Archive for the ‘Latest articles on auto industry’ Category

BMW confirms the 1-Series M

Thursday, June 10th, 2010

BMW has confirmed to put the M-Version of their 1 Series into production, which will be based on the current 135i.

After the Nurburgring 24-Hour Race, MW M DivisionB Managing Director Dr. Kay Segler confirmed the news, and said that the car will be based on the 135i model, and is aimed at younger buyers and give them entry into the M Division on a budget. The 1-Series M will be sold in limited numbers beginning from the end of 2011.

Not unveiling much detail, the M1 named car is expected to have more than 322bhp, which is the horsepower put out by the 135i Power Performance Kit that was launched in Geneva earlier this year.

Segler also cleared that the next M5 will appear in late 2011, with the engine that’s based on the 4.4-litre twin turbo V8 that is found in the X5M and X6M. Power will be considerably more than the 547bhp that the off-roaders put out, with speculation that the final output will be between 572bhp and 592bhp. There will also be weight-saving measures such as a carbon fibre roof to enhance performance.

Auto Rendered: BMW Project i rendered

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

Now something about future, let’s check it out. BMW i-project, it will be built like no other car that they built before, featuring an electric motor and a carbon fiber structure, according to BMW. At the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, the first prototype will be unveiled, and the production version will follow in 2013.

The Project i will feature a carbon steel – because there is no material that is lighter and stiffer – with the target being a total weight of 950 kilos. There will be three different body versions. The plan is a production of 150,000 cars per year including a three-door/four seater with a length of 4.00 m. Its name is the Megacity and will be produced starting in 2013.

While the next model is a three-door/two seater with a length of about 3.30 meters that is said to be launched in 2015 and a five-door version with a length of 4.2 meters debuting in 2017.

The project-i models start with electric drive and lithium-ion batteries. The top version will be offered with a regenerative braking system. The mid-level version is expected to be a long range hybrid and the entry level will deliver around 100HP and will have autonomy of 150 to 200 Kilometers.

Prices will start in the 30,000 euro range ($36,000 at the current exchange rates) for the base model.