bmw Archives - The Redline

2019 X2 M35i – Fast BMW compact SUV on the way

September 7, 2018September 7, 2018 Peter Andersonbmw, BMW x2, x20 comment

BMW’s X2 has the looks but not the go. Or does it? Those crazy Bavarians have finally dropped the go-faster version of the lifestyle compact SUV, the X2 M35i, and it should be rather fleet of foot… At first glance, the X2 looked like a dumb idea, but it has grown on me. I didn’t see the point of having the X1 and the X2. I drove the latter and the penny dropped. The X2 is the lifestyle choice, the pretty one. Given its sporty looks, you’d reasonably expect a bit…

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2019 BMW Z4 – Finally

August 24, 2018August 24, 2018 Peter Andersonbmw, pebble beach 2018, z40 comment

BMW’s 2019 BMW Z4 is finally here in production form after a seemingly endless gestation. Co-developed with unlikely partner Toyota, the new Z4 replaces the gasping – or more accurately, dead – E89. Yeah. Remember when BMW was still in the Es? They’re now well into the Gs. The first cab(riolet) off the rank is the Z4 M40i First Edition. It’s an interesting start, an M Performance model. Then again, we’ve been waiting so damn long, it’s nice the wait is over. BMW chose to unveil the Z4 Concept last…

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The BMW 8 Series Returns

June 16, 2018June 16, 2018 Peter Anderson8 Series, bmw0 comment

The BMW 8 Series is making a triumphant return to our roads after a two decade holiday. We knew it was coming and like all modern launches, seemed to go on forever. The M8 race car made its debut before the road. That might seem odd, but this new car is a big deal for BMW. As you’ll see, both the launch models are M Performance cars, so there’s bound to be more on the way. BMW 8 Series The new car, first showed concept form at the Concours D’Eleganza Villa…

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2018 BMW X2 sDrive 20i Review

June 10, 2018June 18, 2018 Peter Andersonbmw, compact SUV, x20 comment

The BMW X2 is fine looking compact crossover (or SUV, if you will), taking on the likes of Audi’s Q2. BMW X2 sDrive 20i The BMW X2 is one of those cars that leaps out at you. It has the profile and stance of a paper plane laid carefully on a bench top but is actually a high-ish riding crossover. Built as part of BMW’s pincer movement on the compact SUV segment, it supplements the X1 in this wildly popular part of the market. The sDrive 20i is a front-wheel…

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The BMW M5 Competition is Go

May 9, 2018May 10, 2018 Peter Andersonbmw, M50 comment

The dust has barely settled on the new BMW M5’s launch, but Bavaria has already delivered the M5 Competition. Unlike previous years, this isn’t a pack – the M5 Competition is a model in its own right, just like the M2 Competition. The new beastie features more power, torque across a slightly wider rev band and a host of detail changes. Engine and Transmission The M5 Competition features the same 4.4-litre V8 but with 460kW (625PS). That’s 19kW (26PS) up on the standard car. The 750Nm torque figures stays the…

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BMW M2 Competition: Munich’s twin turbo tacker

April 18, 2018 Peter Andersonbmw, bmw m2, M20 comment

BMW’s M2 Competition is here and it’s probably more than we could hope for. BMW M2 Competition No sooner had BMW’s rip-snorting M2 hit the roads we wondered what it would be like if it was closer to the M4 spec. As the bigger M3/M4 reaches the end of its life, BMW faces a bit of a hole in the go-fast line-up. Whenever a new 3 launches, the variants take a while to trickle through, the Ms coming close to last. So, as the M4 and M3 CS takes the…

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Second Opinion: BMW M140i vs M2

March 25, 2018September 16, 2018 Peter Andersonbmw, hot hatch, m140i, M2, second opinion0 comment

Steve Wakeford is a member of The Redline team and this is the first of his column, Second Opinion. Now that the 1 Series M is no longer with us (a moment’s silence, please…thank you), BMW has decided that the recipe was worth repeating. And that’s a good thing. Actually, it’s a very good thing. Not a lot more than an M140i gets you entry into the wonderful world of proper ‘M’ BMWs – and when you consider what else you can get for that sort of money, the M2…

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Side-by-side: BMW M140i vs M2

March 24, 2018September 16, 2018 Peter Andersonbmw, bmw m140i, bmw m2, hot hatch0 comment

I’ve been wanting to a M140i vs M2 comparison even since Munich’s riotous two-door joined the range a couple of years ago. The M2 is an absolute rocket and its ever-so-slight change in chassis philosophy made it a barrel of laughs the M4 never quite was. Until the M4 CS, of course. We’re still rubbing our hands in anticipation of the M3 CS. M140i vs M2 The BMW M140i is a bit of an unsung hero in the range. Idiots sniff at it not being a “real M car”…

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BMW M4 CS Review

March 11, 2018April 11, 2018 Peter Andersonbmw, BMW m4, fast cars, m4, m4 cs, performance cars1 Comment

The BMW M4 CS is exactly what the M4 needs to be. I need to take you on a little journey here. Just a short one, don’t worry. Some years ago, BMW released the M4, which replaced the M3, which itself was replaced by the sedan-only M3. The M4 replaced the V8 M3 Coupe which was a cracker of a car. High revving, naturally-aspirated and if you chose, a bit of luxury. And it looked amazing in the right colour and with the right wheels. There wasn’t a lot wrong…

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The New BMW X4 Has Two M Versions: the X4 M40i and M40d

February 15, 2018February 15, 2018 Peter Andersonbmw, bmw m, m performance, x40 comment

The BMW X4 is about to metamorphose into its second generation and like its family-focussed X3 brother, there’s an X4 M40i and M40d on the way. BMW has released the “all-new” X4 which often means a new set of lights and extra equipment. Not this time, it really is substantially new. It’s lighter, has a lower centre of gravity and now has two performance variants. The new X4 shares much of its front end of the X3 but goes all swoopy out back, mirroring the relationship between the X5 and…