• over the back fence

    2009 BMW Z4 Reportedly To Come With Hard And Soft Top

    We have it from our good friends at BMW Blog that they have it from their good friends that the 2009 BMW Z4 is going to come with both a soft and hardtop, similar to what Mazda does with the Miata. Those in sunny climates can have their lightweight softtop. Those in areas where the weather gets a bit rougher can opt for the hardtop. Abortions for some, tiny American flags for others. Horray! [Source: BMW Blog]
    04/10/08
    14,166
    40

    Comment by skulldriveshaft picasaweb and youtube: + Watch videowhere the fuck is my baseball bat? hated this POS since it came out. since when did a roadster need... more » | Other threads

  • geneva motor show

    BMW X5 Twin Turbo Diesel Hybrid Concept Coming To Geneva, It's Happening... Maybe

    It seems that the cat is out of the bag and we now think we know what BMW will be highlighting, eco-wise, at this year's Geneva Motor Show. You know all that pleading for more diesel hybrids? According to CarScoop, the boys and girls form Bavaria will be showing off the "Vision EfficeintDynamics" which will be better known as an X5 with a 2.0-liter twin-turbo diesel four-cylinder mated to a hybrid system through an eight-speed automatic transmission. According to BMW, the system should apparently be good for 36.5 mpg (US) while still pulling the SUV to 62 mph in 8.9 seconds. The diesel engine produces 204 horsepower, but with help from the hybrid system achieves 224 horsepower and nearly 450 ft.-lb. of torque. More »
    02/21/08
    2,084
    13

    Comment by thunder; now eta-powered: @DoctorNine: I would agree if the current crop of hybrid vehicles on the market worked more like locomotives or ships.... more » | Other threads

  • gossip

    Over the Back Fence: BMW to Build New Isetta Minicar?

    We're pretty sure there won't be a Hayabusa mill to perform miracles of speed. But the latest from the UK rumor mill is BMW's bringing back the Isetta, the popular econo-egg from the 1950s — created by Italy's Iso and popularized by BMW — that grabbed a generation of cosmopolitan Europeans by the lapels and screamed Holen Sie innen das rollende Ei, dumbkauf!. It may not comprise a new brand, but BMW could use a high-mileage minicar to offset the low end of its fleet-mileage average. Launching an Isetta-tagged minicar might be the company's ticket to complianceville. Of course, the new model won't likely get the same 12-hp engine as the original, nor be dubbed "rolling coffin" by apprehensive car buyers. Bosses have yet to confirm such a car is in the pipeline, but AutoExpress speculates 2010 might be the date. [AutoExpress]
    11/28/07
    4,055
    36

    Comment by lelander: There goes my chances of getting an old one - this will drive the price up by another 5 grand.... more » | Other threads

  • gossip

    Over the Back Fence: BMW Talk from South Carolina

    A bit of advice to automakers' test engineers. Don't go blabbing top-secret info to the neighbors at your kids' soccer games. The Jalopnik readership encompasses many covert types, who are quick with an e-mail to the tips line. Today's back fence comes from a reader in South Carolina, who says he has some insider dish on the coming BMW X6. Following are are the gossipy points, bulleted for your subjection:
    • Several pre-production prototypes being built per week
    More »
    11/02/07
    2,259
    35

    Comment by Rust-MyEnemy is stll out there!: @ranwhenparked: And really lousy gas mileage? more » | Other threads

  • gossip

    A Fourth Brand for BMW?

    According to German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Gesundheit Zeitung, citing no one in particular, BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer will present a new corporate strategy that includes the launch of a new brand. Aha, you say. What about the persistent rumor that BMW wants to buy Volvo from Ford? Not so, the paper says. Naturally, such unsubstantiated bits beg for some high-grade speculation. Will it be one of the ex-Brit brands BMW kept in the Rover deal? Perhaps Triumph? What about the more likely possibility of a high-end performance marque to face-down Aston Martin? Nah. One word: Isetta.
    09/27/07
    1,623
    27

    Comment by Stoatmaster: @no_slushbox: They have Riley? So, if they really wanted, they could recreate the Riley Elf. For the uninitiated, a Mini with a boot,... more » | Other threads

  • gossip

    Over the Back Fence: Mini to Go Tiny?

    According to the Mini watchers at Motoring File, Mini's working on an even smaller model for the European city-car market. The minier Mini would help parent BMW even out its high C02-emissions average in the face of Europe's stiffening regulations. But how would a smaller, less consumptive Mini spec out? Motoring File says it could cost as low as 8500 British pounds and hit the streets early next decade. More on this bulldog puppy as we find out.[Motoring File]
    09/18/07
    542
    4

    Comment by no_slushbox: @TechnoDestructo: I like RWD more, but I wasn't even thinking of the fact that the MINI was the first car... more » | Other threads

  • over the back fence

    All In: Wiesmann GT Might Get M5's 507 HP V10

    We've always dug the Wiesmann GT. It's exactly the sort of car we don't see enough of over here in Bush country: a mad, coachbuilt, ceviche-raw sportster. Though, reports say that's set to change come 2010. We've never driven a Wiesmann, but we'd imagine that with 362 horsepower drawn from a BMW-sourced 4.8-liter V8 pushing around an approximately 2,500 pound car, performance is likely sizzling. Did we say sizzling? We meant not sizzling enough. Word is, Wiesmann will present a 507 hp, 8,250 rpm, F1-derived V10 iteration of their GT next month at Frankfurt . So what if the GT looks like an M Coupe and a Jag S-Type played a drunken game of hide the sausage? Zero-to-60 times in the four-second range and the very real possibility of wheel spin in every gear make our hearts go all a flutter. [Motor Authority]
    08/22/07
    1,301
    20

    Comment by Vega: So please Jalopniks, correct the headline (and the Tag). It's Wiesmann, not Weismann!!! more » | Other threads

  • a mini suv for magna?

    Report: Magna Conspiring With BMW on Mini SUV

    Canadian builder of other peoples' cars and related gewgaws, Magna International, is reportedly talking with BMW AG about a new Mini SUV model, according to Automotive News and Canada's Globe and Mail newspaper. Sources say the bugger even has a name, Mini Colorado, which has nothing at all to do with that section of Los Angeles with all the "Mork from Ork" impersonators. Around 65,000 of the buggers would be assembled annually at Magna's plant in Graz, Austria, which is still smarting from losing the BMW X3 assembly account to the company's Spartanburg, South Carolina plant in South Carolina. The sources are unnamed and a BMW spokeswoman issued a luxurious no comment fit for a Freifrau. [see also CNN]
    07/19/07
    771
    13

    Comment by lascauxcaveman: This is known as 'expanding the brand' aka 'leveraging the brand' aka 'selling out the brand' aka 'ruining the brand'. Heh... more » | Other threads

  • let us motor!

    More on BMW/Mercedes Tieup: Next A-Class on Mini Platform?

    Today's news that BMW and Mercedes may find common ground on a minicar project gains new perspective via Germany's AutoBild. The mag reports the rivals are expected to announce plans to build the next A-Class (or A-Class replacement) on the Mini Cooper platform. The boys at Motoring File say the Mini's profitability for BMW may depend on wringing out every bit of capacity, making the platform prime for an outsourcing job. No word on the story's probability level, but the accountants may have to sell the Mercedes product planners on the idea. [Thanks to Seth for the tip.] – Mike Spinelli More »
    07/05/07
    819
    5

    Comment by Wrenchguy: Blasphemy! Of course then again what else would you expect from a company that had Porsche built E500's or... more » | Other threads

  • you call that r8 a midlife crisis?

    BMW Skunk Works Readies M10

    While our favorite Bavarian automaker builds an awful lot of super-sweet rides, they can't seem to get a grip on the whole sports car thing. Seeing an E39 M5 still makes our day, but in the back of our mind we know it is but a big-engine shoved into a 5-series and all the limitations that follow. Yeah, the M1 was a purpose-built sportscar, but it was never a world beater and was as Italian as it was German. And while a green 850CSi will be parked in our driveway one day, it's luxo-barge with a killer engine, not a track star. The Z8? No, not really. You'd have get a pre-War 328 to find a true Bimmer runner. But all that is about to change. According to rumor, BMW's new halo car and R8/911 killer is being developed entirely by the boffins at M. Saving weight is priority #1 as the car must not exceed 1,400 kg. Which incidentally is about 60 pounds less than a Z06. Power is going to be in the 550 horse neighborhood and will either come from a hopped up V10 or a twin-turbo version of the soon-to-arrive M3's V8. Styling is said to be inspired by the oh so popular CS concept and the engine will be up front as opposed to midship. We're not entirely sure why, but the notion of a twin-turbo V8 in a 3,000 pound car is making us spectacularly happy. – Jonny Lieberman More »
    05/30/07
    1,485
    18

    Comment by FЯeeMan: Please, please, PLEASE stop posting pictures of that CS concept. The cost of surgery to replace the corneas I rip out... more » | Other threads

  • swedish meatroundels

    Over the Back Fence: BMW Still Angling to Buy Volvo?

    Sources keep on sourcing, while the speculators keep on a-speculatin'. While a butchered Stevie Wonder lyric may not always be most apt for an automotive rumor, this one's as close as they come. New word from Sweden's Goteborgs-Posten indicates BMW's been performing due diligence duties on Volvo's finances. That story merged over the weekend with a Financial Times report that the Munich squad has been in "informal" talks with Ford regarding the sale of Volvo. Both reports build on a story from earlier this month indicating BMW looked at both Volvo and Alfa Romeo as takeover targets. Will BMW repeat its Rover debacle, or will it abandon its acquisition plans and continue to grow organically. Here's to hoping it's the latter. – Mike Spinelli More »
    05/29/07
    1,116
    11

    Comment by Colonel35: @yagobal: Since their explicit financials aren't publicly available, we can only guess, but as a whole the premier group has... more » | Other threads

  • bmw buying

    Bayrische Volvowerke? BMW Considered Purchasing Swedish Ford Division

    The last time the Quandt family's minions from München went on a purchasing spree, well, it didn't work out so well. And apparently with Mini sales down and development costs out, BMW looked into buying Volvo from Ford, to whom, of course, they'd sold Land Rover after their Rover Group finanical debacle. The idea would have eventually moved larger Volvos onto BMW-drived RWD and AWD platforms, while the Mini's architecture would have been used for the smaller models. Would it have worked? Would FoMoCo have parted with the brand? Will BMW buy another marque? Will Gordon Shumway ever play bouillabaisseballl again? Stay tuned. – Davey G. Johnson More »
    05/17/07
    669
    18

    Comment by Halib: Why would BMW want Jag when they have Rolls? Why would they want Volvo when they already have a broader... more » | Other threads

  • gossip

    Gossip: US M3 Pricing Announced?

    We know what it looks like. We know how much power it makes. We know what it smells like, its favorite color, what it had for lunch on Tuesday and who it is voting for in 2008. We know that BMW's new M3 thinks it is OK to have white wine with beef, feels that Simon Cowell is cruel but funny, agrees with Nancy Pelosi on a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq and cries at the end of Bambi. The M3 enjoys long walks on the beach, hiking, will try anything once, likes getting dressed up for the opera but is just as comfortable in sweats on the couch watching football. We know everything about the M3. The car is more over exposed than Britney's crotch Mini's Clubman. In fact, we've even known the price for a few days but sat on it because we're sick of reading about this damn car. BMW, release it already, because the one thing we don't know is how it drives. And we're this close to not caring. Though, we do have a soft spot for 420 horsepower German sleds. And according to the lads at autospies.com, the M3 is going to cost us Yanks a very RS4-like $68,989. Which probably is probably close and possibly accurate. At least we know what we don't know. – Jonny LIeberman More »
    04/26/07
    916
    31

    Comment by Turboner: @Miscellanea: Yep... more » | Other threads

  • gossip

    Over the Back Fence: Loose Talk on the Next BMW 7-Series

    According to those wacky Spies of all things Auto, BMW's next 7-Series sedan will be incrementally more refined than the current model, with electronics features that don't throw gang signs up on the display monitor instead of working. Not only that, if rumors pan out, the 7 will get a load of new tech including four cameras linked to algorithms that control all manner of assistance functions, including parking, backup. around-corner vision, lane-departure warning and pedestrian upskirt shots (you stopped listening, didn't you?). AS's sources say the 7 will also get virtual gauges projected on a plasma screen. Oh the engine? How about 700 hp via the company's new twin-turbo kit. All that and a less flame-surfaced body style? Someone get us a spoon. – Mike Spinelli More »
    04/18/07
    794
    12

    Comment by smokeydog001: Gott im Himmel, could we just get it without all the Swiss Army knife doo dads please? more » | Other threads

  • gossip

    Best of Both: A Diesel Hybrid from BMW?

    How far can we stretch a story based on one of Autocar's unnamed sources? Let's see. According to a senior engineer source of Autocar's, the company won't launch a hybrid unless it's as economical as a diesel. That sounds about right, considering BMW's spent plenty of R&D money on diesels, and is planning to expand its diesel line into the US. Is it too much of a leap to say the company's first hybrid — a version of the 5-Series, whose hybrid-drive system the company developed with GM and DaimlerChrysler — will be a diesel hybrid? Not for Autocar, which apparently surmises as such from the engineer's comments. Is it sexy conjecture, or will BMW be the first automaker to drop an oil-electricity system into a passenger car? Either way, the first hybrid 5-Series is expected to arrive in 2010, with or without a nod from Herr Rudolph. – Mike Spinelli More »
    04/12/07
    678
    4

    Comment by Sketch242: Am I the only one who doesn't see the point of a diesel hybrid? Diesels already have plenty of... more » | Other threads

  • gossip

    Over the Back Fence: A New BMW 8-Series?

    Is BMW joining the coupeish sedan game? That's the word from AutogesundheitZeitung, in a sense. Word is BMW is working on a Mercedes CLS / Aston Martin Rapide / Audi A7 fighter that will fill the void of a proper full-sized flagship with sporting intentions. The idea would be to leave the 7-Series as a luxo barge and add a performance-oriented, slope-roof model that would likely get the M-Power treatment. No word on timeline, or whether or not it would wear the 8-Class badging. – Mike Spinelli More »
    04/06/07
    6,224
    15

    Comment by my favorite car is a motorcycle: ze word "coupe'" means "cut". zat is to say, ze saloon wit de quatre porte configuration ees "cut" to... more » | Other threads

  • gossip

    Report: Sportvan BMWs on the Way, Based on 3-Series, 5-Series

    We've been hearing about this bizarre BMW X6 (or F6) crossover for nigh on two years. But several generations of artists' renderings later, and one purported eyewitness account, haven't quite clarified things. We do know there's a new manner of BMW coming that looks like a 6-Series four door, only more aggressive looking and with a higher ride height. Now, MotorTrend reports BMW could be working up a similar vehicle based on the 3-Series, though it's yet to be greenlighted. Obviously, the company's preparing for the post-SUV world, where aerodynamics are again a consideration. What did we do to deserve this weird, new era. – Mike Spinelli More »
    02/15/07
    660
    8

    Comment by Rob P: This is why BMW changed their tag from "Ultimate Driving Machine" to something vaguely about having ideas. This is... more » | Other threads

  • gossip

    Weight for It: New M3 Convertible Could Be a Soft Top, Says Bikini Babes

    Well, not so much bikini babes as Winding Road, which surmises the poseur droptop version of the next BMW M3 could get a cloth top to save weight, not the company's origami-inspired retractable roof. That conclusion belies a recent set of spy shots, which reportedly show a quad-piped M3 sporting the auto hardtop. The second possibility would be for BMW to include the new hardness, but replace some sheetmetal with weight-saving carbon fiber. The third option, according to one source who subsequently revealed he just makes shit up, would be to build the entire subframe out of that sooty stuff left over after burning Cobra black snakes. – Mike Spinelli More »
    01/26/07
    1,695
    4

    Comment by Turboner: You can take it to track days, just hack that expensive interior and throw in a roll bar. more » | Other threads

  • gossip

    Spec'ing the BMW Z4 Replacement

    Auto spy Hans Lehmann and his p-shop jockeys at Hidden Image released a spec image of the next roadster from BMW, dubbed Z6. Winding Road speculates the larger, sleeker droptop will replace the weak-selling Z4, while Germany's AutoBild talks of wider expansion throughout the Z universe to include an entry-level Z2 and high-end Z8 supercar. There's no doubt the spec has a more pleasing line than the current Z, but maybe Hans and his minions should rethink that headlight assembly, which may have been cribbed from a Hyundai minivan concept. – Mike Spinelli More »
    11/08/06
    2,257
    1

    Comment by c1josh: My first post on Jalopnik and all I can do is cry... If that's the face of the new Z4, I... more » | Other threads

  • gossip

    Spy Photos: S-M-All BMW Cabrio

    A new spy video shows what looks to be BMW's rumored 2-Series cabrio being flogged on the N rburgring in fine form. If you weren't yet aware, loose talk going back to 2004 indicates the Bayerische boys are working up the new model range, which will include both coupe and cabrio models, for the US market. Word is they'll be stateside (read: non-hatchback) variants of the 1-Series, designed to compete with the Volvo S40. Starting in the $25,000 range, the 2s will allegedly come with a range of fours and sixes, with a possible M2 version sporting the 335i's turbo six. Could those pleading for a new 2002 from BMW finally be getting their wish? Keep an eye out. – Mike Spinelli More »
    Spy Photos
    11/08/06
    539
    7

  • gossip

    To Brake or Not to Brake: That's BMW's Question

    An explosion of 3-Series model derivitives (remember when there was just one, lonely 320i in the states?) means BMW's franchise now spans five major constructs: (SUV, coupe, sedan, convertible and wagon. Where does a company bent on line expansion go from there? According to company insiders, the next step could be toward the mostly unknown and barely useful shooting brake style (mocked up by AutoBild, above). Derived for English country gentlemen who had a devil of a time fitting a shotgun in their MGs, the hybrid sportscar-wagon was always somewhat of a dead-ender. More »
    10/17/06
    349
    9

    Comment by J.T.: Where BMW really needs to go next is an expansion in their lower-end models. Remember those 320i's? I had a... more » | Other threads

  • gossip

    New BMW Supercar, the M10, Coming in 2009? Tuner Version Already Planned?

    Italian BMW tuner Racing Dynamics appears to have dropped some info regarding BMW's new supercar, apparently to be called the M10. A rendering of the car (above) was accompanied by the following blurb: More »
    09/17/06
    16,363
    10

    Comment by Papercutninja: It's a little to fanciful and aggressive to be too accurate of a rendering. The overall shape may end up... more » | Other threads

  • gossip

    Baby Bayern: Speculating on the BMW X1

    C'mon now, enough is enough with this small SUV thing, no? According to Germany's AutoBild, BMW's working on an even smaller ute, the X1, which would be the baby brother of the X3 and X5. The Bild says BMW's alleged move is based on numbers: The small ute segment is set to grow by 50 percent by the middle of next decade, and new competitors from Volkswagen (Tiguan) and Acura (RDX) — and more reportedly in the works from Audi (Q3), Mercedes (GLK) — are prepared to carve up the market, with or without a response from the Bayern boys. Is the auto industry turning into a game of mass follow-the-leader, and has it already become that? More »
    08/30/06
    727
    3

    Comment by scurvyman: On the bright side, these are the least awkward post-Bangle BMW headlights I've seen yet. And the grille doesn't... more » | Other threads

  • gossip

    BMW's Luxury Sport Crossover: Focus Group Attendee Confirms AutoBild Spec Shot of 2008 BMW X6

    A few months back, a tipster gave us an account of his experience in a focus group regarding a new BMW crossover, which some publications have referred to as the X6 or LSC (luxury sport crossover). According to said tipster, the September issue of Popular Mechanics features a shot of the exact car that appeared before the focus group. While PM hasn't posted shots of the model online, a spec image published by AutoBild, the tipster says, is an accurate representation of the car. To wit: More »
    08/21/06
    5,187
    3

    Comment by adb: We're mixing apples and oranges, kids. The X6 is, in essence, a chopped X5--lower roof, less practical, higher performance, and... more » | Other threads

  • gossip

    BMW M3 Coupe Pricing and Specs Leaked?

    Our buddy Tom just tipped us off that someone over at E90Post posted what they say is US pricing info (though, strangely, metric horsepower and torque specs) for the next-gen BMW M3 coupe, due out later this year. Some notables regarding the new model are its 4.0-liter V8 (bi-VANOS 3rd gen.), producing 412 hp and 310 ft-lbs of torque, its available SMG III 7-speed tranny (six-speed manual standard), its carbon-fiber roofage similar to the M6's, and base price of $53,975, a $5000 jump from the 2006 MSRP (options raise the ceiling quickly). Lots more after the fold, taken with a big 'ol grain of salt. More »
    08/17/06
    1,428
    8

    Comment by fembot: Base price on the RS4 is $66,000 and change. There are basically 3 options - the most expensive being a... more » | Other threads

  • gossip

    Eine Kleine Roadstermusik: 2009 BMW Z2, Z4, Z6, Z8?

    Germany's AutoBild elaborates on the story of BMW's upcoming Z2 roadster, a stripped-down MX-5 beater that's been the talk of blogosapiens from here to Tristan da Cunha (now all they need is some roads). AB says BMW strategists don't consider classes or categories of cars, as much as they conceptualize "universes" surrounding its models — the Mini universe, the X universe, the Z universe, etc. That last one, the magazine says, will expand around the time the Z4's successor arrives in 2009, with the darty Z2 and top-line Z8 (in defiance of rumors indicating it'd be called Z6) joining the Z orbit (ooh, spacy). The new models will be redesigned in an effort to boost the sagging sales of the current generation. We read that as less flame-surfacing and more new hotness. We'll see. More »
    08/16/06
    4,423
    0

  • gossip

    BMW Z6 Supercar: Reithofer Wants It

    The rumor pot regarding BMW's rumored Z6 Mercedes SL-beater continues on a low simmer. But what will a changing of the guard at BMW mean for the project? The latest comes from Car4, which reports today BMW's new chairman, Norbert Reithofer — who will replace Helmut Panke in September — wants to bring this model to production. Other than that, conjecture remains status quo: inspired by the California Spyder concept (see below the fold), using an aluminium spaceframe structure, fitted with components from the 5- and 6-Series, and the M5/M6's V10 under the hood. Hurry up, now, and wait. More »
    08/04/06
    478
    1

    Comment by wannabewannabe: That's be pretty friggin sweet. But I still wouldn't buy one, not because I obviously couldn't afford it (which I... more » | Other threads

  • gossip

    Is BMW Working on a Z2 Roadster?

    That's the question of the day over on Left Lane News, where reports from German car magazines that BMW's preparing an MX-5/Opel GT fighter have bubbled up into the blogosphere. Word is the projected Z2 model could help fill out a line of Z-badged roadsters (and coupes) that include a potential Z6 flagship supercar and Z1 go kart (ore thereabouts). Stay tuned. More »
    07/13/06
    1,127
    2

    Comment by Matador: The Z4 is about 4m long, like the Solstice. So, will they launch the Z2 to the mini-car japanese market? Or... more » | Other threads

  • gossip

    Spec'ing out the BMW Four-Door "Coupe"

    You know it and we know it: Ever since the Mercedes CLS sacrificed its first rear-passenger head to the gods of low clearance, the coupe-y four door has been all the rage. Porsche plans to follow up in 2009 with the Panamera, and BMW is expected to launch a model of its own — quite possible unveiling a prototype at the British motor show next month. Now, the Left Lane-ers have plucked what may be a spec image of the BMW entry from the cover of the German magazine, Rindfleischetikettierungs berwachungsaufgaben- bertragungsgesetz. At least that should be the name. More »
    06/23/06
    635
    0

  • gossip

    If 9 Were 6: BMW's Rumored "Z9" or "Z10" May Be New "Z6" Supercar

    BMW bosses have already admitted a flagship project is in the works. Now, according to the UK's Autocar magazine, that project could be the Z6. Based on the 6-Series, natch, the new supercar — which had once been rumored to be dubbed "Z9" or "Z10" — will show off some of the weight-saving technologies the Bimmer boys have been concocting of late, including the use of magnesium and likely some sort of space-frame contraption. It could also have a turbocharged V8. Don't think Z8 replacement with this one, though; it's reportedly set to be a higher-volume model, and one that will serve as a technology leader for the rest of the company's cars. It'd also be the company's first supercar since the M1. Get excited. Note: The picture at right is from Autocar's first coverage, not the latest. More »
    05/25/06
    1,921
    2

    Comment by b33g33: Hmmm ... so, the Z8 wasn't a supercar? Some old guy in my office complex has one with the removable... more » | Other threads

  • gossip

    Second Story Man: Tipster Says He's Seen the BMW "X6"

    A Jalopnik tipster say's he's seen the reportedly upcoming, super-skunkwerks-secret BMW "X6" crossover CUV/four-door "coupe." (Could it be be the car BMW's planning to unveil at the British International Motor Show in July?) He says, among other things, that the spec image of the X6 created by Auto Motor und Sport's artistes (above) is "somewhat of a close resemblance, but in a way doesn't even come close to what I saw." Still, if the following account doesn't sound exactly like what's been reported on the X6, we don't know what it could be. Click through for details. More »
    05/23/06
    1,865
    6

    Comment by wannabewannabe: WMeredith- aztekisch more » | Other threads

  • gossip

    Secret BMW Planned for London Show?

    According to Leftlane News, BMW's planning to unveil a "secret" new model at the British International Motor show this summer, which most have written off as the 3-Series coupe. But What Car? editors say it'll be neither the coupe nor the next-generation Mini, as had been speculated. Some guesses? A 1-Series cabrio, M6 convertible or a super-secret skunkwerks 8-Series hybrid RV and fish-and-chips truck. Who doesn't love fish and chips? More »
    05/22/06
    224
    4

    Comment by magpub: Don't forget about the SUV/coupe dreamed up at Designworks and endorsed by the Board. It's been described as an easy... more » | Other threads

  • gossip

    New Engines from BMW?

    The particularly heavy backchannel news day for BMW rolls on with a report in Germany's Autobild about the company's next-generation engines in preparation for for the 3 Series and 5 Series, including a novel approach to adding power — maybe you've heard of it: turbocharging. In addition to the new Audi RS4-attacking 425hp V8 set to power the next M3, a range of turbocharged gas-powered mills — designated "tis" or "ti" — will comprise a 275-hp four-cylinder mill to a 375-hp inline six. More powerful diesels are also in the works, including a 200-hp 2-liter and 250- and 300-hp sixes. Eurocar Blog handles translation duties on this one. More »
    02/06/06
    126
    0

  • news

    BMW to Build X Sport?

    The kids over at Autoblog.nl pulled their fingers out of the leak in the dike long enough to hammer out a missive proclaiming that BMW's gonna build a crossover that'll go on sale in 2008. According to them, the X-Sport (Whoa! No alphanumerics! Just alphas!) will come with a 265-horse six at launch, as well as a diesel option, with a 4.4L V-8 to follow. We have no idea how accurate the supplied photo is, but it looks a damn sight better than a lot of crossovers out there. More »
    01/17/06
    483
    6

    Comment by ParanoidAndroid07: It looks Bangleriffic! more » | Other threads

  • gossip

    BMW to Pull a Mini on the Triumph Brand?

    We owe Gabe from Motoring File an apology for missing this story until now (our mailbox was lousy with Caption Contest entries). It seems BMW is using the Mini platform to work up some kind of a two-seater Triumph concept car that will be shown sometime this year. According to Autocar, there's a good chance the concept will see production. The branding aspects of such a car are no sweat for BMW, considering Triumph is one of brands BMW acquired during its purchase of Rover (and its back catalog of iconic UK marques) before unloading the remnants to Ford and other suckers mercenaries investors. [Update: The Unofficial Austin Rover Web Resource sources say the concept designs (more than one) are "retro-modern in style, but with a nod to the past, carrying traces of Triumph TR4 and Stag in places." Plus the company has bid MINI distributors in the US to await "some very big surprises' in 2006/7." (Thanks, James).] More »
    01/06/06
    1,593
    3

    Comment by scotte: If it combines the looks of any of the TR-model Triumph 2-seaters* with the performance & build quality that BMW... more » | Other threads

  • gossip

    Next-Gen BMW 7-Series to be Smaller, Less Radical

    As Edmunds Inside Line reports, the next BMW 7-Series could be smaller, sportier and less ungainly (or more gainly, if you prefer). The redesign, coming for 2008 (check the possibly official BMW product product timeline for details) will get a major re-sculpting, a more traditionally located shift lever and a "more intuitive" iDrive — all seeming to address critics' jabs individually (a hybrid version is also reportedly planned). Word is the current 7-Series will morph into the new, lower-priced executive Rolls-Royce expected to come in under $200,000. More »
    12/13/05
    334
    0

  • gossip

    AutoBild Predicts the 2008 BMW 7-Series

    Thanks to Leftlane News, we remembered to check Germany's AutoBild to see what its artists are rendering in regard to the next-gen BMW 7-Series that's in the works. From the looks of the digital predictions, the new flagship will get some aggressive new lines forward of the A-pillars, a less-pronounced bubble butt, and an ethereal AutoBild logo that hovers over the driver's side window. Man, that's almost as annoying as Chris Bangle's flame-surfacing. As a consolation prize, the top-line model will reportedly get Bimmer's slick new, 500hp V10, just like the M5 and M6. More »
    11/22/05
    4,914
    4

    Comment by Eric Wang: I don't care how realistic that rendering is; it looks a million times better than the current 7. It has the... more » | Other threads

  • gossip

    BMW's 7-Year Product Plan Exposed?

    Our compadres at new eurocar blog Eurocar unearthed what could be BMW's multiyear plan for its model lines. Sure, it could be a fake — the absence of its Z4 Coupe is startling — but many of the other pipeline products seem to jibe with rumor, like the next-generation mini and Rolls-Royce Phantom convertible in 2007, and X6 allroad coupe in 2008. Also missing is a new, lower-priced Rolls-Royce model that BMW had confirmed would challenge the Bentley Continental franchise in 2009. We're figuring, if it's real, the roadmap is circa 2002-2003, but that, of course, is just a guess. More »
    11/14/05
    721
    0

  • gossip

    New Images of BMW 3-Series Coupe, Convertible

    If we had to pick an MVP in the car blog space this week, it'd likely be Leftlane News, capping a solid showing by posting a bunch of AutoBild spec images of the upcoming BMW 3-Series (E92) coupe and retractable-hardtop convertible. We're guessing the shots are in-house renderings, though AuBi's cadre of spies can be clever, so we'll give them the benefit of the doubt in this case. Still, there's still no confirmation of a rumor the hardtop-convertible will be the only non-M coupe offered, while the M3 will get a proper hardtop. More »
    10/29/05
    568
    0

  • gossip

    BMW 3-Series to Get Retractable Hardtop

    Next year, BMW will assert that no Swedish Ford can be allowed outdo it in the hardtop-convertible market. Answering the new Volvo C70 (and Opel Astra in Europe), BMW's next-generation 3-Series convertible will come with a foldable hardtop when it's released in fall 2006. According to Edmunds Inside Line, the new coupe-cabrio will replace the 3-Series coupe and the 3-Series convertible — which we hadn't heard before — but we're positive the M3 coupe will be fixed-roof. More »
    10/17/05
    2,559
    3

    Comment by spardue3366: can you help me find .1994 bmw removable hardtop .for my convertable. ive been looking allover ,iam gettin weary and... more » | Other threads