Feb 4th, 2010
Dan Neil at the LA Times ventured to Portugal for the 5 Series launch event. Did he come away impressed? Nah, not really. This is one of the first reviews that does not commend the newest incarnation of the beloved 5er. In his opinion the car is numb to drive, and the electric power steering has taken the feel out of it.
He mentions pouring syrup over gear changes and that the car is everything you want but fun, while we would love to retort or provide some insight we can’t just yet- until then you can read his review for a not so glossy view of the F10 5 Series.
Gearheads will palaver over the fact that the new 5-series uses a double-wishbone-like multi-link front suspension now as opposed to the time-honored strut suspension. The change helps stuff bigger brakes behind the wheel and has some positive effects for suspension geometry. By the numbers and by the stopwatch, you can’t really fault the BMW’s handling and road-holding. The big car is well stabilized by the active anti-roll bar, so the car’s body stays relatively flat in corners. At speeds under 35 miles per hour, the Integral Active Steering turns the rear wheels 2.5 degrees opposite of the turn, for a tighter turning radius. Above that speed, the wheels turn in sync with the front wheels, giving the car more authority in cornering.
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Feb 3rd, 2010
BMW Performance 335i
Not so long ago we had the privilege of spending some time with Eric Riehle Accessory Development Manager for BMW Performance and Motorsport as well as a fully equipped 335i. The 335i was in sedan form as BMW Performance does not currently offer as extensive a list of parts for the coupe (yet). As most of our readers know, BMW Performance is the official BMW tuning arm. All parts are designed, tested and built to BMW specifications and include a full warranty.
Performance
This car was the first car we have driven with the official BMW Performance Engine Kit installed. The car was equipped with the enthusiasts’ preferred six-speed manual so the rated output is officially 320 hp/ 317 ft-lbs, a bit lower than the automatic version. The car featured the full suspension and the acoustically addicting sport exhaust as well as the remainder of the parts catalog. Our last encounter with this car was prior to the engine tune and it is fair to say that the engine kit makes it sound even better, nice and throaty without that annoying highway drone we all dislike so much.
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Feb 3rd, 2010
As we hinted at last month, BMW Performance has officially decreased pricing for 3 Series parts. These aggressive price reductions impact both the current generation E9X cars and the previous generation E46.
BMW Performance parts when installed by a BMW Center will be warranted for the remainder of the new vehicle warranty and in no way void the original warranty with the car.
Full list and official PDF after the jump…
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Feb 3rd, 2010
With sales up 7.7 percent in January to 15,410 vehicles, the BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) had a good start into the year 2010.
Sales of BMW brand vehicles increased 7.6 percent in January for a total of 13,163 vehicles compared to 12,232 vehicles reported in the same month a year ago. MINI USA reported sales of 2,247 automobiles, an increase of 7.9 percent compared to 2,082 cars reported last January.
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Feb 3rd, 2010
With their typical fun-to-drive qualities, superior all-wheel-drive technology and powerfully expressive styling, the BMW X models occupy a position all their own in their respective classes. The unique attractions of this concept, now successfully established in four different market segments, received further confirmation recently with an excellent showing in the latest readers’ poll by the German magazine Off Road. The BMW X5 was voted “Off-Roader of the Year” in the “Luxury SUV” category, while the BMW X1 and BMW X6 came first and second in the “Crossover” category and the BMW X3 took second place in the “SUV” category.
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Feb 3rd, 2010
One of the least anticipated updates for 2010 has to be the X5. Nevertheless when purported official images are leaked ahead of a launch, it’s always news. So with that we bring you what appear to be official X5 LCI photos that have appeared on several websites in the past few hours.
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