It’s amazing what you can happen to come upon while taking a ride in the countryside. These photos were taken in Garching, Germany and while some of the images appear to be nothing more then an ordinary traffic jam, but if you look carefully you might notice the red BMW 1-Series that’s sticking out like a sore thumb, which makes these photos a little more interesting.
What’s so interesting, you ask?
Well, if you put one and one together – and by one and one, we mean a BMW 1-Series driving in Garching, which incidentally, is the stomping grounds of the brand’s in house high performance tuners at the M Division – then you just might be looking at the new BMW M1. Of course, there’s no confirmation of this other than the facts that we have just given you, but looking at the car, it does bear some striking similarities to the new BMW 135i.
The top of the line version of the compact BMW 1-Series is the 135i, and both the coupe and convertible examples have received a few updates for the 2010 model year. The 135 is powered by the same twin turbocharged straight six as the larger 335 and starting in March of 2010, the BMW 1-Series will be sold with a seven speed double clutch gearbox from BMW with an all new Sport Automatic feature for more spirited driving.
The 3.0 liter inline six cylinder engine benefits from BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology, High Precision Injection and fully variable VALVETRONIC valve management to ensure that the entire rotating orchestra is not only in tune, but performing at their absolute best. The 135 develops a total of 306 HP 295 lb-ft of torque allowing the baby Bimmer to sprint from 0 to 60 MPH in only 5 seconds and promises to return an average of 22 MPG on both city streets and the highway.
The Sport Automatic feature on the new seven speed transmission improves both the vehicle’s acceleration and efficiency while at the same time providing the driver with the ease and comfort of a BMW automatic gearbox. Thanks to the double clutch design, the gearbox is able to shift seamlessly without the slightest interruption of power and has the added benefit of allowing the driver to enjoy the performance of a manual gearshift with the comfort of an automatic.
The German car builder BMW unveiled their Concept ActiveE at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show. Based on the 1-Series Coupe, the ActiveE features an electric drive system that offers owners a range of up to 100 miles. The EV power train generates a maximum output of 170 HP and 184 lb-ft of torque from the battery powered motors that will accelerate the ActiveE Concept from 0 to 60 MPH in a reasonable 8.5 seconds and will reach a top speed limited to 90 MPH all without emitting a single pollutant. Quite possibly the most attractive aspect of any premium compact.
The lithium ion batteries found in the BMW Concept ActiveE have their own liquid cooling system and an intelligent battery management system which are the key elements to increasing both storage capacity and longevity of the electricity storing cells. They also ensure that the EV Bimmer’s rather long range is guaranteed independent of external conditions. The unique BMW derived ActiveE’s high storage capacity electric drive system is the only reason that the Concept can achieve the kind of autonomy that it is capable of, allowing up to 100 miles of driving on a single charge. With this concept BMW is making a strong charge to get Americans excited about premium efficiency in compact packages.
Updated 12/01/10: New video added: Detroit Auto Show revealing. Check it out!
The German automaker BMW is showing that efficiency can be fun their EfficientDynamics lineup will grow by two new models, a 135i Coupe and Convertible. At the heart of these compact sports cars is a 3.0 Liter BMW straight six boosted by a pair of twin scroll turbochargers and the integration of VALVETRONIC throttle less intake technology as well as VANOS variable valve timing, offering better throttle response and improved fuel efficiency while still making 300 HP and 300 lb-ft of torque. The motor is mated to an all new DCT 7 speed Double Clutch Transmission with dedicated paddle shifters where he driver has to pull back on the right lever to shift up and tug on the left one to downshift. Meanwhile creature comforts are taken car of with a top of the line Harman Kardon Surround Sound System as optional equipment.
The 2010 BMW 135i Coupe an Convertible will arive in dealer’s showrooms later on this Spring.
The future of the sport compact market is looking promising, given a swift kick in the pants by Hyundai’s Genesis Coupe and more manufacturer interest with the Toyota FT-86 concept. While these vehicles look promising from the factory these new cars will go to buyers willing to go the extra step in order to get the most out of their latest purchase. These tuner friendly entry level sports cars are a blessing for enthusiasts looking to have fun alongside the big boys at a much lower price. However there is one smaller European model already on the market that can stake a genuine claim as the King of the sport compact segment.
The BMW 135i comes with the same twin turbocharged 300 HP inline six cylinder engine as the longer and heavier 335, and much like the long gone Toyota Supra offers an outstanding base from which to extract regal amounts of power. The Chicago based tuner WSTO has a perfect example of what can be done with the smallest of BMW’s range currently offered here in the U.S. with their 135i Project 1 v1.2. Their update is nothing more then a subtle tune on a 135 that is based around an all new Bastuck quad tipped exhaust system surrounded by a carbon fiber diffuser. WSTO then continued the downforce theme with a complete ground effects package and then finished it off with an aggressive 19 inch wheel and tire package that looks absolutely perfect thanks to the H&R lowering springs. Adding a significant amount of go to the 135’s show WSTO tuned the boosted straight six to make a total of 414 HP, more then enough to fly by Hyundais and Toyotas.
Given the modest price tag – only about $37,100 - and the diesel engine variant that the Euro only 118d coupe comes in, the competition of this car is slim pickings, to say the least. Other than Volkswagen’s very own 2.0 TDI Scirocco, you won’t find any other car out on the market that can combine the power, value, and prestige of a BMW 118d Coupe. The most important question to ask when you’re in the market for a car in the range of a BMW 1-Series is exactly how much value are you going to get for your buck?
First of all, you can’t disillusion yourself into thinking that the
118d packs the same power and speed as most of its higher-echelon
brethren. But that’s not to say that the car doesn’t come with the same high-level performance that is standard with BMW. For starters, the car’s 141hp rear wheel 2.0-liter turbodiesel engine played a key part in the 118d winning the World Green Car of the Year 2008 Award. There’s also a useful amount of torque to go around and while its 0-60mph time of 9 seconds is uncharacteristic of BMW, the car’s U.S.-converted 57.8 mpg, which Autocar measured in its test run, is right on the same plane as that of the Toyota Prius, which comes in at 60.3 mpg.
Although it may sound as nitpicking, one thing that we noticed
about the 118d’s engine was that it was louder than usual – a mild irritant that we’re sure will pass as soon as you get used to it. After all, for
this price tag, you’ll take all of the whips and whistles that come
along with it.
BMW’s new Concept ActiveE, an all-electric version of the brand’s 1-Series Coupe that’s set to make its debut at the Detroit Motor Show next month, was recently the subject of a short teaser film created by the boys with the blue propeller.
Despite being just a prototype model, BMW is releasing the Concept ActiveE for trial runs with a number of private drivers to see how the car fares in the court of public opinion.
German drivers have a new blip on their radars to watch out for, that is because the tuners at AC Schnitzer have unleashed their efforts on a BMW 1 Series so that even the police will look good at the upcoming Essen Motor Show. Based on a diesel sipping BMW 123d Coupe that is powered by a 2.0 Liter turbo diesel four banger that has been tuned to deliver a maximum output of 241 HP and 354 lb-ft of torque, combined with the robust BMW built six speed automatic transmission, the diesel powered police Bimmer will accelerate from 0 to 60 MPH in just 6.7 seconds. Thanks to the BMW’s German engineering, AC Schnitzer Police coupe will be able to do 150 MPH all day long, and because it’s a diesel lengthy Autobahn pursuits won’t be a problem.
The next generation BMW 1 Series was recently spotted out and about on the Autobahn somewhere between Salzburg and Munich wearing the digital camera tricking camouflage that keeps unwanted onlookers from examining every detail of the new design. The car is known as the F20 prototype and is rumored to feature some of the more revolutionary design elements and the latest technologies that the German automaker is offering in their luxury vehicles today.
From what we have gathered, the next generation 1 Series will be powered by a range of three and four cylinder turbocharged engines as well as a 300 HP inline six cylinder engine for the top of the line model. In naturally aspirated form the 1.3 Liter engine makes 136 HP and 177 HP with the help of a turbo. The 120i should get a 2.0 Liter turbocharged four banger making 218 HP, while the 135i will continue to use the 3.0 Liter twin turbocharged straight six. You can expect to see a few alternatively fueled diesel and hybrid variants in the future, most likely in the form of the three cylinder hybrid found in the BMWVision EfficientDynamics Concept. There is even talk about a 135i SuperSport, this factory tuned 1 Series would fill in for an M variant and could make use of lightweight materials like a carbon fiber in the roof or even the hood. Along with the upgrade in power, the SuperSport will also get a high performance suspension and stranger brakes to give the car the feel of an M car without the emblem.
The German tuning house Hartge has just revealed a new power pack for the alternatively fueled compact BMW 116d. The heart of the performance enhancement is a reprogrammed engine computer that recalibrates the diesel powered city car’s air and fuel maps which allows the engine to run at its peak potential raising the four cylinder’s output to 143 HP and 232 lb-ft of torque.
The designers at Hartge don’t stop under the hood, in order to get the most of out of the tiny Bimmer the aftermarket manufacturer lowers the vehicle with a new sport suspension consisting of a new set of springs that work with the factory shock absorbers to successfully lower the ride height by 25 mm without compromising the BMW’s comfortable yet sporty ride.
Not only does the sports exhaust free up a few more ponies and give the Hartge 116d the appropriate tone for a tuned machine, but it also looks good doing it. In order to create a vehicle that looks as good as it goes, the German tuners finished off the little diesel powered BMW with one of their signature aero kits that completely transforms the baby Bimmer’s appearance.
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