Handy Auto Guide

RSports Cars previews the new 2006 BMW Z4 M Coupe. 'The BMW Z4 M Coupe is a sports car for very special moments – moments the driver may well experience every mile on the road. Uncompromising, purist, and extremely powerful, this two-seater offers an unparalleled experience of undiluted dynamism both in everyday traffic and on the race track. Without doubt, its prize-winning 3.2-liter straight-six M power unit developing maximum output of 330 bhp offers performance of the highest conceivable standard.

Marty Padgett writing over at The Car Connection, has penned a review of the 2007 BMW 335i coupe. 'The 335i is, until the next M3 arrives, the swiftest 3-Series coupe you can have. Though coupe-convertible and M versions are yet to arrive, it strikes us as the most visually potent coupe the company offers short of the South Carolina-made Z4, too. And it owes much of its charm to turbocharging. It's a great thrill to see the 335i break traction from the rear and disappear in a howl of high-spinning turbo whine. But it's a far bigger thrill to have its six-speed manual in hand, 300 horsepower at foot, laying down an impossibly American patch of rubber without an ounce of Teutonic stuffiness to be found.'

The impressions from a test drive of the 2007 BMW X5 second-generation crossover SUV has been posted in a review over at Popular Mechanics. 'The 2007 X5 is pretty much all-new, beginning with a body structure that has 15 percent more torsional stiffness than the original. The stronger body structure allows the engineers to better tune the suspension, for both ride and handling. And since one of the prevalent complaints with the original X5 was its somewhat unforgiving nature, it’s no surprise that BMW put a suspension expert in charge of this project.'

Drive Arabia have posted their assessment of the features and handling of the 2007 BMW Z4 3.0si Coupe. 'The BMW Z4 is ugly. The BMW Z4 looks disgusting. The BMW Z4 is a useless car. These are statements all regularly heard among armchair auto-enthusiasts and commoners alike. The truth is, the BMW Z4 looks terrible in pictures, but with the new coupe version, it is as stunning as it gets for a small sports car, and a competent one at that. After almost returning the car as quickly as we'd picked it up due to bureaucracy issues with BMW, we are glad w

Auto Express have posted their initial impressions of the BMW 335i Coupe which is the company's first ever folding hard-top. 'It's the big 'opening day' for the new 3-Series Convertible - the moment when BMW's first-ever folding hard-top takes center stage. The fourth-generation model has ditched the traditional canvas hood in the search for better refinement, security and structural stiffness.With only Volvo's C70 offering a similar arrangement in the sector, it gives the newcomer an important edge over the Audi A4 Cabriolet and Mercedes' CLK. However, the new roof isn't the sole innovation. There are special heat-reflective leather seats designed to keep the cabin cool, as well as the firm's latest twin-turbo six-cylinder petrol engine. So is the new 3-Series Convertible the best drop-top on the market?'

Business Week have published a review of the 2007 BMW X5 SUV. 'The BMW X5 has always been a wolf in sheep's clothing, a quick, sporty, driver's vehicle with the tall, relatively roomy body of a family SUV. So when the German company gave the X5 its first total makeover since its introduction in 2000, designers emphasized both aspects of the vehicle's character.

The Car Buyer's Notebook has recorded a review of the sleek BMW M3 Concept Car. 'The basic form for the BMW M3 Concept Car is a derivative of the new BMW 3 Series Coupé. The few components adopted directly from the series model are the headlamps and taillamps and, as the only body elements, the two doors and the luggage compartment lid. In all other respects, the BMW M3 Concept Car, which is being presented in the Chrome Shadow finish characteristic of BMW M GmbH concept studies, is obviously an individualistic and athletic vehicle with technology at the focus of its engineering.

A review of the 2007 BMW 328xi sedan has been posted over at CNET. 'BMW puts one of the most solid feeling cars on the road with the all-wheel-drive 2007 BMW 328xi. Our test car was the sedan version and, although it didn't come with a navigation system or premium sound, we were still impressed with its cabin tech interface. Its handling was also impressive, although accelerator modulation proved difficult and its power steering made low-speed turning require serious effort.

Al Vinikour spent some wheeltime with the two 2007 3-Series BMW models and posts his impressions in a review over at SearchChicago.com. ‘The 2007 3-Series convertible is not any convertible. It’s actually two vehicles in one – a stylish hardtop coupe and a sleek, head-turner of a convertible. The roof opens automatically as each of its three elements rests above the other. The rear lid opens rearward and once the roof has been opened (or closed) and the hardtop is locked, the trunk lid can be raised in the usual manner. The roof and luggage compartments are separated from one another by a partition that swivels when the roof is closed to provide maximum luggage capacity of 9 cubic-feet. (Hey! You’re not buying this vehicle for use as a shipping container.) When the car is equipped with the Comfort Access option you can lower the roof via remote control. (The only way I could open the roof of my old beater car was to roll it over a dozen or more times).

CarAndDriver.com have published a preview of the 2007 BMW X3 3.0si SUV. 'Three years ago, the BMW X3 was a novelty: a slick-handling luxury compact SUV. We liked it but didn’t love it. Now newcomers, such as the Land Rover LR2, the Acura RDX, and the upcoming VW Tiguan, come surprisingly close to matching what we remember enjoying most about the baby Bimmer—gifted handling, abundant luxury, premium-brand cachet—and do so at prices that undercut the X3's. Hmm. Time to take a fresh look at the Bimmer.

CNET have published their review of the 2007 BMW X5 SUV. 'The new X5 has pronounced wheel arches, a design cue not exactly unique to BMW, and more curves all over the body, though most prominently in front. Bold, prominent creases mark the hood and the side of the car. These changes give the sheet metal a more flowing look than the previous generation. Large ducts below the traditional BMW kidney grille suggest a big power plant that needs to take big breaths.

Pocket Lint have published their review of the BMW Z4 Coupe 3.0si SE. 'By sewing a steel roof on top, all the magical elements of the Z4 disappear. All the niggles that were always there suddenly become amplified because you can't escape them with a shot of wind through the curls. But let's begin on the outside. A few minor changes around the light clusters and subtle bodywork tweaks serve to make the Z4 Coupe more pleasing on the eye but turn the rather yobbish exterior of the convertible that I rather liked into something rather conservative, even boring. The hard-top at least looks natural, not at all like an ugly afterthought. But it just doesn't look as exciting as the T-bar metal roof that Alpina chucked atop their tuned version of the convertible, even though it clearly didn't look like it belonged.'

CNET have published a review of the 2007 Mini Cooper S hatchback. 'When BMW bought the brand and started churning out the little cars in 2001, we couldn't imagine a better take on an old car. The original Minis are classics, and BMW successfully maintained the look in a larger, better engineered car. For 2007, the extra length is hardly noticeable. A more obvious styling upgrade are S emblems on the front fenders, attached to more substantial chrome insets. Our test Cooper S was yellow with black bonnet stripes and a black cap, a paint scheme that garnered us many envious looks as we tooled around town.

BusinessWeek.com have published their review of the 2007 BMW X3 3.0si SUV. 'The X3 starts at $38,775. That price includes all sorts of standard equipment—everything from wood interior trim, cruise control, an eight-speaker CD system, and power doors, windows, mirrors, and seats, to stability and traction control, braking assist, and a panoramic sunroof. The list of available options is relatively short for a Bimmer, but loading up an X3 can still easily push the price up over $45,000. A sport package that adds a stiffer suspension and sportier wheels, seats, and steering wheel costs $3,150. A navigation system costs $1,800, upgrading the upholstery from leatherette to real leather $1,450, Xenon headlights $800, an upgraded sound system $675, and heated front seats $500.'

PaulTan.org have published a "Test driven" review of the 2007 BMW X3 SUV. 'The recent facelift also seems to have come too late, while in reality it is actually on time, as the X3 was only launched in late 2003. While BMW’s entire range has been updated, the X3 feels old inside. Yes, it has BMW’s new chrome-trimmed shifter design with a nice grip. Yes, the same very nicely done aluminium bits are there. But the meter panel is of the old design with old school-looking needles – thick with some 3D effects which seem not to be in tune with the rest of the interior. The little LCD in the middle of the two gauges is… well, not there. Instead, there is a little LED panel showing what gear position you are in, and that’s about it. The steering column stalks are not of the new soft touch type, they’re of an older design. There is no little electronic fob you insert into a slot and a push start button to press – the ignition on the X3 is the old school twist-key-in-hole-on-steering-column design.'

SearchChicago have published a review of the 2007 BMW 650i Convertible. 'Inside the design is simple yet complicated. It is simple due to the few controls you have are at easy reach and are easy to use. The layout is minimalist, and most of the 650i’s functions are all conveyed via the do-it-all computer, aka iDrive. This system just takes everything that the car stands for and trashes it. For some reason, the iDrive seems harder to use than other cars with similar types of do-it-all systems and I found myself taking my eyes off the road for much longer than I should trying to change the Sirius satellite radio station. The stereo has an amazing Logic7 sound system with 13 upgraded speakers.'

CNET have published their review of the 2007 BMW 335i Convertible. 'Driving the 2007 BMW 335i Convertible puts you in a state of engineering nirvana. BMW's twin-turbo power train, launched last year, makes beautiful sounds and delivers fantastic throttle response. Oh, the 335i Convertible has plenty of available cabin gadgets plus a slick retractable hardtop, but the technology that impresses us most about this car lives under the hood.

The Truth About Cars have published their review of the BMW X5 4.8i SUV. 'The X5 is the very model of a major modern BMW that quotes the stance historical. It’s a tremendously busy design, festooned with strange shapes and littered with unexpected creases and lines. Despite die Bangle Boyz’ attempt to transform the Bimmer’s two-box SUV shape into something more exotic, the marginally longer, taller and wider X5 still looks like a two-box SUV tweaked to look like something exotic. The rear remains especially boxy, tilting its posterior upwards in a distinctly French sort of way. In sum, from twenty feet away, the X5 looks handsome enough.'

A review of the BMW 130i M Sport hatchback has been posted over at PaulTan.org. 'The M Sport suffix on the model name indicates that the car comes with lots of extra vitamin M goodness. We’re talking about the M kit which makes the car look a lot better than what the standard 1-Series looks like. Maybe it’s because the huge gaping central air intake on the M sport front bumper takes away focus from the droopy headlamps. Or maybe it’s because we all love huge gaping central air intakes and what they usually stand for.

Inside Line have published their “First Drive’ review of the 2007 Hartge H50 V10 BMW 3 Series. ‘This innocuous BMW 3 Series blends into the outside lane with the workforce of Beckingen, Germany, as they scuttle homeward. There is rarely a second glance in our direction, as there's no outward sign to even hint at the violence that lies within the 2007 Hartge H50. Once the autobahn opens out like a red carpet, we mash the throttle and the machine beneath my seat takes off like a stabbed rat. Though the 2008 BMW M3 is now upon us, not even such a car could muster this kind of forward thrust.’

SearchChicago have published a review of the 2007 BMW 335i convertible. ‘The 335i is powered by a twin-turbo (I just love that word) DOHC inline 24-valve, 3.0-liter, six-cylinder engine (designated by BMW as the N54) that produces a healthy 300 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque matched to the much-adored six-speed manual transmission. The 335i accelerated from 0-60 mph in 5.5 seconds. EPA figures for the 335i are 19 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway, but I received much lower numbers mainly due to my driving style in which I feel the need to hear the engine’s rock-and-roll music every time! The tune that the engine and the dual exhaust plays leaves me wanting for more.’

CNET have published their review of the 2007 BMW Z4 M Coupe. 'BMW produced a coupe version of its old Z3 roadster in limited numbers from 1999 to 2002, the inspiration for the new coupe based on the Z4. As one of our staff editors owns a 1999 Z3 Coupe, we compared the old and the new, driving them over the same twisty mountain roads and taking stock of their available equipment. Unfortunately, the 1999 Z3 Coupe is not the M version, so our M Coupe test car is much more powerful. Z3 Coupes were better equipped than the Z3 roadsters as standard, complete with a nine speaker Harman-Kardon stereo system. The stereo was a single-CD player in the dash, with an optional six-disc changer mounted in the cargo area. The Z3 Coupe had a tweeter and mid in each door, plus a tweeter and mid mounted to the ceiling over the cargo area, one set on both sides. There was also a subwoofer mounted in the cargo area.'

Inside Line have published their "test driven" review of the 2008 Mini Cooper S Clubman. 'We drove the new 2008 Mini Cooper S Clubman around the sprawling Spanish capital of Madrid earlier this week. Gert Hildebrand, Mini's design boss, says the idea for the stretched Mini did not stem from the marketing department but rather his own design team. "When we set about designing the second-generation model we laid down a few sketches on how we thought its appeal could be extended," Hildebrand says. "We then presented it to the board members of BMW, and they decided it had potential." The Clubman got its first public view at the 2005 Frankfurt Auto Show as the Mini Traveller, although by then it was already well on the way to production. While the elongated shape might not ignite wild passions, the detailing and engineering are hugely impressive.'

Auto Express have published their "Test driven" review of the new MINI Clubman Cooper S. 'Legends don’t come much bigger than the MINI. With a cheeky character, good looks and agile handling, it’s an excellent car – and offers style and fun in equally generous measure. But while it’s proved hugely popular, the model has faced criticism – not least for its lack of cabin space. Passengers in the back endure a real squeeze, while the boot is tiny. Frankly, a MINI is no friend to families. So, BMW has developed a solution in this: the new MINI Clubman. Building on the standard hatch design, the car has a sporty two-door estate look, yet actually features three doors. The radical body is based on the Shooting Brake concept first seen at the Frankfurt Motor Show two years ago.'

A review of the Mini Cooper D diesel Supermini has been posted over at Pocket Lint. 'Let’s get something important out the way. The diesel Mini is no where near as good as the Cooper, S or even the One. But a small diesel will never (well maybe not never) be as good as a petrol equivalent so that’s not a fair comparison. Importantly, is it better than other small diesels – or even lesser petrol-powered small vehicles, and is it better than the old D? The answer to those questions is a resounding yes. The standard Mini is an awesome motoring achievement. It looks almost exactly like the older BMW-made incarnation but is somehow much better looking due to some minor tweaks in proportioning, especially around the headlights and rear wings. It’s also built far better than the old one.'

The Car Connection have published a review of the 2008 BMW 1-Series coupe. "At 3440 lbs, the 1er doesn't feel heavy on the track, but doesn't feel light either. Stability, again, is the word that best describes its performance. Even in high-speed S-curves, the chassis managed the transitional quick side-to-side loads smoothly-a gold star challenge for sure. Track-wise, our only other concern focuses on the brakes. The six-piston front binders burned-off speed easily, but after one particularly quick lap, we hit the pits with the binders smoking. For the record, two-piston calipers clamp on the rear discs. Track day junkies might need an upgrade here too, but the system's performance is more than adequate for any kind of street driving.

Motor Trend have published a “First drive” review of the 2008 BMW 135i coupe. ‘Okay, so it's not a lightweight, tossable toy like the 2002. But, as we found out at the two-mile Gotland Ring, it's still a satisfying, blistering car at the racetrack. Fitted standard with the M aerodynamics package (lip spoiler and racier front and rear fascias and side sills) and the firmer M sport suspension, which lowers the car by 0.6 inch, the 135, wearing 215/40R18 front and 245/35R18 rear Bridgestone Potenzas, displayed linear (albeit a bit numb) steering, negligible body roll and moderate understeer that, with 300 lag-free horses under your right foot, can be easily transitioned to oversteer on demand, especially with stability and traction control turned off.’

Motor Trend have published a “First drive” review of the 2008 BMW M3 sedan. ‘With the power button on, the M3 can buck like a bull on the streets and demands full attention for smooth shifting. Unlike the M-button on the M5, the discreet button on the M3's center console doesn't give you full power-you have that all the time-it just dramatically sharpens the throttle response. And it doesn't matter where you are; push it at steady throttle on the freeway, and you can feel the car tighten up-clench its glutes, if you will, as though poised to sprint. Ease off and switch off, and the M3 becomes a pretty good city car. In the base model, without the three-mode Electronic Damping Control (EDC) suspension system, the ride is touch tight and jouncy, but in no way of endangering a case of Trader Joe's 2 Buck Chuck and bags of blue corn tortilla chips stashed in the trunk.’