Showing posts with label Frankfurt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Frankfurt. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Frankfurt 2009: 2010 BMW X1 shows up

While us Americans will probably never get the three- and/or five-door 1 Series, we will be getting the new BMW X1. Here's your pudding proof. For some this is a maddening reality. For others it's like music you dislike. Still, we were a bit surprised by how much we liked the looks of the X1, especially in brown. With a grill lifted right off the 7-Series and a sinister set of angel eyes, the X1 is easily twice as handsome as big brother X3. Which might very prove to be the X1's major selling point. Just like the 3 Series and the 1 Series, the X3 and X1 are very closely related, not only in terms of powertrains, but mechanicals and chassis, too.

Engine choices are the usual BMW fare, ranging from the 258 hp double-VANOS straight-six in the xDrive28i to the 295 lb-ft of torque twin-turbo and common-rail diesel xDrive23d to less powerful diesel models like the 258 lb-ft xDrive20d/sDrive20d. There's also the sDrive18d which can get up to a BMW claimed 54.3 imperial miles per gallon. If you've somehow forgotten, the "x" in BMW-speak stands for AWD and the "s" stands for RWD. BMW claims the latter is the "most efficient rendition of spontaneous driving pleasure." If you can figure out what that means, let us know.

Frankfurt 2009: BMW 7 Series Active Hybrid


2010 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 - Click above for a high-res image gallery

BMW isn't taking any chances with its reputation for dynamics with the 7 Series Active Hybrid. To its 449-hp and 479-lb-ft 4.4-liter twin turbo V8 heart it adds a 60-pound, 35-cell lithium-ion battery in the boot. The battery doesn't take too much away from the trunk since it replaces the rear-seat air-conditioning unit from the standard 7.

The battery boosts maximum torque to 516 lb-ft when everything is really humming, and that gets the huge-ish hybrid to 60 in 4.9 seconds rowing through the eight-speed automatic. The battery, a judicious foot, and hybrid stalwarts like brake energy regeneration can get you 25 mpg. Until Brad and Angelina finish with their Hydrogen 7, this is your best bet for a caring Bavarian luxo-barge.

BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept Live At Frankfurt

2009 BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept

2009 BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept

We've all seen the photos and videos of BMW's Vision EfficientDynamics concept for a few weeks now, but even that level of familiarity isn't enough to dull the impact of the car's appearance from arm's length.

Live shots from the floor of the Frankfurt auto show reveal the Vision concept to be as much about design as it is about efficiency, and it's serious about efficiency.

The concept is powered by a 1.5-liter, 163-horsepower three-cylinder turbodiesel with two electric motors (one for each axle) powered by a lithium-ion battery pack. Together, the whole system delivers 390 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. This hybrid drive system isn't the only efficient aspect of the car, however.

It's also good for just 50 grams of CO2 emissions per kilometer (though, of course, they're variable, since this is a plug-in hybrid design), and it's good for 31 miles on electricity alone.

For the full skinny on the Vision EfficientDynamics Concept, check out our coverage of its initial release--but not before you get sucked into the live gallery below.

2009 BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept

2009 BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept

2009 BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept

2009 BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept

2009 BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept

2009 BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept


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