5 Things Your Car Should Say About You

A car speaks volumes about its owner.

A top Mercedes talks of a high powered and driven individual. A boy racer cover in stickers suggests learning difficulties.

You don’t have to own the most expensive car on the road, but here are five qualities your ride should say about you.

Style

A great looking car is like a beautiful woman. They turn heads and make every guy in the room (or in this case on the road) jealous with envy.

But it all comes to nothing if the man behind the wheel is unshaven and doesn’t use an iron, let alone own one.

Looking after your appearances doesn’t take much effort and the results are huge. Not only do you feel more confident as a person, everyone around you will respect you for it.

Power

A powerful car is going places, and so is the owner.

There is something incredibly exciting about powerful cars. Maybe it’s the roar of the engine, or the knowledge that putting your foot down will leave those around you in the dust.

Being powerful, and being around powerful people, is a thrilling experience. Powerful people are normally confident risk takers and prove to be very interesting company.

Fill your life with proactive people who are constantly empowering themselves and you’ll find that, as a person, you will grow considerably. They will challenge and test you, and you’ll be all the better for it.

Integrity

The most important quality of any car is the knowledge that every time you turn the key, the engine will start.

There is nothing more stressful or irritating then an unreliable car, the same goes for people.

If people know you will deliver on your promises time and time again they will love you for it.

Having integrity is important in all walks of life, from your career to your relationships and down to the knowledge that at the end of the day you can rely on yourself.

Confidence

Some cars just ooze confidence.

They’re powerful, stylish, over deliver every time and they dam well know it.

Being confident is such an admired trait, because it is so rare. Confident people are 1 in a 100 and they often provoke jealosy and admiration because they have something that everyone wants, yet is in such short supply.

No matter your job or income, if you know that you’re a good a person who tries to better themselves on a regular basis, you have every right to be confident.

Ambition

The mark of every great car, and person, is ambition.

Both are willing to take risks, try something new and push themselves to the limit.

They are often goal orientated, driven and know what they want from life.

This doesn’t necessarily mean being the fastest car on the road or climbing the corporate ladder. It means you are willing to push yourself, be constantly learning and stick to your beliefs.

In many ways without ambition, all of the other qualities listed here, will suffer.

2011 Audi A6 and a little History about the A6

The Audi A6 is a luxrury sedan offered in the U.S. since the mid 90's. Before it adopted its current name, the car was named Audi 500 and also was known as the Audi 100 and Audi 200 for a short time. Though it's typically front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive is available, the Audi A6 competes against other rear wheel drive cars like the Mercedes-Benz E Class, the BMW 5 Series, the Infinit M37 and M56, and the Cadillac STS.

The first American market A6 arrived in showrooms as a 1995 model. In that generation, the A6 name merely moved to the existing Audi 100 chassis with a light facelift. A more distinct new A6 arrived in 1998, both in sedan and wagon forms. Again offered with a choice of four-cylinder and six-cylinder engines, the A6 also had front-wheel drive, available quattro all-wheel drive, and a choice of manual and automatic transmissions, along with new features like stability control, side airbags and a navigation system.

2011 BMW 1 M Coupe Coming Soon

BMW is coming out with a great surprise. Soon we will have our hands on the BMW 1 M coupe. If you really want to feel the real BMW, like the old, E30 m3, 535is, M5. This car might be just for you. The 1 series really reminds me of the E30, it handles like a toy, feels like a toy, it basically does what you want it to do. Just what a real sports car should do. It will be about $43,000 msrp.

Engine:
335hp @ 5900rpm
Torque 332 lb-ft
twin-turbocharged, aluminum, 3.0L inline 6 cylinder engine

Transmission:
6-speed manual transmission with dry sump cooling system and 3.15:1 final drive ratio, with M gearshift knob

Speed:
0-60mph 4.7s
13.2 second quarter mile
155mph top speed

BMW Roadster at 2011 Geneva Motor Show

This year BMW will introduce a new concept call "Vision Connected Drive" at the Geneva Motor Show 2011. The roadster will provide comfort, security and entertainment so it can be adapted to the tastes of different drivers and passengers. In addition it is also equipped with a system or technology that facilitate the work of the driver.

2011 BMW 740i M Sport Package

Welcome back old friend, sick of all the 745's, 760's, and 750's. The 740i is back and better then before. Our long lost friend is back, thank you BMW. "Car and Driver" decided to take it for a road test and here are the specs and results.

PRICE AS TESTED: $81,625 (base price: $71,025)

ENGINE TYPE: twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve inline-6, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection

Displacement: 182 cu in, 2979 cc
Power: 315 bhp @ 5800 rpm
Torque: 330 lb-ft @ 1600 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 6-speed automatic with manumatic shifting

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 120.9 in Length: 199.8 in
Width: 74.9 in Height: 58.3 in
Curb weight: 4381 lb

SPEED TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 5.8-5.9 sec

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 17/25 mpg

2011 BMW 5 Series

2011 BMW 5 Series Specifications

Body
Wheelbase 2968 mm

Chassis
Brakes (Front) Single-piston aluminium swing-calliper disc brakes in frame structure: 330 x 24 / inner-vented mm
Brakes (Rear) Single-piston swing-calliper disc brakes: 330 x 20 / inner-vented mm
Front Suspension Double track control arm axle with separate lower track arm level, aluminium, small steering roll radius, anti-dive
Rear Suspension Integral-V multi-arm axle, aluminium, with steering function, anti-squat and anti-dive, double acoustic separation

Engine
Bore X Stroke 90.0 / 84.0 mm

Engine & Transmission

Torque lb-ft (Nm) at RPM: 450/332

Exterior
Length 4899 mm
Width 1860 mm
Height 1464 mm
Performance
Acceleration (0-100 km/h) 7.2 (7.2)

Prior Design M6

The German tuners from Prior Design have released a refined BMW M6 with the project name PD550. Previously tuning a Porsche 997 Turbo, Mini Cooper S, and Jaguar XJR models, the BMW M6 received a new custom made body kit. The kit consists of a new front bumper, rear bumper, side skirts, and front fenders. Equipped with large multi-spoke black wheels measuring 20×9 and 20×10.5, the PD550 BMW M6 really stands out. The wheels are also available in a 21″ model, and both come wrapped with 255/35ZR20 or 21 tires in the front, and 285/30ZR20 or 21 tires in the rear. Giving the car a wider stance, the body kit by Prior Design widens the BMW M6 by 80 mm. Now combine the large wheels, wide-body kit, lowered suspension, and you will have a true monster on the road.

For performance the car received a new custom exhaust system for optimal sound from the large V10. Official information about the BMW M6 horsepower has not been released yet, however guessing from the name PD550, it’s probably 550 hp. This is accomplished by simple engine tuning, adding a full exhaust system, and road tests. All of Prior Design’s vehicles are TUV tested and approved before purchase to ensure they meet all traffic regulations.

Alpina V12 in an E30

E30 with a V12!

Robert Stelzenberger´s brutal E30. From the beginning it was just a 325i, but after 8 months of intensive work the car should be renamed 350i. The car got done in september 2000, it got a couple of months to get it approved, and now the car rolls legally on the streets.



Technical facts:

Engine: Alpina B12 5.0 who produces 257kw/350hp, and the engine is modified.
6 speed manual gearbox taken from the 850CSi.
E36 suspension
servo from bmw 750, breakes from M3 E36.
Exhaust system from 750i.

Officially Official: Happy 50th - MINI Coupé Concept

Rumors have been swirling for months about what BMW would do on August 26, 2009 for its Mini brand. After all, that is the fiftieth anniversary of the public debut of Alec Issigonis' original Mini. With most of the speculation revolving around either a coupe or some kind of cropped windshield speedster, it turns out the reality was somewhere in between. Unlike the original coupe of the Sixties that simply had a fastback replacement for the standard square-back roof, the new MINI Coupé Concept completely replaces everything from the beltline up. The upright windshield that has been part of the Mini look from day one is finally swept back and a truncated roof covers the remaining two seats.

All pretenses of being a four seater has finally been dispensed with for the new coupe. The shape of the roof indicates that should Mini move ahead with production, and it could easily be replaced by a folding fabric unit to create the anticipated speedster model. What's more, dumping the rear seats means Mini could theoretically add a hefty brace back there restoring some of the structural integrity lost in the standard convertible, or perhaps restore some cargo room as compared to the Cabrio. At this point, it's unknown if those B-pillars are are tinted glass or just big solid blind spots, but visually, the lower half of the car remains pretty standard R56 John Cooper Works.

Although we don't have images of the interior yet, it sounds like it's largely standard Mini, although there are two clocks hanging off the sides of the steering column mounted tachometer much like the so-called Openometer in the convertible. One tells time while the other is a stopwatch for recording laps. The MINI Coupé Concept will be shown publicly at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month alongside the production version of the new Crossover.

The BMW e24 6-Series - Classic

The car that started it all, won the world cup rally two times for BMW and took many other victories. The old school 6 series is a car meant to be driven. With the engines said to go as far as 500,000 miles the e24 6-series is the best built Bimmers of all time. The 635csi came with a inline 6 engine with 215 hp and 304 torque. It gets great gas mileage, 18 in the city and 28 on the hwy. The M6 version was the best car probably you could get back then, with a inline 6 and 282 hp and 333 torque doing 0-60 mph in 6.1 seconds. Back then this is considered a rocket, and even right now not many vehicles could do this.This is still fast. The 6 series one of my favorites a real classic both representing the great legendary handling and power.

Matte Black BMW in Abu Dubai

This matte black BMW Lumma CLR 500 RS was spotted in Abu Dhabi, and it looks much better than the orange version revealed by Lumma last year. Like yesterday’s BMW X6, some things just look much better in matte black.

The CLR 500 RS is powered by V10 engine that delivers 560 HP. Top speed is 203 mph.

BMW May Be Planning X4

BMW has been aggressively expanding its vehicle offerings, and like most other automakers, crossovers make up the majority of additions. Earlier this year, team Bimmer added the X6, and with the X1 concept unveiled in Paris, mild-to-wild CUVs seem to be the focus for the boys in Bavaria. Automotive News is reporting that the SAV love will continue next year when BMW unleashes the X4. Design elements are said to come from the larger X6, which is to say that it'll probably look like a really tall hatchback. The X1 concept and the production X3 are based off of the excellent 3-Series platform, and we're guessing the X4 will also don the sharp-handling underpinnings.

If this is what BMW needs to do in order to remain the world's top-selling luxury automaker, we're not so sure it's worth the trouble. The X1 will probably sell relatively well, but it will do so with underwhelming sheet metal. An X4 based off the X6 sounds like an even worse proposition, but then again, we didn't think the X6 was a bright idea either.

First Official Pictures of BMW X1

The Bavarian automaker’s X1 Concept will make its formal world premier at the Paris Motor Show in a few days time, but as often is the case the first official photos hit the web a bit earlier. Strip away those aluminum inserts on the X1 Concept and you can easily tell that what you see here is what you’ll get in late 2009 when BMW releases the production version of its baby SUV –slash- Crossover that will sit right under the X3 competing against the likes of the Toyota RAV-4 and VW Tiguan.

Cadillac Making a 3-Series Competitor

Cadillac is working on a brand new car that will compete with BMW's very own 3-series. It's going to be built on the new Alpha RWD platform. The same Alpha platform will be the basis for a folding hardtop coupe, or a conventional coupe and convertible.

On the other hand GM put on hold the DT7 project to make this one (the program to combine the STS and DTS models into one, rear-wheel-drive flagship sedan). The DT7 is now set to be revealed in 2012 and not 2011 as previously announced.

Next-Generation 2010 BMW Z4

SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Spy photos of the next-generation BMW Z4 have been circulating the Web for months, and here's the first opportunity to see what the new future roadster might look like without camouflage.

As you might expect, the next-generation Z4 will grow in size slightly, although not as much as the first spy photos suggested. Camouflage specifically designed to make it look bigger in every dimension was used originally, but subsequent test mules showed a body only marginally bigger than the current model. We're also expecting the Z4's folding soft top to continue instead of a switch to a retractable hardtop.

BMW's latest six-cylinder engines are sure to find their way under the hood. By the time this Z4 debuts in either late 2009 or early 2010, there could be changes to the base 3.0-liter and the twin-turbo 3.0-liter, but expect roughly the same horsepower numbers.

Production of the 2010 BMW Z4 will switch from BMW's Spartanburg, South Carolina plant to Regensburg, Germany.

What this means to you: Expect to see a shapelier, faster, but only slighter bigger Z4 when it goes on sale in 2010.

Source: Edmunds & Left Lane News

BMW's Electric Car

BMW is coming out with it's own future electric car, it will comply with Californian regulations, which say that by 2012 a fuel cell or battery-powered vehicle must have a range of over 200 miles.

The car might look like this in the picture, "It’ll be a car with a completely new look, with two engines available. One will be a very efficient combustion engine and the other will be a purely electric model,” announce company CEO Norbert Reithofer told the German weekly newspaper Die Zeit.

Dinan to boost 2008 Bmw M3 to 628 hp

Since its launch, the 2008 Bmw M3 made quite a buzz, but now Dinan is pushing it to its limits. Dinan, a well-respected BMW tuner known for working miracles on the Bavarian cars, said today that its new version of the M3 will be powered by a 5.7-liter engine capable to develop 628 hp. The “standard” M3 is powered by a V8 engine developing 420 hp and can go from 0-60 mph in just 4.8 seconds. With a boost to 628 hp, the Dinan M3 will beat out its brothers, the M5 and M6. No launch date has been set, but of course we’re going to stay on top of this hot M3.

Source: Top Speed

BMW X5 Security model can with-hold a .44 Magnum

If you happen to be the Head of State of a controversial nation, have a lot of enemies, or you are just plain paranoid, BMW's latest X5 variation may be just right for you. It's called the BMW X5 Security, and it has been armored by the factory to protect its occupants against some serious firepower (BMW claims safety class "VR4" to resist the penetration from a .44 Magnum, .357 Magnum, or a nine-millimeter Luger). While BMW is understandably silent about specifics, we do know that the body panels (including the roof and trunk) have been reinforced with a ballistic-resistant armored fiber developed in the Netherlands. The windows are upgraded to laminated 22-mm thick security glass, and a camera system with intercom keeps the passengers informed of what's happening outside their isolated cocoon. To handle the extra mass (you know its packing some weight) the Security package is bundled to the X5 4.8i model with its 4.8-liter 350-hp V-8. Nearly indistinguishable from the regular model, BMW has reportedly attempted to maintain the X5's driving dynamics with upgraded suspension and brakes. It's apparently no slouch, but we have yet to see any armored car that is considered exceptionally nimble.

Source: Auto Blog

BMW 335i Coupe & Cabriolet Get M3’s 7-Speed Double-Clutch Gearbox

Parallel to the market launch of the facelifted 3 Series sedan and touring models, BMW announced the availability of its new 7-speed semi-automatic gearbox with double-clutch for the 335i Coupe and 335i Convertible models. Named DKG, the new double-clutch transmission was introduced for the first time on the M3 Sedan. It offers the driver the choice of controlling the gearbox changes through a shift lever on the centere console or via paddles on the steering wheel.
Equipped with this gearbox, the 335i Coupe with the 306Hp twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter straight six completes the sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62mph) in 5.4 sec or 0.1 sec faster than the model fitted with the 6-speed manual transmission and 0.3 seconds faster than the 335i Coupe with the previously available 6-speed automatic.

Furthermore, the double-clutch gearbox helps drop consumption in both the 335i Coupe and Cabriolet by up to 5% compared to the equivalent models with 6-speed manual or automatic transmissions. In particular, the 335i Coupe & Convertible models with the DKG achieve an average fuel consumption in the combined EU test cycle of 8.8lt /100km (26.7 mpg) and 9.1lt/100km (25.9 mpg) respectively.

BMW Creates a Two-Wheel Drive Off-Road Bike

A rider needs to be just a bit off their rocker to have any chance of winning a European hill climbing event, but some really effective machinery can make the task slightly easier. With that in mind, BMW, long considered to be a rather staid and proper bike manufacturer, has gone off the deep end by creating a two-wheel drive off-road hill climbing machine. Powered by slightly modified version of the parallel twin engine used in the German marque's F800 and new GS machines, the liquid cooled mill should offer nearly one-hundred horsepower to both wheels. Getting that power to the ground in front is what appears to be a hydraulic pump and motor system mounted to the beefy front forks. Spinning forces originate from a dual sprocket with chains leading to the rear axle and up into the bodywork.

With dedicated racing machinery like this and the new 450cc four-stroke dirt bike project, BMW is most definitely leaving its mild roots behind. Unfortunately, no production plans are currently in the works for the impressive hill climbing bike, though we look forward to seeing what else comes from the fertile minds at BMW Motorrad.