Embarrassing Replica of Rolls Royce Phantom Built on BMW 750i V12 E32

This custom monstrosity of a Rolls Royce Phantom replica is based on one of the last elegant BMW 7-Series models, the late 1980s-early 1990s E32, and was found for sale on a Polish used car website. There are so many things wrong with the build that we don't know where to start, but the flashy Rolls Royce sticker on the steering wheel could take the prize for being the worst item on the car...

The Phantom clown clone is built on a V12-powered 750i with the seller asking a laughable €56,653 (around US$75,500 at today's exchange rates) for the car. More photos after the break.

Source: Otomoto via Motofilm

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Police Recover BMW 750i xDrive that was Stolen During the Detroit Auto Show [with VIDEO]

The BMW 750i xDrive that was stolen during the 2011 Detroit Auto Show has been found. The $95,000 car was discovered at a gated apartment complex near Telegraph and Glendale Street, in Detroit’s West Side. Detroit police said the wires to the tracking system had been cut, but the Bimmer was probably ditched due to the massive media attention surrounding the case. Authorities seized the vehicle for further processing.

The 7-Series was used by BMW officials and guests during the press days of the Detroit motor show. Although it was a crime of opportunity, as the handler left the keys in the car and stepped away for a second, the thieves weren’t amateurs and were able to annihilate the GPS tracking device fitted to the $95,000 luxo-barge. Video report available after the break.

By Csaba Daradics

Source: WXYZ

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ItalDesign’s Nazca Reborn in Sabino Leerentveld Homage

Ever since the demise of BMW’s M1 in 1981, designers and illustrators alike have speculated on the look of a possible successor to the Bavarian automaker’s only mass produced, mid-engined vehicle. Some – like industry stalwart ItalDesign – have gone so far to build full scale, drivable mock-ups.

One such speculative mock-up was ItalDesign’s Nazca M12 of 1991 featuring a mid-mounted V12 and BMW’s ubiquitous rear wheel drive. The Italian design house also presented a race-spec version of the car called the Nazca C2 at the 1992 Tokyo Motor Show, followed by a Spyder model in 1993.

Now, twenty years later, Dutch designer Sabino Leerentveld has resurrected the Nazca C2 in the form of this rather slick homage.

With its sculpted aerodynamic flanks, EfficientDynamics-inspired nose and pillars cleverly secreted behind its massive glasshouse, Leerentveld’s Nazca homage is quite a wonder to behold. In fact, one could also most say it's more production ready than ItalDesign’s 2008 concept. And, dare I say it, slightly less fussy in the styling department.

As always, you shouldn’t take my word for it. Check out our gallery below and deliver your verdict in the comments.

By Tristan Hankins

Source: Sabino Leerentveld

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What a Steal... Thieves Nab $94,000 BMW 7 Series at Detroit Motor Show

While we're done covering the automotive action from the main show floor of the Cobo Center, the Detroit Motor Show continues to make headlines, albeit for the wrong reasons. A BMW 750i xDrive (or 750iL xDrive) worth either $94,000 or $140,000 (depending on the news site....) was stolen near the Westin Book Cadillac in downtown Detroit. And what has that got to do with the Detroit Show, we hear you ask?

Well, the 7-Series was part of a fleet of BMW sedans that were used by the Bavarian automaker's executives and guests during the press days of the show. According to Police reports, the gray bimmer was being loaded into a transporter bound for New Jersey when the handler stepped away momentarily leaving the keys in the vehicle. That's when the crafty thieves stepped in and drove away with the 7er. Video report after the jump.

Source: 7Abc

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New Rumors Surface about 4-Cylinder Turbocharged BMW Engine, this time for Z4 Roadster

Last time we reported about BMW's long-rumored family of turbocharged 4-cylinder engines, it was in the summer of 2010. Meanwhile, the German manufacturer hasn't revealed anything on the matter, giving the whole affair an almost mythical status.

However, a new rumor has surfaced, with Automobile Magazine tweeting that the entry level BMW Z4 will soon get a new, 4-cylinder force inducted engine, as a replacement for the naturally aspirated inline-six.

The exact tweet was “BMW new 4-cyl coming this year in Z4 roadster. Replaces nat asp 6, so at least 200 hp” and, seeing that average fuel consumption regulations and emissions standards are getting stricter by the day, it sounds like a logical move for BMW.

The Bavarian company sure knows how to build a fine turbocharged engine and there are many models in its line-up that could benefit from a more frugal, and equally if not more powerful four-pots. The 1-Series and 3-Series are just two that come to mind right, although we’re pretty sure that X3 owners wouldn’t mind better fuel economy as well.

Clearly, the question here is not “why”, but rather “when”, and at the rate things are going, we’d say let's meet up again this summer and we’ll hopefully have some more official info for you.

By Csaba Daradics

Source: Automobile via Bimmerpost

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G-Power’s BMW M5 HURRICANE GS is the World's Fastest LPG-Powered Car

After the standard BMW M5 and M6 Hurricane editions, BMW tuning specialists G-Power has now released a more eco-friendly iteration of the same package, in the form of the LPG-powered Hurricane M5 GS.

The German firm's engineers performed several modification to the M5 and M6 Hurricane's 5.0-liter bi-supercharged V10 engine which now comes with one fully sequential five-cylinder LPG system per cylinder bank. G-Power says the benefits of LPG fuel are both economical and ecological in nature, as LPG is not only around 50 percent less expensive per liter than petrol, it also reduces CO2 emissions by about 15 percent.

As an added bonus, the V10 is slightly more powerful than its gasoline counterpart producing 660-horsepower (+25HP) and 650Nm of peak torque at 5,500 rpm.

The M5 Hurricane GS can go from standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) in only 4.6 seconds and reach the 200 km/h (124 mph) mark in 11.4 seconds, while topping out at 333 km/h (207 mph), which, according to the tuning firm, makes it the world’s fastest LPG-powered car.

For improved stability and handling, the sports saloon has been fitted with a G-Power RS coil-over sport suspension, high performance braking system and lighter, 20-inch Silverstone Clubsport alloys, clad in 255/35 front and 285/30 rear tires.

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BMW Prices U.S.-Spec 2011 1-Series M Coupe and 2012 650i Convertible at NAIAS 2011

At the 2011 Detroit Auto Show, BMW announced pricing information for the U.S.-spec 2011 1-Series M Coupe, face-lifted 2012 1-Series, and the all-new 2012 650i Convertible.

The revised entry-level 128i Coupe starts from $31,825, while the much anticipated 1-Series M Coupe with the 335HP turbocharged inline-six is priced at $47,010 and will be available in limited quantity. The new generation of 650i Convertible starts at $91,375. All prices include an $875 destination and handling fee.

For the 2012 model year, all 1-Series variants received a mild exterior makeover and come with iPod/USB integration. Furthermore, certain models feature an innovative Air Curtain system (128i), which reduces wind resistance, Xenon adaptive headlights and power seats with adjustable lumbar support as standard (135i).

The 128i Convertible models get larger, 17-inch alloys, while the 135i Convertible comes with 18-inch rims. By adding a through-loading system, engineers also managed to improve the storage capacity of all open-top versions.

The complete price list of the 2012 BMW 1-Series is as follows:

128i Coupe $31,825

135i Coupe $39,925

128i Convertible $37,475

135i Convertible $44,675

The 2012 BMW 650i Convertible is powered by a 4.4-liter turbocharged V8 engine, rated at 400 hp and 450 lb-ft (610 Nm) of torque, which can be mated either to a 6-speed manual or an optional 8-speed automatic transmission. BMW says that the new model offers more passenger space, improved ergonomics and better materials. Just like the previous generation, the new 6-Series Convertible has a soft top that can retract in just 19 seconds at speeds up to 25 mph (40 km/h).

Sales of the 2012 1-Series, 2011 1-Series M Coupe and 2012 650i Convertible will start this spring.

By Csaba Daradics

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