First video of next generation BMW 1-series (F20)

http://snipurl.com/n5jll [www_1addicts_com]
Frank

My New Vespa

Frank

4 cylinders?

Bloomberg is reporting that BMW NA may be bringing some of its stellar four cylinder powerplants to the US in the future. However we can exclusively report (as we have mentioned previously) that there is no maybe about it. BMW NA has definitely given the go ahead to bring the at least one 4 cylinder power-plant to the US as soon as 2011. Destined for either the E90 3 Series or the a 1 Series model, the power-plant could either be a current engine or one of the two new 1.8L turbos(producing 204 or 240 hp). While there's an outside chance four cylinder diesels could also make it, we wouldn't hold our breath unless there are some drastic fuel price shifts

Here's an excerpt from the Bloomberg piece:

Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, the world's biggest maker of luxury cars, probably will bring back four-cylinder engines to meet tougher U.S. fuel-economy standards, the company's top North American engineer said.

The automaker, which hasn't offered the smaller engines in the U.S. since 1999, wants to boost fuel efficiency without hurting its reputation for performance vehicles, said Tom Baloga, BMW's vice president of engineering for the U.S.

"The biggest challenge will be maintaining the 'Ultimate Driving Machine' performance," he said in an interview today, referring to the Munich-based company's marketing motto.

Official Event Copy

Here's the official copy sent to GGC for our next two events, should be on the web in a day or two.  I've probably heard from all of you who are going to the August VDC tour, 15 so far with one couple from the Bay Area joining us.  Please let me know if you are not able to attend, as we are limited to 20 for this event and may have a waiting list.

 

Information for the Friday, August 7 VDC Tour:

 

 

Join us for a look at the inner workings of BMW's Vehicle Distribution Center in Oxnard.  If you're planning to caravan down with us, we'll gather in Santa Maria and depart at 8:45 A.M. from the lot by Starbucks at 550 E. Betteravia, across College Drive from BMW of Santa Maria.  It's about a 2 hour drive, so those who want to meet us in Oxnard should be at the VDC parking lot by 10:45.  The address there is 5650 Acturus Avenue, Oxnard, 93033, and is about 15 minutes south of 101 taking the North Oxnard Boulevard Exit.

 

We'll have lunch at a nearby restaurant and our guides will be invited to join us, schedule permitting.  There will also be a driving tour on the way home, heading north on Hwy 33 from Ojai, the definitive "long and winding road," to Hwy 166 east of Santa Maria.

 

Registration is required for this event as the number of participants is limited to 20, but we will have a waiting list if it's filled in case a space opens up.

 

 

For the Sunday, September 20 Jalama Burger Run:

 

Join us for a spirited drive to Jalama Beach, south of Vandenberg AFB near Lompoc.  We'll leave from the lot by Starbucks at 550 E. Betteravia, across College Drive from BMW of Santa Maria.  Departure time is 10:00 A.M., heading south through Lompoc to Jalama Road.  There are 150 turns on the way to the beach, so plenty of opportunity to work on your cornering technique.  Our destination is the Jalama Beach Store, known as the Burger Shack, legendary for their high-octane 1/3 lb., 90% fat-free lean ground beef burgers.  They also offer fish, chicken and vegetarian items on the menu.  The road is worth the reward, locals say, and that goes double for drivers of sporting machinery. 

 

 

We're working on next year's schedule, which will have one more event in north county since we've had more in the south this year.  If we make our spring drive inland (Pozo/Creston) while it's cool, we can do a coastal drive in the summer similar to March 1, but head to Cambria for lunch.  More of our active members live to the south, so our "population center" is probably between A.G. and Nipomo.  Comments and ideas always welcome

 

Dennis Harrold