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Originally Posted by BMW press release

The BMW 1 Series in the 2010 Model Year: the Epitome of Efficiency and Driving Pleasure – Now with New Engine Variants and Attractive Edition Models.

Munich. Entering the 2010 model year, the BMW 1 Series as the guarantee for the broad-scale impact of BMW EfficientDynamics and as the epitome of Sheer Driving Pleasure in the compact segment is gaining even greater significance. Two additional, extra-economical low-emission engine variants are enhancing the model range of the BMW 1 Series Coupé as of September 2009: In the guise of the BMW 120i Coupé and the BMW 118d Coupé there will then be two further models with the EU5 emission rating.

Following the successful launch of the new entry-level three-door and five-door models, the BMW 116i and the BMW 116d, in spring 2009, the BMW 1 Series is once again proving its value as the pacemaker for efficient mobility combined with outstanding driving pleasure in the compact class. Other new models as of September 2009 are the Lifestyle and Sport Editions of the BMW 1 Series three- and five-door.

Still the only rear-wheel-drive model in the compact segment, the BMW 1 Series offers a unique blend of sporting driving pleasure and outstanding efficiency. Particularly the BMW 1 Series Coupé brings out this character so typical of the brand in truly convincing style, with two new entry-level versions of the two-door featuring a gasoline and a diesel engine coming into the market in September 2009: The new BMW 120i Coupé is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder with BMW High Precision Injection (direct gasoline injection) developing 125 kW/170 hp at 6, 700 rpm and peak torque of 210 Newton-metres/155 lb-ft at 4, 250 rpm, accelerating the BMW 120i Coupé from zero to 100 km/h in 7.8 seconds and offering a top speed of 224 km/h or 149 mph. Average fuel consumption in the EU test cycle is 6.6 litres/ 100 kilometres, the CO2 emission rating is 153 grams per kilometre.

An award-winning four-cylinder diesel makes the new BMW 118d Coupé the most efficient car of its kind, the diesel engine with its aluminium crankcase, turbocharging and common-rail fuel injection helping the three-door BMW 118d win the World Green Car of the Year 2008 Award. Displacing 2.0 litres, this high-tech power unit develops 105 kW/143 hp at 4, 000 rpm and delivers maximum torque of 300 Newton-metres/221 lb-ft between 1, 750 and 2, 500 rpm.

This outstanding power unit offers an unbeatable combination of performance and fuel economy also in the Coupé, the BMW 118d Coupé accelerating from a standstill to 100 km/h in 9.0 seconds and reaching a top speed of 210 km/h or 130 mph. Offering average fuel consumption according to the EU standard of 4.5 litres/100 kilometres (equal to 62.8 mpg imp) and a CO2 emission rating of 119 grams per kilometre, this compact athlete clearly proves its outstanding talent in terms of both all-round economy and clean emissions.

The BMW 1 Series – the pacemaker in reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

Both new variants of the BMW 1 Series Coupé come as standard with a wide range of BMW EfficientDynamics technologies such as Brake Energy Regeneration, an Auto Start Stop function, a gearshift point indicator and ancillary units with on-demand management and control. Both the BMW 120i Coupé and the BMW 118d Coupé naturally fulfil the EU5 emission standard, meaning that the BMW 1 Series alone now comes with 21 models complying with this requirement. A further important point is that five models in the BMW 1 Series already offer a CO2 emission rating of less than 120 grams per kilometre, with the BMW 116d standing out as the absolute leader in terms of fuel economy and emission management. The four-cylinder diesel engine featured in this particular version of the BMW 1 Series delivers maximum torque of 260 Newton-metres or 192 lb-ft and, in combination with BMW EfficientDynamics also featured as standard in this model, allows average fuel consumption in the EU test cycle of just 4.4 litres/100 kilometres (equal to 64.2 mpg imp) and a CO2 rating of 118 grams per kilometre.

The technologies developed by BMW – and naturally featured at no extra cost – to reduce both fuel consumption and emissions play a particularly significant role in the successful BMW 1 Series. Indeed, this makes BMW an important role model for the entire automotive industry, with BMW still selling more cars with high-efficiency technology each month than other car makers in the course of a whole year. At the same time the consistent expansion of the BMW 1 Series by the addition of particularly economical model variants including the new BMW 116i delivering maximum output of 90 kW/122 hp and peak torque increased to 185 Newton-metres or 136 lb-ft makes a significant contribution to the success achieved by BMW in recent times in reducing average fleet fuel consumption. Between 2006 and 2008 alone, the average fuel consumption of BMW’s models in the German market was reduced by no less than 16 per cent, BMW therefore exceeding the rate of reduction of the next-best competitor in the premium segment more than twice.

Exclusive and full of character: the BMW 1 Series Lifestyle and Sport Editions.

Apart from outstanding efficiency and the Sheer Driving Pleasure so typical of the brand, innovative features and uncompromising premium quality help to give the BMW 1 Series a truly prominent position in its segment – and now the new Lifestyle und Sport Edition Models add further class and style to these characteristic features. The Edition Models excel in particular through particularly attractive, high-quality and carefully matched features and equipment, and are available on all engine variants of the three-door and five-door.

The Lifestyle Edition exudes stylish extravagance both on the exterior and in the interior of the BMW 1er, highlighted by body paintwork in exclusive Marrakesh Brown Metallic including additional components in body colour and chrome-plated tailpipes as well as exclusive light-alloy rims in five-spoke design. All models come with 17-inch wheels.

On the five-door the exterior is rounded off by the car’s special finish on the window shaft covers and side window surrounds in Shadow Line, on the three-door in Chrome Line. Chrome entry trim proudly bearing the name “BMW Edition“, a leather sports steering wheel with multifunction buttons, and roof lining in anthracite colour provide a particular touch of modern elegance within the interior.

The exclusivity of the Lifestyle Edition is highlighted to an even higher level of perfection by the interior colour scheme matched to the colour of the paintwork. Features include interior trim in high-gloss Marrakesh Brown as well as door panels and seat upholstery in Magma Brown. And as an alternative to Network cloth upholstery there is also the choice of Pearlpoint upholstery with Magma Brown cloth / leather.

The exterior and interior features are also carefully matched to one another on the Sport Edition Model, giving the BMW 1 Series particularly dynamic and powerful character. The Edition Models come as standard with the M Sports Package including the M Aerodynamics Package, a sports suspension set-up as well as 17-inch light-alloy wheels in dual-spoke design. The BMW 130i and BMW 123d feature 18-inch light-alloy wheels in Ferric Grey paintwork available as an option also on the other model variants. Exclusive Blackline rear lights, exterior features in body colour, Shadow Line on the window shaft covers and side window surrounds, foglamps and chrome-plated tailpipes on the exhaust round off the striking look of the exterior.

The sporting and exclusive flair of the interior is highlighted by chrome-plated entry trim bearing the name “BMW Edition“, stainless-steel pedals, an M footrest, an M sports steering wheel, an M gearshift lever complete with its gaiter made of soft nappa leather, interior trim in Aluminium Glacier Silver and roof lining in anthracite colour. As yet a further highlight the BMW 1 Series Sport Edition comes with sports seats for the driver and front passenger in a combination of cloth and Sensatec featuring blue ornamental stitching around the seat bottoms and headrests. And to provide the final touch the footmats are adorned by blue piping.

Navigations system Business in the BMW 1 Series now featuring an integrated storage of navigation data and optimised display technology.

In conjunction with one of the navigation systems available as an option the BMW 1 Series proudly boasts the new generation of BMW iDrive electronic vehicle management. Entering the 2010 model year, the BMW 1 Series furthermore comes as an option with a new version of the Business navigation system, its new control concept allowing even easier and more precise control through iDrive featuring direct choice and favourite buttons.

The new Control Display with 800 x 480 pixel image resolution ensures detailed presentation of maps in two dimensions or in a perspective view, complete with integrated arrow graphics. Storage of navigation data installed within the car serves to provide even faster access to the system. And last but not least, the audio unit included within the new control system comes complete with a CD player.


[Source: German Car Zone]

Driven: Aston Martin V12 Vantage
It’s an Aston – but not as we know it

Don’t read too much into Aston’s choice of launch location. The new V12 Vantage may carry many developments learned at the nearby Nürburgring, but is a road car, pure and simple. And one that doesn’t half go…

Welcome to the Eifel mountains. As the fleet of chauffeur-driven Lexus hybrids delivers members of the British press to the Dorint Hotel, campers at the ‘Ring are preparing for the forthcoming 24-hour race, several days away. Passions run deep round here.

The presentation, from the no-less-intense Aston Martin engineering and management team, focuses on how the new car has been developed, and quite how difficult the task was to squeeze six litres of V12 into the space normally occupied by a 4.7-litre V8. One thing is made completely clear from the outset: this is a new car, a “completely different” car, and one that will appeal to both marque loyalists and converts from Audi (R8 V10), Ferrari (F430) and Porsche (911 GT2).

It is neither a track-day special, nor a marketing exercise to produce stunning sub-eight-minute laps at the Nürburgring (it will do them, though, if you’re interested). Its purpose in life is to give an owner – a “focused driver” – the ultimate Aston Martin driving experience. Fast – very fast – but with the Aston Martin twist of discretion, British style and character.

Stand a V12 Vantage next to its eight-cylinder brother and the differences are subtle, but immediately noticeable. Firstly, the heavily louvred bonnet also features a pronounced power-bulge to cover the much larger motor. There’s a carbonfibre splitter, a 6-bar (vs. 8-) grille, front air-scoops, a rear bootlid spoiler developed on the N24 racer, side-sills from same, and a rear diffuser (also carbonfibre) incorporating a deeper oil-cooler. As a ‘super-performance’ Aston, it carries a black badge, as does the DBS.

Forged and machined 19-inch wheels carry unique-to-the-car, super-sticky Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres. The width of these at the back is now 11-inches – an increase of 1.5-in over the V8 and a change requiring yet more re-engineering. In fact, as Chief Programme Engineer Paul Barritt explains, one of the biggest challenges faced by the company was just to fit it all in. The steering rack has been modified and the V12 has a new sump, alternator and oil pump.

Inside, the cabin is to Aston’s regular 2009-spec with only simple changes that include: lightweight carpet, an Alcantara-covered steering wheel and carbonfibre door pulls. Sat-nav is standard, as is the Emotional Control Unit crystal key. Hats off to the Gaydon team for resisting the temptation for in-car timing, a roll-cage or six-point harness.

It’s not a track car, remember.

The seats – Hallelujah! – are the truly superb lightweight buckets of the DBS. The fitment of these one-piece, no-airbag-sensor designs, together with other changes to the front of the car do mean, however, that the car cannot be sold in North America.

A final few words on the technical front. Looking at a cross-section of the car from windscreen forward, superimposed onto that of the V8, you can see that the engine is about half a wheel’s width longer than the V8. So, considering that, and the extra weight of the V12, they’ve done a pretty good job to finish up at 1680kg compared with 1630kg for a V8. Weight distribution moves by two percentage points from 49/51 front/rear to 51/49.

Brembo Carbon Ceramic (CCM) brakes complete the picture, but don’t forget the ‘fun button’; the Sport switch that sharpens up the engine mapping and gives a louder exhaust note.

The route for the test drive involved near-300kms of mainly single-track roads around the Mosel valley, many of which replicate the famous circuit with its twists and turns, drops and rises, and long, long straights.

The countryside was stunning and, once we’d made the obligatory navigation error at the second way-point, we started to get the measure of the new car. Straight away it’s apparent that the ride is stiffer than the V8. There’s no adjustment, or ‘sport’ mode for the dampers; it’s the best set-up for this car. ‘Trust us’, imply the Gaydon engineers.

Having got the hang of both the route and fundamentals of the car it was time to open it up. The nicely weighted accelerator offers a good connection to the throttle, and burying the pedal throws the car forward in a way unique to a 12-cylinder. There’s no neck-snapping ‘crack’ à la F430; it’s sheer, linear acceleration of the smoothest kind, made more subtle by a raised final drive ratio (3.71:1 from 3.909:1).

The rev-counter makes its swift progress anticlockwise while the digital speedo becomes a blur. 250+km/h (155mph) is easy progress and seems to come up in a moment. The company quotes a 0-100km/h (62mph) figure of 4.2 seconds. Good, but it’s the mid-range performance of the motor, and well-spaced ratios, that give strong acceleration all the way to its 305km/h (190mph) maximum.

There’ll be no roadster, or robotised manual Sportshift, for the V12 Vantage, by the way. The six-speed manual does the job and third and fourth gear will get you most places in a (tremendous) hurry. We hardly used sixth, even on the autobahn. Drive it like this, however, and you will get to know your local petrol pump attendant; the trip computer was showing 22l/100km. That’s around 12-13mpg. Ouch.

And the tyre supplier won’t be missing out, either – the Pirellis are terrific, they make the steering that much more poised than in the V8 and put the power down superbly, but I can’t see them lasting long at this pace. Through crests, rises and hairpins the car is anchored to the road, with the traction control cutting in unobtrusively, but frequently.

And when you’re accelerating strongly through a bend in third gear, at 150km/h (or 93mph), you’ll want it, believe me. And wet weather driving? Take care, and make sure you have some tread on the tyres – this car deserves respect.

Devastating speed and fine handling, massive stopping power via the ventilated Carbon Ceramic discs and a road presence unique to the marque – that’s all going to be a given with the new car.

The single most impressive feature of the V12 Vantage, however, is the way the big engine just reels the horizon in with so little fuss, in a manner totally different from the rest of the range. In fact ‘reel’ is a good analogy – the well-oiled action of big game fishing reel that converts rotational muscle power into linear speed.

By coincidence, our test car was finished in one of the colours unique to the new car: Mako Blue. The Mako, should you not know, is a type of shark known for its spectacular speed and agility. Good name, Aston.

The Aston Martin V12 Vantage costs from £135,000 in the UK. Deliveries will start in July 2009. New colours for the car include: Mako Blue (as tested), Hardly Green and Magma Red. The launch cars were also available in Titanium Silver and Quantum Silver.

Please CLICK HERE to see a photo-gallery of the new V12 Vantage.

Aston Martin V12 Vantage: Specification

Body: Two-door, two-seat coupe

Engine: All-alloy quad overhead cam 48-valve 5935cc V12
Compression ratio 10.9:1
Front mid-mounted engine, rear-wheel drive
Fully catalysed stainless steel exhaust system with active bypass valves

Maximum Power
510bhp (380kW / 517PS) at 6500rpm

Maximum Torque
570Nm (420lb ft) at 5750rpm

Acceleration
0-62mph (100km/h) in 4.2 seconds
0-60mph in 4.1 seconds

Maximum Speed
190mph (305km/h)

Fuel Economy
Urban 11.64mpg / 24.26 l/100km
Extra Urban 24.05mpg / 11.74 l/100km
Combined 17.28mpg / 16.35 l/100km

CO2 388g/km

Transmission:
Rear mid-mounted six-speed manual gearbox. Alloy torque tube with carbonfibre propeller shaft
Limited-slip differential
Final Drive Ratio 3.71:1

Steering:
Rack and pinion

Suspension:
Front: Independent double wishbone incorporating anti-dive geometry, coil springs, anti-roll bar and monotube dampers Rear: Independent double wishbones with anti-squat and anti-lift geometry, dual-rate coil springs, anti-roll bar and monotube dampers

Wheels:
Front: 9in x 19in
Rear: 11in x 19in

Tyres:
Front: Pirelli P Zero Corsa 255/35 ZR19
Rear: Pirelli P Zero Corsa 295/30 ZR19

Brakes:
Front: Ventilated Carbon Ceramic discs 398mm diameter with six-piston calipers
Rear: Ventilated Carbon Ceramic discs 360mm diameter with four-piston calipers
Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) with Track mode
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD)
Emergency Brake Assist (EBA)
Traction Control

Length: 4380mm (172.5in)
Width: 1865mm (73.5in) (excluding door mirrors)
2025mm (80in) (including door mirrors)
Height: 1241mm (49in)
Wheelbase: 2600mm (107.9in)
Fuel tank capacity: 80 litres (17.6 Imp. Gal. / 21.1 US Gal)
Weight: 1680kg (3704lb)

http://www.classicdriver.com/uk/maga…0.asp?id=14188

[Source: German Car Zone]

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