BMW BLOG

The January issue of Car and Driver suggests that the 8-speed ZF transmission will highly likely going to replace the current 6 speed automatic transmission across the BMW line-up.

While we don’t have an official confirmation on this, we reported in the past that BMW is considering replacing the six speed auto with the more power and fuel efficient eight speed ZF automatic transmission. The change will take over the course of the next two-three years and by 2012, the entire line-up will feature the new ZF transmission.

Car and Driver goes ahead and gives a great review to the new 8-speed gearbox, confirming what we knew already: almost near perfection shifting, always in the right gear and higher fuel efficiency.

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BMW test mules are moving up north for the winter testing sessions at Arctic Driving Center in Rovaniemi, Finland. AutoExpress and their team of spy photographers spotted the 2011 BMW 6 Series Convertible during some….snow drifting.

It is worth mentioning that their report is a bit misleading in regards to the soft-top. Despite the several prototypes seen in the past with a soft top, BMW will offer the new 6 Series sportscar with a similar hardtop found in the 3 Series Cabrio.

As we mentioned several times before, for now it has been confirmed that the 2011 BMW 6 Series will come in three flavors: Coupe, Convertible and M6. There are still some rumors around a Gran Turismo model based on the 6 Series, but prototypes have yet to be seen.

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Yesterday, Autoblog reported that BMW might be reducing the number of its cars in the next WTCC championship. Currently there are five teams competing in WTCC and the report says we might see only two left next year.

That means eliminating the national teams system it had in place, consolidating and putting its WTCC-spec 320si in the hands of Team Schnitzer (BMW Team Germany), which gains triple champion Andy Priaulx from BMW Team UK to partner with multiple race winner Augusto Farfus.

Two-time CART champion, Alex Zanardi, who was racing for BMW Team Italy-Spain, is moving to the Superstars Series.

Could this be a cost cutting measure?

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Back in September, at the Frankfurt Auto Show, we had a moment to sit down with the interior and exterior designers of the new, breathtaking concept from BMW: Vision EfficientDynamics.

With its Vision EfficientDynamics concept, BMW projects how its hybrid and fuel efficiency technologies might couple with the company’s Formula One racing tech and futuristic design. The result is a two-door sporty diesel-electric car with a fuel efficiency of 63 mpg while getting from zero to 60 mph in only 4.8 seconds.

The Vision EfficientDynamics also displays a number of innovations such as the layering construction technology, aluminum chassis and suspension, special polycarbonate glasses, lithium-polymer cells and a 3D Head Up Display.

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Since its earliest stages of development, I’ve been all over the S1000RR. One of the most beautiful bikes I have ever laid eyes on, I’ve often pondered whether the S1000RR has the mechanical venom to match its aesthetic beauty. While I’ve yet to ride the new BMW, the numbers often tell a story. Put on your helmet before reading, this is one he!! of a story.

BMW has never been one to shy away from a technological challenge. What’s the challenge? To meet and defeat the reigning “Big 4″ superbikes from Japan. Yes, the same 4 who have been perfecting their machines on the racetrack for 6 decades.

To be fair, BMW has its own rich heritage of motorcycle racing. Giving testimony to BMW’s prowess on the racetrack, among countless other race wins and championships, are six Dakar Rally Championships spanning from 1981 to 2000, winning the 1939 Isle of Man TT, and most significantly winning the inaugural 1976 AMA Superbike Championship with a BMW R90S piloted by Reginald Pridmore.

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Ever since it was unveiled this past Monday, the new 2011 BMW 5 Series has been analyzed and over analyzed by many automobile magazines and of course, the BMW community. Some of you have said the new 5 Series to be the “child of 3 and 7 Series” while others saw some of the Z4 front-end in it.

Truth is that the new BMW design language can be seen across the entire new line-up and some design elements are being shared or…bit at least, bits of them.

Today, we decided to put together a photo comparison between the new BMW 5 Series, the F01 7 Series and the facelifted 3er Sedan. Before we jump into it, let’s recap what our editor Josh had to say earlier in another article:

“Sure, some might say it looks like the 3-Series, 7-Series and Z4 had a love child, but it’s something that those two aren’t; BMW’s most important new model for the next few years. It’s even more important than the F01/02 7-Series and it is about as important as the E90 3-Series.

While the 3 sells more cars, the 7 is the luxury giant, the 5 is the car that most people making $60,000-$100,000 are going to be looking at. It’s BMW’s technology bread and butter. If it’s good enough for the 5ers, it’s good enough for the rest of BMWs.”

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Simon, one of our long time readers, spotted earlier today a 1978 BMW M1 fully covered with the now famous funky camouflage seen on all the recent test mules. The car was parked on the Munich streets and all the interior design elements were fully covered as well.

We have no indication that BMW is preparing another M1 Hommage car or simply a showcase of the older M1 supercar, but we find it extremely intriguing to see a covered up model out in the open.

The M1 was unveiled 30 years ago as the first car created independently by the then BMW Motorsport GmbH. It was a racing car which BMW customers could also drive on the road, a unique project which had to overcome some tricky administrative hurdles before getting off the ground.

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The new 2011 BMW 5 Series launched earlier this week and after months of spy photos and renderings games, we have finally seen what BMW had in store for us. Based on the newly unveiled design, several automobile magazines are starting to render the next generation 5 Series Touring.

The new BMW 5 Series Touring, codename F11, has a longer wheelbase and a wider track than the current generation E60 5 Series, offering more interior room and also cargo space. The new F11 5 Series Touring has grown in size and the rear-end sports a more coupeish like roof.

The BMW 5 Series Touring is considerably lower and sleeker than the 5 Gran Turismo model, still keeping that sportiness much needed by the BMW buyers. While the new 5 Series Touring will continue to play an important role in Europe, the question remains whether BMW will phase them out in the U.S.

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