Last summer BMW began the process of trademarking for the name “555i”. This began with a bunch of rumors earlier this year that a new 5.5l engine was in the works, we know that is just not in the plans for the 5 at this time. The N63 engine being released in the new X6 ‘50′ will be the engine of choice. The N63 is an aluminum 4.4L, twin-turbocharged, direct-injected V8 engine from BMW that will be released officially to dealersrs this May.
The N63 produces 400 hp and over 450 ft/lbs of torque according to BMW. It utilizes a newly developed concept in the location of the turbos. The turbochargers are mounted in the “V” of the engine and the intake manifolds are located on the sides of the block. This allows for a more compact engine and reduces the overall width of the assembled engine.
The 2009 model year is shaping up to be a big year for the 3er. We’ve known for awhile that the 3 Series would get its mid life-cycle refresh in 2009. Historically at BMW that includes a mildly refreshed exterior and interior along with a host of small mechanical and technology improvements. However one of the bigger changes inside the car (and one that BMW has been able to keep secret until now) will be a substantially updated iDrive system that includes a completely new interface. The new design is closer to Audi’s MMI system in that there are a host of small buttons that allow the user to quickly jump to different parts of the system. There’s also a possibility that BMW will include the small scroll-wheel on the steering wheel meant allow the user to scroll quickly through long lists of date. This feature has been confirmed for the F01 7er but we haven’t anything definitive about it yet for the E90 update.
Looking back at the new interface design pictured, it remains unclear whether or not the knob will still rotate or if the outter ring will. However what we do know is that the new interface as a whole (including that steering wheel thumb scroll) was designed to allow the user fly through data at a much faster pace.
A few days ago we brought you a nice example of the next generation 7 series from the outside. Today we give you a photo of the new interior it will be sporting. There are many changes in overall button placement and layout. The controller has moved and there are added buttons on the steering wheel. The iDrive system appears to be evolutionary rather than revolutionary.
Update: This has been verified by several sources that this is indeed the interior in design. The choice of materials and quality of them are not the finished product. This is a pre-production prototype or supplier mock-up. The production car will be made of higher quality items, and there will be an option for a leather dash. The layout is correct and so is the overall execution. The materials are just not at the final production quality.
We were able to obtain the presentation Mr. Purves gave recently at Spartanburg so we thought we would just summarize it and allow you to read it if you so desired. He makes some interesting points. Also at this event, another speaker discussed BMW and the credit crunch. Some interesting things were said and we will bring that to you at a later date.
Mr. Purves indicated the following:
Sales have increased 450% since 1991
BMW trails only Lexus in the premium segment in terms of sales
Within the luxury performance segment BMW’s share has increased
Forecasts indicate increases in the premium segment worldwide
The $100k income group is the fastest growing
The 20-29 and 50-59 age groups are the fastest growing
BMW has the largest fuel efficiency increase of any manufacturer
Even with increases in weight the fuel economy and performance
of BMW cars has increased
See the entire presentation with all of the charts/graphs and picures here
There are very few videos of BMW factories and how they produce cars. We thought you would enjoy this one from Road Fly. There are a few others that were completed by other journalists on the same day but there commentary is not as accurate as this video.
If you recall our story on what cars are made where you already know what Munich builds. If you are not familiar with this here is the article: Made in Germany? which explains all that in great detail.
The use of robots is extensive in BMW production and the arrangement in Munich is amazing because of the space constraints within the building itself. The cars are not built on a “line” they actual go up and down between levels as they wind around the building. Having been there we can attest for the ingenuity BMW used when designing this system.
Add touring this facility to your “bucket list” right after visiting the Welt, and you can wipe two things off the list back-to-back! Enjoy!
On a tip we received earlier in the day we came upon a what appears to be a photo of the new F01 7 Series. This maybe a photo for the brochures that are being developed or a excellent photoshop.
What we do know is that the source of the photo has produced many excellent spy photos in the past. The lines and and the angles match those in the previous spy shots.
Our friend Jonathan Spira offered us up a fine example of 535d driving. As an avid BMW enthusiast and frequent Euro-delivery customer (he was privileged to take delivery of the first car delivered from the Welt) he too is glad to see the Advanced Diesels make it across the pond. Even though we will not see the 535d in the short term it is a great example of diesel power.
Filmed on the autobahn in Germany at 240 km/hr or in US speak: 150 mph. This engine has got some serious top end and of course all that torque. We thought it would be a nice tease for those considering getting a diesel and/or picking up in Munich. Also, notice how quiet the car is.
With the introduction of MyInfo to the US market this has opened our eyes to a few interesting developments you may not realize.
BMW since the inception of BMW Assist it has used CDMA technology on the Verizon network. BMW has never publicly admitted the specifics but this is a fair assumption due to the network size and the previous technology restraints.
This fact alone explains why Europe and other locales have always had certain features before the US. CDMA is essentially a technology used in North America (we are not getting overly specific with this) and the US telematics units were country/carrier specific. If there is one thing that people know about Verizon is that they are years behind others in the release of new phones. This has been no different for the BMW modules. Think about it, you are in Munich designing a unit for a car and the network does not even exist there, so you must then travel stateside or find a stateside manufacturer or designer; not logistically a good thing.
The other advantage is the cost savings to BMW. They no longer have to try to maintain two separate types of systems and develop for both.
We were all happy with the 6 speed transmissions that appeared a few years back for performance and efficiency. Then MB released a 7 speed auto making the 6 speed look obsolete and BMW driver’s green with envy. This past year Lexus toted they had the worlds first 8 speed auto. This was an interesting development as BMW did not even have a 7 speed. The 8 speed Lexus offering is only available in the land yacht sized LS because it too (like the LS) is a bit too large for other models in the brand’s line up. With the introduction of the next generation 7 series BMW will launch its first 8 speed gearbox.
BMW recently announced the introduction of MyInfo for the US market. You can view the release info here. This video shows the actual concept in action. It appears to be very user friendly and eliminates the need to use the car to input information as long as it is entered remotely prior to the actual drive. Should make it easier for those who still cannot seem to figure out iDrive.
As we discussed several weeks back BMW will begin to roll out more and more online features over the course of the next few years. This is step one for the US and will be launched in the 2008 X6. Most models will feature this option as of model year 2009.
This service has been active for many countries already, the US is just late to the show.
CONNECT YOUR DRIVE: BMW ADDS NEW “MYINFO” SERVICE FROM BMW ASSIST(TM) POWERED BY GOOGLE MAPS(TM)
Navigation systems have become even easier, faster and more convenient to use with the introduction of “MyInfo”. This latest addition to the BMW Assist Safety Plan allows subscribers to send business locations and street addresses and their associated phone numbers found in Google Maps(TM), an innovative online mapping service, from the comfort of their home or office directly to their BMW.
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We believe in the old school BMW ownership experience. We believe in garage nights with a six pack and some friends. We believe in 2002s, in E30 M3s and E34 540s with the 6 speed. We believe in progress in both design and engineering but we haven't lost sight of what made the brand and its products great all those years ago. And yes, we believe in the manual transmission.
We long for the days of the wave and for the days of roll-up windows. Yet we love the gadgets on the inside and the xenons on the outside.
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Sections: E60 5 Series, Technology Apr 21st, 2008 22 Comments 
