BMW 2000Ca, page #34

Auto blog

This BMW i8 gains Alpina V8 power thanks to tuner

German engineering firm Gabura Racing Technologies will strip out everything that makes a BMW i8 green in an effort to create a much wilder machine. Rather than a plug-in hybrid with a turbocharged three-cylinder, the company will cram in a twin-turbo V8. The firm even intends to produce a limited run of these insane conversions for customers. Gabura hasn't actually built one of these beasts yet, but it provided several glimpses of how it would work at the 2015 Professional MotorSport World Expo in Cologne, Germany. The company stuffs the engine under the front end in what looks like a quite snug fit. In several of the photos, the top of the valve covers even appears to be above the base of the windshield. According to BBC Autos, this mill is the S63 4.4-liter turbocharged V8 from the M5 and M6. Additional tuning with some help from Alpina allegedly pushes output to around 760 horsepower – more than double the i8's stock figure. One of Gabura's own six-speed sequential gearboxes reportedly transfers the power to the wheels. Gabura recently posted on Facebook that the engineers are now ready for the first conversion. They promised to "completely rebuild it inside-out, fueled with racing technology." We're very curious to see how an i8 looks and sounds after such a significant transformation.

Daily Driver: 2016 BMW X1

Daily Driver videos are micro-reviews of vehicles in the Autoblog press fleet, reviewed by the staffers that drive them every day. Today's Daily Driver features the 2016 BMW X1, reviewed by Alex Kierstein. You can watch the video above or read a transcript below. And don't forget to watch more Autoblog videos at /videos. Show full video transcript text [00:00:00 ]Hey, everybody. I'm Senior Editor Alex Kierstein and today we're driving the 2016 BMW X1. It's replacing the old X1 and the old X1 was based on BMW's traditional rear-wheel drive platform. That meant the engine was positioned longitudinally, that's north/south in the engine bay. In this application, we've got a transversely mounted turbo charged inline four, making 228 horsepower. [00:00:30] It displaces 2.0 liters and it's part of BMW's new modular engine family. It's a nice engine. It's smooth. It sounds good and it's got a lot of power. This is a little lighter than the previous car. This one weighs 3,660 pounds versus the old X1's 3800 and some change. It's a little bit lighter. The dimensions aren't that much different. If you're wondering why it got smaller, that's because it's using a platform [00:01:00] shared with a lot of BMW's Mini products. This is really the fruition of BMW's investment in the Mini brand because now they're able to use those platforms in the engines they developed for those models in BMWs. This X1 has an 8-speed automatic transmission and it's really a pretty good trans. It kicks down quickly if you call for it to give you some power and for the most part it's smooth and kind of out of your way. [00:01:30] Where Minis are sort of raucous when you really whomp in it, this is a little more restrained. It still delivers power like many of the current turbocharged Minis out there, but there's more refinement here. I really like the external styling on this car. It's wearing this really lovely shade of dark blue and BMW's current styling language lends itself really well to this shape [00:02:00]. It looks really tidy and it's not really that complex or interesting of a shape. It's very much the traditional two-box CUV kind of exterior look and profile, but the detailing is nice. It looks sharp. It looks like a premium product and it looks like a more expensive product than a similar Mini would. BMW used to pride themselves on having simple uncluttered interfaces and even the sort of trimmed down iDrive that's in this unit [00:02:30]. Works pretty well.

Monsoon rains disrupt production for Ford, BMW in India

Even modern production techniques can be stymied by Mother Nature. This was demonstrated most recently in India, as torrential, monsoon rains caused a deluge that forced multiple automakers to suspend production. Ford, Renault, and BMW all halted work at their Indian facilities around the southern city of Chennai, also known as Madras. The annual rains disrupted public transport around the city, preventing employees from making the trek into city's factories. According to Automotive News, Chennai saw 48 inches of precipitation last month alone, which is more than Seattle, WA saw in all of 2014. While Ford and BMW closed things down for all of December 1, Renault just cancelled a pair of shifts at its Chennai factory. This is the second time in the past month that automakers in southeast India have been forced to stop production due to severe flooding, and things aren't likely to improve. According to The Weather Channel, forecasts call for thunderstorms over five of the next seven days, while the chance of rain won't fall below 80 percent until December 8. Ford, Renault, and BMW are far from the only automakers that could stand to be impacted by the rains. The city has been nicknamed "The Detroit of India" for its extreme automotive presence. Daimler, Hindustan, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, and Nissan all own factories in the region. News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: STR / AFP / Getty Images Plants/Manufacturing BMW Ford Renault

AC Schnitzer packs 400-hp, tri-turbo diesel into 1 Series

At first blush, this might look like your run-of-the-mill BMW 1 Series, maybe with a few modifications. What you're actually looking at is a monster hot hatch with 400 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque. From a diesel. For this year's Essen Motor Show – Germany's equivalent to SEMA – the Bimmer specialists at AC Schnitzer prepared the ACS1 5.0d concept you see here. Its selling point (if only it were for sale) is the combination of BMW's most powerful diesel engine and its smallest model. It utilizes the 3.0-liter triple-turbocharged inline-six diesel engine from the M50d versions of the 5 Series, X5, and X6 sold in Europe. That engine is normally rated at 376 hp and 545 lb-ft, which is already a ton of muscle. But Schnitzer has bumped up the output on both counts, and slotted it into a 1 Series hatchback. The result is a 0-62 time of just 4.5 seconds, leaving the M135i and M235i in a cloud of diesel soot. Of course, Schnitzer has plenty more to showcase at Essen this year, including modifications for the 3 Series, X6 M, and Mini JCW. And you can bet all the other major European tuners will be on hand at the expo to show their wares, too. But as far as outlandish creations go, this monster diesel hot hatch is what's caught our attention. Compact and incredibly powerful The 1-series by AC Schnitzer with impressive motorsport quality At first sight, you do not expect brute force from the BMW 1-series. So the performance of the compact Bavarian after the AC Schnitzer tuning experts have equipped it with the M50d power plant and impressive performance upgrade, is even more incredible. Originally designed for the 5-series, the "Diesel M-Technik" pack propels the 1-series a long way forward. The smallest BMW series now has an impressive drive concept from AC Schnitzer. After the performance upgrade, the concept engine of the ACS1 5.0d delivers 294 kW/400 hp and 800 Nm torque for generous thrust. Equipped in this way, it takes just 4.5 seconds to sprint from 0-100 km/h. The acceleration from 80-180 km/h is even more impressive: the ACS1 5.0d takes just 7.9 second for this. The smallest of the compacts, the 114i, is already impressive thanks to a power increase by 52 hp to 154 hp. The four-cylinder petrol engine of the 116i, thanks to motorsport technology, now delivers 204 hp instead of 136 hp. The same figure is also achieved by the 118i, which previously had 170 horses under the bonnet.

The Bilenkin Vintage is a retro-Russian coachbuilt BMW

If you want to add some retro Russian style to your E92 BMW 3 Series, the coachbuilt Vintage by Bilenkin Classic Cars is probably your best (and only) option. The coupe's shape takes inspiration from vehicles of the Communist era, but this bespoke machine's design gets even crazier on the inside. The company's website shows that Bilenkin already has experience restoring classic cars, but this design. That experience is on display here. The stylists do a masterful job of hiding the BMW donor at the front, and the two big headlights and low-mounted, chrome bumper seem to take inspiration from old Volgas. In a fantastic touch, lengths of chrome also run through the door handles down the side to accentuate the rear. The back might be the styling's best angle because of the way the fins step down over two tiers to create the taillights. While the exterior focuses on mixing vintage looks with modern underpinnings, the interior cossets the occupants in opulent trim that features gold and diamonds. Bilenkin upholsters one example in its photos (above right) with paisley fabric, teal trim, and a frosted gearshift. The company also has one with a more traditional look that combines brown leather, wood, and crimson carpets. The Vintage recently debuted at the 2015 Dubai International Motor Show, but Bilenkin doesn't go into much detail about the vehicle's mechanical specs. According to the company's site, "it is intended to embody elegance and style along with the principle 'Sheer Driving Pleasure.'" The retro design certainly achieves the first part of that goal, while the BMW bones probably deliver the latter as well.

Petrolicious carves up the road with a pumpkin-colored BMW 2002

Sometimes the best way to learn a skill the right way is to completely screw things up the first time. Carter Kelly Kramer figured out that lesson during years of restoration work on his 1976 BMW 2002. What he lacked in talent, Kramer made up with dogged perseverance until he had the pumpkin-colored BMW in this week's video from Petrolicious. The problems started the moment Kramer bought the 2002 on eBay. It turned out to have rotten floors, no brakes, and plenty of other issues. However, Kramer was 16 and thought he could fix everything that was wrong. It was long repair process with a multitude of problems. Kramer even briefly sold the car. Kramer's tenacity eventually resulted in the orange 2002 that he has today. After all the work, the classic BMW is now far from stock, but the mods express Kramer's dream for the car. This engrossing story of determination also introduces a new opening for Petrolicious' videos. It also has a redesigned website. Related Video:

Recharge Wrap-up: Automakers talk connected cars, Toyota's CNG hauler

Tesla, Toyota and General Motors addressed the House Subcommittee on Information Technology about the security and benefits of "The Internet of Cars." Tesla put forth four suggested security principles for the security of connected cars. Those include standard cryptography ("signing") used by automakers, measures to prohibit direct connection over the internet, isolation of a car's networked systems from its mechanical systems and standard encrypted communications protocols. Tesla VP of Business Development Diarmuid O'Connell also urged against "overly restrictive regulation." O'Connell says, "Regulation at a time of rapid innovation runs the risk of limiting the realization of the full extent of safety advances." See the hearing in the video above, and read more at Teslarati. Details over the rollout of new DC fast chargers by NRG eVgo and BMW leave some i3 owners disappointed. The partners will add 500 fast-charging sites to the eVgo network in 25 cities by the end of 2015. The "Fast Combo" chargers will be available to use for free for BMW i3 customers for 24 months. The free charging only applies to new buyers, though, leaving behind some 15,000 current i3 owners. Still, many EV drivers – not just BMW owners – will benefit from the ability to charge quickly in more places. Read more at Green Car Reports. Toyota has announced its first CNG car hauler. The automaker's in-house transport company, Toyota Transport, will operate the truck out of Long Beach, California. The truck, which Toyota says emits 85 percent less particulate matter and 10 percent less CO2, will drive about 7,000 to 8,000 miles per month. "We started exploring the CNG option more than three years ago, and it has been worth the wait," say Toyota Transport Compliance Senior Analyst Kirk Welch. "Natural gas is the cleanest burning fossil fuel and will help Toyota advance our environmental efforts to reduce fleet emissions." Read more in the press release below. Making Your New Toyota Run Cleaner Before You Even Start It Toyota's Latest Car Hauler Runs on Compressed Natural Gas November 23, 2015 TORRANCE, Calif. (Nov. 23, 2015) – Toyota Transport, the automaker's in-house vehicle transportation trucking company, now has its first car hauler that runs on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). The Long Beach, CA based truck/trailer does what any other car hauler can do, except it does it while emitting 85 percent less overall particulate matter and 10 percent less carbon dioxide.

Translogic 189: 2015 LA Auto Show

The LA Auto Show has become known for its green cars and concepts, and 2015 was no exception. Translogic host Jonathon Buckley gets all the details on BMW's 330e plug-in hybrid straight from BMW President of North America Ludwig Willisch. Then we get up-to-date on Honda's latest FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cell car. We round out our tour with a stop at the Elio Motors booth for a look at their updated, three-wheel P5 concept and a chat with CEO Paul Elio. But first, we jump in a time machine at the Volvo booth to discuss Concept 26, an interpretation of how car interiors might evolve in the era of self-driving cars. "The reason why we talked about it as a time machine [is] because, really, Concept 26 is giving you back something that is so precious," explained Volvo senior director of design Tisha Johnson. "We're letting you delegate driving to the car, so that you can then have that time to yourself." Click here to learn more about our host, Jonathon Buckley.

BMW preparing 'optimized driveline' for i3, provides more range

Autocar reports that BMW is preparing upgrades for the all-electric i3 that will greatly extend its range. Company sources called it an "optimized driveline," powered by a new, 22-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery. That's the same capacity as the battery in the current hatchback but it will have a higher density. Combined with improved electronics and new software for battery cooling and the electric motor, Autocar's unnamed BMW source said the new internals will be good for "well over 124 miles in real-world use." The Environmental Protection Agency rates the present i3 as having 81 miles of range, meaning this tweaked version would be a 50-percent improvement if that range number applies to the US market (it's likely the more lenient European number, since Autocar is a UK publication). BMW said the update takes advantage of gains in battery efficiency over the past two years. The i3 with the range extending engine would also get the update, and current owners will reportedly (and surprisingly) be able to purchase the revised powertrain for retrofitting. The Autocar report appears to back up a recent article in German newspaper Die Zeit in which BMW CEO Harald Kruger said the the i3 will get more range next year, and "Another technology leap is going to come in three or four years." The i3 was designed for to make these kinds of upgrades easy to manage. We wait to find out when it will be available, whether it will increase the price of a new car, and how much it will cost current owners to retrofit. Featured Gallery BMW i3 Shadow Sport Edition: LA 2015 News Source: Autocar via World Car FansImage Credit: Copyright 2015 Sebastian Blanco / AOL Green BMW Hatchback Electric Luxury range anxiety bmw i3 rex

Wunderlich creates two-wheel-drive hybrid BMW motorcycle

Two wheel-drive motorcycles aren\\\\\\'t new, but more mainstream and niche companies are now dabbling in the technology. German aftermarket shop Wunderlich is the latest, creating the two-wheel drive BMW R1200GS LC by placing a 7.6-kilowatt hub motor on the front wheel. Wunderlich worked with Italian company Evolt on the innovation, good for 12 miles per hour by itself without the help of the boxer-powered rear wheel. Regenerative braking energy is stored in a small battery pack under the motorcycle\\\\\\'s front beak. Powered action works in forward, as well as in reverse up to three miles per hour. The rider is able to choose direction with a toggle switch in the cockpit. Wunderlich hasn\\\\\\'t said yet how power to the front wheel is controlled or if it is simply always fully on or off. It weighs 525 pounds, and has an allowable payload of another 467 pounds. Powering the front wheel, even with just 7.6 kW, would help move all that weight around in good conditions and could be a godsend in tough stuff out on the trail. Wunderlich showed off its creation at this year\\\\\\'s EICMA motorcycle show in Italy, we have a feeling some BMW owners will be waiting for word on production possibilities once the show is over. Related Video: Featured Gallery Wunderlich BMW R1200 GS LC News Source: EICMA via Asphalt and Rubber Green Misc. Auto Shows BMW Motorcycle Hybrid Off-Road Vehicles eicma bmw r1200gs