BMW GmBH Archives

BMW to intoduce Z4 concept at Pebble Beach

BMW’s latest Z4 will be showcased in concept form at the upcoming Concours d’Elegance at Pebble Beach, which will take place soon. This is a sports car that is of significant importance to the brand. And compared to the previous Z4, this one is bound to turn heads.

It still has the same traits of its predecessor but this time, BMW has broken convention in terms of design. The new Z4 has an angular headlight design that stretches towards the car’s fenders. The twin kidney grilles are larger and are more pronounced than before as well as feature more complicated fin design.

This low-slung look give the front fascia more depth. As a result, the car’s silhouette seems to make an arc as it stretches towards the windscreen. The front splitter takes on a racing-like design with the centre carbon bit forming a v pattern that integrates with the front fascia’s side pods.

Based on the side profile, the Z4 has a simpler and more angular shape reminiscent of the Lexus LFA, which is a good thing. The creases at the top that stretch from the front fender and tapers towards the rear, they provide the illusion of a continuous single stroke design.

Then there’s the double bubble roll over guards that are both aesthetically pleasing and should offer a good amount of protection in the event of an accident. The colour complements that of the 20-inch alloy wheels which still retain BMW’s unique fork pattern.

As for the rear, it’s as minimalist as things can get. Long and narrow LED taillights flank both sides of the boot lid which also has an integrate boot spoiler. The rear bumper is quite large though and we doubt that this will actually be used for the production version.

As a whole, BMW says that it took various design elements from several of its more notable models including the Z8 and 328 Mille Miglia. And as such, the Z4’s design is a culmination of all the best lines and curves that have been penned by the automaker’s best designers.

On the inside, the cockpit incorporates the same basic design of current BMW sports cars but feature a more minimalist look thanks to an LCD meter panel and consolidated instrument panel that also houses the iDrive infotainment system.

No exact specifications have been revealed especially when it comes to the powertrain. But we won’t be surprised if BMW choose to include some form of electrification to help boost power yet retaining respectable fuel consumption figures.

Surge in demand for BMW electrified vehicles

The BMW Group, which is comprised of the BMW, BMW Motorrad, MINI and Rolls Royce brands, has announced its recent sales figures. And based on these numbers, we can say that the Bavarian automaker has had a decent run so far.

Compared to the same period last year, the company has managed to sell 1,401,551 vehicles in the first seven months of 2017. This is a 4.3% increase compared to the previous year and in July’17 alone, sales increased by 0.4%.

Speaking of the achievement, Dr Ian Robertson, Management Board Member for Sales and Brand BMW, said, “Following a record first half-year, our sales in July remain at a very high level, with profitability our primary focus.”

He added, “Despite continuing headwinds in the USA, as well as the model changeover of the BMW X3 and the BMW 5 Series in China, we were still able to achieve last year’s high sales levels, due to our policy of balanced global sales growth.”

July also happens to be a great month for the sales of BMW’s electrified vehicles. And since the beginning of the year the company was able to deliver more than 50,000 BMW i, BMW iPerformance and electrified MINI vehicles. This is a 74.8% increase compared to the same period last year.

Currently, there are total of nine electrified vehicles that are made by BMW. This product portfolio and the fact that it has sold a record number of such vehicle this year has made the automaker the 3rd biggest BEV/PHEV manufacturer in the world.

Supporting this notion is the fact that the i3 has been the company’s best selling compact battery-electric vehicle in the premium segment since 2014. These figures are expected to improve even further as car buyers around the world begin to embrace electrified vehicles as the future of personal mobility.

That said, we shall have to wait and see if these sales figures are affected in anyway by the introduction of Tesla’s affordable family sedan – the Model 3. Touted as the affordable Model S, Tesla hopes to reach a much larger customer base with this relatively inexpensive yet premium EV.

BMW M8 prototype to debut at Nürburgring 24-hour race

BMW has revealed that alongside the development of the new 8 Series, the automaker’s engineers are also working on the M version of the car. The fully camouflaged prototype will make an appearance as a driving presentation, which is part of the support programme for the Nürburgring 24-hour race.

“The conception and development of the standard BMW 8 Series and the M model run in parallel,” explains Frank van Meel, President BMW M Division. The future BMW M8 will build on the genes of the 8 Series and augment its DNA with added track ability and generous extra portions of dynamic sharpness, precision and agility. It all flows into a driving experience that bears the familiar BMW M hallmarks and satisfies our customers’ most exacting requirements.”

The car is said to feature classic M design features which include large air intakes, modified brakes and a sports exhaust with four tailpipes. The M8 will also be the base on which BMW will build their M8 GTE race car that will spearhead the German automaker’s charge for the Le Mans title.

Development has already begun with the hopes of a debut sometime this year, but the car will only enter competitive racing next year beginning with the Daytona 24 Hours.

Take a look at the picture gallery below for a basic idea of what the M8 might eventually look like. We know its not much to go on, but something is better than nothing.

New BMW 1 Series to be launched in July

Fresh after the reveal of the 2 Series bimmer, BMW has spilled the beans on the new 1 Series that should be launched at the same time as its bigger brethren. The compact premium car will come in 3-door and 5-door form and will be offered in three new editions which are Edition Sport Line Shadow, Edition M Sport Shadow and M140i Edition Shadow.

Subtle design changes help differentiate these variants from the rest of the line-up. They include black kidney grille, black inserts in the LED headlights and darkened LED rear lights. There are also 5 new light-alloy wheels to choose from but they will only be made available in 17 and 18-inch form. Inside, the new 1 Series features a newly designed instrument panel and various design tweaks to improve drivers’ attention and provide for a better feeling of spaciousness.

The addition of new materials and premium leather upholstery help give the car a more elegant apperance, which is a welcomed feature for vehicles in it’s category and price point. BMW’s famous iDrive system governs the 8.8-inch touchscreen and various other functions including voice control, Navigation and touch-sensitive interface.

Those wanting a little more sophisticated will not go empty handed because the 1 Series comes with the BMW Connected Drive services that ensure that the car is connected with systems that enable Real Time Traffic Information (RTTI) with hazard preview, On-Street Parking Information, vehicle access via Remote Services and the integrated Microsoft Exchange function for sharing and editing emails, calendar entries and contact details. Smartphone integration for Apple CarPlay, inductive charging and a WiFi hotspot for up to ten devices are all features that are available with BMW’s latest infotainment system.

Petrol Engine options for the 1 Series are similar to that of the 2 Series BMW. they include three, four and six cylinder petrol engines as well as three and four cylinder diesel ones. Power output range from 109bhp for the basic 116i to 340bhp for the fire-breathing M140i. Touted as the only compact hatch with rear-wheel-drive, the new 1 Series has also been made available with the xDrive intelligent all-wheel-drive system as an option.

If you are interested in the car, you would be happy to know that BMW has added two new exterior colours for the bodywork, which are Sunset Orange and Seaside Blue. Expect more from BMW in the months leading up to the official launch, but we will do our part to ensure you get the latest news.

BMW introduce new BMW 2 Series Coupe and Cabriolet

BMW has given us a glimpse of the new 2-Series Coupe and Cabriolet ahead of their official launch in July this year. The automaker has sold about 150,000 such cars of the same name plate around the world but the demand is highest in the US, UK and Germany.

The new 2 Series features subtle design changes on the outside but an all-new interior with different upholstery choices. Now, the bi-LED headlights are fitted to both models as standard, but can also be specified in adaptive full-LED ones as an option. The twin headlights has a hexagonal look giving rise to a more futuristic appearance, The kidney grille is larger, the outer air intakes are now also larger and the rear features new single-piece LED taillights as standard.

Step inside the cabin, and you are immediately greeted by a new instrument display that features a black-panel design. There’s now one new leather and two new cloth upholstery options to choose from, which complement the aluminium or fine wood trim strips and high-gloss black panels with chrome accents.

BMW says that the interior feels more spacious and less cluttered due to certain tweaks that they’ve made to the design and layout. It’s more prominent features are the contrast stitching as well as the high-gloss black surfacing for the centre stack and the chrome elements for the control panels in the doors.

Located at the top of the centre stack is the high-resolution 8.8 inch touchscreen infotainment system that has the latest iDrive operating system as standard, optional navigation system, support for Apple Carplay, voice control system and a touch controller interface.

For convenience there’s a charging tray that allows you to charge your compatible smartphone wirelessly and the in-car Wifi hotspot provides high speed mobile internet for up to 10 devices. You can also insert a SIM card to expand the vehicle’s connectivity services which include Real Time Traffic Information (RTTI) with hazard preview, On-Street Parking Information and access to the vehicle via Remote Services. There’s even support for Microsoft Office 365, which will allow occupants to use a secure server for their emails, calendars, contact details and the car’s built-in Microsoft Exchange function.

The new 2 Series can be ordered with 16, 17 or 18-inch light-alloy wheels and the exterior body coloyr can be ordered in two new colours which are Mediterranean Blue, Seaside Blue and Sunset Orange. The M Performance vehicles, M240i and M240 xDrive get a bit extra kit than the standard cars.

BMW is offering the two series with a number of engine options that include three, four and six-cylinder powerplants with power outputs ranging from 136bhp to 340bhp. These engines can be mated to either a 6-speed manual or eight-speed Steptronic gearbox. And like the other cars in the line-up, the Coupe and Cabriolet have safety tech that include Active Cruise Control, a Driving Assistant, Lane Departure Warning system and City Collision Mitigation.

The 2 Series will officially be shipped out to dealerships around the world later in the year but expect more information and pictures as the launch date draws nearer.

BMW introduces the M4 CS

BMW has introduced a new variant of their M4, called the BMW M4 CS. It’s a special edition M car that is positioned above the standard M and the Competition versions. It sits at the top of the M4 range and is poised to offer drivers racing-like character but in a fully road-legal car.

Built in Munich, the M4 CS’s bonnet and boot are made from carbon fibre-reinforced plastic or CFRP, which is a lightweight but extremely rigid material. Similar to the standard car, the front end has LED headlights, a large front apron with three section intakes that offer cooling to the engine and braking system.

Unique to this variant is the front splitter made from carbon-fibre, which should lower the weight even further. At the rear is the rear diffuser borrowed from the M4 GTS and the same is true for the exposed carbon-fibre Gurney spoiler lip on the boot lid. It’s rear taillights incorporate OLED (Organic Light Emitting Dioede) technology which is a feature that is only found on the M4 CS and GTS variants. Lastly, the M wing mirrors and flared wheel arches and complete the muscular look of the car.

It rides on lightweight alloy wheels which are 19-inches at the front and 20 inches at the rear. The wheels are wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres that are considered semi-slick road legal tyres but offer excellent grip on race tracks. Alternatively, buyers can have their M4 CS equipped with Michelin Sport road tyres if they don’t plan on exploring the limits on a racetrack.

Under the hood of this beast, sits a turbocharged straight-six 3.0-litre engine that has been tuned to offer 10bhp more than the one in the M4 with the Competition package, with a total of 460bhp. The engine features two mono-scroll turbocharges, charge air cooler, High Precision Injection, VALVETRONIC variable valve timing and Double-VANOS fully variable camshaft timing.

Mated to the engine is a 7-speed M Double Clutch Transmission (M DCT) with Drivelogic. The engine and transmission combination allow the M4 CS to cover the 0-100km/h sprint in 3.9 seconds and reach a stop speed of 280km/h.

The car features the adaptive M suspension setup similar to that found on the M4 with the Competition package and is optimised to offer a good balance of road and track performance. The control systems such as Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Adaptive M Suspension and Active M Differential have been modified to suit the M4 CS, giving it the best on and off track performance that the M division could muster. The electromechanical steering’s behavior and suspension setup can be changed by adjusting the drive modes which are Comfort, Sport and Sport+.

In typical BMW fashion, the inside is covered with leather and Alcantara which offers a decent blend of luxury and sportiness. The overall layout doesn’t differ much from the standard car and features automatic Climate Control, BMW infotainment system and a sophisticated navigation system.

There’s no word yet on when the M4 CS will be made available for Malaysia but in Europe, the car should go on sale soon at a price of EUR 116,900 or RM 551,854. However, don’t expect the same price tag once the vehicle hits our shores as the various taxes will definitely drive up the price up somewhat.

Piston.my

BMW GmBH

BMW to intoduce Z4 concept at Pebble Beach

Surge in demand for BMW electrified vehicles

BMW M8 prototype to debut at Nürburgring 24-hour race

New BMW 1 Series to be launched in July

BMW introduce new BMW 2 Series Coupe and Cabriolet

BMW introduces the M4 CS

BMW to intoduce Z4 concept at Pebble Beach

Surge in demand for BMW electrified vehicles

BMW M8 prototype to debut at Nürburgring 24-hour race

New BMW 1 Series to be launched in July

BMW introduce new BMW 2 Series Coupe and Cabriolet

BMW introduces the M4 CS

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