наше мнение: Движок V8 рулит!
Результаты тестов: Отлично

AUTOEXPRESS

Наш выбор: Нет мнения
Позиция в рейтинге : Не участвует

CAR

О модели: У нас в конторе работает мужик, который купил себе такую тачку. Так вот, нам приходится его спаивать каждый день, а то он начинает наворачивать на ней круги по городу, сжигая шины и наводя ужас на “зеленых”. На следующий день после таких “подвигов” он, как правило, едет в автомагазин за новым комплектом шин, а статьи писать приходится нам.
Наш выбор: DCT
Секрет фирмы: Трансмиссия с двойным сцеплением DCT стоит 2535 фунтов.
Вердикт: … на седьмой день создал Бог последнюю модель М3. И увидел он, что это хорошо.
Конкуренты: Mercedes C63 AMG
Результаты тестов : Отлично
Одним словом: Лучшая машина в своем классе

TOPGEAR

О модели: Нет мнения

WHATCAR

За: Сенсационные мощь и управляемость. Великолепный комфорт и удобство. Достаточно места для четверых.
Против : Официальные цифры расхода топлива (12.5л\100км) чрезмерно оптимистичны. Быстрый износ задних шин неминуем.
Вердикт: Отличная машина с непревзойденными скоростными характеристиками и аппетитом.
Рейтинг для лучшей модификации: Хорошо
Рейтинг модели по версии читателей журнала: Хорошо
Наш выбор: нет мнения

М3 седан

AUTOCAR

Наше мнение: То же, то и машина выше, но с 4 дверьми
Результаты тестов: Отлично

AUTOEXPRESS

Наш выбор: Нет мнения
Позиция в рейтинге : Не участвует

CAR

О модели: см М3 купе

TOPGEAR

О модели: Нет мнения

WHATCAR

За: Этот седан обладает сенсационными мощью и управляемостью, но, при всем этом, является довольно практичной машиной, поскольку качество езды прекрасное, а места в автомобиле довольно много.
Против : Официальные цифры расхода топлива (12.5л\100км) чрезмерно оптимистичны. Быстрый износ задних шин неминуем.
Вердикт: М3 невероятно быстрая и приятная машина. Она настолько быстра, что вполне может распугать суперкары, но ты за это дорого заплатишь на заправках.
Рейтинг для лучшей модификации: Хорошо
Рейтинг модели по версии читателей журнала: Хорошо
Наш выбор: нет мнения

М3 кабриолет

AUTOCAR

Наше мнение: То же, что и М3 купе, но со складной крышей
Результаты тестов: Хорошо

AUTOEXPRESS

Наш выбор: Нет мнения
Позиция в рейтинге : Не участвует

CAR

О модели: см М3 купе

TOPGEAR

О модели: Нет мнения

WHATCAR

За: Купе предлагает невероятную мощь и прекрасно стоит на дороге. Машина великолепно сделана и хорошо оборудована.
Против : Она жрет бензин в огромных количествах, а места на задних сидениях и в багажнике очень мало. Версия М3 купе ездит лучше.
Вердикт: Все лучшие качества от М3, но с добавкой съемной крыши. Ты это оценишь, когда придет лето.
Рейтинг для лучшей модификации: Хорошо
Рейтинг модели по версии читателей журнала: Отлично
Наш выбор: нет мнения

М5 седан

AUTOCAR

Наше мнение: Нет мнения
Результаты тестов: Нет мнения

AUTOEXPRESS

Наш выбор: Нет мнения
Позиция в рейтинге : Не участвует

CAR

О модели: Суперседан в режиме овердрайва. Более навороченный чем раньше, да и коробка зачем-то слишком сложная, но зато у него хищная паст радиатора и классное шасси. Когда машина меняет передачу на полном газу – просто экстаз.
Наш выбор: седан
Секрет фирмы: К нам машины с ручной коробкой не поставляются.
Вердикт: М5 рулит
Конкуренты: Audi RS6, Jaguar XFR
Результаты тестов : Хорошо
Одним словом: Хорошо.

TOPGEAR

О модели: Нет мнения

WHATCAR

За: Нет мнения

М6

AUTOCAR

Наше мнение: Нет мнения
Результаты тестов: Нет мнения

AUTOEXPRESS

Наш выбор: Нет мнения
Позиция в рейтинге : Не участвует

CAR

О модели: Крыша и бампера из углепластика,рычащий движок V10 – звучит как что-то из описания Формулы 1. Но в этой машине есть 4 сидения и нормальный багажник. Жалко только что коробка SMC в городе ведет себя погано.
Наш выбор: M6 купе
Секрет фирмы: За систему Bluetooth надо доплачивать
Вердикт: Nissan 280ZX на стероидах
Конкуренты: Aston Martin DB9
Результаты тестов : Хорошо
Одним словом: Хорошо.

TOPGEAR

О модели: Нет мнения

WHATCAR

За: Нет мнения

По материалам AutoExpress, AutoCar, Car, TopGear и WhatCar. Фотографии утянуты с WhatCar

Продолжение следует.

Eis o BMW M5 Cabrio que nunca foi produzido

Como bem disse o AutoBlog Spanish, o pessoal da divisão M (Motorsport) da BMW não “confiável”. Há pouco tempo, disseram que a divisão esportiva da marca bávara jamais prepararia utilitários ou utilizaria motores turbinados. Pois o X5 M é um SUV com propulsor com dois turbocompressores. Também afirmaram que jamais teria um M5 conversível ou com duas portas, mas não é bem verdade.

O M5 sem teto e com apenas duas portas já existe. Aliás, ele é da geração E34 e jamais chegou às linhas de produção. Existe apenas uma unidade, que nada mais é que um estudo interno. Teria sido, aliás, uma excelente ideia. Prova disso é que posteriormente tivemos o M6 Cabriolet, um carro considerado um dos mais fantásticos da marca dos últimos anos.

Veja abaixo a galeria divulgada pela BMW para os 25 anos do M5 e comprove o quão belo seria o antigo M5 E34 conversível.

GALERIA

Girltalk over een BoyToy

Vrouwenversie:
Afgelopen week was het weer zo ver. Mijn auto moest APK gekeurd worden. Nou is dat racemonster van mij al een beetje bejaard aan het worden, dus is het iedere keer weer spannend of er iets aan ontdekt zal worden wat de ziektekosten zo hoog laat oplopen dat het niet meer rendabel is de auto te reanimeren.

Zo heeft Twingo afgelopen jaar nog een open hart operatie moeten ondergaan! :| Heel het motorblok heeft eruit gelegen. Het leek er zelfs op dat Twingo nooit meer uit zijn coma zou ontwaken en zijn enige ritje nog naar de autobegraafplaats zou zijn! Maar gelukkig werd dit keer geconstateerd dat Twingo weer een jong en gezond hart heeft en zo kwam het dat we met een gerust gevoel, maar wel met een nieuwe doktersafspraak voor de volgende jaarlijkse controle, op huis aangingen. Uiteraard niet voordat ik ‘m nog eens extra vertroeteld had met een wasbeurt en even flink onder handen heb genomen met een zachte poetsdoek. Ow wat voelde Twingo zich lekker! Hij kwispelde ervan!

Ook de binnenkant eens even lekker schoongemaakt. In de garage dragen ze namelijk geen handschoenen, wat vaak resulteert in vage zwarte vegen op het stuur en interieur (hoe durven ze!) In een garage van een duur automerk zijn ze wat voorzichtiger, denk ik. Speciaal daarom laat ik de APK-keuring in een BMW-garage verrichten. Soms krijgt Twingo daar alleen een beetje kapsones van, maar dat gaat na een paar dagen wel weer over.

Thuis in de straat heb ik ‘m het mooiste plekkie van de straat gegeven. Na een kusje op het stuur leek zelfs het eekhoorntje op de zijkant te knipogen… Na zulke goede zorgen ben ik er zeker van dat Twingo me de aankomende winter niet in de kou zal laten staan!

Mannenversie:
De Twingo van mijn vriendin moest APK gekeurd worden. Rond die tijd wordt ze (mijn vriendin dan) altijd een beetje onrustig. Heeft denk ik met vorig jaar te maken. Die Twingo van d’r had een lekke koppakking. Dan rijdt ie niet meer hè! Mijn oplossing was om vast naar een nieuwe auto te gaan kijken, maar ik geloof niet dat ze die oplossing erg op prijs stelde. ‘Een nieuwe auto is geen Twingo’, zei ze. Die snapte ik niet, dan kijk je toch naar een nieuwe Twingo? Zijn trouwens wel leuke bakkies voor die vrouwen vind ik. Gelukkig voor haar hebben ze dat bakkie weer helemaal opgelapt. Kan ze er weer mee over de weg stuiteren!

Maar goed, waar was ik. O ja ze was zenuwachtig. Hoeft ze niet te zijn ,want ze brengt haar auto naar een BMW garage. Daar heb je het beste van het beste spul natuurlijk! Dat ze nu ook per se naar een BMW garage wil heeft met mijn auto te maken. Alhoewel je een Twingo en een BMW natuurlijk nooit kunt vergelijken. Maar eerlijk is eerlijk, ze zijn daar wel goed.

Jammer alleen dat mijn vriendin de eerste dagen dan een beetje grootheidswaanzin heeft als ze in haar auto rijdt. Als ze parkeert draait ze in of ze in een 7-serie rijdt en als ze links rijdt op de snelweg moet iedereen voor haar opzij alsof ze de PK van een M5 onder d’r kont heeft zitten. Helaas gaat die Twingo een beetje loeien bij de 130 en trillen je handen bijna van het stuur, wat haar gelukkig snel weer met 4 wielen terug op aarde brengt.

Er was ook dit keer natuurlijk niks aan de hand met die Twingo. Datum neergezet voor volgend jaar en hoppa, weer op huis aan… dacht ik. Die Twingo moest eerst nog een was- en poetsbeurt vond mevrouw. Dat schroothoopje krijgt bijna nog meer aandacht dan ik! En dan zeggen ze dat mannen erg zijn met hun auto’s! Toen ze eenmaal klaar was hoorde ik haar zeggen: ‘kijk nou! Hij kwispelt!’. Ik zal maar niet zeggen dat ze tijdens het stofzuigen tegen het knopje van de achterruitenwisser heeft gestoten. Kwispelen… het is geen hond hoor!

Thuis aangekomen moest ze ‘m nog per se op mijn parkeerplaats parkeren ook. En voordat ze uitstapt nog even een aai en een kus op het stuur, typisch vrouwen he…
Nu maar hopen dattie nog wil starten straks met de vrieskou! Ach… ik laat haar maar gaan, hij ziet er best schattig uit die Twingo en voorlopig rijdt ie nog… maar het blijft natuurlijk wel een auto.

Kubica will be 'of the same calibre' as Alonso, argues Bell

Robert Kubica will be eminently capable of picking up the cudgels from double F1 World Champion Fernando Alonso when the Spaniard leaves Renault at season’s end, argues acting team principal Bob Bell

Double F1 World Champion Fernando Alonso ‘will be missed enormously’ at Renault, Bob Bell has admitted as the Spaniard’s last race with the French manufacturer approaches in Abu Dhabi this weekend – but the incoming Robert Kubica will prove to be ‘of the same calibre’ as the driver who has delivered the team the lion’s share of its success in recent years.

Alonso will depart Renault at the end of the campaign to switch camps to Ferrari following no fewer than two drivers’ titles, 17 grand prix victories, 16 pole positions and 41 podium finishes with the Enstone-based outfit, and the man from Oviedo will be replaced by current BMW-Sauber star and former Canadian Grand Prix-winner Robert Kubica.

Whilst Alonso’s absence will naturally be keenly felt, acting Renault F1 team principal and technical director Bell is confident that the Pole will be more than capable of taking up the mantle of de facto number one.

“He’s made a huge contribution to the team – especially winning two world championships in 2005 and 2006 – so he will be missed enormously,” confessed the Ulsterman. “It’s often said that he is the best driver on the grid and I wouldn’t disagree with that, so we’re understandably sad to see the end of our very successful relationship.

“We’re also looking forward, though, and we’re all delighted to be welcoming Robert Kubica to the team as I believe he will quickly show that he is of the same calibre as Fernando. He’s a strong team player, a great motivator and incredibly quick so we have plenty to look forward to as we enter a new era for the team.”

Before that happens, of course, Renault and Alonso have one final race together – the inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, to be held around the eagerly-anticipated, all-new, anti-clockwise Yas Marina street circuit – and following a disappointing outing at Interlagos, Bell admits that a strong result, and ideally a podium, will be keenly-sought as F1 gets set to enter the twilight zone.

“It was very frustrating to lose Fernando from the race through no fault of his own,” the 51-year-old mused of the opening lap Brazilian Grand Prix contretemps that claimed Alonso as its innocent victim, “although we have to be grateful that he didn’t have a bigger accident with the Force India. We also have to be grateful that we didn’t get incinerated on the pit wall as we felt the heat from the fireball in the pit-lane!

“Romain [Grosjean] simply didn’t have the pace in the early part of the race as he wasn’t happy with the grip of the car, which cost him a lot of ground. The weekend didn’t meet our expectations, especially as we lost our advantage over BMW and we now face an uphill struggle to beat them in the final race.

“I think all the teams enjoy visiting a new country, though, and a new track always has a modern infrastructure with so much space available for the mechanics and engineers. It remains to be seen how good the circuit will be in terms of the action it produces, but from what I’ve seen so far it seems the organisers have done an excellent job. As a team we enjoy the challenge of a new track, and we will be ready to exploit any advantage we can.

“It would be great to get Romain and Fernando through to Q3 in qualifying, so that we have some reasonable starting positions for the race. We want to be challenging for points and even the podium, which is a realistic target considering the performance level we have already demonstrated this season.”

Those sentiments are echoed by Renault F1 chief engineer Alan Permane – the man widely believed to have been the mystery ‘Witness X’ in the ‘Singapore-gate’ race-fixing scandal that very nearly led to the car maker being expelled from the top flight – who predicts a unique challenge when the circus takes to the track around the 5.55km, Hermann Tilke-designed track.

“We usually begin our preparations about two months ahead of the race,” he explained, “which is when we receive a detailed map showing the layout and characteristics of the circuit. This gives us an idea of the set-up we will need in terms of the downforce levels and the demands on the brakes and the engine. We then feed the circuit map into our computers to create a virtual circuit, where we can run simulations with a computer model of our car. This allows us to evaluate many different set-up options, which can be easily changed to help us work out a good base set-up.

“Once we have arrived at the circuit and run the car in free practice, we will send the real circuit data back to the factory, which can be used to run more accurate simulations. The logged data from Friday practice can also be used on our chassis dynamics rig to explore the ride characteristics of the circuit and can reveal improvements to the damping or perhaps to the spring rates. Any suggestions from the factory for improving the set-up of the car usually come through by the end of Friday, so that we can try them on Saturday morning ahead of qualifying.

“There are a couple of reasonably long straights, but it does look like it will be quite stop-start – a bit like the street circuit in Valencia. In terms of downforce, it will be on the higher side, although we won’t run maximum downforce settings because of the long straights where straight-line speed will be important. There are a lot of right-angled corners, but it’s difficult to predict the impact this will have on car set-up as it depends on the layout of the curbs. That’s one thing we will examine during our track walk.

“What we do know already is that the drivers will want a car that is biased towards traction, as the circuit doesn’t have high-speed changes of direction, which would require a stiffer car set-up. To aid good traction from the low-speed corners, we will aim to give the drivers a softer rear end. In terms of braking, our simulations have shown it to be similar to Valencia and Melbourne, so it’s by no means an easy circuit on the brakes, but it’s not as tough as Monza.

“I agree with Fernando that turns eleven, twelve and 13 will be interesting and certainly worth a lot of lap time. Drivers always enjoy the high-speed corners, but most of the gains can be found in these low-speed corners where you spend the most time. With this in mind, turns five, six and seven will also be a section of the lap where the car needs to work well so we can maximise the gains in lap time.”

 

Reference: crash.net

Now That's Thinking with Your Dipstick -- DIY Oil Change

Over the weekend I changed the oil in my ‘99 M3. It was actually pretty easy, since I didn’t have to go under the car at all. I used an fluid extractor that I picked up from Griot’s Garage. It siphons the oil out via the dipstick column.

I don’t have access to a lift, and when I first heard about the extractor I checked it out on the boards. Others had used it successfully, so I pulled the trigger. As far as the filter goes, BMW uncharacteristically made that easy if you can believe it. Instead of on the side or below the engine, the filter is right there front and center when you open the hood. So I bought a Mann filter, seven liters of Royal Purple 5×30 — BMWs are very thirsty — and tackled the job Sunday.

Saw a couple of neighbors looking and probably wondering what the??

Takes about 15 minutes to get all the oil out, but after a few pumps it keeps going on it’s own. The new filter looked different than the Mahle filter in there, hard exterior versus soft filter. But slid in easily after removing the canister top with a 13mm wrench. Car took a little over six and a half liters of oil.

I had a little drama when I started the car after I thought I was done — lost some oil out of the canister top. It was because I hadn’t seated the rubber O-ring properly, just removed and fixed easily.

Guess you can tell old vs. new

Will drop off the used oil at my local garage Hollin Hall Automotive, good guys. Next up is changing the manual transmission fluid, although I may wait until spring. Read online the extractor can be used for that too, must find more information…

Money Green 4-Door

I think everyone can pretty much agree that BMW should have made an E46 M3 sedan. But even though the M3 sedan variant never made it down the production line, people have been doing some great things with the standard E46 saloons. Everything about this car is totally on point – the color, brakes, HRE/DPE wheels, molded front lip, M3 mirrors and euro clears/smoked corners. It’s not hellaflush, but its done up so classy that it’s still fresh.

I think cars like this made BMW realize that an M3/4 was necessary for the E90.

7/11/2009

All the photographs are peeling
and colors turn to gray, he stayed
in his room with memories for days, he faced
an undertow of future’s laid to waste, embraced
by the loss of one he could not replace…

Spit it out Johny…the journey is here and the mood is around, should the weather co-operate we shall be doing half a thousand Km’s in a days joy!
I have in mind many different destinations and nothing beats a nice old traditional village on one of the most appealing Greek mountain landscapes!
So tripod is getting ready, photographic equipment as well, the bike is getting serviced (damn I wish there where self healing engines!) and we are preparing for what sounds as a lovely weekend!
It’s been a long time since I roamed around traditional villages with a motorcycle, and it was about time I did so!
First stop is Kammena Vourla for a lovely coffee and some Loukoumades (check Greek dictionary for meaning ), next we continue towards Damasta and Bralos (Greek magic #2), we continue for Pavliani and finish to Athanassios Diakos, enjoying the Greek country (and some Greek traditional food ).
After out lovely meal, (damn I feel nice…) we prepare for the return, a return which in my humble opinion (we don’t give a s**t about it) should be relaxing and calming (yeah! you know lamb chops need their time… ). We head towards Kaloskopi, and from there on to Amfiklia (maybe another nice stop for a quick coffee? ) on from Amfiklia we head towards Cheronia, after Cheronia we head for Kastro which is our last part of the “slow” Greek country and we reach the “new” National highway, onwards the journey is typical until we reach our home!
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Posventa y reducción de costes en los concesionarios

Cómo está el sector de España

El sector de los concesionarios de automóviles está viviendo uno de sus peores años. A la considerable caída en las matriculaciones, cercana al 40% en los últimos meses, se une la perspectiva de que las ventas no se recuperarán en el corto y medio plazo.
Aunque las ayudas del Gobierno puedan contribuir a una cierta mejora del sector a corto plazo, se ha de tener en cuenta que se está ante un problema estructural del sector que se tendrá que redefinir en los próximos años. Ante esta situación, la posventa y el cierre de centros son las claves para la viabilidad de los concesionarios.

Identificación del problema sectorial

Los principales problemas de las empresas del sector están siendo estructuras sobredimensionadas para el nivel actual de ventas, centros no rentables, stock excesivo, operativa en taller poco optimizada, falta de control en VO (vehículo de ocasión) y un mejorable sistema de control de gestión y tesorería.
La gravedad de la situación se puede apreciar en el gráfico, donde se analiza el número de concesionarios por cada una de las marcas líderes frente a la caída de ventas acumulada. Es obvio que el sector debe reestructurarse y concentrarse.
En este contexto, resulta muy importante la disminución de costes. Las medidas más adecuadas son la adecuación de la estructura al nivel de ventas, la reducción de personal y de stocks, el cierre de centros no rentables y el recorte de gastos generales. Con estas líneas de acción, nuestra experiencia práctica es que se pueden conseguir mejoras muy importantes.

Factores claves de éxito

Según nuestros estudios, más del 50% de la rentabilidad se obtiene de la posventa. Por ello, su volumen sobre la cifra de negocio es la mejor garantía para asegurar la viabilidad del concesionario. Esta área de negocio es aproximadamente entre tres y cuatro veces más rentable que la venta de de vehículo nuevo (VN). Además, aparecen muchas oportunidades de ventas en esta área, empleando el marketing directo, las promociones y la venta activa por parte del receptor de clientes de taller.
El área de venta de vehículos de ocasión es también una gran oportunidad. La eficiencia operativa, la mejora de compras y la focalización del producto optimizarán los márgenes radicalmente.
Por otra parte, uno de los mayores peligros para un concesionario es entrar en una guerra de precios, ya que, en vehículo nuevo, cada punto de descuento equivale a una necesidad de incremento de ventas del 11%.
Por todo ello, este va a ser un sector que se redefinirá en los próximos meses con menos empresas y más eficientes. Es muy recomendable que se acometan cuanto antes medidas de reestructuración, pues el tiempo juega en contra. En ese contexto, todo el sector -tanto marcas como concesionarios- tiene que reflexionar en profundidad sobre su relación, ya que la situación actual necesita de la colaboración de ambas partes.

Las mejores prácticas

Entre las mejores y más exitosas prácticas empresariales, desde la experiencia de Improven encontramos que las siguientes son las que mayor impacto tienen en la rentabilidad y la caja:

1. El taller será una de las claves para la supervivencia, gracias a su potencial de mejora y adecuadas perspectivas de futuro frente a las otras unidades de negocio, además del efecto sobre el área de recambios. Es fundamental la focalización en esta unidad de negocio.
2. La gestión de los clientes actuales y potenciales será una de las razones de peso en la elección del concesionario por parte del cliente en todas las unidades de negocio.
3. La venta o cierre de unidades de negocio o centros, actuaciones llevadas a cabo por más del 90% de las empresas que mejor están gestionando la crisis. Esta práctica ayuda a focalizarse en las actividades y centros que mayor valor añadido aportan al concesionario y que a menudo resultan más rentables, mientras abandona aquellas que lastran sus resultados y/o requieren más esfuerzos.
4. La eliminación de productos o sub-unidades de negocio no rentables, llevada a cabo por un 62% de las empresas del sector. En las épocas de bonanza
   de años anteriores se desarrollaron productos o servicios con malos ratios de venta y/o rentabilidad, además de un elevado coste de mantenimiento para dar “más servicio” o conseguir más cuota o presencia en el mercado. Eliminar estos servicios ayudará a toda la organización a focalizarse en los productos más rentables, incrementando su venta y nivel de servicio.
5. Racionalización de la sistemática de compras, llevada a cabo por un 70% de las empresas del sector que están superando la crisis. Se empezó por una racionalización de la política de compras de recambios que basaba la rentabilidad en un rappel por volumen de compras, así como la gestión del stock o de compras de vehículos de VN o de VO.
6. Por supuesto, la gestión de la caja es fundamental. Por ello, es clave disponer de un presupuesto de tesorería actualizable al día, un presupuesto anual en función de ventas y gastos previstos, y un plan de financiación y de contingencia ante desviaciones sobre el presupuesto.
7. La reducción de costes generales y de estructura será inevitable, ya que los concesionarios, al igual que todas las empresas deben equilibrar su nuevo nivel de ingresos con los gastos. Además la reducción de gastos generales es habitualmente una importante fuente de mejora de rentabilidad.
8. Es básico no “creer” que las bajadas de precios son la solución porque constituye una de las prácticas que menos ha ayudado a las empresas en crisis a superarla. La elevación del punto de equilibrio un 11% por cada punto de descuento aplicado en la venta de un VN es un claro ejemplo.

En resumen

• El sector de los concesionarios se redefinirá en los próximos meses con menos empresas y más eficientes. Por ello, es muy recomendable que se acometan cuanto antes medidas de reestructuración, pues el tiempo juega en contra.
• La potenciación de la posventa será una de las claves de la viabilidad en la mayoría de concesionarios.
• Todo el sector -tanto marca como concesionarios- tiene que reflexionar en profundidad sobre la relación entre las marcas y los concesionarios, dado que la situación actual necesita de la colaboración de ambas partes.

Vía | improven

2011 BMW M5 Rips Up Nurburgring

The 2011 BMW M5 is the ultimate driving machine every way you look at it! Sports car speed and handling with luxury and road manners that everyone can enjoy, the 2011 BMW M5 is the pinnacle of four door performance. Spied tearing up Nurburgring with twin turbo enjoyment, the 2011 BMW M5 proves itself to be a very capable vehicle.

Not much is known about the new vehicle yet, but we can be assured by the BMW logo it is automotive perfection. BMW prides itself on building high performance vehicles that can be driven safely by all drivers. With a twin turbo V8 turning out just under 600 horsepower, this spunky sedan is a nice blend of daily driver and performance monster that everyone can enjoy! Great job BMW, read more about the 2011 BMW M5 at Tampa Sports Car Examiner.

Christopher Columbus: Member of the Tribe?

Essentially, no.

But, if you want to take the word of one Bubbles S. Cohen and her Jewish Day School education, then yes. For the record, this day school was obviously lacking in something, because Bubbles (note: not her real name) never learned that Marcel Proust was Jewish (and a ghey, but that’s besides the point), a fact that I, incidentally, learned today from the New Yorker (proving the old adage that the New Yorker >> everything else ever in the world).

Exhibit A: a "schnoz" if you will (ugh, I will)

Let’s set the stage, shall we? Our story begins not in the court of Ferdinand and Isabella, but on the balmy shores of Punta Cana, where six intrepid travelers found themselves being assailed with offers of Ponzi schemes as well as lists of famous Jews (ones that obviously left off one Marcel Proust).  To our disbelief (oh, the disbelief!), Christopher Columbus was on that list. Not the Ponzi scheme one, the Jew list.

In the haze of six days of Mama Juana and food poisoning (the good old “FP”), we quickly forgot about this almost-definitely untrue factoid from the Jewish contingent of Team Dominican Republic. That is, until today, when we received this piece of troubling news out of the Latin American Herald Tribune (an obviously well-respected paper).

Evidently, some “scholar” from some bullshit school (really, who has ever heard of George Washington University? anyone?) proved that our favorite genocidaire of 1492 Chris was a Jew based on COMMA USAGE. She hides her methods through the use of “Spanish” and “linguistics,” but she is NOT fooling me. Not one bit.

GW "students" are inordinately fond of this stupid statue. Yes, it is a hippo.

After the jump: my rebuttal to this booshit booshit booshit.

Point A: Christopher Columbus used a lot of commas, also known as “virgule.”

rebuttal: do you know who else uses a lot of commas? Peggy Noonan. Not a Jew (thank Yahweh)

Point B: Christopher Columbus deliberately hid his origins. Thus, must be a Jew.

rebuttal: The Jews I know talk about it, a lot. They LOVE being Jewish. Everyone wants to be Jewish, including Tall, who has to remind us all the time that she’s half-Jewish or else we’d forget and Jappy, who tries so hard that she drives a BMW.

Point C: Christopher Columbus had a terrible sense of direction.

rebuttal: I’m Jewish, and I have a great sense of direction. I am an excellent navigator and driver. Chris? Not so much.

If I just sail West far enough, I'll get to India! Of COURSE!

Point D: Christopher Columbus committed genocide, before it was cool to do it.

rebuttal: I don’t even need to make this point. Why rub it in?

Thus (THUS), I’m not buying it. And neither should you.

No Jew I know would ever be caught dead in a hat that ugly unless it was Prada.