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858 miles BMW M3 E92 in Interlagos Blue up for sale

Among BMW enthusiasts, there’s one car that’s growing in popularity on the used market — the E92 M3. While the E92 M3 was always a popular car, it’s become increasingly in-demand over the past couple of years. Its combination of near-perfect looks, a free-breathing V8 engine, and old-school BMW feel make it highly desirable among enthusiasts who prefer purer Bimmers. If that sounds like you, and you want to get yourself into an E92 M3, check out this stunning, like-new example from EAG.

This specific 2013 BMW M3 Competition Package only has 858 miles on it, making it essentially brand-new. It’s a rather special spec combination as well, with the Competition Package, a six-speed manual, a carbon fiber roof, and a gorgeous Interlagos Blue paint. A color/spec combination like this on a car that tugs at the heart strings of enthusiasts is one that will tempt a lot of potential customers.

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Photos provided by Enthusiast Auto Group

The star of the show, though, is its engine. The 4.0 liter naturally-aspirated V8 might only make 414 horsepower, which seems puny compared to the current M3’s 503 horsepower, but it revs past 8,000 rpm and makes a noise the current M3 could only dream of. It’s also the only V8-powered M3 ever and will always be, as the next-gen M3 will likely be either a six-cylinder hybrid or fully-electric.

Interestingly, this specific E92 M3 was also one of the very last E92 M3s ever made for the US market. Only 15,799 of them were built for the US and this car is number 15,739. So it represents the end of an era, as all M3s since the E92 have been turbocharged.

If you’re interested in owning the last bastion of naturally-aspirated, rear-wheel drive BMW sports cars, the E92 M3 is really the only car to get and this example from EAG, as always, is flawless.

[Source: Enthusiast Auto Group]

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VIDEO: Would the V10-Powered BMW M6 be a Good Daily Driver?

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One of the more unique BMWs of the modern-ish era was the E63-generation (not to be confused with the AMG) BMW M6. For starters, its Bangle-era looks were interesting and even a bit odd, it was never actually a universally loved design. However, what made it so unique was its engine — a 5.0 liter naturally-aspirated V10. With such a high-strung, motorsport-inspired engine, is the BMW M6 worth buying as a daily driver?

In this new video from DriveTribe, we get to take a look at the E63 M6 and its V10 engine (codenamed “S85”) and whether it’s a good daily driver. It has a lot of the ingredients to be a great daily (so long as you don’t have children) but can it put them all together to make a properly good recipe?

It all starts under the hood. The 5.0 liter V10 makes 500 horsepower and 384 lb-ft of torque, or at least that’s how much it made when it was new. Current used examples may have lost quite a few ponies over the years. That engine is the make-or-break component of the M6 and the number one reason why you should either buy it or not.

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The engine itself is a joy to use. It revs past 8,000 rpm, makes an incredible noise, and has 500 horsepower. However, there’s one major reason as to why you’d want to hold off on buying an E63 BMW M6 —  reliability, or lack thereof. S85 engines are known for eating their rod bearings which, if not caught in time, will grenade the engine’s internals. Bye bye, S85. Rod bearings are expensive to replace, as the entire bottom end of the engine needs to come down and, considering E63 M6s have become so cheap, that replacement cost can be almost half of what you paid for the car. No wonder they’ve become cheap…

So is it wise to get an E63 BMW M6 as a daily driver? Check the video and find out.

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These are the best BMW cars we drove in 2021

Despite being challenging, 2021 was a good year for us in terms of test drives. We picked up the slack from the previous year and tested an impressive number of cars: sixty (60). Of course, majority of them were BMW Group models. There were some other brands we managed to review, so it’s fair to say that 2021 has been a busy year for us. As we head into the new year, we wanted to look back and pick our favorite BMW cars we drove in 2021. Next year is shaping up to be equally exciting for us, but as it is the norm today, lots of things can change in a split of a second.

Nico — BMW M5 CS

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To be honest, 2021 wasn’t my biggest car year. Due to the lingering effects of Covid, I didn’t go on any press launches and loaner cars weren’t as frequent. Most of my test drives were BMWs, though there were a few Audis, Genesis, and Lexus models sprinkled in. Some of which were genuinely great cars, such as the BMW M3 Competition, Audi RS7 Sportback, Audi RS Q8, and Genesis GV70. However, there can only be one and it was an easy choice — the BMW M5 CS.

Nothing came close, this past year, to offering the level of fun and excitement as the M5 CS. It’s an absolutely brilliant car, one that could be BMW’s best in decades. Not only is it brutally fast — ripping of a 2.8 second 0-60 mph time and a sub-eleven second quarter-mile on a rough, dusty runway — but it’s sensational to drive. The M5 CS offers steering feel, chassis balance, and body control like no other BMW I can remember in recent years.

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Then there’s the interior. Carbon fiber bucket seats from the M3 and M4 make the front passengers feel like they’re in a race car, despite being in a big, four-door sedan. Even more interesting, though, is the back seat, which replaces the typical rear bench with two more bucket seats, so the rear passengers don’t miss out on that racecar feel.

If I could choose just one BMW to own from the modern era, I wouldn’t even blink: it’d be the BMW M5 CS.

Horatiu — BMW iX

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There is no secret that I’ve been a fan of electric cars for many years. As a fun tidbit, I’m actually on my fourth BMW i3 and it still brings me joy as it did in 2014. So naturally, I was quite excited to finally see some new BMW products with an electric drivetrain. After driving an i4 prototype and then the production car, I was fortunate enough to jump behind the wheel of the new flagship BMW EV: The iX.

The bespoke electric crossover has been in works since 2015 and it is now finally ready to tackle a very competitive segment. Being built on a unique architecture, the BMW iX makes full use of the package by providing not only a smart and practical interior, but also a quite spacious one. The ride is also atypical of a BMW car with a focus on comfort rather than driving dynamics. Yet, it still delivers tons of performance – 516 hp – and a 0 to 62 mph in 4.6 seconds. The electric range is equally important in the iX, so BMW managed to squeeze out 300 miles (EPA rating) from a 105 kWh battery hidden in the floor of the car.

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The BMW iX might not be everyone’s cup of tea, and sure, some might still complain about its range, but it is a fantastic product, smartly designed and worthy of the BMW badge.

Gabriel — BMW M3 Competition and iX

As time goes by and technology evolves, it’s getting obvious that electric cars are going to take over in the next 10 to 15 years. We’re already seeing a lot of effort being put into the EV segment and that also reflected my experience this year. Out of the 120 cars I drove this year, almost half were electrified in one way or another. That’s also why the BMW iX is one of the best cars I drove this year with a blue and white roundel on the hood.

The reason why it’s one of my top two is rather simple: it has one of the best suspension setups of all the electric vehicles I had the pleasure of testing out. It’s nimble, smooth, quiet and incredibly comfortable. Sure, the one I tested was an iX xDrive50 model with the optional air suspension tacked on, but it’s quite an eye-opening experience. The iX might have some faults, from the range to the design (for some people) but when it comes to refinement, few electric cars can reach its level.

As for the other car, it would definitely be the M3 Competition (RWD). Why? Pretty simple, actually, it shows that the M engineers still have a place in our very complicated world. This car, in rear-wheel drive guise, is both a beast on the track and a comfortable cruiser whenever you need it to be. The dual character that has been defining M cars for the past 50 years is still there and that’s marvelous in my book. Unlike the BMW iX, the M3 Competition does everything close to perfection and if you can look past its design, you’ll find a rewarding driving experience that might just surprise you.

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The Golden Recipe: Manthey Launches New Porsche 992 GT3 Performance Kit

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The Golden Recipe: Manthey Launches New Porsche 992 GT3 Performance Kit

‘Tis the season to go faster. That’s the official word from Manthey-Racing who, despite the Nürburgring currently being covered in snow, have today launched their new Performance Kit for the Porsche 992 GT3.

This should come as no surprise to anyone given the success of their previous MR packages – especially for 991-generation GT cars – which have all resulted in more performance, ALL of the time, as Ryan wrote here. Oh, and the 991 GT2 RS MR still holds the lap record around the ‘Ring with a time of 6:38.835.

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But there’s an added bonus to this 992 MR package compared to those before it: You can run this without causing any headache to your standard Porsche warranty. And yes, we’re sure if you can afford a 992 GT3 you can likely afford if it goes wrong, but that’s an almighty plus point for those keen on doing regular track days.

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“The team at Porsche in Weissach presented us with a big challenge when they produced the new GT3. Our goal of improving the performance of the Porsche GT models even further for track use, without making too many changes to the car’s essential DNA, and, at the same time, coming up with an attractive package for customers who love to drive on the track, has meant a lot of work for us with the new model,” explains Stefan Mages, head of development at Manthey-Racing. “Alongside the performance, I’m also really pleased with the car’s appearance.”

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It’s still unusual to see a tuning package in 2021 without some token power hike, helped in part with the shift towards turbocharged engines that allow a 10 to 15% increase with a relatively straightforward ECU flash.

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But this is what makes Manthey-Racing unique. Horsepower may have sold cars in the past, but it doesn’t always make them faster on track. With an MR package, the focus is on extracting more performance through grip, aero and – most importantly – confidence as a driver.

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What’s in the box, then? Aero and suspension are the big talking points here in the form of a Manthey 4-way adjustable coilover kit developed with KW Suspensions. The wheels, although stock-looking in their design, are Manthey’s OM-1 lightweight upgrade, and behind those are a set of new brake pads with braided lines too.

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Then there’s the aero. Up front you get a new lip/splitter and ‘flicks’ (canards) on each corner of the bumper, while the rear benefits from a new diffusor, carbon wing/side plates and carbon aero-disc covers for the rear wheels.

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In quite a short period of time, Manthey have managed to ‘own’ this approach to tuning a Porsche GT car. It’s subtle enough to not look shouty, but turn up at the track and people will know you mean business. This only works because Manthey-Racing packages deliver. Every single one has reduced lap times as well as improving the driving experience on the limit.

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There’s no word on the 992 GT3 MR lap time (yet), but with the stock car already achieving a 6:55 around the ‘Ring we wouldn’t be surprised to see that dip into the high 40s. Keep in mind this is only the GT3; we still have an RS to come yet, and inevitably an MR version of that too.

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Mercedes-Benz Beats BMW to Level 3 Autonomy Approval

BMW made headlines recently by claiming its next-gen 7 Series would boast Level 3 autonomous driving right out of the box. BMW also made the claim that we wouldn’t see any other Level 3 cars anytime soon. “In the next years you will not see a single launch where somebody says here’s my car and it’s Level 3,” said Frank Weber, director of development for BMW. However, not only has another Level 3 car been announced, it will come to market before BMW’s 7 Series — the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

According to a recent press release, Mercedes-Benz’s new Level 3 autonomous driving system is called DRIVE PILOT and will arrive on the S-Class in the first half of 2022. It’s also said to be the first ever system to meet the strict UN-R157 global legal requirements for Level 3 systems. That means it will be legal to use in any market that allows for such systems. Germany is the first country that it will be allowed in but Mercedes-Benz is also testing in the US and Chinese markets, for future use.

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Being a Level 3 system it really works as a limited-use autonomous driving system for only certain situations. In the case of DRIVE PILOT, it’s mostly traffic jams. Similar to Audi’s Level 3 Traffic Jam Assist, DRIVE PILOT is mostly for slow moving traffic on densely packed highways.

The idea is to create a system that can take over for the driver; and operate the car entirely, during those limited traffic situations. The system needs a clear lane markers, dense traffic, and speeds up to 37 mph. Not only will the car accelerate, steer, and brake on its own, it can even follow navigation information and adjust for unexpected traffic situations with either evasive or braking maneuvers.

The system uses LiDAR, as well as cameras around the car, microphones to detect emergency vehicle sirens, and even moisture in the wheel wells. It also gets detailed information about the road its on, using digital mapping on the backend.

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Of course, the system requires the driver to respond to prompts, to insure they’re alert and paying attention. If the driver fails to respond to such prompts, the car will safely slow itself to a stop while flashing the hazard lights. Once the car is at a stop, it will call the Mercedes-Benz emergency system and unlock the doors and windows, to make sure first responders have easy access to the vehicle. The reason for that is because Mercedes-Benz feels the only reason a driver shouldn’t be able to respond to its system’s prompts is due to severe health issue. Not jumping in the backseat to make a fun video for YouTube…

While the system will launch on the S-Class, it will also be made available for Mercedes-Benz’s new all-electric luxury car, the EQS. Which means when BMW’s 7 Series debuts, it will have two competitors in the world of Level 3 autonomy.

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SPIED: 2023 BMW X1 M35i Seen Testing — Entry-Level M Performance

The upcoming third-generation BMW X1 is a car we’re surprisingly interested in. Typically, the X1 is a mom/dad-mobile, designed to take kids to school and then take mom/dad to work, rinse and repeat. However, the second-gen X1 is a better car to drive that you’d think, with surprisingly good steering and chassis dynamics for a front-drive crossover. It’s no canyon carver but it’s a pleasant thing to drive. And it’s only going to get better with the addition of an M Performance models, which is why these new spy photos are intriguing. (We don’t own the photos but you can see ’em here)

I still remember driving the second-gen X1 for the first time and being pleasantly surprised. This new model, then, with its improved chassis dynamics, better engines, nicer interior, and an all-new M Performance version.

The third-gen BMW X1 will be getting its own M35i variant, similar to the X2 and the 2 Series Gran Coupe. If its engine is to be the same as the other two, which we assume it will be, the X1 M35i will use a 2.0 liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 301 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque. It will almost certainly be paired to BMW’s Aisin-sourced eight-speed auto and a Haldex-based all-wheel drive system.

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Image by @wilcoblok on Instagram

In these photos, the BMW X1 M35i actually looks pretty cool. It’s a bit chunkier than the previous two generations; with the first looking like a mutated wagon and the second looking like a generic crossover; but it also looks better. The roofline is a bit sportier than before, its overhangs are shorter than you might imagine a front-wheel drive crossover’s to be, and its lights look like they’re shaping up to look cool. The most interesting design feature, however, is its quad exhaust.

For ages, proper BMW M cars were visually separated from their standard counterparts with quad exhausts. Since the late ’90s, only proper M Division vehicles had four pipes out back. Now, though, BMW is migrating that design over to its M Performance cars and a crossover at that. While it certainly makes the X1 M35i look cool, it’s going to upset the M faithful, who will feel as if this dilutes the M brand’s design.

Exhaust pipe heresy aside, the BMW X1 M35i is likely going to be a cool little car. There are a lot of BMW enthusiasts that need the extra space but also want something premium and fuel efficient. The BMW X1, despite not being an enthusiast’s car per se, fits that bill perfectly.

[Source: Car Scoops]


Rolls-Royce Black Badge Models Honor the Heritage

Traditional Rolls-Royce customers and many old-school enthusiasts tend to scoff at the idea of the brand’s Black Badge models. Designed to appeal to younger audiences, Rolls-Royce Black Badge cars are more about being dark and stylish than being traditionally luxurious. That new style, having started in 2016, typically annoys the old-hat enthusiasts but Black Badge models are some of the brand’s most popular models, due to the ever-growing number of young wealthy people.

Despite the curmudgeonly backlash, Rolls-Royce Black Badge models also aren’t as far away from the brand’s ethos as many naysayers might think. In fact, the idea of dark, sexy, stylish Rolls models is one that dates back to the beginning of the brand. Several special edition Rolls’ throughout history, dating back as early as the 1930s, were black with black accents. The color black has long been synonymous with power, style, and wealth, making it a great fit for the brand.

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Cars like the 1933 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental, which featured a short wheelbase, a four-seat “saloon” body style, and two spare tires for long-distance continental grand touring, wore a very black color scheme at the direct request of Henry Royce.

In 1960, Prince Richard, The Duke of Gloucester, took delivery of a Rolls-Royce Phantom V (5AT30) and it featured a matte black finish, which was highly unusual for the time. A matte black Rolls-Royce sounds more like a footballer’s car from 2021 but this one was owned by a member of the royal family, back in 1960.

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So as young and brash as Black Badge Rolls-Royce models are — and admittedly they sort of intentionally are a bit brash — there’s heritage to making such models. The idea that a Rolls-Royce must also be stately and reserved isn’t actually that accurate. Black Badge models are quite cool in many ways and they have certainly been effective. Rolls brings in more young customers than ever before and Black Badge models are a huge reason why.


Q3: BMW USA Sales Up 8.7 percent, 35.4% vs 2020

BMW of North America today reported Q3 2021 sales of 75,619 BMW vehicles in the U.S., an 8.7% increase compared to the same period last year.  Year-to-date, BMW brand sales total 243,613 vehicles, an increase of 35.4% increase over the first three quarters of 2020. The company also reported Q3 2021 sales of 6,445 MINI vehicles in the U.S., a 28.9% decrease compared to the time last period year.  Year-to-date, MINI sales total 22,070, an increase of 12.7% over the first three quarters of 2020.

“It has been a challenging year, but our dealers have done an incredible job managing through it, and driving success for our business,” said Sebastian Mackensen, president and CEO, BMW of North America.  “We anticipate strong consumer demand through the remainder of the year and are managing inventory levels closely to continue our positive sales momentum.”

Table 1: New Vehicle Sales BMW of North America, LLC, Q3 2021* 

Q3
2021
Q3
2020
% YTD
2021
YTD
2020
%
BMW passenger cars 35,588 31,917 11.5% 117,823 88,834 32.6%
BMW light trucks 40,031 37,653 6.3% 125,790 91,148 38%
TOTAL BMW 75,619 69,570 8.7% 243,613 179,982 35.4%
TOTAL MINI 6,445 9,064 – 28.9% 22,070 19,589 12.7%

BMW Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles. BMW reported Q3 2021 certified pre-owned vehicle sales of 26,048, an 8.7% decrease from the same quarter a year ago.  Year-to-date, BMW certified pre-owned vehicle sales total 86,563, a 4.6% increase over the first three quarters of 2020.

MINI Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles. MINI reported Q3 2021 certified pre-owned vehicle sales of 2,691, a decrease of 0.3% from the same quarter a year ago.  Year-to-date, MINI certified pre-owned vehicle sales total 8,802, a 20.3% increase over the first three quarters of 2020.

*The sales reported in today’s figures are of BMW passenger cars and light trucks, as well as MINI passenger cars.  Consistent with auto industry practice in the U.S., BMW of North America follows the U.S. Auto Industry Sales Release Schedule issued annually by Motor Intelligence for purposes of reporting sales of BMW passenger cars and light trucks and MINI passenger cars.  As a result, the sales of BMW passenger cars and light trucks and MINI passenger cars reflected in today’s Q3 2021 figures occurred between July 1, 2021 and September 30, 2021.

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Take a Visual Trip Through ALPINA History with Top Gear Gallery

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Who doesn’t love a good ALPINA? As BMW fans, the quirky boutique manufacturer of specialized Bimmers holds an especially dear place in our hearts. While the cars have obviously changed quite a bit over the years, becoming a bit more luxurious and so monstrously powerful that they can even make their M Division counterparts feel inadequate. Regardless of the ALPINA, though, they’re all spectacular.

This new photo gallery from Top Gear is an ALPINA fan’s dream. In it, you get to see some incredible cars, even some that are extremely rare. For instance, there’s a fantastic ALPINA BMW Z1, a car that I honestly forgot existed until seeing this gallery. There’s also the always wonderful looking ALPINA Z8, which admittedly wasn’t as brilliant to drive as most other ALPINA models but looked sensational. Also, a rare an interesting BMW E9 ALPINA can be seen in the gallery as well and it’s killer.

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My favorite, though, is the E36 ALPNIA B3 Touring because E36s are the fastest way to my heart. There’s something really perfect to my eye about the E36 Touring shape, so fitting it with ALPINA wheels (are there better wheels in the entire industry?) and the classic blue and gold livery and I’m completely sold. Whichever organs I need to sell to get one, they’re as good as gone. I also noticed an E36 ALPINA B3 Convertible, which made my brain happy, but it’s the Touring that I truly desire.

If you’re a BMW fan, you’re undoubtedly an ALPINA fan and some of the cars in this gallery are not only special but rare. It can be hard to find photos of some of these ultra-exclusive cars, never mind getting them all together in one gallery. Skim through it for quick dopamine hit and let us know which classic ALPINA is your favorite.

[Source: Top Gear]


What Do You Want Changed on the Upcoming BMW 8 Series LCI Facelift?

The BMW 8 Series is in the process of getting its mid-cycle, LCI facelift. Spy photos and video are now surfacing, showing off the updated 8er doing some testing in public and, from what we’ve seen, there don’t seem to be many changes. That’s not to say there aren’t any or that any changes won’t be have substantial effects on the final product. However, from the outside looking in, we’re not getting our hopes up.

We don’t know what sort of changes, if any, were made to the 8 Series’ interior, ride quality, or driving dynamics with the update. Though, it wouldn’t be crazy for BMW to sort of leave it alone and let the 8er ride out its life-cycle, before being axed entirely. The 8 Series isn’t a cheap car and it doesn’t sell well, so it’s not a car BMW is eager to keep around much longer, nor is it a car BMW is willing to invest a ton of new money into. So we wouldn’t be surprised if the 8 Series LCI is more or less the same as the pre-LCI car.

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However, we do hope that BMW has actually made some changes to the 8 Series, some very specific changes, to be honest.

For starters, we hope that BMW sharpens up its dynamics a bit. As a big, sporty, GT car, it currently leans too hard toward the luxury side of grand touring. That’s fine for a Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe but the 8 Series is a BMW and therefore supposed to have “Ultimate Driving Machine” DNA and the 8er just doesn’t feel like it. Our friend Jason Cammisa once said the 8 Series would be a great Buick and he’s right. It’s big, comfy, quiet, and very fast in a straight line, regardless of which one you get. However, we hope BMW sharpens up the steering a bit, changes from suspension geometry, and maybe even firms up the suspension, all to give it a bit more precision and fun.

Another thing we’d like to see updated is the interior. While it’s currently very nice; with wonderful materials and excellent build quality, it’s just not interesting enough. Obviously, BMW can’t completely redesign the cabin but maybe some updated trim bits, better looking seats, or maybe even some more stylish door panel inserts. Anything, really, to give it some pop. It’s a six-figure car but its cabin doesn’t look like it.

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Lastly, we’d like BMW to work on the price a bit. The six-cylinder BMW 840i starts at $85,000 US, which is just too much. Obviously, a price drop is highly unlikely, especially after the increased investment of an LCI facelift, but the 8 Series just isn’t competitive for the money. It’s priced to closely to the Porsche 911 for customers to see value in it. While the 911 starts at around $15,000 more (with fewer options), the 840i quickly gets close to $100,000 than we’d like with only a few options. Also, the 911 is far, far, far superior to drive in every way. And even though the 911 is a proper sports car, it’s also good at being a GT car because it’s so composed and under control that its slightly firmer suspension never feels uncomfortable. The 8er can’t compete with the 911 and yet it’s priced too close to it.

We like the 8 Series, as a car. It looks great, its comfy, has great engines, and is a very good luxury GT car. But it lacks the driving dynamics you’d expect from a BMW, which is why you buy a BMW in the first place. If BMW can sharpen its skills up a bit, give it a bit more fizz in the cabin, and maybe drop the price a few bucks, it’d be a much better car. Would it sell any better? I can’t be sure of that but it wouldn’t be the car’s fault anymore if it didn’t.


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