A Jaguar XFR-S is likely to be on the way soon, spurred by competition from the BMW M5 and Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG which seriously outgun the British super-sedan.

The current XFR (pictured above) uses a 5.0-liter supercharged V8 to make 510 horsepower which falls about 40 ponies short of both sedans it directly competes with. While that’s a significant difference, it’s probably important to take a step back and realize that none of the numbers in this story are to be taken lightly.

Despite that, Jaguar will have to do something soon if they want to remain competitive. We don’t have concrete specifications on the XFR-S at the moment, but it was spotted running the Nürburgring last summer.

We expect it to pack at least 550 horsepower to stay on par, along with standard performance upgrades like a stiffer chassis and suspension. Of course, the price will increase as well, which we’ll report as soon as details break.

GALLERY: 2011 Jaguar XFR

[Source: AutoCar]

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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Star of the upcoming movie Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, Paula Patton, was on hand in helping introduce the North American debut of BMW’s i3 and i8 Concepts. Neither of these concepts are new to us, having seen them in detail at the Frankfurt Motor Show, but it’s understandable with the i8 playing a major role in the upcoming movie why BMW would give it center stage at the LA Auto Show.

Both the i3 and i8 Concepts are derived from BMW’s LifeDrive Vehicle Architecture incorporating a Life Module with a carbon fiber passenger compartment. The i8 features a 170-hp electric drive motor in the front while a 220-hp three-cylinder gas motor powers the rear. With a 50/50 weight distribution, BMW continued to boast that the i8 can have an estimated 78-mpg, delivering the performance of an M3 with the interior space of a 6-Series. BMW also reiterated that they will have a production model ready to show to the world by 2014.

The smaller i3 features a 170-hp electric drive engine with 184 lb-ft of torque and promises up to a 100-mile range that can be doubled with a range extender. A full charge of the i3 can be had in just four hours on a 220-volt charger, while an 80-percent charge can be obtained in just a single hour with a high speed charger. BMW announced that they plan to have a production vehicle based on the i3 Concept by the end of 2013.

Also making its North American premiere was BMW’s M5, though we’ve probably seen more than enough of it already. Worth noting was that BMW brought one out in a matte silver metallic finish and it sounded great rolling out to the show floor.

GALLERY: BMW i3 Concept

GALLERY: BMW i8 Concept

GALLERY: BMW M5

Recently, California based BMW tuning company, Dinan Cars, revealed a video of its latest engine project. Beginning with the V10 BMW S85 engine found in the E60 BMW M5, which remains one of the most sophisticated power plants engineered to date, Dinan bored and stroked the displacement from 5-liters to 5.8-liters, and then installed performance cams, a dry sump oil system, and finished it off with a racing exhaust. Custom ECU tuning software allowed the engine to run on 98 octane race gas in order to produce a stratospheric 720-hp at 8300 RPM. You read that correctly. That’s 124-hp per liter from a naturally aspirated V10 engine!

Designed to be used in the Riley Technologies 2011 mkXXV track car, check out Dinan’s engine demonstration video after the jump. More than anything, it’s the blazing plum purple glow emitting from the headers that got people talking. Do not touch! Continue Reading…

BMW used this past weekend’s Indianapolis MotoGP to unveil its new F10 M5 safety car. The BMW was fitted with an Akrapovic titanium exhaust system that sounds amazing. Other goodies that set this  safety vehicle aside from all other standard M5′s include high performance coilovers, new front and rear spoilers, Recaro bucket seats and 20-inch rims.

The M5 has been entirely redesigned but the biggest change is the switch from a high-revving V10 to a 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8. The new engine will crank out 552 horsepower and 502 lb-ft of torque mated to either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual clutch transmission. The car is capable of achieving a 0-60 time of 4.4 seconds, not bad for a car weighs around 4,000 lbs. Pricing has not been announced but the M5 will probably sell for around $85,000.

Check out the video after the jump!

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It looks as though the drivers are just as excited as we are for this showdown. In this teaser trailer three all-new BMW M5′s lap the famous race track accompanied by a helicopter filming in HD. The video is set to come out tomorrow and from the looks of it, will not disappoint.

The M5 has been entirely redesigned but the biggest change is the switch from a high-revving V10 to a 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8. The new engine cranks out 552 horsepower and 502 lb-ft of torque mated to either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual clutch transmission. The car is capable of achieving a 0-60 time of 4.4 seconds, not bad for a car that weighs around 4,000 lbs.

Check out the video after the jump!

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Here is one of the latest clips of the BMW M5 booting it on the Laguna Seca track. Oh how sweet the sound is!

The M5 has been entirely redesigned but the biggest change is the switch from a high-revving V10 to a 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8. The new engine cranks out 552 horsepower and 502 lb-ft of torque mated to either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual clutch transmission. The car is capable of achieving a 0-60 time of 4.4 seconds, not bad for a car weighs around 4,000 lbs. Pricing has not been announced but the M5 will probably sell for around $85,000.

The minute and a half long commercial paints this car as nothing less than a monster as it knifes its way through the turns on a track.

Plus, we also managed to catch up with that very car, on display at Pebble Beach.

GALLERY: 2012 BMW M5 at Pebble Beach

Check out the video after the jump!

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If there was ever a reason to want to own a wagon, this might be it. Edo Competition’s BMW M5 Dark Edition features family transportation with 555-hp, from the stock 500-hp and 413 lb-ft of torque up from the stock 384 lb-ft. In addition to the performance upgrades, Edo Competition outfits the M5 wagon with an aero kit, upgraded interior and 20-inch staggered wheels and tires.

For the outside, Edo Competition modified the front and added a new rear skirt which houses a quad-tipped exhaust. Adding a little more sport to the wagon is a rear wing and 20-inch wheels with matched black centers and staggered Dunlop tires.

The added performance comes from a recalibrated ECU, high-flow air filters and catalytic converters in addition to the quad-tipped exhaust system. For the inside, Edo Competition outfits the interior with various pieces of carbon fiber and high quality leather while the speedometer is converted to show a top speed of 360 km/h with white dials and a backlit logo.

No pricing was announced for Edo Competition’s M5 modifications.

GALLERY: Edo Competition M5 Dark Edition

BMW UK has released another dramatic video detailing the 2012 M5. The M5 won’t go on sale until spring 2012, so we still have nearly a year before it hits the streets but this commercial is getting us very excited.

The M5 has been entirely redesigned but the biggest change is the switch from a high-revving V10 to a 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8. The new engine will crank out 552 horsepower and 502 lb-ft of torque mated to either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual clutch transmission. The car is capable of achieving a 0-60 time of 4.4 seconds, not bad for a car weighs around 4,000 lbs. Pricing has not been announced but the M5 will probably sell for around $85,000.

Check out the video after the jump!

Gallery: 2012 BMW M5

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With a BMW factory driver behind the wheel of BMW’s new M5, the luxury sedan has reportedly turned in a lap time of 7:55 around the famed Nurburgring. This makes it the world’s fastest sedan, ahead of Porsche‘s Panamera Turbo (7:56) and Cadillac‘s CTS-V (7:59), and puts it on par of other supercars such as Ferrari’s F430 and is even one second quicker than Porsche’s 996 Turbo.

Powered by a 4.4L V8 twin turbo engine, this accomplishment proves BMW’s M-models have hardly skipped a beat against the competition. It will be interesting to see how BMW’s competitors respond with their next-generation sedans, but it clearly proves that the Germany automaker’s devotion to twin turbo powerplants is paying off.

A word of caution; the time is in no way an official BMW number and we can’t verify the validity of the source (FastestLaps.com). It’s almost not necessary, however, with the new M5 almost certain to run a solid sub-eight minute lap around the Ring.

GALLERY: 2012 BMW M5

[Source: TeamSpeed]