Entries Tagged 'BMW' ↓

I was inspired to knock out a quick CNN iReport this morning, based on the recent developments in Washington. While this might not be what you expect, it goes right to the heart of the matter at GM. I recently had the chance to review a Pontiac G8 GT back-to-back with a BMW 335d. After evaluating each car for a week, I was impressed with both. For the folks that think that GM can’t build a car that’s competitive with the imports, I can only suggest that they take a G8 GT out for a test drive.

Continue reading →

MPG-o-Matic BMW 335d Review Summary: . The 2009 BMW 335d sets a new standard for performance-oriented sedans, by delivering a remarkable combination of fuel economy, acceleration, handling, and electronics.

The 2009 BMW 335d is like nothing else on the road in America today. While it looks, for all intents and purposes, like typical 3-series BMW, the 335d’s game-changing clean diesel engine transforms the car into a tour de force to be reckoned with.

Continue reading →

I spied the 123d M Sport the moment she emerged from the Rio Hotel’s parking garage. The 123d’s brilliant blue paint glittered as it rolled under the valet parking area’s overhang.

It was like no BMW I’d ever seen with my own eyes … the grille was unmistakable, but it was attached to body that could be mistaken for any one of a number of hatchbacks.

After the valet pulled the car around we chatted a bit as I loaded up my camera gear and fitted the rig. He was amazed that it was a diesel. And not just any diesel … likely the only BMW 123d M Sport prowling the streets of America.

A quick stop at the vending machine to pick up a bottle of iced tea (as a concession to the fact I was headed off into the Nevada desert) and I was soon settled behind the wheel … looking in vain for a cup holder. I found none.

“It’s the ultimate driving machine,” I heard a voice in my head say in an unmistakable accent. “Not a coffee shop.”

I tossed the bottle of iced tea onto the back seat, crept out of the Rio’s parking lot, and headed west on Flamingo.

In this first short video, I drop the hammer on the 123d … if you watch carefully, you’ll see me check the cheat card after letting off to see how many kilometers equal 60 miles per hour. d’oh!

Continue reading →

Alternative Fuels and Vehicles 2008 conference attendees were in for a rare treat at the Bosch sponsored a clean diesel ride-n-drive event on Monday evening, May 12th.

After opening remarks from diesel hot rodding legend Gale Banks, attention turned to the race course laid out though the parking lots of the Rio Hotel and a generous selection of Euro-diesel gems from Bosch’s fleet.

Attendees were treated to some of the finest examples of diesel engineering currently prowling the streets of Europe, including a Honda Accord i-CDTi and i-CDTi CR-V, Chrysler 300, BMW 535d M Sport, Jeep Grand Cherokee diesel, and a Mercedes-Benz E320.

Two of the newest and smallest additions to Bosch’s fleet proved to be the hits of the evening, with the MINI Cooper D and BMW 123d M Sport hot hatchbacks especially well suited to the tight curves of the Rio track.

For those that had never driven a modern clean diesel vehicle, the event was an eye opener, with each vehicle delivering exceptional performance and economy in their respective classes.

For attendees that missed the event … there’s always next year …

Over the years, BMW’s 3-Series have earned a well-deserved reputation for delivering a convincing combination of performance and handling, while achieving reasonable gas mileage (for those blessed with the constitution to keep their foot out of it). The current crop of BMW 328s and 335s are no exception, with highway gas mileage ratings in the mid to high twenty mile per gallon range.

The imminent return of diesel-powered BMWs to America herald a new era of fuel efficient sporting transport. The 5-series will likely be the first BMW diesels to arrive. We can only hope that the 3-series diesels follow quickly, as the mileage ratings are nothing less than stunning (for the average American).

In the UK, the diesel-powered BMW 320d ES is rated at 47.1 miles per Imperial gallon (MPG) urban, 68.9 MPG extra-urban, and 58.9 MPG combined with a six-speed manual transmission. That equates roughly to 39.2 city, 57.4 highway, 49 combined here in America. The 320d is no dog … as turns in a 0-62 mile per hour (MPH) time of 7.9 seconds with a top speed of 143 MPH.
Continue reading →