BMW
First Look: 2010 BMW ActiveHybrid 7
Immediately after the announcement of the 2010 BMW ActiveHybrid X6 , BMW issued another press release announcing the 2010 BMW ActiveHybrid 7, which will also debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, and will be available in the U.S. in the spring of 2010.
First Look: 2010 BMW ActiveHybrid X6
BMW announced yesterday that the production version of the 2010 BMW ActiveHybrid X6 will be on display at the Frankfurt Motor Show, in September, and coming to the U.S. by the end of this year.
Driven: 2010 Acura TSX V-6
Long before a V-6 was ever in the cards, Acura told the world that its four-cylinder TSX was perfectly equipped to do battle with entry-level luxury sedans like the Audi A4 and BMW 3-Series. Sure, it had the looks, the technology, the interior refinement, and the size, but when it came down to performance, the 201-horsepower, 2.4-liter inline-four running through only the front wheels just couldn’t hold its own. So in a segment full of six-cylinder (and turbo four) engines and rear- or all-wheel drive, the TSX sort of became the bargain basement choice in the class.
Driven: 2010 BMW X6M
What Was the Question, Again?
Let’s face it, the BMW X6 is an unusual car. We simply aren’t yet accustomed to a large, tall, fastback SUVs (or SAVs as BMW would have it). Making such a car in an M version makes it even more unusual, and challenges the cerebral cortex even more.
Keepers: BMW M3 E46—Community
In essence, simply owning a BMW grants you an all-access pass to an all-encompassing, purebred group that’s arguably the largest, most dedicated, and most fanatical community of motoring enthusiasts in the world. Obviously the M cars are the poster children for this segment, but attend any type of BMW event and you’ll likely see a wide range of new and old Bimmers, everything from high-end M machines to highly modified variations of 3 and 5-Series cars, stock sedans, convertibles, and yes, SUVs. If it says BMW, then it’s welcome, and whether it’s a brand new M3 or a decades-old 2002, the owners all have one thing in common: They love live to drive these cars, and I’m not just talking about leisurely Sunday afternoon jaunts through the local neighborhood. To support this addiction (or perhaps because of it), BMW enthusiasts the world over have no shortage of online resources to draw from, but for the M3 owner, three web destinations stand out from the rest.
Keepers: BMW M3 E46—Shopping
The current state of the auto market makes for some tantalizing possibilities when it comes to performance cars, and with good-condition E46 prices dipping well into the $20,000 range, it’s currently one of the best performance purchases available. Unfortunately, perhaps the biggest stumbling block on the road to M3 ownership has nothing to do with the car itself, but rather the cost to insure it. Running a quick check for a squeaky-clean, 22-year old driver returns a frightening range of $300 to $700 per month for full coverage, thanks to a perfect storm of popularity (as in popular among thieves) and performance. Yes, the early-20s insurance bracket is one of the highest in the nation, and that figure doesn’t include anything like multi-car discounts or occasional-use driving. Regardless, this is one expensive car to cover, so before getting your hopes up, better call your insurance guy to see if it’s even feasible.
First Look: 2011 BMW X1
After lots of spy photos, production shots of the BMW X1 have finally popped up on the Internet. Europe will be the first to see the X1 on its roads, with a probable U.S. release in years ahead.
Keepers: BMW M3 E46
Let’s be honest, every generation of the M3 is a keeper. Balance, grip, performance, you’ve heard all this before. In 23 years of M3 production, approximately 2863 various adjectives, adverbs, present and past participles, sexually-charged metaphors, and other automotive clichés have been blasted across print and electronic media, describing the greatness of the car. Far be it for us to add to the hype, so we’ll simply say yeah, it’s that good, and the third-generation E46 model is among the finest of the breed, delivering a driving experience that is pure M-ness. M-ness…guess that makes 2864.
First Look: BMW X5 And X6 Get The M Treatment For New York
File both of these in the “utterly pointless yet totally awesome” category. BMW will be officially unveiling the new X5 M and X6 M at the New York Auto Show next week, but the official details and photos have just now leaked out onto the web. Both of these newcomers mark BMW’s first application of all-wheel drive on an M vehicle, and while we don’t exactly see them selling in droves, we’re confident that they’ll both be an absolute hoot to motor around in.
Driven: 2008 BMW 123d
America would really like this car. The BMW 1-Series is a fantastic little creature, and we like it so much that it earned the honor of being one of our favorite cars in 2008. Furthermore, the American automotive marketplace is in dire need of more fuel-efficient vehicles, and we’re slowly starting to see clean diesel cars trickle into our pond from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen. Looking past the oil-burning powerplant, the 1-Series hatchback configuration is incredibly more useful than the lonely coupe and convertible options that we have currently. Americans are finally starting to warm up to the idea of hatchbacks and small wagons—it’s now a well-known fact that SUVs are not the only useful tool for $200 grocery loads. What’s more, we think America would find much more to like about a small, useful five-door than the seemingly unnecessary BMW X6 or even the upcoming 5-Series GT, which don’t provide much in the way of space or utility, and carry ultra-premium price points.
Driven: Honeywell BMW X5 3.0d
It’s no secret that we American automotive journalists are anxiously awaiting the arrival of BMW’s new U.S.-spec diesel offerings, the 335d and X5 xDrive35d. In the meantime, however, the folks at Honeywell (who specialize in turbo technologies) provided us with a Euro-spec X5 3.0d for a week in order for us to experience BMW’s current diesel offerings.
Driven: 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR
Over the past couple of years, we’ve noticed a trend that more and more performance cars are steering away from traditional manual transmissions in favor of high-tech dual-clutch setups. For 2008, the top-dollar Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR features a six-speed paddle-shift transmission, and while some of us would rather have a stick and a third pedal, there’s no denying that this tranny is really, really good. Still, at nearly $41,000, some of us would rather just stick with the softer Evo GSR, which has the same performance specs but at a lower cost.
Driven: 2009 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
After spending some time with Mercedes’ hot-burning C63 AMG, we thought it apt to give the rest of the C-Class range a shot to see if the new Benz C can all-around top other premium sport sedans like the BMW 3-Series and Lexus IS. While we did enjoy our C300 Sport, we found the $45,000 as-tested price a little high, especially when a BMW 335i offers better performance for a more reasonable price. Still, much of the blame for the hefty price tag is down to heavy treading on the options list…
Driven: We Take a 2008 BMW 335xi on Summer Vacation Through the White Mountain Range
Just as soon as I received word that my request for a fleet vehicle to take on my summer vacation to the great state of Maine was to be filled with a Crimson Red 2008 BMW 335xi Coupe, I immediately knew that I would have to add a significantly expanded program of challenging roads to the itinerary. My girlfriend, Molly, was understandably overjoyed.
Driven: 2008 BMW M3 Convertible
Now that we’ve tested the BMW M3 Coupe and Sedan, it’s time to round off the M3 lineup with the hardtop convertible. While we were quick to proclaim the Coupe and Sedan as fantastic automobiles, we’re having second thoughts about the cabriolet. Many of us have qualms with the folding hardtop and even though BMW has re-engineered their dual-clutch setup, some of us would still prefer the straight-up six-speed manual gearbox. All in, the M3 Convertible proved to be good fun for top-down driving, but we’re not sure if our M3 love stands true to this model.
Driven: 2009 BMW 7-series Gives Less Bangle, More Bimmer
This was an incredible sensation we have to tell you about first. We’ve melted tires and drifted BMW M3s, M5s, and M6es without any effort whatsoever. We tried getting the 128i or 135i to do these things and it wasn’t easy. We tried the 335i and it’s just too composed to make it easy, though it can be done under certain circumstances. Bottom line is that BMW makes cars that must seize the driver’s heart and soul without much ado. They should goad us to play.
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