DTM Driver Andy Priaulx Takes BMW M235i Around Thruxton Racetrack

BMW has managed to create a very attractive package, with its all-new M235i coupe, a car that reaches 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.8 seconds and promises to be an engaging drive.

Even DTM driver Andy Priaulx seems to have enjoyed his time behind the (racy looking) wheel of the new pinnacle of the 2-Series range, or at least that’s the impression he leaves us with after watching the official promo he was featured in.

The video posted below, will not change our perception of the M235i, for better or worse, because it is not an impartial view. We are pleased, however, to be seeing the car in action, and hearing it at work around the Thruxton racetrack in the UK, even though the engine note sounds a bit flat, and the eight-speed gearbox sometimes seems not to be sure which cog it’s supposed to go for (Priaulx could be using the paddles badly, but that’s next to impossible given his line of work).

As a package, the M235i should be on your radar if you’re looking for a very fast yet still compact coupe, but as with all BMWs, the one you actually want, with all of the goodies selected, will cost a lot of amount of money - it starts at $44,025 in the US.

By Andrei Nedelea

VIDEO

AutoExpress Reviews BMW i3, Says It's a Really Desirable EV

There has been a lot of hype about the BMW i3 lately, and for good reason. It’s BMW’s first series production electric car as well as the smallest model it makes with the blue and white roundel logo. Furthermore, it has a carbon fiber body and it kicks off the BMW i sub-brand. So what’s it like to drive?

We’ve already featured a video review of the i3 from a German blogger, but this latest one comes from AutoExpress. The handling is described as pretty good thanks to the rear-wheel-drive setup, 50/50 weight distribution and the low center of gravity. However, it’s not the sort of BMW one would want to go drifting with.

The reviewer points out the hot-hatch-like acceleration, as well as the quality of the interior. Overall, the car is described as a really desirable electric vehicle, which is not something one can say about the Nissan Leaf, for example.

Probably the most important thing in this review is the range test. The reviewer wanted to see if BMW’s claimed driving range is attainable. Scroll down to watch the video to find out if it is.

By Dan Mihalascu

VIDEO

This is How BMW Treats Customers who Switch from Mercedes to Their Cars [w/Video]

Remember BMW’s launch film for the new 4-Series Coupe? It looks like a couple was so impressed by it that they decided to buy a new 4-Series instead of going for a Mercedes-Benz, per their initial plan.

Debra Hayden wrote BMW on Facebook and told the Bavarian company that the video made her and her husband decide to buy a BMW 428i instead of a Mercedes-Benz. She also wrote that they had opted to pick up the car from BMW Welt in Munich on October 21 and that the marketing team that put the video together “deserves kudos” for bringing in new business for BMW.

Now what do you think BMW did with all this information? It decided to surprise the customers when they arrived in Germany to pick up their brand new car.

They arranged a very special delivery with a VIP treatment, and surprised them by bringing the man responsible for the launch film, among other things. If you happen to own a business, watch and learn how to make your customers happy from the following video.

By Dan Mihalascu

VIDEO

Breaking: 2015 BMW M3 F80 Sedan Filmed Completely Naked!

The new BMW M3 sedan has been caught completely undisguised during the shooting of a promotional video. The car is seen wearing a BMW M “armor” in the form of an overly aggressive body kit and a new color said to be called "Yas Marina Blue Metallic", which replicates the paint used on the Abu Dhabi Formula 1 circuit’s run-off areas. The car also has a carbon fiber roof and typical BMW M alloy wheels.

Furthermore, the video lets us head the roar of the 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline six engine which will develop around 424 horsepower (430PS) and approximately 369 lb-ft (500 Nm) of torque. It sounds sweet and characterful, just as any BMW M car should.

As with the BMW M4 with which it will share the powertrain, the new M3 sedan will feature a standard six-speed manual transmission, with a 7-speed M DCT gearbox fitted with launch control to be offered as an option. Both cars are expected to launch at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show.

By Dan Mihalascu

Video Credits: BimmerPost

VIDEO

BMW Execs Are Delighted with the 2-Series Coupe in New Video

BMW is marketing the all-new 2-Series Coupe as a sportier, lightweight alternative to bigger coupes and that is truly something the brand really needed. Not that its predecessor, the 1-Series Coupe, didn't provide that, but it wasn't too convincing in the design department.

Following the release of the official photos and information, the German carmaker has now shown a new video in which it details the BMW 2-Series, particularly the M235i range-topping version.

In the first film, Domagoj Dukec, BMW head of exterior design, and Thomas Ebner, product manager of the BMW 2-Series, are talking about the main design and performance features of the car.

BMW pitches the 2-Series as a natural successor to the BMW 02 range, and talks of “supremely sporting driving experience” while referring to it. Naturally, that can only be good news for BMW enthusiasts, who will no doubt enjoy the video as it presents features like the launch control, among others.

The other clip is a short launch film. Watch booth after the break.

By Dan Mihalascu

VIDEO

BMW M5 'Ring Taxi Slips Into a Crash [w/Video]

The latest news from the Nürburgring track are not pleasant as it has been reported and filmed that the famous BMW M5 sedan Ring Taxi crashed, closing down the circuit.

The folks over at the BridgeToGantry who shared two photos from the incident in which we see the M5 with its rear quarters heavily damaged and side air bags deployed, said that "the exact circumstances aren't immediately clear".

However, YouTube user Tom49115 who took a short video of the aftermath, said that the "slippery conditions" were to blame.

It remains unknown at this point if anyone was injured or whether any other vehicle was involved – it doesn't seem like it, but we'll updated you as soon as we learn more.

Story References: bridgetogantry via autoblog.nl

PHOTO GALLERY

VIDEO

BMW 3-Series Driver Goes All Rocky Down the Steps of Philly Museum of Art [Updated]

Disrespectful criminal, mischievous hoon or a victim of circumstances? We'll let you decide after we tell you the story of Emin Faki, 20, who was filmed earlier this week going down the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art in a…1980s (pre-facelift) BMW 3-Series E30 Convertible.

The museum is not only famous for its vast collection of artwork, but also for the 72 steps before the entrance, which are collectively known as the "Rocky Steps" after Sylvester Stallone climbed them in the triple-Oscar-winning film Rocky and its sequels.

Local photographer HughE Dillon, who runs the website PhillyChitChat and lives nearby, captured the scene on video. He stated the following about the incident:

"I was driving down the BF Parkway home. Since I live across from the steps I know what looks normal there, two headlights didn't fit that bill. I got stuck at traffic light w/cars in front of me, so video starts as he's closer to the bottom."

Philadelphia police learned about the incident and according to a report from Philly, they questioned 20-year old Faki on Friday. The District Attorney's Office said it has already approved a felony charge of criminal mischief against the driver as the car caused around $8,000 in damage to the steps. However, police said that they will not be pressing charges just yet as they want to determine whether the car had any mechanical issues at the time causing the driver to go down the steps.

Dillon told the news daily he doesn't believe speculation that the car was parked on top and it started to roll down by itself with the driver jumping in to save it.

"At first I couldn' believe it," Dillon said. "I was a little nervous. I thought he was going to roll. He was so deliberate in every single step. And then he went down backwards. It’s difficult to do. When he got to the halfway point, he did a victory lap. There’s a big apron, probably 30 feet wide, and he drove up and back, up and back, four times. Then he had to do a K-turn at either end. When he got to the bottom, he did another victory lap, then drove off," he added.

First Video and Screenshot Credits: HughE Dillon

Update: We just discovered a second video shot from one of the people on the steps named Stefan Santacroce, in which we hear (but don't see) that the car rolled down on its own and that the driver jumped in to save it

PHOTO GALLERY

VIDEO

Battle of the Super Sedans: New BMW M5 Competition Vs. Mercedes E63 AMG S

One can rarely find two cars with such similar performance as the BMW M5 with the Competition Pack and the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S. As MotorTrend's Jonny Lieberman and Mike Shaffer found out during their latest Head2Head episode featuring the two super sedans, they are so evenly matched that in the end, the choice comes down strictly to how the driver feels behind the wheel.

We’ve already seen the magazine's take on the 567hp BMW M5 Competition Package, but how does the souped-up rear-wheel-drive M5 compare to the 577HP (585PS) all-wheel-drive Mercedes E63 AMG S?

In terms of performance, the two cars are very hard to differentiate, but the way each car puts the power down is very different. The BMW is wild and tail-happy, while the Mercedes is more contained but slightly faster thanks to its all-wheel-drive system.

Curious to see which car won the duel? Scroll down to watch the video and then tell us which one you'd choose to park under your garage.

By Dan Mihalascu

VIDEO

Spied: Check Out the New BMW X4 in Motion

The busy bees over at BMW's Munich headquarters are nearing the completion of the development phase of the newest addition to their crossover range, the sportier looking X4 that we first laid eyes on as a concept model at the Shanghai Auto Show earlier this year.

In this spy video that comes to us via the crew from Bimmerpost, a number of X4 prototypes were filmed testing both on public roads and of course, the Nürburgring, which has become a second home to all German (and not only) carmakers.

Like the X3 with which it shares everything under the skin and its bigger brother, the X6 as well as the X5, the new X4 will be manufactured at BMW's Spartanburg factory in the USA, with production and consequently sales, scheduled to start in 2014.

While we know that the regular diesel and gasoline powertrain options will be common with the X3, the question remains whether BMW will place an "M" moniker along with a more powerful turbocharged engine in the X4.

VIDEO

New BMW 2-Series Coupe Official Revealed and Priced from $33,025 [53 Photos & Videos]

Say hello to the all-new BMW 2-Series, and this time, we're happy to inform you that it's all official - no, seriously it is. For all intents and purposes, BMW's new compact two-door model is a 1-Series Coupe replacement in everything aside from the name, as well as a spiritual successor to the classic 02 series, something BMW is all too keen to point out.

The new model comes with a more streamlined design (especially up front where, fortunately, it didn't use the 1-Series hatchback's Japanese anime-style headlights) and better proportions on the outside, and a refreshed and more modern interior with all the latest gadgetry inside.

It's also larger than its predecessor, with its length increased by 2.8 inches (72 mm) to 174.5 inches (4,432 mm), width by 1.3 inches (32 mm) to 69.8 inches (1,774 mm), wheelbase by 1.3 inches (30 mm) to 105.9 inches (2,690 mm), front track width by 1.6 inches (41 mm) to 59.9 inches (1,521 mm) and rear track width by 1.7 inches (43 mm) to 61.3 inches (1,556 mm).

According to BMW's data, the 2-Series has 0.7 inches (19 mm) of extra front headroom and 0.8 inches (21 mm) of additional rear legroom, compared to the 1-Series Coupe. Furthermore, trunk capacity has been boosted by 0.7 cu.ft. (20 liters) to 13.8 cu.ft. (390 liters).

We'll begin our powertrain tour of the 2-Series with the North American model, which will make its world premiere at the Detroit Auto Show next January and go on sale in the United States in spring with two available gasoline engines. These include the 228i with a 240hp 2.0-liter turbo four priced from $33,025, and the M235i featuring a 322hp 3.0-liter turbo'd inline-six starting at $44,025. All prices include a $925 destination and handling fee.

That's not bad considering that the current 230hp 128i Coupe starts at $32,425 and the 320hp 135is Coupe at $44,475.

With the 8-speed automatic driving the rear wheels, the 240hp and 258 lb-ft 228i Coupe goes from zero to 60mph (96km/h) in 5.4 seconds and tops out at a limited 130mph (210km/h) in standard trim, and 155mph (250km/h) in Sport Line and M Sport grades. On average, the 228i returns EPA estimates of 23mpg city, 35mpg highway and 27mpg combined for the 8-speed sport automatic, and 22mpg city, 34mpg highway and 26mpg combined for the 6-speed manual.

The sportier 322hp and 332 lb-ft M235i completes the standard sprint to 60mph (96km/h) in 4.8 seconds and reaches a top speed of 155mph (250km/h). It returns a fuel economy of 22mpg city, 32mpg highway and 25mpg combined with the 8-speed automatic transmission, and 19mpg city, 28mpg highway and 22mpg combined with the available 6-speed manual gearbox.

On both models, the automatic is standard with the manual offered as a no cost option. Aside from the standard edition, the 228i is offered with two special trim grades, the Sport Line and M Sport. The former adds 18-inch wheels, special interior trim and upholstery, and high-gloss black finish for exterior trim, while the M Sport brings a host of goods ranging from the 10mm lowered suspension and 18-inch lightweight wheels, to bespoke front and rear bumpers, and sport trims and seats.

The European market version of the 2-Series will begin its career with three separate models, starting with the 220i fitted with a 2.0-liter turbo'd four rated at 181hp (184PS) and 270Nm that does 0-100km/h (62mph) in 7.0 seconds and returns a combined fuel consumption of 6.3l/100km (37.3mpg US or 44.8mpg UK) with the standard 6sp manual gearbox.

Next up is the 220d powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four diesel producing 181hp (184PS – same as the petrol model) and 380Nm. With a six-speed manual, it completes the standardized sprint in 7.2 seconds and delivers a combined fuel consumption of 4.5l/100km (52.3mpg US or 62.8mpg UK).

At the top of the line is the M235i donning a 322hp (326PS) and 450Nm 3.0L turbo'd straight six, with the manual gearbox version returning a 5.0 second run for the 0-100km/h sprint (8sp auto: 4.8 seconds). Combined fuel consumption is 8.1l/100km (29mpg US or 34.9mpg UK).

A wider range of engines (at least in Europe and in markets outside North America) and possibly all-wheel drive, are expected to be added within the next year.

PHOTO GALLERY

VIDEO