Fiat’s 0.9-Liter TwinAir Scoops the “International Engine of the Year 2011” Award

And the big winner of the 2011 edition of the coveted International Engine of the Year is…Fiat’s 0.9-liter twin-cylinder gasoline engine also known simply as the TwinAir. A jury comprised of 76 journalists and industry experts from 36 different countries were convinced by the 875 cc unit's low emissions, high fuel economy and impressive output for its size, awarding it four awards: “Best New Engine 2011”, “Best Green Engine 2011”, “Best Sub 1-Liter Engine” and the “International Engine of the Year 2011” overall award. Read more »

Audi Challenges BMW, Mercedes and Lexus with new Ad Campaign

Audi of America has launched a new advertising campaign that will most likely generate a similar response from the competition in the premium segment. Under the tagline “Car Carrier”, the two Audi commercials feature a BMW owner that goes nuts when he sees a truck full of brand new automotive metal from Ingolstadt.

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U Spy: Is this the New Alpina B6 Based on the 2012 BMW 6-Series Coupe?

Back in April, BMW lifted the covers off its spanking new 2012 6-Series Coupe at the Shanghai Auto Show in China. Having already shown the Convertible version, the only model left to complete the series is the presentation of the M6 in both coupe and open top forms. Well, at least in absolute terms, as we’ve yet to hear from BMW’s longtime tuner, Alpina, which is considered a manufacturer in its own right.

And that’s where Carscoop reader Michael from Germany steps in. Michael spotted this partially camouflaged 2012 BMW 6-Series Coupe parked somewhere in Munich. And while the lack of any aero parts such as the typical M-style front bumper with larger air vents minimize the possibility of it being the new M6, there are two elements that make us believe it could be the upcoming Alpina B6.

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Toyota Overtakes BMW as World's Most Valuable Brand

The BrandZ Top 100 annual study revealed that Toyota is once again the world's most valuable auto brand, after losing the position last year to BMW due to the massive recall campaign. Toyota saw an 11 percent increase in its brand value, which is now rated at $24.2 billion (€16.85 billion). The research company Millward Brown, whose global brand director said Toyota’s recall had not affected consumers’ confidence in the carmaker, compiled the ranking. Read more »

SCOOP: New BMW 3-Series Gran Turismo Shows its Chic Tail

Over the past year, we brought you plenty of spy shots and videos of the next generation of the 3-Series sedan, codenamed F30, but now our spy photographers caught the newest addition to the family of BMW’s bread and butter model, the Gran Turismo.

When it goes on sale towards the end of 2012 or early 2013, the new 3 GT will join the existing body styles of the 3-Series, which include the four-door sedan, the two-door coupe, the five-door station wagon and the hardtop convertible, offering BMW a direct rival to the Audi A5 Sportback.

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BMW Showcases Fleet of Emergency Vehicles at RETTmobil 2011

Following in the footsteps of Mercedes that dressed up the SLS AMG as an emergency medical vehicle, BMW unveiled its very own proposals at the RETTmobil, the leading European trade for emergency services and mobility, held in Fulda, Germany (May 11-13).

BMW has a more down-to-earth approach to the show as its emergency models are based on mainstream vehicles that are more suitable for this line of work than the fast, but unpractical, SLS AMG. We're talking about the BMW 3-Series/5-Series Touring models and the X3/X6 SUVs, although the latter is not new, having premiered at the same show in 2008.

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Lumma Design (Over)does the E64 BMW 6-Series Convertible

Even though the new F12 BMW 6-series Convertible has already landed on the market, Lumma Design has set its eyes on the previous generation of the Bavarian firm’s flagship cabriolet with the release of a new cosmetics only package.

Known for its brazen styling choices when it comes to dressing up cars, the German tuning house’s latest proposal is no exception to the rule. On the outside, the team over at Lumma Design developed an a full aerodynamic kit that includes M-style front bumper, more prominent side skirts and a new rear bumper with side openings and a diffuser that houses quad tail pipes. The deal is sealed with a carbon fiber rear wing, and carbon fiber trim in a checkerboard design on the double kidney grille, the exterior mirrors and the rear diffuser.

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Study finds the Most Vandalised Car in Britain is the Lexus IS

Bad news for Lexus IS owners across the pond: if you happen to own one of the Japanese brand’s entry-level sedans, you’re in possession of the most vandalised car in the UK. Runners up are BMW’s Z4 sports coupe and MINI’s entry-level One model. It’s all been revealed as part of SwiftCover.com’s Vehicle Vandalism Index (VVI), whereby the UK-based insurer analysed some 2,000 motor insurance claims. SwiftCover claims director Robin Reames explains:

“Our analysis shows that luxury cars are more likely to be targeted by vandals, however, it's interesting to see the MINI One in the top three. The majority of vehicles in the top ten are what we call 'executive cars', likely to be driven by high earners who see their car as a status symbol, with just one 4x4 making up the top ten.”

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New Video Footage of 2012 BMW M5 Testing in the South of France

The hype surrounding the upcoming M5 continues with a new video released by BMW showing the Bavarian firm’s high-performance sedan being tested at the company's Miramas proving grounds in the south of France. Given that the M5 is scheduled to be unveiled at the Frankfurt motor show in September, these are probably the final rounds of testing before production begins. Read more »

Fail: BMW Driver Mistakes Loading Truck for Launching Ramp…

Here is yet another failed attempt to load a vehicle on a truck. In fact, this one is much worse –albeit far less costly- than the Porsche Carrera GT incident we showed you back in April. This time, the protagonist is a BMW - from what we can tell in this grainy video, an E36 3-Series Coupe.

As you can see for yourself in the surveillance footage in the video after the break, the driver of the bimmer, slammed the pedal to the metal as he was going up the ramp, and the result, well, let’s just say is painful yet humorous at the same time.

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BMW’s “The Ultimate Driving Machine” Slogan Returns in Ferrari-Emulating Commercial

Back in 1997, Ferrari and Shell released a stunning commercial shot in the Mojave Desert in southeastern California, featuring a Formula 1 car being refueled by a Shell airplane. Fast forward to 2011 and BMW USA has remade the famous ad, albeit in a slightly different manner. Read more »

BMW Opens its First Official Parts Store on eBay UK

Being that in this day and age, most owners searching for parts and accessories for their vehicles will at least take a quick look on eBay, BMW’s UK division decided to engage in e-commerce and open up a store on the local version of the online auction and shopping website, becoming the first automaker to do so on eBay UK.

The Bavarian automaker said that this is the first time it will sell parts and accessories directly to owners as up until now, those wanting to pick up Genuine Parts have had to place their order through one of the company’s dealerships.

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BMW Insider Says All-new 2012 M5 will offer All-Wheel-Drive Option

Revealed in concept car guise at the recent Shanghai auto show, the new BMW M5 will not only be the first turbocharged M5 to hit the streets, but also the first one with an optional all-wheel drive system, or at least that’s what an unnamed company insider told British car magazine, Autocar. The company official said the all-wheel drive model will be built around the upcoming V8-powered M5 sedan, but didn’t go into any further details on the technical specs. Read more »

Italdesign’s Sexy BMW Nazca M12 Concept Could be Yours for $1.1 million

One of the most memorable concept models from the decade that brought us grunge, the internet, Playstation and the Prius, is Italdesign’s series of BMW Nazca supercar studies. Designed by the great Giorgetto Giugiaro who was also responsible for BMW’s production M1 sports car, the Nazca M12 made its debut in 1991 and was followed in by a more hardcore version called the Nazca C2 in 1992 and an open-top Spider C2 model in 1993.

Now, one of the Nazca concepts has been put up for sale by a dealer located in the Czech Republic. The car seen here is based on the body of the 1991 Nazca M12 but features an Alpina-prepped 5.7-liter V12 engine (sourced from the 750i / 850i of the era) producing 379HP.

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BMW 3-Series Still Top Dog despite Strong Competition

In the ingloriously named, “small premium car segment”, the BMW 3-Series is king. A good all-rounder with sporting pretensions and cred, a nice assortment of engine and equipment options, and perhaps most importantly, a variety of body styles including a coupe and station wagon derivative that have ensured its market supremacy.

All 3-Series models are doing their bit to keep sales high. According to a study released by R.L. Polk & Co., from 2008 through this past February, the 3-Series sedan covered around 60 percent of the model's retail registrations, with the coupe, convertible and station wagon versions accounting for the rest of the sales.

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Mini to Use Rolls Royce-Prepped Goodwood as a Sub-brand for Bespoke Models

In the same way the John Cooper Works moniker designates high-performance models, Mini plans to use the Goodwood name as a sub-brand for high-end luxury versions of its cars. According to British magazine Autocar, which quotes sources from within the company, the Goodwood badge will be used on luxurious, bespoke Minis just like the JCW badge is put on its high-performance models.

The first model of the Goodwood line is the “Mini Inspired by Goodwood”, which made its world premiere at the Shanghai auto show. The car is essentially a Cooper S that sports unique styling cues and trim options designed “in close collaboration” with Rolls-Royce. The name itself pays tribute to Rolls-Royce's headquarters, while the Shanghai unveiling signals the importance of the Chinese market for very expensive Minis.

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U Spy: BMW’s New X1 ‘baby’ Crossover Caught Strolling in Long Beach, California

While BMW is still keeping mum on when it will bring its smallest crossover model over to the States, Carscoop reader, Nick K., who is always alert for new models on the road, snapped this picture of the X1 dressed in an M Sport outfit during his daily maneuvers in Long Beach, California. “I saw this BMW X1 driving in Long Beach today followed by 3 5-Series BMW's. It had specially marked plates and it was beautiful,” Nick told Carscoop. Read more »

Barely Driven BMW M1 with Less than 3,000 Miles on the Odo up for Sale on eBay

Today’s eBay find brings us a seemingly immaculate BMW M1 from 1980 that’s offered up for an undisclosed price. One of 455 (albeit some bring this number down to 451) examples ever built, this one is finished in a classic red hue with a black interior. Claimed to be in original condition, the seller says it has been driver a mere 4,418 kilometers or 2,747 miles since it left the Bavarian automaker’s factory some 31 years ago.

According to the eBay listing, the M1 was “garaged for all of its life and pampered” in a German private residence, before it was imported in the U.S. having surpassed the 25-year age requirement. At the time we wrote this article, the current bid on the car was US$130,500, but the reserve had not been met.

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The Dangers of Test Driving: BMW M5 E60 Driver Overtakes M5 F10 Prototype at 300km/h [Video]

Being a test driver for any automaker isn’t an easy task. In fact, there are times it can be downright dangerous, as this video clip proves. You see, it is one thing filming a prototype vehicle from a distance and on foot and another when a fool does it holding a cell phone camera on one hand and the steering wheel with the other while passing you on the autobahn at around 300km/h (187mph)… That’s just beyond stupid.

The cars in question here are a BMW M5 E60 and what is claimed to be a lightly camouflaged prototype of the next generation M5 F10, which we saw in concept form at this week’s 2011 Shanghai Auto Show. Watch the short video after the break.

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Shanghai Auto Show: New BMW M5 and 5-Series Plug-in Hybrid Concepts

At this week’s 2011 Shanghai Auto Show in China, BMW rolled out two concept versions of the current F10 5-Series, the M5 sport sedan and the LWB Plug-in Hybrid, both of which will enter production.

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