Motor Authority - blog Tag: 135i

While the main event at any Formula 1 calendar stop is invariably the focus of most media attention, there are often some truly brilliant side shows and feature races put on alongside them to make for even more entertainment for the crowd. The first event of the 2009 season, the Australian GP, will play host to one such event - a showdown between a street-legal 135i and a pair of race cars.

Obviously the little street-tired coupe will be over-matched in pure performance terms, but the 'tii' decals on the 1-series hint at its still-impressive performance. To make it sporting, each car will start from the same point on the track, and race... While the main event at any Formula 1 calendar stop is invariably the focus of most media attention, there are often some truly brilliant side shows and feature races put on alongside them to make for even more entertainment for the crowd. The first event of the 2009 season, the Australian GP, will play host to one such event - a showdown between a street-legal 135i and a pair of race cars. Obviously the little street-tired coupe will be over-matched in pure performance terms, but the 'tii' decals on the 1-series hint at its still-impressive performance. To make it sporting, each car will start from the same point on the track, and race just one lap - but with a time handicap. The 135i will start first, followed by the V8 Supercar and then the F1 car. Variations on this theme have been exhibited for decades, but the thrill of the chase never seems to grow old for fans. "The Ultimate Speed Comparison has proven to be a particularly popular segment on the Grand Prix schedule and perfectly embodies ‘The Ultimate Driving Machine' claim," said Tom Noble, general manager of marketing for BMW Group Australia. The 135i that takes to the track will be a stock vehicle fitted with BMW's Performance aero package, an upgraded suspension and braking package, plus BMW Performance 18in wheels. Carbon fiber accents on the mirrors, hood and roof also mark the car out as a more tuned-in track-day street car. The tii badging and overall theme of the car takes its inspiration from the 1966 BMW 02, according to the company. Basic performance stats on the car that will take to the track alongside the BMW Sauber F1 car and Greg Murphy's V8 Supercar are the same as a production vehicle: 5.3 seconds 0-62mph (100km/h), 300hp (225kW) engine and 155mph (250km/h) electronically limited top speed. If you're lucky enough to be able to see the event in person at Albert Park, the Ultimate Speed Comparison will take place no fewer than five times over the course of the weekend, starting 11:40am local time on March 26 and wrapping up with the final run at 1:10pm March 29.BMW 1-series Ultimate Speed Comparison Read More

The all-new BMW 7-series just made its official debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November, and today BMW announced pricing for the 750i and 750Li models, which start at $81,125 and $85,025 respectively.

That represents an increase of $3,500 on the 750i and $4,300 for the 750Li, or about 5% each. The rest of BMW's lineup gets a much smaller price rise of about 0.7% starting in January 2009. The all-new 7-series is already in production and will be hitting U.S. dealership floors in Q1 2009.

BMW's recently launched 335d and xDrive35d are already reaching dealerships around the nation. As of January 1, 2009, the 335d will start at... The all-new BMW 7-series just made its official debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November, and today BMW announced pricing for the 750i and 750Li models, which start at $81,125 and $85,025 respectively. That represents an increase of $3,500 on the 750i and $4,300 for the 750Li, or about 5% each. The rest of BMW's lineup gets a much smaller price rise of about 0.7% starting in January 2009. The all-new 7-series is already in production and will be hitting U.S. dealership floors in Q1 2009. BMW's recently launched 335d and xDrive35d are already reaching dealerships around the nation. As of January 1, 2009, the 335d will start at $43,900, or $3,600 more than the 335i. The X5 xDrive35d will share a similar price gap from the xDrive30i model, at $51,200 or $3,700 more. The popular 135i coupe will start at $35,850. For more on the all-new 7-series, read our original story here.2009 BMW 7-series2009 BMW 7-series The latest in high performance car news. // By use of this code snippet, I agree to the Brightcove Publisher T and C // found at http://corp.brightcove.com/legal/terms_publisher.cfm. var config = new Array(); /* * feel free to edit these configurations * to modify the player experience */ config["videoId"] = null; //the default video loaded into the player config["videoRef"] = null; //the default video loaded into the player by ref id specified in console config["lineupId"] = null; //the default lineup loaded into the player config["playerTag"] = null; //player tag used for identifying this page in brightcove reporting config["autoStart"] = false; //tells the player to start playing video on load config["preloadBackColor"] = "#FFFFFF"; //background color while loading the player /* do not edit these config items */ config["playerId"] = 1801874903; config["width"] = 510; config["height"] = 550; createExperience(config, 8); Read More

Almost six months ago, Hartge revealed its original take on the 1-series. At that time, it was entirely an appearance and suspension upgrade package, leaving the engine untouched. Now, having spent the last six months extracting even more power from the 135i's twin-turbo six-cylinder, the German tuner company from Merzing has revealed its final product.

Like the original 1-series tuning kit, the new 135i gets a full aerodynamics treatment, though this time around it's even bolder, to reflect the increased power underhood. That power climbs by 44hp over stock, to 350hp (257kW) and 354lb-ft (480Nm), enabling the little coupe to sprint to... Almost six months ago, Hartge revealed its original take on the 1-series. At that time, it was entirely an appearance and suspension upgrade package, leaving the engine untouched. Now, having spent the last six months extracting even more power from the 135i's twin-turbo six-cylinder, the German tuner company from Merzing has revealed its final product. Like the original 1-series tuning kit, the new 135i gets a full aerodynamics treatment, though this time around it's even bolder, to reflect the increased power underhood. That power climbs by 44hp over stock, to 350hp (257kW) and 354lb-ft (480Nm), enabling the little coupe to sprint to 62mph (100km/h) a full half-second faster than the standard car, which itself manages a respectable 5.3 second time. Being 25mm lower improves roll control and handling, while stiffer springs and revised dampers further aid the driver in tapping into the increased performance of the car. Gigantic 20x9" wheels wrapped in Pirelli PZero Nero tires give tremendous grip potential, though track enthusiasts may opt for a lighter, more race-tire friendly diameter. Special steering wheel inserts in black or silver carbon fiber, a range of options for the gear knobs, seating surfaces and other features and a new instrument cluster scheme wrap up the Hartge modification list.Hartge BMW 135i Read More