Showing posts with label Autos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Autos. Show all posts

BMW EfficientDynamics, is it the End of the Hybrid

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What was everyone doing when Toyota developed the Prius? With its hybrid technology, the Prius was hailed as the answer to our problems. A cleaner, greener alternative for those who wanted to save the world but still wanted, or needed, a car to drive round it. Other manufacturers seemed to be slow to develop hybrid technology. So what have they been doing while Toyota surged ahead? Well, one manufacturer, BMW, have been taking some of the best bits off the hybrid and combining them with existing technology, to produce much more fuel efficient and therefore much cleaner cars. Cleaner cars that seem to be able to out perform the hybrids in almost all departments.

When you look at it BMW seem to have had one of the harder jobs when it comes to reducing their overall Co2 emissions. They’ve been known for producing large 4 x 4’s and luxury sports cars. Not the type of cars that offer the best solutions to our environmental problems. However, with this clever mix of existing technology and the development of better engines they have managed to reduce their average Co2 emissions by 26g/km, a saving of over a third of a tonne per year for vehicles fitted with EfficientDynamics. So, how have they done it?

Well, first you have to look at the engines. BMW have developed a high precision injection system, that alongside the ultra-light aluminium crankcase and variable twin turbo technology have allowed the models fitted with EfficientDynamics to increase power whilst reducing emissions. Formula One technology that has been developed and proved in the hardest arena in the world.

Stop start technology is another major factor in reducing emissions. Pull up at the traffic lights and the engine on the BMW stops, press your foot on the accelerator and the engine automatically kicks back into life, saving you money and not choking the planet whilst standing still. This clever bit of kit also tells you when the optimum time is to change gear, also adding to the BMW’s frugality.

Lighter materials have not only been used under the bonnet, they’ve also been used in the manufacture of the boot and the roof on some models. Cutting down on the overall weight of the car is not rocket science and it will obviously impact on the performance of the vehicle. Previously, performance was equated with speed, fortunately performance now covers all aspects of the car, including efficiency and economy.

Brake energy regeneration, electric power steering, an electric coolant pump and small flaps that open and close in the front grille to improve aerodynamic efficiency have all contributed in reducing emissions, making BMW a leader in the luxury car market when it comes to complying with the new Euro V legislation that will come into force in the next decade.

So, do we need full hybrids? Well if you break it down to figures alone it is not quite so clear cut. The BMW 1 Series118d EfficientDynamics achieves 62.8 miles per gallon on the combined cycle as opposed to the Prius that manages 65.7 mpg. Co2 emissions are 119 g/km for the BMW, 104g/km for the Prius. However, take into account the batteries that are used to power the Prius and it becomes slightly hazier. Manufacturing processes and the disposal of spent batteries will obviously have an environmental impact and produce plenty of Co2. Is that impact greater than the small advantages gained? The UK government and the British media would certainly like to know and as a result have asked Toyota to supply them with the figures. As of yet Toyota have not been forthcoming.

With all this in mind, BMW will no doubt continue to refine their EfficientDynamics range, no doubt producing more and more frugal variants, with the gap already small does this mark an end to full blown hybrids? Only time will tell.

Dave Foord is the content writer for Broker4cars. If you are looking for economical cars make sure you take a look at the new BMW 1 Series EfficientDynamics or the new Toyota Prius.
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Getting The Best Bmw Lease Deal

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If you are currently finding yourself in the market to get involved in bmw auto leasing, there are a lot of things that you are going to want to think about before you jump in headfirst. When it comes to getting the best bmw lease deal, you want to make sure that you are signing something that fits your particular needs for the vehicle. While most of the bmw lease deal agreements that you will come across are pretty basic, you can luck out and find ones that are better then the rest.

You want to consider the amount of miles that you expect to be placing on the car each year to make sure that it falls under what is allowed in the bmw lease deal. If you feel that you may be over that yearly amount, you will want to take a close look at how much they will charge you for each additional mile that you are over. Make sure that you can afford this difference in the end to make sure it is even worthwhile before you go signing any bmw lease deal. If the car is going to end up costing you an arm and a leg you might as well just purchase one out right instead of going with a bmw lease deal.

Finding Great Lease Deals

If you pay attention to the different television commercials, you will probably see a few advertisements for a bmw lease deal at least a couple times a night. Pay close attention to these commercials and be ready to take down contact information. This is a great way to look over and compare the different options you have for a bmw lease deal. You do not want to spend more then you have to so it is worth spending a little time to research what is going on.

Also look closely at the different sales flyers that come through the mail, as you will often find a bmw lease deal in these. This is also another great way to review and compare the different deals and specials that are being offered at the dealerships near you. Once you find the one that is the best for you, make sure you do not waste time as that particular bmw lease deal may be for a limited time only and you do not want to miss out on it and it up paying more later down the road.

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All About Bmw Leasing

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When it is time to finally sit down and consider getting another vehicle, there are a lot of things that you truly need to consider. If you are looking into getting a bmw but have never had much experience in driving or owning one, you may want to think about different bmw leasing options. The great thing about going with a bmw leasing option is that you are not stuck with the total purchase price of the car. Since the bmw is very expensive, this may be the only way you could afford to drive such a nice car.

If you want to give the bmw a try without committing yourself, your money, and your credit to purchasing a bmw outright, then the bmw leasing option is probably the best way to go. Just make sure that you are looking for a bmw leasing special that fits your individual needs and budget. This is an excellent way to sort of test drive the car for a year or two to even decide if it is something that you would like to have for many more years to come. If you find through your bmw leasing option that you really enjoy the car, there are generally options for purchasing the car outright at the end of your lease terms.

Problems With Leasing A Car

While there are a lot of wonderful things to take into consideration when thinking about signing a bmw leasing agreement, there are things that you need to keep an eye on. Most all of the different bmw leasing agreements or deals that you come across are going to allow you a limited number of miles that you can put on the car in any given year. This means that if you drive a lot for work or pleasure then you may run into some problems. At the end of your bmw leasing agreement, if you ran up too many miles, you are going to have to pay out some cash out of your own pocket.

Also, there is the problem with the inside of the car having any stains or damage to it. If you have small children or you like to eat, drink, or smoke in your car then you may run into problems with your bmw leasing agreement. When you turn the car in at the end of the one year or two year leasing agreement, the company will go over the inside and outside of the car with a fine tooth comb in order to see what damage, if any, you caused to the car. If there is even the slightest mark or stain they will explain that you have gone against your bmw leasing agreement and you will have to pay for the repairs. These are just some of the things that you need to consider before signing on the dotted line.

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Chrome And Alloy BMW Rims

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The factory steel BMW rims available in the US are manufactured and marketed there. All the BMW rims are top quality as they are manufactured by companies who consider good quality their highest priority. The rims are specially designed to fit all the BMWs, just as they manufacture rims for any car that belongs to the luxury wheels industry.

Manufacturers

The BMW rims are manufactured to all standards which exist in Germany as well as in the US. The manufacturers are generally experts in fitment, and are ready to make BMW rims of any specifications for you by taking the exact requirements for the make, model and year of the vehicle. The manufacturers have very good marketing teams and sales teams, which guarantee you efficiency and quality.

Chrome Rims

Today chrome rims are very popular. The new BMW rims can be put on an older model, as some like to modify the existing car. Sometimes, when you are buying the car, you can get the option of putting BMW rims on your model, if it does not have it. Nowadays, many people are choosing to add chrome rims to their vehicles just to give it the luxury look.

The BMW rims are definitely one of the additions or upgrade to your BMW, new or used. This is how you make people notice your BMW, because by adding the rims you just customize your car. These wheels are highly polished and are plated with a chrome mirror finish which shines in sunlight or streetlight. Many BMW lovers who take part in contests, rallies and shows, elect to install special chrome BMW rims on their vehicles, as it makes the car look sharper, faster and even more expensive.

When you shop for your BMW rims, make sure to note the exact model number of your BMW, the size of the rims and the width. With every model the measurements vary and so you must have all the specifications of the model, before you go shopping for the rims.

Various Types

There are chrome BMW rims and alloy rims available. The alloy wheel is silver is color and has ten spokes. Some have five double spokes in front. You have to select the desired style or color, as the pictures on the web are in black and white. The center caps and lug nuts have generally to be bought extra and are not included in the price, especially if the price is discounted. Most of the BMW rims come with a lifetime warranty.

Having BMW rims is all about styling and elegance, because all BMW accessories like BMW replica wheels belong to a class of their own. You have to trust the resourceful expert, because you need reliability and aesthetic features for your wheel and the right fit and quality mounting can make all the difference.

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Bmw – Giving it an Entirely New Look

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In this who doesn’t have heard the name of BMW. BMW is one of the most successful car manufacturing companies of the world. Whenever someone tells about BMW, then it means style, luxury and power altogether. The every part of a BMW car is designed with perfection. You may think that if it is perfect then what is the need of enhancing it? Who told you that the BMW employees have the best imagination and their construction and outlook is the best. And sometimes the imagination of two people differs. This is called enhancing. It is just improving the outlook in your own style. And sometimes enhancement fails the original outlook also.

BMW can be enhanced in various and by using various BMW body kits. BMW body kits include accessories, headlights, tail lights, grilles, exhausts, emblems, spoilers, HID Bulbs, and mirrors. By using all these BMW body kits or even some only you can enhance the outlook of your BMW car. Every BMW body kits have its own role to play and its own purpose to play. No body kits are unusable. Just take a look one by one.

BMW accessories – BMW accessories includes various things such as BMW emblems-which change the look of your car from the front side, floor mats-gives nice interior look and comfort, pedals-gives a sportier look on the pedals, shift knob-improves the interior look, trim exterior-enhances the look from outside, valve caps-it is useful also and with a BMW logo on the top gives a glazing look also.

BMW exhausts – BMW exhausts are used for gaining more horsepower and a different and unique sound also. Exhausts can make a big difference in the sound of engines. Other than exhausts one can use a muffler also. You can install it by yourself also.

BMW grilles – BMW grilles plays an important role in enhancing the look of your BMW car. It is installed on the front portion just on the top of radiator. Some people don’t like the pre-installed grilles. They want it much sportier. For these people only aftermarket BMW grilles are available in different types of designs and size. You can choose a blacked out grille or you can also choose a carbon fiber grille. Installation processes of all BMW grilles are same.

BMW fog lights – BMW fog lights serves various purposes. It enhances the look of the car from front side as well as it is needed during fog time also. With the help of these lights one can drive a car through the fog also. Now projector fog lights are also available and they work superb.

BMW tail lights – Similar to other lighting system, tail lights also serves various purposes. They also enhance the look of a car and it is used to tell somebody behind your car that you are applying brake. You can choose a LED tail lights, smoked tail lights or a updated clear tail lights.

BMW headlights - Headlights are the most important part of lighting system. It serves as an eye of the car. Without a headlights a safe night driving in never possible. Now headlights on latest technology are available such as Xenon HID headlights or projector headlights.

BMW spoilers – You can install a BMW spoiler also for enhancing its look. A spoiler just gives a sportier look to your car. The LED lighting system in the spoiler makes it even better.

BMW wheels – Wheels are important part of a car and also the shinning part of car. If you will do right selection of wheels then you car is going to look great. You can choose many wheels such as black wheels, chrome wheels or silver wheels.

Apart from these, there are many more BMW body kits such as suspension, mirrors, corner lights and HID bulbs. All these things are used for getting great look and great comfort. These are really useful BMW body kits.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/bmw-giving-it-an-entirely-new-look-736434.html

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The BMW 3 Series – The Perfect Car, The Perfect Sound System

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True mastery is a must in order to achieve a first-class listening experience. This is especially true for you BMW 3 series. Designing your own custom audio system allows you able to fulfill this demanding requirement perfectly. A customized BMW 3 series audio package lets you obtain the sound you’ve looking for in a car stereo system.

No matter where you are going, shopping, work, or on a long road trip, the one feature of a BMW 3 series that you simply cannot take for granted is the audio system. If one or two upgrades aren’t enough sound for you, improve the entire audio system with one of our top of the line audio packages. Try one our BMW 3 series stereos to give your beautiful car some much need flash and sound.

The stock BMW 3 series audio system is a pretty impressive unit but that doesn’t mean it can’t be improved. After all, a good thing can always be made better. It’s for this reason that there are many aftermarket BMW 3 series audio systems on the market. If you’re looking for a top of the line BMW 3 series audio since your BMW deserves only the best, you can easily locate the BMW 3 series stereos for your refined needs.

If you dream of a car audio system that not only sounds great but is packed with a many high tech features, a BMW 3 series audio system integrated into a BMW 3 series stereo is the perfect choice for you and more importantly, your car.

The overall style and performance of your BMW are improved just by changing the head unit, amplifiers, or speakers. With up to thirteen high-quality loudspeakers to fill your BMW 3 Series with brilliant sound, the possibilities for your BMW 3 series audio system are as vast as your imagination and as wide open as a country road. If that isn’t enough to get your juices flowing, you have the option to upgrade the entire car audio system with one of the many custom BMW 3 series audio packages.

Now you can create a one of a kind BMW 3 series audio system for your car, precisely calibrated to the architecture of the 3 series interior as well as the disposition of your picky ear. Show the world why your BMW 3 series is “the ultimate driving machine”. BMW 3 series stereos are the perfect place to start.

With the selection of BMW 3 series audio systems and BMW 3 series stereos it’s easy to find audio upgrades available for your BMW 3 series that deliver the ultimate pleasure for your ears, even at higher speeds.

About the author:
Audio sound system expert Wayne Hemrick writes about the bmw car audio system.

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

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Be Careful When You Shop for a Used BMW Engine

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Whenever you are shopping for anything used you need to be careful and cautious. The same goes for when you are buying a used BMW engine, and there are a few steps in particular that you are going to want to take in order to ensure that you come out of this with the best results and find a used BMW engine that is in good enough condition that it is worth you purchasing.

Check for Leaks

One of the most important things to do when shopping for a used BMW engine is to check for leaks. When the engine is turned off you want to try and open the engine oil cap and then look inside the oil filler hole. Use a small flashlight if you need to so that you can see better, and if it is possible to see any internal parts there you want to check their condition as well.

Remember that a well maintained used BMW engine will usually look pretty clean and will not be cracked or rusted anywhere. A good idea will be to look at an engine in a used BMW convertible, while it is still in the car, so that you can get a better idea of what things are supposed to look like and give you more of a firsthand view on how things work.

Check the Oil Pressure

The next step for you when shopping for a used BMW engine and car is for you to check the oil pressure. Try to check the engine oil pressure on a cold engine and then start the engine and look at the low oil pressure warning lamp or oil pressure gauge in the instrument panel.

Timing Belt

Another part of the engine you are going to want to check out is the timing belt. Cars have a timing belt that needs to be replaced at certain intervals and so you want to make sure that this is a part of the car that you keep an eye on and that you are going to replace it when necessary.

If you are just looking for the engine that is easy enough but if you are looking to buy an entire car used, you really need to be cautious. This is important because used or not a car is a major purchase and so you need to proceed carefully and make sure that your money is being well spent.

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