Official Release: In a dramatic PETRONAS Malaysian Grand Prix, BMW Sauber F1 Team driver, Nick Heidfeld, finished second. After the race was started in dry conditions, heavy rain forced the race director to red flag it early. Robert Kubica, was unlucky and had to stop on lap two due to an engine problem. Because, as required by the regulations, the drivers were not able to complete 75 percent of the race distance they will only receive half the points. continued →
After a disappointing first race the BMW Rahal/Letterman cars look like they may have outgrown some of the initial teething issues; at least in qualifying. We are looking forward to this race and sure many of you are as well.
Official Release:
BMW RAHAL LETTERMAN RACING TEAM M3s WILL START ST. PETE RACE FROM THIRD AND FOURTH ON GT2 GRID
04/04/2009
One or two sites have broken the much heralded press embargo and released photos of the X5 and X6 M ahead of their debut in NYC later this month. We’re holding off posting more photos and the official release but it’s out there at this point. Look for the official pics and press release very soon.
Last week I had the privilege of spending some time with Stephen Zoepf, behind the wheel of a 135i equipped with many of the latest offerings from BMW Performance. Stephen is the Accessory Development Manager – Performance, at BMW of North America. Aside from the wonderful car I was able to experience, Stephen helped shed some light on the BMW Performance program in general.
Since it is hard to conduct a full interview from behind the wheel of a car with an intoxicating exhaust, some of this information may be paraphrased. Enjoy!
BimmerFile: Can you tell me a little about yourself and how you became involved with BMW Performance?
Stephen Zoepf: I was born in Brussels, Belgium in 1979 and graduated from MIT in 2001 with a degree in electrical engineering. As a product development engineer with the Ford Motor Company, I acquired my taste for performance tuning as a member of the Ford Focus SVT development team. Started with BMWNA in 2004 as an accessory development engineer, and in 2007 began my position within BMW Performance. continued →
We reported this last month but now BMW is making it official with the following release: Finding new ways to expand the boundaries of what’s possible with existing designs is the singular purpose of the craftsmen at BMW M. The modern legacy of BMW M began in 1985 when engineers placed the race-bred engine from the M1 supercar into the BMW 5 Series sedan and created the first BMW M5. The M5 was a sedan with power, precision, and linear control never before imaginable. In New York, BMW M will introduce the next milestone in its illustrious history: the BMW X6 M. The X6 M will utilize several new engine, drivetrain, and suspension technologies to transform the world’s first Sports Activity Coupe into a BMW M product. continued →
The BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported March sales of 21,125 vehicles, a decrease of 22.9 percent over the 27,404 vehicles sold in the same month of 2008. For the first quarter, The BMW Group also reported a year-to-date sales volume of 51,244 vehicles, down 25.2 percent, compared to 68,529 vehicles sold in the same period a year ago.
BMW Brand Sales
Sales of BMW brand vehicles decreased 24.2 percent in March for a total of 17,520 vehicles compared to 23,115 vehicles reported in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date, BMW brand sales were down 26.8 percent, to 42,731 vehicles compared to 58,365 vehicles sold in the same period of 2008. continued →
In yesterday’s feature I talked about the thought that went into my recent car purchase and the process of elimination I went through before narrowing the search. I had gone through the list of possibilities from the MazdaSpeed 3 to used M5s. What I needed was four doors with plenty of luggage space combined with great performance, good efficiency, and (above all) something that was “interesting”. Basically I didn’t want to see myself coming and going every five miles.
So let me pick up where I left off…
Part 2
So the current (E90) 3 series BMW just doesn’t make sense from a cost perspective and doesn’t rank high in the “interesting” category. Of course I could splurge for a new E90 3 Series (with the M Sport pack and everything under the sun) but my whole point was to find something slightly used that costs less to go along with some new priorities I have.
Then there’s the E46 (3 Series from 1999 to 2005)? I’ve owned a couple of them and they’re probably my favorite used BMW platform outside of the E30. The E90 is a better car sure. But the E46 just feels a little more connected to the spirit of the old-school BMW ideals. But is it truly special enough? continued →
This year the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este once again invites contemporary concept cars and prototypes to compete alongside the historic models traditionally on display. To qualify for entry, concepts have to be driveable and no older than three years. As announced at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este’s second press conference in Milan, eight such vehicles will attend the event at the end of April in a bid to be crowned the most beautiful contemporary concept car. The winner will be chosen not by the jury but by the public. In this, the Concorso perpetuates a tradition going back 80 years: as long ago as 1929 the public was already ranking the showcased models according to their looks. For ten years now, this beauty contest of worldwide acclaim has been held under the patronage of the BMW Group. Three world premieres and a further five sensational concept cars form the worthy framework for this anniversary Concorso. continued →
Official Release: The BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team M3s return to Florida for Round Two of the 2009 American Le Mans Series at this weekend’s Acura Sports Car Challenge of St. Petersburg for the first of two consecutive street races.
Following the retirement of both cars at the season-opening 12 Hours of Sebring, the team has spent long hours during the ten days between events diagnosing the problems that struck both cars, and implementing modifications. continued →
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: Motorsport | Official News Apr 5th, 2009 No Comments 
