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BMW plans another super sports car
COURTESY OF BMW
The BMW M3 Coupe was originally designed and built to enter Group A Touring Car races and compete against arch-rival Mercedes-Benz.
Just like rival luxury brands Jaguar and Maserati, Germany’s BMW is on a mission to get greener and leaner in its offerings with smaller cars as well as electric-powered vehicles set for the future.
But at the same time, the German automaker can’t ignore the high-end performance cars that have powered the brand to become one of the best-selling luxury automakers in the world. And, recently, two of BMW’s in-house tuner M Division cars celebrated a pair of respective milestones.
The forthcoming 2011 model year will mark the 25th anniversary of BMW’s M3 Coupe. Originally based on the 1986 3 Series, the M3 was put on sale to meet homologation rules so it could compete in Group A Touring Car races, mainly against its arch rival, the Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16V, which was introduced in 1983.
While the first production M3 sported a 2.3-litre four with 200 hp (resulting in a top speed in excess of 230 km/h, and a naught to 100 km/h time under 6.7 seconds) along with its donated 3 Series platform, the car has grown over the years.
Compared to the original, the current M3 Coupe weighs an additional 500 kgs, sports twice as many cylinders, more than double the horsepower, and is quicker to 100 km/h by two seconds.
The other BMW M car milestone is the passing of the current M5 midsize sports sedan.
BMW announced that in anticipation of the next-generation model due next spring (based on the new 5 Series platform that just debuted) it has stopped making the current M5.
When first seen as a 2006 model, the M5 showed up with a then-exotic 5.0-litre V10 with 500 hp, primarily inspired by BMW’s short-lived foray into Formula One racing, which was running 10-cylinder engines at the time.
When the 2011 M5 arrives, speculators suggest to expect two fewer cylinders, but two more turbos under the hood, and a total of 560 hp.
Jaguar, Maserati go on the offensive
Despite the current economic downturn that has hurt sales of niche automakers around the world, both Britain’s Jaguar and Italy’s Maserati are looking to expand their lineups with smaller and less expensive offerings.
We already know that Jaguar has confirmed that a Porsche Boxster-like small sports car is in the works. But now Carl-Peter Forster, chief executive at parent Tata Motors, has revealed to the German edition of Automotive News that in order for the British brand to compete on a global scale, his company is also working on a compact sedan to take on the likes of the BMW 3 Series.
Unlike the last Jaguar compact sedan — the 2001-2009 X-Type that was based on a plebeian Ford Mondeo chassis — the new, small, four-door will use a new aluminum architecture based on its next-generation midsize XF sedan.
While Jag’s new small sports car is rumoured to debut sometime in 2012, no word yet on the X-Type replacement’s unveiling.
Fiat’s Maserati is also planning to add a smaller sedan to its lineup to help aid sales.
According to a report in the American magazine Motor Trend, a Maserati four-door smaller than its current full-size Quattroporte (about the size of a midsize BMW 5 Series) could offer both all-wheel drive and, more importantly, a more fuel-efficient alternative to the admittedly piggish Quattroporte.
Apparently, Maserati wants to become a “relevant player” within the markets it sells. Adding the new model would allow it to strengthen its dealer network and brand awareness.
A new set of platform bits would support this new midsize Maserati, the next-generation Quattroporte,and replacements for the current GranTurismo and GranCabrio.
Not expected until 2015, the new baby Maserati sedan should start around $50,000 less than the $121,000 starting price of the Quattroporte.
Mitsubishi targets small-car buyers
As its midsize vehicles — the U.S.-made Eclipse coupe, Galant sedan and Endeavor midsize crossover — get older and fall further in popularity with no replacements in sight, Japanese automaker Mitsubishi is putting all its eggs in the small-car basket.
To that end, its Canadian arm has confirmed that a smaller crossover than the existing Outlander will go on sale here this fall.
Already on sale in Asia and Europe (it’s called the Outlander Sport in the U.S.), Mitsubishi’s smallest crossover will be called RVR in Canada. It will join a burgeoning small crossover market that already includes the Kia Soul, Nissan Juke, Suzuki SX4 and forthcoming Mini Countryman.
Essentially a shorter version of its big brother Outlander, the new, five-passenger RVR wheelbase remains comparatively unchanged, but its overall length has been chopped by 38 cm.
To be available in either front- or all-wheel-drive, the 148 hp 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine from the compact Lancer sedan will be the RVR’s lone powerplant. A five-speed manual or CVT will be the gearbox choices.
Although Canadian RVR pricing hasn’t been announced, the U.S. version is priced between US$19,000 and $25,000. A base Outlander in Canada starts at CDN$25,498.
Porsche ponders another electric car
The idea of a super sports car that doesn’t emit any tailpipe emissions or drink fossil fuels seems like a dream come true.
And a recent glut of electric sports-car concepts from Ferrari, Lotus and Porsche seem to indicate that automakers believe the dream could become a reality — no matter the costs.
Speculation that a production version of Porsche’s proposed electric-hybrid sports car, the 918 Spyder concept first seen at this year’s Geneva auto show, could cost as much as US$630,000 doesn’t seem to be limiting those looking to live such a dream.
Porsche development chief Wolfgang Durheimer said after the Geneva show that the German automaker was looking for a thousand orders before signing off on the production version.
Now, a Bloomberg report is saying that “two people with direct knowledge of the plan” acknowledged that Porsche has 2,000 “non-binding expressions of interest” in purchasing a 918 Spyder, despite the potentially exorbitant price.
The 918 Spyder, which has a 500 hp V8 engine and claims of a 320 km/h top speed (with the ability to drive 25 km on electric power alone), would join other electric Porsches like the 2011 Cayenne Hybrid and the 911 GT3 R Hybrid race car.
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