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Andrew

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  1. Probably - but it just as easy to use a micro ATX PC and hide it. Run any linux distro and stream using vplayer and various other codecs. If your a video geek like me you can even get it to realtime down sample HD to SD sizes. Our network is based on iSCSI - so is huge bandwidth.
  2. Andrew

    1990 318iS Turbo

    oh btw - if you want a deal on it - reserve is way below the 15500 asking price and not far from the starting price of 11. Go hard. http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/C...on-97317172.htm
  3. Andrew

    1990 318iS Turbo

    Bump - no one here want badass e30? Trade Me it is then.
  4. Can you measure the PCD please?
  5. Hot wheels - although 4 -> 5 stud converters are horrible and ilegal.
  6. Andrew

    330Ci M Sport

    No way - the gearbox alone would be 6000. Then you need driveshaft, who knows what computer changes heaps of labour
  7. Even though sales are stronger than the previous generation BMW 7-Series, dealers will tell you in confidence that they've been disappointed with the whole design and electronic glitch debacle that has plagued the car since introduction. The good news for BMW traditionalists is the next version's design will be more evolutionary than revolutionary. And more refined and elegant. But don't look for BMW to stop the technology stampede on the next car... The Spies are hearing from reliable sources that the new 7 will employ a bevy of new technologies that would make the engineers over at Lexus blush! Forget back up camera's. We're told the new 7 will have AT LEAST four camera's that will do everything from parking, backup assistance, around corner sighting, lane departure monitoring, plus a couple surprise features. We also hear that BMW will incorporate things like night vision into the main speedometer area and the next cars gauges will be virtual projected onto a plasma style screen, ala new Mercedes S-Class. And when it comes to power and performance this WILL be the ultimate driving machine as it will employ the new turbo technology to the enth power. Look out AMG! Sources tell us the high end of the line will cross the 700hp barrier. And give the same fuel economy as the current 750! Want more? Third generation adaptive cruise, the best BMW sound system in history, all new navigation system with the next generation traffic monitoring, etc., an even more intelligent key system, all show up on the next car. Stay tuned, we will publish more details as they emerge.
  8. <h2 id="fdmodel">Audi A5</h2> Test date 16 April 2007 Price when new £40,025 S5's dash gets A6-style driver-facing centre console What is it? The boss version of the new Audi A5 coupe, this side of next year’s RS5 at least, which is packing the same 4.2 litre direct injection petrol V8 that we’ve already seen in the S4. Audi claims the S5 will be far sportier, though, with the front axle moved forwards by a clever new suspension system, all-new steering and a rearward torque bias for the quattro four-wheel drive system. On paper at least, it’s the sportiest non-RS badged Audi yet. What’s it like? Mostly good. The slightly dull styling is no more exciting on the road than it was on the motorshow stand: the A5 looks suspiciously like a BMW 3-Series coupe with an A4 front end grafted on. But the interior is predictably classy, the V8 engine delivers strong urge and a great soundtrack and the Quattro drivetrain delivers impeccable traction on tight, twisty stuff. The new steering is less convincing – it feels as over-light as the S4’s helm, and nothing like as good as that of the RS4. Should I buy one? The S5’s case takes a bit of a dive when it comes to money. Nice although it is, it’s going to have serious difficulty justifying itself next to the considerably cheaper BMW 335i Coupe, which is almost as fast, far more practical and still better to drive. Buyers looking for value will therefore have to cast their eyes further down the A5 range; those looking for the best driving coupe of this size, on the other hand, need look no further than the alternative offered by Audi's old Munich rival. Mike Duff First drive data How much? Price when new £40,025 Price as tested £39,825 How fast? 0-62 mph 5.1 sec Max speed 155 mph How big? Weight no data How thirsty? Combined no data CO2 emissions no data Engine Layout V8 Max power 349 bhp Max torque 325 lb ft at 3500 rpm
  9. Andrew

    1990 318iS Turbo

    For sale finally after getting it all ready. Have HEAPS of pics of mechanical stuff should anyone want it. 1990 318iS 1900 cc DOHC Turbocharged BrilliantRot - Coupe Fully certed; has current WOF & REG Cosmetic: iS Front lip, Mtech1 sides, Mtech2 rear spoiler, Full shadowline, Smoked Indicators Tartan (iS special) Sport Seats Black sport headliner Whole car in immaculate condition. VDO Oil Pressure, Oil Temp, Boost gauges. [illuminate Orange] Illuminated gearknob Engine: Custom intercooled turbo setup. Mosselman Log Manifold (modified) Garret T3 JE Forged Pistons, Lowered compression ratio - complete motor rebuild. Motec M4 ECU, Full electronic engine maps, boost control. Driveline/Wheels/Suspension Getrag 260 modified to fit M42. Quaife 3.64:1 LSD 15" Basketweaves with near new Dunlop Direzzas all round. Koni Gas Single Adjustables with Eibach Springs. All legal and captive. Power: 165 rwkW @ 13 psi (plenty more if you up the injectors, change the intercooler and up the boost). Regularly maintained - thousands spent since I bought it. Will be tuning it (AGAIN) before sale although all issues have been repaired (with pictures and proof). Only issue car wise that I would mention is the small amount of rust in the sunroof. I will chuck up some better pictures later - but here are some from when I bought it. Asking price: $15500 CONTACT: 021 921 733 Don't call and ask for test drive - you won't get one without proof of funds.
  10. Andrew

    How much oiL??

    hah I know - I just figured Gus hadn't been brandishing his hammer and FT talk enough. It needed to get out there.
  11. One misbehaving nut decided Pukekohe's final V8 Supercars meeting. Garth Tander's seemingly inevitable victory in the last heat - which would have given him a remarkable six straight race wins - was derailed when a wheel nut jammed during his compulsory pit stop. The West Australian still tied for overall victory in the crash-strewn meeting with his Toll HSV teammate Rick Kelly, but Kelly was given the official round win because he won the last race. One of the crashes cost Tander the chance to win the round as a long safety-car period left him with only one lap to get his Holden past Team Kiwi Racing's Paul Radisich and gain the extra points he needed. Tander had not realised the last few laps of the race were being cut to fit into Australian television schedules after earlier smashes had caused delays. "I had a crack at Paul (Radisich) at the hairpin but I would have tried harder there if I had known it was the last lap," he lamented. "The pit stop took too long and then there was a lot of traffic in pit lane and I had to wait to merge. Then I was back in the pack and there was some pretty average driving going on." Next year the New Zealand round of the championship shifts to Hamilton. Tander said he had enjoyed racing at Pukekohe. "It's incredibly fast and there's been some big shunts here," he said. "The walls are close but that adds to the excitement." Kelly, the defending champion, admitted he felt lucky to win the final race and the round. "He (Tander) was quicker than us all weekend here as well as Perth," he said. Tander had won all three races at the preceding round in Perth, and was a convincing victor in the two first heats at Pukekohe. Third overall was Vodafone Ford driver Jamie Whincup with placings of fourth, second and fifth. "I'm very happy with third," he said. "Power-wise we're a bit off the Toll cars." Kelly's older brother, Todd, finished fourth overall for the Holden Racing Team, ahead of Stone Brothers Ford driver James Courtney, Whincup's teammate Craig Lowndes and Todd Kelly's teammate Mark Skaife. The results preserved Rick Kelly's 13-point lead over Tander in the championship - between them they have won all but one of the races so far this year. Todd Kelly is third from Whincup, Skaife, Courtney and Lowndes. Radisich was the top New Zealand driver, 11th overall in his TKR Falcon after finishing a fine seventh in the last race. It was a brave effort from Radisich, as he was still suffering pain in his chest and ankle as the result of a heavy crash at Bathurst last year. The worst crash of the final race saw Queenslander Paul Morris slam the wall over the hill after tangling with Brad Jones. His Sirromet Commodore rolled twice, ending upside down at the side of the track. "I passed him and gave him heaps of room, and next thing I was upside down," Morris said. "It wasn't too flash." In race two yesterday, New Zealand driver Jason Richards had a terrifying moment when his suspension failed as he started braking - from 270kmh - at the end of the main straight. Tyres streaming smoke, his Tasman Holden ploughed straight ahead, bounced over the gravel trap and hit the tyre wall head-on. "I've been in a race where someone was killed there," Richards said. "I don't mind saying I thought I was going to die. It was frightening, I had absolutely no control."
  12. Andrew

    How much oiL??

    torques?... FT man. FT.
  13. Andrew

    HB Tane

    I'd it it! Praaaprummpp pah paa! HB dude.
  14. That is my motor you are talking about on my NA 2.5 race car. There were 90% after we modded the engine then changed to the ford injectors. I personally would not bother with O-Rings etc etc. You can do a satisfactory setup with the motor stock and still whack out a healthy 280 + hp and lots of torque and decent driveability. The m50 flows nicely and that could be acheived with medium abouts of pressure (0.9 bar for e.g). I have a 280 hp e30 - and it is definately on the limit for stock brakes, it NEEDS a good diff to get power down and would rock a mid 13 1/4. That really is fast enough. My point is - to go faster you need to then start going down the road Josh has done and upgrade everything else. You also have to remember you WILL break stuff with an aftermarket turbo car. It just - happens. All of the time, even with the best engineered ones. So in summary - 10k would get you a nice litte setup - leave the motor alone (or freshen it up if it's tired) and you'd walk away with 300 odd hp. It sounds like you need to work out exactly what you want to achieve - all you have said so far is go fast. There is a big difference between fast and FAST Win
  15. The 2007 Shanghai Auto Show starts today, and many of the world’s luxury auto makers are getting ready to show off their lineups for China and there is a very good reason why they should. China’s luxury car market is growing twice as fast as it’s overall market, which is the second biggest in the world and is expected to exceed the US and become the largest car market by 2020. So as the 2007 Shanghai Auto Show opens it’s doors to the public on April 22nd, the flippin-rich Chinese population, which is growing like crazy, will get to trade in their bicycles for something more luxurious. Check out the Top 12 Luxury Cars that are set to take over China in months ahead. Top 12 Luxury Cars to take over China Gallery: Top 12 Luxury Cars to take over China: Audi A6 Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG Mercedes-Benz GL55 AMG Infiniti G35 Infiniti FX Lexus ES 350 Lexus IS 300 Cadillac SLS BMW 5-Series Acura RL Acura TL Rolls-Royce Phantom [Please see main news page to view all pics]
  16. As we mentioned before, BMW is planning to bring back the 8-Series as a four-door coupe to compete with the Mercedes-Benz CLS and Audi’s upcoming A7. Well today, BMW surprised everyone at the 2007 Shanghai Auto Show with a new four-door coupe concept called the BMW CS Concept, which is very close to the rendering we showed you previously. Measuring longer than the BMW 7-Series at 5.10 metres or 200.8 inches the BMW CS Concept, when put into production, is expected to be powered by a 6.0 liter V12 engine. We can also expect a V8 and V10 variant as well. Check out BMW’s huge press release after the jump. BMW CS Concept Gallery: Press Release: Entering a New Dimension: The BMW Concept CS. BMW Concept CS Introducing the BMW Concept CS, Germany’s leading manufacturer of premium automobiles is presenting the vision of a unique four-door car which combines the exclusivity of a genuine luxury Gran Turismo with the fascinating thrill of a high-performance sports car. This unique combination never seen before offers the perspective to enjoy sheer driving pleasure in a dimension quite unprecedented in the world of motoring. Indeed, the BMW Concept CS is a new definition of design culture. Concentrating on powerful, expressive design, materials of the highest quality, and quality of finish in perfection, this unique new model offers a completely new understanding of premium quality. And within its interior, the BMW Concept CS combines stylish luxury with the most uncompromising ambience full of class and value. Through its design alone, the BMW Concept CS underlines the supreme skill and competence of the BMW brand in developing the most sporting and dynamic cars offering ample space for more than two occupants. The most spectacular rendition of this heritage at BMW is the BMW M5, which established a brand-new segment in the world of motoring more than two decades ago and is acknowledged to this day as the benchmark in high-performance saloon motoring. BMW Concept CS side Now the know-how BMW has acquired over the years and decades comes together with the worldwide fame of the company as a manufacturer of premium automobiles, the BMW Concept CS thus offering the best of both worlds. BMW is using the skills and competence established over such a long time to combine the most fascinating highlights of sporting performance and sophisticated luxury in an unprecedented new concept. Hence, the BMW Concept CS impressively proves how the successful strategy of the sporting four-door may be carried over consistently into the luxury performance segment. Exterior design: where qualities typical of BMW all come together. More than any other saloon in the past, the BMW Concept CS bears out all the highlights of optimum performance through the design of its body alone. The low-slung, dynamically stretched silhouette, the long engine compartment lid and stylish lines and contours accentuating rear-wheel drive technology simply perfect for sports motoring, all set clear standards for supreme dynamics in a new dimension of outstanding vehicles. Through its supreme presence, stylish elegance, and challenging dynamism, the BMW Concept CS, in a nutshell, offers truly unique design language with highly individual aesthetic features never seen before. Precisely this explains why all the elementary values of the BMW brand are concentrated in the BMW Concept CS, superior dynamics and sophisticated elegance all being borne out together through the authentic style and design of the car. Clearly, therefore, the BMW Concept CS is the pacemaker leading into a new category of values typical and characteristic of the BMW brand. Design culture and dynamics of the highest standard. Offering a synthesis of features unique to the BMW brand, the BMW Concept CS introduces new, tempting highlights in a particularly demanding segment of the market. This unique model combines the qualities of a luxury saloon and a high-performance sports car in one, raising this superiority to a new, unprecedented level. As a result, the BMW Concept CS adds an unparalleled touch of sporting dynamism to the conventional culture of a saloon, offering the driver and passengers the complete dynamic potential of such unique power on four full-sized single seats. While the conventional saloon focuses primarily on driving comfort, the BMW Concept CS sends out a clear message of active, dynamic motoring. A message which reaches all the car’s occupants, with the generous feeling of space in this four-door being supplemented by a sporting and low seating position enjoyed not only by the driver and front passenger, but also by the passengers at the rear on their own single seats. For this reason alone, the BMW Concept CS is, not least, the vision of a sports car for the ambitious driver offering the passengers the same experience of sporting performance and luxurious pleasure. BMW Concept CS side 2 Individual style meets exclusive class. The innovative, unique driving experience offered by the BMW Concept CS is appropriately reflected by all the car’s interior features, the design of the interior and the various technical innovations interacting perfectly with one another. The ambience of the interior is indeed just as unique as the character and body design of this one-off sporting four-seater, offering all the occupants a brand-new experience of aesthetic style and design. And it almost goes without saying that within the car the occupants enjoy such unique exclusivity in particular style on four single seats. The innovative design and finish of both the surfaces and controls is further accentuated by the use of top-quality materials and quality of finish enhanced to perfection. Unnecessary opulence is replaced by highly focused luxury, together with an exemplary standard of detail and elegance. The precision that has gone into the development and production of all components is obvious at very first sight, clearly expressing BMW’s dedication to supreme performance in every respect. Style and unique aesthetics of BMW. Measuring 5.10 metres or 200.8 inches in length, the BMW Concept CS is dominated by dynamically flowing lines. From the BMW kidney grille standing out powerfully to the front, the eyes of the beholder move back along the low-slung and sleek engine compartment lid, subsequently meandering along the side-line and roof-line all the way to the deliberately short rear-end with its clear-cut air flow spoiler. The dynamically stretched silhouette of the car proudly boasts a wide range of features typical of the character of a particularly sporting, avantgarde automobile. All of these features clearly bear testimony to excellent aerodynamics as well as a low centre of gravity helping to promote superior agility on the road. And at the same time the carefully modelled transitions between the body sections are a clear symbol of the car’s nimble character and performance, despite its size. Four doors with a unique, sporting and low body line. The sporting, low-slung silhouette of the car is further accentuated by body height of just 1.36 metres or 53.5 inches. A further important feature is the gentle taper of the roof-line at the rear serving again to smoothly stretch the proportions of the entire car. The re-interpreted contour line, as seen from the side, serves to emphasise the technical concept of rear-wheel drive so crucial to dynamic performance on the road. Subdividing the silhouette of the car into various sections, the contour line stretches from the beginning of the A-pillar in a gentle, rising movement all the way up above the front door, gradually petering out beneath the rear side window. Then the contour line starts again in the lower section of the rear door, first running parallel to the wheel cut-out in a powerful arch. From there the rear contour line is continued as a straight line also rising slightly up to the rear end of the car. The roof-line likewise tapering out gently to the rear also provides a brand-new effect when looking at the car from the side, adding a touch never seen before on a saloon. The striking contour of the C-pillar, in turn, provides an additional visual highlight of attractive clarity, the transition of the C-pillar into the rear section of the car tapering out at a lower angle than the steeper rear window rising up from its base point. This creates a unique expression of classic notchback design highly individualised and varying according to your angle of vision. At the bottom, the C-pillar offers a new, enhanced interpretation of the reverse line sweeping to the front known by tradition as the “Hofmeister kick”. And last but not least, a gentle and extremely attractive light-edge stands out above the side window precisely where the C-pillar merges into the roof-line. BMW Concept CS rear close Characteristic front-end design consistently enhanced. The front-end design of the BMW Concept CS is a particularly striking example of the consistent enhancement of BMW’s design language. Here the BMW kidney grille stands out as a powerful element typical of the BMW brand and naturally a famous icon of body design, giving the car its unique look and emphasising the flow of air into the engine. Indeed, the kidney grille is not only the central, but also the dominating element in the design of the entire front end. Through its dimensions alone, as well as its position slightly inclined to the front, the kidney grille establishes a clear link to classic BMW sports cars. All further elements at the front end of the car are angled in the direction of travel and designed as a genuine sculpture around the kidney grille, with all directly adjacent surfaces being modelled in concave design. Significant functional features add further meaning to this special look of the car, with the BMW kidney grille serving as the primary supply of air to the engine. The two recesses in the front side panels, in turn, help to cool the brakes on the car. And since a power unit befitting the dynamic character of such a sports saloon most probably requires an ample flow of cooling air, the need for an extra-large kidney grille is obvious at first sight. Applying the philosophy that “form follows function”, the contours on the engine compartment typical of a BMW have developed into a genuine sign of distinction born out of technical needs and requirements. On the BMW Concept CS, the powerdome as a further highlight in design extends over the power unit as a particularly large, almost awe-inspiring design feature. The engine compartment lid is supported at either side by headlight units merging flush into the design of the car and resting flat on the side panels, extending far back into the front wings. The slender space thus left over above the extra-large wheel arches underlies the agility and, accordingly, the athletic performance of the car. Innovative headlight technology. Within the dynamic, low-slung headlight units featured in the BMW Concept CS, particularly innovative technology serves to generate a powerful and consistent light beam: Innovative LED reverseprojection lights bundle their light on a reflection area from where the beam is conveyed smoothly, consistently and with utmost precision to the road ahead. This provides a particularly homogenous area of illumination without the slightest dazzling effect, since the oncoming motorist does not look directly at the projectors. The short front overhang of the body creates yet another sign confirming the sporting concept of the car, showing the connoisseur clearly that the engine may be placed behind the front wheel suspension. Obviously, such arrangement of the engine serves once again to make the car particularly agile and dynamic on the road. The extra-large wheel arches offer space for big 21-inch wheels �" again exceptional proportions alluding clearly to an extremely high standard of steering precision and tracking stability. And the rear wheel arches are powerfully chiselled to perfection even more than the wheel arches at the front, with the car growing wider towards the rear end, again accentuating the transmission of power to the rear wheels so typical of BMW. Dynamic roof-line guiding your eyes �" and the air flowing by. The sculptural design language so characteristic of the BMW Concept CS in its body design allows unique interplay of concave and convex surfaces, reflecting and guiding the light on and around the car in exactly the right way. One example in this context is the exterior mirrors on this unique car blending harmoniously with the side-view, the mirrors through their design alone repeating the overall look and lines of the car. The door handlers are integrated into the flanks of the BMW Concept CS even more discreetly: Housed within a chrome-bar running to the rear at the height of the contour line, the door handlers controlled by sensors move out only when really needed. Yet another innovation in the design of this saloon is the centrepiece along the roof line of the BMW Concept CS slightly drawn in at the rear. This exceptional contour design visible only from behind but nevertheless unusually powerful in its look optimises the flow of air in and around the roof area. The aerodynamic touch established in this way underlines the overall sporting impression of the car and serves at the same time as yet another feature of sculptural design and perfection. BMW Concept CS rear Sculptural design for truly unique style. Given all these features, the BMW Concept CS is a modern counterpart to the conventional notchback design of a “regular” four-door. Indeed, never before on a saloon have the individual body sections merged so smoothly into one another, creating a low-slung and stretched appearance. And this impression of all-round perfection with supreme harmony of looks from every angle is further enhanced when admiring the transitions modelled with extreme care and diligence, providing additional light effects, for example, around the C-pillar. Features of this standard alone clearly confirm BMW’s philosophy to express supreme design culture through perfect precision and style in every respect. The much lower flow of the C-pillars compared with the position of the rear window again serves to emphasis the flowing transitions from one body section to the next. Seen from the side, the entire car has the lightness of a coupé �" but then all you have to do is change your perspective only slightly in order to perceive and appreciate all the style of a classic four-door. Given the short body overhang at the rear, the size of the separate luggage compartment is hard to appreciate to begin with. Instead, the rear end is dominated by other design features emphasising both the wide track and the aerodynamically optimised rear look of the car. Moving up at the rear, we see that the two tailpipe rings are integrated in the rear air. In its night design, in turn, the BMW Concept CS is characterised by slender rear lights emitting a homogeneous, low-slung and therefore strikingly harmonious lighting effect. With its design language absolutely authentic and convincing to the last detail, the BMW Concept CS offers all the fascinating thrill of new design culture. The particular impact of this sporting four-door, in turn, results not only from individual highlights, but also from the overall look of the car accentuating its complete character so convincingly. The car’s dynamic potential is indeed expressed both by its proportions and lines symbolising both power and a dynamic, forward-moving urge. And last but certainly not least, the BMW Concept CS boasts particularly sophisticated elegance through the great care and diligence applied in turning innovative design culture into reality. The interior: an outstanding driving experience on all four seats. The interior of the BMW Concept CS also offers dynamism of a completely new standard borne out by the combination of exclusive elegance and sophisticated refinement. In designing the interior, the innovative technique of layering the individual surfaces and components provides an unprecedented combination of function and stylish reduction to the essential. The appropriate use of joints and seams, together with layered surfaces, creates new options in the arrangement of functional elements for both ventilation and illumination. And at the same time the layering concept offers new possibilities to clearly express the class and value of the materials used as well as the precise design of the car’s interior through contrasting colours and the structure of different materials. Featuring height-adjustable collar elements directly integrated in the seats, the four full-sized sports seats meet all the needs of personalised entertainment and communication, thus raising the experience of quality within the interior to an unprecedented standard. More than ever before, this highlights the sheer value of the materials used, the love for all details, and quality of finish now enhanced to perfection. BMW Concept CS rear Interaction of innovative design and exclusive materials, together with the use of a highly expressive colour scheme, gives the interior of the BMW Concept CS a unique touch of luxury based not on simple opulence, but rather on perfect quality. The design of the interior clearly reveals the truly outstanding driving experience in a unique ambience. A brand-new concept for subdividing the cockpit into various sections, as well as unparalleled standards in the choice of materials and in the quality of finish, create an unprecedented flair of exclusivity and individual style. And added to this there is a clear pledge to sportiness expressed both by the arrangement and finish of the four single sports seats and the design of the controls and instruments. An invitation to active motoring. The driver-oriented cockpit immediately shows the motorist that he or she is in control of everything happening at the wheel. Just like the arrangement of all controls and instruments, the design and layout of the cockpit is an invitation to active motoring. A very clear example of this straightforward philosophy is the short distance between the steering wheel and the shift lever, while in their design the sports seats combine a touch of lightness with the sporting elegance of the finest leather. The low-slung seating position and the clear structure of the instruments likewise evoke the wish to really experience and savour the dynamic potential of this unique car. Lots of space, lots of support: sports seats also at the rear. The BMW Concept CS presents the vision of an automobile proudly offering all its qualities to the driver. The unique thrill of driving the car is obviously borne out most by taking your position at the wheel, while the sheer driving pleasure offered in the process is shared out among all the occupants: Just like the front-seat passenger, the passengers on the single seats at the rear will also appreciate and cherish the sporting and active driving experience offered by the BMW Concept CS. Precisely this is ensured by the contours of the rear seats with their perfect side support tailored to the contours and design of the front sports seats. And thanks to the single seat concept, elbow freedom on the rear seats is just as good as on the front passenger’s seat. The centre console flows back smoothly all the way to the rear, serving as a comfortable armrest and at the same time offering additional storage space. In all, therefore, the passengers sitting at the rear enjoy a brand-new, truly innovative ambience standing out clearly from the conventional style of a “regular” four-door model. Cultivating the flow of joints and seams: layering the interior design. The combination of features previously regarded as incompatible within the BMW Concept CS represents a complete departure from conventional standards. Indeed, the BMW Concept CS opens up a new era in many areas, the unique combination of sporting performance and stylish elegance also coming out clearly in the design of the interior. BMW Concept CS interior The BMW Concept CS is therefore no more and no less than a new milestone in refined interior design, applying an innovative layering technique developed by BMW to provide unprecedented interplay of the various interior elements. Instead of large surfaces and connections with their transitions nearly always characterised by a change in materials and colours, the layering technique stratifies the various surfaces flowing into one another, with clearly defined seams taking on a functional role, for example in the arrangement of light sources and venting nozzles. The result is a very refined effect of light and shade making a significant contribution to the exclusive overall look and impression of the interior. Contrary to the design of the body incorporating flowing lines, generous surfaces and harmonious interplay of concave and convex elements in order to capitalise above all on light effects, the layering concept applied within the interior mainly uses shade effects and changes in structure. Wherever individual surfaces in the structure of the cockpit do not meet on the same level, we find separate zones kept away from the direct flow of light �" and precisely these zones provide the right space for the inconspicuous arrangement of various functions. The recesses and superimposed surfaces provided in this way offer appropriate space for ambient illumination as well as the arrangement of air vents. Dazzlefree interior lighting and discreet shade effects upgrade the entire flair of the interior and create a kind of light, hovering effect. This layering philosophy is continued in the design of the instruments themselves, the displays in the instrument cluster presenting various functions and items of information on different optical levels. This again creates the impression of superimposed surfaces serving, first, to clearly structure the information offered and, second, to generate an impression of three-dimensionality. Colour design rich in contrasts, high-quality materials. BMW’s designers have also created unmistakable highlights through the choice of materials and colours: Powerful colour contrasts generate a dynamic ambience full of vitality appropriately reflecting the dynamic driving experience on the four seats of the BMW Concept CS. Highquality, refined leather in sophisticated brown forms a powerful contrast to surfaces in elegant off-white. Finished in matt tan, this brown leather is indeed to be admired not only on the seats, but also on the instrument panel, the upper doorsills, and the outer edges of the roof lining. Around the armrests and in the door panels themselves, this change in colours accentuates the dynamic lines of the interior created by the particular design and shape of individual elements. And finally, the leather trim on the dashboard continues in a slender band extending harmoniously into the door linings. As a further innovative highlight, the roof lining in the BMW Concept CS is accentuated not only through a contrasting colour scheme, but also by finishing the outer flanks of the roof lining likewise in leather. Ambient light bands stretching out along the entire length between the windscreen and rear window, finally, add yet a further touch of luxury inside the car. BMW Concept CS interior 2 Reflecting the particular style of the exterior, the flowing structure of the interior surfaces shows special care and diligence in the transitions from one section to another. As an example, the leather trim on the centre console and the door entry area extends far down into the footwells. The dashboard also uses a newly developed metal structure literally “embracing” the various surface elements. This material particularly attractive in its structure as well as its cool colour and feeling surrounds the circular instruments in the cockpit, together with the other features and elements. Yet another supreme innovation is the use of high-tech ceramics for the controls and instruments. And as a symbol of solidity and value, the BMW iDrive Controller is also made of a special ceramic material. Unparalleled and typical of BMW: the BMW Concept CS. The unique flair pampering both the driver and his passengers within the BMW Concept CS is an equally clear expression of both a new culture in body design. Both outside and inside, the BMW Concept CS therefore conveys the same message, telling the world that the experience of driving a saloon now comes in an entirely new rendition. So in presenting this new Concept Car, BMW is not only entering a brand-new segment of the market never occupied before, but is also setting the milestone with a brand-new type of car: The four-door luxury Gran Turismo enters a new dimension of motoring in new style and with new features. A new experience of dynamics and the ambience around us, exemplary quality in design and finish, extreme precision in the dimensions of the car, and concentrated luxury within the interior �" these are the features that characterise the BMW Concept CS. And at the same time all this bears clear testimony to the superior know-how and competence of BMW’s engineers and designers in creating such truly emotional automobiles. The sum total of such qualities in the BMW Concept CS can be created only on a sound foundation of firmly defined values: innovative power, sporting performance, aesthetic design, an open frame of mind, and full awareness of quality. Precisely these are the values BMW has been applying consistently for decades in the development of particularly outstanding saloons and fascinating, truly dynamic sports cars. And now these values are concentrated even more than before in an unprecedented manner in the BMW Concept CS. Source: BMW (via AutoBlog, Motortrend)
  17. The KGP Photography guys caught the new 2009 BMW 7-Series prototype drifting at high-speeds at Nürburgring in Germany. That’s right, the large heavy BMW 7-Series drifting at high-speeds, you have to see the video at edmunds to believe it. Anyway, edmunds is saying that the 2009 BMW 7-Series will be more evolutionary than revolutionary and will tone down the controversial design you see in this year’s model. According to the folks over at AutoSpies, the new 2009 BMW 7-Series is expected to have a heavy load of new technologies including four camera’s that will help it do parking, backup assistance, around corner sighting, lane departure monitoring. They are also saying that the new 7-Series will have the night-vision/digital speedometer found in the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The car is expected to come in two variants including the base model, internally called the “F01,” which is slightly larger than the current model and a L-model, called “F02,” which is said to have an added space of 5.5 inches for those buyer interested in more room. BMW and Mercedes have been previously reported to be talking on developing an upper-class hybrid within the next three years, so it’s still up in the air whether if we might just see a 2009 BMW 7-Series hybrid in the next update. The premium hybrid cars from DaimlerChrysler and BMW should give the two companies strong turf to compete with Lexus and its popular LS hybrid along with the GS hybrid. The 2009 BMW 7-Series should be in US dealerships by Spring of 2009. Source: edmunds and AutoSpies
  18. Andrew

    Gigabit Networking

    Was going to say buffer problems ... we moved from GB at work to iSCSI - we are getting huge throughput now.
  19. Not sure if they make Dunlop Direzzas in that size - but go for them. They rock.
  20. BMW finally released official images and details on the 2008 M3 in the beginning of the month. The 2008 BMW M3 is powered by a V8 engine that produces 420 horsepower that gives it the ability to do 0-60 mph in 4.8 seconds with a top speed of 155 mph. Looks great from the outside, but here is a closer look at the inside of the 2008 BMW M3. Click through for the video Source: EMGCarTech | Link To Video
  21. German automakers have always promoted diesel powered cars over petrol engines and even when its comes to hybrids, they believe that diesels are up-to-par with fuel-efficiency when compared to petrol-hybrids. So it comes as no surprise when BMW said they will not launch a hybrid unless “it is more economical in the real world than a diesel car,” a senior company engineer has told Autocar. “Hybrid cars are very good for slow and stop-start driving but not so good at higher speeds. Overall, our diesel vehicles are still more economical,” said the BMW source in an interview with Autocar. One main lead BMW’s Chairman Norbert Reithofer pushed at BMW 2007 Annual Account Press Conference was EfficientDynamics, BMW’s new term for their green strategy. While hybrid technology in collaboration with DaimlerChrysler is a major element of the EfficientDynamics strategy, it seems BMW has no plans to go hybrid unless diesels are involved. BMW’s said that it’s first hybrid vehicle is expected to be a variant of the next-generation 5-series followed by the X5 SUV. It said that the first model would be launched in 2010.
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