It is well known that Jeremy Clarkson is no fan of the Roundel. Maybe he has just been a closet fan and is now out of the closet. Finally in Top Gear’s 12th season he lets his true feelings out in a comparison of the E90 M3 versus the Lexus IS-F.
“The Lexus does a lot of things brilliantly. But the BMW… that does everything brilliantly. In the past you’d have to be a cock to buy one; now though, you’re a cock if you don’t. Cocks are now driving Audis and dorks are driving Lexus.”
Lap times:
M3= 1:25.3 which is faster than a Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder, Porsche 997 C2S, Porsche Cayman S, BMW M5, and Aston Martin DB9 to name just a few!
Business Week has a great article on the general atmosphere of the German auto industry and the specific issues it faces. Highly recommended for those who want to get a picture of the challenges companies like BMW face. Here’s a quick excerpt:
Some senior executives already question whether Daimler and BMW will survive the crisis as independent companies. And close examination reveals that both companies significant Achilles heels.
The biggest risk for BMW stems from its successes in recent years. The Munich-based company risked almost everything for its goal of finally overtaking rival Mercedes-Benz. BMW has almost doubled its car sales since 1999, and since 2007 the Bavarian carmaker has been the world’s top seller in the premium class.
Autoweek has the scoop on the M division abandoning naturally aspirated engines. We’ve heard rumblings about this for the past couple of months but this is the first time it’s been even remotely on the record. Here’s an excerpt:
Tough emissions standards worldwide and soaring manufacturing costs in Germany are behind BMW’s decision to switch from high-revving, naturally aspirated engines in its M high-performance vehicles to turbocharged direct-injection powerplants, beginning as early as next year.
The move, which could alter the character of BMW M models, places question marks over the immediate future of the M3′s 4.0-liter V8 and the M5′s 5.0-liter V10. Both engines will make way for forced-induction engines in coming years, according to high-ranking BMW sources.
The factory JCW MINI is a dichotomy of character. On one hand (in stock form) it’s as comfortable over bumps and on the highway as any MINI that’s ever been produced. Yet on the other hand it’s the fastest and most raucous MINI ever. Clearly BMW tried to create this car to be almost everything to all people. But does that make the new JCW less of a performance car?
If you only look at sheer speed, the new JCW handily takes the crown. It feels every bit as fast as the 2006 JCW GP was with an enormous amount of torque (206 ft lbs of it) available almost instantly in the rev range. Its also got the power too – 211bhp of it. While the GP may have had similar numbers, it’s the new JCW’s power delivery that really sets it apart. And weight is less of an issue as well. With the new R56 chassis weighing around 20lbs less in similar spec, the GP doesn’t quite have the same advantage it used to have.
After the recent unplanned delay, BMW will still show the new Z4 before the holiday season as was originally promised! The official launch will occur at 15:30 (Munich time/ 9:30am in NY) on December 15th.
An expression of joy.
What color is driving pleasure? What shape is passion? Watch the invisible become visible very soon right here.
Official Release: BMW Group Research and Technology has developed a prototype for a multifunctional car key which enables cashless payment and personalised vehicle access. “As part of our research project we first integrated a security chip into the key casing, which communicates across short distances by radio with a card reader,” says Hans-Jörg Vögel, project manager at BMW Group Forschung und Technik. In future the key could also be used for other transport systems. Indeed, electronic tickets for bus, train and air travel could all be stored on the chip. The credit card function in the security chip allows electronic payments to be carried out quickly, securely and conveniently from the prototype key.
Official Release: BMW of North America, LLC and Rahal Letterman Racing have named Bill Auberlen and Joey Hand as the first two drivers of the new M3s for BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team in the 2009 American Le Mans Series. In choosing Auberlen and Hand, BMW of North America has picked two of the most successful BMW drivers in the world and two of the most familiar names to M3 racing fans here in North America.
Auberlen, 40, of Redondo Beach, CA first drove for BMW of North America in 1996 when he joined the previous M3 racing program, then in its second year of competition. Auberlen would go on to become the team’s most successful driver, winning driver titles in both 1997 and 2004. When he takes the green flag at Sebring International Raceway for the 12 Hours of Sebring on March 21, Auberlen will have the distinction of having raced every generation of BMW M3 campaigned by BMW of North America.
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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.
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Sections: //M3\\, //M\\, Video Nov 30th, 2008 9 Comments 
