Nother CarGuy

BMW has previewed the design of the forthcoming M3 and M4 with the launch of the BMW Concept 4 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. It shows that the new 4-Series will be a radical departure from its predecessor and have a face dominated by a kidney grille. The German car manufacturer’s press release appropriately starts out by discussing that grille. According to BMW, “the vertically oriented grille fits seamlessly into both the proportions of the front end and BMW’s illustrious past” and it evokes classics such as the 328 and 3.0 CSi. “The kidney grille has always been a signature feature of BMW cars,” added head of BMW Design Domagoj Dukec. “The BMW Concept 4 presents a confident and classy take on this iconic feature. At the same time, the BMW Concept 4 offers a look ahead to the expressive face of the 4 Series range.” Looking past the vertical kidney grille are slim and aggressive laser headlights as well as huge air intakes to gulp down air. The Concept 4 also features partic...

Just hours after leaked photos of the 2020 BMW 3-Series Touring surfaced online, the car has been officially presented by the car manufacturer. The new 3-Series Touring is slightly larger than its predecessor, measuring 4709 mm (185 inches) in length, 1827 mm (72 inches) in width and 1470 mm (57.8 inches) in height. The wheelbase has also been extended by 41 mm to 2851 mm (112 inches). Much like the sedan, the new 3-Series Touring adopts a sharp front end with aggressive headlights, large kidney grilles and horizontal T-shaped front air intakes in the Sport Line and Luxury Line models. Roof rails also come standard. Inside, the new car includes a newly-designed leather sports steering wheel as standard. Occupants in the new 3-Series Touring will be welcomed with additional shoulder room in the front, improved headroom for all passengers and greater legroom for those in the rear. Other important features of the car include an automatic tailgate and a load compartment which is ...

Following the reveal of the M340i, BMW has dropped the first official information on the plug-in hybrid member of the range, namely the 330e. The new BMW 330e combines the company’s latest eDrive technology with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder petrol engine. The petrol engine produces 181hp (184PS/135kW) while the electric motor adds a constant 67hp (68PS / 50kW). The latter however features a peak output of 107hp (109PS / 80kW), which will come handy in a moment. BMW says the combined output of the new 330e’s plug-in hybrid powertrain is rated at 248hp (252PS) and 309lb-ft (420Nm). The highlight of the new electrified powertrain is BMW’s new XtraBoost function, which is enabled via the Sport driving mode. That makes the electric motor contribute up to 40hp (41PS) over its constant peak output, better supporting the petrol engine in dynamic driving conditions. That translates into a combined peak output of 288hp. Other important PHEV-specific figures include an ...

With the release of the new seventh-generation 3 Series, performance enthusiasts the world over have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of a new M3. And we’ll have to wait a little longer. But this ought to fill the void in the meantime. It’s the new M340i, and it’s the most powerful non-M 3 Series that BMW has ever made. It’s set to debut at the LA Auto Show later this month, but the Bavarian automaker has spilled the beans ahead of time to give us more than just a faint idea of what to expect. At its heart sits a 3.0-liter straight six with a single twin-scroll turbocharger that helps it kick out 382 horsepower (275 kW) and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm) of torque. That’s more power than all but the two most recent iterations of the M3, and more torque than all but the outgoing model. Full performance specs are still to be released, but BMW says the new M340i xDrive will be capable of rocketing from a standstill to 60 mph (96.5 km/h) in just 4.2 seconds. As is typical of German automo...

BMW’s all-new G20 3-Series has some pretty big shoes to fill, as the previous-generation F30 model was one of the most dynamic and best-selling cars in its segment. The new 3-Series goes on sale in March of 2019, priced from $40,200 in the U.S and £33,610 in the UK, where the entry-level model will be a 320d, as opposed to the 330i that opens up the range in America. First things first though, let’s talk size. The new 3er is 85 mm (3.34 in) longer than its predecessor, measuring 4,709 mm (185.7 inches) in length. It’s also wider by 16 mm (now 1,827 mm / 71.9 in) and just 1 mm taller. Meanwhile, its wheelbase has grown by 41 mm to 2,851 mm (112.2 inches) – the largest in its class. Visually, the G20 is also more imposing than the F30, thanks in part to the four contour lines leading to the massive kidney grille, as well as the character lines that rise to the rear and wheel arches. From launch, customers will be able to choose between two non-metallic colors and ten metallic...

BMW has released the first details about the 2019 3-Series. Expected to debut at the Paris Motor Show, the redesigned sedan promises to be sportier than ever as the automaker says the car’s center of gravity has been lowered by 10mm (0.4 inches). The car also weighs up 55 kg (121 lbs) less than its predecessor. The upgrades don’t stop there as engineers “significantly enhanced” rigidity levels and kept the car’s weight distribution at a perfect 50:50. BMW went on to say agility and steering precision has been improved thanks to a wider track and new axles. The 3-Series is renowned for its handling and engineers paid special attention to the car’s suspension.  As part of this effort, they developed an innovative damping system which uses lift-related dampers.  BMW says they operate “continuously and progressively in relation to the respective spring travel” and this allows road imperfections to be neutralized “gently and precisely.” While the standard suspen...