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24 hours of lemons altamont
novelties
Want To See Where The BMW 3-Series Is Built?
Here's a nice piece of BMW propaganda touting its love of ideas and stuff by way of architecture. The voice over is a little overwrought, but the content is pretty cool. This looks like none of the plants we've ever worked in, which mostly were dirty, messy places that smell like sour cutting oil and failure. But we've only ever worked for the big three, so what do we know. BMW's Leipzig plant is the birthplace of all BMW's which carry the 3-series genome, and apparently they went all out for the assembly plant of their bread and butter Bimmer. Guess this is the kind of thing which explains why the cars are so darn expensive. [BMW Wesbite]
novelties
Turbo Diesel E30 BMWs Are Spooky
The E30 BMW 3-series is a cult favorite, but most people think of the petrol-powered 325is or M3 versions when they think of performance. Well not these guys. This is evidence that a turbo diesel E30 can rock just as hard; when you do burnouts, you get tire smoke and black exhaust! The horror-flick style editing makes the boosted oil-burners seem downright scary. [YouTube]
24 hours of lemons
The Difference Between a Porcupine And a BMW?
Now, we love the Carpet Pissers' theme for their 24 Hours of LeMons race car, but even those marmot-stuffing micturators are going to have a tough time competing with Jalopnik tipster extraordinaire LTDScott's Team Porcubimmer for the coveted People's Choice Award. You know the old joke about BMWs, of course... well, Team Porcubimmer is turning a mid-80s 325e into a rolling porcupine! [Team Porcubimmer]
spy photos
2009 BMW 3-Series To Undergo Plastic Surgery
Chief spy mistress Brenda Priddy's just sent out her latest batch of spy shots from her EuropeanMore »
3:00 PM on Thu Feb 21 2008
By Ray Wert
19,310 views,
30 comments
Latest by rimplestultskin: honestly, i think BMW should have given the 3 series sedan the same front end that the 3 series coupe has, called it a day, and put it up in dealerships. yes, when i saw that the M3 sedan took styling more »
gadgets
Custom Garmin BMW Receivers for 1, 3 Series
Garmin has struck a deal with BMW to begin producing customized Garmin units for the 1- and 3-series vehicles. The Nuvi 360 will be the model of choice for BMW owners and will come with the usual array of features, including Bluetooth, MP3 player, street pronunciation and more. Unfortunately, the BMW-ified 360 isn't all that exciting. More »
new cars
M-Power! Five Things We Know About BMW's Dual Clutch Transmission
Add another true automanual tranny to the growing list. Call it the M double-clutch transmission with DriveLogic. It's BMW's new 7-speed switchgear that's shipping with the new M3s, and likely will replace the divisive, largely poky and cumbersome — that is, without some serious futzing — M-Sequential (SMG / SMG II) automated manual. The SMG system uses a high-pressure hydraulic actuator to shift gears, with the latest version (i.e., SMG II) offering five automatic modes and six manual modes and shift times in around 80 miliseconds. In dual-clutch systems, like BMW's new system and VW/Audi's DSG, one clutch handles gears 1, 3, 5, 7 (and reverse) and the second handles 2, 4, 6 — they work alternately, engaging and disengaging in a complex dance that allows for uninterrupted upshifts at speeds of a few milliseconds. An algorithm takes into account throttle position, engine speed, road speed and shift mode in use when calculating shift management. What else do we know about the new M double-clutch transmission with DriveLogic? Click through.More »
geneva motor show
Call it a nod to the power of an Internet leak, or a calculated buzz builder. Either way, BMW let fly with information on the next offshoot of its latest M3, after photos of the convertible showed up on forum sites earlier this week. According to the press text, the retractable hardtop switchgear adds 450 pounds to the platform. That'll likely put a bit of crimp in the car's performance figures, vis-à-vis its coupe sibling, which has a flyweight carbon-fiber roof. On the occasion of the convertible's live reveal in March at the Geneva motor show, BMW's also introducing its new M DCT dual-clutch transmission. That box replaces the SMG, a complex and often unwieldy cog swapper apparently created by Stephen Hawking to celebrate the triumph of spacetime over Euclidean space. (It's complicated, see). No details on the M DCT in the press release — and ditto for performance figures - so we'll have to wait for another missive.
More »
BMW Reveals M3 Convertible, Coming to Geneva
Call it a nod to the power of an Internet leak, or a calculated buzz builder. Either way, BMW let fly with information on the next offshoot of its latest M3, after photos of the convertible showed up on forum sites earlier this week. According to the press text, the retractable hardtop switchgear adds 450 pounds to the platform. That'll likely put a bit of crimp in the car's performance figures, vis-à-vis its coupe sibling, which has a flyweight carbon-fiber roof. On the occasion of the convertible's live reveal in March at the Geneva motor show, BMW's also introducing its new M DCT dual-clutch transmission. That box replaces the SMG, a complex and often unwieldy cog swapper apparently created by Stephen Hawking to celebrate the triumph of spacetime over Euclidean space. (It's complicated, see). No details on the M DCT in the press release — and ditto for performance figures - so we'll have to wait for another missive.
More »
new cars
Oh man, has Ford figured out a way to get us to post a long and boring video about their plans for creating a sustainable business with environmentally sustainable technology. They drag race the Taurus above against a DTS and 3-series Bimmer and manage to win(though, no word on what powerplants in either the BMW or DTS). (we hear from Ford PR the Bimmer is powered by the 300 hp 3.0L twin turbo inline six and the Caddy has the 320 horsepower 4.6L Northstar V8.) This Taurus mule is fitted with an EcoBoost twin-turbo V6 3.5L engine, which is the future Ford technology that reduces emissions and increases power with lower displacement via turboboosting and direct gasoline injection.
More »
EcoBoost is the New Turbo Boost? Prototype Taurus Drag Races BMW And Cadillac, Wins
Oh man, has Ford figured out a way to get us to post a long and boring video about their plans for creating a sustainable business with environmentally sustainable technology. They drag race the Taurus above against a DTS and 3-series Bimmer and manage to win
More »
thunderhill lemons
You Can't Stop the Pit Action
You can only hope to document it. Hey, it's day 2 of an endurance race where you can't spend more than $500 on your race car. You know the pits are where the real action's at. Like the #56 car, which is most likely an '84 Bimmer. No one was really sure/too busy to talk to us. Here's what we know. The left rear wheel fell off. Looks like all four shafts failed from where they connected to the hub. In other words, pop! The wheel is still out on the track, but in the true spirit of the United Colors of Thunderhill, another BMW lent a wheel. Their head wrench is saying 30 minutes and they'll be back at it. The wheel loss is a shame, too, as #56 has been running hard the whole race, and probably left in sixth place.
novelties
$2.8 million Ivory-Carved Dragon BMW Speaks for Itself
Some carved vehicles are okay, but this one by Folk artist Su Zhongyang, definitely isn't. You see, Su spends a lot of time carving dragons into ivory and yak bone. The carvings themselves doesn't look too bad, especially if you check out some of close-ups in the gallery below. However, it's what he did with the carvings that is truly horrifying. As if you can't already tell, the carvings are plastered all over this BMW 3-series that's already on the Tammy Faye-side of the gaudy meter, thanks to the excessive usage of gold and even diamonds. Surprisingly, the ivory rock only adds another 600 pounds or so to the vehicles curb weight, having a who-knows-what effect to the performance. The car's on display in Guangzhou's Zhenhai Tower, if anyone feels compelled to see this thing in person. [Born Rich]
industry news
Automobile Magazine All-Star Cars Revealed, Refuse To Hand Over The Crown
It's the time of the year when everyone and their grandmother hands out a "Best Car Ever...of the Year" award. Just over a week ago Motor Trend named their Car of the Year. We already showed you the Car & Driver top ten for '08 and now Automobile Magazine has released their category-less Automobile All-Stars list. However, Automobile's picks reveal that the 2008 model year might not have been an All-Star year for new cars. Seven of the ten cars are carryovers from last year (or was 2007 just that good?). Click through the jump to find out who the newcomers are and which seven titans kept their titles. More »
found on craigslist
The Only Problem Is Cosmetic Damage!
When you're looking at a car that's been rammed into a freeway abutment at high speed, are you the glass-half-empty sort who sees nothing but doom and gloom? Or do you see potential? Reader RJones tipped us off about this '94 325iS, and we think the seller falls into the glass-overflowing optimist category- just pull the tarp aside a bit, whip out the camera phone for some blurry goodness, and the buyers will be lining up to give you $2000!
racing
Ride At LeMons With Team SFF1's BMW 325e!
After we put up the 400 photos of the LeMons Über Gallery, we heard from rnair, who was a member of Team SFF1, whose 1986 BMW 325e finished in the Top 44. Team SFF1 has documented the heck out of their LeMons experience, with tons of photos and action-packed in-car videos. It's definitely worth checking out. [The Racing Geek]
ad watch
Yes, the BMW 3-Series is a religion to many — a part of pop culture, a subculture. Heck, it's like Joseph Stalin or Kennedy — it's a cult of personality. And it also makes for a killer car commercial. In a world of watered-down attempts at humor and silly jingles — this 3-Series commercial stands out. It's an ad that's does what ads about cars with a history should be doing — drawing upon that history and the positive emotions associated with it to use to sell the present day car by showing us the new version of the ride with a clear white background — a lack-of-color representing the endless possibilities of the future. Don't get us wrong, it's no Ferrari Shell ad, and it's no Michael Bay Chevy ad — but it does succeed where many recent commercials have failed — it made our pulses quicken and lean forward to pay closer attention. What more does an advertiser want?
The BMW 3-Series Is A Cult On Wheels, Makes For A Good Commercial
Yes, the BMW 3-Series is a religion to many — a part of pop culture, a subculture. Heck, it's like Joseph Stalin or Kennedy — it's a cult of personality. And it also makes for a killer car commercial. In a world of watered-down attempts at humor and silly jingles — this 3-Series commercial stands out. It's an ad that's does what ads about cars with a history should be doing — drawing upon that history and the positive emotions associated with it to use to sell the present day car by showing us the new version of the ride with a clear white background — a lack-of-color representing the endless possibilities of the future. Don't get us wrong, it's no Ferrari Shell ad, and it's no Michael Bay Chevy ad — but it does succeed where many recent commercials have failed — it made our pulses quicken and lean forward to pay closer attention. What more does an advertiser want?
engine
Workhorse Engine of the Day: BMW M30
First of all, thanks for all the great Workhorse Engine of the Day suggestions, everyone- we'll be working down the list, so keep the ideas coming and don't get upset if your favorite engine hasn't appeared yet. Today we're going over to Europe (thanks to the suggestion of PatrickAustin) to take a look at the venerable BMW M30 engine. Built in various displacements for nearly 30 years, the Bavarian über-six-banger powered a bunch of our favorite BMWs, ranging from our last DOTS BMW to the '94 730i. And while we're at it, we'd like to thank Wikipedia for boasting so many must-read engine pages that, once lured in, you might as well forget about working for the rest of the day. [Wikipedia]
new cars
For the first time since 1998, BMW's rolling out an M3 with more than just a pair of doors. It's the BMW M3 sedan, and it's got the same goods as the new M3 coupe — that is a 4.0-liter V8 producing 414 hp at 8,300 rpm and 295 lb-ft of torque at 3,900 rpm. No word on US specs yet, but Motive says a sticker of around $60,000 is likely. [via Motive]
BMW M3 Sedan Details, Pictures, Etc.
For the first time since 1998, BMW's rolling out an M3 with more than just a pair of doors. It's the BMW M3 sedan, and it's got the same goods as the new M3 coupe — that is a 4.0-liter V8 producing 414 hp at 8,300 rpm and 295 lb-ft of torque at 3,900 rpm. No word on US specs yet, but Motive says a sticker of around $60,000 is likely. [via Motive]
engine swap
