Porsche stands as one of the winningest producers of Formula 1 engines in the history of the sport from its TAG-branded McLaren days, but also one of the most secretive. In the 1990s, a failed V10 program was stashed away, re-engineered for a Le Mans challenge that was also…
Month: May 2019
What do you want to know about the BMW X7 xDrive50i?

I just recently had the chance to pick up a BMW X7 xDrive50i from BMW’s Woodcliff Lake HQ in New Jersey. It’s my ride until next week and, so far, it’s been a very interesting car. This is my first go in an X7, as I’d only previously ridden in the back of it but never before behind the wheel. So I’m still learning it.
However, I’d also like to share with you readers what it’s like to live with, separately from my upcoming review. So here’s what I’d like you to do: if you have a question, leave it in the comments section below. After the comments and questions start rolling in, I’ll make a short video answering all of your questions and, depending on the question, demonstrate the answer as well.
Just to eliminate any spec questions and make them more about what the car is like to drive and be in, I’ll share my spec of X7. The car in question is a 2019 BMW X7 xDrive50i. That means it packs a 4.4 liter twin-turbocharged V8 with a very healthy 456 hp. My tester is painted Artic Grey Metallic and it has the lovely Ivory White/Night Blue Full Merino leather interior option. While having a blue interior isn’t really my thing, I really like the inside of this X7. It just looks and feels so premium and special.
My test car also has the glass control option, so it has the spangly shifter that’s much nicer in person than it is in photos. My car also has the off-road package, though, it’s doubtful I’ll ever use it. Still, it’s cool to know it has it. It also has several other packages and options, all of which bring the price tag up to an eye-watering $108,000.
So shoot your questions below and there will be a follow up video to answer them all.
The article What do you want to know about the BMW X7 xDrive50i? appeared first on BMW BLOG
Autocar drives the ALPINA XD3

If you’re in the market for a fast BMW X3 but don’t feel like waiting for the proper X3 M, or maybe that car is too hardcore, you have two choice: the BMW X3 M40i and this — the ALPINA XD3.
Admittedly, the latter choice is only available in Europe, which should be a crime but that’s a discussion for another time. However, for many European customers, the ALPINA XD3 might actually be the best choice of X3, even when the X3 M debuts.
See, ALPINAs have always been special cars. Yes, they’re based on standard BMWs and aren’t tuned by the M Divison. But that doesn’t matter. What ALPINA does to its BMWs is very special and turns a seemingly ordinary Bimmer into something truly unique and exciting.
With the case of the ALPINA XD3, it really transforms something ordinary into something extraordinary. The base car is a diesel-powered X3, the sort that you buy if you want to haul the family and save on fuel. However, once ALPINA gets its hands on it, it become an extra luxurious, surprisingly fast and genuinely enjoyable thing to drive.
According to Autocar, everything from the XD3’s ALPINA-specific styling and its upgraded interior to its more nimble handling and enhanced engine makes it feel more special than a standard X3 from the beginning. How enhanced is that engine? Quite a bit actually. ALPINA takes a standard 3.0 liter turbocharged I6 diesel BMW engine and upgrades its pistons, cooling, turbochargers and air intake, among other things. All of that brings power up to 328 hp and a planet-tugging 516 lb-ft of torque.
We won’t spoil what Autocar has to say about it, as it’s a good review and you should read it (especially since we can’t review it here in the ‘States). However, it’s safe to say that the ALPINA XD3 is a special car and one that deserves its place in the market.
[Source: Autocar]
The article Autocar drives the ALPINA XD3 appeared first on BMW BLOG
A closer look at the VW ID R electric race car’s charging system
Running an electric race car on the Nürburgring Nordschleife is unlike any other vehicle. Volkswagen knows this well and has created a dedicated electric car charging system and charging strategy for its ID R electric race car. The company detailed how it plans to manage the Green Hell on Thursday, and it includes a lot of testing and data…
Subaru Crosstrek Desert Racer suits up in blue and gold
Subaru’s latest Baja racer may share a name with a pedestrian crossover, but it’s far from similar. The brand said on Wednesday it has renewed its Desert Racer program, and the Subaru Crosstrek racer will be back in action. This time, it’s wearing some legendary colors, too. Outfitted in blue and gold, the latest Crosstrek desert racer is making…
The 10 Best Deals of May 31, 2019
We see a lot of deals around the web over on Kinja Deals, but these were our ten favorites today.
One of the Tokyo Drift Ford Mustangs Is for Sale, but It Has a V8
Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift is a fine movie, made better by the fact that a Nissan Skyline GT-R straight-six engine gets stuffed into a 1967 Ford Mustang near the end. One of the Mustangs from the movie is for sale, fully restored and clean as can be, but it’s lacking that very thing—the RB26. Instead, it’s got a V8.
Gran Turismo Sport Has Spent Two Years Adding Great Stuff For Free
When Gran Turismo Sport launched in October 2017, it was easy to regard it with suspicion. Despite being the first—and at this rate, perhaps only—Gran Turismo game on the PlayStation 4, it lacked the numeral that would’ve clearly signaled it as the next step in one of the longest-running platform-exclusive series in…
Cadillac Reveals First-Ever CT4-V And CT5-V
Driven by Cadillac’s latest turbocharging technology and building on more than 15 years of performance credentials, the first-ever 2020 CT4-V and CT5-V were unveiled today, expanding choices for the brand’s V-Series performance sub-brand.
Cadillac Reveals First-Ever CT4-V And CT5-V originally appeared on Conceptcarz.com on Fri, 31 May 2019 15:39:53 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
This Dually Ford Ranger Camper Is the Only Home I Could Ever Need
Old Ford Rangers are some of the coolest pickup trucks money can buy. They’re cheap, dead simple, handsome, and compact. But while that last trait might make you think the Ranger isn’t suited for life as a camper, at least one company tried it anyway in the 1980s, and the result is just awesome.