World Concept Cars

Chinese consumers like their saloons with extra long wheelbases. Abiding by the logic that the client is always right, BMW placed the new 5-Series sedan on the procrustean bed and stretched its wheelbase up by 140mm or 5.5-inches. The car now measures 5,039mm or 198-in. in length with a wheelbase of 3,108mm or 122.4-in

Developed exclusively for the Chinese market, the 5-Series LWB model is built at BMW's plant in Shenyang in cooperation with a large number of regional partners.

To justify its limo-like character, BMW came up with what it calls "a high-comfort rear seat bench" that was developed specifically for this model.

Chinese buyers that intend to spend of not all, most of their time at the back seat can opt for an array of goodies including four-zone automatic a/c, rear-seat entertainment, a cooling box as well as electrically adjustable sunblinds on the rear side windows and a folding table integrated in the backrest of the front passenger's seat.

The Chinese-market 5er is offered with three straight-six gasoline engines, all combined with BMW's eight-speed automatic transmission.

The entry-level 523Li is powered by a 204HP 2.5-liter unit, the 528Li by a 258HP 3.0-liter engine and the range-topping 535Li by a turbocharged 3.0-liter engine with 306 horsepower.

The new 5-Series LWB will have its world premiere at the Auto China 2010 that will be held in Beijing from April 25 to May 2.

It's worth mentioning that in 2009, China was BMW's fourth largest market with sales of 90,536 units.

Source: Carscoop

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The BMW Sequence GT is the brainchild of Seungmo Lim, a graduate student at Pforzheim University in Germany.

Lim explains that the "Electric Gran Turismo Sequence" project started out with two questions: 1) "How important is the appearance of green cars?", and 2) "What is 'Efficient dynamics'?"

"In other words these two questions mean, 'What kind of qualification does a blue or green car have to have in order to get a BMW badge in the future?'"

I've got no idea, so it's good that he came up with an answer: Combining "driving pleasure with blue architecture."

The concept would make use of wheel-mounted motors (optimizing space) while featuring new kidney placement (for motor-cooling and BMW-ness).

With those oddly-placed kidneys and nose prongs, the Sequence sure is interesting to look at. Lim says, "Another important feature of Sequence is a big twisting surface starting from front fender to the shoulder. It gives the car a very characteristic and dramatic appearance."

The designer also has high hopes for the future by making use of Better Place's recharging system, which ideally "allows you to drive into the station where a machine, installed under the ground, changes the battery within one minute. The station then uses solar panels to recharge the batteries without any emissions."

I guess now Hollywood has a car for a Minority Report sequel.

Source: Carscoop

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At a joint press conference held in Washington D.C., BMW and Carbon Motors announced a strategic partnership that will see the German automaker supplying the American law enforcement vehicle manufacturer with diesel engines.

The agreement calls for delivery of BMW's 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder diesel engines complete with cooling and exhaust gas system and 6-speed automatic transmission for the Carbon E7 rear-wheel drive purpose-built police vehicle.

In the U.S. market 335d and X5 35d, the straight-six diesel produces 265-horsepower at 4,200 rpm and 425 lb-ft of peak torque between 1,750 and 2,250 rpm, while returning 23mpg city / 36mpg highway and 19mpg city / 26mpg highway respectively.

Carbon Motors, which was founded in 2003, said it is estimated that the U.S. law enforcement fleet consumes around 1.5 billion gallons of gasoline and emits an estimated 14 million tons of CO2 annually.

The company believes that the BMW-diesel-powered Carbon E7 will cut both figures by up to 40 percent.

"America's largest, and most visible fleets of government-owned vehicles, now in excess of 450,000 units, deserve the most durable, efficient and reliable powertrain available," said William Santana Li, chairman and chief executive officer, Carbon Motors Corporation.

"The strength of BMW as a partner will allow us to provide our women and men in uniform with a diesel engine capable of the performance they desire along with the significant reduction in fuel consumption and emissions that U.S. taxpayers need."

When it enters full production, the Carbon C7 will compete with the new FWD/AWD Ford Taurus Interceptor powered by either naturally aspirated or turbocharged V6s, GM's new RWD Chevy Caprice Police car offered with V8 powertrains and the current Dodge Charger. The police car market in the U.S. comprises about 65,000 vehicles annually.

Source: Carscoop

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BMW's new 5-series will quickly spawn a petrol-electric hybrid – as this Geneva motor show 2010 concept car proves. It'll be the third BMW hybrid car in production, after the ActiveHybrid X6 and ActiveHybrid 7.

Like the part-electrified 7-series, the Concept 5-series ActiveHybrid uses a straight six petrol engine with twin turbos and an eight-speed auto with a hybrid module built in.

How clean is the new BMW Concept 5-series ActiveHybrid?

Munich says both fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are improved by 10% and a zero-emissions EV mode is available, as the hybrid 5 is a full hybrid. Stop-start is standard, too.

The electric motor has a maximum output of 40kW and its drive is fed in by a clutch. A chunky battery pack slung in the boot provides the juice – and powers a remote controlled climate control system too (the car can be set to cool down while parked).

What are the innovations on the Concept 5-series ActiveHybrid?

So far, so conventional. However, the electric 5 is claimed to anticipate driving conditions ahead to decide the driving mode. The ECU monitors the driver's inputs to decide whether to select sporty or relaxed settings, and it even studies sat-nav info to decide whether to run on petrol or electricity.

For instance, Munich says this concept car can tell if the motorway ahead is about to run downhill – and the car can prepare in advance for regenerative battery recharging. This ability alone extends the cruising range on full EV mode by 30%, says BMW.

See the new BMW 5-series hybrid at the 2010 Geneva motor show. CAR Online will be reporting live from Palexpo on Tuesday 2 March 2010.

Source: Carmagazine.co.uk

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Z4 M fans look away now – this is an officially sanctioned BMW Z-car with the 4.0-litre V8 engine from an M3. This is the BMW Z4 GT3.

I thought BMW wasn’t going to build a V8 version of its new Z4?

It isn’t, at least not for the road – the Bavarian company maintains that its sDrive 35iS Z4 with a 335bhp twin-turbo straight is as far as it’ll go. But racers are treated differently – BMW’s Motorsport division has built a V8-engined Z4 and will sell it to customers to race in competitions like the FIA GT3 championship.

And it’s the V8 from the BMW M3?

Yes – squeezed under that long bonnet is the same 4.0-litre V8 you’ll find in BMW’s finest M-car. And with the same ECU and control units that have proven themselves on the GT2-spec M3, plus a racing exhaust, power is up from 414bhp to around 480bhp, and there’s 339lb ft too (up from 295lb ft).

The rest is typical race race: a six-speed sequential ‘box sends power to the rear wheels, adjustable dampers sort the suspension, massively blistered bodywork to accommodate the wider track, new rims and slick tyres, and a front splitter, big rear wing and huge diffuser take care of the aerodynamics. A strict diet that’s seen the addition of a fixed roof and bidden goodbye to all the luxuries has helped cut the kerbweight from the 35iS' 1525kg to 1200kg. Sales start this summer, and you’ll need £315,000 for the pleasure.

Source: Carmagazine.co.uk

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