New Alpina B6 Based on the 2012 BMW 6-Series Coupe

New Alpina B6 Based on the 2012 BMW 6-Series Coupe

Back in April, BMW lifted the covers off its spanking new 2012 6-Series Coupe at the Shanghai Auto Show in China. Having already shown the Convertible version, the only model left to complete the series is the presentation of the M6 in both coupe and open top forms. Well, at least in absolute terms, as we’ve yet to hear from BMW’s longtime tuner, Alpina, which is considered a manufacturer in its own right.

And that’s where Carscoop reader Michael from Germany steps in. Michael spotted this partially camouflaged 2012 BMW 6-Series Coupe parked somewhere in Munich. And while the lack of any aero parts such as the typical M-style front bumper with larger air vents minimize the possibility of it being the new M6, there are two elements that make us believe it could be the upcoming Alpina B6.

We’re talking of course about the multispoke alloy wheels and the dual round tail pipes on either corner, both of which are typical styling traits of of Alpina’s cars along with the characteristic white decals and subtle front and rear spoilers.

Alpina’s most recent take on the BMW 6-Series was the B6, which was based on the previous generation E63 Coupe and E64 Convertible models. Launched in 2006, the B6 was fitted with a modified 4.4-liter turbocharged V8 engine pushing out 500 ponies. In late 2007, the Buchloe-based tuner presented the B6 S, again based on the 650i, but with its tweaked 4.4-liter force-fed V8 delivering 530-horses. It remained in production until late 2010.

Given that Alpina’s B5 BiTurbo (built on the new 550i) is fitted with the same 4.4-liter V8 engine found under the hood of the 2012 650i but tuned to crank out 507HP, it’s very likely that the tuner will use this V8 on its upcoming B6, perhaps with a higher output.

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Will China's BYD Bring the F3DM to the U.S. or will this be Just Another Broken Promise?

Will China's BYD Bring the F3DM to the U.S. or will this be Just Another Broken Promise?

When it comes to making cars, China is king. We’re talking the world’s largest car market, with over a hundred individual marques. So why is it that there are virtually zero Chinese car manufactures selling cars in the U.S. aka the world’s other largest car market?

So far, China’s “Big Four” (well, the four most visible to those outside of China) have made and broken promises of bringing their vehicles to the North American market. Brilliance, Chery, Nanjing and Geely have all backed down from their plans to open dealerships and factories stateside. So far, not a single car from China's major automakers has touched down on U.S. soil outside a motor show.

Senior analyst Bill Visnic of Edmunds.com explains why: “This isn’t computers or cellphones, where you just get into a big-box store. You need some dealerships, and those things are tremendous investments of time and resources. [The Chinese] thought it was going to be a lot easier than it was.”

BYD hopes to change all that. China’s sixth largest automaker provided plug-in hybrid cars to the 2008 Beijing Olympics and now plans on bringing that hybrid, the awkwardly named F3DM, to the U.S.A. for Spring 2012. It still could be an uphill challenge, though.

The fallout from the slump in auto sales after the Global Financial Crisis, the government’s bailouts of two of the Big Three, the liquidation of numerous dealerships and the reduction in hybrid sales that came with the sudden drop in fuel prices is still being felt in much of America’s automotive heartland. Add to that the small market share commanded by hybrid and electric vehicles – just 2.2% worldwide according to JD Power – and BYD may be in over their heads already.

AS Mike Omotoso from JD Power explains:

“Because consumers are wary about electric vehicles and their driving range and batteries, they are even more likely to go with more established companies like G.M. and Nissan. The problem with the Chinese car companies is they are trying to run before they walk.”

Only time will tell if BYD’s U.S. plans end in fruition or failure.

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BMW Launches New 2011 Frozen Black Edition M3 Coupe for North America, Costs $21,000 More!

BMW Launches New 2011 Frozen Black Edition M3 Coupe for North America, Costs $21,000 More!

BMW has dropped information on a new limited edition version of its M3 Coupe for the North American market. The 2011 BMW Frozen Black M3 Coupe will be available in a limited production run of 20 units for the USA, each priced at a hefty $79,650 (~€55,500), not including a $875 destination charge.

So what does a $21,000 premium over the standard M3 Coupe get you other than a very happy salesperson and an even merrier dealer? Well, in typical BMW fashion, not much as the special edition M3 Coupe is a cosmetic package with some minor mechanical upgrades.

The two-door sports car is painted in a flat Individual Frozen Black hue and comes equipped with 19-inch GTS wheels finish in gloss black, with the same color being applied to the kidney grilles, fender vents and exhaust tips. The package also includes red-colored brake calipers, black leather interior with contrasting red stitching and carbon fiber accents, a 10mm lowered suspension and sport mapping for the EDC/DSC.

All special edition M3’s are fitted with the standard 4.0-liter, 414-horsepower V8 engine coupled with BMW’s M Double Clutch Transmission (M DCT) which lowers the 0-60mph (96km/h) acceleration time from 4.7 seconds to 4.5 seconds.

BMW said those interested will have to call to reserve the first nineteen 2011 Frozen Black Edition M3 Coupes by dialing 1-800-245-4269 starting from Thursday, June 16, 2011. The first nineteen cars will become available for delivery in late June with the production run to be completed by the end of July 2011. According to the company, the twentieth car will be held by BMW of North America and “may be sold at a later date”.

Equipment List, Frozen Black Edition M3 Coupe:

• BMW Individual Frozen Black Exterior Paint
• Black Extended Novillo leather with Red Contrast Stitching on seats, headrests, door inserts, armrests, middle console, and door pulls.
• Black M3 GTS wheels, 19” diameter with high-performance summer tires
• Red brake calipers
• Gloss black kidney grills
• Gloss black side-gill elements
• Gloss black exhaust pipe tips

Additional specified equipment from M3 catalog:

• M-DCT Transmission with Drivelogic
• Competition Package

1. Lowered suspension
2. Sport mapping for EDC/DSC

• Premium Package 2

1. Power folding auto-dimming mirrors
2. Universal garage-door opener
3. Power front seats
4. Carbon Leather interior trim
5. Interior mirror with compass
6. BMW Assist with Bluetooth

• Convenience Package

1. Anti-theft alarm system
2. Comfort Access keyless entry system
3. Park Distance Control (rear)
4. Navigation System
5. Voice-command
6. iPod and USB adapter
7. Real-time Traffic Information

• Heated Front Seats
• Satellite Radio with 1-year subscription
• BMW Individual Enhanced Premium Sound System

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Meet the First Modified 2012 Volkswagen Beetle Inspired by the Porsche 911 GT3 RS

Meet the First Modified 2012 Volkswagen Beetle Inspired by the Porsche 911 GT3 RS

We have no doubt that this year belongs to the new 2012 Volkswagen Beetle when it comes to tuning mainstream cars. Just wait and see once the first production models begin arriving in the market this fall. For those of you that can’t linger until September, here’s a first example of a tuned 2012 Beetle.

The 2012 Beetle RS Stage 1 is the creation of the Volkswagen-loving crew at VWvortex who were given a pre-production model by the German firm to work on. Since the vehicle came with no registration and license plates, the team decided to skip on the engine modes for now and concentrate on the styling aspect of the tune, which as you may have already guessed by now, was inspired by the Porsche 911 GT3RS.

Starting with the wheels, VWvortex fitted the new Beetle with a set of VMR710 20-inch alloys with a 35 offset. The rims are finished in orange and are wrapped around in Continental ExtremeContact DW 245-35ZR20 tires. Behind the front wheels is a Brembo Stage II brake kit with 14" front two-piece cross drilled rotors, four-piston radial mount calipers, aluminum mounting brackets, stainless braided lines and pads.

The exterior makeup is limited for now to Beetle RS graphics finished in orange on either side of the car, the blacked out chrome strips on the lower part of the doors and the front grille, plus the 3M Titanium Brushed wrap for the rear VW logo. The team’s next upgrade will include a 997 GT3 RS-style rear wing.

Once VW comes out with the series production model, the plan is to move on with the performance upgrades said to include a turbo and exhaust system upgrade, and a locking torque-biasing differential.

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BMW’s Retrolicious 328 Homage Concept Makes Official Debut

BMW’s Retrolicious 328 Homage Concept Makes Official Debut

The stage is set for this weekend’s Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este in Italy with automakers and individual owners of classic cars already rolling out their goods for the 2011 edition of the show. The famed event will also play host to the world premiere of a fresh batch of sports car concept cars such as the Aston Martin V12 Zagato that we told you about earlier today and the BMW 328 Hommage concept, which we present here.

The BMW 328 Hommage was created on the occasion of the original model’s 75th birthday. While the Bavarian automaker avoids to make the connection, the 328 Hommage appears to be based on (or at least developed from) the Vision ConnectedDrive roadster study, which premiered at this year’s Geneva Motor Show.

To give the car a more retro look while keeping its futuristic feel, BMW’s designers took certain elements of the original 328 adapted them to their new roadster study. These include the slim and dare we say, much missed from BMW fans, vertically positioned double kidney grille, the leather straps across the bonnet, the styling of the wheels, and the double windscreen with a recess in the middle. The doors were also removed to imitate the styling of the 328.

In keeping with the original roadster’s lightweight philosophy, most major parts of the exterior and interior of the 328 Hommage are made of carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP), which BMW says is lighter but also more stable than aluminum.

The two seater interior has far fewer retro touches than the exterior with BMW’s designers going for a minimalistic look. The materials used inside include carbon fiber, leather and aluminum, all of which are purposely visible.

The concept model is powered by a 3.0-liter straight-six engine, but that’s all the technical specifications we get about the car from BMW.

Get a look of the Bavarian firm’s new concept model in the gallery, and leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

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Extra-Terrestrial Vehicle: A Chevy Aveo of the Third Kind

The Extra-Terrestrial Vehicle or ETV -we're not even kidding, that's the car's official name- is a futuristic-looking custom build created by Mike Vetter and his Florida-based company, 'The Car Factory'. It's hard to believe it just by looking at the ETV, but underneath that sci-fi outfit you'll find a Chevrolet Aveo stripped out of its body but not its heart.

Mike, who also works on Carrera GT replica bodies for the Porsche Boxster, claims on his website that buyers can opt either for an Aveo or a Boxster donor car. Somehow though, we find it hard to believe that anyone would give up a Porsche, no matter how many thousands of time they've seen Captain Kirk and Spock fighting off intruders from other planets.

But even in the case that the Chevy Aveo is the donor car, the ETV will most likely alienate you with its 'out of this world' price. We discovered that the Florida-based company has listed a completed ETV on eBay with a 'Buy it Now' price of just... $86,000. Cool but not $86k cool.

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Nissan Brazil Strikes Again with an Ad for a Family Minivan that You’re Never Going See in the U.S. [NSFW]

Nissan Brazil Strikes Again with an Ad for a Family Minivan that You’re Never Going See in the U.S. [NSFW]

Back in March, Nissan do Brasil aired a commercial, which drew the wrath of Ford’s local arm for making claims that the Detroit automaker charges customers too much for its family models. But while Ford’s people only saw a Focus and a pair of rappers dressed as engineers chanting about the money they made by overpricing the hatchback, some viewers were also captivated by the curvalicious bikini-clad models…

Now, Nissan of Brazil returns with a new TV spot, this time for the Livina 7-seater compact minivan. While the Japanese carmaker avoids referring to a specific rival, the theme appears to be similar: scantily dressed female models dancing provocatively and a tagline aimed at the competition. And oh; towards the end of the clip you may notice the Livina and young family of four (not that we’re complaining about the appearance of the ladies…).

Translated through Google, Nissan’s description of the ad reads: “The new commercial shows giant Nissan competition treating people like ants. Only the 2012 Nissan Livina has all the space your family needs.” If any of you speak Portuguese and could help out by translating some bits from the commercial, you’re welcome to the comments.

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2011 BMW 5-Series Sedan: 80 High-Res Photos and Official Details

2011 BMW 5-Series Sedan: 80 High-Res Photos and Official Details

The BMW 7-Series' smaller brother both in terms of size and styling, the new 5-Series, was officially launched today. Key highlights include a less controversial exterior design that's more muscular and draws heavily on the Bavarian firm's flagship limousine and the return of the BMW's driver orientated center console and the classic four circular gauges on the instrument panel. Add to that an increased length of 4,899mm or 192.9'' (previous model: 4,841 mm or 190.6'') combined with a wheelbase of 2.968 mm or 116.9'' (+80 mm or +3.15'') and a revised engine lineup that includes turbocharged inline-six and V8 units.

The increased length and what BMW describes as the largest wheelbase in the segment, are said to translates into an extra 13mm of knee room for the rear passengers, compared to the previous 5 Series, while the sedan also get a 520-litre boot with the option to specify 40:20:40 split folding rear seats.

The new 5-Series, codenamed F10, is based on the same platform as the 5-Series GT and the latest 7-Series sedan. The double wishbone layout up front is combined with a multilink axle at the back while for the first time, the 5 Series comes with Electric Power Steering with Servotronic assistance.

Those that specify the car with Variable Damper Control or Adaptive Drive packages, the Drive Dynamic Control (DDC) chassis configurator allows for fine tuning of the chassis with the choice of Normal, Comfort, Sport and Sport+ with each mode changing the levels of steering assistance, throttle response, gear change characteristics, degree of Dynamic Stability Control interaction and, courtesy of adjustable dampers, the ride and handling characteristics.

All models will come equipped with a Brake Energy Regeneration system that recharges the vehicle's battery during engine over-run while the 520d is the first 5 Series to come with Auto Start-Stop.

At launch, the 2011 BMW 5-Series will be available in Europe with four petrol and three diesel engines. The diesel lineup includes:

- A 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 184HP and 380Nm (280.2 lb-ft) for the 520d that accelerates from 0 to 100km/h (62mph) in 8.1 sec, has a top speed of 227km/h (141mph) and returns a combined fuel economy of 5.0lt/100km (56.5 mpg US)

- The 525d is powered by 3.0-liter straight-six turbo diesel that makes 204HP and 450Nm (332 lb-ft) for a 0-100km/h (62mph) sprint time of 7.2 sec, a top speed of 236km/h (147mph) and an avg fuel consumption of 6.2lt/100km (37.9 mpg US).

- The 530d features a 245hp and 540Nm (398 lb-ft) 3.0-liter turbo diesel for a zero to 100km/h (62mph) time of just 6.3 seconds and an electronically-limited top speed of 250km/h (155mph). It returns a combined 6.3lt/100km (37.3mpg).

The gasoline range includes:

- The 523i which is equipped with a 204HP and 270Nm (199 lb-ft) 3.0-liter naturally aspirated inline-six that allows for a zero to 100km/h (62mph) sprint in 7.9 seconds and a top speed of 238km/h (148mph) with a combined fuel economy of 7.6lt/100km (30.9mpg US).

-Next up is the 528i with a 258HP and 310Nm (228.7 lb-ft) straight six. 0 to 100km/h (62mph) comes in 6.6 seconds while top speed is electronically-limited to 250 km/h (155mph). This model returns an average fuel consumption of 7.8lt/100km (30.2mpg US).

-The 535i gets a new, 3.0-liter inline-six with a single, twin-scroll turbocharger (instead of the 335i's two turbochargers). It makes 306HP and 400Nm (295 lb-ft) for a zero to 100km/h (62mph) sprint time of 6.0 seconds and an electronically-limited top speed of 250 km/h (155mph) with a combined fuel economy of 8.5lt/100km (27.7mpg US).

-The range topping 550i features a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 engine with 407HP and 600Nm (442 lb-ft). It hits the 100km/h (62mph) mark in just 5.0 seconds and has an electronically-limited top speed of 250 km/h (155mph). BMW says that it returns a combined 10.4lt/100km (22.6mpg US).

An eight-speed automatic transmission will be offered as standard on the 550i and an option on all other models which come equipped with six-speed manual gearboxes.

As a further option, BMW also offers a Sport Automatic variant of the eight-speed transmission that allowsmanual selection of gears by means of shift paddles on the steering wheel.

In the States, the new 5-Series will be offered with a choice of three gasoline engines. The entry-level 523i features a naturally aspirated inline-six rated in the U.S. at 240HP; the 535i with a turbocharged straight-six producing 300HP and 300 lb-ft of torque; and the 550i that gets a twin-turbo 4.4L V8 cranking out in U.S-spec "over 400HP" and 450 lb-ft of torque.

BMW said that in the U.S., the 528i and xDrive all-wheel drive variants of all three models will arrive a little after the launch of the RWD 535i and 550i in 2010. In addition, the U.S.-spec 535i and 550i will be available with a choice of 6-speed manual transmission, BMW's new 8-speed automatic transmission, or a new "Sport Automatic" 8-speed.

On the technological side, the 2011 5-series will be available with various standard and optional goodies such as Head-up Display, Night Vision with pedestrian recognition, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Change Warning, Speed Limit Info, two rear entertainment packages and a Surround View system that uses cameras in the side mirrors and the front wheel arches in conjunction with Park Distance Control and the optional Reversing Assist camera to provide a 360 degree view on the iDrive display to assist parking.

Last but not least, the new 5er also features a 4th generation iDrive control screen available in two versions: with 7.0-in. dimensions and 800 x 480-pixel resolution in standard form, or with the optional Navigation system, in a 10.2-in., 1280 x 480-pixel version with a wider range of features and functions as seen in the latest 7 Series.

The 2011 5-Series is scheduled to go on sale in Europe in March 2010, and shortly after in North America and other international markets.

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