2010 Detroit Auto Show Preview: 2011 BMW 740 brings six-cylinder power back to the 7
When the latest generation of BMW‘s big 7 Series went on sale in the U.S. early this year, buyers had a choice of either the marvelous twin-turbocharged and direct-injected 400-hp 4.4-liter V8 or the supremely impressive twin-turbo, 535-hp V12. A hybrid version of the 7 also goes on sale here in a few months, still mated to the V8. Since day one, European drivers have also had a pair of six-cylinder options fueled by either gasoline or diesel. BMW still hasn’t committed to a 7 Series diesel for the U.S., but today has confirmed will be getting the sweet gas-powered I-6.
The 740i and 740LI both come to the U.S. market in spring 2010 powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter six. In 740 trim, the six cranks out 315 hp and 330 pound-feet, up a bit from the 300/300 ratings in the smaller 335i. The 740 engine does retain the direct injection and variable valve timing on both intake and exhaust. This new model also marks the U.S. debut of brake energy regeneration on a non-hybrid BMW. Interestingly, BMW has opted to retain the 7′s 6-speed automatic transmission rather than upgrading to the new 8-speed found in the hybrid and the new 5 Series.
Categories: Auto Show, BMW, Detroit Auto Show, Detroit Motor Show, Sedans/Saloons Tags:
Review: 2010 Aston Martin Rapide is a modern day Femme Fatale
Do you like noir? No, not the perfume, the literary and film genre. You know, hard-boiled crooks, wise-cracking private eyes, Los Angeles under cover of night and blondes so blonde they’ll kill you dead. Those blondes are, of course, are better known as femme fatales, and in truth, the color of their hair doesn’t really matter. Think Theda Bera, Rita Hayworth, Mary Astor, Barbara Stanwyck and Marlene Dietrich. And let’s not forget the lovely Lana Turner – she’s the one, in a case of life imitating art, with the daughter that killed Mickey Cohen’s strongman/goon Johnny Stompanato. In other words, women so pretty you’d throw your life away just so they know you’re throwing your life away.
Here’s the free, online-encyclopedia definition of femme fatale in case you’re still wondering: “An alluring and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers in bonds of irresistible desire, often leading them into compromising, dangerous and deadly situations.”
Let’s state up front that the 2010 Aston Martin Rapide is not, to our knowledge, unsafe in any way, shape or form. But man, oh man, is it seductive enough to make us overlook every single bad thing about it. That, or walk into an uncovered manhole cover while staring at it. Anyhow, “irresistible desire” and “compromising situations” are this British superstar’s raison d’etre. Philip Marlowe would eat his fedora just for a ride. Thankfully, we had to perform no such theatrics: Aston Martin simply let us borrow their car.
Categories: Aston Martin, Auto Review, Sedans/Saloons Tags: Aston Martin
2011 Porsche Cayenne sports a 300-hp V6, but its engine isn’t the focus
The Porsche Cayenne wears many hats. It masquerades as both the automaker’s entry-level vehicle and as its flagship turbocharged SUV. Broad-shouldered in stature, one variant can blast to 60 mph in less than five seconds and top 170 mph, while another may be propelled quietly under the emissions-free power of electricity. Regardless of where they rank in the hierarchy, multi-talented Cayenne models are capable of traversing deep streams, towing 7,700-pound trailers and carrying five passengers and their luggage into the hands of waiting luxury hotel valets.
The six-cylinder Porsche Cayenne is hardly the automaker’s crown jewel, but it’s frequently one of the best-selling models in the lineup. Following on the heels of its more powerful siblings, the entry-level SUV can’t hide behind its engine displacement – it must prove itself through luxury, improved performance, fuel efficiency and value.
We just spent a couple days driving the all-new Cayenne in Germany, and unlike two months ago, when we put the flagship Cayenne Turbo and the eight-cylinder Cayenne S to the test at the beautiful circuit and off-road course at Alabama’s Barber Motorsports Park, the European venue gave us the opportunity to drive the entry-level Cayenne in crowded city streets and on the wide-open Autobahn. What’s under the hood of the six-cylinder Cayenne, and why is it unique? How does it drive compared to its eight-cylinder siblings? Most importantly, how does it compare to its competition?
Categories: Auto Review, Car Review, Porsche, SUV Tags: Porsche
First Drive: 2011 BMW Alpina B7 breaks the luxo-barge mold
Alpina is as familiar to German enthusiasts as Shelby, Hurst, Saleen and Yenko are to American gearheads. And like its American counterparts, Alpina has made a business out of taking the best vehicles from one marque and making them substantially better than anything rolling off the assembly line.
The relationship between BMW and Alpina started in 1962 when a German enthusiast named Burkard Bovenseipen realized his BMW 1500 had plenty of untapped potential. Bovenseipen developed a dual carburetor kit for the 1500′s four-cylinder, and as the carbs flew off the shelves, he realized there was a serious market for BMW-based performance parts. Mr. B formed ALPINA Burkard Bovenseipen KG in 1964 and in the decades since, the company has become known simply as BMW Alpina B7.
But while the name has changed, its mission remains the same, and its line of upgrades have grown considerably since its inception. Bovenseipen’s team continues to recognize the potential in almost every new BMW product, and the small but competent company, now managed by Bovenseipen’s son Andreas (his staff calls him Andy), delivers better, less compromised, higher-performance versions of BMW production cars.
Categories: Auto Review, BMW, Car Review, Sedans/Saloons Tags: BMW
