(Bits&Pieces.us)
Friday, December 15, 2017
Because Money Starts With 'M'
Performance proliferation: BMW plans to build 26 M models
Every vehicle is being considered.
According to Autocar, every vehicle in BMW's lineup is being considered for either an M or M-Performance variant. The M2, M3, M4 and M4 are obvious, as are M-Performance versions of each. The same goes for the X3, X4, X5 and X6 SUVs. Expect M versions of the upcoming Z4 and 8 Series, too. Beyond that it gets a little murky. We already have models like the M760i, but will BMW finally go all in and build an M7? Don't rule out M variants of the i3 and i8 EVs. It's unclear if variants of variants like the M3 and M4 CS are part of this total car count. Either way, expect a follow-up to that car.
Frank van Meel, the leader of BMW M division, wants to eventually increase sales of M cars to more than 100,000 units a year. BMW is following a tactic that Mercedes-Benz has been using with its AMG division for years. Nearly every car in Mercedes' lineup can be had in some flavor of AMG, with most packing in at least two. Enthusiasts may balk at this watering down of the brands, but it's hard to argue with sales.
(AutoBlog.com)
Every vehicle is being considered.
According to Autocar, every vehicle in BMW's lineup is being considered for either an M or M-Performance variant. The M2, M3, M4 and M4 are obvious, as are M-Performance versions of each. The same goes for the X3, X4, X5 and X6 SUVs. Expect M versions of the upcoming Z4 and 8 Series, too. Beyond that it gets a little murky. We already have models like the M760i, but will BMW finally go all in and build an M7? Don't rule out M variants of the i3 and i8 EVs. It's unclear if variants of variants like the M3 and M4 CS are part of this total car count. Either way, expect a follow-up to that car.
Frank van Meel, the leader of BMW M division, wants to eventually increase sales of M cars to more than 100,000 units a year. BMW is following a tactic that Mercedes-Benz has been using with its AMG division for years. Nearly every car in Mercedes' lineup can be had in some flavor of AMG, with most packing in at least two. Enthusiasts may balk at this watering down of the brands, but it's hard to argue with sales.
(AutoBlog.com)
Thursday, December 14, 2017
If You Ain't Cheatin', You Ain't Tryin'
Three Racing Cheats You've Never Heard Of
The Skyline With The MAF To Nowhere
We are all familiar with how the Nissan R32 Skyline GT-R dominated Australian touring car racing in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, giving the car its ‘Godzilla’ nickname. But before the high-tech, all-wheel-drive R32, Australian teams found little tricks to make their rear-wheel-drive R31 Skylines have some success. One such trick was to hook up a restrictive mass air flow sensor to bypass the engine altogether:
This story is a little bit of a challenge to confirm, but it’s not hard to find Australian Skyline nerds talking about that incredible MAF checking air flow to the strut tower. As long as it was operational, it was fine, right?
Complete list (Jalopnik.com)
The Skyline With The MAF To Nowhere
We are all familiar with how the Nissan R32 Skyline GT-R dominated Australian touring car racing in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, giving the car its ‘Godzilla’ nickname. But before the high-tech, all-wheel-drive R32, Australian teams found little tricks to make their rear-wheel-drive R31 Skylines have some success. One such trick was to hook up a restrictive mass air flow sensor to bypass the engine altogether:
This story is a little bit of a challenge to confirm, but it’s not hard to find Australian Skyline nerds talking about that incredible MAF checking air flow to the strut tower. As long as it was operational, it was fine, right?
Complete list (Jalopnik.com)
Did You Know - Lamborghini Urus Edition
6 things you should know about the Lamborghini Urus
It's named after a breed of cattle. Though many Lamborghinis have been named after specific fighting bulls, this one is named after an entire breed. The extinct breed is called urus, or sometimes aurochs, that is closely related to Spanish fighting bulls of today.
It has huge wheels and brakes. Standard wheels on the Urus are 21 inches, but for those with a desire for bigger dubs, there are optional 23-inch models. These wheels are stopped by standard carbon ceramic rotors. The fronts are 17.3 inches in diameter, and the rears are 14.5 inches.
Complete list (AutoBlog.com)
It's named after a breed of cattle. Though many Lamborghinis have been named after specific fighting bulls, this one is named after an entire breed. The extinct breed is called urus, or sometimes aurochs, that is closely related to Spanish fighting bulls of today.
It has huge wheels and brakes. Standard wheels on the Urus are 21 inches, but for those with a desire for bigger dubs, there are optional 23-inch models. These wheels are stopped by standard carbon ceramic rotors. The fronts are 17.3 inches in diameter, and the rears are 14.5 inches.
Complete list (AutoBlog.com)
Race On Sunday, Daily On Monday
Next Porsche 911 will get a major interior overhaul
It has screens, toggles, and the center console even gets a cupholder.
Porsche appears once again to be playing it cool and conservative with the exterior on the next-generation 911 based on spy shots so far. Inside it's a different story, as the above spy shots reveal. The dashboard has been thoroughly revised, and there are a number of interface changes.
Possibly the most prominent change in the center console is the shifter. This 911 is clearly equipped with a PDK dual-clutch transmission, but the big chunky shift lever is gone. Now a paddle that looks like a large climate control toggle sits in its place and simply puts the car in drive, neutral or reverse. There isn't a setting for manual on the shifter, indicating that any manual gear changes must be done with steering wheel paddles. Manual and park settings are activated with buttons behind the shift paddle.
Finally, there's a cup holder at the back of the center console. It doesn't look particularly effective, but it's nice it's there. We expect to see the new 911 interior, compete with cupholder, fully revealed with the rest of the car sometime in the spring.
(AutoBlog.com)
It has screens, toggles, and the center console even gets a cupholder.
Porsche appears once again to be playing it cool and conservative with the exterior on the next-generation 911 based on spy shots so far. Inside it's a different story, as the above spy shots reveal. The dashboard has been thoroughly revised, and there are a number of interface changes.
Possibly the most prominent change in the center console is the shifter. This 911 is clearly equipped with a PDK dual-clutch transmission, but the big chunky shift lever is gone. Now a paddle that looks like a large climate control toggle sits in its place and simply puts the car in drive, neutral or reverse. There isn't a setting for manual on the shifter, indicating that any manual gear changes must be done with steering wheel paddles. Manual and park settings are activated with buttons behind the shift paddle.
Finally, there's a cup holder at the back of the center console. It doesn't look particularly effective, but it's nice it's there. We expect to see the new 911 interior, compete with cupholder, fully revealed with the rest of the car sometime in the spring.
(AutoBlog.com)
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