At the front, the Germans opted for a carbon fiber front spoiler, which increases downforce on the front axle while also channeling more air towards the engine and brakes. The new hood is also made from the same lightweight material and features vents that extract the heat produced by the stock 555 hp twin-turbocharged V8.
Read more »
The first recall concerns certain model year BMWs equipped with twin-turbo inline six-cylinder engines, including the MY2007-2010MY 335i, MY2008–2010 135i, 535i and X6 xDrive35i Sports Activity Coupes, and MY2009 – 2010 Z4 Roadster sDrive35i. The Bavarian company said approximately 130,000 vehicles are potentially affected from this recall with about 40,000 expected to require a new high pressure fuel pump.
For starters there's the BMW Snow Intensive Training course in Sölden (Austria), where you can fine tune your braking and steering technique driving the new BMW X3, 5-Series and the M3, on both uphill and downhill routes.
After mastering the basics, you can switch to the BMW Snow Drift Training, also held in Sölden, where you can drift for a half a day in a 420 hp M3, yodeling all the way.
The power kit will be available for xDrive35i and xDrive50i models built between 2008 and 2010. New engine software is claimed to increase engine output and responsiveness without increasing fuel consumption or exhaust emissions.
Starting with the standard X6, Ameritech chops off the rear doors and moves the B-Column further back to fit larger front doors (+250mm or 9.8-in.). The conversion also includes a new rear window and bespoke front seats that tilt and slide forward to allow for convenient access to the rear seats.
Read more »
The Japanese-market-only X6 special is coated in a silver-pearl body color from the automaker's Individual program and comes with a BMW Performance aero-kit that includes a new front bumper, side skirts, rear diffuser and blacked-out kidney grilles. The unique 21-inch alloy wheels shod in chunkier sport tires and darkened windows round off the exterior package.
The exterior aero package includes a body kit with side skirts, carbon fiber roof spoiler, front bumper with LED daytime running lights, carbon trim on the window surrounds, mirror covers and dual-kidney grille, and a new rear bumper that makes room for a pair of dual tail pipes and a carbon fiber diffuser. A set of 22-inch alloy wheels from Hartge complete the crossover's looks.
The aero bodywork includes a front spoiler, roof spoiler, bonnet air-vents, rear wing, rear diffuser and design elements for the front skirt and chromed front grille. There's also a new carbon piece for the bonnet with a Plexiglas window through which the engine is visible.
Said to be called the X4, it would be to the X3 what the X6 is to the X5: a four-door, four seat coupe-ish thing based more around style than functionality.
Considering that the X4 would share the X3's platform, expect similar power trains to the X3. That means the most recent versions of BMW's inline-sixes: naturally aspirated, turbo'd, and (hopefully) diesel.
The omni-carbon VRS Aero Package comes together like this: front splitter, vented hood (40% lighter than stock), roof spoiler, deck lid spoiler, and a swoopy rear diffuser.
Tycoon's bi-turbo V8 is massaged a little... to the tune of 670 horsepower and 780 Nm or 575 lb-ft of peak torque. Time-warps to 100 km/h (62mph) take a claimed 4.2 seconds on the way to 300 km/h or 186 mph.
Starting from June, BMW's Performance division will offer a new Power Kit that includes an ECU update for the V8 powered unit in the X6 xDrive50i and the straight-six in the X6 xDrive35i.
The kit raises maximum output of the twin-turbo V8 in the xDrive50i by 41HP and 50Nm to 448HP and 650 Nm or 479 lb-ft, while the xDrive35i's turbo-six shows an increase of 20HP and 50Nm to 326HP and 450Nm or 332 lb-ft.
With this kit, both models accelerate 0.2 seconds faster from a standstill to 100 km/h (62mpg), the xDrive50i completing this sprint in 5.2 seconds and the xDrive35i in 6.5 seconds. Acceleration in gears from 80-120 km/h (50- 75 mph) is 0.5 seconds faster in each model.
Also available is a lightweight sports exhaust system with chrome-plated tailpipes.
Owners can complement the power upgrades with an aero kit that is made up of the front bumper, side-sills, an insert for the rear bumper, a rear spoiler, rear fins in matt black and a front grid finished in high-gloss black paint.
BMW also offers a set of 21-inch alloys shod in super-chunky tires size 285/35 R21 at the front and 325/30 R21 at the rear.
As for the interior, BMW Performance's option include numerous accessories such as aluminium pedals and footrest and a sports steering wheel with a flattened rim at the bottom and alcantara coating.
The German tuner has upgraded the 4.4-liter V8 turbocharged engine found in both M models with a reprogrammed ECU resulting in a modest boost in output to 600 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 700Nm or 516 pound-feet of torque from 2,000 rpm.
Along with the removal of the speed limiter, the two modified SUVs / SAVs / Crossovers (make your pick) are now propelled to a top speed in excess of 300km/h (187mph), with 0 to 100km/h (62mph) acceleration coming in 4.5 seconds and to 200km/h (124mph) in just 16.2 seconds.
There's also a new suspension kit that lower's the ride height of both models by around 30mm.
G-Power was never about subtle aero mods, and the company makes no exception with the X5 M and X6 M. Both models feature a different front bumper with extra large air-inlets on each corner along with a new bonnet made of Kevlar hybrid or full carbon and side skirts.
The rear is marked by a new apron, a diffuser that houses the stainless steel exhaust pipes, a roof spoiler, and in the case of the X6 M, a boot wing also.
G-Power has designed two separate sets of 23-inch alloy wheels that are shod in 315/25 ZR23 high-performance Michelin tires for the X5 M and X6 M.
The company also enhances the interior of the two M models with numerous parts such as a new sports steering wheel, a speedometer in G-POWER design and carbon-fiber covers for the side linings, central console and the dashboard.
G-Power said that €6,990 (plus assembly) will buy you the aero kit, €8,865.55 the new alloy wheels and tires, €3,021 the full stainless steel end muffler and €4,701.68 V8 engine power upgrade.
The first official photos along with initial specs of the production version of BMW's X6 and 7-Series Hybrid models slipped into the internet today ahead of their world debut at next month's Frankfurt Motor Show. Both models carry the ActiveHybrid moniker and are equipped with a hybrid drivetrain that combines a V8 petrol engine with one electric motor in the 7-Series and two in the X6.
It is reported that the X6 ActiveHybrid's drivetrain produces a combined output of 478bhp and 575 lb-ft of torque enabling the crossover to sprint from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.6 seconds or 0.2 seconds slower than the xDrive50i that's powered by a 408 HP twin-turbo V8 petrol. The slightly worse sprint time may be attributed to the hybrid model's additional tech that adds 185 kg or 408 pounds to the crossover's overall weight.
BMW says that the X6 ActiveHybrid, which can run on pure electric power for a mere 1.6 miles or 2.5 km at speeds of up to 37 mph or 60 km/h, has a combined fuel economy rating of 28.5 mpg - though we're not sure if this figure is in US or IMP mpg.
Cosmetic changes over the standard model include the addition of a power-dome on the hood, different alloy wheels, special badges and the availability of a unique metallic blue hue.
The ActiveHybrid 7's drivetrain with the single electric motor is less powerful than the X6 delivering a combined output of 459bhp and 561 lb-ft of torque. The 7-Series is said to hit the 100 km/h (62 mph) mark in 4.9 seconds while returning 29.1 mpg -again, it is not clear if this figure represents US or Imp. mpg's.
By comparison, the 750i that gets a 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 petrol with 408HP accelerates from standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.2 seconds and has a combined fuel economy of 11.4 lt /100 km that converts to 20.6 mpg US and 24.8 mpg UK (Imp).
We'll have more details on both hybrid bimmers as soon as BMW officially releases information and photos.
Via: Autocar
BMW ActiveHybrid 7
__________________________________________________________
BMW ActiveHybrid X6
