1 Series USA
BMW officials confirmed to WINDING ROAD at a corporate event this week that the BMW 1-series will come to our market, and sooner than we originally thought. While official company statements have said the 1-series will be here "within two years," a source within the company said that's an overstatement. On the contrary, the 1-series will be announced for our market before the end of 2007. It seems at the moment that the announcement will come this year and sales should start early in 2008.
Perhaps even bigger than this news is the fact that the 1-series will debut in our market with the company's fabulous new twin-turbo, 3.0-liter inline-6. This is the engine found in the new BMW 335i coupe and convertible, featuring piezo direct injection and not a whiff of turbo lag. Also coming to our market will be the company's newest naturally-aspirated 3.0-liter inline-6.
1-series cars in our market will be two-door versions only. It's important that we stress the word "versions" when describing the 1-series in our market, as our source confirmed there are up to 15 different concepts in Munich under discussion. For the U.S. market, the company would like to get a quick read on the viability of the car's acceptance and then deploy one or two more models based on the same idea. In other words, the 135i and 130i could launch in two-door hatchback forms and soon thereafter we're likely to see a two-door convertible and two-door sedan with a proper trunk.
This is the point where you're likely to say: "Okay, a small two-door BMW sedan with powerful engines. Do I smell a 2002 revival?"
Yes, you do.
But you'll smell it in form, only, not in engine size. A four-cylinder BMW is not scheduled for our market until, according to our source, BMW "does a proper turbocharged four-cylinder engine." Until that time, we're likely to see 1-series models in our market with sixes only. Pricing for the car will have to fall smack dab between the 3-series and MINI. The pricing differential in the two six-cylinder engines described above is $5,000 dollars, so expect that same ratio for the 1-series models.
Formula One
(07/14/06)
BMW Sauber test driver Robert Kubica posted fastest laps in both practice sessions at the France Grand Prix. BMW Sauber also introduced a new front nose design. More details at: FIA F1
Formula BMW USA
(07/02/06)
Round 8 of the FBMWUSA Championship saw Stefano Coletti of EuroInternational
took first place at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. More details at: FBMW Results
FIA WTCC
(07/02/06)
Andy Priaulx (GBR) is leading the driver points in the 2006 WTCC. Priaulx finished 8th in the first race and 1st in the second race at Curitiba, Brazil. More details at: FIA WTCC
BMW CCA Club Racing
(07/14/06)
The BMW CCA Club Racing visits Nelson Ledges located in Ohio.
American Lemans
(07/16/06)
Tooele, Utah. - July 15, 2006… The new Miller Motorsports Park circuit just outside Salt Lake City, Utah proved a challenge for BMW Team PTG as they qualified their two BMW M3s eighth and ninth in the GT2 field for today's inaugural American Le Mans Series Utah Grand Prix.
Joey Hand, who will co-drive the No. 21 BMW Team PTG M3 with Bill Auberlen, qualified eighth with a time of 2:48.759 minutes around the 4.5-mile, 24-turn track. Justin Marks qualified the No. 22 BMW Team PTG M3 ninth with a time of 2:50.414 minutes. He will share the car with Bryan Sellers in the race.
BMW Team PTG recently delivered their best finish of the season, a third and fourth, at the New England Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park on July 1.
The two-hour-and-forty-five-minute Utah Grand Prix is scheduled to start at 6:00 p.m. local time today. The race will be broadcast on CBS television at 2 p.m. ET tomorrow.
Background:
2006 marks the 11th season of competition for the BMW Team PTG M3s and the first full season of ALMS competition since 2001. In 10 years, BMW Team PTG has won a total of 53 races in both sprint and endurance racing series and 14 sports car racing championships. In 2005, BMW Team PTG won 7 of 13 Rolex Sports Car Series races entered.
