BMW BLOG

Ever since the news broke that the next generation BMW M5 will be powered for the first time by a turbocharged engine, many BMW fans, and not only, have posed THE question: why a turbo engine and not the almighty NA powerplant that made us all happy?

After a discussion with Albert Biermann, head of development at M Division, Autocar UK reports that the decision was influenced by BMW’s aggressive plans to cut fuel consumption as part of the EfficientDynamics programme.

“We’ve been forced to switch to an engine offering greater low-end torque than the naturally aspirated engine to ensure it can cope with the longer axle ratio,” Biermann said. “It’s the only real way we can balance achieving the environmental improvements we want while retaining similar levels of performance to today’s car.”

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Autocar UK returns with some new information on the rumored BMW 1 Series Supersports, an “M-like” model that will be placed below the M3. According to sources close to the magazine, the new car has been favored over a highly-awaited BMW supercar.

As we reported several times in the past, the “Supersports” model is based on the next generation 1 Series, more exactly, on the 135i Coupe. The car would compete with the Audi S3 and the UK pricing is rumored to start around £32,000.

An M division source somewhat confirms our previous statements: BMW needs to offer a new car for its enthusiasts, something that will replace the so-missed M1. With them moving towards smaller, more efficient cars, it is only wise to develop a super sporty car based on a 1 Series platform.

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It seems like cat is out of the bag. For the past few weeks we’ve been hearing rumors around a possible “street version” of the BMW M3 GT4. The first prototype was spotted at Nurburgring last month and shortly after, the speculations began.

We’ve been sitting on some information for weeks now since we promised our sources that we won’t reveal anything until its official launch, but several online forums are reporting new information today. As we heard as well, the “CSL-like” M3 will NOT carry the CSL name, but rather use GT4 or simply GT naming convention. The car will be revealed sometimes this month.

In the mean time, here are some new information, courtesy of M3post:

Name

* It won’t be called M3 CSL.
* Instead, BMW will either call it “M3 GT4 Street” or “M3 GT”.

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The BMW 5 Series GT is scheduled to make its North American debut in November while the European models had a head start and already unveiled the 5 GT models.

In Europe, the entry level model is the 530d GT that has the latest generation of 3.0-liter diesel. The engine outputs 241bhp of power at 4000rpm and 398lb ft of torque from 1750 to 3000rpm.

Today, Autocar UK reports that BMW is considering adding a 4-cylinder engine to the 5 Series GT fleet with the scope of offering a more affordable entry level luxurious model.

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While there is an abundance of BMW 5 Series spy photos, the next generation 2011 BMW 6 Series test mules are laying low for now. The new 6er is scheduled to be revealed in the second half of next year with sales beginning in 2011.

To substitute the lack of spy shots, several renderings artists have been putting their skills to use in creating some new renders of what they believe the next 6 Series would look like. While the previous computer generated images were all based on the CS Concept design language, this latest image takes an unique approach, despite some Z4 design influences.

But what do we really know about the next 6 Series?

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If the multiple rumors for this week weren’t enough, a new one has just showed up on our radar. The famous rendering artist over at Autobild, Huckfeldt, has created a new computer generated image of what they call “the new BMW CS or 8 Series”.

Before we dive into these news, keep in mind that these are just simply rumors and speculations at this point, and we have not heard anything else through different channels, but it is still our duty to report them.

A year ago, BMW announced the cancellation of the highly awaited BMW CS, the concept that made waves ever since its unveiling at the Shanghai Motor Show.

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Another day and rumors around future BMW models. If yesterday the headlines were kept by the rumored 135i Supersport model, today we have an even more fascinating story to share.

The folks over at MotorAuthority posted a few spy shots of a BMW M3 Coupe with race car elements. Back in July, the new head of M Division, Dr. Kay Segler, hinted on a street-version of the current M3 GT4 racecar. In May, the BMW M3 GT4 made its debut at the legendary Nurburging endurance race.

These latest spy photos reveal some racing elements: front bumper with larger air intakes and rear wing.

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The latest print edition of Car Magazine features a story on BMW’s plans to build a 0-Series model based on the next generation MINI platform. The rumor – yes..still a rumor to us – is certainly not new, back in 2007, Forbes reported that a new BMW City vehicle will roll out in the future as a response to Audi’s A1 model.

The so-called “BMW 0-Series”, a naming convention that we find hard to believe it will ever see the daylight, will be based on the third-generation MINI platform, therefore, it will be a front-wheel drive car. Internally the project is refered as UKL1, short for Untere Kompactklasse, and is scheduled for a market release in 2013.

0-Series will slot between the new 1 Series and MINI, and will directly competing with aforementioned Audi A1 and Mercedes A-Class.

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It was just a matter of days, after we posted the first renderings of what is rumored to be the next BMW M1, other auto publications are already starting to work on their own renderings. The photos we posted in collaboration with Promotor showed a design study of what BMW M1 might look like.

The M1, if indeed will carry that badge, is rumored to be based on the recently unveiled Vision EfficientDynamics Concept. According to the UK fellas at AutoExpress, the M1 is rumored to have ultra-low ride height, active aerodynamics and an aggressive rear end, similar to the Vision Concept. Inside, the two-plus-two seating will remain intact, but latest gadgetry will be incorporated: digital dash, multimedia connectivity and an advanced version of the the iDrive.

The focus of the new BMW M1 will be on performance and efficiency, even if some comfort levels will need to be sacrificed. The already functional hybrid system found in the Vision Concept, the 3-cylinder 1.5-liter hybrid engine with electric motors and 356 horsepower/590 pound-feet of torque, is also rumored to power the BMW supercar.

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Tonight’s major headlines in the BMW community revolve around some latest information on the next generation BMW M5 published by Edmunds’ InsideLine blog. According to sources close to the respectable automotive portal, next generation BMW M5, due in 2011-2012, will have a turbocharged V8 engine.

Even though further details have been locked up in the BMW Motorsport vault, InsideLine mentions the use of the 4.4 liter engine which debuted in the BMW X5 M and X6 M earlier this year. The twin-scroll engine, with technology patented by BMW, develops 555 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque. It is unclear though if BMW is looking to increase the power in the sport luxury sedan.

The current powerful 5.0 liter V10 engine is being phased out in favor of turbocharged powerplants available across most of the BMW  fleet. Since the news haven’t been yet confirmed by a second source, we advise you to take this with a grain of salt. We’ve also learned in the past few months that BMW was testing two engine options in the M5, the current 4.4 liter V8 and an experimental V10 turbo engine based on the V8 with two extra cylinders added.

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