Most of you will probably be interested only in BMW's conceptual answer to Merc's CLS sports saloon, so in the video after the jump, fast forward to the 1:25 minute mark for the part with the Gran Coupé.
Using more ellipsoid headlights, losing the RS5 nose, and cutting off two doors are a few details that make this photo-shopped 6 infinitely prettier than BMW's recent (as in today) debut at the 2010 Beijing motorshow: the Gran Coupe.
All this chop would have needed to appear just-right would have been the Gran Coupe's slick mirrors.
Come on, BMW: Instead of bringing us a proper preview of the 6-Series in Beijing, you supplied a sleeker 5-Series with a Maserati-sounding model designation as a too-little-too-late answer to the Mercedes CLS? WEAK.
But enough ranting about BMW and its desperate attempts to gain attention. I want this chop to be real and for BMW to go back to the boardroom. They're getting lazy.
By Phil Alex
Via: e90post
The car looks extremely production ready and it could very well enter the market within a year or two offering BMW a competitor the Porsche Panamera, the next Mercedes-Benz CLS and the upcoming Audi A7, possibly with the 8-Series badge on the boot.
The five-meter long Gran Coupé, which is a follow up to BMW's much more aggressive and unique 2007 Concept CS, comes with a very low body height of just under 1,400mm making it up to 100mm flatter than the 5 Series or the 7 Series sedans.
BMW also talks about "striking dynamic proportions", "sporty, flat silhouette" and "sculptural shaping" that fuse "the exclusivity of a Gran Turismo with the fascination of a high-performance sports car".
We may be wrong, but all we see is a squatted 2010 5-Series / 7 Series with a Lamborghini-styled front bumper. Feel free to agree or disagree with us in the comments section below.
The system is fairly straightforward: up front is the engine, followed by the electric motor which is connected via an automatic clutch, and the 8-speed automatic transmission is the caboose. BMW placed the battery pack somewhere around the rear axle in order to improve weight distribution.
The battery pack, which provides 40kW or 54HP of power, gets recharged by an advanced Regenerative Brake system that works in conjunction with the electric motor. That same battery pack also "delivers electric power to the car's on-board network".
The network includes a remote-controlled cooling function (similar, we assume, to the solar-charged sunroofs that incorporate fans to cool the car down in the summer), while most electricity-driven systems - mainly the HVAC, navigation, and radio - remain functional with the engine turned off.
Not only is the ActiveHybrid 5 efficient, but it's damn smart too. How smart? Try to wrap your minds around this: BMW says the car can "adjust its operating strategy not just to current, but also to upcoming driving conditions." IT CAN PREDICT THE FUTURE...
Put plainly, the computer evaluates and adjusts how the drive train responds based on its own analysis of external factors and drivers' input. The car's computer saves route information via the navigation system (while retaining the driving style used one that particular road), and can predict what's coming up when drivers return to the same area.
BMW's explanation is just about perfect: "Should the system determine, for example, that the autobahn ahead is about to lead downhill, the charge level of the high-voltage battery is intelligently controlled in advance to regain brake energy upfront with maximum efficiency."
While no hard figures have been released yet, what we know is that thanks to the predictability program, cruising range has been stretched by 30%.
Now all we have to do is make sure our defense systems don't get hooked into Skynet's err we mean BMW's intelligent automobiles, or we're all screwed.
- By Phil Alex
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Since 2005, the Association of German Car Tuners (VDAT) in cooperation with the German Police and the country's Federal Ministry for Transport have created the "Tune It! Safe" program to encourage drivers to adopt safe and legal tuning practices. As part of the promotion, the past four years a vehicle is converted into a police car and is exhibited at the annual Essen Motor Show in Germany (Nov. 28 - Dec. 06). For this year's show, VDAT chose a BMW 123d Coupe that has been extensively modified by AC Schnitzer.The BMW tuning specialist bumped the twin-turbocharged 2.0-liter turbo diesel engine's output to 241HP and 480Nm (354 lb-ft) of torque. With power being sent to the rear wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission, the AC Schnitzer-prepped 123d Coupe accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62mph) in 6.7 seconds.
Other hardware modifications include a sport suspension that drops the ride height by 30mm, new alloy wheels wrapped in Hankook tires and a sport exhaust system.
On the outside, the 123d gets the full police treatment with original stickers and Hella flashing lights while AC Schnitzer also added an aero kit that comprises of a two-piece front spoiler, rear skirt insert, rear wing and rear roof spoiler.
The coupe's interior has been upgraded with leather bucket seats, genuine carbon fibre trim on the dashboard, centre console, door handles and steering wheel, complemented by the aluminium pedals and foot rests.
