Chapman BMW on Camelback Blog

Oh My i!  BMW’s Latest 15 minutes of Fame Debuting the new i8 Concept Car, and the New 6 Series…………..

We cant deny the movies that are coming up for release look pretty entertaining, and in my opinion Tom Cruise, fast action, great locations, and two of our very own favorites, being BMW’s of course, Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol is going to be a must see for many.  We are even featured in the movie’s trailer, not just the i3 but also the 6 Series so we are feeling quit honored.  You can watch the trailer at: http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi696687641/

The first cast member of our brand is the The BMW i8 – a sporty, hybrid all-rounder.  This screen stealer uses the same electric motor as the i3 (which I will talk about further down the blog), this time mounted over the front axle, in conjunction with a three-cylinder, 220 horsepower gas engine over the rear axle. Combined, you’re looking at a 354 horsepower all-wheel-drive with 550 Nm of torque.  The i8 constantly proportions the power between the front and rear drive systems according to how the car is being driven. With a much smaller battery system than the i3, the i8 can only manage around 35 km (20 miles) in fully electric drive mode – but then, that would cover an emission-free commute for the majority of people. The real value of the hybrid system comes with longer range driving, where on the EU cycle, the i8 manages a whopping 104 miles per gallon, and no that is not a typo – I wrote 104MPG. Driven hard, as some of us like to do…. the fuel consumption will double, but don’t forget that the Toyota Prius is advertised as a 50 mpg hybrid and is nowhere near as much fun.  Prius Schmius we say!  And for the end of my technical details, the i8′s top speed is electronically governed, but this time at a very sporty 155 mph, and will reach 62 mph in a short 5 seconds or less, decent sportscar territory right here, and the car’s entire underbelly is totally enclosed to boost aerodynamic efficiency and reduce fuel consumption.  Woot Woot look at our BMW Designers getting all futuristic.

And just a little blurb about the BMW i3 as promised:  The i3 is a fully-electric city car with an everyday driving range of around 100 miles per charge, making widespread use of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) to keep weight down and tagged the all-electric city slicker acceleration is in the range of 8 seconds to 62 mph, and should be fairly zippy off the line, as it develops 100 percent of its torque from a standstill. Top speed should be around 93 mph.  The i3′s large battery pack sits under the floor of the vehicle in a slab that’s protected from crash damage by a number of buffer zones in the structure. As batteries are typically the most expensive part of an electric vehicle, you’d certainly want to protect them.  170 hp electric motor, single-gear drive system and differential are located over the driven rear axle, and there’s room there for an optional range extender – a high efficiency gas engine that putts away and generates electricity to charge the batteries. With the range extender on board, you can roughly double the i3′s range, and fill up at any gas station.

And now for the 2012 BMW 650i Convertible, Co-Star, and personal favorite, I can tell you this: With a sweeping hood, aft-set passenger compartment, long wheelbase and muscular profile embody the hallmark proportions of a BMW Convertible. The new BMW 650i Convertible combines these features with a classic soft-top roof with flying buttress design. Powerfully contoured surfaces of its lines promise the anticipated BMW driving experience. The luxurious ambience of the interior is highlighted by a driver-oriented cockpit which wraps the front and rear passengers in a feeling of aesthetic security. Nowhere is the high-class functionality of the interior underlined more prominently than in the redesigned freestanding 10.2″ Central Display of the standard iDrive control system.

With a V-8 engine with High Precision direct injection and turbocharging.  The 4.4-liter V-8 engine develops a maximum 400 hp between 5,500 and 6,400 rpm, and makes peak torque of 450 lb-ft between 1,750 and 4,500 rpm (preliminary). This unique “reverse-flow” engine, whose turbochargers are positioned in the V-area between the cylinder banks, produces an instantaneous and sustained wave of power, making it an energetic delight for the enthusiast driver.  Instantaneous power and torque are the stand-out features of the V-8 engine available of the new BMW 650i Convertible. The engine combines sporting character with outstanding smoothness, linear power delivery, and exceptional efficiency. The engine can be paired with either BMW’s new 8-speed Sport Automatic gearbox or BMW’s traditional 6-speed manual transmission, quite popular with our loyal enthusiasts.

The new BMW 650i Convertible hops from 0 to 60 mph in 4.9, and a top speed is of 155 mph. This engine also boasts extraordinary efficiency for a model in its output class.

I could go on about 8-speed Sport Automatic Transmission, Chassis Management and optional Integral Active Steering.  The Active Roll Stabilization optional feature, Driving Dynamics Control and two-part rear light clusters.  Heated, vertical glass rear window, Freestanding Central Display with flatscreen design. The World debut of new-generation Head-Up Display. Rear-View, Top View, and Side View Cameras.  And on and on and on but I wont and there are a lot of sites out there with intricate details on all of the above and more.

While we have inventory on the all new 650i that you can view at www.azbmw.com or come in to the dealership at 830 E Camelback Road for a personal test drive, we will all have to wait with baited breath for the i3 & i8 cars to become available in the scheduled 2014 timeframe!