2003 - Bmw M3 on 2040-cars

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This is the BMW Z4 GTE that will wear the Roundel in ALMS

The Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway are a month of racing and reveals, with the season's metal going for the flag at races like the Rolex 24 at Daytona and other cars being introduced to the public. In the latter category is the BMW Z4 GTE (click the image above to enlarge) joining the American Le Mans Series GT class this year with BMW Team RLL (Rahal, Letterman and Lanigan). This machine replaces the M3 GT that completed four years of service and won the class title in 2010 and 2011. Naturally, the team is tempering expectations for the Z4 GTE by repeating the fact that it sees this season as a development year.
BMW Team RLL drivers for its two cars will be Bill Auberlen and series rookie Maxime Martin in the No. 55, aided by Jörg Müller for the endurance races at Sebring and Road Atlanta. The No. 56 car gets Dirk Müller on a full-time basis, Joey Hand when he's not competing in the DTM series, and John Edwards when Hand isn't available. Uwe Alzen will help out with driving duties in the No. 56 at endurance races.
Want to know more? Scroll down below for the complete press release.

BMW solar roof helps i3 drivers even when sun isn't shining

At the Consumer Electronics Show, BMW has announced a release window for its i Wallbox Pro that unites domestic solar power and the electricity grid. The box itself was shown off during last year's i8 drives and it rests inside a solar carport to control the simultaneous delivery of both solar power and the electric grid energy to recharge an i8. One drive attendee wrote how the Wallbox Pro display showed that it was providing 3.4 total kW to the coupe, with 2.8 kW from the sun and 0.6 kW from the grid. At CES, BMW said the i Wallbox Pro, brought to life by BMW DesignWorks, will be available in 2016. For homes that aren't equipped with solar power, or when solar isn't available, the system will draw power from the grid when it's least expensive. The Munich manufacturer also announced a concept storage solution using discarded batteries from its electric cars, where excess energy from solar or other sources could be held for later use for a vehicle or the home itself. BMW will be demonstrating the i Wallbox Pro at CES and the press release below has more information. BMW i Home Charging Services unveiled at the CES Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas Pioneering integrated charging solution for electric vehicles brings further reduction in charging costs and integrates home solar generating systems with the household electricity system. Munich / Las Vegas- January 5, 2015... At the Consumer Electronics Show CES 2015 in Las Vegas (6 – 9 January 2015) BMW i will unveil a further innovative product from its 360° ELECTRIC portfolio: BMW i Home Charging Services. This smart solution for home charging of electric and plug-in hybrid BMW models is based on the smart home-enabled BMW i Wallbox Pro system already presented by BMW in spring 2014. How the smart charging service works. Using BMW i Home Charging Services, the vehicle is charged with homegenerated solar power whenever this is available. At other times, or if the household does not have a solar generating system, the vehicle is automatically charged at the cheapest off-peak rates. This makes it possible to take advantage of flexible electricity pricing that varies depending on the time of day. In the USA, this can result in savings of up to 800 dollars a year. With this fully automated charging service, customers get a simple-to-operate system that integrates vehicle charging with the household electrical system and online-based data systems.

BMW already considering four cylinders for next M3

The cylinder count in BMW's M3 has fluctuated over the years. The original M3 debuted in 1985 packing a 2.3-liter inline-four, but subsequent models went with sixes until the outgoing generation upped the cylinder count to eight. With its latest model, BMW has dropped back to six cylinders with a pair of turbos taking the place of the extra pistons. But the next M3 sedan and M4 coupe could go back to the model line's roots with a four-cylinder engine.
Speaking with BMW M product manager Carsten Pries at the launch of the latest M3 and M4 in Portugal, our Aussie compatriots at Motoring.com.au report that "you could see a future [M3] powered by a four-cylinder engine." Offsetting the reduction in cylinders, the lighter engine would benefit the vehicle's weight and balance, thus enhancing performance.
We wouldn't expect the next M3 and M4 to lose any power in the process, though: Output in the M3 has only risen over the generations, from 192 horsepower in the four-pot original to 282 hp in the six-cylinder E36, 338 hp in the six-cylinder E46, 414 hp in the V8 E90 and 425 ponies in the new turbocharged six-cylinder F80 model. With that latter model having just debuted, it'll likely be a good six or seven years before the next version comes along, giving BMW plenty of time to settle on an engine - however many cylinders and turbochargers it has. In the meantime, you'll have to forgive us for taking a romp down M3 memory lane in the fresh gallery of images above.