2014 BMW X5

Here are some shots of a camo’d 2014 BMW X5 that were taken near the BMW headquarters in Munich. It’s reported that the X5 is a little longer and includes a longer roof thereby putting more space between the X5 and the X3 compact SUV. To help with the US market, the longer version should be able to offer a third row seating for around 7 passengers.

You can hopefully expect the 2014 BMW X5 to start hitting the market in 2013. Weird eh?

Photos by Brenda Priddy

There have been speculations of a BMW M diesel for a while now but it’s just been confirmed that they are releasing four different diesel models each with all wheel drive and a turbocharged 3.0 liter inline six cylinder. Now for the bummer, none of these will be sold in the U.S.

BMW Z4 Review

Even though there are different generations of the BMW z4, it is understandable that it is of course a successor of the BMW z3. The BMW z3 is a two seater roaster/ sports car. Moreover, the BMW z4 is one of the most intriguing and the most beautiful sports car of the season as of yet. With that said, BMW kept some of the traditional basics of the BMW roadsters, thus, the BMW z4 roadster consisted of a front engine with a rear wheel drive that came with the positioning of the passenger and the driver more towards the rear end.

With that said, the BMW z4 roadster came up with the traditional top (soft) that are usually found under the convertible series. Moreover, with the passage of time, the company came up with the BMW z4 coupe that had a hard top, which not only looked sleek but also was easy to retract back. There is one thing that everyone needs to know that more or less there is a problem with z4 that the BMW z4 review clearly states that whether it is a used BMW z4 or a brand new one, a slight change that you would find as compared to z3 is the handling of the car. For the need of comfort and the refining the car overall, the company had to forgo the need for ultimate handling.

Coming into the internal look up of the sports car Z4, the car comes in three different levels, also known as trim levels. These trim levels are the sdrive30i, the sdrive35i and the sdrive35is. Let us look into the three different levels one by one. The sdrive30i has an inline-six 3.0-liter engine that tends to provide a horsepower of 255 and a torque of 220-pound feet. The sdrive35i has the same engine, but the difference is that it is a turbocharged inline- six 3.0-liter engine, which provides 300-pound feet of torque and a horsepower of 300.

With that said, the sdrive35is comes with the same engine as of the sdrive35i; the only difference is that the engine has been tweaked a little so that it provides its people with a 335-horse power and a torque of 332-pound feet. As per their transmissions are concerned the 30i and the 35i comes with a manual six gear transmission, with s six gear traditional automatic to be optional in the 30i and for the 35i, the optional is the seven gear automatic transmission.

Even though the main difference in the trims is between the two engines of the 30i, 35i and the 35is, we should consider other difference as well. with that said, we need to understand that the 30i and the 35i comes with the basic package with standard xenon lights , high definition radio, adjustable settings for the driver while he is driving, along with adjustable seats for the passengers inclusive of the driver. Thus, allowing six adjustable seats. The difference stars occurring when it comes to the addition of the optional climate control that is automatic, fancy interior décor, and sun reflecting upholster made out of leather. Keep in mind that all of these options are reflective and one can always opt out of them, if they are unable to afford them. Even though the 35is is more or less the same, it is a little more advanced as it comes along with a sport package that the company provides. These have optional functions of Bluetooth, heated seats and power seats that has a function of driver memory, heated steering wheel with an iPod interface and a high-class navigation and stereo system.

Even though the BMW z4 is a sports car, the BMW reviews have showed that the car as a sports car is the best car for touring around the city and country. It is not only spacious but is comfortable for both the driver and the passenger.

For people who are not so much into cars would always be associating BMW with luxury cars, very few of them actually know that BMW does not only cater to the production of luxury and elite class cars but they also produce cars that are more trendy and sporty as well. Even though BMW initially started in Germany, over the passage of time, it created its own setup in the United States. Thus in the year 2002 the production of BMW cars were made in the united states, where their production took place in their plant that was located in south Carolina. With that said, there are different generations to the famous roadsters of the firm and people have always appreciated this rear wheel drive sports car. It was not just because of the speed but it was also because of the comfort and the drive that it intended to provide its users with. This BMW Z4 review isn’t complete but a good start and we’ll be adding more.

BMW Z3

We all know that the BMW roadster started its production in the United States in the year 2002. Its production started with the introduction of the BMW Z3 into the market. However, if you would be wondering where the production of such cars were made before than the production of the BMW roadsters were being found in Germany. However, today, it is being produced in southern Carolina. Even though there were other cars that were being assembled in the United States, but those were considered as the luxury cars, the roadsters, also known as the sports cars were produced in the United States in the year 2002. With that said, let’s have a look into the BMW z3, keep in mind the introduction of BMW z3 lead to the creation of the more advanced and better roadster, which is the BMW z4.

The introduction of the BMW z3 roadster, went ahead to become the top seller in the car market. This is not only because of its introduction to the market with the help of celebrities like James Bond, it was also the shape of the car that attracted a lot of eyes – its gum barrel shape, is what we call it. With the BMW z3 coupe becoming one of the best sellers after its introduction and the best gift for families during the Christmas time, this love for the car by the people was pretty long lasting. Furthermore, the love was accentuated by the design of the car, which was not only considered as a fun filled roadster but also a stylish sports car that was affordable for people.

Just like any other car the BMW z3 came up with different generation of cars, starting with the basic and the first generation that came with an inline 4, 1.9 liter engine that provided the car with a horse power of 138. As the time passed, the car evolved and came up with the in line six 2.8-liter engines that gave a horsepower of 190. However, the question arises, what actually earned so much love for the car, it was not only one thing, and it was everything that was found in the car. The inline 6 engine that was introduced, along with the impeccable handling that the car provided its drivers with, just blew them away. Furthermore, it was found through people and car enthusiasts that the BMW z3 was more of an in between sports car, that was not an entry level neither it was a high-class model. It allowed the driver to enjoy the thrills of a sports car and yet again allow it to be used as a daily luxury car.

However, that did not mean that there were no flaws to the BMW z3 model, keep in mind that there are always two sides of a coin. The same case applied to the BMW z3 as well, it came with a shabby interior as we can say where the material of the interior was subpar and cabins that were in the car did in no way match with the big steering wheel. Moreover, the rear view mirror was more or less of an oversize, which we can say that it was too big for the car itself. With that said, how can we forget to consider the BMW z3 hardtop models and the convertible? The roofs of the convertible model were packed with cheap plastic being used for the rear view mirror that used to is clouded off every time. Moreover, the overall look of the car was polarizing.

However, even though there are people who might think that the imperfections to the rear view mirror are pretty serious, these interiors and mirror issues are pretty minor, if though from the other perspective. With that said, we need to understand that being a used of a brand new sports car, it is considered as one of the most affordable in between sports car that have been made available to people who are unable to pay large sums of money from their pockets for high luxury sports cars.

Keep in mind that they standard features that are found in the basic BMW z3 are the cassette player that has am and fm in it. Moreover, it comes with a cruise control, along with is comes a manual five geared transmission with an optional automatic four geared transmission. With more optional options, the buyer can choose the car with traction control or even leather seats. With the passage of time, this affordable luxury BMW z3 got an update not only about the engine but also about the electronics that were provided along the car, such as CD player and heated seats. If you really want to own a good sports car, and are limited to your finances, then go-ahead have a look at this sports car.

BMW 650i

There is no doubt in the fact that BMW has done an excellent job in offering a fine driving experience to their customers, one of these experiences is in the shape of the BMW 650i and the BMW 650i Convertible. The new BMW 650i is a lot slimmer than what it used to be and seems to be a lot more chiseled than what we previously saw. It was born in the early 2000s and since its creation, many people have considered the design a bit controversial for some reason but that does not change the fact that the car has a beautiful avant-garde design which is supported with a soft and agile control and handling, and topped off with a strong engine. As of now, the car boasts more styling than we are used to seeing. Be it a new BMW 650i or a new BMW 650i Convertible, this car is one of the most interesting two-door coupes you will see in the luxury coupe market.

To get the attention of their hardcore customers, they start with nothing more than style, something they are used to doing. We previously saw the six series carrying an iconic look with iconic features but there is something different about the new 650i. It has made its return to being elegant, something that the car sported when it was initially introduced in 1976. No matter from where you look at it form, the new model of the BMW 650i will look lower than before and a little wider as well. It is oozing out with subtle yet an unmistakable aggressiveness. The front end of the car features a new system for its fog lights that have been given the satisfaction of LED technology. It still features the shark nose in the front, a feature that we do not commonly see in BMW’s anymore. The new BMW 650i Convertible uses a fabric-equipped roof instead the outdone hardtop. I do not know what it is but there is something about the car.

If you look at the 650i from the interior perspective, you will not be disappointed. I will assure this one thing you. The new 6 series has been revamped and has been executed a lot better than we came to see in previous and older models of the car. This time around, it has been made with the driver in mind rather than anything else as it still suits sporting aspirations of the driver, if there are any. The seating position is easy to get comfortable with, more in the front seats than the rear seats. The rear seats still seem to be stuck at point A. They are still tight and do not give anyone enough room to move around freely unlike the front seats. But they are not that bad as you can take two friends with you for a trip that is, a short trip because if it gets too long, you may end up losing some friends.

Now let us look what the BMW 650i has under its hood. The model that the United States will be getting is the BMW 650i whereas Europeans will get the 640i and soon enough, a turbo diesel model too. The 650i will be powered up by the company’s twin-turbocharged engine: 400 hp, 4.4 liter and a V8 engine. It rather sends chills down your spine, doesn’t it? It will also give drivers a 450lb torque, which leads us to say that the last model of the 650i will be way behind this newer version. The 2012 model of the 650i seems to be packing some extra power. It has been set to a low of 130mph on regular models and, if you opt for the optional Sport package, you will get 150mph. Much of this credit will be given to the car’s transmission, a ZF8HP70 8-speed automatic transmission. Shifting is quick and efficient. The tall top gears works very nicely as they help to keep the fuel consumption at levels that are acceptable by the majority, 12-14 miles per gallon. The US will still supply a six-speed manual transmission as well, so there is plenty choose form.

For some time now, BMW has been trying to introduce and implement weight-reduction technologies but it just does not quite work for them. The new BMW 650i and BMW 650i Convertible are heavier than before. We weighed the 2012 model with its predecessor and the two cars weighed in at 4,500 pounds and 4,200 pounds respectively. We are sure that you all see the 300-pound increase between the two.

The only drawbacks of the car are the electric steering, which causes problems for the Sport package and the V8’s fuel consumption. Other than this, the car is simply beautiful.

BMW 330

The BMW 3-Series are considered as the Ultimate Driving Machine and it has an expanded line of models such as BMW 318, BMW 320, BMW 323, BMW 325, BMW 330 and BMW 335. BMW 3-Series has established a stronghold in the industry due to its best performance. BMW 330 is that model which is categorized as one the best performing automobiles in the market. However, there are some people, which do not get satisfied with the factory-produced car so they buy aftermarket BMW parts to improve the performance of their BMW 330 cars.

There are many different parts of BMW 330 models available, which include variety of BMW suspension, BMW wheels, BMW performance exhausts, BMW performance intakes, etc. Every year BMW comes up with the latest model of BMW 330. 2006 BMW 330 is considered as one of the critical cars for BMW for many reasons such as its led the sales of BMW, it also has a lot of competition now and it has also faced a lot of criticism due to its recent styling direction and also over its knob-controlled iDrive system. BMW 330ci is so successful because it provides best driving experience ever. BMW 330i is that car which has many special attributes like rear weight distribution, commendable road holding, strong acceleration, outstanding brakes and ease of manual transmissions. BMW company has not taken risk while designing and styling exterior of 2006 BMW 330 model like it did when it redesigned its 7 series and 5 series, which is considered as a wise move. This BMW 330i has more spacious backseat, which is one of the remarkable improvements. This 2006 BMW 330 model also has high quality black or gray interior.

Let’s talk about the improvements made in 2006 BMW 330 models. Some of these improvements are considered harmless whereas some are considered unnecessary. For starting this car, the driver has to insert a remote transmitter into the dashboard slot of this car and after inserting the remote transmitter, he has to push the start button to start the car. The turn-signal stalk of this car does not remain in up or down position and it bounces back to the center after the signal is activated. Its iDrive is very hard to figure out by many people.

The engines which are available for 2006 BMW 330 are 255-hp 3.0-liter I-6 (premium), 235-hp 3.0-liter I-6 (premium) and 225-hp 3.0-liter I-6 (premium). The available transmissions for the BMW 300i are 6-spd man w/OD, 6-spd auto-shift man w/OD and auto-man, 6-spd automatic w/OD and auto-man and 5-spd automatic w/OD and auto-man. Side curtain type airbag system is used by BMW as its head protection system. These airbags protects the people sitting both in front and rear seats. Earlier models of BMW 330 used to have door-mounted devices whereas this model has seat mounted side impact airbags. Trunk volume of this car has grown and now it is 12 cubic feet and it has a folding rear seat, which is optional. This model also has an automatic climate control option, which has a feature know as heat-at0rest, and its function is to move warm air around the cabin. This 2006 BMW 330 model has more aerodynamics that is efficient than the previous models and this model also features short front overhangs and a long hood. The company has grown its wheelbase up to 108.7 inches. The precision handling in the BMW 3 series is the main attraction of this series but according to some people, the ride quality of this car is less appealing.

Hence, the new and notable features of this BMW 330ci are its six airbags, run flat tires, optional adaptive xenon headlights, optional active steering, optional BMW assist and genuine walnut or aluminum trim. The things which are mostly liked by the users of this car are its braking, handling, controlling, engine smoothness, better accepted new styling, stereo input for MP3 players and iDrive whereas the things which are not liked by the users of 2006 BMW 330 are its leather seats which are optional, modest low-rev torque, its minimal cabin storage, its catastrophic cup holders and its navigation which is dependent on iDrive. Overall, many people love this car as this car provides a blasting driving experience and this car can be categorized as master of many other cars. Therefore, those people who are big fans of BMW series should not miss this BMW 330 as it has very good features and it considered as one of the best cars available in market.

BMW 325i

The BMW three series comes into six different generations and the BMW 325i is the fifth generation car. BMW has been known for its sophistication and comfort in luxury cars over the years since it came into the market. The production is mainly done in the German market while its roadsters are being produced here in the United States. The BMW is also known as a company that provides the best compact executive car for its customers. Today, we are going to talk about the famous and highest selling series of the BMW world that is the BMW 3 series.

Before we go ahead and talk about the fifth generation cars, it is very important to know what BMW famous for what it actually is. With that said it is very important to know that the BMW 3 series is one of the top sellers in the United States and is a famous choice in their market place. Looking at the reason for its importance, it is because that it is not only a well-built car but also come with an excellent interior and exterior finish. Along with it comes power and good handling over the car as well. Moreover, even though it these cars are a little towards the pricy side, there is no match with the quality that these people tend to provide with the price.

Looking at the fifth generation model, the current models of all the fifth generation model that is, is comparatively larger than the older models, with that said, it is also heavier and faster than the other three series generations. In addition to it, the new BMW 325i has a bolder and better look, with more or less everything revised. This ranges from the braking system to the suspension, to more space and power provided to the car. With that said, if you ride one of the BMW 3 series there is one thing that you would always stay in your mind that is there is no other and better car you would ever pass by.

We need to know that the BMW 3 and its generations that are under it comes in different types of body designs, these include the BMW 325i convertible and the BMW 325i coupe, the sedan and the wagon, along with different engine choices. We are going to focus our talks more towards the BMW 325i car, which is the fifth generation series. This fifth generation car is also known as the E 90 series. Keep in mind that the fifth generation cars are still available and they have not gotten outdated; moreover, these are the cars that said to be purchased between the years 2005 to 2011 with the six-generation coming up in 2012 and ahead.

Different types of the BMW 325 I have different names, the 2005 BMW 325i is the E91 that was launched in march 2005, the BMW 325i convertible is the E92, and the E93 is the BMW 325i that comes with a retractable hardtop. Keep in mind that the BMW 325i has no associations about the engine with the e46, the engine and the entire looks and works of the car has been re engineered to tailor to the needs of the people, with the addition of a high technology features.

Twelve engine options are made available to their customers, however, keeping in mind that these inline engines come with the highest technologies. In general, the car comes with a inline six engine that is high in technology and when it comes to the weight of the engine, it is considered to be light weight because of the materials it’s being used for construction. Moreover, the car comes with an electric pump that is different from others and a better fuel consumption. Causing a fifteen percent increase in fuel economy. With that aid, the car tends to provide an approximate torque of 295 pounds feet and a horsepower of 302.

BMW does not only limit itself to the engines that they plan to provide, they are other features as well that are included in the car, these are the HID xenon head lights, the comfort access, active steering, active cruise control and how can we forget the feature of the adaptive headlamps. Because of all features that have been provided in the E90 car, it leads to an increase in the sales especially in the year 2007. Talking about the year of 2007, BMW made a record of selling around fifty eight thousand vehicles, making it the seventh most popular car of the season in the United Kingdom. With that said, there have been rumors going around that the production of BMW 325i would be stopped in the year 2011, in the month of October moving the car more towards the vintage side.

2012 BMW M5

The 2012 BMW M5 is big, portly, and luxurious but on a road course it’s faster than the M3. With the 552hp twin turbo V8 it’s definitely got the power. Watch the video that Autocar put together on the M5 tearing up the parking lot.

2012 BMW M5

A German tuning outfit called PP-Performance has put the 2012 BMW M5 on a Maha dyno, and the numbers returned were 444 horsepower at the wheel, 553 at the engine, and a “corrected number” of 574 hp. Max torque came in at 532 pound-feet (721 Newton/meters).

Compare those figures to the official numbers of 560 horses and 502 lb-ft. If the 444 number is accurate, then no matter how you slice it on horsepower – whether you use the numbers from BMW or PP-P’s figures – you’re losing around 20 percent from the engine to the wheels. However, adjusting for driveline and twin-turbo losses on this 2012 BMW M5, that puts things right about where they should be. The 30-lb-ft surplus of torque, on the other hand, is the kind of surplus no one would complain about – again, assuming it’s accurate.

BMW Supercar

For at least two years, BMW has been teasing the idea of making a BMW supercar, the kind that would glare with laser headlights at the Audi R8 and say, “Yeah, I’m lookin’ at you.” Way back in early 2008, the car was rumored to be a twin-turbo V10 with 625 horsepower. A year later, it was going to be the gentler, greener two-seat Z10 ED with a twin-turbo six cylinder and 400 hp. A year later still, the 1.5-liter, three-cylinder, hybrid i8 inherited the green supercar mantle.

But just two months ago, the head of product development at BMW’s M division said he wanted a car to fight the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, a pure M-car developed totally in-house (as was the case with the AMG). But an interview given by M’s North American product manager Matthew Russell points to the door having closed on that when he said, “We’ve discussed these possibilities. But ultimately, we didn’t feel the need to make a very exclusive high-end supercar and we still don’t.” So there.

Perhaps more importantly, in reference to the M3 and M5, Russell believes that M already makes BMW supercar, albeit of a certain type: “we like to build two cars in one: this is what M does. Nobody offers that perfect combination of a driver’s car and an executive car that you can use everyday. So technically, we already build supercars.”