BMW Blog, Performance, Tuning, Motorsport, and Modification News

These special edition M3's are becoming basically pointless with a new one seemingly released every week offering nothing more than already available packages with some different paint and interior accents. This M3 is $70,995 and basically amounts to a standard M3 with individual paint, alcantra trim, and the already available competition package. This M3 can join other useless "special editions" such as the M Performance M3 for the UK and the Competition Edition for the USA. ...

Here is a race between a mildly modified C6 Z06 running an Akrapovic exhaust and LG Super Pro longtube headers. The M3 has the ESS-VT2 625 supercharger kit and it is a 6-speed manual car. The Z06 does a pretty good job hanging in there considering the power disparity and that the M3 got a slight jump. We would love to see a few more runs but it is impressive to see a 6 speed M3 do well against a modified Z06 as it has pretty much only been supercharged DCT M3's getting the wins against Z06's. ...

Togheter with DP in europe JAWS has produced the best Piston and Rod combo avaible today for the S54. Billet Turbo Drag Boxed Pistons machined to perfection, weight matched with Swedish quality Uddeholm orvar supreme H13 tool steel pins. Forged Cross H Beam Reinforced Drag Rods with Swedish quality Uddeholm orvar supreme H13 tool steel bolts equal to 245Ksi like ARP L19´s. All products are manufactored in small batches to ensure highest accuracy. ...

We took the car out and ran it's first few full passes. We flat out just overpowered the tires on all 6 passes. PIR does not prep it's track at all and it was a very ugly cold day. We tried dropping tire pressure until the car was extremely loose at the top end. We also have to install NOS to spool the turbo at the line and we just haven't gotten around to it yet. Next time out we will start adjusting the suspension as well. ...

BMW recently trademarked many new model names including X2. This is leading to speculation from all over that BMW will be producing a 2 door SUV variant aimed directly at the Land Rover Evoque. The rendering below shows what such a model might look like and it definitely is sporty and attractive. The main appeal in our eyes would be a lightweight BMW SUV priced in the entry level segment with good performance thanks to its power and weight. ...

Our previous low compression / Precision 71 turbo powerband in the track M3 took nearly 2 seconds to get back to full power after exiting a turn. Even with that issue, the car was still extremely fast because it had enough power to make up for it. Now we have the best of both worlds with instantaneous power all the time. We're running a smaller 6766 turbo with a high compression 9,000rpm rev limit motor and we're running even more power than we used to. Here's a dyno of the car to 9,000rpm and a short clip of it on the street. For comparisons, I overlaid this dyno with the HPF stage 1 powerband on race fuel. ...

G-power released their new X5 N62 V8 supercharger system. This Stage I setup boosts the X5 from the standard 355 horses to 450 horsepower, a gain of 95 horses. This is achieved with an ASA T1-518 centrifugal supercharger at 6 pounds of boost. The kit includes larger capacity injectors, an air to air intercooler, and of course a custom tune. Great to see another forced induction option for the N62 V8. BimmerBoost vendor Precision Sport carries the kit, contact for pricing. ...

The new F10 M5 is the current automotive hot topic as a new M5 model often is. Here is a very cool and creative advertisement on the part of BMW Canada. This "Bullet" commercial essentially has the M5 play the role of a bullet that is shot out and goes through various objects at high speed. The slow motion capture as the M5 hits its target is absolutely perfectly done in exceptionally high quality. Definitely worth watching. ...

Here is a comparison many of us have been waiting for, seeing the manual CTS-V go head to head with the new F10 M5 also with a manual transmission. Road and Track picks the M5 in first place and it is difficult to disagree. The M5 is the better car here offering a performance advantage as it should considering it is the car to come to market later. The M5 outlaps the CTS-V by almost 1 and half seconds (1:21.01 to 1:22.44). Handling clearly being in the M5's favor with lap times, skidpad, and slalom numbers all surpassing the CTS-V. ...

It was only a matter of time before this happened, the manual will be dead in the M5 after the F10. The manual in the M5 already was eliminated everywhere in the world except in the USA starting with the previous generation E60. The numbers simply do not justify BMW continuing to offer a manual in the M5 as orders with the manual option are declining. BMW M's head of engineering Albert Biermann stated, "Last year, maybe 15-20 percent of our M5s in the U.S. were manuals and maybe this year it will be 15 percent. It's declining. The trouble is that nobody wants it in Europe or anywhere else, so this will be the last time we do it, even for the hard-core U.S. buyers." ...

COBB Tuning is proud to announce the release of AccessTUNER Race tuning software for AccessPORT equipped BMW N54-powered vehicles. The AccessPORT is the only hand-held OEM ECU flashing, managing and monitoring device available for N54 equipped BMWs, and when combined with our free AccessTUNER Race software, the result is a groundbreaking, end-user-tunable engine management system with all of the sophistication and drivability inherent in the factory BMW ECU. ...

The new F12/F13 M6 is a beautiful design, no doubt about it. However, an M model is supposed to be about performance and engineering over style. This new M6 cabrio was supposed to be slightly lighter than the previous generation E64 based on the BMW press release stating a 4312 pound weight. Well, Insideline tested it at a staggering 4,495 pounds. This is 122 pounds heavier than what they tested the previous generation M6 convertible at which was not exactly a lightweight itself. ...

Congratulations to BimmerBoost member djborya (Boris) who managed to break the 8 second barrier in the 1/4 mile with this turbo E30 BMW. As far as BMW's in the USA are concerned, this is the only one we know of to get in the 8's that is not a tube chassis dedicated drag car. The vehicle has a full body, BMW independent rear suspension, and runs E85 fuel. The 80mm turbo makes 836 horsepower to the wheels through a 2-speed powerglide transmission. ...

By now everyone has heard of the Vorsteiner GTRS3 carbon fiber widebody kit for the E92/E93 M3. Vorsteiner has updated the design of the kit releasing the GTRS5. The front and rear bumpers received a redesign with the front addition vertical vents for improved air channeling. The rear bumper gets a slightly longer diffuser to help create more downforce. The E46 CSL style trunk also receives a redesign that looks much cleaner. This GTRS5 kit is limited to only 40 units worldwide and we expect similar pricing ($25k installed) to the GTRS3 setup. ...

Tuning for the new N63 twin turbo V8 has been a bit hard to come by from sources other than Dinan. Unlike the S63 in the X5M and X6M, it seems the N63 has been harder for tuners to crack. Not Dinan however who has updated their offering to a Stage 3 tune. Dinan does not publish dyno numbers with their products (which we definitely do not like) so we want to thank BimmerBoost member alextremo for taking the time to dyno his rear wheel drive and manual 550i on a dynojet with just the tune only. ...

The Audi R8 V8 really is not all that fast of a car for the money. It's beautiful, but straightline speed is not its forte with a DCT M3 being faster stock for stock as well as a Carrera S even with a smaller motor with six cylinders to the R8's eight. The 1M pulls the R8 from a roll easily in the first race but it looks like the R8 got on it late. In the second run the R8 gets a slight lead only for the 1M to bridge the gap. The cars are close but with the 20 inch HRE's on the R8 and power going to all four wheels it is begging for boost to show what it is truly capable of. ...

In the absence of a BMW M7 (which likely will be coming) the Alpina B7 is the closest vehicle available to such a car. With the 7 Series receiving updates for the 2013 model year Alpina is not resting on their laurels updating the B7 exterior as well as the Alpina custom N63 V8 under the hood which gets another 40 horsepower. This horsepower boost was necessary as the to keep distance from the 750i which got a bump in horsepower to 450 from 400 as a result of a bump to the N63 V8 for the new 6 Series GranCoupe. ...

This is becoming a disturbing pattern although it sure is looking good for Audi. Just earlier this month Car and Driver picked the S6 over the new M5. Insideline also gave a scathing review of the new 640i GranCoupe. Now MotorTrend joins the fray picking the Audi S4 over the new 335i. The Audi significantly outperforms the 335i running 12's in the 1/4 mile stock with a 12.9@108.7. The 335i runs a 13.5@103.9. When is the last time BMW's direct competitor for an Audi model lagged this far behind? We all grew accustomed over the past couple decades to it being the reverse. ...

BMW's dominance at the International Engine of the Year awards continues. No real surprise considering BMW is the most awarded manufacturer in the history of the competition now with 59 awards making for more than double that of the second place. The BMW S65 V8 wins its fifth straight award and likely its last with the M3 soon to end production. What makes this victory impressive is that the motor beat out the McLaren MP4-12 3.8 liter V8 as well as the new Porsche 3.8 liter direct injenction flat-6 in the new 991 Carrera S. ...