carscoop: BMW M

Showing posts with label BMW M. Show all posts

BMW M Remembers its Roots and How the Sub-Brand Took Off

Forty years ago, in May of 1972, BMW introduced a new sub-division for its racing activities named BMW Motorsport GmbH.

After the success of cars like the 3.0 CSL Coupé on the racetrack, the sub-brand that eventually became known simply as BMW M, introduced its first production model, the limited run M1 in 1978.

BMW M Unearths Mighty Z3 V12 Prototype

Over the years, BMW and its various subsidiaries and sub-brands such as the BMW Technik GmbH (currently known as BMW Forschung und Technik, or Research and Technology) and M GmbH, have quietly developed an array of prototype models that never saw the light of day when new, but which are gradually coming out of hiding.

Among the many secret development prototypes that have been released to the public eyes are the M8 Coupe, 850Ci Convertible, E30 M3 Pickup Truck, E36 M3 Compact, E46 M3 Touring, E34 M5 Two-Door Cabriolet, Z1 Coupe and Z18 Buggy - just to mention a few.

AC Schnitzer Tunes BMW M Carbon Racer Bicycle

When AC Schnitzer says it wants to be a tuner of everything BMW it really means it; from cars to motorcycles and now even the Bavarian firm's bicycles. And mind you, not any BMW bicycle but the ultra-light M Carbon Race developed by none other than the brand's fabled M division.

Since there are much less part to tune on a bike compared to an automobile, AC Schnitzer turned its focus on lowering the M Carbon Racer's weight and making some subtle changes to its appearance.

Racy Polish Girls Sing a Hymn Dedicated to BMW

Did you know that there's a "hymn" dedicated to BMW? Well, neither did we, until we stumbled upon this music video dubbed "Hymn BMW" from a group of short-skirted Polish girls.

If you generally dislike Eurobeat as a genre, you may want to skip this post altogether. The rest of you can hover over the break to watch the music clip.

BMW Rumored to be Working on M235i Coupe for 2014

With only 600 1-Series M Coupes (pictured above) making it to the States out of a total of 6,000 examples worldwide, the hot two-door model is a rare beast.

For those who couldn't get their hands on the most compact and affordable M model, Autoweek magazine is reporting that BMW is preparing a kind of successor in the form of an M Performance coupe based on the recently launched in Europe, M135i hatchback.

Alpha-N Reveals 404HP BMW 1-Series M Coupe RS

Picking up from where the short-lived Brabham Racing tuning brand left after a legal battle with three-time Formula One champion Jack Brabham, Alpha-N has presented a new tuning package for the BMW 1-Series M Coupe. Read more »

BMW M Club Drivers Crash Into Each Other on Moscow Streets

A pleasurable drive on the city streets of Moscow, Russia, turned into a nightmare for several members of a local BMW M Club this past Saturday, after a number of cars crashed into each other.

Video footage from one of the cars involved in the accident as well as from another, unrelated vehicle discovered online (3rd clip, skip to 1:06), shows that the pileup occurred when the driver of a blue E34 M5 sedan turned on his blinker and veered towards the right lane at the same time that a mustard-colored E46 M3 Coupe was coming from behind.

As a result, the driver of the M3 lost control and smashed into the BMW with the camera (reportedly the blue E90 M3 sedan), which was then rear-ended by a 1-Series M Coupe.

40 Years of BMW M Production Cars and Racers in Pictures

In May of 1972, Bayerische Motoren Werke, more commonly known as BMW, gave birth to a very special division that would not only shape the company's future products, both on the road and on the track, but also inspire its main rivals to follow its example. That subdivision was BMW Motorsport GmbH.

New BMW 114i with 1.6L Turbo and M135i Presented in Five-Door Hatchback Body Styles

Over the weekend, BMW lifted the covers off the three-door 1-Series, which introduced two brand new models to the range, the 114i and M135i. As expected, both of these variants will also be available on the five-door version of the 1-Series.

As a quick reminder, the 114i features a de-tuned version of the 116i's 1.6-liter four-cylinder petrol engine with a twin scroll turbocharger rated at a pitifully low 101hp (102PS) and 180Nm (133 lb-ft).

New BMW 1-Series Three-Door Hatchback with 101hp to 315hp for the M135i

Almost a year after the introduction of the second generation of the 1-Series five-door hatchback, BMW has presented a second body variant to the range in the form of the three-door hatchback plus a new flagship model, the M135i, which we first saw in pre-production trim at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

The new three-door model inherits the styling of the five-door 1-Series with the only change worth mentioning being the wider doors with frameless windows. The car's exterior dimensions are the same as the 5d model's at 4,324 mm (170.2-in.) long, 1,765 mm (69.5-in) wide, and 1,421 mm (55.9-in.) tall with a wheelbase of 2,690 mm (105.9-in).

BMW says that compared to the previous 1-Series 3d, the new car offers more rear legroom (+21mm) and a 30 liter larger luggage compartment with a total volume of 360lt.

The three-door hatchback model's engine range mirrors that of its more practical sibling with the addition of two brand new petrol units, one at each end of the spectrum for the 114i and M135i.

Double M: BMW Prepares M Performance Editions of M3 Coupe and M5 Sedan

We get it that BMW wants to leave no stone unturned when it comes to serving its customers, but we must admit that introducing M Performance variants of its M brand cars makes about as much sense as buttering both sides of your toast.

"Our new BMW M Performance Models are geared toward customers looking for high performance for everyday use," are the words BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer used to describe the M Performance sub-brand.

BMW Brings M Performance Parts for New 3-Series and 5-Series Sedans to the USA

Like all carmakers or any other company for that matter, BMW would like to be the one that customers go to when it comes to aftermarket products. While the Bavarian automaker has been offering Performance Parts for years, we will now come to know the components under the M Performance Parts brand name.

Today, BMW announced the availability of a new lineup of M Performance Parts for the latest 2012 3-Series and 2011-2012 5-Series sedans in the U.S. market. The range comprises chassis, aerodynamic, cockpit and powertrain components.