BMW BLOG

Speaking of BMW’s with electric motors and hybrids, we thought it might be a good time to revisit one of BMW’s most notable hybrids – the MINI E. We’ve already tried it once before when it first debuted last year but recently we had a chance to take a short second look at the car to see what we thought a year later.

I press the start button – wait – nothing. I pull the key fob out, wait, put it back in and press the start button. I do this a few more times before I happen to press the start button and catch the gauge in front of me bounce up to life.

OK, so I’ve managed to successfully turn on the MINI E after about 1 minute of trying. It’s not that the fully electric MINI is broken or has issues, it is just that quiet when you’re turning over a car that has no cylinders to fire up and runs strictly on a massive battery pack sitting amidship the little coupe. It literally makes no sounds if the radio is off upon start up – eerily efficient.

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We have been debating on whether we should post this article or not, but in the end, the urge of getting your feedback won. Before we jump into the article, we would like to say from the beginning that our intention is not to put the rendering artist in a bad light, but rather to point out some facts.

Dave Cardoso, a graphic artist from Belgium, created new renderings of what a future generation BMW M6 could look like, of course, all based on his ideas.  While we can’t deny his rendering skills or 3D modeling, we can’t say that we’re big fans of his work. Clearly the images below show us a car that has no ties to BMW’s past, current and future design language and if it wasn’t for the kidney grille, it could have passed for any other brand out there.

Yes, we’re aware that this is most likely a design exercise as many we have seen before, but truth is that we would like these artists to learn more about BMW’s design history and future plans, and ultimately come up with some viable solutions.

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The BMW ActiveHybrid X6 will arrive in US showrooms right on the heels of its North American debut at the Los Angeles International Auto Show.  The one-of-a-kind Sports Active Coupe featuring two-model hybrid technology will be available beginning December 5, 2009 with a base MSRP of $89,725, including destination and handling.

In addition to BMW’s interpretation of two-mode hybrid technology, mated to the 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 the price includes a number of standard features which are optional on the X6 xDrive50i. These include a unique 7-speed automatic transmission, Extended Nappa leather (including the dashboard and center console), 20-inch Aero Wheels with mixed-sized performance tires, Rearview camera with Top View and Head-up display.

The full list of additional standard features is included below.  In addition to the very extensive list of standard equipment, there are a handful of options to tailor the BMW ActiveHybrid X6 to individual tastes.  These are also listed below.

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BMW marks another a milestone by building the 5,555,555th 5 Series car since the sport luxury sedan launch in 1972. The anniversary model is a 525d xDrive Touring, the kind of car that many U.S. based owners would love to have.

The car in question will be donated to the Bavarian Forest National Park, one of the oldest reserves in Germany. The 24,000-acre nature reserve was created in 1970 as a haven for nature. It hosts about 800,000 visitors per year and boasts such attractions as wild animal enclosures and more than 300km of hiking trails.

525d sports BMW’s xDrive technology, suitable for that environment. The car is powered by a 3.0 liter inline six diesel engine that outputs 197 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. The 525d gives an average fuel consumption of 48 MPG (6.9 liters/100km)

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With days before the official unveiling, rendering artists continue to have fun with the new BMW 5 Series. While many of the design details have been unveiled already, there are still some small design elements left to be seen. Our friends Jon Sibal went ahead and gave us a preview of what the next generation 5 Series might look like with Performance Parts.

Let’s have Jon walks us through the rendering process:

“The initial bumper design usually are very tame and “safe” for most BMW models and the F10 is no exception. Then later on, BMW will offer their M package option or the BMW Performance which leans more on sportier designs which rivals the best aftermarket aero kits out there.”

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BMW becomes a Tier One Partner and exclusive automotive sponsor of the 2012 Games, 4000 low-carbon vehicles to be provided.

London. Lord Sebastian Coe, chairman of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has today announced that BMW has become the Automotive Partner of London 2012. BMW will provide the 4000 or so vehicles which are required at the Games to transport athletes, technical officials, media, LOCOG operational teams, national Olympic Committees, International Sports Federations, the IOC and marketing partners.

In addition, BMW becomes a Sustainability Partner supporting London 2012’s commitment to deliver its ‘low carbon’ and ‘healthy living’ Games.

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