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858 miles BMW M3 E92 in Interlagos Blue up for sale

Among BMW enthusiasts, there’s one car that’s growing in popularity on the used market — the E92 M3. While the E92 M3 was always a popular car, it’s become increasingly in-demand over the past couple of years. Its combination of near-perfect looks, a free-breathing V8 engine, and old-school BMW feel make it highly desirable among enthusiasts who prefer purer Bimmers. If that sounds like you, and you want to get yourself into an E92 M3, check out this stunning, like-new example from EAG.

This specific 2013 BMW M3 Competition Package only has 858 miles on it, making it essentially brand-new. It’s a rather special spec combination as well, with the Competition Package, a six-speed manual, a carbon fiber roof, and a gorgeous Interlagos Blue paint. A color/spec combination like this on a car that tugs at the heart strings of enthusiasts is one that will tempt a lot of potential customers.

bmw m3 e92 interlagos blue 00 830x553 — Photos provided by Enthusiast Auto Group

The star of the show, though, is its engine. The 4.0 liter naturally-aspirated V8 might only make 414 horsepower, which seems puny compared to the current M3’s 503 horsepower, but it revs past 8,000 rpm and makes a noise the current M3 could only dream of. It’s also the only V8-powered M3 ever and will always be, as the next-gen M3 will likely be either a six-cylinder hybrid or fully-electric.

Interestingly, this specific E92 M3 was also one of the very last E92 M3s ever made for the US market. Only 15,799 of them were built for the US and this car is number 15,739. So it represents the end of an era, as all M3s since the E92 have been turbocharged.

If you’re interested in owning the last bastion of naturally-aspirated, rear-wheel drive BMW sports cars, the E92 M3 is really the only car to get and this example from EAG, as always, is flawless.

[Source: Enthusiast Auto Group]

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VIDEO: Would the V10-Powered BMW M6 be a Good Daily Driver?

One of the more unique BMWs of the modern-ish era was the E63-generation (not to be confused with the AMG) BMW M6. For starters, its Bangle-era looks were interesting and even a bit odd, it was never actually a universally loved design. However, what made it so unique was its engine — a 5.0 liter naturally-aspirated V10. With such a high-strung, motorsport-inspired engine, is the BMW M6 worth buying as a daily driver?

In this new video from DriveTribe, we get to take a look at the E63 M6 and its V10 engine (codenamed “S85”) and whether it’s a good daily driver. It has a lot of the ingredients to be a great daily (so long as you don’t have children) but can it put them all together to make a properly good recipe?

It all starts under the hood. The 5.0 liter V10 makes 500 horsepower and 384 lb-ft of torque, or at least that’s how much it made when it was new. Current used examples may have lost quite a few ponies over the years. That engine is the make-or-break component of the M6 and the number one reason why you should either buy it or not.

The engine itself is a joy to use. It revs past 8,000 rpm, makes an incredible noise, and has 500 horsepower. However, there’s one major reason as to why you’d want to hold off on buying an E63 BMW M6 — reliability, or lack thereof. S85 engines are known for eating their rod bearings which, if not caught in time, will grenade the engine’s internals. Bye bye, S85. Rod bearings are expensive to replace, as the entire bottom end of the engine needs to come down and, considering E63 M6s have become so cheap, that replacement cost can be almost half of what you paid for the car. No wonder they’ve become cheap…

So is it wise to get an E63 BMW M6 as a daily driver? Check the video and find out.

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These are the best BMW cars we drove in 2021

Despite being challenging, 2021 was a good year for us in terms of test drives. We picked up the slack from the previous year and tested an impressive number of cars: sixty (60). Of course, majority of them were BMW Group models. There were some other brands we managed to review, so it’s fair to say that 2021 has been a busy year for us. As we head into the new year, we wanted to look back and pick our favorite BMW cars we drove in 2021. Next year is shaping up to be equally exciting for us, but as it is the norm today, lots of things can change in a split of a second.

Nico — BMW M5 CS

To be honest, 2021 wasn’t my biggest car year. Due to the lingering effects of Covid, I didn’t go on any press launches and loaner cars weren’t as frequent. Most of my test drives were BMWs, though there were a few Audis, Genesis, and Lexus models sprinkled in. Some of which were genuinely great cars, such as the BMW M3 Competition, Audi RS7 Sportback, Audi RS Q8, and Genesis GV70. However, there can only be one and it was an easy choice — the BMW M5 CS.

Nothing came close, this past year, to offering the level of fun and excitement as the M5 CS. It’s an absolutely brilliant car, one that could be BMW’s best in decades. Not only is it brutally fast — ripping of a 2.8 second 0-60 mph time and a sub-eleven second quarter-mile on a rough, dusty runway — but it’s sensational to drive. The M5 CS offers steering feel, chassis balance, and body control like no other BMW I can remember in recent years.

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Then there’s the interior. Carbon fiber bucket seats from the M3 and M4 make the front passengers feel like they’re in a race car, despite being in a big, four-door sedan. Even more interesting, though, is the back seat, which replaces the typical rear bench with two more bucket seats, so the rear passengers don’t miss out on that racecar feel.

If I could choose just one BMW to own from the modern era, I wouldn’t even blink: it’d be the BMW M5 CS.

Horatiu — BMW iX

There is no secret that I’ve been a fan of electric cars for many years. As a fun tidbit, I’m actually on my fourth BMW i3 and it still brings me joy as it did in 2014. So naturally, I was quite excited to finally see some new BMW products with an electric drivetrain. After driving an i4 prototype and then the production car, I was fortunate enough to jump behind the wheel of the new flagship BMW EV: The iX.

The bespoke electric crossover has been in works since 2015 and it is now finally ready to tackle a very competitive segment. Being built on a unique architecture, the BMW iX makes full use of the package by providing not only a smart and practical interior, but also a quite spacious one. The ride is also atypical of a BMW car with a focus on comfort rather than driving dynamics. Yet, it still delivers tons of performance – 516 hp – and a 0 to 62 mph in 4.6 seconds. The electric range is equally important in the iX, so BMW managed to squeeze out 300 miles (EPA rating) from a 105 kWh battery hidden in the floor of the car.

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The BMW iX might not be everyone’s cup of tea, and sure, some might still complain about its range, but it is a fantastic product, smartly designed and worthy of the BMW badge.

Gabriel — BMW M3 Competition and iX

As time goes by and technology evolves, it’s getting obvious that electric cars are going to take over in the next 10 to 15 years. We’re already seeing a lot of effort being put into the EV segment and that also reflected my experience this year. Out of the 120 cars I drove this year, almost half were electrified in one way or another. That’s also why the BMW iX is one of the best cars I drove this year with a blue and white roundel on the hood.

The reason why it’s one of my top two is rather simple: it has one of the best suspension setups of all the electric vehicles I had the pleasure of testing out. It’s nimble, smooth, quiet and incredibly comfortable. Sure, the one I tested was an iX xDrive50 model with the optional air suspension tacked on, but it’s quite an eye-opening experience. The iX might have some faults, from the range to the design (for some people) but when it comes to refinement, few electric cars can reach its level.

As for the other car, it would definitely be the M3 Competition (RWD). Why? Pretty simple, actually, it shows that the M engineers still have a place in our very complicated world. This car, in rear-wheel drive guise, is both a beast on the track and a comfortable cruiser whenever you need it to be. The dual character that has been defining M cars for the past 50 years is still there and that’s marvelous in my book. Unlike the BMW iX, the M3 Competition does everything close to perfection and if you can look past its design, you’ll find a rewarding driving experience that might just surprise you.

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The Golden Recipe: Manthey Launches New Porsche 992 GT3 Performance Kit

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The Golden Recipe: Manthey Launches New Porsche 992 GT3 Performance Kit – Speedhunters

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‘Tis the season to go faster. That’s the official word from Manthey-Racing who, despite the Nürburgring currently being covered in snow, have today launched their new Performance Kit for the Porsche 992 GT3.

This should come as no surprise to anyone given the success of their previous MR packages – especially for 991-generation GT cars – which have all resulted in more performance, ALL of the time, as Ryan wrote here. Oh, and the 991 GT2 RS MR still holds the lap record around the ‘Ring with a time of 6:38.835.

But there’s an added bonus to this 992 MR package compared to those before it: You can run this without causing any headache to your standard Porsche warranty. And yes, we’re sure if you can afford a 992 GT3 you can likely afford if it goes wrong, but that’s an almighty plus point for those keen on doing regular track days.

“The team at Porsche in Weissach presented us with a big challenge when they produced the new GT3. Our goal of improving the performance of the Porsche GT models even further for track use, without making too many changes to the car’s essential DNA, and, at the same time, coming up with an attractive package for customers who love to drive on the track, has meant a lot of work for us with the new model,” explains Stefan Mages, head of development at Manthey-Racing. “Alongside the performance, I’m also really pleased with the car’s appearance.”

It’s still unusual to see a tuning package in 2021 without some token power hike, helped in part with the shift towards turbocharged engines that allow a 10 to 15% increase with a relatively straightforward ECU flash.

But this is what makes Manthey-Racing unique. Horsepower may have sold cars in the past, but it doesn’t always make them faster on track. With an MR package, the focus is on extracting more performance through grip, aero and – most importantly – confidence as a driver.

What’s in the box, then? Aero and suspension are the big talking points here in the form of a Manthey 4-way adjustable coilover kit developed with KW Suspensions. The wheels, although stock-looking in their design, are Manthey’s OM-1 lightweight upgrade, and behind those are a set of new brake pads with braided lines too.

Then there’s the aero. Up front you get a new lip/splitter and ‘flicks’ (canards) on each corner of the bumper, while the rear benefits from a new diffusor, carbon wing/side plates and carbon aero-disc covers for the rear wheels.

In quite a short period of time, Manthey have managed to ‘own’ this approach to tuning a Porsche GT car. It’s subtle enough to not look shouty, but turn up at the track and people will know you mean business. This only works because Manthey-Racing packages deliver. Every single one has reduced lap times as well as improving the driving experience on the limit.

There’s no word on the 992 GT3 MR lap time (yet), but with the stock car already achieving a 6:55 around the ‘Ring we wouldn’t be surprised to see that dip into the high 40s. Keep in mind this is only the GT3; we still have an RS to come yet, and inevitably an MR version of that too.

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VIDEO: The Heist: BMW Service Helps Out a BMW iX3 Getaway Car

As part of a marketing campaign for BMW Service, to show off just how well BMW technicians can help to fix any of your problems, the brand launched a recent ad with a BMW iX3. It’s called The Heist, which will immediately bring about memories of The Hire, BMW’s famous series of short films.

In this new ad, a BMW iX3 owner is sitting in his car, enjoying a cup of coffee, outside of a bank. All of the sudden, three bank robbers rush out of the bank, accompanied by alarms, holding bags of cash. They commandeer the iX3 owner’s car, jumping in the back seat and instructing him to drive. He doesn’t drive and, as they open one of the bags, its theft prevention spray covers one of the robbers in pink paint, while also spraying the same paint onto the car’s headliner. The police then surround the BMW iX3 and the robbers are caught.

Afterward, we see the iX3 owner with his car in a BMW Service center, having the paint removed from its interior and fixing its and windshield hood from when one of the robbers rudely slid across it. Did the guy really have to do that?

It’s a very short ad and nothing like The Hire series from so long ago, though it’s not exactly meant to be a short film. Instead, it’s an ad about how BMW Service can and will fix anything about your BMW but, then again, why wouldn’t it? Anyway, the video is mildly entertaining and worth a watch if only to remind you of the iconic BMW Films of the past. Then, once you’re done watching this, go watch some of those and waste the rest of your afternoon at work. Dammit, now that’s what I’m gonna have to do…

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Rolls-Royce Black Badge Models Honor the Heritage

Traditional Rolls-Royce customers and many old-school enthusiasts tend to scoff at the idea of the brand’s Black Badge models. Designed to appeal to younger audiences, Rolls-Royce Black Badge cars are more about being dark and stylish than being traditionally luxurious. That new style, having started in 2016, typically annoys the old-hat enthusiasts but Black Badge models are some of the brand’s most popular models, due to the ever-growing number of young wealthy people.

Despite the curmudgeonly backlash, Rolls-Royce Black Badge models also aren’t as far away from the brand’s ethos as many naysayers might think. In fact, the idea of dark, sexy, stylish Rolls models is one that dates back to the beginning of the brand. Several special edition Rolls’ throughout history, dating back as early as the 1930s, were black with black accents. The color black has long been synonymous with power, style, and wealth, making it a great fit for the brand.

Cars like the 1933 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental, which featured a short wheelbase, a four-seat “saloon” body style, and two spare tires for long-distance continental grand touring, wore a very black color scheme at the direct request of Henry Royce.

In 1960, Prince Richard, The Duke of Gloucester, took delivery of a Rolls-Royce Phantom V (5AT30) and it featured a matte black finish, which was highly unusual for the time. A matte black Rolls-Royce sounds more like a footballer’s car from 2021 but this one was owned by a member of the royal family, back in 1960.

So as young and brash as Black Badge Rolls-Royce models are — and admittedly they sort of intentionally are a bit brash — there’s heritage to making such models. The idea that a Rolls-Royce must also be stately and reserved isn’t actually that accurate. Black Badge models are quite cool in many ways and they have certainly been effective. Rolls brings in more young customers than ever before and Black Badge models are a huge reason why.

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VIDEO: The Fi Exhaust System for the G80 BMW M3 Sounds Crazy

If there’s a genuine complaint with the G80 BMW M3 Competition (aside from its looks), it’d be with its exhaust note. Not that it’s bad — the S58 engine sounds far better than the outgoing S55 — but it lacks some character. It sort of sounds like generic engine/exhaust noise, especially from inside the cabin, where the speaker trickery tries to enhance the noise. However, lacking exhaust noise is a fine problem to have, as it can be fixed pretty easily, as seen in this new video from AutoTopNL.

Their G80 BMW M3 is one of the coolest we’ve seen, as it wears a BMW Individual Zanzibar Metallic paint that looks incredible. It’s also the only Zanzibar G80 M3 we’ve ever seen. After tuning it, AutoTopNL decided to upgrade its exhaust noise as well fitting this M3 with an Fi exhaust.

Interestingly, the exhaust tips on the Fi system are golden, which compliments the Zanzibar paint quite well. Although, they took the golden tips off for the video.

After hearing the new exhaust, the BMW M3 certainly has a different character. While it’s still not exactly musical, as I don’t think the S58 makes a musical noise to begin with, it’s certainly raspier and more aggressive than the standard car’s setup. What’s nice about it is that it’s not as obnoxiously loud as some other systems. Most aftermarket systems confuse volume with quality and just try to make the loudest exhausts possible. Rarely do they ever sound any good, though. This one sounds good and gives the G80 M3 a nice infusion of character.

In Europe, exhausts like this are even more necessary than they are here in the ‘States, if you’re an enthusiast. Euro regulations require exhaust particulate filters, for emissions purposes, that muffle exhaust notes. Replacing the factory exhaust with something like this Fi unit will unlock a lot of the engine’s hidden sound.

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Villa d’Este: BMW M8 models displayed in BMW Individual Colors

The 2021 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Esta has already concluded, ending Sunday, October 3. It was a short but incredibly interesting and luxurious event, one in which we saw some of the most breathtaking cars in the world. While the BMW M8 isn’t even close to being in the same realm as cars like the McLaren F1 or Rolls-Royce Boat Tail, Villa d’Este was a chance for BMW to show off some of its Individual colors for the M8.

Each iteration of the BMW M8 was on hand on Lake Como; the M8 Coupe, M8 Convertible, and M8 Gran Coue. The latter of which is probably the one most deserving of being on display at Villa d’Este, being that it’s easily the best looking of the three and the most interesting. The M8 Gran Coupe in this photo gallery was wearing a lovely Individual shade of Voodoo Blue, which fit the Lake Como setting perfectly.

As for the BMW M8 Coupe, it seems to be wearing Nardo Grey, which is ironically an Audi color. It looks great, though, and is one of BMW’s most aggressive looking cars.

Lastly, the BMW M8 Convertible, which is probably the most fun of the M8s to drive, due to its open-top element adding to the driving experience. As for its purple color, it was called Midnight Purple and it looked fantastic. BMW is killing it with purples, lately.

The BMW M8 isn’t really an uber-special car and it’s not one that would typically stand out at an event like Villa d’Este but it’s still a great looking, extremely high performing GT car that can be offered in some very interesting colors. If you’re going to be spending the six-figures on one anyway, why not go for one of these fantastic Individual colors to make yours even more special.

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Rolls-Royce Boat Tail to Debut at the 2021 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa D’Este

This weekend will host one of the most prestigious automotive events of the year, in one of the most beautiful places on earth. Starting tomorrow, October 2 will be the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este on the gorgeous coastline of Lake Como, Italy. There, the worlds most luxurious automakers will show off both their newest creations and their timeless classics. Among them will be a very special vehicle, one that was built entirely bespoke for only a few clients and that broke the record for the most expensive new automobile ever sold — the Rolls-Royce Boat Tail.

While the Rolls-Royce Boat Tail made its digital debut a few months ago, Villa d’Este is where it will be unveiled to the public, in person, for the first time.

“It is a wonderful privilege to reveal this unique Rolls-Royce to the world for the very first time. Although images have been widely shared, the car itself has not been displayed in public before. The Villa d’Este Concorso d’Eleganza is the perfect occasion, bringing together leading international media alongside knowledgeable motoring experts and discerning luxury aficionados, on the glamorous shores of Lake Como. There is also a pleasing symmetry in that we launched the first coachbuilt Rolls-Royce of the modern era, Sweptail, at the 2017 event.

“It is a truly historic moment for the marque. We are leading a modern coachbuilding movement that takes the wider luxury industry into an entirely different space, where hyper-personalisation and contemporary patronage provide essentially limitless possibilities.” said Rolls-Royce Motor Cars CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös.

The Boat Tail is about the most coachbuilt car you’ll find in the modern era. It’s build on Rolls’ new Architecture of Luxury platform and both its body and interior are entirely bespoke, designed specifically for three clients. Each client will get their own and each client’s will be unique in certain ways. The one that will debut tomorrow on Lake Como is the one that was used for the car’s digital debut and will be for one customer only.

The Boat Tail’s stunning body work was inspired by J Class yachts and features some of the most beautiful craftsmanship ever seen on an automobile. Horatiu will be in attendance tomorrow and Sunday, for the entire Concorso, so stay tuned for live photos of the prestigious event.

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Lucid Air Dream Edition gets 520 Mile Rate, per EPA

Now that the EPA has released its official range rating for the Lucid Air Dream Edition, all other EVs now seem hilariously inferior. That’s because the California brand’s top-end EV has a max range of an astonishing 520 miles. There are no two ways about it, that’s an incredibly impressive range. Forget the BMW iX challenging the Lucid Air Dream Edition, there are diesel Bimmers that can’t reach 520 miles of range. The gauntlet has officially been thrown down.

BMW’s longest-range EV is the iX xDrive50, with just over 300 miles of range. To be fair, 300 miles of range is quite good and far more than most people need. However, compared to 520 miles, it seems downright puny. And that goes for all EVs, to be fair, even the poster child of long-range EVs — the Tesla Model S Long Range, which can only muster 405 miles.

Before anyone claims that the 520 mile figure is a hypermile figure and won’t be realistic in on the road, Motor Trend was able to achieve over 450 miles without hypermiling, so it’s entirely possible that, with a careful foot, 520 miles is realistic.

Admittedly, that’s the Ludic Air Dream Edition Range, which is a bit less powerful than the Performance. So if you want the full 520 miles of range, you’ll have to settle for a measly 933 horsepower… Though, that range is diminished a bit if you replace the 19″ wheels with 21″ wheels, which drop the range to 481 miles, still far ahead of anything else on sale.

What does the range look like for the monster Lucid Air Dream Edition Performance, which packs 1,111 horsepower? It gets 471 miles on 19″ wheels and 451 miles on 21″ wheels. That car, by the way, was able to run a 9.9 second quarter-mile. So it will blow the doors off of an M5 CS while packing almost two hundred horsepower more than the BMW iX. It’s unreal.

Admittedly, with those absurd specs comes an equally absurd price tag. The Lucid Air Dream Edition — both the Range and Performance versions cost the same — starts at an eye-watering $169,000. Which isn’t too much more than an M5 CS, while being faster, boasting a longer range, having far more luxury, and being all-electric. It’s also in the same ballpark as the Porsche Taycan Turbo S, which is slower than the Lucid and has a shorter range. So while it is extremely expensive, it actually might be a good value.