BMW X5M BMW X6MBMW Whereas once it used to focus on hot wagons basically suicide for sales these days now BMW is turning its performance aspirations on tuned versions of its popular SUVs. The next trucks to receive the M treatment are the companys X5 and X6.From the outside, you probably wouldnt know it was an M, if you didnt see the badges. A black grille and new splitter are present, and there are a couple new gills in the side panels to go along with the aerodynamically optimized mirrors.Under the skin is where the changes really matter, though. For the M versions of both vehicles, BMWs venerable 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 from the M5 has been pressed into service, making 600 horsepower and 553 lb.-ft. of torque. Stepping up to the Competition spec in either model means a bump up to a whopping 625 horsepower. The massive power boost from stock means the performance has also, well, improved, to make an understatement. Now 100 km/h shows up from zero in just 3.9 seconds for the M, and 3.8 seconds for the M Competition. Both engines are hooked up to an eight-speed automatic transmission.Unfortunately, BMW has not included a selectable rear-drive mode like it has in the M5, so drivers will have to settle for the 4WD Sport mode when making those pulls. Peel back a few more layers and we see the overpowered people-haulers also sport an M electronic differential, M exhaust and M brakes (which are a huge 15.6 and 15 inches, front and rear, respectively).Canadian pricing and availability have not been
Origin: BMW unveils X5 M and X6 M, with Competition packages for each
Competition
New BMW X5 M and X6 M gain 616bhp Competition variants
BMW M has revealed the third generation of its performance SUV flagships, the X5 M and coupé-styled X6 M, with both available in Competition form for the first time. Detailed ahead of their public debut at November’s LA motor show, both are set for a market launch commencing in April next year. A spokesperson has confirmed that the UK will only be able to order the Competition variants, priced from £110,610 for the X5 M and £113,310 for the X6 M. They will rival the Porsche Cayenne and Cayenne Coupé in Turbo forms, and are both powered by BMW M’s now familiar twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8. The standard X5 M and X6 M put out 592bhp, which is 25bhp more than both outgoing models. However, in keeping with the tradition set first by the latest M5, the Competition models boost this output to 616bhp. Torque is pegged at 553lb ft in all variants. The motor in both is mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox with all-wheel drive and an Active M differential, said to help deliver the power through the wheels over any terrain. BMW claims super-stiff engine mountings boost response and refinement, while the engine oil supply system has been designed to cope with extensive track use. The result is a 0-62mph time quoted at 3.9sec for both cars, and a 0-124mph time of 13.7sec for the X5 M and 13.5sec for the X6 M. The Competition models drop the 0-62mph sprint down to 3.8sec, while the 0-124mph sprint is 13.4sec for the X5 M and 13.2sec for the X6 M. All models hit the same 155mph limiter unless you spec the optional M Driver’s Package, which raises the top speed to 180mph. Conversely, BMW quotes between 21.7mpg and 22.6mpg, depending on model and spec, with CO2 figures ranging from 284-296g/km. Competition models also feature the M Sport exhaust upgrade as standard (it’s optional on the regular cars), which is said to offer even greater aural thrills than the base M models’ already uprated exhaust system. This being a full-fat M model, there’s also substantial chassis upgrades. Alongside the Active M differential, the xDrive all-wheel drive gives a rear-biased power delivery, with even more power shifted to the rear in the 4WD Sport drive mode. Standard-fit adaptive suspension with electronic dampers and an active roll stabilisation system are drafted in, as is Servotronic steering with a specific M tuning. The X5 M and X6 M’s braking system also offers two settings for pedal feel. Both the X5 M and X6 M benefit from the usual array of M-specific design details, including larger air intakes, ‘gills’ on the front wing, drag-reducing exterior mirrors, a rear spoiler and a diffuser element surrounding the four-exit tailpipes. Competition models add specific M light alloy wheels (21in front, 22in rear) and unique badging. The interior features a host of new menu functions to allow extensive configuration of the drive modes. Specific set-ups can be saved and accessed via M buttons on the wheel, while M-specific instrument readouts and M performance seats complete the roster of changes. Competition cars get unique leather upholstery,
Origin: New BMW X5 M and X6 M gain 616bhp Competition variants
Alpine readies rally-spec A110 for international competition
Alpine has launched a rally-spec version of its A110 sports car aimed at competing in events at an international level. Underpinned by the same lightweight aluminium chassis as the track-oriented GT4 and Cup variants, the A110 Rally has been developed with the help of Signatech, which also runs Alpine’s sports car programme. The machine packs produces more than 296bhp from an uprated version of the standard A110’s 1.8-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Further performance modifications come in the form of three-way hydraulic suspension, Brembo brakes, a limited-slip differential and a sequential six-speed gearbox. A new steering wheel, featuring an integrated telemetry display and paddle shifters, has been fitted. The A110 Rally also features safety equipment such as a six-point harness system, roll cage and FIA-approved competition fuel cell, and the firm is in the process of obtaining FIA R-GT homologation status, which would allow it to be used on international events. Alpine claims the car will be certified in the coming weeks, with customer deliveries beginning in early 2020 in time for its scheduled competition debut. The original Alpine A110 was a successful rally car, claiming the top six positions in the inaugural World Rally Championship in 1973, and taking victory in that year’s Monte Carlo Rally. Régis Fricotté, Alpine commercial and competition director, said: “This return to rallying is highly anticipated as Alpine made history when it won the first-ever World Rally Championship in 1973. “To ensure the success of this new adventure, we have entrusted the research and development, production and commercialisation of the Alpine A110 Rally to Signatech, our partner as well in the FIA World Endurance Championship and around the Cup and GT4 programmes. The Alpine A110 Rally looks set to be a very fine car to drive and amazingly efficient.” Prices for the competition model start from €150,000 (£134,518), in Europe, with no word yet on when a right-hand-drive variant can be expected. Options include an advanced data acquisition software package and Alpine’s trademark blue paint, as available on the road-going variant. The launch of the new model comes as Alpine welcomes Patrick Marinoff as the firm’s new managing director. A long-time Daimler employee, Marinoff has previously acted as global brand manager for Maybach, head of brand appearance for Mercedes-Benz, and, most recently, head of sales at
Origin: Alpine readies rally-spec A110 for international competition
Want a 2019 Dodge Challenger Scat Pack Widebody? The competition is all muscle
2019 Dodge Challenger Scat Pack 392 WidebodyChris Balcerak / Driving So, you want the finest-handling Dodge Challenger ever. Well, then you definitely need the new Scat Pack 392 Widebody. Along with the de rigeur muscle car 6.4-litres of 485 horsepower Hemi goodness, the Widebody option adds stiffer springs, SRT-tuned adjustable damping suspension and six-piston Brembo front brakes, not to mention 305/35ZR20 Pirelli PZero tires. In other words, pretty much everything a tuner would throw at a sometimes wayward chassis to keep it between the trees.And it works pretty much as expected. Although the Widebody is also two-tenths of a second quicker through the quarter mile than the standard Scat Pack 392, its in that other, less obvious (if you drive a Dodge Challenger) realm road racing that it really ups the ante. According to FCA, in fact, the Widebody is some two seconds or 12 car lengths quicker per lap around some unnamed race course. I believe it. While hardly Porsche-like it still is a big blunderbuss of a sports car this Challenger actually goes more or less where you steer it, more or less stays on track once you get there, and stops more or less rapidly once youre passed where you meant to be. Its truly competent I wont beggar belief by claiming its extraordinary and it wouldnt be out of place on a curvy road. That might not sound like much of a compliment, but drive an early Challenger and youll appreciate how far Dodge has truly come.Throw in typical Challenger attributes the most faithful replication of the originals profile of any of the current muscle cars probably being primary and a few atypical ones according to J.D. Power, the Challenger is the best built muscle car of them all as well as the best put together Dodge product and you have an unlikely backroads bandit. That said, I am not sure how much of a market there is for a superior steering Challenger. Owners of muscle cars in general and the Challenger in particular dont tend to rank roadholding as a priority in their buying decision. Chevy probably produced the best-handling pony car ever the previous generation Z/28 and it was largely ignored by one and all.Those shopping Challenger tend to get excited about two things in life: Power in which case theyre shopping some form of Hellcat or the look of power, in which case a Dodge salesperson will usher them over to the SXT with its more rational V6 engine and all-wheel-drive powertrain. Im guessing the Widebody variant of the Scat Pack 392 will, despite its relative goodness, end up near the bottom of the order guide. 2020 Chevrolet Camaro Handout / Chevrolet You’re a Chevy guy. Well, then youre shopping Camaro, arent you? Which is a bit of a problem, I suspect, for mainstream muscle car buyers. Oh, the V6 variant is a real gem, the finest handling of all entry-level pony cars, and by far the sweetest-sounding V6 in the segment.After that, however, the Camaro lineup doesnt shine. The Z/28 which I considered near miraculous for turning ill-comportment into Porsche-baiting track worthiness is no more. The SS version has always been kind of milquetoast, and every time that GM ups the ante with the mega-horsepower ZL1, Dodge just slaps a bigger supercharger pulley onto the Hellcat. On top of that, the Camaros Transformer-like styling has always been polarizing. If I specifically wanted a fine-handling V6-powered muscle car, Id be shopping Camaro. Otherwise, not. 2019 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 Jonathan Yarkony / Driving You have a blue oval tattooed on your right butt cheek. Well, I guess were driving a Mustang, then. If so, and you like driving, please ignore the base EcoBoost model. Oh, if youre a dental hygienist who just wants the look and dont care that it sounds like a fart in the wind, no worries. But if you have any love for internal combustion at its sportiest, move on.That said, if you want the finest handling muscle car available, the Shelby GT350R version of the Stang now holds that mantle. Secure steering, prodigious grip and well-bedded brakes all make the Shelby something of a terror around a track. It wont quite keep up with a Porsche 911, but nothing with a pseudo-1960s profile will come close. A sweet-sounding, flat-plane crank V8engine, enough power 526 horsepower is nothing to sneeze at, even in a straight line and a truly well put-together styling package give it even more authentic bona-fides. Its the best Mustang available. 2018 Dodge Challenger Hellcat2018 Dodge Challenger Hellcat Nick Tragianis / Driving You want muscle. Big muscle. Well then, the strongest steroids to be had will be found at a Dodge dealership, wont they? That would be the Challenger Hellcat and its lunatic fringe sibling, the Hellcat Redeye.Its hard to know what to write a Hellcat. It is, by even the most generous and by generous, I mean truly demented standards both overpowered and undertired. In any circumstances, not picture perfect
Origin: Want a 2019 Dodge Challenger Scat Pack Widebody? The competition is all muscle
The 2020 Lincoln Navigator aims to lure you away from the competition
The Monochromatic Package, available on the Navigator Reserve series, offers on-trend exterior sweeps of color that showcase the bold lines of Lincoln’s full-size SUVLincoln Lincoln mid-July unveiled the refreshed Navigator itll sell you starting November, when youll be able to choose from three new trims with more luxury to lure you away from other brands.Lincoln says that already 66 per cent of its buyers have defected away from other brands, and that 90 per cent of its buyers choose the highest trim level option.Now, whatever trim option you choose will have more features and technology as standard.Three new packages are being offered under the Monochromatic Package umbrella. Lincoln says theyre meant to follow the design trends of today, offering a look thats clean, uncluttered, and (with) a focus on the horizontal (that) leads the eye through a spacious expanse. The package names follow suit: Pristine White, Ceramic Pearl and Infinite Black.Across the whole range, power running boards, heated and ventilated front seats and wireless phone charging are now standard. Safety features such as auto high-beam headlights, blind-spot detection, pre-collision assist, forward collision warning, pedestrian detection and more are courtesy of Lincolns Co-Pilot360.Lincolns Phone As A Key system that debuted on the 2020 Aviator will be coming to the Navigator as well. The system allows people to well, use their phone as a key, instead of using a traditional key fob to unlock and start the car.Nothing is set to change under the hood; the Navigator will still be powered by a 3.5-litre Ecoboost V6 and mated to a 10-speed automatic gearbox. Pricing will be revealed closer to the on-sale
Origin: The 2020 Lincoln Navigator aims to lure you away from the competition
New BMW M8 Competition: 616bhp super-coupe nears production
The new four-wheel-drive BMW M8 Coupé is the most powerful and fastest two-door model yet sold by the German car maker, and has made its UK debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Initially revealed in Competition form, the M8 is the latest in a growing line-up of performance models from BMW’s M division. It builds on the strengths of the M850i, with a powertrain shared with the M5 and a chassis honed during a 24-month development programme at the Nürburgring. The now familiar twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 offers up to 616bhp and a top speed of 190mph in top-of-the-line Competition guise, thanks to tweaks to the induction system and more rigid engine mountings than the standard M8. Peak power is produced at 6000rpm, with 553lb ft delivered between 1800 and 5800rpm. BMW quotes a 0-62mph time of 3.2sec for the M8 Competition in Coupé form, with the Convertible one-tenth slower over the same sprint. The regular M8 uses a slightly detuned version of the V8 producing 592bhp – the same as the standard M5. Peak power appears at 6000rpm and the same 553lb ft as the Competition model is delivered between a slightly narrower rev band, from 1800-5600rpm. The M8’s power figure is 69bhp more than that of the turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 used by the M850i, which shares the M8’s torque figure. The 0-62mph time for the standard M8 is 3.3sec for the Coupé, and 3.4sec for the Convertible. Both weigh 1885kg and are limited to a nominal top speed of 155mph, although this can be raised to 190mph with an optional Driver’s Package that also brings tyres with a higher speed rating. As with the M850i, the Convertible uses a multi-layer fabric roof that stows in a dedicated compartment at the rear. The model enters BMW’s M line-up as a replacement for the rear-wheel-drive M6 Convertible and a high-end rival to the likes of the Mercedes-AMG S63 Cabriolet. Key identifying features of the new BMW include a uniquely styled bumper, M badging in the grille and side air vents, 20in M-Sport wheels, M-Sport mirror housings, a boot deck lip spoiler and a rear bumper with a wide diffuser element and BMW M’s quad round tailpipe treatment. At 4867mm long, 1907mm wide and 1362mm high, the M8 Coupé is 36mm shorter, 8mm wider and 12mm lower than the discontinued M6 Coupé. It also uses a wheelbase that is 24mm shorter than that of its predecessor at 2827mm, with corresponding track widths that are reduced by 4mm at the front, at 1627mm, and increased by 20mm at the rear, at 1632mm. Inside there are a number of traditional M division elements, including the latest M-Sport steering wheel, stainless steel pedal caps, heavily contoured M-Sport seats, unique M-Sport digital instruments, M-specific graphics for the infotainment system and a newly designed M-sport gear lever. The M8’s four-wheel drive system draws on developments brought to the latest M5 and offers the choice between standard 4WD, 4WD Sport and, with the Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system switched off, a pure rear-wheel-drive 2WD setting. Underpinning the new BMW M flagship is an adaptive M suspension system with double wishbones at the front and a five-link arrangement at the rear, together with variable damper control. 20in wheels feature on both variants, shod in 275/35 front and 285/35 rear tyres. The steering uses a further-developed version of the M850i’s electric power steering system, with an M-specific tune for the electric assistance and variable ratio. The M8 is now available to order, with prices starting at £123,435 and first deliveries set to take place in
Origin: New BMW M8 Competition: 616bhp super-coupe nears production
Clash of the coupes: Toyota Supra meets BMW M2 Competition and Porsche 718 Cayman
This is it – this is the big one. The test that’s been seven years in the making, during which we’ve endured all the teaser images, the grainy spy shots, the carefully managed prototype drives, the international launch and then brief blasts in the UK. But now, finally, the Toyota Supra is out in the wild, free of its minders and ready to do battle. Those early outings hinted at a car that had the potential to be the real deal, but we needed more than a few miles on a carefully choreographed route to deliver the definitive verdict on one of Toyota’s most eagerly awaited offerings in years, especially one that has painted big red targets on the back of some of the biggest hitters in the sports car firmament. Of course, the Supra’s arrival hasn’t been without controversy, its relationship to its dizygotic BMW Z4 twin proving more obvious (on the inside, at least) than many had hoped. Yet while Bavaria provides the 335bhp turbo straight six, eight-speed ZF automatic transmission and electronic slippy diff, plus the electrical architecture and switchgear, Toyota claims the Supra’s wide track and short wheelbase – the perfect combination for the intended acrobatic agility – are Japanese to its steel and aluminium core. So how serious a sports car is the Supra? Well, there’s only one way to find out, which is why we’ve headed for some of South Wales’ most testing Tarmac in close convoy with a pair of formidable foes. Looming largest in the Toyota’s sights is the Porsche 718 Cayman. In freshly released T form tested here, it’s currently the purest and most driver-focused version of Stuttgart’s starter sports car, featuring a 20mm lower ride, a torque vectoring differential and a small reduction in weight – surely not all of it courtesy of the looped fabric door handles. Yes, its mid-engined layout is at odds with the Toyota’s more traditional take on arranging the mechanical masses, but the Cayman is the car that chief engineer Tetsuya Tada has consistently identified as the benchmark for his baby. With 296bhp from its 2.0-litre flat four, the Cayman is the most weak-kneed here, but also the lightest at 1350kg. Furthermore, it’s got a snappy six-speed manual (a seven-speed PDK is an option) – the Supra is self-shifting only. The BMW M2 Competition is more small sports saloon than true coupé but, as a beefy front-engined rear driver, it’s not only one of our favourite proponents of the Système Panhard, it’s ideologically (as well as genetically) closely linked to the Supra. Moreover, the 404bhp M2 has by far the greatest amount of firepower here. Like the Porsche, you can have a three-pedal version but, to complete our trio of different transmission options, we’ve gone for the seven-speed dual-clutch option. Despite their wildly divergent approaches, they all have a common goal, which is to get drivers’ synapses sparking and senses tingling by dishing up gobfuls of driver fun. The fact that they’re all around the 50-grand mark doesn’t hurt either. This is going to be close. Styling is clearly subjective, but to our eyes the Supra draws first blood. It’s not just the car’s newness that attracts attention and multiple thumbs up wherever we go, it’s the eye-catching mix of confident curves, creative creases and daring lines. It’s fussy in parts and the fake vents in the bonnet and doors are tacky, but overall it’s a corker. Even in its retina-burning Miami Blue paint job (that’ll be £1658 to you, sir) with natty Cayman T stripes along the bottom of the doors, the Porsche fades into the background when sat next to the Supra. And while the M2’s wide-arched, thuggish stance isn’t without appeal, the bluff three-box BMW lacks the sleek sophistication of the other two. Swing open the Toyota’s long door and duck inside (watch your head on the low roof), and you’re instantly in sports car territory. The letterbox view ahead and compromised rear vision are at odds with the panoramic Porsche and slightly sit-up-and-beg BMW, but you’re snug and low in the Toyota, ensconced by the tall transmission tunnel on one side and high window line on the other. Like the Cayman, the recumbent driving position is spot on; you’re equally comfortable in the BMW but, after a stint in either of the other two, you feel like you’re sitting on the car rather than in it. At first, the Toyota’s BMW-sourced switchgear is a little jarring, yet these components are so well integrated and handily sited, you quickly forget about where they come from. What’s more, anyone who’s grappled with the Japanese brand’s truculent Touch 2 infotainment will be overjoyed at having a reskinned version of BMW’s more intuitive iDrive. More to the point, the German extras add a sheen of class to the interior, allowing it to almost match the exquisitely executed Porsche for upper-class ambience. Like the Cayman, it’s decently practical, too. There are numerous cupholders, a large glovebox, handy door bins and a 290-litre boot
Origin: Clash of the coupes: Toyota Supra meets BMW M2 Competition and Porsche 718 Cayman
First Drive: 2020 BMW X3 M, X4 M Competition
2020 BMW X3 MDerek McNaughton / Driving Monticello, NEW YORK — We all know BMW’s M division is where regular BMWs go to become true road warriors, real performance cars in almost every sense of the word. Initially created to facilitate BMW’s racing program, M (for motorsport) cars are what happens when gearheads and speed-addicted engineers get their way; M cars all receive more power, better handling, superior braking, performance suspensions and design bits than their base counterparts, all in an effort to delineate the model to a higher class — and to make it perform to its full potential on the street or race track. And before 2010, when the X5and X6 M came along, no BMW SUV with all-wheel-drive had ever received an M badge. Now, the special status is moving down the line to the X3 and X4, which for 2020 become the first of their kind to receive the M treatment. Two additional sub models, the X3 M Competition and X4 M Competition, also join the fold. Immediately identified by intakes big enough to swallow rabbits, the X3 and X4 M also give away their lineage by a unique black grille, breather gills in the front fenders and four quad ovals nested within an M-specific rear bumper. Wheel arches come painted instead of boring black plastic, mirrors are those cool aerodynamic ears from other M cars, and the rear hatch is crowned with a unique spoiler. There’s just enough to give these X3s and X4s away as different from the herd, but not enough to make them shout “look at me.” Thank goodness. But the real jewel of these Xs sits under their sharply creased hoods. An all-new “S58” straight-six engine — seeing its debut in theses four models — feels smoother and more refined than any BMW straight-six before. No, the exhaust note is not as rich and melodious as a V8, of course, but it is nonetheless distinctive, raspy, and can be quieted or made louder by a button on the centre console. Far more seductive is the broad torque band of the new all-aluminum heart, pulling strongly at 2,600 rpm until 5,600 before tapering at its redline of 7,200. The engine loves to rev and does so freely while channeling 442 lb.-ft. of torque to the pavement. Such a deep well of power makes passing other cars effortless, as it should be with 473 horsepower on tap and 503 on for Competition models, though both M and Competition models have the same torque). At the Monticello Motor Club north of New York City, the X4 M Competition proved it can happily adapt to the track. The engine, 11 kilograms lighter than the M4 Coupe, gets a forged crank and pistons, and the twin turbochargers are integrated into the exhaust manifolds. Two, single-scroll turbochargers with upgraded compressor wheels blast air into the cylinders, aided by a water-to-air intercooler and air intake system designed to reduce pressure losses, while an electronically controlled wastegate enhances turbo response. The entire 3.0-litre package just fits under the hood. But the engine is so incredibly smooth, it masks the tactile engine feedback that is normally a welcome partner at the track. Sure, these Ms will clip apexes as easily as a Henckel slices sirloin; but it must be remembered these are luxurious SUVs meant to coddle occupants, not track weapons. It’s easy to hit the rev limiter in manual mode if not watching the tach that can be thankfully configured to display in the heads-up display. And while turbo lag was totally absent during our street drive, some was noticeable while flogging the X4 M Competition at Monticello when trying to extract every last ounce of power. Yes, these X Ms can perform admirably at the track, and we had no trouble getting close to 240 km/h (limited to 280 km/h for the regular M and 285 km/h for the Competition models, with zero to 100 km/h reached in 4.2 seconds and 4.1 for the Competition), but the weight and height of these vehicles makes them less impressive than their M3 or M4 siblings. That’s not surprising, even if the goal was to create the M4 of the X class, they’re simply constrained by their architecture and proportions. Standing on the brake pedal if not in a straight line, for example, produces ample tail wag, even if the larger brakes deliver excellent feel and consistent stopping ability — as they should, given the drilled and vented front rotors are a massive 15.6 inches, and the rears 14.6, compressed by four-piston front calipers but only single-piston calipers in the rear. The SUVs’ track personality does not, however, diminish their appeal. Two drive modes, M1 or M2, calibrate the suspension and AWD characteristics. M1, activated by a red button on the steering wheel, sets up sport mode, sending more power to the rear wheels for some light drifts before the stability control will engage. Power flows to the front wheels only when the rear wheels lose traction. M2 mode will deactivate stability completely for full-on hooliganism, and the Active M rear Differential varies the rear lockup
Origin: First Drive: 2020 BMW X3 M, X4 M Competition
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