BMW X3 Hybrid

The Concept X3 EfficientDynamics applies BMW's latest technology and philosophy to its small SUV, where it balances functionality and driving dynamics with significantly enhanced fuel economy. The system packs efficiently, with both the electric motor and electronic control unit fitting within the existing vehicle. And rather than use a large battery pack, the Concept X3 draws on high-performance capacitors, aka Super Caps. The net effect is that this concept will outgun comparable production X3s, with a 0-60 mph time of approximately 6.7 seconds, while returning 20-percent better fuel economy. The real mechanical miracle is in the Active Transmission, where engineers were able to fit six driving gears, an electric motor, two clutches, and the complete electronics pack within the existing transmission housing. All told, this electric assist adds 41 hp to the mix. With BMW's fat R&D budget and penchant for performance engineering, we have no doubt that it could be an amazing machine, but would the market support an even pricier X3?

First Drive: 2008 BMW 135i

To put it plainly, the 2008 BMW 135i is more than merely good. It raises the standard of measure for small coupes to a whole new level of excellence. It is one of the purest expressions of the BMW character since the 1971 BMW 2002 tii.This is not another space-efficient front-wheel-drive hatchback. Instead BMW's classic configuration of front-mounted engine and rear-wheel drive brings an emphasis on driving to the segment of premium small cars that includes the Volkswagen R32 and Volvo C30.Search if you will, but you can take it from us; there is simply no more accomplished car for $30,000 than the 2008 BMW 135i.

Concept CS - the new BMW prototype

Here's the new BMW proposal, also known as the CS Four Door Luxury GT. The German brand doesn't disappoint and presents us a large and luxurious car - 5,10 metres long, four doors and back-wheel traction. In the motor compartment, a V12 of 6 000cc and great power secures the necessary high performances. On the exterior, and aggressive design and a sporty look, Chris Bangle's trademark, make this vehicle irresistable. None of this would be out of the ordinary, weren't it for the fact that it is destined to the Chinese market. It wasn't by coincidence that it was presented at Shanghai...

BMW GINA Light Visionary Model

The fabric skin of the BMW GINA Light Visionary Model concept car is used to cover metal wires, which can be moved to achieve different shapes using electro-hydraulic devices.
How does it all hang together? Well, wire mesh and carbon fiber.
The BMW GINA Light Visionary Model concept car allows the driver to change both the exterior and interior of the car for as many number of times as desired. So you want a low-slung skirt - you got it. Want a spoiler, you got that too! The headlights are revealed when the fabric moves apart, and the engine is accessed when the bonnet seemingly splits to reveal its innards.

2006 BMW 130i Auto Show Photo

It's a shame BMW decided against offering the 1 Series in the United States. A compact, affordable BMW has even greater appeal today, as young drivers openly aspire to drive luxury-branded vehicles. With gas prices finally outpacing drinking water, compacts may have growing appeal, especially if they boast more than 260 horsepower, like the new 130i. Sized much like a Mazda3 five-door, the range-topping 130i boasts a 3.0L inline six with 232 lb-ft of torque, capable of delivering a 6.2-second 0-60-mph time. An available M Sports Package can make this hot hatch even better, with a sport-tuned suspension and M aero package, boasting distinct front and rear fascias, and body-colored side sills. The interior is dressed with leather and all the obligatory M cues, from door sills to stitching. If the Audi A3 is the success it deserves to be Stateside, rest assured that BMW will take notice.

2012 BMW 3 Series

The next generation 2012 BMW 3 Series is still a few years out, but this does not stop the curiosity of the true bimmer fans. Our friend Giom decided to show us some renderings of what the next generation BMW 3 Series might look like.
If you remember, Giom is the same designer that came up with the really cool 2012 BMW M6 renderings that were posted on here back in May. I agree with Giom when he says that the next generation 3-series will be evolutionary rather than revolutionary, so the styling reflects the current cues, which includes the CS concept.
The headlights retain its basic shape and the intake openings move to the sides of the lower bumper. According to him, this is still an area where the renderings can be improved. There are also lots of detail in the surface folds and creases, creating interesting reflections and shapes. The line bending upwards on the side is a visual helper in creating the illusion of speed. This ‘upward’ line repeats in the rear bumper.
Within the next 2-3 series, the final design will be approved by BMW and we will see which direction the will choose to go towards.
Well, I hope you will enjoy these renderings and feel free to leave your comments, suggestions or just a general opinion.

2007 BMW X5

BMW's X5 line has needed an overhaul for a while now, and it got one for 2007. The all-new 2007 BMW X5 ($TBA) features more interior room with a third row of seating, a new inline six-cylinder engine that makes 260hp — an even more powerful 350hp, 4.8L V8 is also an option — enhanced x-Drive all-wheel drive, 50/50 weight distribution, and more tech-oriented options than ever before, including standard run-flat tires, the BMW Assist Bluetooth system, an iDrive on-board control system, heads-up display, rear-view camera for parking, and a premium sound system that features 600 watts of power, Dolby 5.1 surround sound and 16 speakers. One of the most elegant, complete SUVs on the road just got a whole lot better.

BMW 320i

According to the World Car Guide, BMW's 3-series vehicles are the benchmark to which compact executive vehicles are compared. Test-drive or own the BMW 320i, and you will see why.
To begin with, the looks of the BMW 320i combine modern aerodynamic features with the traditional, distinctive BMW grille, which blends harmoniously with the curvilinear lines of the 320i. From the side, view, the looks are both curvaceous and dynamic, hinting at speed and smooth handling - and they have a drag coefficient of 0.28 Cd.
And the BMW 320i has the zest and zoom promised by its looks. The 2 litre engine, with a quick shifting manual transmission, is capable of racing from 0 to 100 km/hr in 9.0 seconds, and achieves this thanks to a maximum power of 115 kW at 6400 rpm and a maximum torque of 200 Nm at 3600 rpm. The BMW 320i has a vigorous top speed of 220 km/hr (218 for the six speed automatic version), and is capable of pulling 695 kg (unbraked) if required. The fuel economy of the manual variant of the BMW 320i is very commendable, averaging 5.9 litres per 100 km on the open road. Around town, as one would expect, the BMW 320i consumes slightly more (11.3 litres per 100 km), giving an average of 7.4 litres per 100 km. The figures for the automatic BMW 320i are only very slightly higher, being 6.0 litres per 100 km in the country and 11.4 litres per 100 km in town, which average to 8.0 litres per 100 km.
BMWs have always been well-made and reliable in a crash, and the 320i continues to uphold this worthy reputation. The standard DataDot technology is complemented by ABS, dynamic brake control, cornering brake control, automatic stability control plus traction and dynamic stability control, which all combine to make the BMW 320i safe and very stable. If you are unfortunate enough to have a crash (or if some stupid drip collides with you), the driver and front airbags will come into play (these airbags have an occupant detector function), as will the front side airbags, and the head airbag front and rear. All seats in the BMW 320i have been fitted with three-point seat belts, and the centre rear seat has a headrest, as do the other seats. Night driving is also made that little bit safer with a nice anti-dazzle mirror.
On the inside, the BMW 320i is tastefully decorated. Depending on the variant, you will enjoy comfortable seating upholstered in cloth trim for the BMW 320i and premium Dakota leather for the BMW 320i Executive, which can be offset by a range of trims, including natural poplar, burr walnut or brushed aluminium. A retractable front armrest gives an extra edge of driver comfort, especially when driving long-haul; this comfort is enhanced in the executive version of the BMW 320i, which has partial electric seat adjustment for the front seats. The automatic climate control, which comes complete with microfilter, helps you keep comfortably cool in all weathers. An in-dash CD/radio, a through-loading system with ski bag, an onboard computer and preparation for a Bluetooth mobile complete the standard offerings inside the entry-level BMW 320i.
As if the standard features weren't impressive enough, BMW offers a wide range of options for the 320i. Exterior options include metallic paint, fog lights (which already come as standard on the BMW 320i Executive), electric sunroof, adaptive bi-Xenon headlights and headlight washer system. On the inside, optional extras on offer range from electric lumbar support in the front passenger and driver seats to an 8.8" colour monitor and professional navigation system which includes TV and voice recognition.
What sort of driver would enjoy the BMW 320i? Well, most drivers would enjoy the experience behind the wheel. Certainly a small young family would be more than adequately transferred from A to B in the snug, well designed BMW 320i cabin. And, if extra space was required then the BMW 320i Touring model provides estate room. The fine new BMW 320i is a very attractive proposition to any would-be buyer looking for the top of the class driving dynamics, and a state of the art driving experience - especially when the price tag starts at a little over fifty thousand dollars.

BMW Concept X6

BWM finally showed off its two-mode hybrid system (the first BMW with two-mode hybrid system) at Frankfurt Motorshow, the idea behind this concept car is “merging the athletic aesthetics of a true sports car with the versatility of an SAV resulted in a new vehicle category that so far has not been realised” as stated on the bmw website. Quoted from Chris Bangle as Chief of Design for BMW Group about bmw concept x6 : “a good concept realizes itself in a short amount of time”. There is no official technical statement from BMW about this BMW X6, but the hybrid system expected to improve fuel efficiency by 20 percent. This car was only a concept till now, I believe this is going to be the basic of the next model bmw car.

Ferrari 599 GTB

FERRARI 599 gtb PHOTO GALLERY
Ferrari 599 GTB news and photo gallery
The Ferrari 599 GTB replaces the 575M Maranello in Ferrari's model lineup. The most powerful production Ferrari will be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show. Enjoy the photos!
9 January 2006MARANELLO

Ferrari has unveiled its latest supercar, the Ferrari 599 GTB which will succeed the Maranello. This supercar is the most powerful V12 engine it has offered in a production car. Not just that - it actually is the most powerful engine ever in any production car produced on planet Earth!The 599 GTB is a mid-front engined two-seater coupé with a massive 5,999cc V12 engine borrowed from the Enzo Ferrari supercar. This beast produces 620hp at 7,600 rpm. More shocking of all is the power-weight ratio, an astounding 2.6 kg per horsepower. Torque figures are unavailable at present. The Ferrari 599 GTB features an all-aluminium chassis and body.

Supercharged Ferrari F430 Sport Car

Tuner Novitec has built a supercharged Ferrari F430 with twin supercharges that push output to 636 horsepower. It has a top speed of 218mph with 0-62phm spring in just 3.7 seconds. It has an adjustable suspension with lowered ride height and a widened track. This Ferrari F430 comes with a custom 19″ or 20-inch center-lock wheels conceal the upgraded Brembo ceramic brakes. Maximum torque of 638Nm is achieved at 6250 rpm. It takes couple of months before it hits the market.

Ferrari F70 2009

The Ferrari F70 will be based on the Aurea Concept launched by Ferrari in 2004. The Aurea Project was born from the desire to place the F1 DNA on a normal car. This is what the new F70 will be about: a car with the design and power of a F1 car, but specially designed for the road.
On designing the Enzo, Ferrari needed to make some compromises in order that both the design and the technologies of the car to be satisfied. So they build the Enzo on aerodynamic consideration. But when they build the FXX they have realized that the Enzo could have all the technologies they had to give up. And in the F70 case all the aerodynamic will be hide under the car. The result is that the exterior design of the F70 won’t be affected by compromises, like in the case of the Enzo due to the aerodynamic technology developed by Ferrari and used in the FXX.

Ferrari 288 GTO

BackgroundThe Ferrari GTO was built to compete in the new Group B Race series and a minimum of 200 cars were required for homologation. However as only Ferrari and Porsche, with their 959, entered, the series was soon abandoned leaving just the Group B Rally championship. The Porsche 959 {961} only raced three times in Group B, but the 288 GTO never raced and all 272 cars built remained purely road cars.EngineThe GTO was based on the mid-engined, rear wheel drive 308 GTB. The 288 refers to its 2.8 liter V8 engine, though, as it used a de-bored (by 1 mm) V8 with twin IHI turbochargers, intercoolers, and Weber-Marelli fuel injection. The 2855 cc engine capacity was dictated by the FIA’s requirement for a Turbocharged engine’s capacity to be multiplied by 1.4. This gave the GTO a theoretical engine capacity of 3997 cc, just under the Group B limit of 4.0 litres.

F149 GT revealed to be new Ferrari California!

Ferrari has unveiled the name of the F149, and as expected its called the Ferrari California. Along with the name announcement, the boys at Maranello have released three photos of the car with its top down, which reveals that it is a convertible. The rear three quarter review also gives us a little glimpse of the car’s interior. It is a Grand Tourer car, with the engine mounted at the front.
The engine under the hood is a 4.3 liter V8 engine making 460 PS at 7,500rpm, which is quite an impressive state of tune because as compared to BMW’s new V8 in the M3, the Ferrari engine produces a similiar horsepower to liter ratio but achieves the horsepower at about 1,000rpm lower. Other neat tricks Ferrari has used to extract the most power out of this engine include direct injection and a “flat crankshaft”.
I’m not completely sure what that is at the moment, but with some Googling I found out apparently a flat crankshaft in a V8 usually refers to a flat-plane crankshaft as opposed to a cross-plane crankshaft with throws spaced 180 degrees apart rather than a cross-plane’s 90 degree spaced throws. This results in a sound that is smoother and of a higher pitch than a typical V8 rumble.
This engine is mated to a 7-speed dual clutch transmission, the first production usage of a dual clutch gearbox in a Ferrari! No shift times have been revealed, but expect this to be known later when the full details about the car is released. What is revealed is the car’s 0 to 100km/h time, which is said to be under 4 seconds.
The Ferrari California also has Ferrari’s F1-Trac traction control system, tuned for a typical GT car’s driving conditions. The rear suspension uses a new multilink setup. Brakes are Brembos featuring carbon-ceramic discs as standard equipment. It is available with a convertible hard top only, with no current plans for a roofed coupe.
More details to be published as they are revealed, but for the moment check out the two more photos of the car after the jump. Check out the rear exhaust design in particular, they look like they took a page out of the Lexus IS-F’s book.

2009 Ferrari California, Revealed!

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Ferrari welcomed us all a little bit early to the Hotel California, and yes, it's a lovely place. In fact, check out the lovely face on the new 2009 Ferrari California just to see if we're wrong. Despite being told we'd need to wait at least another week before shots would officially go live, the prancing stallions at Ferrari have revealed three press photos of the new Ferrari that's been alternately called the "Ferrari GT," "Ferrari California GT," "Ferrari Dino" and "Ferrari Little Tiny One" in the spy photos. OK, maybe not that last one. But the rest of them are accurate. Whatever we used to call it in the spy photos, it's now set to take on a bit of West Coast flair. We'll be pleased as punch to see it in person in Paris later this year. For now, check out the photos below and press release after the jump.

Eight-wheeling H2 Hummer limousine

The Ferrari Limo is probably better suited for speed to get you to the club on time, but this H2 Hummer limousine with its triple axle setup gives you your own club on wheels.
This super-duty stretched version of the already-huge Hummer rolls on eight 22’s and hauls around 2 VIP lounges, disco floors and ceilings, some custom gull-wing doors in back and a level-5 sounds system. Take a look at a photo of the interior after the jump, which appears to be as roomy as they get. No details are given about how many people it can hold, but we’re guessing it’s enough.

Ferrari 360 - Fastest Limo in the World

We’ve seen some pretty cool limousines in our time (driving by of course, not the inside) but never one quite like this. Usually the folks stretching out a vehicle will do it with something that has a little more girth, giving its passengers a little party room.
In the case with this stretched Ferrari 360 Modena, it appears that the goal might be to ride in more of a sporty (cramped), luxurious style. This limousine has been dubbed the fastest limo in the world and still has those awesome gull-wing style doors, only bigger (9 feet).
According to owner Dan Cawley, the Ferrari 360 has been stretched to 23 feet while still maintaining a top speed of 170mph and can achieve 0-60 in under 6 seconds. The smooth ride can hold eight passengers and cost over $400,000 to modify to its current state, but for some odd reason none of those modifications involved including a mini bar…what where they thinking?

BMW AC Schnitzer Z4 Concept

An extreme region for Automobiltuners, in which only some risk, was always BMW M-rows cars, in particular the compromiseless Z4 M-coup, a Thoroughbred, to the machine drives.But the fact that the delimitations are by reached on this extraordinary car far, is obvious from the new concept carrier by alternating current Schnitzer - the PROFILE - even at the beginning of volatile view. Classical machine co-ordinating pulling the energy high revving of the six cylinder of Inline enterprise to a durable HP 350. Only a special “active breathing” air box is used, but the engine control system unit remapped. But power isn’t enough propel, in order to receive the maximum from an athletic heart to. Thus the changed rear axle relationship of 3.91:1 makes sprint better the capacity available, while the perfectly smooth transmission with the alternating current Schnitzer short-circuit shift by the driver guarantees clear changes.

Lamborghini Ferruccio Unveiled... The Car that Never Became a Reality

The Lamborghini Ferruccio is basically a rebodied Murcielago LP640 that would have been the fastest Lamborghini in the lineup. It was designed by Italian coachbuilder Magviso and was supposed to be powered by a 6.5L V12 engine that would have been mated to an all-wheel-drive system. The engine would have put out 630 horsepower and 660 lb-ft of torque and would have propelled the car from 0-60 mph in 3 seconds with a top speed over 230 mph.

Designer Pule Magau said that the project was killed since the automaker only received three orders for the car and no deposits. Lamborghini only planned on producing 10 Ferruccios. Prices were expecrted to be around $1.5 million. According to Pule the high price might have been part of the reason for the lack of orders.

When Ferrari-Smashing Parking Attendants Attack

Continuing our Monday morning Ferrari smash-up meme, check out this Ferrari 575M spotted in L.A. looking like it was taken for a Ferris Bueller-style valet joyride. Unlike the mileage run-up in the movie, this 575M seems to have come back in a noticeably more Cameron Frye-like state of wellness. We'd hoped that Audi A8 from Brooklyn was a mere isolated instance of parking valet hoonage, but perhaps this incident demonstrates it can happen no matter the 'merican coast. Oh, and by the way, although we've got absolutely no proof parking attendants were the cause of this catastrophic waste of good Italian metal, we've also got absolutely no proof they weren't the cause. Take that, journalistic standards! [Hat tip to Anthony!]

e85 Ferrari

The handsome Ferrari F430 Spider Bio-fuel utilizes E85, a blend of fuel that is comprised of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.

While at the North American International Auto Show, Amadeo Felisa, Ferrari's chief executive, described Ferrari's commitment to drastically reduce their car's emissions by forty percent by 2012.

According to the executive, Ferrari had prior experience with e85 in Formula one racing. When racing, Formula One has regulations that say all the cars used in races must use fuel that is comprised of 5.75 percent biomass.

On the other hand, The FIA GT and the American Le Mans racing series have somewhat stricter policies. Those races require drivers to use race car's that operate with e10 or ten percent ethanol.

In order for Ferrari to create the F430 Spider Bio-fuel, Ferrari engineers had to do some minor tweaks to the car's engine. The engineers had to make changes to the fuel injection system and they had to change settings in the Ferrari's engine computer. This resulted in lower carbon dioxide emissions - a five percent cut - and as an added bonus, it also increased the car's power output with no changes to the car's weight.

This looks to be quite the Ferrari for anyone who is looking for a very sporty e85 car.