BMW USED CARS

The BMW 8 Series (chassis code: E31); is a V8 or V12-engined 2-door 2+2 coupe built by BMW from 1989 to 1999. This car was offered for sale in the USA from 1991 to 1997.

While it did supplant the original E24 based 6 Series BMW car in 1991, a common misconception is that the 8 Series BMW was developed as a successor. However, it was actually an entirely new class aimed at a different market, with a substantially higher price point and better performance than the 6 series. The 8 Series BMW was designed as a direct competitor to the upcoming Mercedes-Benz SL-Class and S-Class coupes (later renamed the CL-Class). While it has less rear passenger volume than the CL which is considered a two-door sedan, the 8 Series could accommodate two passengers in the rear seats, while the SL roadster is a two-seater.

The BMW 8 Series car was BMW's flagship car while in production. Accounting for inflation, a new model cost above $110,000 and had an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph (250 km/h). Although with the limiters removed, the vehicle top speed was estimated at 186 mph (299 km/h). Worldwide production ceased on May 12, 1999, with 30,621 built.

This year's Z4 has been redesigned for 2009. The previous generation's creases have been smoothed out, and a newly redesigned rear end addresses the complaints about the previous generation's design. The biggest difference from last year is the absence of a cloth soft-top. BMW did away with the separate coupe and convertible and now only offers a power-folding hard top.

The 2009 BMW Z4 roadster is available in two trims, sDrive30i and sDrive35i. The 30i comes with a 3.0L inline-6-cylinder engine that makes 255 hp and 220 lb-feet of torque, while the 35i comes with a twin-turbocharged version of the same engine, making 300 hp and 300 lb-feet of torque. Both engines are mated to a 6-speed manual transmission, and a 6-speed Steptronic dual-clutch transmission with steering wheel shift paddles is optional.

After a lengthy and successful run, the first generation Z4 will bow out this winter to make way for a new and improved model for 2009. Completely redesigned the new Z4 will be available with two engines and several transmission choices.
The Z4 sDrive35i will make use of BMW’s fabulous twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six powerplant, which boasts 300hp and 300 ft-lbs of torque, and the sDrive30i will come equipped with a naturally aspirated 3.0-liter inline-six (the same one found in the 328) that produces a respectable 255hp and 220 ft-lbs of torque.
Both vehicles come standard with a six-speed manual transmission and each have different optional transmissions: the sDrive30i an optional six-speed automatic and the sDrive35i with the seven-speed double-clutch system first offered on the M3!
Acceleration wise, the sDrive30i will hit 60 mph in 5.6 seconds (or 6.0 seconds with the automatic) whereas the sDrive35i will blast to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds (or an even more impressive 5.0 seconds with the double-clutch transmission).

There's no denying the sex appeal of the Z4 M Coupe. Women wonder if you're James Bond, men spin their heads lustfully when you pimp it down Main Street. It's not that the car looks particularly exotic-it just looks different. There's nothing on the road anything like this radically proportioned Coupe. The same was true of the first one.

I love the attention, but I don't really like the styling. As rare as the shape is, it doesn't seem balanced. And the headlights are just too Bangled for my taste.

On the other hand, the engine has the kind of soul that God would request in a sports car. It's perfectly tractable at low revs, but an obvious willingness to spin is a constant reminder that things get much more exciting after 4000 rpm. It d

All Car Donation Programs Are Not Created Equal
August 2004

Scenario A: It's got four wheels and an engine. Sometimes it even runs. But the mechanic's estimate is more than you want to pay, so it's time to get rid of the old clunker in your driveway. A 501(c)(3) public charity you like will take it off your hands. You'll dispose of your car, support a favorite charity, and get a nice income-tax deduction. It's the best of all possible worlds—isn't it?

Scenario B: Your 501(c)(3) organization accepts the donation of a used car, turns it over to a broker to sell, and receives a portion of the proceeds. Your nonprofit receives some much-needed cash, the donor gets a deduction, and the broker makes some money. It's a win-win-win situation—right?

In these two cases, yes. But vehicle donations to charity don't always work out that way. To clarify the situation, on June 29 the IRS issued two new publications on the topic, one for donors and one for charities.

The 335i, 328i, 330i, and 325i all have 3.0-liter inline-sixes. The 328i is a coupe with a 230-horsepower six that falls between the 255-horse 330i and 215-horse 325i, which are both four-door sedans. Deep breath. The 335i, then, is a twin-turbocharged direct-injection 3.0 that makes 75 percent of the expected power of next year's M3 V-8.

There's linearity to BMW horsepower numbers, from the M5/M6's 500-horse V-10 to a 400-horse, 4.0-liter V-8 in the 2008 M3 to 300 horses for this handsome new coupe. This is something different for BMW: Its first-but not last-gas direct-injection engine, with piezo injectors feeding the combustion chambers for a more equal distribution of fuel. The twin turbos act in parallel, each boosting three cylinders. They're inside an all-aluminum block with cast-iron liners that cut cylinder bore by 1.0 mm versus the naturally aspirated 3.0-liter. The world's first twin-turbo inline-six, according to the Bavarian automaker, is its future in providing efficient high performance.

(NC)-"Mister, you just filled your X5 with diesel!" Get yourself into a BMW's new X5 xDrive35d, and you'll frequently hear this when refueling as the models start hitting the market. One of two new 'clean-diesel' products being introduced to North America by the automaker, the X5 xDrive35d joins the newly-updated BMW 335d sedan for 2009.

The diesel-powered X5 boasts the smooth and refined operation of a modern clean-diesel powerplant alongside the German brand's promise of sporty driving dynamics and safety.

X5 is a discreet looker of an SUV: handsome, understated and capable. A unique badge indicates the presence of a diesel engine, though diesel and gas models are identical looking otherwise.

Same goes for inside. Except for the 4000* RPM redline and 'diesel' badge on the fuel gauge, the interiors are identical too. Wood trim and supple leather complement the simple and concise layout to the various controls. Plenty of room exists for five occupants - though the rear seats fold flat to accommodate any combination of passengers and cargo. Several handy storage compartments are at hand for smaller items, too.

CARPENTERIA, Calif. — In an attempt to change perceptions in the U.S. market about diesel-powered cars, the Bosch Corporation—a leading supplier of diesel technologies to the auto industry—brought some European-market vehicles to the States recently for sampling. With the cost of all petroleum-derived fuel standing where it does today, we think moving larger cars to diesel power makes good sense. So we slid behind the wheel of a BMW 745d this past weekend to see just how pleasurable and efficient a large luxury car can be when it packs a sophisticated new diesel. With a new 2009 BMW 7-series nearly here, could a clean diesel version for America be far behind? —Barry Winfield

The Specs
The BMW 745d packs a 4.4-liter liter turbo diesel V8 paired with the traditional six-speed automatic. The aluminum engine block makes this motor about 66 pounds lighter than its predecessor. But the best news—at least for power junkies—is that this diesel V8 makes a robust 330 hp and an incredible 553 lb.-ft. of torque way down at 1900 rpm. And that means it will accelerate to 62 mph in just 6.6 seconds, and cover the standing-start kilometer in 26 seconds. That's just 0.9 seconds slower than the gas-fueled, 4.8-liter V-8 BMW 750i.