Sections: F25 X3, Video Feb 22nd, 2011 1 Comment Keep in mind this is very much a UK spec. So when the presenter starts talking pricing and what comes standard know that this varies greatly from market to market.
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Sections: Project i, Sales/Marketing Feb 21st, 2011 No Comments Official Release: Saturday evening saw the launch of teaser communications for the new BMW sub-brand. Light installations and video projections illuminated BMW Group buildings around the Petuelring road in the north of Munich. The four-cylinder building, BMW Welt and BMW Museum were bathed in the colours of BMW i.
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Sections: Official News, Project i, Video Feb 21st, 2011 3 Comments 
Today is the day that BMW took the wraps off its biggest gamble to date. No it’s not a full car reveal. Actually much more grand and has greater implications than any single new model. The brand is BMW i and the idea is to rethink the car and the way we use our transportation infrastructure.
Along with the brand, BMW announced its plan to produce two cars under the i name. The i3 will be a fully electric three and five door hatch with a carbon fiber monocoque on an aluminum frame (yes body on frame is back). Pricing has yet to be even hinted at but we expect this to be a premium offering (ie high-end 3 Series territory). The i8 will also be much more premium costing more than $150,000. But it will have performance, design and engineering that will live up to that price. Likely very similar to the Vision concept that debuted at Frankfurt a year and a half ago, the car will likely redefine what a sports car is. With its three cylinder turbo diesel developing great power while being extremely efficient, the i8 will lead the brand.
Look for the BMW i3 and i8 to debut in 2013.
Official Release: The new BMW sub-brand focused on developing sustainable mobility solutions has been launched. “BMW i represents a new movement in premium mobility. With the introduction of this new sub-brand, the BMW Group reaffirms its leadership as the most innovative and sustainable premium car company. The products and services have been conceived around a revolutionary approach: purpose designed and purpose built for sustainable, premium mobility. It’s a new day in our industry; a new era for individual mobility. This is BMW i – Born Electric.” said Ian Robertson, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Sales and Marketing, in Munich on Monday. (Official gallery and video after the break)
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Sections: Official News, Project i Feb 21st, 2011 4 Comments 
Live from Munich – BMW has just announced that the Megacity brand will be known as “i”. Two models are already planned and we’ll see both later this year.
First up will be the i8 in 2013. The car will be built in the Leipzig plant. The i3 will be following the i8 shortly after 2013 and will be the three and five door hatchback we’ve seen in sketch for since last year. The i8 will be over $150,000 and have performance that rivals some supercars. However it’s the i3 that’s surprisingly more interesting to us. A compact 3 and 5 door hatchback, the car will be space and energy efficient to the highest order.
100% electric and built entirely out of carbon fiber and aluminum both will be revolutionary for mass products automobiles. However even the compact i3 will be pricey. Expect this to be easily double the price of a MINI. (full gallery after the break)
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Sections: //M3\\, Video Feb 20th, 2011 5 Comments Excruciatingly the person who uploaded the episode split the segment into two pieces meaning you have to find both in the videos below. In the first video the piece starts at 4:40. The second video (after the break) has the end of the Stig testing both. So what wins? Find out after the break.
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Sections: //1M\\ Feb 20th, 2011 1 Comment 
BMW M has released it’s third installment giving us a look into the development of the new 1M. In this edition they talk about the 1M’s M3 roots and how the chassis is the secret behind the 1M’s feel. As in the previous versions there’s some quality BMW marketing speak lacing some really great content. In other words it’s a must read for anyone who’s a fan of the 1M or M cars in general.
(From M-power.com) It usually takes a car up to 60 months to reach market maturity from the first strategic idea. The fact that things can move a bit faster has already been demonstrated by BMW M with the BMW M3 GTS. When it came to the new BMW Series 1 M Coupé, work also took place at full tilt. There will only be a comparatively short period of time between the decision to implement the BMW Series M Coupé and the planned market introduction in early 2011.
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Sections: //M3\\, BMW Performance Feb 19th, 2011 6 Comments BMW released it’s latest accessory from the BMW Performance line today with the M3 Performance exhaust. With a weight reduction of 20 lbs (around 40%) over the standard unit the exhaust gives the M3 a bit more sinister of a note. One thing to note – BMW doesn’t promise any performance increases. Instead they’re only touting weight savings and exhaust note improvements. Is it worth the $4,374 plus installation? We’ll let you and M3 owners be the judge of that.
One thing that is worth the money are the free exhaust ringtones after the break.
We will have more first hand information on this and other M Performance accessories later in the week so stay tuned. In the mean time have a look and listen to the exhaust in action.
Official Release: BMW today announced a new M Performance exhaust system specifically designed as an accessory for the BMW M3 Coupe, Sedan and Convertible. With the racetrack and the street in mind, this new exhaust system is crafted from an extremely heat-resistant and lightweight chrome-nickel alloy called Inconel®. This flow optimized exhaust system reduces exhaust backpressure and allows the M3’s 414 horsepower V8 engine to produce an even more powerful sound.
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Sections: MINI, Project i Feb 18th, 2011 5 Comments 
The title says it all. BMW will launch the highly anticipated new sub-brand on Monday. We’ll be in Munich later in the week to talk with BMW about plans for both the new sub-brand and the future of MINI.
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