2006 Bmw 550i Base Sedan 4-door 4.8l on 2040-cars

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BMW reacquires original factory as classic center

BMW was barely two years old when it started manufacturing airplane engines in a factory on Moosacher Strasse in Munich. Two years after that, it sold the factory to Knorr-Bremse AG, a leading manufacturer of brakes for trains and commercial vehicles, and BMW moved into a new facility on Lerchenauer Strasse. There it expanded into the industrial giant we know today, building engines for cars, trucks, motorcycles, boats and planes. It's taken the better part of a century to get that original factory back, but that's exactly what BMW has done, reacquiring the expanded facility from Knorr-Bremse this month.
The factory on Moonsacher Strasse will now serve as the headquarters for BMW Group Classic, the division that handles archives and historical vehicles for BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce. From there, just a stone's throw from corporate headquarters and its main plant (as well as BMW Welt and the BMW Museum), the classic division's operations will include a restoration workshop, vintage parts store, the company's archives, administration as well as a place to hold events. In addition, there will be an exhibition space for historical vehicles from the company's considerable collection.
At the heart of the new/old campus is the gatehouse, which is a protected heritage site and will serve as a gateway into the company's history. Read the full details in the press release below.

BMW planning plug-in hybrid versions of core models

To the casual observer, there's a sort of schism in the world of fuel sipping. The Japanese, Koreans and Americans have embraced electrification by way of hybrid powertrains, while our German friends lean towards diesel technology. BMW is actively pushing to change that impression, as it's announced that it will take a break from niche-busting MPVs and lifted, four-door coupes to produce plug-in hybrid versions of some of its "core-brand" models. This charge will be led by a 3 Series eDrive, whose innards are shown above, with BMW fitting a version of its turbocharged four-cylinder and an electric motor to its popular sedan. This, it should be noted, is quite a departure from the ActiveHybrid 3, which relies on a thirstier 3.0-liter, turbocharged six-cylinder. More specific details, such as the total system output, the electric range of the plug-in system or the amount of time it will take to charge, aren't yet available. BMW has, however, said the eDrive 3's systems are "directly based" on those used in the i3 and i8, and that includes larger components, like the lithium-ion battery and electric motor. "All BMW Group models benefit from BMW i. The fundamental technology involved in battery cells, electric motors and the power electronics will be used in our upcoming plug-in hybrid models," said BMW board member Herbert Diess. "When it comes to the electrification of the drivetrain, we are deliberately developing a wide-ranging expertise in order to offer our customers worldwide the ideal solution." BMW will unveil a prototype of the 3 Series eDrive in Miramas, France, although it's not clear when either it, or the X5 eDrive the company mentioned in its attached press release, will arrive to market. New generation of plug-in hybrid models Munich/Miramas. The BMW Group is preparing to follow up its innovative and revolutionary BMW i models with plug-in hybrid versions of the core-brand models. In Miramas, France, it will present a BMW 3 Series plug-in hybrid prototype and a new generation of hybrid vehicle concepts incorporating technology already used in BMW i models. Long term, the BMW Group is planning to offer plug-in hybrid versions of all its core-brand models. Herbert Diess, Member of the Board of Management BMW AG, Development, said: "All BMW Group models benefit from BMW i. The fundamental technology involved in battery cells, electric motors and the power electronics will be used in our upcoming plug-in hybrid models.

BMW M1 really was the Ultimate Driving Machine

Life giving you lemons? Make lemonade. That's the spirit in Munich that lead to BMW producing the only mid-engined sports car in its 98-year history. The project resulted from a collaboration with Lamborghini (now owned, incidentally, by arch-rival Audi) to meet Group 4 homologation requirements. Lamborghini withdrew, the FIA changed its rules, but BMW built it anyway.
Arguably one of Giorgetto Giugiaro's finest designs, the M1 packed a 3.5-liter inline-six, driving 273 horsepower to the rear wheels through a five-speed manual. The Procar racing version turbocharged that output up to 850 hp and attracted the top drivers in a one-make F1 support race series.
Over the course of three years, the Bavarian automaker only built 456 examples of the M1, and for BMW enthusiasts, there's no vehicle more coveted. But don't take our word for it - let Petrolicious tell one noteworthy owner's tale in the video below.