BMW

Disney and BMW create mobile F1 theme park

By Mike Hanlon

May 9, 2006 There’s a rule of thumb for sponsorship that for every dollar of sponsorship, a company should spend another dollar promoting that sponsorship. With BMW returning to Formula One, it has backed its ability by creating an incredibly clever marketing device – a fully transportable theme park developed in conjunction with Disney World to explain and demonstrate all the excitement of pit stops, race strategies and team tactics in an entertaining, interactive attraction. Launched at the European F1 Grand Prix at Nurburgring last weekend, the BMW Sauber F1 Team Pit Lane Park spans 5,400 square metres, can accommodate up to 16,000 visitors per day, and features a 90-metre-long stretch of track, leading to a 25-metre-diameter turning area flanked by grandstands. Yet another example of BMW efficiency is evident in that the park operated until Sunday night in Germany, and will open for business again on Friday in Barcelona to support the Spanish F1 GP next weekend. After Spain, it will have a more leisurely pull down prior to opening at Silverstone (UK) for the British F1 GP opening Thursday, 8 June. The park will visit Montreal (Canada), Monza (Italy) and Shanghai (China) later this year to coincide with those Grands Prix. Read More

General Motors, DaimlerChrysler and BMW premiere two-mode hybrid technology

By Mike Hanlon

June 19, 2006 UPDATED with extensive image and diagram library Details of the hybrid drive system under co-development by General Motors, DaimlerChrysler and BMW have been released and the new system is quite a technological feat due to the full integration of electric motors with a fixed-gear transmission. As a result of its low- and high-speed electric continuously variable transmission (ECVT) modes, the system is commonly referred to as the 2-mode hybrid. The system also incorporates four fixed gear ratios for high efficiency and power-handling capabilities. During the two ECVT modes and four fixed gear operations, the hybrid system can use the electric motors for boosting and regenerative braking. Traditional “one-mode” hybrid systems typically have only one torque-splitting arrangement and no fixed mechanical ratios. Due to their less capable mechanical content, one-mode hybrids need to transmit a significant amount of power through an electrical path that is 20 percent less efficient than a mechanical path. Working collaboratively, the group has conceived a full hybrid system featuring four fixed mechanical ratios, within the two ECVT modes, to reduce power transmission through the less efficient electrical path. Consequently, the electric motors are more compact and less dependent on engine size. Read More

New 2-cylinder BMW F 800 S wins stunt wars

By Mike Hanlon

April 4, 2006 BMW’s new twin cylinder 800 is getting rave reviews from around the motorcycle press for its responsiveness and lean and athletic nature but one of the most surprising tributes to the machine has been paid by former World motorcycle stunt champion Christian Pfeiffer. BMW Motorrad was happy to oblige when Pfeiffer requested an F 800 as his new "working tool" at the very start of the freestyle season. Pfeiffer debuted the new motorcycle with flying colours in February at the "Stunt Wars" in sunny Florida. "Stunt Wars" is the biggest freestyle motorcycle competition in the US and is regarded by pros as the unofficial world championship. Pfeiffer won hands down against the best stunt professionals in the world, with free-hand wheelie circles followed by a 230 degree turn - a feat never seen before. Pfeiffer was particularly enthusiastic about the F 800's engine characteristics: "The engine is really well connected to the throttle and the power is transmitted spontaneously and sensitively - much better than in my last motorcycle with chain drive. That is exactly what I have always wanted for my stunts - absolutely perfect. From the very beginning I felt good on this bike, the balance is great - I hardly had to do anything to it, almost everything stayed as standard." Read More

BMW and Airbus work together to create luxury aircraft interior

By Mike Hanlon

March 19, 2006 If you wanted to give airline business class customers a feeling akin to the luxury they experience with a luxury automobile, the logical people to work with are the people who design luxury vehicle interiors. Airbus prides itself as having the “widest, tallest and most comfortable cabins of any corporate jet” and when it unveils a mock-up of the cabin for its new A350 twinjet at the Aircraft Interiors Expo 2006 exhibition in Hamburg next month, it will be work done in just such a partnership - with BMW Group Designworks. The cabin features new lighting features and projects ambient images onto the ceiling which, along with a host of other technologies, helps to create the mood required. Read More

BMW redesigns the K1200 GT - 17% more power, 11% more torque, 6% less weight

By Mike Hanlon

March 11, 2006 Somewhere between BMW’s superbly comfortable K1200LT we dubbed “the mothership” and the sporting K1200RS is the K1200GT, a much lighter, more nimble but superbly equipped motorcycle designed to gobble miles at a brisk rate in true “Gran Turismo” fashion. Introduced in 2003, the 130 hp K1200GT sold very well in a competitive sports touring segment numbering Yamaha’s FJR 1300, Ducati’s ST4, Triumph’s Sprint ST, Honda’s ST1300 and Kawasaki’s ZZ-R 1200. But with BMW Motorrad shooting for a sportier sexier image and the dynamic 167 hp K1200 S dna available, it was inevitable that a replacement model would eventuate. The new massively revised GT hits European dealerships later this month with an impressive set of figures – 17% more power, 11% more torque, 6% less weight, 19% more payload and a 17% longer cruising range, BMW’s Duolever front wheel suspension and Paralever shaft drive to the rear wheel. The sophisticated BMW Electronic Suspension Adjustment (ESA) is available as an optional extra. Standard features include adjustable seat, handlebars, Integral ABS, panniers and windshield. The latter can be electronically adjusted to suit individual preferences. The new model for 2006 combines maximum agility and significantly increased performance with ideal riding ergonomics designed for the longest journeys. Read More

BMW Motorsport announces ready-to-race Z4 M Coupe

By Mike Hanlon

March 7, 2006 BMW Motorsport has torn the wraps of its ready-to-race two seater. Designed for enthusiast customers who ache to post a competitive time at the famed Nordschleife as much as for professional touring and production car race teams around the world. The Motorsport Version of the BMW Z4 M Coupe, which itself has only just been revealed in production guise, is the first two-seater BMW Motorsport has offered for customer teams. Read More

BMW Motorrad's enhanced Rallye 2 Pro suit

By Mike Hanlon

February 21, 2006 Any motorcyclist embarking on worldwide travel or riding in difficult conditions has a tough decision to make when it comes to their choice of protective rider clothing. It's easy for a clothing manufacturer to claim that their products are good enough to wear for riding around the world or even competing in events such as the infamous Dakar rally. However it is far better to let those who actually wear them in these situations to comment on their effectiveness. Perhaps it is no coincidence that last year saw many adventure and competition motorcyclists choose to wear BMW Motorrad's Rallye 2 suit. It is an uncompromising item of equipment for serious riding and is designed to resist and beat climatic adversity, physical abuse and extreme terrain. Now, BMW Motorrad has launched the brand new 2006 Rallye 2 Pro suit – a direct replacement for the popular Rallye 2, and the first BMW textile suit to offer enhanced body armour across the shoulder, elbow, back, knee and hip areas. Read More

BMW unveils biturbo 3.0-litre six with the same power and more torque than the 4.0-litre eight cylinder engine

By Mike Hanlon

February 20, 2006 Backing up its global success with the innovative 507 bhp V10 powerplant for the M5 and M6 super cars (2005 Engine of the Year), and the VALVETRONIC magnesium-aluminium straight-six engines introduced in 2005, BMW is set to tear the wraps off a production-ready biturbo version of its acclaimed petrol-powered six-cylinder. Retaining the familiar 3.0-litre capacity, the new all-aluminium engine boasts a pair of turbochargers, each feeding a trio of cylinders. When combined with the efficiency and flexibility of acclaimed BMW VALVETRONIC and double-VANOS technology, the new engine is able to produce an immense 225 kW of power and 400 Nm of torque. BMW claims that with the technologies it has employed in the new motor, the traditional bugbear of turbo lag has been vaporised and fuel consumption has been slashed. Read More

BMW working on electronic traction-control for motorcycles

By Mike Hanlon

February 11, 2006 BMW Motorrad released a very interesting statement this week. The statement came with an accompanying image of a high powered motorcycle which BMW has developed to test a number of areas at the outer limits of motorcycle performance, encompassing research into lightweight construction, high performance aerodynamics and the “highly dynamic processes in engine and driving dynamics management under extreme conditions.” Examples of the latter include traction control systems which “will be introduced for powerful motorcycles in serial production in the years to come” according to BMW. BMW says the traction control and BMW’s Anti Lock Braking (ABS) system “will form part of an integrated concept to increase active safety.” BMW says that, “by conducting in-house development such as this, engineers benefit from the expertise derived from Formula 1 and BMW’s technology leadership in the field of electronics.” Read More

BMW offering free audio books designed for the 40 minute auto commute

By Mike Hanlon

February 7, 2006 As MP3 technology gives greater accessibility to all forms of audio content, there has been tremendous growth in the area of audio books. Audio books offer a very different user experience and are finding a loyal band of devotees amongst people who regularly need to drive long distances. For those drivers who don’t have satellite radio, recorded books offer a continuous thread of amusement that lasts much longer than terrestrial-based radio station footprints. Accordingly, it was a natural fit for BMW to follow the success of its internet-based ‘The Hire’ series of short films by offering free MP3 audio books specifically designed to be experienced while driving, with the average length of 45 minutes per story matching the average driver’s commute. Read More

BMW Sauber F1 rolls out in Valencia

By Mike Hanlon

January 18, 2006 BMW officially entered Formula One in its own right yesterday with the unveiling of the BMW Sauber F1.06 before more than 500 journalists and guests in the futuristic Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (CAC) in Valencia (Spain). BMW purchased a majority shareholding in the Sauber Formula One team which became official on January 1. Without doubt the most interesting aspects of the F1 launch season is not the champagne and parties, but the information released by the various camps on their technical development. This year in particular, the reduction of engines from 3.0 litre V10 to 2.4 litre V8 will pose some interesting technical challenges, as explained by BMW at the launch. Read More

BMW unveils the turbosteamer concept

By Mike Hanlon

A large percentage of the energy released when petroleum is burned disappears out the exhaust system as heat. This has always been the case but the amount of energy released looks set to be cut by more than 80% thanks to a new system devised by BMW. BMW’s announcement of the new technology is somewhat of a technological bombshell as it adds yet another form of hybrid automobile – a turbosteamer. The concept uses energy from the exhaust gasses of the traditional Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) to power a steam engine which also contributes power to the automobile – an overall 15 per cent improvement for the combined drive system. Even bigger news is that the drive has been designed so that it can be installed in existing model series – meaning that every model in the BMW range could become 15% more efficient overnight if the company chose to make the reduced consumption accessible to as many people as possible. Read More

BMW wins World Touring Car Championship and spins out a homologation special

By Mike Hanlon

November 25, 2005 BMW won the 2005 FIA World Touring Car Championship for Manufacturers and its driver Andy Priaulx won the Driver’s Championship, securing back to back victories despite an 18-year gap between events - BMW won the first World Touring Car Championship in 1987, with the second (2005) Championship finishing last week in Macau, China. Co-incidental with the Championship wins, BMW has announced a limited edition performance-enhanced 3 Series Sedan to comply with FIA homologation regulations and to promote the 2005 victories and the 2006 efforts. The new BMW 320si Sedan is a limited edition of the 2006 BMW World Touring Car. It boats 127 kW and a host of race-bred features. Only 2,600 will be built. Read More

New BMW 1200 has 25% more power, 10% less weight

By Mike Hanlon

November 16, 2005 BMW has rolled out an all-new replacement for the R1100 S at the Milan EICMA Show – the new R1200 S is the most powerful production Boxer (horizontally-opposed twin) the world has ever seen, with 25% more power than its predecessor and 10% less weight. With this new sports bike, BMW fully expects to tempt riders away from Japanese and Italian ‘supersport’ machines that it believes are too closely modelled on factory race bikes, to actually work in everyday riding conditions. Despite the R1200 S’s undoubted track capabilities an overwhelming number of owners will only ever ride the S on the road. With its sporty but relaxed riding position, the new bike’s strength is its practicality and versatility over other machines of the sports genre. All the usual fea-tures so typical of the brand complete the wish list of many BMW fans, such as a fully controlled catalytic converter, the single-wire system for the on-board network, an electronic immobiliser, maintenance-free shaft drive with a single-sided swinging arm, and Telelever front wheel suspension. Read More

BMW K 1200 S sets 175.57 mph World Land Speed Record

By Mike Hanlon

November 14, 2005 A 2006 production model BMW K 1200 S has set a world land speed record in the 1000 - 1350 cc stock, partially streamlined, naturally aspirated motorcycle class at Utah's famed Bonneville Salt Flats. The motorcycle, piloted by 56-year-old Andy Sills, of San Francisco, CA, reached an average speed of 173.57 mph and top speed of 176.789 mph after two runs on the vast, white plains, where hundreds of land speed records have been set and broken since the early 1900s in a variety of automobile and motorcycle classes. The BMW is not the fastest production motorcycle in the world though – the soon-to-be-released 1400cc Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14 will be the most powerful and the fastest production motorcycle in history when it hits showrooms in the next few months. Just for the records, the most powerful roadgoing motorycle in the world is without a shadow of doubt this 700bhp Hayabusa, and the fast motorcycle speeding ticket ever registered is 205mph by a Honda RC51. Read More

BMW's new Z4 M Roadster

By Mike Hanlon

October 27. 2005 BMW will redefine the benchmark for two-seater soft-top sportscars when the much-anticipated Z4 M Roadster arrives early next year. The M version of the Z4 will use the 3.2-litre straight-six powerhouse previously seen in the E46 BMW M3 Coupe and Convertible. Voted the World’s Best Engine in its class five years in a row at the international “Engine Oscars”, the 252 kW and 365 Nm straight-six M3 engine rockets the two-seater Z4 M Roadster to 100 km/h in just 5.0 seconds, and on to an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h. Due to bow in at the Detroit Motor Show next January 2006, the ultra-sports version of the BMW Z4 Roadster has been long-awaited by keen open-top drivers. The Z4 M Roadster follows in the wheel tracks of the 1997 BMW Z3 M Roadster which became a sportting enthusiasts favourite for its dynamic performance, agility, and sportiness. Read More

BMW to introduce F800S parallel twin sports motorcycle

By Mike Hanlon

September 30, 2005 For several decades in the post war era, big British parallel twins ruled the motorcycle sports kingdom with names like Norton, Triumph, BSA and Royal Enfield. The late sixties though brought a wave of Japanese, German and Italian innovation which saw the demise of the English motorcycle industry and the banishing of the parallel twin from all but commuter machinery. Now, BMW Motorrad is to introduce a new generation of twin-cylinder middleweight parallel twin cylinder machines. The F800 S is the first of a series of agile, high torque, street machines from the BMW marque, starting in 2006. Read More

BMW Z4 Coupe Concept Car

By Mike Hanlon

September 13, 2005 The Frankfurt Motor Show began yesterday and despite months of previews and first glimpses of the production debuts and concept releases, there were still a few show cars we hadn’t seen. One of the highest profile surprises of the day was from BMW, which re-ignited a passion for closed-roof sportscars with its show-stopping Z4 Coupe Concept Car. Based around the architecture of the fast-paced BMW Roadster, the sleek and eye-catching two-seater delivers the first ever look at a fixed roof Z4. Read More

Unprecedented Hybrid Drive Global Alliance: Cooperation between BMW, DaimlerChrysler and General Motors

By Mike Hanlon

September 13, 2005 That’s not thunder you can hear in the distance, it’s just a few global automotive giants getting together in a spirit of cooperation that might have some far-reaching consequences beyond the far-reaching consequences being announced here. In a remarkable move, the BMW Group, DaimlerChrysler and General Motors Corporation have signed a “memorandum of understanding” governing the formation of an alliance of equals for the joint development of automotive hybrid drive systems. The three global automakers are cooperating in order to pool their expertise to accelerate the development of efficient hybrid drive systems. The objective is to jointly develop a two-mode hybrid drive system that reduces fuel consumption while not compromising vehicle capability. While the base two-mode hybrid design will be common, each company will individually integrate the hybrid system into the design and manufacturing of vehicles in accordance with their brand specific requirements. BMW is effectively joining the GM-DaimlerChrysler alliance announced last December (story details two-mode hybrid with diagrams).

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BMW Hydrogen Car Ready for Racing around the House

By Mike Hanlon

August 16, 2005 A BMW powered by hydrogen small enough to race around a lounge room has been built by technology students in Germany. The revved up racer is an authentic replica of the hydrogen-powered BMW that set nine speed records last year, including exceeding speeds of 300 km/h. The full size racer used a modified V12 6.0-litre engine borrowed from the $335,600 BMW 760Li. It was powered solely by hydrogen, just like the 1/8th scale model built by students at the Ingolstadt University of Applied Sciences. The scale model makes do with a slightly smaller engine of just 11.5 cc. Like the BMW H2R V12 racer, the scale model emits only water vapour from its tailpipe, making it entirely suitable for racing around the house. It has a top speed of 80 km/h. Read More

BMW Reveals M Sports Package for New 3 Series Sedan

By Mike Hanlon

August 15, 2005 BMW Group has announced the introduction of the M Sport Package for the successful E90 3 Series sedan. The optional M Sport Package highlights the performance-oriented qualities of the 3 Series sedan and enables customers to personalise their car to an even higher standard. Among its features, the M Sport Package comprises a specially tuned sports suspension set-up, the Aerodynamic Package (comprising the front and rear air dams as well as side sill covers), fog lamps and exclusive light-alloy wheels (in 17-inch or optional 18-inch sizes) featuring wider rear tyres. The M Sport Package is available on the 320 Executive, 325i and 330i. Read More

BMW to compete in Formula 1 from 2006

By Mike Hanlon

June 23 2005 BMW is striking out on a new path in Formula One. After acquiring a majority shareholding in the Swiss Sauber team, a BMW managed team will be contesting the Formula One World Championship as early as 2006. This was decided by the BMW Board of Management on Tuesday. It means that, for the first time in company history, BMW will be competing independently in Formula One. The principle BMW association in Formula 1 in recent years has been since 1997 with the Williams BMW team with the BMW engines among the fastest, though no championship has been forthcoming. BMW formerly supplied engines to F1 constructors in the mid-eighties, winning nine Grands Prix and a championship with their road-car based turbo engine in Nelson Piquet's Brabham. BMW's participation will strengthen the Formula 1 grid. Read More

Futuristic BMW off-road helmet and body armour

By Mike Hanlon

June 21, 2005 With the forthcoming release of the new cross-country BMW HP2 motorcycle, BMW has put together some fancy new off-road gear, and the pick of the bunch is carbon fibre, Kevlar and fibreglass off-road helmet that’s also aerodynamic and aesthetic enough to be seen anywhere. Indeed, we’re predicting that when the helmet becomes available it will be a best seller, particularly if the company decides to fit its Bluetooth and noise cancellation technologies which will enable it to work with a mobile phone and eventually with other Bluetooth devices such as MP3 players and the like. Now there’s a promising thought – imagine trail riding whilst listening to crystal-clear classical music. The new off-road helmet is reconfigurable, and can be used with or without both the visor or the screen and adds to an impressive BMW helmet line-up which also includes the featherweight SportIntegral carbon fibre helmet that weighs just 999 grams. Read More

BMW HP2 wins on debut at Erzberg Rodeo

By Mike Hanlon

June 15, 2005 The new high performance BMW HP2 off road machine got off to a dream start when it won its first competition start at the legendary Erzberg Rodeo in Styria, Austria. The heavenly peace and glorious panorama of Erzberg erupted as more than 1500 riders on all matter of machinery were cheered on by thousands of on-lookers as amateurs and weekend riders battled it out with the likes of enduro world champions, Dakar racers and even freestyle motocrossers! The Iron Road, as it is known, is one of the most prestigious and highly contended enduro-sports events in the European racing calendar. Read More

BMW M5 V10 takes International Engine of the Year

By Mike Hanlon

June 2, 2005 BMW’s Formula One-inspired 5-litre V10 that powers the M5 and M6 super-sedan and super-coupe has been named the best engine in the world in the International Engine of the Year Awards 2005. The Bavarian car maker, which has also won Awards for its M3 3.2-litre and its new twin-turbodiesel 3-litre in this year’s competition, walked away from the seventh annual International Engine of the Year Awards Presentation with a total of six trophies, the newly crowned V10 having also dominated the Best New Engine, Best Performance and Best Above 4-litre categories. The unit beat tough competition from rival and previous Awards’ winner Mercedes-AMG and from last year’s overall International Engine of the Year, the Toyota Prius 1.5-litre Hybrid Synergy Drive, which in 2005 has won the Best Fuel Economy and Best 1.4-litre to 1.8-litre categories. Read More