European BMW 118d Advanced Diesel named 2008 World Green Car at the 2008 New York International Auto Show

Jury of Nearly 50 Distinguished Automotive Journalists Recognize Emissions, Fuel Consumption and Power Plant Technology of BMW's 118d as Best in the World

Woodcliff Lake, NJ - March 20, 2008... The selection committee for the 2008 World Car Awards announced today that the European BMW 118d Advanced Diesel was named the 2008 World Green Car. Tom Purves, President and CEO of BMWNA, accepted the honor on behalf of BMW at the award reception, which was held this morning at the 2008 New York International Auto Show.

"We are honored to receive the 2008 World Green Car Award for the BMW 118d," said Mr. Purves. "As a company we have been committed to reducing fuel consumption and emissions of our vehicles, while at the same time improving performance. This commitment is the driving force of our Efficient Dynamics platform and the philosophy behind BMW's vehicle designs and development of technologies such as the Advanced Diesel implemented in the 118d. This honor will inspire BMW's continuing efforts to reduce its carbon footprint." The BMW 118d is a four-door hatchback powered by a 1.8-liter, four-cylinder diesel engine and is not a model that is available in the U.S.

A jury of nearly 50 distinguished automotive journalists selected the BMW 118d as top choice from a list of three finalists that also included the Smart ForTwo CDI and Volkswagen Passat 1.9 TDI. To be eligible for the 2008 World Green Car award, vehicles had to be available in at least one major market during 2007. The vehicle or the green technology could be in production or an experimental prototype with potential near-future application, provided that it was released for individual or press fleet evaluations in quantities of ten or more during 2007. Tailpipe emissions, fuel consumption and use of a major advanced power plant technology (beyond engine componentry), aimed specifically at increasing the vehicle's environmental responsibility, were all taken into consideration.

Now in its fifth year, the annual World Car awards have become one of the most prestigious and credible programs of their type in the world. The awards were inaugurated in 2003, and officially launched in January 2004, to reflect the reality of the global marketplace, as well as to recognize and reward automotive excellence on a global scale. The awards are intended to complement, not compete, with existing national and regional Car of the Year programs. The awards are administered by a non-profit association, under the guidance of a Steering Committee of pre-eminent automotive journalists from Asia, Europe, and North America. There is no affiliation with, nor are the awards in any way influenced by any publication, auto show, automaker, or other commercial enterprise.

Text Source - BMW Press Club

Latest news: Next generation 2010 BMW X3 will be unveiled in December:
We have just learned that the second generation of the smaller Sports Activity Vehicle, BMW X3, will be officially unveiled in December. In a recent interview, Jim O’Donnell, CEO of BMW North America mentioned that the current generation production has been shortened to allow the introduction of the new model early next year. The next BMW X3 will shortly follow the new BMW X1 which will be released at the end of this year and it will represent BMW’s entry level vehicle in the SAV market.

The 2010 BMW X3 will have a roof line slightly lower than the current model and will follow the X5’s steps by getting more round corners and a sportier look. The second generation X3 will be a more dynamic performance oriented Sports Activity Vehicle and it will have larger dimensions than the current model. It will measure 4.65 meters long, 1.85 meters wide and 1.68 meter tall, offering a more spacious cabin and cargo space than the current generation.

All the electronic gadgets seen in other recent BMW models will make their way into the 2010 X3 as well, starting with the Night Vision System, Head-Up Display and continuing with Adaptive Headlights. The interior design has been drastically improved, a much needed upgrade requested by the BMW fans.

Two petrol engines will be offered, along with four diesel choices. The petrol engines will most likely be the straight six 3- liter engine and the twin-turbo six that produces 306 hp. The top diesel engine will be same one found in the X5d or 335d sedan.

The new BMW X3 will be facing some tough competition from the Audi Q5 and Mercedes-Benz GLK. The base price is expected to be increased as well due to the introduction of the BMW X1.

RDSport RS46 - Latest BMW M3 E92 program

BMW Z4 model

Minutes after the breaking news on the new 2011 BMW Z4 sDrive35is, we learned that as of Spring 2010, all the Z4 models in the BMW lineup will receive an optional M Package that emphasizes the sporty nature of the vehicle.

First photos just made our way and we’re glad to share them with you in the following sDrive30i gallery.

Both front and rear bumpers receive a more aggressive look. The large air intakes at the front enhance the muscular look of the Z4 Roadster.

Comparison: BMW Z4 sDrive35is vs Audi TTSPosted

These days, it’s less about who makes what car and what company doesn’t make that car, because, pretty much, everyone makes the same kind of car. It now comes down to which one you’d rather have. Sure, we’re BMWBLOG, I’d rather have the Z4 sDrive35is. But the Audi TTS is a darn nice car. It drives well, looks great, handles very well, and the interior is gorgeous. But truth is that this isn’t a showdown of which one we like better. It’s a numbers game. And it’s a game where you guys pick the winner.


To start off, the Audi TTS has been on the market a year already. It’s been shown as Audi’s answer to the more performance style of the Porsche Cayman and Boxster, along with BMW’s Z4. It comes in either coupe or convertible. It has a direct-injected, turbocharged 2.0L 4-cylinder making 265hp at 6000 rpm and 258lb-ft of torque between 2500-5000 rpm. Audi’s Quattro all-wheel drive is standard, and the only way you can option the TTS. It comes with S tronic automanual only, and does well with an Audi claimed 0-60 of 4.9 seconds for the coupe and 5.1 seconds for the convertible, respectively. With a curb weight of just 3,241lbs, the Audi is actually pretty light on its feet.

BMW Z4 Category

Two wins for BMW at Scottish Car of the Year Awards 2009
BMW has won two accolades at the Scottish Car of the Year Awards 2009, voted for by the Association of Scottish Motoring Writers (ASMW). The Z4 picked up the award for Scottish Drop Top of the Year 2009, whilst BMW has been crowned the winner in the Eco category for its EfficientDynamics programme.*

With its sleek lines and incredible performance the BMW Z4 fiercely beat off its competitors to scoop its award. Its combination of striking looks and innovative technologies, together with an electro-hydraulically operated Retractable Hard-Top roof and a starting price of £28,650 OTR, made it clear to see why the Z4 was such an appealing choice.

Bill Caven, President of the ASMW, said: “The Z4 boasts a fine pedigree of high performance and thrills which few can match. Matched with brilliant build quality and a slick folding roof mechanism this is the ultimate Scottish driving machine.

Matte Gray BMW

.Matte colors are “in” this year and in the past, we have seen several BMW models sporting different matte coats. It started with the a gorgeous matte black BMW X6, then an M3 in the same color and another 3 Series.

Today, for the first time, we have photos of a grey matte BMW Z4 E89, of course, an unofficial paint job. The “coat” is actually a combination of vinyl-film-foil and according to the owner, it costs around $2,000.

The Z4 also sports BMW 313 performance wheels with a gray/silver matte finish. Not a bad combination and definitely a car that stands out.

If the car looks different to you in these photos, it’s also because of the 14mm lens used on the camera.

BMW 5 Series Premiere:

At the world premiere of the new BMW 5 Series, BimmerToday sat down with Josef Wüst, the 5 Series Project Leader. As promised yesterday, we asked some of the questions supplied by you. Tomorrow, we’ll have a short interview with Anders Warming, Head of Exterior Design at BMW.

BimmerToday: One is under the impression that you are very excited about the driving dynamics of the new BMW 5 Series. You spoke in between other things about the fact that you cannot follow the F10 5er with the E60 on a race track. How was this success accomplished because looking at the weight number, there were a lot of people disappointed because the F10 is undeniable heavier than its predecessor?

Josef Wüst: Weight is one thing, but physics are strongly linked to the position of centers of gravity and this is significantly lower than the E60. We have achieved this mainly by extending the distance between centers and the relocation of the engine down and back. Besides the reduction of gravity, this configuration also offers advantages for pedestrian safety and contributes to a very stable ride. The double-wishbone axle has distinct advantages over a traditional axle and if combining the whole thing with the steered rear axle, the E60 cannot compete anymore.