Prior Design Takes BMW 1-Series Coupe to the Gym

If you need your regular BMW 1-Series to stand out from the crowd, German aftermarket specialist Prior-Design has cooked up a new dish for the non-M models of the compact coupe as well as its convertible variants.

The new widebody styling kit apes the looks of the 1-Series M Coupe with bloated front and wheel arches, combined with matching M-style front and rear bumpers, a vented hood, and side skirts at a price of €2,999 (about US$4,000 at today's exchange rates), not including fitting.

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BMW Releases New Engines for 3-Series Touring and 10 New xDrive Variants

The new 4-Series concept may be one of the stars of the 2013 Detroit Motor Show but that doesn’t mean that BMW is leaving the rest of its line-up alone. Quite the opposite: the Bavaria-based luxury carmaker announced a host of additions to its range, all of which will become available in spring. Read more »

BMW 1-Series Nürburgring Racer Crashes, Goes up in the Air

In recent years, the widespread availability of affordable, on-board cameras, have offered us a first person view of many accidents that take place at the Nürburgring racetrack each year during public sessions.

One such mishap on the 'Ring involving a BMW 1-Series hatch (we can't make out the model from the clip) was recorded on film by the camera of a car that was following from behind.

In the footage, we see the 1-Series first chasing and then overtaking a BMW 6-Series Coupe before the driver loses control of the hatch, which spins and smashes into the protective barrier, sending it into the air.

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Auto Express Pits BMW M135i Against Subaru WRX STi 320R

Once upon a time, not too long ago, buyers rarely cross shopped between Subarus and BMWs, but now, with the way that the Bavarian brand has expanded its range into most segments of the market, many of its cars directly challenge the Japanese brand's models in terms of specs and surprisingly, pricing as well.

A prime example is the newly launched in Europe BMW M135i hatchback, which with 316bhp (320PS) and 450Nm (332 lb-ft) from its turbocharged 3.0-liter straight, the option of either RWD or AWD configurations, and a UK starting price of £30,555 for the six-speed manual 3d and £31,970 for the 8-speed auto 3d model, matches the Subaru WRX STi.

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CarScoop Wishes You a Very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Some say that editors and contributors on this site have petrol instead of blood flowing in their veins and that they’d rather show you the new Ferrari F150 or the Corvette C7 than spend a night with a bunch of Victoria’s Secret angels.

All we know is that everyone here at CarScoop wishes you a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays and that we will be taking some time off today (don't worry, we've planned some stories) before resuming normal operations.

Before we bid thee farewell and warn you to drive safely and, in case you intend to have a drink or two, designate a driver or just leave your car keys at home, there’s some breaking news we’d like to share with you.

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Schwabenfolia Squeezes Some Color on the BMW 1-Series M Coupe

Leave it to a German tuner with a tongue twister name like Schwabenfolia to go all lime green with a limited edition sports car like the BMW 1-Series M Coupe, of which a little over 6,300 units were produced during a ~1-year run.

But fear not, as Schwabenfolia didn't actually paint the Bavarian coupe, instead, it applied a lime green foil wrap, which is priced at €2,150 (US$2,850).

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New BMW 1 Series Coupe and Convertible Limited Edition Lifestyle Heading to Detroit Auto Show

The star attractions at BMW's Detroit motor show stand in January will no doubt be the new 4-Series concept and the production M6 Gran Coupe, but the Bavarian carmaker has a few more world debuts up its sleeve, including the 2014 Z4 roadster we told you about earlier today, and two new limited edition versions of the 1-Series. Read more »

Scoop: BMW 2-Series Convertible Caught for the Very First Time

We were wondering when we would see what BMW is preparing for its 1-Series Coupe and Convertible replacements, and now, thanks to these fresh spy shots, we can show you the first pictures of what we're likely to come to know as the 2-Series Convertible as part of a rumored broader change of names for the Bavarian carmaker.

In the exactly the same way that the 4-Series Coupe and Convertible variants will be based on the F30 3-Series, the 2-Series models will share their platform, interior and mechanical hardware with the latest 1-Series hatchbacks.

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BMW Counts on Upcoming Front-Wheel Drive Models to Keep No1 Spot in Premium Segment

Along with his three brothers, Harris Morris Warner was among the key founders of the Warner Bros. studio. In the early 20th century, movies had no sound; after acquiring the KWBC radio station, H.M.’s (as he was known) younger brother Sam decided to use synchronized sound in the company's movies. The elder brother’s response upon hearing this idea was not very positive.

“Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?” he said, a quote that would remain in history despite the fact that he, obviously, soon changed his mind.

In much the same way, BMW purists are scoffing at the company’s plans to introduce front-wheel drive cars. The first will be the 1-Series GT, which was previewed by the Active Tourer concept that was displayed at this year’s Paris Auto Show, and starting from 2013, will rival the Mercedes B-Class.

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Scoop: BMW's Concept Active Hybrid Takes Production Shape as the New 1-Series GT

The first modern day BMW to be offered with front-wheel drive is almost upon us as the Bavarian car manufacturer is moving ahead with the development of the 1-Series Gran Turismo (GT) that was previewed through the Concept Active Hybrid at the 2012 Paris Motor Show this past September.

The 1-Series GT is a roomier and more practical addition to the 1-Series range that currently comprises the new generation three- and five-door hatchbacks available in both RWD and AWD configurations, and the exclusively RWD older Coupe and Convertible body styles.

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BMW 116d EfficientDynamics Records 103MPG UK – 2.7lt/100km in RAC Challenge

A latest generation BMW 116d EfficientDynamics hatch driven by the team at Green-Car-Guide at the RAC Future Car Challenge 2012 achieved an average fuel economy of 103 mpg UK (equal to 85.8 mpg US and 2.7lt/100km) over the 64-mile Brighton to London route, recording a 39 per cent improvement over the manufacturer's official 74.3mpg UK combined economy figure. Read more »

Watch BMW's Optional M Performance Steering Wheel with Race Display in Action

Some might say it is a yet another gimmick and a distraction or one more electronic accessory to worry about, but BMW and German motorsports expert and race driver Tim Schrick, beg to differ claiming that the firm's M Performance Steering Wheel with a race display is what the doctor ordered for enthusiasts. Read more »

G-Power's BMW 1 M Coupe with 591HP Supercharged V8 will Put Hair on Your Chest

The original BMW 1 M Coupe sporting a 335hp (340PS) 3.0-liter turbocharged six is the fastest regular production 1-Series model money can get, but if you are willing to spend a small fortune, you can turn it into something much faster and far, far more brutal in every way. Read more »

Watch Chris Harris Compare the New BMW M135i Against the Audi RS3

Chris Harris put his hands on two of Europe's fastest and most powerful hot hatches, the Audi RS3 and the newly arrived BMW M135i.

Believe it or not, in the UK, at £39,950 (US$64,100 / €49,200), the Audi RS3 is roughly 25 percent more expensive than BMW's newly arrived M135i hot hatch, which will set British buyers back £29,995 (US$48,150 / €36,900).

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Listen to the Sounds of BMW's New 1.5-liter Twin-Turbo 3-Cylinder Gasoline Engine on a 1-Series

We have heard the claims repeatedly from BMW's people ever since they announced the development of their brand new series of 1.5-liter TwinPower three-cylinder petrol and diesel engines: these new powerplants will be strong, fuel-efficient and equally important, sound the part.

At the recent Paris Motor Show, BMW sales and marketing boss Ian Robertson told reporters that the new three-cylinder engine “behaves like a six-cylinder, is half-of a six-cylinder and has the noise of a six-cylinder”.

Want more? Here is another quote from BMW regarding the gasoline version of the 1.5-liter twin-turbocharged unit that will be offered in outputs ranging from 120Hp to 220Hp:

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BMW Already Testing 1-Series Compact Models with its New Three-cylinder 1.5-liter Engines

As we were looking for pictures the other day for our story on the availability of the BMW Group's new 1.5-liter TwinPower Turbo engines in the United States and Canada, we discovered images of a prototype of the 1-Series five-door hatchback fitted with this powerplant on the company's website.

To date, while BMW has set the market introduction of the 1.5-liter TwinPower Turbo engine in diesel and petrol forms for 2013, it has only confirmed the i8 sports coupe and the i3 supermini gasoline-electric hybrids as the recipients of the three-cylinder units.

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BMW’s Hybrid Active Tourer Concept is a 1-Series GT in Disguise

If things stayed the same, we would probably still be living in caves – or even worse. Change is inevitable and this stands for car manufacturers, too.

BMW apparently thinks the same way; that’s why the Active Tourer Concept that premiered at the Paris Auto Show toady breaks with the Bavarian carmaker’s tradition by offering front-wheel drive.

The automaker claims that its latest study “offers an initial insight into innovations for the premium compact segment… in terms of both the interior and the drive concept.”

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G-Power Builds Insane BMW 1 M Coupé with 592HP V8 and Top Speed of 330km/h – 205MPH

It was not too long ago that G-Power introduced its first take on the BMW 1 M Coupé with a 429hp (435PS) performance tune. Now, the famed BMW tuning brand is taking it a few steps further with its new G1 V8 HURRICANE RS model.

While the G-Power 1 M Coupé made use of the original model's 3.0-liter turbocharged straight six, the G1 HURRICANE RS borrows the 4.0-liter V8 engine from the M3 E92 Coupe.

In fact, G-Power installed the entire powertrain from the M3 including the DCT double-clutch transmission gearbox and stainless steel exhaust system, and while it was at it, also made use of the M3's front and rear axles!

Being the power-hungry company that it is, the Germany tuner wasn't satisfied with the stock engine's 414hp (420PS) so it bolted on a customized ASA supercharger system along with several other goods such as an aluminium cast air box that boost output to 591hp (600PS) and peak torque to 580Nm (428 lb-ft).

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New BMW M Performance Accessories Including Power Kit for 2.0-liter Diesel

The 2012 Paris Motor Show at the end of the month will see the very first presentation of several new products from the BMW M Performance Accessories division including parts for the recently launched 1-Series 3-door hatchback and 3-Series Touring, plus a power kit for models fitted with the 2.0-liter four-cylinder common rail diesel engine. Read more »

BMW to Debut All-Wheel Drive 1-Series Hatchbacks and New Base Diesel Model at the Paris Motor Show

We first heard about the availability of BMW's intelligent all-wheel drive system (xDrive) on the 1-Series during the presentation of the three-door hatchback model back in May, and at this month's Paris Motor Show, the Bavarian automaker will hold the world premiere of these variants together with a new entry-level diesel option for the range.

BMW's all-wheel drive system will currently be offered on two 1-Series hatchback models, the 120d xDrive and the sporty M135i xDrive.

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