M Town: Big bang event also a last blast?

Is this extravagant ultimate power play at a celebrated NZ racing circuit a sign-off for BMW’s mightiest machines in fossil-fuelled formats?

 IMPRESSION a just-started M car celebration laid on by BMW here at the moment could be a final hurrah for these hot rods in fully fossil-fuelled form is being downplayed.

 As much as it agrees that electric seems to be set to be an M ingredient, the local distributor says the ‘when’ and ‘in what’ aspects are still be sorted and assures that product it offers presently is definitely sticking around for a while yet.

So, if customers attending the big M Town event currently on at Hampton Downs racing circuit to drive latest hard-core petrol-addicted fare - the new Competition editions of the M3 and M4 plus the recently-added M5 and M8 – plus an assortment of lower-tier M Performance models, are to raise this subject?

BMW New Zealand product and pricing manager Tim Michaelson offers several thoughts.

First, as much as head office has indicated that an M battery car seems likely, we can keep calm and carry on in respect to the ‘old school’ hot rods here now - they are not set to be short-stay residents. 

Also, he says, little else can be said because it’s not company policy to speak about future product. 

Finally, however the cards are played “I think M cars are always going to excite and exhilarate.”

Still, a path seems to be set. As much as sightings overseas this week of an even more radical M4, in ‘ready to race’ CS Clubsport trim, would seem to cement thought that the performance division is still developing more traditional product, it also has committed to going battery-powered as well.

M Division head Markus Flasch said in January his mob will have an “electrically powered performance automobile for the first time” later in 2021.

That would seem to time with the schedule for M Town. Assuming this high-production, big budget event first tried in 2019, with snow driving, continues to stage every second year, then the next will be in 2022 – the 50th anniversary of the performance badge.

So what chance we will see some plug-in-then-play cars next time around?

Michaelson’s comment about that is an acknowledgement that, yes, BMW has shown off a concept, the Vision M Next of 2019, which has been interpreted as a replacement for the petrol-electric i8 coupe.

Also, “globally there has been communication about future and concept cars. They have definitely signalled they are working on that.

“But I cannot comment on anything concrete at this point of time.

“They have not communicated anything officially about what is coming next nor have they said that these will be the last, if at all, combustion engines. There is definitely no communication around that at all.

“Electric is where things are headed and definitely BMW will be involved in that. I think M cars will always continue to excite people.

“(But) I don’t think anyone attending this event needs to worry about these being the last of the petrol M cars, in the short term.”

There’s talk Vision M Next won’t make production, due to cost, and that instead the first electric M cars will be based on two fully-electric products confirmed for NZ.

These are the iX arriving in a few months’ time and the i4 coupe set to release next year. The first is a SUV similar in size to the X5 and the latter is a low-slung five-door car, in the style that BMW calls a Grand Coupe, so is similar in look and dimension to the current M3.

Flasch is promising these cars will present “a completely new manifestation of the distinctive M feeling”.

For his part, Michaelson says he can sense a generally positive vibe from consumers in respect to BMW’s electric car planning.

As big as an oil to ohms transition will be, he also doesn’t imagine many, if any, M addicts coming through this event might relate thought that, if the petrol crusade ends here and now, today’s fare will be the last cars they will buy.

Still, if that was the case, what a way to see the oil era out: The $168,990 M3 sedan and $172,990 M4 two-door coupe sister ships, running a 375kW/650Nm turbocharged 3.0-litre in-line six cylinder, and the $234,500 M5 sedan and $342,900 M8 five-door Grand Coupe, sharing a turbocharged V8 but in differing tune – so 460kW and 750Nm in the first, 450kW and 750Nm in the other – are absolute standouts in their categories; huge shove, belligerent soundtracks and pin-sharp dynamics are common traits.

Useful for this occasion but maybe no other, is a new M3/M4 feature called an M Drift Analyser. This will give a driver a star rating out of five for how well they’ve achieved some sideways sliding. Just a shame no-one could work out how to actuate it to judge the skills of the professional drivers whose day-ending hot laps were the first occasion to experience the cars with traction controls disabled.

 The track cars also had the optional M Carbon bucket seats, which look like the sort you’ll find in serious racing cars and come as part of a $9000-plus carbon pack. Worth it? They’re hard to get out of because of the curious raised insert bissecting the top part of the base. Officially, it’s designed to keep your legs in place under high corner loads. Don’t be surprised, though, if you hear sniggering remarks. As British motoring mag Autocar says, it runs risk of being miscontrued as “some kind of carbonfibre penis tray.” Don’t risk the embarrassment.

But yes, they’re furiously fast cars, though that’s not to say anything from the electric corner couldn’t be as captivating (except, of course, in respect to the soundtrack).

At the time of the i4’s 2020 launch, BMW said its 390kW powertrain ranked it “alongside a current BMW V8”. The i4 is capable of 0-100kmh in 4.0 seconds – so 0.1s slower than the M3 and M4, 0.7s off the M5 and 0.8s behind the M8. With a range of just over 595km though, it might go further on a tank than all of these and, of course, will be much cheaper to refill.

Michaelson says Hampton Downs is a great fit for M Town’s theme of being ‘the only place in the world where too much is just right.’

Getting to try the pukka M cars on the national circuit – at up to 160kmh - reminds that “M cars are born for the track. This is where people can enjoy these cars.”

Other challenges for media, influencers and brand ambassadors yesterday included putting a selection of lower tier M Performance product through handling and sprint exercises, taking the SUVs and crossovers around a tame off-road course and coming up with nice things to say about the M3 and M4’s latest facial look.

The M Town investment is worth it because this is a powerful letter in New Zealand. Our uptake of M or M Performance models is the world’s highest in percentile terms – one in every four BMWs sold last year were in either of those configurations.

M is also big for BMW internationally; 2020 was a record year of sales, Flasch reported recently.

Meantime, there’s no local comment yet about the M4 CS, which is still undergoing trials but should be in production next year.

Sightings this week of an engineering mule running on European roads reveal a deeper front splitter, reprofiled side skirts, a more aggressive rear diffuser and a larger ducktail spoiler. As with the M5 CS, it is expected the coupe’s bonnet will be swapped for a carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic replacement.

But it will be far more than a visual shake-up. The website for Britain’s Auto Express motoring magazine says engineers will undertake work on the M4’s chassis, too, fitting lowered suspension and new dampers. It also appears to have drilled brakes with larger calipers than on the M4. 

Alongside changes to the suspension and braking system, BMW will aim to make the CS version lighter than the baseline M4 model with a number of revisions matching the 70kg weight reduction seen in the M5 CS. Depending on the scale of the weight-reduction, Auto Express believes, BMW could even look to reintroduce the CSL badge - it applied trademarks for both M4 CS and M4 CSL back in 2017. 

Inside, the M4 CS should get a similarly race-inspired makeover with an Alcantara steering wheel, carbon fibre bucket seats and some new seat belts which have been branded with red and blue stripes - the signature colours of BMW’s M Division.

As for power? The pundits reckon BMW is all but certain to eke out a little more from the ‘D58’ straight six, perhaps as much as 395kW.

Perfect ‘i’ timing

More about the iX, a good look at the i4 and the lowdown on iDrive … it’s a busy week for BMW.

bmw head office’s unveiling of the production i4 has synched with the announcement of the iX (below) model lineup for our market.

 ANOTHER electric moment from BMW, with delivery of local distributor information about incoming versions of the iX electric crossover synching with the parent in Germany revealing its next wholly battery car, the i4 four-door coupe.

Germany’s images of the i4 show a production-ready car, unveiled a year after the namesake original design study was shown.

The big difference? The one signed-off for NZ driveways will have four doors, not two, and so sit and badge as an alternate to the combustion engine-wed 4-Series Gran Coupe, with which it shares a platform and significant styling detail. 

A lot of technical detail remains withheld, but BMW says the model will deliver up to 590km of range from a single charge on the WLTP cycle and will offer a maximum of 390kW.

Earlier reports suggest this will only be available in short bursts from the performance-focused, range-topping variant, expected to be named the i4 M50. An entry-level eDrive35 and a mid-spec eDrive40 are also rumoured.

The maker says that power will allow the flagship car to hit 100kmh from a standstill in ‘around’ four seconds, likely with the help of all-wheel drive. That sprint time, and the range, are equivalent to figures claimed for Tesla’s Model 3 Long Range.

Game on? Well, presumably yes, though BMW seems dead set on teaching the American make a thing or two about dynamics. Though detail about the chassis tuning is being held back, it is on record as saying that 'simply going fast in a straight line is not enough'.

Pieter Nota, member of the board of management of BMW AG responsible for Customer, Brands and Sales, has also since commented: "With its sporty looks, best in class driving dynamics and zero local emissions, the BMW i4 is a true BMW. It makes the heart of the BMW brand now beat fully electric."

BMW's policy of making its full electric vehicles (EVs) appear as conventional as possible is strongly evidenced by i4. Blue accents and aero wheels separate it from the upcoming 4 Series GC, as do the redesigned bumpers and the lack of exhaust tips at the back. Both the EV and ICE editions seem destined to have a common frontal styling, including that oversized kidney grille.

By the time i4 shows, BMW should have iX well settled into the market – it’s set to launch in the fourth quarter of 2021, after all. 

BMW NZ has settled on choice of two battery and electric motor options: the entry-level xDrive40, and the flagship (at launch, at least) xDrive50.

The first mates two electric motors with a lithium-ion battery offering ‘over’ 70kWh of gross energy capacity, good for a power output of 240kW, and a sub-6.0-second 0-100kmh sprint time. 

Maximum driving range according to Europe's WLTP test cycle sits at more than 400km, according to BMW, with a combined energy consumption rating of less than 20kWh per 100 kilometres claimed.

The iX xDrive50, meantime, brings more than 370kW from a larger 100kWh-plus battery pack, enabling a sub-5.0-second dash from zero to 100kmh, a WLTP range of above 600km, and combined energy consumption of under 21kWh/100km.

DC fast charging is standard on both variants, at a rate of up to 150kW in the xDrive40, or 200kW in the xDrive50. A 10-minute stint on a DC charger is said to add up to 90km and 120km of range to the 40 and 50's batteries respectively, with both models capable of a 10 to 80 percent charge in 40 minutes, according to the BMW information sheet.

There’s talk overseas that the iX lineup will eventually be headed by an M60 model, set to enter production in March 2022 with a 418kW version of the xDrive50's powertrain.

BMW confirmed the new iX would employ a number of sustainable materials through its construction, including up to 60kg of recycled plastic.

Recovered fishing nets will be used in the floor mats, rare-earth materials have been omitted from the electric motors, cobalt and lithium for the batteries are sourced ethically from ‘controlled’ mines in Australia and Morocco, while the interior features FSC-certified wood, olive leaf extract-tanned leather, and other naturally-sourced materials.

The iX also debuts (with i4 being the second recipient) the eight generation of the iDrive infotainment system, which combine a 12.3-inch instrument display and a 14.9-inch central touchscreen into a single curved panel and is now technically known as BMW Operating System 8.

BMW says that iDrive 8 will be able to: "adjust to the driver's individual needs and routines, as well as the situation at hand" and will be: "a central operating channel of human-machine interaction."

Even though the familiar iDrive controller click-wheel is retained – and is now made from glass and with a gold bronze bezel – the big idea for iDrive 8 is to move beyond the traditional twist-and-click rotary controller and move more and more into direct speech control, with you being able to chat to your BMW's dashboard and interact with it using natural language, rather than pre-set commands.

There is, of course, a digital voice assistant in the dash, called the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, and you can, by voice, interact with it, and it will get to learn your daily routine and regular needs and wants. There's also a new BMW ID, in which you can store various personal preferences and easily transfer them from one BMW to another.

There's also a new 'My Modes' setting, which allows you to customise and personalise different operating modes for the car, including Efficient, Sport and Personal Modes. The activated configuration is indicated by variations in the artwork specially developed for My Modes, the style and layout of the displays, and a change in the display colour, which adapts to the experience setting in the same way as the ambient lighting. Switching between My Modes produces acoustic changes, too, including adjustment of the engine or motor sound.

A few years back, BMW joined a car brand cabal that bought mapping and navigation company HERE from Nokia. That spend is going to pay off in iDrive 8, with a new BMW Maps function. Just like Google Maps and Apple Maps, BMW Maps will gradually learn your regular destinations, and will present them to you as options, rather than you having to regularly enter them. The system will be able to direct you around traffic hold-ups and will guide you to charging points if you need to top-up the battery.

BMW’s revived electric onslaught starts this year

Kiwi interest in the iX3 and iX, potentially arriving around October, is ramping up.

The new iX is the most important car BMW will release here in 2021 …. and other all-new EVs are on the way.

 TWO car brands last year took pride in having achieved putting 500,000 electric models into the market.

One was Tesla, the other BMW Group.

 The difference was in the time taken to get there. Twenty-20 was a year when Elon Musk’s crew achieved producing half a million cars in a year.

BMW Group took a longer route to achieve the same figure, and did so with battery-involved product beyond its sole fully electric car.

The i3, whose production dates back to 2013 and which broke the mould when it came on sale here in 2015, has actually recently clocked up 200,000 units.

No, the jelly and icecream ‘half-a-mill’ moment was for the entire BMW Group and reflected it having sold more than 500,000 electrified models – a descriptive that, of course, covers its plug-in hybrids as well as fully electrics - across the BMW and MINI brands.

That this has taken years is nothing to worry about. The pace has stepped up - by the end of 2021, BMW Group is confident it will have doubled its penetration – and so too the level of commitment.

Twenty-five electrified vehicles on the road by 2023 is one ambition; another is to build “a quarter of a million more electric cars than originally planned” between now and then. A target that’ll allow it to more than double the share of electrified vehicles in its sales from around eight percent last year to around 20 percent. Beyond that? It’s to sell 4.6 million fully electric vehicles and almost as many plug-in hybrids within the next 10 years.

The i3 as we know it now will continue to contribute. Plans to kill it off last year were rescinded. It’s hard to say how long the stay of execution will last; some suggest it will continue to be manufactured until 2024.

This is ‘Power of Choice’; a strategy that BMW New Zealand is very energetic about. In a briefing today, managing director Karol Abrasowicz-Madej, and product manager Tim Michaelson, have made clear NZ will benefit from the global roll-out.

The ‘Power of Choice’ push also puts PHEV to the fore.

‘Electrified’ means more than full-out electric. ‘Power of Choice’ calls for up to four different powertrain variants – petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid and pure-electric – in each of its main model lines to be built on the same production line.

Even so, it’s a big move for a make whose electrification plans – and the pace surrounding the subject - has varied wildly, between pioneering and glacial, over the last decade.

Cars like the i3 and i8 sports car were way ahead of their time when new but they were hugely costly for Munich to develop and sell. What’s followed has been a series of plug-in hybrids and arguably little else.

Kiwis have already experienced all of the above (in X3, X5, 3, 5 and 7 Series), and notwithstanding BMW NZ having achieved success with some, activity – and consumer interest – will surely ramp up all the more with two additional products arriving around the third, potentially fourth, quarters.

The iX3 and iX have both been subject of extensive coverage already.

The i3 put BMW on the electric drive route in 2015 here and is set to stay on sale for a while yet.

The first is as the name says, a wholly electric version of BMW’s second-smallest crossover. It provisions in pure rear-drive form and is the make’s first product for us out of China. BMW NZ originally expected it at mid-year, but has held off to achieve a 2022 edition that takes some enhancements not meted early build cars. Michaelson says the tech doesn’t change; it’s all about extra specification and additional paint choices.

The iX, meantime, is BMW'S first electric SUV built from the ground up on a new EV platform.

BMW NZ has already begun an on-line campaign and it appears orders have been placed, regardless that pricing has not been announced.

In respect to that, and also in regard to potential allocations, Abrasowicz-Madej doesn’t want to give too much away.

However, he says there’ll be enough allocation to meet market demand and suggests it might feasible to imagine an iX3 could cost similarly, or perhaps a touch more, than the X3 30e plug-in hybrid that is a $120,000 ask here.

As to who is expected to buy-in? His hope is that both cars will attract conquest customers as well as existing brand loyalists. “It’s going to be interesting to see how that eventuates.”

He doesn’t expect these to erode the sales performances of the X3 and X5, his two best-selling models, though in terms of flavour the newcomers are probably not going to be entirely different to those orthodox SAVs.

“But (with iX) we are still talking about differences in size, in design and in many other factors.”

Abrasowicz-Madej says the local interest is a positive; notwithstanding BMW’s deep dive into EV-dom, many customers are still coming to grips with understanding the technology. “It is an education process. They are still learning about the technology, recharging, the driving.” However, he agrees it is easier to talk about the benefits of electric driving now than perhaps has been in the past.

Michaelson, meantime, is calling iX an especially exciting product.

It shares exterior dimensions of an X5, is as tall as an X6 and has the wheelbase of an X7, with very high specification and plush appointments in two levels of bodywork, a standard look and a sport enhancement with more rakish styling elements.

The iX3 is likely to settle in nicely, but it will be no surprise if it is utterly overshadowed by iX; the latter will be a far pricier proposition, but it will also be more premium and reaches further in design and technology.

BMW NZ is especially excited about the potential presented by the iX.

The car’s bold roadside impression carries into a cockpit that uses a lot of inspiration from the iNext, a concept car that has become important to the whole BMW electric strategy. The iX takes the design study’s hexagonal steering wheel and vast curved digital displays for the driver and front passenger.  

It also features BMW's new ‘fifth-generation’ electric powertrain tech. We are told that the car will be powered by two electric motors (with no rare earth elements), producing 'more than' 370kW, which comprehensively beats the 300kW Mercedes EQC and Audi e-tron 50 and 55 (respectively 230kW and 300kW).

Apparently the iX will do 0-100kmh in under five seconds, but of greater importance is the efficiency and range between charges. BMW expects the car will average 21kWh per 100km on the WLTP cycle, resulting in a range of more than 600km from its 100kWh battery pack.

Recharging times are also impressive … when the right hardware is in place. The iX can be DC fast-charged at up to 200kW, allowing 10-80 percent charging in under 40 minutes, or 120km range for 10 minutes of charge.

The car premieres a new aluminium space frame that supports an inner carbon cage fabricated from CFRP – for composite plastic and carbon-fibre-reinforced-plastic – covered with a body made out of a combination of aluminium and CFRP. The latter is a material BMW has become accustomed to working with as it features intensively in the i3 and now discontinued i8.

For the first time in a modern-day BMW model, the iX will feature a fixed clamshell style bonnet. A series of aerodynamic developments, including the blanked-off grille, minimal air ducting within the front bumper, flat underbody panelling, integrated door handles with an electronic opening mechanism and the tapered glasshouse, contribute to a claimed drag coefficient of 0.25.

Full LED main beams are standard, though buyers will also be able to specify BMW’s Laser lights as an option. At the rear, the iX’s narrow tail lamps receive LED functionality as standard.

The iX3 will sit alongside conventional and PHEV versions of the popular compact SAV.

The iX3 obviously takes a different approach; for a start everything about how it looks is very familiar, of course.

Yet it nonetheless represents an important step. It’s not just BMW’s first electric SUV, but also the first BMW to be available with either pure combustion, plug-in hybrid or pure electric power. 

The X3’s platform has been adapted with a new rear sub-frame that houses a single electric motor and an 80Wh battery pack that, BMW says, is 20 percent more energy dense than any battery it has used before.

Output is to the tune of 210kW and 400Nm and a 6.8-second 0-100kmh sprint is claimed. BMW says it’ll provide an impressive 460km range, as determined on a WLTP test cycle. Using fast-charging, the iX3 is capable of receiving 80 percent charge in 34 minutes. 

BMW is talking up the car’s adaptive energy recuperation system, which it claims automatically enhances efficiency on longer drives. Using location data from BMW’s latest cloud-based navigation system, the iX3 can autonomously change the level of braking recuperation on the move and according to the road ahead. For instance, if the car recognises that a stop sign is ahead, full recuperation will be deployed without any need for the driver to select it. 

Alternately, the driver can take manual control of the regenerative braking, with three levels of resistance availed. A ‘B’ position on the Drive selector enables high enough energy recovery for one-pedal driving around town, a trick the brand appears to have nabbed from Toyota/Lexus. 

The iX3 gets a unique tune for its standard adaptive suspension system with electronically controlled dampers. Alternately, buyers will be able to specify a sportier Adaptive M suspension setup. 

The front grilles are closed off for aerodynamic purposes and the bumpers have been reprofiled and it gets set of aerodynamic wheels styled to reduce the drag coefficient by around five percent compared with regular X3 wheels. 

So, these are the 2021 entries. What’s next? Perhaps understandably, that’s a subject BMW’s national representatives were reluctant to talk about, though that is hardly an inhibitor.

There’s been plenty said overseas, none of which has been denied by the parent brand, to cement the road map’s course. The following is based on what’s being said overseas.

Plug-in hybrids are set to be ubiquitous in Munich’s line-up. The X3 will be first to tick off the ‘diesel, petrol, phev and electric’ remit; others will follow.

Internationally, if not here, there will be multiple plug-in hybrids within different families to choose from; for the 5-Series, as example, BMW has revealed a 545e hybrid as well as a 530e hybrid.

As for the electrics?

The i3 as we know it now achieves another facelift and larger battery, but it’s just a see-me-out strategy with a new i3 to take its place – only this one will be an all-electric version of the familiar-looking 3-Series.

Meantime, an as yet unseen i1 model - an electric extension to the new 1 Series lineup - will take the current i3’s place. There’ll also be an iX1 crossover, with a raised seating position and relatively compact dimensions.

Still getting your head around the next car to bear the ‘i3’ badge being so different? Well, an all-electric 3-series is also a big change up, too. In addition to the sedan, there’ll be a four-door fastback called … you got it, the i4. It’s been seen in concept form and testing and the production edition is to be unveiled later this year.

BMW has sent out images of the i4 during its development and says the production model will be revealed later this year.

Both run the vastly improved eDrive tech in the iX3 and the iNext. The new tech is around 30 percent power denser than the powertrain shown in the i3 we know now.

BMW talk specific to i4 has been to expect a range of 600km (WLTP), 390kW and a top speed of 200kmh. It’s gunning for the Tesla Model 3; the cited 0-100kmh sprint time of around 4.0 seconds is on pace with Beemer’s own V8-powered cars. 

Also en route are the i5, an electric version of the eighth-generation 5 Series, due in 2023. It will initially be a sedan, but a station wagon version could be offered in some markets.

The most famous Five will continue to be the M5. The next, arriving in 2024, will be a dramatic change from the current F90. Why? Because it’s expected to be the first M car to be exclusively electrified – either as a ‘Power PHEV’ or full-electric car. There’s that philosophy of powertrain choice.

BMW is openly working on the ‘power BEV’, using a 5-series mule. That model has three e-motors borrowed from the iNext/i4 powertrain. One drives the front axle while the rear wheels get a motor each. Numbers? 530kW and sub-3.0s 0-100kmh. 

The BMW iX5 is already in pilot-production at BMW’s Dingolfing factory. This is the SUV iNext truly points to. It offers a base range of 547km, rising to 740km with an optional 110kWh battery. It’s also planned to support level-three autonomous technology.

Its powertrain will be similar to that of the i4, so is promising a rough 600km range and all-wheel drive.

More? There’s strong talk of the i7; an EV flagship based on the next 7 Series sedan which is due next year. Suggestion it will share much of its mechanicals with the i5 and iX5 and achieve a range of up to 740km. Prototypes have been seen.

Also, an iX7. Overseas’ media say design proposals for a seven-seat sister to the iX5 have been pitched, with intent for release in 2025.

 And what about another i8? BMW teased with the Vision M Next Concept (below) in 2019. Back then it looked set to be a huge milestone for M division, ultimately paving the way for a full-electric M car. But it’s been cancelled. 

Quiet approach for BMW’s ultimate lout

When it comes to how many and how much … well, it’s ‘M’ for mystery.

HOW many examples of the most powerful M car BMW has made for public use are set to hit New Zealand is open-ended … how much each will cost is a closed book.

BMW New Zealand appears set to be one of the brand’s few distributors unwilling to publicly share pricing or potential sales count for the car, even though most other markets have done so.

The Auckland-based operation indicates because the CS is a “limited-run exclusive special edition model” it intends to keep specific pricing detail between two parties – the seller and the buyer.

Other markets, Australia included, have not been at all reluctant to include the price – over there, it’ll be a $NZ327,000 buy – or to say how many they’re getting: 20.

In respect to the likely NZ count, BMW NZ is unwilling to comment beyond offering “while the M5 CS will only be in production for a calendar year, we do not anticipate any delays or obstacles for New Zealand customers who place orders.” 

Chance of seeing one in the showroom doesn’t seem high. It is an indent model only and seems to be among cars channelled specifically through a new web portal it has established.

A version of the X2 compact crossover this week became the first car to be specifically notified as being for sale purely through the BMW Online Store website. The site is also the conduit for inquires for the impending iX3 and iNext electric cars, both set to come on sale this year.

When asked to elaborate on why the CS’s pricing was not being shared and if other BMW models are likely to be handled this way, a BMW New Zealand spokesman offered the following.

“BMW will always maintain a dealership partner business model at its core, but is continuously exploring new and digitally-enhanced ways of showcasing its range of products, for example with the BMW New Zealand Online Store.

“The new online channel provides us with a flexible channel to promote these types of limited-edition models, like the BMW X2 Mesh Edition, the highly-anticipated fully-electric iX3 and the all-new iX.”

Positioned to compete with Audi’s Q2 crossover and the Mercedes-Benz GLA, the Mesh Edition is based on the mid-tier front-drive sDrive20i variant, so runs a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine outputting 141kW/280Nm, which is paired with a seven-speed automatic transmission.

The variant scores a number of cosmetic changes to stand it apart from the crowd.

Finished in a Brooklyn Grey metallic paint, the it also sports a high-gloss black kidney grille, and Black-Brown-coloured exterior highlights on the front bumper, side skirts and wheelarches.

Contrasting the paintwork are decals on the bonnet and flanks in an attention-grabbing orange colour.

The price? It’s no secret: $77,900.

M Division gasses up M5 with CS

The ‘ultimate’ M5 is no longer the Competition.

TWENTY for the neighbour … how many in ‘our’ driveway?

‘Come back tomorrow.’

That’s the response from BMW New Zealand’s public relations people when asked about the national allocation of the most powerful and fastest accelerating car the German make’s specialist M performance house claims it has ever produced.

The local distributor appears caught on the hop in respect to the M5 CS … an intention to wait until tomorrow (January 28) to deliver the lowdown on the car puts it a day behind the rest of the world.

The model’s global announcement this morning was quickly followed by key markets, Australia including, confirming they will enjoy the new model which, though not a limited count car, is subject to a limited build run, in that it will be available for one model year. 

It’s clear right-hand-drive markets are in line for the car, as Australia is taking 20, these arriving mid-year.

New Zealand’s allocation will likely be fair more modest – somewhere between one and nine would seem a safe bet. Price? Also a guesstimate. Australians are paying the equivalent of $327,000.

The car’s potential collectability status is high: You’re buying into a similar formula to that set out by previous CS-badged BMWs (M2 CS, M3 CS and M4 CS) and the next step up from the M5 Competition, but with many upgrades, including the most powerful engine in the history of BMW M, to create a sharper, more track-focused package.

Specific features are a reprogrammed four-wheel drive system, bespoke chassis tuning and a series of lightweight carbonfibre parts that contribute to a 70kg weight reduction over the M5 Competition.

Anyone buying in will likely stick in straight into the pool room, though let’s hope they might follow the brand’s recommendation and divert en route to a motor racing circuit.

The familiar 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 has been worked over to output 467kW, with torque rated at 750Nm.

The power is well above that from the standard M5’s 412kW/680Nm, but it’s just a 7kW gain and the same torque loading as that offered by the M5 Competition.

BMW nonetheless attests the car will run to 100kmh from a standing start in three seconds – so, a tenth quicker than the Competition – knock out 0-200kmh in 10.4s and achieve an electronically limited top speed of 306kmh.

So, maybe not a race track but a very long runway if you want to have a chance of seeing the latter.

The revised M5 CS engine also gains a redesigned oil pan with an additional sump and indirect charge air cooling. Further changes are focused on the engine mounts, which has a spring rating of 900N per millimetre for a more rigid mounting and a smoother transmission of power to each wheel, according to BMW’s performance division. 

The M5 CS’s chassis is described as being based on that of the M5 Competition but with shock absorbers originally developed for another heavy hitter, the M8 Gran Coupe Competition, that reduce the ride height by 7mm.

The new dampers are claimed to reduce the fluctuation in wheel loads. In combination with new spring bearings for the damper control measures front and rear, as well as standard-fit 20 inch wheels shod with 275/35 front and 285/35 rear Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres, they are claimed to greatly improve on-the-limit handling.

The increase in performance has resulted in M carbon-ceramic brakes being fitted as standard. They use six-piston fixed calipers at the front and single-piston floating calipers at the rear and are claimed to weigh 23kg less overall than the steel disc system that comes as standard on the M5 Competition.

Additional weight savings for the M5 CS have been achieved through the adoption of a carbonfibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) bonnet. The car also uses carbonfibre for the front splitter, mirror caps, rear spoiler and diffuser.

A gold bronze grille and headlights tinged with yellow are also CS specific and the interior also has specific fitouts, notably the rear bench seat being dumped for two individual chairs. The outline of the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit is displayed on the head restraints. On the front seats, the restraints also have illuminated M5 logos. 

M enthusiasts, this is for you

A quick trip to BMW’s fantasy burb where everyone drives … well, need it be spelled out?

HERE’S the latest ‘M Town’ commercial, that features some of the company’s finest performance vehicles ever.

BMW says M Town is the most successful digital campaign it has run for the M division and in this film, dubbed ‘The Drop’, the protagonist drives a red E30 M3 from the BMW M Heritage Fleet.

In total, 18 M models are featured in the video, including the likes of the M2 CS, M4 GTS, M3 GTS, M5, and an E46 M3. The film also provides us with a quick glimpse of the upcoming M3 Touring in the clip, with BMW M chiuef executive Markus Flasch leaning the rear. Plus check out the bloke hefting an electric charger wearing the most powerful letter in the world. A hint an electric M car is coming to those who didn’t already know (spoiler alert: It’s based on the i4 sedan) .

 “M Town is the most successful digital campaign from the BMW M GmbH, particularly as the entire BMW M Community throughout the world actively participates and shapes it,” director of global sales and marketing at BMW M Lothar Schupet.

“This enthusiasm and this identification create that very special something that makes BMW M so unique. Therefore, we are happy to continue this success story with the next film whilst also giving a small glimpse into the future.”

BMW iX here in 2021

BMW has revealed the iX, an electric sports utility to rival models Audi and Mercedes Benz already have on the road, and says it’ll be here in 2021.

MEMO to Audi and Mercedes – don’t get too cosy; BMW will by this time next year have a car to rival your premium EV zone products in style and sophistication and outgun on range. 

That’s the message from Munich’s local distributor today with the global unveiling of the iX, the much-anticipated long-awaited all electric sports utility that BMW has developed as a technological flagship.

The production version of the Vision iNext concept that was revealed back in 2018 is still a year away from rolling down the assembly line in Dingolfing, Germany, from the second half of 2021… yet intention is to fast-track this five-seater straight to this part of the world.

BMW New Zealand says it will have the car on sale in the second half of 2021 and while intending buyers have yet to be given any idea about local market cost and specifications, they can be assured the car which has been revealed internationally today is accurately representative of what will ultimately hit our roads.  

So, in a nutshell, an utterly futuristic model that accounts for similar road space as the BMW X5 (but has similar interior room as the next size-up X7) with very high specification and plush appointments in two levels of bodywork, a standard look and a sport enhancement with more rakish styling elements.  

What’s promised is a big step forward over the brand’s sole all-electric offering of the moment, the i3 – as well it should be, given the landmark city car is in its seventh year. 

In respect to the core elements of sustainability, connectivity, automated driving and design, it also reaches a lot further than the iX3 – the electrified X3 coming on sale in early 2021.

BMW hasn't finalised the figures that surround the iX's electric powertrain, but we are told that the car will be powered by two electric motors (with no rare earth elements), producing 'more than' 370kW, which comprehensively beats the 300kW EQC and e-tron 50 and 55 (respectively 230kW and 300kW).  

Apparently the iX will do 0-100kmh in under five seconds, but of greater importance is the efficiency and range between charges. BMW expects the car will average 21kWh per 100km on the WLTP cycle, resulting in a range of more than 600km from its 100kWh battery pack.

 Recharging times are also impressive … when the right hardware is in place. The iX3 can be DC fast-charged at up to 200kW, allowing 10-80 percent charging in under 40 minutes, or 120km range for 10 minutes of charge.

That mightn’t be quite that sharp on NZ’s national subscription infrastructure, which still heavily bases on 50kWh replenishment points, though change is occurring, with 150kWh chargers starting to proliferate and 300kWh devices planned for introduction next year. On a 11kW wallbox, the 0-100 percent charge takes nearly 11 hours.

The iX diverts from the previously announced brand plan to base future BMW electric models around the same platforms as the existing petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid models. 

The car premiers a new aluminium space frame that supports an inner carbon cage fabricated from CFRP – for composite plastic and carbon-fibre-reinforced-plastic – covered with a body made out of a combination of aluminium and CFRP. The latter is a material BMW has become accustomed to working with as it features intensively in the i3 and now discontinued i8 plug-in hybrid sports car.

BMW says the architecture is highly compatible with the chassis used by the 3 Series through to the 8 Series, as well as the X3 through to the X7. In an interview with German media, high-ups hint key elements of its engineering will be used by other new BMW i sub-brand models in the future.

The Vision iNext’s styling influence is obvious. The large blanked-off grille, heavily chamfered wheel arches, largely unadorned flanks, frameless doors, fixed B-pillars, prominent rear hunches and a tapered glasshouse are straight from the design study. 

For the first time in a modern-day BMW model, the iX will feature a fixed clamshell style bonnet. 

“Without a traditional engine or frunk (front trunk), there is no need for customers to open the bonnet,” BMW design boss, Domagoj Dukec explained.

Full LED main beams are standard, though buyers will also be able to specify BMW’s Laser lights as an option. At the rear, the iX’s narrow tail lamps receive LED functionality as standard.

A series of aerodynamic developments, including the blanked-off grille, minimal air ducting within the front bumper, flat underbody panelling, integrated door handles with an electronic opening mechanism and the tapered glasshouse, contribute to a claimed drag coefficient of 0.25.

Rear-drive Competition models start M3/4 roll-out

BMW has announced pricing and confirmed specification.

BMW M-car fans looking to buy into the latest from the Munich make’s performance collection now know how much to set aside.

BMW New Zealand’s pricing for the M3 and M4, announced today ahead of availability from January, places the first at $168,900 and the other at $172,900, excluding on-road costs. 

As previously reported, the brand has determined to deliver these model Competition trim, initially in rear-wheel-drive though an all-wheel drive xDrive variants are also coming. However, those cars won’t be seen until the end of 2021.

The engine is a twin-turbo 3.0-litre ‘S58’ inline six producing 375kW of power and 650Nm of torque, paired to an eight-speed automatic. BMW claims 0-100kmh in 3.9 seconds and 200kmh in 12.5 seconds. Top speed is limited to 250kmh, unless the BMW M Driver Package is added. That lifts the top speed to 290kmh.

Unsurprisingly, the specs between the coupe and sedan are by and large mirrored. Both deliver staggered 19-inch/20-inch wheel combination with optional semi-slicks, BMW Laserlight headlight technology, carbon-fibre reinforced roof panels, Merino leather interior trim with optional carbon-fibre M bucket seats, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Optional equipment includes red or black brake callipers, M’s carbon exterior package, remote engine start, BMW Drive Recorder, and forged wheels.

These 3-Series-based M models are highly distinctive, being the pathfinders for a giant vertical twin-kidney grille; a new styling feature than has proven divisive yet will likely be adopted by other BMW models.

PM's diesel limo parked up for electric alternate

Black day for BMW as Ardern pulls the plug on her diesel Seven limo and goes for an electric Audi.

Audi NZ boss Dean Sheed, pictured at the E-Tron’s launch last year, says one of the three cars signed up for Government VIP use will be Auckland-based and has been checked out for suitability to carry a baby seat.

AUDI’s flagship electric model could well have bumped a BMW diesel as Jacinda Ardern’s choice of state-provisioned home town ride – with her toddler likely also set to enjoy the car’s Green vibe.

Government’s historic step up to wholly battery-driven cars as VIP transport has just been confirmed by Audi New Zealand. 

The distributor says three examples of its plush five-seater sports utility-formatted and wholly battery-reliant E-Tron in swishest $156,000 ‘55’ format have been accepted onto the fleet of limos provisioned for highest-level state duties, meaning they are silver, Crown-plated and chauffeur-driven. 

The cars’ permanent sign-on came after months of trial when they were measured up again the incumbent provision; BMW’s turbodiesel Seven Series.

Audi has been an approved Government fleet supplier for several years, but never at this level.

It is hoping to enlarge the imprint soon, as it seems a tender seeking a replacement for the entire fleet of VIP product is about to be called. 

That procurement process is run by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).

While two of the E-Trons are being retained in the capital, primarily to shuttle ministers from the Beehive to Wellington airport, the third is based in the Prime Minister’s home town and it seems set to become to her priority work car.

While coy to offer too much insight, Audi New Zealand’s boss, Dean Sheed, let slip when discussing the arrangement that a request specific to the Auckland car is that it is fully sorted to accommodate a baby seat.

Ms Ardern and her partner, Clarke Gayford, have a daughter, Neve Ardern Gayford, who turned two in June. The PM is not unfamiliar with electric cars as she already drives a Hyundai Ioniq EV.

Mr Sheed said today that feedback about the E-Trons “has been positive for all parties.”

While he did not name BMW directly, he said the Audis had replaced “three current  diesel long-wheelbase sedans” and that more of those cars were set to be replaced.

“They are trialling alternatives to optimise their fleet mix. We are putting our hand up to supply more E-Trons.”

The PM need not imagine her new ride is only suited to urban driving - the E-Tron’s SUV credentials allow it to explore into the most remote electorates.

The Government recently said it now has 18 vehicle suppliers on the motor vehicles contract with 14 of those being able to provide EVs for purchase to meet all-of-Government fleet potentials, which span all Government agency usages. 

In a press comment about this delivered in October, it said: “The new catalogue offers Government agencies the choice of 19 models of battery EVs available, an increase of 9 more models. There will also be 11 models of plug in hybrid EVs added onto the panel.”

Audi’s deal has especially huge kudos – Government VIP fleet contracts are highly valued and the other German premium brands generally enjoy more success globally.

BMW New Zealand has met the contract to supply limos for a decade with the biggest and most expensive sedan it makes, across two contract periods, the second time delivering a variant specially-created to suit the Government’s tastes. The cost of those cars has never been disclosed, however it has always been assumed they were availed at a price significantly below any recommended retail.

The Sevens were chosen on strength of being vastly more economical than the petrol-dedicated Ford Fairlanes that held the job for years. The current contract was cemented in 2016 and picked up 32 examples of the BMW 730Ld (3.0-litre turbo diesel, long-wheelbase), with two models from the previous fleet being retained. They were understood to be cars built to a high security level. MBIE said then that all the vehicles were leased rather than purchased.

However, issues such as Dieselgate and the emergent concern about the carcinogenic properties of diesel particulates has blackened the Sevens’ standing.

On top of this, Government expressed determination two years ago to go electric whenever possible as it work toward a stated ideal of an emissions-free fleet. 

BMW NZ cannot fulfil that dream. 

It has a number of plug-in electric cars, that use limited battery impetus but still rely on petrol engines for primary motivation, here but so far its wholly electric spearhead is represented by two small city cars - the i3 that’s almost at the end of its production life and the Mini-E. It will soon also have an all-electric version of the X3 compact crossover here.

An electric Seven is under development, but has yet to reach production, whereas the E-Tron has been on sale here for a year.

* Subsequent to this story’s publication, the Department of Internal Affairs has notified that “The Audi e-tron is part of the overall Crown fleet and is not dedicated to the Prime Minister.”

NZ pulled into BMW PHEV fire risk recall

An urgent global remedial action for plug-in hybrid BMWs and MINI cars has hit this market.

JUST a handful of plug-in hybrid BMW cars in New Zealand are thought to be drawn into a battery pack problem which could result in a short circuit and potentially cause a fire.

The maker has nonetheless issued a widespread recall for all of its plug-in hybrid vehicles.

The list of affected models includes the X1, X2, X3 and X5 SUVs, the 3, 5 and 7 Series saloons, the 2 Series Active Tourer, the i8 and the MINI Countryman.

The recall applies to any of these PHEV models that were built between 20 January and 18 September this year.

BMW estimates roughly 26,700 vehicles have been affected worldwide, but it seems just 12 of these are in this country.

Comment in respect to the New Zealand situation has come from BMW’s regional head office in Australia.

“We can confirm this safety recall relates to a small limited amount of PHEV variants of the BMW 3 Series, 3 Series Touring, X1, X2, X3, X5, 2 Series Active Tourer, 7 Series, 5 Series, 5 Series Touring and MINI Countryman models,” a spokesman related today.

“An inspection of the parts involved is currently being carried out.”

Any customer who wishes to check if their car is affected by a recall can visit the recalls section of the BMW New Zealand website now and key in their 17-digit VIN numbers to find out. 

Asked how many vehicles were subject to the recall, he said the count was 12, and all owners have been contacted. 

“Replacement loaned vehicles have been provided to these customers while their vehicle currently undergoes an inspection.” 

The initial remedial action comprised a 30 minute quality inspection. “Further action may be taken if needed.”

The spokesman did not respond to the proposal that some vehicles are expected to be off the road for weeks, due to delay in securing components.

Asked if BMW/MINI has suspended sale of PHEV product and what impact, if any, this issue had on the brand’s fully electric cars, the BMW i3 and the e-Mini, the spokesman responded: “This action does not affect full EVs, only PHEV models listed. This safety precaution recall does not affect all PHEV products. 

“It affects only a small amount of vehicles from one specific production line produced in the period 13/03/2020 – 06/08/2020.”

BMW Germany announced overnight its engineers have found some discrepancies in the manufacturing process of its battery packs, which the company sources from the third-party supplier Northvolt. 

The concern is that foreign contaminants may have been sealed into the units during their assembly, which have the potential to short circuit the battery pack and cause a fire.

A spokesperson for the brand in Germany said: "BMW Group has launched a worldwide safety recall and stopped delivery of a small number of plug-in hybrid vehicles as a preventative measure to check the high voltage battery.

“Internal analysis has shown that in very rare cases particles may have entered the battery during the production process.  

“When the battery is fully charged this could lead to a short circuit within the battery cells, which may lead to a fire. BMW apologises for the inconvenience caused to customers, but of course safety must come first."

German media reports that a fix is expected to start being rolled out by the end of the month. 

It is not the first recall to affect BMW's plug-in models. All of the above models bar the i8 were subject to a recall earlier this year to remove welding beads left on the battery.

Of course, BMW isn’t the only company plagued by battery-motivated recall issues, though. Ford, who uses the same battery supplier as BMW, issued a similar notice for the Escape PHEV after four vehicles short circuited and caught fire. 

Hyundai also issued a  recall for the Kona Electric after 16 reported cases of cars catching fire, which forced the Korean brand to recall more than 25,000 vehicles in South Korea. Whether the issue concerns NZ-delivered vehicles has not been made clear.

BMW M3 and M4 announced

Competition editions only for NZ market.

SOMEWHAT large grille you say?

Well, we hadn’t really noticed. 

Okay, so the second of those sentences isn’t true.

But so much has been said so often already about the controversial new vertical twin kidney grille that seems set to hit all future BMW cars from now on that it’s highly questionable anything fresh can be added to the discussion.

So, yeah, basically, you’ll like it enough to live with it. Or you won’t.

In respect to that, however, it’s interesting that BMW New Zealand has used today’s global unveiling of the next M3 and M4 as an opportunity to remind how Kiwis hold a special place in their hearts – and driveways – for Munich’s performance models.

When measured by per capita, the take-up is impressively strong. At the moment we rate at No.2 in the world, according to the Auckland-domiciled national distributor. 

Is that a swipe at Mercedes-AMG and Audi’s RS, which have in the past claimed similar representations based on per-head-of-population calculation?

If so, it’s worth raising one point. When it makes this claim, BMW here is basing its sums on marrying M and M Performance sales.

Fair to do? Well, while the first is rather more serious than the second, it’s also true the latter is less ‘sort-of’ sporty than it once was. Then again, it’s not how certain other German makes care to do it.

But, anyway, when they are counted as one, then it allows BMW New Zealand to claim one in four BMWs sold in the country carry high-performance badges and credentials.

Beyond that, the new M models are of deep interest because the distributor is only taking them in their sharpest and strongest form, badged as the Competition. That derivative is also the most expensive option but, hey, price has never seemed to be a burden in the past. 

Today’s international reveal while doubtless whet the appetites of those looking forward to signing up for the variants arriving in the first quarter of next year.

The M3 – which is the sedan, of course – and the M4 both run the same powerplant, a  twin-turbo six-cylinder in-line  petrol, creating 375kW of power and 650Nm of torque, against 353kW/550Nm in the standard format that Aussies can also take. 

Fans of manual gearboxes are out of luck. For NZ the mill is paired solely to an eight-speed M Steptronic transmission. But that hardly hurts acceleration. BMW cites a 0-100kmh sprint time of 3.9 seconds, which is 0.3s faster than the standard versions, with 0-200kmh completed in 12.5s – 1.2s faster than the non-Competition cars. 

They’ll be offered in rear-wheel-drive initially, but M xDrive system – a first for BMW in this segment - becomes available later in the year. 

BMW claims the newcomers will deliver significant dynamic advances made over their predecessors, these arriving as result of a rigorous M development and tuning processes conducted in part alongside testing for the new BMW M4 GT3 race car.

They ride on adaptive M suspension with electronically controlled shock absorbers and M-specific kinematics and elastokinematics for the front and rear axles and have variable ratio M Servotronic steering and an M-specific version of the integrated braking system not only helping to boost stopping power, but also allowing the driver to customise the brake feel between two different settings.

Speaking of fine-tuning. BMW has followed Audi’s lead in provisioning two steering wheel-mounted buttons providing direct access to the driver’s preferred driver set-ups which they can configure themselves and save.

Like the 3 and 4 Series models they are based on, the new M3/M4 have grown considerably compared to their predecessors, mainly in length – where there’s a 108mm gain – but also a touch more in width (up 26mm) and height, by 8mm. The coupe meanwhile shares its overall length with the sedan but measures is slightly narrower and lower. They both put on weight, too, by 83kg for the sedan and 140kg in two-door form.

 Both models come as standard with Park Distance Control with sensors at the front and rear, Front Collision Warning and Lane Departure Warning, plus the Speed Limit Info road sign detection system.

Options include the Driving Assistant Professional, complete with the Steering and Lane Control Assistant, Active Navigation function, Emergency Lane Assistant, BMW Drive Recorder and the latest generation of the BMW Head-Up Display with M-specific content.

The optional Parking Assistant comprises functions such as the Reversing Assistant.

Standard equipment including three-zone automatic climate control, LED interior lighting including ambient lighting and a hi-fi speaker system.

BMW Live Cockpit Professional – with its fully digital display grouping, cloud-based navigation system BMW Maps and the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant – is standard.

Additionally, updated smartphone integration enables the use of both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto via the car’s operating system.

A steel roof with integral glass tilt/sliding sunroof is available as a no-cost option for both models as an alternative to the standard carbon-fibre version.  

A new M Race Track Package, meanwhile, brings about a targeted reduction in vehicle weight.

This package includes M Carbon ceramic brakes, weight-minimised M light-alloy wheels (available as an option with semi-slick tyres) and the M Carbon bucket seats.

Fresh look M5 now in fresh format

The updated BMW M5 is out … and this time, it’s a double act.

The M5 Competition (above) is subject to a price hike … but now there’s also a dollar-saving Pure.

THIS time around, it’s no longer a policy of ‘only the best will do’ – now we’re in line to take the second-best, too.

 Admittedly, that shouldn’t be seen as a dismissive, as the car to which this policy applies is one of the very greats.

Still, it’s an interesting development that, for the first time, the BMW M5 on occasion of the release of a mid-life refresh will be made available in not just it’s most hardcore furnishing, again called the Competition, but also in the pared-down format – known as the ‘Pure’ – that has previously been left behind in Europe.

 BMW New Zealand has not offered no explanation for its policy change, but perhaps it comes down to price and positioning opportunity that comes.

 The ‘lesser’ model still has heaps of grunt, strong spec and a big sporting pedigree – and it comes in at $189,900. The Competition, meantime, is a $234,300 ask.

 Which means? Well, buy the lesser and you get an M5 for $10k less than the preceding car cost, or go for the Competition and prepare to be hit with a $35k price jump.

 Outwardly, the extra outlay seems unnecessary. Both editions run a common 4.4-litre V8 massaged with two turbos, relaying via an eight speed Steptronic transmission, and while the Competition has another 19kW power than the Pure, which produces the same 441kW as the pre-facelift car, they both deliver 750Nm and both reach 100kmh from a standing start in the same time: 3.3 seconds. They’ll also strike 200kmh in 10.8s. Top speed remains at 305kmh.

 So where does the M5 Competition deliver an edge? Well, in theory it’ll be under brakes and when charging around corners. The top dog has received chassis revisions and takes new shock absorbers from the M8 Gran Coupe. It sits 7mm lower and the suspension components are tuned to give the car around 10 percent more stiffness.  Engine mounts have a stiffer spring rate and M Compound brakes are upgraded to carbon ceramic units. It also has the same 20-inch wheels used by the M8.

 What to do with all this heft? The Competition having a Track drive mode which turns off all non-essential systems and deactivates most of the safety features to ensure maximum concentration from the driver suggests BMW wants owners to head their local race circuit.

 Overseas the Competition takes alone takes the M Sport exhaust system with flap-controlled tailpipes. In New Zealand it becomes standard to the Pure as well. And, of course, , the now-familiar BMW M xDrive – an intelligent all-wheel drive system that provides drivers with a choice of three drive mode settings, depending on desired driving outcomes – is standard, too.

 The updated model features styling changes, the most obvious being new headlights and taller twin kidney grille design. It also gets a larger front air intake, bolder contouring and a revamped tail-light arrangement.

 The Competition gets black paintwork on the intake and gill mesh, grille surround, wing mirror caps, bootlid spoiler and rear apron inserts, specific black badging and black chrome exhaust tips.

 Changes inside the cabin primarily extend to a new 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen (up from 10.25”) and two new buttons added to the centre console – M1 and M2.

 These allow drivers to flick between Road and Sport driving modes and provide a shortcut to the configuration menu within the infotainment system to tailor the car’s set-up to their liking.

 Merino leather M seat upholstery, four-zone climate control, Alcantara anthracite BMW Individual headlining, leather-clad instrument panel, roller sunblinds, M seatbelts and soft-close doors are provisioned.

 In terms of technology, BMW Operating System 7.0 powers the infotainment system while audio is played through a 16-speaker Bowers and Wilkins Diamond surround-sound system.

 Other features include BMW Live Cockpit Professional, BMW Connected Package Professional, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless charging, M head-up display, BMW Drive Recorder, tyre pressure monitoring, Driving Assistant Professional, Parking Assistant Plus and BMW Laser Light.

Trick or treat timing for 4-Series

The model that delivers a new shock look for BMW arrives locally just in time for a fright night festival.

CERTAINLY co-incidental, but a quirk bound to raise a wry response from critics nonetheless – that’s the BMW New Zealand’s launch timing for a car debuting the most controversial change to the brand’s styling language in ages.

An October arrival for the 4-SeriesCoupe in $81,900 420i entry guise and more pumped, $129,900 M440i xDrive formats chimes in nicely with an annual celebration of all things frightful.

 It’s highly probable then, that any local styling authorities (ie, anyone with a Facebook or Twitter account) who have already been quick to share their affronted view of the model’s primary street signature – the oversized vertically-emphasised kidney grilles that, according to BMW, “boldly evoke sporting icons of yore” – might yet suggest this is the perfect automotive accompaniment for ferrying those junior ghouls, goblins and Freddy Kruegers to their local Halloween festivities on October 31.

 Ok, black humour maybe, but who can resist commenting? After all, look at what the distributor is saying. Even after the heavy PR sanitisation through which all company comment passes prior to reaching media, Auckland office has not been able to avoid lending a view.

Introducing it as a car for those who “dare to be different”, BMW NZ goes onto to call the car “bold” and suggests it “possesses an even more individual identity” than its Three Series sibling and features “clearer differentiation” not just to the sedan and wagon line but also its predecessor. It’s intriguing that BMW here has chosen to offer, as standard equipment, the M styling packages that certainly take some of the edge off its approach.

The 135kW 2.0-litre TwinPower Turbo in-line four-cylinder 420i and a 275kW TwinPower Turbo in-line six-cylinder in the M440i xDrive are just the pathfinders for a purely petrol drive that, of course, will ultimately include an M4 still under development.

Both engines are mated to eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmissions that feature closer gear ratio calibration than it would get in the Three Series. This means the M440i xDrive will accomplish 0-100kmh sprint in 4.5 seconds.

Compared to the current G20 3-Series Sedan, the sportier 4 Series Coupé packs additional chassis stiffening elements, a bespoke steering and suspension geometry setup, sits 57mm lower, has a 23mm wider rear track which results in a 21mm overall drop in centre of gravity for even sharper driving characteristics.

The car steps up in cockpit tech, with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster standard and a 10.25-inch control display operating with BMW’s latest iDrive 7.0 software. 

Standard sports seats, luxurious upholsteries, trims and materials as well as clean, clear controls feature throughout the range. Both models can be upgraded with options packs, prices for which have not been shared.

iX3 unveiled and confirmed for NZ

BMW’s first battery-pure sports activity vehicle will be here in 2021

AN edition of the X3 crossover at the forefront of BMW’s electric vehicle push in 2021 has been revealed in full production form and confirmed for New Zealand.

BMW New Zealand has been surprisingly subdued about the iX3, unveiled in Munich by video conference last night (below).

The Auckland-based distributor’s comment has restricted to notification that pricing and specification details relevant to our market will be announced closer to local launch. The exact timing for this has yet to be divulged.

The lack of further comment from the distributor around the car’s announcement is at odds with the noise it was making a week ago, when it offered opinion that it has achieved leadership among German premium brands for electrified vehicle sales.

It claims this is on the back of BMW and MINI having shored up 25.8 percent of the premium segment in the first half of the year with ‘electrified’ vehicles – a descriptive apparently encompassing mild and plug-in hybrids (iPerformance in BMW-speak) which span everything from a hybrid 2-Series to the i8 whose production has been discontinued (though two remain unsold in NZ), as well as the sole pure battery-driven car it has here, the i3.

Claim that these models have been “outselling other German brands in the premium segment by more than 300 percent” seems an especially bold statement given the current car sales climate. And it has become one the brand has not yet been keen to unwrap further.

A request for further elaboration appears to still be churning through the local distributor’s media response process, which has become laborious since it ditched in-house media communications last year and contracted the role to an Auckland PR company, whose general policy is to pass on inquiries to BMW regional office in Australia to achieve a response that is subsequently relayed back to the media organisation. Or not.

By the time the iX3 lands, BMW will already have another small all-electric in the market, in the form of the MINI Electric hatch, whose first shipment arrives soon. BMW claims the entire 2020 allocation has already been sold out but has not said how many vehicles that comprises.

The iX3 is likely to be pitched as a competitor for three like-sorted models already on sale here - the Mercedes EQC, Audi e-tron and Tesla Model X – though those all offer all-wheel-drive, whereas the Munich model is rear-drive only.

BMW’s car also differs in being more obviously based on an existing model, yet it nonetheless represents an important step. It’s not just BMW’s first electric SUV, but also the first BMW to be available with either pure combustion, plug-in hybrid or pure electric power. 

It’s also the first BMW for global export to be built in China - a plant developed with a partner in that country, Brilliance, will be the sole production point - and is the first to feature the brand’s “fifth-generation” electric drivetrain technology, which will be applied on upcoming EVs like the i4 sedan and the range-topping iNEXT SUV. 

The X3’s platform has been adapted with a new rear sub-frame that can house an electric motor and an 80Wh battery pack that, BMW says, is 20 percent more energy dense than any battery it has used before. 

Combined with a 210kW electric motor driving the rear axle, BMW claims a maximum range of around 460km on a single charge, 0-100kmh in 6.8 seconds, and a top speed of 180kmh. 

Charging can be handled at up to 150kW at a suitable direct-current (DC) rapid charger station, enabling a 0-80 percent replenishment in 34 minutes. Alternating current (AC) single-phase and on-board three-phase charging at 11kW is also standard. 

BMW is talking up the car’s adaptive energy recuperation system, which it claims automatically enhances efficiency on longer drives. Using location data from BMW’s latest cloud-based navigation system, the iX3 can autonomously change the level of braking recuperation on the move and according to the road ahead. For instance, if the car recognises that a stop sign is ahead, full recuperation will be deployed without any need for the driver to select it. 

Alternately, the driver can take manual control of the regenerative braking, with three levels of resistance availed. A ‘B’ position on the Drive selector enables high enough energy recovery for one-pedal driving around town, a trick the brand appears to have nabbed from Toyota/Lexus. 

The iX3 gets a unique tune for its standard adaptive suspension system with electronically controlled dampers. Alternately, buyers will be able to specify a sportier Adaptive M suspension setup. 

The front grilles are closed off for aerodynamic purposes and the bumpers have been reprofiled and it gets set of aerodynamic wheels styled to reduce the drag coefficient by around five percent compared with regular X3 wheels. 

BMW 4-Series: The uber-grille age begins

Not the face, right? Actually, yeah – right in the face.

SHOCKED? You shouldn’t be – BMW has been preparing the market for the radical new nose design that debuts on the new Four Series for some time now (last year’s Concept 4 show car being a particularly strong enforcement of intent).

Even so, there’s bound to be a lot of fresh comment in reaction to the new ‘uber’ approach that is sure to spread across the entire family and presents as a differentiation from the rapid re-scaling project that, having already delivered wider grilles, is now seemingly into a new phase of making them much taller.

This, plus headlights in a particularly slanted design, will certainly ensure the Four will stand out all the more from its Three Series sedan and wagon stablemates, potentially to the point of leaving impression that it’s something more than what it’s always been: The coupe in that family. 

Officially unveiled today, about 36 hours after images leaked on-line, the new model is set to reach New Zealand in October, with 30i and M440i variants initially incoming, but assuredly followed in time by an M4 of course. Pricing and local specs will be announced closer to launch.

In respect to the look – since, you know, it’s going to fixate everyone for a while - it’s only fair to point out that the styling exercise goes beyond the nose. The whole car is 13 centimetres longer than the old coupe, with a wheelbase 4cm longer, and eclipses the Three sedan’s length by 5.5cm. It's also a touch wider than before. Regardless, it’s also more aerodynamic, dropping from 0.29 Cd to 0.25.

In respect to those engine, the car has the single-turbo 2.0-litre four-cylinder and 3.0-litre six from the Three. Tht meansa the 420i delivering 135kW/ 300Nm and the M440i packing 285kW/ 500Nm. The latter’s engine also makes use of a 48-volt starter/generator hybrid assist system. It produces around 8kW as needed, and allows for the start-stop system to activate when decelerating. 

Like the Three Series, the Four also drops the manual transmission altogether, so everything has an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The M440i xDrive is a clutch-operated all-wheel-drive system that can send all power to the rear wheels only when conditions permit. 

The M440i also takes other performance goodies such as the M Sport electronically controlled limited-slip differential, M Sport suspension and variable steering assist, and upgraded brakes with four-piston front calipers. It can also be fitted with the adaptive M Sport Suspension that can be adjusted for sporty stiffness or softer comfort. Exterior accents in Cerium Grey form a further identifying feature of BMW M440i xDrive while an M Carbon exterior package can also be optioned to add a motorsport-inspired aesthetic.

Design change is less extreme on the inside, with few extreme curves or angles. Standard equipment features an 8.8-inch infotainment screen and a 5.1-inch screen nestled between physical gauges in the instrument panel, but a 10.25-inch instrument display is optional, as is a 12.3-inch infotainment screen.

A sunroof and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard, too, along with a host of safety features including blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian recognition, automatic high-beam headlights and lane-departure warning. Adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist and parking cameras and sensors are optional.Full-LED headlights with high beam assistant are fitted as standard, while adaptive LED headlights with BMW Laserlight are available as an option.

BMW NZ is also promising local cars will have Remote Software Upgrade, which enables improved vehicle functions, the ability to update the vehicle software and additional digital services to be imported over the air.

Tech, styling lift with Five refresh

Can a facelift for the Five Series reignite Kiwi consumer interest?

THE BMW that meant a lot more in the past than it perhaps does in the present is facing up to the future with a refreshed look.

No argument about the Five Series’ – it’s still an important car to Munich, but the shift away from orthodox wagons and sedans to crossovers and full blown SUVs means its standing has become progressively historic. Still, that it won the inaugural New Zealand Car of the Year, in 1988, and snared the NZ Motoring Writers’ Guild title again in 2010 reminds that it has made a real imprint.

Can that allure continue? Five Series volume last year being less than a third of the count for the X5 that has progressively become more divorced from the road car suggests it is now something of a niche attraction.

Nonetheless, if street presence still counts for anything, then the updated line that BMW has just revealed ahead of expected arrival herein October surely stands a chance of winning interest?

A new-look, slimmed LED headlight cluster that eschews the hexagonal design of the outgoing model for an L-shaped motif also seen on the updated 7 Series, plus employment of a longer and wider grille deliver a sleeker look than the present product offers. Those lights are really high-end items too, being full LED beams with cornering function as standard. Even higher-tech BMW Laserlights avail as an option.

The L-shaped signature continues at the rear with a lightly restyled light cluster, while all grades will now come with trapezoidal exhaust tips. 

New colours and alloy wheel designs are on the delivery sheet, while the M Sport exterior design package promises to be beefier than before.

Almost all four and six-cylinder models now get 48-volt mild-hybrid electrification. The system (in effect an integrated starter/generator that’s coupled to a small additional battery) produces up to 8kW to help with overtaking, off-the-line acceleration and stop-start situations.

Inside, the 10.25-inch infotainment screen has been increased to 12.3-inches across the range to go with the redesigned centre console controls, while all variants now come with a leather multifunction sports steering wheel.

BMW New Zealand has yet to divulge exactly how many of the 16 variants the portfolio will come here, however it’s fair to say that whatever signs off for Australia will land here as well, so close is the transtasman association and management structure.

In that light, then, the range will include the M550i xDrive with its 390kW/750Nm twin-turbo V8. BMW in Melbourne is also relating interest in two other full petrol engines and plug-in hybrid (PHEV).

Thought is that the petrol variants will be the entry-level 520i with its 135kW/290Nm turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine, and the mid-range 530i, with the same engine boosted to produce 185kW/350Nm, while the 530e is rated as being a good starter for the PHEV duty. That model marries the 520i’s engine with an 80kW electric motor for a combined 215kW/420Nm.

That M550i will continue in its role of impressing as a pseudo M5. It’s a four-wheel-drive model that gets an M Sport differential and adaptive suspension and is rated to see off 100kmh in just 3.8 seconds.

On the safety front, the lane departure warning system now features steering assistance to return the car to the middle of the lane, while the range of functions in the Parking Assistant suite has been expanded to include reversing assistant, which enables self-backing for distances of up to 50 metres.

Wireless Apple CarPlay continues and Android Auto is now available, while BMW’s Intelligent Personal Assistant functionality has been expanded, with the ability to install updates over the air.