Driving Sports

Western Automotive Journalists Gather For "Media Days" At Laguna Seca

The Western Automotive Journalists organization gathered this week in beautiful Monterey, Calif. to test drive the 2008 sports and luxury car field from virtually every automaker doing business in North America. Journalists from up and down the west coast arrived to test the full fleet of 2008 cars on the winding mountain roads of Carmel Valley and at speed on the track at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

Yes, that's the new Nissan GT-R parked next to the NISMO Edition 350Z in the photo to the right. Yes, they're as good as you think they are.

Events such as this serve a number of purposes, including a rare chance for side-by-side tests of comparable cars from different automakers, and also to allow a relaxed atmosphere to talk shop with the manufacturer representatives. But I wouldn't lie to you and tell you it was anything like working - this event is big-time fun.

Supercar Life Expands Options for Hot Rides

Supercar Life, the first adventure lifestyle company to offer drives of exotic cars on racetracks, is expanding its program lineup to appeal to hard core driving enthusiasts as well as to those who prefer to travel first class.

Supercar Life's new Track Package ($4,990) includes a full day piloting $1.5-million worth of supercars on premier tracks around the country. The Luxury Package ($5,690), formerly the only option, adds top-shelf accommodations, gourmet dinner and VIP ground transportation. Details and registration can be found at www.supercarlife.com or by calling 1.877.420.0090.

Balanced Beemer - 2008 BMW 528i Reviewed

It’s not too often that I like a BMW.  Even though I drive a MINI Cooper S - a BMW design - I tend not to enjoy the driving experience in the BMW-badged cars. I think it’s because the venerable Bavarians have gone too much for the execu-tone market and too little on the sporty driving side.

So I was pleasantly surprised with the new 528i. The test car has a 6-speed manual transmission mated to BMW’s DOHC straight-6 3.0-liter engine. The clutch and shifting is light, and the engine’s 230 horsepower and  200 lb-ft of torque provide surprisingly good power for their low numbers. I suspect BMW may be fudging those ratings down to get the number-obsessed to buy up into the 535 or 550, but that’s just a guess.

BMW Takes M3 Back Into ALMS

BMW of North America to partner with Rahal Letterman Racing for 2009 season

BMW presented the racing version of the new BMW M3 at the Chicago Auto Show. Powered by a 485 bhp eight cylinder engine, this impressive race car has been designed to compete in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) beginning in 2009. The car is based on the fourth generation of the BMW M3, the high-performance sports car produced by BMW M GmbH.

Formula BMW Expands its Series - Hopes to Raise Profile

Drivers entering the 2008 Formula BMW Americas Championship will face the most challenging and diverse schedule in the series’ five year history. Returning once again as the opening rounds for the Formula BMW Americas Championship, the historic Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, California will launch the seven-weekend, 14 round championship in May.

After featuring some of the strongest venues in North America, the championship will end in November with a maiden journey to Sao Paolo, Brazil in support of the Brazilian Grand Prix. The drivers participating in this season will have the chance to showcase their skills to the nearly every category of premier racing series in North America with races supporting Formula 1, the American Le Mans Series, the Champ Car World Series, the Rolex Sports Car Series, and, new for 2008, the ARCA RE/MAX Series.

BMW's New 1-Series Convertible Coming this Spring

For those whose definition of pure driving pleasure includes wind in the face and sunshine above, the new BMW 1 Series Convertible follows the tradition established by the iconic BMW 2002 sport sedan. The essence of such driving purity - a responsive six-cylinder engine positioned within a rear-drive chassis to provide balanced, sporty dynamics - is at the heart of this compact four-place convertible.

The 128i Convertible, which joins the new 1 Series Coupe going on sale in the spring of 2008, will be powered by BMW's 3.0-liter, 230 horsepower inline six-cylinder engine generating 200 lb-ft of torque. Like its fixed-roof stablemate, the 128i Convertible will feature Valvetronic valvetrain management and aluminum/magnesium cylinder block construction-core elements of BMW's EfficientDynamics.

The 135i Convertible, on sale later in 2008, features BMW's twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine producing 300 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque from as low as 1,400 rpm. With its direct piezo gasoline injectors, twin low-mass turbochargers and air-to-air intercooler, optimum performance and economy is achieved with no loss in engine response. For the 135i Convertible, acceleration from 0-62 mph is accomplished in 5.6 seconds and top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph. Both engines feature on-demand engine coolant pumps that improve fuel economy and reduce parasitic losses for increased efficiency.

How (Powerhouse) Amusing!

With the new E92 3-series BMWs appearing everywhere in the form of 328s, 330s, and 335s, just about everyone is anxious for the new E92 M3 to make its appearance here stateside. The big, high-revving V8 will surely turn some heads from sound alone, but many people have voiced feelings of discontent about its much more subtle looks compared to its predecessor, the E46 M3. On the street, even a non-Bimmer fanatic would be able to tell that the fender flared, large front air dammed, and quad tip exhaust E46 M3 was very different from the more standard 3-series coupe, but the new E92 only has a few side vent treatments, no bulging fenders, and a similar looking front bumper.

However, don't tell that to Powerhouse Amuse. Primarily known for making extremely exclusive (and thus expensive) titanium exhausts and GT-style carbon fiber spoilers for your favorite Japanese import, the company also treads in BMW territory as well. This time around, they didn't stop at just exhaust; they helped developed an entire body kit as well. The folks over at M3Post post up these photos of Amuse's new E92 M3 at an event hosted by Powerhouse Amuse, at Tskuba Circuit. Here are a few of the photos that were posted:

More photos can be found on M3Post here.

2007 BMW M6 Reviewed

The 2007 BMW M6 is a definite improvement over the 2006 model – but it’s possible that the real improvement lies in the fact that this time, they sent me a real 6-speed manual gearbox version, and not the SMG two-pedal auto-maybe-magic tranny.

BMW 328i: Hero Material?

Some fun out at the airstrip. Ryan "tested" the BMW 328i to see if it was fast enough to be a "hero car" against Travis in his pimped-out, turbo-charged 1.8l Impreza. The results? Watch and see!