Not only did BMW hand over the keys to the F30 to journalists last week but also BMW’s own race car drivers and track instructors. And as you can imagine they have their own thoughts about the car. But one thing is clear through the hype, the F30 is much more of a neutral handling track happy car than the E90. And the pick of the group? It’s hard to argue with more power but, as our review reveals, the four cylinder 328i may just be the perfect blend of performance, weight distribution and efficiency. But lets hear what the drivers have to say.

Perhaps the best video we’ve seen yet, BMW UK has released it’s own launch video (similar to the US launch video) that shows off all the best angles of the new F30 3 Series. And as we’ve said previously, the more we see the car in person and in video, the better it gets.

Video after the break.

We love vintage BMWs but this is a different breed. Still it’s worth a link and mention since it’ll likely be a part of our cultural consciousness in 2012. The Sri Lankan born pop star released her latest video, Bad Girls on Youtube a few days ago featuring that ridiculous straight-line drifting thing that we’ve seen elsewhere on Youtube. No it’s not our idea of the best use of even a ratty E36, but we have to admit the driving in the video as a whole is pretty compelling.

The 3 Series continues to look better and better to us as we see it in person and in motion more and more. To prove that point BMW has released several new videos around the recent press launch of the car in Monterey California. Check them all out after the break.

To ring in Super Bowl Sunday we bring you a short video via M-Power about what makes M cars so great. Balance. As is shown by the 1M, balance is more important than 0-60 sprints or top speed. It is the corners that shave seconds off of lap times and what truly matter.

BMWNA Officially launched the new ads for the all new 3 Series today. Some of them are quite amusing, they focus on the integrated technologies rather than the driving prowess of the car but they are a huge step up from the previous campaign in our eyes. The six shorts are after the jump… personal favorite would have to be “The Close Call”.

Official Release and videos after the break.

Official Release: BMW of North America today unveiled a series of six playful digital shorts as part of a new national advertising campaign in support of the launch of the all-new BMW 3 Series Sedan, which goes on sale February 11. Two of the shorts will also air in ads during Super Bowl XLVI in regions across the U.S.: the first entitled “The Big Grab,” in the New York Tri-State area; and the second, “The Close Call,” in the Southern California-Los Angeles, Atlanta and Houston areas.

Created by Kirschenbaum, Bond, Senecal + Partners, the national program features a series of six 15 and 30 second digital shorts that playfully illustrate some of the many new technologies that have been integrated into the all-new BMW 3 Series. For example, “The Perfect Seat,” illustrates how an odd couple — a driver and his much-taller companion — can share the driver’s seat thanks to driver’s seat memory.

“The Grab”

“The Perfect Seat”

“The Close Call”

“The Entertainer”

“The Twins”

“The Score”

The BMW Performance Driving School Instructors had some time with the new F30 3er on the track at Laguna Seca and BMWNA was nice enough to make a short but sweet video of it. Enjoy.

The F30 is being officially unveiled to the press this week in Monterey California and, as you’d expect, we’ll be getting our best look yet at the car that debuted in Detroit. For a recap of our driving impressions of the F30, check out our first drive from last November. And for new look at the F30 in motion, check out the new launch video after the break.

BMW continues to research “highly automated” driving. This video shows how far they’ve come and what the future holds. How do you feel about the car’s electronics taking over under certain conditions? We’d love to hear in the comments section!

It’s the dawn of a new age at M. Or depending on how you look at it, a return to form (a la the M535i). Either way these new diesels touched by the magic of M look and sounds fantastic. Perhaps more importantly, the numbers look extraordinary; 381 hp and 546 lb-ft from a triple turbocharged inline six. Power is driven through an eight speed automatic gearbox and put down to the pavement via a revised xDrive system. The results as impressive as expected – 0-60 should fall somewhere in the mid four second range.

But all that aside, it’s the engine’s technology that has our mouths watering.

This is BMW’s first application of a triple turbo set-up and one of the first in the automotive industry. The size, arrangement and interplay of the turbos are designed to guarantee maximum power across the power range. The system comprises two smaller and one larger turbo. According to the driving situation, the low moment of inertia of the small turbochargers is exploited to the full to deliver razor-sharp responses, while the link-up with the large turbo is maximised to generate as much charge pressure as possible.

The return of the “Ultimate Driving Machine” campaign got us to thinking about some of BMW’s past tv spots. Some of those we recall are more recent than others, like our favorite above- the 2008 ad showing off the inner workings of the ///M3 race bred V8 engine. All of them bring back strong memories and are examples of what BMW ads should be and what they are getting back to.

Do you remember the original E39 M5 spot, the one with the camera attached to it as it films a world record jet powered car attempt or how about the X3 ad mocking all other SUVs? Those and a handful of others can be found after the jump. The 1M and 318is ads shouldn’t be missed. If you have a favorite ad just let us know in the comments and we’ll try to include it in the post.

On the coat tails of today’s big announcement about M Performance Automobiles’s this video interview Dr. Friedrich Nitschke, President of BMW M GmbH reviews the success of 2011 and gives a glimpse into 2012. Having had some great conversations with Dr. Nitschke in the past, he like his predecessor Dr. Kay Segler, has a great passion for BMW and M cars. In our discussions last year he emphatically believed that the 400 plus engineers working at M have something to offer the automotive enthusiast other brands just can’t match.

This new line of cars provides those engineers the ability to serve more customers with products that offer great performance but that are not the full on focussed M offerings (or as expensive). Some may feel this is watering down of the brand M but in reality this is M returning to its roots of offering more performance above the base car while still building the more focussed products of today such as the M3, and M5 for the most demanding customers.

The European market should see two models introduced at Geneva- the X6 M550d and the M135i.We reached to to Matthew Russell, BMWNA M Brand Manager, to see how this announcement impacts the US. He informed us that this announcement will not impact the US market within the near future.

As a followup to our recent post about BMWNA reintroducing the “Ultimate Driving Machine” tag line in commercials it appears that they are not the only one. BMW Australia recently revealed their take on the same concept.

Some of the same footage is used in the both commercials as well as the tag phrase: “We don’t make sports cars. We don’t make S.U.V.’s. We don’t make hybrids, and we don’t make luxury sedans. We only make one thing, the ultimate driving machine.” Is this a new global push or simply the same agency? We are not sure at the moment but it strikes us a bit too coincidental that two markets would be using the same line.

It is a welcomed change from more recent campaigns and it is good to see BMW as a whole returning to what essentially separated the brand from everything else.

BMW has just released the first F30 3 Series commercial for the international market with all the glory of the car and the Olympics you’d expect. Look for US specific spots around February.

Is it pointless? Sure it is but it is always fun to watch tires rapidly lose their longevity. As we’ve told you, the M5 will drift with the best of them. Autocar UK’s, Will it Drift? host Steve Sutcliffe does his best to show just how much drifting can be done.

You want the facts. You’ve got ‘em in 90 seconds from our friend, M Brand Manager Matt Russell.

We are just a few days away from Christmas, the anticipation is nearing as the final decorations are put up and holiday cards are opened. If you have been procrastinating and haven’t sent out cards, or prefer last minute digital cards, BMW Switzerland has created something for BMW enthusiasts, M enthusiasts to be more exact.

The card above is what happens when an M5 gets involved in creating greetings of great joy. The full video of the experience an artist had attempting to create a stereotypical Christmas card while in the passenger seat of an M5 is after the break. It’s an amusing idea and goes to show how great the M5 truly is.

560 HP CHRISTMAS GREETINGS.

Thick fog covers the Anneau du Rhin circuit. The prominent sound of 560 hp abruptly slices through the peace and quiet. The new BMW M5 breaks through the mist.

In the driver’s seat: a BMW precision driver. In the passenger seat: an illustrator creating a Christmas card design at full speed.

At breathtaking speed, the sportsman races through narrow curves, while the illustrator tries to hold his pen steady – in vain. Thus the fastest Christmas card in the world is created in the new BMW M5.

You are holding the result in your hands: unique, created at up to 250 km/h, and documented for you on film below or at www.fastestchristmascard.ch

With this card full of sheer driving pleasure, we wish you a peaceful festive season and a dynamic start to the year 2012.

Following the movie’s world premiere in Dubai on December 7, 2011 the film will have preview runs in IMAX and other large format theaters in the U.S. tonight December 16, 2011, with a general public release on December 21, 2011.

After the jump you will see some prime footage of BMWs racing through a sandstorm passing other German brands. Ethan Hunt, played by Tom Cruise uses the available third pedal in his borrowed 650i drop top to chase the bad guy down… over the top in typical MI fashion. BMWs will be showcased throughout this movie and is part of BMW’s larger push to use product placement in movie and TV productions rather than running typical advertising.

The precursor to the BMWi i8, the new BMW Vision EfficientDynamics makes an attention grabbing entrance on to the scene, with a starring role in this action packed movie.

BMW has released a miniature version of the EfficientDynamics to go along with it’s large arsenal of miniatures to coincide with the launch of the movie. Where typical BMW miniatures make a fantastic Christmas gift for car lovers this special miniature will also be great for movie fanatics!

Description from BMW-Shop.com:

A glimpse of the future – and a leading actor in its own right:

The film edition of the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics impresses with extraordinary flowing lines and an open interior. The miniature of this advanced diesel hybrid brings a piece of Hollywood history to your desk. (Illustration may differ from original.)

Scale: 1:43

Part Number: 80 42 2 211 783

£20.00, €20,00

Available at dealers and BMW-Shop.com

The 6er Gran Coupe looks good in photos but it’s in motion that the shape and the details really come alive. You can check it all out after the break.

Driving

Interior

Technology

We’ve seen the 6 Series Gran Coupe in photos, video and read the details. Now lets let the exterior designer of the 6 Series GC, Nader Faghihzadeh take us through the car.

Full video after the break.