When some manufacturers think that building one million cars is an achievement in itself – well, in some cases, it is – they should nonetheless try to take a page out of BMW’s remarkable output.
The German automaker’s 5-Series line, which began production back in 1972, has produced well over 5 million units. To be exact, this particular 525 xDrive Touring became car no. 5,555,555, which, if you’re keeping count, is a mind-boggling number.
The historic car will not be for sale but will instead be donated to the Bavarian Forest Naitonal Park, the oldest park reserve in all of Germany since it was opened in 1970 - two years before the 5-Series went into production.
To prepare car no. 5,555,555 for its new enclave, BMW outfitted with its xDrive all-wheel technology with a power output of a little under 200 hp and an average fuel consumption of 6.9 liters per 100 km.
We know that success is relative, especially when it comes to an industry as big as the auto biz. Nevertheless, you don’t come across a lot of manufacturers that can claim that they’ve built over 5 million cars from the same line. Props to BMW for achieving a great milestone!
Porsche’s state-of-the-art museum in Stuttgart, Germany will have a special guest in the coming weeks in the form of the new 2010MY 911 Turbo. The exhibit, which will be held from November 21 to 29, will showcase the new 911 Turbo alongside some of its predecessors, in addition to the never-released prototype of the 911 Turbo, which, incidentally, was the same car that was used during the 911’s testing and development stage.
If the special exhibit isn’t enough to make Porsche enthusiasts wallop in excitement, the German automakers are also in the process of releasing a new coffee table book – the fourth one from Porsche’s in-house publishers – entitled, “Porsche Turbo Stories”.
The 224-page book will be available from the Porsche Museum shop for
around €15 in both English and German versions. The latest book from “Edition Porsche-Museum” chronicles the storied history of the 911 Turbo including the release of never-before seen photos of the sports car that were dusted off from the company’s archives. In addition to that, the book also highlights every 911 Turbo ever built – from the first 911 Turbo 3.0 that rolled off the lot in 1974 to the latest incarnation, which was revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
If you’re a Porsche fanatic and you happen to be near the area from the 21st to the 29th, you have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to relive the history of one of the most iconic cars of our time.
The LEGO BMW X1 has now been completed, and while there’s a stark difference from a real X1 – for starters, it doesn’t move – it does look remarkably similar to the real one.
Over 800 children between ages 5 to 13 years old – with the help of some BMW staff – worked on the project over the course of four days. It’s a remarkable feat for these young ones, a lot of whom worked tirelessly to create this 165,000 LEGO blocks masterpiece.
We especially like the BMW badge nestled on the front of the X1, which adds a touch of realism to the finished product. Good work kiddos!
The Mercedes-Benz Musuem in Stuttgart, Germany will host two special exhibitions over the next few months that’s sure to captivate the imaginations of Mercedes-lovers and car freaks everywhere.
The first of these two exhibits will run from November 2009 to March 2010 and is being called “A Journey of Innovations”. This exhibit will highlight the evolution of the Mercedes brand from its humble beginnings more than 100 years ago to its current status as one of the premier carmakers in the world. Among the cars that are scheduled to be displayed includes a Benz Patent Motor Car of 1886, a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL from 1955, a 2009 E 250 CDI, and one of the brand’s latest creations, the S 400 HYBRID.
The museum’s other new exhibit – which will run from December 2009 to January 2010 – is all about the future of the Silver Arrows. Titled as ‘Concept BlueZERO’, the exhibit will highlight three unique vehicles that Mercedes hopes to launch sometime in the future. Taking advantage of its new BlueZERO technology, the brand will display a BlueZERO E-CELL PLUS with an electric motor and an auxiliary internal combustion engine, a BlueZERO E-CELL that comes with an exclusive battery electric drive, and a BlueZERO F-CELL, which is equipped with a fuel cell technology. All three cars are being displayed to show the remarkable gains Mercedes has achieved in their efforts in developing vehicles that come with alternative drive systems.
Both exhibits are bilingual – a choice between English or German – so you won’t have any problems keeping up with the guides. The Mercedes Musem is open from every day except Mondays, from 9 am to 6 pm. If you happen to be in Stuttgart at the time when these exhibits are open, it might be worth your time to give it a look-see.
Beginning last November 6 and ending today, November 9, BMW hosted a unique family activity at the Welt Center: build a BMW X1 out of LEGO blocks.
Yes; LEGO blocks.
As another ingenious product of BMW’s ‘Joy’ campaign, the car maker has invited families and children anywhere from age five and above to participate in building a full-scale X1 from 2,000 LEGO blocks, where, as part of Beamer’s CSR initiative, each LEGO block used in the event will correlate to a sum of money BMW will donate to the Munich Children’s Foundation.
As soon as the unconventional build is finished, the LEGO BMW X1 will be proudly displayed by the company alongside real life Beamers on the grounds of the BMW Welt Plaza.
The finished product
And if things start to get too complicated, educationally trained staff will help you with the construction – which will carried out according to an exact plan. The finished BMW X1 made of LEGO® bricks will then stand proudly as a real eye-catcher among the BMW automobiles on the BMW Welt Plaza.
An accident involving a Ferrari Novitec Rosso 16M Scuderia Spider happened a few days ago on the Autobahn from Mindelheim to Stetten, Bavaria, Southern Germany. The Serbian owner of the special edition Scuderia Spider was testing his brand-new purchase when he inexplicably lost control of his new ride, causing it to come off the road where if rolled over a couple of times before settling in its upright position.
Needless to say, the Novitec 16M Scuderia Spider was thoroughly trashed with damages expected to reach up to $440,000.
As far as the Serb driver and his friend that came along, they were seriously injured as a result of the accident an no developments regarding their status have been released.
Jamiroquai front man Jay Kay is a consummate automotive consumer, and if his personal collection of super cars isn’t enough to convince you then just take the German luxury car builder Audi’s word for it because they put the singer behind the wheel of a new Audi Q5 crossover to see what he thinks of the new car. Jay Kay was particularly fond of the Q5’s aggressive exterior lines as well as the full length sunroof that opens up the interior as well as the spacious accommodations for up to six passengers and the ability to carry loads of cargo. But don’t take our word for it, see for yourself.
Vermot AG has announced that production of the Veritas RS III Roadster has commenced and that the first deliveries of the radical looking German super car will begin in January of 2010, but even more importantly, only a select few will be able to enjoy the 21st century retro race car. Priced $514,706 only 30 examples of the open air limited edition Veritas RSIII sports car will be constructed and eight of them have already been spoken for. That leaves just 22 more RS III’s left to be tucked away inside a few privileged customers collections.
Offering up a very unique 1+1 layout, the Veritas RS III is powered by a naturally aspirated 5.0 Liter V10 power plant that makes a maximum output of 507 HP sourced from a BMW M5. Just like the production car, the exotic high revving ten cylinder engine can be mated to either a 7 speed SMG transmission or an optional 6 speed manual gearbox for those owners who are looking for a more visceral driving experience. Either way with a 0 to 60 MPH time of 3.2 seconds and a top speed of 216 MPH, it is unlikely that drivers will give a damn when pushing their modern day 1950’s BMW inspired sports car to the limit.
The two cars, which both use a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged TSI engine, can both churn out as much as 260 horsepower with an electronic limit of 250 km/h.
In addition to sharing the same engine, the two R models were also outfitted with 17-inch allows, modified bumpers, a shiny and glossy grille, a sports rear spoiler, sports seats, pedals, and a racing steering wheel.
After catching the promotional video of the two cars running roughshod on a race track, it’s safe to say that the wait for these two R-models has been long and anxious.
If you’re interested to avail either one of the two, head on over to your nearest VW dealership; the Golf R goes for €36,400 while the Scirocco R sells for €33,475.
In another installment of racing legend Derek Bell keeping Bentley enthusiasts around the world informed about the new lightweight Continental Supersport with a lap around the Nürburgring race track in Germany. The English coach builder has announced that the first deliveries of the new Continental Supersports will begin later on this month. Mr. Bell is famous for his in car commentary, even while moving along at 200 MPH. The crew from Crewe claim that the new 204 MPH luxury sports coupe is the most extreme Bentley road car ever produced by W.O.’s car company.
Aside from being able to cruise around at over 200 MPH in style and comfort, but the Supersports is also capable of running on E85 biofuel and represents a step forward and most of all Bentley’s commitment to alternative fuels and they ensure that their entire lineup will be capable of burning up to 85% ethanol by the year 2012. The new Continental Supersports is slated to be on sale in most markets around the world by the year’s end. A few of the first batch of Bentley super cars have already been spotted, but we won’t be seeing too many of them here in the U.S. filling up at an E85 pump until the middle of 2010, just in time for the good old summer hike in gas prices.
Derek Bell driving impression videos after the jump.
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