Audi BMW

After its North American debut at the Chicago Auto Show and track days at a BMW event, the new ALPINA B7 “attends” another exclusive event. Selected members of the press and BMW dealerships’ representatives, had the opportunity to learn more about the new B7, but at the same time, taste some of the very finest wines in Napa Valley.

Press Release:

The new BMW ALPINA B7 was presented to selected members of the American press and the BMW dealer family, at an exclusive event held from the 5th to the 11th of June in California.  Participants were able to sample the ALPINA flagship’s comfort and sport orientation at both Infineon Raceway and while driving through California’s scenery, including the renowned Highway One.

Presentations were made regarding the B7’s technical subtleties, deep insights were given into ALPINA’s unique and storied history, and the distinctive philosophy of this small family-run business from Buchloe was explored.  All this was framed by the American event agency Emotive using ALPINA’s second business venture as the backdrop: wine.  The very finest wines from California’s best winemakers were served with dinner at the private The Napa Valley Reserve, each wine and each bottle naturally introduced and elucidated by the vintners themselves, supported by ALPINA’s head of wine.

All in all a very successful event:  the finest example of the ALPINA lifestyle, coupled with a vehicle created for the most demanding of automotive connoisseurs.

[Source: ALPINA ]

The Swiss company Shaston in collaboration with the respectable tuner Lumma are taking are working on an enhanced version of the BMW 760Li. Detailed information will be released at the end of August, but the company offered to shared with some preliminary photos and information.

The vehicle is based on the F01 BMW 760L which is powered by a V12 twin-turbo engine developing 544 horsepower.

Beside the exterior mods and interior upgrades, we expect the tuner to also do some work on the engine’s output as well.

The LUMMA BMW 760Li will be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2011.

InsideLine publishes their report and thoughts on the 2011 BMW 740i we have recently reviewed as well.  The 2011 BMW 740i and 740Li feature BMW’s the twin-turbocharged inline-6 engine with maximum output of 315 horsepower at 5800 rpm and 330 lb-ft of torque from 1600-4500 rpm.

All-aluminum construction, High Precision direct fuel injection, Double-VANOS variable camshaft technology, and Brake Energy Regeneration are a few of the technologies used under the BMW EfficientDynamics philosophy to place the 740i and 740Li among the most powerful six-cylinder luxury sedans in the world.

Without any further ado, let’s have a look at their review.

You’ve heard it before. BMW says that the new engine can grunt like an eight-cylinder while using no more fuel than the standard inline-6. The EPA mpg figures support this assertion, as the 2011 BMW 740i is rated at 17 mpg city and 25 mpg highway — though as you might expect, this girl drinks premium only. If these don’t seem like astounding fuel-efficiency figures, bear in mind that the engine is lugging around a full 4,432 pounds with the new-style F01 body, while that big, bad 750Li returns a less-than-stellar 14 mpg city and 21 mpg highway.

This car is not 750i fast, but it goes. Despite developing full boost (and torque) by a near miraculous 1,600 rpm, the twin-turbocharged six does sometimes feel as though it could use just a little bit more low-end oomph, but it’s far from unacceptable. Just allow the tach needle to continue its steady swing across the tachometer and the 740i picks up speed with an eerie quickness. Keep your foot on the floorboard and your eyes on the road, and you’ll expect the car to hit redline and shift three times before it finally does, at 7,000 rpm. BMW claims that 60 mph is dispatched within 5.8 seconds.

Best 7 Series for the Buck
While we try not to make a habit of inciting rage among German engineers and Bimmer fans worldwide, we’re nevertheless awfully tempted to say the BMW 740i is the best 7 Series to date — or at least the best variant in 2011. The car provides all of the same fuel economy benefits as the ActiveHybrid 750i without the $32,000 technology surcharge.

And since it weighs less by the margin of two well-fed executives, the 740i is also a hoot to drive, too. Sure, it doesn’t quite offer the kick in the pants of its 7 Series siblings, but let’s face it, the average American 7 Series owner isn’t doing much stoplight drag racing anyway.

The 2011 BMW 740i is the perfect choice for nearly everyone who is considering big luxury, and exactly what the 7 Series lineup needed to stay innovative and current. It combines efficiency, luxury and technology without sacrificing the driving dynamics for which BMW is so renowned. The car is pure BMW in the best way possible.

Full article continued

Autoblog has just published their impressions on the 2011 BMW ALPINA B7, the same very car we tested last month on track at a BMW event.

Before we jump into their review, let’s have a look at our impressions of the car, as captured by our editor Shawn Molnar:

“Absolutely, this is one of the finest cars ALPINA has ever made. Based upon the new F01 7 Series sedan, ALPINA GmbH takes details into their own hands, producing a unique, focused and exclusive performance luxury sedan.

Why would I state performance in front of luxury in this description? After all, the B7 is based upon the ultra luxurious BMW 7 Series. They say a picture is worth a thousand words; if you are still wondering, perhaps you should have a look at our photo gallery.

The special allure of this car became clear: the B7 is an exclusive car that accomplishes everything well through a concept coined by ALPINA as “AND engineering.” Powerful and restrained. Razor sharp on the track and comfortable on the roadway. Relaxed, poised and a real animal, craving to melt the asphalt. ALPINA cars give off an aura of speed, refinement and class. Driving one is momentous, an experience not quickly forgotten.

The epitome of power, luxury, and exclusivity awaits you; but be careful – they say this much power can corrupt.”

And now onto the comprehensive review by Autoblog.

Right about now you’re probably wondering, “So how’s it all work?” Damn fine. After having the opportunity to drive in a variety of new 7-Series, the B7 reveals itself as exceptional.

On the road when driven as a normal car (as normal as any 7-Series can be), the Alpina performs flawlessly. In either Comfort or normal suspension modes, the ride is calmly controlled and fluid, not harsh. Other characteristics of the big 7 apply to the Alpina variant.

However, step into the throttle and everything changes. The big sedan suddenly feels like a muscle-bound 5-Series. As things start to happen faster, the B7 somehow seems to shrink in physical size and weight, loosing hundreds of pounds from its 4,564-pound curb.

The B7’s 507 horsepower has something to do with the sensation. Once you uncork the power genie, it’s nearly impossible to put it back in the bottle. It comes on in a turbine-like rush that didn’t trail off even as we crested 130 mph and doesn’t begin to trail off until the red speedo needle swings past 160.

BMW also gave us the opportunity to drive the B7 at the New Jersey Motorsports Park. We drove it on the course called Lightning, and were easily hitting the same speeds as when piloting a 2011 M3. On one straightaway, we regularly crested 130 mph, at which point we tromped heavily on the brakes. The B7 handled everything with ease.

Furthermore….

Still, there’s no denying that the 7 Series is the premier handler of the executive car class, and the changes Alpina has made to the suspension just plain work, allowing you to funnel as many of the 4.4-liter V8’s 507 horsepower and 517 torques to the ground as you’d like in nearly every situation.

All-in-all, the B7 is one hell of an executive express – but then again, so is the less costly 7-Series.

Full review continued

The folks over at The Diesel Driver bring us a review of BMW’s Hydrogen 7 model built on the previous generation 7 Series platform. Late last year, BMW confirmed that a new Hydrogen 7 built on the F10 model is not going, at the moment, into production. BMW emphasized that this is not the end of the hydrogen development program and testing and research will continue behind closed doors.

Here is an excerpt from this comprehensive and informative review:

“So it was not surprising when BMW, in September 2006, introduced the BMW Hydrogen 7. The Hydrogen 7 is equipped with a dual-mode 12-cylinder internal combustion engine based on BMW’s 12-cylinder 6.0-liter gasoline engine used in the 7er Series.

The BMW Hydrogen 7 was the world’s first hydrogen-drive luxury performance automobile for everyday use (n.b. BMW previously built hydrogen-powered test vehicles, such as the 750HL, but they were not put into production).

The 203.9”-long Autobahn cruiser came equipped with every conceivable option, including BMW’s Comfort Seats, which feature 14-way power adjustment; Active Roll Stabilization, an active suspension control system designed to reduce body-roll, or lean, when cornering; Bluetooth wireless technology connecting the mobile phone to the car; Comfort Access, which allows the driver to leave the key in his pocket to unlock, start, and lock the vehicle; the iDrive cockpit controller; and the Logic7 Audio System, with Digital Signal Processing (DSP) and 13 speakers.

The Hydrogen 7 went through the standard BMW product development process and was produced in Dingolfing, Germany, alongside other production BMWs, including the gasoline-only and diesel-powered 7er and 5er.

———-

The Hydrogen 7, unlike your typical car, has a release valve on the roof in case the system needs to release hydrogen. The presence of this valve meant that the car should not – under any circumstances – be parked indoors.

This made me slightly apprehensive, but I was assured that, unlike the Hindenburg, liquid hydrogen won’t explode, although it will burn. In that regard, it is probably safer than gasoline if it spills.

Most cars also don’t have a very large, insulated tank in the trunk of the car – a tank so bulky that, even though the seats were moved up 4.5”, there is still a bulge visible behind the rear seats.

Also during my orientation, I learnt that liquid hydrogen must be kept at -423° F (-253° C). Only liquid helium, at -452°F (-268° C), is colder.

——

We drove the car to the hydrogen filling station and topped it off. I was handed the key, I plotted in a course for Newport Beach via the Pacific Coast Highway, and off I went.

I didn’t know that I was about to become a celebrity of sorts. As I made my way to down to the PCH, I marveled at how normal the car felt. I started to forget about the telltale markings on the side, concentrating both on the road and the magnificent view. All along the way, people were waving and giving me the thumbs-up sign.

As I expected, despite its size, the Hydrogen 7 was very engaging from behind the wheel, perhaps best described as athletic and refined at the same time. The twisties in the hills of Los Angeles were easily conquered by this water-spouting beast. Steering was excellent with superb feedback and, while nimble might be an exaggeration, the word did cross my mind more than several times.

Head over to The Diesel Driver to read the full review and learn more about hydrogen technology and its use in cars.

The 2010 BMW 750i with the xDrive system gets reviewed by several journalists from Automobile Magazine. Each one of them puts the car through different driving scenarios and some of their short reviews are embedded below.

Starting in the 2010 model year, BMW xDrive is available for the first time also in the BMW 7 Series. Through a power divider with an electronically controlled multiple-plate clutch, xDrive feeds exactly the right amount of power in every situation to the axle which, through its wheels, has the best grip on the road.

Through its dynamic operation, xDrive also helps to give the new luxury performance models with this technology the neutral behavior in bends and tracking stability. In bends more drive power is fed to the rear axle in order to make the car even more nimble and avoid any understeer.

In the process the operation of xDrive is based on the steering angle pre-determined by the driver. While, when driving smoothly in a straight line, the front-to-rear power split is 40:60, up to 80 per cent of the drive power goes to the rear axle in a bend, ensuring spontaneous steering behaviour precisely following the actual radius and course of the bend. Then, when leaving the bend, the distribution of drive power returns to normal in the interest of maximum traction when accelerating again in a straight line.

Review by Automobile Mag

The combination of a rich, luxurious interior; a smooth, powerful engine; and truly refined road manners make it hard to top a BMW 7-series when it’s time to embark on a road trip, so I was more than happy to sign out the 750i xDrive for my journey to Michigan’s west coast for the weekend. Because the occasion was a high-school reunion, I plugged in my iPod and chose a classic rock playlist so that I could aurally transport myself to the late 1970s. Turns out, though, that was the only thing that reminded me of the ’70s, because the 7-series is a true twenty-first-century car packed full of state-of-the-art technology. Thirty years ago, it would have been hard to fathom a car like the modern 7-series. Of course, thirty years ago paying $100,000 for luxury BMW sedan would have been hard to fathom, too.

And a second one.

On nice summer days like those we occasionally get in Michigan, it’s almost impossible to tell if a 7-series has an xDrive all-wheel-drive. Despite a 150-pound weight penalty versus the base rear-wheel-drive 750i, the driving experience of the xDrive-equipped car feels almost the same, which is to say, surprisingly sporty for such a large car. The fuel-economy penalty is a bit more noticeable, though, as xDrive makes for a fairly significant hit at the pump, with the EPA fuel-economy rating 1 mpg lower in the city and 2 mpg less on the highway (14/20 mpg city/highway versus the RWD car’s 15/22 mpg).

Still, even southern Michigan’s winters don’t really necessitate all-wheel-drive luxury cars like the 7-series or the 4Matic edition of the Mercedes-Benz S-class (winter tires and rear-wheel drive with stability control are usually sufficient). But in snowier climes, that extra edge can make the difference between getting there and not, particularly if “there” is up your steep driveway. By the way, this is the base xDrive 7-series, as the new six-cylinder 740i/Li will not be offered with all-wheel drive.

Full review continued

Unfortunately for those of us that live in the U.S., the BMW diesel choices are limited. Currently, BMW of North America offers two diesel flavors: the BMW 335d and X5d, powered by the same turbocharged 3.0 liter diesel engine.

Therefore, from time to time, we have to rely on our European friends to test drive some of the diesel “goodies” we are missing out on.

Today, the folks over at AutoEvolution bring us an exciting review of an equally exciting car: 2010 BMW 740d. The car was introduced last fall and features a newly developed six-cylinder power unit, an all-aluminum engine boasting BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology and common-rail direct fuel injection with piezo-injectors operating at an injection pressure of up to 2,000 bar.

The new power unit delivers maximum output of 225 kW/306 hp and peak torque of 600 Newton-meters/442 lb-ft maintained consistently between 1,500 and 2,500 rpm. This gives the BMW 740d a level of performance so far only provided by far larger power units, now combined with the superior economy typical of a BMW straight-six diesel.

The BMW 740d accelerates from a standstill to 100 km/h in 6.3 seconds and is limited electronically in its top speed to 250 km/h or 155 mph.

Since the general statistics are already available to everyone, let’s have a look at the driving experience.

If you’re lucky enough to get behind the wheel of a 7 Series but you don’t have the chance to leave the city and put the 3-liter engine up to test, it’s just a waste of time. Leaving on a journey with such a car is in no way boring and all the integrated technologies are making the whole trip a nice and pleasant activity.

First of all, there’s the engine. The 3.0-liter powerplant, mated to BMW’s Steptronic eight-speed transmission, develops 306 horsepower and a maximum torque of 600 Nm between 1500 and 2500 rpm. This basically means that you’ll have the necessary power whenever you need it, regardless if you’re the kind of sporty or calm driver. And speaking of these types of drivers, the F01 can be easily adjusted to better suit your needs using the four available modes, Normal, Comfort, Sport and Sport+.

In just a few words, each of these four levels come with a different setup for several parts, including the response of the Dynamic Stability Control function (perfectly noticeable in Sport+) plus the steering assistance and the automatic transmission settings. In most cases, the Normal mode is just what you need, a perfectly balanced vehicle that comes packed with enough power, superior comfort and optimized fuel consumption.

But even so, driving in a non-urban environment seems a bit more appropriate for the Comfort configuration. In this mode, the yacht feeling brought to you by the inside wood parts comes back, this time because of the car’s settings. The car is indeed a bit more comfortable and we only noticed just a few changes to the vehicle’s behavior while cruising on the highway.

Last but not least, there’s the Sport+ level that releases the 306 horsepower hidden underneath the hood. Switching to Sport+ partially turns off the electronic stability control which practically means that we finally got a chance to test our Need for Speed skills. The driver’s heavy right foot, a slight curve, light rain conditions and the Sport+ mode activated made drifting a piece of cake and it only took a second until we chased the rear side of the car just like a dog chases its tail.

Leaving our adventures aside, the new Bimmer was once again impressive when it came to fuel consumption. In highway conditions, at 130 km/h (80.7 mph) with cruise control turned on, the on-board computer indicated 7.1 l/100km (33.1 mpg), slightly different from BMW’s estimated 5.7 l/100km (41.2 mpg).

Full article and extensive photo gallery at AutoEvolution

MarketWatch is the last magazine to praise the new 2010 BMW 7 Series and in their latest article, the flow of compliments towards the BMW 750i moves throughout the article.

First, the 2010 BMW 750i receives a flattering headline, “A near-perfect blend of fun, luxury touches and electronics”, and it ends with “The pride of Dingolfing, Germany.”

Despite initial criticism and skepticism, the new 7 Series has established itself as a leader in the high-end luxury sedans market and majority of press reviews have been nothing short of positive.

“It retains that wonderful feeling of confidence that tells the driver that it is up to any task — whether it is playfully exercising along back country roads with its impeccable handling and power, or almost silently racking up some serious mileage in an all-day assault on an interstate.

You just know it will attack that off ramp or that bumpy, pot-hole-filled back road with quick confidence and, yes, swagger. It is there in every move, through every pedal and every tactile sensation.

It is not unlike the confidence that Yankee fans get from radio announcer John Sterling or Celtics fans got from the late Johnny Most. Just listening, you knew the Yankees or the Celtics would somehow win. More often than not they did.

Yet in the 750i it is a win every day, even when the weather turns rotten, because for the 2010 model year the 7-series is available with xDrive. It is an all-wheel drive setup that sends the power to the wheel that has the best grip. Heading down a straight road the power divide is 40% to the front, the rest to the rear. That can increase to as much as 80% to the rear, if necessary, to ensure your safe passage through a sharp turn or up a snow-filled driveway — which is something you probably don’t want to think about at this time of year. ”

Full review continued

This week has nothing but spectacular for us at BMWBLOG with two full days on track and driving over 10 different BMWs, MINIs and Rolls Royce. The test drive reports will continue to flow in as we advanced into the week and more to come by the end of this month. (First Drive: 2011 BMW 5 Series). Expect to see the most amazing photos we have ever published, along with plenty of interviews and video footage.

Overall, by the end of May, we would test drive over 12 BMWs, a new landmark for us and any automotive magazine.

But today’s topic revolves around another exciting model we had a chance to race on track: the ALPINA B7. While the full review is still in works, let’s recap some of the main key points of this exciting model based on the BMW 7 Series.

At 5 units per day, the ALPINA B7 is far from a production volume seller and this is where it starts to differentiates itself from the high-end 760 models. The customer base is also quite different. While the 760Li and 760i models represent luxury, comfort and straightline performance, the B7 has a different core base, a customer that is looking for the ultimate customization in their car, uniqueness as some may call it, but also looking to enjoy one of the sportiest ultra-luxurious sedans and to overtake the curvy roads with a full confidence given by the dynamic and performance of the B7.

The B7 production process starts on the BMW assembly line at Dingolfing, but it gets transferred to ALPINA at some point in the process. The ALPINA designers and engineers are involved in the development process from its inception and despite the parts sharing between the two companies, some design elements and software are custom built by ALPINA, rather than improved or modified.

B7 is powered by a 4.4 liter V8 twin-turbocharged engine, a powerplant based on the one found in the 750 models which has gone through an ALPINA treatment. From the custom software to the different turbos (the two turbochargers operate in parallel, with generously-dimensioned turbine vanes measuring 44mm in diameter), the B7 engine is an art within itself and it offers a performance that many of us only get to dream of: 500 (373kW) horsepower and 516 lb-ft (700Nm) of torque. At 115hp (85kW) per liter and with a maximum average compression of 20.1 bar, the B7’s engineers have truly sets a benchmark even amongst established sports cars.

This rear-wheel drive performance/luxury Sedan achieves 0-60 mph in 4.5 sec and ALPINA claims even less on a perfect track with a great driver. With maximum torque available across an unusually broad engine range, from 3,000 to 4,750 rpm, the B7 accelerates effortlessly from virtually any speed up to the electronically limited maximum speed of 174mph.

The six-speed sport automatic ALPINA SWITCH-TRONIC transmission offers several settings for all the different drivers out there, from Sport, Sport+ to Manual model.

To cope with its enhanced power and to achieve the perfect 50-50 balance, the car keep “its nose” closer to the ground, due to the larger tires at the rear and the different suspensions.

Keeping all that power at normal temperature levels is achieved through several cooling solutions implemented across the front-end, especially through the two air openings integrated into the front-bumper. The low-temperature intercooler integrates into the radiator package.

The B7 on track is what you expected and more, and when you also have the privilege to race along with one of the best German race drivers, then things get even more exciting.

More on that in the next few days!

[Photos by our friend Greg Jarem ]

To celebrate Tate Moderns 10th anniversary, the museum will host “No Soul for Sale – A Festival of Independents”, an initiative of the artist Maurizio Cattelan and curators Cecilia Alemani and Massimiliano Gioni. For this free art festival, Tate Modern is inviting over 70 of the world’s most innovative independent art spaces, not-for-profit organizations and artists’ collectives, from Shanghai to Rio de Janeiro, to take over the Turbine Hall – amongst others: Dispatch (New York), e-flux (Berlin), Para/Site Art Space (Hong Kong).

Chauffeur-driven to Tate Modern

One of the most exciting art events has been organised by the Barcelona-based curatorial office Latitudes. For the project “Mataró Chauffeur Service” Spanish artist Martí Anson will set up a taxi firm and drive the curators to London and back, designing the livery of the single vehicle fleet, his chauffeur’s uniform and route. The car itself will be parked in the Turbine Hall and form the basis of Latitudes’ temporary office. In this setting they will present films and publications relating to the projects they have curated since 2005. Anson and Latitudes approached BMW inquiring about the possibility of an automobile for their project. The company happily obliged, with employees at BMW Spain, BMW UK and BMW Headquarters in Munich involved with the “Mataró Chauffer Service” to make the artist’s vision come true.

The artist-chauffeur

Catalan artist Martí Anson (Mataró, 1967) lives and works in Mataró. His art focuses on the process rather than the result. Thus the passing of time is of vital importance to Anson. Recent projects include ‘El preu dels colors’, Galeria Toni Tàpies, Barcelona (2009), ‘Martí et la chocolaterie’ for ‘Rendez-Vous 09’, 10th Biennale de Lyon, Lyon (2009), ‘Martí and the flour factory’ for ‘Lucky Number 7’, Site Santa Fe, New Mexico (2008) ‘Fitzcarraldo, 55 days working on the construction of a Stella 34 yacht in the Centre d’Art Santa Mònica’, Centre d’Art Santa Mònica, Barcelona (2005).

The BMW Group and Contemporary Art

With over 100 major projects worldwide BMW Group’s cultural program has been an essential element of corporate communications for almost 40 years. Besides architecture and design as well as classical music and jazz, contemporary art is an integral part of BMW Group’s cultural engagement. The Nationalgalerie Prize in Berlin, the “Prix BMW” at the Paris Photo or the “Premio de Pintura” awarded by BMW and the Spanish Crown – they all aim at promoting young art. BMW has been involved for many years as an associate partner of the Leipzig International Artist Programme and the young curators’ workshop during the Berlin Biennial.

Whenever the BMW Group engages in culture, it is committed to guaranteeing absolute freedom of creative potential. This freedom is just as important for ground-breaking artistic work as it is vital for innovations in a successful business enterprise.

More information regarding the “Mataró Chauffeur Service: www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/nosoulforsale/default.shtm

Information regarding the BMW Group’s cultural involvement: www.bmwgroup.com/culture