Canadian has designs on BMW cars
MICHAEL BETTENCOURT
Thursday, 31 May 2012
Joy For Bmw At Sebring
BMW Team RLL and its M3 GTs had an excellent start to the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) when Dirk Müller, Joey Hand and Jonathan Summerton brought home their number 56 M3 in first place after a grueling 12 hours and 307 laps of the Sebring International Raceway.In contrast to many of their competitors, the BMW drivers managed to keep out of any turmoil in the first half of the race. Their BMW M3 GT cars enabled them to clock consistent lap times, keeping in touch with the front-runners throughout the race. As the race developed, a gripping duel between BMW Team RLL and the two Chevrolet Corvettes kept the fans on their feet, all four cars only seconds apart for several hours. More than ten full-course yellows kept the GT field close until the closing stages of the contest. Only in the dying moments of the race were the BMW drivers were able to seal their second consecutive Sebring GT win. Both Hand and Jörg Müller were both victims of contact in the final minutes of the race. While Hand successfully defended his lead despite driving a heavily damaged car, Jörg Müller lost third position in the ALMS class, eventually finishing in fifth place.
With this win, a BMW M3 has now emerged victorious in the GT class of this event for the fourth time: 1997, 1998, 2011 and 2012. BMW claimed overall victory at the Sebring 12 Hours in 1975 with the BMW 3.0 CSL as well as with the BMW V12 LMR in 1999.
I8 Spyder Concept Revealed
BMW has revealed its third Project i Concept car, the i8 Spyder. While it certainly bears a passing resemblance to the previously seen i8 Concept Coupé this machine is a two-seater only and could pave the way for a real high performance range-topper.For the time being though it’s all about the plug-in hybrid so the i8 Spyder combines an electric motor, a turbocharged petrol engine and lithium ion battery technology. It pushes out some impressive numbers, too. The three-cylinder TwinPower turbo engine develops 223hp and 221lb ft of torque while the electric motor brings an additional 131hp and 184lb ft of torque for combined figures of 354hp and 406lb ft, good enough to haul the i8 Spyder’s 1630kg from 0-62mph in 5.0 seconds on its way to an electronically limited maximum of 155mph. It has plenty of mid-ran ge grunt too, completing the 50-75mph dash in just 4.0 seconds – that’s faster than an E92 M3 and a scant 0.3 seconds slower than the mighty F10 M5. The icing on the cake though is a combined economy of a staggering 94mpg – a figure an M car could only dream of.
The electric motor gets its energy from the car’s lithium ion batteries and can be fully charged via a domestic plug socket in under two hours. The Spyder has a range of 19 miles running on electric power alone, while a high voltage generator hooked up to the combustion engine can generate additional power if needed and store it in the battery. Due to the arrangement of the power sources (with the electric motor driving the front wheels and the rear mounted petrol engine driving the rear wheels), the Spyder can run in front-wheel, rear-wheel or all-wheel drive, the vehicle’s electronics deciding on the optimum configuration depending on the situation.
The i8 Spyder also uses the latest in ConnectedDrive technology to make the most of the car’s advanced features. There’s a camera-based proactive collision warning feature, park assistant and traffic jam assistant too. By using a smart phone the driver can show nearby charging stations, allow the batteries to be charged at pre-determined times and stay informed of the vehicle’s status. Even the interior can be pre-warmed on a cold morning.
Not only does the extensive connectivity of the i8 Concept Spyder allow the driver to integrate the car fully into their life, it also enables the car to assist the driver in a proactive way. For example, the vehicle’s power electronics are linked to the intelligent navigation and traffic guidance systems. If a jam is detected ahead the hybrid system will charge the battery in advance, thereby allowing the car to run in pure electric mode while stuck in traffic, to the benefit of fuel consumption and emissions reduction.
There’s no word yet on whether the i8 Spyder will reach production in a sanitized form, but given BMW’s promise to bring both the Coupé version of the i8 and the i3 to market we wouldn’t want to bet against the Sypder hitting the streets in 2015. If a higher-powered petrol engine could be fitted we’d have a real Supercar on our hands.
Wednesday, 30 May 2012
New BMW 6 Series
Although I stand by the aforementioned opinion, India’s rapidly growing luxury car market and specifically the sports car segment isn’t without reason. Like any petrolhead, I always experience a mad rush of excitement when I see an Aston Martin or a Lamborghini pass by on the city streets. But after reading about the Parx Supercar Shows and the Cannonball Clubs of the country over the past year or so, a sense of how deep our pockets really are suddenly began to sink in.
But that raises the fundamental question of what really governs our thoughts when considering owning a sports car in India. The coupes, cabriolets, convertibles and Grand Tourers on sale today are all high on gloss and glam, but what is really going to change with the homecoming of the BMW’s third generation 6 Series Coupe?
Happy Face, Wider Base
You don’t need to stare for long to realise that this is indeed a gorgeous looking car. Compared to Chris Bangle’s dreary treatment on the outgoing 6 Series, the new one looks far more exciting, to say the least. Gone are the drooping headlights and morose facial expressions, to be replaced by something that is very pleasing to the eye.
The new BMW 6 Series Coupe undoubtedly has a more commanding presence and athletic elegance to it, and the new model’s extra length (4894mm) and width (1894mm) over its predecessor combined with a 5mm lower height has given the third generation model a lustworthy silhouette.
While those neat kidney grille slats emphasize the coupe’s sporting demeanour, the sweeping bonnet flanked by those marvellous looking bi-xenon headlamps and the optional LED foglamps below them endows the car’s front end with a new lease of life.
BMW Approved
Thankfully, every BMW Approved Bodyshop prides itself on returning your car to its original condition, whatever the damage. Below are examples of work that a BMW Approved Bodyshop can undertake.
Sunday, 6 May 2012
BMW M5 Sedan
BMW M5 Sedan
The BMW M5, now in its fifth generation, is the unique combination o f a luxury sedan and a high-performance sports car. The generous seating capacity and the adjustable driving dynamics ensure that up to five passengers can travel as comfortably in it as they can in a BMW 5 Series. And when the M TwinPower Turbo V8 engine and the high-performance drive reveal their true character, it quickly becomes apparent that this sedan carries the motorsport gene.
More information
BMW Z4 Roadster
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Z4
BMW Z4 Roadster
The BMW Z4 Roadster. An Expression of Joy. The modern interpretation of the classic roadster powered by efficient straight six-cylinder petrol engines and transformed into a sports coupé by lowering the retractable hardtop in just 20 seconds.More information
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