The new 328i and 335i goes on sale this weekend, but early reports show owners already taking possession of their new F30 3 Series.

The base price of the 2012 328i Sedan is $34,900 while the top-model, 335i, starts at $42,400. This represents a $300 and $350 base price increases versus the outgoing model.

Even though the final design details are blurred out in the video, we believe this is the M135i model we spied this week.

As previously reported, the BMW M135i will come as a three and five-door rear-wheel drive. An xDrive variant will be offered in the future as well.

This powerful compact M-tuned vehicle is expected to output 300 horsepower from a six-cylinder turbocharged engine that will propel the car to 62 mph in under five seconds.

With the Geneva Motor Show just around the corner, we expect the M135i to debut in a week time.

Initially previewed by the Vision EfficientDynamics (Vision ED) concept back in 2009, the super-sporty two-door i8 has already undergone over two years of intensive development. The major change is a new 1.5 liter petrol engine replacing the initial diesel unit of same capacity. The engine is mounted at the rear and drives via a dual-clutch gearbox.

The i8 Concept combines the advantages of two different drive systems – an electric motor and an internal combustion engine. The electric motor is not a secondary power source, but rather an equal partner of the internal combustion engine.

The weight of 1480kg is the equivalent to a power-to-weight ratio of 236 horsepower per 1000 kilograms.

BMW i8 measures 4632mm in length, 1955mm in width and 1280mm in height, comparable to the 3 Series coupe in dimensions. A 0-100 km/h (62 mph) acceleration time comes under five seconds, with a combined fuel consumption in the European test cycle of less than 3 liters/100 km (78 MPG) and average real fuel consumption of between five and seven liters (33 – 47 MPG).

Design wise, the BMW i8 makes use of the layering technique, both inside and outside the car. According to BMW, the beautiful glass seen on the doors of the i8 Concept will be replaced by conventional materials, a request that was mainly driven by customers who requested more interior cabin privacy.

The BMW i8 is expected to debut in early 2014 and the price speculations fall around the $160,000m mark.

[Video: e90post ]

The new F30 BMW 3 Series goes on sale this month and will be first offered in the 328i and 335i configurations. The base price of the 2012 328i Sedan is $34,900 while the top-model, 335i, starts at $42,400. This represents a $300 and $350 base price increases versus the outgoing model.

The 3 Series now includes standards features such as 6.5” display with iDrive controller, Bluetooth connectivity, USB/iPod interface, 8-Speed Automatic Transmission, Automatic Start/Stop, Dynamic Driving Control with ECO PRO Mode, Brake Energy Regeneration, and a 1” standard wheel size increase.

The following exterior colors are available for the new BMW 3 Series: Melbourne Red, Glacier Silver, Imperial Blue, Mineral Grey, Black Sapphire, Mojave and Alpine White. An optional M paint is also offered – Estoril Blue.

The footage below also gives us a better look at the interior design.

[Source: DrivesTv.com]

BMW Individual High-gloss Shadowline trim gives the car the typical M look. An optional M paint is also offered – Estoril Blue, as well as M Sport brakes with contrasting blue paint finish. Special aerodynamics cues, front and rear bumpers, sill covers in body color and a striking diffuser insert in Dark Shadow Metallic on the tail, and chromium exhaust pipe finishers underline the sporting character of the M Sport package.

BMW will offer the M Sport package starting in September 2012.

The BMW ActiveHybrid 3 made its North American debut at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. In early 2013, BMW will bring to market the first hybrid version of the popular 3 Series model.

Even though not confirmed by BMW, we expect the ActiveHybrid 3 to use a 3.0 liter six-cylinder turbocharged TwinPower engine aided by an electrical engine to deliver an additional 40 kW (about 53 horsepower). The hybrid technology is similar to the one seen in the BMW ActiveHybrid 5. The electric motor in the latter model develops 40 kW/55 hp and is supplied with energy by a high-performance lithium-ion battery integrated into the luggage area.

The innovative hybrid system features a coasting mode (with the engine switched off) active at up to 160 km/h (100 mph).

[Video by: Drivestv.com]

BMW has moved on with the new F10 M5 from naturally aspirated engines to a TwinPower turbocharged V8. The high-revving 4.4-liter (4395cc) turbocharged uses the BMW M TwinPower Turbo technology, twin-scroll turbochargers, high-precision direct fuel injection, Valvetronic variable valve control and a cross-bank exhaust manifold. The super-M produces 560 horsepower from 5,750-7,000 rpm and 502 lb-ft of torque from only 1500rpm.

For 2013, Nissan offers a power upgrade for the GT-R. The engine now generates 545 horsepower and 463 lb-ft of torque — both going up by 15 from the 2012′s 530 and 448 — and produces higher end torque towards the 7000rpm redline. The 2013 revision also incorporates more efficient cooling ducts for the front brakes, slip-resistant seats, and a Track-Pack option that shaves over 200 pound in weight. The car still uses the same 3.8 liter twin-turbo DOHC 24-valve V6 engine.

Which one takes the win? Let’s have a look.

All three lines, Modern, Luxury and Sport, as well as the M-Sport package were available to journalists for photos and comparison drives.

Are you ready to see how capable is the new 3 Series with some professional drivers behind the wheel? Have a look below.

“The Big Grab,” will also air in the New York Tri-State area in an ad during Super Bowl XLVI.

Created by “The Perfect Seat,” illustrates how an odd couple — a driver and his much-taller companion — can share the driver’s seat thanks to driver’s seat memory.

Beginning Monday, February 7, select digital shorts will begin airing online at sites including NBC.com, ABC.com and Hulu. All of the content, including the Super Bowl spot “The Big Grab,” where a heated steering wheel saves the day when a group of freezing friends hop into the car, can be viewed online at www.youtube.com/bmwusa.

“The BMW 3 Series is the global benchmark for a sports sedan,” said Dan Creed, Vice President of Marketing, BMW of North America. “With these shorts, we turn a spotlight on the innovations that make the 3 Series the standard to which others aspire.”

The ads were produced by Kirshenbaum Bond Senecal and Partners.

The outcome? Live car sketching and some deep insight into how car designers thin and how sketches lead to the actual design.

To learn more about BMW design language, see also our interview with Adrian Van Hooydonk by our own editor Shawn Molnar.

In the next iteration of the autonomous technology, a BMW 5 Series was used to showcase the improvements. The ConnectedDrive Connect (CDC) system allows the driver to keep hands off the wheel of the 5 Series while speeding down on the Autobahn.

“The car adheres to all traffic laws,” says the narrator in the video. With the CDC system, the car can brake, accelerate and pass other vehicles while analyzing the traffic conditions. This BMW system uses radar, cameras, laser scanners, and ultrasound distance sensors to get the information it needs.

BMW says that the CDC system can also steer the car to pass a slower vehicle by searching an open lane where it can safely merge.

“Our main challenge was to develop algorithms that can handle entirely new situations. In principle, the system works on all freeways that we have mapped out beforehand with [a] centimeter accuracy,” said Nico Kaempchen, project manager of Highly Automated Driving. at BMW Group Research and Technology.

In the first electric vehicle, the i3, BMW will offer a “traffic-jam” feature that allows the car to speed up, slow down, and steer on its own at speeds of up to 25 miles per hour, as long as the driver leaves a hand on the wheel.

[Source: Physorg ]

To showcase some of its technology, BMW releases a comprehensive video on Youtube. The BMW ActiveHybrid 5 brings together a BMW TwinPower Turbo six-cylinder in-line engine, an electric drive system and an eight-speed automatic gearbox for the first time.

The 306 hp six-cylinder in-line engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo technology in the BMW ActiveHybrid 5 is the same unit used in other BMW vehicles, and it is aided by an electric motor developing 40 kW/55 hp. Energy is supplied by a high-performance lithium-ion battery integrated into the luggage area.

Its hybrid drive system generates combined output of 340 hp, allowing the car to be driven on electric power alone up to 60 km/h (37 mph). BMW ActiveHybrid 5 accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.7 seconds with exceptional fuel consumption: 6.4 and 7.0 litres per 100 kilometres (33 – 36.7 mpg). CO2 emissions are reported at 149 – 163 grams per kilometer.

In order to fully exploit the potential of the BMW ActiveHybrid technology, the intelligent energy management of the power electronics in the BMW ActiveHybrid 5 uses a host of innovative functions to ensure the drive system runs efficiently. The lithium-ion high-performance battery is charged when the car is coasting or braking, the electric motor performing the role of a generator feeding energy into the high-voltage battery. By contrast, under acceleration the electric motor takes on a boost function. Here, it assists the petrol engine by generating an ultra-dynamic burst of power, lending the sedan’s sporty driving experience a noticeably sharper edge.

The 5 Series Hybrid comes to United States in 2012 and we expect its base price to position the vehicle between the 535i and the high-end 550i. This will be the second hybrid BMW in the US, along with the 7 Series Hybrid. Recently BMW of North American announced the retirement of the BMW X6 ActiveHybrid.

In the past few years we conducted several interviews with Adrian and each one of them was just as captivating as inspiring. Since we set the bar high for ourselves, we decided to do something special this time around and asked Adrian to sit down in front of the camera for an extensive chat on car design.

Among many topics, Adrian also described to us the process for selecting a design for a car, from start to finish, BMW i sub-brand and what makes a “supercar.”

Without any further ado, let’s have a look.

Video & editing by Jim Perry at DrivesTV.com

Full interview – 22 min

BMW 3 Series Design – 2 min

As announced earlier, BMW will create a “New model category with emphasis on sporting characteristics combines exclusive engine line-up, enhanced agility, precise chassis tuning and emotional design,” or in other words, a line of vehicle sitting between a regular BMW and M products.

This new line of products can also be compared against the Audi S line and will spread across multiple BMW products.

Here are some of the BMW M Performance products that will appear in the next two years: X6 M50d, 5 Series M550d, M135i, M750d, M650d in Coupe, Convertible and Gran Coupe form.

Video is from paddock to pit and directly out to the historic track. Video footage with new first person glasses. Bimmerworld went on to finish P1, P2 and P4 in the morning session.

For previous coverage on Daytona, see the following link.

[Credit: MotorSportMedia | www.racemsm.com | Facebook Fanpage ]

The “Ultimate Driving Machine” slogan returns replacing the highly-controversial “Joy” ads that ran for the past two years.

BMW’s new ad agency, Kirshenbaum Bond Senecal & Partners, is responsible for the creative work and debuted its first 30-second TV spot on NBC this past Saturday. The new spot will also run during prime-time programs like “House,” “The Big Bang Theory,” “Modern Family” and “Law and Order: SVU” on the Fox, CBS, ABC and NBC networks. It also will run nationally on cable channels throughout the year.

Last year, the popular German tuner revealed their own tuning program with the 3.0 liter six-cylinder twin-turbo engine now producing 410 horsepower and 405 lb of torque. The car sits on 20-inch light-alloy wheels and sports a front spoiler lip that helps with down force at high speeds. At the front, the 9×20-inch wheels are fitted with 245/30 high-performance tires while the rear axle comes with 10×20-inch wheels and 265/30 tires.

Adjustable coilover kit tuned by Ralf Kelleners ensures optimum handling on road and track.

Inside, the BMW 1 Series M Coupe by Kelleners Sports has also undergone some changes, a new exclusive interior with luxurious leather trim was added to the offering. The sports steering wheel is fitted with Alcantara applications. Additionally, the gear lever and hand brake boots are made of Alcantara. Rounding off the interior upgrade are high-gloss white interior trim and familiar accessories, such as aluminum pedals and a set of four foot mats made of high-grade velour with the Kelleners Sport logo.

Without any further ado, let’s have a look at the video.

The first video and the shortest one simply focus on the M5 drifting through some back roads, while the longer version, while in Dutch, focuses on a more comprehensive review. Unfortunately no English subtitles are available at the moment.

The review is mostly positive and the biggest complaint comes, as expected, from the engine noise:

“The main criticism to be heard on the M5, is about the engine noise. To experience for the driver to give some extra shine, the amplified sound from the speakers.

Sure, it’s the V8 with two turbos differently than the V10. The V10 also sounded different than the naturally aspirated V8 that was used before, and that V8 sounded differently than the six-cylinder of the first two generations.”

With the 2012 Olympics just around the corner, BMW UK begins an early marketing campaign that revolves around athletic abilities, performance and perfection.

The new BMW 3 Series is uniquely positioned in the advertising spot as an athlete who has all the important characteristics for success in various disciplines and conveys the brand’s characteristic driving pleasure. Incidentally, other important features such as the adaptive suspension and the Head-up display emphasize the technical skills of the middle class sedan from Munich.

In the U.S., the base price of the 2012 328i Sedan is $34,900 and the 335i Sedan is $42,400. This represents a $300 and $350 base price increases versus the outgoing model. The 3 Series now includes standards features such as 6.5” display with iDrive controller, Bluetooth connectivity, USB/iPod interface, 8-Speed Automatic Transmission, Automatic Start/Stop, Dynamic Driving Control with ECO PRO Mode, Brake Energy Regeneration, and a 1” standard wheel size increase.

With 0 to 62 mph times around 4 seconds, or less with the Launch Control, the F10 M5 shows the exceptional engineering that went not only in the chassis, suspensions

BMW has moved on with the new F10 M5 from naturally aspirated engines to a TwinPower turbocharged V8. The high-revving 4.4-liter (4395cc) turbocharged uses the BMW M TwinPower Turbo technology, twin-scroll turbochargers, high-precision direct fuel injection, Valvetronic variable valve control and a cross-bank exhaust manifold.

The answer: YES IT CAN!

But what makes the M5 be The Ultimate Drifting Machine? Well for starters, the amazing engineering that went into the frame and suspensions. Our own Shawn Molnar revealed the following back in June:

BMW’s F10 M5 will feature a rear sub-frame bolted directly to the frame. There will be no rubber or even urethane bushings to offer any cushioning, and as a result this typical race car setup will allow for direct, precise road feel from the rear. This setup will also contribute to the reportedly highly neutral (and highly driftable!) handling of the new M5.

Next, the S63tu engine, a high-revving 4.4-liter (4395cc) turbocharged that uses the BMW M TwinPower Turbo technology. The engine outputs 560 horsepower from 5,750-7,000 rpm and 680Nm (502 lb-ft) of torque from only 1500rpm.

Ready for some action?