It’s raining prizes for BMW who, keeping to its traditional commitment in excellence, has again in 2008 cleaned up at the 10th International Engine of the Year awards. In an article dedicated to the 2007 edition, BMW won prizes in five of the 11 categories.

The best engine of the year is the 2.0 twin Turbo Diesel at 240 hp for the moment utilised on the BMW 123d. But the Munich company has also won in the 1.4-1.8 litre category with the 1.6 petrol turbo, fruit of collaboration with PSA. Then there was also the best in the 2.5-3.0 litre category with the 3.0 twin turbo petrol. A specific mention also went to BMW Motorsport that came off with awards in for the M3 four-litre V8 in the 3.5-4.0 litre category, and also the M5’s V10 five litre.

For other manufacturers BMW left some crumbs with only the VW Group and Porsche, and Toyota getting mentions. In fact the best high performance engine was the 3.6 litre turbo of the Porsche 911 turbo and the GT2, while VW is leader in the medium cylinder category with the 1.4 TSI turbo and the 2.0 TFSI Turbo.

The Japanese came off with three recognitions: for the best ecological engine with the 1.5 Toyota Prius hybrid, the three cylinder mounted on the Aygo, Citroen C1 and Peugeot 1-7, and finally Subaru’s 2.5 turbo.

Concluding we can note the German dominance with BMW and the VW group that close off at five awards to three, and only the Japanese appearing able to compete. The French PSA group curiously found itself partner in the success of the awards. It appears Peugeot’s joint ventures are chosen with care and look to long-term success.

Via | International Engine of the Year Awards

At the Concorso d’Eleganza 2008 at the Villa d’Este, BMW has presented its M1 “Hommage”, a tribute to the 30-year-old unforgettable supercar, designed by Giugiaro.

This concept is set to be a synthesis of the shape and proportions of the 1978 M1 and the current BMW design style. In the first images of the gallery you can see side-by-side the original M1 and the Hommage: a more extreme form, wider in the body, the bonnet “hump” more distinct and generally a decidedly larger car.

The M1 Hommage seems destined to remain a pure exercise in style, but we can already imagine the clamour of fans of the brand if a production followed.

Rumours regarding a possible M version of the X5 have been doing the rounds for some time, but it appears that the “nastier” versions photographed are nothing more than vehicles equipped with the twin-turbo V8 4,400cc power of the X6 50i.

According to expectations from BimmerFile, the rear camouflage shows off new bumpers, destined to look very similar to the rear of the X6. The quad exhaust terminals demonstrate a tangibile sporty nature, rather than relying on other aesthetic aspects to confirm this.

Via | Leftlane

Edmunds’ Inside Line has published some new spy shots of the RR4, the baby-Rolls Royce that will be positioned halfway between the Phantom and a BMW 7 Series.

According to rumours, there will be some similarities to the BMW 7 Series, although the RR4 will be wider, longer and taller than the flagship BMW. Even the wheel base will be longer. The RR4’s main competitor will be the Bentley Continental Flying Spur. For the engines it’s likely we’ll see a more underpowered version of the Phantom’s V12, 6.75-litre, possibly a 6-litre 441 hp or a 4.4 litre twin-turbo at 408 hp that will debut on the BMW X6 50i. All these engines though, suffer from a marked power deficiency compared to the Flying spur whose W12 comes in at around 560 hp.

While the BMW 1 Series Cabrio will debut over the next few days in dealerships, closing the updated cycle of the current model, for some weeks on various automobile sites and forums the first possibilities of the next generation have been seen.

Munich’s baby, originally met with by scepticism by competitors (and perhaps BMW management who had their fingers burnt with the previous 3 Series Compact) has managed to cut a niche for itself and create its own affectionate public. It is now travelling towards maturity, supported and cared for by the company who has realised that it’s much better to reveal new consumption-reducing technology (l’Efficient Dynamics for everything) on its smaller and lighter models, than on the heavier top-range products.

The next generation 1 Series will be based on the shortened platform of the next 3 Series (and for which the use of the F30 project has already been revealed), and exactly as in the current model so it’s easy to foresee the improvements that the new model will bring on through checking out novelties debuting on the “big sister”.

Regarding the external style of the car, we can expect that Chris Bangle’s Flame Surfacing design as used on the current 1 Series (you love it or you hate it) will be replaced by a softer style inspired by the CS Concept prototype that will provide the future blue print for all future BMW models. On this basis the first images of the car have been created, using an evolutionary graphic of the current model.

For the interior it needs to be said that BMW seems to have everything under control and while the search for a more sporty personality on the 3 Series, it’s unlikely that the 1 Series will see any great revolution, having never been anything other than sporty (compared to its bigger sisters).

As per German tradition there won’t be any total changes, but more significant evolution with the possible use of the squared front which debuted on the new X5 and also expected for the future Series 5 F10 on sale next year, in place of the McPherson. It’s possible that the car will be equipped with electronic-controlled (EDC) active suspension; a system currently available only on “M” branded BMW’s, but which some competitors offer in smaller sectors.

Considering what BMW has done in the past, for the engines we can probably expect a general increase of about 10Kw for each unit and also, if rumours heard on various BMW fan sites are correct, power increase for the four-cylinder petrol as well.

In short, few completely new things, but well-aimed in giving greater attention to sporting and drive quality (which was never missing on the 1 Series, compared to other models that have reacted a little too much to a public more orientated towards Audi or Mercedes) that’s in the BMW DNA.

But when will it arrive?

Knowing the renewal time taken at the company, based on a cycle of about six-and-a-half years it’s an easy prediction: the current 1 Series arrived in dealerships in September 2004, the five-door version next off the rank will be around between September 2010 and March 2011.

We’re curious to know how the news was received around the Ingolstadt traps. Auto, motor und sport has announced today that if the news is true (and it comes from a reputable source) Audi’s rivals will be in a league of their own. And this after Audi has only just revealed the new 6.0 V12 TDI, soon to be under the hood of the SUV Q7.

Audi risks portraying an image inconsistent with the “ecology” with which car companies have become obssessed over recent years. Neither the 4.4 V8 BMW nor the 4.0 V8 Mercedes will have heirs, being considered too big and polluting, according to the German companies. The units will be substituted with new six cylinder concepts, characterised by lower capabilities (around three litres) and drastically reduced consumption and CO2 emissions.

“The 4.4 V8 will be substituted by a straight-six cylinder twin-turbo”, Norbert Reithofer, General Manager BMW has revealed, underlining that they haven’t changed their tune for the current range. A similar discussion regards Mercedes, who in addition to exchanging the V8 will also gradually substitute the 3.0 V6 CDI with a 2.1 four cylinder twin-turbo. This engine is expected to debut next year on the C250 CDI in a version that will have both 204 hp and 480 Nm. Following will be versions taking a step further for higher power.

More than batteries and hybrids: for the third millenium we’re still in high seas for fuel sources. Or at least this is as much reported by the British publication the Sunday Times, in which a Toyota Prius and a BMW Series 520d were put to a long highway test. And the results are surprising.

Everything stemmed from some readers notes who sustain that the consumption declared by the Japanese company is 15 miles per gallon (six km per litre) higher than comparable values on the road. And at this point the experiment took off.

The test was conducted on the road from London to Geneva, taking in nearly 700km of highway and more than 150km of urban and suburban roads. Although we need to admit that high speed cruising penalises hybrid cars, and the German car weighs 230kg more, the comparison was quite stark.

All in all at the end of the test the average consumption was the following:
Toyota Prius 5,87l/100km
Bmw Serie 5 2.0d 5,61l/100km

So with the rapid advances being made in diesel cars a new generation hybrid is really needed.

Via | Techonride

Known by know to all long-term Autoblog readers, Chris Harris does a road test of the new Lotus Elise SC, the 220hp supercharged version of the English sportscar which finally adopted the compressed engines from its coupè cousin Exige. On the Elise volumetrics are different, developed exclusively by Lotus and in particular the Exige’s intercooler, which completely closes the driver’s rear vision, is not included.

Positive notes include the performance, combined with reasonable consumption, but of particular attention is the handling, supported by a feather-light weight (although a long way from the Elise S1), and the Yokohama tyres specific to this version.

Chris, in love with the SC, doesn’t take long to praise Lotus’ choice of persuing the aim of lighter and less powerful cars, in such a way as to maintain the sporty characteristics, adapting to the ever more stringent laws on consumption and emission, compared to the German counterparts.

Norbert Reithofer, general manager, has discussed the desire to develop a highly innovative product, independent of the BMW brand, and ready to debut by the middle of the next decade: it is still undecided however, whether to create a fourth brand just for this model.

Uncertainty also surrounds the engine technology to be employed: the possibility of using an electric engine - Reithofer has concluded - is being assessed, as it would allow for driving pleasure together with low emissions.

Via | Motorauthority.com

Rumors from Germany that have BMW wanting to segment the arm of its smaller cars are ever more frequent. Yesterday we spoke of the electric city car and the chat between Reithofer and Auto, Motor und Sport. The same magazine today, returns to the topic of the flirt between BMW and the smaller segments of the market.

This “smaller” proposal from Munich will most probably include more individual designs exuding BMW personality, and not the classic utilitarianism of smaller cars. As said, the much-talked about model will be paying some attention to the environmental theme: the car will be smaller than the series 1 and the Mini, and will offer in 2012 (a year after its debut) a no-emission version. No fear though from the German manufacturer about driving pleasure, according to Auto, Motor und Sport, because the power produced by the electric motor will be enough for a city car, with added autonomy supplied by a lithium ion battery.

There’s more: the version equipped with a combustion engine could be an option for emerging markets. Management is ready to bet that in four years time, in countries like China, a new rich generation will be born and will be very interested in new forms of transport. In short, there would be many a premise for a “cultmobile” along the lines of the Mini in Europe. On the topic of Mini, there remains only the puzzle of the brand: in Munich they have yet to decide under which brand to commercialize the new citycar.

As declared by Ian Robertson in Geneva, the Rolls-Royce RR4 will arrive in 2010. The “small” model will appear with many novelties, some of which are difficult to swallow.

The last time we touched on the topic, we discussed the possible adoption of a turbodiesel engine, hypothesis adopted also by auto.cz. It appears as though this small crime will be committed. Robertson, in the hall, also spoke about technical novelties which will appear on the RR4, starting with the “new engines”.

The engines, according to reports, should be the 6.0 V12 petrol at 445 bhp from the BMW series 7 and the infamous diesel motor. Compared to the current 1000 units a year, managment is expecting a revolution in terms of sales volume from the RR4, which will be the middle ground between the new BMW series 7 and the Rolls-Royce Phantom, filling a hole which could produce some good profits.

The CAFE legislation, which is creating many a headache for Rick Wagoner, is pushing BMW to think about a possible electric car. The chimera of hydrogen has been shelved and it seems that Munich is betting on the natural development of a hybrid - that is to be blunt, an electric car, at least for the US market.

We’re not talking pipe dream proposals, but news that has all the signs of being official from the moment when Norbert Reithofer, from BMW, discussed it in an interview with auto, motor und sport. According to him the first BMW electric will be a small citycar, that in one blow would throw into retirement all the studies conducted on hydrogen: too many obstacles for capillary distribution to the carburator that means any future is remote.

The step between hybrid and fuel cell, at least for BMW, will be electric but there remains a fundamental thing yet to be understood: will the Germans go it alone or will there be a partner to accompany them in the adventure? At the moment the latter appears more realistic and the believers indicate another possible colossal in the market could be the travelling companion. The incident was creating a cleft between American giants, two arch-rivals always united in the face of the common enemy, but not this time: the negotiations between BMW and Daimler over the project of beating toxic emissions and creating a no-emission vehicle unravelled and both will now go their own way.

And if BMW can’t find a partner by the end of 2008, it will make a solo effort, according to Reithofer. Recently talk was heard about a new brand that would be tasked with the production of the company’s “little ones”: at this point the possibility has re-emerged and it’s not absurd to imagine that a little electric could inaugurate the new brand.