Year: 2011

Categories
BMW

An introduction to the 2012 BMW F30 3 Series

BMW F30 3 Series

BMW has today launched its new F30 3 Series range. The sixth generation 3er will go on sale across the globe on 11 February next year.

The new 3 Series is 93mm longer than the previous model and its wheelbase has increased by 50mm. In line with the growing dimensions the front track is now 37mm wider, while the rear has expanded by 47mm. Pleasingly, overall weight has dropped by 40kg.

The F30 debuts a new face for BMW. New headlight styling now extends to a widened version of the famous kidney grille. We reckon it looks pretty good, too.

BMW will offer the new 3 Series in three trim/equipment levels: Sport Line, Luxury Line and Modern Line. Munich claims the F30 is the first car in the mid-size premium segment to offer an 8-speed automatic. A colour head-up display is also featured.

At launch BMW will provide a choice from four turbocharged engines; get used to the term TwinPower Turbo technology as we’re going to hear it a lot from now on. There’s be two diesel engines, an inline six cylinder and a four cylinder. The 3 Series will also be offered in all-wheel drive and hybrid models in the future.

There’s a couple of teaser pics for you now and some images from the live webstream are shown below. Official pics to follow after BMW’s press website regains its sanity.

Continue reading “An introduction to the 2012 BMW F30 3 Series”
Categories
BMW

BMW set 1 Series sights on Golf GTI

BMW 1 Series

BMW Australia believes the new 1 Series can match the performance of the all-conquering Volkswagen Golf GTI. Speaking at the recent launch of the F20 1 Series, BMW’s Toni Andreevski said, “We want to price [an upcoming 1-Series model] it as a Golf GTI competitor. It will have Golf GTI-rivalling performance.”

At initial launch the 118i is, on paper, the closest match to the GTI. With just 125kW on tap it is 30kW down on power, which translates in a 0-100km/h time 0.5 seconds slower than the GTI. However, BMW say they have a new 160kW 1er powered by a 2.0 litre turbocharged engine on the way which they expect will tempt buyers away from Volkswagen.

In order to help make that case more compelling they will sharpen their pencils. Helping to offer a competitive price they will cut out some expensive equipment options.

“We are looking at more of our performance models in the 1-Series hatch and bringing them in a lot more sharply priced,” says Andreevski.

“You’ll see from us a lot flatter price structure [in future]. We want to communicate the performance of the car and let the customer choose [what options they want]. It’s all about being more customer focused.”

So, if you were in the market for a hot hatch would you pick the 1 Series hatch over a similarly priced GTI. Or would you choose another hot hatch altogether?

[Source: Drive]

Categories
Audi

Is this really an undisguised Audi RS1?

Audi RS1 prototype?

Autoevolution brings a great series of pics of what they claim is an Audi RS1. This follows a couple of days after new RS1 speculation emerged.

Take a look at the body kit of the car lapping at the Nürburgring. The front spoiler certainly has a genuine OEM feel about it. Even the large rear wing, while a little over the top, looks legitimate.

We just wonder if Audi really would send out the RS1 so naked given they are yet to publicly announce plans for such a model. Could this be an extreme S-Line bodykit, or even a styling kit from an aftermarket manufacturer? The blurred out number plates might hold a few clues.

There are certainly plenty of signs and hints an RS1 is in the pipeline and we very much hope this car is the real deal. We think it looks great and with the likelihood it will pack a 250hp punch (or thereabouts) we can’t wait to see the final product.

[Source: Autoevolution]

Categories
Formula 1 Red Bull Racing

2011 Korean GP: Take a lap around Yeongam

Last year’s Korean Grand Prix was where it all started to go horribly wrong for Mark Webber. His championship lead was swallowed up and spat out by an in form Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel, too, began his late season charge. Indeed, he was desperately unlucky not to win at Yoengam last year with an engine failure costing him victory.

So it is perhaps fitting, then, that we turn to Red Bull for a reminder of the Korean International Circuit. Above is an onboard lap with Sebastian Vettel, after the break Mark Webber is back with last year’s computer animated preview.

Continue reading “2011 Korean GP: Take a lap around Yeongam”
Categories
Formula 1 McLaren

Ayrton Senna interview with Murray Walker

Last week we witnessed the crowning of Formula One’s youngest ever dual world champion. Back in 1991 Ayrton Senna became the sport’s youngest ever triple world champion. The feat was, unsurprisingly, enough to see him gain the F1 trophy at the Autosport Awards handed out in the same year.

With thanks to Autosport we can bring you this great archival footage of Senna being interviewed by commentary legend Murray Walker.

In the light-hearted interview Senna reveals some tense moments he shared with McLaren team boss Ron Dennis during the year after he ran out of petrol two races in a row. More intriguing, however, is hearing Senna explain the unexpected turn of events that led to him giving a souvenir helmet to FISA President Jean-Marie Balestre. You may recall the two men had previously shared a less than cordial relationship.

[Thanks to Tim for the tip]

Categories
Accessories & Tech Top Gear

BBC silences Jeremy Clarkson’s satnav deal

TomTom Top Gear limited edtion

Just days after it was announced the BBC has forced TomTom to put an end to its TopGear branded satnav device. According to BBC Worldwide the dead end was reached due to strict conflict of interest policies.

The relevant guidelines say BBC’s presenters “must take particular care not to endorse any product or service which could be covered in the programmes on which they work”.

Only trouble is 54,000 units have already been made.

A spokesman for BBC Worldwide said: “In order to avoid any perception of a conflict of interest in the minds of viewers, BBC Worldwide and TomTom have agreed that all monies that would have been due to BBC Worldwide will be paid to BBC Children in Need together with an additional charitable donation by TomTom.”

[Source: The Telegraph]

Categories
Formula 1 Red Bull Racing

Red Bull takes the high road

RBR at Khardun-La Pass, India

Proving Red Bull’s pockets and crazy ideas know no bounds their F1 showcar team has scaled new heights by driving the world’s highest road. The Khardung La is in India and is 5359m above sea level. To give this some perspective, Australia’s highest mountain, Mt Kosciuszko, has an elevation of just 2,228m.

Former A1 champion and F1 test driver Neel Jani, a Swiss with Indian heritage, was the man at the wheel and is chuffed that he can lay claim to being the first to drive an F1 car at the highest altitude possible.

After the break there’s a couple of videos and more pics of what is a pretty impressive effort from Red Bull.

[Thanks to Ryan for the video tip]

Continue reading “Red Bull takes the high road”
Categories
Audi

First impressions of the Audi S8

2012 Audi S8

When Audi announced details of its new S8 a few weeks back the thing that made us take note was its 382kW (520hp) twin-turbo 4.0 litre V8 engine. Whichever way you cut it, that’s a lot of mumbo.

We’ll soon become very familiar with the new bent-eight as it has also found its way, in various states of tune, into the S7 Sportback and S6. It will no doubt feature in upcoming RS models as well.

The obvious party piece of the new engine in S8 guise is its peak power. But a newly developed cylinder deactivation system also provides plenty of excitement for the anoraks among us.

It seems, more often than not, this new V8 will operate as a V4 and the use of active engine mounts and an active noise control system mean it will be hard to tell you’re only playing with half an engine.

The danger here is the S8 could be all duck and no dinner. Does its chassis and overall driving experience match the inevitable delights the engine will provide? Car magazine, Evo and Top Gear were all on hand for the launch of the S8. After the break you can see what they had to say.

Continue reading “First impressions of the Audi S8”
Categories
BMW

BMW 1 Series – Australian pricing

BMW 1 Series

BMW Australia has announced the local launch of the new F20 1 Series will take place on 22 October. To begin with dealerships will have three models on their floors: 116i, 118i and 118d.

The 116i and 118i will be powered by a 1.6 litre four cylinder petrol engine fitted with a twin-scroll turbocharger. The 118d is helped along by a 2.0 litre four cylinder diesel featuring common-rail direct injection.

BMW’s marketers have come up with TwinPower Turbo to label the 1 Series engine range. Terms such as “new generation”, “sporty personality” and “exceptionally low fuel consumption” follow close behind.

Entry level pricing is marginally less than the outgoing 1er and BMW boasts improvements in efficiency and equipment across the range. One example is the optional 8-speed auto transmission, which joins the standard 6-speed manual box. BMW say the 8-speed slushbox is a first for its class.

Other standard equipment includes Bluetooth, cruise control with brake function, dual zone climate control, auto stop/start, a 6.5 inch colour display, 17″ alloy wheels and more.

BMW Australia’s introductory press release is available below. For more coverage of the new 1 Series click here.

BMW 1 Series – Australian pricing*

  • 116i – $36,900 (1.6l 4 cyl petrol, 100kW/220Nm, 5.7l/100km, 0–100km/h 8.5s)
  • 118i – $42,800 (1.6l 4 cyl petrol, 125kW/250Nm, 5.9l/100km, 0–100km/h 7.4s)
  • 118d – $43,500 (2.0l 4 cyl diesel, 105kW/320Nm, 4.5l/100km, 0–100km/h 8.9s)
Continue reading “BMW 1 Series – Australian pricing”
Categories
Porsche

2013 Porsche 911 Turbo gets busy

Porsche 911 Turbo prototype

The 991 911 Turbo might well be some time away yet, but we trust you’ll enjoy this video of the mighty Porsche lapping the Nürburgring. The fixed rear wing looks a bit of an after thought. Expect that to be tidied up for the final production model.

After watching this clip we pondered what would constitute a bad day if your job was to test Porsche prototypes around the famed Nordschleife? Now that Porsche is heading towards the might of the Volkswagen mothership, the best we could come up with was being demoted to quattro GmbH test driver duties.

Unfortunately embedding of this clip has been disabled, so you’ll have to head on over to YouTube to watch. When you get about 1:20 into the footage it looks like the Audi RS4 is getting busy again, too.

[Source: YouTube]

Categories
BMW Formula 1 Red Bull Racing

BMW congratulates Sebastian Vettel

Formula BMW

BMW is congratulating Sebastian Vettel after he wrapped up his second F1 world driver’s championship at the Japanese Grand Prix. Why you ask?

Back in 2004 young Vettel annihilated his opposition in the Formula BMW category. He won 18 of 20 races, started from pole 14 times and collected 13 fastest laps. Unsurprisingly that’s still the most dominant season in the junior category.

After reading BMW’s press release we figured it might be worth searching their motorsport archives to see if we could find any pics of Sebastian from back in the day. And, here’s the results.

Continue reading “BMW congratulates Sebastian Vettel”
Categories
Lamborghini

A barrier becomes a barrier to Lamborghini sale

Lamborghini Gallardo test drive crash

This is the sorry result of a Lamborghini Gallardo test drive in Sydney on the weekend. The incident happened at around 9 o’clock on Saturday morning when the driver was leaving Macquarie Street to join the Cahill Expressway. Unfortunately a barrier got in the way.

We are led to believe it was all totally innocent as well, with Andrew Smith from Lamborghini Sydney saying the driver was not speeding at the time.

“It doesn’t matter as long as no one was doing anything stupid or crazy, and no one was injured,” said Mr Smith.

Apparently, insurance will be picking up the tab and the driver, who is not expected to be forced to pay any damages, will be breathing a massive sigh of relief.

[Source: The Telegraph]