Over the next few weeks we will be not only participating in the official North American 1 Series and M3 press launches but also the US launch of the Clubman and (gasp) Rolls Royce Drophead Coupe. And while we certainly have our own agenda planned (including potentially some video), we want to know what you hear and see. And in turn we want you to feel like you’re really there with us as we put these cars through their paces both on the road and track.
Starting with the Clubman, let’s hear what you’d like to know about the car. Obviously we’ll be giving our take on the car’s the performance, design and how it relates to the other MINIs available. We’ll have a chance to drive the Clubman on some amazing roads north of San Francisco and meet with the very people who designed and engineered the car.
Official BMW Release: The BMW M3 model family is being upgraded by yet another fascinating player: The new BMW M3 Convertible, the third body version of BMW’s high-performance sports car following the Coupé and Saloon, offers new possibilities to experience uncompromising driving dynamics.
Beneath the engine compartment lid lurks the V8 power unit displacing 4.0 litres and with all the features of a high-speed engine developed brand-new from the ground up for the BMW M3. Above the heads of the driver and passengers is either the three-piece hardtop opening and disappearing completely into the rear roof compartment at the touch of a button in just 22 seconds or of course the blue sky and the thrill of open air.
Remember that 1 Series Tii “concept” that BMW showed off a few months back at the Japanese Motorshow? Apparently that was little more than a 135i guised up with some soon to be release “BMW Performance” accessories. Almost everything seen on the car (save for the carbon fiber hood, fins, stripes and a few interior appointments) will be available at the counter of your local BMW dealer.
You can check out the full catalog below courtesy of 1addicts:
For those that don’t know much about the car, the Z4 M Coupe is the relatively rare M Brand version of the Z4 Coupe. The Z4 Coupe (the basis of the Z4M Coupe) is the newly released coupe version of the Z4. The Z4 Coupe features a huge increase in rigidity, the addition of a hatchback, and gorgeous looks that (in these eyes) transforms the already good looking Z4 into something of an instant classic. The M version tested here features, in a word, more.
On paper the M Coupe (as it’s referred to by many) has it all. The E46 M3’s sensuous inline six churning out 330 high-revving horsepower. M3 CSL brakes - a healthy improvement over the stock M3 stoppers. Less weight (3230lbs) and more nimble than the M3. And finally a driver focused cabin and steering wheel that puts the M3’s to shame.
Official BMW Group (UK) Press Release: BMW Group has won What Car?’s coveted Green Award. With EfficientDynamics introduced across the BMW and MINI model ranges as standard in 2007, What Car? rewarded BMW’s efforts with one of most coveted awards in the UK automotive calendar. The UK’s self-styled new car buyers’ bible also announced its 2006 car of the year, the BMW 3 Series, as its ‘Best Compact Executive’ car for the third year in a row. MINI Cooper S retained its ‘Best Hot Hatch’ trophy.
With BMW preparing for the 1 Series launch in the US late March, they’re turning to MINI for marketing ideas.
BMW IS REACHING INTO SIBLING Mini’s bag of marketing tricks for this year’s launch of a new series in the U.S. The company’s new smallest car, the 1-Series–which goes on sale in March–will enter U.S. dealerships as a coupe and cabriolet, starting in the high $20,000 range.
Official BMW Press Release: BMW M GmbH is proud to be the world’s first car maker now offering a seven-speed Double Clutch Gearbox specially conceived and designed for a high-speed power unit. Compared with all conventional systems available so far, this new gearbox ensures an optimum gearshift and even more dynamic acceleration, and at the same time reduces fuel consumption by a signi- ficant margin.
BimmerFile is dedicated to bringing you the most interesting news, links and reviews related to the BMW brand and it's vehicles.
We believe in the old school BMW ownership experience. We believe in garage nights with a six pack and some friends. We believe in 2002s, in E30 M3s and E34 540s with the 6 speed. We believe in progress in both design and engineering but we haven't lost sight of what made the brand and its products great all those years ago. And yes, we believe in the manual transmission.
We long for the days of the wave and for the days of roll-up windows. Yet we love the gadgets on the inside and the xenons on the outside.
In short, we can't get enough of BMWs. This is BimmerFile.
Sections: //M3\\, E81/82/E87 1 Series, E90 3 Series, MINI, Rolls Royce Jan 29th, 2008 9 Comments 
