Wedging BMW's V10 into an M3 is nothing new, but what if you want the convenience of a wagon? Manhart Racing has the answer. The German tuner has converted an E91 to look like the M3, then stuffed M5's V10 into the engine bay complete with its seven-speed SMG. To quote Manhart Racing..."Attention all sporty, family men!"
The transformation from a standard E91 3-Series Estate to super wagon begins with the exterior, where the car gets the front fascia, front fenders, side skirts, and the powerdome hood from the M3. Manhart Racing then adds their own rear wheel arches and rear fascia that makes room for a stainless steel exhaust system sporting quad exhaust tips. Next, the 5.0-liter V10 gets stuffed into the engine bay along with the the gearbox, and a limited slip differential is mounted out back.
Manhart claims a 0-100 kmh time of 4.3 seconds and a top speed of just over 200 mph. You can buy your own turnkey version for a mere €120,000 or Manhart will gladly upgrade your current E91.
My my, this is embarrassing. During a full course yellow, Jonathan Adam is all set to get interviewed when KA-BLAMO! – the fire suppression system in his WTCC BTCC BMW 320si goes haywire, dousing him with loads of sticky goop. It isn't immediately clear if Adam inadvertently triggered the safety system himself, or if the foamy shower was visited upon him thanks to a mechanical defect.
The BMW 3 Series is one of the most fun cars to drive for under $50,000, and if you live near Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver, you may be eligible to try out the entire lineup at no cost to you. BMW is inviting select Canadian registrants to drive all flavors of the 3 Series for two hours and compare them to the competition from Lexus, Audi and Mercedes. The fun won't be relegated to yourself, either, as BMW encourages you to bring a friend along, as well. The goal, obviously, is to sell more BMWs, so the German automaker will pick only registrants that are found worthy (or able to afford) a fine piece of German engineering. In other words, if you're 19 and currently driving a Dodge Neon, don't wait by the mailbox. The BMW train stops in Vancouver from April 17-19, in Montreal from May 8-10, and in Toronto from May 29-31 and June 5-7. More information, including registration information, can be found on the BMW Canada website.
When the BMW 335i arrived in 2007, tuners jumped at the chance to boost the boosted 3.0-liter inline-six. After a few ECU tweaks, the new 3 series was putting out an additional 70-80 hp and a commensurate increase in torque, and once the 135i and 535i arrived, the market grew accordingly. Recognizing that owners are willing to let their new rides go under the electronic knife, BMW has decided that the aftermarket shouldn't be the only avenue available for drivers looking for more punch from the twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter. The automaker will begin offering an upgrade for the 135i, 335i and 535i in Europe, and it's rumored to be available in the U.S. sometime in April.
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Luxury sports sedans are made all over the world, but nobody does 'em quite like the Germans. The BMW 3 Series has stood as the champion of the segment for decades, but not anymore. According to government records of new vehicle registration, the Audi A4 was the best-selling premium car, beating out the 3-Series, along with the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. By the numbers, 98,714 A4's were sold in Germany over the course of 2008, making it the second most popular new car in Germany behind the Volkswagen Golf. But lest you think Germans are enamored only with Audi's new A4, which was introduced last year, the A6 and TT also topped their segments, contributing to the strongest growth (or weakest decline) in the German market and across Western Europe. The innovators in all-wheel traction and aluminum construction saw their entire market share rise last year by 0.8% to a total of 8.1% of the German new car market.
Global Motors just posted some spy pics of what is believed to be a next-generation BMW 3-Series mule. The taped up rear and chunky fender flares distinguish it from a stock 3. If you're scratching your head thinking we just got a new 3-Series from the Bavarians, you're right. The E90 debuted in 2006 and just received a freshening for '09, so we don't expect anything to come of this project until 2011 at the earliest (which goes some way toward explaining why there's no new production bodywork in evidence).
BMW Assist -- essentially the Bavarian's version of GM's OnStar -- has made BMW Search using Google Maps available on the 1 and 3 Series. Previously, it was only available on BMW models from the 5 series up. If you subscribe to the BMW Assist Convenience Plan, you can use BMW Search to find businesses, then input the information directly into the navigation system, or call with your Bluetooth phone over the service's AT&T Mobility Network (you don't need to have AT&T, though). BMW Search joins BMW's MyInfo service, which allowed customers and businesses to send listings and street addresses directly to the car. BMW Assist is standard on 5, 6, and 7 Series, and included in the Premium Package or as a stand-alone option on all other models.
Four-cylinder BMWs are commonplace in Europe, but here in the States you can't buy anything Bavarian with less than six pistons. Inside Line is reporting that the German automaker may change that by adding the direct-injected 2.0L four-pot from Europe to the 3-Series. The 170-hp engine powers the 320i and 120i across the pond. The models are well-received there, and for good reason, too. The ultra-efficient powerplant averages over 38 mpg in the European combined test cycle while still providing the razor-sharp handling that is BMW's trademark. BMW project director Oliver Friedmann said that a four-cylinder petrol Bimmer would have a "desirable effect" here in the U.S., but didn't commit any concrete plans for a U.S. four-banger. He did say that the U.S. probably isn't ready for a diesel four-cylinder, but we beg to differ. Our friends at AutoblogGreen had a blast in the twin-turbo 123d and managed 37 mpg while thoroughly testing the oil-burner's limits. We think the petrol 2.0L would be well received as well. While four-cylinder luxury cars were taboo just a few years ago, high fuel prices have given Americans plenty of motivation to welcome a 2.0L Bimmer with open arms.
BMW's N54 engine has won the International Engine of the Year award for the past two straight years. It has also been listed as one of Ward's 10 Best Engines during the same period. The engine produces 306 hp and 295 ft-lbs of torque in a 3.0L inline six package thanks to the use of twin Mitsubishi turbochargers and direct injection. The N54's quick response and smooth torque curve has been an attraction for many enthusiasts, including myself - I call my Montego Blue coupe the turbo Cookie Monster. That is why a few BMW 335i owners are miffed by a feeling of reduced performance after a recent service update. Posters on the BMW forum e90post.com claim that a software update to adjust rattling wastegate valves has induced lag into the turbochargers that wasn't there before. As illustrated in the gallery below, the N54 turbochargers differ from most setups in that the wastegates default to the open position. This allows for better emissions due to the ability of the exhaust gas to bypass the turbochargers on start up so the catalytic converters can heat up faster. It certainly follows suit that BMW has the ability to adjust the ECU settings in order to hold those wastegates open, thus altering the turbochargers' peak boost point and adding to the perception of lag. Currently all performance degradation discussion has been based on seat of the pants feel, along with increased exhaust noise and fuel consumption. Despite the claims, BMW North America and service centers have, thus far, found no critical issue with the new settings. If owners want to present true evidence, they should use a simple OBD scanner device to data log the manifold pressure or simply run a dyno comparison test.
Imagine your perfect track day. A dozen cars, dry tarmac and absolutely zero loose nuts behind the wheel. That's been our experience so far at Buttonwillow. We've had the pleasure of being invited to a private track event organized by Jack Fried, co-creator of the Lotus Challenge Series and all-around genuine gent. For the majority of Friday, the track has been open, so whenever the urge strikes, you just head out and go. With only a half-dozen vehicles on the track at any given time – primarily Porsches and Loti – we're in our own private nirvana. And Project 318is is holding its own, despite being thoroughly outclassed by the rest of the field.
The H&R Cup Kit had paid for itself three-times over before noon. Body roll is minimal, transitions are easy to gauge, and coupled with the lightweight Koseis and Advan A048s we fitted this week, the Bimmer has achieved its goal: providing us with a competent track tool that proves the old adage about driving a slow car fast.
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