Another month passes and another delightful hommage to the BMW’s of yesteryears appears in which I for one will simply not get bored of seeing. They are absolutely epic and none more so than the Hommage 2002, a stunning tribute towards the 1973 20o2 turbo, displayed this year at the Concours d’Elegance in Pebble Beach. The original 2002 model was seen as the pioneer for many BMW’s to follow as this particular model was the first european production car to be fitted with a turbo.
BMW Have Beautifully Restored Elvis Presley’s 507
BMW continue to pull out some amazing pieces of auto-motive engineering, especially in most recent times with the current M series, however we would like to take a moment to sit back and admire a little bit of restoration conducted by the chaps over at Bavarian Motor Works, one BMW 507. Previous owner a certain Mr Elvis Presley and found in none other than a pumpkin factory.
BMW i Launches The Limited Edition i3 Inspired By Mr Porter
The BMW i series, know for its tech savvy, electric cars, has partnered up with online and award winning mens style destination Mr Porter to bring you a one-of-a-kind, limited edition BMW i3.
Whats totally wonderfully about this partnership is how both BMW and Mr Porter work in unison and compliment each other. Take for example the interior, elegantly decked out in tuxedo blue and specially developed for this version. There is different, distinctive features on each one of the individually numbered cars, handcrafted for a truly unique finish to replicate that of made-to-measure tailoring. The individual painting and white accent which runs the length of the chassis, again mirroring that of a pinstripe suit, is hand painted by master craftsmen. These types of garments, sartorial bliss, is what you will find on the Mr Porter website.
Mr Toby Bateman, Managing Director of Mr Porter stated “at MR PORTER we give our customers the global best in men’s style across many categories, so this collaboration with BMW, the best in class in the automotive industry, felt like a bold but natural step. We relish the opportunity to be first to market for projects such as this.”
Further-more the Mr Porter inspired BMW i3, which runs on electric power and is completely emission free so you are still getting that award winning driving experience, whilst being almost silent in motion. Stefan Ponikva, Head of BMW i Brand Management went to add “The BMW i3 represents the effortless merging of sustainability and cutting-edge style. Our dedication to technological innovation, superior quality and first class design concepts that go beyond the ordinary, meant this collaboration with MR PORTER captured our imagination instantly.”.
The Car itself, to celebrate Mr Porter’s fifth anniversary, is available to buy only in the UK through the website now and will come equipped with a Mr Porter travel kit which features a BMW i leather holdall and four highly exclusive items to MR Porter: a black and white London undercover umbrella, a special edition Leica camera, Cutler & Gross sunglasses, Lock & Co bowler hat and a bespoke edition of Phaidon City Guide Book.
We say top choice, get yourself over to MR Porter and have a look immediately.
The Definitive List Of Every Watch James Bond Has Worn
With Spectre in the cinema’s breaking Bond box office records, it is safe to say everyone is talking about all things Bond related just now. What we always tend to notice is how Bond is always well kitted out, ready for any villainous situation he may encounter.
Through the years he has had suits from Anthony Sinclair, Brioni and Tom Ford, with cars from BMW to Aston Martin. One thing however James Bond has always been known for is his fine choice of time piece. Now thanks to the chaps over at watches2u.com, the ultimate Bond watch list throughout the years has been compiled. And its a good one.
BMW Unveils Oktoberfest Themed M3
With Oktoberfest in full swing, we have something which will wet your appetite besides a refreshing beer, so don your lederhosen and roll out a few kegs as BMW have unveiled a wonderful BMW M3 Oktoberfest themed car, in conjunction with the worlds biggest beer festival that is currently in full swing.
Of course we must mention this is not the first time we have seen a BMW Oktoberfest themed car. We can leap back to 1981 were at the time, Munich restauranteurs were financing and promoting a BMW M1, the legendary car designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and co-developed with Lamborghini, to compete in the Le Mans 24hr race. The designs on this car were hand painted showing local restaurants whom were sponsoring the project, to historical figures and the recognised white and blue cord, even the BMW factory itself made an appearance.
Beautifully this has been carried on to the latest BMW M3 project, seen again is the blue and white cord, Munich landmarks such at the Olympic stadium, the quintessential beer tent, even the Frauenkirche has its place on the body work, all wonderfully hand decorated by Walter Maurer, the original artist for the M1 project and practitioner of Cubism and Expressionism in Germany.
The festival itself runs until the 4th of October were the one off masterpiece BMW M3 “Munchner Wirte” is on display at BMW Welt in Munich for all you lucky folks traveling over there to go and see. We trust however you don’t need any other reason to hop along and try some of the finest beers the world has to offer.
The Science of Speed
Theres nothing we love more than a bit of science and motoring mixed together, so here, courtesy of our friends over at MINI and the University of Portsmouth, we have put together a little bit of fun education for you on The Science of Speed.
The universities tests saw that driving a more powerful car engaged a more dramatic physical response than riding a rollercoaster and even jumping out of a plane. Using the new MINI John Cooper Works, which we tested a few months back, scientists from the university of Portsmouth’s Sport and Exercise Science department ran a series of psychological, physiological and physical tests to measure the effects a car had on a select amount of drivers and one particular stunt driver, Niki Faulkner of Rush and Mission Impossible Rouge Nation fame.
Planting their foot to the floor round the iconic Goodwood Motor Circuit, the drivers self recorded anxiety levels increased by a massive 370 percent from a rest rate, whilst the average heart rate increased 100 percent to 180 beats per minute, to put it in perspective, this is an increase of nearly four times that reported from watching the horror film The Shining or even leaping from a plane, which has been recorded at 170 beats per minute. Even more so driving the new MINI John Cooper Works could even provoke more excitement than proposing to a girlfriend. However we highly recommend you don’t admit to that one.
It is a fantastic little drive indeed and comes with some interesting statistics indeed. If you fancy sampling it for yourself, we suggest hopping down to your nearest MINI dealership for a test drive.
BMW ART CARS: 40 YEARS
The construction of a BMW tends to be a piece of art in itself, however what you get when you have a collection of cars which some of the most renowned artists over four decades have taken to use as a canvas, results in something quite eye catching and spectacular indeed. Since we were first presented with the BMW 3.0L CSL at the 1975 Le Mans 24-hour race, painted by Alexander Calder, it ignited an obsession for both motoring and design enthusiasts alike, and the birth of the legendary BMW Art Car collection was seen.
The idea of the Art Car was first concieved forty years ago by French racing driver and art enthusiast Hervé Poulain who asked his friend, one Alexander Calder, to apply those creative talents to his racing car with the above cracker being the result. Over the years new additions of the BMW Art Car have emerged, with unique and eccentricity brilliant pieces by the most respected artists in the world, the likes of Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, David Hockney and Jeff Koons. Senior Vice President for Corporate and Governmental Affairs for BMW Group Maximilian Schoberl stated “The BMW Art Cars provide an exciting landmark at the interface where cars, technology, design, art and motor sport meet”, he added “The 40-year history of our ‘rolling sculptures’ is as unique as the artists who created them. The BMW Art Cars are an essential element and core characteristic of our global cultural engagement.”
For you avid collectors out there, there is also a book by Hatje Cantz published in 2014, a 200 page glossary rich with images dating back to the first Art Car of 1975 in which it also nicely explains the themes and inspirations for each car through detailed interviews and portraits with the artists.
The anniversary celebrations kicked off in Hong Kong at the centre Pompidou, the BMW museum in Munich and the Concorso d’Eleganza at Lake Como as seen below. Here the creations by the likes of Andy Warhol, Frank Stella, Alexander Calder and even Jeff Koon’s M3 GT2 were on display to the pleasure of many visitors. The landmark tour will also be touching down later in 2015 in Shanghai, New York and the Art Basel show in Miami.
Through the realms of social media you can get closer still by using and tracking the hashtag #BMWArtCar with BMW seeking the public input of what “the art of the car” means to them. It truly is a wonderful example of modern mobile art which if you have a chance, I suggest you get along and absorb a piece of this 40 year history.
AT A GLANCE: THE NEW MINI CLUBMAN
One of the things we have always loved about the MINI is its versatility and robust nature. The Clubman is the answer to the consumer who has a family or seeks that roomy estate model, yet doesnt want to look like the local undertaker in the process. Enter then the 2015 MINI Clubman. Hitting UK showrooms on the 31st of October, we take an inside look at the little beauty which was revealed this month by BMW.
Off the bat, one of or thee biggest selling point of the MINI Clubman has to be its interior space and luggage capacity, and right away, this is something which is noticeably bigger, gaining 100 litres on its predecessor to 360 litres with an optional 1250 litres available to its owner should the rear seats be folded away, plenty of room indeed for a stern bit of shopping or doing the obligatory airport run. This abundance of space is achieved through the new model being an impressive 293mm longer than the previous and in a context sense, 158mm longer than the current largest model available, the MINI Countryman.
Journeying inside, we also love the MINI Yours feature you can express here, doing so online or within a dealership, providing you with an array of options to customise the interior and even exterior of the car, which for me is exactly what you want if you are on a lengthy trip. Stated by the brand as the “highest level of ride comfort and brand-based go-kart feeling ever seen in Mini” this is something we don’t doubt at all if the luxurious stitched leather, as seen below, is anything to go by. Its a brilliant option in my opinion which brings MINI and its customer closer together. Within the cockpit we also see a revamp similar to that of the JCW we tested, now boasting a visually stronger centre console display and again, a dash of BMW with the control for this feature being the rotary button between the two seats.
Exterior wise and visually the MINI Clubman is equally as impressive. It struts a combination of classic Clubman features such as the lovely barn style doors which open out towards you, emblazoned with lovely thick chrome handles, yet what is notably different is the rear lights which now sit in a horizontal position as apposed to verticle which for me, visually create a wider appearence to the vehicle. Housed at the heart of the car is the standard 1.5-litre petrol engine which the options rangeing to a 2.0-litre diesel in the Cooper D Clubman, peaking at a 2.0-litre, 189bhp little monster in the Cooper Clubman S which will reach 62mph in 7.2 seconds, taking you on to an impressive 142mph.
Personally I feel the new MINI Clubman is a functional all round user friendly car. There are some interesting, impactful changes which really freshen up the appearence, yet that classic MINI essence is not left in the past. I like how small features of BMW are begining to sneak into the cabin to with great examples of modernisation like the optional head up display and re-designed centre console. It is a model which im sure will excite previous Clubman owners on its release and with an entry level price of £19,995 for the amount of car on offer, encourage more customers to join the experience as well.
THE GS TESTS: THE NEW MINI JCW
The MINI John Cooper Works is a car synonymous with performance and practicality rolled into one. Throughout the years the models and competition have progressively grown in prowess so it is important the old boy keeps himself, and his class rivals on their toes in the current consumer market.
This year then MINI has done just that by unleashing the 2015 JCW, the fastest and most powerful model yet. Being a thoroughbred racer at heart, we sought no better proving ground to test this than on a track environment round Brands Hatch were we could really put it through its paces. On immediate entry to the cockpit there are some stunning additions which really set this car off. I was drawn straight to the start stop button in the middle console, and the longer, uncovered gear stick on the manual which gives a racing sequential-esq appearance to the inside. A key aspect which i feel previous JCW and JCW GP owners will pick up on is the smarter seats. By smarter i mean instead of all leather in the older GP for example, the new JCW houses a mixture of leather and suede material in key points, which most importantly, stop you sliding off the seat should you corner a little to hard. Once you belt yourself in you find characteristics of BMW technology appearing in the new head-up display feature which is extravagant and for me, less distracting than having to glance across the dashboard to check your speed every few seconds.
As soon as I set off, the feeling that you are in a different animal from previous models was very evident indeed. Firstly from that lovely exhaust note as you start up, achieved through a larger however thinner construction to save any additional weight. What it did add in extra however was a caressing snap, crackle and pop of the turbo as you drop through the gear box on bends.
The JCW performance overall is now upped to a sizzling 231bhp with a 0-60mph time of 6.3 seconds seeing 153mph as the top end speed, truly figures which will see it and the likes of a main competitor in the Audi S1 lock horns. As my confidence gradually grew on track so did my smile as you get a true sense that the little MINI keeps you on edge, throwing a little understeer at you in the bends, which with a little lift of the throttle, allows you to counter this displaying the agility of the cars back end, letting it follow the nose, and nail the throttle on exit of the corner.
The fantastic thing is this car has the backing of one Niki Faulkner, famed for his wealth of experience on Top Gear and most recently, blockbuster films Kingsman: The Secret Service, the forth coming Mission Impossible 5and Rush. Speaking to Niki I got a real sense of his true passion for motoring and specifically this MINI project. “When I was approached by MINI, I agreed to test the car initially and it was fantastic. I wouldn’t put my name and time towards something that I didn’t get that true driving experience and excitement from”. Niki went on to say of his involvement with director Ron Howard on the set of Rush. ” Ron gave me brilliant flexibility to really inject a huge amount of detail into the film, enough detail which would keep the true motor racing anoraks happy, yet relative so as the audience with less racing knowledge could still get truly involved in the film”.
From what Niki said, detail is what the new MINI JCW is all about. It is a car which is a charismatic blend of a new era hot hatch, racer, as close as can be without having the childs play frame set-up in the back, yet comfort and stability is not sacrificed in pursuit of that with all the standard air con, electric windows and rear seats. For me it is a wonderful all round car which ticks all the boxes and fuels that primeval desire in us all.
We fully reccomend you visit WWW.MINI.CO.UK or pop in to your nearest dealership now to get involved in the mini experience.
A LEGEND RE-BORN: BMW 3.0 CSL HOMMAGE
BMW enthusiasts and car nuts alike will be pant wettingly excited at the revealing last weekend of the 3.0L BMW CSL Hommage at the concours Villa d’Este 2015. The CSL or Coupe Sport Leichtbau (coupe, sport, lightweight) of the 70’s was a car which wowed, reducing the weight of the orginal 3.0 CS by 200kg through the use of aluminium and plexiglass. Enter then this stunning modern take on an old classic which is truely awe inspiring indeed.
Firstly we must point out at this stage that the CSL Hommage is only a concept, however it is a fully operational concept so we can at least pray it goes to a production stage, at least limited edition. It is an exquisite sports coupe in a bold yellow colour which draws upon many features of the orginal 1970s model, most notably the air deflectors along the bonnet and the roof spoiler coupled with that huge whale tale. My personal favourite is the small, simple touch of the BMW badge on the back wing. Truly harking back to the classic indeed.
Although the CSL Hommage houses a 3.0L engine, it stays true to its modern birth with a hybrid eBoost energy system, a smart system at that which stores un-used power to a point which the driver may need that extra kick when for example over taking. The eBoost also influences space within the cockpit of this road going space machine reducing it to two seats in order to fit the hardware needed for it to work.
On the subject of the cabin itself, it certainly does reflect a cockpit with a super modernistic steering wheel and a minimilistic dashboard to match. Again it reflects back to 1970s CSL however with a wood finish emblazoned across it. The seats capture that old racing heritage being quilted carbonfibre buckets with a six point harness which secure you in for the experience ahead.
For us it is a stunning tribute to an old legend and another beautiful Munich masterpiece. We will leave you then with the final words of senior vice president of design at BMW, Mr Adrian Van Hooydonk for his take on proceedings.
‘Our Hommage cars not only demonstrate how proud we are of our heritage, but also how important the past can be in determining our future. The BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage represents a nod to the engineering achievement exemplified by the BMW 3.0 CSL in its lightweight design and performance. With intelligent lightweight construction and modern materials, the 3.0 CSL Hommage brings the character of that earlier model into the 21st century, showing it in a new and exciting guise.’