Anyone know of or have tried installing the aftermarket "Pioneer" Apple Carplay interfaces into the X3? They look sharp but have no idea if they would fit etc.... ?
http://ift.tt/RDYMe8
http://ift.tt/RDYMe8
In a recent interview with Autoblog, Carsten Pries, the BMW M Product Chief admitted that he received e-mails from customers with the rendering of the future BMW 7 Series with four tailpipes at the back, pointing to an M version, the M7 to be more precise. The M division would also love to get a chance at challenging the aforementioned super-fast limousines and show them how its done but the truth of the matter is, resources are limited. We always have more ideas than resources, said Pries adding that the brand needs to, stay focused and prioritize. Another issue is that even though e-mail have been sent and received, consequently taken into consideration, the demand has to be big enough to justify a possible investment into a proper M car. Otherwise, the company could be building a car that would eventually flop when it goes into production and thats a chance BMW isnt willing to take at the moment. Its rather interesting too since they did appreciate that cars like the 2 Series Active Tourer or the 3 Series GT are worth the investment. And the sales numbers seem to agree, the 2er reaching more households worldwide than previously anticipated. How would an M7 look like? If BMW would release the M7 this time around, it would use the G10/G11 chassis with some improvements and the updated S63 engine in the X5 and X6 M models. That means it would weigh around 1,700-1,800 kg (3,747 lbs to 3,968 lbs) thanks to extensive CFRP, aluminum and magnesium usage and would have 575 HP and 750 Nm (553 lb-ft) of torque at its disposal. It would probably also be hooked up to the 8-speed ZF gearbox on the SUVs since the 7-speed DCT made by Getrag used in the M5/M6 and M3/M4 models is limited to 700 Nm (516 lb-ft) of torque. An M Performance car would also do the trick, like the rumored M770i model that has been going around for quite some time. However, in this case, its hard to imagine what engine could be used to kick things off. Most likely, it could be an improved version of the 4.4-liter V8 on the 750i models we have today. That would make such a car close to what Alpina is offering in the shape of the B7 Biturbo that has 540 HP and 730 Nm (538 lb-ft) of torque. |
S.F. public defender detained outside court; office outraged By Vivian Ho Updated 5:44 pm, Wednesday, January 28, 2015 A San Francisco deputy public defender was handcuffed and arrested at the Hall of Justice after she objected to city police officers questioning her client outside a courtroom, an incident that her office called outrageous and police officials defended as appropriate. The Tuesday afternoon arrest of attorney Jami Tillotson as she denied police officers attempts to take photos of her client without explanation raised questions about police intimidation and harassment, Public Defender Jeff Adachi said at a Wednesday news conference................ |
'The 3 Series we've missed is back, but it has a British accent and a supercharged six.' Most groups of vehicles are lucky enough to contain one car that's so far ahead of every other that it defines the class. The Germans are perhaps better than we are at calling out the obviouswhat we call "small hatchbacks," they more simply call the Golfklasse, or "Golf Class," named after the Volkswagen Golf. We don't have a name for the class of cars that the BMW 3-Series invented. "Compact, premium, predominantly rear-drive sedans with luxurious appointments and sporting pretense" doesn't exactly flow off the tongue. But we know this group of cars well. It contains the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, Cadillac ATS, Infiniti Q60, Lexus IS, and Mercedes C-Class. And now, the Jaguar XE. It'll be about a year before this sedan makes its way onto our roads, which is convenient. It gives you plenty of time to finish out the lease on your current car and start saving money for a down payment on an XE. It's been a long time since a car so unceremoniously tromped the competition in driving dynamics the way the 3 Series used to do, but the Jaguar XE does just that. The reigning driver's-car champsCadillac ATS and Lexus IS 350 F Sportare in big trouble when the Jaguar arrives. But we're getting ahead of ourselves. The Jaguar XE is an all-new, aluminum-chassis sedan. The 3.0-liter supercharged V6 engine, the only one available at launch, carries over from the brand's other cars, but the rest of the five-seater is new. It is, in every external measure, within two inches of the current 3 Series. Importantly, it's 1.5 inches wider and 0.6 inch lower, and as a result, it looks far more sporting on the road. The aluminum construction doesn't seem to actually save any weight. Jaguar claims a base curb weight of 3671 pounds in Euro trim, which means we can likely expect the rear-drive sedan to weigh 3750 pounds by the time it arrives here. That's a good 150 pounds more than the steel 3 Series. Though the XE is dimensionally similar outside, it feels a half-size smaller inside, especially in the back seat. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, since the 3 Series has gotten rather large. The XE's front seats are wonderfully comfortable; the rears are somewhat narrow, thanks to substantial bolstering that pushes you toward the center. Legroom is at a slight premium back there, and there's enough headroom only for about a six-footer. The trunk is slightly smaller than a 3 Series's, but to complain about any of these things is to forget that this is the compact luxury class. The Jag is the right size, inside and out. The rear-drive XE will go on sale in the spring of 2016 with that supercharged 340-hp V6 mated to a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission. Shortly thereafter, a diesel option will be addeda 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 180 hp. By the end of the year, we should also see a 2.0-liter turbo gas four based on the same new "Ingenium" design as the diesel. All engines will be available with all-wheel drive as an optionand Jaguar promises that a manual transmission will be available on the 2.0-liter gas rear-drive model. More on that later. We drove a prototype XE with both the diesel and the V6. And while this new, in-house diesel is very good, we'll concentrate on the model with six spark plugs. Our test car was fitted with adaptive dampers and 19-inch wheels wearing Dunlop Sport Maxx RT tires developed specially for the XE. The XE uses double-wishbone front suspension and JLR's "Integral Link" rear suspension, which is essentially a multilink setup that decouples vertical and longitudinal forces. According to Jaguar, this allows the use of softer bushings for the vertical plane (for a smoother ride) and harder bushings elsewhere for better wheel controland therefore, handling. Whatever Jaguar's done, it works like a charm. The XE continues Jaguar's tradition of impeccable ride quality combined with excellent body control in corners. The XE bombs down lumpy, twisty back roads at felony speeds without ever losing its composure or molesting its bump stops. Here's the best part: It's not just capable, it's interactive and fun, too. Jaguar's first use of electric power-steering assist (EPAS) is a slam-dunk. The company claims that it remained with hydraulic steering until it decided that EPAS technology, which it's been working on since 2008, actually provides "better on-center feel and linearity" than hydraulic steering. Bullshit. Not compared with Jaguar's own hydraulic steering, perhaps, but that was an outlier. Compared with most every other EPAS setup on the road, the XE's steering is natural and talkative and, therefore, a huge relief. It might not be quite as good as the old hydro setup, but I'll say one thing: If electric power steering had started out this good, you wouldn't have heard us complain about it, ad nauseam, for the past few years. Kudos to Jag for not implementing EPAS until it was good enough. And bravo to the engineers for making a modern car that's so enjoyable to drive. The ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic is, as always, absolutely transparent in its operation, giving you exactly the gear you want, when you want it, without you ever feeling a shift. The supercharged six is far more refined in this application than elsewhere, and its immediate power delivery is a welcome reminder of how laggy most turbo engines are. Is the XE perfect? Of course notthere is no such thing. First, there's the caveat of Jaguar's legendary reliability history. We experienced no problems with the XE, and the build quality of our preproduction prototype test cars was excellent, though both cars had rattles coming from their driver's-side door seal and a whistle from air passing over the passenger mirror. These are minor issuesthe fit and finish was flawless; let's hope this remains true of the production cars. Second, JLR's new touchscreen navigation and infotainment system is far more colorful and somewhat quicker than the outgoing disaster, but it's still difficult to use and painfully slow. It lacks radio presets, requires far too many cumbersome presses to do simple tasks, and the navigation-map zoom is awfully slow. And third: Jaguar USA's product planners need to shift gears, quickly, before our car goes into production. At the moment, the manual transmission is scheduled to appear only on base (rear-drive, four-cylinder) models. It appears JLR still thinks it's 1992, where college professors buy their Toyota Tercels with manuals to save a couple bucks on purchase and fuel. If any models should carry a stick, it's the supercharged V6 and the turbodiesel. Manuals are bought only by enthusiasts these daysnot collegiate cheapos. Furthermore, the V6 manual powertrain has already been federalized (it's in the 2016 F-type, which we drove but can't tell you about yet), and it is the proper halo car to suck enthusiasts into Jaguar showrooms. For what purpose, that halo? Whether they buy a manual or sell their soul and grab an automatic, once they drive an XE, it's game over for anything else in the class. You've been warnedstart saving now. |
Quote: Lets get ready for an exciting year of racing in 2015! With so many BMW's, new and old, cranking up the boost and competing for top spot, lets see how they do all in one place.. From the Turbo E46s, TT and Single Turbo N54's, Supercharged S65's, TT S63's, and latest TT S55's! Prizes: 1st Place: $250 2nd Place: $100 3rd Place: $50 Lets see who puts down the most POWER! Price: 4 Pulls for $40 Dont worry about lunch, that's on us (Pizza)! Come on out and see what you can do, or just hang out with good cars and friendly people. Reserve your spot now! Email your name, and car to: UndercoverTuning@me.com |
Gargantuan Resto-Mod Project: Classic BMW E9 CS Body Fitted Over E39 M5 Drivetrain Everyone is going to have a differing opinion on what they would have done different to individualize this BMW CS/M5 resto mod build by MKO GmbH to their own personal taste, but surely all those vested in the dialog will have to agree that the overall end result is absolutely lethal. In a good way. Sure, some would have opted to leave the original vintage interior in it, and/or have chosen more sedate period correct looking wheels, however it might help to know some vital facts before drawing your own conclusion… You see, what we have here is an original early 70′s BMW CS body that was crafted over an existing E39 M5 chassis and drivetrain, compete with 6 speed manual, so this was not exactly “just” an engine swap situation we got going here. All of the modern car’s electronics, including ABS, sat nav, air bags and climate control appear to have had to be taken into consideration and incorporated into the build, and let’s also not overlook the fact that the rims had to remain 18″ to fit over the large brakes. So, other than possibly having kept the upper portion of the vintage dash intact, perhaps this was the only way to craft this car while retaining it’s factory OEM vibe. As the build details start mounting while we take those factors into consideration, maybe you will agree that the later car’s quad tip exhaust and rims were best left fitted to suggest that this isn’t just any ordinary 3.0 CS resto mod, but rather an M5 with a vintage body placed over it. Our jury has deliberated and our own personal verdict has been reached, but we want to know how would you have built it different with all of the aforementioned information now to ponder? Share your thoughts in the “Comments” section below… MKO GmbH & Co. KG Siemenstrasse 23 84109 Worth/Isar Germany 0049 8702 946880 info@mko-v8.de www.MKO-V8.de |
Copyright © 2010 BMW 1 Series
Blogger Templates by Splashy Templates
PSD design by Katrin Wegmann