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bmw 3-series

2010 bmw x3

BMW X3 Powetrain Mule Probably Cooler Than BMW X3

What can be said about the BMW X3 that we haven't already been through? It's a compact SUV which would be better off as a four-by-four station wagon, just as AMC showed us. Funny thing though when you're developing a new X3 to come out sometime before 2011, you may need to wrap the test power train in something other than the final sheetmetal — like the modified body of an E91 3-series station wagon. Another funny thing about the situation is the resultant car looks freakin' great! With this mule we're really beginning to wonder if the X3 wouldn't be better off this way. What do you think? [Bimmerfile]

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]

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 European slave labor photographers. It's looking like, based on these new photos anyway, as though the 2009 or 2010 BMW 3-Series will be getting a bit of a face-lift before the 3-Series gets a full refresh for the 2013 model year. That includes, as we saw in the last batch of shots, updated headlamps and taillights, plus what's being termed as a "tweaked" interior. Full spy report from Ms. Priddy below the jump and a high-resolution shot of the new look front-end here.

More »

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]

ad watch

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?