bmw

The language of automotive design: Nine brands

In recent years, automotive designers have become very aware that strong design language reinforces a brand. BMW and Cadillac pushed hard in the last decade to create a common look to all models under each brand. The result was that, when you see a Cadillac on the street, you know that it is a Cadillac. No other cars look quite like it.

Other companies quickly got on board. Automotive designers come up with phrases to help their teams focus when designing a new car or a model update. Design languages such as L-Finesse, Keen Edge, and Fluidic Sculpture encompass the … Read more

CNET Car Tech: 2011 BMW 740i

The 7 Series has always been a member of the resentable class: Capable, yes, but with a pomposity that says "a 5 Series would have been fine, but I want you to fully appreciate the size of my bank or...". But a "740" on the rump indicates a fresh new approach to powering BMW's flagship. Brian Cooley takes you for a drive to check the tech.

CNET's full written review is here.

Car Tech Live 202: We welcome the electric Smart Car...and the Lexus LF-A (podcast)

The electric ForTwo and the Lexus LF-A debut for very different audiences. Verizon tries but can anybody beat Google maps on Android? The car key that doubles as a wallet. And we drive the BMW 740i, the thinking person's 7 Series.

Subscribe with iTunes (audio) Subscribe with iTunes (video) Subscribe with RSS (audio) Subscribe with RSS (video) EPISODE 202 SHOW NOTES

• Lexus LF-A being delivered

• And the first electric Smart ForTwo being delivered!

• Can Verizon VZ Navigator ever top Google Maps on Android?

• Solar road melts the snow that falls on it

• CNET's picks for must-have car tech features… Read more

BMW lets buyers watch their custom X3 being born

BMW created a new portal that lets buyers of custom-ordered 2011 X3s watch their newly purchased SUV being built at the Spartanburg, S.C., plant.

The automaker isn't expecting viewers to act as quality control for their cars, though having seven cameras trained on the assembly line probably will cut down on the goofing around. The new feature helps BMW cater to often-cultish brand followers who want a more enhanced customer experience.

"Customization is essential to the new BMW X3. With more than 10 million distinct configurations available, we wanted to get customers excited about the birth of … Read more

Car Tech Live 200: BMW turns your new X3 into a video event (podcast)

Your next car WILL be connected; the Chrysler 300 gets a big change under the hood; Toyota eyes China with nervousness when it comes to electric cars; and we drive the latest Camry. (Yeah, we know. But they sell a ton of 'em.)

Subscribe with iTunes (audio) Subscribe with iTunes (video) Subscribe with RSS (audio) Subscribe with RSS (video) EPISODE 200 SHOW NOTES

• Chrysler 300 Hybrid

• Keyless cars not that hard to hack

• Watch your BMW X3 being built. Oh boy.

• Toyota designs a way around Chinese access to electric motor minerals

• California has the highest cost for charging EV's -- do they make sense here?… Read more

New BMW 6-Series convertible gets real

DETROIT--We've know it was coming since the 6-Series Concept was unveiled at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, but at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, BMW has unveiled the next iteration of the 650i Convertible.

The new 2012 model features revised front and rear ends that are the spitting image of what we saw in Paris. BMW's designers have softened the nose and widened the eyes for a look that's more in line with the freshly launched new 7-Series sedan. Out back, the Bangle Butt is gone, replaced with a rear end that is … Read more

AT&T to provide connectivity, communication in future BMW models

The Ultimate Driving Machine just may boast being the Ultimate Connected Machine with today's announcement that AT&T will provide BMW Assist services in future BMW models.

BMW Assist offers Bluetooth hands-free calling capability with speech recognition, GPS location services, emergency assistance, traffic and weather updates, fuel prices, news, and other services.

Currently, BMW Assist is offered free for four years on 2007 and newer BMW models. Information on the enhanced services through AT&T will be released when the service launches, the company said in a release.

AT&T has been pushing a campaign against … Read more

BMW adopts Nvidia GPU for in-car displays

LAS VEGAS--After dominating PC graphics, Nvidia set its sights on other industries, most recently getting into the automotive sector, powering navigation system graphics in Audi cars. Now Nvidia announces a partnership with BMW to power the graphics in all of its infotainment systems.

In Audi navigation systems, the Nvidia GPU allows rich 3D building and landscape rendering. BMW's current high-end navigation systems also employ rich 3D maps, but the Nvidia GPU should improve rendering speed. Nvidia says its GPU will enable 1280x600 resolution graphics in BMW's next generation infotainment system.

A prototype of the new infotainment system will … Read more

BMW burns its logo onto viewers' eyelids

"Make the logo bigger!" is a cry that has emerged from the mouths of so many marketing directors.

"Burn the logo onto everyone's eyelids!" is perhaps spoken less often.

But as technology moves apace, the possibilities expand in proportion to the ambition and brazenness of the marketers.

So I am grateful to Wired for imprinting upon my eyes an attempt from earlier this year to burn the BMW logo onto the eyelids of unsuspecting German cinema-goers.

Perhaps knowing that most commercials for motor vehicles are duller than the water in a Russian hotel, BMW decided … Read more

BMW gives 1-series an M label

Today, BMW announced the 1-series M Coupe, a version of its 1-series car given the M sport division treatment. Although this news may sound good to BMW fans, the new M is not radically different from a 135i.

Both the 1-series M and the 135i use BMW's twin turbocharged 3-liter straight six-cylinder engine. For the M version, BMW tuned the engine to produce 340 horsepower. Also, the M version retains the current twin turbocharbed engine, whereas the 2011 135i gets the N55 engine with a single twin scroll turbocharger.

BMW says the 1-series M will hit 62 mph in … Read more