BimmerCast Archives - BimmerFile

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The BimmerCast is back this week with lots of M talk. First up the M6 and M3 CRT first impressions. We had a chance to drive both recently and we give you some insight into why both are exceptional (and surprisingly related). But why is the CRT not the CSL? We have the untold story we ‘ve never fully brought to you before about both the scrapped E92 M3 CSL and the second generation V10 M5 that never saw the light of day except for the one-off M5 CSL.

Then we move onto the M550d and how it redefines diesel performance. Michael had one for a couple weeks in the Alps and talks about day to day performance and efficiency. Then finally (before moving away from M) we talk about the news that the next generation (F80) M3 will indeed have electric steering rather than the standard hydraulic rack that ‘s been in mainstay of M cars for years. What does it mean for the car and what hurdles will m have to overcome? We discuss all.

Done with M we dive into the Toyota and BMW partnership. What does it mean for both companies and will it really lead to a new sports car co-developed by the two companies?

Finally we move onto the upcoming front wheel drive BMW. The car based on the UKL platform and sharing most of it ‘s basic components with the MINI. The first glimpse will be a lightly disguised concept car that will debut in Paris this September. What does this tell us about both the new BMW and MINI ranges? Either click play above or head over to iTunes (via the link above) to subscribe to the BimmerCast.

The post BimmerCast #63: Untold Story of the E92 CSL & M5 CSL (Plus; M550d, M3 Electric Steering & Toyota?) appeared first on BimmerFile.

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BimmerCast 62 is all about Motorsport. We catch-up with Michael who ‘s just back from the first DTM race of the season. yes BMW is back after a 20 year hiatus in the premier Touring car racing series in the world. We go in detail about the race, the season and what it all means for BMW Motorsport.

What about the 24 Hours of the Nurburgring? This year BMW will be putting their weight behind a private team running the Z4 GT3 race car in place of the M3 they ‘ve run for the past few years. Is this a hint at what ‘s to come for BMW Motorsport? It ‘s certainly a clue.

We then move onto production cars:

– F80 M3; V6 vs I6

The post BimmerCast 62: DTM, 24 Hours of the \’Ring and Future Product Releases for 2012 appeared first on BimmerFile.

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While at the Geneva Motor Show Michael had a moment to catch-up with Karim Habib, head of Exterior Design at BMW. It ‘s a casual conversation that was held spur of the moment on the showroom floor at during the press day. That means (the good) it ‘s the the kind of off the cuff conversation that we rarely get to hear in the automotive press. Exactly the kind of thing we love to bring you here at BF. The bad is that the quality is a little spotty. Specifically Karim can be a little hard to hear towards the end of the recording.

Yet we couldn ‘t pass up posting on BF as it ‘s a great example of the kind of fascinating conversations we get to have at these kind of events. Conversations we often can ‘t bring you.

The post BimmerCast #61: Interview with Head of BMW Exterior Design Karim Habib appeared first on BimmerFile.

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BimmerCast 60 is here and we ‘ve got quite a bit to catch-up on. The M6 is first up (with a proper orange no less) that captured our attention more than any 6 series product before it.

We then move onto the M Line of Performance cars. The car that has us particularly excited is the M135i. It may not be thesuccessor to the 1M that some had hoped but it ‘s better realized take on the 135i (which was originally meant to be an “is ” model). We then move onto MINI ‘s JCW and how that may have served as the template for the M Performance Line.

And the rumor of BMW buying Saab? Oddly makes sense to us. You ‘ll want to listen to hear the rational.

The post BimmerCast #60: The M6, M Performance Line & Why BMW May Want Saab appeared first on BimmerFile.

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After a long day of interviews at the North American International Auto Show Todd and Matt caught up with BMWNA ‘s M Boss Matthew Russell with an impromptu interview that covered a range of topics. First up we talk 3 Series and the fact that the NAIAS this year is all about 3er. But then we quickly move onto the M5 and why Mr. Russell loves the X5M but thinks the M5 is hands-down the best car in the world.

Then things move onto the 1M and Todd asked the big question; will we ever see a 1M again? Mr. Russell clearly admits that M took notice of the excitement around the 1M but no promises have or will be made any time soon.

What about the US Alpina range that Russell also heads? Will we see something more than a B7 that ‘s currently in the US market? Russell would like to see some new offerings – especially something like the diesel powered D3. There ‘s also clearly more that can be done on the 5 and 6 series platform and Russell doesn ‘t want to rule anything there either. But at this time there ‘s nothing to confirm.

It ‘s a quick show but one we ‘re sure you ‘ll enjoy.

The post BimmerCast #59: BMWNA M Head Matthew Russell Interviewed appeared first on BimmerFile.

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We ‘re back but a week since our last show with a look ahead at 2012 and some improved audio quality and another big 60 minute show. But more importantly we tell you how to properly order an F30 and what those “Lines ” really are.

After the F30 we move onto the Detroit and Geneva Motor shows and what to expect at each. But what about M? 2012 will initially be the year of the M5 and then as things warm-up a drop-top with close to 600 hp. We break-down what to expect from the new halo M car – the M6. Finally I admit to temporarily putting an E60 M5 into limp mode due to cold weather and a little impatience.

Then we move onto the i3 and the i8 – the latter which has recently sprouted some very normal looking doors.

Finally we talk tech and BMW apps. More specifically we get into the positives and negatives of BMW Apps and BMW ‘s Online service. But more importantly, through our sources, we take a hypothetical look at the feature of BMW ‘s online in-car services. If you think things are interesting now, just wait a few years.

The post BimmerCast #58: How to Order an F30, Updates on the M6, i8 & and the Future of BMW Apps appeared first on BimmerFile.

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Something funny happened after Michael and I finished our last podcast for BimmerFile. We started talking MINIs. And as we ‘re prone to do, we quickly started talking about future cars and the direction of the brand. What followed was the most efficient use of ten minutes possible to MINI fans. In short we break down when you ‘ll see the next generation MINI, what will be under the hood, and what will happen to the rest of the MINI range through 2015. IF you ‘re a MINI fan, you ‘ll not want to miss this one.

The post BimmerCast #58b: The Future of MINI appeared first on BimmerFile.

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After a very long break we ‘re back with another big show. First up we recap the last two months of BMW news starting of course with the 6er Gran Coupe and then quickly moving onto the F30 and next generation M3. We round out the news with some thought on DTM and the future of BMW ‘s racing programs. But this show is all about our personal highs and lows of the year with Michael and I dishing a few surprises.

Here ‘s the full list of news recapped (after the break).

– 6 series Gran Coupe

The post BimmerCast #57: BMW\’s Year in Review appeared first on BimmerFile.

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After a very long break we ‘re back with our biggest and longest show ever. We start with the M5 and new 3 Series and Michael ‘s first-hand experiences with both cars. And as much as that could be a show in itself, we move on to tackle pretty much every other major BMW topic from the last three months. The show runs a little over an hour and weighs in at 45 mb but it ‘s one you won ‘t want to miss.

Here ‘s the full list (after the break).

– M5: Engine diff and the truth behind the M5 ‘s sound enhancement

The post BimmerCast #56: M5, F30 3 Series, F20 1 Series & Full Recap of the Last Four Months of BMW appeared first on BimmerFile.

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We at BF get a lot of opportunities to drive BMWs. But rarely do we have a chance to current M line-up aganst each-other at a track like Laguna Seca. And more than anything we wanted to see how each the M3 and the X6M stacked up against the newest and most acclaimed M cars in years – the 1 Series M Coupe. I won ‘t give the results away but one thing that was pretty telling was how excited I was on each lap with each car at the famed corkscrew. There ‘s one car late in the recording that causes me to almost scream like a little girl.

The big take away from this test (beyond the eventual winner) has to be the track. I ‘m not talking about Laguna (which of course is one of the best tracks in the US). I specifically talking about driving street cars on a close circuit. We ‘ve long been a big proponent of track time and clubs such as the BMWCCA who host such events. We simply can ‘t stress enough how much better a driver it makes you and how it improves your understanding of what your car can and cannot do.

The post BimmerCast #55: the 1M vs the M3 & X6M at Laguna Seca appeared first on BimmerFile.