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2015 Dinan M235i First Drive

The first rule you learn about playing hide-and-seek is to wait until the seeker is out of sight before you move on to your next position. That feeling comes back to us as we're sitting in the Dinan-tuned 2015 BMW M235i on the twisty stretch of Route 152 near Gilroy, CA. Construction restricts the road to one lane before opening up to five miles of uninterrupted switchbacks. A local tipped us off to pull over and wait for traffic to clear, guaranteeing an open road and no risk of law enforcement seeking us out. Our first turn behind the wheel of the Dinan M235i started just a few miles north at the tuner's engineering and development center, located in an unassuming office park south of San Jose. Dinan conversions are known for being simultaneously subtle and awesome; an enhancement of products that already stand out in their respective classes. Dinan obtains its R&D cars through consumer channels, unlike some tuners that get early access to BMW's engineering for their own development projects. The development process is "reverse engineering," as technical director Casper van der Schoot describes it. Some development cars also come to Dinan through the generosity of its owner fan base. Customers hand over personal vehicles in exchange for discounted products. An M2 is already on order, and the Dinan engineers are on the edge of their seats waiting to take it apart. The Dinan treatment of the M235i increases performance without reinventing the dynamically sound package. As with other Dinan cars, the treatment on the M235i increases performance without reinventing the dynamically sound package. Approved dealers can install the Dinan parts, as can "anyone with a modest amount of technical aptitude," according to van de Schoot. Dinan's approach is to extract more of the best aspects of BMW products before supplanting stock parts with its own. That's why the M235i, like all Dinan products, comes with the eponymous Dinantronics engine control unit that remaps and finds more power from the stock inline-six-cylinder engine. A bespoke carbon-fiber cold air intake and stainless steel free-flow exhaust system add at least 15 more horsepower. The most significant alterations in the M235i's engine bay are a Dinan-rebuilt turbocharger and larger intercooler, which help increase total output beyond 440 horsepower. At this point you might wonder if all this untapped capacity is at BMW's disposal from the start, why does it take Dinan to release it?

BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage evokes classic 1970s Bimmer design

BMW enjoys taking advantage of the annual Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este as an opportunity to re-imagine some of company's vintage shapes in modern ways with concepts like the M1 Hommage, 328 Hommage, Concept 90 motorcycle, and even last year's Mini Superleggera. This year's event on the shores of Lake Como is no different, and the Bavarian brand is celebrating one of its great sports coupes from the 1970s with the BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage. Bathed in a shade called Golf Yellow that perfectly evokes the era of the original, the Hommage's design seems to incorporate a few cues from the current 6 Series into the classic look of the 3.0 CSL. However, the front end is actually a little ungainly to our eyes due to the massive grille, and the fenders that fold up over the hood. The laser headlights are a great touch because their X-shaped centers are inspired by old racecars. The design improves significantly in profile and really starts to show the inspiration from the original 3.0 CSL. This concept has some beautiful rear haunches, and the big, creased fenders lead the eye to the massive rear wing. The back end also maintains much of the vintage design, including the roof spoiler, but the shape gets modern touches. So while the source of this inspiration was a bit angular, the lines have been gently curved for the Hommage. Of course, a CSL must be lightweight, as signified by the last letter in its name. Where the original uses aluminum and Plexiglas to shed pounds, the Hommage uses carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic parts throughout the body. The interior is also made from CFRP, and occupants sit in quilted racing buckets. An especially cool touch is the V-shaped cross-member at the back that evokes the look of a roll cage, while being a bit more artistic. The only indication that BMW is giving about the 3.0 CSL Hommage's powertrain is that it uses an inline six with eBoost, but as a concept the engine doesn't really matter, anyway. Get a good look at the whole design in the gallery above. BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage. Racing flair with a touch of class. Munich/Cernobbio. Amid the audacious design studies and automotive beauties from a bygone era gathered at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, the BMW Group presents its new BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage – and in the process makes a pretty formidable statement of its own. This model is the BMW Design Team's tribute to the 3.0 CSL, a timeless classic and iconic BMW Coupe from the 1970s.

Driving the Honda Ridgeline and marveling at Tesla | Autoblog Podcast #638

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski and Associate Editor Byron Hurd. They start off talking about why more people should buy the Honda Ridgeline, because it's a pretty darned good truck. Next, Byron talks about some Hyundais. He shares his experiences with the 2020 Sonata Hybrid and talks briefly about the prototype 2021 Elantra currently occupying his driveway. Up next, Jeremy shares his feelings about the BMW X1 crossover he spent some time with, prompting the gang to mull over the notion of BMW's modern interpretation of "Ultimate Driving Machine." After that, Byron talks about towing his 1990 Mazda Miata with the 2020 Infiniti QX80, and then they wrap up with some discussion of the mystery surrounding the Ford Maverick and some comments on the current state of Tesla. Autoblog Podcast #638 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Hauling dirt with the 2020 Honda Ridgeline Driving the 2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Discussing the 2021 Hyundai Elantra Driving the 2020 BMW X1 Towing a 1990 Mazda Miata with a 2020 Infiniti QX80 News Ford Maverick tailgate stamping leaks; we may see the whole thing in 2021 Tesla reports profit for fourth straight quarter, setting it up to join S&P 500 Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: