Formula

TechArt Formula

Classic inverted 5-spoke design. Lightweight one-piece casting. Fits most current Porsche. Bright silver, black or chrome plated.  Bright Silver:

Chrome Chrome Plated

TechArt Formula II 

Combines the classic elements of the Formula wheel with a multi-piece look. The Formula II comes with a choice of three finishes: silver, anthracite and black. Bright Silver

TechArt Formula GT and GTS

GT matte black with brushed lip. 

GTS gloss black with brushed lip.

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BMW Concept Gran Coupé - Auto Shows

BMW Concept Gran Coupé - Auto Shows

The German carmaker takes another shot at a high-end, four-door coupe.

In a move reminiscent of—and likely inspired by—its sultry Concept CS of 2007, BMW is unveiling a new, low-profile, four-door coupe concept at the 2010 Beijing auto show. Called the BMW Concept Gran Coupé, it’s meant to showcase the company’s design abilities and philosophy. But instead of being a one-off like the CS, BMW design chief Adrian van Hooydonk tells us that the Gran Coupé will be built, a decision we suspected from the concept's production-ready look.

According to BMW, the Gran Coupé “concentrates the design expertise of the brand” and “captures a sense of superior dynamic performance and high-quality elegance.” Whatever. It’s a sleek, low-slung, long-wheelbase sedan with a coupe-like roofline and short overhangs. Details about its powerplant and drivetrain technology are not available, but what we can tell you is that the Gran Coupé is a few inches longer than the new 5-series at nearly 197 inches, but is about four inches lower at 55.1.
Full-LED headlights and a prominent BMW kidney grille dominate the forward-angled shark nose, with sweeping lower air inlets helping to accentuate the width of the car. The doors feature frameless windows, which add sleekness by rolling up over and obscuring the B-pillars. The overall theme, with dynamic concave and convex lines and powerful wheel arches, is one of elegance and aggression. The concept’s slim-looking rear end features L-shaped LED taillights and a full-width LED third brake light across the top of the rear window. As with most concepts, the wheels also contribute to the look, with the Gran Coupé’s oversized rolling stock sporting thin, relief-milled spokes that extend into the center of the wheel, lending a three-dimensional appearance. Expect much of this design to transfer over to the next-generation 6-series.
Details about the interior are nil. Rumors of a high-end BMW four-door coupe, possibly carrying a revitalized 8-series moniker, have come and gone ever since the CS concept was shown a few years back. Had BMW said nothing about production, this Gran Coupé would likely have served as little more than additional fuel for those rumors, but we're happy to say that this one will become a reality.

source by caranddriver

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2013 BMW 3-series Rendered - Car News

The BMW 3-series coupe and convertible were just face lifted, but the Bavarians already are busy readying the next-generation 3er sedan; it’s that body style that always leads off a new 3-series generation. And so we expect in late 2011 or early 2012 to get an official glimpse of the four-door, which should arrive at dealerships here in late 2012 as a '13 model. Until then, these renderings provide a good idea of what to expect.

We like what’s here: The next 3 keeps the concave body-side surfaces, and the front and rear of the new car will be sharpened. This is very clearly the little brother of the new 5-series, but far more compact and more aggressive in its detailing. The front end is dominated by the four LED rings around the headlights, which will form the basis of the BMW face going forward, and the lower air intakes will become more angular. The rear view will allow you to tell how much power a particular 3-series is packing, even if the owner goes for the badge-delete option, as split exhaust pipes will remain the domain of the most powerful diesel and petrol versions.
Later in 2012, BMW will add a Sport Wagon, as well as the next two-door coupe and convertible models, the latter of which sadly will keep its folding hardtop. We’d have preferred a migration back to a cloth roof, if only to reduce weight. While the advantages of a folding hardtop are largely psychological, they are preferred by convertible-lovers without a garage or those that feel more secure in a car that’s wearing a helmet. In search of another market niche, BMW also will add a 3-series Gran Turismo in the spirit of the controversial 5-series GT.
AWD Again Available, Nanny Tech Sure to Trickle Down
The next 3 is internally known as the F30 and will of course retain rear-wheel drive with available all-wheel drive; an array of diesel and gasoline engines will again be available. But downsizing is the rage, and while there will still be an inline-six, the majority of 3-series models will be powered by turbocharged four-cylinder engines. The M3 may lose its V-8 and return to a six-cylinder engine, which is likely to be turbocharged. On the other side of the spectrum, BMW could even add a three-cylinder engine, but that would be unlikely to reach the U.S. market. The four- and six-cylinder diesel engines will be highly efficient, some versions of which could even trump the current 320d EfficientDynamics Edition, which gets an astonishing 53 mpg in the European cycle. If we see a diesel 3 again in America, though, you can bet it won’t have one of the puny engines.
The new 3 also will get a bag full of electronic nanny systems, including lane-departure warning, radar cruise, and more. Inside, it will lose the ugly dashboard wart that houses the current model’s optional navigation system; look for a far more upscale and clean-looking interior more in line with the style of the new 5-series cabin.
Looking even further out, the 3-series will once again be the most compact BMW with a proper, rear-wheel drive setup. Ah, but what about the 1-series? While the next-generation 1er will retain the use of the 3-series platform, rumblings suggest its successor—the third-generation 1-series—will move to a front-wheel-drive architecture. BMW research has shown that many 1-series drivers believe they own a front-driver anyway, and while the fact speaks volumes about the kind of buyers the car attracts, we would then understand the decision to move the 1 to, say, the Mini platform. The move would only serve to enhance the appeal of the 3, which should remain as compelling as ever.

source by carsanddriver

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2011 Porsche 911 Turbo S - First Drive Review

Yet another 911 variant, with still more improvements 

With 500 hp, the Porsche 911 Turbo is not exactly anemic. But Porsche has never seemed to like the concept of enough, so the company has rolled out the 530-hp Turbo S. We’re not complaining.

Five years after the last, 996-based 911 Turbo S, Porsche is resurrecting the model as a flagship for the 911 range, at least until an updated GT2 arrives later this year. Unlike that car or the naturally aspirated GT3, the Turbo S is actually quite luxurious. It offers all the comfort features of the regular Turbo, to which it adds its own special leather upholstery. We were more interested, however, in changes to the hardware. All the goodies we recommend you choose on the regular Turbo are standard here: the dynamic engine mounts, Porsche’s brake-based torque-vectoring system, ceramic brakes, and the Sport Chrono package, which also nets you launch control. Porsche has included a beefed-up version of the ultra-quick PDK (dual-clutch transmission) with new, proper shift paddles. The six-speed manual that’s standard on the Turbo is not available here.
Traditionalists undoubtedly will be saddened by the lack of a third pedal, but it’s a logical decision in the quest for maximum performance. The PDK’s extra weight and parasitic losses from its wet clutches are compensated for by its quick shifts. Acceleration figures from PDK-equipped models have proven to be superior to those achieved with a traditional manual gearbox. In Germany, logic usually wins.

(Even) More Power

The Turbo S’s 530 hp are available between 6250 and 6750 rpm. The added power is achieved through different intake-valve timing and increased turbo boost pressure. Maximum torque is rated at 516 lb-ft, which happens between 2100 and 4250 rpm. The Turbo S torque figure can be matched by the regular Turbo, but only when that car is equipped with the Sport Chrono package; it allows for a short overboost for up to 10 seconds, increasing boost from 11.6 psi to 14.5. The latter is the standard pressure on the S.
We can assure you the changes are effective. Throttle response is even quicker, and the engine pulls more strongly at high rpm. It is also louder, which underscores the nature of this beast. The altogether slight but noticeable performance gain translates into hard numbers. Porsche says 60 mph comes in 3.1 seconds for the coupe and 3.2 seconds in the cabriolet, 0.1 second quicker than its estimations for the respective versions of the regular Turbo. We’ve already clocked a Turbo coupe sprinting to 60 mph in a downright blistering 2.9 seconds, so it seems Porsche is being its usual underestimating self. We figure the S will match our 0-to-60 time for the Turbo and improve by about 0.1 second in the quarter-mile, to 10.9 seconds. Top speed of the Turbo S increases from a claimed 194 mph to 195. As far as straight-line acceleration is concerned, the Turbo S provides one of the grand experiences in motoring today, and to say it pulls hard would be an epic understatement. The base model is sometimes eerily quiet, but the S never conceals its nature. Ever.
Beating the Odds against Physics
We were just as impressed by the S’s capabilities during cornering, aided by the new Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) system. The 996 and the 997 displayed a hint of understeer when initiating a turn on slippery surfaces. The torque-vectoring system, which applies the brake on the inside rear wheel, eliminates the minor push entirely. The car gets slightly modified front-suspension geometry, giving it more precise steering feel and making the 911 Turbo S seem almost like a mid-engine car. Porsche says lap times on the Nürburgring have improved from 7:39 for the regular Turbo to 7:37. We have no reason to doubt this claim. Speaking of speed and racetracks, quick pit-stop wheel changes are facilitated by the central-locking “RS Spyder” wheels.

Although a mid-engine car is by design dynamically superior to a rear-engine car in most disciplines, the traction of the all-wheel-drive Turbo S, which stands on 235/35ZR-19 front and 305/30ZR-19 rear Bridgestone Potenzas, is simply unbelievable. It’s further enhanced by the dynamic engine mounts, which create a firm link between engine and body as needed. But we’d still probably prefer some of its mid-engine competitors at high triple-digit speeds, where the 911 requires keeping both hands on the steering wheel.
Porsche says 30 to 40 percent of Turbo customers upgrade their cars with the aggressive carbon-ceramic brakes. Fade and wear are greatly reduced versus cast-iron rotors. We like the fact that the carbon setup is included on this model. Its hard-biting response fits the sharpened character of the Turbo S and gives a feeling of absolute control.
Sport Plus More Sport
The Sport Chrono package has really grown on us, managing to change the personality of the car at the press of a button. In sport mode, the chassis is stiffened by way of the active suspension, the PDK shifts later and more rapidly, and the stability-control system intervenes later. Throttle response is quickened, the engine computer switches to a hard rev limiter, and the traction-management system sends more power to the rear. Sport provides a noticeable difference from the standard program, which upshifts very early and generally does a great job camouflaging this car’s wickedly aggressive character.

But to unleash the Turbo S’s full potential, you need to hit the “sport plus” button. It’s the ultimate escalation. The PDK gives up trying to “learn” your driving style, instead shifting late and hard. Seventh gear, which exists solely for fuel economy, is abandoned entirely, and the engine is recalibrated with more aggressive response from the variable turbocharger’s dynamic blades. The ride stiffens considerably in sport plus mode, and you notice every bump, but the car feels positively glued to the asphalt. This program is so extreme that many drivers probably would get weary if they couldn’t switch it off. But it is awesome.
The new Turbo S’s competitors include the Audi R8 V-10, the Ferrari 458 Italia, the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4, the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. And, of course, Porsche’s own 911 Turbo, which the Turbo S will exceed in price by about $26,500 in coupe and convertible forms. As you start adding options to a regular Turbo, the Turbo S quickly starts making sense. “It’s really quite a bargain,” said a Porsche spokesman. That’s definitely one way to look at it.

 source by carsanddriver

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