AC Schnitzer has officially revealed details of its tuning program for BMW‘s new 1M Coupe, and is set to officially debut the car at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show next month. AC Schnitzer’s take on the BMW 1M (at least initially) has a focus on aesthetics, brakes and suspension, leaving the powerplant untouched. It’s only a matter of time before a power package is released.

First off are the new upgraded brakes that AC Schnitzer is offering for the 1M. Featuring internally-vented brake discs, the upgrade also features 6-piston calipers in the front and 4-piston calipers in the rear. And while it’s not much, there is a weight saving of about 9-lbs compared to the standard brakes.

For suspension, 1M owners can lower their vehicles about 0.4-inch to 0.8-inch depending on their preference. While not shown in the photos, there is an aerodynamic package that will be unveiled soon (at the Frankfurt show presumably) featuring a new front lip, rear diffuser and roof spoiler. And naturally, AC Schnitzer will have their wheel collection available with 1M fitments.

For the inside, AC Schnitzer’s huge variety of interior upgrades are now available for the 1M from leather shift knob to pedals and a cover for the i-Drive system controller.

GALLERY: AC Schnitzer BMW 1M

AC Schnitzer is laying claim that they sport the world’s fastest MINI, with their John Cooper Works-based AC Schnitzer Eagle. And while you’re probably thinking AC Schnitzer set some record on the quarter mile or out at Nurburgring, their test bed was actually the famed Grand Prix Circuit at Hockenheim. It was there that their Eagle laid waste to the track, clocking in a 1:13.341 lap time.

According to AC Schnitzer, that lap time is good enough to blow away MINI’s direct competition and only cars such as the X-BOW, M3 and AMG Mercedes were able to beat their Eagle around the track. To compare, BMW’s 1M Coupe recently logged a time of 1:14.1 in its 340-hp body. So AC Schnitzer has been able to fine-tune their Eagle to 260-hp and shaved off about 176-lbs and the result speaks for itself.

Unfortunately those interested in what AC Schnitzer has done to the John Cooper Works MINI in order to achieve this type of performance will have to sit in the dark some more. This was simply done as a concept study and will not be available for sale, as AC Schnitzer wanted to optimize all areas of the vehicle for efficient performance. What we do know is that along with the power upgrades (which includes a full exhaust), AC Schnitzer employed height-adjustable racing suspension and a set of 18-inch AC Schnitzer Mi2 wheels.

They did announce that the AC Schnitzer Eagle has a value of almost $89,000.

Check out a video of the beast after the break.

GALLERY: AC Schnitzer MINI Cooper Eagle

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There wouldn’t be much of a Geneva Motor Show if AC Schnitzer didn’t have a thing or two up its sleeves to announce. For this year’s show, we now know they’ll at least be debuting a new ACS 5 Sport S and 99d vehicles, based on the BMW 550i and Z4 respectively. With both priced at the same amount, approximately $205,785, it probably comes down to if you want a nice sports car or a sedan.

Not exactly falling in the category of cheap, let’s take a look at what you get for your money from AC Schnitzer. The ACS5 Sport S, based on the BMW 550i, has its performance enhanced to 540-hp and 553 lb-ft of torque. A limited slip differential upgrade also comes with the engine modifications. No more details are given on the ACS5 Sport S, but clearly AC Schnitzer will also outfit the vehicle’s exterior with its traditional body kit, trunk and roof spoiler, suspension modifications and a set of fashionable AC Schnitzer fashionable wheels.

The same probably goes with the 99d, based off of BMW’s Z4. For its performance, AC Schnitzer sent the unconventional route and based it off of BMW’s 320d Efficient Dynamics Edition powerplant. The result is 190-hp with 310 ft-lbs of torque. The aesthetics feature much flashier graphics than the 5-Series counterpart does and we’re better ACS has an announcement to make about having your sports car and being green.

Set to debut in Geneva, we’ll be on hand to bring you more on these cars with show coverage starting March 1st.

GALLERY: AC Schnitzer ACS5 Sport S and 99d

The German Automobile Tuner Association has been helping raise awareness with a “Tune it! Safe!” campaign, and famed German aftermarket tuner AC Schnitzer has chimed in with their MINI E Police Look Concept. Currently being shown off at the 2010 Essen Motor Show, the MINI E Police Car continues to promote tuning without compromising safety.

The MINI E puts out 204-hp with 164 ft-lbs of torque, doing 0-62 mph in 8.5 seconds. Naturally, AC Schnitzer didn’t touch any of the performance of the vehicle but overhauled the exterior with their body kit. Comprised of a new front bumper, side skirts and rear bumper the MINI E now sports a more aggressive look. The kit is further complemented by vents on the hood and a large roof spoiler.

On each corner of the MINI E is an 18-inch MI 2 wheel, wrapped with Hankook’s Ventus S1 Evo tire. AC Schnitzer also upgraded the MINI E’s brakes, tossing on 4-piston calipers in the front. The suspension has also been upgraded for the police to easily maneuver around the winding roads.

Interior upgrades includes traditional AC Schnitzer aluminum pedals, footrest and e-brake handle. All of these modifications are currently (or soon-to-be) available for any of the MINI models.

GALLERY: AC Schnitzer All Electric Mini E Police Car

Check out the video after the break:

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AC Schnitzer has become the first aftermarket tuning company to utilize the power of phone applications. And while Android is gaining on the iPhone’s popularity, there’s no denying that going with Apple’s brainchild first is the smart thing to do.

AC Schnitzer’s iPhone app is completely free to download and allows you to stay up to date with all of the company’s happenings. You’ll also be able to hear and check out videos of their exhaust systems and view various AC Schnitzer vehicles that are for sale.

And just to have a little more utility than just a giant AC Schnitzer ad, they offer a “Park Service” option which is basically just a GPS-locator to store where you park your car and how to get back to it later.

And with AC Schnitzer now acting as a pioneer, we have to think it won’t be long before other tuners start releasing their own Apps.

[Source: GT Spirit]

Oh AC Schnitzer, you’re actually late to the party this time around! BMW‘s new 2011 5-Series has already been overhauled by quite a few tuners including 3D Design and Lumma Design and now the brand synonymous with BMW customization over the last few decades has embraced BMW’s new sedan.

Apparently this is just one of several tuning packages AC Schnitzer has in the works, which makes sense considering this is just a conservative lip kit. We’re going to guess that they’ll come out with a full front and rear bumper replacement in the near future. But as always, AC Schnitzer outfits the 5-Series with an add-on front lip and add-on rear diffuser (to the OE bumpers) along with a set of side skirt extensions sporting a classy chrome blade. Both roof and trunk spoilers are also available with the trunk spoiler carrying a much more conservative design than we’re used to seeing from AC Schnitzer.

An ECU upgrade is available for the 530d bumping horsepower up from 245-hp to 286-hp. And of course an exhaust system is available for all the various 5-Series models. AC Schnitzer did want to express that they’re currently working on ECU remaps for the other BMW powerplants.

Suspension and brakes are also handled by AC Schnitzer, offering a very mild 1-inch drop along with a massive 8-piston caliper brake setup with cross-drilled rotors. (We’re assuming that the upgrade is for the front, while nothing was mentioned for the rear. We can’t imagine having 8-piston calipers in the rear on a 5-Series, but we guess it’s possible.)

AC Schnitzer also has a large assortment of wheels available for the 5-Series from 19-inch to 20-inch variety.

GALLERY: AC Schnitzer BMW 5-Series F10

Even though we don’t understand a single word of this video, we didn’t have to in order to enjoy every minute of it. GRiP Magazine out in Germany made some solid arrangements to bring on an AC Schnitzer 123d that was built as a police car (apparently in collaboration with the police to promote responsible driving and building safe cars) to play chase to bank robbers in a variety of other modified rides.

The robbers arsenal of cars included MTM’s Audi TT-RS, Techart’s Magnum, and a Challenger SRT-8 that sounds like it was supercharged. Overall the video is very well produced as the robbers rob the bank and take off with the AC Schnitzer BMW in hot pursuit. So we guess in a way this video helped show us what’s the best getaway car if you plan on robbing a bank.

We would’ve been more interested to see if they had a BMW 135 rather than a 123 and how that would stack up against the competition. But for now, we’re a huge fan of MTM’s Audi TT-RS and if we had to choose, we’d probably hop into that without thinking twice. Mostly because it looks good, and you have to look good if you’re going to be committing a crime. Right?

Check out the video after the break.

[Source: Jalopnik]

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We’ve seen so many variants of BMW‘s X6 by now that we’re not even sure which one is our favorite anymore. But it’s clear that the aftermarket has really embraced BMW’s performance SUV despite its odd identity crisis. This time it’s AC Schnitzer with a widebody X6. Interestingly AC Schnitzer hasn’t officially released this kit yet, with the vehicle making its first appearance at the National BMW Festival out in the United Kingdom.

AC Schnitzer is well known for tuning BMWs and their styling has always been unique. Simply put, it’s hard to mistake AC Schnitzer’s body kits. Clearly what we can see on the X6 is a full body kit (front bumper, side skirts, rear bumper, rear trunk and roof spoiler), alongside widebody arches that allows 11-inch wide wheels to look comfortably at home.

A set of traditional AC Schnitzer wheels also outfit the car. We found this X6 to be one of the cleaner yet more aggressive ones out of all the X6s we’ve seen, with the widebody fitting the style of the X6 quite nicely. As for the Aston Martin-inspired frong grille, well, we’ll pass on that.

We’re sure it’s just a matter of time before someone in the United States pops up with one for us to check out.

GALLERY: Widebody AC Schnitzer BMW X6

[Source: Vivid Racing]

The BMW X6 M continues to be a confused child in our eyes in the crossover segment. The twin-turbocharged 4.4L V8 tosses out 555-hp and 501 ft-lbs of torque, numbers that rival the much larger and more popular Porsche Cayenne Turbo. But BMW sticking their coveted M-badge on a SAV (or SUV, whichever you’d like to believe the X6 is) almost seems sacrilegious to us. But hey, the world is changing and so we have to accept that people want performance-themed utility vehicles.

So all we can do is go with the flow and accept it for what it is. But thankfully there are companies like AC Schnitzer out there that are trying to make the X6 M find its identity. And naturally, with all the performance the X6 M has from the factory, AC Schnitzer mostly focused on the aesthetics inside and out.

With a contrasting combination of carbon fiber and chrome, AC Schnitzer’s offerings to enhance the exterior include a front spoiler, front grille, hood vents, wheel arch extensions, rear roof wing, rear spoiler and rear diffuser. And one interesting modification is a hood top that is made of carbon with an acrylic glass window displaying the insides of the engine bay. Perhaps AC Schnitzer caught a glimpse of all those Photoshop “see-through” hoods everyone seems to do.

Inside the X6 M, one can get themselves a collection of AC Schnitzer-branded parts. The gauge cluster converts the speedometer to 360 km/h while sporting a fashionable AC Schnitzer logo on the tachometer. The new cluster sports a white background and red illuminated needles. Then there are the “black Exclusiv” carbon fiber interior pieces and steering wheel insert. The rest are just simple amenities including a carbon cover for the automatic gear knob, aluminum cover for the i-Drive system and aluminum foot rest and pedal set. If that isn’t enough, velour floor mats are available with AC Schnitzer branding.

AC Schnitzer also has an impressive catalog of wheels and their 20-, 22-, and 23-inch offerings for the X6 M gives a variety of choices.

Check out the extensive gallery for all detailed photos of everything AC Schnitzer is offering for the X6 M.

GALLERY: AC Schnitzer BMW X6 M

Official press release available after the jump:

PRESS RELEASE

The X6 M by AC Schnitzer with “Motorsport Genes”

Pure dynamism with powerful lines – unmistakeably the “motorsport gene”: evident at first sight in the BMW X6 M. And the X6 M by AC Schnitzer is even more powerful and sporting.

The Aachen-based tuning specialist is currently working on a performance upgrade which, in combination with delimiting the Vmax and a sports exhaust, will bring a further perceptible increase in the power of the X6 M. And if that’s not enough, you can also opt for the carbon fibre AC Schnitzer engine styling. Even without a performance upgrade, the acoustic and visual attraction will be enhanced by the AC Schnitzer sports rear silencer with two chromed “Sports Trim” tailpipe trims in right/left combination.

AC Schnitzer not only gives the BMW X6 M more power, but also a tailored race outfit of carbon. Front spoiler, rear roof spoiler, rear wing, rear diffuser and design elements for the front skirt and chromed front grille give the X6 M an impressive and muscular appearance. As an option, the carbon Bonnet Vents with chromed centre web complete the sporting look.

A real highlight is the new AC Schnitzer Bonnet Top of carbon with plexiglas panoramic window through which the engine is permanently visible.

For the X6 M – 1.98 metres wide as standard – AC Schnitzer has adapted the FALCON wheel arch extensions so that the BMW body gains an extra 40 mm width each side.

The already sporting interior ambience of the BMW X6 M has been refined further in the Aachen works. The instrument panel conversion – speedo and rev counter with AC Schnitzer logo, white dials, red pointers and red lighting – gives the X6 M a speedometer display up to 360 km/h. The carbon interior trim and the AC Schnitzer steering wheel spokes in new “black Exclusiv” design and the AC Schnitzer aluminium cover for the i-Drive system controller, aluminium footrest and pedal set, and velour foot mats, round off the interior package.

The wheelarches of the X6 M by AC Schnitzer can be filled with 20″, 22″ or imposing 23″ AC Schnitzer wheels in Type IV BiColor, Type VII silver, black or BiColor, or the AC Schnitzer forged alloys Type V or forged racing rims Type VIII BiColor. In combination with the 275, 315, 295 or 335 tyres, it’s easy for the driver in the cockpit to transfer the engine power to the track, and at the same time provide external evidence of the “motorsport gene” of the X6 M by AC Schnitzer even when stationary.Overview for Press Release No. 05/2010

X6 M by AC Schnitzer (E71)

Basic car: BMW X6 M

Engine: AC Schnitzer carbon engine styling optic

Exhaust: AC Schnitzer sports rear silencer with chromed “Sports Trim”
tailtrims (left / right)

Aerodynamics:

AC Schnitzer front spoiler, carbon
AC Schnitzer design elements for front skirt, carbon
AC Schnitzer front grille, chromed
AC Schnitzer bonnet top, carbon with acrylic glass panorama window
AC Schnitzer bonnet vents, carbon
AC Schnitzer chromed centre bar for bonnet vents
AC Schnitzer wheel arch extensions
AC Schnitzer rear roof wing, carbon
AC Schnitzer rear wing, carbon
AC Schnitzer rear diffuser, carbon

Interior:

AC Schnitzer instrument displays
speedometer conversion up to 360km/h, rev counter both with
AC Schnitzer Logo on tachometer, white background – black disposed,
red needles, red illuminated
AC Schnitzer carbon interior “black Exclusiv”
AC Schnitzer steering wheel insert, carbon “black Exclusiv”
AC Schnitzer carbon cover for automatic gear knob
AC Schnitzer aluminium cover for i-Drive system controller
AC Schnitzer aluminium foot rest and pedal set
AC Schnitzer velours floor mats

Wheel/Tyre sets

FALCON: AC Schnitzer Lightweight Forged Wheels Type V
front: 10,0J x 22″ offset 22 with tyres 295/30 R 22
rear: 10,0J x 22″ offset -10 with tyres 335/25 R 22

AC Schnitzer Wheels Type VII silver, black and BiColor
front: 10,0J x 22″ offset 20 with tyres 295/30 R 22
rear: 11,5J x 22″ offset -10 with tyres 335/25 R 22

AC Schnitzer Racing Forged Wheels Type VIII BiColor
front: 10,0J x 22″ offset 20,5 with tyres 295/30 R 22
rear: 11,5J x 22″ offset -10 with tyres 335/25 R 22
front: 11,0J x 23″ offset 30 with tyres 315/25 R 23
rear: 12,0J x 23″ offset -12 with tyres 315/25 R 23

Wheel/Tyre sets: AC Schnitzer Wheels Type IV BiColor
front: 10,0J x 20″ offset 34 with tyres 275/40 R 20
rear: 10,0J x 20″ offset 15 with tyres 275/40 R 20
front: 10,0J x 20″ offset 34 with tyres 275/40 R 20
rear: 11,5J x 20″ offset 22 with tyres 315/35 R 20

AC Schnitzer Wheels Type VII silver, black and BiColor
front: 10,0J x 22″ offset 30 with tyres 295/30 R 22
rear: 10,0J x 22″ offset 5 with tyres 295/30 R 22
front: 10,0J x 22″ offset 30 with tyres 295/30 R 22
rear: 11,5J x 22″ offset 23 with tyres 335/25 R 22
AC Schnitzer Lighweight Forged Wheels Type V
front: 10,0J x 22″ offset 31 with tyres 295/30 R 22
rear: 10,0J x 22″ offset 3 with tyres 295/30 R 22
front: 10,0J x 22″ offset 31 with tyres 295/30 R 22
rear: 11,5J x 22″ offset 23 with tyres 335/25 R 22

AC Schnitzer Racing Forged Wheels Type VIII BiColor
front: 10,0J x 22″ offset 29,5 with tyres 295/30 R 22
rear: 10,0J x 22″ offset 8,5 with tyres 295/30 R 22
front: 10,0J x 22″ offset 29,5 with tyres 295/30 R 22
rear: 11,5J x 22″ offset 23 with tyres 335/25 R 22
front: 11,0J x 23″ offset 35,5 with tyres 315/25 R 23
rear: 12,0J x 23″ offset 33,5 with tyres 315/25 R 23

Those BMW experts over at AC Schnitzer have just released details on the company’s new lineup of parts for the all-new BMW 7 Series. Thankfully, ACS decided to keep this makeover tasteful (with the exception of those wheels), especially considering some of the bizzare creations it has released as of late.

The new exterior of the car is highlighted by an AC Schnitzer front lip with chrome detailing. New sideskirts are also included (with add-on chrome details). Out back a new rear bumper insert, as well as a subtle rear spoiler and a roof spoiler complete the look.

A  set of AC Schnitzer mufflers with ACS’s trademark tips is also available.

The German tuner offers four different choices of wheels for the new 7 Series, in 20- and 22-inch sizes. Shown here are the company’s new Type VII wheel in a 22-inch fitment, that measures 9.5-inches up front and 10-inches in the rear. Recommended tires are sizes 265/30/22 (front) and 295/25/22 (rear).

To help the big 7 Series sit low on those new wheels, AC Schnitzer has equipped the car with a set of its Nürburgring-tested lowering springs.

In terms of performance, AC Schnitzer currently only has ECU tuning packages available for the 740i and 730d (neither of which are offered in North America). With AC Schnitzer’s ECU package the 730d goes from 245hp to 286hp and the 740i goes from 326hp to 360hp.

For the cabin, ACS offers it’s usual array of add-ons including foot rests, floor mats and a trunk mat – all of which feature the AC Schnitzer name. A pedal set and aluminum cover for the iDrive are also offered.

GALLERY: AC Schnitzer BMW 7 Series