Autoblog

Now that the world has a good idea of what to expect from the next BMW 7 Series, our attention naturally turns to BMW's tweener car, the 5 Series. Spy photographers have managed to snap off a few shots of the upcoming sedan, and although it is still heavily camouflaged, some of us are already beginning to appreciate the end of the 'flame surfacing' that defined the propeller-brand's last generation of products. Instantly noticeable are the huge double-kidney grilles up front, which appear to mimic those introduced on the Concept CS sedan and featured on the new 7. Reports indicate that the 5 Series will add a fastback coupe similar in concept to the X6 to go along with the expected sedan and wagon.

The interior shots show the newly-revised iDrive system with its enlarged display. BMW still plans to cover its center-mounted navigation screen with a gigantic domed hood, and the joystick-style gear lever used in some of its current models also returns, but the iDrive controller appears to be relocated to a more natural spot forward on the console.

[Source: The Car Connection]

F, now there's a letter that says high performance, don't it? Lexus must have figured that all the good ones were taken, so why not just go with the first letter of FAST. No doubt, the GS-F will be a rocket. It better be, if it wants to try kicking sand in the face of the M5. The artist's rendering gives a credible estimation of what kind of styling *ahem* enhancements might accompany the increased athleticism in the GS's chassis, and the increased power under the hood. We guess that the GS-F will need to call some attention to itself to help build street cred, but if the actual car looks anything like the rendering, there'll be no stealth bombing for you.

[Source: Paultan.org]

It isn't just the outside of the 5-series that's been breathed upon for '08. Inside, new ground was broken by BMW and OEM Johnson Controls to create two color door panels using a single sheet of material. Typically, door panels that have multiple colors have multiple pieces. That adds weight and expense to the final assembly, not to mention all the eventual squeaks and rattles. The new 5 series door panels use a single backing panel, and a two color film is applied. It's not a trifle to get everything to line up – as the film is applied, it stretches. Tolerances where the two colors converge are tightly monitored and adjusted on the fly by trick new machinery developed by BMW and Johnson Controls in the automated process. We're sure it won't lead to cheaper 5 series Bimmers, but anything that can help keep weight and complexity down is welcome – especially for us poor saps who buy these things used and find out exactly what gets loose.

[Source: The Auto Channel]

Sometimes news is just too good to keep to yourself. Just ask GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz. With his company supposedly claiming 13 spots on Edmund's Consumers' Most Wanted list, Lutz just had to brag a bit on the corporate blog before the winners were made public.

And he should brag. Most other car of the year awards are chosen by us automotive writers who usually prefer horsepower over hip room. As the name implies, Edmund's CMW awards are chosen by the car-buying public. And despite not voting with their wallets, the car-buying public who visits Edmund's really like their GMs.

The GMC Acadia got Most Significant vehicle of the year, beating out Honda's Fit, the Toyota Camry Hybrid, the Ford Edge and the Toyota Tundra.

Click through to see Edmund's press release as well as the other category winners.

[Source: Edmunds, GM FastLane Blog]

We already know that BMW isn't interested in making any hybrid gas/electric vehicles unless they can find a way to make the system more efficient than their most efficient diesels (click here for more from AutoblogGreen). But, that does not mean that some of the technology pioneered in hybrid vehicles can't find a place in the BMW model range.

Take for instance regenerative braking. While your standard hybrid is capable of recapturing energy normally wasted in braking with their electric motor(s), the same technology can be used in a more mainstream application by aiding the alternator in energy production. The BMW 5-Series and 1-Series have already used this type of system with good effect, so it comes as no surprise that BMW would implement it in their best-selling 3 Series as well.

The system is capable of coupling and decoupling the alternator from the engine, which has the dual benefits of slowing down the vehicle when engaged and freeing up more engine power for the wheels when disconnected. It's nice to see that performance and fuel-economy can cohabitate under the same hood.

Related:

• Trickle-down tech: Non-hybrid BMW 5 Series to feature regenerative braking

[Source: Motor Authority]

Could this portend the impending doom of the SUV as family car? BMW will be adding sportvans to their lineup beginning with the F5 in 2009. The basis for the F5 will be provided by the X5. Following on the heels of the F5 will be a van based on the 3-series called, quite naturally, the F3. Underneath the five-door five-placers will likely be found several power options, as well as available all-wheel drive with rear-wheel drive standard. The rhetoric is that large diameter wheels will be avoided, as they mainly detract from ride quality, add unsprung weight, and don't help handling as much as you'd think. The picture seems to run contrary to that statement, as the wheels fill the openings, but perhaps the graphic artist just got a little crazy.

[Source: Motor Trend via Topspeed]

Pictures of future BMWs tend to get the attention of people like you and I. Maybe it's conditioning from all of those cover shots and glowing comments about BMWs over the years on Car and Driver and Motor Trend. It could be that we all know BMWs are just a hoot to drive, with laser-sharp steering and teriffic acceleration. They get a lot of looks too, which can be a good or bad thing.

The BMW in question is reported to be the 2010 5-Series. It looks darn good, with some Mercedes Benz CLS from the side and some 3 Series up front. It amazes us exactly how professional these renderings look. There is even the reflection of a tree in the passenger side window. It may be just a clever rendering, but we think it's worth looking at either way.

Thanks goes out to JP for the tip.

[Source: Auto Motor und Sport]

It would seem that BMW reads Autoblog. How else would you explain them, at least partially, answering our question about how a conventional automobile would utilize some of the hybrid demon-tweaks?

For the first time ever, BMW has equipped a non-hybrid car with a regenerative braking system. There's a new battery that uses fiberglass mats between the plates to keep the electrolytes put, and a corresponding "intelligent" alternator. The battery technology, known as Absorbtive Glass Mat construction is capable of being charged very quickly without boiling; and they stand up far better to the deep cycling that would be abusive to a traditional lead-acid battery. The ability to receive and deliver high amperages reliably makes the AGM batteries ideal for coupling with the rest of BMWs Efficient Dynamics program. The battery can be fully charged during braking, which reduces the load on the engine by making the alternator work less. The program's intent is to reduce weight and fuel consumption, ultimately keeping CO2 emissions down. BMWs efforts result in a vehicle that has the low-rolling-resistance tires, electrically operated AC and power steering and stop/start systems of a hybrid, without the electric motors.

[Source: Fifth Gear via Jalopnik]