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Mazda3 versus BMW 1 Series and Audi A3 in Euro diesel showdown

It's not exactly a Tesla Model S taking on a Ferrari, but for us green enthusiasts, a drag race and comparison between reasonably priced diesel hatchbacks does hold interest, and UK's Auto Express was kind enough to do the deed. When raced, the diesels actually laid a little rubber coming off the line, though the track was covered in rain. Did we mention it was in the UK? The comparison was between diesel hatchbacks priced at less than 22,000 British pounds (about $34,500 US), and Auto Express pitted a Mazda3, a BMW 1-Series and an Audi A3 against each other. The results are revealed in the 11-minute video you can watch below. In short, one car smoked the others. In order to set the tone, you should know that the Mazda's 150 horsepower is about 35 more than the other two entrants. The Mazda also earned points for its quiet motor (it sounds more like a petrol engine, the host says), standard equipment that would add about $4,000 to the other two cars if included and relative roominess in front and in back. The Audi gained points for its storage space, while the BMW had the only rear-wheel-drive car in the hunt. See for yourself how the competition stacks up. News Source: Auto Express via YouTube Green Audi BMW Mazda Diesel Vehicles bmw 1-series Auto Express

BMW's DTM champ swaps rides with Mini's Dakar winner

BMW may not race in F1 any longer, and it doesn't compete with Audi and Porsche in the LMP1 class at Le Mans. It even shut down Mini's short-lived effort on the World Rally Championship. But that doesn't mean it doesn't race at all. In fact it's the current reigning champion both in DTM and at Dakar. So to highlight its varied motorsport programs, the German automaker had two of its top drivers swap rides. German driver Martin Tomczyk, who won the DTM title in 2011 and now drives for BMW, took to Nasser Al-Attiyah's Mini All4Racing Countryman on the sand dunes of Dubai. Meanwhile the Qatari driver, who has won the Dakar Rally two times now, took to the wheel of Tomczyk's BMW M4 DTM around Oschersleben in Germany. They even repeated the game of musical chairs at Hockenheim over the weekend. If anything, the promo clip shot by Red Bull just goes to show how different the varied racing machinery can be, and the challenges posed to racing drivers switching between disciplines. But lessons aside, it's a cool clip, so check it out above. Two champions swap cockpits: Martin Tomczyk drives the MINI ALL4 Racing, Nasser Al-Attiyah the BMW M4 DTM. Munich (DE), 1st May 2015. From asphalt to sand and back again: BMW DTM driver Martin Tomczyk (DE) and MINI ALL4 Racing ace Nasser Al-Attiyah (QA) both entered unfamiliar territory and took each other's cars for a test drive. As part of a video shoot for BMW Motorsport Premium Partner Red Bull in Dubai (AE), Tomczyk, a proven master of his trade on asphalt as the 2011 DTM Champion, took the wheel of the MINI ALL4 Racing, with which X-raid has won the famous Rally Dakar the last four years. During DTM testing in Oschersleben (DE), Al-Attiyah was given the opportunity to drive Tomczyk's BMW M Performance Parts M4 DTM. Two wins at the Rally Dakar are just some of the successes the rally driver from Qatar has had to date. He followed up his first victory in 2011 by winning in the MINI ALL4 Racing in January 2015. "Driving the MINI ALL4 Racing through the sand and over the dunes in Dubai was a fascinating experience and was so much fun," said Tomczyk. "The car has an incredible amount of torwue – and the test in the dunes was an amazing adrenalin rush even for an experienced race driver such as myself. It's totally different to driving on a circuit.

Is this the new BMW 7 Series?

Autocar has stumbled upon what appears to be the first uncovered photo of the next-generation BMW 7 Series. It looks like the real deal, and we'll know for sure on June 10, when the 2016 model is officially revealed. This image allegedly appeared on a BMW configurator, and has since been taken down. According to Autocar, the new 7 Series will come in 730d, 740i, and 750i trims (in Europe, anyway), with or without xDrive all-wheel drive. BMW already released a few details about its new 7 Series. We know that the new car will be nearly 290 pounds lighter than its predecessor, and will feature gesture control technology and an LCD display key. We're sure BMW has a whole lot more in store for its new flagship, so check back later this week for the full helping of details.