bmw

BMW M3 Pickup

The BMW M3 has been available in all manner of body-styles: coupe, convertible, sedan...but not a pickup. That is, until now.

BMW has created this one-of-a-kind M3 pickup as something of a ruse. Yet it actually exists. The truck packs the same 4.0-liter, 420-horsepower V8 as the production M3, only it's capable of hauling 110 pounds of whatever you need. It also boasts a removable roof for open-air driving, but you can't buy it. BMW built one as a gag, and will use it at the M division's workshop to help move parts around.

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Tags: bmw, bmw m3, bmw m3 pickup, m3, m3 pickup, pickup

BMW M5 Concept to Debut in Shanghai

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Feast your eyes on our first look at the new BMW M5. Technically a "concept car," the M5 you see here should closely represent the upcoming production version.

The car is set to debut later this month at the Shanghai Motor Show, but has already leaked onto the Internet. No details were announced, but what we already know is that the 2012 BMW M5 will feature the twin-turbo V8 from the X5M and X6M performance crossovers (instead of the V10 from the previous model).

Stay tuned...

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Tags: bmw, bmw concept m5, bmw m5, concept car, m5, shanghai, shanghai motor show

BMW M3 Matte Editon for China

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

While some automakers roll out special editions around the entire globe, the BMW Group has of late opted to create individual specials for specific markets. Witness, as examples, the Trusardi edition 5GT (exclusive to Italy), the Z4 Silver Top edition (Japan), the M3 Pure edition (Australia) and the M3 Frozen Gray edition (United States). BMW's subsidiaries Mini and Rolls-Royce have followed the same formula with the Mini Cooper Mat Edition (France) and Yas Eagle edition Phantom (Abu Dhabi), and now BMW has announced a new special edition M3 exclusive to China.

The M3 Matte Edition packs the same V8 engine and everything else as the standard model, but is distinguished by its special matte black paint scheme, offset by black chrome trim and high-gloss 19-inch alloy wheels. Inside there's carbon fiber and red trim, but you'll have to live in China and act fast to get your hands on one.

Tags: bmw, bmw m3, bmw m3 matte edition, china, luxury car, matte, special edition

German Carmakers Tapped for Motorsport Safety Cars

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Sports

2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Estate F1 Medical Car

German cars Mercedes-Benz, Porsches and BMWs are loved by their owners for their meticulous engineering. But private consumers aren't the only ones who've noticed their capabilities. So have the organizers of some of the most prestigious motor racing series in the world. And though both compete at the top levels, it's not for racing cars that they've been tapped this time. It's for safety cars.

Tags: alms, american le mans series, bmw, bmw 1 m, bmw 1 series m coupe, emergency vehicle, f1, formula 1, formula one, mercedes, mercedes-benz, mercedes-benz c63 amg, mercedes-benz c63 amg wagon, moto gp, motogp, pace car, porsche, porsche panamera, porsche panamera turbo, safety car

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BMW to Show 6 Series Coupe in Shanghai

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

BMW will unveil its 6 Series coupe at the Shanghai Motor Show next month, highlighting in part the importance of the China market for the German automaker.

Media insiders got a look at a "concept" 6 Series coupe last September at the Paris Motor Show, but this will be the final production version. It will arrive in European and U.S. showrooms by this Fall.

The coupe will face stiff competition against the Jaguar XK and Mercedes E-Class coupe, as well as the recently introduced Cadillac CTS-V Coupe -- which has been extremely well received by the motoring press.

The 650i will come with an 8 cylinder gas engine, while the 640i is powered by a 6-cylinder. Both are fitted with an 8-speed sports automatic gearbox as standard equipment. A diesel powered version will follow the launch.

The price in Europe for the 640i Coupe will be about $106,000 (74,700 euros).

Tags: BMW, BMW 6 Series coupe, Cadillac CTS-V, Jaguar XK, luxury car, Shanghai Motor Show

BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo by Trussardi

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Italian fashion house Trussardi celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, and to mark the occasion has teamed up with BMW for a special edition 5 Series Gran Turismo.

Tags: 5 series, 5 series gran turismo, 5 series gt, bmw, bmw 5 series gran turismo, bmw 5 series gt, cars, trussardi

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BMW Releases New 6 Series Coupe

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Several months ago BMW revealed the new 6 Series Convertible. But unlike archrival Mercedes-Benz' SL-Class, the 6 Series doesn't come only in drop-top form. And now the Bavarian automaker has released its fixed-roof counterpart.

The 2012 BMW 650i Coupe is initially available with the company's 4.4-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 engine, driving 400 horsepower to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. It sits nestled in a new shape with tauter lines, and comes packed with all the latest luxury features and safety technology you'd expect from this level of European sports coupe.

Gallery: 2012 BMW 6 Series Coupe

Tags: 2012 bmw 6 series, 6 series, bmw, bmw 6 series, bmw 6 series coupe, bmw 650i, bmw 650i coupe

2011 Geneva Motor Show: The Supercars

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Geographically located in between the supercar capitals of Europe, Switzerland is where the world's automakers come to showcase the latest array of mouth-watering, bank-balance-tempting exotic sports cars. And this year's Geneva Motor Show didn't disappoint in the least.

In between all those luxury sedans, upscale sport-utes and premium hatchbacks were a blinding assortment of six-figure supercars seemingly capable of bending the very laws of physics. Standing out from the crowd were brand-new offerings from Ferrari, Lamborghini and Pagani, new takes on old favorites from Maserati, Aston Martin and Jaguar, concept cars from Alfa Romeo, BMW and Wiesmann and more.

We went to Geneva to check them out with our own eyes (and lens) – follow the jump to see what we found, and click the images to view the full galleries from our sister-site Autoblog.

Tags: 2011 geneva motor show, alfa, alfa 4c, alfa romeo, alfa romeo 4c, alfa romeo 4c concept, aston, aston martin, aston martin virage, bmw, bmw vision connecteddrive, carrozzeria touring superleggera, ferrari, ferrari ff, ferrari four, ff, geneva, geneva 2011, geneva motor show, gumpert tornante, huayra, jaguar, jaguar xkr-s, koenigsegg, koenigsegg agera, koenigsegg agera r, lamborghini, lamborghini aventador, Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4, lexus, lexus lfa, lexus LFA Nürburgring Package, maserati, maserati grancabrio, maserati grancabrio sport, pagani, pagani huayra, touring, wiesmann, wiesmann spyder

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2011 Geneva Motor Show: The Luxury Sedans & SUVs

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Every year the Geneva Motor Show features a staggering array of new luxury sedans, estate wagons, crossovers and sport-utility vehicles on display. And this year's show, still ongoing at the Geneva Palexpo, has proven no exception.

Among the production and concept debuts in these diverse categories were new vehicles from Audi, BMW Alpina, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Rolls-Royce, Saab and Volvo, as well as the return of De Tomaso. Follow the jump to see what these European automakers had in store for us this year.

Tags: 2011 geneva motor show, alpina, alpina b5 biturbo, alpina b5 biturbo touring, audi, audi a3, audi a3 sedan, audi a3 sedan concept, bertone, bertone b99, bmw, bmw alpina, bmw alpina b5 biturbo touring, detomaso+geneva+concept, detomasogenevaconcept, geneva, geneva 2011, geneva motor show, geneva+auto+show+2011, geneva+motor+show+2011, genevaautoshow2011, genevamotorshow2011, jaguar, jaguar b99, land rover range rover autobiography ultimate edition, land rover range_e, mercedes, mercedes-benz, mercedes-benz c-class coupe, Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Estate, porsche, porsche panamera, porsche panamera s hybrid, range rover autobiography ultimate edition, range+rover+ultimate+edition, rangeroverultimateedition, range_e, rolls-royce, Rolls-Royce 102EX, Rolls-Royce 102EX Phantom Experimental Electric, rolls-royce phantom, saab, saab 9-5, Saab 9-5 SportCombi, volvo, volvo v60, volvo v60 plug-in hybrid

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BMW Presents its new i Brand

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Green

With its EfficientDynamics program, electric Mini prototypes and an electric Rolls-Royce under development, the BMW Group is getting serious about its environmental credentials. And now the German automaker has announced a new venture.

Announced earlier today, the i division will be a new range of environmentally-friendly vehicles produced under the BMW banner. Two vehicles will lead the way: the i3, a city car in the same vein as the Smart and the Toyota iQ, and the i8, a production version of the Vision EfficientDynamics concept car.

The company has set up BMW i Ventures with $100 million in capital based in New York City with a variety of initiatives under way, and we expect to head more as they progress.

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Tags: bmw, bmw i, bmw i ventures, bmw i3, bmw i8, efficient dynamics, efficientdynamics

BMW To Unveil Futuristic Roadster in Geneva

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

German carmaker BMW will unveil a roadster concept at the Geneva auto show next month that combines a futuristic design with new innovations to the car's telematics and "infotainment" systems. BMW is calling the new system "VisionConnectedDrive."

The car has a head-up display that places a 3-D display of key information in the direct sight line of the driver, eliminating the need for the driver's eyes to refocus on a screen in the middle of the dash. "The display allows the real view to be overlaid with virtual information, highlighting hazards allowing the driver to assimilate all of the information quickly and take appropriate action," BMW said in a statement on Thursday.

Tags: bmw, bmw 8 roadster, bmw 8 series, geneva auto show, roadster

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Ranking The Luxe Car Super Bowl Ads

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi all advertised in the Super Bowl this year, and all three took very different creative strategies.

Mercedes-Benz ran a 60-second ad that tried to call attention to its entire current lineup of vehicles by juxtaposing them against decades of classic Mercedes-Benzes. In the ad, classic Mercedes vehicles start themselves and drive themselves en masse to a place where they can see the new Mercedes vehicles. Hip Hop star Sean John appears in the ad, having had his silver Mercedes start-up on its own and leave his driveway.

BMW ran two ads, one that showcased its all-new X3 crossover, and the fact that all X3 are built at the company's Spartanburg, SC plant. The other ad featured BMW's clean diesel vehicles, contrasting them to the image many have of diesel cars--sooty, stinky and loud.

Audi ran an ad for the new A8 sedan (pictured) depicting a prison break in a fictitious prison for the white collar criminals who are mostly the epitome of affected wealth. Audi, which likes to use comedy in its Super Bowl ads, hired Kenny G for a cameo as a riot suppressant warden.

Tags: audi, bmw, clean diesel, mercedes-benz, super bowl ads, Super Bowl XLV

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BMW Advertises Diesel Cars in Super Bowl

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

For the second year in a row, a German luxury carmaker used the Super Bowl to push "clean diesel" powered cars.

BMW's ad in the big game on February 6 contrasted the clean burning, performance oriented engines with those of sooty tractor trailers and diesel cars of yester-year. Music for the Super Bowl spot is David Bowie's "Changes."

Tags: Audi, BMW, clean diesel, green police, Super Bowl ad

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Audi's Super Bowl Ad Feature Kenny G and Prisons For The Rich

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Audi today announced that Grammy-winning saxophonist Kenny G will make an appearance in the company's 60-second spot during Super Bowl XLV. The ad will feature an adventurous prison escape scene that culminates with a cameo by Kenny G as the luxury prison "Riot Suppressor."

The gGrman automaker launched an online teaser video on youtube featuring an adventurous prison escape scene that shows the storyline of the ad. The prison is one for white-collar criminals, and obvious "prisoners" of "old" luxury notions.

This video and ad comes on the heels of an ad launched by Audi that pays homage to the children's book "Goodnight Moon," and tries to contrast Audi (defined by the company as "progressive" luxury against "old" luxury like Mercedes-Benz and BMW.

Audi also kicks off Super Bowl® week online with multiple social media elements that allow fans to join the movement to re-define luxury. Starting today, fans can visit Facebook at audi.us/EstateSale and Twitter at http://audi.us/ProgressIs to RSVP to Audi's two social media contests aimed at saying goodbye to old luxury and hello to Progressive Luxury.

Tags: audi, bmw, kenny g, mercedes-benz, super bowl ads, superbowl ads

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Demi Moore Flies to Sundance in Style with JetSuite

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings, Celebrity Shopping, Luxury Shopping

Back in 2008 my colleague Deirdre Woollard first reported on the plans for JetSuite, a new private aviation company from the founders of JetBlue. Now the company has gotten off the ground in high style with help from the likes of Demi Moore, who just took a JetSuite flight to the Sundance Film Festival. JetSuite's fleet of 4-seat Embraer Phenom 100 jets are the best, most fuel-efficient aircraft in their class with speeds up to 450 miles per hour, an operating altitude of up to 41,000 ft, a stylish interior cabin designed by BMW and the largest baggage compartment in its category. The company provides service to major cities (AKA "SuiteSpots") throughout the Western United States, Canada and Mexico. They aim to make the luxury of flying private more accessible and affordable with prices starting at just $999 for a one-way flight – for the whole plane. Moore, who has flown JetSuite before, has praised its ease, convenience and privacy. "She loves that she can depart whenever she wants, not have to deal with long security lines, and leave her shoes, belts, and jewelry on," an insider tells us.

Gallery: JetSuite Takes Off with Demi Moore