1998 Bmw Z3 Roadster Convertible 2-door 2.8l on 2040-cars

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Hamann BMW M6 Mirror can now cash the checks its body writes

Anyone remember the Hamann Mirror? Need a refresher? The Mirror is German tuning company Hamann's idea of a BMW M6. It was shown at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show as an M6 Gran Coupe, sporting a ridiculous paint job and some meaty, multi-spoke 21-inch wheels.
Consider this car the Mirror Mark 2. Based on the M6 Coupe, Hamann has applied a similar visual theme, using the same 21-inch wheels from 2013. Whereas the Gran Coupe rode around with a stock powertrain, though, there's been no such restraint with the two-door Mirror. A fine 620 horsepower is available from the 4.4-liter, biturbocharged V8, an increase of 60 horsepower. Torque is up as well, from 501 pound-feet to a whopping 560, meaning this M6 has speed to match its looks. Hamann claims the Mirror's newfound grunt allows it to hit 62 miles per hour faster than the standard M6 (we'd certainly hope so), although it won't mention a specific number.
The suspension, meanwhile, has been dropped 1.37 inches, or about a third of an inch lower than the Frankfurt Mirror. That drop is complemented by the Mirror's bodywork, including the exposed, carbon fiber hood and the flared fenders, which can now accommodate the enormous 305/25 rear rubber. Hamann has also paid some attention to the front and rear aerodynamics.

Mini has become the Rover that BMW always wanted

BMW has been working for 20 years to build a successful line of British cars, and on the evidence of the second-generation Mini Clubman, it may have finally done it. That means it's time for all of us to get used to the fact that Minis aren't going to be that small anymore. Case in point is this new Mini Clubman, introduced last month and conspicuous by its size. Many of us who've pointed to BMW's stewardship of Mini as an example of retro done right bemoaned the Countryman subcompact SUV – a concept actually ahead of its time. The Coupe and Roadster, perhaps rightfully, deserved (and received) an eye roll. But now there's a so-called four-door hardtop that went on sale this year and this forthcoming, six-door Clubman that approaches the compact hatchback class in size. These vehicles actually look like practical moves at keeping buyers from defecting to larger cars made by someone else, rather than vain attempts at maximizing investment in a set of parts. And in an interesting twist, Mini is turning into one of its ancestors – minus the feeling of inevitable doom. Many of us were led to believe somewhere since Mini's relaunch about 15 years ago that the brand would be a stepping stone into the greater BMW fold. But in reality, it's done exactly the opposite, creating a parallel brand for those not willing to embrace the BMW image, but leaning heavily on British nostalgia. That was sort of the reasoning used when BMW pulled the Rover Group of England away from a fruitful partnership with Honda in 1994 and absorbed it all. In the consolidate-or-die '90s, it made sense. BMW had a small, but successful, line of sedans. Rover had no success outside of Western Europe (its last US attempt at selling cars, the Sterling, ended three years earlier). Yet its Land Rover line of SUVs was just right for the time and the 35-year-old Mini still had image-conscious clout. With every passing day, the brilliance of BMW's move to abandon Rover in 2000 seems brighter. Even ditching Land Rover made sense in the long run (and probably saved Jaguar in the process). With every passing day, the brilliance of BMW's move to abandon Rover in 2000 seems brighter. During a chat with Mini USA VP David Duncan this summer, it became clear the Mini of the past is probably gone. A small, city-sized Mini is not necessarily off the table, but larger and more profitable models are coming first.

World Car of the Year finalists announced

To say the 2014 Geneva Motor Show was packed full of news is an understatement as big as the show's home at the Palexpo convention center. Despite everything that we were able to cover during this year's show, there's still more coming out of Switzerland, including the announcement of the finalists for the 2014 World Car of the Year Awards.
We reported on the original list of finalists over three weeks ago, and now, that initial list has been pared down to three finalists for each of the five awards. The finalists were announced at a press conference by frequent Autoblog contributor and co-chair of the awards, Matt Davis (above).
The finalists for the overall title of 2014 World Car of the Year are the Audi A3, the BMW 4 Series and the Mazda3. The World Luxury Car of the Year will be either the Bentley Flying Spur, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class or the Land Rover Range Rover Sport, while the Performance Car of the Year will be awarded to the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, the Ferrari 458 Speciale or the Porsche 911 GT3 (which, um, yeah...).