The Basics: First impressions can ring true, but if you’re betting the 2011 Ford Escape is a trucky, cramped fuel hog, you’re all wrong. The Escape may look the part of a 7/8-scale Ford Explorer, but its car-based running gear makes it a crossover at heart–an aging heart, but at heart nonetheless. Blocky looks and a functional cockpit are an… The rest is here:  2011 Ford Escape

BMW UK releases another video ad of the highly emotional 2012 BMW M5 . Unveiled this week at the M Festival, the new M5 is shaping up to be one of the best M cars built to date. In our recent tech analysis, we divulged some of the secrets hiding underneath the M5. Here are some of the highlights from our exclusive report: “The new M5 will have a weight distribution of 51% front, 49% rear.  The rear exhaust silencers are constructed of titanium and are far smaller than those featured on the series production car.  Several kilograms were saved through the application of these silencers, thus the rear end was lightened considerably.  As for the sound, we have been told the new M5 will have an exhaust note uniquely different from that of the S63 found in the X5M and X6M cars.  In the words of M’s top engineer, it will sound more like a 4 cylinder race engine than a typical V8.” the new M5 will be fitted with a new engine; it will not come equipped with the same engine as featured in the X5/X6 M cars.  True, the block and many ancillary parts will be shared, but the head, turbo system and electronics will demonstrate a major departure from those found on the X5/X6M.” Here is the video ad: Read the original here: New Video: 2012 F10 BMW M5

Among several BMWs present at the M Festival, an unique M3 stood out. They say “good things come in three” and the statement cannot be closer to the truth this time. The already highly acclaimed and one of the most wanted BMWs, the M3, paired up with one of the most exclusive color on an M3, Frozen Black, and the new Competition Package. Along with the exclusive and stunning paint, the Competition Package brings enhancements to the chassis by installing a 10mm lower suspension and 19” wheels with greater offset for a wider track. ZCP also includes remapped Electronic Damping Control and Dynamic Stability Control systems. Design wise, modified rear lights with glass covers in a homogeneous red color provide an additional visual accentuation in the BMW M3 Coupe. With two harmoniously illuminating light banks fed by LED units, they create a characteristic nocturnal design. Enjoy the photos! See the rest here: M Festival Photos: BMW M3 Frozen Black

Having a large family means you have the need of family car. Used bmw family car is a great choice for that. Not only will it provide a safe and relax driving, but a used bmw family car will provide total protection to your kids in the back. Safety in a family car comes first. Since the kids will be driving in the rear seats, playing most of the time and looking trying to roll down the window on their own. As every parent will say to his kid when he is entering a used bmw, put on your seat belt first. The seat belt is the number one procedure upon entering the car. Not that the driver will likely cause problems during driving, a father always has in his mind that there are kids on board; but just for precaution put on your seat belt and enjoy the ride without moving around. Air bags are an inevitable part of car safety features. Used bmw cars are equipped with air bags on crucial points of the car in case of an accident. The ABS system, or the anti-lock braking system, keeps the car in a straight line in case the wheels lock and there is a loss of control from the driver. They have been advancing as much as the airbags though time. So, drive your used bmw on the road with car in and out. Always strap your seat belt and make sure you family does it too. A safe driver with safe passengers means safe driving.    

The new SLS AMG is the retro-themed successor to the original 1950s-era Mercedes 300SL Gullwing. But if you’re cruising around in one, you won’t have to explain that to most bystanders. Thanks to its opening-upward doors, it’s recognized as “the new Gullwing,” not only by those who had walls of car posters and boxes of buff-book back issues, but… The rest is here: 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

Ironically, in the same weekend BMWBLOG”s founder Horatiu is in Munich to pick up his 1M Coupe , season 17 of Top Gear debuted on the BBC with, wouldn’t you know it, a review of a Valencia Orange BMW 1M Coupe! At the outset of the review, I was concerned about hearing Clarkson pan yet another BMW, something he’s prone to do. However, the there was no disdain, no negatives – only elation. Early on, Clarkson compares the 1M Coupe to the iconic Volkswagen GTI Mk I, no small statement considering the legacy of the GTI as a game-changer upon its debut. So far, the 1M has received quite a bit of positive press and reviews and, according to Mr. Clarkson’s review, those remarks are entirely appropriate. The 1M Coupe has been described as ” an M3 Competition Package squeezed into a 1 Series body.” With a description like that, the 1M Coupe sounds like a deal too good to pass on considering its pricing point nearly $10,000 below the base M3 with only 80 more ponies under the hood. If you’re seeking further affirmation of how incredible the littlest M car is, be sure to check out the second half of the Top Gear review where the orange Bavarian is pitted against a certain green car from Stuttgart and a certain blue mid-engined car from UK – the results may just shock you – it certainly did the incredulous, boisterous Mr. Clarkson! Once the 1 M Coupe tours the Top Gear test track – the time it posts might give you a huge surprise! The action starts around the 2:15 mark! (Note – the feeds from YouTube may be unreliable as episodes have been getting taken down, we’ll try to continue to source higher quality versions of the show) Here is the original post: BMW 1 M Coupe Wows Jeremy Clarkson(Video)

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS drivers Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher finished in seventh and 17th positions in Valencia Excerpt from: MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: F1 2011 European Grand Prix Race Results

Fuel efficiency likely isn’t a consideration for most buyers of the 2011 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class, but the company has introduced a new line of direct-injection and turbocharged engines to this big luxury coupe that bring higher mpg ratings along with better performance. In 2011 Mercedes-Benz CL550 4Matic guise, the new CL comes with a… Here is the original post: 2011 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class

The Basics: When the Enclave crossover was introduced for 2008, it was segment-leading—and could be seen as the first of a new generation of Buicks. The 2011 Buick Enclave remains one of the better large crossover utility choices, but it no longer heralds the direction of the brand, which has over the past couple of years been refocused… Original post:  2011 Buick Enclave

From the outside, there are few differences between the 2011 Lexus IS 250 and the IS 350. But the differences underhood really do give these two models quite different personalities. And we don’t see much reason—other than price, perhaps—to get the IS 250 over the IS 350. While the IS 350′s 306-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 gives this… Here is the original post: 2011 Lexus IS 250

While Pope Benedict XVI has yet to approach the level of popularity that his predecessor had, he’s already miles ahead of any before him when it comes to gearing up with green tech. Take, for instance, the new hybrid Popemobile that’s currently being developed by Mercedes-Benz. As stated by sources, what the Pope really had in mind was a fully electric vehicle. However, there are other things to be considered as well—one of the most important of which is the Pope’s own safety. An EV simply may not be enough to take the Pope to safety during an emergency, so they decided on the next best thing: a hybrid that’s powered by both an electric motor running on a lithium-ion battery during the low-speed parade travel and a petrol engine for situations that demand a bit more power. Mercedes-Benz could not comment on the specifics of this all-new, greener Popemobile because of obvious security reasons. However, some sources say that the car will be based on Merc’s own M-Class line. Also, expect it to feature the standard security set in the current automobile, including bullet-proof plexiglass and armor plating. The new Popemobile will likely be ready by year’s end, at best. Too bad the Pope can’t use his new set of wheels when he makes his homecoming sometime in late September. Read the original here:  Pope Benedict XVI’s Hybrid Popemobile in Development

After an intensive race with many incidents and spectacular crashes, Mantley Racing Porsche wins the 24 hr of Nurburgring, followed on the second place by BMW’s No.1 GT car. Manthey Racing and its drivers Marc Lieb, Lucas Luhr, Timo Bernhard and Romain Dumas won the race aboard a Porsche 911 GT3 RSR. BMW Motorsport BMW M3 GT finished behind the Porsche at almost 4,5 minutes. Due to the crash of the BMW Z4 GT3 #76 and the #24 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 the crash site was a construction area for several hours and it would take until 6 am before it the yellow flags were gone again at the scene of the incident. BMW M3 GT was also involved in a small incident with the Z4 GT3 leading to a penalty for the team. This was the last race for BMW Motorsport boss Mario Theissen. On 30 June 2011, Theissen will pass on the baton to his successor Jens Marquardt and retire from his post. 43-year-old Marquardt will join the company on 1 January 2011, going dual with Theissen for the first six months of the year to familiarise himself with his new task. This will ensure the seamless execution of the 2011 racing programme and preparations for the 2012 DTM project. See the rest here: 24 Hr of Nurburgring: BMW takes second place

At the M Festival at Nurburgring, BMW M displayed the one-off M3 pickup that was unveiled on Fools Day. At launch time, the BMW M3 Pickup was the darling of the interwebs and surprisingly, many automotive fans were rooting for a production version of the unusual bimmer. Ex-BMW M boss, Dr. Kay Segler, said one-off M3 is the “fastest pickup in the world.” Dr. Segler also mentioned that he was able to take the car all the way up to 300 km/h. Like every BMW M model, the BMW M3 Pickup has also demonstrated its dynamic potential on the North Loop of the Nürburgring. The kerb weight of the world’s fastest pickup undercuts that of the BMW M3 Convertible by around 50 kilograms. Removing the Targa roof shaves off a further 20 kg while at the same time lowering the car’s centre of gravity. This most unusual experience of top-down driving pleasure in a BMW M3 thus goes hand in hand with further optimised dynamic handling. Maximum load capacity has been raised to 450 kilograms. BMW M3 Pickup will not be heading for the golf course or series development, but will retain its status as an exclusive one-off and displayed at various M events.   View post: M Festival Photos: BMW M3 Pickup

Nürburgring, 26th June 2011. It’s almost crunch time at the Nürburgring 24 Hours (DE). With four hours to go before the chequered flag comes out at 16:00hrs local time, last year’s winners Augusto Farfus (BR), Jörg Müller (DE), Uwe Alzen (DE) and Pedro Lamy (PT) hold second place in the overall classification. The gap between the BMW M3 GT carrying number 1 and the leading no. 18 Porsche is 4:47 minutes. It’s Alzen who is currently at the wheel. Dirk Werner (DE) drives the second BMW M3 GT. The German and fellow BMW drivers in car number 7, Dirk Müller (DE) and Dirk Adorf (DE), continued their chase through the field on Sunday morning. Following a one-hour repair stop in the early stages of the endurance classic, the GT race car is already back up to 16th. Pedro Lamy (car number 1): “During my early morning stint I managed to clock some really quick lap times. This is only possible with a perfect car and if the traffic allows you use its full potential. Conditions change rapidly on the Nordschleife. Sometimes you get a relatively clean lap, then several accidents happen within just a few minutes. That’s what the Green Hell is all about. It won’t be easy to catch the leading Porsche, but we have seen countless times here that the battle is on until the very last corner. I hope this will also be the case this year.” Dirk Müller (car number 7): “I keep my fingers crossed for our mates in car number 1. Obviously we try to support them as well as possible, for instance by informing the pits early about any incidents on the track. Car number 1 still has a good chance for victory, while we are only fighting for a positive conclusion to what has been a difficult race for us. I’m sorry for the guys in our team, as they deserved to have both cars battling out at the front of the field.” See the original post: Nurburgring 20 hours Update: BMW M3 GT in second place.

Dawn breaks in the Eifel Mountains. Team BMW Motorsport completed some trouble-free night stints and successfully improved its positions in the Nürburgring 24 Hours (DE). The no. 1 BMW M3 GT considerably reduced the gap to the front-runners thanks to consistently quick lap times overnight. Since lap 88, Pedro Lamy (PT) is back behind the wheel of the GT race car, currently running in second. Before the Portuguese driver, Augusto Farfus (BR), Uwe Alzen (DE) and Jörg Müller (DE) were on duty at the 25.378-kilometre Nürburgring-Nordschleife. The BMW M3 GT carrying number 7 continued ploughing through the field during the night. Dirk Müller (DE), Dirk Werner (DE) and Dirk Adorf (DE) gained positions on a lap-by-lap basis, making it back into the top-25 shortly after 05:00hrs. Uwe Alzen (car number 1): “I tried to push our BMW M3 GT forward with everything I had. At night that’s only possible if you take an aggressive approach when it comes to overtaking slower cars. Having that said, you mustn’t take too many risks. At the same time, you need to get the most out of the car. It was just frantic out there. There were many, many accidents. Fortunately we came through the night without any problems whatsoever. Now it’s all about going on and still pushing hard. Let’s see what this race still has in store for us.” Dirk Werner (car number 7): “Driving in the morning hours was quite demanding. There were many confusing situations on the track. You never know what awaits you around the next corner. Our car is running absolutely flawlessly now. I hadn’t expected we would make it back into the top-25 that quickly. Hopefully our fighting spirit will ultimately be rewarded with a respectable result.”   View original post here: Nurburgring 14 hours Update: BMW Motorsport on P2 and P18