Special leasing rate on BMW 3 Series models

A special leasing rate on BMW 3 Series models has been announced as part of the BMW Financial Services ‘Full Circle’ programme, launched in July of this year. BMW is first-to-market to offer leasing as a manufacturer-led product.

“The BMW ‘Full Circle’ leasing programme allows customers to set the terms for their vehicle purchase, guaranteeing peace of mind and future value of the vehicle,” said Osman Abdelmoneim, Regional Manager BMW Financial Services, BMW Group Middle East.

“This special offer for BMW 3 Series models gives potential customers access to very competitive prices; and is an ideal entry into owning a 3 Series and to experience the sheer driving pleasure of the BMW brand.”

In addition to the special 3 Series offer the ‘Full Circle’ leasing programme is available for all BMW and MINI models in the UAE at the official BMW importers, AGMC and Abu Dhabi Motors.

“Full Circle guarantees unique flexibility to BMW and MINI customers and we intend to launch this unique leasing programme throughout the Middle East by the end of 2008,” concluded Abdelmoneim.

BMW ‘Full Circle’ is a hassle free programme, offering customers several benefits such as: lower monthly payments, the opportunity for drivers to upgrade their cars and a range of options at the end of the leasing. Customers will have the opportunity to replace, refinance or retain their cars – making sure that customers have peace of mind when it comes to fully owning or returning their vehicles.


A dedicated Finance and Insurance Manager is located in all major BMW showrooms in the UAE, and is available for further information on the BMW 3 Series offer, finance and leasing.

BMW Financial Services is active in over 50 countries worldwide, and approximately 50% of BMW Group vehicles sold are financed by BMW FS

BMW 3-Series convertible

Top up, now that it has a metal roof, the BMW convertible lacks the crisp sense of purpose achieved by the coupe's design. Top down, however, it's a striking statement: fast, yet poised; aggressive, yet not childish. It's an iconic look that will stand the test of time.

Interior

Done in black Dakota leather - with new sun-reflective technology that keeps seats up to 36 degrees cooler - our test model reflected the serious nature of BMW design. The front seats support spirited driving, while the back seats are best left to packages, not people. Instruments are precise and easy to read. Buttons are a bit small, but well-organized. There are plenty of storage bins, though the cup holders that pop out of the dash are dreadful.

How it works

While the 335 model gets turbo-chargers, the 328 makes do with BMW's naturally aspirated 3.0-liter in-line six-cylinder engine. Coupled with a six-speed manual, this motor makes 230 horsepower - up 46 horsepower from last year's 325Ci convertible and goes from 0 to 60 mph in 6.7 seconds. With this sweet stick shift, I think there's plenty of power for most drivers.

Neat bit

BMW adds a retractable hardtop for the first time, and it's a crowd-pleaser. It lowers in 22 seconds, raises in 23 seconds and is like an electro-hydraulic carnival show. The three-piece steel roof makes for a quiet ride when you decide to keep the top closed. A trunk partition makes for a bit of trunk room, but just a bit.

Fumes

20 mpg city and 29 mpg highway. According to fueleconomy.gov, this car with the same engine and transmission will get 17/27 in 2008 using the new EPA formula.


Extras

While the $750 cold-weather package adds heated seats, and the $2,650 premium package adds leather seats and some enhanced mirror functions, it's the $1,200 sport package with its 18-inch alloy wheels, better tires and sportier suspension that makes this already road-hugging car such a joy on the twisties.

The 328i is easily BMW's top-selling convertible in the United States, over the other 3-Series variants, the different Z4 models and the 6-Series droptops.

BMW M10 Concept

The legend we had always known was that BMW and Mercedes-Benz had a gentleman's agreement in place not to go after the Porsche 911. For whatever reasons, building a proper two-seat sports car was out of the question, though both build heavier and more accomodating grand touring machines that manage to skirt around the 911's segment.

Then came the Audi R8. Being stuck in third place of a three-man race has forced Audi to branch out into new segments, and the R8 is a bold statement that might make someone shopping a 911 think twice. Audi's bite of the forbidden fruit has apparently opened the door enough for BMW to consider a proper two-seat sports car. Sure, the M6 is plenty powerful with its 500-horse V10, more powerful than the R8 actually, but it's a pretty porker that can carry four people.

German outlet Auto Zeitung is reporting that BMW has begun work on an R8/911 competitor. To be called the M10, this front-engine, rear-wheel-drive coupe would be the spiritual successor to the M1 and Z8. Though BMW has dabbled with carbon fiber in some of its recent designs, the M10 would likely be almost completely covered in the material to keep weight around 3,000 lbs. Power for the M10 could come from either the M3's 420-hp, 4.2L V8 or the corporate 5.0L V10 producing around 550 horsepower. We would expect both engines to be offered so that BMW could square off the M10 against the R8 and RS8, as well as the 911 and 911 Turbo.

If BMW is working on such a car, development is going on behind many closed doors and any official info is far off. Regardless, such a car makes sense for the brand that purports to build ultimate driving machines.

BMW M3 with dual-clutch

Volkswagen won't be the only company on the market with a dual-clutch gearbox for much longer, following a report by Autocar citing dealer sources that BMW will offer a seven-speed unit similar to the People's Car's DSG in its new M3.

Developed exclusively for BMW, the Getrag-built gearbox will be called M DCT. Controls will be via either a shift lever or steering wheel mounted paddles. The dual-clutch design is in some ways an evolution of the sequential manual gearbox currently found in BMW's M5 and M6 and the new transmission should provide smoother and quicker shifts. A couple ticks should also be shaved off the car's straight line acceleration time.

The M3 goes on sale in September, but those wishing to get one with the M DCT will have to wait until March.

2008 BMW M3 V8

BMW has revealed the production version of the 2008/2009 M3 coupe. The unveiling comes only weeks after the automaker revealed the M3 Concept at the Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland. Like the concept, the production car features a high-revving V8 powerplant, tuned suspension, a six-speed manual transmission, a carbon fiber roof, and all the exterior modifications typical of an "M" car.

Due to go on sale in North American in mid-2008 as a 2009 model, the M3 will target the Lexus IS-F, Audi RS5, and Mercedes CLK63 AMG. Convertible and sedan variants are expected to follow later in 2008.

The M3's V8 powerplant has two more cylinders than its predecessor, delivering 420 hp from 4.0 litters and maximum torque of 295 lb-ft at 3,900 rpm. In keeping with BMW's high-revving "M" tradition, maximum engine speed is 8,300 rpm. The engine is the lightest V8 in the world, weighing less than the previous M3's inline-six.

Reminiscent of the carbon fiber roof panel used on the M6 coupe, the M3's CFRP roof cuts unnecessary weight, and lowers the car's center of gravity. It also lets the roof edge appear flatter and thus lowers the perceived body height.

The production M3 is pictured with 18-inch wheels, though BMW is also expected to offer 19-inch alloys similar to the Y-spoke ones featured on the M3 concept.

BMW M3 New V8 Engine

Check this video about the new 2008 BMW M3 V8 Engine. It has 420HP and 8100 RPM. Not bad, uh?

2007 BMW 335i Coupe Turbo

The 335i, 328i, 330i, and 325i all have 3.0-liter inline-sixes. The 328i is a coupe with a 230-horsepower six that falls between the 255-horse 330i and 215-horse 325i, which are both four-door sedans. Deep breath. The 335i, then, is a twin-turbocharged direct-injection 3.0 that makes 75 percent of the expected power of next year's M3 V-8.

There's linearity to BMW horsepower numbers, from the M5/M6's 500-horse V-10 to a 400-horse, 4.0-liter V-8 in the 2008 M3 to 300 horses for this handsome new coupe. This is something different for BMW: Its first-but not last-gas direct-injection engine, with piezo injectors feeding the combustion chambers for a more equal distribution of fuel. The twin turbos act in parallel, each boosting three cylinders. They're inside an all-aluminum block with cast-iron liners that cut cylinder bore by 1.0 mm versus the naturally aspirated 3.0-liter. The world's first twin-turbo inline-six, according to the Bavarian automaker, is its future in providing efficient high performance.

Like all good sport coupes and all good BMWs, the 335i is greater than the sum of its parts: full of unquantifiable qualities, an embarrassment for the car critic who's trying to be critical. It's like butter, that twin-turbo six, and the turbo lag you might expect melts into smooth acceleration. But there's still a power surge to tell you turbos are in place hard and early. Its exhaust gives off a satisfying rasp that'll quickly become identified with this specific engine to sharp-eared juvenile enthusiasts. Three-hundred pound-feet of torque kicks in from 1400 to 5000 rpm, making it a quick-launching Euro coupe that'll feel at home in the American V-8 environment.

The 335i's suspension offers more compliance than one might expect, although springs and shocks are stiffer than any 3 Series sedan's. North American 335i buyers get as standard the Euro-spec Sport Package suspension, with a delete option. For the U.S., "Sport Package" means 18-inch wheels with 225/40R18F front/225/35R18R rear tires, upgraded from the standard 225/45R17 H-rated all-seasons. Both sizes are no-spare run-flats, and their stiff sidewalls allowed German engineers to remain on the supple side of the ride and handling equation. It works as well-or better than-it's always worked for the 3 Series. While our drive was limited to mostly tabletop roads in the Austrian Alps, there was enough rough blacktop to learn that Americans who are used to substandard pavement will be comfortable in this car.

1972 Bmw 2002 Tii

1968. Richard Nixon was elected president. Fighting raged in Vietnam with no end in sight. America watched "Hawaii Five-O," "Mayberry RFD," and "Here's Lucy" on an ever increasing number of color television sets. Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. were assassinated. "Oliver" won the Oscar for Best Picture. Otis Redding was sittin' on the dock of the bay. And BMW introduced the 2002 in the United States.

Launched in Europe in late 1966 by a company still struggling to right itself after WWII, the 2002 summarily defined the modern compact sport sedan (even though it had only two doors) and saved BMW by doing so. Bayerische Motoren Werke was anything but a high-volume carmaker back then, and although it had a few successes to its credit, it appeared destined to remain a second- or third-tier player behind German giants like Volkswagen and Mercedes.

The 2002 changed all that. It imbued the everyday car with a measure of sportiness and sophistication, demonstrated that performance means more than going fast in a straight line, and moved BMW a notch up the automaker food chain. The 2002's combination of sports-car handling, room for four, an airy greenhouse, and a large trunk, plus BMW's growing reputation for engineering and high-quality construction, came together in a car that caught the attention of enthusiasts the world over who didn't want a four-door, yet needed something more than a rickety British two-seater. It made a great economy car, a great race car, and served many needs in between. BMW sold more than 860,000 2002s worldwide before it was replaced in 1977 by what was then-and is today-called the 3 Series.

BMW is well aware of the 2002's status as a corporate, automotive, and cult icon. And, like most German carmakers, it does a good job of nurturing its heritage. The division that provides technical, parts, and service support is called Mobile Tradition. In early 2005, the folks at Mobile Tradition realized they stocked or could supply about 90 percent of the parts needed to not only maintain or restore a 2002, but to build a virtually brand-new one. So they did.

A "Glass Workshop" was constructed in the shadow of BMW's multicylindrical world headquarters in Munich. The project, based on an original 1970s body shell, was spearheaded by Klaus Kutscher, head of the BMW Mobile Tradition workshop, and master mechanic Arthur Herrmann (see sidebar). The decision to craft the car as a tii model was made early on. The fuel-injected tii, sold in the U.S. from 1972 to 1974 (all prior and later 2002s employed carburetors, still common in those days) was intended to comply with emissions requirements and the onset of unleaded fuel. But the benefit was much more power and increased driveability, making the tii the best-performing and most highly sought model among all 2002s.

The project took about 11 months, beginning in May 2005. The Mobile Tradition 2002 made its debut at the Techno Classica show-one of Europe's largest and most significant classic-car conventions-in Essen, Germany, in April 2006. It traveled to America four months later, stopping in Northern California during the Monterey/Pebble Beach weekend in August. And that's where we pirated it off for a day of photography and hard driving through some of the Peninsula's best roads.

In the metal, this new/old 2002 captivates. Looking period-correct in brilliant Inca Orange-the same color as Motor Trend's 2002 tii test car featured in our January 1972 issue-Mobile Tradition's toy is downright cuddly. The assembly workmanship and finish are first-rate. It all looks, feels, and even smells factory original (if a bit better), yet it's not overrestored. All the cues are 1970s-right. Chrome and satin-finished trim, narrow alloy wheels, hand-cranked windows and metal sunroof, businesslike black instrument panel, dished three-spoke steering wheel, etc. The final touch: "Cocoa" floormats.

2007 BMW X3 3.0si

The "si" is a meaningful addition to the badge, signifying a new, stronger engine, but there's more to the 2007 BMW X3 than a power upgrade. Fresh styling throughout, an available six-speed automatic, a more capable chassis, and additional content enhance this already appealing vehicle.

The BMW X3's freshened visual athleticism is technically supported by a more sophisticated version of BMW's standard xDrive. Quicker in response to traction issues, it also offers, for the first time in a BMW sport/ute, Dynamic Traction Control that allows the driver to choose a higher threshold of wheelslip before the electronics kick in. A longer push of the button deactivates stability controls completely except when the system detects wheelspin--not difficult to achieve with the brisk throttle response from the 260-horse inline-six.

Its 225 pound-feet of torque peaks at a low 2500 rpm, helping the 4100-pound BMW X3 claim 0 to 60 in 6.9 seconds with the six-speed manual and 7.1 seconds with the no-cost optional six-speed STEPTRONIC automatic. Any way you want to shift it, the BMW X3 is as rewarding as any of BMW's sport sedans.

2006 M Roadster

Offering more for less is a powerful selling tool. BMW hopes that approach will persuade prospective buyers of topless Teutonic tin to opt for its all-new BMW M Roadster instead of, say, that other roadster from Stuttgart. You know the one, the dream machine we said had "superb mid-engine balance, high cornering limits, scythelike steering," and a "wailing flat-six." But after a preview drive through southern Spain and a track session at the Circuito de Jerez in BMW's second-generation M Roadster, which packs 50 horsepower more than a Porsche Boxster S yet stickers for $3500 less, we can confidently tell you Porsche has legitimate cause for concern.

Like its predecessor, essentially a steroidal BMW Z3, the new BMW M Roadster is a high-protein version of the brand's Z convertible, in this case the face-lifted Z4--which, for 2006, receives freshened fascias and BMW's magnesium/aluminum N52 3.0-liter engine. Stylistically, the jump from Z to M is modest, but a roundel eye will spot the differences: two longitudinal humps in the aluminum hood; a sportier nose with larger air intakes; 18-inch double-spoke wheels wearing 225/45s in front and 255/40s in back; a more aggressive rear end with four chrome exhaust tips and a black diffuser; and, of course, the necessary M badges on the front three-quarter panels and the rear decklid. BMW prefers its M cars to appear "subtle and purposeful," and the roadster successfully conveys the credo.

That philosophy carries over inside, where the BMW M Roadster gets understated tweaks to jazz up the cockpit. The leather-wrapped steering wheel, adorned with the usual red-and-blue stitching, is thicker-rimmed than Buddy Holly's eyeglasses but looks appropriate and, more important, feels just right in the hands. Standard M sport seats, featuring embossed M logos on the head restraints, provide support in all the right places and wear soft leather upholstery, which also ornaments the door panels, handbrake, and shifter. The M's dominant dash decoration--a thick trim piece that sweeps from A-pillar to A-pillar--comes standard with a new brushed-aluminum surface, but also can be had dressed in carbon-fiber-look leather (a no-cost option) or walnut wood. Of course, the interior bit that really adds spice is the 9000-rpm tachometer scale, which, as in the BMW M3, sports a variable warning segment that adjusts the redline according to engine temp. This is useful because, once the 8000-rpm light turns off, the concert can begin.

Borrowed from the BMW M3, yet putting out three less horsepower due to more constrictive space for the exhaust, the BMW M Roadster's S54 inline-six mill not only produces 330 horsepower at 7900 rpm, but also plays mechanical notes so pleasing you'll want to put the sweet song of successive redline shifts on repeat mode. It's an engine that zings as much as it sings; and in a car that weighs over 200 pounds less than an BMW M3 coupe, its three-horse deficit means as much as a politician's promise. BMW claims the M Roadster can accelerate from 0 to 60 in 4.9 seconds, but the company is notoriously conservative with its figures. A 3383-pound M3 Competition Package we tested needed just 4.8, so the roadster is likely capable of around 4.7, or 0.3 quicker than a Boxster S. Top speed is limited to 155 mph.