Tag Archives: BMW Videos

Base Porsche 911 Carrera Vs. BMW M3 Competition: Which Is The Best Sports Car Of The Two?

If you’re a fan of German performance cars, desire excitement, and happen to have £90,000 ($124,000) lying around, you might want to consider having a look at the latest offerings from BMW and Porsche: the M3 Competition, which costs £87,000 ($119,000 converted), and the £85,000 ($117,000) Porsche 911 Carrera.

Starting with the exterior design comparison, the elephant in the room is predictably the beaver-tooth grille of the M3 that’s totally different from the relatively subtle and, perhaps, “smiley” face of the 911 Carrera. From the back, the M3 maintains its aggressiveness, with sharp lights, a noticeable diffuser, and relatively large quad exhausts. Still, the simple design of the Porsche coupled with new elements like the single bar taillight and a spoiler that pops up once you reach a certain speed might give it a little bit of competitive advantage.

The interiors are, as you’d expect, impressive, with the 911 paying tribute to its heritage with the gauge layout, even though the steering wheel obscures some of it. Mat Watson from Carwow points out a few minor issues with the infotainment system, too, including small icons that can be a little fiddly and the rather apparent lack of Android Auto (although we expect that to be updated soon). Less impressive is the fact that, after a few hard launches, a nasty rattle rears its ugly head. The M3, on the other hand, does have Android Auto, as well as Apple Carplay, and although it might not feel as ‘racey’ as the Carerra’s 2+2 layout, the Carbon Pack adds some rather fetching carbon-backed seats.

See: 2021 BMW M4 Competition Vs Base Porsche 911 Carrera

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With design out of the way, it’s time to start talking numbers. The M3 Competition is powered by a 3.0-liter twin-turbo straight-six with 503 hhp (510 PS) driving the rear wheels, although a four-wheel-drive version is an option. The 911 has a 3.0-liter twin-turbo flat-six driving the rear wheels and although it comes with “just” 385 hp (390 PS/287 kW), it’s evidently more than enough, considering that it reached 60 mph (96 km/h) from a standstill in 3.7 seconds during its run with Watson, beating the M3 which needed 4.0 seconds for the same sprint.

But what you lose for a couple of tenths of a second in the M3 is gained by a rather spacious rear seat that can be accessed with the extra set of doors and will comfortably accommodate two adults. The Porsche, on the other hand, should never have more than two people sitting in it – and two small kids, at best, at the back. Trunk space isn’t that impressive either, giving you just 132 liters in comparison to the Bimmer’s 480 liters, but then again the Porsche could never compete in practicality.

As a daily driver, the 911 Carrera happens to hold its own pretty well. Watson finds fault with the slightly stiff suspension and annoyingly loud tire noise, but it’s bearable. In Sport mode is where the Porsche performs how it’s meant to after inheriting bits from generations of 911 perfection. The M3 does stiffen up quite a bit more than the regular model, but it also manages to feel a little cushier than the Porsche on the daily commute. When you start to push it, though, the BMW brings out its wilder, more playful side that could be good or bad depending on your driving style.

BMW Makes Bizarre Double U-Turn, Crashes Into Focus ST And Drives Away

In the immortal words of Ron White, you can’t fix stupid and one Redditor found that out to their own cost. The driver took to the social media site to give details on the story that started with what appears to be a deeply indecisive BMW driver (that or the worst donut we’ve ever seen) which ended with a three-car collision and the 3-Series allegedly driving off the scene.

User u/AStupidCouch posted photos of the damage that was done to his car in the dedicated Focus ST subreddit yesterday. Although the driver has dashcam footage and managed to get their hands security cam footage from a nearby building, none of that will be necessary in finding the BMW since its license plate fell off and is now safely with the police.

Fortunately, the ST owner didn’t suffer any serious injuries.

“So for everyone asking I was the only driver and walked away with nothing super major, I feel body aches and some pain around mainly my wrist and knees. As for the person who hit me it was a hit and run,” he wrote in a comment.

Read Also: Video Of A Police BMW Doing Donuts With A Passenger Mooning From The Back Was Staged

In a second comment, the user wrote “It wasn’t road rage. My dash cam footage shows he was just being an idiot. Never had an altercation or anything. Also I was going the speed limit.”

Although a separate Redditor who posted the footage described the BMW’s action as a donut, it’s such a bizarre maneuver that it’s hard to know what it was. It may have been the world’s most unsuccessful powerslide or a panicked and equally unsuccessful double u-turn. Whatever the case, the car goes from the lane to the right of the left turn lane, does a 180, goes straight for a split second, and then from the rightmost opposing lane, turns back into the path of the Focus ST, which takes evasive action.

The Focus’s driver, although unfortunate, probably did avoid a more serious head-on accident and so should probably be applauded. Sadly, it wasn’t enough to save the car, which was declared a total loss by his insurance.

The Clown Shoe 2002 BMW M Coupe Is An Ugly Duckling Turned Cult Classic

The 2002  Z3 M Coupe (also known as the M Coupe) may be far from the most beautiful car that BMW has ever produced, but it has become a bit of a cult classic and is much rarer than most modern M models.

This Z3 M Coupe, which is up for auction through Bring a Trailer, is currently in Emeryville, California and is being offered with a window sticker, factory literature, tool kit, car cover, recent service records, a clean Carfax report, and a clean Washington title. With five days left in the auction, bidding had already hit $51,000, more than the car’s original retail price of $45,935.

Watch Also: Chris Harris’ Daily Is A Gorgeous BMW M2 Competition – And He Had It Detailed

The bodywork is painted in Titanium Silver Metallic and the car also features an optional glass sunroof. It sits on staggered-width 17-inch factory Style 40 wheels mounted with 225/45 front and 245/40 rear Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires that were fitted last year and have lots of life left in them.

Powering the M Coupe is a 3.2-liter S54 inline-six complete with individual throttle bodies and producing 315 hp and 251 lb-ft (340 Nm) of torque. Mated to this engine is a five-speed manual transmission and a limited-slip differential.

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While the interior isn’t laden with the type of technology you’ll find in a modern BMW, it is still very functional and looks well suited to both short and long drives. Key features include heated power-adjustable sport seats trimmed in black Nappa leather, air conditioning, cruise control, power windows, and a Harman/Kardon audio system. A look at the odometer reveals the car has a touch over 12,000 miles (~19,000 km) under its belt.

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Porsche Macan Turbo Drag Races Tuned BMW X4 M40i, 911 GT3 RS Joins The Party

Can the BMW X4 M40i beat the Porsche Macan Turbo in a straight line? With that question in mind, YouTube channel Cars with Pilot Tseno brought the two sporty SUVs at the drag strip for two quarter-mile races from a standing start.

The Macan Turbo holds the upper hand in terms of power, with its twin-turbo 3.6-liter V6 petrol engine producing 440 PS (434 HP / 324 kW) and 600 Nm (443 lb-ft) of torque. It needs 4.4 seconds to sprint to 100 km/h (62 mph), and maxes out at 272 km/h (169 mph).

Watch Also: BMW X4 M, Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 And Jaguar F-Pace SVR Vie For Premium Compact Performance SUV Supremacy

As for the X4 M40i, it has ‘only’ 360 PS (355 HP / 265 kW) and 500 Nm (369 lb-ft) of torque, which allows it to hit 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.8 seconds. However, this particular example rocks a €500 ($611) Stage 1 software upgrade, which lifts the output of the turbocharged 3.0-liter straight-six to 410 PS (404 HP / 302 kW) and thus brings it closer to the Porsche.

Both the X4 and the Macan, which are from the 2018 model year, had winter tires on and ran on half a tank of fuel. So, do you think the Bimmer was the first to cross the finish line, despite the obvious deficit in power? Before finding out the answer to that question, we have to highlight the fact that the winner was set loose against the Porsche 911 GT3 RS in a quarter-mile sprint – but we probably know how that ended, right?

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BMW M4 Driver Brakes From 174 MPH, Narrowly Misses Rear-Ending Mazda3

For many car enthusiasts, the Autobahn is viewed as motoring nirvana, but things can turn from sweet to sour in the blink of an eye, as this video shows.

This clip was filmed from the helmet camera being used by the driver of a BMW M4 and shows him hitting speeds of around 174 mph (280 km/h). At the 15-second mark, the BMW driver is quite late to brake to avoid a slow-moving hatchback in the fast lane but when it gets out of the way, he quickly hits the throttle once again and starts to accelerate to over 167 mph (270 km/h).

However, at the 48-second mark of the clip, a maroon-colored Mazda3 changes into the fast lane to overtake a Ford Fiesta, crossing directly into the path of the BMW.

Watch Also: Red Light Runner Comes Within Inches Of Taking Out A Motorcyclist

The M4 driver is forced to slam on the brakes to avoid rear-ending the Mazda and apparently managed to slow from 174 mph to 87 mph (140 km/h) in just a few seconds. Had the BMW driver been a little later to react or had the Mazda driver made the lane change a touch later, the two might have collided and the results may have been devastating.

One could say that the driver of the Mazda is primarily to blame for the near-miss. Changing into the fast lane of the Autobahn isn’t something you should ever do without getting a good look at your mirrors to ensure there is no fast-moving traffic behind you. The M4 driver should have also been more careful and perhaps lifted off the throttle while passing slower traffic.

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Is The V10-Powered BMW M5 E60 Worth The Maintenance Risk?

When the E60-gen BMW M5 came out in 2004, with its menacing naturally aspirated V10, many thought that sports sedans couldn’t get more exciting.

The 5.0-liter engine, which was shared with the M6, developed 500 HP and 384 lb-ft (520 Nm) of torque, for a 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) of 4.7 seconds and a 155 mph (250 km/h) electronically limited top speed.

Unlike the AWD modern M5, the range-topping E60 was rear-wheel drive. It was offered with an optional six-speed manual gearbox in North America, and with a seven-speed SMG semi-automatic in the rest of the world, although the latter did not do justice to an otherwise great sedan.

Video: Here’s A Love Letter To The BMW E60 M5’s Epic V10 Engine

Made during the Chris Bangle era and criticized for the controversial looks, it has nevertheless aged quite nicely inside and out. Moreover, even after more than a decade of constant use, this 2008 example, bought three years ago for around $34,000, feels robust. The high quality interior is still in very good position despite sitting in the sun for 12 years, and that’s one of the things that matters.

Another one is that, in the right setting – and the M5 E60 has 279 powertrain and chassis combinations to choose from – it is surprisingly comfortable. It was built as a highway cruiser, but it doesn’t disappoint on a twisty road either. Sure, the steering ratio needs more finesse and the inflatable seat bolsters will kick you in the ribs every time you turn the steering wheel, but the M5 really comes to life at higher speeds.

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This 1972 BMW 3.0 CSL Will Leave You Breathless

This epic 1972 BMW 3.0 CSL is one of the most striking BMWs ever produced and is on track to sell for well over $100,000.

BMW developed the 3.0 CSL as a homologation special for European touring car competition with production kicking off in May 1971. This car is one of just 168 examples built during the 14 months of first-series production.

Read Also: Road-Going BMW 3.0 CSL IMSA Batmobile Would Be A Showstopper

The Bring A Trailer listing reveals the car left the factory finished in Golf yellow but was repainted black during a comprehensive refurbishment during the 1990s. At the same time, tri-color side stripes were added. The car has also been fitted with the iconic ‘Batmobile’ rear wing and roof spoiler, which also sporting rubber air guides on the front fenders. It is sitting on a set of factory 14-inch alloy wheels wearing 205/70 Michelin XWX tires.

During the vehicle’s 1990s refurbishment, it was fitted with a new 3.5-liter M30B34 inline-six engine complete with dual-choke Weber carburetors. Coupled to this engine is a Getrag 245/10 C/R/ dog-led five-speed manual transmission that was only installed in November 2018. The car’s original 3.0-liter block will be included in the sale.

This same car was sold at Gooding & Company’s Amelia Island auction in 2014 for $148,000 and most recently changed hands at an RM Sotheby’s auction last year for $131,000. One commenter in the listing rightly states that the fact the car doesn’t have its original engine, transmission, or paint has impacted its value.

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BMW M8 Competition Takes On Mercedes-AMG GT R And Audi R8 On The Track

The M8 Competition is BMW’s most powerful production vehicle ever, but despite bearing this bold title, it’s by no means a supercar. Nevertheless, it’s got supercar-like performance and can put a really big smile on the face of its driver.

So, the most powerful Bimmer ever can smoke a lot of big names in a straight line, with the 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) taking 3.1 seconds in the Competition Convertible. In this spec, the 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 pumps out 617 HP (625 PS / 460 kW) and 553 lb-ft (750 Nm) of torque, and the car has an MSRP of $155,500 in the U.S.

Watch Also: New BMW M8 Competition Is A 616 HP Super GT Ready To Crush Continents

We know what it can do on paper, but how does it translate into the real world, when its rivals are two open-top supercars and the battle ground is the Lausitzring circuit? AutoBildSportsCars had the M8 Competition Convertible pitted against the Mercedes-AMG GT R Roadster and Audi R8 Performance Spyder, to see which one is faster around the German track.

Before checking out the video below, let’s talk specs – and more specifically, those of the other two competitors. The GT R Roadster is powered by a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 that puts out 577 HP (585 PS / 430 kW) and 516 lb-ft (700 Nm). The 0-60 mph (0-100 km/h) sprint takes 3.5 seconds in this model, which starts at $189,750.

The 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V10 in the R8 Performance Spyder, on the other hand, develops 611 HP (620 PS / 456 kW) and 427 lb-ft (579 Nm) in the Euro-spec version, which was the one put to the test, for a 0-60 mph of 3.1 seconds. The U.S. model comes with 602 HP (610 PS / 449 kW) and 413 lb-ft (560 Nm), and adds two tenths of a second to the sprint time, while pricing starts at $208,100.

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