BMW 1M First Drive by AutoExpress

First reviews of the new BMW 1 Series M Coupe are starting to pour in. From the UK, AutoExpress magazines brings out a review of the 1M in Black Sapphire. Here is an excerpt from their review:

As with all BMW’s M cars – with the exception of the CSL and M3 GTS – this is no stripped-out racer. Thumb the starter button and the 335bhp 3.0-litre turbocharged six-cylinder engine – an uprated version of the unit from the 135i – barks into life. And as soon as you pull away, it’s clear that this is a very agile, driver-focused machine. Throttle response is sharp and the steering, although heavy, is full of feel.

Extend the six-cylinder unit to the 6,500rpm red line in the lower ratios, and you’re rewarded with savage response and a zingy, metallic engine note. An M Dynamic Mode also offers a more flexible engine set-up, which can switch between relaxed and torque-oriented or tuned for maximum power at the touch of a button – but that’s as gizmo-laden as the 1-Series M Coupé gets.

….

With its compact dimensions, this is a sports car that’s nimble and quick to respond to steering, brake or throttle inputs – and as a result, it’s a real pleasure to drive at any speed.

NYAS 2011: Nissan Leaf wins 2011 World Car of the Year – ahead of 5 Series and Audi A8

As we predicted, Nissan Leaf won the 2011 World Car of the Year, besting the Audi A8 and the BMW 5 Series. Today, at the 2011 New York Auto Show, Brian Carolin, Senior VP for sales and marketing at Nissan, accepted the award. “It’s a great honor. The Nissan Leaf truly is a game changer.”

The award shows once again the importance of electricvehicles and future mobility, and the trend will continue in the next years. Fuel efficient vehicles are slowly becoming the core product of large automakers and a bet that can transform many companies.

In the World Green Car award, Chevrolet Volt won takes the top spot ahead of BMW’s 320d and the Nissan Leaf. The World Car Design award went to the Aston Martin Rapide, defeating the Alfa Romeo Giulietta and the Ferrari 458 Italia. The Ferrari 458 Italia was named the winner of the World Performance Car category, defeating the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG and Porsche 911 Turbo.

A jury of sixty-six distinguished international automotive journalists selected the following top ten finalists in both categories by secret ballot, based on their experience with each candidate as part of their professional work. The jury members constitute a balance of representation from Asia, Europe, North America, South America, as well as other parts of the world.

BMWBLOG Attends X1 and X3 Gala Launch with our friends at BMW Toronto

BMWBLOG had the pleasure of attending BMWToronto’s X1 and X3 gala launch, and it proved to be an auspicious occasion, indeed.

Ushered into the all-glass building from the valet, I was welcomed to a night of fine foods and deserts, flowing drinks and good conversation.  Of course, there were two guests of honor present, and both rocked BMW’s famed “xDrive” all-wheel-drive system.

To the well-dressed Canadian guests, all-wheel-drive is an important feature and its inclusion on the X1 and X3 bodes well for future sales in the Canadian market.

The new X3 has taken the market by storm, and it could well go on to become one of BMW’s most important cars in the market.  The X3 xDrive28i starts at $41,900 MSRP in Canadian dollars, equipped with one of the lightest six-cylinder engines in its class – thanks to magnesium construction of the cylinders and crankcase.  This inline 6 produces a healthy 240hp and 221 lb-ft of torque with average consumption of 9.5 l/100km.

The X3 xDrive35i starts at $46,900 and comes equipped with the brilliant N55 twin-scroll single-turbo inline 6.  For those with a hankering for more power and speed, this engine will be the choice with 300hp and 295 lb-ft of torque available from only 1,300 rpm.  Note that consumption is actually lower for the turbocharged 35i model, with average consumption totaling 8.8 l/100km.

After a seat behind the wheel, trading opinions and thoughts with other guests, and careful observations while circling both cars with beer-in-hand, it’s clear that BMW have two winners on their hands.  We appreciate BMW Toronto’s top notch hospitality and we look forward to reporting National sales figures for these ‘X cars’ in both Canada and the USA.

Standby for future Drive Reviews brought to you exclusively by BMWBLOG – your online authority for BMW Group news and reviews.

Shanghai 2011: More photos of BMW M5 Concept – Including Interior

More photos of the new BMW M5 Concept surface from the 2011 Shanghai Motor Show. BMW chose the Chinese venue to host the world debut of the new F10 M5. Along with exterior photos, for the first time, we manage to get a look inside the car. Before the rumormill starts churning, we would like to point out that the interior design of the F10 Concept will vary from the production version, so use these photos as a starting point only.

The new F10 M5 launches at the end of this year as a 2012 model. The car is powered by a new TwinPower V8 turbocharged engine that is rumored to produce between 560-565 horsepower. Official figures will be released shortly. Only transmission confirmed at this time is the seven-speed M double-clutch transmission with Drivelogic. A manual offering is rumored to be offered only for the North American market.

The F10 M5 delivers what one expects from an M car: aggressiveness, sportiness and elegance. The front spoiler takes the M5 a step further than the 5 Series models with the popular M-package, three large air intakes, blacked out grille and discreet rear spoiler located on the boot lid serves to optimize the car’s aerodynamics.

Inside, the interior is clearly influenced by the new 5 Series Sedan design cues. The typical M elements will make their way into the F10 M5, including the M shifter and wheel, pedals, M logo on door sills and others.

The M5 Concept will go through minor changes when it goes into production later this summer, the side mirrors will be replaced, just as with the previous M5 Concept, and BMW will also offer different wheels. The car will debut in the US in Spring 2012 and we anticipate a starting base price near the $100,000 mark.

Hyundai QarmaQ

Hyundai has presented at the Geneva Show the series model i30 hatchback and the new QarmaQ concept.The crossover Concept, which has been announced in a sketch published a few weeks ago by Hyundai, brings an important change of approach in what concerns the materials used in its composition.
While the traditional cars use metal and glass, QarmaQ is assembled from plastic materials made by GE Plastics. The QarmaQ concept is the result of the cooperation between the 2 companies and brings, as novelty, a vista of the kind that only a view from the chopper gives, because of the great surface of the plasticized windows from the car's body.
By integrating GE's polycarbonate glazing wrap-around and the GE Lexan windscreens, the body weight of the cars is reduced by almost 50 %. A unique technology characterizes Lexan screens: Exatec Technology. It' s a technology through which a thin, protective layer of glass is deposited on the screen, which helps when protecting from scratching or effects of humidity. The material, much lighter than traditional glass used in automotive industry, also increases the impact resistance and both occupant and pedestrian safety. When talking about pedestrian safety, we can also mention the system that uses deformable sections under the concept's body panels, which is able to absorb crush energy in case a collision with a person may happen.
GE Plastics' High Performance Thermoplastic Composite (which is used for the horizontal body panels) manages to also save some weight. 900 recycled plastic bottles have been used when manufacturing other body panels.
The new concept is a showcase of 30 new technologies that will be found in the future Hyundai models. The car is the result of the hard work of Hyundai Motor Europe's Design and Technical Center and it has been engineered in cooperation with GE Plastics. It will be ready to roll in 2008 to 2014.

2010 Toyota NORI Concept Design

The Toyota NORI is a vehicle that uses an eco-friendly and alternative source of energy to help preserve the earth’s natural resources. The word ‘nori’ is a Japanese word that means “seaweed”, stating that this vehicle is made with focus on reducing its weight.

The Toyota NORI, other than being a fast car is also an economy friendly car. Instead of using corn and/or soy, seaweeds are used instead as bio-plastics to lessen the effect on the food chain. Its body and its chassis are built as one making it lighter. This car runs with a set of electric wheel motors with a detachable battery set.

Similar to other vehicles this car also uses solar energy which is captured through woven solar cells into its PODULAR. This solar energy serves as back-up energy in case of emergencies. The eco-friendly source of energy together with environment friendly materials makes it one of the cars of the future.

2008 Honda FC Sport Concept

Today, Honda FC Sport design study model, a hydrogen-powered, three-seat sports car concept, at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show. "The Honda FC Sport explores how to satisfy automotive performance enthusiasts in a world beyond petroleum," said Dan Bonawitz, vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "People who love sports cars will still have a reason to love in a hydrogen-powered future."

The most noticeable thing about this car is the low-cut profile body designed to introduce a more higher-technology appearance with sculpting and molding that combines a more linear shape in front of the vehicle that has been tapered into geometric, hex forms in the rear. If you would have to choose a electric scooter to this supercar, just think about that decision and refund your money.