Try as it might, the BMW M3 Coupe can’t lose the Alpina B7. The two of us are an unlikely automotive pair, playing cat-and-mouse on one long road to nowhere deep in the reaches of an unincorporated area of the California coastal mountains. The air is cool and the canyons are mostly quiet. Only the sound of two wailing V8s breaks the silence.
Subaru’s Rear-Wheel Drive Sports Car Technology Concept is officially Geneva-bound. That’s right, no all-wheel drive, at least not in concept form.
Audi says goodbye to old luxury, then welcomes progress with its all-new 2011 Audi A8 sedan.
2011 BMW Alpina B7 – Click above for high-res image gallery
Try as it might, the can’t lose the . The two of us are an unlikely automotive pair, playing cat-and-mouse on one long road to nowhere deep in the reaches of an unincorporated area of the California coastal mountains. The air is cool and the canyons are mostly quiet. Only the sound of two wailing V8s breaks the silence.
While the M3 dives into the corners with confidence, the B7 launches out with ferocious conviction. The M3 pulls energetically on the short straights, but the B7 puts its power down with resolve and steadily reels the smaller coupe back in. Even mid-corner, when the M3 is in perfect step, the B7 clenches a slightly wider line but still holds its ground.
We’ve been at this game for more than an hour, and neither of us is willing to raise a white flag. Only the illumination of the low fuel light in the smaller coupe has us calling it quits. Want to learn what it takes to harass an M3 owner?
The inaugural season of the FIA GT1 World Championship is in the history books. But after just one season, reports are already cropping up of teams looking to withdraw.
Twelve teams participated in the opening series campaigning six different cars between them: GT1-spec versions of the MC12, GT, DBR9, , and . And while all the cars look set to carry on for next season, not all of them will necessarily have two teams representing.
Reports indicate that Matech – one of the teams racing the Ford GT, having carried out much of the development work itself – and Hegersport – the second team fielding the Maserati MC12 behind Vitaphone – may be gone from the grid next season, dropping the field from twelve teams to ten.
The report cites sponsorship difficulties as the reason for their potential withdrawal, but with rumors potentially placing a , and the on the GT1 grid for next season, it may be just as likely that the organizers will be able to line up two or more new teams before the series returns in the new year.
Do you own a product? Does that BMW product have a V8 or V12 engine under the hood? If you answered yes to both questions, listen up – BMW of North America has announced that they are getting ready to recall about 198,000 cars because their power braking systems have the potential to develop a leak.
The affected cars include:
2004-10 BMW 645i and 650i
If you happen to own a (2003-2010), don’t think your opulence can escape a potentially faulty braking system. Your ultra-lux land yacht is also part of the impending recall.
Though the leak can cause a reduction in braking power, BMW says the vehicles can still be brought to a halt safely. No accidents or injuries have been reported as a result of this issue.Official press release available after the jump. Thanks for the tip, Charles!
BMW 5 Series by Hamann – Click above for high-res image gallery
The waiting game. A new round ensues for enthusiasts every time an automaker like unveils a new product, a four-door sedan, especially. In the case of the , what we’re eagerly anticipating is the new . In the meantime, BMW has released its own line of M-Sport accessories and Alpina has joined the party with the new . Now German tuning house Hamann has entered the fold with its own equipment list for the mid-size Bimmer.
The package consists of a new body kit, complete with a new front bumper incorporating an adjustable front lip spoiler and daytime running LEDs, side skirts, rear apron and diffuser and a pair of spoilers, along with 21-inch matte black alloys with contrasting polished rims, a 35-milimeter dropped suspension and a four-tip exhaust system. Carbon fiber and aluminum accessories are available for the interior, though details on Hamann’s engine upgrade program have yet to be revealed. In the meantime you can check it out in the high-resolution image gallery below.
The Rapide may be one of the most gorgeous sedans ever produced, but it comes at the expense of refinement.
In our first installment from Japan, we take a critical look at how Toyota is dealing with the engineering and organizational failures that lead to this year’s massive recall debacle.
The next M5 is right around the corner, but Alpina has already created its own uber-5 Series, complete with a 507-hp, twin-turbocharged V8.
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2011Alpina B5 Bi-Turbo – Click above for high-res image gallery
has finally graced the world with a handful of images and all of the gritty details about the all-new after its debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The company has managed to bless the with a mythic 507 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. How, you ask? The B5 makes use of the same twin-turbo, all aluminum V8 found in the car’s big brother, the B7. That means that there’s a full 4.4-liters of displacement sucking down 1 bar of pressure for the two turbos under the hood. Sounds like a party.
The eight-pot is bolted to an eight-speed automatic transmission that Alpina co-developed with the gear-swapping gurus at ZF. If the mood strikes you, the driver can click through the gears via buttons mounted on the back side of the steering wheel, though given the massive amount of work Alpina put into the transmission, odds are you’re better off letting the car do the work for you.
There’s also a completely reworked suspension on board that includes slightly shorter springs and unique control arms that help eek a little more camber out of the front wheels. Combined with the electronically adjustable suspension, the company claims to provide an altogether sharper driving experience. Speaking of wheels, Alpina has equipped the B5 Bi-Turbo with a set of the company’s epic 20-inch rollers. Check out the gallery of high-res images below and then click for the granddaddy of a press blast.
Alpina has made a business out of taking the best vehicles from one marque and making them substantially better than anything rolling off the assembly line. The Alpina B7 is easily the best 7 Series we’ve driven.
Tesla reportedly raised $226 million with its IPO, or 13.3 million shares at $17 per. The $226 mil total went above and beyond the high-end figure of $16 per share. *Update:Shares are now trading some 40% higher than initial price.
Welcome the newest entrant to the Autoblog Long-Term Garage: the 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Street Edition. and follow us at .
2011 BMW Alpina B7 – Click above for high-res image gallery
Alpina is as familiar to German enthusiasts as Shelby, Hurst, Saleen and Yenko are to American gearheads. And like its American counterparts, Alpina has made a business out of taking the best vehicles from one marque and making them substantially better than anything rolling off the assembly line.
The relationship between and Alpina started in 1962 when a German enthusiast named Burkard Bovenseipen realized his BMW 1500 had plenty of untapped potential. Bovenseipen developed a dual carburetor kit for the 1500’s four-cylinder, and as the carbs flew off the shelves, he realized there was a serious market for BMW-based performance parts. Mr. B formed ALPINA Burkard Bovenseipen KG in 1964 and in the decades since, the company has become known simply as Alpina.
But while the name has changed, its mission remains the same, and its line of upgrades have grown considerably since its inception. Bovenseipen’s team continues to recognize the potential in almost every new BMW product, and the small but competent company, now managed by Bovenseipen’s son Andreas (his staff calls him Andy), delivers better, less compromised, higher-performance versions of BMW production cars.
In Europe, Alpina offers variants of the , and 6 Series, dubbed the , , and , respectively. However, production constraints (and some concerns about M cannibalization, we’re sure) prevents sales of these hotted-up Bimmers in the States. That’s a crime, because the – the only Alpina available in the U.S. – is easily the best we’ve driven.
Gallery:
Photos by Rex Roy / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
The Alpina B5 has been a couple of times and seen , so it’s pretty clear what we’ll be in for. However, before the car’s official unveiling at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July, Alpina has released a sketch of what will be one of the hottest 5ers that doesn’t begin with an “M.” There will be two turbos stuck to the engine lurking behind that highly slatted front end, and we’re told that “there will be an eye towards fuel economy with this car.” But presumably, just one very, very little gnat-sized eye…
What you see above is a BMW 6 Series – but just barely. Since leaving Munich, it’s been transformed into the B6 by Alpina, then into the race-spec , and is now in the process of being converted to top-tier GT1 spec by yet another company, Aurora Racing Designs.
The motorsport concern is a joint effort by former McLaren engineer Nicholas Galbraith and former Alpina racing designer Andreas Puschel. Together they’re taking the development of the B6 GT1 off Alpina’s hands so that the tuner can focus its energies on its current customer GT3 racing program. Sounds promising. We’d guess the chassis is targeted to join various Le Mans Series grids and the new FIA GT1 World Championship in time for next season. BMW racing fans should stay tuned for more.
Bimmerfest 2010 – Click above for a high-res image gallery
Bimmerfest is billed as the celebration of being a enthusiast – but to most it is simply the world’s largest BMW event held in North America. After starting as a small get-together at a BMW dealership in Santa Barbara just over a decade ago, the show has outgrown all of its venues… until now. The 2010 show, its 11th annual event, was held at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena this weekend. Thanks to strong online forum support for , this year’s show was packed with thousands of BMW models covering decades of production and dozens of vendors peddling accessories. If you have a Roundel on your hood, it’s worth the trip (some drove from as far as Alaska and Florida just to attend).
The best part of Bimmerfest – and the reason we enjoy the show so much – is that nearly every single BMW at the show is privately owned. Sure, BMW North America brought some cars to display (among them an and a Alpina B7), but the diversity and customization of the owned cars meant no two were alike. We weaved our way through hundreds of freshly detailed and models to find dozens of real gems. Our favorites included the race-bred E30 M3 models, a sweet BMW Z8, and a rare BMW 850CSi six-speed manual. Check out our gallery to find some of your favorites.
Gallery:
Photos by Michael Harley / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
Alpina B3S goes on sale in the UK – Click above for high-res image gallery
The twin-turbo, 400-horsepower Alpina B3S has been let loose on the UK market. With just about 400 pound-feet to get you off the line you’ll get from 0-to-60 in 4.7 seconds. That might not sound too impressive for an Alpina, but you’ll be able to hang with Porsche Carrera S’s, and that’s not bad for a 3 Series. Staying away from hard going will get you another impressive number, though: 24.2 combined miles per gallon (29.1 Imperial).
The Alpina B3S is offered in Saloon, Touring, Coupe and Convertible, with deliveries beginning in July. Follow the jump for the full press release and have a look at it in the gallery of high-res photos below.
Marc VDS Racing Ford Mustang GT3 – Click above for high-res image gallery
’s got a rich history of competing against European machinery on their own home turf. But while the GT40 (and the more recent reborn GT) and the Cobra cut their teeth on the old continent, the is another story. overseas, and now a Belgian-Canadian joint effort is preparing to oblige.
Canada’s Multimatic racing garage has prepared this new Mustang for the Marc VDS Racing Team, a competition outfit that also fields a pair of Ford GTs in the GT1 championship, as well as teams in Moto2 and rally raids. They’ll be taking this Mustang to the FIA GT3 European Championship, where it will take on the best that the likes of , , and countless others have to throw at it on some of Europe’s finest racing circuits. It’s already undergoing testing at Ford’s Bedfordshire test facility (curiously not Lommel Proving Grounds in the team’s home country) and will be piloted by a team of Belgian and Canadian drivers.
Will the VDS Mustang GT3 prove its mettle against Europe’s finest? No telling just yet, but it sure looks the business. Check it out for yourself in the gallery below and the press release after the jump.
BMW 5-Series xDrive Gran Turismo – Click above for high-res image gallery
has just announced that its will soon be available with the company’s xDrive all-wheel drive system. The Bavarian automaker plans to show off the new running gear at the Beijing Motor Show at the end of this month. Eventually, you’ll be able to order the xDrive option with any engine combination your heart so desires.
Starting in June, European buyers will have a shot at the 550i Gran Turismo and the 530d xDrive Gran Turismo. Shortly thereafter, in September, the 535i xDrive Gran Turismo and the 535d xDrive Gran Turismo will follow suit. BMW has also announced that its diesel-powered 740d sedan will receive available xDrive, but that particular model is confined to markets outside of North America, and it’s likely to stay that way.
From where we sit, the all-wheel drive option will likely appeal to American buyers. As a population, we just can’t seem to give up habits instilled by the SUV era, including the notion that you can’t go anywhere without all four-wheels pulling. So far, BMW hasn’t said exactly how much specifying xDrive will add to the Gran Turismo’s price tag, or when such models will come to the North America. Judging by the company’s current price structure, we’re guessing the new models will check in at around $3,000 over the rear-wheel drive variants. Check out our high-res gallery below and the official press release after the jump
2011 BMW Alpina B7 xDrive – Click above for high-res image gallery
We dig . You get 94 percent of the performance of a sports car (or there abouts) plus the ability to take a few friends along for the hair-raising ride. Also, cops don’t seem to scrutinize big snazzy sleepers as much as they do bright yellow scissor-doored whatchamacall’em-ardos. It should come as no shock then that when we first heard about the , we were pretty excited. When we then subsequently learned that an of BMW’s sportiest big sedan was coming to the New York Auto Show, well, our excitement grew.
Then we saw the car in the flesh.
Let’s just say we’re now triple excited. A few pertinent stats, if we may. The 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 found in a host of BMWs has been significantly improved to 500 horsepower (up by 100 hp over stock) and 516 pound-feet of torque (up by 66 pound-feet). The B7 is also more aerodynamic than your garden variety 7 Series, comes with zillion-spoke wheels (fine, twenty) and can hit 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. With the Alpina B7 xDrive, you can now toss AWD into that already frothy mix.
But the above stats aren’t the crazy parts. It’s the details that impress the most. For example, all four of the heavy-duty half shafts come out of the . The 60 to 0 mph braking distance is identical to a Porsche Turbo. That last bit is not an April Fools’ joke, although it’s somewhat mitigated by Alpina’s saying, “that’s cold braking distance.” While not a stat per say, the AWD system is mechanically identical to other BMW xDrive systems, though Alpina has written their own software system, presumably for the better.
One last thing that’s actually a little to complicated to explain: take a look at the center of the B7’s wheel. You’ll see that once you’ve slid the heraldry over, there’s a keyhole. Now, if you zoom out, you’ll notice no valve stems anywhere on the wheel. In other words, your tire pressure’s locked in and can be adjusted to the tenth of a PSI. Pretty cool, no?
High res gallery below, official press release after the jump.
2011 BMW Alpina B7 – Click above for high-res image gallery
Even though recently unveiled the hot new Alpina B7 at this year’s Chicago Auto Show, the fun won’t stopped there. At next week’s New York Auto Show, Ze Germans will debut a second iteration of the B7, equipped with BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive system.
Like the standard Alpina package, the B7 xDrive will be available on both the short- and long-wheelbase 7 Series. Official pricing hasn’t been released, but based on the non-Alpina 7 Series models, adding xDrive to the B7 should add roughly $3,000 to the sticker. BMW’s press release is available after the jump, and stay tuned for the full details from the New York show floor next week.
Do you own a product? Does that BMW product have a V8 or V12 engine under the hood? If you answered yes to both questions, listen up – BMW of North America has announced that they are getting ready to recall about 198,000 
