The modern, sustainable legacy of BMW M GmbH began in 1985 when engineers placed the snarling, race-bred inline-6 engine from the M1 supercar into the production BMW 5 Series sedan, reworked the suspension and brakes, and created the first M5
Through this industry-first combination of attributes, the M5 redefined the capabilities of a sedan with levels of power, precision, balance and linear control never before imaginable. Since then, finding new ways to expand the boundaries of what is possible with existing BMW models has been the singular purpose of the craftsmen at BMW M. Now the BMW X5 M and the BMW X6 M are the first all-wheel-drive models to offer the remarkable performance, dynamic driving experience, athletic design, and premium quality of a BMW M product.
With the opening round of the 2009 World Enduro Championship now just a few days away BMW Motorrad Motorsport team riders David Knight, Juha Salminen, Marko Tarkkala and Simo Kirssi headed to Spain to participate in the first round of the 2009 Spanish Enduro Championship, as part of their final preparations for the forthcoming WEC series.
BMW Motorrad Motorsport riders Troy Corser and Ruben Xaus rode superbly in both the two 18-lap races in Doha, Qatar on Saturday and earned themselves three top ten placings!
For the third consecutive year, Chris Pfeiffer has won the Indoor Stunt Riding World Championship. Riding his BMW F 800 R, the talented German claimed this important victory at the Swiss-Moto Exhibition in Zurich on Sunday 22 February. Hungarian Riders Balasz Herzceg and Zoltan Angyal finished in second and third places respectively.
Troy takes superb 8th in race one and sets the fastest lap. Munich. Despite starting from 17th place on the grid, BMW Motorrad Motorsport rider Troy Corser stormed through the field to take a tremendous eighth place in the opening race of this year’s Superbike World Championship at Phillip Island.
The 22nd edition of the Superbike World Championship begins in just a few weeks time at Phillip Island in Australia and the BMW Motorrad Motorsport team has now completed a successful pre-season testing schedule with the S 1000 RR superbike. Read the rest of this entry »
Budds’ will be hosting a small, exclusive event highlighting the new 7 Series. If you are interested in attending, please contact me directly, cars@budds.net.
From time to time, a benchmark in progressive automotive technology is set anew. Witness such an occasion as the new BMW 7 Series prepares to enter the market. This fifth generation luxury sedan, from the world’s most successful purveyor of automobiles, demonstrates the fusion of all-encompassing luxury with unparalleled driving dynamics.
After 17 years with BMW, Chris Bangle has handed in his resignation. According to the press release below, the 52 year old will be pursuing personal “design-related endeavours beyond the auto industry…while maintaining strong ties with BMW.”
The vacant Director of BMW Group Design position will be filled by Adrian van Hooydonk, with immediate effect. Van Hooydonk has been Bangle’s right-hand man since 2004 and has been with BMW since 1992, including a five year stint with BMW subsidiary DesignworksUSA.
Mr. Bangle has taken quite a bit of heat from critics over the years, including a ‘Stop Chris Bangle’ online petition and even death threats. I believe that design should challenge convention. And good design should change convention. Chris Bangle has done both.
Darryl and I travel a number of times each year and when we require a rental vehicle, we use it as an opportunity to compare the BMWs and MINIs that we are lucky enough to drive on a regular basis to other offerings in the marketplace.
For this trip, from the Vancouver airport to the Four Seasons in Whistler, we rented a new 2008 mid-sized cross-over vehicle. A sort of car-truck hybrid. (My intention in writing this story is not to bash a company or any specific car so I think I will keep the make and model to myself.) It was large and spacious enough to transport 4 of us with all of our luggage and some ski equipment. It is about a 2 and a half hour drive with the traffic, so it gave us plenty of time to really experience what the vehicle was all about.
