1998 Bmw Z3 Roadster Convertible 2-door 1.9l on 2040-cars

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2016 BMW 3 Series First Drive [w/video]

If the 3 Series were a person, it would suffer from crippling anxiety. This has nothing to do with the way the car behaves on the road, and it's not a result of its styling. No, it's because so many people expect so much from the 3er. The model is held to the highest standard, which it tends to set itself, and when it doesn't deliver, it hears about it. So it was when BMW introduced the F30 3 Series sedan for 2012. This was a good 3 Series, but few thought it was great. The car lost some of its edge, instead chasing the comfy-luxury crowd that arguably makes up more of the buying public. The vocal Bimmer-loving minority wasn't pleased. Critics, us included, called the car out for its soft suspension tuning, less-than-perfect electric power steering, and chintzy interior details. Enthusiasts instead waxed nostalgic about the E90 generation that came before. But now, the 3 Series can relax again. BMW managed to address most of the issues in this F30 refresh for 2016. The suspension has been reworked, the steering programming overhauled, and the interior is now more befitting a dignified sporty thing from a luxury brand. For good measure, BMW is introducing a new turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six with more power that the car didn't really need. BMW is introducing a new turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six with more power that the car didn't really need. That new engine comes with a new out-of-thin-air badge, 340i, replacing the 335i and its N55 six. The updated 3 Series sedan will continue to be offered as a 320i with a turbo four, and both sedan and wagon keep a 328i with a higher-power version of the same engine, as well as a 328d turbodiesel. While those models' engines are unchanged, they all benefit from minor exterior styling updates (lights and bumpers) and the de-cheapified interior, as well most of the mechanical updates. Most of the content from the former Sport Line package, like Sport seats, the Sport transmission, Sport gauges, gloss black exterior trim, and black exhaust tips, is now standard on all but the 320i. Those extra standard features and the new engine bump the price up $2,050, from $44,745 for the 2015 335i sedan to $46,795 for a 340i. Our test drive focused on the 340i, since it's got the new engine. The B58 mill is a single solitary cubic centimeter off of the N55 3.0-liter's it replaces, but it's based on a new modular architecture.

BMW i8 customized by AC Schnitzer [w/video]

It may not enjoy the kind of factory support that Alpina does (let alone Munich's own M division), but as far as independent BMW tuners go, few have the kind of clout that AC Schnitzer does. Heck, it even won the DTM championship for BMW in its first year back in the series. And now the legendary Bimmer tuner has turned its attention to the i8. The list of Schnitzer's enhancements for the plug-in hybrid sports car is long, but perhaps wisely shies away from messing with the intricate powertrain. Instead the customization options focus on elements like the suspension, rolling stock, aero kit, and interior. AC Schnitzer has dropped the ride height by almost an inch at the front and 0.78 inches at the rear. It's fitted a set of 21-inch forged alloys with five split spokes and low-profile rubber to trim nearly ten pounds off the vehicle's unsprung weight while increasing its contact patch for better grip (albeit likely with higher rolling resistance). There's also a comprehensive rolling kit made of carbon fiber, including front spoiler elements, side skirts, and a rear wing that to our eye looks a little out of place on the i8, though individual customers may disagree. And the interior has been upgraded with aluminum pedals and velour floor mats. Of course customers will be able to pick and choose which elements they'd want to install on their hybrid vehicles, but you can check out the fully spec'd demonstrator in the high-resolution image gallery above and in the video below. (You just may want to turn down your speakers if you're not into German techno-pop.) Revolutionary Sporting Performance and Innovative Design The i8 by AC Schnitzer emphasises the strengths of the plug-in hybrid from Munich The BMW i8 is revolutionising its vehicle class as the first sports car to have the fuel consumption and emission values of a small car. Now thanks to AC Schnitzer, this revolution is being followed by another: the AC Schnitzer special equipment for the BMW i8 emphasises even more clearly the sporting performance and innovative design of the powerful, environmentally-friendly coupe. Lowered by 25 mm at the front and 20 mm at the rear, the i8 by AC Schnitzer hugs the tarmac more closely than the standard vehicle and can therefore develop maximum efficiency and dynamics on the road.

These are the top luxury cars bought by people entering the segment for the first time

Let's say you just got a big promotion at work or the kids are moving out of the house, and you finally have some extra money. You decide to blow it all at once and treat yourself by upgrading your ride. Naturally, you look to a luxury automaker. What do you choose?
Models like the Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class may be tailor-made to introduce buyers to the premium segment, but a new study finds that they don't garner the highest rates of non-luxury customer conquests. It turns out that a Volvo leads among folks moving up to a premium brand, and it isn't even one that's made anymore, at that.
A recent study by Polk and IHS Automotive looked at what models had the highest rates of buyers upgrading from a non-luxury segment. The information comes from its new vehicle registration data through April 2014. All ten top models boasted conquest rates of over 50 percent, but the Volvo C70 led the field with 68.01 percent of its customers coming from non-premium brands.