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BMW M Rumored To Be Readying Special M4 For 50th Ann. With Manual Gearbox

Next year is gearing up to be a special one for BMW’s M division. BMW M GmbH will mark its 50th anniversary in May, 2022, and new rumors suggest that there’s a special, limited production M4 on the horizon.

The lead comes from an alleged BMW insider on g80.bimmerpost. The user, who apparently has a good track record for new car info, suggests that the unnamed M4 special will be “configured like the CSL, but with a manual transmission.”

The forum member goes on to say that several options will be deleted, including comfort access, parking sensors, and electric seats. The absence of such would result in an M4 that’s even lighter than the already lightweight CSL, provided this special model is based on the upcoming CSL in the first place.

Although the production M4 CSL hasn’t yet been revealed to the public, our spies have spotted prototypes undergoing testing. These cars feature revised air intakes and grilles, as well as lightweight wheels, a more prominent lip spoiler, and a new diffuser.

Read: BMW Teases Next-Generation M4 GT4 Customer Race Car

A BMW M4 CSL prototype caught testing at the Nurburgring

As yet, powertrain details for the CSL have not been confirmed, although there have been reports that BMW may not offer a manual transmission. If that were the case, a limited, manual-equipped take on the CSL could prove to be the holy grail of BMW’s M4 line-up. The source also remarks that the new variant will be only produced for a few months, starting in November 2022, implying that production numbers will be kept low.

We already know that BMW M GmbH has big plans on the horizon for the upcoming year. Their 750hp plug-in hybrid SUV, the XM, is set to be in production before the end of 2022, and from January, customers will be able to order their cars with a roundel that harks back to the Motorsport division’s classic logo. If that weren’t enough, the new BMW M3 Touring would finally fulfill our M wagon dreams, and a series of 50 new M paint finishes will be made available. A special, ultra-limited edition of the M4 could just be the icing on the cake.

2022 BMW Alpina B4 Gran Coupe Shows Off More Changes Ahead Of Its Launch Next Year

Spy photographers last snapped the 2022 BMW Alpina B4 Gran Coupe this summer and now the company has begun testing a more evolved prototype.

Looking closer to the production model, the latest prototype has been equipped with an Alpina splitter and rear spoiler. We can also see a modified rear bumper with a four-tailpipe exhaust system.

Additional changes are limited, but the model rides on five-spoke wheels that are backed up by a beefy braking system with blue calipers. While it’s not visible, we can also expect a sport-tuned suspension similar to the one found on the B3.

Also Read: 2022 BMW Alpina B4 Gran Coupe Spied, Could Have 456 HP

The interior is barely visible, but we can expect an assortment of changes including an Alpina-branded steering wheel wrapped in hand-stitched Lavalina leather. It should be joined by Alpina door sill plates and floor mats as well as a revised digital instrument cluster with Alpina graphics.

The biggest changes will come under the hood as the model is expected to have a turbocharged 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine that produces 456 hp (340 kW / 462 PS) and 516 lb-ft (700 Nm) of torque. This enables the B3 to accelerate from 0-62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.8 seconds and top out at 188 mph (303 km/h).

Regardless of the final numbers, the B4 Gran Coupe should be significantly more powerful than the standard M440i xDrive which has 382 hp (285 kW / 387 PS) and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm) of torque. It allows the car to run from 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in 4.4 seconds, before hitting a top speed of up to 155 mph (250 km/h).

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Picture credits: CarPix and S. Baldauf/SB-Medien for CarScoops

First Series Production BMW i4 Has Rolled Off The Assembly Line In Munich

BMW today celebrated the completion of the first production i4 electric sedan. Produced at its home plant in Munich, the car is the first fully electric vehicle produced at the plant in its nearly 100-year history.

BMW announced that its Munich plant would be upgraded to produce EVs last year and was able to modify the facility to allow it to produce both electric and conventional vehicles on the same line without shutting down production.

“For the plant and team, the launch of the BMW i4 is a milestone on the road to electric mobility,” said Milan Nedeljković, BMW AG Board Member for Production. “By 2023 more than half of all vehicles from our Munich facility will have an electrified drive. The majority will be fully electric.”

The result of a €200 million ($233 million USD) investment, BMW says it was able to leave 90 percent of the body shop systems unchanged, though additional systems were required for the floor and rear-end assembly.

“Our body shop is a shining example of intelligent, efficient integration,” said Peter Weber, the plant’s director. “Most of the new production processes for the BMW i4 can be carried out on the existing body shop systems.”

Integrating the high-voltage battery, though, did prove to be a complex issue. Bolted onto the body by a brand new, fully automated battery assembly system that works from below, it uses high-resolution cameras to scan the body before affixing the battery to it.

Updates at the plant are ongoing. With the addition of the battery-electric line, some of the other lines have had to be moved. The production of four-cylinder engines, for instance, was moved to Hams Hall in the U.K. and to Steyr in Austria. By 2024, all engine production will be gone from Munich.

The BMW i4 will launch in two versions. The 335 hp (340 PS/250 kW/) eDrive40 that offers a range of 366 miles (590 km), and the 536 hp (544 PS/400 kW) M50 that can get to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.9 seconds and travel 323 miles (520 km) on a single charge.

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BMW 8-Series Frozen Black And X5 ‘Pleasure’ Edition Launched In Japan

BMW has just introduced two special editions of the 8-Series and X5 in Japan.

Starting with the 8-Series, it is known as the Frozen Black Edition and is offered in Coupe and Gran Coupe forms. The vehicle comes exclusively in matte black and includes the Shadow Line option that adds a black kidney grille and black tailpipes. In addition, BMW has equipped the 8-Series Frozen Black Edition with black M sport brake calipers.

Inside, the car comes standard with a panoramic glass sunroof and also features black M Sport seats, a BMW Individual headliner finished in Alcantara, extended black Merino leather, and BMW Individual piano black trim. A Bowers & Wilkins Diamond surround sound system also comes as standard.

Production of the model will be capped at just 20 units, with 5 of these being Coupe models and the remaining 15 being Gran Coupes. Japanese buyers will be able to secure a reservation when order books open on June 30. Prices for the Coupe start at 15 million yen ($135,385), while the Gran Coupe is slightly more expensive at 15.1 million yen ($136,288).

The new BMW X5 variant has been dubbed the ‘Pleasure Edition’ (yes, really) and comes loaded with features that are normally optional. These include semi-autonomous driving systems, seven seats, leather upholstery, and dash grain wooden accents. It is also equipped with 21-inch alloy wheels and adaptive air suspension.

All X5 Pleasure Edition models come standard with a 3.0-liter straight-six diesel engine producing 286 hp and 479 lb-ft (650 Nm) of torque. Prices for the X5 Pleasure Edition start at 10.38 million yen ($93,687).

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2022 BMW 2-Series Coupe To Debut At Goodwood On July 8th

BMW has announced the 2022 2-Series Coupe will be unveiled at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on July 8th.

The company is keeping details under wraps, but noted this will be their first world premiere at Goodwood. BMW went on to say the coupe will be unveiled at 9:00 a.m. local time and race up the hill 40 minutes later in the First Glance category.

While BMW didn’t have much to say about the car, the automaker has previously confirmed the 2022 M240i xDrive Coupe will have a TwinPower Turbo six-cylinder engine that produces 368 hp (275 kW / 374 PS). It will be connected to an eight-speed automatic transmission, which sends power to an all-wheel drive system with an M sports rear differential.

Also Read: 2022 BMW 2-Series Loses Camouflage, Shows More Of Its Face

BMW has said the coupe has a “significantly increased” track as well as 12% more torsional stiffness than its predecessor. The company has also confirmed the coupe will go into production this summer and be offered with a Variable Sports Steering system as well as an Adaptive M Chassis.

As for styling, previous pictures have shown the model will feature a modern design with a wider grille and recessed headlights. The coupe will also have streamlined bodywork, an edgier rear end, and a higher quality interior with a digital instrument cluster as well as a larger infotainment system.

Besides introducing the 2-Series Coupe, BMW will use the Goodwood Festival of Speed to stage the UK premieres of the i4 and iX. The company will also be showcasing the M4 Competition x KITH, M5 CS and several motorcycles including the M 1000 RR.

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Picture credit: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien for CarScoops

The Parent Of BMW’s Chinese Partner And Its Executives Fined Nearly $9M By Gov Regulators

False reporting and incomplete disclosures have led China’s securities regulator to fine Huachen Automotive Group Holdings and some of its executives a total of nearly $9 million.

The company owns Brilliance China Automotive, BMW’s main Chinese partner. Together, the companies formed BMW Brilliance Automotive under China’s requirement that foreign automakers partner with local companies.

BMW Brilliance accounts for nearly all of Brilliance’s profit, per Reuters. As Huachen Automotive Group sought to launch its own automotive brands, it sank deeply into debt. In 2020, the company defaulted on 6.5 billion yuan (a little over $1 billion USD) in debt last year.

Last week, though, Brilliance China Automotive revealed that its subsidiaries had guaranteed 5.89 billion yuan ($905 million) in Huachen bank loans without authorization, according to Nikkei Asia.

The subsidiaries, auto parts maker Shenyang Jinbei Automotive and auto distributor Liaoning Shenhua Holding, separately reported that Huachen, the parent company, had inflated its profits in 2017 and 2018.

The inflated results obscured falling sales and were the pretense on which Huachen raised 12.9 billion yuan ($1.9 billion USD) in bond issues on the Shanghai Stock Exchange and the Interbank Market.

China’s securities regulator also found that Huachen had failed to make timely and proper disclosures of changes in its credit rating, missed payment deadlines, litigation and arbitration cases, and other matters that might have affected the value of its bonds.

It has therefore fined Huachen 53.6 million yuan ($8.2 million USD), while 12 former and current former executives got 2.98 million yuan in other fines. ($460,000 USD).

BMW’s China chief, Jochen Goller, told reporters at Auto Shanghai 2021 that Huachen’s issues would not impact BMW Brilliance China. In February, Reuters reported that BMW was looking to buy another 25% of the joint venture, though the purchase was supposed to take place in 2022.

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BMW Chose Control Over Out-And-Out Shift Speed For the New M3/M4 Transmission

In its latest video, BMW has taken six minutes to explain the reasoning behind its decision to fit the new M3 and M4 with a torque converter automatic transmission instead of a dual-clutch one.

With the help of a transmission designer named Karsten, the advantages of the torque converter gearbox are outlined. The move away from a DCT transmission in any M car is noteworthy because its speed is hard to beat.

“Yes, changing gear with a double-clutch transmission is even faster and sharper with the optimal gear because it can also use inertia, which we can’t with a torque converter transmission,” says Karsten.

Despite that, the M3 and the M4 now use a slightly slower torque converter transmission because it’s a question of considering the full package. These are known to be smoother at low speeds, which makes them better for luxury applications.

Their sluggishness made them unfashionable for performance cars in the oughts and the early teens, but they recently had a renaissance. Thanks to the hard work of people like Karsten, torque converter transmission shift speeds have improved and this one can shift gears in as little as 150 milliseconds. There are other advantages, too.

“With the torque converter transmission, through the converter lock-up clutch and the direct clutch to clutch shift, we now have, in principle, all gears pre-selected,” says Karsten. “Whereby with the double-clutch transmission, just one other gear can be preselected, which means that you can shift very quickly into this gear. If you decide on a different gear, then the gear shift is not optimal.”

That means that drivers have better shifts more of the time, and smoother changes at low speeds. Indeed, BMW feels it’s the best transmission for even high-performance applications like the M3/M4.

“I think the gear change is pretty close to perfection both as regards speed and comfort,” says Karsten.

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Is The New BMW M3 Competition Better To Drive Than The Alfa Romeo Giulia QV?

The first reviews of the controversially-styled 2021 BMW M3 are out and in this clip, Piston Heads compares it to one of the finest sports sedans of recent years, the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio.

Featured in this video is the flagship M3 Competition variant, albeit not one equipped with the optional all-wheel drive system. It is finished in grey and if you can ignore the massive kidney grilles, certainly has an aggressive shape and lots of road presence. Does it look as good as the Alfa Romeo? Of course not.

Powering the M3 Competition is a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline-six with 503 hp, matching up perfectly with the Giulia Quadrifoglio that rocks a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 with the exact same output. Both are rear-wheel drive and use automatic transmissions, rather than dual-clutch gearboxes.

One of the first comments the reviewer makes about the M3 relates to its suspension setup. He says that even when driven in Comfort mode, the ride is firm, and questions whether buyers in the UK will ever be able to change the suspension into its even firmer Sport and Sport+ settings. He also isn’t a big fan of how the new engine sounds but does say it is very, very fast.

Compared to the previous-generation M3, this new one handles much better and delivers a more refined driving experience. Sure, the eight-speed automatic transmission isn’t as snappy as some dual-clutch ones, but it does the job.

However, can the all-new M3 Competition beat the Giulia Quadrifoglio? Watch the full review to find out.

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Here It Is: The 2022 BMW M5 CS Breaks Cover Ahead Of Debut

With the M5 CS set to launch officially any day now, it was only a matter of time before a leak came through. And boy did it come through.

Apparently official photos of the new, hotter M5 appeared on Instagram earlier today showing off copper accents and yellow motorsport-inspired lights.

Late last year Markus Flasch, the head of BMW’s M division, shared that the 635 ps (626 hp) bruiser would cut 70 kg (155 lbs) to help with performance. It will get carbon bucket seats from the M4 and some more performance goodies.

The M5 CS gains about 26 hp over the regular M5 and about 10 more than the M5 Competition. That power will come from BMW’s trusty, twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 that has apparently had the wick turned all the way up.

Also Read: 2020 Alpina B3 Sedan Laps The Sachsenring Faster Than The Mercedes-AMG GT, SLR McLaren

We expect to hear the details of exactly how BMW has eked out the extra power and it has cut that weight when it reveals the car fully. We expect carbon fiber to play a role, though.

The M5 joins the M2 in gaining a CS version. Along with the added power, the smaller CS’s suspension has been tuned for duty on race tracks, carbon ceramic brakes, lightweight wheels, as well as a carbon fiber hood, roof, mirrors, and front splitter, much of which is exposed carbon.

We would expect standard AWD, BMW’s sportiest tune on its 8-speed automatic transmission, and special differential tuning to allow for drifts.

The M5 Competition can already 60 mph 3.1 seconds. With more power and weight, that number could dip even lower. Don’t expect any comfort, though. BMW seems to be going all-in on the weight savings, meaning lightweight materials and less luxury.

BMW has promised to reveal all of the vehicle’s details before the end of January, which doesn’t give them much longer, so expect more details soon. Sales are expected to start this year, too.

This is a developing story and we will continue to update it as details reveal themselves.

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Audi Q7/Q8, Mercedes GLE, BMW X5/X6, Volvo XC90, Lexus RX And Range Rover Sport Compete In Off-Road Trial

Finding an absolute winner when it comes to all-wheel drive systems can be extremely difficult, as various other factors such as engines, tires, weight and even the driver can prove just as important as the actual tech sending power to both axles.

However, the guys over at the SUV Battle YouTube channel did a good job getting all these direct rivals together and having them compete over a steep dirt incline.

The following SUVs were called upon to showcase what their all-wheel drive systems are capable of: the 2020 Audi Q8, 2019 Mercedes GLE, 2019 BMW X5, 2019 BMW X6, 2019 Volvo XC90, 2019 Lexus RX 350, 2019 Range Rover Sport and 2018 Audi Q7, plus a 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Multiple runs were carried with most of these SUVs – except for the Grand Cherokee, but that’s alright seen as how it’s not quite a direct rival for all of the other models here.

In the end, they realized that having just one driver perform all the runs was a better way to benchmark the AWD systems, and the results were reasonably conclusive. It’s too bad they couldn’t get similarly-powered engines for all the vehicles. The Range Rover Sport had the most powerful engine, so there’s no surprise that it performed really well.

What was a bit surprising was seeing the BMW X5 struggling to climb up the hill, while the X6 performed much better, although different drivers were involved, so we’ve got to factor that in.

Other models that stood out, although not necessarily in a good way, were the Volvo XC90 and Lexus RX, both of which underperformed, especially the Lexus. Meanwhile, the Audi Q8 climbed the hill as if it was in the middle of filming a commercial for Audi’s quattro AWD system.

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