Showing posts with label BMW. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BMW. Show all posts

Sunday 21 August 2011

2012 BMW Z4 sDrive28i





For over a decade, only one premium automaker has offered a four-cylinder in the U.S. And while the recent rise of Audi in the States isn't solely because of its 2.0T engine, it's obvious that luxury buyers are finally coming around to the idea of a fuel-sipping four-pot. As a matter of fact, they're starting to demand it. And BMW is heeding the call.



Next year, BMW will begin offering its turbocharged and direct-injected 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine on the 3 Series and 5 Series, matching Audi car-for-car in the entry-level and mid-size segments. But before the sedans arrive on U.S. shores – nixing the naturally aspirated 3.0-liter inline-six in the process – BMW is slipping its TwinPower four-cylinder into an unlikely host: the 2012 Z4 sDrive28i.


Why unlikely? Just look at the length of that hood. It was designed from the onset to house one of BMW's venerable inline six-cylinder engines, but by lopping off two cylinders, BMW almost made a front-midship roadster.



2012 BMW Z4 sDrive28i 2.0-liter four-cylinder TwinPower engine



The mounting points used to fit the outgoing six-cylinder and the current turbocharged 3.0-liter are the same that hold this TwinPower turbo four in place. The byproduct is an impressive weight balance of 47.3/52.7 front-to-rear, an improvement – depending on your perspective – from the 47.9/52.1 of the six-cylinder model.



The new N20 four-cylinder is the first engine to benefit from BMW's recently revealed modular engine program, and it's the same mill we sampled earlier this year in the not-for-U.S.-consumption X1 xDrive28i. Power remains almost unchanged in the Z4, with 240 horsepower coming on between 5,000 and 6,500 RPM and 260 pound-feet of torque available from 1,250 and 4,800 revs. While the new N20 is down by 15 hp compared to the six, torque output is up some 40 lb-ft. And the extra juice is evident the moment you mash the throttle.



2012 BMW Z4 sDrive28i side profile view2012 BMW Z4 sDrive28i front view2012 BMW Z4 sDrive28i rear view



Fitted with the six-speed manual, BMW claims the Valvetronic-equipped four will hit 60 mph in 5.5 seconds, while the new eight-speed automatic gearbox does the deed in 5.6 seconds – a decrease of 0.1 and 0.4 seconds, respectively, over the six-cylinder. And as you'd expect, overall weight is down as well, with the new four-cylinder Z4 tipping the scales at 3,252 pounds, or about 33 pounds less than the outgoing sDrive28i.



Predictably, that minimal weight loss can't be felt from behind the wheel, but the extra grunt is front and center. There's a hint of turbo lag below 2,000 rpm when you're lining up for a pass, but as soon as the single, twin-scroll turbo starts huffing and puffing, the Z4 accelerates more authoritatively than the six. Driving the old and new models back-to-back, we also noticed slightly less dive and squat from the mildly reworked suspension (BMW isn't saying what's been done, aside from tweaking the springs and shocks for the new weight balance), but that's probably more a product of the box-fresh four-cylinder compared to the slightly abused previous generation tester.



2012 BMW Z4 sDrive28i interior2012 BMW Z4 sDrive28i tachometer2012 BMW Z4 sDrive28i steering wheel detail2012 BMW Z4 sDrive28i shifter



We also sampled both the manual 'box and new eight-speed automatic transmission, and while we're partial to choosing our own ratios through the slick stick, the auto's quick changes and steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters trade a modicum of engagement for a healthy dose of convenience. It's one of the few times we wouldn't fault buyers for choosing the slush box, and considering the average Z4 owner, we're sure it'll be the most popular transmission.



Naturally, you want numbers, but BMW is only giving one for now: $48,650 (plus $875 for destination). That's an increase of $1,200 over the outgoing model, but for 2012, Bluetooth and USB integration, along with trunk-through loading and an alarm system, all come standard, so the price bump is nearly a wash with the new equipment. As for the other figures you're after, well, BMW isn't giving up fuel economy estimates just yet. With the (surprisingly abrupt) start-stop system fitted to the Z4 sDrive28i, BMW claims that fuel efficiency is up by 20 percent over the six-cylinder in the EU test cycle, but that could go either up or down when the EPA estimates arrive later this year. Figuring the outgoing model managed 18/28 mpg city/highway, it's safe to assume the four-cylinder should ring in around 22 mpg in the city and 33 on the highway.



2012 BMW Z4 sDrive28i rear 3/4 view



More importantly, the character of the Z4 is completely unaffected by the new engine. The six's sonorous tones have been replaced with a hint of turbo whistle and a thrum from the exhaust, but the overall experience remains surprisingly unchanged. Grunt is up, fuel consumption is down and top-down cruising is just as good as it ever was. The replacement for displacement is here, and if it's executed this well, we'll gladly give up a liter or two for the privilege.

Sunday 7 August 2011

2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe



If you have read the breathless reviews and overwritten comparos, you would assume that the 2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe is infused with the second coming of Senna. And for BMW to unabashedly draw a line between the M Coupe and the most holy of holies, the 1986-92 E30 M3, smacks of PRified nostalgia stoking. Call me a contrarian, but I refuse to believe the hype.

So as soon as the orange Bimmer landed on my fleet schedule, any and all reading, writing and discussion about the littlest M ceased. I would drive it for a week, live with it as if it were my own and deliver a critical, blatantly unbiased review of Life in the Key of M.

Five minutes into my first drive, I immediately pulled into a turnout, sat there for a second, took a deep breathe and realized – dammit – everyone was right. Brilliance is back in a small package.

Yes, brilliance. Surprising considering the M Coupe is the prototypical parts-bin special. But then again, when your parts bin is made up of some of the best driver-oriented bits in the biz, brilliance isn't expected, it's demanded.

2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe side view2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe front view2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe rear view

So let's start with the core of any M-badged vehicle, the engine. It's the same twin-turbocharged N54 inline-six fitted to the Z4 sDrive35is and my current favorite non-M 3 Series, the 335is. Three liters of displacement and those duo of turbos put out 335 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 332 pound-feet of torque from 1,500 4,500 rpm through the car's only transmission option: a proper six-speed manual. Peg the throttle to the floor and, if the ECU favors the conditions, an overboost function allows the turbo six to deliver an additional 37 torques, bringing the total up to 369 lb-ft. BMW claims a 0-60 mph run of around 4.7 seconds, but I don't buy it. My ass might not be as highly calibrated as other hot-shoe scribes, but there's no doubt the M Coupe is a solid 4.5-second runner – and instrumented testing both here and abroad bears this out.

Forward momentum in any part of the rev range is immediate and addicting, devoid of lag unless the needle is on the far left side of the tach. And even then, that minute pause is instantaneously consumed by traction-testing torque, a subtle turbo whine and an exhaust note that's more guttural drone than screaming sex six. Then again, this isn't an "M" engine. It's a chip and a massage. But it simply doesn't matter.

2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe engine

What has been pulled from the BMW's motorsports arm are the bits that matter most: everything shoved into the wheel arches and connected to the driver.

The front track has been extended by 2.8 inches and fitted with double pivot struts, while the rear has grown 1.7 inches and equipped with the standard multilink suspension, both of which are comprised entirely of aluminum. The rolling stock is pulled directly from the M3 Competition Package, including 19x9-inch front wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 rubber sized 245/35R19 and 19x10-inch rear rollers with 265/35R19s.

That combination may say "stick" on paper, and it does... until you disengage the traction control. And trust me, you will.

With the system set to Normal, the Axis light on the dash flickers with the insistence of a Christmas tree with an electrical short, pulling power at the faintest hint of wheel spin. The accelerator, well-mannered in most environments, goes from tepid to tenacious with the flex of your foot. But if it's slightly numb in its standard setting, it's a different beast when engaging M Dynamic Mode. All the lil' steering wheel-mounted M button does is recalibrate throttle response, delivering a surge of rubber-ripping acceleration further down the pedal travel. Neither setting is particularly bad, but on-edge confidence suffers as a result.

2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe headlight2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe wheel2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe taillight2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe taillight

So when the time comes to dispatch all the electro-nannies, your right foot and two hands had better be ready to respond. Quickly. The amount of traction afforded by those massive meats is almost in direct opposition to the 104.7-inch wheelbase. So the M Coupe goes from grip to gone in an instant. No, this isn't the predictable breakaway we've experienced in the larger, more portly M3 (or any other M, for that matter). That's due to a number of variables, but chief among them is the 1's nearly square dimensions.

But when you hit it right, with the exact amount of power, the right amount of bank and the precise amount of steering, the 1 does what every proper M car should do: hangs out its tail until instructed otherwise.

Much of that sure-footed ease comes at the expense of overall ride quality when ambling about town, but it's nowhere near unbearable, and at speed, and for the 1M's intended audience (Hi Mom!) it's no-nonsense perfect. That same perfection winds its way up through the leather-wrapped wheel thanks to the M3-sourced speed-sensitive steering rack. That ever-so-slight sense of vagueness in the standard 1 Series is gone for good – and it was damned good to begin with. The clutch, while overly springy, has a perfectly defined friction point and the six-speed manual gearbox never ceased to impress and reassure each and every time we grabbed a gear.

2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe interior2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe front seats2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe speedometer2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe shifter

The brakes are another matter, but only because of their track-focused brutality. Cross-drilled and sized 14.2-inches in front and 13.8-inches out back, they never faded, never shuddered and never faltered. They also make smooth heel-and-toeing a near impossibility. Just breathing on the middle pedal sheds off velocity in an instant, but when attempting that life-affirming throttle blip, my right calf was stretched to its breaking point. This could just be a product of journo-inflicted wear or a brand new set of pads, but it was enough to stymie an otherwise faultless backroad run.

Other faults? Without getting into fuel economy numbers (estimate: 19/26 mpg, observed: 17.8), the transition from HD to ST on the radio would double-up the audio, and while the Alcantara on the dash trim and shift boot is a nice touch, if you're going to go full-M, why not coat the steering wheel and shift lever – the two most important touch points – with the same delectable material? Yes, it's a dealer option on the base 1 Series, but for $47k and change, you'd assume it would be standard on the 1M.

2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe rear 3/4 view

But these are infantile nits to pick when looking at the M Coupe as a whole. This is a pure driver's machine through-and-through – a true M, or at least the closest we'll get in the 21st century.

Which brings up a larger point. As enthusiasts, we have to come to grips with the fact that no modern automaker can match the involvement and tactility of a vehicle designed before massive feature creep and ever-expanding safety regulations. That time has passed. And while this isn't the E30 M3 successor we might've hoped for, in many ways, it's better. The 1M is more livable, more powerful and surely more reliable. It sticks harder and goes faster, and BMW did its best to remove the buzz-killing insularity that plagues most modern vehicles. The 1M delivers what M-heads value most: driving delight über alles. And it's one of the only times in years that anything with four wheels has lived up to the hype.

Friday 6 May 2011

BMW Z4 GT3 undergoes first round of customer tests

http://www.sportscarsfans.com/images/script/image.php?id=9C86_4DC3D20F

The 2011 BMW Z4 GT3 proved it can win races back in January when it took the overall victory at the Dubai 24 Hours. Never one to rest on its laurels, BMW took the car from the winners circle in Dubai and put it right back on a test track. After a good beating throughout March, BMW made aerodynamic and electronic tweaks to get the racer into absolute state-of-the-art shape for customer entries in 2011 GT3 competition.

The BMW Z4 GT3 resembles its production cousin in name and basic shape only. Most of its body panels have been significantly altered to keep the car slipping through the air and bolted to the road.

Under the hood, the production Z’s six-cylinder heart has been ripped out and replaced with the same 4.4-liter V8 that sees duty in the M3. The V8 feeds power to the ground through a six-speed paddle-shifted sequential manual. Stuffing all that engineering know-how into the Z4 GT3 isn’t cheap, either; the car retails at just north of $450,000.

[Source: BMW]

PRESS RELEASE:

Modified BMW Z4 GT3 Completes Successful Test Programme

Munich, 8th April 2011. The modified BMW Z4 GT3 has survived its baptism of fire: the GT customer sports car proved itself in a series of intensive tests in recent weeks. The goal of the latest modifications was primarily to improve aerodynamic efficiency in order to ensure the car’s competitiveness in the many, hard-fought GT3 classes.

The BMW Z4 GT3, which was launched in March 2010, achieved its greatest success to date in January 2011. Claudia Hürtgen (DE), BMW works driver Augusto Farfus (BR), Tommy Milner (US) and Edward Sandström (SE) won the Dubai 24 Hours for Team Schubert. This was the first outright victory for the BMW Z4 GT3 at a marathon race of this scale, having already proven its potential with wins in its debut season in the FIA GT3 European Championship.

With its elongated bonnet, the driver’s compartment towards the rear of the car, long wheel base and narrow wheel arches, the series version of the BMW Z4 boasts an unmistakable appearance. The two-seater provided BMW Motorsport engineers with a good basis for developing a competitive GT3 racing car.

A difference between the production and racing car can be found under the bonnet: while the production version of the BMW Z4 is driven by a six-cylinder engine, the GT3 car is powered by a 4.4-litre eight-cylinder engine.

BMW Motorsport engineers have also fine-tuned the aerodynamics of the BMW Z4 GT3 for the new season, improving the car’s performance in this area. When it comes to electronics, the private teams can look forward to innovative BMW solutions: The modern ECU408 takes over the engine management, while the Power400 electronic control unit is responsible for controlling all the actuators. The power is transmitted through a six-speed, sequential gearbox. Gearshifts are now initiated using two paddles.

The steel body of the car comes from BMW Plant Regensburg. A safety cell made of extremely rigid, precision steel tubing is then welded into the body. The engine block of the V8 engine is produced in the BMW foundry in Landshut. BMW Plant Dingolfing contributes the rear axle differential, among other things. Front and rear wings, bonnet, roof, fenders and many other components are made of carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP).

The car is available now at a price of 315,000 Euros (plus VAT) from BMW Motorsport Distribution, email address Z4GT3@bmw-motorsport.com.

Wednesday 30 March 2011

BMW announces three two-car teams for 2012 DTM series

http://www.sportscarsfans.com/images/script/image.php?id=D042_4D93750A

Touring car racing fans are eagerly anticipating the return of BMW to the DTM series. The Bavarian automaker last competed in DTM (or its progenitors, anyway) a whopping 18 years ago, but late last year announced it would return to the German touring car series in 2012. Now it has revealed the means to that end.

Rather than field its own entries, BMW will be supplying the vehicles and factory support for three independent teams: BMW Team RBM, BMW Team Schnitzer and Reinhold Motorsport GmbH. Both RBM and Schnitzer have a longstanding relationship with BMW Motorsport, while Reinhold is a completely new outfit. Each of the teams will be fielding two of the new M3 DTMs that are currently under development.

The move to DTM comes on the back of some big shakeups in BMW’s racing program. Although it pulled out of Formula One two years ago, and eliminated its works World Touring Car Championship effort at the end of last year, it has recently pitched the Mini division into the WRC with Prodrive and launched the DTM program to pick up where it left off in the WTCC.

[Source: BMW Motorsport]

PRESS RELEASE:

BMW Motorsport presents the teams for its DTM project.

BMW Motorsport heralds a new era on its way entering the DTM. Development of the car has been running at full speed in Munich for some months now, as has the central preparation for the logistics and assembly of the race cars. Three teams, each lining up with two BMW M3 DTM cars, will be responsible for the races themselves.

BMW Motorsport has enjoyed great success in production car racing in the past with both BMW Team RBM and BMW Team Schnitzer, and all those involved are hungry for more of the same. In Reinhold Motorsport GmbH they are joined by a new team still in its fledgling stage, but which boasts individual members with a vast wealth of motorsport experience.

Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director, says: “In recent months we have worked very intensely on the DTM project. The agreement with the teams was of paramount importance. We were pleased with the high level of interest and numerous applications and presentations received from a number of professional teams. The concepts presented by BMW Team RBM, BMW Team Schnitzer and Reinhold Motorsport GmbH ultimately convinced us. This is an excellent team line-up for BMW. For us, it is important that all three teams have absolute equal rights. We are looking forward to cooperating over the coming years – and hope to enjoy great success together.”

Bart Mampaey, Team Manager of BMW Team RBM, says: “The DTM is one of the toughest and the most popular racing series in the world for production cars. From a sporting point of view this poses a great challenge – but an appetizing one. We are honoured to be able to continue our successful cooperation with BMW Motorsport, which has yielded many WTCC titles, in the DTM. We still have a lot of work ahead of us over the coming months, and are now looking forward to getting to grips with the project.”

Stefan Reinhold, founder of Reinhold Motorsport GmbH, says: “In April last year, BMW announced its intention to compete in the DTM. From this day on, we have always wanted to be a part of this project. Shortly after the announcement, we presented our concept to BMW in Munich, and started to work on meeting the prerequisites for any potential cooperation. We are very proud to have been given the nod. To be part of the BMW Motorsport family with immediate effect and to strive for DTM success together is simply fantastic. We can hardly wait to get started and to vindicate the huge amount of trust BMW has placed in us.”

Charly Lamm, Team Manager of BMW Team Schnitzer, adds: “We are really looking forward to tackling the DTM project together with BMW. Schnitzer Motorsport has enjoyed a successful past in the DTM and achieved many victories together with BMW. However, past success is no guarantee that we will also be victorious in the future. The bar is set really high in DTM, and our preparations will be intensive to meet this challenge. Every team is highly motivated and the anticipation is mounting every day as we get closer to the start of the 2012 DTM season.”

BMW Team Schnitzer will run two BMW M3 GT cars for BMW Motorsport at the major endurance races in Europe and Asia. BMW Team RBM is involved in BMW customer racing projects, including the development of the BMW 320 TC and the further development of the BMW Z4 GT3.

Mario Theissen says: “While the preparation for this year’s involvement on the endurance racing circuit with the BMW M3 GT is in its final phase, the DTM project has picked up pace over the past few months. In naming the teams, we have taken the next step. As well as developing the car, it is now a matter of assigning tasks and establishing structures and processes. The cooperation between BMW Motorsport and the teams, as well as that between the team bases and the race track, must be well established. Only then will we make a statement regarding the driving line-up.”

BMW Team RBM in profile.

In 2012, BMW Team RBM will compete in the DTM with three world championship titles to its name. Under the leadership of Team Manager Bart Mampaey, the team from Mechelen, Belgium, not only won the 2004 European Touring Car Championship with Andy Priaulx at the wheel, but also proved to be the team to beat in the World Championship…
BMW Team RBM in profile.

In 2005, 2006 and 2007 the celebrations after the final WTCC race in Macau all took place in front of the RBM garage. Bart Mampaey is now looking forward to the DTM. “Competing in the DTM will be a big challenge for our team,” he says. “We are delighted that BMW is putting its faith in us again. We will use the time leading up to the first race to prepare as well as possible. The whole team is extremely motivated and hungry to get on with the development work. It is fantastic to be on board right from the start when a manufacturer like BMW launches this kind of project. We have a lot of hard work ahead of us, as the standards in the DTM are extremely high.”

Efficiency is an important factor in daily work for BMW Team RBM. Mampaey is constantly striving to use time and resources efficiently, in order to extract the full potential of the car. The team profits from the infrastructure of the BMW dealership, which the Mampaey family manages under the name JUMA. Synergies and allows RBM to concentrate on the basics: the performance on the race track.

JUMA stands for Julian Mampaey. Today’s RBM boss inherited his love of motor sport from his father. The JUMA team made a name for itself in the 1970s and 1980s, claiming three overall victories for BMW at the Spa-Francorchamps 24-hour race. Nine years after the final JUMA race, Bart Mampaey stepped into his father’s footsteps in 1995. At first, RBM was responsible for the cars in the BMW Compact Cup in Belgium. Soon after that, the Mampaey family celebrated a successful comeback at Spa: the Group N one-two in the 1997 24-hour race was followed by overall victory with the BMW 318i one year later. This was also the last overall victory for BMW to date at the “Ardennes Rollercoaster”.

RBM sent a BMW 320i to the European Touring Car Championship for BMW Belgium for the first time in 2002. One year later the team appeared for the first time in the colours of BMW Great Britain, and Priaulx was signed up to drive. After a year gaining experience in 2003, RBM caused a sensation in 2004 when Priaulx claimed the ETCC title in Dubai. Three World Championship titles show categorically that this victory was not a flash in the pan for Mampaey and his crew.

“A change of scenery will do us good, particularly when we have the prospect of lining up in a successful series like the DTM,” Mampaey says. “Having won three World Championship titles, everyone in the team is looking forward to seeing how we fair against the other teams in the DTM.”

Back to the future.

Back to the future: this could be the motto of BMW Team Schnitzer for the 2012 DTM season. Charly Lamm’s team sported BMW colours in this series back in the 1980s and 1990s – and with great success. A Schnitzer driver crossed the finish line in first place in a BMW M3 on 17 occasions, and the team also claimed eight pole positions and set 18 fastest laps.

BMW Team Schnitzer’s greatest success in the DTM came in its very first season, when Roberto Ravaglia won the 1989 drivers’ title for the team from Freilassing. BMW Team Schnitzer will make its DTM comeback in 2012, almost 20 years after its last victory in Hockenheim on 11th October 1992.

“We lined up with the BMW M3 in the DTM for the first time in 1989, and were able to win the title with Roberto Ravaglia at the first attempt,” Lamm recalls. “The four seasons up to 1992 were a great time, with spectacular and thrilling races, which will always have a special place in the history of Schnitzer. Even back then, the DTM was extremely popular in Germany. It is now almost 20 years since our last DTM race. We are well aware that the series has changed dramatically. The level of competition is extremely high and the series has a far more international flavour to it. As a result, rookies like us face a huge challenge. However, we will approach the task in hand with great verve.”

During the break from the DTM, the Schnitzer team continued to line up for BMW, adding many new chapters to the brand’s motorsport success story. In 1999 it claimed overall victory at the legendary Le Mans 24 Hours (FR) with the BMW V12 LMR prototype. In 2001, BMW Team Schnitzer won the drivers’, team and manufacturers’ titles in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) with the BMW M3 GTR.

The team also has a very special relationship with the legendary 24-hour race at the Nürburgring-Nordschleife (DE). BMW Team Schnitzer finished as overall winner in the “Green Hell” in 1989, 1990, 2004, 2005 and 2010, making it one of the most successful teams in the history of this classic race. Schnitzer also enjoyed success after success in the European Touring Car Championship between 2002 and 2004, as well as the World Touring Car Championship between 2005 and 2009. The team’s drivers crossed the finish line as winners on 45 occasions in the European and World Championships.

In the last 50 years, Schnitzer has won 16 championships with BMW – including the 1987 World Touring Car Championship, three European Touring Car Championships, and championships in Germany, England, Italy, Japan and South East Asia.

Lamm adds: “We will attempt to readapt to the DTM as quickly as possible. We have great respect for the current manufacturers and teams in the DTM. They have set the bar very high. From now on we will be working on equalling, or even surpassing, the standards they have set as soon as possible.”

“Our greatest asset is definitely the people in our team”.

Stefan Reinhold’s team, which will line up at BMW’s DTM comeback in 2012, may be a newcomer to the series – but its members are by no means lacking experience. The team’s great strengths are its individual know-how and the precise way in which it uses each member’s skills.

“The crew comes from all areas of professional motor racing,” Reinhold explains. “From GT racing and the World Rally Championship, as well as DTM and Formula One. Almost all the team members have experience gained in several fields of motorsport. They are used to working at the highest level. Clear communication and the optimal use of experience and resources, as well as uncompromising commitment, are fundamental attributes of the team. Our greatest asset is definitely the people in our team.”

The team structure started with a blank sheet of paper. Reinhold took the time to analyse the individual strengths of his crew and used this as a basis to assemble his team step by step. By the start of 2012, 25 engineers and technicians will be involved in the DTM project.

Reinhold himself has Formula One and GT racing experience to his name and has been toying with the idea of launching his own racing team for a long time. When BMW announced its return to DTM this idea took shape and work began on the conception. “In late summer 2010 we started with the concrete planning and then applied to BMW with our concept in the autumn,” Reinhold recalls. “The fact that we won BMW Motorsport over with our concept is the perfect reward for the hard work we put in during this phase.”

The team has moved into headquarters in Niederzissen. The proximity to the Nürburgring is not the only reason for motor racing being omnipresent on the team’s premises, as its former tenant was also a prominent name in motorsport: the Zakspeed team previously operated from this site and has now rented the facilities out to Reinhold.

Over the coming months, Reinhold and his team will work at full speed on the team structure in order to be ready for the first test drive with the BMW M3 DTM. “Everything from the washers to the semi-trailer will be new in our team,” says Reinhold. “However, I do not by any means see this as a disadvantage. We are very keen to take on the established DTM teams and, along with our partner BMW, to be competitive as soon as possible.

Wednesday 12 January 2011

Detroit 2011: 2012 BMW 1 Series M Coupe revs its beating heart



BMW's latest introduction to the U.S. market bowed today at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show, and it's a machine that's meant to light the true enthusiast's heart aflutter: the 2012 1 Series M Coupe. We must say, it looks rather striking in the metallic orange hue you see in our live photo gallery below.

Even more importantly, the 340 horsepower put out by its 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six engine is said to "capture the soul of the original M3." Or so they say... BMW claims this new sportster was inspired by the 1988 M3, and the German automaker's intention is reportedly to "illustrate its ability to build race car performance into a small car, capable of everyday use."

Expect to see the new 1 Series M Coupe hit dealership lots in the spring of 2011 for $47,010, in limited quantities according to BMW.

Tuesday 11 January 2011

Detroit 2011: 2012 BMW 650i Convertible goes topless in the Motor City



In addition to the scorched orange 1 Series M Coupe at the BMW booth in Detroit was the new 2012 BMW 650i Convertible. Under the sharply creased (and rather long) hood lies a 400-horsepower, twin-turbocharged, direct injected V8 that manages to shove out 450 pound-feet of torque between 1,750 and 4,500 rpm. All that grunt will be sent to the rear wheels through either a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission.

BMW claims the new 6 Series Convertible can drop its flying-buttress-equipped fabric top in exactly 19 seconds an there's also a 10.2-inch screen to control the standard iDrive technology package. Not bad, but such niceties are to be expected when you are asked to pay a wallet-busting $91,375 for the privilege of owning one, which you'll be able to do sometime in the spring of 2011.

Saturday 9 October 2010

Paris 2010: BMW Concept 6 Series Coupé looks low, flat and mean

2011 BMW 6 Series Coupe Concept

BMW's press conference at the Paris Motor Show won't take place until later today, but the boys from Bavaria left their Concept 6 Series Coupé hanging around on the display's massive curved plinth.

While we couldn't finagle our way inside to take a gander at the interior (at least not yet), the crisply styled GT clearly foreshadows the nearly-here 6 Series production model. The attractive and surprisingly large coupe borrows bits from Beijing's Grand Coupe concept as well as the new 5 Series, particularly in the nose.

When it arrives next year, the serial 6'er will likely be powered by BMW's range of turbocharged and naturally aspirated six-cylinder engines, with eight-cylinder motivation reserved for the next M6.

Friday 8 October 2010

Paris 2010: BMW X3 is new yet familiar

2011 BMW X3

BMW has whisked the sheets off its 2011 X3, and the second-generation crossover looks suspiciously like its predecessor. Beyond a seemingly endless parade of spy shots over the last couple of years, that's predictable, as the X3 has been a considerable sales success for the German automaker.

While the sheetmetal stays largely the same, the lineup receives new engines and an eight-speed automatic gearbox that's set to spread like kudzu throughout the automaker's offerings. The X3 also becomes the first model in BMW's growing X franchise to adopt electric power steering (the automaker's controversial variable sports steering rack is optional), as well as optional Damper Control and Dynamic Drive Control (as seen on its range of sedans and sports cars).

In addition to the new sheetmetal, BMW promises added rear seat room, addressing one of the vehicle's key shortcomings for the North American market.

Power will come from BMW's Twinpower Turbo (Bimmerese for twin-scroll turbo) inline six-cylinder engine that gives the XDrive35i model 306 brake horsepower at 5,800 rpm with max torque of 295 pound-feet of torque at just 1,300 rpm. That's good enough for a 0-62 mph time of just 5.7 seconds and a top speed of 152 mph, though it's not clear if that figure will be governed when it reaches us Yanks. An entry-level xDrive28i model will also receive I-6 power, with 240 hp and 230 pound-feet of torque. Naturally, diesel mills will also be available in other areas of the globe, but as of yet, BMW officials haven't committed to bringing an oil burner to the States. The gas model, however, should be in showrooms before year's end, and for U.S. buyers, it'll have a shorter distance to travel, as it will be built in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Sunday 27 September 2009

BMW Lovos concept

BMW Lovos concept

It must be fun to be a car designer. Unless, of course, your name becomes synonymous with a specific styling trend that very few seem to appreciate... but we digress. It definitely seems that 24-year-old Pforzheim University graduate Anne Forschner had a good time coming up with her BMW Lovos concept, which can alternatively look either like a frightened porcupine or svelte salmon, depending on its needs at the time.

The exterior of the Lovos – which somewhat ironically stands for Lifestyle of Voluntary Simplicity – is theoretically constructed from just one fully exchangeable part that recurs 260 times. Each exterior piece is covered in solar photovoltaic cells and can hinge on a substructure underneath to follow the sun or act as individual airbrakes. We can only assume the concept would be powered by electricity, as it makes our hairs stand up on end.

[Source: cardesign.ru]

Tuesday 22 September 2009

First Drive: BMW 535i Gran Turismo

BMW 535i Gran Turismo

Evolution is a tough thing to watch – and not merely because it takes millions of years. While the developmental pace of the automobile has proven to be rather quicker than the natural world surrounding it, the car industry's recent house-on-fire rush into new niches and sub-genres has often been similarly challenging to make sense of. Like those primordial fish that beach themselves, drag their bellies on the sand with their fins and eventually mutate into, say, Adriana Lima, you just have to know that the industry's recent diversification efforts will eventually yield a timeless beauty or two. But thus far, you could be forgiven for thinking that the process will take a few hundred millennia – especially where it concerns the industry's nascent call-me-anything-but-a-station-wagon movement.

While the burgeoning four-door coupe segment has already yielded some supermodels, the kinlugger set has yet to work out the same way. This, despite seemingly every automaker downing the midnight Red Bull in an effort to hit upon a package that bundles the functional attributes of a family hauler without their social stigma. Some companies are disguising their efforts as SUVs (traditional square-rigged crossovers); a few have waded in with quasi-minivans, while others are staking their claim to the muddy hatchback middle ground. Enter the latest automotive platypus, BMW's 5 Series Gran Turismo, a distinctive new five-door that aims to meld the practical utility of a CUV and a station wagon without the either genre's dynamic and civil penalties.

First things first. There's no point in dodging the obvious: Aesthetics will be the primary topic of discussion whenever the 5 Series Gran Turismo comes in for scrutiny. And with good reason – we haven't seen anything quite like it before. Up front, the 5GT's enlarged kidney grilles cant forward ever so slightly, creating an aggressive look reinforced by twin corona headlamps and muscular front fenders. The grille's rake isn't as deliberate or convincing as, say, an E28 5 Series, but it does lend the face a degree of menace without running afoul of European pedestrian safety standards. Follow the headlamps along their main character line, and you'll run across a traditional high-waisted beltline. But it isn't really until the rear end that the shock sets in – the 5GT's jarring, fastback-like greenhouse that terminates in a novel (if controversial) dual-hinged liftback arrangement.



While we wouldn't use the word "elegant" to describe this vehicle's styling (as our BMW hosts often did), it certainly possesses a shape for which the old classified ad chestnut "Must see to appreciate" was surely created. Simply put, while far from a traditional beauty, the 5GT's proportions acquit themselves significantly better in the metal than they do in print or on screen. Natural light plays with the body's details in more flattering ways, and on the road, its scale can be more readily appreciated.

The 5GT's polarizing visuals will be its biggest hurdle to consumer acceptance.
More than most, the 5GT is a motion-sensitive design, looking quite a bit better on the move than it does when static. And although it isn't likely to be confused with something from, say, an Italian design house, we must say it looked very much at home parked in front of the beautiful vistas and posh hotspots of Lisbon, Portugal, where we sampled it last week. Still, it's clear that the 5GT's polarizing visuals will undoubtedly be its biggest hurdle to consumer acceptance.

As you might reasonably surmise, the real beauty here is on the inside. Light and airy thanks to a standard-fit panoramic sunroof, the 5GT's cabin manages to eschew the inky Teutonic sobriety that most modern Bimmers succumb to, particularly when lighter material colors are selected. Like other BMWs, the dashboard is a study in horizontal layers that emphasize the interior's width, and the 5GT has genuinely inspired door panels whose undulating lines flow uninterrupted between the front and rear passenger compartments. In particular, the rear cards take an unusual and visually compelling form, with the door handles riding the crest of a wave that wraps around behind the second row.



As with the door panels that surrounds them, the rear seats are actually the most comfortable perches in the whole place. 5GT models come standard with a 40/20/40 split seat with a nice fold-down console. However, that narrow center section is unlikely to prove useful for actual occupants, so we would recommend splurging on the optional fixed armrest/console, which adds electric articulation and more luxurious buckets (either setup has 3.9 inches of fore-aft travel and 15 to 33 degree adjustable rake), individual climate control for each occupant, sunshades and a genuine limousine-like environment – especially when fitted with optional creature comforts like the dual-screen DVD. With the legroom of a 7 Series and the headroom of an X5, it's a much nicer place to spend time than in the current 5 Series Touring. And while we don't normally tend to think of pent-roof five-door hatchbacks as "Gran Tourer" material, a stint in the second row of this Bimmer readily communicates why the moniker has been appropriated.

Of course, the front seats aren't so bad, either, and BMW has resisted fitting a too-thick steering wheel here as it has to some of its other vehicles. Observed fit-and-finish was first rate, and it's surprising to find such features as auto soft-close doors and power headrests as standard equipment. All major controls are within easy reach, with many being accessed through the latest generation of iDrive, which is much improved but still a bit complex for our tastes.



The 5GT's pièce de résistance is the aforementioned twin-hinged liftback. The hatch can open wide at its roof-mounted hinge to accept bulky items, or a smaller secondary aperture below the glass can be opened giving the car sedan-like versatility. Why is this a big deal? Well, aside from being a party trick to awe the neighbors, if you select the smaller opening, you can load what is effectively a completely sealed trunk, ensuring that wayward drafts – be they frigid or acrid – won't invade the passenger compartment. Further, with a sturdy parcel shelf (which can be stowed below the flat load floor) and a partition between the passenger compartment and the cargo hold, the system pays aural dividends as well. Despite using frameless doors, the 5GT is impressively isolated from the sorts of road noises typically fomented by boomy open cargo areas.

At first, the hatch arrangement struck us as a bit gimmicky, but in practice, its advantages become clearer. One thing that doesn't come clearer, however, is the view out back. Presumably, the double-joined mechanicals eat into space that might otherwise have manifested itself as a larger glass area, because what's left is a mail slot of a rear window. Oddly, BMW has declined to use shingle-style headrests that would have made the best of the available sightlines. As it is, plan on becoming BFF with the excellent backup camera.



For a marque that has prided itself on being the Ultimate Driving Machine, it's perhaps a bit ironic that the best seat in the 5GT's haus is in the back. But if you were expecting us to say that BMW's latest is a disappointing driver – or that it rides and handles like a 5 Series Touring with three-inch lifts on – dock yourself a few points, because it's better than all that.

For one, this segment-splitter isn't really analogous to the E60/E61 5 Series at all – it's actually built on the modular chassis that will underpin the next generation 5- and 6- Series. As such, its closest relative is the new standard-length 7 Series sedan, a model with which it shares its 120.7-inch wheelbase (the current 5 Series Touring's is considerably shorter at 113.6-inches) and front- and rear tracks. The wheels are nearer to the corners than in Bimmer's big-dollar sedan, however, as the overall length is trimmer by about three inches, and the roofline is taller by just over the same amount.

That generous footprint pays dividends not just in a munificent interior, but also in polished, big car comportment. While Bavarian Motors of yore suffered stiff-legged rides because of their run-flat tires' reinforced sidewalls, we experienced no such issues on Portugal's admittedly first-rate roadways. Further R&D by rubber companies has clearly helped to minimize ride penalties associated with the technology, and both the 245/50 18-inch tires and 245/45 front, 275/40 rear 19-inch tire packages we sampled struck a reasonable balance between comfort and handling.



With its so-called "semi-command" seating (the hip point is two inches higher than the current 5 Series but a full four inches lower than the X5), you might expect the 5GT to feel a wee bit tipsy, but it's nothing of the sort. Yes, there's no denying the physics behind 4,500+ pounds if you really overcook it going into a corner, but this rear-driver responds gamely to inputs, with the right amount of compliance from the double-wishbone front and rear multilink suspension setup and decisive, well-timed gearchanges from its ZF eight-speed automatic to aid driver confidence upon entrance and exit.

BMW came up with a far more complete product than we thought, but how will it successfully market this thing?
While we were a bit surprised at the absence of paddle shifters on the vehicles we sampled, with the octocog transmission's broad selection of ratios at the ready and plenty of torque from both the inline-six in the 535i and 530i diesel (we couldn't resist sampling this not-for-U.S. treat) we didn't miss them – and besides, there's a tap-shift feature on the gearlever. No manual gearbox is offered, and even if the 5GT gets an M variant, we wouldn't bet on finding one inside.

Despite the car's long wheelbase and substantial curb weight, the 5GT still proved itself to be an engaging steer on the undulating coastal roads around Lisbon. Speaking of – if you prefer a quicker helm, BMW offers an optional Integral Active Steering system that varies the rack's ratio and provides a bit of rear-wheel steering. However, we're not sure we see the need. While IAS may help shave a second or so off your lap time at the Nürburgring, it seems rather beside the point with a practically minded vehicle like the 5GT. Further, the standard hydraulic system offers superior feedback and more predictable turn-in with the added benefit of lower cost and complexity.



Similarly, although the 4.4-liter V8-powered 550i model wasn't available for sampling at the launch event (it's the only engine that will be available Stateside when the model launches in December), we can't see why we wouldn't save some ducats and go with less expensive 3.0-liter twin-scroll turbo inline-six of the 535i, as it's substantially lighter, offers plenty of power, and promises to be more economical to purchase and operate. With 304 horsepower (@ 5,800 rpm) and 295 pound-feet of torque available from just 1,200 rpm, it's also no slouch. Sixty mph arrives in an estimated 6.3 seconds and the party doesn't stop until 155 mph. Unfortunately, you'll have to hold out until next spring if you want the new direct-injected, Valvetronic-equipped six, but at least if you're willing to wait that long, you'll also probably be able to select xDrive for enhanced all-season grip.

Regardless of engine choice, all U.S.-bound 5GTs will feature Dynamic Drive Control, a rocker switch that gives the driver the ability to electronically gird the car's various systems for performance driving. DDC alters everything from throttle response to gearbox shift points, stability control thresholds and steering assistance. Those settings come in the form of Normal, Sport, and Sport + – we'd recommend the middle setting even for daily driving duties, as it isn't too firm.



Having spent some quality time both driving and reflecting upon what BMW has created here, we're convinced that Munich has come up with a far more complete product than we might have reasonably thought. It drives very well and it offers a number of unique functional attributes that we can see being of real value for some customers. What we're still foggy on, however, is how BMW will successfully market this thing. With its modest ground clearance, it isn't a crossover, and it isn't really a minivan/people mover either. It's just different enough that it has no natural competitors – especially in America, which isn't slated to get vehicles like Audi's A5 Sportback. Premium rear-drive hatches like the Porsche Panamera and Mercedes-Benz's slow-selling R-Class are just too far afield to be considered rivals, and even though pricing has yet to be revealed (we're guessing the generously equipped 535i will start in the mid-$ixties somewhere), it figures to be costlier than, say, an Audi A6 Avant.

To be fair, being a party-of-one can be an enviable position from which to operate, but it can also place one outside popular consideration. Whether BMW's marketing crew can convince American consumers that a tallish 5 Series with a prehensile tail is the next evolution of the premium family car remains to be seen. Will the Gran Turismo prove to be the missing link that buyers have been clamoring for, or an evolutionary cul-de-sac? Only natural selection customer dollars will decide.

[Source: Autoblog]

Thursday 17 September 2009

Frankfurt 2009: BMW 7 Series Active Hybrid

BMW 7 Series Active Hybrid

BMW isn't taking any chances with its reputation for dynamics with the 7 Series Active Hybrid. To its 449-hp and 479-lb-ft 4.4-liter twin turbo V8 heart it adds a 60-pound, 35-cell lithium-ion battery in the boot. The battery doesn't take too much away from the trunk since it replaces the rear-seat air-conditioning unit from the standard 7.

The battery boosts maximum torque to 516 lb-ft when everything is really humming, and that gets the huge-ish hybrid to 60 in 4.9 seconds rowing through the eight-speed automatic. The battery, a judicious foot, and hybrid stalwarts like brake energy regeneration can get you 25 mpg. Until Brad and Angelina finish with their Hydrogen 7, this is your best bet for a caring Bavarian luxo-barge.

PRESS RELEASE

2.4 Greater Efficiency,Greater Supremacy, Greater Luxury: The BMW ActiveHybrid 7.

BMW is proud to present the most supreme and luxurious rendition of hybrid technology ever seen so far in the automobile: BMW ActiveHybrid 7.

Based on the BMW 7 Series, this unique car sets new standards for efficiency in the luxury class. BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is the fi rst car in the world to combine a V8 gasoline engine, eight-speed automatic transmission and an electric motor as a mild hybrid concept.

This symbiosis of an upgraded eight-cylinder with BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology and High Precision Injection with a three-phase synchronous electric motor gives BMW ActiveHybrid 7 overall system output of 342 kW/465 hp and maximum torque of 700 Newton-metres/516 lb-ft. Power is transmitted via an eight-speed automatic transmission, with the electric motor positioned in compact configuration between the combustion engine and the converter on the automatic transmission receiving its supply of energy from a lithium-ion battery developed especially for use in the automobile.

Precisely controlled interaction of both power sources serves to optimise not only the effi ciency but also the dynamic performance and superior comfort of BMW ActiveHybrid 7. The result is a truly thrilling driving experience and, at the same time, a unique demonstration of hybrid technology with its outstanding potential. BMW ActiveHybrid 7accelerates to 100 km/h in a mere 4.9 seconds, while keeping average fuel consumption in the EU test cycle to 9.4 litres/ 100 kilometres (equivalent to 29.1 mpg imp) and restricting CO2 emissions to just 219 grams per kilometre.

Hybrid technology also provides new options for the particularly efficient use and enjoyment of additional comfort functions. As an example, BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is the fi rst BMW with automatic transmission to feature an Auto Start Stop function avoiding idle speed operation of the engine when at a standstill or in traffi c jams. A further signifi cant advantage is that the air conditioning and ventilation system remains fully operational also with the engine switched off, power being supplied directly through the 120-volt on-board network operating on the lithium-ion battery.

This unique concept of engine management for the fi rst allows truly effective climate control also at a standstill in a luxury performance car, cooling the interior of BMW ActiveHybrid 7 to a signifi cantly lower temperature right from the start, before the driver even fi res the engine.

Special displays in the instrument cluster and the Control Display inform the occupants of the degree of effi ciency and the current operating status of the hybrid components. Nineteen-inch light-alloy rims in aerodynamically optimized ten-spoke turbine wheel design created exclusively for BMW ActiveHybrid 7 as well as model designations on the luggage compartment lid, the C-pillars behind the side windows and on the door cutouts clearly set aside the hybrid models from their "regular" counterparts right from the start. And last but certainly not least, BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is also available in Bluewater metallic exterior paintwork exclusive to this very special model.

Like the existing models within the BMW 7 Series, BMW's fi rst luxury saloon with hybrid drive is entering the market in two body variants. The extended version of BMW ActiveHybrid 7 comes with wheelbase increased by 14 centimetres or 5.5", benefi ting exclusively the rear-seat passengers. And to optimize the driving experience and grand touring comfort for individual requirements, both models are available with a wide range of options from the portfolio of
equipment and accessories offered on the BMW 7 Series.

BMW ActiveHybrid as a major element of the BMW Effi cientDynamics development strategy.
Right from the start, the regular production models in the new BMW 7 Series come with a broad scope of BMW Effi cientDynamics technologies quite unparalleled worldwide in their diversity and effects. Now BMW ActiveHybrid technology offers yet another option, hybrid technology for the fi rst time achieving the unique standard already defi ned by BMW in the luxury performance segment.

BMW ActiveHybrid 7 takes a truly innovative approach in ensuring outstanding efficiency in the luxury class. At the same time this unique saloon offers dynamic driving characteristics at a level by far exceeding everything hybrid cars have been able to offer so far.

Appropriate use of the electric motor also in the interest of driving comfort likewise ensures yet another signifi cant step into the future provided by the development of hybrid components focusing on both the requirements of the luxury class and the characteristics so typical of a genuine BMW. The result is an extremely effi cient luxury performance saloon at the same time offering unprecedented Sheer Driving Pleasure for a hybrid car.

BMW ActiveHybrid is an important module within the BMW EfficientDynamics development strategy offering technologies able to significantly reduce fuel consumption and emissions on every new model and at the same time enhance driving performance to an unprecedented standard.

Now the innovative drivetrain technology of BMW ActiveHybrid 7 serves to further enhance the effi ciency of the car and the driving pleasure it is able to offer, with the gasoline engine and electric motor being perfectly coordinated with one another to provide a signifi cant improvement of dynamic performance and motoring comfort and, at the same time, to capitalise on the use of energy in the fuel under a wide range of different driving conditions.

BMW uses hybrid technology wherever it can make a particularly effective contribution to the reduction of fuel consumption and emissions. As a rule, the savings potential of hybrid technology increases with the power of the combustion engine interacting with the system. Precisely this is why BMW ActiveHybrid technology in conjunction with a V8 power unit achieves a signifi cantly greater effect than when combined, say, with a six- or four cylinder engine.

In the case of BMW ActiveHybrid 7 precise coordination of the electric motor and the V8 power unit serves to optimise the effi ciency of the combustion engine under all kinds of different loads and under many conditions. And through its use in a luxury performance saloon, BMW's sophisticated ActiveHybrid technology offers a particularly convincing rendition of its exclusive character.

Intelligent energy management optimising the generation, storage and use of electric power.
The drivetrain technology in BMW ActiveHybrid 7 ensures a particularly intelligent standard of energy management within the car serving to make maximum use of the energy contained in the fuel in generating superior driving dynamics and at the same time to increase motoring comfort to an even higher standard, thus generating Sheer Driving Pleasure from each and every drop of fuel. The intelligent hybrid concept comprises both the generation and use of electrical energy, with loss-free storage of electric power ensured by the high performance lithium-ion battery. Both the process of charging the battery and the supply of power to the electric motor as well as all other power-consuming items are ensured and masterminded by power electronics developed specifically for BMW ActiveHybrid 7.

Electric power generated on no extra fuel as an additional energy reserve.
BMW ActiveHybrid technology uses energy converted into heat and therefore wasted in conventional cars through the operation and use of the brakes. In terms of power generation, this unique technology is therefore an ongoing development proceeding from the Brake Energy Regeneration used by BMW on all model series in the brand's current gasoline and diesel models with BMW Effi cientDynamics.

Referred to also as the recuperation of power, Brake Energy Regeneration concentrates the development of electric power for the on-board network on appropriate running conditions either with the car in overrun or when applying the brakes. Then, when accelerating, energy is fed into the on-board network from the lithium-ion battery, relieving the combustion engine of the task of converting some of the energy contained in the fuel directly into electric current, and thus enabling the engine to provide more power for the actual process of accelerating.

The result is even faster and dynamic acceleration, while the electrical energy obtained in this way is generated without any additional consumption of fuel as soon as the car is rolling or the driver applies the brakes. As long as the driver requires only a small amount of brake power, the system uses only the electrical brake force, with the mechanical brakes being activated only when the driver presses down the brake pedal harder for more stopping power.

DSC Dynamic Stability Control serves to mastermind the balance of electrical and mechanical braking, naturally maintaining all the driver's freedom in dosing the brakes. A fi nal – and again an important – point is that the driver does not even perceive the transition from braking with electric power to braking with the mechanical brake system.

Two interconnected on-board networks for flexible management of energy.
Electric power generated in overrun and when applying the brakes on BMW ActiveHybrid 7 in a neutral process without any additional consumption of fuel is fed into the car's two on-board networks: BMW ActiveHybrid 7 features both a conventional 12-volt on-board network fed by an AGM (absorbent glass mat) battery and a high-voltage battery featuring lithium-ion technology and operating at 120 V. This lithium-ion battery supplies power to the electric motor as soon as it is required to perform an additional drive function or serves to start the combustion engine.

The a/c compressor on BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is also integrated in the 120-volt network, with all other electrically operated functions of the car being supplied with power from the 12-volt network. The two on-board networks are connected with one another by a voltage converter providing fl exible energy management also serving to operate all electrical functions on the car on electric power generated without any additional consumption of fuel. The 12-volt battery is fed with energy from the high-voltage network, which it supports itself whenever necessary, for example when starting the combustion engine cold.

Cutting-edge energy storage technology: lithium-ion battery with superior capacity and multi-cycle operating strength.
Introducing the lithium-ion battery, BMW is taking yet a further step into the future with particularly effi cient and, at the same time, fl exible use of electric power in the car. This means that energy generated in the recuperation process must be fed at all times and, depending on driving conditions, in a varying rhythm to a storage unit where it is kept available for subsequent use whenever required. A further requirement is to use a battery with significant storage capacity for covering long distances without overrun or application of the brakes and without any bottlenecks in the supply process.

The AGM batteries already used in all conventional production cars with Brake Energy Regeneration offer the advantage of being able to handle frequent and irregular charge and discharge cycles without any loss of power. A mild hybrid concept, on the other hand, makes even greater demands, thus requiring a high-voltage battery with a much higher level of performance to also supply the electric motor with the energy capacity required for its drive function.

The system developed for BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is based on the most advanced lithium-ion technology meeting the greatest demands in terms of power loads and lasting operation. Lithium-ion batteries have already proven their particularly high storage capacity and cycle resistance in many other applications such as mobile phones and laptops. The energy storage unit used in BMW ActiveHybrid 7 confirms the potential of this technology once again, this time under particularly demanding conditions in the automobile. The useful energy provided by this high-performance battery is 400 watt hours, with the battery itself comprising 35 cells as well as an integrated control unit permanently analysing the charge level and ensuring appropriate dependability under all kinds of driving conditions and throughout a wide range of temperatures.

Despite its high level of performance, the lithium-ion battery measures just 37 x 22 x 23 centimetres (14.6 x 8.7 x 9.1 inches) and weighs a mere 27 kg or 59.5 lb. Hence, it is hardly larger than a conventional car battery and is housed conveniently in the luggage compartment between the wheel arches of BMW ActiveHybrid 7, safely surrounded by a high-strength special casing. This ensures perfect protection of the battery and at the same time helps to give the car precise weight distribution.

The space required is about the same as the space taken up by the additional compressor for the rear-seat air conditioning in the conventional BMW 7 Series, with this compressor not being featured in BMW ActiveHybrid 7. The luggage compartment with its capacity of 460 litres/16.1 cu ft therefore offers adequate space for four 46-inch golf bags also in BMW ActiveHybrid 7.

Consistent optimisation: V8 power unit with BMW TwinPower Turbo and High Precision Injection.
The combustion unit featured in BMW's fi rst hybrid luxury saloon is not only particularly powerful, but also the most efficient engine of its kind. Indeed, the combination of BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology and High Precision Injection ensures an exceptionally good balance of performance and fuel consumption, the 4.4-litre V8 applying the principle of BMW EfficientDynamics on a particularly high level.

A further advantage is that the all-aluminium power unit offers the qualities typical of an eight-cylinder in an incomparably sporting and, at the same time, comfortable rendition, combining superior power and pulling force from low engine speeds with an impressive surge of thrust and traction throughout the entire speed range, as well as excellent running smoothness. Given these features, the V8 is indeed the ideal foundation for a hybrid concept in the luxury class serving to ensure outstanding efficiency, fascinating driving dynamics and supreme motoring comfort all in one.

The power and performance characteristics of the V8 power unit result to a large extent from BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology. The engineering principle used for the fi rst on an eight-cylinder gasoline engine with two turbochargers not positioned at the outside, but directly within the V-area to supply compressed air to four cylinders at a time, ensures unparalleled spontaneity in its direct response to the gas pedal. Highly efficient use of fuel, in turn, is ensured by High Precision Injection, this second generation of direct gasoline injection using piezo-injectors positioned directly next to the spark plugs in the cylinder head and delivering fuel in the combustion chambers at a pressure of 200 bar. This is the best guarantee for the extremely precise dosage of fuel and a particularly clean combustion process.

The eight-cylinder power unit featured in BMW ActiveHybrid 7 develops maximum output of 330 kW/449 hp between 5,500 and 6,000 rpm. At the same time this supreme V8 maintains huge torque of 650 Newton-metres/479 lb-ft consistently all the way from 2,000 to 4,500 rpm.

The result is supreme power and muscle starting just above idle speed, the dynamic response of the engine being further enhanced by the electric motor with its additional momentum.

The spontaneous and direct response of BMW ActiveHybrid 7 to the gas pedal particularly when accelerating from a standstill gives the car a standard of acceleration quite unprecedented among both conventional models running on a combustion engine only and existing hybrid models already in the market. Indeed, acceleration to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds ranks the saloon close to the performance of the fastest and most thoroughbred sports cars.

Another incomparable quality is the subjective feeling of outstanding supremacy the hybrid drive system gives the driver through its direct response free of any delay. Top speed of BMW ActiveHybrid 7, finally, is limited to 250 km/h or 155 mph.

Electric motor starting and supporting the V8 power unit.
BMW ActiveHybrid 7 owes its characteristic driving features to the harmonious symbiosis of the combustion engine and the electric motor providing a smooth and efficient supply of power at all times. The electric motor supports the V8 power unit in developing even greater power and torque for superior performance.

Under less dynamic driving conditions the drive power provided by the electric motor enables the combustion engine to run under more favourable load conditions for maximum effi ciency, thus optimising its operating qualities. The additional power reserves serve at the same time to give this unique saloon outstanding supremacy under all conditions, the reduction of engine speed at a steady level of road speed improving not only the standard of efficiency, but also the running smoothness of the combustion engine.

The three-phase synchronous electric motor featured in BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is positioned between the combustion engine and the automatic transmission converter, and is connected fi rmly to the crankshaft. Shaped like a disc, the electric motor weighs just 23 kg or not quite 51 lb, its compact design ensuring full integration in the transmission housing.

The electric motor generates additional drive power of 15 kW/20 hp, withmaximum power increasing to an even more substantial 20 kW/27 hp inthe generator mode charging the lithium-ion battery. Peak torque, in turn, is 210 Newton-metres or 155 lb-ft.

In the driving mode BMW ActiveHybrid 7 benefi ts from maximum output of 342 kW/465 hp and peak torque of 700 Newton-metres/516 lb-ft. So far only much larger engines were able to provide comparable power and performance, in most cases with a corresponding increase in fuel consumption.

BMW ActiveHybrid 7, by contrast, combines its signifi cantly enhanced power and performance with an equally impressive increase in effi ciency. Average fuel consumption in the EU test cycle of 9.4 litres/100 kilometres (equal to 29.1 mpg imp) and a CO2 rating of 219 grams per kilometre proves that BMW ActiveHybrid Technology is most certainly a highly innovative and future-oriented rendition of the BMW EfficientDynamics development strategy.

Unique: eight-speed automatic transmission in combination with Auto Start Stop.
To transmit the drive power developed jointly by the V8 power unit and the electric motor, BMW ActiveHybrid 7 comes with a newly developed eight-speed automatic transmission specifi cally tailored to the demands and potentials of hybrid technology. This high-tech transmission of the latest standard combines gearshift comfort, sportiness and effi ciency at a level never seen before. A particular highlight of the new eight-speed automatic transmission is the innovative
gearset confi guration providing two additional gears and a larger overall gear range than on the six-speed automatic transmission used by BMW so far without any negative repercussions in terms of size, weight, and inner efficiency.

With the number of gears increased to eight, the differences in engine speed from one gear to the next are smaller than before, despite the overall range of gear ratios. This, in turn, benefi ts the sporting character of the transmission and, as a result, the dynamic performance of BMW ActiveHybrid 7 again so typical of the brand. And last but not least, the smaller differences between gears ensure an even higher standard of gearshift comfort in this new luxury saloon.

The combustion engine, electric motor and eight-speed automatic transmission form one complete unit set out for maximum effi ciency in BMW ActiveHybrid 7. This is also confi rmed by the innovative rendition of the Auto Start Stop function already featured as standard in BMW's four-cylinder models with manual gearshift. Now this cutting-edge technology serving to reduce both fuel consumption and emissions is combined for the fi rst time with automatic transmission and further optimised in its efficiency.

The Auto Start Stop function automatically switches off the combustion engine when idling, reducing fuel consumption at a red traffi c light or, say, in traffic congestions to absolutely zero. Then, once the driver takes his foot off the brake pedal, the combustion engine is re-started automatically.

This configuration of Auto Start Stop helps to switch off the engine more frequently and for a longer period, thus reducing fuel consumption even more effectively. This is made possible by the particularly effi cient starter system, activation of the combustion engine by the electric motor supplied with power from the high-voltage battery enabling the engine to start extremely quickly and without any vibrations.

A further technology contributing to this effect is the newly developed hydraulic pulse battery for an even faster build-up of positive engagement in the automatic transmission. The delay-free ignition serves furthermore to reduce emissions while starting.

The engine is also switched off when the driver uses the Auto Hold function in stop-and-go traffi c, in which case he again just has to slightly press down the gas pedal in order to re-activate the gasoline engine, which is immediately switched off the next time the driver applies the brakes.

Unrestricted climate comfort in a stopover, auxiliary cooling forpleasant starting conditions.
The climate control system in BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is supplied with power directly from the high-voltage battery, thus ensuring all the usual functions regardless of whether the combustion engine is currently running or not. Hence, operation of the Auto Start Stop function does not mean any restrictions in terms of comfort or motoring pleasure, the driver's and passengers' desired temperature being maintained consistently within the car also in traffi c congestion or when making a stopover in city traffic.

Featured as standard in BMW ActiveHybrid 7, four-zone automatic air conditioning comprises a standstill climate control function activated whenever required by remote control. This serves to cool down the interior in, say, bright sunshine
before setting out in the car, the highly efficient air conditioning reducing temperature quickly and effi ciently by more than 30° C, providing pleasant starting conditions in an appropriately cool and pleasant passenger compartment.

Yet a further advantage is that the a/c compressor initiates its cooling function much earlier than in a conventional car, the air conditioning in BMW ActiveHybrid 7 thus offering qualities unique the world over in terms of function and effi ciency only possible with the high-performance lithium-ion battery.

Efficiency made visible: special display concept.
The innovative drive components featured in BMW ActiveHybrid 7 have a positive effect under all driving conditions on the effi ciency and dynamic performance of this high-tech saloon. Their current level of effi ciency and the operating mode are presented by special gauges in the cockpit and on the Control Display.

Featuring the most advanced black panel technology, the instrument cluster in BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is supplemented by an energy fl ow display in the lower section of the rev counter, a blue arrow showing the current status of recuperation. When accelerating, in turn, an additional graphic display illustrates the boost effect generated by the electric motor.

Using the iDrive control system in the Control Display, the driver is able to activate an even more detailed rendition of the combustion engine and the electric motor in their interaction. Over and above the current charge level of the lithium-ion battery, this display function also shows the current fl ow of energy – storage of energy when applying the brakes and in overrun, a shift in the load point when driving at a steady speed, discharge of energy while accelerating.

As an alternative to this graphic display, the system is also able at the touch of a button to analyse the current level of efficiency in per cent. In this case a bar diagram updated every minute shows to what extent the efficiency potential of the hybrid components have been exhausted in the last fifteen minutes.

Superior suspension technology for maximum supremacy on the road.
BMW ActiveHybrid 7 combines superior effi ciency with a truly fascinating driving experience. Over and above the drive system as such, the sophisticated suspension technology featured in the BMW 7 Series gives this new saloon its unparalleled supremacy.

Interaction of a double track control arm front axle with an Integral-V rear axle offers not only numerous benefi ts in terms of comfort and driving dynamics, but also unusually smooth and harmonious anti-roll and transition behaviour in bends.

The long-wheelbase version of BMW ActiveHybrid 7 comes additionally with air suspension including self-levelling on the rear axle. Both models, in turn, are fitted as standard with BMW's speed-related Servotronic power steering as well as Dynamic Damping Control, the dampers adjusting to both road conditions and the driver's style of motoring.

Pressing the button on the centre console, the driver is able through Dynamic Damping Control to choose his preferred damper setting, the appropriate operation of DSC Dynamic Stability Control, the degree of gearshift dynamics on the automatic transmission, as well as the control maps on the gas pedal and Servotronic steering. In all, Dynamic Damping Control offers the choice of COMFORT, NORMAL, SPORT and SPORT + in setting up the suspension ofthe car.

The compound brake system on BMW ActiveHybrid 7 ensures truly excellent stopping power in every situation bringing the car safely to a standstill with minimum stopping distance even from high speeds. Inner-vented discs and swing-calliper brakes front and rear optimised for their efficiency guarantee extreme resistance to fading and maximum brake comfort.

BMW ActiveHybrid comes as standard with model-specific 19-inch light-alloy rims in aerodynamically optimised ten-spoke turbine wheel design. Likewise featured as standard, runfl at safety tyres measuring 245/45 R19 at the front and 275/40 R19 at the rear enable the driver to continue even after a complete loss of pressure at a speed of up to 80 km/h or 50 mph, covering a distance, depending on the load the vehicle is carrying, of up to 250 kilometres or 155 miles. And last but certainly not least, the Tyre Pressure Indicator consistently measures tyre pressure and warns the driver whenever the pressure in the tyres drops more than 20 per cent.

Optimum visibility, all-round protection, maximum safety.
As options supplementing the bi-xenon headlights featured as standard, the High-Beam Assistant and Adaptive Headlights including a bending light function, variable light distribution and adaptive headlight range control, set new standards when motoring at night.

Again available as an option, the Head-Up Display serves to project data relevant to the driver to the windscreen of the car, enabling the driver to check out the data transmitted directly into his line of vision without even taking his eyes off the road.

Apart from frontal and hip/thorax airbags, the Occupant Safety Package featured in BMW ActiveHybrid 7 also comprises curtain head airbags at the side as well as three-point inertia-reel automatic seat belts with belt force limiters on all seats and a belt latch function at the front.

To protect the driver and passengers from cervical spine injury in the event of a rear-end collision, the front seats come with crash-activated headrests and ISOFIX child seat fastenings are featured as standard on the rear seats.

The safety concept for the car's hybrid components is equally comprehensive, all components in the high-voltage system featuring full insulation as well as special plug connectors. The lithium-ion battery, in turn, is protected by a high strength steel housing and is positioned far away from all kinds of accidents in the luggage compartment, as is already confi rmed by a wide range of crash tests. And last but not least, the entire high-voltage system is automatically switched off within fractions of a second both in a function breakdown and in the event of a collision.

Perfectly networked: BMW ConnectedDrive with innovative functions.
As an option BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is naturally available with the innovative driver assistance systems provided by BMW ConnectedDrive, including Lane Change Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Speed Limit Info, BMW Night Vision even able to detect individual persons, a back-up camera and BMW Side View. At the same time BMW ConnectedDrive also comprises a wide range of innovative features and technologies networking the occupants with the car itself and
the surrounding world in order to provide both maximum comfort as well as optimised use of the infotainment services and enhanced safety.

BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is likewise available with the full range of mobility services including BMW Assist with its telephone enquiry service and Enhanced Emergency Call function allowing automatic detection of the car, BMW Online, BMW TeleServices and unrestricted use of the internet in the car.

The wide range of features and equipment available for the BMW 7 Series enables the customer to personalise his or her car to the highest standard. The highlights include sophisticated navigation functions, audio and rear seat entertainment systems, the extra-large, contoured sliding roof as well as active seats for the driver and front passenger or, respectively, climate and massage seats at the rear.

Particularly the extended wheelbase version of BMW ActiveHybrid 7 offers maximum driving comfort, extension of the car's wheelbase by 14 centimetres or 5.5" ensuring particularly comfortable access to the rear passenger compartment. And thanks to the special design of the roofl ine and C-pillars, the side view of the longer version, despite greater headroom for the rear-seat passengers, retains the overall impression of the "regular" saloon with its normal wheelbase.

Both models are also available with the wide range of options provided by BMW Individual comprising features such as BMW Individual Merino fine-grain leather standing out not only through its particular material and colour scheme, but also through different seam patterns and stitching on the seats, the instrument panel and the door linings.

Matching the various colours of leather, there is also a wider colour range for the BMW Individual Alcantara roof lining. Exclusive trim options, BMW Individual exterior colours and 20-inch BMW Individual light-alloy wheels, fi nally, round off the choice of particularly stylish options.

Best of Hybrid: flexible development for optimised concepts on each model.
The hybrid components featured in BMW ActiveHybrid 7 were developed jointly by BMW and Daimler in a cooperation project seeking to develop and test components for hybrid drive in luxury performance cars. Apart from the electric motor and the lithium-ion battery, this joint venture also served to develop the power electronics for the high-voltage network featured in BMW ActiveHybrid 7.

Each manufacturer subsequently integrated the hybrid components into the respective model in accordance with individual, brand-specific requirements. These unique characteristics also come out clearly in BMW ActiveHybrid 7 through the combination of an eight-cylinder power unit with electric drive.

BMW ActiveHybrid is based on a modular principle which, following the Best of Hybrid strategy, ensures perfect integration of the optimum component in various vehicle concepts. Hence, the mild hybrid concept of BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is tailored ideally to the specifi c requirements of this model as is the full hybrid concept for BMW ActiveHybrid X6, likewise reaching production standard in the year 2009.

BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is built at BMW Plant Dingolfi ng about 70 miles north-east of Munich. Also building all other versions of the BMW 7 Series (and a number of other models), BMW Plant Dingolfing offers a truly unique standard of excellence confirmed by numerous prizes and awards in the use of innovative production technologies and the fulfi lment of supreme quality requirements. Precisely for this purpose, the Plant combines the most advanced, automated production technologies with the craftsmanship of specially trained associates in a most intelligent manner. And having won the Best Factory/Industrial Excellence Award in 2008, BMW Plant Dingolfing also stands out through a supreme level of flexibility, efficient production processes and environmentally-friendly methods in production.

Wednesday 16 September 2009

Frankfurt 2009: BMW ActiveHybrid X6

BMW ActiveHybrid X6

Your dilemma: you have a burning desire for a 5,000 pound, four-passenger truck that accelerates as fast as your Dodge Challenger, but you want to use as little gasoline as possible while doing so. BMW feels your pain, and they have a solution for you. Ladies and germs, meet the ActiveHybrid X6, BMW's first full-hybrid. Here's the great part: engine-wise you get both the 4.4-liter twin-turbo humdinger of a V8 and two electric motors for a total combined output of 485 hp and 575 lb-ft of torque. Just to refresh your memory, the X6 M, which our own Lavrinc called a "highrider GT-R," makes just 500 lb-ft (though 550 psycho horsepower).

Ah, but it's a hybrid. So it gets almost 24 mpg. Unlike the X6 M, which... doesn't. Unlike the ActiveHybrid 7 Series, which uses a lightweight, hella-pricey lithium-ion battery, the X6 makes do with a plain old nickel metal hydride power pack. But hey, it's already 2.5 tons, what's a couple of hundred more pounds? BMW also employs a bit of electronic black wizardry, that let's one motor act as a generator to gather up kinetic energy from the brakes (or simply coming off the throttle) to feed into the battery while the other electric motor keeps the car moving. Nifty, no doubt. Also, the ActiveHybrid X6 can travel up to 37 miles per hour in pure electric mode before that dirty ICE kicks on.

Like a lot of vehicles coming out of BMW these days, the X6 is a love it or hate it proposition. Admittedly, the Autoblog staff here at Frankfurt is split right down the middle. Forgetting about the haters, the pro-X6 side thinks that a torque-monster hybrid "Sports Activity Coupe" is just fine. Really, can you say no to 575 lb-ft of twist? All we really hate is the name.

Frankfurt 2009: 2010 BMW 5 Series GT

2010 BMW 5 Series GT


The BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo took a whirl on the plinth and we have to admit it doesn't look the least bit absurd standing in person. We completely forgot to be offended at the fact we're being handed this instead of the perfectly fantastic 5 Series Sport Wagon. At least, until we played around with the dual-action lift gate -- then the word "gimmick" did flit through our cranial region for a moment.

Still, it's not bad, and on the road it looks like it has the potential to get a whole lot better. As the Hesse-novel-length press release after the jump explains, the car will combine the legroom of the 7 Series, head room of the X5, 59.5 cubic feet of storage space, and a base diesel with 245 hp and 43 mpg. Go for gold, and there's a V8 twin turbo with 407 hp and a 5.5-second run to 60.

PRESS RELEASE

A New Class: The BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo.

Establishing an unprecedented, absolutely innovative car concept, BMW is setting fascinating new highlights in the upper midrange segment. As the world's first model in a brand-new segment, the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo combines essential features of a prestige saloon, a modern Sports Activity Vehicle, and a classic Gran Turismo.

Stylish and elegant in design, this unique four-seater comes with a coupé-like, stretched and sleek roofl ine and a two-piece tailgate. The extra-large interior offers luxurious comfort, a slightly elevated seating position for comfortable and convenient access as well as superior all-round visibility covering all traffic conditions, and truly impressive variability.

As its name alone indicates, the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo is ideally suited for a truly wonderful travel experience. The luxurious ambience immediately makes the driver and passengers feel at home, legroom at the rear is the same as in the BMW 7 Series, headroom is equal to that of the BMW X5. The tilt angle of the rear-seat backrests, in turn, adjusts individually to the respective, personal requirements of the passengers. And with the rear seats moving fore-and-aft up to 100 millimetres or almost 4", together with the backrests tilting forward completely if required, luggage capacity may be enlarged up to 1,700 litres or 59.5 cu ft.

Engines both powerful and efficient, Dynamic Drive Control featured as standard, the most advanced suspension technology, and innovative driver assistance systems, help to ensure a truly unique driving experience.

BMW EfficientDynamics entering a new segment.
The drivetrain technology featured on the new BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo likewise comes with a wide range of innovations, the benefits provided by BMW EfficentDynamics now introduced in yet another car segment providing a uniquely good balance of superior performance and supreme fuel economy.

A further highly significant point is the introduction of a new straight-six power unit in the BMW 535i Gran Turismo, for the fi rst time combining turbocharger technology, High Precision Injection, and BMW's fully variable VALVETRONIC valve management. Displacing 3.0 litres, the BMW TwinPower Turbo delivers 225 kW/306 hp at an engine speed of 5,800 rpm, with an equally outstanding, spontaneous and direct response as well as peak torque kept consistently at 400 Newton-metres/295 lb-ft from 1,200–5,000 rpm. The top-of-the-range power unit is the V8 TwinPower Turbo with High Precision Injection in the BMW 550i Gran Turismo, developing maximum output of 300 kW/407 hp between 5,500 and 6,400 rpm.

The BMW 530d Gran Turismo, to round off the range, offers particular highlights in terms of all-round economy. Its latest-generation 3.0-litre straight-six diesel comes with an all-aluminium crankcase as well as common-rail direct fuel injection with piezo-injectors, delivers 180 kW/245 hp at 4,000 rpm, and gives the car average fuel consumption in the combined EU cycle of just 6.5 litres/100 kilometres (equal to 43.5 mpg imp), as well as a CO2 emission rating of just 173 grams per kilometre, both figures absolutely unique for a vehicle of this size and calibre.

All engines naturally fulfill the EU5 emission standard. In addition, all variants of the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo come with an innovative eight-speed automatic transmission combining an extremely quick gearshift with maximum efficiency.

Through its wide range of qualities, the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo meets all the demands of a modern target group looking for a vehicle providing perfect harmony in meeting all kinds of requirements and demands in life – both as a prestigious and elegant company car and as an active leisure-time vehicle.

Introducing this kind of concept, BMW is therefore once again proving the Company's ability to defi ne brand-new vehicle segments in the market, with the new BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo making a powerful entry into the world of motoring as a completely new dimension. This new, unprecedented and unparalleled car adds a further facet to the world of Sheer Driving Pleasure, arousing new enthusiasm for the BMW brand also with additional target groups.

Design: versatile sportiness, stylish elegance.
In its exterior design, the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo offers a unique combination of versatile sportiness and stylish elegance. Proportions typical of BMW, four doors with frameless windows and a coupé-like stretched roofl ine all come together in perfect harmony authentically refl ecting the many qualities of the car.

The front view is characterised fi rst and foremost by the strong presence of the low-slung BMW kidney grille, the large air intakes and the characteristic dual round headlights. The BMW kidney grille itself is slanted slightly to the front, its upper edge forming the foremost point on the body. The dual round headlights likewise slanted at an angle and extending far into the side panels merge at the top into a matt trim cover, thus generating the clearly focused look so typical of the BMW brand.

Characteristic: daytime driving lights and rear light clusters in LED technology.
Apart from the direction indicators, the corona rings on the headlights come for the first time with LED light units. In standard trim the light rings serve as the car's positioning lights, while in combination with optional xenon headlights their LED units may be operated in two stages: Dimmed to approximately 10 per cent of their full power, the LED light units serve as positioning lights. Operated at full power, on the other hand, they act as daytime driving lights in a particularly brilliant white again in that typical BMW look.

Boasting a roofl ine dropping slowly but consistently towards the rear of the car and merging into a spoiler at the back, the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo successfully and very attractively conveys a feature typical of a coupé to a four-door car. The doors both front and rear come with frameless side windows.

A further feature immediately recognisable from the side is the waistline at the level of the door openers characteristic of BMW, extending from the outer edge of the headlights, rising slightly along the entire length of the car, and continuing all the way to the contours of the rear light clusters.

The two outer roofl ines as well as the shoulder lines come together in the airflow spoiler on the tailgate, giving the fastback-like rear end an almost compact look. Otherwise, horizontal lines dominate the rear view of the car, with the look of power and muscle being further underlined by the wheel arches flared far to the outside.

The rear light clusters merge far into the side panels, ensuring that the full width of the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo also comes out clearly in the car's night design. Rows of lights fed by LED light units provide a homogenous light pattern, again giving the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo a distinctive look on the road and making sure that the car is always clearly recognisable.

The interior: generous space and comfort, individual luxury.
The unique feeling of space within the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo is enhanced by the shape and design of the interior features, the interior colour scheme, and the choice of materials. The dashboard is subdivided horizontally and comes with a cockpit featuring Black Panel technology and a Control Display for BMW iDrive measuring up to 10.2" in size.

Apart from the electronic gear selector lever, the switches for Dynamic Drive Control as well as the iDrive Controller are arranged conveniently on the centre console.

Both the driver and front passenger benefit from their slightly elevated seating position, this so-called semi-command position allowing very comfortable and ergonomically ideal entry to the car and providing an optimised overview of traffic conditions in the area.

The impression of a self-contained space surrounding – or, even more appropriately, cocooning – the car's occupants is further enhanced by the harmonious shapes and colours of the panels on the front and rear doors. The interplay of ascending and descending lines and contours throughout the entire length of the interior creates a homogenous picture forming an optimum link connecting the front and rear seats.

As an alternative to the rear-seat bench for three passengers featured as standard, with individual adjustment of seat four-and-aft position as well as the backrest angle on all seats, the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo is available as an option with two single seats at the rear, in which case fore-and-aft adjustment of the seat position as well as the backrest angle, the upper section of the backrest and the height of the headrest is all-electric. And as yet a further highlight, ambience illumination of the interior of the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo featured as standard may be supplemented by additional light sources.

Even greater comfort when loading: two-piece tailgate and partition between the passenger and the luggage compartments.
The two-piece tailgate featured for the first time on a BMW ensures maximum comfort and variability when loading. The two sections offer the choice of a small opening beneath the rear window and a large lid like on BMW's X models.

Both sections may be opened and closed individually, with the large tailgate featuring Soft Close Automatic.

The unique partition between the passenger compartment and the luggage compartment ensures unrestricted comfort also while loading. Whenever, with the partition closed, the driver and passengers open only the lower section of the tailgate, the passenger compartment will not be affected in any way while loading by draughts or other effects of weather, or by any noise or acoustic annoyance.

As long as the rear seats and the partition are in their standard position, luggage compartment capacity is 440 litres or 15.4 cu ft. Moving the seats forward and unfastening the partition increases luggage capacity to 590 litres or 20.7 cu ft. And when folding down the rear-seat backrests as well as the partition, the driver and passengers benefi t from no less than 1,700 litres or 59.5 cu ft.

New straight-six power unit: first-ever combination of turbocharging and VALVETRONIC.
The BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo is entering the market with a choice of two gasoline engines and one diesel power unit. A particular highlight in this context is the newly developed straight-six gasoline engine now making its debut and for the first time combining turbocharger technology, High Precision Injection, and variable VALVETRONIC valve management all in one.

This unique combination gives the new BMW TwinPower Turbo an extremely spontaneous and direct response to the gas pedal, exceeding even the excellent response already offered by BMW's existing straight-six turbocharged engine. This truly impressive response is the result of VALVETRONIC technology optimised once again as well as the turbocharger system applying the twin scroll principle to separate the ducts of three cylinders at a time both in the exhaust manifold and the turbocharger.

BMW's High Precision Injection has also been enhanced to an even higher standard of direct fuel injection technology. Now HPI features new injection nozzles precisely dosing the supply of fuel and operating at a pressure of up to 200 bar in the combustion chambers.

Displacing 3.0 litres, the new six-cylinder develops maximum output of 225 kW/306 hp at 5,800 rpm, with peak torque of 400 Newton-metres/295 lb-ft available all the way from 1,200–5,000 rpm.

Benefi tting from this kind of power, the BMW 535i Gran Turismo accelerates from a standstill to 100 km/h in just 6.3 seconds. The car's top speed, in turn, is limited electronically to 250 km/h or 155 mph.

The exceptionally good balance of performance and fuel economy is clearly confirmed by average fuel consumption in the EU test cycle of just 8.9 litres/100 kilometres, equal to 31.7 mpg imp. And at the same time the CO2 rating of the BMW 535i Gran Turismo is just 209 grams per kilometre.

Eight-cylinder with BMW TwinPower Turbo and High Precision Injection.
The top engine in the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo is a unique V8 combining TwinPower Turbo technology with High Precision Injection. Displacing 4.4 litres, this outstanding power unit develops maximum output of 300 kW/407 hp in a speed range from 5,500–6,400 rpm. Peak torque, in turn, is 600 Newtonmetres/ 442 lb-ft generated all the way from 1,750 to 4,500 rpm.

This unparalleled V8 is the most efficient engine of its type and, at the same time, the world's only gasoline engine with the turbocharger and catalytic converters arranged within the V-section between the two rows of cylinders.

The BMW 550i Gran Turismo accelerates from a standstill to 100 km/h in just 5.5 seconds, with top speed limited electronically to 250 km/h or 155 mph. Average fuel consumption of the BMW 550i Gran Turismo in the EU test cycle, in turn, is 11.2 litres/100 kilometres, equal to 25.2 mpg imp, while CO2 emissions are 263 grams per kilometre.

Efficiency and pulling power: latest generation of diesel technology.
The straight-six diesel in the BMW 530d Gran Turismo clearly presents the latest state of the art in BMW engine development. Displacing 3.0 litres, this ultra-modern power unit comes with an all-aluminium crankcase, its turbocharger system with variable intake geometry providing a highly dynamic but smooth fl ow of power tailored harmoniously to current driving conditions.

Fuel is supplied by the latest generation of common-rail fuel injection using piezo-injectors operating at a maximum pressure of 1,800 bar. In practice, this means engine output of 180 kW/245 hp at 4,000 rpm, with peak torque of 540 Newton-metres/398 lb ft from just 1,750 rpm.

The BMW 530d Gran Turismo accelerates to 100 km/h in just 6.9 seconds and reaches a top speed of 240 km/h or 149 mph. This sporting performance comes together with average fuel consumption of just 6.5 litres/100 kilometres (equal to 43.5 mpg imp) in the EU test cycle. And the CO2 rating of the BMW 530d Gran Turismo, finally, is just 173 grams per kilometre.

Innovative, dynamic, effi cient: eight-speed automatic transmission featured as standard.
All model variants come as standard with the eight-speed automatic transmission so far available only in the twelve-cylinder BMW 760i luxury performance saloon. This new transmission combines gearshift comfort, sportiness and efficiency of a standard never seen before, serving to an even greater extent to reduce fuel consumption and emissions to a level even lower than with BMW's six-speed automatic transmissions used so far.

The new eight-speed automatic transmission excels through its innovative gearset confi guration providing additional gears and an even wider range of gear increments without any negative effect on the size, weight, and inner efficiency of the system.

All variants of the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo come as standard with BMW EfficientDynamics, the various technologies offered varying from one model to the other according to its particular character. Among other features, Brake Energy Regeneration, on-demand control of the car's ancillary units such as the electrical coolant pump, the electrical steering assistance pump, the map-controlled oil pump and the detachable a/c compressor, as well as consistent lightweight technology, optimised aerodynamics including active management and control of the air fl aps and, finally, tyres with minimum roll resistance ensure optimum fuel economy and emission management.

Cutting-edge suspension technology for even greater comfort, dynamism, and precision.
The modern suspension technology of the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo serves to ensure a wonderful motoring experience, driving supremacy and outstanding safety at all times and under all conditions. One of the features that makes this possible is the combination of a double track control arm front axle and an Integral-V rear axle. In addition, the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo comes as standard with air suspension on the rear axle, 18- and, respectively, 19-inch light-alloy wheels (the latter on the BMW 550i Gran Turismo), and a high performance brake system.

DSC Dynamic Stability Control, fi nally, also comprises an electromechanical parking brake with its own Auto-Hold function.
As an alternative to hydraulic rack-and-pinion steering with Servotronic featured as standard, the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo is available as an option with Integral Active Steering featured for the first time on the new BMW 7 Series.

As function of road speed, this unique steering infl uences steering forces by way of Servotronic and the steering angle by means of the Active Steering Transmission on the front axle. Integral Active Steering also controls the steering angle on the rear wheels, thus giving the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo even greater agility in city traffic and ensuring extremely smooth and superior lane change and handling in bends also at high speeds.

Optional for even greater dynamics and additional comfort: Adaptive Drive.
The BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo is available as an option with Adaptive Drive combining electronically controlled dampers and active anti-roll stabilisation. These highly innovative dampers adjust individually both to road conditions and the driver's style of motoring in order to prevent any undesired movement of the car.

BMW is the world's fi rst car maker to use a damper system with the adjustment of the inbound and rebound strokes in a continuous, independent process. At the same time active anti-roll bars on the front and rear axle reduce body sway in bends to an absolute minimum, thus providing an even higher standard of comfort and agility.

Featured as standard: Dynamic Drive Control for individual set-up of the car according to current requirements.
The BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo comes as standard with Dynamic Drive Control for an individual set-up of the car in all its main features. This high-tech system infl uences the progressive curve on the gas pedal, engine response, the map control line for steering assistance, the gearshift dynamics on the eight-speed automatic transmission, and the response thresholds of DSC Dynamic Stability Control.

Dynamic Drive Control is activated by a button on the centre console directly next to the gear selector lever. Using this toggle function, the driver is able to choose among the NORMAL, SPORT, and SPORT+ modes. In combination with Adaptive Drive, the system also serves to control the damper curves by way of Dynamic Drive Control, in this case providing the additional COMFORT mode as a further option.

Innovative in design and construction: aluminium doors and panorama glass roof.
Apart from the engine compartment lid and the front spring struts on the body, the doors on the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo are also made of aluminium. Serving as an outstanding design and construction feature, they reduce the overall weight of the car by 28 kg or 62 lb. And as a further highlight the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo is the first large-scale production car from BMW to feature frameless windows in aluminium shell structure.

The panorama glass roof available as an option on the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo provides an even brighter and, at the same time, more spacious ambience throughout the interior. Measuring 116 centimetres or 45.6" in length and 94.2 centimetres or 37.1" in width, the panorama glass roof provides an opening of up to 44 centimetres or 17.3". With the rear glass section bolted firmly to the body of the car, body stiffness is enhanced accordingly for even
smoother driving conditions.

Optimum occupant safety on all seats.
Extra-strong load-bearing structures, generously dimensioned and exactly defined deformation zones, as well as highly efficient restraint systems masterminded by high-performance control electronics set the standard for the high level of passive safety the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo has to offer. To optimize passive pedestrian safety, in turn, both the engine compartment lid and the side panels give way individually in the event of a collision.

Over and above frontal and hip/thorax airbags, the car's standard safety features include curtain head airbags at the side, three-point inertia-reel airbags with belt force limiters, ISOFIX child seat fastenings at the rear and, on the front seats, belt latch tensioners as well as crash-activated headrests.

The BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo is available as an option with bi-xenon headlights. The Adaptive Headlights likewise available as an option ensure appropriate illumination of the road ahead, following bends and winding roads in a flexible line.

The Bending Light function is integrated in the headlights, while a further feature of the Adaptive Headlights is variable light distribution for optimum illumination of the road ahead also when driving straight ahead.

BMW ConnectedDrive and the most advanced driver assistance systems.
A number of features coming either as standard or as an option on the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo are exclusive developments offered only by BMW. The leadership in technology BMW has to offer comes out, inter alia, in the cockpit and climate control featuring Black Panel technology, the iDrive control system complete with direct selection buttons, the unique range of optional navigation and audio systems with a hard disc memory, the Head-Up Display as well as the exceptional choice of innovative driver assistance systems.

The options for exchanging information among the driver, his car and the surroundings provided by BMW ConnectedDrive are equally unique. And last but certainly not least, the range of mobility services providing traffi c information, an emergency call function, vehicle, enquiry and offi ce services, travel and leisure time planning facilities as well as internet connections is again unparalleled the world over.

The driver assistance systems provided by BMW ConnectedDrive ensure maximum supremacy and safety on the road. These include the High-Beam Assistant, Lane Change Warning, Lane Departure Warning and Speed Limit Info. The new generation of BMW Night Vision able to detect individual persons in the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo, in turn, sets new standards in avoiding accidents while driving at night.

The wide range of features offered as standard, regular equipment include cruise control complete with a brake function, while Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go comes as an option, maintaining a consistent distance from the vehicle ahead by intervening in drive management and building up brake pressure whenever required.

Keeping a close eye on everything: PDC Park Distance Control, Back-Up Camera, Side View and Top View.
The new BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo comes as standard with PDC Park Distance Control at the rear, with PDC available at the front as an optional extra. This is supplemented by a Back-Up Camera, with Side View and Top View also available as an option. Side View uses two cameras integrated in the front wheel arches enabling the driver to check out traffi c coming from the side at an early point. Top View provides an even more detailed overview of road conditions with the help of two additional cameras integrated in the rear-view mirrors.

Data provided by the Side View cameras, by the Back-Up Camera and the PDC sensors on the vehicle and its surroundings is processed by a central computer generating an overall image presented in the Control Display and showing both the car and its surroundings from a bird's eye perspective.

Automatic air conditioning and personal entertainment for your individual well-being.
Featured as standard, automatic air conditioning in the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo is controlled in all its settings by an array of buttons on the centre console. This allows the driver and front passenger to set the temperature, the amount and the distribution of air via the control unit on the climate control panel, individually for the right- and left-hand side of the car.

Four-zone automatic air conditioning standard in the BMW 550i Gran Turismo and coming as an option on the other model variants also allows individual adjustment of temperature, air volume and distribution at the rear left and right and comes complete with a separate control unit on the rear centre console.

Likewise featured as standard on the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo, the audio system boasts both a CD player and an AUX-In port. A hard disc memory, in turn, makes the optional navigation system Professional particularly easy and convenient to use. With its capacity of 80 GB, the memory allows particularly fast access to the digital navigation maps and offers no less than 12 GB additional capacity for a large collection of music fi les.

Optional features include a six-DVD changer, a TV module, and a Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) receiver.
The entertainment systems available on the rear seats of the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo with their 8 and, respectively, 9.2-inch screens integrated in the backrests of the front seats ensure particularly comfortable and pleasant motoring. Hands-free communication thanks to full integration of mobile phones and Smartphones.

The optional mobile phone preparation kit complete with a Bluetooth interface allows additional safety and superior comfort in making telephone calls while driving. A snap-in adapter including a USB port comes as yet a further option for the full integration of Smartphones with an MP3 function. Using this option, the driver and passenger are able to use both the communication and entertainment functions of their mobile phone and mastermind all functions via iDrive.

To provide even greater transport capacity, the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo is available with a towbar moving in and out fully automatically by means of a switch in the luggage compartment. So operating the towbar manually, with the risk of getting dirty in the process, is now a thing of the past. Maximum trailer load is 2,100 kg or 4,630 lb.

With its unique body concept, a truly luxurious interior ambience, superior drivetrain and suspension technology, and innovative equipment features, the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo offers exactly the right standard of modern mobility in our modern times. It fulfils the demands and expectations of motorists looking for a generous driving experience, appreciating an exclusive ambience, and enjoying the benefits of a variable interior. In a nutshell, therefore, the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo presents the status and elegant style of an upper midrange model in an individual rendition oriented to the user's personal requirements.