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  • MINI Concept Geneva
    Created: Tuesday, February 28, 2006 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    Mini: great days in the Monte Carlo Rally. From 1964 to 1967 Mini dominated the Monte Carlo Rally, setting the foundation for its legendary reputation as a highly agile and nimble sports car. Now, commemorating the 100th birthday of Sir Alec Issigonis, the creator of Mini in the year 2006, and as a reminder of the outstanding victories scored by the Mini brand some 40 years ago, MINI Concept Geneva offers an up-to-date interpretation of the small British racer in its great days. In particular, this new concept model presents the core idea of the Mini Traveller, Mini Countryman, and Mini Clubman Estate in a highly progressive new model variant. Powerful and elegant looks. The overall impression conveyed by MINI Concept Geneva is one of strength and muscle, with particular emphasis on individual details such as the car’s wheel arches, its shoulder line and powerdome. MINI Concept Geneva is a clear statement – the car has stance, looks strong and powerful, but is also elegant ...
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  • DR. HELMUT PANKE - GENEVA 2006 PRESS CONFERENCE
    Created: Tuesday, February 28, 2006 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    Ladies and Gentlemen - Welcome to our stand! Today I have two core messages for you: • The product initiative of the BMW Group is paying off. • And: By continuing our product initiative with new models this year and in the years to come, we are strengthening the foundation for our company's future growth. As you know, the BMW Group achieved a new record in retail volume in the business year 2005 when we sold more than 1.3 million vehicles of the three brands BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce. We had announced an increase in retail volume in the higher one-digit percentage range. At 9.9 per cent compared to the year before, we were right to the point. This is how we have become the number one among all premium manufacturers in the global automotive industry. We intend to secure and extend this top position in the next years. In a nutshell: • All our three brands are ahead of their respective competitors. • At over 1.22 million vehicles delivered to customers, BMW sold more c...
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  • FIA WORLD TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP 2006
    Created: Tuesday, February 28, 2006 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    Munich. On 2nd April, the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) kicks off its new season at Monza. Following last year's triumph, when BMW Team UK driver Andy Priaulx (GBR) clinched the first World Touring Car Championship title since 1987, the BMW national teams are keen to make their marks on the 2006 series. The ten events, held all over the world, will be contested by five drivers who are determined to defend both the Drivers' and the Manufacturers' Championships for BMW. "In 2005, we won everything there was to win in WTCC," says BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen. "Obviously it's our goal to repeat these achievements with our BMW 320si, entered for the 2006 season, which is a newly developed car. With our driver line-up and the new car we should be well-prepared for the tasks ahead of us. Furthermore, I'm convinced that in 2006 the series is going to consolidate its position as the most significant touring car championship." In 2006, the WTCC will be c...
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  • BMW ANNOUNCES ITS RE-ENTRY INTO TURBO TECHNOLOGY FOR GASOLINE ENGINES
    Created: Tuesday, February 28, 2006 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    At today's BMW Group press conference at the 76th Geneva Automobile Salon, Prof. Dr. Dr. E.h. Burkhard Göschel, BMW AG Director of Development, spoke about BMW engine concepts with maximum potential for further reductions in fuel consumption and exhaust emissions. Over half of the BMW's sold in 2005 were fitted with an in-line 6-cylinder engine. With smoother running and lower vibration than any competitor, this engine concept occupies a very special position in its category. It will also form the basis for development measures which reach far into the future. Exactly 100 years after the invention of the turbo charger, BMW has now announced its re-entry into turbo technology for large-scale serial production of gasoline engines. The in-line 6-cylinder bi-turbo engine presented in Geneva for the first time has the new innovative direct injection system High Precision Injection, the fully variable camshaft control BIVANOS and highly heat resistant materials from space technology in ...
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  • BMW Group Press Conference, Prof. Dr. Dr. E.h. Burkhard Göschel
    Created: Tuesday, February 28, 2006 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    Ladies and Gentlemen – I would also like to welcome you here at our press conference in Geneva. Very few automobile manufacturers place such an emphasis on engine production as the BMW Group does. It is all in the name: BMW stands for “Bayerische Motoren Werke“ or in English: “Bavarian Engine Plants”. So the core of our brand name is at the same time a BMW brand’s core competence: the development and production of engines. Starting with the first BMW aircraft engines, BMW engineers managed to set height and distance records – a mere two years after the company was founded in 1916. Later, other vehicles caused sensations: first the BMW motorcycles – think about Ernst Henne’s 1937 speed record – and from the 1930s on cars as well. Innovative, high-performance engines – this is what we are famous for. These engines are an important part of our history. As BMW has long dealt with engine production, an amazingly varied range ...
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  • BMW SAUBER F1 TEAM - TEST IN IMOLA - DAY TWO
    Created: Thursday, February 23, 2006 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    Day two - Thursday Weather conditions: Wet track, air: 8-12°C, track: 9-10°C Number of cars participating: 3 Fastest lap overall: 1:30.866 min (lap 81), Jacques Villeneuve, BMW Sauber F1.06, Michelin Jacques Villeneuve: Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.06-03 / BMW P86 V8 Test kilometres today: 454 km (92 laps) Fastest lap: 1:30.866 min (lap 81) Robert Kubica: Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.06-04 / BMW P86 V8 Test kilometres today: 424 km (86 laps) Fastest lap: 1:31.939 min (lap 75) Programme both drivers: There was no rain during the whole day, but the track was very wet in the morning and didn't dry up until the evening. In the morning, Jacques and Robert did long-runs on extreme wet tyres, in the afternoon, they tested intermediates. In addition, the engineers did some fine tuning of the electronic systems. What comes next: Jacques and Robert will continue testing tomorrow. The programme will be decided based on weather conditions....
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  • BMW SAUBER F1 TEAM - TEST IN IMOLA - DAY ONE
    Created: Wednesday, February 22, 2006 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    Test in Imola. February 22nd - 24th 2006 Day one - Wednesday Weather conditions: Rain, Air: 5-11°C, track: 5-12°C Number of cars participating: 4 Fastest lap overall: 1:29.100 min (lap 43), Vitantonio Liuzzi, Scuderia Toro Rosso, Michelin Jacques Villeneuve: Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.06-03 / BMW P86 V8 Test kilometres today: 281 km (57 laps) Fastest lap: 1:30.804 min (lap 41) Robert Kubica: Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.06-04 / BMW P86 V8 Test kilometres today: 261 km (53 laps) Fastest lap: 1:32.553 min (lap 26) Programme both drivers: Due to the bad weather and track conditions it was not possible to carry out the programme as scheduled. Therefore, the team concentrated on start practices and system checks. To take advantage of the rainy weather conditions both pilots ran wet and intermediate tyre comparisons for Michelin. What comes next: According to the weather forecast good weather and track conditions are expected for tomorrow, which will enable the team to evalua...
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  • THUNDERING FLAT TWINS IN THE SNOW - SNOW SPEEDHILL WITH THE HP2 ENDURO
    Created: Wednesday, February 22, 2006 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    At the Erzberg Race in Styria/Austria, the Finn Simo Kirssi and stunt world champion Christian Pfeiffer demonstrated the potential of the BMW HP2 Enduro in the summer of 2005. Finishing 1st and 5th respectively, they caused a stir in the legendary Prolog rankings of the off-road spectacle, captivating spectators and BMW fans alike. Now the two top BMW riders are set to prove they are up to the task on snow too. Up against 58 enduro competitors, the BMW riders will line up for the first Snow Speedhill on March 4th 2006 on BMW HP2s which are largely equivalent to serial production machines. Simo Kirssi and Christian Pfeiffer have high hopes for themselves in this sprint race on a ski slope at the Götschen ski centre in Bischofswiesen, Upper Bavaria. "It'll be really exciting. I'm use to riding on snow as I keep fit in the winter by enduro riding in the Finnish forests. For other people it may be quite a new experience," says the Finnish off-road professional. Chris Pfeiffe...
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  • THE FASTEST MOTO GP RIDERS 2006 WILL RECEIVE A BMW Z4 M ROADSTER AND A BMW Z4 M COUPE
    Created: Wednesday, February 22, 2006 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    Munich. Riders with the fastest time on the racing circuit will be rewarded with a fast car to take home with them. This year, BMW is donating two awesome new M automobiles, the BMW M Award, as prizes for the best MotoGP riders participating in the Motorcycle Road Racing World Championship. The rider achieving fastest time in the MotoGP tests being held in Barcelona/Spain on 5 March 2006 will win a BMW Z4 M Roadster. A BMW Z4 M Coupe will go to the MotoGP rider with the fastest overall time from all qualifying rounds at the last world championship leg in Valencia/Spain on October 29. Moreover, BMW will again be supplying the Safety Cars for the Motorcycle Road Racing World Championship for the next four years, thereby continuing its commitment which began in 1999. In addition to four further BMW automobiles, a BMW M5 and an M6, both delivering 507 bhp and driven by professionals, will constitute a fast-moving and eye-catching escort to the MotoGP, an event comprising17 races seen by an...
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  • Z4 BY JOSHUA DAVIS: A DESIGN PROJECT AT THE LEADING EDGE
    Created: Tuesday, February 21, 2006 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    U.S. artist interprets the new BMW Z4 Coupé in computer-generated unique prints Munich/New York. Artists love to venture along and even beyond the ragged edge, pushing the envelope as they work and progressively redefining what is possible. Just a few years ago, the design of the new BMW Z4 Coupé, for example, would have been considered impossible to build - the lines too extravagant, the panels too complex to manufacture. For New York-based designer Joshua Davis, feasibility problems are familiar ground: His works originate on the computer, and to date, they have been considered too complex to print. This common ground recently triggered a spell of close collaboration between Davis and BMW - giving rise to a limited edition of unique prints inspired by the new Z4 Coupé. Thousands of layers in each image. 34-year-old Davis is a pioneer of algorithmic graphic design. The prestigious locations where his works have been exhibited include the Tate Modern (London), the ...
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  • BMW SAUBER F1 TEAM - TEST IN BARCELONA - DAY THREE
    Created: Thursday, February 16, 2006 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    Test in Barcelona. February 14th - 16th 2006 Day three - Thursday Weather conditions: Sunny, Air: 15-18°C, track: 15-21°C Number of cars participating: 2 Fastest lap overall: 1:15.928 min (lap 36), Nick Heidfeld, BMW Sauber F1 Team, Michelin Programme BMW Sauber F1 Team: Today both drivers ran a race simulation programme. Nick Heidfeld: Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.06-02 / BMW P86 V8 Test kilometres today: 403 km (87 laps) Fastest lap: 1:15.928 min (lap 36) Jacques Villeneuve: Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.06-03 / BMW P86 V8 Test kilometres today: 551 km (119 laps) Fastest lap: 1:16.884 min (lap 109) What comes next: The BMW Sauber F1 Team will be testing again from February 22 to 24 in Imola....
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  • BMW SAUBER F1 TEAM - TEST IN BARCELONA - DAY TWO
    Created: Wednesday, February 15, 2006 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    Test in Barcelona. February 14th - 16th 2006 Day two - Wednesday Weather conditions: Sunny, Air: 6-16°C, track: 7-19°C Number of cars participating: 2 Fastest lap overall: 1:16.374 min (lap 20), Nick Heidfeld, BMW Sauber F1 Team, Michelin Nick Heidfeld: Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.06-02 / BMW P86 V8 Test kilometres today: 338 km (73 laps) Fastest lap: 1:16.374 min (lap 20) Programme: Nick worked on the set-up for the race simulation which is planned for tomorrow, and in addition practiced starts. Jacques Villeneuve: Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.06-03 / BMW P86 V8 Test kilometres today: 403 km (87 laps) Fastest lap: 1:16.551 min (lap 35) Programme: Jacques did the scheduled damper assessment and worked on the car set-up. Furthermore, he evaluated Michelin tyres. What comes next: Tomorrow Nick and Jacques will run a race simulation for the team....
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  • BMW ALPINA B7: BMW and ALPINA, Create a New High Performance 7 Series Model
    Created: Wednesday, February 15, 2006 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    View the photos of the 2006 BMW Alpina B7 hereCommitted to developing the best performing vehicles in the luxury market, BMW with ALPINA has created a special high performance version of BMW’s 7 Series luxury sedan. The 2006 BMW ALPINA B7 brings together the luxury, pioneering design, and advanced technology of the 7 Series Sedan with the scintillating performance of a supercharged, 500hp V-8 engine. To power the BMW ALPINA B7, ALPINA specially developed a higher-performance version of BMW’s 4.4-liter, 90-degree V-8 engine and mated it to a 6-speed automatic transmission featuring steering wheel mounted shift controls. The motor produces 500 horsepower at 5,500 rpm along with maximum torque of 516 lbs.-ft. at 4,250 rpm, and propels the B7 from 0-60 mph in a mere 4.8 seconds. ALPINA 21-inch wheels carry Z-rated performance tires, while the sport-tuned suspension includes Active Roll Stabilization. The B7 aerokit includes a rear spoiler to improve stability, handling, and per...
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  • BMW SAUBER F1 TEAM - TEST IN BARCELONA - DAY ONE
    Created: Tuesday, February 14, 2006 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    Test in Barcelona. February 14th - 16th 2006 Day one - Tuesday Weather conditions: Sunny, Air: 5-17°C, track: 5-20°C Number of cars participating: 2 Fastest lap overall: 1:17.514 min (lap 17), Jacques Villeneuve, BMW Sauber F1 Team, Michelin Jacques Villeneuve: Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.06-03 / BMW P86 V8 Test kilometres today: 185 km (40 laps) Fastest lap: 1:17.514 min (lap 17) Programme: Today, Jacques ran with the team a damper test and in addition to that he worked on an evaluation of several new components. Robert Kubica: Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.06-02 / BMW P86 V8 Test kilometres today: 407 km (88 laps) Fastest lap: 1:17.551 min (lap 68) Programme: Robert used the test day to work on the set-up of the car. What comes next: Tomorrow Nick will take over the driving from Robert and will do set-up work in preparation for the race simulation on Thursday. Jacques will continue to assess dampers and will help Michelin to evaluate tyres....
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  • BMW PERFORMANCE CENTER ANNOUNCES 2006 DRIVING PROGRAM SCHEDULE
    Created: Tuesday, February 14, 2006 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    One-Day M School and a New Program for Golfers Highlight the New Offerings Geared Up for the New Year Spartanburg, SC - February 15, 2006... The BMW Performance Center today released its schedule of performance driving school programs for 2006, including the debut of the intensive One-Day M School, among the new offerings. Additionally, all Performance Center driving programs will feature an expanded fleet of vehicles to include different BMW models, offering participants a variety of product experiences. “Our driving schools are open to everyone, from the driving novice to the ultimate auto enthusiast looking to hone their skills by learning superior handling and defensive driving techniques from professional driving instructors,” says Diane Nevelle, manager of driving programs and events for the BMW Performance Center. “We have added a one-day M School this year to provide another convenient option to drivers wanting to enroll in one of our most popular programs. Wh...
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