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Thursday, November 28, 2019
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
BMW - Repair and Service Redwood City - 2020 2-Series Gran Coupe doesn't care what you think an entry-level BMW should be - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000
Let's get this out of the way first. When the 2020 2-Series
Gran Coupe arrives in the U.S. next spring, the four-door sedan will ride a
front-wheel-drive platform with a choice of transverse-mounted turbo-4s, be
equipped with an automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. Alongside the 2020
X1, the preference for entry-level "ultimate driving machines" will
be to spin up the front wheels first—pearl-clutching purists hand-wringing all
the way.
On Tuesday, BMW detailed the 2020 2-Series Gran Coupe ahead
of the car's auto show debut next month in Los Angeles. The 2-Series Gran Coupe
will be available in the U.S. in two versions: a 228i xDrive Gran Coupe and an
M235i xDrive Gran Coupe. (We'll pause here to gather a paper bag for those
who've never considered M badge on a BMW with a front-drive platform.)
Both 2-Series Gran Coupes will be powered by 2.0-liter
turbo-4s, albeit in different states of tune. The 2020 BMW 228i xDrive gets a
turbo-4 that makes 228 horsepower (Eds note: So literal. So neat.) and 258
pound-feet of twist. That's mated to an 8-speed automatic and all-wheel drive.
BMW estimates the powertrain combo will net 0-60-mph times of 6.0 seconds. The
hotter M235i xDrive gets the same engine but its strapped with larger turbos, a
modified crankshaft and fuel injectors, and a separate cooling system for the
transmission. The M235i makes 301 hp and 332 lb-ft and sprints up to 60 mph in
4.7 seconds, or 4.6 seconds when an optional M performance package adds an
unspecified amount of overboost. It also comes with an 8-speed automatic.
The all-wheel-drive system can transfer up to 50 percent of
the available torque rearward, and can use the brakes to tame understeer by
stabbing inside front wheels before a plow. The M235i gets a Torsen
limited-slip differential in front to lock the wheels, and launch control can
send all available torque to the front wheels in first and second gears for
breakneck starts.
The 2-Series Gran Coupe isn't related to the 2-Series on
sale in the U.S. now, which has a rear-drive platform. Its days appear to be
numbered. The 2020 2-Series borrows liberally from the Z4's playbook up front,
with a sharp nose and angular headlights that sit above a square-jawed front
fascia. The rear rises in the back—a la Volvo S60 and the rest of the luxury
compact bunch—although BMW's kept its signature rear roof pillar kink (aka
"Hofmeister kink")—just in case you're not sure. The stacked tail
makes us wonder what Chris Bangle is up to these days, with a subtle decklid
lip spoiler on M235i versions.
Inside, the 2-Series Gran Coupe seats up to five, although
back seat riders may want for more leg room. Compared to the holy E30—the
measuring stick for BMW entry sedans—the 2-Series Gran Coupe rides atop a
wheelbase longer by 4 inches at 105.1 inches from wheel to wheel, and is about
3.5 inches longer from bumper to bumper.
The 2-Series comes standard with an 8.8-inch infotainment
screen with a rotary dial controller (which can upgraded to a 10.25-inch
screen), navigation, and one year of Apple CarPlay compatibility (subscription
required after one year). It also gets automatic emergency braking, blind-spot
monitors, and 17-inch alloy wheels. The M235i includes 18-inch wheels, M sport
suspension and steering, the Torsen limited-slip differential, and exterior
accents.
BMW didn't say how much the 2020 2-Series will cost when it
goes on sale, but said pricing will be announced closer to launch.
by AAron Cole
http://www.boscheuropean.com
Monday, November 25, 2019
Range Rover - Repair and Service Redwood City - 2020 Land Rover Defender to join fleet of Aston Martins in new Bond movie - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000
It only made its debut in September at the Frankfurt
International Motor Show, but Land
Rover's new Defender was already out and about for filming of the
upcoming James Bond movie “No Time to Die” a year ago.
Land Rover on Wednesday gave us a look at the 4-door
Defender 110 models used as stunt vehicles for the movie. Hired to do the
driving was Jess Hawkins, a British racing driver and professional stunt driver
whose CV includes several movies as well as the “Fast
and Furious”-themed live action show
Land Rover reveals the tough conditions the
stunt vehicles faced, which thankfully the Defender was able to handle due to
its high ground clearance, off-road suspension, and massive 35 inches of wading
depth. If you like the darkened look of the vehicles, Land Rover said they
feature Santorini Black exteriors, darkened skid pans, and 20-inch wheels with
off-road tires.
Since Eon Productions, the film production company behind
the James Bond franchise, needed the vehicles a year ago, Land Rover supplied
the first Defenders built at the plant in Nitra, Slovakia, that the new
Defender calls home. Land Rover has a close relationship with Eon Productions
and as a result we'll see three other Land Rover models in the new movie. The
others are a Range Rover Sport SVR, Land Rover Series III and a Range Rover
Classic.
Another automaker with close ties to Eon Productions is
Aston Martin, a relationship that was first forged when a Silver Birch DB5
appeared in 1964's "Goldfinger." In "No Time to Die," four
Aston Martins will appear. They include the DB5, the original V8 Vantage, a
DBS Superleggera, and the upcoming Valhalla.
“No Time to Die” will star Daniel Craig in the lead role and
is set to hit theaters on April 8, 2020. The new Defender is also due to reach
dealers next year.
by Viknesh Vijayenthiran
http://www.boscheurpean.com
Friday, November 22, 2019
Porsche - Repair and Service Redwood City - Electric Porsche 718 sports car reportedly coming in 2023 with 400 horsepower - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000
Porsche is developing an electric 718 sports car for launch
around 2023, CAR reported
last week.
According to the British publication, the current 718 Boxster
and Cayman will soldier on until 2023, perhaps with an update, and then a
redesigned 718 will be introduced boasting hybrid and battery-electric options.
The latter is said to be coming with as much as 400 horsepower.
The report follows comments made by Porsche CEO Oliver Blume
in 2018 that an electric
718 was possible but the opposite was true for the 911.
He also said in March that any electric Porsche would have
to be based
on a dedicated EV platform, indicating that the electric 718 could be
the first
recipient of the SPE (Sports car Platform Electric) modular EV platform
mentioned at a Volkswagen Group investor presentation held in 2018.
This means the hybrid 718 will likely be based on an
upgraded version of the current 718's platform. Porsche is expected to follow a
similar strategy with
its electric Macan, by selling the zero-emission version alongside the
existing internal-combustion model.
The hybrid technology will likely be borrowed from the setup
being developed for hybrid versions of the new 992-generation 911. Essentially,
an electric motor-generator is integrated with the transmission. Both mild- and
plug-in hybrid setups could be on the table. In the case of the former, the
motor-generator would only aid the engine whereas in the latter the
motor-generator would be able to power the wheels alone for short distances
thanks to a bigger battery being fitted.
Note, Porsche rolled out an electric Boxster prototype as
early as 2011. Called
the Boxster E, the prototype was developed purely for research purposes and
came with a 29-kilowatt-hour battery and a single electric motor good for 240
hp.
The accelerated growth in demand for EVs in the premium
sector has caught many automakers by surprise, including Porsche. Only recently
the automaker was predicting that half its lineup could be electrified (hybrids
and EVs) by 2025, but now it's openly stating that half the lineup could be
made up of cars running solely on electricity by that date.
by Viknesh Vijayenthiran
http//:www.boscheuropean.com
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