A few months later, European Auto Source, a California based company, unveils their own version of the BMW 7 Series M Sport.  The gorgeous 7er features a 2010 OEM M-sport front bumper conversion with matte black, Style 312 OEM BMW 21″ wheels in matte black, matte black side grilles and kidney grilles, body color door handles, body color trunk trim and matte black OEM rear diffuser.

Compare to the original M Sport Package, European Auto Source takes a different approach and phases out the multiple chrome exterior design elements that are equally loved or disliked by many BMW fans.

Unfortunately no pricing is available at this moment, but judging by the extensive and tasteful modding job, we expect to set you back a few thousand dollars.

While some us believe that the two cars are not really competing for the same customers, the german journalists at Autozeitung decided to put the cars head-to-head.

BMW 530d GT is powered by a 3.0 liter straight-six diesel engine outputting 245 horsepower at 4,000 rpm and 540 Nm/398 lb-ft from 1,750–3,000 rpm. Still a rear-wheel drive vehicle, the 530d GT uses an 8-speed automatic transmission. As tested by Autozeitung, the 530d GT runs from o-62 mph in 6.8 seconds and it’s limited to 240 km/h (149 mph). Average fuel consumption to the EU standard is measured at 6.5 liters/100 kilometers – 36.8 MPG.

The price of the 530d GT as tested by the german magazine is 55,200 euros.

Mercedes-Benz R350 Blue Tec is powered by a 3.0 liters V6 turbo engine producing 210 horsepower at 3,800 rpm and 398 ft lb/540 Nm at 1,600 rpm. The R350 Blue Tec engine is matted to a 7-speed automatic transmission.

The car tested by the same journalists runs from 0-62mph in 9.8 seconds and has a top speed of 220 km/h. Combined fuel economy was measured at 11.7 liters/100 km – 20 MPG.
Price as tested? 59619 euros.

While our german is still being worked on, allow us to share the final result:

BMW won every category except “bodywork” with a total score 3189 points vs. 3008 points. Some of you might think of bodywork as exterior design, but Autozeitung looked at several other things: space in front and rear, cargo load, towing capacity, quality and functionality.

If you’re interested in all the details, feel free to read the entire article as translated by Google.

As expected, the top created some controversy and confusion. Several automobile publications rushed to publish their article pointing out not necessarily the winners, but rather the companies that didn’t make the list.

A natural question arises: why is BMW missing from this list? This is actually because no BMWs were tested for the new IIHS roof-crush test (yet). In February of this year, the IIHS surprised the industry by announcing a new roof-crush test which caused some vehicles (11 Toyotas, most notably) to drop from the TSP listing. More on the test from the IIHS website:

“In the Institute’s roof strength test, a metal plate is pushed against 1 side of a roof at a constant speed. To earn a good rating, the roof must withstand a force of 4 times the vehicle’s weight before reaching 5 inches of crush. This is called a strength-to-weight ratio. For an acceptable rating, the minimum required strength-to-weight ratio is 3.25. A marginal rating value is 2.5. Anything lower than that is poor.

The Institute’s test method is the same one that has been used for testing under the federal roof strength regulation since 1973, but with much higher requirements. Vehicles only need a strength-to-weight ratio of 1.5 to meet the federal regulation. While the actual roof strengths of vehicles may surpass this minimum level by a large amount, this information has not been available to consumers. Institute research has found that a vehicle with a roof strength-to-weight ratio of 4.0 has an estimated 50 percent reduction in the risk of serious and fatal injury in single-vehicle rollover crashes compared with the minimum level of 1.5.”

On its website, the IIHS in fact states that, “[A] dynamic test using instrumented dummies would be the gold standard for assessing roof performance in rollovers.” That’s of course what BMW does. While the IIHS performs a static roof-crush test, BMWs are put through simulations of real-world crash circumstances. Moving forward, BMW will also be adding the new IIHS roof-crush test to its own testing protocol.

For the record, here is BMW NA’s official statement on the matter:

Passive safety has always been a design priority for BMW, and BMW products have consistently performed well in both laboratory and real-world crashes. Because no 2010 BMW models were tested for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) new rollover rating, no BMW vehicles could qualify for the 2010 round of “Top Safety Picks.” Although no BMW models were tested for the IIHS’s new rollover rating, BMW’s normal testing protocol includes three separate types of rollover tests during product development.

These tests simulate real-life circumstances, such as a vehicle striking a road divider, a vehicle leaving the road sideways, and a vehicle sliding down an embankment. As such, BMW is very confident in the passive rollover protection provided by its vehicles.

BMW Rollover Laboratory

IIHS Roof Strength Testing

BMW 7 Series crashtest

The 1988 BMW 6 Series Coupe displayed below doesn’t only impress by its 315HP 3.5-liter inline six-cylinder engine from the 1992 M5 E45 and a manual gearbox, but only by its price tag: $250,000. Yes, that 25 and about four more zeros.

After days of sitting with no offers, the buyer decided to lower the price to $45,000, a far more acceptable price range, but suddenly, the offer was reversed back to the original.

Why? Here is what the owner had to say:

“I decided today that it is not worth parting with my baby for less than $250,000. So the price starts here, regardless of any logic. It’s mine and when someone wants it they have to pay my price to get it, period. Otherwise one shall build his/her own.”

Fair enough.

Aside from the beautiful standard look, the owner invested money in a special bodykit, new wheels and other bodywork that turns this 1988 635 CSi into a gorgeous car….if it wasn’t already.

But what really impresses us the most is the full leather interior that gives the car an ultimate luxury feel. Overall, the owner claims to have spent over $20,000 in parts and “wasted” five years of his life, not a bad way to invest in your passion, but apparently the total net cost would be around $92,000.

Will he able to part with his car after all these emotions he has put in?

[Source: Carscoop ]

The next generation 1 Series has been rumored to feature a hybrid version as well, part of the EfficientDynamics program and BMW’s plans to improve the fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions in their fleet.

For the first time, spy photographers managed to photo capture a current 1 Series hatchback test mule featuring a hybrid sytem. The vehicle caught was wearing a “Hybrid Test Vehicle” badge as we’ve seen before on the X6 and even X5 test mules.

While not officially confirmed, we can assume that the 1 Series will feature the mild hybrid system seen in the X6, a modular setup with a motor/generator placed between the engine and transmission. Of course, a lithium ion battery will be strategically placed in the trunk.

Full photo gallery at Autoblog.com

While the BMW hybrid technology appears to be complete and fully developed, we’re still unclear if the hybrid system will be available in the current generation 1 Series or the new bodystyle that comes out in 2011. We’re inclined to believe that BMW will indeed offer the hybrid model in the new 1er line-up.

The BMW 1 Series Hybrid will take on the Lexus LF-Ch model unveiled recently at the Frankfurt Auto Show. If the current estimation are nearly accurate, we will see 1 Series hybrid a year after the new design launches.

No confirmation at the moment on whether these hybrids will make it on the U.S. soil, but due to the new rules for fuel efficiency and emissions that will require require all automakers selling automobiles in the U.S. to increase fleet fuel efficiency by 5% PER YEAR starting in 2012, we might actually be able to purchase them at U.S. dealerships.

I press the start button – wait – nothing. I pull the key fob out, wait, put it back in and press the start button. I do this a few more times before I happen to press the start button and catch the gauge in front of me bounce up to life.

OK, so I’ve managed to successfully turn on the MINI E after about 1 minute of trying. It’s not that the fully electric MINI is broken or has issues, it is just that quiet when you’re turning over a car that has no cylinders to fire up and runs strictly on a massive battery pack sitting amidship the little coupe. It literally makes no sounds if the radio is off upon start up – eerily efficient.

Sitting in front of me where a cartoonish tachometer typically stares back at you is a gauge of the same size and design. However, instead of a series of markers for engine revolutions it simply shows a series of percentages, 0 up through 100% indicating the remaining battery power. Aside from the gauge, the interior of the MINI E looks just like that of it’s internal combustion relatives. After slipping the car into reverse without a single noise and then taking off, I begin to worry I may sneak up on a pedestrian without meaning to – I feel like I’m Captain Ramius and I’ve just activated the super silent crawler drive on the Red October.

This is where the drive gets interesting, though. After finding a small patch of straight asphalt I begin to get more aggressive with the throttle and the electric MINI jumps right to attention and shoots off at which point the car begins to emit a little noise for a change. As you pick up the pace, the car makes an interesting sort of gadgety noise. In retrospect, the best way to describe the noise is something between the  modified Back to the Future Delorean and an electric golf cart at full speed. It isn’t a bad noise but it is very different from anything you’ve experienced before from a car. The power application actually reminds me of the 335d in that as soon as you put your foot down on the throttle you feel an instant wave of torque. The MINI E feels quick in a straight line. However, the corners are where the MINI E gets a little off-kilter.

I didn’t push the MINI E very hard in my test drive but I did get the feeling that, with the nearly 600 lbs battery pack sitting where the rear seats should be and with a front-wheel-drive vehicle, the MINI comes across as a bit twitchy and vague when I took corners. It definitely lacks the crispness and coherence of the gasoline-powered version. Thankfully, the small electric car is still a pleasure to drive and retains a good bit of the personality of a MINI – which actually works as a selling point for the car and concepts it represents overall. But, I don’t, nor should others, expect the MINI E to handle just the way the others you can buy actually perform – it is after all a test vehicle only provided to a few hundred people as a means of exploring the viability of fully electric cars in everyday circumstances.

Aside from the handling hiccup, everything works just like a MINI should. The radio, seats, steering – it feels like driving a torquey MINI with the mute button pressed. Only when you’re really heavy on the throttle do you start to hear the electric motors hard at work. Otherwise, there is just a very distant, soft humming as you cruise along. In terms of the throttle, I did notice that the power feels entirely linear which is something you can’t necessarily extract from an gasoline engine – though many have tried. The MINI E feels like a big electric go-kart: for the most part you point the nose where you want it and it will gladly motor to that apex and beyond.

Earlier in the day, I sat through an hour long presenation on the MINI E which didn’t feel as relevant until I’d driven the car. The presentation gave a great deal of insight as to what it took for BMW to launch this program and make it stick for a year. Coordinating special electricity meters and system installations with city engineers and power companies, finding participants willing to hand over $850 a month to be test mules for a relatively uncertain technology – the scale of the planning and implementation of this experiment is massive. According to BMW/MINI, the support has been overwhelming with a small, closely knit community developing around the MINI E as many of the participants find their way through the year-long( though recently extended) experiment.  Many of the participants reportedly don’t want the program to end as they enjoy the electric MINI’s so much!

When looking at the shear scale of the project, it is impressive to see how much BMW/MINI have vested in this direction for alternative fuel sources. Hopefully, cars like this will find their way into the market place though probably not on the MINI or BMW models of today. While it doesn’t compare to the MINI Cooper S or JCW variants and their respective drive trains and exhaust notes, it does make a case that  alternative energy cars can be fun, handsome (dare I say cute?) vehicles – something Toyota has entirely failed at with the Prius.

Dave Cardoso, a graphic artist from Belgium, created new renderings of what a future generation BMW M6 could look like, of course, all based on his ideas.  While we can’t deny his rendering skills or 3D modeling, we can’t say that we’re big fans of his work. Clearly the images below show us a car that has no ties to BMW’s past, current and future design language and if it wasn’t for the kidney grille, it could have passed for any other brand out there.

Yes, we’re aware that this is most likely a design exercise as many we have seen before, but truth is that we would like these artists to learn more about BMW’s design history and future plans, and ultimately come up with some viable solutions.

The next generation BMW 6 Series and M6 is rumored to feature some elements from the canceled CS Concept, giving the new model a stunning look.

The new 6er will launch in 2011 with the M6 following in 2012.

[Source: Carscoop ]

In addition to BMW’s interpretation of two-mode hybrid technology, mated to the 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 the price includes a number of standard features which are optional on the X6 xDrive50i. These include a unique 7-speed automatic transmission, Extended Nappa leather (including the dashboard and center console), 20-inch Aero Wheels with mixed-sized performance tires, Rearview camera with Top View and Head-up display.

The full list of additional standard features is included below.  In addition to the very extensive list of standard equipment, there are a handful of options to tailor the BMW ActiveHybrid X6 to individual tastes.  These are also listed below.

BMW’s first-ever hybrid represents another important element of the company’s ongoing EfficientDynamics strategy.

2010 BMW ActiveHybrid X6 additional US standard over US X6 xDrive50i
* 7-speed automatic transmission
* Extended Nappa leather seats including dashboard and center console
* 20-inch Aero wheels with mixed-sized performance tires
* Rear view camera with Top View
* Head-up Display
* BMW Assist with Bluetooth phone connectivity
* Power tailgate
* Premium sound system
* 6-disc DVD Changer
* iPod and USB adapter
* Universal garage-door opener
* Comfort Access
* Soft-close doors
* 4-zone climate control
* Heated front seats
* Auto-dimmer rearview mirrors
* Digital compass mirror
* Anthracite headliner
* Ambiance lighting
* Privacy glass
* Running boards
* Storage package

2010 BMW ActiveHybrid X6 optional equipment:
* Active ventilating seat package $1,100
* Cold Weather Package  $900
* Rear side window shades  $300
* Sport seats    N/C
* Automatic high-beams  $250
* Satellite radio    $350
* Rear seat entertainment system $1,700
* Smartphone integration  $150
* Enhanced premium sound system $700
* 19-inch wheels with all-season tires N/C

The car in question will be donated to the Bavarian Forest National Park, one of the oldest reserves in Germany. The 24,000-acre nature reserve was created in 1970 as a haven for nature. It hosts about 800,000 visitors per year and boasts such attractions as wild animal enclosures and more than 300km of hiking trails.

525d sports BMW’s xDrive technology, suitable for that environment. The car is powered by a 3.0 liter inline six diesel engine that outputs 197 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. The 525d gives an average fuel consumption of 48 MPG (6.9 liters/100km)

The next generation 5 Series Touring will make its debut in 2011, a few months after the new sedan.

[Source: Worldcarfans ]

Let’s have Jon walks us through the rendering process:

“The initial bumper design usually are very tame and “safe” for most BMW models and the F10 is no exception. Then later on, BMW will offer their M package option or the BMW Performance which leans more on sportier designs which rivals the best aftermarket aero kits out there.”

“This F10 rendering features my front bumper and side skirts design inspired by the BMW Performance 1 and 3 series. I also used the split five spoke BMW Performance wheels and finished it off with the full side body graphic stripe consistent with all the full BP cars.”

For reference, here are some pics of the BMW Performance cars.

Not bad looking, right? Okay, maybe a bit too aggressive for a sport luxury sedan, but we won’t be surprised to see many aftermarket parts trying to imitate this look.

London. Lord Sebastian Coe, chairman of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has today announced that BMW has become the Automotive Partner of London 2012. BMW will provide the 4000 or so vehicles which are required at the Games to transport athletes, technical officials, media, LOCOG operational teams, national Olympic Committees, International Sports Federations, the IOC and marketing partners.

In addition, BMW becomes a Sustainability Partner supporting London 2012’s commitment to deliver its ‘low carbon’ and ‘healthy living’ Games.

Ian Robertson, member of the board of management of BMW AG, responsible for sales and marketing said: “Sustainability is a central pillar of our business and guides all aspects of our operations. This has lead to our being named by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index as the most sustainable automotive company, for the fifth year in a row. Therefore we have a natural affinity with London 2012 and its commitment to low carbon and healthy living.”

He continued, “We see our partnership as a major opportunity, over the next three years and beyond, to focus attention on our range of the most fuel efficient premium cars – and also to shine a light on the future of individual mobility. This partnership will be an inspiration for our customers, employees, dealers and suppliers.”

LOCOG set challenging targets with respect to CO2 and European emission standards for the car fleet. BMW will provide a fleet of cars which not only meet the Euro 6 emissions standard but also beat the maximum average of 120g CO2 / km established by LOCOG. BMW leads the automotive industry in emission-lowering technology through its Efficient Dynamics programme.

The company will also showcase electric vehicles as part of its activation in 2012.

LOCOG Chairman Sebastian Coe commented, “Operationally, an automotive deal is vital for any organising committee and so I’m thrilled BMW is on board. They share our vision to stage a sustainable Games in 2012 and will be a valued partner. We welcome BMW on board and look forward to working with them over the next three years.”

During the Games, BMW bicycles will be available for use by athletes in the Athletes Village and by London 2012 staff. BMW motorcycles will also be used in certain Olympic and Paralympic events.

A proportion of the fleet will be wheelchair-accessible and BMW will convert a number of vehicles for use by disabled drivers and passengers.

BMW has invested over £1bn in the UK since 2000 and employs over 8,000 people in manufacturing, distribution and financial services in Britain. The company has created over 50,000 further jobs through support services, suppliers and dealer distribution networks. BMW will also activate the deal across the iconic Mini brand between now and 2012.

LOCOG and BMW have many shared values which are an important foundation to this partnership agreement. A commitment to fair play, sporting competition and intercultural exchange have always been fundamentals of BMW’s value system – in addition to the central theme of sustainability.

Whether you liked her or not, you can’t deny the numbers or the fact that she was one of the best cars sold since it hit American soil in 2004. She was as safe as she was sporty, and she was as luxurious as a 7-Series could have been, just with a little less interior space. But that didn’t stop us all from realizing that BMW could still build one hell of a car with one hell of a controversial body…

Apart from being a modern classic, the E60/E61 5er was, outside of the E66 7-Series, quite possibly the most controversial car BMW has ever produced. Since the first day it appeared at dealerships, people were thinking that it could be the end to BMW’s quiet and subtle nature.
Well, that was true, and it’s true for BMWs to come. Whether we liked it or not, BMW was entering the 21st century, and they were doing so in a very loud way. Some blame it on Chris Bangle, and others just blame it on BMW allowing Bangle and his team of designers to ruin their favorite cars. I say, a BMW will always be a BMW, no matter if it looks subtle or appears too radical.

By using the simple thought that a BMW will always be a BMW, it has helped a lot of people understand and come around to loving the E60 and its E61 Touring brother. It drove well, felt a little big, but was still as much a BMW as there ever were. The interior was more spacious than the outgoing E39, and offered more creature comforts and incredible and new technology.

When you first sat in the new 5-Series, you were welcomed by this odd looking, yet incredibly comfortable and rather thick rimmed steering wheel. In typical 5-Series fashion, the seats were relaxing, but extremely supportive, and could even be optioned with the 7s lounge chairs. Having any E60 with the optional sport package was an amazing plus, it was really no doubt meant more for the 545i and the latter 550i. When you sat in either of those cars with the sport package, you felt like you were in a baby M5, but no less incredible. The 4.4L V8 in the 545i put out 325hp and 330lb-ft of torque. More than enough to get all 3900lbs of it to 60 in around 5.4 seconds. That’s basically a 350Z from Nissan. And it carries four adults in safe comfort? That’s what I call a winner at all costs.

The 530i came equipped in the street race battle with BMW’s perfect inline-6 producing 225hp and 214lb-ft of torque, later to be updated in 2006 with 255hp and 220lb-ft of torque. The 525i did just, well, not much, with its 184hp and175lb-ft of torque. But when the E90 3-Series came out in 2006, the 525i, along with the 530i, got an updated inline-6 with 215hp and 185lb-ft of torque.

Then came 2007, and an all new V8. The top of the line was now called the 550i and had a 4.8L unit displacing 360hp and 360lb-ft of torque. However, it wasn’t until 2008 that we saw what BMW really could do with the styling of the E60/E61. The styling was updated tremendously! With a new front end, headlights, LED taillights and an updated interior coming in to play. And finally, for the first time, BMW brought the M-Sport package styling from Europe to the 550i sport package. But, not just did the new styling make people fall in love, the new engine options made people see visions of “The Ultimate Driving Machine” in its most natural of habitats, the back roads and highways. The 525 was now the 528i with a 3.0L I-6 making 230hp and 230lb-ft of torque.

And while I told you earlier about the 550s new 4.8L V8, the real headliner here was the twin-turbocharged I-6 straight from the Autobahn burner itself, the 335i. It packed 300hp and 300lb-ft of torque, and it went straight into the 530 replacement, the 535i. That may not sound like some crazy amount, but when you take into consideration that the 3.0L twin-turbo 6-cylinder is downrated from the factory, then you begin to realize it has almost as much power from its small powerplant as the 550i does from its V8. That’s amazing. The 550i, with the optional sport package, could do sprints to 60 in about 4.6-4.7 seconds. And the 535i could to the same in about 4.8 seconds.

But in order to handle all of this power, BMW couldn’t throw their normal automatic transmission into the 5-Series, like they used to. No, BMW worked with ZF transmissions to make a brand new 6-speed unit with optional paddle shifters. This became known as the supreme transmission for not just BMW, but for all of the world. Now, everyone pretty much uses a ZF automatic transmission modified by their terms for luxury, sport and exotic cars. Although, if you’re like me, it wouldn’t really matter, because you’d be ordering a manual transmission anyway.

The 5-Series has always handled well, but when you put the E60 into some curves, twists and turns, it was so much smoother and more fluid than any 5 before it. The power from the new engines, the sound from them, as well, and the perfect relationship between man and machine had never been so good in a non-M 5. And it still held 5 passengers and their luggage in great comfort. It was sporty first, with luxury coming up closely behind.

With all of the great things about the outgoing 5-Series, one of the best is it could also be ordered in Touring or all-wheel drive. You could only order the wagon in Xi trim, while the sedan could be ordered in RWD or AWD. Only the 6-cylinder models could be all-wheel drive, however. And the same goes for the Touring. Still, you were taking a little sport out of the equation and adding a lot more utility. You didn’t have an X5, but you still had pretty much the same cargo space, you just didn’t sit up as high. And it’s also easier for you to get in and out of places, too.

All of this was fantastic and all, but there was no one thing that could have prepared us for 2006. It was the year BMW made history. It was the year BMW took the world and turned it on its head. It was the year of the M5. It wasn’t just an all new ///M for the 5-Series. It was a 5.0L V10 500hp, 383lb-ft of torque monster ready to tackle the front lines of exotic battle. It was ready to make a Ferrari bleed its own red blood. It made every exotic sports car cry and run home to mommy. It was boss, and everyone was to see why. No matter if you enjoyed the styling of the interior and exterior of the M5, you weren’t caring too much when you heard the V10 of BMW’s Formula 1 race car absolutely scream up to 7,750 RPM. Most people will hear the M5 does 60mph in 4.5s.

While that’s fast, that’s .4s off of how it really does it. 4.1 seconds is the real number. That’s a V12 powered Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, folks. And once you take the 155mph limiter off, you’ll hit well over 200mph. A friend has quoted me 186mph as the fastest he has gotten, thus far, in his 2007 M5… In fact, the E60 M5 was so good, Motor Trend did a tribute video to it, as seen below. That’s pretty cool.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention some of the key things about it. The M5 weighs 4,012lbs. Umm, that’s an SUV or truck, and still is listed as a super car. It will also fit 4 people comfortably with plenty of room in the trunk. It has 5 seats, but the middle seat shouldn’t really be used for anything other than a child. Also, the M5 came standard with the Sequential Manual Gearbox II, or simply, SMG II. It was the second generation of BMW’s 7-speed sequential gearbox with F1-style paddle shifters. While it was a clumsy and not so great transmission, it handled the duties of making the M5 extremely fast without a clutch pedal. Starting in 2007, though, BMW was forced to produce 6-speed manual transmission M5s when many of the car’s original American orders where canceled upon the news that only the SMG would be offered.

With that said, some really cool technology debuted with the M5, outside of the V10 engine. It came with adaptive bolsters for the front passengers, that when engaged, would provide extra side bolstering to which part of you was moving while the car was cornering. Also, a new HUD, or Head-Up Display, was featured with turn by turn navigation built into the already stellar transmission, speed and rev visuals. The suspension, transmission, steering, acceleration and pretty much all else, could be all changed to be smoother, harder, sportier, more luxurious, or other things, just by the push of a button. The Electronic Damping Control, or EDC, was able to sharpen up the suspension from normal, to sport and sport plus, the transmission could go calmly into the next gear or ferociously with the push of some up or down tabs behind the gearshifter. And finally, you could change the power from 400hp to 500 or 500 sport. It was an amazing way to create a monster or just putt along in 400 mode to get a little extra fuel mileage.

European iDrive shown

With all of the accolades of the current 5-Series, there is an Achilles heal that everyone would be mentioning in the comments if I didn’t say it here. iDrive. Love it or hate it, it’s the backbone of every BMW to date. And most likely every one of them in the future. It’s been the most controversial of all things by the automotive loving public, but it’s also one of the most widely copied pieces of technology. Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Jaguar, Cadillac, Lexus, Infiniti, Nissan, Toyota and Acura, just to name a few, all have some sort of iDrive style knob and infotainment system. People still hated the way it operated. It confused most people when it debuted on the 2002 7-Series, but most quickly adapted. It’s still labeled as the worst thing BMW ever did. While it can be irritating, it’s not that bad. At least not to me… I never found it too crude, inoperable or even that painstaking. Although, I am that guy that will sit there with a brand new toy and inspect it inside and out for hours upon hours until I figure out how everything works and why it does a certain job.

In 2009 BMW upgraded the iDrive control unit to a brand new knob and buttons to make it much easier for people to use. Some still complain about it, but I find it even easier than it was before. But, once again, I’m the anything that’s hard is more fun, type of person.

So, it’s with all of this love and hate towards the E60/E61 5-Series that I, and everyone else here at BMW Blog, bid it ado. We hope that it will make a wonderful used car for someone, whether it be used as a track car, auto-x car, turned into a 100% racing car, a grocery getter, or the smart man’s CPO business car. It’s been fun knowin’ ya, E60, but it’s time for newer and better things. I for one will miss the old girl. I think the current 5s were as good as they got in terms of blending sport, luxury and style all in one. And let’s just hope that the new F10 M5 will be even more the beast that the E60 M5 wasn’t.

-Josh from RawAutos.com
“Happy Motoring!”

Along with the base price, BMW released the pricing for the 550i GT packages and stand-alone options: Active ventilated seat package $2,950, Camera Package $750, Cold Weather Package $950, Luxury Rear Seating Package $3,950, Sport Package $4,200. The complete packages pricing list can be seen in the image below.

Stand-alone options include the 20″ wheels with performance tires ($1,000), Integral Active Steering ($1,750), Head-up Display ($1,300), Night Vision ($2,600), Rear-seat entertainment ($2,200). The complete list is available below.

In the second half of next year, BMW will introduce the second 5 Series Gran Turismo model in the U.S. market: the 3.0 liter twin-scroll 535i GT. Considered to be the entry level for the GT family, we expect the 535i GT to be priced below the $60,000 mark, putting it somewhere in the range of a 5 Series Wagon.

The complete pricing list along with European Delivery, Military and Diplomatic Sales will be available in the next two weeks.

BMW 530d GT has the latest generation of 3.0-liter diesel which is expected to comfortably outsell the 535i GT in Europe. The engine outputs 241 horsepower 4000 rpm and 398lb ft of torque from 1750 to 3000 rpm.

Despite being the most affordable GT in the range, the 535d might become BMW’s highest seller in the lineup. For us in the United States, the 550i GT and 535i GT next year, will be the only available models for now.

Without any further ado, let’s see the reviews posted by Fifth Gear and as always, Autoblog.nl:

Here is an excerpt from their article:

“Bangle joined the Wolfsonian for a weekend-long celebration of the car as rolling sculpture. While this idea has been used many times before, the Wolfsonian Museum provides the perfect backdrop to emphasize there is life in industrial design. Located in the art-deco nucleus that is Miami, the Wolfsonian specializes in showing there is personality in bricks, mortar, and metal.

It’s easy to understand why Bangle doesn’t see polarizing elements as design setbacks. He embraces unique vehicles that incorporate elements that go beyond simple function. Life and personality is what he is looking for in his designs. Bangle speaks with enough affection for unique car designs that finishing a car is like creating a child. He gives it unconditional love, flaws and all.

But Bangle admits that modern cars don’t just live in a vacuum of design, and they must adapt to the reality of the situation. For example, he explains the creation of the Bangle Butt as largely due to: “The reality of engines pushed the hood up 6 cm, and that caused a chain reaction all the way to the end of the car.” In the final product, even the compromises of reality don’t dilute the art of a well-designed car. Bangle believes that when love and passion go into a design, they breathe life and personality into that inanimate object, turning it into “the biggest sculpture ever.”

This life/art balance is where Bangle feels most at home, and his comfort has led to exploring new boundaries. He made the Gina concept car out of fabric so the body could contour instantly to new shapes, including creating a winking feature for the headlights. He has also utilized paper origami to incorporate into sheet metal car bodies.

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The video shows different 5 Series variants and exterior colors: 550i, 535i and Sophisto Gray, Amethyst or Alpine White. What strikes us the most about this video compilation is the professional method in which it was shoot, a sign that the launch is imminent and the car is out in the open.

As we mentioned, the new 2011 BMW 5 Series will launch next Monday and our German publication, BimmerToday.de, will be there to report live. As always, stay tuned for a complete coverage of this new model.

MotorAuthority reports, based on an information from BMW North America CEO, Jim O’Donnell, that the six months push back will allow the company to offer a new ordering system that allows customers to pick and match their vehicles to their exact specifications.

At the same time, the article reports that initially the new X3 will be offered with four engine variants and the complete X3 lineup will feature four-cylinder units as well. BMW is considering both gasoline and diesel engines for their U.S. models.

Rendering by Auto Motor und SportWe reached out BMW USA Communication for confirmation on these news, but what we learned instead was that the redesigned X3 has always been scheduled to go on sale in early 2011 and will launch with only two engine variants.

The current BMW X3 production has not ended yet and the Magna Steyer manufacturer is still producing them at the Austrian plant. The changeover from the X3 to the new MINI Crossover will occur in the future as the X3 production line moves to Spartanburg.

On a different note, some reports indicate that associates in Spartanburg are being trained on the new X3 and more hiring will commence for the X3 production lines.

With a launch scheduled for 2011, we expect the new X3 to make its debut at one of the auto shows in the second half of 2010. The Detroit Auto Show in January will host the unveiling of the BMW X5 facelift.

The V12 engine outputs 544 horsepower at 5,000 rpm, with maximum torque of 533 lb-ft at 1,500.The engine is matted to an 8-speed automatic transmission and the 760 runs from 0-60 mph in just 4.6 seconds.

Now, let’s take a look at the Mercedes Benz S63 AMG. The S63 uses a 6.3-liter V8 engine which outputs a hefty 456 lb-ft. of torque on tap and 518-horsepower. The engine is matted to AMG-modified seven-speed automatic.

Who takes the crown? Let’s watch this great video from Top Gear.

With its sleek lines and incredible performance the BMW Z4 fiercely beat off its competitors to scoop its award. Its combination of striking looks and innovative technologies, together with an electro-hydraulically operated Retractable Hard-Top roof and a starting price of £28,650 OTR, made it clear to see why the Z4 was such an appealing choice.

Bill Caven, President of the ASMW, said: “The Z4 boasts a fine pedigree of high performance and thrills which few can match. Matched with brilliant build quality and a slick folding roof mechanism this is the ultimate Scottish driving machine.

The BMW EfficientDynamics programme was first introduced in 2007 and incorporates a wide variety of fuel-saving and emissions-reducing measures across the whole vehicle range as standard. EfficientDynamics technology includes Auto Start-Stop, Brake Energy Regeneration and Active Aerodynamics, amongst a range of other features. The ASMW’s accolade takes BMW’s total number of awards for EfficientDynamics into double digits.

Bill Caven, President of the ASMW, said: “Different manufacturers have created different solutions to provide cleaner more efficient motoring, but BMW with its EfficientDynamics programmes have certainly provided a breath of fresh air in making us more aware of what clean should mean.”

Tim Abbott, Managing Director of BMW Group UK, said: “The Z4 has enjoyed high praise since its launch back in May and this award recognises its technical prowess and cements its position as one of the best roadsters on the market. Like all our cars, the Z4 has a number of EfficientDynamic features which help it deliver outstanding fuel economy and CO2 figures – particularly considering the performance it delivers. It is great to receive such recognition within the industry for EfficientDynamics as this programme is so closely aligned with BMW’s core values”

The nose complies and slides runs, head-long, into the first of a wonderful series of turns; the cool fall atmosphere turns into a blur of orange, red, and yellow all around me. On my left, a guard rail holding back a steep drop and on my right a protruding rock face with scattered, bare trees, both hoping the car and driver don’t misstep. As I propel the car through the turns it doesn’t do what I expect it to: instead of running wide, the nose sticks and glides through the turns, composed and ready to take on the next turn without question.

As I exit the long series of S curves with a hint of a smile on my face, I look down at the display in front of me only to be shocked to see the suspension setting reads “COMFORT.” This was one of my favorite moments of a day with BMW’s all new 550i Gran Turismo and for those who are short on time, rest assured, the new 5 Series GT model still drives like a BMW should drive.

We were luck enough to have the opportunity to try a press test drive at the BMW headquarters in  Woodcliff, NJ headquarters to allow us, along with other journalists, to try out the 7 Series-based 5 GT. We were more than happy to take them up on the offer as part of a two-day agenda for the 550i GT and an educational session on BMW as it currently and will continue to exist in the United States, we were able to try out the 5 GT in a series of different environments that an average driver would come across. Honestly, on my flight up there, I didn’t know what to expect when it was all said and done. After all, I couldn’t stand the thought of the 5 GT when I saw the initial pictures of the model a few months ago.

Styling is an excellent jumping off point for the 5 GT too. Many love it, many hate it – typical of BMW styling as of late. However, after arriving early and spending about an hour snapping shots of the GT, the car began to make more sense to me as I went over the lines of it in person. As I wandered around a parking lot full of the GT’s I studied the curves of the car and the first thing I found was that the GT is best suited in highly reflective, darker colors as they show off the subtle curves of the car. Colors like Titanium Silver don’t really give a good impression of the way the design flows and can make the it feel a bit awkward – however, this can probably be said of many modern cars. The second thing I noticed was just how much styling DNA comes across from the CS Concept.

Studying the nose of the GT, I  could see how the nose the very wide dual kidney grill protrude outward, giving the front fascia a very masculine, strong look. Along the sides, the CS Concept influence continues with a high cutline that runs from the front wheel arch all the way to the tail lamps, giving the car a very sculpted appearance. At the rear, the 5 GT does have a large butt and there is no getting around it. From 3/4 shots of the rear, it does look a bit tacked on but when looking directly at the rear it looks fantastic. With squat, artistically styled L shaped tail lamps and a bit of a sedan-like, squished wagon rear-end, the back of the car looks very BMW but with a cross between a 5 Series Touring and an X6/X5. Overall, the exterior looks strong and honestly, pictures don’t do it much justice. The tail lamps are a very nice touch to the rear with their ressemblance blown glass.

Regarding the interior, again, typical BMW with a styling mix somewhere between an X6 and 7 Series. Certainly not a bad thing! The interior of a BMW is a very comfortable place to be and the controls, while taking a little getting used to, are fairly easy to interpret and find while driving. The new i-Drive controls mounted on the transmission tunnel make a world of difference to the usability of the system while driving as do the changes BMW has implemented on the latest i-Drive. However, we will get back to the interior later.

The next morning, when it came time to head out to spend the day with a 550i GT, I was lucky enough to be the driving the first leg of the trip and so I snuggled in behind the wheel. However, first we had to load all of our camera gear into the trunk. BMW has a trick two-stage trunk with hidden in the GT’s rump, with the first stage acting like a normal trunk that doesn’t give access to the interior. The second stage is a full 5th door that gives access to the rear seats while permitting the owner to put taller objects into the back or providing unrestricted access to the trunk space. If you need more trunk space then feel free to move the rear seats forwards to adjust for additional room. After loading most of our stuff into the trunk, I was surprised by how much room we still had yet to take up. This was the 5 GT successfully demonstrating its versatility for taking long weekend trips or heavy use in around-town errands.

However, I digress. The first thing you notice in modern BMW’s is the level of information at your finger tips on the displays around the speedometer and tachometer. There’s almost too much to take in when you’re driving and I found myself hunting for information more than being able to quickly look down at the gauges. However, the new interface has been designed to keep your eyes off of the i-Drive screen and facing forward and it does that part very well once acquainted with the systems. Coupled with the improved scrolling and sub-menu controls on the steering wheel for things like navigation and music menus, I found it very easy to scroll through songs on my iPod without the need to take my eyes off the road as songs cycle through the bottom right corner of the display. This integration of i-Drive and some of its functionality into the display makes the system much less of a distraction than previous iterations and you find yourself successfully navigating through to what you need versus trying to hold the wheel and watch the road while scrolling through endless menus. An interesting aside to the display is the small “Efficient Dynamics” mete below the tachometer that works similar to a full efficiency gauge with a blue area and battery logo. When the driver lifts from the throttle or brakes hard the gauge registers up into the blue region of the meter which BMW told us is the battery being charged up to recapture energy. However, this isn’t similar to KERS from Formula One that adds horsepower but just a means of recapturing energy for the battery.

After the offset, we cruised across some undulating city roads where the 550i GT felt very sedate and surprising quiet at low speeds. The up shifts in the 8-speed automatic and nearly imperceptible and the down shifts are almost the same too. While 8 gears may sound like a lot, the transmission manages pretty well in automatic mode and you don’t get a feeling that the gearbox is hunting for the best gear constantly as some of BMW’s competition has been criticized for. As we glided along through the crisp, cool morning, I realized that the seating position of the 5 GT sits somewhere between a low-slung sedan and a smaller, X3-sized SAV. It isn’t bad but it does feel a bit odd at first as you feel like you should be driving a car but have a somewhat altered seating.

Upon reaching the interstate, I decided it was time to open up the 4.3L twin-turbo V8 and see how well it used those 400 German horses it was hiding under the hood. That’s when I learned of the Jeykll & Hyde personality of the 550i GT. I down shifted to third and punched the throttle and a mechanical whine started to shout from the rear. Remember when you’re a kid sitting in a school desk and you’re pretending to drive a sports car so you’re making a sort of “grrrrrrrr vrooom grrrrrrrrrrrr!” noise for the engine and gear changes? Well take that noise and then make it throatier and that is what the exhaust note of the 550i GT sounds like – an “M3 lite” if you will. Not too loud, not too soft, just right for the car. Aside from the lovely sound, there are gobs of power throughout the rev band and the engine pulls very well from about 2,000 RPM’s up to the 7,000 RPM red-line. This is where the split personality of the car comes in, though. When you hammer the engine it will absolutely scream and come to life with incredible fury, ready to do more than you’re expecting it to, being quite the little torque monster it will get up and run. However, if you’re feeling a little more lazy, the 550i GT can easily settle down and very quietly cruise along, making the local police none-the-more suspicious that you just finished caning the car down a mountain.

Which brings me to the suspension and overall driving feel of the car. The majority of the cars to test were equipped with the Sports Package, and as an enthusiast, I have to say that there is no other way to go. Our car came equipped with the optional package and the 20 inch wheels which fill the wheel wells nicely. Yes, our car came with the run flats but that has been beaten to death so let’s move on. One wonderful feature that the 550i GT had was the adjustable suspension that comes from other BMW’s like the 750i with a simple button on the console by the gear lever that can be thumbed up or down for the 4 pre-determined suspension settings: Comfort, Normal, Sport and Sport+. What’s nice is that the active steering system is linked in with the suspension setting so the steering feel will react differently depending on what mode is selected on the suspension. In comfort mode? Great your steering feels light but effective. Want to carve corners? Then the steering firms up a good bit and has a solid, weighted feeling behind it when one of the Sport modes is selected. Honestly, I despised the active steering system in the E60 when it was first introduced but when packaged with an active suspension this execution of it makes for a very compelling case.

On open stretches such as a highway or even in the city, I found the Comfort mode kept the bumps at a minimum and generally the car felt very cushy and wafted us across poor roads and expansion joints. However, if you really feel like getting on it, I recommend the two Sport modes, the first firms everything up and the second disables a few electric nannies while still retaining a large threshold for driver error. However, if you take a corner fast with Comfort selected, you will get a noticeable sensation of bluntness by the car. However, that’s simply cured with an adjustment of the suspension. When I found myself on tight back roads it was easier to leave everything in Sport mode and still retain a fairly compliant ride quality. BMW has been nice enough to allow even the most picky drivers, via i-Drive, to alter the settings of these modes and what they affect, however, I didn’t take advantage of this and left my trust in the engineers’ hands through the pre-determined arrangements.

After some hard punting around Southeastern New York state, I found I really enjoyed the 550i GT and my initial skepticism was beginning to wash away after a few hours behind the wheel. Too bad it was time for a driver change at a petite tea house inside of a small village in New York. As a passenger in the 550i GT, I was still in the one of the best seats in the house. It gave me time to appreciate the two-stage, Olympic-pool sized sunroof and the overall aesthetic and comfort of the interior. Much different from most modern BMW’s, the interior feels very open and light, a much more accessible greenhouse than I can remember driving in a new BMW in quite some time. In scanning the interior, it felt very cohesive yet had an incredible amount of room. The design is top notch and flows well from the matte wooden dash, wrapping around and down through the frameless doors, from front to back the design feels very succinct. The  swooping lines and materials of the interior feel like a very big step up over the E60/E65 as the lines are not sharp and slashing and feel more conducive to a comfortable atmosphere.

However, the best part of the interior is the rear seat. Available as a 3-person rear seat or a 2-person bench with power rear seats, this is quite a comfortable place to be. As the 5 GT is based on a F01 750i platform, you’re privy to the same rear seating capacity and overall interior space. In the rear with the partially reclining seats, I found a very comfortable place to spend my time. With optional DVD players in the rear seats, acres of leg room (I’m 6′4 and my feet were nowhere near the front seats) you start to wonder – “why would I pick a 750i over the 550i GT?” Especially when the model we tested is anticipated to come in somewhere in the mid-high $60,000 range, well below a base 750i.  While most owners will never spend a lot of time being driven in their own car, this car made a compelling case for asking my fiance to start driving me around when we have to run errands. Add to the comfort the very open, airy feel of the greenhouse and you’ll likely not want to get out of the car once you reach your destination.

After we crept up to the top of the mountain to an incredible view and even better lunch at a very German-like hotel, it was my time to jump back behind the wheel and take the 550i GT back down the mountain onto  the highway and back to the hotel. I, of course, came screaming down the mountain and did get a feeling that 550i GT, as good as it is, will not hide its weight and if you push it too hard in the corners it will push wide and the brakes will get a little squishy if you continue to lean on them heavily. Thankfully, to steer the wheels BMW has active rear steering on the rear wheels which, above a pre-determined speed, will turn up to 3 degrees with the front wheels to help overall handling – surprisingly, if you look for it you can feel the system working.

However, as I neared the end of my commute across a good portion of southern New York state, I realized that the GT is about luxury first with performance second and that my initial impressions were wrong: this is a true BMW after all. Surprisingly, I was OK with that realization. This is a car for couples who may have a few young children or older children already out of the house. A car for people who enjoy driving but need something that is comfortable and spacious first but has accessible performance at a whim. Happen to have a favorite twisting road that you hit on your way back from work? Great, this car will waft you to the office comfortably and then allow you to slip everything into sport mode and take full advantage of the performance aspects of the car on the way home.

The car caters to an audience older than myself, someone who isn’t ready for a 7 Series yet but needs something less compromising in terms of functionality and wants something quick and  likes to travel often. However, the 5 Series GT does what it was built for well: a great all-rounder that can take you to the office, around town or off for a long weekend while allowing you to travel in comfort and very modern style with performance and space aplenty and all with improved efficiencies.

Thinking of getting an sporting luxury SUV or wagon for your next car? Congratulations, your decision process just got that much more difficult.

Disclaimer: BMW flew me out to New Jersey, stuffed me with food and put me through a day of “school” before getting behind the 5 Series GT.