While the road towards the development of the BMW i range seems to be a bit rocky, snowed in and bogged down, there is no actual sign of stopping.

Recently, spy photographers have managed to get another set of shots of the BMW i8 being developed and tested in winter conditions.

Interestingly, the prototype still appears to be heavily camouflaged. Has anybody at BMW forgotten that we already know what it looks like?

Whatever the reason behind the camouflaging might be, the new set of images do seem to have a lot of detail visible that wasn’t previously available.

As the textile material usage has been eliminated we get to have a proper look at the aerodynamically flowing shapes they will actually use.

The nearing production i8 seems to retain the somewhat fussy design, as BMW seems to appreciate the efficiency of airflow more than production practicalities.

Underneath, the powertrain seems to have remained pretty much unchanged as BMW’s new 1.5 liter turbocharged three cylinder engine will be paired to an electric motor.

The two should be able to provide drivers with up to 393 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque. This is more than enough to power the very light car to some reasonable performance.

Coming in at less than 3.125 pounds, it hits a top speed of around 155 mph even if you accelerate the eco-sports car up to 62 mph in just 4.9 seconds.

This is the level of camouflage that might last a bit of time since it is only next year that we’ll see an official debut, followed by a market release in 2014.

About Post Author

Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post BMW i8 poses in new spyshots appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

The difference BMW makes between its concept cars and the models with similar names it releases later on in life are, almost always, negligible.

We’ve all known this for quite some time now yet the Bavarians seem to like exercising secrecy when it comes to testing out these cars in public.

In the case of the 1 Series GT (Active Hybrid Concept) we’ve known what it looks like for the best part of two months now, yet the car is still wearing heavy camouflage.

Not only has this new batch of spy shots caught the 1 Series GT out and about in a spectacularly non-revealing dress, the light fixtures used are the prototype ones.

Could BMW be readying a massive surprise for us? Could they be dramatically changing the look of the 1 Series GT? Could the Bavarians actually change their behavior with concepts?

Not likely. First of all, the BMW Active Hybrid Tourer Concept received positive feedback at the show and most reactions were on the same page.

Secondly, it is an MPV shape that’s pleasant and still speaks BMW on first glance. They managed to get that with a car that’s so close to being hated for its underpinnings.

If that’s the case, obviously BMW are aware of the fact that the car will have plenty of fans and sell in large volumes.

Why would any businessman in his right mind make a decision against this sort of favorable prediction and go in a different direction?

My guess is that they’re using camouflage and concealing the model simply to keep people guessing about what the 1 Series GT will look like or have inside.

About Post Author

Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post Spied: BMW is still secretive about 1 Series GT appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

I will admit, this one caught me off guard. Whereas I find it easy to keep track of which models in the BMW lineup are due for a replacement or facelift, this is where I failed.

The F10 BMW 5 Series was introduced back in 2009 and sometime next year it will be coming close to its mid-life cycle.

For whatever reason, that didn’t feel necessary. The F10 5 Series still seems to be the most recent model the Bavarians make.

It must be because of the new design. The timeless and sober exterior simply doesn’t want to wrinkle, it only ages the same way wine does.

As it happens, BMW are readying the new facelift and they’re far enough in development to get up to the testing phase.

When that happens, there’s never a photographer too far away from the proceedings, hence we got the spyshots in to remind us the car’s birth date was longer ago than we think.

The redesign’s attention seems to be focused around the light clusters, part of the rear bumper and almost all of the front end.

Updating/changing the headlights and tail lights seems ok but as for the bumper design… there are some concerns to say the least.

It’s not that BMW will screw it up somehow, it’s just that it feels pointless to have a new car that doesn’t really look better than the previous model.

The interior isn’t expected to get too much of a change with this 2013 release and the engines might receive mild tune-ups.

About Post Author

Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post F10 BMW 5 Series to soon get a facelift appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

The most interesting bit of the F30 BMW 3 Series lineup will soon be the unveiled and it won’t even be wearing the same internal name.

It will be called the F80 and it will probably be awesome. Before it happens though, there’s a lot of testing going on before it’s ready.

The folks at KGP Photography managed to snap a few shots of the F80 BMW M3 going through the desert testing stage. This is where the most important stress tests come in.

Death Valley has a way with dishing out the heat but when going through the desert in a turbocharged car with quite a lot of power.

Even if the testers go through the event with a little more common sense than us M3 freaks would if we had a chance at it, they’re still taking a chance with the prototype.

What is important about the F80 and the shots it was caught in this time is the fact that more of the front end was visible this time.

The lower part of the front bumper is more opened up than the F30 standard sedan which is understandable given the conditions and the need for improved cooling.

With these images the rear end of the F80 is also available. The sporty sedan looks a lot more like the sedan than the previous version.

Which could end up giving the new F80 BMW M3 a better chance at being a sleeper performance car rather than the obvious predecessor.

About Post Author

Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post F80 BMW M3 spied on the road appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

With the 1 Series M Coupe being sold out, BMW’s working hard to be able to give people a follow-up model or at least something that comes close to it.

That’ll be the F20 BMW M135i. We’ve seen it as a Concept and spied it completely naked already, so what’s the hold up?

Well, some Nurburgring testing of course. Which is exactly what the video after the break features. The M135i going at quite the pace around the Green Hell.

It seems like quite an unusual amount of camouflage is happening on the BMW M135i since we already know exactly what it looks like.

Either way, the speed at which the new 1 Series three door hatch is going around the circuit seems like there’s a lot of performance to deal with.

Maybe those M Performance parts can torture tires at a similar rate to what the M Division’s products can do the same.

Further more the rumors about the all wheel drive transmission seem to be more and more popular these days. The amount of grip displayed in the video seems to support the idea.

In terms of engine it’s certainly got the pace since most clues indicate towards a final output that’s upwards of 300 horsepower thanks to TwinTurbo technology and a 3.0 liter engine.

http://youtu.be/YkK4uBnZL0M

Still, as the car goes round its testing and developing in the normal fashion, we can’t help but wonder at how the rumors about cylinders being aligned in a V6 form post a bit of a concern.

Video via Car

About Post Author

Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post F20 BMW M135i spied at the Nurburgring appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

Judging from what the spy photographers of the winter testing season are telling us, it seems like BMW’s F20 1 Series isn’t taking a rest.

We thought its story was over when we saw the M135i and the rumors about it but we were wrong, badly wrong.

The Bavarians will have a “regularly” powered version of the new 1 Series, the one that comes in the three door guise.

Some spyshot images and patent drawings were leaked before these ones but there’s another thing to consider here.

Since we’re so familiar with both, the camouflage the F20 three door was wearing so far didn’t really make that much sense any more.

We can now see the car better and the only thing that’s ruining the experience isn’t the little amount of camouflage left but the steel wheels used at this testing session.

Under the skin of this new car we don’t expect to see any major changes. The same rear wheel drive platform will be used and the engine range isn’t going to change too much.

A 1.6 liter turbo engine will still be the only option for petrol and a 1.6 and 2.0 liter set will be ready for diesel fans.

Since BMW will tune it up to various levels we can expect the power range to exist between 116 and 184 horsepower.

As you’d imagine, that makes a lot of room for fuel efficiency and emissions standards which is nice. We’re still waiting however for the big engine versions of this car.

Images

About Post Author

Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post F20 1 Series three door spied in testing appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

The “normal” BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe may have turned a few heads at the Geneva Motor Show but the model to look for right now is the upcoming M Division version.

Wearing a 2013 modelyear the BMW M6 Gran Coupe is expected to arrive later this year and was recently spied doing some runs in the snow.

Hopefully we’ll get to see it on the road before snow falls around Europe again with the same ferocity it did this year.

The Bavarians will confirm the release date at a later time but a Frankfurt Motor Show debut with a market launch taking place a few weeks later doesn’t seem like a bad guess.

Some speed testing seems to be the test here which, considering the traction unwelcoming conditions make for quite the tricky situation.

Even so, the 2013 BMW M6 Gran Coupe seems to be handling the task well and everything looks nice, smooth and stable.

That’s quite the achievement since under its smooth lines a monster of a drivetrain resides. Essentially the same sort of thing we find in the F12/F13 M6 only with more power.

The adorable 4.4 liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine isn’t going to see to many construction mods and yet it is expected to develop somewhere around 600 horsepower.

The torque figure should also grow proportionally and that gives us a bit of hope. Perhaps when orders are taken in, the top speed limiter can be removed to make for a 200 like figure.

That would be properly impressive in a four door wouldn’t it?

Photos

About Post Author

Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post 2013 BMW M6 Gran Coupe spied appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

We all know the horror stories that come from the Nurburgring about incidents and crashes don’t we? What we seriously think about each of those incidents is that it happens to idiots who can’t drive.

No this time though, the latest Nurburgring news about a crash featuring the 2012 BMW M6 in all of its camouflaged grace.

There are some special conditions to take into account but the bottom line is that the better looking, less practical version of the BMW M5 crashed during Nurburgring testing.

At the time of the unfortunate incident, the 2012 BMW M6 was involved in a serious endurance test around the Green Hell.

The test was supposed to last for 300 laps around the famed circuit only it wasn’t exactly successful as it ended a few laps short of the checkered flag.

I know the test was a fail and that the Bavarians in their German nature are going to be disappointed about it but having managed 282 laps on a track that’s 12.9 miles long isn’t something to cry about.

Still, it means that for some time the number of possible spyshots of the 2012 BMW M6 rolling about will probably be soon reduced as there’s less test mules to go around.

It’s very likely that the convertible version of the BMW M6 is about to go through much of the same treatment so the number of spyshots may not be on that much of a decline after all.

The pictures come courtesy of worldcarfans who’s editorial staff managed to catch the crashed 2012 BMW M6 just as it was being loaded onto a flatbed and covered up.

Pending these images the banged up 2012 BMW M6 the car will probably be taken in and analyzed with the upmost of the care and precision to find out what went wrong.

About Post Author

Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post 2012 BMW M6 crashes at Nurburgring appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

A new BMW M5 is always going to be a car that will create a lot of expectations, a car that will meet those expectations and surpass them every time. This must be one of the reasons why the Bavarians are testing it round the Nurburgring so thoroughly.

With that in mind, every time a major manufacturer is putting an eagerly expected new model (and seriously now, is there anything you’re looking to more than the F10 M5?) somebody manages to snap some photos of it out in the wilds. Even though there is some camouflage on it, fanatics will still be able to tell other what to expect.

In the case of the 2011 F10 BMW M5 what you will be getting is a bulky M3 inspired front fascia, something expected as Adrian Van Hooydonk stated not long ago that future BMW’s will unify design in order to synchronize with global taste of the customers.

Other interesting looks of the car come with the hood that be one of those tight t-shirts that cover up a flexing muscle such as the massive engine that will be in the new M5 and the wheels this car is running on. Not bad, not bad at all.

Leaving looks aside, i have to say i’m quite thrilled at how flat the car is throughout this bend and how well it hits the apex, BMW will keep the M5 as a leader i’d say.

About Post Author

Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post More spyshots of the 2011 BMW M5 appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

Spotted may not be the proper term for BMW’s camouflage techniques but the 2011 F10 BMW M5 has been seen, and recorded at that, going round the Nurburgring.

As befits any sport car or sports sedan in this case, of the M5’s caliber Nurburgring testing is a must, especially when you are talking about a car that is a candidate for being a Ring Taxi.

Expectations are always high with BMW products and for BMW products that have an M badge attached to the name they are even higher. In order to meet those expectations the cars have to be properly designed, engineered, developed and tested before being unleashed on the public.

Since the new BMW 5 series has already been grabbing fans left and right more than it’s E60 predecessor the M5 will most likely get a fan club that’s never been seen before.

So far the data on it is quite scarce, the engine will no longer be a naturally aspirated 5 liter V10 engine as BMW have downsized to a 4.4 liter V8. That said though, downsizing is definitely not equivalent to downgrading as the twin turbos on this engine will give it more power than the out going model.

So here’s a short clip of a 578 horsepower attack on the 2011 BMW M5’s tires at the Nurburgring.

About Post Author

Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post 2011 BMW M5 spotted at the Ring appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.