Tag Archives: News

What Do You Want Changed on the Upcoming BMW 8 Series LCI Facelift?

September 17, 2021 admin

The BMW 8 Series is in the process of getting its mid-cycle, LCI facelift. Spy photos and video are now surfacing, showing off the updated 8er doing some testing in public and, from what we’ve seen, there don’t seem to be many changes. That’s not to say there aren’t any or that any changes won’t be have substantial effects on the final product. However, from the outside looking in, we’re not getting our hopes up.

We don’t know what sort of changes, if any, were made to the 8 Series’ interior, ride quality, or driving dynamics with the update. Though, it wouldn’t be crazy for BMW to sort of leave it alone and let the 8er ride out its life-cycle, before being axed entirely. The 8 Series isn’t a cheap car and it doesn’t sell well, so it’s not a car BMW is eager to keep around much longer, nor is it a car BMW is willing to invest a ton of new money into. So we wouldn’t be surprised if the 8 Series LCI is more or less the same as the pre-LCI car.

However, we do hope that BMW has actually made some changes to the 8 Series, some very specific changes, to be honest.

For starters, we hope that BMW sharpens up its dynamics a bit. As a big, sporty, GT car, it currently leans too hard toward the luxury side of grand touring. That’s fine for a Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe but the 8 Series is a BMW and therefore supposed to have “Ultimate Driving Machine” DNA and the 8er just doesn’t feel like it. Our friend Jason Cammisa once said the 8 Series would be a great Buick and he’s right. It’s big, comfy, quiet, and very fast in a straight line, regardless of which one you get. However, we hope BMW sharpens up the steering a bit, changes from suspension geometry, and maybe even firms up the suspension, all to give it a bit more precision and fun.

Another thing we’d like to see updated is the interior. While it’s currently very nice; with wonderful materials and excellent build quality, it’s just not interesting enough. Obviously, BMW can’t completely redesign the cabin but maybe some updated trim bits, better looking seats, or maybe even some more stylish door panel inserts. Anything, really, to give it some pop. It’s a six-figure car but its cabin doesn’t look like it.

Lastly, we’d like BMW to work on the price a bit. The six-cylinder BMW 840i starts at $85,000 US, which is just too much. Obviously, a price drop is highly unlikely, especially after the increased investment of an LCI facelift, but the 8 Series just isn’t competitive for the money. It’s priced to closely to the Porsche 911 for customers to see value in it. While the 911 starts at around $15,000 more (with fewer options), the 840i quickly gets close to $100,000 than we’d like with only a few options. Also, the 911 is far, far, far superior to drive in every way. And even though the 911 is a proper sports car, it’s also good at being a GT car because it’s so composed and under control that its slightly firmer suspension never feels uncomfortable. The 8er can’t compete with the 911 and yet it’s priced too close to it.

We like the 8 Series, as a car. It looks great, its comfy, has great engines, and is a very good luxury GT car. But it lacks the driving dynamics you’d expect from a BMW, which is why you buy a BMW in the first place. If BMW can sharpen its skills up a bit, give it a bit more fizz in the cabin, and maybe drop the price a few bucks, it’d be a much better car. Would it sell any better? I can’t be sure of that but it wouldn’t be the car’s fault anymore if it didn’t.

ALPINA B8 Gran Coupe vs Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S 4-Door Coupe — Autocar Test

September 11, 2021 admin

The ALPINA B8 Gran Coupe is an incredibly special car, one that turned heads even during Monterey Car Week, among priceless Bugattis and Ferraris. Yet, it isn’t the only uber-luxurious, uber-fast four-door luxury car from Germany. Another is the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S 4-Door Coupe (seriously, AMG, you need to come up with a better name than that) and Autocar recently put both cars together to see which was best.

On paper, they’re quite similar cars. Both use twin-turbo V8s — 4.4 liter for the ALPINA, 4.0 liter for the AMG — both have automatic gearboxes, both use all-wheel drive, and they’re both big, four-door luxury cars. The ALPINA B8 Gran Coupe’s big V8 makes 612 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque, while the AMG’s hand-built unit makes even more, with 630 horsepower and 664 lb-ft. Though, despite the AMG’s extra power, both cars are quoted from 0-60 mph in around the same time; 3.2 seconds for the ALPINA and 3.1 seconds for the AMG.

Get both cars on the road, though, and you’ll soon realize that they’re actually very different machines. The ALPINA B8 is the epitome of smooth. Its engine is loud-ish but never intrusive, its cabin is whisper quiet, its suspension is perfectly damped, and its power deliver — while ferocious — happens with a silk smoothness that belies its rapid acceleration. While the AMG is far more off a wild animal. Its engine barks to life and makes a far angrier noise, its chassis is more playful and more dynamic, and its steering is more communicative.

According to Autocar, both cars have their charms and their reasons to buy them over the other. The ALPINA B8 Gran Coupe is the better car everyday, as it’s every bit as fast as the AMG, just with added comfort and refinement. While the AMG GT 4-Door is the more engaging driver’s car with a more exciting engine. They both have compelling arguments and it’s genuinely difficult to choose which is best. Check it out.

[Source: Autocar]

Mercedes-Benz Design Boss says Three-Box EV Sedans are Gone

September 9, 2021 admin

It’s no secret that the traditional three-box sedan as we know it is going the way of the dodo. Not only are customers more inclined to buy crossovers and SUVs but even when they do buy four-door sedans, coupe-like sedans; 4 Series Gran Coupe; are becoming more and more popular. However, when it comes to electric sedans, three-box sedans are gonna be toast quite soon as, according to Mercedes-Benz design boss Gorden Wagner, they “look shit.”

During a conversation with Top Gear at the 2021 IAA, Wagner expressed his distaste for electric sedans with traditional three-box designs.

“Aero is one [issue with three-box sedans]. Secondly, with a six-inch battery pack a three-box sedan simply doesn’t look good, it looks shit. You have to do something that visually digests the height.” he said. I’m guessing he isn’t a fan of the Polestar 2.

Wagner then points to the new Mercedes-Benz EQ models, such as the EQS (seen above), as examples of how to move away from that typical three-box look. However, as much as I respect Wagner — most of his designs are brilliant — the EQS isn’t a great design. It’s a sensational car but its design just a bit too jelly bean-like. Still, his point about three-box designs is valid, even if the EQS isn’t a great example.

He also has some interesting points about the rest of EV car design. He notes that most new EV start ups lack grilles on their cars (a clear dig at Tesla), which he doesn’t like.

“What you see with electrification is that the grille is moving away. All these new startups, they don’t have a grille – they’re faceless front ends, a bit anonymous. They’re all very much alike. Do they look aggressive? No. They want to look more like a supercomputer on wheels.” said Wagner.

He then adds the fact that cars being anthropomorphic is important. They need to remind us of humans, of ourselves.

“However, you do need a certain amount of wedge in the headlights, and so on. It’s a lot of physiognomics, you know – facial expressions, or body sculpture in the car that makes it similar to humans. And that’s something that doesn’t change.”

Car companies are in a very interesting spot, design-wise. This is probably the most challenging time for auto design since the invention of the automobile. So much about the automobile — how it’s powered, how we interact with it, and how it factors into our lives — is changing, so automakers are in uncharted territory, which is going to lead to some very interesting designs, with some hits and some misses.

[Source: Top Gear]

BMW Individual Configurator — Build Your Perfect M Car

September 3, 2021 admin

After taking a look at a Mint Green BMW Individual M4 Competition, I had the urge to jump on the BMW Individual configurator and play around, picking my perfect Bimmer. Of all the available BMWs to configure, the M3 Competition is my favorite, as neither the M2 CS nor M5 CS are options. While I don’t love the look of the M3 Comp, I adore the way it drives to the point where I’d very easily own one. I’m also a huge proponent of getting Individual colors, as they’re well worth the cost and make the ownership experience that much better.

So I figured, it’s Friday night, let’s have some fun on the configurator, build my perfect BMW M3 Competition, and see what other enthusiasts might build. So let’s jump in. The car I configured is in these photos.

When using the configurator, the first option you choose is the wheel choice. You can choose from any of the standard M3 wheels or three different specialty wheels. I chose the 19″ Style 963M Frozen Grey wheels. While I wanted the gold/bronze wheels, I wouldn’t want 20″ wheels, due to the slightly worsened ride quality. I also don’t love the design. I love the design of the 963Ms, so I’d just get them and paint them gold.

It was then onto the options. There are only two; standard seats or the M carbon buckets. there’s really only one choice there, right? M carbon buckets are the only way to go and anyone who tells you otherwise has no soul and cannot be trusted.

Next up comes the paint choice, which is the best part. I knew I wanted purple going in because I think purple is the best color for the new M3 Competition; it’s dark enough to hide a lot of the grille’s design but vibrant enough to be interesting. I went with Venetian Violet because it’s the perfect plum-colored purple I wanted. Also, it would look killer with gold 963M wheels.

To contrast, I chose the Silverstone leather option. It’s a bit boring but it works with the purple paint better than any other color. As for the interior trim, I chose dark open-port effect wood because carbon fiber is just fancy plastic and doesn’t belong inside of a car. There, I said it.

I did, however, add some carbon to the outside because that’s where it belongs and it also looks cool with the purple. I don’t care if that’s contradictory. Fight me. I picked the carbon fiber front splitter, carbon rear diffuser, and the carbon fiber tailpipes.

And that’s it, that’s my perfect BMW M3 Competition. A gorgeous shade of purple, great looking wheels (that would look better gold), and some carbon bits on the outside. If I could afford a BMW M3 Competition, that’s how it would look. What would your Individual BMW be?

BMW to help owners of Brilliance Automotive to get back on track

September 1, 2021 admin

Several news reports were mentioning a while back that the parent company of BMW’s Chinese joint-venture partners, Brilliance Automotive, is going through some tough times. The Huachen Group did end up going under, following a default of billions of yuan (the Chinese currency) in debt obligations, after the pandemic hit China. Now, it looks like BMW wants to help it get back on track, following a statement issued by the company.

Huachen is based in China’s Shenyang city, located in the northeastern part of the country, in the Liaoling province. The province itself owns Huachen and the entire group has a large car manufacturing capacity, which is tempting. “To BMW, Liaoning province and the city of Shenyang have become the crucial innovation and production base in China, and the cornerstone of our future success in China,” BMW said, according to Automotive News.

At the moment, even though BMW said it wants to help out, there’s no telling how that help could materialize. What’s obvious though is that BMW can’t lose its partner, Brilliance Automotive, in China, as it is essential for its long-term efforts in the world’s biggest luxury car market.

Furthermore, the sales recorded by BMW in China have kept the company profitable over the last several years and the Bavarian company announced an investment of 3.6 billion euros in a further 25 percent stake in the BMW-Brilliance Automotive joint venture.

This move will make BMW the majority stakeholder, which is something foreign companies could not even dream of not long ago, due to the Chinese legislation. At the moment, BMW is also looking for different perspectives, such as a new collaboration with Great Wall Motor.

In this case though, it looks like the two companies will work on making MINI models on the long run but other venues could be explored too. For now, BMW has to wait for the local authorities to finish their investigation into how the Huachen Group got in this mess in the first place.

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BMW to build a new SUV in Spartanburg, likely the X8M / XM

August 27, 2021 admin

BMW will build a new vehicle later this year at the Spartanburg plant in South Carolina, according to CNBC with the BMW CEO Oliver Zipse. “At the end of the year, we will make an announcement to build another high-end car from this manufacturing site,” Zipse told CNBC’s Phil LeBeau. “It is not a successor model, it’s a brand-new model, high-end for the American market but also for the world market.”

Zipse won’t commit to the actual product name, but we strongly believe that this is the new BMW X8 M or XM, along with its variants. Our own sources mentioned last year a new product being actively testing on the factory grounds. And since, we’ve seen the powerful and likely the most expensive BMW SUV ever build being tested in other countries as well. The Spartanburg plant currently produces the BMW X3, X4, X5, X6 and X7 as well as the corresponding M SUV models, so it’s only natural that the production line is expanded to include the X8 as well.

bmw xm renderings 03 830x830 — Rendering by @magnus.concepts on Instagram

But as Oliver Zipse says, this won’t be your regular BMW SUV. It will be a brand-new model, a flagship of the ever growing BMW crossover lineup and likely the most powerful one ever. The BMW X8 M rumors started sometimes in 2019, but they amplified last year after test mules were spotted in Germany. There is still plenty of mystery surrounding the X8 M, for example, its name. Some recent rumors point to the XM badge on the boot which certainly makes sense considering the iX naming convention on the upcoming electric crossover.

The internal name is said to be “Project Rockstar” which clearly implies the baddest and most powerful SUV of the range. We strongly believe that the X8 M (XM) will be a plug-in hybrid vehicle. We’ve already heard rumors of a PHEV drivetrain in the X8 M and the sticker on the side door confirms that at least this test mule is using some electric power under its sheet metal.

The rumormill further churns out that the future BMW X8 M/ XM models could come in two flavors: the standard version, with an output of 460 kW / 625 PS (617 hp), and the upper-end X8 M Competition, which is set to become the first electrified full M model in history. The future X8 M Competition will pack a hybrid powertrain combining a V8 petrol engine and an electric unit that together will raise the peak output up to staggering 552 kW / 750 PS (740 hp).

[Renderings by @magnus.concepts on Instagram]

BMW Individual Program available for all X3, X4, X5, X6 and X7 models

August 18, 2021 admin

Back in April 2021, BMW of North America has quietly released a new update for their Individual program. In a bulletin sent out to dealers, BMW USA said at the time that the X3 and X4 SUVs will join the X5, X6 and X7 as part of the BMW Individual catalog. But with a caveat: While the X5, X6 and X7 come with a wide range of special colors, including frozen ones, the X3 and X4 are limited to just 8 paintworks. Furthermore, the BMW Individual interiors are not available at the Spartanburg plant.

The colors available for the X3 and X4 are the following:

Frozen Black Metallic
Frozen Marina Bay Blue
Grigio Teseto Pearl
Ruby Red II
Urban Green
Malachite Green
Nardo Grey
Froze Deep Grey Metallic

The pricing for the special colors available for the X3 and X4 is set at $4,500 retail. The X5 and X6 Individual colors are priced at $5,000 while the X7 comes with a $5,500 color option.

A while back BMW launched a special website aimed at providing a better clue regarding the huge amount of options available in the Individual range. You could go on it, choose your preferred car and then browse through a couple of paint choices to see how it would look like, before making a decision. That visualizer didn’t include all the colors available though and BMW decided to fix that by creating a new Individual Visualizer that now includes a myriad of choices.

This visualizer also includes a section for the interior where you can also choose a combination worthy of the car’s exterior. You’ll also get to see how the car looks like with a couple of M Performance Parts. From spoilers and splitters to wings and stripes, you can configure your car the way you want, depending on the choices available for each one. The visualizer includes the 3 Series range, 5 Series range as well as a few M models (M3, M4, M5 and M8 with their various body styles and/or competition versions).

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VIDEO: Check Out Part Two of Joe Achilles’ Petrol Head Tours

August 16, 2021 admin

A large portion of BMW enthusiasts are young people. Most of those young people lack the means to buy a brand-new G80 BMW M3 Competition. However, never before has it been easier for young people to enjoy dream cars. Back in the day, a young fan would have to look at photos of the car in a magazine and would need a bit of luck to see one pass by in real life, just to hear its exhaust note. Now, thanks to YouTube, young fans can live vicariously through some owners on the internet. In this case, Joe Achilles, who owns a BMW M3 Competition and isn’t shy about driving it.

In his latest video, Achilles shows off the second part of his Petrol Head Tours adventure, in which he covered thousands of miles in his brand-new M3 Comp. Most other YouTubers buy their cars and keep them in classified garages, like they’re nuclear footballs being kept away from evil villains, never to see the light of day. Not “Grillez”, though, Achilles’ very appropriately named M3.

During his time, his M3 Competition saw all sorts of incredible roads, stunning scenery, and even changes in weather. He made sure to take full advantage of the tail-happy M3 in the wet, with a few “childish” donuts. Regardless of weather, though, these are the sorts of trips more people need to do in their M3 Comps. It’s a brilliant car to travel long distances in because it’s just so fast and fun, while also being genuinely usable. Hell, Achilles could have had two other people along for the journey and the M3 still would have handled it.

If you’ve driven the new M3 Comp, you know just how rare it is to find a car that drives as sharply as the M3, while also being as practical. The Alfa Giulia Quadrifoglio and M5 CS are the only two other cars I can think of, if I’m being honest. So check this video out, to see just how broad the M3 Competition’s abilities are.

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VIDEO: Watch the ALPINA XB7 Hit 270 km/h on the Autobahn

August 5, 2021 admin

The ALPINA XB7 is a fascinating car. Objectively speaking, it’s entirely ridiculous. In no world is a two-and-a-half-ton SUV with a 612 horsepower twin-turbocharged V8 even remotely necessary. And yet, after driving it, you’ll never care because it’s awesome. Despite weighing more than a medium-sized aircraft carrier, the XB7 is shockingly fast. So fast, in fact, that it will do supercar speeds on the Autobahn, as evidenced by AutoTopNL’s latest POV video.

As you can tell in this video, stepping into the ALPINA XB7 and shutting the door is like entering an isolation chamber. You’re met with such silence, you can hear your own heartbeat. Obviously that’s hyperbole but you get the point. Which is what makes the coming performance seem so at odds with the rest of the car. Never before has the phrase “iron fist in a velvet glove” felt more appropriate.

On the German Autobahn, the XB7 simply flies. Its 4.4 liter twin-turbo V8 is based on BMW’s standard N63 engine but it has new turbos, a new air intake, new pistons, new intercoolers, and an ECU tune, to only name a few upgrades. All in, the big V8 makes 612 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque, allowing the moon-sized XB7 to reach speeds of 270 km/h (168 mph) on the Autobahn. If you read that and felt it wasn’t that fast — which is possible in today’s YouTuber world in which we can see all manner of record shattering speeds — you’re a lunatic. That speed in a three-row SUV is absurd and frightening.

Or at least it should be. Shockingly, it actually doesn’t look all that unnerving, which is as alarming as the speed itself. The ALPINA XB7 remains completely composed and effortlessly stable, even at speeds that would make sports cars struggle. It’s even more impressive when you consider the XB7 seemingly has the aerodynamic properties of a brick.

I’ve driven the ALPINA XB7, on both road and track, and it’s an absurd, wonderful, objectively ridiculous, and completely awesome vehicle. It’s a rolling contradiction and I love it.

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What’s the Best Cheap BMW You Can Buy Right Now?

July 30, 2021 admin

It almost seems impossible to buy a good, cheap BMW at the moment. To be honest, I blame people like me; always talking about which cheap BMW is the next great one to buy usually ends up driving prices up and actually negating the point of the article. So it’s actually hard to find cheap Bimmers that are actually any fun or any good. So let’s take a look at what’s left on the market, to see if there are any cheap BMWs left that are worth buying (I’m aware of the irony of this article).

To figure this out, I scoured forum classifieds, used car sites (Cars and Autotrader), craigslist, and Facebook marketplace to try and find some trends. I was also looking for one car that fit all of my criteria for the best cheap BMW: which car was being sold for cheap regularly, that could be found with decent miles and in good condition but is also fun to drive and relatively easy to maintain. My price ceiling was $5,000, as that seems to be the lowers amount of money that can actually get you something decent.

My scouring actually made me a bit sad. Cars that I knew used to be cheap a few years ago; E38 7 Series, BMW Z3, first-gen BMW Z4, and first-gen X3, were all very hard to come by for under five grand without being in rough shape. The market is getting too expensive for young enthusiasts to get into a lot of BMWs and that was a bit disappointing to learn. However, there was one car that I was able to find regularly that was inexpensive, fun, good looking, and typically had good mileage — the E46 BMW 3 Series.

It’s as predictable a choice as they come, with BMW. The E46 3 Series is often considered to be the 3 Series model’s high-water mark for its handling/comfort balance, purity of feel, and simple good looks. It’s the go-to used BMW for almost all enthusiasts. However, it also seems to be still be the one that can be had for an affordable price.

What’s great, though, is that you can find all manners of E46s at that price point, in good enough shape to buy. Sedans, coupes, and even wagons are all readily available. You can find cars with rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive and enough of both to be picky about what you want. You can find pre-LCI cars, post-LCI cars, smaller engine, bigger engines, manuals, and automatics. As a buyer, the choices really seem to be vast.

So if you were to ask me today what the best cheap BMW is to buy, my answer — unequivocally — would be the E46 3 Series. It’s cheap, easy to find, easy to get parts for, easy enough to work on, fantastic to drive, and still looks great. It’s the best cheap BMW you can buy right now, without question.

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