DTM Revival

2012 BMW M3 DTM Concept 

I honestly haven't heard the term DTM in a very long time. If you've never heard of this term ever, it stands for Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters which is German for German Touring Car Championship. In the recent years, the cars used were mostly the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, the Audi TT, the Opel Astra, and the Audi A4. But, back then, when the sport was really big, BMW and Alfa Romeo were in the mix with the M3 and the 156 making the sport exciting and breathtaking. Well, BMW wants to bring the excitement back as they've recently unveiled the all new M3 E92 DTM Concept Racer. The car harnesses the same 4.0-liter 480 horsepower V8 engine used in the ALMS racing M3 GT and the FIA GT3 racing Z4. The top speed is believed to be at 186 MPH with a 0 to 60 of 3 seconds flat. It would be interesting to see how it stacks up against it's competitors from Audi and Mercedes-Benz. The drivers of this car? A Brit (Andy Priaulx) and a Brazilian (Augusto Farfus). The 2012 season of DTM should be quite exciting now.

Carbon Fiber Sedan? Yes, Please!

2012 BMW M3 CRT

Many Top Gear fans have heard Clarkson pester about saying that if there's one car that you must have in your sports car garage, it's the BMW M3, whether it be the coupe or the sedan, and I agree with him. BMW think so too, but have always tried to spice the car up to make it appealing to other people with specials such as the Competition Coupe, the Frozen Gray, the Frozen Black, the Carbon Edition, the Tiger Edition, and the GTS. And now, it seems we'll be adding one more to the list as BMW have just pulled the covers off the M3 CRT (Carbon Racing Technologies). Think of it as the M3 GTS, but with 5 seats instead of 2, carbon fiber accents, racing bucket seats, and no fire extinguisher. Also, while the M3 GTS is a day-in-day-out all track screamer, the M3 CRT is a day-in-day-out all track family screamer with navigation, a premium stereo system, and iPod connectivity. Even though it includes these heavy units, the sedan has done much shedding of weight with lightweight brakes, carbon fiber seats, carbon fiber hood, 19-inch lightweight alloy wheels, and a lightweight titanium muffler. But, even though it's all light and dainty, the aggressiveness and brilliance of the M3 still exists with it's brilliant chassis and suspension. It's even added a carbon fiber front splitter and rear aero spoiler. Heck, it's given itself a more powerful 4.4-liter 450 horsepower V8 engine, which has been mated with BMW's new and improved 7-speed Dual-Clutch gearbox, as seen on the new M5. Because of this, it will do 0 to 60 in, say 4.4 seconds and hit a limited top speed of 155 MPH. You want one? That's good, cuz only 67 will be made, and seeing that M3 has become quite a popular car, you better get in line fast. And as for the U.S., there's no word on whether this beast will make it to our shores, but it mostly won't due to safety regulations.

On The Run

2011 BMW M3 GTS (Need For Speed: The Run)

So, if you weren't watching E3 yesterday, EA unveiled their newest racer, Need For Speed: The Run, to a vast majority of wannabe stuntmen. Past criticisms of Black Box Studios were put aside that day as viewers gazed in awe at the new sharp details, gameplay, and physics this new title presides. Thanks to DICE's new Frostbite 2 engine, detail and gameplay have been taken to their ultimate peak with real, in your face visuals. But enough with all this techie stuff. On to the cars. Black Box has promised a wide array of cars for you to run in, including this exclusive BMW M3 GTS. There are also Aston Martins, Porsches, Lamborghinis, and Audis all at your disposal. And, as a bonus, if you're a PS3 owner, EA will throw in 7 exclusive hyper cars for you to drive, including, as usual, the Bugatti Veyron, and the Hennessey Venom GT. With lots of action, suspense, and cars, this game looks quite promising. Look for it in stores this November.

Carbon beats Metal

2012 BMW M3 Carbon Edition

Since it was first released, BMW have always found new ways to improve the taste and presence of the M3. First, there was the M3 GTS. Then the M3 Competition Coupe and Frozen Gray arrived. The China exclusive Tiger Edition was unleashed a few days later. A few months ago, they released the Matte Edition, and it seems that they're not done as they've now unveiled the Carbon Edition, another China exclusive Beamer. Not much else new here except for the exclusive badging, two-tone leather seats, carbon accents, and 19-inch alloy wheels. But, essentially what you have there is the Competition Coupe made only for China. The power remains the same as it's been: a 4.4-liter 414 horsepower V8 engine. All the performance stats remain the same as well: 0 to 60 in 4.6 seconds and a limited top speed of 155 MPH. So, really nothing much different here. I guess China loves the M3 that much. Well, if you live in China and want one of these, it will cost you 1.23 Million Yuan (RMB), which is about $189,595.38 if you convert it right. To me, all that is useless. Just get a standard M3. It's cheaper, has the same amount of power, and in some ways, is slightly better. 

1 is a Lucky Number

2012 BMW 1-Series M Coupe

The next best thing to the first-ever M3, the 1-Series M Coupe, has been known as one of the best sport coupes of all time, and if you have one, you were considered a true BMW brother. It sounds good for all the owners, but not as good for those who don't have one as BMW have recently announced that this car will only be available this year. That's right! After this December 31st, it will be no more, leaving some room for the all new M3 F30, M5 F10, and M6 F12/F13. This a truly fantastic car with a 3.0-liter Twin-Turbocharged 335 horsepower Inline-6 engine taking it from 0 to 60 in 4.7 seconds on to a limited top speed of 155 MPH. With prices starting below the $50k mark, this is ideally the cheapest M car in the BMW line, which means you'll save much more money on this than on any other superfast coupe. So, what are you waiting for? Get yours now before the year ends.

The Teenage Provider

2009 BMW M3 E92

So, I've heard that some people want me to do some fundraisers on this site. Personally, I'm up for it. I think it's a great idea, but I've been challenged by some people thinking that it will all be bogus. Here are their challenges.

1. I'm sure you know that last night, a powerful F3 tornado ripped through Joplin, Missouri leaving millions of dollars in damage and killing 116 innocent people. I was devastated when I heard this news, even to a state that I wanted to do something. I figured that if we can raise about $6,000 or more, we can help the people of Missouri get back on their feat despite this terrible storm.

2. Have you been to my YouTube channel? People are buzzin' about my fan-created movies. I've been thinking about expanding this, putting new software to work, buying new hardware to record PS3 gameplays. I only need about $2,000, then I'll have everything and all the entertainment and tips you need to succeed in your racing games.

3. So, as you've seen in my previous video, I'll be giving TrackMania United Forever out for free if you can help me achieve 300 followers. I've been thinking about buying more games for you guys so you can have them free. Just donate what you can, and maybe, I'll make this happen each month!

4. This is the biggee!! Some idiot approached me telling me, "Your blog is so bogus, I bet you can't even buy a car from it!" That made me mad, so I want to prove him wrong. You see that M3 up there? My goal is to get enough money to buy a used one so I can prove it in his fat little face. It's been done before! It doesn't have to be an M3 even. It could be a Mustang, a Camaro, or even a cheap Civic. Let's prove him wrong!

Now you can donate money to my site to keep these challenges and this site itself alive. There's a donate button on the right side of the site and you can use PayPal to donate money. I hope these challenges work for you. Happy Donating!

The New Generation of 3

2012 BMW 3-Series F30 (Courtesy of BIMMERPOST)

It looks like the BMW 3-Series is gonna get a serious makeover for 2012, following the lines of its big brothers, the 5 and the 7. As you can see, it has taken a much more aggressive look, but still flaunting that entry-level, sporty BMW style. As for power, there are two engines in store for the new 3. First up, for the 328i is BMW's new 240 horsepower TwinPower Turbo-4 engine used on the new X1 xDrive28i and the new Z4 sDrive28i. Next, for the 335i, or the possible 340i, there is the standard 3.0-liter 300 - 320 horsepower TwinPower Turbocharged Inline-6 engine. As for now, the F30 is still a work in progress, but BMW has told me that they'll be announcing the car this November in London, in connection with the 2012 Summer Olympics. The car will then make its official debut next year at Geneva with sales starting up soon after that. Oh, and don't worry coupe fans! The F32 is scheduled for release in 2013 along with the all-new M3. Stay tuned for that!

Wow! What a day!

2011 Lexus IS250 AWD F-Sport

Some exciting things happened today while behind the wheel of some worthy luxury sports cars. I wish I could tell you more, but I'm currently busy writing up their reviews. First up, I took a spin in Lexus' new IS250, a car you shouldn't really leave out since it could give the 3-series a run for its money. Next, the BMW 335i X-drive Coupe, a teenagers equivalent to an M3. And to bring it all home, I had a go at the new Jaguar XF, of which I will see more of tomorrow at NYIAS (New York International Auto Show). I can't reveal to you the details at the moment, but I will say this: that Cat can run! Check out all the stuff tomorrow along with a heap of NYIAS photos.

M3 GTS Sedan?

2012 BMW M3 E90 Lightweight Sedan

This is no April Fool. This lightweight M3 sedan will be coming to production and is slated to go between the regular sedan and the race-ready M3 GTS. Everything in the car has been tweaked for maximum performance, from the brakes to the exhaust. The power output remains the same though; 414 horsepower out of a 4.4-liter V8 engine. I haven't received word if this sedan will hit the U.S. market or how much lighter it is compared to the sedan, but we'll all find out in June when this thing makes its official debut at the BMW M-Festival at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring race. No fooling, this car is real and it is coming. 

April Fools from BMW

2012 BMW M3 Pickup

So, if you thought that I was fooling about the M3 Pickup truck, here's some REAL pictures of the car in REAL life. It's still BMW's April Fools joke, but the car is REAL. BMW claims that it's the fastest pickup in the world, even faster than the Dodge Ram SRT-10. The Ram will go up to 155 MPH. This topped out on the Nürburgring at 186 MPH. The 414 horsepower 4.4-liter V8 engine really does wonders for this truck. And, since it's 110 lb. than the regular M3 convertible, it will make much quicker turns. What's also interesting is that BMW actually put this truck in a wind tunnel and found out that it has the same drag coefficient of the M3 Coupe. And it gets better. You can drive this as a targa; the roof can be taken off, shedding another 44 lb. off the truck. So, it works, it looks cool, and it might the best M3 BMW has ever made. It's a shame that it will never be on public roads. But, BMW has told me that it will serve as the workshop transport vehicle for the M-Division. At least they found some use for it. Oh, and one other thing. You see that car under the wraps right behind the M3 Pickup? That's the 2012 BMW M5 F10 Concept. You've all been waiting for that, and BMW specifically said that they would not break their promise of showing that car to you today. Stay Tuned!

M3 Pickup?

2011 BMW M3 E94 Truck (Courtesy of AutoBlog)

Believe it or not, the M3 you see here is real. BMW recently ran an experiment round the Nürburgring; What if the M3 were to lose the rear seats and only have room for, let's say, farming materials? So, say hello to the all new BMW M3 E94 pickup Truck. It still has the fantastic 4.4-liter 414 horsepower V8 engine which accelerates the truck from 0 to 60 in just 4.4 seconds on its way to a limited top speed of 155 MPH.

Front View

Since there's no weight in the back end, expect to pull some massive drifts when you put the hammer down. BMW has also told me that this car will only come in rear-wheel drive and have a 6-speed DSG gearbox. The flatbed itself is big enough to hold some farming materials as big as a small tree. It is rather remarkable that BMW would turn the best two-door sports saloon out there into a crazy two-door pickup. You can experience the awesomeness of this sports truck, never!

APRIL FOOLS!!

Top Gear China?

Top Gear China Hosts

Well, Top Gear UK won't be back 'til June and we'll have died of waiting by then. Well, I'm here to announce that another country has gotten in on the Top Gear franchise: China. Yep! New to the list of international productions including Australia, Russia, Germany, Albania, and the U.S., China has recently gotten their hands on the franchise that is Top Gear. The show has three petrolhead hosts, as usual, doing Top Gear races against, say, a donkey and a Cadillac,  fast car reviews including one with the China-Exclusive BMW M3 E92 Tiger Edition, and even a star in a reasonably priced car. Obviously, the whole show is in Chinese, so if you're english, you won't understand anything. But, the heartwarming thing is, there is no foreign translation in any language for the word "STIG". Yes, Chinese STIG is here with his own need for speed. What's interesting is he's not even wearing his favorite Diamondback helmet. Anyway, he has his own playground their in which he can test his cars, but it's more like a custom-built racetrack than an airfield racetrack. But, what makes this version of Top Gear special is that it actually looks interesting, unlike boring US Top Gear. Check out what the Chinese are up to below.

The M3 has Met it's Match...from Mercedes

2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe

We've seen the new C-Class coupe. Now it's time for its much more powerful AMG relative to step up to the plate. So welcome everyone to the new Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe, a true M3 fighter. As you can see, it looks just like the new C63 sedan, only there are two fewer doors. The engine is the same Affalterbach''s 6.2-liter 451 horsepower V8 engine. 0 to 60 is done in 4.4 seconds on its way to a limited top speed of 155 MPH. This model, in particular, is wearing the AMG Development Package which increases power from 451 to 481, the 0 to 60 from 4.4 to 4.3, and the top speed from 155 to 174. The M3 has always been hailed as the best sports saloon car of all time. Let's see it keep its title with a Mad Merc chasing after it. The C63 AMG Coupe will make its official debut in April at the New York Auto Show, and I will be there for all of the latest creations from Mercedes and the other manufacturers there.