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The BMW Z1 Roadster isn’t a car that got a lot of press or made it very far from the Manufacturer. I just found out about it today, and I have to say, the Z1 Roadster is an abomination.  It’s possibly the largest mistake to ever roll out of Munich.

In the 80s BMW decided on a contest between their own development teams BMW “M” and BMW Technik. Both groups were asked to build a new innovative car. BMW Technik dug deep into their desks and came with doors that disappear into the body, a 2-seater Roadster (this is before the Mazda Miata revolutionized the open car market. One of the highlights of the car is that all painted body parts of the car are fiberglass and can be removed and exchanged for a different color. Separate body kits were made available in all colors.
The car is loosely based on the 325 model with modifications to the frame. Many of the modifications and innovations that came from the Z1 design and project were later implemented into the BMW series of the 90s and into today.

The car was never made available for the US market. Only 8000 total units were built. Waiting lists in Europe was 2 years plus. Since the car was never federalized and properly tested the car is not eligible to be imported under the regular import rules. With the special exemption any buyer will have to verify that the car is not being driven for more than 2500 Miles per year. The car is considered a historical significant car.

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M3 Addict M3 Addict BMW, Z1 Roadster

The track was wet throughout march 2nd, so Robert Kubica focussed mainly on setup training.  They were, however, able to collect the first data feedback for the BMW Sauber F1 car in the wet, so this was valuable.

By March 3rd, the track had started to dry out.  In the morning it was still damp, so Kubica was back at the set-up work with the BMW Sauber F1.09 running on wet tires.  They took a lunch break and continued the program development on a dry track.  The main focus of the track day was evaluating different solutions for the car’s aerodynamic set ups.  Kubica was able to complete 98 laps during the day, even though a faulty engine sensor paused them mid-afternoon.

“Overall it was a good day”, Kubica said after completing his third day of testing in Jerez. “We were able to make up some of the time we lost yesterday when rain meant we had to change our schedule. I started on extreme wet tyres, changed to wet tyres and finally drove slick tyres. Together with the various different set-up solutions I tried that helped me get an even better feeling for the car.”

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source: BMW Motorsport News

M3 Addict BMW Motorsport News BMW, Robert Kubica, Sauber F1 Team

The BMW Sauber F1 team was at it again in the south of Spain today, crushing the test track with their Sauber F1 car.  They were testing out the new Bridgestone tires that were built to 2010 specs.  The BMW Sauber team will be giving feedback to Bridgestone on how to improve the tire’s handling capabilities.  Robert Kubica lapped the 4 and a half KM Jerez Race Track 47 times, but the day was cut short because a wave of drizzle rolled in.  The team swapped out to  rain tires and began simulating race starts.

Some early-morning engine changes were made as a precautionary measure because the engine sensors were firing, but there weren’t any problems throughout the day.

Several red flags interrupted racing during the day, Robert Kubica mentioned that he expects a busy 2nd day.

source: BMW Motorsport News

M3 Addict BMW Motorsport News BMW, Robert Kubica, Sauber F1 Team

2006 BMW M Roadster

Today I went out for a spin in an Imola Red 2006 BMW M Roadster. This is the model based on the Z4 Chassis, with the S54B32 Engine - the same silky smooth 8,000 RPM inline-6 cylinder engine that is in my e46 M3. I have to say that BMW has done a great job improving the fit and finish of their interiors. They have always been nice - don’t get me wrong - but the interior components in the new M Roadster just felt a cut above their past interiors. Black Nappa leather and Light Poplar wood trim adorned the interior and the soft leather-wrapped steering wheel felt fantastic in my hands. It’s so thick it made the already thick steering wheel from my M3 feel skinny. It was a sunny day, so the top had to come down. The cloth top came down with ease and didn’t take more than a few seconds. A turn of the key ignited the engine with which I am so familiar. That delicious silky purr filled my ears while the heated seats wrapped a warm blanked around me. I slowly backed out from the BMW lot and took to the street.

Interior: As I mentioned above, the fit and finish in the M Roadster has been improved over previous models and even over my e46 M3. Everything felt solid, the buttons are new, and the leather was soft and supple. I must say that I did notice mostly flat pieces of wood trim on the interior - something that seemed to be a pretty obvious cost reduction. The dials were classic roadster dials, with speedometer on the left and tach on the right - super simple, no frills - this car is about driving. Window controls have been moved from traditional center console location to the door handles, which I think is okay, but was slightly confusing at first. One thing I really like about this M Roadster versus the Z3 based Roadster is the addition of the amber map-lights. To me, these are a must if you’re buying a BMW and although I really respected the simplistic nature of the old M Roadsters, I probably would be driving one today instead of the M3 if it only had the map lights!

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Steering & Feel: As I got out onto the road in the M Roadster the first thing I noticed was a more forgiving suspension than in my M3 - this also translated into a more muted driving experience via the hands. I’m not entirely sure if it’s suspension related or more of a factor of the thick steering wheel with perhaps some extra padding, but I definitely wasn’t feeling the details in road texture the way one would expect from a Roadster. Otherwise, the steering was great. A nice solid feel - very calm and predictable. Although it was quite direct, it was a little tricky to get used to the turn-in because of the long hood sweeping out in front of me - making it hard to see and hit the apex of each corner. Once I got used to it though, it was an awful lot of fun in the esses.

Performance: Acceleration of the M Roadster was almost identical to that of my M3. Being 3,277 lbs, it’s just about the same weight too - even though there’s significantly less car there. The engine revved up to the 8,000 RPM red-line just as readily as in my M3. I love this engine because of how eager it is for speed and performance. First gear was ripped through within just a couple of seconds, a quick short shift to second gear and 60 mph was had in just under 5 seconds. Into third gear and I was approaching jail-time speeds. Definitely a blast with the top down. The nice thing is though, you don’t always have to be driving like you’re on roids - you can drive it very comfortably at city street speeds, but put the sport mode on and never let the revs below 3,500 and the thing is like the Baskersville Beast, menacing and angry with a ferocious snarl at the exhaust pipe.

The suspension is indeed softer than in my M3 which makes it more comfortable to drive around town - which is what I suspect most people will be doing with this car. But it does compromise performance in the corners a bit. The body roll was noticable even without pushing the limits. This also made it a little tough to hit the apex of the corners consistently. As compared to the old M Roadster, this new one is sort of the equivalent of the e92 M3 compared to the e46 M3 - unfortunately you can feel the racing heritage being bred out of these beauties. A bit heavier, a bit more numb, and a bit more targeted to the Broadmore silver haired customers who are more interested in taking their wives out for a relaxed drive to the market than taking it into the mountains and destroying the corners. I was a bit sad actually, as the 2001 M Roadster that I drove was firmly connected to the road.

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Vehicle Specs:

M3 Addict Test Drives BMW, M Roadster, S54B32

This is completely insane.  Here’s a vid of the BMW Norma M20 doing a Mountain Run.  It boggles my mind how fast the road is being thrown at this guy.

M3 Addict Cool Stuff, M3 Addict BMW, Motorsport News

I posted a little while back about the Debut of the BMW M3 GT2 - and here are some fantastic pictures of the BMW Racing Machine.

BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team M3 GT2 Released in Chicago

Front angle picture of the M3 GT2 at its debut

Rear angle view of the M3 GT2 on stage at the Chicago Auto Show

BMW Rahal Letterman M3 GT2

BMW Rahal Letterman Racing M3 GT2

Front View of the BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team's all new M3 GT2

I have high hopes for this new M3 GT2 race car.  BMW has always dominated the racing scene with their M3 going back well into the early 1980’s.  Their record should continue with a car as might as this one, based on the e92 BMW M3.  The previous M3 GT car was lighting fast and is highly decorated.

M3 Addict BMW Motorsport News, M3 Addict BMW, M3 GT2

Okay, so BMW has just revealed a new 5 series hatchback … err.. wagon .. ? This new guy is called the 5-series Gran Tourismo. BMW has always had wagons of various natures and with the release of the 6-series, they went into the sloped-roof hatchback business.  Clearly this is a move to compete with the Mercedes CLS, definitely a sharp looking car which has been successful for Mercedes.

BMW Has officially unveiled their all new 5-series Gran Tourismo.

While this concept hasn’t hit the showrooms yet, it is expected to make its debut a the Geneva Motor Show in March and should be priced at about $60,000 or so.  I’m just not sure what I think about it. Definitely innovated, and definitely takes some of the wuss out of driving a station wagon.

It’s official – the BMW 5-Series is hatching out! This is the all-new Gran Turismo, a striking hatchback crossover that will sit at the very top of the new 5-Series range when sales start later this year.

Mixing a four-door coupe body with raised, sliding rear seats like an MPV and a Skoda Superb-style twin-door hatchback, the Gran Turismo enters a new sector for BMW, targeting buyers who want a flexible luxury car, but one that’s not an estate or an SUV.

This almost showroom-ready concept will make its worldwide debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March, with the finished article arriving in the UK in October, priced at around £40,000. And BMW bosses hope it will attract new customers to the brand.

“The conventional saloon has been around since the car industry started so perhaps now is the time for something new,” said BMW board member Ian Robertson. “The Gran Turismo fills a new niche and is an appropriate alternative to an SUV.”

Debuting the ‘face’ of the next generation 5-Series – which will be revealed in 2010 – with larger kidney grilles and new lights similar to those of the CS concept car, the Gran Turismo sits on a new modular rear-wheel-drive platform that will also underpin the next generation 5-Series.

At the rear, there’s a steeply sloping coupe-style roofline with X6-style tail-lights, while all the doors feature pillarless windows. The tailgate is similar to Skoda’s twin-door, first seen on the Superb, although BMW maintains that it has been developing the boot concept for a number of years.

It can be used as a hatchback, or like a saloon with just the lower section opening up. Two buttons under the bootlid allow owners to switch between the two modes.

Inside, the concept has ample seating for two rear passengers. Each chair is mounted around six inches higher than in a regular 5-Series, and can be individually slid backwards and forwards. The seat backs can tilt too. A body length of five metres, a long wheelbase and wide rear doors aid access.

“The Gran Turismo is easier to get in and out of than either an SUV or a saloon,” explained Chris Bangle, who was present at the Munich unveiling in his final capacity as BMW design boss. “But it has more rear seat space than a 7-Series. This is a car that has been designed from the inside out with rear passenger room similar to that in first class air travel.”

Up front, the driver and passenger also sit higher than they do in a regular 5-Series while Bangle’s design team has brought in a new dashboard with a more prominent centre console that’s covered in high gloss piano black material.

The rear seats also fold down and thanks to a removable bulkhead, the boot’s 430-litre capacity can be expanded to 1,650 litres, giving the Gran Turismo the second largest carrying capacity in the BMW range, after the X5.

The production version will be offered with three rear seats, with the two-seater configuration of the concept available as an option. The extended sunroof, which stretches over the rear passengers’ heads, is likely to be carried over to the finished model too.

BMW expects the Gran Turismo to account for 12-15 percent of 5-Series sales with around 2,500 models sold in the UK each year. Engines will mirror the next generation 5-Series line-up with the range kicking off with 3.0-litre petrol and turbodiesel six-cylinder powerplants.

Expect more powerful turbocharged V8s too, while BMW is also likely to make a hybrid model available in 2010. Although bosses would not comment, it’s expected that the Gran Turismo heralds a new range of BMW models, which could be followed by a 3-Series flagship with a similar combination of style and practicality.

Source: AutoExpressNews

Here Are some more pics:

M3 Addict Automobile Press 5-series, BMW, Gran Tourismo

Updated Look for 2009 BMW 3 Series

BMW has added a new look to the 3 series, and I have to say it’s quite improved!  A new front air dam, New Hood, and a few other features drastically change the look from the old, bland, loooooong-featured 3 series to a much more aggressive, visually shorter, more stylish car. The kidney grilles are slightly larger with a different shape as well - primarily a feature of form rather than function.  The tail lights were modified slightly along with some revisions to the headlights which maintained the BMW signature ‘angel eyes,’ and a few interior updates have also been included.

BMW traditionally does a mid-model review and update and I have to give them props for this.  Well Done BMW, glad to see the design trends going in the right direction over there for a change.

M3 Addict Automobile Press 3-series, BMW, e92

So there I found myself at BMW of Seattle - They happened to have a brand new Jerez Black BMW M3 coupe sitting in the showroom. I’m not exactly in the market for a new car, but still aching to drive the new one just to see how it holds up to my 2006 e46 BMW M3. A short talk with the sales guy and he was wheeling it out for me.

Here’s What she looked like:

Jerez Black BMW M3 Coupe

2008 Black M3 Coupe

Jerez Black Metallic Paint with Black Leather interior. One of the best color combos available for an M3.

A couple of caveats:
1.) it was raining - you can only do so much in the rain.
2.) Seattle BMW got it yesteday … the car had 56 miles on it. I have a healthy respect for the vehicle and did not rev it past 5k rpm. I know - many folks here may think that’s lame … you’re also probably the same people whose wives/girlfriends complain that you go straight after the clitoris. This is a YP.

Initial impressions:
- The e92 m3 is MUCH better looking in person. The physique is much more slim with bulging lines here and there for the fenders and hood bulge.
- The car is significantly more behaved at city street speeds in 1st & 2nd gear & the clutch is easier to operate (it has LESS resistance the further it is depressed, whereas the e46 clutch has more resistance the further you depress it). Around town you can definitely feel the extra several hundred pounds. It just feels … heavy.

At freeway speeds… *cough* plus a little more… :
- I was always impressed with how comfortable the e46 felt at err… what’s 60+40? and this car made the e46 feel downright sloppy when I got back into it.
- very smooth. Just attributed to the added torque - the car is very smooth in 4th & 5th gear, but feels about the same in 6th gear (I didn’t have M mode on at this point).

With the exception to the fact that the car is more behaved at low rpm in 1st and 2nd gear - in general, as far as acceleration goes, the car felt like the e46, but with a little more juice to it. The gears actually felt shorter than the e46, but that I’m sure has to do with the fact that there’s that much more power and it pulls through the rpm band faster.

Cornering:

Others have said it, I’ll repeat it - this car corners amazingly! Before I was mentioning that you could feel the extra several hundred pounds of weight. It all disappears at turn-in. The turn-in on this car is so crisp it feels like a go-cart. There’s zero body roll with EDC turned on, and it’s incredibly responsive. Absolute A+++ on cornering. This car felt lighter than my old ‘88 Prelude with 205/40 R16’s and a spring kit on it. A feeling I thought was gone forever with 3000lb+ cars.

A quick side note on EDC - even though the body roll is almost totally diminished with EDC set to sport, the suspension doesn’t feel like it tightens up that much - BMW did a great job of preserving the suspension’s ability to absorb shock while minimizing body roll. Anyone who has ever driven in Seattle knows that you need good suspension around here.

Afterthoughts:

While driving away in my trusty ‘06 m3 I noticed a few immediate differnences:

1.) the e46 feels RRREALLY light compared to the e92 at low speeds
2.) the clutch is quite a bit heavier in the e46
3.) the e46 has a much more “GO GO GO GO GO GO GO!!!!” demeanor about it. Even without driving aggressively, I felt it pulling me and wanting to go faster in 1st and 2nd gear … and then a little bit more relaxed in 5th and 6th gear
4.) I immediately felt as thought I was in a dated piece of machinery when I got back in the e46.
4a.) After having a glass of wine and slice of pizza - I had forgotten the feeling of the e92, and felt back at home in the e46. ::siiiigh::

M3 Addict Test Drives BMW, BMW M3, e92, Jerez Black, M3, test drive

Okay, so last May I  installed the Umnitza Predator Orions.

To start - great service by Umnitza!  The Orion’s were shipped the same day I ordered them and even though I opted for the Cheap USPS shipping method, they were here on the 2nd business day.

Quality is great, installation is easy, and LOOKS ABSOLUTELY STUNNING when completed!  This product would have received an A++, but it did not come with a wiring diagram or install instructions.  I also wish the clips were made to fit perfectly - rather than having to slide around and “eyeball” the final fit.

Installation:
I am … used to be? … a fairly seasoned car electronics installer back in highschool & college.  It’s probably been 7 years since I picked up the crimps tho, so I was a tad rusty.

Once I figured out which end was up, the installation was a breeze! A quick search of M3Forum and I found this page: http://www.fastm.com/m3/angeleyes.html

These instructions were super helpful and pictures were incredibly helpful as well.  Thanks to whomever put it together =)

The install took me about 4 hours - but I was being super duper careful and I am always very anal about where the wires go and making sure everything is hidden, so that took a good hour or so.  There was NOTHING in here that was really difficult, The removal of the painted trim piece under the headlights was the toughest thing -and make sure to wash your hands before handling the clear plastic headlight cover so you don’t get fingerprints on there (your fingers will get FILTHY).

Finished Product:
After the install these things look really great!  Super Clean - nice color - stunning look!!  I can’t compliment them enough! Before ordering I was concerned that the bright white would be “too bright” for my carbon black - but because it’s so crisp, it actually looks really nice, and there’s the slightest shade of blue in the light - which goes very well with the faint blue of the carbon black.

For now, I just hooked them up to the “Accessory” switch - as per the instructions in the link I posted - but what I plan on doing is ordering the Euro  Light Control Module (I’m guessing it’s Euro?) and wiring the angel eyes to the lower right button:

BMW M3 Rear Fog Switch

This way I can turn them off & on independently of other lights so I can run under the radar if desired.

Here are some pics -taken at night with a dirty car, please excuse:

Under the hood - wires ran along passenger and driver's side edge

Fuse, Power Hookup, Switch, & Ground All Bundled Up

shot of the wire running down the driver's side - note this runs back to the ECU box, as that's where the accessory wire is tapped.

Money Shot

Close Up of Umnitza Angel Eyes

Angel Eyes on E46 BMW M3

Sorry! I told you the car was dirty! Here's a pic of the Angel Eyes from directly in front of the ///M

Really satisfied with this product!  I had some problems with the lights rattling loose a couple of times, then I dropped a single dab of super glue on the clip and they’ve stayed put.  Total cost was about $120 including shipping.  I was told by my BMW service rep that the cost of the Euro Fog Light switch panel was about $100.  I will probably add that shortly.

Thumbs up for Umnitza on this one.

M3 Addict Do It Yourself (DIY), M3 Mods & Upgrades Angel Eyes, BMW, M3, Umnitza