Rare 2011 Bmw 1 Series M on 2040-cars

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McLaren shoehorned the F1's V12 into a BMW M5 wagon test mule

Automakers are known to utilize preexisting vehicles as test beds for major research and development purposes. But some of the zombie mashups produced in-house can result in pretty interesting combinations. Case in point, when McLaren was developing its BMW-sourced naturally-aspirated 6.1-liter V12 for the legendary F1, the company put the engine in … a BMW M5 wagon? Yup, you read that correctly. ItÂ’s no mystery that the legendary F1 came with a BMW-sourced V12. That "M70" V12 originated from its placement in the E32 7 Series and E31 8 Series “50” models in the 1980s up through the 1990s. The version that went into the F1, however, is more closely related to the M-tuned "S70" V12 found in the E31 850CSI, which was the pseudo M-variant to the 8 Series that wasnÂ’t officially designated an M model. But it did feature full-fledged tuning from the M Division. On "Top Gear" presenter Chris HarrisÂ’ podcast, "Collecting Cars", Harris interviewed David Clark, the former director of McLarenÂ’s cars for both the road and motorsports between 1994 and 1998. Clark revealed that they took an E34 BMW M5 wagon and shoehorned the S70 V12 into its engine bay as the mule for testing the F1Â’s engine. Clark even said he drove the car himself as they were fine-tuning the V12Â’s engine output. YouÂ’re probably wondering, how the heck did that thing fit? But it isnÂ’t that surprising. The E34 5-Series was designed to house either the BMWÂ’s venerable straight-six or the new-at-the-time V8. And there was room enough to house the V12 as well, particularly since BMWÂ’s V12 was essentially two of its “M20” straight-sixes bolted together at the crank in a vee. When Clark was testing the S70 V12 in the wagon, he and his team ended up with the 627 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque the F1 became known for. ThatÂ’s nearly twice the power the production M5's 311 hp and 266 lb-ft at the time. Clark also divulged that the actual prototype mule still exists, but itÂ’s in BMWÂ’s secret collection of prototypes, and itÂ’s never been revealed to the public. He does, however, hope that one day, BMW will open its doors and show off the incredible mashup of an automobile. Until then, youÂ’ll have to rely on the few custom engine swaps done by owners to get a taste of what a V12-powered E34 M5 is like. Rumor also has it that McLaren could be working on a new direct F1 successor with help once again from Gordon Murray.

BMW makes X7 in Spartanburg official

BMW has made it official - there will be a flagship crossover called X7, and it will be built right here in the US of A. The announcement was made today, confirming rumors of the new model at the Spartanburg, SC factory that broke earlier this week.
"Plant Spartanburg was built to enhance and expand the BMW lineup, underscoring the BMW Group commitment to the United States" said Dr. Norbert Reithofer, chairman of the BMW board of management in a statement. "In addition to the X3, X5, X6, and the new X4, we are today announcing another all-new, larger X model to be manufactured exclusively at this plant for our world markets: the X7."
BMW will spend $1 billion by 2016 upgrading its South Carolina factory, which already produces the X3, X5 and X6. The plant is currently capable of producing 300,000 units per year, but with the big investment from BMW, capacity will climb to 450,000 units. 800 jobs will be added as a result of the investment and new and upcoming models.

2017 BMW Alpina B7 xDrive is an M7 by any other name

Have you been waiting for BMW to release a more potent version of the new 7 Series? Try 600 horsepower on for size and forget all about the famous M badge. The new flagship performance sedan from Munich is the 2017 BMW Alpina B7 xDrive. Alpina is Bimmer's tuner of choice, and it designs customized features to integrate precisely with the factory build. The B7's 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 is massaged to deliver a nice, round 600 horsepower, and a torque figure nearly as impressive at 590 pound-feet available from just 3,000 rpm. All that muscle is channeled through an eight-speed automatic to all four wheels (as you might have guessed from the new xDrive handle). The result is an Autobahn-blitzing 0-60 time quoted at just 3.6 seconds – 0.8 seconds quicker than its predecessor – and a top speed estimated at 193 miles per hour. Those would have been considered supercar figures not that long ago, but are delivered here in a luxury sedan as big as they come. They also stand up pretty well to the forced-induction eight-cylinder competition in the Audi S8 Plus, Jaguar XJR, Maserati Quattroporte GTS, and Mercedes-AMG S63. The Audi produces a bit more power but less torque, the Mercedes does the opposite, and the Jaguar and Maserati are left in the dust. Only the S8 Plus dares claim a quicker 0-60 time, and even then it's only said to be a tenth quicker. (The Mercedes-AMG S65 boasts much higher output from its V12, but without an all-wheel drive system capable of handling all its muscle, it's a fair bit slower off the line.) Keeping all that momentum under control is an air suspension with adaptive dampers, active roll bars, and four-wheel steering. It's all mounted to 20-inch wheels wearing Michelin Pilot Super Sport rubber and packing oversized brakes measuring 15.5 inches at the front (with four-piston fixed calipers) and 14.5 inches (with floating calipers) at the back. Of course it also benefits from all the advancements that the Bavarian automaker developed for the latest 7 Series, but takes things a step further with a specific aero kit and an interior decked out in even more upscale leather and trim. The finished product may not wear an M7 badge as so many have called for from BMW's flagship sedan series over the years. But the Alpina name carries a cachet all its own and has for the past 50 years now – which is a few years longer than BMW M GmbH has been around.