Alexander Sims spent last weekend helping the Ecurie Ecosse BMW Z4 GT3 finish second in class at the 24 Hours of Spa. We were lucky enough to join him onboard during the race for a one question interview.
We asked: “So Alexander, what’s it like to fly through Eau Rouge in a world class GT3 racecar?” Watch the video after the break for his reply.
[Source: GridStars | Thanks to Aaron for the tip]
Restyled front noses seem to be a thing right now with new sightings of the facelifted BMW 1 Series out on German roads. The ugly eyes of the M135i are perhaps its greatest weakness and it’s expected BMW will pretty much lift the more attractive 2 Series front-end and replicate it on the 1er.
It’s predicted we’ll see the finished article at the Detroit Auto Show in January with a sale launch to follow shortly thereafter.
[Source: Autocar]
Word has come our way confirming the first batch of Australian-delivered BMW M3s and M4s have just arrived by boat. If you’re one of those lucky few with your name on one of those cars we hope the wait until delivery day is not too painful.
We also hope your car’s journey was a little more sedate than this boat trip brought to us by BMW Canada.
Now that the BMW i8 is on sale in Australia this video from the car’s first “dynamic” UK appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed takes on new meaning.
So what is this three-cylinder jobbie with electric sparkles really like? Watch this video to find out. It won’t give you a definitive answer, but it’s still worth watching, even if just to see the impressive line up of supercars the i8 followed up the hill.
A couple of weeks ago BMW Australia announced pricing for the very cool looking and very green i8 hybrid sportscar. It’s three hundred grand if you’re wondering. To promote the Australian sales launch the BMWi “supercar” is touring across the six dealerships in six states who have been nominated as official selling dealers.
Luckily for us here at AUSmotive Rolfe Classic BMW in Canberra made the cut. We received an email last week inviting us along to inspect the car later this week. However, a scheduling bonus meant the Canberra dealer could get the car last Friday and it has been on display since. Word filtered our way quickly, Canberra is a small town after all, and we went along last Saturday for a sticky beak.
The i8 was officially unveiled in Frankfurt late last year and the likes of Chris Harris have described it as “mighty, mighty achievement”.
It’s a plug-in hybrid which sends 170kW/320Nm to the rear wheels, thanks to a fearsome 1.5 litre three cylinder petrol turbo, while the front axle is powered by a 96kW/250Nm electric motor. The total combined output of the i8 is 266kW/570Nm, enough to get the car to 100km/h in 4.4 seconds.
Play nicely and you can almost drive to the moon and back, such is the frugal nature of its fuel consumption (2.1l/100km according to the spec sheet beside the car).
Of course, it’s the flowing lines and dramatic nature of the i8 which hold as much appeal to any petrolhead (or should that be volthead now) as the car’s technical specifications. There’s cleverly crafted nooks and crannies wherever you look and the aesthetic results are plain to see.
The drama only increases when the winged doors open and invite you into the cabin. There’s raw carbon fibre reinforced plastic hinting at the car’s lightweight underbelly before a typically teutonic interior greets you with a few more flashes of personality than you usually see inside a BMW these days.
Although, it’s a shame in a way that much of the car’s futuristic styling is lost with the black Sophisto Grey Brilliant Effect paintwork. That said, the i8 is a beautiful object to admire and we only hope it does good things for BMW on the sales front so that Munich’s bold foray into hybrid sportscars is both encouraged and sustainable.
The i8 is in Canberra until next Tuesday (8 July) and will also visit Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth (it may have visited some or all of those locations already, check with the dealer list below to confirm).
We reckon you should make the effort to check out the i8. For one thing it looks fantastic, but, as a means of providing a long-term solution for the sportcar genre, it’s probably a lot more important than we realise right now.
The latest batch of BMW M2 spy pics have hit the interwebs and as you can see they brought a new M3 along for the ride.
Despite the use of BMW’s noted camouflage vinyl it’s expected the M2 will get a more aggressive body kit than what we are seeing here, which is basically M235i styling. What we do see for the first time on an F87 M2 test mule are quad exhaust pipes, which are standard fare for M cars these days.
At this stage the expected timeline for the M2 sees production starting in the latter half of next year with a sales launch to follow late in 2015 or early 2016.
There’s been no change to the predicted power source, which means you can pencil in around 370–380PS (272–280kW) being offered from an N55B30T0 3.0 litre inline six cylinder turbo.
[Source: Bimmerpost]
BMW has been testing the new M2 for a while now. But this is one of the first times it’s been caught on video. Alas, the sound coming from the exhaust is not as fruity as one might like. Although, it doesn’t seem like the 3.0 litre straight six turbo in the test mule was working that hard. So there should be room for improvement there.
You do get a small glimpse at how phat those flared guards will look on the final production model though. And they’re something we are looking forward to!
[Source: CarScoops]
At the recent press launch of the new M3/M4 it emerged that the next-generation models could be powered by a four-cylinder engine. The original E30 M3 was fitted with a 2.3 litre four-pot, of course, filled with as much character as it was power, so this wouldn’t be anything new. But since then we’ve seen a six cylinder engine and V8 powering the M3, before a return to a 3.0 litre straight six in the new models.
Marketing, as much as the chase for greater power, would have influenced M GmbH to increase cylinder count in previous models. And in a funny way if there is a return to a four-cylinder engine for the hero models, marketing forces could once again be at play.
Speaking to motoring.com.au at the launch of the F80/F82 Carsten Pries, BMW M Division Head of Product Management, said: “We do not start our design process with a power output in mind. We have a set of characteristics that a new model must meet. For sure, you could see a future [M3] powered by a four-cylinder engine.”
He went on to explain that the trend for reducing weight in future models could mean a four cylinder is sufficient for the next-gen M3, which would not be launched until 2020 or thereabouts.
“Performance can be boosted with more power, but if we are to address issues like emissions and consumption, we have to look more at weight. We decided in this generation to address the [upward] weight spiral,” added Pries.
“If we have a car with less mass, it is foreseeable that the targets we set could be reached with a four.”
Fast forward to 2020 and you can see it now: “The new M3: So light we could reduce the size of the engine and still make it faster!”
Similarly, if the marketing boffins felt that the buying audience wouldn’t go for a smaller engine you can bet the next-gen M3 will be powered by a six. So what do you think, would you be happy if the next M3/M4 was powered by a four-pot? Can four-play be better than six?
[Source: motoring.com.au]
In line with our exclusive information from mid-April BMW has finally released official pricing and specs for the new M3 and M4. You can read the press release after the break. Before you do, a reminder on the manufacturer’s list pricing:
See, we told you BMW would make an M2 and here is the proof. The first bona fide M product on the 2 Series platform is expected to commence production in the second half of 2015 for a market launch in 2016 or possibly even late 2015.
BMW will raid the M parts bin to stuff the M2 chock full of goodies. As you can see from this spy pic there’s a genuine LSD in place, just as we saw on the 1M. The camouflage applied to the test mule shows the front and rear wheel arches will be flared, both for aesthetic reasons and to increase the car’s track. Wider wheels and tyres will fill the guards as well.
Insiders say the M2 will be fitted with the N55B30T0 3.0 litre inline six cylinder turbo. Power should top out at around 370–380PS (272–280kW).
[Source: Bimmerpost | Thanks to John for the tip]
One of the first F80 M3s delivered in the world has ended up with a frequent buyer in Dubai. He’s had his car for a couple of weeks now and he’s been updating the world via the Bimmerpost forum. This video showing off the car’s lightning quick launch control feature took our fancy.
After you’ve watched the video we’re sure you’ll agree the answer to our question is: bloody fast! And while a 35°C day might be on the chilly side for Dubai, it’s still less than ideal conditions for a high performance turbo. Although the new M3 seemed to cope just fine.
[Source: Bimmerpost | Thanks to Robbo for the tip]
With LaFerrari reviews hitting the internet on the same day as this BMW i8 review Chris Harris himself described it as, “Like selling ice-cream in the Antarctic.”
However, this video is Harris in some of his best form. And there’s not one single power slide! He did try, he says.
What makes this review so good is his ability to describe the car in a way that almost makes you feel like you’re there with him. Nothing can replace the seat of the pants feel for yourself, of course, but Harris does a pretty good job.
The BMW i8 is powered by a 1.5 litre three-cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor. It weighs almost 1500kg, yet can still reach 100km/h in less than five seconds. And, according to Harris, it can easily dust a WRX on twisty roads. It looks like the future and sounds a bit like a 911, apparently.
It’s not perfect, yet, but what car is?