BMW M5's Project Leader Says V8 has Few Things in Common with X5M and X6M Engine

Like its predecessors, the new 2013 BMW M5, which received its public debut at the 64th Frankfurt Motor Show, is based on the regular 5-Series sedan with some subtle exterior modifications but a whole lot of changes under the skin.

Now, some may think that BMW's M Gmbh performance division simply took a 5-Series sedan, beefed it up a bit and shoehorned the twin-turbo V8 found in the X5 M and X6 M SUVs under it's hood. However, Maximillian Ahme, the man that led the M5's development team, says that's not the case.

In an interview with the BMW M magazine, Ahme shed some light on the development and the unique features of the latest M5 super saloon.

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BMW Opens its Second Exclusive M Showroom in St. Petersburg, Russia

Initially created to handle BMW's racing program in the early 1970s, the Bavarian firm's M division grew exponentially over the years and is now responsible for the development of the brand's high-performance models like the M3 and M6.

Such is the success of BMW M Gmbh, that the German firm has begun opening exclusive showrooms for the sub-brand's vehicle lineup around the world. The first dedicated BMW M Showroom was launched in Singapore in the summer of 2010.

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This is What the Fastest Christmas Card in the World Looks Like [Video]

What defines the fastest Christmas car in the world? Well, the answer depends on whom you ask. For BMW's M division, it's a card that was designed in a speeding 2012 M5 sports sedan.

The Bavarian firm's performance arm asked Swiss illustrator Gavin Patterson to draw a cliché Christmas motif but with a twist (and a few turns, for that matter…); he had to do it in the passenger seat of an M5 while precision driver Urs Inauen flogged the car around the Circuit de l'Anneau Du Rhin.

To find the outcome, follow the jump and watch the video.

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BMW Reveals New "Eclipse" Media Campaign for the 2013 6-Series Gran Coupe

BMW Reveals New "Eclipse" Media Campaign for the 2013 6-Series Gran Coupe

Despite the fact that the 6-Series Grand Coupe’s world premiere will take place in March at the Geneva Motor Show and the first cars won't be arriving in showrooms until next summer, BMW has already readied a media campaign for its spanking new sports saloon. The global campaign, which will launch in print and TV media in the second quarter of 2012, features a total eclipse of the sun as the central theme and the motto “Beauty. Revealed”.
BMW tells us that the beginning of the commercial, the new version of the 6-Series will be barely visible, but as the eclipse progresses, the firm's newest model will gradually come into light. When the eclipse ends, the sun will come out and the Gran Coupe will be fully revealed.
“The new BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe marks the beginning of a new chapter. It is BMW’s first four-door coupé and combines uncompromising driving dynamics with exclusive elegance and breath-taking design”, said head of BMW communications Andreas-Christoph Hofmann. “The campaign uses the image of a solar eclipse to highlight the model’s uniqueness.”
You can take a peek at the print ads right after the break.

VIDEO: The new BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe

BMW Reveals New "Eclipse" Media Campaign for the 2013 6-Series Gran Coupe

Despite the fact that the 6-Series Grand Coupe’s world premiere will take place in March at the Geneva Motor Show and the first cars won't be arriving in showrooms until next summer, BMW has already readied a media campaign for its spanking new sports saloon.

The global campaign, which will launch in print and TV media in the second quarter of 2012, features a total eclipse of the sun as the central theme and the motto “Beauty. Revealed”.

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Second Video Teaser on BMW's New X6 Powered by M, Likely Sports a Diesel Engine

While BMW officials remain extremely tight lipped on what's hiding under the hood of their brand new X6 Powered by M model, the company has published a second video teaser of the sporty crossover.

This time, along with the new blurred views of the X6 Powered by M, we also get to hear some statements from BMW M's people.

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Watch a 2012 BMW M5 Kick Up Some Sand at the Beach

As you can see in the video below, someone apparently forgot to inform the seagulls sunbathing under the sun at Pendine Sands beach on the shores of Carmarthen Bay on the south coast of Wales, that BMW's UK arm had some very special plans for the day…

More specifically, the Bavarian carmaker wanted to show its support to the London 2012 Performance Team athletes, of whom it is an official sponsor, in its own unique way – read placing precision driver Wolfgang Weber behind the wheel of the new twin-turbocharged M5 saloon and letting him have some drifting fun.

You can find the video right after the jump.

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The New 2013 BMW 6-Series Gran Coupe Detailed on Film

After the first pictures and details on BMW's new 6-Series Gran Coupe followed by our supplementary report on the M Sport Package and the live configurator, we're wrapping up our coverage on the Bavarian firm's answer to the Mercedes-Benz CLS with the official videos that include static and driving footage.

The most important things you should know about the Gran Coupe is that it rides on a 113mm (4.4-in.) longer wheelbase than the 6-Series Coupe to help make more legroom for the rear passengers, while the engine lineup remains the same and currently includes two turbocharged petrols, a straight-six and a V8, plus a six-cylinder diesel unit.

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Mechanical Synfonica is an Ode to Orchestra and Fast Cars with a Pinch of Good-looking Women

While fast cars and beautiful women are a match made in heaven, producer Alexander Sperr and director Daniel Michaelis took a slightly different turn with their latest clip by incorporating the classic sounds from a symphony orchestra into the mix.

The cars featured in the video are a modified Audi S5 and a BMW 3-Series [E92]. While we can't say that we're too enthusiastic about the editing of the video which was allegedly shot at the Stelvio Pass in Italy, the clip is worth a few minutes of your time. You can check it out after the break.

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This is What Happens when You Get Cocky with a BMW X3 at the Beach [Video]

Would you believe us if we told you that the BMW X3 SUV and the sea don't mix? Well, actually, some people need to find that out the hard way.

The owner of a murdered-out, first generation BMW X3 mistook the Bavarian model for a Lada Niva true-blue 4x4 and attempted some show and tell at the beach (possibly somewhere in Poland) by driving the crossover down to the water to pick up his other toy, a jet ski on a trailer.

As you can imagine, things didn't quite work out the way he planned… But at least he and his buddies had some good laughs and at the end, he was able to pull out the bimmer from the sand and the sea with the help of a winch. You can watch the videos for yourself right after the jump.

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Polish Video Awesomeness: BMW E30 Gymkhana Style

Polish Video Awesomeness: BMW E30 Gymkhana Style

Ken Block's Gymkhana? Sure, it's cool and all but for those of you that want to see something different and out of the PR-ordinary [...] for a change and one that does not include a Ford Fiesta for the umpteenth time, some chaps over from Poland have readied a pretty interesting video that you may want to watch. For starters, it's more like a short film and an impressive one at that – though we could have done without the black filters.
The star of the clip is a tuned, E30 BMW 3-Series coupe from the late 1980s that can be seen drifting around or with several types of vehicles from a classic Ford Gran Torino and a truck to a…tank (though we're not entirely sure if the latter is real or has been digitally added). And then there's that blonde in high heels and not much else…
Watch the first installment of the two-part series in the video after the break.

Thanks go to Michał Dyrda for the video find!

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BMW Releases Teaser Film on Mystery New X6 M Model, Could it be the Diesel?

Those Bavarians are always coming up with something to grab our attention. Their latest mystery film is about a new edition or model of the X6 with the famed M logo.

The only official information we get from BMW is that the vehicle seen in the teaser clip will establish "a new category of automobiles" and that it represents "a new chapter powered by M".

The vehicle itself or rather certain parts of the crossover like the lights, hood and, of course, the moniker on the tailgate, are craftily blurred out.

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Polish Video Awesomeness: BMW E30 Gymkhana Style

Ken Block's Gymkhana? Sure, it's cool and all but for those of you that want to see something different and out of the PR-ordinary [...] for a change and one that does not include a Ford Fiesta for the umpteenth time, some chaps over from Poland have readied a pretty interesting video that you may want to watch.

For starters, it's more like a short film and an impressive one at that – though we could have done without the black filters.

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Former BMW Employees Charged with Misdemeanor after taking New 1 M Coupe for a Spin in L.A. [Video]

What happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, but what you upload on the web is there for the entire world to see.

And that's one lesson learned the hard way for Vacheh Margoussian, 21, and Artin Yazidjian, 22, both of which were employed as a valet and a tire technician respectively at the Pacific BMW dealership in Los Angeles when they allegedly took a brand-new 1 M Coupe for a joyride and uploaded a video on Youtube.

Now, both men have not only lost their jobs but are also facing misdemeanor charges filed by the LA County district attorney’s office.

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AC Schnitzer Reveals 2012 BMW 650i Coupe Tune Ahead of Essen Motor Show [with Video]

Looking to offer enthusiasts more options for customizing the new 2012 BMW 6-Series Coupe, AC Schnitzer will unveil its new tuning program for the 650i at this week's 2011 Essen Motor Show in Germany.

Dubbed the ACS6 5.0i, the package includes a performance upgrade with unspecified modifications for the 4.4-liter turbocharged V8 engine that help lift output from 407HP to 540-horses.

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