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BMW Brilliance Automotive previews 5 Series plug-in hybrid prototype

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, China, BMW, Shanghai Motor Show, Luxury

2013 BMW 5 Series Plug-In Hybrid

2013 BMW 5 Series plug-in hybrid – Click above for high-res version

In the lead-in to the Shanghai Motor Show, BMW has teased an upcoming plug-in hybrid 5 Series that will be exclusive to the Chinese market. The prototype of this greener version of BMW’s midsize sedan is based on the China-only long-wheelbase 5 Series platform.

The car is part of a joint venture between BMW and Chinese automaker Brilliance. The car is the tip of an eco-friendly iceberg BMW has aimed squarely at China, a country with an increasing appetite for premium-segment cars and a serious need for green-focused, energy-efficient vehicles.

Despite its size, BMW says the plug-in 5 Series will manage nearly 250 miles on a single charge and tank of gas, with up to 47 miles of those on electric power only, provided you don’t creep past 37 miles per hour. Those numbers certainly aren’t what you’d call impressive, but they’re a step in the right direction and they’d likely be a major help in the thick traffic snarls that China’s major cities are famous for. As for the U.S. market, a full plug-in 5 Series is unlikely, but BMW is understood to be planning to bring a traditional mild hybrid version of the car to our shores. For now, check out the prototype in our gallery below and via the press release after the jump.

Gallery: 2013 BMW 5 Series Plug-In Hybrid

2013 BMW 5 Series Plug-In Hybrid

[Source: BMW]

Continue reading BMW Brilliance Automotive previews 5 Series plug-in hybrid prototype

BMW Brilliance Automotive previews 5 Series plug-in hybrid prototype originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 18:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jaguar reportedly confirms 3 Series rival, XFR-S under development

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Jaguar, Luxury

2010 Jaguar XFR in motion

Jaguar XFR – Click above for high-res image gallery

Eager to show it’s at the top of its game, Jaguar has been promoting a raft of new technologies, models and variants under development of late. We’ve recently confirmed a new four-cylinder diesel for the XF (earmarked towards European buyers) and reports of an all-wheel-drive variant of the XJ flagship (targeted for North American consumption), but new reports give us some more to anticipate from the Leaping Cat marque.

First up, word out of the UK indicate that the long-rumored 3 Series rival – possibly (and counterintuitively) to be called XS – has been confirmed by Jaguar’s global brand director, Adrian Hallmark, who justifies that in order to compete with other European luxury marques, it needs to do so on all fronts.

Potentially more exciting, however, is the development of an even hotter version of the XFR (pictured above). The project reportedly transplants the upgrades in the XKR-S to the XF to make for a 550-horsepower super-sedan capable of taking on the likes of the forthcoming BMW M5 and Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG.

Gallery: First Drive: 2010 Jaguar XFR

[Source: PistonHeads]

Jaguar reportedly confirms 3 Series rival, XFR-S under development originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe Black Series so hot we’d like to bag it up

Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupe, Performance, Mercedes-Benz

spy photo of mercedes-benz c63 amg coupe black series

Spy Shots: Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe Black Series – Click above for high-res image gallery

Spy photographers had previously captured images of what’s tipped to be the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Series sedan. The four-door muscle car could be seen traipsing down snowy roads. At the time, there were rumors that the two-door C63 AMG coupe could also be lured over to the dark side. Now our spy shooters have returned with photographic proof to back up that claim.

The hallmark of a Black Series Mercedes is two-fold in its simplicity: more power and better dynamics through things like a wider track and lightweight materials. The “standard” C63 AMG Coupe will pump out 451-horsepower, so we’re hoping that the Sith Lord-edition will crest the 500-hp mark. Weight can be shed through the use of slimmer, grippier front seats and by ditching the back seat entirely. Who has time for back-seat passengers when you have the keys to a Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe Black Series anyway?

Gallery: Spy Shots: Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe Black Series

Spy Shots: Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe Black Series

[Source: CarPix]

Spy Shots: Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe Black Series so hot we’d like to bag it up originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 BMW 6 Series Coupe gets early unveiling ahead of Shanghai

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, BMW, Shanghai Motor Show, Luxury

2012 BMW 6 Series Coupe

2012 BMW 6 Series Coupe – Click above for high-res image gallery

BMW has just given us an early preview of the 2012 6 Series Coupe in Munich ahead of its debut at the Shanghai Motor Show, and as you’d expect, the all-new hardtop 6er simply adds a fixed roof and a Hofmeister Kink to the cabrio we sampled earlier this year.

Head designer Karim Habib tells Autoblog that he drew most of his inspiration from BMW’s iconic 3.0 CS produced in the late 60s and early 70s – particularly the elongated wheelbase, endless hood and upright, sharknose grille that just so happens to conform to the EU’s pedestrian impact standards. The fascia benefits from full LED headlamps and triple-element foglamps (optional on both the coupe and cabrio), along with lower, wider kidney grilles that – when compared to the 7 Series’ vertical slats – come off as less pinstripe-like and more aggressive; toothy, even.

Underneath that expansive hood lies BMW’s twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8, producing 400 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque – identical to its drop-top sibling. An eight-speed automatic gearbox shuttles power to the rear wheels, allowing the coupe to hit 60 mph in 4.8 seconds before topping out at the electronically limited top speed of 155 mph.

According to BMW officials, the cabrio was introduced before the coupe because it makes up 60 percent of 6 Series volume in the U.S., the 6er’s largest market. BMW hasn’t released an official curb weight for the coupe, but it has confirmed that it will be lighter than its 4,500-pound convertible brethren. Sales are set to begin this Fall and should command slightly less than the cab’s $90,000 point of entry.

Gallery: 2012 BMW 6 Series Coupe

Gallery: 2012 BMW 6 Series coupe

2012 BMW 6 Series coupe

2012 BMW 6 Series Coupe gets early unveiling ahead of Shanghai originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: FIA president Jean Todt interested in new electric F1 series

Filed under: Motorsports, Technology, Electric

jean todt

Are you prepared for Formula One, Electric Boogaloo? Jean Todt, President of the FIA, apparently is, and he hopes to introduce a few new racing series that will provide a platform for an electrified Formula One racing series.

Before we get to see a fully-fledged electric F1 league, The Telegraph reports that Todt plans to roll out electric car, go-kart and single-seat events. The goal is to increase awareness of electric propulsion and drum up support for its use in a variety of motorsports applications.

Jean Todt may have a tough road ahead of him, though, thanks to assumed opposition from F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone. Todt is looking to bring hybrid powerplants to F1 and Ecclestone has already voiced his opposition to that plan. We’re going to guess that Bernie won’t take too kindly to all-electric racing either.

[Source: The Telegraph | Image: Roni Rekomaa/AFP/Getty]

Report: FIA president Jean Todt interested in new electric F1 series originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 16:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Le Mans Series pace car mistake causes pileup [w/video]

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Videos, Audi

2011 Le Castellet 6-Hour crash

2011 Le Castellet 6-Hours crash – Click above to view video after the jump

The inaugural race of the 2011 Le Mans Series, Le Castellet 6-Hours, got off to a nasty beginning today, with a mistake by the pit car causing a huge pileup in the GT field. Thanks to a hump in the back stretch of the Paul Ricard HTTT circuit, cars at the back of the pack can’t see the front of the field, just the green light telling them to go.

At the start of Le Castellet, the lights turned green, but the pace car didn’t leave the track. Fortunately for the Audi pace car driver, the prototype field saw his mistake and slowed down abruptly.

Those in GT, thinking the race was still green, crested the rise to be met with much slower traffic. The resulting panic stops led to pandemonium, which left at least one Farnbacher-Loles Porsche out of commission before the race even got started. Check out the video after the jump.

[Source: Axis of Oversteer via Jalopnik]

Continue reading Le Mans Series pace car mistake causes pileup [w/video]

Le Mans Series pace car mistake causes pileup [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 03 Apr 2011 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Corvette racing series, Episode 3: Sebring

Filed under: Coupe, Videos, Chevrolet, Racing

Corvette Racing, Sebring 2011

Corvette Racing, Sebring 2011 – Click above to view video after the jump

Corvette Racing managed to snag third and fourth place in GT2 at the ALMS 12 Hours of Sebring, beginning a much-anticipated racing season for Chevrolet. Now the team has released the third installment in its coverage of the buildup to the season and Corvette Racing’s fortunes.

Sebring proved to be a tough test for Corvette Racing. The number 4 car went for a spin early on after a nudge from a Porsche, and car number 3 needed a new windshield during the night. Despite those hiccups, things went well for Corvette Racing, and the team says they’re confident going into the next round in Long Beach, California. Hop the jump to see the official video from this season’s race at Sebring.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Corvette racing series, Episode 3: Sebring

Video: Corvette racing series, Episode 3: Sebring originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: BMW 3 Series GT could actually be new 4 Series

Filed under: Coupe, Sedan, BMW, Rumormill

6 series gran coupe

BMW 6 Series Gran Coupé concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

We’ve heard a few times that BMW is working on a 3 Series Gran Turismo, but a rumor floated at Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport claims the GT may instead be an all-new 4 Series. If true, BMW Blog says that a 4 Series could be offered as a four-door coupe that would help BMW compete with offerings like the A5 Sportback. The move would also enable BMW to offer a more stylish vehicle that slots well below the 6 Series in price while still demanding a premium over the 3 Series. And keep in mind that BMW has already green-lit the 6 Series Gran Coupe, which will feature two-door styling and four physical doors when it arrives in 2012.

Given that Audi has feverishly expanded its lineup the past few years, we wouldn’t blame BMW for countering with a 4 Series, but this is the first we’ve heard of it, so we’ll keep this one squarely in the rumormill category for now.

[Source: BMW Blog]

Rumormill: BMW 3 Series GT could actually be new 4 Series originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 27 Mar 2011 15:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: BMW shows off Death Valley testing, 2012 3 Series on display?

Filed under: Videos, BMW

bmw testing vehicles in death valley

BMW tests its vehicles in the heat of Death Valley – Click above to watch video after the jump

BMW runs its vehicles through some extreme environments, and it’s all in the name of research. One of its (and nearly every other automaker’s) favorite stomping grounds is, quite literally, a hot spot. Death Valley, California is one of the hottest places on the planet, and the German automaker comes here to subject its vehicles to temperatures that can exceed 130 degrees Fahrenheit.

This year, the BMW team has decided to capture their efforts on video. In the process, it seems they’ve also beat U.S.-based spy photographers to the punch by showing glimpses of what appears to be a 2012 3 Series wearing blacked-out camouflage. Click past the jump to see BMW’s newest development cars out testing in the scorching heat.

[Source: YouTube via BMW Blog]

Continue reading Video: BMW shows off Death Valley testing, 2012 3 Series on display?

Video: BMW shows off Death Valley testing, 2012 3 Series on display? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: BMW 3 Series GT caught taking a break from bell-tower duty

Filed under: Spy Photos, Crossover, Hatchback, BMW

spy shots bmw 3 series gt

Spy Shots: BMW 3 Series GT caught hitching a ride – Click above for high-res image gallery

BMW hinted that a 3 Series GT was in the works. Like its larger BMW 5 Series GT sibling, the 3 Series Gran Turismo would feature a two-tier rear hatch, raised seating position and a boosted ride height. And rumor has it that a non-swirly-camo version will be heading to the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show.

The BMW 3 Series GT will slot in the lineup to combat Audi’s upcoming Q3 crossover. It’s also enough of segment jumper that the A4 Avant could wind up in its crosshairs. Take a gander at the gallery below, and try to look past the swirls to decipher the hunchback body hiding underneath.

Gallery: Spy Shots: BMW 3 Series GT

Spy Shots: BMW 3 Series GT

[Source: Brenda Priddy & Company]

Spy Shots: BMW 3 Series GT caught taking a break from bell-tower duty originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 Mar 2011 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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