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Monday, 03 December 2007 |
The latest print ads for BMW
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Monday, 03 December 2007 |
BMW Manufacturing Co. will be the subject of the National Geographic Channel's "Ultimate Factories" television show Thursday, Nov. 29, at 9 p.m. ET.
The hour-long program will focus on the building of the famous BMW Z4 Roadster and is a one-of-a-kind, behind-the-scenes tour of the high-tech manufacturing plants that create this world class automobile. The National Geographic Channel team spent a week in Germany, filming at the factory in the Bavarian heartland of Landshut, where the automotive industry's lightest six-cylinder crankcase is made, at the Munich factory that assembles 1,200 engines a day, and seven days at BMW Manufacturing in Upstate South Carolina where every BMW Z4 is built.
The program also highlights BMW's environmental innovation by being the world's first automotive factory to recycle landfill methane gas from rotting trash to power its plant. Methane gas routed from the nearby Palmetto Landfill provides BMW Manufacturing Co. with 63 percent of all its power, reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the upstate of South Carolina by 60,000 tons per year - the equivalent of 4,300 cars driving around the equator every year.
The U.S. plant has 4,500 associates - and almost 500 robots - that produce 600 vehicles a day. From the Body Shop to the Paint Shop and then Assembly, in just under 40 hours a sleek, customized and luxurious BMW Z4 Roadster, replete with the unique double kidney grill and famous white-and-blue roundel logo, is made. Tune in and see how it's done.
BMW Manufacturing Co., a subsidiary of the BMW Group based in Munich, Germany, is the exclusive manufacturer of the Z4 and M Roadster, Z4 and M Coupe in addition to the X5 Sports Activity Vehicle. Its website address is www.bmwusfactory.com. In addition to the South Carolina manufacturing facility, BMW's North American subsidiaries include sales, marketing and financial services operations in the United States, Canada and throughout Latin America, and a design firm in California.
Source: BMW
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Monday, 03 December 2007 |
On an early lazy sunday morning. Whilst everyone of us were probably still asleep or nursing a hangover from the night before. A group of BMWs set off on an early morning mission. None of the speed, but more for a need. A need to help those whom are less fortunate.
A group known as "Club Sandy" had early been collecting donations to buy food and necessary items for a charity and on that sunday morning, a drive down was organized to deliver all the items.
Followed by a photoshoot in Seletar.
Big thanks goes out to all the members involved for this wonderful act of kindness.
Jump over to the forums for a full wrap-up on the event
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Monday, 03 December 2007 |
Ok, so technically, at the time of posting it's already Tuesday, but that's not stopping me from showing you guys this tricked out ride in all it's wonderful So-Cal retro woody flavor. Underneath it all, is believe it or not, an E34 BMW.
Click on this link to view the full story over at Gtrusa.blogspot.com
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Monday, 03 December 2007 |
Not only in proportions is the new 1-series Coupé a worthy successor to the BMW 2002, but also technically: As in the 70s, the current most powerful standard version is powered by a “charged” engine. Daringly, the overtaking prestige was then enhanced further by the mirror-image Turbo logo on the front spoiler.
In the 1-series Coupé, the possibilities are more refined, not least thanks to AC Schnitzer from Aachen. And naturally the company founded in Aachen in 1987 has made more than its logo available in its refinement package. Particularly impressive is the extensive AC Schnitzer bodykit including front grille, which is far more than mere decoration, but also effectively harmonised into the entire concept.
The front spoiler elements and the rear skirt insert, together with the rear wing and rear roof spoiler, increase downforce and ensure better ground adhesion. For the front spoiler elements, AC Schnitzer supplies optional aluminium struts as used in motorsport - after all, the BMW 2002 was renowned for its track speed at the time. And it is on one particularly legendary circuit, the Nürburgring North Loop, that Manfred Wollgarten, Technical Director at AC Schnitzer, set up the sports suspension for the ACS1 3.5i. As a Touring Car driver, he knows what he’s doing. He also sent the Coupé on its way with another strut brace for the front, to further reduce the torsion of a body already very stiff as standard. So at every point on the course, the driver has total control over the vehicle to centimetre precision when he turns the neat AC Schnitzer 3-spoke sports airbag steering wheel. And that’s good, because finally the unrestrained power of the biturbo engine is applied on the right track. Especially since AC Schnitzer has not only improved the downforce of the vehicle, but also its thrust.
Its heart now beats at 360 instead of 306 HP (265 instead of 225 kW) and accelerates the fiery 1-series Coupé to 100 km/h in less than five seconds. At the same time, the maximum torque rises from 400 to 450 Nm and the top speed from 250 to an impressive 300 km/h. Values which you can not only see but also hear because the AC Schnitzer sports rear silencer with its refined “Racing“ tailpipe sounds its baritone
It goes almost without saying that AC Schnitzer also offers a range of sporting alloy wheels for the ACS1 3.5i. The perfect complement with their sleek and refined design are the Type IV “BiColor” rims in size 8.5Jx19″ and tyres 225/35R19. The stuff of dreams for drivers of the BMW 2002, just like the countless attractive interior components from AC Schnitzer in the form of controls and decor elements of aluminium and carbon.
Source: AC Schnitzer & 4WheelsBlog.com
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Wednesday, 28 November 2007 |
BMW PAS Crossover Rendering
Since the last batch of V-Series spy photos back in September, some new spy photos of the BMW crossover variant dubbed Progressive Activity Sedan (PAS) have emerged from our neighbors to the left, Sweden's AutoMotorSport.se. In addition to the spy photos, AMS Sweden also has a couple of interesting computer renderings from Schulte-Design of what the vehicle could look like. Check them out.
The Gran Turismo model based on the CS Concept, which was recently announced by Chairman of the Board of Management at BMW AG, Dr. Norbert Reithofer, as approved for production, serves as the design basis for the PAS crossover. The V-Series' underpinnings and engines will be based on the future 5-Series. Similar to the X6, the V-Series will be a strict 4 seater with two buckets in the rear. The V-Series is expected to launch in 2010.
Source: WorldCarFans.com
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Wednesday, 28 November 2007 |
BMW looks set to take on the smart, Volkswagen Beetle and Fiat 500 with its own resurrected legend - the Isetta microcar.
Originally made in the 50s, the three-wheeled two-cylinder Isetta measured 2.4m long and could seat two adults.
Though ideal for city driving with its bubble car-style front access, the Isetta made no allowances for parallel parking, having no reverse gear.
There´s nothing confirmed yet, but with strict European Commission CO2 targets necessitating all manufacturers to reduce emissions across their model range you can expect something Isetta-shaped in the pipeline by 2010.
It´s to be expected that the new version will add side doors, a fourth wheel and a few horses to the original´s 12, though the rear-mounted engine is expected to stay.
If equipped with BMW´s EfficientDynamics programme and a likely-small engine the Isetta can be expected to return excellent figures for fuel economy and carbon emissions.
Source: Motortorque
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Wednesday, 28 November 2007 |
We knew it was only a matter of time before BMW would take the can opener to its 400 HP uber-coupe, and these newest spy shots prove that development is well underway. While little has changed from the standard 3-series cabrio, the fender flares, cut-up front fascia and quad exhaust are clearly M-specific kit, despite the lack of visible vents in the hood and on the front quarter panels.
We somehow doubt that a carbon fiber folding roof mechanism will be part of the package, but we'd like to be pleasantly surprised when the M3 convertible makes its debut in Geneva next year.
Source: Jalopnik
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