The guys over at BimmerPost have some spy photos of what was believed to be the new BMW “V3″. To us the nose looked more like the X1 from spy shots we had seen a while back.
This car is in reality a E91 with an X1 nose on it. The X1 as we reported earlier will be based on the E91 platform. This mule is allegedly testing the new I4 turbo that BMW and PSA recently agreed to in a joint venture. It is much cheaper and easier for BMW to test cooling and other related systems in a modified car than to create a pre-production model. What is interesting to see is that these new motors will not only be used in the Z, and 1 as we were originally led to believe. They will be used elsewhere in the model lineup (but if you consider the X1 as part of the 1 series then it makes more sense!). There is little indication that the US will see these 4 cylinders anytime soon.
For all those in the North East or those that just love to participate in large scale BMW events look ahead to September 23-28 of this year.
The BMWCCA is once again hosting an event at the famous Watkins Glen race track. It is a course full of twists and turns with beautiful surroundings. It is located just outside of Ithaca, NY in the Finger Lakes Region (also known for its wineries). In the Fall this region is simply breathtaking and aside from the event there are a wide range of activities to participate in.
The event will feature general activities for socializing, car drooling and clinics. For you track warriors there will be autocross, car control clinics and a variety of track based schools. All in all it looks to be a great event at a great venue. For all those that are interested please see the official site. Register early to save some money and to also assure yourself of a quality hotel at a reasonable price!
As we reported several weeks ago BMW and Daimler (Mercedes Benz) continue to discuss a variety of joint ventures.
The talks are more for cost savings and economies of scale than anything else. R&D, purchasing from suppliers would all benefit from a larger scale operation. This small scale has been a strong point and a downfall for both manufacturers, they tend to develop (along with suppliers) breakthrough technologies but have difficulties selling on a large enough scale to make profit margins great enough for investors and the overall health of the company.
BMW has seen a drop in its profit margins and Daimler recently lost a lot in the Chrysler fiasco so both can benefit from sharing in development costs and greater scale in purchasing. What remains to be seen is how deep this relationship will go and how it will effect future models, especially in green technologies.
As we had originally stated the //M3 sedan will be getting an update along with the rest of the E90 sedans. The front fascia will remain the same as it already has the //M specific aerodynamics and aggressive look. This spy shot from our friends at BimmerPost shows that the rear will see the new notched CELIS LED lighting more along the lines of the X6. The interior tweaks are still being hid very well for all the E90s (aside from the iDrive) as the spies have not yet released photos of them.
Space Grey appears to be a new option for the sedan. The coupe version has been wearing that since its inception; so it is nice of the coupe to finally share its paint with its four-door sibling because it is such a great color!
This means there are going to be some really angry owners of the pre-LCI E90 //M3, the car is getting a new look six months after the intro, especially if they paid a premium!
Earlier in the week we promised you a short video starring a BMW diesel, well here it is. It is entitled: Passing the Pumps with a Smile. It stars what appears to be a 320d (something we won’t see in the US) on a long distance road trip. Watch how many times they need to stop for fuel, or rather the stations they pass. I wonder why the US is so hung up on hybrids considering these diesels will outperform and out mpg them; this baby averaged just under 58 mpg on this trip. Let’s hope that the rumors of the 335d mpg being a very conservative estimate are even partially true!
The BMW NG6 Project, Next Generation 6 (cylinder) was begun over 6 years ago. This document is believed to have been originally found in the garbage of a BMW facility back in 2003. It may be the notes from one of the engineers after they attended a meeting or presentation. So far all of the engines depicted on this have come to fruition, the only one the US has not seen is the N53.
Left Lane News and Brenda Priddy & Co. have done it again! Today they have photos of the E90 LCI undergoing some testing sporting some Cali tags. What we can now declare is that the ugly orange DOT specified reflectors will no longer be in the lights, but move to the front bumper like on the E92.
The rear lights will lose some of their bulk on the trunk lid and will be shaped more like the X6 lights (as we reported earlier). The other changes are also increasingly visible with this mule wearing less camouflage. Yes those enormous mirrors are staying due to regulations. Left-Lane news also indicates a great possibility that the 335 will be released in sport wagon form; what a concept!
Original images and information can be found here.
Yes that is right, a 6 series with a sequential turbo diesel! We have no idea if or when this car will tour the streets of the US. It is just interesting to read the rave reviews this engine is receiving.
The shear fact that even in a larger car it is still able to reel in 34 mpg (when converted from imperial gallons) and have excellent performance is astonishing. We look forward to BMW finally allowing the US to have the engine much of the world has already been enjoying!
This review is from “The Car Enthusiast” out of the UK.
Check out all the photos and the entire article here
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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: Concept, E90 3 Series, EfficientDynamics May 20th, 2008 2 Comments 
