BMW ad banned over depictions of dangerous driving

Advertising Standards Authority rules xDrive TV advert “gave the impression that the cars were being driven at a considerable speed”

A BMW TV advert for the company’s xDrive four-wheel drive system has been banned in its current form on UK television, after the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said it “condoned faster, dangerous and irresponsible driving”.
The minute-long ad (above) shows a variety of xDrive-equipped BMWs being driven off-road on snow and mud, and also contains footage of models being driven on the road in wet weather conditions.

Backed by Blur’s Song 2, a rousing rock anthem, the ASA said while it acknowledged that “some of the scenes took place off public roads”, it considered the off-road scenes were “not significantly different to environments that viewers might encounter.”

The ASA continued: “The demonstration of the capability of the xDrive system condoned faster, dangerous and irresponsible driving… presented in the context of excitement”. It also highlighted an instance of an X5 “appearing to skid on a dirt trail.”
BMW contested this interpretation of the ‘skid’, arguing the X5 demonstrated “a slight reduction in traction”, as the technical ability of the xDrive system was highlighted. BMW also argued the cars were driven in a safe and responsible manner.

The car maker added that Blur’s Song 2 was selected to appeal to the advert’s target audience, and was unlikely to imply the cars were driven at a high speed.
Despite these points – and the fact just one person out of the estimated 9.3 million who saw the advert complained - the ASA deemed BMW’s advertisement breached three advertising codes.
The rules in question stipulate motoring adverts must not encourage “dangerous, competitive, inconsiderate or irresponsible driving” and “must not demonstrate power, acceleration or handling characteristics except in a clear context of safety”

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BMW M2

Weight-saving parts, aerodynamic upgrades and cosmetic alterations help to add even more focus to the M2 Competition

The new BMW M2 Competition isn’t exactly a car lacking in focus, but M Sport has released a Performance Parts range to extract even more speed from the 404bhp coupe.
A range of styling and performance upgrades are available, with weight reduction the primary focus. A carbon fibre bonnet, roof and boot lid save 9kg, 5kg and 6kg respectively, while a new M Sport exhaust combines a fruiter note with an 8kg saving over the standard system. Forged 19” alloy wheels and uprated brakes reduce unsprung mass by 3.2kg.

Those brakes are completely overhauled from the standard Competition. Vented and drilled discs are gripped by new calipers - four piston rear and six pot aluminium items for the front - and the pad material is designed to better resist fade at the sort of high temperatures they’ll be subjected to through repeated heavy stops on track.

Adjustable coilover suspension lets the driver tweak the M2 Competition’s ride height, compression and rebound settings for their ideal setup. Cornering speeds can be further enhanced by ultra sticky Michelin Pilot Cup 2 tyres and a range of aero-enhancing add-ons including the front splitter, side skirt extensions and a rear wing. Purely cosmetic tweaks include M Sport decals, new graphics for the puddle lights, and a choice of black or gold finishes for the wheels.

Inside, there’s the option of adding stainless steel pedals and carbon/alcantara trim for the gear lever and handbrake. The most interesting add-on is featured in one of the two steering wheels available - one is a fairly standard item trimmed in a mix of leather and alcantara, but the other carbon and alcantara wheel features what BMW calls a Racing Display. In addition to the customary shift lights, this features a lap timer and a G-meter.
Driving style can be scrutinised in even greater depth through the M Performance Drive Analyser. Through a bluetooth-enabled dongle for the OBD port, it’s possible to view, record and share stats via a smartphone app

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BMW X7 SUV 2018 prototype

BMW’s latest flagship SUV is taking shape ahead of its full reveal later this year, and we’ve driven a pre-production model

Verdict

The X7 will be the biggest SUV the firm has ever built, but crucially, it still feels like a BMW. At more than 5m long, it’s a huge car, but at speed it belies its size. Early impressions suggest it should be a fitting flagship.

Slowly but surely, BMW’s newest flagship is taking shape. The first pre-production X7s are already rolling off the line in Spartanburg, USA, conspicuously covered in heavy camouflaged cladding. At 5.2 metres long and over two metres wide, it’s the biggest SUV that BMW has ever built. In fact, it’s bigger than a Mercedes GLC (5.13 metres), and even longer than the not-for-UK Cadillac Escalade (5.18 metres).
To see what’s in store, we were invited to South Carolina for an early drive in the German firm’s forthcoming range-topper. Even in its pre-production disguise, its clear the X7 won’t lose any of BMW’s recognisable design cues. The front is dominated by an oversized kidney grille, while the LED headlights are a nod to those found on the latest X3. The 3.2-metre wheelbase means there’s plenty of space inside, even in the third row of seats.

The cabin is covered, too, but it’s clear BMW will lift the ambience with plenty of high-quality materials. The driver gets a fully digital display, which sits behind a steering wheel lifted straight from the 7 Series saloon. The central screen houses everything from sat-nav to media, and is operable via voice, gesture or touch, as well as through the familiar iDrive controller.

Lots of the X7 is crafted from lightweight aluminium and composite materials. While engines and specs are unconfirmed, it’s likely European buyers will get a choice of six and eight-cylinder petrol and diesel motors, as well as plug-in hybrid versions later down the line. Power is delivered via BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive system and an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Our first taste came courtesy of the range-topping 4.4-litre V8 version. It’s the same engine found in the 750i, albeit with power boosted to 456bhp, and gives the X7 a dual personality. It feels like a raging bull under hard acceleration, but slacken things off and the big SUV presents much milder manners.
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The sharp controls, all-round air suspension and active stabilisers seem to shrink the X7 through tight corners. The double glazing and extra sound deadening mean it’s incredibly quiet at high speed, too. This is an SUV designed from the outset to argue with the 7 Series for the title of quietest BMW.
Pricing for the X7 is not yet fixed, but we expect things to start from around £85,000. The car will be revealed in full later this year, but global start early in 2019.

Key specs

• Model: BMW X7
• Price: From £85,000
• Engine: 4.4-litre V8 turbo petrol

• Power: 456bhp
• Transmission: Eight-speed auto, four-wheel drive
• On sale: Early 2019

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BMW M5 review

 


Long histories are, by and large, eventful ones. The history of the BMW M5, arguably Germany’s founding example of the modern super-saloon, has certainly been both of those things,stretching back fully five model generations and almost 35 years.

 
It has encompassed race-derived and race-inspired six and 10-cylinder engines, mould-breaking sequential transmissions and plenty of talking points besides. But it has never brought us greater controversy or a bolder departure from established convention than it has just now, in the shape of this week’s road test subject: the sixth-generation BMW M5 (F90).
 

Like so much else about the M5, the car’s tiny lip spoiler speaks discreetly of the performance within. We really like it.

Partly in response to an identical move by rival Mercedes-AMG but mainly in recognition of consumer demand for greater all-weather usability in North America, M division has switched its firebrand executive four-door from one driven axle to two. In doing so, it has adopted technology that it might have told you not so long ago had no place in a saloon car whose numerical identification was prefixed with ‘M’.
 
Indeed, despite production winding up only eight years ago, the naturally aspirated V10 of the rear-driven E60-generation M5 now seems a sweet but distant memory, not least because its contemporary successor uses a smaller V8 engine of forced induction and, for the first time in an M5, a driveline that sends torque to all four wheels via a standard torque-converter automatic transmission.
However, as you’ll soon read, it’s a marriage that has yielded an all-weather turn of pace for this car that can, without hyperbole, be described as ludicrous for an object weighing nearly two tonnes. For the many owners who’ll never explore the capabilities of their car beyond what it can do on a straight stretch of road, that sheer pace may be all that’s required to keep the car competitive, and to keep it on their driveway.
 
Those with longer memories, ones familiar with how BMW M set the super-saloon standard for handling purity and dynamism during an unbroken run lasting decades, will expect more, as do we. So can this generation of go-faster 5 Series reassert the dominance of the super-saloon niche that its uninspiring predecessor surrendered?
 

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BMW M240i review

Having passed every test we’ve laid in its path - even against the 5.0 V8 Mustang, BMW’s M240i coupé – has one more hurdle to jump, one more opportunity to show if – and if so, why – it’s one of the most exciting sports coupé on the block, even though its had its crown snatched by the arrival of its bigger brother - the M2.
 
Rebranding the 1 Series coupés and convertibles as 2 Series is part of BMW’s new naming strategy, but it also gives a nod to Munich’s original compact coupé: the 02 coupé series.

Road test editor

 

The 1966 1600-2 was BMW's original compact coupé

The two-door BMW 1600-2 arrived in 1966, with the 2002 following in 1968. Then in 1973 BMW launched the car most would consider to be the closest spiritual antecedent of the M240i: the 170bhp 2002 Turbo, Europe’s first turbocharged mainstream passenger car.
On first inspection in the US, when BMW labelled it the M235i, Richard Bremner described it as “the most enjoyable, well balanced model in BMW’s range”. After a subsequent European drive, road tester Nic Cackett labelled it “a sports car of the highest order”. However, since then this order has been adjusted by the arrival of the 365bhp M2, and in 2016 BMW rebadged the M235i as the M240i as it has done with every other car in its range holding the 35i moniker. While the hardware under the bonnet has barely changed, the M240i gets its power output boosted to 335bhp, giving it an 13bhp increase. July 2017 also saw BMW give the M240i a much needed facelift, while everything under the bonnet was left untouched the exterior and interior were given a revitalisation.
The original M235i also bettered its competition from Mercedes-AMG and Audi in a UK group test, shaded only by the significantly more expensive but less practical Porsche Cayman. Could we be on for a perfect five-star score? The omens are promising, even if its ballastic brother misses out by half a star.
 
Moreover, are we looking at a new performance legend? Having turned the last M3 coupé into a £60,000 buy and placed the M4 and the M2 equally out of reach for a great many of us, has BMW invented a new affordable sporting hero in the M240i?
Time to see if a legend has been born.
 

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New 2020 BMW iX3 previewed by concept at Beijing

Electric BMW iX3 SUV set to arrive in 2020, and is likely to be the first in a big line-up of all-electric BMWs

BMW has uncovered the next step in its grand electrification strategy with the reveal of the Concept iX3 at the Beijing Motor Show. It’s an all-electric X3 SUV set to arrive in 2020 and will be built in China at the firm’s Shenyang plant.
The concept arrives as several premium manufacturers gear up to take on the Tesla Model X. Jaguar is first into the fight with the new I-Pace, while Audi will join later this year with the arrival of the e-tron. Mercedes will muscle in on the act too, with an all-electric SUV called EQC arriving in 2019.
• Best electric cars on sale
The iX3 marks a significant shift in BMW’s electric car story, as unlike the i3 and i8 it’s a fully-fledged i model based on an existing car in the firm’s line-up. With BMW having trademarked iX1 through to iX9 it could be the first in a broad line-up of all-electric BMW SUVs. After the arrival of the iX3 in 2020, BMW promises that it’ll be able to fit any new series model with an all-electric powertrain thanks to flexible new platforms.

From a design point of view, the Concept iX3 reimagines the regular X3 with a number of unmistakable electric car styling features. At the front end of the car, the apron has been redesigned with slimmer ventilation and smoother surfacing, while the classic kidney grille is now filled in for aerodynamic benefit.
The charging port sits behind the left side front wheel arch, while fresh side skirts and a new rear bumper complete with an eye-catching diffuser arrive, both sporting trademark BMW i blue accents. It rides on a set of bespoke, lightweight wheels, which BMW says have been designed to be as aero-efficient as possible.

The overall changes compared to the regular car aren’t numerous then, but BMW says that these sorts of tweaks are to be expected going forward in its future electrified series models, and that the Concept iX3 highlights the level of design differentiation it believes will be enough to separate conventionally powered cars from all-electric counterparts at a glance. BMW has yet to issue pictures of the interior.
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Under the skin, the Concept iX3 features BMW’s latest and fifth-generation eDrive electric technology, grouping the electric motor, transmission and power electronics into a new, separate electric drive component. However, BMW says that one of the biggest advantages of its latest systems comes in the form of more powerful, denser batteries, saving weight and serving up packaging advantages.

The battery itself boasts a capacity of ‘over’ 70kWh, while BMW’s new-generation electric motor is rated at a claimed 266bhp. It’s unclear for now, but it means that if BMW plans to offer the iX3 with a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive drivetrain, total system power could come in at 532bhp. A claimed range of 249 miles under the tough new WLTP regulations is touted, which is on par with Audi’s e-tron but behind the Jaguar I-Pace. A 75kWh Tesla Model X 75D claims 259 miles, though under now redundant NEDC regulations.
Like the Audi e-tron, the iX3 will arrive ready to support 150kW fast charging thanks to clever battery cooling and temperature control tech. It means that an 80 per cent recharge will be possible in less than half an hour, when plugged into a charge point capable of delivering the voltage

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New 2018 BMW i8 Roadster review

The BMW i8 was never intended to become a convertible, but the new Roadster has found a unique position in the sports car market

Verdict

BMW’s i8 Roadster occupies a unique place in the sports car sector, with no genuine rivals able to compete with its electrified powertrain. Porsche’s 911 and the Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster offer traditional roadster driving experiences, and while the i8 can’t match either’s performance or dynamics it still has a strong appeal.

In the four years since BMW launched its i8 Coupe, the company has sold 13,000 examples of the carbon-tub, petrol-electric hybrid. Customers have bought into BMW’s i-vision, to the point where they are demanding more from the Bavarian marque – including new models such as the i8 Roadster.
Never originally designed as an open top car, the only way BMW’s engineers could establish if a roadster variant of the i8 would be possible was to literally chop the roof off. And when the carbon-tub didn’t fold in on itself, BMW had another petrol-electric sports car on its hands.
• The best sports cars of 2018
The i8 Roadster’s roof is fully electric, and the switch to operate it is tucked away under the lid for the centre console storage compartment. It takes 15 seconds to go from fully open to fully closed – or vice-versa. There’s also a rear window that can be lowered with the roof closed (although not raised with the roof open) to allow more noise into the cabin.

While the folding roof robs the i8 of it’s Porsche 911-esque rear seats, BWW does compensate you with an additional 100 litres of storage behind the front seats. The rear boot remains the same as a Coupe, and is big enough for a generously-sized overnight bag.
While the roof may be fabric, the front half has a carbon-fibre panel inserted in it to maintain a sleek appearance and aid aerodynamics. The only additional strengthening is in the hollow A-pillars and header rail – required for the relevant rollover tests. In total, the i8 Roadster weighs 60kg more than the Coupe.

Removing the roof also required a few other tweaks to the Roadster’s body, including the fitment of a small splitter positioned behind the front bumper to balance the airflow and prevent the need for a rear spoiler. The vent on the bonnet also had to be closed – with the hot air from the car’s radiators now redirected under the car as opposed to over the windscreen and into the now open cockpit. Those trademark butterfly doors are new, too.
Accompanying the external changes, BMW has also fitted the i8 Roadster with its latest eDrive technology, which means the capacity of the lithium-ion battery has increased. This provides the electric motor with an additional 12bhp (now 141bhp) – boosting the car’s EV range to 33 miles. However, this increase in cell density does mean a longer charge time.
That improved battery range is instantly noticeable, too. Whereas in the original Coupe the electric motor could be easily side-lined by the turbocharged petrol engine, now the electrified elements of the powertrain are far more willing and able to take on longer and quicker driving duties. And when you’ve depleted the batteries, the brake regeneration and the three-cylinder petrol motor recharges them much quicker than before, as well.

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New spring and damper settings have given the i8 Roadster a more direct front-end, although the electric power steering still has little feel, requiring a small leap of faith that the nose will go where you need it to. But there’s more grip, less understeer and the tyres work far harder than before.
Through quicker corners and on cresting roads, the i8 is now far more resolved, and inspires more confidence than the early Coupe. Combine a fully-charged battery with the three-cylinder engine – whose turbo you can now hear chuff away – and the i8 is now far more of a sports car than before.
Yet despite not being considered as a roadster from the outset, the i8 works remarkably well as a piece of design. In fact, with the roof open it’s more striking than its Coupe counterpart from every angle. However, it still requires an element of physical dexterity to get in or out

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