BMW BLOG

With all the talk focused around the BMW X1 these days, we forgot about another exciting BMW model which will launch in 2011: the new F10 BMW M5. The super duper luxury sport sedan is one of those BMWs that has always been close to the heart of any BMW fan and historically all the previous models have been well received.

And from the information we gathered in the past, the new M5 will not disappoint, on the contrary, it’s expected to bring out many innovations and a new direction for the Motorsport division which starts by replacing the naturally aspirated M engine with a turbocharged powerplant.

From the rumors we’ve been hearing in the past few weeks, BMW is currently evaluation two engines for the F10 M5. One of them is the new V8 twin-scroll turbo engine from the X5M/X6M models and surprisingly - at least for us - a V10 turbo engine based on the V8 with two extra cylinders added.

Regardless which engine will be chosen, the new M models are being developed under the “turbocharged umbrella”, a direction that has already provoked many heated commentaries from the BMW community.

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We keep promising that the X1 is coming out soon, but it hasn’t happened so far. We expected the official photos to drop prior to the event that took place at the Leipzig factory this past weekend.

Obviously we were a bit wrong, but the latest information out of the rumormill says that within days, the press release will drop on the web and we will FINALLY see or criticize the X1.

In the mean time, we decided to post the last spy photos of the BMW X1 and this time, we will keep our word. As much as we enjoy this game, the photos seem to be the same over and over, just slightly different colors.

With that being said, the fellows at vroom.be are responsible for bringing these spy shots of a slightly covered silver X1. And once again, we’re confused….can’t decide if we will fall for it or simply hate it. One thing we know for sure, we dig it more than the current X3.

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We learned a while ago that the new BMW 5 Series GT has been seen more and more at the BMW Headquarters in New Jersey. In the next upcoming weeks, the 5 GT will be showcased at several private and public events and we’re going to be there to see the car live, something that we’ve looking forward to since its initial unveiling.

A reader over at Carscoop managed to snap some photos of the 5 Gran Turismo and shared them with all of us. And just as before, we still believe that the 5 GT looks best in white, but we’ll decide when we see it live.

As many of you might remember, the BMW 5 Series GT will be offered in three versions: the 535i GT, a 3.0-liter twin turbocharged inline six petrol with 306 horsepower, the 530d GT, a 3.0-liter straight-six diesel with 245 horsepower and 550i GT, a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 petrol delivering 407 horsepower.

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BMW continues testing with its upcoming BMW 7 Series Hybrid which will be sold under the 755ih name tag. Just last month, we were able to bring you the first spy photos of this new hybrid which seems to be kept out in the open by BMW.

In a way, it’s expected since the 7er Hybrid Concept has been already introduced at several auto shows around the world and the final production model doesn’t seem to be any different.

And to eliminate any doubt that we’re indeed looking at the 755ih, BMW has placed a sticker on the car:  “Hybrid Vehicle Testing”. The 7 hybrid will be introduced at the end of this year and it’s expected to be more expensive than the current 750Li model.

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After the recent 5 Series GT unveiling, BMW dropped their funky camouflage on the 5GT prototypes and these vehicles can be seen around several cities across Europe. Some of these GT models are used for exclusive presentations, while others are simply driven by BMW executives.

A daily reader of our BimmerToday blog, identified by the name Pousa13, has spotted the upcoming BMW 5 Series GT in Germany. We’re still a few weeks away until we might see the 5GT ourselves, but in the mean time, we have been keeping us entertained with the multiple spy photos posted on here.

And the general consensus lately is that the 5GT….doesn’t look as bad as many believed it will. We noticed that most our readers after seeing some of the most recent spy shots have started to believe in this project and actually embrace the idea of this non-conventional 5 Series model.

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While the BMW 5 Series GT has been already unveiled and heavily discussed upon, the next generation 2010 BMW 5 Series is still “hiding” behind the fake plastic panels.

The two cars have been spotted side-by-side at the famous Nurburgring track and it is probably the first time we see the two 5 Series models in the same photo.

For quite some time, many people associated the 5 Series GT with the next generation 5er and as we stated many times, it was a misconception.

While they are both part of the same family, the design of the two cars will barely resemble each other, so many photoshop attempts were clearly misinterpreted.

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We’re finally glad that the media out there has moved on from the BMW M7 stories and now they are publishing exactly what we knew for a while: BMW is currently testing a 7 Series model which will feature an M Sport Package.

So far we know that the new M Package will bring some cosmetic tweaks, but we’re leaving the door open for the possibility of seeing some other changes as well, maybe even under the hood. As seen before in their M Sport Packages, the front-end is revitalized and refreshed, sporting a new bumper and some changes around the kidney grille.  The more aggressive front fascia with larger intakes fits better with the new front bumper and we cannot wonder how the front-grille would look with the chrome all blacked out.

Obviously the M Sport Package comes with a new set of wheels, in line with any M package we’ve seen before.

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A little birdie tell us that we’re just hours away from the official photos and while we couldn’t get an official confirmation of the BMW X1 exact unveiling time, our bets go on Thursday. But in the mean time, new spy photos of the X1 made their way onto the web, only this time, in a different color, a dark red that we haven’t seen before.

Now, we’re not sure what else we can tell you about the X1, we have pretty much covered anything and everything about this new Sports Activity Vehicle. But what we can tell you from these spy shots is that the X1 looks….let’s say, quite different when photoshoot from several angles.

While the rear and side views don’t seem to impress us much, the raised front-end shot really stands out, showing an aggressive “nose” that will appeal to many. Now we know that many of you on here oppose the X1 and don’t embrace it yet, but we still believe the X1 sales in Europe will be satisfactory. Of course, the base price will play an important role.

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Yes, we know you’re tired of seeing more BMW X1 photos, but fortunately, we are very close to the unveiling date. While the official presentation is scheduled for June 23rd at the Leipzig plant in Germany, we expect the official marketing photos to hit our inbox prior to that.

In the mean time, the spy photographers are doing a great job capturing more and more prototypes that are currently being tested. These photos seem to be similar to the ones posted just last week where a silver painted X1 was spotted carrying very little camouflage.

We don’t even know if we should repeat ourselves, by now you might know everything there is to know about the X1, but since many of our readers are here for the first time, we’ll go ahead and recap some of the most important details.

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Well, the BMW X1 is not officially here yet, but that doesn’t stop BMW to still test the smaller SAV. Nothing surprising there of course, but when the X1 is spotted almost with no camouflage, then you start to wonder when the “real” official photos will be revealed.

But that’s another story, so let’s go back to the BMW X1 seen in these photos. First impression: looks pretty good. While the X1 Concept split my opinion 50-50 or gave me a hate/love feeling, the final product seems to be more appealing.

Could it be the classic BMW silver color instead of the “funky” yellow?

Looking at it from the front, it gives the impression of a 3 Series Touring sitting a bit higher, but that maybe just a false impression, since the X1 is truly a Sports Activity Vehicle with overall dimmensions close to the X3 and a raised-up rear-end.

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