Those guys over at Autobild sure know how to have some fun. They decided to do grab every current BMW M model  and pit them off against one another at Germany’s Sachsenring track in Bernsdorf.

The fastest time of the day from their shootout was BMW’s M3 GTS, equipped with semi-slicks with a time of 1:37.30 – but since we’re comparing apples to apples, the M3 CRT ran a time of 1:38.87 while the new M5 did it in 1:38.90. That’s a mere 0.03-seconds off the M3 CRT but it’s also worth mentioning that the new M5 was driven by Claudia Hürtgen, a German race car driver and one of Germany’s best known female racers, while the rest of the cars were driven by Autobild drivers.

The 1M Coupe ran a respectable 1:40.18, which was faster than the standard M3 Coupe DCT at 1:40.52. From there it was the M3 Sedan, M3 Convertible, X6 M, X5 M, and E60 M5 rounding off the list. To compare the two generations of M5, the E60 ran a 1:43.77, almost five seconds slower than its newer-generation counterpart.

Autobild also took the liberty to take Porsche‘s Panamera Turbo S and Mercedes-Benz‘s E63 AMG out to compare it to the new M5. The Panamera Turbo S ran a 1:38.13, trumping the new M5 by less than a second, while the E63 was quite behind with a 1:40.59.

Check out two Autobild videos of the new M5 after the break.

GALLERY: 2012 BMW M5

[Source: F10 5 Post via Autoblog]

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Men in the U.S. went big, brawny and sporty in 2011 – that is, when it came to the kind of vehicles they bought this past year.

According to J.D. Power’s Power Information Network (PIN) real-time transaction data, men leaned towards sports cars and pickup trucks in the first 11 months of 2011. In fact, out of the top 10 new-model vehicles that men bought or leased, six of them were large pickup trucks or vans. Topping the list of model pickups and vans were the Ford F-Series and Chevrolet Silverado. The data shows that these vehicles were purchased for commercial uses, not necessarily for dropping kids off at soccer practice.

Also in the top 10 models were three cool sports cars – BMW M3 , the Porsche 911 and Chevrolet Corvette. The M3 had highest number of male car buyers in the sports category, with most of these buyers falling into the 16- to 35-year-old demographic. The Porsche 911 was the second top pick, followed closely by the Corvette.

Also making the 2011 list is the GMC Sierra, the Audi A8/S8, the Ford Econoline and the Chevrolet Express. One of the new entries on the list this year is the Chevrolet Volt, although it didn’t crack the top 10.

[Source: J.D. Power and Associates]

BMW’s newest M3 sedan was caught testing, and the wide fenders were a dead giveaway for our photographers. Check out the pictures below.

We wish we had more info about powertrains and the like but your guess is as good as ours. In all likelihood, the big, high-revving V8 will take a bow in favor of a turbocharged inline six. We’ve heard crazy rumors of a tri-turbo I6 in the past, but we’ll probably see something like the 1M’s I6 make an appearance – that is, a massaged version of the N54 twin-turbo I6 used in the 335i, albeit with a lot of power. Lighter weight will also play a part, helping to reduce the need for big power numbers.

Gallery: BMW M3 Sedan

First it was the bi-turbo V6 patent that leaked, and now BMW has filed for a patent on their electric turbocharger, leading to new rumors for what will potentially power the next generation M3. Ever since BMW started regularly employing turbochargers on their factory powerplants, they’ve been seeking ways to efficiently address the issues of turbocharger lag vs power at higher RPM.

The potential answer to the very old dilemma of turbochargers may be hidden in BMW’s plans for an electric turbo that was recently sent into the German patent office. The goal is to have an electric turbocharger that utilizes a small electric motor to work in tandem with a larger, more conventional turbo. The electric motor will power the electric turbo’s turbine during the transition from idle to load, drastically reducing turbo lag. In addition, BMW claims that the electric turbo will increase fuel efficiency by helping keep the engine in its optimum operating range.

What we’ll really see in the next generation M3 is still up in the air, but it’s great to see that BMW is looking to push the envelope in improving turbocharger technology that has been around for decades.

[Source: F30 Post]

British racing driver Jackie Stewart called the Nurburgring Nordschleife (Northern loop) the “Green Hell,” and this past week, the track lived up to its nick name due to an eight car pile up that included a rented Chevrolet Corvette, a BMW M3 “Ring Taxi”, two rare Vauxhall VX220′s an E36, E30 and E92 BMW 3-series, an old Porsche 911.

The accident took place on a public lapping day at the “Bergwerk” section, where a construction company was doing some repair work, which is not a great idea especially when novices are out on the track. According to reports, four cars were racing as they approached the construction zone, which according to some was not clearly marked.

These four cars slammed on their brakes upon seeing the construction zone and the carnage ensued. This chain of accidents took out eight cars in total and sent one man to the hospital with serious injuries.

This accident caused around $200,000 worth of damage to cars and property. Usually all damages to the track are paid by those involved in the accidents, but there could be a strong case made against the track for its untimely construction on a open lapping day and then not marking the construction zone clearly. We reckon this story is far from over. We’ll keep you posted on this developing story.

[Source: GT Spirit]

Rumors are flying left and right on what BMW has in the works to power the next-generation M3/M4, with four potential engines being spoken of. These include a turbocharged 4.4L V8, turbocharged 4.0L V8, a 3.2L inline-6 with three turbochargers and now BMW has filed a patent for a uniquely-designed twin-turbo V6.

And while the schematic is probably a bit over-the-head to us laymen, BMW breaks it down in their patent application: “…the principle of this turbocharger layout invention (#1) in a 6-cylinder internal combustion engine in V configuration (#2) with a first cylinder bank (#2a) — pictured as 3 circles and labeled with Z — and a second cylinder bank (#2b) — also pictured as 3 circles labeled with Z.”

In other words, the exhaust gases of all six cylinders are routed into one turbocharger – which BMW has said could possibly be a twinscroll unit – and once the gases exit from the turbo, they can be routed either into the exhaust system or another turbo. So in the possibility that there would be another turbocharger involved, it would be a sequential twin turbo (think bi-turbo) setup and would also allow BMW to use different sized turbochargers.

Which of these four options will BMW choose for the next M3? Only time will tell.

[Source: Bimmerpost]

BMW M3 owners looking to transform their ride to a GT-inspired race car lookalike can now turn to CLP Automotive’s Interceptor kit to accomplish the task. The full carbon fiber widebody conversion kit doesn’t come cheap though, priced at around $12,400. Your hard-earned dollars will get you a new front bumper, hood, fenders (with lower vents), side skirts, flared rear quarter panels, rear bumper and a rear spoiler.

Those looking to complete the entire transformation however, can shell out even more money to get a set of center-locking 19×9-inch (front) and 19×12-inch (rear) wheels – complete with conversion kit for the center lock – and Bilstein race suspension. To back it all up, CLP Automotive will also outfit your M3 with a G-Power supercharger kit, and Akrapovic titanium exhaust system, giving the M3 a new net horsepower of 600-hp. Inside, CLP also offers a roll cage and lightweight Recaro seats. The complete package (including the body kit) comes in at a little more than $96,500 but includes installation.

GALLERY: CLP Automotive BMW M3

GALLERY: BMW M3 GT Race Car

Sporty or luxurious? BMW or Porsche? Two of Germany’s finest production automobiles have been tuned by Vorsteiner to near perfection, contrasting the M3′s urge to be sporty with the Panamera’s desire to be luxurious. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen Vorsteiner’s Candy Cane GTRS3 M3 or their Porsche Panamera V-PT, but enjoying them both in one photo shoot is a real treat.

It’s interesting how seeing both cars in the same frame makes you wonder which you’d rather have as a daily driver. The enticing and menacing widebody M3 or the more refined yet aggressive Panamera? Either way you look at it, Vorsteiner has two winners here and we could only imagine what it was like to spot the two of them prowling the streets of Los Angeles on their way to the photo shoot. Kudos to the tuning company out of California for finding a great way to add style, sophistication and performance without ruining the vehicle itself.

GALLERY: Vorsteiner BMW M3 Candy Cane GTRS3 and Panamera V-PT

[Source: GT Spirit]

BMW has taken the cover off its jaw-dropping M3 DTM Concept Car, giving us a taste of what will hit the track in the upcoming 2012 DTM season. Even though the German automaker has announced that the looks of the car will most likely change considerably leading up to its first race, we hope they retain the general idea: an amazing badass race car.

BMW’s return to the DTM racing season will be with a CFRP monococque chassis with steel roll cage, a 6-speed sequential gearbox mated to a V8 engine with approximately 480-bhp.

Between 1987-1992, BMW’s M3 had over 150 podium finishes in the series and had no less than 40 wins. Confirmed drivers for BMW’s 2012 DTM season include Andy Priaulx and Augusto Farfus, both of which have impressive resumes in touring car and GT racing.

Three teams will be driving on BMW’s behalf next season: BMW Team Schnitzer, BMW Team RBM and BMW Team RMG. All three teams are working with BMW to fine-tune the M3 DTM race car along with their partners and sponsors which include Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Deutsche Post AG, Castrol Edge, H&R, SONAX, ZF Sachs and Sympatex.

The M3 DTM Concept Car is currently on display at BMW Welt as part of the DTM event in the Olympic Stadium.

GALLERY: BMW M3 DTM Concept Car

With the 2012 M5 now revealed in all its turbocharged glory, the auto tabloids have switched focus to the next-generation M3.

While the V8 has long been rumored as dead, the latest reports indicated BMW will switch back to a straight-six engine, opting instead for turbochargers to make up the difference for the decreased displacement. In fact, the next-gen M3 mill will drop almost a quarter of its size, down to 3.3-liters. The straight-six will then be blessed with not one, not two, but three turbochargers – one of which will be electrically powered. Rumors of this same setup on an X3 M model have surfaced before and if true, let’s hope the engineers in Munich have advanced electric turbos beyond the eBay kind.

[Source: AutoExpress]