WheelTronix

BMW has stated that it is scheduling a GT edition of its 3-Series hatch which is named as the 335i. This new edition is planned to be along the same lines as its 5-Series Grand Turismo.

The GT will be established on the new 3-Series saloon which will be unveiled in 2011. Like the 5 GT the 335i will be a form of coupe/SUV intersect with a elevated ride-height stance and inclined rear end with rear door.
It may probably be all-wheel drive and will have a variety of 4 cylinder and 6 cylinder engines. The design will be similar to the X6 with short overhangs, marked wheel arches and flashy alloy wheels.

The BMW car will be offered in a 4 seat and a more functional 5 seat arrangement and it will be supplied by an array of BMW’s most recent range of turbo and diesel engines.

BMW tuner Alpina has set in motion a saloon version of its high functioning D3 diesel.

Highly developed from the D3 Coupe, the four-door saloon is catered by 2.0-litre twin turbo diesel which is similar and is lifted from the 123d. Under the Alpina’s cowl it produces 211bhp, assisting the 3-Series sprint to 62mph in just 6.9 seconds, at long last topping out at 152mph.

Apart from its storming performance the engineers have also tried their hands at improving the efficiency of the D3. This resulted in the Alpina producing good output and it averages a fine 52.3mpg and emits a 143g/km of carbon dioxide.

The cost of the new version starts from £29,950 for the six-speed manual. The price of its six-speed automatic starts from £31,585.

BMW reveiled the new concept of the 5 series Grand Tourismo. This car is a mixture of different types of BMW series. It has space and comfort like a luxery 7-Series, but is based on a 5-series. This concept is a carbon copy of the production car that bows in at this autumn’s 2009 Frankfurt motor show and goes on sale this autumn for around £2k more than a Five Touring. (more…)

BMW’s next-generation high-performance ‘M’ models will have smaller but turbocharged engines, according to Auto Week.

These improved but downsized units will offer better fuel consumption and lower emissions, yet not compromise on performance, BMW officials have promised.
First of the new turbo Ms will be the X6 xDrive M, which is to go on sale next summer; this is to have a version of BMW’s 4.4-litre V8, with output upped to around 500bhp. This engine will then be used in the next-generation M5, replacing the current model’s 5.0-litre V10.

A similar strategy will be followed with subsequent new M models, which will also eventually receive BMW’s stop-start system and other fuel-saving technologies.

BMW of North America LLC will increase U.S. vehicle prices by 2.1% all over its line-up of BMW-branded vehicles for the 2009 model year.

BMW announced that the increase in the costs of raw material has led to the increase in the price. The 2009 vehicles will be launched for dealerships in October.

This increase in price on U.S. vehicles is company’s second rise since June. It had increased the prices on its 2008 line-up by 1%.

Automakers and suppliers are trying to cope with the price increases on raw materials such as steel. BMW also has to cope with a weak dollar. This has made it more expensive to build vehicles in Europe and sell them in the United States.

In the United States, BMW division sales slipped by 8.0% in the first seven months of the year.

BMW’s profit this year is anticipated to be down about 40 percent from 2007.