For BMW, the festivities over its sponsorship of the games begin with the UK launch of two new Performance Edition models based on the 1-Series hatchback and 3-Series sedan.
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This BMW E46 3-Series coupe, or as its UK owner has appropriately named it, the 357Ci, started its life as a 2001 325Ci with an M Sport Package.
In the hands of its current owner, it received the same 5.7-liter LS1 V8 engine as the rather forlorn looking Porsche 911 we wrote about last week, making this the second American-powered German automobile we’ve featured in as many days.
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Being that the 3-Series has been the backbone of BMW’s success over the years, it doesn’t come to much of a surprise that the F30 remains close to the current model in terms of design.
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Citing unnamed sources from within the brand, Britain’s Car Magazine reported on Tuesday that BMW is seriously entertaining the idea of renaming the next generation of its two-door 1- and 3-Series models into the 2- and 4-Series respectively.
The new badges would be applied on the two-door coupe and convertible as well as the sportier GT fastback models of the future 1- and 3-Series lineup.
As some of you may recall, this is not the first time that BMW has toyed around with the thought of turning the 3-Series coupe and convertible into the 4-Series, with the Bavarian company coming very close to executing the idea in the beginning of the new millennium.
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BMW hasn’t really messed around with the design of the 3-Series since the introduction of the E36 in 1990, and the new F30 isn’t an exception to the rule. The styling of the F30 is a clear evolution of the current E90 3-Series borrowing certain elements from the 5-Series such as the stronger belt-line combined with a lower and more aggressive front end with larger double kidneys. Previous spy shots reveal that BMW will follow a similar formula with the 3-Series’ interior.
When it goes on sale towards the end of 2012 or early 2013, the new 3 GT will join the existing body styles of the 3-Series, which include the four-door sedan, the two-door coupe, the five-door station wagon and the hardtop convertible, offering BMW a direct rival to the Audi A5 Sportback.
BMW has a more down-to-earth approach to the show as its emergency models are based on mainstream vehicles that are more suitable for this line of work than the fast, but unpractical, SLS AMG. We're talking about the BMW 3-Series/5-Series Touring models and the X3/X6 SUVs, although the latter is not new, having premiered at the same show in 2008.
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As you can see for yourself in the surveillance footage in the video after the break, the driver of the bimmer, slammed the pedal to the metal as he was going up the ramp, and the result, well, let’s just say is painful yet humorous at the same time.
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All 3-Series models are doing their bit to keep sales high. According to a study released by R.L. Polk & Co., from 2008 through this past February, the 3-Series sedan covered around 60 percent of the model's retail registrations, with the coupe, convertible and station wagon versions accounting for the rest of the sales.
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Launched initially as a two-door coupe, the 3-Series gained throughout the years new body variants such as the sedan, station wagon, coupe, convertible and even a three-door hatchback model (Compact). Scroll down to read a brief history on each generation.
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However, a new rumor has surfaced, with Automobile Magazine tweeting that the entry level BMW Z4 will soon get a new, 4-cylinder force inducted engine, as a replacement for the naturally aspirated inline-six.
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Carscoop reader Andras from Hungary was vacationing in Obertauern, Austria when he spotted this convoy of BMWs comprising of both masked prototypes and normal production cars, including a sedan in full body cladding. Check out Andras' photos and story after the jump.
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Starting out with a totaled E46 330i Coupe (optioned the ZHP performance package, no less), forum member bodycustom1 originally intended to just repair the car. Then his father walked into the shop gave him a different idea: lob off the remains of the rear end and tack on the bed from a Chevy Colorado.
Instead of keeping the bed separate, which was the original idea, the project snowballed a bit and now includes a more fabricated and streamlined body with a custom rear window, shortened sunroof track, and BMW gas cap integrated into the shortened bed (the width was A-OK).
"We will continue to update our model range," said Reithofer. "This includes other hybrid offerings such as the new BMW 5 Series Sedan with hybrid drive starting in 2011. The next generation of the BMW 3 Series will also include hybrid models."
The F30 3-Series, pictured here testing in prototype form, is expected to enter the market in 2012 first as a four-door sedan, with the Touring, Coupe and Convertible models to follow shortly after.