All posts in Review
Testing BMW’s Competitors at Autobahn Country Club
Recently the Autobahn Country Club in Joliet, IL, invited BimmerFile to experience a few of the ways that the public can enjoy a little of what the club has to …
BimmerFile Review: The BMW 650i Gran Coupe
The BMW 650i Gran Coupe is $119,000 of car. At least, that’s the price printed on the sticker in front of me. As I approach our 6GC tester it occurs …
18000 Miles in an F20 120d
Part of the perks of moving to Germany is the ability to sample the fruits of European only offerings from BMW- The all new 1 series being one of them. In all honesty it was a huge toss up between the F30 3er and the One when it came to the purchase but the truth is, the 120d just hit the right spot in all areas.
BF Garage: Snow, Sleet & a Road-Trip in the 1M
A quickly-packed bag is in the trunk and the Valentine 1 mounted on the windshield. The 1M and its first spring road trip is underway just as the sun begins …
BimmerFile Review: 2013 BMW 740iL
In thinking about what BMW would be perfect for a week-long holiday adventure in the upper Midwest of the US, there are a few that immediately come to mind. My own E61 5 Series wagon certainly fits the bill. But of course we needed to test something new and the wonderful F11 5 Series wagon isn’t coming stateside. There’s the line of SAVs – specifically the X3 and X5 to consider. However the X3 was quickly deemed too small. The X5 would work but there’s something a little expected about it. Then it hit me. Why not the biggest of them all; The 7 Series?
BF Garage: One Year in the 1M – The Last Analog M Car?
Every since I could buy used BMWs I’ve been searching for the equivalent of the 2002 or even the E30 M3. After 6,500 miles in a 1M I’m not sure if I’ve found it. The truth is that the 1M isn’t a successor to the 2002 or even the E30 M3. It’s very much its own car. Within the current M range and within the annals of BMW.
BimmerFile First Drive: MINI JCW GP
We’re going to tip our hat here. It may come as no surprise that the 2013 R56 JCW GP is the fastest MINI of all time. Yet what may be surprising is that it’s the most involving and engaging MINI we’ve ever driven. And it feels closer to an M product than any JCW created yet.
BimmerFile Video Review: 2013 MINI JCW GP
You can learn a lot about a car (especially a car designed for the track) in ten hard laps on a well designed track. If you haven’t read our full review of the car, certainly check it out. However if you want a quick, seat of the pants look at the GP as I enjoyed my second stint behind the wheel at Circuito Mallorca RennArena, click play and sit back.
BimmerFile Review: The 2013 BMW M5 Manual
We’ve done track time in both the DCT and manual previously so with this week-long test we wanted to throw the real world at the M5. Commuting, child-seats (Recaros of course) and even a road trip thrown in for good measure. Can the new M5 and its six speed manual handle it all?
BimmerFile Review: BMW M550d xDrive
In the 1980’s BMW offered some of their first diesels to US consumers. To say they were not well received is an understatement. To some, diesels still remain dirty, noisy, less refined and offer little in terms of driving fun. However, this is partly based on their living in the past.
BimmerFile Review: Rowing Gears in the New M5
Last year we had the privilege of driving a European specced M5 in beautiful Andalusia, Spain and were more than impressed. On the Ascari racetrack the DCT equipped M5 was …
First Drive Review: 2013 BMW M6 Coupe
Over the years we’ve harped on the previous generation M6 a ton here at BimmerFile. From its lackluster chassis dynamics to the questionable “power” button the E63 M6 wasn’t M’s finest moment. But BMW has moved on and so have we with turbo power and a focus on broadening appeal while creating better all-around cars. But does the all new 2013 BMW M6 buck that trend?
First Drive: BMW M135i
There is no spiritual predecessor mumbo jumbo going to be discussed in this review. No, “this car reminds us of that” or anything of the sort. The M135i is the first incarnation of a gasoline fueled BMW M Performance Automobile and it deserves its own time to shine.
First Drive: 2013 BMW X1
The X1 is BMW’s entry level Sports Activity Vehicle that is small in size and (historically) in huge demand worldwide. Since its launch in 2009, European sales have been so …
