Flat four to return?

It is almost guaranteed that Porsches will once again be powered 4 cylinder engines, many years after they were last used. The Porsche board are thought to have given approval or the new engine once they received assurances that only Porsche will be allowed to use the newly designed boxer engine.
The entry level Boxster and Cayman could be powered by a 4 cylinder boxer engine as soon as 2014 with the "Baby Boxster" also using the engine when it reaches the showrooms in 2015 - other parts may be shared with the other VW Group models but the 2.5 engine will remain solely for Porsche's use.
The flat four (boxer) motor is expected to be quite potent when fitted in the Boxster and Cayman, providing 350PS from a single turbo, it will provide greater power and torque than the current flat six 2.7 litre engine currently used in both models. Fuel consumption and emissions are also expected to be better than the current 2.7 engine. The "Baby Boxster" will most likely have a non-turbo version fitted, retaining the boxer sound and characteristics thus differentiating it from the Audi and Volkswagen offerings.
Here at German Cars Blog we're looking forward to a free revving 4 cylinder boxer powering a small entry level 2 seater similar to the 914 of old. An increase in power for the base model Boxster and Cayman can also only be a good thing! 
The IAA in Frankfurt this year (2013) is expected to be the official unveiling of the latest 4 cylinder in Porsche’s history, more pointers towards the “Baby Boxster” are also expected.

VW Futura

For the 1989 IAA in Frankfurt Volkswagen gave their IRVW 4 its debut, the concept car was more commonly known to the press and public as the Futura. Designed to show what motoring in the year 2000 would be like it was received with usual mixture of hype, excitement and cynicism.
Now that we're well and truly into the 21st century it's worth looking back to see how good Volkswagen's crystal ball really was.....
A car goes nowhere without an engine and the Futura had the earliest incarnation of a VW direct injection petrol engine, the1700cc engine wouldn't be out of place in any car today - although the meagre 82PS shows how much development has been undertaken in the passing 23 years.
Electronic brake distribution and electronic power steering were also key features of the Futura; once again these are common place in the 2013 motoring world. So far the crystal ball seems to be on top form!
In 1989 a magical Park Assist system set the tongues of the motoring world wagging, after all who would want such a system and it would never work in the real world would it? Most drivers might not need the system (some certainly do!) but it's available on a selection of models and - as yet - no stories of cars running amok have surfaced. The Park Assist system also provided the Futura the benefit of parking sensors too, a feature seen on virtually every model from every manufacturer these days. Yet more successful gazing into the future by the Futura designers...
Colour digital information displays are old hat in 2013 but they were considered items of wonder in 1989, easy to understand when you think Volkswagen's Golf was still only in its mark 2 form... With an integrated Sat Nav and mobile phone system the Futura would certainly not look out of place in a dealership or on the road in 2013.
Not everything on the Futura has made it into production, gull wing doors are still exotic, white dashboards are rare, sound compensating systems haven't become common place and seats that can be transformed into child seats are only just being put into mass production. The high tech CD music system of the Futura would look sadly out of place in a current car; technology has already left the CD floundering in its wake - something the designers of the Futura were unable to foresee.
Clearly not everything on the Futura is now available throughout the Volkswagen range but all the really remarkable features (in the eyes of 1989 motorists) are readily available in 2013.
It is easy to write concept cars off as styling and PR exercises but if you look back at them not all are as worthless as they may first seem.

Happy Christmas, fröhliche Weihnachten, joyeux Noël, buon Natale, feliz Natal, feliz Navidad, god jul, hyvää joulua, vrolijk Kerstfeest

25 Hours of Thunderhill - BimmerWorld's view

The choice to race at December’s annual 25 Hours of Thunderhill event in northern California isn’t made without great consideration and planning. Racing non-stop through the Saturday-Sunday endurance contest in frigid conditions is enough of a deterrent to keep most teams away, and with an average of 70 cars jockeying for position on the 3.0-mile road course, the risk of damage and destruction filters out all but the most committed entries.
That left teams like BimmerWorld to head cross-country from their base in Virginia to use the ’25 Hour’ as the most severe proving grounds they could find to test the limits of their ‘Production V8,’ a BMW M3-based showcase for the company’s line of aftermarket performance components. And with a number of high-dollar factory racecars present, this event gave BimmerWorld the opportunity to demonstrate how much speed and consistency can be extracted from an unlimited approach to the popular BMW model.
With the exception of one prolonged call to the pits, BimmerWorld’s Production V8 performed flawlessly, recording a fifth-place finish in its class and 12th overall with team owner James Clay, BimmerWorld GRAND-AM drivers Gregory Liefooghe, Dan Rogers, and Seth Thomas, and BimmerWorld Club Racing veteran Harold Petit in charge of piloting the bad-fast BMW.
“I have driven this event twice before and always said I would return with a car we built one day to give it a solid run for the win,” said Clay as he reflected on the outcome of the race.  “The 25 Hour is a brutal race and very challenging, and I was really proud to be there with our BimmerWorld team who made it all run like a routine race day.  The Production V8 car is a big machine and that is what we needed to vie for the overall win.  Even though we didn't wrap it up this year, I think the result was good for our first run at it and I think we will come loaded for bear next year.”
From his perspective as a 25 Hour rookie, Petit was awestruck by what he found with the event and BimmerWorld’s efforts.
“I’m glad I made the trip!” he said. “I want to thank the BimmerWorld team and all our sponsors, especially Red Line Oil. I was a truly impressed by the level of preparation needed, and the dedication of the team members to get through the race was also inspiring. The pits were absolutely full with people and excitement starting Thursday and Friday on the test days all the way thru noon on Sunday when the race finished. I am so excited about coming back next year, and truly hope to make this an annual event for me.”
The amount of preparation required to race for a single weekend at the 25 Hour rivals what’s involved in getting a multi-car team ready for an entire season of GRAND-AM’s Continental Tire Series, and as Clay explains, key technical partners and sponsors play an instrumental role in getting BimmerWorld to the track and staying in the hunt for 25 hours.
“We couldn't have run this race with a program at this level without help from our sponsors,” Clay said.  “Red Line Oil has been tremendous through this whole Production V8 build process.  We worked together to come up with the idea of the car, and I think it is the type of extreme machine that showcases the Red Line product in a very demanding environment.  Hoosier Tire put us on slicks that held up to over two hour stints with excellent grip all the way through.  They even managed to get us some extra sets delivered at the track in less than 24 hours when it looked like we might run short.
“We have been working with Optima Batteries testing a new Lithium product that is super light-weight and impressive and they hand-delivered a special charger we needed.  Motion Control Suspension delivered a last-minute set of 3-Way dampers for spares, which sat happily unused in the trailer. It just seemed like all the companies we are so fortunate to work with really dug in to help and make this event possible.”
Red Line Synthetic Oil VP and COO Cameron Evans was also impressed with what BimmerWorld’s Production V8 achieved last weekend in Thunderhill, and saw the direct influence his company’s products played in making it to the finish line.
"The industry really turns out for Thunderhill and we were very happy with the car's reception,” he said. “Everyone loves that car! From the sounds to the attitude through the corners, the reaction from experts in the automotive business was great to hear. It's a massive undertaking to finish races at this level and the team's success proved what we already knew: Red Line has the right BMW products and BimmerWorld is the right team to show it."
Clay’s team of BMW experts will spend more time analyzing the custom M3 V8 components that came off the car last weekend, with the findings destined to be incorporated into the next wave of BimmerWorld offerings.
“This car has been an ongoing project since 2008, but it has really begun to be a lot of fun this year as the Production V8 project started to take form,” explains Clay. “We have been able to take years of development on this chassis, get rid of all the race rule restrictions, and build the pieces and products we want to run and sell to customers.  The build is a progression, and we actually built a lot of street performance parts along the way as well.  We will be releasing more information on this car and build in the coming months, and the products derived from it will be popping up on our website at a fairly rapid pace.”
The biggest question left for Clay after the 25 Hour is what he has planned for the Production V8’s next outing.
“The whole goal of the Production V8 car is to highlight our products and those of our partners like Red Line Oil in unique and demanding settings,” he stated.  “We are just closing the books on 2012 and while I think we all have some interesting ideas of what is next, we will probably put a little more work into it before it is finalized.  The short answer is that the car will continue to develop, we are still expecting big gains, and the results will be showcased in some interesting and impressive ways.  Tune in - it will be a fun trip!”
Follow the Production V8’s development and progress at www.bimmerworld.com/projects.php

Speed hinders Paul Miller Racing at Long Beach

Co-drivers Bryce Miller and Sascha Maassen unofficially retained their top-five position in the 2012 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón GT point standings after two races, and the No. 48 Dunlop/Chopard/TOTAL Porsche 911 GT3 RSR was right on pace throughout the Patrón American Le Mans Series at Long Beach, giving the Paul Miller Racing team reason for optimism after two of 10 races.

Miller and Maassen co-drove the No. 48 Porsche to an eighth-place result in the GT class and all involved believed a fifth-place run might have been within reach. The die was cast for the team on its lone pit stop of the two-hour timed event when Miller turned the car over to Maassen near the halfway point of the race. Somewhere in the process, ALMS officials determined that the No. 48 was guilty of speeding on pit lane, which brought Maassen back on to pit road for a costly drive-through penalty.

Maassen rejoined the race in seventh position after the penalty. His lap times over the second half of the race were similar to many other top GT contenders but the loss of track position and the lack of any full-course cautions over the second half made any positions gains impossible. Then, with five minutes remaining, Maassen lost seventh spot to the Flying Lizard Porsche of Jorg Bergmeister. Nevertheless, Miller and Maassen unofficially maintained fifth place in the point standings.

"The positive thing is that we found some speed in our car," Maassen said. "I think we were pretty good also compared to our Porsche colleagues and this is something we are also looking at, because we have to measure ourselves first compared to the Porsches and that was good. This time we had some bad race luck. We got a pit speed violation. I don't know how or when it happened. Also, I made a mistake at the end of the race. I missed a brake marker and that's when the 45 car came by us. It happens. Still, we did a good race. I think we can be happy and we see progress."

The starting grid for the race was established based on championship points due to a rainout of qualifying on Friday so Miller started the unseasonably chilly race from fifth place. He ran his entire stint in positions five through seven, and was sixth when he pitted to give way to Maassen.

"I'm really pleased with the team," said Bryce Miller. "They gave us a good car today that was consistent and held a really good pace. It was quite competitive. We're the only team in the field that has a new car and a new tire combination, so this is a challenge for us, and for the team to come out swinging and throw a setup on it like this with the conditions we've had the last couple days, I'm really pleased about it. Dunlop also gave us some good dry pressures on a tire combination that we hadn't run in the dry here as well on this car, so hats off to the crew and Dunlop for that."

"Otherwise, we had a couple mistakes today that cost us. I think we definitely would have had a sixth place today if not a fifth place. I think a fifth place was possible. We had a pit speed violation and we're not really sure how this happened yet, but we'll go to work and figure out how it happened, why it happened and fix it. I'm just really happy we were able to score points here this year, because last year it didn't end well for us, so it's nice to collect these points and carry it with us into the remainder of the season."

Team owner Paul Miller echoed his son's post-race sentiments saying "We were really encouraged by our pace today. Even though it was a frustrating result, we're very much in the game and able to run with the pack. We actually surprised ourselves with our pace relative to several other cars that we look to for an indication of our performance. From a pace point of view, we're very pleased. We just had one little mistake and it cost us dearly. We really think this was a fifth-place car today, which would have been very rewarding under the circumstances. The guys really did a great job with the car."

Next up for the No. 48 Dunlop/Chopard/TOTAL Porsche team is the American Le Mans Series Monterey presented by Patrón at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on May 12. That race will see the debut of a new, Porsche-specific Dunlop tire, which the team eagerly awaits.

"I'm really quite optimistic," Bryce said. "I think the team has really continued to deliver a reliable car to us that can finish races over a period of time now stretching back to last season. The reliability is really good here and that's important in an overall average when it comes to collecting points throughout a championship, so I'm really pleased with that. There's improvement ahead for us, because we're only going to learn the car more and figure out how to make it faster. Also, the tire is only going to get better as we continue to develop it.

"Laguna is an exciting event that I think we're all looking forward to because it'll be the first event that we see a purpose-built Porsche RSR Dunlop tire on our car. It's going to be progress for us going forward. To have these two results under the conditions that we're working with is really strong for our team. Hopefully it gets better and we can start to change our approach and get more aggressive and compete more towards the sharp end of the pack."

Porsche Cayenne GTS

The new Porsche Cayenne GTS builds on the Cayenne model’s reputation as the most sporting SUV, offering a more powerful engine, increased dynamic power development and a tauter chassis with lower ride height. While the Cayenne GTS sits between the Cayenne S and the Cayenne Turbo in the range, its own special character enables it to be differentiated clearly from its siblings.
Beneath the bonnet of the Cayenne GTS lies an uprated 4.8-litre V8 engine, with 420 hp (309 kW), based on the Cayenne S power unit. Power transmission is via the eight-speed Tiptronic S with integrated auto start/stop function. The engine and gearbox have each been tuned to deliver particularly sporting levels of responsiveness, with the consequence that the Cayenne GTS sprints from a standing start to 62mph in 5.7 seconds, reaching 100 mph in 13.3 seconds. The top speed is 162mph and the Combined fuel consumption on the NEDC is 26.4mpg.
The chassis settings have been modified to further raise the dynamic ability of the Cayenne. The suspension is more tautly tuned and equipped with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) as standard, while the body is lowered by 24mm relative to the Cayenne S. As a result, the GTS is even closer to the road and handles with trademark composure and agility.
The appearance of the Cayenne GTS clearly proclaims its pronounced sportiness with eye-catching features including the front-end styling inspired by the Cayenne Turbo. Further design details include window surrounds and trims in a high-gloss black finish, prominent side skirts and wider wheel arches plus a distinctive roof spoiler with twin-wing profile.
From behind the wheel, the GTS offers a sporting interior ambience courtesy of a bespoke interior finished in leather and Alcantara, and front sports seats with eight-way adjustment. Further standard features include a SportDesign steering wheel with paddle-shift, sports exhaust system and Bi-Xenon headlights.
Making its debut at the Beijing Motor Show on April 23, the Cayenne GTS goes on sale in the UK in July 2012, priced from £67,147.
Fitted to every Cayenne GTS is a Porsche Vehicle Tracking System (VTS), a sophisticated vehicle security package approved to Thatcham Category 5 standard, and customers will also be able to explore the potential of their new car by participating in a complimentary course at the Porsche Experience Centre, Silverstone.

Volkswagen up! is 2012 World Car of the Year

Volkswagen is proud to announce that the up! has been honoured as the 2012 World Car of the Year.  With 66 of the top automotive journalists from around the globe judging, the up! surpassed a total of 33 other nominees.  Announced this morning at the New York International Auto Show in New York City's Jacob Javits Center, the annual World Car of the Year awards recognise the year's most outstanding vehicles based on merit, value, safety, environmental impact, significance, and emotional appeal.
This award shows once again that in the up! our designers and engineers have created a vehicle that has been thought through in minute detail. A vehicle that sets standards in its class for efficient use of space, safety, motoring fun and environmental compatibility,’ said Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG.
The new Volkswagen city car has won numerous accolades since its launch in late 2011, winning special praise for its combination of small footprint, big interior space and innovative City Emergency Braking system.
Now in its ninth year, the World Car of the Year award has become one of the most credible and significant programmes of its kind.  The World Car jurors hail from 25 countries, and are appointed by the World Car Steering Committee on the basis of their expertise, experience, credibility, and influence.  Each juror drives and evaluates new vehicles on a regular basis as part of their ongoing, full-time professional work, and, collectively with all the jurors, reaches millions of consumers and automotive enthusiasts across the globe.
For more on the ninth annual World Car of the Year awards, please visit www.WCoTY.com.
For more information on the Volkswagen range visit www.volkswagen.co.uk.

Ogier takes fourth class victory for Volkswagen in Portugal

With another strong performance Sébastien Ogier and his co-driver Julien Ingrassia took victory for Volkswagen in the S2000 class at Rally Portugal. In the overall classification, the French duo that had won the WRC class in Portugal in the past two years again managed the leap into the top ten – in eighth place – and scored four championship points. Turbulent weather changes caused extreme track conditions on the 368.43 kilometres of special stages. After the rally, the Volkswagen team is staying in Portugal for tests with the Polo R WRC. 

Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen: “In view of the chaotic weather conditions and the large field with 19 WRC cars eighth place is an optimum result. Sébastien and Julien did a perfect job. It was also good to see how calm and professional the team was in performing its work in such difficult conditions.”

After the ceremonial start on Thursday, Ogier had lost time on the first night stages due to clutch problems. In torrential rain on Friday, Ogier and his co-driver Ingrassia were struck by misfortune in a major way. On the fifth special stage a competitor, who had started just before them, stopped in the middle of the track and blocked the way. As a result, the Volkswagen factory driver lost 1m 19s through no fault of his own. Ogier: “We lost a lot of time behind Craig Breen, who stopped at the end of a water passage. There were spectators on track to help him and as we didn’t want to jeopardise anyone we patiently waited. Unfortunately, we weren’t credited for this time.”
 In chaotic weather conditions with fog, deep mud and flooding, special stages 8 to 10 were even cancelled. “Considering the extreme conditions I’m happy to have safely reached the finish. Without the time loss we would have even clinched sixth place in the end, which would have marked the best result of an S2000 car in WRC history. So, now it’ll remain a goal for the current season,” said Sébastien Ogier. Overall winner of Rally Portugal was the Finn Mikko Hirvonen.
The second Skoda S2000 with Volkswagen junior driver Kevin Abbring and co-driver Fréderic Miclotte was unfortunately prevented from competing in the rally on the Atlantic coast. After an accident in qualifying on Wednesday, the roll cage was so heavily damaged that the FIA prohibited the start for safety reasons according to the regulations. At Rally Argentina from 27 to 29 April, Volkswagen junior Andreas Mikkelsen will run together with co-driver Ola Fløene.

Carlos Sainz and Sébastien Ogier test Polo R WRC on gravel in Portugal 

On Monday and Tuesday, former World Rally Champion and Volkswagen adviser Carlos Sainz and Sébastien Ogier will subject the Polo R WRC to a performance test in order to gather valuable measurement results on the way towards the WRC entry in 2013.

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Chinese Grand Prix preview

Shanghai International Circuit facts & stats

The scale of the Shanghai International Circuit is breathtaking. Built on marshland in 2003, the track sits on more than 40,000 stabilising concrete pillars and its infrastructure is bigger and bolder than at any other circuit on the Formula 1 calendar.

The track is a good technical challenge for the teams and drivers with some high-speed changes of direction and a 1km back straight offering a challenge to find the least compromised set-up. One of the most demanding corners on the lap is Turn One, a tightening right-hander entered at speeds in excess of 300km/h with an apex speed or 70km/h. It places the left-front tyre under prolonged stress, which has an impact on wear rates and race strategy.

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes has a strong record in the Chinese Grand Prix. The team has won the race three times and finished on the podium on seven further occasions.

Race distance               56 Laps (189.568 miles/305.066km)

Start time                     15:00 (local)/07:00 (GMT)

Circuit length               3.387 miles/5.451km

2011 winner                 Lewis Hamilton (Vodafone McLaren Mercedes) 56 laps in 1hr 36m58.226s (188.758km/h)

2011 pole                     Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing) 1m33.706s (209.416km/h)

Lap record                   Michael Schumacher (Ferrari 2004) 1m32.238s (212.749km/h)

McLaren at the Chinese Grand Prix

Wins                3 (2008, 2010, 2011)

Poles               2 (2007, 2008)

Fastest laps      3 (2005, 2008, 2010)

Car 3: Jenson Button

Age      32 (January 19 1980)

GPs      210

Wins    13

Poles   7

FLs      7

You called the Malaysian Grand Prix a “bad day in the office” – does that change your preparations for this weekend’s race in Shanghai?

“Not really, it makes you a little keener to get back in the cockpit as you’re always a bit more determined to be looking ahead rather than looking back. But, like I say, it doesn’t really make any difference. In fact, the three-week break has been extremely relaxing – I was able to get away, relax and keep training. It’s still the start of a very long season, so it’s good to keep fit and refreshed. I’ve usually gone well in Shanghai, it’s a circuit I really enjoy and I’m looking forward to the race weekend.”

You memorably won here in 2010 – what is it about the circuit that makes it special?

“Well, the facilities are amazing, but it’s a very good, modern circuit – the first two sectors are pretty technical, there are some interesting combinations of corners and you need a good, responsive car to go well. Then the track opens up, the straight is one of the longest in Formula 1 – it just keeps going – then you’re into the hairpin and the final turn, both of which offer good opportunities for overtaking. There’s no one particular corner that stands out, but that’s good, because it means they’ve done a good job with the whole track.

“And if it rains, then it’s going to be another extremely unpredictable race as we’re all still learning about the cars and tyres in damp conditions. Whatever happens, it should be interesting.”

What will be the key to a good race performance in 2012?

“There will be the usual set-up compromises: setting the car up to offer good downforce through some of the faster corners, but without sacrificing too much speed along the straights. We saw different teams address that balance in different ways over the first two races, so it will be interesting to see if things start to converge this weekend after a few weeks back in Europe.

“Tyre wear will also be very important – last year we saw a real disparity between the compounds – so getting the preparation right will be crucial.”

Car 4: Lewis Hamilton

Age      27 (January 7 1985)

GPs      92

Wins    17

Poles   21

FLs      11

You opened your winning account in China last year, are you hoping for the same this season?

“I’m looking at the championship as a whole – although, of course, I’d love to win every race, it’s more important to be in a good points-scoring position at every race. I think the first two races have shown that, as a team, we’re definitely in positions to win.

“I think Malaysia was a good example of how to pick up points when you’re looking at the championship – and that was something I really took away as a positive from that race. But yeah, I’ll be heading to China looking to win – but it’s just as important to pick up some good points if, for whatever reason, a win isn’t on the cards.”

What do you like about the Shanghai International Circuit?

“I have some vivid memories of racing in China – some good, some not so good! I’ve won there twice – both were victories I’m really proud of: in 2008, it was a very important race, and I really needed a good result for the championship – we had a pretty much perfect weekend with pole position, fastest lap and the race win. Then in 2011, coming off the back of a difficult weekend in Malaysia, I had a great race, kept pushing every lap and managed to take the lead right at the end. It was a very important win because it showed that we could be a force in the championship that year.”

Your two third positions have consolidated your position in the championship – is that the key to a good season? 

“I won’t deny that I’m disappointed to have had two pole positions and not to have been able to convert either of them into victories, but I prefer to think of it that luck just hasn’t been on my side, and that it will swing my way sooner or later.

“I also think last year taught me the value of consistency: it’s no use chasing a great result if you can't back it up with another strong finish the following week. So maybe I’m just playing myself in gently: after all, in 2007, I didn’t win a race until the sixth round, and I was in the hunt for the title all through the year. I still don’t think the pecking order has settled down yet, so it’s important to get some good results in the bag while we can. It will be very interesting to see how the order has shaken itself out over the last three weeks – it’s going to be an interesting weekend.”

Martin Whitmarsh

Team principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes

“The Chinese Grand Prix is a race in which we’ve traditionally gone very well – we’ve won three of the past four races here, all of which have come through faultless performances from Jenson and Lewis – and we head to Shanghai this year keen to add to that tally.

“While there are mixed feelings to have only been able to convert two all-front-row starting positions into one race win, everybody here at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes feels extremely encouraged by our pace in the first two grands prix of the season.

“Make no mistake, however: we’re acutely aware that our rivals won’t have stood still during the past three weeks. We’ve certainly been extremely busy, too, and we don’t take anything for granted: if the overall competitive order was a little hard to read in the first two races, I have no doubt that it will start to become clearer next weekend, and I strongly believe that, once again, it will be closely fought at the front.”

BMW at Auto China 2012

World premiere – the new BMW 3 Series sedan in the long wheelbase version.
Developed at BMW head office in Germany, it will be rolling off the production line in the new Shenyang production plant and celebrating its world premiere at Auto China 2012 in Beijing – the new BMW 3 Series sedan in the long wheelbase version. With its wheelbase extended by 11 cm, a conspicuously elegant design, and the best rear seat travel comfort among the competition, this new model fulfils precisely the expectations of Chinese automobile customers. They can choose from the BMW 335Li, the BMW 328Li, or the BMW 320Li, each fitted with a powerful and efficient engine featuring BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology. Also presented at Auto China will be the new BMW 3 Series sedan with the normal wheelbase and the full hybrid model BMW ActiveHybrid 3.
Asian premiere – the BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe.
Fascinating aesthetics and thrilling driving pleasure are the hallmarks of the BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe, which at Auto China 2012 will be announcing the advance of German premium automobile manufacturers on a new vehicle segment. The brand’s first four-door coupe combines the sporty, elegant styling of the BMW 6 Series with a luxurious interior ambience and a high level of seating comfort in the rear. The offer in China will include the BMW 640i Gran Coupe with its inline six-cylinder engine and the BMW 650i Gran Coupe whose new V8 drive can also be combined with the intelligent all-wheel-drive system BMW xDrive. The BMW Individual programme available for the launch will boost the exclusive appeal of the BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe
Asian premiere – the new BMW M6 Coupe.
The new BMW M6 Coupe embodies high performance in its purest form. The high-revving V8 engine with M TwinPower Turbo Technology and 412 kW / 560 bhp, the seven-speed M dual transmission Drivelogic, the Active M Differential, the M specific suspension technology, extensive body reinforcements, and the optionally available M Carbon ceramic brake represent an advance into a whole new dimension of driving dynamics. The sporty, elegant lines of the two-door model are supplemented with hallmark M design features. One highlight is the strikingly contoured roof of carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic.
Asian premiere – the new BMW X3 xDrive28i.
Yet another variant of the BMW X3 now features BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology for intensified driving pleasure and reduced fuel consumption. The new BMW X3 Drive28i is powered by a 180 kW / 245 bhp four-cylinder engine that not only develops optimised pulling power, but also enhances greatly the efficiency of this Sports Activity Vehicle by interacting with the eight-speed automatic transmission, the automatic engine start-stop function, brake energy regeneration, and ECO PRO mode activated at the drive experience switch.
Asian premiere – the new BMW X6.
The BMW X6 is the world’s first and only Sports Activity Coupe and now presents specific design modifications and innovative equipment features serving to underscore its exclusive status. Among other things, the new BMW X6 has a particularly strikingly designed radiator grille, higher fog lights, and rear lights featuring LED technology. The new BMW X6 is the only vehicle in its segment to be optionally available with adaptive LED headlights.
Asian premiere – new BMW ConnectedDrive services.
The BMW ConnectedDrive range on the Chinese automobile market will be supplemented with new functions for optimising infotainment access, comfort, and safety. These optional apps allow, for instance, access to webradio stations and social networks in the vehicle. Moreover, BMW models can now be fitted with the BMW Head-Up Display and the Surround View system.
Attraction: the BMW i3 Concept.
With individually tailored vehicle concepts, sustainability throughout the entire supply chain, and supplementary mobility services, BMW i has created a whole new understanding of individual mobility. The central focus is on groundbreaking models which set new milestones along the road to CO₂-free motoring by means of innovative drivetrain technology and consistent lightweight construction. At Auto China 2012, visitors will be presented with the BMW i3 Concept, whose powerful electric drive and innovative passenger cell of carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic provide the ideal conditions for zero-emissions driving in local urban traffic. This BMW i study provides a look ahead to the very first electrically powered premium vehicle, due to go on the market as early as 2013 as the BMW i3.

FERDINAND ALEXANDER PORSCHE 1935 – 2012

Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, is mourning Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche. The Honorary President of the Supervisory Board died on 5 April 2012 in Salzburg, aged 76. Matthias Müller, President and Chief Executive Officer of Porsche AG, paid tribute to Ferdinand Alexander Porsche’s services to the sports car manufacturer: “We mourn the death of our partner, Ferdinand Alexander Porsche. As the creator of the Porsche 911, he established a design culture in our company that has shaped our sports cars to this very day. His philosophy of good design is a legacy to us that we will honour for all time.”
Ferdinand Alexander Porsche was born on 11 December 1935 in Stuttgart and was the eldest son of Dorothea and Ferry Porsche. Even his childhood was dominated by automobiles, he spent much time in the construction areas and development workshops of his grandfather Ferdinand Porsche. In 1943 the family moved, along with the Porsche brand, to Austria, where he attended the school in Zell am See. After returning to Stuttgart in 1950, he attended the Free Waldorf School. After leaving school, he enrolled at the prestigious College of Design in Ulm.
In 1958, F.A. Porsche, as he was called by his colleagues, started in the design office of the former Dr. Ing hc F. Porsche KG. His great artistic talent was soon demonstrated, as he modelled the first plasticine model of a successor to the 356 series. In 1962 he became head of the Porsche Design Studio and a year later made a worldwide sensation with the Porsche 901 (or 911). F.A. Porsche created a sports car icon, as the timeless and classic design continues to live on the seventh generation 911 model today. F.A. Porsche also designed other iconic models -  among his most famous designs include the Formula 1 race car type 804 and the Porsche 904 Carrera GTS, which today is considered one of the most beautiful racing cars ever.
When Porsche KG was made into a limited company in 1971/72, Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, along with all other family members retired from the business operations of the company. In 1972 he founded the "Porsche Design Studio" in Stuttgart, the headquarters relocated in 1974 to Zell am See in Austria. In the following decades, he designed a number of classic men's accessories such as watches, eyewear and writing instruments under the brand name "Porsche Design" gaining worldwide notoriety. In parallel, he designed with his team under the brand "Design by FA Porsche" a variety of industrial products, household appliances and consumer goods for internationally known clients. F.A. Porsche enjoyed a reputation as a designer, to be a functionalist. A strong and clear line is typical of all product designs that have emerged from his design studio. "Design must be functional, and functionality must be translated into visual aesthetics, without gimmicks that have to be explained," was the credo for his design work. F.A. Porsche: "A formally coherent product needs no embellishment, it should be increased by a mere formality." The form should be presented to understand and not distract from the product and its function. "Good design should be honest," was his conviction.
Ferdinand Alexander Porsche received numerous honours and awards both for his work as a car designer as well as for individual designs.  The "Comité International de Promotion et de Prestige" was honoured  to him in 1968 for outstanding aesthetic design of the Porsche 911, while he was chosen as the Industrie Forum Design Hannover (iF) 1992 "award winners". He earned the title of professor from the Austrian Federal President in 1999.
Ferdinand Alexander Porsche was a Porsche AG shareholder and board member. From 1990 to 1993, F.A. Porsche held the role of supervisory board chairman and thus had large share of the economic turnaround of Porsche AG. In 2005 he handed over his mandate to his son Ferdinand Oliver and took the position of honorary chairman of the supervisory board.
An official memorial service will be held in Stuttgart at a later date.

Race Epic / Murillo Racing Team survives the Barber 200

The RACE EPIC/Murillo Racing team escaped the second round of Grand-Am’s Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge (CTSCC) Barber 200 at Barber Motorsports Park with a top-20 finish and a damaged car after running among the lead group. Jeff Mosing qualified the #56 Coolgas / Frank’s International BMW 328i in the 17^th position and used an early pit strategy to gain track position for his teammate, Jesse Combs. While the result wasn’t as strong as the team’s 3rd place finish here last year, the duo took away from the weekend some positive highlights.

"We finished in the top-10 for each session all week,” said Mosing. “Ken Murillo and our entire crew did a great job in preparing the car.  I believe our qualifying position would have been much better as a black flag was thrown for debris on the track. I was forced to slow down to avoid it and it certainly cost us a top-10 starting position. My stint in the car was a bit surreal as we were under caution laps almost the whole time. ”

The RaceEpic BMW made an early pit-stop hoping to be able to capitalize on caution laps later in the race and returned to the track in the 20^th position. Now with Combs in the car to finish, he began to work his way through traffic in a five-car dice, making his way up to 12^th before getting hit in the left-rear in turn 11. The incident left the rear wheel “toed out” and put the team in survival mode running many seconds off the pace.

“I had my hands full for the last 45-minutes of the race,” said Combs.  “I just continued to pray for double yellows and rain knowing that nothing could make the car any harder to driver after the damage.”

The team is already preparing for the next round of the series, the KIA 200, on April 28 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. They hope to improve on their 23^rd place result in 2011.

For more information about Race Epic/Murillo Racing, visit www.raceepic.com. For information regarding Grand Am’s Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, including schedules, visit www.Grand-Am.com.